The return of one of the best shows on television (at least in my opinion)

After a hiatus that lasted much too long and left me craving some song and dance, Glee returns tonight following American Idol at 9:28. I thought, in honor of this day, we could take a moment to recap where things left off. Also, I will include a link to this article that reveals some hints about the rest of the season straight from creator Ryan Murphy's mouth. While the article calls the information spoilers, I think of it more as previews. All this does is make me more excited for the next few episodes. And, as always, check back later in the week for a review/recap of tonight's episode. But for now, here is where things left off.

- The fall finale episode included the glee club's sectional competition. While in the audience waiting for their turn to perform, the members realize the other clubs are singing their songs and are even performing in similar fashion. Instead of freaking out or giving up, they decide to come up with a new set list and choreography in a short period of time. They go on stage and perform excellently, receiving two standing ovations. We then see that the judges are in no way qualified to judge this competition, but that doesn't matter because they come out on top anyway!
- The truth about Puck being the father of Quinn's baby is almost common knowledge. Almost everyone knows, everyone except Rachel and Finn. Rachel, without thinking about the best interest of the club and only thinking about ruining Quinn and Finn's relationship, considers telling Finn. In the end, the truth becomes known and Quinn is almost relieved to not have to continue living a lie.
- Figgins confronts Sue about helping the other glee clubs cheat and even fires her. But before she leaves she threatens to return ready to destroy Will.
- Emma pushes back her wedding so she can be glee club's adviser after Will is told he cannot perform the duty. Then, on their wedding day, Ken dumps Emma, apparently realizing he does not want to be her second best. At the end of the episode, Will realizes his feelings for Emma and the two kiss.

Well that's how we left things. A few questions are raised though: With Quinn out of the picture, will it be happily ever after for Finn and Rachel? What will Sue do to get reinstated as the cheerios' coach? Will Emma and Will continue on in bliss, or are we in store for a Terri reemergence? We'll have to watch and see. Anyway, enjoy the episode tonight. I know I will.

What to watch this spring

The Globe's Matthew Gilbert put together this slideshow highlighting some of the television events not to miss now that it is spring. For me, nothing is more important than the return of Glee, especially since it is so soon. What are you looking forward to? Are there things he missed?

At some point even the parents need to grow up

Here is a quick recap of this week's Parenthood.

- The paternity test comes back and it proves Crosby is Jabbar's father. Throughout this all Crosby has been leaning on Julia and now she is pushing his to stand on his own and grow up. To prove he is trying, he gets up the courage to tell his parents that he is a father. It was a moving scene, contrasted by Zeek's limited disgust at Jabbar's name, that only became more satisfying when the grandparents met their grandson and he was so flawlessly welcomed into the family.
- Max is now working with a behavioral specialist who is not only helping him in ways his parents have not yet figured out, but she is helping Kristina by being someone she can lean on.
- Julia realizes she has every right to be jealous of Racquel and questions Joel, who admits that she once kissed him. Julia then decides she doesn't want Racquel in their lives. But when she realizes this would do more harm to Sydney than anyone else, she realizes she trusts her husband.
- Things with Sarah and Amber's teacher continue to progress. While Sarah is not immediately willing to just follow her feelings because it is too complicated, by the end of the episode the two share a kiss and agree that they like one another.

Life Unexpected: "I've already messed her life up enough as it is"

On this week's Life Unexpected, Cate, Baze and Lux go on a road trip to find Cate's father who abandoned her when she was a child. When they find her father, Baze sees through him, realizing that he is not happy Cate found him. So while Cate is walking around excited she has the chance to reconnect with her father, Baze has to be the bearer of bad news. At first Cate rejects his theory, but then her father does not show up to drive them back to Portland. It is then that Baze swoops in to rescue Cate, proving that he is someone she can depend on, despite all of the other times she felt abandoned by him.

Also important, at the end of the episode Lux announced that she loves Cate and Baze and wants to make their arrangement official. They are in the process of legally adopting her.

Next week is the Life Unexpected season finale. The episode is supposed to include Cate and Ryan's wedding, but after recent developments, is it possible that Cate actually loves Baze? We'll have to wait for Monday, but I have a feeling this is the cliffhanger they are going to leave us with.

GG: "Taking what belongs to Chuck has become a hobby of mine"

As always, here is the link to this week's Daily Intel reality index and below are a few additions of my own following the latest episode of Gossip Girl.

- To explain why Eric has not been on the show in weeks, they quickly mention he was away while he shows Jenny pictures of his vacation and the people he met. But what I want to know is how he could have been away when he should have been in school. Minus two because as bad of a parent as Lily is, why would she allow her son to leave the country in the middle of the school year?
- Why is it that when a guy shows any attention to a girl she immediately thinks he loves her? Plus five because in the case of Jenny and Nate, she is only acting like every other teenage girl who sees a hot guy and wants him to save her. But I do want to point out that while she wants romance, I think Nate is thinking more along the lines of big brother.
- When Nate does not show up at the time he is supposed to, Serena sends out a blast through Gossip Girl. While for most of the world this would seem unrealistic, in the world of Serena van der Woodsen this is almost as practical as calling the cops to report him missing. So instead of this being a minus, it lands on the positive side with a plus one.

By the end of the episode I couldn't help but feel awful for Blair and Chuck. While I think what he did was horrible, the fact that he still has faith that he and Blair will get past this makes me realize how much he really loves her. Neither character is perfect but they work so well together. I hope they find their way back to one another.

Jimmy dons a red dress

For those who have been watching this season of Dancing with the Stars, you know who stands out and who sucks. And while two pretty awful dancers have already been sent home, one couple that should never dance again remains. If you don't yet know I am talking about Kate Gosselin and Tony Dovolani, then you have been living under a rock. If you don't recognize how horrible they are, just watch the following video and understand that this isn't even that far of an exaggeration.

Good news for SVU fans

Law & Order: SVU has been really great in recent weeks. I watch all the new episodes and they never disappoint. So when news broke a while ago saying that though the show would likely return, main characters Chris Meloni and Mariska Hargitay had not signed on, I was saddened. I know the show would be fine without them, but I almost feel like they make the show. So this news, that Meloni does not plan to leave the show, made me happy. Now, let's just hope Hargitay follows suit.

Can Idol continue ratings dominance?

After years of American Idol being the most watched show on television, Dancing with the Stars beat Idol for the first time, according to this article. The exact numbers are detailed in the article, but for me this begs the question, is AI really as great as it used to be? I stopped watching a long time ago, but from what I hear the talent this year is lacking. Also, with Paula gone and Ellen as her replacement, are people not happy with the judges? And with Simon leaving after this season, is another slip inevitable? If you watch Idol, I'd love to hear your thoughts about this season. Is it still a must-watch show? What could be done to make it better? All suggestions are welcomed.

Grey's doctor expecting child

According to this article, Jessica Capshaw, who plays the extremely lovable Arizona on Grey's Anatomy, is pregnant with her second child. I find this information important to point out because of her recent storyline on Grey's with on screen girlfriend Callie. With Callie pressuring her to discuss the possibility of having children, will this timing make it almost impossible for the writers to ignore? Maybe Callie will get Arizona to agree to children after all.

The Hills returns for its final season

The sixth and final season of The Hills kicks off April 27 and it promises to be just as dramatic as ever. I stopped watching after the departure of Lauren Conrad, and mostly because Heidi and Spencer make me want to throw up, but from the looks of this trailer, things are getting exciting. Who knows, maybe I'll start watching again.

PP: The coma mama

Same deal, this is a two for one. Below are recaps of both last night's and last week's Private Practices.

- Now that Naomi knows about Sam and Addison, Sam wishes they were at least together because as things are now, Naomi is pissed and Sam and Addison are not even happy as they should be. But Addison is still not willing to chance it because Naomi means too much to her.
- The surrogate mother who slipped into a coma last episode is still in a coma with the babies continuing to grow inside her. But her husband wants to take her off life support because he thinks it is cruel to keep her alive and give him and their family false hope. Lawyers are involved and in the end they side with the parents of the triplets. At the end of the episode, against the judge's orders, Charlotte sneaks the husband in to see his wife and he pulls the plug. But then she breaths on her own, shocking everyone.
- Charlotte and Sheldon are still sleeping together but it is just sex. When Sheldon tries to take it to another level, Charlotte pushes him away, which leads to Sheldon analyzing her and telling her to go back to Cooper. But then we have Cooper, who is trying to cut ties with Charlotte. He even paid her back the money she put up to buy him into the practice.
- William left the country and didn't tell Naomi. This is enough to send Naomi into Fife's open arms, especially since she needs a shoulder to cry on after she finds out about Addison and Sam. Naomi sleeps with Fife and things seems to be going well. Then Fife tells Naomi that William is sick and that he went away to get treatment, which makes Naomi feel guilty enough that she gets on a plane and flies to Switzerland to support him. (In the next episode we see that Fife plans to wait for Naomi's return because he feels that strongly for her, but we still have no idea what Naomi is thinking or who she wants.)
- Throughout this episode Lucas is sick. When Pete also gets sick, Addison takes over and does her best to play mom. She struggles, especially when she too becomes sick, but it is a chance for her to bond with Lucas. All the while things with her and Pete seem to be going really well. They seem to have a rhythm going and seem happy together. Then Pete, who has a fever, mutters, while half asleep, I love you, Violet and Addison hears him.

On to the latest episode:

- The surrogate mother's husband brings in a very famous coma doctor and her team to see if they can wake up his wife. He's looking for a miracle, but the doctor says there is no hope. On the doctor's team is Addison's ex-husband, Derek's, little sister, Amelia. When Amelia is fired for suggesting they perform a very risky procedure, she goes to the husband and presents it to him herself. Though none of the other doctors think it will work, she is cocky and wants to do it. The surgery ends up going badly and Addison has to deliver the babies even though they are barely viable. Because of this set back, Amelia loses confidence in herself, so Sam has to help her get back in the mood, which she does and she completes the surgery. In the end, the babies are OK and the mom wakes up, which to Amelia signals success, but Addison points out that it was too risky and regrets trying it.
- Charlotte wants Cooper to do a sex talk at a retirement home with her because she needs someone to help with the male perspective. The talk does not go well, with most of those in the audience being bored, but a couple does come up to Charlotte and Cooper at the end to discuss a problem. Without going into much detail this leads to Charlotte and Cooper first fighting about Charlotte's emasculating ways and then the two working together in an act that seems to foreshadow a friendship between these two in the near future.
- Addison, while in conversation with Amelia, goes on and on about how things are fine when really she is refusing to admit that things are a mess: she still loves Sam but is with Pete, Sam still loves Addison but is with Vanessa, Pete still love Violet but is with Addison, etc. No one is with whom they want to be and Amelia is not too afraid to point out that Addison is settling. When Addison finally opens up to Pete, telling him about how he said I love you, Violet, he says he is not waiting for Violet and that he loves Addison. And, honestly, I couldn't help but believe him. But then, just when they were looking as strong as ever, Violet rings Pete's doorbell.

Grey's: "Don't ever tell him what to do, just tell him how you feel"

I owe you a recap of last week's Grey's Anatomy episode as well as this week's, so both follow.

- A lot of what happened in this episode had to do with Owen and in turn Teddy. There was even flashbacks of their time in Iraq. From the very beginning of this episode we see that Owen is having a difficult time sleeping. Then, when Teddy asks for a consult on a case where a cancer patient wants Teddy to help her die in what is called physician assisted suicide, Owen doesn't want to help because he believes every day is worth living and that you should never give up. So we start seeing flashbacks of him in the war and we see that he was in a truck that was hit by a roadside bomb. One of his friends was seriously hurt and the friend asked Owen to give up on him, thus allowing him to die. After disobeying for a while, Owen finally takes away the pressure that has been keeping the friend from bleeding to death and he dies. Seconds later a helicopter with help lands nearby. Owen feels guilty that he did not hold on a little longer because then his friend might not have died.
- Mark and Teddy are dating and getting to know one another. They both seem to be enjoying themselves, and at the end of the episode they finally have sex.
- Callie is freaking, mostly to Mark, about Arizona's confession that she does not want to have kids. After much persuasion, Callie finally tells Arizona that she wants to have kids, but the show ends before we hear Arizona's response.
- Richard is having a hard time fitting in with the rest of the staff now that he is no longer the chief. On the opposite hand we have Derek who misses surgery so badly that he steals Meredith's surgery just so he can spend some time in the OR. At the end of the episode, Richard goes to Derek and gives him some advice; among other things he should have someone forge his signature on unimportant forms, eat lunch with someone so he looks busy and is not approached with random problems during lunchtime, schedule one surgery a day, etc.

And, now onto last night's episode, where everyone seems to be considering having children.

- The episode opens with Derek announcing that he wants to start having kids with Meredith, which obviously sets her into a minor frenzy. We find out she does not want to have kids because she is worried she would be an awful mom, especially since her mom was so awful. But by the end of the episode, and with a little help from Alex, Meredith realizes she would make a pretty good mom so she agrees to have a baby with Derek, but not right now. At least it is in their future.
- Arizona is ignoring Callie's confession that she wants to have kids and is talking about anything but that topic. This is annoying Callie and, in a moving scene between her and Bailey, Miranda gives a speech about how there is no right time to have kids. So when Callie brings up the topic again, Arizona agrees that they must discuss it.
- During a surgery with Owen overseeing, Cristina blurts out that she does not want kids. Things between them were already shaky, with him on edge and blowing up on her after she makes a mistake in surgery, so this news set him off. Cristina wants to help him, but she does not know how. At the end of the episode, instead of having the discussion he wants to have about kids, he realizes he needs to go back to therapy because Cristina is beginning to be afraid of him again.
- Teddy and Mark both thought their sex was mind blowing, which seems like a good thing, but Teddy later confesses that she wants to settle down and start a family, something she probably does not realize Mark wants also. Just as she was about to open up to him though, Sloan appears at Mark's door and is in labor.
- During this episode we learned a lot about Alex, mostly second hand after Alex's younger brother shows up and needs a surgery, which Bailey agrees to do pro bono. We learn that Alex hasn't seen his family in seven years; Alex grew up in foster care because both of his parents were on drugs; Alex spent time in juvie after getting caught stealing food to feed his two younger siblings; his family feels like he walked out on them when he was really only trying to make a life for himself instead of staying home and drowning with them. In the end, Alex's brother's surgery goes well and he heads back home, but we saw, for the first time, why Alex can at times seem so heartless when we know deep down he is actually a good guy. Oh, and in other Alex news, Izzie has filed divorce paper.

Parenthood: "You better not let us down"

Here comes a recap of this week's Parenthood.

- Sarah is both pleased and shocked when Amber's English teacher praises a paper she wrote on The Sound and the Fury. So when Sarah realizes Amber passed in a paper Sarah wrote when she was in high school, Sarah goes to the school to set the record straight. But when the teacher goes on and on about what a wonderful student Amber is and how much potential he sees in her, Sarah backs down, deciding to not tell him the truth. Later in the episode, the teacher goes to the bar where Sarah works and the two start a friendly conversation. He also tells Sarah that Amber came clean, which impresses Sarah. In the preview for next week, there were hints of a budding relationship between Sarah and the teacher.
- Katie's doctor says she should start trying to get pregnant now since her odds will be higher. This, obviously, freaks out Crosby. So when Crosby finally tells Katie about Jabbar, Katie is heartbroken. She is sad that Crosby lied to her about Jabbar and that he kept him from her. This was what Katie needed to realize she cannot be with Crosby and have to keep pushing him to have kids.
- In other Crosby news, now that Julia knows about Jabbar she keeps talking to Crosby about his financial and other obligations. Julia wants Crosby to get a paternity test, something Crosby brings up with Jasmine. Jasmine then freaks because he is essentially calling her a liar and she tells Crosby he can't see Jabbar anymore. Crosby considers having the test done behind Jamine's back, but in the end realizes he already knows the truth and makes amends with Jasmine.
- Haddie's boyfriend seems almost too comfortable already, which Adam hates. So when Haddie and Steve get in a fight about the movie Love Actually and Haddie proclaims he is not the guy she thought he was, Adam and Christina think he may be gone for good. But before the end of the episode Haddie explains it was a misunderstanding and that they are still together, much to Adam's disapproval.
- Julia whines to Joel about how she hates being such a control freak and that she wishes she was more spontaneous. So, at the end of the episode, and with only a little hesitation on her part, the two break into a public pool and go for a swim.
- Max is invited back onto his baseball team, so Adam takes it upon himself to practice with Max. While Adam doesn't seem to truly have the patience for it, Drew helps out and the three spend a lot of time together playing ball. So when Max freaks out about Adam trying to change their schedule (something that is very difficult to deal with for people with Asperger's), he cancels a date they have with Drew to meet at the field. Drew is disappointed by this and Sarah notices. We find out that Drew's dad often broke plans and never did what he said he would, so when Adam canceled, Drew shut down. But Adam retorts, saying it was hard on him too, since playing baseball with the two boys has been the closest he's been able to get to normal in recent weeks.

Life Unexpected: "You're not an easy person to walk away from"

This was an episode about rejection. Jones feels rejected by Lux, then Lux feels rejected by Jones; Baze feels rejected by Cate; Abby feels rejected by Baze; etc. In the end, the Abby/Baze relationship ends; we find out Baze really does still have feelings for Cate; Cate and Ryan are getting married in two weeks surrounded by family as planned; Lux was always reluctant to be adopted because she was holding out hope that her mother would come back for her; and a few other minor details. But, for now, all we need to know is that things between Cate and Baze are about to become a completely new level of awkward with Baze's realization that he has feelings for her and the fact that she knows about it. I can't wait.

Castle: "You have the right to remain silent, so shut the hell up"

This week's Castle episode picks up right where the last left off. As expected, Beckett is alive, thanks to her running to the bathroom, closing the door and jumping into the bathtub. Unrealistic since she had like two seconds to react, but at least they tried explaining something instead of just saying, well hello, she's alive. Anyway, the killer continued to play mind games with the detective and even kidnapped the FBI agent working with Beckett on the case. And, just when they thought they had the killer cornered, Castle points out that the killer has been one step ahead of them the entire time, so why would now be different. That is when Castle tries to think like the killer and figures out that he is not where they think he is, but nearby watching. So Beckett and Castle go in to find him, taking the risk that Castle is Beckett's only backup. In the end, Castle saves the day by firing a shot and taking the killer down.

This was an exciting episode that kept the audience guessing. I look forward to more mind bending episodes like this one in the future.

SYTYCD announces format changes

According to this article, when So You Think You Can Dance begins airing its seventh season May 27, there will be quite a few noticeable changes. For one, only ten contestants will make it to the live performance shows. In turn, only one dancer will be eliminated each week. And the biggest twist, the new dancers will be paired with returning contestants, thus making it a sort of all-stars of dance competition. Since the announcement, I have been following Nigel Lythgoe on Twitter because he has been making announcements about the change. So far, former finalists who will be featured on the show include: season four finalist Twitch, season six finalist Kathryn and season three finalist Pasha. While at first I was a little confused about why they were doing this, I'm kind of warming to the idea. I'm going to like seeing some of my favorites dance again. I just hope it works out as nicely as I'm expecting. And, just to point out, May 27 is less than two months away! I can't wait.

GG: "I like to see my elves busy"

As always, here is the link to the New York Magazine Daily Intel blog's reality index for this week's Gossip Girl episode. And, following, are a few additions of my own.

- At one point during the episode, Nate makes a comment about how Blair has no friends. Minus two because he would never say something like that. Mostly because he is one to talk; he has no friends either.
- Let's discuss Eleanor saying she believes in second chances. If your daughter is Blair Waldorf, queen of plotting against and ruining people's lives, there is no way you fostered an environment where people were given second chances. Minus five because while she is giving two people second chances in this episode, her actions don't actually fit her persona.
- In what world would Damien think Jenny would actually return the drugs she was holding for him? Minus only one because who knows what goes on in drug dealer's heads, but really, after he was such an ass to her, why would she do him any favors?

I'm happy Chuck isn't backing down and is ready for a war with Jack. We can look forward to things getting messy before they return to normal. And, as for the Jenny/Nate/Serena love triangle, I'm voicing my opinion now, and I vote that neither deserves him.