Off Topic - Week 32 (2015-16 Season)

Okay folks, this week is finals week for me, so I probably may only comment sporadically. Until then, you know what to do? 

The 100 S3E13 Review





Hulu episode descriptions are often vague, but this week's is especially vague: "Clarke is on a mission that could change everything."


S3E13 "Join or Die"

Kane and Pike have finally reached Polis, and it is a grave site, everything gray except for the blood on the ground. Jaha tells them both to take the key, but they both refuse. In a flashback, Jaha, Abby, and Kane tell Pike that he is to teach the juveniles an earth skills class. The flashback doesn't seem to have much point right now, but maybe the flashbacks to come in the episode will provide a purpose. Clarke, Bellamy, Octavia, and Jasper show up at the village, which is a scene that looks so Pacific Northwest, not Virginia. The village, however, has been abandoned.

In flashback, the kids do not take Pike's class seriously, as they have no idea that they will end up needing these skills. In the real story, Pike is brought to the prison where Murphy, Indra, and the others are. Because Pike killed 300 of Indra's people, she will give him 300 cuts. Octavia and Bellamy continue to fight, and then the group discovers that they are to contact Luna through signal fire. Abby poses as another prisoner, and tries to figure out from Kane where Clarke is, as ALIE coaches her. However, Kane figures out that Abby has taken the key. So, they torture Kane.

Clarke talks to Bellamy, and then the group gets attacked by a group of grounders coming from the water. Octavia talks to them, and they have them all drink something, because Octavia trusts Lincoln. In flashback, Pike asks Jaha to go with the kids or at least tell them what's going to happen. In the class, Pike intentionally starts a fight to prepare the class. In the story, Indra prepares to kill Pike, but Murphy encourages her not to. She eventually decides to postpone her revenge, so that they can fight against the real enemy. Indra's pain can really be felt, as she has waited so long for revenge, and it seems to her that the scales are never balanced.

In another flashback, the prisoners are taken onto the dropship. Jasper is concerned with finding Monty, which is really funny. Abby doesn't even really get to say goodbye to Clarke, as she is unconscious. These flashbacks provided little to the week's story, they only really filled time. Kane is persuaded to take the key in a similar way that Abby was, with this time Abby being the one whose life is at risk. Clarke, Bellamy, Octavia, and Jasper awake. They meet Luna, and Clarke tries to convince her to take the flame, but she refuses. It is then revealed that they are in the middle of the ocean.


There were some good moments, but this was really just another weak episode. Overall, it was mediocre.

What did you think of "Join or Die"? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Special Review: Person of Interest S4E11

I'm Back!! Now that my exams are over, I can finally get back to work. Usually I would write about The Goldbergs but since there's no new episode this week, I thought I would take this opportunity to write about one of my favorite television episodes of all time. I'm sure that most of my readers are aware that my reviews normally contain spoilers but this time I've included a spoiler free version for potential fans. I know that the show is ending, but that doesn't mean you can't join the fandom.

(I apologize for any problems with the initial setup. I was dealing with some technical difficulties)

S4E11 " If-Then-Else"

SPOILER FREE: For those unaware, Person of Interest is a show mainly about artificial intelligence. It initially started as a pseudo procedural with serialized elements but it soon became more story driven midway through season 3. Some fans didn't like the new direction, but not me. I love serialized fast paced shows with a compelling storyline and that's what Person of Interest became. What fascinated me about this episode was the unique mode of storytelling presented to the viewers. Instead of a linear story from beginning to end, this episode shows us the various possibilities which can occur in a single scenario. Sure this isn't how every episode is, but it's a great example to show how creative the writers are. Ultimately, it's a violently entertaining hour of television filled with humour and drama. Although it follows continuity,  I think it's a good enough reason to watch the 78 other episodes required to understand this one. All that's needed is to take that first step.

REGULAR: Back in 2003, Harold plays a game of chess with the machine. He teaches the machine about simulating different strategies to identify an ideal route of success. But he also tells the machine that real life is not like chess and that it cannot sacrifice some people in favour of others, a lesson which the machine seems to have taken to heart as shown within the episode.

In the present, Samaritan has started to create chaos by messing with the New York Stock Exchange after its meeting with the machine via Root. In order to fix this, Harold, Reese, Root and Fusco sneak into the Stock exchange to execute a fail safe which the Machine had prepared for them while Shaw went to go get an access code required to enter the room necessary to activate the fail safe. but the gang get into trouble when the elevator shuts down and they realize it was a trap by Samaritan. To make matters worse, Shaw and some other people gets held up by a desperate suicidal man with an explosive just as she is about to get the code from a man on the subway train. The gang go to hide in a cafeteria to escape Samaritan's operatives, which is where the real fun begins. As soon as Root asks the machine for a little help, the Machine starts performing over 800,000 simulations, 3 of which we are about to see while the Machine creates them within a span of 6 seconds, a feat achieved thanks to its advanced processing capabilities.

In the first simulation, Root tells Reese and Fusco to go restart the elevator since it is their only way out while she goes with Harold to activate the fail safe. Shaw tries to get Reese to help her with her situation via bluetooth but he is too busy with the elevator so she takes matters into her own hands. She shoots the bomber but gets arrested and fails to get the code. This leads to Root shooting the access door open alerting the Samaritan operatives hiding in the computer room. Root deals with them while Harold tries to activate the fail safe but then Harold gets shot trying to save Root, deeming the simulation to be a failure. I'll be honest, when I first saw this, I thought Harold had died for real, but I was relieved when the events reversed back to real time.

In the second simulation, Root and Harold go to fix the elevator while Reese and Fusco go to activate the fail safe. This time, Shaw manages to ask Reese about the situation and he tells her to make the bomber think about someone he cares about. But that still fails and she gets arrested for shooting him. Reese and Fusco take out all the operatives in the computer room and Fusco is put in charge of activating the fail safe while Reese guarded him, which was a problem because Fusco wasn't very tech savvy. Reese soon realizes that the plan is going to fail because too many operatives soon showed up so he locks up Fusco in a nearby stairwell and ends up getting killed. Root also gets killed by some Samaritan agents after she gets caught trying to break the tension cord holding up the elevator, but not before trying to convey her feelings to Shaw.

In the final simulation, they all go to the computer room together while Shaw talks to Fusco about the suicidal man. Fusco tells her to make him realize that he is not alone in his problems. Shaw gets all the other people on the train to tell the man their problems and succeeds in solving the crisis, while getting the access code. Meanwhile, the gang successfully implement the fail safe and fix the elevator. Back in real time, the gang is still trapped in the cafeteria and time is running short for the machine so it starts to speed up the simulation which leads to the gang using hilariously simplified sentences. But after that, things get serious as they finally get towards the elevator, with Samaritan operatives in their way. The machine deems their chances of survival as 2% and chooses this as the best scenario.

Back in real time, the machine tells Root to execute the final simulation and as expected, everything goes according to plan, with the exception of Shaw showing up at the end to help the gang escape to the elevator. They all manage to get to the elevator, except Shaw who runs out to press the elevator button to save them all, but not before giving Root a kiss. Shaw is then shot while Root looks in horror as the elevator, with the episode ending on a sorrowful note.

I've had a lot of time to think about this episode and I have many things I would like to say.
First, for a while I thought that the simulations were just a way to fill up episode time, but I realized that this was done to show us the full capabilities of the machine, not to mention this was beautifully executed. Second, I know I sound like an idiot but I did not see that kiss coming. I'm surprised I didn't read the subtext in their conversations. Regardless, it was a pleasant surprise. Lastly, I want to thank the people who handle the music for putting 'Good Fortune' by the Glitch Mob into the simulations. After watching this episode, I fell in love with that song. Overall, a great episode, Period.

Quote of the special: What's the point of saving the world if you can't enjoy it?

Mom S3E19 Review





Christy isn't feeling well this week, but she can't let that stop her!


S3E19 "A Catheter and a Dipsy-Doodle"

At the start of the episode, Bonnie gets angry when Adam looks at a text that she assumes is from a girl. This is hilarious because he tries to get her to look him in the eye and say she hides no secrets from him.

Christy tries to study, but she isn't feeling well. She goes to work, and we see Chef Rudy for the first time this entire season. He sends her home after she sneezes on some food. Adam explains to Bonnie that the text was about a reunion he didn't want to go to, and she convinces him to go. Christy comes home, and she falls over. There is a hilarious moment where Adam can't find his phone because Bonnie took it.

Christy wakes up, and there is a hilarious joke about how she knows she isn't in heaven because Bonnie is there. It's also hilarious when Bonnie easily keeps her there. Adam says "love you" to Bonnie, and Christy hilariously remarks to "give him time". Christy is eventually able to escape, but she passes out after she finishes her final.

Adam returns, and tells Bonnie about his trip. He was given an opportunity to be the stunt director for a movie. The job will last 5-6 months and be in Croatia. Bonnie tells him she's fine with this, but when she goes upstairs she starts crying. Christy hilariously asks what Bonnie did.


This wasn't the strongest episode, as Act 1 wasn't as fun as it could have been, but it was still a great episode.

What did you think of "A Catheter and a Dipsy-Doodle"? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Undateable (Not) Canceled By NBC (UPDATED)

Per TV Series Finale, Undateable will not be returning for a 4th season. It's situation was quite unique over its run; despite a comedy 3 seasons in, it only produced 36 episodes. The first season aired in the summer double-pumped, and while steadily losing viewers grabbed a renewal for beating expectations. For lack of any other option, it aired after The Voice last spring for its second season to relatively underwhelming numbers, but managed a third season renewal as NBC's only returning comedy. Season 3 aired live on Fridays, though while steady, it was steady in fractional territory and NBC couldn't have been making a whole lot of money off of it considering its ad rate was one of the lowest on all of the Big 4.

What do you think of this news? Let us know in the comments below!

UPDATE: A writer on Undateable has stated that there is "no truth whatsoever" to this cancelation. I will keep providing updates, but it looks like TV Series Finale may have jumped the gun on this one. The original statement came from the newly released Variety bubble watch article which stated:

“Undateable” is dead, despite the network’s creative gamble on a fully live season for the most recent third round. Sources say the show was effectively cancelled last week with NBC giving a heads up to the cast and crew, though the official news may not come until upfronts."

We will keep you posted.

Hunter's Fall 2016 Schedule Predictions - April 2016

As I said I would in December, I am posting my predictions for fall 2016 again, this time with titles of new shows and the knowledge that Cooper Barrett was a flop. My predictions have changed a lot since December, with the debut of many midseason shows, and now that Containment has finally premiered, it seemed that the time is right to do this post. As with my December post, I will provide reasoning. There is a method to the madness!

ABC

SUNDAY
7:00 America's Funniest Home Videos
8:00 Once Upon a Time
9:00 Secrets & Lies
10:00 Quantico
MONDAY
8:00 Dancing with the Stars
10:00 Conviction
TUESDAY
8:00 The Middle
8:30 Square Roots
9:00 Fresh Off the Boat
9:30 Black-ish
10:00 Agents of SHIELD
WEDNESDAY
8:00 The Goldbergs
8:30 Imaginary Mary
9:00 Modern Family
9:30 Dream Team
10:00 Designated Survivor
THURSDAY
8:00 Grey's Anatomy
9:00 Scandal
10:00 How to Get Away with Murder/Still Star-Crossed
FRIDAY
8:00 Last Man Standing
8:30 Dr. Ken
9:00 Shark Tank
10:00 20/20

Mid-season:
Nashville
The Second Fattest Housewife in Westport
Speechless
Presence

Reasoning: ABC has renewed 5 comedies, 2 more look like they will be renewed, and this year's 2 new fall comedies was unusual. I doubt that they will air just 1 new comedy in the fall, so the most logical option seems to be to expand comedy on Tuesdays. The 10:00 hour on Tuesdays is a major problem anyway, so they may as well put SHIELD there. Secrets & Lies has been held for fall, and since Sundays at 9:00 have become a problem as well, it can just take its old timeslot, and then ABC can put no new shows on Sunday. This leaves two slots open, Monday and Wednesday at 10:00. Considering the competition of Chicago PD and likely Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders on Wednesday, it would be better for procedural Conviction to air on Monday. Also, it has a female lead, while Designated Survivor has a male lead, so it makes more sense to air it on Monday. This full of a fall leaves little room for midseason dramas, so I only expect fellow procedural Presence, and almost to syndication on CMT and much paid for by Tennessee Nashville to be saved. On the comedy side, Dream Team aims to be the next Modern Family, important because the once huge hit is now dying, Square Roots and Speechless aim to increase diversity on ABC, racially and otherwise, Imaginary Mary could get picked up due to a deal with Sony, because of the Goldberg name, or just because it is so creative of a concept, and The Second Fattest Housewife seems quirky enough to get the final midseason comedy slot.


CBS

SUNDAY
7:00 60 Minutes
8:00 Madam Secretary
9:00 NCIS: Los Angeles
10:00 Elementary
MONDAY
8:00 The Odd Couple
8:30 Kevin Can Wait
9:00 Supergirl
10:00 Scorpion
TUESDAY
8:00 NCIS
9:00 NCIS: New Orleans
10:00 Doubt
WEDNESDAY
8:00 Survivor
9:00 Criminal Minds
10:00 Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders
THURSDAY
8:00 The Big Bang Theory
8:30 My Time/Your Time
9:00 Life in Pieces
9:30 Mom
10:00 Limitless
FRIDAY
8:00 The Amazing Race
9:00 Hawaii Five-0
10:00 Blue Bloods

Mid-season:
2 Broke Girls
The Great Indoors
Superior Donuts
Bunker Hill

Reasoning: With the toss-ups of The Odd Couple and Limitless, CBS is tough. Since it got 1.5 without an original Big Bang Theory, I think it will get renewed. Also, CBS Studios! And, since I think it will get renewed, I think it will get a fall slot, because a 13-episode third season would put it 50 episodes away from syndication after three seasons. This means slightly stronger 2 Broke Girls has to wait, for real this time. With Life in Pieces having proven its strength, it will also return to the fall schedule, along with The Big Bang Theory and Mom, so CBS needs another comedy hour to air any new comedies in the fall. Meanwhile in the drama department, Supergirl and Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders are looking good for a return, and Limitless is looking to join them. That only leaves room for 1 new drama on the fall schedule, but I think that won't matter because I think CBS won't be a big fan of most of their drama pilots, only picking up Doubt and Bunker Hill. Doubt would fit tonally on Sunday, replacing The Good Wife, but since CBS Sundays have been so weak, and ABC has been very unsuccessful at launching new shows in that timeslot, NCIS: LA should just move there, and Doubt should air on Tuesdays, pushing Limitless to Thursdays. Why Tuesdays? Well, that lets Limitless take over the more problematic Thursday timeslot and NBC to take the procedural viewers on Tuesdays at 10:00.


CW

MONDAY
8:00 No Tomorrow
9:00 Jane the Virgin
TUESDAY
8:00 The Flash
9:00 Riverdale
WEDNESDAY
8:00 Arrow
9:00 Supernatural
THURSDAY
8:00 Legends of Tomorrow
9:00 iZombie
FRIDAY
8:00 The Vampire Diaries
9:00 Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Mid-season:
The 100
The Originals
Colony

Reasoning: No Tomorrow has pretty much been created to air with Jane the Virgin, so they take Monday. Riverdale, the most anticipated CW show of the season, gets the biggest lead-in possible. Wednesdays go for stability. That's the easy part of the schedule. Legends of Tomorrow and The Vampire Diaries stay in place at their 8:00 spots, and The 100 is saved for midseason again (or summer if there is no room), leaving two spots and three shows (iZombie, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The Originals). Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is going for awards, so it will get a fall premiere, and iZombie can't take too short of a season in order to reach 70 episodes in four seasons (38 more episodes are necessary, I'm betting on two more 19-episode seasons). This leaves The Originals, which I think will take the first spot opened up in the schedule. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend takes Friday and iZombie takes Thursday because Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is more Friday-worthy.


FOX

SUNDAY
7:00 The OT
7:30 Bob's Burgers
8:00 The Simpsons
8:30 Son of Zorn
9:00 Family Guy
9:30 The Last Man on Earth
MONDAY
8:00 Gotham
9:00 24: Legacy
TUESDAY
8:00 New Girl
8:30 Charity Case
9:00 The Enforcers
9:30 Brooklyn Nine-Nine
WEDNESDAY
8:00 Star
9:00 Empire
THURSDAY
8:00 Lucifer
9:00 Rosewood
FRIDAY
8:00 MasterChef Junior
9:00 Scream Queens/Bones

Mid-season:
Chad: An American Boy
Havoc
Shots Fired

Reasoning: FOX has already renewed a surprising number of shows, and seems to have already renewed Family Guy. I think that FOX will spend their remaining time on the fall schedule fairly evenly on comedy and drama, putting 3 new comedies and 2 new dramas on the fall schedule. This fills up male-aimed Sunday and female-aimed Tuesday, sticking season four of Brooklyn Nine-Nine at 9:30. Star is an obvious pair with Empire, and I think that 24: Legacy will get picked up because this is FOX, and will get a fall spot because, from what I understand, a new 24 series would work best with a full season. Thursday could easily become procedural night, as it is comedy night on CBS and TGIT on ABC, and the shorter seasons of Scream Queens and Bones can pair up on Friday at 9:00. At midseason, Chad: An American Boy can replace one of Charity Case or The Enforcers if they don't perform well, and Havoc can air Sundays at 9:30, with The Last Man on Earth taking a break like this season, and either returning at 9:30 if Havoc fails, or in the 7:00 hour if it succeeds.


NBC

MONDAY
8:00 The Voice
10:00 Chicago Justice
TUESDAY
8:00 The Voice
9:00 Powerless
9:30 Superstore
10:00 Chicago Med
WEDNESDAY
8:00 Chicago Fire
9:00 Law & Order: SVU
10:00 Chicago PD
THURSDAY
8:00 Emerald City
9:00 The Blacklist
10:00 Blindspot
FRIDAY
8:00 Dateline
9:00 The Carmichael Show
9:30 Marlon
10:00 Grimm/Shades of Blue

Mid-season:
The Apprentice
The Biggest Loser
Hollywood Game Night
Little Big Shots
Good Place
Imaginary Friend
Sunset PPL
Patient Zero
Taken
The Blacklist spin-off

Reasoning: I think that NBC will go for two hours of comedy in the fall, one single-camera and one multi-camera. The single-camera block, including Superstore and a new comedy, either Powerless or Sunset PPL would be most compatible, I'm going for Powerless, which I think will be their priority, and as a result get post-The Voice treatment. The multi-camera block, I am predicting will air Fridays at 9:00 because, unless NBC decides to dump Emerald City there, Friday is the only available day. I chose 9:00 because I don't think that The Carmichael Show should go up against Last Man Standing, though the recent 0.7 for The Carmichael Show may cause NBC to decide to renew Undateable instead, in which case I think Dateline would air at 10:00 like usual, and the sitcom block will remain at 8:00. Chicago Med is probably too weak to lead off Wednesdays, but Chicago Fire isn't, so I think that Med will move by an hour, while Fire will move nights to create an all Dick Wolf Wednesday. Meanwhile, the newest of the Chicago series, I think will get the great Monday at 10:00 timeslot. Emerald City seems to have been pushed to fall, and it seems to be expensive, so I don't know if Friday is the right day for it. That leaves Thursday at 8:00, assuming NBC wants Blindspot to air out of The Blacklist. I don't think that Emerald City will have much TGIT crossover, so Thursdays could work for it. All signs seem to be pointing to a final season for Grimm, so I have paired it with Shades of Blue. Mid-season, I expect Good Place and Imaginary Friend to air like Superstore and Telenovela did, the same process for The Biggest Loser, Little Big Shots either keeping its timeslot or airing on Tuesdays (or both), The Blacklist to move to 8:00, with the new spin-off airing at 9:00, The Apprentice airing on Sunday, Taken airing on Sunday, replacing Chicago Justice if it somehow fails, or waiting for summer, and Sunset PPL either replacing a fall comedy that fails or waiting until summer.


And now I assume you want to tell me how wrong I am with my schedules. Go ahead, leave a comment!

The Middle S7E21 Review








Spring has come to Orson, Indiana, and Frankie hopes to enjoy it.


S7E21 "The Lanai"

Frankie is excited about the first warm day of the year, and it is really funny how over-the-top she is. However, they get new neighbors, with three kids, and more on the way. Sue and her roommate get number 4 in the dorm lottery, and they get really excited about moving into a room they really want. It's really hilarious that the thing they are most excited about is the six outlets.

Frankie decides to talk to the new neighbor, despite Mike's hilarious line advising her not to. She makes up some hilarious facts to convince the neighbor to keep her kids inside. Sue and her roommate look at the room they plan to take, and discover that one of the girls who lives there has a fatigue syndrome, so Sue, being Sue, decides to switch numbers with them. Axl and Hutch's new sandwich business is going well, until Kenny quits.

Sue and her roommate discover that the girl doesn't actually have a fatigue syndrome. Axl and Hutch get creative to keep their business up, and it is really funny. Frankie continues to get annoyed by her neighbors, despite her attempts to use her lanai. Sue and her roommate confront the girls, but discover that the one has a twin. Frankie finds a solution to her problem, when the kids complain that they want cookies, she throws some over the fence, which is hilarious.


There were many funny moments, mostly from Frankie, throughout the episode. It was a really good episode.

What did you think of "The Lanai"? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

FOX Renew/Cancel Watch: Predicting Grandfathered, Nothing Left on the Bubble

Canceled	Cancelation Predicted	Renewal Predicted	Renewed
Minority Report	Bordertown	Family Guy (RENEWED)	The Simpsons
Cooper Barrett’s Guide to Surviving Life	Grandfathered	The X-Files	Bob’s Burgers
	The Grinder		Empire
	Second Chance		Scream Queens
	Sleepy Hollow		Bones
			Gotham
			Brooklyn 9-9
			The Last Man On Earth
			Lucifer
			Rosewood
			New Girl

Does FOX Really Need Grandfathered?
So far this season, FOX has renewed 11 shows: comedies The Simpsons, Bob's Burgers, Brooklyn 9-9, The Last Man On Earth, and New Girl; dramas Empire, Scream Queens, Gotham, Rosewood, Lucifer, and Bones. Additionally, a renewal for Family Guy is fully expected (may not even be announced) given the fact that they are already working on a new production cycle and have leftover episodes from this cycle.

If those are all the renewals FOX hands out, then they would have renewed their top 12 scripted shows in Live + Same Day ratings, while cancelling the 8 ones that were unlucky enough to fall that threshold. Last season, the 8 shows that fell below the Top 10 were canceled, while the rest were renewed. So even if they cancel the same number of shows this season as last season, they still end up renewing two more hours, essentially solving the problem of an Idol-less schedule.

This season, they lost American Idol, freeing up about two hours of time slots in the spring. However, it's worth noting that FOX renewed six drama hours instead of the usual four, and assuming Family Guy is renewed, they've renewed their typical three comedy hours. Do they really have room for Grandfathered?

It is widely known that the most money that a network or production company makes from a show is the distribution rights. FOX only holds half the ownership in Grandfathered, which the other half belonging to ABC Studios. The ratings are miserable, holding at around a 0.8 for its most recent airings despite having one of the best, if not the best, lead-ins FOX could have given it. In fact, it just recently went down to a 0.6 for its return. We can't say they didn't try with the time slot upgrade. Sure, the New Girl lead-in has made it more female-skewing, but it still loses a sizable portion of its lead-in's numbers. Given how far away this show is from a potential syndication deal of which FOX would only partially benefit, I see no reason to keep this one going. Unless, of course, there are numbers we are not seeing, such as C7 boosts or strong streaming numbers. I don't catch that vibe though. You can argue that half-owned Grandfathered can get renewed with ratings just below un-owned Brooklyn 9-9, but we must remember there that Brooklyn 9-9 is only one season away from a potential syndication deal, and given that it is supposedly a solid streaming player for Hulu, the more episodes the better.

If FOX wants to do more comedy business with ABC Studios, or if ABC Studios pressures them into having one of their comedies on the schedule next season, there is the Courtney Cox-led Charity Case, which on the description and the lead's name looks to be a better fit with New Girl than Grandfathered. I think that would be a solid option, and we must also remember that FOX has ordered comedy Son of Zorn to series. Renewing Grandfathered would just be putting another low-rated comedy on the schedule when the priority should be finding something that will last.

FOX picked up two new comedies for this season's fall schedule and a couple more for midseason, so I see no reason why they can't do that again.

FOX only has to schedule 12.5 hours of programming next season, and they've already renewed 8.5 hours. If you include Family Guy, MasterChef Junior, Son of Zorn, and Shots Fired, we are up to 11.5 hours of programming. That's only 1.5 hours left, and there may even be another hour of reality thrown on Fridays somewhere. Even if they save a couple veterans for midseason, I think a struggling FOX would like to premiere more than 1 new drama and 1 new comedy in order to find a new hit. They supposedly have strong pilots in dramas Pitch and Star, and comedies Making History and Charity Case. So could Grandfathered get saved? Yes. It wouldn't surprise me *that* much. But I think it should be in FOX's best interest to cancel the show and start fresh. Their schedule is getting full as it is.

Star and 24: Legacy Ordered to Series on FOX

FOX has ordered Lee Daniels' new musical drama Star, as well as 24 reboot 24: Legacy to series. Both are some of their more high-profile projects and clearly they are counting on them to be ratings
successes.

What do you think? Did they make the right decision? Where on the schedule will they be placed? Let us know in the comments below!

Fresh Off the Boat S2E20 Review





RCN America NY

This episode of many flashbacks shows how Jessica and Louis met and how they picked their American names.


S2E20 "Hi, My Name Is..."

At the start of the episode, Jessica and Louis need a new toaster, and the bank gives them a free toaster whenever they open a new account. Evan gets to be the one to open a new account, which he is hilariously excited about. There is also a really funny joke about how he is Jessica's favorite. At the bank, he finds out that his name was picked randomly, and Jessica gives the account of how she got the name Jessica. There are many funny parts of this, such as how she claims "all white people look the same" and puts Honey in her story. The act ends with a hilarious joke where Jessica claims not to know Grandma Huang.

Louis tells Evan how they chose the names for Emory and Eddie, though this contradicts the earlier fact that Louis wanted a daughter named Emily. Louis tells the story of his name, which includes his meeting Jessica. Louis took his name from a cool guy he met, and there is a funny fight between the two of them for the name after he tells Jessica that's his name.

Eddie tells Evan he can choose a name that the streets give him. He has a fantasy of what his life will be like when he becomes a business mogul with a new name, and it is hilarious. In his fantasy, Shaquille O'Neal is the president. Evan talks to Grandma Huang, and there is a hilarious joke about how her American name, Jenny, involves a story of crime. She tells him that his name doesn't choose him, he chooses his name. Evan finally signs his name. The signature is illegible, and Jessica calls it the signature of a doctor, because he will be Doctor Huang.


This was a great episode. The flashbacks provided some great stories.

What did you think of "Hi, My Name Is..."? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Jane the Virgin S2E19 Review





TV Fanatic

Things are going great for Jane and Michael, so they are obviously going to stay that way, right?


S2E19 "Chapter Forty-One"

At the start of the episode, seven-year-old Jane insists on saving her money, even though Xo insists she spends some of it. In the present, Michael encourages her to spend some money on Mateo. Everything is going well for them, which means that something must go wrong, which comes in the form of a newspaper article accusing Michael of being a corrupt cop. Xo considers auditioning for a role in Rogelio's show, and Rafael talks to Jane about going to lawyers to determine the specifics of who takes care of Mateo when. Jane makes the large purchase, but Michael comes home and tells her he got fired.

Jane picks up more shifts to make more money, and has to train Petra's sister, which is hilarious. She also ends up making a thousand dollars helping someone write a college essay, which she hilariously calls "a fun Saturday". Rogelio says he will give Xo the part, but Dina is upset about this. Jane and Rafael make an appointment, and it ends up getting tense.

Rogelio and Xo run their scene and it is so historically inaccurate. Also, Xo is terrible at acting, and keeps messing up, which is also hilarious. Jane meets with the student who she is supposed to help write his essay, but it turns out she's actually supposed to write it for him. Petra goes to Rafael about the trust, and he admits he doesn't trust her as much as he trusts Jane, and with good reason.

There is a hilarious joke about Petra's sister marrying the salt shakers, and Jane realizes that she may be getting in Mateo's way when she sees a mom get in the way of her son's passion. Petra ends up talking to her sister about Jane. Jane feels like she is prioritizing other things over Mateo, and she really doesn't like that.

Jane and Michael talk, and he tells her that he got a job. He is Rogelio's chief of security. Petra's sister attempts to get Jane into trouble by sending a message supposedly from her to the university, about advertising her essay writing business. Rafael's brother calls someone saying to "take him down" after talking to Rafael.


This was a really good episode. There were some really funny moments, though some storylines fizzled early on, such as Xo's, and some escalated much later, like Petra's.

What did you think of "Chapter Forty-One"? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

FOX Won't Be Airing Famous This Summer

Per Deadline, FOX will not be airing comedy Famous after all. A few weeks ago, this couples therapy mockumentary single-cam was ordered straight-to-series for a summer order. The problem? There wasn't even a cast, and it appears that the show is too far behind on development to be able to air. Originally supposed to air Sunday at 9 starting June 12th, the show is being put back in development. If it will ever air remains to be seen.

What do you think? Leave your thoughts below!

Film Review: Eddie The Eagle

Eddie 'the Eagle' Edwards was a British ski jumper in the late 1980s who became famous for representing Britain in the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics.  He came a resounding last and as a result became a media celebrity, the traditional underdog, complete with thick spectacles and a jutting chin.  This is a film inspired by that story, sold as a light-hearted story of a determined young man, a feel-good movie.

To a certain extent the film succeeds.  There are moments that make you smile and laugh out loud and plenty of scenes that make you feel for Eddie in his struggle to achieve his dream.  The ending undeniably lifts the viewer up, despite the fact that however soaring the final jumps seem to be, they were still extremely poor when considering the Olympic standard.   But there is something unnerving about Eddie.  From a young age all he ever wanted to be was an Olympian.  The opening section of the film shows him in the alleyway behind his house, attempting to hurdle, long jump and throw javelins (long sticks).  Each effort ends in failure - and a broken pair of glasses.  Persuaded to give up his dream, he follows in his father's footsteps and trains as a plasterer, until he realises that winter sports may prove an easier way to becoming an Olympian.  He misses out on representing Britain in downhill skiing and after another period of plastering, finally turns to ski jumping, realising there are no competitors and no entry requirements.  Unfortunately the British Olympic Committee decided there should be, imposed a minimum distance of 60m. Eddie sets out on a quest to achieve the distance and his dream of becoming an Olympian.

And there lies the problem.  Eddie only wants to represent his country at the Olympics.  He doesn't care if it's at the Summer or Winter games and has no preference for a sport.  He is an individual, a loner, and one that seems to be a few slices short of a loaf.  He is anything but a team player and fails to grasp that concept throughout.  Yes he is determined to achieve his dream and at any cost, particularly to his working class mother and father.  He is also fearless, moving up the ski jump heights once he has managed the previous one without killing himself.  One perception of him could be that he was selfish and that certainly comes across in this film.

Helping him on his way is former American Olympic ski jumper Bronson Peary (Hugh Jackman), a washed up, rebellious, alcoholic has-been.  Together the two form an unlikely partnership and achieve success in reaching the new qualifying standard to make Eddie an Olympian.  Despite Eddie's slightly selfish attitude, empathy is built through his self-determination.  He raises his own funds, works in the local ski jump bar and is the brunt of his competitors jokes.  Bullying is rampant, from the Olympic committee creating the minimum requirements, his father (after 20 odd years) having no more encouragement to give, to his own team at Calgary getting him drunk so he misses the opening ceremony.

The culmination of these events make the last jump so satisfying.  The Calgary crowd love him as the underdog, and he is portrayed as almost a mascot.  His fearlessness and perseverance means he attempts the 90m jump for the first time, in front of an enthusiastic crowd and a television audience of millions.  Overall, Eddie The Eagle is an enjoyable British film that leaves the viewer feeling uplifted in the knowledge that the underdog can win his own personal battles, and that it's the taking part that counts.

A Virtual Scrawl

On a side note, this film was directed by actor Dexter Flexter who starred in 1980s children's show Press Gang, about a kids run newspaper), and it was secretly exciting to see his former co-star Paul Reynolds in a cameo as a sleazy journalist.

NBC Renew/Cancel Watch: 'The Mysteries of Laura' Moves On the Bubble

Week 31

KEY

• Show title (Average adults 18-49 rating to the nearest tenth / Most recent rating)

[F] - Indicates a Friday-night show, which will typically have lower ratings
[O] - Indicates an NBC-owned show, which will typically have a higher chance at renewal

CANCELED

• Heroes Reborn (1.3 / 1.0) [O]
• The Player (0.8 / 0.8)
• Truth Be Told (0.6 / 0.4) [F][O]
• You, Me and the Apocalypse (0.7 / 0.6)

CERTAIN TO BE CANCELED

• Game of Silence (1.1 / 0.8)
• Heartbeat (0.9 / 0.7)
• Telenovela (1.0 / 0.9) [O]
• Undateable (0.8 / 0.8) [F]

LIKELY TO BE CANCELED

• Crowded (1.1 / 1.0)

ON THE BUBBLE

• The Mysteries of Laura (1.1 / 1.2)

LIKELY TO BE RENEWED

• The Carmichael Show (1.1 / 1.0)

CERTAIN TO BE RENEWED

• None

RENEWED

• The Blacklist (1.5 / 1.3)
• Blindspot (2.0 / 1.4)
• Chicago Fire (1.8 / 1.7) [O]
• Chicago Med (1.8 / 1.6) [O]
• Chicago P.D. (1.6 / 1.5) [O]
• Grimm (0.9 / 0.9) [F][O]
• Law & Order: SVU (1.7 / 1.4) [O]
• Shades of Blue (1.2 / 1.1) [O]
• Superstore (1.5 / 1.4) [O]

ANALYSIS

Because every TV network's ratings are dropping significantly and NBC's new midseason shows are performing very unimpressively, I think NBC needs a little stability for their 2016-2017 season. And that stability is none other than The Mysteries of Laura. I have moved Laura up from "likely to be canceled" to "on the bubble." I think there definitely is a chance that Laura could get renewed, but I am not labeling it as a "likely" renewal because of its shortened season and the fact that NBC doesn't own it. As of right now, there's a 50/50 shot for Laura to come back. Stay tuned...

POLL OF THE WEEK

The 100 S3E12 Review





The Geekiary

Things get strange this week on The 100...


S3E12 "Demons"

The episode starts with Miller telling the other two a ghost story. He leaves the cave, and when the others hear a noise, Miller's boyfriend goes to find him. Then, Harper follows, and discovers that they weren't just joking around. This has got to be the stupidest scene from The 100 ever. The rest go to meet this group, but can't contact them. They go to Arkadia, which is completely abandoned now. The person that attacked the other group finds Jasper and Octavia, and attacks.

Raven and Sinclair discover how to access the AI, but Clarke tells Raven that if she were to accept it, she would die. Clarke and Monty follow the sound of creepy music and end up getting gassed, but Clarke fights back, and discovers that this other person is Emerson, the last mountain man. The scenes with Murphy and his girlfriend are really boring. Emerson cuts the power, and The 100 continues to try to act like a horror movie. Sinclair is injured, and Raven tries to save him, but she gets attacked as well, leaving only Clarke and Bellamy.

Sinclair has been killed, as this season has been relentless. Clarke offers herself to Emerson in return for the release of the others. Bellamy brings Clarke a better plan, she can distract Emerson, and he will kill him. Jaha shows up, and reveals that Murphy's girlfriend has been working for him. He gives Ontari the key, and encourages her to take it. The 100 finally starts to feel like The 100 when Emerson takes Bellamy, puts him in the airlock, and attempts to kill all of them and make Clarke watch. She fights back, and injects the AI into him, killing him.

Octavia finally gets to mourn over Lincoln, and it is a very emotional moment. She gives him a grounder funeral, and then Octavia is quickly back to work. It was a short time that she spent grieving, but an important one. Raven decides to stay behind because she is injured and she remembered that ALIE got into the main frame of the Ark. Clarke, Bellamy, Octavia, and Jasper leave, while the others stay behind. ALIE is now in charge of Polis, and prepares to turn it into the City of Light.


The episode finally got good near the end, but for most of the episode it was very weak. Overall, it was mediocre.

What did you think of "Demons"? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

NCIS Los Angeles S07E22

Like most NCIS Los Angeles episodes that feature a name in the title, the eponymous “Granger, O” focused on one character; the Assistant Director.  Owen Granger first appeared in the season three episode “The Watchers” and was instantly disliked and not trusted by the team.  He used them for his own means and investigated Kensi as a possible murderer, even ordering her to be held under house arrest.  And in Kill House, he was responsible for Nell being captured by the bad guys.  As a result, viewers generally have a love/hate relationship with Granger.  Since season four, he has gradually warmed to the team and vice versa, and has even softened slightly since his poisoning last season in Traitor, occasionally showing a slightly more human side to him.

Granger, O is not an episode that provides much back story on the character himself and instead focuses on the man and his emotions, and how he approaches the young Korean spy Jennifer Kim, who is his long lost daughter.  Earlier this season in Cancel Christmas, Jennifer was in Los Angeles to assassinate North Korean sleeper agents whose names appeared on a list NCIS obtained.  She was interrogated by Granger who made the connection that he once knew Kim’s mother and date wise, it was clear she was his daughter.  Jennifer was referenced again in Matroyshka Part One, Granger’s absence explained as he was escorting Jennifer to Washington. He is now back in Washington to escort her back to Los Angeles for further questioning; there has been a murder in LA and the victim’s name was on Jennifer’s list.  The North Korean’s have sent replacement assassins to finish Kim’s job and the NCIS team must locate the assassins and find the one surviving name on the list.  Case-wise it is a fairly simple premise with a few minor twists and turns, the main one being that the last name on the list is actually a ‘cleaner’, to tidy up loose ends, meaning the final mission is to kill Jennifer Kim.

Granger, O is not only a study of Granger but also Jennifer Kim.  She grew up not knowing her father; she knew his name but refused the opportunity to meet him when she was ten. She has no hang ups about her upbringing or lack of a father.  She is a strong, independent woman whose mother gave her all the love she needed.  Jennifer made her own decision at a young age to train as a spy, not out of spite towards her mother but of her own free will – although she did run away from home to join ‘spy school’.  As a result, she is stubborn, strong-willed and resourceful, with a repertoire of sarcastic comments in her armoury.  In contrast, Granger only knows his has a daughter, and of her alias name – Jennifer Kim.

By extension, this episode draws contrasts and comparisons to Callen’s story, without mentioning him as such. Callen of course recently discovered his father’s identity and finally met him, finding out his name just a few episodes ago.  The two are mentioned together only in reference to Jennifer kicking Callen’s ass during her arrest (now an ongoing joke), with Granger sticking up for Callen and Jennifer complaining that he (Callen) doesn’t fight fair – and neither does she.  The conversations between father and daughter are those that Callen has yet to have with his father.

Trust is warily built between Granger and Jennifer when it’s realised she is the next target and subsequently becomes part of Granger’s lone wolf plan.  Trust is then forced on them during the gun fight at the hangar.  A poignant conversation takes place at the end of the episode on the pier and the two start to form a bond.  Jennifer reveals her real name, offers to defect.  Granger agrees to protect her as an asset as best as possible, allowing Jennifer to then ask if Granger will help find her mother, to which he says yes.  Even though his exterior remains a hard shell, the cracks are there in his eyes and in his struggle to find the appropriate words.  Miguel Ferrer certainly has made Owen Granger his own grizzled and complicated loner, and excelled in this episode, as does Malese Jow (Jennifer), whose performance makes her a character with which to engage and to empathise.

The narrative is at a slower pace than usual, much like the Mastroyska episodes (which Kyle Harimoto also co-wrote).  This again was necessary and did not detract from the plot which is only a vehicle for character development.  The slower pace of the airplane scenes allows Granger and Jennifer to explore their emotions.  A great example is when Jennifer has walked away from Granger to get a fresh tea.  In a brief scene a little later with no dialogue, Granger walks down the aisle to Jennifer, pauses and then turns back and walks away from her.  Powerful scenes do not always require words and the framing of the scene shows how close and claustrophobic the airplane is, but how vast the distance is between the two characters.

Another important element of this episode is the mention of the mole.  References have been at times throughout this season which leads on from season six.  There is another traitor in their midst whose identity is as yet unknown.  Jennifer finds this amusing, as Granger trusts no one and diverts the plane to a different airport without updating his team.  Reflecting the frustration of the audience, Callen even calls Granger out over the mole.  Apparently Hetty and Granger have it in hand.  Will this be revisited in the season finale or early season eight?  It’s been going on for over a season so more (visible) progress or a reveal would be great.

In addition to the obvious continuity nods regarding Jennifer, there are also references to Kensi’s friends, with Deeks reeling off all their names (Tiffany, Tiffany  etc.).  Eric recalls the last time the entire team played basketball in the gym but unfortunately no one was there to witness his awesome basket.  The talk of weddings between Kensi and Deeks follows on from the ‘almost’ proposal in The Seventh Child and may be laying the foundations of a possible Kensi pregnancy (or disappearance or injury or…), particularly in the light of recent news that actress Daniela Ruah is pregnant again.  The NCIS REACT team was also mentioned which shows great continuity with the mothership, who aired an episode entitled REACT this season.  Other character moments saw a lot of banter between Sam and Callen, from thrash metal concerts with Anna to IKEA furniture, boxing and Sam freezing himself a la Hans Solo.  Hetty is barely present and Granger’s interactions with the team only occur towards the close, demonstrating the team still don’t fully respect or trust him.  Deeks undermines his authority by openly calling him ‘Granger Danger’, and Callen challenges him about the mole, each holding the others stare a touch too long.

The best NCIS Los Angeles episodes are generally those which are character driven and there have been plenty of those in season seven, featuring all characters (bar Hetty).  Granger, O had a different feel to it as do many of the self titled episodes, but the narrative and storytelling were slick, coming from long time series writer Harimoto and director Dennis Smith (the only real frustration visually came from the fake background when Sam and Callen are in the Challenger, and dialogue wise from Eric’s odd theory about Granger and Jennifer).  The one liners between the main cast were funny and the guest actors were on form, particularly from the two supporting actresses at the apartment block with Kensi and Deeks.  Answers about who Granger is and his past may not have been addressed this time, but his emotional journey with Jennifer was a story certainly worth being told – and it is only the beginning.

Please leave a comment with your thoughts on the episode...

A Virtual Scrawl

Off Topic - Week 31 (2015-16 Season)

This is the week 31 Off Topic thread, folks!

Grimm Season 6 Will Be 13 Episodes Initially

Per Deadline, the sixth season of Grimm will initially have an order of 13 episodes, not the standard 22. However, there is an option to expand the order.

What do you think this could mean? Time share with Shades of Blue or a new show, or even The Mysteries of Laura? Let us know in the comments below!

Mom S3E18 Review





Now that Bonnie is dating Adam, their hilarious chemistry will continue in upcoming episodes.


S3E18 "Beast Mode and Old People Kissing"

At the start of the episode Bonnie and Adam plan a short vacation, and there are some great jokes, such as how Bonnie uses his wheelchair, and Christy saying "oh, cute, old people kissing".

At a meeting, a guy shares, and the group realizes that this is Jodi's old boyfriend. Later, they discuss what to do about him. Christy and Bonnie want to hurt him, but Marjorie, Jill, and Wendy feel that since he has come for help, they need to help him. One of the many great jokes in this scene is when Bonnie asks Marjorie why she doesn't hate, and Marjorie says she does when Bonnie opens her mouth. At the next meeting, Christy sees the guy, and she can't resist yelling at him about Jodi. She then feels badly about it, and her pain can be felt.

Adam comes to AA with Bonnie, and he doesn't like it. He wants to criticize everyone, and there is a hilarious joke where Jill says she wants to adopt a Chinese baby. Marjorie tries to convince Christy to apologize to Jodi's ex, but it is Bonnie who convinces her when she says that she is proud of her. Christy's apology is a great scene. Bonnie explains to Adam how important AA is to her by showing him a video of what she was like before getting sober.

At the end of the episode, the girls and Travis meet at the coffee shop, and he tells them what he had heard about them from Jodi. Jill takes credit as being the smart one, even though that's actually Marjorie, and the episode ends on a serious note when he says he wished Jodi had listened to Christy about not going out with him.


This was a great episode. There were some really serious moments with the Travis storyline and some hilarious ones throughout.

What did you think of "Beast Mode and Old People Kissing"? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

CW Renew/Cancel Watch: Does the CW Really Need Containment?

Hey folks, this is Jessica. Welcome to week 31 of the CW Renew/Cancel Watch. This week, Containment premiered on the CW. Here are the updated standings.

Final Season	Canceled	Cancelation Predicted	Renewal Predicted	Renewed
Beauty and the Beast	Significant Mother	Containment		Arrow
				Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
				DC’s Legends of Tomorrow
				iZombie
				Jane the Virgin
				Reign
				Supernatural
				The 100
				The Flash
				The Originals (F)
				The Vampire Diaries (F)

Does the CW Really Need Containment?
Containment premiered with a 0.5 A18-49 rating on premiere night. Although given the recent CW renewals, that's not within cancelation range. However, it got only 40% retention from The Flash. What makes things worse is that according to SpottedRatings, it's True rating was a 0.42. Somehow, the CW does move or cancel shows in history with poor retention from high rated lead ins. Therefore, since it's premiere was worse than iZombie's last season, and that it does not have much room to fall, I had to place this show in the "cancelation predicted" category. Given the state of the CW, and that MadTV is being revived, plus the network is expected to premiere at least 2 new shows next season, I don't think that Containment will be back.