Good or Bad Romance: The Mysteries of Laura "The Mystery of the Deemed Dealer

Sometimes ex's do get back together. In this week's all new Mysteries of Laura, Laura and the gang gets a call when a student gets killed by a hit and run.

The gang looks into a hit and run of a kid who happens to be going to a private school under his father's back to get a better life for them. Billy finds that the victim had a dime-size bag of pot in his backpack.

As the gang move on in the investigation, Laura and Jake decided to go undercover and talk to the parents and teachers of the school. Things get a bit heated with Jake and Laura as they were pretending to be a couple and well, Jake takes it a bit of a she still loves him factor.

After going into the office snooping, they ditched into a closet and acted to a security guard that they were making out. One of the best scenes of the episode.

As soon as Laura comes back home, her father was babysitting the kids and talked to her about how her and Jake still have that romance left. Of course, Laura still feels like that ship has sailed. As soon as her father left, Jake comes in, kisses Laura and tells her that he still love her.

She turned him down fast. And soon after he slept in the living room with Laura freaking out that he's still there and that it's nine in the morning. As Jake leaves, Billy is there to check on his partner and well those two talked about what happen.

Soon, Laura and Billy talked to a student, Spencer, who was second behind the victim on the list to play goalie on the school hockey team. When Billy talked him down with the wrath of Sutton. Laura and Jake thinks that he didn't do it but Laura does know who.

It turned out to be the girlfriend of Spencer, because she wants him to go with her to Princeton.

As the case was closed, rumors were going around the squad room about how Laura and Jake had a one night stand and when Laura found out, she went to Jake and he told her that he told Billy because he was there when he left.

Laura then went out and yelled that nothing happen. Things went back to normal. And later, Laura, Jake and their family had a nice Sunday family dinner. As they finished, Jake brought dessert from the food court. With Laura looking at Jake, there might be some sparks left. Who knows, right? Laura got herself in a love triangle right now.

You can catch The Mysteries of Laura Wednesday nights at 8/7c on NBC.

Words with Different Meaning: Tuesday Night Comedies and Drama

Marry Me: "F Me"

This week's episode brings Annie and Jake into a situation that deals with using an offensive word on a flyer in their building. When they come to their apartment drunk, they see a flyer that says Art Show, in which Jake gets a marker from Annie and puts the letter F in front of the art. 

The next day, Julie, played by Jessica St. Clair, freaks out about someone writing F in the art show flyer. So she gets the apartment renters and tries to figure out who did it. 

When Annie and Jake get to the meeting, many people are upset. After that, they sneak out quickly and quietly and figure out what to do. Jake couldn't handle the pressure, but Annie blamed it on someone else. So she wrote on their door and blamed it on someone. 

Later on, after Julie told them that they got the person, Annie felt pretty guilty about it, and they both tried to plead and confess their action. But Julie declined their apology as they wanted that guy they thought wrote on Anne's door to go. 

In the meantime, with the wedding coming, an issue came forth when everyone who sent invitations out replied, all of them. So that leads one plus couple to arrive. So it was like Hunger Games meets the Dating Game (think about that Bravo!).

Gil and Dennah fight for that last spot; in the end, they lose and give it to Kay, who is in a relationship. 

This episode was hilarious and clever. I love watching Anne and Jake get into situations like this; it's funny. It reminds me of watching Jamie and Paul on Mad About You.

You can catch Marry Me on Tuesday nights at 9/8c on NBC.

About A Boy: "About A Prostitute" 

In the opposite style of Pretty Woman with a bit of Mean Girls, this episode takes on when Will needs to make money. So when there are jobs that are looking for experience, he gets an idea from Marcus and Fiona about teaching students how to play the guitar.

So when he puts a flyer at Marcus's school, a mother notices and decides to take his offer to teach her daughter. So after one session, Will and the mother go at it and have sex after she pays him a big wad of cash.

When Will came by the next day, her daughter was at her father's, so once again, they had sex, and he got paid for it. Andy tells Will that he's a male prostitute. That idea going into Will's head, the mother asked him to go on a date to the school's fundraiser and had him sign to be auctioned off until she bit $2,000 on Will.

But everything wasn't what it seemed when he told her he was not a male prostitute, and she got upset and told him that she was doing this to upset her ex-husband.    

Meanwhile, Fiona is dealing with the pressures of PTA mothers. Think of it as Mean Girls meets perfection mothers. Fiona got to hang out with them and be one of the girls until they rejected Marcus's request to dance to Cuban Beat.

In the end, Fiona senses that she's not one of them after he makes fun of Will and that mother's ideal of spending on love.

This was an enjoyable episode. I love that this theme was like Pretty Woman meets Mean Girls. It was just hilarious.

You can catch About A Boy on Tuesday nights at 9:30/8:30 on NBC. 

Chicago Fire: "Three Bells"

This is the epic episode that we've been waiting for, well, since three weeks ago. Last time, Severide and Dawson looked into the warehouse fire where Shay was killed because of a similar fire, but a newspaper clipping with Shay's face circled was found.

Ultimately, they found evidence that the warehouse where Shay died was arson and that she was murdered. Severide and Dawson took the evidence that they found to the Captain. She didn't like it when they didn't take any photos of the scene, but she took them and reported it.

Later on, Severide finds out that the arsonist is responsible for multiple kills. Afterward, the captain asked the warehouse owner, looking through photos of the suspects until he found the guy.

Before this, Severide got a tip from Hadley, the arson who caused fires last season, who wanted to talk to Severide. Hadley tells him that a guy has been sending him a note and a return address that turned out to be the address of a fire that killed Mil's dad.

The Captain talks to Severide and gives him info about the suspect. He lives near where they happen. The creepiest scene was when he walked over and talked to them about the fire. Speaking to Severide directly, he talked about how sorry he was to hear about his friend dying of a fire.

While this was happening, Shay's sister, Meg, came by with resentment of what Shay did on the job. Meg stays with Dawson and Britt; soon, she rides along with Britt and Mils. They get a call when a guy goes crazy, yelling at police and almost attacking Britt with a knife.

After that, Meg knows what Shay went through every day. Shay was that person who wanted to make you feel good, laughing up and not worrying about her and her job.

One of the most emotional moments came when, after Meg and Herrmann talked, everyone at House 51 gave a proper memorial for Shay. Dawson gave a few words that not only Meg and Severide but also Casey. The most powerful moment came when Severide removed the sheet from the ambulance door, and it had Leslie Shay's full name with her time on earth.

There were the lighter moments when Otis's grandmother came to live with him and Cruz. That freaked Cruz out. The best part was when Cruz and Britt celebrated their three-month anniversary and skipped the movie part. Just go to the end credits, and Otis's grandmother knits with a smile.

After the memorial service, Casey and Dawson talked, and they seemed to be okay, but they agreed to go on a break for a while. In the meantime, as everyone met up at Molly's Bar, the captain told Severide and Dawson that they weren't pursuing the suspect right now. They don't have enough evidence to bring him in.

So, if all else fails, will you call when something doesn't stick on a suspect? That's correct, Chicago PD. Dawson calls her brother for help, and that's where we leave until Wednesday night.

Any thoughts?

You can catch the Chicago Fire on Tuesday nights at 10/9c, and you can see the epic concussion TONIGHT at 10/9c on NBC.  

A Wedding and A Campaign: Parks and Recreation "Donna & Joe"

In this episode, Donna and Joe's wedding goes as plan with what Donna hopes to be is to have a non drama evening with her family being there. Donna has April being her maid of honor and what she wants her to do is to keep her family in the no drama zone during the rehearsal dinner, reception and wedding.

April's help turns out to be perfect as plan. But as soon as the wedding was about to begin Donna goes drama on her other maid of honor who was her best friend, who thought that Donna was going out with her boyfriend, which she did but now Donna hopes she suffers from this moment. WOW!

Then during the party, April gave Donna that one bit of drama that she wanted. Her ex boyfriend (played by Questlove) comes out and give her back the popcorn maker that throws it down.

Meanwhile, Ben and Leslie get a call from Jane. Leslie thought that Jane was going to ask her about running for Congress or something. Well, after dodging her calls, Jane comes to them and talks to them about how one of their congressman is an old fool. Jane offers Ben a seat run for Congress.

Ben is stun and doesn't know if he wants to do it or not. Leslie helps him decide by drinking, with only one slip they are drunk as a doorknob. Ben gives a speech to Donna and Joe that's like a campaign speech and the next day, Leslie and Ben were so hungover that Ben called Jane four times and gave her the good ahead to run while Leslie tried to call 867-9309.

Later on after Donna's wedding, Ben talks to Leslie and when a group of reporters comes to him, he decides to run for congress.

Also, when Ron and Tom talk about how Lucy and how Tom wants to marry her and take her to his own Bahamas. Ron tells Lucy about how Tom feels about her and things get awkward throughout the day. But Ron became Dr. Love and helped those two come true to their feelings.

Feel like this was another solid episode, love how Ron got involved in someone's love affair. The fact that it took one slip for Leslie and Ben to get drink was funny and QuestLove's appearance was flat out amazing!!

You can catch Parks and Recreation Tuesdays at 8/7c on NBC.

Look Back: Class Feature Film 110

(This was my very first feature article about a class for the ICC Harbinger. It was for journalism class that had use writing/contributing to the newspaper to get a feel of what it's like working for the newspaper. It was literally cool and a bit stressful at times. But I learned a lot.)

Class Feature: Film 110

If you are a movie lover with interest in a different genre and you think you have a bit of Roger Ebert in you, than Film 110 is the class for you to take.

Film 110 is a course of breaking down feature films.  Students in the class get to view the film, analysis, discuss in class and write about parts in the movie from character to actor to even the writing and music scores of the film.  Such films like “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” Forrest Gump,” “Gone in 60 Seconds”and“Silence of the Lamb” are just some examples of films that they’ll get to view.

“This course focuses on as a narrative art,” says Jennifer Richrath, just one of the instructors who teach Film 110. “It’s looking at how the story is told.”

She also said that they’re not trying to make movies and not really getting into the production of things but what they are looking at is the different elements and trying how the different elements that can contribute to the whole film.

In this course they take a look at a whole genre of films from classic to silent even from American to foreign films.

“I want to show films that students haven’t seen before,” Richrath said. “Exposed them to new film, not new like just recently made but more like the film from 1975 ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ that’s a classic that they’re not familiar with.”

There are students that seem to enjoy this class that never knew a class about film.

“I like movies,” said Nicole Foairty. “And I never knew that there were straightest to watching movies.”

For students who think that this is a class that only about just watching movies, it’s not. There are assignments where students will have to write about the film. Another would be a PowerPoint presentation about a director’s work. Also reading the course book is also recommended as well.

“What sometimes trips up students is if they come into a film course thinking that they’re just going to watch movies, eat popcorn and get an A,” Richrath said. “I can’t judge on how well they eat popcorn.”

One thing that Richrath want students to notice this semester is the visuals. Learning on why it was done like that or with a certain rhythm that’s being created by just editing in the film.

For example the 1989 German film “Run Lola Run,” set in German techno music during extreme fast pace as the lead character is running. Showing how editing fits with that kind of rhythm for it to show.

“It felt pretty cool learning the different lenses and techniques they use,” Foairty said.

Richrath encourages students to take this film class. She said that it opens the mind to a wide variety of films using critical thinking. By thinking critically by analysis and arguing a point about it, talking about it that the subject matter tends to level people to excitement if they want to be invested and willing to allow them to do that.

“There’s a lot more in different movie,” Foairty said.

Braxton vs. Red Super Bowl edition: The Blacklist "Luther Braxton No. 21" Part 1

In this Super Bowl post-show, the show did a fabulous job introducing the character of Raymond "Red" Reddington with breaking news reports.

As the episode started, Red turned himself into the CIA and was taken to an unknown place called the Factory, an oil rig out in the open sea. We learn that's where the CIA brings in criminals and does their torching. He brought Red in and placed him in a room with his arms and legs cuffed to the walls.

He wanted to inform Warren that Luther Braxton was going to break out. With the Warren being a bit cocky, he ignores Red. Too late, as soon as Braxton, played by Perlman, is back in his cell, he puts together a device to get him out.

In the meantime, Liz and the team wonder why Red is gone and being taken by the CIA. So when Ressler gets word about it, he informs them about it. Cooper sends Liz, Ressler, and Samar there.

Soon, Braxton makes his way out; he gets the rest of the guys out of their cells and moves on to start the system. He is on a mission to find something. That's what Red is trying to stop, at least.

Braxton is after the fulcrum, which is a blackmail document that contains secret information that will be very, very bad for National Security.

The worst part is when Liz, Ressler, and Samar make it there and are told to go back, and that's when the gunfire comes; Ressler and Samar are taken away, and Liz gets away. Ressler and Samar were born into a holding cell, where they were tied up with a chain around their neck.

As Red grabbed Liz, they went looking for a way to slow or stop Braxton down. They went down to the furnace room and blew up the generator. But just before that happens, Red tells Liz that if he can't stop Braxton, he'll discover he can't get the fulcrum without her.

I wonder if this fulcrum started at the time of the fire. Anyway, the generators blew up and shut down everything in the Factory. But as Liz gets up, Red is unconscious, and tries to revive him. As she does, she hides under a piece of woodpile and goes to Braxton's men and attacks but fails.

Then we see her taken into the room with Braxton and ask her about Red. After telling her he's dead. Red then gets up and soon knows that Braxton has Liz. He goes full rouge and shoots everyone in sight with a shotgun. Total awesomeness!

Soon, Red goes in and blasts his way into the room where Braxton and Liz are, and soon, Braxton's the one with a gun to his head. But it's that one moment that Braxton talks about Red and their past. Then he looks at Liz and puts two and two together and has an idea of what she is to him.

But we're cut off when a missile comes and blasts the place.

I find this episode to be super epic so far. It didn't disappoint at all whatsoever—also the perfect episode for anyone who has never seen The Blacklist. Forget the Pats and Seahawks; Red and Braxton are a rivalry. I also want to know who David Strathairn is playing as this mysterious figure in the CIA that put the missile ahead

There were two or three moments that I loved. One was when Braxton told Cooper that he was the warden. I got goosebumps all over. The second was when Braxton and Red chatted on the phone conference, and Red gave a Bruce Lee quote. It was an epic lousy guy-to-bad-guy conversation, and the other was when Red and Liz talked when they were in the furnace.

The conclusion of the two-part episode of this episode will air at its new night and time, this Thursday at 9/8c. And from the promo, it's one that you or anyone should miss at all. Braxton takes away Liz and is being drugged to look into her past. Could we finally know the truth?

You can catch The Blacklist Thursday night at 9/8c on NBC.

Five Reasons to Watch The Blacklist After the Super Bowl

We’re just a day way til the biggest sporting event in the country begins. The New England Patriots against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX in Arizona. Who isn't excited about it? As I’m rooting for the Patriots, I’ll be looking forward to the Super Bowl after show which will be The Blacklist.

Yes, after the Super Bowl The Blacklist will air a two-part episode. If you haven’t heard of the show, it’s about an FBI most wanted criminal, Raymond “Red” Reddington (played by James Spader), turned himself in, he not only surrendered by gives the FBI a bit of interest when he reveals that he has a list of the most dangerous and vicious criminals that they don’t know. But he’ll help with only one condition, that he works only with a rookie FBI agent, Elizabeth Keen (played by Megan Boone). 

Now in it’s second season, the show is a massive hit, if you haven’t seen it, I recommend you to stay tune after the game.

1. The man that's Red

Bold, smart, class and wears the best hats, James Spader is the right guy to play Raymond "Red" Reddington. Can you think of anyone else playing this character?

2. Red’s monologues

If there’s something that you can’t get enough of it’s hearing Red’s amusing and dramatic monologues. It could be either during a moment of danger or when he’s confronting a blacklister or someone that he admires.

3. The criminals on the list

The criminals that are on the show are amazing and scary. These are the ones that are being caught but also hunting as well.  There's  names like The Stewmaker, The Judge, The Alchemist, Lord Baltimore and for this Sunday’s episode, the blacklister is Luther Braxton who will be played by Ron Perlman. Who wouldn't be afraid of this criminal?

4. One tough FBI agent

 Just like Red, Elizabeth Keen, is one tough character. She maybe nice and sweet on the outside but she can kick butt on the inside. This second half of the season we'll learn why Red is tied to her past. Which is one of the most asked question of the series.

5. The stories are thrilling 

The writing on this show is outstanding. The story lines and the characters that they writers come up with is so creative and fresh. It’s such a thrilling, action-packed show that keeps you on your feet and once you think what might turn out will go completely opposite.

If you haven’t seen The Blacklist, you can catch the first season on Netflix and you can catch up on this season’s episodes/recaps at NBC.com. Don’t miss The Blacklist when it airs after the Super Bowl, which is a two-part episode that will conclude on its new night and time Thursday, Feb. 5th at 9/8c. You really can’t miss it.

Always & Forever: Parenthood "May God Bless and Keep You Always"

Just six years ago, we were introduced to the Bravermans and now we say goodbye, as tonight was the series finale of Parenthood and the whole meaning of this series is staying together.

The wedding is being planned out with Amber, Camille and Sarah. Things at Amber's apartment is a bit crowed with all that baby stuff. In the meantime, Hank goes over to see Zeek and ask for his blessing to marry his favorite daughter. Of course, he accepts.

If you think I started crying after that, NOT! I started when the episode first started.

Later on Crosby and Jasmine comes by with gifts for Amber and Crosby tells her that the luncheonette is shutting down. Amber not to happy about it but she handled it.

As soon as Crosby got back to help Adam clear things out, Adam wants him to sign the last contract and then they'll be done. Tension between them comes in the air but it was gone by the time the wedding.

As the wedding was soon to be getting started Max takes everyone's photo. We have one of the best photo shoot scene ever on television. I bet that most of that was improv.

As we see Sarah walking down with Zeek, hands her to Hank, Zeek looks emotional as he walks to his seat and soon Sarah and Hank are married.

The party couldn't be any happier after crying for the first 25 minutes of the show. Crosby talks to Jasmine about him owning the Luncheonette, Camille and Zeek asking Amber to move in with them and even Max getting to dance with a girl that they both like.

As the wedding ends, we move ahead. Adam who we thought was going to get the job at the water company doesn't after Kristina offers Adam Head Master job at Chambers after seeing him cooking with the kids.

Amber is moved in with her grandparents.

But it was when we see Camille looking at Sarah's wedding photos. That's when she was talking to Zeek, until he never responded to her. She goes into the living room and well....he passed away in his sleep in his favorite chair.

The family celebrates his death with a game of baseball. It was the one thing that Zeek loved to do is to take his kids and grand kids to the ballpark. After each member dumps his ashes on the mound, they start playing baseball.

As we see them playing we see clips of each family's future. Joel and Julia not only adopted Victor's half-sister but they had another child. Crosby and Amber are doing well with the Luncheonette as the artists were recording "Forever Young" as it's playing during the montage.

Also Jasmine is expecting another child. Also we see Max graduate from Chambers and as Adam hands him his diploma, proud with the rest of the family cheering on.

And well Camille, she went to that cafe place in Italy, the place where Zeek was going to surprise her for their wedding anniversary.

As soon as the game was over, the family walks off heading home for what I think is another family dinner together.

I have't seen a finale this good since Friday Night Lights and ER. This was one of the best ever. I've loved this series from the beginning. This show was so original and keep true to real life storytelling.

Now, we have this show that will live forever as the Braverman family be. They may leave our TV screens, but they'll always and forever be in our hearts.

You can catch the series finale of Parenthood on nbc.com.