This Week on My TV: November 22, 2014

Disclaimer: Consider the fact that there could be spoilers ahead. You read at your own risk!



**(Once Upon a Time, S4E6 "Family Business") They tried to make Belle look younger in that opening scene. They...failed. She just looked like the same old adult Belle, just in an awkward and uncomfortable way. -- Hmmm. Another tie to Arendelle. Belle was determined to go there in an effort to restore her memory of what happened to her mother when the ogre attacked them. -- Whoa! Elsa had another dress in Arendelle, in the past! -- LOL: Regina called Hook "Captain Guyliner." -- Anna [to Belle, in Arendelle]: I couldn't help overhearing...actually, I could, but I'm just naturally curious. ... Well, that was one of the most honest statements ever. -- Anna [to a young Belle, in Arendelle, about Rumplestiltskin]: I just pray you never cross paths with that twisted man. ... ::snort:: I love the irony this show tosses around. -- Well, that poses quite a conundrum for Gold. If Belle has the real dagger, Gold has to obey her command to help find the Snow Queen. If Belle doesn't have the real dagger, he either has to admit it or pretend that she does. Magic comes with a price, but so does deceit. -- All right then. I guess it's true that the Snow Queen, Ingrid, really was Anna and Elsa's mother's sister. Or one of them anyway. And whatever this hereditary magic is that Ingrid and Elsa share, Elsa's mother feared it enough to want it taken from Elsa. Now, what happened to the missing sister? -- Yikes. The Snow Queen's mirror is a terrifying nightmare. Is it exposing the truth or the reflector's worst fears? -- Everyone has secrets: Belle knew Anna. Ingrid won't say what happened to the missing third sister, Helga. Gold is keeping the dagger from Belle. Anna didn't want Elsa to know what she learned about their parents' journey. -- The Snow Queen is trying to reconstruct her perfect family, using Elsa and Emma, and then cast a terrible spell on Storybrooke that will make them turn on one other. That is rather sinister and creepy!

**(The Good Wife, S6E8 "Red Zone") I kind of wonder how sincere Prady is about running a clean campaign, clear of negativity. -- That scene when Cary is walking down the hall, toward his apartment, following the possibility that Bishop might have ordered a hit on him, was shot perfectly. It conveyed the feelings exactly how I would imagine feeling them. Trepidation. Getting more and more inside my own head, freaking myself out. Escalating to near terror. -- Alicia [to Peter about him sleeping with Ramona, and its effect on her campaign and his potential re-election]: Zip up your pants, shut your mouth, and stop banging the help. -- Alicia needs to stop toying with Finn's emotions. He's a decent guy. -- You are a dirty, loathsome, unforgivable dog, Peter Florrick. I don't care what your "agreement" with Alicia is. Insisting there's nothing going on and then making out with Ramona? Despicable. -- OMG, the campaign ads. The DINO. "Who is Alicia in bed with now?" I wish it were parody on real life, but they so often start to feel that ridiculous. -- Speaking of the DINO (Democrat in Name Only) ad, man, that felt exactly like a Charlie Crist ad, which you probably only appreciate if you live in Florida, but anyway. -- If Prady got divorced ten years ago, why does he still wear a wedding band?

**(2 Broke Girls, S4E3 "And the Childhood Not Included") Should have known this show wasn't capable of two legitimately funny episodes in a row. -- Things that were not funny: Max not knowing how to ride a bike and her injured lady parts. Oleg's...issues. Han mocking Max and Oleg. That weird yarn woman. -- This was a "three ew" episode. Or is it four? One "ew" was actually an "ew, EW!" -- How many times do they think dropping items out from the girls' skirts is going to be funny? (Hint: Zero, though they've now tried that bit two episodes in a row.)

**(Person of Interest, S4E8 "Point of Origin") Oh the sweet humor of irony: While conducting a tactical training exercise, Reese is kneecapped (via paint ball). -- It's really stressing me out that Shaw's cover is very likely blown. -- This week's number, Dani Silva, looks like she could be Shaw's younger sister. -- I can't believe both Shaw and Fusco fell asleep while they were on a stakeout! -- I wonder if watching Reese in action will redefine his "hero complex" for his therapist? -- How did it take the crew so long to realize Mini *is* Dominic?? I figured out Mini was a nickname for Dominic almost right after we first met him. -- That Martine chick who works for Greer/Samaritan kept popping up as various other characters while executing her mission to find Shaw and I kept being slow on the uptake in recognizing her. -- LOL: The swarm of deviants on the Samaritan camera when the alarm alerted all the gang members to gather at the abandoned school headquarters. -- Silva [as they prepare to jump into a pool to escape the Brotherhood]: What about the dog? Reese: He's scuba certified. -- Dominic is far more intelligent than he first appeared. That's dangerous. -- With all the possible numbers in the city, what are the odds of Elias getting flagged twice? There isn't enough room for Elias and The Brotherhood in this city. -- AHHHHH!! Martine found Shaw!! This is the kind of cliffhanger that's bad for my blood pressure!

**(About a Boy, S2E5 "About an Angry Ex") Will: My problems always go away. I'm like Teflon. Nothing sticks. -- LOL: Will is being sued by his stalker. -- Question I actually asked during this episode: Is Marcus wearing a flower sweater?? (Of course he is.) -- That Pilates studio was so terrifying, it serves as an unneeded reminder of why that's something I have no desire to participate in.

**(The Middle, S6E7 "Thanksgiving VI") Floor sink + tiny table = Hecks Thanksgiving out! Because that won't find a way to turn into a disaster. Heh. -- Frankie: They used to be my pregnancy pants. Now they're my holiday pants. ... That was totally done by Friends in 2001. Remember Joey's eating pants aka Phoebe's old maternity pants? -- Frankie: Don't take it personally. Your dad likes us and that's about it. And some days not even us. -- Poor Darrin. He's so sweet and sincere, even if he is simpleminded. -- Mike's murderous reaction to being birthdayed at the restaurant? Exactly the way I feel about that horror show of being the center of embarrassing attention. -- Calling it right now: Axl's going to be smitten with Devin Levin.

**(Scandal, S4E7 "Baby Made a Mess") I'm curious what it's going to mean for Mellie that she heard Fitz on the phone with Olivia. -- Even though I totally saw it coming, Jeremy Winslow shooting himself in the head, I always jump a mile. But what can't Quinn stop from coming that involves photos of Olivia and results in the murder of two young girls and Jeremy Winslow taking his life?? -- That Senator scandal video was disturbing on so many levels. SO many. -- I love Huck's relationship with his son, heartbreaking as it is. -- For the first time I can ever remember, I feel sympathetic toward Abby. I cannot imagine her horror in finding out Fitz is endorsing her abusive ex-husband. -- I'm glad to see two things: a) That Liv is a good friend. And b) With that "watch me" she gave Abby, Olivia Pope is *back*. -- Please tell me that with Cyrus setting a trap for Lizzie Bear and Michael, that he's smart enough to wait longer than 24 hours to see if it pans out. -- David: I've been Poped and I don't know it. -- Interesting move by Liv to show up at super max to see Tom, not Jake, and even more interesting exchange. I'm thinking she was in no way prepared for Tom admiring her beauty and questioning her about why she left Fitz, telling her how he fell apart. -- Olivia ran a brilliant ad for Susan Ross, narrated by her daughter and nailing all the emotion power points. -- Blah. That phone call between Olivia and Fitz was supposed to be steamy. I just found it distasteful. Team Jake. -- Leo is so yucky. So why is Abby making out with him?? -- I do feel bad for Cyrus. But he needed to know before it was too late. -- O. M. G. Liv had Tom attacked in prison, made him believe it was Rowan, and Tom confessed the truth! And now Fitz knows. The hornet's nest has officially been kicked.

**(The Big Bang Theory, S8E10 "The Champagne Reflection") Oh no! The finale of Fun With Flags? But Sheldon dressed up as Betsy Ross was pure comedy gold. Along with Sheldon in an old-fashioned bathing suit ("Stop looking at my legs!"). -- Roger Abbot. Roger Rabbit. Yep! Fun to say! -- Good for Penny, finally having some success with her new job. Not so good for Penny: whatever that is happening on her head. -- Finally! Someone called out Bernadette for being harsh. Thank you, Penny. -- Is Sheldon seriously recanting his Fun With Flags retirement? ::shakes head::

**(Modern Family, S6E8 "Three Turkeys") Can't decide which was more amusing: Manny unintentionally grabbing Haley's boob, Lily falling over backward when she tried to put on the backpack with Claire's backup turkey hidden inside, or Mitch standing in front of the drawing Lily made with Cam looking all kind and happy, while Mitchell has horns and a pitchfork...while holding a fork and perfectly lined up so it looked like the horns were on his actual head. Regardless, all the sneaking around and general hijinks made for a great episode.

**(Madam Secretary, S1E8 "Need to Know") Oh! I never even considered the repercussions Henry's NSA assignment could have on Elizabeth's position as Secretary of State and needing the trust of foreign diplomats. -- Elizabeth [on seeing Daisy's engagement ring]: That is some serious carbon! ... Of all the compliments I've heard on engagement rings, that is the most original. -- Tea Leone pulls off glasses well. -- I love the interaction of the McCord family. They nail it. Completely believable. Which is why it makes me so sad that their jobs are forcing Elizabeth and Henry to keep secrets from one another. -- It's probably a good thing Elizabeth can't see what Henry is up to, because it's stressing me the heck out and I'm not married to him. I don't care whether or not she's former CIA, he's still her *husband*. -- Elizabeth telling Isabelle and Julia that they are the only ones she can trust feels like an ominous warning that she can't maybe shouldn't trust one of them. I hope that isn't true. She needs at least a handful of people she can truly trust. -- I'd like to smack Daisy and Matt and their "methinks thou dost protest too much" interactions. Blake and his sarcasm, though? Heart him! -- Madam Secretary bringing it with the feelings. I totally teared up when Jim was reunited with his wife.

**(Last Man Standing, S4E9 "Changing Light Bulbs") Mike [to Vanessa, who is giving him a hard time about his not wanting to give up incandescent light bulbs]: I have a sixty year old truck and a thirty year old marriage. You should be happy that I'm stuck in my old ways. -- Chuck Larabee [when he catches Mike unscrewing the light bulb from the Larabees' front porch light]: Now we how many middle aged white dudes it takes to steal a light bulb. -- I wanna get bulbs! I hate those new bulbs. The light is so unpleasant. -- Chuck Larabbe [to Mike]: Let's break this down. You've got one kid shacking up, another with a baby daddy, and a third playing football. Your family's blacker than mine. -- Awwww. I do love that Kyle is genuinely so sweet. -- No vlog? Bummer. That's often the icing on the cake!

**(A to Z, S1E8 "H Is for Hostile Takeover") I totally write things down just to get them out. -- Oh, Zelda...what did you do?? That was horrible advice, telling Andrew to send Big Bird that email!-- The snappy banter between Andrew and Zelda is one of my favorite things on tv right now. -- Dinesh won first place in a stair climbing contest, what?! -- I liked the "moral of the story," that we're connected to the important people in our lives and these people influence us, our likes, our choices, and there's nothing wrong with that.

**(Mom, S2E4 "Forged Resumes and the Recommended Dosage") Ewwww: that whole "druken Violet" scene. Especially the cats. -- Christy and company sure help themselves to Marjorie's fridge like it belongs to them. -- Oh, poor Violet. She's a hurting mess. -- LOL: Bonnie's victory dance at finally landing a job. But given her flakiness, I'm wondering how long she'll be able to keep it?

**(Marry Me, S1E2 "Move Me") They've been together how long and are just now moving in together? I mean, sure, in real life, people wait, but it seems like on tv, they're living together before they've barely been on more than a dozen dates. -- How is Gil giving good relationship advice? -- Annie put curtains in what is rapidly becoming a clown car, with all the people "stopping by her new place"??

**(The McCarthys, S1E1 "Pilot") I feel like this show needs a few more episodes for me to decide where I stand. It's a little obnoxious and stereotypical Boston, but that could prove to be hilarious, if executed properly. And I do like Laurie Metcalf as Sheldon's mom on The Big Bang Theory. I'd like to see what she can do here. I also didn't notice any failed Boston accents that made me cringe. Exaggerated in some cases, of course, but that's par for the course on a sitcom.

**(Scandal, S4E8 "The Last Supper") Jake has every right to be pissy, but Fitz acting indignant is simply repulsive. I'm glad Jake rubbed it in Fitz's face that Olivia is a little more his and that they have inside jokes and phrases that mean something especially to them. And then, because Fitz is stewing in that, he demands Liv kiss him. Because it's always about what Fitz wants, no consideration for Olivia, what she wants, what she needs. Love doesn't act like that. Petulant children do. -- Fitz looks like they went heavy with the rose colored eye shadow in the makeup room for this episode. -- Mellie is sporting power red again. And acting it. Smelly Mellie, be gone! -- Speaking of eyes, even in various stages of healing, Jake's eyes are startlingly beautiful. -- Rowan's speech to Olivia, about how he is always there for her, some how came off as threatening, rather than comforting. -- While I see Olivia's point, asking if Javi's mother knows he's spending time with Huck, but I see Huck's point to: he is his father and it's kind of crappy that he's being kept from him son. I do have to wonder, though, where his mother is, why she doesn't appear to be questioning where her son disappears to so regularly, for hours at a time, til after dark? -- I...am totally scandalized by that bedroom scene between Michael and Cyrus. -- A young boy emerging from a suspicious looking van after dark sure looks a whole lot more sinister than a father sending his son to get ice cream so he wouldn't see anything inappropriate on the surveillance cameras. Of course, Javi coming back with the ice cream in time to see some guy trying to kill his father and then see his father kill that man is going to be tough to talk one's way out of as well. -- I don't even know where to start. Kubiak is working with Lizzie Bear, who is having an affair with the VP? And what does that have to do with them stalking Liv?! -- O.M.G. Rowan sniffed out the setup with his dinner date with Liv, killed off that military SWAT team (or whoever they were), and somehow swapped out all the B613 files with boxes of files filled with nothing but blank paper? What. The. Heck. Is. Going. On.

**(Sleepy Hollow, S2E7 "Deliverance") This episode picked up right where the last one left off. And I'm not sure there's enough light of day to ever make this spider bit less terrifyingly creepy. ::shudder:: Especially given that it has apparently impregnated Katrina with some sort of Moloch spawn. -- Crane on voting was a (sadly) easy target. How many people have fought, some dying, at various points in history, to earn us the right to vote, and so many just do not care. -- In his own twisted way, I think Abraham actually cares for Katrina. It almost makes him...a sympathetic character. -- I love Crane's reaction to Katrina saying she converses with Abraham. Even after she showed him the amulet and explained the power it provides, his eyes showed skepticism. -- Oh no. After all the secrets between Ichabod and Katrina, how else would he take this pregnancy than as a punch to the gut, knowing she is on speaking terms with Abraham, and wondering how this demon spawn ended up inside her. It's not like anyone but Henry (and possibly his Hellfire goons) know anything about that spider. I'm glad Ichabod reached past that to read more. -- Loved the shot of Henry's Hellfire goons showing up at the archives to collect Katrina and walking through the glowing embers of the hex Katrina made to warn them of evil's approach. So cool to watch them scatter around their footfalls. -- Well then. If carrying Moloch in the womb isn't enough to make Katrina and possibly Abbie never want to experience pregnancy after this point, I don't know what would. OMG. No ordinary demon indeed. -- Abbie [to Katrina, who asked Abbie to kill her to prevent the demon from being born]: Stop. That's not an option. When Crane first fell on that battlefield all those years ago, and all the voices of heaven and hell were shouting in your ear "Let him die!" you found another way to save him. We will find another way to save you. -- I can't figure out if I'm supposed to remember that scene of young Jeremy running through the woods, yelling. When Ichabod grabbed Henry's arm and had that vision, he pulled away, staring at Henry, and half asked, half said "That was you..." and I can't figure out why. -- Crane: I need to internet. ... LOL! Internet as a verb. -- I love that Ichabod was appalled at the lack of imagination used to create the security code for the tablet. -- It stresses me out when time is of the essence, on a show, and the characters pause in contemplation or to stare at the crucial object or tool. JUST GO!! -- I'm not sure how I feel about the Aurora Borealis being what saved Katrina, but it was sweet to see some interaction between Ichabod and Katrina in the present day. -- Crane's clarification of his vision helped. And I completely agree with his belief that Henry would not want anyone to know that, inside, he is still a terrified young boy, lost in the woods, and fleeing horror. -- *Now* what is Henry collecting? Is that lightning in that jar? Or the "red" that showed from the makeshift Northern Lights banishing Moloch from Katrina's body?

**(Reign, S2E5 "Blood for Blood") Wow. Castleroy is a secret Protestant. I always have to pause and remember that Catholics and Protestants didn't always simply differ in how they worshiped, but that this used to be a very vicious battle. -- I like that Mary will both admit to grieving over her miscarriage and reminding Francis that she is not a porcelain doll because of it. -- What was with that black dress with the white lace collar that Mary wore? It made her look matronly and severe. -- Hooray! Greer's wedding to Castleroy is moving forward! I was worried that his secret Protestantism would once again delay, if not permanently call it off, but it didn't. And I got goosebumps when she appeared in her gown, beaming at him. (Yes, I know, it's pure fiction, but real or imagined, a beautiful bride is a beautiful bride.) -- I am completely amused by Kenna and Lola investigating this journal, and even more so when Catherine came across them and announced "Oh yes! I found that a while back and read it in an hour!" -- Of all the people to walk in on Francis's confession to Caroline/Henry, of *course* it had to be Narcisse. Now he'll have Francis under his thumb when it comes to holding court, dealing with the Protestants, and who knows what else. ::tires screeching:: Whoa, whoa, whoa. Narcisse and the nanny were working together, faking the possession-haunting, to get that confession out of Francis?? --  Narcisse: Why don't we get to know one another? Lola: What? Narcisse: Over tea. Lola: Tea? Narcisse: You don't like tea? Lola: I don't like *you*. -- OMG "butterfly birthmark guy" in the journal is Narcisse?? I did not see that coming. -- Ouch, Francis. You may not have been able to tell Mary you killed Henry in order to protect her, but what you used instead was harsh to the point of being cruel. Mary may not be a porcelain doll in regard to her miscarriage, but to call her a failure and say she has utterly disappointed you by not producing an heir? That's as vicious as the Catholics are treating the Protestants.

**(Reign, S2E6 "Three Queens") I'm glad to see Mary back in some less austere dresses. It's no fun seeing her dressed in mostly formless, high-necked, matronly blah. Not even her mother in law dresses like that. -- Mary [to Catherine, when their carriage is stopped by peasants]: Perhaps we can talk to them? Hear their grievances? Angry Peasant: Kill the royals! Catherine: Perhaps not now. -- Trap doors in the carriages. Brilliant. But not as brilliant as Mary knowing that removing her jewelry and flipping her cape inside out would make them look less like royals. I like that Mary can still teach Catherine a trick or two, despite the former having far less experience than the latter. -- Mary is quite resourceful and with survival skills. Not too proud to serve drinks at an inn so that she and Catherine can hide their identities but still eat. -- Ha. There are impostors who pretend to be Mary and Francis to collect money "for protecting France's borders." In a time when we see photos of people and events all over news, the internet, and social media practically before it happens, it's easy to forget that people in medieval times could live their entire lives not knowing what their king or queen actually looks like. -- I'm kind of impressed that Catherine admitted to Francis that Mary is good to have on your side when your back is against the wall. She may be idealistic and a bit naive, but she is also clever and strong. -- Catherine: My dear, never give up a crown. ... Catherine makes me laugh out loud. -- Speaking of clever, it was fun to see Lola one-up Narcisse on his "suggestion of a bath under the stars," while he "secretly" peeped...on what turned out to be one of Lola's servants. I hope Lola doesn't fall for him. -- Francis wants Mary to swear he can believe her, but the whole time he refuses to be honest with her. Slippery slope.

**(Once Upon a Time, S4E7 "The Snow Queen") Ah, backstory on the Snow Queen. Almost sympathetic if you forget what she is now. Which feeds into a theory that a friend of mine has that none of the villains are actually evil, but that they have been hurt so deeply and lost so much that they grow dark with despair more than truly evil. -- I can't imagine how difficult it must be for Regina to keep turning down Robin and he declarations of love to her, and keep pushing him back toward his wife. -- I'm always so confused by the timeline of this show. Wasn't it back in season one when Cinderella/Ashley an unwed teenage mother? Now, in season four, she leads the Mommy and Me class Mary Margaret is part of, and enough time has passed that Mary Margaret has conceived and had a baby, yet Cinderella's baby is still an fairly young infant? -- LOL: There was a baby in the Mommy and Me class that was dressed up as Mickey Mouse. -- Hook [looking into the Snow Queen's magic mirror without it affecting him]: It must be broken. I've been staring in it all day and I think I'm even more handsome and devlishly charming than usual. -- Robin: Regina, I have lived by a code my entire life: steal from the rich and give to the poor. Be truthful, righteous, and good. I have tried to live by that code every day of my life. Regina: Then why are you here? Robin: Because today is not one of those days. -- No fair whispering, Snow Queen! I want to know what Gold can do and with great pleasure!

**(Law and Order: SVU, S16E8 "Spousal Privilege") I can think of about three different headlines this one was ripped from. Ray Rice. Adrian Peterson. Chris Brown. -- Barba looks like he wants to choke Benson sometimes. -- I can't argue with Paula's angry declaration to the detectives that pressing charges was her choice and they took that away. Sometimes, even if we believe it's for their own good, we get too far up in the business of others.

**(Blue Bloods, S5E8 "Power of the Press") Probably one of the "slower" episodes I can recall on this show. It wasn't a bad episode, just a bit low key. I do see the theme in this episode: being a man of your word. Danny promised Witness Protection for his C.I. and intended to see it through. The young man who raped the daughter of Erin's friend lied about it. An officer's word was put in question when his body cam went out during an arrest and there was speculation he shut it off so he could do something he wasn't supposed to.

**(The McCarthys, S1E2 "Love McCarthys Style") Ben's family and their over the top sentimentality made *me* feel awkward and uncomfortable just watching. -- I keep trying to figure out if that's a Red Sox sun catcher in the window or if they actually have a stained glass Sox window. -- LOL: I loved the way Ronny manipulated the anniversary tribute video, even though it was clear that's what he was going to do. The answers were pretty funny...to someone who's a Sox fan and enjoys The Good Wife.

**(The McCarthys, S1E3 "The Good Coach") Who is the kid with the red hair in the portrait in the wall in the hallway? None of them have red hair now... -- Shawn and Gerard are seriously supposed to be twins??