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Archive: November 2009 (61-63 of 63)

Nov 2 2009 12:09 AM ET

'Dexter' recap: 'If I Had A Hammer,' it would be bloody

Categories: Fall TV, Television, TV Recap

Well, those marriage-therapy sessions on this week’s Dexter were almost as painful as enduring a seat on the analyst’s sofa yourself, didn’t you think? Oh, right: SPOILER ALERT: DON’T READ IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THIS WEEK’S EPISODE “IF I HAD A HAMMER.” READ FULL STORY »

Nov 1 2009 06:29 PM ET

'Jon & Kate Plus 8': 'Nana Janet' has died: Who she was, and why viewers and the kids loved her

by Ken Tucker

Categories: In Memorium, Jon and Kate Plus Eight, Reality TV, Television

Before the tabloids and the scandals, Jon & Kate Plus Eight was a terrific family show that frequently included glimpses of the Gosselins’ support system of friends. One of the key members of that group, Janet Weidenheimer, has been reported dead at age 72.

As Kate says in the clip below, “Nana Janet” was a friend of the family, what Kate called a “pseudo-grandparent.” She loved the Gosselin children and took part in lots of family activities, such as this birthday party from the show’s second season:

Described later in this episode as “crazy and loud and fun,” Weidenheimer took the time to get to know the Gosselin children individually and was a big help to Kate as a baby-sitter.

As the series progressed, one of its odd, unexplained elements was that friends such as Nana Janet disappeared from Jon & Kate Plus Eight. It was as though Jon and Kate were isolating themselves as their notoriety increased. For whatever reason, Nana Janet faded from the series. Her memory won’t fade for longtime fans of the show. She always seemed like the nicest woman.

Nov 1 2009 08:38 AM ET

Your guide to November's best new TV episodes: 'Fringe,' 'CSI,' 'Supernatural,' 'Glee,' 'Criminal Minds,' and more!

by Ken Tucker

Categories: Fall TV, Talk Shows, Television

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Happy November 1st. It’s that time when the networks roll out new episodes, guest stars, and stunts in hopes of driving up their ratings for advertisers.

But you don’t care about that business stuff; you want to know what you should not miss. Here’s my guide to the best stuff. Set your DVRs!

CSI: Can’t get enough Laurence Fishburne? Starting Nov. 9, he’ll be the linchpin in a three-show crossover, searching for clues on CSI, CSI: Miami, and CSI: New York. No word on whether his search is for William Petersen.

V: The hotsy, health-care-providing aliens invade us on Tuesday, Nov. 3. It’s great to see Scott Wolf and Elizabeth Mitchell in such a juicy new show — V immediately transcends its old-show-remake status. By the Nov. 24 episode, Wolf and Mitchell’s characters will have uncovered a biological threat posed by the deceptively-serene aliens.

Supernatural: Look for Sam and Dean to show up in parodies of CSI, Grey’s Anatomy, a Japanese game show, and a sitcom, in a Nov. 5 episode entitled “Changing Channels.” One thing about the show this season: the more out-there stuff it attempts, the more fun Supernatural becomes.

Family Guy Presents: Seth and Alex’s Almost Live Comedy Show: With one major advertiser already having pulled out of this Nov. 8 special, you know that Seth MacFarlane probably has some amazingly tasteless stuff planned; can’t wait.

Glee: On Nov. 11, the episode called “Wheels” centers around, finally, Kevin McHale’s Artie. The musical students perform in wheelchairs — the phrase “Big wheels keep on turnin’” never sounded so apt — and we learn more about Artie’s background.

Criminal Minds: The top-rated serial-killer series works in former-Bush Gavin Rossdale as a rocker with a vampire stage persona on Nov. 11. And the series hits its 100th episode on Nov. 25 with nothing less than a Nietzsche-themed episode. The philosopher who said, “God is dead” may be the ultimate unsub.

Fringe: The Observer is back… or rather multiple Observers are all around, on the Nov. 19 episode of TV’s currently coolest unexplained-phenomena-plus-acid TV series.

Modern Family: On Nov. 18, Elizabeth Banks guest stars as an old pal of Mitchell and Cameron’s. And you thought Phil just acted all goofy around Gloria…

What shows are you most looking forward to this month?

Let me know below, please. Thanks.

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