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?

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?

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!

Jesse Williams Has Eyes

So in case you were wondering, this is Jesse Williams. And he has these eyes...

He is best known for his role on Grey's Anatomy, and I'm sure he's done a few movies, but nothing really promising. 

It's ok though...cause look at his eyes!

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 Is Back!

Throughout the next 6 weeks TV as we love it will be returning. Here are the 3 shows I'm looking forward to the most!

American Horror Story:
They have done a fabulous job promoting the upcoming season which will center around an Asylum. It's hard to know details of what's coming, and I will miss the family from last season. But I am very excited to see how they transition things, and whether or not they can sustain the scares and storyline. Plus, Adam Levine is hot. Oh and also asylums are terrifying.

Revenge:
You still have a little bit of time to watch last season before this one comes on, and YOU SHOULD.  Revenge will make you remember how awesome Madeline Stowe is and how dangerous it is to take matters into your own hands. I will have my eye on this one closely, because I really want them to keep integrity with the story they've started and not move away from that Hampton locale. Too much corporate espionage and getting tangled in the government will take away from what I love...the interaction between characters in close proximity.

Grey's Anatomy:
Rumor has it McSteamy is gonna die. That alone makes me want this season to be the last! Seriously. It's time to shut it down, but let's have one last season full of extreme medical situations, great music, and relationship drama!

What are you looking forward to the most?

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!

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? 

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!

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?  

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?