Things that are awesome (or not)

AWESOME:

-The fact that Dollhouse had an even better second episode than its first. For me, a large part of this was the development of the relationship between Echo and Langdon. Sooooo sweet. Handler is to Active as Watcher is to Slayer. The fact that they were reminding me of the Buffy-Giles relationship was great because I have always been very emotionally attached to that kind of bond.

-Watching Hugh Jackman's opening act from the Oscars. Over, and over, and over again.

-Just having LOST in my life, period. Last week's episode, "316," blew me away. I think I would probably put it in my Top 10. First of all, I am a sucker for the reunion scenes/moments (see: "Collision" and "One of Us"). Also, I would never in my wildest dreams have expected Jack and

Co. to return to the island so soon. And the circumstances of their return set up so many intriguing flashbacks. There's a reason why I am obsessed with this show, and Season 5 is justifying that.

-Battlestar Galactica. Ellen is back, and the fates of the humans and Cylons are uncertain but I have complete faith that the conclusion will be satisfying in every way I have imagined.

-The hope that the best Grey's relationships (Owen/Cristina, Mark/Lexie) will continue to progress with sufficient cuteness.

-Rewatching Buffy.

LAME:

-Having to wait 3 weeks for the next new episode of Bones. What is up with that?! I need it NOW.

-Even entertaining the notion (and from what I've been reading, the definite possibility) that Robert will die on Brothers & Sisters. Sadly, that will be the nail in the coffin of that show for me.

-Misleading promos for The Closer season finale that make me worry that Brenda and Fritz will not go through with the wedding. That's just cruel.

-Waiting. I miss Mad Men, True Blood, and Dexter...

-Shows that I love having a run of episodes that use old material and don't move the story forward. I'm talking to you, Chuck and Burn Notice. I still watch, I still enjoy, but I'm not currently anxious about the state of affairs. In television, anxiety is a good thing because of the sweet relief that comes after everything works out! It's not a question of "if" but "when" these shows will get back on track.

-Bad comedy. I would rather be blind than be forced to watch any of the following shows: Kath & Kim, According to Jim, Rules of Engagement (my love for Patrick Warburton notwithstanding), Two and a Half Men, Gary Unmarried, or 'Til Death. Also Scrubs, but I know a lot of people like it. I don't deny that it is probably a genuinely funny, well-written show, but I just can't stand Zach Braff at all.

-Reality tv. Still pervasive. Still soul-sucking. One of the things I look forward to the most in my life is the day when people stop watching American Idol and it gets canceled and never mentioned again. And an entire season of 2-hour episodes of The Bachelor? That's pathetic. America's Next Top Model Cycle 83? Good grief... (Obviously, this sweeping generalization does not include So You Think You Can Dance, which I personally love, or a few others that are not bad, like Project Runway and Top Chef.)

SOMETHING THAT WILL PROBABLY BE LAME BUT THAT I WISH WOULD BE AWESOME:

-Castle. I heart Nathan Fillion. There is no getting around it. I will be watching Castle when it premieres in March. But... I just don't have a good feeling about it. I hope to be proven wrong.