Good Queen Jane

I liked the second season more than the first. I actually liked Karen in Hit List. Maybe that's the way they should have gone, showed the making of a big time Broadway musical in comparison with an Off Broadway production. They could have had the crossovers and really explore what is fundamental in both. Ivy and Karen could run into each other from time to time, not friends but both working actresses, comparing experiences. That would have been a great show!

I have always wanted to see a series showing the behind the scenes of putting on a Broadway musical. Smash could have done that but veered into soap territory too fast. It would have worked better if they had focused more on Eileen, Julia and Tom in the beginning and showed Ivy and Karen pursuing their careers before the audition - Ivy getting more and more frustrated by being in the chorus, Karen trying to get auditions while juggling her waitress job. And leave out the family complications until we got to know the characters better.

I know that for Shonda children are just a plot contrivance, but I couldn't help but wonder whether Little Teddy, America's Baby, would be going with Mellie or staying with Fitz. Not that it matters. Dead Jerry has had far more mentions on this show than Live Jerry ever did.

Didn't Harold say that when The Machine moved Herself, She went to a warehouse on the West Coast? Although She ultimately moved into the electrical infrastructure, she would have started from there. So Samaritan was just following Her path until It could finally catch Her. And maybe that's how Samaritan will finally be defeated. Harold will tell it about its creator, his goodness, what he intended in making Samaritan, and what ultimately happened to him, and Samaritan will abandon its wicked ways to make Daddy proud.

U.S. Figure Skating has formally announced that Milwaukee has been chosen to host the 2015 Skate America. Here’s what you need to know about this year’s Skate America: - The event will take place at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, which is in the downtown area, on Oct. 22-25. Unlike past events, this year’s Skate America will have only two days of competition (rather than three). Thursday will be practices, Friday will be the short programs, Saturday will be the long programs, and Sunday will be the exhibition. - The Skate America website will go live next Tuesday, May 12, and all-event tickets will go on sale through the website on Wednesday, May 13. The address for the Skate America website will be www.2015skateamerica.com. - NBC will do live coverage from Skate America on Saturday, October 24, from 5-6 pm (Eastern). NBCSN will present taped coverage of the event on Sunday, October 25, from 9 -10:30 pm. Icenetwork will live stream coverage of all events at Skate America. (The rest of the Grand Prix events will be televised on Universal Sports and NBC, like last year). - The ISU will announce the line-up of competitors for Skate America, as well as the other Grand Prix events, on June 15. Usually, the reigning U.S. champions compete at Skate America (Ashley Wagner, Jason Brown, Scimeca and Knierim and Chock and Bates). In addition to the ranked skaters who qualify for the Grand Prix, the USFSA will be able to add one competitor to each discipline as the “host country’s selection”. Skate America is the first Grand Prix event of the season. The rest of the Grand Prix schedule: - Skate Canada (Lethbridge, Alberta) on Oct. 29- Nov. 1 - Cup of China (Beijing) on Nov. 6-8 - Trophee Eric Bompard (Bordeaux) on Nov. 13-15 - Rostelecom Cup (Moscow) on Nov. 20-22 - NHK Trophy (Nagano) on Nov. 27-29 - Grand Prix Final (Barcelona) on Dec. 10-13 It’s only 6 months until the start of the Grand Prix season. Start making your plans.

Oh, Show, you were doing so well until the end when TC was aiding and abetting insurance fraud with the ALS patient. Good way to turn your life away from crime! It would have been much better if he realized that all his son would want is some time with him before the disease takes over.

And the nominations go to: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/28/tony-nominations-2015_n_7160170.html

I did like that the show didn't go the unicorn and rainbows route by having the kid perfectly fine after the heroic surgery by Scott. I also liked that it was an true accident, not caused by drugs or alcohol or even texting, just a moment's inattention. It would have won the trifecta if the kid had just been ordinary, not the next music prodigy, but you can't have everything. Really, show, a cowboy who doesn't eat beef?

I understand the need to compress time lines to tell a story, but the brain tumor segment was just too much. The girl had a tumor removed from her brain (sucked through her nose? I never saw Derek on Grey's Anatomy do that, but okay) and then less than four hours later she has a lap band surgically inserted?! And all under the direction of her emergency room physician? The story would have worked better for me if they had just stop with the discovery of the tumor. And while I'm complaining about things taking me out of the story, couldn't they have had Jordan and Krista coming back from the conference instead of being on the way there? I kept worrying about Jordan not showing up for her talk not to mention why they were traveling so late since conferences are rarely held at night. Minor stuff, I know, but still distracting.

Team USA won the final skating competition of the season - the World Team Trophy - edging Russia by 1 point to take the title. The final standings were: USA - 110 points, Russia - 109 points, Japan - 103 points, Canada - 82 points, China -77 points, France - 59 points. The win primarily was due to Scimeca and Knierim beating Kavaguti and Smirnov to come in 3rd in Pairs in the Free Skate (yes, that’s right; the Pairs sealed the victory). That placement got the U.S. the 10 points and put the trophy pretty much out of reach for Russia even if their Ladies finished 1st and 2nd in the Ladies Free Skate. All the teams were encouraged to do wild celebrations in the Kiss and Cry area as a skater or skaters from their country waited for their scores. Everyone had flags, multi-colored boas and funky hats (the French favored duck hats while the Chinese - for unknown reasons - preferred rabbit and mouse ears). The Russians had big inflated hands and clappers, while the Japanese finally acknowledged their obsession with Phantom of the Opera by sporting Phantom masks from time to time (they even played music from Phantom as the Japanese skaters took the lowest step on the podium at the awards ceremony). The Americans showed up with an inflated Statue of Liberty torch and a Captain America shield, along with colored wigs (pink and green). The Chinese Ladies at one point wore Superwomen costumes, while Jeremy Ten of Canada dressed up in a moose costume for one segment. Jeremy Ten also scribbled on a white board as he waited for his Free Skate scores. Finally, he held up a hand-written sign which read: “Patrick, we miss you. Look forward to seeing you soon”. So now we enter the skating off season. Stay tuned for the Change Your Partner Polka and the Will She/He or Won't She/He Skate Samba.

Apparently, the American skaters are planning to get pretty wacky in the Kiss and Cry area during the ISU Team Trophy Event, which starts tomorrow (our time) in Tokyo. http://www.teamusa.org/News/2015/April/14/US-Skaters-Plan-To-Rock-The-House-At-World-Team-Trophy Unfortunately, only icenetwork is showing the competition. NBC, this is a fun competition that would interest a lot of casual skating fans. Why aren't you showing it?

I was trying to figure out why Reese couldn't get to his car and why he was in such terrible straits. My guess is that the murderer had parked his car out in the woods since it wasn't seen by Reese and the son when they got to the cabin. The murderer than dragged Reece out in the woods to bury him away from the cabin. When he came back with the shovel, he and Reese exchanged fire, the murderer shooting Reese in the side and Reese killing the murderer. One of the shots during the gunfight went through the car's window. Reese only had enough strength to go between the murderer's car and his body. He was too weak to go back to the cabin and/or his car. The murderer's car had sat out in the woods for a while (the murderer waiting in the cabin for the son to show up), so that's why the battery was dead. At least that's my fanswank version.

This is just a reminder that NBC is going to show the Men’s final from Worlds, plus other highlights from Worlds, on Sunday from 3-6 pm Eastern time. Check your local listings for the times in your areas. Also the World Synchro Championships start today in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The U.S. has two entries – the Haydenettes from Massachusetts and the Miami University (OH) team. The favorite in this competition is Finland, which is a powerhouse in synchro skating, but you never know what might happen. The ice is slippery sometimes.

Khan was targeted by Samaritan when he accidentally found out about the excessive fuel drain which would lead him to finding out that Samaritan was using his anti-virus programs to search for the Machine. Samaritan caused all Khan's investments to drop and his personal information to be released so he would be fired by his company before he found out what Samaritan was doing . The hacking caused a lot of conversations on the Internet about Khan which attracted the Machines attention and she figured out that Samaritan (or someone) was targeting Khan in a particularly hostile way. It wasn't a terrorist attack, so Khan was an Irrelevant. Or at least that's my speculation. The Machine and I are on worse speaking terms than she and Root.

Khan got on the Machine's radar when the news of his being hacked got out. It appeared that Finch got the phone call about the same time Khan did.

This turned out to be a decent episode, taking a fresh perspective on some of the old tropes. Paul's Dad turned out to be right that Paul should be a surgeon, but Paul still found his own way. Former medic gets a new career ( although I would have preferred if they had given him a different injury; can a reattached arm really function well?) Rogosa and Topher had some good moments in sharing parental concerns. Even TC and Jordan acted like real people instead of drama queens. Well done, show!

U.S. Figure skating has announced the team they will send to the ISU Team Trophy competition in Tokyo later this month: Ladies: Gracie Gold, Ashley Wagner Men: Max Aaron, Jason Brown Pairs: Alexa Scimeca and Chris Knierim Ice Dance: Madison Chock and Evan Bates Interesting that the second man is Max Aaron.

My favorite scene was when the men all reacted to the word "period." It never ceases to amaze me how some men can talk about the most disgusting things at work but practically go into little old ladies' faints if menstruation is mentioned. It happens every month, guys. Get over it.

The ISU has named the countries which qualified to send teams to the ISU Team Trophy Event, which takes place in Tokyo on April 15-19. The six countries are Russia, USA, Japan, Canada, France and China (listed in order of points accumulated). The rules for the ISU Team Trophy Event are similar to the rules for the Olympic Team Event, with some adjustments: two Men and two Ladies will compete along with one Pairs and one Dance team from each country (instead of just one in Men and Ladies), the same skaters must skate the Short and Free Skate segments, and there is no elimination after the Short Programs. Each skater does a short and long program, and points are awarded based on where the skater finishes in the Short Program and in the final standings. The team with the highest total points will win the World Team Trophy. This is an event that skaters usually enjoy competing in because it’s fun and the prize money is good. The winning team gets $200,000 in prize money, and even the last place team gets $130,000 in prize money (the prize money is put up by wealthy Japanese businesspeople.) Skaters are encouraged to cheer on their teammates with wild celebrations. In the past, rooting in the Kiss and Cry area has included Canadians wearing funky moose hats, Italians doing choreographed dancing, and the French building a human pyramid. Definitely a time for the skaters to “let loose” at the end of the season. U.S. Figure Skating has not yet announced the skaters who will represent the U.S. in the Team Trophy event. Icenetwork will Live Stream the event as well as make video of the event available on demand to subscribers.

I am constantly amazed by TV doctors who become accidentally pregnant. And am I the only one who wondered if Scott could be the father? How long has it been since Jordan and TC got back together? But my Topher love continues to grow. What a change to see him dealing with Drew like a compassionate adult instead of a screaming martinet. And because it can't be said too often: I miss you too,Joey!

For doctors, these guys really like to punch people who offend them. Chavez, please stay! These people need you more than Doctors Without Borders. And since in every episode it seems a doc makes a house call to an accident site, you can get plenty of field work. Please, I'm begging you, stay!

The 2015 World Figure Skating Championships start on Wednesday, March 25, in Shanghai, China. Well, technically, because of the time difference and international dateline, they start Tuesday night in the U.S., but that’s Wednesday in China. The roster of competitors is listed on the ISU site at: http://www.isuresults.com/events/fsevent00051612.htm. Just click on the discipline to see the list of competitors in that field. The draw at Worlds is a weighted one, with the lowest ranked skaters drawing for skating positions in the early groups, and the highest ranked skaters drawing for positions in the last groups. There is a “cut” after the short programs. The top 24 finishers in Men and Ladies after the Short advance to the Free Skate. In Pairs, it’s the top 16 and, in Dance, the top 20. In order to get 3 entries into the 2016 Worlds in Boston, a country’s top two placements in each discipline must add up to 13 or less; to get 2 entries, a country’s top two placements must add up to 28 or less. If a country has only 1 entry in a discipline, that skater has to finish in the top 2 to get the country 3 entries for 2016, and in the top 10 to earn 2 entries. Prize money is awarded to the top 12 finishers in each discipline. BROADCAST TIMES Icenetwork will live stream the entire competition from Shanghai, albeit at sort of weird times because of the schedule and that time change/international dateline stuff. Universal Sports TV will show the top skaters in all the Short Programs and the finals of Dance and Pairs.NBC will show the Men and Ladies finals, and they are going to do it in primetime on Saturday, March 28 (they’re betting that there will be some U.S. skaters in the hunt for medals).The CBC will air Worlds in Canada. Below is the broadcast schedule for Worlds. All times listed are EASTERN. Be sure to check your local listings for the times in your area and any changes. Icenetwork Live Streaming Tuesday, March 24: 9:30 pm - Short Dance Wednesday, March 25: 6:00 am - Pairs Short Program 10:30 pm - Ladies Short Program Thursday, March 26: 7:00 am - Pairs Free Skate 10:30 pm - Free Dance Friday, March 27: 4:30 am - Men’s Short Program 10:30 pm - Ladies Free Skate Saturday, March 28: 5:45 am - Men’s Free Skate Universal Sports TV Wednesday, March 25: 1:00 - 4:00 pm - Short Dance, Pairs Short Program Thursday, March 26: 1:00-3:00 - Ladies Short Program 3:00 - 4:30 pm - Pairs Free Skate Friday, March 26: 1:00 - 2:30 pm - Free Dance 2:30 - 4:30 pm - Men’s Short Program NBC Saturday, March 28: 8:00 - 10:00 pm - Ladies and Men’s Free Skate Sunday, April 12: 3:00 - 6:00 pm: Recap of Worlds CBC Wednesday, March 25: 3:00 pm - Pairs Short Program 7:00 pm - Short Dance Thursday, March 26: 3:00 pm - Ladies Short Program 7:00 pm - Pairs Free Skate Friday, March 27: 3:00 pm - Men’s Short Program 7:00 pm - Free Dance Saturday, March 28: 4:00 pm - Ladies Free Skate Sunday, March 29: 2:00 pm - Men’s Free Skate 8:00 pm - Exhibition Gala So, that’s everything you need to know about next week’s World Championships.

Merle Davis and Charlie White are finalists for this year's Sullivan Award, which honors amateur athletes. You can vote for them at http://review.wizehive.com/voting/sullivan2015.

I had not seen this before, but I found this episode enjoyable. This seems like a fun group to spend a half an hour with. I did laugh at Candace memory aids for names and almost everything Shelly did.

I would totally watch a show with Topher and Chavez as BFFs. They are the only really sensible ones in the ER. Maybe that's where this show is going: Topher/Chavez teaching the other doctors how to handle things. TC doesn't seem to be SuperDoctor any more. And he had no right to disregard a patient's clear DNR no matter how much the pretty girl cried. I did like Jordan telling Paul he was going to have to learn how to deal with a patient's ladyparts. Paul seems awfully naïve for a doctor. I guess part of the show will be watching him "grow up."