I Wasn't Happy with the Survivor Finale, but I Was Happy with Homeland's...

The answer to Friday's Trivia Question:  Brody was a Gunnery Sergeant in the Marines

FIRST FIVES: Alyssa Leifer, Megan Quirk, Phyllis DiCesare, Bill McLaughlin & David Gorin

Honorable Mention: Daniel Block

Thursday's Broadcast Top 5

The Big Bang Theory-CBS 5.4/16.7
Two and a Half Men-CBS 4.1/13.3
Person of Interest-CBS 2.9/14.0
Grey's Anatomy-ABC 2.9/8.1
X Factor-FOX 2.4/7.6
Thursday's Broadcast Trendrr Top 5
The X Factor-FOX 1,298,824
The Vampire Diaries-CW 196,097
Scandal-ABC 139,895
Glee-FOX 132651
The Big Bang Theory-CBS 90,710
Thursday's Cable Top 5
NFL Football-NF Network 2.0/5.4
NBA Basketball-TNT 1.4/3.0
The Big Bang Theory-TBS 1.3/2.8
Jersey Shore-MTV 1.2/2.0
The Big Bang Theory-TBS 1.1/2.4
Thursday's Cable Trendrr Top 5
NBA Basketball-TNT 612,184
NFL Football-NFL Network 127,694
Jersey Shore-MTV 73,499
NBA Basketball- TNT 51,055
Impractical Jokers-Tru TV 38
Friday's Broadcast Top 5 Dateline-NBC 2.0/6.7
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer-CBS 1.9/6.6
20/20-ABC 1.6/6.2
Yes, Virgina-CBS 1.6/5.9
Malibu Country-ABC 1.5/6.5
Friday's Broadcast Trendrr Top 5
Teleton USA-Univision 108,811
Fringe-FOX 39,666
Blake Shelton's Not So Family Christmas-NBC 32,100
Kitchen Nightmares-FOX 22,389
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer-CBS 12,339
Friday's Cable Top 5 NA
Friday's Cable Trendrr Top 5
Piers Morgan-CNN 120,411
NBA Basketball-ESPN 74,176
WWE Smackdown-Syfy 57,022
NBA Basketball-ESPN 44,206
Anderson Cooper-CNN 30,469
While we were waiting for the Survivor Finale, and trying to avoid all Connecticut coverage Sunday night, we all watched See Dad Run on Nick. You know, the new one with Scott Baio.  I gotta say, we really were all laughing out loud, even my husband.  The show is very cute and family friendly and every time I see Scott Baio all I can focus on is how amazing he looks for a 52 year old.  How in the world does he look that good?  Anyway,  the entire episode took place in a "Cost Club" (aka Costco) where the family went on Christmas Eve to just get cheesy potatoes for dinner.  Of course as we all know when you go to Costco, we never end up with just what we went for, and the Hobbs family was no exception.   They unfortunately forgot the cheesy potatoes, but did get the Uggs, the blender that can liquefy shoes, and a 5 gallon tub of crab dip. Of course in addition to the cheesy potatoes there was a cheesy Santa who was or wasn't real, but net net, it was the right show at the right time.  
The Survivor Finale always starts out with an extra long recap of the game to date, I call it Recap #1.  You'll see where recap #2 comes into play in a minute.  Final 4, Malcolm, Lisa, Denise and Skupin.  Even though Skupin made it this far, I still got nervous that he's was going to burn himself every time they filmed him by the fire. I love Lisa Whelchel and wanted her to win, but did you happen to notice her crazy eyebrow growth? Her waxer must have charger her extra when she got home.  I don't recall another player ever having such bushy eyebrows at the end of the game.  Do you? Okay, first reward challenge was another obstacle course ending with yet another puzzle, this time in the shape of a dragon.  Pretty tight race but Malcolm won and the prize was an advantage at the final challenge. Even with the advantage, Malcolm couldn't pull it out.  Which is actually funny because for the final challenge the players had to hold a long stick and balance a little ball.  You'd think Malcolm would be great at that but shaky hands got the best of him and he was the first out.  Skupin ended up winning and it seemed obvious that getting rid of Malcolm was the only way to go, but Skupin started talking about keeping Malcolm to make his wife proud.  Trust me, she'd be proud if he walked in with the giant million dollar check regardless. So before the final tribal, Recap #2...the Fallen Comrades thing, or as I call it, the reminder of players we had already forgotten. Final tribal, Skupin came to his senses and Malcolm went home.  Yeah my girl Blair made it to the Final 3. Abi was super shiny and in need of some blotter paper during the final tribal council. I hadn't realized that Denise went to every tribal council and survived. I'd call that Outlasting at its finest.  Everyone's speeches were really strong.  I honestly didn't know who should win after hearing them and how they responded to all of the questions and comments. RC's laugh was super annoying, Malcolm came down hard on Denise and I was really upset with Penner as he felt the need to reveal that Lisa was a child star and had kept that from the tribe.  I didn't think that was a nice thing to do and it actually could have cost her the money. He seemed filled with bitterness, but of course it was great TV.  After a moment of silence for the Connecticut families, Jeff revealed our winner...Denise.  I was shocked and honestly not happy with that at all.  So rather than watch the reunion, I switched over to the Homeland finale.
I don't think I could have asked for a better finale of Homeland than the one we got.  All season long I kept thinking, where is this show going?  Well we got the answer. What a roller coaster of an episode right?  First you think Quinn's going to kill Brody, but since he apparently only kills bad guys, he couldn't follow orders and let him be after eating what appeared to be a Snack Pack pudding.  Then we got a bit of the Brody/Carrie love story thing where we learned that Carrie's Mom went to CVS and never came back. (I sense her return at some point next season don't you?)  Saul was finally let out of his holding room,  but only after getting his mini milk.  Brody hooked up with Mike and basically gave him his family to handle, then headed home to get a suit for the Walden memorial.  Dana was there and of course called him out on his previous terrorist stint, but since he let her watch him get dressed and didn't put a bomb on, she knew he wasn't going to kill anyone that day. Off to the memorial he and Carrie went.  They got bored and went upstairs where Carrie revealed that she was quitting the CIA to be with him forever.  Just before they could get down and celebrate, Brody noticed his truck had been moved and then a huge explosion and everyone died. The Walden's, Estes and 197 more. HOLY CRAP, didn't see that one coming.  But now everyone thinks Brody did it, so on the run they go.  Carrie must have known this day was coming because she had a storage unit inside a storage unit, a spare car, extra passports and a ton of cash ready to go.  She took Brody to get a passport at "Mike's" place (no another Mike) and then to yet another family lake house and then...left him.  Again...holy crap, now you know...she has to go clear his name. Carried interrupted Saul doing the Jewish Yiska prayer  for the hundreds of  dead bodies he gave her the "glad you're back" nod/smile...THE END.  Extremely satisfying and a great way direction for next season.  OMG exhausted.
I think I'm done with The Wedding Band.  I've decided it's an odd show that just hasn't figured out what it wants to be.  It's not funny enough to be a comedy, it's definitely not a drama, the guys aren't hot enough, (Sorry Brian Austin Green...you're cute but not cute ENOUGH to carry this show) and there isn't enough Wedding BAND in The Wedding Band.  There IS something there and that's why I keep watching it.  I keep thinking THIS will be the week that they get it right and then they don't.  So I think...but I'm not positive...that I'm done.

NEWS & INFORMATION

*The 12.12.12 Concert across all networks was seen by 19.3 million viewers.  The average audience viewing the concert at any given moment was 5.2 million viewers. Not sure how many people stayed awake for the entire thing.  I missed everything after Billy Joel.  I thought   for sure it would air again over the weekend but it didn't.  Sorta bummed I missed the end but at some point I'm sure I'll get to see it.
*TV Guide announced it's top 10 shows of 2012 as:
10 Happy Endings
9 Game of Thrones
8 Girls
7 Louie
6 Parenthood
5 The Walking Dead
4 Mad Men
3 30 Rock
2 Breaking Bad
1 Homeland
While I'm psyched that Parenthood made this list, I'd take off Girls or Happy Endings to get Parks & Rec and Sons of Anarchy on there.  Thoughts?
Monday's Trivia Question:Bumbles Bounce, Island of Misfit Toys and Independent Dentist were all characters from which holiday special?
WWTM-Kristy http://watchingwaytoomuch.com kristy@watchingwaytoomuch.com kristy.carruba@watchingwaytoomuch.com