Dear TV Claus … From Anne

For the month of December, the crew here at TheTwoCents.com will be writing our letters to TV Claus. A powerful being who transcends all beliefs to bring us the wonderment of good television. You’ll see a new letter to TV Claus almost daily here and we hope you’ll chime in your TwoCents to TV Claus too!

Dearest TV Claus,

Hi there! Thank you so much for my gifts last year! I think I’ve been a good girl this year and I’ve had some rough times. To help make it better, would you bring me one or more of the following, please?

1. Please give my friend Seth Peterson (@sethpetersonla on Twitter!) a new extra special TV role! He deserves it!

2. Now that he’s no longer on The Office, please find another vehicle for James Spader. The man needs to be on my television.

Glee – Recap & Review – Swan Song

photo: fox

Glee
Swan Song

Original Air Date: Dec 6, 2012

Alyssa – Staff Writer
alyssa@thetwocentscorp.com

The title suggests a final performance before retirement but instead the New Directions don’t believe the dream is over. Rachel Berry helmed this episode and reminded us that Glee isn’t just about winning, its also about the music.

But will the real villain of this piece go unpunished for Marley’s fall?

Supernatural – Recap & Review – Citizen Fang

photo: cw

Supernatural
Citizen Fang

Original Air Date: Dec 5, 2012

Alyssa – Staff Writer
alyssa@thetwocentscorp.com

In earlier seasons Supernatural has shown that hunters can be monsters too – their job to eradicate evil might lead to a cold, sadistic nature where the lines between the need to spill blood and the necessity to spill blood are gone.

In this midseason finale Benny highlighted the evolution of Dean the Hunter while also furthering the divide between Sam and Dean.

Arrow – Recap & Review – Vendetta

photo: cw

Arrow
Vendetta

Original Air Date: Dec 5, 2012

Alyssa – Staff Writer
alyssa@thetwocentscorp.com

Last week’s Arrow tested the waters of the difference between revenge and justice, and the opposing views of Helena and Ollie respectively. This week forced Ollie to confront this difference and draw a line that was fuzzy at best in the beginning.

Also Huntress gets a really lame costume.

Top Chef – Recap & Review – Pike Place Pickle

photo: bravo

Top Chef
Pike Place Pickle

Original Air Date: Dec 5, 2012

Ryan O – Associate Staff Writer
ryano@thetwocentscorp.com

The cheftestants head to Seattle’s iconic Pike Place Market. You know it. It’s the place where they throw around fish. We don’t actually see any fish being thrown.

Another thing we don’t see? Good food. Related to that, something happens that might be unprecedented, too.

Law & Order: SVU – Recap & Review – Dreams Deferred

photo: nbc

Law & Order: SVU
Dreams Deferred

Original Air Date: Dec 5, 2012

Caitlin – Senior Staff Writer
caitlin@thetwocentscorp.com

Just when you think you’ve seen everything, you get an episode of SVU that opens with a music montage of a guy shooting several people dead, including a mother and daughter and what appear to be the daughter’s innocent bystander coworkers.

After his shooting spree, he pulls up next to some hookers, one of whom has been in montage scenes of her own. He hides the gun as she gets willingly into the car, and the two of them drive off, song still playing over the show.

Survivor: Philippines – Recap & Review – Shot Into Smithereens

photo: cbs

Survivor: Philippines
“Shot Into Smithereens”

Original Air Date: Dec 5, 2012

Ryan O – Associate Staff Writer
ryano@thetwocentscorp.com

One theme that has emerged this season is who do you want to play with at the end? Do you want to sit next to someone who you respect, respects you, and has played well? Or do you want to sit next to someone you hate, everyone else hates, and hates you but is also someone you can beat?

Lisa grapples with this along with grappling with whether she has to keep someone in the game just because she gave them their word. What will she end up doing?

Rizzoli & Isles – Recap & Review – Love the Way You Lie

photo: tnt

Rizzoli & Isles
Love the Way You Lie

Original Air Date: Dec 4, 2012

Kym – Senior Reviewer
kym@thetwocentscorp.com

This week opens in a frenzy of writing and drinking as the best-seller author of the memoir Suicide Boy, Ethan Slater, is apparently working on finishing his follow up book – Murder Boy. But when his editor, Juliet Randall shows up to collect the finished manuscript, she finds Slater hanging from the rafters, and the book missing.

Also missing this week – coffee in the station house – as Cavanaugh informs the detectives that they’re embarking on “a week of health” being led by their “wellness captains”, Angela, Maura and a reluctant Jane Rizzoli.

Bravo Greenlights Two New Scripted Pilots

Bravo Media announced today they have picked up two new scripted pilots slated to commence production early 2013. Both pilots center on the complex dynamics of modern families. “Rita,” produced by Fox Television Studios, and “The Joneses,” produced by ABC Studios, are part of the network’s overall strategy to expand its non-scripted original programming slate into the scripted genre. Bravo plans to debut its first original scripted series in the fourth quarter of 2013.

“These pilots give us an opportunity to explore worlds and characters that are distinct from our unscripted programming,” said Andrew Wang, Vice President of Scripted Development and Production, Bravo. “Yet, both projects feature the memorable storylines and strong, unique characters that our Bravo audience craves.”

Go On – Recap & Review – The World Ain’t Over Till It’s Over

photo: nbc

Go On
The World Ain’t Over Till It’s Over

Original Air Date: Dec 4, 2012

Barbara – TwoCents Reviewer
Barbara@thetwocentscorp.com

The episode starts out with Lauren telling Fausta they can only have “non-denominational” decorations. So Fausta’s “Christmas tree” becomes a “winter bush.” The nativity display no longer has “Baby Jesus,” just a baby born to a human family. But really, why can’t it be a Christmas tree? I mean, the holiday is still called Christmas, right? We should still call them Menorahs, not multiple candle holders.

Why can’t all denominations just enjoy celebrating together and not try to tear each other down?