57 Channels and Only This Is On: 3/17/13

Once Upon a Time: It was pretty silly that they tried to make us wonder who in the cast was going to die when it was quite obvious that Cora would be the one that perished. And that was before the flashbacks featured her (anyone who watched Lost knows if someone was going to die, it would be whosever flashbacks were that week).
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Once Upon a Time on iTunes.

Revenge: Emily claimed after Amanda’s funeral there would be no more distractions, the promo monkeys even made a marketing campaign around the saying, but it is hard to take the writers at their word when her foster brother shows up to her doppelganger’s funeral which I assume will be a pretty huge distraction next week. He better be gone soon some Emily can actually take down some more people this season. Come to think of it, I think the Grayson’s have taken down more people this season than Emily.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Revenge on iTunes.

The Walking Dead: It is too bad that the summit did not involve Hershel and Milton because their conversation was much more interesting. Adn I like how the two henchmen knew they were going to end up killing each other soon enough.
You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.

Vikings: There are plenty of ways to show just how evil a character is, but offering up your wife to someone to see if he is dumb enough to take you up on the offer is a new one. I kind of like it.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Vikings on iTunes

Dallas: I know some grumbled about disrespecting the memory of Larry Hagman by having fights breakout during the J.R. Ewing memorial and going the Who Murderer J.R. plotline, but the guy played J.R. Ewing, it would seems more disrespectful to not send him out with a bang. And I doubt Patrick Duffy and Linda Grey would have been a part of anything that would have disrespected Hagman’s legacy.
You can download Dallas on iTunes.

Deception: The big question going into the finale is that Robert have Julian’s girlfriend killed because he thinks she killed his daughter or did he kill his daughter and she made a good scapegoat who now cannot defend herself in court, essentially closing the case. But Robert never struck me as someone who would kill his own family considering the lengths he went through to keep his son out of jail and to hide her pregnancy. I have pretty much thought from the beginning and still believe his wife was the one who killed Vivian because she threatened to tell Mia who her real mother was. Hopefully we get a definitive answer and not some lame fake out like The Killing because unlike The Killing, there will probably not be a second season.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Deception on iTunes.

Pretty Little Liars: Wait, what? Spencer joined the A Team?!? Sure I have a feeling she just joining to be a mole to bring down the A Team from the inside, but still shocking nonetheless. But I still do not believe Toby is dead until I see something more than a fading tattoo. And why is it the only time the Liars are candy stripers is when they sneak into the morgue.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Pretty Little Liars on iTunes.

The Lying Game: I pretty much figured Thayer last week was behind the murders last week when he had to be the guy who burglarized Rebecca’s place, I just have not figured out why. Does the dude just have serious rage issues; killing Derek and then killing Teresa because she somehow found out? Then had the hubris to think he could pin it in Alec (who in turn thought he could pin it on Rebecca who herself thought could pin it on Alex; what a marriage). I also cannot figure out why Rebecca would throw Alex through the skylight. Unless she did not and Alec actually went so far as to throw himself through the skylight to make sure Rebecca gets pinned for all three murders. This is getting confusing.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download The Lying Game on iTunes.

Justified: A bit of an anti-climatic episode after learning that Sherriff Shelby is Drew Thompson though it was nice to see Limehouse again. But I am intrigued about the next episode with the final line, “We just have to get out of Harlan alive.” Maybe they can sneak out in Wynn Duffy’s Wynnabego.
You can download Justified on iTunes.

Survivor: Caramoan: Note to CBS: Stop it with the Hantz family. This is the second time a tribe threw a challenge just to get rid of a person with the last name. The Favorites did not even go through the motions of throwing; they just showed up to the Immunity Challenge and said just take us to Tribal Council, something that has never happened before. I actually feared for the safety of the tribe, you could have told me Brandon raped Andrea, pushed Philip into the fire, or harmed himself in some way and I would have believed you. Seriousyl CBS, no more Hantz’s
You can stream recent episodes over at CBS.com. You can also download Survivor: Philippines on iTunes.

The Neighbors: Usually television shows wait until they run out of ideas to do a musical number so I am a little worried about the quality of the rest of the season.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download The Neighbors on iTunes.

The Americans: The length spies will go through to get their way. You had Philip’s former flame telling him he had a son just to manipulate him, Beeman’s asset sleeping with him, telling him there were no strings when there were strings all over the place. Who would have guessed Elizabeth’s crotch grab would be the tamest way of getting things done this week? And I have a sinking suspicion that, much like on Justified, Mags Bennett will only last one season.
You can download The Americans on iTunes.

The Big Bang Theory: Speaking of running out of ideas, I really hate when comedies try to force heavy subjects into their plots which always seems to happen. Although I would not mind a Very Special Episode like the ones in the eighties. There really are not any Very Special Episodes anymore.
You can stream recent episodes over at CBS.com. You can also download The Big Bang Theory on iTunes.

Community: C’mon, if you are going to reference Memento, just go ahead and do a full Memento parody. Hopefully it was a hint of what is to come and Chang Kevin will be covered in tatoos next episode.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Community on iTunes.

The Real Vikings Collection from History

Last week, History launched its first ever scripted series Vikings, but for those that want to learn about the Nordic warriors without the poetic license that comes with a work of fiction, even if based on real events, History has compiled three of its specials on the subjects for The Real Vikings Collection. All three specials were an hour long and fit on a single disk. The first special is Foot Soldiers: The Vikings from 1998 and it hosted by the very nineties Richard Karn of Home Improvement fame. Despite being the oldest (and thus being the only one presented in the old timey 4:3 presentation), it is the most entertaining of the specials where you leaned where the myth of the Viking helmets with horns came from and you even get to see Al on a surfboard. You also learn of the special Viking fighting force, the Berserkers, who would fight on mushrooms. And yes, that is where our term “berserk” came from.

The next special is an episode of Lost Worlds from 2007 which takes CGI models to show us what Vikings societies looked like at the time based on archaeological digs and artifacts from the time (which include a Buddha statue despite the Vikings never ever making it to the Far East). The third special is an episode of Warriors with Terry Schappert (rechristened “Viking Terror” on the DVD) where the former Green Beret looks at the different fighting styles and weapons from the “Hell’s Angels of the Middle Ages”.

Even for those that are watching the scripted Vikings series, it is interesting watching this DVD collection to see what the series got right and what they are taking liberties with. While each special has its own focus on the Viking culture, one event all of them focused on was assault on the English monastery as featured in the second episode which is widely considered the beginning of the Vikings era in Europe. It does look like the set design has gotten the living quarters and the boating design very close to how the Vikings built things in their times. And the special could depict what could be coming up in future episodes or season. I really hope a Vikings battle, as demonstrated by Schappert, gets staged.


Full Disclosure Notice: This DVD was given to me by Lionsgate for review.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 3/10/13

The Walking Dead: One thing I really hated about Lost is that they would set up something, forget about it, and they finally pay it off long after everyone stopped caring. That was the case this episode when Rick finally ran into the dude who saved him in the series premiere. This meeting should have happened late in the first season or early in the third. But it was still one of the better episodes in the show as Rick finally met someone crazier than he is, but you got to love all the booby traps that crazy dude set up for the walkers and the barely living.
You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.

Shameless: I was wondering when Karen would pop up again. I figured after Lip gave her a call it would not be long. Though I cannot image she will stick around that long after learning how much it will take to care for her son and just let the grandparents fight over him.

Vikings: It dawned on me about half way through the episode it may not have been the best idea to do a basic cable version of Game of Thrones set in the real world. But the “This season on” package did leave me intrigued so I probably give the show another episode or two to win me over.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Vikings on iTunes

House of Lies: I never thought anyone could ruin a Kristen Bell Sex Tape, but they somehow managed to do that. Thanks House of Lies.

Switched at Birth: It is brave to try an all ASL episode, but I think it could have been better conceived. I thought maybe they would have a national day of silence in protest of the closing of Carlton. Or maybe follow a day in the life of Daphne or even Emmitt for a day. The way they did it seemed a little to force to avoid any spoken dialogue.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Switched At Birth on iTunes.

Dallas: It does not really mattered what happened in the first fifty-nine minutes, something about a silly car race, and the third Ewing brother made his first appearance in Dallas in about three decades, all that matters is the two gunshots that ended the episode. Any other show, it may have been in bad taste to murder off the character of an actor who died in real like, but in the case of Larry Hagman, it seems like a fitting tribute to send off J.R. Ewing with a murder mystery considering Who Shot J.R. was one of the biggest storylines ever in the history of television. I am sure next episode we will get a fitting tribute, but after that we will start for the hunt for J.R.’s killer. Since he was (supposedly) half the world away when he was shot, that rules out everyone in the main cast unless there was a time jump we are unaware of. Your probably have to put Cliff Barnes at the top of the list (but would he be so brazen, as the promo monkeys would have suggest, show up and taunt the death of his rival at his own funeral after killing him). Could Sue Ellen’s sister, who originally shot J.R., come back to finish the job? Um no, it turns out she overdosed and drowned in a pool during the original run. But maybe her son, Christopher finished what his biological mother started. Maybe Gary showing up in Dallas was not a coincidence. Or to tie it back into the modern day version, maybe one of Vincente’s buddies are set to avenge his death.
You can download Dallas on iTunes.

Pretty Little Liars: Well that was a completely random and completely shoehorned in celebrity cameo. At least tease that it would be possible that Missy Franklin could be A, put her in a red coat or something. But even worse, are they actually going to let Ezra teach again… in high school? What, what?!? Apparently even the principal knows something went on, how could he let this happen? Why will Ella work with a dude who sleeping with her high school daughter? These are the worst administrators and parents ever.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Pretty Little Liars on iTunes.

The Lying Game: So the dude in the black hoodie had to be Thayer right? Everything points to either Rebecca or Alec being the one who killed the one dude and kidnapped (and looks also killed) Teresa, but could Thayer be behind it the whole time? But then the question is why.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download The Lying Game on iTunes.

Justified: Where most law enforcement shows are about who did it, Justified has almost always been a show where we knew who the criminal was early on with the show being much more about the chase. So it is not surprising that the show would unveil its first real long mystery with three episodes to go, maybe it is surprising they did not reveal who Drew Thompson was earlier. Although some could argue that they revealed that Sherriff Shelby was Drew last week when his conversation with Ellen May made it so obvious that I assumed it was going to be a red herring. So now Raylan, and Boyd and Theo Tonin, have three episodes to hunt down Drew. Oh, and Boyd has extra incentive to find him too because it looks like he took Ellen May with him.

It was surprising how funny this episode was considering it came in the wake of Arlo death. The shootout between Constable Bob and the white collar criminals was hilarious, Art’s tirade the kicked off the episode, Raylan still had his trademark wit, and of course all of Wynn Duffy’s reactions were priceless (I bet he did not think a federal agent would be making a house call with a federal prisoner). I was also surprised that the preacher’s sister finally reappeared and it did not involve her teaming up with Ellen May, instead she teamed up with Tim. Is Gutterson finally going to get some love on the show?
You can download Justified on iTunes.

Survivor: Caramoan: What a crime against humanity that the Fans voted out the three hot chicks right in a row. And it was completely short sided to get rid of Laura now, she definitely had the better argument in that you cannot trust Fratboy #1 or Fratboy#2 if they switch things up and keeping them will no way guarantee winning any challenges (and it was hypocritical of the Fratboys for saying they needed to keep a stronger team yet voted for Shamar, probably the strongest person on their team, twice in a row). And more importantly, how do you vote off the three hottest chicks in your tribe in your first three Tribal Councils? I am beginning to worry about the longevity of Andrea now.
You can stream recent episodes over at CBS.com. You can also download Survivor: Caramoan on iTunes.

The Neighbors: I feel bad for Jackie if the only song she has found on the planet Earth has been Semi-Charmed Life.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download The Neighbors on iTunes.

The Americans: Holy frack, Felicity just beat the crap out of Mags Bennett!!! Did not see that coming. I did see that they were being interrogated by the KGB, that was pretty obvious, it is way too early to for the United States government to be on to them (I will be surprised if that happens sometimes before the season finale).
You can download The Americans on iTunes.

King of the Nerds: A couple weeks Jeff Probst did a podcast with Chuck Closterman when Chuck asked Probst if Survivor rewarded mediocrity. His reasoning was simple: all the weak players get eliminated first, and then all the strong people get voted off after the merge, leaving the mediocre to win most seasons. I could not help think of that conversation while Celeste got crowned King of the Nerds. Going into the finals I thought Genevieve would sweep the vote, she was her team’s leader and won three Nerd Off’s while Celeste did not have one signature moment on the show, but mediocrity was awarded (two people weirdly mentioned Celeste’s “growth” as the reason for voting for her). Yawn.
You can download King of the Nerds on iTunes.

Previewing Cesar Millan’s Leader of the Pack

For those missing The Dog Whisperer after getting canceled, you mourning period should end tonight because Cesar Millan is back with Leader of the Pack premiering at 10:00 on Nat Geo Wild. The show says that Dog Whisperer had a mission; Leader of the Pack has a mission although if you squint just enough it will look very much like the same show. Instead of coming to your house to help train your dogs, Cesar will be heading out to animal shelters to help troubled dogs gets forever homes.

And Cesar will be doing it reality competition style. After rehabilitated a shelter dog that is having trouble getting adopted, Cesar rounds up three families and eliminates them one by one until he finds the best family for the troubled dog to live with. Sure he does not feel that comfortable telling a family they “are not the leader of the pack” but this is reality television people.

Among the dogs viewers will meet in the first three episodes are Jet, a black Labrador crossbreed that needs to learn basic manners and control his puppy-like behavior. Brigadiere, a timid mix-breed shelter dog that resorts to biting when he is afraid. And Harry, a 7-year-old basset hound whose owner passed away and whose poor social skills have made it hard to find him a home. For those that miss the helpful hints that The Dog Whisperer provided will surely enjoy Leader of the Pack.

Cesar Millan’s Leader of the Pack airs Saturdays at 10:00 on Nat Geo Wild.

Previewing Unlikely Animal Friends

Anyone who was five at some point in their lives remember The Fox and the Hound, but who would have guessed that the two specials could get along as well in real life as they did in animated form? That is the basis of Unlikely Animal Friends which is airing its third set of specials over the course of four episodes this Thanksgiving weekend. The first two episodes air Friday at 8:00, while the other two episodes at 8:00 on Saturday.

Each episode is dedicated to a species animal group, starting with Dogs Gone Wild (featuring commentary from Nat Geo’s resident dog expert Cesar Millan) which will be followed by Hello Kitty which features felines big and small. Then The Wild Bunch is dedicated to some of the wild’s friendliest animals. And the last episode is Man’s Other Best Friend which features some of the weirdest human pets.

Some other bizarre pairing you will see are a fog who takes a swim with his dolphin friend, a housecat that plays with an owl, a wild boar who joins a herd of cattle, and a goose that follows around a human whenever he takes a walk in the park, or even a ride on a scooter. Unlikely Animal Friends is perfect for any parent with small children who will get a kick at all the wield and wild pairings.

Unlikely Animal Friends airs back to back episodes this Friday and Saturday starting at 8:00 on Nat Geo Wild.

Saying Goodbye to The Dog Whisperer

After eight seasons, it is time to say goodbye to The Dog Whisperer. With only two episodes left (tonight at 8:00 on Nat Geo Wild, with the series finale net week), Cesar Millan is ready to get his hands dirty (and bloody) one last time. Before saying goodbye, Cesar will check in with two of his celebrity friends tonight. First up is Jillian Michaels is back again with a new rescue Chihuahua and with an adoptive daughter coming soon, Jillian wants to get the breed’s legendary attitude under control. The episode hits a little too close to home because everything wrong with her dog is exactly how my Chihuahua acts around anyone who gets with in a hundred foot radius from my house. Also tonight, Cesar will also travel to Kelsey Grammer’s house where apparently his dogs have not seen his show Boss because they thing they rule the Grammer household by doing their doggie business all over the house and occasionally sneak off the property to do some geese hunting.

Then for next week’s finale, Cesar has a couple more cases to crack and when the episode is titled Cesar’s Worst Bite. In the episode Ceasar helps a couple who fears their 18-month child may get bitten by their Lab puppy who has started to display disturbing food aggression. Later in the episode Cesar helps a homeless woman as she prepares to move into a woman’s shelter with her protective pit bull, Tucker.

The Dog Whisperer may be coming to an end next week, but do not worry, Cesar Millan will not be going anywhere because he is currently in production on his new Nat Geo Wild competition series Leader of the Pack, due to premiere in early 2013.

The final two episodes of The Dog Whisperer air tonight and next Saturday at 8:00 on Nat Geo Wild.

Previewing The Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan: The Final Season

It is a sad day for those of us hoping to one day get Cesar Millan to Tsst our dogs into submission because the final season of The Dog Whisperer starts tonight. And just like the greatest athletes in the world, Cesar is off to London to make sure the likes of Michael Phelps do not get bit by the local canine population (although I would not mind if LeBron James gets nipped a time or a hundred by an angry Chihuahua). Cesar will be across the pond for four episodes including back to back episodes tonight including an owner who got a Dalmatian because of the movie (never a good sign), a rescue dog from Romania where strays roam the streets by the thousands, and a dog of an actress from Absolutely Fabulous.

Back stateside, Cesar will be helping some famous faces including Kelsey Grammer whose dogs are not as well behaved as his televised version Eddie. Fitness trainer may be able to whip humans into shape but will need Cesar’s help to quiet her barker. Cesar will also hit the road to help NASCAR drivers Greg Biffle and Kevin Harvick. And we know how good Cesar is with dogs, but we will also get to see how well he works with bunnies when he heads to the Playboy Mansion West to help Hugh Hefner’s King Charles spaniel get along with Miss November’s dog.

Even though there will be no new episodes of The Dog Whisperer after this season, Nat Geo Wild will continue to air the entire catalogue of episodes. And Cesar will not be going anywhere because he is currently in production on his new Nat Geo Wild competition series Leader of the Pack, due to premiere in early 2013.

The Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan airs Saturdays at 8:00 on Nat Geo Wild. You can also download The Dog Whisperer on iTunes. Check out a clip from tonight:

Previewing The Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan 8.x

I realized while watching The Dog Whisper that I need Caser Millan to come over to get my dogs to stop barking at the television while we watch The Dog Whisperer. Of course watching The Dog Whisperer makes me realize that even though they attack anyone who comes to the door and occasionally use the dining room as their own personal bathroom stall, they really do not come close to the dogs that Millan is tasked to rehabilitate.

The new season kicks off this Saturday on its new network, Nat Geo Wild with a very special episode dedicated to why dogs fight, thankfully a problem I rarely have to deal with unless one of them is hoarding bones (which begs the question, is there a doggie version of Hoarders?). The episode features two well mannered Jack Russell terriers that, when they get together, go all out on each other, leaving puddles over the house.

Later this season, much like Ernest P. Worrell before him Cesar goes into the army. Or at least he visits dogs at Fort Hood in Texas including an Australian shepherd who is scared of people in uniform. This of course cases problems on an Army base. Same for the Shetland shepherd who goes into a barking frenzy around loud noise, where there is a lot of with all the helicopters flying around the base. During his tour, Cesar also runs into a miniature bull terrier who needs to find a way to curb her uncontrollable excitement.

The on another very special episode, Cesar Millan will be celebrating his 150th episode over Valentine’s Weekend of course with Home-Wrecking Hounds. Cesar will be visiting two couples where their dogs have complicated their relationships. Will Cesar be able to play Cupid or will the dog days for these couples be over? We will have to wait until 2/11 to find out.

The Dog Whisperer airs Saturdays at 8:00 on Nat Geo Wild. You can stream select episodes on Hulu. You can also download Dog Whisperer on iTunes. Check out a clip from the season premiere below:

Previewing The Dog Whisperer 7.x

I thoroughly enjoy watching The Dog Whisperer because not only does it gives me tips for my dogs; it is a nice reminder that there are much worse behaving dogs on the planet than mine. Like on tomorrow’s season premiere we are introduced to a lamp shade eating dog. My dog has chewed on socks, CD’s and even paper, but never has she jumped up to take out one of my lamp shades.

For his second case, Cesar Millan gets offered a deal to tame Howie Mandel’s Chihuahua Lola, who Howie fears is going to kill him because she lunges at him every time Howie tries to sit next to his wife. As a Chihuahua owner myself I understand just how angry the dog can get, but lucky for me I am the one mine is protected so everyone around me gets the ankles gnawed on a little. Check out Howie getting flew from a one pound fur ball below:



Tomorrow is the first of fifteen all new episodes to air Fridays at 8:00 on the National Geographic Channel. Also this season, Cesar will be visiting Astronaut Suni Williams, who once received Cesar’s coaching while serving on the International Space Station. Actress Rhoa Mitra (The Gates) and her French bulldog, Oscar. Meghan Plunkett, daughter of former NFL quarter back and Heisman Trophy winner Jim Plunkett, who has been caring for a pit bull that belonged to her brother Jimmy, who, prior to his unexpected passing in 2008, had cultivated a close relationship with his dog based on Cesar’s relationship with his dog, Daddy. And even wildlife experts like Casey Anderson, a Nat Geo Wild host, will call on Cesar, along with his wife Missi Pyle to help with their two dogs.

Previewing The Dog Whisperer 6.x

It is hard to image that The Dog Whisperer is entering its sixth season because in his hundred plus cases Cesar Millan has yet to come to the McGavin compound to tame my dogs yet. Of course of the episodes I have seen, my terrors (see Ren and Snoopy’s Doghouse) are like angels compared to most of the dogs Cesar has come up against. And for the sixth season premiere of The Dog Whisperer, Cesar is doing a little something different.

Instead of going to our houses to correct problems our dogs have, for the season premiere Cesar is showing us How to Raise the Perfect Dog (there is also a book of the same name out that Cesar has written) so we don’t have to contact him in the future. To demonstrate, adopted for new dogs of different breeds: a Labrador pup Marley, a Miniature Schnauzer Angel, an English Bulldog Mr. President, and a Pit Bull pup Junior. The latter Cesar hopes that he can groom to help him in tougher cases as he number two Daddy gets up there in age.

But after the premiere, Cesar will be back into the field helping with other people’s dog featuring thirty new episodes starting tonight. Cesar will even be heading Down Under to Australia this season as well as to Texas to work with NASA astronauts. And of course visits some well known dog owners in the next couple weeks including The Biggest Loser’s Jillian Michaels and Velvet Revolver drummer Matt Sorum.

The Dog Whisperer airs Fridays at 9:00 on the National Geographic Channel. You can stream select episodes over at Hulu. You can download episodes of The Dog Whisperer on iTunes. You can also buy previous seasons and specials of The Dog Whisperer on Amazon.

Previewing Dog Whisperer: Inside Puppy Mills

Last month, Barack Obama got a lot flack for selecting his dog Bo from a breeder instead of adopting a rescue dog like he promised during his campaign. An off shoot of that decision is that will increase puppy mills churning out Portuguese water dogs because of his decision. On a special episode of Dog Whisperer tonight at 9:00 on the National Geographic Channel Cesar Millan goes undercover to witness the puppy mills first hand. As the press release says:

Every year, millions of dogs are mass-produced at puppy mills - often packed in tiny wire cages, neglected, dehydrated, dirty, and chronically sick - and then sold legally to pet stores throughout the country. In this powerful episode, Cesar sees puppy mill horror and works to rescue and rehabilitate caged pups with the animal rights group Last Chance for Animals. With hidden cameras, LCA operatives spot check Los Angeles county kennels, rescue eleven dogs considered worthless by breeders and learn from Cesar as he teaches them how to immediately rehabilitate the traumatized pups.

For anyone who is thinking about getting a dog, this is a must see episode. For more facts on puppy mills, head over to NationalGeographic.com. And since they were both mentioned in the special you can find out more about Last Chance for Animals and StopPuppyMills.org at their websites. You can also check out a preview below with a cameo from Sharon Osbourne: