A look back at the best and worst of TV in the past week (Oct. 11-Oct. 17), and a peek at what’s coming up.
Highlights
1. “Mad Men” (AMC). Betty finding the Dick Whitman Box in Don’s locked drawer. Hoooo boy, how’s he gonna explain that one? Come on Don, haven’t you ever heard of a bank safe deposit box? And with Sterling Cooper on the market again, we might see quite a shakeup before the season’s done. Will anyone jump ship to Duck’s company? And is Don’s contract binding if there’s a new owner? Hmmmmm.
2. “Top Chef” (Bravo). Fantastic episode. The blindfolded cooking relay was surprisingly fun, and Restaurant Wars was as awesome as ever. It was a little shocking to see the talent meltdown on the losing team, but it just goes to show, anyone can have an off night. Note to self: Always make sure Padma’s food is properly salted.
3. “White Collar” (USA). Wow, this really might be the best new drama of the fall. The caper mystery about a con man teaming up with an FBI agent is smart, breezy and a ton of fun. Not a bad looking cast too. It’s got a definite “Burn Notice” type of vibe, deftly balancing high-stakes cops-and-robbers drama with humor. Finally, there’s something worth watching on Friday nights.
Honorable mention: Lance and Keri getting the boot on “The Amazing Race” (CBS). Ahhhh, finally. There are no teams left that I really hate. Ehh, though Mika & Canaan really bug me. Also, the prison fight between Jax and Clay on “Sons of Anarchy” (FX). Wow, that was brutal. Shows like to play around with “after this, nothing will ever be the same” moments, but I can’t see how things will go back to the way they were after this. The club is officially split.
Lowlights
1. “FlashForward” (ABC). At least we got some plot advancement and action. But dude, Joseph Fiennes is not an action hero. In a departure, it was the last five minutes that was the weak link. How our heroes escaped the exploding car (without even a scratch!) was beyond me, and the slo-mo shootout as “Like a Rolling Stone” played was ridiculously cheesy and ruined the entire scene. The ambush on Janis was done so much more effectively. Oh and did anyone else notice that the FBI guy called the senator “Joyce” twice, but her placard at the hearing said “Jane”? Come on guys, details!
2. “Gossip Girl” (The CW). Scheming and backstabbing over a freshman toast? A millionaire playboy who has a secret gambling club in a warehouse? Hillary Duff being the best actress on the show? It all baffled me. The “All About Eve” opening was great though.
3. There is no 3. I just didn’t watch enough bad TV last week. Sorry, I’ll do better next week.
Looking forward to . . .
1. “The League” (10:30 p.m. Thursday, FX). A new series revolving around a fantasy football league. There’s some rich comedy to mine there.
2. “Sons of Anarchy” (10 p.m. Tuesday, FX). The club’s divisions get wider, and Georgie (Tom Arnold) has his thugs attack Luanne’s porn studio. Good stuff.
3. “Amazing Race” (8 p.m. Sunday, CBS). Mika’s waterslide meltdown looks classic. And ridiculous.
