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This Week: The Hills final season!

The Hills started on Tuesday night at 10p on MTV.

Sigh.

So I started watching The Hills because it took place in L.A. and it was kind of fun to see all of the places around town. It was somewhat like a tour guide / welcome kit...

At least for the first episode. A couple episodes in Heidi started skipping her FIDM classes and crashing parties that LC was working. The fighting started and never stopped. Soon it was basically 2 different shows. The LC life / The Speidi life.

Last season LC called it quits, Whitney got her own spin-off show, and Kristin Cavallari stepped back into the spotlight to narrate The Hills. The Speidi scenes remained (for updates on that train wreck.) And Kristin started new drama with the old cast: Audrina, Lo, Brody, Justin-Bobby, etc.

Fast Forward to this week - episode one of what they're calling The Final Season.

It can all be summed up in about 2 sentences:

• Butt Job? Butt Job. Butt Job. -- Heidi's "new look" was revealed. The build up to see her face was kind of hilarious. But the scenes with her family, especially her mom, were quite the opposite. I was holding back the tears - I just can't get over the fact that she did that to herself - such a permanent, drastic thing to do. If you don't feel good about yourself, get a new haircut! Don't put your body in a Barbie shaped cookie cutter.

• Girls that lose their voices are probably partying too much. But hey, that's an issue in the real world. But this isn't the real world, it's The Hills. And Kristin's froggy croak of a voice as the girls talk about her need to quit partying...that is just great entertainment.

This Week: An Evening with Glee at the Academy

As you know, I've got a thing for high school dramas. But Glee makes all the others fall far far away in comparison. On Monday night I went over to the Academy for An Evening with Glee. It was a sold out event, so I feel very honored to have been there. (We were close to not getting in because people were there at 10am to line up! Luckily the Academy found a way to accommodate everyone.) We got to watch this week's episode "Home" and then the cast and writers / producers came out to answer questions from the moderator, Kristin Dos Santos. The interest value can depend a lot on the moderator, but Kristin did a good job of asking both questions about the characters and questions about the writing and the process.

If you're not familiar with Glee, here are some reasons why you should be...

• it's hilarious. funny. something that always makes me smile.
  
• it's full of underdog type characters that never cease to surprise with something new.
  
• it's well written. there are plenty of simple things to relate to about the show, but a lot of the situations are unique and different than your typical high school storyline.
  
• the character of Sue is a complete win.
  
• the singing will give you goosebumps every time.
  
• it's emotional too. when asked, How do you keep Glee from being a cheesy after-school special? Ryan Murphy's answer: "The more personal it is, the less cheesy it is." That was my major take-away from the night.

Another really interesting part was when Kristin asked the cast if they've had any memorable encounters with fans. The actors when down the line and told some pretty amazing stories. Kevin McHale (who plays Artie) said the mother of a boy in a wheelchair told him that they love the show because when she asked her son why he loved Glee his answer was, "I've never seen anyone like me on TV before." And another mom had shared with Lea Michele (who plays Rachel) a story of how her daughter stood up for herself at school after being teased for having "2 moms". When the mom asked her daughter if she was okay, the daughter replied, "Yea, Mom. I'm like Rachel Berry!" Very cute. I know a lot of people that like to think that TV doesn't affect them, but this proves that it completely does. Watch Glee - the first season is out on DVD if you need to catch up!
Here's a picture I took on my iPhone while we were waiting in line and the cast was arriving one by one. This is Chris Colfer. (He plays Kurt.)

what to watch tonight: Thursday the 29th.

TiVo SEASON PASS:
Community (8p, NBC)
The Office (9p, NBC)
30 Rock (9:30p, NBC)
Real Housewives of NYC (10p, Bravo)
Watch What Happens Live (11p, Bravo)

what to watch tonight: Wednesday the 28th.

SEASON PREMIERE:
Happy Town (10p, ABC)
Sunset Daze (10p, WE)

TiVo SEASON PASS:
America's Next Top Model (8p, CW)
Modern Family (9p, ABC)
Top Chef Masters (10p, Bravo)

Guest blogger: Angela on American Idol - top 6 - Shania Twain

I had the privilege of attending Tuesday’s American Idol dress rehearsal, so a lot of my observations about this week’s show are based on comparing the live tv broadcast to what I saw in person earlier in the day.

As I watched it on tv I kept thinking about every detail that was different during the rehearsal, from Ryan’s silly fake opening (“a guy who used to work at a yogurt shop” and “a boxer” instead of “a paint salesman” and “a mother” to describe Lee and Crystal, respectively) to the plethora of signs in the audience to who was sitting in my seat. It was definitely a distraction! The following ranking is based on the broadcast performances, but the comments are largely based on my rehearsal vs. tv comparisons.

Crystal – “No One Needs to Know” – I never expected this song choice, but she nailed it. I liked seeing a different side of her. I think she had more sassiness in rehearsal though.

Mike – “It Only Hurts When I’m Breathing” – This isn’t one of my favorite Shania songs, but he sounded good both in rehearsal and on tv. Unlike Crystal, his consistency makes him boring.

Casey – “Don’t” – I liked it better during rehearsal (perhaps I was influenced by his proximity mere feet away from me), but he was still good on the broadcast. He sounded great harmonizing with Shania in the prerecorded clip.

Lee – “Your Still the One” – Some of his melody changes were impressive, but the beginning and ending were way better during rehearsal. Also during rehearsal I noticed for the first time Lee singing out of the side of his mouth like Kris Allen.

Aaron – “You Got A Way” – I wanted to hate this but I didn’t. I didn’t love it either; he still sounded flat in parts, but in general it was okay. I liked it more during rehearsal than on tv.

Siobhan – “Any Man of Mine” – I love this song but hated Siobhan’s version. Her voice doesn’t suit the song at all, and the shrieking was horrible (even more so in person, I actually flinched during rehearsal). She needed to be raspier and have more attitude. I’m shocked the judges liked it.

Based on this week’s performances, I think Siobhan should go home. Based on the whole season, Aaron has definitely outstayed his welcome. I don’t know who’s voting for him; the tweens sitting in front of me at rehearsal were all about Lee and Casey.

Honestly, this week is really tough to call. Casey and Lee were good but not amazing. Mike and Crystal were good but you never know when the viewers will get complacent and assume they don’t need the votes. I hated Siobhan’s performance but the judges drooled over it. It really is in the hands of the voters, and this week it’s anyone’s game.

- Angela Pasquinelli

[Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone. Major props to AP for flying to L.A. today, making it home already, watching the show, and e-mailing me a recap before midnight. Wow.]

what to watch tonight: Tuesday the 27th.

TiVO SEASON PASS:
American Idol (8p, FOX) *
Glee (9p, FOX)
9 By Design (10p, Bravo)
Parenthood (10p, NBC)
The Hills (10p, MTV)
The City (10:30p, MTV)

* friend/family pick.

what to watch tonight: Monday the 26th.

TiVo SEASON PASS:
Gossip Girl (9p, CW)

From CW.com: When Lily's (Kelly Rutherford) ex-husband, Dr. William van der Woodsen (Baldwin), shows up unexpectedly in Manhattan, Serena (Blake Lively) finally gets the reunion she has so desperately wanted with her father, but the circumstances turn out to be far from ideal. When Serena and Nate (Chace Crawford) continue to have relationship issues, a scheming Jenny (Taylor Momsen) is more than happy to be a shoulder for Nate to lean on. Meanwhile, Dan (Penn Badgley) finds out that he didn't get accepted into the Tisch writing program and Vanessa (Jessica Szohr) admits she may have been somewhat responsible. Leighton Meester, Ed Westwick and Matthew Settle also star. Darnell Martin directed the episode written by Robert Hull.

Guest Blogger: Angela on American Idol – top 7 – Inspirational songs

This season of American Idol has been fairly forgettable due to the contestants often picking dated, boring songs, so the “inspirational” theme (in honor of Idol Gives Back on Wednesday) didn’t do much to pique my interest. Inspirational songs are by nature mellow, right? Even with someone as hip as Alicia Keys mentoring the Idols, I didn’t go into this week with much hope of being inspired by their performances. A few contestants stepped up, but for the most part I was unimpressed, per usual this season.

More than ever I’m convinced that I’m watching a different show than the judges. I hate what they love and vice versa. Either the acoustics in the Idol studio are magical (having been there, I will admit that performances sound different on stage vs. on tv) or someone needs their hearing checked. Most weeks I feel like I’m watching Bizarro Idol until Crystal takes the stage. Once again she’s shown why she’s the true standout of the season. However, considering her lackluster competition, that isn’t difficult to do. Is Crystal really that good or are the other contestants just inferior? I’m beginning to think it’s the latter.

1. Crystal – “People Get Ready” – I loved the a cappella beginning. It wasn’t perfect, a little strained in the middle, but it was better than the rest.
2. Mike – “Hero” – Nothing compares with the Cook/Archuletta version from the season 7 finale, but this was good. It was emotional without being boring.
3. Siobhan – “When You Believe” – I like her better when I’m not watching her; something about her facial expressions bother me. I loved the soft “belieee-eee-eeeve” note at the end. She needs to STOP talking. Fashion police moment: like the dress, hate the shoes.
4. Casey – “Don’t Stop” – I’m glad someone tried an up-tempo song. He’s consistent but predictable. I think I like his guitar playing and his ponytail better than his singing. It’s too bad he went first because then I didn’t have something to look forward to.
5. Lee – “The Boxer” – He started nasally; I prefer raspy Lee. I don’t know the original so I have nothing to compare it to. He showed more emotion, which is good, but he definitely wasn’t “brilliant.”
6. Tim – “Better Days” – This is a good song choice for him in theory, but parts were flat. He improved in the 2^nd half
7. Aaron – “I Believe I Can Fly” – I hated this before it even started. He totally overestimates his ability. America, put Aaron and the viewers out of our misery already!

I’ve wanted Aaron gone for a month and I’ll be annoyed if anyone other than him is eliminated this week. However, it wouldn’t surprise me if Aaron were safe. Tim’s days are numbered too. Or perhaps Casey will fall victim to the hot-long-haired-guy-finishing-7^th-place curse that claimed Constantine in season 4 and Ace in season 5. Heaven forbid! One thing is certain: Crystal will be safe and, if all is right with the world, she’ll win in the end. And now I’m reminded of a song from Teen Wolf…

Note to Idol producers and contestants: watch the truly brilliant Madonna-themed episode of Glee and take notes on how to be entertaining and relevant even while singing songs that are 25 years old.

- Angela Pasquinelli

what to watch tonight: Thursday the 15th.

TiVo SEASON PASS:
Community (8p, NBC)
The Office (9p, NBC)
30 Rock (9:30p, NBC)
Real Housewives of NYC (10p, Bravo)
Project Runway at (10p, Lifetime)
Watch What Happens Live (11p, Bravo)

Guest Blogger: Angela on American Idol - the top 9 - Elvis Week

Sorry there was no Idol blog last week. I was out of town and didn’t get around to watching Tuesday’s performance show, though I did watch the shocking! results show and read/watched several recaps from around the web. I hope the judges don’t regret using their save so early in the season. I’m not surprised they saved Big Mike, but I hope none of the other front-runners need saving in the up-coming weeks.

This week Elvis is the theme and last season’s runner-up Adam Lambert is the mentor. Interesting. I think it’s a little early in his career for Adam to be “mentoring” anyone, but he has more stage presence than all of this year’s contestants combined and he certainly knows what they’re going through being on the show. It feels a little like stunt casting trying to lure last season’s viewers into investing in this season, but there definitely have been less relevant, less helpful mentors in the past. At least he was honest and constructive, and I genuinely think he helped the contestants be more interesting on stage this week.

The show got off to an inadvertently hilarious start as Ryan Seacrest was chatting with Adam in the audience. In true self-deprecating, open-mouth-insert-foot Seacrest fashion, Ryan glibly told Adam, “My tongue is not nearly as talented as yours.” *cue the homosexual jokes* The awkward pause and accompanying confused facial expressions afterward were the highlight of the show for me. (Ryan’s snarky Dunkleman joke was a close second) Thanks for the laughs, Ry! Now on to the performances…

1. Crystal – “Saved” – This is a good song choice for her and the arrangement was great. I love the bedazzled guitar, but I don’t love how she mumbles when she looks at said bedazzled guitar.
2. Lee – “A Little Less Conversation” – I really love his raspy voice. He showed more personality, but unfortunately he messed up the words.
3. Casey – “Laudy Miss Claudy” – Honestly I’m not sure where to rank this. I liked it, but I’m totally biased because he’s hot. I can’t be objective where Casey is concerned.
4. Mike – “In the Ghetto” – His voice is consistently good, but I’m not sure if this will be enough to win over the voters. It wasn’t anything we haven’t seen before.
5. Katie – “Baby What Do You Want Me to Do?” – I’m glad she took Adam’s advice and put more personality into it. I wouldn’t have expected her to choose a song like this.
6. Tim – “I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” – This is good song choice for him and he made some interesting changes to the melody changes. There were a few flat notes though.
7. Siobhan – “Suspicious Minds” – Something about the first half of this bothered me but I’m not really sure what; I liked the second half better. Unfortunately her shrill note came back.
8. Aaron – “Blue Suede Shoes” – This was totally the wrong song for him. He thinks he’s better than he is. I really want him to go away like 3 weeks ago.
9. Andrew – “Houndog” – I liked the arrangement, but it was still boring. Walking around carrying the mic doesn’t make a performance interesting.
   

I think Aaron and Andrew’s time is up, but who knows if the rest of America agrees with me. Tune in Wednesday at 9:55 pm to find out.

- Angela Pasquinelli

what to watch tonight: Wednesday the 14th.

TiVo SEASON PASS:
America's Next Top Model (8p, CW)
Modern Family (9p, ABC)
Ugly Betty (10p, ABC)
Top Chef Masters (10p, Bravo)

Make sure to watch Ugly Betty tonight! It's the series finale, and my friends Voxhaul Broadcast have a song in the episode! Keep your ears open! :)

what to watch tonight: Monday the 12th + Conan news.

Word on the street is...... Conan will have a new late night show on TBS this November. Seems odd. I think the only thing I watch on TBS are Friends re-runs. Are they going for a network makeover with this Late Night addition? Hm.. poor Conan. I just don't see this being IT for him.

Read more here.

TiVO TONIGHT:
Life Unexpected (8p, CW)
Gossip Girl (9p, CW)
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson - Tim Gunn is a guest! (12:35a, CBS)

what to watch this weekend

SUNDAY'S PREMIERES:
Brandy & Ray J: A Family Business (9p, VH1)
The Tudors (9p, Showtime)
Basketball Wives (10p, VH1)
What Chili Wants (10:30p, VH1)

what to watch tonight: Thursday the 8th.

TiVo SEASON PASS:
Community (8p, NBC)
The Office (9p, NBC)
30 Rock (9:30p, NBC)
Real Housewives of NYC (10p, Bravo)
Project Runway at (10p, Lifetime)
Watch What Happens Live (12a, Bravo)

what to watch tonight: Wednesday the 7th.

TONIGHT'S PREMIERES:
Top Chef Masters (11p, Bravo)
The Challenge: Fresh Meat II (10p, MTV)

TiVo SEASON PASS:
America's Next Top Model (8p, CW)
Shear Genius (10p, Bravo)
Modern Family (9p, ABC)
Ugly Betty (10p, ABC)

what to watch tonight: Tuesday the 6th.

TiVO SEASON PASS:
90210 (8p, CW)
American Idol (8p, FOX) *
Lost (9p, ABC) *
Millionaire Matchmaker (10p, Bravo)
Parenthood (10p, NBC)

* friend/family pick.

what to watch tonight: Monday the 5th.

TONIGHT'S SPECIALS:
Christian Siriano: Having a Moment (10p, Bravo)

TONIGHT'S PREMIERES:
Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood (10p, Oxygen)

TiVO SEASON PASS:
Life Unexpected (8p, CW)
Gossip Girl (9p, CW)

Last Night: Real Housewives of NYC

Last night on Real Housewives of NYC, it was break-ups and make-ups, and mostly major hang-ups. It's becoming almost impossible to keep track of all these frenemies. Is it time to declare that the New York housewives are at war? If so, we're going to need a scorekeeper.

A trip to Brooklyn to choose a favorite new designer turned into a repeat offender for Kelly and Bethenny. But before Ramona could unzip her front-zipper dress, the women were offering hugs and air kisses, and moving forward. Our favorite housewife moderator, Alex, couldn't have said it better: "We managed to have drama and pick fashion." But these tiffs seem to be the bottomless bread basket that is the appetizer to our main course.

The real dish of last night was the jaw-dropping phone call between Jill and Bethenny. Unlike her "good make-up sex" with Kelly earlier in the episode, Bethenny's anxiety-provoking phone call to Jill only made matters worse. Quick recap: Jill is mad at Bethenny for not being there for her while Bobby was sick, and Bethenny is mad at Jill for not responding to her e-mail. Or was it for responding too much? Either way, Bethenny had wanted Jill to "get a hobby", and it seems that Jill just won't let that go. She says her new hobby is her family, but we wonder if it might also be chats with Perez Hilton. Only time will tell.

Next week it looks like Bethenny and Jill will get some face time. Are air kisses in their future? It would be rather satisfying to see Jill and Bethenny back together again. Anger like that could really only stem from love, right? Jill says they're done. I hope that's not the case. How are we to choose between Team Jill and Team Bethenny?

what to watch tonight: Thursday the 1st.

TiVo SEASON PASS:
Community (8p, NBC)
The Office (9p, NBC)
30 Rock (9:30p, NBC)
Real Housewives of NYC (10p, Bravo)
Project Runway at (10p, Lifetime)
Watch What Happens Live (12a, Bravo)

what to watch tonight: Wednesday the 31st.

TiVo SEASON PASS:
America's Next Top Model (8p, CW)
Shear Genius (10p, Bravo)
Modern Family (9p, ABC)
Ugly Betty (10p, ABC)

Guest Blogger: Angela on American Idol - the top 10 - R&B/Soul

I didn’t blog about last week’s results show because it was so awful. From the cheesiest group performance ever (Wham’s “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go”) to the Joe Jonas/Demi Lavato shout-fest to Paige’s 3-weeks-too-late elimination, it was one of the most painful Idol episodes ever and one that should be quickly forgotten. So let’s move on to this week! Based on the contestants’ previous lackluster and dated song selections, I didn’t have high hopes for R&B/soul week. A few of the contestants proved me wrong, but unfortunately most were boring yet again.

1. Lee – “Treat Her Like A Lady” – His best performance to date! This was a great song for him, definitely the stand out of the night.
2. Crystal – “Midnight Train to Georgia” – A little sleepy but she’s consistently good. I liked her piano playing.
3. Casey – “Hold On I’m Coming” – He sounded great though I don’t love the song; it’s too repetitive. Love the red guitar.
4. Mike – “Ready For Love” – The song was boring but he sounded good.
5. Andrew – “Forever” – A contemporary song! Nice arrangement; decent vocals. I think he saved himself.
6. Didi – “What Becomes of the Broken Hearted” – I didn’t like the last 10 seconds but the rest was good. I probably would have liked it more if the arrangement was different. Ryan definitely pushed the personal questions too much; I think he has a crush on her.
7. Katie – “Chain of Fools” – Parts were good; parts were sharp. Pretty good song choice.
8. Siobhan – “Through The Fire” – I like her singing a toned down song again, but as usual the high notes were off key. Love the hair; hate the boots.
9. Aaron – “Ain’t No Sunshine” – Bad idea to sing one of Kris Allen’s signature songs from last season. He was off key most of the time too. Go away, Aaron.
10. Tim – “Sweet Love” – Total snooze fest. He needed to be gone a month ago.

I would love for Tim or Aaron to be eliminated this week; honestly, I think they’re the only ones who deserve it. Unfortunately people keep voting for them, though Tim was in the bottom 2 last week so maybe there’s hope. Didi could be in danger because of the negative feedback from the judges, though she’s one of my overall faves. I hope people voted to save her!

Regardless of who is eliminated this week, in general the contestants need to step up their game. The past couple of weeks have verged on disastrous. C’mon people, you’re supposed to be ENTERTAINING. You don’t have to wear 5 inch platform shoes or throw yourself on the floor, but at least do something memorable. Maybe Adam Lambert’s theatrics spoiled us last year? God willing, the future themes will allow for more song variety, although with the way these contestants have been picking songs, the themes might not matter. They’ll end up choosing the lamest songs available anyway. My future requests: no ballads (at least for one week) & no songs older than the contestants. How about songs on the current Billboard Hot 100 chart? Or songs that won Grammys this year? Or songs by former Idol contestants? That could be all kinds of awesome/torture, right? Imagine the possibilities: Casey and Lee taking on David Cook or Daughtry, Siobhan doing Kelly Clarkson, Katie trying country via Carrie Underwood or Kellie Pickler, Didi covering Kris Allen (she already did Katharine McPhee’s song “Terrified” in Hollywood), or even Crystal singing something by Jordin Sparks or David Archuletta. Lots of former Idols, not just the winners and hit-makers, have released albums so the possibilities really are endless. Note to Idol producers: don’t miss this opportunity to toot your own horn and remind us why we’ve loved the show in the past – truly talented performers.

Do you have any ideas for themes? Can you think of any former Idols' songs that would suit this season's contestants? Other suggestions to bring a spark to this bland season? Inquiring (and bored) minds want to know.

- Angela Pasquinelli

what to watch tonight: Tuesday the 30th.

TONIGHT'S PREMIERES:
My First Home (8p, TLC)
Little Chocolatiers (10p, TLC)
V (10p, ABC)
Future Food (10p, Planet Green)
Law & Order: Criminal Intent (10p, USA)

TiVO SEASON PASS:
90210 (8p, CW)
Millionaire Matchmaker (10p, Bravo)
Parenthood (10p, NBC)

what to watch tonight: Monday the 29th.

TONIGHT'S PREMIERES:
Disaster Date (6p, MTV)
10 Things I Hate About You (8p, ABC Family)
Saving Grace (10p, TNT)

TiVO SEASON PASS:
Life Unexpected (8p, CW)
Gossip Girl (9p, CW)
Kell on Earth (10p, Bravo)

what to watch tonight: Thursday the 25th.

TiVo SEASON PASS:
Community (8p, NBC)
The Office (9p, NBC)
30 Rock (9:30p, NBC)
Real Housewives of NYC (10p, Bravo)
Project Runway at (10p, Lifetime)
Watch What Happens Live (12a, Bravo)

Guest Blogger: Chris on Breaking Bad premiere

Who is Breaking Bad?

Walter White, played by Bryan Cranston (Malcom In The Middle, Little Miss Sunshine), is a father, husband, high school chemistry teacher, cancer patient, and methamphetamine cook. Jesse Pinkman, played by Aaron Paul, is Walt's side kick, but not in a Sancho Panza sort of
way; more like what John Steinbeck's character Lennie Small is to George Milton. Jesse has terrible luck, coupled with drug addiction and the resulting poor decision making skills. But regardless, Walt needs him, and by the end of season 2, we saw the business relationship transition into a father-son-like bond. Throughout the series, the name "Heisenberg" will come up, which is Walt's alias, and also his increasingly popular name on the streets, and unfortunately for him, in the DEA's office, which happens to be where his brother-in-law is a lead investigator.

What is Breaking Bad?
Well, to "break bad" is to flip sides, from good to bad, usually inspired by a traumatic or desperate experience. Walter is motivated by his financial state of course. He is a gifted chemist, who had the opportunity years ago to sell out and make millions, but instead he decided to teach high school students. Money is tight in the White household, and early in season 1 we found out Walt's wife, Skyler, is pregnant, and Walt was diagnosed with lung cancer. Time to cook! By the end of season 2, Walt and Jesse brought in close to $1 million in profits, and with more debts to pay, don't expect the success of the "meth cook out" to cease anytime soon.

When and where is Breaking Bad?
The show airs on Sundays at 10pm on AMC, and for those of you who missed the premiere, it is available to watch online, at AMCtv.com. AMC has been hot lately, with Breaking Bad's popularity quickly growing, and their Emmy award winner for best drama, Mad Men.

- Chris Caselas

what to watch tonight: Wednesday the 24th.

TONIGHT'S PREMIERES:
Fly Girls (9pm, CW)

TiVo SEASON PASS:
America's Next Top Model (8p, CW)
Shear Genius (10p, Bravo)
Modern Family (9p, ABC)
Ugly Betty (10p, ABC)

Guest Blogger: Angela on American Idol - the top 11 - Billboard #1's

Apparently this week’s theme was changed only a few days ago. Personally I would have rather seen what the contestants could do with the original theme, teen idols, because I think it presents more of a challenge than the very broad, very safe Billboard #1’s. Yawn. In previous seasons the contestants have struggled with such a generic theme; they don’t know what songs to choose or how to present themselves and end up looking foolish. For the most part this year’s contestants had the same problem, unfortunately: dated, awkward song choices and silly performances. Teen idol songs couldn’t have been any worse, could they? Let’s start with the few contestants who were successful and work our way down:

1. Casey – “The Power of Love” –Maybe I’m blinded by the pretty eyes and the cute smile, but damn, this dude is good! Good song choice, good vocals, improved stage presence. He could still loosen up more: widen the stance, bend the knees, arch the back. Then he’d be perfect!
2. Crystal – “Me and Bobby McGee” – She consistently delivers and is one of the only contestants this season who really knows who she is as an artist.
3. Michael – “When a Man Loves a Woman” – Another solid performance. Perfect song choice for him.
4. Didi – “You’re No Good” – I think she could have chosen a better song, but she sounded good.
5. Siobhan – “Superstition” – I liked it until the shrieking at the end. She really needs to stop that, but she won’t if the judges keep praising her.
6. Lee – “The Letter” – Nothing compares with the Carly Smithson/Michael Johns’ version of this song. Lee showed some personality and his vocals were improved, more raspy and less nasally. I just don’t think it was the ideal song choice for him.
7. Tim – “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” – Starting with the mic stand was a mistake, but he quickly remedied that (the stage slide was a bit much though). He sounded good throughout the performance.
8. Katie – “Big Girls Don’t Cry” – The only contemporary song of the night! This was by far Katie’s best song choice to date. Some notes were sharp, but overall decent job.
9. Andrew – “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” – This wasn’t the right arrangement for him. The song choice would have been ok if he’d done a stripped down version. The vocals were mediocre and the movements were awkward.
10. Aaron – “Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing” – Miley might think he has a great voice, but he definitely doesn’t have the power to pull off this song. Listen to David Cook and Allison Iraheta’s versions from previous seasons to hear how it should be done.
11. Paige – “Against All Odds” – This was out of tune from the very beginning, almost as horrible as “Smile” a few weeks ago.

Paige was by far the worst of the night. Unless she gets a ton of sympathy votes (which saved her before), she’s a goner. It’ll actually be a travesty if someone else goes home instead. Andrew may be at risk as well; he’s talented and I want him to stay, but he’s not connecting with the songs, the judges, or the audience. I wouldn’t mind seeing Aaron go instead, though I’m sure his fans and the judges’ praise will keep him safe.

As much as I love Casey and Didi, let’s face it: this is a two horse race. Crystal and Michael are the definite frontrunners. As long as the audience doesn’t get bored with their awesomeness, one of them should win the whole thing. But I’m not-so-secretly hoping Casey or Didi sneaks in instead.

- Angela Pasquinelli

what to watch tonight: Tuesday the 23rd.

TiVO SEASON PASS:
90210 (8p, CW)
Millionaire Matchmaker (10p, Bravo)
Parenthood (10p, NBC)

last night: Gossip Girl

So I'm very happy that Jenny didn't lose her virginity last night! She is a sweet girl and she should save herself for someone she really cares about. Someone like Nate.

And I have a feeling the writers are with me on the Nate and Jenny train. "It's not like you're available," little J said to Nate last night during his wait-talk. I'm calling foreshadow.

In other relationship status news:

• Rufus & Lily can't deny their love. Yes.
  
• Dan & Vanessa can't deny their love. Yes.
• Blair & Chuck need to step it up.

xo.

what to watch tonight: Monday the 22nd.

TONIGHT'S PREMIERES:
Dancing with the Stars (8p, ABC)
Nurse Jackie (10p, Showtime)
United States of Tara (10:30p, Showtime)

TiVO SEASON PASS:
Life Unexpected (8p, CW)
Gossip Girl (9p, CW)
Kell on Earth (10p, Bravo)

Bloggers wanted!

Did anyone watch any of these premieres over the weekend? If so, please e-mail me or comment below!

• Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane (Style, Sunday at 9p)
• Jerseylicious (Style, Sunday at 10p)
• Gene Simmons Family Jewels (A&E, Sunday at 9p)
• Kirstie Alley's Big Life (A&E, Sunday at 10p)
• Breaking Bad (AMC, Sunday at 10p)
  

Guest blogger: Angela on American Idol Top 12 Results

I'll keep this short and (hopefully) sweet: the wrong person went home, but I never expected Lacey to win and I didn't think she was save-worthy. By far the highlight of the night was David Cook's performance of Jumpin Jack Flash. That man is a rockstar! This year's contestants can only hope to someday be half as great as Cookie. Neither Kesha nor Orianthi were very impressive, but I like their songs on the radio. Next week's theme is rumored to be "teen idols." I'm hoping to hear some Backstreet Boys!

-Angela Pasquinelli


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Guest Blogger: Angela on American Idol - the top 12 - Rolling Stones theme

The thought of the American Idol contestants singing Rolling Stones songs made me cringe for two reasons: (1) I’m not a Stones fan and (2) I didn’t think the wanna-be pop stars could do their rock songs justice. With that said, I was relatively impressed with how well the contestants did. Some were mediocre, but few were horrible. This is how I ranked the top 12 (with a few fashion police comments I couldn’t resist typing):

1. Casey – “It’s All Over Now” – I was surprised he sounded so great. I love the raspy tone he used. Way to go Casey! Just loosen up a little on stage next time.
2. Crystal – “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” – This was more understated than I was expecting, but she sounded great, as always.
3. Siobhan – “Paint It Black” – She’s the only contestant who could pull this off because she’s dramatic and campy, like Adam Lambert last season (I typed that before Kara said it, I swear!). I still think her “high notes” are just screams though. Nice hair and make up, cute dress, horrible shoes.
4. Lee – “Beast of Burden” – I don’t know what the original sounds like but I enjoyed Lee’s version. He sounded very contemporary, but I still think his voice is too nasally. Love his gray leather jacket.
5. Michael – “Miss You” – This soulful rendition worked well for Mike. It wasn’t pitch perfect, but it was better than I expected.
6. Didi – “Playing with Fire” – I liked Didi’s tougher attitude. Unfortunately she seemed to stumble over the words a little. Her voice sounded good except for the one sharp high note.
7. Lacey – “Ruby Tuesday” – Lacey has a cool voice but it doesn’t suit a huge variety of songs. She was decent but boring. WTF was she wearing?
8. Paige – “Honky Tonk Woman” – Her lower register is flat; her upper register is good. I liked parts and hated parts.
9. Katie – “Wild Horses” – Call me stupid, but I didn’t even know this was a Stones song; I know a different version. The first part seemed too low for Katie, and there’s still something about her voice that isn’t doing it for me.
10. Andrew – “Gimme Shelter” –The song didn’t seem to fit his personality at all. The vocals were a little flat and the whole thing was awkward.
11. Tim – “Under My Thumb” – The only part I liked was the brief acoustic bridge. The reggae vibe was lame. Bad decision. Tim reminds me of John Peter Lewis from season 3. I thought he was overrated too.
12. Aaron – “Angie” – The way Aaron sang “Anjay” really annoyed me. Parts were flat; all of it was boring. The judges are definitely hearing something I’m not. Aaron is the poor man’s David Archuletta IMO.

I would say that Aaron and Tim are at risk of going home, but I’ve thought that before and they’re still around, unfortunately. I guess they have fans somewhere! Maybe Andrew, Katie, Paige, Lacey, and Didi won’t get as many vote as the cute little boys. That would be sad, wouldn’t it? Last week I was way off; we’ll see how my predictions hold up on when the results are announced. Speaking of, this week’s results show is packed with hot artists: Kesha, Orianthi, and season 7 winner (and my all time favorite Idol contestant) David Cook. Sounds like an awesome show!

My personal highlight of the night: the extreme close-up of Ryan when he approached the judges’ table after Mike’s performance. Hello Mr. Seacrest! In general I like when Ryan steps in to defend/comfort the contestants, and the close-up shot was the icing on the cake. *swoon*

- Angela Pasquinelli

what to watch tonight: Tuesday the 16th.

TONIGHT'S PREMIERES:
Oxygen: Love Games: Bad Girls Need Love Too at 11p

TiVo SEASON PASS:
CW: 90210 at 8p
Bravo: Millionaire Matchmaker at 10p
NBC: Parenthood at 10p
Oxygen: Bad Girls Club at 10p [REUNION PART 1]

AND:
FOX: American Idol at 8p
ABC: Lost at 9p

Tonight: Gossip Girl's gold medal bad girl?

The eyeliner is creeping its way back in (with a side of bed head.)

Little J needs to wash those long locks! And if a shampoo-boycott isn't enough... In tonight's episode she tried to show her ultra rebellious side by convincing her drug-dealing not-a-boyfriend that her dad was all bark and no bite. "I ran away last year. I'm not afraid to stand up to him." Way to prove a point, bad ass. Running away for an episode only to return to your upper east side, private school girl lifestyle sure does scream naughty.