Flash Forward, No more good days...but a lot more good episodes?

Now here's a question - if everyone in the world blacked out for 2 minutes and 17 seconds, how many would die? Car crashes, plane crashes, train clashes, etc, people walking then falling down stairs, people undergoing operations, people repairing electrical wires, people swimming, and I could think of more things that would be dangerous to be doing if you suddenly were to lose consciousness.

What a way to start a show, not with the question of what vision of the future each character experienced (of April 29 at 10pm), but with the global crisis of all that death and injury, as well as the huge fear that it might happen again. The true question is what caused it.

I'm already sucked in. I want to know what's going to happen. How much of what they saw in April 29th is actually going to occur that way? Will they blackout again (And I'm inclined to believe they will if the series lasts more than one season, cause otherwise the title will become irrelevant)? Does the fact that Demetri did not have a vision mean that he will die or did he blackout at all? I mean, he wasn't in the car with Mark when Mark came out of his blackout, yet did not have the kind of injuries which might indicate he'd been thrown through a car window.

Plus, on top of all the questions, I already care about the people -whether they'll stay together despite the predictions of their flash forward, or if they'll live, or whatever else may happen.

The cast is terrific. Not surprising considering that two of these stars are movie stars, not tv stars. Joseph Finnes and John Cho have made movies, popular movies, regularly...even Courtney B Vance could be put in that category. Yet they are all part of a growing trend for actors to move from movie to television, and not simply the other way around. Anna Paquin, Hugh Laurie, and Robert Carlyle are more examples of this.

It seems that being a television star after being accepted into the film community is not a back step. My best thought for why it is becoming so popular is that doing it is no longer such a huge pay cut, and it certainly is not at all a fame cut. Even more importantly, it allows actors to live with a character. Allow them to grow, change, face so many new things every week, and more or less chronologically. This almost never happens in film. I wouldn't be surprised if it has never happened.

But it is all to the good, I say. Because having talented actors where they are needed makes good shows great and great shows terrific. With all the decent shows out there...it's really important that you shine. Flash Forward made the cut.

Bones, James Bond is dead?

Well, my first piece of advice is, as always, don't bring a knife to a gun fight. It's a bad idea. Didn't we learn that from Sean Connery in the Untouchables? You know, right before he learned that if it is a gun fight, make sure you have the better gun.

Well apparently, the Russian murder victim did not watch the Untouchables, and so ended up dead, being eaten by feral cats. Yummy!

Bones was exactly the way I like it this week. The crime was not background; as Hodgins said in the episode, they were really going down the rabbit hole. Because the Russian was not the only murder vic, so was a CIA agent. Which means, we get to deal with all the interbureau tensions that the FBI and the CIA have...it's so comforting to know that two institutions which are meant to defend the American people work so well together....I'm glad I'm Canadian.

Back to the point. Bones and Booth can't ignore the possibility of top CIA agents being involved and committing murder. And we got some of old Hodgins, with his conspiracy theories, back. Watch out! If we get too involved in the case, we may also disappear....

By far, the best moment was when the team had 10 minutes to examine the evidence and come up with their murderer before the CIA arrived to lock everything down as a matter of national security. Wendall, this week's intern, saved the day, pointing out all the pertinent details and coming up with the answers; Booth encouraged him to do it in the little time they had with hockey references. Wendall is one of my favourite interns because he is so very normal. It's nice that Booth isn't the only one...

Yes, we got some sweet moments between Booth and Brennan, and Sweets gave her advice about her relationship with Booth, and the whole team had to deal with Wendall leaving as he had lost his scholarship (never fear, multiple donations to the scholarship fund revived it for him). And with all that, we got a cool spy-murder story, with love, betrayal and a realization that some people are far more capable that we give them credit for.

Keep up this trend and I'll be a happy girl!

What did you think?

Eastwick Pilot is enchanting

This is the first series premiere this season that moved itself immediately from the "Let's check this out" section to the "I'm watching this" section. From the very beginning I was interested and excited, and I knew I'd be watching it all season before we got 7 minutes in.

Three women, Roxanne (Rebecca Romijn), Joanna (Lindsay Price), and Kat (Jamie Ray Newman) live in Eastwick, and have nothing in common with each other. In fact, they have never particularly liked one another, though, it being a small town and all, they were certainly familiar with each other.

Roxanne is an eccentric folk artist, mother of one, who is dating an attractive but otherwise uninteresting younger man (she is a widow). Her art is kind of hideous, and its not making the money she and her daughter need to repair their house. She also the kind of kooky mom who celebrates her daughter's first hickey and is surprised that Mia isn't out having the kind of fun she had when she was that age (16 I'd say).

Joanna is kind of uptight, but mostly it's that she's shy and not sure how else to behave. She's a writer for the paper, and wants, deserves a promotion, but hasn't the guts to ask for it. She's also in love with the paper's photographer by day, volunteer firefighter by night, Will. Whenever she sees him, however, all she do is embarrass herself by talking about vibrators or yeast infections.

Kat is a mother. With 5 kids and a useless husband who has done nothing but sit in a hammock drinking beer since he got fired, she has to take care of everyone, both doing all the chores at home and working long hours as a nurse.

Since I could easily relate to all three, I am certain that all women out there will be able to find something in common with these lovely, likable characters.

And then there is the fact that Paul Gross is in it. Yes, delightful Canadian actor that you may know from Due South and we know from Slings and Arrows. He arrives in the town in a cloud a mystery, with scandal clinging to his coat tails and man is he hot. I mean, sure he can play the nice Canadian, but give him a role like this, oozing charisma and charm. Mmmm delicious.

Plus, this is a show about witches. Roxie, Joanna, and Kat are just discovering that they have powers - true dreams, persuasion (which only works on men), and control over nature herself.

I'm still not exactly sure where the plot is going, if Darryl (Gross) is a good guy or a bad guy, or what I'm supposed to expect will happen next, but I love it.

Glee, Preggers

I continue to be entertained by Glee, and this week, we were on the upswing.

The episode with Kurt dancing in his basement, in the most flaming black unitard, when his dad walked in. In past episodes, his father has been harsh about things like his tiara collection, so no surprise when Kurt and his two friends try to explain themselves. How do they do this? Why, Kurt is warming up as he is on the football team. Riiiight.

But this proved to be a delightful theme - dancing football stars. They learn to dance, they learn to have fun, and they finally win a game. Plus, a couple members liked it so much they joined Glee and now have the 12 dancers needed for regionals...almost.

Because we couldn't have an episode without drama between Will and Rachel. He gave Tina the solo she wanted, and eventually she quit to go be the star in Cabaret. Why the school needs a Glee club and a musical, I do not know. I would think they'd combine the two, since they seem to lack the money to do much else...but let's not look too closely at these things.

Also, Quinn is pregnant. Not by Finn, of course, but by Puck. So she's not going to be dancing or cheering for much longer. This, of course, is the perfect example of why chastity clubs can be a problem. I mean, fine she was feeling fat one day, so she slept with a guy...happens far too often to mention, but in this case they clearly didn't use protection. Grrrr. Though she's exactly what Terri needs since she still refuses to tell Will she isn't pregnant. Finn is being a man about it, but Puck is really pissed. He would be there for his kid if she let him. We'll see where that goes.

And the episode ended with the greatest father/son conversation. Kurt confesses he's gay, and his dad tells him he's known since the boy was three when all he wanted for his birthday was a pair of sensible heals. Oh Kurt...there's nothing wrong with being gay, and if you weren't...well let's just say that it's best that you know it.

Also, Sue's new tv show is very funny. Her no-nonsense, cane our children, litter to give garbage men jobs is just the kind of thing we need to hear every once in a while. Particularly when we know the show is fictional, as is Sue.

The Mentalist - Oh Patrick Jane...

Within the first 5 minutes, just like the first 5 minutes of the pilot, the sophomore premiere tells you everything about the dynamic of Theresa Lisbon and Patrick Jane and how Jane works.

There has been a murder, and though Jane easily finds the murder weapon and fingers the killer, the pursuit thereafter caused extreme damage in the store where the murder took place. That's what Jane does - he solves the crime, and doesn't worry so much about the rest of the consequences.

Well he didn't like the consequence that affected him - He and Lisbon's team are off the Red John case, and the new lead won't tell him a thing. But at least they have a different murder that they can focus on. Jane neatly wove his invisible net and by the end of the day, the killer was caught.

Oh those nets, one of the main reasons to watch the show is to see how Jane convinces murderers to reveal themselves. Still, as effective as it is, he was lucky not to stir up too many consequences this time.

Other reasons, of which we did get glimpses, are the hilarious dynamic between straight-man Cho and Rigsby, Grace Van Pelt and her innocent delight in success, and Lisbon refusing to put up with Jane's BS. It was truly delightful when she drove away, leaving him in a parking lot, because he was being difficult. Even more amusing is Cho's enjoyment of going along with Jane's plans. Cho knows that Jane will figure it out, so, hey, why not let him despite his methods being unorthodox.

What we did miss was a moment between Grace and Rigsby...but I'm hopefully we will have many as the season continues. So whether you watch because of that cute couple, because of Jane's arrogance and talent, or because you just want to see Red John eventually get caught, let the show go on.

Warehouse 13 finishes its season with a BANG

Warehouse 13's first season has been quite interesting. That it airs in the summer is certainly an advantage, for while I enjoy it immensely, it would quickly lose out to other shows. Notice how this posting on its finale, its last episode until next summer, finds itself in the 6am slot, while Castle and The Mentalist have their second season premieres spotlighted.

In the summer, however, it will earn a plum spot since fewer shows air in those months.

And the finale certainly makes you want to see what will happen next summer. MacPherson was naturally the focus. Pete, Mika and Artie pursued him with uneasy success, knowing they were being led into a trap. It involved misdirection and a man able to take-on Artie's appearance with the use of a thimble. Though Artie was nearly killed in said trap, Mika and Pete managed to defeat MacPherson and save him.

Back at the Warehouse, Claudia and Leena discovered that MacPherson had known Claudia, and indeed had helped her break into the Warehouse's firewalls back in episode 5 when she first appeared. Then Mrs Frederick and Leena discover that MacPherson has been stealing Warehouse artifacts, and Claudia's ID was used to do it. Though Claudia has no memory of doing this, MacPherson has access to artifacts which may have mind control aspects.

So we aren't sure if Claudia will be okay, now that MacPherson is arrested, but at least he's been stopped. He gets taken to be bronzed... essentially frozen like Han Solo. And Artie says good bye. No more MacPherson, as one expects from a finale...a little confusion for next season, with the main problem resolved...

But it wasn't. No! Claudia releases MacPherson from his bronze prison, and waves at the camera. Together they head for the exit, when we discover it is Leena, not Claudia, using the thimble. MacPherson sets the place to blow, and leaves. Artie pursues him, not waiting for Pete or Mika, and while they escape the explosion, he has no where to go.

Now there is an exciting ending which almost makes me kick and scream that I have to wait for MONTHS until I get to see what happens next.

But then, with everything else I'm watching, I can't be too too angry.

And so I will wait patiently, distracting myself, until Warehouse 13 returns.

Melrose Place...third time is still not exactly the charm

So we are in our third week of Melrose Place, and no, it has not yet hit its stride. Instead, it is stumbling along, giving me more to whine about than to praise. Perhaps more so this week as Ella, Lauren and Violet had less screen time and I find them to more interesting residents.

Ratings for the show have not been great, either, and in a bid to attract more viewers, particularly fans of the first incarnation of the show, Heather Locklear will be guest starring sometime this season. Now considering that I actually really really really strongly dislike Heather Locklear...well it doesn't make me really want to watch more. I mean, honestly, she completely ruined Spin City. It was barely watchable even though Michael J Fox was still on it her first season.

Then again, 90210 started off with fairly weak ratings last year, and was even cancelled in Australia, but continues to be on television. So I suppose that means there is hope for this revamped new version of another 90s classic.

But we'll just focus on episode 3 for the moment. Riley, that silly little twit, might have agreed to marry Jonah, but she hasn't told anyone about it. Not her parents, not her friends, not Facebook. So she and Jonah start the episode with another fight. Don't worry, just like in the previous two episodes, they've resolved their issues by the end...well except Riley didn't mention that she got drunk and kissed Augie, but really, who cares? The couple is such a disaster, you aren't hoping for them to break up or to end up with anyone else since they're clearly not capable of being self aware. And if you aren't aware of what's going on in your own head...well...it doesn't make the best foundation is all I'm saying.

Not only is Jonah useless in his romantic life, but the boy has no idea what he wants to be. I mean, he thinks he wants to direct movies, but he doesn't seem to know what that entails. How this boy managed to get through a film school of any kind and retain his naivety on the subject, I cannot explain. Oh, do your lead is a diva and carries a gun...well, sure, she's crazy but who did you expect to meet in the business? Did you think it was all fun and no placating of self-important talentless bimbos? Wrong industry.

There is one thing I will say - they've changed the style of the flashbacks and it is much improved. There are flashing images, some from the present, other's from the past, and then instead of that grainy garbage, the film feels just a little too bright, a little overexposed. It is tolerable. Though, I gotta say I'm glad Sidney is dead...again...

So, we will see whether or not I bother to watch again next week. Maybe I'll get lucky, the show will get cancelled and they'll put Katie Cassidy on a much better show?