I Hate Myself For Loving You, Glee

Still one of the greatest logos ever.

For weeks now I’ve been purposefully putting off blogging about Glee. But tonight I finally watched the season finale, and I can’t put this blog off any longer. In my other blog, I have spent too many posts venting about and promoting Glee over the years. Part of the problem with blogging about Glee is that my thoughts are as scattered as the show. Sometimes I love it. Other times it’s on par with Smash: I’m just hate-watching it to keep up.

I guess my biggest beef with Glee over the years is the way it approaches the agenda/issues it deals with. Domestic violence and body image cannot be solved in a single day. And so in some ways, Glee is a throwback to TV in the early 90’s and before where Danny Tanner sat down with DJ after her latest shenanigan and soft music played and they hugged and all was right in the world again. Only, I don’t wanna go back there! 

My two favorite characters. I like divas.

Glee has spent time creating great characters, it wouldn’t kill it to carry a heavy storyline through more than one episode. But then again, the show has spent three seasons with heavy handed preaching about homosexuality. I guess I just want some balance. Treat all of the issues equally. Spread them out and spend some time on them or deliver them all with anecdotal solutions. At least this way there wouldn’t be such a variation between heartfelt authenticity and taking really serious problems way too lightly. The show would come off as more believable, more applicable, and the characters would not be such caricatures of themselves. 

Having said all of that...

DAMN YOU GLEE with your pretty faces and good music. You suck me in EVERY TIME with at least one of my favorite songs, even though it’s usually over-processed and emotionally charged. 

The season finale was no different. I cried five times. I thought it was a great ending. And I kind of thought I would want to pick it apart when I finally wrote this blog, but I don’t. Maybe later this summer when I’m not so heartbroken over the end I will dissect it for sport. But for now, I just want to let it sink in. The hug between Sue and Quinn, Santana’s mom believing in her, the confessional conversation between Finn and Mr. Shoe, and the long awaited image of Rachel walking through New York. 

Pure Glee.

Sigh. I miss them and their issues already.

My Summer (TV) To Do List

And by TV, I mean computer.

We've said our goodbyes to this year's television season, and it's time to look ahead to the Summer. Which really means, await the Fall for the return of all good television. Or, spend time catching up on what you've missed. Here's my Summer TV To Do List. Keep in mind, I have 2 months off of work to achieve this marathon of television! (Not that I couldn't get it done even if I was working...is that a bragging point?)

30 Rock- Re-watch Seasons 1-5 at least 3 more times-It's true, I will probably have this memorized by the time I leave China. Ever heard of Treat Yo' Self? Yep.

Once Upon a Time-I loved the first episode, but the time slot lost me. My mom says it's very entertaining. I love my mom. I think I'll watch. 

How did I miss this?! I love all of these people!

Freaks and Geeks-Two of my very different and very good friends suggest that this is worth my time. Sounds good to me.

Friday Night Lights-People rave about this show. Given that I grew up in the South where football is second only to God, I think I should probably see what the hype is about.

Glee-I need to see that dang season finale. Come on CHINA INTERNET PLEASE PLAY NICE! Talk about being left hanging. DO NOT tell me what happens.

Jenny...Dan is YOUR BROTHER...inappropriate! 

Gossip Girl-I'm in the middle of Season 3 now. I want to poke my eyes out, but I like Chuck Bass too much to do that. Guilty Pleasure all the way.

Game of Thrones-Catch up on Season 2.

Mad Men-Catch up on Season 5

Grey's Anatomy-Start from the beginning again just because.

Sports Night- Because it has Nate Fisher/Adam Braverman in it, and because my brother told me I would like it.

Looks like the cast of Friends played dress up in the cast of Gossip Girl's clothes.

How I Met Your Mother-Not sure how I missed out on this hype, but I did. Hope it's not too late to get in on it.

Dancing With The Stars-I know, I know. It's weird to watch this after all the voting has happened, but I like to watch dancing, and I still have managed to avoid hearing who won, and it's on Hulu, so why not!

What am I missing? What should I skip? 

What will YOU be watching this Summer? 

Is Zac Efron A Man Yet?

This could be the start of something new.

I bet you remember the first time you saw him. I know I could never forget...it's been...gosh, what...six years now?  I kept hearing from my friend's kids, and pretty much anyone under the age of 14 about Disney's High School Musical. Zac Efron was the star. When I saw him, I think I used the word, "cute" to describe him. I tried to treat him like he was nothing more than a puppy. I watched the movie, a little envious as 5th and 6th grade girls swooned over him reminding me that I shouldn't. But then later that year, I couldn't help but notice when he cut his hair. It aged him a little. I was glad.

I know, something has changed, never felt this way.

Then there was that day in the doctor's office waiting room....no one was around, so when I saw that article about him and that bitch Vanessa Hudgens in People, I had to read it. You know she's not even that pretty, and when she talks, she sounds like she might have three brain cells which she obviously employs to remember the words to her nasally ballads. As I read on, I commended the longevity of their relationship, chalking it all up to Zac's gentlemanly behavior, his traditional values. I'm sure he didn't want to hurt her, but when I heard about their break up a few years later, I was glad. She could only hold him back. 

Breaking Free

For a while Zac went off of my radar. Then one day I received a poster of the above image from a friend. I felt dirty, and excited. But mostly dirty. Even so, I couldn't get rid of something so beautiful, so I put it up on the back of the guest room in my apartment. Before the poster there, I rarely spent time in the room. After though, the guest room became more of an office for me. I spent more and more time in there...with the door closed. When I hosted slumber parties for the teens at church, they giggled profusely over the poster. This was my ultimate justification for keeping it when anyone asked: "But the youth really love it when they come over!" They came over maybe twice a year.

When I moved out of the apartment, I think I gave the poster away. I couldn't carry into adulthood with me. But I didn't forget about Zac. He just moved back into the recesses of my mind. Where he froze as an eternal teenager. 

That is...until a few months ago. 

I can't take my eyes off of you.

Zac's name started to surface among my friends in January. The preview for his new movie was out, and it was swoon worthy to say the least. Suddenly, the boy with the cartoonish eyebrows and the squeaky voice had broad shoulders and facial hair. His eyes were less curious, more smoldering. My usual conversations about Ryan Gosling or Ryan Reynolds were now about Zac Efron. On Skype one night, one of my friends actually had me Google and send her pictures of him. She didn't want them on her computer for her husband and kids to see. Another friend and I chatted on FB recently about celebrities we'd like to sleep with. Hesitantly, Zac's name came up for both of us.

There's no denying that he is gorgeous. But something feels so wrong about lusting after someone so young! We've waited long enough. We want an answer to the lingering question on all of our minds:  Is Zac Efron a man yet? 

Let's examine the evidence: 

Age: Today, my 48 year old friend told me that Zac is 24. (She just knew that information right off the top of her head!) For all practical purposes, 24 is out of college, possibly even out of grad school for the ambitious. 24 is the age my mother was when she gave birth to me. 24 is considered an adult age in the real world, but does it count in celebrity world? 

This feeling's like no other.

Physique: Look at that body. It's in great shape, but is it the body of a man? It's not the body of most men I know, but all of the right elements are there. Go on, look at it again. Just for fun.

Career/Movie Roles: Zac is no longer playing the part of a high-schooler. In The Lucky One, he plays the typical Nicholas Sparks character that every woman is supposed to fall in love with. He's done a few tours at war, which is an automatic aging device, and there is a pretty intense sex scene between him and leading lady, Taylor Schilling. In the upcoming movie, The Paperboy, fellow actress, Macy Gray describes Zac as being "in his underwear half the time." Also, Nicole Kidman urinates on Zac in the movie. Seems like an odd rite of passage, but I think it counts as a pretty grown-up move. Maybe the most convincing role will be one that is still pending. It's rumored that Zac could possibly play the infamously sexy, Christian Grey, in the movie adaptation of the erotic best seller, Fifty Shades of Grey. There is no doubt that a role like that would definitely signify a coming of age for Zac. 

What I've been looking for.

I know there's a fine line on this one, but solely based on the evidence presented in this blog today, I think the verdict is that Zac Efron IS a man. 

What do you think? Support your case!

In Memory: Unforgettable Movie Soldiers

How do you talk about Memorial Day without talking about the things that everyone expects you to mention?  You don't.  So today when you break out your grill honor and remember fallen soldiers, take a few minutes to remember these movie soldiers too!

Somewhere over the rainbow.

Movie: Top Gun
Soldier: LT Nick "Goose" Bradshaw
Favorite Moment: The perfect camaraderie between Maverick and Goose is shown in the memorable line, "I feel the need, the need for speed!"
Why He's Unforgettable: The obvious choice would be to go with Tom Cruise's Maverick, but everyone's favorite character in the movie ends up being Goose. He's the comic relief, loyal, he's the life of the party, and his unexpected and tragic death makes him the unsung hero of the movie. It's unfortunate that Anthony Edwards has gathered most of his fame from characters who died, but his character Goose lives on as the best friend that everyone wants.

We Were Soldiers in a lot of movies.

Movie: Saving Private Ryan
Soldier: PVT Daniel Jackson
Favorite Moment: The dead on shot straight through the German soldiers eye.
Why He's Unforgettable: This is hands down my favorite "War" movie. The premise alone is one of the all time greatest story lines ever written. Upon realization that a mother has lost all but one of her sons in the war, the military sends out a special task force with one mission, to save Private Ryan. The commitment to to this task makes all of these soldiers amazing, but the one that stands out is PVT Jackson, the sniper. Jackson is portrayed by Barry Pepper, who brings a sense of religious devotion to his role as sniper. Pepper plays a soldier in many other movies, but I think his role as Jackson is on target. 

Redrum.

Movie: A Few Good Men
Soldier: COL Nathan Jessep
Favorite Moment: Col. Jessep loses his cool and screams out the most famous line of the movie, "You can't handle the truth!"
Why He's Unforgettable: This movie is star studded with Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, and Kevin Bacon. But their performances are not nearly as classic as Jack Nicholson's. As if he isn't already terrifying, put him a movie about military conspiracy, give him one of the most memorable speeches in movie history and slap a uniform on him, and you have the recipe for an unforgettable soldier. Col. Jessep isn't the most respectable character, representing the "old regime," his extreme commitment to national security leads him to cover-up a murder and eventually lands him in prison. It's not hard to watch him go down, but it does beg the question of corruption in the military: decidedly a topic we'd like to keep out of real life and on the big screen.

I'm not sure Charlie would approve.

Movie: G.I.Jane
Soldier: LT Jordan O'Neill
Favorite Moment: The shaving of the hair/training montage.
Why She's Unforgettable: Before Demi's rehab stint and her relationship with Ashton, she was groundbreaking. And as hard as it is to believe that just 15 years ago a movie about a woman in the military was groundbreaking, it was. O'Neill is unforgettable for multiple reasons including her refusal to receive special treatment or be held to different standards. Her dedication to her training is serious, and there's a great montage that includes one armed push-ups and shaving her head to prove her commitment as a soldier. I just like her because she goes against the grain, holds her own, and tells an officer to "Suck my dick." That last part is probably directly related to why she won a few Razzies for this role.

Shall we dance?

Movie: An Officer and a Gentleman
Soldier: Officer Candidate/Ensign Zack Mayo
Favorite Moment: Do you really have to ask? Only one of the most romantic moments in movie history.
Why He's Unforgettable: The success of this movie lies in the relationship between Richard Gere and Louis Gossett Jr. We get to watch Gossett ride and harass Mayo to the point of a break down. His vulnerability makes us love him all the more. As if that doesn't seal the deal on him being an unforgettable soldier, Mayo abandons his opportunity to break an obstacle course record to get a teammate over the wall, proving that he has the team's best interest at heart. Added to all of this rich character depth, is the blue collar love story between Gere and Debra Winger is real, romantic, and hopeful. Unforgettable movie, unforgettable soldier.

Who is your favorite movie soldier?

Can't Repeat the Past? Why Of Course You Can!

It was late Wednesday night in China when I saw that the trailer for The Great Gatsby had been released. I pulled it up on my computer, full screen, and played it. Then I played it again. I played it 6 times in that sitting. Since then, I've played it about a dozen more. Here it is for your viewing pleasure!

Forget polarizing celebrities...this might be the most polarizing movie of the year. Or at least the most polarizing trailer. It's the biggest buzz this week, and people are either thrilled to see it, or angry and critical. Here's my take:


1. The Great Gatsby is the most perfect book ever written. Every word is thought out, impeccably placed. It is not too long, not too short. The language is elevated while still accessible. The images of the bored rich play beautifully against the themes of unrequited love and unexposed vulnerability. It is full of flawed characters that reveal in us our own shortcomings preventing us from judging them too harshly, and yet it toys with the reader's struggle between resentment of money and longing for it, the role it plays in happiness, even while emphasizing that money cannot buy everything. It is timeless in that these themes and characters only repeat themselves and are reborn into every generation, every age of society. It is bold, mysterious, lovely, and tragic.

Those eyes taught me about symbolism.

2. Having said that, it cannot ever be replicated perfectly in movie form. So for the 10% of America who has actually read the book, stop the strict comparisons. Think of it as a cousin of the book. If you go into it with the minimalist expectations that your high school brain wrapped itself around when you first read it, you will feel confused when you watch it. This must be embraced as a tribute to The Great Gatsby, not a replica.

This might be as close to "Gatsby" as Leo gets.

3. I'm not gonna lie...I have my doubts about the cast. First of all, I would have liked to see Topher Grace as Nick Carraway instead of Tobey Maguire. Tobey is goofy, Topher is...well, more graceful which I would find more appropriate for someone like Carraway. Instead of Joel Edgerton as Tom Buchanan, I'd like to see Tom Hardy. Hardy seems scary, and I've always read Buchanan as slightly irrational. Carey Mulligan as Daisy doesn't sit right with me. She's too mousy, not the exquisite beauty that you hope for, and her eyes show layers of depth. January Jones' role as Betty Draper has already showed that she can master the shallow sadness of Daisy. And as for Leonardo as Gatsby. Sigh. I love Leo. But I think Ryan Gosling is more chiseled and could have nailed this one. Leo is too round in the face. But honestly, anyone is gonna have a hard time competing with Robert Redford's Gatsby. At least we know Leo has the acting chops to try. If Leo and Carey can pull off the subdued intensity and anxious emotional connection between Daisy and Gatsby, then the rest of the movie will be fine no matter who portrays who.

Great Indeed.

4. The Baz Luhrmann issue is a non-issue. I mean, of course he's an issue because everything he does is SO HIM that you can't ignore his style or hand in any of his films. His fast paced Romeo and Juliet, and over the top Moulin Rouge won me over, but even if you don't like his colorful, in your face, aesthetic, you can still love it for Gatsby. Because Luhrmann's excessive style is perfectly at home in a movie based on the roaring twenties where everything was happening in the context of booming excess. In writing sometimes we ask the question, should the form serve the content or the content serve the form? The correct answer for me is the first, and that's what you have in Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby. It will be beautiful on screen, with vast contrasting colors that Luhrmann is known for, whereas I remember the Redford version of the movie was too....clean, too...white. 

Watching for the longest day of the year.

5. The criticism is running high, people are ready for this to fail. Even down to the music in the trailer, which will probably never show up in the movie itself, people are upset. Everyone slow down for a second. Remember the point of a trailer. It's a marketing tool. It's meant to convince the majority of the people in mainstream America, most of whom are NOT Gatsby fans, to go see the movie. So love it for what it is, something to entice. And also, LOVE that Jack White cover of U2's Love is Blindness.


As for me, overall, I am thrilled about the movie. The biggest bummer...we have to wait until CHRISTMAS!

What are your thoughts on the upcoming The Great Gatsby? 

Drinking With Shonda Rhimes

I'm drinking with THIS tonight!

You've heard me mention Shonda Rhimes a few times now. It's no secret, I'm a fan. Shonda's first baby was Grey's Anatomy, and back in the day, Grey's had some really great stuff going for it. Since then, Shonda has given birth to Private Practice, and Scandal. I watch them all. Why? Because the woman knows how to write characters, even if the plot is lacking from time to time. Unfortunately, with all those TV shows sharing a matriarch, there are bound to be some blatant similarities. You can be annoyed by this, or you can capitalize on it. I'm up for the latter.

In a recent blog I realized that it was way past time for a Shonda Rhimes drinking game! And YES, I know that most drinking games are for college students who are gathered in large numbers, each contributing their own 6 pack of PBR, hoping to find someone to hook up with (are they still saying hook up?). So this one, of course, has a bit of a twist. Think of it as more like the drinking game for the 30-50 year old woman. Which means wine is most likely the drink of choice. Followed by a hot bath and vowing to finish that book before you fall asleep tonight with your glasses on. How's that for context? 

THE SHONDA RHIMES DRINKING GAME

3 Drinks every time a character begins and ends a passionate monologue the same way. 

2 Drinks for every time a character says, "You don't GET to..." 

1 Drink for every time a man has better hair than the woman he is talking to. Watch out for scenes with McDreamy.

2 Drinks for every time 2 people go into a supply closet/private room/ elevator/oval office to..not talk.

1 TEENY TINY sip for every time you see blood. It can get ugly fast, so be careful on this one.

Gulp it all down for every time a main character dies. You're gonna need it anyway when that happens, and it WILL happen.

1 Drink and for every song you Shazam.

3 Drinks every time you see a character (extras included) appear on more than 1 of Shonda's shows in the same month. It will happen. Addison can't stay away from Seattle Grace. And Meredith's father is working for the President! Overlap is bound to occur!

1 Drink for every time a male character pouts. 

1 Drink for every time a female character acts like a man. Christina, Olivia, and Amelia, we're looking at you.

1 Drink for every nickname used.

3 Drinks for a new nickname.

1 Drink for every time you hear the words, "seriously," "my person," or "I don't want to lose you."

1 Drink for every time a character uses medical or political jargon that sounds like it could be legit.

1 Drink for every time someone betrays someone else.

3 Drinks for every affair.

Here's to being alive...for now!
(Look at me back there..Irish Amber! Ha! I'm drinking with Grey's!)

That should do it! It's Friday, have fun!!! I think I'll start Grey's Anatomy from the beginning...again!

Follow Weekend Fat!!!

I believe in celebrating small successes. It's only been a few weeks, but it looks like Weekend Fat is finding it's place in the world wide interweb! We still have a long way to go though! 

This finger is pointing you in the right direction...follow this blog!

So if you like what you're seeing, or hate it and just want something to complain about daily, then FOLLOW THIS BLOG! There are many ways to do it. Enter your email address on the right side of this page to receive updates. You can follow us on Facebook through www.facebook.com/networkedblogs, and we have our own page that you should definitely "LIKE," www.facebook.com/weekendfat. We're also on Twitter as @weekendfat!  If you really love us, you can do them ALL! 

Also, feel free to offer blog ideas or leave comments. And thanks for your support so far! Check back tomorrow for the Shonda Rhimes Drinking Game, a perfect way to kick off your weekend. Seriously.

It's The Final Countdown: How To Leave 'Em Wanting More

One summer a friend of mine and I were working at a camp together. We were given the task to entertain a group of children for an hour. We only had a parachute. She pulled the parachute out began to play with the children. They loved it! But about 30 minutes in, she packed up the parachute and had them play tag, followed by hide and go seek. I was confused. That parachute would have easily entertained them for the entire hour. When I asked her about it later she said something I'd heard a million times, but never really seen in action: "Always leave 'em wanting more!" By quitting at the height of their enjoyment, she could always return with the parachute, it would always entertain them, it would always be successful.

Most fun ever.

It should be that way with television. Each season, we cross our fingers and wait to see if our love for characters, humor, and drama have translated into enough ratings and money to secure a place in next year's line up. This year, the news I was the most anxious to hear revolved around 30 Rock, Parenthood, SMASH (don't judge me) American Horror Story, and Community. All were renewed, even if some of those renewals had conditions such as: Community without Dan Harmon, rumors of entirely new story lines/characters in American Horror Story, and a final season for 30 Rock. I can live with that...just bring them back, I'm not ready to lose them yet!


Listen, no one wants to see their favorite shows cancelled. My cousin and I were the only ones in the world watching Best Friends Forever, and we both understand why it's gone, but are we happy about it? No. Because it speaks to some part of us. We all have our attachment issues, and breaking up is hard to do. But there's one thing that's worse that missing your favorite show....and that's watching it be totally ruined.

I miss them!

There are 2 kinds of show endings. The first is that the creators of the show decide it's time to cut it off. The second is that the network isn't making enough money and decides to cut it off. The most common is the second kind, because the truth is that people don't know when to put the "parachute" away. One notable exception to this is my personal favorite TV show in the history of TV, Six Feet Under. I will fight you to the death about the perfection of Six Feet Under. And here's the amazing thing, it only went 5 seasons. Because creator, Alan Ball, came to the network and said that he felt that the show had run it's course. Yeah, you heard me. He fired himself. But he did it because what he was creating with Six Feet Under was about making good TV. Not about staying on the air as long as possible!


The problem with TV today (wow, I sound old, uptight, and like I know everything. I'm not old.) is that somehow the networks and creators haven't caught onto the fact that for the most part, the generation they are dealing with these days wants authenticity, cleverness, and a sense of purpose. We want it in our own lives, and we want it in the TV characters' lives. And so when a show like ER ends with an entirely different cast than where it started, it doesn't feel real! That's not how we live our lives! It feels desperate and grasping and like this is really all about a paycheck.

Who are these people?

Don't get me wrong, I KNOW it's all about a paycheck, but I don't want to be reminded that it's all about a paycheck. I want to see a story arc come to completion, run it's course. I want to see characters evolve as they face hardship (even if that hardship is a bit too dramatic at times) and come out on the other side. I want to relate to them. And if it's a comedy, I want the inside jokes and one liners that started the show to end with it. Friends was great at this. The characters were strong, they evolved, we literally watched them grow up on TV, and before it was too silly or over the top or they took too many trips out of the country or used too many green screens, it ended. And we still love it today.

Perfect Timing.

But some of our favorites are in danger of going too long. It's time for a few of those shows that we love to consider saying goodbye. Now, don't get upset with me as I name your favorite show for cancellation material, but remember the parachute story. Don't you want to be able to miss it and watch it again without thinking of how boring it got in the end? We are talking quality here, not quantity. I suggest the following shows should go 1 more season and end, securing their places on pedestals instead of falling into the category of "Yeah, I used to watch it before..."

Community-I know. It hasn't been on long enough. But it's been on the chopping block since its inception.  And now, without Dan Harmon, I have my doubts. My friend Amy suggested that the 3 part finale of this season could have served as a great series closer. I agree. But it didn't go quite like that. And so if for some reason, Community actually manages to survive next year, I don't think that it should survive another year after that. Plus, it's community college. They have to leave at some point. And don't even THINK about bringing in new characters.

The Office-Please go away. Not only is it depressing seeing Jim and Pam all married with kids and not nearly as adorable as they once were (a writing issue, not a life situation issue), but Michael Scott was the heart of the show. To try to continue it without him has left me trying to remember why that red headed lady from Florida is in Michael's office and why Andy is acting like a fool. I would be okay to never see James Spader again (the same way I felt about him after seeing The Secretary), and even Dwight's antics can't revive this show. Please, just let it die. Write an ending. Shut Dunder Mifflin Down. Let Dwight and Jim be co-managers. ANYTHING. Just...enough. It hurts to watch.

When it's all over, I vote for a cooking show with Dexter as the host. Specialty: Breakfast.

Dexter-It's finally happened. Deb has finally seen the real Dexter. So, next season it's Deb vs. Dexter. We've always known it had to be this way. But it really has to end this way, and it has to end this season. Deb could go down in history in the Miami Metro Police Department if she turns him in. Is Dexter cold-hearted enough to go after Deb? Can they talk through it? Can Dexter explain and justify his reasons for killing? Will Deb let Dexter go, or will she pull a Sound of Music whistle blow on him and send him running for the hills? If none of the above happen, then we are looking at either the death of Deb, or incest, neither of which we want to see. Kill it off before it's squirming, please.


30 Rock-You know my love for this show, and I've already read that next season is the last. I'm glad. The show has always been a little exaggerated, but within regards to the revolving door of characters, it's been tamed to the love interests of Jack or Liz. This season, bringing on a new page, Hazel, just about killed me. The actress herself drives me crazy, but she doesn't work in the cast. We love Kenneth. But we love him for the role he plays, which is not the protagonist. Liz is the protagonist (though Jack would argue that). The page storyline just gets us off focus from where we really want to be. Tracy, Jenna, Liz, and Jack. So, please. Let Jack call Nancy Donovan (Julianne Moore) and rekindle with her happily in Boston, let Kenneth rise to Jack's position as the new executive, and for the love of God give Liz her baby with her current adorable boyfriend, while she is still happily working on TGS. Let her finally, have it all. 

Grey's Anatomy-You know I love it, but it's time to go. I want to see the characters land. They are grown up doctors now, with grown up relationships. It's time to tie up the loose ends. If Arizona is gonna die, let Mark and Callie live happily ever after. Meredith and Derek have a child now, we want to see them be responsible enough to stay together and raise her after they fought so hard for her. Yang and Hunt are going to get back together and pour themselves into that hospital. Let Bailey have her man. And Alex. Sigh...Alex. Just don't bring in a new batch of residents and get some ER thing going. I don't want this show to be unrecognizable in 5 years. 

Speaking of always leave 'em wanting more...I cannot WAIT!

What shows do you want to see cancelled before they go bad?  

Advanced Course in Ruining A Good Thing: The Firing of Dan Harmon

I love noticing connections between seemingly random things. For example, (confession time) yesterday I was Twitter-stalking (Twalking? Stittering?) someone who had posted a picture of a morning glory growing in their yard. For the rest of the day, the words morning glory continued to show up. I decided to put my iTunes on shuffle, which I rarely do, and the first song that played was "Morning Glory" by Oasis. One of my Chinese students asked me what we in America, call the flower that closes up every day? I Googled around and found the most common answer was morning glory. And I blogged about Annie Hall, which starred Diane Keaton and in my brief research on Keaton's filmography, I noticed that one of her more recent movies was called...drumroll please.....Morning Glory.

This thing will not leave me alone!

I like to call this synchronicity.

In writing, I think it's called a theme. I have glanced back over the last week of events, and ladies and gentlemen, I think we have ourselves a theme!

The Theme for the 3rd Week of May, 2012 is...Firing.

Not only did I just celebrate my personal 2 year anniversary from losing a job and write a few blogs about it (Blog 1, Blog 2), but firing happened all over TV last week! Phil had to fire Mitchell on Modern Family. Owen Hunt fired Teddy on Grey's Anatomy. Were there others that I missed?

I think the most notable and detrimental firing last week came from a real life situation. Dan Harmon, the brilliant creator and executive producer behind the recently renewed, Community, got fired from the show last Friday. Here is what he had to say about it. I think he was pretty gracious, considering. The idea is that he gets to stay on as a consultant...but I think you can gather from his statement, that he's not interested. And why would he be? That's like firing Steve Jobs and saying...thanks for making Apple awesome, and also, you stick around to help us pick a good color for the next iPod!

Harmon's reaction to "consulting" on Community.

It's rumored that Harmon is tough to work with. That he's demanding and fights in a "my way or the highway" style. In his thoughts on the firing, he doesn't bother to deny that. Because he knows...that's how amazing TV gets made. Someone is fighting for it! Look, you know I love Shonda Rhimes, but at this point, Private Practice, Grey's Anatomy, and the new Scandal all look very similar. It's entertaining TV but it's not doing a whole lot that's brilliant or new. It's character driven and she can write good characters, but it's not clever. It doesn't make me smarter or more culturally aware. And go on, I dare you to play a Shonda Rhimes drinking game where you watch one (or all) of her shows and every time someone passionately exclaims, "You don't GET to..." take a drink. You will be PASSED OUT before anyone even pouts or makes out.

(Note to self: Come up with Shonda Rhimes Drinking Game.)
(Note to reader: Stay tuned for Shonda Rhimes Drinking Game coming Friday!)

Abed did not anticipate this timeline.

My point is, you don't get excellent TV by doing what everyone else is doing! And let's face it, Community is EXCELLENT. Sure it's been called out on being meta for meta's sake, and sometimes for trying to out meta itself by meta-ing the meta. (If you don't know what meta is, I can't help you right now.) If there's one thing fans hate more than seeing their favorite TV show end, it's seeing it ruined before it ends. Harmon birthed and persisted through the impending doom of cancellations and slow to warm fans, to singlehandedly make Community into the fan favorite it is today. Without him its just one bad episode away from being a shorter version of The Breakfast Club, one laugh track away from being Friends. Thanks NBC, in the words of Dan Harmon, and so many who have blogged before me, "You Britta'd it!"

Grey's Anatomy Season 8 Finale Dissected

Still one of my favorite shows, seriously.

Have you had time to recover from the Grey's season finale? Or have you blocked it out? Let me remind you...it was the one where the majority of your favorite characters were in a horrific plane crash in the middle of the Twilight woods. The one where Lexie dies, crushed under a plane just as Mark finally professes his love to her. The one where Derek smashes his hand in order to free himself from the piece of plane he's trapped in. The one where Christina and Meredith are badass.

It was all very tragic, and at times over the top. Of course, Grey's jumped the shark years ago with George's death, the hospital shooting, the Super Bowl bomb, Meredith's "drowning," and anything that involved Izzie. But let's put all of that in the past and talk about the "Flight" finale. 

LOST...wait....where's Jack?

Finale Problems:

1. Cell Phone?

Don't tell me no one had a cell phone in their pocket. I have flown my fair share and there are plenty of people who do not "stow" their cell phones at the request of the flight attendant. I'm one of them! With a plane full of self-important surgeons, I imagine that the stow rate is even less. But for some reason, no one seemed to have one. And if they did, you might argue that there'd be no service in the middle of the woods. I have traveled all over America, and I can promise you that if at least one of them had Verizon, then they were covered. This is not the Sahara, it's the Northwest. Even if Edward and Bella weren't lurking around, I guarantee you that some hippie hiker was, not to mention the alarm that would have occurred when a team of very important doctors didn't make it to their destination. They would have been found before dark, easily.

2. Flare?

My friend Joni, a former flight attendant, assures me that the flare would have been checked pre-boarding, but not having it work is more about tired writing than anything else. A more believable twist would have been that it worked but wasn't seen. Or that in all of the nervousness and excitement, the stress and emotion, it would have gone off prematurely, or worse yet, it would have been misfired, hitting Arizona or the pilot. But not even working? Psssh. Ridiculous.

3. Timing?

The surgeons were traveling to help with a surgery in Boise. It takes 8 hours to drive from Seattle to Boise. That's not too far. The plan was for them to arrive back in Seattle that night. This explains Callie waiting for Arizona in bed, and the (former) Chief waiting at the celebration dinner for the rest to arrive. Yet, it's not until the day is over that Hunt even gets a call of concern that they never made it. Sure, he makes a big production out of not wanting to accept any calls in the beginning of the show, but calls like that would get through. Even if the plane they were on was private, it would have still departed from an airport and be due to land at an airport where someone is controlling all of that information. I've seen the movies about 911. They know when planes go off the grid. This plays on everyone's "you could get lost in the woods" fears, but this particular situation it a little unbelievable. 

I know Shonda has her hands full with so many other shows, she can't get them all perfect. So in the name of loyalty, I will forgive the mistakes and move on.

Best moments:

1. Christina is not known for her bedside manner. Nor is she particularly comforting. But her "I'm gonna be right back" to Lexie is her way of saying, "You're gonna die and I love you" without actually saying it. It was an especially sweet moment in light of the fact that minutes later she stabs a pen into the pilot's leg to inform him he's paralyzed.

2. The hug between Teddy and Owen was long overdue. I have missed their friendship and it was good to see that reconciliation.

3. Mark and Lexie's last moments. Devastating but so sweet. 

Next Season:

First let me say, I hope next season is the last season of Grey's. I don't want this to become some E.R. that goes on and on and on. We've already seen a rollover of characters, and before it gets ridiculous it needs to stop. I will blog again soon about how a show knows it's time to stop and why they should. But here's my best guess for the events of Grey's Anatomy, Season 9. 

I hope we don't get another musical out of this....

Callie is and always has been my favorite character on Grey's. But she's a little too happy right now. And if there's one thing we know about Shonda it's that she cannot let Callie stay happy for long. Arizona coughed up blood. SHE COUGHED UP BLOOD. What do I know about coughing up blood after 8 seasons of Grey's? It's a sure sign of internal damage. My gut says that with the political and social climate surrounding homosexuality, the last thing the writers will do is get rid of their happy lesbian couple. But I still don't feel good about the future for Arizona. 

With Lexie dead (I did have a good long conversation with my friend Julie about how they could bring her back...coma, passed out, etc. I was really grasping at straws. But it's a show about doctors, they would have been smart enough to realize it if she was not really dead, and so I am resigning myself to the fact that she is actually dead.) Mark is not gonna be the same. I think he will survive, but his heart is broken at best. If Arizona does die, I can see him and Callie calling it a day on romance, and raising their baby as best friends with benefits.

Derek's hand is messed up which means he might not operate again. I mean, Body of Proof has taught us that a shaky hand is a bad thing for a neurosurgeon. This season he and Meredith have fought about neurosurgery a lot. But someone has to replace Derek, and I think it's gonna be her. I look for him to get really depressed, and spend the next year training Meredith, before moving on (or hopefully the show ending).

Christina and Owen are gonna be okay. And since there's an opening in cardiothoracics, Christina has to be the one to fill it. She can't leave her best friend and husband after this kind of trauma.

As for the rest of them, I think it's so interesting what the writers are doing with April and her recently lost virginity, lost boards, and loss of identity. I think she will have to stay on at SGH due to the shortage of doctors, but how to get past that board dilemma??? And Alex is never-changing. His character became boring to me years ago due to the fact that he never grew or learned. It would be wonderful if his phone call to Arizona was just the beginning of him showing some vulnerability. Jackson is good looking and I hope he stays around. I think he will simply because it will be a while before Mark can operate again, and maybe there is more to him and April than we know. Maybe she did lose her virginity to her husband after all. If Jackson does leave I will miss his blue eyes. The (former) Chief's wife will die, or else he will, or both will. He's had a good run. 

I deserve this.

And last but not least...Bailey is and has always been the heartbeat of the show. She will stay. Hopefully she will get married and live happily ever after. 

Are you still watching Grey's? 

What did you think of the finale? 

What do you think will happen next year?

I Need The Eggs: Thoughts After (Finally) Watching Annie Hall

Annie Hall is one of those movies you hear referenced from the time you are old enough to hear, but you have to go out of your way to actually watch. There's no edited for TV version that plays on repeat during the cold winter months. No one in my life has ever said, "Let's watch Annie Hall tonight!" And so, even though I am well into my 30's...I have never seen this classic. It doesn't help that Woody Allen and Diane Keaton are not on my list of favorite celebrities. I probably could go my entire life without seeing this, but of course Tina Fey intervened. A few weeks ago, I saw a brief interview where Fey mentions Annie Hall as her favorite movie. And so I began to search and found it on sale for $4.99 in iTunes. I bought it. I kind of assumed that if Tina Fey likes it enough to call it her favorite, than I would like it enough to own it. Tonight seems like a great time to watch it. I will return soon with my review.

So I can now say I've seen Annie Hall. Let me just dive right in.

Woody Allen drives me crazy and not in a good way. His voice and nervous gestures do not inspire him as a leading man. Diane Keaton is no better. Her "fashion" has always bothered me, and she awkwardly stutters almost every line she delivers in this movie. How does she manage to avoid eye contact completely? He's a controlling intellectual above current cultural trends. She's a slightly insecure free spirit who embraces the moment. Alvy and Annie are caricatures!

And yet, I totally get why this movie is considered to be a classic.

The format is clever. It was probably one of the first movies of this kind to pull off some of the formatting tricks it attempts. Side bars, narration, bizarre imagined honesty, cartoons, split screen shots. The dialogue is really fast and witty. There is no real glamour in this movie outside of the subtle quips giving tribute to New York and a little to California. It's in the Rom-Com genre, but it's not out and out funny, nor is it overly romantic either. If anything, it tells the story of how we deconstruct, and in some ways, destroy each other. In other words, it's a little depressing.

Spoiler Alert for any of you living even further under a rock than me: Annie and Alvy do not end up together. But that's really not what the movie is about. We've been kind of spoiled and sheltered by movies of the 80's up until the early 2000's. I'm talking about anything John Hughes touched or influenced. The goal in those movies is for the two people to fall in love and live happily ever after. I know people who are disappointed if a movie doesn't conclude with a wedding scene! But that's not real life! Sure, people live happily ever after together, but not everyone fits. And it's disappointing and heartbreaking and makes you think you will never love again. But even with the failed relationships, it can't be denied that love changes you. And that's what this movie is about.

Without Annie Hall, we wouldn't have the following: (500) Days of Summer, Juno, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, When Harry Met Sally, Ally McBeal, French Kiss, You've Got Mail, and The Break Up to name a few. The influence this movie has had on directors, writers, and actors, shows up in most of my favorite things to watch. And for that, I can appreciate Annie Hall.

Have you seen Annie Hall? What did you think?