Rapid Recaps & TV Web-bits From the Last Two Weeks (Nov. 22 - Dec. 4, 2009)
Abe Fried-Tanzer - December 6, 2009
Each week TV Tango takes you around the dial and across the web so you can read recaps of the hottest programs and catch up on the biggest and best TV-related lists, news stories & fun sites/links from the previous week.
Rapid Recaps From THE LAST TWO WEEKS
Curb Your Enthusiasm – "Seinfeld" (11/22/2009) | |||
The reunion special is finally here, though things don't go smoothly. When Larry thinks he sees sparks between Jason and Cheryl, he rewrites the script to make their romance less realized. When Jason becomes angry, Larry steps in to play the role of George. Larry gets into an argument over the ethics of tipping and finds himself the prime suspect in the case of a stain on a coffee table. | |||
Dexter – "Hungry Man" & "Lost Boys" (11/22/2009 & 11/29/2009) |
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Dexter spends two Thanksgivings, one with the Mitchell family and the other with Rita and the kids. At the Mitchell household, Arthur becomes angry that his family isn't thankful for him, and when Dexter steps in to help, he reveals his murderous intentions. Deb learns that Christine is actually Trinity's daughter, while the reporter reveals to her father that she knows he is a killer and that she tried to protect him. Dexter discovers that there is a fourth component in Trinity's cycle and tries to rescue a kidnapped child before it's too late. | |||
Californication – "Mr. Bad Example" & "Dogtown" (11/22/2009 & 11/29/2009) |
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Becca and Chelsea get into a fight at school over Hank's meddling in Chelsea's parents' marriage. Karen learns of Hank and Felicia's affair, and finds newly eligible bachelor Stacey Koons making a pass at her to settle the score. Charlie lashes out at Rick Springfield and ends up out of a job. Charlie and Hank hit the bars for an evening of drinking and bonding while Karen, Becca, and Marcy have a ladies' night out. | |||
NCIS: Los Angeles – "Random on Purpose" (11/24/2009) |
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Director Vance sends Abby to Los Angeles to work on what she believes to be a serial killer who tries to make his pattern appear random. No one else agrees that the kills are the work of the same criminal, and the investigation doesn't truly kick off until the killer targets and abducts Abby. Callen and Sam race against the clock to find her before her abductor tries to close his case for good. | |||
The Good Wife – "Threesome" (11/24/2009) |
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Will and Diane find their senior partner, Jonas Stern, arrested for a DUI at the same time that Peter's mistress goes on talk shows discussing her relationship with him. Jonas requests that Alicia defend him, though he plans to use her only as a mouthpiece for his own self-defense. Alicia doesn't go along so easily and makes an important breakthrough discovery in his case. Peter plays hardball and protects his family at all costs. | |||
Sons of Anarchy – "Culling" & "Na Trioblidi" (11/24/2009 & 12/1/2009) |
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The club begins their plan to kill those responsible for Gemma's rape. Jax has Weston's sons taken away by child services, and the two come to blows, but Weston is arrested for arson before any bloodshed occurs. The club corners Zobelle and prepares to execute him, but Hale steps in and arrests him and his daughter. Tara listens to Gemma's advice and takes a stand to protect her job. Zobelle is released from jail and the club finds and isolates him, but ultimately lets him to go to deal with a more serious manner. A moment of panic from Agent Stahl results in three dead bodies and the abduction of Jax's baby son by a devastated father in mourning. | |||
Glee – "Hairography" & "Mattress" (11/25/2009 & 12/1/2009) |
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Will learns that Sue has been passing on routines to two rival schools and invites them both to practice at McKinley high and perform in front of the glee club. Will worries that they need more smoke and mirrors to impress the judges, but his students prove him wrong. When the glee club discovers that they won't have a photograph in the school yearbook, the students have mixed reactions. Rachel finds an opportunity for the club with a mattress commercial. Will discovers that Terri has been faking her pregnancy and contemplates leaving her. | |||
Modern Family – "Fizbo" (11/25/2009) |
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Phil and Claire try their hardest to plan a fun birthday party for Luke. Cameron jumps at the opportunity to participate in the festivities and dress up as a clown, which reveals Phil's fear of clowns. Claire puts together a crafts table no one seems to care about, and Haley becomes jealous that the animal wrangler is trying to steal Dylan. Jay's dangerous gift to Luke leads to an injury for one of the family members. | |||
FlashForward – "A561984" (12/3/2009) |
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Lloyd confesses on national television to having caused the blackout, and Simon attempts to do damage control by working with Stan and the FBI to help determine the true cause of the blackout. In China, Mark and Demetri are warned that they should go home, while Stan expresses his fury over their disobedience. Once they locate the mysterious woman and find her under close protection, Mark makes a choice to abandon the law which puts his career in serious jeopardy. | |||
The Office – "Scott's Tots" (12/3/2009) |
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Michael's past comes back to haunt him as a class of high schoolers whose college tuition he promised to pay ten years earlier prepares for graduation. Dwight begins his latest plot to undermine Jim by encouraging him to start an Employee of the Month contest and then making it look like he rigged it by selecting himself as the winner. Dwight's plot doesn't succeed in getting Jim fired, but he finds a surprising ally in the office. | |||
30 Rock – "Dealbreakers Talk Show No. 0001" (12/3/2009) |
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As Liz prepares for the first episode of Dealbreakers, Devon calls Jack and threatens to destroy him if the show isn't a success. Jack tries to convince Liz to improve her appearance for the show, to detrimental results. Frank takes over the writers' room in Liz's absence and becomes shockingly like her. Tracy decides he's going to win an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony but has trouble figuring out how to accomplish the feat. |
TV Web-bits From Last Week
- Paste Magazine selects the ten best TV guest appearances of the decade.
- Zap2it picks their ten favorite reality stars of the season.
- Weird Worm chooses the five weirdest moments in television.
- Lists Galore! learns Flavorwire's ten things you never knew about The Simpsons.
- Paste Magazine presents the trailer for the Family Guy Star Wars sequel. Interesting Pile recommends Unreality's ten favorite Family Guy fights.
- TVGuide.com gets excited for Lauren Graham's return to television with a new promo for Parenthood.
- Ever want to go toe-to-toe in a fight with Jack Bauer or smack Simon Cowell on the side of the head? Now's your chance. Just play the online game FOX Snowball Fight against your favorite personalities.
- If you live in New York City and want to set a World Record during your lunch hour, head over to Bryant Park and take part in ABC Family's Largest Gathering of Santa Elves. ABC Family will provide official elf clothing, and it's your's to keep.
- See your favorite FOX celebs in the video of the So FOX Photo Shoot: Winter Edition.
Abe Fried-Tanzer is a student at New York University majoring in cinema studies and journalism. He makes it his priority each year to see every Oscar-nominated film and watch every new television pilot, and writes reviews and awards predictions on his personal movie and TV blogs.