when it rains, it pours

I didn't feel too good after watching this week's episode of Mad Men. I suppose you could say that this episode, titled "Hands and Knees," wasn't the most uplifting of the current season. There was nothing but drama. And yes, I know that this show is classified as a drama, but this episode in particular seemed to have nothing but. I suppose with Miss Blankenship's passing, our guaranteed bit of comic relief passed on with her. At this point I feel like we're all over the place with our hero (anti-hero), Don Draper. First he's a drowning drunk. Then he's swimming his way back to the man he was. Now it seems he's stuck on a sinking ship. But more on our guy Don, in a bit.

This week, we opened with Roger in his office, and in walks Joan all aglow. Yes, she's glowing. She's got a certain, how do you say, "je ne sais quoi" about her. Turns out she's late. I know, I too thought, "Oh that's silly, she can't be late, she's standing in Roger's office--it looks like she made it to work just in time." No, no, she's late. She's laaaaate. Well, it was bound to happen with these two, wasn't it? A part of me was thinking that Matthew Weiner would never go there. They'd have their late night, post-mugging quickie up against a wall and that'd refuel their romance. But he went there--to babytown--and now we have a bit of a situation on our hands. But Joanie, being the forward-thinking woman she is (remember in Season 1 when she referred Peggy to her doctor for birth control pills?) knew exactly how she was going to handle this situation: abortion. But seeing as this is the 1960's and Roe v. Wade has yet to happen, she'd have to go to a specialist and pay the guy $400 for taking care of it. Oh, to be in a world where terminating your pregnancy was a no-no, how suspenseful and exciting it'd be! But never fear, apparently all went as it should have. Joan went to the doctor. She calmly sat in the waiting room with a magazine. She calmly consoled a woman who's seventeen-year-old daughter was getting the procedure. She calmly lied and basically said the was waiting for her daughter too. She calmly assured Roger that everything was taken care of. Do you believe her? I'd like to think that she went to the doctor, and did what she went there to do. But I wouldn't be surprised if the issue arised again....in baby-form!

And what's going on with the other employees of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce? Well, the Draper's getting back into the good graces of his daughter, Sally, after last week's incident. And just how is he doing that? With Beatles tickets of course. YES. We've entered the age of The Beatles. Nothing will ever be the same. And I think the best actress of the night was Kiernan Shipka. Her reaction to hearing the news was spot on. That moment was probably the happiest moment of the episode. Even Betty cracked a smile and was genuinely excited for her. What could possibly ruin this? Later hearing that Don hasn't officially gotten the tickets was a bit of a sting. This only made me worry that the plan would fall through, and all would be lost for his relationship with Sally.

Don wasn't the only one trying to mend his relationship with his child. Lane, toting a plush Mickey Mouse (giving off just a slight hint of desperation) rushed to reception upon hearing that he had a visitor, assuming it was his son, Nigel. Oh dear; tis not Nigel. In fact, it is Lane's father, with what I'm sure is great news from London. He's basically come to get him and take him back to the UK. This reminds me of the movie Cool Runnings, when Junior's father flies out to Canada to bring his son home to Jamaica--but if we all remember correctly, Junior assertively refused, and then later proved to his father that that he made the right decision in staying in Canada, and in turn, made his father proud. I wish I could say the same for Lane and his father, but unfortunately, their story took a slightly different route. Junior proved he made the right choice by finishing the bobsled race at the Olympics. Lane proved he made the right choice by taking his father out (dragging Don along) to a Playboy club. Yeaaaah, not the same result. Lane, looking like he was already a bit drunk, called one of the bunnies over and handled her a little closer than the usual patron. Turns out, the bunny is Toni, a girl Lane is seeing. I'm not sure how long they've been together, or even how they met. But I'd assume that one day he went to the club, feeling sad and depressed, and Toni felt sorry for him, and she happened to be on her break, so they sat and talked, and when she got off of work, they sat and talked some more, and BOOM--they're dating. I really think it could have happened that way. Well that's aside from the point, according to Lane's father. It seems he wants nothing to do with meeting Toni, and as Lane pointed out, is it because she's black or because she's not his wife? We don't know what exactly Lane's father is thinking but he lets Lane know that he can't have both London and New York. My opinion is that he's a traditional man, who thinks his son should be on the same continent as his family, so of course, he won't open himself up to anything else. And this makes me feel sorry for Lane. Maybe Toni's his rebound girl, maybe not, but it seems like he's moved on (or is at least trying) and it has to be tough for him to see that his father flew all the way to NY not because he's interested in what his son's been doing, but because he's interested in bringing his son back to his previous life. Ugh, Drama City.

As I mentioned earlier, our guy Don seems to be tasting the fuzzy side of the lollipop in this episode. Once again, his past comes back to haunt him, and this time, it could be bad. It all started with Pete Campbell's hard-earned client, North American Aviation. They're worth about 4 million dollars, so of course, SCDP would like to work for them. We go from a hunky-dory client meeting to special agents from the U.S. Government visiting Mrs. Betty Francis, at the Draper home--sorry, I meant the Francis home. Betty, acting as normal as she can, basically sits through 45 minutes of answering personal questions about her ex-husband, and we all know about the elephant in the room. That elephant is named Dick Whitman. After she's in the clear, Betty of course rings Don at work, gives him the gist of the situation, and passes over the panic to him. And boy, when Don panics, he panics. Understandably so, though, since if the government found out that he changed his name, especially about how he changed it, Don Draper's life would literally be over. So he panics. He yells at Meghan (for filling out the government form for the background check that was needed to work with N. American Aviation). He vomits (as gross as his mouth must be, that close up shot of him post-vomit was quite nice). He sets up a trust fund for his kids (just in case anything should happen to him and his perfect life). He tells Dr. Faye all about what happened that night in Korea. He rides Pete hard to get him to talk to his buddy in the Defense Department (the one he mentioned when he tried to blackmail Don in Season 1). And finally, he makes Pete come up with an excuse to get rid of North American Aviation as a client, just to save himself from getting caught. Now, I know Pete has secrets and trust issues of his own (ahem, affair with Peggy; ahem, child with Peggy given up for adoption) but I felt bad for him. He worked really hard to get this client and at this point, SCDP, needs every client it can get. So I think Don really owes him for this one. The client meeting was so uncomfortable to witness. Pete was basically chewed out by Roger for losing the client (when really, I'm sure Roger was mostly venting from losing their biggest client, Lucky Strike. Thanks a lot, Jerk of the Year, Lee Garner Jr.). Talk about dishonesty--can't wait until that bomb explodes.

In the end, Don Draper is still Don Draper. He's still a partner at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. He's still taking his daughter, Sally, to see The Beatles. And he's still running from his past as Dick Whitman. He may have dodged this bullet, but he's still changed his identity, and that's something that he can't just bury. It's bound to come up again. But for now, he'll go on living his life--the one he's made for himself.

Question: What was Don's look to Meghan all about?? I know she's a striking woman, but geez, Don, has this past season taught you nothing?? Can't wait to see what happens here, Matthew Weiner wouldn't leave us with that last shot for nothing.

Smidge of Comic Relief: Trudy Campbell. Oh, you. Thanks so much for wearing that little pink baby doll while as pregnant as you are. You were like a giant, pink cottonball. A pompom. An orb of innocence (and sexuality, did you SEE how short the baby doll was?). Bless you, Trudy Campbell, bless you.

Suicide Watch: There are a lot of theories out there about this show concerning a possible suicide from one of the characters. Well, if I were to run with those theories, and base it on this episode alone, I'd think that Lane is the one to end it all. That could change. But right now, I'd say he's in first place in the Suicide Race. What do you think?

Complaint: I love this show. I love that in its timeslot, it can get away with so much, writing-wise, that other shows can't. Until now. In Roger's rant against Pete, the f-word was used. It was used, and it was bleeped. And that took me out of the reality of the show. I complain to Matthew Weiner for putting that in there, knowing the small chances of it actually being heard. And I complain to the censors, for not allowing it to squeak by this one time. According to my colleague on this blog, the f-word was put there so that it may be heard when the DVD comes out. Nevertheless, if it was going to be bleeped, it shouldn't have been there in the first place, in my opinion.

What will happen next week? Will Don go after Meghan? Will Stan go after Peggy? Will Roger go after Joan? Will Glenn (yes, scary neighborhood Glenn) go after Sally? Will anything at all make me laugh? We shall see.

everyone's had their face sliced open before, am i right?

Last Thursday, the surgeons of Seattle Grace returned to work (and Grey's Anatomy returned to our television sets) and it was obvious that the hospital was still in recovery mode from the mass murder that occurred in last year's season finale. To refresh your memories, an angry, sad, and armed widower entered the hospital with intentions of killing Derek, the Chief of Surgery responsible for his wife's death (he pulled the plug). All of the surgeons of Seattle Grace were traumatized that day; some physically, some emotionally. Weeks later, we see that the principles (season regulars) involved in the incident are all going through counseling, in order to be cleared for surgery.

Since the shooting, people have changed. Derek, having had a very close brush with death, is now an adrenaline junkie, getting off on speeding on the freeway, and crazy surgeries--the latter of which he can now perform after quitting as Chief of Surgery and returning to Achieves the Impossible Neurosurgeon. Cristina's getting married to Owen. Yes, they went from an intentionally violent relationship (he strangled her in his sleep), to a so-so relationship (he still had feelings for Teddy), to nearly breaking up, to being engaged. Oh, what a rollercoaster their relationship is. Then again, I do believe every relationship on Grey's Anatomy has issues, but if I start going into that, this post may never end. Let's get back to the task at hand. Derek's a speed-demon, Cristina's getting married, Alex thinks the bullet inside him makes him look like a bad ass, Miranda's just a bundle of nerves (I'd be too if I had had a gun pointed at my head), Lexie's recovering from a very bad case of PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), Callie is super-duper in love with Arizona, Teddy's with a new man, and Meredith--having had a miscarriage--is doing surprisingly well, though she never told Derek about the incident.

So everyone's in the process of getting cleared for surgery, and it seems that Cristina and Meredith (much to Cristina's indifference and Meredith's dismay) have yet to be cleared. And it's a great time to get cleared for surgery because there's a boy with a brain tumor and the only way to get it out involves his face being sliced in half. Yep. You gotta love the surgeries that come into this hospital; what'll those writers think of next? The boy's jaw will literally be sawed in half--yuck. And while Derek was feeling all confident that everything will all work out for the best, I was on Meredith's side when she stepped in and gave a very blunt rundown of the risks and affects of the surgery. If I was the boy's mother--as painful as it'd be--I'd want to hear the complete truth too. But of course, it wouldn't be good television without showing the crazy surgery (or would it?) so they go ahead with the surgery. And, I've been watchig this show for years. I was also a huge fan of ER and I'll go back even further and say I watched Chicago Hope when it was on Lifetime. And since I'm here, I'll go further than that and say that I made a big habit of getting up early on summer mornings (no school) and watching Rescue 911 reruns. So, with all of that, I'm pretty OK around graphic surgeries and injuries. But, when I saw Dr. Sloane (oh, Mark, I'll confess you are nice to look at) literally saw that boy's face in half, I do believe I cringed. But don't worry, all went well. Sure, the boy at one point--face insanely swollen--woke up in ravaging pain, but after a nice little pep talk from Derek, he powers through in hopes of recovering.

I guess that's what this episode was about: recovery. The surgeons involved in the shooting experienced a trauma that, sure, could emotionally be compared to getting your face sawed in half. And they each had their own way of of recovering from it. Cristina married Owen. They did it. The episode ended with their wedding at Meredith's house, and it was simple and lovely. Meredith doubted that Cristina truly wanted to marry Owen, and I can understand that. To go from wanting to break up, to getting a gun to your head, to wanting to get married, is a bit unusual. But, whatever. I loved Cristina's monologue to the counselor ("I think you're either born simple, or you're born...me.") I mean, you give Sandra Oh a monologue, and she knocks it out of the park everytime. She's half of the reason why I stay loyal to this show--because, it does tend to get sudsy, if you know what I mean. But back to Cristina. I understood her. It was simple. She's spent most of her life one way, but in the end, she realized that she wants what everyone else wants--to be loved. And with Owen, she is that. And it was quite convenient when Owen walked in on Cristina crying, saying she doesn't want to be alone, and out pops an engagement ring. He was planning on it. They thought the same way. And if years down the line, they realize they rushed into things, then so be it. But right now, they are happy, and in love, and that's what matters. Lexie, after a stint in psych (as a patient) has gone back to brunette and is seeing things clearly again. So much so that she ably puts Alex in his place by reminding him that while he was close to death, he cried out for Izzy, the one who left him. I really do hope these two are truly broken up so that Lexie and Mark can be together again. Derek, even after being in jail, speeds again, and yes, is put in jail again. Meredith, being the assertive one she is (except for the whole "not telling Derek about the miscarriage" thing) made sure he stayed there, even if it mean him missing the wedding. Let's face it, Meredith wasn't in full recovery mode, but as we've seen from past experience, this character takes longer than others to get past anything. Callie asked Arizona to move in with her. Just to move in with her. Not to marry her. Not to have a baby with her. To move in with her. And Arizona was more than happy to oblige. Miranda, going the "i need to be alone" route, told Dr. Anasthesiologist that she, well, needs to be alone for now. And if you're a fan of Grey's Anatomy, while watching this scene, you knew Miranda was about to have a monologue (being held together by only bits of tape and glue). Cue the other half of the reason why I still watch this show: Chandra Wilson. While I feel like after so many season, it's really expected to give her a big speech--she practically has one each week--she kills them everytime, so...yeah I don't know why I'm complaining.

In case it hasn't become apparent already, I tend to not take this show very seriously. It's really changed over the years. It can at times be overdramatic. In each episode, I find myself annoyed with at least one aspect of it, whether it be in character or plot. But I think with this show, you either watch it or you don't. And I watch it. Yes, I still watch it. So I will stay true to it and in exchange for my loyalty, I will recap it the way I see fit.

But really, I'm a fan, and I look forward to watching it. So you keep doing what you're doing, Shonda. See you next week.

and the search continues

Last week, Season 6 of How I Met Your Mother premiered, and I couldn't be happier as a viewer. If you recall from my most current Glee post, I mentioned that season premieres are supposed to remind us of why we watch these shows in the first place. And in this writer's opinion, the Season 6 opener of How I Met Your Mother (HIMYM, to its fans) did just that.

The show opened with a flash forward. It's obvious that it is someone's wedding day. With Marshall approaching Ted, who looks like he's a bundle of nerves, we assume Ted is the one who's tying the knot. But before anything too revealing comes up, we're immediately taken back to present day New York City, to the gang's bar, MacLaren's, where Ted's grading papers , and Bareny's in constant complaint mode about the sad end of "the season of exposed skin." Yes, summer's gone, and fall has arrived. And Barney is lamenting the loss of the beautiful sight of ladies in sundresses. And I have to (kind of) agree with him on this one. Believe you me, Barney, it's just as tragic for the ladies as it is for the men. As a young woman living in New York, I very much look forward to the summer, where aside from a few days of sticky humidity and random rain storms, it is the perfect weather for a sundress. No need for a cardigan or a light jacket. The sundress, and a simple pair of flats or sandals, are all a lady needs to go for a stroll outside, whether it be day or night. Alas, as we approach October, I find it sad to say that summer is no longer here. But buck up! Fall is upon us! Scarves, tights, wool hats, oh my! And, Barney, doesn't this work out in your favor as well? Just think: when you do bring a lady back to your sky-rise apartment, you'll have more layers to take off, which would only make the situation even more exciting, yes?

So, Barney and Ted are sitting together in their booth, when the inevitable happens: a beautiful girl. And just when Ted and Barney are about to fight over who has "dibs," in walks another beautiful girl: Robin. Fine, technically, at that moment, she didn't look too beautiful. Robin is still getting over Don--her co-anchor/boyfriend who left her to pursue a better career-opportunity (which Robin had actually been offered first, but declined so she could be with Don). Thanks to another flashback, we learned that Robin, well, basically let herself go. So, in she walks, clad in sweatpants, toting a burger and fries, with hair amess (and unwashed.) She literally looks dirty, and Barney is apparently turned off ("derection"). But Robin also makes it clear to them that the girl they're fighting over, isn't even available. She's reading a book because she's waiting for someone.

And the person the girl is waiting for does arrive. Rachel Bilson, who guest-starred last season as a girl Ted (briefly) dated. What was so special about Rachel Bilson last season is that by the looks of her apartment, her roommate (who we have not yet seen) looks like the perfect match for Ted. And at one point, we learn from Bob Saget's older-Ted narration, that Ted does indeed end up marrying the girl. So of course, Ted, seeing this girl interacting with Rachel Bilson's character, wonders if this is her roommate. Having only seen her ankle as she quickly ran into the bathroom while he was at their apartment, he only has so much to go on. But nevermind all that nonsense, Rachel's character, Cindy, has something she wants to say to Ted. It actually turns out OK. Their break up was simply due to the fact that Ted wasn't what Cindy was looking for. In fact, what she was looking for, was the girl at the bar, and this is confirmed when the two kiss (cue Barney's head exploding). This instance also confirms the fact that the "mother" of the title of this show, has yet to be seen.

Now, what I haven't touched upon is what's going on with Marshall and Lily. We know the perfect couple is trying for a baby, but in this episode, issues occur when we learn that Marshall's basically told everyone (specifically his dad) that the two of them are in the process of making babies. And while I did enjoy the cutaway shot of Marshall being cheered on by his coworkers as he leaves the office to go impregnate Lily, I had to side with her on this one. What they're doing is very private, especially because it may not turn out the way everyone wants it to. But of course, in proper HIMYM fashion, the two have a beautiful heart-to-heart on the stoop of their apartment building. Up until this moment, they had basically been in a fight, but after 5 seasons of this show, we know that the two of them would never stay that way for long. Lily, with good reason, was afraid that she'd fail Marshall. But Marshall assured her that something like that would never happen. And I have to confess, at that moment, tears began accumulating in my eyeballs.

I know this post has already gone on too long for a show that spends only 22 minutes (at most) on the air each week, but I just have a few more things to say. This show is often not given a chance by viewers. I know people who after watching 2 or 3 episodes, will still say that the show is not all it's cracked up to be. I of course, am open to those opinions, but while I'm here, let me humbly give you mine. How I Met Your Mother is the only show I watch today, that still uses a laugh track. And those kinds of shows seem to be a minority today. Yet, this show, every season, has high ratings. And yes, I think it's a funny show, and the laugh track isn't even necessary, but it has more going for it than jokes. I think this show has a lot of heart. And I'm not just talking about the story. I'm talking about the writing that goes into it, and its actors, who highlight it so well. This show so beautifully constructed. It immediately takes us to a plot where there is always going to be suspense, and it handles it so well. You'd think that Ted would have found his wife by now. But I sometimes find myself not even thinking about that, because there are so many other things going on with these characters, and they all feel so real. Instead of blatantly putting the obvious thing out there, the writers give us everyday storylines, and sprinkle in the hints we crave to the number one question on everyone's minds. That way, we're still kept in suspense, but (at least for me) the hints come about unexpectedly and just act as added bonuses to an already great episode.

This season premiere had everything I wanted as a fan: Barney's blunt jokes, Marshall's and Lily's loving and strong relationship, Robin's effortless ability to put Barney in his place, and Ted's constant search for the one. And what about that wedding at the beginning of the episode? Was it Ted's? In fact, Ted was the best man, nervous about the traditional speech. Which only led this fan to believe it was Barney's wedding...to Robin. I'd go on, but I think I'll keep my thoughts on those two for another post.

we were supposed to get cancelled

In the the fifth season premiere, Liz Lemon is happily in a non-relationship with Carol (a gray-ish Matt Damon). By the way, can I just say, for the total loser Liz is purported to be (well, by Jack), she seems to do okay in the guy department. There was Subway Hero, Floyd, Dr. Drew, Conan, Wesley Snipes (the other one), and Matt Damon. All right, fine, they're all a little bit...atypical, but still! Liz thinks she and Carol are both quite happy in their non-relationship relationship but it turns out Carol is a sobbing mess who wants a meaningful relationship ("I had to spoon him for an hour. And I was the outer spoon!"). Because it's not a Liz Lemon love interest if there's no bizarre quirk, even if they do look like Matt Damon.

Jack is waging war against Avery, who is trying to redo his apartment. By the way, I'm glad that despite Jack's continuing relationship with her, we don't actually have to see her, because I may one of the few people left who doesn't really get Elizabeth Banks' appeal at all, but I digress. Jack tries to win the war by winning over her presumed gay decorator, because he is, in his own words, a "daddy bear." Despite a hell of an attempt to do so, Avery still wins. No mention of the growing Donaghy fetus.

In totally boring subplots, Jenna becomes a producer as her contract stipulates, is freakishly good at it, and fires herself, and Tracy thinks Kenneth is a figment of his imagination until Ken throws himself in front of oncoming traffic to prove otherwise.

In the end, Liz and Carol decide to make a go of it and tell each other one of their secrets. Her: on a waiting list to adopt a baby (so that plot is back!). Him: touched by priest (!). Liz (we) will see him next on October 14, the live episode!

Things that made me go ughhhh:

The ah....sex scene with Pete's wife. Not necessary, Tina Fey, so not necessary.

My favorite line:
"You're wearing a blazer from Rico's husky boys collection." (Um, I liked her blazer.)

actually, we met at an orgy

I've decided I really really like this show. Here's why. At first you kind of just think, what's so special about this family sitcom as opposed to the dozens of other family sitcoms that have come and gone through the years? Yes, they aren't the traditional TV family, but they go through essentially the same sitcom plots and clichés almost all comedies do. And yet they manage to do it so much better that you forget that you may have seen this before on some other show. There's always some little twist or tweak that the writers manage to sneak in to make it just a teensy bit ~sparklier~ than your usual family sitcom. Okay, fine, maybe in this case having a May-December marriage and a gay couple with a Vietnamese daughter helps. That and there are some extremely funny actors on this show.

In the season premiere, Claire convinces Phil they need to sell their station wagon that's been collecting dust in their garage. The Dunphys spend an afternoon cleaning out the festering vehicle and Claire is overcome by a fit of sentimentality. Thoughtful Phil springs to action by taking the family on a nostalgic trip . We get a great little visual bit where we see the whole family in the car when things start to go a little south: Luke starts getting vomit-y, Claire spills her soda over Alex, Haley sees a spider and steps on Phil's seatbelt, who spits his drink all over the dash (and the camera). They all get out of the car so Luke can go puke in some bushes, and the car starts rolling backwards. Then we get Dummy Phil, who launches himself on top of the car as it rolls down the hill. The only thing that bugged about this plot was why Phil would think his body could stop the car from moving. Wouldn't most people just jump into the driver's seat, considering it was going all of 3 mph? I know, I know, I'm thinking too much. This is my it's-only-a-show-it's-not-real-life moment of the episode.

Meanwhile, Cam and Mitchell are about to start building a huge princess castle for Lily (LUCKY!) and Cam enlists Jay to help distract Mitchell, who is clueless about what a terrible builder he is. This plot was great purely for the sight gags: Mitchell waving pruning shears around haphazardly and indavertently lopping off flowers, the look on Cam's face when he realizes he was one foot away from being nail-gunned to the wall by Mitchell, etc. etc. And I love when Jay and Cam have scenes together, because they're so different and it makes for some excellent comedy.

Lastly, Manny invites his school crush over to work on a class project and Gloria finds herself getting inexplicably jealous of the girl, especially when Manny rejects her trans-fat empanadas. I think Gloria was my favorite this week simply for her controlled rage and the snippy way she said she didn't like the salty chocolate milk. (Later: "It was delicious," she admits in confessional.)

My favorite throwaway moment...

Cam reading gossip magazines to baby Lily, apparently after having had enough of The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

My favorite line(s)..

"You two ladies enjoy your light beers."

"How does he know we're having light beers?"

"Oh, we only have light beers."

Did you know...
That Nolan Gould (aka Luke Dunphy, who often seems to be one sandwich short of a picnic) has been a member of Mensa since the age of 4 (as per my latest Entertainment Weekly)? No, I don't know how preschoolers qualify for Mensa.

Do you guys...

Follow the babies Lily on Twitter? The adorableness is almost too much to handle.

l'oreal! take a drink!

Last week on Project Runway, Michael D. was voted off. This means two things: 1) The 4 remaining boys are moving in together, and 2) I can now refer to Michael C. as Michael. This will both cut down on my use of capital C's in my future posts, as well as alleviate the anxiety I had over the accuracy of my grammar surrounding the use of that initial.

This week, the 8 remaining designers would be competing for a little more than usual. In Heidi's words, this challenge win would come with a "big chunk of change." We later learn in the workroom, thanks to Tim Gunn and Collier Strong, that the winning designer would receive $20,000. That's a lot of money, especially for people have chose this career path. At first, I'm not quite sure how I feel about this added gem to the usual challenge win. It just reminds me of Top Chef and how at one point they started having High Stakes Quickfires. I guess I can't expect reality-competition shows to stay the same. Actually, what I haven't brought up yet in any of my PR posts is that that there have been a few changes this season as far as what the viewers see:

• The designers hanging out in the lounge outside of the work room, eating. That catering looks pretty darn delicious.
• Swatch. Yes, Swatch, the dog at Mood Fabrics. How long has he been around? Did the people at Mood just get him this past year or is this the first year we've seen him? He's been showing up in every episode lately. He and Tim Gunn seem to have a great little relationship. Could there be a spin-off web series in the works? Swatch and Tim: Designers' Best Friends.
• Letting us in on what the designers are saying during both runway and judging--even taking us back into lounge where they basically talk about people behind their backs.

Anyway, so on top of the challenge win, the best designer would receive $20,000. Not only that, but their design would be a part of a feature editorial for L'Oreal Paris Makeup's website. An ad will also appear in Marie Claire. Win for both designer and model. But mostly a win for the designer, as they walk away with the money. This is a L'Oreal challenge because the designers need to come up with a design, inspired by one of the new shades of eyeshadow on display, and now on sale. I swear, the product-placement in this show is HILARIOUSLY OBVIOUS. Sometimes it's like watching The Truman Show. If I were to play a drinking game with myself watching PR where I'd take a sip of alcohol every time a brand was mentioned or displayed, I'd probably pass out halfway through the episode.

So the designers are busying themselves in the workroom and already there is drama (obvi). Gretchen, who considers bordeaux to be her color is upset by the fact that Michael, who apparently has no identity as a designer has chosen, you guessed it, bordeaux. I get it. It's a lovely color. And you don't want your design to look similar to his. But, Gretchen, the color clearly does not dictate how your design turns out, so I'm sure you'll be fine. Michael went with "metallic," for his shade, which would explain why his bordeaux is shimmery. But that is literally the only color he's got going on. Gretchen on the other hand, who's chosen "velvet" is only incorporating bordeaux. Their designs already have different fates. Are we sick of the word "bordeaux" yet? Ivy, who's shade inspiration is "bright," decided to go the ocean route (hey, just like last episode) where her dress would act as the blue ocean, and we'd see wave-like layers on the bodice and skirt. Yes, I'm sure this will be turn out to wow the judges. Andy's inspiration is "metallic" and he's decided to go the futuristic soldier route. I'm kind of indifferent to Andy, but I have to admire him for his creativity and the ability to execute it so well. I have to say the same for Mondo, who after my loss of Casanova, is quickly becoming my favorite. I like his personality and design aesthetic. Both are so extreme and unique that it seems impossible that he is putting it on. He's being himself.

Just when people are in the midst of their designs, Tim walks in, and as much as he hates to fulfill the task, he lets the designers know that they will be creating a SECOND LOOK. And of course it is a big surprise. But at this point in the competition, the designers should be expecting something like that, yes? Given 2 days for one look shouldn't cause them to slack off. April for example got right to work--and this made the idea of a second look much less daunting. Valerie on the other hand, has got issues. She's already in the middle of a time crunch, concerning her first look; a second look doesn't sound very promising.

The designers' looks finally hit the runway, and I take pride in the fact that I accurately predicted the results. April and Chris are safe (I put them in the "good" category). Mondo, Gretchen, and Andy have the highest scores (they too were put in the "good" category). Ivy, Michael, and Valerie receive the lowest scores ("bad" category). I really loved Gretchen's. While I would have preferred a simple "long, flowing hair" look, her dress was beautiful; very hippie-chic. And the workmanship that went into it looked effortless. Andy's, albeit a bit intense, certainly scored points with me for creativity. Not only was it well-executed, but I loved how he turned a simple pair of pumps into skin-tight, full-length boots. Mondo, though, walked away with the win--and $20,000. His design was funky, yet high fashion. And his second look was a cute little black and white dress that worked perfectly with his look. The judges took note of how he went with what could have been costumey or cheap-looking fabrics and combined them in such a way that it achieved a stylish and unique look. On the other side of the runway, we had Ivy, Michael, and Valerie defending their designs. Valerie's first look was compared to a pageant dress, and her second look just seemed like a throw-away. Michael's two looks were both made from the same fabric. His high-fashion design seemed a bit va-va-voom 1800's with a train that went on for days. And Ivy, oh Ivy, her ode to the ocean looks just drowned. Sorry, I just had to do that. It's really sad because I saw Ivy's original sketch and while it didn't seem too innovative, I thought it looked nice. It just goes to show that what you see on paper, and what you see on the runway, are two completely different designs. In the end, it was between practical BFF's, Ivy and Valerie. I was happy to hear Ivy get the Auf. And while it was an emotional departure, I for one am glad she's no longer around.

Michael Kors Quote of the Night: "I think they look like bridesmaids under the sea." -on Ivy's two looks.

really? that's how you're starting the season?

Glee is back. Sorry, was I supposed to put an exclamation point on that? If I were a proper "gleek" I would have said something like, "GLEE IS BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" But I guess I'm not a proper "gleek." I like the show. I do. I find it very entertaining. I often find myself laughing out loud while I watch it. There are even times when I have a smile almost permanently glued on my face in response to a familiar song. I have an entire playlist on my ipod made up of songs from Season 1. Hell, I'll even confess that on Tuesday, I rushed home to watch the premiere. I love season premieres. I know this is probably is an obvious statement, but for me, they work as a way to jolt me right back into the show I'm returning to. They're exciting and new. They remind me of why I started watching the show in the first place. Unfortunately, this did not happen with the premiere of Glee.

So here we are, back in high school, and we find Sue and Shue back in Principal Figgins' office. Oh no, they're at it again. C'mon, Sue, give some of your Cheerios budget to the Glee Club. I know they didn't beat Vocal Adrenaline last year (despite the fact that you fought for them) but they need the money just as much as you do. I'm sorry? They're not fighting over eachother's budgets? The football team? But, why? The football team's terrible and we haven't even seen Coach Tanaka so--MEET COACH BEISTE. And, yeah, it's pronounced "BEAST." And she--yes, she--is ripping apart the Glee Club's and the Cheerio's budgets, so now Sue and Mr. Schue are in the same boat.

Solution: more members. And based on last season, how does the Glee Club inspire people to audition for them? Why, they sing of course! Song of choice: "Empire State of Mind." OK. I love this song. I think everyone loves this song. It's a great song. But when the Glee Club members ambushed lunchtime, dressed in New York tees (where did they get the money for those?), and started performing it, I got a little sick of the song--or maybe I just got sick of the glee clubbers? It's more likely the latter. I know. I should get excited, right? But I just sort of found myself rolling my eyes at the whole thing, thinking, "Here they go again, with a big group performance." As a "fan" of Glee, I shouldn't be reacting like that? Right? Sigh, moving on.

New members a.k.a new cast members would be found as both Finn and Rachel (now a couple) came upon two possibilities. Rachel ran into a foreign-exchange student in the bathroom named, Sunshine Corazon, played by newbie Charice. Now, I know we're only in the first episode, but unfortunately, I'm not a fan of this addition to the cast because of articles like this one. You can be on either side of the argument, but reading the article just rubbed me the wrong way. And on top of that, I really don't think Glee--the actual show, not the global monster of a phenomenon--needed new cast members; particularly in the club itself. Yet here we are, seeing Rachel and Sunshine in a sing-off of "Telephone" in the ladies' room. Meanwhile, in the boys' locker room, while posting fliers for auditions, Finn stumbles upon a voice. An 80's rock kind of sound, coming from the showers. Sound familiar? Yeah, uh, in the premiere of the first season, Mr. Schue came upon Finn singing "Can't Fight This Feeling Anymore" and now, in Season 2, Finn comes upon a fresh-faced boy named Sam Evans singing "Every Rose Has Its Thorn." I get it. It's the whole throw-back thing, but again, do we need yet another member? I don't think we do. But given that these two auditioned and everyone just LOVED them, they're in. So I guess I'd better get used to it.

The Cheerios were also holding auditions and it was a big day (in some cases, literally) for people. Quinn was back. She had her baby, it was adopted, and now that part of her life is closed. She can return to being the popular, celibate cheerleader. She even convinced Sue that it would be a good idea to make her captain of the Cheerios, especially because a certain someone (ahem, Santana) had a certain procedure (ahem, boob job) performed over the summer. And this was actually a high point for me. I give props to the writers for letting Sue effectively (and comically, thanks Jane Lynch) chew Santana out for getting plastic surgery at such a young age. I don't want to get all after-school-special, but I do think that is a good message to send. Finn was also auditioning. Yes, Finn. Madame Beiste (c'est francais) kicked him off the football team in a moment of insecurity--which Sue and even Mr. Schue were actually responsible for.

But by episode's end, things seemed to be on the up and up. Mr. Schue apologized to Coach Beiste for being unwelcoming and they were off to a better start than before. Sunshine's and Sam's audition impressed everyone, so they were in. Which of course led Rachel into a "things are changing" performance of the A Chorus Line classic, "What I Did for Love." But just when we think the Glee Club's added new members, we suddenly see Sunshine clearing out her locker next to a strange man, who turns out to be the new coach of Vocal Adrenaline (played by Cheyenne Jackson--this, 30 Rock, and Broadway? Geez, the guy is busy.). Is Sunshine really going to leave? To be honest, I hope so, she already gets on my nerves.

So, looking at the premiere overall, I have to say that I'm a little let down. The show is pop culture monster. People love it. So I'm sure people loved this premiere because it meant that Glee and everything about it was back. But for me, it felt like the people behind the show are almost too aware of how popular it is, and it crossed over into the story. I'm still going to stay loyal to it. And believe you me, the promo for next week's Britney Spears episode got me way more excited for the season than this episode did. So, I suppose we'll take it from there. Who knows, perhaps next week's episode will get me completely "gleeked" out. Yikes. Even that made me feel a bit uncomfortable.

I'm looking forward to:

• Mike O'Malley as Kurt's father. I pretty much love every scene he's in.
• Jane Lynch. I have no qualms with her.
• Those quiet yet loudly hilarious lines from Brittany (played by Heather Morris).
• Matthew Morrison singing showtunes (I'll admit it, his voice makes me melt).
• John Stamos (the Beach Boys will be there, right?)
• Lea Michele and her belters (though I kind of believe the rumors that she's a diva on set.).