Switched at Birth Wins TheTwoCents 2013 TV Tournament!

winner!

SWITCHED AT BIRTH WINS!

The 64 top rated shows from 2012 on TTC were spread out into four divisions, named after TV royalty. The Lucille Ball Division, Jackie Gleason Division, Dick Van Dyke Division and Betty White Division. The shows were seeded by their popularity with readers on TheTwoCents.com from Jan – Dec 2012.

The little show that could, Switched At Birth defeated all comers and took out the ever-popular Big Bang Theory to win the tournament. It was a nail-biter, with Switched winning with 54% of the total vote! SaB joins 2012’s winner, Chuck, in the Hall of Champions at TheTwoCents.

Mad Men – Recap & Review – The Doorway

photo: amc

Mad Men
The Doorway

Original Air Date: Apr 7, 2013

Ryan O – Staff Writer
ryano@thetwocentscorp.com

It’s back! All that waiting to find out what’s happened to Peggy now that she’s left SCDP, what’s happened to Megan’s career, and, perhaps most of all, what’s happened to Don’s lovelife after being approached at the bar at the end of the last episode last season. All answered (if not specifically).

This two-hour long season premiere gives us the answers to those questions, as well as, a few other questions. Plus, we meet a few new characters, including one played by Linda Cardellini (of Freaks and Geeks and ER fame).

Parks and Recreation – Recap & Review – Partridge

photo: nbc

Parks and Recreation
Partridge

Original Air Date: Apr 4, 2013

Valentina D. – Senior Reviewer
valentina@thetwocentscorp.com

Watch out, Ron – you’ve been served! Or “Jammed,” rather, since Ron’s papers are for punching Councilman Jamm at Leslie’s wedding. In true Swanson fashion, Ron decides to represent himself and take Tom, April, and Andy along with him.

All the way in Partridge, Minnesota, Ben returns to the hometown he so famously bankrupted when he was elected mayor at 18. He’s back to redeem himself with Leslie in tow, to receive the key to the city. What happens when the town’s intentions turn out to be less-than-nice? Poor Ice Clown.

Doctor Who – Recap & Review – The Rings Of Ahkaten

photo: bbc

Doctor Who
The Rings of Ahkaten

Original Air Date: Apr 06, 2013

Maria – Associate Staff Writer
maria@thetwocentscorp.com

Last week we saw a book that Clara had since she was nine. Pressed between the cover and the very first page was a leaf. In the teaser, we see the story of that leaf. It was the leaf that brought Clara’s mom and dad together. Clara’s mom died in 2005, but that leaf remains. It’s a very important leaf.

And Clara is a very important person to the Doctor. He needs to understand her, he needs to impress her. So he takes her to an alien world, a world he visited a long time ago with his granddaughter Susan: Ahkaten. The world, the culture, the aliens may be… well, alien, but Clara is still able to bond with a very special little girl.

SouthLAnd – Recap and Review – The Felix Paradox

photo: tnt

SouthLAnd
The Felix Paradox

Original air date: Apr 3, 2013

FK – Sr. Editor
farrah@thetwocentscorp.com

As I’ve written before, I love the Wednesday lineup on TNT. I love the reality aspect of Boston’s Finest and then the television point of view on SouthLAnd. This week we got to see a lot of the home lives on Boston’s Finest which we see a lot on SouthLAnd. This week, Sherman makes a decision about his personal life, Sammy gets threatened, Cooper makes an even bigger decision about his life, Lucero has a secret, Shaq makes an appearance and Lydia reunites with someone from her past. It’s a lot to cover and we’re almost at the season (or series…) finale. Sad times.

“LAPD officers are trained to safeguard the lives and property of the people they serve. While most threats are external, the most dangerous come from within..”

Opening scene: Sammy and Sherman are in his house, with loading up two rifles. Sammy looks scared.

Grimm – Recap & Review – One Angry Fuchsbau

photo: nbc

Grimm
One Angry Fuchsbau

Original Air Date: Apr 5, 2013

Wyner C – Senior Reviewer
wyner@thetwocentscorp.com

“He sang a sweet song in tones so full and soft that no human ear could resist them, nor fathom their origin…”

Being a juror isn’t the best way to spend your day. Now imagine being hypnotized into setting an abusing wife killer free. Welcome to the legal system: Portland, Grimm style.

The Big Bang Theory – Recap & Review – The Tenure Turbulence

photo: cbs

The Big Bang Theory
The Tenure Turbulence

Original Air Date: Apr 4, 2013

Kym Hoopes – Senior Reviewer
kym@thetwocentscorp.com

In the midst of a conversation regarding the immortality of certain jellyfish we discover that Professor Tupperman is not at all immortal. He has, in fact, been dead at his desk for two weeks. In lieu of flowers, the university has requested bottles of Febreeze. Kripke’s already planning to suck up the tenure committee now that a new position has opened up and Sheldon has declared the whole tenure setup to be bad for science, suggesting instead that everyone be implanted with a chip that causes them to explode when they say something stupid.

But what about Raj and Leonard? Are they tenure material?

Elementary – Recap & Review – Snow Angels

photo: cbs

Elementary
Snow Angels

Original Air Date: Apr 4, 2013

Laura Kelley – Associate Staff Writer
laurakelley@thetwocentscorp.com

Elementary is an interesting show because it is aware that it’s an hour long crime procedural show, and this week’s episode offered up a very unique solution to break out of the procedural-trope mold: Sherlock and Joan have to solve a mystery in a snowstorm with no power. This flips Holmes’s technologically-driven modern methods of investigation on its head and gives us a different (and I’d say more interesting) way of solving the case. Plus he and Watson kind of get a snowplow-driver sidekick, the affable Pam, who is pretty awesome. Hit the jump for more!

Comic Book Men – Recap & Review – Giant-Sized Anniversary

photo: amc

Comic Book Men
Giant-Sized Anniversary
Original Air Date: Apr 4, 2013

Jeff L – Señor Staff Writer
JeffL@thetwocentscorp.com

Tonight was the season 2 finale of Comic Book Men. AMC is developing a show by Ernest Cline author of one of my favorite books Ready Player One for next season, so I’m hoping that means they’ll be keeping Comic Book Men around and hopefully pairing it with Cline’s show tentatively titled ‘Geek Out.’ It wouldn’t hurt anyone who’s reading this (if there actually is anyone reading this) to drop AMC an email or a tweet asking them to bring back the show for season 3.

The episode opens with the Kryptonite Rock guy bringing in a Batman Shadow Box (http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/wbss-batman-3d-shadow-box-wall-art-161260691). The piece was numbered 33 out of 250 and Ming steps up to do the negotiating. Customer wants $500 but Ming talks him down to $350. Sold.

Archer – Recap & Review – Sea Tunt Part 1

photo: fx

Archer
Sea Tunt Part 1

Original Air Date: Apr 4, 2013

Elizabeth – TwoCents Reviewer
elizabeth@thetwocentscorp.com

This week, Malory gathers the team (if you can call them that) to inform them that a US B-52 fighter jet has sunk off the coast of Bermuda. Unfortunately, said plane contains a now up-for-grabs hydrogen bomb. Obviously Malory thinks the best thing for ISIS to do in this situation is a) get to it before the Russians do and b) take hold of the thing in order to ransom it back to the US government. Who’s up for a little late afternoon treason?

The biggest problem being that the B-52 is at the bottom of the ocean (two and half leagues under the sea, if Archer is to be believed) and the ISIS crew have no means of retrieving it. Enter Cecil, Cheryl’s brother! He happens to have a submarine which he is, for some unexplained reason, happy to load to Malory. He also owns an island, but that’s not really relevant, just really awesome. But Cheryl hates him, and his girlfriend Tiff, which is a little less awesome. But really funny.