Switched At Birth – Recap & Review – This Is Not A Pipe

photo: abc family

Switched At Birth
This Is Not A Pipe

Original Air Date: Jun 6, 2011

Karen Belgrad – Associate Editor
karenbelgrad@
thetwocentscorp.com

Young children often imagine a different life. Maybe we’re really long lost royalty or a distant cousin to a famous movie star. But for all of the daydreaming, the concept of finding out that your whole life was supposed to be another life would be very overwhelming.

This new show sets the premise in the initial four minutes. There is no spoiler here to say the show’s core is about two teenage girls who were switched at birth. The premiere has a lot of exposition and back story, but it also sets up a lot of storylines that will clearly evolve throughout the summer season.

TwoCents & Five Questions With Gordon Ramsay (MasterChef)

who will be the next masterchef?

Gordon Ramsay, Celebrity Chef

When MasterChef premiered last summer, Gordon Ramsay was already a household name. With popular shows like Hell’s Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares putting him front and center, there was no way we could miss the demanding, and often foul-mouthed celebrity chef. MasterChef, however, showed us a side of Ramsay we hadn’t seen before. While he was certainly not shy or soft-spoken (if that ever happens, it may be a sign of Armageddon), we witnessed a slightly more encouraging and nurturing side to Ramsay as he dealt with the amateur chefs competing in the show.

Between that and the fact that I am a wanna-be culinary goddess myself, I was hooked, and I clearly wasn’t the only one. MasterChef is coming back for a second season starting tonight, and I’m excited to see what it has in store. I got the chance to speak to Ramsay about it last week to get his thoughts on this upcoming season.

TTC: When you worked on Hell’s Kitchen, you’re working with professional chefs, and when you worked on MasterChef, you’re with the amateur chefs. What’s the big difference between them? Are you finding that some of the amateur chefs could possibly be the level of the professional chefs?

The Shield – Summer DVD Review – Pilot

photo: fx

The Shield
Pilot

Original Air Date: Mar 12, 2002

Lyssa G – Reviewer 
Lyssa@thetwocentscorp.com

What a better way to start out this summer DVD club then to begin with the pilot episode of one of my all time favorite shows. Starting out in this episode, we see the start of the Strike team, we meet all of the different detectives, as well as Captain David Aceveda. There is already corruption by the end of this episode. This has so many different elements to it that hook you in automatically.

We start out with a press conference, Julian and Danni driving, and the Strike team chasing after a drug dealer. Captain Aceveda is talking about neighborhoods are safer. Vic punches the drug dealer, pulls his pants down and take the drugs that he has hidden.

TTC Weekly Picks June 6 – June 12

May 30 – June 5

Rachel – Senior Managing Editor
rachel@thetwocentscorp.com

Every week, the staff at TheTwoCents will be posting their top picks for viewing. They won’t always be the top shows of the week, but the programs that each writer is most looking forward to checking out that week.

So, set your DVRs, watch, and then come back here to discuss how the picks worked out for you.

#1 Monday, June 6 – 9:00 ET – HGTV – HGTV’d (Season Premiere)
Anyone who knows me knows I’m a sucker for renovation. In fact, the channel my TV is most often tuned to is HGTV. Monday night a new breed of home improvement show will be born as HGTV travels the country searching for huge HGTV fans ready to knock down some walls. Yes. I’ve already applied. You?

are you ready?

In Plain Sight – Recap & Review – Second Crime Around

photo: usa

In Plain Sight
Second Crime Around

Original Air Date: Jun 5, 2011

Jules – TwoCents Reviewer
jules@thetwocentscorp.com

After a week off, (which felt way too long by the way), we are welcomed back with the con man of all con mans as our witness of the week. Ronnie is your typical con man conning anyone and everyone this week to get what he wants. In between the crazy and scheming witness drama, we also get lots of Mary’s and Marshall’s personal life, which is always entertaining.

Doctor Who – Recap & Review – A Good Man Goes To War

photo: bbc

Doctor Who
A Good Man Goes To War

Original Air Date: Jun 04, 2011

Maria – Sr. Reviewer
maria@thetwocentscorp.com

The last episode ended on such a cliff-hanger: it was revealed that the Amy we have watched during season 6 was actually an avatar with the real (and pregnant) Amy being held elsewhere. This is the story of the Doctor and Rory’s journey to be reunited with her once again, and it is EPIC!

Camelot – Recap & Review – The Battle of Bardon Pass

photo: starz

Camelot
The Battle of Bardon Pass

Original Air Date: Jun 3, 2011

Melanie – TwoCents Reviewer
melanie@thetwocentscorp.com

I’d like to say that I loved this episode, but that would be a lie. The encounter between the two Igraines that was built up by the previous episode fell flat, and the three story lines covered left me feeling frantic and without satisfaction. However, keep the faith fellow Camelotians, as this episode makes great promises for what is to come in next week’s finale!

While Merlin and Igraine are left pondering what Morgan was doing wandering Camelot wearing Igraine’s face (and sleeping with Merlin), Morgan returns to Castle Pendragon and the next step in her plan to defeat Arthur. Ordering attacks on key entrance points to the realm of Arthur, as well as planting the seeds in people’s minds of Merlin and Igraine’s madness.

Love Bites – Recap & Review – Firsts

photo: nbc

Love Bites
Firsts

Original Air Date: Jun 2, 2011

Karen – Sr Staff Writer
Karen@thetwocentscorp.com

Welcome to the premiere of Love Bites. If you are old enough to remember Love American Style, then you will understand the premise of the show. Essentially it is a vignette of 3 different storylines each week. There is Annie ( Becki Newtons story) , and Judd & Colleen (Greg Grunberg & Constance Zimmer’s story) that will appear each week. The third story will be done by different guests each week. Sometimes the characters from one story cross over into another story. Let’s get started.

So You Think You Can Dance – Recap & Review – Auditions #5

photo: fox

So You Think You Can Dance
Auditions #5

Original Air Date: Jun 2, 2011

Rachel M – Staff Writer
rachelm@thetwocentscorp.com

It’s the last stop, and just like New York, LA has some of the best (and worst) talent the show has ever seen. The first girl up does a sexy number as her fierce alter ego (her words not mine) and she goes straight through. The next cutie-pie and expectant father does an awesome routine and is super entertaining.

There’s a girl (Ariel) who has been auditioning for years, and she finally captivates the judges. And she goes straight through, is she finally strong enough? More and more people get through. Lots of women it seems like from the montage, but I think that’s pretty average.

Covert Affairs Wants Your Help on a Mission

COVERT AFFAIRS Tweetcast: Mission Budapest, an interactive, multiplatform digital narrative designed to enrich the Covert Affairs audience experience and offer fans an exclusive, expanded look into the inner workings of the CIA.

“At USA, we are always looking for innovative ways to engage audiences and expand the series’ narrative beyond the weekly telecast,” said Alexandra Shapiro, senior vice president brand marketing and digital for USA. “We believe the social landscape is the new frontier in storytelling and offers unlimited possibilities for creating organic and complimentary extensions to our hit franchises.”