Barb Oates, Author at StayTuned Magazine

Survivor recap Episode 4: What’s the beef, Abi?

October 14, 2015 Barb Oates

Survivor: Second Chance recap Season 31, Episode 4 (original airdate Oct. 14): While total respect goes to Andrew Savage for digging deep (I mean really deep, even beating out Jeremy) to win the reward challenge for team Angkor, it still wasn’t enough to turn around the tribe’s luck when it came to winning immunity. In the end Angkor headed back to Tribal Council where Jeff Varner was voted off on episode 4 of Survivor: Second Chance. Here’s the short version on how things went down. The feeble five (those who were left of Angkor) returned to their desolate camp — […]

“Fear: Buried Alive” is for real – 3 people to be buried, monitored in TV experiment

October 9, 2015 Barb Oates

Originally I thought we had Edgar Allan Poe to thank for the fear surrounding being buried alive, as he penned several stories around the macabre topic. Many movies have depicted the dark, claustrophobic terror as well, leaving us with long-lasting nightmares (think Ryan Reynolds in Buried — don’t worry, this one’s not a major spoiler). TV has touched on the subject, too. The Following‘s Joe Carroll (James Purefoy) started a cult of Poe-inspired killers and buried an FBI agent alive in one episode. The fear of being buried alive isn’t just dramatized fiction. Google the topic and you’ll find plenty of […]

Survivor recap Episode 3: It’s time to change buffs but who falls short?

October 7, 2015 Barb Oates

Survivor: Second Chance recap Season 31, Episode 3 (original airdate Oct. 5): Coming back from Tribal Council Spencer is extremely grateful to have survived, and is thrilled to be given another three days to play the game. Terry is on top of the world claiming victory for getting his social game on (the befriending of Abi) that took him from the bottom to the top. As both tribes meet for the next immunity challenge, Jeff Probst gives the word to drop their buffs they are switching tribes. This time, however, there are going to be three tribes of six. One […]

Survivor: Second Chance episode 2 recap: Who is the two-headed snake?

September 30, 2015 Barb Oates

Survivor: Second Chance Episode 2 recap (original airdate Sept. 30): It’s new school versus old school at Ta Keo. Just when it looks like new school has the upper hand, things take a wild turn compliments of the colorful Jeff Varner who sets the target on Shirin and Spencer. Let’s take a quick look at how we got there… Varner’s playing both sides — new school and old school — and thinks the biggest threat is Shirin and Spencer. He’s actually on old school’s side. The too-smart-for-you duo (Shirin and Spencer) is a little too much strategy, not enough get […]

Ray Donovan season finale recap: Can Ray save his family (and self)?

September 27, 2015 Barb Oates

Ray Donovan season finale recap Season 3, Episode 12 “Exsuscito” (original air date Sept. 27, 2015): It was an emotionally draining close to the season. The episode begins with the Finney family shit storm, following Paige’s (Katie Holmes) testimony against her father. Avi (Steven Bauer) secretly brings Paige to a penthouse where Ray (Liev Schreiber) is waiting; he advises her to stay there until things settle down. There are more helicopters outside the Finney house than when O.J. took his white Bronco down the 405, Paige tells him. “They love to see the mighty fall.” Ray assures her that she […]

What makes Marcia Gay Harden’s Code Black a Fall TV standout?

September 25, 2015 Barb Oates

Based on the award-winning documentary by Ryan McGarry, CBS’ new Code Black (premieres Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 10pmET/9pmCT) is a fascinating look at the split-second, life-and-death decisions being made at the nation’s busiest and most notorious ER. A group of medical residents gets a fast introduction to this ER as it operates in a code black (when an influx of patients is so great, they can’t treat them all) about 300 times a year. Code Black is an adrenaline rush of high-stakes drama, built around strong characters (played by standouts Marcia Gay Harden, Luis Guzman and Bonnie Somerville) and an […]

Will EVOs be the future? Heroes Reborn to finish the story

September 24, 2015 Barb Oates

In 2006 creator Tim Kring first introduced us to a group of ordinary people with extraordinary abilities in Heroes, which ran for four seasons before being canceled in 2010. Kring returns with the 13-episode reboot, Heroes Reborn (Thursday, Sept. 24 at 8pmET on NBC). The two-hour series premiere picks up several years in the future, with “EVOs” (evolved humans, or heroes) being hunted, dehumanized and mass murdered. “In the previous series when you discovered you had a power, it was almost a mystical kind of ‘What’s happening with me?’ journey of discovery,” Kring explained at Comic Con. “Now [in Reborn] […]

Survivor recap, Episode 1: Yoga, a missing bracelet and what was Vytas wearing?

September 23, 2015 Barb Oates

Survivor: Second Chance recap Season 31, Episode 1 (original airdate Sept. 23) For the first time ever 20 former survivors get the opportunity for a second chance at being named the “sole survivor.” For Survivor: Cambodia: Second Chance — the series’ 31st season — fans definitely took an out-of-sight, out-of-mind mentality as almost half of the 20 castaways selected come from just the past three seasons. Season 28, Survivor: Cagayan, has the largest pool of alumni and smarts with Woo, Tasha, Spencer and Kass all returning. Here’s a quick refresher on the castaways and a recap of the 90-minute episode. […]

Ray Donovan recap Season 3 Episode 11: Mickey’s got to go, and how about Cochran?

September 20, 2015 Barb Oates

Ray Donovan recap Season 3 Episode 11 “Poker” (original air date Sept. 20, 2015): While the season is sadly nearing its close, this episode definitely ranks as a favorite, thanks to the amusing Cochran (Hank Azaria) and Mickey (Jon Voight). The episode starts with Cochran at Ray’s apartment making himself at home with some Jiffy Pop and beer, whistling “This Little Light Of Mine (I’m Going To Make It Shine).” He’s shoveling popcorn in that big yapper of his, while reviewing a topographic map of a desert region (you know it’s Varick’s final resting place). He takes that information and […]

Ray Donovan recap Season 3 Episode 10: Non compos mentis, Invisalign and dick picks?

September 13, 2015 Barb Oates

Ray Donovan recap Season 3, Episode 10 “One Night in Yerevan” (original air date Sept. 13, 2015): The episode starts in a new venue — a concert for an Armenian pop star named Hasmig (Sarah Shani). Lena (Katherine Moennig) and Ray (Liev Schreiber) attend the singer’s after party where Hasmig is excited to see Ray — he helped her once with a stalker — but is unwilling to get involved in any doings with her fellow Armenian countrymen, the Minassians. She claims she does not know them. [On a side note, this episode marks the reunion of Shani and Moenning […]