The impending nuptials of Jules and Grayson have been driving the third season of Cougar Town from the time he proposed. Like it or not, if you were in the couple's world in any extent, you had to deal with the typical wedding worries, only Jules-ified. There have been storylines dedicated to Trav "auditioning" to be the wedding photographer, a maid-of-honor competition between Ellie and Laurie, and Grayson asking for Chick's blessing, but the time for preparation is over.

There's about to be a Cul-de-Sac Crew wedding and yes, it may be time to panic.

You'd think, at least. A finale wedding is typically hectic, full of mishaps and a whole lot of misunderstandings, but it looks like the only confusion here is Jules and her six viewings of Groundhog Day. (No spoilers!) But really, Jules and Grayson are surprisingly calm for a couple about to walk down the aisle, possibly thanks to their decision to elope. Jules has a very hard time letting go of control, particularly of her dream wedding following a, ahem, modest ceremony with Bobby, but her love for Grayson may actually override the need to be in command.

Elsewhere with the Crew, Ellie turns the charm on to get a hotel employee (guest star David Arquette) to get Jules and Grayson a reception venue and Laurie talks about her time at the Stud Farm in preparation for Jules' bachelorette party. Additionally, the founder of Krazy Kakes is in charge of the wedding cake, leading to another serious flirtation with Trav. The two have some pretty intense chemistry (and have gotten better at acknowledging it), but thanks to their age difference and Laurie's Army boyfriend Wade, they've never really acted on it. Perhaps all the romance in the air has become contagious?

The one-hour season finale of Cougar Town airs Tuesday, May 29th at 8:00 on ABC. The show has been picked up by TBS for a fourth season, set to premiere in early 2013.

Cougar Town Season Finale Sneak Peeks: Jules and Grayson are Getting Married

By the time that Evelyn and Jennifer had the same argument for at least the third time in 15 episodes, I had washed my hands of this season of Basketball Wives. It's been a rather cold, repetitive, mean season, a season that not even the gorgeous Tahitian scenery could reinvigorate. And the sneak peek of the finale (!) is a pretty good snapshot of everything wrong with this season of Basketball Wives.

Evelyn's hypocrisy, for one, is just the most; you're extra pressed over Jennifer not backflipping over your relationship and yet you're doing a reality show...about your relationship? Shaunie's faux fence sitting, claiming to be impartial but one iota away from rocking her Team Ev hoodie, has grated since day one and having her talk down to Jennifer doesn't help matters. More troubling is Kenya's insecurity. I'm all for forgiveness and moving on, but how can you be palling around with the same people that have been brutal to you since the first day they met you? And have thrown objects at you, threatened you, etc.?

And let's not forget Tami, who can't go an hour without having something toxic to say or someone to put on blast. (Watch the entire video to hear a comment about she made about Royce.)

But, you guys...this is just the first 10 minutes of the episode. That means we have at least 32 more minutes (not counting commercials) remaining with this house of hot messes, likely filled with the same type of circular arguments and inappropriately violent behavior that has made season four of Basketball Wives pretty darn harrowing to navigate.

The solace I find in that? The reunion is next week and after that...we're done. Done - the sweetest four letter word that could be applied to the Basketball Wives.

The season finale of Basketball Wives airs Monday at 8:00 on VH1. If you missed my thoughts on the last episode, you can check them out here.

As a bonus, because I greatly appreciate anybody that's read and commented this season, here's a reunion sneak peek where Evelyn (hilariously) does damage control about how horrible she came off in season four.

Basketball Wives Season Finale Sneak Peek: Vote Me Off This Island

I used to love House. The DVD set of the show's first season was the first one I ever bought. I watched it faithfully. Hugh Laurie was magnificent as House, his relationship with Wilson was both fun and reliable, and every once in a while, it threw in a really mindbending episode -- take season one's "Three Stories" or season two's "No Reason," for example.

But House passed its prime at the same time his original team (Chase, Cameron, and Foreman) departed. The show was able to remain basically interesting early in the fourth season, which featured House's selection of a new team, and even the fourth season finale managed to be just as mindbending as previous ones. But the show was clearly running out of steam, having to resort to plotlines more extreme than ever before (House electrocuting himself, Kutner's Very Special Suicide Episode). I dropped off watching, and in July 2009 I wrote the article "3 Reasons Why I'm Quitting House." I meant it, too; I didn't watch another episode.

Well, that is, until Monday night, when a sense of nostalgia and an annoying curiosity beset me and I found myself tuned into the show's series finale, "Everybody Dies." It was a strange experience trying to go back into that world after having spent so much time away, but I know I wasn't the only one. Twitter was full of people lamenting that they wished they'd seen the rest of the season. After watching the episode, though, I'm not part of that crowd. "Everybody Dies" was everything I hated about House, mixed with just enough of what I loved to make it meaningful.

What I hated about it was the fact that it was outlandishly plotted, bordering on silly. The two-thirds featured the appearance of more hallucinated ghosts, who (at least for the time I watched) were already pretty overused plot devices. They provided some interesting (if on-the-nose) commentary about House, who just happened to be trapped in a burning building. Because, you know, metaphor.

But the episode only got more ridiculous when the ceiling apparently collapsed on House and the building exploded. Of course, it was obvious when they didn't show us the body that House wasn't really dead, but the show gave us an extended fake-out, complete with a funeral montage. Finally, an incessantly beeping phone revealed that House was still alive, having pulled a Sherlock and faked his own death. How did he get away with it? He switched the dental records between himself and a heroin addict who also died in the fire. Because it's that easy.

But the ridiculousness of that plot twist aside, the episode did manage to be a bit emotionally rewarding. Wilson didn't escape his cancer, but we didn't have to watch him succumb to it, either. The episode ended on a happy note, with House deciding to spend Wilson's last few months with him, riding away on motorbikes.

And that's what House has always been best at: the relationship between House and Wilson. Their relationship was the show's emotional center; forget Cuddy and Stacy and the rest. Hugh Laurie and Robert Sean Leonard have such a begrudging chemistry that, even after eight years, their scenes together are truly magnetic. The fact that House sacrificed everything to be there for Wilson in his hour of need is a powerful statement, diluted only slightly by the silliness of the act itself.

In the end, House ended on an emotional note that was surprisingly sweet, if just as overblown as the latter half of the series. Of course, for a procedural medical drama, House remained surprisingly true to itself even as it became a hyperbole of itself, and "Everybody Dies" was no exception. It won't go down in the books as a memorable television finale, the wider context doesn't matter. "Everybody Dies" was a satisfying ending for House, and even though it was a show I both hated and loved, it was good enough for me.

A Eulogy for 'House,' A Show I Hated and Loved

Tonight Criminal Minds is getting the bumper season finale treatment with a 2-hour instalment and it promises to be explosive. The team go up against a team of bank robbers who also happen to be partial to killing one person at each crime scene as well as stealing a lot of money. The latest crime occurs in Washington DC increasing the profile and things get even more high risk when one of the team becomes a hostage. The big events of the season 7 finale also include a wedding and the departure of Prentiss (Paget Brewster).

The bank robbers include Battlestar Galactica favourite Tricia Helfer as Izzy Rogers alongside Evan Jones (Brothers & Sisters, October Road) as Chris Stratton. The pair seem to be in charge of the bank robberies but is there someone else controlling and watching what they are doing? There appears to be a bigger target beyond robbing banks and killing hostages and the BAU team will have to contend with this as well as protecting the hostages and their own team member who has been taken. Expect an action packed and suspenseful finale that will include some impressive explosive sequences.

Returning to the fray tonight in time for this major operation is Erin Strauss (Jayne Atkinson) as she is back to work after a stint in rehab. Strauss has been a rather contentious character for the team but after her time away Strauss could be more friend than foe. Also returning tonight is Sebastian Roché as Interpol Agent Clyde Easter and this will very likely have an impact on Prentiss and possibly on her exit.

There will also be a wedding this evening and while it seems likely that it will be between JJ (AJ Cook) and Will (Josh Stewart), Thomas Gibson teased to TVFanatic that "There is a wedding, but there's also kind of a twist. When you get to half-way through the two-parter I think you would be hard pressed to know or guess who was going to be married at the end of the second hour." Could Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness) and Kevin (Nicholas Brendon) be the ones to get married, even after his disastrous proposal attempt earlier this season?

Gibson also discussed Brewster's departure and like the other cast members he too is sad to see her go and said "there will definitely be a hole. Paget has such a great character and she's a wonderful person, it's just hard to say we won't miss everything about her." Hopefully this won't be the last we will see of this character and they can find a way for Prentiss to appear next season.

This looks set to be a really great and tense finale for Criminal Minds with the stakes being so high. What are you hoping will happen? Who do you think will get married? Why will Prentiss leave? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Use the arrows above to browse through photos for the episode.

Tonight on Criminal Minds: Wedding Bells, Explosions and a Big Exit (Sneak Peek & Photos)

The thought of Drita and Karen reconciling was something that, admittedly, had me a little concerned heading into the second season finale of Mob Wives. I don't wish any ill will or fractured personal relationships on anybody, but leaving the two former friends in a room by themselves was just asking for trouble. Even though it had been 15 (!!!) episodes since they had been in a room together, the past couple of meetings, coupled with the constant tension during the season, made me hope that all the talk about moving on and setting a good example wasn't just talk. If Drita and Karen ended up scrapping at their set-up sitdown, it might have made for excellent television, but it would set a precedent going forward that, frankly, is beneath the core of what Mob Wives is about.

Color me surprised, then, that nothing that bad went down. Both Drita and Karen can be very temperamental and you can easily read their mood through their body language, but through some divine miracle, they held it in check. Voices may have been raised and Karen came prepared with documentation of minor hospital visits from 16 years ago, but the talk of calling a truce ended up being put into action, squashing a beef that stretched back to season one. It provided a nice book-end to the first two seasons, as well, since Karen was only really on good terms with Drita at the beginning of the series. But most importantly, it showed that these two ladies are self-aware enough to understand the impact their feud had on others (and frankly, themselves). A lot of reality TV doesn't have that type of self-awareness, that little voice inside their head telling them to pull it back or that it's not worth it to get bent out of shape. The fact that Drita and Karen, the sworn enemies of Mob Wives, can civilly squash their beef without the need of security guards, bouncers, or other girls makes me feel like the show isn't afraid to grow right along with these women.

It'd be quite easy to have this feud continue on for season after season, dividing up the Mob Wives fan base and providing each episode with a jolt of tension and dramatics. But that's not what Mob Wives is here for; rather than get everyone frothing at the mouth and capturing it on camera, the show is capturing the exploits of women that have undergone serious personal tragedy that are trying to cope with their loss. There are some that tend to get emotional, others that get angry, and still more that let everything slide off, but what matters is that this isn't coming out of nowhere. There's a root to every insult and hurtful action, a reason for the feuds and the drama, which makes Drita and Karen's reconciliation that much more impressive. They had to do some actual soul searching, rooting through actual life problems in order to put their feud in perspective, and that type of work, televised or not, is impressive.

That's not to say that everyone on a reality show together needs to be exchange friendship bracelets and braid each other's hair. There's a difference in being cordial to someone, not jumping them every time they walk into a room, and being friends/best friends; Drita and Karen may never get to the point of calling each other a friend again, but the thing is, they made that important first step in calling a truce. Even Drita and Ramona managed to hang out at the (very fun) family dinner at Delmonico's without impaling each other with their forks, but I wouldn't expect them to follow the same route that Karen and Drita did. And that's totally okay.

Through all the screaming, the cursing, the fighting, and the dramatics, Mob Wives never stopped being about the importance of family. They might not love each other, they might not like each other, and they might want to hit each other with crowbars, but there's a bond between the six women on the show that only they can truly understand. It comes from shared experience and understanding the pain that people in the life can go through, the loneliness that can be healed through a solid support system of other women going through the same thing. The Mob Wives have their moments of being messy and obnoxious, but the thing that separates them from other reality TV wives is the fact that they're able to evolve and forgive. They're able to let the other bitch have it with all they've got, but once something bad happens in their personal/family life, all is forgiven and the time to rally around one another begins. It's that type of resilience, humanity, and strength that keeps me coming back to Mob Wives and will keep me for the duration of the show's run.

Thoughts, Quotes, & Observations:
-"I'll let you go first, but you suck."
-"We're Indians now?"
-"Nice home with a little bit of the devil stuck in it."
-"I'm an empress."
-I love that Renee ended up getting a shaman to send out the last of the evil vibes that had been polluting her household. I think that we'll see more of this Renee in season three and I'm more than ready for that.
-Drita's making a mixtape, if you're interested.
-A little information about Junior and his testimony.
-Wendy Williams on Mob Wives. How youse doin'?
-Which movie industry big wig is scared of Big Ang?
-Despite the fact that the finale felt like a series finale, Mob Wives will be back for another season in early 2013.
-Next week on Mob Wives: Part one of the reunion is about as ridiculous as you'd expect, with Ramona coming out fighting and another physical altercation.

Mob Wives Season 2: The Family Truce

One of the ways that The Secret Circle has improved in recent weeks is that different combinations of group members have been used to keep things fresh. The show has several well-worn pairings (Adam/Cassie, Faye/Melissa) that have provided the backbone of much of the season, but it's been nice to see, say, Adam and Melissa forming a friendship or Cassie and Diana having to learn to get along. Not every member of every group of friends hangs out with every person there, but for a while, you had to wonder what made these people friends in the first place.

In another preview for the (season?) finale of The Secret Circle, another new combination makes its debut: Melissa and Jake. But it's not a time or bonding or friendship for the two, as they're concentrated on exploring the ferry, wherein they find the "kidnapped" Faye. At the end of last week's episode, the circle's resident vixen was taken by the witch hunters; however, there was no intention given to why exactly it happened. Was Eben going to use her as a bargaining chip? And if so, what did he want? The crystals? Whatever his reasoning, the kidnapping worked, with Melissa and Jake getting captured after running into Faye on the ferry.

The circle is supposed to become unbound in the finale in a bid to track down Faye, but Melissa, Faye, and Jake didn't exactly seem that powerful in the clip. Eben's power, gained from The Demon Formerly Known as Nick, may be too much for the three to handle, especially in sneak attack form, but there could be something else there. Perhaps they're still bound and didn't have the opportunity to use any magic; but why, if they're heading to the ferry, wouldn't they do some type of protection spell to help themselves safe? Eben's incredibly dangerous right now and it'd only make sense, particularly if two of them go out alone.

The season finale of The Secret Circle airs Thursday at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on The CW. Watch a sneak peek below and use the arrows above to browse through photos for the finale.

If you missed my review over last week's promising penultimate episode, you can check it out here.

The Secret Circle Season Finale Preview: Melissa and Jake Sneak Onto the Ferry

After weathering the storm brought on by an affair, Lemon and George now have to weather another storm - a thunderstorm.

On their wedding day.

The season finale of Hart of Dixie, titled "The Big Day", finally brings us the wedding of the long-time loves, talked about since pretty early in the season. In the preview, though, you don't see them getting actually married. A day that could (and should) have been all smiles and cake instead has major black clouds hanging over it, thanks to the recent tenuous times between the would-be bride and groom. Lemon and George may be on more positive terms now, but there could always be a last minute setback that undoes whatever progress they've made in the last couple of episodes. Particularly when it comes to Zoe and the weird gray area that her friendship/relationship with George is in.

But Zoe may finally be giving in to her attraction to Wade, thanks to the storm stranding the two in a barn. She's spent so much time chasing after George, the man that fits the mold of who she's "supposed" to be with, that the obvious chemistry that she shares with Wade had been ignored. Until now. Once she has to actually have a conversation with him with no distractions, no George, no Tansy, Zoe'll be forced to face the thing that she's tried to run from. Wade may not be the 5-star professional that George is, but he brings her more down-to-earth and sometimes you need somebody there to ground you. Also, Wade's recent personal growth and aspirations to own his own business are at least partially motivated by impressing Zoe.

The thing is, though, will Zoe let herself see what's been so clear to everybody (except her) since about episode two?

The season finale of Hart of Dixie airs Monday at 9:00 on The CW.

Do you think Lemon and George should be getting married? Should Zoe end up with George or Wade? Watch a preview below and use the arrows above to browse through photos.

Hart of Dixie Season Finale Preview: Will Lemon and George Get Married?

After starting the season with 14 prosthetic makeup artists vying for the top spot, Face Off has whittled the competition down to three: father of four Rayce, fan-voted RJ, and young upstart Ian. We've seen plenty of good artists have to pack their kit and go home, but these three represent the cream of the season 2 crop. However, only one will get the title, the $100,000, the Alcone makeup, and the 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid.

On tonight's Face Off finale, some of those booted artists are back to aid Rayce, RJ, and Ian in the ultimate spotlight challenge and judging by the task in front of them, they need all the help they can get. The three men are being asked to create three original characters, from either horror, sci fi, or fantasy, that will perform an original dance routine in front of a live audience. Think of it like the zombie challenge from season one, only much bigger and with higher stakes.

In the sneak peek below, you get a look at the work in progress and the team formations. Ian has some trouble with hand molds not opening, a major part of one of his three characters, while Rayce has already been second guessed and undermined by Jerry due to his inexperience. RJ seems to be the steadiest in the work room, effectively working with Athena and Brea, but it only takes one element of such an elaborate challenge to go wrong for the game to change completely.

Face Off airs its second season finale tonight at 10:00 on Syfy. The show was renewed for a third season last month, which is set to begin production in spring for a summer launch.

Who are you rooting for in the finale: Rayce, Ian, or RJ? What kind of creature would you like to see them create for the final challenge? Judging by the sneak peek, who has the best team around him?

Face Off: Season 2 Finale Sneak Peek

The second half of season 3 of White Collar has flown by and it is hard to believe that the finale is tonight; that Neal (Matt Bomer) could be a free man by the end of the episode. This all sounds a bit too simple and the ominous title of "Judgement Day" means that Neal's freedom is not a certainty, even if has plenty of people willing to speak on his behalf at his commutation hearing. Neal also has a big obstacle in the form of Agent Kramer (Beau Bridges) who seems hell bent on finding something that proves that Neal is still the con man he was 3 years ago.

The dynamic between Neal and Peter (Tim DeKay) is a huge aspect of White Collar so if Neal does get his freedom it will shift this relationship. The pair are clearly friends and do indeed work well together, but we know that Kramer's suspicions about Peter covering for Neal are indeed true so will this have an influence on Peter's recommendation to the commutation panel? The conflict here that is due to the many times when Neal has strayed out of the legal boundaries, including the most recent Nazi treasure deception. Kramer is offering his guidance to Peter but it appears to be layered with general animosity towards Neal, can Kramer be trusted?

Peter failed to tell Neal last week that Kramer's team had cracked Neal's code in his prison letters to Kate and this bit of information could prove vital in Kramer finding something he can use against Neal. Neal believes the worst case scenario is that he would have to remain on his anklet but Mozzie (Willie Garson) thinks that Neal should always be ready for something worse than that.

Neal will try to correct a mistake from his past to help prove that he is a changed man, but could this land him in more serious trouble? The sneak peeks and the promo below show that we can expect something big from this finale that includes Neal with a mysterious tube and that he will cut his anklet at some point. Also look out for some daredevil antics that involve the Roosevelt Island tram.

Can you see Neal being a free man by the end of this episode? If so will this be as a result of going on the run? Let us know your thoughts on what you think might happen in the White Collar season finale.

Watch the promo and 3 sneak peeks below for "Judgement Day" below.

Tonight on White Collar: Is Neal Going to be a Free Man?

Once Brooke Villone was booted off of Turks and Caicos by each of the other Baseball Wives, part of me thought that we were done with the increasingly delusional model. She didn't have a single tie to the group anymore and the closer they grew, the more likely it was that she would be done.

However, reality TV bad guys don't go down that easily and Brooke is no exception; Terminator Twiggy may not be on the island anymore to enjoy cool drinks, crystal blue water, or innocent flirting with boys, but she's been spending her time in Scottsdale doing something else. As soon as she landed, most likely, Brooke began working the phone, texting and sub-tweeting about the other Baseball Wives in order to stir up some drama. Once Anna, Chantel, Cheri, Jordana, and Tanya find out what's been going down, it becomes time to put an end to Brooke once and for all.

It's a weird place to find this group of ladies, considering the ups and downs they've been through this season. Once fractured beyond belief, they've now rallied behind their mutual distaste for Brooke, similar to the way Jackie Christie brought together the women of Basketball Wives: LA this fall. I don't know how long a bond like that can last, but as long as Brooke keeps stoking the fire, I think the rest of the Baseball Wives will continue to go to bat for one another.

The finale of Baseball Wives airs tonight at midnight on VH1. If you missed last week's episode where the Brooke drama reached its zenith, you can check it out here.

Why do you think Brooke has been so antagonistic toward the other Baseball Wives? Will there be a "winner" tonight in the Brooke vs. Everybody battle? If Baseball Wives comes back for another go-around, would you watch?

Baseball Wives Sneak Peek: The Finale

Tonight is the Chuck series finale and we have interviews with Zachary Levi (Chuck), Joshua Gomez (Morgan) and Adam Baldwin (Casey) to share; they look back with fondness over the five seasons and talk about favorite moments, what the fans mean to them and the overall Chuck experience.

The one consistent talking point in these interviews (that you can see below) is how much they all appreciate the fan support and that they would not have hit this five season mark if it wasn't for the fans. Zachary Levi thinks that "every show should be so lucky to have fans like ours" and that the "integrated fan experience" is both unique and what kept the show on air. Joshua Gomez reiterates this connection with the fans and thinks that Comic Con and social media allowed for this bond to exist and thrive. The passion of the fans is something that Adam Baldwin calls "overwhelmingly uplifting" and it is clear that even if Chuck was never a ratings juggernaut, that the fans made up for this with their devotion.

Both Zachary Levi and Joshua Gomez name the season 3 episode "Chuck vs. the Beard" as a favorite; not just because it was Levi's directing debut but because it was the moment that Morgan found out the truth about Chuck and his spy life. Levi's favorite episode moments are generally when there was a big character reveal but he also loved the 'kick ass fights' and the guest stars that the show has scored over the years.

They share some information about the final episode including the hint of an epic Jeffster! performance and that you should probably have some tissues to hand. Levi says that "It's an emotional finale. Chuck fights with everything he has for his girl." This emotion can be seen in Levi himself during the interview as he is clearly trying to hold back the tears on a couple of occasions. Adam Baldwin hints that Casey will also have to make a decision about his future about whether he should follow his heart.  Alas, there is no video interview with Yvonne Strahovski (Sarah), but she did talk to TVLine about the end of Chuck saying "There will be a satisfying ending, but it's almost slightly, slightly tragic, the lead-up to what happens."

What are you going to miss most about Chuck?

Check out the video interviews below and for sneak peeks from tonight's episode head here.

Chuck Cast Talk Series Finale: "All Good Things Must Come to an End"

Going into the finale of The Amazing Race, I really wasn't sure who was going to pull out a win and take home the million dollars. In last week's episode, Andy and Tommy, who had dominated this season by winning six legs, were booted out after not understanding the final clue, so "Go Out and Get It Done" was going to come down to a middling team on a hot streak and two teams that had a tendency to fall behind in every leg due to stupid mistakes. Not the most glamorous of match ups, right?

But if there's one positive thing I can say about the finale of The Amazing Race 19, it's that the teams actually got to race unencumbered by maddening time equalizers and the right pair ended up winning as a result. Too often in recent seasons, it's felt like a lot of teams make it far on the show due to the tethering together of teams, but "Go Out and Get It Done" was allowed to breathe and that made for a better episode of television. One could argue that it made it worse, since it was fairly obvious that Ernie and Cindy were going to win by about the second commercial break, but I'd rather have the best team win fairly than have someone less deserving sneak up and "steal" first place thanks to one of the show's "twists". I had my doubts about Ernie and Cindy, as their extensive pre-race training didn't include How Not to Make Bad Errors, but they proved me wrong and then some with their strong finale performance. It helped that "Go Out and Get It Done" was heavy on the strategic challenges as opposed to the typical "physical first" motto of the show, but everything finally clicked into place at the most opportune time for Ernie and Cindy and they coasted to the finish line.

Granted, Marcus and Amani didn't get off the blocks from the first challenge until about 2/3 of the way through the episode and Jeremy and Sandy thought people used to live at the old Home Depot, but still, it was a nice win for Ernie and Cindy.

Even though the challenges were thankfully puzzle-heavy, something that had been lacking all season, they still weren't the best, especially for a finale. The flight simulator was by far the best because it felt like all teams were on (mostly) equal footing and it combined a little physical prowess with teamwork, nerve, and strategy while making for cool visuals. Of course, it wasn't the "sexiest" of challenges, as you could find something similar in most mid-level cities for a low price, but it was placed appropriately in the episode, required some semblance of skill, and provided enough separation to ultimately be pretty useful. The other two, a typewriter roadblock whose twist was stupid and a final memory task that wasn't in depth, exemplified one of the main reasons The Amazing Race has been such a disappointment this season. The challenges have oftentimes been either too easy or too reliant on gimmicky details, as the memory challenge was a major dumb-down from prior years and the roadblock felt more like a minor distraction than something finale-worthy. The show has shifted the focus from watching the wheels in the minds of its team turn until someone breaks through to traffic chess and cab driver aptitude, to the detriment of everyone, including viewers at home.

After trudging through four continents, 20 cities, nearly 40,000 miles, and one final shout out to Jesus, The Amazing Race came to a close with a pretty good winner and not much else. For all the accolades the show rakes in on a yearly basis, season 19 continued to display much of the same problems that have been plaguing the show for a while. While The Amazing Race never disappoints in terms of showcasing the beauty of the world, both visually and culturally, the show too often gets bogged down in manufacturing drama rather than simply letting the contestants be and freely race. Combine the fact that the show never seems to trust itself with poor challenges and casting teams I never took to and it's no wonder that season 19 was a slog to get through at times. I know it's seemed like I've been a little too hard on The Amazing Race in my weekly write-ups, but I've seen how truly great the show can be when it's clicking on all cylinders and unfortunately, it's only going half-speed at best these days.

Thoughts, Quotes, and Observations:
-"You see how I'm breathin'? That's how serious it is."
-"C'mon, baby. Get your pilot on."
-"This is not the Mac."
-"Holy bananas."
-Final Order: (1) Ernie/Cindy, (2) Jeremy/Sandy, (3) Amani/Marcus
-Number of football metaphors from Marcus: 7.
-Did anyone get what Ernie and Cindy's organization would actually do? Props to them for doing something smart with their money, but the explanation was a little vague.
-Sandy's line about needing to go on Prilosec when she gets home was funny.
-Apparently I need to get my hearing checked, because I could have sworn that Phil said "Marvin Mitchell" instead of "Margaret Mitchell".
-I know a lot of people on The Amazing Race message boards were annoyed by Cindy, but I found her kind of refreshing and relatable. Yes, she was a bit high-strung, but it's nice to see someone on this show that prepared so much for it beforehand. Plus, as a perfectionist that's a little too competitive, I understood a lot of what she was saying.
-If you've not enjoyed season 19, giggle/wince at Television Without Pity's Dumbest Moments gallery and light a single candle for the upcoming 20th season.

The Amazing Race 19.12 "Go Out and Get It Done" Review

To put it bluntly, Boss's Mayor Tom Kane is an ass. Facing heat from a possible impeachment attempt and a whole lot of backroom dealing from those closest to him, Kane threw his estranged daughter under the bus as a distraction for the press. By busting Emma's clinic (and Emma herself) under drug charges, Kane bought a few extra days of time until after the election is over, but he alienated one of the last people on his side in the process.

However, as alienated as he may be, Kane gained something from the move: power, the one thing every character on Boss has been chasing all season. And with his newfound upper hand, Kane is on the war path, chest puffed out and ready to make his team prove their loyalty to him once and for all. (Including Meredith, who had previously been trying to swill support for a Kane impeachment.) Likely, said tests of faith will be at another's expense, so look for Kane to wield his henchmen like ginsu knives.

One of the major themes of Boss is that the American political system has the ability to change/corrupt even the most staunchly moral individual and in no other character is that more evident than Mrs. Maggie Zajac. Until last week, Maggie was looked at as the naive, put-upon wife of young dynamo Ben, but once her husband's sloppy extramarital affairs came to light, Maggie turned into a shark more concerned with public image than her marriage. In the second clip below, she's the one calling the shots, urging Ben to stick this out and utilize his talents to pull out what is likely to be a close finish.

The season finale of Boss airs tonight at 10:00 on Starz. You can check out the second season when it premieres in 2012.

Who do you think will win the election: Cullen or Zajac? How much collateral damage will there be along the way? Where should season two of Boss go?

Tonight on Boss: Choose (Season Finale)

Just in case y'all aren't wizards, pot ledom is "what the hell was that finale?!" backwards.

Trust.

But really, for an inherently bizarre show like Top Model, the all-star finale might have been its most strange episode to date. Let's be non-conformists and start at the end with that obviously tacked-on-as-hell ending that saw Lisa triumph over Allison to become the "first Top Model all-star" (Tyra's words, not mine). Some time following Greece, Angelea volunteered information to producers, information that led her to be disqualified and a second panel to be held featuring only Allison and Lisa. We still have no idea how Angelea, the girl I assumed was taking this puppy home, managed to be DQ'ed, but rumor has it that she had let details about the cycle slip on her Facebook account and that violated her contract. It felt very disingenuous for Judge TyTy and company not to explain what happened and to basically act as if Angelea had never existed, especially since Mr. Jay made a big point about how it was the first time three girls had walked in the final runway. The show underestimates its viewers time and time again and this is no exception, as it feels like we're just supposed to accept this win at face value and wipe our collective runny mascara away for yet another "story" taking the title home.

I'm sorry, Tyra, but this is not a cheertatorship. It's a cheerocracy and as somebody that's been on the Top Model squad since day one, I feel like I'm owed a bit of an explanation as to what happened. To me, it felt like Angelea won, ran her mouth about how she won, and like a week and a half ago, everybody rushed to L.A. to pretend like this was the "real" (ly awfully edited) final decision.

And what a final decision it was, with cycle 5's Lisa defeating double runner-up fan favorite Allison. While I don't dislike Lisa, the whole thing just left a bad taste in my mouth. For one, what happened to the Vogue photos? Earlier in the episode, all three girls shot for Vogue Italia, but where were those photos in panel? Did they not have any bearing on who won? For that matter, where was Franca? And the self-designed runway dresses - did that not count for anything either? Top Model has prided itself on the expanded prize package this season, but what good are all the prizes in the world if the people giving the prizes out don't bother to show up? The final panel was a rushed, limp, outlandishly boring piece of television that had all the energy sucked out of it by the DQ and the obnoxious judging decisions. Tyra and company were obviously building up to another "story" winner with 716 and when she didn't have what it took to be Miss Top Model, it went to the next "story" in Lisa.

Not that we got any explanation of any kind by Tyra as to why Lisa actually won, of course...

To me, Lisa fits with the "we want a celebutante, not a capital-M Model" vibe of the cycle, so in a sense, her win's fairly justified. She's a bubbly wild child with a past that's already been around the entertainment block enough to keep herself employed and I think she can do well with the prizes that are offered; I just think Allison's a better model and the "she's a shy girl with sensitive eyes" excuse is flimsy at best. Lisa tanked the Cover Girl commercial with her awkward line readings, her runway walk was messy, and her photo was selling me hair products instead of eye shadow, but throw a smize in a picture and Tyra becomes hypnotized to the point of delusion, I suppose. I don't think Allison performed that great in the finale, but I think she had the best dress of the three remaining girls and she majorly stepped up in her commercial, which at least somewhat offset the blank Cover Girl photo and a stiff runway walk. But even then, Allison was selling eye shadow and if you're not selling the product that you've been hired to sell, what's the point in being a model?

America's Next Top Model: All-Stars 17.13 "All-Star Finale" Review

Dancing With the Stars crowned its Season 13 champion, J.R. Martinez, after 4 arduous dances spread over two nights. We saw some stellar performances throughout the finale and we’ve got the official finale photos for your enjoyment.

On Monday night’s show, J.R. and Ricki performed a cha cha, while Rob Kardashian performed a waltz. J.R. scored the lowest of the three. Then each couple performed their freestyle. This is where Dancing With the Stars is usually won, and where Derek usually runs off with the trophy whenever he’s in the finals. But not this time. J.R. redeemed himself with the best freestyle of the night, although he received the same score as Rob. If you watched Rob’s freestyle, you might have felt as frightened as me. He was getting so into spinning around while holding Cheryl in the air I thought he would stumble and drop her. Thankfully he didn’t.

Tuesday night was the “season favorite” dances. Ricki chose her week 4 Pyscho Tango, Rob chose his week 4 foxtrot and J.R. chose his jive from week 2. Now this had his fans concerned. That jive had been severely panned in week 2 because of the lifts which were done too early in the season and because of its lindy moves. J.R. and Karina removed those pesky elements and they ranked 2nd in the season favorites. At this point host Tom Bergeron announced that Ricki and Derek were eliminated. That left J.R. and Rob to compete against each other in an Instant Samba. They both did their pieces of it expertly. Then it was time to once again factor in viewer votes to determine the Dancing With the Stars Season 13 winner. And well, you know the rest.

Dancing With the Stars: Finale & Results Show Photos

Last night, it came down to two finalists on American Idol: Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina.  Ultimately, 17 year old Scotty McCreery from Garner, North Carolina was voted the winner in the tenth season of American Idol.  Fox says that a record-shattering number of votes was cast last night.  Over 122 million, to be exact, which is the highest number in the show's history.

Both finalists performed three songs during the episode: Alaina performed “Flat on the Floor,” “Maybe It Was Memphis” and “Like My Mother Does”; and McCreery sang “Gone,” “Check Yes or No” and “I Love You This Big.”

But the special two hour episode wasn't just about crowning the winner.  It was also about a whole slew of performances.  The top 12 boys and girls performed - together and with other singers and stars.

Judas Priest, Kirk Franklin and Gladys Knight, Jack Black, Beyoncé, Tony Bennett, Lil Jon and TLC, Tim McGraw, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony and Sheila E., Sir Tom Jones, Lady Gaga, Carrie Underwood, Bono, The Edge and Reeve Carney, and Steven Tyler all stopped by the show to perform as part of the finale celebrations and perform with various American Idol contestants.

Below is a video of the last five minutes of the American Idol finale, including host Ryan Seacrest announcing the winner.  As well, we have a lot of photos from the finale show, including the guest performers.

Casting is already underway for season 11 of American Idol.  Audition cities and dates for include St. Louis, MO, on Tuesday, June 28; Portland, OR, on Saturday, July 2; San Diego, CA, on Friday, July 8; Pittsburgh, PA, on Friday, July 15; and Charleston, SC, on Friday, July 22; and Houston, TX, on Friday, Aug. 26. Additional details will be announced on americanidol.com.

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AMERICAN IDOL: Scotty McCreery learns that he is the next American Idol during the season ten AMERICAN IDOL GRAND FINALE at the Nokia Theatre on Weds. May 25, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. CR: Michael Becker/FOX

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American Idol Winner and Finale Photos

Sebastian Roché creates a memorable presence every time he appears on any screen.  Sebastian brings to every character a suave affability, biting wit, and instantly apparent intelligence that steals every scene.  As Balthazar on Supernatural, Roché portrays an angel who has not quite 'fallen' as much as has gone on an Earth bound freedom-bender, faking his own death to escape the anarchy that has gripped Heaven.  Initially Balthazar appeared as an antagonist, selling the weapons of heaven in exchange for human souls.  In his first encounter with Dean and Sam, Balthazar showed obvious contempt for human kind, but as the season has rolled on he has softened towards the brothers, even protecting them at one point, and more importantly has taken concern with the looming war in Heaven.  Sam and Dean felt both shocked and betrayed to find out that Castiel was working with a demon in an attempt to turn back the Archangel Raphael's coup attempt, but one question looming in the face of tonight's two hour Supernatural season 6 finale is whether or not Bathazar, who has also been working with Castiel, knows of his celestial brother's transgression, and if not how he will react when he finds out.  Castiel's most trusted lieutenant didn't hesitate to try to off him once she found out.  The Angels, after all, have seen what happens when an Angel falls to the dark side - the origin of Lucifer himself tells that tale.  As Castiel, with the Demon Crowley's help, moves for what seems like a certain victory, one laced with questionable judgment and the potential for demonic betrayal, could Balthazar take up arms against his brother?  How will the brothers Winchester enter in to the conflict?

TVOvermind had the opportunity to discuss the finale and the character of Balthazar with Sebastian Roché.

What can you tell me about Balthazar's interactions in the finale?

That’s highly secret. It’s going to be very interesting, actually. There’s a struggle of conscience that is going to happen, and I have to admit that the cliffhanger for this season is going to be pretty monumental. It’s going to lead to something very interesting. That’s all I can say, I need to be vague.

Balthazar started out with a lot of contempt for mankind, but he seems to have softened a bit as the season has progressed.  Would you agree with that?

I would agree with that, actually. He has a very strong allegiance to Castiel, that sort of eternal allegiance that angels have - when they’re not fighting, of course - but, yeah he also has a great sense of duty, and justice, and the fact that there is a right and wrong. I think he is softening, and I think that’s where the writers have brought the character to – so, yeah, I’d have to agree with that.

What was it like doing the Supernatural convention and immersing with the fans?

I only went to one convention in Rome, and it was pretty amazing, the “Jus In Bello” convention, and it is just extremely well organized. You’re in Rome and there are fans from 45 different countries, which was pretty amazing. It was overwhelming, you feel like you’re a sort of a rock idol. Nearly everyone was there; Jared, Jensen, Misha, Mark Sheppard, Richard Speight. It was great to meet some of the actors who have recurred even though we’ve never worked together. The fans were just unbelievable, I had no idea how devoted fans could be. I’m looking forward to doing more conventions, it was fun.

Balthazar has picked up a lot of fans, would you be up for joining as a more recurring character if asked?

You bet I would. The character of Balthazar, I just truly love playing that character. It’s as if he fits me like a glove. Many aspects of his character, of course not to the extreme that he goes to, are very similar to mine. They [the writers] really figured it out as soon I did that first episode, they didn’t know me but then it felt like they were writing for me, with my sense of humor. Yeah, I’ve had so much fun on set I’d love to go on for years, and years, and years. That would be really wonderful.

You've done a lot of work outside of the genres, of course, but you really seem to be a hit in SciFi, Fantasy, and Horror.  Are you attracted to roles in the genre, or is the genre attracted to you?

I love the genre, but it also seems the genre is attracted to me. It seems to have happened that way. Even way back when I did Roar with Heath Ledger, and Odyssey 5 – yeah it seems the genre is attracted to me. I’ve been lucky enough to work in that genre, there’s a real following, and lately between Fringe and Supernatural it’s gotten to a great level. Working on Supernatural has really been a real pleasure, I just love this character. He’s so multi-dimensional, and you can go to so many places with him in humor, and darkness, emotion. Yeah, it’s wonderful.

One more attempt at finale hints…

I can’t really give you any hints. All I can say is there is a big struggle for Balthazar in whether to go with one or the other. I can’t really divulge any more information, I have to leave you in suspense. It’s a pretty extraordinary finale, I have to admit.

The two-hour Supernatural Season 6 finale airs tonight on TheCW at 8pm EST.  For more on the finale we have a trailer, an episode preview, a sneak peek, a second sneak peek and promo photos (here, here and here).

Interview - Supernatural's Sebastian Roché Discusses Balthazar, Season 6 Finale

In 8 days time, Smallville fans will be sitting down to watch the series finale of this 10 season show.  The CW has opted to air a two hour finale, instead of breaking it up into two separate episodes (meaning Supernatural will be pre-empted on May 13 and return the following week).

We know that Michael Rosenbaum will be returning as Lex Luthor in the Smallville series finale.  In fact, we've already posted photos showing Rosenbaum with that trademark bald head, going up against Clark (view them here).

Now The CW has released photos of the other big event for the Smallville series finale: Clark and Lois' wedding.

As you can see from the photos below, Allison Mack will be returning as Chloe in the finale.  (Spoiler Alert!) We also know that John Glover, Annette O’Toole and John Schneider are listed as guest stars for the episode, although we don't know in what kind of a capacity they'll be appearing in the episode.

So let the speculation being for the series finale.  Will Clark finally assume his destiny of becoming Superman?  Will Clark and Lois get married without any interruptions?

Amazon has "Smallville: The Complete Series" DVD box set available for pre-order now (no word yet on a complete Blu-Ray box set for the series).

Don't miss the penultimate episode of Smallville on May 6.  You can also view promo photos for tomorrow night's episode here.

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"Finale" -- Justin Hartley as Oliver Queen and Allison Mack as Chloe Sullivan in SMALLVILLE on The CW. Photo: Jack Rowand/The CW ©2011 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

clarissa @ tvovermind.com
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Smallville Finale Photos: Clark & Lois' Wedding

Sounds like there is a reckoning on the way for a certain doctor at Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital. Check out these promo pics from the season finale of Grey's Anatomy, "Unaccompanied Minor," airing Thursday, May 19th at 9:00pm EST on ABC! (Beware of SPOILERS!)

So what fate could possibly befall the namesake of Grey's Anatomy, Meredith herself? Dishonesty? News? Light!? The potential for a downfall is huge, but it's not like Grey's Anatomy would write off Meredith, would they? Surely the crack writing staff at Grey's Anatomy has a Deus Ex Machina ready to roll. Right?

GREY'S ANATOMY - "Unaccompanied Minor" - News of Meredith's dishonesty in the clinical trial comes to light, leading to unanticipated consequences for both her and others. Cristina finds herself in a compromising situation, which forces her to decide between her career and her relationship. Meanwhile, Owen posts his decision for chief resident and Teddy makes a surprising choice regarding her love life -- and her future -- on the Season Finale of Grey's Anatomy, THURSDAY, MAY 19 (9:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (ABC/RANDY HOLMES) SCOTT FOLEY, KIM RAVER

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GREY'S ANATOMY - "Unaccompanied Minor" - News of Meredith's dishonesty in the clinical trial comes to light, leading to unanticipated consequences for both her and others. Cristina finds herself in a compromising situation, which forces her to decide between her career and her relationship. Meanwhile, Owen posts his decision for chief resident and Teddy makes a surprising choice regarding her love life -- and her future -- on the Season Finale of Grey's Anatomy, THURSDAY, MAY 19 (9:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (ABC/RANDY HOLMES) ELLEN POMPEO

Grey's Anatomy Finale Promo Pics - "Unaccompanied Minor"

Castle fans, looks like we are in for quite a treat in the season finale. TV Guide’s Fan Favorite 2011 issue has revealed a little blurb from Andrew Marlowe about the final hour of season 3 and things are looking pretty fantastic from where I am standing. While he won’t confirm whether we will see another Caskett kiss or not, here is what he had to say:

“There will be a significant moment when they’re on the same page and we’re not gonna have a situation where [Beckett’s boyfriend] Josh shows up and interrupts things.”

You know, liplock or not, just the fact that Dr. Motorcycle Boy will not interrupt anything already makes me really happy. And after that stellar episode last night – that final scene was really something, wasn’t it? – I am hopeful that we are finally going to see some real development between our dynamic duo. While I am not holding my breath that they will suddenly declare their undying love for each other, I am optimistic that we will see some serious progress.

And if last night’s moment is any indication, there is a good chance that they will finally see what has been right in front of them all this time. Also, is it too soon to hope that Motorcycle Boy will have already ridden into the sunset all by his lonesome by the time the finale rolls around?

See, at least we’ve got a silver lining for the casualty that is supposed to take place in the finale. As much as I love him, my money is still on Captain Montgomery, who is mysteriously absent from the TV Guide photo shoot, where Castle won Favorite Drama and Couple Who Should. You can check out a behind the scenes video of the photoshoot below.

So what do you think, my fellow Castle fans? Are we going to see a kiss in the finale or not?

Castle Season 3 Finale Spoilers: Castle And Beckett Finally On The Same Page

Smallville is coming to an end in May.  I know, Smallville fans, you're sad.  But it's been 10 years.  The good news is that The CW has just confirmed that you'll be getting a two-hour series finale.  We're not certain exactly what will happen before the final credits - whether Clark will really fly, don his cape and actually marry Lois - but we have a feeling the producers will make it something epic.

So has The CW.  The network has just confirmed that they will be airing a special two-hour series finale on Friday, May 13 from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

What does that mean for Supernatural?  Well, don't get yourselves in a tizzy, Supernatural fans.  Yes, our show will be delayed for a week to allow Smallville to have its super-sized finale.  But Supernatural will also be airing a two-hour season finale on Friday, May 20 from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

All in all, I'd say this is very good news for both shows.  We'll be getting another 4 weeks of new episodes for Smallville and Supernatural, then both series will be on a hiatus for the rest of March and will return at a yet unannounced date in April.

clarissa @ tvovermind.com
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Smallville and Supernatural to Each Get 2 Hour Finales

If you missed the penultimate episode of Survivor: Nicaragua, check out my recap here.

This season's finale begins with reviews of the Final Five's journeys through the first thirty-six days.  After the title sequence, on Day 37, Fabio confesses that it is in his interest to break up Chase, Holly and Sash.  Dan and Fabio agree that Holly should go next.  Fabio asks Holly if she''d rather go to the Final Three with him instead of Chase. Unsurprisingly, she doesn't answer.  Fabio says that he needs to win Immunity to stay in the game.

Sash confides to the camera that he recognizes the threat of Fabio going on an Immunity run.  So, he finds Fabio and tells him that he wants to go the Final Three with him.  Sash confesses that he has to promise everything to everyone to make sure he is safe.  Sash then goes to Chase and tells him to watch out for Fabio and make sure he doesn't win the next...

...Immunity Challenge.  For this Challenge, the players will race out to a station and find a question about Nicaragua with five answer choices.  The player will select an answer and grab a bag associated with that answer.  If the answer is right, there will be puzzle pieces in the bag when the player brings the bag back to the start.  If the answer is wrong, the bag will contain all-black puzzle pieces.  After they answer all three questions correctly, the pieces will be used to assemble a puzzle.  The first player to assemble the puzzle wins Immunity.

In the pouring rain, Jeff starts the Challenge.  The first question is: Whom does Nicaragua share a northern border? Holly quickly answers correctly (Honduras), as do Sash, Fabio, Dan and Chase.  Question Numebr Two: What is the east coast of Nicaragua called?  Holly, Chase and Sash all answer correctly (Mosquito Coast.  Lovely, right?).  Fabio gets it wrong nad has to go back out to the second station.  Holly, Chase and Sash rush to Question Number Three: Who claimed Nicaragua for Spain?  Chase, Holly, and Sash each head back with their third bag by giving hte correcft answer, the Conquistadors.  As these three head back to the start to begin their puzzles, Fabio goes out for his third bag.  Jeff announces that the puzzle is the logo for the season.  Fabio is correct on the final question and hurries back.  As the four start furiously working on the puzzle, Dan finally makes it back to the start.  Sash jumps out to a huge lead, with Holly close behind.  Fabio, however, catches up quickly.  It becomes a race between Fabio and Sash, as Chase dropped a piece on the ground.  Sash only has two pieces left, but Fabio slams his final piece into the board.  Fabio wins Immunity!  As Jeff sends the tribe back to camp, Holly says Fabio winning puts a real monkey wrench in the plan, but they will have to vote out Dan tonight.

Back at the beach, Holly gives Fabio a high five.  Fabio tells the camera that knew he had to win, and now he's loving it.  He wants to talk to Chase and Sash about getting Holly out.  Fabio tells Chase that they should keep Dan because no one on the Jury respects him.  Chase confesses that he has been so close to Holly that he can't vote her out.  Sensing Chase is immovable, Fabio tells Dan that Chase wants to vote him out.  Dan replies that he's going to try to convince Sash that Holly is a bigger threat.  Dan goes to Sash and tells him that Holly is a big threat because she's well-liked and has a struggling farm.

Fabio tries to work Sash too to get a sense of how Sash is feeling about the vote.  Sash confesses that Dan is maybe getting too much credit as a threat.  Further, Holly is the last woman and there are a lot of her fellow Espada members on the Jury.  Fabio tells Sash that he wants to break up Holly and Chase as soon as possible.  Just then, Holly arrives and sensing something wrong, asks who Fabio and Sash are voting for; they're both voting for Dan, which is news to Holly.  She thinks Fabio and Dan will be gunning for her at...

...Tribal Council.  Jeff brings in the Jury, with Jane and her huge hair(!) bringing up the rear.  Jeff asks Fabio about his Immunity win, which Fabio says ig huge.  Jeff asks how Fabio will vote, and he replies that he'll need to consider how the Jury will vote.  Jeff then turns to Dan and asks about focusing his strategy on how no one will vote for him.  Dan rusn through how many millions and cars and clothes he has, so no one will vote for him to win.  Is this a good argument. Jeff asks Sash.  Sash calculates some fuzzy voting math, but yes, it's a good strategy for Dan.  Jeff asks Holly if, based onthe last Tribal Council, she thinks she's still in trouble.  She thinks she is: the guys could band together to vote her out, but she doesn't see how she is a threat.  Dan jumps right in and tells her that as a small town mother, she's a sympathetic player.  Holly says that those qualities do not make her a threat, but Jeff poitns out that obviously, she'll say that's not a threat.  It all comes down to perception, right Chase?  Absolutely, he replies.  The perception of him is that he is, as Brenda called him, paranoid.   He admits to this characterization, "I'm paranoid as Hell."  Jeff asks Fabio if he's aware of the million dollar mistake he could be making?  He does, but he knows that the women on the Jury respect Holly, and he does too because she's a pretty cool lady.

It's time to vote, so they do, and Jeff collects the ballots.  The first two votes are for Dan.  The third vote is for Chase(huh?).  Jeff reads the fourth vote. "The fourteenth person voted out of Survivor: Nicaragua and the eighth member of our Jury...Dan!"  Dan doesn't have much to say as Jeff suffs his torch and dismisses him into the blue Light of Death.  Jeff congratulates the remaining players on making it to the Final Four, and tells them to prepare for the Final Immunity Challenge tomorrow.  As the remaining members of Libertad head back to camp, Dan tells the camera that he switched his vote to Chase to show how much he hates the guy.  He continues ripping the remaining players by calling Holly is a thief and Sash a whiner.  Stay classy, Dan!!

On Night 37, Libertad returns to camp.  Fabio confesses that he felt very comfortable with the Immunity necklace on at Tribal Council, but that he'll need it again tomorrow because he doesn't know where Sash and Chase's minds are.  Fabio asks them if the Final Three will be the three guys, and he receives such assurances.  Sash confesses that he has put himself in a position where everyone left will take him to the Final Three.  He figures, however, that Fabio is the biggest threat to his endgame so he needs to go.

Holly chats with Chase about their mutual thought that if Fabio makes it to the end, he will win.  If Fabio wins Immunity, they will have to vote out Sash because he will garner a lot of Jury votes.  Chase confides that he is putting a lot of pressure on himself to win the final Immunity.  He and Fabio go grab Tree Mail, which tells them all to go on the loathed Rites of Passage hike on their way to the final Immunity Challenge.  The Final Four go on the trek, collecting shields with the names of their fallen comrades on them, and it is just as boring as ever.  Eventually, after burning the shield and pretending to care about their dismissed competitors, they make their way to the...

...Final Immunity Challenge.  For this final Challenge, each player will have a sword that they balance on a shield with one hand.  With the other hand, the players will stack coins on the handle of the sword.  If the coins fall, the player is out of the Challenge.  Jeff has them pick up their swords and find a spot on their shield that feels comfortable, and starts the Challenge.

He starts them with a medium-sized coin.  With each coin, they have five seconds to place it on the sword, and adjust their stack if they so desire.  Next, are two large coins in a row.  Jeff notes that these are not perfectly shaped coins.  These are Survivior Challenge coins, so some are slanted and uneven.  Fast forward to about fifteen coins into the Challenge.  Fabio appears close to losing his stack, but he recovers.  With the next coin, Fabio is again wavering.  Jeff orders a large coin, followed by a medium coin.  As Holly removes her hand from her stack, her coins fall.  Holly is out.  Jeff next asks for a large coin, but Chase, too, is unable to keep his stack balanced, and is dismissed.  Jeff calls for a large coin and then a medium one.  Fabio has to lean his sword to keep the stack upright.  Jeff calls for another large coin and counts down the five seconds the lpayers have to adjust their stacks. As time runs out, Sash's stack falters.  Fabio wins Final Immunity!!  His competitors applaud his win, as Jeff points out Fabio's three wins in a row.  With such a streak, Jeff expects an intense afternoon back at camp.

When they return to the beach, Fabio confesses that he is on fire.  He's loving this!  He now gets to hear the other three players plead their case on why he or she should go to the end.  Sash tells Fabio that Holly has to be nervous now.   Fabio replies that he hasn't made up his mind yet; he needs to think about things.  Sash confides that he is now as desperate as he can be,a nd tells Fabio that he'll vote however Fabio does.  Sash then finds Chase and runs through all of the Jury votes, saying Holly will win a majority. 

Fabio concerned he would've been next to go, asks Sash if he (Sash) would've taken Chase and Holly to the Final Three.  Sash says no, and that Fabio is his best friend in the game.  That really, really, bad lie earns an unseen eye roll from Fabio.  Fabio tells Chase that Sash went behind his back and told Fabio that he'll vote for whomever Fabio wants, which pisses Chase off.  Chase replies that Sash was talking about taking Chase and Holly with him to the Final Three.  Fabio confesses that he finds it funny how Sash doesn't know Fabio can see through him.  Further, the other players are now like cockroaches scurrying when the lights come on.  

Fabio then asks Chase if he would have voted him out if he didn't win Immunity.  Chase admits that, yes, he would have voted Fabio out.  When Fabio speaks with Holly, she says that she respects Fabio, and also admits that she would have voted him out.  He  confides that Holly might deserve to go to the Final Three for not ever lying to him, but that might mean she'll win Jury votes as well.  Fabio needs to figure out how to not blow the million dollars with his vote at...

...Tribal Council.  Jeff notices that Fabio is just bursting with joy tonight because he had the Immunity necklace.  Fabio agrees, saying it was a fun afternoon with everyone wanting to talk to him.  Sash was the first one to talk to him.  Fabio asked him if he would have taken Fabio to the end?  "Oh yeah,"  Sash replied, but Fabio saw through that.  Fabio continues, saying that Chase and he had a good chat, and that he asked Chase the same question.  Chase admitted that he wouldn't have taken Fabio.  

Jeff asks Sash what his plea was to Fabio to take him to the end.  Sash says that they have been talking about it for a while and reviewed who would win each of the Jury votes.  Sash says that the truth is he had many alliances that he broke, and he's not afraid to admit to it.  Jeff asks him point blank if he would have taken Fabio?  "I believe I would have," Sash replies.  "Believe? Or would have?" Jeff demands.  Sash weasels out by saying that he didn't have to make that choice.  Holly chimes in and says that Sash is a big threat, and she would have voted Fabio out.  Jeff notes that Sash is the only person in doubt on how he would have handled voting out Fabio.  Jeff tells Fabio that he needs to decide who he wants to sit next to in the end?  Fabio says because the other three essentially told him he would have been voted out, he doesn't have to hold to any of his previous agreements.  Sash tells Fabio that he has been the most committed to Fabio.  Fabio asks Chase if he was honest with him.  Chase sasys he was, but Fabio replies, "Yeah...at very last second."  Holly says she has always been honest, and likes that Fabio thinks highly of her.  Jeff says that the decision they are about to make could be a million dollar decision.

It's time to vote; they do, and Jeff collects the ballots.  Vote number one is for Sash.  Number two is for Holly.  Vote number three is for Holly. "The fifteenth person voted out of Survivor Nicaragua and the ninth member of our Jury...Holly!"  Holly wishes the guys good luck, and heads into the Blue Light of Death (watch out for Dan, he might still be shuffling through that graveyard!)  Jeff congratulates the Final Three, but says the power now shifts to the Jury.  With that, he sends them back to camp.

That night, Fabio is a ten on a scale of one to ten.  Putting Sash against Chase with him let's the Jury know that he knows what's been going on.  Plus, he has more to say to the Jury.  Chase states that he will be coming out guns a-blazing in the Final Tribal Council.  Sash confesses that he got called out at Tribal Council for his broken alliances.  Further, he doesn't think Fabio and Chase belong in the Final Three because he played the most strategic game.  He tells Chase and Fabio that he's proud to have his "wingmen" with him in the Finals.  That little slight earns quite the guffaw from Fabio.

Fabio wakes up on Day 39 and feels pretty great.  The guys go to Tree Mail and find the Final Three breakfast feast.  Sash fuels up for the final battle, but he realizes that though they have been great friends, they are also his enemies.  For his part, Chase is still trying to find a way to win.  His current strategy is to make Fabio over-confident by telling him how he is going to win.  For Fabio, it's time to switch gears and go into the Final Tribal Council swinging.  Sash is worried because he's lied so much, so for this Tribal Council, he is going to lay out everything on the table.  Chase thinks he's played better than Sash and Fabio because he had real realatonships with the people on the Jury, and was a marked man at the beginning because he's a physical threat.  Now, he just has to convince the Jury that he deserves to win at the...

But wait...There's More on Page 2!!

Survivor 21.15 "What About Me?" Finale Recap

It all comes down to this.  Dancing With the Stars' final three couples battled it out in the ballroom tonight, dancing their hearts out for the coveted Mirror Ball trophy.  Who will be the season 10 champion of Dancing With the Stars?  Did anyone seize the advantage?  Tonight's theme was redemption and freestyle.  Each couple got a chance to redo the dance they'd botched the most, then the dance they feel they did the best.  The finalists are Kyle Massey & Lacey Schwimmer, Bristol Palin & Mark Ballas,  and Jennifer Grey& Derek Hough.

In a season where Bristol Palin outlasted Brandy, all bets are off when it comes to judging the competition solely on the quality of the dancing.  I know a lot of fans are thinking that Bristol is being shilled by the recent political happenings, and there is probably some truth, but every week that passes that influence is bound to get weaker.  The Dancing With the Stars fans that were voting for Brandy weren't doing it out of political motivation, who they choose to vote for this week - if they stuck around - could cancel out the efforts of conservative mouth pieces out to annoy liberals by voting Bristol Palin queen of the ballroom.  Now, let's look at the competition.

Kyle and Lacey

Redemption Dance:  The Foxtrot

Far from perfect, but this duo continues to stun.  Kyle is a fantastic worker who really earned this spot.  I made an offhand prediction that he would face Jennifer and Bristol in the final a few weeks back, and I'm serious when I say as the independent's choice Kyle has a chance at winning.  Bruno sums up Kyle's performance this season:  "Look at you! All slick, sharp and slinky!"  Score: 9's across the board for a 27

Freestyle Dance is where this couple shines.   Much more contemporary and fun, landing the duo a 29!

Chance of Winning:  Why not?  This is all about fun, right?  Kyle worked hard and never looked petty all season.

Bristol and Mark

Redemption Dance:  The Jive

The last time they did The Jive they opened up in Gorilla suits, then went on to dance like REAL Gorillas!  Look, Bristol is working hard it's unfortunate the public can't get that the whole homophobia and profanity thing was just kids having fun.  Love her or hate her, Bristol delivers and earns a 27.

Freestyle dance:  Bring back the monkey suits, please.  Who neutered Mark before he choreographed this thing.  He goes in a cage?  Really?  A well deserved 25.  I'd add there wasn't much charisma to the dance, and Bristol kvetching about the 'haters' made her seem petty.

Chance of Winning:  Rush Limbaugh says "just you wait and see."  Really, it would be hard to fathom if this were a dancing contest, if she wins it will be tainted.  I think she tried hard and deserves respect, but her behavior off the screen has proven she is not ready for prime time.

Jennifer and Derek

Redemption Dance:  Paso Doble

Wow, it must have been hard for these guys to find a dance they screwed up.  Jennifer has clearly been the best performer this season, in more ways than one.  Not only has she danced well and worked hard, but she has projected this complex persona that is interesting to watch.  They should create a special 'dramatic acting on a reality show' Emmy.  Not surprisingly Jennifer and Derek nail a perfect 30.

Freestyle dance:   By far the most elegant and structured freestyle of the night.  Lots of risks that paid off well, and of course a perfect score of 30.

Chances of Winning:  The tension this season seems to be over whether a deserving dancer will lose out due to the popularity aspects of the contest.  The amusing thing is that people are acting like this is something new.  Jennifer has as good a chance as anyone.  We'll find out tomorrow!

Dancing With The Stars Recap - The Final Dance-off

The internet is abuzz with discussion about what happened on last night's season finale of Mad Men (if you haven't watched it, don't read any further).  Some of the buzz has been good, while others have said that the fact that Don Draper got engaged to his secretary, Megan (played by Jessica Pare), was a bit too soap-operaish for their tastes. Our own Emma Fraser  reviewed last night's season finale (read it here) in case you want more details.

In addition to the discussion over the episode, fans went online today en masse to search for information on Jessica Pare.  According to Yahoo!, web searches for Ms. Pare increased by 588%.  Jessica Pare isn't a newcomer to television.  She had a role in the short-lived show Jack & Bobby in 2004-2005.  She also appeared in movies such as Lost & Delirious, Bollywood/Hollywood, and most recently in Hot Tub Time Machine.

New York Magazine also posted an interview today with Jessica.  She was just as surprised about the engagement as the rest of us were and said she had no idea it would happen until she read the finale script.  Jessica also doesn't think Megan's been working an angle to hook Don into a relationship or marriage from the start.  She's tried to play her straight and honest from the beginning.  Whether Megan will end up with ulterior motives will have to be left to the writers.

As for what will happen next, I guess we'll have to wait until next season to find out what's in store for Don and Megan.  But I'm sure Jessica Pare is enjoying the extra attention today.  Yahoo! posted a video with a scene from an earlier episode between Don and Megan where he explains the business to her.  You can view it below.

clarissa @ tvovermind.com
twitter.com/clarissa373

Who is Jessica Pare? Just Mad Men's New Girl?

This is the moment all Burn Notice fans have waited for this season. Does Jesse kill Michael, doe Barrett kill Michael, or does nobody die at all.

Spoiler Warning: Before I write this review I want to express that this review will contain info that may spoil the episode for those who have not seen it yet. If you wish to get the recap of this episode check out Brittany's recap here.

I have to say that Robert Patrick was great as John Barrett. He had the sly actions that make him a force to be reckoned with. There are moments that made me cringe with fright as Barrett is such a scary man. I have to say that Barrett (along with Robert Patrick) will go down as the greatest villain/guest star combo second only to Simon (Garret Dillahunt). I am sad to see that it looks as if Barrett did die in the car accident.

As for the episode, I could not have been more anxious for an hour of tv than tonight. Tonight was the night that Jesse and Michael were going to face off. It's the battle we have been waiting for since Michael burned Jesse and.... well we didn't get quite that. I have to say I was slightly disapointed by the commercials for this episode than I was the episode itself. While the commercials glorified a face-off between Michael and Jesse, the episode gave us something different.

Instead, the episode in my opinion was split into 3 different parts. We had the week by week case (A lawyers daughter is kidnapped), Michael and Vaughn trying to take down Barrett, and the fight going on between Jesse and Michael's crew. I really wished the writers would have eliminated the case of the week story line. To me it served no purpose for this monumental episode and in some parts it slowed the main story.

Now the Barret take down and Jesse going after the Burn Notice crew was good but not great. For me, there was not even time spent on Jesse. With him only popping up in about 4 scenes (Only one that had him affecting the outcome of the end), I was unhappy with the way he was teased as being the "main antagonist" for this episode. At least the Barrett story was able to combine with the Jesse story to add some intrgue to the episode, even though it was in the last 10 minutes of the episode. It did do a good job by combining the stories in an explosive way I never saw coming.  The scene that really had me reeling was the final moment. As with many shows these days, the finale ends with a great cliffhanger and Burn Notice delivered on one of the best cliffhangers I have seen in awhile.

With a great ending that keeps you guessing and a possible new enemy surfacing (that definitely didn't look like Jesse grabbing the briefcase) this episode did not live up to all the hype generated by its commercials. B

Now, it's sad to think that we have to wait all the way till November for the story to pick back up. I see this as a time to practice my spy knowledge learned from Michael and maybe even get my own personal sub marine.

Burn Notice 4.12 "Guilty As Charged" Summer Finale Review

Ladies and gentlemen, I am in shock. Pure shock.

Work of Art's first season finale really blew me away. The twist was the reality show equivalent of a LOST cliffhanger, and I had to pick my jaw up off the floor before coming over to my computer to write this review.

Miles Mendenhall is not the "next great artist." The judge favorite was ultimately given third place for his exhibition, which was inspired but not fully realized. Third. Place. Miles was my favorite for the series, and I was really disappointed to see that he didn't get as far as it had seemed he would. After thinking on it, though, it did sort of make sense; he didn't show much evolution over the course of the series, and his sudden change of method ultimately was his downfall. And, as I'm generally unused to watching reality television, I'm coming to terms that it's probably the last time we'll get to see Miles and his crazy installation art. He was a great character and artist, and I wish he could have taken home the top prize.

Second place was Peregrine, whose art I found the most disappointing. It was all very thematic; the exhibition was really just a big carnival that was way too overdone. In fact, the only piece I really loved was the deer fawn portrait that was really deeply moving. As the judges (including guest judge Dave LaChappelle, not to be confused with the host of Chapelle's Show) noted, Peregrine's work ultimately felt overcrowded, and could have used a bit of minimalism. I personally think Miles should have placed over her, but maybe that's me playing favoritism toward my season-long favorite.

If anyone deserved to win more than Miles, it was certainly Abdi. And, guess what? He did! Two weeks ago, I would have told you that Abdi wouldn't have cracked the top three in the competition. Not because I didn't like him -- he was one of my favorites -- but because his work was ultimately just not cutting it. His misguided painting of Plato's cave was technically good, but didn't make much sense for his theme of "chaos." He was floundering.

And then, he went on a nature walk, and everything got better. Abdi began creating some of the best work in his life. Though not without a few errors in execution (such as leaving a sketchbook for people to see and nearly breaking the hand off one of his statues), Abdi ultimately created a sweeping ode to hidden humanity that really showed his evolution as an artist. Though his comic-bookish paintings of the earlier part of the season were good, his late-term change into a more serious artist really pushed him forward, even though I was sure he would take third place. It seems he and Miles really swapped places in my bracket.

It's also interesting to note that Abdi is the youngest contestant of the original fourteen, at 22 years old. Miles was the second-youngest, at 23, while Peregrine was nine years older than that at 32. But the presence of Miles and Abdi in the top three begs the question: was Work of Art age-biased? I'm not saying that in the sense that the judges picked Abdi because he was the youngest, but perhaps that the entire competition was better fitted for a younger generation than an older one. How that affects next year's casting will be very interesting.

Am I satisfied with the outcome? I suppose you could say I am. Wikipedia is already qualifying Miles and Peregrine as having tied, so that lends a little bit of petty satisfaction to my cause. Abdi's win is certainly welcome, and he certainly had the biggest story over the course of the season. In fact, I'm surprised I didn't see this upset coming sooner.

From the casting segment at the end of the episode, it seems that Work of Art is on the conveyer belt for a season two. I already can't wait to see what a brilliant new cast they find next time around.

Congratulations, Abdi!

Work of Art 1.10 "The Big Show" Review