Pop Tart

This show has gotten so bad at this point. I can take Margaret Cho's jokes because I get that that's her role. What I want more of is clothes critiques from the other people who are there for that purpose. Brad is good some of the time and though I don't like NeNe she can make a good point every now and then, but what I just can't stand is when they give the "bigs" a pass. So here's Gaga in a leotard and jacket at the Met Gala and it's okay because "she's Gaga, she can do no wrong" - um then why even discuss the look? She looked terrible and Tim G had it right, totally inappropriate for the event and costum-y. They do the same thing with others Beyonce, Kim K, Taylor Swift; each gets barely a mention about the outfit and a pass because they're "TayTay or Beyonce or Kim K!" Only Tim mentioned how top-heavy Kim K's dress looked. And TayTay, while fine, did not look like she was going to the Met Gala. If they're not going to honestly talk about the clothes, then don't even critique these people at all. Of course I know I'm dreaming, this show has just become a name-dropping opportunity for everyone but Tim (and Melissa).

I think she knew that she was viewed pretty unfavorably so there was no way that she was going to let her failing marriage be the storyline. If it was, she'd have to be part of the problem. Instead she had her lyme story and got to play the total victim - to the extent she even implied that the illness is what broke her marriage apart. I'm sure she loved the fact that a major part of the season became a question of whether she was ill or not. It doubled and tripled her victim cred.

What's interesting to me is that Stephanie was the genesis of the problems that have arisen between LeeAnne and Brandi. The description for episode one talks about Stephanie being dragged into a feud between Brandi and LeeAnne at the charity event. But the feud wouldn't have gotten started if Stephanie hadn't told LeeAnne that Brandi liked to do imitations of her. Stephanie had had lunch with LeeAnne and told her that Brandi did these funny impressions. Then a bit later (next day?) she got together with Brandi and mentioned "oh by the way I told LeeAnne that you do impressions of her" and Brandi got a sick look on her face and seemed like she wanted to smack Stephanie (totally understandable). Then the charity event happened and LeeAnne confronted Brandi and insisted that she do her impression of LeeAnne. Brandi was smart enough to not bite and didn't do it, but then of course they had their talk "to settle things" and they were off. Not to say they wouldn't have been battling anyway - this is a HW's show after all - but Stephanie for all her bursting into tears because she can't stand the conflict, is actually the pot-stirrer who got it all going.

I'm quoting you entirely MotorCityMom because I think you've hit it exactly. I do believe that LVP stirs things up behind the scenes, so I pretty much entirely believe LisaR in what she says happened with the off-screen conversations - even if she couldn't articulate her situation to save her life. When Andy pointed out that most of the HW's have accused LVP of being manipulative at one time or another, I didn't see it as piling on her. I saw it as a truth being exposed. These women have all felt what LisaR has in the past. I do think Brandi nailed it with her observation about LVP - she is a genius at shifting the narrative. When someone gets angry with her for an actual thing - her pushing and prodding personal comments - she shifts the narrative to how they're overreacting to a few "innocent" questions. Now instead of her being on the defensive for something she did do, they're on the defensive in their response. I have never liked her but I do agree that she could run a master class in how to change the storyline.

I think that's what I like about Brittany. She seems to have Jax's number and is just playing along to get to wherever she wants to go. On WWHL last week she was on with Sheana and Katie and they said they believed Jax and Brittany would end up married. I don't find that very far-fetched. Brittany is wily-er then I initially gave her credit for and her cheerful acceptance of all things Jax seems to throw him a bit. I also credit Brittany with really doing a good job of just quietly slotting herself into the group. Where Lala has gone for over-the-top, ridiculous behavior to get the airtime, Brittany has let her addition to the group happen naturally. It may be, if Brittany is still present for next season (assuming there is one), that she'll have morphed into an attention seeking horror like Lala, but until then, I think I'll just enjoy seeing her play Jax.

I'm enjoying the show - it's not quite there yet in terms of being must see, but I think it's getting more solid as the season moves along. I do think it would have been more interesting if it wasn't clear that Axe was actually doing something illegal. If his actions were more ambiguous in terms of whether he'd crossed the line, then there would be far more tension in the US Attorney going after him. I think it would have created more drama to not be able to tell just who is breaking the law. Is it the hedge fund guy, because all hedge fund guys are criminals, or is it the US Attorney who in his zeal to "get" Axe, starts to break the law himself?

I think Lisa takes people in as subordinates, kind of pet-like (though she loves her actual pets far more). I've thought this going all the way back to Cedric. They're generally weaker then she and she takes advantage of that and gets good use out of them. She coddles and molds them and deploys them to do dirty work - but if they cross her then they're out in a hard, final way. I've viewed Cedric and Brandi that way and on Vanderpump Rules it's the same with Sheana and Stassi (and Jax for that matter). Sheana and Jax are still of use and haven't 'betrayed' her so they are still on her okay list, but Stassi crossed her and though she may be allowed back around the fringes of the show (because she brings drama), she will never again hold that place in Lisa's life. These hangers-on characters are users in their own right; Cedric got a place to stay, Brandi had someone to coddle her for a season and a half of the show, etc., but when Lisa is done, she's done. And she never, ever considered them to be equals or friends. They may think she's their friend, but she is only insofar as she can get some entertainment out of them or put them to use. Lisa holds all the power in these relationships and she likes it that way. I think she likes to talk a good game and be oh so caring about these lesser creatures, but the caring all has a purpose. Someone else said it upthread, that the people she'd truly call friends are all as wealthy or more so then she is. And I think that's related to the power dynamic as well. For those she can't push around, she develops a respect and affection (thus the push/pull with Kyle), but for those who aren't as powerful, not going to happen. In a lot of ways she makes me think of a character in a historical novel. The wealthy aristocrat who has the paid companion trailing after her. She is usually some down-trodden, lesser relative who has no where else to go and thus must take any scrap of affection offered and any abuse too. And if it's decided she has to go, then she's out.

I love this show pretty much all the time, but this episode might have been the best one yet in terms of the various stories and how they balanced each other out. All were funny and the last ended on a nicely emotional note in regards to Matt's breakup. I laughed through a lot of the horse stuff. I like this goofy James Brolin (with a little heartbreak at its core because Sophia is growing up), but really it's Diane Wiest who sells it. Her reactions to Lemonade were perfect and that she got him the little dog, who promptly turned on her, loved. Heather's sexting her son was perfectly done as well. From the moment where Tim shows her who actually received the text and she dropped her phone in horror to the last scene where she's lit up in the headlights and ordering Tyler and Clementine out of the car, genius. Then on to Greg and Jen at the mall and trying to help Sam with her boyfriend! So much funny there. Greg and the hat. Sam sneering at FB and explaining her deep love for the boy she's only texted and instagram'ed with. Greg and Jen pretending to be employees culminating in Greg starting to take his shirt off. I could go on. And the last story about the breakup of Matt and Colleen, funny and touching. What I really appreciate about the show is how well the actors play off of each other and how genuine each interaction feels (even the silly ones). These people really do feel like a family and no one is a caricature or too screechy or too doofus-y.

I laughed quite a bit for this one. Loved the reason for why the boy had bit Sophia - because she scared the crap out of him by playing 'bloody Margarita' (was that what she called it?) And I really think they're starting to take more and more advantage of Colin Hanks abilities with physical comedy. The whole bit on the plane with Greg and the Great Dane was great, as were all of Jen's attempts at not being discovered on the flight. And ending the bit with the dog (Penny?) up in first class getting a cookie? Loved it. I didn't love the appearance of Matt's ex-wife but sighed over his declaration of love to Colleen, perfectly capped by his getting tangled in the mic's cord. The other parts weren't quite as funny but I still enjoyed them.

Heather and Tim finally find another couple they actually like to socialize with, but Sophia and their son don’t hit it off. Also, Greg insists he and Jen take separate flights in case something happens to the plane, Matt and John take Gary (Martin Mull) out to meet women, and Matt’s ex-wife, Bonnie (Brenda Song), surprises him with a visit.

Yours Truly I'm quoting your entire post because you've captured so much of how I've felt about Kim and Kyle. I've always, perhaps liked isn't the right word, but rooted for Kim and disliked Kyle for these very reasons. I do think Kyle threw Kim under the bus at the end of season one (and did so deliberately) for the reasons you mention and I think Kim is entitled to feel many of the things she has felt in regards to what's happened. None of this excuses Kim's addictions or behavior because of them, but you're right that she never gets heard either for those same reasons and Kyle gets called out a lot less often on her own behavior because of how she compares to Kim. I do think things got out of control for Kyle and the choices she made in what she would use on the show, but her behavior in season one was what cemented my dislike of her and my endless wish that Kim could have a triumphant recovery (slim chance) just so that she could for once be the "good" sister vs. the "bad" one.

I'm not a fan of Kyle's, and I think you've hit on it. A big part of Kyle's identity is bound up in the idea that she is the long-suffering heroic caretaker of the family. And she passive-aggressively makes the point over and over. How many times has she mentioned that her mom asked her to take care of Kim? And she was the one in season one who made sure to get it out there that Kim was an alcoholic. She chased her out to the car after Kim had already left the party to have the fight and shout out that she was an alcoholic. And every season since then it has been her heroic burden to carry on in the face of Kim's addictions. She is the saintly Kyle. In Kyle's defense, I think that this is also a big part of her identity in REAL life as well. Everyone takes on a role in a family and this it the one that Kyle has assumed (some against her will). Having an alcoholic sibling isn't a treat (I can speak from experience here) and their illness forces other family members into choices and decisions. But there also comes a point where you have to disconnect from who they are and this is something I don't think Kyle has ever been able to do with Kim. And I think being on the show has exaserbated the problem because it is now so wrapped up in the character she is playing on tv. It would be so easy to say exactly what you suggest, "Kim is struggling" and be done, but instead she has to keep the narrative going, all while hanging onto her mantle of goodness. Erika for me is an interesting addition to the cast. On the one hand she's pretty straightforward about her marriage and I'm fine with that. I never get in a swivet about young women with older men because I figure everyone is getting what they want out of the relationship. Sure she may have married him for money/security, but he gets the hot young thing. And these two have been married for fifteen years, so clearly something is working. I will say that I was initially a bit squicked out by her resemblance to the real Erin Brokowich, which made me wonder about the relationship Erin may have had with Girardi (and that all ties into Albert Finney playing him in the film and how I would have been creeped out if I thought there was a sexual component to that relationship.) Confusing I know. What I think is interesting about Erika is that I do think she's smart (even if she puts on the baby doll voice sometimes) and I do think she has a successful business with "Erika Jayne". The smart to me was apparent in the interaction she had at the dinner with Yo and David - she was clearly completely on the ball there. Where she loses me is in her attempts to make it seem like the Erika Jayne persona is empowering or something to all women. It's not. She's in the business of being sexy and selling that to people in the form of music, videos and performances and that's fine. But she should be as straight about this as she is her marriage. She is selling eroticism. She's not making the world a better place for women who secretly long to be Erika Jayne. And even though the previews for next week make it appear that LisaV takes a dislike to her, I kind of see her as being similar to LisaV in her canniness and ability to work the angles. The weird thing is that LisaV has long been one of my least favorites because I do see her as completely calculating at all times, so not sure why Erika is not yet bugging me in that way. I think, again, it comes down to Erika being a lot more up front about her priorities and choices. LisaV is smart and calculating (in a very powerful, business-like way) but she tries to make it seem like she's too classy for all of that. Or something like that. It was kind of funny to me that she was upset with how Kim had called her a phony on some tv interview, because that's just how I've always seen her.

I enjoyed this one a lot. I loved the first scene about "controlled burn" when the CH character asked his b-I-l Tim what he should say to start the fight with his wife and without a beat Tim said they didn't have the same problem since his wife didn't work and the fight was on. I laughed at the brother and sister talking from their respective bathrooms. And while the vasectomy bit wasn't the funniest, I did appreciate that it happened. The usual sitcom trope is for the wife to suggest it because they have enough kids, hubby then discusses it with at least one buddy with stupid jokes about masculinity and then guy doesn't go through with it. I also laughed at the parents and their dilemma. She's trying to remain fair and polite while working through the customer service phone tree and he's blowing up the sexy sheep while insisting she just ask for the supervisor.

That was a thing of beauty. Here's CCB trying to change the argument in that simplistic, though sadly effective, way that right-wing GOPer's do and the Catholic priest smacks her down. The New York Daily News had a cover that said "God isn't fixing this" about how all the congress people offer prayers via social media, but do nothing about the gun deaths, and CCB makes that into a "war on prayer"! This is how you derail a debate. Instead of talking about guns and mass killings you can change the debate into one about the attack on christians. And so nothing ever changes. The priest was great in shutting her down and keeping them on the actual topic. Loved his quoting a bible verse about the very point. Prayer or telling someone you're thinking about their troubles is not enough, you have to follow it with action. And then someone (the rabbi) followed that up with the fact that Jesus actually helped people, he fed them, he didn't just pray for them.

In terms of Maddie's performing with Juliette, I get both sides. Maddie's belief that it's no big deal and Rayna's conviction that it is both make sense for who the characters are. For all that her parentage is a bit of a soap opera, Maddie is very sheltered and to perform in front of 20,000 people opens her up to all sorts of things that she doesn't have much clue about. But she's sheltered because Rayna has kept her that way, so while Rayna is right that Maddie doesn't fully get it, there's a reason for that and Rayna needs to do more to help her get there. The thing last night that proved how immature Maddie still is, was her throwaway comment about Deacon. Wolf (is that his name?) asked her what happened when she went to check on Deacon (when she saw him trashing his house) or something like that and Maddie said "sometimes you find out people aren't who you thought they were" or words to that effect. That she can only see Deacon's agony in terms of herself and how it affects her proves the immaturity to me. It's not, oh he's in a bad place because his sister just died after giving him a kidney, it's he's not who I thought he was (in a sneering tone).

The move to Thursday was always planned as soon as football ended. Big Bang is also moving to Thursday, so this show will still have BB as it's lead in, which keeps it pretty safe I think. And yes the skunk guy was hilariously gross.

A pretty good episode but I need the show to stop taking owners away from their dogs. First there was the sad spaniel guy who murdered the cranky neighbor and tonight there's the zombie guy murdered by Major and again his dog has lost his person. Even if the dog is well-cared for, I don't want to see it. Zombies eating brains, people murdering each other, blackmail, bring it on. But don't give me any more sad dogs.

Tim and Heather accidentally make things awkward when Tyler introduces his new girlfriend to the family; an obnoxious co-worker (Ken Marino) catches Matt and Colleen canoodling at the office. I thought I'd start a topic right away this week. Enjoyed tonight's episode and the various stories. Nothing earth-shattering here, but the actors in this cast are so solid, one and all, that I just find myself smiling and enjoying each week. Each of the stories was funny, but I laughed the most at the first one. Yes, it could have been creepy, but I thought they skirted the line very well. All these guys just flustered (and the women too) and ending with the toast to the boobs? Made me laugh out loud. The other stories just worked for me, even if they didn't make me laugh as much.

I agree about the cases. And last night's resolution just did not work at all for me. If that guy's dad was killed by a drunk driver named Chad... in Spokane, there's no way he wouldn't know who the right Chad was. It would have been in all the papers and would make big news. And even if he was too young to remember, it makes no sense to me that he wouldn't have read the local news articles when he got old enough. Instead, he said that he trolled online to find the guy. Well if you're searching in Spokane for Chad...(can't remember the last name) then the search engines are going to give you hits from the Chad who is local and those news articles would be the first thing to come up. The case was weak. But I thought some of the character development in the larger storyline was better this week.

If you haven't watched Newsroom, you should do so, you'll get lots of Thomas Sadoski. He starts out as a bit of a jerk as a character but boy does that change. And while the series was not Aaron Sorkin at his West Wing best, there were enough great moments to keep me watching for the whole run. In terms of the show, it is the only new entry this year that I want to watch live if possible and if not, it's the first thing I go to on the DVR.

This was just a meh episode for me. Not terrible but not terribly funny either. I think the only thing that made me laugh was the band break-up and makeup. Other then that, meh. I will say that I like Emily and was happy to see her again. I loved her reactions to Raj's singing the song for her. Though the Sheldon drama was resolved in much the same way as it was in the dining table episode, this time around I was just irritated with the writers. Yes, once again everyone is giving in to Sheldon, but this time it's the forced writing and lack of imagination on the part of the writers to blame. They couldn't come up with anything else other then for Penny to cave? It just feels false and stupid.

This one wasn't as good as last week's, mostly because of the first story with the ex-fiancee. I'm hoping this will be the last of his character because I think the humor they're going for with that storyline has an entirely different tone then the rest of the pieces and I think it doesn't help to be the first bit in the episode. I've liked all the interactions between the dating couple that have not involved her former fiancee/roommate, but when he's on, it just feels off. That said, I liked a lot of the moments in last night's show. And I liked that they weren't all punchlines. When the daughters were looking at the high windows that looked like eyes? Nicely done. Also all the moments with the new mom and her mother-in-law, her sister-in-law and niece and how each of them was telling her how to mother. And then the golf game. Lots of great dialogue flying there. And then Brolin kissed his son-in-law on the lips and then declared that he wasn't going to lose. Very funny.

Loved this ep and I agree that these characters seem to genuinely care for one another, and generally without a lot of snark towards each other. The tree cutting to the tune of "I Need a Hero" had me laughing out loud. Physical comedy combined with what really was a pretty realistic scenario was pretty genius. And though we've seen the harried mom trying to send an urgent email in other shows, I loved how it was handled. She didn't get shrieky or crazed, but the humor beats were there. Parking the kids with the door-to-door religious lady (Calliope!), the fact that her parents' wifi password was 7, and then her husband coming in with the solution, all nicely done. As for the upset about 'first wife' I wondered if that was meant to imply more then one ex? I may be hearing something not there, but I heard first and wondered how many ex's he has. Edited to add: looks like bybrandy and I had the same thought.

I agree. I did laugh a couple of times tonight and like that Penny and Leonard's difficulties weren't dragged out (though I'm sure they'll recur), but I found this lunch scene unpleasant and gross. Not funny at all. And is Raj still seeing Emily or isn't he? He certainly wasn't acting like it. He really is my least favorite character. Pretty perpetually immature and always taking pleasure in his friend's miseries.

I really loved tonight's ep. I'd seen the pilot back in May when CBS was testing it in their Vegas lab and though I thought it was uneven, did laugh a lot (especially at the "funeral"). But when I re-watched it last week, it wasn't as funny and I felt like it suffered from pilot-itis. So tonight's episode was a welcome surprise. I thought the stuff with the movers was very funny - loved when Thomas Sadoski's character, Matt? opened his nephew's tin with drugs in it (thinking it would be pot or something) and it was one ADHD pill. Which he then popped and then was hyper to dig up the dead pets. A lot of his stuff was very funny tonight. When he discovered his parents on the couch and all the stuff with his car. And then the end of his date was very sweet. I also liked the new parents better tonight. The lactation specialists - and the facial expressions of Jen and Greg as each new weird element of their advice was revealed, culminating in the fact that they were sister and brother? Really made me laugh. A very solid second episode.