Scranton's Survivor: M. Scott

Michael bravely roughs Pennsylvania's wilderness for an afternoon with duct tape, a knife, and documentary tool, while Jim determines the fate of birthday celebrations at the office. Creed skips for peach cobbler.

Free of Charge

Launder no more! I haven't seen one full episode, but...
my nomination for season's most swoonworthy investment:

You're so darling, Peter!

Samantha Who? Samantha Yes!

Thanks to the magic of TiVo--or should I say, other people's DVR systems--I have been able to catch up on the past three episodes of ABC's new show "Samantha Who?" I'm not the world's biggest Christina Applegate fan, although thanks to great performances in "Anchorman" and "The Sweetest Thing" I have definitely come to appreciate her a lot more, but even I have to admit that the reason why this show works is entirely due to her endearing performance as Samantha. The show's premise is cute enough--a bitchy, spoiled fashionista loses her memory and reinvents herself as a nice girl--but thanks to Applegate it feels fresh and interesting every single episode. Here's to hoping that it makes it through the rest of the season!

One Month Later...

After spending two weeks on vacation out of town, I found myself obsessing about not missing four shows in particular: And I am still charmed by PUSHING DAISIES, worried that WEEDS is losing steam a little, and certain that HEROES is in serious trouble (despite even the long-awaited appearance of Kristen Bell). Sadly, the fourth show was THE OFFICE and I missed two episodes!
Upon my return I realized that I'm feeling kind of over AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL. I didn't even want to watch the episodes I missed. I also realized that THE REAPER is a bit like PSYCH for me- I enjoy watching it while it's on, but don't need to fret about catching every episode.
And oh, how I miss LOST...
*rick

To Tell the Truth

While Seattle Grace is healing, the sun tickled through this past week. A warm-fuzzily structured episode with more frustrated Callie-George-Izzie action/inaction, friendly Dreamy-Steamy bonding, a new intern, Norman from UCLA (you'll recognize him!) for one of the residents, a Meredith-Lexi teamed intubation, and three great cases. When the lunch-bunch huddles bedside here, you'll just feel the love. The truth shall set you free! This and all hair ties.

Lunch Party

The Office is baaack! I've been anxiously awaiting the episode this season that would christen the longer format (supposedly, only the first four episodes are an hour?) and this week's "Launch Party" was just that. A feisty Meredith asks Jim to sign her inappropriate cast, Dwight is in active battle with online orders, a pizza delivery boy is held hostage, Cornell's a capella star is a'courtin', and PB&J get even cuter. Fluid, flighty and fabulous, not to be missed!

Why does it have to be so much harder to love Ryan, my Zach Braff? The facial hair takes away from his fierce eyes and I miss his active dodging of Kelly. I hope a colorblind Cupid has her in mind for the future. What a fab opportunity for BJ Novak to breakthrough, though watch out for Creed, Andy, Angela, and Phyllis (yay, Internet!) to shine. Stanley confirms he can bust a move post-Free Pretzel Day.

Bowl till you bleed!

The Fall Season has commenced and overall it is off without a bang. The only new shows that I have really gotten behind (keep in mind that I have yet to watch "Pushing Daisies") are "Reaper" and "Life." And the old shows? All pretty big disappointments with the exception of "The Office," "30 Rock" and "Beauty & The Geek."

Yes, I did just write "Beauty & The Geek." Somehow one of those sick Saturdays where I stayed in bed all day and watched mind-numbing reality TV got me hooked on last season's "Beauty & The Geek" and this season has proven to be just as addictive. I know that I am probably reading WAAAY to much into the show but I really love the way that the two spectrums of people--the beauties and the geeks--learn from one another. Plus, this season has the added bonus of the mimbo, who is always great for cheap laughs.

"Ugly Betty," "Heroes" and sadly, "America's Next Top Model?" All pretty boring...in fact, and I may just get shot for this, I've given up on watching the first two (I even took "Ugly Betty" off the TiVo). I just don't care enough about them anymore, and "Heroes" especially has gone the "Lost" route for me.

There is one show however that has me hot and bothered: Showtime's "Dexter." After my brother got hooked on this show last month (he and his wife wrote a review of the show for the October issue of P&F, which you can read here: P&F) and bought the first season on DVD, and after my dearest Charlie Fish got so into it that he actually subscribed to Showtime just so that he could watch the new season, I knew that I should give this show a real chance. By the second episode I was hooked.

If you're a fan of "Six Feet Under" then you're familiar with Michael C. Hall (hot, hot, hot!) as David Fisher, and chances are, you were probably a fan of his (he was my favorite character on the show). Hall's Dexter Morgan is SOOO different from David Fisher that it is almost amazing to me that both were played by the same actor, which of course makes me appreciate Hall all the more. His Dexter is so endearing and sad and funny, it is really hard not to root for him, even though he is in fact a serial killer. And that's just his character. I have never seen a storyline or villain this satisfying--it makes me wonder if the show shouldn't have ended its run after one season, BBC style, as I cannot imagine that the second season could top the first. But I'm certainly hoping that it will, cause I just can't stop watching "Dexter."