Sons of Anarchy 'To Be' (Act 1) Recap

In the first hour of its two-part finale, Sons of Anarchy geared up to close another chapter of the story of SAMCRO, as “To Be”, gave us a fair amount of plot set-up, action, and further deceit. Clay was out of commission the entire hour, but still breathing as those who were once the closest to him planned his demise. Jax became the de facto leader of SAMCRO which required preparing for the upcoming meeting with the Irish Kings and Galindo cartel while trying to keep the club focused following Clay’s attack. He also had to deal with (most of) the truth coming out about Clay Morrow’s involvement in his father’s death as he finally got the chance to read the infamous letters.

Everybody’s Going Rogue as the Lies Just Keep Coming

First it was Opie, who last week completely ignored club policy in order to exact revenge on Clay for murdering his father, Piney. This week it was Tig who decided to go on a one-man revenge mission out of guilt following Clay's attack as he sought out Laroy on his home turf. Jax lied and said that it was a Niners assault on Clay in order to avoid future in-club drama, but the last thing the Sons need would be another gang getting mixed up in their current business. Tig succeeded tried to run down Laroy but got the girl he was with instead as this led to the only real action scene of the episode. Tig raced away from the scene of the crime with a cadre of fellow club members providing cover as they weaved through a traffic jam as Laroy and an associate gave chase. Another lie and more blood to show for it, but at least Opie made it through the episode thanks to Jax's quick thinking and loyalty to his friend.

Way More than Just an Old Lady

With Clay out of the picture for the moment, Gemma seized her chance to show Jax the letters, just as long as he didn’t get to read the pages that involved her or Unser of course, once she managed to get their location out of Tara. She met with her son and declared that Clay Morrow murdered John Teller and that it was time for him to pay for it. Katey Sagal was downright chilling at times during Gemma’s big scene with Jax as she coldly set about arranging Clay's fate just as easily as Clay made the phone call to confirm the hit on Tara--they truly are two halves of a whole. It’s like history had a chance to repeat itself as Gemma attempted to manipulate Jax (just like she once did with young Clay Morrow all those years ago) with half-truths in order for him to get rid of Clay as well as take his rightful seat at the SAMCRO table as club president. When that woman knows what she wants, she knows exactly how to go about getting it. But Gemma couldn't really predict that someone else would step up and use her own skills of manipulation to get Jax to listen to her instead.

Lady Doctor Learned from the Best

For years it’s been hinted at that every season, Tara gets to be just a little more like Gemma in the way she deals with club business. Now it would seem that the Gemma-in-training has graduated to full on ‘do not mess with Tara Knowles’ status as she too has her claws dug into Jax.  But Tara’s goal is to get him to leave the club, and the scheming ways of everyone around it, far behind.  In order to get this desired outcome, Tara who used to have such ethical issues with ever using her medical training for evil, is now the one who showed up for  the meeting on Clay’s fate with a prepared syringe of blood thinner at the ready for Jax to use. The way Gemma looked on in a moment of both shock and respect perfectly summarized that she’s not out of the woods herself since Tara knows the full truth of those letters and could let it spill to Jax if anything gets in the way of getting her entire family to leave Charming. Not to mention it’s always pretty satisfying to see that on a show with very few women on it that they consistently have some of the more complex and strong female characters one could find anywhere on television. Due in large part to the talent of the writing staff as well as both Katey Sagal and Maggie Siff who both absolutely nailed it with their performances in this episode.

What’s going to be interesting to see is which of the women in his life Jax ultimately winds listening to. As well as how the big meet goes considering how relations between the various factions have hardly been more fragile. Plus, there’s the impending threat of the Feds bearing down on the club as the Sons remain mostly unaware of just how serious their problem is thanks to the actions of both Otto and Juice. Right now, I can see a few ways this season is going to end but I must say I still don’t think that Clay Morrow is a definite goner. Sure, the odds are stacked up against him currently, but he’s nothing if not a fighter until the end.  I think that he might surprise everyone by making it out of this season alive but alone. One thing’s certain, from everything that’s happened this season the show’s creators are certainly setting things up for some big changes for season five. Having the stakes so high keeps watching the show a thrilling endeavor right up until those final moments whatever those might mean for the future of the club and for the Teller-Morrow clan.

Sons of Anarchy 'To Be' (Act 1) Recap

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Tags: Anarchy, Recap, Sons

If you think you were the only one jumping off the couch during UFC 139’s epic battle between Dan Henderson and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua earlier this month, think again. Middleweight Jason “Mayhem” Miller was right there with you.

“That fired me up,” said Miller. “I feel like that should be required viewing for every mixed martial artist. That Wanderlei (Silva)-Cung Le fight and Henderson-Shogun fight, those guys just put it all out there. It was a battle of willpower and technique, and those guys were just going for it a hundred percent. Every mixed martial artist needs to look into that and see what it really, really takes to do this sport. Henderson and Shogun, those guys had their afterparties at the hospital. You have to be willing to give everything in there, and both of those guys definitely did.”

That’s the difference between professional fighters and us civilians. While you could appreciate what Henderson and Rua did over 25 minutes in San Jose, you would probably jump under the covers if asked to do it yourself. But Miller, who will be the next fighter who could go 25 minutes in the Octagon when he faces Michael Bisping in the main event of this Saturday’s Ultimate Fighter 14 finale in Las Vegas, this is exactly what he signed up for.

“If you have the right mentality to go into the Octagon, you should have the mentality to never quit and to leave it all in the cage,” he said. “You can’t shy away when the going gets tough.”

Miller has gone the championship distance before, losing a Strikeforce middleweight title fight to then-champion Jake Shields in 2009, and despite the fact that cardio is one of Bisping’s strong suits, Miller believes his edge – a mental one – will serve him well this weekend.

“I know mentally it’s one of those things that you can just push through and do it, and since I’ve been there before and I have a better feeling of what that’s like, I definitely think it will give me an edge,” he said. “But I really don’t plan on taking advantage of those five rounds. I’m trying to finish him in the first.”

So we won’t be seeing Hendo-Shogun II then?

“I don’t think Bisping’s good enough to do that,” said Miller of his coaching rival on TUF 14. “I think he’s a good all-around fighter, but he doesn’t stand out in one place in particular and that’s where me and him differ. I have strong punches and I have a very good grappling game, and eventually he’s going to falter and I’ll be there to take advantage of it.”

Miller’s confidence is evident leading up to his much-anticipated meeting with “The Count,” but what is also present is a focus that he admitted in a recent blog post on his website, MayhemMiller.com, wasn’t always there.

“It has recently occurred to me, that in the entirety of my career, I have never been 100% focused in on a fight,” he wrote. “I mean, at the time I may have believed that I was totally focused, but in retrospect it occurs to me that I had certain extenuating circumstances that were pulling me in one direction or another, and distracting me from the task at hand.”

Asked about this post, Miller elaborated.

“I always thought I was (focused), but in retrospect I was kinda just goofin’ off a little bit too much and not really focusing. I was like the cool kid at school who would show up with no books and just wing it. And I did that with a lot of my career, but finally I have the right people around me and I’m doing it correctly. It was my own self realizing that I need to seize these opportunities in the best way possible and alleviating those childish things that would distract me when I was younger.”

Truth be told, the 30-year old Miller never shied away from the side of him that could best be described as “zany.” But it worked for him. Despite not being in the UFC for the exception of one 2005 decision loss to future welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, Miller used his fights and his personality to build himself into a star like few have, and his wild antics even earned him a hosting gig on MTV’s ‘Bully Beatdown.’

So when he was chosen to coach on TUF 14 against Bisping, to many newer fans, Miller wasn’t a top level fighter returning to the UFC; he was the ‘Bully Beatdown’ guy.

“If somebody only watches ‘Bully Beatdown’ and sees that aspect of my personality, which is the comedian side of me, they’re not gonna realize that there are a lot of layers there,” he said. “The reason I got the ‘Bully Beatdown’ job is because I’m a funny guy, and part of my humor came from how hard you have to work to do mixed martial arts. I started being the funny guy to keep morale up in a training room that so much pain is associated with. So I keep spirits light by being the funny guy and it worked out that I got a job where I could use that creative side of myself.”

And after watching him lead his fighters on the show into battle over the course of the season, it was clear that there was more to him than advertised.

“I knew that people were gonna get to see what I really do and what I’ve really done and what I’m good at on The Ultimate Fighter, and that’s training and fighting,” he said. “I’ve been doing this since I was like 17 years old, and it’s the thing that I know the best. So I knew that people were gonna be in for a surprise when I signed up for The Ultimate Fighter. And that was fine with me. I didn’t change anything or have to play anything up for the cameras. I just went in, they gave me the job, and I tried to do my job as best as possible.”

As a bonus, the show marked his return to the organization for the first time since the St-Pierre bout more than six years ago, a period that saw him go 12-3 with 1 NC, and that included wins over Robbie Lawler, Tim Kennedy, Hiromitsu Miura, and Kazushi Sakuraba, with his only losses coming against Shields, “Jacare” Souza, and Frank Trigg.

“I knew it was a matter of time,” said Miller of ending up back in the UFC. “I’m one of the rare exceptions of mixed martial arts that have gone outside of UFC and become popular. I did my own thing and kinda built myself, and I knew that I would be back working with the biggest and best promotion in the world eventually; it was a timing thing and suddenly the timing worked out just fine.”

If Miller’s focused, confident, and geared up for battle, he couldn’t be more on point when it comes to timing, and having Bisping as a foil for a little bout of trash talking that has been going on since TUF14 was announced can’t hurt. But California’s Miller admits that he really doesn’t need that kind of fuel to get up for the fight.

“I didn’t need any extra motivation,” he said. “But this guy’s attitude is so funny, and I can never get away from it. He’s a bully, and if you stand up to the bully, he’s gonna break. And we saw that throughout the entire season. He would pick on other guys, and then when I got in his face, he would kinda shy away. And once we meet in the cage, there’s not gonna be anywhere for him to run. He can’t avoid fighting me.”

And beating Bisping is far from the be all, end all for Miller. He’s a well-traveled veteran who has seen it all in the fight game over the years. Now that he’s found a home in the UFC, he has only one final goal in the sport.

“My goal is to get a belt,” he said. “That’s why I’m in here. And I know I can beat (UFC middleweight champion) Anderson Silva; I just need to get in front of him. You put me in front of him, I’m the champion, and I say that with one hundred percent conviction. I know that styles make fights and I know I can get him on the floor and submit him. I definitely can do it, so I just need to get that chance, and whoever stands in front of me is gonna fall. That’s all that I’m thinking about at this point in my life. I have a title run in me that needs to come out, and I know I can walk out of the cage with the belt around my waist.”

That’s pretty serious talk from the ‘Bully Beatdown guy,’ and maybe, just maybe, it will be all business from here on out for “Mayhem” Miller.

“As far as my fighting career is concerned, that (winning a title) is the reason I go to the gym,” he said. “And I think for many years, that wasn’t the reason. Maybe it was because it seemed so far away that I didn’t have the same motivation. My motivation before was to just put on exciting fights. That was all I wanted to do – entertain everybody. Now I have a renewed interest in the fight game because I know that the way the middleweight division shakes out, I can get a belt. So I’m gonna do it.”

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Tags: Bully, Left, Mayhem, Miller

Students at William McKinley will soon be Livin' La Vida Loca.

According to TV Line, Glee is negotiating with Ricky Martin to guest star on an upcoming episode in 2012 as “the hottest Spanish teacher ever in the history of Ohio," as described by a series insider. The singer would headline a pair of musical numbers.

Martin has an extensive acting resume, highlighted by two years in General Hospital in the 1990s.

Earlier today, Glee also revealed its plans for Chord Overstreet's return. Find out now what it has to do with taking his shirt off.

Glee - TV Fanatic

Tags: Glee, Guest, Martin, Ricky, Rumored, Star

Secrets spilled out on Glee this week faster than Sue could cross Dan Quayle off her booty call list.

With the show once again packing a number of storylines into a single hour - Santana's sexuality, Beiste's broken heart, Rachel's ballot box blunder, Puck turning into both a genius and the teacher's naked pet - which revelations had the most impact?

Let's review the Gleeful and the glum-filled aspects of "I Kissed a Girl," shall we?

Gleeful. The songs. I LOVED Puck's stripped down, rock version of "I'm the Only One," couldn't buy into Finn's take on "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," but mostly just appreciated how well-integrated the covers were into the storylines. Comparing Sue to Dolly Parton's iconic Jolene? Can't say I saw that coming when the episode started, but it worked, didn't it?

Glum-filled. Puck really did become like "that Beautiful Mind guy" this week. He was a math expert. He saw into Quinn's soul. He knew exactly what to ask the doctor. But I'm not sure if the second part of his statement rang true. Without the crazy? Are you sure, you mohawked piece of cougar bait? Especially after you told Shelby off because she finally came to her senses and realized (far too late, of course) that the two of you had no business being together... and then ran right into Quinn's bed?

You would have jumped right into another round, too, if you had protection. You also voted for Ross Perot. Come on now, Puckerman.

Glum-filled. Why couldn't we see Santana's conversation with parents? Seemed like a mighty important plot point to just gloss over with one sentence.

Gleeful. The chat with her grandmother was as gut-wrenching as intended. I'd say it was over the top and unrealistic, but I wish that were true. As many unfortunate teens can probably attest to, it was likely far too accurate in some cases.

Glum-filled and Gleeful. The entire lesbian storyline is typical Glee, really. It means well, but it veers all over the place. Seriously, it's great that Finn's plan worked and all, but when your friend is feeling embarrassed and confused about how to handle the most important, most personal decision of her life... I'm not sure that forcing the issue down her throat is the proper way to handle it. Santana was 100% correct in calling Finn out for forcing her out of her "flannel closet" and his response that he doesn't want to see her dead was very sweet, but also quite the leap.

Moreover, where was Kurt in all of this? Trying to win an election, I know. But it would have been nice to see the student who could best relate to Santana offer her a few words of guidance.

Gleeful. Beiste just slays me. Who else could turn bench pressing a wildebeast into a romantic plea for affection? Or down about 47 pounds of chicken in one sitting, all while keeping a close eye on her class ring and fighting off comparisons to Brian Dennehy? He should be so lucky!

Gleeful. Rachel acted unselfishly! Sort of! Yes, she wanted Kurt to attend college with her in order to have a friend close by, but progress is progress. She certainly put herself on the line with that election-rigging and it led to an intriguing cliffhanger. Sectionals without Rachel Berry? That's like an iPhone 5 without its ability to vibrate!

Glum-filled. Please tell me that Burt Hummel winning his congressional seat won't result in less Burt Hummel going forward. That guy rules.

Overall, a strong, fun episode of Glee, replete with appropriate music; tremendous nicknames (Fetus face... Hamburgler...); too much teacher/student sex; but a conclusion that left me anxious for next Tuesday night. What did you think?

Glee - TV Fanatic

Tags: Glee, Review, Secrets, They

Secrets spilled out on Glee this week faster than Sue could cross Dan Quayle off her booty call list.

With the show once again packing a number of storylines into a single hour - Santana's sexuality, Beiste's broken heart, Rachel's ballot box blunder, Puck turning into both a genius and the teacher's naked pet - which revelations had the most impact?

Let's review the Gleeful and the glum-filled aspects of "I Kissed a Girl," shall we?

Gleeful. The songs. I LOVED Puck's stripped down, rock version of "I'm the Only One," couldn't buy into Finn's take on "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," but mostly just appreciated how well-integrated the covers were into the storylines. Comparing Sue to Dolly Parton's iconic Jolene? Can't say I saw that coming when the episode started, but it worked, didn't it?

Glum-filled. Puck really did become like "that Beautiful Mind guy" this week. He was a math expert. He saw into Quinn's soul. He knew exactly what to ask the doctor. But I'm not sure if the second part of his statement rang true. Without the crazy? Are you sure, you mohawked piece of cougar bait? Especially after you told Shelby off because she finally came to her senses and realized (far too late, of course) that the two of you had no business being together... and then ran right into Quinn's bed?

You would have jumped right into another round, too, if you had protection. You also voted for Ross Perot. Come on now, Puckerman.

Glum-filled. Why couldn't we see Santana's conversation with parents? Seemed like a mighty important plot point to just gloss over with one sentence.

Gleeful. The chat with her grandmother was as gut-wrenching as intended. I'd say it was over the top and unrealistic, but I wish that were true. As many unfortunate teens can probably attest to, it was likely far too accurate in some cases.

Glum-filled and Gleeful. The entire lesbian storyline is typical Glee, really. It means well, but it veers all over the place. Seriously, it's great that Finn's plan worked and all, but when your friend is feeling embarrassed and confused about how to handle the most important, most personal decision of her life... I'm not sure that forcing the issue down her throat is the proper way to handle it. Santana was 100% correct in calling Finn out for forcing her out of her "flannel closet" and his response that he doesn't want to see her dead was very sweet, but also quite the leap.

Moreover, where was Kurt in all of this? Trying to win an election, I know. But it would have been nice to see the student who could best relate to Santana offer her a few words of guidance.

Gleeful. Beiste just slays me. Who else could turn bench pressing a wildebeast into a romantic plea for affection? Or down about 47 pounds of chicken in one sitting, all while keeping a close eye on her class ring and fighting off comparisons to Brian Dennehy? He should be so lucky!

Gleeful. Rachel acted unselfishly! Sort of! Yes, she wanted Kurt to attend college with her in order to have a friend close by, but progress is progress. She certainly put herself on the line with that election-rigging and it led to an intriguing cliffhanger. Sectionals without Rachel Berry? That's like an iPhone 5 without its ability to vibrate!

Glum-filled. Please tell me that Burt Hummel winning his congressional seat won't result in less Burt Hummel going forward. That guy rules.

Overall, a strong, fun episode of Glee, replete with appropriate music; tremendous nicknames (Fetus face... Hamburgler...); too much teacher/student sex; but a conclusion that left me anxious for next Tuesday night. What did you think?

Glee - TV Fanatic

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Tags: Glee, Review, Secrets, They

So, what did you think about Sunday’s midseason finale of The Walking Dead? Raise your hand if you were surprised at the twist. Yes, my hand is raised. Now raise your hand if you are not content to wait until February to have some of your lingering questions answered. If your hand is raised, or even if you’re just a big TWD fan, you’ll love this interview with The Walking Dead co-creator Robert Kirkman.

WARNING: The interview discusses the midseason finale, so if you haven’t seen it, go watch it now, then come back. We’ll still be here.

The Hollywood Reporter caught up with executive producer Robert Kirkman, who created the comic book series on which the AMC drama is based, to discuss Sunday’s “Pretty Much Dead Already” episode, how the death of one of the comics’ original characters changes the series as well as what’s ahead when the zombie drama returns for its “explosive” second half of its sophomore season in February.

The Hollywood Reporter: Sophia (Madison Lintz) was in the barn the whole time! How come Hershel never mentioned it?
Robert Kirkman: I don’t think that Hershel was ever doing a cataloging of the zombies. It was painful for him because his wife and son were also in the barn. It’s not like he was actually hanging out in there or paying attention to all the walkers that were in there. He knew they were looking for a girl named Sophia but who knows what zombies were are in there and how often they’d been put in there. Otis (Pruitt Taylor Vince) was the one who was in charge and corralling them and putting them in there. So for all Hershel knew, Otis had put the Sophia zombie in there months ago.

THR: Was killing one of the comic’s original characters an easy one?
Kirkman: When a good idea comes up, you have to go with it. Sophia is a character who is still alive in the comic book series and who has contributed quite a bit to the overall narrative and informed a lot of story lines for a lot of different characters. Having Carol (Melissa McBride) survive her daughter as opposed to the other way around as it is in the comics is going to lead to interesting but different stories.

THR: It’s almost like a tradeoff for not killing Shane in Season 1.
Kirkman: Exactly. There are going to be things that are exactly like they were in the comic book series, there are going to be things that are radically different. We’ve have a lot of very different things this season: Otis survived a lot longer and wasn’t killed by Shane; Sophia; the fact that Shane is still alive — there are a lot of big fundamental differences between the comics and the show. Yet Glenn (Steven Yeun) and Maggie’s (Lauren Cohan) relationship is almost exactly the same, Hershel’s keeping zombies in the barn, the fact that they go to the farm — there’s a lot of things that are taken directly from the comics.

THR: Will Hershel’s omission to Rick change his feelings about wanting to stay? Can they stay on the farm at this point?
Kirkman: That’s going to be a big part of the second half of the season. Shane was very charged up at the end of this episode and Hershel is definitely going to be seen as being kind of in the wrong here. They’re going to have to figure out what he knew about Sophia and exactly how involved in that process he was. These two groups are going to be very much at odds when we move into our second half of the season. Our opening to our second half of the season is going to be pretty explosive.

THR: Will the second half pick up immediately after the shooting or will it jump ahead?
Kirkman: We’re not going to be doing any big time jumps. Whether we lose a day, hour or if it picks up the very minute after the scene, I wouldn’t want to give away too early but there’s not going to be any massive time jump this season.

THR: How will Sophia’s death alter Carl’s development?
Kirkman: One of the major story lines in the comics is Carl’s (Chandler Riggs) dissention into a darker role; he’s forced into adulthood to make terrible decisions. His character evolving over the course of the comic book series is really going to be accelerated by the absence of Sophia. That will remain largely intact and be sped up. There’s going to be more darkness creeping in to the series in the second half of the season. Now that the Sophia question has been answered, they’re not going to have that hanging over their heads and that’s not going to be bogging them down making them have to devote time to that.

THR: Rick told Shane about Lori’s (Sarah Wayne Callies) pregnancy, but not that he was aware of their affair. How long will he keep that over him?
Kirkman: I want the show to get a reputation as one that doesn’t hang on to things like that for long. We have a lot of story to tell on this series and we’re not going to be dwelling too much. I’m very excited that we got around to revealing that Rick knew about the relationship. Stuff like that is going to bubble up to the surface in very interesting ways in the last half of the season.

THR: How will the baby’s paternity eat away at Shane and Rick?
Kirkman: It is going to eat away at them to a certain extent. This is an example of these people having to learn to let go of society and let go of the things that they were taking for granted before the end of the world. At a certain point you have to throw up your hands and say this is the world that we live in, this is a question that may never be answered. It’ll be a bee in their bonnets for a bit.

THR: How much of Shane’s confrontation with Dale (Jeffrey DeMunn) and breaking down the barn door was all a statement to Lori that she was with the wrong guy?
Kirkman: That’s something that she’s definitely going to be exploring. Everyone is seeing a different side of Shane. Shane is a very volatile person and everyone is starting to catch on to that. Some people, like Dale (Jeffrey DeMunn), will see Shane as a problem based on his behavior. Other people, like Andrea (Laurie Holden), will see that as something necessary in this new world. Shane’s behavior is almost going to endear her to him. It all depends on everyone’s take on the situation. What Lori’s take on the situation is will be revealed in future episodes.

THR: How will Rick handle Shane’s outburst?
Kirkman: That’s a big part of the next episode that opens in February: What Rick is going to do, what his response is going to be to Shane crossing this line. Shane’s been very disrespectful toward Hershel and his rules and property and that’s something Rick has been trying to maintain in order for them to stay there. This is very much going to put Shane and Rick at odds moving into the last half of the season.

THR: How will Sophia’s death change Rick’s decision-making? Will he continue to stand up and be the group’s voice of reason and compassion?
Kirkman: The entire season arc is, is Rick a good leader? Is this something he wants to do? Is this something he’s qualified to for? This is a role that’s been thrust upon him; he didn’t seek it out. Everybody looks to him for answers and they are very clear examples of him not having the answers and making a mistake. The situation with Sophia and the fact that she did turn up dead, that is going to weigh on him. It’s something he’s willing to feel responsible for.

THR: Daryl and Carol seem to have found one another. Will that friendship develop into something?
Kirkman: There aren’t a lot of people around. Eventually, everyone is going to pair up. I definitely do see a little bit of some kind of a relationship forming between them. Whether it’s a very strong friendship or something romantic remains to be seen. There definitely is something going on there.

THR: The Andrea-Dale dynamic, will he confront her again with his concerns?
Kirkman: It’s a very nuanced relationship that we’ll be exploring a lot in the coming episodes. He is fatherly toward her but he’s being somewhat overbearing at times and it has pushed her away. She also has to recognize the different things he’s gone through and what’s informing those decisions and whether or not they will reconcile remains to be seen.

THR: Any update on when/if we’ll see the Governor or Michonne?
Kirkman: I can say only that we will see them eventually. We will see some new characters popping up as early as the [2012] premiere episode.

THR: Still unknown: What Jenner told Rick at the CDC. How much longer can you hold on to that?
Kirkman: It will be happening sooner rather than later.

The Walking Dead returns with new episodes Feb. 12 at 9/8c on AMC.

SciFi Mafia » News

Tags: Answers, Dead’s, Finale, Kirkman, Midseason, Questions, Robert, WALKING

Who comprises TV's Most Dynamic Duo? That's what we're asking readers to vote on, and it's also the case taken up by various members of the TV Fanatic staff. So far, articles have been written that made the argument for...

• Mike and Harvey on Suits.
• Emily and Nolan on Revenge.
• Kensi and Deeks on NCIS: Los Angeles.
• Troy and Abed on Community.
• Sam and Dean from Supernatural.
• Castle and Beckett from Castle.
• Shawn and Gus from Psych.

Now, Editor-in-Chief Matt Richenthal is here to explain why Alaric and Damon from The Vampire Diaries deserve your vote. On what grounds? He explains below...

Damon Salvatore and Alaric Saltzman face a few obstacles in this poll. They lack the fun sexual tension of Kate Beckett and Rick Castle. They are not featured in practically every scene together, a la Shawn and Gus or Mike and Harvey. They are not related, like a couple of rugged supernatural hunters.

But I'm here to say these supposed drawbacks are precisely what make The Vampire Diaries duo so dynamic. The chemistry between Damon and Alaric has been so apparent from the beginning - their scenes so hilarious and their connection so unlike any other on television - that they've evolved into a bromance not even Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec could have seen coming.

I mean no disrespect to any other nominees, but the writers of Bones and Castle, for example, clearly planned to tease the ties between their leads from the very beginning. They scripted storylines specifically to brings these tandems closer; to pull them apart; to play around with viewers' emotions; to keep fans invested in the core relationship of the show. And, hey, that sort of plotting has been done for decades. It makes for great television.

But, in many ways, we've been manipulated to root for these duos. The same cannot be said for Alaric and Damon. I do not have it on any authority, but I'd be shocked if producers saw this unique friendship coming. Remember: Damon turned Alaric's wife! These two were set-up to be rivals...

... but something simply popped between the pair right away, as a begrudging respect developed between a vampire and a history teacher who thought his mission in life was to hunt vampires. As a result, we're now treated to just the right amount of Damon and Alaric. They share maybe one or two scenes together every couple weeks, which only leaves viewers wanting more. I couldn't have been the only one afraid the friendship was over after Damon killed Alaric - seriously, think your duo has been through a lot? DAMON KILLED ALARIC! - only to giddily witness the following exchange:

Alaric: You’re going to recycle that same crap-ass apology you gave to Mason Lockwood?
Damon: Yeah, well. I didn’t mean it with him. | permalink

Cue sheepish smile across Alaric's lips and cheers across Vampire Diaries nation. Case closed. Bromance intact. Your vote required now: Who is TV's Most Dynamic Duo?

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USA has unveiled the return dates for two favorites, along with the premiere date of a new series that looks to fit in perfectly with the network's light-hearted buddy theme.

First, White Collar will continue its third season at 10 p.m. on January 17.

The next night, at the same time, Royal Pains will resume its Hamptons shenanigans.

Finally, Common Law - which stars Michael Ealy and Warren Kole as partners who are ordered to undergo couples' counseling - will debut on Thursday night, January 26. Check out the official USA promo for the upcoming series now:

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At 35, UFC lightweight Yves Edwards can’t be considered “old,” but when you’ve been fighting professionally for more than 14 years, you do get subtle reminders here and there about just how long you’ve been around.

Recently, the veteran got a jolt when arranging a flight for one of his training partners, Bubba Jenkins, to go out to Austin for some pre-training camp workouts.

“I asked him for his birth date, he said 1988, and I was like ‘holy crap, I’m 13 years older than this kid,’” laughed Edwards, who also saw his opponent on this Saturday’s Ultimate Fighter 14 finale card, Tony Ferguson, respectfully note that he was in high school when the creator of “Thug-Jitsu” was making his Octagon debut.

“A few years ago, that might have made me feel old, but I’ve heard it so much lately,” Said Edwards. “I work out with so many guys that were in high school when I was fighting, and that’s the way it is now. But I don’t feel old. I still feel like I did in my first UFC fight and I keep plugging away. But when people say ‘man, I used to watch this guy when I was in high school,’ I think at this point, I guess I take it as a compliment that I’m still around.”

Edwards is more than just “around” though. Winner of four of his last five (three in the UFC), with the only loss coming by way of a perfect left hook from Sam Stout at UFC 131 in June, the Texas standout is on the right track to introducing himself to new fans and reminding the old ones just why he was considered one of the top 155-pounders in the world back when the UFC had the lightweight division on hiatus. And with a win over TUF13 winner Ferguson on national TV this weekend, he can also erase the last image many had of him, losing to Stout.

“There’s an old saying that you’re only as good as your last fight, but I think, with the way the world works, and how visible things are now, you’re only as good as the last fight people have seen you in,” said Edwards, who bounced back from the Stout defeat with an impressive second round TKO of Rafaello Oliveira in October. “So the fact that some people haven’t seen my fight with Oliveira, even though they know the result, the last thing seared into their brain is me and Stout.”

That’s the power of TV, and it’s been the curse for Edwards and the many fighters who came up with him in late 90’s and early part of the new Millennium. There weren’t fights on TV nearly every weekend back then, and certainly none on basic cable or now on the FOX network, so reputations were spread by word of mouth, with the most intrepid of fans hunting down VHS tapes or early DVD versions of fights like Edwards’ two classics with Aaron Riley (who ironically was Ferguson’s last Octagon victim). So there’s a whole new education process when it comes to reintroducing the vets, but what they may lack in exposure, they make up for with experience, savvy and talent when the bell rings. And luckily, Edwards is able to mix up old and new at the American Top Team gym in Coconut Creek, Florida.

“At ATT, we’ve got a lot of veterans – myself, Thiago Alves, Mike Brown – and you get a lot of young guys like Bubba Jenkins, and Mirsad (Bektic) and Anton Kuivanen, so it’s like a tradeoff,” he explains. “The old guys bring their experience, their tricks of the trade and everything they’ve done for years and the things they’ve had success with to the room, and the young guys bring that energy and that wide-eyed innocence, and it all comes together and meshes and makes this delicious fight ratatouille thing.”

Being in an era where top-level athletes can stay on top a lot longer than they used to benefits Edwards as well, and by staying disciplined, eating right, and living a clean lifestyle, he’s been able to beat younger opponents like Oliveira (29), Cody McKenzie (23), and John Gunderson (32).

“Things are changing,” he said. “They say 40 is the new 30, or something like that, and I don’t necessarily agree with that – I think 40 is 40 (Laughs). But I think the way the world is now, people are competitive longer, people are healthy longer, and with better food, better medicine, and better things like that, guys are able to compete at a higher level for a longer amount of time. You get guys like Junior Seau, who just recently retired, and they say you can’t play 14-15 years in the NFL, but he did. And it has to do with how well you take care of yourself, the people you surround yourself with, and the way you train. You have to find that middle ground where you’re pushing yourself constantly and constantly improving, but at the same time, you’re not breaking your body down and putting yourself in harm’s way.”

In boxing, 40-somethings Bernard Hopkins and Glen Johnson have been fighting at a world-class level far beyond what used to be the standard combat sports retirement age. Dan Henderson is currently doing the same thing in the UFC, and we all know what Hall of Famer Randy Couture was able to pull off in the Octagon. Yet it’s more than just eating and training right. When you’ve been fighting and competing for much of your adult life, you learn subtle things that younger athletes just can’t pick up until they’ve been through the wars. And in a tough fight, sometimes guile makes up for youthful energy and athletic prowess.

“That’s where experience comes into play,” said Edwards. “When you do something so many times, over and over again, the little subtleties of it become things that you use to your advantage, but you also take for granted because you don’t think about them. Subconsciously you know those little details and know how to work around them or work with them.”

At the same time, Edwards (41-17-1) knows that he can’t rely on experience alone, because with many young fighters coming up learning MMA from Day One and others coming into the sport with years of experience in other disciplines, it’s always going to be a race in which you’re trying to stay one step ahead of the competition.

“That experience gap is smaller now because you have these guys that are coming in from college wrestling and that have had 120 matches throughout college,” he said. “Although they haven’t been punched in the face or kicked in the head, they’ve been in combat and competition, and they know the feeling. So I definitely think that those things help, but the gaps are smaller now.”

And getting punched in the face always equalizes things.

“That changes everything,” laughs Edwards, who has done that whole punching in the face thing better than most in his profession over the last 14-plus years. He’s not finished yet either. In fact, the only goal at this point isn’t to be a gatekeeper for the next generation, but to be the man at the top they’re all gunning for.

“I’m trying to get to the top,” he said. “There’s no other reason to do it. It’s like a tournament with a million guys in it, so it’s not likely that everybody’s gonna get a shot to get to the top, but I’m gonna shoot for as high as I can possibly get, and a title shot is the ultimate goal. If I fall short of that, it’s to get as high as I can possibly get before I’m all done.”

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Who is television's Most Dynamic Duo? That's what we're asking readers to decide, and that's also the case taken up by various members of the TV Fanatic staff. So far, articles have been written that made the argument for...

• Mike and Harvey on Suits.
• Emily and Nolan on Revenge.
• Kensi and Deeks on NCIS: Los Angeles.
• Troy and Abed on Community.
• Sam and Dean from Supernatural.

Now, Courtney Morrison is here to defend one sexually tense crime-fighting duo: Rick Castle and Kate Beckett from Castle. All you, Courtney...

Castle and Beckett (or, to us shippers, Caskett) are the epitome of a Dynamic Duo. They are friends, partners, and underneath it all, romantic interests.

On a police show, the most important person is your partner. This is the one person that will constantly have your back, protect you when possible and save your life when needed. Castle has done these things for Beckett and she has done the same for him. There are countless times that the two have saved each other and have helped each other grow.

What’s even more important is the trust established between partners, something must be a staple in any dynamic duo. Not only can these two depend on each other, but they are always on the same page. Sort of a yin to the other's yang. They complement each other in a way that is hard to find and they have awesome witty banter that will keep you laughing with them the whole season through. To wit:

Castle and Beckett are so awesome that they have you rotting for them not only as a couple, but as best friends and confidantes.

Rick Castle and Kate Beckett. They balance out each other, make you laugh, make you cry. They have my vote for Best Dynamic Duo and they should have yours. So let your voice be heard below for the best partnership you will find on television.

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