Andy Swift

Crazy powers, hot grandmas, and — oh yes — Chris Zylka. What more could we ask for from the ‘Secret Circle’ midseason premiere?
2012 is going to be a dark year for Ms. Cassie Blake (Britt Robertson). Not only did she learn about her Balcoin heritage on the Jan. 5 episode of The Secret Circle, but she also summoned some serious dark magic for her most epic spell yet — and I’m not talking about the choking spell that almost killed Adam (Thomas Dekker.) That one was a no-no.

Blackmail, car accidents… and babies? Yeah, it was a hell of a ‘90210’ winter finale.
All I want for Christmas was for Annie (Shenae Grimes) and Liam (Matt Lanter) to get back together, and what do you know, my big wish was finally granted on the Dec. 6 episode of 90210. Of course, their reunion didn’t come without a few (literal) bumps in the road. In fact, I’m not totally sure if they’re “back together” at all. Humbug!

Warning: Long, emotional tribute to Teddy Montgomery (and Trevor Donovan) ahead!
We’ve seen quite a few characters come and go over the years on 90210, but no one received a farewell as emotional — and deserving — as Teddy (Trevor Donovan) was given on the show’s Nov. 29 episode. We’ve been anticipating his departure with dread since the news broke last summer, and I applaud the writers for sending him off in a way that was not only respectful of the character, but also satisfying to the show’s very loyal fans.

The Beverly Hills gang may be hitting rock bottom, but I’m still thankful for each & every one of them.
Liam’s (Matt Lanter) emotions took front and center on the Nov. 22 episode of 90210 when his dreams of a perfect Thanksgiving literally blew up in his face. In fact, the whole episode played out like a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving special — if Charlie Brown had perfect bangs, Snoopy was addicted to pills, and Lucy charged 5 cents for sex instead of therapy. Good grief!

The Nov. 15 episode of ‘90210’ was all about scandals: political, sexual, and in Liam’s case — beautiful.
It took Annie (Shenae Grimes) a few weeks, but she finally realized something about herself on the Nov. 15 episode of 90210: She is a prostitute. I’m not sure what her first clue was — maybe it was when Patrick literally handed her a $10,000 check in exchange for sex — but I’m glad she’s aware that her life has come to this.

Now two more people know about the murder! How much longer can the ‘Housewives’ keep their secret?
This season’s Desperate Housewives mystery has been pretty predictable thus far, but I have to admit the Nov. 6 episode threw me for a loop. Bree (Marcia Cross) discovered that Ben (Charles Mesure) is the one who dug up Gaby’s (Eva Longoria) stepfather’s corpse last week, but what’s even more surprising is that he’s actually helping her keep the murder a secret!

Plus, Regina ‘reveals’ John Doe’s name! Do you think she’s lying?
The Nov. 6 episode of Once Upon A Time delivered some good news… and some bad news. Although John Doe (Josh Dallas) finally awoke from the world’s most handsome coma after Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin) read to him from the book, it turns out their happily-ever-after in Storybrooke will have to wait — dude’s got a wife!

Plus, Liam faces his most beautiful crisis yet! This guy just can’t catch a break.
The Nov. 1 episode of 90210 taught Naomi (AnnaLynne McCord) a valuable lesson she really should have already known: When you film yourself making a private confession, it will always end up being seen by the exact person you don’t want to see it. Seriously, doesn’t she watch One Tree Hill?

The ‘Fairview four’ all had major life crises this week — except Susan, who spent most of the hour giggling at the word ‘penis.’
Just when you thought the women of Wisteria Lane were starting to get a grip, the Oct. 23 episode of Desperate Housewives came along and turned their lives completely upside down: Gaby (Eva Longoria) discovered Carlos (Ricardo Chavira) has a drinking problem; Lynette (Felicity Huffman) had a meltdown on her first post-separation date; and Bree (Marcia Cross) realized their little murder cover-up is about to be exposed.

Also, uh… is Katherine dead now? Just checking.
Track and field! Bonfires! Cheerleading practice! After ignoring Mystic Falls High for what seemed like forever, the Oct. 20 episode of The Vampire Diaries was (literally) exploding with school spirit. But the best class of all was chemistry — and Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Elena (Nina Dobrev) racked up some major extra credit.

Join me in analyzing last night’s game-changing fall finale.
The Oct. 17 fall finale of ABC Family’s The Lying Game was an hour of twists and turns — but no turn was as intense as when Sutton (Alexandra Chando) literally turned her car towards a lake and drove right into the water! Yes, everyone’s favorite evil twin was left gasping for her life, leaving fans with one very big question: Is Sutton really dead?

Plus, René helps Bree gets her groove back with a sex swing! FUN!
I normally get annoyed when the women of Wisteria Lane have totally separate story lines — this show is at its best when they all come together — but something about the Oct. 16 episode of Desperate Housewives really managed cure to my Sunday-night blues. Maybe it was Bree (Marcia Cross) letting her freak flag fly on a sex swing; Maybe it was Gaby (Eva Longoria) running a woman over in her car; Or maybe it was Susan (Teri Hatcher) going all “Amanda Knox” on an easel. Whatever it was, it worked.

The circle is down one very pouty-faced member after this week’s ‘Secret Circle.’
Well, kids, just because we knew it was going to happen, that doesn’t make it any less sad. Nick (Louis Hunter) met his untimely end at the hands of Charles (Gale Harold) on the Oct. 13 episode of The Secret Circle, after absorbing the demon that was possessing Melissa (Jessica Parker Kennedy.) Remember when Jessica told HollywoodLife.com the episode would be “very telling about [Melissa’s] feelings for Nick?” She wasn’t kidding.

From ‘Let’s start a petition’ to ‘I don’t think I can keep watching,’ fans of ‘The Secret Circle’ are mourning the loss of Nick Armstrong.
Even though I knew going into the Oct. 13 episode of The Secret Circle that Nick (Louis Hunter) was going to die, nothing could have prepared me for the flood of emotions I felt watching him go — and watching his fellow circle members react to the tragedy. And I clearly wasn’t alone, as dozens of outraged commenters took to HollywoodLife.com’s recap of the episode with their own sentiments of sadness, frustration — and in one case,  dreams of a shirtless ghostly future.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, we have a clear case of ‘She who smelt it, dealt it.’ Let’s get to the bottom of this mystery, shall we?
Nancy Grace may be a former prosecutor, but when it comes to getting her fact straight, she really stinks. Nancy originally denied farting on the Oct. 3 episode of Dancing with the Stars, also “exonerating” partner Tristan MacManus and host Brooke Burke as potential fart culprits. But now she’s changing her story, totally pointing the finger — which I hope no one pulls — at Tristan!

Elena came closer than ever to ‘switching Salvatores’ this week! Don’t you think it’s time for her to just give it up?
Aside from the hot-and-heavy pairing of Tyler (Michael Trevino) and Caroline (Candice Accola), every other couple in Mystic Falls was put to the test on the Oct. 6 episode of The Vampire Diaries. Elena (Nina Dobrev) continued flirting with Damon (Ian Somerhalder), while Stefan (Paul Wesley) swapped spit with Rebecca (Claire Holt), and Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) had to choose between Anna the Friendly Ghost (Malese Jow) or Bonnie the Teenage Witch (Kat Graham.) Let’s talk about each of their poor life choices, shall we?

Geez, is anyone faithful on TV anymore? I guess if they were, there’d be no need for ‘Revenge!’ (See what I did there?)
Emily Thorne (Emily VanCamp) threw a major curveball at us on the Oct. 5 episode of ABC’s Revenge when she sent everyone a mass “forgivesies” text and moved away from the Hamptons. JK! She continued to ruin the lives of all the people around her, this week targeting Senator Tom Kingsley (Yancey Arias), the man who prosecuted her father. So how did she do it? I’ve got three words for you, friends: Baby. Mama. Drama.

As the final season rolls on, it’s becoming clear just how ‘Desperate’ these housewives really are.
The plot thickened on the Oct. 2 episode of Desperate Housewives, as a visit to Paul Young (Mark Moses) in prison revealed to Bree (Marcia Cross) that her gratuitously shirtless detective boyfriend may be the one who sent her that chilling letter last week! Though honestly, if people would remember to put the return address on their mail, such problems would not exist.

The joke really wasn’t funny, but hey, I’ll take any ‘True Blood’ I can get. Is it next summer yet?
Just when I thought I’d seen Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) have sex with vampires in every way imaginable — in a graveyard, on a drug trip, etc. — along came the Sept. 25 episode of Family Guy to present Sookie’s fang-banging in the most unthinkable form yet: animated!

Plus, Sophia Bush weighs in on Brooke’s dad’s highly-anticipated arrival! What kind of drama do you think he’ll bring to Tree Hill?
There are a few more familiar faces returning for One Tree Hill’s ninth, and final, season — plus a few new ones! Warner Bros. has confirmed that, not only will Barbara Alyn Woods reprise her role as Nathan’s (James Lafferty) pill-popping cougar mom Deb for one episode, but Richard Burgi will also recur as Brooke’s (Sophia Bush) oft-discussed-but-never-seen father!