DVR Weekly Reviews Franklin & Bash, The Millers, The Flash, and More

DVR Weekly reviews the season finale of Franklin & Bash, the season premiere of The Millers, The Flash, and 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 19 - October 25

Sunday (10/19)

Total Divas (Cross Country Catastrophe) - I actually loved the cross country road trip that wasn't with Eva, Arianne, Vinny, and Jonathan. Having been on a cross country trip myself, I know how easy it is to get annoyed with people since you're in a close space for so long. It sucks that they just gave up on the trip, but it was fun while it lasted. The other two stories I could take or leave but Bryan mentioning Dean Ambrose made me realize how awesome he would be on this show. 

Total Divas (Daddy’s Little Girl) - This episode highlighted the two worst people on the show, which made for an annoying hour. Nikki is still a bitch and her fake job as a real estate agent is terrible. Shouldn't a real estate agent do some background with her clients and know what their price range is before showing them houses that everyone knows they can't afford. Then there was Nattie and her fake divorce with TJ. Honestly, while this may have started out as a fake reality show bit, I wouldn't blame TJ if he did end up leaving Nattie. 

Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Halloween II) - I love that they went back to the Jake/Holt bet from last year’s Halloween episode and showed how much smarter Holt has gotten to Jake’s ways in the past year. While the conclusion of the episode didn’t make a whole lot of sense (how did everyone help Holt when they were all doing other things as well?) it was still a very funny episode with everyone playing their part. My biggest complaint is that more time wasn’t dedicated to Terry and Gina dancing. 

Homeland (Iron In The Fire) - Carrie continues to do anything and everything to make sure she’s doing the right thing when it comes to her job. This week she showed subtle sides of humanity, but for the most part she is on a mission to do what she must to stop the terrorists, even if that means sleeping with an innocent young boy. I can still take or leave Carrie’s relationship with Quinn, but I have a feeling that once he notices how far Carrie is willing to go, he’ll go off the deep end for good. That should be fun if nothing else. 

The Affair (2) - The puzzle is slowly coming together. Apparently there was a murder that Noah and Allison might have something to do with but that, and how their affair fits in with it, remains a mystery. While last week Allison and Noah were more or less on the same page with their stories, this week was completely different as they told two different tales although all the major points remained. I also like how John Doman plays Dominic West's father in law on this show and he played West's boss on The Wire. 

Revenge (Meteor) - I haven’t enjoyed this season all that much, but this episode was a step in the right direction for the most part. I still think David Clarke is the dumbest person on earth as he immediately aligned himself with the Grayson’s instead of seeking out his daughter or Nolan, but whatever. At least with Emily knowing that her father is alive and knowing that he’s in the comfort of Victoria, she has new motivation and is ready to win her father back. The Emily/Victoria feud is about to be kicked into an even higher gear, which is always nice. Even though there are plot holes and lack of common sense galore, the story is good enough right now that I’ll ignore it for an episode or two. 

Monday (10/20)

Gotham (Viper) - I hate to say this, but Gotham just isn’t all that great. It’s not bad, but it fails to live up to the potential and hype that was there when the show was announced. It’s like the show can’t decide if it wants to be serious or comical and it just ends up being stupid. This week’s episode was terrible as they dropped storylines from last week and had a random Selina Kyle appearance that went nowhere. The Penguin remains the best thing about the show and hopefully they don’t put him into the background too much with this Falcone/Maroni feud. 

The Big Bang Theory (The Expedition Approximation) - As good of a character as Sheldon is, they finally found his weakness: Raj. He’s such a weak character at this point that anything they throw him in gets dragged down. Sheldon saved the whole story with his show closing comment. Luckily the stories with Penny/Leonard and Bernadette/Howard and their money issues were enough to keep this episode from completely sucking. 

The Millers (Movin Out) - BILLY EICHNER! I wish he and not Sean Hayes were joining the cast full-time. The episode set up the rest of the season as Carol is no longer living with Nathan and is now living across the hall. That adds a new dynamic to the show but they’re really going to have to spice things up to keep the stories fresh. The cast is amazing, hopefully the stories don’t get too predictable. 

Jane The Virgin (Chapter 2) - Well, that ending was certainly shocking. It looked like the Roman/Petra affair would be a season long story. But now Roman is dead and the story becomes “who killed him?” The show can be a little complicated at times with all the characters (isn’t that a staple of Telenovela’s?) but I do like how every character and their motivation is explained. The show doesn’t get by on just random drama. There are actually backstories to go along with everything, which isn’t always the case in TV. 

Are You The One? (Virgin Tears) - If nothing else, Brandon will definitely find his match. I feel like these people don’t realize that, while they are trying to find their perfect match, they are also playing a game. And right now they are doing a terrible job of playing the game. The only person who seems to notice this is Tyler and she’s the one person in the house who never gets noticed. Also, Nathan is now in the running for worst reality character in MTV history. And that’s saying a lot. 

The Blacklist (The Front) - What’s up with poison gas bad guys this week? I watched Gotham and The Flash before catching up on The Blacklist, so seeing the third “guy uses poison to kill people” villain was a bit much. Like the other two, he also failed. Luckily we got some advancement in the Red/Lizzie story as Red is searching for his implied daughter, which caused Lizzie to be jealous, but Red still showed he cares about Lizzie, who now imagines what her life would be like without Red. Got all that? 

Tuesday (10/21)

Selfie (Nugget of Wisdom) - Kevin stole this episode. From his DJ act to his Eddie Murphy crying, he was awesome. Hopefully they can bring him back for an episode or two. Eliza and Henry once again showed their fantastic chemistry and continue to move closer towards each other. I didn’t really care about the vitamin story, but they made it work, like they always seem to do. 

The Flash (Things You Can’t Ourtun) - I recently added The Flash to the DVR after watching the first two episodes back-to-back. I like the show but three episodes in and things appear to be falling into the same pattern. We get introduced to this week’s villain, Barry tries to stop him but doesn’t succeed the first time so he doubts this whole superhero thing, Barry eventually realizes, with the help of his friends, that it’s like his duty to stop the villain, Barry stops the villain, Dr. Wells does something creepy. The show is entertaining enough to where this doesn’t bother me too much right now, but I would like a little more progress in the coming weeks. 

Below Deck (Dry Land, Damp Eyes) - It was the season finale this week, which means long-term feuds kind of got resolved and everyone more or less had a happy ending. This Jennice/Kelley relationship baffles me though. Kelley was pursuing her very hard, she was resistant, she finally gave in, and now she wants to move to another state to be with him. Kelley needs to get out now because Jennice is crazy. I love Kate and her self-aware bitchiness and hope that she comes back for next season along with Ben since they are guaranteed drama. 

Pretty Little Liars (We Love You To DeAth) - I was pretty disappointed that there wasn’t an actual Pretty Little Liars Halloween special this year, but this fan special was kind of nice. I wish they would’ve had the cast interacted more and shown of behind the scenes footage though. I think this show has lost the plot numerous times, but I keep watching, and I guess “A” will be revealed soon. Sure. 

Marry Me (Move Me) - Ah, moving in. I'm potentially moving in with my girlfriend soon so this episode hit home while we were watching it. This episode was definitely a step up for the secondary characters. I really enjoyed Gil and his sad loneliness. Gil, along with Annie's parents are good role players, but the female co-anchors need work. 

About A Boy (About A House For Sale) - It was obvious that Will wasn’t going to move to New York and away from Marcus. It’s a shame that Adrianne Palicki’s character Samantha won’t be heard from again (at least for now) but I’m sure that Will will find himself another hot chick in San Francisco. Then again, it is San Francisco. Aside from the predictable ending, this episode was pretty funny as Will tried to find Marcus a new best friend while Marcus was doing the same. 

Awkward (#Drama) - Turns out Owen is kind of a pimp. I like the concept of the dude database and thought they did a great job this week exploring it and turning it into a couple of good stories. Plus Sadie was in classic form, which is never a bad thing. I just can’t figure out why the whole school would be mad at Jenna for deleting the database. Guess I’ll have to tune in next week. 

Sons of Anarchy (Greensleeves) - At an hour and a half, this show really drags. There were some key scenes this week though, mainly Abel overhearing Gemma telling Thomas that she killed his mom and a piece of Bobby being delivered to the crew. I'm really disappointed with how the Juice story is shaping up. There was such promise there and it feels like they dropped the ball. 

Faking It (Present Tense) - So I guess this whole Karma/Liam relationship is being given another chance. This just won’t end well when Karma finds out about Liam/Amy. I’m just not feeling this season as much as I did last year because things seem to be all over the place. Also, everyone knows MMA is gay. 

Happyland (Park Maintenance) - This show grew on me last week. Turns out it was infected. The love square was interesting last week, but this week’s follow up wasn’t good and now I find myself not caring about it at all. In fact, I’m not caring about much on this show. 

Wednesday (10/22)

The Goldbergs (Shall We Play A Game?) - JTP! JTP! JTP! I didn’t live in the 80’s or have a crew, but I imagine that my crew would be a lot like the JTP. As sad as that might sound. Anytime Barry and Adam team up the episode is probably going to be good. This episode was no exception. The Bev/Erica story wasn’t bad, especially a drunk Bev, but where the hell was Murray this episode? I’ve been disappointed with him this season. 

Modern Family (Won’t You Be Our Neighbor) - Modern Family might actually get fresh after a couple seasons of stale funniness. The Dunphy’s are getting new neighbors and they are the complete opposite of the Dunphy’s, which will hopefully make for some interesting and funny situations. I could take or leave the rest of this episode, although Lilly continues to be a highlight, but I’m looking forward to the rest of the season now. Hopefully it doesn’t disappoint. 

Blackish (Crime and Punishment) - Jack and Diane are quickly becoming my favorite characters. I don’t think anyone will top Pops, but they are right up there with Dre Jr, which says a lot about how well this show is doing right now. As long as one of those four characters get plenty of story, this show will be fine. This week’s episode was really funny as the story was simple, they didn’t have a true second story, and everyone delivered a strong performance.

Franklin & Bash (Red or Black) - A really strong season finale that didn’t feature a true case. Franklin and Bash in Vegas? Sign me up. The big cliffhanger here was whether or not Franklin and Bash would leave their current firm and take their dream job in Texas. They left it up to a game of roulette because they are Franklin and friggin Bash. Swatello chasing after Jared was great and one of the reasons why I can’t see them moving to Texas. Also Stanton and Damien being on good terms and then Stanton quite possibly dying is kind of weirdly fitting. Also, Stanton quite possibly dying is another reason why the Texas move won’t happen. A good season with a strong finale. 

Nashville (Road Happy) - I hated the Juliette/Avery story this week. He shows up demanding to know what the deal is and she just ignores him just days after wanting to tell him everything? It was so stupid. Also the kids turning on Rayna seems a little forced and Scarlett continues to do nothing. I actually like the Will/Deacon story and hope Will finally gets outed soon. Haven’t we come to accept gays in music? Like Revenge, this show is starting to wear thin on me. 

Stalker (Phobia) - Beth and Jack continue to be fascinating characters. Beth is being stalked and Jack is a stalker, but Jack isn’t stalking Beth. However, he is working with Beth to catch stalkers (chalk up another victory this week) and that’s definitely something to keep in mind as the season moves forward. Perry might be one of the creepiest villains on TV. That final scene with his graphic novel of Beth in his house was a bit uncomfortable. 

Key & Peele (Quarterback Concussion) - A few good sketches this week. I thought the “Quarterback Concussion” sketch was funny but could’ve been better. However, the “Dying Wife Wish” sketch and the “Dog Cheater” sketches were really funny. The “Restaurant” sketch was pretty funny as well. Even the car chats about Nimrods and Cooties were laughable. Overall another funny episode.  

The League (Man Land) - They tried to do a Redskins joke this week but after South Park, no one is topping their Redskins jokes. That typed, I did like the ending where the Indians forced the guys to drop all their Redskins players, allowing Andre to pick them up after being screwed over in a trade. If only Washington didn't suck this season. It was also nice to see Corbin Bernsen on the show in a guest role. He's Jenny's father so hopefully he shows up more often. This episode was good but probably would've been better a month ago.  

Baby Daddy (Strip or Treat) - ABC Family loves to do these holiday specials even though the series isn’t in season. It’s a smart move just to have programming and keep the show in the minds of viewers. This episode wasn’t anything spectacular or scary, it just was about Riley trying to play the ultimate prank on the Wheeler family. She succeed, although the Wheeler’s got the last laugh. It was pretty predictable, but good for a few laughs. 

Thursday (10/23)

Gracepoint (Episode 4) - I wasn’t feeling this episode as much as previous episodes. I can’t wrap my head around the Ellie character, which is a problem given that she’s one of the main characters on the show. However, I do like Beth, and she was fantastic in this episode. The Trailer Park Lady continues to be the number one suspect in my mind. Even if she isn’t the killer, she knows something. This episode felt weaker than previous weeks mainly because it was a set-up episode for next week. The burning boat at the end really made me wish it was next week. 

A to Z (D is for Debbie) - This episode was a complete miss. I’m fine with Andrew and Zelda trying to figure out if it’s appropriate to attend a funeral together just three weeks into their relationship. However, the funeral was a complete miss. Zelda’s surrogate mother died. And she ends up acting like a lawyer with no emotion? That killed the entire episode for me. It didn’t help that the episode wasn’t all that funny anyway. 

How To Get Away With Murder (We’re Not Friends) - I guess the easiest way to get away with murder is to manipulate the jury. That’s about all I learned from this episode. I’m really starting to dislike the Annalise character and I’m not sure that’s the goal of the show, but if it is, they are doing a great job. Wes and Rebecca have a pretty good idea that Sam is the picture taker, and in turn the murderer, and Wes confronts Annalise at the end of the episode. It’ll be interesting to see if Annalise continues to protect Sam now that she’s not the only person who knows it’s his penis on Lila’s phone. 

Snack Off (MealBreakers and Donuts) - Not my favorite episode thanks to the first challenge, which was things the judges didn’t like. It also happened to be stuff that I don’t like either. However, the final challenge with donuts was right up my alley. A donut burger isn’t exactly an original concept, but man does it sound amazing every time I heard about it. 

Friday (10/24)

Nothing on DVR

Saturday (10/25)

Nothing on DVR

Binge Watch

How I Met Your Mother (S01E01 - S01E09)

Alright, so I know how the series ends, but I’m going to plow through the show anyway because everyone says it’s really funny despite the fact that it overstays it’s welcome and the finale isn’t very good. If I stuck with The Office post-Michael Scott then I think I can deal with How I Met Your Mother. 

So far I’m liking the show. I’ve always been a fan of Jason Segal and Allyson Hannigan so I’m loving their pairing and, like everyone who has ever watched the show, I’m loving Neil Patrick Harris as Barney. I like Ted’s journey to find love and the teases with Robin in the early episodes. 

The Flash (S01E01 - S02E02)

Alright, so this wasn’t much of a binge watch. I just watched the first two episodes of the series to get caught up and be able to watch new episodes as they air. I’ve already stated my thoughts above.

Arrow (S01E01 - S01E04)

This one might take awhile because I’m binge watching the show with my girlfriend only when we are together. 

So far I’m liking the start of this series way more than I’m liking The Flash. Oliver Queen is just a far more interesting character than Barry Allen and the episodes are just better. I’m definitely in on The Arrow and can’t wait to see how the show progresses.