The Week That Was.....A Viewer's Diary: 4/17-4/23

Welcome back, one and all, to a glimpse into the past. That is to say, the television week that has past us by. The good the bad, the rerun. Well, maybe not the rerun, I don't watch reruns. So please move on by the simpering intro and take a look at what I watched last week.

Sunday 4/17.

• King of the Hill. The smoking bandit strikes. Dale inspires the locals by anonymously defying the law. This show is at it's best when focusing on the supporting cast. This is an example of that, although it's not as good as last week with John Redcorns band. **.5
• Malcolm in the Middle. Still in the downward spiral, this episode is saved by the presence of Cloris Leachman. It also has a clever homage to horror maestro Lucio Fulci involving Hal and a broken television set, nicely integrated into a father/son horror marathon. **.5
• The Simpsons. A flashforward episode looking in on the futures of your favorite Springfield denizens. Further proves that this show has run it's course and needs to be put out of our misery. It is a shadow of it's former glory. **
• Arrested Development. The final episode of the season finds the Bluth house falling apart, and Michael going to court, and possibly prison over his father's presence. This series is one of the best on the air, I can only hope that it comes back next year. ***.5
• Desperate Housewives. Entertaining diversion, as this entire series is becoming. Lynette and her grumpy old woman neighbor become friends against either of their wishes, and Susan's mom is flaunting herself around town. Fun show. ***
• Grey's Anatomy. This show is getting better, another guilty pleasure type show, a twist on the Scrubs type. The comedic involving Izzie and her work as a lingerie model to the more serious like dealing with a cancer patient. It is slowly growing on me and is a good pairing with Desperate Housewives. ***
  

Monday 4/18

• WWE: Raw. Meh, shows haven't been all that great lately. We do get the debut of a new tag team, and the return of the artifact known as Hulk Hogan. Not to mention it is time to beat up on JR again, this device is getting old. **.5
• 24. Jack faces off with the new president as to the best way to obtain information. Plus a lawyer is blocking access to a potential terrorist which prompts Jack to quit. I have to reiterate, once again, this season is great. ***.5

Tuesday 4/19.

• Veronica Mars. Willow guest stars as Trina who tries to get her dad to star in her abusive boyfriends movie while Veronica tracks down missing dogs. Truly one of the best shows you aren't watching. ***
• House. Vogler does the best he can to try and get House fired. I can't get enough of House's character. I can't wait for another season of this. ***
• The Office. Anyone up for some warehouse basketball? Fast becoming a favorite of mine. This is the wackiest crew ever to set foot on the court. ***
• Blind Justice. This is fast falling into a rut, it is an entertaining show, so far, but the formula could mean the death of it. **.5

Wednesday 4/20.

• Smallville. A dead classmate's spirit starts body hopping, and Clark ends up at the prom with Lois. Signs of things to come? I'm just glad this is finally back to new episodes. ***
• Stacked. Still to much on the laughing, live or not, but I am sort of enjoying the show. This episode pits Pam against Arrested Development's Buster for a job at the book store. I don't think it will last. ***
• Alias. Fun episode as Rambaldi re-enters the picture. Sloane reluctantly faces the artifacts, and the fake Sloane comes into focus. Still one of my favorites. ***
• Revelations. This is terribly boring. I doubt I will continue the rest of the show. We follow Bill Pullman as he searches for a child which is supposedly the second coming of Christ. The good production values don't hide the lack of pace, or depth. *
• Life on a Stick. Absolutely goofball show, for some reason I find it to be a riot. Sort of has a That 70's show type of feel to it. ***
• Eyes. Keeps rolling along. Harlan's integrity is brought into play during a trial with a bribed judge. Meanwhile one of the desk workers gets caught up in field work. ***
• South Park. Jimmy is growing up, and it is causing some unwanted reactions during his preparation for a talent show. This leads him on a journey through the seedier side of town. Very funny. ***

Thursday 4/21.

• WWE: Smackdown. The latest tag team has their debut match winning the titles in the progress. Heat escalates surrounding the next contender for the title. Decent show. **.5
• Joey. Nowhere near the level of Friends, but the Joey character is one of the best things going right now. He is struggling with the open relationship he has with his neighbor. Of course, this leads to comedic results. **.5
• Tru Calling. The show takes another turn as Tru uses her ability to save someone who did not ask for help. Jack makes even more sense as the face of fate. ***
• CSI. An episode focusing on Jim Brass and his estranged daughter, looking for a murderer in LA. Warrick is along for the ride. It was OK, but I prefer the whole crew in Vegas. **
• ER. A woman on a hunger strike forces some issues, as does Abby's new relationship and also Carter's plans for the new building. I like ER, but I think it is slipping a bit. Losing Wylie for the most part is not going to help. **.5

Friday 4/22.

• Joan of Arcadia. The season finale reveals another problem, this time it is not lyme disease, but a fallen angel, who knows all about Joan. Decent episode from a series I deemed to be slipping for most of the year. ***
• Law & Order: Trial by Jury. I had this on, but did not pay terribly close attention to it. I did involve a pair of people who both confess to the same murder. Didn't really hold my attention. **

Saturday 4/23.

• Star Trek: Enterprise. Sadly getting close to it's final episode, this has been such a good season. This shows the start of the mirror universe first seen in the Original Series. This is a fun episode and the cast shows it, different costumes, different attitudes. Then there is the USS Defiant, a ship just like Enterprise of the Original Series, right down to the bridge details and the colored shirts the crew wore. Looking forward to part 2 next week. ****

That brings this week to a close. Some good, some bad, some merely meh. But the close of the season is approaching quickly. Let's hope it all picks up.

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