TVSquad

I can't remember the last time I paid attention to hockey. In the 70s and 80s it was really big in my home, but that's when the Boston Bruins were doing really well (same with the Celtics, but that's another story). Hockey is that "other" mainstream sport, one that you really have to be a fanatic to get into (unlike baseball and football, which even casual fans watch). And some of those fanatics turn out to be celebrities, and they're keeping blogs about the NHL playoffs.

Bones star David Boreanaz, Ed's Tom Cavanaugh, Christie Brinkley, William Fichtner from Prison Break, and Eddie Cahill from Friends share their views on the Eastern Conference teams, while The Office's Brian Baumgartner, Dancing with the Star's Willa Ford, and singer Amy Grant provide analysis of the Western Conference teams. I thought that it would be all Canadian celebs, but as far as I can find out only Cavanaugh is from our northern neighbor.

[via Pop Candy]

(S03E01) I'm not planning on covering CSI: NY all season (once it starts up, I'll be writing reviews for 30 Rock on Wednesday nights), but I figured I should at least put something up on the season premiere. It was actually pretty decent, especially since I think this is the weakest show in the CSI franchise. Describing any of the intricacies of the cases seems pointless at this point though. In the off season, this show has gone through a lot of changes and that's what I'd like to discuss.

(S02E24) Well, this was a little disappointing. Don't get me wrong, it was a finale that suited the mood and pace of this entire season - which was up, down, left, right, and all over the place. CSI: NY (and Vegas to some extent) is still very much individual, packaged episodes. There weren't many ongoing storylines this season (mainly Aiden and DJ Pratt). Miami (which has it's finale this coming Monday) is the only one of the three that's really broken the mold and become heavily serialized. Soap opera-ish many argue and I agree. I hope next season that NY heads in the same direction because I think it makes for better viewer involvement/investment... whatever you want to call it. 

The episode started with Mac and Don responding to a stabbed security guard in an office building. While investigating the floor, Mac found a duffel bag filled with C-4 explosive. Lindsay was outside and she helped clear the street block as Stella arrived. But then the bomb went off. Mac and Don didn't make it outside in time.

(S02E23) I was looking forward to and dreading this episode all at the same time. After last week's previews, we already knew what was in store for former Detective Aiden Burn, but I didn't want to accept it. She was a great character in the first season and it was too bad that she was written out of the show. Although, I remember reading somewhere that she requested it. So in that sense, I suppose this was a logical storyline and it was nice that it tied up the questions that have been hanging around since the second episode of this season.

After Aiden was fired by Mac at the beginning of the season, supposedly she was going to pursue her private investigator's license. Instead, she set up shop in her apartment (she had a mini crime scene lab it seems) and continued to track down DJ Pratt to bust him for all the rapes he had committed. We knew Pratt was smart though. After all, he's been covering his tracks and alluding arrest for years now. So it only makes sense that he'd catch on if someone was watching him regularly. Aiden had a goal though and she knew what had to be done.

(S02E22) Mermaids and multiple wives. I like it. Plus, for once we had an episode that really focused on Lindsay - something this season has lacked thus far. We got to see what drives her, hear some of her background, and see what it's like when a case really gets under her skin.

Even better, we got to hear someone say what we've been thinking all along. While Sid was examining the dead woman's body (the one in the mermaid costume), Lindsay mentioned that she was from Montana just like her. She goes on to say that she doesn't like it when Danny calls her "Montana." Then Sid drops the gem: "Danny calls you that because he's got a crush on you." It's about time that storyline picked up some steam.

(S02E21) Very powerful episode... well, half of it anyway. The Kid Rock side of the story was just incredibly corny and I really don't see it as anything other than a ratings booster. Which leaves me wondering, why Kid Rock? They couldn't have written in another rock star? There are plenty more out there that I would have chosen to create some buzz. Does Kid Rock even still tour? He had four shows in NYC in this episode... unless you're someone like Madonna or Billy Joel, who ever has four shows all in NYC anymore? I just don't get it because there's no way Kid Rock approached them and said, "Man, I love CSI: NY. Can you write me into an episode?" Anywho, his limo driver was shot and Kid (Is that really his first name?) didn't do it. The other a half of the episode is all that really mattered, because it picked up where last week left off: Stella's boyfriend is crazy.

(S02E20) For the longest time all I did was complain about this show, but it was all out of love. I was just so frustrated about how flat the characters were. Well I suppose you get what you wish for, because Wednesday's episode gave us plenty to digest about Danny and Stella.

The first few minutes gave us something this show rarely depicts: one of the characters actually doing something other than their job. We got a nice look at Stella's new boyfriend's apartment, and yes, they were getting their freak on. In the meantime, Mac and Hawkes were digging up the end-zone at The Meadowlands. I'm sure you can figure out what was buried there.

(S02E19) I thought this episode was kind of corny. But I suppose all the CSI shows are to some extent. The titles are always a cute little play on one of the cases, usually done so to get a laugh. Such was the case here as the bodies of a Superman wannabe and recently drafted NFL player were found.

Did anyone else notice that this episode had a ton of canned lines though? Every episode does, especially Caruso over on CSI: Miami, but for whatever reason this episode had a boatload and they all fell flat. "Let's tackle this!" "Time for us to use our super powers!" Ugh, it was hard to watch at certain points.

Readers! Forgive me. Usually I'm very good about getting a review of the shows I cover out in a timely matter. I'm late with this one, but believe me when I say that there's a very legit reason for the tardiness. Since Wednesday night, I've watched this episode three times. Yes, three. That's how impressed I was with this installment. All season long I've been a CSI: NY naysayer, preaching it's flaws. Well this sets up the rest of the season. CSI: NY is back and it looks like it's finally returned to season one form.

I hate bugs. All I have to do is think about them and I get that creepy-crawly sensation like there's a giant caterpillar doing a dance underneath my armpit. Ughhh... I hate 'em. To make matters worse, this episode was chock full of beetles. Flesh-eating beetles. I didn't even know those things existed. For me, this is a horrible realization.

After Mac and Stella find a body lying in a museum covered in the aforementioned beetles, the case is on to find the killer. The only witness is a little boy and he'd rather read his Samurai comic book instead of talk to the detectives. They should throw some beetles on him. Then he'd talk. Or cry... that's what I'd do.