Mad Men: "Shut the Door. Have a Seat" Review

"I'm not going to let you break up this family" - Don Draper

The 3rd season finale of the gloriously decadent Mad Men has come and gone and let me tell you it's been one hell of a ride. I thought there was no way that after last weeks mind-numbingly and thought provoking episode show runner Matthew Weiner would be able to pull out another gem from his bag of tricks but I was completely and utterly wrong. Great writing, sublime acting and incredibly funny lines punctuated this phenomenal season ending episode.

My oh my, what an amazing ending to what has got to be the best television drama in American history. Many questions have been raised this year and on any other show the answers might have been neatly tied up, but not this show. As often stated, this years theme was about change and Weiner & Co delivered. Big time.

"Shut the Door. Have a Seat" was all about two things; Betty and Don's marriage and the fate of Sterling Cooper. Everything else was just along for the ride just like the audience. Old friends are thrown together to try and find a way to get along while Don can't seem to keep his marriage from crumbling. It was about betrayal, change, conspiracy, rebirth and redemption. But makes no bones about it but this was a FUN episode. The times are a changin', so let's dive right in!

-- Janaki Cedanna

Click Here for Full Review at TV Fodder!

Mad Men: "The Grown-Ups" Review

"The whole country's drinking!" - Pete Campbell.

In the second to last episode of this superlative 3rd season of Mad Men so much happened it was difficult to think straight. If any one episode marks the end of innocence of the show, this was it. On top of the main story line there was Margaret's wedding, Pete's frustration and ultimate realization, Betty's epiphany and rejection of Don and Peggy's bad choice in lovers.

It had to happen, right? Creator Matthew Weiner had repeatedly asserted that the timeline of the show would not touch on the President John F. Kennedy assassination but that proved to be a masterful bait and switch. Not only did "The Grown-Ups" feature this incredibly painful time in American history it made the whole circus and subsequent aftermath the focal point of the entire story. We know by now that Weiner likes to jump ahead in the timeline but it really took me by surprise when they went full-throttle three weeks ahead and dove right into the most shocking event in U.S. history. I mean last week was the Halloween episode!

Simply put, this show was epic storytelling as they managed to not only make us feel the characters pain over the realization the President had been killed but that it was expertly wound into the fabric of the story and the characters decisions. This episode will long be remembered for the new perspective it brought to the table and begs the question; Where were you the night JFK was assassinated again on Mad Men?

Just hitting the highlights . . .

On a cold Friday morning November 22nd, 1963 everyone is wrapped up in their lives at Sterling Cooper. I really gotta hand it to Matthew Weiner with his mind-numbing and ultra-realistic (and subtle) reactions to the murder of JFK and of Oswald. For a minute there I thought I was watching Oliver Stone's "JFK" but then I quickly realized that this was much better acted. Nice touch touch to have Carla spark up a Lucky Strike when she found out; Peggy's reaction when Duck plugged in the TV; the use of the actual broadcasts with Walter Cronkite's classic reading of the news; Margaret's typically selfish reaction to her wedding being ruined; Betty's decision to let the kids watch and be glued to the TV as well as her shouting "What's going on!" when she saw Oswald killed on live TV; Don's explanation to the kids; Roger's selfish decision to have his daughter's wedding the next day as planned and utterly classless speech; the irony of Cooper, Ken, Harry and Jane all gathered in the kitchen watching JFK coverage when RFK was killed in a kitchen five years later (Ok, that may be a stretch but was interesting nonetheless); and finally Betty's decision to rekindle her romance with Henry Francis (who oddly delivered the same advice that Don gave.) There's nothing like a Presidential assassination and murder on live TV to make you want to have an affair . . .

Pete gets called into Lane's office office to be told that Ken Cosgrove got the job as Senior VP of Account Services due to his ability to "make the clients feel like they don't have any needs" but that he will be Head of Account Management. Pete doesn't take the news well at all and commiserates with Harry. This will lead to a major Pete meltdown and subsequent epiphany. Seems old sneaky Pete is extremely troubled about the JFK assassination just like he was over the death of his father but this time he can't bury himself in his work. He's only got Trudy and her famous head gear to console and guide him. And boy does she ever. Trudy was pretty impressive with her unwavering advice and support of her extremely troubled and deflated man. Wonder if this will actually cause Pete to fall in love with her for real? Love his line about Margaret being a spoiled brat and realization that his co-workers are all heartless b*stards. I can totally see Pete becoming a protester or a beatnik in a couple of years, especially after seeing him in that Beatlesque turtleneck.

Peggy's roommate gives her grief about seeing Duck but that's just the tip of the iceberg. Remember all those times we haven't seen her in the show lately? That's because she was having a "nooner" with good old Duck (ok, it's been 3 weeks.) This Friday was no different but now she will have to lie for the rest of her life because the "Randy" Duckman turned off the news report so he can get some lovin and in one fell swoop gave himself a great story for the fellas and doomed "Pee Wee" to a life of embarrassment and humiliation. Not exactly a story to tell the grand kids. "Where was I when JFK got killed? I was f*ckin a Duck!" Nice.

Roger's daughter Margaret is throwing a temper tantrum before her wedding because Jane gave her an expensive gift and is offering her advice. Margaret plays the Mommy/Daddy game literally after Mona gives her tough love and not sympathy. She calls up Roger to complain to no avail. Are we really sure that Margaret is actually old enough to get married? I mean she acted like a pre-teen EVERY step of the way. Wow, what a great catch . . . Speaking of Roger, his treatment of Jane was right out of "Gone with the Wind" as I thought he was going to kick the door in and whisk her away but instead he drunk dialed Joan after nearly having his 50th heart attack because of carrying a passed out Jane to bed. Clearly he still has feelings for Joan. They would have made an electrifying couple. Maybe someday soon?

After all the shocking events and rekindled Henry affair good old Betty sees clearly and tells Don she no longer loves him. And thus we have our third assassination of the episode. It was a kill shot, plain and simple right to the chest of Don Draper sure as anything. When he collapsed into the chair after hearing that I felt sooo bad for him even though the writers have tried in earnest to make him unlikeable; it just didn't work. Credit Jon Hamm for inhabiting a multi-layered character that does despicable things and making him likable. The scene with Don coming into a dark office and seeing only Peggy there working spoke volumes about their relationship and showcased just how similar they are in many ways. Bravo!!!

Overall, I give this superlative and amazing episode 5.5 Lucky Strikes Out of 5 because of the deft way the subject matter was handled and how it affected every character on the show. I wasn't alive when JFK was killed but I believe this episode has given me a glimpse of what people must have felt and what this country went through and for that I'm extremely grateful to Matthew Weiner. If there was ever any doubt that this show will win another Emmy next year this episode has completely obliterated it. Extremely powerful stuff.

I can't tell you how sad I am that the season finale is already here as I have NO idea how they can possibly top this but I'm looking forward to seeing what they come up with, that's for sure. Leave some comments if you want and please make sure you follow my "live" Tweets this Sunday during the epic finale!

-- Janaki Cedanna

Mad Men: "The Gypsy and the Hobo" - Review

"I can't trust you. I don't know who you are." Betty Draper

With only two episodes left in the stunningly intense 3rd season of Mad Men the show has reached a whole new level of tasty goodness. The show has always excelled at intricate and sometimes frustrating storytelling but as it's closing in on the finale all bets are off. We had confrontation, ghosts from the past (no, not Gene), tested loyalty, vase smashing and Halloween all wrapped up into a not so tidy package. The dialogue is always excellent but this week it was exceptional.

"The Gypsy and the Hobo" was centered around the "will she or won't she" plot line of Betty Draper. Will she confront Don about his secret past or will she keep it to herself and destroy him a little at a time? There was also a nice subplot involving Joan and her hubby/rapist Greg. Roger got a little face time this week after being relegated to the sidelines after he and Don had their nasty blow up. The peanut gallery of Sterling Cooper barely made an appearance and for the 2nd week in a row Pete was nowhere to seen. But these are minor quibbles as the show was simply explosive and had it's fair share of twists and turns and brilliant performances.

-- Janaki Cedanna

Click Here for Full Review at TV Fodder.

Mad Men: "The Color Blue" Review

"My goodness Sally Draper, try not to take everything so personally" - Betty Draper.

Crazy family members, lots of bedroom talk and secrets revealed is whatMad Men was all about tonight as the pace (and plot devices) picked up just in time for the home stretch. With only three episodes remaining the table is set for more than one massive showdown.

"The Color Blue" was another wonderfully crafted entry in a universe that is becoming increasingly more and more richly layered with subtext and danger. Absent in tonight's proceedings were what became of Sal, Joan and her rapist/doctor husband and Pete with his superior people skills. We did get more of Betty's "Mother of the Year" stylings; Kinsey's attempted rise from mediocrity and hot teacher Suzanne's crazy brother. But more on that later.

It's amazing to me that no matter how sympathetic Don Draper becomes he is always Don Draper, even if he's not really . . . Oh, forget it. Mad Men works on many levels; the first and foremost it works as an impeccable character study of who people really are when they're cornered. It seems like there is always a test to pass; how they react is what makes it impossible to turn away from. Creator Matthew Weiner often states that he has absolute creative control with the show and if that's the case then he is one messed up dude.

-- Janaki Cedanna

Click Here for Full Review at TV Fodder!

Mad Men: "Wee Small Hours" Review

"But what about the moon?" Conrad Hilton to Don Draper.

Secret liaisons, unrequited love, miscommunication and filmmaking. These are the wonderful things that happened in the Mad Men universe, both in front of the camera and behind it.

In a day that brought the news of the unfortunate firing of an Emmy winning writer, Matthew Weiner & Co. has delivered another gem (read about the firing here). Lately I noticed that the episodes are doing lots of quick cuts as if to cram more and more info into an already bulging story line. Not that I'm complaining mind you but I find it a little odd and out of character for a show that thrives on the slow unfolding of major plot points.

"Wee Small Hours" was chock full of new developments with some old ones coming full circle. Characters fall back into old routines as tensions have never been higher. Remember when Don used to be unfaithful? Check. How about Sal's homosexuality? Double check. Betty reverting to a childlike state? Big check! Mad Men thrives on putting it's characters into uncomfortable situations and we as the audience can only yell at the screen in a feeble attempt to keep them on the straight and narrow. It's voyeurism, plain and simple.

-- Janaki Cedanna

Read Full Review at TV Fodder!

Mad Men: "Souvenir" - Review

"You don't kiss boys, boys kiss you." - Mother of the year Betty Draper to little Sally.

After all the explosive happenings on the last two episodes of Mad Menthere had to be some sort of let down, right? Wrong. Oh, how wrong. Even though the show didn't have any real "ah, ha!" moments it did comfortably settle into what makes this show great. Blank stares, people sleeping and characters being lonely and sad. Oh wait, I meant to say morally conflicted characters, deep introspective moments and sleeping.

When the season is over people may think that "Souvenir" was a throw away episode but in reality Matthew Wiener is laying the extensive groundwork for what's to come. Tonight he gave us more of Betty's immaturity, Sally growing violent tendencies, Pete's humanity (or lack thereof) and most importantly that Don is trying very hard to be a good husband and father. Too bad Betty doesn't see it that way. There were lots of smash cuts in this episode, so much in fact that for a moment it seemed that large parts of the show were montages. That's not a bad thing though. This episode was amazing but even more than that it only spent a few seconds at the office. No Roger, Peggy or Sal and only limited Joan and the guys. Wow.

-- Janaki Cedanna

Click Here for Full Review at TV Fodder

Entourage: "Give a Little Bit" - Review

The sixth season of Entourage has come and gone and what an epic season it was. Sure there were hits and misses along the way as the show struggled at times with direction but Drama and Turtle's "growth" were impressive, Ari and E's, not so much. Vince seemed to regress though . . .

Clocking in at an unheard of 34 minutes, "Give a Little Bit" left some indelible images. Stick a fork in Turtle's relationship with Jamie-Lynn Sigler as it's done; Ari finds his humanity in regards to Terrance and Lloyd; Drama's too old for the new "Melrose Place" but not for his own TV show; E finally wears down Sloan and Matt Damon guest stars as an overzealous and intense version of himself.

This episode (along with the last few) went a long way in redeeming itself for it's mid-season missteps and I liked it, a lot. It actually made me pumped up for next season even though it's more than 9 months away. Most characters finally got what they wanted, except for one glaring exception. In a break from tradition I'll highlight each character in this episode. Let's go!

-- Janaki Cedanna

Click Here for Full Review at TV Fodder.

Mad Men: "Seven Twenty Three" - Review

"Stop barging in here and infecting me with your anxiety." - Peggy Olson

Seedy motels, draft dodging drug users, wild sexual liaisons, secret meetings, solar eclipses and threats all took center stage on the latest episode of Mad Men. But wait there's more!

After last weeks Tarantino-esque bloodbath comes "Lost" style flash forwards, minus the sound effects (thankfully!) It seems as though the writers heard the complaints that nothing ever happens on the show and that characters spend long stretches just staring off into space as tonight's show seriously kicked itself into another gear. So much is happening right now that it's getting hard to keep up with the frantic pace. It seems like all the "swept under the rug" emotions these people have experienced over the last two years exploded out into the open, in a major way.

"Seven Twenty Three" made me think of two different but similar things; "Lost" and being lost. No matter how much the characters evolve they are first and foremost lost in their own little worlds to their severe detriment. This is what makes this little AMC drama so damn compelling. Get ready for lots of twists and turns.

- Janaki Cedanna

Click Here to Read Full Review at TV Fodder.

Entourage: "Scared Straight" - Review

Tonight's episode was a throwback to the 1st season where Ari was beholden to Terrance, Drama was going on auditions and Vince was being Vince.

This time around around in the more "grown up" sixth season of Entourage, writer Doug Ellin threw in a disease scare for E and Turtle losing his one true love. Did it work? Hell yeah, it worked.

"Scared Straight" has a great setup for next weeks season finale (already?) in which Ari's original nemesis Terrance pops in to talk business. All the while E suddenly turns into a player and Drama has what he believes to be a heart attack from being wound so tightly. This episode works because the one weakness this season has is that Ari has become a mean-spirited bully instead of the neurotic control freak we know and love.

-- Janaki Cedanna

Click Here to Read Full Review at TV Fodder

"Entourage" Goes Viral with Matt Damon

Matt Damon is the King of the viral videos so it's not a surprise that a clip surfaced just two weeks away from his October 4th guest appearance on the season finale of Entourage.

In this very funny and obviously fake video, Damon is directing Adrian Grenier in a promo for his favorite charity One x One and things get out of hand. Adrian has to only say 5 lines and he keeps messing up prompting Damon to go off on him by swearing and cursing with Jeremy Piven in full-on Ari Gold mode nervously pacing in the background.

Matt Damon is an ambassador for the real One x One charity that helps children around the world in poverty. The news has already been announced that Damon playing himself on Entourage, guilts Vince into donating money to charity and the word is that it's extremely funny.

There has been some confusion on whether or not this video is fake or real as at one point Adrian asks if he should do the reading as himself or Vince as Damon refers to him as Adrian. Fake or not, this video is pretty funny as Damon goes from 0 to 60 pretty fast and I enjoyed seeing him get pissed off at Vinny because he can't act. I just wished it had lasted longer ala David O. Russell style with Damon screaming at the top of his lungs and throwing a tantrum.

Decide for yourself if it's fake or real but enjoy it!

-- Janaki Cedanna

"Mad Men" Wins Three Emmys!

The 2009 Primetime Emmy Awards have come and gone and for the 3rd straight year AMC's critically acclaimed Mad Men won Outstanding Drama Series in the last award of the night. What an ending!

It wasn't a major sweep as the show was nominated for 16 Emmy's for the 2nd year in a row but only managed to walk away with three statues. Besides Outstanding Drama the show won the following:

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series

"Meditations in an Emergency"

Kater Gordon, Writer

Matthew Weiner, Writer

And at last weeks un-televised Creative Arts Emmy ceremony it won:

Outstanding Hairstyling For A Single-Camera Series

Mad Men • The Gold Violin • AMC • Lionsgate Television

Gloria Ponce, Department Head Hairstylist

Katherine Rees, Key Hairstylist

Marilyn Phillips, Additional Hairstylist

Michele Payne, Additional Hairstylist

Sadly, John Slattery was beaten by Jon Cryer and Elizabeth Moss was bested by the powerhouse that is Glenn Close. The show just wrapped the 13th episode season finale so I'm sure that the AMC party will last all night.

Congratulations to all the cast and crew for an amazing showing and let's hope that next year January Jones and Christina Hendricks get nominations!

-- Janaki Cedanna

Mad Men: "Guy Walks into an Advertising Agency" - Review

If tonight's episode of Mad Men is an indication of the direction it's heading then look out Quentin Tarantino!

Airing on the same night as the 2009 Primetime Emmy's may prove to be a mistake since this episode was truly amazing. It had everything you've come to expect from this award winning show like; great writing, funny situations, clever 60's references and wonderful acting by everyone. It also had gratuitous violence. After last weeks surreal and very trippy episode I was wondering what they would do for an encore. Simply put, Matthew Weiner delivered big time.

"Guy Walks into an Advertising Agency" saw Matthew Weiner & Co. deliver a gem all the while the entire entire cast was sitting in L.A. waiting for their names to be called. Sadly, their names weren't called all that much. But that's another story all together.

-- Janaki Cedanna

Click Here to Read Full Review on TV Fodder.

Entourage: "Berried Alive" Review

Tonight's episode of Entourage was a pleasant surprise. By now I should have known better than to doubt Doug Ellin's capabilities when he really puts his mind to it.

"Berried Alive" is an episode all Entourage fans should rally around as it actually featured the "guys against the world" theme that made us all fans in the first place. This time it featured girlfriends and Ari Gold as the outsiders looking in. I gotta say it worked. Not even an E love triangle could derail it. It even featured a great cameo by William Fichtner as the producer that fired Drama off the old "Melrose Place" way back in the day. It also featured the first night walk-and-talk I can remember. Well done. All this on the same night the show was shut out of winning any Emmy's at all!

-- Janaki Cedanna

Click Here for Full Review on TV Fodder

Entourage: Security Briefs - Review

This weeks episode of Entourage had some surprising moments, some very good and some very bad. Just like in previous episodes this season, I was concerned when E's love life is a focus. Will he finally kick Ashley to the curb or will he shrug his shoulders and say "whatever" again? It's always a crapshoot.

"Security Briefs" was one of those episodes that will either piss off the die hard fans or make them laugh hysterically over the antics of Johnny Drama. I'm somewhere in between. On one hand seeing Drama walk around in "out to make Drama's life a living hell courtesy of Dan Cokley" acid make up was extremely clever and down right funny the scenes with Ari and Lloyd were the polar opposite. It was pretty hard to watch, not to mention painfully unfunny and uncomfortable. Why is Ari Gold so angry? Vince is doing great, Andrew has righted himself by signing Aaron Sorkin and he just stole Zac Efron away from his nemesis Adam Davies. What gives? At best this is a throwaway episode that had some very funny moments but no real cohesion.

-- Janaki Cedanna

Entourage: Security Briefs - Review

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Mad Men: The Fog - Review

"Are you planning to give the baby the breast?" Betty's nurse.

This episode had it all and much more; intrigue, funny one-liners, babies, hallucinations and late night cooking. Mad Men showed us the last few weeks that it can funny amidst all the turmoil and drama but this week showed it us something else. Motivated action!

Not the usual kind of action mind you but the kind where everyone has a goal and is pursuing it relentlessly. There wasn't a lot of characters staring off into space and lamenting what could've been in this episode. Although Don always gets to do that for at least part of the episode.

"The Fog" is one of those surreal Mad Men episodes that will no doubt go down as one of the series best. Despite the fact that everyone's favorite office manager Joan only made a token non-speaking appearance. But we did see what became of good old Herman "Duck" Phillips, Betty had the baby and some wild Demerol induced hallucinations resulting in the reappearance of daddy Gene, Peggy realizing this might "be her time" and Don scoping out his next conquest. But I was wondering how Sally is taking the death of grandpa Gene. Stay tuned as there is lots to go over in this "action packed" episode! And congrats to Mad Men for picking up it's first Emmy of the season yesterday, winning for Outstanding Hairstyling. There will be many more next week I'm sure.

-- Janaki Cedanna

Click Here to Read Full Review at TV Fodder: Mad Men: The Fog - Review

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Mad Men: The Arrangements - Review

"I can't think about that right now. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll think about that tomorrow." - Scarlett O'Hara.

I have always thought that Betty had some things in common with the famous title character of "Gone With the Wind" but tonight her father Gene actually made the comparison. Nicely done. In an episode that made me think that the writers of Mad Men finally let their guards down with a purely lighthearted and playful episode they quickly lowered the boom.

"The Arrangements" had lots of humorous situations and a few horrific moments. But isn't that always the case with this show? Who said Mad Men is all about dark drama? Oh, wait. Never mind. The theme of this season is change and there were lots of them on display starting with Peggy's decision to move to Manhattan, Gene's growing fondness of Sally (leading to heartbreak) and Kitty finally figuring out the truth about Sal.

If there was anything to be learned from this show it's that the truth is just as hard to take even when you're right all along. Missed opportunities, clueless clients and a fun time for all marks the fourth episode of this excellent season even though the main storylines hardly moved forward. So stay in this Labor Day weekend as I review the latest episode of Mad Men.

-- Janaki Cedanna

Click Here for Full Review at TV Fodder: Mad Men: The Arrangements - Review

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Mad Men: My Old Kentucky Home - Review

After watching tonight's episode of Mad Men I was left with a strange feeling. Was it the social awkwardness seen in many of the characters? Or was it that nothing really happened to move the story along? Don't get me wrong I really liked this episode but in a different way that I liked the first two of the outstanding 3rd season. Maybe I was just hungry. Hmm.

"My Old Kentucky Home" kept with this seasons theme of change as this time we get to see how the characters react to social and status changes. As always, the atmosphere was dripping with authenticity which only adds to the richness of what's on the screen. This show has always been about the deeply layered characters and not about "moving the story" along.

Class conscious insecurities are plentiful as there were lots of just under the surface issues that the characters try to come to grips with such as Peggy doing anything to advance her career; Joan putting on the best show possible in order to further her husbands career; Roger throwing a Kentucky Derby party at his country club to show people he is happy and Betty strutting her stuff to strangers again.

Since most of episode happened outside the business hours of Sterling Cooper we also get to see how unhappy everyone really is with their lot in life. It was kinda nice not to see Lane Pryce's blunders though it wasn't as nice to not see Don Draper's creative brilliance or to hear Sal's sarcastic quips.

-- Janaki Cedanna

Click Here to Read Full Review at TV Fodder - Mad Men: My Old Kentucky Home - Review

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Entourage: The Sorkin Notes - Review

This weeks episode of Entourage was a surprise. When I saw the preview and it showed that they were revisiting E's love life I screamed "Oh no!" But I was pleasantly surprised by not only the pacing of this episode but that the writers actually wrote some honest moments and gave the little Irishman something else to say besides "Whatever."

This episode called "The Sorkin Notes" was very well handled despite the E love triangle, the train wreck that is the Andrew story line and it not being very funny. Gary Cole was actually given a chance to show why he's such a good actor and the plot point revolving around writer Aaron Sorkin was as well placed as any cameo in the show's run. Bonus points for featuring a collagen enhanced Beverly D'Angelo and a very creepy (as usual) Peter Stormare. I'm the first one to admit when I'm wrong when it comes to predicting how good an episode of Entourage is (just don't ask my girlfriend what she thinks.) But I digress . . .

-- Janaki Cedanna

Click Here for Full Review at TV Fodder - Entourage: The Sorkin Notes - Review

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Mad Men: Love Among the Ruins - Review

Last weeks season premiere of Mad Men answered some questions raised last season but tonight's episode did little to answer any more. If you're looking for neatly tied up (like Kinsey's ascot) storylines than look elsewhere.

This episode exemplifies why this show is the best thing on television. Brilliant acting, timely but not revisionist history and real reactions are trademarks of this show. By touching on actual events the show never fails to amuse by showing the characters reactions and narrow mindedness. In keeping with this seasons theme of change, the emergence of a new way of thinking abounds. We also get to nail down the time frame for this season to a certainty.

Roger is already married to an unseen Jane and is footing the bill for his daughter's marriage. Peggy feels compelled to assert her sexuality after seeing the opening segment of Bye Bye Birdie (which came out in the spring of 1963) and Joan's effortless charm. While Betty is the poster child of "what not to do while pregnant." And what of Don? Don proves once again why he's so successful at what he does. Repeatedly.

-- Janaki Cedanna

Click Here for Full Review at TV Fodder - Mad Men: Love Among the Ruins - Review (This means you Aria)

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Entourage: No More Drama - Review

Let me start out by saying that this episode of Entourage is the best one all season. It had it everything, funny scenes, great dialogue and above all good acting from everyone. Including Arnold the dog.

I was worried that creator Doug Ellin would let me down by making the whole Drama apology painful but it was very well written and I laughed more times during this episode than I have all season. This episode called"No More Drama" featured some notable performances from a foul mouthed Bob Saget and a smarmy Scott Caan. From the opening scene the show hit the ground running and never let up once. There was a deaf Arnold, a Vince stalker, a tough Johnny Drama and E learning how to walk.

-- Janaki Cedanna

Click Here for full Review at TV Fodder - Entourage: No More Drama - Review

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Mad Men: Out of Town - Review

Tonight's triumphant return of Mad Men nearly picks up right where it left off. Right off the bat there are a number of interesting and compelling plot points that may propel this season as the best yet. Seriously. Creator Matthew Weiner has said this season is all about change and man he wasn't kidding.

I was extremely surprised by some of the developments and how the characters handled them. So, with my Lucky Strikes in one hand and a Dewar's Scotch in the other I dug in and at times couldn't believe what I was seeing. A lot happened so . . . on to the review and recap!

Unlike the 2nd season premiere, the season 3 premiere called "Out of Town" did not have a huge time jump. Sure some things happened previously off screen and if I had to guess I would say it was 3-4 months later given the nature of Betty's pregnancy. And there's the matter of the British Invasion! No, not that one. But first things first.

As the episode opens we see the circumstances of Dick Whitman's (aka Don Draper's) birth. Don's in flashback mode as he tries to make some warm milk in the middle of the night. Then the first bomb drops. Turns out Don is the bastard son of a prostitute who died in childbirth. It's also revealed that his father got the prostitute pregnant and after he was born the midwife spilled the beans to the wife when she dropped off the baby to him. After many failed attempts Don's dad couldn't get his wife pregnant and this is why Don's childhood was so hellish. In one line it's clear that his father is not a good person. There was some humor as the prostitute threatens to cut off the d*ick of Don's dad if he got her in "trouble". This is how Don got the name Dick. Nicely done.

We find out that the milk is for none other than a pregnant and sleepless Betty. Yes, the second bomb has dropped. All appears to be good between Don and Betty and they even seem happy. In pregnancy she has reverted back to childlike form. Betty tells Don that she packed a bag for his business trip but he'll have to repack it due to Sally breaking the clasp she blithely tells him that Sally "is taking to your tools like a little lesbian". Gotta love those Bettyisms.

-- Janaki Cedanna

Click Here to Read Full Review at TV Fodder: Mad Men: Out of Town - Review

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