This poster for Big Love‘s new season.
Eli Stone. I just watched all of season 2 in 3 days and I’ve gotta say, there’s almost nothing wrong with this series. It’s really quite a remarkable feat of network television and its cancellation will always be one of the great tragedies of the 08-09 season.
Fantastic Mr. Fox.Wes Anderson’s stop-motion adaptation of the book from my favourite childrens author Roald Dahl is really remarkable. With superstar voice talents (led by the ever smoothly fantastic Mr. George Clooney), remarkable aesthetics, a great script and a brilliantly paced story, Fantastic Mr. Fox is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a long time.
Anticipation of the Top Chef Finale. My money’s on Brian Voltaggio for the win with the final showdown being between him, his brother Michael and Kevin (who might surprise me and take it all, though I’m firmly rooting for Brian). I’ll miss the Volts when the season ends.
Chelsie Hightower and Louis Vito on the Dancing with the Stars finale. She’s proven over the past two seasons that she might just be the best teacher they’ve got on the show. She’s continually paired with a guy’s guy longshot and has them dancing like a pro just a couple weeks in to the competition. The couple’s fast-paced routine (set to the lovely tune of Donny singing) was a highlight of the finale and Louis came off as delightfully charming. Other great performers include the too-early eliminated Aaron Carter who performed the most entertaining quickstep I’ve seen in awhile, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and her partner Mark “I should not be a popstar” Ballas and the Olympic swimmer who got voted off really early despite being a really great dancer, as evidenced by her performance on the finale. One last highlight was the phenomenon that is the show’s pro dancers livening up a depressing performance by the decaying Whitney Houston with some absolutely incredible vivacity and ballroom skill; when the pro dancers are free from their partners (like in the first week of the show when they have a featured dance), you really get to see how truly remarkable they are.
The Project Runway Finale Results. She may be a bit nasty but it’s really nice to see the best designer win the competition over her nice but unexceptional fellow designers. Meana Irina had the best taste of the season and deserved every win she got, even with an all-black final collection.
Mark Salling. I don’t think I know anyone who would chose Finn over Puck. Not only is Puck more attractive, smarter, funnier AND a better singer but he’s a more developed character. Mark Salling brings a lot of depth to the best character Glee has to offer, taking him from villainous jock to sympathetic fan favourite without losing his edge or abandoning character consistency. And that bone structure…
Kelly Osbourne threatens to stalk Louis Van Amstel. Priceless!
The Grey’s Anatomy Holiday Episode. It’s not the holidays until the TV says it is and Grey’s Anatomy officially kicked off the season with their weeks-spanning episode that carried the characters through to New Years. While it does mean that we’ll all be going Greys-less for quite some time, the episode was so enjoyable that I really didn’t mind. The standout? The episode confirmed Arizona as my favourite character of the season so far.
That Dove ad that uses “Do Your Ears Hang Low”. I love their campaigns and this one’s particularly sweet.
The fact that Scrubs is back. It’s such a charming show. I love Denise and like that she’s becoming one of the new focuses. I like all the changes and that they’ve somehow managed to maintain some of their original fibre. I like the new girl, even if she is a little perky. And Denise’s boyfriend is fantastic, I can’t wait to watch their fascinating dynamic unfold.
Show Tyme’s choreography on SYTYCDCanada. My favourite hip hop choreographer by far on the show, his House routine for Everette and Tara Jean was one of my favourites of the season.
The West Wing season 1. In the perpetual cycle of West Wing episodes that my father and I are locked in, we’ve recently come round on season 1 again. Man that’s a good show, and season 1 contains every reason why (except Ainsley Hayes, she comes later).
The recurring SNL sketch with the alien sportscaster. I have no idea why I find it so amusing but Bill Hader is FUNNY.
Sebastian Pigott on Being Erica. The addition of Kai has revitalized Being Erica’s second season, giving it a shape that was neither expected or unwelcome. The new direction they’re taking with Dr. Tom, the ramifications of Kai’s therapy on Erica’s life and the beginnings of exploration into the mythology of the therapy all make for promising earmarks of a bright future for the show. Also, Pigott’s musical interludes never go unappreciated.
The Guild season 3. Watch it online at watchtheguild.com, you’ll feel cool for having done so.
Kevin Pollak’s Chat Show. Live every Sunday with full episodes available anytime online, this lowbudget online show is literally Kevin Pollak (Sam Weinberg, comedian and perpetrator of the best Christopher Walken impression in the business) sitting and talking to a guest for 2 straight hours, unedited. The result can be monotonous if the guest isn’t interesting but it can also be fascinating. Instead of a pre-selected “funny anecdote” carefully rehearsed then delivered to Ellen or Letterman or whoever in a 3 minute segment, you’ll witness guests rambling, searching for words, going off on tangents and actually telling the truth; it’s really quite refreshing. And then, if you can make it through the whole ordeal, you’re rewarded with the one “bit” that Pollak has on the show: the Larry King Game. Guests have to do a bad impression of King revealing something personal on the air then go to the phones. Standout episodes include Seth McFarlane and Josh Molina (especially if you’re a Sorkin fan) though the award for best Larry King Game submission goes to Matthew Perry’s spot on impression while delivering “I’m sitting in my own sauce. Wichita, hello”
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Better Off Ted premieres next week. Could not be more excited.