The Greatest American Hero – Summer DVD Review – Divorce Venusian Style

the greatest american hero

The Greatest American Hero
Divorce Venusian Style

Original Air date: Oct 29, 1982

Shannon – Associate Editor
shannon@thetwocentscorp.com

Ralph is buying lunch from a van that has a giant hot dog run through it. All the food (he’s buying for Bill too so you know it’s a ton) is only $4 and change. This really was a simpler time. Bill and Ralph are doing a stakeout from an ugly motel. They are also being listened to through the wall. Bill is being a typical Fed and Ralph is getting fed up with it. See what I did there?

Bill and Ralph argue about stakeout procedure. Ralph doesn’t want to be on said stakeout. The guys next door are even tired of listen to those two argue. So, the gist is that Bill and Ralph are waiting some bad guys to do something bad so that they can take them down because bad guys do bad things that are really bad, therefore they must be stopped. Because they’re bad. So the guys in the room next door are waiting to take down Bill because they are bad guys who do bad things. We’re surrounded by bad guys.

Firefly – Summer DVD Review – Ariel

firefly

Firefly
Ariel

Original Air Date: Nov 15, 2002

Brittany Frederick – Staff Writer
brittanyfrederick @thetwocentscorp.com

It’s my pleasure to take over for Maria in captaining our summer review of Firefly. Our first voyage takes us to an allegedly nice little Core planet called Ariel so Inara can get her Companion license renewed. Unfortunately, we’re not even there yet when River stabs Jayne for…no reason at all, really. Simon has no choice but to admit to Mal that his sister is getting worse. I don’t think this is going to be a vacation for the crew of Serenity.

Of all people, it’s Simon who has a job for them. The crew helps him get River into Ariel City’s hospital diagnostic ward so he can figure out what’s happening to her, and he helps them steal some very valuable stuff from their medical vault. Being a doctor, he knows a lot about hospitals and their security, after all. He has what seems to be the perfect plan. While Wash and Kaylee spiff up an old ambulance shuttle, Jayne steals uniforms and ID badges, and Simon tries to educate everyone on medical terminology. It seems like it’s a great idea…if he can convince River to play along.

Design Star – Recap & Review – Picture Perfect

photo: hgtv

Design Star
Picture Perfect

Original Air Date: Aug 1, 2010

Patricia Morris Buckley —Staff Writer
pmb@thetwocentscorp.com

First, my apologies for not getting this review to loyal Design Star fans earlier. I was at a conference and the hotel didn’t have HGTV. Can you believe it? I can’t. Grrrrr.

Anyway, what a different kitchen challenge, huh? This year, the two teams (I guess we won’t get back to individual challenges until the final two) had to design a white space into a kitchen for a Kenmore appliance photo shoot. I think they got tired of ripping out kitchens that went wrong in real homes over the years. This is a nice compromise.

True Blood – Recap & Review – Hitting The Ground

photo-hbo

True Blood
Hitting the Ground

Original Air Date: Aug 1, 2010

Meg – Sr. Reviewer
meg@thetwocentscorp.com

This week’s True Blood gives us some trippy hints to Sookie’s origin, a festival of shirtless men (and not one of them Alcide – not fair!), a long overdue death, a somewhat surprising demise, and our first up close vampire decapitation!

Escape from Mississippi
We pick right up from last week, with a blood-caked Lorena snacking on Sookie. Lorena becomes the umpteenth character to tell us that Sookie’s special (hey, show? We get it!) and that her blood is all kinds of tasty. Bill, in terrible shape, manages to wrap one of his silver chains around Lorena’s neck. When Lorena tries to martyr herself for love on the altar of Bill Compton, Sookie yells, “you wouldn’t know love if it kicked you in the fangs!” and stakes her! Au revoir, Lorena!

My Boys – Recap & Review – Mike-Fest

photo: tbs

My Boys
Mike-Fest

Original Air Date: Aug, 1 2010

Karen Belgrad – Sr. Reviewer
karenbelgrad@thetwocentscorp.com

Birthdays, movie deals, Ponzi schemes, and a change in living arrangements. This week’s installment of our favorite drinking/poker buddies covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time!

But most importantly, it was Mike’s birthday! How would they celebrate Mike? Would it be at Six Flags, whirly ball, paint ball, dinner, surprise party, strippers, or with a hot bartender with a panther tattoo going down her side? Read on to find out!

Entourage – Recap & Review – Bottoms Up

photo: hbo

Entourage
Bottoms Up

Original Air Date: Aug 1, 2010

Farrah Kaye – Sr. Editor
farrah@thetwocentscorp.com

Ok fellow Entourage fans. Have you gotten the point that E is a bore and Scotty is fun yet? Because I have and I’m quite bored with it being shoved down our throats, although I love me some Scotty. Besides loving me some Scotty, I love that Ari is being taken down by Lizzie and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to get back at her (or get her back? If the wife agrees…).

This week should be fun, with Bob Saget and who knows how many other fun guest stars coming on as Ari tries to stay above water. Plus Turtle is back from Mexico (can’t wait to see what happened with Alex!) and Scotty is officially part of the crew. (**There is some adult content discussed in tonight’s episode.**)

Leverage – Recap & Review – The Boost Job

photo: tnt

Leverage
The Boost Job

Original Air Date: Aug 1, 2010

Brittany Frederick – Staff Writer
brittanyfrederick @thetwocentscorp.com

I’ve been a Bill Engvall fan since I was in grade school, even when he was kind of drunk when I saw him live. So Bill Engvall on Leverage? I can’t wait.

But before we get to that, we get to a poor guy getting arrested for auto theft, which we know he obviously didn’t commit. After getting out of jail, the guy comes to Nate to tell his sob story. He bought it used from a car dealership only to find out that it was stolen. I sense a scam. As Nate informs us, this is called car cloning. And when Hardison pegs the bad guy, there’s Bill Engvall playing Penzer. This is going to be an interesting episode.

Babylon 5 – Summer DVD Recap and Review – War Without End II

babylon 5

Babylon 5
War Without End II

Original Air Date: May 20, 1996

Aeon Cole – TwoCents Reviewer
aeon@thetwocentscorp.com

This is the seventeenth episode of the third season and picks up where War Without End I ends. Sheridan’s time stabilizer has been damaged and he has been transported far into the future while the crew of the White Star have boarded Babylon 4 with the intent of transporting 1000 years back in time to aid in the Minbari’s war with the Shadows.

Sheridan looks over a Centauri Prime that has been destroyed by the Shadows. He asks Londo what year it is. Londo tells him 17 years have passed since the war with the Shadows began then he sends Sheridan back to his cell.

Mad Men – Recap & Review – Christmas Comes But Once a Year

photo: amc

Mad Men
Christmas Comes But Once a Year

Original Air Date: Aug 1, 2010

Brittany D. – Staff Writer
brittany@thetwocentscorp.com

Last week we had Thanksgiving, and this week it sounds like we’re skipping ahead to Christmas. Is anyone as excited as I am to see more Peggy and Joey? I loved them last week – John? MARRRSHA! That was so witty and well played by Elizabeth Moss. And speaking of Peggy, I’m worried that her hair is only going to get bigger and bigger as the season goes.

I wonder how Christmas will go for Betty, Henry and the kids? I can’t imagine this relationship going on successfully for much longer. Then again, I never thought Joan would still be with her husband either. Most of our characters seem to be in positions that aren’t ideal, don’t they?

Drop Dead Diva – Recap & Review – Queen of Mean

photo: lifetime

Drop Dead Diva
Queen of Mean

Original Air Date: Aug 1, 2010

Theresa – Staff Writer
theresa@thetwocentscorp.com

We begin with yet another show-stopping dream sequence when Jane is subconsciously visited by Thunder from Down Under, an adult male revue. A little bit spicier than her usual dreams – until Hank the Bailiff shows up? You might remember Hank (David Berman of CSI) as someone Jane was surprised to find out she’d dated pre-reincarnation. Stacey suggests that new Jane owes it to old Jane to give Hank another shot. Jane can’t think about that right now, though, because she has a meeting with famous (and famously nasty) fashion designer Ellie Tannen, who is searching for new lawyers.