sammi says

A few of my favorite TV shows returned this week. I feel like I was waiting forever to get some answers to some of the cliffhangers we were left with last season. First up, on "Breaking Bad" (AMC, Sunday) last season Skylar found out that Walt has been keeping secrets from her and that Walt's rich friends Elliot and Gretchen have not been paying for his cancer treatment. After Jesse's girlfriend, Jane, died of a drug overdose (partially Walt's fault) he checked himself into rehab. Jane's father, an air traffic controller wrought with grief, accidentally caused two 737's to collide in the air above Walt's home. Which finally shed light on the creepy, foreboding season two opening that showed debris and body bags being wheeled down the White's driveway.

This season's bizarre opening showed a bunch of Mexican's crawling on their hands and knees to some sort of shrine. Among them, two very wealthy looking, Mexican gangsters who enter the shrine and post a drawing of what looks like Walter White's drug dealer persona, Heisenberg. Although it also looked a little like the amateur drawing of a leprechaun or the cover of Jason Mraz's CD. Then the gangsters travelled across the border and killed a bunch of people. So we'll see where this is going to lead us...A lot happened in the first episode...Jesse's out of rehab, Walt is struggling with the fact that due to him allowing Jane to die he inadvertently caused the death of 167 people in the airplane crash. He reveals to Skylar that he in fact manufactures methamphetamine. She's sickened. Walter Jr. aka Flynn is not handling his parents separation well and wants some answers.

Next up, "Nurse Jackie's" (Showtime, Monday) first season finale left me dying to know what happens next. (Click here to read my full summary of season one) Eddie, the man Jackie's been having an affair with, found out that she has a husband and children and decided to introduce himself to Jackie's husband. He doesn't reveal his affair but he isn't going to let go of Jackie very easily. Jackie had to fight of Dr. Coop's advances after she made out with him. Now he has feelings when she was just trying distract him to get him off her case. All of it became too much for Jackie to handle so she downed a couple of bottles of liquid morphine.

In the season opener I was a little disappointed that so far there have been no repercussions for Jackie's actions. I thought for sure she was going to get caught for stealing the drugs. Instead, she was forced by Akalitus to give the nurses a talking to about the drug shortages. Eddie keeps trying to get a hold of Jackie and decides a fake accidental overdose is the best way to get her attention. Dr. Coop is still torn about his feelings and lodges a formal complaint about Jackie. The previews for what's to come seem pretty exciting but this episode was a little lackluster. Oh, and Momo's (Jackie's gay bff) absence was very noticeable. I did some googling and Haaz Sleiman (Momo) is no longer on the show. Now we're left with only one gay nurse, the ogre, Thor, who just isn't the same.

And finally, "United States of Tara," (Showtime, Monday) was a crazy ride last season. It is the most interesting, funny, sweet show with the most likable characters. Tara's alters spun out of control and started ruining her family's lives. In an effort to find the cause of her dissociative identity disorder Tara contacts a man she believes raped her in boarding school. Turns out, he was just having sex with "T" one of Tara's alters. Another alter is introduced, one that wears a poncho and pees on things. So we were left with little resolved and I was ok with that. It's a great show that is always entertaining to watch.

The first episode of season two sets up the path for Tara to discover what truly happened to her to cause her disorder. She's back on her meds and hasn't transitioned in months but when their neighbor commits suicide she seems all too interested in the details. Conveniently, the man's sister asks Tara and her family to look after the place and take in the mail giving Tara an easy in to the home. I hear that this event is going to force Tara to face her past and begin to understand why she is the way she is...after being in his house once it already caused her to transition into Buck and to flirt with a bartender played by Joey Lauren Adams who will be back for at least 3 more episodes.

I was very glad to find out today that both "Nurse Jackie" and "United States of Tara" have already been renewed for a third season.

For the first time in a long time, I felt like last night's Emmy Awards were a well-produced, fast paced award show. It could have to do with the fact that I watched it 3 hours after it aired and was able to speed through the commercials or it could have to do with the fact that Neil Patrick Harris kicked butt as host. There weren't any awkward skits or montages. Everything they put together had a purpose and moved the show right a long.

Here are my thoughts that I jotted down throughout the show.

I love Kristin Chenoweth! She won Best Supporting Actress for a Comedy Series for "Pushing Daisies," and man did she lose it on stage. She could barely hold it together. I found out today that she actually had to be treated by a medic last night for a terrible migraine.

Jack McBrayer and Rainn Wilson were robbed for Best Supporting Actor. I feel like Jon Cryer has won before. I would have really have loved to hear a Jack McBrayer acceptance speech.

Justin Timberlake looked like a big nerd in glasses. They were way too wide for his face. I think it's funny that they moved the award he was nominated for to the main show (instead of the Creative Arts Emmy's that took place last week) so that he could appear, and he didn't even win.


I'm so, so happy for Toni Collette and her win for Best Actress in a Comedy Series for "United States of Tara." If you've seen the show you know how amazingly talented she is being able to pull off the characters she plays. She looked beautiful, the dress was a perfect color for her hair and skin.

Blake Lively and Leighton Meester from "Gossip Girl," presented an award together and they both looked pretty bad. Blake was showing waaaayyy too much boob. It was embarrassing. Leighton Meester looked very pale in white. Not a great look. Her dress kind of looked like Bjork's swan dress.

Why did the guys in Best Actor in a Comedy Series get clips played of them when the ladies nominated for Best Leading Actress were only shown sitting in the audience?? And again, I feel like Alec Baldwin was kind of the obvious winner, I wished Steve Carrell had won.

Time after time winners kept thanking "The Academy" it's the Emmy's, not the Oscars!

I'm over the Kanye jokes.

Yay for Jessica Lange. I wanted her or Drew Barrymore to win for their amazing performances in "Grey Gardens." It really was a great movie. Also, interesting to notice that Drew's Emmy date is her ex-boyfriend, Justin Long, aka the Mac Guy. Which reminds me to give a shout out to the PC Guy, John Hodgman, who gave what they called color commentary while the winners walked to stage. I thought he was pretty funny and it was a nice modern touch to the show.

I was absolutely torn between Aaron Paul in "Breaking Bad" and Michael Emerson from "Lost" for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama. "Breaking Bad" is without a doubt the most intense television show I've ever watched and Aaron Paul is so good it's scary. But of course my heart lies with "Lost."

Seriously, Sarah McLachlan? Does she do anything else but sing utterly depressing songs? I felt her singing "I Will Remember You" was cheesy and overdone and uncalled for. They couldn't have had the live band come up with anything nice to play?

Bryan Cranston for the win! Best Actor in a Drama Series, that is...I could not be more thrilled! His portrayal of the dying-father-turned-drug-dealer, Walter White is the most emotionally moving acting I have ever seen. This show is so outrageous and intense and I recommend you go watch it right now.

I kind of hoped for an upset for Best Comedy Series. I believe that "30 Rock" is deserving but it would have been nice to hear from "Weeds," "The Office," or even "Family Guy" (which I don't think is deserving, but certainly would have been interesting).

Again, I would have loved an upset for Best Drama Series. I tried to get into "Mad Men," but was utterly bored and never made it through the first episode. I would have loved to have seen "Lost," win of course or "Breaking Bad." "Lost" only has one year left to win!

Go here for the complete list of winners and here for the red carpet fashions.

Ummm....Wow! That's pretty much what comes to mind when summing up the first season of "Nurse Jackie" on Showtime. I watched the final episode of the season last night On Demand. If there's one thing Charter Cable's good for it's On Demand, which let me watch the season finale a week early. I couldn't wait after I saw the cliffhanger of episode 11!

If you're not familiar with the show it takes place in New York City and tells the story of Jackie, played wonderfully by Edie Falco of "The Soprano's" fame, and her life as a hardass nurse, wife and mother. Did I mention that she's also addicted to pain killers and is cheating on her husband with the hopsital pharmacist? It sounds a little crazy but you really do end up pulling for Jackie despite her morally gray behavior. She does what is right for her patients whether it's ethical or not, keeps her family hidden from the entire hospital and comes home at the end of the day as a woman who loves her husband and kids.

The show features a hilarious and intriguing supporting cast of characters played mostly by people I've never heard of before. Zoey, a nurse-in-training, kitten lover and all around too-upbeat-for-her-own good is played Merrit Wever. In the final episode of the season she decides to punish herself for giving a patient a wrong dose of medicine by wearing dark gray scrubs instead of her normals bright pink, bunny scrubs. It's so much fun to watch her character and Falco's interact because they are polar opposites.

A familiar cast member is Peter Facinelli (aka Carlisle Cullen for all you "Twilight" lovers) who plays the newest doctor, Fitch Cooper, a wannabe guy's guy and ladies man. Although should he get nervous, say when he's being yelled at by Jackie, he has what he calls "sexual tourrette's" which makes him grab people's breasts uncontrollably. This could perhaps be a result of growing up with lesbian mothers played fabulously in one episode by Swoosie Kurtz and Blythe Danner.

Showtime has really been quickly becoming my favorite television network. Between "Nurse Jackie," "Weeds," and "United States of Tara," I don't know that I've ever seen such comical, dramatic, smart and realistic writing and acting in shows starring women. But don't get me wrong, these shows aren't only meant for women viewers. My recommendation to you is to hurry up and watch all 12 episodes for free while they're still available On Demand or else you'll have to wait a couple of months when it comes out on DVD. If you don't have Showtime you should make friends with someone who does and take a couple hours and watch this show!