Moonlighting 5×05-5×08: I got a chance to watch some more Moonlighting episodes recently, so now I’m very close to finishing off Season 5 (and the entire series). It’s almost painful to watch these eps, though, because it’s like I can see the writers straining to provide the same kind of snappy dialogue that made the show so popular in the first place. It seems that every episode have David and Maddie talking over each other for no reason than just to exhibit that trademark simultaneous dialogue. But whereas this conceit worked in the first couple of seasons because of the underlying sexual tension, in this fifth season, it just felt like a tired ruse.
As for the episodes themselves… meh. I watched “Shirts and Skins”, “Take My Wife, for Example”, “I See England, I See France, I see Maddie’s Underpants”, and “Those Lips, Those Lies”, and none of them were memorable. “I See England, I See France” was a dumb Weekend at Bernie’s ripoff that featured a particularly ridiculous scene at the end where Maddie believes she’s in hell or something. “Those Lips, Those Lies” was pretty bad, too. Here again, it was as though the writers were simply reaching for something that worked in the past (in this case, an appearance by David’s brother Richard), but that fell completely flat when recycled.
At least I know the show was put out of its misery soon after these eps aired. Only 5 more to go now!
Castle 3×02 — “He’s Dead, She’s Dead”: This episode was a bit better than the premiere, but not by much. It still didn’t seem like Castle and Beckett were wholly comfortable with each other and back in that BFF mode like from the middle of S2. Perhaps that’s to be expected for another week or two.
I’m always looking for a good comedy to add to my regular viewing rotation. I’ve heard some very positive things about the NBC sitcom Community, which just kicked off its second season last week. It stars Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Chevy Chase, Yvette Nicole Brown, Danny Pudi, Donald Glover, and Alison Brie as a group of misfit students at a community college. The students are all at various stages in their lives and are such a mismatch for each other that it sure seems there would be a lot of comedic potential for the show.
Plot summary (with spoilers): Note: since this film features a HUGE ensemble cast of well known stars, I think it’s easier to refer to each of them by real name instead of character name. I finished the DVD a few days ago and have already forgotten all the characters’ names anyway! 
Hawaii Five-0 1×01 — “Pilot”: I chose this show as my new one of the season, and have to say that it does have some promise. I’m not sold on Alex O’Laughlin quite yet because his wooden delivery made me think of Keanu Reeves far too many times, but I could probably get used to him. I was pleasantly surprised by Scott Caan as Danno. I have not liked Caan in anything I’ve ever seen him in, so I was fully expecting to hate him here too. But he was the best out of the core four cast members. It’s going to take some getting used to Daniel Dae Kim as anyone other than Jin, and the jury is still out on the woman (forgot her name). The plot was forgettable, but then again, few pilots are ever strong in that area. I’m willing to give this show half a season to see if I’ll stick with it or not.
Cougar Town 2×01 — “All Mixed Up”: I enjoyed this premiere — even moreso than this week’s Modern Family, to tell you the truth. I just really like the dynamic that this ensemble cast brings to the screen in every episode. In fact, the core group is so tightly knit that even a guest-starring appearance by Jennifer Aniston — whom I usually like — felt very awkward and out of place. I think the group works best when they interact with each other.
Criminal Minds 6×01 — “The Longest Night”: Hmm, I have to say I didn’t really enjoy this episode, which is odd because I liked the first part. I think the main reason was that Tim Curry and the girl Ellie were featured so prominently — and I found both to be extremely off-putting. The Curry character turned my stomach for obvious reasons. Kudos to whomever decided to fuck his teeth up like that because it just made Billy Flynn even more disgusting. But Ellie was troublesome as well. Was it just me, or was she smirking/smiling an awful lot for someone who is a hostage and who just helped — albeit inadvertently — kill an innocent man? 
Modern Family 2×01 — “The Old Wagon”: It was great to have Modern Family back last night! This is the one show I was truly looking forward to seeing again after the long summer hiatus. I think my expectations might have risen to outlandish heights, however, because I somehow felt a bit let down by the premiere. There were some funny lines, including Jay’s, “That was my Vietnam… and I was in Vietnam” and Phil’s, “They don’t make these anymore,” (aside) “For legal reasons!” But other than those two lines and Phil’s “Iron cross!” as he tried to get his bicycle down in the very first scene, nothing else stood out for me.
Glee is something of a guilty pleasure of mine. I’m not completely sold on the show, as many of the storylines are utterly ridiculous, but there have been plenty of great moments as well. I usually enjoy the performances, of course, and anytime Jane Lynch is on the screen, I’m pretty much assured of a laugh-out-loud moment.
Plot summary (with spoilers): Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Teddy Daniels, a U.S. Marshall assigned to investigate the disappearance of a patient at Ashecliff Hospital, an asylum for the criminally insane located on remote Shutter Island off the coast of Boston. Teddy has a new partner for the case, Chuck Aule (played by Mark Ruffalo), and the two get right down to business by interviewing Dr. John Cawley (Ben Kingsley), the head psychiatrist for the facility. 
OK, so now that practically every celebrity is on Twitter, do you think some of them get paid for mentioning certain products and brand-names? I vaguely recall that a few months ago Serena Williams or Kim Kardashian or someone like that was highlighted for promoting something via Twitter (some kind of snack, maybe??), but how about others? Chad Ochocinco mentions McDonald’s all the time, but swears he isn’t paid by them. He also mentions Louis Vuitton — and routinely gets “gift packages” from that company. Paris Hilton is another one. She has mentioned her love for