TV Recaps Blog

In the Season 4 finale, Phil hooks his dad up before burying his mom

By Corey Levitan 1 hour ago
blog.sitcomsonline.com
In Wednesday's Season 4 finale -- titled "Goodnight, Gracie" -- the family gathers in Florida to pay its respects to Phil's departed mom. Grandma has left some things for her loved ones. Haley (Sarah Hyland) gets jewelry, Luke (Nolan Gould) a pocket watch, and Alex (Ariel Winter) a lighter and no explanation. (Perhaps it's to burn all her clothes, Haley suggests.)


Phil (Ty Burrell) gets left a task. There's a woman in the retirement community named Annie Fitzsimmons. He is to set his dad (Fred Willard) up with her. Annie is really nice, his mom's letter explains, whereas the other women are desperate and morally corrupt. Phil is upset. When he's ready, his dad should get to pick his own girlfriend. ("That's the big upside to your wife dying," Phil insists.)

Gloria (Sofia Vergara) shows up in a thick black veil, and we soon discover that it has less to do with her Colombian culture than the fact that she is wanted in the Sunshine State for running a brothel. It was her old roommate who did it, Gloria claims, after Gloria left but was still listed on the apartment lease.

Gloria asks Mitch (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) to help clear her name, and he could not be happier to oblige. Dying to get away from the endless, boring paperwork and meetings at his new job, Mitch goes entirely John Grisham on the judge.

The bench warrant, and case, are both dismissed. And Mitch realizes how much he misses the courtroom and should get back to it. Gloria wonders, if Mitch doesn't have anything to do next weekend, maybe he can accompany her to Texas.

Cam (Eric Stonestreet) gets a firsthand taste of how desperate and morally corrupt some of the other retirement-community ladies are when he infiltrates one of their book club meetings. He is such a hit, they invite him to a Mahjong game. This is where he witnesses one woman cheating, another stealing cookies and another slipping booze into her coffee when she's supposedly on the wagon. Cam stirs the pot, as he stirs the punch, by mentioning all of this to everyone.

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Claire (Julie Bowen) walks Phil over to Annie's Fitzsimmons house before he realizes where he's being walked. A gentleman answers the door, which is neither expected nor cool. They pretend to be forgetful vacuum cleaner salespeople who left their wares at the vacuum office.

Cam -- relishing his role as the new community gossip -- informs Phil and Claire that the man who answered the door was Annie's brother, Marv, who -- by the way -- slept with half the woman in this place. This stoplight couldn't be any greener. So Phil returns to Annie, explaining that he's not a vacuum salesman. And he has a genuine moment with the woman, remembering how considerate of others his mother always was. They hug. His mom was right, Annie is really nice.

In the final subplot, Jay (Ed O'Neil) coincidentally runs into the woman who took his virginity while he did his basic training in Pensacola. At first, she didn't remember him, but after a while … she still doesn't. She claims he left something for her. She goes off to retrieve the box she's kept it in after all these years, and pulls out a ring. (No, not his.) This is followed by a medal. (No, Jay never got one.) Letters? (He never wrote any.) It turns out, Jay notes, that this lady "sent more men off to war than Lyndon Johnson."

At the memorial service, Alex pays tribute to her grandmother by explaining the significance of the lighter. (Her grandfather filled her in.) It belonged to Paul Newman. The late actor left it at a restaurant where her grandmother once waited a table on him. She slipped it into her pocket. A customer witnessed this and told her not to worry, her secret was safe with him. That man was to become Alex's grandfather.

Alex used the lighter to light a bunch of fireworks, then explain how you don't get everything you can out of life if you never break the rules.

"Modern Family" returns to ABC next fall.

 

Team Shakira and Team Usher teeter on the brink of a wipeout

By Ken Barnes Tue 11:47 PM

'The Voice'/NBC

 

 

'Adorn' shame: Shakira's choice of Miguel's hit 'Adorn' proved unfortunate for Kris Thomas, far right, on 'The Voice' Tuesday, while Usher's pick of Coldplay's 'Clocks' struck Josiah Hawley, center, a fatal blow as well. The rookie coaches are down to one contestant apiece.

 

 

The teams of coaches Shakira and Usher were reduced to one on "The Voice" Tuesday, as Shakira's Kris Thomas and Usher's Josiah Hawley were eliminated. Kris was a strong but idiosyncratic singer who wasn't getting the right songs, while Josiah was a pretty good singer, which doomed him in a season overstuffed with excellent vocalists

 

 

Bing: More about 'The Voice' | Video: Watch clips | Photos: See highlights

 

 

Unwary viewers were first subjected to another of NBC's desperation "live recap" hours, rewarding only to those with a copy of my Monday recap close at hand so they could gauge how uncannily accurate and perceptive my takes on the performances were.

 

The results show itself started with a performance dedicated to the Oklahoma tornado victims. Blake Shelton (from Oklahoma) and wife Miranda Lambert did an acoustic version of their song "Over You" that may have been the most moving piece of music in the show's history. Miranda's aching vocal amply revealed why she's the reigning queen of country music.

 

 

Photos: Check out the contestants | Last Night on TV: Get caught up

 

 

After another recap for the benefit of those who missed the previous hour and were pining for a nostalgic look back at the night before, Shakira and charges Sasha Allen and Kris sang the Pretenders' "I'll Stand by You," a song on the borderline of overexposure on these shows but saved by interesting vocals, Kris' in particular.

 

A plug for the film "Fast & Furious 6" ran on endlessly, but eventually the first two results were revealed, which were unsurprising safe calls for Danielle Bradbery and Judith Hill.

 

Blake's team -- Danielle, the Swon Brothers and Holly Tucker -- sang Alabama's "Mountain Music," a well-intentioned tribute to a great American art form, most of which is much better than the Alabama homage. Results came next: Michelle Chamuel survived the Pink cover curse that felled a couple of Idols this season, and Sasha Allen's first venture into contemporary music (Emeli Sande's "Next to Me") proved successful.

 

Usher was joined by Josiah and teammate Michelle for Dusty Springfield's "The Look of Love," a Bacharach ballad that suited neither Josiah nor Michelle at all, and was a bit out of Usher's territory as well. Doling out the results stingily, Carson Daly announced that Sarah Simmons, who rocked the house Monday, was safe.

 

Adam's team -- Amber Carrington, Judith and Sarah -- concluded the musical portion of the evening with another odd musical relic, the Kiki Dee Band's "I've Got the Music in Me," which worked out well enough thanks to the participants' strong vocals. Holly Tucker's gamble in singing a hymn paid off with a safe call, leaving the final four for the episode's last segment.

 

Little time was left to drag out the proceedings, so we immediately learned that Amber Carrington was safe, the third member of Adam's team to make it to the top eight. That left the Swon Brothers, Josiah and Kris, and the underdog duo did it again, giving Blake a clean sweep for the night as well.

 

Eliminated: Kris Thomas, whose attempt to go contemporary ran aground when he couldn't match the intensely stylized Miguel original of "Adorn," and Josiah Hawley, who had a great song, the aforementioned Coldplay's "Clocks," but apparently didn't put his stamp on it.

 

Teams: Blake has Holly, Danielle and the Swon Brothers all still competing; similarly, Adam's Amber, Judith and Sarah are all in the running. Shakira's remaining contestant is the skilled but repertoire-challenged Sasha Allen. Usher has the appealing left-field contender Michelle Chamuel.

 

 

What did you think of Tuesday's show? Connect and sound off on Facebook and Twitter

"The Voice" airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

 

Cain, Abel and streets full of the undead

By Vinnie Penn Tue 9:36 PM

 

Still reeling from it being "The Baron" (a chilling Reg E. Cathey) who came knocking on Eric’s door at the end of the first part of the two-part season finale of "Grimm", rather than Renard, I braced myself for the exciting conclusion (as if there is ever such a thing as a conclusion on this show). Admittedly, the quote that kicked off Part 1 should have tipped me off; for those of you who’ve already forgotten it, it read, "Papa Ghede is a handsome fellow in his hat and coat of black. Papa Ghede is going to the palace! He’ll eat and drink when he gets back." The palace clearly implies Eric, but while he sardonically compared Portland to Vienna at the end of the episode you simply cannot blame me for not thinking his hotel a palace.

 

Bing: David Giuntoli  |  ''Grimm'   

 

Part 2 picked up right there, with Eric and Baron seated for a chat. Stoically, Eric asked The Baron if he would be so kind as to show him what he does (i.e. "turn" one of Eric’s servants). That’s when Eric invited Lukas into his room, asked him how long he’d been with Eric (seven years), which Eric deemed long enough. Baron do his thing, Lukas went down, the pain he was in described flippantly as excruciating by his maker.

 

Across town Juliette and Nick picked up where they left off, dinner date-wise, but never got to the actual meal. They declared their love for one another and apparently made up for a year’s worth of lost time in one night. Monroe, too, enjoyed a night of passion with his significant other, Rosalee, though they did dine together first.

 

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Across the pond, Adalind was targeted by Frau Pesch, the Gypsy Queen, first seen seemingly concocting a potion. Not long afterward, thanks to some assistance, she had Adalind unconscious and plunged a needle into the back of her neck.

 

As for the zombies, they were running amok on the streets of Portland come morning, unbeknownst to lovelorn Monroe and Nick. The latter was asked by Juliette if he could take the day off, to which he replied, "If people stopped killing each other." Little did he know! A call from Renard rendered a personal day impossible anyway, with Nick in quick enough to be brought up to speed by Renard about the myriad royal families all seeking out the key – his brother Eric simply being the most determined. Eric then called and he and his brother made plans for dinner – a modern day Cain and Abel.

 

In the first of what would be several stellar scenes in this outstanding season finale, we were then made privy to what the gypsy was up to. She downed what she had actually extracted from Adalind and they switched places. The phone rang. The "new" Adalind answered, while the real one remained unconscious on the floor, imprisoned in an old woman’s frail body. It was Stefania, enthusiastic to tell Adalind how they could take care of Frau Pesch. "I can’t wait to hear," she purred.

 

With zombies creating chaos in Portland and the danger of running out of uniforms looming, Nick responded to a scene only to watch one zombie bite an officer and then leap out a window, bounce off a car and knock three more out. Stunned, but with his wits still intact, he was then able to take one zombie down, plus transport him to the spice shop with Hank. It wound up being the tow truck driver The Baron turned halfway through Part 1 last week. Rosalee found a solution, but it would take three injections and she and Monroe would have to do it all without Nick and Hank, who both had to get back to the precinct.

 

Sean and Eric’s reunion went unexpectedly smoothly, despite the fact that Eric referred to Sean’s mother as a "hexenbiest whore." Eric brought up Nick, inquired about his relationship with Sean and conveyed a sort of respect for the damage Nick had done to their kind. He asked Sean to return to the family, which Sean said he’d consider.

 

Nick returned to the spice shop, Juliette in tow (she announced she would no longer be staying at home and kept out of things), to find the tow truck driver fully recovered, thanks to Rosalee’s antidote. Nick instructed her to make more, as there’d be many more zombies in need of it. He then told Monroe of Renard’s brother being in town and how this could all somehow be related and, furthermore, about the key. He removed it from his neck and gave it to Rosalee to hide. (I must inject here that I found the next scene perplexing; she hid it with documents quite similar to the one Renard’s spy photographed in Vienna, along with a lot of cash. Am I reading into things or ... ?)

 

Back across the globe, the new Adalind met with Stefania. Stefania explained her plan, that she’d need Frau Pesch's heart and Adalind could get her powers back and her child could be born safely. But the heart would have to still be beating. Smirking, Adalind (Frau Pesch) asked how Stefania could possibly manage that. She said she’d lure her there to discuss uniting, only for one of Stefania’s seven sons to sneak up behind her and strangle her. And that’s exactly what happened next; Stefania knew it was really Frau Pesch there all along. The real Adalind then awoke on her hotel room floor, noticed the gypsy’s discarded clothes, pronounced the witch dead and announced another’s return: namely her own.

 

Finally, the zombie confrontation commenced. Nick, Monroe, Juliette and Rosalee took on a legion of the undead. Ultimately overwhelmed, Nick was left to single-handedly take on The Baron in an epic battle that ended with Nick losing him inside one of the vaults where the zombies were being stored. Nick stumbled upon the very same documents that Renard had photographed and sent to him, but also the ones Rosalee seemed to have in her possession (sorry, I can’t let go of it), only to then be surprised by The Baron, who spewed his green ooze in Nick’s face.

 

It all ended with Monroe, Juliette and Rosalee trapped in Monroe’s truck, surrounded by zombies and Eric peering into a defacto coffin, Nick laying there, ostensibly being shipped somewhere where a Grimm won’t continue to ruin Eric’s master plan. Or, perhaps, somewhere where he could be a huge part of it.

 

"Grimm" returns in the fall, on Fridays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

 

 

Country singer Kellie Pickler and Derek Hough are the Season 16 champions

By Kate Mulcrone Tue 9:01 PM

'Dancing With the Stars'/ABC
We have our winners! Kellie and Derek are the Season 16 champions! Kellie was beside herself, calling the victory amazing. Their last dance, a boppy jive, ended their season on a sweet note. This victory marks the fourth championship for Derek.

 

Bing: More about 'Dancing With the Stars' | See photos of the cast


In second place were Val and Zendaya. Poor Val was dancing with 17 stitches on his face after Zendaya accidentally elbowed him in the face hours before the finals began. Their last dance, a chirpy, upbeat jive, had the crowd rocking along with them.


Video: Watch full episodes and clips | Last Night on TV: Get caught up


Third place went to Jacoby and Karina. They went out on a high note. Their "instant" salsa had the crowd on its feet, and Jacoby jumping over Karina's head! What a great season the two of them had.


Aly and Mark came in fourth and were eliminated before the final round of "instant" dances. Aly said the experience was the best of her life, words which prompted a standing ovation from the crowd.

 

Did the right star with the Season 16 Mirrorball Trophy? Connect and sound off on Facebook and Twitter.

 

Top singers glide onward while others stress to impress

By Ken Barnes Tue 12:21 AM

'The Voice'/NBC 

'Reason' to believe: Michelle Chamuel ventured closer than usual to the mainstream on Monday's 'Voice,' singing Pink's 'Just Give Me a Reason.' Will the quirky singer's gambit give her enough votes to move on?

 

 

This "Voice" season is shaping up to be an interesting battle – the choices vs. the voices, if you will. (If you won't, I completely understand, but bear with me a moment.)

 

 

Bing: More about 'The Voice' | Video: Watch clips | Photos: See highlights

 

 

There are seven standout voices: Judith Hill and Sarah Simmons appear to be the early front-runners, but Holly Tucker, Amber Carrington, Sasha Allen, Kris Thomas and Danielle Bradbery are no slouches.

 

The three others aren't quite in the same vocal league (though Michelle Chamuel may end up qualifying). To succeed, they must capitalize on non-musical factors (Josiah Hawley's looks, the Swon Brothers' novelty and rootsy country appeal, Michelle's quirkiness) and distinctive song choices that trigger that elusive "oh wow, I can't believe he/she did that song!" reaction from the voters.

 

 

Photos: Check out the contestants | Last Night on TV: Get caught up

 

 

So, having stuffed everyone into restrictive stereotypes, let's see how well they held up. After a Maroon 5 performance of "Love Somebody," the band's new single, which further illustrated how much the group has improved since its early days as an immediate radio button punch, Holly Tucker kicked off the show with perhaps the most unusual, though far from the most exciting, song choice of the evening. "How Great Thou Art" is a hoary hymn covered by multitudes of gospel (and many secular) singers; her version was sincere and soaring, but really more of a novelty than anything else in the context of the show. Usher thought it was an "incredible statement," but began to hedge, trying to find a way to express his unease with the performance (and ultimately not succeeding). Shakira thought it was "heavenly" and "heartfelt," Adam thought it showed off the "pristine quality" of her voice, and Blake said she "turned it up one more notch" and called it her "most important" performance yet. Which, since each performance now carries the risk of elimination, it technically was.

 

Judith Hill was "torn" about doing "The Way You Make Me Feel," the song by her former employer Michael Jackson that her coach, Adam, chose for her. That was because she didn't want to seem as if she were exploiting her connection with him, although she also could have had legitimate concerns about it being the third Michael Jackson song in the last 14 "Voice" performances, an alarming ratio in anyone's book. As it turned out, she needn't have worried on the latter count, since it was the best of the three MJ songs and allowed her to show off her upbeat, sassy side without blurring the impact of her formidable voice. And Adam assured her that the performance was "celebrating, not exploiting" Jackson.

 

Blake gave the Swon Brothers the boost they needed with Randy Houser's rousing recent hit "How Country Feels," and the duo possibly bettered the original thanks to their taut harmonies and a fiery arrangement. Shakira said they always lighten her mood and Blake theorized that their momentum is mounting and they "can be stars."

 

Kelly Clarkson's "Breakaway" proved a disaster (one of many) for Lazaro Arbos on "Idol" earlier this year, but Amber Carrington was far better equipped to handle the demanding octave leaps and express the song's emotion. Blake and Shakira applauded the song choice, while Adam posed a syllogism that went, roughly, A) "Kelly is one of the best singers out there," and B) Amber sang a great cover of a Kelly song, so C) Amber has an incredible voice. There was a certain logic to this formulation, even if the conclusion unfortunately echoed Usher's incredible overuse of the word "incredible," which he had earlier employed to describe Amber's talent and indeed found a way to use with virtually every contestant.

 

Shakira decided to take Sasha Allen in a contemporary direction, rightly worrying that Sasha had done too many creaking oldies. The one she and guest mentor Cee Lo Green chose, however, was Emeli Sande's "Next to Me," making the third time in as many weeks that the song had been performed on a TV music contest. (Not that "The Voice" acknowledges song choices on "Idol" and vice versa, but maybe they should take them into consideration.) Sasha sang it with verve and skill, though it was a bit overwrought, as her versions tend to be. Adam and Blake were glad she did a modern song, while Usher (after an "incredible") lauded her for putting her own texture into it. Shakira said it showed her versatility.

 

Josiah Hawley's song choices especially have to stand out, and Monday's did – Coldplay's haunting "Clocks." He rocked it up some, losing some of its ethereal nature, and although his falsetto was functional, he may not have completely pulled it off. Shakira had her doubts, feeling that "Coldplay is so distinctive, any attempt from us mere mortals to evoke the magic is almost mission impossible," and Adam  agreed, adding that Josiah appeared uncomfortable at times. Blake faulted the song for its lack of a lyrical story, while Usher pledged to "continue to nurture your incredible talent."

 

Still, it was an unexpected and delightful song choice, and so was Blake's for Danielle Bradbery, his second triumph in a row: Jo Dee Messina's finest moment, "Heads Carolina, Tails California." Danielle reaches the seats every time on those upbeat, lilting country numbers. Usher upped the ante a little, calling it "100 percent incredible" and saying she made "country cool once again." Blake was pleased with how "carefree" it sounded and appreciated the way she delivers country lyrics.

 

Like Sasha, Kris Thomas has been focused on the oldies, so Shakira and Cee Lo went all 2012 on him with "Adorn," the breakout hit by the new Prince of R&B, Miguel. It was an adventurous and imaginative choice, but there may be a problem with asking these contestants to measure up to exceptionally distinctive artists such as Coldplay and Miguel. Kris's version was colorless, salvaged somewhat by a couple of neatly executed falsetto flutters at the end but no match for the original. Adam and Usher detected a tendency in Kris to "overthink" his performance, and Usher questioned the song choice. Shakira defended it and Kris so fiercely, talking over all attempts to respond, that Usher finally crouched behind his chair in abject terror.

 

Adam's diagnosis of Sarah Simmons' situation was that she needed to display her rock side. It's hard to figure why he thought Jessie J's "Mama Knows Best" was the song to fill that prescription, but Sarah gave it the full Joplin, setting her vocal intensity on "stun." It leads you to wonder how that assault would sound on a song with real meat on its bones. Blake said she "radiated sexy" and was a rocker, and Adam decreed that it was the performance of the night.

 

Michelle Chamuel drew the closing slot and was given Pink's "Just Give Me a Reason," which proved fatal for "Idol" fourth-place finisher Amber Holcomb when no one thought she came close to the original. Michelle fared better, thanks to a more passionate and connected delivery, and it should ensure her survival. Blake loved how "dramatic" she was, and her coach, Usher, contradicted Adam's earlier pronouncement with one of his own: "I'll say that that was the performance of the night."

 

Performance of the night: I'll contradict both Adam and Usher by giving the award to Danielle, though Amber, Judith, and yes, Sarah and Michelle were all contenders.

 

Just look over your shoulder: Something (like elimination) may be gaining on Kris and especially Josiah, and the Swon Brothers, a duo that has reached unprecedented "Voice" heights, can't ever get too comfortable.

 

 

What did you think of Monday's show? Connect and sound off on Facebook and Twitter

"The Voice" airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

 

Zendaya Coleman and Val Chmerkovskiy finish first half of finals with a perfect 65

By Kate Mulcrone Mon 8:09 PM

'Dancing With the Stars'/ABC

The finals are off to a great start! This may have been a lackluster season but the stars seem determined to make up for it as the competition comes to a close. Several of the "supersized freestyle" routines incorporated background dancers, which was a fun twist.


Zendaya is in the lead by a single point. Kellie and Zendaya both received perfect 60s for their full-length routines, and it was actually the cha-cha marathon that made up the difference in their scores. This is going to be a nail-biter! Kellie is one point behind (64), and Aly trails Zendaya by four points (61). Jacoby is quite a bit behind with 56 points.


Bing: More about 'Dancing With the Stars' | See photos of the cast

 

Even though Val was injured in rehearsals just hours before the broadcast – Zendaya accidentally elbowed him – he insisted on dancing anyway.


The cha-cha relay was a lot of fun! Zendaya and Val owned the floor, placing first and receiving an additional five judges' points. Jacoby was the low man on the totem pole, earning only two extra points.


The freestyle routines tend to focus on technique, but Derek choreographed a very emotional routine for Kellie. The risk paid off! Mark and Aly went in the opposite direction, dancing a sky-high, pole-twirling, cartwheeling freestyle. The energetic routine earned them a perfect 30 as well.


Video: Watch full episodes and clips | Last Night on TV: Get caught up

 

Here's a rundown of the performances:


Jacoby Jones


The judges' choice round had Jacoby and Karina attempting the jive. This routine was lively and fun, sort of a Broadway/80s hybrid. Jacoby had a bit of trouble with the jive in Week 5, but Len acknowledged that his footwork was much improved this time around. Bruno praised Jacoby's "unlimited supply of energy and power" before rather enigmatically quoting J.R.R. Tolkien to point out that Jacoby lost the beat a few times. Carrie Ann agreed even though she acknowledged that Jacoby brought "the swagger."


Jacoby and Karina's freestyle routine was wild – almost to the point of being out of control. Jacoby owned the dance. Len praised Jacoby's energy. Bruno loved the routine but pointed out a few timing errors. Carrie Ann said the routine "outshined" Jacoby and felt he got lost in the shuffle. This was by no means a bad dance, but Jacoby just didn't bring it the way the three ladies did.


Jive: 27/30

Cha-cha: 2/5

Freestyle: 27/30

Total: 56/65


Alexandra Raisman


Aly and Mark danced the samba for the judges' pleasure. They went for sexy and the risk paid off! Aly had a bit of trouble with samba technique in Week 5. Bruno called Aly "a scrumptious little tease" and praised her clean footwork. Carrie Ann enthused about Aly's all-around dance qualities, and Len liked the choreography.


Aly and Mark's daring freestyle routine had them pole-dancing at the top of the staircase. There were quite a few gymnastic moves worked into the routine as well. All in all, it looked exhausting! Bruno called the dance "futuristic with a touch of exotic." Carrie Ann said the routine reminded her of the days when she "danced the pole for Madonna." Len was also a fan, dubbing Aly "Alexandra the Great."


Samba: 28/30

Cha-cha: 3/5

Freestyle: 30/30

Total : 61/65


Kellie Pickler


Kellie and Derek danced an ultra-glamorous quickstep in the first round. Kellie's lines and footwork were gorgeous and she matched Derek step for step and silly face for silly face. The quickstep was an easy assignment for the pair as they were just one point away from a perfect score dancing the quickstep in Week 6. Len compared the dance to a stamp on a letter, presumably meaning that it was tight. Bruno christened Kellie "the Southern belle of the ball" and called her performance a "technical tour de force." Carrie Ann praised the improvement in Kellie and Derek's body contact.


Kellie and Derek turned in a ballet-like freestyle routine. The focus of the dance was emotional but difficult lifts were woven throughout the routine. It kind of looked like the end a "Dirty Dancing" sequel yet to be made. Carrie Ann gave Kellie a hug and praised Kellie for baring her soul on the dance floor. Bruno said that great dances engage the heart and then gave the couple a standing ovation. Bruno was equally effusive. This was a stunning routine.


Quickstep: 30/30

Cha-cha: 4/5

Freestyle: 30/30

Total: 64/65


Zendaya Coleman


The judges chose the samba for Val and Zendaya. It was a dance that gave them a tiny bit of trouble in Week 4. Their routine was flirty but awfully complicated. Carrie Ann cheered for Zendaya and called the routine magical. Len loved the choreography. Bruno called Zendaya fierce – is that still a thing? – and praised her transitions between fast and slow steps.


In the freestyle round, Zendaya and Val shifted seamlessly from romantic lifts and spins to a hip-hop line dance. They chose to include kids as their background dancers, which was adorable. Len loved how all the different parts of the routine came together as a cohesive whole. Len praised Zendaya's "unique luminosity." Carrie Ann said Zendaya "brought it home."


Samba: 30/30

Cha-cha: 5/5

Freestyle: 30/30

Total: 65/65


Who won over the judges: Zendaya
Who won over the crowd: Kellie
Who needs to step it up:
Jacoby


Part 2 of the Season 16 "Dancing With the Stars" finale will air Tuesday, May 21 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.


After watching the final four perform tonight, who do you think should win the Season 16 Mirrorball Trophy? Connect and sound off on Facebook and Twitter.

 

Love it or hate it, this was the trippiest hour ever

By Diane Vadino Mon 1:09 AM
Worst episode ever? Best episode ever? Everyone in this episode was as high as a kite or sober as church mice -- and the reaction to the trippiest edition of "Mad Men" ever should be equally polarized. If you love flashbacks to Don's/Dick's time in the whorehouse, you may well have loved it. If you're utterly tired of looking for the roots of Don's huge variety of emotional problems -- well, you might have found yourself thinking back fondly on how great "Game of Thrones" was. 

As we begin the episode on a Friday afternoon, things are not so great at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce Cutler Gleason and Chaough. Primarily the problem is Chevy: They're only happy with the firm when they're out joy-riding with Ken Cosgrove. They want new, they want different, and everyone is under orders to provide it -- even if that means working through the weekend, and even if it means missing the funeral of the recently departed Frank Gleason. Ted draws the line: He won't be working; he'll be attending the funeral. 
Of course, the SCDP crowd is more amenable to taking on the extra work -- including Don, who's nearly incapacitated by an unspecified illness. When he doubles over, coughing, you almost expect him to start spitting up blood. As did his step-mother, in the first of several flashbacks to his life in the whorehouse: "If the fever doesn't break we'll call a doctor," she tells him. Until then, he's sent to the cellar -- a fate from which he's saved only by Aimee, the prostitute with a beauty mark not entirely unlike Sylvia's. 

Of course, Don's illness might be better termed Sylvia withdrawal: He "loiters" at her door, leaving cigarette butts by the dozen (seems awfully careless for Don Draper, no?), and she begs him to leave her be. He has, of course, no intention of doing this. Instead, he rehearses what to say to her and lines up with the rest of the staff for "a complex vitamin super dose" that's basically speed. Cue several hysterical if WTF moments, including Kenny's instant-gif dancing sequence and Cutler dashing up and down the office stairs. In an uneven episode full of many great moments, this interlude with the doctor also provides us with his asking Roger if he has a heart condition, before administering the shot. Roger, of course, does. "Don't worry about it," the doctor tells him. 

While Don settles in for his drug-fueled weekend, Sally and her brothers are preparing for a weekend in the city with their absentee father. As the kids pack their bags, Betty realizes that Sally's new (and really very short) mini-skirt was a present from Megan offered in exchange for baby-sitting. ("I earned it," Sally says. "On what street corner?" Betty asks, acidly.) Lucky for Sally, she gets another chance to expand her wardrobe: With Don working, Megan asks her again to babysit, so she can meet some theater producers. 

Back at the office, most of the staff is high or drunk, some of whom have arrived straight from the funeral. That's right: It's Saturday, something Don isn't aware of until Peggy fills him in. The creative team tries to hone in on the psychological appeal of owning a Chevy, and Stan and Ginsberg bat around ideas until someone shouts down Ginsberg, the only sober one in the room: "What, I have nothing interesting to say because I'm not on drugs?" The ideas are coming fast and thick for Don, who issues a lecture to Ken on the benefits of him delivering their pitch in person, whether it's the timber of his voice or the sheer force of his ideas: "I don't know whether I'll be forceful or submissive, but I must be there in the flesh. I know you're all feeling the darkness here today. There is an answer that will open the door. This is a test." It's a parody of the terribly annoying guy who's high on drugs, but it's also kind of terribly annoying. Filling out the room is Wendy, who's arrived with the I Ching. She asks Don for a question and follows Don into his office to provide the answer: "Does someone love me?" (That's everyone's question, she says.) "I want to hear your heart," she tells him. "I think it's broken." She looks at her stethoscope. "You can hear that?" he says, his mind clearly elsewhere. Specifically, it's back in the whorehouse of his youth, when he was seen through sickness by Aimee, the whore, and then relieved of the hassle of his virginity. 

In another office at SCDP, Stan is weakly trying to seduce Peggy. "I want you to stop," she says. "No, you don't," he says. He almost sounds sober, and correct, when he does. "I have a boyfriend," she reminds him. Stan tells her that his cousin died, months ago: "My aunt sent 16 letters he never saw." Peggy tells him that he "can't dampen [his loss] with drugs or sex." (In return, he tells her she has a "nice ass.") Stan will get his, with Wendy, while Cutler watches. There's a lot of gross in this episode, not least when we hear later that Wendy is dead Frank's daughter.

Back at home, Sally awakens to discover an older African-American woman rummaging through the apartment. "I raised your daddy," she tells a skeptical Sally, introducing herself as "Grandma Ida." Of course, Sally can't know if this is true or not, so she warily regards the interloper as "Ida" makes her a plate of eggs. Ida prods Sally, and then Bobby (who just wants to watch TV), for the location of her father's watches. (All four of them.) While Ida goes to look for them, Bobby asks Sally: "Are we Negroes?" Sally calls the police, but is interrupted by "Ida." The thief takes off. 

Don's finally wrapping up at the office. He finds an old campaign -- not for soup, as he had first thought, but for Granger's Oatmeal. It held, he tells Peggy, the answers to everything: "If this strategy is successful, it's way bigger than a car," he tells Peggy and Ginsberg. "What's the answer to all of life's problems?" "A Chevy?" Ginsberg asks. "No -- I gotta go." As he approaches his own door, he's running through lines to tell Sylvia, non-sensically: "Sylvia don't close the door on me -- when in the course of human events. No, you haven't heard everything I have to say." He arrives to see the assembly of Henry and Betty, a distraught Megan, and some NYPD. They're there to talk about the thief, who'd been spotted going from apartment to apartment in the building. It could have happened to anyone, the police say: "Everyone who lives in this disgusting city," Betty (newly thin, by the way) spits back. It's too much for Don, who collapses. He recalls the moment when Aimee was thrown out of the whorehouse, and on her way out boasted she had taken Dick's "cherry." That gets him a beating with a wooden spoon, thanks to his step-mother. 

Echoing the moment we see a younger Dick's fever break, here we see Don come to his senses. On Monday morning, Sylvia gets on the elevator with him. She can tell something's changed: "How are you?" she asks. "Busy," he replies, all business now. He calls Sally, to apologize. After she tells him that she believed the woman because "I asked her everything I know and she had answers for everything. Then I realized I didn't know anything about you." He's not about to enlighten her, but he does tell her to "forget about it," which is Don Draper's answer for everything. And then, he steps back from Chevy, saying he'll only review the work shown to him by his underlings. Ted is outraged by what they've produced over the weekend: ""Half of this work is gibberish. 'Chevy' is spelled wrong." Don doesn't care: "Call me around 1970, when they're ready to make an ad. I'm sorry, Ted -- every time we get a car this place turns into a whorehouse." He would know. 


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"Mad Men" airs Sundays on 9 p.m. ET/PT on AMC. 


 

Sansa discovers true marital bliss might mean a bed to yourself

By Diane Vadino Sun 11:45 PM
EN ROUTE TO RIVERRUN
When we open, Arya's just about had it with being a hostage -- she'd apparently much prefer being a murderer and killing the Hound while he sleeps. Of course, being the Hound, he's not unwise to her plans: "Kill me and you're free, but if I live i'll break both your hands," he tells her, eyes still shut. She opts, this once, for safety. "Sulk all you want," he tells her. 


They continue on horseback toward their destination -- which, all this time, she has taken to be King's Landing. When they come in sight of a river, she asks if they've finally come to the Blackwater. "That's the Red Fork," the Hound corrects her, adding that she might as well trust him a bit more, since he's already saved the life of her sister, just last season: "[The mob] would have taken her every which way and left her there with her throat cut open," he says. He's returning not to Joffrey and the queen but to her mother and brother, whom he knows will willingly hand over a ransom. "Quit trying to bash my skull in, and we might just make it there in time for the wedding." 

OUTSIDE YUNKAI
Daenerys remains on hold outside the Yellow City of Yunkai, and her advisers finally have some recon on the "powerful friends" the Yunkai leaders mentioned in their recent parlay. They are 2000 strong and -- Barristan and Jorah agree -- would make the difference in a coming battle. Dany meets with three of its captains -- chief among them, the Titan's Bastard, who spends most of their meeting together being vulgar. "You're the mother of dragons? I'm sure I [had] you once in a pleasure house," he tells her. Dany shows admirable restraint -- refusing Greyworm's offer to "cut out his tongue for [her]." 


The sellsword captains, though, are interested in no such compromise, and resolve to kill her at the coming new moon. This is actually quite a good plan, as their seemingly chosen assassin, Daario, is able to penetrate Daenerys's force's defenses until he holds a knife to Missandei's neck in the queen's bathing room. However, Daario had a plan of his own: "We had philosophical differences," he tells her. "Over what?" she asks. "Your beauty," Daario replies. "It meant more to me than it did to them." Lucky she's hot, because Daenerys ends up with the heads of the two dissenting Seconds Sons on her bathroom floor. 

DRAGONSTONE
Things are proceeding apace: Davos is learning how to read (he experiences a particularly notable accomplishment with "enough") and Melissandre has returned with the king's bastard: Gendry ("half Robert, half lowborn," is how Stannis puts it.) She means to use his blood for their coming war, which puts Stannis in the delicate position of hoping to kill his nephew -- a bastard, but his nephew all the same. He seeks counsel in an unlikely place: Davos's cell. The Onion Knight is going free, and Davos tells his lord that it's no coincidence that he's doing so when confronted with the sticky moral issue of sacrificing his own blood to the God of Light. Davos tells him that the gods are mythical creatures invented to comfort children; Stannis responds by reminding him that they had both seen that weird, horrible beast Melissandre gave birth to: "How can you deny her god is real?" 

It's working out not entirely badly for Gendry, though, as the night goes on: First, Melissandre beds him (this is apparently part of teeing the lamb up for slaughter). Then, instead of putting the knife to him immediately, she attaches leeches to his body (including some important bits.) It's not ideal, but neither is it a slit throat. After the leeches are full of his blood, Stannis throws them into a fire, and with each one, curses the name of the usurpers between him and his rightful throne. 

KING'S LANDING
Sansa's big day arrives: After her 14 years of hoping and praying to marry into a royal family, here she is, and it's horrible. The vibe is wrong from the beginning, when Margaery tries to bring Cersei around to her side, telling her that she's "radiant" Cersei repays this by telling the story behind "The Rain of Castermere" -- the story of the House Reyne, which paid for rebelling against the Lannisters with their utter annihilation. They, like the Tyrrells, had been the second-richest family in Westeros, a fact Cersei quickly points out to Margaery. In case the metaphor was too difficult to grasp, Cersei spells it out: "If you ever call me 'sister' again, I'll have you strangled in your sleep." 

Tyrion and Sansa marry, a ceremony interrupted by his inability to "cloak the bride and bring her under your protection" -- a situation set up by Joffrey, who stole the footstool provided specifically so Tyrion would be able to reach Sansa's shoulders. Joffrey improves on that by telling Sansa that he'd be happy to rape her on her wedding night, with the help of the Kingsguard, or perhaps he'll just lead the bedding of the bride. (Cersei, hysterically, had tried to circumvent this conversation entirely by suggesting, "Perhaps you could talk to your bride-to-be instead," advice that goes unheeded.) None of this goes unnoticed by a drunk, unhappy Tyrion, who speaks open words of rebellion against Joffrey. It falls on Tywin to call a truce between the two: "I'm sure Tyrion did not mean to threaten the king." 

He did, but Tywin can't be bothered. He's too busy trying to remind Tyrion that he absolutely must consummate his marriage. But Tyrion doesn't want to force a 14-year-old girl to have sex with him. (Sophie Turner was 16 when this scene was shot.) "Stop. Can't," he says, as she begins to undress. "Could. I won't." With a flourish, he announces that he will not bed her until she wants him to, and the "courtship" begins. The fact that their marital sheets are unbloodied is a fact that not unnoticed by Shae the next morning. 

Sansa really could be a bit nicer to Tyrion. 

ON THE WAY TO CASTLE BLACK
Gilly and Sam are still plugging along in the land beyond the Wall, where Sam has picked out the most threatening cabin imaginable for their overnight stay. They talk through possible names for the baby (he asks her to avoid choosing Randall, his father's -- the man who sent him to the Night's Watch). Gilly is much better than he is at making the fire, so she does. In fact, Sam is pretty much worthless this scene -- until he hears a disturbance outside. A huge mass of ravens have gathered to watch as a White Walker approaches the cabin. Sam bravely tries to beat it back with his sword, which disintegrates on impact -- but then he remembers the strange weapon he found at the Fist of the First Men. Just as the White Walker is about to attack Gilly, Sam strikes first -- and the obsidian blade hits home. The White Walker is destroyed, Sam and Gilly flee -- and, we hope, return momentarily to retrieve Sam's weapon. 

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"Game of Thrones" airs Sundays on 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.