Happy Town: I Came to Haplin for the Waters – Although the ratings were not what ABC wanted – so much so that after the third episode aired on the 12th, the remaining 5 episodes of the season were bumped until after May Sweeps – Happy Town has done an excellent job presenting itself as a bizarre and mysterious little show. I intend to stick around for the entire run, with the promise that the Magic Man will be revealed by the end, and hope to get as many answers as possible in that little space of time. Also, what is the deal with the crazy bird and the wild boar hammer?

Supernatural: Two Minutes to Midnight – In one episode, Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) had to defeat and acquire the rings of the two remaining Horsemen. Though on a timeline, I still felt that both Horsemen received adequate attention, and particularly loved Death, whose resentment against Lucifer had him giving up his ring without a fight. Really, it was the only solution that made any sense – Death cannot be defeated. One day, even Sam and Dean will have to remain dead.

Bones: The Witch in the Wardrobe – Bones is like that boyfriend (or girlfriend) who keeps failing, but whom for whatever reason you keep giving chances to. And he (or she) always manages to get back in your good graces, but, if you stopped to think about it, you know he (or she) has not improved for good. This episode combined an interesting case surrounding witches with a long-awaited reconciliation between Hodgins (T. J. Thyne) and Angela (Michaela Conlin). As delightful as it was, I remain wary of the episodes remaining and am uncertain I will be back in the Fall.

The Mentalist: 18-5-4 – Another once beloved series that is sitting on my personal bubble, The Mentalist seems to ave stopped using its many resources, and focusing only on Patrick Jane (Simon Baker). Again, Jane taunted and tricked the suspects, again he used a clever ploy to reveal the murderer, and again he showed just how brilliant he is. The way things are going, why both have anyone else work the case? Jane’s doing it all, and I’m getting bored.

Stargate Universe: Sabotage – Here is one show that does continue to rise in my estimation. In Sabotage, Col. Young (Justin Louis) finally did something that made me not entirely hate him: he planned to sacrifice himself to save the rest of the crew. Granted, it was a stupid choice considering he is supposedly their best leader, but at least he did something that was worthy of respect…not that he had to go through with it. Still, Young is not a complete waste anymore, and use of the communication stones to introduce interesting and useful characters from Earth is a far more valuable use of time than what was going on before.

The Pacific: Part 9 - Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, they did. I’m just glad that The Pacific didn’t feel the need to show us what it was like to be in a POW camp; I guess they figured Bridge on the River Kwai covered it. In the final major campaign, we saw more raw recruits die uselessly, more because of mistakes or stupidity than by any clever tactics of the enemy. Not that I needed to see more of those clever tactics – watching one woman, holding her baby, explode because of the dynamite strapped to her chest was enough, thank you. With only one more episode in the miniseries, I can only hope that by the end I will be able to regain my sense of being whole.

Chuck: Chuck vs the Tooth –  In this episode where the Intersect wrecked havoc with Chuck (Zachary Levi)’s mind, we learnt 3 significant things. 1. Christopher Lloyd should always be referred to as Doc, 2. Daniel Shaw (Brandon Routh) may still be alive, and 3. The Intersect may end up giving Chuck permanent brain damage. Way to raise the stakes on this fantastic show, which has been renewed for a 4th season.

Castle: Overkill – The reason the love triangle between Castle (Nathan Fillion), Beckett (Stana Katic), and Demming (Michael Trucco) works so well is because all three have great chemistry. I loved watching Castle and Demming compete with their theories on who committed the murder. Even better that it turned out both were right. The tension is going to come to a head in the upcoming season finale, and I just hope I am not left with that unbearable feeling when you know you have to wait 4 months before finding out what is going to happen next!

V: Fruition – Although Anna (Morena Baccarin) has not yet devoured a gerbil, and may never do so, her lack of humanity was quite apparent in the damage she did to her own daughter, Lisa (Laura Vandervoort). I suppose there are some humans who might harm their children in a similar manner, knowing they could so easily be healed, but we would consider them equally inhuman. Luckily, it may be an act in our favour since it clearly destroyed much of the loyalty Lisa still had for her mother. She is 5th Column now, and that is a great thing! We will get to see how that plays out not only in Tuesday’s season finale, but in Season 2 as V has been officially renewed!

Glee: Laryngitis – The highlight of this week’s Glee was watching Kurt (Chris Colfer) transform himself from his confidently-flaming actual persona into a very hetero redneck. The shift in physicality, in his voice, was incredible to see. Kurt was suddenly a very different person. Apparently Glee doesn’t just allow actors to show off their singing talent, but also their versatility as actors.

So, stayed glued to the TV as your favourite shows reach their seasonal conclusions, and let me know which you will miss the most!

Happy Town: In This Home on Ice, Pilot – Although Happy Town’s ratings aren’t great, the show is certainly worth checking out. The bizarre sense of mystery which leaves you wondering what the Hell is going on in this small town is delightfully creepy. There are so many questions, and while you get the impression that you have a lot of those answers, the situation is too treacherous to be certain. What I am certain of? I’ll be watching this every week!

Supernatural: The Devil You Know – I’ll start with 5 words: Lovers  in League Against Satan. Dean (Jensen Ackles), Sam (Jared Padalecki), and Bobby (Jim Beaver) are making deals with the Demon, Crowley (Mark Sheppard), in an attempt to get the last two rings for their collection. Although we all know better than to trust a Demon, this partnership is entertaining and it works. Also, finally allowing Sam to avenge the death of his girlfriend was a perfect knot to tie to give us some sense of closure. How the rest of it will go down, who can say. After all, none of us actually expected Dean to go to Hell.

Bones: The Rocker in the Rinse Cycle – This was the worst episode of Bones ever written and filmed. The murder was buried under a pile of other storylines so that when the murderer was arrested, he barely had 3 seconds to confess as he was dragged to jail because that was all the time left for him. And, other than Cam (Tamara Taylor) dating her daughter’s gynecologist which was somewhat sweet, the rest of the plots were tiresome, repetitive, and basically irrelevant. After 3 solid weeks, Bones has plummeted to worse quality than before its 100th episode.

The Mentalist: Red All Over – What I liked about this episode was that, for once, Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) actually told his plan to the CBI team, and they were able to help him get the confession he so often seeks. What I didn’t like was that he used a little girl to get that confession. I’m just glad she wasn’t actually traumatized…though she may yet be when she’s old enough to understand that her grandfather killed her father. Also, the introduction of a Cult Leader, whom I hope will reappear often, indicates The Mentalist’s understanding that ongoing cases are necessary, and Cult Leaders make excellent villains.

Stargate Universe: Lost – Stargate Universe continues to improve and become more and more exciting. In Lost, we got to learn about Greer (Jamil Walker Smith) – his anger issues come from living with an abusive father, but, in reverence to the man his mother remembered before he changed, his father was also the reason he joined the army. The flashbacks to Earth are a much better use of time spent on Earth than anything else. Plus, the balance of luck, where Greer was rescued because he was left for dead, while Chloe (Elyse Levesque), Scott (Brian J. Smith), and Eli (David Blue) were left behind entirely because they had sought to save themselves.

The Pacific: Part 8 – The hardest thing about The Pacific is that it is based on real people who actually lived and died fighting those battles. Last week, we saw the death of Capt. Haldane (Scott Gibson), a excellent leader and a good man. That was not easy to witness. This week, John Basilone (Jon Seda), whom we’ve known and respected since the beginning of the series, finally got his wish to return to the front. He met a beautiful woman whom he loved and married, and decided to remain in the army despite finishing his term of service. Then he went to Iwa Jima, lead his men brilliantly, and was shot dead the first day. We witnessed an actor portray that ark perfectly, but the tears are a remembrance to John Basilone who was a hero, a husband, a leader, and who died.

Chuck: Chuck vs the Role Models – The first episode out of the gate after Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski) and Chuck (Zachary Levi) made their relationship official, they were saddled with two spy veterans who had been married (at least 3 times) for the last 30 years. While those spies were a pain in the butt, constantly switching sides depending on which suited them best in that moment, I loved watching Sarah and Chuck debate whether that was how they wanted to end up in 30 years. Together and still in love, with some issues to work through? It could be a lot worse than that.

Castle: Food to Die For – The murder of a reality-TV-series-winning chef created an absolutely delightful mystery, but what I really loved about this episode was the tension between Castle (Nathan Fillion) and Beckett (Stana Katic). The decision to try to push their relationship to another level is not easy considering their working relationships, Beckett’s walls that she put up against Castle, and Castle’s past track record for long lasting relationships. Then, introduce an attractive man with who Beckett could have an easily functional relationship, and the only questions is “What should she do?” She is attracted to them both, she could pick either, but which one would leave her with the fewest regrets. Don’t think that if she picked Castle, she wouldn’t wonder what would have happened if she’d gone the other way.

Glee: Bad Reputation – OMG I love Sue (Jane Lynch). It was hilarious to see her rocking out to Olivia Newton John’s Let’s Get Physical, and even more so when she and ONJ (who guest starred) redid that music video. Glee, could you be even more fantastic? The rehabilitation of old songs that we really love, we just can’t admit it because they are SO not cool, was also a terrific idea. Now let’s just hope that we get to see a little more of Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) soon.

V: Hearts and Minds – Whose side is Chad (Scott Wolf) on? He’s not being entirely forthcoming with Anna (Morena Baccarin), claiming that his sources need to remain secret so that he can get more information, but he also (eventually) told Father Jack (Joel Gretsch) that he had passed on the information Jack had given him to Anna. At the moment, he’s obviously playing both sides, but which side is he really on? Keep watching to find out (and to try to get ratings high enough for a renewal).

Another eventful week. Upcoming are the penultimate episodes of Supernatural, The Pacific, and V. You don’t want to miss any of these fantastic shows.

Supernatural: Hammer of the Gods – Although the Trickster (Richard Speight Jr.) turned out to be an Archangel, Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) were on the right track when they wanted to seek help from other gods to stop the Apocalypse. Unfortunately, even Kali (Rekha Sharma) was no match for Lucifer (Mark Pellegrino). While she escaped with Sam and Dean, Gabriel confronted his brother, and lost. A worthy death, after so many escapes, but I will miss him. And before he died…well, actually, technically after he died… he revealed to our boys how they might lure Lucifer back into Hell. Rock on.

Bones: The Predator in the Pool – While Booth (David Boreanaz) and Brennan (Emily Deschanel) have gone their separate romantic ways and are pursuing other romantic possibilities, their crime solving abilities have become far more interesting. A man was murdered and then devoured by sharks in a public aquarium, with hundreds of witnesses who saw absolutely nothing. But leave it to “King of the Lab” Hodgins (T.J. Thyne) and Clark “I’m never distracted from my work” (Eugene Byrd) to find the clue that  breaks open the case. Isn’t it delightful when forensics are used right?

The Mentalist: Blood Money – It may have been because he was betrayed, but I was thrilled beyond understanding that Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) finally suffered real consequences because of his inappropriate methods. His illegal investigation techniques let a murderer walk, and even though, in the end, they caught the man who had ordered the hit, he had been able to kill his hired man. Jane’s mistake cost a man his life…good thing that man was a psychopathic serial killer, so we don’t care too much.

Stargate Universe: Human – What could be better than a Rush (Robert Carlyle)-centric episode with guest appearance by Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks)? Watching Rush relive the memories of his wife’s death while desperately searching for the answer to the Destiny is exactly the reason I got into watching science fiction in the first place. The in depth look at his mind, the understanding of its fragility, and the strength he must have to go on all increase our love for Dr. Rush, even if he isn’t always the most well behaved. Now if only they could find a way for us to like Col. Young (Justin Louis).

The Pacific: Part 7 – Intense and stressful situations make men fast friends for life, but that isn’t saying much when their lives are likely to be cut short at any moment. To say this episode was more bloody than any other would be false, but, for the first time, we were given the opportunity to develop strong feelings for some of the men, only to be crushed shortly thereafter by their quick and pointless deaths. How many good men die in war, how many good men are lost to us so easily? The Pacific perfectly draws out the feeling that we never want to see a war like that again.

Chuck: Chuck vs the Honeymooners – Since Chuck (Zachary Levi) and Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski) have committed to a They Will, the show can now go forward focusing on other things that this forbidden love. But first, they had to decide whether they were going to run off together, or remain a spy couple. They had the perfect amount of passion after all those years of holding back, but even more amusing was their complete loss of it when they quit the spy life. Don’t worry, they realized their mistake and now, as a couple, they will face the dangers of the world and protect those they love.

Glee: Home – Despite its cheesiness, despite its ridiculousness, Glee is incredibly popular and it is using that popularity to send a message to all those who watch it. You are beautiful already, stop trying to change yourself to fit someone else’s bs ideas. The highlight of the episode was when Mercedes (Amber Riley), who had been starving herself, began seeing her friends dressed in food costumes. Nothing so ridiculous and fun as seeing people dressed as cakes, cupcakes and ice cream cones.

V: Heretic’s Fork – Back to bland, this week’s episode didn’t maintain last week’s achievement. For some reason, Erica (Elizabeth Mitchell) seemed incapable of enumerating the bad things the V had done. Sure, it made sense when she didn’t tell her son, whom she is trying to protect by keeping ignorant, but she could say nothing to their prisoner either. And he was going to have to die already, since he had heard the use of Joshua’s name as their ally. Which just tells you how incapable this resistance is. We’re all going to be killed or enslaved by the V, so let’s get used to the idea.

And that was what happened this week. With so few episodes left of the season, which season finale are you most excited about?

Supernatural: Point of No Return – I seriously thought that Dean (Jensen Ackles) was going to say Yes to Michael, and that the last 3 episodes of the season would be spent with Sam (Jared Padalecki) trying to avoid saying yes and trying to save the planet and trying to rescue his brother. This episode was SO much better than that. Castiel (Misha Collins) was so angry and so justified in his anger, and Bobby (Jim Beaver) was not in a much better mood, but Sam had faith. Regardless of anything else, he had faith, and he was there when Dean hit absolute rock bottom to give him hope and keep him saying No.

Bones: The Death of the Queen Bee – Are we remotely surprised that Brennan (Emily Deschanel)’s only high school friend was the creepy janitor (guest star Robert Englund) who brought her dead rabbits to dissect? No more than we are by the fact that two of her classmates had committed a murder back when she was in high school, over a boy, and that one of them had now killed the other over that same boy. The peppy, cheery types can be just as creepy as those who accept their inner Morticia.

Spartacus: Blood and Sand: Kill Them All – The blood bath that concluded the first season of Spartacus made every fight scene before appear rather bland. Gladiators cut down all the wealthy Roman masters who had turned out to watch Spartacus (Andy Whitfield) and Crixus (Manu Bennett) fight to the death. They had not suspected it would be their deaths. The feeling of liberty we ourselves felt while watching the massacre is only a tribute to how well the writers rallied us to the gladiators’ cause. And, boy, was it a fun finale.

Stargate Universe: Faith – Although Stargate Universe continues to give a far better showing that it did in its first 10 episodes, I was a little confused about this week’s episode. It was very peaceful, and did a good job of showing a reconciliation between the civilian and military factions aboard Destiny, but there seemed to be a hand guiding them from a distance, which I think was intentional, but I still have not determined the purpose of it. Oh well, next week Michael Shanks will guest star, so I’m ridiculously excited!

The Pacific: Part 6 – Two weeks ago, the marines were faced with too much rain. Now, they are faced with a lack of drinkable water, and are forced to run across an airfield while parched. Which really isn’t as big a deal as the fact that they are also being shot at. Again I am amazed that any survived, or that any had the will to do the things they did. And to think, we are only watching an hour of this horror, while they spent months suffering through it.

Castle: Den of Thieves – Mob ties, disappearing partners, murder, and sexy sparring made this episode of Castle just as exciting as the one a few weeks back when Beckett (Stana Katic)’s apartment exploded. Esposito (Jon Huertas) had a partner who was murdered a few years back, only it turned out he wasn’t dead – was he working for the mob, or was he trying to prove his innocence? And what was Esposito supposed to do – help his friend, or arrest him? What a great way to remind us of just how loyal Beckett’s team is.

V: We Can’t Win –  I am back to being pleased with V, and hoping that it won’t get cancelled. Make sure you keep watching it and get those numbers up! The best part of the episode was when Joshua (Mark Hildreth) tested Lisa (Laura Vandervoort) and discovered that she was having feelings. He saw the potential in keeping her alive, even though other members of the 5th column simply wanted to see her dead. In the end, what he did was perfect. He did not tell Anna, but when Lisa confronted him about it, he told her show owed him. Very V, but a perfect way to allow her emotions to continue to develop.

Glee: The Power of Madonna – Glee gave another powerful episode, masking a discussion of important teen issues in a carnival of Madonna music. Even though I’m not entirely sure Madonna is exactly the best role model for young women, she certainly knows herself and does what she wants because she wants to. And perhaps that is the best lesson for young girls to learn? But really, the best line of the night was when Sue commented on the smell of cookies basking from the ovens of the elfs who live in Will’s hair. Loving it!

So another week of great television goes by. What was the highlight of the week for you?

Supernatural: 99 Problems – It’s hard to say that things are getting worse when the Apocalypse is already underway. Dean (Jensen Ackles) and Sam (Jared Padalecki) had to stop the Whore of Babylon from dragging more people into Hell. Castiel (Misha Collins), although very drunk, helped them out by informing them that only a true servant of God could kill the Whore. He, as a rebel angel, didn’t count, and neither did Dean, and Sam certainly fell far from the mark. But, as the fight went down, things got out of hand, and Dean ran her through. He killed her. He then proceeded to run off (or drive off) to see the love of his life, giving us the very strong idea that he is going to say yes to Michael.

Bones: The Parts in the Sum of the Whole – Most AMAZING flashback episode, possibly ever. We finally got to see Booth (David Boreanaz) and Brennan (Emily Deschanel) solve their first case together. Strangely, their relationship was completely different than expected – both were fully open to the sexual tension. It was only when things went badly between them at the end of the case that the anger so present in the premiere of the series appeared. Seeing the entire team reunited (including Zach (Eric Mulligan)) and still in their original mind sets was refreshing, and the last moments of the episode were so touching that even I almost shed a tear.

FlashForward: Queen Sacrifice – I think I am done watching this show. Although there are some really cool moments and I have a lot of questions, it just never seems to reach the potential it has. The entire intrigue of this episode, of trying to discover who the mole in the FBI is, was destroyed when one mole was caught and another was allowed to remain. That mole was Janis (Christine Woods) and I simply cannot believe this as nothing we have seen of her before makes it at all probable. But if you do want to keep reading my commentary on it, just let me know and, for you, I will comply.

The Mentalist: Aingavite Baa – Normally, nothing would be more exciting than an episode about an amnesiac who witnessed a murder. The Mentalist, however, have me far greater concern and tension when Rigsby (Owain Yeoman) and Van Pelt (Amanda Righetti) were forced to choose between each other and their place on the team. Though Rigsby chose Grace, planning to take a position at another bureau, Grace refused to allow him to do it. She ended their relationship, breaking both their hearts in the process. And mine as well.

Spartacus: Blood and Sand: Revelations – It was quite obvious from how serious everything got in this episode that next week is the season finale. Batiatus (John Hannah) has stopped hesitating to exploit every avenue to a place of power. Although his negotiations with Glaber (Craig Parker) did not go well, he still secured the Legatus’ patronage when he threatened to reveal that Ilithyia (Viva Bianca) is a murderer. He also punished Crixus (Manu Bennett) not only for causing a scene in front of guests, but likely too for the affair he had been having with Lucretia (Lucy Lawless). But Spartacus (Andy Whitfield) is no longer a subservient pup. He is ready to take his freedom, and most of the other gladiators are like to join him.

Stargate Universe: Divided – Stargate Universe continues to show great progress in giving us an interesting and science-fiction-related plot. Young (Justin Louis) has lost the faith of all the civilians on his ship, except Eli (David Blue). Rush (Robert Carlyle) and Wray (Ming-Na) staged a coup that failed. Now they all still have to live together on the ship, but since the military continues to run a dictatorship, the civilians will be forced to continue to try to show their strength, lest they be considered “unnecessary” and be removed.

The Pacific: Part 5 – Leckie (James Badge Dale) is back in the fray, fighting the Japanese on tiny little islands we’ve never heard of. The shock of watching these soldiers rush into harms way again and again, where luck more than any other factor is what allowed them to live, it hurts my heart. These brave man ran towards machine gun fire, and I can hardly believe that any of them came home, let alone that they retained their sanity.

Treme: Pilot, Do You Know What It Means – Although I do not plan of following this show, it is well worth checking out. The variety of characters bringing together a picture of the ruin that was New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina means that there will be at least one person to whom you can relate, one person whose story you can imagine being your own if a Hurricane destroyed your home. The music, the friendship, and the loss will likely weave a very powerful story, and one that deserves to be told.

Castle: The Late Shaft –  Hours before he dies, a late night host tells Castle (Nathan Fillion) that someone is trying to kill him. Although by all appearance the death was a simple heart attack, Castle persists on investigating. And the death was a murder! The sad part was the motive, a great sense of betrayal. Hard to imagine feeling so betrayed that murder is the only way to get justice. Oh, also, Castle was seduced by an actress trying to get the part of Nikki Heat in the movie. Heeheehee.

V: John May – I’m sticking with V, despite some disappointments. For instance, the big secret about Tyler (Logan Huffman) is that his dad is not his dad? Even if the tests were right, and Erica (Elizabeth Mitchell) got pregnant by someone else, there is no reason to talk about it like that. He is his dad, in that he raised and loved him. The reason the couple divorced was because the trust was gone, not because Tyler was another man’s son. Grrr.
But, I did love that Georgie (David Richmond-Peck) died rather than risk the others being captured to rescue him. And I also though Ryan (Morris Chestnut)’s story about when he became 5th Column very fitting. I’m interested in next week’s episode, and that is a good thing.

Glee: Hell-O –  Although the music was a little bit of a mishmash, only the Hello theme keeping it together, I loved the development. Stupid Finn (Cory Monteith) loses his chance with Rachel (Lea Michelle) because he can’t figure out what he wants. Rachel ends up with the lead singer of Vocal Adrenaline who is probably using her, but whom I like to think will fall for her by the end of the season anyway. Will (Matthew Morrison) is a big mess and really has to figure out his own life before anything else. And Sue (Jane Lynch) naturally managed to work her way back into the school, with the destruction of Glee club paramount!

So that’s what happened on television betwenn April 7 and April 13. Enjoy watching your series, don’t forget to comment, and if you want to discuss any of these episode (or others of these or other shows), you can always check out my blog. http://insightsofatelevisionaddict.blogspot.com/

Supernatural: Dark Side of the Moon – Dean (Jensen Ackles) and Sam (Jared Padalecki) started the episode by getting themselves killed, again. This time, however, we followed them up to Heaven, where they have apparently been many times before, although they do not remember it. In a race against the Angels, trying to send them back to Earth, Sam and Dean tried to find Joshua, who talks to God, and if his message to them – Stop trying to find God; He’s not going to help – wasn’t painful enough, witnessing all the moments in Sam’s life that made him happy (none of them were with his family) hurt Dean even more. So now the boys realize they are alone, with no God to help them out, and Dean has lost so much faith in his brother that he throughout the pendant Sam gave him when they were children, calling it worthless.

Bones: The Bones on the Blue Line – Back after months of hiatus, Bones gave us a whole lot of character development, as well as an interview between Brennan (Emily Deschanel) and a Japanese reporter that gives the hint as to why the characters are given far more attention than the forensics. The particulars of the case, as has occurred frequently of late, were nothing special, but Sweets (John Francis Daley) suffered an emotional crisis, which resulted in him deciding to live his life to the fullest – he proposed to Daisy (Carla Gallo)! Brennan also realized that the characterization in her books was far more important than she realized, and thanked Angela (Michaela Conlin) for her contributions with a check for 25% of her earnings. The writers were quite correct, so I hope from now on they contribute 25% of the script to characterization, and 75% to the case.

FlashForward: Better Angels – There was a lot of bloodshed in this episode, more than I deem necessary. When the FBI team arrived in Somalia, things did not go according to plan, and Janis (Christine Woods) only managed to save the key players by revealing the meaning of his FlashForward to the Warlord of the group holding them prisoner. Things were better after this, until that Warlord tried to kill Simon (Dominic Monaghan) and ended up dead for it. Whatever else we learned by this, it is clear that the FlashForwards are no longer true promises of the future, only possibilities. Also, Mark (Joseph Fiennes) and Olivia (Sonya Wagler) have new tensions in their relationship which are entirely their own fault. Oh, and Demetri (John Cho) helped Janis conceive a baby…The ratings of this show are reflecting its quality of late.

The Mentalist: The Red Box – Lisbon (Robin Tunney) and her team have a new boss, Madeleine Hightower (Aunjanue Ellis), and she is not so indulgent as their previous superior. Not only has she threatened Lisbon’s job if Jane (Simon Baker) misbehaves – which, indeed, is far more likely to secure his cooperation than any threats against himself – but she has also noticed the relationship between Rigsby (Owain Yeoman) and Van Pelt (Amanda Righetti). How is the team going to continue solving cases every week without Jane’s machinations – this week, he lied about the value of a ring the victim was killed to acquire? And what will the consequences of Rigsby and Van Pelt’s involvement be?

Spartacus: Blood and Sand: Old Wounds – Spartacus (Andy Whitfield) had a harder time recovering from Varro (Jai Courtney)’s death than expected, but this was because the injury Varro had given him in their last bout was badly infected. As he lay in fevered dreams, Crixus (Manu Bennett) reclaimed the title of Champion of Capua, while Batiatus (John Hannah) exacted revenge against the magistrate who had slighted him, blaming the crime on his rival, Solonius (Craig Walsh Wrightson). With the latest success of Crixus and Spartacus’ recovery, Batiatus’s dreams are all coming true…unfortunately for him Spartacus’s dreams were true too. He finally discovered that the death of his wife had been orchestrated by his master. With only two episodes of Season 1 left, who knows how much things will change before next season!

Stargate: Universe: Space: While I was highly displeased with the first 10 episodes of SGU, it has come back from its hiatus and very much impressed me! Not only did the writers get rid of any connection between our lost explorers and Earth, but we also got to meet some aliens, and witness some human interaction that wasn’t straight out of Melrose Place. If the development of the power struggles between Colonel Young (Justin Louis) and rivals Dr. Rush (Robert Carlyle) and Camile Wray (Ming-Na) continues so subtly and believably, the Stargate Franchise might actually achieve the right mix of Stargate and BSG. Let’s just hope next week continues in this vein.

The Pacific : Part 4 – In Part 1, we saw our heroes heading off to war and the first battles they fought. In Part 2, one distinguished himself by becoming a war hero, while losing his best friend in the same fight. In Part 3, the soldiers got some R&R which proved to be just as stressful when relationships failed. It is no surprise that in Part 4, we got to see what happened to soldiers who suffered through such emotional trauma.  Amid the desertion and suicide, Bob Leckie (James Badge Dale) fell pray to disease and depression. Removed to a hospital, he saw other soldiers who had completely lost hope, or their minds, and realized that he just wanted to be better and back with his comrades at arms. This show continues to clearly shout just how horrid what the soldiers suffered in WWII was.

Chuck: Chuck vs The Other Guy – This week, Chuck was a highlight of awesomeness and pure delight. Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski) finally admitted she loved Chuck (Zachary Levi). Chuck saved Sarah from Shaw (Brandon Routh), who went rogue and tried to kill her; Chuck was forced to kill Shaw to save Sarah, making him a real spy and earning him Sarah’s gratitude. Casey (Adam Baldwin) captured a Ring leader and used him as leverage to be reinstated, to get another Crown Vic, and to have Morgan (Joshua Gomez) turned into an NSA operative. And Chuck finally got to see the Eiffel Tower. Pure perfection.

Castle: Wrapped Up in Death – When an archeologist is found dead, crushed by a gargoyle pried off his roof, Castle (Nathan Fillion) and Beckett (Stana Katic) need to catch his murderer…or stop the ancient curse of a Mummy that archeologist had found. Although it turned out that a man killed the victim, in order to cover up a previous murder committed at the dig site, Castle (who believed himself to have been equally cursed by the mummy) still asked a Mayan to remove the curse.  Even if Beckett could shoot any boyfriends Alexis (Molly C. Quinn) brought home, Castle still wanted to stick around and take his daughter to the Zoo.

V: Pound of Flesh – The 5th Column may be in trouble. Anna (Morena Baccarin) has devised a way to detect if a V is feeling emotions, causing Joshua (Mark Hildreth) to betray his possible allies rather than be exposed himself. The process, however, also helped him find Ryan (Morris Chestnut) and deliver a message to the 5th Column to rally. It looks like we may in fact be en route to a real fight between the Vs and the 5th Column, which would make this struggling scifi series really exciting.

There are quite a few shows you aren’t going to want to miss this week. Keep watching V and FlashForward if you want them to get renewed, and don’t miss the 100th episode of Bones. Let me know what you are thinking, and if you are looking for a more in depth look, check out my blog. http://insightsofatelevisionaddict.blogspot.com/

Supernatural: Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid – With the Apocalypse in full swing, we have already met War and Famine, but, despite the difficulty Lucifer went through to raise Death from the earth just before Christmas, only now has he come to make things difficult on our boys. Dean (Jensen Ackles) and Sam (Jared Padalecki) arrive in Sioux Falls, near where Bobby (Jim Beaver) lives, to discover that Zombies have been rising to live in harmony with the humans, and one of them is Bobby’s wife. Unfortunately, the harmony only lasts about 5 days before a hunger turns to Zombies into their flesh-eating selves, and the guys had to shoot a whole lot of people to save Bobby. Turns out death was after him, hoping to kill him or at least crush his spirit, so that he would no longer help Sam and Dean. The biggest problem is that, as Bobby had to kill his wife again, it may have worked. Death, unlike War and Famine, doesn’t appear to just be out for himself. And if he unites the 4 Horsemen, well, let’s just say that Sam and Dean are running out of time if they want to stop the end of the world.

FlashFoward: Blowback – This week’s FlashForward put a great emphasis on Aaron Stark (Brian F O’Byrne) and his daughter, Tracy (Genevieve Cortese). Aaron, when chatting with a former army buddy of Tracy’s, flat out tells the guy that his daughter is still alive and is staying at his house. Moron. Naturally, Tracy is kidnapped right after this, forcing Aaron to take action and go after Jericho – the company out to kill his daughter. What any of this has to do with the blackout, I can’t say, and I am beginning to care even less. Other events of the episode included Demetri (John Cho) and Zoey (Gabrielle Union) getting into a fight, the gun which is going to kill him disappearing, and Janis (Christine Woods) signing up at a fertility clinic. Despite Janis’s being a lesbian, I really want to have her have sex with a man next week, and get pregnant that way. This show is lacking in sex, and that may be why the ratings continue to flag and the likelihood of renewal to plummet.

Spartacus: Party Favors – Ilithyia (Viva Bianca) may have lost her mind last week, but her desire for vengeance against Spartacus (Andy Whitfield) is as present as ever, and this week she won a great victory against him. She seduced a young Roman, whose birthday was to be celebrated at the ludus with a fight between Spartacus and Crixus (Manu Bennett), and convinced him to change Spartacus’ opponent to his best friend, Varro (Jai Courtney). Then, when Spartacus won, the young man condemned his opponent to die, forcing Spartacus to kill the only friend he had. He had the strength to go on after the death of his wife because of the fate she said the Gods had in store for him, but how will be go on now that he has murdered his best friend? Well played, Ilithyia, well played.

Caprica: End of Line – Were the events of this episode enough to make you dizzy with anticipation for the return of the show…whenever it is that it will return? I’m not sure it was enough for me. Amanda (Paula Malcomson) has curried enough favour with me for me to want to know whether she has survived her attempt at suicide, though, if she has not, the show will have killed off yet another interesting character, and left the boring ones alive. Like Joseph Adama (Esai Morales), who was killed in V-world by his daughter, after she shot herself, so that he would believe she was gone and so that he could no longer search for her. He spent how much time trying to find her, and that was the pay off? Thanks for wasting my time. And that Clarice (Polly Walker) did survive the car bomb should not have already been revealed to us! The only thing I was really excited about was that this episode had the first death of a human by a Cylon hand – clearly the Cylons weren’t programmed with the 3 basic robot laws.

The Pacific: Part 3 – Apparently, being on leave in Melbourne can be just as emotionally scarring as fighting in the dark in the middle of the Pacific. Getting a brief respite from the fighting, the heroic Marines met women, won medals, made marry, and ended up going back to war with only their bodies particularly restored. Bob Leckie (James Badge Dale) fell in love with a beautiful young woman, but she broke it off before he left because she did not want to have to suffer his death. There’s a reason to keep living. John Basilone (Jon Seda) is at least better off. Separated from his friends, he and his Medal of Honour get to go back to the USA to sell war bonds, a proud job for a soldier to have. I wonder what will happen to get him sent back into the fray. Still, it was nice to not spend an episode cringing because we did not know who was going to die.

Chuck: Chuck vs the American Hero – What an episode! Chuck (Zachary Levi) goes full force to win back Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski), but nothing he did spoke so well for him as when he locked her in the Castle to protect her when he went off to save Shaw (Brandon Routh), his rival, from the Ring. Too bad that by the time he got there, Shaw had already been shown a horrible video revealing that the person who had murdered his wife was Sarah! And, as the episode ended, Sarah went with Shaw on a mission, without being able to contact Chuck and tell him that she wanted to join him at the station to disappear into places unknown, but would be temporarily delayed. Next episode, Chuck will go after them, but how will it all play out? Talk about nail-biting excitement!

Castle: Boom! – Last week, the episode ended as Kate Beckett (Stana Katic)’s apartment exploded, with her inside. Castle (Nathan Fillion) ran to her rescue, breaking down her door, and found her alive, in her bathtub, and naked. Nothing better to cut the tension of a potential death than a woman annoyed that a man might see her exposed. And so the search for the serial killer was back on. He turned out to be a fan of writing, hence the obsession with Nikki Heat, and he was annoyed that his script had not worked out the way he intended. Kidnapping the FBI agent assigned to the case, he lured Beckett and Castle to some abandoned warehouses. Too bad for him that Castle is such a good writer, and figured out his game because that was what would have made the best story. With so many procedurals out there, Castle stands apart with its terrific literary flair. There was no question that it would be renewed for a third season, which it was after the ratings for this episode were higher than any other in this timeslot on ABC for the last 14 years.

V: Welcome to the War – After a long break, V is back to try to win us with its alien invasion story line. We’ve got a freaky alien/human pregnancy, our priest has been injected with a tracking device which may also have DNA adapting abilities, and Anna (Morena Baccarin) just laid an army. Too bad that the last 5 seconds of the episode, when she killed her mate to feed their young, was so cheesy. If only they weren’t so afraid of going there, to that mystical science fiction place where you revel in the bizarreness, rather than shy away from it. Still, the show has great potential, more than FlashForward in my opinion. The War has apparently begun, so let’s see some action!

If this past week is anything to go on, I am very excited about upcoming episodes. Let me know how you are enjoying these series, and you can always go to ???http://insightsofatelevisionaddict.blogspot.com/ for more detailed commentaries.

The premise is that in October, the entire planet blacked out for 2 minutes and 17 seconds, and during that time, while 20 million died, the rest experience a flashforward, a vision of the future. That is, unless, they experienced nothing because they were fated to be dead by April 29th, when the visions all took place. This knowledge was, naturally, devastating for many people.

Mark (Joseph Fiennes) saw himself off-the-wagon drunk while staring at a bunch of clues and then attacked by gunmen; Olivia, his wife (Sonya Wagler), was with another man; Janis (Christine Woods), a lesbian with no desire for children, saw herself quite pregnant; Demetri (John Cho) saw absolutely nothing; Gough (Lee Thompson Young) discovered he’d accidentally killed a woman; Nicole (Peyton List) saw herself being drowned; Simon (Dominic Monaghan) was murdering someone else. There were good visions as well – Aaron (Brian F. O’Byrne)’s daughter was alive, though he thought her dead, and Bryce (Zachary Knighton) met a girl, which prevented him from committing suicide in the present – but regardless of what they saw, it was certainly life altering.

But there was another game changer, when Gough decided to throw himself to his death and prevent his vision from coming true. Although we won’t know until the end of April whether or not the woman he had killed will survive that long, what we do know is that either way he will not be at the meeting he saw himself at. The hope, of course, is that if he could stop his vision from coming true, perhaps Demetri and all the others can as well.

The return of the show, episodes 11 and 12, were game changers as well. Those who caused the blackout – originally suspected to be Lloyd (Jack Davenport) and Simon – have made their presence felt. Turns out that Lloyd and Simon only made the blackout a lot worse than it was supposed to be, which isn’t really going to ease either of their consciouses as Lloyd told gave them the detailed information they wanted rather than allow them to hurt his son and Simon is actually somewhat in with them.

Simon is apparently Suspect Zero, the man seen not uncontentious in a baseball stadium during the blackout. While this is sort of a cool revelation, I wonder what tricked the cameras into showing images that convinced the FBI that the man in the video was about 6′ when Dom Monaghan is 5’7. Well, mistakes are going to happen. But we did learn that his flashforward had already happened – right after the blackout he strangled the man who had killed his father, since he did not have a story of his own to tell.

The new episodes did advance the overall plot, presenting the connection between Simon and the villain (not Flosso, the middleman that Simon killed at the end of the episode, but the man responsible for his father’s death and his sister’s kidnapping – nice job on making a psycho like Simon likable), and telling us more of the details of Mark’s flashforward, which not only allowed him to save Simon and Lloyd, but also showed us what the other shoe which we were waiting to drop is: There will be another blackout!

The only disappointing thing for me was that, because of the later start date, we have passed the day Demetri was supposed to die – March 15 – in our world, but clearly not in theirs. Now we have no idea when that might occur, or when the events of April 29th will play out. Will Demetri die? Will Olivia run off with Lloyd and Mark begin to drink again? What will Simon be doing for those 2 minutes and 17 seconds of the future which has not yet been revealed to him? And will we get to watch enough episodes of the show to find out the answers?

You can follow along from episode to episode with me at Insights of a Television Addict and see how the story develops, and don’t forget to meet me back here at Couch Campus at the end of the season to discuss the season (or series) finale.

FlashForward: Revelation Zero, parts 1 & 2 – The return of FlashForward gave us some answers and a lot more questions about what caused the blackout and who is behind it all. Sure, the machinations of the evil villain Flosso weren’t all that impressive, but the depth of Simon (Dominic Monaghan)’s character was revealed to us, which both pleased and surprised me. He is not the villain of the piece, but he is Suspect Zero, yet he knows not much more than we do about what is going on. And if that wasn’t enough to compel you to keep watching, then the threat of yet another blackout might just have that appeal. Plus, don’t you want to know if Demetri (John Cho) will survive and if the events of April 29th will happen as predicted?

Caprica: The Ghost in the Machine – For the penultimate episode before the mid-season break, not a whole lot happened. Daniel Greystone (Eric Stoltz) tried to taunt Robot-Zoe (Alessandra Torresani) into admitting she still existed within the machine, but despite fire and pet-murder (which was not a real possibility considering the gun was loaded with blanks) she refused to show herself. So nothing was accomplished there. Otherwise, Joseph Adama (Esai Morales), whom I continue to have difficulty believing sired Bill Adama, though perhaps I now get where Lee came from, pussyfooted his way around V-world to find his daughter…which he did not accomplish either. Let’s just hope they give us something amazing next week, or the break might be permanent for me.

Spartacus: Blood and Sand: Whore – Now here was a show where a whole lot did happen, and it was quite magnificent. The tension in the friendship of Lucretia (Lucy Lawless) and Ilithyia (Viva Bianca) continued to rise, particularly as Lucretia seems to be also developing a friendship with Ilithyia’s supposed friend, but mostly rival, Licinia. When men play at politics, friendship, and plotting, it never gets so messy as when the women do it. Ilithyia, following Licinia’s lead and wishing to take a gladiator for her lover, requests Crixus, whom Lucretia is reluctant to share. And by reluctant, I mean she pitched the most terrible hissy fit about the matter, screaming and cruing and throwing expensive things about. Things easily escalate from there, as Lucretia, refusing to share, gives Ilithyia Spartacus (Andy Whitfield) instead. Perhaps this act might have been enough, but Lucretia had to bring Licinia in with her. And Ilithyia, mocked and humiliated and hysterical, responds by bashing her rivals skull in to the marble floor until the once lovely face is a ruin. An image to always keep in mind before mocking a rival.

The Pacific: Part 2 – The horrors of Guadalcanal came down just as hard this week as they did last. Fighting starvation and disease, the soldiers picked up their guns and fought whenever they had to, wherever they had to. The story of desperation was highlighted when the marines, having suffered for some time, stole supplies from the newly arrived army. And if that wasn’t enough, we got to watch as the men sat in trenches shooting on-coming soldiers with machine guns. I always thought this tactic was completely insane, but if it had not been for the vigilance and bravery of a few men, particularly John Basilone (Jon Seda) who not only brought more ammunition but also ran into no-man’s land to clear the shooters’ lines of sight and picked up a hot gun to carry it to a new location, giving himself 3rd degree burns, the tactic of running at enemy lines would have worked. Machine guns are not much use when they have no bullets. The sentiment of the entire episode was summed up in Basilone’s face when his superior told him he would be put up for a medal for his efforts in that battle – after the hell he’d just been through, what good is a medal?

Chuck: Chuck vs The Final Exam – Yes, Chuck (Zachary Levi)  had his final spy test, the final test of all his abilities, which determined whether he was, indeed, a spy, or whether he was no more than a Buy More employee. This episode is a game-changer, though we still don’t know how everything is going to change, but change it must, for Chuck is a spy. He no longer needs a team, backup, certainly not handlers; he is supposed to go to Europe and work from there. The only problem is that, while Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski) thinks he passed his test, he didn’t.  He was supposed to kill a man, but Casey (Adam Baldwin) did instead, and so Chuck is left still confused in his uncertain life. If he didn’t actually pass the test, but everyone thinks he did, does that still make him a spy?

Castle: Tick, Tick, Tick…: Castle is one of the best shows on television – definitely the best procedural drama. And it is continually getting better. In this episode, not only did we have some nutjob who is obsessed with Nikki Heat, the character which Castle (Nathan Fillion) created and based on Beckett (Stana Katic), but we also got a FBI with super-cool gadgets and some major sexual tension between our two leads. And, it surprised me, which is rare. I fully expected the FBI agent to get blown up in Beckett’s stead, since, of course, you can kill a guest character. Instead, Beckett is the one whose apartment went up, just as the episode ended, and I cannot wait to find out what happens next!

So, are you beside yourself to watch next week’s episodes of these shows? And don’t forget, it’s the Caprica mid-season finale on Friday, and Supernatural, Vampire Diaries, and V are all coming back from hiatus. If you are looking for a more detailed commentary on any of these shows (or some others), you can find them at Insights of a TV Addict.

Though the Olympics are over, it still feels like quite a few shows are still on hiatus. That is because many are. Over the next few weeks, FlashForward, Supernatural, V, Bones, Stargate: Universe, and Glee will be coming back so that your television schedule will always be nice and full. In the meantime, I hope you have been enjoying the quality of the few shows which did air this week.

[blippr]The Mentalist[/blippr]: Code Red – On Thursday night, Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) and Theresa Lisbon (Robin Tunney) received a call from a murdered woman, asking for their help in discovering her killer. Yes, I realize that sounds like she was calling from the afterlife or something; in fact, she had been infected with a disease sure to kill her in 4-8 hours. And if it was not emotional enough to see a woman we had got to know die, while her daughter looked on via webcam, Jane’s plot to catch the killer was almost as heartbreaking. He made it seem as though everyone in the facility had been exposed to the toxin, and though Lisbon suspected a trick, he convinced her too. I cheered when she found out the truth and punched Jane in the nose for his trouble.

[blippr]Caprica:[/blippr] The Imperfections of Memory – What’s the combination of grumble and meh? Greh? Well, whatever it is, it’s how I’m feeling about Caprica. Despite the very last moment of the episode, when Daniel (Eric Stoltz) finally realizes that Zoe (Alessandra Torresani) might still be in the Cylon, I still don’t see where this plot is going. Sure, I think Paula Malcomson and Polly Walker play off each other excellently as Amanda and Clarice, but is there a reason for Amanda’s going crazy through grief? What is the point of tuning in every week when there are no discernible goals!

[blippr]Spartacus: Blood and Sand[/blippr]: Mark of the Brotherhood – Now this show is really coming into its own. Although, at first, it seemed to be about superfluous sex and absurd violence, every week Spartacus: Blood and Sand gives us quality plot lines and interesting concepts to discuss. In Mark of the Brotherhood, the rivalry between Spartacus (Andy Whitfield) and Crixus (Manu Bennett) evolved from one purely based in hatred to one based in respect. After Crixus saved Spartacus from the slave Segovax (whose punishment for the attack was not only being nailed upon a board hoisted in the sky, but also having his extremely large manhood removed for his troubles), Spartacus, I hope, finally understood the meaning of Brother. It was likely the first step towards a friendship that earned them a place in history.

[blippr]The Pacific[/blippr]: Part 1 – The HBO miniseries focusing on the war in the Pacific during World War II premiered this week. It was terrifying. Within one hour, the uncertainty of the soldiers was more fearsome and disturbing than any amount of violence could have been. Shooting at enemies in the dark, or perhaps at friends, while wondering through a jungle, not knowing where danger might come from, but knowing that someone who wants to kill you is out there, was a sensation unfamiliar even to the soldiers of the First World War, who spent so much of their time in trenches across from their enemy. But there was violence as well, and the common theme of how a man must think and behave to make such violence acceptable to him. A great start for what is sure to prove an amazing series.

[blippr]Chuck[/blippr]: Chuck vs the Tic Tac – So we finally got an episode that focused on Casey (Adam Baldwin). YAY! And with Shaw (Brandon Routh) off doing something else, we got to see the old team working the way it did before he arrived. Funny to think that it is a man, rather than the new intersect, who is causing such a difference.  And when Casey got himself into trouble, Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski) and Chuck (Zachary Levi) were there to help, regardless of the risk. Unfortunately, the risk did not pay off, as in the end, Casey was discharged to civilian. How John Casey is supposed to function as a civilian, employed at the Buy More, I cannot say, but this better not decrease the amount of screen time he gets.

What were your favorite moments of the shows you saw this week? Let me know, and remember, if you are looking for a more detailed commentary on any of these shows (or some others), you can find them at Insights of a TV Addict.