Big Sunday September 30 – Set The DVR – Premieres

Oh my, there are 6 shows premiering tonight.  I can’t decide which one I am the most excited about I guess Homeland and Revenge are tied for first, then The Good Wife (Kalinda’s husband!!!), Dexter and Once Upon a Time. Curiosity has me checking out 666 Park Avenue, that and Terry O’Quinn.

 Boardwalk Empire continues its third season tonight on HBO, do you like Bobby Canavale’s performance, so far I think it is too one dimensional psycho gangster. He needs some depth and a backstory. 

Thank goodness I get the east cost feeds for Showtime and HBO, I get to see Dexter at 6pm instead of 9pm and Homeland at 7pm instead of 10pm.

The Mentalist season premiere is tonight at 10pm on CBS and Fox’s Sunday night line up returns starting at 9pm.

Homeland

Episode: The Smile

A former asset threatens Carrie’s peace; Brody learns Nazir may not be happy with a nonviolent approach; Dana lets a secret slip

Revenge

Episode: Destiny

With the ante even higher after last summer’s events in the Hamptons, Emily must plan her next move.

The Good Wife

Episode: I Fought the Law

A state trooper targets Zach, putting Alicia on the offensive; Kalinda decides to face her problems; Diane and Will explore the firm’s financial issues.

Dexter

Episode: Are You …?

Deb tries to cover up involvement in Travis’ murder; Detective Mike Anderson has an unfortunate run-in; Quinn and Batista make amends; LaGuerta rethinks the Bay Harbor Butcher

Once Upon a Time

Episode: Broken

As fairytale characters awaken from Queen Regina’s curse, they are not transported back to their home; Prince Phillip and his traveling companion realize they will be facing a deadly foe.

666 Park Avenue

Episode: Pilot

Jane and Henry are offered a chance to manage a premier apartment building in New York; while the couple is seduced by the intoxicating lifestyle of the Upper East Side, supernatural forces in the building make Henry and Jane question their decision.

Boardwalk Empire

Episode: Bone for Tuna

Nucky reluctantly joins Margaret to receive a high honor from the church; Gyp makes a one-time deal with Nucky; Van Alden regrets trying to socialize; Margaret pitches her women’s clinic; Lucky and Meyer protect their investments.

The Mentalist

Episode: The Crimson Ticket

As Jane tries to determine Lorelei’s (Emmanuelle Chriqui) connection to Red John, the team and the FBI collaborate on an investigation into the murder of a hotel employee.

 

 

 

Related articles

• ‘The Good Wife’ Premiere Sneak Peek: Kalinda Receives A Visitor (the1tvjunkie.com)
• ‘The Good Wife’ Shares First Three Minutes of Season 4 Premiere (aceshowbiz.com)

Boardwalk Empire – Under The Boardwalk

The third season of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire opens on New Year’s Eve 1923, the roaring 20’s are in full swing and prohibition is a gangster’s best friend. It’s hard to believe that the stock market crash is a mere 6 years away.  Nucky’s new adversary is Gyp Rosetti played by the wonderful Bobby Cannavale, if the premiere is a promise of things to come we are in for one heck of a season. Just like Joe Pesci in Goodfellas, don’t tell Gyp he makes you laugh, or offer to help him change a tire.

It is also clear, if it wasn’t when Nicky killed Jimmy at the end of last season in the first ten minutes of this season when he confronts Nate the thief, that Nucky is in full on gangster mode, no ambiguity, no questions.  

Margaret continues to assert her independence, even as she plays dutiful wife to the man she continues to grow apart from and despises.  At the end of last season she signed over his highway windfall to the catholic church. This season she is using his money to fund a project at St. Theresa’s Hospital, that will educate women about pre-natal care. Margaret started down an interesting road last year, I hope her character continues to grow and develop in this direction.

There are several references made to Carrie Duncan, who is attempting to fly solo across the country.  Obviously the men think she should stay home and serve her husband. Given that women are currently under attack in this in country by narrow minded men its no coincidence we have this bit of  business. Women only got the right to vote in 1920, that’s less than a 100 years ago ladies.

Al Capone and the Chicago crew have their hands full with territory issues and solve their problems the good old fashion way.

Nucky and Margaret throw an elaborate Egyptian themed New Year’s Eve Party, where we are introduced to Nucky’s new girlfriend Billie.  I want to be invited to Nucky’s next party he gives the best gifts, diamond jewelery for all his guests.  The big news, Nucky is only selling to Rothstein, if anyone wants to buy they need to go to Rothstein. Gyp is not happy with this change, he calls Nucky a bread stick in a suit. Which is actually pretty funny, if he wasn’t so scary.

The greatest changes come in the form of Eli and Van Alden, both men shells of their former selves. Much credit is due to the actors who portray these characters, Shea Whigham and Michael Shannon. Both have fallen so far over the last two seasons, and their despair is made more real by their portrayer.  In a scene out of the Godfather, when Michael makes an innocent pretend to be a made guy, Van Alden walks into a flower shop where Capone is about to whack O’Banyon. O’Banyon makes Capone think Van Alden’s sample case is a weapon. It works and Capone is scared off, O’Banyon offers Van Alden a job. Van Alden loses the sales contest, so we all know he is going to the gangster for work. Way to bring him back in the action and the character full circle.

Gillian, Jimmy’s mother portrayed by Gretchen Mol, gives me the creeps, even before we found out she molested her son, she made my skin crawl.  Having her raise Jimmy and Angela’s son fills me with fear for that child, I can only hope that with Richard around he becomes the childs protector and perhaps he has to kill Gillian before the season is out to protect the child. Gillian has started a business, a brothel, what else would we expect.

Richard, sure he has killed 60 men, but somehow that doesn’t seem to bother me, he has become my favorite character on the show. Certainly the most sympathetic and likeable, I just want to hug him and make him feel better.  Richard is looking out for Jimmy’s son, keeping the memories of his parents alive, much to Gillian’s chagrin. Richard kills Manny Horvitz and his driver as revenge for killing Angela last season.

And of course my favorite gangster of them all Arnold Rothstein, played by the brilliant Michael Stuhlbarg. If you don’t belive me all you need to to is compare his work in Boardwalk with his work in Men In Black 3, unless you knew his name you would have no idea this was the same man.

This show has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to the talent, there isn’t a weak link in this chain.

This promises to be a great season, even darker than the last two, and I couldn’t be more excited that Nucky and the crew are back.

Related articles

• ‘Boardwalk Empire’ treads water as new season begins (sacbee.com)
• Boardwalk Empire: Is Nucky Ready to Be a Real Gangster? (seattlepi.com)

Once Upon A Time, Homeland, The Amazing Race, Sunday 11/27 What You Should Watch

Top Spot

Once Upon A Time

Second

Homeland and Boardwalk Empires, both shows are building to climatic season finales. Who will live, who will die, who is a spy watch and find out.

Hallmark Hall of Fame is back on CBS with Mitch Albom’s ” Have a Little Faith“, starring Bradley Whitford, Laurence Fishburne and Martin Landau. Albom is the man responsible for “Tuesday’s with Morrie’s”. 

Once Upon a Time

Episode: That Still Small Voice

Sheriff Graham makes Emma a deputy; a sinkhole appears at the edge of town; in fairytale world, Jiminy wants to leave the family business.

Homeland

Episode: Crossfire

Brody relives his captivity; Carrie is in the middle of a public relations nightmare.

 

Boardwalk Empire

Episode: Georgia Peaches

Jimmy tries to cultivate a new revenue stream; the Commodore’s crew must deal with the city’s striking workers; Nucky gets a new lawyer; Van Alden’s future is uncertain.

 

Dexter

Episode: Get Gellar

Dexter gets help from an unexpected source; Debra learns something about herself in therapy.

 

 

The Amazing Race

Episode: Release the Brake! (Brussels, Belgium)

The contestants take a thrilling test drive and try to make traditional Belgian waffles.

 

Mitch Albom’s Have a Little Faith(2011)

Cleric Henry Covington and Rabbi Albert Lewis profoundly affect the life of writer Mitch Albom. Based on a book by Mitch Albom.

Laurence Fishburne, Bradley Whitford, Anika Noni Rose, Martin Landau, Jon Avnet

Listings courtesy of Zap2IT

 

Related articles

• Sunday TV Picks: ‘Mitch Albom’s Have a Little Faith’ (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Have a Little Faith to air Sunday, November 27 (Hallmark Hall of Fame) (sisterrose.wordpress.com)
• Have a little faith in Fishburne (waltbrite.wordpress.com)
• NOOK Daily Find! For One More Day by Mitch Albom for $2.99! (randomizeme.wordpress.com)

Sunday – What I am watching

Sunday is turning out to be a very busy TV night, Dexter, Homeland, The Good Wife, BoardWalk Empire, Pan Am and now Once Upon A Time.

Once Upon a Time gets the top spot, it is premiering tonight. I saw the pilot and I am in, great idea, good execution, I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds.

Listings courtesy of Zap2it

Once Upon a Time

Episode: Pilot

PREMIERE

Emma’s life turns upside down when she is visited by Henry, the 10-year-old child she long ago gave up for adoption; Emma brings Henry back to his foster mother in a strange town called Storybrooke.

The Good Wife

Episode: Marthas and Caitlins

Alicia’s key witness commits suicide, forcing her to turn to Colin Sweeney (Dylan Baker) for help; Eli takes action on Peter’s behalf.

Boardwalk Empire

Episode: Gimcrack & Bunkum

Nucky introduces a surprise guest speaker at a dedication for war veterans; Eli questions his allegiances; Nucky gets a new lawyer; Jimmy learns a lesson; Richard goes hunting.

Dexter

Episode: A Horse of a Different Color

Dexter leans on Brother Sam during a crisis of faith; Debra gives her first press conference on the new serial killer.

Homeland

Episode: Semper I

Brody’s erratic behavior threatens his status with the media; Carrie is desperate for evidence against Brody.

Pan Am

Episode: One Coin in a Fountain

Kate discovers the man she and Maggie have been competing for is involved in her next mission; Dean puts his career at risk when an attractive passenger tempts him.

 

 

Related articles

• Dylan Baker Returning to The Good Wife (omg.yahoo.com)

Sunday – What to Watch

This is what I am watching tonight, how about you? Episode descriptions complements of www.zap2it.com

The Good Wife – CBS – 9pm EST (could be delayed because of football)

Alicia takes on a pro bono case where a witness becomes the prime
suspect; Diane and Will ponder the future of the firm.

Boardwalk Empire – HBO 9pm EST –

Nucky considers a risky legal maneuver; Jimmy and Mickey head to
Philadelphia; Eli worries about the Commodore’s ability to lead; Chalky is
cornered at work and at home; Van Alden’s agents target Mickey’s warehouse;
Richard lets down his guard.

Dexter – Showtime – 9pm EST –

A serial killer from Dexter’s past returns and Debra is
uncomfortable in her new job.

Homeland – Showtime – 10pm EST –

The Brody family prepares for a television interview; Carrie’s
team closes in on an Al Qaeda plot.

Honorable Mention

The Amazing Race, Pan Am and The Walking Dead

What are you watching and why, if you make a strong case for your show perhaps I will make room on the DVR.