Modern Family 1x15

It’s a Modern Family Funky Valentines! “Aaawww!” Phil and Claire exclaim when they open each other’s Valentine’s cards. Yeah, this is a funny one! They decide to do something less humdrum this year, something more scandalous – they are going to spend the night at a hotel and engage in some role playing! Phil becomes smooth talking Clive Bixby, and Clair becomes the seductive Julianna. She excuses herself and upon her return hands him her dress, bra and panties. Wearing only her coat, they take it upstairs – except that her coat gets stuck in the escalator! Jay takes Gloria to stand-up comedian David Brenner. She’d rather go salsa dancing. But Brenner turns out funnier than she thought – especially when he starts making sport of ol’ Jay and his beautiful young wife. Jay dashes off out of embarrassment. When they are heading to salsa dancing instead, Jay and Gloria bump into Phil and Clair at the escalator, surrounded by people they know from work and school. Why can’t Clair just take off her coat? Gloria comes to the rescue giving Clair her own coat. Valentine’s Day is saved! Meanwhile, Mitchell’s romantic day is ruined when his client decides to settle his case and prevent him from delivering his rousing closing argument he has been rehearsing for weeks. As he and Cameron need to babysit Manny, Cam suggests going to Great Shakes where Manny’s love Fiona is on a date with this confident Durkas kid. Even after Manny tells her Durkas stole his Valentine’s poem and Mitchell delivers a rousing speech in support of the little man, Fiona still falls for Durkas – stealing a poem is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for her!

In Treatment 3x16

Another fascinating session of this brilliant show. Paul is still stunned how intelligently Adele pointed out last week that Paul has a habit of making himself feel incompetent and in need of help. He talks about Max. They had a brief bonding moment, in which Paul explained Pythagoras’ theorem (a² + b² = c²). Max acted unfazed, but Paul was delighted. Later his daughter Rosie drove Max back from Baltimore, and they have a moment talking about the situation with stepdad Steve and about Rosie’s college applications. Paul is clearly worried not being a good father, and is stumped hearing that Max and Steve actually have a lot of quality time together. It is clear, though, that both Rosie and Max care much about their father. Then Paul shifts the subject to his girlfriend Wendy. It’s been awhile since we saw or heard from her. Last time we saw them together, Paul was worried she wouldn’t leave in time before Max woke up. He had actually asked her not to visit his house because of Max, feeling it had been rough on his children when his ex moved in with another man after their divorce. He asked Wendy whether she felt he has trouble being happy. “Not when you’re with me,” she replied and kissed him. It didn’t seem like a goodbye kiss. The next time we hear about her, we see Paul clean up his place, finding a bra next to the couch in his office. She stopped by for a quick tryst over lunchtime. In session Paul admits he was actually thinking about Adele while he was lying beside Wendy. Adele doesn’t blink for a second, but Paul quickly dismisses the thought.

Much of the session is about the various passions of Paul’s patients. He envies them, because he doesn’t feel he has any passions himself. Adele indicates that Paul lives up and is engaged when talking about his latest session with Sunil. She reminds him of the dream he shared a few weeks ago. He suddenly remembers the fence in the dream was at his boarding school in England, and how excited he was being there – and how he resented going to America, just as he was enjoying his time at the school. He tries blaming his father for moving to the U.S. and then leaving him alone with a sick mother. Adele asks about the boarding school and notices that Paul didn’t sign up for any of the extra-curricular activities that he describes so vividly. She also observes that Paul blames it on his parents that he didn’t try to fit in with his classmates in the U.S. She tells him it has become a pattern in Paul’s life, to blame his parents, to cut himself off, preferring to retreat into the safety of caring for his mother rather than engaging with the outside world and discovering his passions. She points to his fake diagnosis as a means to tie Max to him, his pre-assigned explanations to draw him back from exploring new interests. Paul is struck and impressed by her confidence. She instructs him to think about why he keeps doing that, breaking himself off, holding himself back, coming up with excuses, and dismissing his own feelings. He’s confused, wondering if she means she returns his feelings. But time is up and she does not allow him to finish his thoughts. “This will be an excellent place to start next week.”

Valentine’s Day

For all you love birds out there:

Happy Valentine’s Day!

For the rest of us,

there’s always the Cricket!

xoxo

Californication 4x05

Things miraculously start to improve for Hank Moody. Mia gave a testimony in court that so clearly exculpates him, her case is bound for a settlement. Hank feels so celebratory he invites his attorney Abby for a dinner date. The irony, of course, is that Hank is feverishly jealous just by the idea that someone may be flirting with Karen, but he can’t stop himself from trying to talk women into bed. His date gets interrupted by a text message from Karen that Becca has her first show (opening for Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society) with the Queens of Dogtown. Awkwardness ensues when handsome Ben happens to be there, too. Well, his daughter (Zoë Kravitz) is the band’s lead singer. Meanwhile Marcy is still freaking out not knowing who’s the father of her baby, but sure it can’t be Charlie’s. For his part, Runkle is manscaping his stuff – although his head is bald, downunder he’s got bush – and accidentally cuts himself. He forces Marcy to take him to the hospital where he gets the same sarcastic doctor who treated Hank after he OD’ed. Turns out Charlie had his vasectomy done by some quack who recently had his license revoked. So, Marcy may very well be pregnant with Runkle’s child! Hank is upset that he didn’t get to sleep with Abby, and even more hurt that handsome Ben is hitting on the love of his life, that he goes back to his hotel room to get drunk. Then Sasha knocks on his door. She’s been hanging out with Mia, who’s now sitting on the ledge of her balcony contemplating to jump. It’s a nice scene how Hank talks her out of it, first by identifying with her – he too would like to end the pain – but then convincing her they should forgive themselves. He should talk: he’s a fuck up with a capital F U!

Boardwalk Empire 1x06

This episode is very much about the women – and about family life. Now that Nucky Thompson has shown his interest and has offered to provide for her, Margaret asks for advice from Mrs. McGarry of the Temperance League what she should do. Mrs. McGarry tells her she should do what she sees fit, but gives her a pamphlet on birth-control, entitled “Family Limitations.” Nucky’s mistress Lucy is already feeling the competition and tries to mark her territory. When Lucy tries to humiliate her, Margaret insinuates that perhaps Nucky is interested in more than just sex. “Maybe your cunny isn’t quite the draw you think it is,” she tells Lucy. Nucky offers Margaret a new house to move into with her children, but it doesn’t take long for her to realize she has moved to “Mistress Row,” and is nothing more than a concubine like the other girls in the street. She also learns quickly that Nucky at the drop of a hat breaks his promises, cancels their plans and has her wait all evening by the phone.

Lucky Luciano, sent to kill Jimmy Darmody, has by now commenced an affair with Gillian, still thinking she’s Jimmy’s wife. He tells her she’s the first broad in years to put lead in his pencil. (He’s had gonorrhea, see.) It’s only when Rothstein asks him over the phone if he has found Jimmy, that Luciano learns Gillian is Jimmy’s mother. Over in Chicago, Torrio wants out of Greektown so as not to further aggravate Sheridan. When Capone protests, Torrio rebuffs him with a curt, “You drive my car.” Then Jimmy suggests that retreating will give the wrong message. At Jimmy’s counsel, Torrio arranges a meeting with Sheridan. The air is tense, but they come to an agreement to cease the hostility and let bygones be bygones. As they are leaving, Torrio visits the men’s room, while Jimmy and Capone grab their guns and assassinate Sheridan and his crew. For his part, Agent Van Alden after reading up on Margaret’s immigration papers and learning she had a miscarriage on board from Ireland, flagellates himself with his belt while staring at a picture of her at sixteen.

Gossip Girl 4x14

Rufus defies his wife Lily and offers Ben a room in his Dumbo loft. Dan is none too pleased with his new roommate. Never mind that Ben may or may not be stalking Serena and may or may not have statutorily raped her in boarding school, he spent the last six months plotting her downfall. So, Dan doesn’t trust this guy one bit, and is obviously jealous that Serena is all puppy eyes for Ben. When he hears from Eric that Ben threatened that dapper drug dealing Damien, Dan goes into protective mode. Meanwhile Blair schemes to get her boss at W Magazine laid before she herself gets laid off, and enlists Chuck and Nate in her plot. For his part, Chuck continues conspiring against Russell Thorpe hoping to prevent his takeover of Bass Industries by shagging up with Thorpe’s daughter Raina, but finds that mixing business and pleasure is a dangerous game. When they all end up at another party, Ben blurts out in disbelieve: “So you go to things like this every week?” Damien confronts Ben, Dan calls Ben’s parole officer, Ben gets arrested, and somehow this is supposed to bring Dan and Ben closer together. Dan and Nate then have a little word with Damien’s Belgian Ambassador father about his son’s drug dealings, and Blair gets promoted to her boss’s position. All in a day’s life for the Upper East Side elite.

Modern Family 1x20

Funniest line this episode: “One day I’m gonna be a grandfather and then everybody better hide their meat.” This coming out of Phil’s mouth. Plus the look on Cameron’s face! L0L (really)! Runner up: Cam crying “Awzbz iz bz, an’zbeelz judiz bsbs ... an’inz judiz, my gurl’zjees an’swushees!” Ahahaha! The Cricket loves this one. Cameron is teetering on the verge of a nervous breakdown because he misses being with Lily and being a trophy wife, since he had to take a temporary job now that Mitchell quit his job. The thing, of course, is that Mitchell is the complete opposite and can’t wait to go back to work and interact with grown-ups, but doesn’t have the heart to tell Cam. Mitchell loves Lily more than life, but staying at home drives him to despair. He’s already plotting the death of Dora the Explorer! Then Jay tells Mitchell to call one of his filthy rich golf buddies, Charlie Bingham (Justin Kirk from Angels in America and Weeds), who is looking for a lawyer. More hilarity ensues, but Mitchell does end up getting the job! For their part Jay and Phil are bickering over who would be a better coach for Luke and Manny’s basketball team. The previous coach (Eric Lang from Lost and Weeds) was verbally abusive. Not that it matters, neither Jay or Phil can do much about the pathetic Li’l Dribbblers... Meanwhile Clair and Gloria bond over the fact that their kids are too embarrassed to be seen with them. They babysit little Lily, buy her clothes, and eat ice cream. If only all episodes could be of this caliber!