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Right? Roy's become so easy and comfortable in his role now and is my favorite correspondent. I'm glad the show did a bit on Confederacy, too, because that announcement made my head snap.

Maybe it's my own antipathy towards multiple episode/season storylines, but I'm bored by the Hullen. I miss the team just getting a warrant, kicking butt, and having an adventure once in a while. Guess we've permanently moved on from that.

Out of all the cast, I think Zoie's been the best at portraying dual characters -- her Ryo-controlled self was scary as shit! Even her "Welcome, your Excellency" gave me the creeps. It was particularly good since Android's personality is so precise and unemotional that Zoie didn't have a lot of leeway. Fun episode!

Great interview with Governor McAuliffe. VA is stupid to only allow one term for governors, but maybe he'll run for national office.

So slavery is bad, then? Got it. Minus the sarcasm, this sickens and enrages me more than a TV show has any right to.

It strikes me as a bit defensive on the part of the Nunez and Peck when they're so insistent that the contestants must be artists! Tattooing is an art, dammit! Art, art, art. AAAAAAART!! A facility with sketching certainly helps, especially when freehanding directly on the skin is called for, but there are probably a lot of tattooists who are superb technicians at placing ink but can't draw for crap. I'd prefer the latter. An image that looks beautiful on paper will be a mess if it ends up with shaky or uneven lines, blowouts, etc. The flocking challenge was more of the same from the judges. On one hand, making a coloring book version of the Loch Ness monster was pretty bad, but it was also ridiculous to expect the teams to come up with a huge fine art piece on a moment's notice, especially in an unfamiliar medium. The judges wanting the teams to avoid tattoo images was bizarre, since that seemed to imply that they're not "artistic."

James Davis' flirting with Kristin Chenowith was a little distracting. She is a charming nugget, though. At least Jim Norton was fairly muted this time out. Why he thinks the world is endlessly fascinated by his sexual peccadillos I'll never know. I feel like I may need to comment on every episode now that the countdown to darkness has begun.

Not surprising, I guess. My own interest and engagement has certainly tapered off over the years. If Chris can be taken at his word, it sounds like he was getting a little burned out. The biggest loss may be for the up and coming comedians who got increased recognition/bookings because of the show.

Sidney hasn't even acted like his faith is particularly important to him since season one. He might as well be a greengrocer for all the vicar-ing he's done lately.

Daily Show article in The Wrap from this May: “The Daily Show With Trevor Noah” just landed its most-watched week ever in Nielsen’s Live + Same Day TV Ratings, with an average of 1.045 million total viewers. Yes, that’s even more than he got in his premiere week. They recently closed the quarter up 36 percent year over year in total viewers, and was 18 percent higher than 2016’s comparable quarter among adults 18-49." Interview with Trevor about ratings: "I see my show as: a space where you come to feel like the world is not ending and you’re not alone and crazy in seeing all the madness around you."

The muffin does get a bit crisp on the side that's in contact with the heat plate, but not as much as if it had been done in a toaster.

This show isn't at all interested in the "social experiment" aspect of arranged marriages, but it would be an intriguing aspect to delve into. We don't know how much the experts have been told before they call or visit (I suspect very little because that would take time and money), but imagine they've watched 4-5 hours of footage beforehand so that when they listen to the couples squawk and complain and accuse each other, they can cut through the non-answers and excuses to provide some fact-based, USEFUL advice. A real therapist would kill for that sort of background. I'd be interested to see the experts lay down some truths and work with the couples to acknowledge and address their own flaws. That might actually help the marriages succeed. General platitudes about being patient and communicating better are worse than no advice at all. There are a hundred freaking episodes -- devote one to in-depth counseling.

I was happy for her, too, although it's a little surprising considering she had relatively little dialog. I'm honestly not sure if it's more difficult for an actor to convey feelings without words, or easier.

Otherwise, the TV is never on and never featured in anybody's home. The main uses of TV: Coincidentally getting your relevant news. Specifically watching to see if a crime you've committed or been involved with is being reported. "Quick! Turn on the TV!" scenes where another person wants you to see something. (Although they never specify what channel it is.)

My problem with This Is Us is that there have been much better family dramas over the years and none of them got anywhere near the recognition and acclaim that this soapy thing has.

Never too soon to start speculating. TCA nominations. Awards sections from Deadline and Variety. NY Times TV critics debate the Emmy nominations.

Quoting myself because that was uncalled for. I think Jordan is quite bland and prefer, on this show, correspondents who are sharp and even a bit caustic in their comedy. But some of my favorite correspondents from the past are white males and my objection was more about what I saw as Jordan's milquetoast qualities being repeated in Kosta. But I should give the guy a chance.

Right? Same with Louie the series, which Pamela was also on. I guess people's lives are just fucking depressing and dour and I'm supposed to identify with that and let escape a wry chuckle of recognition over their awkward and lamentable interactions. It's not that I don't enjoy some of those shows (although not Better Things), it's that I object to them being called comedies.

Minimal scheming from the Ishida crew this week, so that was good. Six has become entirely too meek lately. Some viewers were annoyed at One for being a bit of a namby pamby, goody two shoes in the first season, and even though I always liked One, Six is starting to gnaw on my last nerve with his constant, soft-voiced platitudes. Thanks for the explanations of the lab switcheroo. The writers could have chosen to make it clear what happened but they'd rather tease us that Six is dead. Can't wait to see what my favorite Android gets up to next week! Should be interesting if Sarah has taken over her body -- we know the Sarah story arc can't continue being static. (Although the idea of sex with a virtual being raised some interesting questions in my mind.)

Because I love Egg McMuffins so very much, the Hamilton Beach breakfast sandwich maker. It's easy to use and works great. Pretty much a single use appliance, but there's a "recipe" book with 150 sandwiches, so maybe that gets half a point from Alton.

I don't like glazed or filled donuts, but I'll eat a cinnamon crumb cake. My other favorite is old fashioned; I like 'em dense. Might as well just have a cupcake, except those aren't fried!

Is it common for people to get under the covers in the guest bedroom to masturbate? So weird. The entire situation seemed to be a set up, but why would either Cody or Danielle agree to such a thing? WHY? Nate's wish was apparently to marry his mother, so ...

I had to look up Santiago Cabrera ... with all the references to his good looks, I assumed he must be the Liam character. Heh. A lid for every pot indeed.

It was nice to see the show get recognized. Jimmy does a great job putting guests at ease and bringing out their funny sides. I always enjoy his kid segments and when he talks to non-celebrities, like his remote interview with the Bar Mitzvah boy. Jon Stewart coming on didn't hurt! The fact that the writing staff wasn't nominated I think shows more overall praise for the show and Jimmy himself. (The opposite of Seth Meyers, which was nominated for writing only.)

Interesting review from Variety that does a little deeper than other pieces I've read: "Claws is a story about petty criminals, but it stands out because it portrays a culture that most television uses only as a cipher. A character in a network drama who walked in with inch-long acrylics and knee-high lace-up boots would likely be treated in a very specific way. In Claws, the style is not shorthand for something else, it is the story. The characters are engaged in the art of crafting and distributing an element of that style: They own it." I agreed with a couple of critics who wished the show would focus more on the salon and less on small time hoods: '"The premiere quickly gives itself over to the crime side of the show, allowing its overbearing men and their boring brand of ugliness to have too much presence." (Entertainment Weekly)