What's Hot on SlashControl: Mary Tyler Moore and the Teddy Awards
One of my favorite episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show is "Put On a Happy Face" from season three. It's the one where Mary is nominated for a Teddy Award, but everything in her life suddenly starts going wrong. It starts with a "hair bump," then moves on to a sprained foot, a nasty cold, a dress that comes back from the cleaners with a horrible purple spot on it, a broken hairdryer, and Ted as a date for the awards ceremony.
So Mary ends up going to the event with a dress borrowed from Rhoda that looks like something a grandmother (back then) might wear. It starts raining so the slipper she's wearing on her sore foot gets soggy, and then her false eyelash comes off just as they announce her name as the winner. Seriously, Mary still looks pretty fantastic even when her life goes to heck.
There aren't many shows that can make you laugh out loud even when you're watching them by yourself. The Mary Tyler Moore Show is definitely one of a kind. Here's the episode, straight from our sister site, SlashControl.
So Mary ends up going to the event with a dress borrowed from Rhoda that looks like something a grandmother (back then) might wear. It starts raining so the slipper she's wearing on her sore foot gets soggy, and then her false eyelash comes off just as they announce her name as the winner. Seriously, Mary still looks pretty fantastic even when her life goes to heck.
There aren't many shows that can make you laugh out loud even when you're watching them by yourself. The Mary Tyler Moore Show is definitely one of a kind. Here's the episode, straight from our sister site, SlashControl.
Seven questions about the Monk finale
A few more questions about the Monk finale before it disappears into TV immortality. Just some niggling thoughts that weren't really addressed in the two-part wrap up.1. Why did Joey Kazarinski choose to kill Monk with poison?
Joey was a killer for hire. He used a bomb to kill Trudy, but shot Dr. Nash. They never said how Wendy Stroud was killed, just that she was buried under the sundial at the judge's house. So, when the judge offered Joey another payday -- killing Monk -- why didn't Joey choose a direct approach and shoot Adrian? Or he could have blown up Monk's apartment. There were any number of ways to kill him, but poisoning the wipes was perhaps the most complicated. And a ricin derivative? How did he manage to acquire that? If it had been arsenic or something, that could have been bought at a hardware store. They never really explained the poison or the reason for that method of murder.
Continue reading Seven questions about the Monk finale
Right now on Cinematical
The folks at our sister site Cinematical are working hard to give you news and reviews of the best -- and worst -- the silver screen has to offer. Here are some of their musings on the latest blockbusters, indies, and everything in between: - I'll probably end up seeing it on DVD, but Everybody's Fine isn't really making me rush out to the theater in the way I feel a De Niro movie should. You can read Cinematical's review of it here.
- I like Michelle Williams well enough, but I have nearly no desire to see her play Marilyn Monroe.
- Tobey Maguire looks positively terrifying in Brothers. I can't decide if that makes me want to see it more or less. You can read Cinematical's review of Brothers here.
- In Up in the Air, George Clooney plays a man who basically fires people for a living. In his honor, Cinematical Seven has seven ways to leave your employer.
- Speaking of Up in the Air, it's the movie I'm most excited about this weekend. Cinematical reviews it here.
What's next on the Salahis' 'To-Crash' list? SNL?
The Salahis are currently the world's most notorious party crashers since that Soy Bomb guy's ecstasy kicked in during the 1998 Grammies. But their brazen disregard for the laws of high-class parties and national security in the face of improving their unwritten social status could get them into an even bigger party -- late night television.
Word is the party crash test dummies are planning on appearing in an opening Obama skit on Saturday Night Live. Neither the network nor the couple have actually confirmed this, but take that with a grain of salt since we are talking about a couple who consider an invitation as a "speed bump."
[via TVTattle]
Prove your Mythbusters knowledge to the world or die trying
You've seen every Mythbusters episode the world has to offer. You have them all on a series of categorically detailed DVDs. You once turned down an opportunity to go out with Keira Knightley because you couldn't wait until the morning after to learn if a cannon-fired frozen chicken can penetrate a plane's cockpit window. But how well do you have them memorized? Mental_Floss magazine puts your knowledge of the Mythbusters' mythbusting to the ultimate test with their "Myth...Busted?" quiz. Be warned. I scored an 8 out of 10 and the shame of defeat drove me to down an entire bottle of whiskey, disproving the myth that alcohol can't solve all of life's failures.
Was Dell right on this week's Private Practice?
This week's Private Practice brought a nice meaty part for Chris Lowell, who plays the part of surfer-dude-turned-receptionist-turned-midwife Dell Parker. If you haven't seen the episode yet and want to avoid spoilers, read no further! When an explosion ripped through Dell's home, it landed his wife Heather and daughter Betsey in the hospital. The big reveal is that Heather had, in fact, NOT given up drugs -- as she'd led Dell to believe -- and was cooking up some meth in the kitchen with Betsey in the next room. While Betsey escaped mostly unscathed, the explosion caused severe burns on Heather's entire body.
At the hospital, Dell was seriously ticked at his wife, telling her nearly comatose body that, in essence, he hated her and hoped she would die. The other part of the equation is that Dell refused to let Betsey see her mother, wanting to shield her from the monster -- both figuratively and physically -- that her mother encompassed.
So what do you think? Should Dell have allowed Betsey to see her mother at the hospital? And was Pete right in wanting to force the issue?
Watch clips and episodes of Private Practice at SlashControl, and read my interview with Chris Lowell at AOL's InsideTV.
The Wicked truth is Idina Menzel wants to be on Glee
Could it be that the cool show for guest appearances is going to be Glee? It well may be the case after Kristin Chenoweth's musical showstopper last October. Kristin's Tony-award winning costar from Wicked, Idina Menzel, wants to do Glee. How do we know? Her husband, Private Practice's Taye Diggs, confirmed it. There's more to it than just that. Apparently the Glee fans -- Gleeks -- have noticed the remarkable resemblance between Idina and Lea Michele.
Why, she could be/play Lea's mother! They look alike and they are both big time Broadway belters. We've heard Lea's incredibly rendition of "Defying Gravity," the song that made Idina a star, on Glee, too.
Continue reading The Wicked truth is Idina Menzel wants to be on Glee
Adam Lambert booked on The View
The on-again, off-again love affair between ABC and American Idol star Adam Lambert is making my head spin. In the past week or so, still stinging over Lambert's over the top performance at the American Music Awards, ABC dropped Adam Lambert appearances on Good Morning American, Jimmy Kimmel Live and New Year's Rockin' Eve. Adam absolved ABC of responsibility for the cancellations. He Tweeted that it was pressure from the FCC. Then the folks at GLAAD weighed in, coming to Adam's defense. That was followed by the announcement that Adam is now set to appear on ABC's The View on Thursday, December 10. He'll also be on Barbara Walters' Most Fascinating People special on December 9.
Continue reading Adam Lambert booked on The View
New Year brings Inbetweeners sitcom to BBC America
One of the best British comedies you've never heard of is headed to BBC America in early 2010.The Inbetweeners features a handful of awkward young men constantly stuck, well, "in between" childhood and adulthood, loneliness and popularity, romance and dignity, etc. The electric wit of the show's dialogue helped it knock down "Best New Sitcom of 2008" at the British Comedy Awards.
Written and created by Damon Beesley and Iain Morris (Peep Show, Flight of the Conchords). the show stars Simon Bird, Joe Thomas, James Buckley and Blake Harrison as the hopelessly awhward teens struggling through a new school in suburban Britain.
Continue reading New Year brings Inbetweeners sitcom to BBC America
What's On Tonight: Robin Hood, 12 Men of Christmas, Saturday Night Live

- At 8, ABC has College Football, Nebraska vs. Texas.
- FOX has a new Cops at 8.
- Nickelodeon has a new iCarly at 8.
- BBC America has the season finale (two new episodes) of Robin Hood starting at 8.
- At 9, FOX has a new America's Most Wanted.
- Lifetime has the movie 12 Men of Christmas at 9.
- CNBC has a new Suze Orman Show at 9.
- History Channel has two new episodes of Cowboys & Outlaws at 9.
- Spike has a new Ultimate Fighter at 9.
- There's a new Dogs 101 on Animal Planet at 9.
- Also at 9: Cartoon Network has a new episode of The Secret Saturdays.
- At 10, CBS has a new 48 Hours Mystery.
- At 11, FOX has a new Wanda Sykes Show.
- At 11:30, NBC has a new Saturday Night Live, with Blake Lively and Rihanna.
Check your local TV listings for more.













