The Office – The Seminar

In this week’s episode of the Office, Andy decides to hold a small business seminar at Dundler Mifflin to try and make some extra cash. The seminar is supposed to feature presentations by Jim, Dwight, Stanley, and Phyllis. Jim ends up skipping the seminar after seeing an old classmate whose intelligence he insulted in grade school. The other three speakers back out once they catch a glimpse of the seminar’s attendees. They characterize them as a bunch of losers with no money to buy any paper products.

Andy is then forced to turn to the back up team of Ryan, Creed, and Kevin. Kelly substitutes for Ryan who is unable to deal with the stress of speaking before a group of people. She proceeds to call her old business professor, whom she may have dated, to teach the class business strategies via her Blackberry. Creed comes in and starts rambling about ways that people can get wealthy. He has the crowd’s attention until he loses them with his plan to make money by catching the Loch Ness Monster.

The most hilarious part of the entire show is when Kevin is called on to present. Kevin proceeds to blast loud music and circle the conference room like an athlete making a victory lap around a stadium. He is still noticeably shaken up from running around the room and proceeds to give one of the worst speeches in the history of motivational speaking. Kevin winces, wheezes, hyperventilates and lays down on the floor while trying to utter just two words. Kevin proceeds to throw up in a trash can in front of the entire audience and then runs outside of the door.

Andy manages to recover at the end of the seminar and is able to sell a few small business packages, thanks to some help from Michael. Michael and Holly have been sitting in on the seminar with both of them pretending to be a Greek couple from out of town. Jim does eventually run into his old childhood buddy who taunts him for winding up selling paper for a living.

This episode of the Office is must see television and is sure to be a fan favorite for years to come.

The Biggest Loser – Worth Watching?

Losing weight takes work and determination.  No one knows that better than the contestants on the reality television series, The Biggest Loser. This show is an inspiration to people struggling to lose excess weight. The Biggest Loser has been around for a while and has become a hit worldwide. This is not surprising since obesity is an epidemic in this country today.

This reality show is about contestants competing to see who can lose the most weight. Sweat and hard work is what it’s all about, mixed in with tears, laughter and a lot of drama. Contestants leave their homes to come to the ranch in teams of two. They work together, exercising with the trainers and managing their diet. In the last episode of the season, the contestant who has lost the largest percentage of body fat earns the title of The Biggest Loser and a $250,000 grand prize.

The contestants talk about the reasons behind their obesity and how it has affected their lives. Some of the stories are truly heart-wrenching. When you weigh over 300 pounds, you know death is imminent if something is not done. Every contestant on the show struggles to change their lifestyle habits, to stick to the strict diet and the tough exercise program. They don’t all make it. It’s definitely not easy. However, for the ones that are determined enough to hang in there, the rewards are generous, indeed.

Most of the contestants on this show will have lost over 100 pounds in about two months. This is awe-inspiring. Successful contestants have to really face themselves to discover the reason they overeat before they can begin making complete lifestyle changes. Watching the show, you see the contestant’s building confidence every time they get on the scale and their weight has dropped. Their attitude improves, they begin to feel good about themselves and by the end of the season The Biggest Loser is barely recognizable when compared to who he/she was at the beginning of the season. They are totally transformed.

The contestants on this show give up a lot – not just weight. It takes courage to be a contestant and put yourself out there in the public eye when you weigh 300 pounds. The contestants give a lot of hope to people watching at home who are overweight and just need a little push to change their life.

The Biggest Loser  is a reality show worth watching.

Desperate Housewives – Remember Paul

The housewives of Wisteria Lane sure did not disappoint. With the four girls back, there is sure to be fire, drama, friendship, lunacy, lies, and what not that will keep the viewers screaming for more.

With this fresh start, Paul Young, from season one, is back, with a vengeance on his neighbors who didn’t side with him ten years ago when he got incarcerated for killing Felicia Tilman, who wasn’t dead after all. Lynette’s friend, Renee, (Vanessa Williams) pays a visit and smacks her with the life that she could’ve had, but didn’t; Susan on the other hand, struggles financially as she and Mike leaves Wisteria Lane to rent and save up until they’re back on track. Orson is now leaving Bree, who copes up with her new “project”. Gabby on the other hand has the meatiest plot this time; she found out Andrew, Bree’s son killed her mother-in-law and his husband found out that their daughter Juanita isn’t theirs after all.

The season opens a juicy storyline, with the best plot landing on Eva Longoria’s character. As Bree told her that Andrew accidentally killed her mother-in-law Juanita, Gabby cannot bring herself to tell it to her husband and decided to keep it from him. Carlos on the other hand, learned the truth that Juanita, their eldest is not really his biological daughter. In an attempt to keep Gabby from getting hurt, he too decided to keep it a secret.

The scene where Gabby listens to her husband Carlos who shares to his daughter about her grandmother interspersed with Gabby tucking in Juanita while telling her, she loves her is just amazing. Carlos, thinking how is he going to tell his wife about the truth and Gabby thinking about doing the same thing. This scene is just brimming with love and shows how the couple is having a hard time keeping secrets from each other. Even so, both are on the losing end.

With all the drama in their family, this must have been the most perfect their family is going to be, until these bleeps entered their lives. The couple’s intentions in keeping the secrets are understandable, but the thought of the other finding the secret is just unbearable.

This is really huge for both Longoria and Chavira, and a fresh angle from their love-and-quarrel storyline in almost all the previous seasons that may have people yawning for the same old plot. A great leap for their characters as well, especially for Longoria’s, who always acts as selfishly as she could. This time, she has a noble intention in hiding what she knows, and not just because she can gain something from it.

With this, more and more couples, especially women are going to connect with what the character is going through. Of course real life is far from all of this drama, but every woman, or a housewife, has kept something from their partners to save them from getting hurt, or doing something they will regret after. Overall, this premiere has set the story back on track, tying loose ends, and has viewers wanting to watch more.

With Paul Young’s return and the baby switch drama, this one’s a hot season of Desperate Housewives indeed.

Glee – Grilled Cheesus

After the much anticipated season 2 premiere of Glee, the show stops the Britney-party, does a 360 degree and opens up their third episode with an emotional storyline looking for more controversies. The episode tackles faith to a higher power as Finn finds his faith reborn and later lost with a grilled cheese and Kurt deals with his father lying in a hospital bed, and his nonexistent faith in God.

Apart from that, the show also features each Glee kids’ belief and faith when it comes to Jesus giving fair light on almost every existing religion today. Meanwhile, the Glee kids all show their support to Kurt thru songs as his father battles for his life after suffering from a stroke. Kurt was revealed as an atheist, and as such, a larger discussion among religion and faith was brought in this episode.

However, apart from the religion-centric plot of this episode, a very heartwarming father and son arc was also shown here. The scene where Kurt, played by Chris Colfer, sung the Beatles song “I Want to Hold Your Hand” showing flashes of scene of his life with his father was tear jerking, emotional and touching. Scenes where his father was teaching him to ride a bike, at his mother’s funeral, and even playing with him in a tea party shows how he (O’Malley) accepted his gay son and even becoming proud of him is indeed a breathe of fresh air from the countless fathers who are openly showing hatred with their gay son’s sexual preference.

Glee viewers all know that Glee has become a hit because of its take on different social issues like teenage pregnancy and homosexuality. But this scene is atypical of the usual thing that Glee does as it tugs at viewers’ heartstrings.

Although this episode is mainly focused on religion, faith, belief, or lack of it, Colfer’s rendition of “I Want to Hold Your Hand” has had critics glowing praises over him. In fact, some critics and viewers opined that this may be his Emmy piece. It has shown his depth as an actor and not just a second-rate or somebody who will “sway” and sing “back up vocals” while Rachel, Lea Michele’s character, belt out songs and hog all the spotlight. Likewise, this episode is also an oasis in a desert as Michele was not the only character given more solo performances as other characters have been given the chance to show their vocal prowess in different songs featured.
Of course, “Glee” wouldn’t be “Glee” if they will not burst up performing songs in perfect sync. R. E.M.’s Losing My Religion, Barbra Streisand’s “Papa Can You Hear Me?” and Joanne Osbourne’s “One of Us” are just some of the songs that were performed in the episode.

Apart from all of this, critics praised not only the Colfer-O’Malley scene but the entire episode as well. In totality, critics said that this episode shows sides of religion and atheism in a democratic society while showing that each character’s belief was not swayed by any religion which brings to another virtue, respect.

Another fantastic Glee episode.

The Middle – Hecks On A Plane

In this week’s episode of The Middle, Sue enters a contest and wins four tickets to New York City. There is one little problem. There are five members of the Heck clan. They end up having to buy an extra ticket at the airport. The entire Heck family loads up and takes a plane ride from Orson, Indiana to New York City. The family experiences a series of misadventures from nearly missing their flight to not having enough plane tickets for all five family members. The funniest part of the entire episode was the plane ride. Everything that can go wrong does go wrong on the family’s “vacation”.

The plane ride was supposed to be a short 150 minute flight from Indiana to New York. It ends up being this gruesome trek that has everyone at each others throats. The Hecks are stranded in the air for hours as New York is buried in a blizzard of snow. With the plane unable to land on the runaway, temperatures start boiling over in the coach section. Frankie and Mike argue over why they are taking a trip to New York City in the dead of winter. Mike just wants to go home, sit on his couch and relax. He hates the whole idea of being stuck up in the air and makes sure that Frankie knows about it.

Brick forgets to pack his books for the trip and starts to annoy other passengers on the flight. He asks a bunch of random questions and begins reading over the shoulders of random passengers on the plane. It is hilarious watching Brick scour the plane for something to read. He reads everything from Sue’s diary to a woman’s guide to menopause. Sue and Axl get into a heated argument when Axl decides not to move from the first class seat that the two of them are supposed to be sharing.

The plane does finally get permission to land but not in New York City! The Heck’s end up landing in Pittsburgh and have to decide whether to get on a bus for a 9 hour ride to New York or just go back home.

This is one hilarious episode of the middle with the entire trip being a disaster from start to finish.

The Office – Michael and Holly together at last?

This episode of The Office was definitely must see TV. Fans finally got what they have been waiting for the last two seasons. Michael and Holly finally got together. The episode starts out with Michael and Jim going out together on a sales call. Michael closes the deal and needs to stop at a gas station restroom on the way back. While in the bathroom, Jim gets a call from his mother in law. She accidently locked baby Cece in the car.

This news sends Jim peeling out of the parking lot with Michael still in the bathroom. To make matters worse, Michael’s wallet and cell phone are in the car with Jim. The next 15 minutes are hilarious television as Michael tries to find his way back to the office. It’s like watching a little kid lost in the city. Michael wonders around the city making stops at a hot dog stand and a pet store. He even fills out some bogus forms for a cell phone using a fake pen name.

After checking to make sure that his daughter is okay, Jim calls the office to inform Pam that he left Michael in the city. Dwight, Holly, and Erin all search the city looking for Michael. They don’t have much luck until Holly unknowingly starts to travel the exact same route that Michael took. She even heads to the same Chinese restaurant that Michael skipped out on the check from.

While the trio are hunting for Michael, the gang back at the office are making jokes and engaging in a game of insulting Sabre with pictures and captions. Gabe quickly rushes in to defend the company and breaks up this little game. The Office gang quickly turn their attention to throwing barbs at Gabe and start mocking his behavior with funny quips. Gabe returns back to his office beaten and dejected.

Meanwhile Holly manages to locate Michael on the roof. Holly went up there to see if she could spot Michael in the city. Michael happened to be on the same roof trying to find the office from a tall building. Holly finally realizes that they were meant for each other and the two exchange a passionate kiss. Erin looks on and smiles.

Another fantastic episode of the Office

Charlie VS Rose – Who Deserves What?

Over the last few episodes of Two and a Half Men, we’ve seen Charlie and Rose build a relationship together after Rose “married” fashion designer “Manny Quinn.” The audience knows crazy stalker Rose has staged the whole thing to drive Charlie nuts, but he believes he has coaxed her into cheating on her husband with him.

While the storyline makes for some interesting laughs as Alan and Rose’s former boyfriend, pizza delivery guy Gordon have discover who Manny really is, it brings to light a more serious moral issue for the audience to relate to through Charlie’s character. Even though Charlie is not the model boyfriend and lacks what most would consider “husband material” does he deserve what Rose has done? Is this the ultimate pay back  for Rose?

Some may say Charlie deserves getting fooled like this because of all the pain he’s caused Rose and countless other women he has used for sexual gratification purposes. Others may say Rose is crazy and is sinking to Charlie’s level by treating him similarly to the way he treated her the night they spent together so many years ago. No matter who’s side you are on, it’s an interesting dilemma.

Just because Charlie is a womanizing alcoholic, does he deserve to have his heart toyed with?

Just because Rose was hurt and is “in love” with Charlie, does she have the right to toy with him?

Does she even really want him, or is she just out for revenge?

Why is this storyline so entertaining?

For those who have followed the show for a while, it goes to show Rose is not only going to get back at Charlie by messing with his head, but she is going to get what she wants, no matter how she has to do it. For Charlie, it stays true to his character of always seeming to want what he can’t have. He thrives on risky situations and would rather sleep with a married woman than become serious with an available one. It also shows his ability to see things for what they are, as others are picking up on the “Manny Quinn” (mannequin) connection, while Charlie stays completely oblivious. At the end of the last episode we see Charlie go get Rose’s rain coat to find Mr. Manny Quinn in the closet, but he assumes her husband brought the mannequin home to do some work.

Will Charlie keep seeing Rose once he finds out she is not actually married and he has not been sneaking around?

Will he accept having been lied to? How far will Rose go to keep up appearances?

Who do you think is right and wrong in this plot?

Of course it will be up to the writers to determine where to take the storyline and the characters, regardless of the morals. We will leave it to you to decide how you think the whole thing should play out, but one thing we know for sure is it will be full of comedic value.

Author – Lucinda Watrous