Review Day

There are no major spoilers in these reviews.

Alpha House, Season Two:
The second season of this Garry Trudeau comedy about Republican senators is a little tighter than the first, plot-wise. However, there's still not much in the way of grand schemes or resolution -- it remains a funny, pleasant satire that probably won't age well. The show occasionally takes the easy route of low-blow one-liners that come across as more mean-spirited than lightly mocking, but can still be enjoyed at a character development level, ignoring the politics. Free on Amazon Prime.

Final Grade: B+

Neighbors (R):
This is a throwaway comedy about a fraternity that moves in next door to a married couple, with escalating tactics towards eviction. It features fun bit parts with Lisa Kudrow and Hannibal Burress, although Rose Byrne feels completely out of place as Seth Rogen's wife.

Final Grade: B-

IRIS Neat 'n Dry Floor Protection and Training Pads for Puppies and Dogs:
These pads are perfect for Booty's pee issues. They come in boxes of 100, and she's even learned to pee completely within the borders of the mat and to fold it over so there's no clean-up required on my part. By the time I clean the litter box daily, the pads have chemically solidified and I can just toss them out and replace with a fresh one. The only way they could be improved is if they could eliminate odors as well -- Puppy pee's got nothing on cat pee.

Final Grade: B+

BISSELL DeepClean Essential Full Sized Carpet Cleaner, 8852:
Steam cleaners never last particularly long, but they're essential when your pets vomit as often as ours do. This cleaner is reasonably inexpensive and portable, and has lasted six months so far. I dislike that the soap receptacle has been removed from this model -- you now mix the soap directly in the fresh water, which means that you can't save the unused portion after cleaning.

Final Grade: B-