Lost: Left Behind

This episode of "Lost" was a bit of a snooze fest, if you ask me. I tried to be patient, assuming there would be some answers — to anything — by the end of it, but no cigar. Plus, the flashbacks were of Kate, and she is so not my favorite character. Still, there was a nice little sentimental theme of betraying the people you love (Kate's mother betrayed her, Sawyer betrayed Cassidy, Kate betrayed Jack), and the great con man Sawyer got a taste of his own medicine — by Hurley, no less!

Okay, seriously, the girl-on-girl wet t-shirt smackdown was a bit much, especially Kate's WWF-style "Are you done yet?!" Later, the two ladies fall in a giant mud puddle! So. Very. Gratuitous. Then again, last week's episode featured a nice shirtless Sawyer scene, so at least they're making these extraneous scenes a little more equal opportunity. And I have to say that that first flip that Juliet pulled on Kate was pretty cool.

There was a lot more of the good person vs. bad person stuff, which this season has been focusing on a lot:

—Locke says he told the Others that Kate was a "good person."

—Kate says she killed her stepfather because he was "a bad guy."

—Cassidy says that her man (Sawyer) was "a bad guy," and then says to Kate "One of us deserves something good."

In the tongue-in-cheek moment of the night, Kate says to Juliet, "Welcome to the wonderful world of not knowing what the hell is going on." Ha ha... exactly, Kate. Exactly.

Hurley tricks Sawyer into thinking that he's going to be banished by the Losties, a move that seems to be a reference to being "voted off" the island, a la "Survivor." When he learns the truth, Sawyer gives my favorite line of the night: "You tricked me into being decent?! That's gotta be the lamest con in the history of cons!"

Of course now that Sawyer is apparently their leader, it sets up all sorts of alpha male conflicts for when Jack returns.

The scene when the monster is apparently approaching Kate and Juliet was, I think, supposed to be suspenseful but was instead really boring. I just want to know why Smokey flashes light at the them.

It says "Cowboy Up" on Kate's hat, which made me laugh thinking of when Sawyer punched a crying Carl on the arm in and told him to "cowboy up!" I mean, who says "cowboy up"?

A few thoughts:

Where are the Others going? Back to the Hydra station? Another secret location?

Sawyer was reading Watership Down again. Has he run out of books, or is he reading several books at once?

"You sir, Hugo, are rotund." Priceless.

Kate has a system for her aliases: saints' names. She's used Anne, Monica, Margaret, Joan, and Lucy.

Stick a fork in Nikki and Paulo. They didn't dig their way out of their graves, and Vincent didn't save them.

Friday Night Lights: Best Laid Plans

One of the things I praise this show for is how well acted it is. Yet I think this episode might have set a new high mark.

I'm talking specifically about the argument Eric and Tami had over her proposal that she and Julie stay in Dillon while Eric goes to Austin. It's great writing to start with, and performed amazingly by Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton.

Over the course of this TV season I have learned a lot about their relationship. They are one of the great television couples, but part of what makes them so great is their imperfections. I get the chance to see the happy, madly in love Taylors, but I also get to see the struggling, fighting Taylors. My favorite part was Eric's admission, "I'm not mature, I can't handle that." They are endlessly fascinating to me.

As long as I'm throwing around accolades for great acting, I should toss some at the fellow who plays Landry. This is not the Landry that I first met early in the season. His line to Saracen, "I'm just here for the comic relief for the star quarterback?" was interesting. That could have very easily been the arc of the Landry character, and it probably would have been just fine. Every now and again he'd pop up and say something witty, then step aside. This was so much better. Confiding in Saracen, his talk with Tami, being crushed by Tyra's misplaced anger, right on through their final conversation at the roast. It was all very good.

I liked how they left it too. Landry was a little harsh, but it was a big step for him. The easy thing would have been to fall right back into that puppy dog role and be glad for the attention from Tyra. Instead, he laid out all of his feelings and gave her something to think about. I thought that based on her look as he left, he got the message across.

Speaking of the roast, I liked the tension underneath what was outwardly a very happy-go-lucky time. With all of the disapproving looks from Saracen, and the fight that resumed between Eric and Tami, it seemed like there was a chance that the whole thing would just go off the rails and turn into a skewering of Eric as everyone asked, "Why are you leaving us?"

Tami's too good for that though, and I thought her speech was great. Sure, she was funny and charming, and Eric certainly does have, as Buddy put it, "a good one." The great part of the scene for me though, was that she was standing there in front of all those people, but really just making her case to Eric.

Eric's decision and how the Taylor family is going to deal with it did dominate the episode, but there were some smaller bits of the story worth noting. Buddy and Pam getting a divorce wasn't much of a surprise. I did like the way she corrected him though. "You're gonna see them every other weekend."

There wasn't a lot of screen time given to what is going on between Smash and Waverly, but I do really like that part of the story. They really have done a nice job of growing Smash's character. Much like Landry, he could have easily been relegated to the background, but the show is better for the time they have spent developing him.

I'm not sure if that was the end of Street and Lyla or not. It could be, but it just seems like that one still has some legs. It's not going to be pretty, and I've long since given up on any kind of hearts and flowers reconciliation. Not done yet though.

Either way, I have really enjoyed all of the scenes with Street and Susie, so I'm ok with Lyla moving on. Coach Street was fun to see too. I liked how he fell right into step with Eric when they started talking to Saracen. And hey, if Eric is getting a job in Austin, doesn't Susie live in Austin? Things are lining up for Street.

It's probably time to drop the Tim and just go back to talking about Riggins. It seems that Jackie finally wised up and realized that getting involved with a high school kid that has his own truckload of baggage isn't the best thing for her or her little boy. I'm not surprised, but I thought that would come some time after the mysterious husband/father showed up to flesh out Jackie's backstory.

So here I sit. One episode to go in what has been a great first season. I've got some big questions looming with that last episode. Will the Panthers win it all? Will Eric stay in Dillon after Tami told him she's not going to Austin? And most importantly, will I get a second season? My guesses, yes to all.

Dinner and a DVD: Ghost World

Cheese ravioli comes alive in this tangy, slightly sweet tomato sauce. With its tasty mix of seasoning, spinach and beans, you won't need a side dish.

Mexican-Style Ravioli

1 package (20 oz) refrigerated cheese ravioli

1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 cup beef broth

1 can (6 oz) tomato paste

1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Dried oregano

Salt & Pepper

4 cups fresh baby spinach

Cook ravioli according to package directions. meanwhile, in a large skillet, combine the tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, beans, brown sugar, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 3-4 minutes or until heated through. Drain ravioli; add to tomato mixture. Stir in spinach; cook and stir for 4-5 minutes or until wilted.

Featured Attraction: Ghost World

Ghost World doesn't actually start with the phrase 'our lives would never be the same after that summer' but it might as well. The film follows Enid & Rebecca in the summer after graduation in a small American town. As you might expect they get dull jobs and have troubles with relationships & parents. Enid is artistic & slightly nerdy, Rebecca more ready to embrace a 'mainstream' existence and surprise surprise this puts strains on their relationship.

Like an overlong episode of Seinfeld, but with less plot and zero punchlines, I kept waiting anxiously for the movie to begin. Maybe there's some particular tone to the "Ghost World" comic that I completely missed out on, but this is the most rambling and incoherent script that I have seen in a while. (Snippets of plot, like the Batman hat or the controversial chicken-art, simply disappear rather than being wrapped together.)

Steve Buscemi, as well as most of the supporting characters, are quite entertaining. But it felt like watching the setting for a really good movie...and the good movie never showed up.

Thora Birch's (Enid) acting? It seemed like she mastered the don't-make-a-facial-expression schtick in "American Beauty" and pushed it into overdrive here - I was unconvinced by her.

And finally, the reason why my love for this movie was limited from the beginning is that I DIDN'T LIKE the main characters. Was I supposed to be charmed by Enid's consistent, unwavering self-centeredness? Don't get me wrong, I think it can be funny to show a couple of high-school grads driving around and being bitchy to everyone. With "Ghost World," however, I just wanted them to shut up. Maybe if, at some point during the movie, they had actually DONE something I would have felt differently.

Unless you want to be really depressed or enjoy watching people screw up their, and others', lives - don't even bother to see this movie.

Soup of the Week

Go figure . . . Saturday it was 92 degrees. Today (Monday) it is 65 degrees. Only in Michigan can we go from one extreme to another. But that's okay by me, because that means I can fix this great soup for the cooler weather.

If you like ham and bean soup, but don't want to spend hours in the kitchen, this tasty and timely version will leave you with a satisfied smile.

Ham & Bean Soup

2 carrots, sliced

2 celery ribs, chopped

Chopped onion

2 tablespoons butter

4 cans (15 1/2 oz each) great northern beans, rinsed & drained

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups cubed fully cooked ham

1 teaspoon chili powder

Minced garlic

Pepper

1 bay leaf

In a large saucepan, saute the carrots, celery and onion in butter until tender. Stir in the remaining ingredients; cook for 15 minutes or until heated through. Discard bay leave before serving.

The Riches: Been There, Done That

I'm really looking forward to seeing Dale come knocking on the Riches front door, hopefully looking like Nicholson in The Shining, but I know I'm going to have to wait for that. That's fine though, because there are plenty of other tales to tell.

Jolinda, for instance. This was good, although I was pretty sure that she was going to show up to meet Doug in person. And almost convinced of it when Hugh pointed out to Wayne that ex-wives always find you. Having Wayne and Dahlia head that one off at the pass actually worked out even better though.

The con aspect of the story was good, and well crafted. Not only was Dwayne able to solve the Jolinda problem, he also managed to ingratiate himself with Jim by unloading his bum alpaca. And by my calculations, he even managed to make 20 grand in the process. As good a result as they could have hoped for.

What sold me on the whole caper though, was the phone call.Wayne and Dahlia have an unconventional relationship. The vast majority of us manage to make it through without having to worry about meth addictions, traveler families bent on revenge, or the threat of someone discovering we are living in a dead guys house. That's a lot of extra baggage to stack on top of the normal relationship trials. It's asking for drama.

I thought they handled it beautifully here when Wayne called Dahlia, making the fake phone call to Doug. There's a moment in there where the conversation turns, and they aren't talking about Doug and Jolinda anymore. They are finally having a long overdue conversation about Wayne and Dahlia. It's never going to be easy for them, it's just not who they are. The revelations about just what kind of a person the real Doug was were also interesting. That could certainly lead to more surprises popping up.

I really like Dahlia with Nina. She is just such a crazy character. Her little rundown of the neighbors and their obsessions was the funniest scene of the night. I was left a little confused by the scene with Hugh feeling up Dahlia in the bathroom. A little creepy, and kind of came out of nowhere. There has to be more coming from that later.

The one scene that I felt didn't work was Wayne at work. Doug meeting with Homeowners against Panco certainly had its moments. "We're completely against anyone blowing up... we take those grenades and we turn them into lemonade." There was just no end to it. Why would that make an angry mob of homeowners just leave? It's a case of things being a little too easy for the fake Doug. Wayne should have had to struggle more with that one.

Meanwhile, DiDi is off blending in. I suspect that we are going to see more of Eric as time goes by. For now, I think her time with him, as well as seeing her excel in the classroom, continue to hint that DiDi is warming up to the buffer life much quicker than her brother or her mother. She is her father's daughter.

Cael, on the other hand, isn't really conforming to this new life. He did manage to make a couple friends, but doing so by reverting back to what he knows, says as much about him as the classroom scene says about where DiDi is headed. We also got some resolution on those Tammy phone calls. I really liked that scene. They did a nice job of making Tammy suspicious without making it obvious, so Cael's reaction was just right. He also showed that he has been paying attention to his father. The call to the police was a nice call back to Wayne explaining that cops are the buffer's friends.

And finally, a great ending. Cael managed to thwart Dale's attempt to flush them out, but they've now set up the next chapter of the ongoing story because the family knows where they are. I'm looking forward to see where this goes next.

Prison Break: SONA Season Finale

I knew this episode was going to begin with a quick recap of the season, but I had no idea we would be treated to the parade of haircuts that we saw. I kind of miss Linc's bald head.

I must admit that by the time the opening credits kicked in, my heart was racing. There were so many loose ends to tie up. Could it possibly be done in just one hour? It's the kind of task that only Michael Scofield himself could accomplish.

The best thing about this finale is that every single character acted exactly the way they should. Nobody steeped out of character, even though Sucre was three pints low, all he could think about was Maricruz. I mean, I'm sure guys have been hung up on a chick before, but he took it to the next level. I can't wait to see what happens.

Kellerman finally did something good. Now before you accuse him of being out of character, remember he had no options. He had lost his job, his credibility and any chance of finally hooking up with Carolyn. He knew it was time to either go out like a man or go to the next level. Personally, I'm not convinced he's dead. Without an actual body, I can't believe anything. I can't wait to see what happens.

Just when you think Mahone can't get any crazier, he surprises you. I'm a little torn, though. I don't know whether I should praise Alex for his desire to reconnect with his family or chastise him for stupidly of forgetting about Mr. Kim. Doesn't Mr. Kim always show up when he's least expected?

Speaking of showing up unexpectedly, I don't know how Sara got to Panama so fast and I don't care. The reunion warmed my heart almost as much as seeing her take out Mr. Kim. His forgetting about Sara could also be considered out of character, but it made perfect sense to me. After suffering so many setbacks, he was bound to make a mistake. I can't wait to see what happens.

The big question, of course, is what the hell is going on at SONA? Was getting Michael to SONA the endgame in all of this? Will he be the guinea pig in some awesome government experiment? Can Bellick suffer any more humiliation? I must admit, as pitiful as Brad looked laying there on the concrete, I had to smile. It was the epitome of comeuppance.

In closing, I want to point out the real crime on Prison Break. The fact that nobody connected with this show ever wins an Emmy. The acting, the writing, the directing are all some of the best on television and as far as next season is concerned, I can't wait to see what happens.

CSI: Empty Eyes

Well this wasn't the best episode of CSI, but it still had its high points. I know it's a lot to ask to have every episode tie together and not stand alone, but I was really hoping for some more stuff on The Miniature Killer.

What we did get was a look at Sara how this job is affecting her. I've always known that she was the most emotional member of the Vegas team, but it really came through on this case. I suppose holding the hand of someone who's about to die will do that to you. However, as I said, despite the mediocrity of the episode as a whole, there were a few really good high points.

First up was Hodges. I've always loved what his character adds to the show, but we got something from him here that's never really been explored before. Despite his sarcastic, know-it-all attitude, the guy is human. While processing evidence from the showgirl murders, one of the victims cell phones rang. Hodges got saddled with the responsibility of telling a mother that her daughter was dead. It led to an interesting exchange between him and Sara where he asked her if she ever felt guilty after doing the right thing. It was just very cool to see this other side of his character.

Next was some closure on the Demtrius James case that Greg was involved with. While I'm glad we got an answer to where this stands, it sort of bugged me that the issue was forgotten and now we just found out that the civil suit was dropped in favor of a payout. It seemed like a lazy way to conclude the issue, especially since it just makes Greg feel guilty (when he isn't). It'll be interesting to see if he pursues this more on his own time. I think he will because earlier in the season, the whole case just seemed too important to him.

The final point I wanted to mention was the guest-starring role from Walton Goggins from The Shield. He was really good as the killer though. Creepy as hell, but really good. When he admitted to doing it, but feeling nothing? That was the line that got me right there.