This week's midseason premieres

How I Met Your Mother - Tailgate

This week, Ted told the story of Marshall telling the story of everyone’s New Year’s Eve. Stop telling stories within stories! This whole show is a story! For the midseason premiere, Robin still looked dumpy and was still mostly sad, but it’s good to see her career getting some life in it. We want to see some success for Robin after her woes earlier this season. Ted’s James Joyce commentary made us chortle, and the single audible laugh that escaped our lips was during the “Puzzles montage” of everything going wrong in Ted’s new bar. This episode wasn’t bad or annoying, but it won’t be one to remember. We DID tear up a little when Lily’s dad drove all night to see her though, as completely expected as it was.
Episode grade: C+

Revenge - Duress

Can we be Nolan’s beards? Please? We won’t ask any questions. We are getting pretty sick of the flashforwards on this show. It might be the only thing that Leeard dislikes about it. "Truth or Die" was a great game idea, Tyler, but it didn’t last long enough. No one told the truth and no one died. There was a lot of potential here with no pay off. And after they built it up with the flashforward… Ugh.
Episode grade: B-

Happy Endings - The Shrink, the Dare, her Date and her Brother

One thing we want to say about this show in general: You can’t half watch it. You have to pay attention and look at the screen. The jokes fly by fast and the characters are so zany, that if you are only listening, they can grate. If you are watching, focused, it’s one of the best comedies on TV right now. This episode was pretty good. Are Penny and Dave on now? Dave seems to be pretty over Alex. We hope Alex stays cute and that the show doesn’t make her a stereotypical stupid blonde…
Episode grade: B

The Vampire Diaries - The New Deal

Everyone knows we choke our chickens to this show. Which is why Ern is annoyed that so much of this episode felt like filler. TVD premieres usually knock our socks off, but we didn’t feel the threat when Klaus went after the gang. We worried about Alaric a little, because we love him so much, but we didn’t really think he was going to die. Ern may never like Tyler. There wasn’t enough (or any) Caroline. Something needs to change with this stalemate thing. The last couple of minutes were amazing though. OBVIOUSLY the kiss was the moment that Delena fans (us) have been waiting for. It was perfect. It took three seasons to have a decent kiss where no one was dying and no one was Katherine. It made sense that Elena and Damon had to get to this place of friendship and this place of Stefan being a douche in order to share that moment. We are getting a little sick of Klaus. He’s such a whiner. Bring on someone or something scarier. We got teary when Elena sent Jeremy away though. Just about no one thinks that plan will work in the long run, but it was a good idea (and honestly probably should've happened in the first season).
Episode grade: B- Last five minutes grade: A+

Parenthood - Road Trip

Is it just us, or did Parenthood feel a little too “sweet family special” this week? And Christina should NOT have caved. We loved when Adam got miffed at his daughter for spending all her time texting. We also get annoyed with people who pick phones over people who are actually present. Sarah was funny in this episode. But everything else was a little too sweet and perfect.
Episode grade: B-

Grey’s Anatomy - Suddenly

This might be the best midseason premiere of the week. We got a whole lot of depressing stuff, followed by one of the happiest moments on the show, ever. That’s how you tug heartstrings, show! Mix the bitter with the sweet. The family of patients and the oldest daughter’s passage into adulthood was inspired. We loved the glass in the youngest daughters eye and the way the show turned Mark’s girlfriend into an adorable, competent person, rather than someone for Lexie to just bean with softballs. We hope she sticks around…and doesn’t become annoying. Speaking of annoying, April still hasn’t grown on us after all this time. We loved Cristina’s impression of her voice. Spot freaking on. Way to keep it together and pretend to have fun during an impossible surgery, Cristina. And Owen should NOT have been mad at Cristina for breaking the news to Teddy. Yang kept her mouth shut long enough. We are really glad that Teddy didn’t freak out on Cristina like we expected from this show. Ben and Bailey are still an ongoing storyline. Stupid. We are glad the show made us think that Meredith and Derek really wouldn’t get Zola before giving Zola back to them. Teary eyes and lots of happiness ensued in our living rooms. Love Mommy Meredith.
Episode grade: A-

Secret Circle - Darkness

Diana’s grandmother came to town to thicken the plot and try to kill Cassie, to test Cassie and awaken her powers. Why are even the grandparents on this show more attractive than your average 25-year-old? This episode was good but we feel like the show is saving much of the forward-moving action for later episodes. We like Melissa starting to blow off Faye. We don’t need a circle member who amounts to little more than a sidekick, and Melissa has shown the potential to be our favorite Circle member. Charles and Dawn are on the outs too, which should be interesting. Cassie using her black magic on Adam after losing her temper was intense. Maybe this darkness is something to watch out for…
Episode grade: B+