neal mcdonough-related stories
Posted Nov 3rd 2009 10:05AM by Jason Hughes
Filed under: OpEd, Reality-Free, Gone Too Soon
I remember watching
Boomtown for the first time. I remember where I was, and at what point in our lives it was on the air. Now, I watch a lot of television and have seen and forgotten more shows than most people would ever even want to be aware of. But
Boomtown had that much of an impact on me.
Oh, I'm a sucker for a unique premise or take on familiar territory. I first tuned in to
24 because it took place in "real time," and I just had to see how that would work. I tuned into
Boomtown because it promised me a look at crime from every possible perspective. How, I wondered, is that possible? And yet it brilliantly, beautifully and all too briefly was.
Continue reading Gone Too Soon: Boomtown
Posted May 18th 2009 5:03AM by Jane Boursaw
Filed under: OpEd, Desperate Housewives, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S05E23 / S05E24) "Isn't it just easier to shut down your hoo-ha until he gives in?" Gaby, offering Lynette her method for getting Tom to give up the idea of going back to collegeWell, season five of
Desperate Housewives has come to a close. I must say, this season sort of meandered towards the beginning, but really gained steam towards the end. The final episode brought a few stories together, including psycho Dave's, and ended with some good stories heading into next season.
Continue reading Desperate Housewives: Everybody Says Don't / If It's Only In Your Head (season finale)
Posted May 11th 2009 1:00PM by Isabelle Carreau
Filed under: OpEd, Desperate Housewives, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S05E22) Those of you tired of Tom's mid-life crisis, raise your hand! I'm sure we are a lot of people with one hand raised right now. I know that a lot of men go through it and that it can last really long in real life, but on TV, can we not have Tom go through his mid-life crisis for an entire year?!
A few of you mentioned in comments last week how Tom was getting annoying and that he needed new storylines or else. Will Tom find his way before the season ends?
Continue reading Desperate Housewives: Marry Me a Little
Posted Apr 20th 2009 12:30AM by Isabelle Carreau
Filed under: OpEd, Desperate Housewives, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S05E19) "I died just like I lived, as the complete, utter center of attention." - dead EdieIt's no secret anymore.
Nicolette Sheridan is leaving Desperate Housewives, and this was her last episode as a series regular. Even if most major websites, newspapers, and magazines warned us in early February that the actress was exiting the show, some fans were still holding out hope that the news was untrue, as it wasn't the first time we heard a rumor about Sheridan leaving. Those fans must now come to terms with the fact that the sexy, perceptive, strong, beautiful, and one-of-a-kind Edie is now gone. If you ask Lynette, she would tell you that Edie looks like cat litter right now.
One thing is for sure, Edie/Nicolette went out with a bang with what may be the second best episode of the season (my favorite being
the 100th episode featuring Beau Bridges).
Continue reading Desperate Housewives: Look Into Their Eyes and You See What They Know
Posted Apr 1st 2009 2:03PM by Isabelle Carreau
Filed under: 24, Desperate Housewives, Smallville, Grey's Anatomy, Celebrities, Heroes, Chuck, Reaper, Reality-Free, TV Squad Ten
Lead characters are extremely important for TV series, as they are the basis of the shows' storylines. However, to make said lead characters shine and make the storylines interesting, supporting characters must be introduced. Sometimes, those characters have a major impact on a series and even end up becoming leads. Just see how Ben Linus on
Lost was set to appear in a few episodes, but ended up being so helpful to the storyline and loved (or hated) by the fans that he became an integral part of the series and is now a major player on the show.
That compelled me to make a list of new supporting characters who helped make their series better this season. Since my list only has 10 items and because I don't watch all current TV series, I will have missed tons of supporting characters, so feel free to add to the list by commenting below. However, note that I restricted my list to supporting characters that were introduced THIS season. So the Ben Linuses of the TV world are not on the list.
Continue reading TV Squad Ten: New supporting characters who helped make their series better
Posted Mar 23rd 2009 10:03AM by Isabelle Carreau
Filed under: OpEd, Desperate Housewives, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S05E18) "There is nothing simple about murder." - Mary Alice YoungThere you have it people, not only Dave's plan finally entered its final phase but
a much talked about event took place at the very end of this week's
Desperate Housewives. What surprised me is that the final scene happened this week. Quite frankly, I expected it in late April to set the tone for the final episodes to be aired in May. Then again, looking at
DH's airing schedule just now, leaving with a cliffhanger (even if the world already knows how it will end) when the next episode is weeks away -- April 19 to be precise, makes sense. In a way, the big event will conclude near the end of April and set the tone to the May episodes just as I first thought.
Continue reading Desperate Housewives: A Spark. To Pierce the Dark.
Posted Mar 9th 2009 1:15AM by Isabelle Carreau
Filed under: Desperate Housewives, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S05E16) "He believed in punishing those who weren't [polite]." - Mary Alice about OrsonAfter almost a month off,
Desperate Housewives is back to continue the storylines that started to take shape before the hiatus: Mike moving in with Katherine, Tom and Lynette selling the restaurant, Orson starting to steal small objects, Gaby and Brad blackmailing one another, Edie trying to learn more about her husband.
Let's say it upfront, this was not the best
DH episode to date. It was what we call a "filler" episode in which nothing huge happens. Okay, that final scene was a killer and what the priest said to Edie helped pushed things along Dave-wise but besides those two events, the episode was not that much interesting, including the Lynette and Tom face-off.
Continue reading Desperate Housewives: Crime Doesn't Pay
Posted Feb 16th 2009 12:43AM by Isabelle Carreau
Filed under: OpEd, Desperate Housewives, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S05E15) "Camping? Have you met me?" - Edie to DaveMost of the storylines this week were a continuation of what started to unfold
last week: the Scavos had to ponder selling the restaurant; Bree continued spending big bucks; Susan continued to act like a child; and Gaby wanted money and went back to her old self to get it. The way the storylines unfolded was not that entertaining. However, each had a twist that could have major repercussions in the coming weeks.
The storyline that got the least air time this week was that of Dave and Edie. Yet, I think it was the most interesting because it showed us that Dave's revenge plan is now entering the last phase.
Continue reading Desperate Housewives: In a World Where the Kings are Employers
Posted Feb 12th 2009 3:30PM by Isabelle Carreau
Filed under: Desperate Housewives, Watercooler Talk, Celebrities, Casting, Reality-Free
Let's take a walk down memory lane, shall we? On May 2, 2008, I posted
an article about Nicollette Sheridan probably leaving Desperate Housewives. Actually, 2008 was not the first year we heard rumors about the actress maybe leaving Wisteria Lane for good. We heard the rumor at the end of each season since Sheridan joined the series.
What's different with this year's rumor about the actress leaving the show? Well, it turns out Sheridan will be leaving the show for real this time!
Slight spoilers about the show coming up!Continue reading Nicolette Sheridan to leave Desperate Housewives... for real this time!
Posted Jan 12th 2009 3:18AM by Kona Gallagher
Filed under: Desperate Housewives, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S05E12) Can I say how glad I am that this show has finally deigned to confirm Dave's motives? As soon as it was revealed at the beginning of the season that he was just hiding out on Wisteria Lane so he could exact revenge on the person who ruined his life, I knew that it was his wife and daughter that died in the car accident. I don't think my skills of deduction are any better than anyone else's, so the fact that it took 12 episodes to officially say, "yes, this is Dave's plan," is just kind of annoying.
Now that we're done with the charade, I'm excited. I feel like we can really get to the business of what the revenge will entail, which is what I'm here for.
Continue reading Desperate Housewives: Connect! Connect!
Posted Jan 5th 2009 4:49PM by Isabelle Carreau
Filed under: OpEd, Desperate Housewives, Reality-Free, Episode Recaps
(S05E11) "No one's better at plastering a fake smile and pretending to like someone than Bree Hodge." - OrsonOur favorite desperate characters are back! Sadly, not with a vengeance. But still, you have to admit they were entertaining this week. My favorite scenes were definitely those with Susan and Lee and those with Bree and Delina. But before we get to why these scenes were my favs, let's deal with the ongoing mystery: Dave Williams... err... David Dash.
Continue reading Desperate Housewives: Home Is the Place
Posted Dec 8th 2008 10:24AM by Isabelle Carreau
Filed under: OpEd, Desperate Housewives, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S05E10) "I'll be with you soon." - DaveI must admit that I didn't expected the episode to end the way it ended. Oh, I'm not talking about the actual reveal, which I'll talk about after the jump. I'm talking about the fact the last new
Desperate Housewives episode before the holidays actually didn't end with a huge cliffhanger (there are a few loose ends and questions but nothing that will prevent me from sleeping until January) and, instead, offered us some answers. Yes, actual answers. Let's talk about them, shall we?
Continue reading Desperate Housewives: A Vision's Just a Vision
Posted Nov 16th 2008 11:50PM by Isabelle Carreau
Filed under: OpEd, Desperate Housewives, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S05E08) "Hang in there. I'm not done with you yet." - DaveThere you have it, people. The most advertised episode of ABC's
Desperate Housewives so far this season (we first heard about it in August) has finally aired. Even if I was entertained by Julie's return, Anne's storyline, Lee's joy after hearing dirt about Bree, and Virgina's antics, it was once again Dave's storyline that got my full attention. How should we interpret the new clues we were given thanks to Dr. Heller visiting Wisteria Lane?
Continue reading Desperate Housewives: City on Fire
Posted Nov 10th 2008 12:02AM by Isabelle Carreau
Filed under: OpEd, Desperate Housewives, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S05E07) "Knock it off!" - Gaby to a creepy, clingy and too generous Virginia
Last week, I mentioned how I thought the arrival of Gail O'Grady, Frances Conroy and Lily Tomlin spiced things up on Wisteria Lane. This week, they definitely brought on new spice because the three storylines got more complex and twisted. Sometimes, TV series push guest stars down our throats for sake of ratings (see
Britney Spears on How I Met Your Mother for a recent example). However, this is not the case with the three actresses guesting on
Desperate Housewives. Tomlin is especially a delight to see in her role as McCluskey's sister and Conroy, as I've mentioned last week, finally gives the Solises a reason to still get air time.
Continue reading Desperate Housewives: What More Do I Need
Posted Nov 2nd 2008 11:19PM by Isabelle Carreau
Filed under: Desperate Housewives, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S05E06) "When the time comes, an alibi would be nice." - Gaby Sweeps is a time for closure, new twists, guest stars, and OMG!/WTF? moments. This week's episode of
Desperate Housewives, which is the first November Sweeps installment of the series this season, definitely offered us new twists and guest stars thanks to the arrival of Gail O'Grady, Frances Conroy and Lily Tomlin. All three actresses will appear in a few episodes of the series and, as we saw in "There's Always a Woman," will be involved in some important way in the storylines.
Continue reading Desperate Housewives: There's Always a Woman
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