Dexter – Recap & Review – A Beautiful Day

photo: showtime

Dexter
A Beautiful Day

Original Air Date: Jun 30, 2013

Karen Belgrad – Senior Editor
karenbelgrad@thetwocentscorp.com

And so the end begins. We’ve now entered season eight of Dexter, where everything will come to a head and a close. Will Dexter be caught? Will Dexter be killed? Or will he roam free to kill another day?

We won’t know any of these answers for many weeks, but what we do know is that everything has changed. Where Dexter once cherished the structure of the life he built for himself, now everything has descended into chaos and panic. And Dexter isn’t handling it very well.

Arrested Development – Recap & Review – Blockheads

photo: netflix

Arrested Development
Blockheads

Original Air Date: May 26, 2013

JD – Sr. Staff Writer
jd@thetwocentscorp.com

We’ve come to the end of the new season of Arrested Development, and it really has been a whirlwind. The amount of story crammed into only 15 episodes and the intricacy with which it was sewn together is nearly astounding, though there is some healthy debate as to whether or not putting the season out in this way was a good thing or not. Overall, I’m glad we have this season, even if it wasn’t perfect. Nothing ever is, and I think the pros have outweighed the cons.

This final installment is ostensibly a George Michael episode, and picks up his story from “It Gets Better”, but really this episode is just as much about Michael as it is George Michael. Their relationship has become complicated since we left them in season three, with George Michael leaving for college and discovering himself while Michael’s life sort of disintigrated. This episode follows more of that plot, and eventually sees them try to repair the damage they’ve done. Will they work it out? Read on…

Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel Premieres Friday August 16

photo: disney

Two iconic universes collide when Marvel and Disney characters team up in “Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel,” a landmark “Phineas and Ferb” episode in which Marvel Super Heroes and the popular animated duo, Phineas and Ferb, defeat Marvel Super Villains and Dr. Doofenshmirtz, in an epic battle of good versus evil. This first ever crossover animated television special for Marvel and Disney characters premieres FRIDAY, AUGUST 16 (8:00 p.m., ET/PT) on Disney Channel. Beginning, Monday, August 12, Disney Channel SVOD and verified users on WATCHDisneychannel.com and the WATCH Disney Channel app for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch will be treated to a first look at “Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel.”

“The Marvel series and ‘Phineas and Ferb’ both feature strong, memorable characters and compelling stories for kids and families alike, and we’re excited to present their great match-up to Disney Channel and Disney XD viewers this summer,” said Eric Coleman, Senior Vice President, Original Series, Disney Television Animation.

Graceland – Recap & Review – Pizza Box

photo: usa

Graceland
Pizza Box

Original Air Date: Jun 27, 2013

Jules – Senior News Editor
jules@thetwocentscorp.com

So this episode has nothing to do with pizza. This episode does involve food (not pizza) as a C-plot line and it made me quite hungry afterwards.

The focus this week is seeing Mike delving deeper and working with Bello’s gang, with Briggs now in the background, while Johnny and Dale get to go undercover themselves helping Paige with a pot bust.

MasterChef – Recap & Review – Top 12 Compete

(photo: fox)

MasterChef
Top 12 Compete

Original Air Date: Jun 26, 2013

FK – Senior Editor
farrah@thetwocentscorp.com

After a Mystery Box/Elimination challenge, it was time for a team challenge and it wouldn’t just impact the players … the home cooks were tasked with catering a wedding. While catering three courses might be too much, Graham took on the appetizer and Gordon took on the dessert so the home cooks had to not only make a great dinner dish, but they had to have it match the first and third courses.

Natasha and James, the winners of the Elimination Challenge who were named team captains, picked their teams. Natasha (red) chose Eddie, Jordan, Beth, Savannah and Krissi. James (blue) chose Lynn, Jessie, Jonny, Bri and Luca. An immediate twist has Bri (the sole vegetarian) and Krissi sitting out and judging as well as being safe from elimination.

MasterChef – Recap & Review – Top 13 Compete

(photo: fox)

MasterChef
Top 13 Compete

Original Air Date: Jun 26, 2013

FK – Senior Editor
farrah@thetwocentscorp.com

Welcome to this season’s coverage of MasterChef. Sorry for being a bit behind, but you haven’t missed that much. The auditions were the usual combination of heart warming stories (“I’m doing this for my kids” or “This is my new start”) mixed with silliness (yes, the preview of the secret ingredient of breast milk did happen and it still grossed me out even though I knew it was coming).

The traditional first egg dish was replaced with lamb and langoustine. The contestants cooked for kids, firefighters and the cast and crew of Glee. Mystery Box items have included foreign (and unidentifiable) ingredients, Asian fusion and elimination challenges that have included making an entire cheesecake.

So now we’re at the top 13 and there are no front runners like there were in previous seasons. There are some good stories and some of the chefs have good days, but no one has been consistent across the board.

USA Orders Two Additional Episodes for Psych Season 8

photo: usa

USA Network, the #1 cable network, is giving PSYCH-Os what they want: more PSYCH episodes! Due to the extraordinary popularity of the show, the network has ordered two additional episodes for the eighth season, and, for the first time ever, fans will have the opportunity to vote for one they want to see appear on-air. The results will be announced when PSYCH makes its fifth annual return to San Diego’s Comic Con® on July 18.

Fans can start making their voices heard on Wednesday, June 26, viahttp://www.usanetwork.com/content/psych-episode-vote, and cast their vote for one of the following storylines:

FOX Announces Fall Premiere Dates for 2013-14 Season

2013 fall premiere dates

The 2013-2014 season begins with the return of THE X FACTOR. Hosted by Mario Lopez, and featuring judges Simon Cowell, Demi Lovato, Kelly Rowland and Paulina Rubio, the hit music competition series will launch with a two-night season premiere event on Wednesday, Sept. 11 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) and Thursday, Sept. 12 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT).

Darkly amusing procedural BONES enters its ninth season on Monday, Sept. 16 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT), followed by the series premiere of the thrilling adventure fantasy SLEEPY HOLLOW (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). In this modern-day twist on Washington Irving’s classic, ICHABOD CRANE (Tom Mison, “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen”) is resurrected and pulled two and a half centuries through time to find that the world is on the brink of destruction and that he is humanity’s last hope, forcing him to team up with a contemporary police officer (Nicole Beharie, “42,” “Shame,” “American Violet”) to unravel a mystery that dates back to the founding fathers.

OWN to air ‘All My Children,’ ‘One Life to Live’

all my children cast

Oprah Winfrey’s OWN network has acquired the first 40 episodes of the daytime dramas’ revival on The Online Network. Half-hour episodes of All My Children and One Life to Live will air Monday through Thursday Monday, July 15. AMC will air at 1 p.m. ET/PT and OLTL at 3 p.m. ET/PT.

“These shows have proven to be very popular with a significant, loyal fan base, not to mention Oprah herself is a big fan,” said Erik Logan, president, OWN, in a statement. “Many of our viewers across numerous platforms have expressed their passion for the soaps so we are especially excited to air this limited engagement on OWN.”

“We are really excited to bring OWN viewers and our audience at large an opportunity to catch up on All My Children and One Life to Live on traditional television,” said Jeff Kwatinetz, CEO Prospect Park Networks in a statement. “We look forward to our millions of fans enjoying the first 40 episodes of the shows.”

Arrested Development – Recap & Review – Off The Hook

photo: netflix

Arrested Development
Off The Hook

Original Air Date: May 26, 2013

JD – Sr. Staff Writer
jd@thetwocentscorp.com

Buster’s back! Throughout the entire 4th season of Arrested Development, Buster has been mostly absent. We’ve really mainly seen him reacting to things, but not gotten to observe his life following Lucille’s commandeering of the Queen Mary. Considering Buster has always been one of my favorite characters, it’s been mildly disappointing to see him go unused.

In Buster’s Arrested Development we watch him go through the torment of losing his mother (in part to prison, but also of her own choosing) and his desperate search for a replacement mother figure, as well as his attempt to regain her love and respect after missing her trial.

Yep. Buster wasn’t at the trial either.