Survivor Caramoan Fans vs. “Favorites” Cast

CBS released the next installment of Survivor’s cast this week.  There was much anticipation because this is a return to the Fans vs. Favorites theme that was probably one of the best seasons in Survivor history the first time around.  So myself and other Survivor fans eagerly anticipated who the batch of favorites would be.  Needless to say, this crew came crashing down with a loud thud (hence why favorites is in parentheses in the title above.)  Really?  This is who they came up with?  If these were the favorites, I’d hate to see who didn’t make the cut.   Let’s see who we have coming back:

• Andrea – Redemption Island
• Phillip – Redemption Island
• Francesca – Redemption Island
• Cochran – South Pacific
• Dawn – South Pacific
• Brandon – South Pacific
• Erik – Micronesia (Fans vs. Favorites)
• Corinne – Gabon
• Brenda – Nicaragua
• Malcolm – Philippines

Ok, let’s start with Malcolm.  I have no problem with them bringing Malcolm back because I loved his game and would love to see him have another crack at this.  But I think it’s too soon.  Three seems to be the magic number of times playing the game of Survivor so I’d rather have them spread out.   For Malcolm to come back so soon, is disappointing.  Not to mention, it’s hard to claim him as a favorite (even though casting was 100% right in their prediction) because when Malcolm filmed Fans vs Favs Part Deux, Philippines hadn’t even aired yet (these seasons were filmed back to back.)   So I wish Malcolm would come back, just a little later.

When Brenda, Dawn, and Francesca were first announced, I didn’t even remember who they were.  Once I saw Dawn and Francesca, I instantly remembered them.   Dawn I have no problem with.  Francesca, I’m glad she’s back because I thought she got a raw deal the first time around and I think she can do well in Survivor but it’s still surprising to see someone who was the first person out back as a “favorite.”  Brenda, even after I saw her, I didn’t know who she was.  She wasn’t that memorable to me.   Then I started reading about her time on Nicaragua and then I remembered who she was.  I wasn’t a fan of Brenda.  I thought she was pretty arrogant and rude but she was a great game player.

Erik and Andrea I’m happy to see back.  Erik for no other reason than to finally shed his “dumbest Survivor player ever” moniker.  And Andrea was a great player so I like seeing her have another crack at the million dollars.

Cochran and Corinne, I’m not sure about.  I liked Cochran at first but then he worked my nerves.  For someone who was a self admitted genius, he really made some dumb moves.  I hope he plays a better game this time around.  The one thing I do admire from him though, is his passion for the game.  He respects it and he plays hard, so I can always get behind that.  Corinne, I can’t stand.  She’s a nasty person.  She’ll bring ratings and interest, I guess.  But I don’t find her appealing at all.  I’ve never understood nasty, bitchy people who get off on being assholes and who actually think less of other people who are nice.  Corinne, I could have done without her.

But the two biggest head scratchers?   Phillip and Brandon.  WHY?  Phillip isn’t a good Survivor player.  The only reason he got as far as he did was because other people hated him so much, no one would give him a million dollars, so that’s why you bring him to the end.   Boston Rob played him like a fiddle.  Then you have Brandon.  What is the fascination with the damn Hantz family?  If you were going to bring a Hantz back, at least Russell is entertaining.  This kid is annoying and creepy.  I can’t think of one reason why bringing Brandon back enhances the game.  I seriously don’t.  That kid has issues and not in a good way.   There were so many other people to pick, I’m not sure why Brandon was one of them.  Waste of space if you ask me.

I have to imagine that there were other people they had in mind for this “favorites” list and they turned the show down.  And as a result, this was the B team.  Maybe even the Q team.  It’s the only explanation because I would never in a million years classify this group as “favorites.”  Some of them yes.  But the rest, not even close.   Jeff Probst did say, if we liked Philippines, we will love Caramoan even more, it’s that good of a season.  I love Probst and I trust him on this but it’s hard to imagine this season being that entertaining with this group of returning members.   But you know what that does tell me?  That the newbies could be an amazing group of players.

What do you think of the “favorite” list?

 

NEW PODCAST: Episode 31 Covers Castle, The Good Wife, Parenthood, Dexter, and More!

I know I know.  I’m reeeeeeeeeeeealy behind.  Being away makes is so hard to catch up.   So you know what that means….lots of podcasts.

This podcast is up and running here and tackles some amazing shows that had fantastic season premieres:

1. Castle
2. The Good Wife
3. Parenthood
4. Dexter
5. Once Upon A Time
6. Blue Bloods
7. Grey’s Anatomy

I’ll get blogging soon guys, I promise!

I understand there were some issues with the hyperlink.  I think it’s working now.  If not, please go to iTunes and download it!

 

 

SEASON PREMIERE RECAP & REVIEW: Bones “The Future in the Past” S8 E1

Bones is back!  And with REALLY bad hair….poor girl.  When last we saw B&B and our favorites squints, Pelant had set Brennan up for murder, Caroline and Booth for assisting her or covering up what they new, and Brennan went on the run with Christine and her dad until her name was cleared.

Let’s get right into with Pelant. I love the episodes revolving around his character and Andrew Leeds is brilliant in the part.  I love psychological killers.  Nothing scares me more than really intelligent people who can think 10 steps ahead of everyone else and are so sinister and take so much pleasure in toying with people’s heads.   That’s Pelant.  Especially since Brennan is as smart as she is and Pelant has been playing her like a fiddle.  Bones and Hart Hanson have done a fantastic job with this arc.  I’m not going to lie, I was slightly upset when they captured him (for a few reasons) because I thought that was the end of Pelant.  But my husband and I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop.  My fear was it was going to be Pelant somehow killing one of our own. But it turned out, Pelant was not who he said he was and was able to get out and extradited back to Egypt.  Say what now?   Let’s think about this for a moment…

When this first happened, both my husband and I thought “it shouldn’t matter who he says he is because the evidence still point to him.”   The more I thought about it, that’s not exactly true.  When Brennan “solved” the murder of Pelant’s guidance counselor and was able to nail him for it, it left me with an uneasy feeling.  Brennan always needs 100% conclusive forensic evidence before declaring her findings.  But not in this case.  There were no finger prints.  No DNA tying Pelant.  Only the idea that he was once heavy-set because his gait appeared altered as if someone who used to carry around lots of weight on his joints was no longer carrying it around.  Therefore, he would need a lighter weapon (like a sword) to kill the counselor.  Well that’s great, but where’s the proof?  All of Pelant’s high school pictures were forged (foreshadowing.)  So how could they scientifically prove that?  Then there was the part about Max having lunch with Pelant’s father who told him about being either a WWII vet or someone who collects WWII memorabilia (I can’t remember) therefore remembering his father had a sword that could match the murder weapon.  Well wasn’t that convenient.  The “solving” of this case really bothered me and it felt forced and fast and very shoddy for the usually particular Dr. Brennan.  Maybe it was the really bad wig throwing her off.  Seriously couldn’t they find Deschanel a better hair piece than that?   Sweet Jesus.

So as a result of no real forensic evidence, it doesn’t matter if he’s Christopher Pelant or Christopher Reeve, there’s nothing tying him to the murder.  Now, there is all the copious amounts of circumstantial evidence piled up against Pelant.  But guess what, if he isn’t really Pelant, then nothing is tied to HIM.  All the fingerprints on Pelant say he is Bassam El Fayette (I think), and Egyptian national.  Back to Egypt he goes and out of FBI custody and jail.   Uh oh, guess this saga isn’t over just yet.     But the biggest twist of the night came at the very end.  As Pelant was walking out the door, he hands Brennan a Marigold.  Apparently a Marigold represents grief and pain.   Who knew a flower could be so cheery in its message?   She throws it in the trash.  We then see a hand reach down and pluck it out of the trash.   The hand belonged to Special Agent Seeley Booth!!!   Well shit, now that would be a twist!!!!  But no.  It was Special Agent Hayes Flynn (Reed Diamond.)

Now I’ve read some people’s thoughts on this who took that to mean that Flynn is going to go after Pelant in his new role in Domestic Terrorism.  I didn’t take it that way AT ALL.  I think it meant that Flynn and Pelant have been working together.  I also read people who took this as Pelant changed his identity to Fayette while in jail.  Again, I don’t agree with that.  Either one of two things happened.  Pelant didn’t change his identity from jail, Flynn did it for him.  Or, Pelant was never Pelant…that was the false identity…he was Fayette all the time.  That’s the one I’m going with.  I think he had a backup plan in place so that if he ever was arrested, his partner could easily erase his fraudulent life and become who he really is…with no criminal ties to him at all.  Pelant always thinks 10 steps ahead.  And that didn’t change here.  He was prepared for this to possibly happen and when it did, he knew exactly what he needed to do to get out of it.

The big question is, how will this all end?  I don’t think it’s going to be with Booth arresting Pelant for good like we thought happened last night.  I think it will be with one of our tried and true, killing him.  That was made pretty clear when Hodgins had his hands around Pelant’s throat and was squeezing with everything he had.  Hodgins later told Sweets about this and he told Sweets that he could tell in Pelant’s eyes that he wanted him to kill him.  Flash to later in the episode when Sweets was talking to Angela and Brennan about Ethan’s code and told them that Pelant is even scarier now because he wants one of them to kill him.  Max also mentioned to Booth that the only way this is really going to end is if Pelant is dead.   So I’m pretty sure it’s safe to say that’s how it’s going to go down.  The question is who will kill Pelant.   And as sinister as this sounds to say, I hope it’s someone significant. It can’t be Brennan or Booth…it will be too easy to get around that.  But I hope it’s Cam or Angela or Sweet…someone we aren’t expecting and I hope it has major consequences.  I’m not saying I want any of those people to leave the show, I just think from a story telling aspect that it would be sooo much more interesting to see that fallout!   But if I had to guess now, I think Brennan’s life will be in danger and Max will be the one to kill him and somehow Max will die as well.  I don’t know how that all plays out, but that’s my guess.

What did you think of the Bones premiere and are you enjoying the Pelant arc as much as I am?

 

SEASON PREMIERE RECAP & REVIEW: Parenthood “Family Portrait” S4 E1

This is absolutely one of my favorite shows on TV.  And every season, I can’t wait for its return.  The fourth season of Parenthood did not disappoint with a very touching episode that surprised me because I’ve never liked Haddie.  So let’s start there because there was a lot going on in this episode.

Haddie/Adam/Kristina/Max

I had a feeling Sarah Ramos wasn’t going to be back much this season once we learned she was off to Cornell.  I wasn’t all that upset either because I’ve never liked the character of Haddie.  I never liked how whiny she was and how selfish she could be.  Plus, everything is the world seemed to annoy the crap out of her.  She was written perfectly as a typical teenager and Ramos did a great job executing it to a tee.  Still doesn’t mean I have to like her!   Most of this episode revolved around Haddie leaving for college.  Here’s what I don’t understand.  This is the week before she leaves correct?  So why was Kristina and Adam trying to cram ten pounds of shit into a five-pound bag (as my husband loves to say?)  Obviously Haddie wants to spend time with her friends before she leaves and she should have the right to do that.  Why would you put shopping, parties, family visits, and immediate family time all within the course of this one week?   Couldn’t you have spread it out over the summer?  It was already going to be stressful enough for all of you that week leading to Haddie heading East.   Why make it that much more stressful on all of you?

One of my biggest pet peeves about Parenthood (really the only one) is how the show always has people talking over each other.  I hate it.  It’s one of my biggest pet peeves in reality because I don’t think there is anything ruder than talking and having someone completely disregard the fact that you are speaking and begin to speak over you.  It’s as if that person is saying “what you’re saying is so insignificant and has so little value, that I am going to begin speaking because I couldn’t care less what you have to say.”   Sorry for the mini soap box, but it had to be said.  So when it happens in Parenthood, it drives me bonkers.  Adam/Kristina/Haddie/Max have always been the worst about this on the show.  Every scene they are in it’s as if 2-3 different conversations are going on.  It’s hard to follow and not the least bit entertaining.  The scene at the burger place was awful.  First, if you want to take Haddie out to celebrate her, why not ask her where she wants to go?  Second, knowing you have a son with Aspberger’s, wouldn’t you call the restaurant ahead of time to make sure they serve the same burger that your son always gets?  You know what will happen if they don’t and if you’re trying to make a nice family outing, keeping Max in check would be a good idea.  Third, how dare Kristina yell at the people behind them.  You all know I love her character but this bothered me.  Your son is pitching a fit, your oldest daughter and yelling back at him, and your youngest baby has just burst into screaming tears.  When the man turned to look at them, Kristina yelled to have him mind his own business because that wasn’t his family.  Well guess what?  When your family disrupts other people’s families from enjoying their meals, they have the right to give you the stink eye.  If you don’t like it, then make sure all hell doesn’t break loose when you go out to dinner.  I’m not saying it’s easy and I can appreciate how challenging it can be.  But you also can’t be upset with other people who may be annoyed that your family is keeping them from having a quiet, enjoyable meal.

Even with those few annoyances, overall, it was a really sweet episode for these guys.  One of the things I think the show highlighted beautifully is just how difficult it is on the sibling of a child with Aspberger’s.  We always see and hear about the parents view-point, but it’s nice to see how hard this has been on Haddie.  Haddie tries to have a nice moment with Max telling him how much she will miss him and loves him and that she appreciates his special qualities of honesty and directness.  She even gives him a present to let him know how much she cares.  But you see her get nothing back from Max.  That has to be hard and I thought Haddie handled herself very well.   Haddie always has to be the bigger person and when her parents don’t always discipline Max the way they should (like the way the blew off him destroying her room to look for his lizard) it’s hard to not want to take it out on him and it’s understandable when she does lose it.

We also got to see Kristina’s side of her baby girl going off to college.  You see how she really wanted some girl time with her daughter before she leaves.  She really puts it in perspective when she says “she’s never going to live here again.”  Actually, that’s a good thing.  You should want your child to be self-sufficient and independent.  It’s a sign they’ll be ok.  But from a mother’s view-point, her baby is grown up and moving on.  And while she’s thrilled for her, it crushes her at the same time because everything is moving to a new stage in their lives.

The scene that really got me, was the final scene.  Even though I knew it was coming, it still got me.  Haddie is at the airport about to board her flight and her parents are keeping it together (Adam’s just fine but Kristina is really trying hard to be strong and not cry) and Haddie is also very stoic.  But as soon as Haddie gets in line, she runs back to her parents, crying her eyes out, and gives them a huge hug.  It was awesome.  And I was so happy for Adam and Kristina because they got their reassurance that Haddie is going to miss them just as much as they will miss her.  Oh man, did I cry!!!

Crosby/Jasmine/Jabbar

I’m still not happy Crosby and Jasmine are married but I guess I’ll get over it at some point.  But I thought their story of the week was very interesting.  Crosby noticed Jabbar praying and wasn’t quite sure how he felt about that.  When Jasmine and Crosby confronted her mom about it, I loved seeing them as a united front and on the same page.  It was the first sign to me that I could start to like Jasmine again because that shows she’s grown.  Before she would have taken her mother’s side but not this time.  She and Crosby were a team and told her mom that something that significant should really be up to them to teach Jabbar.  And I agree with them 100%!  But her mom had a great response…then what do you plan on telling him and teaching him because he deserves to know something.  And she’s right.

Crosby goes to see his mom and dad and asks them about their spiritual background and how they handled this with them.  I was conflicted about this because in one sense, shouldn’t Crosby know his parents view points on religion and spirituality?  Wouldn’t that have already been discussed and wouldn’t he know the results of those conversations?  In another sense, I really respected how Crosby took this seriously.  Seriously enough to go to his parents and ask their advise since they didn’t grow up in a house where religion was prevalent.  He and Jasmine talked about it and he asked her what about her religious upbringing did she like.  Now of course Crosby said something that made me want to smack him upside the head (he’s usually good for at least one of those per episode) which was “well I don’t want my son belonging to some club I’m not apart of.”    Oh really?  So if Jabbar wants to be on the football team or a mathlete or part of the German club or drama club, you won’t let him because you won’t be part of it too?   That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard!    Ultimately, I think Crosby made the right decision and followed his mom’s advise in letting Jabbar figure out for himself what religion and spirituality will mean to him.   It’s a fascinating debate because can children really figure that out for themselves?  Probably not.  But there is nothing wrong with opening him up lots of different faith-based religions, learning about them, understanding them, and letting them choose which speaks the most to them…especially if religion isn’t a huge presence in your life.

Sarah/Mark/Amber/Drew

I’ll run through this part quickly.  I’m not sure why Mark was brought back.  Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE Jason Ritter.  But it’s pretty well-known that he’s going to be in another show mid-season that Jason Katims is creating specially for him.   So he’s not going to be around.  At this point, I don’t know why Sarah just couldn’t have denied the proposal off-screen and she comes back this season single.   I though his speech to Camille was sweet about being in the picture but at the same time I was just screaming at my TV: “come on!!”  It’s a picture!!!!  I can see if other fiances were included in the picture and now he isn’t but Kristina wasn’t allowed in until she and Adam were married.  Jasmine wasn’t allowed in.  So why should it be any different?  I don’t agree with Camille’s stance, but if that’s her decision, so be it.  She should have held her ground.  Seriously though, I can see not wanting random girlfriends and boyfriends in the picture but fiances?  That doesn’t make any sense to me.  And what if one of her children didn’t believe in marriage and lived like Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell?  Does that make the significant other any less family?  I think not.  Also, why not take two pictures?  One with mom, dad, and the kids and one with mom, dad, kids, significant others, and grandkids?

Sarah is searching for a new job outside of bartending and when scheduling the photographer for the family picture, noticed a Help Wanted picture in the window.  She asks Hank Rizzoli (guest star Ray Romano) if she can put her hat in the ring for the job.  I have to say, I wasn’t thrilled with the addition with Ray Romano because I was not a fan of his.  I never found him particularly funny and I hated his sitcom.  So I was nervous. I am shocked to say that I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed his character.  I liked his banter with Sarah.  I thought they had a nice connection…he’s the grumpy curmudgeon while she’s the bubbly, aloof, optimist.  She has no experience and she lies to get the job.  It fails horribly (from a logistical standpoint) but the family loved her and Hank couldn’t help but notice how great she was with the clients.  So he decides to hire her full-time to be the client liaison while she learns more about the photography business.  And I like where this is going!

Amber continues to make bad decisions but I don’t care because I love her character.  But I do have to ask, what happened to her job with Kristina?  I thought she was seeing that through and now she’s working at the Luncheonette?  I hope that gets explained (and I hope Kristina still has her job!)  But she sleeps with the lead singer of this band only to find out he has a girlfriend.  She tells Crosby, who tells Adam, who decides to fire the band.   (Loooooooooooooooong deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep breath and siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh.)  I was with Amber, I can’t believe Adam fired a paying customer because he upset Amber.  If anything, he should have been upset with Amber for AGAIN mixing work and pleasure to disasterous circumstances.  But at the same time, I LOVED how protective he was of her.  Ultimately, she’s still his niece.  And as he explained to Crosby who was giving Adam a hard time “you don’t have a daughter.”  I get that.  I still think it was absurd that a 20-year-old with no business experience had to explain to a 40+ year old with 20+ years of business experience that he can’t make business decisions on his personal feelings.  But I still loved the scene with Peter Krause and Mae Whitman.

Drew, kind of bores me.  I don’t know if it’s the character or the actor, but Drew is a drip.  I’m sorry.  And it looks like Amy will be breaking his heart next week.

Joel/Julia/Victor/Sydney

Wow, this is tough.  Joel and Julia are really struggling incorporating Victor into the family.  I like this storyline because I think it’s fascinating to see how you bring a child into your family who is much older.  I would guess Victor is around 7-8 years old?  So Victor has thoughts, feelings, and opinions already developed.  This isn’t something J&J can develop from scratch like they did with Sydney.  I can’t even imagine how difficult that is.  And I can appreciate the predicament of letting Victor do things they wouldn’t normally do to make him feel loved and wanted yet needing to discipline him to the point that you are truly treating him like family (to Joel’s point.)  How do you know that line?  When is the right time to stand up and say you’re in my house you need to live by my rules?   Each kid is different so how do you know?    And it just broke my heart when Julia said “I’m trying to fall in love with my son.”   You can see this is killing her.  You can see how badly she wants this but it’s hard.

I have no doubt this will work out because I think J&J are great people who want this child to have a great life.  But the process to get there will be amazing to watch.  And I’m sure it will get worse before it gets better.

Whew!!!  What a premiere!  I know it sounds like I’m being really hard on the show.  Maybe I am, but I just love it so much that when there is something I don’t like, it usually hits me harder than it should!  The ratings have me nervous, they always do so I hope Parenthood continues to have enough of a following to last a few more seasons.  Because I LOVE the Bravermans!!!

 

SEASON PREMIERE: Game of Thrones “The North Remembers” S2 E1

Game of Thrones’ second season premiere was last night on HBO and it didn’t disappoint.  I’m not going to lie, it took me a little bit to remember all the players (thank goodness for all those Season 1 GoT recaps on the networks to help!)   I think we are in for a crazy ride this season with many power struggles ahead.

After watching the premiere last night, it’s very clear that last season set up all that is to come.  I realize that the last two episodes of season 1 also did that.  But my jaw was on the floor between the killing of Ned Stark and the birth of the dragons that I didn’t think about it that deeply until now.  But last night showed us a very simple premise….NO ONE likes the Lannisters.  They are everyone’s enemy.   Therefore, everyone across the land is coming after their claim to the throne.

It’s fascinating to watch how it’s all coming together.  While everyone is united in their hatred of the Lannisters and want to see them pushed out of power in King’s Landing, many of these other kingdoms can’t take them out on their own.   They need help.  They need to ban together with another kingdom or faction to achieve their goals.  But as we witness the individual brainstorming sessions, we learn that each of these other factions have their own rifts with the families planning to align with them.  In other words, everyone hates everyone else for one reason or another.  The key will be one of two things….who can put their egos and differences aside to team up to take out the Lannisters or who is smart enough to align with the right contingent to achieve the goal yet not be betrayed.  Because if you aren’t family, you can’t be trusted and it makes you an enemy.

I was worried going into season 2 that I wasn’t sure who I would root for.  After all, there is no more Ned Stark. But I do have my top three…Robb Stark, Tyrion Lannister, and Daenerys Targaryen.  Robb is awesome.  He is his father’s son and he will avenge this death.  The best part about the Stark family is that they want no part of the throne in King’s Landing.  All they want are the Lannisters out of power and destroyed and to return as King of the North never to be bothered again.  Seems fair to me.  Robb’s problem is, to take out the Lannisters he needs a stronger army.  His army is solid and they will die for him (plus he has Jamie Lannister prisoner which helps) but he needs to be even stronger.  He needs ships.  He best friend/pseudo brother Theon Greyjoy offers to ask his father (who fought against the Starks) to use his fleet of ships to assist them.  Robb then asks his mother to meet with Renly Barathian to see if his troops will align with them for one super power army.  If Robb can get both, it would make him near unstoppable.   That is of course, if others don’t usurp him in the process!

Then we have Dani.  Since her portrayer, the lovely and fantastic Amelia Clarke, call her Dani, that’s what I’m calling her.  Plus it’s much easier to spell!  Dani is leading the Dothraki’s through what looks like the desert to get to King’s Landing to avenge her family’s removal from the throne and her husband’s death.  The problem is, they are running out of food and water.  She sent three of her best men in different directions to seek help.  Her closest confidant is concerned about her and is worried that if she isn’t careful, no matter where she goes, they will be defeated and her dragons will be seized.  ”No one will take my dragons!”  Dani exclaims.  You’re damn right sister!  I would hope at some point, that someone would be willing to team up with her.  If for no other reason than the fear the Dothpak have on the rest of the kingdom.  She is a fantastically strong character considering what she’s been through and I am fully in her corner.

Finally, we have the great Peter Dinklage.  Emmy winner, Peter Dinklage resuming the role of Tyrion Lannister.  Already I see a major shift in his character.  He’s not just the amusing, black-mark-on-the-family, playboy he was last season.  Yes he’s still all those things.  But something has changed in him.  He doesn’t like how his nephew Joffry and his sister Cersei are ruling King’s Landing and how they are destroying their family’s name.  He openly mocks Joffry about his leadership on the battlefield (he has none) and tells his sister that her only redeeming quality is her love for her children and her cheekbones.  He is furious with the way they have handled the Starks.  Since Robb has Jamie, they had huge bargaining chips with having Ned, Sensa, and Aria.  Well Joffry beheaded Ned and Cersei let Aria get away.  Now all they have is Sensa.  She’s still a powerful chip but not nearly as powerful as having all three.

It’s clear to anyone that Joffry is evil and Cersei is corrupted by power.  Joffry is killing people for enjoyment, abusing his soon-to-be wife, Sensa, threatening the life of his mother, and ordering the death of all the Barathian bastards since the secret is out that he is really the bastard of Cersei and Jamie and not Cersei and King Robert.  Cersei denies this of course but since Stannis Barathian released that information to the entire kingdom, everyone knows.  It weakens the Lannisters so Joffry is doing everything in his power to eliminate any possible threat to his throne.  I just hope a direwolf takes him out at some point and gives him the rightful death he deserves!!

Finally, speaking of Stannis, he is leading his own charge to take back the throne with a very interesting team of people.  Including Mesliandre, who apparently worships her own created deity.  She has a group of followers who also worship with “god” and Stannis has become one of the them.  Some of the men closest to Stannis are very concerned about his growing allegiance to Mesliandre.  One even goes so far as to poison a glass of wine he offers to share with Mesliandre hoping to kill her off while killing himself at the same time.  I believe I read somewhere that this character was very close with Stannis and would do anything for him.  I would say so!  But it fails.  He dies, but the poison has no effect on her at all and she chants something while a glowing red beacon of some sort flashes on her neck.  I can’t wait to find out more about her.

Oh and there’s a weird-looking comet that is hovering over the kingdom.    Just a FYI.  It’s supposed to signify the presence of dragons.  No one believes it, but we know better don’t we!

That about sums up the season premiere.  It really went fast and I loved every minute of it!  What did you all think of the premiere?  Let me know!!!

 

Cougar Town Returns!!! It’s About Flipping Time.

After the disaster that was Work It, ABC has finally stopped sniffing glue and put Cougar Town back on the schedule.  Cougar Town returns Tuesday February 14th…the perfect way to spend Valentine’s Day!   Which is the dumbest holiday on the planet but that’s another story.

Woo hoo!!!  Penny Can!!!!  Big Joe (oops sorry Big Joe died).  Big Carl and the cul-de-sac crew is back and not a moment too soon.  The new comedies this year were awful and it’s about time a real comedy was back on the air.

If you need to find me, you know where I’ll be on Tuesday Feb 14th at 8:30pm.

 

Game of Thrones Season Two Premiere Date!!!

I am sooooooo excited!!!!  Game of Thrones is coming back and it finally has a premiere date.   Game of Thrones is back on HBO Sunday April 1st at 9pm for it’s 10 episode season.  I really wish these were 12 episodes per season but beggars can’t be choosers.

In other HBO knows, “Girls” will premiere Sunday April 15th at 9:30pm.  ”Veep” staring Julia Louis Dreyfus will premiere Sunday April 22nd at 10pm.   Girls is about a group of girls in their 20s and will highlight all the funny and crazy things girls endure at that point in their life.  It stars a bunch of people I have never heard of…Jemima Kirke and Allison Williams…and I have absolutely no interest in this show.  Veep stars Dreyfus as a former senator who is now the Vice President of United States and her job is not exactly what she thought it would be.  Talk about vague.  Aren’t these show descriptions becoming more and more formulaic?  Veep also stars a solid cast including Anna Chlumsky, Tony Hale, and Reid Scott.  This I will be checking out.

I was hoping to read the first two books in the series to catch up before the premiere.  Yeah, that’s not going to happen.  No biggie.  But I can’t wait for the premiere.  It feels like forever since we last saw Daenerys Targaryen emerging from the fire with her baby dragons surrounding her.   Good God I can’t wait!!!!

 

SERIES PREMIERE RECAP & REVIEW: Work It “Pilot” S1 E1

Oh boy.  The first new show I am going to review had to be a questionable one.  As I mentioned on my podcast, I was looking forward to checking out Work It because it reminded me of a show I loved as a kid….Bosom Buddies.   After watching Work It, I now realize why kids are dumb.

Work It follows the plight of Lee (played by Ben Koldyke) and Angel (played by Amaury Nolasco) who have been out of work for over a year and can’t find a job anywhere.  While getting slammed with a $900 bill from the doctor’s office (since his insurance ran out) he was trying to find another way to get a job.  At said doctor’s office, he overhears a woman talk about how her pharmaceutical firm is looking for sales people.  Unfortunately they are only looking for women.  Being a woman and knowing that there are still many instances where men get jobs over women and the pay scale still isn’t where it should be and there are still many “good old boys” out there, this is just out-of-bounds.  A firm who only wants attractive women because they believe that’s who the doctors want to sleep with?  Being in sales, I understand the doing anything to get the sale concept, but this is just wrong on MANY levels.

When Lee plans to sell his wife’s earrings to get the money for the doctor’s bill, he sees a dress hanging on her door and an idea comes to his head.   He dresses as a woman and goes for the job at the pharm firm.  He gets the job and immediately starts to make friends (kind of) with his new colleagues….Grace, the ultra competitive top sales person (played by Rebecca Mader), Kelly, the air head who likes to sleep with doctors (played by Kate Reinders) and Kristen the kook who, while really strange and out there, is very sweet and looking for a new book club buddy (played by Kirsten Eggers.)  Talk about stereotypical women in the work place…the bitch, the slut, and the ditz.  Boy this really does feel like watching a sitcom from the 80s.

Apparently, Lee and Angel made a deal that whoever got a job, would get the other job there as well.  And when Lee told Angel it wasn’t possible (but not why) Angel stormed away and told his friend is was basically a snob for not wanting him at his snobby pharm firm.  You have got to be kidding me.   You two have been out of work for over year.  The job market is atrocious.   So you are going to condemn your friend because he wasn’t able to get you a job (a job which you have no experience at)?   Last time I checked, Lee wasn’t in charge of hiring…Vanessa was.  So how can Angel make Lee feel bad?   Not to mention it was CLEAR that Lee was a sales person and has the experience and knowledge to win the job.  Angel doesn’t.  So how does Angel feel he is entitled to a job that he has no qualifications for in a competitive job market?   It was the most ridiculous thing I had ever seen.

Eventually, Lee fessed up what he needed to do to land the job and Angel is all for doing the same thing.  He dresses up and interviews with Vanessa (played by Rochelle Aytes.)   He doesn’t get the job but because he is able to change Vanessa’s flat tire later on, she hires him.  I can’t even begin to tell you how insulting that is.   But whatever.  He gets the job, everyone celebrates (except Lee’s wife who seems like a real stick in the mud) and the premise for the series is set up.

This show is just one stereotype after another.  While I’m sure many people will be able to appreciate what the show is trying to do and can relate to the tough job market and the willingness to do whatever it takes to provide for your family, I think the majority of people out there, won’t like this show.  It’s so shallow on many levels.  I would have more sympathy for Lee’s family if his wife wasn’t so nasty to him and his daughter wasn’t a spoiled brat.   The only time we see her is when she is bitching about having to use a land line because she can’t have a cell phone anymore and then finally shows her dad some kindness when he gets her a phone back by the end of the episode.  Seems like Lee is the sole provider in the house so I find it a bit odd that the first thing he does after being out of work for a year is to make sure his brat of a daughter has a cell phone.   Surely there must be more pressing bills.

Having said all that, I will admit that there were times when I laughed.  When they all sat down to have lunch together and Lee breaks out a gut busting size hoagie while the other girls are eating salads, when his ace bandage came apart under his skirt and Lee tried to hold it together.  Nothing ground breaking but simple funny moments.  I think the hardest part to over come is how these two men look NOTHING like women.  At least they could have found someone maybe a little more slight in build and softer in features to be more believable as women.  And maybe that’s what the show runners want…two men who are so masculine and large that they think it makes it funnier.   I just think it makes all the characters around them less believable and less likable because it’s hard to believe anyone would be that dumb to buy Lee and Angel as women.

I might watch one or two more episodes to see if this show improves at all.  But it isn’t looking promising!

DVRs: 0

 

WINTER PREMIERE REVIEW: Pretty Little Liars “Through Many Dangers, Toils, and Snares” S2 E14

The Liars are back!!!  It feels like forever since they were on TV but then again it seems like it was just yesterday.  It’s weird.   Regardless, we catch up with the girls about a month after we last left them and they have A LOT to atone for.

When we last left the liars, Aria was being threatened by Jackie to break things off with Ezra, which she did.  Spencer was told to break up with Toby, which she did.  Hanna had to break up her father’s wedding to Isabel, which she did.  And Emily, was still recovering from her carbon monoxide poisoning and having Alison tell her, in her dream, that she was her favorite and that she knows who “A” is but isn’t saying.  Now, from the special Halloween episode we got in October, we learned that “A” didn’t just show up after Ali died.  ”A” was tormenting Ali way before he/she ever came after the rest of our fearless foursome.   I know there is still much speculation out there that “A” is Alison and that she never died.  And with hints like tonight where “A” told Emily she was her favorite (just like Ali did in Em’s dream) the show is doing a good job of keeping that a possibility but I don’t think it’s true.  At one point, I did, but not anymore.  I think “A” is someone with strong ties to Ali but not Ali herself.

The surprising part of the episode, was how much the girls had turned on one another…more so Spencer and Emily.  But I have to admit, I didn’t buy it for one second.  I knew it was a ruse to trick “A”.   So if I knew, how come “A” didn’t.  ”A” always seems to be 3 steps ahead of the girls.  He/she knows them inside and out.  So wouldn’t he/she have seen right through it as well?  Basically the girls tricked “A” into thinking that Emily was on the outs with all of them so that she would be approach by “A” (which she was) and the girls were going to use that to trap “A” and finally reveal who he/she is.  It worked for a few minutes but eventually “A” got away, but not before leaving behind a valuable clue to who they are…..his/her cell phone!  Which as you could see by the final scene, “A” was severely pissed about that stupid mistake.

I have to say, I was a little disappointed how quickly they wrapped some things up.  For example, Jackie really turned the tables on Aria in the summer finale.  When Aria went to expose Jackie for plagiarism, Jackie told her that she would expose her relationship with Ezra to her parents unless she broke up with him.  I really thought this was going to play out longer.  And actually, I thought it would have been great to watch.  But knowing what was going down between Jackie and Aria, Ezra decided to take Jackie’s power away.  He went to see Ella and Byron and in a very difficult, painful, grueling, scene to watch, he finally came clean about his relationship with their daughter.  I was literally dying for him on my couch!  As to be expected, this went over soooooo well with the Montgomerys.  The asked him to leave, he wouldn’t, Mike punched him, and then Ezra left.  While it was a fabulous scene and all actors played it beautifully, I would really like to have seen this dragged out a little longer.

The other story that I thought was wrapped up too quickly was Tom and Isabel still getting married anyway even thought Hanna exposed his affair with Ashley while they were at the altar.  It was a little too easy.  I know it ruined their wedding day and they didn’t get the wedding they wanted, but it didn’t destroy their relationship the way something like that should.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not rooting for Tom to be miserable, but it was a little too clean for my liking.   As a result of this disaster, an awesome thing has resulted.  Tom and Isabel are moving to Rosewood…with evil Kate.  Kate is a deliciously awful person and every show like this needs a character like that to turn up the bitch volume.  Yes Alison and Jenna have that but you see them so randomly, it isn’t enough.  So I hope Kate will be a regular force that Hanna and the liars will have to deal with for seasons to come!

So what did you think of the winter premiere?  As usual, it was a great episode.  I’m not sure how the liars will use the cell phone to their advantage, but I can’t wait to see.  It also set up some great sub plots with Aria and Ezra’s relationship being public, Kate moving into the fold, Lucas bringing Caleb back to Hanna, and Spencer and Toby trying to find a way to repair their relationship.

 

REVIEW: Boss “Listen” Pilot S1 E1

I was always planning on watching Boss, but as soon as it was renewed for a second season, I knew I had to watch this show.  I never really understood how shows got renewed before a season airs.   It happened with Glee when 2-3 episodes into Season 1, it was renewed for two seasons (and we all know how disastrous that was.)  It happened last season when How I Met Your Mother (who had been a perennial bubble show) was renewed for two seasons.  Not that I am complaining because I LOVE HIMYM, but it was odd.  So imagine when a brand new show that has never aired ONE episode, get renewed for a second season.  Can you explain that to me?   It’s like ordering a show to pilot and canceling it before it airs once.  It makes no sense.  What if this show tanks?   We could spend all day on that analysis but I will save that for another post at another time.

Right away after watching one episode, I think I can safely prognosticate that Kelsey Grammar will be nominated for an Emmy for his performance as Tom Kane.  He is dynamic on-screen and he completely carries the show.  The show starts off with Tom Kane in a warehouse with his doctor.  She is giving him horrific news…he is diagnosed with a degenerative, terminal neurological condition that sounds a little of a cross between ALS and Parkinson’s.  This one scene alone, Grammar should be nominated for the Emmy.   He sits there stone faced taking in the news. He grills the doctor on treatments, medicine, the prognosis with an efficient precision that instantly showcases his character as a powerful, no-nonsense man.  Later, we learn just how powerful a man he is….the mayor of Chicago.  But every once in a while, you see how painful this news is for him to take yet he does his best keeping his composure.  After the doctor leaves and he calls his cronies to pick him up, he has a brief period of time in which he loses it and he allows the grief of what he just learned, to take over.  But he can’t let it consume him for long because he needs to pull it together for a speech supporting the re-election of the Governor of Illinois.

While Grammar certainly carries the show (for now) there are two notable performances alongside him along with two potential gems.   Meredith Kane (played by the wonderful Connie Nielson)….”He was a soldier of Rome.  HONOR HIM!”   Sorry, needed to throw in the Gladiator reference.  I love that movie!   Anyhoo, Meredith is Tom’s wife.  To say their marriage is chilly, would be a massive understatement.  We learn her family comes from a political background and whether this is a marriage of political convenience and power or a once happy marriage that was destroyed somehow, we don’t know yet.  But Meredith seems to be a very powerful woman in her own right.   Ezra Stone (played by Martin Donovan) is another strong character as the mayor’s closest advisor.  Ezra, it would seem at least on the surface, a huge supporter of Kane and will have his back no matter what.  He seems to be the one person Kane can trust.  Will he remain that way throughout the course of the series?   We will see.

The other two potentials are Ben Zajac (played by Jeff Hephner) who is the young, cocky politician who Kane wants to enter the gubernatorial race against Mac Cullen (played by Francis Guinan) and will throw his support behind and the other is reporter Sam Miller (played by Troy Garity) who is looking into Tom Kane and looks to be the only person who knows about Kane’s doctor visit and who that doctor is.  He is digging for dirt but we don’t know why.  Is he doing it on someone’s orders or is he trying to become the next Bob Woodward?  I really enjoyed both performances and think they have decent potential.  I’ve seen Hephner in other shows and always enjoyed his performances so I have no doubt he’ll be solid here.

As for the rest of the cast, they didn’t do much for me.  Personally, I’m not a fan of Kathleen Robertson.  I will always remember her as Claire Arnold, the dean’s daughter on the original 90210 and I HATED her character.   She was one of the most annoying people on the show.  She also seems to play the same type of character all the time.  But the role of Kitty O’Neil, the mayor’s aide, could be a step up for her.  Right now the only interesting thing about her is that she like to have sex in stairwells with Zajac.  So there is a history between her and the mayor’s new boy toy for Governor.  But we’ll see where her character goes.  One character I have NO interest in right now is Kane’s daughter Emma (played by Hannah Ware) whose storyline always brings the show to a screeching halt.  She appears to have no relationship or a bad one with Kane right now (there was no indication either way with her and Meredith, who I assume is her mother) and she appears to be a minister with a drug problem.  Boring and dull is what that is.  Not to mention, everything and everyone revolving around Emma was very slow.  I’d rather there be more plot line development with the main and secondary characters…Kane, Meredith, Stone, Zajac, Miller, and even Kitty to some degree.  Even Gov. Cullen was more interesting in the brief time he was on the screen than she was.   So if she and her storyline were to go away completely, I would be ok with that!

I would recommend checking out Boss.  The pilot wasn’t as strong as it could have been but sometimes these shows need time to build momentum.  Unfortunately, this show on has 8 episodes this season to do that.   However, like I mentioned in the beginning, it has already been renewed for a second season, so it has plenty of time to build momentum, story lines and characters.

If you watched Boss, what did you think?  If you didn’t, check it out on demand or Starz will be running reruns until the second episode which airs Friday nights at 10pm.