'Still Positive' Reaction: Is 'Homeland' Supposed to Be Hilarious?

"Homeland" is halfway through Season 3, and I still feel like I can take it or leave it. I accepted Carrie (Claire Danes) as the conflicted professional who alternated between suspecting Brody (Damian Lewis) of being a cutthroat terrorist and doodling "Mrs. Carrie Brody" in her diary. But the show messed up by becoming too Brody-centric and killing the suspense about his true intentions.

Despite a promising premiere, "Tin Man is Down," Season 3 is burning LiLo's Elizabeth Taylor into my brain. Come on, now. Showtime is a premium channel and they need to get with it!

"Still Positive" amped up the action and suspense with a bloodbath and surprising glimpse into Saul's (Mandy Patinkin) life. While Carrie is repeatedly confronted about her mental illness, it is clear that Saul is constantly dealing with an inner struggle of his own. So, it's no surprise when he becomes a quiet storm of rage after his dying marriage and career go kaput on the same day. It was a bit of a missed opportunity, though. If viewers had more time to revel in Javadi's apparent smarminess, watching him squirm would have delivered a huge payoff.

Saul's wife consummated her relationship with her "friend," Javadi slaughtered two people in front of an infant, and a lowly civil servant made sure to throw shade at Dana Brody (Morgan Saylor) one last time before she left Casa Brody and embarked on a new life as Dana Lazaro. Despite all that grief and gore, this was the funniest episode of "Homeland."

Carrie casually peeled the wrapper from a pregnancy test and set about providing a sample. This development seemed inevitable. The show has a long reputation of toying with her career, relationship status, and mental stability. A pregnancy is the perfect way to shake up all three categories while restoring the type of volatility that defines "Homeland."

The hilarious part came when she transferred the positive test to a drawer filled with pregnancy tests! Yep, still positive.

Thanks for making HBO obsolete, Tumblr

So, who's the daddy? Carrie's big Where's Waldo? map of Brody sightings hints that he is the father, but it is entirely possible the show will throw a curve ball. Quinn? The red-headed stranger? Some off-screen encounter?

After the funniness faded, the doubts emerged. Was this a sloppy crinkle in the show? When did Carrie become pregnant? Was she pregnant during her visit to the mental institution? (That could explain why that nurse was so generous to her despite the fact that she was an out of control patient asking for special privileges.) How will the medications and her current lifestyle affect the baby? Also, Claire Danes just had a baby and returned to her normal size in real life. It seems a bit twisted to make her portray a pregnant Carrie.

'The Real Housewives of Atlanta': Is Porsha Stewart Poised for a Spinoff?

Season 6 of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" opened with NeNe reveling in her own grandeur before finally broaching the topic of Porsha and Kordell’s divorce. Porsha vented her anger and shock that she learned about her own divorce on Twitter, but she also held a glimmer of hope that she could somehow salvage the relationship.

Wendy Williams Calls Porsha “Less Than Smart”
Kordell wasn’t willing to reconcile, and Porsha soon found herself living in her mother’s guest room. By Episode 2, Porsha moved into the master suite so she would be more comfortable. She acted very spoiled and bratty about it, but it did not seem real. Between her short ‘n sassy wig, her emotional outbursts, and more detailed accusations that Kordell is secretly, or not so secretly gay, it seems like she is working very hard to be interesting this season.

During an interview, Wendy Williams told her it was a bad move because she went from being coddled by Kordell to being coddled at home. She already married young, by Wendy’s standards, and needed to assert her independence -- even if that meant living in a studio apartment. So, Wendy's trying to direct Porsha's life while telling her to be more independent? 

Although Wendy was way too harsh (and nosy!) and the “oohing” studio audience added another layer of judgment, Porsha maintained her poise and responded by explaining that she needed her family’s support to strengthen her after the ordeal she went through. She seemed so unflappable, it made me wonder if she already had a bigger plan in the works.





Porsha on the Prowl?
There is a certain sweetness and naivete about Porsha, which may be responsible for her rep of being an airhead or trophy wife. She seems determined to shake that stereotype this season. There is a good chance that she is angling for her own show. Bravo obviously isn’t shy about stretching the “Housewives” franchise. Former “RHOA” castmate Kim snagged a wedding special and spinoff series. Bravo granted NeNe and Gregg’s remix wedding worthy of a short series. Porsha could move into an apartment with interesting neighbors and do a whole single-in-the-city thing as she rebuilds her life. All she is missing is an annoying/entertaining frenemy/sidekick like Dwight.

Review: 'The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror XXIV' Delivers DVR-Worthy Couch Gag from Guillermo del Toro

Talk about the holiday creep... This year's installment of "Treehouse of Horror" treats viewers before Halloween!

Thanks to Guillermo del Toro, the couch gag is easily the best part of the episode. The extended opening sequence packs so many horror references, including del Toro's own work and call backs to previous editions of "Treehouse of Horror," that it begs for repeat viewings to catch them all.

"The Fat in the Hat"
 This Seuss-inspired vignette casts Homer as the Fat in the Hat, an utterly deranged version of the famous cat with the striped hat. His reign of terror devolves into an increasingly bizarre and grim spree of violence typical of MAD's "Spy vs. Spy." It almost falls into the classic "SNL" trap of running too long, but clever rhyming narration and a few cracks about 2003's "Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat" buoy it.

"Dead and Shoulders"
Did someone try to hide the disappointing fluff in the middle? This story is not only the weakest of the trio, it is similar to Homer's nightmare in "Treehouse of Horror II." It needs a twistier ending to make revisiting the concept of two heads on one body worthwhile. Maybe it would have worked better if Dr. Hibbert did another operation to "fix" his mistake, but stuck Bart's head on one of the Little Ponies he hates.

"Freaks, No Geeks"
The final and best story of the night maintains the horrifyingly bizarre tone of its source material, 1932's "Freaks," while adding a Springfield twist by casting the gang as assorted Burnsum and Bailey Circus freaks.
The "How I Met Your Mother" tie-in cinches it.

'Homeland' Season 3 Premiere: 5 Burning Questions

The Season 3 premiere of “Homeland” focuses on the show’s original couple: Carrie and Saul.  This duo shares more tragedy, angst, tension, and twisted love than Brody and Carrie ever could. If you haven’t yet watched this Brody-free episode, watch it before reading the semi-spoilers below.

Did Saul really betray Carrie?
Saul, or maybe it’s Mandy Patinkin, always looks pensive. He’s a reluctant CIA member who feared being set up last season. Why would Dar Adal’s knowing glances nudge him to ambush Carrie? Is Saul secretly working on a noble mission?

Carrie has a newspaper subscription!?
Despite being a fan of the printed word, it’s jarring to see the newspaper play such a pivotal role on “Homeland.” A subscription doesn’t jibe with Carrie’s tech-savvy and chaotic lifestyle. Does she call in for vacation hold when she goes ‘round the bend or travels for missions? On second thought, she may need the paper so she can plaster the walls with elaborate theories.

Is Jessica the new Dana?
Dana 2.0 is far more likeable and sympathetic than the previous version, but it looks like Jessica may adopt her annoyed/annoying persona. During a chat with Dana’s doctor, she blankly rattles off the many problems facing the family. Jessica’s obviously not herself.

Her mom’s lending financial and moral support, or her version of it. She grumbles about Brody’s decisions, suggests a lawsuit against the Marines, and offends Dana. Jessica looks as though she is ready to erupt, or implode, at any second.

What will follow “The Wizard of Oz” strike?
So what if the agency killed six people linked to the bombing?  Don’t they have cohorts and underlings ready to take their places? Between Saul’s showboating in front of the media, and the committee's assertion that he authorized the assassination of civilians, he surely riled some unseen enemies.

How is Brody eluding authorities?
He is a famous POW, U.S. congressman, vice presidential candidate, and terrorist suspect. Although that combo may win him some resourceful allies, it's hard to fathom how such a famous and memorable person remains on the lam. 

"Homeland" airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on Showtime.

Will 'Sabrina Secrets of a Teenage Witch' Bewitch Viewers?

Get your own "Sabrina" wallpaper here

A revamped version of Sabrina is ready to entrance a new generation of viewers. "Sabrina Secrets of a Teenage Witch" follows 16-year-old Sabrina (voiced by Ashley Tisdale) as she juggles life in two different realms, Glendale and Witch World.

While in Glendale, the half-witch, half-mortal poses as a human and keeps her magical abilities secret. Her BFF, Jessie, is the only human who knows Sabrina and her aunts are witches. Buddy Harvey is a super awkward with a love of costumes and all things geeky.

Evil Enchantra, who wants to stop Sabrina from becoming queen of Witch World, sends Salem to work undercover. If he can make Sabrina so miserable she leaves the mortal realm, Enchantra will restore his warlock form. Sabrina's charm and the joys of cat life make Salem reconsider his mission.

And then there's Shinji, Enchantra's arrogant son. He is the only one powerful enough to rival Sabrina's brains and magical skills. Enchantra wants Sabrina to marry Shinji so she can use her role as mother-in-law to control Witch World.

Sabrina the Superhero 
This version maintains Sabrina's klutzy mortal persona, but adds a cool superhero quality. Naturally, the premiere episode, "Dance with Werewolves," shows Sabrina's two worlds colliding.

Sabrina's witch world wrecks havoc with her human friends when Harvey puts on a cursed jacket as part of the costume he plans to wear to the premiere of a new werewolf movie. Later, Shinji crosses into the human world to seek revenge on Sabrina for standing him up at the full-moon dance. (Synopsis via press release.)

First Impressions
The casting seems solid. Treating Sabrina as a superhero and amping Salem's duplicitous nature sounds compelling, but the actual animation is strange. At certain angles, Sabrina looks like a caricature of Nancy Grace. Surely, that isn't how they intended to portray a lively 16-year-old heroine. 

Shinji looks like a cartoon character who bought a low-budget Eddie Munster costume.

Salem's mustache is a bold reminder of his rightful place as a warlock, but it is incredibly distracting. He looks too much like Dr. Bombay (Bernard Fox) from "Bewitched."

The preview showed only a brief glimpse of Aunt Hilda and Zelda. Short and clad in dreary brown attire, they look like Tuffnut and Ruffnut from "How to Train Your Dragon." Still, I almost want to tune in just to find out their story.

Check out the promo to see the characters for yourself.


"Sabrina Secrets of a Teenage Witch" premieres Saturday, Oct. 12 at noon on the Hub Network.   

Come as You Are to Watch 'Witches of East End'

Move over "Dance Moms," Lifetime is adding some real witches this October! Inspired by Melissa de la Cruz’s New York Times best-selling novel, "Witches of East End" follows the mysterious Beauchamp family. Supernatural trouble brews, forcing Joanna (Julia Ormond) to reveal that her daughters are immortal witches. Now, Ingrid (Rachel Boston) and Freya (Jenna Dewan Tatum) must master their untapped powers to battle an ancient foe who wants to extinguish their family line.

Which Witch: “Witches of East End” vs. “American Horror Story: Coven”
The newest installment of “American Horror Story” will also feature a young woman who has to embrace her witchy legacy to fight extinction. With a cast of powerhouses--including Kathy Bates, Jessica Lange, Angela Basset, and Patti LuPone—“AHS: Coven” will explore feminist and historical themes. Based on the promos, “Witches of East End” looks supernatural and soapy, while “AHS: Coven” seems more intense and creepy.

“Witches of East End” premieres Sunday, Oct. 6 at 10 p.m. on Lifetime.

'The Haunting Hour' Returns Oct. 12

The eerie anthology series, which won the 2013 Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Children’s Series, ranges from kooky stories (“Poof de Fromage” comes to mind) to hardcore scares (“Dreamcatcher”). Premiere night features two back-to-back episodes, and the first one looks really good.

“Séance”
Naomi (Julia Sarah Stone) and her friend set up a fake séance to scare her naïve little sister, Carla (Joey King). When the prank goes wrong, the girls learn the truth about a neighborhood legend.

Yikes! The brief ad with King gasping really sells this one because she looks petrified.

“Detention”
The second half of the double feature follows “an unlikely group” of high school students sentenced to afternoon detention. When creepiness ensues, they must make tough decisions, or risk being stuck in school forever.

Is it me or does this one sound a bit like a supernatural “Breakfast Club”? The mere thought of being stuck in school may be enough to scare some viewers, but I suspect this one will include a heavy-handed moral.

New episodes of “R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour: The Series” hit the Hub Network on Saturday, Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. Beginning Oct. 19, new episodes will air weekly on Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. 

'Bates Motel' Season 1 Available on DVD: Get to Know Norman

The prospect of A&E’s “Bates Motel” didn’t appeal me to because I expected a derivative show that left viewers anxious to see the moment Norman (Freddie Highmore) first slapped on a wig and practiced his creepy mom voice. (Surely, that would be the highlight of this predictable and totally unnecessary retread.) Instead, the show creates a moody, suspenseful atmosphere rich with plenty of strange characters.

Teen Norman is undeniably odd, but seeing his relationship with his living mother (Vera Farmiga) adds context to the familiar weirdo immortalized by Anthony Perkins. Season 1 further builds on the “Psycho” we know by showing his introduction to the world of taxidermy.

Side note: Farmiga earned an Emmy nom for her performance as Norman’s mother, Norma, but Claire Danes from “Homeland” took the prize. It’s an interesting choice since Norma employs an arsenal of personas and emotions to suit different situations while “Homeland” shows Carrie shifting from completely unhinged to slightly unhinged—again and again. Maybe her performance merited the Emmy because Carrie is “Homeland.”

“Bates Motel” Season 2 premieres in early 2014. 

'Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition' Season 2: Is JoJo BowBow a Villain?

In the world of  "Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition," they are plenty of people to root against: bulldozing Abby, frenzied choreographers, and rampaging stage moms. Although JoJo and her mother don't fit into any of those categories, they are getting plenty of on-screen heat. It feels like they're being cast as Season 2's go-to villains.

The JoJo Circus
During the first episode, Jessalyn tells JoJo to diva walk her way to the front of the group during a dance challenge. Tiffany takes this as a sabotage attempt, then complains how this mother-daughter duo represents everything she hates about dance. She calls them the JoJo Circus and demands that Jessalyn apologize to the group. Has Tiffany ever seen this show? "Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition" is a circus, and she's part of the sideshow.

Considering that JoJo is among the youngest and shortest competitors, moving toward the front didn't hinder anyone else, especially Tiffany's teen daughter, Ally, who is the tallest dancer. Besides, the covert move works against JoJo, and she is the first one eliminated from the challenge.

Is Abby Anti-Anti-Bullying?
Anyone who watches "Dance Moms" knows Abby frequently spews out nonsensical or contradictory points masked only by her volume and body language. Well, JoJo's quick mouth and the "Dare to Be You" challenge brought out the most bizarre instance of Abby's hypocrisy. During the Lady Gaga episode, JoJo answered when Abby was speaking to Sheryl, prompting Abby to critique Jessalyn's parenting. Abby thinks JoJo would be better off if she switched from home school to public school and endured a bit of bullying.

Mmk, it sounds like Abby meant it would be beneficial for JoJo to mingle with other kids to learn how to fit in and get along instead of stealing the spotlight. But Abby took it way too far by suggesting that JoJo would catch on after a classmate shoved her into a locker. Instead of promoting individuality, the Gaga episode extolled the benefits of violent bullying.



Giannaaaaaa!!
JoJo is a tad too sassy, bordering on disrespectful and rude. Abby's right that the cute factor wears off pretty quickly, especially when the kid is 9 or 10 years old. But JoJo's still the life of the party keeping this show from devolving into a bunch of crazed moms and scared glassy-eyed kids. Her incredibly annoying impression of Gianna's mom, Cindy, is spot on.

So far, Jessalynn and JoJo are more like big glittery, neon targets than villains. Hopefully, they will keep it light and fun for the rest of their stay.

"Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition" airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on Lifetime.

'The Middle': 3 Burning Questions for Season 5

New episodes of ABC's "The Middle" return to Wednesday nights on Sept. 25. What the heck will happen in Season 5? There are a few slightly predictable spoilers floating around, but these three questions remain a mystery. 

What's the deal with Brick's iPad?
Remember when Brick was upset about the thought of using the computer for fresh reading material? (It seems like it was the episode where Frankie and Mike are "Taking Back the House," and refuse to rush him to the library on demand.) Brick was very clear that he needed the smell and feel of a real book.

Since that was way back in Season 2, Brick could have changed his mind. And giving a pricey gadget to an irresponsible kid seems like the kind of thing Frankie would do, but I'm not sure how it will go. Will the iPad become lost, damaged, or stolen like so many of Brick's possesions? That might be too much of a ding to the Apple brand. Since "The Middle" has a good track record of carrying small details across episodes, I expect to see the iPad in Season 5.

How will Axl fit into the show?
What's going to happen now that Axl lives on campus? Sure, he is close enough to return home, but Axl seems like the type who won't visit until every garment he owns is in dire need of laundering. The Hecks' ancient washing machine may not be up to the task. 

The Axl-Sean-Darrin friendship made for some of the show's best moments. Hopefully, Axl's college life will occupy a nice bit of screen time, and cultivate a similar dynamic.  

Is the car fixed yet?
The family borrowed the church van because they couldn't afford to repair their car's shattered windshield. This scenario makes sense because the family is always dealing with financial issues, but a new windshield is not that expensive. Did the car suffer more extensive damage? Are they hanging on to the van for the free pizza?

Catch Up with "The Middle" Before the Season 5 Premiere: Season 4 Recap