SEASON FINALE REVIEW: Game of Thrones “Mhysa” S3 E10

I’m still reeling from last week’s Red Wedding.   It’s why I haven’t written about it.    I was still in such shock and horror over what I saw.    So going into Sunday night’s finale, I thought “there’s no way this finale can be as good as The Rains of Castamere.”  Well I was sort of right.   Sunday’s finale wasn’t the jaw dropper that last week’s episode was.   But I also don’t think it was meant to be.   Remember, this season is only half of book #3.   So I don’t think everything was supposed to be wrapped up in a neat little bow.  But what it did do, was set up some interesting directions for families and characters moving forward.

The Greyjoys

Theon, I’m sorry Reek, is a turd.   After what he did to the Starks, I was fine to see him get his comeuppance.   But even this is a little much for me.  I agree with Theon, Ramsey should just kill him at this point.  I’m not sure what the point is of keeping him around.   He said he’s more valuable to him alive.   Why?   What does he need to leverage Theon for?   Roose Bolton did say that his bastard Ramsey does tend to do his own thing.  So I am assuming he is not doing this on his father’s orders.   I assume he has his own agenda.  But what is it?

Back in the Iron Islands, Yara and Baylon were sent a letter with a….um…..present?   In the letter, the unsigned (which we know is Ramsey) tortures Yara and Baylon telling them what he is doing to their son and by sending his…um…manhood to them as proof he is alive but being tortured.   Yara is sickened by this and wants to know what they are going to do.   Baylon couldn’t care less.   He tells Yara that Theon is no longer his son (“he’s not even a man”, he says as he points to the box.)   Yara is upset with her father.   Theon is still family but not according to his father.   He’s made his choice so that matter is finished.   Well Yara has made hers and she’s taking the fastest ship and her best fighters and they are going to get Theon back.   I always liked her.

Daenerys

Dany’s still doing her thing.   She’s increasing her army and freeing slaves all over the place.   So a little more of what she’s been doing all season long.   I love Dany and with Robb gone, she’s number #1 on my list to root for.  I take that back.  She’s still #2.   Arya is now #1 but more on her in the Stark section.  Unfortunately Dany’s storyline has been a little stale this season.  Not boring just more of the same.   At some point, I’d like to see something major happen with her.  She seems to be getting things a little too easily at this point.  I’d like to see some struggles for her.  She’ll need it to toughen her up when she gets to King’s Landing.    She needs to make sure when it come to battle, these people really do have her back.   I think they do but in a land where you can trust no one and she’s getting more and more people aligned with her that she hasn’t really known all that long or well, she better make sure she can trust them when it really counts.

The Night’s Watch

This has been the storyline that I feel bring the episode to a crashing halt.   Sam and Gilly and her son Sam, I really don’t care about them.   Now they are back at Castle Black after bumping into Bran, Hodor, and his crew.   Fine.   Maybe they can be on the back burner for a while.   One can hope.

As for our favorite bastard, Jon Snow, (although Gendry is starting to creep up there for me) has finally revealed himself to his Wildling gang and Ygritte, he is off and running back to Castle Black.   Unfortunately for him, he takes a quick stop to wash his face because really, no one wants to ride to Castle Black after crows have just eaten your face.   You should at least clean yourself off.   Ygritte finds him (but where is the asshole that she was with when Jon left them) and holds a bow towards him.  He tells her he knows she won’t kill him because he loves her and she loves him but he needs to go home.  At this point, I don’t know if he means Winterfell or Castle Black.   I assume Castle Black because Jon is an honorable guy but I wasn’t 100% sure.  You can see in her eyes that he’s right but she fires a bow at him anyway.   And then another.   And then another.  She hits him THREE TIMES with bows.  Ok, I know you’re pissed but was shooting him three times really necessary?  Do you think once would do the trick.   I thought to myself, if they kill off another Stark before a Lannister dies, I may never watch this show again.   Not because I’m a huge Jon Snow fan but it would have been too much.    But he doesn’t die (at least not yet) and returns back to Castle Black where Sam and the crew take care of him.

The Lannisters and the Starks

Sansa and Tyrion are having a nice little chat.  You can tell that even though they don’t love each other like man and wife, they have a respect and fondness for one another that is very sweet to see.   Each one of them have been through hell and back and it’s nice that they have each other to lean on and plot revenge attacks together.   I’m going to go out on a limb here and say they will fall in love for real.   I know it’s a 100 foot limb that’s about 3 inches wide hanging off the side of 200 foot cliff but I’m going there.  I’ve never liked Shae.  I know people do but I don’t.   She’s pretty bitchy and has never really done anything to make me like her (other than be a really loyal friend to Sansa.)  So I couldn’t care less if she and Tyrion stay together.  In fact, I was hoping she would take Varys up on his offer to high tail it out-of-town and start a new life never to be heard from again.   But alas, she’s staying.   But I think she ends up dead and Tyrion and Sansa get together for real.   Again, big limb, I know.   What was heartbreaking was after Tyrion heard the news about Robb and Catelyn, he went to tell Sansa and you could see she already knew.   Her eyes were swollen and wet with tears and her stare was cold and empty.   So Tyrion respectfully said nothing and turned away and left her to her thoughts and memories.   This poor girl.

Speaking of learning about the Red Wedding, Tywin had summoned everyone to the meeting room to confirm what happened at Riverrun and his direction of the elimination of the Starks and their army.    Meanwhile, Joffry has no time for matters so trivial.  He’s too busy planning to serve Grey Wind’s head to Sansa at his wedding feast.  Seriously, what is the matter with that guy and what the hell did Sansa ever do to him?   Tyrion puts a stop to the torture and Joffry has another temper tantrum about how’s he’s the King.  Tywin puts him in his place and then Joffry turns his ire to his grandfather saying his father was the real hero while he sheepishly hid away at Casterly Rock.   WOOOOOOOOOW!  He didn’t just say that to Tywin????   Oh yes he did!!!   I have a feeling if Joffry ever dies (one can only hope) it will be at the hands of Tywin.  Tywin calmly instructs him to go to his room and take a nap like a 3-year-old and Cersei takes him away.   That kid can’t die fast enough.  I hope it’s as painful as what Theon is enduring.

Later Cersei and Tyrion have a very interesting conversation.   Cersei tries to convince Tyrion that he and Sansa should have a baby so she can have some peace and happiness with a child of her own.   He reminds her that she’s as miserable as they come and she has 3 children.   Well 2 kids, 1 monster.   But she tells Tyrion that her children are what stopped her from killing herself long ago.  She remembers Joffry being a sweet, happy child that always wanted to be with her.   That leads to a question I’ve had for a long time.   What the hell happened to that kid to make him the vile creature he has become?   I really want to know.  I know he’s a sociopath but is it really that simple?    Or did something else happen?  Or is it the result of inbreeding?   I want to know.   I’m not sure we will though.

I think this is the first time, in a long time we are really seeing Cersei be honest and forthcoming about what she really feels.  I don’t think she was playing Tyrion or trying to manipulate him for her own benefit.   I think she was being a genuine sister.   You might all be laughing at me right now thinking (has this chick ever seen this show?   Has she seen Cersei before?)    Yes and yes.   But this was different.   My husband had an interesting theory about this scene and the one where Jamie comes home and sees her for the first time.  He thinks Cersei was planning to kill herself and may have even slit her wrists with that funky looking shell when Jamie walked in.  At first I didn’t think so but on further thought, she did mention how her kids were the only thing that kept her alive.  Well the two good ones are gone and the last one left is a diabolical sociopath (to be kind.)  Plus, she kept saying how she was certain she wouldn’t be marrying Loris Tyrell.  To which I started laughing thinking (has she met her father?)   So how could she be so certain.  Plus, she has been very calm and out-of-the-way as of late.   Maybe she’s resigned herself to calling it quits with life?   I don’t know.  It seems a bit..easy and cowardly for someone like her.   But depression can destroy even the strongest of people and with no Zoloft or Prozac in sight, maybe death is her only option.   You never know who Martin’s going to kill so anyone is fair game.

The hound has whisked Arya away to safety and I’m starting to worry that this girl is going to turn even darker that what she has already become.   I always knew Arya would not grow up to be the princess Sansa will be.  I thought she would be a warrior like Brienne.   I still think that but will she still be the good person, fun-loving Arya at heart?   I think part of the Arya we knew died a little with Ned and now more with Robb and Catelyn.  I still think her motives will be in the right place and she will still be a good person at her core but I don’t think she’ll ever be the same again.  I think we’re now going to see a very dark and distant Arya with a singular focus….to take down the Lannisters.

I have no idea how these books are going to end, but my hope is that it’s with Arya, Jon and Bran aligning with Dany and taking down the Lannisters, the Freys, Roose Bolton, and any other enemy they share.   Dany becomes the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms and the Starks return to their rightful place in Winterfell as rulers of the North, including Sansa and Tyrion and their 5 children!!

So what did you think of the finale?   I know it’s hard to compare to the Rains of Castamere but there was no way that could live up to the Red Wedding episode.   But I think the episode did what it needed to do to set up next season and I have a feeling, since next season will be the end of book 3, that it should be a big season with a big ending.   Ugh, April 2014 is soooo far away!!!

 

NEW PODCAST: Episode 39 Covers Game of Thrones and Season Finale Discussions

A new episode of For the Love of TV Podcast is now available here or download from iTunes.   This podcast talks about the following topics:

1. Game of Thrones
2. How I Met Your Mother – Season Finale
3. Castle – Season Finale
4. Grey’s Anatomy – Season Finale
5. Scandal – Season Finale

Next podcast will cover renewals and cancellations and the new shows headed to our TVs this fall.

 

SERIES FINALE REVIEW: The Office “Finale” S9 E23

“Christmas Party” was the first episode of the The Office I’d ever seen.   Followed by “The Injury.”   Both were Season 2 episodes.  I only started watching The Office because my husband saw “The Injury” on a plane and thought it was both bizarre and funny at the same time but that I had to watch.    I watched these two episodes thinking this is the dumbest and strangest show I’ve ever seen.  But we both thought, to be fair, let’s watch it from the beginning to understand what the hell is going on.   So we bought Season 1 and spent an entire Saturday watching this show and laughing our asses off.   By then, we were hooked.

Over the course of 9 seasons, The Office has had some amazing episodes and some not so great episodes (as many series do.)  It created one of the greatest, most realistic love stories ever in TV…Jim and Pam.  It gave one of the top 50 characters in TV history…Michael Scott.  It made us care about this wacky group of people in a way I never thought I would.  I remember watching the finale thinking that I was so happy to get confessionals from every character on the show.  Even fringe characters like Meredith and Creed, I loved hearing how their stories wrapped up.    Not many shows can pull that off where you honestly care about each and every person.   Even annoying Kevin!  I was so happy to see that after he was fired he ended up buying a bar and having a really happy ending!  But over 9 years and 187 episodes, these people became part of our family, our TV family.   Even as characters came and went, other than Michael, our core stayed through to the end and it was nice to see everything wrapped up so beautifully.

Series finales are hard to do.  Especially when the show has been on as long as The Office has.   There are huge expectations.   You want story lines wrapped up.  You want people who deserve happy endings to receive them and people who deserve to be punished to get their comeuppance.  You want questions answered.   You want people who should be together, finally together.   You want something momentous, rewarding, and sensational but yet still stay true to the nature of the show and the characters.  And most of all, you want closure for you but also to know that the characters you leave behind are still doing well and moving on in their lives, even though you are no longer there to witness it.    For me, that’s a quintessential finale.   And it’s so hard to do, especially when you have very little time to do it.   The Office finale was probably the BEST series finale I’ve seen in a long time.    It had everything you want to see and nothing felt rushed or forced.   For a comedy, it had its goofy, silly moments, but in true The Office form, it had its heart-warming moments as well. It was, dare I say, perfect.  I laughed, I cried, I cried harder, I laughed again.   At the end of that show, I was so content with what I had just seen because it was exactly what I wanted.   And because I got a little taste of everyone, I didn’t feel cheated.    But the hands down, best moment of the show, was seeing Michael Scott return as Dwight’s best man.  Even now I’m tearing up writing this because it was a phenomenal moment.  And not just because I really didn’t think Steve Carell was coming back.   It was because John Kransinski, Rainn Wilson, and Steve Carell knocked that simple scene out of the park.  It was so touching to see these men, who have given each other such grief over the years, come together as friends and be there for one another…it was amazing.    There was so much talk about whether or not Carell would or should return for the finale.  The last I read, he wasn’t because he felt he already had his send off and didn’t want to distract from the rest of the cast. Class act as always Steve Carell!   But I stopped reading about the finale because if he did show up, I didn’t want to know about it.   And I’m so glad I made that executive decision because it made his reveal that much sweeter.  I literally gasped out loud when he was standing there and burst into tears….especially seeing Dwight’s reaction and getting one last “that’s what she said!”   And it was perfectly handled because it wouldn’t have been right to have the finale without Michael Scott but he was also understated enough so that he didn’t overshadow the cast, but we got just enough Michael to be completely satisfied.    Again, perfection.

There were so many relationships that developed on this show.  Some were more front and center like Jim and Pam, Dwight and Angela, Darryl and Jim’s friendship.  But it was some of the unspoken friendships that developed that was so nice to see highlighted.   For example, Stanley and Phyllis.  Here were two people who worked together for 15-20 years.  They sat across from one another for 15-20 years.   Even though we didn’t see it every week, these two were great friends.  To see the genuine embrace between them when they hadn’t seen each other in over a year, was so nice.   To watch Phyllis sit with the new rep in Stanley’s chair and feed him baked goods so she could fatten him like, like she did with Stanley was great.   But what got me was parlaying the hysterical idea that Stanley now lives in a shack on the Everglades in Florida carving birds out of wood, into this touching moment where Phyllis bursts into tears because he made a wood carving that looked exactly like her.   It was simple moments like that which really highlighted the connections between these characters that developed over the years.  Was it something we watched week after week….yes and no.  Yes and no because it was so subtle, we didn’t realize we were watching it until the finale.   The same could be said for Oscar and Angela.  They both drove each other crazy over the years and talk about two completely different personalities.   Highlighting the fact that Oscar was having an affair with Angela’s husband!   But strangely enough, that experience brought them even closer together.   In the penultimate episode, Oscar could see how broken Angela was and in a beautiful moment of kindness, extends his home for her and Philip to live in until she can get her feet under her again.   And when she reached out and put her hand on top of his, I lost it.   It was just that simple gesture that spoke so loudly about her feelings for what Oscar was offering to her.   I loved it.  And I loved seeing that continue even after Dwight and Angela were married with Oscar being Philip’s godfather!

But I think the friendship that was most beautiful to see come full circle, was the friendship between Jim, Dwight, and Pam….mostly Jim and Dwight.   Jim explained it perfectly.  He never hated Dwight.   He never wanted anything bad to happen to him.  He razzed him the way you would razz your brother.  And when it came down to it, he loved Dwight for who he was.   Dwight, we always knew, secretly had a man crush on Jim and even though he hated when Jim got the better of him, which was most of the time, he loved him for it too because he felt like he was in with him.  Over the course of the series, we saw their true feelings towards one another pop out because when something serious was going down, they leaned on each other and protected each other.  I think it’s also why Dwight considers Pam his best friend.  Because even though Jim would play countless tricks on Dwight and Pam would be complicit, she never wanted to hurt Dwight.   And when Dwight was going off the deep end really annoying his counterparts to the point no one liked him, Pam always stuck by him.   There were many times Pam believed in him when no one else did and he knew that.  Just as Michael always wanted to be their best friend, so did Dwight.   And in many ways, he was.

I can’t wrap up this review yet until I’ve spent some time on just Jim and Pam.   We watched their relationship grow over 9 years from best friends, to unrequited feelings, to an awkward but beautiful first kiss, to the beginning of a relationship, to an engagement, marriage, and children.   They were America’s ideal couple.   Then we hit season 9 and Jim and Pam hit a rough patch.   He was working for a start-up company in Philly and commuting back and forth from Scranton.  She felt all alone and abandoned at Dunder Mifflin and raising their 2 kids.  I really wasn’t sure where the show was going with this…especially with Brian the camera man lurking around and having obvious feelings for Pam.   I hoped they weren’t going down the affair route.  It wouldn’t have felt right.   And I hated watching Jim and Pam fight and be angry with one another.  I hated it.   Most especially, I hated seeing this couple who could have entire conversations by just looking at one another and knowing exactly what the other was thinking, being reduced to therapy speak.    ”I appreciate” this or “to speak my truth” that.   What?   Are you kidding me?    This is what Jim and Pam is going to be reduced to?  But then a light went off.   We are getting to watch Jim and Pam remind, not only each other, but the audience, why they fell in love in the first place.  We get to see them fall in love all over again.   And because they have been the most real relationship on the show from day one, it would only make sense that this new job opportunity for Jim would put a strain on them.   It wouldn’t have made sense if it didn’t.   So we got to see that angst and then we got to see the payoff.   We got to see Jim and Pam flashbacks in the smartest way possible, in a video tribute to her so Jim could show how she is not only enough for him, but his everything.   It was a perfect way to be able to give the fans those flashbacks to our favorite moments yet still keep it within the context of the show.  In the end, Pam decided there is no way Jim is giving this up for her and sells their house without telling him (because, well, he bought the house without telling her) and they decide to move to Austin so Jim can work full-time for Athleap.   She finishes her mural, which is the story of the people of Dunder Mifflin, and Jim and Pam will live happily ever after….as they should.

In the end, all is right with the world.   Michael Scott is still married to Holly and they have lots of kids (which he needs two phones for all the pictures), Jim and Pam are together, happy, and moving to Austin to work with Darryl, Dwight is now regional manager of the Scranton branch (as well as the assistant to the assistant to the regional manager) and is married to the love of his life Angela and we officially learn that Phillip is really his son, Oscar is running for State Senator, Stanley is retired and divorced and living in Florida, Phyllis is still at Dunder Mifflin and still married to Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration, Erin found her birth parents and is still together with Plop, Andy is working for Cornell University, Meredith got her PhD (which she was going to school for the whole time), Toby is living in NYC with 6 roommates, Kelly left her pediatrician boyfriend to run away with Ryan (who by the way left said baby with the pediatrician,) as a result Nellie, takes the baby back to Poland with her and she now has the child she was always searching for, Kevin owns a bar, and Creed is going to jail!

Finally, I loved the way they wrapped up the documentary element.  I always wondered how they would do it.   I like the fact that they were smart enough to know that since the viewing of the documentary was in the penultimate episode, it wouldn’t make sense for the camera crew to be there for the finale.  It’s actually the first thing I said to my husband.  But they got around it by doing a time jump and saying they were there for a follow-up and retrospective with the Dunder Mifflin crew on being a part of the documentary, which they’re filming for the DVD.   And because the series was filmed this way, it was great for the cast to be able to say what they really feel about their show and do it in the context of speaking about the documentary.    I think the best line of the finale was when Andy/Ed Helms said “I wish there was a way to know you were in the good old days while it was going on instead of after they were over.”  You could see the way he was getting choked up that it was probably more an Ed Helms comment, than Andy Bernard.

I will miss The Office.  I know the last few seasons weren’t great and the show really went down hill after Michael left, but I don’t care.   I will miss The Office and all the people involved in the show.  I also want to commend the cast for heading out to the real Scranton, PA and spending time with the people of Scranton and thanking them for their good-natured sense of humor and their support of the show.   I thought it was awesome that they would all do that and take the time to not only say goodbye to us a viewers, but their second community of Scranton.     From top to bottom, the end of the series was handled magnificently and I can’t wait to watch The Office on Netflix, on syndication, on my DVDs, for many years to come.

What did you guys think of The Office series finale?

 

SEASON FINALE REVIEWS of Scandal, Grey’s, Castle, How I Met Your Mother, and Elementary Coming Soon

Heading out for the weekend so I will recap these shows Sunday and Monday.   Lots to talk about!   Here’s a quick preview:

Castle: Rick proposed to Kate!!!!   Rick proposed to Kate!!!!  But what does this mean for them going forward and is this really a good thing?  I’ll discuss.

Grey’s: Callie and Arizona had quite the blow up.   Who’s side am I on?   Come back to find out.   Plus, Richard better not be dead!!

Scandal: Enough already.  Ok enough!   Either keep Olivia and Fitz together or break them up but ENOUGH with Olivia running around saying “we can’t do this.”  I’m so done with that.   Did you know David was wearing the white hat all along?   Did I?  And what about Quinn becoming baby Huck and Huck’s reaction to it.

How I Met Your Mother: FINALLY!!!   We got to meet her.   Now we just need Ted to meet her.   But when Carter Bays says this will be the longest wedding in the history of TV, does her really mean that next season will cover the span of only 56 hours?  I don’t know how I feel about that…or maybe I do!

Elementary: haven’t watched it yet but I will by Sunday, so don’t spoil me!

Have a good weekend peeps!

 

SEASON FINALE REVIEW: Arrow “Sacrifice” S1 E22

Well, I thought a Merlyn was going to die, but I thought it would be Malcolm and not Tommy.   It wasn’t until Tommy rushed into the building to save Laurel that I knew Tommy would be a goner.  While I’m a little disappointed because I was hoping they would go down the road of Oliver killing Malcolm and Tommy taking over his father’s cause and therefore putting the once BFF’s as mortal enemies, it also makes sense that they did it this way.   Tommy became a pretty disposable character later in the season.    There were times it seemed he was on-screen just because the writers felt like they had to.  Not to pull out the whole crossroads speech but the character of Tommy did come to a crossroad (especially once he found out about Oliver being the Hood.)   He could align with Oliver and fight the “bad guys” of Starling City or align with his father and fight the revenge fight with his dad and become one of the “bad guys.”   Neither one of these were going to happen. Oliver already has his band of trusted side kicks in Diggle and Felicity so he really doesn’t need someone else at this point.  And Tommy always struggled with his feelings about his father only recently being on good terms with him.  It really wouldn’t have made sense if all of a sudden Tommy was taking up his father’s cause..especially after we saw his reaction to his father’s plan.   So even though you could argue Tommy’s death was a “shock” due to Colin Donnell being a series regular, when you look at the progression (or lack there of) of his character over the course of the season, it wasn’t a shock at all.

Overall, I loved this first season of Arrow.  I like how the superhero element was absolutely present but not in a way that was unbelievable.   Oliver being able to do what he does was well explained over the season.   Are there still questions, sure.   But at least, for my edification, I’m convinced Oliver is the “superhero” we have come to know and love!   And the writers did a very good job with this.  I know some of my friends who watch the show always got bored when the island story line was on-screen but not me.   I wanted to see the transformation of Oliver from spoiled playboy to focused vigilante.  In my opinion, I thought the timing and transition was perfectly handled.  Oliver didn’t transition overnight, but certain things would happen on the island that would force him to jump into a different side of himself I think was there all along but wasn’t awakened until it had to…fight or flight as they say.   And while I still want to know how he gets off and why he is there for 5 years if it appears the main person keeping him there is now dead, I at least am comfortable with the explanation of how Oliver gets to this point, so far.

In addition to Tommy dying, a lot of big things happened.   We learn that Roy Harper wants to meet the Hood so badly not because he wants to thank him for saving his life, but because he wants him to train him to do what he does.   To be Robin to Oliver’s Batman.   But what about Thea?   I don’t think the scene of Roy getting attacked and Thea saving him by throwing that bottle and Roy commenting on her aim was for nothing.  I think it was a mention of things to come with Thea but I’m not sure what.  But I love these two together.

I’m still trying to figure out if I feel bad for Moira or not.  All signs indicate she didn’t have a choice in this because she felt her family was threatened but this is coming from her so we have to take her word on it.  I don’t remember seeing Malcolm actually threaten her family.   If I missed that, please let me know but I don’t remember that.   So I don’t know if I can 100% believe Moira.   Do I believe she loves her family and would do anything to protect them?   Yes I do.   But has she crossed a line she might never recover from?   Absolutely. Has she shown herself to be duplicitous and cagey?   Most definitely.  So I really don’t know how to feel towards her.  But Walter sure made his feeling known.  In the end we see Walter has left her, again, and she was taken in handcuffs to jail.  Not looking good for the matriarch of the Queen family.

Let’s talk about the Lance family.   At first, I hated Quentin.   He was an ass.   But as the season evolved, my views on him softened.   This is a man with a ton of loss in his life and really all he has left is Laurel.  So I can understand him being irrational when it comes to her because he just wants to protect her.  I think his character started to go a bit off course when they had him set Laurel up as a trap to get the Hood.   But he was course corrected and now he’s just a cop, who loves his daughter very much, trying to do the right thing.  I can deal with that.  Watching his opinion of the Hood change over the arc of the season has been interesting to watch.  Here was a cop who was so black and white about the Hood…civilians don’t take matters of law into their own hands.   So in his mind, the Hood was just as bad as the criminals he was trying to catch.   But then, that opinion slowly started to go away as the Hood started giving him tips on criminal activity and would let the police handle it (to some degree.)   Quentin was able to notice that while he doesn’t agree with how the Hood handles his business, he does see he has the people of Starling City’s best interest at heart.   He is trying to do right…even thought it’s a way Quentin doesn’t really approve of.   And I think because the Hood has taken a special interest in protecting Laurel, that has helped soften Quentin a little bit.   So I’m curious to see where his character goes next season in relation to the Hood.

As for Laurel herself, I love Katie Cassidy, but I need more.  Laurel has been a slightly boring character this season.   There are times you see a toughness in her and other layers start to shine through but these moments are fleeting.  Too many times we’re seeing Laurel being the woman two men are fighting over and she has no idea what to do.  And that’s it.  I want to see more from her.  I want to see her fight and be strong, and kick ass in her own right without someone having to do it for her.  With Tommy’s death and her finally choosing to try again with Oliver, at least that is over.   But when we come back next season, I want to see Laurel dust herself off and pick herself back up without someone having to do it for her.  And let’s give her a story where she doesn’t have to be saved or rescued or watched over.   It’s fine to have that every once in a while, but not all the time and for me, it was too many times too often for my liking.

What did you think of Arrow’s freshman season and the finale?   I loved both and I’m already excited for next season!

 

NEW PODCAST: Episode 38 Covers The Americans, The Following, Scandal, Grimm, and More!!!

A new episode of For the Love of TV Podcast is now up here or you can download from iTunes.   Episode 38 covers the following shows:

1. The Americans Season Finale
2. The Following Season Finale
3. Scandal
4. Grimm
5. Grey’s Anatomy
6. Smash
7. Person of Interest
8. Arrow

Let me know your thoughts and if you like, make sure you rate on iTunes!!!

 

Renew/Cancel Tracker UPDATED

The renew/cancel tracker is now updated with all the renewals and cancellations through May 1 2013.  Remember on my tracker, only if it’s officially announced as canceled or renewed, will the show be on the list.    We all know Smash isn’t coming back but no official cancellation has come out so I will wait for that (plus I’m holding out some hope!)

Renewals I’m Happy/Thrilled About:

• Parenthood 
• Grimm
• The Good Wife
• Elementary
• Blue Bloods
• The Following
• Arrow
• Person of Interest

The one I’m most excited for is Parenthood.   This is a show that’s been on the bubble I think every season it’s been on the air and this is the first season the ratings were strong enough that it was pretty secure for a renewal.  What I was even MORE thrilled about is that is was renewed not just for 15 episodes (like it had been) but the FULL 22 episode season!!!!   I couldn’t be happier for the cast and crew because that is seriously one of the best written and acted shows on TV.  I feel the same way about The Good Wife and I’m so excited it’s coming back.  I’m hearing rumors it may be moved to Friday nights….FANTASTIC because Sundays were killing me!!!!   And not because I can’t stay up to watch it but because all the sports on CBS (NFL football), March Madness, The Masters, etc would always delay the start and screw up my DVR.   Plus, poor The Mentalist, I haven’t watched it all season because it’s time slot was basically The Good Wife for most of the season.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m the biggest sports fan you’ll meet.   But that scheduling didn’t do either show any justice.   Plus Blue Bloods and The Good Wife on Fridays makes me VERY happy!!!

Renewals I’m Scratching My Head About:

• Glee
• Two and a Half Men
• Beauty & the Beast
• CSI

So not only was the abomination that is Glee renewed for next season, it was renewed for TWO seasons!   I really don’t get it.    That show is atrocious!!!!!  And the ratings are getting worse every season.   The only thing I can think of is that it was a deal Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuck made with FOX to get it renewed and that Season 6 will be its last season.   One can hope!

Cancellations I’m Most Upset About:

• Ben & Kate
  
• Last Resort
• Smash (assuming it’s officially canceled)

Upfronts will be here before you know it.   Every thing will be official at that point.   Really the big network we’re waiting on is ABC because FOX, The CW, NBC, and CBS have renewed and canceled most of their shows with the exception of a handful still out there.   So ABC will be the big one.

 

NEW PODCAST: Episode 37 Covers The Good Wife, Survivor, Game of Thrones and More!

A new For the Love of TV Podcast is now up here so make sure you check it out or download from iTunes.    Here is the lineup:

1. The Good Wife
2. Criminal Minds
3. Survivor
4. Game of Thrones
5. Scandal

Post your comments below on these shows and let me know what you think!

 

RECAP & REVIEW: Survivor….The Season So Far

Wow.  Survivor really decided to bring the crazy this season didn’t they?   Between Phillip, Shamar, and Brandon there is plenty of insanity to go around.   But is it really making for an enjoyable season?   When does the exploitation of someone’s mental state cross the line from good old fashion entertainment to down right cruelty and absurdity?  Can the producers, casting department, and psychologists really detect someone who is truly mentally unstable or just being aloof for TV purposes?   Is it fair of us to expect them to forecast expectations of behavior?   I know, I know, it’s a TV show.   Furthermore, it’s a REALITY TV show.   But since this is the hot topic this week after Wednesday night’s disaster that was Survivor Caramoan, I’m curious to hear what people think.

I wasn’t excited when Phillip and Brandon were cast this season.  I thought it was stunt casting to be quite honest with you.  Phillip I thought was just a bad player.  The only reason to bring him back is because he is nuts and to watch his insanity rankle the other players in the game.  The whole Stealth R Us thing, while mildly entertaining for the viewers, I can imagine it wearing really thin out there.  So I was dead set against Phillip this season.  However, I have to say, as annoying as he can be, I give him props for many things.  The first being that he’s been great in the challenges.  Of course everyone expected Malcolm and Brenda to do well because they’re great athletes.   But I don’t think people expected much from Phillip and he’s held his own and actually has been a pretty integral part of them willing several challenges…including this week’s coconut tossing competition.  The second would be him really trying to take charge of the game.  Many people, myself included, really gave Phillip grief for riding the Boston Rob train the last time he was on.   He was Boston Rob’s stooge willing to do whatever his master told him to do.  And Rob rode Phillip to $1 million.  This time, it seems, Phillip is taking charge of the game and not riding anyone’s coat tails.  Now he may be rubbing people the wrong way in the process and I’m not saying he’s doing a masterful job at running the show.   But he’s at least not waiting for his fate to befall him.  He is going out and taking charge and charting his own course to what he thinks will be the million dollar prize.  Will he succeed?   Who knows at this point.  His biggest problem is that he doesn’t know how to take charge of the game subtly.  He needs to let everyone know he’s in charge and that may be his downfall.   Is it because of how poorly he was painted in his last showing?  Perhaps.  But Phillip Shepard needs to let everyone know that he’s in control and that you’re either with him or against him.   The final reason I’m giving Phillip props is for how he handled the Brandon situation.  Unfortunately, because of what I just outlined in point #2, Phillip really rubbed, inadvertently, in Brandon’s face how he will dictate Brandon’s fate in the game.  Not the smartest move on Phil’s part.  But does that mean he deserved what Brandon did to him (and everyone else on the tribe for that matter?)   No.   I’ll get more into the Brandon thing in a minute but I really applaud Phillip for walking away from him at camp when he was really getting to a boiling point and I respect the way he held his composure when Brandon was coming after him before the immunity challenge that was never going to take place.   The only thing he did wrong, was talk about Brandon’s family.  In my opinion, leave everyone’s personal life out of it.  Just stick to what’s happening on the island because you don’t know these people, you don’t know their home life, so you can’t judge or throw that in their face.  Just leave it alone.  Other than that, Phillip kept his calm in handling Brandon.  Honestly the whole tribe did, which floored me, but again, more on that later.  Was I happy with the Phillip casting this season?   No.  Is working my nerves as much as before?   Not yet.  Do I respect his game play more this time than last?   Yes I do.

So let’s get into Brandon.  I seriously think that kid’s unstable.  I’m not saying that to be funny or rude.  I seriously think there is something wrong with him.  He was crazy the first time he played and he was just as crazy this time.   The first time around, he got rid of Mikalya because she filled him with impure thoughts of lust.   Well I can’t see a better reason to get rid of someone!  Plus his mood was all over the place…completely bi-polar.  One day he was up, the next he was down, then he was kind, then he was rude.   He didn’t know who or what he wanted to be.   He wanted to be filled with God but then he would curse and threaten people.  It was bizarre.  So why would we expect anything less this time around?   Because, according to Jeff Probst and other producers, they thought he had changed.   Let’s talk about this.  Probst and the producers/casting department have been getting a lot of heat for bringing back Brandon.   The thought out there is that even though they knew he was unstable, they put him out there anyway because they thought he would bring in ratings.   If this is true (and I’m not saying it is) it would be dumb on so many levels.  Number one because this kid doesn’t bring ratings, he actually stops them.  I know people who didn’t watch this season because he was on there.  They couldn’t deal with another Hantz love fest, especially with “the crazy kid” as one of my friend’s put it.  Number two, you can’t risk putting a mentally unstable young man in an environment that will test his sanity everyday.  Number three, you can’t do that to the other contestants (making them live with a crazy person) it’s unfair to them.   I could go on and on.   So I honestly believe that while they may have been nervous about Brandon, they saw enough in him to warrant giving him a second chance on the show.   Where I will give up on Survivor, is if they decide to bring him back a third time.   I can forgive a mistake now.   But after two disastrously mercurial seasons with Brandon, bringing him back again would be down right abhorrent. He has proven to be a truly hot mess.  The fact that he has kids and another one on the way is down right scary.   And I know I just yelled at Phillip for judging someone’s personal life without knowing them so I am being the ultimate hypocrite, but I can’t help it.  I’ve seen and heard interviews with this kid outside of Survivor and to say it was bizarre is an understatement.  He’s usually incoherent and flighty, to be kind.  It’s frightening to hear his complete lack of self-awareness.  He really has no clue.  I heard Probst say that they immediately had a psychologist on set to talk to Brandon after the whole debacle and that it is standard for the show to appoint a psychologist or psychiatrist to help Survivors after the show or help them find a doctor in their area for support.   That’s actually nice to hear.  And I hope Brandon takes them up on it, but I doubt he will.  In an interview with Dalton Ross (who is the best Survivor recapper ever) on his podcast, Brandon talked about how great life is and he’s great and he’s not crazy and that he’s so proud of the way he played the game.  What?????   You’re proud that you took food and dumped it all over the island so that no one in your tribe would have food.  That makes you proud?  Whatever bro (as he likes to call everyone.)   Speaking of the food dump, is that not the most insane thing you have seen on this show?   I’ve obviously never been on Survivor but even I know that food is like gold out there.  All you have is rice and now they give you beans.  But that’s it.  You’re weak and tired and the only sustenance you have is rice and beans.   And that asshole, to prove some sort of point (I’m still not sure what) dumps it all over the ground.  What I found interesting is that Malcolm or Erik didn’t pile drive him to the ground during the rice part.  I know when he grabbed the bean container Erik made a half ass attempt to retrieve it from Brandon but he backed down pretty fast.   I have to wonder if it’s because they were seriously afraid of what he might do.   At this point they’ve all been living together for what 11-13 days?   Maybe everyone was really terrified of him because he was so unstable.  I’m not trying to make this more dramatic than it was, but it does make sense.  I mean come on….when they got back from tribal council, he was talking about how he thought about burning the shelter down!!!  If I was Corrine, my first question would have been “with us in it?”   Yeah he was talking about peeing in the rice and beans, but HE TALKED ABOUT BURNING THE SHELTER TO THE GROUND!   What is the matter with him?  That is why I sincerely hope the rumors about Brandon failing his psych test for the show are wrong.  Because that would be beyond egregious.

So because of all this mayhem, the Favorites decide to do what I absolutely hate in Survivor…throw the challenge to go to tribal council so they can get rid of Brandon.  I hate when teams do this.  It’s the dumbest thing in the world.   You’re annoyed by someone, you’re up by big numbers, and you think it’s no big deal to throw one little challenge.   WRONG.  It’s absolutely the worst idea ever.  However, this situation was the exception to that.  In this situation, I have no problem with the Favorites doing what they did.  This was beyond someone annoying them.  I really think this was them wanting this ticking time bomb, who could possibly be a danger to himself or someone else (mainly Phillip) off the island because it was safer for all of them.  I really believe that.  Look at the way they all dealt with Brandon.  When he became accusatory towards any of them, they backed down.  Even Corrine, who’s as combative and strong and nasty as they come, wouldn’t touch him with a 50 foot pole.  And I have to say, HUGE props to Jeff Probst for his handling of the situation.  Even though the man rubbing was a little weird, I don’t think Jeff could have handled it any better.   It was obvious this could have escalated into something physical (especially when Phillip when after Brandon’s family.)   Probst did the smart thing by bringing Brandon over to him and away from his tribe.   He was able to calmly talk to Brandon and everyone else so he could get a clear idea of what was happening and how this was all going down.  As a result, he had a tribal council right there where everyone voted him out.  I have to wonder what would happen if something did get physical on the island.  Is there security there?   Do the producers expect the contestants to handle it?   Would someone get kicked off the island or put in time out?   What would happen?  I wonder if they have a protocol in place.  I’m sure that they do.   And if they didn’t, I’m sure that they do now!!

Ultimately, I’m glad Brandon is gone.  I think it was a monstrous mistake to bring him back and all of us fans at home thought the same thing.  I don’t think I read one pre-Caramoan review that said what a brilliant idea it was to bring back Brandon.   But, we’re also looking at it from just the scope of his first run on TV.   These producers are really vetting these contestants to make sure they can do this again.  At least I hope they are.   So they get to see more of Brandon in a different light than what we get to see.  Therefore, they made the decision to go for it and it blew up in their face.   I really hope this is the last time we see any Hantz on Survivor.  And I really hope they think long and hard about who they bring back and who they cast.  I know they want personalities because that brings better ratings.   And there’s nothing wrong with drama on Survivor…it’s part of what makes the show so great.   I get all that.   But I think they really need to draw the line at unstable.   Because if they don’t, the very thing they are trying to get, is the very thing they will push away and be gone to the point they won’t be able to get it back and the show will be dead.

 

RECAP & REVIEW: Smash…The Season So Far

I’ve made it pretty clear before that I am a musical theater/Broadway junkie.   I love it.   So when Smash premiered last year, it was right up my alley.   Of course, what started out as a great premise and show slowly deteriorated into an unrecognizable mess that didn’t know what it wanted to be.  The Golden Gate Bridge at daybreak was more clear than the direction of Smash.   But after the major changes in the off-season, I had high hopes Smash would pull it itself together….and it has!   The worst part, no one has stuck around to see it.

Right now I’m invested in two things…Bombshell and Ivy’s career path.  The biggest miss right now (and my biggest disappointment) is Hit List and the storyline with Jimmy and Kyle.   I was so excited to hear Jeremy Jordan was joining the show.   He’s fantastic.   But this character is awful.  I’m actually more interested in Kyle than Jimmy because there is this sweet vulnerability to Kyle and this green, ideological, passionate spark to him that is really fun to explore.  But Jimmy?  Does nothing for me and therefore, other than the fact that he’s adorable, what the hell does Karen see in him?  He was rude to her, condescending, arrogant, and a jerk.   Well if that doesn’t scream “I must be with this person” I don’t know what does.  Her taste in men is truly atrocious.   And can I throw something out there?   Why in the world are Kyle and Jimmy treating Karen like she’s Patti Lupone?   The last I check, no one has ever heard of her, she’s never been on Broadway before, so why are they treating her like some huge Broadway star that’s going to help them get their break?   Because she knows Derek?   A guy whose reputation on the Great White Way is marginal, at best right now?   It doesn’t make any sense to me.   So I wish Hit List, and everything revolved around it, would just go away.   And Karen can go with them.

I know I’ve been hard on the character of Karen and Katharine McPhee, but it’s so easy.   I’ve said it before, I could listen to McPhee sing the phone book and love it.   But the acting?   Wow…not good at all.   It’s why I’ve never been able to believe in her for this part and I’ve never really been able to believe in Derek if he sees this “something special” in her.   Really?   She has something special over Ivy/Megan Hilty?  Really?   I think it’s another reason I’ve never been able to buy Karen.  Ivy blows her away.  Her singing, her acting, her stage presence….she’s the whole package.  It also doesn’t help that I’ve actually seen Hilty in several Broadway shows and she’s magnificent every time!   Hilty is a bona fide star.  So next to McPhee, it’s not even close.   I also don’t like the way the writers started write Karen as a pretty big bitch.  I know she had every right to hate Ivy after all the horrible things she has done to her and if I were her, I’d probably be as cold to Ivy as she has been.  But it’s not just Ivy.  In the rehearsal room she’s short and testy.   If she’s given direction she refutes it snobbishly.  I’m sorry, when did she win all her Tonys and become worthy of telling people what to do?   Wait, let me back up.   When did she even act on a Broadway stage?   Oh that’s right…NEVER.   She had a tiny bit of success in out-of-town tryout and that’s it.    Yet she’s acting like she’s been on a Broadway stage for 20 years (and not in a good way.)   I’ve never been a fan of the Karen character and this season, I like her even less, and I didn’t think that was possible.

But what I’m loving is how this show is getting back to the behind the scenes of musical theater.  I’m a fan of the Hit List storyline, no.   But what I do like is that we are seeing two young people with a passion for music and theater, trying to make a go at their dream.  We see two very inexperienced kids who are trying to figure out how to make it in this business.  I look at it as we’re seeing Tom and Julia before they were Tom and Julia (and with a lot less charisma.)  Speaking of T&J, their storyline is great.   We’re seeing Tom and Derek bond in their own twisted way to get this show to Broadway.   We see Julia doubting herself more than ever wondering if she really is as talented as she thought.  Instead of her BFF helping her get her mojo back, it’s a dramaturg who Julia hated and wasn’t sure she could trust, that set her straight.  Now we’re to the point where Julia’s new draft is amazing and Derek thinks will win every award in June (when the Tonys are) but Jerry, who is now the producer because he’s a douchebag, and Tom think the original draft is better…Jerry thinks it will sell more tickets, which as the producer is his job to decide, and Tom thinks it tells more of the story of Marilyn instead of the men who created her (which is more the focus of the new script.)   All four go to Eileen to decide which script they are going to go with.  It’s an interesting dynamic for the Tom and Julia relationship.  We’ve pretty much seen them on the same side always having each other’s back at every turn.   So now to see them on opposite sides is quite the shift.   I certainly don’t think their relationship (personal and professional) is in any danger but it is fascinating to watch how this project is dividing certain people and bringing others closer together.

I still say when it’s all said and done…Ivy will be Marilyn.   Karen will become so attached to this new project that she will leave the show and Liaisons will fall apart and Ivy will be asked to come back and be Marilyn.  That’s my guess.  And secretly, my hope!   It’s just a shame this will be the last season for Smash.  It’s really found its groove this year and is a much stronger show.   But too many people walked away and haven’t come back so I don’t think NBC will have any other choice but to cancel it come seasons end.   I just hope we get the finale we deserve as fans or maybe we get an 8-12 episode pick up to wrap it up next year.