The Americans Review: "COMINT"

"COMINT" provided a look at how both Soviet and American spies and assets acquire information and the sacrifices that are made to get a step ahead of their adversaries. Often, it involves sex.

In order to get information out of a target or asset, it's necessary to create a relationship built on trust. When there isn't time to make that deep connection, the next best option is intimacy.

Elizabeth and Philip have perfected the use of both methods during their years working for the KGB in America. In a short period of time, we have seen both spouses seduce targets and assets for information, though it seems that Elizabeth uses that tool more often.

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NCIS: LA Review: "Lokhay"

Sam's former SEAL life has left his heart scarred, especially after Moe's death. In "Lokhay," Sam was called on to help an Afghani elder, Yusef, find his missing nephew, Amir. Yusef was responsible for saving Sam's life, so there was nothing that Director Granger or Hetty could have done to prevent the agent from investigating the disappearance.

Sam has a strong sense of honor and obligation, plus a big heart. Those traits help him as an agent, but in this situation they put him at odds with his job initially.

Eric ignored the orders to leave the investigation alone, reviewed the traffic camera footage, and traced the abduction to a highly sought after terrorist known as The Ambassador, Haakim Habib. This evidence opened the doors for Hetty and Granger to assign an official case to Sam and the NCIS team.

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Smash Review: "The Song"

Opportunities were almost lost on "The Song."

Veronica hired Derek to direct a one night extravaganza to showcase her as more than just a Broadway star and she almost missed it; while Jimmy and Kyle were presented with an extraordinary chance to work with Derek and nearly threw it away over a bruised ego.

Derek as the savior is disconcerting, but as Ivy said, "He's a genius." All three of them chose to work with him because he could help them in their careers, but he's a beast. He claws and claws until he gets through and gets his way without any consideration for others.

It's a gift and flaw all wrapped together in one. In an uncharacteristic move, Derek gave into Ronnie's fear to grow as an artist and satisfied her mother's demand that Ronnie not change. His motivations for acquiescing were complicated because ultimately he was screwed either way.

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Cult Interview with Matt Davis and Jessica Lucas

Trust is difficult to find on Cult. With all the crazy happenings, it's not surprising that no one wants to believe what's going on.

In the Cult premiere, Matt Davis' Jeff couldn't get the police to even consider that his brother was abducted, so why would anyone else believe him?

When he met the show's research assistant, Jessica Lucas' Skye, Jeff found someone that bought his story and wanted to help in the search for Nate - but would they be able to really trust each other?

Last year, when Cult was still in production, I visited the set in Vancouver for TV Fanatic (trip provided by Warner Bros. TV) to interview the show's cast, as Davis and Lucas discussed Jeff and Skye's skepticism regarding the odd situations they witnessed and the cautious  relationship between the two leads.

Is Jeff a believer right away? Or is he more skeptical?

Davis: It's a bit of both. Right away he's skeptical, but then so much happens so quickly that it's impossible for him to remain skeptical. He quickly gives into the notation that it's true and he's one of the few people who sees it. And, he has to warn the others somehow that it's true at the risk of looking crazy. So, he's constantly aware what he's going through is crazy and [that] trying to talk to anyone outside who doesn't know, he looks like a madman. He quickly buys into the true believerness of it all.

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Game of Thrones Trailer: First Look at Season 3 Footage

HBO has finally released a trailer that includes actual footage from Games of Thrones season 3!  Check it out below.

Season 3 Trailer

I have not read the books, so much of the trailer didn't make as much sense to me probably as it would someone familiar with the source material. It looks epic and intense, which is no surprise. 

It opens with a Varys voiceover, "It's been a long time, my old friend." 

Then, ends with him saying "The revenge you want will be yours in time." over the pictures of Robb, Arya, Jaime, Cersei, and Tyrion. 

Is it possible for the Starks and the Lannisters to get revenge? Doubtful, but their paths surely will be filled with blood.

Other quotes from the trailer:

Melisandre: "Death is coming for everyone and everything. The darkness that will swallow the dawn"

Catelyn: "Show them how it feels to lose what they love."

Mance Raydor: "I'm going to light the biggest fire the North has ever seen."

Joffrey: "Everyone is mine to torment."

Jorah: "There's a beast in every man and he stirs when you put a sword in his hand."

The next month waiting for the premiere is going to seem like an eternity. Though, at least we will have this trailer and perhaps more previews to watch again and again while we wait.

Game of Thrones premieres on March 31 at 9 pm ET on HBO.

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Nikita Review: "Black Badge"

Amanda's back with a masterful and vengeful plan in "Black Badge"

After a way too long hiatus, Nikita season 3 returned with an epic hour that put one of their own in harm's way. While Sean may not have been officially part of Division, he was a member of the team in the way that mattered the most -- in their hearts. While the old Division discarded the damaged, the loved, and those who made errors, as Nikita pointed out to Ryan, the new Division was different.

They wouldn't leave Sean out to take the fall for something he didn't do. Also, they didn't force him into a new, secret life either. He had a choice, took it, and officially became a Division recruit saved from the law and given a new life.

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The Vampire Diaries Review: "Stand By Me"

Elena should be an expert at losing people she loves by now. Her parents died, Jenna died, Alaric died, just to name a few, but none compared to the pain of losing Jeremy, her last family member. In the most heartbreaking Vampire Diaries episode in four seasons, "Stand By Me," was tragic in many ways.

Executive Producer Julie Plec's script was masterful in both words and at times even more so for the lack of words, while the cast was amazing in their performances. Nina Dobrev embodied Elena's pain fully and her monologue while preparing to burn down the house will be difficult to forget. As I sit here writing, uncontrollable tears come to my eyes.

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SlideshowBest 'Vampire Diaries' Quotes from 'Stand By Me'

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The Big Bang Theory Review: "The Monster Isolation"

Poor Raj! He finally has a girl talk to him, he actually asks her out, and she ditches him through a tiny, high bathroom window. I don't blame him for become a recluse.

As sad as the situation was for Raj, it was hilarious. I may quietly chuckle during shows, but I rarely burst out in a loud laugh. "The Monster Isolation" was an exception. Raj, whitey tighties, plastic bib, eating lobster ... what a sight to see. Kunal Nayyar pulled that scene off brilliantly.

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Suits Season 2 Finale Review: "War"

On the Suits finale, the war for the firm was on. Jessica on one side with Edward's support for their firms to merge and Harvey on the other side. Bets were placed that would guaranteed that there would be no winners.

"War" was practically mutually assured destruction. Even though no one died, relationships were destroyed that will be difficult to repair. Harvey brought lawsuits against Edward's clients and the first attack was launched.

If Harvey won, then Edward would go away and the merger would be off. If Harvey lost, he would work for the newly merged firm with an extended non-compete contract, all without his name on the door. Ouch. 

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The Americans Review: "In Control"

The Americans has the difficult task of making the Cold War spy game suspenseful when viewers know how it ends. "In Control" proved they can do just that.

Even though the history's been written about the assassination attempt on President Reagan, the fear and potential ramifications had me on the edge of my seat as a potential tipping point in the war. It didn't matter that historically the United States and the Soviet Union didn't face off over this, because it could have happened. And, along the way there were casualties, like Elizabeth's execution of the security guard.

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Smash Review: "Dramaturg"

Smash season 2 definitely has moved in a new direction. The focus has shifted away from the character's personal dramas to focus on the Broadway world and the business of making musicals.

In "Dramaturg," four separate musicals were involved in the story: Bombshell, Veronica's musical, Jimmy and Kyle's The Hit List and Ivy's new show. Each one is at a different stage of development and if you are intrigued by the behind-the-scenes making of a musical, you probably love this episode as I did.

That's not to say there weren't some problems with it, but overall, I dig this new focus. 

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NCIS: Los Angeles Review: "History"

Terrorism comes in many forms, both international and domestic - and America has a long "History" of dealing with both. On this week's NCIS:Los Angeles, the team was tasked with investigating the possible re-emergence of a 1970s radical group responsible for bombings decades ago, including at a Navy base, after one of the group's fugitive members was found stabbed.
The investigation into the former Gun Barrel Party (GBP) took a few surprising turns, including finding a former presumed dead member that became a professor. That position provided him with impressionable students to indoctrinate with radical beliefs.

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Lost Girl Review: "The Kenzi Scale"

Lost Girl returned to the true heart of the show in "The Kenzi Scale:" The friendship between Bo and Kenzi.

Instead of Bo and Kenzi's friendly banter sessions to open each episode, Lost Girl season 3 has spent more time on Bo's romantic and sex life.

In "Fae-de to Black," Bo basically shunned Kenzi and at a time that her friend needed her the most. The outcome was that Kenzi was abducted and replaced by Faux-Kenzi. It was only then that Bo remembered how much she cared about her friend.

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The Good Wife Review: Red Team/Blue Team

After some very miss episodes and storylines in The Good Wife season 4, "Red Team, Blue Team" brought real stakes, conflict and fire back to the show.

Rather than settling a case, the firm's client, Thief, decided they wanted a mock trial first. Often when a show does a mock trial, the internal antics get in the way and it ends up either ridiculous or boring. On "Red Team/Blue Team," this "fake" trial had higher intensity than a real trial has ever had on the show.

Will and Diane faced off against Alicia and Cary. It was about time for Cary to get some quality screen time this season. Alicia and Cary work incredibly well together, even better than the named partners. And, they had an added incentive to beat their bosses.

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Psych Slumber Party: Enter to Win a Prize Pack!

What are you doing Friday night? How about staying up all night and watching Psych? USA will be airing 7 fan favorite episodes over 6 hours starting at Midnight ET on Friday, February 15.

Join cast members for the virtual slumber party with contests and prize giveaways!  TV Diehard will be live-tweeting through the event and participating with a contest to win a Psych Prize Pack! Be sure to tweet along with @Psych_USA using #PsychSlumberParty.

The following items will be included in the prize pack:

• Eye Mask
• Snuggie
• Ceramic Tumblr
• Hot Chocolate
• Jiffy Pop

There are three ways to enter to win:

1. Complete the below entry form by Saturday, February 16 at 11:59 pm PT.

2. Follow @TVDiehard and tweet the following once:

I love Psych b/c _________. #PsychSlumberParty contest via @TVDiehard http://bit.ly/YjXGB7

3. Follow @TVDiehard. Answer questions on Twitter during the Psych Slumber Party that are tagged #TVDiehardContest.



See you for the Psych Slumber Party marathon!

A winner will be picked at random from all eligible entries on Monday, February 18. Only one entry per person per method and you must have a valid U.S.-based mailing address. The prize was provided by USA Network, but USA Network is not a sponsor, administrator, or involved in any other way with this giveaway. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents of 18 years of age or older only. Not following these guidelines voids your entry.

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The Big Bang Theory Review: "The Tangible Affection of Proof"

It's Valentine's Day ... and romance is in the air!

I'm not sure who had the worst Valentine's Day, but Raj definitely had the best. He ... went ... out ... with ... someone! His day went from a singles party to heading out for coffee on a date. Could the dry spell finally be over for the chronically single friend?

On "The Tangible Affection of Proof," the other friends had a moderately successful Valentine's. However, despite the bumps, they ended up with their loved ones and happy. That's quite an accomplishment.

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The Americans Review: "Gregory"

Elizabeth had a secret lover? That was a situation I didn't see coming, especially with an asset. I would have guessed that she was too uptight to do something like that. Even more shocking is that Philip had no clue about his wife's escapades with "Gregory."

The introduction of Gregory added to the complexity of the Soviet spy network operating in the United States. He's not only an American working for the KGB; he's in love with Elizabeth. He had his own crew to help with assignments, but unless I heard it wrong they don't realize he's a Soviet asset.

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Cult: Watch the Premiere Online Now

Are you tired of seeing the same rehashed shows on network television? Had your fill of procedurals,  teenage angst, love triangles or even quadrangles? The CW bucks that trend with its new show, Cult, starring Matt Davis (The Vampire Diaries), Robert Knepper (Prison Break, Heroes), Jessica Lucas (Melrose Place) and Alona Tal (Supernatural).

The first time I watched the premiere, I was left confused by what I had just seen. That may sound like a bad thing, but I wanted to watch it again. There is so much going on that you could watch several times and pick up something new. It's definitely not boring!

Cult is an ambitious endeavor with multiple layers. It is about a television show (the show-within-the-show) also called Cult that has spawned a fervent fan base that sees the show literally. They take the idea of fun cosplay and make it a dangerous reality, which leads to disappearances and deaths.

The Cult premiere is getting an early showing on cwtv.com and Hulu. Check it out below and watch it multiple times if you want before it hits your television screen next week, Tuesday, February 19 at 9 pm ET.




Here's the official Cult synopsis from the CW:
Investigative journalist Jeff Sefton (Matt Davis, “The Vampire Diaries”) has learned to live with his younger brother Nate’s relentless string of obsessions, especially his latest rant that a hit TV show intends to harm him. However, when his brother mysteriously disappears, Jeff takes Nate’s paranoia seriously, and in the process uncovers the dark underworld of the TV show “Cult” and its rabid fans.

The fictitious show, centered on the cat-and-mouse game between a charismatic cult leader and the detective who was once a cult member, has become an obsession for its viewers – and now some of its devotees seem to be taking their fixation to deadly extremes in the real world.

In the parallel worlds of the show-within-a-show, the cult’s leader, Billy Grimm, is played by actor Roger Reeves (the double role of Billy/Roger is played by Robert Knepper, “Prison Break,” “Shameless”). Roger plays Billy as a compelling but ruthless leader, a man whose primary agenda is winning back his former follower and lover, Kelly Collins, played by actress Marti Gerritsen (the double role of Kelly/Marti is played by Alona Tal, “Supernatural,” “The Killing”). Since escaping from the cult, Kelly has become an LAPD detective. When her sister is kidnapped, Kelly finds herself drawn back into an investigation of the group’s activities, and she struggles to keep Billy at a safe distance, knowing he would stop at nothing to get her back. As the television show grows in popularity, cast members Roger and Marti feel the effects in their “real” lives – Roger isn’t sure who he can trust, and Marti is beginning to realize that being the star of this particular show may have truly dangerous consequences.

The only person who seems willing to help Jeff with his investigation into this double world is Skye Yarrow (Jessica Lucas, “Melrose Place,” “Cloverfield”), a young research assistant for “Cult” who has also started to grow suspicious of the increasingly dark happenings surrounding the show. Jeff and Skye are both driven by personal reasons to uncover the mysteries surrounding “Cult.” Jeff is focused on finding Nate, the brother he raised following the death of their parents, while Skye is searching for answers about her father, who went missing 10 years ago and is presumed dead. All Skye knows is that her father was investigating Steven Rae, the reclusive executive producer/writer who created “Cult.” In fact, she took the job on the show in order to make contact with Rae and see if he will answer her questions. Jeff and Skye are practically strangers to each other, but they are united by the common goal of finding out what happened to their family members.

Jeff will need all of the investigative skills he honed as a journalist to make sense of the treacherous world he and Skye have entered. It soon becomes clear to Jeff and Skye that the gruesome plot twists on this television show are much more than fantasy for some very unfortunate people. The hardcore fans of “Cult” would kill to see what happens next…

The series stars Matt Davis (“The Vampire Diaries”) as Jeff Sefton, Jessica Lucas (“Melrose Place,” “Cloverfield”) as Skye Yarrow, Alona Tal (“Supernatural,” “The Killing”) as Kelly Collins and Robert Knepper (“Prison Break,” “Shameless”) as Billy Grimm

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Arrow Video Trailer: Felicity Meets Arrow, China White, and First Look at Roy Harper

Team Arrow is growing! From the above picture, Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) finally finds out the truth about Oliver (Stephen Amell) and his secret identity. How long until they land in bed together? I can dream, right? The two of them have such great rapport.

The CW has released an extended trailer for February sweeps. Some of the footage is from last week's episode, but it's an action-packed two minute video with clues about what's coming up on Arrow.



We know that Oliver makes it off the island alive, but from the flashbacks nothing in Starling City  so far even compares to the danger and life threatening situations he had to overcome there. He can't trust anyone. 

"The island, it changed me. The choices that I had to make still stick with me." -- Oliver

Back in Starling City, Diggle (David Ramsey) reminds Oliver he doesn't "see straight when it comes to Laurel." Which of course Oliver already knows. And ... we see Oliver and Laurel (Katie Cassidy) in bed! Though, based on Oliver's hair, it looks most likely to be a flashback. If not, watch out, because Tommy (Colin Donnell) isn't going to be happy ... at all.

Other surprises from the trailer:

• Arrow hides in the back seat of Felicity's car and scares here.
• China White (Kelly Hu) meets with Moira (Susanna Thompson). What?
• There's a motorcycle chase.
• Diggle tries to revive an unconscious Oliver.

Plus, there was a glimpse of Colton Haynes (Teen Wolf) as Roy Harper. Miss it? He was wearing a maroon hoodie behind a gate.

And, in a scene I could watch over and over again, Arrow breaks through the window to confront his mother: "Moira Queen, you have failed this city." -- Oliver

For more on that scene and last week's episode, check out the TV Fanatic Arrow Round Table that I facilitated. 

Arrow airs Wednesdays at 8 pm ET on the CW.

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Lost Girl Review: Faes Wide Shut

Lost Girl was all kinds of crazy on "Faes Wide Shut."
Bo fed outside of her relationship and the partner ended up dead. Kenzi was possessive of Bo and acted unlike herself. Lauren was doing her best to be okay with Bo feeding. And, Bo went dark again. Oh, and there was an octopussy!
Bo and Lauren were so cute together at the Dal picking out a sex partner for Bo. It was all a game until it started becoming a reality. As much as Lauren puts on a front that she's okay with Bo being with someone else, she is so NOT okay with it. She wouldn't be human if she didn't struggle with this situation, but she's brave for doing it.

Read more at TV Fanatic.

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The Walking Dead: Lauren Cohan Interview

The Walking Dead is finally back to complete its season 3 run. In the winter finale, a battle was waged by the prison group against Woodbury in order to rescue Maggie and Glenn. The couple escaped in the melee, but the ramifications of their time in Woodbury will stay with them.
Lauren Cohan spoke to BuddyTV about what's coming up for Maggie and Glenn, as well as, for the group on what she calls, "a family drama with a very interesting back drop."
Maggie went through a traumatic event with the Governor and Merle, does she let it stick with her?
Cohan: She is able to overcome it eventually. It's a little harder for her to let it go. She doesn't want revenge quite as much as Glenn does but she is still shaking off the repercussions of that. They regret too that she and Glenn got themselves into that by maybe not being as watchful as they could have and getting kidnapped by Merle. Yeah, it was pretty traumatic. Maggie is usually able to bounce back and she maybe she doesn't bounce back as quickly from this.

Read more at BuddyTV.

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Nikita Review: Brave New World

As the Nikita episode began, it appeared that "Brave New World" referred to Michael and the quest to get him a new hand. By the end of the hour, that couldn't have been further from the truth. It's always about Division, isn't it?

It's the organization that won't die.  Was Nikita naive to think that they could bring in the Dirty Thirty and then Division would be closed down? It was an honorable goal and ambitious mission from the beginning, especially with the President's threat of death if their existence was revealed. It was no mistake that Division was pulled back into active missions after Ryan pulled a "Percy" move of "controlling the narrative."

Read more TV Fanatic.

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