Premiere Week Part 1

With SOOOO many shows premiering this week, both new and returning, it's going to be awhile until I get to everything I'd like to. Possibly weeks. So in order to leave myself time to actually watch some of these shows, I'm just going to do a whole bunch of quick takes on everything I've seen so far all at once.

Glee was probably the returning show I was most looking forward to, and the premiere reminded me how much fun this show is, if also why it's often called out as problematic. Beginning with a list of all the criticisms people have made about the show, the premiere went on to exemplify one of the bigger ones: fitting 5 episodes' worth of plot into a single hour. Which is why I wouldn't say the episode itself ranks among Glee's best.

But as far as setting up the new season goes, it definitely did the job. Coach Bieste throws a whole new twist into the Schue/Sue relationship, and fun to see them working together for a change. Just about every major kid character had some kind of change: Finn getting kicked off the football team, Artie losing Tina, Rachel having to compete with newcomers, Quinn back as captain of the Cheerios, etc. New characters (Sunshine, Sam, and the new Vocal Adrenaline coach) were introduced in such a way that you got a good sense of them without them taking away from the leads. And great musical numbers combined with good Sue Sylvester lines made for a very enjoyable hour of TV.

Going right to the theme episodes next week with a Brittany Spears homage may be a bit too soon, but hey, we knew this wasn't Mad Men. Glee doesn't take its time. The important thing is that all of the fun, energy, and humor of the first season is still very much intact here in year two, and this will continue to be the show I actually watch the night it airs.

I've got a lot of pilots I still need to get to, but the one new show I know I'll be sticking with is Boardwalk Empire. Between Martin Scorsese directing and Sopranos alums running the show, the pilot had a lot to live up to. And as far as I'm concerned, it succeeded. Personally, I'm getting a little of sick of shows on HBO, AMC, and FX that take their sweet time getting to the point, making you sit through a few dreary hours before getting amazing by the fifth episode. Boardwalk Empire is not like that. There's so much action, character, and, yes, actual humor in the opener alone that this isn't just a prestige show; it's actually entertaining.

Beginning right at the beginning of Prohibition, the show centers on Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi), a city councilman in Atlantic City, New Jersey who puts together a bootletting operation to keep his city wet. He plays the politician by telling the temperance ladies he's one of them, then makes deals with New York (in the form of Michael Stuhlbarg's Arnold Rothstein) and Chicago (meet young Lucky Luciano and Al Capone). But just as central is Nucky's driver Jimmy (Michael Pitt), a young guy who turned down Princeton to fight in WWI, who plays the Christopher to Nucky's Tony. And at the same time, the Feds are trying to close the operation down, specifically Michael Shannon's Van Alden.

I've heard some criticism of Steve Buscemi as the leading man, and I will say I'm reserving judgement on that front. He definitely plays the part well, but as an excellent character actor he doesn't quite have the gravitas of, say, a James Gandolfini. But with so many great supporting players that may not make a difference. Michael Pitt's character is already emerging as just as much of a protagonist. And while much of the cast can be hard to distinguish as "white guys who look alike," enough stand out right away that everything should fall into place a lot earlier than in other HBO historical series like, say, Rome.

Obviously the production values of the $18 million pilot are extraordinary, and that's a reason to check it out alone. The show brings old Atlantic City to life in a big way, and the visuals are amazing to watch. You can tell the pilot was directed by Scorsese since it has the feel of his movies, which may have a lot to do with why it's so watchable. This is no dry history lesson, but a show that brings its era to life in much the same way Mad Men does, except with a lot more violence.

Given that the showrunners previously worked there, the show feels a LOT like The Sopranos, but in a good way. If you've been looking for something to fill that void, this is definitely it. And if you haven't, it's still a different enough show you might find something to like. With no other new shows breaking out as big hits the way Glee and Modern Family did last year, this seems to be it. HBO certainly thinks so, having already renewed it for a second season. If the rest of the season lives up to the promise of the pilot, we'll be seeing Boardwalk give Mad Men a scare at the Emmys next year.

How I Met Your Mother had what was pretty widely considered a weak fifth year. The showrunners are the first ones to admit that, so they wanted to step it up big time for season six. And in a lot of ways, this week's premiere showed the benefits of listening to your fans. It was a very back-to-basics episode, taking place almost entirely within the bar on a single night. Ted got to be the focus again (but not in an obnoxious way), and every character generally acted like themselves.

But while the rest of the episode was perfectly solid and enjoyable, it's the ending that makes this a great premiere and one that should re-hook any questioning fans. The show may be more of a "Friends for the 21st century" than an actual story about Ted meeting his wife, but this week brought the mother story a big step forward by revealing they meet at a wedding. The bigger surprise: Ted is the best man at the wedding! Ted doesn't know that many people. Marshall and Lily are already married. So the two most obvious guesses would be Barney or Robin. Though maybe it's Rachel Bilson marrying her new girlfriend. Why she'd chose some guy she dated for all of a minute as her best man I don't know, but she does at least she would presumably invite the mother-to-be.

Ah well, plenty of time to keep speculating. I'm certainly intrigued to find out.

Ok, catching up with some stuff from last week, Top Chef: Just Desserts premiered last Wednesday and while it's certainly not up to original flavor standards, I'd rank it above Masters. Like in the original, Desserts has contestants who really care about winning, so it's not all a good-natured lark like for the pros. The personalities are even bigger than on the regular version, so it almost feels more like Project Runway (not saying that's a good thing, just observing). But most importantly of all, there are so many delicious looking desserts that I will immediately need to run out to Crumbs after every episode. Total food porn.

If that weren't enough, everyone's favorite TC judge Gail Simmons is hosting, and Hubert Keller is supposed to show up somewhere down the line. It's hardly appointment TV, so too bad it's on during the busy fall instead of, say, the summer, where it would be exactly the right type of fluffy fun I'm looking for. But as a placeholder for real Top Chef, it works.

Finally (and STOP READING IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE TOP CHEF FINALE YET), I finally saw the Top Chef finale tonight, and somehow stayed spoiler-free beforehand. Which made me all the more shocked by the result. It was clear from the episode that Kevin's was the meal they liked best, so in that sense he deserved to win. But it wouldn't have been clear that he would be Top Chef from any other given episode this season. He always seemed like one of the chefs that was good enough to stay in but not good enough to win too much. Then again, Ed sealed his fate when he decided to delegate the entire dessert course, and Angelo was working with a pretty severe disadvantage. Kevin did seem REALLY happy about it, so it's hard to hold it against him. But he seems more like another Hosea than one of the more obvious winners.

This Week in Summer TV

This week, my TV season fully transitioned from regular season to summer, with the finales of Glee and Top Chef Masters, and the premieres of two shows I thought I'd give one (and only one) episode each: Persons Unknown and Work of Art. I already discussed Glee, but here's my brief takes on the other three:

Persons Unknown sounds cool on paper: a bunch of people are kidnapped and put in a mysteriously empty village where they're watched by unknown people. Sounds a little like The Prisoner meets Lost, right? Well, if NBC hoped you'd think that, they didn't work too hard to make it known. I didn't hear about the show until the day of, which makes it all the more clear this is just typical summer burn-off.

But summer trash can still be summer fun. If there's any show Persons Unknown really resembles it's Harper's Island - CBS' attempt to do a weekly horror series that, well, didn't do so well. Like Harper's it's got kind of an intriguing idea, but also like Harper's it's undone by a rather C-level execution. By the end of the first hour, you don't really know anything about any of the characters, other than that they're all kind of annoying. And they don't really do much but wander around and yell "How do I know you're not THEM?!?!"

In the promo at the end, NBC's emphasized that the show will give you answers, and soon. But what they seem to forget is that people wanted answers on Lost so badly because they really cared about the questions. And so far this scenario just isn't quite creepy enough. Lost had the Monster and the polar bear. The Prisoner had the giant bubble and the question of why No. 6 resigned. Persons Unknown has grainy video footage and a bunch of Chinese guys saying "Please" a billion times a second. That's not gonna cut it.

No characters and weak acting and dialogue is one thing. But if this is gonna go for the campy guilty pleasure that is really its only hope, there's gotta be a bit more going on. I wouldn't mind watching another episode, but at the end of the day, I'd rather spend that time working through my TV on DVD.

Last night Bravo unveiled their newest entry into the Project Runway/Top Chef family: Work of Art. It's basically Project Runway with art instead of fashion. Take a bunch of wacky creative types, give them a mentor (but now with an accent!), and have them judged by a panel of experts in their field.

If "Project Runway with art" sounds good to you, you'll probably enjoy this show. Magical Elves make good reality TV, and it certainly feels like Bravo-era Project Runway. And unlike the Lifetime editions, this show actually does have some colorful characters and maybe even some talent (not that I'd have any idea).

But another part of me feels like this is to Project Runway what Top Chef Masters is to Top Chef: it's watchable enough, but it doesn't feel quite as right as the original. The new mentor doesn't have quite the spark of Tim Gunn, and the judges don't have the zing of Michael Kors and Nina Garcia. I'm also a little iffy on the concept. The artists all get to work in their own media, so you've got painting vs. photography vs. photoshop. No wonder the photographers came out on top; which do you think takes longer?

Again though, the reason I can't get into it is I'm just not that into art. And I'm over Project Runway. Really, the only reality TV I want to be seeing is shows involving food. So while I'm not opposed to having this on in the background, if I'm watching Bravo this summer it's for Top Chef.

Speaking of which, Top Chef Masters aired its season finale this week, and we again saw one of the biggest differences between the spin-off and the original: everyone on Masters always makes good food. The finales are never about who's going to win; it's about watching a whole lot of food porn. So the fact that the three came so close in the end is no surprise; any one of them could have won. But it was nice that Marcus did. Guess I should try out Aquavit some time.

Battle of the Best, A Sort-of Spin-off, and A Second Look

This week saw the crowning of a new Top Chef, the third episode in Scrubs' awkwardly half spin-off half-same show attempt at survival, and the return of low-rated critical gem Better Off Ted. Let's take a look (and obviously, stop reading if you don't want to know who won Top Chef).

This season of Top Chef was unique in that from day 1, it was pretty clear who the final four were going to be and it was just a matter of killing time until we got there. But what wasn't clear was who would come out on top. Jennifer was kicked off last, but any one of the final three seemed capable and deserving of the win.

Yet despite that, I certainly felt Kevin was the favorite all along. Maybe it's because he won the first challenge, as in all previous seasons but two the first challenge winner went on to win it all. Maybe I thought the Voltaggios would cancel each other out. Or maybe he was just that darn likable. Which is why it was kind of sad to watch him have an off night, leading to a 3rd place finish behind the brothers.

It was a little like season 4, when Richard went in as a possible favorite only to infamously declare that he choked. Kevin's night wasn't nearly as bad as Blais', but when the master of pork fails to wow with the dish, it's clear he's fared better. So once it became clear the judges had enough issues with his food to rank him lower, it was battle of the brothers.

And just as Kevin was who I would have predicted to win going into the night, Michael was probably the one I least expected to win. Not that I think he didn't deserve it - this is no Hosea situation - but Bryan generally seemed to be the judges' favorites of the two. All the more credit to Michael for doing so well, not only winning the battle of the mystery boxes but the chef's choice too.

So cheers to Michael Voltaggio for winning the season, and to season six for redeeming Top Chef after the relatively weaker fifth season. I'm sure all three of the finalists will soon prove themselves worthy of sitting on the other side of the judging table soon.

Usually when a low-rated show expected to be cancelled is renewed at the last minute, its fans are ecstatic. When Scrubs was given a 9th season order after its series finale, that wasn't the case. By its eighth season, it had not only survived a network change, but was well past the respectable point of retirement. Yet, perhaps due to a dearth of comedy on ABC's schedule, it has been brought into a season that is not quite a spin-off and not quite a continuation of the show, instead resting in some kind of unfortunate in between.

The idea behind Scrubs [Med School] was that it would follow a new group of med students through med school, with Drs. Turk and Cox as teachers to provide some stability, while other Scrubs stars maybe guest star once in awhile. And that idea is a spin-off. But it's not what the show is. JD doesn't just pop in as a familiar face; he's still the main character. And with Elliot, Carla, and Jordan all gone, it's kind of just Scrubs without the women. Which means despite 8 seasons worth of growth, JD is now less mature than he ever was. Instead of last spring's send-off of moving on and growing up, we'll last see JD whining about Cox giving a med student more attention.

Yet while it seems like the better move would be to shift the focus to the med students, there's one fatal problem with that plan: two out of the three are really, really annoying. Now, to be fair, Cole seems like he can improve. The obnoxious legacy douche played by James Franco's brother has already shown signs that when he moves behind his one-joke character description he could be worth watching. But it worries me that narration will soon fall solely to Lucy, who's trying to be a JD/Elliot type but mostly just comes off as shrill.

So why will I still probably keep watching it until the day ABC finally pulls the plug? Three reasons:

1. Dr. Cox. He was always one of the brightest spots of original Scrubs, and the med school setting has given him a chance to shine. With new targets for his insults and new ways to deliver them, Cox is clearly the real star of this show.

2. Denise. As the only one of last season's new crop of interns worth watching, Denise's increased screen time in the "spin-off" has led to an even better character. She not only gets a lot of the funniest lines, but also the most effective drama.

3. Drew. The older med student who Cox placed at the top of the class is easily the best of the new characters, and should really be the new lead. Not only does he interact with all the other characters far more than Lucy does, but he actually seems capable of carrying a show.

So with these three strengths behind it, I think there's still a way to make new Scrubs work. Center the show on Drew, find some other, more interesting med students to support him (as well as some other good supporting/recurring characters to replace the Janitor/Ted/et.al.), and give Cox and Denise as much screen time as possible.

Truth is, now that ABC has comedy hits in Modern Family, Cougar Town, and to a lesser extent The Middle, it is nowhere near the comedy-desperate situation it was in when it brought Scrubs back from the dead, so a second (or tenth) season seems very unlikely. Which is probably for the best. But although Scrubs' legacy would have been better had Med School never happened, it's still watchable enough to keep me going.

Following Scrubs on Tuesday night is Better Off Ted, a show that I've tried out numerous times and still can't decide whether to watch it or not. When I first saw the pilot, I liked the characters and actors, liked the idea, but just thought it was a little too earnest. Then I watched some of the summer episodes and liked it, but didn't love it. But this second season premiere seemed better than what I remembered, so maybe it's now time to commit.

With some time to work out kinks, the show no longer feels as earnest and cutesy as it once did, no longer making me wish I was watching Pushing Daisies instead. And the chemistry has had time to gel among the strong cast, headed by a charismatic Jay Harrington and a hilarious Portia de Rossi.

Better Off Ted also didn't make Dollhouse's mistake and chose a strong episode as the premiere. Not only did it have a great central gimmick - that super corporate Veridian Dynamics told all its employees their perfect genetic partners - but a good guest star in Taye Diggs and a number of funny bits, such as Ted having to pretend to be Native American (although his premature "I love you" seems cribbed from TV's better known Ted. Way to pull a Mosby).

If you've been thinking of giving the show a try - and it could certainly use viewers - this would be a good one to start on, showcasing many of its most appealing aspects. It convinced me to keep the season pass on my DVR. And with all its clever ideas, who knows, maybe someday it will grow from enjoyable to must-see TV.

Reality Showdown

I only watch 2 reality shows, and even that is probably too much. But while I'm unapologetic in my love for Top Chef, which has bounced back from its so-so Hosea season back to its tasty former self, Project Runway just continues to make me more and more embarrassed to be watching something on Lifetime. I was one of those people who said "I will never watch it on Lifetime. Clearly the change is due to get rid of all straight male viewers. And the producers of The Real World? And in LA? I'm out." But somehow I'm still watching it, and it just goes to show that you should always listen to your first instinct.

When the first episode ended without a single breakout contestant I could remember, it was a bad sign. When Michael and Nina disappeared after the second episode, that was a worse sign. When Ramon, one of the few somewhat talented designers this season that made my early top 3 prediction, got kicked off way early, it got even worse. And somehow we made it to the top 5 with two obvious deadweight contestants (who thankfully were sent home), and nobody all that worthy continuing into the final three.

So what went wrong? So many things. The erratic judging has to make it to the top of the list. Without consistent judges, good people (Ramon, Shirin) got sent home for being unfortunate enough to be declared the glorious fuck-up of the week while Christopher kept scraping by at the bottom with no one to notice. Well, except Heidi, who seems to yield more power than ever this year, and that doesn't seem to be a good thing. Plus, the show's just not as fun without Michael Kors comparing everything to '80s movies and Nina's various facial expressions. By the time the judging panel was all pregnant women, it was clear I was watching Lifetime.

But even getting past the judging, the contestants weren't all that great to start. And the new producers could care less about what they design. Do you realize how little actual sewing and constructing we've seen this season? Yet how many times have we heard Irina trash talk someone or Althea gossip in a corner? That's what happens when you get the team behind The Real World - it's all drama, no design. Obviously people are watching for some drama, but when Irina's confessionals start making up half the show, it's gone too far.

Good news is, it's almost over. Just the finale to go, then next year the promise is back in New York and back with Michael and Nina. It's not even like this season made particularly good use of LA - just a lot of lame celebrity judges and excited talk about "red carpet." I guess I'm rooting for Carol Hannah by default, but it's really not even worth the effort of picking someone to root for. I'll give Runway a break and call this year a failed experiment. But if next year starts following the same pattern, it's Auf Wiedersehen.

In contrast, Top Chef this season has been everything Project Runway hasn't. While on PR it was tough to see who would come out ahead as nobody was all that good, Top Chef had a clear top 4 from the very beginning: Kevin, Jennifer, and the Voltaggios, who have literally taken every elimination win this season between the four of them. Now, Jennifer's had a rough few weeks, and if she was on this year's Project Runway she definitely would have been cut, but the TC judges recognized her overall performance and let her stay. Which will make for a more interesting finale when they all finally get to face each other down (unless something goes wrong this week, which it very well could).

This past week's Reunion Dinner was admittedly kind of lame, but it was airing opposite the final game of the World Series, so they get a pass. Especially after a Restaurant Week challenge filled with inter-Voltaggio drama, Robin annoying everyone, and a group declared the best Restaurant Week team ever. See, the drama on Top Chef may feel just as manufactured and over-emphasized as on Project Runway, but at the end of the day, the food still wins out.

I would be satisfied if any of the top 4 win this year, which makes the chance of a Hosea repeat all the less likely. So yes, I like food a whole lot better than fashion, and I would prefer Top Chef's worst season (5) to Project Runway's best (2). But now that each is well into its 6th year, it's clear which one's got longevity and which may have finally become out of season.

Master Food Porn

The Top Chef Masters finale did a good job showing some of the major differences between the spin-off and the original. On the one hand, there wasn't too much suspense over who would win. Not that by any means Rick Bayless' victory was a given. But since everyone is already an established chef, it's not like there was going to be another Hosea situation. Sure, I was disappointed Hubert Keller got third, but I can't argue with a 27-ingredient mole sauce. There weren't any strong feelings over the outcome.

On the other hand, the finale provided possibly some of the best food porn the show has seen. Seriously, getting some of the best chefs in the country to go all-out made me really jealous of everyone at that meal. Unlike Top Chef finales where you look out for the mistakes, here it was just a series of escalating gushes from the judges. If I ever make it to Chicago, I may need to seek out Frontera Grill.

People felt kind of mixed about Masters, between the tournament-style format, the different judges, and the minimal drama of having established chefs duke it out just for charity and bragging rights. But as the end showed, even if it wasn't ever must-see TV, it certainly made you hungry.

My Vice? Top Chef

Haven't seen the Top Chef Masters finale yet, so I'll comment on that later. For now, time to judge the new crew of the original flavor.

The first few episodes of any reality competition are tough. Lots of new people (17!), lots of names to learn, personality types to connect to those names, which is why it's often easier not to bother until some get weeded out. Still, it's usually a pretty good bet that if you didn't realize they were on the show by episode three, they're probably not going to be winning (exception that proves the rule: Hosea. I really don't think he joined til like episode 5).

Even more so than Project Runway, Top Chef's premiere is important for its uncanny ability to forecast the eventual winner. In three out of five seasons, the first challenge winner went on to become Top Chef. In the other two cases, the winners were the frontrunners all the way til their eliminations. So automatically Kevin's one to watch.

Who else do I remember come episode's end? There's Jennifer, the in-it-to-win-it go-getter that won the quick fire and seemed like she was getting the big win as well. There's the brothers, whose generally good marks make them likely to go further than the first-ever competing couple a few years back. And there's Mike, who seems determined to be the asshole of the season (or, rather, the producers seem determined to cast him as the asshole of the season. Wait, they didn't make him say that women can't compete with men. Back to what I first said).

As for the Vegas setting, it so far hasn't made its mark quite the way that past locations have (though what's the Vegas equivalent of Chicago deep dish pizza and New York hot dogs?), and strippers and gambling can only go so far. But it did allow Wolfgang Puck to show up as one of the more entertaining guest judges in recent memory. I've definitely been missing the celebrity chef judges on Masters (as much as I love Zooey and NPH).

So while it may have served the show better to eliminate two upfront like last season than to keep the giant cast going, tonight's premiere still made for a promising start. Enough of the cheftestants seem talented that we should end up with a better group of finalists than last season, when nobody quite knew who to root for. And regardless of how much bad seitan they showed, I'm still gonna need a snack after watching all that food.

Top Chef Masters is a Tasty Addition

Summer TV is, for the most part, a wasteland of D-list reality and shows deemed not-ready-for-primetime. But some shows work better in the summer, shows that can't compete in the main season but are light and fun enough to fit perfectly in the summertime. I'm thinking Entourage and Nip/Tuck (neither of which should have left summer, or aired their past few seasons, for that matter). And now, Top Chef Masters.

Now, Top Chef Masters is not Top Chef, but it's different enough to be worthwhile on its own while helping carry us over til the original flavor comes back. Taking seasoned pros instead of up-and-coming newbies changes the dynamic in many ways. For one, the stakes are a lot lower. Since none of their careers are on the line, they don't seem to take it all too seriously.

Also lowering the drama is that this time around the first 6 weeks each feature four different chefs, and each winner will continue to the finals. That means we don't get to know a cast over a period of weeks and don't get the Real World-style drama of them all living and drinking together. Lastly, since they're some of the best chefs in the country, the criticisms are never quite as soul-crushing as some of the ones on the original show.

But if there's less drama in some ways, the show's also more interesting in others. Because they're all such established chefs with their regular cooking routines, they're even less inclined towards wacky challenges. Week 1 winner Hubert Keller couldn't even find his way around Whole Foods! There's something amusing about watching a bunch of pros try to remember the basics, and quickly realize it's harder than it looks.

And so far at least the challenges look worthy of Top Chef. No softballs like "cook a French meal." No, they got the microwave/toaster oven only challenge from season 5's Thanksgiving episode combined with the lack of workspace of a college dorm. Now that is a challenge. And it led to Keller cooking in a bathroom. So everyone wins.

Since the food they're putting out is on the whole better than with the novices, this at times feels less like Bravo-style reality and more like Food Network. Since Bravo has the Real Housewives series and Food Network is awesome, I would consider that a compliment. But it does affect the tone of the show.

The critics table is admittedly a large step down, but at least there's no Toby Youngs (though the British guy is clearly the Toby Young stand-in). Not-Padma looks kind of like a bird, red sweater is like a stereotypical food critic, and Gail 2 seems to like everything. At least the real Gail is coming back for future episodes to show them what's what. And the clips of Tom Colicchio were a nice touch.

Since this summer also features Bravo's lame Project Runway knock-off The Fashion Show, it's nice to see Top Chef's spin-off has not followed that same course. So while I'm catching up on Heroes, Dollhouse, and the other shows I didn't have time to watch this past season, I'm glad this provides me with something new to throw in the mix as well.

Top Chef or Iron Chef

This summer Bravo will begin its first Top Chef spin-off, called Top Chef Masters, in which actual top chefs like frequent Top Chef judges Wylie Dufresne and Hubert Keller compete against each other, not that they necessarily need the fame.

But today Bravo announced a strange twist: guest judges this season will include Neil Patrick Harris, Damon Lindelof & Carleton Cuse (writers of Lost), and Zooey Deschanel. All awesome people sure, but isn't it a bit insulting to have non-foodies critiquing some of the best chefs in the world?

It seems a lot like the random Japanese actress in every episode of Iron Chef, who has no idea what she's talking about. Or in the American version, Lou Diamond Phillips. But at least they seem to have good taste in celebrity, and maybe they can make things more interesting. Could NPH create Top Chef: The Musical? Will the Lost writers send Smokey after underseasoned ceviches? Only one way to find out.

Padma Lakshmi: Queen of Silly Commercials

Ok, this was another TV Tattle link today, but it was just so silly I had to share. I promise, after this one I'm done for today.

Top Chef Becomes Pretty Good Chef

Hey everyone. It's weekend, and that means it's time to catch up on all the pop culture I missed this week. So how bout we all pretend I wrote all these posts days ago and you just didn't see them until now. K?

First off, the Top Chef finale, in which the winner was....Hosea? Really? The guy who generally coasted through the middle without standing out? Whose main contribution to the show was his uncharacteristically Real World-esque will-they-or-won't-they with Leah? That guy gets to put his name along with greats like Harold, Stephanie, Hung, and Ilan? How did this happen?

Well, it seems to be from lack of competition. As much as I've questioned Carla's last minute surge, I was starting to come around to her. Maybe she was hiding her talent for the first 8-10 episodes. Maybe she could really pull off a win. Instead, she abandoned her plans for advice from Casey (herself a victim of the final episode choke), sabotaging herself in the process.

Which leaves the battle of the baldies, Stefan and Hosea. Stefan seemed destined to win from the first episode, but his confidence got the best of him toward the end. Once again, he didn't take the extra minute to think "vanilla and chocolate ice cream is not that exciting," or "maybe frozen fish is a bad idea." All it takes is two slip-ups for Hosea to coast to an unspectacular victory. This marks the first time the Top Chef was crowned by default, not merit.

So tthis season was disappointing, but it's hard to see how it could have been more satisfying. Maybe if Jamie, or even Fabio, had lasted longer. And at least, in Toby's last ever appearance (please let this be so), he avoided making any lame movie jokes. Unless you could him saying a meal should have a beginning, middle, and end, which he said approximately 528.6 times. Anyway, here's hoping season 6 will see the exit of Toby Young, and the return of a Top Chef worthy of the title.

No Country for Europeans

Ugh, Bravo hasn't posted its episode photos yet. I'll try to get something better tomorrow.

Before I get started on the first part of the Top Chef finale, can I just say how great it is that Gail is back? No more lame movie references and sad attempts at humor. Just actual intelligent food criticism. Welcome back, Gail, and never leave us again.

The other big return was Jeff, after winning a second chance quickfire. I assumed the quickfire was arranged to correct the show's mistake of booting Jamie two weeks ago. No dice. But since it didn't backfire and bring back Leah, I'll call it even. Actually, the week's theme - Creole food - turned out to be perfect for Jeff, leading to one of his best-ever performances. Sadly, second place wasn't good enough, and he didn't stand a chance against the sudden lovefest for Carla.

Seriously, what is going on with Carla? For 9 episodes all she did was make adequate desserts and move around her crazy eyes. Then suddenly, over the past 3 or 4 episodes, she's become a judges' favorite. Yet despite all her wins, I can't shake my first (nine) impressions of her, and insist she's not a serious competitor. Could she really have been holding out on us all season, or have the past few episodes just been right in her comfort zone?

There was a lot of love going around in this episode, with the judges liking all 5 meals. But with Carla and other presumed lightweight Hosea getting most of the love, one of the Europeans had to go. I have to say, this challenge seemed a bit unfair to me, given that the Americans knew so much more about this style of cooking. Tom's response was essentially "You read a book on it, so tough luck."

Of course, Stefan's been slumping so heavily the South likely wasn't what got him. Second week in a row his cockiness got in the way, and second week in a row he was spared despite being the judges' least favorite. He better turn it around and bring back the old Stefan for the finale. Because it would just be wrong to see Hosea or Carla win.

Top Chef Bowl: Battle of the Crazies

Is it just me, or has this season of Top Chef had some of the best challenges? Case in point, a Super Bowl challenge pitting this season's chefs head-to-head with seven All Stars of seasons past. Or should I say Not-So-All-Stars. With such stand-outs as "I've never seen that girl before" (quickly eliminated Camille from season 3) and "I guess she looks sort of familiar" (season 2's Josie), this wasn't exactly the best of the best of the best, sir.

Even if the returning players weren't top of their class, they did make for some entertaining and close battles. Crazy Carla took on Crazy Andrew in the crazy-off...and won. You see the look in her eyes when she won those Super Bowl tickets? Andrew didn't stand a chance. Then there was the Battle of the Loudmouths in Fabio vs. Andrew's BFFF Spike. Maybe Fabio should have spent less time trash talking and more time cooking, cause I know he could take Spike in a rematch. Most confusing of all was Stefan's loss to Andrea, never remembered as a heavyweight. Poor Finnish Stefan didn't make a dish as Super Bowl friendly and suffered for it.

Despite the fumbles of the Euros, it was pretty boy Jeff who had to pack his knives after losing to Josie in the Miami ceviche battle (how are ceviches so popular if I've never had one in my life). As it was Stefan's first time at the bottom and Fabio's needed for his personality, the decision was probably not just about this week's performance. But Jeff was doomed for a glorious fuck-up of the week eventually, due to his insistence on preparing everything three ways (I'll let you make the joke for me).

Toby Young Annoyance Watch: He went the entire episode without making a single lame movie reference! Yay! His comments may not have added much, but at least they were relevant and made sense. Let's see how long...what's that? He calls someone Obiwan next week? I miss Gail.

Is Top Chef Turning into the Real World?

Poor Ariane. She knew she was doomed when she was teamed up with Power Couple Hosea and Leah. No culinary effort can stand between True Love. Still, that was pretty cold the way the lovebirds shut their mouths to let Ariane take all the blame. Was anybody else disappointed in the lack of a screaming match culminating in "you threw me under the bus!" (Isn't it a rule that all reality shows must say that at least once an episode?) Cause man, she looked pissed that the giggly, whispering pair's code of omerta got her the boot.

I do worry, though, that this may lead into the Hosea and Leah Show. Next week's promo just shows them cuddling and talking about how their relationship is so wrong/so right. Now, maybe Bravo's just taking a page from the CW, which once advertised an episode of Veronica Mars as being solely about a two-minute dinner scene with V's dad and boyfriend. But it's looking more like we may be heading into Real World territory. Once they've opened the door, it's only a matter of time before everybody sits around and talks (or sings) about their sexual orientation for an hour (yes, I was forced to watch last week's Real World premiere, and I want that hour of my life back).

On the other side of the spectrum, Stefan and Jamie had a bit of a lovers' spat. Neither seemed to do anything particularly odious, Jamie just already hated Stefan and Stefan enjoyed the hate (he thinks it's cute). Announcing himself as the sole cock (as in rooster) in the pen probably didn't win him any points (though he did love his own joke). But for all the bitching and fighting, they must have done something right, as they and teammate Carla took home the victory for their chicken meal. Will that make them get along better? Don't count on it.

Before I go, let's check in on new judge Toby Young. Last week, it seemed he cared more about making (often lame) jokes than about food. But as I hoped he would in week 2, he has mellowed....somewhat. There was nothing as bad as "Tom Cruise in Tropic Thunder," but calling pesto "the big bad wolf" isn't too far off. Still, he actually talked about the food this week, so maybe he'll start doing his job. Somebody needs to just keep him away from similes and metaphors. Also, do you think Tom Colicchio really thinks Toby's that funny, or is it in his contract that he must laugh at every one of his jokes? I'm guessing the latter.

Scrubs Finds a Friend, A Brit Invades Top Chef

Scrubs, now in its 8th(!) season, came back Tuesday night with two episodes on a brand new network (ABC) and with plenty of new faces. This year's intern class got an unusual amount of attention (setting up a spin-off?), with three in particular standing out: Ed (Aziz Ansari), who lives to text message and thinks a Matrix trilogy marathon is a good idea; Denise aka Jo (Eliza Coupe), who thinks connecting with a patient means telling him about her unfortunate one-night stand; and Katie aka Mini-Elliot (Betsy Buetler), who is, well, just like season 1 Elliot.

But the main new character of note is Dr. Maddox (Courtney Cox), Dr. Kelso's replacement as Chief of Medicine. There must be something about Friends that's similar to Scrubs, because just like Matthew Perry before her, Courtney Cox fits right in. Whether forcing Dr. Cox to smile or smothering a patient with a pillow, Cox's Maddox brings the right kind of energy to reinvigorate an aging show. But firing the Janitor? Not cool.

The second episode was more serious and smaller-scale. Cox, Kelso, Elliot, Carla, and the Janitor all basically had the week off. That left the JD and Turk bromance front and center as they canceled their steak night to help a man prepare for death. Scrubs' willingness to tackle death has always given the show a needed touch of reality to balance out all the fantasy. And with a hot dog pen and a steak night dance, there was no danger the seriousness would take over. These episodes can't compare with the first five seasons, but I'm no longer just watching out of habit either.

Top Chef had a fresh face of a different variety, in new judge Toby Young (author of How to Lose Friends and Alienate People). I would say I liked him, except Bravo and the Top Chef producers so wanted me to. Promos of his "weapons of mass destruction" comment have been airing on Bravo non-stop for nearly a month now. All episode long the confessionals consisted of "OMG! New judge Toby Young! He's gonna be so harsh!" He might as well have been wearing a shirt saying, "I will be the next Simon Cowell."

For all of that that, I do enjoy a good critical thrashing from time to time. That's why Anthony Bourdain is my favorite guest judge, cause he likes to hilariously rail on people (plus, he's just awesome, as anyone who's seen No Reservations on Travel Channel knows). So I think Toby Young could make a nice counterpoint to Tom Colicchio's more mellow and forgiving judging style. Some of Young's quips hit their mark, like calling Melissa's dish catfood. But he needs to lay off the movie jokes. I have no idea what that long analogy about British actors meant, and the Tom Cruise thing fell flat. If he can stop trying so hard, maybe I'll forgive him for replacing the lovely Gail Simmons.

As for the rest of the episode: it was fun to have the chefs watch their competitors critique them. Radhika's reaction to the whipping her food took and Stefan's little victory dance were both priceless. I also enjoyed Tom putting people in their place whose critiques may have been more self-serving than honest. But the final judgments offered no surprises. The bottom three really were the bottom three, and it was time for Melissa and Eugene to go home. Jamie finally got her well-deserved first win. And next week we'll see how Toby Young acts as a judge when the rest of the room isn't hanging on his every word.

TOP 10 TV SHOWS OF 2008

2008 was not a strong year for TV. The writer's strike nearly destroyed the spring season and left the fall season with no new shows worth putting on my list. But those shouting that this Golden Age of Television is over are a bit premature, as I've got ten shows right here that prove TV is doing just fine. Here are my top 10 TV shows of 2008 and my 2008 TV awards:

1. Lost
Lost may always top my top 10 list, but rarely has it deserved the spot so much. This season Lost found the perfect balance between mythology and character. For every Ghost Christian in a cabin, there was a heartwarming phone call between Desmond and Penny and a personal tragedy for Ben. Lost also finally figured out how to bring in new characters, teasing Faraday and Co. without letting them take over. Just as last year's finale changed the game with flashforwards, this season's final scene left a freighter full of questions. Who's alive? Who's dead? Who cares! Being confused has never been this exciting, and I can't wait until January 21st.

2. Mad Men
Mad Men's first season was hard to top, bringing us into the world of 1960s advertising and the life of the mysterious Don Draper. Season 2 started slow, with a new copier and the insufferable Barretts. But every story served its purpose by the end. Peggy had a great season, moving up the creative chain while hiding her secret until a heartbreaking scene with Pete. Betty became a whole new person after kicking Don out. Even minor characters like Duck Phillips and Freddy Rumsen got episodes to shine. By the time the Cuban Missile Crisis hit in the explosive finale, it was clear Mad Men is no one season wonder.

3. Dexter
Season 1 was the hunt for the Ice Truck Killer. Season 2 saw Dexter hunted. Season 3 was...the friendship of Dexter and Miguel Prado? Doesn’t sound quite as cool. Yet as their relationship shifted from best friends to student and teacher to enemies, their psychological games created all the suspense needed. It helps that Jimmy Smits was able to play both charismatic and deranged so fantastically. Who cares if the IA girl was annoying or the Skinner plot didn’t satisfy? The Dexter/Miguel face-off, along with Dexter’s shift to family man, made season 3 must-see TV.

4. How I Met Your Mother
It may have seemed like a Friends rip-off at first, but How I Met Your Mother quietly became the best comedy on TV. HIMYM came back from the writer’s strike with nearly a full season of episodes. And good ones, too. Like Ted’s very sweet two-minute date for Stella. And Robin Sparkles’ hilarious break-up ballad “Sandcastles in the Sand.” Plus, Neil Patrick Harris’ Barney Stinson may be the single best character on TV. Season 4 got a bit more serious with everyone looking to the future. But whether the gang is addicted to interventions or singing “Let’s Go to the Mall” karaoke in a Canadian bar, the show is consistently legen – wait for it – dary.

5. Pushing Daisies
The fact that the most innovative comic fantasy on TV has been canceled is sad. But the fact that it got canceled just when it was getting so good makes it tragic. Pushing Daisies has done procedural better than CBS since day 1, with crimes involving a comfort food bake-off, gambling with Chinese food, and magicians. But with the arrival of the mysterious and deadly Dwight Dixon, the serial element kicked in just as strong. The last episode, which saw the gang covering up a murder from Norwegian detectives, was as suspenseful as anything on Dexter. With one hell of a cliffhanger, it will be a long wait until those final three episodes air.

6. The Daily Show/The Colbert Report
The presidential election was the TV event of the year, and Comedy Central was the place to watch it. From the primaries to the transition, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert had more insight than any of the real news networks. On The Daily Show, Stewart brought out all the ridiculousness and hypocrisy of the campaign to hilarious effect. On The Colbert Report, Colbert personified said ridiculousness and hypocrisy. Both of them had their best material since, well, Indecision 2004.

7. Top Chef
Top Chef is my favorite reality show for combining two great things: food and competition. I may not get to taste anything the chefs make, but it all sure looks good. Season 4 had some of the most talented chefs yet, as Richard, Dale, Antonia, and Andrew all had a decent shot. But it was still satisfying to see the very deserving Stephanie become the first female Top Chef. This season has seen a number of early stand-outs while taking full advantage of the New York setting. Top Chef makes it on because unlike in most reality shows, talent wins out over drama.

8. 30 Rock
Tina Fey's Sarah Palin impersonation may have made her the Comedienne of the Year, but she brought the funny just as hard in her day job, as writer/star of 30 Rock. Her Liz Lemon has gone from best straight-man to straight-out funny as the show has gone on. But best is still Alec Baldwin's Jack Donaghy. From greenlighting "MILF Island" to working for the Bush administration, Jack always gets the funniest stories. Throw in Will Arnett in a hilarious recurring part, and I'm starting to understand why critics love 30 Rock so.

9. Battlestar Galactica
Despite the jaw-dropping reveal of four secret Cylons in season 3's finale, season 4 had a rough start. First there was Crazy Kara yelling, "WE'RE GOING THE WRONG WAAAAAAY!" Then there was Chief shaving his head. But somewhere around the midpoint of the season, BSG got awesome again. There was the Cylon civil war (badass), President Roslin's visions (creepy), and finally the landing on Earth (really creepy). I have no idea where this final season is going, but I know it will be frakking amazing.

10. The Office
In 2008, The Office showed its age. It put out a weak slew of episodes after the writer's strike and similarly dropped the ball after Amy Ryan's Holly was transferred back to New Hampshire. But when Amy Ryan was onscreen, The Office was often season 3 level good. The idea of a perfect woman for Michael is so mind-boggling that the joke never got old. From insulting Toby to beatboxing for Michael's lame rap, Holly's presence made everyone around her funnier. The Office needs her to transfer back, stat.

Now for my TV Awards:

Best Drama: Lost
Runners-Up: Mad Men, Dexter

Best Actor, Drama: Michael C. Hall (Dexter), Dexter
Runners-Up: Jon Hamm (Don), Mad Men; Bryan Cranston (Walt), Breaking Bad

Best Actress, Drama: January Jones (Betty), Mad Men
Runner-Up: Mary McDonnell (President Roslin), Battlestar Galactica

Best Supporting Actor, Drama: Michael Emerson (Ben), Lost
Runners-Up: Jimmy Smits (Miguel), Dexter; Vincent Kartheiser (Pete), Mad Men

Best Supporting Actress, Drama: Elisabeth Moss (Peggy), Mad Men
Runners-Up: Christina Hendricks (Joan), Mad Men; Jennifer Carpenter (Deb), Dexter

Best Comedy: How I Met Your Mother
Runners-Up: Pushing Daisies, 30 Rock

Best Actor, Comedy: Alec Baldwin (Jack), 30 Rock
Runners-Up: Lee Pace (Ned), Pushing Daisies; Steve Carell (Michael), The Office

Best Actress, Comedy: Tina Fey (Liz), 30 Rock
Runners-Up: Anna Friel (Chuck), Pushing Daisies; Mary-Louise Parker (Nancy), Weeds

Best Supporting Actor, Comedy: Neil Patrick Harris (Barney), How I Met Your Mother
Runners-Up: Chi McBride (Emerson), Pushing Daisies; Justin Kirk (Andy), Weeds

Best Supporting Actress, Comedy: Amy Ryan (Holly), The Office
Runners-Up: Kristin Chenowith (Olive), Pushing Daisies; Jenna Fischer (Pam), The Office

Midseason Preview

2009 may have just begun, but the TV midseason isn't wasting time, beginning on January 5th. I'll help you figure out when my favorite returning shows come back and what new shows may be worth considering.

Gossip Girl (January 5th, 8-9 PM, the CW)
When we last saw the Upper East Siders, Chuck was a mess over his father's death. This week introduces his Uncle Jack, played by Desmond Harrington (Quinn from Dexter). Elsewhere, Jenny finally goes back to school, but no word on whether she'll start looking human again.

Scrubs (January 6th, 9-10 PM, ABC)
Now on ABC, Scrubs is back for its (probably) final season, starting with two episodes. The season starts with Courtney Cox as the new Chief of Medicine and, judging by the promos, awkward facial hair for JD. There's also a Hawaiin wedding for Janitor later this season.

Nip/Tuck (January 6th, 10-11 PM, FX)
At the end of last season, Sean was stabbed by his crazy fake-publicist Colleen Rose and Julia was shot by her girlfriend's crazy daughter Eden and was left with amnesia. Eden should hopefully be gone, given that her portrayor (Annalynne McCord) is now on 90210, but Colleen is definitely back. No word on how long they'll continue the never-successful amnesia device, but don't expect a creative comeback anytime soon.

Top Chef (January 7th, 10-11 PM, Bravo)
Season 5 returns with new judge Toby Young (author of How to Lose Friends and Alienate People), and two chefs will be eliminated.

Damages (January 7th, 10-11 PM, FX)
Damages tries to top season 1 with a boatload of top-tier new cast members like William Hurt, Marcia Gay Harden, and Timothy Olymphant. After settling the Frobisher (Ted Danson) case, Patty Hewes (Glenn Close) is moving on. When a whistle blower (Hurt) tells of her of shady practices coming from his company, it seems she's got her next case. Meanwhile, Ellen (Rose Byrne) works with the FBI to bring Patty down, and Frobisher survives his shooting to come back for more mischief.

30 Rock (January 8th, 9:30-10 PM, NBC)
30 Rock continues to become the next Will & Grace by having Salma Hayek and Peter Dinklage both guest star.

Grey's Anatomy (January 8th, 9-10 PM, ABC)
The surgeons have to work on a death row inmate, and it's not even a sweeps month? What are they saving up for February, an operation on Ghost Denny? Also, Jessica Capshaw joins the cast as a pediatric surgeon and a romantic interest for Callie (since she hasn't had enough this season).

24 (January 11th and 12th, 8-10 PM, Fox)
As it has the last two seasons, 24 will begin with a two-night, four hour premiere to kick things in motion. These year-old episodes see Jack on trial in DC for his actions after CTU has been shut down. But he gets off when the government needs him to stop Evil Back-From-the-Dead Tony Almeida from his terrorist activities. Also, there's a Lady Prez.

How I Met Your Mother (January 12th, 8:30-9 PM, CBS)
Reality stars taunt Marshall from a magazine, as they do to us all. Ted and Robin become friends with benefits. That should last about as long as it did for Jerry and Elaine.

The Office (January 15th, 9-9:30 PM, NBC)
I don't have an episode description, but expect fall-out over Phyllis telling the office about Dwight and Angela.

Battlestar Galactica (January 16th, 10-11 PM, Sci-Fi)
In the final season, Earth has been found, but now what? Will they try to live on that post-apocalyptic planet? Will the human/Cylon truce hold? And who is the last frakking Cylon?

Big Love (January 18th, 9-10 PM, HBO)
I still haven't seen season 2, so I got nothing on season 3. But this is when it premieres.

Flight of the Conchords (January 18th, 10-10:30 PM, HBO)
You could wait until January 18th to see Bret and Jermaine's newest adventures. Or you could go to Funnyordie.com and watch it now.

The United States of Tara (January 18th, 10-10:30 PM, Showtime, NEW SHOW)
Toni Collette (The Sixth Sense) plays a woman with multiple personality disorder. John Corbett (Sex and the City, Lucky) plays her husband. Steven Spielberg's producing. Diablo Cody (Juno) wrote the pilot. With all those big names and Showtime's recent hot streak (Weeds, Dexter), this is certainly worth checking out. But it is paired with the ultra-dull Secret Diary of a Call Girl, so who knows.

Lost (January 21st, 9-11 PM, ABC)
After a year of waiting, it's finally here. Lost is back. Season 5 will find Jack and Ben getting the Oceanic Six back together to return to the island while we learn just what "bad things" happened to those who stayed on the island. Those who have already seen the premiere say the new time-jumping device makes flashforwards seem like child's play. They also say it's awesome.

Lie to Me (January 21st, 9-10 PM, Fox, NEW SHOW)
Tim Roth (Pulp Fiction, The Incredible Hulk) plays a human lie detector that heads some special FBI agency. Is this just a lame procedural a la The Mentalist? Too early to tell, but it could be fun to see Tim Roth on TV.

Trust Me (January 26th, 10-11 PM, TNT, NEW SHOW)
If you've watched TNT at all in the last month, you've surely seen tons of ads for this new show in which Tom Cavanaugh (Ed) gets a new boss: his best friend, played by Eric McCormick (Will of Will & Grace). I have yet to get into TNT's other original shows (The Closer, Saving Grace), but the leads seem likable enough to make me want to give this one a try.

Heroes (February 2nd, 9-10 PM, NBC)
After season 3 got bogged down in too many characters and too little logic, why am I still watching this show? Well, cause season 4 looks kind of cool. After Nathan leaked word of the heroes to the government, the Hunter (Damages' Zeljko Ivanek) will start rounding them all up. Seems like a welcome break from the typical "stop big threat to save the world using lots of time traveling" formula. But the second it starts to lag, I'm out.

Dollhouse (February 13th, 9-10 PM, Fox, NEW SHOW)
In this new show from Joss Whedon (Buffy, Angel, Firefly), Eliza Dushku (Faith from Buffy) plays Echo. She works at a secret agency (is there any other kind?) as a blank slate, with personalities put into her depending on what her mission calls for. The show has suffered some bad early buzz, due to conflicts between Whedon and Fox and some production issues. But the plot sounds badass, and it's Joss freaking Whedon. If given time to grow, it can definitely stand with his previous classics.

A Culinary Christmas Miracle

Before getting into tonight's Christmas-themed episode of Top Chef, I'd like to welcome my friend Kara to the blogosphere. If you like Zandervision but wish it was a little bitchier, used bigger words, and spent more time on reality TV, Film Noix is the blog for you.

Now on to another super-sized edition of Top Chef. What I loved about tonight's episode was how well it followed the formula for a cheesy Christmas special (hey, we Jews love Christmas movies as much as everyone else). Everything was happy in Top Chef Land at Christmastime, complete with celebrities (Martha Stewart) and joyous Christmas music (courtesy of the Harlem Gospel Choir). BUT THEN, something very Grinch-like occurred. Some unnamed person (Top Chef producers?) left Hosea and Radhika a big chunk of coal in the form of an open fridge, spoiling their food. Would Christmas dinner go on?

Just as Radhika was looking over the Bedford Falls bridge, Clarence showed her just how many friends she and Hosea had in that kitchen. No room for bah-humbugs like contestants past (Hung, Marcel), everyone joined in on the Christmas Spirit and lent a hand. Suddenly every chef was cutting duck and washing pork, like a group of hard-working elves set on making up that toy shortage. Not only did their contributions save Christmas, but they got Hosea and Radhika to the final four. With Hosea's victory, it was a true Christmas miracle - achieved through friendship and kindness.

But unlike most Christmas movies, here the miracle required sacrifice. Some of those chefs should have saved time for themselves, causing Tom to declare the dinner a huge disappointment. Indeed, the letdowns extended beyond the bottom three, encompassing Ariane's safe deviled eggs and Fabio's crab cakes. Even Hosea and Jeff seemed to score higher from flirting with the guests than for their actual food. But rather than sending anyone out into the snow, Tom played Santa and handed everyone the gift of another week on the show. Christmas miracles may have a price, but they still need to end happily.

There have been some interesting shifts in how various contestants have been doing. Top contender Jamie nearly lost tonight. By the look of next episode's promo, she has not learned from her scallopy ways. Maybe she's just bitter about her double loss to Ariane, who went from bottom of the list to a massive rebound. Her quickfire this week was to be expected, given that her home-style cooking approach is most similar to that of Martha Stewart. But coming off of two big wins, she can't be ignored. Lastly, comic relief Fabio may need to spend less time monopolizing the confessionals and more time on food. He's a talented chef, but this marks the second week in a row he was called out. My predicted final four are still Stefan, Fabio, Leah, and Jamie. But Hosea, Jeff, Radhika, and Ariane catch up more with each passing week.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I'll be leaving soon for turkey, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, and the rest, but here's a list of five notable (I won't say best) Thanksgiving-themed TV episodes.

Gossip Girl, "Blair Waldorf Must Pie"
Season 1's Thanksgiving episode was filled with drama. Rufus and Lily's relationship was revealed after an uncomfortable dinner shared by Rufus' wife. Flashbacks gave the first real glimpse of party-girl Serena, and of Dan's brief encounters with her. And Blair's storyline centered on pie. It showed Thanksgiving can be for Gossip Girl what Chrismukkah was for The OC.

How I Met Your Mother, "Belly Full of Turkey"
So many great aspects to Thanksgiving featured in this season 1 episode. The main story revolved around Lily spending the holiday with Marshall's family while she thinks she might be pregnant. Of course, she finds all their traditions horrifying. Baskiceball, a combination of basketball and hockey, Marshall admits is basically just an excuse to beat each other up. But the more dangerous tradition is Marshall's mom's seven layer salad, in which funions and gummy bears are separated at every layer by mayonnaise. Yuck. Back in New York, Ted and Robin learn Thanksgiving is the most popular volunteer day of the year. And Barney shows them Thanksgiving at a strip club.

Friends, "The One Where Ross Got High"
Friends is easily the master of Thanksgiving episodes, with 9 great ones to choose from. I'm limiting myself to two here. I chose this one not for the story of Ross blaming Chandler for his pot smoking in college, but for the subplot in which Rachel combines the recipes for a chocolate trifle and shepherd's pie. Watching everyone not know how to tell her there is no meat in trifle is funny. Watching Joey eat everyone's portion and love it is hilarious.

How I Met Your Mother, "Slapsgiving"
You just got slaaaaaaapped. Across the faaace. You just got slapped. Yeah that really just happened. And everybody saaw it. And everybody laaaaaughed and claaapped. Cause it was awesome. When you. Got slapped.

Friends, "The One With Chandler in a Box"
My top Thanksgiving episode goes to this Friends ep in which Joey makes Chandler spend Thanksgiving in a box after kissing his girlfriend. Chandler chiming in on everything from inside the box is funny, but the best is when Joey accuses him of not taking the box seriously enough.

Also, on the subject of Thanksgiving episodes, aren't you glad you didn't have to cook your turkey in a toaster oven like the contestants on last night's Top Chef? Difficulties aside, there were plenty of dishes that looked good, namely pumpkin tiramisu. Fabio knows what I look for on Thanksgiving. The Foo Fighters were also some of the best judges that have been on in awhile. Less sophistocated than the celebrity chefs and more fun than the regular people, their judging style of "yes! bacon is awesome!" was a nice change. But losing Richard this early seems a bit of a shame, after his amusingly awkward character assessments, such as calling Leah "the fun, flirty girl with the nice rack," and Tom Colicchio the "hot, gay icon, bear of a man."

Now go enjoy your turkey!

Top Chef: Euro Edition

Two episodes into this season of Top Chef, it's still hard to tell everyone apart. The winners and losers may stand out a little, but it will take the elimination of at least three more Patricks, Jills, or (probably soon) Arianes before any clear favorites can be found. But the two contestants who made the most immediate impression? Stefan and Fabio.

As the first two winners and the biggest personalities, Stefan (from Finland) and Fabio (from Italy) are the early favorites, showing a true European takeover. Stefan proved his cooking chops right away, winning both quickfire and elimination challenges last week. Since three out of four Top Chefs won their first challenges (and the fourth made final two), that makes Stefan a heavy favorite to win. And with his "I'm better than you because I'm from Europe" attitude, he's also the early favorite to be the one everyone else hates.

Fabio, on the other hand, seemed like Stefan's goofy sidekick. Last week, he had to write out his list of ingredients, citing a weak grasp of the English language (in case we hadn't noticed). This week, he upped the comedy by not once, but twice (that we saw) talking about slaying dragons and saving princesses. He clearly enjoyed the story. Then at the end, he gave an amusingly angry defense of his dish, failing to realize he wasn't on the bottom but but the top. His win made him no longer just the comic relief, but an actual contender.

As for the Americans, a few of them have shown some promise. There's quickfire winner Radhika, who's had a mixed record so far but is the only one this year (if ever) with a background in Indian food. Jamie of Team Rainbow impressed with a corn soup, and looks likely to make it pretty far. The Australian guy from House, obviously faking an American accent for this show, showed he's not just there for his hair. And Crazy Hair made top 3 this week for her dessert, making her someone to watch. As for Tattoo Guy, Guy in Team Rainbow, Girl from Centro Vinoteca (which is right near my apartment), Crazy Long Island Accent Guy, and the others? No opinion yet, but I do know Ariane's gotta go.

As for the challenges, Top Chef showed that other fifth season Bravo show the advantages of not just pulling them out of reruns (you know who you are, Project Runway). It's hard to believe Top Chef waited this long to come to New York, and they've already made good use of it. Highlighting the different ethnic foods throughout the five borroughs last week was a fun introduction. The hog dog quickfire was as appropriate as the deep dish pizza challenge in Chicago last season. And cooking at Tom Colicchio's Craft restaurant just makes sense. All in all, it's looking like a good season.