it's funny, you would never suspect that everyone at this school is a professional dancer

I may not watch as much television as I used to (and what I do, tends to air outside of the country, like Wire In the Blood, Los Hombres De Paco and now, Merlin), but even so, primetime network tv seems out to screw me.

It was bad enough when they put How I Met Your Mother, Chuck and The Sarah Connor Chronicles all on Monday night - and I was forced to scrounge the internet in an effort to catch up with Miss Sarah Connor, since my TiFaux only records two shows at a time, but now, they have added to the line up House?

Why? Why? When they moved Sarah Connor to Friday nights I thought I was clear! This is not to be, however - how am I to decide between the joys of Robin Sparkles, BuyMoria, and ... the weirdly nonsensicle reason I watch House?!

I shall console myself with a reviewing of one of my favorite guilty pleasures: Not Another Teen Movie.



And look! It's Ted Mosby!

Chuck vs. the Predictable Route *SPOILERS*

In the mass confusion that is the new television season, Chuck on NBC has always been my shining beacon of hope. When the writer's strike was finished and everyone got back to business, there were three shows that I was relieved made the cut and were returning: Chuck, How I Met Your Mother, and Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles.

Of course, because the universe likes to laugh at me, when these shows were scheduled, they were scheduled all on the same night, in the same time slot, on different networks. My DirectTV DVR is a life saver, but not even it can record more than two shows at once. The result, a lot of scrambling and attempting to watch television shows online. But one show I never thought to miss? My dear Chuck.

Why? Superb writing, layered, thoughtful beautiful characters, and more inside jokes for the inner nerd than you can shake a stick at. Throw in some extremely well choreographed fight scenes, guns and the occasional farce, and you have a fan in me for life. The show, based on the absurd (but awesome) idea that the CIA had it's main computer downloaded into a hapless nerd who must now be protected by a gorgeous CIA handler and a militant NSA agent, has always balanced the perfect pitch of drama and fun.

But, alas, even this show has given me a Sad. Which perhaps isn't too fair of Chuck. It is, after all, a sophomore show coming off a stunted first season, working out it's own kinks and wrapped up in the dilemna of what to do when your lead characters share that Moonlighting/Lois & Clark kinda romance that dictates you keep them apart for a long as possible for fear of making for boring tv.

The result has been an uneven season, with some slightly out of character moments that push the interactions off kilter, and make a rabid fan go 'hmm'.

I 'hmmed' when Chuck reencountered his lost girlfriend Jill, and in his infaturation with her, promptly forgot about his mutual love with beautiful handler Sarah. But I went with it. While I've never been the hugest fan of Jordanna Brewster, she was the best thing about spy-farce D.E.B.S., and had an easy chemistry with Chuck that proved likable and fun. She also represented a real threat to Sarah and Chuck's relationship, and an opportunity for growth for Chuck. Could Chuck learn to see past his own blinding emotions to realize he could move past the girl who broke his heart and appreciate the woman who loves him for who he truly is?

We'll never really get the chance to find out, because in it's latest offering 'Chuck vs The Fat Lady', it was revealed that Jill, Chuck's college girlfriend and reignited flame, was a Fulcrum Agent and a bad guy.

It's a disapointment. Who didn't see that coming? Well-executed, sure, but also a bit of a cheater's way out. Break a love triangle by making the third girl EVOL. Does everyone have to be a Fulcrum Agent? Just how many ARE there in Burbank that Chuck keeps tripping over them everywhere they go?

Maybe I'm not giving Chuck enough credit. Maybe there's a big geeky plan and this will just be another layer to a complicated reintroduction to Jill. An explanation of how she ended up in Fulcrum and in Bryce's bed following her college break up with Chuck has yet to be addressed, and perhaps this is all a lead up to that.

I hope so. If not, that was just too easy.

And yes, I realize that's a little obsessive, but a show like Chuck is a homage to the nerd, and if you throw in the nerd jokes, the nerds will come.

And nitpick the hell out of your show.

Two New Episodes of Chuck Tonight

If you're not watching Chuck, you should be. Luckily, you get two chances tonight, when NBC premieres that last two original episodes shot for Chuck before the writer's strike struck it down.

Check out this preview, then tune in tonight on NBC.

A Small Reprieve: Females Kick Ass In January

While there appears to be no end in sight for the writer's strike that is casting a dark, dark shadow on Hollywood (and cutting jobs left and right), there is a small measure of hope.

Scifiwire is reporting 2 new episodes of Chuck (the last of the season that are in the can) will air on January 24th. If you haven't watched Chuck, you should. A funny, smart show with three engaging leads and an entertaining menagerie of supporting characters, Chuck mixes James Bonde-esque satire with an Office Space twist. Some of the plots are a little unbelievable, but the sincerity of both Chuck and his two handlers Sara and Casey more than make up for it. It's just a gem of a show.

American Gladiators appears to be hitting it's stride as one of the more brutal reality shows on the market, and with 9 episodes total this season there's plenty of time for broken bones and patriotic cheesery. In a series of interviews by craveonline, The Gladiators reveal themselves to be a funny, outspoken bunch, and Crush in particular, continues to be a favorite of mine. As the only female Gladiator who doubles as a professional cage fighter, she makes comments about killing people with her bare hands and being bummed out that she can't kick people in their heads. That's bad ass. American Gladiators airs 8PM Monday nights on NBC.

Also coming atcha is the Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, frontlined by a personal favorite Brit actress of mine, Lena Headley. If the rest of the series holds up to what the pilot promised us, we're in for a bang up, hard hitting, ball blasting heck of a show. With two female leads (one android, one human), the show proves that kicking ass and taking names isn't exclusive to the gents. T: The Sarah Connor Chronicles debuts this Sunday on FOX at 8PM before moving to it's regular timeslot at 9PM Monday night.