What’s On: The Sunday of Beginnings and Endings

My vacation is over, and just in time as summer TV is really ramping up. I’m really excited for both premieres tonight; TNT’s Spielberg produced alien invasion drama, Falling Skies and the 3rd season return of my favourite not-so-guilty pleasure, Lifetime’s Drop Dead Diva. But it’s a bittersweet evening as both The Killing and Game of Thrones end their freshmen runs tonight, both series were renewed for second seasons already and for damn sure are among our recommendations for tonight, Sunday June 19th 2011.

3rd Season Premiere Alert!
Drop Dead Diva ”Hit and Run” 9:00 on Lifetime

Last season ended with Grayson getting hit by a car and seeing Deb when he looked at Jane. OMG – you can bet that tonight’s third season premiere will begin with a musical fantasy number where Brooke Elliot gets to show off her fancy pipes. Perfect summer fluff!

2 Hour Series Premiere Alert!
Falling Skies ”Live & Learn” & “The Armory” 9:00 on TNT

Let’s hope that Falling Skies succeeds where both V and the Event failed. TNT’s anticipated invasion drama has the pedigree of Steven Spielberg a bona fide TV star leading man’s (people who doubt Noah Wyle’s talent probably don’t know John Carter very well) triumphant return to TV. It looks more like Battlestar than anything else, which really is what every sci-fi series should try to be.

Season Finale Alert!
Game of Thrones ”Fire and Blood” 9:00 on HBO

Last weeks phenomenal “Bealor” ended with the beheading of Ned Stark (series star Sean Bean) and tonight the ramifications of that are felt throughout the seven kingdoms. Arguably the best series on the year so far (though Justified gives it a run for it’s money), I really hope this gets some emmy love. 

Season Finale Alert!
The Killing  ”Orpheus Descending” 10:00 on AMC

Did Richmond kill Rosie Larsen? Did Jamie do it for him? Beau Soliel was one of the series strongest entries to date, and with Jamie Ann Allman (Aunt Terry) signed on for the second season it looks like we’ll see the Larsens next season in some way. I loved this season of the killing despite it’s midseason slump and erratic pacing (Missing, the tenth episode which focused on Holder and Linden’s relationship should have been in the first third of the season) and I have an especially strong fondness for the brilliant cast especially the magnificent Enos. Here’s to a good first season and hopefully an even better second!

The Rest:

The Daytime Emmys 8:00 on CBS – So it’s the people from Y and R competing against Days of our Lives? What are soaps are even left??

The Glee Project 9:00 on Oxygen - Who will win? White Mercedes? Gay Male Mercedes? The Irish Moron? Stupid Deadlocks Guy? 

Law and Order CI 9:00 on USA – Bye Bye franchise.

The Next Food Network Star 9:00 on Food – I miss Aarti Party!

The Glades 10:00 on A&E – It’s too hot to even think about watching this.

In Plain Sight 10:00 on USA – Are Mary and Marshall doing it yet?

Keeping Up With The Kardashians 10:00 on E! – OMFG.

The Protector 10:00 on Lifetime - This Ally Walker starrer is benefitted from a killer supporting performance from Tisha Campbell-Martin, worth it for her alone, at least once.

Treme 10:00 on HBO – I didn’t think Treme could get any better, but it’s second season has been even stronger than it’s expertly crafted first. 

What’s On: Three Show Sunday

There are only three shows on tonight – I mean not just three, I’m sure there’s a lot of reality crap on a bunch of cable networks, but there are only three shows on tonight worth watching, and lucky us, they’re three of the best shows on TV; HBO’s Game of Thrones & Treme and AMC’s The Killing, which are all super strong recommendations for tonight, Sunday May 29th 2011. 

Game of Thrones ”You Win or You Die” 9:00 on HBO

Last week’s ep was a stunning entry that concluded with the fantastic death of Viserys Targaryen (Harry Lloyd) the hands of Khal Drogo (Jason Momoa), and with that the first of what I suspect will be many regular character’s deaths. “HERE IS YOUR CROWN!” With four episodes left (including tonight’s) you can bet the plot’s gonna move at breakneck speed. Tonight we find out what Stark plans to do with the knowledge that Joffrey is the result of nasty twincest and not the son of a king.

Treme “Feels Like Rain” 10:00 on HBO

The second season of Treme is a vast improvement of the first, mainly in terms of story telling, it’s as if the first season was an origin story and now the real juice can start. I am 100 in love with Jenette DeSautel’s (Kim Dickens) story, and last week’s returning guest appearances from Tom Collichio and Eric Ripert only made it better. Steve Zahn and Lucia Micarelli have incredible chemistry and she’s by far the most talented musician of the regular cast – I also have been impressed with how understated Sonny (Michael Huisman) has been this season, he’s far less obnoxious and less cliche prone this season. David Morse’s promotion was also much welcome, last season had the justice system from the side of it’s agitators and it’s more balanced this season, plus his scenes with Oscar winner Melissa Leo are phenomenal. The only plot I’m not in love with is Jon Seda’s Nelson Hidalgo – and not the character mind you, Seda is suave and has great energy in the role, it’s just the plot feels disjointed from the rest. Minor gripe for a great show. No promo, just a great scene from last season’s finale.

The Killing ”I’ll Let You Know When I Get There” 10:00 on AMC

Last week seemed to tie up the terrorism/Bennett suspect subplot, I have a feeling the murder investigation will start to tie in to the mayoral campaign this week. I’m also so fearful for the Larsens for suffer the ramifications of last weeks shocking ending. 4 more episodes including tonight and no renewal yet – which is driving me crazy, The Walking Dead was renewed after few weeks and for AMC standards The Killing is a hit, it’s numbers are on par with flagship show Mad Men. It’s last few episodes have dragged a little but I have faith that the season’s endgame is gonna be spectacular.

A Bunch of random other crap:

Something called Mob Wives is on at 8:00 on VH1, it sounds pretty ridiculous. Why publicize you’re a mob wife.

My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding is premiering on TLC at 9:00, as someone who’s very interested in Roma culture I’m thinking this might actually be cool. There’s another episode on right after the premiere.

The Killing Episode 9 Recap

“Undertow” seemed to conclude the middle arc of the series in which Bennett Ahmed (Brandon Jay McLaren) was the prime suspect in Rosie Larsen’s murder. It was a well executed hour directed by prolific Polish filmmaker Agnieszka Holland (who’s directed episodes of Treme and The Wire over here) that essentially cleaned the slate of the murder investigation for the final four episodes while it complicated things for the Larsens incredibly. Let’s take a look at the various plots from the tense “Undertow.”

The Larsens For the first time since the beginning of the series the Larsen’s plot focused more on Mitch (a very Emmy worthy Michelle Forbes) than Stan (an equally worthy Brent Sexton). Mitch called Larsen to apologize, and Larsen thinking she was getting a warrant any second told Mitch that Bennett was being arrested and the catharsis came over her like a wave – but when she when to the school the next day to return some of Rosie’s textbooks and saw Bennett at work as usual, Mitch lost it. Sje lost it on Linden and later she lost it on Stanley, questioning his masculinity, drawing a correlation to between Bennett being free and alive and him not being a man. She said she shouldn’t have let him go when he had him and with that the leash that Mitch once had on Stan was gone and he had her permission to exact revenge on Bennett. So Stan and Belko take Bennett (who by now we knew had nothing to do with Rosie’s murder, but more on that later) to a secluded area and began to beat him senseless, ignoring his cries of innocence. Back at the Larsen’s house Mitch takes some clothes out of the laundry and found the same pink t-shirt from the mosque that she identified to Linden as Rosie’s, and in that second she knew that she had made a terrible mistake and tried to call Stanley, who I guess doesn’t keep his phone on when he’s beating his daughter’s suspected killer to death. Does anyone doubt that Stanley didn’t kill Bennett? I guess we’ll have to really wait to next week to know for sure, but this is pretty much going exactly how I predicted without the cheesy Lady-Macbeth twist that Mystic River had. I’m really looking forward to seeing how this will play out for the next few episodes, regardless of if he lives or dies. 

The Richmond Mayoral Campaign This plot seems to be going through the motions of a campaign but without the depth and bravado of Carcetti’s in the Wire (but it’s not really fair to compare any series to the greatest series ever forged), all of Richmond’s struggles seem like a plot placeholder until it’s the characters in his plot that become the central suspect, which I have a feeling might be the third/end suspect arc of the season (the first being Kris/Jasper, and Bennett being the second). Last night Richmond uneventfully sunk a basket in exchange for 5 million more campaign dollars (from that Billionaire guy who wants a stadium where the incumbent Mayor Adams precious waterfront project is) which he needed because he lost the support of yet another group, due to backlash from association with Bennett. At least the Ruth Yitainas plot had Lee Garlington. I just hope next week that this plot begins to tie into the murder more. 

The Murder Investigation Linden and Holder were set to arrest Bennett, like Linden promised Mitch earlier, but a warrant hold up from a judge Holder said would be in for sure stopped them in their tracks, it turns out shadily talking about a “girl” and “passports” on a wire isn’t enough to get a warrant. It wasn’t until Mrs. Ahmed came into the station and gave them Mohammed’s number did they catch a break. They were able to track him to a market and a tense and well edited chase ensued. With Mohammed in the tank we discovered that yes he’s involved in hiding a girl, but it’s Ayiesha, the missing Muslim girl we heard about two episodes ago. Her parents were planning female circumcision in anticipation of her arranged marriage and Bennett and Mohammed were hiding her. When they brought up Rosie, Mohammed said that yes she stopped by to drop off the book, but then she left, leaving it wide open…

Who killed Rosie Larsen? At this point it’s hard to think it’s not some one associated with the family or the Campaign and seeing as how she was found in a campaign car (albeit a stolen one), I’m leaning towards the latter and my prediction of Jamie, who was barely seen this episode, still works for me. I have a feeling that the files that Linden requested from Richmond are going to steer the investigation towards the Campaign and more showdowns like the one Linden and Richmond had last night. AMC’s blurb for next week says that someone unsuspecting comesforward… I wonder what that could mean? Till next time…

Who do you think killed Rosie Larsen?

What’s On: The Force of Family Guy Sunday!

Sunday night is full of network finales and cable goodies, here are our recommendations for tonight,  Sunday May 22 2011.

Season 6 Finale!
American Dad ”Gorillas in the Mist” 7:30 on FOX

Seth McFarlane’s best 22 mins starts off the night with a Dian Fossey trib?

Season 22 Finale!!!
The Simpsons “The Ned-liest Catch” 8:00 on FOX

The photo below says it all:
 

First Season Finale!
Bob’s Burgers ”Torpedo” 8:30 on FOX

I really enjoy this series, the clip below is great and if you want more (and you should) click through to FOX’s youtube page. 

9th Season Finale!
Family Guy ”It’s A Trap, part 1 & 2″ 9:00 on FOX

Tonight’s two parter has been available on DVD and Bluray for months, in the event you haven’t seen it (like myself it’s on tonight!)

4th Season Finale
The Celebrity Apprentice ”7-UP Finale” 9:00 on NBC

Marley Matlin or John Rich… Honestly I still can’t believe he fired Star Jones over Meatloaf a few weeks back. Catch up before tonight below!

First Season Finale!
The Borgias ”Nessuno (Nobody)” 10:00 on SHO

While it’s nowhere near as good as it thinks it is, the last episode was actually quite entertaining and bloody. Tonight the nine episode first season ends.

Not a finale, but still super-awesome:

Game of Thrones ”A Golden Crown” 9:00 on HBO

Treme ”Slip Away” 10:00 on HBO

The Killing “Undertow” 10:00 on AMC

The Rest: 

The Billboard Music Awards 8:00 on ABC – Do the people winning even care?

Army Wives 9:00 on Lifetime - They stand together.

Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost 9:00 on CBS – Tom Selleck and his mustache co-star in yet another Jesse Stone telefilm. 

Law & Order: CI 9:00 on USA – The final season of Goran and Eames continue. 

Breakout Kings 10:00 on A&E – The best of the rest, always violent, well written and a lot of fun. 

In Plain Sight 10:00 on USA – Tonight’s episode is called “Meet the Shannons” might we be meeting more of Mary’s dysfunctional clan?

The Killing Episode 8 Recap

“Stonewalled” seemed to propel the plot in a forward direction giving us (and the Detectives) a few more clues and despite the circumstances I’m pleased with how incredulous Linden was at the concept of Rosie’s murder having to do with a terrorist plot (I have some thoughts as to the reason for the direction (or rather misdirection) the investigation headed). Richmond’s story continued to inch forward with the speed of a fat tortoise, and the Larsen’s continued to be a portrait of misery – but an exceptionally compelling and uneasy one.

The Larsens This week’s Larsen storyline was more straightforward in terms of arc. The episode started with Stan taking care of his boys while Mitch sat in Rosie’s bedroom, now a mausoelum. She’s trapped in her depression, which is natural, but life still has to go on, she still ahs two kids. Offering to take them to school, she loads them in the car, turns it on, but forgets something upstairs leaving her two young sons in a car, with the engine running, in a closed garage while upstairs the news of the leaking of the crime scene photos puts Mitch into a trance. Thank god sober Aunt Terry showed up and opened the garage.

I think because the series airs weekly we forget that only one day actually passes in each episode and to the Larsens, Rosie’s only been dead a week, in fact it was only when Stan told Mitch she needed to move on and she responded by saying it’s only been a week that it even struck me how little time had actually passed for the Larsens. As a punishment, or rather consequence I guess, Stan cleared out Rosie’s room, attempting to remove Mitch’s distraction. Stan might noty have been right to clear out Rosie’s room like he did, but there needed to be some reaction or consequence for Mitch’s neglegence. It didn’t matter in the end, Mitch recovered the boxes and set to return Rosie’s room to it’s original form.

Richmond’s Mayoral Campaign With Richmiond’s Campaign being relegated to 5 words (Dead girl in a car) and his precious All-Stars program dead, he decided it was finally time to take the offensive rather than bend over with a smile, which has been his mode d’emploi since the beginning. Armed with an injunction he tried to use the system to revive his program, but he was thwarted by Adams again as the judge is an old frat buddy of the incumbant. Despite the fact that Jamie had a smoking gun set to destroy Adams, still Richmond didn’t want to win by playing dirty.

Jamie took some time to meet with that rogue billionaire and mutual Adams enemy at what seemed like a Hobofight. He assured the investor that Richmond has what it takes to win, all he needed was a private detective, everyone has dirt. But he was playing the billionaire, telling him what he wanted to hear. Jamie was right when he told Gwen that if she really knew Darren she knew he was too weak to win the election, to do what needed to be done. Luckily for his campaign this co-incided with the parole hearing for the woman who drunk drove and killed Richmond’s wife. The hearing sent him over the edge and he called Jamie to release the scandal, which was that Adams is paying for an apartment for his young secret lover.

If tonight did anything it just reinforced my belief that Jamie is the killer, his do or die attitude and his slimy and sneaky ways.

The Murder Mystery Oddly enough this plot was fairly linear and episodic last night too. The hour began where the previous one ended with Holder and Linden investigating the tip they anonymously got at the mosque only to fine themselves in the middle of a federal terror investigation. But when they were on the ground subdues, Linden saw a pink T-shirt she thought was Rosie’s and tried all manners of bureaucratic measures before resorting to conning her way into the evidence van and snapping a picture of the shirt.

But there were more snags in her case, for one she couldn’t trust Holder who’d been having clandestine meeting with an unknown man and second someone in the investigation seems to be continually leaking evidence. There was a particularly tense and forboding scene between Linden and Mitch where she was lambasted for letting the evidence get out. Mitch’s trust in the police keeps diminishing week after week, I have a feeling this is going to lead to a Laura Linney in Mystic River-ish twist. It was nice to see some resolution as both of these mini-mysteries got solved. For a while I thought that it was Holder leaking info, that had something to do with Mayor Adams but it was revealed last night that Linden’s son, frustrated at the inconsistency of his life shared the case pictures with his friends online and is the source of the leak. Meanwhile the man Holder turned out to be meeting was his AA sponsor. After learning that he’s in recovery and that he’s not the source of the leak, Linden was finally able to look at holder as an equal.

Holder used a friendly Judge to get a wire tap on Ahmed’s phone meanwhile Linden brought the picture of the shirt to Mitch who confirmed that it was Rosie’s.

Also Ahmed was called by the principal and told not to come back to work, so he stewed at home and at the end of the episode was seen speaking in Arabic to who we can only assume is Mohammed, letting him know that the passports would be ready tomorrow. Is Bennett a child killer or a Terrorist? And which one would be better for Richmond’s campaign?

Who Killed Rosie Larsen? The likelyhood of Bennet being anything more than a red herring or at the most an unknowing accomplice is decreasing everyweek he remains in the investigation’s spotlight. I still believe that had Rosie and Bennet never had a creepy mentor/mentee relationship she’d still be alive, but Bennet’s involvement seems about as likely as Stan’s now. My money is still on Jamie as the killer, I don’t know exactly why yet but it seems like Rosie may have been in posession of something or someknowledge that would have destroyed the campaign.

Still not meeting the promise that it showed in its first three or four hours but getting back on that path. With only 5 episodes left, the storyline’s endgame better start revving it’s engines and setting things in motion for a great tail end, it can’t really afford more tension and clue free hours.

Who do you think killed Rosie Larsen?

What’s On: REDEMPTION SUNDAY!

Will Rob Mariano win the title that’s eluded him 3 previous times? I’d sure like him to, but I have a feeling he’s made too many enemies and for the second time he’s gonna lose for the same reason. But who know’s if he’ll even make it, with 8 people still in contention for the title and the million it’s anyone’s game – well not Natalie’s. Depserate Housewives also closes their seventh season tonight, a season that’s been better than the last few with much thanks to the many season one throwbacks. With new episodes of The Killing, Game of Thrones and Fox’s animated series, it’s a jam packed rainy sunday. Here are our recommendations for tonight, Sunday May 15, 2011.

The Best:

American Dad ”Flirting With Disaster” 7:30 on FOX

Francine gets a job at the CIA which you would think would put a stop to Stan’s flirting, but instead it becomes a flirting competition between the competitive couple. Fox usually doesn’t post promos so enjoy!

Season Finale Alert!
Survivor: Redemption Island ”Seems Like A No-Brainer” 8:00 and “Reunion” 10:00 on CBS

Rob, Philip, Natalie, Ashley and Matt, Andrea, Mike and Grant. I want Rob to win, but I mean – he should have won All-Stars. I hope Matt doesn’t make it back in from the redemption crew, he drives me absolutely crazy. 

Season Finale Alert!
Desperate Housewives ”And Lots Of Security” & “Come Over For Dinner” 9:00 to 11:00 on ABC

Season 7 comes to an end tonight and what a season it’s been! Paul Young came back to Wisteria Lane and brought some life back into the series, which had an awful season last year. But thanks to Young (a devious Mark Moses), the addition of Renee (Vanessa Williams), the Carlos banishing Bree, it’s been one helluva season, with my only major criticism being Lynette’s plots are a merry-go-round of misery and she’s completely unsympathetic and in this current fight she’s having with Tom, I’m on Tom’s side and I can’t help but think that Lynette’s being a hypocritical bitch. The first chunk of the season which focused on Young’s dastardly plan to devalue the street, but following the suicide of his wife Beth (for those keeping track that’s two of his wives who’ve shot themselves in the head) the focus of the plot turned to Felicia Tillman (Harriet Sansom Harris) and her scheme to get revenge on Paul, and when we last left the show Susan was about to be arrested for poisoning Paul. Usually housewives hints at the upcoming plot of the next season in the finale, so it’ll be interesting to see where they go.

Game of Thrones ”The Wolf and The Lion” 9:00 on HBO

Aiden Gillen, who played Tommy Carcetti on The Wire, has been really impressive as the devious Petyr Baelish AKA ‘Littlefinger’ it’s not too far a cry away from the wily politician he played on The Wire, but the period suits him. He’s giving Peter Dinklage a run for his money as the prime scene stealer. The previous episode ended with Catelyn Stark taking Tyrion Lannister captive believing he tried to have her son killed. 

The Killing ”Stonewalled” 10:00 on AMC

As the investigation hits a slump so does the series, here’s hoping it can find the tension that made it must-see-TV right out of the gate.

The Rest:

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 8:00 on ABC – Ty is short for Tygert. I’m serious. 

Minute To Win It 8:00 on NBC – Special Night. 

The Simpsons 8:00 on FOX – Lisa solves a mystery.

Bob’s Burgers 8:30 on FOX – Lobsterfest is the title and I am already salivating. 

The Celebrity Apprentice 9:00 on NBC – Only an idiot who thinks he can be president would fire Star Jones and let Nene Leakes quit. 

Family Guy 9:00 on FOX – Bonnie crosses a line on a trip to France. 

Law & Order:CI 9:00 on USA – Now that Law and Order:LA is cancelled and this is on it’s last season there will be one Law & Order on TV for the first time in 11 years. 

Army Wives 9:00 on Lifetime – BRING ON DROP DEAD DIVA. Forget this shizz.

Season Finale Alert!
The Cleveland Show 9:30 on FOX – The Cleveland show heads to comicon, I guess they’ve given up on trying to get black people to watch and are going for the nerds.  

The Borgias 10:00 on SHO – Francois Arnaud’s Caesare is the standout by far, and it’s actually getting more interesting week after week. 

In Plain Sight 10:00 on USA – Mary always gets her man, or so the promos would have you believe.

Breakout Kings 10:00 on A&E – Am I the only one really, really enjoying this show? 

Treme 10:00 on HBO – Congrats to the Treme team for their third season renewal!

More of FOX’s Animation Promos

American Dad
 

Bob’s Burgers
 

Family Guy
 

The Cleveland Show
 

The Killing: Catching Up Before Tonight’s Episode!

There was no Killing Recaps the last two weeks, things were really insane for a while but they’ve calmed down. I though I’d take this opportunity to catch up on the recaps we’ve missed in anticipation of tonight’s episode “Stonewalled”, which will be recapped tomorrow.

I actually found The Killing to be hitting a sort of mid season slump, the last two episodes, while still of the highest quality, lacked the bravado and tension of the first few. Let’s break down the plots:

The Larsens I am becoming increasingly uneasy with Stanley Larsen’s retransformation into a crook, not uneasy in terms of not liking the plot, but Brent Sexton’s performance is at the same time so quiet and seething but incredibly strong. Belko (Brent Sexton III) his friend and employee asked him whether he wanted to know who at the school the police were looking into. I found Belko’s insistence and continuing offers to be suspect. If I were Stan I would have wondered why Belko was so persistent. Belko came through and let Stan know they were looking at Bennett, who arrived at the wake. Stan then offered to drive Bennett home and the 6th episode ended with Bennett in Stan’s car.

I predicted that if The Killing were granted a second season – and it strayed from the Dutch original which only followed Sarah Linden in the second season – that it would end with Stanley taking the life of who he thought to be Rosie’s killer, and an ongoing plot of the second season would be a cat and mouse game between him and the cops. I had a feeling Bennett was going to be fine, it’s too early in the series for him to die and with Mitch’s main arc seeming to be just how miserable and neglectful she can be, the other kids need Stan.

Stan didn’t kill Bennett in the end, just scared the shit out of him. I really enjoyed watching him squirm while Stan stood in the rain outside the car deciding what action to take. Killer or not he’s still a pervy predator.

Meanwhile Linden and Holder were all over trying to find Stan and Bennett – more on their discoveries in their own section – with Holder stationed at the Larsen’s. Mitch’s best scene from the last two weeks was confronting Belko on his part in Stan’s revenge plan – her role has been so scant and reserved to isolated bouts of misery, I’m wondering if there’s an arc in sight or if it’s merely “misery porn.” We learned that Mitch wouldn’t marry Stan and have kids with him while he was still a crook, he up and quit and became a hard working family man.

Eventually grief gets easier, but this series chronicles a day in an episode, so it won’t any time soon. 

Darren Richmond’s Campaign The Richmond campaign continues to be the plotline that’s dragging the most. When it was leaked that Bennett was a suspect, it was obvious that his involvement with Richmond’s All-Stars program was going to infect the campaign and it took almost no effort on Mayor Adam’s part to goad Richmond into talking about Bennett during the debate and for the campaign to be as Jamie put it “5 Words; Dead girl in a car.”

The next episode really didn’t feature much Richmond except that he found out Mayor Adams, in light of Bennett’s association to All-Stars, and Richmond’s refusal to fire him whether he’s guilty or not, was moving to have the city remove funding from the All-Stars program. Richmond found out just in time to appear before the city council and make a heartfelt plea, but it fell upon deaf ears and his precious program bit the dust.

I really hope that Rosie’s murder ties into the Waterfront and Richmond further, either that or scale back the plot’s screentime, especially since it’s looking like unless Adams’ killed her himself, he can’t win. 

The Murder Mystery The investigation is beginning to stall, and as much as I understand that any murder investigation would have it’s slower days, I just wish it was more engaging. I actually miss the episodes that took place at the school and investigated Rosie’s friends. Like I mentioned earlier, Holder and Linden were trying to find Bennett, Holder was stationed at the Larsens and Linden went to the Ahmeds’ house to wait for Bennett and took the opportunity to question his wife (Ashley Johnson) some more. We discovered that Rosie came over the Ahmeds to return the Qu’ran that she borrowed, but it wasn’t Mrs. Ahmed that let her in, it was Bennett’s friend Mohammed. 

Linden’s still not in California, duh. She’s not gonna go until this case is wrapped up, especially since she seems to have some sort of ‘thing’ for dead young girls. I wonder how much screentime will be dedicated to this snoozer of a sub-plot. 

The 7th episode ended with Linden and Holder using the Mohammed information and investigating a warehouse, when the FBI busted in and arrested them. If Rosie’s death has something to do with a terrorist plot, I’m gonna be pissed, it’s more convenient and mass accommodating and doesn’t really seem right. 

The Killing hasn’t really been living up to the promise it showed in the first three episodes, there’s something more unsettling about setting the investigation in a high school than where it’s been heading. I hope that the endgame of the season builds up more tensions and introduces more clues. 

Who Killed Rosie Larsen? Belko’s suspect stock has been rising, he’s been evasive and misleading. Who is his man at the school? Maybe he’s connected to the campaigns through his connection to organized crime, maybe he was Rosie’s secret older boyfriend (I actually believe that Bennett wasn’t sleeping with her). Also rising in suspicions is Aunt Terry (Jamie Anne Allman, wife of Prison Break and True Blood star Marshall Allman), she’s been boozing a little too hard to be completely guiltless. I’m still sold on Jamie as the killer, but at this point it’s mainly due to the fact we haven’t been lead there yet and how creepy and wily performance. 

Check back tomorrow for a recap of episode 8!

Who do you think killed Rosie Larsen?

What’s On: Desperately Good Sunday

Everything is DESPERATELY GOOD tonight, HBO, AMC, USA premeries and of course Season 7 of ABC’s long running and still capable hit Desperate Housewives which begins our recommendations for tonight, Sunday May 1 2011.

The Best:

Desperate Housewives ”I’ll Swallow Poison on Sunday”9:00 on ABC

Desperate Housewives’ Season 7 has really been a treat for fans. There’s the multiple season long arcs dating back to the first season – which is 12 years ago in Desperate time – I’ve loved Paul’s (Mark Moses) revenge scheme, which has over the course of the season turned into Felicia Tillman’s (Harriet Sansom Harris) revenge scheme. The 12 year old death and cover-up of Carlos’ mother Juanita by the Van de Kamps has really given Bree and Gaby an some oomph in the tail of the season and is giving them way better material than the other ladies, it’s always been said this show is at it’s best when the housewives are at play. And lets not forget the addition of Vanessa Williams which was a stroke of brilliance – she may be underused but she’s been a joy to watch all season. Tonight has Gaby and the kids living with Bree (!)  and introduces new series regular Jonathan Cake as Det. Chuck Vance, his contract is to guest in the last few episodes and be a regular next season – though the series has yet to be officially picked up for season 8, it’s just a matter of hammering out contracts at this time. Check out the promos and clips for tonight’s episode below! There’s sooooo many!

The only animated series on Fox, as the Seth McFarlane trio that should have aired tonight were a three-way crossover with a tornado at the center of it, in light of the events in the southern US Fox will air those episodes in the fall. 

The Simpsons ”The Real Housewives of Fat Tony” 8:00 on FOX

Tonight, Selma Bouvier-Terwilliger-Hutz-McClure-Stu-Simpson ads another last name when she marries Fat Tony and turns into a bitchy housewife. Fat Tony (frequent guest star Joe Mantegna) flies the family out to the jersey shore for a bitch-tervention.

Game of Thrones ”Lord Snow” 9:00 on HBO

One of the most expensive and ambitious efforts HBO has ever undertaken and in such a short time has proven its worth; it’s TV gold. Tonight, Catelynn, reeling from the botched assassination of her son digs deeper into the his accident and the conspiracy of the Lannisters. Jon Snow, fresh on the wall gets his skills tested much to the amusement of Tyrion Lannister (the amazing Peter Dinklage) and Ned acclimates his kids to his new location. It’s as great as Entourage is terrible.

Season 10 Premiere Alert!

Law and Order: Criminal Intent “Rispetto” 9:00 on USA

CI begins its tenth and final season on USA tonight. Vincent D’Onofrio is back, so is Katherine Erbe. Unquestionably the series’ stars, though the ranks have included Chris Noth, Saffron Burrows and Jeff Goldblum, they left in the season nine premiere which had Eames (Erbe) firing Goren (D’Onofrio) and then quitting herself. 

Season Premiere Alert!

In Plain Sight ”The Art of the Steal” 10:00 on USA

One of the better shows on USA much due to the two really strong leads. Mary McCormack is top notch as Mary Shannon, her comic timing is near perfect and she’s mastered Mary Shannon’s ballsy meets wacky. She’s got great chemistry with Fred Weller, who’s equally fun as Marshall the Marshall. Light, breezy, nice TV for a spring sunday. 

The Killing  ”What You Have Left” 10:00 on AMC

I am OB-SESSED with the Killing. I spend whole commutes to work trying to decipher the web of clues, think beyond – try to see the big picture and I’m stymied. At the same time I’m entranced by the world of the murder and the effect Rosie Larsen’s death is having on the the world small; the Larsen family, and big; the mayoral campaign. I still have a feeling this has to do with the Mayor’s waterfront project. And maybe Jamie did it.

Treme “Everything I do gonh be funky” 10:00 on HBO

Last weeks season 2 premiere made me laugh, cry, squirm and continue to marvel at the fact that HBO stands behind quieter but none the less equally masterful television. I’m really interested to see where Jon Seda’s developer storyline heads and I’m all for the David Morse’s addition to the regular cast. And of course Treme’s strongest asset is it’s soundtrack, the infectious New Orleans Jazz that fills the series with it’s breath was back in full force in season 2. Check out this nifty HBO featurette “Behind the Song”

The Rest:

The Amazing Race 8:00 on CBS – I was sad to see the cowboys go – anyone else feeling a Jen and Kisha win?

America’s Next Great Restaurant 8:00 on NBC – The first season ends tonight, and my belly hopes Jamawn’s Soul Daddy wins – but I have a feeling it’s gonna be Spice Coast. 

Extreme Makeover Home Edition 8:00 on ABC – To weepy for nice spring days.

Celebrity Apprentice 9:00 on NBC – Tune in for Nene Leakes vs. Star Jones.

Army Wives 9:00 on Lifetime  -Returns from it’s mini hiatus.

Undercover Boss 9:00 on CBS – The chancellor of UC Riverside goes undercover in the second season finale. 

Breakout Kings 10:00 on A&E – Lots of fun and definitely worth 45 minutes of your time. Criminal Minds but lighter and less morbid. But still with plenty of action and gratuitous violence. 

The Borgias 10:00 on Showtime – It may have a good cast, beautiful sets and costumes and an academy award winning writer, but The Borgias is a snoozefest. 

Brothers and Sisters 10:01 on ABC – I just found out today that Sarah is not William Walker’s child? The drama NEVER ENDS. Hopefully ABC will end it for them in a few weeks. 

The Killing Episode 5 Recap

The most recent episode of the Killing might have been the slowest and clue free yet, but it was still none the less compelling to watch. The deeper the rabbit hole goes and the more invested I become, I’m will with such an unease – anyone could have been capable of killing Rosie it seems, and with the connection between Rosie and the campaign firmly established, it seems that the motive for murder may be incredibly complex and the fact that we don’t know if were hunting for a murderer or murderers. Let’s take a look at where “Super 8″ left us.

The Larsens While it’s probably the most grim plotline, there are little joys in watching the Larsens and their stunning performances. The episode began with the two surviving children taking breakfast matters into their own hands. The younger Larsen took some money, went to the store (in his ‘jammies no less) and bought milk so he could have cereal. The older one awoke to a wet bed and threw out his sheets and pants, he was sneaking back in when he caught lil eating Rosie’s cereal and what mom’ll do, the little one casually says without looking up “Mom doesn’t care about us anymore.” The matter of factness of his delivery shook me – it just compounds the tragedy, and it’s really gratifying to have the children’s perspective. Mitch went shopping this week, an event she wasn’t prepared for for a few reasons; 1, seeing something Rosie liked triggered her sobs and 2, the fact that people avoided her. Maybe they didn’t know what to say, but for whatever the reason Mitch had become isolated (she also had a chance? encounter with Richmond, more on that below). I fear for her, almost half way through the series and she’s barely come up for air. Stanley on the other hand is doing his best at being the parent and husband he needs to be, that means stopping at a gas station to cry like a madman in the bathroom so that his wife doesn’t have to see it. Brent Sexton is impressing me more and more week after week as the devastated but fiercely strong Stanley. Belko (after finding Tommy’s? urine soaked pants, washed and changed his sheets, it was really sweet) offered up a to find out who the police were looking at to Stanley who at first said no but later changed his mind and decided he wanted Belko to tell him. I hope for the Larsen’s sake Stanley doesn’t do something too terrible to the wrong person (like Mystic River, which this definetly emulates).

Richmonds Mayoral Campaign Jamie continued to worm his way into Leslie Adams’ party trying to suss out who the mole it, only to find that it was Yitanis herself. Yitanis had planted someone in Richmond’s campaign and leaked the information that mole gathered to Adams. In order to get that information Jamie had to go through Adams’ vetting process which includes getting drunk and talking about why he chose Adams over Richmond now. Adams waxed future-stalgic (new word!) about his waterfront legacy (which I have a feeling is somehow tied in to the motive for murder) and once lightweight Jamie vomited, he was in. When Richmond confronted Yitanis, rather than cower away, she revealed to Gwen that Richmond had been investigating her as the leak, planting the seeds of mistrust. If Darren continues not trusting Gwen that path will likely lead to his losing the election as Gwen, the ice-queen lady McBethian campaign manager doesn’t seem to lose well, or really at all for that matter.

There was a great scene with Richmond and Mitch Larsen at the grocery store where Richmond related to Mitch that he knows what she’s going through. We weren’t able to suss out too many details from their brief conversation but it seemed that Richmond lost his wife to crime some time ago. I’m sure we’ll learn more as the series progresses. Though Richmond was trying to handle Mitch, it was still a nice scene and these two vets should have a few more together.

The Murder Mystery The investigation focused on Bennett Ahmed, who we’d discovered had sent messages with Rosie, not necessarily sexual ones, but they were undoubtably predatory. Telling her to ”follow her dreams” and “be free”, they were definetly creepy and line crossing. Infact they’d inspired her to start filmmaking, and Ahmed gave Linden a Super 8 film that Rosie had shot. Bennett’s story was good – he emerged from the episode still a suspect, there was just a lack of proof or evidence of any kind just the convenience of his situation and his lies. Mrs. Ahmed (Ashley Johnson, the youngest on Growing Pains) was away for the weekend while the floors were being done, Ahmed said the flooring company cancelled last minute so he did it himself. He was home alone all night. All it took was a phone call to the flooring company (did he think they wouldn’t check?) to find out HE was the one that cancelled, and the principal informed them that Mrs. Ahmed is a former student, Linden and Holder decided to talk to her, seems Bennett wooed her with the same inspirational letter he’d wooed Rosie with add that Rosie had on her body the substance that Linden found in his house, Bennett was looking like a solid suspect.The episode ended with Richmond and Bennett, their arms around eachother posing for pictures.

Who Killed Rosie Larsen? While I don’t peg Bennett for the murderer anymore, and for that matter as Rosie’s secret older boyfriend, I still say he had some hand, even possibly inadvertantly in her death. And the titular Super 8 Film? I think it’s just a red herring. As the story gets deeper it’s looking like the connection between Ahmed and the Campaign may have introduced Rosie to some more than duplicitous characters, politicians. My number one suspect right now is Jamie (Eric Ladin). He’d met Rosie at one of Richmond’s All Star events, picking her out from the crowd as not really belonging there, he was her older boyfriend. Somehow along the way she learned something that she should not have - possibly having to do with the waterfront – trusted the wrong person and died for it.

Who do you think killed Rosie Larsen?

The Killing: Episode 4 Recap

Last night felt like a very average episode of The Killing, not that it was average itself, but average in terms of what to expect week to week. The first three episodes were more action packed and tense, and last night was more or less going through the motions, but that makes sense, investigations usually slow down in the 4th or 5th day. The episode was still great. Intriguing, well acted and paced and not boring for a second. Let’s take a look at the three plots and where everything was left after last night’s “A Soundless Echo.”

The Larsens
At first the casting of Brent Sexton worried me a little. I’d seen him in shows like Deadwood and Justified and while I had no problem with him, I didn’t think he could hold a candle to Michelle Forbes, who he was playing opposite. After last night I can safely say I worried for nothing, last night we watched Stanley take the reins in making the funeral arrangements, picking out a coffin, hymns for the service – making the decisions for the both of them, sparing no expense for their daughter. So much so that he had to beg his estranged father for money. Stanley had bought a house before all this happened – he wanted Rosie to have a backyard. But they couldn’t move not. It was demoralizing watching Stanley panhandle from a man he clearly hates, nothing comes for free, I have a feeling taking the money will come back to haunt him. And all the while Mitch is grieving and becoming undone, he is the one who has to hold the family together. Last night we also saw glimpses of Stanley’s past when his buddy Belko Royce (a much welcome Brendon Sexton III a long way from playing Warren Beatty in Empire Records) offered some duplicitous services. I can see this shaping into something along the lines of Mystic River in that sense and that’s a smart route to go; having Stanley channel his grief into some sort of revenge vigilante – the Mystic River route works for me, I just hope were spared a ridiculous Laura Linney monologue at the end.

Also Mitch had a great scene with an obviously uncomfortable Sterling that’s worth mentioning. Michelle Forbes + Emmy, please.

Richmond’s Mayoral Bid
Despite securing Yitaines support last week which was supposed to clinch the election with the union vote, Richmond was still behind the incumbant and having recently fired Jamie, he was a man down. Or was he? Jamie’s framing, outburst and joining up with Mayor Adams was just a ruse to discover the true mole planted in Richmond’s camp. Meanwhile Mistress MacBeth Gwen met with her disdainful father (played by Alan Dale, Lost) to ask for a meeting with a Billioniare. Alan Dale could teach a mastercraft class on playing the mean old withholding parent, the way he shot down Gwen for sleeping with her candidate was pure Dale-ian genius. I think Gwen is being set up for a much bigger arc and will play a bigger part in the story. Richmond ended up catching a break in the form of a 50 thousand dollar donation from a billionaire who Adams screwed over. This all comes back to the waterfront project we’ve been hearing so much about, Adam’s legacy, the billionaire wanted to build a stadium where Adams legacy is sitting. And though Richmond promised nothing in return Adams is apparently a big enough Dick that peopel cut 50,000 dollar cheques to see him lose.  

The Murder Mystery
Last night was very much about Linden and Holder doing thier own things but essentially arriving at the same new suspect. The detectives started the hour interviewing a tweaking Kris and a lawyered up Jasper based on the gang bang video they found. We got a glimpse into the varied styles of interrogation. Linden was quiet, she showed Jasper the video and coaxed him into talking by saying to him; “you don’t seem like the type who shares their toys and that’s what Rosie was right?” A lawyers greatest enemy is his client. Holder took the a more aggressive approach to almost no effect. Kris laughed when he showed him the video. “That’s what you got? You got shit.” Turns out it wasn’t Rosie in the video, no, it was poor, jealous, lonely Sterling, Rosie’s bestfriend. From Sterling they got that Rosie had a secret boyfriend and she would take the 108 bus from school sometimes. Holder took the bus while Linden talked to the Larsens.

That scene was excrutiating. First for the Larsen’s seeing the evidence board and physically what their daughter went through. The trunk of the car, the pupils, the suffering. And second becuase it lead to a harsh scene where Stanley accused Linden of lying about how Rosie suffered. What does Linden say to them? Enos has mastered the silent apology and deflecting rhetorical questions.

Eventually Holder found a driver who recognized Rosie, she took the bus to the end of the line in a bad neighborhood, and Linden, who found some Cigarettes hidden in her sons pillow realized teenagers hide shit really well, they have to and decided to take another crack at Rosie’s room. Holder’s route led him to a Richmond sponsored youth center in a bad area (where the car had been stolen from???) where Rosie had been seen with…
At the same time Linden found love letters hidden in a globe from…
Bennet Ahmed!

Who Killed Rosie Larsen?

Last week Bennet was my number one suspect, but making his a suspect this early in the series almost rules him out completely. Unless they establish Bennet as a suspect now only to clear him to remove suspicion, but have him still turn out to be the killer. With so many red herrings it’s hard to see where the investigation will go. I can see it being a jealous Sterling, a tweaking Kris, an enraged Bennet, hell, Rosie could have been sleeping with Richmond and it could have been Gwen. In a perfect world it’ll have something to do with the waterfront project, but that would require a little too much synergy for a series that’s so grounded in real life. I have a feeling Bennet will prove innocent but not before handing off a vital clue or two.

If last night was an average episode of the Killing we have a lot of GOOD in store for the season.

Who do you think killed Rosie Larsen?