Survivor: Philippines – Recap & Review – Survivor Smacked Me in the Chops

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Survivor: Philippines
Survivor Smacked Me in the Chops

Original Air Date: Sep 19, 2012

Ryan O – Associate Staff Writer
ryano@thetwocentscorp.com

Welcome back! This season we have a few different hooks. Three tribes! Jonathan Penner, Russell Swan, and Michael Skupin are back! Also, former baseball player Jeff Kent and Lisa “Blair from the Facts of Life” Welchel!

Russell Swan was severely dehydrated and passed out. Jonathan Penner got an infection after getting cut on a challenge. Michael Skupin fainted into the fire. All of them were removed from the game. But now they’re back for a second (or in Jonathan’s case, a third) chance.

Here are the tribes.

Covert Affairs – Recap & Review – Let’s Dance

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Covert Affairs
Let’s Dance

Original Air Date: Sept 18, 2012

Karen – Sr Staff Writer
Karen@thetwocentscorp.com

All I have to say is that Annie is one pissed off spook and is determined to go to Russia and bring Lena to her knees! Joan ends up giving her support the “Mr. Phelps” way: by denying any knowledge of her existence if she is caught. That’s from Mission Impossible for all you young cats out there with no idea who Mr. Phelps is.

Annie’s mission, if she chooses to accept it (she does) is to take a photo of Lena, that’s it! But you know our Annie…it will be hard to take the emotion part out of this mission when you know the person you are looking for tried to kill you and killed the man you were supposedly falling in love with. Yes, I said supposedly…I’m not quite so sure on believing this information.

“Big Brother” Renewed for Summer 2013

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BIG BROTHER, the summer reality hit, has been renewed for its 15th edition, to be broadcast next summer on the CBS Television Network.

Since premiering on CBS in the summer of 2000, BIG BROTHER has consistently finished among the summer’s top-rated series in young demographics. This summer’s edition is averaging 6.79 million viewers, 2.5/08 in adults 18-49, 3.0/08 in adults 25-54 and 1.7/06 in adults 18-34.

Bravo Celebrates 10th Anniversary of “Top Chef” With New Season in Seattle

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Bravo Media premieres “Top Chef: Seattle,” the tenth season of the Emmy and James Beard Award-winning series, on Wednesday, November 7 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Famed chef and restaurant mogul Wolfgang Puck joins as a judge this season, alongside Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons, Hugh Acheson and Emeril Lagasse with Padma Lakshmi returning as host, as 21 chef’testants compete for the top crown.

The franchise has catapulted nine “Top Chef” winners’ careers, and this season the competition goes back to the basics, with culinary challenges that require a mastery of the primary skills of a chef. The “Top Chef: Seattle” chef’testants will be pared down week by week as they compete to out-flavor, out-cook and out-do their competition. The winning chef will receive $125,000 furnished by Healthy Choice, a feature in Food & Wine magazine, a showcase at the Annual Food & Wine Classic in Aspen and will earn the title of “Top Chef.” The Emmy Award-winning Magical Elves return to produce “Top Chef: Seattle.” Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz serve as executive producers.

Following are the 21 “Top Chef: Seattle” hopefuls:

CINEMAX Series “Hunted” Debuts October 19

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From “The X-Files” writer and producer Frank Spotnitz comes HUNTED, an eight-episode drama series set in the world of international espionage. Golden Globe nominee Melissa George (HBO’s “In Treatment”) stars as Sam Hunter, a skilled, gutsy operative for Byzantium, a secretive private firm involved in global intelligence and espionage. After surviving an attempt on her life that may have been orchestrated by members of her own team, she returns to work, but doesn’t know who to trust. Shot on location in Europe, the primetime suspense show debuts FRIDAY, OCT. 19 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT) on CINEMAX.

The cast of HUNTED also includes Adam Rayner (“Hawthorne,” “Dragon Age: Redemption”), Stephen Dillane (HBO’s “Game of Thrones” and “John Adams”), Stephen Campbell Moore (“The Bank Job,” “The History Boys”), Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (“Lost,” CINEMAX’s “Strike Back”), Morven Christie (“The Sinking of the Laconia”), Lex Shrapnel (“Captain America: The First Avenger”), Indira Varma (“Human Target,” HBO’s “Rome”), Dhaffer L’Abidine (“Sex and the City 2”) and Patrick Malahide (“Billy Elliot,” HBO’s “Five Days”).

Go On – Recap & Review – There’s No Ryan in Team

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Go On
There’s No Ryan in Team

Original Air Date: Sep 18, 2012

Barbara – TwoCents Reviewer
Barbara@thetwocentscorp.com

“We’ve eaten the broccoli that is baseball, and now it’s time for dessert.” Incidentally this is exactly how I feel about baseball. And first dates. Anyway. Ryan’s group wants him to hang out more with them. Ryan’s boss wants him to hang out more with him. Ryan just wants to hang out with his new Porsche which he keeps trying to command vocally. Apparently he expected it to be the motor vehicle version of Siri.

Ryan tries to sneak out of this house when he sees the gardener, but is ambushed in the back. Apparently, he hasn’t told the gardener his wife died. This is evident when the gardener tried to hand him fruit for his wife. Ryan said he just can’t deal with the outpouring of sympathy. Instead, he deals by throwing said fruit at people in the office. He said it’d be a shame to waste that fact that people won’t get mad at him since they feel sorry for him. He’s got a point.

So You Think You Can Dance – Recap & Review – Finale

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So You Think You Can Dance
Finale

Original Air Date: Sep 18, 2012

Barbara – TwoCents Reviewer
Barbara@thetwocentscorp.com

A million dances, six judges (I love seeing Debbie Allen up there), Cat in a sparkly dress, Carly Rae Jepson and, oh yeah, we announce America’s Favorite Girl and Guy Dancer!! Also, Nigel is wearing a creepy, shiny jacket that reacts to his movements. I imagine the reflections are the trapped souls of dancers whose dreams he’s crushed.

I have to say, I liked that they did a little montage showing the results of the last eight seasons as the opener to this show. It was fun to be reminded of winners and especially fun to watch for their reactions since you knew which person to watch. It was also a good idea to start with them instead of the top 20 because there are always one or two dancers I’ve forgotten and starting on a high note of winners is better than the poor little forgotten ones. And wow—Sonya Tayeh has her hair down—like, all the way down. She is a beautiful woman and just rock anything. She co-choreographed the number with Christopher Scott. It was pretty legit—and ended with Tiffany and Eliana being tossed into the arms of Chehon and Cyrus. I liked it.

Parenthood – Recap & Review – Left Field

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Parenthood
Left Field

Original Air Date: Sep 18, 2012

Karen Belgrad – Senior Editor
Karenbelgrad@thetwocentscorp.com

The amazing thing about Parenthood is how it takes all of lives little moments and can culminate them in a single moment. We go about our daily routines, never thinking anything different, and until we’re faced with unexpected events. This was that hour of television.

More than anything, I think it’s time to call out Monica Porter on her stellar performance. Like Julie Bowen on Modern Family, the type-A mother can often be overlooked as domineering and a shrew. Early this hour, I was prepared to roll my eyes, but in the blink of an eye everything changes. And I think Monica Potter has found her Emmy reel for next year.

Sons of Anarchy – Recap & Review – Authority Vested

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Sons of Anarchy
Authority Vested

Original Air Date: Sep 18, 2012

Lyssa G – TwoCents Reviewer
lyssa@thetwocentscorp.com

Welcome to week two of this long journey! After last week I cannot wait to see if they are able to keep up with the high pace that they set up last week, or if this week will dwindle into more of the story.

Last week as we started on this new path with Jax. He is already embracing his role as president. Bobby has now been voted in as his vice president. Tig is going to be on a rampage now that Damon Pope killed his daughter. Opie has decided to step away from the club for now. Gemma is now very friendly with Nero, he is even offering a safe place for Jax and Chibs while the sheriffs are looking for them. Lets see what kind of chaos arises this week.

White Collar – Recap & Review – Vested Interest

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White Collar
Vested Interest

Original Air Date: Sep 18, 2012

Jules – News Editor
jules@thetwocentscorp.com

Mid-season finale time! White Collar’s had some explosive and life altering finales and this one is definitely no different. The twist is one I suspected early on and early in this episode it was rapidly confirmed for me. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t good, because it was.

Last week Sam supposedly ran off and Neal and Peter were on the spat. How long will their separation last? Not too long I hope, but separation does a duo some good, no?