The holiday-season/end-of-school-term madness continues, as does the arrival of new movies. (Expecting to see "Invictus" tonight, "Nine" tomorrow, "Avatar" and "Up in the Air" on Thursday.) But after the jump I have posted a few brief notes on some recent viewing.
Last night's "HIMYM" was OK, not my favorite but somewhat funny; I like to see Marshall at different ages and Robin's excessive attempt to be sexy was intermittently amusing. But Ted stories tend to bore me. "Two and a Half Men" — sporadically entertaining, no more. "Big Bang Theory," though, was on game, especially with the whole Pygmalion-does-physics storyline. Also caught the new episode of "The Closer," and it was never amusing enough to stop my online shopping for long. Did like the end of the oddball romance.
"The Amazing Race," what can we say? The team that had been the best for some time won, and neither Sam&Dan, who had lost a lot of good will with their sneaky tactics, nor Brian&Ericka, with her endless hysterics, made a case either that they deserved to win or they were more likable than the other teams. Still, it was not a very dramatic finale, and it lacked one of those killer final challenges which amp up the tension at the end of the race. Counting poker chips? I think not.
Finally caught up with the most recent "Grey's Anatomy" and have to say again how very, very good are Chandra Wilson(as Bailey) and James Pickens (as the Chief). Pickens in particular was working hard the whole show; look in the background at the big-dinner scene, and even though the focus is on Bailey, he's still hitting wobbly-drunk notes. Am pleased that Yang's heart was not broken again. But McSteamy's daughter? Not at all sure about that storyline.
Also made it back to last week's "Glee," an improvement after the week before, when the show was way off game (even though the "Imagine" number still got to me). Very pleased that the pregnancy story is in the open, and what an intense series of scenes that was. Odd, though, that the episode seemed to go forever before getting to its first musical number. Still, am psyched for tomorrow's telecast, not only because it winds up the sectionals arc but because there won't be another new episode until April.
From last Thursday, "Community" was wickedly funny again, especially in the "Over the Top" homage and both the reverse-"Porky's" and the repeated references to it being a reverse-"Porky's." "30 Rock" was cute (and I loved the HD jokes), but "The Office" was just too squirmy, both with Scott's Tots and Dwight's sabotaging Jim. It's not just that neither story could convincingly end well, it's that both involved people really getting hurt — the students in one case, the office staff in the other. Solidly executed, of course, but uncomfortable to watch.
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Couldn't stick with The Office – the more squirmy it gets, the more attractive "Celtic Women" seems (and that's saying something). 30 Rock also had a nice chunk of Pete and Frank turning into Liz (which I somehow deeply adored). Amazing Race was strange this season. Started off great, everyone was happy, the Globetrotters are eliminated and suddenly the ending feels like a rip-off.
I agree–Amazing Race fell flat for me. Poker chip counting?? Puhlease. Bored me to tears. Will watch The Closer tonight on DVR, hoping I like it as well as other eps. But that cast can do no wrong for me
And Glee–yoiks, April?? I thought it was coming back in March! Say it ain't so! Will have to make do with listening to my Glee soundtracks over and over again. 
Yep, "Glee" is due to return on April 13. A DVD of the first 13 episodes drops Dec. 29, and a second CD of songs from the show is in stores now.