The Closer – Recap & Review – You Have the Right to Remain Jolly

photo: tnt

The Closer
You Have the Right to Remain Jolly

Original Air Date: Dec 5, 2011

Will – Sr. Reviewer
will@thetwocentscorp.com

This episode of The Closer was phenomenal! I was hoping we would see Brenda’s parents this week – but that didn’t happen. However, Fred Willard guest starred as Santa Jack. We also get our first look at Buzz’s sister, Casey. Let me say she is very attractive and the rest of Brenda’s squad thinks so as well.

Anyway, Buzz and Casey are at the Christmas festival when Santa is supposed to enter from a zip line. He does but the zip line doesn’t stop. Poor Santa Randy dies.

Hart of Dixie – Recap & Review – Hairdos and Holidays

photo: cw

Hart of Dixie
Hairdos and Holidays

Original Air Date: Dec 5, 2011

Cheryl – TwoCents Reviewer
cheryl@thetwocentscorp.com

The Holiday season is off to an emotional start in Bluebell. Wanting what you can’t have sure isn’t easy. What’s even harder might be figuring out what you do want.

Lemon, Zoe, George, Lavon, and Wade are still caught up in their love polygon, and Zoe and Lemon use Rose and Magnolia as pawns in their never-ending rivalry.

Two And A Half Men – Recap & Review – What A Lovely Landing Strip

photo: cbs

Two And A Half Men
What A Lovely Landing Strip

Original Air Date: Dec 5, 2011

FK – Sr. Editor
farrah@thetwocentscorp.com

Earlier today I was re-watching the Saturday Night Live episode with Jason Segal where they poke fun at all the people trying out for Regis’ position. I was more listening to it than watching and realized just how distinct Ashton Kutcher’s voice is. He’s sort of like Chandler Bing, only….real.

But I digress. This thought made me focus on Walden during this episode, which I guess was a good thing since it was 100% about Walden and his moving on from Bridget after receiving the dreaded divorce papers.

Dear TV Claus … From Caitlin

Hi gang! Happy Holidays to you all! 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!

Dear TV Claus.

After months of searching, I’ve landed a temp job and a paid internship- and I still plan on staying loyal to my shows. That should get me enough points for a few wishes, right?

1. On Wednesdays, I watch and review Up All Night, then pick Modern Family over Harry’s Law while planning to watch the HL rerun Saturday. Then I watch and review Law & Order: SVU over Psych, which reairs at 1 AM. Please move some of my shows!

2. Speaking of SVU, could you ask the writers to give Munch some plotlines?

3. I desperately want some more HIMYM hints- about Barney and Robin, Marshall and Lily’s baby and, of course, the Mother. Maybe you could pull some strings?

Castle – Recap & Review – Cuffed

source: abc

Castle
Cuffed

Original Air Date: Dec 5, 2011

Divina F – TwoCents Reviewer
divina@thetwocentscorp.com

Yes, Castle and Beckett wake up handcuffed to each other. This is, in fact, essential to the plot. This episode was all over the place. In a good way.

After discovering that Beckett’s watch, gun and badge are missing, as well as Castle’s phone and wallet, they realize that they don’t remember anything. Beckett has a needle mark on her lower back, which helps them deduce that they have been drugged. They spend the next few minutes trying to remember how they got to the basement like place where they are. They remember meeting at a seedy hotel that rents rooms by the hour. To see a dead body. The victim might have been smothered to death, and he bore a with a similar needlemark, but his fingerprints have been burned.

Gossip Girl – Recap & Review – Riding in Town Cars with Boys

photo: cw

Gossip Girl
Riding in Town Cars with Boys

Original Air Date: Dec 5, 2011

Emily – Two Cents Reviewer
emily@thetwocentscorp.com

What an episode! Wow! Seriously, in what was, in my opinion, the best episode of the season so far, Gossip Girl ended 2011 with a bang! All of the storylines fell into place, all of the main characters had something to do and we even got some Gossip Girl action!

For a mid-season finale, there were car chases, break-ups, tragedy, lies, deception, returning characters and of course heartbreak. I am exhausted! Blair and Chuck make an important decision, Nate gets a good storyline (shocking, I know!) and Charlie’s world comes crashing down. Let’s get to it!

2 Broke Girls – Recap & Review – And the Reality Check

photo: cbs

2 Broke Girls
And the Reality Check

Original Air Date: Dec 5, 2011

Dennis – TwoCents Reviewer
dennis@thetwocentscorp.com

So I’m sure some of you thought “Hey, one of the 2 girls has a horse. Why doesn’t she just sell the horse to make money?” Well, the writers thought about that (and also thought about having a horse on a roof in the Northeast in the winter) and answered that question in tonight’s episode. Basically, the horse is of very sentimental value to Caroline and, as we find out in a touching scene near the end of the episode, Max.

So did the girls put their sentimental issues aside and finally agree to get rid of Chestnut? Read on for tonight’s recap.

How I Met Your Mother – Recap & Review – Symphony of Illumination

photo: cbs

How I Met Your Mother
Symphony of Illumination

Original Air Date: Dec 5, 2011

Caitlin – Associate Staff Writer
caitlin@thetwocentscorp.com

After what happened two weeks ago, you may be anxious about how things to tonight. With a title like “Symphony of Illumination”, this isn’t an episode to take lightly. (Get it? Illumination? Lightly? I know. I’m sorry.)

Robin just told Barney her big news, which I’ll put under the cut just in case. How does he react? How does she react? We’ll find out when this episode starts right where it left off.

The Amazing Race – Recap & Review – We Are Charlie Chaplain (Panama City, Panama)

photo: cbs

The Amazing Race
We Are Charlie Chaplain (Panama City, Panama)

Original Air Date: Dec 4, 2011

FK – Sr. Editor
farrah@thetwocentscorp.com

Sorry we missed you last week. Black Friday and Cyber Monday took over some of our real lives. But TV kept going and the race didn’t stop. The leg saw the end of Ma and Pa, who deserve kudos for running search a great race! I expected them to be out the first or second leg, but they surprised us all. They will be missed!

Now we’re down to the infamous final four episode. Whichever team goes home now will always be kicking themselves for not making the last leg. It always promises to be a great leg …

So, with that, I give you the top four things I learned from The Amazing Race – Season 19.

The Good Wife – Recap & Review – Parenting Made Easy

photo: cbs

The Good Wife
Parenting Made Easy

Original Air Date: Dec 4, 2011

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

What a great title for an episode because it’s so damn ironic. Parenting is never easy. And Alicia learned that lesson both professionally and privately. I don’t know about you, but I gasped a few times during this episode. There were moments of excitement, disbelief, fear and sadness. What a roller coaster ride.

The show started with Alicia “parenting” Caitlin through her first case. It’s just a simple arbitration where the client says she was unjustly fired. But then Martha shows up as the opposing counsel, also on her first case, tethered to be “parent,” Louis Canning (Michael J. Fox). At first Alicia advises Caitlin to take it easy, but after Martha angrily confronts Alicia about not hiring her, Alicia changes her mind. And the gloves came off…