Vampire Diaries - You're Undead to Me, S01E05

This episode of Vampire Diaries was very, very disappointing. Probably because I simply didn't find it believable. And I know what you're saying: "Danielle, it's a show about vampires. How realistic do you think it's going to be?" And I get that, but my problem is not with vampires.

Take a girl, any girl, and give her a mysterious boyfriend who seems to be a genuinely nice guy but has some major secrets. Of course she's going to want to know what they are. But for Elena (Nina Dobrev), who has otherwise come off as levelheaded and grounded, to reach the ridiculous (although accurate) conclusion that Stefan (Paul Wesley) is some sort of immortal, likely a vampire, is reaching.

I mean, okay, we're in a series where vampires exist in the world, so believing in them may not be such a leap, but theoretically it is our world. Even I, who would love to believe in the supernatural, would have reached many other conclusions. Though the ending montage of her memories revealing the build up to her conclusion made the whole thing a little more bearable, I will now tell you what conclusions a normal person would have drawn from what she saw.

1. That there are previous Stefan and Damon Salvatores in the family just means that it's a family name, passed down from generation to generation. That's what Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Stefan both indicated when she saw their signatures from the 1860s.

2. The video footage from 1953 was ridiculous on a whole other level. That is NOT how the news was done then. It was not reported in the same way as it is now, there would not have been a local news station in such a small town at the time. And if there was, the video footage would not have lasted the last 60 years because no one would have thought to carefully preserve it. Stefan's image should have been in the background of a photo in the newspaper.

Now that I've gotten that off my chest, if he was a relative, it's likely he would have appeared similar. (oh, and can someone tell me why Stefan hasn't styled his hair differently in 60 years?) Perhaps someone looking to find an immortal would decide he was the same person, but to buy into the story in the first place makes Elena seem crazy.

3. The disappearing cut of Stefan's hand would never have been considered a disappearing cut. Yes, at first she saw he was hurt and was worried. Naturally she was confused when she saw that his hand was fine, but which would you believe: My hand was cut, and now it's not as it was healed by magic. or My hand was never cut. The blood belongs to the other cut person.

4. Okay, so the most compelling evidence that there is something wrong with Stefan is that his face changes sometimes, but wouldn't you just think his eyes were getting red because of allergies or something. As a rational human, you'd think of any logical reason rather than chalking it up to him being a monster.

5. Damon biting Caroline (Candice Accola)...sure he's an abusive bastard who's into sadism and biting, but that doesn't make him a vampire.

6. The bodies were drained of blood because that's apparently what happens in mountain lion attacks. Life is much happier when you just accept what the news tells you happened.

7. Vicki said the creature that attacked her was a vampire. Vicki (Kayla Ewell) said this just after she awoke from a coma, and then did not remember saying it or anything that happened for about a day. If we've learned anything from television, it's that you should pay attention to the ravings of a coma patient (like Bun on Eastwick telling Kat that Darryl is evil), but sane people dismiss these bizarre and impossible notions.

So Elena figured out Stefan's secret, which I find unbelievable and too easy.

In other news, Damon broke out of his cell with Caroline's unwitting help, broke Zach (Chris William Martin)'s neck (guess he should not have mentioned the vervain pumping through his blood), and finished the episode munching on Vicki's neck.

Next week is supposed to be one heck of an episode according to executive producer Kevin Williamson. I say, bring it and make up for this nonsense that even my highly trained willing suspension of disbelief could not swallow.

FlashForward - 137 Sekunden, S01E03

Agents Mark Benford (Joseph Fiennes) and Janis Hawk (Christine Woods) traveled to Germany where a Nazi (Curt Lowens) claimed to have answers as to why the blackout lasted exactly 137 seconds. He refuses to give them any information without the promise that he will be fully pardoned for the atrocities he committed during World War II. And here is the big moral question, which Janis puts to Mark, appalled that he is considering the issue: When do we stop giving pardons to criminals to catch people more dangerous than they are?

In today's society, just try to free a Nazi for any reason. Millions of people died in concentration camps and we have all been raised not only to condemn those actions, but also to hate the perpetrators. It doesn't matter that the few who are still alive are old and aren't going to live much longer, as Janis so aptly put it, there is no expiry date on evil.

But in the universe of FlashForward, hundreds of millions of people died as a result of the blackout, and billions more are in danger. If we forgive a drug dealer to catch a mob boss, can we pardon a Nazi to catch the enemy of the Earth? Apparently, it is the same. And examining the issue, we now have a better understanding of how those hurt by that particular drug dealer feel about him being freed to save all those threatened by the mob boss.

The worst part is that the information the Nazi ended up giving was seemingly pointless. Many crows were dead outside his window when he awoke from his blackout. How useful is that? And finally Mark thinks about it, and he and Janis discover that this is not the first time a blackout has occurred. It's simply the first time it affected people globally. I can only hope the Nazi's information will be very important, otherwise, it is hard to swallow his release, even though it is fictitious.

Before I ask the questions FlashForward generated this week, I must mention the appearances of Gina Torres* as the Wedeck's wife and of Genevieve Cortese* as Tracy Stark.

Now for the questions.

1. If Demetri (John Cho) is killed on March 15th, who is his fiancee marrying in her vision on April 29th?

2. Why didn't Demetri arrest the future customs officer because of his bong? It would have been interesting to see if he would have still become an officer, or whether it was indeed possible to change the future.

3. Why are the crows affected? Are any other animals?

4. Why are the schools open? After such great devastation, you'd think that governments, as well as institutions and businesses, would be running slightly differently...at least for a while.

Glee - Vitamin D, S01E06

To watch Glee is to stroll a path which is at once recognizable and completely bizarre. Possibly similar to being on LSD...or at least the lyrics of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds might equally describe the view. And the laughter brought out from the show is rooted in hysteria and confusion.

I laughed and I loved the performances, but I keep having to remember not to pay attention to details. Reality and its logic is anathema to Glee. It has absolutely no place in this delightful show. Whenever I forget that, criticism and complaints pile up, but they are unfounded. They have nothing to do with what Glee has promised and continues to deliver every week.

The premise of Vitamin D? Terri (Jessalyn Gilsig), as unqualified as she is, becomes school nurse due to the machinations of Sue (Jane Lynch). Gotta love Sue. She writes in a diary! And claims in her record keeping that she is 30...I hope they bring back her journal writing in future episodes. That is one of the few disappointing things about Glee - just because they hit on a great idea (like Sue's Corner two weeks ago) does not mean it will ever come back. Sigh.

So Terri begins to help the students by giving them pick-me-up drugs. We had some overcharged, energetic performances in a Glee boys vs girls competition. It was pretty fabulous, and quite impressive when Lea Michele, as Rachel, managed to speak even faster than usual while introducing the girls' number. It was certainly delightful that Kurt (Chris Colfer) ratted the boys' drug use out to the girls so they could even out the playing field. We all know where he's loyalties lie.

Meanwhile, Terri convinces Ken (Patrick Gallagher) to propose to Emma (Jayma Mays) so that she will stop mooning over Will (Matthew Morrison). While she finally agreed, making conditions for the most unbelievable marital arrangement ever, Will realized how bad his relationship with Terri is getting. Too bad she's pregnant....theoretically.

Finally, Finn (Cory Monteith) continues to think about Rachel. He thinks he might like both Quinn (Dianna Agron) and Rachel, but Terri assures him it is impossible to have feelings for more than one person.

In the end, Terri is fired for drugging the school, and Sue is assigned as co-coach of Glee club. Now she can destroy it from within.

What are you looking forward to seeing in Glee?

Eastwick - Madams and Madames S01E03

Though Eastwick has not received the best ratings (which means you should all start tuning in), it is one of the most enjoyable new shows this Fall.

Rebecca Romijn as Roxie and Paul Gross as Darryl continue to have fantastic chemistry in the will-they-won't-they fashion, only I don't know whether I want them to or not. I don't know whether I supposed to want them to or not, and that makes the sexual tension interesting and different.

I loved how Darryl comforted Roxie when she began seeing the ghost of her daughter's would-be rapist. She felt no guilt over his death, which she had desired, and he told her that it was okay. And really, if someone tried to harm my loved one like that, I'd be glad if he died too.

Of course, by the end of the episode, Roxie realized that while she might be glad that he was gone, she should feel sorry for his mother and the other people in this world who felt pain over it.

Joanna (Lindsay Price) and Penny (Sara Rue) continued to be adorable as they went on a stakeout (for which they needed stakeout outfits) and looked to Nancy Drew to show them how to unravel mysteries. When Joanna found the reverend and not Darryl (whom she thought she was trailing) at a house of ill-fame, she took photos and put a sensational story on the front page. She realized that she'd been manipulated, since Darryl led her to those photos, but she went ahead with the story anyway.

Finally Kat (Jamie Ray Newman) tried to reconcile with Raymond (Jon Bernthal). Things were going well, so well that they found themselves in their undergarments at a public pool together, until Raymond asked Kat to give up her friends. Suddenly the boorish, controlling jerk was back, and Kat again realized she needs to leave him. Unfortunately, after spending a night with Roxie and Joanna to escape Raymond's temper, she came home to find him missing...along with her kids. I hope he ends up dead too, the jerk. What kind of an ass who can't even take care of his own kids without the aid of a nanny takes children away from their mother who used to take care of him equally well.

So keep watching the show or recording it on your DVRs so that the networks know we all appreciate this wonderful show.

Melrose Place - Canon, S01E05

Melrose Place has succeeded in pulling itself away from the dangers of not being watched by me. It is lucky, because as a Tuesday night show it does not have any other competition and therefore can stay on the roster. It is also lucky that I'm the kind of girl who actually has enjoyed soaps in the past (I used to watch General Hospital).

No, it will never be great television, but the characters are a lot of fun, and between Ella (Katie Cassidy), Violet (Ashley Simpson-Wentz), David (Shaun Sipos) and Lauren (Stephanie Jacobsen) I am interested enough to keep watching.

Violet is a terrific psycho. She is so crazy. When she tells Ella of her financial problems, Ella tells her to simply decide what she wants and then get it. To a normal person, that advice would mean work hard and take advantage of every opportunity. Violet took the advice a little too literally. She decided that she wanted to become a bartender, but since the restaurant she and Auggie (Colin Egglesfield) work for was not in need of bartenders, she put $700 from the cash in one of the bartender's purses and then made sure Auggie found it. Having someone insane on the show does make it worth my time.

Katie Cassidy, as Ella, continues to be my main draw. A lot of the evidence is beginning to make her look guilty, which means of course that she did not do it. Instead, she is trying to cover up the fact that she hired a PI to break into Sydney's apartment and take back all the info Sydney was using to ruin Ella's life.

Again, it's her ability to go from completely competent when anyone is looking to vulnerable the minute she is alone. She is working everyone she knows to be a great success, but she is fully aware that she is not untouchable and always in real danger.

She and David continue to grow on me and to people who use the people around them, and therefore truly have the ability to understand one another.

Finally Lauren has signed up to be a call girl. Getting paid $750 an hour to start is not a bad deal, and she should have her med school debt paid off in no time, but we will see how well it works. It won't be long before the hours she is asked to work interfere not only with her leisure time but also the hours she ought to be at the hospital. And how long before someone figures out that she's going somewhere and getting money?

Do you have a show that you watch which is purely candy like this one?

The Good Wife - You Can't Go Home Again, S01E03

I have to wonder what it means that Chris Noth's Peter Florrick is only a recurring character. It plays against my hopes that he will be able to get the charges against him reversed and win back his wife. Not that I am certain I want him to be able to win back our lovely lead, Alicia (Julianna Margulies). If he did cheat on her, that's not something that can easily be forgiven. The problem is, with the whole underlying current of potential conspiracies, I don't know if he did. After all, he and Alicia had such a great connection as this episode demonstrated.

We got to see some flashbacks to Alicia's old life as she defended a young man whose mother had been one of her best friends before the scandal broke. In these moments, we saw Peter and Alicia as the perfect couple. Margulies and Noth have great chemistry. It is very hard to understand why Peter would cheat, why he would need anyone else because he and Alicia had everything you need to be sexually satisfied. No wonder Alicia is so hurt.

We also learnt that Cary (Matt Czuchry), the other associate in competition with Alicia at their firm, has never actually been to trial before. He has always settled out of court - something he is quite good at - but he doesn't compare to Alicia on the floor; he gets flustered and forgets the simplest of questions. He's also made it very clear that he's Diane (Christine Baranski)'s favourite and he will continue to cultivate her preference. Alicia, of course, is backed by her former classmate, Will (Josh Charles). He knows that she is a natural litigator. And Diane only doesn't like her because she's competition for the role of best female attorney at the firm.

I continue to be interested and to enjoy the show. It does a brilliant job of remaining episodic while having very strong seasonal story-telling. And we will get to see where it is going now that it's been picked up for the rest of season 1.

What did you think?

The Mentalist - The Scarlett Letter, S02E02

While I liked this episode, everything I liked was character relevant and not murder relevant. This may be because it was so easy to figure out who the murderer was. It was so obvious from the moment Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) mentioned that the Senator and her husband had no sexual chemistry the she was gay. Probably because the rumours said that the husband was the one having the affair with the murder victim.

It might have been cool to see Jane be thwarted when each clue his abilities ought to have revealed was not found. After all, the concept of having someone eavesdrop on our investigative team was pretty neat. The whole affair, however, was not fully realized. Though Jane's reveals kept falling through, he never seemed fazed or confused by this. He had apparently already figured out that there was a fixer from the start. I would have been more interested if, for once, it seemed a case eluded Jane.

But enough about that.

1. Rigsby (Owain Yeoman)'s new hair is terrible. The spikes are so the hair of a 15 year old, not a full grown adult cop. If he doesn't change that soon, then Cho (Tim Kang) is right, he will die alone.

2. Cho is trying to get Rigsby to make a move on Grace (Amanda Righetti) despite it not being allowed. He is the man.

3. Grace was amazing when she decided to embrace her feminine wiles to confuse a suspect.

4. The new opening is garish. Please bring back the clean The Mentalist in white on black.

5. Lisbon (Robin Tunney)is in mandatory counselling after nearly being killed at the end of the first season. She doesn't like it, though she seems to be okay with the almost being shot thing. Is she faking it that well, or is there some other reason she doesn't like therapy?

6. Patrick Jane is an addict. I'd never thought of it that way before, but it is SO true.

7. Cho is going on a date with the daughter of the women he met at the post office of last season's finale. I love Cho and that chick was pretty hot so let's all hope it works out for them.