About last night...

First up is America's Next Top Model, or rather The Tyra Banks Show: What you didn't see on air. I read in Entertainment Weekly that since cycle 7 of Top Model was filmed while Tyra was on hiatus from her talk show, Tyra is more involved in this season, and it's evident here that Tyra had wayyy too much time on her hands. I have a confession: I actually prefer when Tyra takes a back seat and lets the drama unfold amongst the model contenders. I always used to cringe when Tyra would come to the house and play "den mother," having her one-on-one conversations with the girls to get them to confess their deepest secrets and insecurities. Tyra was all over this season premiere. She was "imitating" bad model behavior in a very bizarre simulation and then insisted on fixing all of the models' clothes when they came up for critique of their photos. It was annoying. And while I'm at it...this show has not been the same since the first season, and you want to know why...Kimora Lee Simmons. Get rid of Twiggy and bring KLS back, and Janice too. I was surprised that Christian was shown the door so quickly - of all the "Black girls" I liked her best - no comment on Monique who stole a bed and proceeded to mark her territory by pouring water on the comforter and saying she peed on it. Either of the twins are the front runner, since their look is the one popularized by fashion magazines like Vogue. Oh...and is Tyra really doing a magazine or was it just as a prop for the show? I've heard that she may be trying to go the Rosie/Oprah/Martha Stewart and start her own magazine. Given that the past two or three seasons of Top Model have been dry, due to the casting, this season looks promising since these girls have really distinct personalities. It's a good mix, so I'll be tuning in for all the drama sure to follow. I'll just have to close my eyes when Tyra comes on the screen....

I didn't get the memo that Project Runway would be a repeat.

I was a bit underwhelmed by Kidnapped. It was a little boring. I felt like it wasn't moving fast enough. Given that a 15-year-old boy had been kidnapped at gunpoint, his driver shot in the head and the bodyguard left for dead in the middle of the street, there was no sense of urgency. Everyone seemed to be moving in slow motion. I didn't feel that the parents were worried or even cared that their son was gone...if anything, Ellie, the mom seemed somewhat relieved, and proceeded to get on the phone with whom - I'm thinking either a current or ex-boyfriend. Woman...where are your priorities? Conrad and Ellie don't even seem to like each other, but then again, that could just be the normal state of their (and most) marriage. I just wish the pacing was more intense, but I'm willing to stick with it, because I like the supporting characters, including a surprise appearance from Audra McDonald. I've always been a fan of Delroy Lindo and I like the pairing with Jeremy Sisto. Carmen Ejogo (Jeffrey Wright's wife) is breathtakingly beautiful and she seems to have some spunk and attitude that was sorely missing from last night's episode. The only time the show brightens is when Jeremy Sisto (yes, Elton from Clueless) is around, so I'm willing to stick it out and see if he can bring Leopold home. Stay tuned...