(from BtVS 7:4)

I definitely knew I was in my post-visiting girlfriend blahs when I cried during my doctor's appointment today (although I do feel it was a positive and productive appointment). But instead of detailing more of my lameness, I am trying to channel how good I felt in yoga and point you to a couple of things that made me happy:

This interview with Wilson Cruz (Rickie on My So-Called Life). God, I absolutely loved that show. It was definitely the first TV show I felt passionately about before BtVS. Reading the interview made me teary which possibly may just be my mood. BUT the interviewer notes how MSCL influenced BtVS and Cruz talks about his own coming out experiences paralleling those of Rickie and also how he sees MSCL's influence on Friday Night Lights. Such a great interview and it makes me want to run home and rewatch some MSCL, which I may do (as well as the new Friday Night Lights of course!).

Buffy #1 Butt-Kicking Babe. When Entertainment Weekly initially posted this list, I was quite surprised that Buffy wasn't included. I'd been expecting her to be #1 (which she is now), and this wasn't a crazy expectation considering how EW has always championed BtVS. So I was one of the hundreds of people who commented appalled that Buffy was omitted. It's actually kinda cool that they responded and corrected the list. This makes me oddly happy, although this possibly just indicates my ridiculous love for EW.

I realized I haven't talked a lot about my current television viewing lately. So I shall try to rectify that. *g* ( Here's the TV shows I'm watching and some brief reactions/comments about each one )

Whew! And now you see why I haven't written about my TV watching... I'm having a hard time watching it all!

It’s been a rough last few days for me, so I figured what better distraction than to talk about TV?! I haven’t really had the energy to do thoughtful critiques or even simple reactions like “I loved it” or “blah”, so I thought I’d give you a run down of what I’ve been enjoying, what I haven’t and what I haven’t even watched yet. There’s very minimal spoilers in my comments.

( Shows I’ve Been Loving )

( Shows I’m Enjoying )

( Shows That I’m Not All About )

( Shows on my PVR that I Haven’t Seen Yet (or have only seen 1 episode of) )

I must say that overall I’m underwhelmed by a lot of the TV shows this season. (This could be more a reflection of how I'm feeling.) There better be some exciting things in November! I’m most excited about Heroes right now. *hearts* Hiro.

OMG I just discovered that CTV (a MAJOR Canadian TV network) aired the WRONG Grey's Anatomy episode!!!!!! It turns out that they aired the SECOND episode of the new season instead of the season premiere!

I am SO VERY RELIEVED that I didn't post any comments about it yet, because I would have unknowingly spoiled people. *wipes brow* Okay, I will stop wearing out my caps lock key.

When I saw the episode I thought that they'd just jumped ahead in time a bit. And there were a couple of scenes in the previously ons that I didn't remember, but I just thought it was because of my very bad memory. I won't say anything spoilery, just that it was an excellent episode. So good that I haven't deleted it from my PVR yet so I can rewatch it (this will now be helpful for me so I can watch them in order).

CTV is going to air the season premiere this coming Thursday at 8pm instead of reairing the second episode again. Or if you're fast and have time shifting you can catch the repeat on ABC (at 11pm EST).

So to CTV I say: "Because you DON'T screw me over the way ABC does and annoyingly run the shows a few minutes over so that my PVR cuts off the last bit of an episode, I'm going to forgive you for this mix-up. But, CTV YOU'RE ON NOTICE!" (Yeah, I'm using the caps lock again and blatantly ripping off Stephen Colbert.) ETA: After reading the article more carefully, I see that it was a human error in California where the feed is sent from so it wasn't really CTV's mistake.

Since I'm talking about TV, I must say how much I loved Bones and the Office this week!!!!!! Yay for the Office being back! My Name is Earl was pretty good, but not as fab as other episodes have been. And Jericho? Totally cracked out. Not even comparable with Battlestar Galactica's complex portrayal of a post-apocalyptic scenario, and not as cracktastic as 24. The music was good though. And if the best thing I can say about the show is that the music is good? Not a good sign.

In previous years I've held out hope that my favourite shows and actors would get Emmy nominations. And I've always been disappointed when it seems like being on HBO guarantees a nomination, the same shows get nominated year after year, and mediocre actors like Charlie Sheen and Patricia Arquette get nominated (and win!). So, last year after gazing at the awards and declaring It's like these people don't actually watch television! I decided that (other than the industry prestige and glitzy parties) the Emmys are silly and meaningless, and if I made up my own nominations to celebrate my favourite shows, actors and writers it is way more meaningful. Why more meaningful, you ask? Because I love television!! And I'm sure I watch way more tv than the average Emmy voter.

So, if you want to see who the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences nominated click here. ETA: There are NO spoilers behind the cut. And if you want to know why I nominated something or why I didn't, please ask - I didn't have the energy for lengthy explanations (thus, why no spoilers). Now, onto the real nominations: ( The Second Annual Nominations for the Cordelianne Emmys )


I'm sure you're wondering how the winners will be determined. I will be making that decision and announcing it on (or close to) Emmy night. I will likely do a poll to determine the people's choice around that date, but I will ultimately have to pick one from my favourites in each category (which will be a challenge!!).

I'd wanted to do more categories (ie. writing and directing) but am exhausted from all my preparations for visiting savoytruffle (I leave on Monday!!! eeeeee!!!) and for Writercon!!! The excitement levels are VERY HIGH here!!! I'm pretty much ready although there's a couple of last minute things I need to do tomorrow and Monday (eg. I still need to get American money. I remembered to set aside my Veronica Mars dvds but not get cash. *headdesk*).

*squishes you all* *collapses*

Work's been all stressful this week (thanks in part to all the preparations for Pride this weekend) and my co-worker/friend and I had to - temporarily - take apart our desks and computers for Pride-related reasons... but that means I have a three day weekend!! Yay!

The Emmy nomination ballots are being prepared, and since the shows that I love rarely get nominated, I thought it would be fun to give them some love. Because I'm feeling unoriginal, I'm blatantly stealing the categories from TV Gal's Nominations for the 2006 Amy Awards (I love her awards because the categories, nominations and winners are all decided by the readers of her column). WARNING: Spoilers for Veronica Mars season 2 for numbers 1 & 5 and for Everwood and Smallville behind the cut ( Here's my take on the TV Gal awards categories: )

I'm using my Hannah/Bright Everwood icon because I love those characters and miss the show lots and lots.


So, as mentioned above, this weekend is Pride here in Toronto (actually all week is Pride week) which means I may not be around too much. Or it means I'll be around lots because I'll be overwhelmed by the crowds and commercialism. I'm planning a low-key Pride but these things always grow. So HAPPY PRIDE!!!!

Michael Ausiello (TV Guide) reports that Veronica Mars has been renewed!!! The sad news is that Everwood won't be. Here's what you'll find at the link:

Straight from the horse's mouth, Rob Thomas just e-mailed me to confirm that Veronica Mars has been renewed for a third season. The show got a 22-episode order that, depending on ratings, can be reduced to 13. Very reliable sources, meanwhile, are also telling me that One Tree Hill will be back and that Everwood is, in fact, dead. Talk about injustice.

So I'm trying to focus on the positive that my beloved Veronica Mars will be back. I'm a little worried because this is similar to what happened to Arrested Development and we know how that turned out.

I've been lucky because Everwood is the only one of my shows so far to be officially not renewed. (I am incredibly sad about this, because it's one of the best shows on television.) Here's what's been renewed so far:

- My Name is Earl: Moves to Thursdays 8pm, NBC
- The Office: Moves to Thursdays 8:30pm, NBC
- Scrubs: It won't be airing until mid-season, like this year. NBC
- What About Brian: Mondays 10pm, ABC (I haven't decided if I'll keep watching.)
- Lost: Wednesdays 9pm, ABC (I'm considering not watching next season because I haven't been loving this season and I need to cut down on the amount of shows I watch)
- Grey's Anatomy: Moves to Thursday 9pm, ABC
ETA: - I believe that Gilmore Girls has already been picked up by the CW (probably for Tuesdays 8pm).
ETA#2: - Because the official schedules haven't been announced I forgot that Bones and How I Met Your Mother have already been renewed.

I haven't been following the new shows too closely because I find so much can change between now and September. And I'm trying to reduce the amount of tv shows I watch, not increase them.

I’ve haven’t watched all my weekly tv shows yet, but so far it’s been a very entertaining and good week for tv!!

The Golden Globes

I don’t think I ever want to watch another award show live again. I watched the Golden Globes on Tuesday night and fast-forwarded through commercials, blah speeches and the boring miniseries section.

Favourite moments:
- Hugh Laurie and Steve Carrel’s hilarious acceptance speeches for best actor in a tv drama and comedy respectively. It was also awesome when Lost won later (for best tv drama) and they also thanked Steve Carrel’s wife.
- Joaquin Phoenix winning for best actor in a comedy or musical, and then revealing that he’d bet against himself! Could I love him even more than I already do?!!
- Brokeback Mountain winning (and deserving) lots of awards.
- Ang Lee calling Clint Eastwood “the man” – so adorable!!

The boring parts:
- I don’t remember because I fast-forwarded through them!


Skating with Celebrities

Totally fun fluff, although I was disappointed that no “celebrities” got hurt during the episode. (I know, I’m evil.) It was funny to hear Kristy Swanson described as a “movie star”, hee! Also I loved when Lloyd Eisler (Canadian Figure Skating champion) who undeservedly lost multiple times said: “You all know that I don’t like judges.”


Smallville

Good job Smallville writers for going at least 4 episodes without a kryonite enhanced villain. Also, I’m impressed that the episode wasn’t a complete Panic Room rip off. I’m less impressed that Lana continues to live.

Did anyone else notice that when Lex was trying to tell Lana he loved her, that he was distracted by thoughts about Clark? I was giggling when he started rambling about how nice Clark’s hair is. The Clark/Lex relationship is practically canon on Smallville now.

So next week is the big character death (for the 100th episode). I just hope it’s not Clark’s dog, in typical Smallville “we always back down from doing anything daring” fashion. From what I’ve heard it actually will be one of the characters in the main credits that will die, although I don’t know who it will be. Fingers crossed that it’s Lana, although my friend’s prediction (based on comic book canon) is that it’ll be Jonathan Kent.


My Name is Earl

This is definitely one of my favourite Earl episodes so far!!

Favourite moments:
- Earl calling Kenny his “homosexual friend” (it sounds very endearing the way Earl says it).
- Earl putting the picture of him, Joy, Darnell and the kids at Joy & Darnell’s wedding on his desk.
- The “old gang” doing the slo-mo type power walk to the office.
- Randy in a boardroom talking and pointing to a pie chart (with his 4 empty beer cans on the ground).
- Joy not telling Darnell and the kids about the toe because she was worried their reactions wouldn’t be real enough. Joy’s completely fake horror.
- Darnell’s continued horror when they’re getting the cheque for the toe incident.


The Office

Despite the high cringe factor, this show has wormed it’s way into my heart. Oh Michael, you are the worst secret keeper ever! I am so rooting for Jim and Pam; they may be my favourite couple on tv right now. They’re so adorable. I loved Dwight in surveillance mode and his complete obliviousness to Oscar’s gayness.


24

( Such big spoilers that I’m using a spoiler cut!! )


Battlestar Galatica 2.12

( More huge huge spoilers for everything up to episode 2.12!!! )
What I love best about BSG is that it always explores the complexities of a situation and never portrays anything as all good or all evil. It reminds me of Everwood in the way it can maneuver the viewer through a variety of perspectives all of which could potentially be “right”. I’m so glad that I didn’t discover BSG until 2006 because otherwise my Best TV Shows of 2005 list would have expanded to 12 shows, since BSG is definitely one of the best shows on tv right now.

I have so much love for my tv shows right now!!!

I had this very stressful and busy week, which meant that I didn't watch any of my tv until the weekend (this produced a VERY cranky and anti-social cordelianne). I thought it would be a fun experiment to see if I could keep my reactions about shows to a couple of lines each.

Sunday January 8

The Simpsons – It's funny again!!

Family Guy – Hee. Sychronized swimming and lesbians!

American Dad – I giggled and giggled during the climactic sequence (monkeys!), and I also loved Roger imagining he was in a sitcom (I never do that!).

Charmed – Probably the most original Charmed episode ever ... in a bizarro world where no one realizes this was just a cheap rip-off of a dumb summer movie starring Brangelina.

Grey’s Anatomy – You thought this would be a new episode? Ah ha ha. Welcome to the hell of yet another ABC “recap” episode (I did not watch).

Monday January 9

The Critics Choice Awards – Yay! I’m very happy about the love for Brokeback Mountain!! In other reactions, Dennis Miller as host bored me. Also, I’m beginning to think that Dakota Fanning is a robot; she gives better acceptance speeches than most adults. Maybe Tom Cruise, who – incidentally - she praised in her speech, hypnotized her.

How I Met Your Mother – I LOVE this show! It perfectly captures what it’s like to be single in your late 20s.

Out of Practice – Fun sitcom.

House x 2 - Hmm, both House reruns starred actresses who’ve been on previous seasons of 24. Could Fox be getting us ready for 24’s return?

Tuesday January 10

Gilmore Girls – This season keeps getting better and better! I was highly amused by Rory’s breakdown – the kleenexs!! Also, Lorelei looked so happy & beautiful in her wedding dress – please don’t break our hearts Amy Sherman-Palladino (aka show creator/show runner)!!!

Supernatural – Plot? Who cares about the plot? I love the Winchester brothers and their angst!! I think they’re my favourite brothers on tv. Also, this show is still scaring me at least once an episode

House – I think my favourite moment of the episode was House taking the ball away from the kid. In terms of the romantic stuff, I think it’s going to end badly (Wow! What a shocking prediction!! Maybe I should become a psychic. Ha.)

Scrubs x 2 – These episodes were even better than last week’s. I LOVED the triathlon one and how slow J.D. was, and that Elliot kept catching up and carried him in the end. Also how great was the whole kung fu sequence?!

People’s Choice Awards – After watching this I had to reassure myself that I am indeed a person (I even reminded myself of the Heritage Moment about the Persons Case which proved women are people) because “the people” and I don’t agree on much. Star Wars as best movie?! shudder.

Wednesday January 11

Lost – Watch out Charlie! Now everyone likes Sawyer and no one likes you. Also, we got Eko’s back story which was pretty interesting, and sad.

Thursday January 12

Smallville – sigh. I want James Marsters to return. On the bright side, the villain wasn’t affected by Kryptonite in any way, she was just crazy (fortunately they’ve never had any crazy girls on the show before! Ha, see above re: bizarro world).

Four Kings – Why? Seth Green, why? I only watch this for you, and it’s painful, fingernails on a chalkboard painful.

My Name is Earl – Earl working in fast food! It reminded me of the Buffy “Doublemeat Palace” (6:12) episode (that's a good and funny thing in my book). Oh, I loved the hairnet over Earl’s moustache. hee!

The Office – This show is kicking my ass. I’ve now seen some of the British version and am even more impressed with the American version because it has really become it’s own excellent show. I loved that Michael BURNED HIS FOOT ON A GRILL!! Also, Dwight with concussion was adorable!

Crumbs – I didn’t love it, but it has some potential. It’s fun to see Fred Savage and Jane Curtin again!

Beauty and the Geek – I miss Everwood! Even amusing pop culture questions like “Which of these Jennifers was Ben Affleck not engaged to? (There were pictures of J.Lo, Garner and Aniston), and “Who is the father of Britney Spear’s baby?” could not appease my sadness about the loss of Everwood until March!

Friday January 13

Living with Fran – Fluffy fun.

Reba – Not the best Reba this season, but it was fun to see Reba and Brock get along.

Twins – More fluff.

Numb3rs – Wait, did I say the Winchesters are my favourite brothers? I’d forgotten about the adorable Epps boys. I think the casino in this episode was the one where Gunn and Angel almost lost their souls in Angel “Double or Nothing” (3:18).

The Book of Daniel – This show is a lesser version of Desperate Housewives, Joan of Arcadia and Six Feet Under (I'm not even into Desperate or Six Feet Under). Even the scene when Daniel thinks the 2 mob guys are a gay couple wasn’t as funny as it could be. Just another fluffy Friday night show, I’m not sure how much longer I’ll stick it out.


I've also FINALLY been watching last season of 24 (season 4) to get ready for season 5. Wow! Season 4 is an awesome season - definitely better than seasons 2 or 3. Air Force One gets shot down (see what happens when Harrison Ford isn't President?), there's a nuclear meltdown, torture and all the best characters return (yay President Palmer!!). Chloe kicks ass, or more precisely kills a terrorist. Michelle and Tony reconcile!! Jack experiences lots of angst and people continually doubting his abilities (why would anyone do this?). I just need to watch the 2 hour finale, but I'm already psyched for season 5!!!

Whew! I think I'm experiencing tv overload. Hopefully this week won't be so annoying and I'll be able to actually watch some of my shows!

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!!!

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!!

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)

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?