The ULTIMATE Post, Part 2

Okay, I'm back for the second round! At first, I thought I was a little weak, having to split my catch-up post into 2 parts, but then I realized that I had been working on that first one for about 4 hours... One more thing before I get started- Happy Election Day! I'm just glad it's finally here so that, whatever the outcome, the new administration can get to work trying to help our country (and the world- because after seeing firsthand how much Europeans care about who our President is, I know that America's actions affect everybody). And tonight, I will not even mind that Tuesday is a boring night, television-wise, because I will be watching my favorite news anchor, Brit Hume, doing commentary on the vote returns. Love that man.

Samantha Who?- For a show that I found to be so delightful in its first season, I'm surprised at how much it has gone downhill in Season 2. Granted, there have only been 3 episodes, and 3 not-very-funny episodes do not a Sophomore Slump make. But I was caught off guard by how little I was laughing because when I first started watching it last year, I was cracking up all the time, and I thought it was all due to the comedic talents of the actors. I mean no offense to the writers, but this show has never been very deep

in meaning, nor mind-blowingly witty. So I assumed, "Hey, you put Christina Applegate, Jean Smart, Jennifer Esposito, et al, in a show together, and BAM! instant funny." Those actors are still themselves- they still deliver their lines the same way and interact with each other the same way- but the material they have been given changed. Here's hoping they get it back.

Private Practice- A profound waste of Kate Walsh's talents. We were promised by Shonda that this show would cut down on the soapy drama in the characters' lives and instead focus on the medical cases. That's what makes Grey's so good and enticing- the doctors are responding to the medical situations that they face and learning from their patients. There's always drama in their lives, but it's secondary to the people they help everyday. Well, there is no visible transformation going on in Private Practice. There have been a couple intriguing, but not fascinating, medical crises to deal with- pregnant woman (played by Amy Acker, who is moving to me in whatever role she plays) induces labor at 6 months because the blood from the baby's umbilical cord is the only thing that will cure her dying 7-yr. old son; newlyweds come to Addison for help in getting pregnant and discover that they are brother and sister- and there is still too much ridiculous drama going on with the doctors themselves that I won't even try to explain.

I know from a critical standpoint that I should stop watching this

show immediately. Except I really like Kate Walsh. And Amy Brenneman. And I think this man is adorable ---->.

And I think this man is one

<---------- of the hottest guys on television (Don't judge me, I have a thing for older guys). Anyways! The point is, I'm having a hard time letting go. So maybe this one can stay on my slate as a guilty pleasure until it becomes too unbearable to watch (like Gossip Girl, which I decided to let go about midway through the third episode this season).

Pushing Daisies- It's been 1 year, 1 month, 3 days, and 7 hours since I fell in love with the Pie Maker and his friends. Bryan Fuller has a quirky magic that never gets old. You can see it when

you watch the tragically short series, Wonderfalls, just as you can see it in Pushing Daisies. I'm so happy that it is part of my life, although perhaps not for much longer- ratings have dropped this season, just as they have with many other shows that went off the air because of the Writers' Strike last Fall. It took so long for Chuck, Pushing Daisies, and others to return that millions of viewers had already forgotten about them and moved on (and, let me say, shame on those people!!!). So, yeah, PD needs people to tune in, or it will get the axe from ABC. And that would be an absolute crime.

My favorite episode this season was "Bad Habits." Olive had been staying in a convent (where she, of course, would go out to the hills and sing). One of her fellow nuns fell from the bell tower and died, so Ned, Emerson, and Chuck, went undercover to prove that the nun had not committed suicide. Their findings unraveled a scandal involving the convent's truffle business. I was also a big fan of the most recent episode, "Dim Sum Lose Some," in which the group investigated the murder of the owner of the local Chinese restaurant. Not only do I greatly enjoy the disguises, but they played poker with food! Betting with soy beans, it was a game of 5-dish draw (a full house of shrimp dumplings and beef pot stickers!). We saw the return of the controlling dog trainer, Simone, who has quite a way with Emerson. Also, Ned, with Chuck's

encouragement, decided he was ready to confront his past (when Ned was 9, his father left him at boarding school and never saw him again)- he met his brothers, and they had a cute group hug.

Ned: I'm glad Dad got so fun and creative with naming after I left. 'Goodbye, Ned. Hello, Mercutio and Ribald.'

Chuck: Maurice and Ralston!

Friday Night Lights- I often view FNL as the "Little Show that Could." Watch an interview with Kyle Chandler or Connie Britton, and you will forget that Coach Taylor and his wife, Tami, are fictional characters. Listen to someone talk about how filming works in Austin, Texas: they don't use any fake sets; they shoot their scenes in a single take; even though they have a script, the actors often improvise. All of these things contribute to a feeling of naturalism and authenticity that is unparalleled on television. Like, for serious, it's realer than a reality show.

FNL had a lot of people fighting for it last year when it was in serious danger of being canceled. NBC worked out a deal whereby Season 3 is airing this Fall on DirectTV, and then the episodes will be shown on NBC beginning in January. It's not very convenient, but I take my FNL how I can get it. Plus, I don't technically have to wait thanks to the wonders of SurfTheChannel. After seeing 5 episodes so far, I couldn't be more thrilled. It's as if Season 2 never happened. They have returned to the purity of heart that they had in their freshman season.

There have been a few significant changes-

1) Tami is the new principal of Dillon High School. She is struggling with the lack of funding for teachers, supplies, and building repairs, especially when she looks at the privileged lifestyle of the football team. She is also struggling with an often angst-y teenage daughter.

2) Matt Saracen has been replaced as QB1 (in his Senior year! such an injustice...) by a Freshman wonder boy, JD McCoy. To Coach's credit, he resisted the change as long as he could. JD's parents were pushy and annoying and kept trying to persuade him to play their son. He wanted to stick with Matt because Matt was his quarterback. He had won a State Championship with Matt, and they knew each other. But after Matt lost a crucial game, and the people of Dillon stuck a dozen "For Sale" signs in his front yard, he could not deny that this talented new kid might be better for the team. Plus, while I feel sorry for Matt, he and Julie are insanely close to getting back together. That couple = so freakin' adorable. He'll be okay.

3) Jason Street (Scott Porter) and Smash Williams (Gaius Charles) are on the way out. We love them, they were great characters, but they graduated. They are not the type of young men who would stay in Dillon forever. Each of them has a very special sendoff, worthy of their amazing character. Coach worked hard in his free time to help Smash get back into shape after his injury and to get into college. A couple weeks ago, Smash had a fantastic tryout and made it as a walk-on at Texas A&M. Jason Street is now the father of a little boy. He desperately wants to prove to his baby mama that he can provide for a family. Pretty soon, I gather, the 3 of them will be moving somewhere that Street can start fresh.

4) Lyla and Riggins are trying the whole relationship thing. She definitely brings out the best in that boy. He's not perfect, but he is crazy in love with her and would do anything for her.

The Office- In my view, Season 5 has been characterized by highs and lows. In contrast, Seasons 2 and 3 were consistently hilarious- "The Dundies," "Office Olympics," "The Fire," "The Client,"

"Christmas Party," "The Injury," Dwight's Speech," "Conflict Resolution," "Casino Night," "Gay Witch Hunt," "The Convict," "Traveling Salesmen," "The Return," "Ben Franklin," "Business School," "The Negotiation," "Safety Training," "Women's Appreciation," "Beach Games." I mean, look at those! That's 2 years of some of the most well-written stuff out there! There were very few disappointing episodes during that time. Season 4, on the other hand, was mostly disappointing, with a few stand-out episodes of greatness ("Money," "Chair Model," "Goodbye Toby"). This year, I think, has been equal parts hilarious and 'eh'.

High points:

-"Weight Loss"- At last, the moment we've been waiting years for, Jim proposes. We get a glimpse of the awkward but sweet chemistry between Michael and Holly (played by the

endearing Amy Ryan). Angela and Dwight have been continuing their affair amidst Andy's preparations for his and Angela's wedding ("I have a nice comforter and several cozy pillows. I usually read a chapter of a book, and it's lights out by 8:30... That's how I sleep at night"). Kelly goes to extreme measures to slim down for the company weight loss competition.

Kelly: I swallowed a tapeworm last night. It's going to grow up to 3 feet inside of me and then it eats all my food so that I don't get fat. And then after 3 months I take some medicine and then I pass it. Creed sold it to me. It's from Mexico. Creed: ...That wasn't a tapeworm.

-"Crime Aid"- Michael and Holly get distracted by the excitement of their relationship and leave the building unlocked, allowing everyone's stuff to get stolen. Michael decides to hold an auction, including a hug from Phyllis; Creed ("That's all-inclusive"); going out for a beer with Darryl and the warehouse guys right now; and imaginary Bruce Springsteen tickets. Phyllis gives Dwight advice about Angela ("She introduced me to so many things: pasteurized milk, sheets, monotheism, presents on your birthday, preventative medicine").

Grey's Anatomy- I think I came to an understanding about Grey's at the end of last season. If I don't hold it to lofty expectations, I don't get frustrated. That way, I can enjoy watching it for a purely entertainment value. Season 5 has featured several things:

-The (somewhat) stable relationship between Derek and Meredith. They're together. Now we're seeing the everyday problems associated with that.

-My favorite new friendship, Callie and Sloan. They laugh together, they have sex together, end of story.

-The introduction of polarizing trauma surgeon, Dr. Owen Hunt. McDreamy and McSteamy hate him because he acts like he's still in the desert patching up injured soldiers in the most quick and dirty ways possible. Cristina

thinks he's hot because he stapled his own leg wound without anesthesia.

-One surgery, in particular, that was very awesome. A domino transplant surgery. 12 patients- 6 donors, 6 recipients- that all had to go through with the surgery or the rest would drop out because this sick guy's son gave his kidney to this lady whose sister gave her kidney to this guy whose wife gave her kidney to this guy, and so on. Since it's Grey's Anatomy, there was drama that almost ruined everything, but it all worked out in the end and was quite touching, I thought.

-A particularly funny set of scenes in the dermatology section of the hospital where the doctors get massages in their free time and pour fruity drinks for people and rub each other with lotion constantly. Cristina, Izzie, and Meredith, become entranced by that simple kind of lifestyle they can't even imagine.

-Cristina's interactions with her interns never fail to make me laugh.

Deciding which intern to donate to George now that he is a resident- "I think I'll keep Lexipedia. She remembers many things. And she bathes, which is more than I can say for stinky 2 over there. Yeah, you smell."

Operating on pigs for trauma training- "Hey, no cute names! They're not pets, they're subjects. It's not our job to get all affectionate, it's our job to keep them alive. So I don't want to hear Wilbur or Babe. If you want to call them something, call them sausage. Or prosciutto."

There concludes my summary of what's been going on in television these past 2 months. In addition to Gossip Girl, I scrapped Ugly Betty from my schedule because I didn't care anymore. It was fun while it lasted, but they lost everything I used to like about the show. My next post will be about the new shows I put through my trial run to see if I would pick them up. One was victorious, one was a failure.

A taste of FNL- The Season 1 intro, which has some great clips from the show that give me chills

The Catch-Up Post: LOST, Battlestar, Brothers & Sisters, and more...

I am a horrible person. I have not posted anything in over a month. You know what I say to that? Whatevz! It's my freakin' blog!! I do what I want! But in all seriousness, I'm sorry for being so absent. I do have an excuse- whenever I have had time to think about tv, I have spent it watching Buffy and Angel for the first time (more on that to come later) instead of writing about things I have already seen. I know that my loyal readers (all 2 of them) have been suffering withdrawal from my television rantings. Fear not! This is going to make up for all of that- a summary of everything I've watched since April.

1) Grey's Anatomy. Welcome back into my life! I had almost given up on it, but I gave it a second chance hoping that the strike would give it a renewed sense of purpose. Indeed, the last 3 episodes have been quite good. I didn't even realize how much I missed the characters. Well...really just Derek, Dr. Bailey, Cristina, and Sloan. But now we are happily reunited. The writers have toned down the soap opera factor, and the dialogue is actually funny again. The Addison episode, in particular, was classic Grey's. Although I would have to say my favorite scene so far has been Dr. Bailey advising the nurses to stop boycotting Dr. Sloan's surgeries because they all knew he was a whore when they slept with him. I'm so glad Meredith has found a forum for her whining in therapy. And that Izzie and George are now firmly back in their "just friends" corners. Overall, I'm enjoying my return to Shonda's world, and I hope that I'm never forced to leave again.
2) New Amsterdam. This show started at the beginning of March and ended after only 7 episodes. I really wanted to find a new show this semester (something to fill the void in my heart left by Chuck and Pushing Daisies), and I wish that this one had turned out as amazing as it could have been. I was very intrigued by the story- it's about a New York cop who is immortal until he finds his one true love. Each episode had some murder case that related to his past, so there were lots of flashbacks, ranging from Colonial times to the '50s. I loved some of the details put into the show: in the pilot, he goes to the middle of Times Square and takes a picture. He goes back home and puts the picture on the wall alongside dozens of other pictures of the same spot, labeled by year, so you can see the evolution of just that one section of the world. Amazing, really. Unfortunately, the acting was nothing memorable. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who played John Amsterdam, was good, but the other characters were pretty thin. Truthfully, I don't regret watching the show, but I don't regret it being canceled either.
3) Samantha Who? This show is fun, and that's all there is to it. Every single member of the cast is perfect in his or her role: Christina Applegate as Samantha Newly, the amnesiac learning about the world and herself one day at a time; Melissa McCarthy as Dena, Samantha's childhood friend who just wants to be included; the scene-stealing Jennifer Esposito as Andrea, Samantha's long-time best friend who is trying to keep "old Samantha" alive by making sure she doesn't become too good of a person; Jean Smart and Kevin Dunn as Regina and Howard Newly, Samantha's HILARIOUS parents; Barry Watson as Todd, Samantha's sweet and adorable ex whom she falls in love with again and has to steal from his crazy new girlfriend; and, finally, Tim Russ as Frank, the stoic, but wise, doorman who reluctantly has gotten to know Samantha. I really appreciate this show simply for consistently making me laugh. I don't love it like I do The Office, but I get the same enjoyment out of it that I think other people get from Scrubs, which I refuse to watch because I think Zach Braff is a major tool.
4) The Bachelor. Well, he chose Shayne! I resisted her all the way up until the finale, but I guess she kind of ended up growing on me. The best part about her is that Matt really seems to be himself around her. Even though I loved Amanda, and then rooted for Chelsea, Matt said that Shayne made him feel something he had never felt before, so I am satisfied (I keep telling myself). It is totes adorable that he calls her "Monkey" because of how she holds onto him so tight when they cuddle. I just watched this little video of the two of them finally able to do a public interview as an engaged couple, and I can't lie, it was really cute.
5) Gossip Girl. Such intense drama, I am exhausted just from watching. I probably won't be able to write about it very long before I need a nap. Anyways, let me try to break it down! Jenny Humphrey and Blair have engaged in a war of social power. Each one does something petty to try to gain the advantage. Little J starts dating a very wealthy, very preppy boy from another school who makes out with Serena's little brother, Eric, on the side. Serena has been pushing Dan away in the post-strike episodes because a friend from her past has returned: the truly devilish Georgina Sparks, played by Michelle Trachtenberg. Georgina wants things to go back to the way they used to be when she and S were wild- drinking, doing drugs, doing whatever they wanted. She knows the real reason Serena left town for boarding school and holds that secret over her head. The only person that Serena can really talk to is Chuck, who has become my favorite character. Like, seriously, I love him. Turns out Serena killed someone. Except not really, because all she did was hand a guy some of his own drugs that he used to overdose. Before everything gets resolved, though, Georgina, who has become friends with Dan as a girl named Sarah, seduces him to hurt Serena. Also, Nate likes Vanessa now. And for the first time, he seems like an actual human being. And Rufus and Lily sleep together on her wedding night to Bart Bass. The end. (Naptime)
6) Brothers & Sisters. A lot happened at the end of this season. Nora spent lots of time with Isaac. Isaac asked Nora to move with him to Washington, D.C. She accepted. Her kids became insane. She decided to stay. Sarah was sleeping with Graham (Steven Weber). He lined up a business deal in China that would be a huge commitment for Ojai. Sarah wanted Saul to reject the deal because she couldn't tell Graham herself. Saul went behind her back and signed the contract anyway. The business partner in China went bankrupt and put Ojai $20 million dollars in debt. Sarah needed Walker Landing to bail Ojai out. Holly came up with a scheme that created a merger between the two companies, so that Sarah and Tommy would be co-Presidents and she would be CEO. Kitty and Robert tried to get pregnant. After many failures, they decided to adopt. Kevin proposed to Scotty. Kevin married Scotty. Rebecca had doubts about whether William Walker was really her father. Justin admitted that he had feelings for her when he thought about her as not being his sister. Rebecca discovered that David (Ken Olin) was actually her father. She lied to Justin because she didn't want to leave the Walker family. She then told the truth. He was mad. Then he forgave her. Then they kissed. Oh, and William Walker probably fathered another child, some boy named Ryan.
7) Desperate Housewives. Gaby adjusts to married life with blind Carlos. One very amusing episode has her using his handicapped parking tag. He gets a seeing-eye dog. A cocaine dealer moves into their spare bedroom, and the cops want them to act like nothing is wrong because they want to arrest her supplier. Susan is the funniest pregnant woman alive. There is one scene where Mike has just come home from rehab. She wants to make his favorite dinner, and when she finds out that it's not actually his favorite, she breaks down and leaves to put her emotions in the metaphorical box that Bree told her about. Mike and Susan find out that Orson was the one who ran over Mike and put him in the coma. They manage to forgive him, but Bree kicks him out. He spends a drunken night at Edie's, and Bree gets the wrong idea. Edie finds out the truth about Danielle and Austin and Benjamin. She blackmails Bree, who finally comes clean with the girls about everything. Cue dramatic walking scene. They inform Edie that they are cutting her out of their lives. Rick comes back into town. His restaurant is burned down, and Lynette is convinced that Tom did it. It was actually the twins, Porter and Preston. They were given the idea by Kayla. Lynette thinks Kayla needs counseling. Kayla does need counseling because she is a manifestation of evil straight out of The Bad Seed. She convinces one of the twins to jump off the roof. The shrink thinks that Lynette and Kayla need to spend time together so that they will come to see each other in a real mother-daughter way. Kayla tells Lynette that she convinced the twins to try to jump off the roof (which one of them did, causing him to break his arm). Lynette slaps Kayla, who later calls the shrink and says that she is afraid because she is being abused. Katharine and Bree bond after planning a party together, and it is wonderful. Dylan's dad (Gary Cole) makes contact with her, and they secretly begin spending time together. Katharine finds out and wants to prove that he is a horrible man who is incapable of love. She tells him that she had affairs when they were married and that Dylan is not really his daughter. He has a DNA test done, confirming what Katharine said. He gets drunk and watches old home videos of Dylan as a little girl- one in which she is riding her bike and shows her dad some stitches on her arm. Later, Dylan comes over to see him, and he notices that there is no scar on her arm. OMG. I did not see that coming. Different girl.
8) The Office. Michael and Jan have a dinner party. Hilarity ensues. They break up. In the next episode, a few months have passed. Jim and Pam are still going strong. In fact, he tells her that he is going to propose to her. Dwight and Michael party with Ryan in New York City. Ryan is a coke head. Stanley yells at Michael in front of everyone. He tells Michael that he has no respect for him. Michael is upset that his friend would say those things to him (haha). He doesn't want to fire Stanley but tells him that he can't talk like that to his boss at work. Dwight makes his usual power plays. More hilarity ensues.
9) Battlestar Galactica. The most recent episode, "Faith," was incredible. The ones before that have been kind of...confusing. There hasn't seemed to be much purpose, except to show that the Cylons are fighting amongst themselves (The Brother Cavils killed a bunch of Sixes, Eights, and Leobens). And Tory killed Cally, who found out that Tigh, Tory, Anders, and Tyrol are Cylons. The Chief has since become a very angry man. Colonel Tigh is adjusting to his discovery that he is a Cylon by visiting the captured Six every day. It's sorta weird... Apollo has been MIA since he became a member of the Quorum. His new role hasn't done anything more than show that Laura Roslin is abusing her power. She is, however, dying of cancer. Admiral Adama sits by her bed during treatments reading books to her. Starbuck and the crew of the Demetrius have been searching for Earth. Starbuck has become a bit of a nutjob. Everyone except Anders becomes part of a mutiny (I still love you, Helo!), but then Leoben comes upon them. He wants Kara to come see the Hybrid and continue her journey to Earth. She finds out that she has to unbox D'Anna (yay Lucy Lawless!!) to reveal the final 5 Cylons, who can then lead her to Earth. The Hybrid also mentioned that she is "the harbinger of death." Or something like that. Intense. And intensely awesome.
10) LOST. Episodes 7-11: "Ji-Yeon," "Meet Kevin Johnson," "The Shape of Things to Come," Something Nice Back Home," and "Cabin Fever." Each amazing in its own way. So it would be inadequate to merely summarize them in one paragraph here. Also, this has become the longest blog in history. And my hand hurts. So I'm going to put it off a few more days until I can sit down for another length of time and write about each episode in detail. I will say one thing, though. In the future, Jack and Kate get engaged. And, although my heart belongs to Sawyer and I am a Skater through and through, it was kinda hot.