Extreme Makeover: Home Edition...

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
It's a new personal record for me. I made it almost 45 minutes into an episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition before I started tearing up. Of course, it was a two-hour episode, and I still ended up wiping my eyes for over an hour, so I guess it all evened out. I always watch, but tonight I was viewing with a purpose, to check out where all the TV Guides Ty came and collected from our office actually went, and to see people that I work with on TV, which was kind of cool in a surreal sort of way. The whole media center was pretty neat, and the staff bunks were fun (do those people have any place to store their clothing?), but the amazing tree with all the hands of the campers was what did me in. Once they started collecting those hand outlines, I knew I was done for. Then Trisha Yearwood showing up to sing an inspirational song and former space-cadet Lance Bass making an appearance and a whopping donation to the Russian sister camp founded by a former volunteer just added to the waterworks. But really, the best part of the episode, besides watching this deserving family and these amazing campers get loads of much-needed stuff, was watching how they demolished the old house with a spectacular  controlled fire. All that was missing was the old "don't try this at home" warning flashing upon the screen.   Angel Cohn

Desperate Housewives
OK, is Bree's son gay? Or was he lying the same way ABC did with their promos for this "surprising new Housewives"? Because I don't trust either. Nor should any of us after an hour so shock-anemic that Susan's totally uncharacteristic decision to buy Zach out of town and away from the chronically underused Mike almost passed for plot development. And don't even get me started on all the sex gags. We all know I'm no prude, but really, having Andrew describe the sound of his own mother's climax to tick off creepy George is just tacky, and the Solis' battle to win a conjugal visit felt forced, like the whole thing was cooked up to introduce the horny new lawyer headed for Gaby's bed. (Welcome back, Adrian Pasdar. Good luck with that one). At least Lynette finally got some stuff worthy of Felicity Huffman. Though again, I refuse to accept that our working mama's parenting skills are so schizo that her answer to Parker's separation anxiety would involve feeding him a line about a handless orphan in need of his imaginary nanny's services. God knows how she'll handle the post-traumatic stress he's sure to suffer after seeing that trash truck crush Mrs. Mulberry's umbrella. Probably give him a scotch and a handful of her ADD pills. Which we're all going to need if the writers don't pull it together, realize that they keep forgetting about Alfre Woodard and start cooking up some cohesive storylines.   Damian Holbrook

Grey's Anatomy
How much do we love this show?  Right down to the theme song. Admit it you sing along with it. "Nobody knows where they might end up. Nobody knows." I sure do. So you can say that tonight was a real mother of an episode. I liked that both Meredith and Cristina were dealing with difficult situations with their mothers. Awesome moment when Meredith said to Cristina: "Do you think we're like them? Our mothers?" Cristina's Bea Arthur facial expression was priceless. Even more priceless was Cristina's breakdown at the end, finally letting her emotions out after losing the baby. Sandra Oh's brilliant "Somebody sedate me!" line would've been even more effective had ABC not used it in all of the promos. The most beautiful moment was Burke getting into the hospital bed and comforting Cristina, right in front of her mother. To say that it made me cry would be an understatement. But that's because I was already crying after the young guy with cystic fibrosis (American Pie's Thomas Ian Nicholas) died. I was skeptical when he wanted to call his parents finally and Dr. Bailey said he could call them when he got out. Speaking of Bailey, it was nice to see a softer side of her Chandra Wilson made me really feel for her character, rather than making me want to tell her to chill like she usually does. And, of course, the inevitable cliff-hanger will Derek sign the divorce papers? Loved Addison's line: "Look I don't want someone who doesn't want me, Meredith. But if there's the slightest chance that he does, I'm not leaving Seattle."   Dave Anderson