T.R. Knight (Grey's Anatomy), Greg Grunberg (Heroes) and Jeremy Davies (Lost)
Every week, senior editors Matt Webb Mitovich, Mickey O'Connor and Tim Molloy satisfy your need for TV scoop. Please send all questions to mega_scoop@tvguide.com.
Is there anything to report about the new season of Grey's Anatomy? — Jenny
MATT: I know there's been talk that Season 6 might pick up a few months after the nail-biting May finale, but sources tell me that's not the case. In fact, the Sept. 24 opener will find both Izzie and disfigured George still coding — and as anyone following the headlines can tell you, T.R. Knight isn't returning to the cast. Over the two-hour premiere, watch for the outcome of this traumatic scenario to weigh heavily on a lot of people — including at least one doctor whose reaction you may have taken for granted. (See related casting exclusive.)
Heroes' Greg Grunberg has hinted that Matt's super-powered son may not have gotten all his powers from daddy. Is Janice a hero, too? — Curtis
TIM: Maybe so, says ...
read more
Having spent 10 weeks with characters searching for answers and trying to make the best decisions they can, I find it hard to stop watching. So tonight's first-season finale (there will be a second season) had me gasping nonstop. The biggest surprise was watching Jamie avoid Hugo at the minimart, then eventually slap that wedding invitation on his windshield and end up at the notary public's office waiting to marry him. Jamie is so energized by Hugo that in her session with Dr. May, who was very distracted by the death of John, she explains that it was fate that brought them together. Though seemingly inattentive (asking Jamie questions about the gas station), May is still perceptive and unintentionally antagonizing Jamie by telling her she's working hard to convince her of her never-ending love for Hugo. But nothing is holding Jamie back when she snaps, "You're wrong. I'm sure sometimes that happens." (Oh, no she didn't!)Carolyn, disturbed by Palek's decision to leave, was spewing ...
read more
The couples we've been following so closely went through some changes this week, mostly by their own choosing.Rita is separating from Dan, and it upsets Katie's world. Katie is freaked out that this could be the answer to her marital problems. Even though she is surprised that Katie is surprised at her actions, Rita has proven that having a baby is not a good solution to save a marriage.Unsatisfied with redoing the patio every year, Katie makes changes by seeking a job interview, going clothes shopping and getting a makeup makeover (with "Love Crush" blush). It not only shows Katie asserting herself and elevating her self-esteem but using avoidance tactics and being somewhat irresponsible by dropping her family responsibilities and ditching therapy.Dave, now stranded, goes mano a mano with Dr. May, which was probably the most open and in touch we've seen him yet. He loves Katie but resents her and wants to know if their feelings can come back. We later learn that Dr. May was stumped...
read more
Becoming a sexual person is a memorable part of growing up, but how many can say that it started when watching the movie Swimfan? Isabella can. She is becoming a young woman, exploring the changes in her body and poses questions about them to her mother. As someone who now wants to avoid talking about sex in therapy, Katie seemed to respond sensitively and was comfortable telling Isabella it's OK to touch herself.Dr. May is two minutes late for their session and Katie is ready to bolt. But therapy must be working because the tables have turned. Dave is now the one who wants to stay and talk. I'm not clear on Katie's about-face regarding therapy. She is probably getting closer to the heart of her problem and is afraid to go there. With Dr. May firing direct questions about orgasms and sexual positions (he likes Katie on top, she prefers the opposite), Katie is out of her comfort zone. I don't think her revelation of wanting to raise another baby will ease the pain — it will only...
read more
There were a lot of lies uncovered this week by way of honesty. And in some cases, it was the best policy. Let's break it down.With the kids away for the weekend, you'd think that glances at each other's naked bodies would be the perfect catalyst for Dave and Katie to get it on. But they don’t. It becomes apparent at the restaurant when Rita and Dan leave them alone at the table that Katie and Dave are unaccustomed to touching. When looking around the dining room wondering if other couples are "doing it," it seems that public displays of affection confuse them. They identify intimate gestures as signs that people aren't having sex and can't tell if a caress is honest and meaningful.Back home, Katie confesses she was faking her orgasms and Dave seems to be slowly opening up, admitting that things changed after they had kids. These baby steps are honest moves that could help to bring them closer together.Hugo got my sympathy vote after losing control and crying after Jamie told h...
read more
It was difficult deciding whom to discuss first this week, as each couple gets deeper into their stuff. So as Dr. May says, "let's talk about what nobody wants to talk about."I'm always wondering what Carolyn will do next, and insemination day kept me guessing. In spite of the fact that her chances of conception aren't confirmed to be at least 50 percent positive, she smiles nonstop and takes high highs to new heights. Her online search for indications of pregnancy creates psychosomatic symptoms, like sensitive breasts, fatigue and increased appetite. Not only did she surprise the food cart lady by actually ordering lunch, but she also surprised me by choosing her as the first person to announce that she's pregnant, hoping that saying it will make it real. She gets a congratulatory cookie.Low lows return at home when dozens of pregnancy tests come up negative.Palek's expression said a thousand words while watching a dad juggle his crying son, a cup of coffee and a cell phone. But Pa...
read more
Was anyone surprised when David said he wanted to join Katie in her therapy session? I've been anticipating this moment and it was worth the wait. The elephant in the room isn't initially addressed when Dr. May asks about their anniversary. David loved the steak and the TiVo, but Katie mentions her disappointment with the purple teddy and that he never made a move on her after she showered. David previously stated he didn't want to be blamed and erupts when (rightly?) assuming Katie is doing just that. An awkward silence ends with his angry outburst about how buying household necessities and reading bedtime stories are not sexy. He might be a financial provider but resents nourishing his family. Katie's response: "Our entire life… that's what you just trashed."The thought of Katie at the Hair Fairy checking for nit infestation is another turn-off to David. While pumping gas, he stares at the scantily clad ladies on a billboard for America's Next Top Model. Isabella's doctor tel...
read more
As each episode exposes more layers of the characters, this one uncovers some underlying feelings of hurt.Katie and David's 12th anniversary creates more angst than joy. Katie dismisses any opportunity to celebrate alone with David and tells Dr. May that spending a night in a hotel would be a stupid idea. Then when Rita (Sherry Stringfield) and Sally (Anne Ramsay) offer to watch the kids, Katie declines.David takes Isabella (Aislinn Paul) shopping for Katie's anniversary gift but has no clue what would please her. He looks terrified when Isabella finds what she thinks is the perfect present for her mother: a purple merry widow. This lingerie item is appropriately named for the state of their affairs, but the color carries much significance. Apparently a favorite of adolescent girls, the choice of purple seemed to represent a purple heart, something received when suffering or wounded. When the family is together at the restaurant, David is out to lunch, having no problem with Katie u...
read more
Since there was no posting last week for the premiere, I am going to dive right in and combine my impressions of Episodes 2 and 1. This totally engrossing drama about three couples with relationship problems not only has great acting but raises questions about the differences between sex, love and intimacy. Does sex equal love? Can we love without intimacy? And while the sex scenes may be titillating, their true meanings are found not only by examining why and when it's happening but by contrasting that with what is said during therapy sessions.Jamie and Hugo are twentysomethings engaged to be married. Though Hugo (Luke Farrell Kirby) says he loves Jamie (Michelle Borth), she overhears him doubt that anyone can be attracted to one person for the rest of his or her life. This is a huge red flag for Jamie. As her jealousy grows and her trust wanes, Hugo tries to reassure her by vowing to be monogamous. But can he stay true? Are her accusations of him flirting irrational? They retain a...
read more
Tim DeKay and Ally Walker, Tell Me You Love Me
Question: HBO is premiering its new show Tell Me You Love Me this Sunday, and to my astonishment, you haven't yet written a single word about it. You're my go-to TV critic, and I'm especially eager to hear your opinion on this one. Some critics love it, calling it the HBO version of a Herskovitz-Zwick program (a huge endorsement in my book), while others think it's dull and pretentious. What do you say?
Answer: Thanks for asking. One of the reasons no official review has yet appeared in the magazine or elsewhere is because there was no room for my regular column in the jam-packed Fall Preview issue (on stands now; I recommend you all go out and get one). The magazine review goes out next week, but this gives me an opportunity to weigh in a few days early, and I'm happy to, because I think Tell Me You Love Me signals HBO getting back on track after John from Cincinnati (which I did feel was dull and pretentious) with a powerful, demanding and at times excruciatingly painful drama about
...
read more
