BOOB TUBE REVIEW: Hawaii Five-O "Ua Hiki Mai Kapalena Pau" (Season 1, Episode 23)

SOURCE:  CBS

This is the episode leading up to the Season One Finale, so I was excited to see how the action was going to unfold, especially with respect to Wo Fat and solving the Champ toolbox mystery.  The toolbox first appeared in the pilot episode and has remained a centerpiece throughout the entire season.  However, I am going to have to wait for the season finale because except for the receipt of another envelop, the toolbox wasn't emphasized very much in this episode.  Instead, the Five-O team encounters a familiar criminal face while Danny's life is placed in jeopardy.

 

While staging an assault on a safe-house the Five-O team and CIA analyst Jenna Kaye believe Wo Fat is using, the team finds Sang Min instead.  As the rest of the team chases after, but lose Sang Min, Danny goes into the house and finds a dead body lying in the kitchen with a open carton of milk on the floor.  Shortly after leaving the house, he has trouble breathing and then goes into convulsions.  Jenna assesses that Danny and the victim were probably exposed to the neurotoxin, Sarin and saves Danny's life by identifying the antidote needed to counteract the toxin.

 

Gracie keeps Danny company as he recovers in the hospital (how come Danny doesn't have to wear a hospital gown?) while the rest of the team tries to figure out who and why Sarin was used to lace the milk.  They identify the victim as a homeless man, Amoko who was given permission to squat in the house by its caretaker, Gabriel.  The house is owned by Jeff and Sheila Fallon who own a container manufacturing company in California and visit Hawaii infrequently.  In anticipation of their visit to Hawaii, the Fallons gave Gabriel access to their checkbook to help cover household expenses.  However, they cancelled their plans and fired Gabriel when they found out that he was stealing money from their checking account; thus, making the Fallons intended victims of the laced milk.

 

Kono and Chin Ho track down Gabriel (at the Downbeat Diner in Chinatown) and brings him in for questioning.  Gabriel admits that he stole money from the Fallons, but only to pay for his son's mounting medical expenses.  He adamantly denies trying to kill the Fallons.  Instead, he explains that he knew Amoko from the shelter Gabriel takes his son to for the free medical clinic.  He admitted that he told Amoko to use the spare key hidden on the property if he needed place to stay.  Kono verifies Gabriel's story when she finds the hidden spare key; thus, exonerating Gabriel.

 

Kono runs prints on the key and identifies the finger prints of Elliot Conner who is Jeff Fallon's brother-in-law.  Elliot runs the Hawaii operations and the team figures out that he has been using the house for romantic liaisons with his secretary, Chloe Ballantine.  The team also runs a trace on the Sarin and discovers it’s from a batch connected to a Russian group with the arms dealer is on the island.  Turns out the arms dealer purchased containers to hold the Sarin, which lead back to Elliot.  However, when they question him, McGarrett and Chin Ho realize he didn't do it, but his secretary did.

Chin Ho admits to Kono that he returned the money to Internal Affairs (IA) in order to keep Uncle Keako out of prison.  When Kono asks how he was able to get his hands on $200,000, Chin Ho explains that he got a loan from Marcum by using his house as collateral.  Despite Kono's warnings that IA could compare the serial numbers with the asset forfeiture locker money, Chin Ho assures her that the inventory logs are missing.  Kono still encourages Chin Ho to come clean.  Later, IA visits Chin Ho and returns the money to him after running serial numbers.  The agency spread the rumor shortly after the money went missing in hopes to catch Chin Ho when he finally spent it.  The IA agent tells Chin Ho that he won't be facing any obstruction of justice charges because the act was done to protect his family.  McGarrett orders Chin Ho to return the money to Marcum and get the deed back to his house.

 

As Danny recovers, Rachel cuts her Maui vacation short to rush to his hospital bedside.  Although once enemies, they seem very close to McGarrett when he finds Rachel sleeping in Danny's arms in his hospital room.  Rachel tells Danny that Stan planned the trip to Maui to see if they could save their marriage, but admits that she doesn't think it can be.  Later, Danny returns to work and specially thanks Jenna for saving his life with a big hug.  He tells McGarrett that he and Rachel are very close.  However, their conversation is cut short when Sang Min walks into the Five-O headquarters pleading to be placed in protective custody.

 

Next episode, the team faces being split apart.

BOOB TUBE REVIEW: Hawaii Five-O "Ho'ohuli Na'au" (Season 1, Episode 22)

SOURCE:  CBS

I am getting caught up with my Hawaii Five-O write-ups just in the nick of time as another new episode airs tonight.  ARGH!  Completing these reviews are tougher than originally thought, but I am glad that I am doing it.  In this episode, the famous "Jesse's Girl" singer, Rick Springfield makes a cameo appearance as a famous photographer and my favorite local bruddah, Kamakona is back!

The Five-O team is on the case when the world-famous photographer, Renny Sinclair (Rick Springfield) is killed in a trailer explosion while on a swimsuit photo shoot in Hawaii.  At first it seems like Renny's womanizing past might have gotten him killed when his current girlfriend (who is pregnant with his child), accuses his old girlfriend (star model on the shoot) of still having feelings and killing him in a jealous rage.  However, the team also suspects Renny's huge gambling debts could have led to his death.  In order to track down his bookie, McGarrett and Danno ask for Kamekona's assistance after seeing his name on the list of gamblers calling in their debts to the same phone number that Renny used.  After convincing Kamekona to place a call to lure the henchmen to Kamekona's shave ice stand, Kamekona and Danno deliver the best lines of the episode:

Kamekona:  "Lesson learned.  If I live through this, I never going to gamble again."
Danno:  "Yeah, right."
Kamekona:  "How much you like bet?"

The team busts into Derek Marcum's gambling house, but Marcum reminds them that he'll make bail in a matter of hours, so the team's efforts are pretty futile.  Besides, the team has nothing on him that they can pin successfully in court.

Meanwhile, Kono makes a new (and long lost) connection with Honolulu crime lab analyst, Charlie Fong.  The two crome solvers put together their technology know-how to figure out how Renny's trailer exploded.  They identify that the explosion was caused by a special lighter.

Finally, the team discovers that Renny recently changed his will, leaving a large sum of money to a woman unknown to the investigation.  Turns out, in the photographer’s earlier years, he got a model pregnant and he left money to the child he never wanted.  Unfortunately, that daughter didn’t know his change of heart and got a job as a PA on the set of his shoot and killed him.

Also, Chin Ho tells the police board that his Uncle Keako is lying about the money and that he stole it.  When they say “prove it” by showing them the money, Chin Ho goes to borrow the money from Marcum.

Next episode, as the team gets closer to Wo Fat, Danno collapses.

BOOB TUBE REVIEW: Hawaii Five-O "Ho'opa'i" (Season 1, Episode 21)

SOURCE:  CBS

This episode with Sean Combs (he uses his real name, Sean Combs for acting and his other persona, P. Diddy for rapping) was publicized with much fanfare for weeks.  In fact, P. Diddy's new song "Coming Home" was featured prevalently in this episode.  I was impressed with Sean Comb's performance in Monster's Ball with Halle Berry, so it is good to see the dramatic thespian side of Sean Combs again.  Before this episode began, I wrongly predicted that it was going to be corny, so I was pleasantly pleased that the episode exceeded my expectations.

On "Ho'opa'i," Sean Combs plays Reggie Cole, an undercover New York police officer who runs security for the infamous mob boss, Cannon.  His time undercover means separation from his wife and young son living in Hawaii in order to protect them.  After squeezing in a brief reunion with his family, his FBI security detail and wife are gun downed.  The Five-O team arrive to the house and find Reggie's son unharmed and hiding in a closet and Reggie injured with a gunshot wound.  McGarrett and Danno immediately suspect the very elusive mob boss Cannon.

While the team visits Cannon who is in Hawaii visiting his son not in the mob business, Reggie escapes the hospital to conduct his own investigation with Cannon as his prime suspect.  Kono and Chin Ho figure out the identities of one of the gunmen and rush to Waipahu to arrest him.  However, the arrest is cut short when the team finds the gunman already dead in his vehicle.  The team starts to suspect Reggie as the killer, seeking revenge for his wife's death.  Since Reggie is in a stolen squad car with access to police radio signals, the team lure him into a trap.  However, Reggie insists that he isn't the man the team is looking for and to concentrate on someone else instead.  With help from Reggie, the team track down the second gunman who confesses the identify of the man who hired him.  The McGarrett and Reggie storm into Cannon's vacation compound and arrest the real culprit--Cannon's son.  Worried about losing the lifestyle that he has grown accustomed to due his dad's "business," Cannon's son went after Reggie who threatened his inheritance.

With the case solved, Reggis reunites with his son and together they decide to return to the mainland.  However, the Five-O team gives their new friend an open invitation to be part of their crew if he ever decides to raise his son in Hawaii instead.

Next episode, Chin Ho must account for the money his Uncle stole and the murder of a famous photographer keeps the rest of the team busy.

BOOB TUBE REVIEW: Hawaii Five-O "Ma Ke Kahakai" (Season 1, Episode 20)

Source: CBS

I was waiting with anticipation for the premier of this episode after weeks of sitting through reruns and because this episode includes the acting debut of Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto.  The local news station here was able to interview Chef Morimoto about this cameo appearance on Hawaii Five-O.  Apparently, after years of Iron Chef challenges in Japan and New York, Chef Morimoto has grown quite comfortable in front of the camera and it was a pleasure to see him outside of the kitchen.  He is quite fond of the show and loves Hawaii, so this opportunity (as well as great publicity for his new restaurant) was welcomed by the master chef.

This episode starts with McGarrett taking Danny hiking near Kualoa to see the ancient Hawaiian petroglyphs.  Their recreational and cultural activity soon turns into a homicide investigation when they spot a body on a ledge.  McGarrett almost faces death when he falls down the side of the mountain and a boulder knocks him out.  Danny quickly calls for assistance and McGarrett is airlifted out of the mountain.  McGarrett suffers a sore body and a broken arm.

Meanwhile, back at Five-O headquarters, Kono and Chin Ho are busy trying to identify the body and piece together the puzzle pieces.  From the body, Danny collects fish scales and pays a visit to the fish docks.  After some creative coercing with a notorious drug pusher, Danny and McGarrett trace a sale of ehu fish to Morimoto in Waikiki.  At the restaurant, the "dynamic duo" finds Chef Morimoto testing out his new karaoke machine for the restaurant.  Chef allows the two in his kitchen to look at his shipment of fresh fish for his sushi restaurant, and the two find a bullet lodged in one of the fishes.

The team uses forensics, and other information to identify the body as Jack Nahm, a fisherman who took a second job at a small airfield to make ends meet.  They also learn that Nahm was searching online about a recent crime where a wealthy teenaged boy raped and killed a young woman and disappeared; thus, managing to evade the police.  Piecing together this information and other clues, the team figures out that Nahm was killed because he saw the boy being put on a private plane thanks to his father to escape the authorities.  The team arrests the boy’s father for harboring a fugitive and track down and arrest the boy.

Also, Kono and Chin Ho visit their Auntie Emele on her deathbed.  Kono figures out that Uncle Keako stole the money Chin Ho was accused of stealing in order to save his wife by acquiring a donor kidney from the black market.  As a result of Chin Ho protecting his uncle, he took the fall and was kicked off the force.  Uncle Keako wants to come clean, but Chin Ho insists that what's done is done and he is better off now that he is part of Five-O.

All in all, I liked this episode because we are finally provided a piece of the puzzle to figure out the source and reasons for Chin Ho being kicked off the force.  However, it was kind of difficult to recall plot lines from previous episodes, which caused the present storyline to lose a little of its luster.  While the show writers are clearly trying to provide a continous storyline (i.e., Wo Fat), the connection is a little tenuous, especially as it juggles the main weekly storyline.

Next episode:  Sean Combs guests stars on the show to provide a sample of his growing acting chops!

BOOB TUBE REVIEW: Grey's Anatomy "This Is How We Do It" (Season 7, Episode 17)

SOURCE: ABC

In Episode 17, Arizona is still struggling with co-parenting with Mark as an unusually over bubbly and excited Callie experiences all the perks of motherhood.  Meanwhile the Chief comes to terms that Adele is ill and Teddy comes to terms that her marriage may not be just a mere convenient arrangement.  Finally, Lexie and Jackson continue their hot and steamy romance while Lucy stops toying with Alex long enough to see the great guy in him.

Husband and Wife
Despite her resistance, the Chief tries to get Adele admitted into Derek's Alzheimer's clinical trial, but Derek informs the Chief that pulling someone off of the waiting list could compromise the entire study.  However, when a woman decides to withdraw from the study to prevent her son from totally rearranging his life to take care of her, Derek agrees to test Adele to fill that open spot.

Derek, Meredith, Adele, and the Chief meet for the test results.  Adele is relieved and elated that she is one point shy from qualifying for the trial; however, the Chief breaks it to his wife that the one point deficit indicates that the disease has not advanced enough for her to qualify, but indicates that she has the disease.  Adele is in denial until Meredith elaborates on Adele's test results.  Adele said "pool" instead of "spoon" as one of the words she was asked to memorize and she told the Meredith that she and Richard went to Hawaii for their honeymoon when they stayed home.  Adele starts crying hysterically and tells Richard how unfair this fate is for them, especially when she and Richard are finally back on track and are in the kind of marriage they were meant to be in.  As the Chief holds and comforts Adele, Derek looks at Meredith--probably wondering to himself if one day he might also be in the same situation with Meredith.

Meanwhile, Teddy is starting to realize that her marriage to Henry might be something more than a convenient arrangement to maintain medical insurance coverage for him.  Henry is admitted to Seattle Grace complaining of chest pains.  While hopped up on morphine for the pain, Henry admits to Teddy, as the Chief and Cristina are in the next room, that he's gaga over her.  As a result, the Chief refuses to allow Teddy to perform surgery on Henry to remove his tumor.  Still in the hunt for Chief Resident, Cristina quickly volunteers to do the surgery herself.  A complication during surgery, throws Teddy into a panic, but Cristina saves Henry's life.  In recovery, Teddy tells Henry that their marriage is still a fiction.

Complicated Relationships
Lexie and Jackson are in the "honeymoon" stage of their relationship, which thoroughly tests April's patience as she can't seem to find a room in the house where the two lovebirds are not in making out with each other.  April, on the other hand, has her own concerns regarding what kind of relationship she has with Dr. Stark.  She likes spending time with him, but becomes confused when Alex drops hints that her friendship with Dr. Starks will become a sexual one.  As a result, April tells Dr. Starks that she just want to be friends with him to which Dr. Starks tells April that he wanted to more than just friends.  Back at home, April kicks out the kissing duo from the livingroom to watch the movie on cable that she and Dr. Starks were supposed to watch together.  April looks lonely as she eats her bowl of popcorn by herself.  Perhaps she is having second thoughts on wanting to be just friends with Dr. Starks?

Bailey is also trying to figure out how to handle her working and personal relationship with Eli, especially when a diabetic patient comes into the hospital that could be a good candidate for the Chief's new clinical trial.  However, the FDA has not approved the Chief's clinical trial yet and to make matters worse, her patient's husband is intolerable.  When Bailey introduces the idea of the participating in the new clinical trial to the patient, Eli steps in and ask about the associated risks before Bailey has a chance to get to them.  Bailey later confronts Eli about him questioning her in front of a patient to which Eli sarcastically admits that while he was only looking out for the patient's best interests, he understands that the relationship between him and Bailey is that he is the nurse and she is the doctor.

When things go from bad to worse for her patient, the Chief decides to perform a cell transplant to try to save the patient's life even though an FDA waiver has not come through yet.  The surgery goes well and the FDA approves the clinical trial after the fact.  When an exhausted Miranda leaves the hospital at the end of the day, Eli is waiting for her.  Eli soothes things over with Miranda by explaining that at work she can wear the pants as the doctor, but outside of the hospital, he is the man who wears the pants and he is taking her back to his place.  With that cleared up, Miranda follows her man home.

After being turned down numerous times by Lucy, Alex appears to focus his attention on becoming the next Chief Resident by parking his trailer outside of the hospital in order to get first dibs on surgeries.  Lucy is not impressed when Alex swipes food from Callie's baby shower, but wonders if she is not seeing something in Alex that all the others obviously see.  Meredith explains to Lucy the type of guy Alex is--the one whose girlfriend went nuts and the one who took care of his cancer stricken wife only leave him after.  Alex is fundamentally a good guy underneath his rough exterior.  Lucy decides to visit Alex at his trailer and joins him on a meal of swiped finger foods from the baby shower.  Looks like things may finally happen between these two.

Baby Triangle
Callie is now six months pregnant and loving all the attention impending motherhood brings, including a baby shower, which Mark has single-handed planned all the details down to the scrapbook station and glitter pens.  The baby shower was the funniest part of this episode.  To see all the doctors totally out of their element or totally and unexpectedly embracing it was a hoot!  Although Arizona was positive that Callie would not go for the whole girly-girl shower, Callie is totally embracing all the hoopla as payback for the all the baby showers she had to sit through and act like she was enjoying.  Unlike Mark and Callie, the rest of the gang are a bit remiss in their baby shower participation level, but gather to decorate onesies with glitter pens.  Too funny!  April decides to decorate her onesie by drawing a pie slice and spelling out "Cutie Pie" above it while Cristina is busy drawing a diagram of the heart, complete with the chambers and aorta.  Alex draws a blue surgical scrub shirt on his onesie while Meredith...well...she decides to tap into her inner Jackson Pollack and create abstract art.

Mark approaches Lexie at the shower and thanks her for coming.  Mark clearly still has feelings for Lexie, but she explains to her former lover that she has moved on and is seeing someone new.  Later, when Jackson asks Lexie if she could do a "consult" for him, Mark figures out who the new guy in Lexie's life is and is crushed.  After the shower, Callie thanks Arizona for putting up with Mark and the whole baby shower bit by inviting her to spend the weekend alone with her at a bed and breakfast.

In the car on their way to the bed and breakfast, Arizona is upset that Callie is receiving text messages from Mark.  Irritated with him disrupting their alone time together, Arizona flings Callie's cell phone in the backseat of the car she is driving.  Clearly annoyed by Arizona's behavior, Callie takes off her passenger side seatbelt to reach in the back to retrieve the phone.  In frustration, she tells Arizona that she will do anything to make things better; all Arizona has to do it ask.  Arizona responds by asking Callie to marry her.  At that second, Arizona suddenly sees a vehicle in front of her and slams on the breaks.

Next episode is the musical episode where Callie will have an out-of-body experience while her colleagues at Seattle Grace scramble to save her life.

BOOB TUBE REVIEW: Hawaii Five-O "Na Me'e Laua Na Paio" (Season 1, Episode 19)

SOURCE: CBS

It's been several weeks since a new Hawaii Five-O premiered.  I was starting to wonder when everyone's favorite crime drama would return as I was getting a little tired of reruns.  In Episode 19, the team is introduced to a new face while reintroduced to an old one.

Larisa Oleynik joins the Five-O cast as a CIA analyst with personal interest in helping McGarrett track down his parents' killer.  If you thought that CIA analyst Jenna Kaye looked familiar, then you are recalling the film 10 Things I Hate About You where she played Julia Stiles' (Kat) younger materialistic sister Bianca and Joseph Gordon-Levitt's (Cameron) love interest.  Wow, talk about stacked cast with Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Heath Ledger!  Who would've known that all of them would go off to be successful in their own right after the movie wrapped.

This episode also includes the return of Wo Fat played by Mark Dacascos (or better known as the Chairman on Iron Chef America and former Dancing with the Stars competitor).  With Jenna's help and information, McGarrett discovers that Wo Far is the mastermind behind his parents' death.  However, it will take a lot more information and evidence for McGarrett to take a powerful man like Wo Fat down.

Meanwhile, Danno, Kono, and Chin Ho are busy trying to solve the mystery that starts with a costumed man plummeting to his death beside a Waikiki hotel pool.  Honolulu Medical Examiner Dr. Max Bergman (Masi Oka) helps the team solve the mystery thanks to his wealth of comic book knowledge as well as experience at the Medical Examiners Office.  The death of the masked man leads the team through a chain of events that eventually allows them to solve another mystery.  D.B. Sweeney (remember him from the movie The Cutting Edge?) also appears on this show as a wealthy attorney and possible murder suspect.

So what did I think about the show?  It was good and it looks like it will be leading to a very eventful and exciting season finale as McGarrett tries to take down Wo Fat.  Plus, I heard that McGarrett's sister Mary Ann (Taryn Manning) will be returning to show (not sure for this or the next season), so sounds like more is in store of the McGarrett family.  As for my favorite part of the show...Johnny D, hands down!  James Ransone plays a career criminal with a sarcastic sense of humor that keeps Danno on his toes.  I enjoyed the interaction between Johnny D and Danno as Danno and McGarrett sift through the loads of stolen goods Johnny D has acquired.

Looks like the season is winding down to a thriller!

BOOB TUBE REVIEW: Private Practice "Love and Lies" (Season 4, Episode 16)

SOURCE: ABC

Silly me.  I assumed because there wasn't a new Grey's Anatomy last week and there wouldn't be a new Private Practice.  Wrong!  Oh well, thank goodness for ABC showing their recently aired episodes online, so that I can get caught up on my favorite shows!

The last time we heard about Addison, she was in Connecticut taking care of the Captain and Archer after Bizzy's funeral.  While she was away, Naomi and Sam rekindled an old flame that caused the both of them some confusion and led to more questions.  Also, Violet was preparing for the release of her book while making "nice-nice" to her colleagues and friends after she made some disparaging remarks about them in the book.  In this episode, Addison comes back as well as an old character, Dr. Gabriel Fife, Charlotte tests the moral compass of the doctors at Oceanside Wellness, and Amelia tests the limits of her friendship with Michelle.

Lying to a Friend to Protect a Friend from the Truth
Amelia persuades her friend, Michelle to get tested for the gene for Huntington's Disease.  Ever since she watched her mother succumb to the disease, Michelle has been reluctant to make any plans for the future, including finding love, out of fear that she may have the gene and eventually die from the disease.  When the test results come back positive for the gene, Amelia lies to Michelle because she knows that Michelle will kill herself rather than suffer and die.

Pete persuades Amelia to tell Michelle the truth and Violet suggests that Amelia give Michelle a reason to live despite her fatal diagnosis.  Amelia profusely apologizes to Michelle for lying to her and starts to list some of life's joys, such as Rocky Road ice cream and driving with the top down on a sunny day.  She promises Michelle that she will be there for her through everything and will take care of her when things get bad.

Loving Yourself
Meanwhile, Violet is having a difficult time deciding on her picture for her upcoming book.  She thinks the first set of pictures is too sexy and is not how she wants to be perceived.  Her second set of pictures, although studious and professional, are not Violet either.  Sheldon explains that Violet is the type of psychiatrist who is caring and comforting, and sits on the couch with her patients and listens.  She is the not the uptight psychiatrist with an academic book in her hand behind her desk like the second set of pictures portray.  Finally, with Pete's help, Violet takes photos revealing her abdominal scar from the attack.  This is who she is now.

Finding Love
Sheldon is starting to loathe his role as the office boyfriend for the ladies to confide in about all of their problems.  He's there for Addison to give her a shoulder to cry on and comforting words as she grieves; he's there for Naomi who is feeling conflicted about her kiss with Sam and her possible feelings for Fife; and he's there for Violet as she struggles to figure out the image she wants portrayed on her book jacket.  When Charlotte approaches him to ask him a question, he promptly and defiantly resigns as everyone's "not-boyfriend-boyfriend" despite the fact that Charlotte was only simply reminding him he pledged a $1,000 for a recent fundraiser.  Sheldon tells Sam and Pete to step up to the plate and deal with their women, but Sam and Pete bluntly tell Sheldon that it is time that he find his own woman.

Testing the Moral Compass for Love
Charlotte riles things up at Oceanside Wellness when a couple asks to harvest the eggs of their unborn child who has a fatal heart condition that will cause the baby to die within a day of her birth.  Charlotte and Addison consider going through with the procedure while Naomi and Cooper are dead set against it.  As Addison prepares to go down to the hospital to deliver the couple's baby, Naomi confronts and questions her best friend regarding Addison's real intentions on going through this morally questionable procedure.  Naomi suggests that the real reason is because Addison cannot have a child and she sympathizes with the couple's desperate measures.

At the hospital, Addison is forced to perform an emergency C-section to save the baby.  She is shocked when the parents tell her to go ahead with harvesting the baby's eggs without seeing the baby first.  They explain that they don't want to fall in love with the baby.  Meanwhile, Cooper is in the nursery cradling the sick baby and tells Addison that being a parent is a lifelong commitment, not matter how long or short your child's life may be.  Affected by his comments, Addison brings the baby to her parents and tells them to be there for their baby.  After quietly observing the couple bond with their baby, Charlotte assumes that the procedure is off.  She also makes amends with Cooper when their differing views on the risky procedure places an unnecessary kink in their relationship.

Winning Back a Lost Love
Fife makes his return known to Naomi by filling her office with rare African Flame Lilies.  After allowing Naomi some time to grieve, Fife makes it clear that he is back in town to be with her, and he won't take no for an answer.  However, Fife realizes that there is still a spark between Naomi and Sam, and he tells Sam that Sam was the one that left Naomi and it is too late ask for Naomi back.  Meanwhile, Sam is trying to figure out if there are still feelings between him and Naomi.  Naomi insists that the kiss between them was purely nostalgia and nothing else.  However, Sam keeps pushing the issue, which pushes Naomi over the edge.  Addison walks in at that moment and asks Naomi if there is anything she needs to know.  Naomi blurts that there will always be something between her and Sam because Sam was her husband and her relationship with Sam will always trump Addison's relationship with him.  Sam and Addison ask Naomi what is really going on with her to which Naomi explains that she doesn't think that she belongs at Oceanside Wellness anymore.  Oceanside used to stand for something, but with the slew of questionable actions the gang has made recently, Oceanside doesn't feel like her home anymore.  At that point, Fife joins the group and tells her to come with him to Zimbabwe.  He quit a fantastic dream job to win her back.  However, Naomi explains to Fife that he is part of her past as well as everyone else.

Letting Love Flow
Addison hasn't stopped crying since she got back from Connecticut.  As she sits on her back porch, Amelia joins her and tells Addison that her tears are really freaking her out.  Addison tells Amelia that she is actually crying because her mother killed herself and she would do anything to have another moment with her.  As Amelia comforts her, Sam comes over.  It looks like their future together is questionable...

It looks like the writers of Private Practice are starting to set up the story line for Audra McDonald's exit from the show.  In February, the producers announced that she would be leaving the show at the end of Season 4 to go back to New York and be with her family.  However, the producers made clear that Naomi will still be around (although in a limited capacity), so it doesn't look like the writers will kill Naomi off the show like they did with Dell at the end of Season 3.  I miss Dell.  We just have to stay tuned to see how it will all unfold!

BOOB TUBE REVIEW: Grey's Anatomy "Not Responsible" (Season 7, Episode 16)

SOURCE: ABC

I am already behind on my Boob Tube Reviews, but thankfully Grey's Anatomy is going through re-runs for the time being, which allows me time to play a little catch up.

In Episode 16, Meredith and Derek's baby plans hit a snag and Callie discovers that her baby plans aren't totally in sync with Mark's or Arizona's while Owen and Cristina reach an impasse on any future baby plans.  Meanwhile, Alex, Lexie, and April each learn lessons in love while the Chief is forced to come to terms that Adele may be sick.

Baby, baby, baby...
Meredith tells Alex that she is noticing the fertility drugs are affecting her vision, but brushes it off in hopes that her blurred vision will go away as she starts her day at work.  As the day progresses, she notices her vision becoming increasingly worse, but keeps silent about it until she admits to Derek in surgery that she can't operate because she can't see the patient's brain.  Meredith and Derek immediately see Lucy who tells the baby hopeful couple that Meredith needs to stop taking the fertility drugs or risk permanent vision loss.  Between her inhospitable uterus and blurred vision, Meredith starts to wonder if she and Derek will ever have a baby.

Lucy is also keeping tabs on the Callie-Mark-Arizona baby triangle and comments that the prenatal check-ups are getting a bit crowded.  Lucy asks the expectant triangle about performing an amniocentesis to check for any genetic defects.  While Arizona thinks the test is a good idea, Mark voices his concern that the test could raise the chances of miscarriage.  The decision is left to Callie who decides to go ahead with the procedures after much careful consideration.  Mark goes along with the decision, but makes it clear to Callie and Arizona that he is taking his fatherhood duties and responsibilities seriously and wants to be included in all decisions regarding the baby.  Callie is impressed with Mark stepping it up, but Arizona confides to her that she is still not thrilled with Mark's involvement.  She explains that Callie is getting her "bi-dream," but this situation is not what Arizona wanted.  She doesn't really care for Mark and the idea that she will need to work with Mark to raise the baby together with Callie is not part of her dream.

With all the baby talk going around, Cristina tells Owen that she is so glad that he is not trying to knock her up.  Owen tells her that maybe not know, but hopes to some time in the future.  Cristina reminds Owen that when they got engaged, she made clear that she never wanted children.  Remember when Cristina was pregnant with Burke's child and miscarried while in surgery?  Owen remembers Cristina saying that, but understood her statement in the context of a resident.  Once her residency is finished, he is hoping that Cristina will change her mind and they could start a family.  Cristina asks Owen when she has ever changed her mind and walk away.  Later on, Cristina tells Owen that perhaps they rushed into marriage, especially when she was still suffering from PTSD.  Owen makes it clear to Cristina that regardless of their quick wedding, they are now married and married people who love each other work through things.  Cristina doesn't get to cop out of their marriage when the going gets tough or they hit an impasse.

Lessons in Love
Concerned about Meredith's vision problems, Alex asks Lucy whether fertility drugs could be affecting his friend's vision problems.  Lucy sees Alex's question as an excuse to ask her out again and calls him out on his ulterior motives.  Alex asks her out one more time and is shut down again.  FAIL!

When Meredith treats Allison, a patient in Derek's Alzheimer's clinical trial, she notices Allison's son Kyle sporting a rather large bump on his neck.  Although Kyle may be young, he is an asset to his mother by helping her remember things and getting her through the day, especially while Kyle's dad is at work.  Meredith suggests a doctor take a look at Kyle's bump, which Kyle's dad apologetically admits they've been neglecting because they've been busy taking care of Allison.  The bump on Kyle's neck turns out to be serious and Dr. Stark wants Child Protective Services called.  April, Arizona, and Meredith balk at the mere suggestion of calling in CPS, but Dr. Stark is adamant as he questions how Allison and her husband can take care of Kyle when Kyle is clearly taking care of them.  April stands up to Dr. Stark and explains to him that a call to CPS would destroy a family that loves and supports each other fiercely, and that the call would be a huge mistake.  To April's surprise, Dr. Stark agrees and tells her to hold off on calling CPS.  After a little thought, he then asks April out on a date!  April is floored, but then surprises everyone when she accepts his date invitation.  Never saw that one coming, huh?

Meanwhile, Teddy, Lexie, and Avery are treating Ricky who suffers from cystic fibrosis and is a prospective lung transplant recipient.  In preparation for the transplant surgery, the team finds out that Ricky's girlfriend, Julia also suffers from cystic fibrosis, but kept her condition a secret in fear that Ricky would be taken off of the transplant list.  Teddy is livid when she finds out and worries that Ricky will squander his gift of new lungs if he continues to stay with Julia.  She gives Ricky and Julia an ultimatum--break up or no transplant.  They agree to break up, which Teddy doesn't buy, but agrees to go through with the transplant surgery.  Later, Lexie finds Julia sitting outside of the hospital.  Julia explains that she believes that everyone only gets one soul mate and Ricky is her one soul mate.  If she can't be with Ricky, she worries that she will never find love again.  As Avery listens from afar, Lexie tells Julia that she will find another soul mate because everyone has more than one in this world.  Lexie explains that Julia is lucky she found one of them, but there are more out there and she will find love again.  Julia decides to end her relationship with Ricky.  Later, Avery talks with Lexie and tells her that he overheard her conversation with Julia.  Avery tells Lexie that Mark is not her only soul mate in this world and there are a ton of guys out there who would kill for the opportunity to be with her, including himself.  One thing leads to another and those two wind up in the shower together!  See, I knew it!

The Chief finds out that Adele is back in the ER again.  This time she slipped and fell in the supermarket.  While she blames her fall on her new walking shoes that are supposed to tone up her derriere, the Chief starts to suspect that it is something more.  He asks Bailey to check out his wife, who in turn guns a gamut of tests, including one for substance abuse.  Bailey is stumped and seeks Meredith's insight about Adele's first visit to the ER.  Bailey admits to the Chief that she shares Meredith's concerns that Adele may be showing signs of Alzheimer's and suggests seeking the input from the best neurosurgeon in the country who happens to be at Seattle Grace.  The Chief finds Derek, Mark, and Owen on the rooftop hitting golf balls.  He asks Derek to please look at Adele to which Derek agrees.

Grey's Anatomy: The Musical?
I thought I was hallucinating when I heard that Grey's Anatomy was planning on a musical episode, but lo and behold, March 31 will be its premier.  Interesting...

BOOB TUBE REVIEW: Private Practice "Two Steps Back" (Season 4, Episode 15)

The truth hurts, but it all depends on how we cope with the truth that truly sets us apart from one another.  Some harbor their emotions and stew, some act on it in conducive or non-conducive ways, some get angry and loud, and some accept it in a mature and level-headed manner.  It all depends on the person and the circumstances.  In Episode 15, the doctors and patients at Oceanside Wellness all dealt with painful truths.  While some came out ahead, others may have fallen behind.

Violet's honesty hurts
Violet is learning to practice what she preaches when she suddenly finds herself on the outs with the rest of the gang by failing to filter her opinions regarding those she works with in her book.  She explains to an irritated Pete that she added more details per her publisher's request.  However, Pete makes it clear to his wife he hates her book and any details regarding his first marriage and mother's incarceration are his story, which is not Violet's business to tell.

Later at Oceanside, Violet gets the cold shoulder from her colleagues.  Amelia doesn't appreciate being called a whore while Sheldon sarcastically tells Violet that he loved her description of him as "sexual leftovers."  Cooper expresses his anger with being described as a "man child," Naomi is shocked when she finds out that Violet mentions Maya's pregnancy, and Charlotte can't believe that Violet claims she knows her fiancee better than Charlotte does.  Much to Charlotte's chagrin, Sam can't help but agree with Violet's claim.

Violet allows the office an opportunity to criticize her out loud to make everyone feel better.  Amelia blurts out that Violet is condescending, Naomi says Violet is cheap, and Sam says she can't dance even though she thinks she can.  Violet apologizes to the gang and leaves it up them to take a vote on whether she should go ahead and publish the book.  Later, Pete tells Violet the gang voted to allow her to publish.

Charlotte and Cooper take one step forward and two steps back when the truth comes out
Charlotte and Cooper visit a therapist.  Cooper tells the therapist that Charlotte won't wear her engagement ring even though he had it fixed and polished.  Charlotte explains that her engagement ring broke when the doctors cut it off her finger to treat her broken left hand from the rape.  She goes on to explain that the ring is a reminder of the rape.  After realizing this, Cooper offers to buy her another ring, but Charlotte says she doesn't want another one.  Cooper is stumped as to what to do and explains that the engagement ring is a step towards marriage.

In therapy, Charlotte tries to convince Cooper that they are moving forward in their lives because there are no more lies or secrets.  However, Cooper admits to her that he kissed Amelia after Charlotte was raped.  He tries to apologize and reminds her of all the times he forgave her in the past, but Charlotte asks for time to process it all.  Later, Charlotte confronts Amelia and asks her whether Amelia kissed Cooper back.  Amelia tells Charlotte that it doesn't matter if she did or not because Cooper was a scared and lost man at the time.  Amelia tells Charlotte that Cooper's love is a gift.

Back in therapy, Charlotte tells Cooper that she forgives him.  Charlotte explains that while she knows that the rape is not her fault, she takes the blame for the lying and cheating.  Cooper was the first man to know all of her and still love her.  Later on, Charlotte suggests to Cooper that they should have a spring BBQ for the their wedding and they should even make it kosher for his parents.  Next step...marriage!

Protecting your daughter from the truth
Erin brings her teenage daughter with Down Syndrome to visit Sam.  Erin's fears that Tanya might be pregnant are confirmed after Sam performs an ultrasound.  Naomi helps Sam talk to Erin about her options, but Erin is unsure whether she will be able to take care of Tanya as well as a baby (who could potentially also have Down Syndrome), and leans toward aborting the baby.  In the meantime, Naomi is able to convince Erin to allow her to perform genetic screening on the baby.  Sam questions Naomi whether pushing for the genetic screening stemmed from her personal views against abortion, but she denies it and says she wants to allow Erin an opportunity to properly weigh all of her options.

Erin also battles with deciding whether to tell Tanya that she is pregnant.  However when Tanya's boyfriend Ricky who has severe learning disabilities comes into the examination room after Naomi performs the genetic screening test, Erin explains to the two that they made a baby together.  She breaks the news that there is no guarantee that they will be able to keep it.

Upon receiving results that Tanya's baby does not show any signs of Down Syndrome, Naomi and Sam drive over to Erin's house to deliver the news in-person.  However, Erin tells them that she took Tanya in that morning to get an abortion.  It's too late.  Erin explains that she will figure out how to explain to Tanya what happened.

Acting out to protect one from the truth
Sheldon treats Andie, a woman who suffers from multiple personality disorder.  Andie's sister Laura and Laura's fiancee, Jack are moving to Arizona and Laura, who has taken care of Andie since their parents died in a car accident many years ago, is worried about leaving Andie in California by herself.  Laura explains to Sheldon that even though Andie was diagnosed with multiple personalities, Andie has not shown any of her other personalities in almost ten years.

After talking with Andie, Sheldon meets Andie's alternate personality, Gina who screams at him to back off.  However, Gina says that she doesn't hate Jack.  He later meets child-like Maggie who is upset with Jack for taking Laura away from her.  As Sheldon gets to know Andie and her other personalities, he is intrigued at how fast Andie is able to switch between her different personalities.  Jack questions if Andie is really sick due to the timing of her behavior--just weeks before he and Laura are supposed to relocate to Arizona.  Laura is adamant that her sister is sick and will stay behind in California if necessary to take care of Andie.  Sheldon starts to grow suspicious too.

During a group meeting, Gina screams at Jack when he starts pushing Laura to open her eyes that Andie just doesn't want them to be together.  She tells him that she hates Jack.  Sheldon tells Andie that the jig is up.  Maggie is the one that hates Jack.  Andie got her personalities reversed.  Andie admits to her sister that she faked it because she loves Jack and didn't want Laura to take him away from her.  Later, Laura tells Andie that even though she is still mad at her she loves her.  They try to work together now knowing the truth.

Naomi stops hiding the truth
While Addison stays back in Connecticut to help the Captain move out of the mansion, Sam is back in California.  He and Naomi are processing that Maya may be attending Columbia University and will be taking Olivia with her clear across the other end of the country.  What about Dink?  Isn't also safe to assume that Maya's husband will be joining his family in New York City?  Sam tells Naomi that he and Addison have been going through a lot of stresses in their relationship lately, and a little time apart is probably good for them.  Naomi knows Sam all too well and calls him out that he is actually really lonely without Addison.  She offers to come over with Olivia and eat dinner with him.  At dinner, Naomi admits to Sam that she is still hurting that Sam chose Addison.  As a result, she is doesn't trust Addison the same way like she used to, but is trying.

After finding out about Tanya's abortion, Naomi is riddled with guilt.  Sam tries to convince her otherwise, but it's not working.  Naomi instead asks for a hug, which leads to an intense moment as Sam pulls Naomi closer and they start to passionately kiss each other.  Looks like while Addison the cat is away, Sam the mouse will play!

BOOB TUBE REVIEW: Hawaii Five-O "Loa Aloha" (Season 1, Episode 18)

When the pilot episode of Hawaii Five-O premiered in September, Danno was portrayed as a wise cracking police officer from New Jersey who was only in Hawaii to be close to his daughter.  The only glimpse of his marshmallow-y inside was portrayed in his loving relationship with Gracie.  Remember when he tried to surprise her a stuffed bunny only to be upstaged by a real bunny?  Danno's disappointed face said it all as he quickly shoved the floppy eared toy in the backseat of the car.  Poor guy.  Episode 18 dives further into the softer side of Danno while rest of the gang is entrenched in a diabolical mystery that is killing targets one after the other.

First up, someone is taking down targets one-by-one via remote controlled explosions.  McGarrett, Chin Ho, and Kono figure out the connection between two murders, and are in hot pursuit of stopping a third one from occurring.  The murderer is targeting the children of individuals involved in his son's DUI case.  As a result, the judge's daughter is killed when her zipline snaps and the prosecuter's son is killed when the car his son is driving explodes.  Both the judge and prosecutor receive phone calls from the murderer prior to witnessing their children die.  A quick high-tech investigation reveals that the next target is the son of the public defender who defended the murderer's son.  However, the murderer's plans are thwarted when the gang arrives just in time to stop the explosive from going off in the 13 year-old's backpack.  As it turns out, the murderer was reluctant to push the remote control button after realizing how young his target was and doesn't fight arrest.

I thought this particular storyline was pretty good and kept me interested throughout the show.  However, I kept on thinking that somehow Danno's brother would be involved in the murder scheme.  Danno's brother Matt had his own set of separate problems.

Matt Williams (Dane Cook) arrives into town with a stack of presents for his niece Gracie.  Danno and Matt go down memory lane with Rachel along for the ride since her husband is out-of-town.  However, all is not peachy during the memory lane journey when Danno notices that his younger brother is being watched and followed.  He quickly finds out that the men are FBI agents and that Matt is the target of an FBI investigation.  Matt comes clean with Danno and tells him that he lost millions of dollars and is trying to recoup the loss and come out ahead by securing one last big deal.  The deal is the reason why he is in Hawaii.  Danno pleads with Matt to turn himself in to the authorities and assures his younger brother that he will be next to him every step of the way.  However, after the deal falls through, Matt prepares to skip town.  Danno eludes the FBI agents and catches his brother right before he is about to board a chartered private jet.  With Danno's gun drawn, he pleads with Matt to stay or he will shoot.  Matt gives Danno an ultimatum--either shoot him or say goodbye to him.  Danno watches Matt board the plane and says goodbye.

As much as I liked the mystery storyline, I was kind of irritated by the Danno's brother storyline and thought it was a distraction.  Plus, I thought Dane Cook's character was a little creepy, but I did like the fact that Danno and Rachel seem to be on better terms.  The bromance between McGarrett and Danno is getting better and more believable.  I can't believe it, but Hawaii Five-O is almost at the end of its first season already!  Can't wait to see what else is in store!

BOOB TUBE REVIEW: Private Practice "Home Again" (Season 4, Episode 14)

The writers of Grey's Anatomy/Private Practice only skirted around Addison Forbes-Montgomery's wealthy background.  Episode 14 is the first time we take a longer look at Addison's privileged upbringing, which adds another interesting dimension to her character.

This episode picks up after Bizzy's death with Addison returning home to Connecticut.  At the airport, Sam offers to accompany Addison, but she assures him that she will be fine and boards the private jet in the same cold manner reminiscent of Bizzy.  Addison explains to Sam that Bizzy died of an aneurysm in her sleep, it happens all the time, and all she is doing is returning her back home.  On that statement, she pulls up her gloves and commands the aircraft staff to start loading the plane with luggage because the bags won't load themselves.  Sam lets her go, but wonders if he should have gone anyway.

Back at Oceanside, Sam asks the team if he made the right decision to let Addison leave by herself.  While the men support Sam's decision, the ladies think otherwise and start planning for everyone to join Addison in Connecticut.  Naomi asks Sam, "In all those years of marriage, did I really teach you nothing?"

The gang arrives at the Forbes-Montgomery Connecticut mansion and quickly realize that they are in a different world.  Addison greets her colleagues at the door, again reflecting her mother's cold demeanor by saying, "Hello, Thank you for coming.  Won't you come in for a drink?"  They are greeted by the Captain who is disappointed that Violet couldn't make the trip.  Remember when Violet and the Captain had a fling the last time he was in California to visit Addison?  Archer greets them, especially Naomi who quickly backs away from his attempt to greet her with a big hug and kiss.  Archer tries to play the grievance card when Naomi quickly reminds him that the last time she saw him, he climbed out her bed and disappeared.  Remember when Charlotte and Archer hooked up?  There was no real indication of that previous rendezvous in this scene.  Archer then insists that the whole gang stay at the mansion.

Meanwhile, Violet and Sheldon stay behind in California to deal with a patient scheduled for execution and his wife who is fighting for another appeal and stay of execution.  Violet is having a difficult time getting her patient, Hillary to accept her husband's imminent execution while Sheldon's patient, Brett (Hilary's husband) admits that he is guilty as sin.  Brett tells Sheldon that even though he doesn't want to tell Hillary and his son the truth, he would rather have them hate him instead of the world as Hillary continues to fight tooth and nail to delay his execution.  Violet is shocked when Sheldon tells her that Brett did the crime and wants to come clean.  She visits Hillary and finds her desperately trying to get a stay of execution.  Violet tries to get her to accept the inevitable, but Hillary is in complete denial.

In Connecticut, Addison finds out that Bizzy already planned her funeral.  The Captain volunteers to deliver the eulogy, but the funeral director announces that Bizzy requested Addison perform it instead.  Afterwards, the Captain asks the gang aloud how all these doctors could let his wife die without a fight.  Addison reminds her father that Bizzy suffered a fast heart attack alone, so there was nothing any of them could have done.  Sam asks Addison that he thought it was an aneurysm, not a heart attack.  She covers her tracks and says she's tired and needs to rest.

Sam follows Addison and finds her staring at Susan's urn sitting on top of her dresser.  Addison reminisces about medical school and the cadavers they worked on during gross anatomy.  She tells Sam that when she dies, she will donate her body to science.  She then picks up Susan's urn to take it to another room because she doesn't think she will be able to sleep with it in her room.  In the process of getting another glass of wine, Addison bumps into Charlotte in the kitchen.  Charlotte tells Addison that she knows Bizzy committed suicide, but promises to keep it a secret.  She tells Addison to speak from the heart and say whatever the hell she wants when she delivers Bizzy's eulogy the next day.  She explains that funerals are not for the dead, they are for the living.

Meanwhile, Archer asks Naomi if she cares that Sam and Addison are an item.  While she admits that their relationship bothers her, she realizes that it is out of her control and she chooses not to be bitter about it.  Archer pulls Naomi close to him and kisses her.  The next morning, Addison knocks on her brother's bedroom door to find Naomi in bed with Archer.  Archer reminds Addison that they are both consenting adults.  Addison coldly reminds him that black would be an appropriate choice to wear for the funeral.

In California, Violet, Sheldon, Hillary, and Brett meet where Brett admits to his wife that he killed Paul Miller.  Hillary reacts by laughing hysterically and then leaves despite Brett's pleas for forgiveness.  Sheldon explains that Hillary needs time to process what she just heard, but Brett explains that he doesn't have much time left.  Violet finds a frantic Hillary who explains to Violet that Brett had one bad moment at the bar, but that should not erase all the good things that her husband did.  Violet tells Hillary that it is time for her to accept that Brett is going to die and see him before he is executed.  Instead, Hillary says she has to go somewhere and asks Violet to come with her.

Hillary and Violet visit the wife of the man that Brett killed.  Hillary admits to Mrs. Miller that Brett killed her husband.  Mrs. Miller tells Hillary that she already knew that, but it was Hillary that refused to accept it.  Hillary then pleads to Mrs. Miller to ask the Governor for a stay of execution; explaining that she just needs more time.  After showing Hillary pictures of her children, Mrs. Miller explains that after her husband died, she has been the one to take care of everything by herself and she will continue to take care of everything until the day she dies.  She tells Hillary that she can't give her anymore time because Brett took away the time her husband could have spent with her and her kids.

Meanwhile, Brett nervously paces up and down waiting to see Hillary before he is prepped for execution.  Hillary is still not there and he is worried that she won't show up.  Sheldon assures Brett that he will be there with him through it all as the prison guards take Brett away.  As they sit in the car, Violet tells Hillary that although she doesn't have to go in to watch the execution, she needs to accept that Brett will be dying that night.  Hillary rushes into the prison demanding to see her husband before he is executed.  The prison guard tells her that he is already prepped and allowed no outside contact.  Realizing that the only way Hillary can see her husband now is by watching him be executed, she pulls Hillary aside and explains that it is not whether she is strong enough (Violet thinks she is one of the strongest people she has ever had the honor to know), but whether she wants to.  Hillary pulls herself together and joins Sheldon to witness the execution.  Brett sees his wife and accepts his fate as well as Hillary.

At Bizzy's funeral, Addison goes against Charlotte's advice and delivers a rather cold and emotionless eulogy consisting of a list of Bizzy's community accomplishments.  At the reception, Cooper offers Sam some advice and tells him that when Charlotte's father died, she beat him up because he was close and he was safe.  If Sam wants to help Addison heal, Cooper suggests that he push back a little.  Sam goes upstairs and confronts Addison and demands to hear the real eulogy rather than the "stepford waspy" one.  Despite her push back, she finally breaks down and lets her pain out while Sam holds her in his arms.

Meanwhile, a drunk Captain approaches Pete and starts asking again about Violet.  When Amelia tries to settle the tension between the two men, the Captain unexpectedly tries to take a swing at Pete to only stumble and fall.  Pete patches up the Captain's cut forehead and advises him to stop taking his prescribed tranquilizers.  Pete tells him that Addison and Archer just lost their mother and are hurting, and now is the time when they need their father the most.  However, Pete says that the Captain can't be a father if he is too stoned and drunk.  The Captain admits that he is hurting too and was happy when he found out that Susan was sick.  After Susan died, he begged Bizzy to come back home so that they could be together; not to be romantic, but just so that they wouldn't have to live alone.  Pete extends his condolences.

Addison finds Archer outside drunk and opening another bottle of booze.  Addison tells Archer that Bizzy didn't die of an aneurysm or heart attack, but instead killed herself by taking a bottle of pills.  Bizzy wasn't selfish, but was broken with grief after Susan died.  It didn't mean that she didn't love Addison or Archer, but could not think and was drowning.  If Addison could have told the truth, that's what she would've said.

The next day, Addison places Susan's urn in Bizzy's coffin and kisses her mother goodbye.  At the burial, Archer finally embraces his grief and breaks down.  The Captain takes his arm and extends it around both his children as Bizzy's coffin is lowered.

Next episode, Charlotte and Cooper try to forgive each other while Naomi is still battling with her anger about Addison and Sam's relationship.

BOOB TUBE REVIEW: Grey's Anatomy "Golden Hour" (Season 7, Episode 15)

It's been awhile since we've seen a fast-paced episode of Grey's that juggles several patient storylines, so this episode was a good diversion.  Don't get me wrong, I love the character storylines, which is the reason why I am so addicted to the show, but the anecdotal patient storylines keep things interesting and the episode going.

In this episode, Meredith volunteers to be in charge of the emergency room in hopes to bump herself up the list for Chief Resident consideration.  The race is still on and Meredith has her sights on this coveted position even if it means shifting her focus temporarily away from helping Derek with his Alzheimer's clinical trial.  Cristina thinks Meredith is crazy to volunteer for ER duty, and wonders why Meredith is acting rather giddy.  Meredith explains that her giddiness must be due to the hormone shots to help her and Derek to get pregnant.  This leads Cristina to admit to Meredith that Callie asked her to be her baby's godmother.  Meredith doesn't think that would be a good idea.

While in the ER, Meredith finds out how much can happen in one hour--from 6:00 to 7:00 pm.  First up for Meredith is Oliver who arrives at the ER complaining of chest pains.  Although he is in a rush to take his son to the big college basketball game, Meredith exercises all the necessary precautions and convinces Oliver to stay for tests to rule out any serious heart problems.  Unfortunately, the ER is busy that night and tests are taking a while to complete.

Meanwhile, Karev is in a rush too to get to the same basketball game because he has courtside tickets.  However, he is delayed when he has to stay at Seattle Grace to finish up his pile of incomplete charts.  Dr. Lucy Fields finds out about the tickets and helps Karev finish up his charts in hopes that her assistance will result in an invitation to the game.  After some obvious prodding from Lucy, Karev extends an invitation only to be shut down by her because she has to work.  It turns out that Lucy was just testing Karev.

Meredith is also juggling her commitments in the ER with a planned date with Derek at 6:30 pm.  Derek and Meredith are trying to get pregnant so timing is everything.  Derek drags her to the on-call room only to mistakenly interfere with Bailey's rendezvous with Eli.  I am so glad that Bailey is getting back into the swing of things!  Without anywhere else to go and Meredith desperate to get back to the ER, Derek drags her to the only other place he can think of...the elevator where he gives her a hormone shot.

Back in the ER, another patient who is also in rush to get to the basketball game arrives with a knife sticking out of his head.  The drunk patient and his equally drunk friend provide the ER some comical relief as the doctors try to figure out the proper course of action to remove the blade from his skull.  As the medical discussion continues in the next room, the patient's friend takes matters in his own hands and pulls out the knife without causing any damage to his friend's brain.  In fact, both are ready to go to the game.  With some stitches and bandages, the patient is released and both board a taxi cab to the basketball game.

As Meredith waits for Oliver's test results, she notices Nathan, a four-year-old boy with a broken femur that needs surgery.  Unfortunately, despite his parent's pleas and Nathan's cries of discomfort, an operating room is not available yet.  Meredith pleads with his parents to be patient, but is also side tracked when she notices Adele in the ER suffering from a sprained wrist.  Mrs. Webber asks Meredith not to say anything to the Chief.  She explains that she was taking Christmas decorations down and slipped and fell.  When Meredith comes back at a later time to check on her, she asks Adele again how she hurt her wrist.  Adele tells Meredith that she slipped and fell at home after coming from work.  Meredith grows suspicious and orders an head scan.

Lexie is also busy in the ER and releases her migraine patient when his scans come out negative.  Meredith takes a look at his chart and quickly runs out to the parking lot as the patient is just getting into his car.  she asks him to squint and raise both arms straight up.  Meredith makes a quick diagnosis that Lexie's patient is having a stroke and rushes him back to the ER where he is given blockers to stop the stroke from progressing further.  Meredith pulls Lexie aside and shows the differences in the patient's signature from when he was admitted and released.  The barely legible signature at the time of his release should have been a clear indicator for Lexie that her patient was having a stroke, but she was so caught up with the patient with the knife in his head that she missed the signs of this patient.  Thanks to Meredith, the patient makes a full recovery.

Meredith is also looking for signs in Adele, but when the Chief finds out that his wife is in the ER, he rushes to her side.  Adele's wrist is bandaged and is released before a head scan can be performed.  Meredith asks the Chief to keep Adele at the hospital to run a head scan, but the Chief refuses.  He doesn't want to hear what Meredith is suspecting, despite her explanations that Adele said she was taking down Christmas ornaments in February or fell down after she got home work even though she is retired.  The Chief tells Meredith to stop suspecting everyone is sick just because they are a little shaken up or confused.

Speaking of tests, Oliver is still waiting on the results of his tests as his son keeps calling his cell phone.  As Meredith consults with Teddy, Oliver suddenly codes in the ER with a dissecting aorta.  Teddy apologetically asks her date to wait while her faux husband Henry keeps her date company in the waiting room causing an awkward situation.  Teddy and Meredith rush Oliver to the operating room with no time to spare.  Meredith hands bottle of hand sanitizer to Teddy in the elevator because they don't even have time to scrub in.  Despite their quick actions, Oliver's aorta is completely shredded and he dies on the table.  Meredith is completely crest fallen.

After losing Oliver, Meredith visits the hospital nursery to admire the newborns and wonders when she and Derek will have their own newborn to admire.  Remember when Meredith and George used to escape to the nursery to look at the babies to make them feel better after a really rough shift?  Meredith tells Cristina that the reason she doesn't want Cristina to be godmother to Callie's baby is because if Christina agrees to be someone else's godmother, it would be like she's saying Meredith will never have a baby of her own.  To support Meredith, Cristina agrees not be a godmother for Callie's baby.

In all that has happened in one short hour, Meredith forgets about Nathan and inquires if an operating room is available.  Nathan's dad tells her that a doctor stepped up to take care of Nathan--Dr. Karev.  Karev is in the operating room with Nathan while Lucy is impressed with Karev's selfless act of giving up his courtside basketball tickets to take care of a young patient.  As it turns out, Karev gives his tickets to Avery who invites Lexie to join him.  Do I see a romance brewing in the horizon?

However, not everyone will be able to go to the basketball game.  Meredith hears Oliver's cell phone ring in the bag of his belongings and answers the call from Oliver's son.  After she relays the bad news, Meredith composes herself and goes back seeing patients.  It's 7:00 pm.

Next episode, Meredith's vision is compromised by the hormone treatments.

BOOB TUBE REVIEW: Private Practice "Blind Love" (Season 4, Episode 13)

As I said before in my Boob Tube Review for Grey's Anatomy, I am playing catch-up since I missed last Thursday's Grey's/Private Practice night.  In fact, I am further behind in Private Practice because I didn't see the episode before this one, "Heaven Can Wait."  Thankfully, ABC.com uploads the last five episodes on its website, which makes it very convenient for me to watch when I get a chance.  So please excuse me if I seem to be getting Episodes 12 and 13 mixed-up with each other since I watched both one after the other.

Is it just me, or is Private Practice getting heavier and heavier?  First it was Charlotte's rape and now it is Addison trying to save Susan's life and then planning for a wedding when she still hasn't been able to come to terms with Bizzy coming out of the closet and divorcing the Captain.  After Episode 13, it looks like Addison's life will be getting a lot more complicated and heart wrenching.

After Susan collapses during her wedding dance with Bizzy, she is rushed to the hospital where Addison and hunky Dr. Rodriguez stabilize her.  Is it only me, or are you still pulling for Addison and Sam to emerge from the Dr. Rodriguez distraction?  Anyway, unlike Bizzy, Addison realizes that it is only a matter of time for Susan to die and knows that Susan signed a DNR.  Later, Susan gets a clot in her lung and while Bizzy pleads for Addison to do something, she lets Susan go without taking any heroic measures.  Bizzy is devastated.

Meanwhile, Pete asks Amelia for help with his patient who is a new mom wounded in combat.  Although Lizzie wants to raise her baby as a single parent after her boyfriend and father of her child dies in same explosion that wounded her, Amelia has doubts whether Lizzie can do so blind in one eye and with only blurred vision in the other.  Amelia will perform surgery on Lizzie to try to restore vision in her blurry eye, but calls Janet, the mother of the baby's deceased dad, to come and help with the baby.  Janet intends to take the baby back to San Diego with her if the surgery is unsuccessful.  After surgery, a jubilant Lizzie exclaims she can see everything, including Amelia's aqua scrub cap.  Janet is devastated knowing that Lizzie's restored vision means she will not be able to see her granddaughter, the only part of her son that she has left.  Amelia is livid with Pete when she quickly realizes by Lizzie's canned statements that the surgery was unsuccessful.  Pete coached Lizzie on what to say to ensure that Lizzie and the baby would remain together.  Pete admits to Janet that the surgery was unsuccessful and encourages Janet and Lizzie to make amends with each other and raise the baby together.

Just when Charlotte seems to be getting her life back to normal, especially with Cooper, Lee Henry, the man who raped her is urgently admitted to St. Ambrose with a knife in his chest.  Sam asks Charlotte and Cooper if he should do everything he can to save Lee as the knife is lodged in a dangerous part of his heart.  After almost storming into Lee's room, Cooper tells Sam to let Lee die.  Lee's girlfriend, the one who stabbed Lee, visits Charlotte in her hospital office and apologizes to her.  Charlotte questions the basis of the apology and Lee's girlfriend admits that she loves Lee and cannot leave him despite Charlotte's advice to take her son and run far away.

After talking with Naomi, Charlotte tells Sam to do whatever it takes to save Lee's life.  After surgery, Lee wakes up handcuffed to his hospital bed with Charlotte looking straight at him.  Charlotte tells Lee that his girlfriend told the police what he has done and that he will be going to jail.  Before she leaves his room, Charlotte tells Lee that she forgives him and does pity him.  When Cooper visits Charlotte in her hospital office where the rape happened, she tells Cooper that finally she sees her office as just an office.

Lastly, Addison visits her mother at the hotel where she finds Bizzy packing and wondering what she will do now since she left the life she knew back in Connecticut to marry Susan in California.  Although her family is not big on showing their emotions and affections, Addison tells Bizzy that she loves her and in return, Bizzy finally gives her daughter a hug.  Bizzy turns down Addison's offer to stay the night with her at the hotel and instead suggests that she come back for breakfast the next morning.  Later, Addison returns to her mother's room stating that she changed her mind and was intending to spend the night with Bizzy after all.  Tragically, Addison finds her mother laying motionless on the bed dressed in a black suit with several empty pill bottles on the night stand.  Bizzy leaves a note that states:

"Dear Addison,
The necklace is for you.  The money is for housekeeping.  Apologize to them for the inconvenience.  And, when people ask, tell them I died in my sleep.  The truth is too embarrassing."

The episode closes with Addison crying at her mother's bedside.

Next episode, Addison returns to Connecticut to bury her mother while holding a secret that Sam desperately tries to get Addison to relinquish.

BOOB TUBE REVIEW: Grey's Anatomy "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" (Season 7, Episode 14)

I missed watching Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice last week Thursday, so I have been playing a little catch-up before tomorrow night.  The writers of Grey's Anatomy have done a good job at slowly introducing new characters in the Seattle Grace fold as original cast members (i.e., Izzy Stevens and George O'Malley) have left the show.  In fact in the picture from last week's episode, only Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh) and Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) are part of the original cast.  The changes in cast can be good and bad.  Good because I am sure that hospitals change medical staff frequently and the fictional Seattle Grace should be no different.  Bad because as a dedicated viewer, such as myself, it's hard to say goodbye to a character that you have watched develop and grow and then introduce yourself to new character.  Fortunately, Shonda Rhimes does a good job at introducing new characters to her dedicated viewers.

The jury is still out for me on Grey's Anatomy's newest character, Dr. Lucy Fields (Rachael Taylor).  She seems like a tough cookie and we all know that Seattle Grace is in desperate need of an excellent OB/GYN since Addison packed up her Pucci scrub cap and left for sunny California.  It looks like her character may be a new love pursuit for Karev, but as usual, his personality and ego are preventing him from making a great first impression.  The complexities of Karev are endless and that's why he is one of the most intriguing characters on the show.

Speaking of the show, Episode 14 brings back Meredith's and Lexie's father, Thatcher Grey (Jeff Perry) who gets admitted to the hospital complaining of abdominal pain.  While Bailey tries to figure out the reason for the pain, Lexie finds out that her father has moved on from her mother's death and is in a relationship with a twenty-something woman named Danielle.  Lexie is livid that her father is dating someone younger than her, but through gorging herself on peanut butter cups (thanks to Avery), she realizes that she is mad at Mark for having a baby, which leaves her left behind again.  Bailey assures Thatcher that he is not rejecting Meredith's liver, but is instead suffering from a very treatable kidney stone.  After her peanut butter cup revelation, Lexie takes her sister's advice, and allows herself to be happy for her dad by extending an olive branch to Danielle.

Meanwhile, Meredith is torn between helping Derek with his clinical trial to cure Alzheimer's or the Chief's clinical trial to cure diabetes based on the research found in her mother's journals.  Meredith ultimately decides to stay on Derek's clinical trial by explaining to the Chief that her mother's research work is a side of her mother that the Chief knows, not her.  However, watching her mother suffer from Alzheimer's is a side that Meredith knows all too well and something that she wants to pursue to find the cure.

Karev's inability to think before he speaks lands him barred from the OR and NICU when Teddy, Arizona, and Cristina help to save a baby with a heart transplant from a brain dead infant.  While the team try to work a miracle in the operating room, Karev and Fields make amends in the observation room.  Do I sense a possible romance brewing?  Only time will tell...

Lastly, Owen, Callie, and April treat a young gentleman who acted as a human slingshot to be filmed and posted online.  Instead of successfully landing on the other side of the brick wall, he ends up with double hip dislocations and a fractured femur.  This case is right up Callie's alley, but she is extremely distracted by her lack of caffeine consumption thanks to Mark and Arizona forbidding her from drinking coffee due to her pregnancy.  Unable to get through to the guys of the idiocy of video taping such a ridiculous action for internet laughs, Owen lays into them by talking about a guy he knew who died from severe injuries because he threw himself onto a grenade to save the lives of six soldiers.  Callie asks for a another vote on her coffee consumption by stating that this time, the unborn baby and her vagina will each get separate votes.  Callie wins and she gets one cup of coffee per day.

Next episode looks like Meredith will be in over her head by volunteering to run the emergency room in hopes of proving she is Chief Resident material.

BOOB TUBE REVIEW: Hawaii Five-O "Powa Maka Moana" (Season 1, Episode 17)

I am a pretty dedicated Hawaii Five-O fan.  As a Hawaii resident, I enjoy watching the episodes to try to figure out where some of the scenes are filmed while pinpointing some flaws.  However, as the show progresses in its first season, the show writers are getting much more accurate and incorporating more island life to the show and dialogue.

Monday night's episode premiered with a buzz due to real life engaged celebrity couple, Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo guest starring.  Despite their pretty decent acting chops, I have to admit that the greatest buzz for me was seeing the original 1974 Mercury Marquis Brougham again that Jack Lord drove around the streets of Honolulu in the original Hawaii Five-O.  So, while the ads run pictures of Nick and Vanessa to promote the show, I prefer to post this picture of McGarrett and Danno with the famous car instead.  Although the car is clearly not running in this picture, it is actually still running after more than 200,000 logged miles.  The automobile was given by Jack Lord to his stunt double, John Nordlum after the original show ended, and Nordlum has taken care of "her" ever since.  This car reminds me of the monster cars that my grandparents and parents used to drive around town back then.  It took skyrocket gas prices and long gas lines at the pump in the 1970s for cars to go from monster-sized Buicks to compact-sized Hondas.  But, I digress.

All in all, I thought Monday night's show was pretty good and only took a small issue with Tongan pirates taking over a party boat and kidnapping a bunch of college kids for ransom.  Seriously, Tongan pirates?  Anyway, the story line developed further, so at the end, I wasn't left with a sour taste in my mouth.  Oh, and, since when do officers carry grenades in their vehicles?  I had to laugh at McGarrett running out of a Kalihi pawn shop to conveniently retrieve a grenade from the glove compartment of Danno's Camaro.  By the way, that silver Camaro is Danno's, right?  If so, why does McGarrett seem to do most of the driving?  McGarrett knows his way around the streets of Oahu better?  And, did Danno know that McGarrett was stashing grenades in his glove compartment?  Doesn't seem safe when Danno also drives his daughter Gracie around in that car.  But, I digress.

My favorite scene involved Kamekona (Taylor Wily) training for a sumo tournament by working out in a vinyl jumpsuit on the beach.  The show writers are doing a better job in developing Kamekona's character as Kono's and Chin Ho's characters (in my humble opinion) just don't provide enough local flavor.  By the way, his shave ice stand seems to be gaining more and more business as the show progresses through the season from a one-man operation by the beach to t-shirts, sidewalk stands, and employees.  Incidentally, Waiola is a small corner mom-and-pop store in Moiliili that serves up delicious and refreshing shave ice.  I wonder if Waiola has seen an increase in business since the show premiered.

Next week, Dane Cook guest stars on Hawaii Five-O as Danno's younger brother.  I'll be tuning in!