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Kyra Sedqwick is not only interesting, but slightly annoying (in a good way) in her role as Brenda Leigh Johnson. In one scene she can give us a performance full of drama lightened by the quirkiness of her character. Season 4 of The Closer was excellent. It was full of change and of very good and well written episodes. The team came under fire from the press for what is and what is not called Priority Homicide. This leads to a major restructuring of the squad and a very interesting turn of events thanks to Brenda's quick thinking. The squad had to deal with their own problems: interpersonal relationships (Daniels and Gabriel) and one of them has to deal the loss of a loved one. Brenda's parents came for an episode and put Brenda and Fritz' relationship in the limelight. Just when are they going to get married?! Brenda and Fritz also had to deal with moving to a new (temporary) place and with their relationship. The episodes of the closer were excellent coming to a rather explosive and great season finale.

"Cheers" was one of those unique shows that both men and women alike could enjoy because everyone could relate to the characters. My favorite character was Carla because she was so obnoxious, and funny. How could anyone watch Carla without laughing?

There are a total of twenty-six episodes from Season 8.

Here is a list of all of the eps included in Season 8 of this classic NBC sitcom:

The Improbable Dream (1) First aired: 9/21/1989
Just as Rebecca fears for her sanity because of the erotic dreams she's been having about Sam, multi-millionaire Robin Colcord comes in to the picture.

The Improbable Dream (2) First aired: 9/28/1989
Rebecca's interest in Sam fizzles after she agrees to go to California with Robin.

A Bar is Born First aired: 10/12/1989
Rebecca prepares herself to spend her first night with Robin Colcord while Sam takes the first step towards getting the bar back.

How to Marry a Mailman First aired: 10/19/1989
The young lady that Cliff turned in for stealing a Post Office vehicle returns from Canada with an offer for Cliffy.

The Two Faces of Norm First aired: 10/26/1989
Norm invents a strict partner to boss around his paint crew while Sam goes crazy with concern after selling his Corvette.

The Stork Brings a Crane First aired: 11/2/1989
Lilith spoils Rebecca's celebration of Cheers' 100th anniversary when she goes in to labor.

Death Takes a Holiday on Ice First aired: 11/9/1989
Carla learns that Eddie led a secret life when a second widow shows up at his funeral, who incidentally looks a lot like Carla. One of the best eps from this season.

For Real Men Only First aired: 11/16/1989
Frasier and the guys cringe over plans to attend his son's circumcision as Rebecca struggles to throw an interesting retirement party.

Two Girls for Every Boyd First aired: 11/23/1989
Woody has trouble with the love scenes for his first starring role, while the bar-flys have a beard-growing competition. You won't believe who wins!

The Art of the Steal First aired: 11/30/1989
Rebecca and Sam are trapped overnight in Robin Colcord's deluxe security apartment.

Feeble Attraction First aired: 12/7/1989
Norm fires his secretary, who sees it as proof that he's wildly attracted to her and Rebecca becomes obsessed with a surprise hidden she got from Robin.

Sam Ahoy First aired: 10/26/1989
Robin lends Sam and the gang his yacht, but the gang discovers a bomb in the refrigerator, right next to the beer.

Sammy and the Professor First aired: 1/4/1990
Carla faces an audit while Rebecca's college professor, makes an investment in Sam.

What is... Cliff Clavin? First aired: 1/18/1990
Jeopardy makes an appearance in Boston, and Cliff gets on the show.

Finally! (1) First aired: 1/25/1990
Tonight may be the night that Rebecca and Robin finally get together, despite Sam's intrusion.

Finally! (2) First aired: 2/1/1990
Rebecca isn't able to bask in the glow of her get together with Robin.

Woody or Won't He First aired: 2/8/1990
A mechanical bull gets the better of Cliff while Woody tries to deal with the romantic advances of his girl friend's mom.

Severe Crane Damage First aired: 2/15/1990
Lilith goes on a talk show to promote her new book about men who are bad for women brining Sam to demonstrate her theory.

Indoor Fun With Sammy and Robby First aired: 2/22/1990
Rebecca dreams of a perfectly romantic day with Robin. Robin on the other hand has dared Sam to a series of adolescent challenges

50-50 Carla First aired: 3/8/1990
Carla and Eddie's other widow Gloria become best buddies but the friendship is threatened when Carla learns the two-timer left $50,000 in insurance and Woody worries about a nude scene when he's cast in a play.

Bar Wars III: The Return of Tecumseh First aired: 3/15/1990
Despite the truce negotiated by Rebecca, the gang decides to warm up the cold war against Gary.

Loverboyd First aired: 3/29/1990
Woody moons over the fact that Kelly is going to Europe.

The Ghost and Mrs. LeBec First aired: 4/12/1990
Carla feels compelled to call in an exorcist when Eddie's ghost appears in the bar.

Mr. Otis Regrets First aired: 4/19/1990
Sam makes Rebecca envious by telling her that he scored with Robin's other girl friend, and Woody is flabbergasted when a girl answers his ad for a roommate.

Cry Hard (1) First aired: 4/26/1990
Rebecca impresses Sam and the boys when she shows them Robin's fancy apartment while he's out of town.

Cry Harder (2) First aired: 5/3/1990
Rebecca and Sam both have mixed emotions as they face the fact that Robin Colcord, after proposing to Rebecca, is arrested for insider trading.

Let me begin this review by saying one thing, The Day After Tomorrow is an excellent movie. I loved it. The special effects were outstanding. It's good fun for a date movie.
But,....trying to take this movie seriously is actually hard. The story revolving around global warming and the world being hit hard within a week is a bit too hard to swallow. Too, there's just some things in the movie that I just don't see happening quite the same way if they were to happen in real life. I'm not saying that we shouldn't take the threat of global warming seriously but the way it is presented in this movie is ridiculous. If the writer of the film took more time to research the material on global warming, I think he(and Roland Emmerich) could have made an even better film. As much as I love disaster flicks(having collected the majority of them that has come out in recent memory), I really don't know if I could recommend this one for people to buy.
However, if you're hankering for a disaster flick to watch on a Friday night with family and friends eating pizza and popcorn, then- this is a rental that's sure to please.

The 2003-2004 television season was one in which critics and fans expressed their growing outrage at the decay of standards in commercial television. On the one hand, the WB decided to cancel the critically acclaimed ANGEL despite an unprecedented fan effort to save the show. A growing stream of increasingly offensive reality shows made many wonder if there was any future for scripted television, or whether we were doomed to see shows like the widely condemned THE SWAN. But for many, the low point of the entire season was the cancellation by FOX of the extraordinary new show WONDERFALLS after only four episodes, despite a host of great reviews, many of them proclaiming it the finest new show of the year. More than this, it was as if FOX were determined for the show to fail, first placing it on Friday evenings (the worst night of the week for attracting viewers) for three weeks, before putting it on Thursday night opposite a host of the most popular shows on TV, therefore dooming it to low ratings. With the great reviews, one would have imagined that FOX would have found the show a new time slot and built an advertising and promotional campaign around the critics' ravings.

Luckily, WONDERFALLS is being released with the four original episodes and nine more that were completed but not released. The great news for those who saw those first four shows is that the next nine are even better. Indeed, if you were angry at the cancellation of the show based solely on those four episodes, you will go ballistic when you see how good these others are. The writers were obviously in defense mode from the first. One of the executive producers, Tim Minear, had been victimized the previous year when he served as executive producer of FIREFLY, which FOX similarly killed prematurely. This time, they assumed that the thirteen episodes might be all they got. As a result, WONDERFALLS is essentially a single self-contained story in thirteen parts. It could easily have led to a second season with new story lines, but the one season they did produce tells a single tale, with no major loose ends at all by the end of the final one.

As most who have heard of the show know, WONDERFALLS is the story of Jaye, a slacker living in Niagara Falls, NY (though most of the footage at the Falls is from the Canadian side) and working in a menial job in a souvenir gift shop. Her life is mundane and unpromising, when suddenly one day inanimate animals start talking to her. A lot of people who hear this aspect of the show are turned off, but trust me, it really won't be an issue for long for anyone who gives the show a chance. We never do learn why the animals talk to Jaye (though in one spectacular episode a bronze monkey, in response to her question of why they are all singling her out, tells her, "Because you listen"). In one episode near the end of the season there are hints that Jaye might actually be a spirit seer, and if so it is highly satirical that in American consumer society that she would be addressed by artificial, utterly fake animals instead of the real animals that Native American seers acknowledged as spirit guides.

The animals don't really give Jaye much choice in the matter of whether she is going to heed their commands. She learns very quickly that if she doesn't do their bidding, they will drive her crazy by such stratagems as singing endlessly "One Hundred Bottles of Beer On the Wall." She also learns that if she refuses to do their bidding, things can go very bad very quickly, and that if she does things can go miraculously right. For instance, she is commanded to do a number of things through consecutive episodes that apparently destroy a potential relationship with Eric, the young bartender who came to Niagara on his honeymoon, only to have his wife (played by FIREFLY alum Jewel Staite, as unlovable in this role as she was adorable as Kaylee in that show) cheat on him their first night there. Eric seems perfect for the prickly Jaye, but the animals don't seem to want to cooperate. I won't give away the end of the series, but I think the final episodes end about as perfectly as one could hope. After thirteen episodes in which Jaye has functioned as a pawn of fate, seeing her finally a little happy and content is a wonderful moment.

The cast is absolutely first rate, and by the end of the series all make a great contribution. Caroline Dhavernas is really fine as Jaye. She is not supposed to be a good or lovable or nice person. She definitely isn't a saint. As she puts it in one episode, in which she inadvertently saves a baby from injury, "I'm not a baby saver!" She ends up being a good person despite her own best efforts to the contrary. Tyron Leitso is enormously likable as Eric, who seems to be way too nice of a guy to be involved with a brat like Jaye. But the chemistry between Jaye and Eric is great, especially as their relationship gets enormously complicated by life (and inanimate animals) later in the season. At first I was alarmed that Jaye's family was going to play such a prominent role in the series, but all the performers were so exceptional that it ended up being one of the show's greatest assets. William Sandler as her doctor father, Diane Scarwid as her author mother, and Kate Finneran as her lawyer sister (all three highly successful in their jobs) were great and serve to emphasize how unsuccessful in life Jaye has been.. And I really liked Lee Pace as her brother Aaron, a doctoral student in religion who is the first to catch on that Jaye has an unusual relationship with the powers that be via fake animals (something he first suspects when he catches her talking to a cow coffee creamer). And Tracie Thomas is quite cute as Mahandra, Jaye's best friend and the surreptitious lover of Aaron (a fact only revealed to the other characters only in the final episode).

This is one of my favorite series of all time, and while I profoundly regret that FOX didn't give it a chance, I am grateful that the producers managed to tell a brilliant and compelling story. And I loved the setting in Niagara Falls. It was one of those rare shows where very nearly everything was perfect, except that it appeared on a network run by the mentally challenged. See this! I promise one of the most enchanting experiences of your viewing life.

It took me a few episodes to warm up to "Californication." At first I wasn't quite sure what the show was trying to be...maybe "Sex and the City" for men? But it's actually much more than that. The show revolves around Hank Moody (David Duchovny), an author who's been in a bit of a writer's slump ever since his last novel was published seven years ago. Hank longs to return to his hometown of New York City, but remains in California because his former lover, Karen (Natascha McElhone), lives there, along with their teenage daughter, Becca (Madeleine Martin). Hank is still very much in love with Karen, and it's pretty obvious that she still loves him, too. Unfortunately, Karen's engaged to stuffy Bill (Damian Young), and Hank unwittingly has sex with Bill's 16-year-old daughter, Mia (Madeline Zima), who eventually ends up blackmailing Hank and trying to take credit for his latest manuscript. What a mess!

"Californication" also boasts a strong supporting cast. Evan Handler plays Hank's best friend and agent, Charlie. Poor Charlie and his wife, Marcy (Pamela Adlon), experience some problems in the bedroom that lead to both of them cheating on each other with Charlie's hot young assistant, Danni (Rachel Miner). Handler and Adlon are amazingly funny on screen, and they play off each other very well: They're the funniest television couple since Lucy and Ricky Ricardo!

By far, the best thing about this show is its sense of humor. There are some incredibly funny scenes in "Californication" that definitely are among the most hilarious moments in TV history, and that's saying a lot. From Hank throwing up on Bill's priceless painting to the office dominatrix scenes to the three-way/orgy culmination, there are plenty of great scenes to go around. I don't remember the last time a TV show made me laugh so hard.

The first four or five episodes of the show were a little bumpy, but then "Californication" evolved into a great program about love, relationships, and self-discovery. The entire cast is brilliant, and most of the episodes are incredibly touching. I especially loved the last scene of the final episode, which came as a complete surprise and resulted in a very happy ending, at least for now.

The undefeated Ivy League football teams of Harvard and Yale clashed in 1968 for the championship. This documentary tells the story of the famed game and its stunning stalemate. The participants--including linebacker-turned-actor Tommy Lee Jones--offer fresh perspectives and the flavor of the time in this winning film from Kevin Rafferty (THE ATOMIC CAFE).

Five rising stars in Russian ballet are put in the spotlight in this documentary. From their posts at the famed Mariinski Theatre (formerly the Kirov), the young women reflect on their art and the long, difficult path they have trod in pursuing it. Meanwhile, footage of performances--Alina Somova, Svetlana Zakharova, Diana Vishneva, Ulyana Lopatkina, and Evgenia Obraztsova--shows their astonishing talents in action.

Humanity is the invading force in this animated sci-fi film. After the destruction of Earth, mankind has taken to space in a desperate search for a hospitable planet. When they find one, the only thing that stands in their way is the peaceful citizens of the planet, and the humans declare war.

Well, What can I say... it is visually well done ... but the whole story line reminds me of the conquest of south america and Africa by western powers that had technological advantages; and basically saw themselves as superior beings -- and the African and South American as savages. It is quite similar - except the fact that the it is in space -- the western powers are replaced by the humans - and the south Americans and africans are replaced by the Aliens.

I don't think this a human bashing movie; because it doesn't show anything that humans being haven't done against each other in the name of racial or class superiority.

It may be hard to take but it is certainly worth it.

Genres: Science Fiction/Fantasy and Animation

Running Time: 1 hr. 30 min.

Release Date: May 1st, 2009 (wide)

MPAA Rating: PG for sequences of sci-fi action violence and some thematic elements.

Distributors: Lionsgate, Roadside Attractions

Production Co.: Snoot Entertainment, MeniThings Productions LLC

U.S. Box Office: $1,601,182

Produced in: United States

CIA officer Claire Stenwick and MI6 agent Ray Koval have left the world of government intelligence to cash in on the highly profitable cold war raging between two rival multinational corporations. Their mission? Secure the formula for a product that will bring a fortune to the company that patents it first. For their employers--industry titan Howard Tully and buccaneer CEO Dick Garsik--nothing is out of bounds. But as the stakes rise, the mystery deepens and the tactics get dirtier, the trickiest secret for Claire and Ray is their growing attraction. And as they each try to stay one double-cross ahead, two career loners find their schemes endangered by the only thing they canâ¿¿t cheat their way out of: love.
The trailer is a bit misleading - I knew I was in for an intrigue and plot twists, but not nearly as many as there were in the movie. Therefore, the trailer brings in a wider audience, whereas the movie is aimed for a patient, intelligent bunch that will not give up on the plot just because it's a bit confusing after the first 30 minutes. I think this explains the poor reviews - people gave up on the movie in the beginning so the ending meant nothing to them, whereas to the people that got it, it was genius.

I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone that thinks they have the brains and the will-power to sit through this movie. I do agree with people when they say that the time line is confusing as hell, but at the end it really doesn't matter. Also, with people that say that this is a predictable plot, of course it is. We knew that there was going to be a lot of lying and cheating to go around, but you never know what will ACTUALLY happen.

So after it happens, you say, oh that it so predictable, but before it happens you would have never foreseen it. And all the tricks the characters use in the movie are genius, and if/when they don't work out in the end, and you find out why, you are flabbergasted.

Again, if you think you're smart enough, see this movie, and you will not be disappointed.





Production Status: Released

Genres: Drama

Running Time: 2 hrs. 5 min.

Release Date: March 20th, 2009 (wide)

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for language and some sexual content.

Distributors: Universal Pictures

Production Co.: Laura Bickford Productions

Studios: Universal Pictures

Financiers: Relativity Media

U.S. Box Office: $40,474,810

Filming Locations: New York City, New York, United States
New York City, New York, USA
New Jersey, USA

Produced in: United States

Welcome to Adventureland, where the worst job imaginable is about to inadvertently turn into the summer that changes everything. Adventureland, a self-professedly fun Pennsylvania amusement park, appears to be the bane of recent college graduates James Brennans existence. He previously had big plans to spend the summer on a life-altering trek through Europe that would initiate him into real adult life. But when his family suffers an economic downturn in the middle of the Reagan 80s, James only summer trip is straight to a minimum wage job manning a game booth so existentially bankrupt, no one is even allowed to win the giant stuffed panda. Yet, Adventureland isn`t quite what it seems on the surface. For behind the cloying cotton candy aroma, the grating disco songs and the near pathological customers, there is a whole other world of misfit friends, hidden dreams and most incredibly, after-work encounters with the alluringly sharp-tongued arcade girl, Em Lewin. And when James discovers the hard-won courage to go to battle for Em, the result is a savagely funny yet sweetly heart-felt and unexpected encounter with a real adult life.
"Adventureland" is not "Superbad." It is not a wacky comedy. It is a very realistic look at romance among adults in their early 20s. For those of us who grew up in the 1980s, it takes us back, visually and through the music, to a magical time when our gonads were break-dancing and the mysteries, miseries and joys of life were brand new.

I have actually seen the film twice. The second time I took a woman who barely speaks English. Didn't matter. After the movie she was smiling and said the film made her feel "very warm." I won't say much else, other than, if you want to take a date to a nice romantic film, THIS IS IT.

Nevermind the idiots who are upset because the film is not a sequal or imitation of "Superbad."





Production Status: Released

Genres: Comedy and Drama

Running Time: 1 hr. 46 min.

Release Date: April 3rd, 2009 (wide)

MPAA Rating: R for language, drug use and sexual references.

Distributors: Miramax Films

Production Co.: Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, This Is That

Studios: Miramax Films

U.S. Box Office: $15,927,094

Filming Locations: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA

Produced in: United States

The Brothers Bloom are the best con men in the world, swindling millionaires with complex scenarios of lust, intrigue and the most complex literary-inspired setups imaginable. Now they've decided to take on one last job -- showing a beautiful and eccentric heiress named Penelope the time of her life with a romantic adventure that takes them around the world -- from New Jersey to Greece to Russia and Prague -- in pursuit of priceless artifacts wanted by some of their most unsavory competitors.

Production Status: Released

Genres: Action/Adventure, Romance and Crime/Gangster

Running Time: 1 hr. 53 min.

Release Date: May 15th, 2009 (limited); May 29th (wide)

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for violence, some sensuality and brief strong language.

Distributors: Summit Entertainment, LLC

Production Co.: Endgame Entertainment, Gordonstreet Pictures

Financiers: Endgame Entertainment

U.S. Box Office: $90,400

Filming Locations: Europe
Asia
Scandinavia

Produced in: United States

A taxi driver gets more than get bargained for when he picks up two teen runaways. Not only does the pair possess supernatural powers, but they're also trying desperately to escape people who have made them their targets.

I'll admit I am a fan of Dwayne Johnson. This movie is fun and exciting and when you take your children to see a movie, it's a nice bonus to actually enjoy the movie yourself. The entire audience seemed to have a great time and the entire cast did well. The actors who played the kids were new but terrific. The action kept things moving and the humor added fun without being too cheesy. All ages were represented in our viewing and folks left smiling and chatty. For me it was worth the trip to the cinema and it even ranks as a DVD to purchase when it comes out.


Genres: Action/Adventure, Kids/Family, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Thriller, Adaptation and Remake

Running Time: 1 hr. 38 min.

Release Date: March 13th, 2009 (wide)

MPAA Rating: PG for sequences of action and violence, frightening and dangerous situations, and some thematic elements.

Distributors: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

U.S. Box Office: $64,977,532

Set in 1980s seaside England, ten-year-old Edward's parents have turned their house into a retirement home. While his mother struggles to keep the family business afloat and his father copes with the onset of a mid-life crisis, Edward becomes increasingly obsessed with the ghosts and afterlives of the residents when they die. Edward's is a lonely existence until he meets Clarence, the latest arrival at the home, a retired magician and grieving widower who refuses to give in gracefully to old age. Their relationship begins at odds until Clarence notices that the boy is growing up even more fitfully than he is growing old. As they begin to face life together, Clarence comes to terms with his past, Edward tames his obsession with the unknown and they are both reminded of what magic is possible when life is lived to its fullest.

really loved this film. Wonderful acting - not just from Michael Caine - but from the entire cast, which includes some veteran actors. There are a few scenes that are hysterical, and others that are very touching. It definitely brought me to tears. Seek this out if you like character-based films that deal with human relationships. You won't be disappointed.


Also Known As: Is There Anybody There?

Production Status: Released

Logline: A young boy who lives in an old folks' home strikes up a friendship with a retired magician.

Genres: Art/Foreign and Drama

Running Time: 1 hr. 32 min.

Release Date: April 17th, 2009 (limited)

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for language including sexual references, and some disturbing images.

Distributors: Big Beach Films, Story Island Entertainment

Production Co.: BBC Films, Big Beach Productions, Heyday Films

U.S. Box Office: $1,232,211

Produced in: United Kingdom

Produced by the same people who brought us the amazing Planet Earth, we're given the no less amazing Blue Planet.

Where Planet Earth gave us the world, Blue Planet focuses entirely on the oceans and all the life that depend on it. What we're given here is a true masterpiece in photography and cinematography that'll blow away your senses and amaze you. No one has ever captured ocean life like this before.

This set is comprised of 4 discs, with each disc consisting of 2 areas or conditions in which sea life flourish. From the coasts and tides to the deep and the arctic, just about every area of the ocean known to man is beautifully captured. We're shown an amazing variety of fish and animals here, including whales, jellyfish, lobsters, crabs, seals, dolphins, sharks, rarely seen deep sea life, birds, various coral and plant life, and much more. The struggles and rituals of mating, hunting, feeding, and fighting are all uncovered before our eyes. There's just so much to see and learn here. What you know or what you thought you knew about the ocean and oceanlife will be put to the test. For educational and entertainment purposes, this set is truly worth it's weight in gold.

The audio and video are superb. The images are crystal clear and we're given some outstanding close ups which reveal each creature in splendid detail. Words simply cannot describe some of the sights to be seen here. If you've seen Planet Earth, then you'll have an idea of what to expect. The audio adapts easily to DD 5.1 systems. The narration comes across clearly, the music is soulful and appropriate for every scene, and the sound of water, rain and the animals themselves work nicely to the surrounds.

As with Planet Earth, Blue Planet helps to shed the light on the glory of God's creation. As a man of faith, I find it a big faith booster as everything on screen just screams divine design. Because most of us are now trapped in our own concrete jungles, it's just good to get a look at nature and the world we live in. To see, experience and remind ourselves of the beauty and majesty of our planet. Untouched and uninterfered with by the worst and most destructive predators of them all, us. To see life the way it should be, as it was meant to be. This is an easy must buy and recommend for anyone who's even slightly interested in viewing nature as it is.

Accompanied by majestic orchestral scores by George Fenton, every episode is packed with images so beautiful or so forcefully impressive (and so perfectly photographed by the BBC's tenacious high-definition camera crews) that you'll be rendered speechless by the splendor of it all. You'll see a seal struggling to out-maneuver a Great White Shark; swimming macaques in the Ganges delta; massive flocks of snow geese numbering in the hundreds of thousands; an awesome night-vision sequence of lions attacking an elephant; the Colugo (or "flying lemur"--not really a lemur!) of the Philippines; a hunting alliance of fish and snakes on Indonesia's magnificent coral reef; the bioluminescent "vampire squid" of the deep oceans... these are just a few of countless highlights, masterfully filmed from every conceivable angle, with frequent use of super-slow-motion and amazing motion-controlled time-lapse cinematography, and narrated by Attenborough with his trademark combination of observational wit and informative authority. The result is a hugely entertaining series that doesn't flinch from the predatory realities of nature (death is a constant presence, without being off-putting), and each episode ends with 10-minute "Planet Earth Diaries" (exclusive to this DVD set) that cover a specific aspect of production, like "Diving with Pirahnas" or "Into the Abyss" (the latter showing the rigors of filming the planet's most spectacular caves, including the last filming ever officially permitted in the "Chandelier Ballroom," a crystal-encrusted cavern found over a mile deep in New Mexico's treacherous Lechuguilla, the deepest cave in the continental United States.)

Never have I been so moved by a series to exclaim in wonder and actually shed tears of joy at the beauty that surrounds us on this wonderful planet.

I have been watching it on Discovery HD Theater when it premiered in March. The first episode "Pole to Pole" set the tone by showing the range of life and species that exist on this planet. The subsequent episodes delve into the habitats one by one. Mountains, Fresh Water, Caves, Deserts, Ice Worlds, Great Plains, Jungles, Shallow Seas, Seasonal Forests and Deep Ocean are the subsequent episodes. This is one series that has to be seen to be believed of what the intrepid cameramen of BBC/Discovery Channel have been able to capture through their sheer perseverance in remote locations. The HD technology has captured some scenes and images never seen before and some seen before but never with this clarity and beauty. 5 years, 62 countries and 204 locations is what it took to make this series, and the result is a lifetime TV series.

This is one series that fascinated my kid as much as it amazed me. She wanted to watch her cartoons but the moment the episode began she was captivated. Both of us shared together the wonder that is our Planet and it was she who brought up the subject of what we might be doing to it by our actions. We cried when we saw how polar bears have begun to drown as ice melts faster every year. The image of one lone bear trying to walk on ice but falling into the slushy waters, and having to swim longer distances to capture food and finally dying with exhaustion was heart breaking. The series makes no references to the present conditions, just in passing as with the polar bear. I think the directors and producers of the series just wanted to show us the beauty of the natural world, the fight for survival of several animals even when there is no climactic change. And as we keep watching and are filled with awe and wonderment that we're lucky enough to live on this planet, we begin to appreciate quietly in our hearts how we need to change today to ensure that we save our planet.

That is what my daughter felt on her own, she asked me why we were not doing more to save our natural world and I did not have any good answers. The last 3 episodes, Planet Earth: The Future delve deeper into these issues, which I haven't had a chance to see yet.

I watched a clip of David Attenborough's version video on the web before I started watching the series with Sigourney Weaver's narration, and I was disappointed by her blandness and lack of depth. I bought this set like many others to listen to Sir David's narration. I was torn between the regular DVD set and the HD DVD though. This series is good enough to make me buy an HD DVD player just to be able to watch it in its true form! However, the regular set has the Future series and the Planet Earth diaries which the HD set does not have. I loved the Planet Earth Diaries (or behind the scenes) with cameramen, it made a fascinating documentary on it's own, and wished some were longer. If they had the extra material in the HD DVD set, it would have been my first choice.

I had saved the Discovery HD Theatre epidodes on my HD Cable box and I was able to compare their image quality with this Standard DVD version playing on an upconverting DVD player. The Discovery Theater images were crystal clear, and you could literally see each grain of sand on the sea bed or each crevice on a rock face. The Standard DVD looked pretty good when upconverted to 720p and if I had not seen the HD version I would have been quite amazed with the image quality. Right now I've been spoilt by the Discovery Theater version. If you're considering the HD version it's a great choice if you have an HD DVD/BluRay player. You'll probably not see a better HD disc. This series was shot completely in HD format. From my experience in the media industry I can tell you that this is a very, very expensive format to shoot in especially given the 5 years that it took to make this series. Most television is shot in a regular digital format and then upconverted to the HD format later. That gives great images but they cannot compare to something shot totally in HD. That is the reason the image quality of this series is spectacular. In HD they were able to capture the action which when replayed in slow-motion also stays crystal clear. Therefore you have breathtaking images of a shark capturing its prey (and many others) in slo-mo.

This really is the set to buy. It's like a living documentation of the beauty of our earth, some of which was starting to disappear right as the cameras were rolling. Perhaps, that is why BBC and Discovery spared no cost to produce this series and it is a masterpiece.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/planetearth/

FOX Television has struck gold with the series, BONES. The series stars BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and ANGEL heartthrob David Boreanaz as FBI Agent Seely Booth and relative newcomer Emily Deschanel as Temperance Brennan.

The series is based on books written by real-life forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs. Reichs is also a real-life NEW YORK TIMES best-selling author. Viewers of the television show will quickly discover that the "Temperance Brennan" of the books is much different than the character in the television show. The literary Temperance is a divorced mother with a problematic family.

In the television show, Temperance is an orphan that was raised in foster care and has trouble relating to others on an interpersonal level. She also happens to be an author and writes about a forensic anthropologist named Kathy Reichs.

The two series, in some ways, are vastly different. But people who enjoy the show will probably enjoy the books. And people enjoy the books, once they get over the fact that their favorite heroine isn't presented the way she is in the novels, will have a blast with the television show.

BONES, derived from Seely Booth's pet name for Temperance and from the fact that a forensic anthropologist usually only has skeletons to work with, is a fascinating interplay of almost-romance, outstanding characters, and nifty little puzzles dealing with murder and mayhem. The chemistry between the two stars is palpable and believable. I haven't seen Boreanaz anything that I haven't liked him in. Deschanel was new to me, although I had seen her in a supporting role in GLORY ROAD that was much different than the Temperance role.

The almost-romance shtick has gotten potentially old after playing in MOONLIGHTING and LOIS AND CLARK, as well as many others. In fact, long-time mystery viewers will remember a show called REMINGTON STEELE that starred Pierce Brosnan and Stephanie Zimbalist. After those two characters hooked up, viewer interest seemed to wane. Series developer Hart Hanson has to know he's walking a thin line but by choosing to go this route. However, it plays beautifully at present.

The second season continues much of the same tone that was set in the first season. Booth has warmed up to Brennan and her crew, although he still continues to refer to them as the Squint Squad when referring to them among his peers at the FBI. Booth and Brennan also continue to look for her father and to find out what happened to her mother after Brennan's parents disappeared when she was just a teenager.

While Booth's romance with Brennan continues to fizzle this season, maybe even more difficult by the addition of Doctor Camille Saroyan (Tamara Taylor), Angela (Michaela Conlin) and Jack's (T. J. Thyne) romance buds, blossoms, and almost bears fruit. As it turns out, Saroyan is a pathologist (which is a conflict in field of study to a degree to an anthropologist), is Brennan's new boss, and is one Booth's ex-lovers.

Tensions mount between Booth and Brennan as each tries to figure out where the other fits into the work and personal scenes. However, thankfully, the idea of romance is merely hinted at and flirted with rather than moved into a starring role. This is a great choice for the series at the moment, but I don't know how much longer they can successfully pull this off.

In addition to interesting leads, Booth and Brennan are backed by fantastic supporting characters who often step into the limelight of an episode. Zack and Hodges continue to bring slapstick scientific moments to the episodes. Although I really didn't think they could top running the semi-frozen pig corpse through the wood chipper last season, they blew the roof off my expectations with the season opener when they simulated a burning death of a victim using Spam lunch meat. I can always count on those two for a laugh, either through Zack's deadpan delivery or Hodges's conspiracy theories.

Angela is the heart and soul of the investigatory unit. She reminds the team and the viewer that the victims in each episode were real people. Plus, she's gotta be one of the hottest babes on television today. I will never forget how she grabbed the attention of the airline clerk in the first season opener.

Only 21 of Season Two's 22-episode run are included on this box set. One of the episodes, "Player Under Pressure," was pulled out of the lineup during the regular season. The plot line was uncomfortably close to the Virginia Tech shootings. It will be aired this year in Season Three.

There were a lot of outstanding episodes this year, and it was good to see them again in this box set. I was happy to see that this set contains six single-sided discs instead of three double-sided discs like in the last set. On double-sided discs, it gets too complicated tried to figure out which side is up. Plus, I like the cosmetic appeal of having pictures of the actors and actresses on the top of the disc. This also helps make the discs immediately recognizable.

The special features include voiceovers on select episodes, two featurettes, and a gag reel that shows viewers how much fun this series must be to work on. Although the special features are still "bare bones" compared to what viewers want, it does add up to more reasons to pick up the box set.

BONES is one of the best hours of television currently on. If you haven't discovered the series for yourself and you're looking for something to fill the gap left by the cancellation of VERONICA MARS, this series may well be what you're looking for.

That incredibly crabby doctor with the serious leg pain is back for the third season of the acclaimed medical series "House, M.D." And once again Hugh Laurie and company came up with another winner of a season, although in my opinion it was just a tad notch below the first two seasons. Still, "House" season three is still very much worth watching.

Laurie once again dominates season three as he did with seasons one and two, and come Emmy time he better be rewarded! (He's already won two Golden Globes and one Screen Actors Guild award for his portrayal of Dr. House.) Being snubbed for a nomination for season two was a crime! His performances throughout season three was probably some of the best acting that Laurie has done on the show so far, thanks in part to one major storyline early in the season. David Morse was introduced in the fifth episode as Detective Tritter, a cop who comes to the hospital as a patient. Guess which doctor he ends up getting? Before you know it, Dr. House starts off by treating him rude, and if that's not bad enough, pops Vicodin right in front of him. Later on, he arrests Dr. House for possession of drugs, and thereafter tries in every way to make the cranky doc's life miserable (such as when Dr. House has to go for days without Vicodin and ends up in rehab). In addition, these turn of events also put a disturbing effect on his team, as the cop pressures each team member to give him some answers about their boss. This was a very strong storyline, and Morse was excellent in the role of the ticked off cop.

Sure "House" is the Hugh Laurie show, but lets not forget about the superb supporting cast: Lisa Edelstein as hospital administrator Lisa Cuddy; Omar Epps as neurologist Eric Foreman; Robert Sean Leonard as oncology specialist James Wilson; Jennifer Morrison as immunologist Allison Cameron; and Jesse Spencer as intensive-care specialist Robert Chase are all back for season three, and they're better than ever. For all three seasons these actors are given plenty to do in support of Laurie, and each of them does a great job playing off not only Laurie but each other. This is thanks to some terrific writing by creator David Shore and his writing team. They not only make this show compelling but smart as well. My favorite episode from season three is the one titled "Airborne", where House and Cuddy board a plane departing Malaysia that soon becomes a hospital ward when several passengers become seriously ill (including Cuddy); while back at Princeton-Plainsboro Wilson, Chase, Cameron, and Foreman try to solve a medical mystery on their own. This is a great episode, maybe the best overall episode of the show so far. It's not only thrilling and dramatic, but funny and shocking as well. Other great episodes include the second episode "Cane and Able", in which House and his team try to figure out why a 7 year old boy thinks he's being tortured by aliens, and the next-to-last episode "The Jerk", in which Dr. House meets his match with his latest patient: a teenage chess player with an arrogant attitude that's even worse than House's.

Despite this show's greatness, I had a few quibbles on the third season of "House". One season three episode didn't work for me (episode #12 - "One Day, One Room"). I found this episode kind of dull and not all that interesting. It's not real bad, but I just didn't seem to care about it all that much, which makes it the weakest episode of "House" so far. One minor storyline that was also kind of silly was the sexual hook-ups between Chase and Cameron, which featured them getting down and dirty in the hospital, in a patient's house, etc. And it was only for fun. Chase wants a relationship, but Cameron doesn't. This really isn't smart writing on the part of the writing team on "House". I think it was only thrown in their due to the real-life engagement of the actors who play Chase and Cameron (Jesse Spencer and Jennifer Morrison got engaged midway through season three). But in all fairness, I think this storyline would have worked better if the writers had done exactly what Chase wanted: let them have a relationship. These actors do look great together. I think a serious relationship storyline between Chase and Cameron would be awesome. Perhaps that might come later.

Familiar faces who show up for guest appearances during season three include: John Larroquette ("Night Court"), Kathleen Quinlan ("Apollo 13"), Joel Grey ("Cabaret"), Charles S. Dutton ("The Piano Lesson"), Piper Perabo ("Coyote Ugly"), Kurtwood Smith ("That `70s Show"), and pop star Dave Matthews.

The final episode of season three apparently will be opening the door for changes when season four debuts in the fall, as House lost his entire team (Foreman and Cameron resigned; Chase fired). I'm hoping that this will not be the end for some members of this great ensemble cast. I love this cast on "House", and if any one of these cast members leave the show or end up being let go, I will be very saddened by it. But this is the show's big cliffhanger for the summer. We'll eventually find out what will happen when season four returns this fall. And my fingers are crossed that all these cast members return.

In under a year, Grey's Anatomy has gone from a mid-season replacement show to one of the top rated dramas on television. The show consistently demonstrates that brilliantly written characters, a diverse cast, lots of romance, and loads of drama set in the fast-paced world of surgery makes for an wonderful combination. The 27 episodes of Season 2 build on the brilliance of season 1, delivering a knockout performance that is a must buy for any Grey's fan.

Grey's Anatomy is about the lives and loves of 5 young surgical interns at Seattle Grace Hospital. Placed in the most competitive and grueling internship a hospital has, Grey's follows the doctors as they learn to become surgeons from some of the best in the business. Season 1's nine episode run saw romance blossom between surgeries with intern Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) and attending physician Dr. Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) as well as intern Christina Yang (Sandra Oh) and attending surgeon Preston Burke (Isiah Washington). Sparks also flew between fellow interns Dr. Izzy Stevens( Katherine Heigl) and Dr. Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) while Dr. George O'Malley (T.R McKnight) nursed an unrequited love on housemate Meredith. Every episode was filled with romance, comedy, drama, and tension.

Season 2 delivers more of the same, beginning with Derek's previously unknown wife, Addison (Kate Walsh) showing up at Seattle Grace to try to win back her busband, who left her after she slept with his best friend. Confronted with two women he loves, Derek is forced to choose between them, a choice that would have wide reaching consequences. That choice and its consequences have become the central theme for the entire second season. Other continuing story arcs are Christina and Burke's developing relationship, Izzy's and Alex's growing chemistry (thrown for a loop with the arrival of heart patient Denny), and Meredith's still unfinished feelings for Derek, which in season 2 cause her to do some incredibly dumb things, including breaking fan favorite George's heart. Series creater Shonda Rimes and the rest of the writing staff don't shy away from making controversial choices with the plots, as evidenced in the shocking 3-hour season finale.

Week after week this is hands down the most addictive show on television. This show gets you so interested in the characters, some days you will love them and some days hate them, but you never stop watching them. Thanks to the guys at tvshowsondvd, we know that the 6-disc box set contains over 5 hours of Grey's extras, including extended version episodes of Thanks for the Memories, It's the End of the World, What Have I Done to Deserve This, and Losing My Religion, a fan roundtable featurette with the cast answering questions from fans, a Bailey featurette, set tour with Dr. Webbe, tons of deleted scenes, and several audio commentaries. The set is mixed in 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound, with a 1.78:1 aspect ratio. If you have never seen Grey's, pick up both the first and second season sets. One of the best shows on television and Highly Recommended.

I only started watching this show at episode 18, but DH has quickly beome my favorite series. I absolutely love the storylines and the way each of the characters interacts.

For anyone who's never seen it, here's a quick run-down of the show:

In the first episode, the narrator of the series, Mary Alice Young, kills herself. It's later discovered by her neighbors that she was being blackmailed, and committed suicide to hide her secrets. The four wives of Wisteria Lane spend the rest of the season searching for clues that might help solve the mystery behind Mary Alice's past. The clues pile up; from a tape stolen from a marriage counselor, to a baby blanket embroidered with the name "Dana".

Bree Van De Kamp is the epitome of the Stepford Wife - perky, resourceful, and perfect in almost every way. Except for one thing: her family thinks she's psychotic. Her husband wants a divorce, and is later caught up in a sex scandel when another wife's little black book surfaces. Bree and Rex have an on-again-off-again relationship, and two children, Andrew and Danielle. Andrew is a seemingly-average kid, except that he runs over a helpless older woman, gets caught smoking weed, confesses an affinity for homosexuality to Bree and Rex, and confesses to a local priest of his plans to make his mother's life a living Hell. Danielle, the 4th, seldom-seen Van De Kamp, is probably the most normal of the group. Further complicating their lives is George, a local pharmacist. Attempting to get back at Rex, Bree starts seeing George, but breaks it off when a reconciliation seems possible. However, George hasn't gotten over his feelings for Bree, and has a tricks up his sleeves.

Next is Gabrielle Solis. A once-famous runway model, she married Carlos for his money, not realizing that he was marrying her as a trophy wife. Unsatisfied with how things have gone in their marriage, Gabrielle seeks fulfilment in their gardener, 17-year-old John. Their affair is nearly discovered by Juanita, Carlos' mother, but she is run down by Andrew Van De Kamp, and later dies, before passing on her discovery. Carlos, desperate for children, starts tampering with Gabrielle's birth control pills, much to Gabrielle's dismay when she finds out.

Then there is Lynnette Scavo. Once a top-notch ad-exec, Lynnette has since traded in her PowerPoint presentations for diapers and parent-teacher conferences. The mother of 4 (a baby girl and 3 boys, two of whom are twins), she spends each day trying not to rip her hair out dealing with the boys. Tom Scavo, Lynnette's husband, is a busy advertiser, and spends most of his time on business trips. Lynnette becomes suspicious of Tom, and also deals with a drug dependency at one point.

Finally, there is Susan Mayer. A single mother, she has a funny way of making a mess out of every situation. From burning AND under-cooking macaroni and cheese to burning down her neighbor's house, her clumsyness has no limits. Her 14-year-old daughter, Julie, seems more mature than her, and ends up doing the recon work when Susan gets a crush on new neighbor, the mysterious Mike Delfino.

Secrets abound on Wisteria Lane. The only way to see them all is to get this DVD set and watch the series. You're never going to find another series as complex and complicated as Desperate Housewives.

After a good though not great second season, "Desperate Housewives" got back to full form for its third season. Even though season three wasn't as good as the first season, it was definitely better than the second season. Teri Hatcher (Susan), Felicity Huffman (Lynette), Marcia Cross (Bree), Eva Longoria (Gaby), and Nicollette Sheridan (Edie) all return for more hijinks on Wisteria Lane (located in the fictional town of Fairview), which saw plenty of the usual ingredients (romance, sex, murder, secrets, etc.) mixed in with its share of sharp comedy, serious drama, and intriguing mysteries that have been frequently featured in its first two seasons. Other series' regulars who came back for season three include James Denton (Mike), Ricardo Chivara (Carlos), Doug Savant (Tom), Andrea Bowen (Julie), and narrator Brenda Strong (Mary Alice).

After the disappointing storyline involving the Applewhites of season two, creator Marc Cherry and his staff of writers came up with a storyline for season three that was far more intriguing. This starts with a new character for the third season: Orson Hodge (well played by Kyle MacLachlan). As most fans of this show know, Orson was first introduced late in season two, and played a major role in the last episode of the second season, which led to a bigger role in season three. As we began to sense in the season two finale, Orson was someone with a troubled past. This led to him hitting Mike with his car (Mike was suspicious of Orson), and then in the final scene starts having a relationship with Bree (who met Orson at the psychiatric hospital that she checked herself into after thinking she was about to have a nervous breakdown after dumping her son Andrew (Shawn Pyfrom) along the side of a road in the middle of nowhere and daughter Danielle (Joy Lauren) running away from home). In the first episode of season three (which begins 6 months after the end of season two), we start to know some of Orson's past, and it's not pretty. But his relationship with Bree brings some joy into his life, and they marry in the second episode. But the journey into marriage turns incredibly bumpy when Bree starts to sense some of the things that have haunted Orson's past, and some of those elements come back, most notably in the form of his crazy mother, the return of a previous wife (who everyone thought was missing and presumed dead), and the mystery involving a dead woman who Orson had an affair with. All these situations are put to good use and in the end the payoff delivers. Though the end of this storyline comes sooner than anticipated, thanks in part to Marcia Cross' real-life pregnancy. Shortly after production began on the third season, Cross announced that she was pregnant, which kind of put a little bump in the road for what Cherry was planning for the season. He didn't want to make Bree pregnant, so he and his crew devised ways so that we don't notice Cross' pregnancy in the episodes by having constant close-up shots of her face or putting items in front of her in many scenes. If there was a scene where Bree had to perform a minor stunt, a body double was used (such as a moment where Bree walks up a ladder). And when Cross was ordered to stay on bed rest for the remainder of her pregnancy (with twins), she invited the crew to come to her home to shoot some scenes. As a result the storyline ended two-thirds of the way into the season, which allowed Cross to go on maternity leave from the show. But no need to fear, Bree makes a triumphant return in the final episode. Thank goodness, because of all these desperate housewives she has become my personal favorite. "Desperate Housewives" slightly lagged a bit without her perfectionist attitude.

Besides MacLachlan, there were other interesting new characters that get introduced. Dougray Scott was superb as Ian, an Englishman who strikes up a relationship with Susan; Josh Henderson is excellent as Edie's bad boy hunky nephew Austin, who starts a sweet romance with Susan's daughter Julie; Valerie Mahaffey is terrific as Orson's previous wife Alma, who appears in the first episode, then disappears for a while before reappearing at the mid-point of the season (much to Bree's shock); John Lafferty is very good as Gaby's new beau (and Fairview mayoral candidate) Victor Lang; Kiersten Warren is obnoxiously hilarious as Nora, (first introduced in the season two finale) an incredibly annoying woman who Tom had a one night stand with years ago and got pregnant with his child before he married Lynette, and tried to wreck havoc on the Scavo household by trying to get Tom back; Rachel Fox is cute as a button as Nora's daughter Kayla, who also happens to be Tom's daughter; Laurie Metcalf (from TV's "Roseanne") is memorably menacing as Carolyn, a friend of Alma's who suspects Orson murdered her; and the great Dixie Carter (from TV's "Designing Women") is a hoot as Orson's evil mother Gloria.

While new characters popped up in season three, there were some old characters from the previous two seasons that turned up as well. Mark Moses and Cody Kasch returned for a couple of episodes as Paul Young and his troubled son Zack (who actually was Mike's son); Jesse Metcalfe shows up in an early episode as Gaby's former gardener (and lover) John; Richard Burgi turns up briefly as Susan's ex-husband Karl; and Steven Culp returns to narrate an episode as Bree's late husband Rex (Mary Alice got the day off on that episode).

While there have been so many memorable characters on "Desperate Housewives", there is a reoccurring character who's so funny on the show that it would be a shame if I did not mention her. And that character is the old cranky Wisteria Lane neighbor Mrs. McClusky, played to the hilt by Kathryn Joosten. First introduced back in season one, Mrs. McClusky was at complete odds with just about everyone, especially Lynette. But since then she has started to show a softer side that is wonderfully touching. She's now good friends with Lynette, and helps out the Scavo family by babysitting their kids while Lynette and Tom are at work. The character even had a minor storyline late in season three that involved her late husband. This character has become one of the best things on "Desperate Housewives", and Joosten is perfect in the role. She's already won an Emmy for the role (as Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for season one). This character doesn't appear in every episode of the show, but for the episodes that she does turn up in (whether its one scene or five scenes) brings a smile to my face, which is usually followed by laughter. This character provides some of the biggest laughs on the show.

During its first three seasons, there have been many great episodes of "Desperate Housewives". But the very best episode of the show so far (in my opinion) comes in season three. Episode 7, titled "Bang", is the bone-chilling, on-the-edge-of-your-seat episode about that supermarket hostage crisis that affects the residents of Wisteria Lane. This episode has all the elements: some big laughs, high drama, and suspenseful thrills. Plus, Laurie Metcalf gives a great performance in this episode as Carolyn, the crazed woman who literally snaps after hearing some very disturbing news and proceeds to go off the deep end by taking some residents of Wisteria Lane hostage at the supermarket. This episode is an absolute must-see.

"Desperate Housewives" - The Complete Third Season should be out on DVD before the start of the fourth season, and I encourage anyone who bailed out on the show after season two to go out and get it the moment it becomes available. Until then, you'll have to catch reruns of season three throughout the summer. Or you can view seasons one and two, already out on DVD as well as reruns airing on Lifetime. But one way or another, the third season of "Desperate Housewives" is a winner. And the season ends with another stunning cliffhanger, which will lead into season four.

*** ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ***

Since this review I watched these episodes again on DVD, and I need to bump my original rating of 5 stars down to 4 1/2 stars. Don't get me wrong, this is still an excellent season of "Desperate Housewives", but I had a few annoying quibbles about it while watching the episodes on DVD. And all of this takes place in the second half of the season. First off, the character of Ian started to get on my nerves in the later episodes. If you recall, Susan started dating Ian while Mike was in a coma from his accident at the end of season two. Susan fell in love with Ian, but not long after Mike woke up for his coma he wanted Susan back. And every time there was a scene where Mike and Susan shared a moment together and Ian either saw it or heard about it, Ian would constantly complain about it over and over again. I started to get really tired of hearing him complaining about Mike. It's like you just want to shout out at the character: "quit your whining!" Another setback was the behavior of Lynette's husband Tom. This (which also takes place during the last part of the season) deals with Tom's job as the owner of his new pizza parlor. After hiring wife Lynette to be the manager, they start disagreeing on certain things, but this storyline takes a slight detour when a new character is introduced. After Tom suffers a major back spasm that requires bed rest, Lynette hires Rick (played by Jason Gedrick), who's a master chef. During the course of these later episodes, it seems that Lynette and Rick are attrached to each other, and that drives Tom into a jealous rage. Plus while Tom is at home recuperating from his back problems, he starts having angry fits that I found to be kind of unpleasant. I only wish that the writers could have found a better way to handle these situations. But in the end all the resolutions turn out to be good, and the show moves on. But because these two storylines got a little irritating during the second half of season three, I now give "Desperate Housewives" 4 1/2 stars.