Ramblings of TV Addicts

Firefly: I am now a Browncoat

2012-01-22T19:46:00.004-05:00

I randomly had this idea to watch a bunch of cancelled-too-soon shows, and what better show to start with than the show that's on every top 10 cancelled-too-soon list: Firefly.

Firefly is a show created by Joss Whedon in 2002. It's usually referred to as a sci-fi western show, but I think that label makes it sound lame when it is far from that. It's technically science fiction because it's set in the future, space travel is possible, they live on a space ship, humans have colonized other planets and moons, there's some advanced technology, etc. The western part refers to some of the costumes, music, scenes and settings, I suppose. So if that's how you define a show, then Firefly is a sci-fi western.

What makes the show great is the little stuff that add up. The intricacy of the Firefly verse is amazing. Joss Whedon basically created different worlds and envisioned how politics, cultures, business, crimes, language, etc. would play out in this verse. The main characters are robust characters with their own histories and personalities - although the short stint left many avenues unexplored. The props and effects were great too. Nothing too fancy, because sometimes "fancy" just comes off as cheesy.

Firefly lasted 14 episodes, and not all of them even made it on the air. And yet there are still Firefly panels in some conventions every now and then. There are still people out there referring to themselves as Browncoats. Television writers are still alluding to it on their shows (Community, The Big Bang Theory, Castle, etc.) Even the cast is still talking about it. I didn't think I was going to get sucked into the mania, but I did. I'm a Browncoat.

One of the biggest reasons? The cast. The casting was just perfect. When I started the show, they were Castle, Jessica from Suits, Alpha, the guy from Chuck, and the wife from Homeland. (Summer Glau has always been Summer Glau lol.) But now, I think I might always see them as the Captain, Zoe, Wash, Jayne and Inara.

Marathon of: American Horror Story

2012-01-22T17:09:00.000-05:00

Out of nowhere I had a dream about Dylan McDermott a week ago and I took it as a sign that I subconsciously wanted to watch American Horror Story. I had no previous interest in it, especially since it's created by Ryan Murphy, the creator of Glee, and I get so angry with that show but I decided to give American Horror Story a shot anyway.

Not surprisingly, the show has a weak plotline, unanswered questions, and more and more characters get added with each episode but it somehow all works. There's so much crazy shit happening and I like watching it just to scare myself. The Rubber Man has the uncanny ability of making me laugh and feel creeped out at the same time. And the credits are probably the scariest part of the show. I have to fast forward every time that creepy music and those flashes of random pictures pop up.

On a sidenote, I can't believe Dylan McDermott is 50! I never would have guessed. I could never work as those "Guess Your Age" booths you see at carnivals. I'm terrible at it.

Glee 3x02

2012-01-20T03:28:00.010-05:00

Glee is not really one of the TV shows I would place at the top of my To Watch list. I feel like they try too hard to make the show inspiring to the point that it's like they're forcing rainbows and unicorns down our throats. However, something about my love for amazing covers of already-amazing songs makes me want to watch the new episodes with hopes that I'll come across something that is like an orgasm to my ears. For example, their mashup cover of Adele's "Rumour Has It" & "Someone Like You" (in 3x06) was amazing - I loved it, overplayed it, and still love it!

It appears I will be raping the play button again for yet another one of their covers from this week's episode. Really loving their rendition of David Guetta ft. Usher's "Without You"! Their cover of Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris' "We Found Love" wasn't shabby either, but I'm definitely loving "Without You" more - probably because I like that song more to begin with.

So yes, it appears I have found the answer to my question. Why do I keep watching Glee? THIS is why.

New Girl: The Return of the Douchebag Jar

2012-01-18T17:05:00.003-05:00

Source: paralysedbeaver

I haven't been a big fan of New Girl. Actually, I'm still not really a fan, but last night's episode wasn't too bad. At least the parts with the douchebag jar. The jar is probably my favourite character on New Girl.

My TV No-nos

2012-01-17T14:50:00.004-05:00

I think I have a pretty good tolerance for shows. I'm the type who's willing to give shows second or third chances, but here are some deal breakers for me.

1. Incestuous Relationships In a Group of Friends
I hate shows in which everyone's slept with everyone else. It's just annoying for me. Don't get lazy, writers. Introduce some new characters! (On a weird note: actual incest is less annoying for me. But that's probably because I've only seen it on good shows.)
Culprit: Gossip Girl (This hookup chart was created a year and a half ago. It's a lot worse than that now.)

2. Storylines Befitting Soap Operas
May or may not include: stalkers, stalker-kidnappers, stalker-murderers, murder cover-ups (done wrong), people coming back from the dead, long lost siblings coming back from the dead, secret affairs, secret love children, etc.
Culprits: One Tree Hill, Gossip Girl

3. Overhypedness
This is more of the fan's fault than the show creators themselves, but it's still a deal breaker for me. When everyone acts treats one show like the savior of primetime television, and I don't get it, I just start feeling left out and confused. And then I give up on the show. And eventually start hating it.
Culprits: Glee, New Girl

4. Procedural Shows with No Overarching Storyline
When a procedural show's episodes don't relate to each other, I see no problem in missing a couple episodes here and there. Next thing you know, I'm missing a full season. And then I let the show go completely.
Culprits: Criminal Minds, Law and Order: SVU

5. Procedural Shows with Complicated Overarching Storylines
This usually happens to keep a show going a few seasons past its due date. Writers start throwing random things into the show to keep things interesting. It just gets too complicated for me.
Culprit: Burn Notice

Friday Night Lights = Forever My Favourite

2012-01-07T17:43:00.000-05:00

Whenever I'm asked what my favourite TV show is, my answer is always, without hesitation, Friday Night Lights. It's been almost a year since the final episode aired and it got me wondering whether the show is actually as good as I remember. Over the years, I've collected all 5 seasons of Friday Night Lights on DVD but I've never had the urge to watch them. They just sit on my shelf untouched. I feel like a bad FNL fan; I don't remember specific episodes, I don't even know what year the Panthers won State.

With a two week winter break, I downloaded way too much and reached 75% of my bandwidth capacity. To resist the temptation to start another TV show, I decided to re-watch Season 1 of Friday Night Lights. I know it's been said a million times but the show is about so much more than just football. A couple episodes in and I fell in love with the show all over again. The reason why I can't remember what happens in each episode is because FNL is not like a regular show. The plot is secondary. It's all about the characters and following their lives and the choices they make and seeing them grow. You become a resident of Dillon, Texas and you can't help but get caught in the hoopla and cheer for the Panthers.

I've started to grow an appreciation for more of the characters after the re-watch. I still love Matt Saracen and all of his shyness and awkwardness and it's impossible to resist the charm of Tim Riggins and Coach Taylor. This time around though, I've started to care more about Jason Street and Lyla Garrity, characters that used to somewhat annoy me. To have your entire hopes and dreams crushed in one moment is absolutely devastating and I can only imagine how much strength it takes to move on and stay optimistic.

No other show has as much heart as Friday Night Lights and no other show has made me cry this much - there's been tears for the sad moments but also for the happy moments and the inspiring moments. I'm not talking about just a tear or two but completely ugly sobbing tears.

Friday Night Lights deserved all the awards. Every single one of them. I'm looking forward to continuing my re-watch.

Characters of The Lying Game

2012-01-05T19:36:00.024-05:00

The Lying Game is the sister show of Pretty Little Liars, which is pretty much the only reason I started watching it to begin with. Horrible reason, I know. The only other thing I know about this show is that it is based on a series of novels written by the same author as the one who wrote Pretty Little Liars. Quite frankly, I don't even know why I'm still watching this show because I have gotten REALLY frustrated watching how the characters handle their situations. If I were to describe those moments with one word, the word would be "stupid". I found myself asking, "WHY?" so many times that when I finally caught up to the most recent episode, I was mentally through with the show.

Emma Becker (Alexandra Chando): The unfortunate twin who was stuck in the foster care system and in a terrible home until her twin sister found her. She is forced to fool everyone into thinking she is her twin sister, Sutton, while Sutton runs around trying to solve the "mystery". As someone who grew up in a different environment, her personality differs greatly from Sutton's - she is nice instead of bitchy, and grateful for being able to live comfortably with wealth, and a family who seemingly cares a lot about her. Why...?!: Why are you STILL whiny about not being able to pretend to be your twin?! Why are you so indecisive? Why don't you see how much Ethan loves you?! Why didn't you tell Ethan about that creep?! Why did you just let that creep kiss you?!?! Why are you acting like it's the end of the world?

Sutton Mercer (Alexandra Chando): The fortunate yet ungrateful twin, she was adopted by the wealthy family while her twin sister was left in the foster care system. Just by comparison, you'd think she'd be more grateful of her situation. Nope. She is bitchy, slightly possessive, and is a slut (slept with her best friend's brother, Thayer, just because). I'm sure that exactly how she's meant to be portrayed, given that she was spoiled growing up. I'll give it to her for knowing something was wrong in her family and wanting to find her real birth mother. I'll also admit that her bitchiness appears for valid reasons. However, she goes a little overboard with that most of the time. Why...?!: Why are you hating on your own twin sister when all she did was do what you told her to (aside from the stealing-your-boyfriend part)?! Why are you being such a stuck up crazy bitch?! Why don't you think about your actions?!

Laurel Mercer (Allie Gonino): The character I like the most on the show because it appears she's the only one with some common sense, and doesn't do anything highly ignorant. I like her chill attitude and how she can take it when she gets in trouble or when she doesn't get any attention. She has her fair share of teenage desires, like sneaking out to hang out with the boyfriend and going to parties, but she knows what she's doing and has it all under control. All of this explains why I am kind of unhappy that she's in a relationship with a seemingly perfect guy, who has ulterior motives in relation to the "mystery" at hand. I hope for her sake that regardless of what his relation is to the twins, he still sincerely likes Laurel because she's in way too deep right now and I sense disaster coming her way. Why...?!: WHY SO EASY?

Madeline Rybak (Alice Greczyn) (left) and Char Chamberlin (Kirsten Prout) (right): They're alright, except I think they fail at not noticing the drastic change in their best friend, Sutton (who is actually Emma). There have been a couple times in the show when they play the best friend card, saying that Sutton (Emma) doesn't care about them anymore, but I think that at the same time, they failed as friends to see that there is clearly a lot going on in Sutton's life and if anything, the friendship has changed for the better since Emma is more caring anyway. Why...?!: Why is Mads telling her evil dad so much unnecessary information? Why is Mads blaming Sutton/Emma for everything that goes wrong when ironically, it's kind of her own fault?! Why does Mads get to pounce on that fine piece of ass, known as Eduardo (Rick Malambri)??

Alec Rybak (Adrian Pasdar): He plays quite an important role in the show. Alec is the master villain with all the lies that have been weaved relating to the truth about Sutton and Emma's birth mother and what had happened to her. He is also Mads and Thayer's dad. Don't even know what he did yet or what he's got to hide, but as the D.A. of the town, he's got the authority to screw everything over to his liking. Why...?!: Why so evil? Why so creepy? Why so manipulative, even to your own son and daughter?! Why you try to kill sexy Eduardo?! =(

Ethan Whitehorse (Blair Redford): The attractive bad boy of the show. I would agree more with that statement if he would just cut his ugly floppyass hair. Seriously. But in any case, he isn't THAT much of a bad boy considering how head over heels he is for Emma. He can be decisive in what he wants and handles some things with a certain degree of intelligence. However, it appears that the second Emma is in the picture, that all flies out the window. Also, if you were to think about this realistically, he's kind of an ass for cheating on Sutton, even if Sutton cheated on him too. And what's even worse, with her sister...her TWIN sister. Ouch. Why...?!: Why you no cut hair?! Why do you just follow Emma around and let her do ignorant things?! Why are you letting your brother get into your head?!

I would say that these few characters have stood out the most thus far into the show. Maybe this show is just not meant for someone like me to watch because I feel like I have a lot of complaints. It's probably just the dislike of juvenile ignorance and stupidity. There was a lot of that in the last episode I watched. I'm most likely going to give the show a few more chances at redeeming itself in my eyes, but I'm definitely ready to drop it like it's hot.

Show Catch-up: Lost Girl

2012-01-05T10:43:00.003-05:00

Why I wanted to watch this show: I was looking for something that wasn't too serious but I also wasn't in the mood for sitcoms. (I just finished a rewatch of Friends and nothing is going to live up to that.) I follow echofades on tumblr and her taste in television is just awesome. I watched Leverage and Castle because of her, so when she recommended Lost Girl, I trusted her.

What I like about the show: The main character of the show is a succubus who basically feeds off people's sexual chi, but that's not what the show is all about. The first few episodes are kind of sexually charged, but it tempers out a bit and becomes more about the secret mystical creatures (called the Fae) that live among the humans and all the politics involved. Plus, the main character has great chemistry with a couple people (so far) so I can't even pick one OTP.

Why I would recommend this show to other people: It's funny and entertaining. And it's Canadian! I feel so patriotic, watching this show. Also, I like that this show doesn't focus on just two or three supernatural species (like vampires and werewolves) so they don't have to weave complicated histories about each species. When Lost Girl deals with history, it's either one person's past or the Fae political history.

New Addiction: The Secret Circle

2012-01-02T19:16:00.004-05:00

Without realizing it, I have become slightly addicted to The Secret Circle. When I first watched the Pilot episode, I thought it might just be a lame show about teenage witches mixed in with some Pretty Little Liars type of thrill (which seems to be popular lately in teenage shows). However, as I kept watching, more interesting things started building up in the plot, making me really intrigued for more!

I think the main character of the show, Cassie Blake (played by Britt Robertson), is really pretty! In fact, a lot of the cast is pretty, especially when the camera brings out the colour of their eyes! I feel like it really adds a lot to the eeriness and intensity of the situation at times. Her developing relationship with Adam (Thomas Dekker) is cute, but I like the attraction she has with Jake (Chris Zylka), the "bad boy" of the show, thus far. I also like how they focus on the relationships of the other cast as well! I'm kinda sad that they killed off one of the "members" already, because I was starting to really like the relationship that was developing for him/her.

Another thing I like? Their clothes. Is it weird that I watch shows sometimes just to see their cute outfits? Obviously not realistic though. It just doesn't make sense to be prancing around all over the place in heels, especially when you're trying to run away from something/someone, hide, or snoop around somewhere.

I would say the show is geared towards teenagers, what with their complicated relationships and stuff, but the plot lines multiply when the adults of the show are involved as well! Combined together, there is plenty of room for curiosity as to what will happen next. Not to mention, I find myself getting chills for certain episodes because they do a pretty good job with the thrill factor. I can't wait until the next episode airs (in 3 days)!

The Men of Being Erica

2011-12-31T01:56:00.000-05:00

Ethan (Tyron Leitso), Kai (Sebastian Pigott), Adam (Adam Fergus)
It's so hard to find good pictures of the cast!

I finally got around to watching the fourth and final season of Being Erica. I don't always agree with Erica's opinions and I got tired of all the life lessons from her time travelling but if there's one thing that Being Erica is good at, it's the eye candy. I don't know what they all see in Erica but she's had some pretty great boyfriends over the years.

Ethan: In the first two seasons, I loved Ethan. He's a bit of an introvert who prefers predictability. He's someone I could relate with and while he was a bit of a bore (when it comes to TV characters), Ethan is the type of guy I could see myself being happy with.

Kai: Oh, Kai. He's romantic and spontaneous and my heart melts every time he picks up his guitar and sings. There's the small problem of him being from the future though...

Adam: I'll admit, I was a not a fan of Adam when he first appeared on the show. The relationship between him and Erica felt so forced, and then a haircut changed everything; suddenly Adam got hot and I started to care a lot more about him. Haha, I'm so superficial. I like that he was a tough guy who turned out to be pretty sweet. The Irish accent helps too.

I always go back and forth on who I like the most with Erica but after seeing each one of them in the final season, my pick would be for Kai. I loved that Ethan came back for an episode and fixed his friendship with Erica, and Adam and Erica will always be able to share stories about their time-travelling therapy, but there's just something special about Kai. They're each other's one true love! So what if they live in different timelines? They could have made it work.

Top 10: TV's Hottest Guys

2011-12-28T16:28:00.000-05:00

There's a generous amount of hot men on TV this year. Here's my list of guys that made me smile everytime they popped up on screen.

10. Lincoln Lee, Fringe (Seth Gabel)
I love both the confident Lincoln from the alternate universe and the dorky Lincoln from this universe. It's like getting the best of both worlds. I can't wait for everyone to start remembering who Peter is and for Olivia to fall in love with Peter again but I wouldn't mind if Lincoln and Olivia ended up together in at least one of the universes.

9. Jackson Avery, Grey's Anatomy (Jesse Williams)
If it weren't for Avery, I'm not sure I would still be watching Grey's Anatomy. I used to be a huge fan of Lexie and Mark being together but Avery was so happy with Lexie. It broke my heart when she broke up with him. How could she resist those gorgeous eyes of his? And those abs...

8. Silas Botwin, Weeds (Hunter Parrish)
Ever since Silas cut his hair, my interest in Weeds increased. Silas doesn't always make the smartest decisions but at least he's pretty to look at. Plus, the fact that Hunter Parrish can sing makes him so much more attractive. I'm still bitter that he didn't perform the day I saw Spring Awakening in NYC.

7. Prince Charming/David Nolan, Once Upon A Time (Josh Dallas)
Who can resist Prince Charming? He's like the perfect gentleman! And Josh Dallas has a way of lighting up the screen. It's impossible to resist his charm. I've seen this scene of David and Mary Margaret so many times and every time at 1:20 when he smiles, I smile.

6. Tyler Lockwood, Jeremy Gilbert, Matt Donovan, The Vampire Diaries (Michael Trevino, Steven R. McQueen, Zach Roerig)
Forget Stefan and Damon. I'm all for the supporting actors on the show. Jeremy got super hot over the summer and I demand more screen time of Tyler and Matt. I'm bored with the love triangle between Elena and the Salvatore brothers.

5. Will Gardner and Cary Agos, The Good Wife (Josh Charles and Matt Czuchry)
Will has this swagger and charm, it's hard not to like him. And Cary has the face of the boy next door. I really miss the days when Cary worked at Lockhart/Gardner. Can we go back to Season 1 when the office was filled with sexual tension?

4. Sheriff Graham/The Huntsman, Once Upon A Time (Jamie Dornan)
Boy's got a beautiful face; there's a reason why he was a model. I refuse to believe that he's died on Once Upon A Time. It's a fantasy show; he has to come back somehow! He's just too pretty to be killed off.

3. Ben Epstein, How To Make It In America (Bryan Greenberg)
Ben is absolutely adorable and such a good friend who's always trying to do the right thing. You can't help but root for the guy. It sucks that the show got cancelled just as it looked like Crisp was about to find some success in the fashion world. Find another TV show please, Bryan Greenberg!

2. Harvey Specter, Suits (Gabriel Macht)
I didn't expect to rank him so high but the more pictures of Harvey Specter that I looked at, the more I found myself wishing Suits could come back faster. I've always been a sucker for a confident man who can wear a suit well.

1. Steve McGarrett, Hawaii Five-0 (Alex O'Loughlin)
Not really a huge surprise that he's number one on my list. He's the highlight of my Monday nights. I like my guys rugged and manly. Surprisingly, I like his American accent more than his native Australian accent.

Marathon of: Hart of Dixie

2011-12-24T15:35:00.001-05:00

Hart of Dixie was just the type of show I was looking for this Christmas holiday. I needed a break from all the blood and serial killing in Dexter and I didn't want to start the new season of Top Chef, which can stress me out sometimes. Set in the small town of Bluebell, Hart of Dixie reminds me a lot of Gilmore Girls; there's just something very heartwarming about small town life.

To me, Rachel Bilson plays a continuation of Summer Roberts from The OC. She graduated from university and moved on to becoming a doctor. I really liked Summer though so I'm not complaining. I'm also really liking Scott Porter on the show. I'm not sure why, but I was never a big fan of him as Jason Street on Friday Night Lights but he's just so sweet on Hart of Dixie. And then there's Wade (played by Wilson Bethel), who is darn hot. Usually when there's a love triangle, I have a favourite but I really can't decide who I want Zoe to be with.

Hart of Dixie and Gossip Girl are on at the same time in Canada so now I'm not sure which one to continue watching. If it weren't for the possibility of Dan and Blair on Gossip Girl, it would be an easy decision.

Marathon of: Downton Abbey

2011-12-23T00:40:00.001-05:00

Source: bluevein

I never expected to enjoy Downton Abbey as much as I did since I don't usually watch period pieces but Downton Abbey is like a sophisticated soap opera. With such a large cast, the show does a really good job in giving everyone a storyline and getting you to care about each character. Also, the dresses and the interior of Downton Abbey are gorgeous. I think I would have enjoyed living as upper class in the early 1900s.

My favourite part of Downton Abbey are all the romances. I've always been a fan of couples that shouldn't be together so it's a given that I would obviously love the relationship between Lady Sybil and the chauffer, Branson.

"Will you wait?"
"I'd wait forever."

These two! I get so happy every time the two of them pop up on screen together, even if it's just for a minute.

On a side note: for the longest time before I started watching the show, I thought it was called Downtown Abbey. It took an embarassingly long time for me to notice the lack of 'w'.

My 10 Favorite Title Sequences of All Time

2011-11-30T10:41:00.004-05:00

The idea for this post came to me in a dream. I take dreams seriously. So in alphabetical order, here are my ten favorite title sequences ever:

1. Dawson's Creek - specifically season two
Look how young and cute they are! They're just chilling on the beach, goofing off, nbd. And that song! Whenever I hear Paula Cole's I Don't Want to Wait on the radio (almost exclusively on easy rock stations), I just can't help but sing along.

2. Dexter - link
The concept was just too clever and it was executed perfectly. I don't even have anything more to say about it. I think it speaks for itself.

3. Freaks and Geeks - link
It introduced viewers to the characters in a funny way. And the show didn't last long enough for the opening to get annoying and repetitive...

4. Friends - especially the uncut version
The song is epic and generation-defining. That's all I have to say about that. But you mix that song with the cast just playing around by a fountain, and it just becomes something so much better. The setting is simple and there are no fancy camera tricks, but seeing the cast just having fun pretty much lets me know to get ready for half an hour of awesome.

5. Game of Thrones - Emmy-winning
I just think the intricacy with which they made this title sequence goes beyond what to expect for television. They basically map out all the lands and features of the GoT world, in a trippy Inception-y way. The Emmy was well-deserved.

6. Modern Family - link
I'm not sure this counts as a title sequence but I make my own rules. Short and sweet but to the point. Three families, all interwoven together to make this one big family. Bonus points for having it under fifteen seconds so my ADD doesn't kick in.

7. Parenthood - awww
Using baby/young pictures of the actors? You'd think they really were one big family. Just so much cute-ness in this opening sequence.

8. Shameless - US version
Get to know the family and have a laugh at the same time. And the song fits in pretty well.

9. The Simpsons - no link because if you haven't seen it, shame on you
I don't even watch The Simpsons but it might possibly be the most iconic title sequence of all time. Or at the very least, for this generation. The original version is funny on its own, but the different versions and different couch scenes at the end make it so much better.

10. Weeds - little boxes
The song plus the opening sequence convey the feeling of suburbia. Everything's the same. Perfect start to this show. And I like how the actual title "Weeds" is shown in a different way every episode.

Watch Misfits!

2011-11-29T19:46:00.001-05:00

I have to say, I'm really liking this season of Misfits. I don't even notice the absence of Nathan and the show is still just as funny as before. I think it helps that this season feels centered around Kelly, while Season 1 felt focused on Nathan and Season 2 with Simon, so each season feels fresh. Plus, who doesn't love Kelly? She's awesome.

Of course, the addition of this guy helps too. I wholeheartedly approve of Seth + Kelly.

Source: deverauxes

And if you're not watching Misfits, you should be!

Just a little sidenote:
It blows my mind that there are over 1000 page views of TV Ramblings and that there are people from all over the world visiting this blog. This whole thing really just started as a way for me to gab about shows and not bother my friends and family with all my TV nonsense. So, even if you were re-directed here from a random Google search, I just want to say thanks for checking out the blog and boosting my ego! =)

H50 2x10 - More Kono, Please!

2011-11-24T22:27:00.001-05:00

It's been three days and Monday's episode of Hawaii Five-0 is still pissing me off.

Kono is a kick-ass girl; she should've been part of the crew searching for Steve rather than being stuck in front of a computer. Did we already forget about her amazing sniper shot from the week before?
Lori hugging Steve felt forced and awkward. It's been 10 episodes and I still know absolutely nothing about this girl so you can't expect me to empathize with her.
It's great that Chin is engaged but it seems unrealistic for him to announce his engagement to everyone except his cousin, Kono...
Which makes me wonder, why was Kono not in the helicopter with everyone else? It flew off without picking her up! wtf, you can't leave her in North Korea!

I really don't understand why Grace Park is getting less screen time this season. It feels like the show is getting "white-washed" with all the new characters, which is sad since I was really loving all the Asians representing in Season 1.

On the plus side: the moment between Greg Grunberg and Masi Oka two weeks ago (2x08) was awesome. Heroes reunion!

Shows on the Chopping Block

2011-11-18T23:29:00.001-05:00

Every so often I like to evaluate my shows and cut down my TV list because I admit, it gets a little ridiculous. Once I stop watching a show, I stop watching for good and I don't look back; Private Practice, Bones, Burn Notice, White Collar...I don't miss them at all (well, except maybe Matt Bomer's pretty face).

On the chopping block this year: Gossip Girl, Pan Am, Glee, Chuck, The Walking Dead

The only reason I continue watching Gossip Girl is for the possibility of Dan and Blair. Nate's storyline hasn't been interesting since he dated Serena. Charlie annoys the heck out of me. Chuck is so sad and mopey now. And I was never a fan of Serena. I fast forward through most of it each week.
Pan Am doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Each episode just feels so random. I also did not agree with leaving the dead man's body in Haiti. I'm sorry but that's just disrespectful, no matter how they tried to justify their reasoning.
Every week I watch Glee, I sit there wondering why I continue watching when I'm not even enjoying it. I hate how the show tries to teach lessons and how incredibly unrealistic the show is. Then songs like the mashup of Adele's Rumour Has It / Somebody Like You are performed and I'm hooked in again.
I haven't truly enjoyed an episode of Chuck in a long long time, probably because I don't really care about Chuck and Sarah being together. I was going to stop watching last season but they announced that this year would be the final season and I figured I should finish the series. Now that the final season is airing, I find I still don't care.
The Walking Dead is moving at snail speed and certain characters were making me angry. Stupid girl, why'd you run away? Stupid boy, why'd you get shot? Stupid man, why won't you give Andrea her gun? Stupid woman, why would you want your son to die? Stupidity everywhere! I finally got around to watching the last two episodes though and it's not as bad now. If I could make a request though: MORE zombies! And more Daryl, please.

I haven't dropped any shows yet. I'll probably give them another week or two and see how it goes.

Should I Drop The Vampire Diaries?

2011-11-07T14:47:00.003-05:00

I'm not one to give up on shows easily, and whenever I get the notion to drop a show, a huge debate starts to go off in my head. Currently being judged: The Vampire Diaries.

Keep	Drop
Paul Wesley	development of Delena
Forwood	that whole ghosts story line
a lot of my friends watch it	I ask myself why I keep watching it
I have nothing else to watch on Thursdays at 7 anyway	I could be watching something else
	I could be taking a nap
	the way they paint Stefan as a bad guy
	seriously, I had such high hopes for Delena
	I just end up ranting about it after

The Drop column is so much longer than the Keep column, but Paul Wesley counts for a few points, and that's why it's so hard to decide. Help, anyone?

Fan Fiction for H50

2011-11-06T19:12:00.000-05:00

I never read fan fiction. I just don't see the point of reading fictional TV stories that will never happen. They're kind of like dreams to me; as amazing as it may be, it's not real!

The more I watch Hawaii Five-0 though, the more I worry that Steve and Kono are never going to get together. And then this fan fiction of Steve wanting to kiss Kono pops up on my Tumblr dashboard and it's so well-written and fits seamlessly with scenes on the show. Reading it actually brought a smile to my face! So maybe fan fiction isn't so bad after all. It's like an alternate universe where everything you've ever dreamed of happens. Sometimes it's nice to get away from reality and have everything work out just the way you want it to.

New Favourite: Hawaii Five-0

2011-11-05T16:31:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure how it happened but Hawaii Five-0 has become one of my favourite shows. I like it so much that the theme song is currently my ringtone! And I can't help but talk about the show to people who don't even watch it!

Look at the way Alex looks at Grace!
Source: negativeonetoten

On the surface, Hawaii Five-0 seems like another crime show with different investigations each week and I've never been a fan of those but there's so much more to the Five-0 crew. Alex O'Loughlin is a beauty to look at and is what lured me to initially watch the show but I love the whole cast. They have such great chemistry: the bromance between Steve and Danno, the cousin love between Kono and Chin, Steve's protective instinct over Five-0, Danno being an awesome dad. I also love that the Chairman from Iron Chef America plays the villain; I can't take him seriously!

If only they would get rid of Lori. She's stealing scenes from the Original 4 and I hate the way they're forcing a relationship between her and Steve. She's ruining my dreams of Steve and Kono getting together!

Why you should watch How To Make It In America

2011-11-02T10:29:00.005-04:00

1. Great music - Season one especially did it for me. I was hearing classic hip hop beats that you can't really find on any other show. The soundtrack isn't all hip hop though - far from it. But you can tell that whoever picks the music for the show takes his job seriously. Plus, the theme song is Aloe Blacc! That's further proof right there.

2. Bryan Greenberg - He's just adorable. I always see him play these good-guy characters you can't help but love, and Ben Epstein is no different.

3. It's an HBO show! - Ever since The Wire, I've had such high respect for HBO shows. I have this (possibly biased) belief that HBO will never waste money on crap and so far I haven't been proven wrong yet.

4. New York - I've only been to New York a few times but I love the city - and when I say the city I mean all of it. Not the little slice of New York we see on Gossip Girl. How To Make It In America deals with a bigger part of New York - the more hipster scenes, other boroughs, riding the subway (!), etc.

How To Make It In America isn't going to win an Emmy anytime soon. It's not going to have the most fans or even the most passionate fans. But it's a great show and it's definitely worth watching. (And again... Bryan Greenberg!)

The winner of AusNTM Cycle 7 is...

2011-10-27T16:09:00.001-04:00


Source: Harper's Bazaar

Montana!

I get way too invested in this show but I'm so happy for Montana; I really hope she has international success. Ditto with Liz.

I can't wait to see my other favourite Australia model, Miranda Kerr, at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on November 29 (CBS @ 10pm). I may not have the body for it but I love lingerie!

Grimm 1x01

2011-10-26T23:53:00.003-04:00

It appears Once Upon A Time is not the only new show coming out lately that has a slight fairytale theme to it. While Once Upon A Time seems to be just a mix of fantasy with drama, Grimm is both those and more - mystery and thrill!

It is a very interesting mix of things, and if I were to explain it in terms of other TV shows that I have watched (keeping in mind that there aren't that many), I'd say it's a slight hint of Bones with a strong side of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This isn't too ridiculous of a thought since the executive producer of this show was also the producer for Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel! (Yes, I researched it a little. Hehe.)

I wouldn't know, but are there any other shows out there already that have a similar plot line? In any case, I am currently anticipating the second episode so I can get a better of idea of which direction the show is headed. Can't wait!

What I Like About You

2011-10-25T22:21:00.011-04:00

What is the very first TV show that you have ever watched and kept up with until the very end? For me, it was What I Like About You. I have never really watched any TV before this (hard to believe?), but somehow this seemingly not-so-popular show had caught my attention. Perhaps it was the hot and sexy Nick Zano...or maybe it was the relationships between all the characters in the show...or even the fact that every single character cracked me up! But regardless of what it was that lured me in, I was definitely addicted to this show!

The show only ran 4 seasons, which is unfortunately short, but also pretty awesome because it meant the storyline wasn't dragged out for all eternity such that the network could profit some more off of it. I would definitely buy every single season on DVD if I could. But that's just it - I can't!!! Why, you may ask? Because only the first season is out on DVD!! I wish that wasn't the case just so I could watch the entire show all over again, at any time that I want. (I really would...many, many times if I could.) In my opinion, this show was underrated and definitely deserved more attention!

Australia's Next Top Model - Cycle 7

2011-10-25T20:31:00.000-04:00

I know there's a very small percentage of people in North America who watch Australia's Next Top Model. My sister and I are actually the only people following the show on followmy.tv but it is so much better than every other version of the show. Not only are the Australian accents awesome but the models are legitimately good and the photoshoots are gorgeous.

Here are my two favourites of this season: Montana and Liz. They're two of the Top 3 so one of them better win! Enjoy the pics.

Source: Australia's Next Top Model - Photoshoots

Once Upon A Time 1x01

2011-10-24T17:44:00.000-04:00

The last thing I needed was another new show, especially on Sundays which somehow have become my busiest TV day. The commercials for Once Upon A Time looked pretty cheesy but I figured there was no harm in recording it (I don't know how I ever survived without PVR; seriously, it's awesome). I was too busy to watch the pilot when it aired but my mom did and she liked it! My mom is so critical when it comes to new shows! I watched it this morning and I'm so glad I recorded it. I know it's only been one episode but I'm already really excited for the next episode and that's always a good thing.

Source: iloveyourglasses

I love the way they've incorporated different fairytale characters in a modern world. I can't wait for more of them to be revealed. The best part of the episode was seeing Prince Charming in a sword fight while carrying his baby in his arms! I don't know why but I could not stop laughing, hahaha. And I can already tell that I'm going to love the storyline between Mary (Snow White) and John (Prince Charming).

Watch it! Sundays @ 7pm on CTV or 8pm on ABC.

What's Your Name Again?

2011-10-23T00:46:00.000-04:00

Jason Dohring popped up on Ringer last week just as I was about to give up on the show so obviously, I can't give it up now. It's Logan Echolls, of course I have to keep watching! He's one of those actors I will forever associate with their characters. I'm pretty sure I'll be referring to him as Logan the entire time he's on Ringer.
There's so many actors who will never escape their characters no matter how hard they try.

Logan Echolls, Veronica Mars
Michael Scofield, Prison Break
Chuck Bass, Gossip Girl
Dexter Morgan, Dexter
Dr. Shepherd, Grey's Anatomy
Seth Cohen, The O.C.
...and the list goes on

Is it bad that it takes me a while to remember their real names? And sometimes I still can't come up with their name! I'm sure everyone has this problem, right?

In which I underestimate Pan Am

2011-10-10T14:14:00.005-04:00

I've been pretty tough on new shows this season because I'm trying not to add more shows onto my ever-growing list of shows I can't live without. I only started watching four new series: Pan Am, Up All Night, Charlie's Angels and New Girl. On an interim basis at least. Even with only four, I'm trying my best to keep from being too invested in them. So far, it's been working out pretty well. I only watch the new episodes when I'm bored and I have nothing to do.

Things might change with Pan Am. The main reason I started to watch Pan Am was because it was on after The Good Wife and I had nothing else to do. The pilot was pretty impressive but the second episode wasn't as interesting. I was ready to let this show go. That is, until last night's episode. The whole episode was much better than episode two as a whole, but what really caught my attention was Karine Vanasse's Colette Valois. A French stewardess, Colette spent this episode dealing with her hatred towards Nazi Germany (since the stewardesses flew into Berlin).

Last night, Colette gave Pan Am depth and emotion. If the Pan Am writers can give us more scenes and story lines like these, I might actually have to add this show to my list permanently.

And then there was Michelle...

2011-10-09T16:52:00.005-04:00

I don't watch nearly as much TV as Kelly and Nicole do, but every now and then, I would spend hours marathoning away at shows. I probably won't have as many ramblings as my fellow friends do, but I will definitely contribute my thoughts to this blog as best as I can. ;)

I Want You Back!

2011-10-08T14:15:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I question the taste of the general public. How is Dancing With The Stars in its 13th season? America's Next Top Model has managed to get 17 seasons. CSI: Las Vegas, CSI: New York, and CSI: Miami have a combined 30 seasons; are 3 versions of the same show really necessary?

I've made a list of shows that I feel were cancelled way too soon. 10 points if you can guess them all!

1. Friday Night Lights (5 seasons, 76 episodes, 2006-2011)
I don't think there will ever be another show that can top Friday Night Lights as my favourite show ever. It's so much more than just a show about football. It's perfect in capturing the heart, the beauty, and the hardships of everyday life. And I guarantee the show will turn you into this. I don't get how the show never got a strong following but I'm so glad it managed to at least scrape by and get 5 seasons.

2. Veronica Mars (3 seasons, 64 episodes, 2004-2007)
I miss the sass and spunk of Veronica Mars. I will never understand why The CW didn't pick it up when WB and UPN joined. It's not like they had a better lineup of shows. Veronica Mars got replaced by Pussycat Dolls Presents for goodness sake! The new idea of Veronica working for the FBI would have been amazing.

3. Freaks and Geeks (1 season, 18 episodes, 1999-2000)
The fact that the entire cast - James Franco, Jason Segal, Seth Rogen, Linda Cardellini, Busy Phillipps, John Francis Daley, Martin Starr, Samm Levine, and even the producers, Judd Apatow and Paul Feig - are all successful in their careers right now just shows how good Freaks and Geeks could have been if it was just given a chance.

4. My Boys (4 seasons, 49 episodes, 2006-2010)
It was probably all the baseball references that made me love this show but they were such a fun group to watch; I would have loved hanging out with them. For such an obscure show, I guess it's pretty amazing it reached 4 seasons.

My favourite episode: 1x19 Douchebags in the City
MIKE: Brendan, you screened my call, douchebag. You're a really big douche! If you were a superhero, you'd be Captain Douchebag. Your superpowers would be screening calls and the ability to wreck any hang, Douche. And then I drew a picture of you as Captain Douchebag.
BRENDAN: You guys are all jealous. You should feel thankful I still have time for you.
MIKE: Douchey von Douchenstein! Really?

5. Arrested Development (3 seasons, 53 episodes, 2003-2006)
It was absurd and magnificent. There's just so many great moments - the chicken dance, the fire sale audition, "there's always money in the banana stand!", "I just blue myself", The Final Countdown magic show (and now the song is stuck in my head). It took a while but I can't wait for the new season and movie!

6. Dead Like Me (2 seasons, 29 episodes, 2003-2004)
It was a great dark comedy about grim reapers. And I was in love with Mason. I need more Callum Blue on my TV.

7. Pushing Daisies (2 seaons, 22 episodes, 2007-2009)
It was such a unique and cute show. Plus, I love couples that shouldn't be together - one touch and she's dead! I blame the 2007 Writer's Strike for its demise.

8. Dollhouse (2 seasons, 29 episodes, 2009-2010)
Joss Whedon is a genius writer. The idea of human "dolls" with temporary personalities and skills - how do you even come up with this stuff? I admit, a large part of my love for this show was strictly because of Fran Kranz and Enver Gjokaj.

9. FlashForward (1 season, 22 episodes, 2009-2010)
To quote Wikipedia: "The series revolves around the lives of several people as a mysterious event causes nearly everyone on the planet to simultaneously lose consciousness for two minutes and seventeen seconds on October 6, 2009. During this blackout, people see what appears to be visions of their lives on April 29, 2010, a global 'flashforward'." You gotta admit, how cool does that sound? Whoever made the decision to give this show a giant hiatus in the middle of the season, I will hate you forever for causing viewership to go down. And the series ended on a cliffhanger!!!

10. Melrose Place (1 season, 18 episodes, 2009-2010)
Okay, out of all my shows on this list, I can see why Melrose Place was cancelled. Remakes hardly ever work but I still think Melrose Place was better than 90210, as long as you ignored Ashlee Simpson's terrible acting. I loved Lauren and David together (I'm a sucker for Asian girl + White boy storylines), there was an interesting mystery going on, and Auggie was super hot. Maybe if it wasn't a remake and was just another show about hot 20-something-year-olds, it would have lasted longer.

11. Undercovers (1 season, 11 episodes, 2010)
The undercover work, the ass-kicking fight scenes, and Boris Kodjoe's hot bod were all great but to be honest, my #1 reason for loving this show was the character of Bill Hoyt. He was so adorably dorky and funny, and I was devastated when I couldn't get to watch him weekly anymore. But Ben Schwartz has now moved onto Parks & Recreation as Jean-Ralphio so that's helped a little bit.

12. Life As We Know It (1 season, 13 episodes, 2004-2005)
Sean Faris + Jon Foster + Chris Lowell. I was 15 when Life As We Know It aired so it's kind of obvious why I liked the show, haha. For a show about high school, I think it's definitely a lot better than some of the stuff that's out there now (e.g. Secret Life Of The American Teenager) so I'm not sure why it only lasted 13 episodes.

Wow, this post took forever to write. Can you tell I started getting lazy as the list went on?

Show Catch-up: Doctor Who

2011-10-05T15:45:00.004-04:00

Watch out for:

Why I wanted to watch this show: A lot of people on tumblr seemed to watch (and like) this show and it was all over my dash. Eventually, my curiosity got to me and so I buckled and decided to watch all six seasons of the new Doctor Who.

First impressions: I thought Doctor Who was really cheesy and really... British at first. I didn't really get the humour and some of the aliens/monsters were a bit ridiculous. (See: Slitheen). But I thought the Ninth Doctor was very charming and Rose grew on me eventually.

How I feel about the show now: It took me awhile to warm up to this show but I can honestly say now that I enjoy Doctor Who very much. The three Doctors were brilliantly cast and they were all amazing. Each one had his own personality and flaws - which makes it nearly impossible to pick a favourite. But even though I couldn't name a favourite Doctor, I have to say I like the seasons with the Eleventh Doctor the best (five and six). I think it's a combination of Steven Moffat's writing, the relationship between Doctor/Amy/Rory and just getting used to the show in general.

Why I would recommend this show to other people: It's a fun show but it also makes you think sometimes - mostly, about morality and humanity. It's a good mix of science fiction and fantasy. Some episodes are exceptionally good (like the season 5 finale which dealt with the complexity of a non-linear concept of time in a way that played out like a movie). The series as a whole is pretty well thought out and the continuity on this show is quite impressive. That's something I appreciate in a show. Plus, there's so many references to Doctor Who on other shows and pop culture in general. To name a few, there's Leverage, Community and indirectly, Fringe, which borrows some details from Doctor Who.

Why You Should Watch Parenthood

2011-10-05T09:26:00.010-04:00

Spoiler Alert: Contains spoilers for 3x04

Have you ever tried to tell someone why they should watch Parenthood? For me, it goes a little something like this: "It's about a family. And... their lives..." And people look at me, expecting more from this wonderful show I'm raving about. But the truth is, that really is what Parenthood is about, and that's what makes it great.

Parenthood isn't about love triangles or angsty will-they-or-won't-they drama. The show doesn't have a cast cut right out of a teen magazine. There's no big mystery to solve or a big bad villain to defeat. It's just about a family. And their lives. Jason Katims has some magical power in making mundane, everyday life seem interesting, because somehow Parenthood just works.

Last night's episode was a great example of what Parenthood is all about. It was an emotional roller coaster of awkward first dates, embarrassing parents, breakups, blood-is-thicker-than-water speeches, saying thank you and goodbye to the family of the girl you just broke up with, and simple victories like getting your loan approved for your business and having a breakthrough moment with the girl you like.

I wish I could somehow make people feel what I feel when I watch this show. But for now, I guess I'm still stuck with "It's about a family. And their lives."

Source: lauren-online.net

Shipping Mondays

2011-10-03T17:13:00.000-04:00

I've recently noticed a trend in my Monday shows; it's the night where I yell at the TV because all the couples I love need to get together already!

Source: echofades

How I Met Your Mother: Barney Stinson & Robin Scherbatsky
The writers teased us with a "legendary" season four by putting these two together and then took it away from us the following season. What's up with that? (Cue SNL singing...but I digress). Barney as a womanizer is becoming a tired old routine and I'm glad that they're hinting at him getting married this season. Robin better be the girl at the end of the aisle though because they're clearly awesome together.

Source: vasymollo

Gossip Girl: Dan Humphrey & Blair Waldorf
I admit, I'm a sucker for couples that initially hate each other and then later realize that they have a lot more in common than they realized (e.g. Veronica Mars & Logan Echolls, Haley James & Nathan Scott). I know there are a lot of people who think Blair and Chuck are "endgame" but I really think Dan is a better guy for Blair. Their relationship is a lot more real and it doesn't require games and dramatics. And c'mon, look how adorable the two of them are with their flirty smiles at each other. By the way, why is Prince Louis even still there? The royal wedding storyline is ridiculously unbelievable and does anyone even like Louis?

Source: smoothdog

Hawaii Five-0: Steve McGarrett & Kono Kalakaua
The possibility of this happening is so slim. It doesn't help that a new character has been added to the show as a love interest for Steve. I think Alex O'Loughlin and Grace Park have such great chemistry though. Look at that smile they're giving each other! And the look of concern from Steve at the end of Season 1 when he sees that Kono has been arrested. I think if these two ever get together, I may just die. I don't even need the two of them to date, I'd be satisfied with some flirting between the two of them. Make it happen!

The Good Wife 3x02

2011-10-02T22:57:00.004-04:00

I have decided to pop my blog cherry with tonight's episode of The Good Wife. I loved tonight's episode. I'm probably going to say that about every episode of The Good Wife, but for now I'll attempt to defend my overwhelming feelings for this show anyway.

First off, I liked the case they were facing. Well, maybe not so much the case as much as the fact that Alicia and Will had to deal with the British courts. The British courts have different customs and laws that Alicia and Will aren't accustomed to, and that makes for some pretty funny moments (see: Will's face when the judge called him out for turning his back to him). Plus, I think Lockhart-Gardner needs some curveballs thrown at them every now and then.

Another reason why this episode was awesome was this new relationship between Eli and Kalinda. How did we ever survive without an Eli/Kalinda working relationship before? Putting together the two most badass characters on the show can only result in awesomeness. And the promise of more to come makes me giddy with excitement.

Fast-forward through some other great moments tonight: Zach guessing what happened between his parents, Zach being extra nice to his mom because of it, Will's face when Alicia turned it on during the proceedings, Will and Alicia planning to do it in the bathroom, the lowly solicitor sticking it to the big bad bully...

And then there's Diane Lockhart. Diane, who is truly the HBIC on this show. She says so much without having to say anything directly and she knows so much more than she lets on. But she keeps a cool head and stays out of the drama. She knows what she has to do logically and that reasoning threatens to shake things up at Lockhart-Gardner.

Great work by the writers. I'm looking forward to more of this season.

Hi, I'm Nicole

2011-10-01T12:45:00.003-04:00

Like Kelly mentioned, I'm a pretty new convert to the wonderful world of TV. I used to love movies more than television, but there have been a few shows along the way that made me change my mind about that.

I watch the occasional episode of SYTYCD or X-Factor every now and then, and I'm starting to watch more half-hour sitcoms, but my heart lies with well-written dramas.

New TV Blog!

2011-09-30T19:12:00.002-04:00

Hi, my name's Kelly and I am a TV addict. I watch anything and everything: half-hour sitcoms, hour-long dramas, bad reality television, the Food Network - I'll give anything a try at least once. What can I say? I have a soft spot for television.

I created this blog so that I'd have a place to share my random TV thoughts. I'll do my best to keep this updated fairly often but school gets in the way sometimes.

In addition to myself, there's also another blogger here on TVramblings: Nicole! It took me a few years but I've converted her into a TV addict too, haha.