RETURNING: Last Man Standing - It's All About Education

I have a huge problem with overcrowded classrooms. Not only does it make it tougher to teach (more papers to grade, more students to track, more phone calls to make, more work to keep everyone's attention), it is more draining on the students (everything takes longer, less individual attention, less space and supplies per students). But before I launch into a tirade on teacher:student ratio, let me just say that I am not a fan of how the Baxters "solved" this problem. Boyd using his grandparents' address is not an uncommon trick, and the fact that not one character had an ethical dilemma with it bothered me. Ben and Kate had a small storyline with the same issue last year, and Kate got caught helping Maddie by using another address. It is probably only a matter of time before the same happens with the Baxters. Okay, enough politics... time for the actual facts...

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Last Man Standing "Back to School" (S03E01): Boyd is learning Spanish in first grade, as the school uses bilingual education. Vanessa is concerned with the class sizes and thinks a charter school might have been a better choice, so they suggest that Boyd use their address and go to a "better" school. Mike complains about bilingual schooling in his vlog, but Ed isn't a big fan of Mike's attitude. Kristin fights for multiculturalism, but Ryan thinks that Boyd should go to the best school, so the switch will be made. [I'm glad that Mike admitted to being attached to Boyd.]

Mandy is loving college, especially her philosophy class. Kyle is still in the picture, and enjoys listening to Mandy discuss her courses. Kyle also still works at the store, where he gets some sage advice from two customers wanting hunting supplies. [Duck Dynasty stars.]

As a side note, Blanca studies for and passes her citizenship test. [that kinda fit in, I guess.]

Ben and Kate: Kate Dates, Ben Says No, BJ is Selfless

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Once again, not much happened on this episode. In a nutshell, Ben and Tommy learned that not every investor has their goals in mind, so sometimes you have to say "no" to keep your original ideas in tact. The main argument, by the way, was whether the food from "Rail Mall" should be take-out or take-and-bake. Meanwhile, Kate is not over Will so she awkwardly agrees to attend his party. Once there, she starts talking to a guy who does a lot of baking and decides to start seeing him... until Will wants her back. And, BJ tries to get Maddie to use an English accent so that they'll appear as if they really are mother-and-daughter for a commercial. When Maddie doesn't make the cut, BJ actually acts selflessly and protects the little girl. That really was everything that happened, I didn't think any of it was overly interesting, but this show doesn't have the highest hopes of a renewal anyway, so here's a picture of Will and the "baker," and let's move on.

Jennifer Clasen/FOX for Ben and Kate S01E12 "Bake Off"

Midseason Checkup

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

For the past six months, the new series that we've focused on have all been on the "Big 5," better known as the broadcast networks of ABC, FOX, CBS, the CW, and NBC. We looked at each show in four parts, deeming them "good," "bad," "questionable," and "ridiculous." Some of them have not yet started, as the midseason is just getting underway. FOX has The Following premiering tonight, and the ball will just keep rolling from there, with NBC's Do No Harm starting Thursday, January 31st, Body of Proof beginning Tuesday, February 5th on ABC, Zero Hour (also ABC), showing up on Valentine's Day, and more. So, this post will serve as an alphabetical roundup for where this season's shows now are and which are still to come. In the near future we'll do a separate article to look at a few cable shows. 

1600 Penn is three episodes in and definitely NOT a ratings hit. The critics are generally fans, though I've been back-and-forth on it.

666 Park Avenue made it seven episodes before cancellation. All thirteen episodes will air, though the final four won't be until the summer. Beginning at almost 7M, the show lost 3M before cancellation, though it enjoyed audiences in Canada, the UK, Spain, New Zealand, and Australia, where the series will finish in the next couple weeks.

Animal Practice seems to be nothing more than a laugh now. Five episodes aired before it was canceled, one after, and the remaining three went straight to Hulu, hopefully satisfying the fans it did have. I was among the 12,8M who tuned in for the pilot during the Olympics "Hot Weather Sports," but I never bothered again, finding it just too ridiculous. Still, 3.68M stayed with it until the bitter end.

Arrow, a modern retelling of the comic book Green Arrow, has been a hit with critics and audiences alike. The viewership has been steadily over 3M, and the show is about halfway through the first season. I haven't been able to get into it, but I'm happy it's doing well.

Beauty and the Beast has another 13 episodes to go in its rookie season, which has a very stable audience of around 1.5M. I thought that the pilot was better than the marketing, but I still didn't think it was great. Luckily, there are plenty of teenage girls ogling "beast."

Ben and Kate has been a bit weak for its time slot, rarely reaching 3M after the first three episodes. It has seven episodes left in its season to turn things around, but things aren't looking great. Personally, I'm only a fair-weather fan.

The Carrie Diaries just started a week ago, and the pilot drew 1.6M. I think that the CW was expecting more for the Sex and the City prequel, set during Carrie's junior year of high school, but nothing about the series really appeals to me.

Chicago Fire didn't draw my attention because I neither find Chicago nor firefighters intriguing. But, it is certainly drawing plenty of eye otherwise! It started with 6.6M and has seen peaks up to 8.54 recently. I highly doubt that this one will get canceled, so that 10pm Wednesday slot will probably hold this drama for a while. 

Crossbones has been largely forgotten about by many, as no news has really broken in months, aside from the possibility of Hugh Laurie starring. Production has been delayed, and this series will likely not even appear for another year, so don't get excited.

Cult begins Tuesday, February 19th at 9pm. My initial opinions about the series (a blogger investigates mysterious disappearances) remain: boring, but could have an audience.

Deception, initially known as Infamous, has its third episode airing this evening. The first two brought in 5.66M and 4.14M viewers, respectively, but I'm still left wondering how this mystery drama is going to work as anything other than a TV movie in the long run.

Do No Harm has been highly anticipated by many, and the marketing for this updated Dr. Jekyll-and-Mr. Hyde really seems to be creating some hype for its debut on Thursday, January 31st. Personally, I find it to be creepy and an over-exertion of a simple theme. Still, with another former Cosby on the air (Phylicia Rashad), it might just do okay.

Elementary has been a ratings hit for CBS, and will likely continue to grow as it gets the coveted post-Superbowl slot this year. I've personally felt that the episodes are less entertaining as the first season goes on, but I'm clearly in the minority.

Emily Owens, MD is currently burning off the remaining episodes from its original order of thirteen. It's been wavering between one and two million viewers since its inception, but the CW doesn't have the same standards as the others. Its competition? Go On, NCIS: LA, Happy Endings, and New Girl.

Family Tools will be gracing the airwaves on Wednesday, May 1st at 8:30pm. It's only getting ten episodes instead of thirteen, but there are a lot of great actors who could make magic. I'm still looking forward to it!

The Following begins tonight, and I originally found it to be procedural and too crime-solving for me. After the pilot, I was astonished at how much I disliked it, and I'm not sure that Kevin Bacon is enough. That said, my husband liked the beginning of the series and is planning to cover it for TheTalkingBox, so if you think an FBI agent in the midst of serial killers is cool, stay tuned.

Friend Me has been up in the air since the co-creator committed suicide last fall. Unfortunately, the premise might need to change if the series is to continue, as it was to be based on two guys moving to LA to work for Groupon, which has not been doing that great.

Golden Boy begins Tuesday, February 26th at 10pm, though it will actually be a Friday night series for CBS. It's a cop show that originally had Ryan Phillippe attached, though Theo James is the new star. It's a biography to a certain extent, and is set to chronicle the life of a police officer from detective to commissioner. Not my cup of tea.

Go On is in the middle of its first season, and despite some early popularity, it's been below 5M viewers since 2013 began. I don't know if it can pull out of its dip, but many hope so. I'm still watching, but it's not my favorite comedy.

The Goodwin Games is still to come. With no start date in sight, the initial order was cut from thirteen to seven back in early November. The veteran writers and decently-known actors might still draw a crowd when FOX finally decides to air it, so don't panic yet! 

Guys with Kids has been getting a bad reputation since the beginning, with critics mainly complaining that it brings nothing original to the table. Its first season has six episodes left to air, but it has struggled to pull 4M+, succeeding only once since October. I actually think the show is funny and interesting to watch, but I need to start preparing myself for the fact that its renewal is not very likely.

Hannibal does not yet have a date to premiere, but follows the theme of prequels & adaptations, being based on the Hannibal character from the Thomas Harris novels. Not a fan of serial killers or creepiness, I won't be tuning in when it does air.

How to Live with Your Parents for the Rest of Your Life has Brad Garrett playing Sarah Chalke's father, coming Wednesday, April 3rd at 9:30pm. Though the shorter title will certainly help, but Chalke as a divorcee with a close male BFF still isn't going to reel me in to watch.

Last Resort didn't receive a full-season order, and the final episode will air later this week. I thought that the exotic South Pacific was a strange locale for a show that would primarily take place on a submarine, and I guess I'm not the only one. The pilot drew 9.3M pairs of eye but the drama has dipped as low as 4.9M.  

Made in Jersey was an early cancellation, with only two episodes airing before it was pulled from the Friday night schedule. It actually got 7.8M and 6.7M viewers for those episodes, respectively, but it has already burned off the other six episodes that were completed. I hardly had time to really compose a stance on the series before it ended, so no skin off my back. 

Malibu Country did not last long in my book - I gave up after just two episodes. For a Friday night, the numbers aren't terrible... though the TGIF block needs more substance if you ask me.

The Mindy Project received a full-season order after just two episodes aired. Its ratings have since fallen from 3.68M to 2.76M, but it is up against Apt. 23 and NCIS: LA. The critics tend to like the series, though there has been plenty of speculation as to its staying power. Personally, I'm not a fan of Mindy Kaling nor this show's approach to medicine.

Mistresses is expected to begin in May, though it may begin airing in just a couple of weeks in New Zealand. It's a take off of a British series by the same name, and the more I learn about the series, the less interested I am. Still, I might give the pilot a go.

The Mob Doctor was canceled after eight episodes, but many wondered why it took so long. All thirteen episodes did air, albeit the final few often to only just over 2M people (the pilot only drew 5.1M anyway). My gripe with it was that it offered nothing original, and I guess I wasn't alone.

Nashville never interested me because of my dislike in country music. I wondered how it would do in a 10pm slot, but it's been great. Critics like it, the actors have been receiving award nominations, and its only halfway through its season. It has not fallen below 5.9M yet, so it's probably going to stay around a bit.

The Neighbors is halfway is halfway through its first season, staying above 6M in its slot between The Middle and Modern Family. The marketing seems to suggest that critics are coming around to the series, but I recently abandoned it for its failure to incorporate all of the characters and keep a cohesive storyline.

The New Normal has been a bit of a gamble since it was announced, but I like it. I'm not sure if it has a long and prosperous future, and it seems that the general public feels the same: It hasn't hit 5M viewers since the fourth episode, and the latest two have been under 3.5M.

Next Caller is dead in the water. The Dane Cook series never aired, and only four episodes were filmed. I didn't think it had a great premise - two radio hosts having to share the air - but it doesn't matter now.

Partners had a short life. Only six episodes aired, and though it never had more than 6.5M in the live audience, it also never dipped below 5.4M. I liked it but didn't think it was gold. How I Met Your Mother was its lead-in, and it was up against Bones, The Voice, and Dancing with the Stars, so completely different target demos. Oh well!

Red Widow begins Sunday, March 3rd with an eight-episode run. If gangsters are your thing and you want to see how a woman handles things when her mob boss husband dies, check it out. For me, the premise doesn't offer much.

Revolution had me going there for a while. At one point I was curious as to how the airwaves would handle another apocalyptic-like show, similar to both Falling Skies and Terra Nova. After the pilot, I was hooked. I wanted to see where things were going to go. A few episodes later, however, I was more frustrated than anything else. NBC choosing to air ten episodes in the fall and hold the other ten until March has been a choice questioned by many, but the show has never had fewer than 7M viewers, so they must be doing something right!

Save Me is still in the pipeline, with no updates in quite a while. You may recall that this is the show where Anne Heche can channel God. If not, don't worry, as I'm sure Anne Heche will be the big marketing factor when this one returns to light.

Vegas has surprised me. I'm not one for the 1960s mob scene, but it's been great for CBS, starting with nearly 15M viewers and still over 11M after 12/21 episodes. This is certainly an accomplishment, as it's up against Parenthood and Private Practice, among other things.

Zero Hour will first air on Valentine's Day... creepy for a series that is about the paranormal and conspiracy theories. Nobody wants to learn about a spouse abducted on the most romantic day of the day, so although I'm unsure about the debut date, I am sure that I won't be tuning in regardless of when it runs.

Ben and Kate: Tommy & Lila; Ben's New Partner

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

BJ having a dog came from nowhere and I can't decide how I feel about it. Her very poor memory, on the other hand, I completely believe. I know it's difficult to schedule children to have large parts in television shows, but I really like Maddie and was a little sad that she's not really part of this episode. I also don't particularly care for Lila... maybe as we learn more about her? I'm also not a fan of Ben becoming a successful entrepreneur - I think part of his appeal is that he's all over the place and doesn't know what he wants to do. Having him "mature" already is a bit of a bummer, really. Don't you think?

Ben and Kate "Girl Problems" (S01E11): Tommy introduces his girlfriend, Lila, to Kate. [haha at Tommy leaving because he's worried about an explosion and Maddie being left alone with all of them in one place. Reminds me of the episode of Mad About You where Paul and Jamie plan to take different flights for Mabel's sake.] BJ tells Kate to be friendly to Lila, so she randomly shows up and asks her to hang out. [horribly awkward!] While shooting pool, Kate soon lets it slip that Tommy was obsessed with her for ten years. [omg she's SO awkward!] The next day, Tommy is mad at Kate so she apologizes, though she has to sneak over to Lila's so the woman would listen. [using the mail man??]

Jennifer Clasen/FOX

Ben has good credit but has trouble getting a loan big enough to handle Rail Mall, so he starts looking for a serious CEO with whom to partner. Soon he's chatting up people at a party and a woman is interested in him... but only physically. He confronts her about her motives and they come up with a way to make his idea work - center it around subways and other mass transit systems and have people order food that is handed to them when they get off the train at a specific station. [that's an entirely separate idea altogether!] Ben, happy again, jumps right back to the physical. [so I guess we're really going forward with Ben as an entrepreneur??]

Ben and Kate: Maddie isn't Gifted, but Neither is Ben

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

The "gifted test" must be much more publicly discussed than it was in 1990. When I took it (first grade), we weren't told what it was for or how it would be used, it was just another test. After classes changed up a bit, it took a while before any of us pieced together what had happened... and that was only because we were comparing homework assignments on the bus with other kids. When I took it in fifth grade (we had moved and different states required a different version or something), it was made very clear what it was, but only because I took it alone, rather than in a room full of peers or waiting in a line. I thought that the entire episode placed too much emphasis on the test and its outcomes - the kids wouldn't name themselves "B-Squad" if they weren't aware that they had friends who were now considered "smarter." Maddie didn't seem devastated but still could have used a little more nonchalance from the family. Of course, it didn't help that Ben ran around all episode being angry that he legitimately sold an idea to a college buddy, not thinking the guy would ever turn it into reality.

Ben and Kate "B-Squad" (S01E10): Maddie and her classmate, Norman, study for the gifted test. [were these kids given practice tests or something??] Kate is upset when Maddie doesn't make the cut, especially because it will be a whole year before she can take it again. In fact, Kate even steals the curriculum so she can enhance Maddie's education at home. [dang.] Ben decides to kidnap the entire "B-squad" of kids who didn't get into the gifted program and take them to the planetarium, which is where the gifted kids are going that day. [I understand that Kate called the other parents and all, but they didn't actually return the kids?? In fact, they kept them until after dark?? still, I laughed at "If I wanted these kids bored, I would have left them at school."] Ben uses a 16-passenger van from the country club, but Kate uses a map and gets them lost. When they finally reach the planetarium, it's 5pm and the place is closed. [Ben and Kate talk while leaving all of the kids alone in a public courtyard? not the best idea. and I didn't care for that random "Pledge of Allegiance" moment. That was like the first thing we learned in Kindergarten, LoL.]

BJ's mother is visiting, and in a desperate attempt to impress her, BJ pretends that she owns the country club, has Tommy as a foreign interior decorator, and talks about fancy proposals from rich men. [having an interior decorator is one thing, but owning a country club??] Tommy encourages BJ to tell the truth but she does nothing but lie until her mother walks into the bar and hits on Buddy, BJ's boyfriend. 

Cr: Jennifer Clasen/FOX

At the country club, Ben runs into an old classmate who built "bunkbed pizza," which is like two pizzas on top of one another. Despite the fact that Ben sold the idea for 11 beers and some martial arts manuals, he's still upset that the other guy did something with it and he never knew about it. 

Ben and Kate: Will Isn't Working Out but Tommy Has a New Crush!

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Sometimes, it really annoys me when the A-story and the B-story don't interest me but a random side scene does. Other times, like today, that C-story are the most intriguing and endearing part of the episode. Sure, Kate and Will's relationship on the rocks is a big deal. Yes, Ben starting out building a loft bed and winding up in the hospital after a run-in with some bats is more interesting than the typical Ben-Fox-storyline. BUT, I found that Tommy potentially being interested in a woman other than Kate to be the bigger deal. Forget that BJ (whose big moment this episode was trying to teach Maddie how to handle servants, by the way) tried to set-up Tommy with just about anyone to help him get over his best friend's sister, Tommy falling for a dog-owner could open up a new chapter for this show.

Cr: Jennifer Clasen/FOX

Ben and Kate "The Trip" (S01E09): Ben wants to build Maddie a loft so he teaches her to use a saw. [holy cow!] Kate goes to window-shop some beds and winds up breaking a $700 lamp. [if the lamps cost that much, what was she even doing in that store??] Fortunately, Will was with has and uses some "family money" to cover the expense... plus, he buys the bed set for Maddie. [I thought that was going too far.] Ben really gets suspicious after he learns that Will came into an inheritance, having spent one week around the wealthy and all. Will thinks that Kate could use a night away, so they plan to go camping, but Maddie and Ben decide to tag along, as Will knows they're just spy on them regardless. Will and Kate stay in a cabin while Ben and Maddie sleep in a tent in the yard, where Ben panics over the "bear bag" and winds up running around with bats. [haha!] They wind up having to head home early, after a trip to the ER for a rabies vaccine. Will suggests that Kate have less crazy in her life, but she says she likes it that way, leading to a fight. [eh. I wasn't his biggest fan.]

Ben and Kate: Ben Tries New Careers

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

If Will and Kate are neighbors, how do their children go to the same school? We know that Kate lied and then got a waiver to have Maddie in the elementary school she goes to, but what's the situation with Will's child? That nitpick aside, I found Ben's jumping from wine merchant to golf-ball-poacher in this pair of episodes to be problematic. One on hand, it shows just how immature Ben is and how his life could go anywhere at any moment. On the other, it's a bit annoying and makes you wonder how long he'll be a gimmicky character with no steady income. I mean, who really thinks that RailMall will take off? When's the last time you even bothered to flip through SkyMall? On that note, I'd like to hear more about how Kate pays for that house on a waitress's salary. I mean, we all know it's only a matter of time (if the show lasts) until Kate decides to go back to school... she's just that "type." No?

Ben and Kate "Career Day" (S01E06): Kate flirts with the neighbor she met on Halloween and hits a car while parallel parking. [are you serious??] She tells Ben not to snoop on Will, a social worker for at-risk youth, but he does the opposite... first he talks to him at Maddie's school, then invites him over for dinner, calling it a neighborhood barbecue. [hahaha! loved Kate's purple dress, though!] Will and Kate decide to go on an actual date, and Kate admits that she spooks easily. When Ben finds out that Will left his wife a year ago, he barges over and confronts him about it, so we learn that the issues was Will's wife never put their daughter first. [kinda corny.]

Ben wants to go to Maddie's school for career day, but she doesn't think he has a career. So, Ben and Tommy talk about potential careers and think that maybe Ben could be a wine merchant, as he once dated a French woman who sent him a bunch of bottles. [and he buried them underground? what?? I did laugh pretty hard about "the quickie world of meteorology."] Tommy offers to play the race card to get them into a local restaurant, but Ben wants to wait it out, and they decide to sell wine door-to-door. [perhaps even crazier...]

Cr: Jennifer Clasen/FOX

They also host a tasting at Ben's house, complete with winesicles. [yeah, I wanna try those...] In the end, Ben goes to Maddie's class to talk about how he still doesn't know what he wants his career to be - trying is what matters! But, he also throws in some lines about not going to college and partying in Europe and loses the kids. [of course.] 

Ben and Kate "Guitar Face" (S01E08): [haha on Ben teaching Maddie "milk pong" to get her to drink milk.] BJ is upset that Kate doesn't pay that much attention to her anymore, so when she goes to find Will's wife at a support group (to tell her to come watch Will's band), she winds up staying, upset over how Kate spends all of her time with Maddie and Will. BJ (going by "Penny" in the group) even thinks that she could have a career in counseling.

Oh, yeah, the band. Will is in a ZZ Top cover band and invites Kate to see him play. Kate freaks out, and at the concert realizes that Will makes his "sex face" when playing the guitar. [anyone else flashback to how Friends' Monica makes sex noises when she gets massaged?] She couldn't stop laughing so she has to tell him, and he decides not to speak to her. [awww.] Problematically, Kate tells the others about it and they're joking around when Will walks in, making it even more difficult for him to accept her apology, but once she offers to go on-stage and make faces while the band plays, they're reconciled. [odd.]

Tommy gets Ben a job at the country club, working a snack cart. [Ben has Maddie stick her hand in the garbage disposal to look for his keys?? yikes!] His angle is to pitch golfers his start-up ideas, but he quickly jumps ship to the newest money-making idea, diving for golf balls in the lake! [RailMall?? also, remember the episode of Yes, Dear where Jimmy does the golf ball thing and immediately realizes it's a going-nowhere idea?] Tommy asks Ben not to poach the balls but he does it anyway, getting them both fired. Tommy puts Ben "in the penalty box," and Ben decides to let Tommy drive a bucket of balls at him. After the first, Ben's down and the manager comes over... the smooth-talking Fox gets them their jobs back AND an investor in RailMall. [1, 2, 3, unrealistic!]

Thanksgiving Roundup: The Middle, The Neighbors, Suburgatory, Go On, Ben and Kate, The New Normal, Guys with Kids

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Happy Thanksgiving! If you're up early watching the parade, cooking, or preparing for football, we thought you'd like a nice run-down of some of this year's new Thanksgiving episodes. You can find several of them online, so if you need a break later on today (and don't want to watch more traditional holiday programming), consider giving some of these a try. First, the nutshell reviews and then the full recaps with remarks. 

The Middle: Everyone loves a great love story, and this episode has Brick enjoying a book about Love Story, Axl starting a new relationship, and Frankie's parents re-living their first date.

The Neighbors: The Weavers deal with having the Bird-Kersees over for the holiday while entertaining Marty's parents as well. In addition, Larry has to come to terms with Jackie's rebellious sisters.

Suburgatory: Tessa heads to Manhattan to see her mother and grandmother for the holiday, but her mother is nowhere to be found. When she returns home to a motley crew of recurring characters in her home, she is greeted by her long-lost mother as well.

Go On: The group decides to have Thanksgiving together, and Ryan decides to host it at the radio station because a) he's working and b) he wants to keep Steven from moving in on a potential love interest.

Ben and Kate: The night before Thanksgiving is a high school reunion for multiple grade levels, allowing Ben and Tommy to be cool kids once more while Kate (who is now on boyfriend-girlfriend level with Will) struggles to confront a bully.

The New Normal: David, Bryan, Goldie, and Rocky all have painful past experiences with Thanksgiving but decide to invite their families to celebrate together for the future of the baby. Things don't go as planned and each guest is booted from the event anyway.

Guys with Kids: Sheila wants to host for Chris and all of his friends' families while Gary is obsessed with purchasing a TV on Black Friday.

The Middle "Thanksgiving IV" (S04E08): [I thought it was funny that Frankie won't pay ten cents per bag at the grocery store so she carries everything herself.] Axl continues to flirt with his tutor, Cassidy. His foot also healed two weeks quicker than expected, so he's excited to get back on the field for the big game. But, his tutor says that football is a waste, causing Axl to wonder what he's doing. He decides to not let fear get in his way and he confesses to Cassidy that he likes her, inviting her to watch him play. [interesting... is Axl maturing?] But, her boyfriend is coming into town so she can't. He tries to cover by acting like he's inviting everyone to the game. [this reminded me of the first time my now-husband ever called me...] Meanwhile, the mascot head has been stolen by a rival school and Sue recruits Brad to help her get it back. Brad tries to have a "dance fight" but he gets beat up. [yep!] Sue tries to make a head on her own, but when that doesn't work she winds up wearing a bear head to the game. [I found it odd that nobody else really got involved with this plotline.] Axl overthinks playing and fumbles three times, so Sue gives him a pep-talk and he gets it together. [and we're supposed to believe that he listens to her now? wow, maybe he IS growing up!] Things end well for him as a scout reminds him that East Indiana really wants him AND Cassidy kisses him, telling her she broke up with her boyfriend. 

ABC/MICHAEL ANSELL

Now, the dinner-part of Thanksgiving... Frankie wants to host a couple of marines and is incredibly awkward about it, even saying the Pledge of Allegiance before Thanksgiving dinner. [ha!] Her parents make things worse when her father keeps droning on about nutrition (he lost four pounds recently). Things go so haywire at dinner that the Marines leave before dessert! 

The Neighbors "Thanksgiving is for the Bird-Kersees" (S01E08): [loved the early Marty line: "What could be more American than eating food to make room for more food?"] Jackie is profoundly depressed because she misses her sisters, who were exiled ten years ago for trying to overthrow Larry. [what was up with that crop-circle-like design??] Dick and Reggie decide to go visit the prisoners and invite them to Thanksgiving. Against his better judgment and sense of self-preservation, Larry does decide to let them be free once again. [though I hope that they're not going to be regulars!]

Marty is excited about Thanksgiving because he thinks he'll be able to impress his parents for once, but Debbie is stressed because she always gets criticized over her cooking. Marty suggests that they un-invite his parents and do things their way, and he makes up a lie about how the oven is broken. [...really?] But, as his parents begin to think that his new house is too small, he decides to let them come to show that he's doing well. [I'm surprised that Debbie isn't more upset about Marty's cowardice there!] But, they'll still be doing a deep-fried turkey. When the duo arrive, Marty's father doesn't even want a tour of the house while his mother gives the children hand-knit sweaters. [yeesh!] After Marty's mother starts in on everything about Debbie, her house, and her children, she stands up for herself and Marty defends her as well, sending his mother to sulk in the car. Dick decides to help by talking to Marty's mother about "changing the game" and not forcing mothers-in-law to keep their daughters-in-law "on their toes." [odd coming from Dick.] When she comes in, she actually compliments Debbie on her turkey, though everyone else dislikes it. 

ABC/PETER "HOPPER" STONE

Suburgatory "The Wishbone" (S02E05): Tessa wants to spend Thanksgiving with her mother in Manhattan. But, George plans to go to Dallas's for Thanksgiving this year, though without costumes. Dalia wants a Caribbean theme, but after Dallas finds out that Tessa won't be there, she decides to fire the chef and cook herself to "rally around" George. [um, I smell disaster!] But, George tries to cook and ruins potatoes trying not to have to pay "guest Alan" for advice. [I did think that $8 was a bit steep for a small pinch of advice! and, Carmen took the baby to see a witch doctor??]

Over at Lisa's, she's freaking out over how close Malik is getting to the family when Sheila invites him for Thanksgiving. Malik played touch-football with his family so he takes a shower when he gets there, but Sheila winds up seeing him naked, distressing Lisa more. 

ABC/ADAM TAYLOR

In Manhattan, Alex, Tessa's mother, is a no-show. She was supposed to bring the main course, so Tessa leaves early. When she gets home, Alex is there, initially thinking that Dalia is Tessa. [ha!] George is pretty upset that Alex didn't do what she was supposed to, but after some initial shock, Tessa and Alex talk. [the fake-snoring thing was awkward.]

Go On "Dinner Takes All" (S01E09): The group decides to have Thanksgiving together. ["Peter? sweetie, that's low self-esteem!" was hilarious! and cute The Brady Bunch moment with the heads!] Amy, a girl Ryan and Steven knew in college, is in town for a job interview and is staying with Ryan. [can we keep Lauren Graham, please? love her!] Amy and Ryan try to joke with Steven about how he doesn't know sports. But, Steven and Ryan both have feelings for her, and because of a broken fold-out couch, they share Ryan's bed, which makes him uncomfortable. [I bet!] So, when Steven announces that he's going to take Amy to Santa Barbara for Thanksgiving, Ryan decides that he should host Thanksgiving at the office and make his assistant do the cooking. [I thought that was rude, even for him!]

Ryan orders the group to create a de-sexualized atmosphere, but things get awkward quickly when Lauren offends Owen's mother and several of the others start bothering Amy. [Ann's two adopted children adoring Ryan wasn't as funny as I think it should have been.] Ryan decides to confront Steven, asking him to step aside because he might want to make a move in the future. So, they go to a bar and play an old game of see-how-many-sips-of-other-people's-drinks-you-can-take-before-getting-punched. [seriously? has anyone heard of anything like this before?] Ryan wins, almost breaking the ten-drink barrier. Ryan admits to Amy what's going on, and she tells him he has no chance with her right now - she won't be the first one after Janie, though she's always had feelings for him. [meh. I thought that was a weak way to end it... some far-off-future nonsense?]

(Photo by: Colleen Hayes/NBC)

Ben and Kate "Reunion" (S01E07): Ben and Tommy rescue a live turkey from the mall (people were bidding on it to eat for Thanksgiving) and Kate decides to let them keep it, though they later drop it off at a preserve.

Kate and Ben's high school reunion is the night before Thanksgiving, and Kate isn't looking forward to it because there was a girl who made her life miserable. [such an informal reunion! and I'll never understand how the multiple-grades thing plays on TV, with the exception of teeny schools like on Wings.] Will decides to go and help Kate "slay the dragon." [Kate AND Ben played Jesus Christ in Jesus Christ Superstar? how often did their school do that musical??] It's been eight years and Kate isn't thrilled with where she is in life, so she's not thrilled when the mean girl plays innocent.

Cr: Jennifer Clasen/FOX

Will tries to get the girls to do a sing-off, but Kate doesn't think she needs to prove anything. [um, okay?] She decides to brag about her awesome boyfriend, and that's the end of it. Plus, Tommy wants to make an entrance at the reunion, and resorts to asking Maddie for ideas. [not sure why this happened.] She suggests that he "lose the fro." Luckily, he doesn't go through with it.

Perhaps the bigger story, however, is that Ben and BJ got married seven years ago and kate doesn't know. Ben wants to tell because mail is coming to her house addressed to "Mr. and Mrs. Ben Fox," but BJ thinks that the appropriate window has passed and they should just keep it a secret forever. Well, BJ decides to break the news during Kate's Thanksgiving toast... being even more honest than Ben expected. He thought it was a green-card-marriage when really BJ has dual citizenship but made Ben marry her so that he'd be around if Kate needed him, as he was going to head to Indonesia right when Kate became  pregnant. [I understand how this is supposed to be sweet, but it's a bit too odd.] 

The New Normal "Pardon Me" (S01E09): Goldie, Rocky, and the guys dish about how they don't like their family Thanksgivings so they decide to start their own traditions. [haha, Rocky wants to charge for the time spent having Thanksgiving with them!] Bryan and Shania go to get a turkey but didn't know that they'd have to choose a live one and kill it themselves, so they buy them all to liberate them, keeping them as pets. [what kind of theme is this??] After David's mother gives him a guilt trip, Shania suggests that everyone bury the hatchets and invite their families, including Goldie's grandmother, Shania's dad, Rocky's half-brother, and David's parents. [nobody for Bryan? I laughed at Jane as "the last real American, along with Newt Gingrich."] David's parents get through a fight and then get wild with one another. Then, Clay goes to hit Rocky's brother when he realizes that the guy has had a relationship going with Goldie for some time now.

(Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC)

Plus, Jane flips at the idea of a meatless Thanksgiving (they're having tofurkey at Shania's request) and goes hunting the backyard turkeys with a cleaver. [seriously??] All of the extra folks get kicked out, the tofurkey is terrible, and the core group orders pizza, deciding that they'll deal with families on Christmas but keep Thanksgiving sane in the future.  

Guys with Kids "Thanksgiving" (S01E09): Gary has decided that six months is too long to go without a television, so he plans to spend three days in line to get a Black Friday ultra-deal: a $4,000 television for $100. [say WHAT?? also, my brother will be spending the holiday in a similar situation, so I don't fault people who choose to do so.] Marny isn't upset that he could miss Thanksgiving with the family because she thinks he'll quickly wimp out. He starts out as the second person in line, but nobody will huddle with him and he gets upset. Marny tries to reason with him after one night on the street, but no dice. By Thursday, Gary has made peace with the cold by swapping spots with someone to be on top of a heating event - still keeping him sixth in line. Still, there's some fierce competition. 

Photo by: NBC

It's Ernie's first Thanksgiving so Sheila and Chris decide to celebrate together, at her place. [um, his birthday has already happened, so how is this his first one? perhaps he was in the NICU or something and didn't celebrate out of the hospital? or maybe the episodes were meant to be aired in a different order?] To make things less awkward, Chris invites Gary, Nick, and their families, having to cash-in a favor to get Nick and Emily to change their plans. Sheila wants to make a big fuss and theme everything, choosing to go for "historically accurate," complete with a boiled cod instead of turkey, no alcohol, no Oreo pie, and maple sap-soaked hickory nuts. [wow. that's worse than the Pilgrim-inspired meal on Everybody Loves Raymond! and what was Emily's outfit??] Yoda and Clark give the adults advice on how to get rid of the host's food and eat something else, but Sheila catches them snacking on stuffing in Emily's bag. [I didn't understand why the adults couldn't come up with a plan themselves... hiding food isn't new!!] Sheila freaks out and throws everything from the table out the window before she realizes that this group is so casual that she doesn't need to impress them. [her insults during this process were pretty intense.] Marny decides that they should all join Gary, and Sheila brings Subway sandwiches for everyone. [seriously, she wants them to pay her back??] When the doors open, Gary sicks his older kids on slowing down others, allowing him to actually get the big-screen!

Halloween 2012: The Middle, The Neighbors, Suburgatory, South Park, Guys with Kids, The Big Bang Theory, 1313 Mockingbird Lane, Ben and Kate

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Although a couple of shows have yet to air their Halloween-inspired episodes because of multiple pre-empting conditions, I wanted to go ahead and give you guys recaps of all of the Halloween episodes I've seen this year. [except The Simpsons, who did theirs really early.] The episodes below appear in the order in which they aired. When shows like Go On and The New Normal finally run theirs, they'll be posted separately.

It's an interesting year for television in that I can't remember the last time that so many different shows actually featured Halloween episodes! I was pretty excited, actually, as they kept showing up in the descriptions on my DVR. One can only hope that Thanksgiving and Christmas will also bring us such festive storylines, but we'll see!

The Middle "Halloween III: The Driving" (S04E06): Brick tells the school that his mother isn't working so she's available to volunteer at the school Halloween carnival. [I find it hilarious that the Hecks don't have Called ID with all of the people they try to avoid!] Though Frankie winds up having to bring home a bunch of extra goldfish, she is able to get Mrs. Donahue to agree to take Brick trick-or-treating. [...what did they do with the fish?] The kid returns home with a huge Halloween haul - about 500 pieces! [holy moly!]

ABC/MICHAEL ANSELL

Frankie wants to send most of it to the soldiers overseas, so she tells him he can only keep it for 24 hours. [except she's TOTALLY the type of mother who would keep it for herself instead.] In true childhood fashion, Brick manages to eat ALL OF IT in that time period. He winds up acting semi-normal for a few days, very focused and social, only to crash from the sugar eventually. [but with Mike and Frankie now aware of this "trick," I can see them employing it more often than "special occasions"!]

Sue has her learner's permit, but is taking her time getting ready to drive an actual car, wasting time picking out a keychain and practicing puttering around the house. She freaks out on both Frankie and Mike, saying that they rush her, but on her third try things get worse - she runs over Axl's foot and is so distraught that Mike eventually has to throw her from the car and back up so the tire is no longer on Axl! [omg that's terrible!] Oh, and by the way, Axl is really taking his new responsibility as a registered voter seriously, so when both of his parents aren't home on Election Day (and he can't drive because of a broken foot), Sue manages to pull herself together and drives him to the polls (with Aunt Edie riding along to be the "adult supervision"). [good for Sue!]

The Neighbors "Halloween-ween" (S01E05): The Weavers have always wanted to take their children trick-or-treating in a neighborhood instead of an apartment building, so they're pretty psyched about the houses in the area. [Christmas! Thanksgiving! Halloween! was cute.] Max and Marty being Nemo and Marlin while Abby is being Rapunzel. Amber was the financial collapse last year and will be Obamacare this year, though the pun is for Debbie's sake - Amber is really doing Sexy Nurse. But, when Max and Abby talk about Halloween on the school bus, a girl invites him to trick-or-treat with her, so he wants to go as a zombie to fit in.

ABC/MICHAEL ANSELL

The Zabvronians are paranoid about people coming into the community on Halloween, so they set-up scarecrows and prepare for an invasion. Jackie asks the Weavers to teach everyone in the neighborhood about Halloween. Larry is skeptical, especially of weapons. When they open their gates to trick-or-treaters, the community panics, taking shelter at Larry's. He eventually decides to answer the door for a little girl, gives her a piece of candy, and then tells everyone to go ahead home to answer their doors. [Jackie as Effie Trinket?]

Meanwhile, Reggie wants to get in on Amber's costume, but he was thinking "Death Penalty" until she tells him to go as Sexy Doctor. This falls through because he dresses as a sexy nurse, plus Debbie and Marty are sad that Amber has "gone slutty" instead of topical. Their hands are still full, however, as they take Dick along, and he   dresses as Debbie (someone he admires), complete with a Marty puppet. [he NAILS it! that was hilarious and got better as time went on!] In the end, Amber and Reggie bail on a party and join the Weavers, who have reunited because Abby wants her parents to help her scam adults and Max wants to avoid Emma because she wants them to be boyfriend-girlfriend. [not the funniest ever but some poignant moments and a great bunch of Debbie/Marty jokes!]

Suburgatory "The Witch of East Chatswin" (S02E02): Dallas goes to the Country Club Halloween Party as Barbie, planning to get George to be her Ken. But, he doesn't think he can pull off the look, so she decides to take Dalia as Skipper. [hahaha! I'm glad to hear that Skipper still exists. I think Tutti/Todd, Stacie, Kelly, Chelsea, and Krissy have all faded, LoL.] George thinks about going as Jerry Seinfeld, but he can't do the jokes, so he decides to go as Noah after learning his best friend is shadowing him to get the mannerisms and voice accurate enough to go as him! [is this a thing? going as your friends? between these guys and Dick going as Debbie on The Neighbors, I'm not sure what's going on here.] At the party, The guys are shocked at how differently they're treated as one another. Dalia tells George about how her mother wanted to go to the party with him, and he decides to confront Dallas and ask her out.

ABC/ADAM TAYLOR

"It's Stripper Shoe Season!" After Tessa tries to get Dalia and her friends to not objectify themselves this year, she thinks that someone is following her, even planting a creepy book in her backpack. [it was a bit odd, let's not lie.] Sheila burns the book, saying it's from "a witch," a girl who took shop class, opened her own pudding cups, and ruined a doll. [why does Tessa have an office in the school bathroom at this point??] Tessa decides to seek out this "witch," and runs when she sees a "coven of witches" over a cauldron. [I liked Tessa as Daphne, Lisa as Velma, and Malik as Fred for the Scooby-Doo gang. Ryan also dressing as Fred was only slightly funny.] Turns out, Paula was just running a book club, and she tells Tessa that she's also into female empowerment. [haha, Chatswin sees witches and feminists as the same.] Sheila leads a mob towards them, but Paula disappears. [does Tessa have a new friend as well as a new cloak? hmmmm...] Tessa realizes that her mother was a brave feminist to "leave the world that was thrust upon her,"though George doesn't see it that way. [and, neither do I.]
 
South Park "A Nightmare on Facetime" (S16E12): Randy buys a Blockbuster, still full of DVDs and BluRays. He makes the family work with him, and nobody comes the first two days that they're open. You get the feeling that renting DVDs is so antiquated that young children no longer know what it means. By the fifth day, someone comes in to rent Turner and Hooch... but it turns out to be a ghost... the first of many. The next day is Halloween, but Randy won't let Stan join his friends to celebrate. [Butters as a were-prechuan was great, but I should have seen Jimmy as Gangnam Style in advance!] Stan is to be the Captain America to go along with Kyle as Thor, Cartman as the Hulk, and Kenny as IronMan. But, using iPads, Stan trick-or-treats via FaceTime, moving forward on a skateboard somehow. [I didn't like how that part wasn't explained.] People don't get that Cartman is the Hulk, thinking he's Honey Boo Boo or Bruce Vilanch or Chas Bono. [so odd! I feel like it's really easy to guess, especially in the context of the other kids!]

photo courtesy: Comedy Central

The kids decide to try stopping a convenience store robbery, but when there are more villains than they expected (and a dead cashier), they split, but Stan-via-Facetime is captured and tortured, via scratching the glass. [odd. funny. kinda suck. interesting all around!] The bad guys dump the iPad in a field, where a couple finds it and brings it to the hospital. Stan explains that the robbers are going to the Monster Mash at the community center, and he goes "in disguise" as GangamStein. [loved the jokes about the "Monster Mash," and everyone dressed as Gangnam Style is funny.] Meanwhile, at Blockbuster, Randy talks to an employee ghost, then goes after the family, taking over Stan's FaceTime until he's thoroughly shot. [this was too weird.] The battery dies before Stan can help the Avengers win the costume contest, Shelly burns down the video store, and we're back to status quo by the end. 

Guys with Kids "Apartment Halloween" (S01E06):  The building's co-op president died, and the new president, Linda, takes down all of Nick and Emily's Halloween Haunted Hallway decorations. ["what do I look like, the grim reaper?" was weak. cute change in font for the credits, tho.] But, she's really into Chris (immediately giving him extra storage space for no reason), so Nick and Sheila decide to team-up and use Chris to get what they want - Halloween decor for him and permission to alter the apartment for her. Sheila and Nick set up Chris with Linda, saying that they'll only be friends if he helps them, so he turns it around and forces them to share food and hug, like real friends would. [hahaha!] However, all bets are off when it seems that Linda wants Chris to dress like her father. In a possible future storyline, Emily and Sheila both proposed to run for co-op president next time.

(Photo by: Vivian Zink/NBC)

Because the now-dead president was Gary and Marny's neighbor, they want to buy that apartment and expand their own place... but it has to be on the market for a week before a current tenant can buy it. [is this a common rule?] The family goes crazy trying to get people to hate the apartment by spreading a story about how the previous tenant died via explosion, and her body was eaten by ants for two weeks before it was found. [gruesome!] Of course, this winds up backfiring when the boys are scared to live there because of the stories, and the lights mysteriously flicked off when the family was taking a look at the place. [I was only half on-board with this plotline. If the family is to expand, I wouldn't do it so early in the series!]

The Big Bang Theory "The Holographic Excitation" (S06E05): Raj offers to help Stuart throw his 9th annual Halloween party, going so far as to theme the menu, "foods that go bump in the night," to include "Halloweenies" and "Draculoni and Cheese." [a little cheesy but I like the concept.] Raj goes as Indian Jones, Bernadette and Howard go as Smurfs, Penny goes as a sexy cop, Leonard goes as Einstein, and Stuart goes as Willy Wonka. Amy asks Sheldon to dress in a couples costume, and he agrees a bit readily, though he wants R2D2 and C3PO to her Romeo & Juliet or Cinderella & Prince Charming. [other ideas included Hewlett & Packard, Batman & Robin, Jobs & Wozniak, Kirk & Spock, Arhtur Dent and Ford Prefect, The Doctor & a Dalek, Salt & Pepper, Raggedy Ann & Andy, and Dharma & Greg. You can figure out who suggested which!] In the end, Amy goes as Raggedy Anne and Sheldon as Raggedy C3PO, which is a robot with a wig. [funny and disturbing.]

Warner Bros.

Howard gives out autographed, framed photos of himself in his NASA suit, leading Leonard and Sheldon to see if they can talk about any single topic without Howard bringing up his space trip, but it's not working. [haha at Sheldon shaking Leonard's p0wn fist!] Bernadette decides to try telling Howard that he shouldn't bring it up in every single conversation, but he's bummed out until Raj sends Howard a video of Buzz Aldrin handing out candy (Milky Ways and Moon Pies!) to trick-or-treaters, telling each child he went to space.

Penny goes to Leonard's lab to see him work on a hologram that you can move with your hands, and they end up getting frisky. The next thing he shows her is a levitation thing (through magnets), with the same result. [okay, so they're definitely together, got it.]

Mockingbird Lane (Special): [note that I'm calling this a special, though technically it's a pilot to 1313 Mockingbird Lane, which may never see the light of day again.] On a camping trip, a bear snatches a couple of scouts and the rest run to the car for the night. In the morning, young Eddie is out there, and the situation causes the family to move unexpectedly to 1313 Mockingbird Lane, a condemned home that was scheduled to be torn down because a serial killer took out his aggression on hobos there. [creepy! also, this appears to be in the San Francisco area... interesting.] Movers deliver rats, which combine to form Grandpa. [um, what??] Smoke comes out of an accompanying box to showcase Lily, who calls upon spiders to wrap her dress. [neat!] Herman and Lily talk about Eddie's "baby bear attack" and think that two more rounds will happen (every 29 days?) before he becomes majorly suspicious. But, Lily winds up talking about how she tries not to eat things but sometimes it happens, and Herman explains that Eddie WAS the baby bear... though he's really a werewolf. Eddie is freaked out, as he had just decided that he didn't even want to eat meat anymore. [I felt that scene came out of nowhere... perhaps something was cut?] To help the boy cope, his parents get him a pet dragon to help protect him from eating anything the next time it happens. [is it partially invisible?]

Herman collapses as his heart gives out from loving too hard. [awww. #firstworldproblem?] Grandpa puts in a new one but Herman demands the old one be put back inside, only to later need a transplant... from another person. Enter Steve, who is the pack leader of Eddie's new scout troop and has no family. Grandpa invites him over with the intention of devouring him, which Eddie knows because he has seen his grandfather transform into a pterodactyl of sorts to eat a mountain lion. Sure enough, Steve's heart is put into Herman and Grandpa drinks the blood. [creepy!]

Photo by: Jordin Althaus/NBC

We also learn that Grandpa can pause time at the snap of a finger when he and Marilyn (a cousin) take some cookies (into which Grandpa put blood) to the neighbors. 

Ben and Kate "Scaredy Kate" (S01E06): BJ wants Kate to be wh0rish for Halloween, and she decides to go for it when a neighbor is throwing a party. So, she foes as a Babe Ruth / Bader Ginsberg mix, with a sluttier baseball costume underneath. With BJ's coaxing, she even kisses the host immediately. But, she realizes that she's not being herself, leaves, and on her way home meets a guy with whom she has a lot in common, and they call the police over the party noise. [I understand that Kate is supposed to be an incredible goody-goody (hello, massive emergency kit?), but this storyline was very curtailed, I thought.] She also manages to finally scare Ben by pretending that a razor blade cut up her mouth. [gotta admit, that was a bit horrifying!]

Cr: Jennifer Clasen/FOX

Tommy wants to go to the club, but Ben thinks they should answer the door for trick-or-treaters and hit on hot moms. [haha!] But, Tommy eats a couple of BJ's candies, which are from Amsterdam. [hint, hint.] Tommy wants to go to the hospital, but Ben decides to join him in ecstasy, and after one set of trick-or-treaters, they decide to bail on that plan. [omg, BLTs are the ONLY sandwich I eat with mayonnaise! I'm like Kate, LoL!]

Also, Maddie is dressed as Marie Curie. [her previous costumes include Baby Ghandi, tiny Geraldine Ferraro and the Death of Print Journalism. mmhmm...]

Ben and Kate: Zombie Apocalypse

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

What is that white dress that Kate was wearing?? Hideous! And, what, exactly, was the purpose of this episode? I liked where they were going with Ben not knowing what to do in an emergency, but much like how Charlie had to step it up when Jake got hurt on Two and a Half Men, I figured Ben would have to act responsibly after a mistake. Instead, there's a stupid sidestory about yet another one of Ben's old girlfriends. Now, this episode does appear to be third in production order, so it should come before both Kate's "21st Birthday" and the family scavenger hunt. But I don't think that helps very much, either. I still like the show but not as much as many people, apparently. What about you - what do you think of it at this point?

Ben and Kate "Emergency Kit" (S01E05): BJ flirts with Buddy, who owns the restaurant. He's freshly divorced, so she wants to make a move. She also continues to be a cheapskate, pretending there are screws or glass shards in the food so she gets free meals. [holy cow!] Kate convinced BJ to wait to sleep with him, which only turns him on more.

Ben accidentally hurts Maddie with his new knife, and Kate panics, especially after it's clear that Ben has been abusing the supplies in Kate's emergency kit. [things like this make me paranoid that I'd be a mother like Kate.] Kate decides to test Ben by sending Tommy over and having him pretend he has ingested a peanut - to which he has a life-threatening allergy. Tommy doesn't think he's faking well enough so he admits it's a show. [hahaha!] While this is going on, Ben's ex-girlfriend, Louise, shows up at the house. He can't get rid of her, and when he tries, she just stabs the bouncy house the family is using. In fact, Louise doesn't leave at all, and Ben finds her in the garage while staging a Zombie Apocalypse to prove to Kate that there's no point in preparing for everything. [I hope we're done with her, though... she is crazy!]

.

Cr: Jennifer Clasen/FOX

Maddie thinks that this is real, however, even though Ben had told her he was messing with her mom. [oh, kids!] Ben had told her to get to high ground in case of zombies, so she went up to the crawl space and the family has to talk her down because Ben and Tommy broke the ladder. [I'm surprised that Tommy would let these issues go unnoticed... one would think he'd tell Kate, as he adores her.]

Ben and Kate: A Wasted Birthday Party

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Why is BJ trying so hard to act like she's poor? I mean, what's the point in just trying to take advantage of anybody and everybody? I don't understand why this show needs a central "villain," but I sure do dislike her! Not that I was a big fan of any of the characters in this episode... I hope that's the last we see of Molly... couldn't believe Kate could be so different! And that whole Kate-and-Tommy scene at the end really made me question where this show is going... I'm sick and tired of main characters starting to be attracted to one another so early in the show. Having one pine for the other is one thing, but for it to be even hinted that it's a mutual relationship is something different.

Ben and Kate "21st Birthday" (S01E04): Kate is turning 26 but Ben thinks that he, Tommy, and BJ should throw Kate the 21st birthday she never had. [I understand that Kate is supposed to be young, but don't you think the actress looks more like 30?] She tells them that she doesn't want to have a wild party, but Ben arranges it so that Tommy's parents watch Maddie and Kate's old friend, Molly, comes to town for the occasion. 

Cr: Jennifer Clasen/FOX

But, neither Kate nor Ben stay at the party for long. Molly convinces Kate to go out and find a man, so Tommy drives them (the ladies were imbibing), only Molly is too wild for Kate, wanting to buy drugs. [holy cow! I understand this was a 21st-theme and all, but what respectable 26-year-old buys recreational drugs?? oh. the keyword there must be "respectable."] Tommy holds a grudge against Molly, blaming the $15 loan he gave her ten years ago to be the reason he couldn't date Kate. 

Elsewhere, Ben has decided that he must have the tree in Darcy's backyard, as the two planted it as children and he always had the intention to turn it into a canoe. [say whaaat??] BJ accompanies him to rip it out, but she causes a commotion and Darcy invites them into the house that she'll now be sharing with her husband. BJ pretends to be Ben's girlfriend to give him a little credibility. [why, I don't know.] 

In the end, Ben, Kate, BJ, Maddie, and Tommy go for ice cream sundaes for breakfast. And, Kate gives Tommy a ray of hope when it comes to dating her.

Ben and Kate: Fake Address & Scavenger Hunt!

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Principal Feeny?? I'm sorry, how did that happen? Wasn't that name retired twelve years ago when THE Principal Feeny said goodbye to three of his favorite students on Boy Meets World? I'm not sure what FOX thinks it's doing here, but giving Maddie's principal the same name as Cory's principal is not acceptable.

Now, 90s awesome flashbacks aside, this show is getting there. The writing is really unique, the kid is really cute, and the friendships are downright strange. It's an odd combination but it's working for me! It's not the best new comedy of the season, but I'm definitely buying into the characters and their relationships for working out in the long run!

Ben and Kate "Bad Cop/Bad Cop" (S01E02): Kate uses Tommy's parents' house as Maddie's address so she can go to a good school, but because Ben dropped off Maddie late every day for a week, they have to go talk to the principal. [not that big of a deal, but Kate is a paranoid freak. AND, odd use of co-talking about sex as waffles and chess.] As soon as it's over, Kate starts worrying about messing up at the upcoming Open House. BJ tries to get Kate more comfortable with lying, but she just continues to be awkward. Ben actually blows it when he invites everyone back to their place for drinks. [WHAT was he THINKING??] They barge in on Tommy's parents, say they're throwing a party, and hit the ground running. As the night goes on, BJ tries to rescue Kate as people start to ask questions that don't add up. [thoughtful woman, however strange!] But, Ben thought that things were going to fall apart so he called the school and left a message for the principal, explaining things. [I don't understand how that fit his character at all!] Kate drives everyone over to the school to break in and erase the message, but the cops show up, Ben makes friends, and Kate panics. The next day, Kate goes to the principal to explain things, and he gives them a waiver, solving all of the issues.

Also, Kate tells Ben that he can't let Maddie walk all over him, but when she asks for a present, he gets her a puppy, which winds up having to live at Tommy's because it breaks the lease on the house Kate rents. Ben has to break the news to Maddie, who isn't as upset as expected. [I thought that this was a weird mini-storyline which would have made more sense if it took place further down the line.]

Ben and Kate "The Fox Hunt" (S01E03): [what was with Ben and Tommy asking the mailman who they need to watch out for in the neighborhood??] 

Ben and Kate talk about the annual scavenger hunts (the kind where you collect stuff AND perform stunts) they used to do with their father, and they have one left that they didn't complete. Kate desperately wants to win (she never has before), so she asks BJ to be her partner. Kate thinks she'll have an advantage because Tommy has to work the whole day, but he just blows off work when Ben says "I need you." [well, that is a classic BFF moment, friends.] Ben wants to let Kate win, which is good because BJ gets Kate to go pick-up a bunch of her stuff at an ex-boyfriend's. [the fact that her ex thinks she's dead was a little over the top, no?] Most of the stuff BJ's ex hands over doesn't even belong to BJ! 

Cr: Jennifer Clasen/FOX

Tommy thinks that it should look like they tried, but Ben doesn't care, because he thinks that the loser has to do the winner's HOMEwork for a month, which is now moot. EXCEPT, with 71 minutes left in the three-hour hunt, Tommy realizes it says HOUSEwork, which is a big deal. [haha, awesome!] They go to the country club to try to get a taxidermied fish, but there's an event going on, so Tommy has to sing to create a distraction. Luckily, that's worth 20 points. [honor system, much?? nice "Stand by Me," tho!] Ben plays dirty, calling Maddie's school and causing Kate to have to go pick her up early. [they left their stuff at a picnic table in the park all day long?] Kate wins in the final moments!

NEW SHOW: Ben and Kate

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

This show is not officially airing until September 25th, but the first episode is available on Hulu early, so feel free to check it out. Ben and Kate originally made my "maybe" list, meaning that I would check out a few episodes but I wasn't hoping for television gold. After seeing the pilot, I think I categorized it correctly... the premise isn't uber-interesting (especially with so many other random-groups-caring-for-children shows on these days), I really didn't fall in love with the eponymous characters, and I'm not sure that I want to deal with more shows where the leads aren't already in committed relationships. On the other hand, the little girl is adorable, Ben and his friend seem like they'll be regularly cooking up wacky schemes, and I kinda really like the house! (bad reason to like the sitcom, I know.) But, there are other issues as well... a large one being the wardrobes! I couldn't stand the plaid Ben wears, Kate's ugly floral dress, or Tommy's entire style. Even the cast photo below is pretty hideous... especially for present-day! Or am I just behind on some sort of fashion wave??

Cr: Miranda Penn Turin/FOX

Ben and Kate "Pilot" (S01E01): Kate works as a waitress at Buddy's (and has a love-hate relationship with bartending coworker BJ), has a five-year-old daughter named Maddie (the father ran off when he found out about the pregnancy), and has been on nine dates with a guy named George. [I love that, for once, a woman makes it to nine dates before sleeping with a guy! They never seem to make it past three on television anymore!] Her brother, Ben, comes in and out of her life (he lives in Sacramento), and, because he recently heard from the former love of his life, Darcy, he's back in town. He goes to stalk Darcy and discovers that she's getting married the next day, causing him to resort to his friend, Tommy, for help in crashing the event and professing his love before it's too late. Kate repeatedly tells Ben that she won't help him, but he convinces her anyway, and she tells him exactly what to say when he sees his old flame. [while Kate giving in wasn't the end of the world here, I think that it'll get annoying pretty quickly if that becomes an ongoing thing.] Except, things go awry. 

Ben fires the babysitter when she's too strict about coloring, so he has to bring along Maddie to the wedding. [this kid is CUTE! loved her in We Bought a Zoo and she's only gotten better!] At the same time, Kate is paranoid about having sex with George later on and winds up pocket-dialing Ben while sitting down with George. [BJ's mouth-flirting was weird. I don't want to see that again.] In the process of trying to take off her sweater, her shirt sticks to it, making everything all the more awkward. [seriously... if you're not sure that your shirt will stay down when you take off a layer, excuse yourself to the restroom to do it! this is a mistake you make when you're 14, not 24!] Kate leaves her phone on the table as she goes to readjust herself, and Ben hears George on the phone with a woman who is on business. Ben winds up missing the wedding to go warn his sister, who is absolutely devastated. [I thought that she played that scene amazingly!] but was that eighteen-point-turn supposed to be funny? because aside from a giggle when Ben mentioned that he might have to ask Maddie to get out, I thought it was pretty blah.]

When Kate, Ben, Maddie, and BJ arrive at the wedding to meet Tommy, Ben finds Darcy pretty easily and attempts to give the speech he had written on his hand. [don't ask me why everyone came... I have no idea.] Kate tries to talk Darcy into not getting married, but they find out that the wedding was an hour earlier. They stay for the reception, huddle under a table like when they were kids, and Ben proposes moving back to town to help out his younger sister. [The flashbacks to when Ben and Kate were children of fighting parents were interesting... I wonder if those were a one-time thing, and, if not, if the scenes will tie-in like the under-the-table thing does in this episode... and WHY DID THEY STAY FOR THE RECEPTION??] On the way to the car, Kate pushes Ben into a pool to get him back for a prank from years ago, then they all jump in for some fun. [yet nobody emptied a cell phone from their pocket and they were all wearing dress clothes... they must be way more casual than I am about things!]

Fall 2012 Network Shows: The Maybe List

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

By this point you've probably already seen a little bit about which shows each major broadcast network has picked up and when they're planning to air them. Some sites have covered them show by show, others network by network, and at least two decided to break it down night by night. We decided to go with our interest in them - what we can't wait for, what we don't think is worth the time, what falls somewhere in the middle, and even what we don't think will last. Of course, this is subject to change, especially come late July when so much more comes to light! Today we look at the ones that are on our "maybe" list - we'll probably check out the first few episodes but we're not too invested in these series at the moment.

Ben & Kate (formerly known as Ben Fox is My Manny, FOX) are siblings with opposite personalities who live together to help one another out in different ways. I'm into it because I love a good sibling dynamic, but I'm iffy because we don't really need MORE shows where people struggle to care for infants. It's going to come on after Raising Hope, for crying out loud!

Cr: Patrick Ecclesine/FOX

The Goodwin Games (FOX) Three adult siblings reconnect after their father's death, hoping to inherit $20M. It is written by Bays & Thomas, of How I Met Your Mother fame, and stars Becki Newton (Ugly Betty) and Jake Lacy (Better with You). The cast could be a bonus, but I'm giving it a go for the adult sibling dynamics and the writers. It didn't make the MUST list because I don't know how the $20M is going to come into play regarding the effects on the relationships... could be too Wings. 

Family Tools (ABC) follows a guy with some bad luck trying to take over his father's handyman business. Look for Danielle Nicolet from 3rd Rock from the Sun, Edi Gathegi from House, and Leah Remini from King of Queens. The basic background of the show barely blips my radar, but I'm intrigued by the cast (and putting those folks together!) enough to warrant giving it a go. 

Mistresses (ABC) focuses on four female friends, including Savannah, played by Alyssa Milano. I almost laugh at ABC for wanting to try for such a show - what is with their insistence on female-based series? It won't come up until mid-season, so there's plenty of time for advertising (not that it really helped GCB all that much...), but Alyssa Milano should pull in some eyes (though the same was said with Kristin Chenoweth, of course).

The Neighbors (ABC) has a family moving into a gated NJ community where all of the neighbors are aliens. So bad it might be good... or, at least, that's why I'm willing to give it a try. Following Modern Family might help it It'll follow The Middle on Wednesday nights, but let's hope it has more substance than gimmick in order for that to matter...

Guys with Kids (NBC) has three thirtysomething dads who don't want to let go of their carefree days. Look for Tempest Bledsoe in this one. This one is close to not making the cut for me - it sounds more like a movie than a television series. Still, it might generate some laughs for three or four episodes, before having to start recycle the jokes already.

Crossbones (NBC) will be a pirate-themed action-adventure series set in 1715. Yeah... it's a bit high-concept. But it's PIRATES. And it's PERIOD. So, if nothing else, we'll get some fun costumes and colloquialisms, right? It's going to come in mid-season, so there's plenty of time for some enthralling campaign ads, but I'm already willing to tune in for some fantasy.

Made in Jersey (formerly Baby Big Shot, CBS) is a legal drama where the lead uses street smarts to win cases. Being from NJ and always loving when savoir-faire comes in handy, I'll give it a go. I'm not staking too much in it (it's getting the 9pm Friday slot, don't forget), but as long as it's not too procedural, CBS may have something here.