AJ Cook returns to Criminal Minds! Sort of.

AJ Cook

Criminal Minds fans got some exciting news this week! Along with some not so exciting news. I know all of us want to bring JJ back to the show, and guess what? That’s happening! Although maybe not in the way we would like. When I read the headlines, I was about to jump for joy that AJ Cook was returning to the show, until I read that it was only for one episode.

Still, it’s better than nothing. One more episode is better than zero, right? Except that it’s also apparently going to be Prentiss’ farewell episode. Even that Matthew Gray Gubler is directing doesn’t make that news any easier to swallow.

Paget Brewster was offered her full contract back this season after initially only having a limited number of episodes before being written out. Brewster opted to keep the limited contract because it had a “pilot out”, which left her open to doing the pilot of another show while still working on Criminal Minds. Does this upcoming episode mean the end for her? Is the option still open for her to return later? I guess this will all depend on how the episode goes.

I should be thrilled to see JJ come back, even once. Instead, I’m left with mixed feelings. And a lot of worry about this upcoming episode. What about you guys? Give me your two cents!

Grey’s Anatomy – Recap & Review – Don’t Deceive Me (Please Don’t Go)

photo: abc

Grey’s Anatomy
Don’t Deceive Me (Please Don’t Go)

Original Air Date: Feb 3, 2011

Angelique – Associate Staff Writer
Angelique@thetwocentscorp.com

Deception is the key word. It seems to be the common topic in all the story lines of this episode. Whether it is the deception of a patient by giving them a placebo or telling them they might experience some minor discomfort after surgery, or deception by making someone believe that you are listening to them when, in fact, you are not (because you are certain they will never find out). After another small hiatus the show is back with some much anticipated reactions to Callie’s revelation that she is pregnant.

Callie told Arizona in the elevator, and she now has to tell Mark about the baby. As expected, he’s very happy. Shocked but happy. Then he asks her if they should get married. Callie tells him that there are lines they shouldn’t cross and kind of laughs it off. But when she mentions that he should tell Lexie, his soul mate whom he finally got back together with. Mark freaks out.

Outsourced – Recap & Review – Training Day

photo: nbc

Outsourced
Training Day

Original Air Date: Feb 2, 2011

Anne – Associate Editor
anne@thetwocentscorp.com

This week on Outsourced, we are taking a trip on a train. Also, Tonya and Charlie bond.

But first, our gang needs to recall hundreds of ghost costumes for looking exactly like KKK garb. An actual Grand Wizard reaches Gupta and he sells him fifty of them. Rajiv thinks the costumes look just fine.

Smallville – Recap & Review – Collateral

photo: cw

Smallville
Collateral

Original Air Date – Feb 4, 2011

Addison – Sr. Reviewer
addison@thetwocentscorp.com

Do you trust me? When Clark and the gang get trapped inside a virtual world they must find a way out with the help of an old friend. But how do you trust someone who has drifted away from you? Could they be on the dark side? Smallville is back from its long hiatus and is ready to deliver its final half of the series.

Where we left off: All of our favorite heroes and Lois were knocked out by a flash of light at Hawkman’s funeral. We see that Lois and Clark had been kidnapped and released by the VRA and are both home at the Kent farm. She was released days before him and had been demanding answers to where he was. He reveals to her that he no longer has any powers, that the VRA took them. If only they could remember what happened, it’s all a blur. Clark does have a powerful flashback to see himself being held down on a lab table. As he struggles he can see a face, it’s Chloe!

NCIS – Recap & Review – Freedom

photo: cbs

NCIS
Freedom

Original Air Date: Feb 1, 2011

Maria – TwoCents Reviewer
maria@thetwocentscorp.com

NCIS is never one to shy away from big topic. Last episode dealt with homophobia, alcoholism and Alzheimer’s: this episode deals with the subject of domestic abuse. Of course, we don’t know that at first, we know very little. The teaser consists of a dog-walker stumbling across the badly beaten corpse of a Sergeant Travis Wooten.

Then we cut to Tony and Tim squabbling. Tim opens a package and a blow-up doll inflates in front of his face. Tony finds it hilarious; I don’t, especially since someone has used Tim’s credit card to pay for it. There isn’t time to dwell on that, as Gibbs alerts them to the case.

Community – Recap & Review – Advanced Dungeons and Dragons

photo: nbc

Community
Advanced Dungeons and Dragons

Original Air Date: Feb 3, 2011

Meg – Staff Writer
meg@thetwocentscorp.com

Did you ever think you’d see Jeff riding a Pegasus? Annie seducing Elven maidens? Black Chang? In this week’s Community, we got all that and more.

I’ll admit I don’t know much about Dungeons and Dragons. I know there are dungeons…and, well… dragons. That’s pretty much the extent of it. So maybe someone who has played it can weigh in on whether Community’s homage was fitting?

Private Practice – Recap & Review – Heaven Can Wait

photo: abc

Private Practice
Heaven Can Wait

Original Air Date: Feb 3, 2011

Farrah Kaye – Sr. Editor
farrah@thetwocentscorp.com

It’s been a long few weeks without the Oceanside Wellness-Pacific Wellcare group. Charlotte has been dealing with her rape, Addison saved her mother’s lover, Violet wrote a book and everyone else is hanging out in the background as supporting players.

But this week things will get deeper as Addison plans her mother’s wedding to Susan with hottie Doctor Rodriguez nearby, Naomi telling her exactly how she feels, Charlotte going to therapy (which involves Sheldon’s mentor) and a shocker of a preview for next week.

American Idol- Recap & Review – LA

photo: fox

American Idol
LA

Original Air Date: Feb 3, 2011

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

Who would have thought LA would be the least interesting of all the audition cities? Seriously, I heard only two singers with enough talent to perhaps to reach the semi-finals and they only sang one song between them.

In fact, Ryan never did tell us how many Golden Tickets were given out. Perhaps because the number was so low? It’s really possible from what they showed us. In fact, the show had a lot of fluff in it as if there weren’t enough singers to show. And many of the ones they did show were terrible or downright looney tunes.

Bones – Recap & Review – The Sin In The Sisterhood

photo: fox

Bones
The Sin in the Sisterhood

Original Air Date: Feb 3, 2011

Karen – Sr Staff Writer
Karen@thetwocentscorp.com

This week our victim is a Polygamist with 3 wives and there is some resentment among them. Throughout the episode are messages that relate to our favorite couple, and especially at the end do we hear the most heartwarming message of all. And of course the sweet and endearing couple of Angela/Jack steals the show with the scene of Jack kissing Angela’s swollen baby belly….everyone….awwww! Last but not least we have Cam dealing with the boyfriend we never see, Paul, as he keeps cancelling dates because of women that keep going into labor. My guess is that he will be delivering baby Hodgins.

The Mentalist – Recap & Review – Red Alert

photo: cbs

The Mentalist
Red Alert

Original Air Date: Feb 3, 2011.

Liz – Staff Writer
liz@thetwocentscorp.com

There is trouble in Crane Creek, California and the smell of politics is in the air. Director Bertram wants regular updates from Lisbon on how the case proceeds. We find out that the victim, Amber Sutherland, is a documentary filmmaker who was making a campaign video for Mayor Bagshaw, who is making a run for a seat in the House of Representatives – hence Bertram’s interest in the case’s outcome.

Jane has not made an appearance yet, but that is because he is at the side of the road, pulled over for speeding. He appeals to the cop’s sense of camaraderie, citing, “Would Aqua Man give Batman a ticket?” If I were going to compare the cop who pulled me over to a member of the Justice League in hopes of not getting a ticket, I wouldn’t pick Aqua Man. The cop seems attuned to this, as he doesn’t bend and insists Jane get out of the car. He doesn’t, of course, arriving at the crime scene with the cop in hot pursuit.