Ratings - Sunday

Animation Fixation was on a high from last week, all four shows up in their 18-49 rating demographic, as were Once Upon a Time, The Mentalist and The Amazing Race. While Revenge and 666 Park Avenue were all down. The Good Wife remain unchanged from last week.

Broadcast primetime ratings for Sunday, November 25, 2012:

Time	Net	Show	18-49 Rating/Share	Viewers (Millions)
7:00	FOX	NFL Football (49ers at Saints) - Live	6.7/18	18.77
	CBS	60 Minutes/ Football	2.2/6	12.20
	NBC	Football Night in America Part 1 - Live	1.9/5	6.01
	ABC	America's Funniest Home Videos	1.6/4	6.58
7:30	FOX	NFL/ The O.T - Live	5.3/13	13.91
	NBC	Football Night in America Part 2 - Live	2.8/7	8.13
8:00	NBC	Football Night in America Part 3 - Live	5.3/13	15.66
	FOX	The Simpsons	3.3/8	7.53
	ABC	Once Upon A Time	3.0/7	8.76
	CBS	The Amazing Race	2.5/6	9.88
8:30	NBC	NFL Football : Packers at Giants -  Live (8:30-11:00PM)	6.7/16	18.46
	FOX	Bob's Burgers	2.0/5	4.73
9:00	FOX	Family Guy	2.8/6	5.76
	ABC	Revenge	2.2/5	6.80
	CBS	The Good Wife	1.7/4	9.52
9:30	FOX	The Cleveland Show	1.9/4	4.32
10:00	CBS	The Mentalist	1.8/5	10.28
	ABC	666 Park Avenue	1.2/3	3.96

Nielsen TV Ratings: ©2012 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.

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REVIEW - The Walking Dead S3E07

Given that this is the penultimate episode before the mid-season break, its probably fair to cut the show’s writers some slack as they maneuver all the players into place for what is shaping up to be a spectacular finale next week. However, that doesn’t mean that this is anything other than another thoroughly entertaining and thought provoking episode.

This season has revolved around two parallel storylines in two very contrasting settings and last week’s episode featured the first crossover between the two groups as Merle took Glenn and Maggie back to Woodbury as hostages and Michonne arrived, much to Rick’s shock, at the gates of the prison bearing news of the abduction.

The tagline for the season has been “fight the dead, fear the living”, and this is one episode where that sentiment is most apt. Firstly in Woodbury, where Merle takes great delight in getting “reacquainted” with Glenn while both sides of The Governor’s character come to the fore as he romances Andrea one minute before threatening Maggie the next. Rick’s group, heading off in pursuit of their lost comrades, don’t come off much better as they find themselves in the middle of difficult situation with a rather unfortunate hermit. It serves as a reminder that while the zombies remain the chief threat, everyone is being pushed to some very dark places in order to maintain their own survival.

Writer Frank Renzulli, a veteran of The Sopranos, does a good job providing enough small character moments to go with the necessary placing of pieces on the board to set up the next episode. It is an episode where Glenn in particular gets the opportunity to shine and show how he has developed as he is forced to stand up for himself with Rick not alongside him.

Ultimately, it is an episode that acts as an appetizer for what is to come next week with a lot of the character’s personal arcs about to come to a head. This includes Merle, who has his loyalty tested by The Governor, and Daryl, as the two brothers look set for a reunion. It may also prove testing for Andrea who is likely to be torn between her new community and her former allies.

This season has delivered in ways that were unexpected given the disappointing nature of season 2, but everything is in place for something truly special next week to see the series out until the New Year.

Review by Jonathan Gray

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REVIEW - American Horror Story S2E04

A new inmate has appeared at Briarcliff and she claims to be Anne Frank. Is she another asylum whackjob or did she survive?

Just when you think that American Horror Story – Asylum can’t get any more bent and twisted then episode four bursts onto the screen. You are plunged into pure horror and cold, dark scenes which have you hiding behind the cushions on your couch within the first five minutes.

Psycho Dr Arden’s web of lies and evil is unraveling. The pace of the plot slowly but surely ticks and tocks towards his undoing which can’t come soon enough for viewers I’m sure.

A new inmate has appeared at Briarcliff and she claims to be Anne Frank. ‘Anne’ spots Dr Arden in the rec room and claims that he was a Nazi Doctor who performed depraved surgical practices on women back in the Auschwitz camps. Is she another asylum whackjob or did she survive?

There is also more of the gruesome boxing Helena style scenes which are pretty tough to watch as well as the odd fleeting glimpse of the Devil possessed Sister Eunice which is disturbingly refreshing given all the terror elsewhere in the asylum.

The most uncomfortable scenes are not that of blood and gore but of poor Lana Winters who is put through horrific 1960’s aversion therapy. The mental torture is far more difficult to watch than the blood and gore that seems to ever more present with each episode.

There are some further developments in some of the characters which haven’t had much airtime of late. Assumed ‘Bloody Face Killer’ Kit (played brilliantly by Evan Peters) is cracking under the pressure of the asylum as his trial looms and he also discovers his partner in crime Grace isn’t so sane or innocent. There are no flash-forwards to the present day in this episode; this one keeps you strictly within the walls of Briarcliff in the 1960’s along with the rest of the inmates. Not a great place to be for anyone.

I hope that the next episode comes back stronger and that Asylum isn’t lost to ludicrous plots and storylines. It happened to a great series like Lost. I hope it doesn’t happen here as I am really enjoying the series. If only I can be brave enough to see it through to the end!

Review by JoAnn Duff

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Big Brother Australia is back for 2013!

We have had confirmation from Channel 9 and Big Brother himself that the hit reality tv series is coming back in 2013! The search for new housemates is about to begin in early 2013, stay tuned to the latest updates here, or follow Official BB on Facebook here

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REVIEW Gossip Girl S06E05-06

After a somewhat slow final season started, things are definitely heating up on the upper east side. Dan has been cast aside by Nate after publishing his articles in Vanity Fair instead of the struggling Spectator, Ivy and Rufus have cemented their relationship revealing that Ivy did actually receive the inheritance money from Cee-Cee. Knowing this they can buy their way back into the upper east side and make life a living hell for Lily. 

Meanwhile over at Eleanor Waldorf designs, the company is in dire trouble with Blair struggling to get buyers and keep the company name, Eleanor returns home a very distressed company president. For the first time in Gossip Girl history, Eleanor finally confronts Blair and her scheming ways. Coming down on her daughter in an extremely harsh and confronting way, it is exhilarating to finally see someone discipline Blair and make her realise that she cannot scheme her way through the business world. 

Dan and Serena have retreated to Lilly’s house where they have re-kindled the romance that blossomed in season 1. Realising that no matter what has come up between them, they are meant to be together and nothing can hold them apart any longer. I honestly did not see this storyline coming and thought it was a little strange, especially since they were step-brother and sister for a few seasons there. 

You definitely get the sense that things are winding down and the characters are finally moving forward and maturing to some degree, in a way that the show can be closed off without any movie, spin-off or follow up’s needed. 

Keep watching there are only 7 episodes left! Xoxo

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Ratings - Thursday

Because the NFL game overran by 17 minutes, the ratings for The X Factor and Glee may change.

Overnight ratings for Thursday, November 22, 2012:

Time	Net	Show	18-49 Rating	18-49 Share	Viewers Live+SD (million)
8:00PM	FOX	NFL Overrun (8-8:17PM)	6.0	20	17.949
	NBC	Football Night in America	3.7	12	10.891
	CBS	The Big Bang Theory -R	1.8	6	7.113
	ABC	Charlie Brown Thanksgiving -R	1.2	4	4.053
	CW	The Vampire Diaries -R	0.2	1	0.794
8:30PM	NBC	NFL Football (Pats/Jets)	6.2	20
	FOX	The X Factor	2.5	8	8.316
	CBS	Two and a Half Men -R	1.8	6	6.766
9:00PM	FOX	The X Factor/Glee	2.3	7	6.891
	CBS	The Big Bang Theory -R	2.0	6	7.341
	ABC	Modern Family -R	1.0	3	3.441
	CW	Beauty And The Beast -R	0.2	1	0.845
9:30	CBS	2 Broke Girls -R	1.6	5	6.138
	FOX	Glee	1.5	5	4.447
	ABC	Bad 25 (9:30-11PM)	1.2	4
10:00	CBS	Person Of Interest -R	1.3	4	6.801

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Nielsen TV Ratings: ©2012 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.

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REVIEW - Family Guy S11E03

Quagmire wears a toupée?!!

This episode starts out with the guys at a baseball game. When Brian, Joe, Peter and Quagmire all reach to catch the game ball at the same time they fall over each other. When they all stand up there is a shock in store. Quagmire’s toupée is flapping in the breeze and its all caught on video on the Jumbatron!

Once Quagmire gets over the embarrassment he decides to embrace his baldness which means no more ‘fun’ Quagmire. He wears a brown cardigan, hangs out at the library, stops drinking beer and likes to look at pictures of birds. He becomes so boring that Peter tells him he needs to get a hair transplant otherwise they can’t hang out anymore. He needs to be fun again.

Whilst at the hospital Brian, Joe and Peter wait anxiously for the results. Brian takes a walk and overhears a Doctor consulting with Lois’s father, Mr Pewtershmidt. He is told the sad news that he has terminal cancer and has just two weeks to live. Brian breaks the news to Lois and all the Griffins head over to Mr Pewtershmidts mansion to see him. When they arrive they discover that Mr Pewtershmidt is completely fine. Something must be going on!

Brian and Stewie decide to follow him and find out the truth. They believe that his illness is being hidden in some way so that the share price of Pewterschmidt industries doesn’t fall. They discover infact that Mr Pewterschmidt has found the cure for cancer. Will he do the right thing? No, of course not. Its Family Guy!

Review by JoAnn Duff

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