House

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) 05.30 Cougar Town 06.00 The Closer 07.00 House 08.00 Castle Cougar Town. Episode 3. "Don't Do Me Like That" 10th date jitters. The first episode to write Jules as more than just an older lady trying to reclaim her youth. This one is more about her tendency to help everyone in her life and put herself last. The Closer. Season 5, Episode 9. "Identity Theft" Brenda suspects that a murderer's confession is false, and she finds herself playing 'mother' for the first time. Sosie Bacon joins the cast and makes a great first impression as a 'daughter' for Brenda. I immediately liked the character and feel that this will be good for the show. House. Season 6, Episode 4. "Instant Karma" Rich guy, with sick kid. Castle. Season 2, Episode 4. "Fool Me Once" Con man.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) Cougar Town. Episode 2. "Into the Great Wide Open" The Closer. Season 5, Episode 8. "Elysian Fields" Cold case. House. Season 6, Episode 3. "The Tyrant" House returns to work. House changed it's status quo at just the right time. To keep the show vital and interesting they ditched most of the House Team. Now, after two seasons, this episode finds the same four characters that started the series back in the same room again working on a case. And it feels great. It feels like a completely new show again. Even though it's just the old show back. A+ House at it's absolute best. Arrested Development. Season 3, Episode 7. "Prison Break-In" Castle. Season 2, Episode 3. "Inventing the Girl" Model.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) Brothers. Episode 1. "House Rules" Two brothers, who bicker a lot, realise they must work together to keep a restaurant afloat. Melrose Place. Season 8, Episode 4. "Vine" Jane Mancini (Josie Bissett from the original show) shows up and blackmails Ella into helping her fashion business. Violet is arrested, and Riley helps her over Jonah's objections. Riley also finds time to lie to a big time director and get Jonah a big break. Lauren's life as a prostitute sees her taking a beating from a scummy client, and Augie gives David a job but David causes a fight. Lie To Me. Season 2, Episode 1. "The Core of It" Multiple Personality Disorder. Judge.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) 05.00 Cougar Town 05.30 The Closer 01.00 House 02.00 Castle Cougar Town. Episode 1. "Pilot" Jules must track down a kid who has been stealing sexy posters of her (and her amazing cleavage). House. Season 6, Episode 2. "Epic Fail" Foreman takes charge, and must deal with a patient constantly posting his symptoms on the Internet. Foreman makes all the mistakes that we would expect. Yawn. And when the script created a patient that was posting his case on the Internet I knew we'd learn (in a 'big twist' at the end) that House had solved the case. And we did. He did. I yawned. Castle. Season 2, Episode 2. "The Double Down" Castle makes a bet with two other detectives, as to who can solves their respective case first.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) 05.00 Michael And Michael Have Issues 05.30 Community 06.00 The Vampire Diaries 07.00 Defying Gravity 08.00 Warehouse 13 10.00 FlashForward Michael And Michael Have Issues. Episode 6. "Sh... Bag House" Michael Ian Black forces Michael Showalter to accept an invitation to stay over at his place, then kicks him out after a minor incident. Community. Episode 2. "Spanish 101" Jeff and Pierce work together on an assignment. The Vampire Diaries. Episode 3. "Friday Night Bites" Football. This show started strong and every episode peels back the layers of the onion a bit more. Warehouse 13. Episode 4. "Claudia" Artie is kidnapped, and haunted by his past. Brannon Braga and David S. Goyer deliver a solid premise and an enjoyable hour of TV.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) Accidentally On Purpose. Episode 1. "Pilot" Billie gets pregnant from a one-night stand. Almost. But not enough to go back and watch a second episode. The Closer. Season 5, Episode 6. "Tapped Out" Fake cop. House. Season 6, Episode 1. "Broken" The show returns with a great movie that really doesn't feel anything like any episode of the show. Ever. But is all the better for it. Castle. Season 2, Episode 1. "Deep in Death" And that is one of my most favourite aspects of the show. Highlight? House (Hugh Laurie and Andre Braugher) Yet Another TV Review Podcast Yet Another TV Review Book Yet Another Film Review Blog Follow Me on Twitter One Year Ago   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) 5.00 Scrubs 5.30 Perfect Strangers 10.00 Hammer House Of Horror 11.00 Black Beauty This is a great episode. The Scrubs signature moment (where JD makes a point, and all three plots reach the same pivotal question/moment/whatever) is beautifully realised here. Perfect Strangers. Season 2, Episode 6. "Babes in Babylon" Vegas!! Hammer House Of Horror. Episode 2. "The Thirteenth Reunion" Fat Farm & Undertakers. 18-year-old Judi Bowker makes a fantastic impression in this opening episode of the classic adventure series. An episode with a very strong story and good character work on the bad guys, as well as Vicky and her family.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) A great episode. Very much a departure from formula. But the strength of the show is the central character. Mary is fascinating and that final scene goes to the core of who she is. Great stuff. Burn Notice. Season 3, Episode 7. "Shot in the Dark" Michael targets an abusive dad. Considered by many to be the single best episode of Kolchak. The usual elements are in place. Raven. Episode 4. "Prey" Raven and an assassin fight to the death on a deserted island. Party Down. Episode 10. "Stennheiser-Pong Wedding Reception" Gay wedding. Not very funny, but probably the show's best episode. There are moments of great comedy, but the show has found a way to illustrate pain and suffering in palatable ways. And that is quite remarkable.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) 06.30 Futurama 07.00 Arrested Development 07.30 Catweazle 10.00 Hammer House Of Horror Futurama. Season 2, Episode 14. "Mother's Day" Robots rebel under the leadership of Mom. It's also one of those episode where the regulars characters are pretty-much together for the whole episode. Bender runs off, to join the revolt, but the rest of them function as a unit for the remainder of the episode. Arrested Development. Season 2, Episode 3. "¡Amigos!" Everyone heads to Mexico. Catweazle. Episode 2. "Castle Saburac" Catweazle finds a home. Hammer House Of Horror. Episode 1. "Witching Time" Couple battles witch in remote cottage.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) A very different type of episode. Less frantic-comedy, more honest-to-goodness drama between the brothers. Gob is in charge, and Michael doesn't want that. George Sr. (now on the run) phones the company but is unhappy to find Gob there (which genuinely hurts Gob's feelings), and when Michael thinks that his father doesn't want to talk to him, his feelings are genuinely hurt, too. And the (few) scenes that document this really do play them as drama and make us care about the characters and their feelings. Great comedy comes, they say, from tragedy and pain, so - at times like these - the show prevents the characters from being altogether absurd. Yes, it's a zany, crazy show but you do come to care about the characters.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) Scrubs. Season 8, Episode 1. "My Jerks" Taylor Maddox takes over for Kelso, and JD deals with a bunch of annoying interns. Cool. Prison Break leaves the air with an episode as good as any that it produced. The elements of a great PB episode are in place: Michael is cool, Michael and Alex are a united team with a strong bond/mutual trust and the storytelling cleverly misdirects us: We assume things that are not true and the episode uses that against us. Highlight? Prison Break (as good as any episode that came before it) Yet Another TV Review Podcast Yet Another TV Review Book Yet Another Film Review Blog Follow Me on Twitter One Year Ago   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) 06.00 Reaper 08.00 House The final episode of the season brings the simmering plotlines to a conclusion: Sam figures out how to beat The Devil, Andi comes to terms with his evil lineage and Ben and Nina's relationship faces a major crisis. While Sam, Ben and Sock are the main characters of the show it is their lady friends (Nina and Andi) who come best in this episode. Both are written as heroic, selfless and very much in love with the men in their lives. House. Season 4, Episode 24. "Both Sides Now" Feeling pretty darn good about the sex he recently had with Cuddy, House tries to cure a man who has to deal with a left arm that has a mind of it's own.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) 07.00 House 08.00 Reaper 09.00 30 Rock House. Season 5, Episode 22. "House Divided" House treats a deaf kid, while being taunted by his own sub-conscious (in the form of Amber). For the first ten minutes of this episode I was completely distracted by the joy of having Anne Dudek back on the show. Then, once I realised she as playing a part of House sub-conscious that knew things he did not know he knew... I was completely un-distracted and knee deep in the episode. House trying to kill Chase? WTF?! 30 Rock. Season 3, Episode 19. "The Ones" Salma Hayek returns to the show and we learn that Elisa is a notorious murderer. Of course.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) 06.00 House 07.00 30 Rock 07.30 Reaper House. Season 5, Episode 21. "Saviors" Cameron comes back to single-handedly run a case for House. Why? Maybe. Ken Marino returns. Always good. But the show finds a wonderful way to bring the equally awesome Michael Ian Black back for a few scenes. How? Well, he communicates through Karaoke machine. Of course. Watching Michael Ian Black sing it up was a hoot. I kept hoping for more scenes of him singing. They really, really should make this a recurring feature on the show. Then there was Michael Weaver. Seriously, this show is awesome. So, so funny. With great stories, too. Highlight? House (Anne Dudek!) Yet Another TV Review Podcast Yet Another TV Review Book Yet Another Film Review Blog Twitter   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) Kyle XY. Season 3, Episode 10. "Bringing Down the House" The final episode finds Kyle sabotaging the plans of Latnok, while Amanda and Jesse team up... Great episode. But a pretty lousy final episode. The show ends with major cliff-hangers. Some shows get a sense of closure before they are cancelled. Kyle XY did not. And it's a great pity. This show was really hitting it's stride, I think. And the cancellation came at a very bad time for the stories in progress. So, under the circumstances, one must take what pleasure they can from the episode. But this was a Sam episode. And quite a powerful one, too. Highlight? Kyle XY (final episode) Yet Another TV Review Podcast Yet Another TV Review Book Yet Another Film Review Blog Twitter One Year Ago   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) Rules Of Engagement. Season 3, Episode 12. "House Money" Jeff has some extra cash, so he and Audrey decide to blow it all. But they miscalculate... Wonderful. Another superb episode. On all fronts this was a superb episode of 24. 2. The structure of the episode speaks of the confidence of the writers/producers. The big action stuff happens at the start of the episode and it out of the way by the mid-point. The second half of the episode is all about up-close drama and quiet personal scenes. The most dramatic moment of the whole episode (the turning of a head) happened with no dialogue anywhere near it. Again, this speaks volumes of the confidence of a writer who knows they have a great story and knows that they know how to tell it.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) 05.30 House 07.30 The Sarah Connor Chronicles 08.30 Kyle XY House. Season 5, Episode 20. "Simple Explanation" A sick and dying husband (Meat Loaf) gets better as his wife gets closer to her own death. A member of House's team dies. The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Season 2, Episode 22. "Born To Run" Sarah's in prison, John's in hiding with Cameron, and Catherine Weaver sends a message. A very important message. The episode stands on it's own, too. There are major character moments for John and Cameron and lots of cool stuff with Sarah in prison. Then it all ends with lots of action, violence and chaos. A first-time viewer would get a lot from this. Only one episode left. Sigh.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) 09.00 House 11.30 Prison Break 12.30 The Office House. Season 5, Episode 19. "Locked In" We get to see things from a patient's point of view. Ken Levine thinks they ripped off a MASH episode, but I was reminded of "Le scaphandre et le papillon" when I watched this above-average episode of House. Sure, at first, I found the voice-over to be gimmicky and annoying and the very last shot (which suggests that House, himself is 'locked in') was a tad OTT and obvious for my liking, but I really liked this episode. The House/Wilson stuff was kinda tiresome. I don't care anymore about their odd dance of friendship. Also very cool to see Cameron coming in to give some good ideas. The Office. Season 5, Episode 25. "Cafe Disco" Michael turn his old office into... Cafe Disco!   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) 05.30 Rules Of Engagement 06.00 Castle 11.30 The Listener 12.30 House Castle. Episode 8. "Ghosts" Woman drowned in a bath full of motor oil. Anyway... The Listener. Episode 8. "One Way or Another" Charlie tracks a serial rapist. Flawless. The first episode to nail the show's formula to perfection, and the first superb episode. House. Season 5, Episode 18. "Here Kitty" Judy Greer thinks a cat has predicted her death, while Taub makes a bit for freedom. A very funny episode, with lots of dark, sad moments. In short, a superb episode of House. Hmmm. Hmmm. Highlight? The Listener (first superb episode) Yet Another TV Review Podcast Yet Another TV Review Book Yet Another Film Review Blog One Year Ago   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) Reaper. Season 2, Episode 6. "Underbelly" is a lovely change-of-pace episode which finds the gang visiting a small town on the trail of a soul who inhabits the local mine. They encounter a very odd town Sheriff (always superb Stephen McHattie) and have lots of hilarious mis-adventures. Sigh. Sigh. Wonderful Olive-centric episode. Kristin Chenoweth sings again and I love her just a little bit more than I already did. They need to have her sing in every episode. Awesome. The Office. Season 5, Episode 22. "Heavy Competition" Michael vs. Dwight. Again, this episode is a series high. A major story-arc late in Season 5? Genius idea. Every show (particularly House) should do stuff like this to keep things from getting stale.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) Law And Order. Season 19, Episode 8. "Chattel" Children as slaves. House. Season 5, Episode 17. "The Social Contract" A patient who speaks his mind, and cannot stop. Best scene? House arranges to have the patient hit on Cuddy by talking about her amazing body. Hilarious. The Phil Silvers Show. Episode 3. "The WAC" Bilko competes with a lady sergeant for a jeep. Interesting that after only three episodes the show is already toying with the formula. Not only does Bilko 'lose' in this episode, but he also gets a girlfriend. The final scene, where she turns his own tactics on him are hilarious. As is the whole episode, it must be said.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) Law And Order. Season 19, Episode 7. "Zero" Judge with Alzheimer's. House. Season 5, Episode 16. "The Softer Side" House is in a good mood. Despite being haunted by the feeling that I've seen all of this before, I must admit that this is quite a stong episode. The case-of-the-week is good, the storylines for Thirteen and House are both very good. In fact, I was disappointed that the House storyline (he tries Methadone to ease his pain) was resolved at the end of this episode and won't appear in future episodes. Hmm. Is this the first season without a decent story arc? Lost. Season 5, Episode 9. "Namaste" Our heroes try to fit into life on the island in 1977. The Office. Season 5, Episode 18. "New Boss" Idris Elba appears as Michael's new boss.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) The Listener. Episode 2. "Emotional Rescue" Arsonist. Flight Of The Conchords. Season 2, Episode 9. "Wingmen" Bret falls in love. Damages. Season 2, Episode 11. "London. Of Course." Claire Maddox makes a bid for power and Patti receives some photos... Another strong, action-packed, episode with many surprises and a very satisfying resolution to a couple of ongoing plots. WKRP In Cincinnati. Episode 72. "Rumors" An episode with nothing very serious to say, and - oddly enough - the funniest WKRP episode in a while. Many, many laugh-out-loud moments and several cute plots where rumours fly around the station causing complications. The ending is too forced to be really funny, but it's a strong episode.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) Flight Of The Conchords. Season 2, Episode 8. "New Zealand Town" Hair Gel. I loved this episode not just because it was very funny (and had great songs) but also because it is created around the boys, and they are central to the story/humour. The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Season 2, Episode 17. "Ourselves Alone" Riley dies. The behaviour of Cameron is a large part of the appeal of this episode. Whether alone, with Riley or with John, every thing she says and does is fascinating. Can we trust her? Damages. Season 2, Episode 10. "Uh Oh, Out Come the Skeletons" One of the FBI guys gets killed. 24. Season 7, Episode 13. "8PM - 9PM" Bill dies. Bastards. What a great show. Night Court. Episode 10. "Some Like It Hot" Yakov Smirnoff guests as a guy who might set himself on fire.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) 30 Rock. Season 3, Episode 12. "Larry King" Tracy's interview on Larry King causes widespread panic, while Liz and Ken venture into the violent city to retrieve a missing cellphone. Battlestar Galactica. Season 4, Episode 17. "Someone to Watch Over Me" Boomer steals Hera, while Starbuck plays piano. Much better than the previous two episodes. I didn't enjoy any of the guff that had Tyrol and Boomer wandering around the Dream House, but I enjoyed the rest of the episode. Even if the Starbuck stuff was predictable and slow-moving. Lost. Season 5, Episode 7. "The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham" Locke talks to everyone and attempts suicide.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) 07.30 The Big Bang Theory 08.00 The Closer 09.00 House The Big Bang Theory. Season 2, Episode 5. "The Euclid Alternative" Sheldon learns to drive. The Closer. Season 4, Episode 15. "Double Blind" Brenda works a robbery/murder case on the day of her wedding. House. Season 5, Episode 15. "Unfaithful" Sick priest. Who cares? Not me. House forces Foreman and Thirteen to choose between relationship and job, and it makes for a good story but the ending of the episode makes the whole enterprise seem pointless. Except for the case-of-the-week, and a great performance from Jimmi Simpson, this is a forgettable episode.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) The Big Bang Theory. Season 2, Episode 4. "The Griffin Equivalency" Fame goes to Raj's head. House. Season 4, Episode 14. "The Greater Good" Thirteen is sick. Not only is this a good episode, it's a bloody great episode. The stories are good (Thirteen is sick, and the patient-of-the-week is interesting) and most of the regular characters get some solid work on their characters. The House/Cuddy prank war says a lot about both of them, Wilson's past with Amber is mentioned in an insightful way, Taub's home life is highlight and the Foreman/Thirteen romance drives most of the episode. Damn, wish all the episodes were this good. NewsRadio. Season 3, Episode 7. "Daydream" Everyone has daydreams on a hot day.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) 05.30 30 Rock 06.00 The Jury 08.00 Law And Order 09.30 House 03.00 Wings 30 Rock. Season 3, Episode 10. "Generalissimo" Liz stalks another potential boyfriend, while Jack has a twin... So, even though this is an insane episode, it holds together very well. Sure, the events on-screen are crazy but, by showing them as being interrelated, the episode makes everything cohesive. The Jury. Episode 6. "Memories" Was a little girl molested by her kindly neighbour? House. Season 5, Episode 13. "Big Baby" The one with Cameron in charge. Yawn. Wings. Season 2, Episode 13. "Love Is Like Pulling Teeth" Joe promised to look after a sick Helen, but the guys are gathering for a ball game on TV...   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) Blood Ties. Episode 16. "Bugged" The one where Mike and Henry work a case together and try to keep Vicki out of the loop... Supernatural. Season 3, Episode 13. "Ghostfacers" An episode made to look like an episode of a reality show about ghosts. Awful. Kyle XY. Season 3, Episode 2. "Psychic Friend" Kyle is frantic following a psychics prediction. How could they have known? It makes no sense to me. A weak episode in an - otherwise - very good show. Yawn. Good Morning Miami. Episode 16. "The Big Leap" Jake is jealous of Penny's new guy, Frank and Gavin prepare to jump out of a plane and Claire takes Dylan out for lunch. Flying Blind. Episode 4. "Single White Eurotrash" The twin of Alicia's dead lover moves in.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) Flight Of The Conchords. Season 2, Episode 7. "Prime Minister" The Prime Minister visits. The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Season 2, Episode 16. "Some Must Watch, While Some Must Sleep" Sarah is having dreams/nightmares. Pretty sure... 24. Season 7, Episode 12. "7PM - 8PM" The White House is attacked. A truly superb episode. It delivers none of what I was expecting, and still manages to blow me away. I assumed, after the cliff-hanger, that the attack would go ahead and Jack would come from his cell and set about rescuing everybody. Not so. He's immediately added to the President's protective detail and spends most of the episode hidden away with the President.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) 05.30 30 Rock 06.00 Raising The Bar 07.00 Law And Order 08.00 House 12.00 Wings 30 Rock. Season 3, Episode 9. "Retreat To Move Forward" Jack takes Liz to a retreat with him. Raising The Bar. Episode 7. "A Leg to Stand On" Jerry opts out of jury trial because he thinks the judge is on his side. He is. But Trudy take a message to the judge, forcing him to change his mind. Law And Order. Season 19, Episode 4. "Falling" Mike tries to stop a couple sending their child for an operation. House. Season 5, Episode 12. "Painless" A man is sick, House is cranky but manages to save the day, though all appears lost... Cuddy is struggling with the baby she has fostered, but I don't care... Wings. Season 2, Episode 9. "Friends or Lovers?" Joe and Helen go on a date.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) Superb opening episode to another one of television's consistently A+ shows. It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. Season 3, Episode 12. "The Gang Gets Whacked" It's certainly got some very funny moments, but this double-length episode (that turns the regulars into drug dealers) isn't quite funny enough to fill out the extra half-hour. Lie To Me. Episode 1. "Pilot" A standard cop show, with a great lead actor and a nice gimmick. The Mentalist. Episode 2. "Red Hair and Silver Tape" I'm trying to like it, honest, but it's still coming across as a bit too pedestrian for me. I think. Night Court. Episode 7. "Once in Love With Harry" Reinhold Weege delivers another superb episode, when a prostitute mistakes Harry's kindness for something more.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) 05.30 Worst Week 06.30 Worst Week 07.30 Worst Week 08.00 House 10.00 30 Rock Worst Week. Episode 9. "The Wedding" Nicely orchestrated chaos defined this episode. All the recurring characters pop up and events conspire nicely against Sam until - amongst other things - he sets the swimming pool on fire. House. Season 5, Episode 11. "Joy to the World" The case-of-the-week is a bit blah. The best bits of the episode are the scenes of House in the clinic. He's trying to be nice (to win a bet) and ends up with the stupidest patient of all time. Later, he goes to extreme lengths to cover up for a girl that has cheated on her boyfriend (and gotten pregnant). Funny stuff, all of it.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) 05.30 NCIS 06.30 House 07.30 Supernatural 08.30 It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia 11.30 Night Court House. Season 5, Episode 10. "Let Them Eat Cake" For the second week in a row, Olivia Wilde totally steals the episode out from her cast mates as Thirteen confronts some bitter memories from her childhood. Last week, Wilde was the best thing in the episode because pretty everything else was rubbish. That is not the case this time out. She's still the best thing about "Let Them Eat Cake" but - across the board - this is a great episode. But this episode belongs to Thirteen, as she remembers her mother's final days. Sloppy writing, with regard to the climax, but this is a better episode than many recent ones.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) 05.30 30 Rock 06.00 The Jury 07.00 Law And Order 08.00 House 12.00 Wings House. Season 5, Episode 9. "Last Resort" The hostage-siege episode. With Hugh Laurie and Zeljko Ivanek in the same room (and a gun between them, too) you expect it to be a truly superb episode with great performances. Not so. It's actually a pretty weak, kinda dumb storyline. And all the acting honors go to Olivia Wilde who blows the two guys off the screen for the majority of the episode. Olivia Wilde, however, made the episode worth watching. Thirteen starts off not caring about her life and - by the end - she is pleading not to be killed. Wilde brings the character (and the audience) on a wonderful journey and is the only thing worth caring about in this mess of an episode.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) House. Season 5, Episode 8. "Emancipation" House is a superb detective series. It has a lot going on, and operates on a few levels, but it is also a great detective series. This episode has two patients (two stories) and some great detective work by the doctors in charge (House and Foreman). The House-realises-what-is-going-on bit at the end is simply mesmerising. It pulls you in and delivers the goods, week after week. And this is one of the best. Night Court. Episode 5. "The Eye of the Beholder" Weakest episode so far. Bull is annoyed that people make assumptions about him based on his appearance. His reaction seems too extreme for the realistic tone this show has set in it's early episodes. The story is nicely concluded, but the episode is light on laug...   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) 30 Rock. Season 3, Episode 4. "Gavin Volure" Steve Martin guests in a hilarious outing. It's hard to pick highlights when every minute of the episode yielded about two, but I particularly loved Liz's idea of a relationship (basically lots of TV watching and 'no funny stuff'). The Tracy story was a winner, too, but the absolute highlight of the episode was Kenneth performing street theatre. That, alone, makes this episode of my favourites. And House is genuinely lovesick over his feelings for (and kiss with) Cuddy in the previous episode. I honestly thought House was faking the whole thing to take her mind off the baby fiasco, but the final scene (of him standing on her doorstep) has me convinced.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) 05.30 Law And Order 06.30 Raising The Bar 07.30 30 Rock 08.00 Keen Eddie 09.00 House 03.00 Wings Keen Eddie. Episode 13. "Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité" Keen Eddie ends with another good story and another great episode. House. Season 5, Episode 6. "Joy" I love the dark stories on House. I love when they show people being selfish and wrong. In this episode Cuddy is told she is going to be able to adopt a child. But the mother is a horrible weak person. And she makes all her decisions for the wrong reasons. And, in the end, she takes the baby back from Cuddy. It's heart-breaking to watch. But it is great storytelling. My heart broke for Cuddy in this one. Her desire to have a child, this past few seasons, has been extremely well-realised.   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) Brian Austin Green does some of his best work in his scenes with Richard Schiff. The whole thing is a delight. House. Season 5, Episode 7. "The Itch" When you watch House you keep hoping for things to happen that never will. You want House to show his nice side and treat someone with compassion. In this episode Thirteen (who is dying) is spiralling out of control and you keep hoping House will treat her well, reach out to her. But if he doesn't then he's not really House any more. Highlight? The Sarah Connor Chronicles (time-travel conundrum) Yet Another TV Review Podcast Yet Another TV Review Book Yet Another Film Review Blog   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) It's a goofy story idea, but the show makes it work with 100% success. The acting and the tone sell it. And it's a story moment I'll remember for a long time to time. Kyle XY. Season 2, Episode 13. "Leap of Faith" Flawless episode. Kyle and Jessi team up and go searching in the woods. Their bond is strong now. They are basically brother and sister, right, so why don't they come out and say it? Bugs me. But the episode is not about Sam, it's about Dean. It's about what he wants and - in the end - it's about what he fears. I loved this episode. And it cements my belief that Dean is an epic heroic figure burdened by choices that his brother does not have to make. This time out he chose to sacrifice an entire world of perfection because he loves, and wants to be with, his brother.   [read the full post]

By RikerDonegal(podcast@mail2tv.com) 03.00 The Closer 04.00 House 07.00 Harry O House. Season 5, Episode 4. "Birthmarks" Another classic. The case-of-the-week is every bit as strong as the departure-from-formula element of having House and Wilson drive cross country to House's dad's funeral. Wilson??!! Yeah, this fight didn't last any longer than the others! House and Wilson are starting to remind me of Duncan and Joe on Highlander. How many times did they fight and end their friendship? Lots. So many times that it eventually came to mean nothing. Never mind, it's great to see Wilson back. But - honestly - I miss the private eye guy! Best bit? House and the car keys (plus lamp). Highlight? Harry O (David Janssen) Yet Another TV Review Podcast Yet Another TV Review Book   [read the full post]

By podcast@mail2tv.com (RikerDonegal) House. Season 5, Episode 3. "Adverse Events" Best episode so far this season. An absolute delight from start to finish. There's no angst this week over Wilson (thank frak!) and instead we get a fascinating case, House in hilarious form and a script with layer upon layer of meaning and double meaning and hidden meaning. A bit like any conversation between House and his new best buddy: Lucas (the private eye). Lucas is fantastic. And the best development to hit this show since last year's addition of the new regulars. In fact the show pretty much has a whole new cast now. House has three different team-members (Thirteen, Taub and Kutner) and a brand new best friend (Lucus) who, for my money, is a much-better addition to the show than dreary old Wilson. So...   [read the full post]