TV Geek Out 42: Ugly Betty, "When Betty Met YETI"

Betty goes head-to-head with Mark to win a prestigious spot in the Young Editors Training Program in this sheepishly controversial episode of Ugly Betty. Despite Mark's more polished presentation, Betty garners the coveted spot; however, she declines when Mark insensitively suggests that she only got it because she's Latina. In addition to the very moral Betty's effective dismissal of affirmative action and the further darkening of Mark's character, the episode skirts around issues of being a gay teen without ever giving full voice to them. After Justin's new friend discards him due to peer pressure, Hilda expresses her love of her son's uniqueness. But is it possible to preach acceptance without ever really getting to the heart of the issue? Though TV Geek Out geeks Dana and Heather were fond of "When Betty Met YETI" overall, we couldn't help but question some of its surprising plot developments.

Check it out here.

TV Geek Out 41: 30 Rock, "Gavin Volure"

30 Rock's opening stretch of guest stars ends with Steve Martin's turn as sneaky businessman Gavin Volure. The episode featured some of the funniest people alive and flawlessly structured comedic writing, so why did the TV Geek Out geeks feel let down by it? We discuss everything from Steve Martin's hair to Japanese sex dolls, and agree that even a not-so-great 30 Rock episode is still funnier than almost anything else on television.

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TV Geek Out 40: Grey's Anatomy, "In the Midnight Hour"

Grey's Anatomy seemed to go off the deep end with "In the Midnight Hour," resorting to steamy GHOST SEX between Izzie and "Denny" in order to keep beloved guest star Jeffrey Dean Morgan somehow on the program. That might not have even been the most ridiculous element of this particularly absurd episode, which also brought us a covert intern-on-intern appendectomy and a seemingly unbelievable poop transplant between a husband and wife (though that actually has a real medical basis!). Was this the episode where Grey's finally jumped the shark? Did that already happen long ago, or is the show shark-proof? Has Izzie lost her mind, or have the writers lost theirs? The TV Geek Out geeks ponder those questions and more, including how the hell any of the doctors at Seattle Grace even still have a job.

Check it out here.

TV Geek Out 39: The Office, "Frame Toby"

Despite providing the episode with its title, Dwight and Michael's attempted frame-job of Toby with a (very fresh-looking) caprese salad is one of the least important things that happens during "Frame Toby." Pam's frustration with returning to the office bubbles over into a not-so anonymous note signed "Disappointed," although she didn't seem to feel that way about Jim's surprise present of his parents' house (or did she?) and Ryan has a farewell makeout session with Kelly before he leaves for Thailand. Evil snails, shag carpeting and disturbing clown paintings and the fine line between controlling and romantic are just some of the creepy and hilarious things the TV Geek Out geeks geek out about this time.

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TV Geek Out 38: Heroes, "The Eclipse, Part 1"

The first half of Heroes' two-episode chapter "The Eclipse" left the TV Geek Out Geeks surprisingly sleepy -- maybe it was the lack of sunlight? Or maybe it was watching every single character encounter the eclipse and their subsequent lack of powers without putting two and two together. At any rate, Sylar and Elle continue their Bonnie and Clyde romance, HRG greatly overestimates Claire's ability to heal during the eclipse, and Mohinder gets his pretty back temporarily (via a pretty gross cocoon-busting scene complete with bloody afterbirth). How the heroes adapted -- or didn't adapt -- to their technical difficulties led to a frustrated, even emotional discussion. Listen, and you'll know what it's like to cry the tears of absurdity.

Check it out here.

Correction: David Anders' character on Alias was named Sark, not Sylar! Dana apologizes for misspeaking, in all her riled-up frustration with Heroes.