During last week's Blue Bloods review, I mentioned how little we've seen of Jamie Reagan so far this season. In "Scorched Earth," he finally took the spotlight, but it only served to remind me that he may have gone into the wrong profession.

After a bride was murdered in a gang style drive-by shooting, the uniforms were told to utilize the NYPD's stop and frisk policy to round up gang members to get some answers. 

Officer Cruz saw some sort of non-verbal communication between the gang member being arrested and the kid on the stoop. Jamie witnessed the same incident but only interpreted it as the kid stretching. Both men saw the same event, yet perceived it as something different - and that's where the problem started.

I'm not a fan of Cruz. He's a cocky ass but in this case he was right. The kid was hiding the murder weapon and how they arrived at that answer was where Jamie had the problem.

I'm not a cop or a lawyer, but I'd assume that when they asked to talk and the kid tried to flee, that gave them reason to stop him. Did they have the right to frisk him? It seemed reasonable to me and certainly the bag of weed gave them cause to bring him in.

But Jamie viewed everything through the eyes of a Harvard Law student, not an officer. The question becomes whether that's a help or a hindrance in doing his job.

I enjoyed the conversation between Jamie, Frank and Henry. They asked relevant questions. Did the stop lead to a false arrest? Did it put anyone in harms way? Did the end justify the means?

My only wish was that Danny had been involved in this conversation.

That Jamie was in such utter distress over this arrest became tiresome. That he panicked when the DA's office sent a detective to question he and his partner over the arrest seemed silly. The fact that he went off on his sister for doing her job was downright ridiculous. 

The law itself may be black and white but the reality of being a police officer is filled with shades of gray. This episode really made me wonder if Jamie is cut out for that life. 

Frank's storyline with the evil dictator also disappointed me. As much as I enjoy having Frank play the hero and moral compass, it seemed far fetched that he could pull his detail off of a foreign diplomat to force him to leave the country. Wouldn't the State Department be all over that? Again, I'm no expert but I'd bet there would be so many layers of bureaucracy involved that it would take more than pressure from the police commissioner to get that man out of the city.

Linda should have won an award for the most patient, understanding wife in history but she has been a cop's wife for 16 years. I'd bet this isn't the first anniversary Danny's missed. However, I did find it interesting that her youngest son seemed to take more offense to his father's absence than Linda did.

And for once, Danny's case didn't feel like the only focus of the episode. As much as the other story lines may have annoyed me tonight, it was good to see Will Estes get some long overdue screen time, even if it made me wonder which direction his character is headed.

Source:
http://www.tvfanatic.com/2012/10/blue-bloods-review-shades-of-gray/

Recommendation and review posted by G. Smith

I know "Double Jeopardy" wasn't supposed to be funny - after all, people were being attacked for their wrong doings in very appropriate ways - but Duke was on fire and I wanted to laugh at everything he said. So what was so darn humorous?

It started out with Duke seeing what looked like a Grecian Goddess slicing his tires. We later learned she was attacking people for their wrongs, scooping out the eyeballs of a peeping tom, breaking all the bones of a woman who shook her baby. Not funny. 

Then Duke raised his hand and said, "parking tickets." Seriously? Tell me that's not funny. She got him for something else as well, and he was really worried about that little murder he committed to save the family of organ snatchers a few episodes back, but it would happen that someone would frak up Duke over parking tickets. Hilarious!

When she blew to pieces of plaster when Audrey shot her, we learned she was the incarnation of Lady Justice herself.

Duke and Audrey spent a night together under the guise of her protecting him, but also using him as bait to lure the goddess. That gave the two of them a wonderful opportunity to connect and their conversation was great. I know there is a part of Duke who thinks he wants more from Audrey, but they make excellent friends. It's a quite unique partnership, and I'm glad he hasn't pushed the issue. There is a woman in Haven, or there will be, for Duke.

I'd like to see him with Claire, and look forward to an increase in their screen time. That would also allow Audrey and Claire to enter into discussions about Nathan and Duke while they're having their sessions. How fun would that be? The little chats between Claire and Audrey have been welcome additions to the hour each week, and I'm interested in getting Claire even more involved. 

Audrey still isn't letting Nathan get close, and he's determined to find the link between the Guard, the bolt gun killer and Audrey's fate. Nathan is telling Audrey too much about his infiltration of the Guard. The less she knows, the better. She doesn't need to be aware that he's spending time with another woman, even if it's to help her. It could drive her even further away. Audrey hanging out with Duke is already rubbing Nathan the wrong way, so we need as little friction between the lovebirds as possible.

Jordan asked Nathan to help the Guard with a transfer of a criminal, and it looked like she had nefarious reasons for doing so. As Nathan watched, she commandeered the transfer van and used her trouble to take the men down. Watching her hurt those men was powerful. She hated it. Even though she knew she was doing it for what she must have considered good reasons, it practically brought her to tears to put them into such pain. That could explain why she was so shocked to learn how quickly Nathan had accomplished his task to transfer the guy; she knew what was required of her.

Showing her in action, and not enjoying it, made her character more authentic. Now I want to know more. What I don't want is for Nathan to toy with her and hurt her. Given the reason the Guard helped the man escape prison, so far they aren't in the wrong. Until she deserves to be used, I'd rather he find other methods to gain her trust.

Once again, the Trouble this week was top notch. The ending was fantastic. Duke put his life on the line and the Troubled woman was the one who paid the final price, ascending into the very painting from which she summoned Lady Justice.

There is so much about Haven to like. The usage of character and their growth is amazing. The ongoing mystery is compelling, but never overshadowed by the cases of the week. Those cases, in lesser hands, could be hum drum and boring. Instead they add to the suspense and through them we learn more about the town and its residents. This season we have a long running investigation into the bolt gun killer, meshing into the weekly Troubles and the overarching enigma of the destiny of Audrey Parker.

If Audrey was right, it looked like that story just got bigger because the bolt gun killer might be putting together a woman. Perhaps one that will look just like, or even replace, Audrey herself.

Take to the comments and share what you're thinking. If you want to relive some of the funnier moments, check out the Haven quotes. Then, let's see if we can solve the mystery!

Source:
http://www.tvfanatic.com/2012/10/haven-review-lady-justice/

Recommendation and review posted by G. Smith

It's a whole new Division on Nikita Season 3, but in many ways it's just the same.

With Percy dead, Division has been revamped to do good. Ryan Fletcher's at the helm with Nikita and Michael by his side. The government offered amnesty to any former Division agents that came in; and while many did, some of the most dangerous decided to go rogue.

In "3.0," the first task of the new Division was to track down these rogue agents, The Dirty Thirty, and take care of them. Their inaugural mission was to hunt down Martin, who discretely killed a CIA asset in Hong Kong.

The mission didn't go according to plan at all. Martin was smart and got suspicious when the model he was sleeping with received a wrong number phone call. With that chaos ensued, Martin broke the model's neck and called the police to report the assault in the hopes that Nikita and Michael would be taken into custody.

Right away, it became apparent that the task to bring down The Dirty Thirty is not going to be an easy one. Nikita and Michael will be tracking down basically themselves. These are former Division agents; they are smart, talented, physically formidable, and not going down without a fight. Each take-down will be a kill or be killed situation.

Ryan was previously an analyst, which predisposes him to run the mission in an analytical manner. While Nikita is used to making her own decisions, running her own missions, and using her field experience and intuition to get the job done and safely. These two polar opposites working together is going to be a challenge.

It's difficult to question Nikita's actions since she knows what's important, she's on the ground, and is aware of what needs to be done. At the same time, Ryan had a point when he told Nikita that he can see everything and may have information that she doesn't have. Going forward, these two are going to butt heads and often. It will be a fun ride!

Will Ryan be able to maintain the moral integrity of the new Division? Or, is a secret organization such as Division destined to be corrupt? Within the first few hours of the first mission, Ryan already strayed from his convictions when he gave into Birkhoff's request to hack the CIA. One small step toward disaster....

The tone of Nikita has changed going into season 3. The angry Nikita seeking revenge and the destruction of Division is gone. In its place is a happier Nikita, who does yoga and considers having tea with a couple of regular gals. Her fight now is legitimate and sanctioned by the President. 

It's the same team, but a whole new feel. Alex's cover is blown, but as a team member she can use her notoriety  Sean is by Alex's side. Birkhoff's in the pit guiding the missions. And, Nikita and Michael take the lead with Ryan heads it all. 

None of them are running or hiding for their lives any more from Percy, Division or the government. They can have more normal lives, while remaining secret agents. That's why it was the perfect time for Michael to propose to Nikita.

What a proposal! I loved that Michael wouldn't leave without the ring. The shocked look on Nikita's face was awesome. For two spies, it was the perfect engagement story. Wonder who will be Michael's Best Man? Alex has to be the Maid of Honor, right? Aww. Can't wait to see her walk down the aisle. That's assuming they actually make it there. Anything's possible on Nikita.

The quest to track down The Dirty Thirty is going to be dangerous, but if the pace of the premiere is any indication, each episode will be a non-stop thrill ride. 

Odds and Ends

• What did Birkhoff do to upset Sonya? They had such good chemistry together.
• Alex's Alexandra Udinoff persona was a nice touch on the mission. While she can't go undercover anymore, I hope they don't overuse "Alexandra." 
• Sean looked good by Alex's side, but he didn't have much to do this week. Looking forward to him being more than just arm candy or protection for Alex.
• What's up with Alex and Sean's relationship? Didn't really see anything about it in this episode. (For insight into what's coming, read our interview with Dillon Casey.)
• What is Amanda up to? How many rogue agents aligned with her? With Percy gone and Division reclaimed by the government, what could she want now?
• A female President? Nicely done, Nikita!
• Birkhoff cut off Nikita's communication on Ryan's order. Which side will he ultimately take if a life or death situation comes up? 
• What a horrible situation for Ryan to be facing with the President willing to burn Division down. Will he let Nikita in on what's at stake?
• Michael: Give me the damn Glock!
  Nikita: Where are you going?
  Michael: To get your damn engagement ring. | permalink
• Nikita: You had me at "Give me the damn Glock." | permalink

Source:
http://www.tvfanatic.com/2012/10/nikita-review-30/

Recommendation and review posted by G. Smith

In this new clip from Sunday's Revenge, a very pregnant Amanda shows up to Victoria's house for what looks to be a baby shower, with doting godmother Emily and an entire posse of random girls in tow.

Victoria's reaction to the women, upon learning their profession? Priceless as you'd expect:

 

Revenge 'Intuition' Clip - Amanda's People

In the first sneak peek from "Intuition," posted earlier today, we saw Victoria beckon Amanda to Grayson Manor while Ems plotted to use this new connection to her adversary to her advantage.

Will she succeed? Or more accurately, how will the best laid plans implode this week?

We'll find out Sunday at 9 p.m., in an episode that looks like it could end in heartbreak. If you haven't seen the photos yet, check those out for a major hint at what might happen to one character ...

Source:
http://www.tvfanatic.com/2012/10/new-revenge-clip-amandas-people/

Recommendation and review posted by G. Smith

Welcome back to the 1st annual Tournament of TV Fanatic!

It's time for you, TV Fanatics, to choose your favorite Fox star! We have chosen 16 stars for this fan-driven showdown. The concept is easy: Pick your favorite of the two pairs in each poll. That's it!

Emily Deschanel and Chris Colfer started us off earlier this week, followed by Jane Lynch and Mindy Kaling, Anna Torv and Kiefer Sutherland and Zooey Deschanel and Lucas Neff.

Today, it's Bones' David Boreanaz against So You Think You Can Dance host Cat Deeley!

We will post polls of these respective Fox matchups daily, and then after each round, update the bracket as some stars advance, while others are eliminated, until the winner is crowned. Make sense?

It's easy, fun and all decided by YOU! Here's the Tournament of TVF FOX field:

First-round matchups to come: Lea Michele vs. Ryan Seacrest; Simon Cowell vs. Max Greenfield; Michaela Conlin vs. Joshua Jackson.

NBC and other brackets still to come! Happy voting!

Source:
http://www.tvfanatic.com/2012/10/tournament-of-tv-fanatic-david-boreanaz-vs-cat-deeley/

Recommendation and review posted by G. Smith

This is the latest anatomical pop art by Philippines-based designer and artist, Patcho Quinto.

Also check out Patcho’s previous work featured on Street Anatomy!

Source:
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/streetanatomy/OQuC/~3/pG-tYXvu-wQ/

Recommendation and review posted by G. Smith