Extreme Makeover: Home Edition:...

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition: Family Reunion
While I haven't always loved this behind-the-scenes show, I have to admit that catching up with some of the made-over families is a pretty cool idea.
Most adorable moment: Ty playing guitar for the McCoy triplets while singing the diaper-changing blues. I'm fairly sure I saw one of the babies rolling his eyes. (Don't leave your day job, Ty.)
Most patriotic moment: Mr. T greeting Ben (the boy with brittle-bone disease) dressed in stars-and-stripes-covered bicycle shorts, tank and 'do-rag. God bless America, indeed!
Ty's requisite six-pack moment: Not the kind of guy who misses a chance to show off his washboard abs, Ty strips down to take a soak in Carrie Powell's new hot tub. And leaves Magic Johnson waiting in the garage.
Most Kleenex-worthy moment: When Larry Vardon, who has been deaf for more than 20 years, is finally able to hear his wife speak, thanks to some amazing new technology.
Cool celebrity cameo: John Mellencamp singing "Pink Houses" at the BBQ was appropriately touching: "Ain't that America/ Home of the free/Little pink houses for you and me." Or in this case, pretty damn big houses. But all of them totally deserved.

24
What an amazing ep — the best so far this season. You knew that Jack would eventually find wounded Dina — she was practically a sitting duck. But can you believe she'd be so willing to give up the entire operation, just to save her son? (This is a cold woman, after all, who didn't protest much when her husband involved Behrooz in the first place.) The minute Jack, Tony and Lee broke into her hotel room, she could've easily "martyred" herself — she was holding the gun in her hand. Loved how Jack saved her from being tortured and played it just right: "I know what's it's like to watch your child be threatened and be unable to do anything about it," he told her. So what did she do? She traded one cause (terrorism) for another (her son's life), while never changing her core beliefs. "I agreed to help you in return for [Behrooz's] safety. I still believe in our cause. If you can't save my son, then I am happy to see the reactors melt down." Completely chilling. But you still find yourself rooting for her (and Behrooz) anyway.

Everybody Loves Raymond
Just when you think Frank and Marie are about to tear each other's eyes out, one of them goes ahead and proves just how much they love each other (a twisted, bizarre love, but it's love nonetheless). After all, Frank is willing to give up his taste buds for a better sex life. Which leads him to deliver the funniest line in this ep: "I might not get to hit all that often, but when you're called to the plate, you better bring a bat." The hilariously named "Lancelot" impotence pills are the reason for Frank's disinterest in Marie's cooking, but it turns out there's no need for them anyway. That's because they finally both agree on one thing: They'd rather have the food. Good, 'cause I'm pretty sure most of America would much rather picture those two in the kitchen than the bedroom.

Two and a Half Men
Mr. Anal-Retentive, everything perfect, everything neat, everything in its place, finally gets so overwhelmed that he forgets to pick Jake up from his soccer game. (Poor Jake, left out in the rain. You have to feel sorry for the chubby little nerd, especially since his mother ditched him for a week in Hawaii.) But it's actually pretty good to see Alan mess up for a change. We expect it from Charlie, who also leaves Jake stranded at school. (I had to laugh when the kid is standing in a lightning storm dressed like Ben Franklin, kite and all.) But when Alan screws up, he somehow becomes more likable. Definitely less dorky. And that's always a good thing.

Medium
Let's face it: The basic crime stories on this show are good, but they're not fantastic. (A girl is driven to suicide by her back-stabbing, greedy boyfriend, who had enlisted her to blackmail his father. You've probably seen something similar on SVU.) But it's the complex dynamic between Allison and husband Joe that makes this show so watchable. This is a guy who struggles each time his wife dreams about horrifying things that always seem to come true. He believes in her, but it's almost as if he doesn't know what to do with her powers. (When she tells him his colleague will die of a heart attack, he's so conflicted he can barely face her — which is probably how the rest of us would act under the same strange circumstances.) As long as he continues to be the grounding force, the one who asks questions, the one who casts doubt when necessary, I'll keep watching.