Freaks and Geeks: A Show Worthy of a Weekend Fat Revival

I can't promise that I'm bringing this blog back, but I need a place to discuss Freaks and Geeks.  After a whole lot of prodding harassment from a few friends and access to my cousin's Netflix account, I have finally completed what might be one of the best shows about High School ever made. It is not only captivating with characters and plot, it deals with so many of the agenda based issues that Glee attempted without being heavy-handed, AND it serves as the precursor to so many other shows that are on TV today. Here are some things/moments I loved from the show.

1. The characters are not beautiful. I mean, of course they are all pretty good looking, but they aren't shiny and happy. They are angsty and curvy with clothes that don't fit and asymmetrical faces. Even though they are actors, they make a great attempt at real people. They are flawed. GOSH are they flawed. Angry, obsessive, mean, confused, giving into peer-pressure, socially awkward, not self-aware, spoiled, and more. And yet, even with all of these various personality flaws, they are not caricatures.  I found myself rooting for each of them to rise above whatever kept them down. To study harder, speak up, calm down, soften up, try harder, practice more, because even though these characters are not beautiful people, they are like me and you. We can do hard things, and I found myself believing it for them too.

2. Lindsay's transformation/coming of age. It would have been really easy to make Lindsay's character the vehicle for all of the lessons that needed to be learned in the show. And while there are moments where she is forced to come face to face with the choices she is making, she never strays so far from herself that she can't remember who she really is. As much as she wants to be cool or fit in with the Freaks, she brings her own flavor to it, even if it pisses the other characters off or puts her at risk of being ousted.

We're all unhappy. That's the thing about life. That's the horrible thing about life.

3. Jason Segel is adorable. Whether you like it or not, Jason Segel is a TV actor. His movies may make a splash, but his ability to develop a character through the arc of a TV show is where his strength in acting is. He is doing himself a disservice when he does ridiculous movies. HIMYM and this show are proof that he can bring incredible depth to what writers probably wrote as a pretty basic trope.

4. The episode when Sam wants an Atari and Neal gets one. We find out (spoiler) that Neal's dad is having an affair. Sam sees him out with another woman and is appalled and confused. Neal's dad tries to cover it up by saying he wanted to keep it secret so he could buy Neal the Atari. Neal is thrilled of course when he gets the game console. But at the end of the episode Sam's dad buys him one too just for the heck of it. Sam and Lindsay's parents constantly want the attention of their kids, especially the dad. And the moment when Sam get the Atari, the way he hugs his father is beautiful. It's as if he has a full appreciation of the fact that his dad is a man of integrity, even if an annoying one at times. It's rare that children see their parents for who they are and are able to really commit their emotions to them. But that moment is a perfect and sweet example.

I heard Stevie Nicks is a witch. She casts spells on people. I heard she cast a love spell on Lindsay Buckingham!

5. The best unintentional series finale ever. (Obviously there are spoilers ahead) Somehow in these 45 minutes, the characters get to try on new lives. (Which is the entire basis of High School Musical and Glee) James Franco ends up playing Dungeons and Dragons with the Geeks. Jason Segel has disco fever. And even though we don't realize it until the very end, Lindsay finally really rebels. But she doesn't do it in a mean or spiteful way. Instead of attending the academic event she's destined for, she and Kim (Busy Philipps) get into a van and follow the Grateful Dead around for 2 weeks. It's a sweet merging of personalities and lives that happens without force. Just like in real life, once you graduate, you become more of who you really are. The stereotypes melt away, and you're free to try on who you always wanted to be. Lindsay's last words to her mom are spoken in an unforgettable way, but the joy on her face when she meets up with Kim is hopeful. It's a really strangely perfect ending.

I could go on. I know I'm late to this party, but if you're coming into your Summer without a ton to do, watch this show. You won't regret it. When I finished it on Wednesday night, I looked up the Grateful Dead's American Beauty album and closed my eyes while it played in the background. It seemed like the most appropriate thing to do considering there was no van available for me to jump into with my best friend.

What are your favorite moments of the show? Favorite characters? Tell me what you loved!

"We'll Put on a Performance Like They'll Never Forget!"

In case you can't tell from the title of this blog, I'm still hate-watching Smash. I've had it with the over the top drama that begs the question, does the content serve the form or the form serve the content? I mean, this IS a show about the drama of Broadway. Is the ridiculous drama meant to immerse us into that culture? Or could the show possibly be approached from a slightly different form that would allow us to appreciate the drama of the actual musical within the show. As it stands now, the scenes that are musical numbers seem LESS strained than the interactions between characters and bipolar plot twists. Talk about some high highs and some low lows...

How can these people afford to sit around and wait for Jennifer Hudson to save their show?

Glee has desensitized us from being turned off by characters bursting into song. Nashville has worked music into the drama of their show seamlessly. But Smash...well...it plays like...a musical. Which to some people is bad enough. Remember when you took your friend to see Evita and they were like..."What! There was no talking!" It happens. The thing is, I'm a person who loves musicals. But I like GOOD musicals. Smash is not too different from the off-off---OFF Broadway shows that it's referring to in the film. The only thing is that...those musicals don't get NEAR the attention or talent that is given to this one. It would never have such a "high-powered" financial backer like Anjelica Huston's character. Nor those writers with so much success under their belts.

You're gonna love me.

Now when I say talent, I am being very hesitant and even selective. I mean...Ivy. She is the only enjoyable part of this show. Watching Debra Messing with a perma-frown is no fun after her years as Grace...and where is her hair? Jennifer Hudson's appearance was simply to boost the show back onto our radar. And don't EVEN get me started on Katherine McPhee. Is there like a "Fembot American Idol Club" that she and Carrie Underwood are members of? You can be pretty all day long, but can you carry on a conversation? Can you raise your eyebrows in time with your emotions? Come on! I worry that someone like Idina Menzel is going to get pegged for this show...but I seriously hope she will remember her RENT days and jump over the moon, laughing at "the man" (the man being Smash) all the way. Of course, her level of talent might be what it takes to save this show. Do we want it saved?

Frenemies. More of this please.

Aside from the talent, the writers of this show should be ashamed of themselves. No one gets away with rhetorical dialogue without a laugh track or a Shonda Rhimes backing. Stop writing the obvious and throw us for a loop. Let Ivy lean into her badness. Let Katherine lose her ridiculous faux innocence that no one even buys because we all know in real life she's a bitch, and let's get on with this thing. Enough with the affair scandals. We want to see you focus on 2 things: The Musical and The Competition. And by the way, this season better end with the musical being on GO, so that next season (oh geez, I just said that...) can be about the drama of actually making a musical. And here's the thing...if the show will get it's act together...then I guarantee we could be seeing an ACTUAL SMASH MUSICAL on Broadway in a few years. Stranger things have happened. Right?

Look, I gave up on Revenge. I gave up on Once Upon a Time. Smash...you're next if you don't watch out. Now..get out there and give me a performance that I'll never forget!

Are you (still) watching Smash? What do you think?

21 Reasons The World Could/Should End Tomorrow

I think internal combustion is better than the way it went down in Melancholia.

I cannot bear to watch Anne Hathaway win an Oscar.

I’ve lost some weight this year in China and the Southern cooking I will enjoy in 2 weeks would probably set me back.

I can die happily now that I’ve heard, enjoyed, and been adequately obsessed with Pictures of You by The Cure.

Who wants to live in a world without Twinkies?

I can’t stand the thought of watching Daryl Dixon die on The Walking Dead.

We have a black president, which according to my Chinese students “is exactly how it happened in the movie 2012. And there was Hurricane Sandy too.”

No more time wasted hate-watching Smash.

Lindsay Lohan cannot/should not sink any lower. This would guarantee she does not.

Something’s gotta stop Grey’s Anatomy.

I’m on the fence about Moulin Rouge 2: The Great Gatsby.

All those Americans waiting on Downton Abbey Season 3....

Who wants to live in a world where 6 year olds get shot in their classrooms?

Dick Clark died this year, and no one wants to see Ryan Seacrest ring in the New Year.

You haven’t bought your Christmas gifts yet, and you deserve a break.

I marked off a major “bucket list” item-Climbing the Great Wall. 

Auburn fans really don’t want to endure another Alabama National Championship.

Women can die happy after having seen Magic Mike.

No one really wants to see The Hangover 3. 

Glee is out of agendas.

I’ve already pinned ALL THE THINGS on Pinterest.

Now that we know who Gossip Girl is, we can die...happy.

Which reasons did I miss? Which do you want to add?

Thoughts on TV and Some Other Stuff

Whoopie Goldberg reprised her role from Ghost on 666 Park Avenue this week.

The devil/demons in American Horror Story are hands down more terrifying than anything on 666 Park Avenue, AND Walking Dead...except maybe the Governor. That guy's a freak.

Can someone feed Julie Bowen?

That guy agrees.

I have 3 degrees, have traveled to 8 countries, have lived in 5 states, and have already held down 1 successful career in my life, but cannot find a full time job. Finn gets kicked out of the military, has never left Ohio, and lands a job working at a school at age 19.

Santana is the only thing worth watching about Glee. Ever.

Remember that jerk from The Bachelor, Jake? Yeah, Kristin Chenoweth is dating him. She apparently hit her head on the set of The Good Wife and it made her have this awakening that life is too short and she should do what makes her happy. I am betting when she recovers fully from this head injury, she will also recover from her huge mistake of dating Jake.

She's gonna make him pop-u-lar.

Revenge is the biggest flop this season. It's like watching a soap opera. I keep waiting for Stefano to come in and ruin things for everyone.

Nashville is seriously rising to the top of my list as best show on TV.

Kate Middleton is pregnant. Adorable. Next up, I'm calling it...Jennifer Aniston. Julie...start preparing your gushing blog!

Dexter...you're killing me with this Russian mafia in Miami, borderline incestual stuff. KILLING ME.

Taylor Swift is dating someone...

Grey's Anatomy's April and her thoughts on God/ her regurgitation of personal conviction is probably very normal for a Christian girl who promised herself to wait and has broken her promise. However, it makes her look crazy, and those thoughts need to be an internal monologue...that we never have to hear.

Grey's Anatomy's Jackson is hot. Have I mentioned that?

Adam Levine criticized Honey Boo Boo this week, saying something about her existence being the sign of a demise of Western Civilization. Adam...you, rebel you. Just sit there and look pretty please.

Don't fill your head with silly thoughts, just sing.

Um, Fleetwood Mac is going on tour in 2013. I think this is my chance to see them. Also, I think I want to make 2013 the year of concerts. I don't even know what to do at concerts, but I love music and so it's time to figure it out.

Lindsay Lohan is...I can't. I just don't have the energy.

What notable things did I miss?

Agenda vs. Awareness

It’s no secret that Hollywood has a “hidden” agenda. Lots of them. And they leak out through the TV we watch. You might think you are just sitting down to watch Law and Order, SVU, enjoy a good crime drama, but then Olivia Benson starts throwing out some facts about rape or abandoned children and before you know it, it feels less like a crime drama and more like a lecture.

Lots of shows do this, but some do it better than others. And there’s a difference in Agenda and Awareness. This blog is going to try to explore and explain that difference.

Agenda:

When I think of Agenda the first show that comes to mind is Glee. Agenda tries to make you feel guilty about not embracing whatever issue it presents. It’s heavy handed and wants to drive you to action. It’s full of rhetoric, extremes, and fails to SHOW the issue at hand, but rather TELLS you the issue at hand. Agenda does not know its audience.

Glee has done this with a few things. Sexuality and Bullying (and more specifically, bullying BECAUSE of sexuality) are at the top of the list. Having a gay character on a show is not a big deal anymore. But Glee kind of acted like it was. And it acted this way in EVERY EPISODE for the better part of 2 seasons. While there were moments of heartfelt interactions between Kurt and his father, for the most part Glee kept on keeping on with reminding us just how hard being gay was for Kurt. He was picked apart and picked on, lots of tears, lots of statements about not fitting in. And then there was the horrible and awkward thing with the football player who assaulted him but then became someone he wanted to help....and then Kurt seemed to be fine, once he met Blaine and the perils of his sexuality were lessened because he wasn’t alone in it anymore. Then Santana came out, Britney expressed her bi-sexuality, and so forth and so on. 

Thanks for spelling it out for us Glee.

Glee beat us over the head with the sexuality issue. Instead of approaching it with some subtlety, and letting us watch the progression of how these teenagers handled themselves, each episode came with a monologue delivered by some character who was practically spotlighted and looking at the camera teaching the audience something. And who is the audience of Glee? Mostly, people under 25: the one demographic in America that really doesn’t care much about sexuality anymore. They have a live and let live mentality. Also the demographic that is going to do what they’re going to do no matter what a TV show says. 

Awareness:

When I think of Awareness, Parenthood comes to mind. Awareness dangles something out there for you to see, but doesn’t push it on you. It kind of says, hey...we’re all thinking about this topic here, but we get that it might not be on your mind as much as it is ours. Even so, Awareness wants to bring you up to date and let you know that this thing, whatever it might be, is happening and well...you might want to at least be...aware.

Now, having said all that, I do appreciate what Glee was/is trying to do. I just think they do it poorly. But take another show by Ryan Murphy, American Horror Story, and let’s discuss the very same issue. One of the main characters on the show is a lesbian in the 1960’s, which was obviously frowned upon at the time. As they try to “fix” her on the show, she doesn’t spend much time talking about how hard it is for her in life, nor does anyone else really bully her. Instead, the show simply puts her in a mental institution (with lots of other characters “suffering” from other afflictions) and gives her “conversion/aversion therapy” to solve her lesbianism. She is forced to look at pictures of women and injected with something to make her vomit when she sees the pictures. (The aversion part.) Then she is asked to look at a man and touch herself, and him. (The conversion part.) 

Worst. Therapist. Ever.

Watching that one scene was more effective than 2 seasons of Glee’s trying to teach us that sexuality is not something that is chosen, not something to be picked on. Because it didn’t lecture or throw out statistics or dumb things down for us. It just worked a perfectly viable scene from the 1960’s into the show and it was believable and horrible all at the same time, making anyone with any sort of compassion or basic appreciation for humanity want to scream, “Just leave her alone!”

I am aware now. I get it. And awareness can spur someone to action just as easily, if not more effectively than agenda. Awareness says...here’s what’s going on and here’s what you could do about it, but it’s up to you if you want to. Agenda says, you’re wrong/bad/evil if you don’t do what we think you should do.

I mentioned Parenthood as an example of a show that does awareness well. The center storyline of the show this season is Christina’s breast cancer. The writers do a great job at showing how it affects the entire family. Rather than spouting off statistics or over explaining the finer points of breast cancer, we watch someone go through it. And honestly, it’s not trying to convince us to do anything, it’s just making us aware of what people might go through who face this disease. The same way it makes us aware weekly what it might be like to live with a kid who has Aspergers. Or what it might be like to adopt an older child of a different ethnicity. All of the issues that Parenthood explores, happens in the context of the characters’ lives. I never feel like I’m being guilted or even manipulated, even though they make me cry every week. I don’t cry because of the issues the characters are facing, I cry because I can imagine what they are feeling. It’s good writing, good acting, sweet or sad, and pretty true to life in a lot of ways. It tugs on the heartstrings, shows flawed characters, and lets us imagine ourselves in their shoes.

Such a good crier. Take notes Claire Danes.

The truth is, almost every show has a hot button topic from time to time. Every producer/writer/creator wants to bring attention to something that has most likely affected them personally in some way. And even though you know my philosophy, TV IS FOR ENTERTAINMENT, ultimately, writers write what they know. Here are just a few other shows that work through agenda/awareness.

Two Broke Girls-The state of the economy/Reclaiming sex for women/Feminism. 

Scandal-The pervasive corrupt personal and business practices in politics.

Homeland-Perpetuating conspiracy theorists/Justifying the need for Homeland Security.

Modern Family-Challenging current beliefs of what “family” should look like.

SVU-Sexual crimes.

Nashville-Playing games associated with fame/Corrupt politics.

I could go on, but I will leave some for discussion. 

What shows come to your mind (past or present) that have an agenda or try to drive awareness home about any given issue? Was it agenda or awareness? Was it successful?

Kill Your Darlings or The One With All The Spoilers

Some people think it was Whitman, others Stephen King...but I think William Faulkner said it first. "In writing, you must kill all your darlings." And that's what this blog is all about, kind of...TV Deaths.

Such a darling, they had to bring him back.

I will be giving away spoilers. Lots of them. I will do my best to label each section of the blog with what shows I am discussing in order to spare you in case you are not caught up.

If killing your darlings makes for good writing, these next shows did it up right. Some deaths were shocking, others we saw coming, but all of them were devastating.

Who Died 

Spoilers for The Walking Dead, Downton Abbey (Season 3), 90210, Six Feet Under, Game of Thrones, Dexter, Desperate Housewives, ER, Lost, Grey's Anatomy, Buffy The Vampire Slayer:

ER-Dr. Green-He was the heartbeat of the show, and I stopped watching ER when he died. Consequently, I can never hear that version of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" the same way again.
Game of Thrones-Eddard Stark-I thought the entire show was going to center around him! And it did. Until it didn't.
LOST-Charlie, Sun, Jin-A lot of people died on this show (eventually most of them). But these three deaths were particularly tough to watch. Charlie's heroic death showed the evolution of his rock star character beautifully. While losing Sun and Jin was just sad because of how their love grew and changed while on the island.
Grey's Anatomy-Lexie, McSteamy, Denny, Henry-Gosh, the list of deaths on this show is a little alarming. I didn't even name them all. But these were a few of the "darlings." We've discussed in detail the most recent deaths, but two of the most shocking for me were Denny and the more recent, Henry. Both were so loved and both came as kind of a surprise, keeping true love and happiness away from both Izzie and Teddy.

This was seriously shocking.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer-Tara, Buffy's Mom-Tara's death in this show made me cry harder than any death I've ever seen on a show before. It is maybe one of the most shocking deaths I've ever seen. And the way the show explored grief in light of Buffy's mom's death was brilliant and heartbreaking. Way to go Joss Whedon!
Downton Abbey-Sybil- Yep. Talk about killing a darling. I won't give more details, since this is not even common knowledge in America yet...but it's a tough one.
The Walking Dead-Lori-I knew either Lori or the baby had to go, and no one wants to see a baby die, so...naturally it had to be her. The way it happened was pretty rough and will no doubt have a lasting effect on Carl, and even Rick who has been an asshole to her all season.
Six Feet Under-Nate-A death has never angered me as much as this one. I think because of who he was with when it happened...I always held out hope for him and Brenda. Thank God he reincarnated as Adam Braverman.

There's a lot of death represented in this picture.

Dexter-Rita-I didn't see it coming until Dexter was walking into his house. The episode should have been over. And then it hit me....Rita. And it was just so horrifying.
Desperate Housewives-Mike-Why on earth couldn't the writers let Mike live! When he was shot on that porch, I couldn't believe that Susan was going to end up alone again. I mean...so much angst!
90210-Scott-This might be the first death that surprised me on TV. Scott wasn't a main character, but he was innocent and sweet and David's friend. When he accidentally shot himself, I couldn't believe it had actually happened. Of course the episode was agenda driven with a gun safety message, but it was still pretty eye opening for my teenage self at the time.

These next shows tried to trick us. Maybe they came to the brink but chickened out, maybe ratings plummeted, whatever the reason, these are some shows that almost killed someone off.

Who Almost/Seemingly Died

Spoilers for Glee, Dallas, Revenge, Grey's Anatomy, Lost

Glee-Quinn-Texting and driving isn't always fatal.
Dallas-Bobby-Turning entire seasons of TV shows into dreams.
Revenge-Victoria-So the plane crash that supposedly killed her, didn't.
Grey's Anatomy-Meredith-She did technically die, but aside from giving us some insight into her dark and twisty brain, this moment mostly served the show by jumping the shark.
Lost-Juliet-This woman had 9 lives. She kept getting in situations that should have killed her, but managed to hold out for a while before actually biting the bullet.

Oh, I thought I was watching Grey's not Lost...oh, wait, what?

These next shows have/had potential to rock our worlds. Here's a few ideas of how I think they could/should do it.

Who Needs To Die/Should Have Died

There are no spoilers here, only speculations.

Glee-Quinn-For all of Glee's hard hitting agendas, they sure did let up on this one pretty easily. Think about it. It wouldn't have been that horrible to kill her off. I mean, I like Quinn, I actually like her a lot. Which is THE WHOLE POINT. She's a darling! If you want to teach kids not to text and drive, do more than put her in a wheelchair for a few weeks. Let's see how Mr. Shue comes up with the appropriate funeral songs...or better yet, let's just all be silent for a minute and reflect on the seriousness of Quinn dying because of a stupid text message.
Revenge-Nolan or Jack-If you really want to kill a darling, these two need to go. Raise the stakes a little here and let's see what happens to Emily and Amanda with Jack out of the picture. Who has Emily's back once Nolan is dead. It's time for something drastic to happen. I don't want Victoria dead because if that ever happens (and it has to with a title like Revenge), it has to be at the hands of Emily.

Like this, only at the end.

Dexter-Dexter or Deb-I'm less than thrilled with this season of Dexter, I always thought the show should END with a confrontation between Dexter and Deb, which would be awesome and terrifying and just...epic. But here we are. I believe that either Dexter or Deb must die, and preferably one will kill the other. I know that's pretty hard hitting, but if you want us to take it seriously, then it has to be serious.
Criminal Minds-Reid or Garcia-The thing about crime shows is that they can just keep going and going. But this one actually has a good character arc within the week to week case solving. Reid and Garcia are the ones we love the most and their deaths would no doubt shake up the show. I think Reid could be on the chopping block for this season...
SVU-Olivia-Without Olivia, there is no SVU now that Stabler's gone. But statistics alone show that being the primary officer for 14 years on 304 cases (and those are just the ones we get to see on TV) Olivia would probably be hurt if not killed by now.

Which TV death made you cry, shocked you, or made you relieved? Who would you like to see killed off?

TV That Surprised Me

Every once in a while I get surprised by a TV show. Usually you can tell by who the creator/writer or who stars in it what it will be like. But sometimes you just can't know until...you just know.

BAD surprises:
When I was in college I took a bowling class. I am a pretty good bowler. So imagine my surprise at midterm when I had a low B in the class. I asked the teacher why, and he said that I hadn't shown any improvement. I was nailing strikes left and right but when you start strong, it's hard to have anywhere to go. That's what happened with these next two shows. Revenge and Once Upon A Time both came out of the gate with amazing first seasons. When I took a screen writing class, the teacher told us that the first thing you have to know about any character in order to care about them is to know what they want. We knew that Emily wanted to avenge her Father and Henry wanted Emma to believe him.

They really jumped the shark balcony early on this one...

In season 2 of these shows, I'm not really sure what anyone wants. So many added characters make them both feel like Jane Austen books. All those characters so fast mean I really don't care about them that much anymore. No one is special, and I have no idea what anyone wants anymore. Both shows started out with laser focus and got too broad. A show with staying power will start broad and get laser focused on various story lines from time to time. Take Parenthood or Grey's Anatomy for example. There are broad things happening within the larger cast, but different shows focus in on different characters and then go broad again. I think Revenge will make it 3 seasons, but I'm not sure Once Upon A Time will come back. Especially with both of these shows being on Sunday which is kind of the golden night of TV this year: Walking Dead, 666 Park Avenue, Dexter, Homeland, NFL, Nova, The Good Wife, The Mentalist, House, and Storage Wars.

Who are you and what have you done with...anyone we care about?

I shouldn't say I'm surprised by Glee. You can tell Glee is slowing down by how many guest appearances are being made. Sure Kate Hudson showed up early on, but remember the 2nd and 3rd season when every celebrity around wanted to be on the show? Trying to keep one eye on NYC and other on Ohio has us confused as to what we are really supposed to care about. And keeping the stories intertwined is going to be difficult. It could so easily become Smash, except Smash does Smash better than Glee can do Smash. So the thing about Glee is that it can revive itself so easily. It still has the fan base, it still has the characters, and it still has the music. If the show lets go of the "issues" that drive it and starts to embrace the people, gets laser focused on them and their families, gets us rooting for them again, and reminds us what it is that they really want, it can thrive. If it keeps on as is, it will barely survive.

GOOD surprises:
Scary TV is IN. American Horror Story and The Walking Dead have upped the ante from the suspenseful crime dramas and launched kind of a new genre of TV. 666 Park Avenue falls into this new category. Think Gossip Girl meets American Horror Story. The characters are solid and have enough mystery to keep it going. The spook factor is good. And the protagonist is smart and has gumption. Each episode plays around with a story from the past, which is good for the haunted part of the show, but I want to see more plot movement for the overall arc. Still, I was pleasantly surprised by the substance of this show.

Seriously, this show makes me laugh OUT LOUD.

By now you know I prefer drama to comedy. It's not that I don't like comedy, it's that it's REALLY hard to find good comedy. Well, I've found two this season that I love. My friend Joni introduced me to Two Broke Girls, and EVEN THOUGH IT HAS A LAUGH TRACK, I love it. The girls compliment each other well. The banter is typical sit-com banter, quick and punny, but something about it on this show seems a little more real. The sexual innuendo is less innuendo and more in your face, but the friendship between the girls and the set up of the show is brilliant. Now don't judge me for this next one. I love Jamie Gertz, and might have been the only person who felt sorry for her in the movie Twister. Her new show is The Neighbors. Yes, it's about aliens. I know, I KNOW! But you guys...it's really funny. I love all the actors and actresses. I've been showing it to my students here in China and they get a kick out of it. It's clean and funny and the writers have done a great job of creating a great culture of aliens...starting with naming them all after professional athletes!

The only thing that'd make this better is if it were Faith Hill and Carrie Underwood.

Nashville might be my most surprising show of the season. I never watched Friday Night Lights, but Connie Britton stole my heart in American Horror Story last year. So when I heard she was going to be on this show, even though I spent a really awful 10 months in Nashville, I decided to check it out. Britton is great and so is Hayden Panettiere, and they are doing their own singing. Elvis Costello and John Paul White from the Civil Wars are writing some of the songs, so the music is fabulous. I'm a sucker for a show about music, you know. But this one has rivalry, scandal, and historical music references. It's seriously good TV.

What TV shows have surprised you this season? 

Which ones bombed? Which ones are you loving?

What I am ACTUALLY Watching

I've decided to tell you what I am actually watching, since we all go back and forth about TV so much on this blog. These are not in order of importance or favorite at all. They are kind of in order by genre if anything. If you are watching a show you want covered on the blog, then feel free to write up a post and send it to me at catidwell222@gmail.com I'd love more writers and more input. As you can see, I have my hands full. Some spoilers below on various shows...

The Walking Dead-So much misguided anger this season! And I want them to take baths. I've been around West Georgia and there are TONS of creeks and lakes. No reason to be filthy. Also, I might be late to the game, but as I watched the first episode of Season 3, I couldn't help but think...."OH...so THE Main Characters are the walking dead..."
666 Park Avenue-If LOST, American Horror and Gossip Girl had a baby it would be this show.
American Horror Story-Since so many shows have come back this season causing "meh" reactions, I gotta say I'm glad AHS is attempting a different storyline altogether. And wow, they are off to a great start!
Dexter-I always thought the show should END with Deb finding out about Dexter, so now that we've crossed that bridge I'm a little indifferent about things at the moment. Where is this gonna go?

New York.

SVU-Mariska Hargitay. Enough said.
Scandal-I am so conflicted over this show in so many ways. But I will stick around cause I love old Shonda.
Homeland-This is what Scandal wishes it were.
Revenge-I have never LOVED a Season 1 so much only to hate Season 2 so much. Get it together!
Grey's Anatomy-Have I mentioned that this needs to be the last season? Cause it needs to be. I hear Neve Campbell is coming on...NO NO NO, no more new people...wind it down please.
Parenthood-Best. Show. On. TV.
Nashville-Connie Britton was fabulous, and even though the 10 months I spent in Nashville weren't great, this makes me want to go back a give it another try. Plus...I mean, it's about music!
SmashI was hate-watching this show last season, and I will do the same this time around.
Glee-When Glee gets emotional, so do I. The Break-Up episode was Glee at its finest. More character building, less cheesy plot please.
Once Upon A Time-Again, strong Season 1, but this time around it's just losing steam.

Long Island

SNL-Sure it's all political at the moment, but soon it might find a nice retreat back into the relevant references of pop-culture. Best skit so far was either Bond Girls or Tech Talk.
30 Rock-I'm a fan in every since of the word. I will miss them after this season!
The Office-Dying a slow and painful death...
Community-I am cynical that without Dan Harmon it will be any good, but when done well, this show is pretty close to perfect. Oh...IF IT EVER COMES ON AGAIN!
Parks and Recreation-Thank God for Ron Swanson, Donna and April!
Up All Night-I am really rooting for this one, but I need more Maya and Christina interaction.
Raising Hope-This is so underrated, but it really delivers every week consistently.

Brooklyn

Two Broke Girls-Ok...so this is my "sleeper hit" of the year. My friend Joni was watching and told me to check it out. I fully expected to hate it. It has a laugh track, manufactured banter, and lots of sexual innuendo. And yet, I LOVE IT. The girls are adorable and the set up of the show is clever.
Modern Family-Another consistently strong show.
The Neighbors-Don't judge me...but this show is really cute. Yes, there are aliens, but I have been showing it to my Chinese students and they LOVE it.
The New Normal-Ryan Murphy, creator of Glee, American Horror Story, and Nip/Tuck, kind of took a few characters and plots from a few different shows and mixed them into this one. It's working, but I don't think it will last too long. Still, I like it enough.

That's at least 20 hours of TV a week. I will probably add Criminal Minds, Body of Proof, Gossip Girl, and sprinkle in some Real Housewives (New Jersey and New York) here and there. And I would LIKE to start on How I Met Your Mother, Gilmore Girls, and Downton Abbey.

I guess you could say, I watch TV like it's my job.

How many hours a week do you watch? BE HONEST!

Blurgh: A Review of TV's Fall Return

I am so overwhelmed by all of the TV I have to watch. Anyone else wanna get in on blogging some TV shows? I really need to narrow down my options...there is no way I can sustain this when I'm back in America!

But until then....here are my thoughts.

I tried to give most of these shows at least 2 weeks before writing this blog. But you guys...what is UP with TV? I mean...

Glee-Is anyone else bored? Sure, the music is good...because the music is always good because it's MUSIC. But come on...nothing is grabbing me this season. I miss Santana. Kurt hanging out with Carrie (or whoever SJP is playing this time) is too much to believe. And bring back the Britney we used to love. The one who has the one-liners that were the best moments in the show! I have no idea what's going on with the "adults" in the show, was Sue even on it? See...I've tuned out. So bored...

Take note, Arizona...

Grey's Anatomy-I'm sorry, were you trying to make me want to kill myself? Because even though I did have an idea of what was coming in the season opener, I was sorely disappointed when it arrived. First of all, WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE CRASH! Back it up Grey's. Show us how Meredith became her mom, how Cristina ended up in Narnia, and how Bailey turned into a joke. And Arizona...it's just a leg. Shonda...you don't GET to jerk us around like this and expect us to stick it out. Please dear God let this be the last season...

Scandal-Did I even see Season 1 of this show? Cause I am pretty sure I watched it and liked it, but when it opened, I was so lost. LOST I say! LIke more lost than I was in LOST! Who are these people? Is the FLOTUS really pregnant? And who is that girl on trial? Oh I think I remember something about her boyfriend dying and her being at the scene...is that was this is about?

Revenge-Meh. So the most riveting scene was supposed to be Charlotte's dramatic whisper to "Emily" at the art show? I was so happy to see Nolan, but the rest of the characters felt like strangers. And the big Victoria reveal was a knock on the door? Really? Didn't want to milk that mystery just a little bit more? Gah.

Up All Night-I'm trying not to be mad at Will Arnett for his divorce with Amy Poehler, but I am mad. Something about his skinny newly buff self is making me angry. And I think the anchor of the show was the fact that Ava and Reagan worked together on the talk show. Why is Reagan's brother there, and now Just Jack! Last season was so great...but they better pick it up fast and get some plot going if they want to see season 3.

Parks and Recreation-I'm trying not to be mad at Amy Poehler for her divorce with Will Arnett, but I am mad. Did she have work done? Her hair was different. Ron Swanson is the only redeeming part of this show at the moment. And Donna...more Donna please.

The Office-Andy is a joke. Jim and Pam need to get happy fast. I want to see one of the new guys (why are there new guys, we all know this show has to end soon) killed by the Scranton Strangler creating a desperate search for the killer during the season. At the end, it's discovered that it's Creed. The end. Also, let's see more Angela.

This is even weirder than those sister wives I used to have.

Once Upon A Time-Look, I loved season 1 even with the fantasy meets reality crossover. But let's be honest. Even though we knew that Emma was gonna be Mary's (Snow's) daughter, but then when it got here in the first episode this season it was like...awkward....I don't remember the rest, except I do like Mulan.

Maybe I wasn't in the mood, or ready for the seasons to begin, but based on what I've seen so far, my TV repertoire might get some major adjustments.

I did think that a few shows came back strong...

Raising Hope-Martha Plimpton is just fabulous. And the premise of this show never gets old. Poor is funny.

The New Girl-Who doesn't love Schmidt! Good return!

Modern Family-With the Emmy sweep it's no surprise that the show came back strong.

All of these kept me laughing.

I will discuss Dexter and Homeland as soon as I can find a way to watch them in China.
And I cannot wait to discuss 30 Rock and American Horror Story!

Awwww...I still want to be a Braverman!

But until then, what on EARTH would we do without.....
Parenthood-BEST SHOW ON TV. If you aren't watching, what ARE you doing?

TV REVIEW TIME....

What did you think about the above? 

What shows should I add to my lineup?

TV Couples that "Cross The Streams"

Any child of the 80's knows that there are a few rules you should always follow:
1. Never feed a Mogwai after midnight.
2. Don't say "Candyman" 5 times while looking in the mirror.
3. Don't take One Eyed Willie's treasure.
4. Never hate your baby brother or else David Bowie will kidnap him.
5. And finally...Whatever you do, DO NOT cross the streams.

Either we will explode, or save NYC!

We could collectively write an entire blog about these rules and more. But I just finished catching up on Gossip Girl, and I really need to talk about what I have found to be the television equivalent of crossing the streams.

In Ghostbusters, crossing the streams is what happens when the streams from the proton packs (that trap the ghosts) cross each other and create havoc on all things around them. Egon vaguely warns that crossing the streams "would be bad." He goes on to say that it would ruin life as we know it and our bodies would explode. Get the point? It's bad to cross the streams. They are not meant to be crossed.

You want us to what?

In Season 5 of Gossip Girl (now when I start a sentence like this it means I am going to give spoilers) Dan, the good boy from Brooklyn, and Blair, the Queen Bee of the UES end up together. As a couple. Together. Did I mention they get together? It's weird. It's unnatural. It's CROSSING THE STREAMS!

Dan's hair is too curly and he is a writer, and Blair is in love with Chuck and born to be a mean girl. She has never even spoken a kind word to him! It's a horrible match, but I couldn't help but watch. When they kissed the first time, I stared hoping that the actors would crack a smile at this obvious joke they were playing on the audience. But nope. No smiles. We were just supposed to forget everything we have known for 4 seasons and go with it. I hate it when writers think their audiences are stupid. But it happens a lot.

Here are some other TV couples that were dangerously close to ruining some of our favorite TV shows by crossing the streams with incompatible couples.

Like this.

Friends-Monica and Joey
OCD Monica and clueless Joey would have NEVER gotten together in real life, but through flashbacks/flashforwards we get to learn that Monica had a huge crush on Joey in the beginning and down the road could have ended up together. It's hard to pair Joey with any of the girls because he takes such a brotherly role with them. But I think we can all agree that if this particular couple had manifested, it would have been hard to watch even if they were fat and happy.

Not this.

Glee-Puck and Santana
Before Santana comes out as a lesbian, she makes the rounds though the guys in Glee, but her relationship with Puck is the one that lingers. Even when they are not dating, Santana makes whoever Puck is with, the target of her galactic bullying. It's obvious that they have a great connection, even if it is just physical, but there's no heart here. If anything this is a classic case of two people being too much alike, having too much in common. It doesn't stretch their characters the way that their other relationships do. Santana eventually softens up with Brittany and watching Puck's love for Lauren is just too much fun!

Santana + Puck = Suck.

Grey's Anatomy-George and Callie
It's fair to say that George with ANYONE is a horrible pairing, but this particular couple (if you can dig back and remember it) just never felt right. My personal thoughts? The writers were never sure up front if they were gonna keep Callie around. So they decided to get her into a relationship, knowing that when that relationship ended, they would have a chance to get rid of her if her character had not caught on. But when the actor playing George decided to go off the show, the Grey's staff found that Callie had some staying power and was actually a fan favorite. The couple itself never made much sense to me. Callie was so clearly a rebel, proved to us through her long sleeved hippie shirts sticking out from under her scrubs and untamed hair. George was an insecure dork who never quite cured his crush for Meredith. Let's not even analyze the facts that in real life the actor playing George is gay, and Callie ends up being a lesbian (or bi?) on the show. When George was killed off, it was more of notch in Callie's belt of tragedy, and only made us like her more. Poor George.

Awkward Anatomy.

30 Rock-Liz and Dennis
He's her comfort zone; the place Liz always returns to. But Dennis is the only beeper salesman left in New York (maybe the world), and was seen on Dateline and not for good reasons, not to mention, his pet name for our beloved Lemon is Dummy. And yet until recently, Liz just hasn't been able to stay away from Dennis, or keep him away from her. We adore Liz for her quirky habits that are way too similar to our own at times, but there's something about watching her be demeaned by someone as stupid and annoying as Dennis, that their relationship stopped playing as funny to us years ago. Liz, here's some advice...if he's the beeper king, you do not want a ring. SHUT IT DOWN.

Dealbreaker.

Of course, the thing about crossing the streams is that sometimes...it saves the world. In all of Egon's concern over not crossing the streams he forgot to tell us up front that sometimes, it works. So here is my vote for the couple that crossed the streams and managed to save the TV show in spite of what could have been an obvious mismatch.

Moonlighting-David and Maddie
It's the classic Taming of the Shrew storyline. Maddie Hayes (Cybill Shepherd) is a type A, independent former model and celebrity, accustomed to living well, that is until she loses everything except her detective agency. David Addison (Bruce Willis) comes along with his crazy antics and careless attitude and the two begin a business partnership and eventually a romantic one as well. The show itself is a classic in that it was the first to do a few things that we see all the time now on TV. It broke the fourth wall before most people had ever even heard of a fourth wall. The writing was excellent and combined drama and comedy, practically giving us the genre we now call, "dramedy." And of course it created a building tension between David and Maddie that audiences could NOT get enough of!

So much sexy.

The theory before Moonlighting was that having two characters on a show like this finally hook up would ruin the show. But the social campaigns (promoted through magazines) for David and Maddie to "do it" were so substantial that the writers eventually gave in. The episode where the two have sex was the highest rated in the show's history. In an unfortunate turn of events, David and Maddie did not stay together and thus viewers lost interest. This directly disproved the idea that having two main characters hook-up would kill the show and instead it proved the exact opposite, keeping them together might have saved Moonlighting. People wanted to see them together! With decreasing viewership, writer's strikes, Willis' booming movie career, and Shepherd's unwillingness to work the long hours, the show did die shortly after. But it remains one of the greatest TV romances of all times, even if they did cross the steams to get there.

What are some TV relationships that "cross the streams" to you? Sam and Diane? Elaine and Jerry? Angel and Buffy? 

I left out quite a few, state your case as to whether the relationship ends life as we know it, or saves the world!

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? 

Yippee Ki-Yay Mother Mother! 5 TV Moms You Do NOT Want To Mess With

Not everyone can be Clair Huxtable or Carol Brady. In this day and age, it takes a new level of strength to be a mom. So in honor of Mother's Day, here are 5 of the best and baddest moms on TV!

Hans Gruber was a piece of cake compared to this family!

1. Camille Braverman-Parenthood
Everyone wants to be a Braverman. Even with the drama of sibling rivalry, lost jobs, changing love, and raising kids, no one on TV is more loyal or has more fun than this hippie family. But that kind of camaraderie wouldn't exist without a matriarch like Camille Braverman. Though most of her scenes are short and revolve around giving advice to one of her adult children while she pours tea or paints, Camille is no pushover. If anything, she is the rock of the Braverman clan. She is feminine and a feminist, open-minded and self-controlled. She balances out her borderline irrational husband Zeek, shows tough love, and does it all with just the right amount of wet behind her eyes.

Claire doing what any mother would do on a night out; rebel against napkins.

2. Claire Dunphy-Modern Family
With a free spirit husband like Phil, it's no wonder that Claire comes across as the neurotic twin sister that Monica Geller never had. Claire adores her family while never losing sight of the fact that they are all so weird. Her raspy voice and passionate nature make even the most simple statement out of her mouth come across as an argument or rant. She is controlling, takes herself too seriously, and when she does occasionally let her hair down, it almost always backfires. Claire manages to maintain control in the wackiest of situations because of her keen observation skills. She knows her family so well, she can predict exactly what they are going to do at any moment and she is ready for their antics. Give her 25 years and she will be as calm as Camille Braverman.

She once got Jet Blue to accept an AmTrak Ticket. 

3. Colleen Donaghy-30 Rock
There is only one woman who can make Jack Donaghy-the NBC executive, super conservative, proud member of the 1%, and mentor to Liz Lemon-weep...his mother, Colleen Donaghy. Colleen spends most of her days situated leisurely in Florida with other retirees, but is known for her surprise visits to New York to berate and belittle her son. With one look, Colleen commands everyone at 30 Rock into submission. She is cynical, critical, cunning, and Irish Catholic which makes her Jack's worst nightmare. With each visit, more of their relationship is revealed, and while Colleen might fake a heart attack to control Jack, she does it all out of love...we think.

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Or maybe it kills you.

4. Vivien Harmon-American Horror Story
No matter what life has thrown at you this year, Vivien can top it. Her world turned upside down when her husband cheated on her and in an attempt to stay together, moved the family to an extremely haunted house in LA. While trying to nest, she comes face to face with the demons of the house, creepy neighbors, a depressed daughter, and a husband who thinks she is crazy. All of this while she is pregnant with the child of a man/ghost in a rubber suit. It sounds a little strange even if you are familiar with the series. It's hard to admire Vivien in her more emotional moments, but ultimately she makes this list because no one else on TV has had to endure the trauma she has. Oh, and did I mention, she's a ghost?

Virginia is for lovers...and grandmothers, husbands, grown kids, and grandchildren.

5. Virginia Chance-Raising Hope
Virginia was just 15 when she became a mom, and only 39 when she became a grandmother. This alone makes her awesome. Virginia embodies all of the best qualities of a lower middle class mother. She takes care of her grandmother, plays games with her fun-loving husband, Burt, houses and harasses her adult son, Jimmy, and babysits her granddaughter, Hope, all while working full time as a maid. She is not a housekeeper in her own home, but her blunt delivery of hard truths and off the wall solutions to life's everyday problems make her one of the most fun mothers on television. She never loses her patience with anyone in the house, and even though she pursues silly get rich schemes with Burt from time to time, she is the ultimate example of being content with what you have.

You think this is hard? Try being a mom!

Honorable Mention: Sue Sylvester from Glee
Sue is not a mom yet, but she is pregnant. And if there is one mother you do not want to mess with, Sue would be that mother. Of course we've seen Sue's sensitive side through past seasons as she dealt with her sister, and everyone's favorite cheerleader, Becky. But Sue is known for her hard-hitting insults and high standards. Either her kid will be a badass off the old block, or have the highest therapy bill in TV land.


Who would you add to the list and why?