DVR Weekly Reviews The Affair, Jane The Virgin, Marry Me, and More

DVR Weekly reviews the series premiere of The Affair, the series premiere of Jane The Virgin, the series premiere of Marry Me, and much more.

(Also at 411Mania.com)

Welcome everyone to DVR Weekly. This column is kind of like a Two Tivos To Paradise companion piece until Al Norton decides that I’ve totally ripped him off and has me shut down. Here is the premise:

I watch a lot of television. That’s what happens when you have a DVR and no life. So I’ve decided to quickly review all the television I watch in hopes of being quoted during one of the trailers for the show. Once that happens, I’ll stop writing this column. We could be here for awhile. 

Some shows I’ll continue to watch, while others I’ll give up on because I think they suck or the network thinks they suck.

Here’s what I watched for the week of October 12 - October 18

Sunday (10/12)

Brooklyn Nine-Nine (The Jimmy Jab Games) - This episode reminded me of The Office episode Office Olympics, just a little more over the top and not quite as funny. Don’t get me wrong, it was a good episode, but not on the level of Office Olympics. I liked that they brought back Kyra Sedgwick and continued the Holt/Wuntch feud as I thought they were done with that. Advancing the Jake/Amy love story was nice as well. The tone of this was different than Office Olympics, but at the heart it was still the same concept. 

Total Divas (Paint The Island Red) - So I guess Summer and Rosa are friends even though two episodes ago Rosa didn’t like Summer. Nikki was extra-bitchy in this episode, which is really saying something. I honestly don’t care about the Nattie/TJ storyline because both characters are so terrible and the whole thing feels very forced. If there is one couple on this show who I feel would never have problems, it’d be those two. 

Total Divas (The Double-Cross) - CAROLINA PANTHERS LEGEND GARY BARNIDGE CAMEO! Has his career really gotten so bad that he’s now appearing on this show? I guess so. But good for him if he hooked up with Rosa and/or Rosa. Nikki was her usual bitch non-understanding self when it comes to Cena and his decisions. I’m shocked that E! tried to pass off Darren Young as Nattie’s date and didn’t play him up as gay, setting up an eventual spin-off. This show has gotten stale and repetitive in recent weeks, but at least the Summer vs. Rosa feud that appears to be brooding is fresh. 

Homeland (Shalwar Kameez) - I’m not quite sure how I feel about this whole Carrie/Quinn romance just yet, but I’m willing to give it a chance and let it play out. On the surface, the relationship feels forced, but thinking deeply about it, it kind of makes sense. While I’m not sold on Relationship Carrie, I absolutely love Work Carrie, who is in “take no shit” mode and killing it. And since Work Carrie doesn’t even know that Relationship Carrie exists right now, it definitely makes for an interesting dynamic. 

The Affair (Pilot) - JIMMY MCNULTY IS BACK ON TELEVISION! And I already love this show. The title suggests that there will be an affair between Allison and Noah, but this story obviously runs much deeper as both parties were being questioned by the police. Having just read Gone Girl, I’m loving the double point of view style of this show and can’t wait to see how it all plays out. Gracepoint was my new favorite show of the fall season until The Affair came along. 

Revenge (Ashes) - So much for Evil Charlotte. She tried to kill Emily, failed, and then went running back to mom. I liked the stand-off between Emily and Victoria, but that’s about it. I still don’t understand David’s return. Alright, I get that he would wanted the truth with Victoria, but how about finding out what happened to your daughter? Or how about visiting Nolan since you put him in charge of your daughter? Things just aren’t adding up and hopefully they are explained. Hopefully. 

Monday (10/13)

Gotham (Arkham) - This was a good set-up episode, but just moved too slow for my liking. I don’t really like the tension between Jim and Barbara because we know that they are just going to end up together, so it just feels forced. The Future Penguin continues to be the best thing about the show and now that he’s working for Carmine, it’ll be interesting to see if he can thwart Mooney’s attempted power play. 

The Big Bang Theory (The Focus Attenuation) - I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to Penny’s short hair. It was a nice twist this week as the girls went to Vegas, but Penny stayed in and worked while Amy and Bernadette went out drinking. I didn’t care too much for the guys plot of always getting off task, but it did provide a couple of laughs. Bernadette continues to be the most under-utilized character on the show while Raj, whose girlfriend was absent from the Vegas trip, continues to be useless. 

Jane The Virgin (Pilot) - I don’t watch Telenovela because I don’t understand Spanish even thought I took five years of it in high school/college. This is an American version of a telenovela show and it’s pretty awesome. Jane is extremely likable and makes the show work even though she’s a pregnant version. The narrator does a good job introducing everyone and keeping the story moving as well. I expect a lot of twists and turns and drama (there were already plenty of them in the premiere) but hopefully things don’t get too stupid to where it drives away viewers. 

Are You The One? (The Truth Will Cost You) - Brandon and Christina seemed certain that they were a match, but they weren’t. This show has to be painful because it’s very easy to fall in love with someone and then it’s possible that a computer tells you that they aren’t your perfect match. We also had another hook up and, according to Paris, it sounds like Pratt isn’t well endowed. The group is stuck on 2 matches and it’d be funny if Paris/Pratt aren’t one of them. 

The Blacklist (Dr. Linus Creel) - What is behind the door? That was the cliffhanger for this week and who knows when it’ll be revealed. There is also the secret that Naomi and Red appear to be keeping from Lizzie. The best bet is that Naomi is Lizzie’s mom or Red is her dad or maybe they are both her parents. We also learned that Red has a sniper on Lizzie at all times to protect her. How awesome would that be? 

Scorpion (Shorthanded) - This show has become a little too predictable. Walter is a jerk, the team gets in trouble, all the geniuses can’t figure out what to do, Paige calms every down, Walter humbles up a bit, the mystery is solved. You’d think Walter would just stay humble, but next week I’m sure we’ll get the same pattern. This show isn’t bad. There just isn’t any substance to it. 

Tuesday (10/14)

Marry Me (Pilot) - I absolutely love Casey Wilson and I’m glad she’s back on TV on a regular basis. Her and Ken Marino have really good chemistry and make the show work. However, despite a funny plot and two awesome main characters, the secondary characters need work. I have faith in this show and the writing and I really hope is succeeds. 

Awkward (Bonfire of the Vanities) - Alright, as much I want Jenna and Matty to just end up together since that seems inevitable, I’m liking this Jenna and Owen pairing and hope that Owen really fights for her. Tamara was in classic form on this episode, especially during the morning announcements with the phone book. I liked the plot this week and it looks like it’ll continue next week, although the tables will be turned. 

Faking It (Stupid Drama Queens) - It was an episode to come clean. I liked that Karma shared her fake Lesbian story as a way to draw emotion when it came to her audition. The Liam story felt a little forced, although I guess in the end it all made sense. It definitely feels like Liam and Amy are starting to develop some chemistry, and if they end up together, that could really screw up the relationship between Amy and Karma. 

Below Deck (Premature Corkulation) - This week featured the absolute worst guest of all-time. But that made for some good television at least. Jennice, who didn’t want to be with Kelley at first, now wants to marry Kelley. I like that Ben continues to annoy Kate by going over her head and wanting to utilize Amy more. 

New Girl (Landline) - Finally, a love interest for Jess that actually shows potential. And of course, they can’t be together, which should make for some good plots over the next couple of episodes. I liked receptionist Nick and the dynamic he had with Winston and Schmidt. Always good when the established trio gets back together. As usual, Jess and Schmidt were outstanding. 

Sons of Anarchy (Smoke Em If You Got Em) - It looks like things are finally going to get extremely crazy next week. Yet I’m not sure I care. When did Juice become such an idiot? He just let Gemma go and then expected a different club to trust a rat. He should know better. But he didn’t and now he’s captured. Plus the wounded cop woke up and is ready to tell Unser what happened at the house. Things are about to get really bad for Gemma, and while it should make for great TV, the way it was all set up is a bit lame. 

The Mindy Project (The Devil Wears Lands End) - Just like last week, the Mindy/Danny relationship continues to be weak. Mindy screws up to put Danny in a weird situation and then Danny complains a bit before eventually giving in to her. HOORAY! At least the secondary story was fantastic this week as Peter and Jeremy played beer bong. It was just as awesome as it sounds. 

About A Boy (About A Vasectomy) - This show was never going to work with Will in New York and Marcus in San Francisco, but it’s clear to see that the struggle of Will going back and forth is going to be a big part of this season. It looks like it’ll get resolved pretty soon though since Will had to decide if he’s going to sell his San Fran house. This was a good episode that re-established all the characters and their roles. Nothing spectacular, but solid. 

Selfie (A Little Yelp From My Friends) - I’m really enjoying this slow build between Eliza and Henry. Each week they get closer and closer despite believing that they are so far apart. I like that the show has one main premise and doesn’t try to over complicate it with too many characters or stories. Dare I say it might be the best new comedy of the season. 

Happyland (Never Break Character) - This show is actually growing on me a bit. Lucy has a lot of charm and I’m starting to buy into the whole plot of everyone working at a theme park and playing enchanted characters. I liked how they broke-up Harper and Will and had Ian, who can’t be with Lucy, almost immediately swoop in. A love square that wasn’t so interesting last week due to a lack of direction turned interesting this week. Kudos to all involved. 

Wednesday (10/15)

Red Band Society (So Tell Me What You Want What You Really Really Want) - So the title of this episode was a Spice Girls reference. Yet they didn’t play the song once. STUPID! STUPID! STUPID! Thank God the World Series is giving this show a hiatus. It might even be a permanent one. Even if FOX doesn’t pull the plug, I might it. 

South Park (Handicar) - The episode was just kind of rolling along with a decent plot (more continuity as they referenced the Crippled Summer episode from season 14 and Randy still playing Lorde) and then kicked into another gear with WACKY RACES! I loved Wacky Races as a kid and South Park’s take on it was hilarious. I also approve of any episode that makes fun of Matthew McConaughey. Episodes without the main four characters are always tricky, but they made it work.

Key & Peele (Slap Ass: In Recovery) - A Saved By The Bell reference and a hilarious Family Matters sketch. That’s all this episode needed to be awesome. The Slap Ass sketch was great, but the Family Matters sketch was on another level. It was the funniest sketch of the season and is going to be extremely tough to top. The whole thing was just absolutely perfect. 

Franklin & Bash (Spirits in the Material World) - I loved the return of Danielle Panabaker as Bonnie, but I don’t think she’ll last long as Jared’s love interest given that she’s one of the stars of The Flash. This episode was good, and I liked that they took advantage of the Halloween, but it wasn’t all that memorable and things just felt a little off. Maybe, given that the episode revolved around the supernatural, that was their desired effect, but I’m probably overthinking things. 

Nashville (I Feel Sorry For Me) - Things are really about to heat up between Rayna and Jeff, which I’m all for. It’s obvious that Jeff wants to sign Rayna’s daughters, and while it seems even more obvious that Rayna should just sign her own daughters, is that what she wants for her kids? Juliette needs to hurry up and tell Avery about this kid, otherwise they are heading down the same road as Rayna/Deacon and we all saw how that turned out. Good episode despite the lack of original music. 

Modern Family (Marco Polo) - Finally, a Mitch and Cam plot that I didn’t hate. As a big sports fans, I’m know all about sports superstitions and enjoyed Cam going through his routine and Mitch just not understand it. Manny getting a girlfriend was nice, but when you saw her, you knew it wasn’t going to end well for him. That said, I enjoyed the parenting of Jay and Gloria. The Dunphy’s plot is something we’ve seen a million times, just in a different setting. 

Blackish (Crazy Mom) - The lack of Dre Jr. really hurt this episode. The plot wasn’t original, but I do have to give Anthony Anderson credit for trying and nearly succeeding. He did a good job in the “dad plays the mom” role but didn’t get much help from anyone else. There was no real second plot and he alone just couldn’t carry things. Still, this episode was better than it had any right to be thanks to Andre and Pops. 

The League (The Heavenly Fouler) - ANNA CAMP! I absolutely love her and am glad she made a cameo on this week’s episode. Sadly, besides Anna Camp, this episode was pretty weak. Ellie is always good for a laugh or two and this week was no expection, but everything else just felt kind of flat. Maybe it was because I was drunk or maybe it was because the episode just wasn’t very good. But for whatever reason, the episode just wasn’t very good. 

Stalker (Manhunt) - Any show that has characters using my last name is a good show in my book. Through three episodes, I’m really impressed at how they are keeping the cases fresh. The opening scene of this episode was amazing, as was the hunt for the stalker. The twists and turns of this show usually make sense, which is good and rare. Then there’s Jack, who continues to be a mystery. He’s good at what he does, but that’s because he’s a stalker himself. I’m just waiting for the hammer to drop, and when it does, it should be glorious. 

Thursday (10/16)

How To Get Away With Murder (Let’s Get To Snooping) -  So the big tease this week was about Annalise’s last nine words. I was more shocked at all that make-up removal. More proof that there are two sides to all 50 characters on this show. It looks like Sam is involved with this murder, which Rebecca is now free from. This episode had a lot of shockers and a lot of sex. It also did a nice job advancing the main story of Lila’s murder. Like I say every week: the show is good, there are just too many things going on. 

A to Z (C is for Curiouser & Cuuriouser) - Internet stalking is just a way of life in today’s dating world, so I appreciated what A to Z was trying to do in this episode. Unfortunately it didn’t exactly click the way it should’ve. It just felt very rushed, which is a shame because it’s a good premise for a show promising an eventual break-up. 

Gracepoint (Episode 3) - According to reports, this show won’t make it much longer, which is a shame. I really hope they are given the ten episodes because I’m absolutely hooked and must know who Danny’s killer is. Mark is looking like the top suspect right now, even though he might have an alibi, but is it ever the person you most expect? I still want to know what is up with Danny’s skateboard being in that old ladies house. There are plenty of unanswered questions and I hope we got those answers before the show is canned. 

Snack Off (South of the Border & SnoBalls) - Chrissy was looking extra hot in this episode. A SnoBall is pretty tough to cook with, but Will did a nice job. Plus he went with a steak plate, and you can never go wrong with steak. 

Friday (10/17)

Girl Meets World (Girl Meets Flaws) - I wonder if Billy is the son of Cory’s black friend for like one episode during the first season or two. Probably not. But it was nice to see Harley Kiner back for a return appearance. This was also a good episode that touched on being popular but not always having friends. I could really relate to this episode in so many ways. Which was good and scary at the same time. I wish this show would get a little less preachy with their values and a little more comedy, but that’s a minor gripe. 

Saturday (10/18)

Nothing on the DVR

Binge Watch

No binge watching this week. Hoping to start something new sometime this week.