Note to self: religion: freaky. (BtVS 2:9)

  • Dec. 31st, 2005 at 11:40 AM
cordelianne: (Default)
If only I could get paid for recruiting people to television fandoms, I would be rich!! In 2005 I successfully introduced lots of friends, family and co-workers to some of my favourite tv shows.

Veronica Mars

When I first watched VM none of my friends got UPN or had seen the show before, so I quickly set about changing that. This became my most successful mission because I succeeded in converting most of my friends who are Buffy fans as well as BtVS fandom co-workers into fans of VM.

One friend and I would watch an increasing amount of season one episodes each week until we'd caught him up for season two, and now we watch the new episodes together. Another friend and I had a mini-marathon when we were up at her parent's place in Muskoka, and she also watches the new episodes with me. There's actually about 4 of us that get together for new VM. Two co-workers are so hooked (but don't have UPN) that they borrow my tapes with the new episodes on them. Other co-workers have started downloading the season two episodes.

ha ha ha (imagine evil laughter) my plan is falling into place!!!

My Name is Earl

I've very proud of who I got hooked on My Name is Earl: my mom!! At the beginning of the season I recommended the show to her and she kept trying to watch it but would be interrupted. So, over the holidays we had a mini-marathon and watched EVERY SINGLE EPISODE THAT'S AIRED THIS SEASON!! My mom normally doesn't have the patience to watch things for long periods of time and we watched 9 episodes in one sitting - that's 8 more than she'll normally watch. We even re-watched episodes my mom had already seen, which also isn't usually her thing. As well, we got my dad interested in the show! I've started showing her The Office, perhaps I can make my mom into a tv addict fan!

I'd love to claim that I got some friends hooked on My Name is Earl but they'd already found the love. However there is one friend and co-worker who I believe I've converted (I like to think this is helped by me re-enacting various scenes such as Randy trying to eat poisoned cookies TWICE!!).

My Name is Earl is such a neat show because it appeals to everyone (ie. moms and friends love it!), so it's not surprising that it's the highest rated new comedy on tv.

Everwood

I have endlessly tried to get my friends into Everwood, and have finally succeeded with one of my friends!!! I lent her my tapes with Smallville episodes on them so she could see James Marsters, however there were Everwood episodes on them as well! I mentioned to her that she should check them out, and she did!! I've decided to take credit for the sneakiness of this technique even though it was not intentionally sneaky (I tape Smallville and Everwood on the same tape because they air back-to-back on Thursday nights). The important thing is that she's now a fan thanks to me (although I suspect that the cuteness of Hannah and Bright really helped)!!

Another friend is also now a big fan of the show, although I was less an active agent in this development. I am giving myself some credit since I have talked at length about the fabulousness of Everwood to her.

Prison Break

I recommended that my brother check out Prison Break even though he likes procedurals like CSI or watching hockey, and he's totally hooked! hee hee Maybe instead of a career recruiting people to television fandoms, I should start a business where I match people with their complimentary tv shows. It'd be like doing someone's colours but I'd "do their tv shows" instead.

Doctor Who

I think I've converted my dad!!! I invited him to watch the amazingly fabulous "Christmas Invasion" with me on Boxing Day (with the strict instructions that he wasn't to talk during the show, but he could ask questions during the commercials) and he really enjoyed it! He was asking me about the first season and when the second season will air. I'm now trying to figure out how to hook him up with episodes (he'd never figure out how to download).


I now have my fingers crossed that none of these shows get canceled because I don't want to disappoint friends again (like when Joan of Arcadia was canceled). I'm already dreading telling my new Everwood-fan-friend that it's going on hiatus for a few months. Here's hoping that 2006 is an even better year for tv fans than 2005!!


I've now seen Brokeback Mountain a second time and loved it just as much. For some - very silly - reason I didn't think I would cry again (I was a total wreck my first complete viewing), so of course I was proved wrong when the tears started streaming down my face again. I LOVE Ang Lee so much, he's such an amazing director!!! I'm still so overwhelmed by the impressiveness of the film that I'm finding it hard to be articulate about its brilliance.

Last night a friend and I watched The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings, and it was another excellent re-watching experience. I love those movies so much!! When it finished I was dying to watch The Two Towers immediately but it was late and I needed to get home before the subway stopped. So, we talked about setting a day aside to get together with some friends and watch the whole trilogy in one sitting (something I've never done).


I hope that everyone has an fun and safe New Year's!!! All the best for 2006!!!
cordelianne: (Default)
I’ve decided to do something completely original and inventive to recap 2005!! ... Okay, not really. Like Entertainment Weekly, TVGal, Watch with Kristin, etc I’m compiling lists of the best – and the worst – of 2005.


Best Moments of 2005 in TV (ahem, I’m using a very loose definition of “moments”)

1. Veronica Mars’ renewal and awesome season one finale. VM has been a bright spot for me this year.

2. The media’s response to Hurricane Katrina. The heartfelt, active and horrified response of the media to this situation was a nice counterpoint to the tragedy of the event.

3. What sophomore slump? It’s great that VM, House and Grey’s Anatomy are having impressively good second seasons.

4. Bright & Hannah kiss in the Everwood season three finale. This was particularly satisfying because of how their relationship developed organically throughout the season. It’s also damn cute.

5. Buffyverse actors return to TV. James Marsters on Smallville, Charisma Carpenter on VM, Alyson Hannigan on How I Met Your Mother, David Boreanaz on Bones, Christian Kane on Close to Home and Nicholas Brendon on the sadly canceled Kitchen Confidential.

6. The news that Scrubs is returning to TV in January. It’ll be on NBC Tuesdays at 9pm and 9:30pm.

7. Lorelei tells her mother We’re over in mid-season 5, then a few episodes ago reassures her You haven’t lost me. I love the complexities of the relationships on Gilmore Girls.

8. Veronica and Logan’s first kiss on VM. Best.Kiss.Ever.

9. The reunion of Jin & Sun and Bernard & Rose on Lost. Oh man, the tears were flowing for that moment.

10. Uchenna and Joyce win the Amazing Race - you could just tell that all the other contestants were happy also, it was such an air of celebration. It was great to watch really really nice people win.


Worst Moments of 2005 in TV

1. Joan of Arcadia not renewed. I still have much bitterness towards CBS for canceling such a thought-provoking and nuanced show about spirituality.

2. Tom Cruise. Tom Cruise and Scientology. Tom Cruise and his sudden expertise in post-partum depression (despite being neither a doctor nor a medical/drug expert). Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. Tom Cruise and couches. The list could go on and on.

3. Sophomore slumps. It’s been disappointing to see Lost and Desperate Housewives, shows that were so original and compelling in their first seasons, struggle in their second seasons.

4. Watching the government’s response to Hurricane Katrina. Or should I say, lack of response.

5. Arrested Development and Kitchen Confidential canceled. There may be a silver lining for AD because it could be picked up by Showtime!

6. Paris Hilton. To quote from Joan of Arcadia: Now, who decided I need to care about Paris Hilton?

7. The return of Fear Factor to primetime. (Thanks to my brother for this providing this item on my list!)

8. The “War on Christmas” or should I say “the talking point created by the Christian Right who are freaked out by the fact that there’s other religions and faiths than Christianity.”

9. The brilliant Everwood being put on hiatus again by The WB so a reality show can be aired.

10. The Amazing Race: Family Edition and its incredible suckiness. I’m excited about the real Race returning in February: interesting looking contestants who will actually be traveling around the world!


Best Movies in 2005

1. Brokeback Mountain. A beautiful love story that’s well-acted, beautifully shot and continues to resonate days later. A brilliant and ground-breaking movie.

2. King Kong. This is what blockbusters the movie experience should be: good story, edge of your seat action, interesting characters, good acting, homage to old movies, good use of special effects and touching scenes.

3. Serenity. This movie is clearly made with passion which creates an amazing movie: it has love, hatred, and grief as well as action, humour, excitement and creepiness on a big screen scale. Firefly lives!

4. A History of Violence. It's a deceptively simple story that examines the violence that's underneath the surface of everyone. Definitely one of the best films of the year.

5. Batman Begins. This is pretty geeky, but I loved how coherent the story is - it's very tight storytelling (I really hate the sloppy storytelling and continuity that's in a lot of movies, particularly ones with significant CGI). It’s also a kick-ass superhero movie!

6. Walk the Line. This is more than just a biopic of another musician who started off poor, became famous for an innovative sound and struggled with drug addiction because of the love story at the heart of the film. This isn't cutsie romantic comedy love story material, this is a painful, intense and hard love story that's captivating to watch.

7. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. This is a great adaptation of the book, because it retains the significant aspects of the story while moving along at a fast and engaging pace. It was so good it got a friend to read all the novels.

8. Jarhead. A compelling war film that has no action scenes (unless you count the troops watching war movies). Excellent acting, beautifully shot, thought-provoking and relevant to today’s conflict.

9. Crash. An impressive yet flawed movie, the most notable flaw is how the multiple storylines are resolved. What's great about the movie - I optimistically hope - is that it encourages dialogue around racism and self-analysis of personal racism. Content aside, the acting is excellent, the shots beautifully done, and the scenes just blend together seemingly seamlessly.

10. 40 Year Old Virgin and The Wedding Crashers. As much as I love teen movies, it’s been great to have actual adult comedies. Neither of these movies are the best movies I’ve ever seen, so I've combined them as one item because they’re both damn funny movies that don’t have to shy away from adult topics.


Best TV shows of 2005

1. Veronica Mars. This show really is "the New Buffy" - it's intelligent with excellent dialogue and a smart, independent and fun heroine who's the centre of an enthralling universe of mystery, suspense, humour, pain, drama and often a combination of more than one of the above. To quote Joss Whedon Best.Show.Ever.

2. Gilmore Girls. Although Gilmore Girls is no longer the cozy and reassuring dramedy it used to be, it has grown up and is now successfully exploring the painful issues of becoming an adult and how this changes family relationships.

3. Everwood. Whenever I watch an episode of Everwood I always declare it The Best Show on Television. It has consistently high quality episodes with complex characters and storylines.

4. Arrested Development. This is the type of show that makes me laugh so hard that milk sprays out of my nose (if – you know – I actually was silly enough to drink anything while watching AD). Definitely the edgiest and funniest show on TV.

5. Reba. This show draws from the tradition of old-fashioned family sitcoms like The Dick Van Dyke Show but also has clear influences from the more cutting-edge Roseanne. Reba deals with lots of serious issues really well – weight gain and weight loss, adultery, alcoholism, depression – however it’s not a serious drama because it succeeds is finding the humour in these difficult and painful scenarios.

6. Grey’s Anatomy. I never would have guessed last year that this show would have made my list. It’s gone from being good soapy fun to a show with increasingly well-written episodes and smart/interesting story decisions (ie. Having Dr. McDreamy’s estranged wife stay and be a likeable character).

7. My Name is Earl. It's definitely one of my new favourite shows. It has a great premise (Earl discovering the concept of Karma and now trying to make amends for all the bad things he's done) that has resulted in interesting and funny episodes (eg. trying to make up for faking his own death to break-up with a girl, or kidnapping a woman to help her quit smoking).

8. Doctor Who. For some reason I didn't expect the show to have such a fabulous combination of fun, heart-wrenching drama, suspense, and interesting stories. It’s so hard waiting a whole year for the new season. I’m very excited about the special The Christmas Invasion airing on Boxing Day at 8pm to 9:30pm on CBC.

9. Entourage. Overall I love this show because it has heart - it really feels like these 4 guys are good friends. They may tease each other but they ultimately look out for each other. Also, how can I not love a show that has Jeremy Piven’s deliciously sleazy agent say Hug it out, bitch?

10. How I Met Your Mother. One of the reasons I’ve declared that there’s a “Sitcom Renaissance”. Definitely my favourite new sitcom this season (ie. half-hour comedy with a laugh track). It has sustained its funny from the pilot and it does over-the-top really well. It’s also has excellent writing and a very good cast.

11. Everybody Hates Chris. A very funny and smart new approach to the family sitcom (ie. no laugh track). Race issues and racism are explored in an intelligent and humourous way thanks to Chris Rock’s excellent narration.

I’m very impressed that I contained myself to ten items for each category, except for the Best TV shows and I’m very pleased that I only exceeded by one item! I’m now excited to compare my lists with Entertainment Weekly’s (I purposefully didn’t look at it before created my lists)!!


Right now I’m at my parent’s place in Kingston having a relaxing Christmas Eve! I slept in until 1pm!! We decorated the house and tree last night so it’s all festive, and there’s a tray of yummy treats to snack on. My mom sings in a United church choir so we’ll be attending a Family service and then the midnight service tonight. Right now I plan to do a little more livejournal reading and work more on my screenplay. I LOVE that I brought my laptop with me, and that my brother has set up the house for wireless internet!!! Yay to my younger and very technologically capable brother!!

Happy Holidays everyone!!
cordelianne: (Default)
I have a long history of crushes on tv characters. Back in high school it was Jordan Catalono on My So-Called Life, then in university it was Pacey on Dawson’s Creek, and in more recent years it’s been Spike on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. One thing they all have in common – other than that they’re all bad boys – is that my crush is on the character, not on the actors. I’m just more interested in the richly drawn and well-written characters than the actors who never live up to their fictional counterpart. The only exception is Spike’s James Marsters because I will watch whatever he’s in, no matter how bad it is **cough**Andromeda**cough – that’s what the fast forward function is for!

As I become more absorbed in my television obsession love, my list of crushes is constantly changing and expanding:

Rob Thomas (VM Creator)

This is more of an “I want to be his friend, or wish I was him, or both” kind of crush.

I was already filled with love for Rob Thomas because of his fabulously enthralling and smart show. Then my love increased when he had Buffy alumni Charisma Carpenter and Alyson Hannigan both guest star as recurring characters. Rob Thomas delighted me further when it was announced that Charisma and Alyson would guest star in the same episode and he declared: “Believe me, we will bend over backwards to put Charisma and Alyson in a scene together. Whatever it takes, it's gonna happen!” (Watch with Kristen chat transcript, September 26, 2005)

So could my love for him overflow more?! Of course it could! He was so adorable during an online chat with Watch with Kristen my crush actually increased! Here’s a couple of my favourite Rob Thomas quotes during the chat:

“We haven’t shied away from Buffy comparisons. We’re flattered by it.”

“The joy is the journey.”

Watch with Kristin (Eonline TV Columnist)

I’d describe this as an “I want to be her friend so we talk and talk about tv” kind of crush.

Her real name is Kristin Veitch, and she has a weekly column on Eonline about television. I had so much fun watching her interview Rob Thomas online because she’s so enthusiastic. When she talks, her love for television is very evident. I’m also endeared to her because she’s a huge Buffy fan, and has always promoted and supported the show.

In fact, Kristin does an excellent job of helping out less popular shows. Sure she talks a lot about the trendy Lost (a little too much for my tastes) but she’s also there for shows watched by real tv lovers. Over the years she’s championed Buffy, Angel, Arrested Development, and Veronica Mars to name a few of my favourite shows. She also does this neat thing each year in which her readers get to vote for one show that should be saved (ie. Past winners have been Angel and Veronica Mars), and then she uses her pull at Eonline to campaign for the show.

Even though she has a Hollywood Eonline feel to her, I can tell that deep down she’s a big tv geek, and I love her for that!

Jon Stewart (The Daily Show)

I totally have a “you’re so smart, funny and adorable” crush on Jon Stewart.

He’s able to make the news not only tolerable but actually fun. Jon Stewart can always make me laugh, no matter how upsetting the subject matter. He also has such awesome facial expressions! My favourite parts are when he’s having trouble not laughing at one of the other “reporters”.

Thanks to Jon Stewart, the fake news is good enough for me.

George O’Malley (Grey's Anatomy)

Grey’s Anatomy is slowly becoming one of my favourite shows. It’s gone from being good soapy fun to a show with increasingly well-written episodes and smart/interesting story decisions (ie. Having Dr. McDreamy’s estranged wife stay and be a likeable character).

Of course, George – “he’s so adorable and sweet” type of crush – is always the highlight of the show for me. Frequently shows are good at writing the “bad boy” but it’s hard to make a sweet and good character interesting, and George actually is!! I frequently feel swoony during George scenes. T.K. Knight, who plays George, definitely deserves credit for making the nice guy my favourite character!!

Marshall (How I Met Your Mother)

I feel that I deserve credit for not selecting the ex-Buffy actress (Alyson Hannigan). I just can’t resist Marshall, who’s my “he’s so goofy and cute” crush.

Jason Segel (Freaks and Geeks) won me over when he danced like a total dork and wore a Pirates of the Caribbean/Johnny Depp inspired pirate costume. Sure Neil Patrick Harris’ deliciously sleazy Barney is a scene stealer but Marshall is the heart of the show.

Randy (My Name is Earl)

My crush on Randy is similar to my George and Marshall crushes in that he’s the sweet guy on the show. I’d describe my crush on Randy as the “he’s so sweet, goofy and lovable” type of crush. Randy may not be the smartest guy but he has a really good heart. One of my favourite episodes is when he ruins another chance at scoring a touchdown to help out Earl. I would totally a buy that shirt that says “I heart Randy”.

House (House)

House will never be described as sweet, goofy or adorable, he definitely falls more into the bad boy section of my list. I’d describe House as the “entertainingly sarcastic, witty and snarky” type of crush. He’s the kind of bad boy who appeals to me more for his mind than his looks.

I’m also a huge fan of the House and Wilson friendship, and must admit that I love to read a homoerotic subtext into their relationship. As a result I was particularly entertained by this exchange in last week’s episode:

Stacy: What are you hiding?

House: I’m gay. Oh, that’s not what you meant. But it does explain a lot though. No girlfriend, always with Wilson, obsession with sneakers.


Logan (Veronica Mars)

And speaking of bad boys, I have to include Logan! This is definitely the “he’s so pretty and bad, but can be sweet” type of crush.

Jason Dohring continues to impress me with his nuanced and layered portrayal of rich bad boy Logan. He’s particularly skilled at revealing Logan’s vulnerability and making us (I know I’m not alone in this) believe that Logan has the potential to be good.

Ana-Lucia (Lost)

I suspect that I picked Ana-Lucia because she’s reviled across the fandom. Normally my character allegiances are consistent with other people’s, however there are occasions when I enjoy being contrary.

I admit that Ana-Lucia made the list because “she’s hot, tough and kind of butch” and that is a definite weak spot for me. There’s so few butch girls on tv that, at this point, I’m just excited when there actually is one on a show. I’m also a fan of Michelle Rodriguez (who plays Ana-Lucia) in Girlfight and SWAT because she’s all tough and hot.

So I should actually describe this as “my completely shallow crush, that’s totally based on looks.”

Bright (Everwood)

This is definitely the case of “the reformed bad boy who’s still struggling to be the nice supportive guy” type of crush.

Chris Pratt (Bright), like Jason Dohring, brings texture and depth to a character that could have been two-dimensional. Bright started off as a dumb jock but has always been more than just that stereotype (Hello! The O.C., welcome to real acting and good writing, bitch). Entertainment Weekly may have put him on their “Must List” a few issues ago but he’s been one of my favourite characters since I discovered Everwood in its 2nd season.

Lorelei (Gilmore Girls)

After years of watching – and adoring - Gilmore Girls I recently realized that I’m frighteningly similar to Lorelei (except that I didn’t get pregnant at 16, I don’t have rich parents, I don’t own an inn etc.). This crush is more the “your quirkiness is similar to mine and we should friends” type.

Here’s 3 reasons why Lorelei would be the perfect friend for me:

1. I didn’t realize that the characters (especially Lorelei) talk fast until someone else told me.
2. I also have a gigantic video collection of recorded tv shows.
3. I love all sorts of pop culture, the weirder the better, just like Lorelei.

Reba (Reba)

The main reason that I love Reba is because Reba is so kick ass and funny! She’s definitely the “I’m in awe of your many powers” type of crush.

Reba deals with her ex-husband on a regular basis, has forged a friendship his new wife, started a new career, supported her daughter through teen pregnancy, and raised her other 2 children. While doing all that she still has time to solve the perpetual family crises and keeps her sense of humour. Dude, on my best days I’m not that productive and on top of things!


This is actually a short list of crushes for me because I forced myself to stick with one character per show. There are plenty of other characters I wanted to include (special shout outs to Wallace, Lane and Paris), but I’m working on restraining myself. I’m pleased that as I’ve gotten older my crushes have expanded outside of the bad boy realm, although I’ll probably never completely give up on the bad boys. Every time I hear Spike say “What can I tell you, baby? I’ve always been bad” (btvs 5:7) I still get a little weak in the knees. I think the whole bad boy attraction was summarized nicely on Grey’s Anatomy:

"How can someone be so offensive and yet so charming all at the same time?"
"It's an art form." (Grey's Anatomy 2:3)
cordelianne: (Default)
When I was watching the Bones episode "The Man in the Wall" I suddenly realized that the exterior of the hip hop club was very very familiar. There may have been a yelp of excitement when I realized that the warehouse on Bones is the very same warehouse that Spike, Drusilla and Angel (played by David Boreanaz who is also, coincidentally, one of the stars of Bones) lived in during Buffy season 2!! It was a very weird mixing of tv worlds.

The more television-obsessed that I become, the more I start not only to recognize tv actors, I'm also starting to notice when television sets are repeated. I think it's because I love how sets - when properly dressed - really help create the fictional world of a television show. Buffy wouldn't have been nearly as effective without the darkened cemeteries and alleys contrasting with bright school hallways. Veronica Mars has great details like the stained glass in the Mars Investigations office and the picture of Lilly in Veronica's bedroom which add texture to the fictional world. On this week's Grey's Anatomy sets were used to differentiate between Christina and Burke's personalities (his perfectly decorated and organized apartment compared to her really really - horrifying to a neat freak like me - messy apartment).

Some sets can really become a part of the show. On Firefly the ship, Serenity, was such a lived-in space that it was another character on the show. The island on Lost is a significant presence and is basically at the heart of the show's main mystery, "Where are we?" The show also has almost entirely outdoor sets (except for the hatch) on the island which contrast with the large amount of indoor shots in the flashbacks. Although Central Perk was a huge presence on Friends, Monica's apartment was the heart of the show. Almost every major event happened in that apartment and, in one of the best episodes ever, it was fought over by Rachel & Monica and Chandler & Joey. It was fitting that Friends ended with the gang leaving Monica's apartment for good and that the final shot was of the closed apartment door.

I don't know that much about costs surrounding exterior shots/exterior shooting but I suspect that it can be expensive. I'm basing my theory on the fact that so many shows use the same studio backlot for outdoor scenes which leads me to believe that it's cheaper to film in the backlot of the studio that the show is affiliated with.

Paramount definitely has the most prominent backlot on television. They have this New York street set that's used in many many television shows and commercials. I clued into this because the building that was the exterior for Angel Investigations in season one of Angel, a really large old-style office building, keeps popping up on other shows. It's Chris' school on Everybody Hates Chris and is frequently in the background of Charmed episodes. Charmed, which is set in San Francisco, always uses the New York street set as downtown San Francisco, although one time they did use the same streets actually as New York city.

There's also this bridge, which I believe is also part of Paramount's backlot, which has been prominently featured in Angel (Jasmine and Angel fought on it in "Peace Out"), 24, and Alias, to name just a few shows. This reminds me of how the high school used for exteriors on Buffy was also used for Beverly Hills 90210 and the movie She's All That.

My favourite exterior shot this season was in the Numb3rs episode "Assassin" when they used the Hyperion Hotel as the exterior for a senior's assisted living centre. The Hyperion Hotel was the home of Angel Investigations for seasons 2 to 4 on Angel. I just love that building (it's a historical building and is actually Los Altos Hotel & Apartments) so I was very excited to see it again. What made the experience even better was that Christian Clemenson (Abel Koontz on Veronica Mars) played a criminal living with his mother in the building. It was neat to see my television worlds converge.

Even though I've started noticing the same sets used in a different fictional worlds, it hasn't ruined my enjoyment of my shows. Because most of them effectively create a believable reality, I tend to have confused thoughts like:

"Oh wow, it must be really weird for Angel to be back in the warehouse he hung out in when he was evil. Oh wait, he's now Booth, so I guess it's not that weird. I wonder if it's odd for David Boreanaz or if he even noticed when he watched the episode?"

"Awesome. The Hyperion Hotel!! That makes me so happy that it's now a senior's assisted living centre, I guess that means that Angel made sure good people bought the building. What am I thinking?! This is a completely different fictional world. ... Oh my god!! It's Abel Koontz in Angel's old building!! My worlds collide!!!"

Well, at least I still have a firm grasp **cough cough** on reality!

You're ruining my happy day. (btvs 4:9)

  • Nov. 21st, 2005 at 8:04 PM
cordelianne: (Default)
I think that the shortened hours of daylight are getting to me because I have my usual November blahs. I just don't feel like my usual chipper self. So to remind myself of the good things in life, I've made a list of everything that is making me happy right now:

1. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

I saw the movie on opening night with some friends and had a super fun time!! It's a great adaptation of the book because it retains the significant aspects of the story while moving along at a fast and engaging pace. As well as exciting and scary sequences, there's also some really funny awkward puberty and dating stuff which made me laugh and laugh. Lots and lots of fun! I'm hoping to see it again very soon!

Spoilery comment )

2. Veronica Mars

I'm still loving Veronica Mars!! Although last week's episode was disturbing, it was still an excellent hour of television. The great thing about that show is that I'm excited for each new episode regardless of who's guest starring - excellent guest stars are a bonus.

Spoilers for VM 2:6 & 2:7, casting spoilers for 2:9 )


3. Buffy night with friends

A few friends and I are going to get together to watch our favourite fun Buffy episodes. This is definitely something that's making me very happy right now. We're all suggesting 5 episodes and we'll pick the most popular ones, here's my choices:

"Something Blue" (4:9) - This is just wacky fun. It's entertaining to watch Buffy and Spike be so mushy, especially because when they actually do get together they're never like this.

"The Replacement" (5:3) - I love Xander so much in this episode, its so awesome to watch him realize that he's growing up. There's also lots of fun and silliness: the Snoopy dance, "It's a robot. It's an evil robot constructed from evil parts", "She entirely wants to have sex with us together. Which is ... *wrong*, and, and it would be very confusing," "Kill us both Spock", and "Yes, he's clearly a bad influence on himself."

"Life Serial" (6:5) - This is a geektastic episode in which the Geek Trio are very very funny ("To Final Jeopardy. ...Where Buffy's the one in jeopardy." and "Timothy Dalton should get an Oscar and beat Sean Connery over the head with it!"). I also enjoy Buffy in this one - she's very funny in the time loop sequence and when she's drunk. As well, this episode has Kitten Poker!!!

"Selfless" (7:5) - Sure there's some sad stuff in this episode but the fabulousness of the Anya flashbacks balance that out. This also has one of my all-time favourite Buffy quotes: "Oh, breathtaking. It's like somebody slaughtered an Abercrombie and Fitch catalog."

"Storyteller" (7:16) - "Join me on a new voyage of the mind. A little tale I like to call: Buffy, Slayer of the Vampyrs." sigh, I find Andrew so entertaining! I love all of Andrew's different versions on events and of course, another favourite quote: "In my plan, we are beltless."

I also wanted to include "Fool for Love" and "Intervention" on the list but wanted to actually keep my list to 5. I didn't include "Once More with Feeling," "Hush," "Halloween" and "Dopplegangland" because I've watched those episodes multiple times with friends already, I was trying for some episodes we don't always watch.

4. Doctor Who

I'm very excited about the Christmas special ("The Christmas Invasion")! I just checked online and it looks like CBC will be airing it on Boxing Day (December 26th). Also there's a special mini adventure online (written by Russell T. Davies and starring David Tennant and Billie Piper) which picks up exactly where the season finale ended. It reminded me of how much I love the new Doctor Who!!!

5. My Name is Earl

I'm just adoring this show! It's definitely one of my new favourite shows. It has a great premise (Earl discovering the concept of Karma and now trying to make amends for all the bad things he's done) that has resulted in interesting and funny episodes (eg. trying to make up for faking his own death to break-up with a girl, or kidnapping a woman to help her quit smoking).

I love all the characters (especially Randy!) and their relationships which aren't the types of relationships normally portrayed on tv (ie. Earl and his ex-wife's husband get along really well). It's definitely my #1 pick for viewing on Tuesdays at 9pm (it even beats the enjoyable and excellent House).

6. James Marsters on Smallville

I'm really enjoying getting to see James Marsters on tv again. Even though Smallville isn't the best written show, James Marsters always makes the most of his scenes. I'm looking forward to seeing him on more episodes in the new year.

7. How I Met Your Mother

Definitely my favourite new sitcom. It has sustained its funny from the pilot and it does over-the-top really well. I love the episode in which Lilly and Marshall discover a "cockamouse" (a cross between a cockroach and a mouse) in their apartment. Last week's episode was really awesome because it had a duel - with swords - between Ted and Marshall over who would get their apartment! The best part? That the guys kept stopping their arguing to comment on how cool it was that they were dueling.

8. The WB

So my favourite network right now. They have some of the best shows on tv: Gilmore Girls, Everwood and Reba. I also get to enjoy mindless fun viewing with Charmed, Related and Smallville. Also, there is still the possibility that the WB will air the Spike tv movie (it's sounding promising that it'll be made but there's been no official announcements yet).

9. Brokeback Mountain

I'm counting down the days till this movie premieres - 18 days (December 9th)!!! This is definitely my personal most anticipated movie of the year. It has so many things I love: Ang Lee (one of my favourite directors), cowboys, gay cowboys, angst and more angst, longing and repression, and pretty scenery.


Considering how blah I'm feeling, I'm impressed that I have such a comprehensive list of things that make me happy! I'm glad I have so much fun stuff to look forward to because it certainly helps on days like today when it's dark all day (because it's cloudy). Do you think it's too early to start counting down till Spring?
cordelianne: (Default)
Last week I was reminded of television's usefulness beyond being the source of captivating stories, interesting characters and sensational trash, the latter of which I frequently pretend doesn't exist. TV is also great in times of grief and sadness.

My grandpa, dad and I watched the last couple of innings of a World Series game a few hours after my beloved grandma passed away. There was a point when there were no more tears and nothing left to say, so I was thankful for the television. The last time I recall being as enthralled by a baseball game was during the Blue Jays' 2 years of winning when I was younger. Of course, I don't remember anything of the game now, except that Chicago won, but I do remember how helpful watching the game was at the time.

CNN also proved surprisingly helpful with grief. We watched CNN on Monday when Hurricane Wilma had caused destruction and death but thankfully not on the devastating scale of Katrina. Normally I avoid news stations because the inundation of bad news upsets me. However it was useful to catch up on world events and gain some perspective on my situation in the context of the world.

Last week also reaffirmed my love for TV on DVD. I consumed Veronica Mars season 1 because it was a great distraction. I loved being able to enter an interesting world to help unwind from the stresses of the day.

I also bought Battlestar Galactica season 1 (having never seen an episode but based on glowing recommendations), and dived into the miniseries last night. Fortunately post-apocalyptic stories are exactly what I'm in the mood for right now. It's awesome to discover something new at a time like this.

Television is one of the devices I frequently use to help me through hard times. I used to re-watch the fab BBC Pride and Prejudice to help with break-ups (8 hours of distraction!). And I can't forget that I discovered Buffy the Vampire Slayer during a very difficult year. Despite the bad stuff that was happening, I have fond memories of devouring 5 seasons of BtVS in less than a month and then watching the season 6 episodes with my friends.

Speaking of watching tv with friends, I've found that - for me - tv watching is often a social experience. I know that watching tv is a solitary activity for lots of people, but in my life it brings people together. Over the years I've watched My So-Called Life, Dawson's Creek, BtVS, Angel, The O.C., Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars with friends on a regular basis. I've also discovered that there's lots of online communities about TV: besides Livejournal and other blogging sites, there's Television Without Pity and lots of fan sites. TV is also the one thing I've found that almost everyone engages in, which means it's frequently a great way to help conversations with co-workers, strangers at parties and, of course, family.

Even though it's a sad time for me right now, I'm glad I have something like TV which makes me happy and is a fun distraction.
cordelianne: (Default)
My television can still surprise me. Now I'm not talking about shocking twists and surprise endings, because these devices rarely surprise me anymore (not that I don't enjoy a good twist). It's mostly random things that are catching me off guard right now.

Here's what's actually surprising me:

1. Lost isn't dead. I wasn't loving the 1st couple of episodes so it wasn't until Wednesday that I watched "Everybody Hates Hugo" and "...And Found". They may not have provided big answers, and there was still a music montage ending, but both episodes were good tv.

I enjoyed the glimpse into Hurley's slacker past. And of course, I loved the Sun and Jin meeting - so adorable! I also liked the fleeting glimpse of who I'm assuming are the Others.

2. There's a good chance of romance for Reba this year! I didn't expect to be so excited by the minister telling Barbara Jean that he likes Reba.

Also, bonus surprise points for casting Patrick Fabian as Reverend Parks because he's sexy, nice and interesting on Reba whereas he was jerky and mean on Joan of Arcadia as Gavin Price (the vice-principal).

3. The Amazing Race: Family Edition sucks. I figured it wouldn't be as good as previous seasons and was disappointed about the lack of diversity but I never expected it to be this bad and boring.

Having the teams go to a giant office chair and a gas station for clues seems more like a scavenger hunt organized by dorky parents instead of the Amazing Race. Oh yeah, and why are they STILL in the U.S.?!!

4. I'm laughing at sitcoms (note the plural use of the word sitcom!), instead of being confused when I hear a laugh track. Both How I Met Your Mother and Out of Practice consistently make me laugh out loud.

Neil Patrick Harris is always fabulously sleazy, Alyson Hannigan is cute and Jason Segel is very entertaining (especially the scene of him dancing). Out of Practice also has an excellent cast. Wait, you mean actors need to be able to deliver their lines, not just look pretty?!!

5. There's a lesbian on tv who looks like a real lesbian, and not a super femme straight woman. Obviously there are lots of femmy queer women but there's also lots of dykes who dress like Paula Marshall's character (Regina) on Out of Practice: funky jeans, a t-shirt with fun patterns layered over a long sleeved top. Very cute!

6. Smallville had a good pop culture reference!

Aquaman: “I don’t travel with an entourage.”

This is a reference to Entourage because on the show Vince is cast as Aquaman.

Of course, there's still stuff that doesn't surprise me:

1. Veronica Mars rocks! It's definitely my favourite show. I really enjoyed the last 2 episodes especially Charisma Carpenter's character's annoyance with Veronica (the hand gesture is excellent) and Logan's "Veronica Mars has accused me of evil.[Logan twirls an imaginary moustache.]" hee hee

2. Everwood continues to kick ass (not literally though). My heart ached when Ephram was tempted by the piano (I love that temptation comes in the form of a piano on this show). Everwood also delights me with excellent scenes containing unexpected pairings, eg. Hannah and Jake. Also I love weirdly obsessive Harold!

To the show runner: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for Rose’s cancer being gone!!!

3. Gilmore Girls has entertaining episodes - Sores and Boils Alley! - even when not much happens. One of the things that Gilmore Girls has excelled at it making small issues into good and fun tv.

4. James Marsters is an excellent actor. With much enjoyment I re-watched all of his scenes on Smallville. He just pours his whole self into a character, and it pays off. I don't like Milton Fine as much as Spike, but I'm very interested in the character and excited to see what his real plans for Clark are.

Also, the promo for next week's episode of Smallville has James Marsters say: "Clark, there's no such thing as vampires." ha!

5. I still love Buffy the Vampire Slayer!! I just saw parts of "The Replacement" and it made me so happy. I love how slobby!Xander and Anya hide behind suave!Xander when Toth attacks. Also, these lines always make me laugh:

Both Xanders: "Kill us both Spock."
Giles: "Yes, he's clearly a bad influence on himself." (I suspect that could also frequently apply to me!)

Here's some of my favourite quotes from tv recently:

Bright: “You’re like a social black hole. All light goes into you and dies.”
Ephram: “First of all, it’s not certain whether light is conscious so it can’t die ….” (Everwood 4:3) Love the geekiness!

Gary: “I hate her.”
Vince: “Then you may be sending mixed signals by making out with her.” (What I Like About You 4:4)

Lorelei: “Of course, the Norma Rae reference was only in my head and everyone was very confused.”
Michel: “Yes, it happens a lot with you.” (Gilmore 6:6) Sigh, I can totally relate to Lorelei.


Oh, good news, it looks like Alyson Hannigan will guest star in a November episode of VM (Charisma Carpenter will also guest star)!!
cordelianne: (Default)
I'm very excited by the large amount of Buffy/Angel alumni on my television screen these days. As cool as it is to see my beloved crew of Serenity on the big screen, it's even better to see my favourite actors in new episodes each week!

Here's who's on what:

Alyson Hannigan - How I Met Your Mother (CBS Mondays 8:30pm)

I've only seen the pilot and really enjoyed the show (although it is a sitcom - which I enjoy - so you may want to avoid it if sitcoms aren't your thing). I have the rest of the episodes on my PVR and am looking forward to watching them! How I Met Your Mother has been picked up for the full season, so good news on that front!

Also I hear that Alyson will be returning to guest star as Trina Echolls on Veronica Mars in February!! I've even heard talk that the brilliant Rob Thomas (the mastermind behind VM) is working to ensure that Alyson and Charisma Carpenter will share a scene together. How can I not love Rob Thomas when he has the best show on television and still has the time to make Buffyverse fans happy?!! Speaking of Charisma....

Charisma Carpenter - Veronica Mars (UPN Wednesdays 9pm)

I was excited that Charisma would be playing a rich trophy wife as Kendall Casablancas, the perfect role for her, and I have not been disappointed. It's great to see her sizzling up the screen as a sexy, self-assured, confident and bitchy woman again. She looks beautiful, especially with the longer hair, thank god she no longer has that awkward short cut from seasons 2-4 of Angel. She's also still good with the funny, as evidenced by her exchange with Veronica at the gym in last week's episode. She's already been in the first 3 episodes and will be in at least 6 more.

James Marster - Smallville (WB Thursdays 8pm)

I'm so excited about James Marsters' first significant guest spot on Smallville (he just had a brief yet tantalizing cameo in the season premiere), that I'm up-to-date on the show!! I've read that he'll be guest starring in at least 10 episodes. In an interview that I read, James Marsters commented that he wanted this role because his character (Professor Milton Fine/Brainiac) is very different to Spike: he smiles a lot and is smart (not that Spike was stupid, he's just not known for his smartness). I like that James Marsters wants to play someone that smiles a lot, that makes me very happy.

This Thursday, October 20th is the the episode that we're introduced to his character (oh yeah, and Aquaman)! I can't believe I'm this excited about a Smallville episode, I mean I can believe I'm excited about James, it's being excited about the show that's weird.

David Boreanaz - Bones (Fox Tuesdays 8pm)

It's so much fun to get to see David Boreanaz not brood and have some fun (even though he's investigating murders). I still get weirded out seeing him in the sun. I admit that I was disappointed when David didn't do a comedy - because I think he's excellent at comedy - but I really enjoy him as Booth.

I was pleased that Bones is picked up for the full season! The next new episode will air November 1st when baseball is over.

Amy Acker - Alias (ABC Thursdays 8pm, CTV Sundays 4pm)

I'd heard that Amy Acker would be on Alias last week as Kelly Peyton, so I excitedly checked out the episode to see if I'd heard correctly. I instantly recognized her voice when she infiltrated the place where they were doing stuff with dangerous weapons (sorry, I didn't pay that much attention to those details). It's great to see her again, and in a different role than the adorable Fred or the awesomely cool (I mean scary) Illyria. She did an excellent job at seeming nice and being Rachel Gibson's friend, and then being all evil and willing to kill Rachel.

There's this great article about Amy guest starring on Alias that says she's scheduled for 7 to 9 episodes! I got all giddy at this news because Amy rocks!

Nicholas Brendon - Kitchen Confidential (Fox Mondays 8:30pm)

I wish that someone would ask me to participate in the ratings system. If I did I'd be able to actually try and keep lots of cool shows on the air (My So-Called Life, Life as We Know It, Freaks and Geeks, Angel, Miss Match, Joan of Arcadia). So, anyone who actually affects the ratings: please, please, please watch Kitchen Confidential when it returns in November!!!

I find Nicholas Brendon so adorable and, sure, I don't think the role of Seth is exactly suited for him but he'll likely make the role his own given time. I'm willing to give Nicholas Brendon and Kitchen Confidential a chance because it's a fun and interesting show, so I hope that Fox and the viewers do too.

Christian Kane - Close to Home (CBS Tuesdays 10pm)

I've only the seen one episode, but I'll keep watching it just to see Christian Kane (Lindsey from Angel)!! Speaking of evil Wolfram and Hart lawyers....

Daniel Dae Kim - Lost (ABC Wednesdays 9pm)

I adore the fabulous Daniel Dae Kim (Gavin from Angel) as the very interesting Jin - I'm glad he's alive! - on Lost.

Anthony Stewart Head - Doctor Who (upcoming)

I've heard that Giles, cough, I mean Anthony Stewart Head will guest star in an episode of the 2nd season of my beloved and much missed Doctor Who!! Something to look forward to in the future.

Some of the Buffyverse actors - Sarah Michelle Gellar, Michelle Trachtenberg, Seth Green and Marc Blucus - are developing successful movie careers, so they're no longer interested in television. Just to clarify, by movie success I mean that these actors are getting film roles, sometimes the lead, and are making money from it - I'm not actually commenting on the questionable quality of many of the movies (First Daughter anyone?). Anyway, I decided to make a Wish List of the actors I'd like to see again on television and the shows I wish they'd guest star on:

Amber Benson on Everwood. Her earthiness is the perfect fit for the show, and she'd be great as a sweet and wise friend for Amy.

Emma Caulfield on Veronica Mars. I know I get a lot of Buffyverse actors on VM already, even Joss Whedon himself, but I think that she'd bring a great humour and toughness that'll work on the show. I'd love to see her as an employee at the police station who helps Veronica out because she also hates Sheriff Lamb.

Tom Lenk on Gilmore Girls or maybe Smallville. Tom Lenk would be the ideal quirky addition to the already quirk-filled Stars Hollow on GG. Perhaps he could be Miss Patty's new assistant? My suggestion of Smallville is basically for the fun of a reunion with him and James Marsters (it would be great if he got to hug James again), but it would also be amusing because Tom's played a geek wanting to around superheros and then he'd get to be on a show about a superhero.

Alexis Denisof on Arrested Development. I loved bumbling and dorky Wesley, and so did Alexis, so I just know he'll want to play that kind of role on Arrested Development. Perhaps he could be Bob Loblaw's clumsy assistant?

J.August Richards on Grey's Anatomy. I loved suave Gunn in that season 4 episode "Players" so I want to see J. August Richards in a romantic role. It would be fun to watch him to be all suave and sexy, confusing the romantic triangle of Meredith, Dr. McDreamy and Dr. McDreamy's estranged wife by becoming a love interest for Meredith.

Andy Hallett on Bones. He could be an old friend of Booth (David Boreanaz's character), so we could enjoy the fun dynamic between Andy and David again. For old times sake, he could facilitate Booth's romance with Brennan, although let's not have someone float up to heaven all glowy again (I'm not that nostalgic).

Mercedes McNab on Reba. I think that Mercedes is really funny so I want to see her on a comedy. She would be the perfect younger cousin/sister of Barbara Jean who comes to stay with Barbara Jean and Brock for a while.

Despite my wish list, I'm pretty happy about getting to see so many of my favourite tv actors on my television again! Of course what would make me the happiest is if there'd be official news confirming that the tv movie about Spike is getting made (I just hear unconfirmed positive rumours), that would make my year!!!
cordelianne: (Default)
As much as I'm enjoying the fabulous seasons of Gilmore Girls, Veronica Mars, Everwood, Prison Break and Arrested Development the rest of this television season hasn't been spectacular (new and returning shows). However, I was delighted by the last new The Simpsons episode "Milhouse Of Sand And Fog" which transported me back to the earlier very fabulous seasons of the show. Inspired by the excellent and very quotable lines on The Simpsons, I thought it would be fun to write about the television shows I've been watching recently by using quotes from the shows.

"I have to do this for work." (The Simpsons 17:3)

If I wasn't watching shows for my own research I'd stop watching Charmed, The O.C., Reunion, Sex, Lies and Secrets, Invasion, and probably even the sadly declining Desperate Housewives.

"You are watching the O.C. on Fox. Coming up next crappy local news." (The Simpsons 17:3)

And if it's not crappy local news, it's the equally crappy Reunion. When I was watching the "1988" episode my cable cut out for a minute and it was the most entertaining part of the show. This is the kind of show that'll have a character say a threatening statement which doesn't make sense for the character to be saying but plays to the knowledge that the viewer has.

"Those tv writers are geniuses. Whatever they're paid, it's not enough." (The Simpsons 17:3)

Well they may not be true for Charmed but I'm really impressed by the writing on Grey's Anatomy, Threshold, House and The 4400. Although I love when The Simpsons and Family Guy draw attention to the writing with quotes like the one above, it's also nice to watch a show and forget about the writing because you're actually drawn into the story and characters.

"How can someone be so offensive and yet so charming all at the same time?" "It's an art form." (Grey's Anatomy 2:3)

This is my favourite questions about all the fun bad boys on television: There's of course Logan on Veronica Mars and Sawyer on Lost. And now Alex on Grey's Anatomy joins the ranks. I'm hoping that James Marsters as Brainiac on Smallville will soon be on the list. I'm also tempted to add House on House to my list, although the question to House would really be: "How can someone be so offensive and yet so damn fun to watch all at the same time?"

"We want to keep the use of magic to a minimum so the demons don't find out we're still alive." "Three chicks move in under the same roof, hello how dumb can they be?" (Charmed 8:3)

I like that the Charmed ones are trying to live "normal" lives (ie. without magic) and are slowly seeing that this isn't possible, but the ridiculous idea that they're 3 cousins of themselves who've moved into their house to look after the kids seems like a stupid plan (and makes even less sense when I try to describe the plan in writing). I couldn't agree more with the Television Without Pity recapper who calls the Charmed ones "Glamorous Idiots."

"Maybe you give them too much credit." (Charmed 8:2)

I would say that the demon community on Charmed gives the sisters too much credit, but since the demons are all equally as idiotic as the Charmed Ones, everyone's on a level playing field. Here's an idea: make the demons actually hard to defeat so that the show doesn't seem like an exercise in whining and stomping around in expensive outfits.

"That's both crazy and self-absorbed." (Desperate Housewives 2:3)

Yes. That does sum up season two of Desperate Housewives very well. It's too bad because I loved the show when it started - it was such a neat mix of satire, soap opera and comedy. Now it seems to have lost the satire, amped up the soapiness while half-heartedly trying to add some humour.

"Sex, Lies, and Secrets" (show title)

No, no and no. There's only one word that can describe this show: Incomprehensible. Although if the show creators are attached to a three word title I would suggest: "Incomprehsible, stupid and pointless".

"It's a natural thing that happens like hurricanes or going to war." (The Simpsons 17:3)

I'm starting to feel that voiceovers (VO) are inescapable natural things because practically every television show is using them right now, even shows I like employ the VO, ie. Veronica Mars, Arrested Development and Scrubs (how I miss you right now Scrubs!!). Here's the list of other shows - that I can recall - which use VO (organized in order of most effective to least effective):

- Everbody Hates Chris
- My Name is Earl
- How I Met Your Mother
- Grey's Anatomy
- Desperate Housewives
- Sex, Lies and Secrets - Although does it count as a VO if it's trying - but failing - to be a faux anthropology documentary commentary?
- Charmed - Thank god it was only one episode but it was excruciating. Phoebe was purposefully imitating Sex and the City, and I fear it has traumatized me enough that I never want to see Sex and the City ever again.

"You're the least objective person I've met." (Bones 1:3)

I'm still enjoying the banter between Brennan and Booth on Bones. Also I was very excited when I saw Chewy from Joan of Arcadia!! Mark Totty played Dt. Carlisle (aka Chewy), Will Girardi's always snacking partner. I must admit that I'm inclined to like Bones because it has David Boreanaz in it as well as Hart Hanson (the creator) and Stephen Nathan (consulting producer), both from Joan of Arcadia.

"Just because something is unfamiliar doesn't mean it's alien." (Invasion 1:2)

Wait, what?! Isn't that exactly what the term alien means? As it turns out Dictionary.com agrees with me, stating that alien means: "Belonging to, characteristic of, or constituting another and very different place, society, or person; strange."

"Where is the clitoris?" (The Office 2:2)

Okay, what's up with women on television being critical of working mothers? It was annoying to see in the Close to Home pilot and was even more annoying in the Desperate Housewives season premiere. It's nice that television shows are portraying the pressures that many women are under to balance kids and work, but does that have to always involve making other women the enemy? It's particularly aggravating because it vilifies women who don't have kids, and both shows have suggested that a woman's life is ultimately unfulfilled without children.

"I'll be right back." (Alias 5:1)

aka the line said in horror movies right before someone dies. Thanks to that anvilicious comment I realized that Vaughan was about to be killed (I had heard rumours but this line totally spoiled me).


Although I'm not feeling the love for that many shows this television season it could be that I've been reading too much Television Without Pity recaps, and also that I've been saving the excellent half-hour shows on my PVR to watch once I've caught up on the hour long ones I'm less excited about. Fortunately I am enjoying the Sitcom Renaissance (remember I coined this term!) and am delighted that after 17 years The Simpsons can still have funny episodes with great lines like this one from Homer:

"Of all the people for Marge to cheat on, why did it have to be me?"
cordelianne: (Default)
I think the success of Lost (high ratings and Emmy wins) has caused many other shows on television to try and emulate Lost's penchant for baffling the viewer. Of course the creators of Lost are trying to confuse on purpose, whereas I suspect that other shows aren't that deliberate. Here's some questions that came to mind when watching an assortment of hour long shows this week (most comments have spoilers for the last couple of aired episodes, so click on the show title to read my questions):

The O.C. )

Reunion )

Threshold )

Numb3rs

How great is it that Navi Rawat (the crazy slayer, Dana, on Angel, and the ex-girlfriend, Theresa, of Ryan who gave birth to his kid on The O.C.) is in the credits of Numb3rs? Also, is David Krumholtz cuter than ever? Yeah I know those aren't real questions, sometimes I enjoy being shallow.

The 4400

Speaking of shallow: How awesome is it that Summer Glau (River in Serenity) is in the first couple of The 4400 season 2 episodes?

Invasion )

Smallville )

Close to Home )

Lost )

I may be annoyed/baffled/bored by a few of the above shows, but there's still some shows that are rocking my world and nicely proving that I do not have a short attention span:

Gilmore Girls

When Lorelei was sorting through her videotapes my thought was: "Cool. She has as many tapes of television shows as I do. Hmm. It's possible I actually have more." I also loved her logic for not getting rid of her tapes, I use similar logic.

How could I not love a show that uses "snarktastic"?

It was so sad to see how Rory and Lane have drifted apart.

Oh the pain continues, but it's playing out so well. The last scene with Lorelei was just heart-breaking. Who knew that Rosie O'Donnell could facilitate a poignant scene?

Everwood

It's back, it's back!!! And Ephram's back! I'd forgotten how many subtle twists and turns a single Everwood episode takes, each time causing me to rethink my conclusions from previous scenes.

How adorable are Hannah and Bright? I loved Amy's haircut, very reminiscent of Rory's first year of university haircut (although trendier).

Veronica Mars )

To conclude I must quote from my favourite exchange on television in the past few weeks, courtesy of the Weaver mother on The Amazing Race: Family Edition:

Weaver Mom: God bless you.
Helpful Trucker: God bless you too.
Weaver Mom: Stick to the Lord. Do you know the Lord?
Helpful Trucker: Ah yes, he's my friend.
[They high five each other.]
Weaver Mom: We'll be spending eternity together.

If that exchange had been scripted, it would have been criticized for it's ridiculous lack of believability. Not many people high five each other when they discover they share a religion. Although maybe if high fiving was more a part of religion there'd be less religious conflicts. I think I'm going to start asking people if they know Veronica Mars and if they say yes, I'll high five them ... hey we all have our passions!
cordelianne: (Default)
I've never been that hip about music. I was the kid who grew up in Kingston and didn't know who the Tragically Hip were when I started high school (the Tragically Hip are Kingstonians like me). I used to only find out about a hip, cool or ground-breaking musician/band if one of my friends clued me in. But now I can actually pretend that I'm tuned into the music scene, all thanks to television.

I recall the days when it seemed like only Dawson's Creek would prominently use songs in montage sequences but now it's become commonplace. Television is now one of the key advertising venues for new albums or singles, and it's getting way less subtle than previously (which is impressive because Dawson's Creek had many good qualities but subtlety was never one of them). Did you enjoy the song you just heard in this week's episode of The O.C. or Smallville? Wait until the episode's over and we'll tell you the artist, album name and suggest that you buy the album on our website.

Sure it's starting to feel that television episodes are just advertisements for new albums or singles, and that we don't need well-written conclusions if we end with a music montage, but there's also some positives. A lot of cool music is reaching a wider audience. So even though major artists like REM (who I like, don't get me wrong) practically sponsored an episode of Smallville, the increased focus on music means that smaller artists and bands are also getting noticed by viewers.

Here's some musicians I've been introduced because of television (keeping in mind that I'm really really out of it about music):

- Franz Ferdinand: So technically I'm already a fan of Franz Ferdinand because I own and love their self-titled debut. However, I kept hearing this awesome song on television shows and was dying to know the song title and artist's name. After fruitless searching on the internet, I had a brainwave and realized the addictive song I'd heard in the first few minutes of the Threshold premiere and in the promos for Everwood is the new Franz Ferdinand single "Do You Want To." As a result of the song's connection to both tv shows, I now am excited about buying the new album this Tuesday (October 4th!!!).

- Death Cab for Cutie: Sure Seth Cohen's coolness has faded as the seasons of The O.C. pass, but Death Cab is blossoming. I didn't think it could be possible but I actually like Plans more than Transatlanticism. Also I noticed that Death Cab has been high on the charts which means that they're reaping the rewards of their television exposure.

- Postal Service: Okay, I actually had been loving Postal Service before hearing "Such Great Heights" on Veronica Mars, but it was only after seeing it on VM that I bought the album.

- Avril Lavigne: Now even I had heard of Avril Lavigne, but hearing her song "Take Me Away" on Joan of Arcadia made me a fan. I loved "Take Me Away" so much that I searched the internet to find out who the artist was, and was taken aback that it was Avril Lavigne (I'd been avoiding Avril because I wasn't impressed by her pseudo Punk thing). I now own the album that "Take Me Away" is on and enjoy quite a few other songs.

- Kim Richey - I bought the Angel soundtrack CD mostly because of her beautiful song "A Place Called Home" (the other reason for the purchase was motivated by my Buffy/Angel verse fandom). This is a good example of excellent use of a song montage to end an episode because the song perfectly evokes the character's grief and the solitary state of the characters on the show: "Someday I'll go where there ain't no rain or snow. Dream of a place called home." I don't think that this lyric is played in the episode ("Shells"), but it also perfectly describes the journeys of all the characters, including Fred: "I'd rather walk a winding road, rather know the things I know, see the world with my eyes, no regrets, no looking back, no good-byes." The reason this song worked (other than that it's an awesome song) is that it wasn't a gimmicky montage (yes I'm talking to you One Tree Hill, The O.C. and Smallville), rather it perfectly fits into the episode.

- The Dandy Warhols - Thanks to Buffy and VM I not only know who this cool band is - it was awesome to understand why my film prof talked about The Dandy Warhols in his lecture on postmodernism - but I also enjoy them.

- Modest Mouse - Another indie band that's been working for years and is finally getting noticed thanks in part to exposure on shows like The O.C. "Float On" always makes me feel better if I'm down about the state of the world.

- Damien Rice - My discovery of Damien Rice was a serendipitous television event. I initially mistook "Delicate" for Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah" that was played in the season finale of The O.C. Season One (please remember that I am really really unhip about music), so decided to check out Rice's whole album. I then realized that I'd heard him on Joan of Arcadia and as I sorted out my confusion I became a huge fan of Damien Rice.

As much as I also really love Jeff Buckley's cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" (see I now am more knowledgeable about the song), the song is becoming a cliche. It was used in the ending montage of House's 2nd season premiere (lessening an otherwise excellent episode), and it isn't even the 2nd time "Hallelujah" has been used in the final montage of an episode. According to Daniel Fienberg at Zap2it.com:

"The effect [of "Hallelujah" playing on House's premiere] was probably similar to when Buckley's cover of Cohen's "Hallelujah" was used for heartbreaking closing montages on The West Wing, Without a Trace and The O.C. all within the past couple years. The song pops up again for the same purpose in the new movie Lord of War. ... Buckley's recording of the song is the perfect showcase for the late singer's fragile voice and it's made all the more haunting by his premature demise, but seriously, this abuse has got to stop. Playing "Hallelujah" has become the equivalent of showing a dead kitty cat. Need some gratuitous tears? Cue up the Buckley. Why bother working for it when you can let the soundtrack do the work. ... Forget about saving Katie Holmes. Save Jeff Buckley."

This very similar observation was also made by Dalton Ross in the September 23/05 issue of Entertainment Weekly, who additionally observes that Lost, Six Feet Under and Resucue Me have also succumbed to music montage. Ross suggests that "Keep this cliche up, and viewers may start creating their own montages - by channel surfing."

Sure television columnists - like Feinberg and Ross - and people obsessed with tv - like me - have noticed the music montage cliche and over-dominance of music on television shows recently, but have most other viewers? Do the people who tune into a few shows a week get upset that there's often music montages or that only Beck's music is played during an episode of The O.C.? Do they care about the extended/gratuitous U2 concert on Entourage? Perhaps, like me, people are pleased that they're also getting some exposure to music in an interesting way (instead of mindlessly watching music videos for hours on end, not that I've ever done that, ahem) and maybe discovering some cool new musician or band that'll become their new favourite. For example, I think it's neat that Saigon, an up and coming hip hop artist who's about to release his first album, is being showcased on Entourage as an up and coming hip hop artist.

So if I start hearing Arcade Fire or Stars on television shows (I think that a Stars' song may already be in a commercial), I'm going to be excited that excellent Canadian indie bands are getting more exposure. Hey, Canada's already getting name dropped by Green Day (they mention Toronto in "She's a Rebel") and Death Cab (Calgary's mentioned in "I Will Follow You Into the Dark"), so let's also get more play for the numerous excellent musicians of Canada! As a friend pointed out about Death Cab's popularity, they've worked really hard so it's nice that it's paying off and they're getting recognized. Let's hope that the increasingly spotlight on songs on television pays off for more deserving artists.

So I say, bring on the music montage, bring on the purchasing plugs at the end of episodes if it keeps introducing excellent and hard-working artists to a wider audience. Of course, that doesn't mean that every episode has to end in a cliched music montage, I also want to keep getting well-written episode endings, like on Gilmore Girls, that rely on good writing to create an effective and compelling conclusion. .... Now please imagine that a heart-warming yet intelligent song is playing to conclude my entry.
cordelianne: (Default)
I'm in the midst of working my way systematically through last season's Smallville episodes. I've never been the biggest fan of the show but it can be fun. I really like Lex (Michael Rosenbaum) - yes, yet again I like the bad boy. What's fun about Lex in Smallville is that he's mostly good although there's hints of darkness to come - I love when characters are ambiguous.

I just watched Onyx (written by ex-Buffy & Angel writer Steven S. DeKnight!) which was - surprisingly - really excellent! I'm not not just saying that because of my Buffyverse bias, Smallville always excels when the characters are being bad because otherwise the show can exist too much in schmultz-land.

In Onyx, Lex gets split into two and his hidden/repressed evil side takes over. What's neat is that in some ways the evil Lex doesn't seem that different from the Lex that's always on the show. That's why I particularly like the exchange between Lex and Clark near the end of the episode:

Clark: Don’t be too hard on yourself. It really wasn’t you.

Lex: That’s what I’ve been standing here trying to figure out. Did the accident create an evil Lex, or is that what’s really inside of me?

Interestingly the show comes down on the side of nature in the nature vs nurture debate. The overwhelming suggestion is that no matter how much Lex pulls away from the socialization he received from his father, deep down he really is his father's son. The final moment of the episode suggests this when Lionel - who's reverted back to his evil ways after an awakening encounter with the evil Lex - says:

Lionel: A man can’t deny his true nature, can he, Lex? No. We’re Luthors. ... We’re Luthors.

I think the repetition emphasizes the similarity between father and son, and that despite Lex's fondness for the Kents, he'll never be like them (thank god, there's only so much sickly sweetness I can take).

The problem with not having watched Smallville for 7 months and not having a good knowledge of the Superman mythology (I'm sadly not that well-versed in comics), is that I get confused. Clark says that Lex is split in two because of black kryponite, except that I have no recollection of Clark coming in contact with black kryponite nor do I know the significance of it. I have a feeling that Clark has encountered black kryponite on Smallville and that I just don't remember that (I have a horrible memory unless it's something that falls into an obsession, eg. Buffy, Veronica Mars, Anne of Green Gables).

Now that I've had this positive Smallville experience I'm actually looking forward to the next 5 episodes.

I'm excited to go home because I've taped the VM episode Weapons of Class Destruction and I might re-watch my favourite scene in it (hint: it involves kissing but not with Jonathan Taylor Thomas). Oh! I also have an Amazing Race episode to look forward to - I'm now watching season 4 and am hoping it'll help me get over the severe disappointment at Flo and Zack beating Ken and Gerard.
cordelianne: (Default)
Joss Whedon & Veronica Mars:

Joss Whedon loves Veronica Mars! He recently posted on whedonesque.com detailing his love for VM. Here's the link to his post. He's all excited about how fabulous VM is - which I totally agree with - and describes it as "The Harry Potter of shows." I love how the connection to Harry Potter describes how VM can also suck you into an obsessive fandom mode in which you want to continually experience the universe and are very invested in the characters. (When I use "you" in that previous sentence, I really mean "me", of course.) Unsurprisingly, I also feel that way about Joss Whedon's shows (which is likely why he and I like Harry Potter and VM).

My unofficial VM conversion campaign is going well, I have most of my friends hooked on the show now. I'm so committed to getting people into VM that I'm lending out my tapes (I normally have a no lending policy). I'm pleased that Joss has declared his love for the show as it should get other Buffyverse fans to check it out. Although my sense is that most people who are into Buffy are already into VM. Veronica Mars really is "the New Buffy" - it's intelligent with excellent dialogue and a smart, independent and fun heroine who's the centre of an enthralling universe of mystery, suspense, humour, pain, drama and often a combination of more than one of the above. What I like about the title "the New Buffy" is that it recognizes that Veronica Mars is it's own show with it's premise (ie. not a copy of Buffy) that happens to share some core qualities with Buffy (namely an intelligent show with a kick-ass heroine).

2046:

It was with great excitement that I went to a free screening of the new Wong Kar-Wai movie, 2046, on Wednesday night. The movie, unfortunately didn't live up to my excitement, however it was still very good.

I'm a big Wong Kar-Wai fan so was disappointed that I didn't love it as much as Chungking Express, Happy Together and In the Mood for Love.

I'd still recommend that people see it (particularly if they've seen In the Mood for Love as 2046 is its sequel, of sorts) because it's still an enjoyable movie. My biggest complaint was that it was too long. Now I'm someone who can watch 5 episodes of Buffy consecutively with only brief bathroom breaks so I don't mind long viewing experiences as long as I feel it's not just because the director doesn't want to cut anything out.

As my friend pointed out, Chow (played by the always fabulous Tony Leung) and most of the other characters are expressions of existential philosophy so their constant state of inaction can be frustrating to watch (which aids in the movie feeling long). Fortunately, the excellent performances by all the actors (including the always awesome Gong Li, Faye Wong and Zhang Ziyi), the beautiful settings, costumes, lighting and incredible cinematography make the movie a worthwhile and enjoyable experience.

House:

As a rule, I avoid procedural shows because I'm not interested in law, order, crime, science, and medicine (I have previously made the exception for Numb3rs). After hearing so many good things about House, I finally saw an episode the other day, Role Model (1:17) - which, no surprise, I really enjoyed. I'm now excited to watch more of the show (I've been taping House for a while now and meaning to watch it). Like everyone else who enjoys the show, I love Hugh Laurie's House - prickly yet an engaging character (he's sort of in the tradition of Dr. Cox from Scrubs, if Dr. Cox was in a drama). There's also impressively witty and sharp dialogue - which always wins me to a show. After watching that first episode, I'm considering buying the season 1 dvd, that's how much the show impressed me.

Smallville:

I'm very excited because I've returned to catching-up on last season tv watching. I basically need to watch the 2nd half of this season of Smallville. I found all the episodes (they're scattered on many different tapes) and started watching the first one I need to watch (from February), Recruit. It guest stars Chris Carmack, from the O.C., and it's very fun to see him again. Because it took me so long finding the tapes, and figuring out which episode I need to watch first, I've only seen the 1st 20 minutes of Recruit so I can't really comment on the episode yet. I am, however, pleased that I'm working to get caught up on last season, especially since I'm psyched for the James Marsters presence on Smallville this season!

Amazing Race:

I keep watching the Amazing Race when I get home from work, which is a fun way to relax ... in theory. Unfortunately for me, the Amazing Race is so engaging that I'm awake and alert when I should be going to bed (I work till late at night).

I'm really enjoying the 3rd season! A few random questions regarding it:

If you have instructions that say "walk to the pit stop", how could you possibly interpret that to mean, "ride a cab to the pit stop and then walk in"? I didn't feel sorry for Heather and Eve when they got eliminated as it was a stupid mistake. Shows you that Harvard Law School can't even get you into the final 6, let alone win the Amazing Race.

Would the stress of traveling, exacerbated by competing for $1 million make most of us as cranky and bitchy as Flo is?

Were Michael and Kathy really as nice as they seemed? I was very sad when they were eliminated.

Is Ian as sexist and domineering in real life as he is on the Amazing Race? I sadly suspect yes.

Am I really in love with how kick-ass and cool Jill is? Am I also loving how sweet and supportive John Vito is?

Will the final three be John Vito & Jill, Derek & Drew, and Ken & Gerard? Those are my picks for the final three, so that's more of a hopeful question.

Serenity:

I'm still very excited about the movie - I saw the trailer again at a friend's house the other night which got me even more excited!

A very nice co-worker picked me up the 2nd of the 3 Serenity comics which are bridging the television show and the movie. I'm enjoying the comics so far, although I don't feel qualified to give a good review as I rarely read comics. This isn't because I don't like comics, I do. In fact I plan to read more in the future.
cordelianne: (Default)
Grumble grumble, stupid cramps have not made this is a pleasant day. grumble grumble.

As a result of my pain, which kept me from too much movement, I watched a bunch of television until I went to work.

Veronica Mars:

After the 8 episode mini-marathon over the weekend, I'm finding it impossible to go through a day without my VM fix. I re-watched Silence of the Lamb and Clash of the Tritons. They were particularly enjoyable since I haven't seen either of those episodes for months. In fact, Clash of the Tritons was the first episode of VM that I ever saw - I recall really enjoying it even though I felt like I was missing out on a bunch of stuff.

I love when Veronica gets Sheriff Lamb to read "Veronica Mars is smarter than me", so so funny! It's also fascinating to watch the counseling session now that I know a lot more about the characters. Of course one of the best moments is when Veronica does karaoke! Or maybe the best moment is Wallace's reaction to speeding away in the car. Damn, so many good moments, I just can't choose my favourite!! I love these kinds of predicaments!

I'm in such VM-mode that when I heard someone's lunch was stolen from our work fridge I started coming up with Veronica-esque solutions. I suggested we set up a video camera pointed at the fridge to monitor who's taking what (someone pointed out this would cause problems with privacy laws). I also started trying to deduce who could have taken the food, eg. since they were hot dogs that ruled out all the vegetarians in the office. Of course, I don't want to actually go through life being suspicious of everyone around me, it's way more fun to watch Veronica solve mysteries than do it myself.

Venture Brothers:

I watched "The Incredible Mr. Brisby" which is an amusing satire on Walt Disney and Disneyland. As well there's this hysterically ridiculous plot about the Orange County Liberation Front, at one point I believe they chant "free the OC". This amused me as it made me think of the tv show, The O.C., and how I'd like it to be freed from it's popularity so it can be edgier and less boring. Here's hoping the new season will be more entertaining.

The Amazing Race:

Before I went to Muskoka I watched the heart-stopping finale of season two. I was so worried that the annoying and mean to each other couple, Tara and Will, would win that I was literally at the edge of my seat. It was so awesome that Alex and Chris won!

I'm now watching the beginning of the 3rd season (also new to me). What's impressive about the show is that it's consistently good - new and different challenges and locations. I have noticed that the teams in the earlier seasons seem more interesting than the last few seasons. I wish they'd stop the trend towards models and/or actors, they're often the most boring teams. I'm excited that the next season is families, as it should hopefully veer away from the model/actor sort and give us more fun family dynamics.

Buffy:

I always try to catch the re-runs whenever possible and I saw part of Passion (2:17) today. I'm sort of glad that I missed the really upsetting scenes because with my horrible cramps and hormones on edge I would have been a wreck (I normally sob through a large part of Passion).

Serenity trailer:

There's a new trailer on the internet and it's fabulous! It certainly seems to have lots of spoilery scenes but I'm really glad I watched it!! I'm now practically counting down the days until September 30th!

Tags:

cordelianne: (Default)
For some insane complete lack of reason the theme song for my weekend of fun with my friend in Muskoka became "Mandy" by Barry Manilow! My friend has Barry Manilow's Greatest Hits on vinyl and put on the song to see if I would recognize it after watching Angel's horrible karaoke versions of it (as if obsessive fan me wouldn't!). After that we got Mandy in our heads and were strangely drawn to replay the song numerous times throughout the weekend.

We also watched the first 8 episodes of Veronica Mars, so on the car ride home I realized that the Dandy Warhols' "We Used to Be Friends" (VM theme song) was also stuck in my head. Weirdly the songs merged into my head to become:

"You came and you gave without takin'
But I sent you away, oh Mandy
A long time ago
We used to be friends
But I haven't thought of you lately at all"

My predication for our weekend plans - "We're planning on swimming, hiking, watching good television (Lost and Veronica Mars are on the agenda) and just having a fun time hanging out." - turned out to be almost precisely accurate. We went swimming a couple of times - once skinny dipping at night, a first for me! We hiked on both days up to amazing views of the Muskoka. One of the hikes was not on a trail and it was so much fun to be tramping around the bush again! We didn't watch any Lost because we got so into VM. It wasn't just a fun time, we had an absolute blast!!

The one thing I hadn't included in the plans was giggling, lots and lots of giggling. We kept going out for walks late at night and when the flashlight battery died I freaked out at the darkness (too many horror movies), flailed around, banged into my friend and almost tripped over the lovable, hyperactive dog of my friend's aunt and uncle. Lots of hysterical giggling ensued.

Even though I'd recently re-watched most of the VM episodes I enjoyed watching them just as much - or more - this time. A sure sign of potential love of a show on a Buffy-scale.
cordelianne: (Default)
I'm going up to my friend's place in Muskoka this weekend!!! I'm very very excited! We're planning on swimming, hiking, watching good television (Lost and Veronica Mars are on the agenda) and just having a fun time hanging out. I'm totally psyched! I've also realized I'm accomplishing yet another item on my "When I'm done school" list!!

I'm almost done watching season two of the Amazing Race. I was sad that Danny and Oswald were eliminated, but not surprised as they're the least competitive team. I was all teary when they talked about the importance of enjoying life, which I think they really did on the race (as no other team I've seen ever has). I'm not really sure who I'm cheering for now that it's down to the final three, although I really don't want Will and Tara to win.

As part of my "When I'm done school" list I'm also showing one of my friends Veronica Mars episodes. He's really enjoying it and is already wanting to know how the mystery is solved. We watched 3 episodes last night (his idea not mine, although I didn't complain!): Wrath of Con, You Think You Know Somebody and Return of the Kane. Everytime I watch the episodes I love Veronica, her dad and Wallace more and more. When her dad says he just wants to spend his birthday with Veronica, it makes me cry.

I don't think it's sunk in that I don't have to start school in September because I'm getting all stressed out that we're already into August. I'm particularly freaked out because I haven't caught up on all my television watching. I need to stop adding shows like Venture Brothers and Amazing Race reruns to my viewing schedule, buckle down and watch Smallville and 24! hee hee It's a good thing I'm not obsessive or anything!

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