I found myself wondering if I'd missed some stuff this week as my TV load didn't feel quite so overwhelming as it did the past two weeks. I suspect it's in part because a few things didn't air and in part because I'm getting used to the overload of great television.

Dexter:

Review is over here, short version is - it's a very funny episode.

How I Met Your Mother:

This week's HIMYM had a wonderfully subtle set of homages to other comedy shows in it. Barney running a wonderful back to the future skit, more Marshall robot impressions and Robin projecting onto everyone else. It was classic HIMYM and I just wish I could talk about it more without spoiling it for someone who's already complained once about spoilers!

Heroes:

I finally caught back up this week with what is now being called 'Heroes: The Wire reunion tour'. Jamie Hector has been in it for a few weeks and now the amazing Andre Royo turns up this week, both with his usual level of supreme acting talent and an interesting power. So 305 was much better than 304, all this Heroes Time Travel Cause and Effect Nonsense just clouds what's good about the show. Still, maybe, just maybe this goose isn't over-cooked yet.

But I can't help noticing just how much of Heroes is stolen from The 4400, vague unpleasant future, time travel, abilities, a formula that gives normal people abilities, a conspiracy to control the world etc etc. I don't really mind so much, I'm just wondering why 4400 failed while Heroes is so popular. Especially considering the lack of consistency in writing right now.

Boston Legal:

A back to basics episode which featured just Denny Crane and Alan Shore defending the husband of an old flame of Alan's. It's a simple and pure trial episode with some great performances from the guest stars, including the lovely Brenda Strong and one of my favourite Homicide actors Kyle Secor. It's an episode very much centered around Alan and it works well. But I did miss Katie, Carl and Jerry. Especially Katie, I think I love Tara Summers.

The Shield:

That baby is over here. Not as tense as last weeks episode but it shows huge potential for explosive action in the next one. The brew simmered rather than boiling over, but that makes for better flavour (enough with the food jokes!)

Supernatural:

"I'm a maverick, ma'am. A rebel with a badge. One thing I don't play by, the rules."


Do not adjust your set!

People are dying in the Pennsylvania Ocktoberfest and they're being killed by classic monsters from old black and white movies. It's up to the Winchesters to get to the bottom of it all, in stylish black and white.

Seriously, Oh my goodness, stars and stripes, garters and elephants, werewolves and vampires. This was the best thing on television all week. Supernatural was so freaking amazing that it deserves it's own post and the second slot in my long forgotten 'Exceedingly Excellent Episode' feature. I'm going to write about just how amazing it was in full sometime soon but for now I'll just leave it by saying that I LOVE it when shows occasionally mix things up like this. It's better than last years Ghost Chasers episode and the Hollywood episode (in season 2) was and that's saying something. Bravo, bravo!

My Name is Earl:

"Boys aren't supposed to think their mothers are sexy. I mean, maybe a couple of weird dreams during puberty that you don't tell anyone about, but that's it."

Cheerleaders, badgers, families and facial scars. Earl attempts to cross Randy off his list by agreeing to go to cheer leading camp with him. It's actually an episode that I felt could have been longer, a double length 40 min episode would have worked great here as there were some hilarious supporting actors playing cheerleaders. Still, it was short but sweet.

The Office:

Jan has her baby without telling Michael, so he continues to throw a baby shower after the birth. Cue awkward moments involving a melon and butter, Jan singing inappropriate songs to her newborn, conversation about a tub birth while eating cake and Dwight trashing a $1200 stroller by throwing it around in a junkyard and then dragging it behind his car. Michael comes to realise that he doesn't really feel anything for Jan's baby and finally asks Holly out. Pam and Jim spend the whole day slightly out of sync with each other before finally ending up so in sync that they have the same conversation to each others answer machines at the same time. A great little scene to cap the episode off and it's good to know that the writers are content to let their relationship push forward in a productive manner instead of jerking the viewers around.

And in DVDs I've been watching Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law again because it's a great way to fill ten mins, That 70s Show season 6 and 7 (I completely forgot that they changed the actress who plays Laurie in this season, it's really off-putting) and I'm still working through The West Wing Season 1 by enjoying a little of it here and there.