The Buoy Club

The Amazing Race: Fluent Chinese and Elbow Checks!

I bet the closed captioning guys were dead tired after this episode. Our teams finally land in China, and much to no one's surprise, team Harvard speaks fluent Chinese. What strikes me as funny is it seems like it took a return to their homeland for this team to remember they spoke Chinese. If I knew another language on a race where withholding information could mean winning a million bucks, you best believe my team's conversation would have to be translated. After all, if it weren't for their lack of running skills, team Harvard would've finished first because of their ability to communicate at the Detour. Don't be surprised if you see more Chinese as the race gets tighter.

After last week's previews, I expected the brawl between the Sistahs and Luke to be truly epic. Much to my delight, it lived up to the hype. After Luke elbows Jen's attempted grab at the clue box, the episode's first "bitch" flies out. What's funny is that Jen drops this bomb right as Margie runs past. Great timing. After lecturing Luke about staying level-headed, Margie then proceeds to lag behind as her son races toward another clash with Jen at the very next clue box! Once again, the two collide and Jen is sent reeling into the poor, defenseless clue box. Despite the animosity, I don't think the blame really lies with either racer. Nobody pushed anybody and Luke's elbow didn't connect with any part of Jen's body.

Making this confrontation even more awkward is the fact that these teams were forced to race side-by-side for the rest of the leg. I was just waiting for Luke to nudge Jen's elbow during the calligraphy writing. But that tension paled in comparison to the showdown we got on the finish mat. While I think Margie might've overreacted just a bit, Kisha and Jen did nothing but make total asses out of themselves. You don't laugh in the face of someone hurling accusations at you. I don't care if that's your personality. But since they're such big believers in karma, I'm sure they'll appreciate a big helping of it next week at the swimming challenge!

Overall, this episode featured a memorable clash between an unlikely pair of teams, but ultimately lacked any real drama since the midgets were so far behind.

BUOY CLUB GRADE: 86 out of 100.

Lost: Utilizing the Trampoline Episode!

If you watch a show for long enough, you know when they like to schedule their big money episodes. For instance, you can pretty much expect that the fourth episode of any season of Smallville is going to be what most people like to call a "filler" episode. Over the course of a 22 episode season, it's not particularly smart to wear your audience out with a non-stop barrage of hugely important episodes that add a significant amount to the overall storyline for that season or the series in general. Some weeks, audiences just want a chance to relax. Well, in the Lost world, I feel there are no such thing as filler episodes. After all, you can miss a filler episode and be OK because they really don't add anything to the ongoing mythology. With Lost, miss one episode and you're...well...lost.

That being said, there are times during Lost that TPTB (The Powers That Be) decide to run what I call a "trampoline episode." It's an hour of television that's not exactly up to snuff with the rest of the season but launches the story forward for the coming weeks. I use the term trampoline because with Lost, these type of episodes start out pretty slow and then just explode in their final moments (much like what happens on a trampoline). Thus was the case this week as the episode finally gave the criminally underdeveloped Miles his own backstory. Nothing too extraordinary as far as that story goes, but you could feel the episode was building to something big. After all, it's not like Lost not to pack a couple big surprises into every episode.

In the case of "Some Like it Hoth," that big surprise was the much-anticipated (at least in my case) return of Daniel Faraday to the island. Arriving with scientists from Ann Arbor can't help but make me wonder if he brought the DeGroots with him. Either way, his return appears to be the catalyst that will propel the islanders into the all-out war that's been brewing all season. With the final showdown between Ben Linus and Charles Widmore looming at the end of season 5, where does the show go from here? I would normally be worried about this, but with Lost, I've learned to trust the creative minds running this well-oiled machine.

Overall, this was a decent episode whose final moments really helped launch the story forward for the next few weeks.

BUOY CLUB GRADE: 76 out of 100.

Chuck: Tracing Our Hero from Nerd Herd to Fugitive

If there's one thing that sets television shows apart from any other story-telling medium, it's their ability to show character development. For those who aren't really familiar with this term, I'm talking about the changes a show's characters undergo from the first episode to the last. Fans of Chuck are witnesses to a perfect example of this. Remember the Chuck we met during the first couple episodes of season one? The one who taped his fingers when playing Call of Duty and had to be dragged into most of his team's dangerous missions? He was learning to cope with the Intersect in his head and any success he had came from pure, blind luck.

Fast forward now to the Chuck we saw in tonight's episode. He's so fed up with having government secrets in his head that's he willing to turn to Jill for help. Not only that, but he's challenging General Beckman's every word and barging into Fulcrum strongholds like he owns the place. His computer skills and ability to slip out of tough situations actually qualify him as a halfway decent spy. It's not the Jason Bourne/James Bond we're used to seeing, but Chuck has really come a long way. Helping him along that path has been the resurfacing of his father/Orion and the subsequent kidnapping shorty after. With all the energy Chuck has invested in finding his father, I expect his path in season three to be shaped largely by the outcome of this story line.

I know I usually try to focus on one aspect of each episode, but I couldn't help but mention the trailer for next week's show. I think I speak for most fans when I say...finally! The end of that trailer, with Chuck and Sarah finally hooking up for the first time, was a great payoff. Too many shows nowadays play the "will they/won't they" card for way too long (I'm looking at you, Lana and Clark). I'm glad the Chuck team has listened to the fans and finally given Chuck and Sarah what they truly deserve: each other.

Overall, this episode was just another notch in Chuck's extremely impressive belt and the ending has me amped for the finale.

BUOY CLUB GRADE: 95 out of 100.

Heroes: An "A" for Effort

Have you ever had a friend that really sucked at something but tried his best every time he did it? You found yourself saying, "If only half the people that did this had his type of desire?" Well, in the TV world, that friend is Heroes. You could even say this show's a classic example of the phrase, "Spinning your tires." While that rotating rubber makes it seems like there's a lot going on, the show's just not getting anywhere. And that's a shame. In these last few episodes, I can tell the writers are trying to right the ship. They're not falling into the same traps and making an effort to create authentic relationships between the characters.

But here's the sad part: they're just out of time. Television audiences are very capable of forgiving a show's shortcomings. It happened with Buoy Club member Lost after a ratings slump during the second season. The show reinvented itself and BAM! It was relevant again. But for all it's improvement here lately, the second, third and fourth chapters are the anchor dragging Heroes down. I'm afraid most fans needed a massive turnaround to invest in another season. Cramming some decent story lines into the last few episodes just isn't going to cut it. As much as I like the direction the writers are headed, the fat lady is already singing.

Only the next few weeks will tell if this buoy stays afloat in our little club. I'm sure Heroes will get renewed for another year and have at least one last shot to reinvest itself. If the finale rocks out loud, I will happily continue watching in the fall. If not, it will be time to move on. I guess we'll see.

BUOY CLUB GRADE: 78 out of 100.

The Amazing Race: Has Anyone Actually Watched This Show Before?!

I've been a fan of this show from the very first season. Every team, every leg, every stupid blunder: I've seen 'em all. And as much as some racers have frustrated me and had me saying, "Wow, that's dumb," there's been one team this season that's blown them all away. Like a hurricane moving through a cardboard city. That's right, Mark and Michael: I'm looking at you. The number of costly blunders who've made this season make me wonder if you ever watched the Amazing Race prior to coming on the show. In fact, if I ever teach a course on how NOT to run this race, it will feature a lot of...ok, all of the footage from your exquisite body of work. Apparently being in the stunt business reduces your ability to think.

I mean, let's just do a little recapping in case we've all forgotten how bright these two are. Last week, they finish getting their cart ready and decide it would be a brilliant move to waste more time hiding all the equipment in a box two feet away from its original place. If that wasn't enough, they're reading skills fail them as they forget the part where they can't follow a taxi for that task. Geniuses, these two! Luckily for them (not the poor audience), the time penalty they were dealt wasn't enough to send them packing.

This week, Kisha and Jen get in on the act by arriving at the Pit Stop without their passports. I literally wanted to reach through the TV and strangle them while yelling, "You idiots! How can you expect to go the next country without your passport?! You can't bum a free taxi ride across the ocean or into another country!" Fools. Thankfully for the girls, Mark and Michael decided to one-up themselves by incurring the biggest penalty in race history of 4 HOURS by using their possessions to settle debts. Wow. Just wow. I would almost be proud of my own stupidity at that point. With it being a non-elimination leg though, I know next week's episode won't be that good. Between the time penalty of 3 hrs 10 mins and the Speed Bump, these midgets are toast. Nothing short of a team falling into the Bermuda Triangle will save them now.

Overall, this episode was pretty intense and I can't wait to see Luke and the sistah girls throw down next week!

BUOY CLUB GRADE: 88 out of 100.

Lost: The Smoke Monster's Journey from Unknown to All-Knowing

It's time for a trip down memory lane. For most Lost fans, this will be a pretty long trip. But for a new fan like me, it's only going to be a short drive. I want you to think back to the Pilot episode of this show. As we were introduced to the characters and got acquainted with the island, we got handed our first big Lost mystery: what was the monster that was terrorizing the survivors? Watching this episode over winter break (when I caught up all 4 seasons of Lost before the 5th season premiere, booyah), I remember there were a million ideas running through my brain. The conventional side said dinosaur. The creative side said giant robot. During the first season, all I really knew was that this thing could rip up trees and yank a pilot out of a cockpit.

With the reveal in the second season of the monster's true form, I would like to say any of my hypotheses were borderline correct. Not even close. When that giant black smoke monster floated out of the jungle toward Eko, my emotions fell somewhere between stunned and intrigued. In typical Lost fashion, the writers had pulled this creature straight out of left field. I mean, seriously, who could've predicted the monster was a black smoke stack? Come to find out during the show's second season, the monster could take on a corporeal form and had a habit of judging the survivors based on an unknown set of standards. After we found out Ben could summon the monster (which he did after his daughter was killed), I guess it was only a matter of time before this happened. The same way Eko was judged, Ben Linus would face the same scrutiny.

All of this does little to pull back the curtain on the secret of the monster. We know what we know and nothing else. We have no idea where it came from, why it attacks people and lets others live and how it does what it does. An IGN feature on Lost ranked the monster in the top five Lost loose ends (out of 50). I agree with their prediction that the monster will one of those loose ends that gets tied up in the show's final episodes. In the meantime, we'll just have to be contempt knowing Alex can walk out of the smoke and demand that her father follow Locke's orders. Makes perfect sense to me!

Unlike the majority of shows on television, I can say with 100% certainty that the Lost writers will find a satisfying answer to my questions. To introduce the monster in the first episode and reveal its true nature in the final one would be almost poetic. After all, if they can make black smoke into the most feared creature on the island, then they can do anything they want. Otherwise, Ben will stick Smokey on em!

Overall, this episode was a welcome return for John Locke (my favorite character) and featured a role-reversal that's going to be fascinating to watch.

BUOY CLUB GRADE: 86 out of 100.

Chuck: This Whole Spy Thing Must Run in the Family

Talk about a worthwhile investment. I originally got into Chuck after seeing the funny promo for the second season premiere while watching for Heroes promos. The Buoy Club needed a comedy, and I figured I'd give Chuck a shot. Although it was a bit slow going at first as I worked myself into the plot and warmed up to the characters, I can now say with full confidence that I am a full blown Chuck fanatic. If there was a way to measure how fast Buoy Club members moved up my "most anticipated" list, Chuck would be peaking out at the top of the spectrum. If this show doesn't get renewed for a third season, NBC is getting punched in the face.

While there are dozens of things I could talk about in this stellar episode, I will hone my emphasis down to the reveal of Orion's true identity. After "Chuck vs. The Predator," I found myself running through the different possibilities of who was behind the creation of the Intersect and ultimately responsibility for Chuck's current predicament. But the way the writers decided to unveil it, with Chuck's dad sliding his hands behind his head only to reveal his Mighty Morphin' Wristband was AMAZING. I think I literally gasped in surprise. Maybe I should've seen it coming, but the way the Bakula played Stephen Bartowski as off-beat and paranoid had me completely in the dark.

Stephen's explanation of why he abandoned his kids and didn't tell Chuck he was Orion made perfect sense. Other shows would've likely butchered such a simple and sincere reason, but Chuck writers are the masters of utilizing realistic conversation to create character moments the audience can believe in. Not only that, but to have Chuck lunge for his father at the end when he could've just walked away was perfectly in character for Chuck. This is a guy who's always put his family before himself, so his actions were very believable. Now that Stephen has been kidnapped by Roark and Fulcrum, it will be interesting to see how Team Bartowski handles the rescue effort given Chuck's vehement pursuit of Orion up to this point.

I really don't know what else Chuck can do to prove it's the best comedy on television. After its first season worked out the kinks and finally found its groove, the second season has been delivering EVERY week with episodes that are fun and loaded with great action. Not to mention the Chuck/Sarah relationship that's developed into one of the most complicated, yet real, pairings on TV right now.

Overall, this episode featured a fantastic revelation and gave the season its focus as we come down the home stretch.

BUOY CLUB GRADE: 96 out of 100.

Heroes: As the Stars Align...

I think I share the sentiment of most Heroes fans when I say that this show is on its last leg. As much as I loved the first volume, the second, third and what I've seen of the fourth have really crushed my faith that this show can deliver anymore. The convoluted storylines and absurd characters arcs have left me watching a show I no longer recognize. It's hard to remember I'm supposed to care for these characters when I no longer know who they are. The best comparison I can think of to explain this phenomenon is the feeling you get when watching a horror movie: you actually cheer when characters get killed because you have no connection with them. They're just caricatures parading around on screen.

With that being said, I think Sylar is the character who's been most victimized by this disturbing trend. The psychotic killer from the first volume (whom I was actually scared of) has become a total joke. Let's just give a quick recap of his journey since trying to blow up New York: spent an entire season trying to rediscover his powers, stole Claire's ability and them became Bennet's partner, ended Volume 3 with a shard of glass in his head, spent the first half of this volume looking for his father, and then joined Danko's team to help hunt down people with abilities. Does that seem like a character with ANY sort of focus to you? Much like the character of Lana Lang on Smallville, Sylar has become a mound of clay for the writers each season. They can mold him into whatever they want, and if they don't like it, they can completely change it, all the while thinking nobody cares one way or another.

I agree with another reviewer who said Sylar should've stayed dead after Volume 1's conclusion. But because he's one of NBC's coveted young stars, he's been forced back into a narrative that's already saturated with poorly written characters that lack any motivation. Until NBC can realize that the characters drive a good show forward, they will keep tossing out these grand plotlines that have no legs to stand on. It's tragic, really. To see the potential this show had vanish before your very eyes is simultaneously frustrating and depressing. I don't how much longer this buoy can stay afloat.

Overall, this episode was decent but I doubt it will lead to the satisfying conclusion Heroes' fans deserve.

BUOY CLUB GRADE: 70 out of 100.

Smallville: Fear Doomsday, the All-Powerful Changer of Smallville Continuity!

When I watched Thursday's episode of Smallville, the aspect that stuck out to me the most was the weaving of Davis Bloome/Doomsday's history into the long-standing Superman mythos. Before the opening credits, we saw (through flashbacks courtesy of Lionel's Veritas diary) the meteor shower that decimated Smallville and brought young Clark to Earth. Using footage from the Pilot episode, we watch as Jonathan and Martha (great to see them again, even if it's just a flashback) meet Clark for the first time and stare in amazement at his spaceship.

What they failed to see was the giant space pod that cracked open and oozed yellow Kryptonian booger juice into the form of young Davis Bloome. Martha and Jonathan also manage to avoid Lionel's swat team as they pursue Davis through the adjacent cornfields. This whole spectacle ends with the light bulb popping up over Tess' head as she proclaims, "There were two boys that fell to Earth that day."

Now, the short recap I've just given would cause most fanboys to break whatever they were holding. They hate continuity change. To them, the Superman mythos are sacred. And for the most part, I agree with them. But here's why I don't get that upset with this: Smallville has done this before! Remember Kara? Well, maybe you don't, but she was Clark's cousin who fell to Earth...guess when...during the meteor shower! They got away with that one only because Kal-El is technically still the "Last SON of Krypton," but it was still pretty weak. So I'm not surprised that they've dropped Davis into the meteor shower, as well. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before Superman writers decide Bruce Wayne crash landed alongside Clark that day too.

What I do have some issue with is the complete rewrite of the Segith and Naman legend from WAY back in season 3. It seems the writers have completely forgotten Lex Luthor and his place as Clark Kent/Superman's archenemy. As beast-mode as Doomsday is, he will never take Lex's place atop that list. I'm glad the writers decided not to make Lex the main villain of this season without Rosenbaum on board, but everyone who thinks Lex Luthor is dead and gone in the Smallville world needs to think again. I mean, how many times have the killed Lana now? 14 or so?

Overall, this episode set the table nicely for the end of the season but I'm not too crazy about some of the continuity changes.

BUOY CLUB GRADE: 73 out of 100.

Supernatural: I am the Prophet...Chuck!

Wow, this show has come such a long way. I still remember the horror I felt watching the end of the first episode. That cliffhanger got me hooked on this show and the insane amount of WTF moments throughout its run have only reeled me in deeper. This episode was a highly amusing trip down memory lane that managed to poke fun at the Supernatural mythology while also advancing the plot in several key ways. How it manages to do that week in and week out, I'll never know.

But without a doubt my favorite part of the episode was the introduction of Chuck Shurley, played wonderfully by the guy from "Waiting" who had problems peeing. This is one of Supernatural's strongest qualities. Much like fellow Buoy Club members Chuck and Lost, Supernatural has always weaved in guest stars so well you wonder how they weren't always around the show. So come to find out, Chuck has been writing a book series entitled Supernatural whose editions coincide with each episode of the show. Obviously, the brothers are intrigued when they discover this and eventually show up at Chuck's house.

After some hilarious moments where Sam and Dean read about what they're doing in Chuck's latest writings, they find out that Chuck is actually a prophet of the Lord. I loved this and called it from the very beginning! As a Christian, I've enjoyed watching the show incorporate elements from Heaven into the show. Even though it skims over the fact that God could wipe out Lucifer with a wave of his hand, the show has done pretty good job of using Biblical elements this season. Perhaps the episode's coolest moment came when Castiel (played fantastically by Misha Collins) informed Dean that Chuck had an Archangel tethered to him, which Dean then used to get rid of Lillith. The scene in the house where Dean tried to persuade Chuck to help him was absolutely hilarious. I especially loved Dean telling Chuck, "OK, well then how bout this- I've got a gun in my pocket, and if you don't come with me, I'll blow your brains out." Classic Dean moment right there.

Similar to the character of Castiel, I truly hope fan reaction to the new character of Chuck will translate into more screen time for him. Considering what he saw at the end of this episode, I'd say I'll get my wish. Until then, I'll just have to be content with this classic performance.

Overall, this episode featured some hilarious self-awareness and introduced an exciting character to the Supernatural mythology.

BUOY CLUB GRADE: 93 out of 100.

Greetings television enthusiasts!

I'm sure you've all been there.

Dragging in from a long day so exhausted that simple speech becomes hard to manage. Your eyes feel like they have dumbbells attached to them. Half-conscious, you plop down on the couch and enjoy the few seconds of relaxation before something invariably comes up and demands your attention. Even worse than dealing with the exhaustion is the prospect of waking up and doing it all again tomorrow.

How do you cope with that?!

I'll tell you how I deal with it: the Buoy Club.

No, this isn't a club related to fishing or deep-sea diving or anything crazy like that. I only wish I was that cool. I went fishing one time in my life. I snagged my friend's shorts, the tree behind me...and my friend's shorts again. Needless to say, I hung up my fishing pole after that incident.

Instead, the Buoy Club is the collection of TV shows that help me stay afloat during the week (hence, they're my buoys). They're the shows that I plan my weekdays around. I'll record them so I can fast forward through commercials, but I will not sleep until I've seen my shows for that night. I guess you could call them the cornerstone of my entire weekly schedule- no matter what else I have going on, I can always count on my shows.

I've always been a firm believer that television is the greatest story-telling medium we have. Movies, while often more extravagant and celebrated than TV shows, can only convey rather short, compact narratives. Books (while I love reading and hope everyone reads) lack the visual element of either movies or TV. Television shows have the perfect blend of visual artistry and elaborate narrative. Shows can run for several seasons, usually telling so many stories you'll find yourself uttering, "Oh yeah...I remember that!" when a forgotten plot point is resurrected. To truly invest in a show is incredibly rewarding. If you haven't done so already, I would highly advise you find some to call your own.

Which shows do I call "my shows?" I have six. They're evenly spaced throughout the week so I always have something to look forward to. They are...drumroll please: The Amazing Race, Chuck, Heroes, Lost, Smallville and Supernatural. They are Buoy Club members for life. And while you may think it's tough to juggle the plots of six different shows simultaneously, I'd say it's just as easy as telling six of your best friends apart: they're so unique and awesome it'd be impossible NOT to know one from another. In fact, I love nothing more than talking with other fans just to have some way to share my love for these awesome shows.

So, that's what this blog is all about: sharing my love for these shows! Every week, after my shows air, I will write a short post sharing my thoughts on the episode. I'll usually try to concentrate on an element that everyone else isn't already talking about. At the end, I'll toss a grade out (0-100) and sum up my feelings in one sentence. Call it getting some closure on that show for the week.

The reviews will start with my two favorites shows in the world: Smallville and Supernatural, which air on Thursday on the CW. I was a fan of these long before any of the other ones, so it only feels right to start there.

Hope to see ya then! And welcome to the Buoy Club!

Jazzy