Parks and Recreation – Recap & Review – Ron and Diane

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Parks and Recreation
Ron and Diane

Original Air Date: Dec 6, 2012

Valentina D. – Senior Reviewer
valentina@thetwocentscorp.com

A few seasons ago, Ron Swanson called awards “stupid.” Well, Ron, look at who’s nominated for one now! Pawnee’s woodworking association recognized Ron’s craftsmanship by nominating a chair he built. He’s excited to attend with his lady love, Diane, by his side but a she-devil from his past crashes the party and creates havoc. That’s right, Tammy Two is back.

It may be Christmastime but Jerry is never safe from the ridicule of others, namely Tom and the gang. How do they react when Jerry throws a rockin’ Christmas party and seemingly only invites Ben, Chris, and Ann?

30 Rock – Recap & Review – My Whole Life Is Thunder

photo: nbc

30 Rock
My Whole Life Is Thunder

Original Air Date: Dec 6, 2012

Valentina D. – Senior Reviewer
valentina@thetwocentscorp.com

Brace yourselves because this episode’s a doozy- tonight, we’re saying goodbye to one of 30 Rock‘s most entertaining and beloved guest stars.

While most of us are thrilled about Liz Lemon tying the knot in last week’s episode, there’s a person close to her who’s on the verge of a breakdown over it. No, Jenna’s not jealous or anything – she’s accusing Liz of stealing her wedding thunder because she and Paul were planning a surprise wedding. When Liz finds out she’s winning an award as part of an “80 under 80” women list, Jenna’s had enough and decides to sabotage Liz’s good fortune. How far will Jenna go to make sure she continues being the centre of the universe?

Jack’s preparing for the yearly holiday visit from his mother, Colleen, and this time, he’s got some coping tricks up his sleeve. Instead of tolerating her constant disapproval, he’s going to sit put and do absolutely nothing so that she has nothing to criticize. While Jack is zoning out, Kenneth is wishing for a simpler life.

Grey’s Anatomy – Recap & Review – Love Turns You Upside Down

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Grey’s Anatomy
Love Turns You Upside Down

Original Air date: Dec 6, 2012

Karen Belgrad – Senior Editor
karenbelgrad@thetwocentscorp.com

Do you remember the pilot of Grey’s Anatomy? When we first met our shiny new interns as they worked a 48 hour shift? When nobody liked Karev, Meredith realized she slept with her boss, and Izzie was afraid to wake Bailey? With this week’s episode, it seems like the show is trying to stroke our memories and get us to warmly embrace the new crop of interns.

And maybe it’s because the new crop is off-balance with four gals and one guy. Or maybe it’s because we’ve seen them be nervous for seven episodes, so the “new” luster has worn off. But I’m going to say that this hour largely left me wanting more Meredith, Karev, and Cristina.

Last Resort – Recap & Review – Cinderella Liberty

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Last Resort
Cinderella Liberty

Original Air Date: Dec 6, 2012

Vincent C. – TwoCents Reviewer
Vincent@thetwocentscorp.com

Whoa. SEAL mission intrigue. CIA mole intrigue. A hostage crisis. India invading Pakistan. Chaplin about to nuke India. Oh wait, he’s gonna nuke Pakistan. Third time’s the charm! This action-packed episode brought us back to the fast-pacing of the first episode. Too bad it came so late in the season. Let’s dive in!

I’ll consolidate the flashback scenes with James so we don’t jump around too much. James and Hopper are tasked to escort a nuclear inspector out of Pakistan. They are accompanied by two Pakistani soldiers. Hopper receives a secret communications. He plants a nuclear canister (a fake one?) into the scientist’s briefcase and starts to video record his apparent discovery. He’s framing the Pakistanis. Hopper then shoots one of the scientist’s Pakistani bodyguards. The scientist draws a pistol and shoots Hopper in the stomach. James arrives to shoot the scientist dead. The second Pakistani soldier, brother of the first, arrives and is horrified. James aims his rifle at the soldier, but does not shoot. The second Pakistani flees. James evacuates with Hopper and calls Gil for help. We then reach the first scene in the first episode when the SEALs radio the U.S.S. Colorado for pick-up.

Up All Night – Recap & Review – I Can’t Quit You

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Up All Night
I Can’t Quit You

Original Air Date: Dec 6, 2012

Caitlin – Senior Staff Writer
caitlin@thetwocentscorp.com

Tonight’s episode revolves around the little things in life that we just can’t give up. There’s also a surprising amount of family angst and soap opera-like drama, but almost none of it involves any of the main characters at all.

Scott and Chris are opening their own construction company. In what appears to be large, half-empty garage. Understandably, Chris is feeling stressed out- a problem he used to deal with by smoking. Alcohol will have to do in the meantime.

GMC TV To Air “A Very Special Christmas: 25 Years of Bringing Joy to the World”

GMC TV, America’s favorite channel for uplifting family entertainment, presents the original GMC World Premiere Music Special “A Very Special Christmas: 25 Years of Bringing Joy to the World,” a landmark documentary that celebrates a quarter-century of star-studded Christmas albums in support of Special Olympics. Hosted by award-winning actress and singer Vanessa Williams, the show features new performances by Francesca Battistelli, Martina McBride, Jordin Sparks, Train, Lauriana Mae, Grayson Sanders and Jono, memorable musical highlights from the past 25 years and interviews with many of the artists and others who have made the series the most successful music fundraising series of all time. “A Very Special Christmas: 25 Years of Bringing Joy to the World” premieres exclusively on GMC TV, Saturday, December 8 and Sunday, December 9, 2012 at 9:00 p.m. ET.

“A Very Special Christmas: 25 Years of Bringing Joy to the World” is an in-depth look at the people and moments that have made the series such an astronomical success including interviews with Jimmy and Vicki Iovine, who produced and conceived the first album in 1987, as well as members of the Shriver family – Maria, Tim, Bobby and the late Eunice Kennedy Shriver – who founded Special Olympics in 1968.

CBS Announces Mid-Season Schedule

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CBS announced mid-season premiere dates for the new drama GOLDEN BOY and the seventh season return of the comedy RULES OF ENGAGEMENT.

The Network also announced the premiere dates of the spring editions of SURVIVOR and THE AMAZING RACE and the season finale of CSI: NY.

As the halfway point of the season approaches, CBS is once again America’s most-watched network, leading second-place ABC by +2.55 million viewers. The Network has eight of the top 10 scripted series including NCIS, the top drama, and THE BIG BANG THEORY, the #1 comedy in both viewers and adults 18-49.

Nashville – Recap & Review – Where He Leads Me

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Nashville
Where He Leads Me

Original Air Date: Dec 5, 2012

Kelly – TwoCents Reviewer
kelly@thetwocentscorp.com

If last week’s Nashville finally embraced the flaws in its two leading ladies, this week focused on their strengths, pitting Rayna and Juliette against the world in separate but entirely parallel plots. Each woman finds herself fighting for family: one trying to hold onto it, the other trying to have it for the first time. In a world where perception is everything, these women have to work to make people see them the way they want to be seen. It ain’t easy at the top (or at least, at #15 on the charts).

It ain’t easy getting there, either. Elsewhere in Music City, Avery considers breaking off with his band mates to find his big break, Deacon considers breaking out of Nashville on a two-year tour, and Scarlett — winning tonight’s Terrible Decisions Award — considers severing her partnership with Gunnar. Fame and love are putting everyone through the wringer tonight, y’all.

PBS Announces Winter and Spring 2013 Schedule

winter/spring schedule

The Crawley family’s fate hangs in the balance when MASTERPIECE CLASSIC “Downton Abbey, Season 3” returns in January. A bonanza of new dramas and documentaries — and the return of several other hit series — means a powerful winter/spring season for PBS. PBS will pick up season two of the runaway British hit CALL THE MIDWIFE on Sundays throughout the spring, along with “Mr. Selfridge,” a new drama from MASTERPIECE, continuing the celebrated night of destination dramas. AMERICAN EXPERIENCE’s bold new series THE ABOLITIONISTS premieres in January; MAKERS: WOMEN WHO MAKE AMERICA, a three-hour special about the role of women in shaping America over the last 50 years, premieres in February; Ken Burns’s film THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE airs in April; and in May, CONSTITUTION USA with Peter Sagal looks at the U.S. Constitution — how it works and how it doesn’t.

Other high-profile programs include an intimate portraits of Mel Brooks and Philip Roth from AMERICAN MASTERS; new seasons of ANTIQUES ROADSHOW and MARKET WARRIORS; and the return of the best independent films to Monday nights, with POV’s “Reportero” and INDEPENDENT LENS’ “Soul Food Junkies” leading a crop of acclaimed titles. A new season of PIONEERS OF TELEVISION, narrated by Ryan Seacrest, begins, and new “Exploration Wednesday” science and nature programs feature NATURE’s “Attenborough’s Life Stories” and NOVA’s “Earth From Space” and “Australia’s First 3 Billion Years”. PBS’ ongoing commitment to arts programming on Fridays offers SHAKESPEARE UNCOVERED, a star-studded new series about Shakespeare’s greatest works.

The X Factor – Recap & Review – Top 6 Perform

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The X Factor
Top 6 Perform

Original Air Date: Dec 5, 2012

Patricia Morris Buckley — Sr. Staff Writer
pmb@thetwocentscorp.com

How many times can we be told the competition is getting fierce? I think the record tonight had to be around 10. Of course the four going on (this is another double elimination week) will reach the semi-finals. So yes, it is getting fierce.

Each act performed two songs. They started with an unplugged song, then sang a tune chosen in the Pepsi Challenge (where the TV viewers pick the tune, the outfit and even the special effects). I have to say, the viewers did a pretty good job with everything but Cece’s Barbarella outfit.