SHE'S GOT THE LOOK

Being a woman of a certain age, I was very excited to see this new reality show premiere. If you take AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL and take out the obscenely skinny girls, add 20 years to their ages and add the older version of Tyra Banks, Beverly Johnson, you have SHE'S GOT THE LOOK.

Here's the premise, 10 women 35-years-old, and older!, compete in a modeling competition. The big prize is a contract with the Wilhelmina modeling agency. Oh baby, how far we've come, and it's about time. The goal here is to get a woman that is relatable to all of us, not one that makes the rest of us feel like the withering rotton tomotoe barely hanging on the vine. While all of that should be enough to make you want to watch, there is so much more.

The thing that strikes me is the fact that even at 35 and older, girls will be girls. There have been a few jealous temper tantrums, just look back at the episode where Paula lost it after her group lost that week's challenge and you'll know what i'm talking about. That being said, they are older and more mature, so the cattiness hasn't gone too far, at least not yet.

In probably one of the saddest moments, one of the forrunners, Kathy, chose to bow out of the competition to go home to her kids, who she was missing too much to stay away from. But, that isn't the sad part...the sad part was the fact that her teenage sons told her they were having a great time and were getting along fine without her! I suppose my mother wasn't the only woman to give up her dreams for her children, even if they didn't ask her to.

The bottom line is that SHE'S GOT THE LOOK is well-worth tuning into, even if you are one of the skinny young things that usually keeps their channels glued to the CW.

AMERICAN IDOL

AMERICAN IDOL used to be one of my favorite shows. I say used to be not because I don't still watch it every week and look forward to seeing how my favorite singers are doing, but rather, because it has almost become a characeture of its former self. On top of that the show seems to be taking itself much to seriously. Take for example, the new format they have on elimination night where they invite fans to email questions, which they than allow them to ask the contestants themselves via the phone. This type of thing is nothing more than filler for an episode that should really only last about 15 minutes. I don't mind the packages they do each week where they try and get the audience to believe the contestants are responding naturally to pre-planned questions, but this question and answer session is honestly pandering to the lowest common denominator of the fan based.

Apparently I'm not the only person who feels this way because I just heard that the ratings are slipping for the first time since the show aired, and the producers are considering a change to the format. That being said, the changes I'm hearing about will only serve to push even more fans away. One of the ideas on the table is to get rid of the audition episodes, which is the only part a lot of my friends even watch. However, they are also giving their audience questionnaires asking them if they think there is too much bantering among the judges and if they want to see more of host, Ryan Seacrest, or less. If anybody watched last night's episode I'd say this is a no-brainer.


In what can be considered just the latest in a long line of bazar outbursts by judge, Paula Abdul, the audience was left to wonder, yet again, what the heck she brings to the table, other than awkward moments that are discussed ad nauseum by late night TV and morning talk shows. Last night was the first episode that the contestants sang two songs each, and the judges were supposed to give their critiques after the second round, however, once the first round was over, the contestants were lined up so that the judges could give a quick synopsis of how they felt they did and what they needed to do to improve their second song. Paula either got to see something the rest of us didn't, or she exposed the fact that her comments are written for her because she proceeded to critique one contestants on both songs. Now remember, none of the contestants had even sung their second song yet.

While this type of gaffaw is a form of perverse entertainment to some people, I found it very uncomfortable to watch. Even still, I am already emotionally invested so I most definitly will continue to watch, but if David Cook doesn't win the whole thing, I may just get as crazy as Paula seems to be.

MEDIUM

If you are anything like me, you love watching any show that deals with the supernatural. While MEDIUM isn't the best acted show, nor does it appear to be very realistic, even though it is based on a real-life person, it still contains some of the main ingredients necessary for any good ghost story. Each week suburban housewife and mother, Allison Dubois, embarks on a journey to find a killer, based on whatever nagging nightmares are plaquing her at the time. But, Allison isn't the only member of the family pocessed with the gift to foretell the future. During the end of last season, we saw her two oldest daughters dabbling in the afterlife as well.

Here's the premise; Allison, who was interning at the DA's office while attending law school, gave her boss a little extra help by giving him the inside information she got from her dreams. But Allison doesn't just get messages sent to her by the dearly departed while asleep, sometimes they actually appear to her during her waking hours as well. So what we get is a partnership between the dead, the medium and law enforcement to catch the killer of the week. With all the cards stacked in their favor, you have to wonder how some of the bad guys get away. Actually, on this show they rarely do, but it's how it all works out that makes the show.

The one thing that bothers me about this show is the fact that even though Allison is proven right time after time, the people she works with still have to question her about every peice of information she gives them. I suppose there wouldn't be much of a show without that conflict though, so I'm willing to deal with it. While MEDIUM is no SIXTH SENSE, it does feed my need to know even just a little bit about the afterlife, so if you are anything like me, this show is a must see

HELL'S KITCHEN

If you love Reality TV, do any cooking or enjoy watching people being called out for ridiculous behavior, HELL'S KITCHEN is for you. World-renowned chef, Gordon Ramsey, is known for his high-class, innovative and sophisticated cooking, but the only people who were aware of that before his highly rated Reality show premiered were those in the know when it comes to all things food. HELL'S KITCHEN is what the title implies, sheer hell in the kitchen for any chef, or aspiring chef, who thinks they can take on the curmudgeonly perfectionist. Personally, I don't know why any of these people put themselves through this type of torture, but I have to say I certainly appreciate it because it provides me with so much entertainment.

The premise of this show is much the same as TOP CHEF. Each week these cheftestants are given a cooking challenge that sees the winners winning prizes like yacht rides and helicopter flights with the esteemed Chef Ramsey. After all the happiness and light of the win wears off, they must go back to Hell's Kitchen to prepare that evening's menu for the guests who come to the restaurant. The contestants are split into two teams, and each week Gordon chooses the team that did the worst job with the night's service and somebody from that team is kicked out of the competition. There is, however, two main differences between HELL'S KITCHEN and TOP CHEF.


First of all, the contestants on TOP CHEF are much more seasoned and trained in the art of cooking, as most of them are already working professional chefs, whereas, on HELL'S KITCHEN they run the gamut from chefs who are just starting out, to the housewife who fancies herself the next Rachel Ray. But, the biggest difference between the two shows is the main attraction, Chef Ramsey, himself. This man thinks nothing of calling his contestants piles of sh-- while crying fu-- me, when they haven't performed to the level he requires. While I would never subject myself to this kind of treatment, I love watching it all unfold with strangers involved. You may find me a horrible person for this, but I must not be in the minority because HELL'S KITCHEN is back for it's fifth season. So, before you judge me, see for yourself and I bet you will become one of HELL'S KITCHEN'S secret admireres!

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER

I was just looking back on some of my earlier posts, and realized all but one are good reviews. Well, this one is no exception! HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER was a surprise to me. In fact, I was so sure it would suck that I didn't even watch it until the middle of the first season when all my other shows were repeats. To my surprise, I fell in love with a show that appeared to be a cheap knockoff of one of my all time favorites, FRIENDS. Ok, so it is a bit of a knockoff, but what sets this show apart is the character Barney, played by Neil Patrick Harris. Barney is the type of friend you're embarrassed to be seen in public with, but couldn't do without. Narcissistic, greedy and obtuse are just a few of his personality traits, but he displays them all with some of the funniest lines I've ever heard.


Barney is my favorite character but his group of friends aren't too shabby either. The show centers around the character, Ted, who starts each episode by telling his children another story about when he was younger. So, what we end up seeing is in essence a flashback of his experiences before he met their mother. Ted lives with his best friends, Marshall and Lilly, who have just gotten married. Than there is their newest friend, Robin, who the audience was led to believe was the mother in HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER. Of course it couldn't have been her becuase they met on the first episode and that would have ended the whole show. That leads me to how I believe the series will ultimately end.

In my version of the series finally, Ted and the woman he ultimately marries see each other across a crowded room, lock eyes and the picture fades to black. HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER is only in its second season, so hopefully that episode won't air for another few years because I am thorougly enjoying the ride. An extra added bonus would be if Barney falls madly in love with the same woman and forsakes his own happiness for his best friend's. Until than, we will all get to watch Ted go through all the painful experiences that are inevitable before you find "the one."

DANCING WITH THE STARS

I promise you that when this show first came out, I was the last person I thought would become a fan. In fact, I refused to watch the first season at all. I thought it was the cheesiest idea I had ever heard of for a show. Cut to three years later, and you can't find a bigger fan. Actually, It makes more sense that I am a fan than it did when I wasn't, because I grew up taking dance class my whole life. But come on, a show where B list, or lower, celebrities learn how to dance, and ballroom dancing at that, that's an even dumber idea on paper than the SURREAL LIFE. Well color me wrong, because DANCING WITH THE STARS has turned out to be one of my favorite guilty pleasures.

First of all, the dancing is amazing, and the professionals can kick any sports star's butt. But don't worry, because if you are one of those people who don't enjoy watching people gallop around the stage, there is plenty for you as well. First of all you have gorgeous men and women dressed in skimpy clothes, I mean where else can you get that on a show that can still call itself family friendly. While many of the celebrities are decent to excellent dancers, there are plenty who don't seem to know their left feet from their right. Those rythmically challenged contestants actually provide some of the best stuff to the show. Anybody who has been watching for a while knows what I mean, if they had a chance to catch Master P in action. You would think that would be enough, but hold on to your hats because DANCING WITH THE STARS is lousy with drama as well.

Come on, you can't put that many good looking people together gyrating to sexy music without some rumors floating around, and float they do. The first season's winner, Kelly Monaco, was rumored to be having a fling with her hot Russian partner, but that turned out to be just that, a rumor, because he is now married the another hot Russian female dancer who is also on the show. In fact, romance rumors abound on this show, but there is also plenty of controversy. Take for example Marie Osmond fainting last season during her grilling from the judges. I tell you, this stuff can't be written, which is what makes true Reality TV so entertaining. And if you like Reality TV, you'll be happy to know that HELL'S KITCHEN comes back on the air this week. Stand by folks, that review will be coming up shortly.

LOST

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LOST is the show I love to hate, or rather, the show I hate to love. While it keeps me on the edge of my seat with its contant surprises, it fails to answer even what seems to be the most inconsequential questions. Yes, it's true that a show that can keep you guessing keeps you coming back for more, but there has to be some payoff for its loyal fans. My fear is that while we are all sitting around waiting for the finale of the show to give us the satisfaction we've all been waiting for, it will turn out to be another X FILES. For any of you have were fans of that venerable show, I don't have to tell you how frustrating it was to watch a finale that left us asking even more questions than when it started. That being said, I can't seem to get myself to stop watching.


So far this season we have found out that six of the castaways make it back to the mainland, and to their credit, the show even told us which six it would be. But as always, those answers only led to more questions. For example; Kate has ended up with custody of baby Aaron, so what happened to his mother? Sun gives birth to a healthy baby girl, but apparently Jin has died. Then there's the mystery of Michael, who we all thought was happily living out his life with his son back on the mainland, only to find out he's in cahoots with his former captor to sabatoge the mysterious vessel that brought the supposed rescueres to the island. I know, if you don't watch the show you are compeletly lost right now, but don't worry because even those of us who have watched from the beginning are baffled. Don't even get me started on what's going on back at the island.

The bottom line is this, if the writers are able to wrap everything up in a nice shiny package, as they have promised, by the time the show reaches its conclusion, than all this frustration will have been worth it. If they don't, I will never trust another Sci-Fi show again, because ultimately that's the genre I would be LOST in. That being said, the format does work, because I eagerly anticipate Thursday night every week.

TOP CHEF

BRAVO has come up with a formula for Reality TV that is pure genius! While SURVIVOR is s
till the standard, when it come to this genre, BRAVO has created numerous Reality shows all based on the same format. Here's how it goes; all of their shows are based on competition, and I mean competition that takes tangible talent and not just the talent to deceive and manipulate the other players. Ok, so even these shows do include some dirty game-playing, but every contestant comes to the game with the ability to compete, based on whatever talent that particular show is centered on. in TOP CHEF the talent is ... you guessed it, cooking. And I don't mean just whipping up your basic meat and potatoes, these people all come to the game with extensive backgrounds in their field. Some have reached the level of executive chef, while others are still climbing their way to the top. But whatever stage they are at, this show gives them the oppotunity to show case their unique and personal style.

This week, BRAVO debuted its fourth season of TOP CHEF, and so far it is just as exciting and compelling as the previous three. As I said, BRAVO uses the same formula for all their competition shows, so just as PROJECT RUNWAY had their contestants compete in two challenges a week, so does TOP CHEF. The first one is a mini version of the elimination challenge. In TOP CHEF, the competitors have a quickfire, which is a challenge thrown at them in the beginning of the day and they are usually given anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes to complete it. The winner of the quickfire gets immunity in the elimination round, so the stress level is pretty high. But what always impresses me is the fact that they all deliver. Of course some are much better than others, but if I were given one of these challenges, I would probably be serving peanut butter and jelly.

The elimination round is where we really see the contestants shine, because they are given a much bigger challenge and more time to complete it in. The only problem with this show is the fact that it is on at 10 p.m., which means I am usually dying for some type of exotic food late at night. That aside, I thoroughly enjoy not only watching them throw together amazing creations, but also, watching them run around the kitchen like chickens with their heads cut off. TOP CHEF provides great entertainment, and in the end, that's what we all want from our TV shows. Since there has only been one episode so far, I can't say I have a favorite, but give me a week or two and I'll be rooting for one to win and one to be asked to "pack their knives and leave."

NEW AMSTERDAM

NEW AMSTERDAM is a new show on FOX, but it's one of, what seems like many, shows that were originally advertised to be on the FALL lineup. As I mentioned in my blog on CASHMERE MAFIA, it makes me very nervous when a series is pushed back in the season. This usually means that it got awful early reviews. So, imagine my surprise when I discovered it was really good! The basic premise is your cookie cutter cop drama, but this one has an interesting twist that saves it from being a total copy cat of others that came before it. Before I get to what the twist is, I'll give you a basic rundown. First you have a hot looking male cop, who is part mystery and part crusty old timer, and of course he gets paired up with a gung ho younger female partner who makes sure to let him know he can't push her around.

I know what you're saying; come on we've all seen this ad nausiem. This is where the cool twist comes in, because the lead character, who happens to be pretty hot, is about 400 years old. It turns out he saved a village of Indian women from being slaughtered in the 1600s, and for that their local shaman blew some type of smoke into his mouth and told him he would not grow old or die until he found "the one." Of course "the one" is supposed to be his ultimate soulmate. I'm not sure if this was a reward for saving this women or a curse for being part of the group that killed their men, either way it appears to have worked.


Our sexy lead character has the obligatory sidekick who knows his whole sorted past, but his 65-year-old confidant is more than just his buddy, he's his mortal son. So you can see how imaginitive the writers of this show are. There have only been two episodes so far, so for all we know he has children he's outlived as well as other senior citizens running around that were sired by him. Based on the interesting direction NEW AMSTERDAM appears to be going in, I will definitly continue to watch. I can only hope it doesn't go the way of the last show that took at a risk at being original, JOURNEYMAN. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you aren't the only one, as this show got cancelled after half a season. That's it for now; check in next week for more advice on what shows are worth your time.

THE TUDORS

If you like European history, especially history about its royals, than this is the perfect show for you. THE TUDORS is about the early years of King Henry IIX, and his many wives. This March, THE TUDORS debuts its second season, which kicks off with how he changed the course of England's religion. After falling in desperate love with Anne Boleyn, or at least desperately wanting to sleep with her, Henry decides he must get rid of his wife, Kathryn of Arragon. Of course being a devout Catholic, Henry knows that divorce is out of the question. So, what else is a king to do but to change the rules to suit his own desires. This begs the question of why he had to behead other wives, when he could have just divorced them.

Herein lies the reason a show like this is so good. We all know that real-life is better than any soap opera or movie drama, and King Henry is a perfect example of that. History buffs will love it for all the factual information it provides, and for those who aren't so hip on learning another country's background, there is plenty of high drama. Oh, and did I mention all the nudity and sexual content that goes along with all the political intrigue? Being a Showtime program, THE TUDORS doesn't shy away from the randy exploits King Henry was known for; in fact, they are a big part of the show. That being said, it can get a bit confusing, if you don't know all the facts surrounding the situations going on.

While the show is good about going through the timeline of events, without having at least a minimal amount of knowledge on the subject can cause the viewer to get a little lost in all that's going on. And make no mistake, these people created drama wherever they went. With all the backstabbing, lying and secret alliances you may think you are watching a strange version of SURVIVOR as opposed to THE TUDORS. All in all, this is a show worth watching; it's entertaining, educational and takes a modern look at the aristocracy of the time. While I may get frustrated from time to time, wondering who each character is, I still find myself eagerly anticipating the new season.

ELI STONE

Creative, funny, touching, heartwarming, original; these are all words that aptly describe this mid-season replacement show. Finally, a program that can capture and keep my attention, as well as my heart. This show is so good in fact that I have to ask myself why it wasn't put on in the beginning of the season. In the past, mid-season replacements were the shows that the networks didn't have a lot of faith in, and they were used to occupy our time while the real shows went on hiatus for the holidays. I'm not sure if that's how they still go about it, but if so, they really missed the mark on this one.

Not only is ELI STONE far better than any other show that has recently been put on air, it's better than most of the new shows that debuted to big hype in the beginning of the season. If you've heard about this show and were turned off because of the heavily promoted George Michael angle, don't worry, thus far George has only made an appearance in the premier episode. If you are a George Michael fan, there is at least one more episode that high-lites him. Whichever side you fall on, this show is about much more than the 80s pop icon.

The premise of the show is as follows; ELI STONE suddenly starts having hallucinations, which he comes to find out is what his wayward father suffered through during Eli's childhood. So, as if hallucinations weren't enough, Eli has to contend with the guilt he's suffering over the hostility and anger he's felt toward his late father most of his life. If it all sounds too heavy for you, there are plenty of lighter moments to break up the seriouseness of the medical issue. For example; in one episode Eli believed a World War II fighter jet was chasing him down the street of San Fransisco. Than there's Eli's confidant and guide through this crazy journey, who happens to be an accupunturist who believes using a fake chinese accent will help promote his business. I could tell you more, but you really have to see it for yourself to do the show justice. If you can allow yourself to be taken on a ride that suspends your belief of reality, ELI STONE just may be for you.

BIG BROTHER 9

No, it isn't summer time yet, but thanks to the writer's strike, which is thankfully finally over, CBS decided to throw together a shorter season of it's hit reality show BIG BROTHER. Now, when this show first came on the air, CBS had high hopes it would hit the same ratings bonanza that SURVIVOR did. Unfortunately, the first cycle of BIG BROTHER was painfully boring to watch. The premise is much the same as MTV's jugernaut, THE REAL WORLD. You put total strangers in a house together and watch the fireworks start. The difference between the two is that in THE REAL WORLD, you can't be older than 25 and they get to be part of the world around them. in BIG BROTHER, they are in a house on the CBS lot, they are allowed no outside contact, which includes TV, newspapers or phone calls and they are in a competition to be the lone survivor.

Like I said, the first installment of this show was slower than molases. Originally, the show was on the air five days a week, it was unedited and the evening broadcasts were clips of what happened during that same day. After seeing how boring that was, they revamped the show and made it a little edgier. Now, it is on three days a week and it is a compelation of edited clips from the previous several days. Oh, and in the beginning, BIG BROTHER had a pretty fair mix of young and old contestestants, now 99 percent of the cast is good -looking and in their twenties. However, there is usually the obligatory older person, and by older I mean in their early 40's, thrown in to mix things up a bit.

While I give CBS credit for making BIG BROTHER more excited with these changes, I can't help but be a bit resentfull that they turned it into a network version of THE REAL WORLD. Even more depressing is the fact that this has made a difference in their ratings. I guess our society doesn't want to see middle-aged people on TV. I see their point, I mean if you filled the house with experienced adults you wouldn't get the catty bitch-fights or bed-hopping that you do now, and really, that is more exciting to watch.

This season BIG BROTHER had has tried to ensure we get even more of that, by pairing the contestants up with their soul mates. After taking personality tests, the producers matched up the people who they thought would click and are making them play the game together, which includes sleeping together in the same bed, being put up for eviction together and winning or losing together. Pretty interesting twist, I admit, but I'm afraid it will hamper people's game play. The show just started last week, so we'll have to see if this premise works out, but even if it doesn't, we still have the Summer installment to look forward to.

NIP/TUCK

"Tell me what you don't like about yourself?" That's the question that opens up one of the most creative TV shows to hit the airwaves since THE TWILIGHT ZONE. Doctors McNamarra and Troy may be new to Hollywood, but they are veterans of the beauty industry. The show originally had these plastic surgeons with the magic hands working in the hip world of South Beach, Florida, but they have since moved their practice to the home of fake youth, Los Angeles.

NIP/TUCK is more than just your average TV drama; with storylines that range from fixing a porn stars broken eye socket after she had her female co-star punch her in the face during filming to tightening the female parts of the rich divorcees in town, this show keeps you on the edge of your seat. Just when you think they can't come up with a freakier plot, they hit you with something that's wild, shocking and delicious to watch. The best part of their storylines is the fact that they are pulled from real life! If you want to know how messed up and vain our society is, look no further than FX on Tuesday night.

Thus far this season we have seen the sexy DR. Christian Troy accidently push the mother of his son over his balcony during a session of angry sex, a man murdered by Sean's mentally deranged agent who literally stuffed him to death and Sean's ex-wife dump her lesbian lover to finally give in to her undying passion for her ex's partner. And that, my friends, is just the tip of the iceberg! If you are tired of the rehashed junk that passes for TV programming lately, you must watch this show. Be forwarned though, some of the scenes are extremely dirty; like the one where Sean's ex-girlfriend released her bowels all over the hot tub they were both luxuriating in. Trust me, if fit perfectly into the story.

But it isn't just good story telling that keeps viewers watching, it's the chance to watch two of the best looking men on TV go at it week after week. After you watch just one episode, you'll be asking "what don't I like about myself."

UGLY BETTY

Not only is UGLY BETTY one of the most well-written and acted shows on TV, it is also socially relevant. Now that's saying a lot for an entertainment mediam that most people feel is mostly just fluff. Why, you may ask, do I believe this show has a positive impact on society? Well, let's take a look at the message it sends. First of all, it's a show about an "ugly" girl who not only doesn't feel or act as if she's ugly, neither do the people around her. At least they don't once they get to know her and how smart and kind she is, in fact the show even has a blog written by Betty that gives out advice. That's a powerful message in a world that seems so enamored with the prettiest and thinnest actresses out there. The images girls like Paris Hilton and Lindsey Lohan protray are ones that tell young girls, and us older ones, I might add, that in order to be loved or taken seriously, you must basically be a walking Qtip. But the show goes even further than that.

Betty Suarez is a first-generation Latin American, which means ABC had the courage to showcase a main character who isn't lilly white. Not only that, UGLY BETTY also showcases an African American woman in a prominant role of second in command at the ficticious high-fashion magazine that Betty works out. Than you have the transgendered CEO of the magazine conglomerate. The best part of all this is the fact that this diversity is given little mention, which means the focus is on the emotional connections they all make and the work interaction they experience. In a time so filled with racial disharmony, that's a breath of fresh air. But no matter how politically correct a show may be, it must also entertain.

UGLY BETTY does that in spades. With storylines like the one where the editor and his sister play paint ball to see who will get control of the top position in the company, to how Betty copes with the fact that her beloved, Henry, has gotten his ex pregnant and must leave town as soon as the baby is born. UGLY BETTY is funny, touching and inspirational, and I highly recommend it as an addition to your Thursday night entertainment.

PROJECT RUNWAY

This is Reality TV at its best, at least if you ask me. Why, you may ask, is PROJECT RUNWAY better than say SURVIVOR? The answer to that lies in the fact that the winner of this show gets the grand prize thanks to some actual talent; talent that consists of more than just lying that is. Not only that, but these people are all really good. Sure there are some missteps along the way, but for the most part every designer on the show puts out consistent work. But watching talented people design pretty clothes alone wouldn't be worth watching. The thing that puts this show so high on the ladder of programming served up to the viewer is the contestants themselves, not too mention the always entertaining Tim Gunn, who is the designers guru and guide on their crazy journey. On top of all that, the challenges they put these poor people through is pure genius.

Take for example this week's competition, which had the designers running through a warehouse full of jeans frantically grabbing for as much material they could. They are only given several minutes to snatch up their chosen pieces. Time is actually a key factor in this show because they are also given precious little of it to put their masterpieces together. Add to that the fact that they also have to actually come up with a design they want to create, and you have a recipe for some mighty fine entertainment. But I have to say my favorite part of the show is the interaction between the contestants, which ranges from warm and fuzzy to catty and down right dirty.

The best example of catty behavior this season is Christian, who is the flamboyantly arrogant 21-year-old who is sure he has more talent in his little pinky than the rest of them do put together. Fortunately for him he does have the goods to back up his claim. But, no matter how talented these people are, there can only be one winner, which means every week somebody has to go.

This week that somebody was Victorya. She had been doing very well, but in this challenge she seemed to lack any enthusiam or creativity, and on this show one bad week can take you down. I can't say who I think will win, because they are all so different. What I can say for sure is that I will be watching to the bitter end.

CASHMERE MAFIA

http://criticsrant.com/archive/2008/01/24/CASHMERE-MAFIA----The-Deciders.aspx

The biggest surprise about this show is the fact that it has managed to stay on the air for the past three weeks. Created and produced by the same guy who brought us the venerable HBO series, SEX AND THE CITY, Darren Starr has served up what amounts to a sloppy rip-off in just about every way. From storylines, character development, cinematography, music and everything else that goes into making a TV show come to life, Darren Starr has managed to take what went into making SEX AND THE CITY a ground-breaking juggernaut and turn it into a pathetic and stereotypical portrayal of women in the work force. To start with, there are four high-powered women, all with different colored hair, who spend more time with each other than they seem to with their families or jobs. Then there is the fact that they live in New York City, where they take their fashion and gossip to heart. Hmm, sounding a little familiar; but wait there's more.

One of the women, Caitlin (Bonnie Sommerville) has decided to give lesbianism a try. For anybody who remembers SEX AND THE CITY, Samantha (Kim Cattrall) already showed us how trendy becoming a temporary lesbian can be. Let us not forget Mia (Lucy Lui), who is an editor for a magazine conglomerate. Granted, Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) wasn't an editor, but she was a writer. As for the other two women, I'm not really sure yet what they do, but I know they are very high up the food chain at each of their jobs. But Darren Starr has done more than just insult our collective intelligence by putting out rancid seconds, he's committed the cardinal sin of producing bad TV.

Like I said, CASHMERE MAFIA is a rip-off of SEX AND THE CITY in every way, well every way except one that is; it doesn't even come close to the standard of excellence that its predecessor did. All I see when I watch this disgusting excuse of a TV show is four impressively dressed women who whine and moan about everything in their lives; and I'm sorry but the level of intelligence I see taking place in these bitch sessions has me questioning how they ever graduated college, let alone manage to create such successful careers for themselves. The only excuse I can give ABC for leaving this piece of schlock on the air is the increasingly annoying writer's strike, which has left the TV landscape seriously barren of any new programming. My only hope is that they will realize that repeats of ALF would be better than what they've got going on now.