On The Boob Tube: Week of Oct 10 – Oct 16

This Saturday, and every Saturday for the duration of the TV season, we bring you On The Boob Tube with The Book Smugglers:

In which we talk about all those water cooler moments of the past week’s episodes, raving about the good, ranting about the bad.

For the Week of October 10 – October 16

Ana’s Favourites

Mad Men

Oh the humanity! I want to know this: is there anyone out there who watches Mad Men and does NOT scream with frustration at the telly? Because last week, I found myself totally losing it: doesn’t Don know how to keep his penis inside his trousers? Because seriously now, it must be pathological. I can’t believe the teacher fell for it. I also screamed at Betty for her TO JUST GO AHEAD AND DO IT ALREADY. That woman drives me crazy

And oh, poor, poor Salvatore. I can’t believe he lost his job just like that. SCREW YOU Sterling and Cooper. I hope you all rot in hell.

Dexter

This was not the most memorable episode of Dexter ever although I do think it was one of the funniest? Also very awkward with Dexter trying so hard to fit in but totally missing it when it comes to Hester – that scene where he pushed her into the pool , I was all like: DEX! You don’t DO that with teenage girls, you moron! Poor guy. The whole thing with the neighbourhood watch was amusing. And OMG the ending! Rita saw him destroying the lamp! What will happen next?

The Trinity Killer scares the shit out of me.

Castle

In the words of Castle himself: Best. Episode. Ever. The case they were working on was fun (about a con man) and I loved how excited Castle got about the whole thing and how cool was Becket reading his book and conning him back? Oh and him freaking out about his daughter and the violin teacher? Made of win. I love this show, it amuses me to no end.

House

This episode wasn’t as good as the previous ones and to be honest, I thought the whole thing with 13 was plain stupid. But hey, sayonara 13, please don’t come back? Yeah. Not much else to say here.

Angel

Did you just do a double take? LOL. It is just that I finally caved and bought the DVD set and have been watching non stop this week – season 1 is done. Revisiting old favourites is just so awesome – like that episode where Buffy comes to LA and Angel is human and they have loads o f great sex and then she has to forget all about it but Angel will remember forever? Makes me cry every single time. Oh, Wesley, “Rogue Demon Hunter” –who might be my favourite male character, even more than Angel and Spike. I know, I know I may be crazy. There was also one particular episode when they are eating brownies and Angels says something like brownies are called so because they are brown. That was SUCH a AHA moment for me. I am easily entertained.

The Middle…

…was actually quite funny this week, way funnier than last week but still nowhere near as funny as the first episode. I remain a fan of the younger son but the daughter is taking the prize for Most Awkward Teen of the year. I really liked the touching final scene between Mon and Dad, it added some real feeling to the proceedings. So I will keep watching!

Glee

This is what happens when they bring Sue Sylvester to the front: everything else is eclipsed by Jane Lynch’s comedy genius. At the moment she tops my list of favourite comedians right up there with Steve Carrel – their deadpan deliveries are so awesome. I constantly wonder how can they possibly deliver those lines without totally losing it (Dear Partner says: “it’s called acting, honey”). Favourite quotes:

Sue: I can’t stand the sight of kids getting emotional, unless it’s from physical exhaustion.

Sue: I empower my Cheerios to be champions. Do they go to college? I don’t know. I don’t care. Should they learn Spanish? Sure, if they wanna become dishwashers and gardeners.

Oh, how deliciously un-PC.

Also: how much of a dupe can Will possibly be? Doesn’t he touch his wife at all??????? How can she keep up the pretence of being pregnant for such a long time? It boggles the mind.

The Office

I love how nobody can handle Michael when Jim is not around. So funny how Oscar was desperate and Kevin was amazing. The whole thing with the credit card had me in stitches. Not so crazy about the mafia-notmafia guy storyline although Andy cracks me up.

Supernatural

I really liked this episode. Since the whole apocalypse thing started, I kept waiting for the Antichrist to show and I liked that he was a kid and I liked how Sam and Dean dealt with it. It sort of reminded me of Good Omens by Terry Pratchet and Neil Gaiman…sort of. I do think Cassiel was possibly the right one in wanting to kill him though. Oh Dean is totally back to form: eating the ham like there was no tomorrow and the hair in the hand make me chuckle.

Thea’s Favorites:

Dexter

What Ana said: Not the most memorable episode ever. Can I reiterate how annoying Darla (I mean, Rita – sorry, she will ALWAYS be Darla in my mind) is? The ending of this episode with her judgemental “Oh, DEXTER” face makes me mad. I liked Dex’s awkwardness in this episode, especially when he pushes Esther into the pool. And I did like the moment between Dexter and Esther when she gives him the tween seal of approval, even though he’s a huge goober.

Also, Deb is an idiot and is going to sleep with Lundy and screw up the awesome (HEALTHY, finally) relationship she has with Andre, and Quinn is hilarious: “Who the FUCK is named ‘Dexter’ anyways!?”

Little People, Big World

Ok, what is it with TLC shows now? If Matt and Amy get divorced, I will have lost my faith in the institution of marriage!

Ok not really. But it sucks that they might be splitting ways, since they seem to hate each other in these first two episodes. Also, is Zach not the COOLEST big bro ever? He turned his car into a limo for his little sister. That is the sweetest freaking thing ever.

House

I liked the tension between Chase and Foreman, and duh of COURSE House figures out what was going on. The medical mystery was kind of…meh.

But one GLORIOUS thing happened this episode and I hope to the tv gods that it sticks – BUH-BYE THIRTEEN!!!! NA-NA-NA-NAAAA NA-NA-NA-NAAAA HEY-HEY-HEY GOOOOOODBYE!

(Seriously, if she is back, I will be angry. ANGRY. I want the original team to stay forever and ever and ever. Also, Cuddy is so pretty in this episode.)

Castle

What Ana (and Castle) said: BEST. EPISODE. EVER. I loved it. The ridiculous conning the conman twist upon twist, and then Beckett’s “hot date” – and of course, the ultimate scene when Castle gets her in the bathroom, while she’s looking for the Nikki Heat sex scene. Awesome. Nathan Fillion is such a cutie. I think I’ve finally got the boyfriend in a place where he’ll FINALLY agree to watch Firefly (he resists SFF with a passion – but I’ve turned him on to the Fillion. He doesn’t realize that resistance is futile – I know he’ll love the damn show anyways, but still he insists on doing this evasive dance! But not for much longer…. *EVIL LAUGH*)

Hell’s Kitchen

YAY DAVE WON! He was clearly the best of the lot since the beginning. So…yay!

Dirty Jobs

I love Mike Rowe. He’s my old man crush. And this episode was hilarious – skyscraper window washing is freaking scary. And yet, there is humor in the situation thanks to Mike’s sardonic sense of humor. A really good episode for a not-so-dirty (but completely freaking terrifying) job.

Toddlers in Tiaras

This show is hilarious and horrific at the same time, and laughing at the insane mommies is all part of the fun. But every once in a while, you get a little girl and her family who are actually doing the pageant thing because they LOVE it, and it is adorable. This season we’ve had two such little girls: Isabella, and this week with Miranda (this little girl with alopecia, who has to wear wigs – her mom enters her in pageants because Miranda loves them, and it gives her self confidence. Awwww.)

Modern Family

This show is hilarious. Seriously. I loved the “I wanna bang you in the moonlight” song. Freaking funny stuff.

Glee

This is another favorite episode for the season – and it is ALL because of Sue. Jane Lynch is a freaking comedic genius. I swear, she makes up her lines on the spot. She HAS to. There’s no way you can write this. My favorite part, when she’s picking teams:

Sue: Santana, Wheels, Gay Kid, Asian, Other Asian, Aretha, Shaft.

LOLOLOLOLOL. She is ridiculous. Songs weren’t as good in this episode, but the humor more than made up for it. Oh and I also echo Ana’s sentiments: Will is an idiot, and he must never ever touch his wife.

FlashForward

I officially came to a decision regarding this series this Thursday. I was watching the Dodgers-Phillies game (DAMN you Phillies), and the DVR warning came up on the screen, “FlashForward is scheduled to record. Change channel and record as planned? Don’t change channel and cancel recording?”

I chose “don’t change channel and cancel recording.” I am done with it. Sorry. And what’s even more infuriating? The fact that we now have THREE ex-LOST cast members on the show: Penelope, Cassidy and Charlie. How much can you ride LOST’s coattails? It’s kind of pathetic. Unless Ana lets me know that this week’s episode was amazing and mindblowing…I think I’m done. Though I do want to read the book.

Community

I loved Abed’s ridiculous “I’m an Alien” prank. And also, Senor Chang’s lines. The rest was kinda meh as usual, though Chevy Chase does play the piano and sing in this episode, which is always fun.

The Office

Who are we kidding, there is no way that this episode could even hold a candle to last week’s wedding. BUT, this week’s epi is still characteristically hilarious. Sweet, stupid Kevin with his inadvertent canceling of Jim’s credit card! I love the Dwight-Andy dynamic as well. Oscar says it best when he remarks that with Jim and Pam out of the office, the ratio of crazy to sane is completely out of whack.

30 Rock

Hey, 30 Rock is back! Season opener was ok. This is one of those shows I like, but don’t always tune in to watch because it’s pretty easy to jump in at any point without needing to watch it on a weekly basis. Tracy is ridiculously funny, and his attempts to reconnect with the common man is worth watching the episode.

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia

Oh sweet, sweet Sunny. Charlie is my favorite character on the show, and he is just amazingly ridiculous. I loved the scene where Dennis and Mac are trying to put Charlie’s profile on Match.com (so as to get him over the waitress before he finds out that she’s getting married):

Dennis: Let’s talk about your likes and dislikes. How about your favorite food? What would that be?
Charlie: Milksteak.
Dennis: What?
Charlie: Milksteak.
Dennis: I’m not putting Milksteak, I’m gonna put steak–
Mac: Just put steak–
Charlie: Don’t put steak, put Milksteak. She’ll know what it is.
Dennis: No she won’t know what that is because nobody know what that is Charlie. Ok, ok, all right, what’s your favorite hobby?
Charlie: Uhh, magnets.
Dennis: Magne-Ok…like making magnets, collecting magnets?
Mac: Playing with magnets?
Charlie: Just magnets.
Dennis: Ok, I’m gonna put down snowboarding. We’ll put snowboarding.
Charlie: I don’t really snowboard.
Dennis: What are some of your likes?
Charlie: Ghouls.
Mac: Son of a bitch, what are you talking about now?
Charlie: You know, funny little green ghouls…
Dennis: What? What? Like in movies and cartoons?
Charlie: Like little green ghouls, buddy!
Mac: Don’t write ghouls.
Dennis: I’m not, I’m putting travel. Jesus Christ, what are your dislikes?
Charlie: People’s knees.
Dennis: COME ON DUDE, COME ON!
Mac: We’re just gonna make it up
Dennis: Let’s go, we’ll make it all up.
Charlie: Cover your knees up if you’re gonna be walking around everywhere.

Also, later, Charlie’s “I’m a fullonrapist.” (He’s trying to say “philanthropist.”) Or “I want the milksteak boiled over hard, and your finest raw jellybeans.”

I love this show so much.

And that’s it from us! What about your tv moments?