The Epic Monday night recap with Ashley and Jordan. CONTAINS SPOILERS!!!

This is going to be an every Monday thing where we (Ashley and Jordan) both combind our reviews of both Chuck and Hereos! This entry contrains spoilers to beware!

Ashley on HEROES:

Is someone on Heroes actually going to stay dead? For once? I am pretty sure they are going to bring back Ali as the other triplet? Or else they wouldn't of mentioned it, and will this one die too trying to save Micah's life? Who knows. I will admit I was not a Tracy fan and I was pretty happy to see that end. But really? Dalphene? Does Heroes have something agiesnt blondes? Wait, does this mean they are getting rid of Claire and that god awfull weave? I am happy they actually KILLED some people and they stood dead with out coming back to life right after. I liked how they let Daphene die peacefuly and with Matt giving her those dreams. But I will miss her, because shewas one of my favorite. But all now all the babies that we seen in the future aren't going to happen! What the hell man.

No on the serious side, I have stayed with this show even when others up and left and put it down. It has always kept my interst, and the fact that they made Rebel Micah (who didn't see that one coming really, they droped enough hints), really made me happy, and I hope they keep that in the storyline. I really thought it was funny/cute the way Hiro and Ando did the whole baby thing. It was playful and showed a cute side of it. But really? How did the baby get so old? Isn't claire 17 and she was 16 season one? How could the child be a damn TODDLER by now? Maybe I am messsed up on the time frame but really. It was cute, but does this mean Matt is getting back with his wife? And WHAT THE HELL is with Hiro getting back his powers from the baby? How did he do that? But seriously how can you not aww over the And what the hell was with the random Peter? They really need to explain that next week because the whole, comes and flies in, does a cute little smirk and hair flip, just doesn't go well. But whatever, its Heroes its their job to find fuck us.

The show jumped around this week, and there wasn't any of my favorite villain, wich peaved me because last week they showed him in that dudes apartment. I really just can't wait for next weeks, this one was good because:

- they really killed someone and they are staying dead.

- we finailly found out who rebel was.

- HRG was being a baddasd as always.

- we didn't see Claires bad weave.

- "Can you say Yatta?!"

Jordan on HEROES:

Heroes, on the other hand. The jury is still out. Can someone please tell me how in the hell Peter randomly shows up in an elevator to save Mama Petrelli? Are we just supposed to believe that Peter is still that awesome? Because I never truly believed that. I liked his character in season one, sure, but that was nearly three years ago. I'll admit, the stuff with Matt's (didn't they establish in season one that Janice believed it wasn't his baby? Continuity problem, maybe?) baby was adorable, but why kill off Daphne if the baby isn't going to cause any conflict with her and Matt's relationship? Why bring in the baby at all, this far into the season? What the hell was up with the opening scene, if they didn't do a damn thing with it? Did I miss something or did they just completely forget about it? My vote is with completely forget about it. Also, easiest way to squick Jordan out? Make her watch close-ups of someone shaving. Jesus. Also, be honest. Who didn't call the identity of Rebel? Seriously, was it that obvious? Now all they have to do is bring back Molly Walker (Distant relative of Sarah, maybe? Run with that however you choose) and my life will be happy. Okay that's a lie, it'll take a lot to make me happy with this show again. I fear that these characters are beyond repiar and while they made steps to try and rectify their damage, there is still far too much of it to take on at once. Maybe I'll make another post when I rewatch the episode. Jordan's vote on Heroes? Still a heavy sigh, so here's to hoping next week will bring hope.

Ashley on CHUCK:

I always knew Chuck was a badass, even when Casey and Sarah would put him down. I could of called the fact that them putting down Chuck's skills would come back and show us he was a total badass. I mean really, Adam Badlwin isn't the only one who can kick ass with a gun on this show (I can't wait for that by the way.) So with the FINAILLY focusing on the fact that Chuck can be more than a geeky computer guy, is really making me happy. But the fact that he always screws up and always ends up in trouble and needing to be bailed out? Not so much, I kind of wish they let him do this one, and not have big bad Casey save the day.

I was sort of getting tired of the whole Buy More thing, with the whole little sub storyline of the whole nerd herders and morgan. I mean don't get me wrong I love Morgan, but its not the same with out him and Chuck. Sure Jeff's office and everything like that was funny and the while Burbank vs Hills was funny too, but it is getting sort of old, and I wish they did more with Morgan and Ana to be honest.

In the next coming weeks we know Chuck is going to kick some serious ass, there is going to be a wedding, we are going to see who Papa Bartowski is, and Sarah may or may not be leaving. Who knows, but what I do know is I can not wait to see Chuck kick some serious ass, because it is WELL over due.


Jordan on CHUCK:

I like to think that I'll be the first and biggest supporter Chuck will ever have. Rarely do I find anything wrong with this show, but the one thing that has irked me in past episodes was Casey and Sarah's wonton treatment of Chuck's skills as a spy, no longer an asset. He's not just a silly computer nerd anymore and these past two episodes kind of shoving our face in that fact, the fact that he's no Cole Barker/Bryce Larkin, was getting tiresome. But finally, they're addressing the issue in a big way.

I think the biggest... bit of growth that comes to mind when looking back on this episode of Chuck, is just how much control Chuck is taking of his lot in life. No longer is he sitting back and letting Sarah and Casey berate him or treat him like some sort of burden. He's taking action, making his own steps to ensure that he does what he needs, and wants, in this whole situation. And that starts with him hunting down Orion on his own (as established in the previous episode, the original creator of the Intersect and the only person who would know how to remove it) instead of waiting for Beckman to simply tell him she doesn't care. Oh, but of course his secret is out, and because of it we had General Beckman in all her military glory fly to LA to personally knock down the team and put an end to the Orion nonsense. She tells him point blank that she doesn't want the Intersect out of his head and therefore, Sarah and Casey are forced to be on her side. Thankfully, that doesn't stop our intrepid Chuck from finding a way to contact Orion and get himself into a bit of pickle while trying to meet up with him.

The biggest thing about this whole episode though was Chuck taking action, and thank god for it because I was really getting sick of Chuck being made out to be anything less than awesome. The pretending to accidentally to shove the computer to face the camera with the address of where they were going was genius, really, in Chuck's own little clumsy way. I like that they bring about the trust issues between Sarah and Chuck in a different way this time, with Chuck now doubting that Sarah really wants what's best for him, although of course he never sees the whole picture. Speaking of Sarah, I think we made some real progress with the whole Chuck and Sarah relationship. It wasn't in the forefront of the episode, but the progress was subtle. Even just how Sarah reacted when she and Chuck went back to look for the laptop that Orion had delivered to the Buy More, she actually pouted! She threw a right hissy fit at him not trusting her and it was refreshing to see some sort of emotion towards him caring about her. She's chasing him and making sure that he knows just how she feels about him, while he tries to cope with having to wait to have her in any sort of real capacity. Her actions around Beckman, causing Beckman to ask Casey to give her an unedited report of their "relationship" were obviously integral to everything. She defended Chuck strongly and rightly so, since we haven't really seen anyone defend's Chuck skills or anything of the sort since the premiere of the season when Casey tried to get out of the kill order on his head. Seems so far away, doesn't it? I loved the very end with Chuck having hidden the pictures of the Fulcrum Intersect in the comic he was reading. Here's to hoping that Orion really isn't dead and my theory about him being Papa Bartowski didn't just fly out the window. (More on that in another post, I suppose) All in all, I liked this episode, as it was a good set up one. We made a lot of progress that will become apparent in the coming weeks, and I can see the show is moving in a bigger and more awesome direction. It gives me chills to think about it.

THATS A WRAP on the the Monday night review!

Jordan: The Return of Chuck

Fuck. Yes.

Tonight, after a two week hiatus (the stupidest move ever) the best show on network television right now, at least in my opinion, returns.

Chuck comes back with "Chuck vs. the Predator" tonight and I think the most intriguing part about everything is simply Chuck wielding a gun with some skill. The look on his face when he pulls it on Casey is jarring and enthralling all at once.

I can't even begin to describe how excited I am to write about this episode. I don't want to wait until seven, to be honest. I'm going to focus on the good and not focus on how this upcoming episode of Heroes might be the last straw for me.

We'll be watching tonight anyway, so keep sticking around.

Jordan: Oh, Heroes.

I am a fan betrayed.

Tonight, instead of a new episode of Heroes, we’re being treated to a rerun of the Volume 4 premiere, “A Clear and Present Danger.” Hm, NBC. You’re being tricksy with us, I believe. I understand your motives. You want to try to boost ratings, aligning the new episodes with new episodes of the show that has near permanently eclipsed your once cash cow. I see what you’re doing there. While I applaud your efforts (lord knows that other show needs all the help it can get - more on that later), this rerun only serves as a painful reminder of what this volume could’ve been.

Volume 4: Fugitives started strong. “A Clear and Present Danger” was the best episode of Heroes that had been on in a very, very long time. It was character driven without getting bogged down in conversation and exposition. It gave subtle nods to what put it in it’s place with all the first season references. It set the stage for an epic battle, finally giving the villain a face, and that is a face we know well. I found myself caring for characters that I hadn’t cared for in about a year. Namely a certain Petrelli. During those last intense ten minutes of the episode, I found myself screaming, in my mind at least, Please don’t kill Peter, please don’t kill Peter. These characters were again real people thrown into a ridiculous situation. Claire was worried about college! Peter was an EMT! Mohinder was driving his cab! Parkman and Nemesis were struggling to regain normalcy! Hell, the whole Hiro and Ando role reversal was awesome.

And then, at the first sign of action, all of that was thrown out the window.

Sure, I knew what I was getting into with this volume. They made it clear in the very last minutes of the Villains finale, what with Nathan telling the Obama-knock off (come on, you were thinking it too) that these people are dangerous and needed to be rounded up, drugged, and chained like cattle. How did Japan let American agents come in and swipe two of their citizens with no consequences? Then, the plane crashed and everything went to hell. It was all about running. Not trying to hide behind their normalcy. It would’ve been much more riveting if they were trying to hide their mutant identities behind a real life, changing names and moving away. The first assertion that this “agency” that Nathan had made with this mysterious Hunter/Danko, was all-powerful, could find them anywhere at any time was quite possibly what ruined it. It didn’t up the stakes, like I’m sure they intended. If anything, it lowered them. Right, so right out of the gate we’re supposed to believe that this Danko guy knows everything about our mutants and is hell bent on destroying them. And yet, all they had to do was run. Even set up as the big bad villain of the volume, Nathan has failed to truly take any action. He’s tried to be slimy and manipulative, a shadow of first season Nathan that I loved so much, but the hypocrisy of his whole position is mocking him. He protects Claire and Peter because they are his family, but if they really wanted us to believe that he is as bad as he says he is, then he would’ve gone after them first. Actually, I would’ve been more surprised if Nathan wasn’t heading up this operation, Mama Petrelli was. That would’ve made for some intriguing television.

They keep trying to shove down our throats how bad she is, and yet we have yet to see her fully in action. Okay, so she was part of that big bad group they wiped out in Season two. So what? She was behind the Company/Primatech. So what? We have yet to see her be as scary as say, first season Sylar. If anything, I feel like she was once a vicious pit bull and has now been spayed.

OH. Speaking of Sylar. I’m sorry, what is the point of showing this stupid kid tagging along on his epic search for his father? Yes, we get it, he’s still human. But all of that is still negated by him wantonly killing, well, anyone. You can argue self defense, whatever, but I’m sick of being told that he’s still a human being with feelings and wants and needs and whatever, and yet he fails to make any real steps towards rectifying himself. The only real sign of it we had was in that future-jump episode in the last volume, with Daddy!Sylar.

I had faith in this volume, I really did. At this point, I’m so frustrated with the back and forth and the lack of a real narrative storyline, that if the next episode isn’t awesome, then I believe Heroes will be losing a viewer. I can’t invest myself in actions. I need to invest in characters and that was what Heroes once was. If it goes back to characters, then sure, I might watch. But even now, all the characters are so out of character, that it might not even be worth it anymore.

Ashley: The L Word ends in a disappointment.

The whole last season of the L word was a lead up to its "shocking" ending of who killed the lead character Jenny. The season started off with Jenny being carried off, and all of the girls from the show being questioned by a cop and then going back some time to try and show "Who killed Jenny." Each week they pointed out who had a reason to kill Jenny, and you would think by the time the end of the last scene of the last season of the show, they would tell you who killed her. Nope. And let me tell you, that wasn't the only disappointment. They left so many questions unanswered, and no loose ends were tied up. After watching it from the start I would think it would end on a much happier note, or something that wasn't so lame that it left myself, and most of its viewers, pissed off that we now had to go online and watch webisodes just to see MAYBE who killed Jenny.

So now the big question on everyone's mind is, Who killed Jenny? Did she fall into the pool after not hearing Bette and Tina talk about the railing not being fixed through the whole hour of shittiness? Did she trip over her dog? Did Bette push her? Did Nikki do it? Did Alice do it? We won't know unless the webisodes tell us, and personally I won't be keeping track of that. I'd rather find out from a friend who finds out from another friend. Because it was such a let down after watching it for six season, epic fail Showtime.