Ricky Drama; Regina Knew; Lennox Models; & more...

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Oh my goodness. SO MUCH has happened in the past week! When I went to watch Secret Life on Monday, I felt like a month had passed since I saw the episode last week. And, since I saw many of the Falling Skies cast members in person last weekend, I felt like I was getting Falling Skies overkill by Sunday (not that I mind!). Still in Los Angeles at the TCA Press Tour for a few more days, follow along on Twitter if you'd like. Or facebook, if you prefer. That said, I'm also short on time to watch things let alone analyze them, so [commentary] is pretty brief this week.

Recaps & [Commentaries] for "scripted" shows this week include: Falling Skies, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Switched at Birth, Melissa & Joey, State of Georgia, Hot in Cleveland, Happily Divorced, and Futurama. Please note: spoilers abound, so don't jump down if you don't want to know what happens!

Sunday: 
Falling Skies "Sanctuary, Pt. 2" (S01E07):  We open with the kids playing a game in a field. We learn that Weaver has/had two daughters. Clayton also isn't the only one who knows about the sacrifices to the Skitters. Looks like Pope is a captive because he broke into a supply shed. Tom and some folks take off on motorcycles to check out the Sanctuary. Rick (Mike's son) lashes out at the dinner table at the Sanctuary. Lourdes comes across Eli's bookbag and knows something's up... she tells Hal and Mike, and Hal agrees that something's weird... but Mike's not buying it... or at least convinces the other two not to worry. [yeah, right!] Mike goes snooping around the shed and finds some of Eli's clothes. Clayton catches him tho, and tells him the story behind the arrangement... trading kids to the skitters for immunity. [I'm all about survival, but I can't get past the idea of trading over random kids!] It came about because Megan fell behind during a retreat, and since they didn't go back for her, the skitters thought it was a peace offering, and used Megan to tell Clayton the deal. Meanwhile, Sarah goes into labor, and wants Margaret by her side. Mike tells Lourdes and Hal about the deal and they make a run for it with the kids. They're being chased and Mike fires some shots. Now there's plenty of shots being fired and Mike wants Hal to take Rick and go, and Mike will fend them off. Hal hesitantly agrees, and Mike is surrounded before long. Tom gets back and tells Weaver that Clayton's maps were wrong, and Weaver says there's been no sign of the Third Mass. Weaver wants to wait, but Tom heads back out. Hal leads the kids to a house to sleep for a few hours. Ben notices a spike on the back of Rick's neck. [well this can't be a good sign...] He asks Hal if he can head out alone to move forward. Jimmy thinks it's a bad idea, but Hal lets him go ahead, as long as he follows the road and runs to the school if he hears anything. Well, before long Ben spots the Sanctuary folks.... they're still looking for the kids. Back with the others, the baby is breach, and Weaver comes in to check on the situation... his first daughter was breach, and Weaver assisted in externally turning that baby, so he jumps in and assists Glass. [surprising and sweet. I gotta say, Weaver has grown on me so much since the beginning!] Tom and the motorcycles come across Ben, who fills them in on what's going on. The Sanctuary folks found the house that the kids are hiding in, and Hal fires and says he'll hold them off, ordering Lourdes to take the kids out the back. Clayton tells a sniper to take a shot at Hal... but before he can, Pope shows up at shoots at the Sanctuary folks. Pope gets wounded, and when Tom shows up, he can't tell whose side Pope is on. Tom comes out with his hands up, offering himself as a hostage. With guns aimed at them, the kids come out and are disarmed. Hal isn't happy about the situation, and Tom tells him, "the first rule of combat is to survive." [true story!] They're all brought back to the Sanctuary, and when they go to shoot Tom, Weaver comes out with a group of fighters, taking a couple shots. Needless to say, Clayton & Co surrender. (Ben was the one who went for Weaver and help.) The baby was born, Pope's been mended, and Tom gives him back his kitchen post. A military burial is given for Mike, and Hal gives the eulogy. Tom talks about "Taps." Lourdes sings. Tom doesn't think they should have let Clayton go. [I'm glad that they addressed this. Not sure what I would have done, but simply letting him go doesn't sound like the best course of action...] Rick talks about himself to Ben as if he's not human. [okay, creepy. ] 

Monday:
The Secret Life of the American Teenager "Cute" (S04E07): [Has George given up on working?] George and Anne talk about how they haven't been this happy since the girls were babies. [I'm kinda bored of their relationship. And of Anne in general, really. She and Robbie and Mimsy aren't bringing a lot these days...] In Florida, Ashley and Toby are sign-twirlers. [ha!] As expected, Toby is much more animated about it than Ashley. [and good for him figuring out all sorts of positives about the position, PollyAndy, hehe!] Amy wants to know where Ricky went when he freaked out the other night, so he tells her about the Karlee situation. Amy tells Katelyn about what happened, but Katelyn says Ricky's the one who has to come forward in order for anything to be done. [not a fan of Amy when she gets pesky...] Ben thinks Adrian is seeing someone on the side. Jack and Grace text one another. [whatever happened to the good ol' days when cellular phones were confiscated if seen at school??] Ricky talks to Katelyn, but isn't planning to fight for what's right. [I support him... he knows there's a lot that can be pulled against him, and it probably wouldn't end well.] Amy also tells Lauren about the Ricky-Karlee thing. [for what point? why?] Amy tells Ricky she'll stay out of it, but crosses her fingers behind her back. [you know, like you did in second grade...] Tom's boss asks Tom if he can come over this weekend to get to know Rachel and her children better. [weird. This whole Rachel storyline is just weird.] Daniel got Kathleen's permission to spend time with Grace at his apartment. [okay, originally I liked his maturity, but he's getting too by-the-books for me...] Ben asks Grace and Ricky if Adrian is seeing anyone. Bunny makes a joke about Nora being a friend of Bill's and Ben drinking and passing out... Ricky gets it but Ben is stumped. [not sure why they included this... I imagine the bulk of the audience for this show isn't going to get it...] Amy and John go to the college campus and Amy confronts Karlee. [Amy flips her hair WAY too often.] Ricky keeps telling Amy that he can commute, but Amy doesn't want him to have to deal with that. Nora lectures Ben at dinner. Ruben and Ollie are at the same restaurant. [Go figure] While Ollie and Nora talk, Ben goes to chat with Ruben, and Ruben confronts Ben about whether he'd ever leave Adrian. [you know, when we don't see Adrian's parents I want them on, but when they make appearances like this, I kinda hope they write them off, ha!] Ben avoids responding. Amy tells Ricky that she went to see Karlee, and Ricky leaves. Again. Tom tells Rachel that he's not ready for a family, and Rachel asks if his boss has said anything about her... he initially says no, but then tells her the truth. Ben says he won't drink again, but when a bottle of wine is delivered to the table, Ben says that they should drink it. Nora tells him that addiction is hell, and proceeds to have a glass to teach Ben a lesson. A server comes back, realizing the mistake (the wine is meant for another table), but Nora drinks some more and says the bottle is theirs, despite the fact that it's $300. At his apartment, Daniel's neighbors show up and meet Grace, who is humiliated that she has a 9pm curfew on school nights. Amy calls Toby (who got fired from the sign job when Ashley wouldn't twirl) and asks him about his sister (Karlee). All Toby says is that his sister has issues with sleeping with guys... she's been in therapy since she was 13. [no wonder she and Ricky have a history...] Ashley and Toby have also been distributing flyers and selling fruit. [three jobs in a week... peeved.] Toby tells Amy that Karlee called him and asked about Amy... and he mentions that Karlee will likely file a complaint. Ricky doesn't like that Amy called Toby... since that means word will spread really fast (Toby to Ashley to her parents to Ricky's moms, etc.). [the grapevine on this show is ridiculous. constantly/consistently!] Grace complains to Kathleen about her curfew. [who didn't see that one coming...?] Tom asks Kathleen if his boss (Milton) can come over, and Tom hopes that Milton will take over caring for Rachel and her children. [Good. we can get rid of her, her kids, and Tom's boss in one fell swoop...] Ben put a drunk Nora in his room at Leo's and put an apology note on her. Leo finds her and says that he'll have someone drive her to an AA meeting and then home. Nora is ashamed that she had a drink after almost two years sober. [yeah.... that sucks. but maybe it's the push Ben needed... though I'll admit I hope he goes the drinking route, it'll be something different for this show.] Ricky talks to Katelyn again, and Katelyn has found out that Karlee has gotten fired for a bunch of allegations. Ricky has also been accepted to that school now. [what? he didn't have to re-interview with someone else? and, I didn't care for the end moment... I thought a hug would have fit better there than a kiss.]   

Switched at Birth "Pandora's Box" (S01E08):  [SO MUCH happens in this show!! ] Regina comes home to see Daphne going through the belongings in the guitar case. Daphne wants the truth but Regina starts off lying, saying that Kathryn gave her those things. [not a bad cover... had they not been that hidden.] Then she comes clean, saying that she had found out the girls were switched. She gets interrupted in telling Daphne the story when Kathryn rings the bell to give her a scarf. Daphne wants Regina to tell Kathryn, but Regina asks Daphne not to say anything, promising to tell her everything later. At school, Daphne asks Wilke to cut class with her (though he's suspended, so he isn't going to stay anyway...). Bay is at Emmett's school to ask him why he kissed her. After a 30-second rant, he asks if she's finished, then kisses her again. [omg he's adorable! only 18 but so adorable!] Daphne and Wilke go to her old neighborhood. Kathryn and John are trying to prepare for the deposition the next day. We learn that Kathryn's baby's weight dropped a pound after the first day. Then, we see Regina on the phone trying to reach her private investigator, as she wants to know who he's told what. [oh goody. a woman who has had no money forever has been spending tons on a PI. ::eye roll::] Back with Daphne, she's drinking from a flask, which surprises Wilke. [and me, too!] Daphne tells him she's getting drunk because everyone lies. Wilke tells Daphne that that lies too... every time she acts like she doesn't think Emmett's in love with her. She tells him Emmett isn't in love with her. [yeah, okay. we all know that Emmett is only falling for Bay because he can't have Daphne...] Emmett, meanwhile, is making out with Bay in a park, and Bay asks him if he could speak to help her understand him when she doesn't know a sign. He shakes his head, and they resume kissing. Emmett brings Bay to his room, and he's got a bulletin board full of photos of Daphne. Bay asks him about it, he says they're just friends, and covers the photos with a sheet. Wilke's car got booted... he has nine unpaid tickets. [d@mn careless rich kids!] Wilke apparently has a boot guy. [should've seen that coming...] Daphne kisses Wilke. [didn't see that coming!] Back at the house, Toby goes through some boxes and finds a magazine ad of his dad in underwear. It's now nighttime and Daphne and Wilke are making out inside his car, and they're getting ready to go further [whoa! what?!?] when Wilke asks a question about "what it's like being switched" and Daphne redresses. Bay and Emmett are looking at artwork and Daphne keeps texting Emmett, needing a ride. But he ignores her, and Bay starts to tell the story of her graffiti. But Daphne is persistent and Bay ends up leaving, unable to understand what it Emmett is signing. [this relationship is so interesting to me. I feel like the language barrier in a romance would kill me.] Emmett goes to get Daphne, and he knows that she fooled around with Wilke - she left a button undone. Emmett asks Daphne if she's drunk, and she says she was. She also says that she'll tell Emmett what's wrong when they get home. [again with the Kansas/Missouri issue... Wilke's car has Kansas plates.] Bay tries to get Ty on the phone (his real name is Tyler), but he's not allowed. Then she calls Liam but gets his voicemail. Toby shows Bay the ad. Regina moves her guitar case to the car, and she tells John, Kathryn, Toby, and Bay (who were all standing around) that she wants to get rid of it. When Regina stops driving, she looks in the case at the photos again, then closes it up and takes it to an unknown place...  Daphne and Emmett go look at her old house and she tells him that she wants her old life back. Then she tells him that Regina knew about the switch. Emmett tells Daphne that Bay deserves to know, too. Bay texts Daphne to ask what was in the case. Daphne sleeps on the couch at Emmett's. Daphne questions Emmett about some pictures of Bay and Emmett... he says they're from the day they went to the junkyard. [I don't want ANOTHER love triangle already... ] Toby is still on the search for something in an old box somewhere. [did I miss what he's on the hunt for??] Bay shows up at Daphne's school to ask what was in the guitar case, and Daphne tells her to ask her mom, meaning Regina. In deposition, the hospital's lawyer shows paperwork that points out that Regina knew Daphne wasn't her biological daughter in 1998 (the girls were 3), and that Regina hired a private investigator to find Bay the next month. [whoa. shock!] Kathryn & John's lawyer demands a break. [It was first thing in the morning when John and Kathryn left for the deposition, but they're driving home in the dark... what? same problem with the Daphne/Wilke thing.] Bay confronts Regina as soon as she gets home, but Kathryn and John arrive seconds later. Everyone goes inside (except Toby) and Regina says that Angelo (her babydaddy) was upset that Daphne didn't look like him, assuming Regina had an affair. Then, when Daphne got sick with meningitis, Regina allowed an antibiotic that had deafness as a side effect. Daphne was in the ICU for eight days. [poor kid.] Angelo secretly swabbed Daphne's saliva and had her DNA tested... she wasn't his. Regina didn't believe it and had Daphne tested against herself... and found out that they weren't biologically related, either. Regina never told anyone, afraid that she'd lose Daphne and not even get the other baby, either. That's what made Regina clean herself up, join AA, etc. Regina hired the investigator to get to know about Bay and her parents, and Bay is upset that Regina never came for her, knowing all that time. John says that he wants Regina out. John also wants to get custody of Daphne. Bay goes to Emmett's to tell him what happened but he can't understand her lips as fast as she's speaking so she just cries on his shoulder. [awww.] Regina and Daphne have a nature vs. nurture argument about how she turned out. [cool. I hadn't thought about that coming up on this show.] Regina packs her car with some things. Toby asks her what's going on, and she tells him that she's going to Melody's (Emmett's). Toby tells her that he's sad to see her go. Regina drives away as the episode ends. [I thought that the music for this episode really fit the scenes well... especially the end: "we are only human after all."]