Bones: An Open Letter To Hart Hanson.

Dear Creator/Producer of a show that was once entertaining and touching,

If you don’t mind, would you please get off your frakking socially-correct high horse, get your shit together, and give me back my show that I love.

I go to Mass once a week to get my preaching fix. Quit wasting my time telling me that dog-fighting is wrong and smoking is a poor lifestyle choice. If someone questioned your commitment to such basic (that they are boring) cultural mores, then please address those concerns in private, on your own time.

If this is too much to ask, please be consistent. Wendell should get a lawyer, because, any way you excuse it, that was still sexual harassment and speaking to a (relative) stranger, as well as a student, in such a manner is utterly inappropriate.

More importantly, you made a choice at the end of last season, and even if it was a poor one, you owe it to your audience to deal with it, not back-peddle. I, in no way, enjoy being emotionally tormented, and I doubt that many people do. I, along with the characters, was coming to terms with Zack’s mistaken philosophy and immoral act, so how dare you now tell me “he didn’t actually stab that man.” Slowly reintegrating Zack into the show in a consultant capacity would have been both feasible and plausible, but attempting to expunge viewer outrage by simply negating the event that sparked the fury is utterly disrespectful. And that dinner montage scene didn’t make any sense. None.

I only say all this because there are 2 and 9/10th seasons to prove that you are better than this. I beg you to justify the faith your viewers have in you.

The TV Girl

The Office (9): I Forgive, I Forgive!

I forgive last season!

In my humble opinion there were many problems with last season, but the biggest one was Jim and Pam. So many things about the treatment and presentation of their relationship felt strained and odd. (I actually got in a debate with two friends last night about Jim telling the camera that he bought an engagement ring a week into dating Pam; I found this incredibly off-putting, but I am apparently the only one.) But the real Jim (self deprecating but self aware social commentator) and Pam (slightly awkward but in an endearing way) have returned to take back the show from those smug twats that were impersonating them. Jim’s proposal was sincere and meaningful and totally warmed my heart.

Ryan is back at the bottom of the totem pole where he belongs. The idea of Ryan as Michael’s boss might have been doomed from the beginning; no execution would quite live up to the concept. But what better punishment for fraud than having to return to that company as a temp. Embittered, revenge-list-writing Ryan cracked me up.

The Dwight-Angela-Andy situation is possibly beyond my powers of analysis. What is one to say? Dwight gave a what-up to the camera while leaving the storage closet he and Angela just had sex in, that participation of his singing group in the wedding is the deal-breaker for Andy, and Angela verbally abused Kevin. What does one say?

Will Holly be sticking around? She should, because her dorkiness is supremely preferable to Jan’s, um, tenacity.

Plus, Phyllis stole the Party Planning Committee from Angela, Stanley was a Black Panther, and Toby is in a Costa Rican hospital with a broken neck! Brilliant.

Even the structure of the plot complimented the extended time, so it didn’t seem too thin, the way the long episodes last season did. Congratulations The Office; you have regrouped, rallied, and returned from the brink of disaster.

The TV Girl

How I Met Your Mother (7): More Than A Job….

Marshall needs a haircut. Seriously. Hard to concentrate on anything else. His adorable explanation to Stella that Ted’s first marriage is to Star Wars totally overshadowed by the animal that died on his head.

But, nothing can overshadow Ted’s virtual high-five to his fifteen-year-old self. Genius.

I am not convinced that Stella is actually the future Mrs. Ted, which dampens my excitement that she said yes, because I don’t want to get too attached. But I am excited that she said yes. Especially excited that she didn’t break up with him when he almost killed her.

I wasn’t so happy last season when Ted was acting like Barney, but Barney acting like Ted is hilarious. As his tribute to bimbos illustrates, Barney is not ready for a fundamental lifestyle change, but his foray into mature-relationship-land added a little sweetness to Barney’s character that I think can only help.

And, I predict it won’t be too long before Lily spills the beans to Robin.

The TV Girl

Friday Night Lights: Season Three Promo

Not that I don't think this is ridiculously pretty, and not that I am not unbelievably excited for another season, but is there something kind of odd about this? I mean, that is the cast and everything, but I was unaware that Tim Riggins had superpowers (aside for charm).

I mean, seriously, was NBC (and even though this is an add for DirectTV, the show is still owned by NBC) just too cheap do separate shoots for FRL and Heroes, because that is the same color scheme.

Bones (6.5): Awkwardness in the Non-Awkwardness.

Why on earth was there an entire episode (“The Man in the Outhouse”) where Hodgins and Angela where walking around like nothing happened?

I should probably be more forgiving since the focus of the episode’s personal aspect was the impossibility of simply replacing someone you have lost with another who is capable of fulfilling the same function. I am still not happy about Zach’s absence, but I do appreciate that his previous presence is being respected.

Back to my point: the this-is-the-part-where-we-normally-kiss moment seemed overdue. Hodgins and Angela should have just been kept out of scenes together if the producers where going to delay recognizing how uncomfortable it should be for them to work together. And now that I have that gripe out of my system, can I just say how much I love angry-Hodgins! I missed the conspiracy-theory-spouting-and-tirade-prone-Hodgins, because he was way more fun than happy-Hodgins.

But how unfortunate that Mac’s last boyfriend Max (from Veronica Mars) went on to be a dog-fight-organizing murder. At least when Beaver was a guest on this show he wasn’t the murderer.

I got choked up when Brennan started crying for Ripley. I was already a little teary-eyed about Booth telling Parker than when it is for yourself you walk away but when it is for someone else you stay and fight.

The TV Girl