Hello and welcome to season 2 of The Librarians Roundtable Review. Basically I send out questions about the episode and anyone who has watched it is invited to answer them. Then I compile the answers into this article. If you would like to participate, either contact me @dahne1 on Twitter, e-mail me at dahne@spoilerTV.com, or head to my blog on Tuesdays - dahne1.blogspot.com. You can of course always leave your comments below too.

Many thanks to our first roundtable reviewers: BlueStar, Kollin, Michaela, and Prpleight. They were kind enough to answer, even though I did not give them a lot of time. Thanks so much for sharing your insight and opinions. It's a great start to our new season. And now on with the review….



What was your favorite thing about these episodes?


BlueStar - Everyone is back together after spending months separated on their own adventures and Eve is persistent about getting them to recognize that working as a team is best. I also am loving the literary characters being the main plot.

Kollin - The camaraderie of the Librarians and seeing them talk about how they need each other after spending time apart. Aww

Michaela - I enjoyed how lived-in all the relationships feel at this point. It was great to see everyone come back together and pair up with different team members, like the hilarious Ezekiel-Flynn team up and the interesting contrast that was highlighted between Flynn and Baird when they worked together. Both episodes also contained the fun and sparkle that I've come to expect from the show, especially in the ways that each episode was wrapped up in the last few minutes.

Prpleight - It wasn't as evident in the first episode but by the second episode I was certain...Prospero was speaking in Shakespearean English. That detail made me grin. I also loved seeing the neophyte Librarians working on their own.

Dahne - For me, it is this overarching storyline of literary characters coming to life that is the best thing. There are so many possibilities with this direction that I cannot wait to see who pops up next. I also like how they mixed up who was working together. That always makes things more interesting.




If you could change anything about these episodes, what would it be?

Kollin - The teasing between Eve and Flynn just felt a little bit too over the top.

Michaela - The first episode was a little chaotic with every character going off in different directions in their own storylines. Overall, I thought both episodes were slightly overstuffed. As much fun as it was to watch multiple fictionals come to life and to see the Librarians defeat them, for upcoming episodes, I really hope the show focuses on one or two villains per episode instead of throwing so many at the characters. One of the things I loved so much about last season was the ways in which it was able to make a supernatural procedural work so well in such a fun way, an element I thought was somewhat missing in these last two episodes, as awesome as they were.

Prpleight - Personally, I would have liked more of the neophytes in the second episode. I'm having trouble putting my finger on exactly what makes me say that but I found myself missing them during the second episode.

Dahne - I agree that the episodes felt a little overstuffed and as such felt disjointed in many ways. The newbies on their own at first made the storyline less cohesive because so much was going on. I also think they focused way, way too much on the romance between Flynn and Eve.



This season appears to focus on literary characters coming to life. If you had the power to make any literary character real, who would it be and why?


Kollin - Sancho from Don Quixote. I just find him to be very inspiring in his loyalty and honour. He's that type of guy you would want as a friend.

Michaela - Definitely Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl. The show toned down her petty cruelty and shockingly foul mouth, but in the books series, Blair was the edgiest YA protagonist by a long shot, so the fact that she was sympathetic in the least is really a testament to her author. I'd love for her to come to life so I could listen to her talk trash about annoying people without feeling bad about myself for laughing, after all she'd be doing all of the heavy lifting, I'd just be around for the ride. She was a strangely feminist figure with her obvious flaws that made her a bit of an antiheroine and because I'm not exactly a woman of refined literary tastes, Blair was by far my favorite heroine in a novel, so I would love for her to come to life so we could hang out.

Prpleight - My first response is Joe Ledger (the main character in a series of novels by Jonathan Maberry. But if I stick to "literary" characters...The Phantom and Edmond Dantes from The Count of Monte Cristo.

Dahne - Dantes from The Count of Monte Cristo was the first person I thought of too. He's smart and patient, two things I love in a potential villain. I also think that Iago from Othello would be cunning enough to manipulate our characters and make things intense. Continuing with the Knights of the Round Table would be fun too, since I would love more back story on Jenkins. We also need to bring in some characters that are good with a sword. This show needs a minimum of one good swordfight per episode.



At the start, each of the librarians were working on their own. Would you like to occasionally see them working alone or do you like the team dynamic better? Why?

BlueStar - I like the team dynamic more because it is fun seeing all these characters interacting and despite their differences work together to save the world. It makes it more interesting when there is more than one person on a mission.

Kollin - I don't think the Librarians are strong enough individually; they really feed off each other. The team dynamic is truly what makes this show.

Michaela - I like the team dynamic better because I love watching the characters interact with one another and continue to build their relationships. I didn't think that the premiere handled the separate storylines especially well and the episode felt pretty chaotic and disjointed because of it. I don't need them to constantly be doing the same thing in the same room as one another, but I prefer to watch them all working as a team in some way. At the very least, they should be in pairs like they have been in previous episodes. It allows the episode to have multiple storylines and I've always found that character development tends to work best one on one as opposed to a lone focus on one character.

Prpleight - I did really enjoy seeing them working solo. I think a mix could work. Teasers
(throughout these season) where one of them returns from a solo case just before we find out what the episode case will be or perhaps having a solo case end up requiring the whole team to successfully conclude the case....sort of the paradigm of 'the Drowned Book'

Dahne - I prefer to seeing them paired up instead of on their own, mostly because their strengths come in working together. None of them seem to have a wide enough skill set to make it alone to be honest. Ezekiel needs more general knowledge and patience. Cassandra needs someone to be the human front of her operations because she often goes off into her own world. Jake needs specific skills like lock picking to round him out. If an artifact was specifically tailored to their skill sets then that would be different, but obviously it is more random. Otherwise it would have been Jake to get earring detail instead of Ezekiel.



...And the Drowned Book is the season 2 opener. How do you feel it compares to other premieres this season? How do these two episodes compare to season 1 for you?

BlueStar - The opener is actually one of the better premieres I've watched this season. It jumped right into the action and adventure and pretty much did all the right things to satisfy what I was looking forward to in season 2. To me, these two episodes were up to par with season 1.

Kollin - It's hard to compare this premiere to other premieres as it is such a different kind of show, but what I can say is that it was a solid premiere. Though I enjoyed Season 1, I hardly remember it. If these first two episodes are any indication, I think Season 2 will be more memorable as these literary characters coming to life makes for great entertainment.

Michaela - I wasn't a huge fan of And the Drowned Book, but I understand that it had a lot of expositional groundwork to lay for the rest of the season. It wasn't my favorite premiere of the fall or my favorite episode of The Librarians, but considering it took me about three episodes to get into the first season, I wasn't too worried or disappointed.

Prpleight - I don't like to compare the premieres of different shows to other shows because a lot of what I watch is apples and oranges. But I must confess that I didn't think these two episodes were as good as season 1. I hope we're not headed for a sophomore slump.

Dahne - Last season was very much up and down for me so these 2 episodes were better than some and worse than others. I did like all the action and humor but the pacing was off and some of the jokes were just bad. I felt that 2.01 worked better as a middle episode than the premiere because it was dull in some places.



...And the Broken Staff focused more on Eve and Flynn's relationship than the other 3 librarians. Did you like the spotlight on their differences or would you rather it have been more balanced between the characters?

BlueStar - I love Eve and Flynn so you'll find me hard-pressed to say anything not positive about focus being put on them and their relationship. Since Flynn won't be around for half the season I think it was fine to not have the episode balanced between all the characters. Many shows have character centered episodes every season.

Kollin - As aforementioned, the teasing and differences between Eve and Flynn was way too over the top for me and the fact they focused so much on it was overkill. A bit more balance between the characters would've improved this episode.

Michaela - I tend not to be super happy with most TV romances because the romances often seem rushed into and rarely feel well developed or earned. Considering Flynn has only been in about half the episodes of the show so far, The Librarians has managed to develop their romance pretty well and it was nice to see the contrast between their characters. I would have thought that this much focus on their relationship would feel really annoying and shoehorned in, but it didn't. I felt they had enough focus on the other characters for the relationship building to feel like a plot tumor. That said, I hope their relationship isn't always the focus of Flynn's storyline when he comes back to the show and that other characters get episodes that focus slightly more on them as well.

Prpleight - I realized that they had to get to Flynn's exit but I would have been happier if the 3 newest librarians had more balance in the episode.

Dahne - I found the constant harping on the differences between Flynn and Eve to be very irksome and it took away from my enjoyment of the show. It would have been fine if it had been one conversation but it was a conversation every 5 minutes. I was glad when Flynn left just to stop hearing them bicker about everything. They need to stop thinking of Flynn as the main character when he pops by. In this show, he's a side character at best and his plot line should reflect that.



It appears like in season 1, Flynn Carsen will only be in special episodes. Would you like it to be like last season or would you prefer to have Flynn in all the episodes?

BlueStar - This is tricky to answer. I love Flynn and I'd like to see him in more episodes so his character can develop more, but I don't think I'd want him in all the episodes because I do like having some episodes that totally focus on the other librarians.

Kollin - Flynn takes the spotlight away from the rest of the Librarians. He has too big of a presence. The last season worked in its character dynamics between the team of 4, so why mess with it!?

Michaela - He's already so good at being The Librarian that he tends to upstage the others whenever he's working with them. It's nice that he drops by to help them out every once in awhile, but he's so quirky and practiced as a Librarian that he pulls focus from the other characters. The rareness of his appearances make them more of a treat.

Prpleight - I'd love to have Flynn around for the entire season, but after 'the Broken Staff' I fear that they'd have difficulty finding the balance.

Dahne - I find Flynn to be more annoying than entertaining when he's around. He's too goofy. I would actually prefer that he not come back at all until the big showdown in the end.



What grade would you give episode 2.01?

BlueStar - I'd give it an A. I really enjoyed everyone reuniting and getting to see/hear pieces of what they'd done while they were separated, and I liked the lesson they learned about needing to work together or they will miss clues. I was happy the episode wasn't just a set up for the next episode. They saved New York in the very first hour.

Kollin - 7/10. Thoroughly entertaining episode with a fun main story.

Michaela - B-, I still enjoyed it. I just would have enjoyed it more if there had been less place setting and more non-arguing interaction between the characters. I get that pulling them apart helped illustrate why they needed to work together, this episode just felt pilot-y in a way I didn't really like. The ending was pretty great though, especially the realization that they did have a second sun at their disposal to help them get rid of the storm. Stone singeing his hand during an attempted high five with Jenkins - and having that injury carry over to the next episode were nice touches too.

Prpleight - A - Everyone was working together and bringing their different skill sets together to save the world. Plus we got to see the neophyte librarians working solo.

Dahne - I give it a B-, mostly because watching characters argue about stuff they already learned in the first season gets tiring very quickly. I hope that we don't keep having a refrain about how they work better as a team. However the fictionals were a brilliant addition and I expect this season to be more fun than the Serpent Brotherhood ever was.



What grade would you give episode 2.02?

BlueStar - I'd give an A- for this episode. Lots of exciting stuff going on again, but I'm lowering the grade for Flynn not handling things better and actually annoying me in a couple scenes (usually I love his quirks). I get he's not used to teamwork and likes to dive into adventure but the writers could have made him a bit less dramatic about it and not have him quickly run off at the end. Otherwise, I enjoyed all the characters' actions and the plot.

Kollin - 8/10. Thoroughly entertaining episode with a fun main story. Better than the first episode as I found the addition of Frankenstein and the Queen of Hearts hilarious.

Michaela - A- I liked this episode much more than the premiere. I was glad to see everyone working together again in an episode that had a more self-contained plotline that wasn't just setting up pieces of story for episodes to come. This episode reminded me of why I love the show so much even though I didn't think their case was one of the more creative dilemmas they've solved. The amount of mythology and allusions they managed to fit into one episode was impressive and it was nice to see Flynn and Ezekiel team up for the first time. They're weirdly similar in their cockiness and stubbornness even though Flynn has a nobleness and desire to help others that Ezekiel doesn't seem to have yet. Flynn choosing to hug it out with Frankenstein's monster and having that plan fail only for Ezekiel's a**-pulled plan for FM to get plastic surgery and play professional sports. Teaching Frankenstein's monster how to use Tinder was one of the better Tinder references I've seen on a show because it was integrated in a way that didn't scream of desperation to be hip. I also liked the choice to make the Tree of Knowledge an adorable little sapling instead of the giant imposing tree Flynn pretended it was.

Prpleight - C - It felt like a longer last half of an episode. It felt a little unbalanced to me.

Dahne - Another B- for me, mostly for all the times the momentum crashed to a complete halt for Eve and Flynn to fight again. It got old fast. However I thought the subplot with Frankenstein's monster was fantastic. It was my favorite scene of the two episodes.



What do you think about Prospero and Moriarty as the Big Bads of the season?

BlueStar - So far I've liked them being the Big Bads of the season. Probably about equal to last year's villains. Maybe even better. Time will tell.

Kollin - I think they are fabulous. The idea behind their dastardly plans makes for fun television.

Michaela - I like that Prospero is actually a sorcerer with magic powers. Such a powerful villain should prove to be a worthy foe for The Librarians. If he ever needs any extra magical help, he could always find Morgan Le Fey and they could wreak sweet, delicious havoc together. Moriarty I could take or leave. Sherlock Holmes stories and villains have become somewhat oversaturated in the past few years.

Prpleight - I like Moriarty, but Prospero doesn't interest me as much.

Dahne - I think they are the best thing about this new season. I adore that Prospero can pull other characters out of whatever books he wants. There's so much to explore there. I do find Prospero's talking in verse a bit vexing sometimes, like they are trying too hard, but he's a thousand times better than Dulaque from last year, even if Dulaque is a better literary character. As for Moriarty, he's a pure gem. He's smart and quick. He oozes charm and he's patient enough to sit back and watch the game before spinning it to his advantage. I expect he will be a much better villain than Prospero in the end.



Anything you want to add?

BlueStar - These two episodes were a promising start to the season and I'm looking forward to what's in store in the future.

Michaela - Based on the wikipedia synopses (that seem to have disappeared) for upcoming episodes, this season looks like it'll be much more serialized than last season was. I like that the stakes will be much higher this season but I hope that we still get some fun standalone cases this year. I look forward to discussing this season with everyone else. Hopefully it'll be even better than the first.

Dahne - The Librarians is a fun, cheesy show designed to entertain. In this, season 2 is off to a good start.  Thanks to everyone who participated.  It was great hearing your thoughts.

A weekly feature highlighting the best quotes on TV as picked by the Spoiler TV team. We'd love to hear your picks too so please sound off in the comments below.



Arrow -
1. John Constantine: "You know, the hair on the back of my neck has been standing up since the moment I got into town." Oliver: "That is probably our current problem - Damien Darkh. Ohh, you've heard of him." John Constantine: "You watch yourself on that one, mate. He'll make what you saw in the other realm look like a bloody gnat." ~Oliver's delivery of "Ohh, you've heard of him" was just excellent. Reminded me a lot of David Tennant's Doctor. Also, Constantine was great fun. (Bradley Adams and Ben L)
2. Quentin: "What do you want?" Damien: "Well, a new beginning for the world. Nice glass of Merlot, not necessarily in that order." (Bradley Adams)
3. Felicity: "Ok, you're not even allowed to say 'energy drink' while on company time ever again." Curtis: "That's ok; I think I might be having a cardiac incident, anyway." (Bradley Adams and Prpleight)
4. Constantine: "You know if I knew you were surrounded by so many pretty girls, Oliver, I would have stopped by sooner." (Nirat Anop)



Ash vs. the Evil Dead -
1. Ash: "Sometimes a whale needs it’s baitfish to remind him of where he is in the ocean." (Prpleight and Dahne)
2. Kelly: "Pablo, believe it or not, the rude middle aged man you brought is kind of ruining my mom time."
3. Pablo: "Is this what it's like to be you?" Ash: "Yeah, pretty much. I've never killed my boss before so that was new."
4. Pablo: "Ash, I know you said that when I got hit I'd know what to do but I just got hit and I don't know what to do."
5. Kelly: "And this is Ash, a person I never thought would be in my home." Ash: "Hi. You used to be dead, right?"



TBE -
1. Lady Love: "This blood for blood serves neither God nor country. There will be no one at your table better versed in the complexity of this issue than myself. Give me the authority to handle the rebellion as I see fit." (Robert Fruin)
2. Annora: "The greater one fights for the love they deserve, the stronger the bond between them." (Robert Fruin)
3. Milus: "In the months since Eric's death you grow stronger, smarter. Certainly more bold. You have become formidable, Love. A voice that challenges me and every pompous noble that rides through our gates. It would be the devil's best work to have scandal take that away." (Robert Fruin)
4. Annora: "We do not need a scholar or a prophet. We need a warrior." (Robert Fruin)



Blindspot -
1. Zapata: " A doctor told me once that turbulence can’t take down a plane." Jane: "I’d feel a lot more comfortable if a pilot told you that." (Prpleight)
2. Reade: "They do know you're in here, right?" Guerrero: "They're very enthusiastic."
2. Weller: "Just to be clear. You have the right to remain silent."
3. Guerrero: "So which is it? Hands up, down on the ground, or don't move?"
4. Weller: "You got something to say, just say it." Zapata: "You're protecting her. She's more than just an FBI asset to you. It's one thing if you won't admit it. It is something else if you don't even know it."
5. Guerrero: "What is this? A scavenger hunt?"
6. Guerrero: "The anticipation is killing me." Reade: "You know what? Your little play-by-play isn't helping."



Code Black -
1. Malaya: "I'm doing this all wrong." Niven: "Doing what all wrong? Being a doctor or being a human?"
2. Hudson: "Two ways to kill your patient. What you don't know and what you think you know but isn't so."
3. Taylor: "I've been doing this longer than you've been manscaping."
4. Rorish: "You've just become our priority patient. You get the first OR available." Tom: "Not the lottery I want to win."
5. Jesse: "Mala suerte." Rorish: "That's directed at me? I'm bad luck?" Jesse: "I was in code red. You walked up, code black. Do the math. I'll bring some sage in." Rorish: "Do that. I'll tell you where you can shove it."



CSI: Cyber -
1. Artie: "Man if anybody had ever told me that this is where my tax dollars are going, I'd actually start…never mind."
2. Krumitz: "Where are you going?' Elijah: "Baltimore." Krumitz: "I thought Avery grounded you." Elijah: "She told me to stay in Washington. Everybody knows Baltimore's just a suburb of the district."
3. Elijah: "Last year he called City Mercy 8 times but the hospital just dismissed him as a wacko." Krumitz: "Well he probably is. Who makes that face in their driver's license photo?"
4. Artie: "Turns out not everyone on the wire is trustworthy."
5. DB: "People feel an emptiness in their lives without you, you know. So just remember them and don't ever stop fighting. Goodbye, Jules."
6. Krumitz: "In my 10 years at the FBI, I have only failed once. Today might be the second time."



Elementary -
1. Watson: "Say Operation Bestow Glory actually works, what are you going to do while I consult with the police?" Sherlock: "You know I have my distractions." Watson: "You really don't get it?" Sherlock: "I don't get what?" Watson: "When it comes to what we do, the only thing that matters to me is our partnership. So if you go, I go. You offered me a job. I didn't take it to work with the police. I took it to work with you." Sherlock: "Well you should know that my detractors are not limited to the NYPD. My professional prospects are quite bleak in general." Watson: "We'll figure it out. We always do."
2. Sherlock: "Justice is like an orgasm. It can never come too late."
3. Sherlock (about his father): "Was he driven here or did he arrive in a plume of black smoke?"
4. Sherlock: "Uh, what do you want?" Bloom: "To hire you. I hear you're quite the detective." Sherlock: "Unfortunately I've got a 'no sadists' policy."
5. Sherlock: "It seems you'll not have to visit me in prison after all." Watson: "You're not being charged. Okay, I'm going to heat up some celebratory leftovers and then we're gonna talk about all the women that you don't have to write to."



Fargo -
1. Lou: "There's a look a boy gets when he's been shot or a landmine takes off his legs. And he's laying there in the mud, trying to get up. 'Cuz he doesn't feel it yet. His brain hasn't caught up with the reality which is, he's already dead." Peggy: "Ed... he's scaring me." Lou: "But we see it. The rest of us. And we lie. We say, "Lay still. You're gonna be fine." If you'd been to war, you'd know the look. See, you and Peggy... you got the look. You still think it's Tuesday. You have no idea what's coming." (Darth Locke)
2. Sonny: "Listen I was in 'Nam, ya? Up there they called me Mad-dog. So you just-- you, uh, watch your--" Hanzee: "Do you miss it?" Sonny: "What?" Hanzee: "The country. Y'know, the wet, the heat, the bugs. Do you miss it?" Sonny: "God, no." Hanzee: "It's this quiet I can't get used to. This... frozen winter." Sonny: "Yeah, well... can't argue with you." Hanzee: "Did you work the tunnels? 'Send the inyun,' they'd say. 'Who cares about booby traps? Give Hanzee a flashlight and a knife and send him down into the black echo.' Moving through the earth like a rat. Killin' off Charlie, takin' his ears.'" Sonny: "Ears?" Hanzee: "You gotta push their faces down in the earth so they don't scream and wake the others." (Darth Locke)
3. Mob Boss [to Otto]: "Kill the king, be the king. That's the world. If you're feeling sour about it, write a letter to Napoleon."



The Flash -
1. Caitlin: "Cisco, I don't think any of us would suddenly become evil if we got powers, even if they were from Dr. Wells." (Nirat Anop)
2. Cisco: "Yeah, well, we're batting a thousand against these breeches." Earth 2 Harry: "You're batting a thousand, Crisco? What's your sample size? Ten?" (Nirat Anop)
3. Joe: "How are you still alive?" Wells: "I don't know. Because you missed?" Barry: "Hey, I'm trying to keep him from shooting you. You're not helping." (Dahne)
4. Cisco: "Okay are Dr. Wells may have been evil but you're just a d**." (Nirat Anop, Prpleight, and Dahne)
5. Cisco: "For real?" Barry: "Stop, alright. I was gonna ask her out and then a land shark tried to eat me and then Doctor Wells the Sequel showed up." (Robert Fruin and Dahne)
6. Caitlin: "Technically this could be mine but I want to run some tests on you." Wells: "I'll be genetically indistinguishable from my earth 1 counterpart. Your tests will reveal nothing." Caitlin: "Great. Still gonna run 'em."
7. Joe: "I just want one week where we're not surprised by somebody from our past."
8. Barry: "You've got to give him a chance, okay? He's not a speedster. He's just a regular, normal guy…from another universe." Cisco: "I never thought I'd miss time travel."
9. Harrison Wells: "A man who looks exactly like me betrayed you. I'm sorry, I'm not him. You need to listen to me if I say you can capture Zoom." (Robert Fruin)



Fresh Off the Boat -
1. Eddie: "Allison's officially my girlfriend." Louis: "What? When did that happen?" Eddie: "Apparently 2 weeks ago. I had no idea we were even dating. I guess that's how things work in 7th grade. Love moves fast and quiet, like Miss Jackson says."
2. Mindy: "We finally have an answer to that question everyone's been asking. Why doesn't anybody move the damn thing? Apparently human touch would render the endangered tortoise infertile. Maybe that tortoise should try being an unmarried woman over 40."
3. Mey-Mey: "It's okay. We're on at 4 am. Our core demo is truckers welcome on and hookers clocking off."
4. Brian: "Call me crazy but square pizza just tastes less good." Eddie: "It's a right angles. Trying to make us learn at lunch."
5. Louis: "Well, one person can't be everything."



Grandfathered -
1. Sarah: "Edie would love it there and bonus - you don't have to pretend you sleep with your dad."
2. Jimmy: "Come on, Edie. Let's check out a school you'll never get into and then after I'll take you to a store and burn a doll in front of ya."
3. Jimmy: "You know you can't be the cutest girl in the world and the smartest. You've got to spread it around a little bit. You don't want haters, right?"
4. Jimmy: "I refuse to live in a world where laws protect human life over fine Italian leather."
5. Jimmy: "I have no idea what it's like to be in a homosexual relationship." Annelise: "It's like being in any other relationship." Jimmy: "I have no idea what that's like either."



Grimm -
1. Monroe: "Too many bad things have gone down here, man. Too much death and destruction. I'm just saying, you might want to think about a…you know, change of venue." Nick: "You mean move." Monroe: "Oh I mean get the hell out of here."
2. Hank: "Can't wait to explain that to Pogue." Wu: "I'll come visit you in the psych ward every Tuesday."
3. Pogue: "Does he look like a guy who can rip someone's throat out?" Hank: "It's hard to know what's inside somebody."



Homeland -
1. Quinn: "If I'm found like this, in a hospital or in a morgue, Carrie will never be free." Jonas: "You people are out of your goddamned minds." (Darth Locke)
2. Carrie: "You're a runner now, huh?" Saul: "Yeah." Carrie: "Since when?" Saul: "Since Mira filed for divorce." (Darth Locke)
3. Ivan: "Just a little farther now, OK. We're almost there." Allison: "Easy for you to say." Ivan: " Don't be scared of him." Allison: "Who, Dar Adal?" Ivan: "He's a pussycat. Just put out the milk, he will lap it up. Believe me." Allison: "It's gonna take a lot more than that to turn Dar Adal against Saul." Ivan: "Wait and see. Saul's weakness is Israel. Dar Adal knows it. When he comes to you, and he will come, play hard to get, and then go to Saul with the passenger manifest." (Darth Locke)



How to Get Away with Murder -
1. Laurel: "You're welcome." Annalise: "Excuse me?" Laurel: "For helping you win the case." Annalise: "You want the trophy, it's in a box in the basement." Laurel: "Is this because of Frank? Because of all the terrible things that happened in that house, us being together…" Annalise: "I don't care that you two are screwing?" Laurel: "You do. Otherwise why treat me like cr** and let everyone else act crazy. Because they are, all of them. They're a mess and I'm the one watching out for them. Fixing problems before you even know they exist." Annalise: "Don't you think I know that?" Laurel: "Why would I? You don't talk to me." Annalise: "Because I don't need to. Me not paying attention to you is the best compliment you can ever get because that means I don't have to worry about you. Go back to the office and stop being needy." (Jimmy Ryan, Daniel van der Veer, and Dahne)
2. Annalise to Frank: "If you want to protect us, kill Emily Sinclair." (Jimmy Ryan)
3. Annalise to Sinclair: "You're messing with the wrong b***." (Jimmy Ryan)
4. Frank (about Oliver): "Relax. He's not my type." (Daniel van der Veer)
5. Oliver (about Annalise): "She's so much nicer than you said." (Daniel van der Veer)
6. the entire Annalise and Bonnie conversation:
A. Bonnie: "You fixed it like always except this time I was the car you traded." Annalise: "I traded your past but I saved your future and it worked or else you'd be in prison right now." Bonnie: "I don't get to be mad about this? Is that what you're saying?" Annalise: "No, I'm saying you don't get to be emotional about this. You knew what trouble we were in. What else could I have done?" Bonnie: "Stop denying what you did."
B. Bonnie: "You exposed me to him." Annalise: "I didn't expose you. I saved you. You killed a girl in my basement, put a plastic bag over her head." Bonnie: "To protect you." Annalise: "And I did what I did to protect you." Bonnie: "No, you did this to ruin me. The one good thing I had in my life." Annalise: "Oh don't you dare. Every good thing in your life is because of me." Bonnie: "You mean despite you."
C. Bonnie: "You knew how much this would hurt me. Out of everyone, you knew. But you did it because you wanted to. You don't know how to love anyone." Annalise: "I don't know how to love anyone? Alright, then go back to that fancy apartment and your rolling around in bed with that 25 year old boy and you're not hanging from a bed sheet behind some metal bars. Then you tell me that I don't love you." Bonnie: "I want you to die. That's what I want. That it was you they killed in this house, not Sam because he'd have never done this to me."



iZombie -
1. Liv: "Horny boys are the worst. When all your blood returns to the normal locations in your body, you're gonna care whether that make out session has left you living or living dead."
2. Liv: "Is that look of disgust because you need cream and sugar or because you need habanera?" Major: "It's because you're still incapable of turning hot water and coffee grounds into a palpable beverage."
3. Liv: "How are you feeling?" Major: "Great. Who doesn't enjoy waking up to a beautiful woman cutting off his circulation?"
4. Major: "I'm beginning to think that your ulterior motive has an ulterior motive."
5. Major: "So far to me it sounds like all of our problems could be solved with condoms and rock salt."



The Leftovers -
1. Matt: "Remember that train in Frankfurt? You and me crammed into a single sleeper berth. I had to hold you so you wouldn't fall out. You thought it was romantic. 'Do Yeats,' you said. And I said, 'I only did Yeats to get you to fall in love with me. I don't need poetry anymore.' And you said, 'You still need it.'" (Francesco)
2. Matt: "This boy needs help. His father's dead." (Bradley Adams)
3. Matt: "Is it a test? Can you look at me? Just give a small sign that you're here. Oh, this isn't fair. You can't give that to me and take it away again. So you-- you need to look at me now, Mary, okay? Look at me. Look at me! (Francesco)



The Librarians - 2.01 - And the Drowned Book
1. Eve: "Now, tactical assessment." Carsen: "An immortal magician from Shakespeare's plays has teamed up with a supervillain genius that he's pulled from literature to take advantage of the fact that magic has returned to the world to restore his power and to accomplish some sort of unknowable and yet terrifying plot for world domination." Eve: "So Tuesday then."
2. Moriarty: "Villain? I always prefer antagonist."
3. Jake: "We have a sun?" Jenkins: "Yes, in the sun room. What else would one store in a sunroom?" Eve: "Oh, magazines, cozy chairs, mimosas."
4. Carsen: "Hopefully, if everything goes as planned, the storm falls apart." Eve: "And if it all goes wrong?" Carsen: "You and I get incinerated and New York drowns." Eve: "Sucky pep talk."
5. Carsen: "Frozen land of giants, lost animal kingdom, hive of giant bees." Eve: "Why do we even have that door?"



The Librarians - 2.02 - And the Broken Staff
1. Jenkins: "Excuse me, I'm going to go take care of my….desperately not wanting to be here."
2. Moriarty: "Well done, Duchess. I admire your initiative." Eve: "Well then you're gonna love my gumption and my spunk."
3. Jake: "You don't know how to use a card catalog?" Ezekiel: "Uh, it's the 21st century. I don't know how to shoe a horse either."
4. Eve: "Are we going to fight magical swords because I did not bring anything for that?"
5. Eve: "Shakespeare had a friend who was a wizard? Kind of buried the lead there."
6. Moriarty: "Welcome to Team Fiction."



Limitless -
1. Brian: "Life goes by really fast. If you don't stop to look around sometimes, you could miss it." (Darth Locke)
2. Imaginary Rebecca: "You're not dying. You just can't think of anything good to do." (Darth Locke)
3. Brian: "I quote John Lennon, 'A dream you dream alone is a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.' After all, he was the walrus. I could be the walrus." (Darth Locke)
4. Naz: "We're gonna find Brian. Once that's done, I'm gonna figure out who the hell authorized this and either that person will no longer work for the Bureau or I won't."
5. Sloane: "I wish the laws of physics would allow me strangle you right now."
6. Brian: "We used to call that the condom pocket. That's a little childish and stupid, but then again so is high school."
7. Brian: "You speak English?" Aleksey: "Everyone speaks some English."



Madam Secretary -
1. Elizabeth: "So, he's done picking up weapons at the Pentagon, and he doesn't have any lunch plans?" (Daniel van der Veer)
2. Henry: "What are you doing?" Dmitri: "Walking down a street. This is a free country, isn't it?" (Daniel van der Veer)
3. Allison: "I'm going to go downstairs and talk to Olga, the stranger who finds me more interesting than my own mother." (Daniel van der Veer)



NCIS -
1. Judith: "It's been really nice talking to you, sunshine. I hope we get to do it again soon, just the two of us." Gibbs: "I'm asleep, right? This is a dream?" Judith: "Close your eyes and keep dreaming. It gets better and better." (Daniel van der Veer)
2. Judith: "What's in the basement?" Gibbs: "Hey! None of your business! Come back here!" Judith: "Is it your naughty room? Wanna know my safe word? Kielbasa." (Daniel van der Veer)
3. Judith: "You have a very commanding voice, Special Agent Gibbs. And big hands." Bishop: "Oh boy." (Daniel van der Veer)



Quantico -
1. Alex: "Simon, I need control over Caleb's computer right now." Simon: "Of course. You want me to get you a unicorn while I'm at it."
2. Charlie: "You wake up every morning wishing I made good on that note." Miranda: "I wake up every morning thanking God you're alive and you have a chance to be the man I know you can be."
3. Charlie: "And why do I care about your terrible parenting?" O'Connor: "Each one of these kids is alive because your mother stopped you from killing them. Instead of visiting graves, their parents get to visit dorm rooms and every time Louisa ignores my call at least I know she's alive and there's still hope she'll forgive me one day. Do you get that you almost took that hope away?"
4. Charlie: "I didn't want you to find the note." Miranda: "Who did you think would find it?" Charlie: "I didn't think." Miranda: "You didn't, but I did. I burned it. And that's the only reason that you're out of that place and that terrifies me because I don't know if I did the right thing or if I just made it easier for the next time you want to shoot somebody."
5. Booth: "Congratulations. You just blew your own op with Alex."



Scandal -
1.  Cyrus to Olivia: "You have the Oval. This is what power looks like." (Jimmy Ryan)



Scorpion -
1. Toby: "Okay, no offense but I'm not about to give weight to the psychiatric musings of a guy who uses a superhero lunchbox and someone who still watches Bonanza."
2. Toby: "Suicidal genius says what now?"
3. Sylvester: "And at the current speed of Paige's train the Cant can't work."
4. Walter: "I don’t like this." Paige: "Me taking a risk or me using logic against you?" Walter: "Both."
5. Cabe: "Sorry. Sometimes the truth hurts more than a right hook, buddy."



Supergirl -
1. Kara: "I went from superhero to ecoterrorist in a single bound." (Daniel van der Veer and Dahne)
2. Kara: "Are these tests mandatory for everyone or just because I'm a-" Hank: "It's not because you're a woman, Ms. Danvers. The DEO requires rigorous physical and psychological evaluation for all its prospective field operatives." Kara: "I was gonna say alien." (Daniel van der Veer)
3. Kara: "Ms. Grant's not stupid. She'd recognize me in, like, one second." James: "She will look at Supergirl right in the face and she will not even see her assistant." Kara: "How can you be so sure?" James: "Because she doesn't see you now. I watched it happen for years with your cousin. Why don't you think that people recognize him as Clark Kent?" Kara: "Reading glasses and a good slouch?" (Daniel van der Veer)
4. Kat: "Every step of the way I had to fight. To work hard, to get better, to come out ahead. Now catching planes and boats on fire. Hmm. How about we start small and work our way up?"
5. Kara: "James, part of being your own man is knowing when to accept help."
6. James: "You know Superman made plenty of mistakes when he first started. At least she's saving lives." Kat: "In the sloppiest, most awkward way imaginable, James."
7. Alex: "I can't even imagine what you must be feeling right now. I mean after all this time, finding out you still have family." Kara: "You're my family."



Supernatural -
1. Dean: "What is that smell?" Sam: "I think it's this. It's like a lavender toilet water." Dean: "Bottled toilet water? Why do you keep spraying it?" Sam: "I just wanted to see if the squeezy thing worked." Dean: "Wow. " Sam: "I think it was supposed to be a perfume or something." Dean: "Alright I'm gonna go check out the rest of the inn because now I've got grandma all over me so…"
2. Sam: "There's no sensitive way to tell somebody their soul has been sucked out by a prehistoric tween."
3. Sydney: "You're an angel." Amara: "Do I look like a whiny, winged suck up?"
4. Len: "I picked up my thumb like it was a mini hotdog." Dean: "Len, I'm not gonna lie. That's worrisome."
5. Dean: "What do you want to do about Cas?" Sam: "Oh, he's knee deep in binge watching The Wire. He just started season 2." Dean: "Oh yeah, he's not coming out anytime soon."



The Walking Dead -
1. Eastman: "What's your name?" Morgan: "Kill me." Eastman: "Well, that's a stupid name. You should change it." (Bradley Adams and Ben L)
2. Eastman: "I built that cell with the full intention of bringing Crighton Dallas Wilton here, putting him behind those bars and watching him starve to death." Morgan: "And did you?" Eastman: "I have come to believe that all life is precious." Morgan: "Even for a man like that? Who did that to you? To your family?" Eastman: "I've come to believe that all life is precious. That's why we're having oatmeal burgers." (Bradley Adams, Nirat Anop, and Ben L)
3. Eastman: “You go or you stay. Those are your choices. I will not allow you to kill me. I will not allow that.” (Nirat Anop)
4. Eastman: “"It’s about redirecting. Evading. And actually caring about the welfare of your opponent. So you have to care about yourself. You have to believe your life is precious, that all life is precious. You have to redirect those thoughts, the history that tells you otherwise. What we’ve done, we’ve done. We evade it by moving forward, with a code to never do it again. To make up for it. To still accept what we were. To accept everyone. To protect everyone. And in doing that, protect yourself.” (Nirat Anop)

Thanks for joining The Librarians season 2 roundtable review. Sorry for the short notice but I'm so glad to have you. Simply fill out however many questions you wish along with the mandatory first one. I will post the answers in an article on SpoilerTV and this blog, hopefully on Thursday. If not, it will post on Sunday. Again, sorry for the short notice. If you have any questions, ask in the comments below or tweet me @dahne1 and I will get back to you. Thanks again for participating.

This week the roundtable reviews The Librarians, episode 2.03 called "And What Lies Beneath the Stones." A roundtable is different from a regular review in that it contains several perspectives on the episode instead of just one. This week I have Ali, Aussiekaniac, BlueStar22X, Heidi, Lisa King, Lin, Prpleight, Stacey, and Judy joining me. A special thanks to you all. If you would like to participate in next week's roundtable, I will post a link to the questions here on Tuesday evening (CST). You can also find the link on my blog, Twitter, or G+. Until next time, may your family be less conflicted, may no doppelgangers create havoc in your life, and don't forget to comment below with your opinion of the episode.



What was your favorite thing about this episode?

Ali- My favorite thing was getting the back story of Jake. The emotional acting of Christian Kane was just brilliant. Also, seeing evil Cassandra again. Lindy does it so well. I enjoyed that it was just the 3 of them coming together without Baird and being a team.
Aussiekaniac - I loved the dynamic as the team comes together. Getting the back story of Jake was great. Cassandra and Ezekiel are both showing maturity in this episode and I loved loved Cassandra's confessions..great dialogue. Well done to the writers all around. Brilliant episode, very emotional as well for Jake. I felt like I could relate to his family dynamic. It hit true to the mark. Bring on the next episode.
BlueStar22X - My favorite thing about this episode is that we got to learn more about Jake and that he moved on from wanting approval from his [terrible] father. He was able to be proud of what he's accomplished on his own.
Heidi- I liked how Jacob was able to work through his issues with his father. The fact that his confession was to the doppelganger may have been better for him in that his father only saw his strength at the end.
Lisa King - The truth in how Stone reacted to what was going on. From his initial hiding to his truthful revelations. The fact that he did not need to say all he already said to the trickster to his father. The growth the characters all showed in this episode was gratefully accepted.
Kris - Well, Jake Stone is my favorite librarian, so I loved learning more about his background.
Lin - I liked the focus on the supernatural element. The shape shifter was kind of cool yet very powerful and evil. Of course, there was the whole back story on Jake Stone, which was well handled, and I really liked it that there was no clear resolution to the Stone internal conflict.
Prpleight - Jeff Fehey. The opportunity to find out more about Stone. They spent more time on Cassandra and Ezekiel over the previous season. So it was great for me to find out more about Jake and the toll the lies were taking on him. Also, love that they haven't backed away from the idea that the most dishonest of the librarians is the most honest among them.
Stacey - It's hard to pick just one thing. The whole episode was so entertaining, never a dull moment.  It was full of action, mystery, adventure, suspense and of course, magic :) I absolutely LOVED that Jake Stone's character was highlighted and his "history" filled in. It explains so much about who he is and why he did/does/feels the things/way he does. Jeff Fahey was magnificent as Stone's father. The writers had phenomenal lines for everyone and the actors made it so real, taking on their characters and making us believe #BecauseMagic
Dahne - Last year, one of my complaints was that we didn't have a Jake-centered story so this was a check on my wish list. I loved getting to know the character better and seeing how he handled being in a high stress situation of a different kind.
Judy - I loved how the fight scene between the "two Jacobs" was a kind of metaphor for Jacob Stone's own internal fight between his intelligence & love of art & history against his outward "good ole boy" persona. Plus, seeing Christian Kane fight is always worth watching - when they let him fight the right way! So much better than most at making the fight scenes look real.



If you could change anything about this episode, what would it be?

Ali - I wish Jake really told his father not the shape shifter.
Aussiekaniac - Nope as I review it in my mind it was great. The close-ups were perfect, the fight scene with Jake and himself was good. I would have loved to listen to more of Cassandra's confessions. I was giggling away.
BlueStar22X - The creepy trickster smile. Seriously. If I had dreamed that night it would have been a nightmare involving that creepy smile.
Heidi - I think more things should happen to Ezekiel. He usually seems to come out without being affected.
Lisa King - That it would be longer.
Kris - I would like to have had Jake tell his real father the same thing he told the trickster god posing as his father. While his father may have still dismissed him, you have to at least give people a chance.
Lin - I quite liked it that Baird sent them away without overseeing the team so there isn't really anything I would change. It was well done from start to finish.
Prpleight - I was disappointed that Jake finally reveals who he really is to his father only to discover it wasn't actually his father. All I could think was 'what are the chances his father will ever open a book let alone notice his son's name as author'.
Stacey - I don't think I would change anything. It all flowed very well, each scene tied in to the next, so very creative and riveting, developing each character a little more. "Family ain't easy."
Dahne - Unlike the others, I think Baird should have been in on this too. Also there were logic flaws like why in the world would they have to stay behind to keep the door open if they already knew how to open the door? It felt like just an excuse to have Cassandra be silly, again.
Judy -I think I would have included Jacob's mother, & I would have had his Dad overhear Jacob tell the shape-shifter all about his IQ & degrees, so he could start to see what he lost. Any addict with money problems would go insane knowing he lost an opportunity like having access to Jacob's brain.



By forcing the librarians to tell the truth during the episode, it created many character reveals. Did you like the character development from these reveals? How successful did you think this tactic was?

Ali - I think this tactic was very successful. There was some obvious tension in the past two episodes so this allowed them to get it all out on the table and come together once again.
Aussiekaniac - Oh was good. While we had Jake's back story, we also got a peek at Ezekiel and Cassandra, not too much but enough for me to see who they are developing into. Last season we had three LITs; this season we are seeing them slowly grow. I don't want Ezekiel to ever lose his cheeky self-centered attitude though. It's perfect for his character.
BlueStar22X - I loved the character development through the reveals, mostly for Jake. Cassandra's were more comical and not too revealing. Ezekiel's was good, though it left me with more questions. I'm definitely hoping we get back story episodes for Cassandra and Ezekiel to flesh out their characters like this episode did for Jake.
Lisa King - Character development was beautifully exposed and nurtured. It was inspired writing to get all of it accomplished in the short amount of time they have on air. It was not overdone whether in relation to writing or actor choice.
Kris - Yes, it was interesting to hear more about them. I think it created some great interest in watching more to see what else we could learn.
Lin - I think the tactic was very successful. It told us about the characters without a lot of fleshing out in the upcoming episodes. As an Ezekiel fan, though, I was disappointed that the focus was about Cassandra but hoping that his time will come.
Prpleight - I thought this worked really well for this story. The librarians needed to re-connect and this was a great way of doing it.
Stacey - Absolutely LOVED the truths! Truth has "emotional weight" and it just shows honesty really is the best policy ;) The character development is extremely impressive because we want these "people" to be real to us as viewers. Proving they are human is a huge advantage in grabbing the viewer and pulling them in. Absolutely and completely enthralling.
Dahne - I thought it was a great way to keep it from feeling like character exposition, which it technically was. This was a more interesting way to spin it. I do wish that instead of focusing on Cassandra after Jake that they would have focused on Ezekiel. Cassandra got so much story time in season 1 but it felt like Ezekiel and Jake were less filled out. This helped with Jake but Ezekiel is largely still a mystery.
Judy -I found it entertaining but other than Jacob's "reveal" to his "Father," which was of course not real as it wasn't really his father,they were not particularly revealing. Everything that the others said I had already figured out in S1. You had to know Ezekiel had worked "for good," otherwise the Library would never have recruited him. Cassandra obviously had a need to prove herself, and while the "choosing the date to die" was a little out there, it wasn't really as bad as it could have been, as it didn't have any accompanying info like having a certain number of years to live.



What was your favorite reveal? Were there any that surprised you?

Ali - Ezekiel's past actually caught my off hairs so that was a nice surprise. All the truth shooting
Cassandra did. "I hate babies" was just hysterical.
Aussiekaniac - It was great to hear Jake say all his accomplishments and to see that he didn't need approval for who he was and to see him take steps to accept who he had become. A lesson we should all take on board and be who we are meant to be, not what we are told to be.
Heidi - I was surprised that Cassandra doesn't like babies. My favorite was that Ezekiel worked with MI6.
Lisa King - Favorite reveal was why Jake left after Peru. Was not really surprised by any.
Kris - I loved hearing Jake's resume as it were. How many languages he reads and writes, about the papers he publishes. No surprises but Cassandra's litany was amusing.
Lin - Fave reveal would have to be the truth that Ezekiel told-- how he worked for MI6. That was cool!
Prpleight - The most surprising reveal was that Ezekiel worked for Her Majesty's Secret service. Cassandra always wanted to be Vietnamese.
Stacey - Ezekiel really has nothing to hide for a thief! He is pretty much always honest even though he steals LOL This was also a character "reveal" in And The Apple of Discord episode...IMO
Dahne - I too found Ezekiel's reveal to be both surprising and fascinating. Although he considers himself a thief, he has always been working for his government with his skills. That slightly changes my perception of him because it means that he did not steal for personal gain.
Judy - Jacob's listing his honorary degrees & how he is the one who is called when new art is found. The other things were entertaining but not really new; Jacob's credentials have been hinted at but now they really explained them.



This was our first Jake-centric episode. How did this one compare to other character-centered episodes? What, if anything, new did this reveal about Jake to you? Did this episode change your feelings about Jake in any way?

Ali - I thought it brought things into perspective. I felt terrible for him and I really wanted to smack his dad multiple times. I get where he is coming from more. I hope he can truly accept who he is and move forward from this.
Aussiekaniac - I think I bonded more with his character. As with many shows with many lead actors your loyalty can be spread out. I felt like I understood him more and he became more embedded for me. I love the Librarian movies therefore Flynn's character is of course a favorite, but this season I feel like I don't need to see him in every episode. Baird explained he was out artifact hunting, I could see this in my mind so I was good; I knew where he was. It's also a bonus as I love to see the relationship develop between Flynn and Baird; however, it's also nice to see these strong women who can not only stand with a man in the fight for magic but also stand tall alone. Makes me proud to be a woman.
BlueStar22X - This episode was as good as the other character-centered episodes. About average. I don't think this episode really revealed anything very new about Jake and his family (at least not anything I hadn't guessed beforehand), but it did add details. I already loved Jake's character before this so it didn't change my feelings about him. I was just really happy he stuck up for himself. I wish his real father had heard his speech.
Lisa King - I enjoy all the character-centered episodes. I loved learning about Eve growing up on military bases and how she got her name. I was excited to learn about Cassandra's upbringing. Jakes episode however was more beautiful in how it stripped him of his hiding within himself and from himself. I was able to see him in a new light as to how he viewed himself in the past episodes and the beginning of this one to the cocoon opening on who he will be. This only deepens my respect for this character and actor Christian Kane's acting choices.
Kris - Love Jake. Want more Jake. Made me love him more.
Lin - Eh, not a Jake fan but Christian Kane handled this very well. His character was sympathetic and it was great to see him go with his real name and not hide any longer.
Prpleight - I think this is my favorite character centered episode because it had more of an emotional impact on me. I had always expected that the root of Jake's lies to his family was about keeping them from being angry or disappointed in him. I was surprise to see that he and his father didn't get along.
Stacey - I really enjoy all the character-centered episodes. Character development is extremely important in my opinion. Again, it ties everyone together creating that family atmosphere. Family always have struggles and working together is paramount in finding solutions. I am a Kaniac so anything centered on Jake Stone/Christian Kane is always greatly appreciated and enjoyed to the fullest. He is such a phenomenal and diversified actor. He does everything with heart and soul. I loved that he chose to be "himself" in the end.
Dahne - My favorite character besides Jenkins is Jake so I liked this character-centric episode better than the others. I also think it was slightly less hokey and more grounded than most episodes. I don't think it revealed anything new per se, but it did make me care even more about the character and helped me to see his perspective.
Judy -I was surprised at how his father thought so little of him. Somehow I had thought that, since he stayed home to take care of the "family business," his family at least gave him respect for that. In this episode, he truly seemed to have a classic adult-child-of-alcoholic-parent relationship with his father. It made me wonder how the way his Dad treated him will affect him in the future.



I believe this is the first time that we meet any of the librarians' family outside of Jenkins. What other family members would you like to see? What did you like and/or dislike about the Stone family interactions?

Ali - I would like to see Ezekiel's family cause I still have no idea why he does what he does.
Aussiekaniac - I guess I would like to see Ezekiel's background. I am curious how he started as a thief. I get that he's smart but why? Where did this come from? I am Australian and we are very multicultural. I have many Asian Australian friends. We don't tend to stereotype here as we are a vast community. John Kim was raised by his mum in Melbourne which is a very multicultural city. She did a brilliant job raising a very talented and, trust me, an Aussie to be very proud of. It would be great how they will explain his background.
BlueStar22X - I'd take anyone else's family in the group: Cassandra, Ezekiel, and Eve. Their families are all pretty unknown though we do know Cassandra's parents put a lot of pressure on her to succeed when she was growing up.
Heidi - I would like to see Cassandra's parents and have them realize that their daughter is doing amazing things and has come out of her shell.
Lisa King - I would really like to see Cassandra and Ezekiel's families. The family dynamics rang true for the Stone family. Taking in to account the area they live in and the stereotype expected of them, I would not have changed anything.
Kris - I'd like to find out more about Ezekiel. How'd he wind up on the outside of the law? I wish Jake would have at least told his dad. At least then the onus would be on the dad to change, not still on Jake to come out.
Lin - I would love to see more Ezekiel centered drama/comedy/back story! I didn't really dislike anything about the Stone family. His father was not a likable character.
Stacey - I would love to see any and all of the family members of every character. It builds suspense but also provides insight to who they really are and why they chose their respective paths in life, as well as why The Library chose THEM to be LITs. I actually really enjoyed the Stone family interactions. It would have been nice to actually see more and yet, it showed Jake's discomfort in dealing with his father as well as his father's discomfort in dealing with Jake. I would LOVE to see the look on Stone Sr.'s face when he discovers just how much of a genius and truly talented his son really is.
Dahne - For me, it depends. If Ezekiel's family history is part of why he is the way he is, then that is who I would like to see. We need some insight into Ezekiel. I would also love to see Baird dealing with her family. I have a feeling that would be a very different side of her, one we might not get otherwise. While I didn't like Jake's dad, I did like the father-son interactions because it allowed both actors to branch out.
Judy - Well, of course, like most viewers I want to see Jacob's mother & how she fits into that dynamic. I'd also like to see Cassandra's parents as I think they'd be pretty interesting.



This episode brings up Native American mythology. What other mythology would you like to see represented? Any specific myths or mythological characters?

Ali - Gosh there are so many it is too hard to choose.
Aussiekaniac - Anything. I am not a history buff but I love shows that teach me things so bring it all on.
BlueStar22X - I've always been a fan of Greek mythology, so there's an idea. Though it's been done often I think The Librarians could put a new spin on it. I don't have a particular myth or character I'd really like to see - all of it is interesting to me.
Lisa King - The Celtic mythology would be amazing to see how it is handled. We know from the show that Santa is real so what about leprechauns? Is there really a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow?
Kris - Love all mythologies. Greek and Roman are overdone. Maybe Norse?
Lin - Bigfoot. Noah Wyle wants it too.
Prpleight - African and Egyptian mythologies. I have come across more about real Egyptian mythology over the years. ( I must confess to finding reality more boring than...say The Mummy films.) But still it would be interesting. The mythologies of various African countries would be interesting. I'd also love to see more stories looking at Japanese mythologies as well. It's a big wide wonderful world filled with enough stories to keep us going for years.
Stacey - It's all great to explore. There doesn't seem to be enough time to go into depth of course but it leaves you with questions and then seeking answers. One of the best things about the Librarians is the yearning for more, to know more, learn more about any given subject brought up in any episode. It stimulates the mind. I say bring on ALL mythology and mythological characters; keep us entertained for the next 10 seasons or more!! LOL Their hints of other stories, fables, references...so much to see, "catch" that watching over and over is never boring.
Dahne - I'd like to learn of some more of the less known myths like those from South America and Africa. I loved the Arthurian spin on last season and wouldn't mind getting more of that either, since it is likely to put Jenkins front and center. Basically though, I love how they handle mythology so whatever they choose is good with me. It's what I liked best from Warehouse 13 too.
Judy -I'd like to see more of the Arthurian legends. Maybe bring the Lady of the Lake and Excaliber back and more Shakespeare would be great.



What grade would you give this episode and why?

Ali - A+. It was everything I was expecting and so much more.
Aussiekaniac - oh 10/10. The writing was brilliant. It is a family show which and well #BecauseMagic. I don't need to say more.
BlueStar22X - B+. It was a solid episode and it was interesting to get Jake's back story but it was not as entertaining as the first two episodes of the season.
Lisa King - A++. While it centered on Jake it did not neglect the rest of the team or the magic. We got to see all of Jake but were left wanting to know more about him and the rest of the Lits.
Kris - A+
Lin - A
Prpleight - A - It was what I was hoping for with the season premiere; an episode that focused on the librarians.
Stacey - 10!! It definitely left no "Stone" unturned LOL Sorry I couldn't resist ;) It shows an amazing connection between the whole cast, developing relationships further and creating their own family.
Dahne - I give it a B. I liked it much better than the first two episodes and I adored learning more about Jake. It had the occasional pacing problem and logic gap but overall it was an entertaining episode.
Judy - Definitely an A plus. It had magic, action, & heart. Fantastic acting. I've seen the family relationships between the Stones in real life so I know Christian Kane & Jeff Fahey nailed it. It was an incredible show.



Anything you want to add?

Ali - I really hope they can kept this momentum going. This season has been really, really good so far!
Aussiekaniac - Not enough episodes per season but considering they shoot each episode over two days I would hate to exhaust my favorite actors so I shall be grateful for what we get!!!!
Lisa King - It is with great intensity that I wish to have many seasons of this show to see how these characters get to the point we saw their alternates in the season 1 finale. I would like to see them do it in this world we get every Sunday night.
Kris - Did I mention that I love Jake?
Lin - I enjoy every episode of The Librarians! Excellent writing and strong female role models give this show a huge appeal. In the end, our heroes are flawed and unpolished but likable and funny. We care about them.
Stacey - There is no "I" in Team. From the cast and crew to writers, producers, directors, editing, FX, everyone involved in this process, they have done a phenomenal job and are so very creative!! It is so wonderful to have something on TV for the whole family once again. With action, mystery, adventure, suspense, education and of course, magic, there's something for everyone. Fantastic + Fabulous = Fantabulous Family Fun!! They bring the stories we grew up on and then some, to life! It reminds me of my younger years. Just like we used to wait for Disney on Sunday nights, gathering the family for some time together. Now we do the same thing and escape this hectic reality for just a little while to watch magic happen on The Librarians. :)
Judy -I just loved this episode. It concentrated on the Librarians, really putting the focus where it belongs. The storyline and direction let the characters shine, but at the same time, the whole magic story was there. It was fun and relevant. This episode showed how great this show can be when it works at the top of its game.
Dahne - A big thanks again to everyone who reviewed this episode. If you would like to be included, tell me in the comments below or check out my blog or Twitter. You can also check out my G+ account. I post the questions link on all three. You can also check back on this page on Tuesdays for the link.



Screencaps by Kiss Them Goodbye

A weekly feature highlighting the best quotes on TV as picked by the Spoiler TV team. We'd love to hear your picks too so please sound off in the comments below.



Agent X - 1.01/1.02 - Pilot / Enemy of My Enemy
1. Case: "You know, Olga, you raise the definition of high maintenance to a whole new level."
2. Case: "In English, the president needs plausible deniability." Millar: "Some of the Founding Fathers were lawyers, ma'am."
3. Missy: "What are you doing?" Case: "Improvising." Missy: "Seriously?" Case: "Well, Plan B is dying."
4. Maccabee: "Tell me this is a wine cellar."
5. Case: "I'll celebrate after the mission when we get those missiles back." Olga: "That is stupid. After the mission, you may be dead. To be alive another day in our business, that's enough to celebrate." Case: "Wow! You must have been really fun in high school."



Arrow - 4.06 - Lost Souls
1. Curtis: “You’re married. He’s straight. You’re married. He’s straight.” { This just made me laugh out loud. Curtis is just so freaking adorable.} (Prpleight)
2. Darhk : “Just because I understand science doesn’t mean I"m not bored by it.” (Prpleight)



Ash vs. the Evil Dead - 1.03 - Books from Beyond
1. Ash: "I’m an alone wolf." (Prpleight)
2. Ash: "Pablo, you smooth brown Einstein, that’s it!" (Prpleight)
3. Pablo: "Reading from the book is what caused all this trouble to begin with." Ash: "Yeah, that’s true but reading from it again can’t make it any worse. It’s kinda like spilling paint on a painting. It’s okay cause there's’ already paint on it." Pablo: "That is incorrect." (Prpleight)
4. Kelly: "Oh sure. I'll just sit here with the police officer we tied up and rethink my recent life choices."
5. Ash: "Okay first off, you don't look anything like your photo so you might want to update that."
6. Ash: "Sounds like a lot of yappin'-ing and not a lot of happening."



TBBT - 9.08 - The Mystery Date Observation
1. Amy: "I'm really stepping outside of my comfort zone here." Penny: "Uh, I don't think any of your comfort zones are showing."
2. Sheldon: "I think of my time with Amy as a stick of Fruit Stripe gum. Sweet and enjoyable at first but ultimately a flavorless lump of sadness." Raj: "You're not wrong about Fruit Stripe. I was always a Hubba Bubba man."
3. Sheldon: "I've heard that on those sites often when you think you're corresponding with someone, it's actually a computer program pretending to be a real person." Raj: "And you're afraid it will do a better job than you?" Sheldon: "Excuse me. No one does a better job of pretending to be a person than I do. Siri comes close but I know more jokes."
4. Raj: "I hope we didn't make the puzzles too hard." Howard: "Well if she can solve them, it will prove she's intelligent, tenacious, and so socially awkward she has nothing better to do on a Saturday night." Sheldon: "Golly, she sounds too good to be true."
5. Vanessa: "I don’t need to tell you there aren't a lot of men who love physics, archaic languages, and flags of the world." Sheldon: "I am a bit of a unicorn."



Chicago Fire - 4.05 - Regarding This Wedding
1. Boden: "We are having the wedding here. I'll be damned if Chief Riddle or anyone else is going to change my way of running this house. He wants to fight, then lets fight." (Toni)
2. Connie: "Oh and Chief? What you're doing here, with this wedding? Not the smartest move you ever made." (Toni)
3. Boden: "Better to die on your feet than live on your knees Connie." (Toni)
4. Herrmann: "Heads up. It's the Riddler." (Toni)
5. Severide: "To hell with him. He was never going to give me my bugle back anyway. Shove it up his ass, Chief." (Toni)
6. Severide: "There's one thing that's become crystal clear in all of this. It's either him or me. I'm not going anywhere." (Toni)



Code Black - 1.07 - Buen Arbol
1. Dorothy: "Listen kid, me and 10 girlfriends started a book club about 40 years ago. Do you know how many of us are left? Two, me and Marie. She picked Atlas Freaking Shrugged to read this time. Now I read the whole damn thing. Well it's not good enough to kill a bug with. There is no way that I read that thing for nothing. I'm not gonna die today."
2. Hudson: "You're not better than him, Mario. You know we're not better than any of them. We all have memories of from when we needed the help of another human being. The only difference between you and him is that today, he's the one asking."
3. Dorothy: "The secret of any great relationship is to hate the same people."
4. Susan: "In point in fact, I'm not doing anything. He's the one who made the decisions that put him here. He's the one who decided to be who he is." Hudson: "And you get to decide who you are. Is this who you are?"
5. Rorish: "Part of learning this job is learning where it ends."



Criminal Minds– 11.07 – Target Rich - Rossi (voiceover) – “To a fater, nothing is dearer than a daughter. Euripides” (Emma)



The Flash - 2.06 - Enter Zoom
1. Barry: "For better or worse, Wells…he knew me." Joe: "Better than I know you? He may have stalked you for 15 years but I raised you. Look, Wells said what he said to you to mess with you, to get in your head one last time. If you listen to him, you let him win." Barry: "I know. I don't want that." Joe: "You're responsible for your own happiness, Barry. Forget about Wells. Think hard about what you want and what makes you happy. Go out and get it. It's as simple as that, right?"
2. Wells: "He's not Wells. I'm Wells." Cisco: "Whatever, Harry."
3. Cisco: "You would think the serial killer version would have been the bigger jerk."
4. Joe: "You're putting a whole lot of faith in the man wearing the face of your mother's killer."
5. Joe: "Who exactly came up with this terrible idea?" Cisco: "Okay, it's not a terrible idea. The suit can absorb the blasts." Iris: "For real or ish?" Joe: "What does a terrible idea look like to you, Cisco?"
6. Caitlin: "Oh great! That could be this year's cold gun. Maybe another criminal can get it and then we'd have Sergeant Slow." Cisco: "I would never let that happen. Sergeant Slow is a terrible name."



Flesh and Bone - 1.01 - Pilot
1. Jessica: "I'm not nay saying. I'm just saying and you don't like hearing it."
2. Daphne: "You really need to grow a pair." Claire: "I'm sorry. What?" Daphne: "You see this skin. Thick. You can't chew through it. Get some or go home. That's for free."
3. Mia: "Blood sugar thing? I have a cookie. I brought it fresh yesterday, but I was only planning on staring at it."
4. Grayson: "Ballet is the ultimate optical illusion. We make effort appear effortless, we make difficult divine, and we make gravity our b**. We live to dance and we dance because of you."
5. Daphne: "Welcome to the fray, new girl. Try not to fit right in unless you want to spend your whole salary on shrinks."



Grandfathered - 1.06 - My Amal
1. Jimmy: "It's simple. Listen to your instincts and do the exact opposite."
2. Annelise: "When you said my job would be 90% restaurant related, were you mistaken or just lying?" Jimmy: "I always assume I'm lying."
3. Jimmy: "Do you think I like committing cyber crime? I don't but I'll do it to find love. I'll do it to find my Amal."
4. Sarah: "No, my son is a 25 year-old man. This is a 50-year old boy."
5. Jimmy: "You need to go out with her. This looks like a girl that you 2 nerds designed on a computer."



iZombie - 2.06 - Max Wager
1. Dale: "It's nice to get a name. In my head you've been Girl From the Morgue Who Somehow Makes Goth Work." Major: "Oh that is her Native American name. Hi. I'm Barely Employed Arm Candy."
2. Clive: "Does anyone else have any movie plots that may apply?"
3. Blaine: "Dad, I'd hoped your first visit here would be more…horizontal."
4. Peyton: "Body snatchers?" Ravi: "If that's Rihanna coming downstairs, it would explain so much." Liv: "Morning everyone." Peyton: "Whoa, wait, wait. Is this happening?" Liv: "It's happening." Peyton: "Well about damn time." Ravi: "But it won't always be this nauseating, right?"
5. Dale: "What chain of custody protocol includes your freezer?"
6. Blaine: "I've got a special on colorblind electrician." Angus: "Nothing in ungrateful parasite."



The Librarians - 2.03 - And What Lies Beneath the Stones
1. Ezekiel: "Okay, this is the freakiest Friday ever."
2. Jenkins: "The one commonality is that they all feed off of lies and the chaos wrought by lies. The more lies, the more chaos they can create." Ezekiel: "So why hang around this small town? Why not head for Washington DC, home of lies?"
3. Cassandra: "When they told me about my tumor, they told me that I was going to die but I decided when. I want to die on my own terms so I picked a day, a day when I choose to die." Jake: "I'm sorry." Cassandra: "Save it. It's not today. Let's go."
4. Cassandra: "I stole…uh, sheet music from Aladdin in my grade school music class." Ezekiel: "Not exactly a criminal mastermind but we all have to start somewhere."
5. Jenkins: "Mr. Jones alone in Oklahoma is a version of the Rogers and Hammerstein classic no one should ever see."



Life in Pieces - 1.07 - Nanny Tent Earrings Cheeto
1. Greg: "No one wins in a dance fight."
2. Jen: "Wow, it must be getting serious." Colleen: "I think so." Jen: "Unless he cheated, but honestly if he did, it's a fair trade."
3. Tim: "I'm so glad you guys are my brothers." Greg and Matt: "In-law."
4. Jen: "What else does Greg say I won't let him do?" Heather: "Um, ride a tandem bicycle, wear overalls, and buy a Stormtrooper costume." Jen: "Only one of those is true but two of them should be."
5. Heather: "Just take it so I don't worry." Tyler: "If I took it you'd still worry and I'd be the dweeb with the mommy safety sack."



Major Crimes - Tayler: “What? The baby did it?” Provenza: “Well. It’s new. It’s never the baby.” (Prpleight)




Nashville- 4.07- Can’t Get Used to Losing You
1. Scarlett: “Feel free to call Locks of Love and tell them you need my hair more than a sick child does.” (Jessica VanWinkle)
2. Gunnar: “So Scarlett cut her hair and turned into a crazy person.” (Jessica VanWinkle)
3. Will: “Erin, your one night stand who you’ve just spent the last three nights with, Erin?” Gunnar: “Yeah. It’s casual.” Will: “I think we’ve established that you don’t do casual.” (Jessica VanWinkle)
4. Juliette: “I tried to kill myself. Jeff died saving me.” (Jessica VanWinkle)
5. Rayna: “I’ve never let a little fear get in my way. And nothing’s ever gonna keep me away from you.” (Jessica VanWinkle)



Quantico - 1.07 - Go
1. Elias: "This is feeling less like an exam and more like the last 10 minutes of Saw."
2. Raina: "Interesting how someone who's wrongly accused finds it so easy to point the finger. She's innocent."
3. Natalie: "Go. Go now. Go."
4. Shelby: "I really want to pray right now but the only thing I can think of are Joan Osborne lyrics." Simon: "I know about 4 songs from Pippin. Maybe it's the Fantasticks." Caleb: "You know I think we're more okay with dying than hearing you sing."
5. Natalie: "Fletcher's not crazy, okay? If he was, I'd be having way more fun."



Scorpion - 2.08 - Area 51
1. Walter: "I trusted you. You promised me you would do the right thing." Sylvester: "I did do the right thing…for Megan. She doesn't want to prolong her state so I respected her wishes." Walter: "Don't go head to head with me on this. You've known her for a year. I've known her my whole life." Sylvester: "I love her just as much and I am sorry Walter but you are wrong." Walter: "Fine, fine, I'll just have to take care of it myself. This isn't over."
2. Cabe: "You got something to say to Megan, you should say it. Spend your time making memories. Don't bury yourself in solutions that may not work."
3. Sylvester: "I have to encourage you to be aggressive." Megan: "You have to stop being a conduit to my brother and be the man that I love."
4. Happy: "Your crippling gambling problems left you unable to afford nice things like the latest cell technology but yours is old enough to have a nickel cadmium battery." Toby: "Insulted, hurt, but glad to help."
5. Happy: "Remember your disgusting habit?" Toby: "Which one? I'm going to need you to elaborate."



SHIELD - 3.07 - Chaos Theory
1. Bobbi: "I don't need a knight in shining armor. I need you alive." (Swanpride)
2. Mack: "I gotta commit to the shotgun-axe idea." (Swanpride)



Spotless - 1.01 - Pilot
1. Jean: "You brought weed across the border?" Martin: "Well I thought if they found a dead body, they would let the weed slide."
2. Frank: "I don't feel right killing people unless I absolutely have to. Well I saw a thing on National Geographic."
3. Jean: "You brought a dead body into my home. That changes everything. Be gone by the morning."
4. Frank: "I really don't think that the killing's been justified."
5. Jean: "Dead bodies are not my thing."



Supergirl - 1.03 - Fight or Flight
1. Henshaw: "What's next? A book deal, a reality show? Keeping Up with the Kryptonians."
2. James: "How's the covert alien hunting business?" Alex: "Not as covert as we would prefer."
3. Kara: "Supergirl didn't tell you how old she is. How do you know she's a millennial?" Kat: "Well if she's not then I want the name of her surgeon."
4. Kat: "I'm a writer. Well it's like riding a bike or severe childhood trauma, you never really lose it."
5. Kara: "She tricked me. She's like a villain. She's like a super interviewing villain." Winn: "That is literally the most boring power ever."



Supernatural - 11.06 - Our Little World
1. Crowley: "What are you looking at? Still learning all you can about the world?" Amara: "If nonsensical slogans attached to idiotic pictures of domesticated animals counts as the world." Crowley: "Excuse me." Amara: "Memes."
2. Dean: "I thought you were going with socially acceptable binge watching. You know - The Wire, Game of Thrones."
3. Sam: "Oh right. I keep forgetting about you and Crowley's summer of love."
4. Crowley: "But you know what? I think I am going to kill you today. I feel different somehow, ready. What can I say? Fatherhood changes a man."
5. Crowley: "Where is everyone?" Jarvis: "Oh are ranks have been a bit thin since Amara ate everybody."



Truth be Told - 1.05 - Members Only
1. Russell: "There are certain things that a man wants to do for his wife like kill spiders, hammer things, buy the family car. Lord knows I'm scared of spiders. I don't even think I own a hammer so I have to get a good deal on this car."
2. Mitch: "The hot saleswoman, more dangerous than doughnuts."
3. Angie: "Don't take this the wrong way, but you are a much worse person than I am." Tracey: "And you bring out the best in me."
4. Russell: "But I like my comfort zone. That's why it's called a comfort zone."
5. Angie: "I just ate 3 power bars and I never watched 12 Years a Slave." Tracey: "Unbelievable." Angie: "I know. I can't help how the sweet Lord made me. Thank you, Jesus."

Welcome back to a double episode, let's just call it superhero sized edition, of Last Week in TV. I apologize for not posting last week but I had a family emergency that prevented me from spending time on it. As a result, this episode is stuffed to the gills with your favorite shows. As always, thanks to our guest reviewers for helping round it out. Thanks also to everyone nominating shows. Please remember that I will only review one nominated episode of a show per season so there is no need to nominate Nashville, NCIS, The Americans, or The Vampire Diaries, which was this week's episode. I also will not review any show our guest reviewers are covering because they are already doing a great job with those shows. This week's randomly picked, nominated show will be Jane the Virgin. If you have a show you'd like reviewed, fill in the short, 2 question form below. Until then, happy TV viewing and don't forget to leave your episode awards in the comments.











The Vampire Diaries - 7.02 - Never Let Me Go

While I devoured all things L. J. Smith as a kid, I never really tried The Vampire Diaries as a TV show until I found SpoilerTV. Determined to give the show a fair shake back then, I watched the entire first season. While it was better than its detractors said (it's no washed out Twilight, that's for sure) and I loved the pacing, I'm just not into supernatural romance and I really, really hate love triangles. Thus I approached this nomination with only 1 season of information and that is definitely NOT enough. Many, many thanks to Nakia who answered all my important questions like "Who's that guy and where did he come from?" In the end though, I just rolled with my ignorance and desperately tried to figure out which crazy said which great line. And there were some fantastically snarky lines.

The gist is the long-lost Salvatore matriarch is back from the grave and way too psycho to be dressing herself much less kicking out an entire town so she can create a home for her new family at the expense of her old one. I'm guessing Thanksgiving is loads of fun for the Salvatores. Witch Bonnie isn't excited about her new neighbors so she and Damon kill his new half brother and Mama is ticked so she kidnaps Caroline and sends Elena to a watery grave…er, bed…er, never mind. That whole thing is way too confusing. As is Alaric, who has his lady love's corpse on ice. Cause nothing says love like resurrecting your autopsied fiancé with a stone from hell. Maybe literally. I'm sure this will end up being a stellar plan with absolutely no horrifyingly catastrophic consequences like all those other shows where resurrection ended up being the best plan. Um, I'm sure there's one show like that, right?

In the end though, the pacing is the star of this episode. No parts drag and while the relationships were all confusing, each character had a chance to shine. I may not have understood the motives, but it was crystal clear what everyone's end game was and where they were heading. Well except the end. I have no idea who is shooting Caroline in the end. One point I still need clarified though. This whole thing boils down to a nasty property dispute in which the prize is Mystic Falls. I'm still not sure why anyone would want Mystic Falls to be honest. It's like living on the Hellmouth with extra juicy drama. When your murder rate triples Detroit, perhaps it's better for everyone to move out. Keep the nifty vampire rings and move to Miami.

Grade: B-

Best Reason to Watch - the pacing
Best Scene - Caroline laughs at the psycho sister's Victorian dress
Best Character - Valerie
Most Improved - Caroline
Least Improved - Damon, who seems to be pining over Elena and not near as snarky
Best Back Story - Lily's style of punishment when Damon and Stefan were kids
Best Tool - EMF…but only with rock salt and lead and holy water. Forget it. Just bring the Winchesters.
Biggest Fighter - Bonnie, who is taking back the town one heartless witch at a time
Biggest Huh? - So if I'm getting this right, there's a flash forward (confusing in its own right) and no one's living in Mystic Falls anymore because the witches took over? And Elena's dead/not dead in a Sleeping Beauty spell? And there's no love triangle? So most importantly, who are these people in the IMDb photo? I don't recognize any of them. What a difference 6 seasons have made!
Possibly Worst Plan Ever - letting a witch kill you so your ex can be rescued from witch vampires
The "Nope, Sorry. I Was Wrong" Award - keeping the frozen corpse of your fiancé is the worst plan ever and the worst literal interpretation of fridging someone
Most Annoying - the heretics
Most Petty? - Unless there is something special about Mystic Falls (and in 6 years there may certainly be), it seems awfully petty of Lily to move her new family into her old family's place to rub their nose in it. That's completely childish when there's a perfectly good Hellmouth in need of some crazy further west. Still someone who steals children's toys to get what they want seems a bit too unhinged to be mom to one family, much less two. Time for you to die…for real this time.
Most Awesome - Caroline has become a fighter, takes down Enzo, and frees herself - well temporarily
Least Likely to be a Deterrent - Alaric tells his students there's nothing to see in Mystic Falls but they have to know 10 people died there recently. Social media ensures it. Let the dumb ones flock, call it Darwinism, and be done.
Least Surprising - Alaric doesn't destroy the magic rock. Bonnie, unless you see it dissolve yourself, it's not happening.
Biggest Surprise - Caroline staked at the end
The "Stop Talking and Get Fleeing" Award - I have no idea why characters feel the need to talk when they first see their incarcerated love one. Get them out. Then chat.
The "That's Just Cold" Award - Lily desecrating a grave

Best Quotes -
1. Bonnie: "He wants to bring Jo back to life with a stone that's filled with evil incarnate." Damon: "Yep, sounds about right. So about how long do we have before this evil engulfs the world? Just trying to plan my week."
2. Matt: "So Damon screws up, Caroline gets grabbed, and I end up dead. Doesn't it ever feel like we're fighting the wrong enemy?"
3. Stefan: "Can I help you? It's okay. I speak mute. Just communicate what you want with a series of grunts."
4. Enzo: "So I should condone someone I care about being tortured?" Valerie: "No, you should just stop caring about her."
5. Mary Louise: "Why the hell are you in here?" Valerie: "Just looking for this. See I heard of this new fashion trend called Hooker Chic. I figured you'd have something. Thanks."






The Blacklist - 3.06 - Sir Crispin Crandall

I feel like I keep repeating myself but I can't believe how much better this season of The Blacklist is compared to the first two. I liked this show before but it's must-watch TV now. This was another superb episode with good pacing, interesting philosophy, and more kick butt if sociopathic Tom Keene than one episode should be able to hold. I love when Reddington goes toe-to-toe with the Director and I find a perverse thrill at seeing the Director backed into a corner. Tonight's cat and mouse game had a great twist in that Reddington was not attacking the cabal as a whole but instead specifically targeted the Director, taking away his nest egg and holding proof that he's betraying the cabal by skimming the till. When you add the Leverage-ish shenanigans to get to the safety deposit box first, this is a topnotch episode. Another reason it resonates is because we have spent so much time delving into Liz's feelings about her precarious situation, but this episode instead focuses on Reddington. That made it more action-oriented and gave James Spader another mesmerizing speech to deliver. I like how he stuck it to the cryogenic crazy but then turned around and shot him to expedite the story. Plus, I find Tom Keene endlessly fascinating so the more of him the better in my opinion. It feels like everything is coming to a head and for once Red and Liz are on top. I can't wait to see them crush the cabal.

Grade: A-

Best Reason to Watch - the pacing
Best Scene / Best Speech - Red tells off Mr. CrazyBillionairePants
Best Gotcha - Red to the Director
Best Action - everything with Tom
Best Plan - Red controlled the entire board here, but his best move was to buy the woman a restaurant and force the inspector to work his plan
Most Confident - Tom Keene
Most Needing to Die - the Director
Most Over His Head - You'd think this would be the Director but actually it's Harold, who apparently expected Tom to play by FBI rules when he involved him in clearing Liz's name. How's that working out for you, Harold?
Most Barbaric - fight to the death sporting
The "Well He Warned You" Award - Generic Russian Bad Guy, Tom did tell you exactly how he was going to take down your crew. You really should have been able to defend yourself better.
The "Sometimes It Pays to be Dumb" Award - nothing like being kidnapped and offed for cold storage because you are the top of your field
Best Music - Radar Love by Golden Earring, which I love by the way

Best Quotes -
1. Red: "It's a novel theory, Donald, but like all novels, it's fiction."
2. Red: "No matter how many poor souls you turn into popsicles, the fix is in. The world in which you awaken will be one incapable of sustaining human life and why? Because at the critical tipping point, one tragically quixotic megalomaniac cannibalized humanity of the very minds that might have been its salvation. You see if you were a betting man, you would understand that now trumps later every time. The future is a sucker's bet, a maybe, a contingency, a what if. The only thing that is real is the present and you've plundered it, robbed it of the very geniuses that might have averted the dystopia that you so fear. Indeed perhaps even the very one who might have devised a means to revive your sad, tired, frozen a**. Congratulations Crispin, you've doubled down on extinction."
3. Red: "I'm gonna bring this whole damn thing down on you, Peter, and when I do, your own people will beg me to kill you to stop the bleeding."
4. Kerikar: "Who the hell are you?" Tom: "I'm the guy who's taking you back to DC to admit that you framed my wife for murder."
5. Red: "Dead? Pish posh, what's death? It's just a process, right?"



Quantico - 1.07 - Go

This was the best episode of Quantico yet. I like how both stories were on a timer and it increased my interest in both of them because of it. I also like how the team is becoming more congealed in the fast forward as well. It's bound to be a mistake because someone is going to betray their trust but I think one of the reasons why I tend to like the training parts better is because there is more character interaction in them. Now both parts give me that and it's improved the narrative. I especially like how blindsided I was that Natalie is basically Team Alex now too. Talk about a twist. That's bigger than finding out there's another bomb out there. I figured that was a given. Does no one watch 24? I also like how Shaw let everyone in on the secret of the twins. The reactions were great and Raina made a good point about having to trust each other and that meant they couldn't have these big secrets. Now I'm sure there are still big secrets to go for all of these characters and we still don't know why Simon supposedly got kicked out, but it made for the most honest speech in the show.

Grade: A-

Best Reason to Watch - the great teamwork, both in training and in the flash forward
Best Scene - disarming the bomb
Best Reaction - the class to learning about the twins
Best Shock - Natalie allows Alex and Booth to leave
Biggest Shock - Booth turns down a reinstatement and Caleb gets back into the field agent program
Biggest Girl Scout - Alex trades info to try to get Booth's job back
Biggest Boy Scout - Booth (along with Shelby and Simon) puts his job on the line to help prove Alex was framed
Biggest What the Heck? - Why are TV terrorists always watching cartoons?
Biggest Face Palm - Do none of these specially trained people ever gauge their surroundings and the situation before sticking their foot in their own mouth. First it was O'Connor. Now it's Shelby.
Biggest Douche - guess Caleb comes by it honestly because his dad's an even bigger douche than he is
Biggest Adios - Goodbye, Elias. Don't let the door hit you on the way out. Oh, and I don't need to see your creepy stalker ways anymore.
Least Surprising - there's another target

Best Quotes -
1. Elias: "This is feeling less like an exam and more like the last 10 minutes of Saw."
2. Raina: "Interesting how someone who's wrongly accused finds it so easy to point the finger. She's innocent."
3. Natalie: "Go. Go now. Go."
4. Shelby: "I really want to pray right now but the only thing I can think of are Joan Osborne lyrics." Simon: "I know about 4 songs from Pippin. Maybe it's the Fantasticks." Caleb: "You know I think we're more okay with dying than hearing you sing."
5. Natalie: "Fletcher's not crazy, okay? If he was, I'd be having way more fun."





Chicago Fire - 4.05 - Regarding This Wedding
BY Toni

I was happy that they didn't just sweep Dawson's miscarriage away as if it didn't happen. I liked it opening up with her talking to the chaplain. It was sad but it was a great scene. Riddle is such a douchebag. There is no way he made it this far without someone punching him in the face several times. I don't know how he can "personally verify" someone as fit for duty when he's barely verified as a human being. I don't know how many times I called him a !*?! in this episode. He and Patterson can go kick rocks together, but I love Boden. I love Boden when he's angry and when he's protecting his firehouse. He is really the "father" of that family. I am sick of Severide being kicked around every time he turns around. The so-called authority figures always have a problem with him and at this point, I'm a little tired of it being used as a plot point. Get new material. He's dedicated, hard working and respected by his peers and subordinates. It doesn't look good to keep harassing him over silly cr**. I need him to be bada** Severide and shut these idiots down. He needs to start fighting back, harder. I also want to see more of Casey and Severide working together to save a victim. They're at their best. I really want to like Chili but I just don't. I don't know if it's the actress or the character but I didn't like her character on Friday Night Lights either. I'm hoping she'll grow on me because they seem to be pushing her towards Jimmy. I really liked this episode and where the season is headed. I think they're balancing the cast out better and it shows. Molly's may be my favorite bar since Cheers. I love the look of it and the feel it gives off. If I ever quit my day job to own a bar, I'll totally steal ideas from Molly.

Grade: B

Most Surprising - How much I am enjoying Jimmy. I really like this kid. He has a lot of heart, work ethic and he knows how to have fun.
2nd Most Surprising - Patterson helped Sylvie with the wedding song (I still don't like him)
Best Head to Head - Boden and Riddle. I think Riddle is underestimating Chief and he looks unhinged.
Best Scene- The firehouse wedding
Best Performance-Sylvie's wedding song.
Worst Scene-It's just a pet peeve but the fiancé was literally JUST brought into the ER and the first question the bride asks the doctor is when he'll be discharged. He hasn't even examined the patient yet.
Biggest WTH - The BDSM scene. It's so overdone at this point. Is anyone surprised when they see a man and woman with collars, whips, chains and generic Viagra? Nope. Not even surprised when they're married to other people either.
So Adorable - Steve McQueen's smile. I did not like him on The Vampire Diaries but as Jimmy, he is really caring and charming. He has a smile that lights up the firehouse. I'm just surprised and I like that.
Biggest Middle Finger - Patterson taking credit for the wedding as a human interest story. He is really going to regret crossing Boden and Severide sooner or later and I can't wait to see it. It's going to be beautiful. Sucker.

Best Quotes:
1. Boden - "We are having the wedding here. I'll be damned if Chief Riddle or anyone else is going to change my way of running this house. He wants to fight, then lets fight."
2. Connie - "Oh and Chief? What you're doing here, with this wedding? Not the smartest move you ever made."
3. Boden -"Better to die on your feet than live on your knees Connie."
4. Herrmann- "Heads up. It's the Riddler."
5. Severide - "To hell with him. He was never going to give me my bugle back anyway. Shove it up his a**, Chief."
6. Severide - "There's one thing that's become crystal clear in all of this. It's either him or me. I'm not going anywhere"



Chicago PD - 3.07 - A Dead Kid, A Notebook and a lot of Maybe's
BY Toni

This episode was hard for me. I hate TV shows that touch on the subjects of school violence, bully behavior and molestation. Not because I don't think they deserve to be talked about but because I get so angry. Anyway, I thought it was one of CPD's best episodes. In the beginning, I was sure it was another school shooting story but they switched it up and if us watching didn't suspect the coach from the very beginning, we need to turn in our TV viewer cards. I say that because I didn't. I'm not sure how I feel about Alvin and Michelle. For such a strong cop, Alvin is coming off as pretty passive and weak. I don't like it. I understand she may be his daughter. Since he trashed the DNA test, it seems he's sure she is or doesn't care. He's claiming her. That's great but there really should have been more of a discussion with his other daughter. This could have been a strong family story. It still might happen. Atwater's sudden insecurity at the beginning of the episode was so out of nowhere for me, I didn't like it at all. He seemed hesitant, almost stuttering in his attempt to talk to the Captain. I was disappointed. If it was just a set up to the end, it could have been done differently. AHHH, Burgess and Ruzek. I don't like them. I never have. I like Burgess on her own and I actually love her relationship with Roman. She and Ruzek bore me so much. If she has to pull childish tricks to see where his head is at, her head is not in the right place either. Be a woman. Flat out ask him what you want to know. This episode belonged to Halstead though. He was so good with Ethan. I teared up a few times. The kid broke my heart. I hate it. I hate to see it but CPD handled it really well. Halstead was patient, understanding and he didn't push the kid. He was just there for him, giving him strength.

Grade - B+

Best Performance- Ethan. This young actor was really good for this story. I felt his pain. I wanted to find that coach myself.
Best Character - Halstead. He and Ethan played so well off of each other.
Best scene - The end scene of Ethan and Halstead. Ethan had hope again. That's all these kids need. Hope for better.
Most Fun scene - Voight going all in on Coach Sanders. I kept waiting for him to explode but he held back. I wish he hadn't.
Most Surprising - Atwater gets a strange invite that turns out to be an in to Captain Whitikar and Chief Boden's poker game. Loved it.
Biggest You Need A Reality Check - Ethan's mother. There was something so off with her, I thought she may be involved. Sadly, she was just confused. Very odd acting or writing for her.
Biggest I Hope You Make Friends in Prison - Coach Sanders
Character I Love to Watch - Mouse. He is just fun and smart. When it counts, he is on it.
Best Unusual Interaction - Erin and Atwater. I like it. There should be more character interactions than what we have. It's a great ensemble that we should see more of.

Best Quotes -
Halstead: “I’ve known some heroes. But what you did, going public…it might just be the bravest thing I’ve ever seen.”
Captain Whitikar: "Atwater, you just made 2 mistakes. Our shared skin color is irrelevant to me. Good police is good police. Secondly, I get one half hour of peace each day by myself, which is breakfast. You have disturbed that."
Kirby: "It's initiation. It happens to everybody but Ethan went nuts. He came after me with a fire extinguisher. I swear, he was trying to kill me." Atwater: "By extinguishing you?"



Criminal Minds– 11.06 – Pariahville
BY Emma

I’m not sure if it’s just me but it seems that the Criminal Minds production team is getting more creative with letting music instead of dialogue tell the story. A few weeks ago, my favorite scene was a closing montage set to the perfect song. This week, the cold open takes a turn and was again my favorite scene of the episode. I hope to see more of this in future episodes! After 11 seasons, procedurals tend to get a bit monotonous but with unique COTW story lines and/or locations and differing ways of telling the narrative, this season has been able to keep my interest from week to week with no problem. Also on deck this week was a bit of character development for our newest BAU member. We saw Lewis’ fist kill in the line of duty tonight. It left her shaken but determined, almost turning down a new promotion. Aisha Tyler has always been billed as recurring or guest so I was wondering how they were going to explain her absence from cases throughout the season. I’m glad the writers chose to go the promotion route and that they didn’t use her first kill to justify her going back to interviewing after the fact. I’m looking forward to seeing more of Dr Lewis – especially her interactions with the full team when JJ returns next episode.

Grade: B (docked a few points as no mention of the Dirty Dozen again)

Best Reason to Watch – murder takes place in a community entirely made up of sex offenders
Best Scene – cold open, almost entirely without dialogue and set to the perfect song
Best Character Interaction – Rossi and Lewis
Least Surprising – the teen daughter disobeys her dad and ends up in trouble
Most Surprising – Lewis was going to turn down the promotion
Best Twist – most of the town fits the profile of the Unsub
The “Welcome Back” Awards – Joel Gretsch of “V” and “The 4400” / Ruben Garfias of various TV and Film credits

Best Quotes:
1. Rossi (giving career advice to Lewis): “This job isn’t all milk and honey. Some days you lose. Some days you do things you don’t want to do. So ask yourself this, where can you do the most good and still do yourself the least harm?”
2. Danny (to sister planning to sneak out): “My silence isn’t free.”



Criminal Minds – 11.07 – Target Rich
BY Emma

Yes, yes, yes – this is the Criminal Minds I know and love! This is by far my favorite episode of the season. So much was packed into this hour yet it still seemed to fly by so if there is only one episode you catch before the holiday hiatus, make this the one. We start with Morgan interviewing Montolo about The Dirty Dozen we learned of in the premier. Unfortunately, we don’t learn much before he is killed. Cut to the BAU elevators and it is JJ’s first day back from maternity leave. Of course the team (and us) is happy to have her back and have gifts for the new baby. It’s great to see how each of the gifts is reflective of the personality of the team members giving them. The laughter is short lived as we get confirmation that Montolo was poisoned and Rossi’s daughter arrives with a case for the BAU. Throughout the rest of the episode, we get great character interactions, some character development on Rossi’s daughter, Joy (clearly, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree with this one), and the case is unusual in that it has multiple Unsubs, all of which are involved with the current case, but only one of them is the current perpetrator that brought the BAU in. All of this in one episode would be amazing but the last scene with Garcia explaining to Morgan what the Dirty Dozen is was the cherry and the sprinkles on top of an already amazing sundae. Since the premier, I’ve felt that this story line was the set up for Shemar Moore to exit the series. Interviews with MGG and others have said that we will lose a member of the team this year. With the reveal that Garcia is the Dirty Dozen, and it being common knowledge that Morgan would give his life for her, I’m almost positive that this will be the eventual end of Derek Morgan.

Grade: A+

Best Reason to Watch – the last scene with Garcia and Morgan
2nd Best Reason to Watch – JJ’s back
3rd Best Reason to Watch – advancement on the Dirty Dozen story line
4th Best Reason to Watch – Rossi’s daughter is back (and the apple certainly doesn’t fall far from the tree)
Best Scene – Garcia explains to Morgan what the Dirty Dozen is
2nd Best Scene – Rossi calls out Joy for being reckless
3rd Best Scene – JJ’s welcome back gifts from the team
4th Best Scene – Rossi finds out Joy has started using his last name (professionally)
5th Best Scene – Reid calls his mom
Best Character Interaction – Rossi and Joy / JJ and Reid
Most Surprising – Rossi’s daughter was attacked while in college
Least Surprising – Montolo is killed
The “Whoa, WTF” Award – Garcia is the Dirty Dozen
The “Welcome Back” Award (character) – JJ is back from maternity leave / Joy, Rossi’s new found daughter is back (with a case!)
The “Welcome Back” Award (actor) – Amber Steven West formerly of “Greek” and Robert Neary of daytime soap “General Hospital”
Best Quote - Rossi (voiceover) – “To a fater, nothing is dearer than a daughter. Euripides”



Heroes: Reborn - 1.08 - June 13th Part Two
BY Laura Markus

This is, by far, the best episode of the series so far. Everything in this episode fell together in just the right ways. Many questions from Part One were answered, and plot points that at first seemed confusing were added upon and explained in this part. My favorite character, Matt Parkman, returned and it was absolutely fantastic. I loved his scene with Noah immensely. Luke and Joanne, who went into a full on psychotic break, was crazy and awesome to see. Carlos and Farrah knowing each other was cool. And Nathan's bond with Hiro was painstakingly beautiful. Seeing Angela again was nice too. I feel so bad for Nathan - having to teleport away from his family and then having his memories wiped by Caspar must've sucked. And Quentin? That whole ordeal made my head spin around. Stay tuned for my review of both parts, here.

Grade: A+

Best Reason to Watch - All the time travel craziness from the first part is dwelled upon and explained.
Best Scene - Matt is forced to read Noah's mind to find out where Claire is.
Funniest Moment - Noah and Nathan finding an old Angela watching over Malina.
Saddest Scene - Luke and Joanne crying over Dennis's body.
The "I'm Not Buying It" Award - It's the same as last week, Kring. Claire's not dead. Sorry.
Most Ironic Scene - The man Luke saved tried to kill him via freezing. Irony!
The "Oh, Cr**!" Award - Joanne looking "blissfully satisfied" after her killing.
The "Welcome Back" Award - Greg Grunberg as Matt Parkman!!!!!



Nashville - 4.07- Can’t Get Used to Losing You
BY Jessica VanWinkle

I think it may have been the best episode of the season. We started the episode right where last week left off: with Jeff Fordham’s death. Everyone took turns finding out, and Juliette doesn’t remember anything. She truly believed that Jeff committed suicide, but Cole tells his father the truth. Jeff tried to save Juliette from falling off the roof. Juliette denies everything until she sees a big sign of herself that triggers her memories. Remembering that Jeff saved her life makes her realize she needs help, and she checks herself into therapy. Juliette will be gone for the next few episodes since Hayden is also in therapy. I wonder what will happen when she comes back. Will she and Avery reconcile? Will she want her child back? I also wonder where this storyline with Deacon is going. While I think it’s nice that he named the bar after his sister, I do share Rayna’s concerns. Is it really the best idea for an alcoholic to own a bar? He did have a good point though: his sister died giving his liver to him. Hopefully this is just Rayna being overprotective. I need Deacon and Rayna to be healthy and happy. Elsewhere, Scarlett decides she wants to go on tour with Gunnar. I usually like Scarlett, but she wasn’t my favorite this week. I thought she was rude to almost everyone and I don’t really understand why. I should mention that I loved Clare Bowen’s decision to cut her hair. She posted on her facebook page about her personal struggles with nephroblastoma as a child. She wants everyone to feel beautiful and confident regardless of how they look. It’s just hair. I encourage everyone to read her post; it’s very moving. Nashville has started moving in a good direction, and I’m excited to see what happens as we get closer to the winter finale.

Grade: A

Best Reason to Watch - the fallout from Jeff Fordham’s death.
Best Scene - Juliette remembers Jeff trying to save her life.
Best Actress - Hayden Panettiere
Best Voice - Layla Grant. Her tribute to Jeff was absolutely beautiful. I would love to hear more of her voice in the future.
Best Absence - Maddie Conrad. It was so nice not having her whining and complaining this week.
Biggest Reason to Worry - Deacon owning a bar.

Best Quotes -
1. Scarlett: “Feel free to call Locks of Love and tell them you need my hair more than a sick child does.”
2. Gunnar: “So Scarlett cut her hair and turned into a crazy person.”
3. Will: “Erin, your one night stand who you’ve just spent the last three nights with, Erin?” Gunnar: “Yeah. It’s casual.” Will: “I think we’ve established that you don’t do casual.”
4. Juliette: “I tried to kill myself. Jeff died saving me.”
5. Rayna: “I’ve never let a little fear get in my way. And nothing’s ever gonna keep me away from you.”



SHIELD- 3.06 - Among us hide...
BY Swanpride

Well, it looks like I was right. In a way, this is a pity. I think it would have been great to experience the Lash-reveal (and wasn't the transformation well done?) totally unaware. But even without this pleasure, this episode was a delight to watch. After focusing the whole last episode on Jemma, this week her story is on the backburner while the other two big arcs, Hydra and the Inhumans, come back to the forefront and touch lightly for the first time. And to make the whole thing more interesting, the show is mixing up the pairing a little bit. May teaming up with Bobby is even more fun than her teaming with Hunter and Hunter turns out to be a great addition to Mack's and Daisy's team. Meanwhile Coulson and Rosalind are dancing around each other a little bit more. All in all, the show deserves a lot of praise for balancing the various story-lines that well while giving each character a moment to shine. With such a large cast, this is quite a feat. If I have one point of criticism, it's that Strucker Jr. ended up kind of a throwaway character. The built-up to him was better than what was offered in the end. Though I guess there is a small chance that he is still alive? But the memento is still strong. The show continues the trend of leaving off with more questions than before. What happened to Andrew? How much in control is he? Does Rosalind know about the Obelisk? She was part of NASA at one point after all. And does she really work on a cure? And when will Daisy finally get her group of Inhumans to lead? I can't wait for the answer.

Grade: A-

Best Reason to Watch - THAT's what I call girl power. Woman power, to be precise.
Best Scene - The Reveal
Best Character - I give it to Hunter for butting in more or less everywhere this week.
Best Team-Up - It's a draw. Every single team up works perfectly...especially since both teams have Fitz to back them up.
Best Turn-Around - Jemma counseling Andrew
Best Prop - Fitz's spy drone
Best Action - May and Bobbi storming the hotel room
Best Bilingual Bonus - May and Bobbi discussing their battle strategy in Mandarin
Most Creepy - The Inhuman Storage looks very inhumane (pun intended)
Biggest Head Scratcher - So...is Gideon Malik supposed to be the council member from The Avengers or is he supposed to be a different character? With Marvel's tendency to reuse actors in minor roles for bigger roles eventually, I am not sure.
My Prediction of the Week - Andrew will end up in one of those containers eventually.

Best Quotes -
1. Coulson: "Are you back?" May: "Yeah. I am back!"
2. Hunter: "If your girlfriend's ex visits from Phoenix, you don't buy him the plane ticket." Fitz: "...that's really specific."
3. Henchman: "What makes you think you can beat me?" Bobbi: "Experience!"



SHIELD - 3.07 - Chaos Theory
BY Swanpride

So far I have holding off giving the show an A, because I always had the feeling that it can do just a little bit better. And I am so glad that I was right (about that and about Andrew's eventual fate). This episode had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The show runners made the good decision to let the Ward/Hydra plot lay low and concentrate on the Inhumans. It made the equally good decision to intercut the suspenseful hunt for Lash with the emotional healing of Fitz and Simmons. The result is a construct which I can only describe as cathartic. When the episode was over and everything was said and done, I felt emotionally drained but also somehow lighter. After all, two huge secrets were revealed this week to the characters. And yet I am worried. Because I have the feeling that there are still bigger secrets looming in the background. Werner is still alive, so I doubt that Ward is done with him. Nor do I doubt that Ward has something big up his sleeve. And what is the deal with the secret organization connecting to the obelisk? Is Rosalind perhaps part of it? I can't wait to find out!

Grade: A

Best Reason to Watch - The Feels! Oh, the Feels!
Best Scene - Fitz listening to Simmons recording
Best Character - This was May's episode and she killed it! Or imprisoned it....
Most Unexpected Team-Up - Mack and Lincoln. Didn't see that one coming at all.
Best Prop - Fitz's cleaning station.
Best Action - The whole Lash sequence
Best Detail - Daisy hugging May. It was great that the writers haven't forgotten that she hasn't seen her for months at this point.
Worst Detail - Lash pushing Rosalind over the edge. It looks like he is holding a puppet, because her legs are dangling oddly (he most likely did, but it shouldn't be that obvious).
Biggest Head Scratcher - How does Shield officially not exist? Sokovia should have made it very clear that they are still around.
My Prediction of the Week - There is no way that Rosalind is Hydra. The show is trying to sell us that she wants to kill Coulson, but I am not buying.

Best Quotes -
Bobbi: "I don't need a knight in shining armor; I need you alive."
Mack: "I gotta commit to the shotgun-axe idea."





Agent X - 1.01/1.02 - Pilot / Enemy of My Enemy

This may be my favorite pilot of the season yet. To be honest, the 2015-2016 pilots were fairly tame and forgettable but this one is so packed full of great action that it felt like the hour raced by. They didn't drag out the exposition and they let us know the characters through their actions instead of their speeches. That's my kind of storytelling. While the case of the week was fairly routine - important person's kid is taken hostage until a terrorist is released - the execution was pure adrenaline. It reminded me a lot of Scorpion's pilot last year. Structurally though, this show is designed to fill the hole in my TV life where Burn Notice once lived and so far it functions well. Olga is Agent X's version of Burn Notice's Fiona, except that she's ever more over-the-top. Usually I'm not a fan of that, but like Fiona, I absolutely loved this morally ambiguous, take charge, rescue herself, no damsel here antagonist. The Catwoman vibe between Case and Olga worked for me too. In fact, I really hope she shows up again because there are never enough kick butt women on TV. I also really like Sharon Stone in this show too. Generally I'm not the biggest fan of her roles but here she is a competent women, who is able to take charge even when thrown in the deep end. It's good to see Stone getting such a positive role. The main male characters were a lot of fun too with Case providing most of the action and Millar as wise counsel. This is not a show to win awards but it sure is a blast to watch. The second episode slowed a bit in the middle but again, the action was topnotch.

Grade: A- / B
Ranking - 5
Audience - anyone who loves action and a swift moving plot

Best Reason to Watch - ALL the action
Best Scene - Case and Olga fight on the framework
Best Character Interaction - Case and Olga
Best Action - the first 5 minutes were really impressive but really the whole show was action-packed
Best Thinking on Her Feet - Olga Petrovka, who outsmarts just about everyone
Biggest Surprise - Sharon Stone's VP makes for a great character, both competent and decisive
Least Surprising - Case has to work with his nemesis , who dies mid-battle so Case doesn't have to kill him
Most Practical - Olga leaves her high heels behind to hunt down her ex
Most "National Treasure" - the Library of Congress holds all the secrets / secret rooms and tunnels all over
Most Impressive - room protecting the real Constitution
Most Flexible - Olga
Best Guest - James Earl Jones as Chief Justice
The "Welcome Back" Award - James Earl Jones, who still reigns as the Best Voice in Hollywood / Sharon Stone from the 90's / Gerald McRaney from Major Dad / John Shea, formerly Lex Luthor / Jamey Sheridan from Arrow and The Stand

Best Quotes -
1. Case: "You know, Olga, you raise the definition of high maintenance to a whole new level."
2. Case: "In English, the president needs plausible deniability." Millar: "Some of the Founding Fathers were lawyers, ma'am."
3. Missy: "What are you doing?" Case: "Improvising." Missy: "Seriously?" Case: "Well, Plan B is dying."
4. Maccabee: "Tell me this is a wine cellar."
5. Case: "I'll celebrate after the mission when we get those missiles back." Olga: "That is stupid. After the mission, you may be dead. To be alive another day in our business, that's enough to celebrate." Case: "Wow! You must have been really fun in high school."



Flesh and Bone - 1.01 - Pilot

I'm not quite sure what to make of Flesh and Bone. The dancing is superb for all I know about those things and the acting is great for a show starring dancers. Plus the director is definitely more into showing than telling. In fact, there are multiple times when the characters talk but the audience doesn't get to hear what they are saying because the music purposely takes over. I expect that is artsy but for me it was just annoying. So was the tendency not to address secondary characters by name so I had to guess who was talking. I still don't know if the only person who stands up to Grayson is named Jessica or not but I really liked her. Claire though is taken directly from Black Swan's page book. She's a young ingénue with sex issues who is plucked out of obscurity by a vainglorious leader who prays on her awkwardness. The pilot itself was a mishmash of jealous glares, overtly sexual scenes for no purpose except to be sexual, and people full of themselves. Basically it's the cable version of a nighttime soap with fewer cheesy speeches. In other words, not for me.

Grade: D+
Ranking - 1, waaaaayyyy too much sex and nudity for me
Audience - well I'm guessing if you liked Black Swan, you'll like this one

Best Reason to Watch - they hired actual dancers to create a show about dancers
Best Scene - Claire dances after her cell phone goes off
Best Character - Daphne
Best Laugh - the piano player starts playing Claire's ringtone after her cell phone goes off in rehearsal
Most Impressive - Daphne's apartment is amazing but not near as amazing as her closet
Least Surprising - Claire's brother is a sick molester
Biggest Douche - Grayson by 3 egos
Biggest Cat Eyes - Mia when she realizes they are grooming Claire for success over all the other dancers
Biggest Mystery - Why did Claire steal the other ballerina's drugs? Does she want them for herself or is she trying to throw her competition off their game?
Biggest Death March - Claire heading for Laurent looks like she's heading to death row
Strangest Directing Choice - focusing on the director's facial expressions instead of the ballerina's performance
Creepiest Scene - Grayson whispering in Claire's ear in the mirror and saying she's his / the brother call
The "You Know Something's Wrong When…" Award - you have to put a lock on your bedroom door
The "Now That's the Way to Pack" Award - Claire packs a suitcase full of books
The "Nope, I Didn't Need to See That" Award - ripping off nails does not do anything for me
Best Music - Phenomena by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Best Quotes -
1. Jessica: "I'm not nay saying. I'm just saying and you don't like hearing it."
2. Daphne: "You really need to grow a pair." Claire: "I'm sorry. What?" Daphne: "You see this skin. Thick. You can't chew through it. Get some or go home. That's for free."
3. Mia: "Blood sugar thing? I have a cookie. I brought it fresh yesterday, but I was only planning on staring at it."
4. Grayson: "Ballet is the ultimate optical illusion. We make effort appear effortless, we make difficult divine, and we make gravity our b**. We live to dance and we dance because of you."
5. Daphne: "Welcome to the fray, new girl. Try not to fit right in unless you want to spend your whole salary on shrinks."



Spotless - 1.01 - Pilot

This is no Sunshine Cleaning. Not at all. In fact, it's more like Mob Doctor than anything else I've seen. The premise is simple. A down of his luck crime scene cleaner's life is upended when his criminal brother shows up with a dead body full of heroin. Desperate for money to pay his bills, Jean agrees to get the heroin out of the corpse so that Martin can sell it to the highest bidder. Only one problem - Martin's a complete douche idiot who makes every situation worse. Long story short, Jean now seems to be working for a drug cartel instead of the police. While Spotless definitely has its share of gratuitous nudity, close-ups of ick, and excessive language, the story itself is intriguing. Just how far will Jean go to protect the shell of a life he's living? How will covering up murder affect him? Will someone render Martin mute? Please. For now the interesting story outweighs the drawbacks so I'm in for the next 2 episodes. I like the influx of humor to break the drama and Jean is an excellent counterbalance to Martin in the pilot. They will need to tone down Martin though because he's about as cartoon as cable gets.

Grade: B
Ranking - 4
Audience - anyone interested in CSI without the good guys or procedural elements

Best Reason to Watch - the premise is fascinating as is the back story
Best Scene - Jean talks Frank into letting them clean the crime scene instead of killing them
Best Character - Frank
Best Twist - when they were kids, Jean killed a man who was beating Martin
Best Job Perk - Jean's cleaning company allows him to clean up for the drug cartel murders
Biggest Douche - Martin
Biggest TV Trope - dirty cop
Worst Mix-Up - having 2 buyers for the same heroin
Worst Surprise - Martin has a dead body in his refrigerator
Least Surprising - the "therapist" is really the mistress
Least Sympathetic - office guy is more concerned about the cleanup cost than why someone committed suicide
Most Troubling - the little kid is a messenger for the drug runners
Most Interesting Conscience - Frank is worried about his karma but he has no problem knifing a rival several times
Most Disgusting - All those close-ups of brain matter are nothing to Jean lying down shirtless on a public bathroom floor. Blech! Triple blech!
The "That Should be a Given" Award - most people don't feel the need to say they didn't screw someone's corpse
The "Well That Got Violent Fast" Award - 2 minutes in and somebody's got a hatchet in the head
The "You'd Have More Money if You Didn't Have a Mistress" Award - I have no sympathy for these guys' money troubles

Best Quotes -
1. Jean: "You brought weed across the border?" Martin: "Well I thought if they found a dead body, they would let the weed slide."
2. Frank: "I don't feel right killing people unless I absolutely have to. Well I saw a thing on National Geographic."
3. Jean: "You brought a dead body into my home. That changes everything. Be gone by the morning."
4. Frank: "I really don't think that the killing's been justified."
5. Jean: "Dead bodies are not my thing."






Ash vs. Evil Dead - 1.02 - Bait

Grade: B-

Best Reason to Watch - still campy, still gory, still hilarious
Best Scene - mom goes zombie
Biggest Moron - Kelly's dad who walks right toward the zombie
Least Surprising - the zombie is in the backseat
Smartest Plan - Pablo snatches the book, guaranteeing that Ash will have to help Kelly
Most Disgusting - Ash pulls brain matter out of Pablo's hair and feeds it to his pet / fork through the eye
Most Evil - Mom zombie claims to commit suicide to get away from her daughter
Most in Need of a Constant Change of Clothes - anyone near Ash
The "I Don't Think That'll Cover It" Award - Ash hands Pablo a Wet Wipe to wash all the blood off his face
The "Welcome Back" Award - Mimi Rogers from NCIS

Best Quotes -
1. Ash: "Sometimes a whale needs it’s baitfish to remind him of where he is in the ocean."
2. Kelly: "Pablo, believe it or not, the rude middle aged man you brought is kind of ruining my mom time."
3. Pablo: "Is this what it's like to be you?" Ash: "Yeah, pretty much. I've never killed my boss before so that was new."
4. Pablo: "Ash, I know you said that when I got hit I'd know what to do but I just got hit and I don't know what to do."
5. Kelly: "And this is Ash, a person I never thought would be in my home." Ash: "Hi. You used to be dead, right?"


Ash vs. the Evil Dead - 1.03 - Books from Beyond

Grade: B

Best Reason to Watch - the group is gelling together better
Best Scene - Ash decides he needs a pack instead of being a lone wolf
Best Reaction - Pablo to realizing that he just knocked out a cop
Worst Plan - purposely summoning a demon…for any reason…at all…ever
Biggest Ugh - Why are all evil demon books made from human skin? Can they not find a printer?
Biggest Moron - Ash, by far
Most Snarky - Kelly
Most Brutal - glass shard right in the eye
Most Casually Vicious - Ruby pings on the fork sticking out of a zombie's eye
Least Surprising - the book is a gateway to hell / the circle is unbroken
The "Made Me Jump" Award - I knew a hand was popping out of that grave and I still jumped anyway. Such is the conditioning of horror movies in high school.
The "I'm with You" Award - neither Kelly or I want to hear about Ash's role-playing sex life

Best Quotes -
1. Kelly: "Oh sure. I'll just sit here with the police officer we tied up and rethink my recent life choices."
2. Ash: "Okay first off, you don't look anything like your photo so you might want to update that."
3. Ash: "Sounds like a lot of yappin'-ing and not a lot of happening."
4. Ash: "If I get this done quick enough we might have time to stop for churros and look, that's not a racist thing Pablo. That's just a great dessert." Pablo: "Okay. You know I'm not Mexican, right?"
5. Lionel: "It says he preys on the spiritually and emotionally weak." Ash: "Well he can do that on his own time."



TBBT - 9.07 - The Spock Resonance

This was a much better episode of TBBT simply because both subplots delved into the characters instead of stereotyping them or making them the object of stupid jokes. I enjoyed being able to see Sheldon react to Amy's break up, not because I find wallowing entertaining, but because Sheldon gets so little time to simply be human. Leonard's joke was dead on. Sheldon needs character growth and part of that depends on the audience getting to see how he embraces and rejects those messy emotions. Howard and Bernadette both got a good character moment too. I really like how it wasn't one sided but that they both had issues they needed to take care of.

Grade: B+

Best Reason to Watch - delving into the actual characters
Best Scene - Howard and Bernadette talk about kids
Best Reaction - Penny to hearing that Sheldon planned to propose to Amy
Biggest Woo Hoo - Wil Wheaton is back
Worst Plan - Sheldon decides to propose to Amy, whom he's not even dating
Most Interesting Guest - Adam Nimoy
The "Say What?" Award - I thought we established in previous seasons that it was Bernadette who primarily raised her siblings, not her mom or her dad
The "Don't Quite Your Day Job" Award - Raj, whose diagnosis may have hit a little too on the head
The "Welcome Back" Award - Bernadette's dad

Best Quotes -
1. Sheldon: "There goes television lying to us again. We let you raise our children and this is the thanks we get."
2. Bernadette: "Alright, let's start over. I'm redecorating - the furniture, the carpeting, the walls. I'm changing everything that depresses me when I look at it. Try not to be one of those things."
3. Sheldon: "It's just my valuables. My passport, my Wil…" Leonard: "You have a will?" Sheldon: "Yeah, my 1/18th scale Wil Wheaton action figure. Yeah, I also have the other kind of will and in it I will my Wil back to Wil." Leonard: "Will Wil want it?" Wil: "Wil won't."
4. Mike: "You gonna be okay down here?" Howard: "Yeah, yeah, I feel like an archaeologist. Indiana Jones and the Single Family Dwelling."
5. Sheldon: "As a child, when faced with a dilemma my mother encouraged me to ask, 'What would Jesus do?' The answer to that was always love thy neighbor, but my neighbor had a dead tooth so that wasn't going to happen."



Blindspot - 1.07 - Sent on Tour

For the first time, Jane is getting on my nerves. She's just plain too good to be true. She's like Trinity, except there's no nifty Matrix download to explain why she is always competent at everything. I expect next time she'll be cooking a 5-star meal while juggling apricots and composing a concerto. They need to start making her more real because right now she's just another superhero except with amnesia. The saving grace to this episode was Patterson and David, whose love of puzzles was contagious. I enjoyed how they worked it out and I hope the FBI is sensible enough to get surveillance on that place so we can get some forward movement on the mytharc. I did love that Mayfair is sharing her big secret with Weller but I really hope that we get to hear it too. Right now I'm not sure exactly how much Guerrero has to do with the overarching mystery. He could be another case of the week designed to bring down Mayfair and Carter. What that has to do with everything is still anyone's guess.

Grade: B

Best Reason to Watch - Lou Diamond Phillips makes one heck of a bad guy
Best Scene - hmm, hard to chose between the action scenes
Best Snark - Guerrero
Best Dynamic Duo - Patterson and David, who are far more interesting than Jane and Weller right now
Best Surprise - Mayfair seems to be reading Weller into Operation Daylight
Biggest Surprise - Patterson ends up breaking up with David
Least Surprising - the sheriff is being paid by Guerrero
Most Busted - Patterson, for sharing classified FBI files with her BF
Most Annoying Trope - trained militia bad guys can't shoot
Most Likely to Die - David, whose curiosity won't just kill the cat sadly OR he's a mole for the CIA and he dies because of it
The "Are You Kidding Me?" Award - Jane might as well be named Mary Sue right now. She's good at everything even when she doesn't remember that she is. Plausibility = zero!
The "Forget Fired" Award - Patterson, honey, you ought to be more concerned about going to prison.
The "Welcome Back" Award - Lou Diamond Phillips from my teens, Numb3rs, and Longmire

Best Quotes -
1. Reade: "They do know you're in here, right?" Guerrero: "They're very enthusiastic."
2. Weller: "Just to be clear. You have the right to remain silent."
3. Guerrero: "So which is it? Hands up, down on the ground, or don't move?"
4. Weller: "You got something to say, just say it." Zapata: "You're protecting her. She's more than just an FBI asset to you. It's one thing if you won't admit it. It is something else if you don't even know it."
5. Guerrero: "What is this? A scavenger hunt?"
6. Guerrero: "The anticipation is killing me." Reade: "You know what? Your little play-by-play isn't helping."



Code Black - 1.06 - In Extremis

Grade: B-

Best Reason to Watch - Rorish opens up about the night her family died
Best Scene - Christa gets shocked trying to save her patient
Best Back Story - Rorish and Tom
Best Character - the kid who got shot in his pacemaker
Most Brilliant - Taylor, who tells the hypochondriac what he wants to hear and gets him to leave on his own
Most Funny - every time Rorish walks up to Jesse the system goes code black but when she walks away, it returns to code red
Pushiest Person - Malaya
The "Welcome Back" Award - Benito Martinez from Supernatural and American Crime / Cress Williams from Hart of Dixie
The "Welcome Back?" Award - Shiri Appleby of Roswell and UnREAL fame

Best Quotes -
1. Malaya: "I'm doing this all wrong." Niven: "Doing what all wrong? Being a doctor or being a human?"
2. Hudson: "Two ways to kill your patient. What you don't know and what you think you know but isn't so."
3. Taylor: "I've been doing this longer than you've been manscaping."
4. Rorish: "You've just become our priority patient. You get the first OR available." Tom: "Not the lottery I want to win."
5. Jesse: "Mala suerte." Rorish: "That's directed at me? I'm bad luck?" Jesse: "I was in code red. You walked up, code black. Do the math. I'll bring some sage in." Rorish: "Do that. I'll tell you where you can shove it."



Code Black - 1.07 - Buen Arbol

Grade: B

Best Reason to Watch - pacing is good and the patients are interesting
Best Scene - Malaya talks Dorothy through breathing on her own
Best Patient - Dorothy
Best Awww Moment - the grandma comes to keep the grandson in the country for medical help
Best Save - giving the military woman her eyesight back
Most Forceful - Hudson when faced with a stubborn patient
Least Surprising - the lady who killed the people with her car became suicidal
Strongest Woman - Susan, who brings her cheating husband his things
The "Nope, Just Nope" Award - I cannot watch eye surgery. This is freaking me out.
The "Welcome Back" Award - Gabrielle Carteris from Beverly Hills, 90210 / Christopher Cousins from Revolution and Supernatural

Best Quotes -
1. Dorothy: "Listen kid, me and 10 girlfriends started a book club about 40 years ago. Do you know how many of us are left? Two, me and Marie. She picked Atlas Freaking Shrugged to read this time. Now I read the whole damn thing. Well it's not good enough to kill a bug with. There is no way that I read that thing for nothing. I'm not gonna die today."
2. Hudson: "You're not better than him, Mario. You know we're not better than any of them. We all have memories of from when we needed the help of another human being. The only difference between you and him is that today, he's the one asking."
3. Dorothy: "The secret of any great relationship is to hate the same people."
4. Susan: "In point in fact, I'm not doing anything. He's the one who made the decisions that put him here. He's the one who decided to be who he is." Hudson: "And you get to decide who you are. Is this who you are?"
5. Rorish: "Part of learning this job is learning where it ends."



CSI: Cyber - 2.05 - Hack ER

It's not often that our fearless team gets stumped by someone else. That made this episode more intense and the clock ticking down worked well for the pacing too. Still, the reason to watch this episode is Artie. I love that brilliant, paranoid crazy person. I really hope he comes back again because he made my night. The only thing that hampered this episode for me was the rift between Avery and Elijah. I like that there are consequences but seriously, Elijah made the right call with Artie. Avery needs to acknowledge that instead of sticking this to him too so she can address the real issue which is what happened last week. Without an Elijah and Avery team, this show would be much less watchable.

Grade: B

Best Reason to Watch - honestly, it was Artie and I hope he comes back
Best Scene / Biggest Laugh - Artie runs away from Elijah in his housecoat
Best Bromance Moment - Nelson is jealous of Krumitz working with Artie
Best Awww Moment - Avery reunites with Grace
Least Surprising - the attack is personal instead of financial
Most Fun - Artie, the paranoid
Technology to Fear of the Week - hospital drug drip
Best Back Story - Avery's daughter's best friend wants to be a part of her life again
Weirdest Back Story - again people think that if you are watching this show, you've watched CSI but I haven't so I have no idea what that flashback with Elisabeth Shue was
The "Get Over It" Award - Elijah and Avery need to heal the rift and I don't really care how
The "I Would be Surprised…" - …but I already saw this before. Stabbing yourself to divert attention is an old tactic in crime procedurals.
The "Welcome Back" Award - Jessica Tuck aka Mama Biest on Grimm

Best Quotes -
1. Artie: "Man if anybody had ever told me that this is where my tax dollars are going, I'd actually start…never mind."
2. Krumitz: "Where are you going?' Elijah: "Baltimore." Krumitz: "I thought Avery grounded you." Elijah: "She told me to stay in Washington. Everybody knows Baltimore's just a suburb of the district."
3. Elijah: "Last year he called City Mercy 8 times but the hospital just dismissed him as a wacko." Krumitz: "Well he probably is. Who makes that face in their driver's license photo?"
4. Artie: "Turns out not everyone on the wire is trustworthy."
5. DB: "People feel an emptiness in their lives without you, you know. So just remember them and don't ever stop fighting. Goodbye, Jules."
6. Krumitz: "In my 10 years at the FBI, I have only failed once. Today might be the second time."



CSI: Cyber - 2.06 - Gone in 6 Seconds

Grade: B

Best Reason to Watch - the case was really cool
Best Scene / Most Fun - battle bot
Best Action - Elijah vs. the gang member
Best Ride - Nelson's joyride IF he was actually in control
Best Point - today's media make every tragedy worse by refusing to stop harping on it
Best Tech - whatever that wheeled thing Nelson is using when looking for the burner phone
Best Twist - the car crasher is in a wheelchair after a street racing crash
Biggest Woo Hoo - Artie's back, if only for a little while
Most Interesting - The car is driving without anyone in it. Hello, Evil KITT.
Least Surprising - the other driver is actually a cop
The "Oh the Nostalgia" Award - my first car love was my uncle's '68 Mustang
The "No, That's Not Cool" Award - automated license readers that can track where ordinary citizens go sounds more like Big Brother to me
Best Quotes - Krumitz: "Cars are pretty much computers on wheels these days." DB: "Yet another reason to love my '68 Mustang."



Elementary - 4.01 - The Past is Present

Elementary opened with a bang (sorry, pun intended) almost literally. The case was great, complex but plausible. I like how while I guessed much of what was happening beforehand, I still was not bored. I also loved the introduction of Sherlock's father. It's no secret that I adore John Noble from his Fringe days so I'm anxious to see what this role has for him. It will be awesome to see Sherlock off his game and NOT because of drug use. Mostly though, I am glad that the rifts between Watson and Sherlock seem largely gone. It made last season highly depressing so this reversal gives me hope that season 4 will go back to the earlier fun. All in all, a good start to the season. Now to bring back Moriarty.

Grade: B


Wish List:

1. BRING BACK MORIARTY!!!
2. Fix any and all rifts between Watson and Sherlock (Check)
3. Get Joan and Sherlock back into the NYPD consulting business
4. More bromance between Sherlock and Bell and Gregson
5. Let Watson kick butt more often
6. No more heroin abusing Sherlock(Check)

Best Reason to Watch - Sherlock and Watson seem to be in a much better place than they were last year
Best Scene - Gregson and Sherlock talk about what happened last season
Best Speech - Joan's partnership speech to Sherlock
Best Threat - Sherlock tells the gang member that if he doesn't give them info he's going to wire his family money and make it seem like he rolled on the gang
Best Reaction - Cook to Watson asking how hard he's been hit
Best Twist - the 2 victims were trying to kill the coyote who killed their families
Most Promising - Sherlock vs. his father
Least Fair - Watson is kicked out of consulting too because of Sherlock's lack of control
Least Surprising - the witness did it
The "Say What?" Award - Why is this guy confessing to murder outside an AA meeting?
The "Welcome Back" Award - John Noble from Fringe and Sleepy Hollow

Best Quotes -
1. Watson: "Say Operation Bestow Glory actually works, what are you going to do while I consult with the police?" Sherlock: "You know I have my distractions." Watson: "You really don't get it?" Sherlock: "I don't get what?" Watson: "When it comes to what we do, the only thing that matters to me is our partnership. So if you go, I go. You offered me a job. I didn't take it to work with the police. I took it to work with you." Sherlock: "Well you should know that my detractors are not limited to the NYPD. My professional prospects are quite bleak in general." Watson: "We'll figure it out. We always do."
2. Sherlock: "Justice is like an orgasm. It can never come too late."
3. Sherlock (about his father): "Was he driven here or did he arrive in a plume of black smoke?"
4. Sherlock: "Uh, what do you want?" Bloom: "To hire you. I hear you're quite the detective." Sherlock: "Unfortunately I've got a 'no sadists' policy."
5. Sherlock: "It seems you'll not have to visit me in prison after all." Watson: "You're not being charged. Okay, I'm going to heat up some celebratory leftovers and then we're gonna talk about all the women that you don't have to write to."



The Flash - 2.05 - The Darkness and the Light

I'm actually liking Patty, unlike many in the fandom. I enjoy that she has an actual role to play so it seems like they are fixing the mistakes they made with Iris. I need her to continue to have a storyline outside of Barry though and maybe focus more on her partnership with Joe. A big plus is that it looks like Wells the Sequel is forcing Jay out and I'm good with that for as long as it lasts. There's also the fact that Wells is snarkier than Jay any day. Another plus was that secrets were spilled so we can move on. Still not liking that Cisco is Vibe but at least it's out now. Thanks, Wells. Other than that it was a rather ordinary episode without many highs or lows.

Grade: B

Best Reason to Watch - Jay might be gone…if only for a little while
Best Surprise - Zoom has imprisoned Wells' daughter
Best Reaction - Joe's shoot first and ask questions later response to having another Wells around
Best Boss - Larkin, who dies protecting his employees
Most Confusing - Telling Wells from Earth 2 the story of Wells from Earth 1
Most Annoying - Wells' new deep throated voice
Biggest Woo Hoo - it's a Linda sighting
Biggest What the Heck - and Linda's a super villain. No, an Earth 2 metahuman? Oh, this show.
Biggest Disappointment - Not enough Joe and no big Joe and Barry moment
The "Way to Out Him" Award - Wells spills the beans on Cisco's visions
The "Oops, You Landed in the Wrong Generation" Award - I think Barry is on another Earth as well given that Patty is using words like "coolio"
The "Finally" Award - someone catches Barry and Cisco out for talking about secrets in a public place
The "Say What?" Award - Why exactly would Wells be genetically indistinguishable? I thought parallel earths were all about being similar but different so why would Wells 2.0 have the exact same family line as Wells 1.0? Did nobody have sex with a different person in the entire other timeline?
The "Welcome Back" Award - Tom Butler from Gracepoint
Best Music - You're No Good by Linda Ronstadt

Best Quotes -
1. Joe: "How are you still alive?" Wells: "I don't know. Because you missed?" Barry: "Hey, I'm trying to keep him from shooting you. You're not helping."
2. Cisco: "Okay our Dr. Wells may have been evil but you're just a d**."
3. Barry: "Stop, alright. I was gonna ask her out and then a land shark tried to eat me and then Doctor Wells the Sequel showed up."
4. Caitlin: "Technically this could be mine but I want to run some tests on you." Wells: "I'll be genetically indistinguishable from my earth 1 counterpart. Your tests will reveal nothing." Caitlin: "Great. Still gonna run 'em."
5. Joe: "I just want one week where we're not surprised by somebody from our past."
6. Barry: "You've got to give him a chance, okay? He's not a speedster. He's just a regular, normal guy…from another universe." Cisco: "I never thought I'd miss time travel."



The Flash - 2.06 - Enter Zoom

That was an awesome, action-packed hour of The Flash. I loved all the flash backs to explain New Wells a little more and I hope we get to meet Jessie for longer at some point. I also really liked Linda's training sessions and the utter laugh out loud camp of their B-budget fight. Nothing like a stage whisper and the most hideous dialogue this side of Vertigo to lighten the mood. I'm not sure about letting Linda in on Barry's secret, mostly because the more people he tells, the less it's a secret identity. Still it was good to have more Linda time. I also like how Iris is stepping up and now being motivational speaker to all, instead of just the Barry Whisperer. As always Joe and Barry were my favorite interactions, but every part of the team got a moment to shine and I adore Cisco saving the day. He needs more hero moments. All in all, the first real appearance of Zoom was a hit and I look forward to them chasing him down in all his Green Goblin looking glory.

Grade: A-

Best Reason to Watch - lots of great action and awesome pacing
Best Scene - Barry talks to Joe about Wells the Original(?)
Best Action - freefall fight
Best Save - Cisco
Best Back Story - Wells and his daughter
Best Cliffhanger - Barry can't feel his legs
Best Montage - I'm not usually a fan of the montage but I like this Linda training montage…unless she becomes an evil mutant
Best Plan - let the person you are going to put into danger decide whether or not to complete the mission
Biggest Laugh - the super fake Linda vs. Barry fight
Most in Need of a Throat Lozenge - Wells and his whisper voice
Most Fun - Cisco's new photography hobby
Most Freaky - Wells, big time
The "Poor Baby" Award - Barry's crestfallen face while talking to Joe is hard to take
The "I'm with Joe" Award - like always, Joe is right and I do NOT need to know the details of Barry's relationship with Patty either but I do like Patty
The "Okay, That Was Cool" Award - I dislike all the Arrow references they throw into The Flash at the most random of times, but the reveal that on Earth 2 it is Oliver's dad who survives to become Arrow is a fun twist
The "Yeah, I Don't See the Difference" Award - Linda's cheesy dialogue sounds on par with many of the villains on this show. Cold anyone?
The "Say What?" Award - Exactly how many people is Barry going to let into the Flash Club? I love Linda, but she doesn't need to know.

Best Quotes -
1. Barry: "For better or worse, Wells…he knew me." Joe: "Better than I know you? He may have stalked you for 15 years but I raised you. Look, Wells said what he said to you to mess with you, to get in your head one last time. If you listen to him, you let him win." Barry: "I know. I don't want that." Joe: "You're responsible for your own happiness, Barry. Forget about Wells. Think hard about what you want and what makes you happy. Go out and get it. It's as simple as that, right?"
2. Wells: "He's not Wells. I'm Wells." Cisco: "Whatever, Harry."
3. Cisco: "You would think the serial killer version would have been the bigger jerk."
4. Joe: "You're putting a whole lot of faith in the man wearing the face of your mother's killer."
5. Joe: "Who exactly came up with this terrible idea?" Cisco: "Okay, it's not a terrible idea. The suit can absorb the blasts." Iris: "For real or ish?" Joe: "What does a terrible idea look like to you, Cisco?"
6. Caitlin: "Oh great! That could be this year's cold gun. Maybe another criminal can get it and then we'd have Sergeant Slow." Cisco: "I would never let that happen. Sergeant Slow is a terrible name."



Fresh Off the Boat - 2.06 - Good Morning Orlando

This may be the most unfunny episode of Fresh Off the Boat yet. Unless you are into impressions. Then it might have cracked you up. Surely the middle school drama didn't though. Most of this was blasé or preachy and neither look good on this usually awesome show.

Grade: C

Best Reason to Watch - ummmm, Carla from Scrubs is on it
Best Character - Emery
Best Visual - the escalator
Best Advice - Emery, who tells Eddie to just talk to Alison
Best Reference - Sixteen Candles
Worst Reference - Bill Cosby as the moral center
Least Effective Form of Communication - middle school and high school notes
Most Clueless - Eddie and me, because even middle school wasn't this confusing to me
The "Welcome Back" Award - Ken Marino, who is in so much stuff lately that he's hit "Hey It's That Guy" status for me / Judy Reyes from Scrubs

Best Quote -
1. Eddie: "Allison's officially my girlfriend." Louis: "What? When did that happen?" Eddie: "Apparently 2 weeks ago. I had no idea we were even dating. I guess that's how things work in 7th grade. Love moves fast and quiet, like Miss Jackson says."
2. Mindy: "We finally have an answer to that question everyone's been asking. Why doesn't anybody move the damn thing? Apparently human touch would render the endangered tortoise infertile. Maybe that tortoise should try being an unmarried woman over 40."
3. Mey-Mey: "It's okay. We're on at 4 am. Our core demo is truckers clocking on and hookers clocking off."
4. Brian: "Call me crazy but square pizza just tastes less good." Eddie: "It's the right angles. Trying to make us learn at lunch."
5. Louis: "Well, one person can't be everything."



Grandfathered - 1.05 - Edie's Two Dads

Much of this episode was unfunny and downright boring. People keep trying to push Jimmy into being who they want him to be and the whole plan was tasteless and offensive. The only interesting subplot was how awful Jimmy's old preschool was and Vanessa rocking it as a demanding mom. Other than that, this was not a winner.

Grade: D+

Best Reason to Watch - the playground scene
Best Scene - the ending
Biggest Nightmare - Sarah sees Gerald's old preschool and it's not like she remembered
Worst Parenting - there's a whole lot to choose from in this episode but refusing a child seat in your car when transporting children has to be the most completely asinine
The "Don't Push It" Award - Jimmy has the right to a place without Cheetos everywhere
The "Say What?" Award - Why would Edie get in just because her dads were gay? That makes no sense for an elite preschool and sounds like a lawsuit ready to happen. Don't they have some kind of criteria they use for everyone? Actually the idea of an elite preschool is pretty bonkers on its own.
The "Welcome Back" Award - Joanna Garcia from Reba and Astronaut Wives Club

Best Quotes -
1. Sarah: "Edie would love it there and bonus - you don't have to pretend you sleep with your dad."
2. Jimmy: "Come on, Edie. Let's check out a school you'll never get into and then after I'll take you to a store and burn a doll in front of ya."
3. Jimmy: "You know you can't be the cutest girl in the world and the smartest. You've got to spread it around a little bit. You don't want haters, right?"
4. Jimmy: "I refuse to live in a world where laws protect human life over fine Italian leather."
5. Jimmy: "I have no idea what it's like to be in a homosexual relationship." Annelise: "It's like being in any other relationship." Jimmy: "I have no idea what that's like either."



Grimm - 5.02 - Clear and Wesen Danger

I certainly hope this show is trying to highlight a double standard in world culture. How else can they explain the lack of outcry in pushing Nick together with his rapist? I mean why not just have her move into the bed where she tricked him into having sex with her. URGH!!! Not to mention, Adalind tried to kill him multiple times. This is beyond despicable and trying to redeem Adalind is a huge mistake that screams of fan pandering at its worse. Why kill off the admittedly useless Juliette if only to shove a far less plausible Adalind in her place? Especially since it feels more and more likely that Juliette is going to return to annoy another day. Ugh! I do not understand how everyone is willing to just forgive Adalind for all her crimes like they've been hit by a selective amnesia spell. Gibbs' slaps to everyone. If they push a relationship between Nick and Adalind, I will drop the show. It's sick.

Grade: D-

Best Reason to Fast Forward - everything with Nick and Adalind
Biggest Tease - what's beating up Meisner in the cage. My bet is still on Juliette over it being Trubel.
Biggest Asset - Wu, who finds the other embezzler
Biggest Idiots - since I only feel comfortable giving one award to "every single character," I'll go with the Marshalls who refuse to listen to Nick and therefore live up to their red-shirt status
Most Missed ALWAYS - Trubel
Most in Need of a Gibbs' Slap - EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER and the writers
Most Needing to Shut Up - Adalind freaks out over having no job or place of her own if Nick is arrested
Least Likely to Be Hired - whoever painted over the claw symbol and did such a haphazard job
The "Come Out, Come Out Wherever You Are" Award - Meisner, who keeps hiding in the shadows for no apparent reason
The "Say What?" Award - since when has Renard become a pencil pushing, red tape creating, bureaucratic douche who ignores Wesen problems
The "Welcome Back" Award (character) - Sergeant Franco

Best Quotes -
1. Monroe: "Too many bad things have gone down here, man. Too much death and destruction. I'm just saying, you might want to think about a…you know, change of venue." Nick: "You mean move." Monroe: "Oh I mean get the hell out of here."
2. Hank: "Can't wait to explain that to Pogue." Wu: "I'll come visit you in the psych ward every Tuesday."
3. Pogue: "Does he look like a guy who can rip someone's throat out?" Hank: "It's hard to know what's inside somebody."



Grimm - 5.03 - Lost Boys

I don't think any episode of Grimm will get above a C rating for me if they keep on pushing a relationship between Nick and his rapist. It's vile. No one should romanticize rape. Putting Nick in Adalind's bed willingly took it down a letter grade for me. If they actually hook up, I will be out. In fact, it's really only the promise of Trubel that is keeping me watching at all.

Grade: D

Best Reason to Watch - Trubel is back even if only for 5 seconds
Worst Reason to Watch - everything Nick and Adalind
Best Scene - of course, it's Trubel's return by a few thousand miles
Best Twist - the juvie warden is part of the Wesen Uprising plan
Best Plan - Rosalee woges to get out of her ropes
Best Character Interaction - Monroe and Rosalee
Best Take Down - Rosalee and the kid leader
Worst News - Viktor is now on the throne and could possibly come back
Most Psychotic - it's a hard choice between these kids, but I think I'm going with Peter over Big John
Biggest Sci-Fi Trope - evil children who just need to be loved
Biggest Hmm - How does Renard NOT know that his dad is dead? Shouldn't that have been on the news like it was when Eric died? At the very least, wouldn't the police talk to him since the King was visiting?
Coolest Feature - Nick's house has a hidden escape tunnel
The "It's Recap-A-Licious" Award - Grimm has taken to having as many recaps in it as Sleepy Hollow
The "Welcome Back" Award - Trubel, woo hoo!!!!! / Meisner

Best Quotes -
1. Lily: "Did he listen to his mother?" Rosalee: "No, and that's always a mistake."
2. Monroe: "I'll tell you two things I know about kids. 1. They are the future and should be cherished. 2. They're lying little b**."
3. Peter: "Listen, I know this is going to be hard at first but you'll get used to it." Rosalee: "Get used to what?" Peter: "Being loved." Rosalee: "You don't kidnap loved ones."
4. Monroe: "Well look, whatever kind of family you have, reality is relative. You know normal is just the middle of the mess."
5. Rosalee: "I let him keep it." Monroe: "Excuse me. Pardon me. I'm sorry. Uh, what?"



How to Get Away with Murder - 2.07 - I Want You to Die

This is another example of how H2G can take a less than amazing episode and ramp it all the way up in the last 10 minutes. That conversation between Annalise and Bonnie at the end is some of the finest acting I've seen on TV. It easily becomes the scene of the week for me and raises the episode a whole letter grade by itself. Plus we are coming to the time when the present catches up to the flash forwards so things ought to be incredibly intense in the next episode. They did a great job of raising that intensity also with the mass murderer entering Oliver's apartment. Even if it was zero surprise, it was very well done and leaves yet another cliffhanger to keep people talking until next week. Top it off with what looks like Bonnie throwing Sinclair off the roof and the ending could have been the entire episode. The beginning of the episode was a bit slow, I still don't care about anyone's love life, the case of the week completely blew, and there were more confrontations than a marriage counselor sees in a year, but oh…that ending!

Grade: B

Best Reason to Watch - the end
Best Scene - Bonnie confronts Annalise for telling Asher about her father raping her
Best Cliffhanger - murderer in Oliver's apartment
Best Character Interaction - Bonnie and Annalise, of course
Best Back Story - still Asher
Biggest Voice of Common Sense - Laurel
Biggest Idiot - Oliver, who should have started running last year and never looked back
Biggest Creeper - the client of the week, who is the most stalker-y stalker this side of Stalker (which I miss)
Biggest Head Desk Ever - Asher, fighting for victims of rape is not someone's "thing". Saying that makes you sound like the obnoxious, oblivious prat Bonnie thinks you are.
Least Surprising - it's Oliver the serial killer goes after instead of Connor
The "Well At Least That's Over" Award - here's hoping that we don't see any more of Nate on trial
The "Welcome Back" Award - Anna Belknap from CSI: NY / Susan Walters from Teen Wolf and Star-Crossed

Best Quotes -
1. the entire Annalise and Bonnie conversation:
A. Bonnie: "You fixed it like always except this time I was the car you traded." Annalise: "I traded your past but I saved your future and it worked or else you'd be in prison right now." Bonnie: "I don't get to be mad about this? Is that what you're saying?" Annalise: "No, I'm saying you don't get to be emotional about this. You knew what trouble we were in. What else could I have done?" Bonnie: "Stop denying what you did."
B. Bonnie: "You exposed me to him." Annalise: "I didn't expose you. I saved you. You killed a girl in my basement, put a plastic bag over her head." Bonnie: "To protect you." Annalise: "And I did what I did to protect you." Bonnie: "No, you did this to ruin me. The one good thing I had in my life." Annalise: "Oh don't you dare. Every good thing in your life is because of me." Bonnie: "You mean despite you."
C. Annalise: "Everything that you're coming at me with right now is because of what your father did to you and you need to finally deal with that pain." Bonnie: "I deal with it every day." Annalise: "Well so do I. We both do, okay? I'm not the person to be angry with right now." Bonnie: "Shut up!" Annalise: "You may hate me for it but it worked, alright?" Bonnie: "Shut up!" Annalise: "Bonnie, it worked." Bonnie: "Shut up!"
D. Bonnie: "You knew how much this would hurt me. Out of everyone, you knew. But you did it because you wanted to. You don't know how to love anyone." Annalise: "I don't know how to love anyone? Alright, then go back to that fancy apartment and your rolling around in bed with that 25 year old boy and you're not hanging from a bed sheet behind some metal bars. Then you tell me that I don't love you." Bonnie: "I want you to die. That's what I want. That it was you they killed in this house, not Sam because he'd have never done this to me."
2. Laurel: "You're welcome." Annalise: "Excuse me?" Laurel: "For helping you win the case." Annalise: "You want the trophy, it's in a box in the basement." Laurel: "Is this because of Frank? Because of all the terrible things that happened in that house, us being together…" Annalise: "I don't care that you two are screwing?" Laurel: "You do. Otherwise why treat me like cr** and let everyone else act crazy. Because they are, all of them. They're a mess and I'm the one watching out for them. Fixing problems before you even know they exist." Annalise: "Don't you think I know that?" Laurel: "Why would I? You don't talk to me." Annalise: "Because I don't need to. Me not paying attention to you is the best compliment you can ever get because that means I don't have to worry about you. Go back to the office and stop being needy."
3. Annalise: "She called me first. Asked me for pills." Eve: "Of course she did because who doesn't ask their husband's mistress to off her?"
4. Wes: "Re-approach the prosecutor about a deal." Annalise: "That's called losing. We don't do that."
5. Annalise: "Sharon hates you, Dale. You're a stalker, you're pathetic, and you're fired."



How to Get Away with Murder - 2.08 - Hi, I'm Philip

In general, this episode sucked out loud. The never-ending sex montage being the pinnacle of said suckiness. Pretty much this was a filler episode to close the time before the flash forward meets the present. Even the twists were only so-so. Can a TV show use incest more to make things creepier? Perhaps Game of Thrones but I'm hard pressed to think of anything else. Two thwarted plea agreements was one too many. There was no resolution to the conflict between Bonnie and Annalise or the one with Asher. We still have no more clue as to what the murder scene is all about except that Catherine isn't as innocent as she seemed at first, but that's hardly a surprise on this show. Only Oliver has a shred of decency left in him and I'm sure in season 3 we'll find out that he's really a serial killing embezzler who's into kids. Hey, nothing shocks me anymore in this soap. I did like that Wes finally shares his guilty conscience but we got zero traction on that as well. Plus I think Sinclair is actually unhinged given her determination to sink herself along with Annalise. The synergy of the timelines can't come too quickly at this point. Neither can the breakup of every single couple.

Grade: D

Best Reason to Watch - plenty of pretty people screwing each other if you need an eye candy fix, especially Nate's pecs
Best Scene - Wes confesses that his conscience is getting to him
Best Acting - Viola Davis again
Best Played - Annalise, who stalls out the time of Caleb's plea agreement so it isn't valid anymore
Best Twist - Philip doesn't want to kill Oliver but he is a blackmailer so….there's that
Worst Twist - incest again but this time it's the dad and aunt
Biggest Filler - neverending sex montage
Biggest Sacrifice / Best Save - Frank digs heavily into his nest egg in order to get the DNA results needed
Most Missed -Bonnie
Most Proficient - Laurel actually makes a pretty good Bonnie even if I miss Bonnie
Most Obnoxious - Asher's victory dance is subtracting the sympathy points he's been building this season
Most Annoying - Wes, still taking the trophy in this category
Most in the Dog House - Frank has taken Bonnie's spot as Annalise's kicking stool
The "Not You Too" Award - now Nate is falsifying official police documents, which shows exactly how out-of-control Annalise really is right now because she can't seem to reign any of these people in anymore

Best Quotes -
1. Annalise: "Then why tell Catherine to take the deal?" Wes: "Because that's what I should have done. I should have turned myself in for Sam. Instead it just weighs on me, on you, on all of us. So if I'd just told the truth, then whatever time I deserved, we could have all moved on by now." Annalise: "You protected Rebecca and now I'm protecting you. No one deserves to go to jail for that, you hear me?"
2. Frank: "This apartment needs to be an Annalise-free zone."
3. Annalise: "I need you to be my new Bonnie." Laurel: "What happened to the old Bonnie?"
4. Bonnie: "There is no decision here. It was already made and you agreed so either get on board or you're the next dead body out there."
5. Annalise: "Now I don't smile very often but this…I'm smiling."



iZombie - 2.05 - Love & Basketball

I'm a fan of this incarnation of Liv. She didn't feel sorry for herself or put anyone down. Instead she pep talked everyone and still brought the humor. Of course not as much as the Blaine and Ravi morgue fight, which was spectacular. Best scene of the season so far. Mostly though I adore that they are starting to move Major in the right direction. I hate this character assault they've had on him so far.

Grade: B

Best Reason to Watch - Major is getting back in character
Best Scene - lab fight for the utopium
Best Return - Liv and Ravi banter
Best Pep Talk - Liv tells Major that he's a winner who needs to get back up
Best Reference - Bon Jovi's You Give Love a Bad Name
Best Forward Plot Movement - Clive is one step closer to realizing that zombies are real
MIA - Peyton, again
Worst Plan - letting your zombie overdose before asking about the medical trials
Worst Partner - Bozzio, who keeps trying to make Clive laugh while his boss is yelling at him
Least Likely to Work - any cure that Liv is given
Best Music - Friday, I'm in Love by The Cure

Best Quotes -
1. Liv: "Horny boys are the worst. When all your blood returns to the normal locations in your body, you're gonna care whether that make out session has left you living or living dead."
2. Liv: "Is that look of disgust because you need cream and sugar or because you need habanera?" Major: "It's because you're still incapable of turning hot water and coffee grounds into a palpable beverage."
3. Liv: "How are you feeling?" Major: "Great. Who doesn't enjoy waking up to a beautiful woman cutting off his circulation?"
4. Major: "I'm beginning to think that your ulterior motive has an ulterior motive."
5. Major: "So far to me it sounds like all of our problems could be solved with condoms and rock salt."



iZombie - 2.06 - Max Wager

And it's sex filler again. What is up with this week? No wonder I'm dropping shows like crazy. Other than that, I am incredibly confused but loving the story twists. If we could kindly keep Blaine's dad on ice, I would be even happier. I didn't think there could be a villain on this show that I didn't care about more than Blaine but his daddy dearest took the title. He even made Blaine emoangsty. Ugh! I am really liking Dale though so she'll probably end up working for Vaughn or another criminal. Still the biggest kudos come from the continuous repairing of Major's character.

Grade: B-

Best Reason to Watch - twists
Best Scene - Major reveal at the end
Biggest Filler - Strip non-poker for no reason at all. Seriously, what WAS that all about?
Biggest Douche - Blaine's dad is even worse than Blaine is
Biggest Surprise - usually I get the murderer within 5 minutes of meeting them, but the fangirling threw me off
Best Surprise (?) - Does this mean Major did NOT actually kill anyone? I am totally up for that.
Least Surprising - Blaine kills his grandpa
Biggest Fangirl Moment - Clive talks to Calvin Owens
Creepiest Creepster Who Ever Creeped - Stacey Boss, the barber shop client who talks about forced suicide
Most Awkward Conversation - Clive, Dale, Liv, and Major
Most Intense - Paige vs. Stacey Boss
Most Dramatic - Liv and Major can't have sex without making Major a zombie again
The "Zero Tears" Award- they shot the obnoxious douche and I feel...whatever
The "Welcome Back" Award - Robert Knepper from Cult and Prison Break / Steven Williams aka Rufus on Supernatural and X on The X-Files

Best Quotes -
1. Dale: "It's nice to get a name. In my head you've been Girl From the Morgue Who Somehow Makes Goth Work." Major: "Oh that is her Native American name. Hi. I'm Barely Employed Arm Candy."
2. Clive: "Does anyone else have any movie plots that may apply?"
3. Blaine: "Dad, I'd hoped your first visit here would be more…horizontal."
4. Peyton: "Body snatchers?" Ravi: "If that's Rihanna coming downstairs, it would explain so much." Liv: "Morning everyone." Peyton: "Whoa, wait, wait. Is this happening?" Liv: "It's happening." Peyton: "Well about damn time." Ravi: "But it won't always be this nauseating, right?"
5. Dale: "What chain of custody protocol includes your freezer?"
6. Blaine: "I've got a special on colorblind electrician." Angus: "Nothing in ungrateful parasite."



The Librarians - 2.01 - And the Drowned Book

I thought this episode was good, but not for a premiere. It was a little slow and the main characters working on their own did not work for me. I think the real power of The Librarians is how they each use their separate strengths to help the entire group and a lot of that was missing, even if it was on purpose. For instance, they really needed to switch artifacts they were looking for. Jake should have been on earring patrol at least. He was speaking her language while Ezekiel was clueless. I do love how in the end they realize they all need each other, but it took far too long to figure that out. On the plus side, I am really loving the idea of literary characters coming to life. There's so much more they can do with that then the serpent brotherhood of last season. Although I wasn't a fan of its execution, I did think the fairy tale episode was a brilliant concept last year so I'm glad to see they're tweaking it here especially if we get new characters each week. The Queen of Hearts did make me think of Twisted Alice from Warehouse 13 though.

Grade: B-

Wish List:
1. Slightly less cheese
2. Tone down Cassandra and Ezekiel since they were the most annoying main characters last season
3. More Jenkins
4. Less Flynn (yes, I know he wasn't in much last season but still)
5. More exploration of different mythologies

Best Reason to Watch - the librarians are back and that means whichever is your favorite, they are saving the world again
Best Scene - Moriarty and Flynn have an observation -off
Best Action - Eve vs. Moriarty and it was way too short
Best Play - the janitor is the magician fictional
Best Way to Get People to Read the Classics - now I have to read The Tempest
Least Surprising - the action takes place in the Statue of Liberty
Most Smooth - Moriarty
Worst Subplot - the librarians do not want to work together

Best Quotes -
1. Eve: "Now, tactical assessment." Flynn: "An immortal magician from Shakespeare's plays has teamed up with a supervillain genius that he's pulled from literature to take advantage of the fact that magic has returned to the world to restore his power and to accomplish some sort of unknowable and yet terrifying plot for world domination." Eve: "So Tuesday then."
2. Moriarty: "Villain? I always prefer antagonist."
3. Jake: "We have a sun?" Jenkins: "Yes, in the sun room. What else would one store in a sunroom?" Eve: "Oh, magazines, cozy chairs, mimosas."
4. Flynn: "Hopefully if everything goes as planned, the storm falls apart." Eve: "And if it all goes wrong?" Flynn: "You and I get incinerated and New York drowns." Eve: "Sucky pep talk."
5. Flynnn: "Frozen land of giants, lost animal kingdom, hive of giant bees." Eve: "Why do we even have that door?"



The Librarians - 2.02 - And the Broken Staff

This is an example of an episode that suffers in the rewatch, mostly because the plotting stands still at the worst times. This is especially true every time Eve and Flynn take precious time out of an action moment to fight over which style of magic gathering works best. It's tedious by the end, especially when the bad guy is almost at the magic tree. (No, I never thought I would write that sentence unironically.) On the plus side though, there is more action and a more cohesive feel to this episode than the premiere. That's what actually saves it. I really enjoyed Flynn and Ezekiel making Frankenstein's Monster aware of modern plastic surgery and online dating. It was bizarre in the best sense.

Grade: B-

Best Reason to Watch - Moriarty makes a good addition to the show and Carsen leaves
Best Scene - Flynn hugging it out with Frankenstein's Monster
Best Retreat - Jenkins refuses to take sides between Carsen and Eve
Best Publicity - all the positive press your local library gets and Mrs. Stevens, the librarian
Best Played - Flynn pretends to take out the Tree of Knowledge but it's a decoy
Best Negotiator - the little girl who borrowed the Shakespeare book
Worst Time for a Break Down - Eve and Carsen having a conversation about being a team while Prospero is almost at the Tree of Life
Biggest Copycat - almost all of Carsen's narrative is word for word what Jenkins said last episode
Biggest Modern Century Save - plastic surgery and Tinder
Most Likely to Get Stabbed in the Back - Prospero, who hasn't learned how to treat his underlings

Best Quotes -
1. Jenkins: "Excuse me, I'm going to go take care of my….desperately not wanting to be here."
2. Moriarty: "Well done, Duchess. I admire your initiative." Eve: "Well then you're gonna love my gumption and my spunk."
3. Jake: "You don't know how to use a card catalog?" Ezekiel: "Uh, it's the 21st century. I don't know how to shoe a horse either."
4. Eve: "Are we going to fight magical swords because I did not bring anything for that?"
5. Eve: "Shakespeare had a friend who was a wizard? Kind of buried the lead there."
6. Moriarty: "Welcome to Team Fiction."



The Librarians - 2.03 - And What Lies Beneath the Stones

Grade: B

Best Reason to Watch - the characters deliver some home truths about themselves
Best Action - Jake vs. Jake
Best Moment - Jenkins talks to Jake about family
Best Reveal - Ezekiel was a thief for the government
Best Awww Moment - Jake's fake dad hugs him
Best Device for Character Growth - having to tell the truth
Best Back Story - Jake
Best Twist - the foreman is Jake's dad
Biggest Face Palm - Is there anyone who didn't think the trio was going to get trapped in the cage?
Biggest Jerk - Jake's dad
Lamest Villain - the one removing alphabet letters / ones that take noses
Most Creepy - Fake Andy's huge clown grin
Most Likely to Create an Awesome Fan Wiki - Cassandra who computes heights and sets as she watches TV
Worst Plan - leaving Baird behind
The "Say What?" Award - Why exactly do they need to stay in the cage it keep it open? They already know what to push to open the door.
The "Are You Kidding Me?" Award - All these construction workers are walking by Fake Cassandra opening the locked explosives compartment and no one says a word?

Best Quotes -
1. Ezekiel: "Okay, this is the freakiest Friday ever."
2. Jenkins: "The one commonality is that they all feed off of lies and the chaos wrought by lies. The more lies, the more chaos they can create." Ezekiel: "So why hang around this small town? Why not head for Washington DC, home of lies?"
3. Cassandra: "When they told me about my tumor, they told me that I was going to die but I decided when. I want to die on my own terms so I picked a day, a day when I choose to die." Jake: "I'm sorry." Cassandra: "Save it. It's not today. Let's go."
4. Cassandra: "I stole…uh, sheet music from Aladdin in my grade school music class." Ezekiel: "Not exactly a criminal mastermind but we all have to start somewhere."
5. Jenkins: "Mr. Jones alone in Oklahoma is a version of the Rogers and Hammerstein classic no one should ever see."



Limitless - 1.07 - Brian Finch's Black Op

I was never a fan of Ferris Bueller, even though I saw that movie when I was in high school. Therefore this opening and closing just made me groan. Plus The Goldbergs did it better not too long ago. A grown man stooping to recreating a movie to get out of work is stupid. Really stupid. However I did enjoy seeing both Naz and Boyle working hard to get Brian back. It was expected with Harris but I like that Brian means something to them too. Granted it could be a control thing with Naz, but she put her career on the line for his safe return so that's worth bonus points. The stuff in the woods wasn't as interesting to me and I could do with no more black ops for Brian ever.

Grade: B-

Best Reason to Watch - the FBI is desperate to get Brian back
Best Character - Naz
Best Scene - Brian and Aleksey with the pill
Biggest What the Heck Ever - No bus driver on the planet would ever pick up a stray on the road, especially with kids on the bus. None! Not even to fulfill a scene in a movie.
Most Useful - all of Brian's language studies
Least Surprising - the terrorist isn't a terrorist
Worst Reference - Ferris Bueller's Day Off as a whole and the intro especially
Best Reference - Harris as Sloane in Ferris Bueller's Day Off
The "Say what?" Award - Why is Cameron villain monologuing his plans to Brian, the guy he knows is on a superpill? Even a washout shouldn't be that dumb.
The "Um, Two are Enough" Award - Things were strained enough when there were 2 Brian's. Now there are 3? That's overkill.
The "Welcome Back" Award - Malik Yoba from Empire

Best Quotes -
1. Naz: "We're gonna find Brian. Once that's done, I'm gonna figure out who the hell authorized this and either that person will no longer work for the Bureau or I won't."
2. Sloane: "I wish the laws of physics would allow me strangle you right now."
3. Brian: "We used to call that the condom pocket. That's a little childish and stupid, but then again so is high school."
4. Brian: "You speak English?" Aleksey: "Everyone speaks some English."



Quantico - 1.06 - God

Oh the melodrama. Everybody's relationships went up in flames in this episode and I don't care about any of them. For the first time, the terrorist plot was more interesting than everything except Miranda's back story. I'm also not sure about Alex's ever-growing circle of people "helping" her. There's got to be at least one traitor in her midst by the time the reveal happens, which is apparently coming sooner than I thought. I do like that several secrets are out though. This means the characters are almost caught up to the audience and that's a less frustrating tactic. I would like to go back to more interesting case work during FBI training and a bigger focus on action and mystery solving instead of the almost high school drama of who's screwing whom and who's jealous about it.

Grade: C+

Best Reason to Watch - everyone gets to play their turn at suspect in this show, which makes it harder to figure out who it really is
Best Scene - Miranda confronts her son at the school
Best Plan - Alex plants video equipment in O'Connor's office so she can see what he's really up to
Best Back Story - Miranda and her son
Worst Back Story - Shelby and Caleb's father
Biggest Red Herring - Neither of the twins are the terrorist. That would be way too easy and stereotypical.
Biggest Head Desk Moment - Did they not just hear that someone's listening all the time? Why are they talking about their sex lives in a surveillance house? Of course someone's listening.
Biggest Surprise - Simon now knows about the twins
Least Surprising - Caleb's dad is the guy running everything
The "Loose Lips" Award - Nothing like being so far up your own self that you recklessly spout off and therefore reveal your own secrets, O'Connor
The "No Truer Words" Award - Natalie calls Caleb a moron and unattractive in jealousy mode

Best Quotes -
1. Alex: "Simon, I need control over Caleb's computer right now." Simon: "Of course. You want me to get you a unicorn while I'm at it."
2. Charlie: "You wake up every morning wishing I made good on that note." Miranda: "I wake up every morning thanking God you're alive and you have a chance to be the man I know you can be."
3. Charlie: "And why do I care about your terrible parenting?" O'Connor: "Each one of these kids is alive because your mother stopped you from killing them. Instead of visiting graves, their parents get to visit dorm rooms and every time Louisa ignores my call at least I know she's alive and there's still hope she'll forgive me one day. Do you get that you almost took that hope away?"
4. Charlie: "I didn't want you to find the note." Miranda: "Who did you think would find it?" Charlie: "I didn't think." Miranda: "You didn't, but I did. I burned it. And that's the only reason that you're out of that place and that terrifies me because I don't know if I did the right thing or if I just made it easier for the next time you want to shoot somebody."
5. Booth: "Congratulations. You just blew your own op with Alex."



Scorpion - 2.07 - Crazy Train

It was a typical episode of Scorpion with twice the bad puns and everyone getting in on the action. Character of the night goes to Happy for completely shocking me with her horrible comedy routine and the under subway train slide. I'm also liking that Toby is going to back off the pressure about their non-relationship. It should allow the writers to develop both Happy and him as characters and maybe even give them a better set of storylines. I am a little irked that there is no follow-up to Walter basically killing Toby last week though and Ralph constantly irks me, but it was a decent episode full of adrenaline and fun.

Grade: B

Best Reason to Watch - another high octane episode complete with ever-present countdown
Best Scene - everything on the train
MVP of the Night - puns
Best Reference - Speed (or at least that is the reference in my head)
Best Save - Happy flipping the switch
Most Used - Sylvester's cold compress for bruising
Most Likely to Make Me Throw Up - Walter chugging grease to get it into a hose
Most Selfless - Walter trying to save Paige and Ralph
Biggest Surprise / Most Cringeworthy - Happy is doing standup comedy
Biggest Eye Roll - Ralph, saving the day again
Biggest Yogi Berra - Ray and all his backwards statements
Worst Thing to Bet Your Life On - whether a fast food employee has done their job properly
Worst Plan - psychologically profiling your boxing opponent and making him mad

Best Quotes -
1. Toby: "Okay, no offense but I'm not about to give weight to the psychiatric musings of a guy who uses a superhero lunchbox and someone who still watches Bonanza."
2. Toby: "Suicidal genius says what now?"
3. Sylvester: "And at the current speed of Paige's train the Cant can't work."
4. Walter: "I don’t like this." Paige: "Me taking a risk or me using logic against you?" Walter: "Both."
5. Cabe: "Sorry. Sometimes the truth hurts more than a right hook, buddy."



Scorpion - 2.08 - Area 51

This had the case of the week, the one liners, and the technical gadgetry of a typical Scorpion episode but in a lot of ways it was very different. The case was secondary and not as interesting as usual, while the emotional state of the characters went on high alert. Normally I am not a fan of anything leading to emoangsting, but I did like how Scorpion handled Megan's impeding death. There's going to be huge blowback on them all. I was expecting to see issues with Sylvester and of course Walter, but I didn't expect both Happy and Toby to go all clinical detachment. Surely these guys have dealt with death at some point in their lives already. Paige and Cabe are going to have their hands full just keeping the team together. I foresee a huge rift between Walter and Sylvester just when they will need each other the most. As for the case, it was more hype than anything. Just adding alien theories does not a good episode make so it's a good thing this episode isn't relying on them. The CIA thing though brought the grade down because it was beyond ludicrous. It would have made far more sense to remind them that they have a confidentiality contract with the government and they won't get paid if they yap. Instead they went for the most sensationalist plan, which is always Scorpion's downfall.

Grade: B

Best Reason to Watch - surprisingly the best thing for me is how each of the characters dealt (or didn't deal) with Megan's impeding death
Best Scene - the end between Sylvester and Walter
Weirdest Action Scene - fighting in zero gravity
Biggest Hero - Sylvester for standing up for Megan's wishes
Biggest Ha - Toby's cell phone looks like the one I had before my current dinosaur so that really is old
Dumbest Side Plot / Biggest What the Heck? - The CIA was going to kill the Scorpion team but now they're just letting them go instead of shutting down Sylvester too or at least verifying. Yeah, this makes the kind of sense that just doesn't.
Biggest Surprise - Cabe and Walter are asleep during the action in their segment
Worst Hide-and-Go-Seek Players - Happy, Toby, and Paige all pop their heads up right after the guard gives the all-clear even though he could look back at any minute
Worst Position - Sylvester, who is in between a Megan and a Walter
Biggest Hmm - Why exactly is flossing teeth disgusting? It's better than the alternative.
Least Surprising - Walter blames Sylvester for Megan not going on a respirator
Most Common Sense - Paige, who just kicks the thing until it's down
Quickest Way to Hitch a Ride - blow out the tire with intense heat
The "Well Duh?" Award - Of course the plane is used to spy on Americans? What else would it be used for in this paranoid TV age?
The "Say What?" Award - Um, Walter, I think I just heard this cryogenics theory on another show and that guy was a straight up lunatic, psycho killer. You're a little scary right now.
The "Will You Look at That" Award - there really is a Cone of Silence

Best Quotes -
1. Walter: "I trusted you. You promised me you would do the right thing." Sylvester: "I did do the right thing…for Megan. She doesn't want to prolong her state so I respected her wishes." Walter: "Don't go head to head with me on this. You've known her for a year. I've known her my whole life." Sylvester: "I love her just as much and I am sorry Walter but you are wrong." Walter: "Fine, fine, I'll just have to take care of it myself. This isn't over."
2. Cabe: "You got something to say to Megan, you should say it. Spend your time making memories. Don't bury yourself in solutions that may not work."
3. Sylvester: "I have to encourage you to be aggressive." Megan: "You have to stop being a conduit to my brother and be the man that I love."
4. Happy: "Your crippling gambling problems left you unable to afford nice things like the latest cell technology but yours is old enough to have a nickel cadmium battery." Toby: "Insulted, hurt, but glad to help."
5. Happy: "Remember your disgusting habit?" Toby: "Which one? I'm going to need you to elaborate."



Supergirl - 1.02 - Stronger Together

This was definitely an improvement over the pilot. Kara offered her own words of wisdom, both to James and Alex, which made her seem more of a grownup than last episode. I also appreciated that Kat cut the most annoying thing about her off at the knees. Instead of watching Kara keep fumbling or worse, become instantly good at everything, starting small makes a lot of sense. It allows us to watch Kara's process and helps negate the fact that she has all of these powers. I'm a huge fan of even superheroes having to grow into their expertise. I also liked that James and Winn helped her do so, just not Winn's annoying jealousy. Still the best thing about the show is the sister bond and it is the reason why Supergirl gets another episode from me, because although this is a definite improvement, it's not enough to earn a place on the weekly watch list just yet for me.

Grade: B-

Best Reason to Watch - Kara isn't a klutzy little girl in this one but a newbie learning the ropes and not afraid to ask for help to get better. It's a good look on her.
Best Action - Kara vs. her aunt
Best Moment - Kara rescues a snake, named Fluffy, up a tree
Best Move - Alex takes down Bug Boy with his own talon
Best Pep Talk - James to Kara, in the most Hallmark way possible
Most Needed Talk - Kat tells Kara to start small and avoid making major disasters
Biggest Surprise - Hank is an alien
Biggest Waste - Why are they shooting off all these missiles? Shocking waste of taxpayer money.
Most Annoying - everyone but Kat and Hank spend their whole time telling Kara how special she is
The "I'm with Hank" Award - Alex should be glad that she's the one kicking Kara's butt instead of some space bug
The "Say What?" Award - How is kryptonite a secret? This show does start from the premise that Superman has been around for a long time.
Best Music - Hit Me with Your Best Shot by Pat Benatar

Best Quotes -
1. Kara: "I went from superhero to ecoterrorist in a single bound."
2. Kat: "Every step of the way I had to fight. To work hard, to get better, to come out ahead. Now catching planes and boats on fire. Hmm. How about we start small and work our way up?"
3. Kara: "James, part of being your own man is knowing when to accept help."
4. James: "You know Superman made plenty of mistakes when he first started. At least she's saving lives." Kat: "In the sloppiest, most awkward way imaginable, James."
5. Alex: "I can't even imagine what you must be feeling right now. I mean after all this time, finding out you still have family." Kara: "You're my family."



Supergirl - 1.03 - Fight or Flight

Is Kara a teen, a college student, or a woman starting a career? It's hard to tell because the show can't make up its mind. This episode she was all pouty teen, stomping her foot when she doesn't get her way. Perhaps if she wants out of the shadow of Superman, she should stop acting like a child throwing a fit when he saves her life. It is especially baffling given her speech to James just last week about how being an adult means knowing when to ask for help. It's like Supergirl's writing staff doesn't look at each other's work. Is Jeremy Carver secretly involved in this show? Or perhaps it's everyone who left Arrow. Why else would they be trying to make Kara into Felicity every other minute - just not the smart, tech savvy parts? You know, the one's that originally made her more than Oliver's stalker. She's got the same girly girl, obnoxious crush thing but not the smarts to balance it. Then there's the insufferable love triangle that is only novel in the fact that it's 2 guys acting like imbeciles over a girl instead of two girls over a guy. Why exactly is James that interested in Kara anyway? He barely knows her and yet he's willing to risk his life for her. Is this hero transference? Or is it because Supergirl is becoming the most powerful Super Special Snowflake on TV? Either way, I'm not sticking around each week to watch things go from meh to drek. This is firmly in the marathon later (if I get time) pile. I'll stick to Agent Carter for all my comic book kick butt female needs. She's at least a grown up.

Grade: C-
Verdict - marathon later

Best Reason to Watch - if you're into "will they-won't they" couples, teen angst, or love triangles, this is the episode for you
Best Scene - sister wrap up at the end
Best Plan - car door shield
Best Mom - Alex, who has basically parented Kara several times in this series already
Best Cameo - Superman
Coolest Sidekick - Winn and his new Supergirl office
Biggest Product Placement - Dr. Pepper
Biggest Time Suck - the Kara and James dance conversation until Krull thankfully interrupts
Biggest Douche - Maxwell Lord is bound and determined to break the barrier on this one too
Biggest Cheerleader - Kara…for herself
Biggest Huh? - How does touching the reactor with a lead glove count as encasing it in lead?
Most Annoying - the verbal cat fight of Winn and James
Most Likely to be Featured on CSI - Winn finds where the bad guy is by tracking fungi
Worst Friend - Kara, who uses her superpowers to eavesdrop on a conversation James clearly doesn't want her in like an audible Peeping Tom
Worst Secret Keeper - James leaks that Clark Kent is Superman to Winn
The "Oh Get Over It" Award - Kara brats out because James called her cousin to help. Isn't this exactly the speech she gave last week. You know, the one about knowing when to accept help? Argh! You sound like a teen who didn't get her way. James' call saved your life!
The "I'm with Kara" Award - Just because the guy isn't from another planet doesn't mean they should pass off the guy who shoots heat balls to the local police
The "Welcome Back" Award - Chris Browning from The 100 and Agent Carter
Best Music - Girls Just Want to Have Fun

Best Quotes -
1. Henshaw: "What's next? A book deal, a reality show? Keeping Up with the Kryptonians."
2. James: "How's the covert alien hunting business?" Alex: "Not as covert as we would prefer."
3. Kara: "Supergirl didn't tell you how old she is. How do you know she's a millennial?" Kat: "Well if she's not then I want the name of her surgeon."
4. Kat: "I'm a writer. Well it's like riding a bike or severe childhood trauma, you never really lose it."
5. Kara: "She tricked me. She's like a villain. She's like a super interviewing villain." Winn: "That is literally the most boring power ever."



Supernatural - 11.05 - Thin Lizzie

While last week's episode (Baby) was the best Supernatural's been in a long time, it had a slow middle and it wasn't in the least bit scary. This episode remedied one of those issues. This is the creepiest Supernatural has been in a long. The visual cuts, creaking steps, and flickering lights added that old-time, season 1 Supernatural feel. I actually turned the sound down when Dean went into the murder basement because I was getting wigged out. Of course, I also thought that for once it was going to be a straight up serial killer instead of the possessed, ghostly, or soulless. I'm not sure that bringing Amara into it was the best twist. I kind of liked the overall Benders feeling I was getting. Still, Len was fantastic. If he wasn't a soulless, soon-to-be killer, I would actually want him back. He had more personality soulless than many guest characters with souls have had. This was another above par SPN episode and all I can say is keep them coming.

Grade: B+

Best Reason to Watch - it's the creepiest Supernatural has been in years
Creepiest Scene - Dean and Sam going through the murder house
Best Reaction - Len to finding out he doesn't have a soul
Best Visual - the slow pan across baby's front end
Best Nostalgia - the EMF reader
Most Fun - Len
Least Missed Reference - Ghostfacers
Biggest SPN Trend - creepy kids and their creepy 20-something counterparts
Biggest Surprise - Len kills Sydney and saves the Winchesters / Len confesses to killing everyone just to keep himself from murdering for real
The "Say What?" Award - Why are Dean and Sam paying in cash? Do they no longer have fake credit cards?

Best Quotes -
1. Dean: "What is that smell?" Sam: "I think it's this. It's like a lavender toilet water." Dean: "Bottled toilet water? Why do you keep spraying it?" Sam: "I just wanted to see if the squeezy thing worked." Dean: "Wow. " Sam: "I think it was supposed to be a perfume or something." Dean: "Alright I'm gonna go check out the rest of the inn because now I've got grandma all over me so…"
2. Sam: "There's no sensitive way to tell somebody their soul has been sucked out by a prehistoric tween."
3. Sydney: "You're an angel." Amara: "Do I look like a whiny, winged suck up?"
4. Len: "I picked up my thumb like it was a mini hotdog." Dean: "Len, I'm not gonna lie. That's worrisome."
5. Dean: "What do you want to do about Cas?" Sam: "Oh, he's knee deep in binge watching The Wire. He just started season 2." Dean: "Oh yeah, he's not coming out anytime soon."



Supernatural - 11.06 - Our Little World

Does anyone, besides the writing staff, care to hear one more word come out of Metatron's mouth? Anyone at all? He's boring. He's obnoxious. He needed to die a few seasons ago. All I hear when he's expositing is the Charlie Brown teacher voice. It's still as annoying as is the mere glimpse of his face. Just die already. Please. He's worse than all the other angels put together. Other than the horror that is Metatron's voice and a constant bombing of God, the rest of the episode was pretty good. We had a lengthy battle scene with Sam that worked well and some movement on the overall mytharc. Amara is far more interesting now that she's older and I'm fairly sure we've got the cage back. More knowledge on that has been a long time coming. I also thought that Crowley's increasing desperation to control an unruly teen was inspired.

Grade: B-

Best Reason to Watch - the Crowley side of the episode
Best Reason to Fast Forward - anything Metatron
Best Scene - Amara vs. Crowley
Best Reaction - Dean to Crowley saying they have a bromance
Best Action - Sam vs. the demons
Worst Directing Choice - intercutting Metatron with the Winchester's brothers
Worst Move - Castiel doesn't kill off Metatron when he has the chance
Longest Recapitation - Cas' PTSD
Biggest Mystery - Sam's visions
Biggest Bwah - while in a management meeting, Crowley is actually reading a parenting book instead of listening to how legalizing marijuana has resulted in smaller soul collection
Biggest Jailbait - Amara needs to back out of Dean's personal space
Biggest What the Heck? - Besides because the plot demands it, how is Metatron so stupid as to get caught on tape?
Most Difficult - parenting a teenage ancient evil / getting through anytime Metatron is on the screen
Most Interesting - Is this the first time that a case of the week keeps them in the same town and identity for multiple episodes?
Most Nostalgic - that hideous sun clock on the badly decorated motel room wall
Most Likely to Scream Trap - Crowley at a place with no guards. How could they know he has a personnel shortage?
Weirdest Twist - Amara saves Dean from Crowley
Weirdest Connection - It might be just me but Amara reminds me of a teen version of season 1 Scully on The X-Files. Not the snarky personality or tendency to kill everything in sight of course. Just the hair and overall look. She looks much classier than most teens.
The "Just Stop" Award - Supernatural needs to stop bringing God into it
The "You Had One Job" Award - Crowley is NOT going to be happy that this lackey spilled the beans
The "Say What?" Award - Amara turns down a soul meal? Did she go full-on pouty 15 or has the binge eating gotten to her?
The "Um, Uh, No" Award - Crowley, please never speak of a bromance with Dean ever, ever again

Best Quotes -
1. Crowley: "What are you looking at? Still learning all you can about the world?" Amara: "If nonsensical slogans attached to idiotic pictures of domesticated animals counts as the world." Crowley: "Excuse me." Amara: "Memes."
2. Dean: "I thought you were going with socially acceptable binge watching. You know - The Wire, Game of Thrones."
3. Sam: "Oh right. I keep forgetting about you and Crowley's summer of love."
4. Crowley: "But you know what? I think I am going to kill you today. I feel different somehow, ready. What can I say? Fatherhood changes a man."
5. Crowley: "Where is everyone?" Jarvis: "Oh are ranks have been a bit thin since Amara ate everybody."






TBBT - 9.06 - The Helium Insufficiency
Grade: B-
~Another divided episode for me where I hated the B story of making fun of people's dating pictures (like these guys are a real catch) but I laughed in the story of Leonard and Sheldon buying bootleg helium. I like the smart thug character.

TBBT - 9.08 - The Mystery Date Observation
Grade: B
~I liked how the characters were split here and it's no surprise that Bernadette was a terrible stalker before Howard. I actually liked Vanessa and wish that Sheldon would have given her a chance. Mostly though I liked watching Amy trying to keep her cool when her date was fangirling all over Sheldon.
Worst Date - Amy's new beau only wants to talk about Sheldon
Most Fun? - Scavenger hunt sounds fun. Sheldon as a prize sounds more like losing though.
Most Interesting - Vanessa, who could be cool or who could be completely crazy, but we'll never know now

Blacklist - 3.05 - Arioch Cain
Grade: B+
~DEMBE!!!! That is all!

Blindspot - 1.06 - Cede Your Soul
Grade: B-
~The case interested me although it was a bit disconcerting to see Sofia from Young & Hungry playing a teenager. Not near as interested in the multi-character emoangsting.

Blindspot - 1.08 - Persecute Envoys
Verdict - dropped
~If I wanted someone to preach politics at me, there's a billion channels I could watch. Besides, Kurt's relationship with Jane is squicking me out and nothing is moving forward on the overall plot. Then there's Jane's increasing status as a super special snowflake and I find the only two characters I care about anymore are Patterson and her cannon fodder boyfriend. I need to free some time in my schedule so this one goes to the top of the dropped list.

Code Black - 1.04 - Sometimes It's a Zebra
Grade: C
~This one was missing a lot of the heart although the storyline of the kidnapped mom and the baby was a great twist.

Code Black - 1.05 - Doctors with Borders
Grade: B+
~I love all the back story with Hudson and it's good to see Mario at least trying not to be a douche.

CSI: Cyber - 2.04 - Red Crone
Grade: C+
~The moral of this story is that your kids will believe anything so you better teach them that not everything on the internet is true. It's also that too much kid stupidity doesn't make for the most interesting story. I did like the moment with Elijah and his dad though.

The Flash - 2.04 - The Fury of the Firestorm
Grade: B
~I'll miss Dr. Stein, but I'm super happy that SPN Raphael is not joining us. He always seems to play a douche. Mostly though, I'm glad that Stein is still alive, Iris' mom is booted, and Barry has met up with Wells 2.0.

Grandfathered - 1.06 - My Amal
Grade: B
~I love having Jimmy and Sarah together for an extended time because John Stamos and Paget Brewster play well off of each other. Plus Full House reunion, although briefly. I was never into Uncle Joey's weird voices but having Dave Coulier drop by on this one was fun.
Best Music - Eternal Flame by Heart

iZombie - 2.04 - Even Cowgirls Get the Black and White Blues
Grade: B-
~Not as good as last week, but the end to the case was a big twist and I LOVE that Peyton and Liv had reconciled. Plus it looks like Major might be coming back from the edge

Life in Pieces - 1.06 - Ponzi Sex Paris Bounce
Grade: B-
~Chad is getting really, really old but the rest of the segments had their plus points

Life in Pieces - 1.07 - Nanny Tent Earrings Cheeto
Grade: B-
~I plan to sue this episode for psychological damage. No one should be allowed to show that nightmare killer clown dummy at all, much less multiple times.

Limitless - 1.06 - Side Effects may Include…
Grade: B-
~a combination of too-high expectations and super slow pacing in the middle made this more of a just fair episode for me than it did for others

Quantico - 1.05 - Found
Grade: D
~Caleb is an absolute douche (but NOT a terrorist), Elias is a huge creeper, Shelby is a complete idiot, and I don't care one iota about any of these people hooking up. This was a waste of time. The only part of the entire episode that worked for me was the Unknown.

Truth Be Told - 1.02 - Adult Content
Grade: B-
~I actually laughed in this one. Got to say that I loved that the episode about going to a porn awards show had zero hint of porn at all, given that the whole thing was talking about marriage. Plus it had a real heart moment. This episode was a lot better than the pilot.

Truth Be Told - 1.03 - Big Black Coffee
Grade: C-
~Not many laughs, not much fun.

Truth Be Told - 1.04 - Psychic Chicken
Grade: B-
~I'm, not a fan of Hollywood's version of God or religion, but this was fairly well balanced and that itself is a blessing.
The "Welcome Back" Award - Ashley Tisdale from the Disney Channel and Hellcats / Ryan Cartwright from Bones and Alphas

Truth be Told - 1.05 - Members Only
Grade: C
~Comedies really should be funny but this one is hit or miss all the time; this episode was mostly miss.


Biggest TV Trend (Nov 1) - saving water by showering together
Biggest TV Trend (Nov 8) - every single show seems to be doing flash forwards this season

Hello and welcome back to Last Week in TV. In anticipation of a few extra days off for the holidays, this edition is much smaller than last week's. I hope to get caught up and power pack next Monday's offering. How are you guys doing on your TV watching? Are things piling up for the midseason hiatus? I hope you saved yourself something to look forward to over the break. The Last Ship, The Americans, Dexter season 2, and Merlin season 2 are on my to-watch list. Possibly Daredevil if I have the time. If you have a suggestion of another show for me to watch, simply fill out the 2 question nomination form again. This week's show was Jane the Virgin, a fun distraction. (Just a reminder Nashville fans, I have already reviewed Nashville once this season so I will not feature it again. Sorry. I prefer to cover more shows and besides, Jessica is already doing a bang up job of reviewing the show.) Here's wishing you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving if you are celebrating it and a great week if you are not. Until next time, happy TV viewing.









Jane the Virgin - 2.03 - Chapter 25

Jane the Virgin will not be for everyone. It's definitely different from anything else on TV these days. I watched about half of the first season but then dropped it for other shows when my schedule got tight. This episode was a fun reminder of how unique Jane the Virgin is though. By far the best thing about this show is the Villanueva women. They are tough, loving, and always have each others' backs. TV has a distinct lack of positive female relationships but they are the very heart of this show. My favorite is Alba because she's so no nonsense and feisty that she reminds me of Dorothy on Golden Girls. Getting a little flashback of her was great and helped round out her character for me. Plus it lead to the best moment of the episode, the heartfelt baptismal speech to their babies. Even I got a little sniffly at those beautiful words. This episode worked also because some of the things I didn't like in season 1 were more tempered here. I'm not a fan of Rogelio, but he had some good lines in this one. Plus Petra is now more fun as straight up villainess than she was playing the "woe is me" game like before. She was actually one of my favorite characters. Even the voice overs didn't bug me like they used to. Sadly there is still he obnoxious love triangle that is likely to never go away, which keeps me from putting Jane the Virgin on the midseason marathon list. Other than that and a bit too much cheese for my taste, this episode was pretty fun. Best of all, the previouslies really do get you caught up so you can jump right into an episode and check it out yourself.

Grade: B

Best Reason to Watch - the 3 woman who make up the Villanueva family
Best Scene - the multigenerational speech
Best Character - tie - Alba is fantastic as the no-nonsense abuela and Petra makes me laugh as the villainess
Best Hallucination - future Matteo moving to Russia
Best Hashtag - #AmbushSprayTan
Best Moment - Alba starts flicking Xo with water in a new baptism
Biggest What the Heck? - How in the world can anyone find being kidnapped romantic?
Biggest Oops - Matteo starts crying during Jane's class and she accidentally sends the baby carriage flying into the professor
Biggest Bwah - "Make Love Week" is the shark week of telenovelas
Biggest Huh? - There are linguistic differences between psychopaths and sociopaths? Who knew?
Most Effective - Petra's 3 option plan
Most Sweet Moment??? - Rogelio decides not to work with his ex so he c an focus on Xo
Smartest Choice - professor decides Jane should e-mail instead of call him ever again
Worst Advice - anything that comes from Rogelio
Weirdest Plan - narrating every single thing to the baby
The "I Beg to Differ" Award - Jane, you may have a wild imagination but I'm pretty sure no normal person could ever dream up the wild turns that this show takes.
The "Welcome Back" Award - Judy Reyes from Scrubs / Katherine Boecher aka Lilith from Supernatural

Best Quote -
1. Voice Over: "I'd tell you what's going on, but I'm a little confused myself."
2. Petra: "I'm not interested in being a single mother. No, I had one. That was hard." Jane: "Yeah that's because your mom is evil, not single."
3. Jane: "Lina confirmed and she said that she would wear something church appropriate, but that probably means the black dress from Madonna's Like a Prayer video."
4. Michael: "I'm a police officer. An emergency means someone is dead." Rogelio: "Well you look like a corpse. Close enough."
5. Girl: "Cool diary." Michael: "Oh it's not a diary." Girl: "Then can I read it?" Michael: "No." Girl: "Then it's a diary."





How to Get Away with Murder - 2.09 - What Did We Do?

Now that's the How to Get Away with Murder that I have been missing all season long. It was intense with one cool twist after another, some I didn't see coming at all. The directing and acting were topnotch as well and the hour raced by. Sure, all these deaths are getting ridiculous and there's no way they would be able to pull this all off but it is an intense ride. Never have I loved a show where I hate all the characters more than H2GAwM's first season. This episode has all the classic hallmarks of what made it such a stellar must-see show last year. Annalise has gone straight up bat guano crazy and one thing after another falls apart. Watching her go psycho is fascinating and Viola Davis is well on her way to earning a consecutive Emmy. I also loved how many of the big secrets are out in a nonstop confession of murder and cover up. Asher now knows what they have all been hiding and he is stuck in his own cycle of hell as well, which cements him to the group. Oliver's now the only outsider and hopefully he stays one. That's not a club you want to join. Overall this is exactly how you go on midseason hiatus. It also makes it the first solid A episode of the season. See what How to Get Away with Murder can do when it leaves everybody's sex lives off the screen.

Grade: A

Best Reason to Watch - the frenetic pace
Best Scene - Annalise frantically tries to get someone to shoot her
Best Back Story - Wes
Best Acting / Best Directing - The spin shot with an overwhelmed Annalise that stops spinning the second she comes up with the plan. Brilliant in the acting and the directing. Kudos to all involved.
Best Twist - Asher kills Sinclair
Best Reaction - the students to seeing Sinclair's body
Best Annalise - Bonnie, who becomes Asher's lawyer and cover-up specialist
Best Leverage - Annalise tells Asher about Sam's murder to keep Connor and Michaela from leaving
Biggest Game Changer - Annalise tells Wes that Rebecca's dead
Biggest Twist - Asher's dad commits suicide
Biggest Say What? - What the heck do Annalise and Eve have to do with Wes' mom? Is that actually the first murder or did they drive her to commit suicide?
Biggest Surprise from the Previous Episode - Asher left the car to pay for a car wash and not to go to the police as the cut made it look like
Biggest Facepalm - Caleb, why would you get your fingerprints all over that gun? Why?
Biggest Hmm - Asher's car has very little damage for a hit and run
Biggest Douche - Sinclair, even if she died
Best Plan - Wes calls Nate and lets him in on the plan
Worst Plan - everyone wants to destroy evidence as a first resort
Most Despicable - Annalise, who manipulates with the best of them
Most Honorable??? - Caleb, who at least does not want to abandon his sister without letting her explain her side of things
The "Like Sam Before You" Award - I shed no tears over Sinclair's death.
The "Turnabout's Fair Play" Award - if Sinclair is going to psychotically fixate on Annalise and Nate, then it's his turn to put the heat on her with a lawsuit
The "When You're Right, You're Right" Award - Connor is dead right in saying that he wants nothing to do with this new murder
The "Poor Baby" Award - Asher breaks down in her car over his father's death
Best Music - Summoning of the Muse by Dead Can Dance

Best Quotes -
1. Bonnie: "We can't keep doing this, Frank. We say we're just protecting ourselves but there's a point when we're the ones people need to be protected from and that's who we've become. Don't you see that?"
2. Michaela: "Okay but just think for a second." Connor: "No more excuses. We know better this time."
3. Asher: "I can't look." Bonnie: "That's okay. You don't have to."
4. Bonnie: "There is no decision here. It was already made and you agreed so either get on board or you're the next dead body out there."
5. Annalise: "Laurel, you could do this. You've been through worse with your father. And you help us always and I need for you to do it again." Laurel: "Maybe we should go to jail for everything. Maybe that's okay."






Criminal Minds – 11.08 – Awake
BY Emma

Picking up where we left off last week, Reid has gone to Vegas to visit his mom and the threat to Garcia has landed Garcia in witness protection. Hopefully, it goes better for our favorite tech goddess than it did for Haley. Seriously though, the team has been targeted so many times before you’d think the FBI would have converted a couple floors to an employee hideout by now. But, crazed psychos targeting our heroes have never stopped them before so on to the case of the week we go. This week’s case centers on every parent’s worst nightmare – the abduction and murder of their child. While the unsub does horrible things to his victims, the amount of pain he is experiencing from the loss of his child is an understandable catalyst to his killing. It’s not very often that Criminal Minds allows us to empathize with the unsub and in the end, his death was both tragic and merciful.

Grade: B

Best Reason to Watch – being able to empathize with the unsub for a change
Best Scene – Rossi and Morgan imitating Reid
Best Character Interaction – JJ, Morgan and Lewis on the elevator
Most Missed – Reid
Best Mime – Derek inferring nursing after JJ declines caffeine
Most Heartbreaking – the unsub’s story
The “That’s Going to Give Me Nightmares” Award – stapling the eyelids open
The “Welcome Back” Award – Todd Lowe of True Blood / Gloria Votsis of White Collar

Best Quotes:
1. JJ voiceover: “You can chain me, you can torture me, you can even destroy this body but you will never imprison my mind. Gandhi.”
2. JJ voiceover: “Guilt is perhaps the most painful companion of death. Coco Chanel.”



4.08- Nashville- Unguarded Moments
BY Jessica VanWinkle

Maddie Conrad has to be the brattiest teenager alive. She makes me want to reach through my TV screen and strangle her. But since I can’t do that, I’ll just settle for complaining about her in my review. She thinks Rayna is ruining her life, she’s rude to Daphne, and now she seems to be mad at Deacon too. Even when Rayna gives her a record deal, she’s still mad because she thinks her mom is trying to control her. I think I would be fine never seeing her again. Okay, I feel better now. Moving on to better things. I love watching and listening to Scarlett and Gunnar sing together. Their voices just seem to complement each other. I could have used less of Erin this week, and I didn’t need the Caleb and Scarlett scenes either. I also liked listening to Avery sing the song that Will wrote. The song was beautiful, and I liked that they added the scenes with him and Juliette. I love Gunnar and Will’s bromance, but I’m glad that Will and Avery’s friendship is being developed more. What relationship doesn’t need to be developed? Rayna and Markus. I’m fine with them as friends, but writers, please don’t make a Deacon/Rayna/Markus love triangle. That’s the last thing this show needs. Viewers have been waiting years for Rayna and Deacon to be happy together. Don’t mess that up, especially for Markus Keen. Unfortunately, I had to give this episode a ‘C’ rating because I just didn’t think it was very good. Way too much time was spent on Maddie, and I really feel like we didn’t get anywhere. I was disappointed especially since I liked last week’s episode so much. I hope the next few episodes are better especially since the show is going on a long midseason break soon.

Grade: C

Best Scene - Avery sings Will’s song at the Bluebird and remembers moments with Juliette
Best Reason to Watch - Beautiful singing.
Characters Who Should Leave - Erin, Gabriella, and Caleb. They add nothing to the show.
Most Missed Character - Juliette. Get better soon, Hayden.
Biggest Brat - Maddie Conrad. I feel like a broken record with this one.
Worst Relationship Idea - Rayna and Markus. I’m begging the writers not to do this.
Funniest Scene - Avery playing his guitar for “Call Big Al!”



SHIELD - 3.08 - Many Heads, One Tale
BY Swanpride

Wow...just wow. I really have no idea where to start. The show is already great but it just keeps getting better and better. Granted, this was mostly a heist episode and I am a sucker for a good heist. Or two, even though Ward's heist is lacking stealth. It doesn't matter because he makes up for it by being a cheeky b*** from start to finish. While Ward reminds everyone that he always has something up his sleeve, the other characters get busy in a set-up, in which every single one of them plays an important role. There is nothing I enjoy as much as old-fashioned team work, especially if it results in yet another reveal I didn't quite see coming. Though I admit I am not quite sure how I feel about it yet. It certainly shifts the whole MCU into a new light. And then there is the kiss. The kiss Fitzsimmons fans have waited way too long for. And wasn't it satisfying to hear Fitz complaining about the Cosmos (read: Scriptwriters) keeping them apart? But I mostly like how the writers manage to portray Simmons turmoil in a realistic manner. It is the kind of relationship drama I can get behind, because it is not born out of misunderstanding but real life obstacles - well, what passes for real life in the MCU. And I have the feeling that it just became even more crazy.

Grade: A+

Best Reason to Watch - Two heists for the price of one! It can't get better than that.
Best Scene - Does the whole episode count?
Best Character - Hunter. I admit he had me with his wardrobe choice, but watching Nick Blood pretending to be Hunter who pretends to be an even bigger annoyance than usual while trying to pass as an hacker was impressive to see.
Best Team-up - May and Lincoln. I love the way the show keeps throwing different characters together and this particular one yielded into an unexpected talk
Best Prop - Bobbi's new batons. Awesome!
Best Action - Ward taking out all his attackers
Best Effect - May taking off
Most Ridiculous - Why waste time controlling two weapons with your special powers when there are two armed agents beside you who can start shooting immediately?
Biggest Head Scratcher - What was the name of the German town the vault was located? I suspect the writers did pick an existing town, but the English accent mangled the name so much, I was unable to figure it out.
My Prediction of the Week - I am worried about Fitzsimmons! There is no way that Malick isn't interested in the gal who travelled through the monolith and the guy who brought her back.

Best Quote:
1. Rosalind: "Hello It-department which only calls me when there is a problem. What is the problem?"
2. Bobbi: "Andrew is a PHD in psychology, now he is a specimen."
3. Luther: "If you're worried you can't trust me, worry on the move."





Chicago Med - 1.01 - Pilot

Medical dramas are really not my thing and I am already attached to the characters of Code Black so it's not likely that I will stay much longer with Chicago Med. It's got a decent bone structure and the pacing from one trauma to another is right on track. If you don't like one story, it will quickly move to another one. That works well for the plot but it can hamper the first impressions of the characters. The only one that feels even a little fleshed out is Dr. Charles, although I see Manning getting there pretty quickly too. Other than that, you've got the 2 hotshot doctors fighting for alpha male status and another one just doing his job. The two nurses we meet were pretty awesome and it's obvious that they make a tight trio with Manning. I'd love to see that develop more. Other than that, it's a typical medical drama. It's not groundbreaking but it's comfortable and if you're searching for a new medical drama, this might be the show for you. In all honesty, there's only one reason why I am giving this show space for 2 more weeks on my already crowded schedule - Colin Donnell. I still think Arrow's season 1 finale was one of the best episodes I have ever seen and because of that I still miss Tommy Merlyn. He may be under a different name here, but it's worth the 2 extra hours just to honor a good actor whose character got shafted.

Grade: B-
Ranking - 2
Audience - I think anyone who enjoys medical dramas that are more in the vein of ER will like this one

Best Reason to Watch - there's a frenetic pace but they still stop for the heart moments
Best Scene - Goodwin talks the biological mother into doing the right thing
Best Awww Scene -Jaime agrees to a ventilator for Dr. Charles and Dr. Charles watches his movie for Jaime
Best Visual - Choi grabbing a new patient's hand as he's wheeled in
Most Tragic Back Story - Manning's significant other was a soldier who died
Most Creepy - keeping people alive so they can deliver a baby
Most Depressing - they find an engagement ring in a guy's belongings, give it to the fiancé, and then he dies
Biggest Hmm - There are really 7 Fast and Furious movies? Why?
The "Welcome Back" Award - Colin Donnell, whom I very much miss as Tommy on Arrow / Oliver Platt from my favorite version of The Three Musketeers / S. Epatha Merkerson from Law & Order

Best Quotes -
1. Lawyer: "It's so much easier to run a hospital without doctors."
2. Halstead: "Hey, I am not arrogant." Manning: "No, no, not at all. You just happen to know more than anybody else."
3. Rhodes: "We're past what Jamie wants." Charles: "You know what, doctor? We're actually not past what Jaime wants."
4. Rhodes: "Is every day like this?" Goodwin: "Some days we're busy."
5. Sexton: "You know we do have a couple of doctors around here. I could hook you up."



Into the Badlands - 1.01 - Pilot

3 minutes in and we've already got someone fighting with a sword, plus a total kick butt warrior who can take out an entire gang with his bare hands. Color me interested if not a little grossed out by the fly-ridden corpses and blood. The middle slows down big time but that beginning is dead on and at the 30 minute mark, it is all sword fights again. I'm a sucker for a great sword fight and quite frankly, this show needs more of them. There's less exposition in this pilot than many but it still drags in the middle, trying to set up the mythos. Essentially the world went to hell again and out of it emerged 6 barons, who now run everything and enslave the people. The barons are gearing up for a major war and Sonny, the head soldier for one baron, is having second thoughts about his life. His girlfriend gets pregnant and for some reason this means that either she or the child must die. I don’t get it but I'm sure it will be explained later. It might have something to do with the fact that women are treated like property. On his rounds, Sonny finds a kid who is wanted by another baron because he turns into some weird, demon fighter ninja at the sight of his own blood. He's special and he may know a way out of the Badlands. Anyone thinking that this kid and Sunny are likely to team up in the next couple of episodes earns a shiny medal. $20 bucks says they do. It boils down to a trained killer with a heart of gold looking for a way out set against a backdrop of a potential coup and straight up war. And did I mention it has sword fights? Sign me up for at least 2 more episodes.

Grade: B+
Ranking - 5
Audience - anyone who loves action or dystopian futures

Best Reason to Watch - swordfights
Best Scene - beginning action scene
Best Surprise - Sunny is learning to read
Biggest Idiot - MK, who has no patience at all
Biggest Hmm - If he's destined to die in the morning anyway, why doesn't MK just cut himself on purpose and hulk out? Surely those chains won't be able to keep him in.
Least Likely to be Loyal - Sunny, who doesn't much appreciate his Baron
Most Tiresome - the Baron's endless monologuing about how he made Sonny
The "Say What?" Award - that kid just morphed into Supernatural demon eyes? Wasn't expecting that.
The "A Little Warning Please" Award - no shots of glass in the eyes please without a big scrolling warning
The "Welcome Back" Award - Orla Brady aka Peter's mom on Fringe

Best Quotes -
1. Lydia: "He needs me, Ryder, and he always will. I still have his head and his heart. I gladly bequeath to her everything to the south."
2. Sunny: "I like Cat in the Hat better."
3. MK: "Why are you helping me?" Sunny: "Because I never had a choice. Now you do."
4. Baron: "So that's what this is about. Are you planning a wedding or a wake?" Lydia: "He's gonna succeed you one day." Baron: "Power's not inherited, Lydia. It's taken." Lydia: "Perhaps you prefer he cut off your head?"
5. MK: "You got a name or do you just show up, kill people, and live?" Sunny: "If I tell you, will you shut up?" MK: "Can't make any promises."



Jessica Jones - 1.01 - Pilot

On one hand, I said, "Wow, this is slow" at 18 minutes in. On the other hand, she's a kick butt super hero who doesn't flaunt her super powers. Perhaps it's the fact that I don't read comic books, but I never know anything about what's going on in the pilot of Netflix Marvel shows. The general gist is that she's a superhero working as a private investigator who is hiding out from a supervillain telepath that controlled her and forced her to do things she didn't want to do. She's definitely psychologically scarred and possibly more vulnerable than most superheroes on TV. In tone, being purposely vague, and even some of the pacing problems, this was like Daredevil, except with far less action. Therefore I liked it less. Still she's a kick butt woman and there's too few of those on TV. I will give it another episode before deciding whether this is midseason or summer fare. Chances are that I watch Daredevil first. This pilot was more a case of decent premise with bad execution.

Grade: C-
Ranking - 2/3 depending on the second episode
Audience - those who love Marvel shows and aren't afraid of some snooze-worthy pacing

Best Reason to Watch - it's another female who will probably kick butt in future episodes
Best Scene / Best Twist - Hope kills her parents under the influence of Kilgrave
Best Plan - pulling the fire alarm to get all the people out
Best Bluff - laser eyes, ha!
Biggest Douche - Spheeris
Biggest Evil - Kilgrave
Best Music - I've Got a Woman by Ray Charles
Most in Need of Improvement - the pacing, which left me yawning throughout
The "Welcome Back" Award - Carrie Moss from The Matrix / Krysten Ritter from Veronica Mars / Mike Colter from Ringer, who apparently gets his own Luke Cage series / Rachael Taylor from Crisis

Best Quotes -
1. Jessica: "Do I look like I'm hiding? No. You want to know why? Because no one wants to know. They want to feel safe. They'd rather call you crazy than admit that I can lift this car. Or that I can melt your insides with my laser eyes, which won't leave a trace."
2. Jessica: "I'm not gonna beg you for a case. I will ask you though, very strongly."
3. Man: "Oh, you killed my art." Jones: "Mercy killing."
4. Jessica: "It's people like you that give people like you a bad name."
5. Jessica: "Hope's going overboard to make her boyfriend happy. She's either an idiot in love or she's being conned, which amount to pretty much the same thing."






Agent X - 1.03 - Back in Your Arms

It's the typical "background on the ex" episode, which is only surprising in how quickly it came up. Also in that it appears the ex is here to stay. That's neither a good or bad thing yet, since after being on screen an hour, we still don't know much about Pamela except that she's a lawyer and she has terrible taste in men. One huge plus though is that the CIA director is now dead so no worries about him anymore. I am also beginning to think that Natalie's husband isn't really dead or why else would it matter that he was committing adultery? I guess his death could be suspicious and tie into the coup that way instead but it is connected in some way if my TV plot twist radar is accurate. Of course the plot and the characters are still secondary to the action in this show and that's again where it shined. No, none of it is in any way believable (bad guys still can't shoot) but it makes for a great ride. Keep it coming, Agent X.

Grade: B

Best Reason to Watch - all the action
Best Scene - John getting Pamela out of the safe house
Best Choreography - fight to Tchaikovsky
Best Play - Vice President bluffs the bigwigs in poker
Most Fun Interaction - John vs. the security guard
Biggest Moron - Pamela for using her cell phone in a crisis and leading the bad guys to the safe house
Biggest Say What? - How is it that the CIA director cannot lie well?
Coolest Car - John's Mustang
Smartest Plan - call the cell phone of the last person the dead guy called
Best Surprise - Pamela's fiancé is the bad guy
Least Surprising - the guy who was going to tell and the guy who failed both died
Worst Surprise - the dead guy cheated on Natalie
Worst Job Requirement - having to dump your loved ones to be Agent X
Worst TV Trope - bad guys can't shoot….ever
Worst Timing - don't stop to kiss when there may be people trying to shoot you still, you dummies

Best Quotes -
1. Pamela: "I may not be a trained killer but I'm pretty sure a first aid Brownie badge is for life."
2. Millar: "Are you stealing a car?" John: "She also got the Mustang." Millar: "Is she available for your job?"
3. John: "What are you going to do with Williams?" Millar: "Awful car wreck…like this whole operation."
4. Cromwell: "You interrupt me one more time and the next person who finds you will be operating a backhoe."
5. Cromwell: "Pamela Richardson? What Bob Woodward wasn't available?"
6. John: "Call me Richard." Pamela: "Great. I get to call you Dick."



CSI: Cyber - 2.07 - Corrupted Memory

This was an unusual episode for me because for once I didn't even know the technology they wanted me to fear existed. However I did like the twists even if they were largely transparent; the guest actors were topnotch too. I still say that Star-Crossed was one of the most underrated shows I've seen, at least when they were not pushing the teen romance angle. It was good to see Matt Lanter back and given such a meaty role. He really sold Tristan's anguish and psychosis to me. Here's hoping that Arjay Smith returns as Nelson's brother as well. I'd like to learn more about Nelson's past so having his brother possibly indicted by the FBI will allow us to see more of that.

Grade: B

Best Reason to Watch - guest stars
Best Scene - Avery interrogates Tristan
Best Plan - identifying the bracelet through facial recognition
The "Poor Baby" Award - father finds that a family friend killed his daughter and then is arrested when he kills the murderer
Best Back Story - Nelson's brother
Best Way to Avoid Copyright Infringement - using Friend Agenda instead of Facebook
Biggest Head Shake - Krumitz calls the other analysts "minions"
Biggest Hmm - So the guy who has been shut up in his apartment for years suddenly gets a gun in what? An hour? How does that happen?
Most Unnecessary - watching the parents watching their daughter get murdered
Least Surprising - Tristan has been cyber stalking the victim / Isabelle's boss is the murderer
Worst Plan - snooping in the FBI files when you are on probation
Worst Nightmare - watching your daughter being stabbed to death while you can't do anything about it
Technology to Fear / The "So This is Really a Thing" Award - Cross-country sex toys. Say what? Huh?
The "Welcome Back" Award - Arjay Smith from Perception / Matt Lanter from Star-Crossed / Bruce Nozick from The Last Ship

Best Quotes -
1. Raven: "You're looking at device that loaded malware on Isabelle's laptop." Elijah: "Gives new meaning to the word sexually transmitted."
2. Nelson: "Buying a sex toy was awkward but the lingerie was totally natural?"
3. Krumitz: "Well this is great but there's no 'random stuff we own' database to search."
4. Nelson: "That is not true, Jordan. We're blood but it wasn't me that decided we weren't family."
5. Nelson: "No. Keep your lips to yourself, Casanova."



The Flash - 2.07 - Gorilla Warfare

Woo hoo! Henry's back! I still don't buy that hokey reason they gave for him leaving so I am doubly enthused for Barry to have 2 Yodas again. This time it is Henry who talks him off the ledge, mostly because he can relate much better to what Barry's going through than Joe can. Still I love that everyone acknowledge that Joe is an important father in Barry's life too. I hope that Henry comes back again and this time to stay. I still very much doubt Wells' intentions and this whole Grodd thing is even more suspicious. Yet I applaud him because it may finally get Grodd forever off my screen. I'm sorry but I'm good with never having ape CGI again. The whole thing is so ridiculous to me that it knocks the grade down on the sheer presence of Grodd alone. I do like the King Kong allusion though. Even Caitlin's outfit rocked the whole "beauty that killed the beast" thing.

Grade: B-

Best Reason to Watch - Henry's back (well for this episode), which is great since he never should have left
Best Reason to Skip - Grodd
Best Scene - Barry gets back to his Flash self
Best Pep Talk - Henry tells Barry to get back on his feet and be the hero he is
Best Date - The Princess Bride? Nice, Cisco.
Best Impression of Say Anything - Cisco and his "sorry" basket
Best Hug - Barry and Henry
Best Turn About - the gang teases Cisco about his date
Biggest Creep - Wells, channeling his inner Wells
Biggest Hmmm - So Wells sent Grodd back to a place with no "real" gorillas? Is that what they're implying?
Worst Affect - Wells' new voice
Most Helpful - Joe and Henry, who cut through Barry's self-pity
The "I Don't Get It" Award - How is going to the tops of the building making Grodd faster at catching Barry? That seems a whole lot slower.
The "When Honesty is NOT the Best Policy" Award - Joe, you really need to get with Barry and coordinate your lies so you don't contradict each other
The "Not Him Again" Award - it's the freaking monkey clown back to ruin my hour
The "Makes Sense to Me" Award - closing all but one of the portals sounds actually brilliant
The "I Think I Saw This Last Year" Award - Barry is all up in his head and he's making it worse on himself
The "I Have No Objections" Award - I say kill Grodd so he's never back on my screen

Best Quotes-
1. Caitlin: "There's no such thing as a bird man, Cisco." Cisco: "Okay, like that's a stretch in this city."
2. Joe: "That was a hell of an idea you had, bringing Henry here." Iris: "Well he may not have his mother, but he's got 2 amazing fathers. Seemed like he needed both."
3. Cisco: "What are you saying? He wants kids? Because I'm pretty sure one telepathic great ape is more than enough for this city."
4. Cisco: "The only reason we couldn't find him on any cameras underneath the city before is 'cause he upgraded from a bachelor pad to a penthouse like a baller."
5. Henry: "Earth 2?" Barry: "I'll explain later."
6. Joe: "You may not have your legs just yet, but you've still got that brain. Use it. Help us figure it out."



Grimm - 5.04 - Maiden Quest

Nick and Adalind grew more creepy, the case was largely boring, and Trubel was only in for about 5 seconds again. Still hoping for Trubel to save the whole show. It needs it. Without her, Monroe, and Rosalee, this episode would be a straight up "F".

Grade: D-

Best Reason to Watch - tie - Emily reveal and Trubel's return
Best Reason to Fast Forward - Nick and Adalind
Best Scene - Trubel returns
Best Awww Scene - Monroe vows he'd slay a flock of dragons for Rosalee
Best but Least Surprising Twist - Emily is the one killing off her suitors
Biggest Surprise - the maiden quest was actually for Emily and not about her suitors
Biggest Blech (besides rape romance) - Nick covered in cobwebs
Biggest Douche - Frankie, who tells his girlfriend she's getting fat
Biggest Hmmm - How do Hank and Nick keep having Wesen conversations in interrogation? Aren't those always taped for evidence?
Most Pun-ilicious - usually this is Wu but tonight it was all Hank
Most Potential - Trubel is back
Worst Parenting - Amos' mom makes him be part of the maiden quest even though he doesn't want to
Worst Tradition - handing your daughter off in marriage to the most competent killer
The "You Never Learn" Award - you'd think that Frankie would be less of a douche to the people he hired as bodyguards but he's not

Best Quotes -
1. Monroe: "You know what? Maybe I shouldn't hear this." Rosalee: "There's nothing you shouldn't hear."
2. Rosalee: "Honey, would slay a dragon for me?" Monroe: "Oh my God. A flock of them or whatever you call a great gathering of dragons." Rosalee: "My knight in shining…" Monroe: "But I don't do armor. I've got a nickel allergy."
3. Daniel: "The quest was never for them." Emily: "What?" Daniel: "I had to make sure you had the strength to take over." Emily: "I don't understand." Daniel: "It was always your quest, not theirs. You proved yourself to be far more worthy than any man."
4. Rosalee: "Electric bill, telephone bill, advertising. Oh we won a million dollars. Yippee!"
5. Hank: "Axes, swords, and golden feathers. Anyone else think this is getting a little mythological?"



iZombie - 2.07 - Abra Cadaver
Grade: B
~This was one weird brain and I suspected the maid from the beginning, but the character elements were spot on. I actually liked Liv and Blaine working together for once, partly because Blaine's verbal homage snark was laser sharp. I can't wait until Liv finds out that Blaine is Peyton's star witness.
Best Quotes -
1. Peyton: "How long were you…uh, standing there?" Ravi: "One second less than would have been creepy."
2. Clive: "He's a magician. You don't dress like that unless you're doing magic or you hate your parents."
3. Blaine: "Did you eat Edgar Allan Poe?"
4. Blaine: "I'm a required taste like gazpacho or that free U2 album."
5. Angel: "Check out Twitter. Soak in the hate." / Liv: "Twitter a vast collection of humanity's impetuous thought vomitings."



The Librarians - 2.04 - And the Cost of Education

Note - Review will come this week via the roundtable review on SpoilerTV.

Grade: B-

Best Reason to Watch - all the weird at "demented Hogwarts"
Best Call Back - Jake says, "Because after all, architecture is art that we live in."
Best Reaction - Jenkins
Best Reference - Lovecraft
Worst Plan - I'm pretty sure that particle accelerator plus TV equals huge disaster
Worst Pet - gargoyles
Biggest Moral - when in doubt, don't doubt
Biggest Blech - Kane covered with spider webs
Biggest Woo Hoo!!! - It's Beth Riesgraf from Leverage.
Most Fun - Jenkins' Poltergeist voice
Most Conspicuous - Ezekiel is just walking down the street with his magic hunting gun
Most Efficient - Ezekiel pilfers the invitation, even if it doesn't work
Most Overenthusiastic - Cassandra at everything / Jake over the architecture professor
Most in Need of a Gibbs' Slap - Lucy
Most Super Special Snowflake - Cassandra, always

Best Quotes -
1. Baird: "My experiences with frat houses are limited, but I don't think evil rituals are supposed to sound like a kegger."
2. Ezekiel: "Only you would be excited about going to school, even demented Hogwarts."
3. Baird: "Wow, that's a whole lot of bad crammed into one small sentence."
4. Cassandra: "Okay, I didn't come through space and time to get eaten today. Let's go."
5. Jenkins: "Would you call him arrogant, boastful, egotistical?" Jake: "I'd call him a prick."



Quantico - 1.08 - Over

If the hints are to be believed, it is Simon who is the terrorist. I'll wait for confirmation. To be honest, there's been a lot of finger pointing so this could be yet another red herring. Besides, for me the biggest shock is the improvement in Caleb. He's still a whiny manchild with daddy issues but at least he now has a clue. I like him confronting his dad although I hope he keeps that copy of the e-mail instead of deleting it. I have a feeling Alex is going to need Caleb more than anyone else. The sub-sub-plot of the cover-up in Omaha is tedious already and I have real doubts about Alex turning herself in this quickly, but the pacing has been good. They also cut a little back on the sex lives of everyone. It's not enough but it is a good start. Since Caleb's dad seems too obvious to be the mastermind, it should be interesting to see how he handles Alex now that they can't just shoot her.

Grade: B

Best Reason to Watch - the pacing
Best Scene - Caleb vs. his dad
Best Character - for once it's Caleb who finally gets beyond his self-pity and gets his head in the game
Best Friends to Have - Mia and Duncan, who can get anyone out of any jam
Best Development - Caleb calls his father out on something that actually has to do with the terrorism case
Biggest What the Heck? - Charlie stabbed Miranda???
Biggest Green Eyes - Raina, who better not be getting into a freaking love triangle with her sister
Biggest Douche - Caleb's dad
Biggest Jumping the Gun - Alex turns herself in instead of finding any other way to communicate the second bomb news to the FBI. Come on, Alex. You're smarter than that.
Least Surprising Big Announcement - there's a second bomb
Worst Plan - it's a tossup between making the file room so easy to get into that any agent can just check out whatever he or she wants and stealing a file from the FBI before you are an agent
Most Self-Righteous - Alex
Most Emoangsty - Caleb
Most Admirable - Nimah, for shutting Simon down before the love triangle can even start
The "Never Again" Award - I do NOT ever need to see Alex doing field surgery again
The "Oh Shut Up" Award - Alex, you are starting to really annoy me. Stop with the self-righteousness and the speeches.
Biggest Shock / The "Say What?" Award - Caleb was part of a cult? Never saw that coming. Ever. At all.



Scorpion - 2.09 - US vs. UN vs. UK

What I love most about this episode is how much it felt like Leverage, complete with the end of episode reveal of how they did everything. It was a bittersweet touch that made me grateful to have Scorpion but only made me miss Leverage more. While the case had the most twists and turns, it was Sylvester who really surprised me. I can't believe he got married but I'm glad he found away to supersede Walter's court order. I think it is best that Megan's life decisions are made by someone who has her wishes foremost in mind. To that end, no one is better than Sylvester. I'm not looking forward to the impact of Megan's inevitable death but the writers have done a great job of telling this story. It's helped Sylvester grow as a character and theirs is one of the few romantic relationships on TV that I can stand. Megan has been a good foil ever since we first met her and I will miss her when she's gone.

Grade: B

Best Reason to Watch - it's Scorpion's version of Leverage
Best Scene - Sylvester tells Walter that he's in charge of Megan's medical decisions from now on
Best Action - Gleason vs. the bodyguard
Best Save - Cooper takes the bullets out of Cromwell's gun
Best Use of a Matchbox Car - Walter uses it to set off a methane bomb
Best Kiss Up - Paige, who plays on the terrorist's vanity to trick him. She'd do well as a spy.
Best Meta - Katharine McPhee talking about missing a Broadway show
Best Worst Boss - Paige does demanding boss very well
Worst Reference - Toby gives a speech using Whitney Houston lyrics
Biggest Douche - Cromwell
Biggest Laugh - salami bomb
Biggest What the Heck? - Scorpion sets off a bomb in the UN. This is as farfetched as when they set off that nuclear bomb in a foreign country.
Most Well Played - Sylvester marries Megan to keep Walter from pushing his wishes on her
Most Juvenile - Toby using Pig Latin to insult the linguist
Most Delusional / Most Full of Himself - Walter, who cannot accept that Megan can make her own decisions
The "Of Course He Is" Award - Ray is an internet minister
The "Hate to Break It To You" Award - but Happy, you look even less like a Happy than an Ursula
The "Oh Poor Baby" Award - Sylvester and Megan

Best Quotes -
1. Happy: "This is crazy that we're doing this, right?" Toby: "Well psychologically speaking, crazy is a catchall for a myriad of pathologies and circumstances, but yeah, this is nuttier than a fruitcake."
2. Walter: "Happy, how's it look?" Happy: "Like a TV dinner that goes boom."
3. Walter: "Thank you for the car. It came in handy today, but you've always been there for me. Haven't you? Ever since we were little. I can't fail you when it's my turn." Sylvester: "Walter, doing what she wants isn't failing her."
4. Toby: "Your last name's Spiewack, right? Is that Polish?" Ray: "As Polish as a bratwurst." Toby: "That's German, dummy. Look. Do you know any Polish at all?" Ray: "I was raised by my Grandma Etoile." Toby: "And that's French."
5. Toby: "Cabe, I can only delay this for so long." Cabe: "Just do what you always do and refuse to shut up."



Supernatural - 11.07 - Plush

Supernatural is going back to its case of the week roots. There's nothing really special about this episode and it's largely forgettable but it did bring back Sheriff Donna. She's second only to Sheriff Jody in the characters I actually want to see again so having her was a plus. I could have done without her Doug issues though. To be honest, she's barely a recurring character so we didn't need to get into her psychological damage. More interesting is the fact that the Cage is back into play. Perhaps some fans will get their wish and they'll pop Adam out of the Cage this season. Personally I would rather forget about him but if they do pull him out and then have zero to do with him afterwards, it would offer closure. The question then becomes how do they even get to the Cage, much less figure out what the plan is. Also, is it really a good idea to lock up the Darkness and Lucifer and Michael in one place? That sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.

Grade: B-

Best Reason to Watch - it's a pretty uncomplicated ghost story that brings back a great recurring character
Best Reaction - Dean to Sam talking about the Cage
Best Continuity - Sam's clown fear
Best Return -Sheriff Donna
Worst Kids' Party Guy Ever - If he is entertainment at a kids' party, why are all his costumes so creepy?
Worst Move - the kid lets Dean wait inside until his mom comes home
Biggest Hmm - If a man was attacked and left unconscious, shouldn't there be some kind of security around him?
Biggest Say What? - Why doesn't Dean throw the salt at the ghost before he gets his butt kicked by him?
Least surprising - Bugs Bunny and Roger Rabbit puns. It's also not surprising that they were really bad.
Most Awkward - Doug butting into the conversation and not leaving
Most Excited - Sheriff Donna at being called a true hunter
Most Missed - the bone salt and burn
Most Creepy - any adult who dresses in a costume on any day besides Halloween or at a convention
Most in Need of a Therapist - Sheriff Donna with Doug
Theme of the Year - innocent but used by evil (kill or save)
The "Welcome Back" Award - Brigid Brannagh from Angel and Army Wives

Best Quotes -
1. Donna: "When you get a call about a killer Easter Bunny, you don't know what to think." Dean: "Well you can think crazy."
2. Donna: "He escape too?" Sam: "Yeah." Donna: "I'm so losing my job."
3. Doug: "Two masked psychos in two days. I mean what are the chances?" Donna: "My guess, copycat killer." Dean: "Damn social media."
4. Dean: "What do you mean, killer bunny?"
5. Donna: "I won't be once bitten, twice Doug-ed."

Thanks for joining The Librarians season 2 roundtable review. Sorry I didn't get out the questions for 2.04 last week, so this contains questions for both episodes. Simply fill out however many questions you wish along with the mandatory first one. I will post the answers in an article on SpoilerTV and this blog, hopefully on Sunday. If you have any questions, ask in the comments below or tweet me @dahne1 and I will get back to you. Thanks again for participating.

A weekly feature highlighting the best quotes on TV as picked by the Spoiler TV team. We'd love to hear your picks too so please sound off in the comments below.



Agent X -
1. John: "You know those government benefits do come with therapy so I really don't need you to psychoanalyze me."
2. Millar: "Disobeying orders is becoming a habit with him. In his line of work you either follow orders or you get retired." Natalie: "John still has a couple of good years left in him." Millar: "Not that kind of retirement."
3. Natalie: "Shakespeare? Miles, I never saw that coming." Miles: "What did you expect?" Natalie: "Machiavelli."



Ash vs. Evil Dead -
1. Pablo: "I feel like I'm the sous chef of his exorcism kitchen."
2. Ash: "When you get back to hell, work on your aim."
3. Ash: "Shoot first. Think never."






Chicago Med -
1. Cardiologist: "What's the difference between God and a doctor? God knows he's not a doctor."
2. Manning: "They're your family." Kara: "You make that sound like a good thing."
3. Manning: "I'm not sure about that bag on you." Halstead: "Oh perhaps with a different shoe?"



Elementary -
1. Sherlock: "I assume you kept them separate so they can't coordinate their stories." Gregson: "Yeah like 5 married people could ever agree on anything."
2. Kirk: "I've got to think knowing how to work a deli slicer and deboning a person are 2 very different things."
3. Bell: "Well any way you slice it…pun most definitely NOT intended, whoever did this is a nasty piece of work."



Fargo -
1. Simone: "Are we gonna talk? Or are you just gonna quote the thesaurus at me?" (Darth Locke)
2. Bear: "It doesn't matter what you mean. It's what you do." (Darth Locke)




Into the Badlands -
1. Sunny: "There might be another way. I could train you." (Darth Locke)
2. Waldo: "Sunny, you know what's out there beyond our borders? A big sack full of stories. It's a wasteland…no, no, it's a paradise. It's a…whatever. Nobody knows what is and ain't true." (Dahne)
3. The Widow: "Relax. If I came here to kill you, we wouldn't be talking." (Dahne)
4. Waldo: "What's out there?" Sunny: "Freedom." Waldo: "Ulh, overrated. People don't really want to be free. Besides, it's an illusion. I mean, you take my birds. Oh they just love flying free, but every night they fly on home to their cages where it's safe and warm." (Dahne)



The Librarians -
1. Eve: "Cassandra, please do not fangirl over the archvillain."
2. Jenkins: "When the last ghost light goes out, the library will grab hold of the greatest source of life it can find and that's me." Jake: "That's your Plan B? To let this place eat you?" Cassandra: "If you think we're gonna leave you here alone, in the dark you're…I don't know what you are, but we're not doing that."
3. Moriarty: "If you don't trust my virtue, trust my self-interest."



Life in Pieces -
1. Sophia: "There's never a magical world in your closet when you need one."
2. Joan: "Life is complicated. Your father is not."
3. Greg: "How's the finger?" Jen: "Honestly, I'm just glad it wasn't the picker or the flipper. You know, I need those."



Limitless -
1. Brian: "So if I may coin a phrase it's basically arm-ageddon out there. Oh, come on, guys, that's basic. Arm-ageddon. Come on, that's -" Boyle: "We get it. I'll laugh later. Promise." Brian: "Mhm." (Laura Markus)
2. Brian: "A favor for Boyle, you say? Do tell. [...] Okay, this is serious." Rebecca: "Boyle served with a ranger named Aaron Shaw. Last night, Shaw was arrested for murdering his wife. The NYPD claims he choked her to death. Aaron claims he didn't do it. He has I guess what you could call an alibi." Brian: "What is it?" Rebecca: "The NYPD detectives who arrested him are apparently laughing at his story, so Boyle wants to see if you can help." Brian: "Well, what's his alibi?" Rebecca: "I think you should hear it straight from Aaron." Brian: "Hmm...Ike. Chaser." (Laura Markus)
3. Boyle: "You see, at the scene of every attack Sumida planned there was a camera. The museum, the restaurant, the elevator even inside the post office van, there was a security cam on the dashboard But at your house, where you murdered Kristen, guess what we couldn't find. [...] How in the hell was Kenny Sumida supposed to control your arm if he couldn't see what he was doing?" Brian: "Boom! Boyle for the win! [...] Yeah, I don't think your trial's gonna go down the way you think it's going to. Well, whatever happens, in the meantime, have fun getting punched in the face." Shaw: "What the hell?" Brian: "I know, it's annoying, right? Man, my brothers used to do that to me all the damn time. [...] I passed the code I hacked your arm with to my new buddies at Everywhere. Yeah. So if you hit yourself from now to the end of the trial, that's just them saying hello." (Laura Markus)



Scorpion -
1. Sylvester: "I have super powers. I am Bacteria Man."
2. Sylvester: "Megan, my whole life I've been told I was brilliant for a million different reasons but falling in love with you was the smartest thing I ever did. I will always love you."
3. Walter: "You were picked for a reason, Happy. You're supposed to be our reckless driver." Happy: "I'm driving as recklessly as I can."

Hello and welcome back to Last Week in TV. Remember how I was going to get totally caught up on my TV viewing over this break? HA! That didn’t happen. I did get closer though. How were your holidays (if you celebrated)? Did you do any TV catch up as shows were on a short break? How many of your shows have already gone on winter hiatus? I'm especially looking forward to this hiatus because I have some great shows I am going to try out. Speaking of, shameless plug - I do the Pitch Your Favorite Low-Rated Show article each midseason hiatus. If you have a show that isn't getting the best ratings and you'd like to inspire others to check that show out, I encourage you to nominate it for the article. All you have to do is tell people why you think the show is worth their time to check out. It's a great way to encourage new people to try the show and gives you a chance to extol its virtues. Be thinking now of the shows you want to include.

As for this week, I didn't realize until late that I never had the random number generator choose a nominated show. Therefore I concentrated on catching up instead. This week the nominated show is Doctor Who and it's taking me back to the Tennant years. He's my favorite Doctor. If you would like to nominate a show for me to watch, please fill out the short 2 question form. I will NOT review any of the following shows again this season, so please hold off nominating them until the 2016-2017 TV season: Nashville, Jane the Virgin, NCIS, The Americans, and The Vampire Diaries. I only review a show once a season and they have already been done, so I automatically scrap any of those nominations. I also will not review anything that is normally covered by our guest reviewers since they are doing such a fantastic job already. Other than that, nominate away. Sometimes the best shows are the off-beat ones that I have never heard of or never had time for in previous years, like Hustle and Merlin. Sometimes they are the ones that totally surprise me, like Dexter, which I never expected to enjoy. Basically I am looking to add a little variety into my TV diet and your nominations help me explore shows I normally would not.

Thanks to everyone who nominates, comments, and participates in this column in any way. I am definitely thankful for you. Until next week, happy TV viewing.









Into the Badlands - 1.02 - Fist Like a Bullet

Like the premiere, this episode opens with a splat..as in the splat that dozens of bleeding bodies hitting the floor make. The action only intensifies from there. I like the introduction of Matilda and hope she continues to play a part in the story. It's interesting to see what life is like under the Widow too. I hope they keep expanding to the other barons so we can see more of the world. All in all, this is a good follow-up to the pilot and is looking to be the most action-filled show of the season. If you like action and haven't checked this show out, try it.

Grade: B+

Best Reason to Watch - all the lovely action of course
Best Scene - Tilda fights MK and is sympathetic to him
Best and Most Unrealistic Action - Sunny verses everyone
Best Reaction - Matilda to killing the guy and seeing MK watch her do it
Biggest Psycho - Quinn, who brags about his first kill to Sunny and who kills the messenger, aka the doctor and his wife
Biggest Surprise - MK saves Sunny
Biggest Gamble - Tilda fools her mother into thinking MK is just a normal boy
Most Kick Butt - the Widow
Most Interesting Fashion Choice - bustle that holds swords
Worst Excuse for a Peep Show - both the Widow and Matilda watch MK as he bathes
The "Well That's Too Bad" Award - Sunny doesn't allow Ryder to die
The "Awww, He Made a Friend" Award - MK meets Matilda, who helps him escape into the Widow's land

Best Quotes -
1. Waldo: "Sunny, you know what's out there beyond our borders? A big sack full of stories. It's a wasteland…no, no, it's a paradise. It's a…whatever. Nobody knows what is and ain't true."
2. The Widow: "Relax. If I came here to kill you, we wouldn't be talking."
3. Waldo: "What's out there?" Sunny: "Freedom." Waldo: "Ulh, overrated. People don't really want to be free. Besides, it's an illusion. I mean, you take my birds. Oh they just love flying free, but every night they fly on home to their cages where it's safe and warm."
4. Veil: "He took my family." Sunny: "I'm your family now and I'm going to protect you, both of you. I don't know how or when but we're getting out of the Badlands."
5. Widow: "MK, everyone in our family must learn to fight. I've asked Tilda to begin your training." MK: "I'm not interested." Widow: "It's not a request."




Since most shows were off for the holiday, there were no regular guest reviews this week. However, Michaela was kind enough to answer some questions about The Librarians for me and since there wasn't enough response for a full roundtable article, I decided to place it here. Thanks so much Michaela for helping out!


The Librarians - 2.04/2.05
BY Michaela

What was your favorite thing about episode 2.04, ...And the Cost of Education?

I loved the scene where they found out that the monster fed on ego and everyone at the table turned to look at Ezekiel and they used him as bait. It was especially funny that he couldn't self-start when it came to coming up with reasons why he was so awesome so he had to have Jacob constantly egging him on. It was a nice, fun scene between the two characters and I like that they acknowledged Ezekiel's flaws instead of just indulging him.


If you could change anything about episode 2.04, what would it be?

I wish they'd done a bit more with the frat and shown Ezekiel trying to bro down with people his age and possibly even trying out an American accent. It's never not funny to me when people do an accent intentionally terribly and frat bros are hilarious to make fun of.


This episode brings up the debate of whether magic should be locked up or if the public has a right to know. Would you prefer The Librarians continue to try to keep people in the dark about magic or would you like the show to portray magic as more universal?

I liked the debate because it's something I had never thought of before the show brought it up. I never thought I'd say this, but I like Cassandra's idea to make The Library a place of knowledge for people who want to learn more about magic and educate themselves. I don't think they should tell everyone about it, but if people find them and ask about it, I don't think they should try to trick them and pretend magic doesn't exist.


Lucy is like a Cassandra Mini-Me. What did you think of this character? Would you like to see more of her?

I'm not the biggest fan of Cassandra, but I didn't mind Lucy. I liked that she was self-sufficient and aware of magic without being evil. I'd like to see more of her in the future at some time, but I don't want the show to turn her and Cassandra into the new Flynn-Eve romantic plot black hole. I'd also rather see Bruce Campbell as Santa again, if we're bringing characters back.


What grade would you give episode 2.04?

Probably an A or an A-. I really liked this episode. It's one of my favorite episodes this season. I don't think this season has been as creative as last season was, but hopefully they'll get there before the season ends.


What was your favorite thing about episode 2.05, ...And the Hollow Men?

I really liked the fake Morse code they used in the episode and that the person who captured Flynn was smart enough to figure out what he was doing. Oftentimes, the villains the Librarians face are a step behind unless they're the Big Bad, so it was refreshing to see a minor villain who was actually semi-competent and not just powerful but bumbling.


If you could change anything about episode 2.05, what would it be?

I wish there was more character development for people who weren't Flynn. He's gotten more character development than everyone else and he's been in far fewer episodes. Ezekiel and Cassandra are still kind of caricatures, so I wish the character development had gone to them and not to Flynn again. I also wish they'd cast someone different to play Ray. This version was just too angry and all over the place for me and I would have thought the library would be more dignified and knowledgeable.


In this episode, Ray was the human embodiment of the library. How did you feel about them making the library human? What did you think of Flynn's interaction with Ray?

The storyline with Ray as the embodiment as the library seemed a little haphazard and thrown together for me. I dislike that he seemed as confused and harried as the library itself was and I wish he had been a bit more strange and nerdy like a less blatantly quirky version of Flynn. I'm not a huge Whovian, but I think Doctor Who did a much better job of portraying the personification of the Tardis than The Librarians did with their portrayal of the library.


Following the same format as last year, Flynn returns in the 5th episode after being gone in episodes 3 and 4. Unlike last year, this episode was highly Flynn-centric in much of the screen time and plot. How do you feel about the timing of the episode and did you like the Flynn focus?

Flynn's a bit too over the top for me, so I would have liked him to be a bit more toned down or slightly less foregrounded. I don't really know who would have been a better fit with the personified library though except for maybe Eve or Jenkins. His constant romance with Eve is getting to be a bit too much, so I wish The Librarians could find a way to include Flynn without having it seem too shoehorned in or without needing a romantic plotline to justify his presence. They should probably either save his appearances for especially hard to defeat villains or at least figure out how to make the villains play to his specific skills. Right now, I don't really know what he offers other than his long experience as a librarian, so the episodes that include him seem a bit more random and messy than they should.


What grade would you give episode 2.05? Why?

B-, I didn't hate the episode, but I think the writers could have found a way to make it more cohesive and less all over the place between Flynn's storyline and everyone else's. I also don't need to hear about Flynn's emotional armor right now because he's been in less than half the episodes and already got his own movies to himself, so it would have been nice for the character development to have gone to a different character. I also would have thought Flynn would have been competent enough not to get knocked unconscious and then captured.





Agent X - 1.04 - The Devil & John Case

Agent X is one of the few shows where I like the case of the week better than the overall conspiracy. Sadly, neither part really worked for me this time. I have trouble understanding why no one just shot El Diablo, much less how they believed that he was protected by an Aztec god. It seemed over the top. The conspiracy to take down the President is also. There are so many ways to upset a presidency these days and the simple fact is that no president stays in power for long. Why make such a fuss when the Constitution will change power fairly quickly anyway? This presumably worldwide conspiracy needs better timing and I don't need yet another worldwide conspiracy show. I'd much prefer to get back to the straight up action and take down one bad guy a week.

Grade: C

Best Reason to Watch - Luna was a great
Best Reason to Fast Forward - adultery lie
Best Scene - knife fight at the OK Cantina
Best Moment - Luna takes down the Chief
Best Action - stilt fight
Best Plan - photocopying the ledger pages
Best Back Story - how John and Pamela met
Best Place for a Ghost Story - the catacombs with skeletons all over it
Best Trick - locking the dogs in with the bomb materials
Biggest Flaw - not enough action
Most Cringeworthy - there's more than a little American jingoism in this with the American hero coming to save the poor, naïve, superstitious natives from themselves
The "Say What?" Award - People actually believe this guy is immortal? Why?
The "Welcome Back" Award - Angelica Celaya from Constantine / Carlos Gomez from Gang Related

Best Quotes -
1. John: "You know those government benefits do come with therapy so I really don't need you to psychoanalyze me."
2. Millar: "Disobeying orders is becoming a habit with him. In his line of work you either follow orders or you get retired." Natalie: "John still has a couple of good years left in him." Millar: "Not that kind of retirement."
3. Natalie: "Shakespeare? Miles, I never saw that coming." Miles: "What did you expect?" Natalie: "Machiavelli."
4. John: "That badge looks good on you by the way. Wear it well."
5. John: "Alright, dark creepy hallway or ladder?"



Ash vs. Evil Dead 0 1.04 - Brujo

That felt like the shortest TV episode ever but not in a good way. The entire thing was one big acid trip that ended in 2 terrible developments. One, Ruby and Amanda partnered, which is bound to lead to nothing good. Two, Kelly is possessed. She's my favorite character so turning her evil is highly annoying. Let's hope they fix that fast.

Grade: C-

Best Reason to Watch - the brujo
Best Postcard - Jacksonville, Florida dream world
Best, if Creepiest Consistency - possessed laser teeth doll
Worst Plan - turning Kelly into a demon
Most Creepy - Brujo's house
Bad Sign - when your car locks you in and tries to kill you
Even Worse Sign - Ruby has Ash's evil, possessed hand in her car
The "I Don't Know about This" Award - Kelly, you may want to rethink your new partnership here. I'm not sure Ruby is trustworthy.
Best Music - "Here I Go Again" by Whitesnake

Best Quotes -
1. Ash: "Okay, time for the trip to be over. Let's go back to Kansas."
2. Ash: "What the hell is it? It is hell. It's pure evil."
3. Brujo: "Speak what you know while knowing that you know nothing." Ash: "Okay. I know that I summoned something very bad and I'm looking to undo whatever I done did."
4. Ash: "Don't eat the eyeball, brujo."
5. Ash: "When evil shows up, it blows up."



The Big Bang Theory - 9.09 - The Platonic Permutation

Grade: B+ (for Sheldon and Amy)

Best Reason to Watch - Sheldon and Amy as friends, putting their differences aside
Best Snark - the end card
Biggest Nope - I did not need to see Leonard in Penny's lingerie. Not even a little. My eyes, they burn.
Most Socially Awkward - Who brings up the girlfriend status over the phone while driving? That's a face-to-face conversation.
Most Educational - I never knew who Elon Musk was before this
Most Busted - Leonard is caught reading Penny's journal
The "Poor Baby" Award - Amy at the end
The "Say What?" Award - Exactly why is that apartment door not locked? (Besides plot device.) Plus who just walks into a friend's place without knocking?

Best Quotes -
1. Penny: "I am not putting that on the internet. I don't want people to see this. I don't want to see it."
2. Howard: "Just because you have that accent doesn't mean what you say isn't stupid."
3. Howard: "If you can't support me when I'm lying then why are we even married?"
4. Sheldon: "If there was a list of things that make me feel more comfortable, lists would be on the top of that list."
5. Emily: "Are you and I close enough for me to say…" Bernadette: "That he's an a**? He beat you to it."



The Blacklist - 3.07 - Zal Bin Hasaan

This was an excellent episode of The Blacklist. I love how we finally get more insight into Navabi. Having the terrorist be her brother was achingly emotional and yet very well done. I like how they allowed Mozham Marno real meat to sink her acting teeth into and it paid off handsomely. Not such a fan of having Navabi and Ressler hook up of course. I am done with office romances and sex. Just done. However Tom's increasingly stupid plans, leading to him bringing the Russian to Harold's house, did end up working. I'm totally with Harold's wife on this matter, in that I would want no part of torture and duress in my house. Best to take that to some empty warehouse space, Tom. I'm sure you know plenty.

Grade: A-

Best Reason to Watch - Navabi
Best Scene - Navabi talks to Ressler about her brother and he talks about their job
Best Action - there was the bomb and the firing squads and the terrorists, but still the best was Tom vs. Ressler and it was much too short
Worst Surprise - Navabi and Ressler hooking up
Least Surprising - the original kidnapping was a setup
Most Healed - Dembe
Biggest Whoa - Navabi's brother is alive and he's the terrorist
Worst Timing - Red calls Navabi to warn her just as the bomb goes off
Worst Plan - Tom brings the Russian to Harold's home
The "There is NO TIME for This" Award - Navabi and Shur, rekindle your romance when her brother is not trying to kill you all. Come on. There is no time for this.
The "Welcome Back" Award - Shur

Best Quotes -
1. Solomon: "I have diplomatic immunity. You may expel me or let me go, but you may not under any circumstance bore me."
2. Hasaan: "Sister, you swore to protect me." Navabi: "I swore to protect my brother. He died in Pishin. Hasaan is all yours."
3. Tom: "So the bad news…you're still alive, but the good news is that all you have to do to get out of here is tell your story to the Feds. That's it. Exonerate Liz and then I'll personally fix you a nice soybean smoothie so you can croak yourself vegan style."
4. Aram: "Sweater Vest is running a tap on it which I know because I got around his firewall and accessed his computer, which despite being a felony feels amazing."
5. Navabi: "I know you don't approve of what I did, giving him to Reddington." Ressler: "Reddington saved your life. If giving him Hasaan was the price of that, I'd pay it twice over." Navabi: "It took me years to mourn his loss. Now I have to do it all over again."



Chicago Med - 1.02 - iNO
This episode was more emoangsty and less fun than the first one. Besides the misdiagnosed dementia patient, I didn't care for any of the other storylines. The runaway story had zero closure and everything felt like it was really about the doctors' personal issues instead of the patients. That's what drives me nuts in most medical dramas. This one has one more episode for me, but the writing is clearly on the wall already.

Grade: C-

Best Reason to Watch - the dementia patient and her husband
Best Character - Dr. Charles
Best Awww Moment - the "dementia" patient remembers her husband
Best Call - Reese researches "Where the Boys Are" for her patient
Best Interaction - Dr. Charles and Reese
Best Reference - Connie Francis
Best / Worst Technique - all these doctors keep making everything personal
Worst Plan - ignore it and hope it goes away
Biggest Surprise - Choi coaches the girl on what to say when the cops get there
Weirdest Choice - muting out the conversation between Halstead and the rep with music that doesn't fit
The "Welcome Back" Award - Annie Potts from Designing Women and Ghostbusters

Best Quotes -
1. Cardiologist: "What's the difference between God and a doctor? God knows he's not a doctor."
2. Manning: "They're your family." Kara: "You make that sound like a good thing."
3. Manning: "I'm not sure about that bag on you." Halstead: "Oh perhaps with a different shoe?"
4. Halstead: "Try thinking like a doctor and not a pregnant woman."
5. Rhodes: "It's a good pitch, dad. Really, you hit all the right notes. Not buying it."



Code Black - 1.08 - You are the Heart

Grade: C+

Best Reason to Watch - back story on Mario
Best Scene - Christa intubates the kid's mother
Best Awww Scene - hospital bed proposal
Best Boss - Jesse, for standing up for his nurses
Most Obnoxious and in Need of Control - Cole, who should be suspended for being a complete douche
Most Intrusive - Malaya, who continues to push her agenda on others instead of letting a pregnant woman make her own choices
The "I'm with Random Patient Here" Award - I think both Jack and Rose could have shared the raft if they had tried a few more times
The "What? Is This Titanic?" Award - the girl lies on top of the raft in the icy water while holding the hand of the guy in the water

Best Quotes -
1. Carla: "Doable? Do you think that being born blue and having to be intubated is doable?"
2. Angus: "This must be what it's like to go to the gym."
3. Jesse: "The problem with medicine is sometimes there's no good answer."
4. Killian: "So I had a near death experience, huh?" Rorish: "It wasn't near. It was the real deal." Killian: "I don't remember any of it though." Rorish: "Just know that you were fearless. You did everything you could to save her and you did."
5. Rorish: "Bottom line - he's not dead until he's warm and dead."



CSI: Cyber - 2.08 - Python

I love that Cyber now has a villain worthy of them. It ups the ante and the tension. Most of these cyber criminals aren't into dirty work so the intensity has to come from the chase. This one includes the smarts of the chase combined with the physical danger of other cop shows. The only reason I marked it down is because there was a lot of overacting in this episode that didn't feel true to the characters. Also I have no idea why a smart and patient criminal like Python would leave his handprint on Avery's computer. That makes zero sense in the overall picture of things. If he's suddenly going to be a random psycho killer with no long-term vision, he's going to get old fast.

Grade: B-

Best Reason to Watch - Cyber has a new criminal who ramps up the intensity
Best Scene - Krumitz does the victory lap with Python's server
Most Intense - nothing like the torture and assassination of an Interpol agent to start an episode
Most Overacting - Patricia Arquette, who is usually more subtle than this
Biggest Eye Roll - once again, someone croaks before giving up vital information
Biggest Hmm - Why not disassemble the laptop on a table where there is less chance of something dropping?
The "Yeah, You're Losing It" Award - Avery, step back. They are working as hard as they can.
The "Welcome Back" Award - Diogo Morgando straight from playing Satan in The Messengers and Jesus in The Bible mini-series
Best Quote - Krumitz: "Guys, Python is a psychotic killer, okay? So can we tone down the black hat worship?"



Elementary - 4.03 - Tag, You're Me

Grade: B

Best Reason to Watch - doppelgangers make for an interesting twist, but it's still John Noble
Best Scene - Morland tries to reconcile with Sherlock
Best Reference - Say Anything
Best Reason to Shoot Someone - playing marching music early in the morning
Best Product Placement? - vacuum sealer
Most Likely to Get a Job in a Terrible Circus - Dorian
Most Snarky - Sherlock, and sometimes not for the good
The "Welcome Back" Award (characters) - the entire precinct and all the lovely people who come with it
The "Welcome Back" Award (actor) - Jefferson White of H2GAwM / Shohreh Aghdashloo of Grimm

Best Quotes -
1. Morland: "I came because I'd like to make a confession." Sherlock: "Well I would dial the authorities for you, but I wouldn't know which ones."
2. Watson: "Are you cooking or did we get stampeded by a class of second graders?"
3. Watson: "Fluent in 3 dozen languages but the man has never seen Say Anything." Bell: "That's an 80's movie, right?" Watson: "You want me to punch you, right?"
4. Sherlock: "Are they so all-seeing that you felt the need to adopt the guise of a clown from the future?"
5. Sherlock: "Close but wrong cold-blooded reptile. My dinner date is my father. I can understand you confusing him with Clyde. They could be doppelgangers."



Elementary - 4.04 - All My Exes Live in Essex

Nothing in this episode made one lick of sense. Not one thing. Plus I fell asleep when watching it the first time. That's never a good sign.

Grade: D

Best Scene - Sherlock making a poultice for a bruised Watson
Biggest Douche - Gina Cortes with her personal vendetta against Joan (but funny enough, not against Sherlock)
Most Common Sense - figuring out how to get the handcuffs off before handcuffing yourself
Most Disgusting - creating your own medical specimen skeleton
Strangest Subplot - some police officer (Gina Cortes) is investigating Joan
Dumbest Reason to Murder Someone - I don't even understand this case. Why is the oncologist telling people they have cancer when they don't? This is really about boosting survival rates? Are you kidding me? None of this makes any sense at all.
Dumbest Subplot - everything Gina Cortes
Worst Plan - that "Friday" song
Worst Reference - "Who Let the Dogs Out?" although it was funny when Sherlock referenced it
The "Say What?" Award - Why would anyone want multiple spouses?
The "Welcome Back" Award - Carolyn McCormick from Law and Order

Best Quotes -
1. Sherlock: "I assume you kept them separate so they can't coordinate their stories." Gregson: "Yeah like 5 married people could ever agree on anything."
2. Kirk: "I've got to think knowing how to work a deli slicer and deboning a person are 2 very different things."
3. Bell: "Well any way you slice it…pun most definitely NOT intended, whoever did this is a nasty piece of work."
4. Gregson: "I don't know how they do it. I couldn't make a marriage to one person work."



Grandfathered - 1.08 - Gerald's Two Dads

Grade: B

Best Reason to Watch - the end after Jimmy stops acting like an idiot
Best Scene / Best Apology - Jimmy brings Mexican for Thanksgiving
Best Speech - Gerald talking to Jimmy about his childhood
Best Use of Champagne - to put out a fire
Most Annoying - Jimmy's jealousy
Biggest Game Buster - Jimmy throws the football into the sewer on the first throw of the game
Worst Date - Jimmy, who leaves his date tanning out in the yard
The "Say What?" Award - Sniffing cut wood? That's a thing now, huh?

Best Quotes -
1. Vanessa: "It's not time for Oprah."
2. Annelise: "Happy Black Friday, suckers. I'm about to join the curb revolution."
3. Jimmy: "I started today trying to give Edie some kind of traditional Thanksgiving but I realize now that tradition is just whatever happens when you bring together the people you love."



The Librarians - 2.05 - And the Hollow Men

I liked this episode better than the last one, which surprises me because I'm not usually a fan of Flynn's return. The high point for me was his relationship with the library. I like that they humanized the library so that we could see more of what the library means to Flynn. It was also nice that they still remember Judson and Charlene. I could have done without the romance bookends at the front and end of the episode, but I liked Flynn better in this episode than a long time. That being said, it's time to go back to a more ensemble approach…well, that or an Ezekiel-focused episode finally.

Grade: B

Best Reason to Watch / Best Twist - Ray is the humanized version of the library
Best Collaboration - Flynn and the library
Best Place to Hide - in an area filled with other containers
Best Return - Moriarty
Best Reference - Judson and Charlene
Most Interesting - the Chinese have their own version of Morse code
Worst Dance - the "hopping past arrows" dance
The "Welcome Back" Award - Drew Powell from Leverage

Best Quotes -
1. Eve: "Cassandra, please do not fangirl over the archvillain."
2. Jenkins: "When the last ghost light goes out, the library will grab hold of the greatest source of life it can find and that's me." Jake: "That's your Plan B? To let this place eat you?" Cassandra: "If you think we're gonna leave you here alone, in the dark you're…I don't know what you are, but we're not doing that."
3. Moriarty: "If you don't trust my virtue, trust my self-interest."
4. Moriarty: "Can't die like other men. Doesn't mean it doesn't hurt."



Limitless - 1.08 - When Pirates Pirate Pirates

Good insight into Naz's life along with a political scandal with ties to previous episodes make this one of the more interesting episodes. Big bonus points for Boyle coming through.

Grade: B+

Best Reason to Watch - get some more focus on Naz and the story's interesting
Best Scene - Brian negotiates with pirates
Best Character - Boyle
Best New Character - Loretta, whom I hope we see again soon
Worst Plan - dating your boss' daughter
Worst Surprise - Paulson is the rat who gave Brian to the CIA
Worst Filler - Brian's version of Screw - Marry - Kill
Biggest Change - Ike seems to be enjoying working with Brian these days
Biggest Douche - Grady Johnson
Biggest Hmmm - Why would the gangsters not take Harris too? I mean she was talking to Brian when they pulled up.
Most Bizarre - Brian bargains for a girl's life with an exotic pinball machine
Most Clever - Boyle, who gets the document they need via a pan of brownies
The "Life is the Same All Over" Award - the Asian kid will give them information but only if they tweet out his social media so that his page gets more hits
The "Say What?" Award - Ava agrees that Naz gave money to a terrorist, but it is because her niece is being held for ransom
Best Reference - Pong

Best Quotes -
1. Harris: "Well I'm not saying he's the most mature person in the world…for your average 3rd grade classroom for that matter."
2. Boyle: "She's always had a bit of a crush." Johnson: "Just make sure she didn't spike them. You don't want her to go all Misery on you."
3. Harris: "You're not really going to try to bring your music collection in the largest format possible, are you?"
4. Harris: "What are you thinking about?" Brian: "Trying to figure out if there's a way that this ends with me sort of fighting pirates."



Limitless - 1.09 - Headquarters!

This is my favorite episode of Limitless yet. It was fun, moved quickly, and involved everyone getting some great moments. I like how it felt more like an ensemble than any of the others and they worked the separate storylines in well together. They were all too easily caught but the joy was in the getting there. Plus Mike deserved his vacation. He's put up with a lot from Brian. I'm not sure about the last 10 minutes though. I do not want anything to happen to Brian's dad and I am still not sure why he couldn't accept that Brian was dealing with classified stuff. No, Brian should not lie to him but he also should not have to breach national security to repair things with his dad. Other than that, this was a riot. I think Brian might have a point about everyone having a little more fun in their work.

Grade: A-

Best Reason to Watch - simply, it's a whole lot of fun
Best Subplot - Lawrence
Best Moment - Boyle puts an Exclamation Mark Post-It on Brian's new office
Best Fight Sequence - the one in Brian's head
Best Job Perk - Mike finally gets a reward for babysitting Brian when he's sent for a stakeout in a Costa Rica resort
Best Filler - the Bruntouchable movies montage
Best Doppelganger - Lawrence's NZT self, who keeps him focused
Biggest Brat - Brian, who is like a 2 year old who wants a new toy
Biggest Sibling Move - Brian's sister comes over to watch Game of Thrones on his TV
Worst Plan - giving NZT to anyone else, especially a civilian brilliant enough to figure out what it is
Most New Age / Most Far-Fetched - Brian, the scent tracking dog
Most Fun - Brian's elite team of crime fighters includes the only people he knows at the FBI, including the janitor
The "I'm with Boyle" Award - I wouldn't want to be attached to something titled Bruntouchables either
The "Welcome Back" Award - Isiah Whitlock, Jr. from Lucky 7

Best Quotes -
1. Brian: "Well James, we want you to infiltrate the cult, not join the cult."
2. Brian: "Sorry Rebecca. I didn't mean to suggest that women can't be…um, horrible criminals too." Harris: "No offense taken."
3. Brian: "Their whole way of life is dying. They're like the Pennsylvania Dutch at this point."
4. Naz: "He admitted to murder in exchange for a dozen bagels?"
5. Harris: "Yeah, fugitives can have Twitter accounts too."



Limitless - 1.10 - Arm-ageddon

I am not a fan of this whole Brian's dad as defender storyline. First off, it implies that Brian cannot take care of himself. Now while Brian in the beginning might not have been capable, the Brian who has evolved throughout this season can. It has been by far the best thing about this series and to throw doubts on that feels like a step back. Second, it turns his father from Brian's biggest supporter into an adversary and ruins one of the better relationships of the show. Third, legalese is no more interesting than technobabble is and the show spared us from it. I don't care how they plan to jump through hoops to give Brian's dad control over him. I think it's a shady business to begin with and most importantly, it slows down the momentum of the series.

Grade: C

Best Reason to Watch - the robotic arm case is intriguing
Best Scene - Harris tells Brian that he needs to be honest with his dad
Best Twist - Boyle's buddy really did murder his wife
Best Juvenile Prank - Brian has Shaw's arm punch him in the face repeatedly
Biggest Thank You - not having to hear the technobabble
Least Necessary - threatening Naz about Brian when she has bent over backwards for him
Most Excited - Brian with the "jet pack"
Weirdest Alibi - "the arm" did it
Worst Filler - cat montage



Scorpion - 2.10 - Arrivals and Departures

I'm of two minds about this episode. The case of the week was one of the most ludicrous things Scorpion has ever done but Megan's farewell was touching and created some great moments. I only wish that instead of locking Walter and Paige together (again) , they would have kept Walter more with his sister. I think it would have been far more interesting to watch. I did absolutely adore Sylvester bringing the stars to Megan and at the end when Sean tells Sylvester that he's family. Sylvester earning Sean's respect despite a rocky start was a great story. I also loved Megan's video to Walter and how he ended up sharing a personal story about Megan to the group because of it. Humanizing Walter has been the best thing about season 2. If only they had concentrated more on Walter and Megan, including more flashbacks, and less on mold, this would have been an A episode.

Grade: B (average of the superior Megan story and the subpar mold mission)

Best Reason to Watch - Megan and everything about her storyline
Best Scene - Megan leaves Walter a video to say that she loves him and to not be afraid of being human
Best Speech - Sylvester stands up to Megan's dad and explains how he's been by Megan's side
Best Save - Paige comes up with boiling to release the bacteria
Biggest Awww Moment - Sylvester brings Megan the stars for one last time
Most Ironic - in a hospital, Toby is the only available doctor to help the infected kitchen staff member
Worst Cliché - Ralph to the rescue again
Worst Decorating - Sylvester's Super Fun Guy stuff is not really what you want when meeting your new in-laws for the first time
The "Um, Okay, Whatever" Award - So this really super strong, ancient fungi can literally be cured from the palm of Sylvester's hand? And I'm buying this why? That's as eyerollingly bad as the fungi knocking out all the experts in 2 seconds and the insta-cure.
The "Say What?" Award - Shouldn't the people in the hazmat suits be protected from airborne fungi? Isn't that the entire purpose of a hazmat suit? Plus, why in the world would a doctor in infectious diseases be walking around in a known outbreak with only a mask and gloves? This makes no sense.

Best Quotes -
1. Sylvester: "I have super powers. I am Bacteria Man."
2. Sylvester: "Megan, my whole life I've been told I was brilliant for a million different reasons but falling in love with you was the smartest thing I ever did. I will always love you."
3. Walter: "You were picked for a reason, Happy. You're supposed to be our reckless driver." Happy: "I'm driving as recklessly as I can."
4. Sean: "What the hell are you doing?" Sylvester: "Saving people's lives I guess."
5. Sean: "We came for Megan, not science fiction."





Ash vs. Evil Dead - 1.05 - The Host
Grade: D
~These last 2 episodes have felt like a whole lot of filler. The exorcism bit should have come sooner and lasted for a shorter time. High Kelly is just slightly less annoying than rambling Pedro. Sorry to see the brujo go. He was a great character.
Most Awesome Addition - Pablo makes a new arm for Ash
Best Quotes -
1. Pablo: "I feel like I'm the sous chef of his exorcism kitchen."
2. Ash: "When you get back to hell, work on your aim."
3. Amanda: "There's a killer on the loose and I'm sitting here waiting for this decomposed hand to lead me to him.'
4. Ash: "Shoot first. Think never."



Elementary - 4.02 - Evidence of Things Not Seen
Grade: B+
~That was one of the better Elementary episodes in a long time. Morland is adding the kind of energy that Moriarty usually provides. I think it's because I am still not sure whether or not he is playing with them. Is he a father who is trying to help his estranged son or is he about to put the noose around Sherlock's neck? John Noble is always a winner and this is just the kind of ambiguous role that he sinks into.
Best Scene - Joan vs. Morland at the end
Best Quotes -
1. Sherlock: "Good luck overthrowing the government. Don't put us against the wall when you get those firing squads going, will you?"
2. Sherlock: "Well it would seem we're on the hunt for the least competent spy China's employed since the Ming Dynasty."
3. Morland: "If you think that Sherlock is the only one who considers me an enemy, you'd be wrong." Watson: "He doesn't consider you an enemy." Morland: "An antagonist then." Watson: "No, I think he just thinks you're a terrible father."
4. Watson: "Yeah well being a kook doesn't make him less likely to be a killer."
5. Maurice: "I would have said something." Watson: "If it hadn't meant admitting to cyberstalking your ex."



Grandfathered - 1.07 - Sexy Guardian Angel
Grade: B-
~This episode was decent and a good reminder not to meddle into people's lives or believe gossip. Mostly I liked having Lyndsy Fonesca from Nikita back on my screen.
**The "Some Dreams Should Stay Private" Award - Annelise makes a much better manager (and probably everything else) than she does a lounge singer
**Best Quotes -
1. Jimmy: "Oh, apparently you don't care about cheating. What are you, a Patriot's fan?"
2. Sara: "Did you go to her office?" Jimmy: "No…yes." Sara: "Wow. I thought you were the cool, detached guy. When did you become a Jewish mother?"
3. Vanessa: "I could do that or since this is a pyramid scheme, you could become a distributor like me and that's when the real money starts pouring in. Okay, not for you. Got it."
4. Jimmy: "We were supposed to go out and get all up into trouble, not fall in love with trouble."



Life in Pieces - 1.08 - Godparent Turkey Corn Farts
Grade: D
~Farting doesn't make for comedy and neither does much of this episode. I ended up turning it off before I got to the end.
Best Daddy-Daughter Time - dancing in the Mexican market
Best Quotes -
1. Jen: "Do we really need all this? I mean we're trying to find a godparent for Lark, not catch a serial killer."
2. Tim: "Babe, you've got to slow down. I don't understand a word you're saying." Sophia: "She said you're done watching football."
3. Jen: "Therapists raise children who need therapists." Greg: "Well she raised me…and I see your point and I second your veto."



Life in Pieces - 1.09 - Hospital Boudoir Time-Out Namaste
Grade: B-
~This episode was vastly superior to the previous ones with the exception of Sophia, who needs to be spanked. She's the worst kid on shows I watch (which admittedly contain few kids). Other than Sophia, this episode had real heart. I wasn't a fan of the second segment but Hospital and Namaste where funny and heartwarming. Still my TV schedule is about to become even more packed, so I think this show is getting dropped next.
Best Blackmail - Love Doctor pictures
Most Interesting Date - the hospital
Worst Husband Ever - Tim, who has no idea what it means to be romantic
Biggest Brat and Likely Deal Breaker - Sophia
Best Quotes -
1. Sophia: "There's never a magical world in your closet when you need one."
2. Joan: "Life is complicated. Your father is not."
3. Jen: "Honestly, anyone who doesn't like a tater tot isn't someone I want to know."
4. Greg: "How's the finger?" Jen: "Honestly, I'm just glad it wasn't the picker or the flipper. You know, I need those."
5. Hostess: "Tell me what you value in a table." John: "Uh, four legs and a place to sit."

See below for the roundtable questions for episode 2.06 - And the Infernal Contract. You can answer as many or as few questions as you want. The roundtable should be posted tomorrow (Sunday) on both SpoilerTV and this blog. Thanks so much for participating!

Welcome back to Last Week in TV. I hope the holiday preparations are going well and you aren't stressing. This week was largely like an early Christmas present to me. With a few notable exceptions (cough Flarrow cough), most of my shows were better than usual. Plus MTV released the review copy of The Shannara Chronicles this week and as the previewer, I got a copy. I am so excited to watch it since it is my most anticipated new midseason show. Look later in the week to see if it lived up to my admittedly high expectations. Another high point was this week's nominated episode, Doctor Who's Blink. It may be my favorite episode of the show so far. Next week's nominated episode is Mom 3.01. If you have a show you'd like to nominate, simply fill out the 2 question form below. Just as a reminder I only review one episode per show per year. Speaking of Mom, I am happy to announce that frequent commentator Michaela will be reviewing the show for the column, starting this week. A big welcome, Michaela. I'm so glad to have you on the team. Until next week, please leave your own TV episode awards in the comments below and happy TV viewing.

Newly Dropped List: Grimm (dropped for romanticizing rape), Chicago Med (dropped for time and overall tone), Grandfathered (summer marathon)










Doctor Who - 3.10 - Blink

Generally when the main characters are missing for the majority of an episode so that guest characters can take the spotlight, it's a sign of big trouble. (Bitten from Supernatural, anyone?) However the set-up of Blink was brilliant. With the Doctor and Martha trapped in 1969, they turn to Sally Sparrow to help them reunite with the TARDIS so that they can save the world from the weeping angels, a race of aliens that turn to stone whenever someone looks at them. Throughout the episode, Sally gets clues from the Doctor via a note on the wall of an abandoned house and DVD Easter eggs. Although it does deal with the abstracts of time travel, this is actually a good episode for newbies to start on because it solves some of Doctor Who's biggest problems. For instance, most of the "villains" the Doctor faces are some the cheesiest ever to be put on screen. While there are moments when the weeping angels follow suit, there are also moments when they are genuinely creepy. The concept itself would not be amiss in a horror novel. For viewers that might find the Doctor a bit…um, over the top, this episode is a perfect introduction to the character as well. Plus it has a classic Whovian line. All in all, this is expertly paced, has loads of heart, and enough fun to keep the story from being too bleak. For me, it's one of the best Doctor Who episodes I've watched.

Grade: A

Best Reason to Watch - the pacing and the mystery unfold beautifully
Best Scene - the Doctor tricks the weeping angels into staring at each other
Best Advice - Martha tells Shipton to just nod when the Doctor pauses
Best Use of Music - the creepy angels on the move music for whenever they change
Most Fun Interaction - Shipton and Sally
Most Strange Set-Up - the Doctor is absent throughout most of the episode
Most Abnormal - Sally isn't near as freaked out about what's happening as she should be
Biggest Face Palm - Why not throw something through the glass and get out that way? Sticking your partner near the deadly alien while you check out the doors doesn't seem like a good plan either.
Biggest Laugh - the timey wimey detector
The "Thanks Soooo Much" Award - nothing like making people terrified of statuary
The "Welcome Back" Award - Finlay Robertson from my favorite version of Persuasion / Carey Mulligan from that other version of Pride & Prejudice

Best Quotes -
1. Doctor: "People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect but actually from a nonlinear, non-subjective viewpoint, it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly, time-y wimey, stuff." Sally: "Started well, that sentence."
2. Doctor: "Fascinating race, the weeping angels. The only psychopaths in the universe to kill you nicely. No mess, no fuss. They just zap you in the past and let you live to death. The rest of your life used up and blown away in the blink of an eye. You die in the past and in the present they consume the energy of all the days you might have had. All your stolen moments."
3. Sally: "I like old things. They make me feel sad." Kathy: "What's good about sad?" Sally: "It's happy for deep people."
4. Shipton: "Where am I?" Doctor: "1969. Not bad as it goes. You've got the moon landing to look forward to." Martha: "Oh the moon landing's brilliant. We went 4 times back when we had transport." Doctor: "Working on it." Shipton: "How did I get here?" Doctor: "Same way we did. Touch of an angel."
5. Kathy: "What are you doing? It could be a burglar." Sally: "A burglar who rings the doorbell?"





My normal rule is that the episode of the week has to actually air in that week. However, Code Black's previous episode blew me away more than anything except the nominated episode so I'm making an exception here. It really was great in a week of better than normal episodes.


Code Black - 1.09 - The Son Rises

Egads! That was one tough, touching episode. With the exception of the drunk, drug mule idiot subplot, all of the patient stories were even more moving than the next. It made it the best episode of Code Black so far. I tend to be cynical but I was moved by the man who just wanted to sing who then sang the dementia patient into his death. I was touched by the son who jumped out of the bathroom window to save his family from a brutal home invasion and how each of the family members put the others before themselves. I was incredibly touched by the 18 year-old taking care of his dementia-diagnosed father, who didn't even recognize him. So many good stories topped off by two scenes - Rorish remembering her son and Jesse cheering her up and then Christa remembering her son and helping Jeremy say goodbye to his dad. I could do without Cole trying to woo Rorish and the sub-sub-plot of Mario being a douche to Angus again is tiresome, but all around, this was an exceptional episode.

Grade: A-

Best Reason to Watch - pick a patient's story and you've got a winner (except drunk drug mule)
Best Scene - Mario assures the son that what he did was heroic
Best Back Story - Rorish taking her son to see The Lion king
Best Forward Movement - Cole shakes his dad's hand
Best Friend - Jesse, who sings The Lion King for Rorish
Most Touching Moment - the Irvin family reunites
Most Inspiring - the Lion King cast sings an old man into his death for his child
Most Intense - the cold open with the home invasion family
Most Fun - the Lion King cast reminiscing
Most Noble - Jeremy, who at 18 takes care of his cancer-ridden father who also has dementia
Worst Oops - the nurse who runs into the patient with a knife sticking out of his heart
Worst Time for a Commercial Break - the firework inside the guy starts smoking in the elevator, the doors close, and fade to black
Biggest Liar - Mario, who still shafts Angus after Angus covers for him
Biggest Hmmm - I'm not a fan of changing cast midway through a show so kicking Dr. Taylor out on such a flimsy excuse does not sit well with me.
The "Welcome Back" Award - Alicia Coppola, who played Talia Hale on Teen Wolf / LJ Benet from Dog with a Blog

Best Quotes -
1. Malaya: "What about Guthrie? He's been here since dial-up." Jesse: "Dial-up wasn't that long ago."
2. Mario: "You were dead. You were all dead, except you jumped out that window and you dragged yourself through unimaginable pain to get help. That is a fact."
3. Patient: "She's gonna be my wife." Perello: "He should probably be more concerned with his prison wife."
4. Christa: "Not a day goes by that I don't wonder if I made my son work too hard to die."
5. Hudson: "He'd know you were there." Jeremy: "No, he wouldn't. He hasn't known who I am in a long time." Hudson: "Maybe it'd be enough that he'd know he wasn't alone."





Supernatural - 11.08 - Just My Imagination

One of Supernatural's enduring qualities is that it can take a concept so bizarre that it sounds absolutely ludicrous on paper and turn it into something thought-provoking and even heartfelt. This was one of the better episodes to do so. A storyline about imaginary friends coming to life should be all gags and silliness but in the end Sam's imaginary friend from childhood helped him come to grips with a very adult problem he currently has. It took the support of a former friend to show Sam how much he has changed and how brave he is. For Dean to acknowledge that an imaginary friend dressed like Mork was of real use to Sam growing up was a big step too. Still this was Sam's show and the support and loyalty he showed to Sully was awesome. It helped that we also got a new glimpse into Sam's childhood too. I don't believe that even John is douchey enough to leave a 9 year old by himself for days, but the actor portraying Young Sam did an excellent job. As did Young Dean again too. The casting directors of Supernatural get all the praise here. Well and Richard Speight, Jr. too. Old Gabriel himself directed this one.

Grade: A-

Best Reason to Watch - back story on Sam and Sully
Best Scene - Sully pep talks Sam at the end after Sam pep talks him
Best Air Guitar - Weems, who impresses even Dean…not that he'd admit it
Best Continuity - Sam breaking his arm as a kid / Sully knows Sam saved the world
Best Nostalgia - teddy bear doctors / weirdly decorated motel room
Worst Nostalgia - Carver's season 8 Sam
Worst Combination - nacho chips, marshmallow crème, and sprinkles
Biggest Ouch - Sam tells Sully to leave
Biggest Ewww - the mom with sparkly blood all over her face
Biggest "Yeah, I Don't Think So" Award - no way Sam buys a bus ticket by himself for Milwaukee and the bus people don't question it or call the cops
Most Fun - the Ever Think game
Most Loyal - Sam, who even helps his imaginary friend in a crisis
Creepiest Imaginary Friend - the manicorn
The "Say What?" Award - Sully encouraged Sam to run away as a 9 year old. What kind of friend is that?
The "Way Over the Line" Award - Dean talking about flushing the imaginary mermaid body
The "Say What?" Award - So now John is leaving 9 year-old Sam alone for days at a time? I buy John is a grade-A douche and a terrible father, but I don't buy this at all. I'm not sure I buy Dean leaving Sammy alone that young either.
The "Well That Will Cause Cavities" Award - the morning candy table
The "Welcome Back" Award - Dylan Everett as Young Dean again / Dylan Kingwell from The Returned / Nate Torrence from Mr. Sunshine / Carrie Genzel from the hideous Bugs episode / Anja Svcic from the better than expected Fallen Idols episode

Best Quotes -
1. Sully: "Well now that you know about Audrey, you'll probably never want to see me again." Sam: "Ever think maybe you're a hero to me. Sully, one thing I've learned…heroes aren't perfect."
2. Dean: "Reese, trust me. Revenge ain't gonna make you feel better. Listen, I have seen more than my share of monsters and I mean real monsters, bad. These guys, these are Sesame Street Mother Theresa's, but when I wasn't there for my little brother, Sully was. Now I'm not saying that he didn't make a mistake but you know that there is not a monstrous bone in his body."
3. Dean: "Oh…oh yeah, that kid is gonna need all the shrinks."
4. Sully: "Sam, I want you to listen to me. You can be whatever you want to be. You're not Dean. You're not your dad. You're Sam and Sam is so awesome."
5. Dean: "Okay, say Bozo is legit alright. Which, you know….hello Crazy Town but okay. How is this our problem?" Sam: "Because someone's dead." Dean: "No, something is dead. Fairy Godmother getting capped…that ain't our beat."
6. Sam: "Dean, we need to seriously discuss me going to the cage." Dean: "Okay. Not happening. Good talk."





Again we didn't have enough responses to make an article for The Librarians, so thanks to Emma who stepped up to review it here instead.


The Librarians - 2.06 - And the Infernal Contract
BY Emma

What was your favorite thing about this episode?
Jenkins busting into the basement to save the Librarians. The man certainly knows how to make an entrance!

If you could change anything about this episode, what would it be?
I wish that it somehow tied to the Fictionals myth-arc. It feels like it's been ages since we actually got some movement on that story line.

Jake confronts Ezekiel about NOT using the magical top to steal a fortune and says that Ezekiel is becoming a good guy. Do you agree? What would you like to see in Ezekiel's character growth?
I have a suspicion that Ezekiel has always been a good guy but his arrogance makes it hard to see. I really want to learn more about his past, particularly his time as a royal thief. He seems to be accepting the team dynamic a bit more this season so I'd like to see that continue.

In this episode, the librarians are trying to break a contract with a demon. Many genre shows have done similar themes. How well do you feel The Librarians pulled off this traditional storyline?
I think they did a great job - it was nice to see Eve be the one to outsmart him proving that even though she's not a genius like the Librarians, she can hold her own in a battle of wits.

A large part of the plot in this episode concerned whether people should try to use evil magic for good. The librarians seemed ready to give in when Jenkins arrived and Jenkins told Eve that her job is to protect the librarians' souls from temptation instead of protecting their lives. Would you like to see this theme developed more? Would you like to see the librarians use the magical tools they collect more?
Yes - on both counts! They seem to be setting Cassandra up as the Librarian that would jump at the chance to use magic but they also have this Library full of items that could help them in the procurement of other, more dangerous, artifacts. Even Artie let Pete and Myka use some warehouse artifacts if it could help them so I think Jenkins should too!

What grade would you give this episode? Why?
B. Docking points for no movement on the Fictionals story line. Again.

Anything you would like to add?
Love that John de Lancie was the demon - he played my favorite ST:TNG villain so it was a real treat to see him again



Mom - 3.04 - Sawdust and Brisket
BY Michaela Kollin

There was no new episode of Mom this week (Grr.. football!!!), so instead I’m reviewing last week’s episode because it was my favorite of the year so far. Christy and Violet reconnect, while Bonnie gets in a fight with a woman in her building.

Violet comes home to rebuild her relationship with Christy after Gregory suggests that she do so. A woman who Bonnie stole cat tranquilizers from after she fell off the wagon snubs her. She complains about this to Marjorie and Christy over lunch. Marjorie tells her to take responsibility and make amends which causes Christy to laugh at the idea that she would do either one. Later, Christy and Violet go shopping and bond over Christy’s previous degenerate lifestyle, including shoplifting a Hello Kitty backpack for Violet when she was a little girl, which was wrong, but still kind of sweet. Violet says she realizes Christy did the best she could and forgives her for screwing up in the past. The two hug and Christy gets teary-eyed (as did I, on the inside). Meanwhile Bonnie tries apologizing, but chickens out and leaves after saying “I don’t like you; you don’t like me.” Nice apology. Later Christy gives her the same advice Marjorie did and Bonnie reluctantly stomps over to Beverly’s house to give her an apology and fifty bucks. She also admits to turning her rent check in late and eating her fruit of the month baskets. Beverly refuses to forgive her and throws the money back in Bonnie’s face. She collects her money- and her dignity, and goes to have dinner with Christy, Violet, and Violet’s boyfriend, Gregory- who apparently giggles during sex. The three laugh conspiratorially about it. Gregory comes back in and asks what’s so funny and Christy replies “You know us girls, we just like to giggle!” Bonnie adds “Multiple times!”. Gregory doesn't get it and casually mentions that Violet seems happy. Christy thanks him for getting Violet to open up to her. Greg wants Bonnie to reconnect with Christy so she can bond more effectively with their own children. Bonnie apologizes offhandedly and Christy sarcastically replies “Too late.” Gregory can’t wait to be a father and Bonnie warns him not to wait too long or he’ll be “shooting sawdust”. Ew, thanks for the mental image. Christy says they have time and Violet will probably want to finish college and start a career before having another baby. Gregory does a verbal double-take. Apparently, he didn’t know Violet had already given birth. An awkward silence ensues as Violet re-enters. Christy says she’d assumed Violet told Gregory about the baby and Violet gets angry and storms out of the room. Bonnie and Christy ditch dinner and Christy looks at pictures from when Violet still loved her. Beverly apologizes to Bonnie, saying she overreacted because her alcoholic father made her too many empty apologies. Violet also apologizes to Christy for blaming her for her own mistakes. Christy tells Violet she should ask for Gregory’s forgiveness and Violet thanks her. Bonnie says Christy’s becoming a good mother. Christy thanks her, but won’t say it back.

Grade: A-

Best Reason to Watch- The warm fuzzies generated from watching Christy reconnect with her often distant and surly daughter Violet.
Weirdest Habit- Gregory giggles during sex.
Best Scene- Christy and Bonnie have dinner with Gregory and Violet and Christy blows up Violet’s relationship with Gregory.
Worst at Keeping Secrets- Christy, who let two major secrets slip during dinner with Gregory.
Worst Building Manager- Bonnie, who turns in her tenants' rent checks late and steals drugs and fruit baskets from them.
Biggest “Duh”- Tie between Gregory finding out Violet had already had a baby and Violet finding out George Bush Sr was president as well.

Best Quotes:
1. Christy: “Now I know she has a marijuana leaf tattooed on her a**, but still.”
2. Bonnie: “They’re not drugs; they’re cat tranquilizers.”
3. Christy: “Turns out being a high school dropout, recovering alcoholic, failed pole dancer with two different kids from two different loser baby daddies makes me the cool mom!”
4. Christy: “She’s just depressed because she found out how much people hate her.”
5. Violet: “Did you know George Bush’s dad was president too?”



Nashville- 4.09 Three's a Crowd
BY Jessica VanWinkle

The title of the episode was very fitting- three is a crowd, and I'm so not here for more drama between Rayna and Deacon. Rayna, just say no to Markus Keen. If Markus could just leave town already that would be fantastic. However, I'm choosing to believe that Rayna's smart and she and Deacon will be just fine. They have to be. And I thought the last scene between the two of them was adorable. Also, can the writers just go ahead and put Scarlett and Gunnar together already? I know some viewers have mixed feelings about these two, but I personally like them. And if they get back together, Erin and Caleb can leave and then there will be more time for characters we care about. Everyone wins! This week wasn't all bad. I'm liking Luke more each week and I'm glad the writers are starting to give him more airtime. I do hope that he and Cole can patch up their relationship. I could have done with less bratty Cole, but at least he has an excuse unlike Maddie. I felt bad for Daphne this week. She was so excited to have this record deal and sing with her sister, but Maddie kept shooting her down and insulting her. I'm glad Daphne yelled at her. I don't know how much more of Maddie I can take. It's hard to believe I liked her at one point. I felt bad for Avery, too. I wish he would just go public about his problems with Juliette. I wonder if he'll tell everyone next week. Next week is the midseason finale, and I can't wait to see what happens. I have a feeling a big cliffhanger is coming!

Grade: B

Best Scene- I actually loved the opening scene with Scarlett and Gunnar on the tour bus and music playing in the background. Clare Bowen's voice is so beautiful.
Best Reason to Watch- Drama. Relationship drama and teenage drama.
Most Improved Character- Luke Wheeler
Least Annoying Child- Daphne Conrad
Dumbest Plot- Erin convinces Gunnar to grope the statue. This was the dumbest thing ever and such a waste of time.
Character That Should Leave Town- Erin. And Caleb. Markus. Maddie. Gabriella. Actually, just get a bus and they can all leave together.
Characters That I Miss- Juliette and Layla. I hope Layla's back next week.

Best Quotes -
1. Deacon: "My first impression of the guy is he's an arrogant son of a b**." Rayna: "Well you're not wrong."
2. Luke: "I still can't get used that word. In my day 'branding' meant taking a hot poker to a cow."
3. Avery: "I just had to bail on my gig at the Five Spot to take yet another cr** job just to make ends meet. So forgive me if I'm not being sensitive enough to your high class problem."
4. Avery: "What we wanna do and what we need to do...they don't always line up."
5. Deacon: "He can change any damn lyrics he wants. He can have the whole damn song. I got the real prize."



SHIELD - - 3.09 - Closure
BY Swanpride

Wow! Just wow! This is everything I hoped for and more! This episode could have easily been a mid-season finale with everything that happened. The writers expertly took the ATCU out of the picture for now. It wasn't really a surprise (Honestly I was just waiting for something to happen as soon as Coulson and Rosalind sat down for dinner. They more or less did everything which is a death sentence in a TV show or movie, except Rosalind saying that she plans to retire), but the emotional impact was certainly there.
I think it is high time for some Brett Dalton appreciation. The way he played Ward, especially the moment when the character lost control when he realized what Coulson had done, was on point. And the way he can go from smiling about Fitzsimmons mouthing off towards Malick to taking Simmons apart in his anger is utterly terrifying. There were so many good moments in this episode, it is easier to mention the not so good ones....Okay, that was fast. Yeah, I admit it, I enjoyed every second of this. It was shocking, thoughtful, suspenseful, terrifying, heart-warming, sad and bada** at the same time. What more can you asked from a TV show?

Grade: A++++++++++++

Best Reason to Watch - The only reason to not do it is a weak heart
Best Scene - Everything involving Fitzsimmons. Get your paws off my Sciencebabies!
Best Character - Mack! Great to know that someone keeps a level head! (The only thing missing is a proper shotgun axe).
Best Team-up - Poor Bobbi and Hunter having to deal with Coulson at his most angry.
Best Turn - Thomas telling yet another story about what happened in the past. Not sure if he is trustworthy, though. They have changed the narrative so often, I wouldn't put it past Thomas being a master manipulator who used Ward as a weapon against Christian.
Best Prop - I was quite amused that Hydra turned the Monolith into some sort of witch circle.
Best Action - Coulson unleashed is quite a bada**
Most Creepy - The torture instruments. My imagination was showing me worse stuff than they could ever show in screen. And watching Fitz having to listen to Jemma's scream was torture in itself.
Most Random Observation - Good to know Ward had enough downtime to watch Mad Max: Fury Road.
Biggest Head Scratcher - How exactly did Coulson survive that fall? Is going through the portal slowing your speed down?
My Prediction of the Week - They will unleash whatever is on the other side, won't they?

Best Quote:
1. Coulson: "Is it me or is every burger which is All-American just really awful for you?"
2. Hunter: *shoots in the ceiling* "Anyone need explaining what to do next?"
3. Fitz: "I'm just not strong enough to life in a world which doesn't have you in it."






Superstore - 1.01 / 1.02 / 1.03 - Pilot / Magazine Profile / Shots and Salsa

Superstore is not at all funny but it is hypocritical so there's that. For a show that makes stereotypes and racism the main focus of the third episode, it sure embraces those stereotypes for their characters. You have the bumbling, overly enthusiastic boss with low self-esteem, which was done better on Raising Hope. You have the idiot teen mom with her even stupider music wannabe boyfriend. There's the idealist who's so far up himself that he grates on everyone's nerves, but is sadly also the main character. There are the creepers, the neurotics, the overly tough female, the worldwise best friend, and the world weary assistant who actually runs everything. You've seen it in every office/workplace comedy you've seen. The difference is that those tended to get past the stereotypes quickly and let you see who the characters really are. They had heart. In this one it feels like the stereotype is who the character really is and I've no time for a show that preaches about how bad that is while offering up the same tired stuff. Still it's not the worst comedy debut this season, so there's that.

Grade: C-
Ranking - 2-
Audience - people desperate to replace their favorite cancelled office comedy and aren't too picky about with what

Best Reason to Watch - Amy, who is the only character that is not a completely over the top stereotype
Best Scene - Amy vs. the van lady
Best Save - Garrett takes a picture with Glenn so he feels better about the corporate visit / Garrett gets Jonah out of a crowd of angry customers by announcing that it is time for everyone to clock out
Biggest Redemption - Jonah puts Day-Glo stars on the ceiling
Biggest Facepalm - The pharmacist tells Jonah to give a patient a shot and I am done with this show. That's beyond ludicrous and likely to forfeit his medical license.
Biggest Oops - Jonah marks all the electronics for a quarter each
Biggest What the Heck? - What even was this sexual harassment thing? It makes no sense and it wasn't funny at all.
Least Convincing - the wedding proposal flash mob
Most Intriguing - Amy's wedding band
Most Enthusiastic - Dina, about blowing someone's brains out all over the store
Most Depressing - Amy's job speech
Most Needing to Get Kicked to the Curb - Bo
Most Inappropriate - showing employees groping each other on video for a sexual harassment seminar, which even outcreeps the employees groping each other on the property
Most Obnoxious - pilot = Jonah, and that's with stiff competition / everything else = Bo
The "Way to Make Every Single Thing Worse" Award - Jonah, just shut up. Please.
The "Welcome Back" Award - Eliza Coupe from the sadly canceled Benched / America Ferrera, best known as Ugly Betty / Ben Feldman recently from A to Z

Best Quotes -
1. Amy: "Great. I hope you and your fiancé are very happy together…and that you don't procreate."
2. Jonah: "I had nothing to do with this." Amy: "Yeah, I know. This is the fault of YouTube."
3. Garrett: "Thanks a lot guys. When I woke up this morning I was hoping to learn about racism from a white lady."
4. Amy: "This might be a cultural thing, but around here the less screwing everything up you do the better." Jonah: "You talking about the cans or the pricing thing?" Amy: "You see the fact that it's your first day and there's already more than one option of things you've screwed up is not a good thing."
5. Garrett: "I wonder what will be left inside of this box. Could it be Grace? I hope not. If you're Grace's parents, please pick her up at customer service."
6. Jonah: "I mean most guys don’t even bother threatening to kill you when they propose."






Agent X - 1.05 - Truth, Lies, and Consequences

Agent X is back from the fairly humdrum movement of last episode. The urgency in this and the countdown to disaster reminded me of Scorpion with fewer twists, which actually was a good thing. The somewhat straightforward plot allowed the spotlight to be on the conspiracy and the hunt for a cure. I even liked the underhanded bargaining with the CIA because that rings more true than this buddy-buddy relationship between the President and the VP. Does the President not employ a speechwriter? All in all, this is what I want from Agent X - a suspenseful plot, good pacing, and a bit of intrigue on the side. Old X definitely provided that, right up to the very end. I'd love to see more of him. What I don't need to see though is the Agent X version of slow-mo. This episode didn't need it and it actually cut down on the suspense they were trying to build.

Grade: B+

Best Reason to Watch - the plotting is back to turbo level
Best Scene - Millar gives John the cure
Best Twist - the government not only took all of Molly's proof of a biological weapon but labeled her a terrorist as well, forcing her to go on the run
Best Save - Harold takes out Molly before she can take out John
Biggest Huh? - Why does Old X have the army man in his car? Surely John would recognize his own father so he has to be connected in some way to John's father.
Biggest Groan - John's slow crawl to unplug the fireworks right before it gets to the exact one with the toxin
Biggest Traitor - General Scott, on so many levels
Least Surprising - the US took the biological weapon for itself
Most Intense - John's workout
Most Suspenseful - nothing like a countdown to sure death for miles to give an episode that extra kick
Most Questionable Present - What are you doing giving your child a lighter for a present?
Worst Plan for a Terrorist - Turning the music up to "shake the house" level seems like a great way to get the police involved with a noise complaint. These three are not the smartest bulbs.
The "I'm NOT Buying It" Award - Our government does some really stupid things. Like sub-basement stupid. Still I'm not buying that they left the most dangerous biological weapon on earth in the hands of a lovesick geek. Scratch that - I'm not buying that they let anyone that naïve in the building, much less near a weapon.
The "Welcome Back" Award - Fred Dryer, from Hunter and the perfect person to play an Agent X / Madeline Zima, recently being the only semi-awesome thing about her episode of Grimm outside of Trubel

Best Quotes -
1. John: "More like a Star Trek fan than a bioterrorist." Millar: "They're not mutually exclusive."
2. John: "Harold, it's almost next to impossible for another human being to be in as much trouble as you are in right now."
3. Hood: "After Gray Lawson's untimely death, I have been appointed acting director of the CIA." Natalie: "Congratulations. I'll try not to judge you by the actions of your predecessor."
4. Harold: "I'm never dating again." John: "They're not all that crazy."
5. Old X: "Well you know what they say. Anyone worth shooting once is worth shooting twice, huh?"



Ash vs. Evil Dead - 1.06 - The Killer of Killers

This show is gory. It's always going to be gory. But this episode was beyond gory, so much so that I got a little nauseous by the 12th gallon of fake blood. The kid going through the ceiling fan was the last straw for my stomach and it turned into a hand-over-eyes event for me. Other than that, Kelly did some cathartic killing (?) and Amanda joined the team. Also Ruby seems to be gone but I'd be surprised if that were really true. After all, we still don't know her true intentions or why she wants the book. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess it's not good.

Grade: C+

Best Reason to Watch - team is back on track and heading to the cabin
Best Reason to Fast Forward - ALL the gore
Best Scene / Least Surprising - Amanda joins Team Ash
Most Surprising - Amanda leaves her car behind to do it
Most in Need of Therapy - Kelly, who takes a meat clever to a deadite over and over again
Most Disgusting - face plant into the urinal
Most Iconic - chainsaw hand
Biggest Idiots - Who opens the chest with the bad mojo book in it? What an idiot(s)!
Biggest Say What? - Ruby gets tossed into a pyre in the cold open
Worst Death - tie - by ice skate and by ceiling fan
Best Music - Renegade by Styx

Best Quotes -
1. Ash: "How's your day going?" Amanda: "Not great." Ash: "Welcome to my world. You walk into a diner. All you want is a pile of hot cakes. What do you get? A pile of corpses and everybody wants to blame it on you."
2. Ash: "I've put your lives in danger too much already. And this cabin, if you go there you would end up possessed and I would have to kill you both and cut your heads off and that would just be bad for everybody." Kelly: "No. I want payback. You don't get to take that away from me." Pablo: "Yeah, we knew what we were getting into when we joined up with you. Well, no we didn't. Not even a little bit."
3. Pablo: "My uncle, he always said, 'Pablito, beware anger. Fear revenge. If once you start down that path, forever it will dominate your destiny.' Consume you, it will." Kelly: "Did you just Yoda quote me?" Pablo: "Yeah." Kelly: "Don't worry. I'm sure we'll be dead way before then."
4. Kelly: "You're hurting those pancakes." Ash: "I know what I have to do." Pablo: "Chew before you swallow."
5. Lem: "I'm really getting my life together. You know I even joined the militia. Hence the ammo. 'Always be stockpiling.' That's our motto." Ash: "That's a dumb motto." Lem: "I joined after they came up with it."



Chicago Med - 1.03 - Fallback

Two medical shows debuted in one TV season and alas my schedule only allows for one. Three episodes I gave, searching for the one to best fit me. One, Chicago Med, comes from a prestigious franchise. It has the hallmarks of a Gray's Anatomy, where the focus is on the doctors and their relationships. It's ripe for shipping galore and will undoubtedly make great strides in the neuroses of the staff. It will survive. The other, Code Black, has a creator with one failed series behind him and a talented but often overlooked cast. It focuses on the cases and reveals the doctors through them. It is neither flashy nor scandalous. It will be canceled. Two medical shows debuted in one TV season, and I - I chose the one less watched, but that sadly will make zero difference.

Grade: C+
Status - Dropped

Best Reason to Watch - lots of family drama, especially the soldier story
Best Reason to Fast Forward - lots of family and co-worker drama, especially Manning and Halstead
Best Scene - Goodwin politely tells off Connor's obnoxious father
Best Back Story - Connor
Best Guest - Kelly Severide, one of the few people from the Chicago franchise I recognize, mostly from the Favorite Character Contest
Biggest Douche - no questions about it, Cornelius Rhodes
Biggest Facepalm - the military wife is surprised that poisoning your husband to keep him home is a crime
Least Likely to Show Up on Code Black - Zanetti, who has no patience with interns
Most Likely to Show Up on Code Black - Maggie, who would get along well with Rorish - no nonsense but she actually cares about helping make good doctors
Most Likely to Forgive - Trevor Jackson, who goes to the police station with his wife after she poisoned him
Most Likely to Hold a Grudge - Manning, maybe / everyone in the Rhodes family, definitely
Most Likely to Take a Stand - Goodwin, who doesn't let Connor's father boss her around
Most Talented - Manning and her violin

Best Quotes -
1. Charles: "That's your dad?" Connor: "Yep." Charles: "Fathers like that keep me in business, baby."
2. Halstead: "I don't believe this. I miss something with one patient and it's too late to fix it. Then I catch something like this early on and I still can't fix it. Nat, the medicine is clear. The patient should not be making this decision. I should." Manning: "So you became a doctor to tell people what to do?" Halstead: "I became a doctor to save people's lives. It's all I've ever wanted to do. I don't have a fall back plan or some hidden passion. This is it for me. It's just no one ever told me there'd be this much loss involved."
3. Zanetti: "Mr. Rhodes can make a $200 million gift, but I still will not let him dictate who performs surgery in this hospital and I think going to war for that conniving SOB is not a good idea."
4. Manning: "I don't want to scare you but becoming a doctor was actually my fallback plan. I wanted to be a musician. A violinist in fact."
5. Charles: "You don't lie a whole lot, do you? I mean you're certainly not very good at it…to your great credit."



Code Black - 1.10 - Cardiac Support

This should have been the most touching episode of Code Black, given that Jesse was one of the patients. When it came to the relationship between Rorish and Jesse, it was. However something about it fell flat. Maybe it is because I watched this right after the far superior 1.09. Maybe it was because they were trying to hard with the Jesse pathos. Most definitely part of it was that in trying to raise ratings, they seem to be going for a Grey's Anatomy approach. That's the absolute worst thing they can do with this show. I would rather it go out on its own terms than turn into a bed-hopping, neurosis-feeding, medical soap about people I wouldn't trust to change my bandage much less save my life. This show needs to stay focused on the cases and let the characters shine through them.

Grade: B-

Best Reason to Watch - the relationship between Jesse and Rorish
Best Scene - Rorish checks on Jesse
Best Result - the drug addict throws out her stash after Cole lays some hard truths down
Best Moment - Rorish fist bumps Hudson
Best Back Story - Mario talks to the kid with Down Syndrome
Best Peace Offering - Cole offers to let his dad in surgery with him
Biggest Ouch - Aubrey tells her mom that she wishes there was a drug to make her mom like her
Worst Parent Ever - mom feeds her daughter thyroid pills without her knowledge so she loses weight
Most Inappropriate - Rorish kisses Cole at work and this turns into some weird Grey's Anatomy thing. Say it isn't so. I don't want to know about the doctors' sex lives. I just want them to save interesting patients.
The "Welcome Back" Award - Jamie Luner from Just the 10 of Us and Melrose Place

Best Quotes -
1. Jesse: "Ahhh listen, before I'm dead, there's something I've got to tell you." Rorish: "Shut up. You're not dead." Jesse: "Neither are you." Rorish: "What are you talking about?" Jesse: "You're alive." Rorish: "I know that." Jesse: "I don't think you do. You're alive. They're not." Rorish: "Jesse, what are you doing?" Jesse: "What I'm telling you is that if I die today, my one wish would be that you live, really live. Pretty sure that's their wish too."
2. Hudson: "What is it Jesse says? 'Lean on each other. That's what siblings are for.' You think he's all you have but you're wrong, Leanne. You have me. You have all of us." Rorish: "Thank you."
3. Rorish: "Hey Jesse, I want to tell you something." Jesse: "I must be about to die because you're gonna say something touchy-feely." Rorish: "You're not gonna die because I need you. Okay, I need you." Jesse: "I know. I love you too."
4. Perello: "Maybe I don't quite get it but I have an ER to run. I need you to say something motivational. Get the people back to work. I would but coming from me it might seem like I'm a cold, unfeeling b**. From you, they'll understand. Okay?"
5. Rorish: "What happened?" Jesse: "I missed you."




CSI: Cyber - 2.09 - iWitness

This one hits hard because campus rape is still an epidemic in America and it is still whitewashed to an extent by Hollywood, turning rape and abuse into some twisted version of romance where people root for the "bad boy" or, to a lesser extent, "bad girl" to change. You'd think that we would have progressed much farther beyond rape as shipping and redemption arcs by now. This episode encompasses the private shame rape victims often feel and the public ostracism they sometimes face. Yet it also brought up the topic of false rape charges and how devastating they can be too. It's rare that a TV series looks at both sides with compassion and I give them kudos for that. Avery did push too much at the end but overall CSI: Cyber handled the issue well, although it was preachy at times.

Grade: B+

Best Reason to Watch - for the most part they treated the subject with respect
Best Scene - Quinn tells off the murderer
Best Action Scene - Nelson's fake mob fight
Most Shocking - I thought the Athletics Director was the rapist/murderer but in hindsight it makes more sense that he was the murderer after the fact
Biggest Say What? - What reformed hacker posts their new identity online? Quinn knew the site was hackable, given that she hacked it herself. Why leave clues so someone could find her or her husband?
Biggest Hmmm - Someone paid Quinn $25,000 to delete the web post. Shouldn't the first way to narrow down the suspect be financial? What kind of college kid has $25,000 in spare change? Plus, they would have to know how to get in touch with a hacker. Seems like a small pool of suspects, like an adult.
The "I Don't Think So" Award - I'm in education. We review FERPA every year. There is nothing in FERPA that prevents a school from releasing information if there is a court order to do so. In fact, that's one of the times when you have to. Nothing about this makes sense.
The "Back Off" Award - Avery needs to allow Shelby to make her own choices about whether she continues to go to school there. She's pushing her agenda too hard, not allowing Shelby to cope in her own way.
The "Who Knew?" Award - So a federal warrant can be summarily dismissed by a college athletics' director. Wouldn't they have to make a motion to block it? The FBI would have access to their electronic devices until the school's lawyers presented them with another judge's order forcing them to stand down.
The "Welcome Back" Award - Rob Estes from Melrose Place / Justin Prentice from Malibu Country

Best Quotes -
1. Raven: "A watched progress bar never uploads."
2. Nelson: "I mean this phone could belong to anyone…except a hacker."
3. Elijah: "Red Zone, as in football?" Avery: "No. On college campuses, the Red Zone is the time in between new student orientation and the Thanksgiving Break when students are at greatest risk of sexual assault." Elijah: "So instead of fixing the problem, they named it? Incredible."
4. Mason: "Excellent strategy - if the university won't speak up for the students, we'll speak up for them ourselves."



Flash / Arrow - 2.08 / 4.08 - Legends of Today / Legends of Tomorrow

I was going to review these 2 separately but my eyes couldn't keep rolling that hard without permanent damage. This speech on The Flash portion is the heart of what's wrong with this crossover:

Barry: "It's just the rules keep changing. One day I have to run through time. The next I'm fighting a telepathic gorilla. And now, we're what? We're chasing down an immortal madman on a rampage against a reincarnated warrior priestess."

I started off skeptical about metahumans. Then I groaned my way through time travel. Earth 2 about ended me. Now we've got immortals and reincarnations. I think my favorite comic book based show has gotten way, way too comic book-y. It's making the kind of sense that doesn't and it holds the writers to absolutely no logic standards. We've just entered into "Anything Goes Land," which it's my least favorite fictional town. It doesn't help that I find Arrow-verse annoying here either. On the plus side, it is shocking to see Oliver smile that much in one 43 minute block. And then came….the melodrama. Brain-crushing, sigh-inducing melodrama. I can't be the only person who hated the Thea baby daddy fiasco but apparently enough people liked it that they decided to go for round 2. At 22 minutes in, I was praying for Barry to hit fast forward on the whole episode….only to be brained by yet another filler time travel plot device. That's when my head literally hit my desk. So Mark Pedowitz, in the interest of avoiding concussion, exactly how much money do I need to raise to NEVER do this again? I know it raises Arrow's ratings, but only temporarily, and there's not enough brain bleach in the world for this hokum.

Grade: C- (for immortals) / D (for relationship melodrama)

Best Reason to Watch - It was good seeing Thea and Diggle again. I miss them.
Best Scene - Wells does not die
Best Aww Moment - Oliver plays with his son
Best Moral - with teamwork everyone wins, except the bad guy
Best Nostalgia - they mentioned Tommy
Biggest Improvement - the Arrow Cave
Biggest Melodrama - Oliver and Felicity and baby mama drama
Worst Secret Keeper - Cisco, who blurts out Barry's name in front of his girlfriend
Worst Plan - walking out of Arrow Cave with a bad guy immortal after you
Biggest Face Palm - Could someone please grab the staff? You know that one that gives the villain his powers and can also kill him. That one you've been tracking. That one that is just lying on the warehouse ground. Yeah, that one.
Biggest Leap of Faith, Literally - Kendra jumps off a building to see if she can fly
Biggest Hmm - Shouldn't they be worrying about all those arrows ricocheting off Drac Dude's metal fan?
The "Some Things Never Change" Award - good to see John Barrowman as Malcolm Merlyn is still overacting like usual
The "Some Things Do" Award - Oliver smiles now and has some social skills / Diggle and Thea look like they have actual roles to play and maybe even a part of the storyline
The "I Think Saw This Already" Award - It was called The Mummy and I liked it better.
The "Are You Kidding Me?' Award - You made me sit through that freaking Felicity-Oliver fight and then call a cosmic do-over? Seriously? That was a complete peanut-packed filler waste of time.
The "Oh Great. It's Him Again" Award - I left Arrow in part because Merlyn came back. Now he's on The Flash? Urgh!
The "Oh Great. It's Him Again - Part 2" Award - And I am stuck with Jay and his temper tantrums again. This sucks out loud.
The "Oh Great. It's Melodrama Again" Award - Oliver's long lost son just happens to be in Central City. Good to know….for Arrow fans.
The "I'm with You" Award - Cisco, I agree that you don't need to go to Star City. In fact, I am good with no more crossovers ever again. I hate having to watch Arrow to know what's going on with The Flash. It's not like The Flash gets any benefit from it anyway.

Best Quotes -
1. Barry: "Oliver, I just saved you guys from whatever the hell Flock of Seagulls was about to do…"
2. Thea: "Well I Googled reincarnated nut jobs and came up with nothing." Carter: "Kendra and I will be the reincarnated nut jobs. Savage is merely immortal." Laurel: "Really?" Thea: "Welcome to the new normal."
3. Cisco: "Since when did our lives suddenly become an Indiana Jones movie?"
4. Thea: "A bunch of superheroes in a farmhouse? I feel like I've seen that in a movie before."
5. Cisco: "You're 0 for 206 and you still think you're her best bet."
6. Barry: "I just never thought I'd have super powers and feel more powerless than I ever have in my entire life."
7. Barry: "Alright, I'm just curious. Did you rehearse that speech in a mirror this morning or is this all just off the cuff?"
8. Cisco: "Barry, the first rule of time travel is you don't talk about time travel because by having this conversation we're screwing history."



Into the Badlands - 1.03 - White Stork Spreads Wings

It's another good episode of Into the Badlands, with frequent action breaks in an engaging story. I am very glad that the Widow made it through the attack because she's a fascinating villain. Sadly Angelica didn't do the same because I loved her fight scene with Sunny. I would have loved to watch her fight alongside of the Widow and perhaps see how the Widow runs things differently than Quinn. Here's hoping we see more of baron life, especially since this episode opened up the possibility of meeting another baron. Their feudal system is fascinating and I wonder how this one will be unique, since the Widow and Quinn are vastly different except in the power-hungry and deadly ways. I do wonder about why all these baronies are so close geographically though. You'd think that having space between them would make for a better defense system. Also, the need to tone MK down a lot because I generally want to Gibbs' smack him through the screen.

Grade: B+

Best Reason to Watch - it's about to be all the barons against Quinn, which should provide much action
Best Scene - Lydia tells Jade what's what
Best Action - baron vs. baron (aka Quinn vs. the Widow)
Best Character / Best Adversary - Angelica, who actually manages to cut Sunny enough to need stitches
Best Moment / Best Schooling - MK is a brat so Sunny pushes him off the wall
Best Choice - leaving the Widow to make chaos another day
Biggest Ouch - Lydia tells Ryder that he's not fit to be baron
Biggest Mistake - Widow should have killed off Quinn when she had the chance, even with Sunny coming in
Biggest Brat - MK, still. I find myself hoping that he dies and Tilda becomes Sunny's new plan to get out of the badlands.
The "I Agree" Award - Sunny says that he should have let Ryder die
Worst Medical Procedure - trepanation sounds as awful as it looks

Best Quotes -
1. Baron: "No one goes after my family." Widow: "We both know I was doing you a favor."
2. Ringo: "You quit clipping?" Sunny: "I quit keeping score."
3. MK: "Alright, alright, enough." Waldo: "Oh good. I'm getting kind of tired of kicking your a**."
4. Lydia: "So a word of advice from one wife to another. A baron's home isn't a sanctuary. It's a battlefield. Quinn isn't interested in peace. He never was. He loves to fight. Now if you would do me the courtesy of leaving so I can be with my son in private."
5. Quinn: "Intelligence is an intoxicating quality in a woman." Veil: "Please just tell me what you want." Quinn: "It's very simple. You saved my son. Now save me."
6. Lydia: "I'd rather have you hate me for the rest of your life than stand over your grave. You're on your own, Ryder."



iZombie - 2.08 - The Hurt Stalker

In all honesty, I was good with Liv's stalker brain which lead her to do things the normal Liv never would. Right up until the point that it turned into yet another freaking love triangle. Gilda is obviously crazy and has her own stalker tendencies. I wonder if that's another fun side effect of Super Max. I predict the finale will be Gilda crazy vs. Liv zombie. Now if only we don't spend the next few episodes with jealous Liv or emotional fallout from this episode. Can't we just chalk it up to Bad Brain Disease and move to the real reveal of the missing zombies. In some ways it feels like that more interesting plot has stalled.

Grade: C (because of the ending)

Best Reason to Watch - Liv going fun crazy stalker
Best Reason to Fast Forward - Liv going irksome crazy stalker (or everything after the murderer is caught)
Best Moment / Biggest Laugh - Cavanaugh pops out as the suspect is about to flee to Karma Chameleon
Best Bargaining - Ravi to get Liv's job back
Biggest Face Palm - Liv breaking into the police captain's vehicle
Most Likely to Kill Everyone - whatever they are putting in the new Max Rager drink
Most Likely to Spin Off Tons of Fan Fiction - Liv in jail
Weirdest Tradition - putting locks on a bridge
Best Music - Karma Chameleon
The "Because That Doesn't Look At All Suspicious" Award - wearing a head lamp outside, not near a cave
The "Welcome Back" Award - Natalie Brown from The Strain

Best Quotes -
1. Gilda: "They're like drummers for Spinal Tap."
2. Ravi: "So Fatal Attraction brain. That's gonna be fun."
3. Gilda: "Maybe, or maybe she just gets hungry one night and decides to eat you." Vaughn: "Oh, as I know you've already redecorated my office in your mind, you can only hope."
4. Vaughn: "I've got the brains. We've both got the looks. Let's make lots of money."



The Librarians - 2.06 - And the Infernal Contract

This was one of my favorite episodes of the season so far. I like how they all worked together as a team and I am a big fan of Jenkins doing fieldwork. This one was especially apt because of his immortal status. More than just the basic plot though, I like how it brought up the fact that temptation is actually the librarians' biggest foe. Prospero may be on the loose (and we really do need to be getting back to that) but magic and ego is all around them every day. This episode made a great parallel between Baird and Jenkins, being that he is the incorruptible knight and she was the only non-immortal that didn't seem to be the least bit tempted by the power of the contract. I love the idea that Baird is her own version of a knight from long ago and that she is the true protector of souls. It gives her job more purpose. While I do like other crossroad deal stories better, this was a great take on an old story and felt more like season 1 than anything else so far.

Grade: B+

Best Reason to Watch - Jenkins
Best Scene / Best Plan - Baird makes the demon human to void the contract and saves the day
Best Character - Demon
Best Return - Jenkins to field work
Best Non-Word - mathemagics
Best Pep Talk - Jenkins tells Baird what her true job is
Best Reference - Robert Johnson
Least Surprising - Baird's friend betrays them
Most Likely to Blow Their Cover - Jake grousing about being the chauffeur
Most Excited - Jake about the chupacabra
Most Annoying - Not the air quotes actually but Cassandra slapping Ezekiel from the wrist over and over again like an elementary school kid. She needs to learn how to deliver a punch.
Most Versatile - the tile de-grouter / Druid spell unblocker
The "Welcome Back" Award - John de Lancie, aka Q from Star Trek among many other roles

Best Quotes -

1. Jake: "Get ready for chupacabra jerky." Cassandra: "Ewww, you're cooking it?" Jake: "No, he's making it. The chupacabra, he's awesome."
2. Jake: "You know what the upper crust is? A bunch of crumbs held together by dough."
3. Baird: "I fought a tentacle monster. It's a weird gig."
4. Jenkins: "You know almost every demon works via a contract, something you desire in exchange for your soul." Jake: "Kind of like Robert Johnson down at the crossroads." Jenkins: "Very good, sir. Yes, one of the better known examples. Also including lottery winners, folks who hate the Cubs, the moon landing farce…" Cassandra: "Wait. The moon landing wasn't real?" Jenkins: "Oh no, not that one."
5. Cassandra: "Everything's gonna be alright. We're just gonna have some really psychedelic dreams before we stop breathing forever."
6. Baird: "Now you can tell lies that aren't lies? Wow, you really are a politician."



Quantico - 1.09 - Guilty

Quantico is getting better and better the closer it comes to fully revealing the terrorist. Not sure I am a fan of unhinged Simon, simply because it will be a letdown if he's the real killer. He's been the frontrunner for too long for that to be any kind of a twist. Not that I want Shelby to be the terrorist either. In fact, I don't know who I want it to be because all of the characters have become nicely layered, which is a hallmark of good writing. This episode was better than usual, generally because most of the training story members are now on board Team Alex in the present too. Sure, one of them is bound to betray her completely but I like that Liam and Natalie are helping to clear Alex's name too. I'm not so fond of the Booth jealousy angle and I'm really no fan of watching torture, but overall this was one of the better episodes and a highlight of the week.

Grade: B+

Best Reason to Watch - the continued twists and answers
Best Scene - the team convinces Liam that Alex is not guilty
Best Back Story - Natalie talks about her daughter
Biggest Hmmm - not sure if Simon is the terrorist or the biggest red herring because they have to have something massive planned for the midseason finale
Most Smart Move - Simon, who realizes the forensic pathologist tampered with evidence to convict a serial killer
Most Compassionate - Alex, who spends her free time trying to save a drowning Liam
Most Surprising - All of the recruits are against Simon, which seems like overkill. You'd think at least a couple would see his side of things.
Most Brutal - the interrogation which mostly consists of torturing Booth
Most Interesting Twist - Liam asks Alex to plead guilty to all charges in order to catch the real terrorist and she does
Strangest Sub-Plot - Who stabbed Miranda and why?
Best Song - Bye Bye Blackbird
The "Say What?" Award - Why is Caleb's father investigating Shelby and how does that lead to them sleeping together?
The "Welcome Back" Award - Oded Fehr from Covert Affairs, Stitchers, and the Mummy movies / Anne Heche from Dig

Best Quotes -
1. Natalie: "Sir, with respect, when the people you trust most are all on one side and you're the only one on the other, what does that make you?"
2. Clayton: "You have a green light to use whatever means necessary with her." Caleb: "Oh you hear that. That's the sound of a Senate Sub-Committee sharpening its knives for you, dad." Clayton: "I hear a terrorist frying for treason and murder."
3. Caleb: "I think you've had enough." Nimah: "Yeah, of you. I agree."
4. Alex: "I did this way too many times with my father but I'll only do it once for you."
5. Booth: "Do not. Do not make me the bad guy here." Alex: "Then do not be the bad guy."





The Blacklist - 3.08 - Kings of the Highway

Grade: B

Best Reason to Watch - things are coming to a head and quickly now
Best Scene - Ressler arrests Keen
Best Moment - Dembe protects Liz and gets arrested himself
Best Action - the guys chasing Karikar via motorcycles
Best Back Story - Ressler's dad
Biggest Question - What's is the box?
Least Surprising - Hitchin is evil
Most in Need of a Good Therapist and About 20 Years in a Psych Ward - Jilly
Most Unnecessary Subplot - Harold's wife's affair
Weirdest Last Words - Tommy Markin, but it does tie in nicely with Ressler
Worst Medical Procedure - taking out a tracking chip in the chest with a can lid
Worst Position to be In - Aram, who's always shafted because people continue to ask him to keep secrets
The "Welcome Back" Award - Marcus Hester from Star-Crossed
Best Quotes -
1. Ressler: "My father died for his principles. If I compromise mine, it will be as if he died for nothing."
2. Red: "See, this is why I don't go to family reunions. Aunt Lucile is always arguing with Buddy, Uncle Scott is drunk by noon, and someone's hand is always in the wrong cookie jar."
3. Red: "As a matter of fact Pablo, our operations are remarkably similar, albeit mine functions on a somewhat grander scale. Certainly more hygienic. But at the end of the day, it all boils down to the same basic principle. We steal from others but not from each other."
4. Liz: "Samar, I know what a difficult position I'm putting you in." Samar: "I don't think you do."
5. Red: "You are aware you need to clean and oil these from time to time, right?"



Fresh Off the Boat - 2.07 - The Big 1-2
Grade: B
~Decent episode that shows Eddie being grateful for what he has and Jessica loosening the reigns a little. Two things that are way overdue.
Best Separation Anxiety - Jessica with Eddie having a sleepover at Dave's
Biggest Say What? - Jessica and Louis are excited about finally getting to work on a Saturday / Emery and Evan are excited about being grounded
Most Obnoxious - Dave
Worst Surprise - Mitch is invited to Eddie's party instead of his parents
Best Song - "Let the Boys be Boys"
Best Quotes -
1. Jessica: "I don't understand. You only have one self. I am always myself. It doesn't matter where I am."
2. Eddie: "Wait. Aren't we going to spoil our dinner?" Dave: "Dude, this is our dinner." Eddie: "I love the way you live."
3. Eddie: "Yes, presents. Cash only but I will accept gold." Jessica: "Respect."
4. Emery: "Why didn’t you tell us there's no party?" Jessica: "Because we're your parents. We don't have to tell you things. You have to tell us things. Plus I forgot."


Fresh Off the Boat - 2.08 - Huangsgiving
Grade: C+
~Not as funny as normal with more annoying characters.
Best Quotes -
1. Jessica: "I may seem calm but it's a calm anger, which is a much scarier type of anger."
2. Jessica: "Who pets a deer? What is she? Snow White?"
3. Connie: "He's just so annoying, you know." Jessica: "I know. We all know." Connie: "I just want to punch his face." Jessica: "I know…and those whale shorts." Connie: "I bought him those shorts." Jessica: "…are appropriate for a man his age. I also know that he loves you and Justin very much."
4. Eddie: "I promise not to bump into stuff." Louis: "Well that's a nice thought but let's not make any promises we can't keep."
5. Justin: "Grunge is dead." Eddie: "It's like chasing the wind."


Fresh Off the Boat - 2.09 - We Done Son
Grade: B-
~I like that this episode focused on Jessica and Honey's friendship. I like even more that Honey didn't let Jessica push her around. It shows nice growth. The rest was just filler to me.
Biggest Say What? - Jessica, tightwad Jessica, paid $500 for a fortune teller? Say what?
The "Good for You" Award - Honey tells Jessica to buzz off
The "Welcome Back" Award - John Ross Bowie, aka Barry on TBBT
Best Quotes -
1. Honey: "But you hate this stuff. You think it's a waste of money." Jessica: "I do but you don't and we're partners. I'm sorry, Honey."
2. Eddie: "I'm trying to impress my woman, not depress my woman."


The Goldbergs - 3.07 - Lucky
Grade: B-
~Loved Beverly and Erica; hated Barry as a brat that gets his way. Everything else was a wash.
Worst Plan - giving into Barry
Best Music - We Belong to the Night
Biggest Brat - Barry
Best Quotes -
1. Beverly: "Your pajama parties are the only reminder I have of when you were happy, tiny girls and not godforsaken teenage monsters."
2. Murray: "She's family. You can't return family. Believe me, I've checked."
3. Erica: "I told her I could live my life without her." Laney: "You're in jail. You clearly can't."
4. Murray: "Look I've got enough ungrateful kids around here to take care of. The last thing I need is an ungrateful animal to take care of."
5. Erica: "Even though I'm grown up and I don't need you…I still do. I always will. After everything I did, you still bailed me out, so I thought I'd finally give you the pajama party that you deserve."


The Goldbergs - 3.08 - In Conclusion, Thanksgiving
Grade: B+
~The heart was piled high on this one, so much so that I forgot how annoying Marvin can be and just breathed in the great parts.
Best Scene - Murray's dad says that he's a good father to his kids
The "Wait a Minute" Award - We've already met Murray's dad and he didn't look like Judd Hirsch. He looked like Paul Sorvino.
Biggest Brat - Adam
Most Inspiring - Erica's speech
Best Speech - Barry's pilgrim pyrotechnics
The "Welcome Back" Award - Judd Hirsh from Forever and Numb3rs
Best Quotes -
1. Pop-Pop: "Well I've watched you with your kids. You're…um, not like me. You're a good father to them. Even to the weird one." Murray: "I don't know which one that is but thank you."
2. Pops: "Normally this holiday makes me think of the love of my life, my wife Irene. But as I look around this table tonight, I realize we shouldn't dwell on the loves we've lost 'cause there's more than enough love right here."
3. Beverly: "Tell me what you've done to him or I'll make you go outside and play catch with your dad on the lawn in front of the entire neighborhood."
4. Murray: "Since when am I your producer." Adam: "Since you paid for the lens. I couldn't have done it without you, any of it."
5. Murray: "Wow that song made me realize how precious our time is." Erica: "So I can go on the ski trip." Murray: "No, I want you by my side all weekend." Erica: "This really backfired on me, huh?"



Grandfathered - 1.09 - Jimmy & Sons
Grade: D+
Status - dropped to marathon
~ I find Gerald obnoxious and a deal breaker so this show is now at marathon later status. I did enjoy Vanessa here and her speech to Sara was well-played. I also like that Ravi stood up for his way of doing things. Other than that, there's not much to cheer about in this episode.
Best Reason to Watch - surprisingly it's Vanessa and her empowerment speech
Best Character Interaction - Vanessa and Sara
Biggest Aww Moment - Gerald and Jimmy hug
Worst Business Choice Ever - putting Gerald in a position that requires him to converse with real live people
Most Embarrassing - overhearing parent sex
The "I'm with You" Award - Jimmy is 100% right. A job is a job and sometimes it doesn't make you happy. That's not a job's requirement. Entitlement is out of control these days.
Best Quotes -
1. Jimmy: "The apple didn't just fall far from the tree. It fell far, rolled down the hill onto a freeway, and got hit by a truck full of nerds."
2. Vanessa: "Sara, you are an intelligent, strong woman. You put yourself through night school so you can become a successful professional. You have earned the right to feel sexy in this body. Now flip the clasp and show me those knockers."
3. Sara: "You're gonna get one, baby, and then you and some guy at the NSA are going to be quite happy."
4. Vanessa: "Don't worry. Mama's here. Let me see what you've got." Sara: "This is what my life has come to. Showing my breasts to my granddaughter's mother to impress my boyfriend." Vanessa: "I meant let me see the photo."
5. Jimmy: "If someone sends me a nude picture, I send one back. It's called manners."
6. Gerald: "It's for Boeing." Jimmy: "More like boring."

A weekly feature highlighting the best quotes on TV as picked by the Spoiler TV team. We'd love to hear your picks too so please sound off in the comments below.



Agent X -
1. John: "You know for a so-called mentor, you're a terrible influence."
2. Millar: "You blew it, Jerold. In love as in war, hesitation is death."
3. PotUS: "I watch this whenever I have a crisis of faith in this town." Natalie: "Right now you're entitled to a little bit of doubt." PotUS: "Doubt? I'm rapidly approaching paranoia."
4. Secretary: "It's just that I've spent my life protecting my daughter from all the ugliness in this world." Hugo: "I've been teaching my Angelia to eliminate it. There's been a price, perhaps too high." Secretary: "Maybe but not many 16 year old girls can fire a gun and sew up a chest wound."



TBBT -
1. Kuthrapali: "Did you know at the United Nations has a Department for Outer Space Affairs?" Howard: "Really? Why?" Kuthrapali: "They exist in case we ever make contact with an alien civilization." Howard: "That’s one of those jobs where it’s…boring, boring, boring. Then, 'Oh! God where’s the memo with what we do now!’ " (Purpleight)
2. Sheldon: "This is Leonard. He's your best friend in the world." Leonard: "Just stop. This is ridiculous." Sheldon: "Sometimes he gets cranky, but you can trust him with your life and he does more things for you than I can even begin to list." Leonard: "Thank you."
3. Amy: "That's an interesting tie clip." Dave: "Oh thanks. It's Avogadro's Constant. It's useful for calculating the number of atoms in a substance or causing regret in anyone who asks about it."
4. Sheldon: "Amy, there was a song I couldn't get out of my head. Eventually I realized the song was about you and like that earworm, I can't get you out of my heart. So what I'm trying to say is you're my heartworm. The metaphorical kind, not the poodle killing kind." Amy: "What?" Dave: "If I may, I believe what he's saying in a charming and delightful way is that he loves you and wants you back. Dave Gibbs, huge fan of your work. Don't mind me."



Code Black -
1. Pinkney: "That guy's vest is missing a K."
2. Carla: "Who's the idiot who ordered the 2-D echo?" Jesse: "You can't be too careful you know." Carla: "Oh, so you're the idiot. You ordered your own tests?"
3. Heather: "What took you so long?" Mario: "I had to save a woman from a burning car. That' s right. Deal with it."
4. Jesse: "It wasn't a panic attack. It was an aftershock."
5. Gina: "I could kiss you right now, Jesse." Jesse: "My heart couldn't take it."




Elementary -
1. Sherlock: "I understand you're new at this, Mr. Ostrin, but revealing you're in possession of the very items we believe a man was killed over is not a great way of clearing yourself."
2. Watson: "Vintage rainbow suspenders. If there's money in stuff like this, I need to get to my parent's basement fast."
3. Watson (watching Sherlock play vintage video games): "What are you doing?" Sherlock: "Punishing my brain."



The Flash -
1. Joe: "It's official. Santa hates us."
2. Mardon: "We all want the same thing." Snart: "Fashion advice?" Mardon: "To see The Flash dead." Jesse: "Well that more of a New Year's resolution but hey, I'm flexible."
3. Wells: "So why are you all not sleeping with the fishes?" Cisco: "Earth 2 has a Godfather." Wells: "Every Earth has a Godfather, Vito."
4. Captain Cold: "Cocoa isn't cocoa without the mini marshmallows, and you're out. I checked." (Nirat Anop)
5. Cisco: "Oh dear Lord. Just kiss already! Oh, the thirst is real." (Nirat Anop)
6. The Trixter: Mellow out Mardon. Don’t have a snit Snart. (Purpleight)



Into the Badlands -
1. Waldo: "Sunny, listen to me. There is no 'through the wasteland.' There's just death and drought and more death, and you sure as sh** don't need a map to find it."
2. Jade: "I never had a mother and you never had a daughter. Maybe if we saw each other as that rather than as rivals it would help us survive this." Lydia: "Well if I were your mother, I would warn you not to sleep with your future husband and his son at the same time."
3. Jade: "I never wanted to be the person who brings you pain." Lydia: "Oh you don't. Quinn does that job very well."
4. Sunny: "Every force has its equal - fear, peace, dark, light - one can't exist without the other."



iZombie -
1. Clive: "I was afraid this would happen." Liv: 'You were afraid someone would find a grown a** man wearing a cape in the back of a garbage truck. Pretty specific fear."
2. Liv: "How do I know that you didn't call her from a landline?" Major: "Because this isn't 1987."
3. Natalie: "I literally got screwed into becoming a zombie hooker."
4. Liv: "This city needs more than a symbol." Ravi: "Yeah just keep saying stuff like that. I'll follow behind you, jotting notes for the graphic novel."



The Leftovers -
1. John: "I killed you." Kevin: "Nope." (Bradley Adams)
2. John: "What if there's nobody home?" Kevin: "Then you come over to my house." (Bradley Adams)
3. Man at the bar: "If you want to get out of here all you have to do is sing." Kevin: "I don't believe you." Man at the bar: "Why not?" Kevin: "Because it's stupid." Man at the bar: "Ah, the trial, it's beneath you. It's not elegant enough. Too easy. You pushed a little girl into a well, but you don't want to sing?" (Bradley Adams)



The Librarians -
1. Cassandra: "Why does the hangover last so much longer than the party?" Jenkins: "It's nature's way of making sure you understand there's always a price."
2. Jenkins: "Mr. Jones, please tell me you did not post this anywhere that has a tweet, a face, or a gram."
3. Baird: "Fun. People bumping into you, spilling drinks on you, music so loud your ears bleed. Wow, when did I turn into Grandma."



Quantico -
1. Simon: "I wish we could go back to being the optimistic people who signed up to save the world, but we can't because we never were those people to begin with and we can never go back to Quantico."
2. Miranda: "Bad guys don't play fair. So do it again and next time it's two against one 'cause bad guys don't take turns." Brandon: "Not the threesome I was hoping for."
3. Alex: "Miranda, you once told us never to turn our backs on the people who needed you the most." Miranda: "It's the people of New York who need you the most now." Alex: "Do it."
4. Natalie: "So Jump Street…"
5. Alex: "This feels so wrong." Miranda: "Doing the right thing often does."



Scorpion -
1. Sylvester: "Walter can't get in. Can I start hoarding cans of food now please?"
2. Cabe: "Have you ever wrestled?" Sylvester: "With my emotions."
3. Sylvester: "Oh no, I am not going back to college. College was the worst 6 months of my life." Toby: "I'm in and I'm gonna do it right this time. College sucked hard for 14 year old Tobias Curtis." Paige: "Guys, college is fun." Walter: "College is a continued adolescence factory where parents subsidize years of nonsense instead of serious academic rigor." Paige: "Yeah, fun."



SHIELD -
1. Rosalind: “Good morning.” Coulson: “I thought I’d lost you.” Rosalind: “Nope I’m still right here.” Coulson: “I don’t remember...” Rosalind: “We overslept which is nice but now you need to get up.” Coulson: “How about we stay awhile instead?” Rosalind: “Nothing with make me happier but they need you Phil, more than ever.” Coulson: “Just one more minute.” Rosalind: “No. Now. Get Up!” (Nirat Anop)
2. Bobbi: "You were there. Did you see it? What's it like?" Simmons: "I did see it, but I can't really describe what it looked like. It's more how it felt. Which is old and pained, as if it once had great power but lost it. And the entire planet is a wasteland. How that came to be I can't really say. Not in any scientific terms, but my sense, and certainly Will's heartfelt belief, was that the creature is the one responsible. That it caused the desolation." (Nirat Anop)
3. Joey: "Okay, so are we rescuing Inhumans or saving Coulson? Or attacking HYDRA? Or is there some kind of combo? Sorry, new guy just trying to understand how this whole S.H.I.E.L.D. thing works." Hunter: "This is how S.H.I.E.L.D. works. Make a plan. Plan turns to rubbish. Make a new plan. Oh just to be crystal clear, this is the part where the plan turns to rubbish." (Nirat Anop)
4. Fitz: "You know, I ran a dozen scenarios in my head. Wondering what it'd be like when we finally met. There was a lot more blood and I never considered this Will." Will: "I can see why Jemma loves you." (Nirat Anop)
5. Ward: "You know, everyone had this place wrong. It isn't death. It's a new beginning. Malick was right, this was all meant to be. The fact that you followed me here. That we're in this together. That just confirms the fact that I am part of a grand plan. I see that now." Coulson: "I honestly have no idea what you're talking about." Ward: "You will." (Nirat Anop)
6. Coulson: "I'll be damned. Tatooine." (Bradley Adams)



Telenovela -
1. Mimi: "I'm happy with just the fantasy. Reality requires too much free time…and waxing."
2. Gael: "Mimi, tell Ana people love her." Mimi: "Oh sweetie, of course people love you. I mean the fact that anyone bought your Christmas album proves that."
3. Mimi: "Ana, you're asking me in front of my children to steal somebody's private property. What if we get arrested? What if we go to jail?" Ana: "I'll get you a babysitter." Mimi: "I'm already in the car."

Welcome back to Last Week in TV. Sorry this edition is a bit skimpy, mostly because of a hectic week at work but also because I couldn't steel myself to watch this week's Supernatural episode. I hated how cheesy and whiny Lucifer was in season 5 and having him come back just elicits a sigh from me. I will however bite the bullet and watch it soon so it will be in next week's post. Also look for a special post in a couple weeks about the best…and worst of TV in 2015. There's a lot to choose from on both ends of the spectrum and I can't wait to hear your choices too. Until then, don't forget to nominate an episode for me to review by filling out the short 2-question form below. This week's was from Mom and it genuinely shocked me. I had no idea it got that dark in a Chuck Lorre comedy. I will be reviewing Suits next time, a show I dropped fairly early. It will be interesting to see how the characters have changed since then.

In other news, the nominations for Pitch Your Low-Rated Show will be out in 2 weeks. This is a great chance to get others to try your favorite, endangered show during the midseason hiatus. As for me, I will be pitching Galavant for sure and maybe Agent Carter and The 100, depending on how many nominations they get. I'm still hoping that the long break has allowed people to catch up on all 3. Basically any show not in green or blue on the Cancellation Predictor Table is fair game. (Other shows will be fair game for the bigger Pitch Your Show nominations in the summer.) So until next time, be thinking about what you think was the best and worst of TV in 2015 and as always, happy TV viewing.









Mom - 3.01 - Terrorists and Gingerbread

There is very little that shocks me in TV these days and especially not in comedies. Mom totally shocked me. I never expected a comedy to be filled with so much pain and anger, especially in a season premiere. They are definitely not sugarcoating things in this episode, although I'm not sure if that's the norm or not. So much so that this feels not so much like a comedy as a very condensed drama. In short Bonnie's mom, who gave her up to the foster care system when she was 4, tracks her down through a private detective and asks to meet. Bonnie is reluctant but Christy is curious about her grandmother. Eventually Bonnie relents but in 3 sparse scenes, she clues in the audience just how painful the memory of being abandoned was for her. It's powerful acting interrupted by the comedy. Right in the middle of the heartfelt speeches, the show seems to remember they have to meet a laugh quotient or the laugh track goes on strike. It's disjointing to say the least, especially since most of these jokes wouldn't be that funny in a non-serious moment. The humor does totally work outside of the dramatic moments though, giving this episode a case of split-identity. The comedy works really well and the drama is amazing, but the combination of comedy and drama not so much. This episode does make me more curious about the show as a whole though and it is plain to see why Allison Janney is such Emmy fodder for her role. I'm not quite as sold on Christy yet, but I'm sure that will come in time. In the end, I'm still planning on marathoning the first season over summer break but man do they need to get rid of that laugh track!

Grade: B-

Best Reason to Watch - the acting
Best Scene - Christy starts a conversation with the person she thinks is her grandma but is not
Best Character - tie - Marjorie / Non-Grandma
Best Acting - Allison Janney
Best Guest - Ellen Burstyn
Biggest Shock - there's nary a male in this episode except for the kid who comes in at the end
Most Surprising - Non-Grandma is baking cookies at their house in the end
Most Needing to Go - the laugh track, which is noticeable in all comedies but is very much out of place here
Most Intense Scene - Bonnie goes to Shirley's house to forgive her but not to let her into her life again
Strangest Acting Choice - Anna Faris chooses to slouch as Christy. It's not a problem or anything but it is rare to see on TV.
The "Welcome Back" Award - Allison Janney from The West Wing and 10 Things I Hate About You / Mimi Kennedy from Homefront (still waiting for it to come out on DVD or streaming - it's been 2 decades now) / Jaime Pressly from Raising Hope / Ellen Burstyn from Walking Across Egypt and a billion other movies / June Squibb recently an excellent guest on Code Black

Best Quotes -
1. Christy: "I'm sorry. I thought you were my grandmother." Stranger: "Well we're even. I thought you were nuts."
2. Bonnie: "Nope, not gonna do it. If I need an organ, I'll get it from you." Christy: "My liver might not be an upgrade."
3. Bonnie: "Shirley, a good friend of mine told me if I could forgive you, I could…I could finally be free of all the anger in my heart and I really need to be free of it 'cause if I'm not, I'm gonna drink again…or jog myself to death."
4. Bonnie: "That woman threw me away and I've spent every day since then thinking I was unlovable." Marjorie: "And sometimes you are. That being said, there might be an alternative to hating your mother for the rest of your life." Christy: "You got my attention."
5. Bonnie: "How'd this guy find me?" Christy: "Um well, your recent DUI seems to be the gift that keeps on giving."
6. Bonnie: "Well you know how they talk about that runner's high? Well it's real. It's not great but it's real."






iZombie - 2.09 - Cape Town

This may be the most fun zombie brain yet. While Liv sounded like a bad walking comic book cliché, she was more fun than she has been in ages. Plus she kicked butt. Who doesn't like that? Sure it made little sense but now I'm really excited about seeing action Liv again. I'm also good with Rose McIver joining some superhero show when iZombie's done because her fight scenes worked for me. Surprisingly, the heart of the episode came through Major though. I like how he empathized with the woman's situation and even opened up to her. I would have liked him opening up to Liv or Ravi as well so the three of them could start tackling the Vaughn problem together. Still he at least opened up to someone and she was sympathetic to his choices, which may make it easier to tell the people he cares about later. As for this episode, it brought back the fun that has been sorely missing, added more action than normal, and contained a surprising amount of heart. That's a winning formula and I hope the rest of season 2 follows it.

Grade: B+ 

Best Reason to Watch - superhero Liv was cheesy fun
MVP - the dialogue
Best Scene - Major introduces Natalie to his freezer
Best Character Interaction - Major and Natalie
Best Aim - Liv, who accurately beams the gun runner in the head
Biggest Hmm - Does Liv just carry hot sauce around on her all the time now?
Biggest Stalker - Major, who goes through the zombie's personal effects before going after her
Biggest Shock - Liv makes her first non - Major zombie
Least Surprising - Clive breaks off the partnership with Liv
Most Redundant - Liv and Major break up…..again
Most Cheesy - Liv's hero dialogue
Most Pun-ny - Ravi and his makings of a hero (sandwich)
Most Nonchalant - the guy who just got turned into a zombie
Most On-Point - the music which was so weird it actually worked
Most Sweet Moves - Liv and she hasn't even trained
Worst Santa Ever - the crime lord, Mr. Boss
The "Well At Least It Isn't so Cheesy" Award - Liv's superhero costume looks straight out of Arrow. Maybe she can join them and we can truly get crossovers from hell.
The "Welcome Back" Award - Greg Finley, who ended up being one of my favorite aliens on Star-Crossed

Best Quotes -
1. Clive: "I was afraid this would happen." Liv: "You were afraid someone would find a grown a** man wearing a cape in the back of a garbage truck. Pretty specific fear."
2. Liv: "How do I know that you didn't call her from a landline?" Major: "Because this isn't 1987."
3. Natalie: "I literally got screwed into becoming a zombie hooker."
4. Liv: "This city needs more than a symbol." Ravi: "Yeah just keep saying stuff like that. I'll follow behind you, jotting notes for the graphic novel."
5. Major: "How badly could you want to die if you spent an hour untangling Christmas lights?"
6. Ravi: "The Fog certainly took some licks for the greater good." Liv: "Ravi, the most this guy ever did was momentarily distract criminals who were shocked to see a grown man in tights."
7. Blaine: "Wow, I am really rusty at the Welcome to Team Z speech. I should have made pamphlets."
8. Major: "Is that a bullet hole?" Liv: "Shop teacher brain was a little intense."







Criminal Minds – 11.10 – Future Perfect
BY Emma

As midseason finales go, this one was pretty tame. While the case of the week was interesting, I expected the midseason finale to focus on the hit men hunting Garcia. Unfortunately, it seems that they will be saving that for when the shows returns (when was that again, CBS?). That being said, this episode did serve up some great character moments. Rossi and Garcia playing poker were hilarious and Rossi admitting after an info dump that he called Reid to get it. It was nice to have Reid mentioned but I really hope he is back after the winter hiatus – both the character and actor a sorely missed. Overall, it felt more like a regular episode than a midseason finale but the last minute or so does have me excited for the show's return. In the end, I guess that’s a mission accomplished.

Grade: B

Best Reason to Watch – medical experimentation always make for an interesting COTW
Best Scene – Rossi and Garcia playing poker
Most Missed – Reid
Best Continuity – Hotch asking JJ to rein in the media, calling back to her original role as Media Liaison
The “Welcome Back” Award - Vaughn Armstrong, Pamela Shaddock and Nancy Linehan Charles, each from many TV and film appearances spanning several decades

Best Quotes:
1. Garcia: “What? Really?” Rossie: “You have heard the expression “a poker face” before?”
2. Garcia: “Ok, here’s my finger, here’s the mute button. Are you guys done talking about the critter damage?”



Mom - 3.04 - A Pirate, Three Frogs and a Prince
BY Michaela Kollin

Bonnie’s lonely so she starts trolling for dudes at an AA meeting. It actually works out better than I would have expected for a dude-prowl at an AA meeting in a sitcom. I don’t know about you, but I don’t exactly think of eligible bachelors when I think of AA meetings. Bonnie comes to visit Steve, Christy’s lawyer boss who she met in AA. She is dressed subtly and classily in tiny short shorts and a bright red low-cut top. She then proceeds to show off for him by strutting around in a comedic way that’s meant to be sexy. Christy has to cope with Baxter and his girlfriend being better parents to Roscoe than she was. His grades have improved and he’s eating healthier. Christy learns that Baxter is planning on marrying Candace by slipping an engagement ring into her omelet. My advice to him: find another way to propose. Eggs are already kinda gross and putting a sharp metal object into them would just make eggs downright inedible. Christy tells Baxter she wishes she could be happy for him, but she thinks Candace is pushy and manipulative. Baxter touches her arm and replies, “I guess I have a type.” Ouch! Later at the diner, Christy has obviously not recovered from Baxter’s oh-so-innocent burn and angrily over-butters her bread. To divert attention, Christy mentions Bonnie’s flirtation with Steve and Marjory warns her not to play with his feelings. When Christy goes to visit him later, she finds out that he has real feelings for Bonnie and suggest he take things slow. He immediately shoots her down. This is definitely not Christy’s day, which is definitively proven when she walks in on Bonnie taking photos of herself in lingerie and is then forced into the role of Designated Camerawoman. She tells Bonnie to sit down with Steve and let him know she’s not really looking for a relationship and Bonnie finally agrees. Christy then walks out into the living room and finds Roscoe playing an extremely violent zombie-killing game which she allows him to keep playing so she can have a chance at competing in the Best Mom race with Candace. He distractedly thanks her and she mauls him with a mom-hug. Bonnie attempts to amicably break up with Steve but they end up hooking up instead.

Grade: A

Best Reason To Watch- Anna Faris’s comedic delivery
Best Scene- Christy takes photos of Bonnie in lingerie as they chat about Bonnie’s relationship with Steve.
Best Legs for Daisy Duke Shorts- Bonnie. For someone in her fifties, Allison Janney has some amazing legs.
Least Subtle Attempt at Peacocking- Bonnie. Her attempt at flirtation with the lawyer was not subtle in the least.
Most Awkward Walk-in- Christy walks in on Bonnie using a selfie stick to take sexy photos of herself in lingerie. If I caught my mom doing that, I’d probably spontaneously combust with embarrassment.
Best Quotes:
1. Bonnie: "I don’t like reformed heroin addicts. They’re so full of themselves. '
2. Christy: "You’re telling me not to forget? You who used to live in a van? You who was arrested in a Wal-mart for not wearing pants?"
3. Christy: "I am not upset, you big red turd." Bonnie: "Christy, is it really the bread you’re angry at?"
4. Jill: "I loved my father’s second wife way more than my mom. Of course, we wore the same size and she bought me vodka."
5. Bonnie: "I am not dating him as much as playing with him. Like when you hold a piece of yarn over a cat’s head and get them spinning around until they fall over."
6. Bonnie: "It’s Wednesday. Don’t you have some intercourse to do?"



Nashville - 4.10 - We’ve Got Nothing but Love to Prove
BY Jessica VanWinkle

This was the best episode of Nashville this season hands down. Rayna and Deacon are finally engaged! I’ve wanted them to be together since the beginning so I am very happy. What else makes me happy? Markus Keen leaving and Caleb and Scarlett breaking up. Last week I named several characters I wished would leave town, and two of them left this week. Very exciting! Caleb was one of the most boring characters ever, and I’m so glad we don’t have to waste any more screen time on him. Besides Rayna and Deacon's engagement and awful characters leaving town, I liked that the episode featured the friendships between Avery, Will, and Gunnar. Gunnar and Will weren’t afraid to tell Avery that he had messed up with Emily which I thought was hilarious. I loved the scene near the end with the three of them and Scarlett hanging out together at the bar. The four of them have a great dynamic, and I can’t wait to see more of them together. Even though I enjoyed most of this episode, I felt bad for Luke. Not only does his son hate him, but he also owes $40 million in back taxes. Yikes! He didn’t have a good week at all, and my heart broke a little when Colt closed the door in his face and told him he lost everything. I also didn’t love that Wade hit on Luke. I thought it was kind of creepy, and it was really unexpected. I wonder if this will be explored more when the show comes back? I can’t wait for the show to return in March so we can see Rayna and Deacon get married. I hope everyone enjoyed this week as much as I did!

Grade: A

Best Scene: Deacon proposed to Rayna, and she said yes! Finally!
Best Reason to Watch: Romance and Friendship
Welcome Back Award: Music. It was so nice to have music in this show again.
Best Friendship: Avery, Will, Gunnar, and Scarlett
Sympathy Award: Luke Wheeler.
Biggest Shocker: Wade Cole is gay and tried to make a move on Luke.
Character We Won’t Miss: Markus Keen (This was a hard decision. We also won’t miss Caleb.)

Best Quotes:
1. Deacon: “Sometimes I just wish I could do everything all over again.” Rayna: “What would you change?” Deacon: “Everything. Nothing. Except this. Baby, I love you so much. Will you marry me?” Rayna: “Yeah.”
2. Gunnar: "Get her back, dude. Say you're sorry. Admit that you're a crazy person. Just get her back."
3. Will: “To Cadence.” Avery: “I'm not sure I'm comfortable with you getting drunk and honoring my daughter." Gunnar: “ Okay. How about ‘to us’?”
4. Wade: "You could have had it all, too, if you had just figured out how to play it right." Will: "Yeah. Maybe so. It turns out I'd rather be me than you."



SHIELD - 3.10 - Maveth
BY Swanpride

I admit, I enjoyed the built-up to this episode a bit more than the actual pay-off, even though the episode was just as excellent. I mean, how can you go wrong with what is basically the set-up of Treasure Island (which happened to have been my favourite book growing up)? The only thing missing was Ward putting a rope around Fitz's midriff....which he really should have done. Honestly, his hubris was his biggest downfall in all this. I guess he never realized that he was no longer dealing with wide-eyed puppy Fitz. But the scenes on Earth weren't a slouch either. It was great to see Daisy's secret warriors on their first mission (poor Joey was really insecure) and it is always fun when all team members are allowed to display their strength. But even more interesting than this episode will be the repercussions from it. Let's not kid ourselves, Coulson stepped way over the line here, and by doing so gave "it" a chance to escape. He should have done the honourable thing and hauled Ward through the portal with him and Fitz. Jemma will now have to live with the guilt over Will dying for her as well as every Inhuman Lash takes out. On the upside, Mack might now have a better understanding for the kind of difficult decisions Coulson has to make in his position. There are also a lot of question mark left hanging...mainly how much of Ward is still left (yeah, I admit, I am not ready to let go of this character. I was never one of his defenders, but I enjoyed the heck out of his twisted mind).

Grade: A+

Best Reason to Watch - Hugs! Lots of hugs! I need one too!
Best Scene - This was a tumble from one great moment to the next.
Best Character - Hard to pick between badass Fitz, dark Coulson, crazy Ward, insecure Joey and poor Will.
Best Team-up - Daisy and her Inhumans.
Best Heart-Stopper - Joey jumping in front of the bullets. I hope that he will survive this season; he has been a great addition so far.
Best Turn - I always considered the possibility that the thing might have gotten to Will but until he started killing people without a second thought, he had me fooled.
Best Prop - Baby-plane on the mother ship is always fun to watch.
Best Action - Fitz killing "it". I especially loved Will's relieved expression.
Most Creepy - May finding the destroyed containment units. Just...eww!
Most Random Observation - I really like the little moments in this show, like Daisy hugging Jemma when she sees her safe and sound.
Biggest Head Scratcher - How did Ward manage to reach earth through a closing portal and a big explosion?
My prediction of the week - The wait for the next episode will be hell! Good thing that Peggy will be around.

Best Quotes -
1. Joey: "Okay, so are we rescuing Inhumans or saving Coulson? Or attacking HYDRA? Or is there some kind of combo? Sorry, new guy just trying to understand how this whole S.H.I.E.L.D. thing works." Hunter: "This is how S.H.I.E.L.D. works. Make a plan. Plan turns to rubbish. Make a new plan. Oh just to be crystal clear, this is the part where the plan turns to rubbish.
2. Coulson: “I’ll be damned. Tattoine.”
3. Lincoln: "You mean that you are not a hero, that you're freaking out and want to be anywhere but here? We are all feeling that." May: "I'm not!" Daisy: "Okay, everyone but May."






Telenovela - 1.01 / 1.02 - Pilot / Evil Twin

Telenovela is one of those shows that could grow on me. The pilot is rough, really rough but the second episode was pure fun. In many ways I think you have to approach this comedy in a Jane the Virgin kind of way, minus the fantastic female family. If you go in knowing that every single second is going to be sillier than the next, it can be entertaining. The big standout is Eva Longoria, and that in itself is a shocker to me. Who knew she did physical comedy that well? Similar things that bugged me about Dr. Ken's pilot did not seem irritating with Longoria's spin. Sure the wardrobe malfunction was an eye roller and some of the dialogue is just ridiculous, but all in all the evil twin comedy was great. They play with the tropes that I can't stand and make them fun. Still this show has a long way to go and the rivalry between Ana and Xavier is a complete drag. If that's the focus in the next episode, I will be out. If they make it more of an ensemble piece, then I see this making marathon status. Either way, there's no room on my TV schedule for this show right now but I wish it the best when it comes back. Who's idea was it to air 2 episodes and then go on hiatus anyway? Slow clap for that decision.

Grade: C / B
Ranking - 3
Audience - people who prefer physical comedy and aren't put off by silly

Best Reason to Watch - Eva Longaria is not afraid to go all out comedy
Best Scene / Best Fight - Isabela and her twin sister
Best Acting - Isabela's totally fake sob story
Best Running Gag - the wind machine
Biggest Thanks - we don't hear all the details of Mimi's sex life because what we did was quite enough
Most Obtuse and Inconsiderate -Roxi for breaking up all the breakaway furniture so the crew needs to reset it
Most Disgusting - eating in the bathroom
Most Annoying - Ana and Xavier trying to one up each other
Most Brain Dead - whoever aired these two episodes by themselves and then sent the show on hiatus
Worst Friend - Ana, who asks Rodrigo if he would sleep with Mimi right in front of her
Strangest Reaction - Ana starts happy dancing when Xavier tells her that he cheated on her
The "Way to Ruin Their Innocence" Award - most people think of dolphins as playful while Ana and Mimi think of them as perverts
The "Welcome Back" Award - Eva Longoria from Desperate Housewives / Zachary Levi from Chuck / Amaury Nolasco from Gang Related

Best Quotes -
1. Mimi: "I'm happy with just the fantasy. Reality requires too much free time…and waxing."
2. Gael: "Mimi, tell Ana people love her." Mimi: "Oh sweetie, of course people love you. I mean the fact that anyone bought your Christmas album proves that."
3. Mimi: "Ana, you're asking me in front of my children to steal somebody's private property. What if we get arrested? What if we go to jail?" Ana: "I'll get you a babysitter." Mimi: "I'm already in the car."
4. Ana: "You were always so freaking quiet. It was like living with a Prius."
5. Gael: "All people are talking about is Ana and Xavi, Ana and Xavi…Ricky Martin's pantry makeover?" Ana: "What? Oh those are nice shelves."





Agent X - 1.06 - Sacrifice

Despite a transparent plot and a fairly over-the-top villain, this episode was a thrill ride of action and pacing. I loved that John basically MacGyver-ed the helicopter to explode, but even more so I liked that Natalie was able to handle herself under pressure. Yet Millar was the real revelation. I guess the guardian of a secret government project needs to know how to take people out too but it surprised me how professional he was at disabling the rotating automatic. He's got skills too. Shockingly, I also liked the political maneuverings once the helicopter went down. We don't often hear of the native struggle in Mexico so it was interesting to focus on it and I thought both Hugo and Gabriel were well done, with neither too overboard or stereotypical. It's a given that Angelica was an interesting character, one not to be trifled with.

Grade: B+

Best Reason to Watch - Millar and Natalie can hold their own in a crisis too
Best Fight - John vs. Volker
Best Reaction - Hugo to Angelica saying she was never a kid
Best Plan - John rigs the helicopter to explode once the soldiers open it
Best Shot - Millar, taking out the sniper rifle
Biggest "Oh, Man" - I really wanted Hugo to make it through this
Biggest Ouch - macuahuitl through the leg
Least Surprising - Volker is Ray
Most Surprising - the episode ends with John kidnapped
Most Interesting Tidbit - Agent X takes the same oath as the Vice-President of the United States
Most Deadly - the obsidian tips of the macuahuitl
The "Well That's One Way to Broker Peace" Award - getting shot down by terrorists who then chase you does make the little things less important
The "Welcome Back?" Award - Jerold's back and I'm not sure how I feel about that
The "Welcome Back" Award (actor) - Hemky Madera, formerly Brujo on Ash vs. Evil Dead

Best Quotes -
1. John: "You know for a so-called mentor, you're a terrible influence."
2. Millar: "You blew it, Jerold. In love as in war, hesitation is death."
3. PotUS: "I watch this whenever I have a crisis of faith in this town." Natalie: "Right now you're entitled to a little bit of doubt." PotUS: "Doubt? I'm rapidly approaching paranoia."
4. Secretary: "It's just that I've spent my life protecting my daughter from all the ugliness in this world." Hugo: "I've been teaching my Angelica to eliminate it. There's been a price, perhaps too high." Secretary: "Maybe but not many 16 year old girls can fire a gun and sew up a chest wound."
5. Natalie: "Do you miss being a kid?" Angelica: "How can I miss something I never knew?"



TBBT - 9.10 - The Earworm Reverberation

It's a split episode again. Howard and Raj were juvenile and basically unfunny. Sheldon's earworm was fantastic and then lead to the heart of the episode. In fact, I liked this part so much that it raised the episode an entire letter grade. Given my predilection against shipping, it's odd how much I like Sheldon and Amy together. I think it is because after years of nothing, she brings out tremendous character growth in what was a stale character. Without the Amy growth, Sheldon would never have been comfortable enough to admit how much he needs Leonard and he wouldn't be near as human as he is now. The only problem with their relationship is that it is unbalanced. What does Amy get from Sheldon? That's what needs to be explored in this part of the story…or give her a plot line that does not revolve around Sheldon at all. She's a strong character. She needs more meat in the role.

Grade: B

Best Reason to Watch - Sheldon (which is unusual for me)
Best Reason to Fast Forward - Raj and Howard stalking their fan
Best Scene / Best Surprise - Sheldon tells Amy that he loves her and wants to get back together
Best Aww Moment - Sheldon acknowledges everything Leonard does for him / Sheldon acknowledges how much Amy has changed him
Best Twist - something as banal as an earworm has a much bigger purpose in the overall story and I never saw it coming
Best Tip - Lorre's vanity card about eating cookies in bed
Most Romantic? - love being described as dryer sheets, lint traps, and heartworm
Biggest Laugh - Sheldon gets out the tuba when Penny takes away his keyboard
Biggest Say What? - Are you telling me there isn't an app for this? Surely there's a name your earworm app.
The "Welcome Back" Award (character) - Dave

Best Quotes -
1. Sheldon: "This is Leonard. He's your best friend in the world." Leonard: "Just stop. This is ridiculous." Sheldon: "Sometimes he gets cranky, but you can trust him with your life and he does more things for you than I can even begin to list." Leonard: "Thank you."
2. Amy: "That's an interesting tie clip." Dave: "Oh thanks. It's Avogadro's Constant. It's useful for calculating the number of atoms in a substance or causing regret in anyone who asks about it."
3. Sheldon: "Amy, there was a song I couldn't get out of my head. Eventually I realized the song was about you and like that earworm, I can't get you out of my heart. So what I'm trying to say is you're my heartworm. The metaphorical kind, not the poodle killing kind." Amy: "What?" Dave: "If I may, I believe what he's saying in a charming and delightful way is that he loves you and wants you back. Dave Gibbs, huge fan of your work. Don't mind me."
4. Sheldon: "My goodness, do you sing along to the Greatest Hits of Elvis Presley with that mouth? Well they were no help at all." Leonard: "Which is crazy since rock and roll is all about good customer service."
5. Penny: "Well she did soften your life, didn't she?" Sheldon: "Yes, she's like the dryer sheets of my heart. I have to go." Leonard: "Awww, am I like the dryer sheets of your heart?" Penny: "Better. You're the lint trap of my love."
6. Sheldon: "First, music is dangerous. The movie Footloose tried to warn us but we wouldn't listen."



Code Black - 1.11 - Black Tag

Grade: B

Best Reason to Watch - each resident gets to be the hero and/or challenge themselves
Best Scene - Lily and Christa save Lily's brother
Best Reason to Get Over Yourself - Jesse stops worrying about a second heart attack to save his roommate
Best Teamwork - the 3 who clear the guy out from concrete
Best Time to Scream - Lily should start screaming until someone hears her at the bottom of the ravine
Biggest Douche - DIC Miles
Least Surprising - insistent man pulls a gun on Mario to make him continue working on his wife
Most Likely to Survive Anything - Lily, who helps Christa save her family
The "Welcome Back" Award - Bruce Nozick, an official "Hey It's That Guy" and also from The Last Ship / Gabriel Bateman from Stalker / Maggie Elizabeth Jones from Star-Crossed and We Bought a Zoo

Best Quotes -
1. Heather: "That guy's vest is missing a K."
2. Carla: "Who's the idiot who ordered the 2-D echo?" Jesse: "You can't be too careful you know." Carla: "Oh, so you're the idiot. You ordered your own tests?"
3. Heather: "What took you so long?" Mario: "I had to save a woman from a burning car. That' s right. Deal with it."
4. Jesse: "It wasn't a panic attack. It was an aftershock."
5. Gina: "I could kiss you right now, Jesse." Jesse: "My heart couldn't take it."



Elementary - 4.05 - The Games Underfoot

Elementary seems to be changing its focus away from the cases and towards the relationships. For the most part, it's working. I love that Sherlock and Watson are on the same page again. Sherlock's tense relationship with his father made the first couple of episodes. Now we get one devoted to the bromance between Alfredo and Sherlock. I really like this friendship because Sherlock doesn't have many people to keep him human outside of Watson. He has Gregson and Bell of course, but Alfredo allows for a different dynamic. I love the idea of Sherlock volunteering to do something because it might help his friend. It shows how much the character has grown since the beginning. Still, the case was pretty weak and felt like an afterthought even though that's where the bulk of the time went. I would have preferred that the case take second in airtime as well as importance.

Grade: B-

Best Reason to Watch - it's really not about the case at all, but about Alfredo and Sherlock's bromance
Best Scene - the ending
Best Friendship - Alfredo and Sherlock, both of whom showed care for the other's well-being
Worst Archivist - Ostrin, who really should put those games in a safer place so they aren't accidentally destroyed
Biggest Laugh - Sherlock "punishing his brain" with videogames
Biggest Back Seat Player - Joan, who is definitely better at playing videogames than Sherlock
The "Who Knew?" Award - a terrible, non-released video games can sell for millions
The "Welcome Back" Award - Alfredo and Everyone

Best Quotes -
1. Sherlock: "I understand you're new at this, Mr. Ostrin, but revealing you're in possession of the very items we believe a man was killed over is not a great way of clearing yourself."
2. Watson: "Vintage rainbow suspenders. If there's money in stuff like this, I need to get to my parent's basement fast."
3. Watson (watching Sherlock play vintage video games): "What are you doing?" Sherlock: "Punishing my brain."
4. Sherlock: "It would seem my week has a theme of middle aged men clinging to pubescent glory via collectibles."
5. Sherlock: "You always suggested that I should sometimes be selfish with regards to my sobriety and yet here you are with yours at stake and you choose to be selfless. Shame on you."
6. Sherlock: "You do realize pink coconuts do not occur in nature."



The Flash - 2.09 - Running to Stand Still

It is possible that maybe 3 characters who aren't crazy or guilty of overacting did NOT cry in this episode, but I can't see clearly through all the tears. The waterworks were in full force tonight. Iris cries over the secret. Joe cries over Wally. Barry cries over the past. Patty literally cries over a lunatic. Wells cries for his daughter. His daughter cries for being stuck in this plot point (or perhaps the actress cries over her career). I weep for my 42 minutes that I can never get back and for the farce that is Caitlin and Jay. Since when did Caitlin become Iris, this season's love appendage? It's revolting and a giant step back. Give the poor woman a plot that does not revolve around becoming a stuttering idiot whenever her crush walks in the room. Ugh! Just ugh! Then adding in 3 characters I would be absolutely fine in NEVER seeing again made it even more of a lose-lose-lose episode for me. And then there was that dialogue. After the brain-numbing crossover, I thought that it was a good thing we had another episode before mid-season hiatus. I was wrong.

Grade: D+

Best Reason to Watch - misery loves company??? / at least it wasn't romance angst
Best Reason to Skip - all the freaking megmoangsting / the villain dialogue
Best Scene - that brief second at Christmas when everyone seems happy before Jay and Caitlin ruin it
Best Sibling Moment - Barry tells Iris that they will tell Joe about Wally together
Best Reaction - the group to Wally showing up
Best Speech - Barry talks Patty into not killing Mardon
Most Iffy - Wally, who could be a great addition, a complete melodrama suckfest, or gone in 2 episodes
Biggest Awww - Joe gives Barry his grandfather's watch since he's his son
Biggest Eye Roll - Caitlin and Jay
Biggest Waterworks - Joe blames himself for not knowing his son and Barry comforts him
Biggest Hmmm - I think I missed something. Why is this portal a one-way thing again? Shouldn't they send someone to Earth 2 if only to get some allies? Or to rescue Wells' daughter? Or to get out of this melodrama?
Worst Explanation of Christmas Ever - Caitlin
The "Where's the Glory in That?" Award - So these two clowns are going to prove they are Big Bad's by taking out a superhero that won't fight back? Okay, then.
The "Well That was Anticlimactic" Award - 33 minutes in and the bad guys are taken out nice and neat with nary a bomb in sight
The "What the Grinch Wouldn't Give" Award - he could have cleaned out Whoville in a nanosecond if he had a nifty breach and magnetism
The "Not Him Again" Award - Jay. Trickster. Weather Wizard. Snart. Choose your poison.

Best Quotes -
1. Joe: "It's official. Santa hates us."
2. Mardon: "We all want the same thing." Snart: "Fashion advice?" Mardon: "To see The Flash dead." Jesse: "Well that's more of a New Year's resolution but hey, I'm flexible."
3. Wells: "So why are you all not sleeping with the fishes?" Cisco: "Earth 2 has a Godfather." Wells: "Every Earth has a Godfather, Vito."
4. Iris: "Everyone in this room had a rough childhood. Get over it."
5. Snart: "I'm just not invested like they are." Iris: "You mean there's no money in it for you." Snart: "I was never much for non-profit work."



Into the Badlands - 1.04 - Two Tigers Subdue Dragons

Into the Badlands has gotten more interesting every episode and is currently my favorite new show. By making betrayal the default setting, every action is questionable and every alliance shaky. I wasn't surprised to see that Zephyr was trying to take the barony but I am a little shocked that she's allying with the Widow to do it. No surprises on the Ryder front though. He was made to betray his father. The real power though goes to Lydia, who doesn't have to rely on monkshood to take down Jade. I adore how casually she mentions knowing about her son's affair with her husband's future wife. Now that's holding the cards. Veil is moving into a power position as well now that she's the secret medical advisor to Quinn. Nothing like hate to allow you to poison a baron and possibly get away with it. While I live for the action on this show, I'm starting to get pulled in by the political drama as well which may be the biggest surprise of all.

Grade: B+

Best Reason to Watch - the climax to war and betrayal has started
Best Scene - Lydia knows Jade is screwing Ryder as well as Quinn and mentions it to her.
Best Action - baron vs. baron fight
Best Back Story - Tilda was raped by the Widow's husband
Best Advice - don 't sleep with two people from the same crazy family at the same time
Best Decoy - Tilda
Least Surprising Alliance - the Widow and Ryder
Most Surprising Alliance - the Widow and Zephyr
Most Surprising - MK has gotten interesting if no less bratty
Biggest Hmm - It took them until they were right at the gate to notice no one was working in the fields or acting as lookout? Your powers of observation do not impress me.
Strangest Fashion Choice - Quinn has a nail shaped in a triangle
The "Curiosity Will Kill Ya" Award - Tilda, you should have skedaddled once you nicked MK
The "Welcome Back" Award - Edi Gathegi, who is currently making me want his character dead on The Blacklist

Best Quotes -
1. Waldo: "Sunny, listen to me. There is no 'through the wasteland.' There's just death and drought and more death, and you sure as sh** don't need a map to find it."
2. Jade: "I never had a mother and you never had a daughter. Maybe if we saw each other as that rather than as rivals it would help us survive this." Lydia: "Well if I were your mother, I would warn you not to sleep with your future husband and his son at the same time."
3. Jade: "I never wanted to be the person who brings you pain." Lydia: "Oh you don't. Quinn does that job very well."
4. Sunny: "Every force has its equal - fear, peace, dark, light - one can't exist without the other."



The Librarians - 2.07 - And the Image of the Image

Cassandra is just plain annoying these days and her squeaky kid voice is even worse so Drunk Cassandra never needs to grace my TV screen again. Other than that though, I found this episode to be decent. I'm a huge fan of Jenkins going into the field and I loved the commentary on how narcissistic our society has gotten. (Count me as one who hates having her picture taken.) Dorian Gray was a letdown but the issues he brought up are worthy of debate. I also thought the reveals about Ezekiel were fantastic. Who knew he could diagnose overdoses? Not sure I completely buy his expendable rationale as to why they were chosen as librarians though. That would make the library itself the most cynical character on the show.

Grade: B-

Best Reason to Watch - Ezekiel / conversation on digital narcissism
Best Scene - Eve jumps and declares the plan to be terrible, which it was
Best Teamwork - Jake and Ezekiel create a defibrillator out of utensils and wiring
Best Catch - Stone and the flying girl
Best Reaction - Baird to hearing they will have to go clubbing undercover
Best Shout Out - Jake mentions that T. S. Eliot was born in my hometown of St. Louis
Best Use of Constant Cell Phone Pictures - taking out the bad guys through their own hubris
Weirdest Ensemble - their club hopping outfits
Biggest Crime - besides almost killing a bunch of people, Gray has priceless art stored like a flea market pile and the archivist in me weeps
Biggest Shock - Ezekiel can diagnose a drug overdose
Biggest Hmm - Jenkins calls Baird "Eve" and tells her to ponder why she was chosen as Guardian
Most Heroic / Smartest - Baird
Most Likely to Monologue People to Death - Dorian Gray
Most Drawn Out Gag - Jake can't get into the club
Most High Tech - Dorian's cloud version of the novel
Most Depressing - all the facts Gray spouts to prove that people are getting more narcissistic and less connected every year
Most Annoying - Cassandra's squeaky drunk voice
Least Smart - Ezekiel, who posts magic pictures on social media like an idiot
Least Likely to Keep a Secret - Cassandra, who explains every magic tool in her purse to the phone check woman
Worst Loophole - the clipping book doesn't record old threats, which seem to be the most dangerous
Second Worst Plan - to shock someone without any insulation to keep you from being shocked too
Most Brilliant Plan - Ezekiel hacked the scanner company instead of the scanner
The "Yet Another Reason to Beware the Cloud" Award - evil, narcissistic people use it to control others and I'm not just talking reality TV celebs

Best Quotes -
1. Cassandra: "Why does the hangover last so much longer than the party?" Jenkins: "It's nature's way of making sure you understand there's always a price."
2. Jenkins: "Mr. Jones, please tell me you did not post this anywhere that has a tweet, a face, or a gram."
3. Baird: "Fun. People bumping into you, spilling drinks on you, music so loud your ears bleed. Wow, when did I turn into Grandma."
4. Baird: "Worst. Plan. Ever."
5. Baird: "Swipe left."



Quantico - 1.10 - Quantico

Ugh, just ugh. This whole episode felt like filler and emoangsty, self-righteous, whiny filler at that. I'm not sure there was one character who did NOT annoy me in this episode with Nimah leading the way. She's as self-righteous as she accuses Simon of being. If just one of these recruits would mind their own freaking business, I might not spend the entire episode throwing socks and itching to Gibbs' slap everyone. Here's one GIANT "Shut Up!!!" to all of them. Could we please finally get some forward movement on the freaking terrorist instead of soap opera relationships? I am out of patience.

Grade: D

Best Reason to Watch - Um….well…..yeah, I've got nothing. Perhaps Simon being kidnapped.
Best Scene / Best Speech - Booth saying that they all deserve to be there
Best Back Story - pretty much everyone who spilled their secrets tonight
Best Reference - 21 Jump Street
Biggest Ouch - Shelby finds out her "sister" is conning her
Biggest Eye Roll - Alex and Booth's "I love you" dancing
Biggest Awww Moment - Caleb holds Shelby as she cries
Most Annoying - The persistent case of the "buttinskis" that every one of these characters have. They are all getting to be like Elias, never knowing when to butt out.
Most Thorough - they even have security tailing Booth, who's lying in a hospital bed
The "Get Over It" Award / Biggest Witch - Nimah seems to be taking Simon's decision to turn in Langdon personally for no apparent reason. It's getting old fast and I don't even like Simon.

Best Quotes -
1. Simon: "I wish we could go back to being the optimistic people who signed up to save the world, but we can't because we never were those people to begin with and we can never go back to Quantico."
2. Miranda: "Bad guys don't play fair. So do it again and next time it's two against one 'cause bad guys don't take turns." Brandon: "Not the threesome I was hoping for."
3. Alex: "Miranda, you once told us never to turn our backs on the people who needed you the most." Miranda: "It's the people of New York who need you the most now." Alex: "Do it."
4. Natalie: "So Jump Street…"
5. Alex: "This feels so wrong." Miranda: "Doing the right thing often does."



Scorpion - 2.11 - The Old College Try

As a regular every day Scorpion episode, this episode was pretty good. However it followed up on a major death and so much of the episode felt off to me. The pacing worked internally but not within the season. What I mean is that I really think Megan's death should have been the midseason finale. Making a time jump here feels off because the audience hasn't had a time jump. It feels like Megan's death is not getting the gravitas it deserves although it is clear they are not forgetting that she died. I'm not sure exactly what I expected but the episode left me a little empty. Still, the case itself was interesting if not bizarre. Wouldn't it make more sense to have Sylvester be the drama teacher and Walter the wrestling guy? I mean it isn't as if all wrestlers come in the same size. There are different weight classes. I did like that everyone was faced with some home truths and the countdown to disaster worked as always. I just wish that either we had seen the team process Megan's death or that we were given the same time as the characters.

Grade: B-

Best Reason to Watch - everyone's getting schooled tonight
Best Scene - Cabe clears the entire quad by claiming he's DEA
Biggest Awww Scene - Paige uses Megan to calm Sylvester / Happy dances with Toby to cheer him up
Best Hug - Ray and Walter
Best Club - I agree with Sylvester. Scorpion is far cooler than Frat Row.
Best Plan - Time jump to 6 weeks after Megan's death. I'm surprised that wasn't the midseason finale to be honest. The 6 weeks jump would have been perfect there and the show would have gone into hiatus after a big event.
Worst Plan - to not give viewers 6 weeks to process too
Biggest Truth - the sorority pledge gets Happy right in the circumstances
Biggest Ouch - tie - Walter crushes the dreams of the drama department with statistics / Toby's nemesis lays down some home truths of his own
Biggest Facepalm - a party almost kills them
Most Shocking / Biggest Huh? - Walter does the drama thing well. Too well. Say what?
Most Ridiculous Music and Slow-Mo - the astronaut walk
Nicest Friend Move - Walter cares enough about Ray to prove that he didn't get his partner killed
Dumbest Criminal - What kind of an idiot screeches into a place to kill someone in broad daylight to tie up loose ends? Way to make yourself a loose end, moron!
Dumbest Pseudo-Criminals - If the killer is down and the gun falls away from them, pick up the freaking gun or get shot with it later.
The "Yeah, NO" Award - no way I would let Deputy Fife cuff the guy who held a country hostage
The "Way to Use Your Positive Thinking" Award - Team Scorpion lists every possible way this could end with their deaths
The "Adios" Award - Bye Ray. I didn't like you. I didn't dislike you. You were just mouthy furniture to me.
The "I'm No Genius But…" Award - …shouldn't Walter take off his watch before dunking it in glycerin?
The "Welcome Back" Award - Thomas Kasp from Surviving Jack, which I miss

Best Quotes -
1. Sylvester: "Walter can't get in. Can I start hoarding cans of food now please?"
2. Cabe: "Have you ever wrestled?" Sylvester: "With my emotions."
3. Sylvester: "Oh no, I am not going back to college. College was the worst 6 months of my life." Toby: "I'm in and I'm gonna do it right this time. College sucked hard for 14 year old Tobias Curtis." Paige: "Guys, college is fun." Walter: "College is a continued adolescence factory where parents subsidize years of nonsense instead of serious academic rigor." Paige: "Yeah, fun."
4. Cabe: "Wrestlers wear singlets." Sylvester: "On what? Their wrists?"
5. Happy: "The only thing I hate more than hearts is anything frilly or pink, but for Megan I made an exception."

See below for the roundtable questions for episode 2.07 and 2.08. You can answer as many or as few questions as you want. The roundtable should be posted Sunday on both SpoilerTV and this blog. Thanks so much for participating!