Addicted to the Idiot Box

CT, A week in the life of a television writer

2010-03-23T11:57:00.001-07:00

In last weeks online only issue of the Campus Times I took a slightly different turn from my usual reviews and instead wrote a "what I did on my spring break" style story. And what I did on my spring break was frakking awesome.

Hint #1: My cousin that I stayed with works in television.

Hint #2: The above picture is from the set of "CSI."

Read my article to hear more!

Click here to read my column online.

CT, "Parenthood": The Classic American Family...or not.

2010-03-13T13:33:00.000-08:00

In the most recent issue of the Campus Times I review NBC's newest drama "Parenthood." With an all-star cast and a large variety of stories to tell, the show has joined my Tivo rotation for the time being.

Click here to read the column.

CT, Remind me, why am I still watching "Smallville"??

2010-03-13T13:20:00.000-08:00

After the utterly upsetting and disappointing Valentine's Day episode of "Smallville" which both demeaned the characters and the plots of the show, I had had enough. Nine seasons in and the show has officially gone off the rocker...and it's coming back for a tenth. If anyone understands this, please feel free to fill me in, but only after you read my column.

Click here to read the column.

CT, Where can I get a holo-band?; "Caprica"

2010-03-13T13:11:00.001-08:00

Since writing this review for my column in the February 18th issue of the CT, I have come to enjoy "Caprica" even more that I did upon initially watching. The different stories keep me intrigued every week, whether it's a simple teen drama or the more prominent questions of what advancing technology could do to our society. Read the article for more thoughts.

Click here to read the column.

CT, "Life Unexpected" is an Unexpected Win

2010-03-13T13:06:00.000-08:00

In the Febuary 11th issue of the Campus Times I reviewed the CW's newest addition to the Monday line-up, "Life Unexpected." With it's "Gilmore Girls" like charm and a pretty fun cast I found myself drawn into the shows little universe.

Click here to read the column online.

CT, The "Lost" Saga

2010-03-13T12:57:00.000-08:00

So skipping ahead a few weeks in the Campus Times issues I'm jumping straight to my pride and joy, the "Lost" spread. When I get a chance I will post a link of the awesome two-page spread we created in the A&E section all focused around the season premiere of "Lost."

Here are links to the three articles of the section:
1) My review of the season premiere can be found here.
2) A look at the many burning questions of "Lost" can be found here.
3) And finally, we take a peek at the cult(ure) that has been created by the fans here.

Enjoy and feel free to share theories!

CT, Playing Catch Up

2010-03-13T12:25:00.000-08:00

As you may have noticed I have been completely MIA for the past couple of months. Got caught up in school, got bogged down with my new editorial position on the Campus Times, and completely neglected to update the blog when I had new articles...or even at all. My stress levels reached an absurd all-time-high.

But I am back and here's how it's gonna go. I am posting each of the articles from this year so far. Unfortunately College Publisher was down and messed up our archives so for the first few articles I am just going to post them directly here and then back to normal.

In our first issue of the semester we did a Best of the Decade special in honor of the start of 2010. After the jump are my thoughts on the best television of the decade.

One decade ago I was 10 years old. If you had asked me what my favorite television show was, I would have probably told you “Full House” or “Boy Meets World” or even “Seventh Heaven.” I was too young to understand the brilliance of shows like “The Wire” or “The Sopranos.”

Now this does not excuse me from the fact that I have yet to catch up on those brilliant series, but it does give me an excuse to say that my top shows of the decade are quite different from others. So without further ado, here is the best television of the decade according to an idiot box addict:

“Veronica Mars” (2004-07): If you recognize the name “Veronica Mars,” then you are one of the lucky few who watched one of the gems of TV this decade. I was hooked by the time the credits ran in the pilot episode. The search for Lily Kane’s murderer kept me on the edge of my seat through the final episode of season one. Rob Thomas’ characters ranged from the “obligatory psychotic jackass” who won the hearts of every true fan in Logan Echolls to the edgy, street-smart, self-important yet vulnerable outcast of Neptune High in Veronica Mars. “Veronica Mars” was not a perfect show. After an astounding first season, the networks (UPN and then the CW) forced the show to leave its serial story lines on the sidelines to accommodate more viewers. The mysteries of the next two seasons weren’t quite up to par with Thomas’ season one accomplishment. By that point, the audience was so in love with the characters that it didn’t matter much. The mysteries and scandals surrounding Neptune provided my first true TV obsession, and definitely not my last.

“The Office (U.S.)” (2005-present): The names Michael Scott and Dwight Schrute have become synonymous with hilarity over the past five years. Jim Halpert and Pam Beasley have become the definition of soul mates. The cast and crew of the American version of “The Office” have reinvented the art of cringe-inducing comedy. Based on the Ricky Gervais masterpiece from the BBC in 2003, Steve Carell managed to take the already striking character, David Brent, and make it his own.

Through its brilliant mockumentary style, “The Office” has explored one of the most boring settings and turned it into a creative goldmine. The writers not only achieved unparalleled success in the re-creation of a show, but they also jumped one of the biggest hurdles that lies in the path of nearly every romantic television plot on the air: unresolved sexual tension. Jim and Pam got together and guess what? The world didn’t implode. Now, in the show’s sixth season, the lines between comfortable and awkward are still being pushed in all the right ways.

“Gilmore Girls” (2000-07): In a perfect world Amy Sherman-Pallandino would have written the final season of “Gilmore Girls.” We would have gotten that perfect ending to a well-rounded and creative series. But it’s not a perfect world, and Sherman-Palladino acted like a selfish mother who didn’t want to take her daughter out of the spotlight. Hence the unsatisfying seventh season of an otherwise fantastic show.

Despite Sherman-Palladino’s injustice to the final season, she created one of the most well-known mother-daughter relationships on television. Throughout the first six seasons, Lorelei and Rory Gilmore won audiences with their fast paced banter and wit that included pop culture references up the wazoo. Grumpy diner owner Luke and overbearing upper-class grandparents Emily and Richard Gilmore gave the show the ability to hit home with a large audience. The complications that fraught the Gilmore’s lives, whether they were step-dads, boyfriends, domineering parents or popular kids at school, led to the soul of the show; a mother and daughter who could really be called best friends.

“Buffy The Vampire Slayer” (1997-2003): Joss Whedon is notorious for creating shows with names that don’t reflect the quality of the series itself. “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” is a classic example. Many people argue that the best of Whedon’s genius creation lies within the first three seasons and therefore in the ‘90s. However, viewers have agreed that several of the best hours of television can be found in episodes from this decade including two of the most celebrated, “Hush” and “Once More with Feeling.” While it’s hard to say that two episodes can give an entire show a place on my best of the decade list, I will go ahead and do it anyway because Buffy is awesome. If you deny it, it is probably because you haven’t seen it.

Behind the façade of a fantasy world story is a very relatable metaphor for the atrocities and monsters that everyone knows exist in the scary teenage world. Buffy’s battles as a teenager at Sunnydale High School literally come to life when she confronts the evils of the Hellmouth beneath the high school library along with Willow, Xander, Giles and Angel. As tears streamed down my face during the series finale, I realized I had never felt as satisfied by a complete series as I felt at that moment.

“Lost” (2004-10): No show has attracted quite the fan base and extremist behavior that “Lost” has had throughout its five seasons on the air. From the start, J.J. Abrams had created a hit. What started as a popular show grew into a culture, and what began as a drama grew into one of the most thrilling mythology-filled serial shows that has existed on television. When “Lost” hit the wall in season three, show runners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse took an unprecedented step with ABC and created an end date to the series. They recognized that without a set timeline, the show would spiral out of control.

With this achievement, the creators gave us “Through the Looking Glass,” the season three finale, and everything changed in an instant. All of a sudden stories moved at the speed of light. Characters once again had drive and motivation. Somewhere between the flashbacks, flash forwards, and time jumps, “Lost” had been found. As the final season of the epic journey looms closer, it is hard to ignore the influence of “Lost.” With the combined power of a cultish Internet following and the creative dominance of the writers, “Lost” will be remembered as a show that shaped the decade.

A New Kind of New Years Resolution

2010-01-02T17:50:00.000-08:00

This year I’m going to ace all my classes. I’ll lose twenty pounds. I plan on reading a book a month. I will not gossip as much. These are all admirable resolutions. They are the attempted and failed pledges of New Years past; the oaths I have heard my friends declare and the ones I have broken myself.

Some years I just skip the resolution train altogether because I know a hopeless cause when I see one. But this year I’ve decided to try something different. A new kind of resolution. My television resolutions of 2010.

Now I am plenty aware that the last thing I need in my life is much more television, but hey, we can’t help what we fall in love with right? So, to kick off the new decade, I have decided to set some goals for myself themed around that idiot box that we have come to know and love oh so very much. I figured that putting my resolutions in writing would make it more official and encourage me to follow through a bit more than usual. Follow the jump for the Idiot Box’s Resolutions of 2010.

Last semester I really fell short of supplying this blog with much more than my Campus Times articles. I got caught up with classes and extracurricular activities and spent my free time napping or watching my favorite shows over and over again. This year I want to try to put more time into my writing. Considering that several of my favorite shows are returning to the airwaves this winter (particularly Chuck and Lost) I will have considerably more motivation and incentive to write weekly. Resolution #1: This year I will write more weekly television reviews for the blog.

I have been trying to educate myself with the great television shows of recent years in order to catch up on what I missed out on as a youngster. Despite better intentions, I often get caught up in watching marathons of shows I’ve already seen or guilty pleasures. In 2010 I want to return to “classics” of the decade. “Battlestar Galactica.” “The Sopranos.” “The Wire.” Must watch television that will add to my enjoyment of this entertaining medium. So, Resolution #2: This year I will watch one or more classic-epic television series’.

I’m not sure whether many of you know or not (for those few readers I like to believe that I have), but I recently decided what I want to be when I grow up. Within the past year through school and most self-awareness I have resolved that my dream job would be to become a television screenwriter. This past summer I took a television-writing course online through Gotham Writer’s Workshop and I have not enjoyed writing more than that in a long time. I had never written a script before and I found the process of creating a story and brining the characters to life both challenging and unbelievably fun. Unfortunately upon returning to school, life distracted me and my television writing took a backseat. But this year, I want to give it an equal priority. Therefore I decree, Resolution #3 (yay rhymes): This year I will write and COMPLETE at least one television spec script.

So bring it on 2010. I am ready for whatever you have to throw at me. I think this is gonna be a good one. I can feel it in my bones. One week til the season premiere of “Chuck,” less than a month til “Lost,” two weeks til “24,” and oh so much more. Get psyched. The start of the decade is already off with a bang.

So now it’s your turn, what are your resolutions for 2010 (television or otherwise)?

*The image, by the way, is of the fireworks in London where I am currently vacationing for a class during winter break. The display is on the Thames River at the London Eye.

The Decade According to an Idiot Box Addict

2009-12-30T17:46:00.000-08:00

One decade ago I was a mere ten year old who found joy in the simple heart and humor of after school television. “Full House” and “Boy Meets World” were staples in my pre-adolescent stage. Seventh heaven was still considered not only acceptable but a must watch for school discussion. Life was different, very different.

Then, around 2004, life changed. Grudgingly and most reluctantly, I let my Dad talk me into watching a teen drama about a girl who solved mysteries. I did not realize then that I had just become a slave to the idiot box. More after the jump.

“Veronica Mars” had me instantly hooked. The search for Lily Kane’s murderer kept me on the edge of my seat through the final episode of the first season. Logan Echolls, the misunderstood and winner of most in need of therapy “obligatory psychotic jackass,” completely won my heart. Veronica herself, the edgy, street-smart, too good for everyone else yet still somewhat vulnerable, outcast of Neptune High School was instantly a winner in my book. Rob Thomas’ witty and masterful dialogue created a world written in such a delicious way that I wanted to devour it immediately (and have done numerous times on DVD since). “Veronica Mars” and the mysteries and scandals surrounding Neptune provided my first true television obsession, and definitely not my last.

Over the past month or so the many lists of the best shows of the decade infiltrated my twitter feed and took over the blogosphere, providing many hours of much appreciated procrastination throughout finals. But when it came to writing my own lists, I didn’t really believe I was quite qualified. Over the past several years I have educated myself as best possible (with the help of my Dad’s unmatched DVD collection) on the television of the decade that I missed throughout the early teenage years. I have tried to catch up on the shows that I was too young to understand or care about when they originally aired.

I caught up on the Joss Whedon’s masterpieces of “Buffy” and “Firefly.” I marathon watched the addictive work of J.J. Abrams in “Alias.” “Wonderfalls,” gave me a little bit of the Bryan Fuller world I was missing upon the cancellation of “Pushing Daisies.” After school television changed from the hours spent with Cory, Sean, and Mr. Feeny to twenty-four hours spent alongside Jack Bauer and Chloe. Damon Lindelhof and Carleton Cuse took obsession to a whole new level upon my discovery of the mythology-entangled stories of the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815. The numbers 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42, would never be the same again. “Mad Men” taught me what true dramatic television had the potential to become with smart dialogue and characters we love despite their many faults. Action, comedy, and romance were all wrapped into one with Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak’s creation of “Chuck;” it was as if they knew my life had been incomplete without Chuck, Sarah, Casey, and the Buy More, even though I had been unaware.

The list is clearly quite long, and I plan for it to continue its growth. I know I still have several Picasso sized wholes in that education, “Battlestar Gallactica,” “The West Wing,” and “The Wire” to name a few. Hell if I care. I’m ready to take on anything you send through my brand new blu-ray DVD player.

The talent and brilliance that erupted in television throughout the years between 2000 and 2010, presented a new stage of this incredible medium. In a New York Magazine Article, Emily Nussbaum speaks about how this was a decade in which television transformed into an art form and I could not agree more. The shows that are broadcasted on that idiot box in living rooms across the country are no longer solely mindless entertainment. Don’t get me wrong; I am aware that there is an unsettling amount of reality television that gets worse by the day (“Conveyor Belt of Love?” “Jersey Shore?”). But if you look for the good stuff, it can be brilliant. I can’t help but believe that the thought provoking and entertaining masterpieces of this decade can and will be matched and exceeded over the next decade. With the dominance of Internet encroaching upon television networks, there is no doubt that the business of television will change.

However, politics aside, I am looking forward to another decade of brilliant work on one of the most influential mediums of art. Here’s to a new decade and a new era of television. May the Tivo gods smile down on us and grant us many more years of side-aching-laughter comedy, finger-nail-biting action, swoon-inducing romance, and jaw-dropping drama. Happy New Year!

CT, The Idiot Box Awards

2009-12-15T14:07:00.001-08:00

With finals taking over my life I seem to have fallen quite behind on updating the blog. However, here is my final column of the year, the one, the only, Idiot Box Awards. I award what I have deemed Fall's best shows. Assuming I finish all my work in a timely fashion I have quite the To Do List of writing for the blog including but not limited to: Nice/Naughty Lists for 2009, the Decade's Best, TV New Years Resolutions, and oh so much more. But, for now, enjoy the last Campus Times column of the year by clicking through the links.

Click here to read the column online.

Or click here to read the PDF version. (Scroll to page 15)

CT, Mad Men: Wake Up Call for Don Draper

2009-11-19T11:33:00.000-08:00

In this week's column I review the absolutely stunning season 3 finale of "Mad Men." It took all my effort to keep it under 1000 words for the paper, and I achieved that with 999 words. Score. I caught up a bit late on the "Mad Men" bandwagon but it has become a favorite with the unbelievably smart scripts and the beautiful sets and costumes. I wish I had Betty's wardrobe, seriously. For some serious spoilers on the final episode of the season, follow the links.

Click here to read the column online.

Or click here to read the PDF version. Scroll to page 12.

CT, V: The Visitors Definitely Do Not Come in Peace

2009-11-13T16:05:00.000-08:00

In this week's column, I review ABC's revival of the 1980's show "V" starring Elizabeth Mitchell (Lost, Juliet *tear*). My sci-fi quota by this point has been far surpassed and seems to keep growing. Thank you Dad. Follow the links to read my thoughts on "V."

Click here to read the article online.

Or click here to read the PDF version. Scroll to page 9.

CT, Catch "White Collar" If You Can

2009-11-05T22:21:00.001-08:00

In this week's column I welcome USA's newest characters to the network and to my DVR rotation. Matthew Bomber and Tim DeKay star in "White Collar," a crime procedural with a "Catch Me If You Can"-esque twist. Follow the links to read my thoughts.

Click here to read the article online.

Or click here to read the PDF version. Scroll to page 9.

CT, Greek: More than just a Guilty Pleasure

2009-10-29T07:37:00.000-07:00

In this week's column I review the best guilty pleasure show out there, ABC Family's "Greek." I got caught in the obsession several years ago and since then, in the shows 4th (or is it 3rd, they break up the seasons very oddly) season "Greek" has really hit a stride. It knows how to hit it's mark and when to do it. Follow the links for more "Greek" loves.

Click here to read the column online.

Click here to read the PDF version. Scroll to page 14.

CT, Addicted to the Idiot Box Goes to Campus

2009-10-22T16:34:00.000-07:00

The little blog that could has now achieved the only real honor there is within our small Campus Times at the University of Rochester. My television reviews are now officially a part of a column renamed, The Idiot Box Addict (in honor of this blog). In this weeks very first column article, I reworked my first blog post to explain where my television addiction comes from (thanks Mom & Dad) and what to expect in the column from now on. So what are you waiting for? Go read it!

Click here to read the article online.

Or click here to read the PDF version. Scroll to page 16. (You get to see the cool logo for the column if you look at the PDF)

HIMYM; Remind me, why haven't I written about this show yet?

2009-10-14T14:29:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard the story of how your parents met? I have, many times, probably more than others because they met here at Rochester. It’s a practiced two-minute presentation that my sister loves to tell.

The son and daughter of Ted Mosby on the CBS sitcom “How I Met Your Mother” (hence forth known as HIMYM) are probably not as partial to their father’s rendition of the tale, or should I say saga, of how their parents met. They have now been listening to their father (narrated by the voice of Bob Saget) for five years. As Ted told them in the pilot episode “it’s a long story.” Follow the link for more suiting up, freeze-frame high fives, and waves of psychatude.

HIMYM is not your typical sitcom. Yes, there’s a group of friends. Sure, they live in New York City. And all right, they are trying to find love and success during their late 20’s.

But I promise you, this isn’t “Friends”. They hang out a bar. Not a coffee shop.

Ted, Marshall, Lily, Robin, and Barney returned back to McLaren’s bar for their fifth season with a strong audience and even stronger stories. The momentum this small show has gained over the past several years in a rough time slot is impressive to say the least.

Despite the show’s title, the majority of the fans that tune in each week really aren’t watching the show for the big mother reveal. While that is the premise upon which the show operates, HIMYM is a sitcom about five best friends.

It’s about Marshall (Jason Segal) and Lily’s (Alyson Hannigan) college romance that turned into one of the sweetest and most sincere marriages on television.

It’s about Canadian Robin Sherbatsky (Cobie Smulders) dealing with her commitment issues while trying to become a successful newscaster despite her current 2am time slot.

It’s about Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) and his legend—wait for it, I hope you’re not lactose in-tolerant because the second half of this word is—dary catch phrases.

And of course, it’s about architect turned teacher Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) trying to construct his life from the ground up.

For the record, I could care les about the ever-elusive mother. I am much more content to watch stories that have little or nothing to do with how Ted meets the woman who will be his wife. Creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas have proven again and again throughout the past four years that this show is told at it’s best when the writers don’t get bogged down in the “mythology” of the sitcom.

The show really hit its stride when Ted was in a relationship with Robin, who we knew would not be the mother. Some of the most creative and original episodes aired during the period when there was no pressure for Ted because he had a girlfriend.

On the opposite end, HIMYM displayed it’s worst when Ted introduced us to Stella, an actual potential candidate for the mother role, who failed to live up to any expectations the audience had. She was wrong for him, and apparently the writers realized this. Ted and Stella broke up on their wedding day in the fourth season.

The mythical creature that the mother has become, has turned into what I can only equate to Disney’s Space Mountain roller coaster. You wait hours and hours on a line for a 2 minute ride that is not nearly as good as you expected. In the end what you remember the most is the wait, the build up, the anxiety and the excitement. And then you remember the inevitable let down.
So I’ve chosen to forget about the ride itself, and enjoy the wait.

I would be perfectly happy, nay, ecstatic, if in the final episode of the series (hopefully a long, long time from now), the last shot we see is Ted smiling at some girl across the room with the voice over from Bob Saget saying “And that kids, is how I met your mother.”

There would be no let down, no way for us to criticize the casting, or the chemistry. We would be left with the memory of a show we love, the way it really is.

Not a show driven by Ted’s search for his wife, but a show driven by five great characters and the ridiculous stories they have to tell. The pineapple incident; the discovery that one of their best friend’s was a Canadian teenage pop star; the wedding of a college roommate; the search for each gang member’s doppelganger.

HIMYM’s unique sitcom story-telling style gives it an edge when people just call it a “Friends” copycat. The show is marked by freeze frames, flash backs, flash forwards, time jumps, stories within stories within stories, and much more.

When the writers embrace their anecdotal capabilities and put the overarching narrative aside, HIMYM is, to borrow a phrase, legendary.

CT, Community: The Fine Art of Getting By in College

2009-10-02T14:57:00.000-07:00

In my first article of October, I reviewed the hilarious new comedy "Community." The Breakfast Club-esque premise makes for a great show with a gold mine of funny. Click on to enjoy!

Click here to read the article online.

Or click here to read the PDF file. Scroll to page 12.

CT, NPH Brings Classy back to the Emmys

2009-09-26T09:22:00.000-07:00

In this past weeks Campus Times I reviewed the Emmy Awards hosted by the one, the only, Neil Patrick Harris. Enjoy and share your thoughts!

Click here to read the article online.

Or click here to read the PDF version. Scroll to page 15.

CT, Television Sucks the Life Out of the Vampire Obsession

2009-09-17T16:34:00.000-07:00

In this weeks Campus Times I talk about the overwhelming amount of Vampire love that has burst from the seams over the past year or so. "Twilight", "True Blood", and now "Vampire Diaries." I'm not sure how much more I can handle.

Except of course for "Buffy". I can never get enough of "Buffy". And for that reason I should probably try "Angel" again. My only issue with "Angel" was that there was no Buffy, Willow, Xander, or Giles. Anyone got a good argument to watch? Please win me over. Meanwhile, enjoy my Twilight hate-fest (although I think I was pretty nice.)

Click here to read the article online.

Or click here to read the PDF version. Scroll to page 17.

CT, Torchwood: The Little TV Series that Could

2009-09-13T21:39:00.000-07:00

With the first Campus Times article of the year, I, the idiot box addict, have officially returned from the dead. This week marks the glorious beginning of the fall TV season and I couldn't be more excited. But more on that later.

In my first CT article this semester I discuss the awesomeness that is "Torchwood: Children of Earth," the five episode British mini-series with more courage that almost any TV I have seen to date. Enjoy, discuss, and welcome back!

Click here to read the article online.
Or click here to read the PDF version. Scroll to page 23.

*BTW, the Campus Times made a typo and said Ianto was a she rather than a he. Just thought I'd clarify.

Wonderfalls, "I Wonder Why the Wonder Falls on Me."

2009-07-09T18:51:00.000-07:00

I have always found comfort in my toys. Yes, I’m 19, and yes many of my childhood playthings have been casted to the shelves, sold in garage sales, or given to Good Will over the years, but there are those few that always have a place in my room. As a child stuffed animals can be your entire world. You spend your days being a princess locked away in a tower surrounded by fuzzy crocodiles or braving the rough waters with rubber ducks as your companions. The rubber and furry toys of our lives as children are both the enemies and the protectors. They protect us in a way that only a Teddy bear can do.

Bryan Fuller’s unique, imaginative, and short lived series “Wonderfalls” takes a teddy bear’s protection and turns it into the manifestation of G-d’s instructions to protect others. Instead of a child seeking guidance in her day-to-day activities, a 24-year-old underachieving college graduate becomes the victim of endless instructions given through the toys in a retail store. Spoilers for "Wonderfalls" after the jump.

What drew me to the story so quickly was that Jaye Tyler (Caroline Dhavernas) epitomized my so-called summer this year. She spends day after day in a job she clearly despises with a boss whom she dubs Mouthbreather. That should give you an idea about how much she respects him.

Despite the degree in philosophy from Brown and the supportive family Jaye has at her disposal, she lives in a trailer park and works as a sales clerk in a souvenir shop at Niagara Falls. A place where people are just visiting, never long enough for a sales clerk to get tangled in the lives of the people passing through. She achieved her goal of “over educated and unemployable,” just like she wrote in her high school yearbook.

That is, until one day a little Wax Lion warns her not give an angry customer money back. Then a Barrel Bear convinces her to help a writer get her words out, and Wind-Up Penguin leads Jaye down a path to reuniting a young girl with her father. Pink Flamingos convince Jaye to confront her past at a high school reunion where she unsuspectingly shows a past nemesis that the love of her life is not in fact the love of her life. Dogs on signs, embroidered buffalos, singing trout on walls, lovesick stuffed donkeys, plastic birds, and totem poles all enlist Jaye to unwillingly and resentfully take part in tasks to help the lives of others.

Are these voices a manifestation of Jaye’s internal thoughts? Do the toys represent the voice of G-d? Is she just plain crazy? I am inclined to believe that the toys are an inspiration from a higher being, whether it be destiny, G-d, or whatever you believe in. The fact that Jaye’s brother, a theologian, showed such interest in the speaking figures seemed to demonstrate that religion played a significant (while not overwhelming) role. However, I also believe that her decision to listen to these inanimate objects shows that despite her reluctance and displeasure at being chosen, she knows their instructions are for the better.

What I really found refreshing about this show was that it was completely original. I have never seen anything else with a similar premise yet so many aspects of the plot were relatable. Bryan Fuller and Todd Holland gave a little magic to the life of an underachiever living at the heart of one of the seven wonders of the natural world. The setting was different yet recognizable. The dialogue was fresh, fast, and clever. The actors had chemistry and charisma.

Jaye’s sarcasm and wit is portrayed brilliantly by Dhavernas alongside a talented cast. Lee Pace plays the over protective older brother whose theology major seems to make him the only one capable of buying Jaye’s experience as real as opposed to crazy. Mahandra McGinty (Tracie Thoms) provides the ever important best friend figure who supports Jaye without fault. Sharon Tyler (Katie Finneran), the lesbian-lawyer older sister, protects her family even in face of the law and wasn’t given enough time to develop what could have been an extremely interesting character. Jaye’s parents Darrin (William Sadler) and Karen (Diana Scarwid) embody parents who love yet misunderstand their children. Despite all of their differences, the Tyler family truly is a supportive unit. They may fight and misinterpret one another, but at the end of the day they are there for each other and that is what family is for.

At the heart of this little tale lies the romance between Jaye and Eric Gotts (Tyron Leitso), the adorably handsome bartender whose wife cheated on him the first night of their honeymoon in Niagra Falls. He’s damaged goods and she takes orders from toys. Perfect match. Usually in television a budding romance is indicated by a swell in music, a slow motion entrance, a close up of the two in a single frame, or a lingering look in the character’s eyes. “Wonderfalls” however used the ideal imagery of fireworks lighting up in Eric’s eyes after Jaye told his cheating wife that Eric was predisposed “pleasuring her sexually.” Young love at it’s best.

Wonderfalls was able to portray very complex ideas in a childish manner. Should we all surrender to destiny like the legendary maid of the mist? Or do we ignore the voices and signs and fight back? Can love conquer all? Or does logic and law take precedent? Should we be actively seeking out acts of kindness? Or does no good deed go unpunished? All this from a bunch of souvenir toys. I only wish that “Wonderfalls” had been given more than 14 episodes to more deeply explore these questions and the many more that may have arisen.

As a young girl I would take out my teddy bears and begin my adventures for the day. I never knew where they would take me whether it be to a magical palace or a rainforest in the jungle. But I did know that the journey with my furry friends would bring surprise and adventure. The toys of the Wonderfalls gift shop brought just this to Jaye Tyler. While her 24-year-old mind may have logically forgotten what it was like to willingly and happily accept the instruction of seemingly lifeless objects, subconsciously she knew that the steps she was taking would be for the better. In the end Jaye was able to understand that the pain she suffered due to a talking wax lion, was a necessary journey to reach her happily ever after.

Alias, The Marathon of TV Marathons

2009-06-22T21:27:00.000-07:00

Shows with strong willed, smart, kick ass girls seem to get the thumbs up from me. Veronica Mars. Buffy Summers. Rory Gilmore. Temperance Brennan. Carrie Bradshaw. All different, but all intelligent women who make great, yet sometimes flawed, role models. After my two weeks of non-stop television marathoning, Sydney Bristow has been added to the list. Spoilers for all five seasons after the jump...

Now as you may realize, I spend quite a bit of time in front of the TV. I’ve been known to watch 3 seasons of Lost and The Office in the course of several months, 10 seasons of Friends in less than a year, 7 seasons of Buffy over half a year…well you get the picture. But the free time I was presented with upon returning home from school along with catching a cold from my sister offered me ample time to hunker down with Alias, a show I had always had my eye on but never had the time for. Two and a half weeks (yes, weeks) after watching the, dare I say, awesome, pilot episode I had completed viewing the (slightly less awesome) series finale of a 5 season show. Hold for applause. Or shocked silence.

Not all 5 seasons were incredible. The villains could be convoluted and the reboots didn’t offer the same excitement as the initial premise. Nevertheless, something kept me going for two weeks. I’m gonna say the shows ability to end nearly every episode in a cliffhanger is what kept me hanging by a thread at the end of each hour. Add a great cast and charged plot lines and you’ve got 105 action packed episodes of goodness.

Favorite story line? Not even a question about it, the initial story of the show. Season 1 through midway season 2. Sydney’s role as a double agent was without a doubt the most interesting and exciting plot throughout the series. And that ending. “Phase One” must be one of the greatest hours of action television out there. Ok, yes I haven’t seen enough action TV to be a great judge on that. But it goes right up there with the episode of 24 where nerve gas was released into CTU. Not sure which episode “Phase One” is? If you watched the Superbowl in 2002 and stayed tuned afterwards, you would’ve seen Jennifer Garner in some pretty racy lingerie. Remembering now? If you continued to watch you would’ve seen an episode of TV that covered more ground in the first 20 minutes than the show did throughout almost all of season 4. By the end of the episode I thought I had watched a feature length film complete with action, romance, drama, and even a little bit of comedy. I watched that episode twice.

By season 5, I’m going to be honest I still don’t really know what Prophet 5 was all about. What I do know is that it was bad, had to do with Rambaldi, and was brought down in the end. Just for fun, let’s name all the bad groups I can remember from the series. Obviously SD-6. Then there’s the Alliance, the Covenant, the Trust, Prophet 5... I’m drawing a blank. Anyway, Rambaldi is the unlikely key that brings all these evil groups together. The elusive fifteenth century genius brings his own set of names: page 47, the Prophecy, the Passenger, the Circumference. The list goes on and on. In spite of the confusion caused by the numerous groups and the somewhat let down build up of the Rambaldi artifacts, I was constantly intrigued by this world that J.J. Abrams created.

Alias gave me a new kind of show unlike anything else I’m watching, unless you count 24 or Chuck. But 24 relies more on explosions and politics to keep the action and drama heated and Chuck is truly a comedy at heart. Alias is exactly what it sounds like, a spy thriller with an unmatched cast.

Ron Rifkin will henceforth be known as once of the biggest baddies in TV as Arvin Sloane. What bugged me throughout season’s 3, 4, and 5 is that they really tried to make you believe that he had changed. And just when they had you believing that maybe he really was good, he went and killed someone he cared about. In the back of my mind, I always knew he was evil. But there were points in the show where it seemed as if even the writers didn’t know if he was good or bad (particularly seasons 3 and 4). By the end Sloane got what he deserved, eternity under rubble. It’s almost poetic.

Michael Vartan provided the man candy, and not to mention tears during both of his apparent deaths as Michael Vaughn. As Sydney’s CIA handler, I could tell from episode 1 there would be sparks flying in a world where they couldn’t be together for the sake of the country. He was always the good guy. The one that Sydney could depend on no matter how tough her SD-6 situation was. Basically, he had us at hello.

Kevin Weisman played the man who was consistently one of my favorites throughout all five seasons, Mr. Marshall Flinkman, the neurotic, socially awkward, technology genius. Essentially, he was Sydney’s very own Q. Why a favorite? First off, he always had the cool gadgets. Lip stick with cameras or security sensors, credit cards with micro-chips, compact cases that really decrypt vault passwords, you think of it, he probably made it.

Victor Garber provided one of the most roller coaster father daughter relationships I’ve seen on television. (That doesn’t include Nadia and Sloane.) Garber’s deadpan delivery as Jack Bristow made his apparently evil dad character one of the show’s most intriguing subjects, particularly when mommy dearest, also known as traitor Irina Derevko (Lena Olin), showed up.

Carl Lumbly as Marcus Dixon who was just always great. Funny, serious, tough, he played the perfect partner for Sydney. Greg Grunberg, as Agent Eric Weiss, (a J.J. Abrams favorite), always gave a good laugh. And we round up the crew with Julian Sark (David Anders)—the manipulative evil asshole, Francie Calfo (Merrin Dungey)—the best friend gone bad, Will Tippin (Bradley Cooper, in the Hangover, go see it now)—the lovesick journalist who got in way over his head, Nadia Santos (Mia Maestro)—the long lost sister, Lauren Reed (Melissa George)—most hated character on the show (Vaughn’s traitor wife), Director Kendall (Terry O’Quinn)—could only see him as Locke the whole time he was on screen, Agent Thomas Grace (Balthazar Getty)—the brooding quiet one, and Rachel Gibson (Rachel Nichols)-the newbie with a lot of unfulfilled potential.

And finally, the actress who provides the reason to watch the show in the first place, Jennifer Garner. She really shows her true colors throughout the 5 seasons of this show. I’ve really only seen her in chick flicks, which don’t get me wrong she’s very good in (particularly 13 Going on 30). I had absolutely no idea that she could stunt like that, and yes, she does do almost all her own stunts. Sydney is a character who lost the love of her life to her perilous work and despite a broken heart chooses to fight back in the most dangerous way possible, as a double agent. Strong willed, genius smart, and drop dead gorgeous, Garner plays Bristow with grace and confidence. She stands up for what she believes in and doesn’t let anyone get in her way. That is what makes her the woman that gets girls like me to think “wow, wouldn’t it be sick if I could be like that.”

Friends: 10 Seasons in 1 Year.

2009-06-04T14:19:00.000-07:00

So, I realize I've been completely neglecting my blog here for quite awhile. But, now summer is here and my boredom has taken flight so it's time to get back on track. I have a few summer projects underway including "Mad Men" season 1, "True Blood" season 1, "Sports Night" to follow along with Sepinwall who is reviewing them every Wednesday, and whatever else the TV Gods throw my way. I have also signed up for a TV writing class this summer to pursue my dream of writing for the idiot box. Updates on that to come.

But to get back into the swing of things, I thought I'd share with you my thoughts after finishing a series that all of you have heard of and may be shocked to hear that I did not watch until this year. Follow the link for some coffee and F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

A television show’s life span is a precious thing. There’s the coveted 100th episode mark that every show desires to reach. The 100th is usually somewhere in the 5th season of a show. So, 5 seasons equals successful show. Seven seasons is the mark of the long lasting hit show, i.e. Gilmore Girls. Anything beyond that can lead into questionable territory, *cough* Smallville *cough* (Should have ended long ago, yet I still inconceivably tune in every week, huh.) However, once in a while a show comes along that manages to make it past seven seasons with high praise, and an effect on society unlike any other. No I’m not talking about The Simpsons. I’m talking about Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Ross, Chandler, and Joey. The six friends that defined a decade.

Now, let me be clear. I was not a “Friends” fanatic. I did not follow the show starting in 1994 and drag my heart along until 2004 rooting for Ross and Rachel. No, I kind of missed that. But, as an obsessive idiot box addict, when I arrived at college this past fall with a roommate who brought all 10 seasons with her, it was clear that Friends was about to come marching into my life.

I read in a book once, that movies are like one night stands, while television shows are like long-term relationships. “Friends” was one heck of a relationship.
238 episodes later I sat by myself, tears streaming down my face, watching the purple door and gold picture frame fade out on my computer screen as the final episode came to a close. Just to emphasize, that was 10 seasons, or 119 hours of Monica’s OCD and Chandler’s not-so-funny-but-still-hilarious jokes, completed in a mere seven months, also known as freshman year. (I somehow still managed to maintain a life while keeping up with all my TV, don’t ask how.)

What is it that makes us fall in love with these characters? It’s what every show strives for. A premise that’s relatable, that’s funny, and that speaks to everyone whether or not you’ve had the same experiences. Ross and Monica exemplify a brother-sister relationship that I have not seen paralleled on TV. Monica probably had the most quirks of the entire group from fighting for her parent’s attention to her OCD about organization, and her loud (somewhat obnoxious) “oh my god!”. Ross’s unwavering romantic personality was complimented by his bi-polar-ness when it came to his best friend and his sister getting together. His best friend and his sister?? His best friend and his sister! There’s Phoebe whose quirkiness is only matched by how much love she has for each and every one of her friends. Joey’s determination as an actor and naivety as a friend only adds to the group dynamic. Chandler, the college roommate and my personal favorite character, with his never-ending sarcastic remarks, knew how to make an uncomfortable situation even more uncomfortable. And finally, there’s Rachel Greene; the girl who learned how to make it without the help of her parents, while still maintaining fabulous hair the whole time.

Now I’m not saying there weren’t some rough patches. Ross did get on my nerves. But he always redeemed it with the whole “we were on a break” longstanding joke. Chandler’s job never made any sense. But if it had made sense he and Joey would have never gotten the apartment. And then the finale couldn’t have included that poignant line Monica made about how they had all lived in that apartment at one point or another.

Like any group of friends, not every story is going to be a great one. Every night out isn’t going to be epic just like every episode wasn’t perfect. But, every moment with your true friends are moments that you won’t forget. Which is exactly what “Friends” was about. How the insignificant can be significant. How, once you’re an adult, the people you spend every day with, they are the ones who become family and are there for you through thick and thin.

CT, In Plain Sight: In "Sight" of Greatness

2009-04-23T12:44:00.000-07:00

In the final issue of the Campus Times for this year I wrote about the return of USA's show "In Plain Sight." I also had the privilege of getting to interview of the writers/supervising producers of the show, Lynne Litt. Follow the links to read more.

Click here to read the online version.
Or click here to read the PDF version. Scroll to page 16.

Firefly, Joss Whedon You're Kind of a Genius

2009-04-20T10:21:00.000-07:00

Beware of spoilers for “Firefly” and “Serenity.”

I’ve made my love for all things Whedonesque clear by now. I fell in love with Angel from the moment he stepped out of the dark in his mysterious leather jacket. I think that Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along-Blog is a stroke of pure genius. And I have stuck with Dollhouse from the beginning because of my pure faith in Joss to write a damn good hour of television. So obviously when I heard I had missed the critically acclaimed series “Firefly” I knew I had to fix that. “What’s it about?” I asked naively. “It’s a science-fiction-western,” my Dad told me in a matter a fact kind of way.

Excuse me, a what? Continued after the jump.

Yes, I admit it. I was thrown. A science-fiction-western sounded far from my interest. How on earth could space ships mix with horses and tumbleweed? Well, I sincerely apologize for questioning you Joss. Once again, you hit the bulls eye.

After only fifteen episodes I found myself caring for each and every crew member of Serenity just as much as I cared about the scoobies in Sunnyville after seven seasons.

I found myself enamored by Captain Malcom Reynolds’ (Nathan Fillion) sarcastic yet heroic demeanor as leader of the ship he put his whole heart and soul into. This was beautifully shown in “Out of Gas,” where an explosion leaves Serenity crippled and Mal reflects on finding his crew and the piece of metal he calls home. Sure, he’s a thief and a criminal who steals, trespasses, and houses fugitives. But hell, he is a thief and criminal with heart and one that you can’t help rooting for in the end.

Zoe (Gina Torres) is Whedon’s trademark badass girl. She can put up a fight, she knows how to handle her a gun, and she does it with style. Sometimes it may seem like Zoe follows Mal blindly, but in “War Stories” we really learn that this is just her pure respect and trust in the man who helped her survive through the war. Zoe is a role model for women; she is beautiful, knows how to stand up for herself, and doesn’t take shit from anyone. Not even her husband.

(SERIOUSLY-SERENITY SPOILERS AHEAD)

Now, I have to say that when Wash (Alan Tudyk) was killed in “Serenity,” after his brilliant effort to land Serenity safely, tears poured down my cheeks. Tudyk’s portrayal of this light-hearted and passionate pilot and husband served as great comic relief throughout the show. The marriage that Tudyk and Torres portrayed was a real, healthy relationship that is too often ruined in television interpretations. Their chemistry was a perfect balance of couples banter, ardent love, and respected co-workers.

If you know me at all, or read this blog at all, then you are aware of my obsession with “Chuck.” That obsession extend to all of it’s characters and the actors that portray those characters. So you can imagine my excitement when I realized Adam Baldwin (Casey on “Chuck”) was featured in a Whedon show. As one of my favorite characters on “Firefly,” Baldwin plays Jayne, the muscle of the ship. He is a true pirate; in the job for the treasure and reward. Jayne is the one who looks for a fight. The one who blatantly states what other won’t. He is simultaneously the core of the comedy and the action throughout the adventures of this crew. Despite his selfish motivations, he still has a good heart, which is apparent in “Serenity.”

Then there’s Kaylee (Jewel Staite). Like the engine of a ship is its heart that keeps it running, Kaylee is the heart of the crew. She is the one who cares about what happens to each person and won’t her crewmates forget it. Her innocent, childlike personality is balanced by her complete brilliance when it comes to all things mechanical.

I am still mad that after 15 episodes, and one beautiful feature film, Inara (Morena Baccarin) and Mal did not get together. Their bickering relationship was one of the details of this show that made it so overwhelmingly loveable. You wanted to see them fight. You wanted to see Mal’s reaction to her next client. And subsequently you wanted to see her reaction to his reaction. Inara in herself is a beautiful, strong woman who cares for the crew of the ship that takes her to her business probably too much.

If Mal is the soul of the ship, Kaylee the heart, and Jayne the muscle, then Sheppard (Ron Glass) is the head. He keeps things in perspective. He reminds everyone what their purpose is and how to act like rational beings in irrational situations. He is also a character that has a past, but a past that audience is not privileged enough to know about. Sure, if there had been a few more seasons, maybe we would have gotten to learn more about this so called “Reverend’s” past. But we were not given that luxury. We will never know why the Alliance so willingly cleared him and listened to him. He clearly had a story to tell and I for one am truly disappointed that we will never get to hear it.

Then we come to the Doctor (Sean Maher) and his sister, River. They hold the true mystery of this show. Their story is interesting and compelling that I really don’t understand how anyone could not be invested in it. Summer Glau exemplifies acting at its best as she portrays a tortured, innocent young girl who has been through too much for someone of her age. Her brother, Simon, is the epitome of the protective older sibling. Every action he takes is in an effort to help his sister. Their brother-sister relationship is one of the best I’ve seen done on television.

Firefly is clearly an example of a show that is far too smart for it’s own good. In this day and age, it depressingly seems that any show with imagination and creativity might as well be thrown out the window from the start. It catches brief flight, and for a moment you think you’re about to witness something amazing, like Superman flying. And then the network works it’s inevitable gravity causing the beautiful work to fall, crashing to the ground.

Whedon tried to do something original. He attempted to create a show that blended cultures and genres. A show with characters that can speak fluent Chinese as if it were an integral part of their lives. A world in which “companionship” (prostitution) is a respected profession. Not to mention the brilliant way that this short lived series was filmed. The camera work was done in a way that made the audience feel as if we were flying alongside the crew. The abrupt movements, zooming of the lenses, and fluidity of tracking shots was a completely different style than anything I’ve ever seen on television. Firefly combined two of the most innovative genres into one beautiful short lived series. Joss Whedon, you truly know how to create a masterpiece, bravo.

CT, Fringe: The Sole Survivor of Fall's Pilots

2009-04-16T10:33:00.000-07:00

In this week's Campus Times I reviewed J.J. Abrams' newest television show "Fringe." This show has gotten better and better throughout the year and finally won a place in the CT. Read on for my thoughts.

Click here to read my article online.

Or click here to read the PDF version. Scroll to page 9.

CT, Cupid: Can ABC's Remake Strike the Hearts of an Audience?

2009-04-11T14:27:00.001-07:00

In this past weeks Campus Times I reviewed ABC's revival of Rob Thomas' show "Cupid."

Click here to read the article online.

Or click here to read the PDF version. Scroll to page 9.

"Chuck", Don't Freak Out...Too Late

2009-04-05T23:27:00.000-07:00

For weeks, no months, I have ignored all of the signs. I overlooked the ratings charts. I disregarded the response, “what show is that?” I even bypassed the all of the petitions forming online to save my favorite show.

Follow the link to see what happened when I stopped ignoring.

After reading tv.com’s Top Ten Shows in Danger, and seeing my beloved “Chuck” at not 10, not 5, not even 3, but the number 1 spot, I can say that I have officially begun to freak out. So now that I am in crisis mode, I think rather than panic it’s time to take action. I absolutely refuse to accept that my Monday nights could be sans Awesome’s abs, Jeff’s prison comments, Casey’s tranq darts, Sarah’s slow motion entrances, Chuck’s eyes rolling into the back of his head…well you get the point.

This is my proposal. In the past, endangered shows have sent the networks something relating to the show (Jericho-peanuts, Pushing Daisies-daisies). I propose that we, the Chuck fans, send sunglasses (cheap ones from your local drugstore) or watches (same deal) to the NBC. Why sunglasses and watches?

Well, my brilliant idea is to write on the sunglass lenses saying “Intersect Update, Chuck Renewal for Season 3 Complete,” and on the watches (maybe on a note) “Where’s Chuck now?” (GPS tracking system, get it?). Or any other clever phrase you can think of. Attached to either product, I suggest you attach a note that says “Buy More Seasons of Chuck,” (maybe in the shape of a Buy More t-shirt?).

And to spread more “Chuck” love I will soon be posting an Ultimate-Chuck update with mini-reviews of all the episodes I have missed. I know, you can hardly wait.

In the mean time tell EVERYONE you know to watch “Chuck” on Monday nights at 8pm.

CT, Kings: The Political Soap Opera

2009-04-05T19:29:00.000-07:00

NBC's newest show, "Kings," began several weeks ago and as the TV addict that I am, I added it to my DVR list (seeing as I've got room on Sundays.)

To read my take on the new show check out my Campus Times article.

Click here to read it online.

Or click here to read the PDF version. Scroll to page 19.

Idiot Box Addict MIA?

2009-03-18T12:51:00.001-07:00

You may have noticed that my messages have been sparse and few lately. Well, I just returned from spring break and after I get through my exam on Thursday I am hoping to get back on track with more weekly reviews of shows I've been watching. I've been ridiculously busy with getting caught up with schoolwork but I'm hoping to get back to writing about the shows I live for.

Especially Lost because I have not adequately expressed my love for that show. And Chuck. And HIMYM (which has been fantastic). And 24 (which after my complaints did a 180 and is now edge of my seat awesomeness). So yea....I've got my work cut out for me.

In other news, I am slowly becoming a twitterholic...so follow me on twitter!

I will post when I update this blog in addition to my other random thoughts.

In the mean time, keep watching that idiot box!

CT, Dollhouse: Hit or Miss?

2009-03-02T13:01:00.000-08:00

Joss Whedon's (creator of cult hits Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly and the critically acclaimed Doctor Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog) new show, Dollhouse, is in full swing now. And as a follower of Whedon's fabulous past shows, of course I am watching. Have I decided if I should add it to the list of favorites yet? Read my article in the Campus Times to find out.

Click here for my article online.

Or click here to read my article in PDF version. Scroll to page 13.

CT, Bones: What Makes it Different from Every Other Formulaic Show?

2009-02-23T18:34:00.000-08:00

So if you read my blog a few weeks ago then you know that Bones is basically my new obsession. I decided to share that fact with the rest of my campus in last weeks Campus Times.

Click here to read the article online.

Or click here to read the PDF version. Scroll to page 13. (It says it's continued on page 16, but it means page 15)

CT, Lost: The Ultimate Cult Favorite

2009-02-08T21:13:00.000-08:00

In this past week's Campus Times I wrote a review of Lost so far this season. I mean it's only the best show on TV right now, so I thought it deserved a place in the spotlight. Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Click here to read the article online.

Or click here to read the PDF version. Scroll to page 15.

Had to do the picture that featured Sawyer without his shirt on. What a great hour.

24, "2:00-3:00pm" Am I Missing Something?

2009-02-02T23:24:00.000-08:00

I like 24. I do. I even wrote a nice review of it earlier that I never got around to putting up here. I was pumped by the prospect of Tony’s return. Allison Taylor as president intrigued me. Agent Walker was a welcome addition. Loved the idea of Bill, Chloe, and Jack working together in secret against the corrupt government to save the country. But after this episode I have a few problems with the way things are running over in the world of 24. Follow the jump to hear me out.

1) Correct me if I’m wrong. Dubaku is a known terrorist. Madame President knows this man is the one behind the attacks. The FBI knows he is the one behind the attacks. They have definitely heard his voice. From the point when Jack and Walker were about to infiltrate Dubaku’s headquarters and Jack said “I don’t see Dubaku” followed by “there he is” with a clear image on the screen, it can be assumed that they do know what he looks like. Right? Ok, so, if the FBI knows what he looks like, and they know what he sounds like, why on earth can this man walk into broad daylight surrounded by a crowd of people and not be recognized? And in what conceivable universe can this terrorist have (what appears to be) a nice, every day ordinary girlfriend? Doesn’t anyone read papers? If the situation in Sangala is as dier as President Taylor plays it out to be, you would think this man would plastered all over the international section of whatever fictional paper these people are reading. Which brings me to my next point of complaint.

2) How, I ask you, how is the country not storming the White House the planes that just barely collided on a runway, the two planes that fell from the sky resulting in hundreds of deaths, AND a gas leak in a chemical plant? If I were in that world I would be wondering what the hell is going on. The President has yet to deliver a public statement reacting to any of these attacks. There has been no indication that they have announced to the public that there is even a terrorist threat that is imminent. I mean really, are the people of the country really that ignorant? Are the writers trying to say that Americans don’t pay enough attention? Because even I don’t pay as much attention as I should to politics but hell, I would notice if two planes collided in DC. And then I would be pissed if within the next two hours an evacuation were called for in a random town in Ohio with no attention from the President. And wait, that’s not all. The attack in Ohio was solved for no apparent reason with zero explanation to the public. And that brings me to yes, another problem.

3) What exactly is the national crisis Bauer and company are trying to resolve at this point? In the past the country has been at Jack’s mercy. Which is the reason he stays up for 24 hours at a time to save the nation, wonderful super agent that he is. But really. The CPI device has, for all intensive purposes, been destroyed. Next weeks episode looks like its about…saving the First Gentleman? Sure a noble cause. But what makes it dire? Why is it important for Jack to save him? How does it have an audience on the edge of their seats? Personally I wasn’t even that interested in Mr. Taylor’s subplot. So unless his son was up to some seriously nationally threatening business that we learn about next week, I’m not gonna be too happy. I mean like season changing business. Like the episode in season 4 when the nerve gas canisters were reveled in the airport, or when we realized CTU was being targeted. I want excitement! I want danger! I want Jack Bauer to save the country!

If I am totally missing something, please (I beg you) fill me in. I would love to find out that I’m just forgetting a huge plot point that makes all of what I just wrote irrelevant. If not, I’m praying that the writers of 24 have some wonderful tricks up their sleeves to turn the tables this season. So here’s to hoping they know what their doing over there. Cheers!

CT, What to Watch this Semester

2009-01-22T11:18:00.000-08:00

Classes are back in full swing, books have been bought, snow is consistently purging from the sky, and television scheduling has never been more of a head ache. Must be second semester. In the first Campus Times of the semester I write a very brief overview of the various shows I will be watching this semester. Click here to read the article.

Or click here to read the PDF. Scroll to pages 13-14.

On my to do list of reviews:

1) Lost (which will be an article next week as well as an in depth analysis of the episode)

2) Smallville-the Legion

3) HIMYM

and more....wow, I've got my work cut out for me.

Enjoy and let me know what you think!

What I Did Over My Winter Vacation

2009-01-14T23:57:00.000-08:00

To most people the holidays are a time for family bonding, maybe a trip somewhere warm, an excuse to eat lots of food, and most importantly a week or so of pure relaxation. Well, in the Rosenberg household relaxation means a time to binge watch television. Yes, I got to see lots of family at the various holiday and new years events filled with endless amounts of desserts. And yes, I even got to go down to the Sunshine State to catch some rays. But, a rather embarrassingly large portion of my winter break was committed to watching three and a half seasons of Bones. Beware of minor spoilers after the cut.

Three and a half seasons? Sixty-eight episodes? That would be correct. I had not even intended to have a television marathon, let alone with Bones. My Mom bought the DVDs and we decided to watch the pilot as a family (because that’s what we do). To be honest, I didn’t even think the pilot was that great. The basis of forensic anthropology was unlike anything else I was watching on TV (in a good way), but in the pilot episode it was clear the show had not found its voice yet. Despite the fact that the pilot wasn’t super impressive I decided to try out a second episode, and then a third, and then a fourth. Before I knew it, I was hooked.

In case you don’t already know, Bones is about a forensic anthropologist who teams up with the FBI to solve murderers. The television show is based on the life and works of Kathy Reichs, a best selling author and forensic anthropologist. The idea that this line of work, the study of skeletons and bones, can actually lead to the discovery of how a murderer went down is fascinating. Although sometimes there is so much “techno-speak” that I have no clue what the squints are talking about, it really doesn’t bother me because the characters and their relationships are what make Bones a winning television show.

Emily Deschanel’s portrayal of the unbelievably naïve Temperance Brennan (aka Bones) when it comes to all things pop culture related makes for hilarious dialogue. I mean really, who doesn’t know Scully and Mulder? I didn’t watch X-Files and even I know the dynamic crime-fighting duo. However Brennan’s unique beauty and immense IQ make up for her lack of social skills. Not to mention that she can totally kick ass and pull off holding a gun without looking like she doesn’t have a clue. Gotta love a show with some good girl power.

When Brennan isn’t wasting away the hours in the lab at the Jeffersonian, she is teaming up with the adorably handsome Special Agent Seeley Booth, played by David Boreanaz, or as I like to call him Angel. Now I have to say, as a huge Buffy fan I had a little trouble at first envisioning Boreanaz as anyone but the mysterious vampire who stole Buffy’s heart. However, after several episodes (let alone sixty-eight) Booth’s weird sock choices, self-confident manner, and large heart won me over.

Now, what happens when you take a beautiful, socially awkward forensic anthropologist and partner her up with a handsome, somewhat cocky yet loveable FBI agent? Sexual tension. That’s what happens. And it happens in immense quantities in the best possible way. Deschanel and Boreanaz’s chemistry is undeniable in each and every one of their scenes together Whether they are bickering in the car about the use of psychology versus scientific fact or taking shots in Booth’s office after hours, Bones and Booth clearly have more than a professional relationship beneath the surface. Not to mention the occasional exchange of a long, meaningful stare, or their wonderfully awkward sex conversations. Purely platonic relationship my ass. But I gotta say, any show that can keep the tension up for three and a half seasons without ruining the integrity of the show or pissing off the audience too much gets a thumbs up from me.

What else do I love? Dr. Jack Hodgins (T.J. Thyne) and his conspiracy theories along with his ridiculous love for all things gross: bugs, dirt, even animal crap. The team would not be complete without Zack Addy (Eric Millegan) and his ability to be even more socially awkward than Brennan. Speaking of social awkwardness, Angela Montenegro (Michaela Conlin) brings exactly the opposite to the team. She is pretty, smart, and normal and makes for one of the best TV best friends out there, bringing Brennan back to earth when she gets too caught up in her world of skeletons and bones. Dr. Camille Saroyan brings a similar quality to the forensics lab using her people skills to go between “the man” (whoever that may be, whether it’s lawyers, bosses, etc.) and the squints in the lab. While I did harbor a little hate for her at first due to a certain relationship with an out of bounds agent, at this point I definitely don’t think the team would function without her.

And my favorite latest addition to the show is Dr. Lance Sweets (Freeks and Geeks alum John Francis Daley). As the psychiatrist of partners Booth and Bones, Sweets’ character gets to divulge into the psychology of their relationship while they constantly try to keep him out of the loop. Some of the best moments between the three of them are the ones when Booth and Bones completely ignore Sweets as he attempts to get them talking about their feelings. Even though everyone rips on him for looking so young (constantly driving him to list his credentials) as well as repeatedly insisting that his techniques of psychology are not crucial, Sweets has definitely proven himself. He understands the relationships of the characters and has proven to be pretty useful throughout the investigative work in the FBI. As Angela would say, he really is quite good.

Despite the fact that Bones is one of those shows that follows a formulaic format, (Booth finds some bones where they shouldn’t be, him and Brennan work together to solve the case, tension ensues, etc.) the character relationships and interesting story lines the writers have explored throughout the several past seasons have proven to hold my attention thus far. I am pretty confident that the writers can continue to write compelling stories while delving into the character’s backgrounds and relationships in a way that will keep the audience just as entertained as the past few seasons. There are always more skeletons hidden in the closets of the characters. Personally, I can’t wait to find out the stories hidden in those bones.

The Lists I Didn't Get to Make

2008-12-31T00:52:00.000-08:00

Seeing as I clearly was unable to do my eleven days of New Years, I decided to do a quick write up of other lists I may have put more time into otherwise. But seeing as we have approached the eve of the New Year I don’t have much more time to harp on 2008. I want to ring in 2009 with a fresh start and lots of great, new television to look forward to.

My New Favorite Old Shows
This basically includes shows that I watched on DVD throughout the year that I had not previously seen.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (seasons 1-7)
Bones (season 1)
Friends (seasons 1-8)

The Holiday Wishlist: DVD Style
The things I got and didn’t get for the holiday season.

Damages (season 1)-☺
Mad Men (season 1)-☺
Lost (season 4)-☺
Pushing Daises (season 1)-☹
House (seasons 1-3) *really given to my sister, but we play nice and share ☺
A blu-ray dvd player…yippie! ☺

Most Memorable Episodes of 08
The title speaks for itself.

The Constant-Lost, season 4
Chuck vs. the Seduction-Chuck , season 2 (I actually can’t really chose an episode of Chuck from this season that I like way way better than any other, but this one sticks in my head so…that says something.)
Comfort Food-Pushing Daisies, season 2
The Fight-How I Met Your Mother, season 3
House’s Head & Wilson’s Heart-House, season 4
Goodbye Toby-The Office, season 4

Honorable Mentions
Not necessarily television related but worth a mention in the lists of 2008.

Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog
I’m F***ing Ben Affleck-youtube video
I’m F***ing Matt Damon-youtube video

So what did I miss? Anything else from 2008 that was worth mentioning that I forgot about (which I would definitely believe considering this was what you might call a rushed list)?

The Long Awaited Naughty List

2008-12-31T00:41:00.000-08:00

So I was clearly wrong when I thought I’d be having lots of free time during the holidays. What was I thinking? Between catching up with friends, holiday shopping, and crossing some movies off of the classics list, the blog was kind of placed on the back burner. But now it’s back to business and time to present the Naughty list. So who’s got on Santa’s bad side this year? Follow the link to find out.

Now because I make a strong effort not to watch bad television this is going to be a list composed of the shows, people, networks, or anything else I was disappointed with this year.

ABC for canceling Pushing Daisies. The show entranced me from the start and now that the magic is ending I really unprepared to say goodbye. The final three episodes have yet to be given a spot on the air and I have not had my fair share of pie making and dead-waking for my liking. The characters and relationships have grown immensely this season and I’m extremely sad to have to let them go.
Tim Kring of Heroes for not taking the show in a new direction. The first season of Heroes blew me away. The fast paced story lines, interesting character backgrounds, and action packed episodes made for extremely entertaining hours of television week after week. Then came around season two and something went horribly wrong. I lost complete interest in the characters, hating the so-called “heroes” of the show, and not really understanding who the villains were supposed to be. Even Kring acknowledged his mistakes and promised to do better this year. However, his promise went unfulfilled and he gave us as uninteresting a season as before. While it was slightly better than season two, season three didn’t prove that the show could live up to its freshmen year. Now at the end of the first arc of season three, we are exactly (and I mean exactly) where we began before the show even aired. We’ll see if Mr. Kring can prove himself this time around, but I’m going to keep my expectations low.
Fox for preemptively dooming Dollhouse. Now, maybe the show has had its complications in the pre-production stages, and sure, some critics haven’t given the pilot episode two thumbs up, but still it deserves a fighting chance. Placing the show in the Friday night graveyard doesn’t help.
The Writer’s Strike for destroying several months of television and ruining the run of freshman shows (such as Pushing Daisies). I fully supported the cause of the strike and believed the writers deserved to take a stand for themselves. The consequences of the strike are what disappointed me. I hate reality TV, more than other people probably, but the reality that came out of the strike was particularly bad. The combination of bad reality tv and a lack of real entertainment really put me in a cranky mood for several months and most certainly deserves a spot on this list.
And the ultimate winner, Shonda Rhimes of Grey’s Anatomy for cooking up possibly the worst story line…ever. And not just for sticking with the story, but for believing that it is good! I mean really, a dead guy having sex with a living, otherwise interesting character. It doesn’t even sound good. I don’t think I can really go on to describe how much I hate the story line because it would be a useless rant. But basically, dead ghost Denny + real Izzie + physical contact – a real reason for his being there thus far = BAD.

Agree or disagree? Who or what did you think deserved to land on the naughty list this year?

Making My Lists, Checking Them Twice

2008-12-21T00:19:00.000-08:00

Tis’ the season to make lists. As the holidays swing closer and the New Year approaches the time to take inventory on television of the past year has arrived. And as I am sitting in an airport waiting for a delayed flight I figured no better time than the present to get started. So what will my top tens consist of?

Well, seeing as there eleven days until the New Year, I’ve decided to a list a day plus something special (to be thought of at a later date) on the eleventh day. Now, I’m going on the assumption that I will update everyday for the next eleven days in a row, which I think is conceivable. You know how ABC has the 25 Days of Christmas? Well, Addicted to the Idiot Box now has the Eleven Days of New Years…maybe I’ll come up with a new name later.

So to start spreading the holiday cheer I present to you my Top Six Shows of 2008. Follow the link for to see what made the cut.

Now why six? Well, I chose from the shows that I really consider worthy of a spot. Meaning, I’m most definitely not going to include Gossip Girl. I’m not going to add a show that I feel I haven’t followed enough to know its true status in the realm of good television. Now keep in mind there are plenty of shows that I was unable to watch that I should have (and plan on watching in the near future). However, this is just a short list of the shows I have watched that were particularly noteworthy through 2008.
(To borrow a catch phrase I’m going to do this In No Particular Order just to make things nice.)

The Nice List

Chuck: As you may have noticed, I’m kinda obsessed…just a little bit. If I was impressed by Chuck in it’s first season, the second season has completely blown me away. Each and every episode this year has brought a smile to my face and that is not something I can say about many shows. The already strong cast members continue to grow and improve with each passing episode. Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak, along with an impressive writing team, have proved themselves as geniuses through inspired plots and parallel story lines between the Buy More and Chuck’s spy life. Not to mention stuffing as many pop culture references as possible into a single episode. As Devon would say, this show is “Awesome.” Enough said.
Lost: If you weren’t blown away by season four of Lost, you must have missed something. While season three may have been slow to start, by the time the game changing season finale came around I knew good things were on the way. The show went from aimless and slow, to plot driven and fast. 2008 gave us some of the best episodes of the show to date, possibly some of the best-written hours of television in general. While I’ve grown kind of sick of the Jack/Kate/Sawyer, Desmond and Penny completely make up for that. The mysteries of the island are only just beginning. Even though we found ourselves off the island at the end of season four, in the words of Jack, “We have to go back!”
The Office: The folks at Dunder Mifflin continue to impress me. But, the one employee that made the show this year was Amy Ryan’s Holly. Oh how we miss you. Holly provided the perfect match for Michael, and I’m going to be honest, I did not think it was possible. Amy Ryan was absolutely brilliant and clicked with the cast instantly. The only bad thing I have to say about her stay is that it was far too short. As for the rest of our Dunder Mifflinites, Jim has had some of his best prankings this year from Bill Butlicker to a desk made of cardboard boxes, Phyllis has proved herself as the best head of the party planning committee ever, and Dwight never fails to prove himself as the most amusing character on TV. Working at a paper company may be boring and tedious, but with that group it’s gotta be a little fun, if not crazy once in a while, don’t ya think?
Fringe: Rookie of the year award. Not that there was any other shows in the running. Fringe went from seems interesting, to where is this going, to I have to wait a whole week for another episode?! While the long term plot lines of the story are still some what fuzzy, one thing is for sure, something creepy is going on. Put together the oddly omniscient Massive Dynamic company, a creepy bald guy that is everywhere (click here to see what I mean by everywhere), and one of the best father-son relationships on TV and you’ve got a show that will certainly keep me watching. The chemistry between Joshua Jackson and John Noble makes one of the most amusing and interesting relationships on TV between father and son. I’m even starting to warm up to Ana Torv a little more who has improved drastically in the past few episodes. J.J. Abrams seems to have done it again with a show that can attract new viewers while keeping the followers enticed enough to wonder what on earth the Pattern really means.
Pushing Daisies: My heart breaks as I write this knowing that only three episodes of this fairy tale of a show remain. Every episode this season has been magical and exciting. I still can’t get enough of the intense colors, amazingly creative sets, and perfect costume choices (see episode Comfort Food). And even better, the stories this season have really gotten into the depths of the characters. Bryan Fuller and the creative geniuses working behind the scenes introduced the family trees of the characters in ways that were interesting and out of the ordinary. And who can’t get enough of the star crossed love of Ned and Chuck, the undead and the living, the couple whose romance is adorable yet they frustratingly can’t touch. I’m really going to miss Wednesdays at the Pie Hole, especially since it was just starting to get some new flavor.
How I Met Your Mother: Oh beloved HIMYM, how you entertain my Monday packed nights. This show has continued to impress me even in it’s fourth season. I’ve got to say that I’m glad Stella is gone, not that I didn’t like Sarah Chalke, I just really didn’t see her Teds story tale happily ever after. And I’m totally ok with that. In fact, I think I’m much happier when Ted isn’t trying too hard in a relationship (unless it’s season 2 and he’s with Robin, who we know isn’t the mother). I love the episodes that allow the gang to show their true colors in terms of friendship and character dynamic. In particular, Barney and Robin. Now that is a relationship that interests me. What I’m basically saying is that it doesn’t really matter to me how Ted met the random kids on the sofa’s mother, I care more about the stories between his friends who led him there. That is where HIMYM shows it’s true colors—when a normal night at McLeran’s turns into something legendary.

So...agree? Disagree? Keep in mind I’m not purposely leaving out shows like Mad Men, The Shield, The Wire, and other critically acclaimed shows. I’m only saying I don’t have the credibility to give them a spot on my list…or not this one at least. The Naughty list to come soon. Meanwhile, what were your favorites of 2008?

"Chuck vs. Santa Claus": Ned? Ned Rhyerson?

2008-12-18T00:20:00.000-08:00

Forty-six days (from this very delayed review posting) until Chuck returns from a far too long hiatus through January. Why, oh why NBC do you torture me so? You are leaving us after possibly one of the best episodes of the series to date. And yes, we know Josh Schwartz loves his Christmas (or Chrismukkah) spirit that both Seth Cohen and Chuck Bartowski seem to possess in massive quantities, but really, Mr. Schwartz, you have outdone yourself. Now while I get some tissues to mourn the loss of Chuck for the next month and a half (and to ease my sniffles), you sit back, relax, and click on the link for some spoilers.

Buy More’s winter wonderland really put a smile on my face with the cheery music opening to what seemed to be a “heartwarming” episode of Chuck…for the first half hour at least. And if the Buy More all dolled up in decorations didn’t make you grin, then I’m sure you did at the sight of Morgan in that elf costume as he pleaded, “Do I not look like an adult to you?” I enjoyed seeing the entire Buy More staff decked out in holiday costumes, save Casey and Chuck, from Big Mike’s jolly Santa outfit, to Anna’s shockingly revealing elf costume. And Christmas would not have been complete without Awesome and Ellie making an appearance. Of course, the car would crash into the Buy More directly after Awesome argues that he needs just a little bit more excitement in his life. Gotta love Anna with her initial reaction of “pay up suckers.” You go girl.

As General Beckman gives her report on how to go about this seemingly timid mission, we receive the flawless, “Its an electronics store Major, not Bazra.” Love seeing the General getting some personality in there. I’d also like to point out that by this point in the episode, I totally bought that we were going to be experiencing a “flashless” episode with a comic hostage situation to take us through Christmas. I guess that would make me naïve. But really, I can totally see a happy, comic Chuck episode to take us through the holiday season, can’t you? (What we got was of course better than I could have possibly imagined.)

Then we get our formal introduction to Ned. Ned? Ned Rhyerson? From high school? (Love Groundhog Day, and the perfect name choice seeing as our beloved show does not return until…oh look at that—Groundhogs day!) The writers on this show must have the time of their lives coming up with this stuff. I know I would…a girl can dream right? So we now have two secret entrances from Castle into the Buy More, one being the trap door in the home entertainment room, and two, behind the lockers in the Buy More. Wonder what other goodies we’ll get to discover soon. Casey is certainly made very vulnerable in this episode. First his fingers all cut up from gift-wrapping, and then his first major injury in his career, the loss of a toe. Poor Casey.

Almost half way through the episode at this point with no flashes, no major injuries (Casey minus a toe), general Christmas fun, and Ned proving to be a pretty incompetent criminal yet I’m still loving the episode. Chuck provides the necessary “aw” moment as he gets Ned to allow everyone to call their loved ones. First up we get the thumbs up from Devon saying everything is awesome. Then the pure joy in Lester’s face as he calls the love hotline was too perfect to be true. Jeff’s second prison reference of the episode as he calls Prisoner 27318, aka Mom, is followed by yet another revealing moment for Casey, who hence forth shall be known as Johnny Boy. As for the heart of the episode, Sarah’s face as she watches everyone calling their loved ones was enough to break a heart. Props to Yvonne Strahovski; she gets better each and every week. Now my question is, where are these so called cute nerdy boys who give charm bracelets to their girlfriends, fake or not, because I certainly don’t see any. I may be gushing of my love for the Sarah/Chuck romance a bit much but really, Chuck’s face when he says, “I know” in response to Sarah resisting the emotion filled present. Cue the “aw” cards for the audience.

With the emotion in place, it would make perfect sense for Ned to express his only wish is to celebrate Christmas with his family. Who did you think was gonna leave? My money was on Ellie and Awesome, maybe Lester would have tried to pull an Emmet and get out quick. But when Johnny Boy and Sarah were released my spider sense started tingling. Nothing good could come of Chuck’s protectors leaving his side. Gone for less than 10 seconds and Chuck flashes, in a big, scary, Fulcrum filled way. Only a show like this one, with great actors and great writing, can make the transition from light and fluffy to dark and thrilling without missing a beat.

Again, at this point I still bought that Ned was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Obviously, I was wrong. However, I still hold the belief that Ned was not Fulcrum but someone enlisted by Fulcrum to cause the ruckus at the Buy More and follow Mauser’s orders at any cost. Did I miss something there, was he revealed as Fulcrum at some point or are we just supposed to assume that he’s an agent? Chuck’s sacrifice of himself for his sister was completely believable. This show has made it clear that Chuck almost always puts the safety of his family and friends before his own which is usually where his mistakes come in. That is part of what makes the show work; Chuck’s heart almost always works before his head, which obviously plays a much larger part in the last few minutes.

“Silent Night” has never been as haunting as it was in the maze of Christmas trees as Chuck, Mauser, and Sarah lurked around the shadows. Here is where we see Chuck’s heart work before more rational thinking again as he turns back to…protect Sarah is my best guess. While he may not have had an exact plan in mind, he only had Sarah’s safety on his mind as he chose to turn around. Unfortunately for him, he returned only in time to see Sarah commit murder. Chuck missed Maseur showing absolutely no mercy as he beat Sarah up, and taunting her as he stated that Fulcrum had won and Chuck would never be safe again. Despite this reasoning, I can still see Chuck being upset by watching Sarah kill in cold blood. Throughout the show, we are aware as an audience that Sarah has killed before for her job. In the pilot episode Chuck’s flash shows us that she has killed, in several flashbacks we have learned that she had to poison or shoot for her own safety, but in the present we have not seen her kill anyone while protecting Chuck. I’m looking at this as a very interesting obstacle for the star-crossed couple to overcome. It provides a more “real” reason to keep them apart than the sole fact that they aren’t allowed to be together as their emotions have clearly been expressed to one another through the past few episodes. The hurdle that this Fulcrum agent brought in for the couple is only made larger as Sarah lies looking directly into Chuck’s eyes with a big smile on her face. Trouble is most definitely in paradise. With the end of Christmas at the Buy More, the show closes with the perfect paralleling of Chuck and Morgan’s lives.

Replay worthy moments:

Sarah envying the picture perfect family hanging up in the Orange Orange.
Christmas at the Bartowski’s complete with “eggnog, pjs, fake gas fireplace, and that’s right, twilight zone marathons.”
The entire Buy More staff pointing at Chuck as in charge.
Jeff’s prison rules back in play: “Every man for himself”
Sarah’s perfect delivery of “I’m just scared. I’ve never been this close to a gun before.” Priceless
The reactions of, well everyone, after Chuck yelled “No!” to letting Sarah go.

“Ouch.”

“It’s going to be a cold Christmas at the Bartowski’s.”

“Oh no he didn’t.”

The entire sequence of Awesome’s plan of attack on Ned which deserved much more attention than this but I can only write so much on one episode. To name a few highlights:

Jeff and Lester ready to fight with candy canes.
Morgan jumping out the snow without Anna seeing.
The body slam sandwich of Awesome, Big Mike, and Ned.

Forty-six days isn’t that long right? Right? Let the countdown begin.

My Dad, Buffy, and I

2008-12-14T15:57:00.000-08:00

I think my dad began his attempt to get me to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer sometime in middle school. As a thirteen-year-old girl reading gossip girl and focused on bar and bat mitzvah’s every weekend, I never even considered the concept. Why on earth would I waste my time watching a show about vampires when I could watch The OC? More after the jump.

Then I got to high school and I became infatuated with Veronica Mars. “You know, if you like this, you would love Buffy,” my dad would say. I just rolled my eyes at him. I probably should have listened; at this point I knew that we had similar taste, I just had this preconceived notion that anything with vampires would be, well weird. How could a show about a girl in high school who fights vampires in her free time be anything like a show about a girl in high school who solves mysteries in her free time? Hmm…apparently I failed to see the parallels. I refused to back down from my stand against Buffy.

Three years later with Veronica Mars cancelled and the writer’s strike around the corner, our Tivos began to empty. All of the shows I lived by dropped off the air like flies. One by one, shows like Chuck and Lost were replaced with “Farmer Wants a Wife” and “The Pussycat Dolls 2.” Being the TV addict that I am, I was having major withdrawal from new quality television to satisfy my entertainment needs. So as part of my TV addict strike survival guide I went through the first step of the process. I admitted that there was nothing on TV to watch anymore. That’s as far as I got. If there were any other steps, they were immediately ignored and disregarded. Luckily, I’m not the only addict in my family and my dad has made it his life goal to own as many movies and TV shows as possible. So, one fateful day, I took the journey downstairs to the library of DVDs to see what would win a place as the key to surviving the strike period. In desperation I turned to the show that I had turned my back on for so many years.

I was addicted before the first vampire was dusted. But I didn’t dare say that to my dad, not when I had denied that I would like it all these years. We finished the pilot and he looked at me as if to say, “I told ya so.” And all I said was, “it was all right,” followed by a chill, “we could watch the next one…if you want.” From that day on, with no good shows to occupy our time, my dad and I made a plan to watch at least one episode a day (emphasis on at least) in an attempt to finish the series before I left for college.

Joss Whedon quickly became one of my heroes. Every aspect of the show enamored me. Could Buffy and Angel be together despite their star-crossed love? Would Xander ever realize how many years Willow had been pining for him? How many times would Buffy die and revive throughout the series? Would anyone at Sunnydale High ever go to the library and realize the odd assortment of books and weapons available there?

We didn’t finish all seven seasons before I left for camp. Needless to say, the two months without a Buffy episode was grueling. But within the first three months of school I was watching the last minutes of the final episode with tears running down my face. Every character of Buffy was one that I loved to watch. Whether I enjoyed watching the characters out of hate or out of love, I always wanted to know what would happen to them. That is not something I can say about many shows. Joss’s ability to do an entire silent episode and a musical episode is unparalleled by any show to date. I don’t think any other complete series I have seen thus far in my television-watching career has been as satisfying. Veronica Mars ended too soon. Gilmore Girls screwed up its final season. Smallville…oh wait, that show is still on. Freaks and Geeks I have yet to experience in it's entirety…although by now I should know to trust my Dad’s judgment. Guess that’s next on my list. But shh, don’t tell my Dad or he’ll think I’ve started listening to him.

"Chuck vs. the DeLorean": Anyone got some high-grade Plutonium?

2008-12-10T15:30:00.000-08:00

A DeLorean. Anna returns. Captain Morgan forced to grow up. Chuck works his German accent. Casey shows feeling. Yvonne Strahovski works her emotional magic. What else could I ask for in a Chuck episode? Follow the link to find out.

Not much. As they stated many times throughout the episode, “Chuck vs. the DeLorean” was “personal.” The writers managed to connect the A and B story lines through their “personal” themes, which made the entire story, flow nicely. I was extremely happy to see Anna back with the Nerd Herd in Buymorea. And not only did her return add to the usual atmosphere of the Buy More, but she came back with a plan—to make Morgan grow up. This led to all sorts of fun between Morgan and the Nerd Herders in addition to giving Captain Awesome some great material. I loved how Morgan didn’t even refute Awesome’s insults of his childish lifestyle, but added to it by admitting that he only did his own laundry “occasionally.” Gotta say, I was initially surprised that Awesome would so willingly offer $2500, but then was glad to see that he included 12% interest in the matter. Was it just me, or did Morgan not really seem to understand that concept?

And then of course, as Morgan takes the slow walk of shame towards Anna and his future, Jeff and Lester step in the way. Or more accurately, a spitting image of Back to the Future’s DeLorean drives in the way, at a whopping 22 miles per hour. The introduction of the car was complete with Lester’s Cameronesque speech, a slow pan checking out the car, and the Bueller music. Oh yeah.

Awesome’s realization that his money could not be trusted with Morgan led to some of the best lines of the episode. First, we get Lester and Morgan’s thoughts on what they’d do when they get the car running at 88 piles per hour with high-grade plutonium. Jeff’s daydream of traveling in time to Lester’s birth was perhaps the most disturbing line he has had yet…“I’d love to see the look on your face when you emerge from the vaginal canal.” That is just creepy. And then Morgan enters, sunglasses on, with his new license plate, the DEMORGAN. It doesn’t get better than that. Awesome’s fury was only matched by Anna, who easily gave away their sex life due to Morgan’s refusal to use their money in a more productive manner.

On the spy front, we get to meet Jack Burton, played by Gary Cole. I’m assuming that we called him Jack Burton solely because that is the name Chuck knows Sarah by. But I’m not sure how she explained this to her Dad. Strahovski did a great job with the father-daughter relationship with a past in conning. Chuck’s spy sequence as he followed Sarah on her “personal day” was anything but impressive secret agent-wise, but Chuck-wise it was incredibly funny and realistic. As Mr. Burton relived the glory days of “Angel hair” as a youngster and her superb conning ways, Gary Cole was completely believable as Sarah’s father. Their dynamic together was great, complete with Sarah being ashamed of him while still clearly showing how much she cares about his safety.

Sheik’s arrival invoked Sarah’s security to come out with beautiful results. As Sarah and Jack try to talk their way out of problems with some intimidating men, Chuck brilliantly poses as the solely German speaking Mr. Lichtenstein. A very Carmichael move if you ask me. After Sarah gathered her “con team” on the good side of Mr. Burton, Jack maps out their plan in an extremely thought out manner. Cop face is placed on security detail and Shnook is told to do nothing. Almost like stay in the car but better. The detailed transformation of the hotel into Lichtenstein Enterprises was impressive, withstanding the crooked “N” that almost ruined it all. But no, the “N” did not fail them; in fact they didn’t fail at all. Even when Chuck’s German is jeopardized, they still manage to make the deal and transfer the money. If only Daddy didn’t run away and put the money in the wrong place, everything might have worked out for the best.

But then we wouldn’t have gotten the inspirational speech from Chuck to support Sarah as she deals with her father’s disappearance again. Oh how I love that articulate shnook. Moving on, I wonder if all of the Sarah-centric episodes are going to include a fighting out her feelings with parallels from her past scene. Two for two so far.

The garage roof scene put the icing on the cake of a beautiful episode. We’ve got Sarah’s emotional conflict of interests as she goes to save her con father. Then we have a nice snail paced entrance of the demorgan with Chuck to save the day. Not only did he get Sheik’s account number, but he inadvertently got Morgan the money he needed to pay back Awesome by leaving the demorgan unattended. Casey’s arrival with the crown vic and his cop face on for game put some sprinkles on the icing of the scene. I loved that Casey took no shame as he threw Chuck on the roof of the car and put the handcuffs on with a look of deep enjoyment. Typical.

The final scene really brought closure to the episode. Casey showed true loyalty to Sarah, with a tiny bit of emotion revealed. Morgan warmed up to the idea of moving in with Anna, only to be brought back down with another Bueller moment with yet another out of date car. Then the heart of the episode was revealed as Sarah makes the decision to let her Dad go before the cops arrived. And Dad delivers the perfect fatherly speeches to both Sarah and Chuck. I thought it was really poetic how both Sarah and Chuck have very similar pasts (in different ways), which deepens their relationship in a nice way that isn’t too cheesy. Sarah should listen to Papa Burton, I mean after all he did make a “ten million dollar bet” that Chuck loves her…and he is almost certainly right. It’s only a matter of when. Charlie is the right shnook for Sarah according to Dad. And we all know, father knows best.

Replay worthy moments:

“Aw, that’s sad, you’ve confused me with someone who cares about your life before the intersect.” Typical Casey.
“Welcome to adulthood. We’ve been waiting for you.” Perfect delivery by Captain Awesome.
The many great reaction shots of this episode: Chuck when he see’s the “N”; the faces of Morgan, Lester, and Jeff at the DeLorean; Sarah’s exchange of looks with her dad before shooting him
The demorgan’s arrival and departure to the scene ontop of the garage…scratch that, any scene with the demorgan was great.
Morgan catching Anna’s kiss.

The only thing I really find has been missing from the episodes lately is some quality Chuck, Morgan time. They have great chemistry and haven't been given much lately. Hopefully that will change before our month break. *tear*

So what would you do with the DeLorean (if you could go back in time)? And more importantly, what did you think of this week's Chuck?

HIMYM "The Fight": Lightsabers and Punches

2008-12-08T22:58:00.000-08:00

The past few HIMYM episodes haven’t been quite up to par with their normal level of awesomness…but “The Fight” brought the show back to it’s roots. It brought the show back to what it is good at. Pure funny, not relationship focused or long term stories. One episode, one plot line, all funny. For spoilers follow the cut.

Classic Barney made this episode. Next to Marshall’s family fights…and Robin’s Canadian attraction to scars and lack of teeth. Ok, everything was really on tonight. But we’ll start with Barney. His lack of attention to the conversation with fillers of old black sitcoms was perfection. Even better though, was his attempted seduction of Robin by choosing to fight in order to impress her. Really, when are those two gonna get together? The look on Cobie’s face after she touches Barney’s scar was pure gold. She did a great job throughout the entire episode, from her inappropriate joke (that’s what she said anyone?) all the way through her asking Barney out and then backing down after discovering it was a fake fight: “I got that a…that a…that a…” And that was seven (count em, seven) “that a’s” for those of you who didn’t catch it.

Then we have Marshall. Oh how I love Marshall. The group’s idea of the Erikson brother fights complete with hot cocoa breaks and tickling was priceless. I believed it, which was further enforced by his use of puppets to try and get Lily’s kids to learn about fighting. Gotta love Mahatma Panda and Martin Luther Koala. But even better was the truth about Marshall and his brothers. Brutal, hard metal packed fighting, in the living room nonetheless. I knew Marshall had it in him.

Replay Worthy Moments:

Barney punching himself and Ted...and Ted crying.
Barney’s girl scream as he run’s away from the second fight scene.
What Marshall was doing while Ted and Barney were fighting:

“Your nails”
“Relationship quiz in this months Cosmo”
“Your best not to cry when Big came back for Carrie at the end of the Sex and the City movie” (spoilers much? Agreed Marshall)
“The captain of the football team because he gave you his promise ring and you looked so pretty in your open back homecoming dress.”

Marshall using a light saber to carve the turkey

Were you as glad to see the old HIMYM back as me?

CT, 24: Redemption, Bauer is Back

2008-12-04T08:41:00.000-08:00

In the last Campus Times of this semester, I review the two hour television event of 24: Redemption. Overall, I really enjoyed watching Bauer in action again. My only issue with it was that it didn't have that nail biting, edge of your seat, suspense that 24 is usually able to express. But...if the movie didn't provide that, the first 17 minutes of episode 1 certainly did (buy the dvd or search you tube for that treat). Click here to read my article online.

Or click here to read it in PDF form. Scroll to page 15.

Procrastination 101...Chuck Style

2008-12-03T22:12:00.001-08:00

I couldn't resist. Take your pick (no pun intended)...which is your favorite iPhone photo from Chuck's phone?

a) John Casey's infamous growl

b) Sarah Walker with the pigtails from the unmatched "weinerlicious" costume

c) Captain Awesome...being, well awesome.

"Chuck vs. the Gravitron": Where Can I Get an iPod Compatible Nerd Herder?

2008-11-25T12:37:00.000-08:00

Can the geniuses behind Chuck please come out and take a bow? The writers behind the best show on tv appear to be able to do no wrong. (*knock on wood*) Chuck is the one show on television that I can consistently count on to provide me with entertainment from all angles. I mean every single angle—it’s like I’m walking around in that fun house of mirrors and in every single mirror the tv show doesn’t fail to entertain me. Whether we are watching Lester twitch at the idea of a real turkey for Thanksgiving, Ellie obsessively cleaning in preparation for the “Very Awesomes” to arrive, or watching Sarah’s never failing, heart wrenching looks at Chuck. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Spoilers after I watch the very familiar Ferris wheel scene from The OC.

I don’t think I can actually describe my conflicted emotions throughout the entire episode last night. Yes, the little voice in the back of my head was saying the whole time that Jill was evil, but from her shooting “Leader” to the lie detector test, my heart just kept jumping in and out of my shirt. Her speech in the fun house of mirrors really had me going there for a minute. Especially after choosing not to shoot Chuck on the Ferris wheel (note the cheesy, yet awesome line “you broke my heart, do you have to shoot it too?”). But then, in that moment when she asked Chuck to let her out of the chair so she could kiss him I knew she was an evil, conniving, Fulcrum agent with her own self interest at heart. Sure, it’s possible that she got in too deep and didn’t know what she was doing anymore, but in my book Jill is a betrayer and always will be. Maybe it’s the Chuck+Sarah support talking, but I am so glad Jill is out of the picture…for now.

And the path to getting Jill out of the picture. You know how people say that when you break up and see an ex there is a clear winner and a clear loser? Well, even though Chuck still works at a Buy More and isn’t exactly where he wanted to be in life at this point (shown clearly by Chuck vs. the Ex), by the end of this episode Chuck is the winner. Chuck wins with flying colors. Not only did he get revenge on backstabbing, betraying Jill, but he did it in the geekiest most Chuck way possible. He used his inner nerd to it’s fullest while getting some of that Chuck charm in there that we have come to know and love. And what made the moment great was while Sarah’s explanation of how Jill would catch Chuck at his most vulnerable moment was exactly how Jill got Chuck’s false trust twice in the episode, it was also the exact method Chuck used to trick Jill at the end. Classic.

Now aside from the great Chuck/Jill arc that closed off this week, the action and comedy of the episode were in full swing as well. I think that the carnival scene is one of the best action sequences Chuck has done thus far. From the scene in the Gravitron (which I refuse to ever go on) with Chuck and “the Leader’s” fight while trying to move around the walls, to the suspense of the scene in the fun house, every scene was done beautifully and artistically. Then there’s Chuck’s seemingly genius use of the Castle’s instruction manual to get them out their sticky situation. That boy knows his way around a computer, and clearly not just the one stuck inside of his head. I am constantly impressed by the ways the writers are making Chuck more and more competent as a spy while keeping his dork in check. Like Chuck said last week, “The running, jumping, shooting people part of the job, that’s all you guys. But the puzzles, that’s all me.” I think he can add instruction manual reading talent and computer expertise to his list of skills that come in handy while on the job.

And let’s not forget our Buy More friends, most notably speedy and loyal boss, Big Mike. His running scenes never fail to make me crack up…especially while wearing a fantastic fishing outfit. The tie-in of Big Mike believing Casey was protecting the Buy More could not have been done any better. In addition, Ellie’s freak-out about Devon’s parents coming for Thanksgiving was not only believable, but also hysterical and showed us a side of Sarah Lancaster that we hadn’t really seen yet. I plan on going back to see exactly how many times she said awesome in that one sequence.

Chuck seemed to hit every mark this week. And even if there are some things that I can find loopholes in, or questions about where the show is gonna go in the future, I gotta say…I really don’t care right now. I am so happy with the way this season is going that I am perfectly fine in believing every aspect of the Chuck world, from Buymoria to Spy Land. Every story line keeps me intrigued, whether my heart is pacing, my laughter is uncontrollable, or my eyes are slightly tearing up. That’s not something I can say for any other show out there.

Other moments I loved:

After checking: Ellie and Chuck’s conversation used the term awesome five fabulous times.
Ellie got a slow-mo sequence with the turkey…and the fact that she threw out a perfectly good turkey to Morgan horror.
Jeff tripping over his own trip wire and the goodbye between Morgan and Leseter.
“Unleash the Casey”
"You're under arrest Jill--and I'm breaking up with you"

Do you agree? Or am I caught under the Chuck spell? What are your thoughts?

CT, Save Pushing Daisies

2008-11-20T10:28:00.000-08:00

With the never-ending influx of negative rumors concerning the looming cancellation of ABC's fairy-tale fantasy Pushing Daisies, I give my opinion on why the show is worth watching and why you should tune in to see what your missing. Click here to read my article.

Or click here to read the PDF version. Scroll to page 15.

CT, Grey's Unceremoniously Sends Dr. Hahn Packing

2008-11-18T21:15:00.000-08:00

And with this post, we are finally caught up with all of my Campus Times articles thus far.

In this article I discuss how Dr. Erica Hahn was let go from the cast of Grey's Anatomy without a proper goodbye. Most people speculate that this informal departure had to do with the relationship she had been building with co-worker Callie...unethical much? Click here to read the full article.

Or click here to download the PDF file. Scroll to page 14.

CT, Chuck and it's Awesomeness, Enough Said.

2008-11-17T23:21:00.000-08:00

Short anecdote. While watching tonight's episode of Chuck, my two friends and I were literally off of our chairs, shouting at the top of our lungs while the RA knocked on the door telling us to quiet down, as we yelled shut up completely entranced by one of the best episodes of Chuck to date...but I'm getting ahead of myself.

Here is my Campus Times article about why Chuck is the best show on TV that you're probably not watching.

And if you would prefer to read from the PDF file, click here and scroll to page 13.

CT, PB&J: A TV Relationship that Works?

2008-11-17T10:33:00.000-08:00

Spoiler Alert: Can Jim and Pam prove that television relationships can actually work once the unresolved tension is...well, resolved? Click here to find out.

CT, Fall Preview: Thursdays

2008-11-16T23:10:00.000-08:00

So here is the final installment of my fall preview that appeared in the Campus Times. I don't talk nearly enough about The Office in this article, but don't worry that will be made up for later. I spend most of the time discussing what Smallville has been doing wrong for the past few seasons. I must say that I have been pleasantly surprised this season (probably due to my extreme low expectations). Enjoy the end of the fall television lineup here.

CT, Fall Preview: Tuesdays and Wednesdays

2008-11-14T08:47:00.000-08:00

Continuing with the fall lineup, I present my take on Tuesday and Wednesday television shows here. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Pushing Daisies which has not been favored in the rumor-mill lately concerning its continuation on the air. Everyone turn in next Wednesday and watch to save this incredibly creative and unique television show. If the amazing sets and characters aren't enough to entice you, how about the wonderful narration by Jim Dale (narrator of the Harry Potter books on tape). Enjoy and let me know what you think!

CT, Fall Preview: Mondays

2008-11-13T07:53:00.000-08:00

My next featured article is a three part Fall Preview of television shows. First we have the wonderful plethora of Monday night television. Monday night TV is what gets me through that first day back to work after a nice a relaxing weekend. Read what shows make my Mondays here.

CT, Gossip Girl

2008-11-12T15:00:00.000-08:00

My first ever published article in the Campus Times was actually on one of my least favorite shows, Gossip Girl. Ironic, huh? Despite my dislike for the show, many, many others are obsessed and I thought it would be a good way to grab the attention of the readers. You can find my article here. Feel free to comment and let me know what you think or if you have any suggestions for future Campus Times topics.

P.S. In the future, I will also post the link for the PDF version of the Campus Times with the page number of my article in case you like reading off of a newspaper format better, or maybe the pictures just make it more fun :)

Hi. I'm Becky and I'm a TV Addict...

2008-11-11T22:34:00.000-08:00

A typical family dinner on a weeknight at my house: "Turn off the TV." Silence. "I said turn of the TV girls." The characters on the show continue to talk while my sister, Dad, and I exchange glances. Then things really start to heat up. My Mom would continue her lecture on how we never listen to her and how dinner is a family time and how she wants to hear about our days and our lives, etc, etc. Finally my dad would jump in, "Ok turn off the TV." Then one of us would turn it off. "Oh so you listen to him!" Then we'd hear the drama about how she feels like she gets no respect from us and we never listen to her even though she always does everything for us, etc, etc. And then, after this twenty-minute ordeal, we'd sit down to one of our many memorable family dinners.

After any lecture such as this one I remember always hearing about the idiot box. My Mom would tell us how Grandma always told her and her siblings to shut off the idiot box. Why are you watching the idiot box? The idiot box is a piece of junk. No idiot box during dinner. Sound familiar?

Well, now a full-fledged college student and living on my own, I am the proud owner of my very own idiot box (shared with my fabulous roommate). We even have an idiot box recorder. Good thing too, because I think my brain would self-destruct without it. I'm what you could call a television addict. Yes, that's right. I admit it. I'm addicted to the idiot box.

You could even say that I somewhat live through the TV shows that I watch. I go to the same bar every Monday night with the gang of How I Met Your Mother. In the same night I (reluctantly) go to the Upper East Side with a bunch of snobs and meet a bunch of people with different abilities from all over the world. But the best part of the night is heading over to the Buy More and going undercover with Chuck, Sarah, and Casey to save the world, one flash at a time. Yea, I'm a busy girl when it comes to Monday nights. Places to be, people to see. Other days of the week I head to the basement of Harvard University to learn about Fringe science, I solve murderers with a guy who brings the dead back to life and bakes pies, I play pranks on Dwight with Jim and Pam while not selling Dunder Mifflin paper, I save lives with the doctors at Seattle-Grace Hospital, and save...well not the world, but Metropolis, with...well not Superman, but Clark Kent. Clearly, life without Tivo would be like me living in my own personal hell.

So, why start a blog? It was my Mom's idea. Since arriving at school I have started writing for the Campus Times. I basically just write about whatever I want that has to do with television...that's the life, eh? I'm insanely jealous of those people that actually get paid for that sort of thing. So here's some things I plan on including:

All of my Campus Times articles
Thoughts about shows (on the air) that I'm watching
Thought about shows that I'm watching on DVD or shows that I love that are no longer on the air (which I have many of and never get to write about)
Occasionally some random stuff--good movies, good books, etc.

Now the key word was that these are the things I plan on including. Chances are I won't actually get to update this as often as I would really like to, but you can generally count on it at least once a week. Feel free to comment and let me know what you think, if there's another show I should be watching, or any other thoughts you may have! In the mean time, keep watching that idiot box!