Top Ten of 2009 - Reality Shows

#1 - So you think you can Dance Canada? came back with it’s second season, and it was miles above the American version. The audition process was great, the choreographers and dancers were breathless, and the quality of the show was fantastic. It must be the Canadian touch, but the show is much warmer and fuzzier than the US version, and at the same time we don’t seem to be afraid to push the envelope when it comes to getting the dancers down and dirty. Our ratings and standards are not quite the same as those down south and there was more than one guest who commented on being able to do stuff that would not pass the FCC in the States. Not only were our Judges impressed with the quality of dance, but we even had Mia Michael’s endorsement (and it appears, continuing support) and even a marriage proposal. For quality alone, this show is the benchmark for dance and I can hardly wait for the next season!

#2 – Survivor – is still the King of the Jungle and just had one of the best editions with super villain Russell and the rest of the gang in Samoa. The casting was great this time around and there was some really interesting game play from Russell, in fact he ran things from day 1 and managed to alienate and piss everyone off so that, even though he played one of the best games ever, he didn’t win due to the social component on the game. It’s all about how you play the game and who ends up on the Jury. I am really looking forward to the Heroes vs. Villains edition coming up next !

#3 - Dancing with the Stars – is still a force to be reckoned with and I absolutely love how it has brought dance back on the air waves. The professional dancers awe me with their technique and ability to teach, and the Stars are always a surprise. It is not always my favourite who wins (more often than naught it is another who gets that big old Mirror Ball trophy), but I love watching people try something new or showcase some hidden talent. The show has a pretty good balance, some great guest performances and one of the best hosts in reality television, Tom Bergeron, who has a quick wit, acid tongue and has gotten out some real zingers. It’s time to give this man and Emmy for his outstanding work.

#4 - The Amazing Race - is still as amazing as ever and the production team consistently chooses a good variety of teams covering a nice cross section of the population. They threw a couple of twists in this last edition, eliminating one team out of the gate and making it harder for teams to catch up if they survive a non Phil elimination round. The locales were stunning, the challenges interesting and there was so much drama this year. I think they went overboard with all of the Type A personalities, but there were many teams to route for, and it was interesting to see Teams eliminate themselves by error this time around. It is one of the reality staples here at Couch Potato Central and I look forward to each new edition.

#5 - Top Chef – The Masters edition got me hooked on competition cooking shows (again) and I was in awe watching such high calibre chefs doing the Quick Fire Challenges and putting together some very amazing food. Next was the Vegas competition, and I devoured the past season in Vegas with much gusto and hungrily looking forward to the next one. The mix of chefs was great, and per usual, Bravo made sure to have several gay contestants in their mix and added a ton of drama to the flavour. I think it goes with the territory that a lot of professional chefs are a tad intense. Bring it on, I am ready for more!

#6 - The Soup - is must see TV and my week is really not complete with out it. Joel McHale is hilarious, and delivers some of the most scathing commentaries on the subject matter of reality TV. Not only does it make my hit list every week, but it has more often than naught, shown me a show (usually one of those terrible Guilty Pleasures) that I have to check out. Did I already say how funny and sexy Joel is? If you like your humour dark and cutting, have an extreme dislike for Ryan Seacrest, and no fear to offend any one in the entertainment industry (and that includes Oprah, which is usually a death sentence for anyone), then I invite you to my weekly viewing party. It’s meaty.

#7 – America’s Best Dance Crew – I know that there is a ton of dance related reality shows on this list, but it is the stuff that I really enjoy and it has been such an enormous pleasure to have so much to watch on TV. There is a curious almost incestuous relationship between this show and So you think you can Dance? and Dancing with the Stars, as they all share common choreographers, dancers and even Judges at times, and you get to see some great performances. It’s all very great stuff, extremely original and unlike any of the other dance competitions on the air and well worth the watch. The Judging is hard to follow at times, but seeing the blood, sweat and tears that these crews put into their performances is astounding and some of the movements are out of this world.I am not sure how things will work out this year with Shane Sparks being in hot water at this time, but I am looking forward to the next season to see some slamming Crews bust a move or three.

#8 – Battle of the Blades had a great first season and was such a Canadian success story that it deserved a spot on the list. You can’t get much more Canadian than hockey, and pairing up hockey players with figure skaters made for some interesting (and dangerous) moments, and it was stunning to see these big hulking guys trying to be graceful on the ice in figure skates. I hope it will be back next season, and would love to see them expand the competition to include female hockey players teamed up with male figure skaters and make it more gender inclusive. It was very entertaining, a surprising success and a whole lot of fun. Gotta love that wholesome TV thing eh?

#9 - RuPaul’s Drag Race – How could you go wrong in getting the most fabulous Drag Queens and Female Impersonators on the same stage to compete for a crown? The humour was deadly, the competition fierce and all the drama! I could not ask for more out of a trashy reality show and was glued to the TV every episode. There is some huge talent out there, and it was great to see some of the greats get national exposure, and there is always the catch phrase “ Now you have to lip synch for your life” that I can not get out of my head. I can hardly wait for season 2 !

#10 – So you think you can Dance? pushed things a tad too far this year and after a great summer edition, tried too hard and came back right away with a Fall edition. The Judging panel changed, and it was Nigel, Mary and Adam who were there every week. There was the failed attempt (mercifully) of trying to get Paula Abdul on the panel and Mia Michaels left the American show. With all of that, an abbreviated season that finished off bizarrely, and a set change that does not justice to the series, it suddenly felt like it had no heart and out of place. What was once the bastion of dance on TV suddenly has become a bit of a circus and I hope it recovers. I only kept it on the list because of the quality of dance and some of the incredible dancers that participated this year and not for the rest of the production that has seemed to lost it’s focus. Here is hoping that the next season has some of the heart that the earlier seasons did.

Almost made the List: Dance your Ass off, The Sing Off

Brilliant yet cancelled: The Cho Show

Fallen from Grace: Kathy Griffin – My Life on the D List, Project Runway

Biggest Disappointment: The Fashion Show, Sheer Genius, I’m a Celebrity, get me out of here!

Weekend Rant - Wrapping things up for the Holidays

Things are slowing down on the viewing schedule as some of the shows fall into repeats or are off the air for several weeks or even months a the Winter Olympics will have some impact on the scheduling of a few shows. Things are wrapping up with a few of the mainstays such as this edition of Survivor (which has been one of the best seasons in years) and the Amazing Race. I was hoping for the gay brothers to win but doubt it will happen now as they have been tools the past couple of episodes. It looks like it could be another Chip 'n Dip fiasco, but you never know. So you think you can Dance is humming along, albeit not with all my favourite dancers, but a very fine bunch of contenders none the less. I am really hoping that Jakob will win, but the really talented dancers are not always those who win, as it is more of a popularity contest and sometimes the better dancers get eliminated so some one who is cuter or younger can win. Jakob has incredible technique, great extension ( his feet kill me) but may be a tad too gay for the general public ... time will tell.

Top Chef is finally down to the brothers Michael and Bryan (like I said from Day 1) and under dog and probable winner Kevin. The competition has been great and I was disappointed that Jennifer didn't make it to the Finale ( especially after the Judges were raving about her Duck and how ducky it was), but all the finalists have been great and it is pretty much any one's game at this time. I hope Kevin wins, I would take his home cooking style over the other two guys' any day, and he seems to make some very simple yet complex flavours.

Things will be sporadic over the next couple of weeks and holiday time -- more rantings to follow and some end of the year wrap ups.

Weekend Rant - November Sweeps

This November flew by in a blur, and while some shows have been hitting it out of the park, there are others that are boring me silly, and after the holiday break I will think twice before continuing on. On the fence currently: Flash Forward, Stargate Universe and Heroes. The storylines are not grabbing me and the action is way to slow.

Smallville has been a huge success at home this season, and I am really digging the heroic storyline with Zod, all the action between Lois and Clark and the further developments with the WatchTower and Chloe. The writing has been great this year, the only thing missing is a familiar red and blue costume that I hope they get too eventually. I am really hyped for the upcoming Justice Society episode which looks great in the preview. This show is the biggest surprise so far this year.

Project Runway finished off this season (finally) and while it was nice to see all the gang back together, the season was boring and it better get back on track next time around, or Lifetime will not be happy with their purchase. I was happy Irina won, she may have been a bitch but she makes some fierce clothes.

So you think you can Dance ? has me confused with their new set (hate it) and some of the new choreographers. I hope that this season finds a better balance, I am not digging the new combination of Judges ( Adam is too long winded) and miss seeing some of the other greats on the panel like Debbie Allen or even Tabatha and Napolean. The show is off a bit this time around, and I am not sure if it is because it feels rushed coming so closely after the last round this summer.

V has still not caught my attention like the original
series, and at this rate I am not even sure that they will produce more episodes after the pilot. As usual, this remake is not as good as the original series and it is missing that delicious tension that existed in the first series as the Visitors created a totalatarian state and were more alien (voices) and had their penchant for eating rodents. Some things should not be changed. The good news is that Elizabeth Mitchell will more than likely be free to do some work for Lost.

Melrose Place heated up and seemed more interesting with the arrival of Heather Locklear, and it may garner more of my attention in the future.... but that will have to be seen, I am not into most of the characters on the series.

The Amazing Race is humming along towards the finish line, but I have to say that those 2 Harlem Globetrotters are pissing me off and have no sense of sportmanship. I hope the team of gay brothers wins and puts them in their place, I hate teams that play mean.

On the reverse side of that, this season of Survivor is one of the best ones ever, and that is mostly due to Russell and his uncanny ability to sniff out hidden Immunity Idols. I have not laughed as hard, or seen things change so radically (those 360 degree turns can make you dizzy) in the space of minutes on this show in ages. I would still like to see Shambo get the boot, she is a mean player (but tries to cover it up) and her come uppance will be quite the site to see. I am in glee watching all this happen and to see everyone scrambling.

Speaking of Glee, the series is incredible and every episode is well put together and brilliant. I love the Diva-off a couple of weeks ago, and this past week's Ballads episode was hilariously entertaining. I hope this show sticks around for quite awhile, it is one of the biggest highlights of the week for me.

I am still catching up with several things, but did grab the Doctor Who Special last week - The Waters of Mars, and it was another incredible adventure with the Doctor. I am starting to dread the Christmas Special and the End of Time as I dread seeing the end of this present incarnation of the Doctor, but I know that I will experience a great story and some outstanding writing. I have kept my last 2 episodes of the Sarah Jane Adventures for this week, to tide me over until Christmas.

Finally, I am a tad surprised that Joanna didn't make it to the finale for Dancing with the Stars, I saw her there more than Kelly, but I am pretty sure that Mya and Dmitry will win the Mirror Ball Trophy as they are the hottest thing there, Donny Osmond made Top 3 just like Marie, but he doesn't have that sexy vibe with his partner like Mya, who has literally been burning up the dance floor with all of her sexy moves.

Weekend Rant – Reality Round Up

There are quite a few reality genre shows on the Watch List, and this past week saw the Season Finale and crowning of Canada’s Favourite Dancer on So you think you can Dance Canada. Congratulations to Tara Jean for taking home the big prize. I was pulling for (and voted a ton for) her fellow competitor, Jayme Rae but glad that one of the girls won this time around. This season was another one filled with great dancers and some fantastic pieces of choreography, and I am ecstatic that it will be back again (soon) and they are already gearing up to start the audition process. We may have also have seen the last Mia Michael creation on a SYTYCD stage for the eminent future, as Mia has moved on to other things. I hope to see more of her work elsewhere.

Continuing is SYTYCD territory, the Top 20 performed on the American version sans my favourite, Billy Bell, who had to drop out due to illness. I am a tad more lukewarm about this crop of dancers and will have to see who catches my eye now that my favourite is gone. I hope he comes back next season. It is still early in the competition and I get more hyped once the herd has been culled down to Top 10 territory.

Battle of the Blades continues to perplex me with the strange voting system used by the Judges, the comments that don’t seem to always fit the performance and the continuing drama of eliminating one of the couples on elimination night after the big Skate Off. It’s all for charity so I try to keep an open mind, but things always feel slightly off balance. I still get a kick watching the Hockey Players figure skating and seeing how comfortable they can be and if they have any actual grace. I am pretty impressed with a lot of the lifts the guys are pulling off and all that strength is good for something.

Survivor is churning out a great season with our über winning Galu tribe dominating the Fao Fao tribe. Russell is turning into the biggest ego that Survivor has ever seen ( the guy is delusional in his perception of the game) and I can hardly wait until the merge and watch all his plans go down the drain. I love it when the merge happens and we get down to individual play and you can really see who the power players are. Let’s just hope the Immunity Idols are played this time around, I always laugh when I see them being hoarded and then their owner gets blindsided. It has happened to the best of players and it would be sweet irony to see that trick played on Russell. Just a thought… I would love to see Erik win it all (I love his tree house), and think he is playing a pretty decent game so far. Besides, he is not so hard on the eyes either.

The Amazing Race continues on it’s trip around the globe, and I love how we see the teams go into meltdown mode and it all hits the fan. Canaan & Mika paid the price for a fear of heights, and it was interesting to see one the other teams, the Globetrotters, break their friendly image and freak Mika out even more until she forfeited her place and quit the Challenge. I don’t think they played dirty (it was a bit mean) as they were waiting in line for her to finish. It was the first time I heard anything about a time limit for starting a Challenge, and they seem to be insisting on the rules this season. It’s always good fun but the Race is getting harder and there only a few teams left. I am hoping for the Gay Brothers, Sam & Dan, to win, but they haven’t been the smartest knives in the drawer so far so that may be just wishful thinking.

Top Chef continues to challenge our Chefs, and unfortunately, one of my favourites, Jennifer, is cracking under pressure and will be eliminated soon if this keeps up. I thought it was a given that one of the brothers would win (Michael or Bryan), but Kevin has been pulling off a lot of wins and feels like the front runner at this time. The Quick fire Challenges are always a ton of fun and I loved our TV dinner themed one this week, even if some of the Chefs completely missed the concept with their creation. There seems to be a lot of tension in the house, and I wondering if it something that they put in the water that keeps everyone on edge like that. I find the gang a tad too harsh on Robin, but I don’t have to spend all my time with her.

Weekend Rant – New Season Sensory Overload

The New TV season (and some killer work commitments) have kept the Couch Potato very, very busy over the past couple of weeks, but the new season is now in full swing and it’s been a huge juggling act trying to watch all of it. I am still catching up on a few new things and trying to re connect with some series of last year, it seems like they all started the same day this season!

If you sneak a peek at the Watch List, you might notice that some days have up to 9 different shows listed, which means that I have to record a ton of shows and catch up on them at different times. There are a few shows that I have been watching “live” for that thrill of seeing it happen the same time as everyone else, but the majority of shows are watched off the grid, and I save time by jumping the commercials. Technology has it’s advantages.

I can’t really complain, there is a ton of Dance related stuff airing at the moment, and I am like a kid in candy story watching the incredible Crews on America’s Best Dance Crew. I am really pulling for We are Heroes to win the big prize and be the first female Crew to do it. They have impressed the heck out of me over the past few weeks and I am looking forward to seeing the big Finale this week and see if they beat Afroborike. It’s cool that the finalists are from different genres this year and it won’t be a BBoy group winning. The numbers have been incredible and the show is such fun to watch.

Dancing with the Stars came back with a vengeance and a huge list of “Stars” that were challenged with 2 dances ( one latin and the other ballroom). It was no surprise that the very bland Ashly Hamilton was bumped (they should have taken Dean McDermott instead of this idiot, he would have gone farther), but I was surprised that it was Macy Gray that got the boot instead of Kathy Ireland. Macy had a cool presence and innocence that was way more interesting than our bland supermodel. The competition looks great and I am pulling for Lacey & Mark and absolutely love Mya & Dmitry. Some of the Stars have incredible potential, such as Donny Osmond and Joanna. Others like Debi (who I love) are finding it a bit harder and may fall to the side before catching their feet. Things have just started, and even if our Judges seem a tad cranky, I am pumped for another season.

So you think you can Dance Canada has finished up with sorting our dancers out and we are now in Top Ten territory. The final cuts of Daniel and Corryne were the hardest of them all, and I would have preferred to have seen Cody get cut instead of Daniel, but I voted and that is all that I could do.The Judges realized how popular Cody is with all the tweeners. The quality of dance is still incredible, and the show is really coming into it’s own with introducing a few styles that not appeared on other SYTYCD stages as well as being a tad more adult than the American version. Our censors seem more open to content such as crotch grabs and that can make all the difference in the world for some the numbers (mild sarcasm) but setting the choreographers creativity free turns out some astounding numbers and it’s is incredible to see how most of the dancers are thriving and expanding their vocabulary. It’s turning into a much better season than the first, and I am even finding it a tad more balanced with our hyperactive head Judge Jean-Marc. I do hate that he keeps wanting to put the dancers on his V.I.D List (very important dancer) but it just comes out wrong and you think that they all have some sort of sexually transmitted disease. I know that Jean-Marc means well but his translations don’t always come out as he would like them to, and they really need to have some one tell him that his whole V.I.D idea is stoopid. It was great that Mya was by again to help out with the Judging, and I am hoping to see her choreograph something for the show.

Our American friends are continuing with auditions for this season of So you think you can Dance? and there has been some phenomenal talent so far, but I am looking forward to getting into the Top 20.

Not that all the TV has been dance, but there has also been my new favourite show Glee, that pulled out a great Beyonce inspired – Kurt Centric episode that dared to do the unthinkable and pull our fabulous boy out of the closet and onto the football field. Not only did we get a ton of Put a Ring on it, but some great pregnancy storylines, more of über-Sue and dissension in the ranks and Rachel leaving. With a guest appearance by Kristin Chenoweth (last seen as Olive from Pushing Daisies) just around the corner this show is only getting better. At least it has already been picked up for a whole season so we will get a chance to see how the story will develop. If you haven’t checked this show out I highly recommend it.

Survivor has chosen an huge bunch of Type A personalities for this round in Samoa, and I have been laughing my ass watching the antics of our biggest villain (so far) Russell has been torturing his tribe and making life difficult for as many of them as possible. I am not quite sure that I follow his strategy as his team has been losing like crazy, but it makes for good TV and I have been rolling my eyes as he plays his game. I was in hysterics when Yasmin visited their camp and got everyone riled up, this show is great for showing a cross section of society and things are pretty scary so far. No idea who will win, but it will probably be one of the dirtiest rounds we have seen so far.

The Amazing Race kicked things off with a doozy of a 2 hour opener and the first elimination at the starting gate. I liked the new twist, and was not surprised that it was our 2 very cocky teams that were hung up before our radical Yoga teachers got Philiminated. They certainly didn’t have that Zen vibe that you look for in Yoga teams, and our Poker Players might have their bluff already exposed after only one episode. The gay brothers are just too adorable for words and I hope they do well. The locales and challenges are as fascinating as ever and I love the world view feel of this show, it’s no surprise that it keeps winning the Emmy for best Reality show year after year.

Supernatural is still kicking butt but getting a tad repetitive with our boys falling in and out of sync with each other. It now appears that Dean is the vessel for Michael the Archangel, and poor Sam looks to be the target of Lucifer, which means another big good vs. evil show off between our brothers. I am not sure if they are trying to pull some Cain and Abel references in to the show but the story is great and not missing a beat.

Smallville came back with Clark being all dark and brooding and the rest of the gang reeling from Jimmy’s death. It will be interesting to see who they develop this season, but I am already loving Lois (as usual) and hope to see more of our heroes back and in action. I still don’t get why they insist on calling it Smallville when most of the action is in Metropolis, and am praying the ratings pick up or it may be a short final season.

I love the first episodes of Cougartown and Modern Family, and hope to see them around for a while as well, I love a well constructed comedy and both have some great elements and characters. I love seeing a modern gay couple with their adopted baby and all the strife with their surrounding family.

The new season is off and running and I am trying to keep up!

Weekend Rant - The Week in Review

The past week was not bad with some surprising episodes of Lost and Bones, while a few shows fumbled the ball (Smallville - again) and Project Runway Canada is really beginning to get on my nerves, but there were shows like Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Dollhouse that have really surprised and shocked me.

The Amazing Race is still as amazing as ever, and it was a shame to see Mike & Mel hit the road but you know that once one team gets way behind the others there is never that much of a chance to catch up. It's all about how you play the game and our 2 stunt men got perilously close to hitting the road after sabotaging the other teams. This game is really about fair play and you have to out perform to win -- not try to trip up the other teams. The teams are really pushing themselves and Tammy & Victor seem to be the leaders at this time.

Dancing with the Stars dumped Holly and the Woz (finally) and I hope that Steve-O gets his act together soon or he will be leaving soon.Lil' Kim was amazing and looks great, and you can really tell that Cheryl wants to win this year so she pulled out all the stops (and probably a roll of duct tape) to get her cleavage into that outfit and tangoed Gilles into a frenzy. Ty is still impressing me and Shawn is adorable.

Both Chuck and Heroes missed the boat this week with episodes that felt too repetitive (again) but I am looking forward to seeing the story arc with Chuck's dad. Heroes has completely lost it's way and feels like the same story done over and over.... I am just waiting for the next version of Ally/Niki/Traci to show up and get killed. My interest and hopes of a 3rd season are fading quickly, and I can't believe how the writers have dropped the ball on this series. What was once very promising has turned into an test of endurance.

Project Runway Canada has me waiting for Sunny to win and nothing more. This season was too dull for my taste and this crop of designers is too straight and bitchy. I can hardly wait until the US version returns (the legal issues are getting settled finally) and I will have to check out the new Bravo replacement The Fashion Show when it hits the airwaves. I need a Heidi and Tim fix.

The only thing that has been fabulous enough on TV recently was RuPaul's Drag Race (one of my favorite Guilty Pleasures this year) and I was like a little boy Christmas morning when I heard they have already booked a second season. The only thing as fun as that is this season of Make me a Supermodel, which has all the gorgeous people and the craziness of the Janice Dickinson Modelling Agency with out the psychopathic Janice and some astounding photo shoots. I think Jonathon has a great chance of winning and is really impressing me. The cast is less gay this time around, but as enthralling as ever.

Lost has my head spinning with possible temporal paradoxes and I absolutely love that Hurley asked the questions that we all had to know... and I was literally peeing myself laughing as he and Miles had their "nerd off" to see who had the right theories. I love how they are tying up some of the mysteries (what Sawyer whispered to Kate) while starting more and Ben being taken by Richard to be healed. Seeing our modern day Ben wake up to John Locke was a hell of an ending and I am literally on pins and needles waiting to see what happens next. One hour per week is not enough of this show.

Bones pulled off a surprisingly serious episode that was very Cam-centric, and was almost too different as it was not as humorous as the usual episodes. I was pretty sure that Cam's new adopted daughter is none other than Monica from Heroes, so I am glad to see her getting more work but wondering how this all fits into the series. I think I am just in shock because the episode was so different than the usual episodes of Bones and it was interesting to see one of the other characters in the spotlight. It was nice to see Tamara have the chance to show her acting chops.

Survivor: Tocantins is great and I love how we are getting up to the merge and the Hidden Immunity Idols are starting to come into play. I think that if anyone finds an Idol now they better be sceptical, because it seems that everyone who has found one of the Idols tries the Fake Idol fake out now (and it's a good idea) and it might keep people on their toes. Rule of thumb, they have to be played occasionally as well as it's great to have one but useless if never used. I would really like to see that tool Coach hit the road though, and hope that happens soon.

Smallville has me wondering why Clark is such a tool most of the time and why Chloe is still the poster girl for bad choices this season. I thought that after the previous episode she was being more proactive about things, but this Davis/Doomsday thing is getting out of hand. Tessmacher surprised me with blowing up Davis, and I saw an interesting twist on her personality that makes her psycho and dangerous, but nothing like Lex. Her idea of testing Clark is a good one and am waiting for the big fight at the end of the season. More adventure and less angst please.

Supernatural churned out another great episode and I loved the slant on the print version of Supernatural with our boys being all romance novel inspired. Angels, demons and prophets -- it seems the end of days is coming up and I expect an Apocalypse of a finale this year. I am glad that the show is coming back and feel better going into finale season knowing that there will be a follow up, but still wondering how they are going to try to tie up this major storyline in the next few episodes.The series has been even more thrilling this year and the writing has improved over last year.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles shocked me this week with the very unexpected death of Derek in a move that I really did not see coming. No one is safe on this show (except John) and it is really starting to tear him apart watching everyone die for him. There is some very interesting developments with the storyline and I am loving the tension. I just hope that next week is only the season finale and not the series finale. I expect a pretty big body count after the next episode and when the dust clears I hope to see Cameron still around. This show is not getting the credit or attention that it deserves.

Dollhouse is continuing to be another brilliant brainchild of Joss Whedon, and although I am having a bit of a problem getting past the whole "pet" angle of the Dolls (and am still not sure of the whole human traffic element of the show), the writing has been great and Eliza is as phenomenal as ever. I love seeing the Dolls bond, and the underlying story of our very hunky FBI agent Paul Ballard (loved our Canadian guy in Galactica) and the apparent chemistry between Echo and Ballard. Hot stuff... and the insights into what makes Echo, Victor, Sierra and November tick makes the show even more fascinating. Josh is all about writing great characters, and his work is shining here. I just hope that the ratings are enough to get another season, things are starting to get very interesting and this better not be another Firefly.

Top Ten of 2008 - Reality Shows

#1 - So you think you can Dance Canada?

took the success of the American version and made it even better by giving a more positive vibe to the show. The Canadian version was more interested in showing the great dancers (as opposed to the bad) during the audition process, and throughout the entire competition the critiques were given as a means to improve and not to belittle the participants. The quality of dance found here in the Great White North stunned Judges Mary Murphy, Mia Michaels and Dan Karaty from the American version, and the homegrown and guest choreographers pulled some great numbers out of our contestants. Sure, it probably helped that most of the male dancers were from the Montréal area, but you could not deny the level of talent on the stage and happily, the show was a huge success. I can hardly wait for the next season, and for the chance to see the Top Ten dancers during their tour this February.

#2 - So you think you can Dance? had another amazing season and like last season it was the best dance competition on the air. Mary Murphy has gone up a few notches with her hilarious and ear shattering judging and then having the guts to show that she really does know her stuff by performing in the finale. Overall, the Judges become a more important part of the process and showed their merit, and proved that they could back up what they were critiquing. The season has some surprises with unexpected departures and some great choreography and was always a joy to watch. Mia Michaels and Wade Robson put together more powerful and heart wrenching choreography's and it was a great to see more world dance and other new and exciting choreographers. This show has really helped bring dance back to television.

#3 - Dancing with the Stars - has managed to keep me and the viewing public hooked on it's unique format and mix of celebrities and professional dancers. After several seasons, I am getting used to seeing some of the pros that I look forward as much to seeing how they will do as some of the celebrities. Cloris Leachman was the funniest thing ever to hit the stage (and she did a great job for her age) so far and I was in awe of Lance and Brooke who really turned the competition up a few notches this round. The show is fun and light, and is just pure entertainment instead of being some trashy reality show. Tom Bergeron deserves an Emmy for his hosting duties, he has a vicious quick wit and has had some snappy comebacks over the past season.

#4 - The Amazing Race - is still as amazing as the first season, and the reason this show keeps winning the Emmy each year for best reality show, it's because it is just that. Every season we get incredible scenery and a fascinating trip around the world that is different each time and the dynamics with the teams are never the same. I always have favorites, love cheering for the underdogs and seeing the different customs and cultures around the globe. My only hope is that eventually the show will be broadcast in HD, but imagine that the logistical nightmares that they already have on this show might be further complicated with bigger and heavier equipment. I have managed to see Phil in a few other things than the Race (his interview on the Bonnie Hunt show was hilarious) and it's always an entertaining watch, and the longer I watch the show the more nuances I can see with Phil and his interactions with the participants at the end of each leg. I can hardly wait for the beginning of the next round!

#5 - Survivor - Started it all and is still a force to be reckoned with after the past year and some outstanding play by some of the competitors. I have loved the social interaction between the various players, everything from friendships, crushes, bromances and the major blow outs and blow ups that have happened. The past year had more deception and sneaky play than previous years and I am applauding the ingenuity of some of the players, while so shocked that some of them still apply for this show with knowing basic skills such as fire making and other survival skills. The challenges have been interesting and my only complaint was that Sugar didn't get the credit she deserved for the last round in Gabon.

#6 - The Soup - is still must see TV and my week is not complete with out it. It may not be a typical reality show, but most of it's content is derived from the genre and it is simply too funny and too bitchy to miss. Joel McHale is a very funny guy and his team has helped me discover many a hidden gem over the past year such as Outsiders' Inn and Blush: The search for the next great makeup artist. The Soup is my favorite way to finish up things and start the weekend, and is always a huge laugh.

#7 - Tabatha's Salon Takeover - Tabatha was a huge draw when she was on the first season of Shear Genius, and although she didn't win the competition, she attracted enough attention to get her own show on Bravo. Tabatha has a no holds barred approach to things and is so blunt and direct to the point that it can make your head spin at times. Her most endearing quality has to be her " Don't even think about fucking around with me" attitude and I think my favorite moment of the first season was when she told the staff that they " looked like a bunch of fucking hillbillies". She knows her stuff (and to see her in action is astounding) and I am looking forward to seeing her back next season.

#8 - Make me a SuperModel had a great first season and it was all due to the bromance between Ronnie and Ben. The competition was interesting enough (the hosting was not so hot) and I liked how it was passing in real time instead of being filmed months in advance. The winner of the first season, Holly, was one of my favorites from the beginning and I loved her whole hillbilly sensibility about the whole thing. The photo challenges were great and it was a trip to see all the different locales and equipment for the shoots. Final result, good show with lots of beautiful people and some astounding photos.

#9 - The Cho Show - Margaret Cho dethroned Kathy Griffin as my favorite Gay Icon with her no holds barred show this year, and using topics such as aging in Hollywood and going as far as doing an episode about a Haunted Vagina. The show was more real in the sense that it felt less scripted, and her gay posse was very cute and endearing (as well as drop dead funny). All I can do is hope for more as this season was too short and I must have more.

#10 - Outsiders' Inn - The premise was so ridiculous and the choice of stars so mismatched that it had to be a hit. The idea that Bobby Brown, Carnie Wilson and Maureen McCormick are all friends and running this Inn together in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee was just so impossible and improbable that it had Guilty Pleasure written all over it before it even aired. The writing is terrible but the characters and situations are so endearing (and insane) that it is too much fun to miss. Some things will never replace Whitney crying Bobbbbayyyyyy but this was a good substitute, and opened my eyes to CMT and other hits such as Redneck Wedding. It's hard to fathom some of these bizarre shows but they are a fascinating look at an American sub culture. It can't be wackier than some of those Japanese shows.

Almost made the List: Sheer Genius, American Gladiators, Top Design, Reality Bites Back, America's Best Dance Crew, Blush: The search for the next great makeup artist, How do you solve a problem like Maria?, Wipeout

Fallen From Grace: The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency, Kathy Griffin - My Life on the D List, Project Runway, Flipping Out

Biggest Flop: Stylista, Paris Hilton's My BFF, Rachel Zoe Project, Last Comic Standing, Next Food Network Star, HGTV Design Star, The Mole

Weekend Rant - Holiday Blitz

Things have been zipping along this holiday season, and I wanted to get down some final thoughts before putting out my Top Ten lists of 2008.

First of all, congratulations are in order for the first winner of So you think you can dance Canada, the incredible Nico. It was not really a surprise, the guy deserved and easily won the title, and it was a phenomenal first season for the show. I am happy to say that the show exceeded my expectations and was more enjoyable than the American version.

Congratulations are also in order to Nick and Starr for winning this past edition of the Amazing Race, the brother and sister team were very impressive in this round and won many of the legs. It was nice to see a team that got along well, played hard and did a great run. It was an enjoyable season, and I am happy that the next one is just around the corner this February.

I am really getting into the final manipulations in Survivor: Gabon, and the wrench that Sugar threw in to the gears at the end of the last episode was priceless. I don't care what anyone else is saying, but I am convinced that Sugar is going to win it all. She has been under the radar a lot for someone who everyone knew had the hidden Immunity Idol, and her passing her idol to Matty at the last minute and ousting Crystal (thank god -- she really got on my nerves) has shifted the balance once again and Kenny better watch himself for the next round. I can hardly wait until the Finale this Sunday, and am still betting on the Pin Up Girl. She appears to be the accidental strategist but I am pretty sure there is more than that going on.

CSI is starting the departure of Grissom, and it's breaking my heart as much as the crew on the show. I bet the majority of tears on the show are the real thing and I can only imagine how emotional the scenes are. The introduction of our new (soon to be) level 1, Dr. Raymond Langston (Laurence Fishburne). I am happy it's not a quick in and out kind of meeting and that we get to see our new guy in his current job, but no one can replace Grissom. The big question will be to see what the chemistry will be like with the rest of the team, and how the new dynamics are going to play out. I am still interested but have quite a bit of trepidation.

Heroes is still not hitting all the right notes for me with the current storyline and I hope that things start getting back on track soon. I was disappointed that they decided to kill of Elle (one of the few interesting characters) and I am getting tired of all the back and forth with Hiro. At least it seems like he has his memories back but now is stuck back in time and powerless once again? I am starting to see Hiro as the joke here and never to be the actual Hero that he wants to be... at least the scenes with his mother were great but the time ripples from this particular event ( Hiro getting the catalyst instead of Claire) should be felt in modern time. This show is getting more confusing to watch but I am crossing my fingers that there will be something interesting that comes out of all of this.

Per usual, my biggest highlight of the week was Pushing Daisies. This past episode, The Legend of Merle McQuoddy, was such a brilliant combination of all the things that I love about this show that it's probably impossible to list every single thing that I loved, but some of the highlights included the developing drama with Chuck's undead Dad Charles Charles, and his disdain for pie. The whole pie or cake argument is not only a pivotal part of the storyline, but it is completely reflective of the fact that the show has only a few episodes left and soon all of us will be with out pie. I wish that someone had the balls to keep a quality show like this running on the air, but it appears that the almighty dollar reigns supreme once more.

Charles Charles is not quite the man that Chuck thinks he is (and how different is he really after being dead for so long and then undeaded?). The fight with him and Ned was brilliant, and we'll have to see what happens now that so many rules are being broken. I am surprised that we haven't seen Digby recently and wonder if he will show up in the last couple of episodes before the end.I almost expected Digby to jump in at one point and help Ned.

Olive just kills me, and between her snippy comments back and forth with the Diorama Widow (sorry but every time I think of those two and their back and forth passive aggressive barbs I hear Olive asking " Are those cotton balls stuck to your ass?".) I was rolling on the floor over that one and all the other bitchy comments that were exchanged between our ladies. Once again, high five to the art direction team and their brilliant choice of rain ponchos for our characters, Olive's rain gear was covered in olives (naturally), Ned had Pies all over his and our dear Emerson had Sharks all over his rain poncho. Sheer brilliance on all levels. Bryan threw a little nod to Prop 8 in his addition to the storyline that our Mr.McQoddy was shipwrecked and rescued by a Gay Family Cruise ship (more brilliance), and I loved the allusions to Batman at the beginning with the lighthouse signal, and it was another fun mystery story that got Olive further into the detective business with Emerson and a possible career option. We even got treated to a bit more music this week, this show must be saved some how. We need a Christmas Miracle!

Weekend Rant - Cold Comfort

Pushing Daisies had to be the biggest highlight of this past week, and Comfort Food , had even more tasty goodness than our last episode. The cold comfort is the impending demise of the show and the fact that the stories are getting better and better. The art direction is still astounding, and I loved the whole "Bake Off" atmosphere and odes to characters like Colonel Sanders (Colonel Likkin), the sheer insanity of the Waffle Nazi and the surprise appearance of Muffin Buffalo, another shout out to Wonderfalls and the whole zany universe that Bryan Fuller has created. My dream of a cross over featuring George from Dead like Me, Ned and Jaye from Wonderfalls may only be realized in a dream (or comic book).

We got treated to another song by Olive (as beautiful and brilliant as usual), and the more we learn about our main characters and their past, the more I get attached to this show. I know it's not every one's cup of tea, but it has so much depth and is so unusual that I can help but feel cheated that it will not get to realize it's potential. As usual there was tons of witty quips and a hilarious slow motion run to the finish. Chuck's story with her un-dead dad and the repercussions of lying to Ned to keep dad alive (and conveniently saving her and Ned's life at the cemetery) just got to the crux of the issue at the end of this episode, and I can hardly wait to see what happens next week. Cold comfort indeed.

The Amazing Race got closer to the finish line and will finish up this run tonight -- I was a bit in shock when Dallas forgot their bag with their money and passports and ended up eliminating him and mom during the penultimate leg, and even more shocked that the Frat boys actually kept it together enough to finish and be finalists this week. Andrew & Dan may have snuck into the Top 3 but they are so dysfunctional that I can't honestly see them winning and it would be the biggest upset in Race history if they do. I am still betting on Nick & Starr to win the big prize but Ken & Tina might beat them to the finish line. It will still be fun to watch tonight and I am happy to hear that the next round is already scheduled for February.

Heroes is pushing things a tad with their never ending eclipse that temporarily took away powers only to be things back to where there were before. The saving grace is our comic book nerds who are helping Hiro get back his memories that he no longer wants now that he has looked in on events in the 9th Wonders comic book. I just get tired of Hiro always reverting and going back to who he was before instead of becoming the kick ass warrior that we saw in season 1. Some of the story has been lost along the way but I was glad to see more of HRG in action like we know and love. The show needs to concentrate more on what works and to stop rebooting things non stop.

Survivor: Gabon is proving that out witting the other players is the way to win the game, and Bob has really been stepping his game up these past 2 weeks with some killer Individual Immunity performances and not one, but two fake Immunity Idols. I still think the biggest danger is Sugar, and she seems to some stay under every one's radar, even when she is being quite the bitch and not playing that nice. She still hasn't played her own Hidden Immunity Idol and doesn't seem to be in danger (and it appears the rest of them are so into their own game play that they have forgotten about it) and seems to be in the right direction to make it to the final four. It will be interesting to watch how things play out over the next couple of weeks.

On a side note: enough was enough and over the past few weeks I have dropped Stylista (what a snore fest) and can hardly wait until Stargate Atlantis finishes. I am just not liking the stories and everything feels terribly forced. It sucks when you have a great series that goes downhill ( I still blame all of it on the departure of Weir) and try as they might, they just can't get that chemistry back that was there a few seasons ago. It's a shame.... maybe the next series will resurrect the franchise.

Weekend Rant - Week in Review

The holiday season is upon us, so the ranting may be a bit sporadic but come the end of year, I will be putting up my Top Ten in Reality and Best in Show for this season. Some series have already taken a break until the New Year, and the rest of them are on their way as things get wrapped up but I am a tad disappointed with the lack of Holiday themed episodes in some of my favorite series.

The Amazing Race was hilarious this past episode with our loser Frat Boys being total knobs in a Pit stop that required marching with the Russian Army. Dan & Andrew had another really bad episode riddled with errors and were saved by a non elimination round. I have never seen any one as uncoordinated as Dan in my entire life and I was praying for elimination. My favorites, Nick & Starr, had a rough round but managed to stay in the race and will hopefully get some ground back next round. It was nice to see Dallas & Toni win a round for a change.


This past week, I checked out the Stephen Colbert Christmas Special and it has quickly made it's way on to the Watch List as a regular holiday staple. I loved his irreverent look at things and the hilarious musical numbers. From the opening credits to the cheesy content, it covered all the essential elements of a Christmas Special, with the right amount of sarcasm and irreverent sense of humor to make it a truly enjoyable experience. Some of my favorites of the evening included his hilarious duet with John Stewart called "Can I Interest You In Hannukah?" and the very funny song by one of my favorite artists Feist, simply titled: Please Be Patient. I know I will be watching it at least one more time before Christmas and here's hoping it is actually an annual event and not a one shot like some of my other favorites.

Dancing with the Stars finished up this round with Brooke taking home the giant Mirror Ball Trophy and Lance finishing in 3rd place. I am pretty much sure it was the freestyle round that did him and Lacey in, as their performance just didn't have the oomph that Warren and Brooke did. I still applaud Lance for a great season and I had really hoped to see him come in second (in a worse case scenario) but was feeling kind of uneasy after their last performances. Warren did much better than expected and I really think it came down to style and music choice. No big complaints though, it was cute to see how excited Derek was about winning, and I am looking forward to seeing the next round.

Chuck finished up the storyline with his ex in a timely fashion and I loved the whole Thanksgiving vibe that they had going for the episode. I was a tad disappointed not to get the chance to meet the Awesome family (if they are all as hot as Captain Awesome then that would be completely awesome), but the storyline was hilarious and I loved the whole Black Friday thing at the Buy More. Big Al is under used but greatly appreciated, and it was nice seeing all the gang together at the end. The season is great this year.

Heroes is putting together a fascinating story, but I don't understand why an eclipse takes away powers (hopefully it will be explained) and no idea if the effect is temporary or permanent. Considering that an eclipse takes about 10 minutes to occur I am wondering how much time actually takes place during the episode. The development of things between Elle and Sylar is electric (sorry, I couldn't resist) and I liked the bonding time between HRG and Claire. We haven't seen enough of him this year and I am fascinated by his character. Mama and Papa Petrelli are really stealing the show for me and I am loving all their character development. The Petrelli boys are in trouble in Haiti and poof all of them are powerless (again I don't understand how eclipses work in this world) but the saving grace is Hiro and Ando in the comic book shop with none other than uber geek Seth Green and the return of the 9th Wonder comic books. I wonder what magic potion is going to set things right? The bad news, once we hit the holiday break there will be no new episodes until after January. Bad move NBC, the show was just getting it's mojo back and putting it on hold is not the smartest thing to do.

Bones absolutely killed me with the past episode The Bone that Blew that featured the return of Brennan's dad and a guest appearance by Gina Torres. I loved seeing dear old Dad once again, but was a bit taken back by his new role as a science teacher. I don't remember Max being into science but even with that he had the best line of the night when he asked Boothe if he was gay because he wasn't sleeping with Bones. It was a hilarious moment. The weirdest moment was seeing Booth interviewing Ezralow (Gina) and I had flashes of the Angel TV series and saw him with Jasmine. Disturbing yet welcomed feelings. The chemistry between the characters is still great, I loved the attempt at getting Hodgkins to play King of the Lab with one our rotating interns (Wendell) and I still have a gnawing feeling that Sweets is more than he lets on.

Finally, my heart is breaking as the episodes of Pushing Daisies start wrapping up. This week's edition, with a twist on a modern day Robin Hood and a hilarious appearance by Jennifer Elise Cox (Jan Brady from the Brady Bunch Films) as an Anna Nicole type character. The story was great and I loved the whole thing about Ned and trying not to touch anything in the Trophy Room full of taxidermy animals. Very funny stuff. The creepy stuff about digging up Chuck's dad at the end of the episode was disturbing and I hope that things have not deteriorated too much before the big reveal. I think it has been many years so not quite sure how Ned's ability works with rotted corpses, mind you they have made it seem like he has revived dead things in various states so we'll have to see how things work out.

As it stands, there are maybe 6 episodes left (sniff sniff) and I plan on revelling in each and every one of them before things end. How I wish ABC would change their mind about cancelling this brilliant series.

Weekend Rant - Reality Madness

This week was full of some great stuff, some boring stuff and unfortunately some heart breaking stuff. My love affair with Paris Hilton's My New BFF took a nasty turn with the girls pulling out all the stops (and their claws) and deciding on who was the "fakest" with help of guest gossip queen Perez Hilton. Unfortunately it meant that Onch and Corrie were put up on the chopping block (I could not understand why that bitchy and nasty Natasha was not there instead after her huge freak out at the commercial challenge) and then Paris decided that Onch was too fake and had to go.

I am pretty much sure that I am way over this series now... there is no one interesting left to see except for a bunch of bitchy girls that I could care less about, but in a strange twist the girls seemed upset that Onch left. Stupid decision Paris ---seriously, it was a really stupid decision. At least she didn't give him a TTYN so maybe there is a silver lining somewhere in this whole debacle.

Stylista started this week, and if the first episode is any indication of how things will play out I am a bit disappointed but a couple of things were interesting enough that I will be completely hooked with in a couple of weeks. Anne Slowey is all that I expected and more, and the way she had the contestants shaking in their boots (literally and figuratively) at their first challenge was priceless. Anne knows her business and has a "Do not fuck with me" vibe that makes me wonder why she didn't eliminate more than one contestant this week. If there was ever a tougher or bitchier boss out there I have yet to see her. All of the stuff with her and her interactions with the contestants was interesting enough, but I am disappointed with the Layout challenge of the first episode and I wonder about the level of talent with some of these contestants. The 2 teams that blew it (and they did big time) showed a high school level layout scheme with poor colour choices and bad design ideas. I am not sure that some of these contestants were chosen by talent level or by personality.

I could care less about names at this moment, but Rich Spoiled Girl is a complete bitch that will either win or be pushed under a bus by one of the other contestants. I find the contestants pretty juvenile and their lack of professionalism is a tad tiresome. All the drama around the one with the huge rack was over done and little geeky gay guy better watch his ass before he says another inappropriate thing and gets it handed to him. I was not surprised that Scarecrow and the Big Girl were put up for elimination, and although Anne was gentle with our Big Girl this week but her time is limited. Image counts in this industry and as much as she wants to be there it isn't a sitcom and she will be shown the door soon. Bye Scarecrow, we never even had the chance to get to know you.

Top Design is still boring me to tears, and little Mr Martha Stewart was such a knob this week that I hope he gets booted next week. Preston is still rehashing the same things over and over (everything seems to be designed for a hotel lobby), Nathan is still blowing my mind each week with his out of the box and organic design sensibilities (and he is still my favorite to win), but this week I really loved the room put together by Ondine that appealed to my own personal style. I loved how she put all the knick knacks from traveling and gave the room an earthy feel and I felt that she incorporated the lighting fixture well into her room. The judges didn't feel that way and hated her room and she would have left if Mrs. Shroeder wasn't homesick and decided to leave the competition.

What???

I don't understand how silly people can be sometimes, but I have been waiting weeks for her to leave as she was really just so out of her element. She did a decent job with the challenge but she still needs more confidence, training and practice to go further along this career path. It was too much of a cop out for me and I was really disappointed that the judges gave her the choice (which she had to hum and haw about for a good commercial break) to stay or go. She wants to go? Fine, just let her go and that's it.

Thank god there are only 2 episodes left. I am not sure if I am interested in a season 3 at this point.

The Amazing Race had more outstanding visual moments again this week with their arrival in New Zealand (complete with Phil's dad -- meeting him was a cute moment) and more conflict between our bitchy divorcees Kelly & Christy and the brother and sister team of Nick & Star. All this drama is a waste of energy and maybe the teams don't realize it, but they are falling behind and need to concentrate on the Race and not on the other teams.

There are still lots of teams and the Race gets more exciting for me when we get down to the last 6 Teams and the stakes get higher. I did like that the first Fast Forward of the season was played, as it starts to divide the pack (although there do seem to be a lot of equalizer flights -- it doesn't matter if you show up early you all leave on the same flight). There does seem to be a lot of tension with some of the teams so I am expecting more meltdowns at a faster pace this season and we'll have to see how far this tension will push some of the teams. The teams that I like and am cheering for are: Toni & Dallas, Nick & Starr and Ken & Tina. The teams that I don't think will go far and I don't really care are : Andrew & Dan and Aja & Ty. The teams that I hope lose ( yes I know it sounds harsh but I don't like them) are: Terence & Sarah ( get out Sarah while you can -- Terence is way too needy and you are just enabling him) and Kelly & Christy. Yes ladies, I know that you both had bad relationships that ended in divorce but you can stop punishing the world for that. Very bad energy those two.

The tattoos on the Maori warriors was a trip of a challenge (wild stuff) and I laughed as the poor blonde Southern Belles got frightened silly trying to do the challenge and unfortunately were eliminated at the end of this leg of the Race. They did manage to get a hug out of Phil's Dad so I guess things weren't a complete loss.

Starting the New Season- More Hits & Misses

With the ton of shows coming back to the airwaves (and a few new ones that need to be checked out), there are already a few things falling off to the wayside and one of the first casualties of the season (after 90210) has been Fringe. The series just hasn't captured my attention and with all the other choices available I just haven't been interested in keeping up. It's time to clear up a bit of room on the PVR and if I hear some critical acclaim for the series it may be checked out later but I am not holding my breath.

Bravo is a hit or miss network for me, and for every show that I love there seems to be a few that just don't make the grade. The Rachel Zoe Project didn't live up to it's advertising, but if the Real Housewives of Atlanta is close to being as over the top as what I have seen so far it will be sneaking it's way on to the Watch List. I am slightly ashamed but I will admit that I will check out the first episode of Paris Hilton's BFF, but more for the shock and awe factor than interest in Parisite.

The Amazing Race kicked off it's 13th edition this week , and right after winning the Emmy for Best Reality Show (again), it blazed out of the gates with the teams leaving the US to Brazil .

The teams seem interesting and there is already some of that delicious tension between some of the teams and there are already a couple of them heading into meltdown mode after one leg. Watch out for Terence & Sarah, Terence is getting the award for most needy and best passive aggressive routine this episode, but Ken & Tina are close behind with the whole thing about his infidelity. Is this the right reality show to be airing this kind of dirty laundry? I was laughing my ass off at the Frat Boys (Andrew & Dan) who seemed to think that they had all the ins to airline travel and got proved otherwise. I think the big lesson in this episode is that you need to read the clues and follow the directions and look for the flag that indicates your particular choice. I am still always in awe when I see players that don't know the rules.

Unfortunately our hippy bee keepers were eliminated this week (too bad), once again proving that it is usually the old and the weak that are the first to go.... it's one of those basic laws of survival. It was another great start and I am hoping next season we can get an edition in HD. The locales and views are too stunning and this show really needs to be showcased in a better format.

Desperate Housewives returned, and after the small teaser at the end of last season that showed a 5 year jump in the storyline I was worried that we were getting into unfamiliar, or even worse, Jump the shark territory.

All I can say is wow... I loved the new developments, the return of Edie and all the different components of what is going on.The flashbacks that they are using to explain the 5 year gap are great, and I was in panic mode for the first part of the episode thinking that Mike was dead (and that would have been too cruel) only to learn that he is still alive and well and sharing custody with Susan and their son. The developments with Bree are heartbreaking (and it will be interesting to see how that develops) and I am so loving her ultra Martha Stewart mode that she is in. There are a lot of things that have not been touched on (such as where are some of the kids?) and I am looking forward to seeing some of the new reveals.

I love the new Gaby. It`s nice to see someone stretch their acting chops more and to see Eva be more than just a hot body and a pretty face. The new tension with Edie (the bitching that will be going on should be too fun and Edie got in some really bitchy comments this week) and her dealing with having a husky girl is funny and tragic at the same time, and it may show the true depth of Gaby, or more than likely her continual struggle with image and looks. It`s to be expected, she is a former model after all.

The jump forward was a gamble but it has garnered my attention... hopefully enough others have as well.

Amazing Race Season Finale - TK & Rachel Win

As predicated last week ( and at least it didn't go all reverse karma on me) TK & Rachel won this round of the Race in a nail biting finale that zipped by at such speed I was almost happy it wasn't a 2 hour event. Still... this show deserves a big Finale night to get the respect it deserves.

Now on with that Finale... all of our teams go from Tapei to Anchorage Alaska and find out it's our final destination city. I feel slightly miffed as I think this is the first year the Race hasn't stopped in Canada and I wonder why? Just wondering...

Anyways... our final 3 teams arrive, and are off to a local Outdoor store for supplies and a clue. Here we have the first Challenge of the evening: The teams have a choice of searching for a tiny clue in huge Cod that they have to butcher, or search for a live crab with a label on it in a vat of not so happy crabs.

Daddy Dearest & Christina go for the cod and finish quickly. TK & Rachel go for the crabs, and Gramps & Nicholas realize that they forgot to get their gear at the Outdoor store and have to go back and get it.... this, of course, pisses Don off ( which I can understand but give the kid a break, I always assumed both members of the team would look at the clue) and they end up losing some time. Before you know it TK & Rachel have found their clue and are off and catching up to Ron & Christina who have gotten to the next challenge. Gramps & Nick are bring up the rear and pretty much stay there from that point.

The next Challenge is climbing a glacier... after this very fast boat ride that might not be too environmentally friendly but looked fun as anything both team members have climb to the top. It's pretty vertical and looks like a challenge in crampons and using these huge ice picks. It looks dangerous as hell and I would not be behind my partner (or anyone else) in case they slipped cause those boots are damn scary -- yikes!

Ron & Christina get through with TK & Rachel right behind them. Both teams are looking pretty strong and our final team starts to catch up. Don did very well on the glacier, and I thought Nick was a little worried about keeping up with gramps.

When we get to the final Roadblock, it's a doozy. It's one of the those complex logic puzzles that makes the competitor have to choose 10 items from a very complicated list of criteria, and you have items from all the different legs of the Race. It is very complicated, you can't write anything down and all of the teams are exhausted from doing all of the previous activities.

Christina, Rachel and Nick are our final 3, and Rachel is definitively the most impressive. She is so calm and logical about the whole situation and doesn't get caught up in the anxiety of the moment. She finishes first while Christina and Nick are banging their heads in frustration, and she and TK are off to the finish line.

There is some more clever editing to make us think that there is more tension for the final sprint (which wasn't really needed, I was already exhausted from everything that they had already done) and in the end, TK & Rachel win, they are followed by Ron & Christina (and Daddy Dearest tried to redeem himself and just fell flat with his " this is the first time I can say I love you and really mean it" remark to Christina, you are a dirty bastard-- and I am glad you didn't win) and then Don & Nick who ran a good race and should be proud of themselves. Yes .. you did come in 3rd but in the final round it means you came in last..... but congrats on being the oldest guy to go to the end.

I am just happy that the nice team who played nice and were so mellow and supportive of each other did so well. But I bet ya Nate & Jen were pissed silly over this....