Mary McDonnell
Question: Let's play armchair programmer. While I am enjoying Major Crimes, it does feel a bit like we're just waiting for Brenda Leigh to show. Do you think they could have benefited from holding Major Crimes until the traditional December run of The Closer to let us get a little distance? Or is it purely a creative question? Major Crimes looks just like The Closer. Could the show benefit from some slight visual tweaks? Perhaps a slightly different opening sequence? — Steven
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Matt Lauer, Al Roker
Our top moments of the week:
14. Mr. Wrong Award: Never go out again with a guy who sleeps with you and then goes MIA for three months. Maura never gets that memo on Rizzoli & Isles, as her on-again beau Dennis (guest star Eddie Cibrian) turns out to be the serial killer that Jane has been tracking. As police burst into his home, interrupting their "date," Dennis takes Maura hostage and explains that she ...
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Kate Hudson
The first Glee trailer has arrived, and it will have you salivating over the upcoming fourth season.
The new season will see Rachel (Lea Michele) head to NYADA, where training under Kate Hudson may not be as easy as being the former leader of New Directions. Speaking of the glee club, they'll welcome a new member in the returning Glee Project alum Alex Newell, who is hilariously mistaken for someone else. Find out who in the trailer below:
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Aylin Bayramoglu, Ali Stroker and Blake Jenner
[Warning: This story reveals the winner of the second season of The Glee Project. Read at your own risk.]
After four contenders were essentially crowned the winner of the first season, The Glee Project stayed true to its word by only choosing one winner this season. So, did Muslim-American Aylin come out on top? Or was it the bubbly Ali? How about the only man left standing, Blake? Before we find out who won the seven-episode guest-starring role on Glee, let's take a look at how the final three got to the end:
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Aylin Bayramoglu, Ali Stroker, Blake Jenner
This Tuesday marks the season finale of The Glee Project (10/9c on Oxygen), which means Aylin, Ali and Blake will not only have to bring it for Ryan Murphy and the rest of the judges, but also for final Glee Project mentor, Golden Globe winner Chris Colfer. Luckily, Glee casting director Robert Ulrich has called in some reinforcements.
"To really make sure you have a killer finale homework performance, I've arranged for you to work with some amazing backup vocalists," he tells the final three before the eliminated Season 2 contestants -- including Aylin's former real-life love interest, Charlie -- come strolling through. And Aylin and Charlie don't waste any time giving each other a proper hello.
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Usain Bolt
Our top moments of the week:
13. Funniest Name: On Bachelor Pad, the contestants have to run through an obstacle course called "The Hot Sludge Fundae." As hilarious as it is to watch the players fumble through foam that looks like ice cream and a chocolate syrup-soaked slide, it's the last leg of the race, which host Chris Harrison informs us is called "The Nut Sack," that makes us laugh the hardest. (Yes, we're 12.)
12. Most X-Rated Christmas Carol: Countess LuAnn tries to mix things up on...
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The Glee Project
With only five contenders left in the running for a role on Glee, The Glee Project is turning up the heat and trying some new tricks.
In this week's music video, for P!nk's hit song "Perfect," the contestants must bring their best vocals and their top acting chops to the table for a clip that's more short film than performance art. In the clip, Charlie and Michael play best friends fighting over Aylin, who's...
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The Newsroom
Send questions and comments to askmatt@tvguidemagazine.com and follow me on Twitter!
Question: It seems that many TV critics (you being a notable exception) are coming down hard on The Newsroom, and I was wondering if you have an idea of why this is. Yes, it's preachy, but every Aaron Sorkin show and movie is. Successful, intelligent career women are portrayed as being driven mostly by their hormones, but that's true of every woman character on TV that's written by a man (unless played by Julianna Margulies or Connie Britton). And some of the plot contrivances (the wayward e-mails, the Bigfoot obsession, the cute blonde assistant who is smart when the plot needs her smart and dumb when the plot needs her dumb) are cringe-worthy. On the other hand, you've got a talented, likable cast ably delivering some of the snappiest dialogue on TV, which right there puts it ahead of 95 percent of everything else.
I'm not saying it's not flawed, but the pluses outweigh the minuses by quite a bit, and the show is wildly entertaining. So why the heavily negative reaction? Is Sorkin held to a higher standard? Are journalists taking more shots because the show is set in a milieu they know (a newsroom) rather than the White House? Curious on your take on this. — Rick
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Olympic Cauldron
Our top moments of the week:
12. Most Tone-Deaf Elimination: The Glee Project takes an interesting turn when the show's arguably three best singers land in the bottom three and are forced to sing for Ryan Murphy. Shanna, this season's frontrunner, dominates her Kelly Clarkson tune before mustering the courage to tell Murphy she doesn't belong at the bottom. Shockingly, he decides she's wrong and sends her packing. Um, so who's going to be the next Rachel Berry now?
11. Best 'Shipper Switcheroo: Now that Pretty Little Liars' Caleb is back in Rosewood, he and Hanna are sure to get back together, right? ...
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The Glee Project
The cast of The Glee Project is paying homage to both a timeless '80s flick and one of Glee's most memorable numbers.
In this sneak peek from Tuesday's episode (10/9c on Oxygen), the remaining contenders — along with an appearance by Glee's Iqbal Theba as Principal Figgins — perform Rihanna's "We Found Love" when they engage in some romantic and...
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