Television recap (Apr. 26-May 2)

Finale season is upon us and that typically translates into pretty awesome television. Reruns are basically done and shows are setting up for the big cliff hangers/game changers/endings. Because of this, this list becomes more difficult to numerate, but I tried to really think about the moments in order, so I think I have them all in the right place.

10. The Office- The show has become awkward again. I am not sure if I love it because I was digging Michael as a confident and wily businessman. However, casual Friday offered some pretty great moments. I am not sure where the season will end because they already had someone quit, so that cliffhanger will not work. For this week though, the key moment does not belong to any of the main characters, because it belongs to Meredith. Her response to the question "Where are your panties?" was simply "It's casual Friday." It is hard to argue with such sound logic.

9. The Big Bang Theory- I am actually glad they did not put Sheldon in the Las Vegas awkwardness. Sheldon is the funniest character in the show, but he is over used in his awkwardness and he is best used with Penny and their connection in this episode was really perfect. The Vegas stuff was great too, with the beautiful Jodi Lynne O' Keefe playing a hooker who will give "The Jewish girlfriend experience." Funny stuff really, but the best moments came from Sheldon trying to understand the concept of "friends with benefits" and then at the end of the episode telling Leonard that he better understands the concept after sleeping over at Penny's. Leonard's face was priceless.

8. Reaper- This show is really at its best when Ray Wise's devil is heavily featured. This episode was king of a mixed bag as parts of the mythology were too easily changed and some parts just getting more awesome. I like that the "Soul of the week" was dropped and I like Nina stripping down to her underwear because, well, I had no idea she was so, ummm, tight. However, the devil as lovestruck gets the win. The devil sets Sam up only so the devil can come in and play the hero. Of course, the romanticism of it all is ruined when he just wants to nail the girl, but the idea of the devil as the chivalrous hero is perfect because Ray Wise is just having so much fun playing the lord of darkness.

7. Grey's Anatomy- This show no longer carries the weight with me it once did, but this episode was a reminder of why I used to love this show so much. They have a great case, relationships in flux, some great acting and my favorite thing on this show, great confrontations. Meredith unloads on the chief, only to have the chief come in and give a heart breaking apology to Meredith that I am sure left a few people in tears. George is really starting to get the hang of trauma surgery, Callie fixes a girl who broke all of her limbs and Dr. Hunt offers three word responses to Christina. That last thing led to the best confrontation of the week. Hunt goes into a heartfelt and depressing monologue to Christina that proves Kevin McKidd is one awesome actor and really injects a serious energy into this show.

6. Supernatural- This is the lowest this show has appeared on my weekly list. I am unsure of what I think about the idea of Sam as an addict for demon blood, but this is only lower this week because of how good other things were. Dean and Sam are being set up as forces of good and evil. I am not sure I want a big confrontation, but they were not the focus of this week. The human vessel for Castiel became human again and lost his faith. The key moment was when he was back with his family and getting ready to eat dinner. His daughter asks him if he is going to pray and with tears dripping from his faith, he cannot muster the faith to pray. The show has gone ultra religious and this was a great moment in that season 5 mythology.

5. 24- The season is coming to an end and Jack Bauer is on the verge of dying. He is not about to let that stop him from trying to save the country one last time. After everything he has been put through he still wants to help. That is a real hero folks. This week was really just a set up for the final few episodes as it was high on exposition and low on action, but Jack Bauer did get one awesome moment when Janice snarked out "Hello Big Brother" after C.T.U's servers went back on-line. Jack looks at Janice and lets her have it, but he says "President David Palmer" twice and then he realizes he is losing his grip on reality. I know the show has an 8th season, but Keifer is doing a great job selling the potential death of Jack Bauer.

4. Dollhouse- Next week will bring the season (hopefully not series) finale, so this week was the perfect set up. The big season long question was "Who is Alpha?" This week we got the answer and what an awesome answer. The key moment is not so much a moment as it is an actor: Alan Tudyk. Yes, Wash from Firefly is Alpha. At first he is playing a paranoid, funny weakling and then with the flip of a switch he is CRAZY!! As Agent Ballard infiltrates the dollhouse, Alpha is causing all kinds of issues before stealing Echo. Victor with a slashed up face, Topher stunned into a coma, agent Ballard captured and Echo stolen. Next week should be a pretty kick ass, but man how good was Tudyk? Consider me very impressed. I thought of Alpha as someone younger, but I am willing to buy Tudyk because of how great he did as crazy.

3. How I met your Mother- I could talk about the moment, but I am just going to show it:


If you do not think that is some of the funniest stuff ever, you do not have a funny bone. NPH delivers is perfectly and it is a perfect analogy. I love it!

2. Lost- For a little while, I have felt the show was just a bit off and this week was supposed to be a big one. I have read that a lot of people were disappointed, but this episode reminded me why I loved this show so much. We get philosophy, time travel, guns, explosions, Hurley jokes and a show that does not insult the intelligence of the audience. It shows us scenes we have seen before without needing to remind us of the context. It trusts that we will just remember the things that happened. The key moment is Daniel's mom telling him he has to go back to the island. I am sad about what happened at the end and even more sad that ABC has said what happened is final, but the emotional pull from that moment made it worth it. The show is at a place where it is really discussing destiny/fate and whether or not it can be altered, or will destiny always find a way to be the same and that is awesome. Plus, just how good has Jeremy Davies been as Daniel Faraday? I will tell you how good, he has been amazing.

1. Chuck- I have to begin by saying if this show does not get renewed then this is the worst season finale ever. If does get renewed it is a genius game changer that makes me so amazingly happy. The finale features everything I love about Chuck. They have a kick ass fight to an awesome song (Mr. Roboto), Chuck is very happy before being completely miserable, Sarah fights in a little dress, Casey saves the day by being a bad ass and Chuck makes a difficult decision. When you throw in a really lovely beach wedding and Sarah telling Chuck she wants to stay with him, you get a really well rounded episode. Of course, the cliff hanger is what makes this episode. Bryce is killed and Chuck decides to sacrifice his normal life and downloads the intersect back into his head, but this intersect is new and...CHUCK NOW KNOWS KUNG-FU!!!!!! Really nothing has ever been cooler, unless that is the end of the series. BOOO!!