Oy with the poodles already!

"Oh, my god. You're flirting over a dead body." "When else am I going to do it?"

2010-08-04T11:40:00.011-04:00

I've been watching TNT's new original series Rizzoli & Isles, and I must say, I rather like it! I usually don't watch much summer tv. My mom watches The Closer, so from time to time, I'll watch the episodes with her. I tried to watch USA's Covert Affairs, but gave up after two episodes. (I don't want to waste time watching a show that I feel I could've written.) For the most part, I find summer show's boring and have difficulty watching them every week.

I gave Rizzoli & Isles a go because the concept seemed interesting. Also, I'm all for a show with two female leads, especially if it's not a Sex & the City remake. (I have nothing against Sex & the City, but most shows with multiple female leads are 'girlie' and focus on relationships. Rizzoli & Isles is about cops. As detective shows are not typically seen as a female genre, I'm interested in a show that is.) I'm familiar with Angie Harmon from her Law & Order days. My mother is a huge Law & Order fan, so I grew up watching all the different versions. My only impression of Sasha Alexander was from NCIS, a show that my mom adores, but I can't sit through. My mom dislikes Alexander's character on NCIS, Kate, and prefers the episodes with Ziva.

I like the fact that Rizzoli & Isles takes the recent cliché of partner series (two opposites), but gives it an original spin (two women). Two traditional partner shows that come to mind from last season are Bones and Castle. Both utilize the establish norms of these kinds of shows: man and woman, complete opposites, foils to one another. They often annoy each other and (pretend to) dislike each other initially, but actually eventually realize they respect and and enjoy the company of the other. They grew up with different backgrounds and socioeconomic statuses. We usually find one partner to represent the brain of the unit, and the other, the heart. Both characters are admired by their peers in their respective fields; they are "good cops" or "good doctors." They believe their success as partners derives from having such separate strengths and contrary points of view.

In Bones, Brennan is cool and analytical. She is a genius, and grew up without family. Booth, however, is a family man. He's more in touch with his emotions than Brennan. His strength as an investigator comes from his intuition. He 'goes with his gut' and bases his theories on the feelings he gets from the suspects and victims, while Brennan relies on forensic evidence. The characters in Castle are similarly diverse. Beckett is serious and Castle is silly. Castle's life is luxurious and social and he has a stable family unit. Beckett, contrastingly, lives alone and simply. Her life revolves around her work.

(For the record, Mulder and Scully are my favorite diametrically opposed investigative team. I'd consider it blasphemy to write about partners on television and at least not mention the greatest partnership to ever have existed.)

Jane Rizzoli grew up in a tight-knit, middle class Bostonian family. She's tough and athletic. She didn't go to college. She's intelligent, but Dr. Maura Isles is the 'smart one' of the team. We've not yet heard about Isles' family, but we know she went to boarding school and college. She has expensive tastes and obviously came from a high society family. Jokes have been made about Isles' inability to understand or relate to people.

The idea of taking these tropes and translating them into a show about two (heterosexual, as far as we can tell) female detectives fascinates me. (Okay, technically, Rizzoli is the detective, and Isles is a doctor. But the idea remains the same. Technically, Castle is a writer, not a cop, and Brennan is a forensic anthropologist and not an employee of the FBI.) The contradictory points of view still brings the expected fun banter and light teasing. But, as it's two women, the idea of romantic love will likely go unexplored. (I know much of the fanbase hopes they become a couple, or already believes they are, but I find it incredibly unlikely that it will ever become canon.) And, while I would have no issues if the two become romantically involved, I love seeing two strong, independent women on television as friends. With the exception of shows in the "girlie" or "chick" genres (i.e. Sex & the City, Cashmere Mafia, etc), you rarely find one on television in which the main, professional female characters are supportive and encouraging of each other. My favorite example of this is Cuddy and Cameron from the early seasons of House. Although one might think that understanding and compassion would come from the fact that they both have to deal with the curmudgeon Dr. House, it actually positions them as adversaries. In Cameron's entire run on the show, I believe she and Cuddy only had one positive interaction. The rest were rude and, well, bitchy. This also happens in Ally McBeal when Nelle Porter joins the law firm and the other women decide, without even meeting her, that they're going to hate her because she's beautiful and new to the firm. This perpetuates the notion that women can't get along and work together. Is this really how we want to represent women in society?

(It is important to note that we do see women as friends on television. In addition to the previously mentioned "girlie" genre, we most frequently see women professionals on television as friends when one is the lead and the other is only a supporting character. I see this as unproductive because most of the interactions center on the one main character, showing an unequal friendship. On Ally McBeal, when Ally and her best friend Renee talk, it's usually about Ally and her problems. Rarely do we see them discuss Renee's life.)

Rizzoli & Isles here bas the chance to show intelligent, professional women, who work well together, can support and encourage each other without manipulation or backstabbing, and enjoy each other's company. Definitely sounds like a show worthy of my time.

Don't Give Up

2010-07-25T19:45:00.008-04:00

Someday I will finish the 30 Days of TV meme that I started last month. Of course, I will edit all the dates so it won't look like I failed and stopped doing it. But for now, I wanted to briefly talk about The X-Files: I Want to Believe.

Today is the second anniversary of the U.S. release of IWTB. At the time, in 2008, I was barely a fan of the show. I had seen the first season once or twice and had not really been able to get into it. Nevertheless, I eagerly anticipated the release of this film because I had numerous friends who were big fans and I felt excited for them. I even had a friend who went to the premiere in L.A. and got to watch the film in the same room as Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny. (Yes, a momentary flail is acceptable.)

I didn't have any friends in town at the time who were interested in seeing the film, so I dragged my little sister with me to the midnight showing. I figured that the most intense fans would go during that time, and I wanted to see the film with people who were really excited to see it! My assumption, however, was proven incorrect as I appeared the most enthusiastic about the film. (My sister fell asleep early on.) One guy showed up wearing an X-Files t-shirt, but the entire audience was silent throughout the film. No one cheered at the first shots of Scully and Mulder. No one even cheered at the end.

Needless to say, I loved the film, without even being fan of the series. I was so touched and impressed by the relationship of these two characters. I loved the story. These two individuals, whose romantic relationship I knew was never officially confirmed on the show, had managed to stay together and love each other through everything. It's such a lovely notion that the world could end and your most beloved companion (your constant, your touchstone), would remain at your side. They showed true love, partnership, commitment and loyalty at a time when I felt the world lacked relationships with these qualities. From this film I could tell that Mulder and Scully were more than just lovers, or more than just great friends. Their love extended far beyond anything I had ever seen on television, or in real life. No matter what, they were devoted to each other. They connected in a way I can't even begin to explain. Even if they were fighting, they were still together, still partners. Even when Scully told Mulder she wouldn't come home to him, she continued to research the case, and found him after he had gone missing. No matter what, she was going to save him. And I know he would've done the same for her.

Within these two years time, I've seen the film many, many times. It's become the film I watch when I'm feeling incredibly sad or lonely. When my problems become to much too handle, and I need to stop thinking about them for a time to clear my head, I put on I Want to Believe. I think it's partly because it fills me with hope. Hope, I guess, that even if this cruel and unjust world, sometimes you can find a person who will stand by you and fight for and with you, even if you're a crackpot.

Anyways, it's the best movie ever. And I love it. And I thank Chris Carter, Frank Spotnitz, Gillian Anderson, and David Duchovny for taking the time to make it. I can't even really begin to tell you how much this film means to me, or how much it helps to be able to watch it when I'm feeling down. Thank you so much to everyone involved.

(X-Files 3 in 2012!!!!)

In my book, I'd written that Agent Scully falls in love but that's obviously impossible. Agent Scully is already in love.

2010-06-06T12:21:00.010-04:00

Day 21 - Favorite ship

Mulder and Scully are my favorite ship. It's hard for me to explain why. On the show, they were both kind of loners. Neither or them really had lives outside of work, but they still found each other and lived (relatively) happily ever after. (Let's face it, their lives suck! Not exactly 'happily ever after.' But at least they have each other.) It just really hopeful and lovely and comforting for fellow loners like me.

Mulder and Scully so completely different from each other, but they balance each other out so well. And I think they enjoy the differences. They challenge each other. But, even more so, they respect each other. That's the greatest foundation of their relationship. This mutual respect grew to immeasurable trust and then finally, to love. There's just something so powerful about their relationship. It has overcome anything that they've faced.

"But you saved me! As difficult and as frustrating as it's been sometimes, your goddamned strict rationalism and science have saved me a thousand times over! You've kept me honest. You've made me a whole person. I owe you everything... Scully, and you owe me nothing."
- Mulder, Fight the Future

And, honestly, I think few other couples on television have had chemistry that rivals that of Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny. Even in the pilot, the eye!sex was so intense!

Day 01 - A show that should never have been canceled
Day 02 - A show that you wish more people were watching
Day 03 - Your favorite new show (aired this TV season)
Day 04 - Your favorite show ever
Day 05 - A show you hate
Day 06 - Favorite episode of your favorite TV show
Day 07 - Least favorite episode of your favorite TV show
Day 08 - A show everyone should watch
Day 09 - Best scene ever
Day 10 - A show you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving
Day 11 - A show that disappointed you
Day 12 - An episode you've watched more than 5 times
Day 13 - Favorite childhood show
Day 14 - Favorite male character
Day 15 - Favorite female character
Day 16 - Your guilty pleasure show
Day 17 - Favorite mini series
Day 18 - Favorite title sequence
Day 19 - Best TV show cast
Day 20 - Favorite kiss
Day 21 - Favorite ship
Day 22 - Favorite series finale
Day 23 - Most annoying character
Day 24 - Best quote
Day 25 - A show you plan on watching (old or new)
Day 26 - OMG WTF? Season finale
Day 27 - Best pilot episode
Day 28 - First TV show obsession
Day 29 - Current TV show obsession
Day 30 - Saddest character death

There's no need for introductions, Ray Don, we know who you are.

2010-06-04T16:35:00.003-04:00

Day 19 - Best TV show cast

The cast of Designing Women. This question was particularly difficult for me. I usually don't like everyone on a cast. I love one person, like a few more, tolerate some, then hate others. I'd have to say that the original cast of Designing Women is the only one that I love entirely. Any time I see Dixie Carter, Jean Smart, Delta Burke, or Annie Potts in something else, I get excited and must watch it. I watched all of Samantha Who? because I am just that dedicated to Jean Smart. I'm not a Desperate Housewives fan, but I loved seeing Dixie strut her stuff on Wisteria Lane. Delta's few scenes in What Women Want (yes, that Mel Gibson movie) are probably my favorite! (Although, let's face it, that movie has some awesome actresses!) It's always a treat to watch Law & Order: Special Victims Unit or a movie from the 80's, like Ghostbusters or Pretty in Pink and catch a glimpse of Annie.

Designing Women is a show where I have trouble deciding on my favorite character. My default answer is to go with Mary Jo, but the truth is that I love them all. When I was younger, Charlene was my favorite because she was so funny. And no one can deny the brilliance of Suzanne Sugarbaker. How it is possible to create a character that is so racist, homophobic, and just generally snobbish, and make her also completely lovable? Finally, we have Julia, with whom I gladly trade places just so I could know how it feels to be The Terminator. There's never been a greater cast or group of characters.

Day 01 - A show that should never have been canceled
Day 02 - A show that you wish more people were watching
Day 03 - Your favorite new show (aired this TV season)
Day 04 - Your favorite show ever
Day 05 - A show you hate
Day 06 - Favorite episode of your favorite TV show
Day 07 - Least favorite episode of your favorite TV show
Day 08 - A show everyone should watch
Day 09 - Best scene ever
Day 10 - A show you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving
Day 11 - A show that disappointed you
Day 12 - An episode you've watched more than 5 times
Day 13 - Favorite childhood show
Day 14 - Favorite male character
Day 15 - Favorite female character
Day 16 - Your guilty pleasure show
Day 17 - Favorite mini series
Day 18 - Favorite title sequence
Day 19 - Best TV show cast
Day 20 - Favorite kiss
Day 21 - Favorite ship
Day 22 - Favorite series finale
Day 23 - Most annoying character
Day 24 - Best quote
Day 25 - A show you plan on watching (old or new)
Day 26 - OMG WTF? Season finale
Day 27 - Best pilot episode
Day 28 - First TV show obsession
Day 29 - Current TV show obsession
Day 30 - Saddest character death

I've made a huge mistake.

2010-06-03T16:27:00.006-04:00

Day 18 - Favorite title sequence

Arrested Development. I really like this title sequence because it's cute and quirky and I really like the quick summary. Ron Howard is an awesome narrator. :D

So say we all!

2010-06-02T11:51:00.006-04:00

Day 17 - Favorite mini series

(Please note: I realize the above picture is from the actual television series, and not the mini series, but just deal with it, okay?)

Battlestar Galactica. I consider this show to be one of the greatest ever on television. It was so smart and clever, but also fun. The characters became like family, even the ones I wasn't particularly fond of.

I remember watching the mini series with a friend. I was completely entranced for three hours. It was so interesting and exciting and fresh. It had a fantastic ending, with the realization that one of the characters was actually a cylon!

Xoxo, Gossip Girl

2010-06-01T12:52:00.004-04:00

Day 16 - Your guilty pleasure show

Gossip Girl. I've never watched Gossip Girl during the regular season as it's aired on TV, but whenever the DVDs come out, I usually rent them and then proceed to crash on my couch for a few days watching them. It's really addicting. I enjoy how ridiculous the whole thing is. The drama provides a momentary and often much-needed break from reality.

Loneliness is a choice.

2010-05-31T19:27:00.010-04:00

Day 15 - Favorite female character

Preconsciously, she knew this wasn't her strength as an investigator. She was a marshal of cold facts, quick to organize, connect, shuffle, reorder and synthesize their relative hard values into discrete categories. Imprecision would only invite sexist criticism that she was soft, malleable. Not up to her male counterparts. Even now, as she pushed an errant strand of titian hair behind her hair, she worried her partner would know what she could simply guess. To be thought of as simply a beautiful woman was bridling - unthinkable. But she was beautiful. Fatally, stunningly prepossesing. Yet the compensatory respect she commanded only deepened the yearnings of her heart. To let it open, to let someone in.
- The X-Files, "Milagro" 6x18

Dana Scully is easily my favorite character to have existed on television ever. She's so beautiful and tragic and strong and smart and vulnerable. I tried to watch The X-Files a few times before I actually got "into" it. I borrowed season one twice from a friend and had no interest in going further into the show. I liked Mulder okay, but I harbored serious negative feelings towards Dana Scully. She was awkward and, just in the nature of the show, with Scully as the skeptic, she was always wrong. I think I found it embarrassing to watch her constantly fail and falter next to Mulder. But, after I saw I Want to Believe, I became more interested in Mulder and Scully and gave the show another go. I was committed this time, but it still took a number of seasons before I realized The X-Files might just become my favorite show. When that change occurred, I believe it was because I started to see Scully differently. (When I really get into a show, I mean, really get into it, it's because I've found a super-awesome female character with whom I can relate, worship, and idolize.) The girl I once saw as awkward and painful to watch in the early seasons, became this elegant and clever woman by the show's end.

The X-Files is not a feminist show. In many ways, Scully is not an ideal feminist character, but is she beautiful and flawed and broken, but she never, ever gives up. No matter what happens, she always fights and battles. She tries so hard and gives so much. She's loyal, but she's not afraid to tell Mulder when she thinks he's being an idiot. She's so smart, but can't quite seem to manage any sort of a social life. She's realistic and some might say cold, but I see her as someone who feels so much and so fully, that she has to put up that protective wall to guard herself.

I love so many things about her. Just to give one example: In I Want to Believe, there is a scene where Mulder finds her in the hospital. He comes to tell her some news about the case and to ask Scully for her help, but she refuses. "That's not my life anymore," she tells him. She can't 'look into the darkness with him anymore. She can't stand what it does to them.' During these six years of living secretly with Mulder, she feared that this very situation might come up, but she hadn't had to face it until now: that Mulder would chose "the work" (the paranormal, the 'darkness') over her, or put it before her. She worried that one day, he might want to pursue his work in the paranormal again, but she knew she could not continue with him. She had already sacrificed so much, fought so long, lost too many loved ones, and she didn't want to go back there again. She did not want that darkness in her home. As they talk, she knows that she can't tell him to give up this case, but she decides that she won't be going home, to their home. She has her own battles to fight.

As sad as it is to see Scully 'break up' with Mulder, it made me so proud of her. I love that she was wise enough to see that this might happen. She did not naively believe that, given the opportunity, Mulder would rather 'settle down' than seek hidden truths. She accepted Mulder for who he was long ago, she even claimed that this stubborn of his is why she fell in love with him. When it became apparent that he did not want to quit, she, for the first time ever, put herself first. She knew he wouldn't change and calmly realized that she couldn't stay with him. She handled the situation so gracefully and admirably, and proved how strong she really is.

Tell your friend POTUS he's got a funny name, and he should learn how to ride a bicycle.

2010-05-30T21:04:00.005-04:00

Day 14 - Favorite male character

Sam Seaborn. I adore Sam Seaborn. Actually, I think it's safe to say that Aaron Sorkin wins for creating the most fantastic, smart, cute, dependable, wonderful, quirky-without-being-weird male characters on television. Sam is my personal favorite because... he's just so cute. He's such a nice, caring guy and I love his mannerisms and his dorkiness. I love the way he talks. He just goes on and on. He's perfect. It's hard for me to explain. I just love him. This is the moment I truly fell in love with him [note: Laurie is a prostitute Sam slept with without knowing she was a prostitute]:

LAURIE: I break the law in the district. I break the law in Maryland. And from time to time, I break the law in Pennsylvania. In my life, I have never committed a federal crime, which is more than I can say for some people in your line of work.
SAM: You’re absolutely right about that.
LAURIE: I need a cab. [waves to a cab passing by but it didn’t stop]
SAM: So I had a pretty good day.
LAURIE: Congratulations.

She's so annoyed and angry with him for embarrassing her in front of a client, and in the middle of her rant, he whips out a "so I had a pretty good day." It's just... so adorable.

I love him, and if he were a real person, I'd marry him and have a billion of his babies. He has this way of being so strong and smart and sexy, but yet dorky and silly and cute, and at the same time, so nice and thoughtful.

Do you have any idea what it's like to go through puberty backwards? Yeah, it's true. There are only two known cases, me and Dick Clark.

2010-05-29T11:31:00.006-04:00

Day 13 - Favorite childhood show

Growing Pains. As a kid, I loved this show. I'd watch it every day. I would never miss it. And if I happened not to be home, I'd record it and watch it later. In the mornings, my friends and I would talk about it on the bus to school, but I was always the one who was most interested. I was obsessed. It's been ages since I've seen an episode, but I've probably seen them all. My favorite episodes: the one where Ben has his tonsils out and he has a dream that he is replaced by a better Ben and that his family is happier without him; the one where Ben dreams his life is a television show called Meet the Seavers; the one where Chrissy wants to stay up past her bedtime, because she imagines everyone parties after she goes to bed, and when Maggie and Jason let her stay up to show her how wrong she is, a bunch of crazy things end up happening, and it seems like there's a huge party. I love many others, but those are the ones I can remember right now. I had a huge crush on Kirk Cameron and I loved Maggie and Jason. And Leo DiCaprio! When Titanic came out, I believed I was a true Leonardo DiCaprio fan because I knew him from Growing Pains.

Help me, Liz Lemon, you're my only hope!

2010-05-28T13:31:00.005-04:00

Day 12 - An episode you've watched more than 5 times

30 Rock's "Rosemary's Baby." Best episode ever. I've lost count of how many times I've watched this episode. I actually started watching 30 Rock because I heard Carrie Fisher was going to guest star, and I love Carrie Fisher. I have to watch things in order, so I went back and started with season 1. By the time I had gotten to the middle of season 1, I had fallen in love with the show. "Rosemary's Baby" remains one of my favorite episodes. Carrie Fisher was excellent! And it was so funny! "You are my heroine. And by heroine, I mean 'lady hero.' I don't mean I want to inject you and listen to jazz." And Tina Fey got Princess Leia to say "Help me, Liz Lemon, you're my only hope!" HOW AWESOME IS THAT?!

Additionally, this episode has that amazing scene with Alec Baldwin and Tracy Morgan where Jack imitates Tracy and his family! SO FRRREAKING FUNNY.

Perseverance does not equal worthiness. Next time you want to get my attention, wear something fun. Low-riding jeans are hot.

2010-05-27T17:55:00.005-04:00

Day 11 - A show that disappointed you

House. Anyone who knows me knows I used to love this show. I lived and breathed it. But somewhere along the line, I lost interest. I don't know exactly what happened or what changed, but I began to dislike it. Was it the lack of clinic duty? Was it the integration of the new cast? Did the formulaic story lines become tiresome and boring? Maybe I began to find House's cynicism and attitude no longer shocking. Maybe I became disappointed with the treatment of Cuddy and the other women. I don't know, I can't say. All I know is that I usually don't care when it's on and I don't care if I miss it. I did, however, enjoy the recent season finale, but I'm under no illusions that I'm going to like what the new season brings.

What is an oprah?

2010-05-26T17:27:00.006-04:00

Day 10 - A show you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving

Stargate SG-1! So when I started watching Stargate, I didn't like it. Let's not talk about why, but I just didn't. But once I started liking the characters, I became pretty hooked because they're so funny and adorable and I just love them. I think it's the kind of show where you have to like the characters to like the show.

The great ones dare to believe in the unbelievable.

2010-05-25T22:03:00.003-04:00

Day 09 - Best scene ever

While I felt the season 2 finale of Sanctuary was a little weak, this scene made it all worth it. Just.Watch.

Time for some thrilling heroics.

2010-05-24T15:07:00.008-04:00

Day 08 - A show everyone should watch

FIREFLY. This amazing show created by the brilliant Joss Whedon lasted only fourteen episodes (and one feature film!). This is one of those shows where the characters become your best friends. Whedon has a gift for that. His characters always feel like real people and are always loveable! Firefly is a great show to watch because it's so short, that's it's easy for anyone to pick up. Whedon is a genius, and this show proves it. It's beautiful, clever, and witty, everything a show should be! I hope everyone gives this Western set in space a try!

That's why we like you, Mulder, your ideas are weirder than ours.

2010-05-23T14:39:00.005-04:00

Day 07 - Least favorite episode of your favorite TV show

"Jump the Shark." Season 9 episode 15. I find plenty of X-Files episodes uninteresting and dislike them intensely. Other episodes end in such a heartbreaking or devastating way that I hate their existence. This episode, while tragic, is also just DUMB. I hate this episode because not only do three beloved characters die, but they die without reason. Yes, they die as heroes, but the plot that led the episode in that direction was entirely senseless. And, okay, seriously, why did TPTB think it was necessary to kill off the Gunmen? It just doesn't make sense. I understand when producers kill off characters to shock the audience - to show them that nothing is safe. (I'm a Joss Whedon fan. I've learned this lesson many times.) But this death was just done so poorly that the effect was lost on viewers. I haven't seen the episode in about a year, and I've only seen it once, and probably will never watch it again, so it's difficult for me to be specific. But, please, take my word for it, this episode is awful.

You know, there are worse ways to go, but I can't think of a more undignified way than autoerotic asphyxiation.

2010-05-22T12:35:00.010-04:00

Day 06 - Favorite episode of your favorite TV show

This was pretty much the hardest question! How can I pick a favorite episode of The X-Files? There are so many wonderful, touching, and funny ones!

After much thought, I realized that I just have to pick one, almost randomly. Just make a decision.

"Clyde Bruckman's Final Response." Season 3 episode 4. This episode has incredibly funny moments, but also very deep and touching ones. The case is interesting without being too complicated. I picked this one because it contains a very nice story about Scully, but I would not classify it as a 'Scully episode' such as "Beyond the Sea," "Never Again," "Milagro," or "All Things." Peter Boyle, whom I loved as a child because of While You Were Sleeping, plays Clyde Bruckman with a beautiful mix of bitterness, but with a comic and endearing charm. Fan favorites such as the Amazing Yappi makes his first appearance, as does Scully's poorly fated dog, that adorable ball of fluff, Queequeg.

Read less. More TV.

2010-05-21T20:22:00.008-04:00

Day 05 - A show you hate

This one was hard for me, because there are many shows I claim to hate, but have never actually seen an episode of, so I can't say that I hate any of them publicly. But a few summers ago, I was babysitting these two kids, and I remember seeing this show at their house.

iCarly. I have very little tolerance for most children/teen shows, but this one is just the worst. All of the kids are snotty and rude. And every adult on the show is an idiot and the kids talk to them like they're children. It's just awful. I really didn't like it at all. I remember when I was a kid, we had shows like Power Rangers, where being a good person, protecting the innocent, and standing up for your friends was what mattered. And now we're teaching kids that adults are all stupid and they deserved to be talked to as such. I mean, no wonder kids today have so much attitude and are so rude! This is what society is showing them is acceptable!

Day 01 - A show that should never have been canceled
Day 02 - A show that you wish more people were watching
Day 03 - Your favorite new show (aired this TV season)
Day 04 - Your favorite show ever
Day 05 - A show you hate
Day 06 - Favorite episode of your favorite TV show
Day 07 - Least favorite episode of your favorite TV show
Day 08 - A show everyone should watch
Day 09 - Best scene ever
Day 10 - A show you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving
Day 11 - A show that disappointed you
Day 12 - An episode you've watched more than 5 times
Day 13 - Favorite childhood show
Day 14 - Favorite male character
Day 15 - Favorite female character
Day 16 - Your guilty pleasure show
Day 17 - Favorite mini series
Day 18 - Favorite title sequence
Day 19 - Best TV show cast
Day 20 - Favorite kiss
Day 21 - Favorite ship
Day 22 - Favorite series finale
Day 23 - Most annoying character
Day 24 - Best quote
Day 25 - A show you plan on watching (old or new)
Day 26 - OMG WTF? Season finale
Day 27 - Best pilot episode
Day 28 - First TV show obsession
Day 29 - Current TV show obsession
Day 30 - Saddest character death

Do you believe in the existence of extraterrestrials?

2010-05-20T11:09:00.011-04:00

Day 04 - Your favorite show ever

This became an extremely stressful question for me. What is my favorite show ever? I went back and forth between two shows: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The X-Files. If I chose Buffy, it would make the next two days easy for me (favorite and least favorite episodes of your favorite tv show), because I know Buffy episodes better than I know X-Files episodes. But, I never really felt satisfied choosing Buffy. While I still love Buffy and will always continue to, Buffy was my favorite in the early years of high school. I really think my love for the X-Files, which is more current, has surpassed it.

THE X-FILES. I can't even explain to you how much I love this show. It goes beyond anything I can put into words. I had always turned down my nose to it because it was a scifi show and I thought that was for, you know, weird people. A show about aliens? Please. When I started college, I watched a few episodes on TNT and then eventually borrowed season 1 from a friend. I wasn't impressed. Whatever. I had given it a try and it wasn't for me.

I went to see the midnight showing of I Want to Believe in 2008 and then that's when things changed. That movie... I can't even describe it. I'm very aware of its flaws, but it touched me in ways that only few movies do. I think it's just because after everything that had happened to them they were still together. (I didn't know very much about the show, so I didn't know specifically what they had been through, but still, it's television, it's not hard to imagine that it was all very unfair and tragic.) And even though Scully tried to walk away from him in the film, she eventually came back and rescued him and in the end, they were together.

After that, I started renting the show from Netflix. It was much more interesting to me this time because I knew the ending. And it was amazing to watch the series from beginning to end to see the relationship unfold and the characters develop.

I also think it's a really good show. It often borders on over-dramatic and too complicated, and occasionally crosses the line, but for the most part, I think it's well written and well put together. Many episodes break format and are really surprising and revolutionary for its day. David and Gillian are fantastic. Gillian's work is truly amazing. Really, that woman's talent continues to astonish me. She's so good.

I’m like Tinker Bell, Finn. I need applause to live.

2010-05-19T14:06:00.010-04:00

Day 03 - Your favorite new show (aired this TV season)

I wish that this category pertained to a favorite show that is new to me, regardless of when it started. I'd have a great answer for that!

But I'm trying not to cheat on this. The only new show that has aired this season that I've actually seen more than three or four episodes of is Glee.

I watched the preview episode of Glee last summer and was hugely unimpressed. I had no plans of watching it when it started in the fall. In January, my sister, who had been watching the show regularly, received the first DVD set for her birthday, so she and I decided to marathon them. I got a little hooked. I did, I'll admit it; I was hooked. It's not my favorite show. And there are definitely many things that I DO NOT like about it, but it's just a fun show to watch. I love the music. And I love the guest stars. And sometimes I even love how ridiculous it is. I think the show is improving. With the exception of how they all have to try to teach a lesson, I've enjoyed the back nine episodes because I think TPTB are really responding and listening to the fanbase. They've given the supporting cast more to do and bigger roles and they've actually created honest, legitimate plots. I look forward to seeing what season 2 brings us!

I'm sorry, I don't understand what social situation this is. Could you give me some guidance in how to proceed?

2010-05-18T13:16:00.006-04:00

Day 02 - A show that you wish more people were watching

My initial reaction was to say Sanctuary for this one, but then I realized that pretty much all of my friends are hooked on Helen Magnus now, so I feel like it's not very accurate.

The Big Bang Theory! Now, let's ignore any possible kind of feminist view and talk about how much I love this show. I freakin' love this show. Jim Parsons' Sheldon Cooper is one of those really special, memorable, show-making characters (much like How I Met Your Mother's Barney). While I'm very grateful I don't actually know someone like Sheldon in real life, watching him on my television makes me happy in way I can't possibly explain. With my own self-diagnosed mild OCD, I can relate to some of his compulsions. Hell, I wish that I would've had the foresight to create my own Roommate Agreement forms in the past! I love his inability to pick up on sarcasm, the way he freaks out if someone sits in his "spot," and how even in his adulthood, his mother is still the boss of him.

While I do like the rest of the cast, Sheldon is hands down my favorite. But in general, I love all the nerdy references in the show. I love they way they talk about blogging or twittering. I love the Firefly references and how the boys are all in love with Summer Glau. They attend Comic-Con and Ren Fairs (and then Sheldon complains about the historical inaccuracies). My level of geekdom is definitely not as advanced and developed as theirs, but I'm always pleased when I catch one of the geek jokes.

~~Day 01 - A show that should never have been canceled~~
Day 02 - A show that you wish more people were watching
Day 03 - Your favorite new show (aired this TV season)
Day 04 - Your favorite show ever
Day 05 - A show you hate
Day 06 - Favorite episode of your favorite TV show
Day 07 - Least favorite episode of your favorite TV show
Day 08 - A show everyone should watch
Day 09 - Best scene ever
Day 10 - A show you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving
Day 11 - A show that disappointed you
Day 12 - An episode you've watched more than 5 times
Day 13 - Favorite childhood show
Day 14 - Favorite male character
Day 15 - Favorite female character
Day 16 - Your guilty pleasure show
Day 17 - Favorite mini series
Day 18 - Favorite title sequence
Day 19 - Best TV show cast
Day 20 - Favorite kiss
Day 21 - Favorite ship
Day 22 - Favorite series finale
Day 23 - Most annoying character
Day 24 - Best quote
Day 25 - A show you plan on watching (old or new)
Day 26 - OMG WTF? Season finale
Day 27 - Best pilot episode
Day 28 - First TV show obsession
Day 29 - Current TV show obsession
Day 30 - Saddest character death

30 Days of TV: Day 01 - A show that should never have been canceled

2010-05-17T13:32:00.008-04:00

There's this 30 Days of TV meme going around, and I thought it might be a good way to get me to start blogging more here, so I'm going to do it. Wish me luck!

Day 01 - A show that should never have been canceled
Day 02 - A show that you wish more people were watching
Day 03 - Your favorite new show (aired this TV season)
Day 04 - Your favorite show ever
Day 05 - A show you hate
Day 06 - Favorite episode of your favorite TV show
Day 07 - Least favorite episode of your favorite TV show
Day 08 - A show everyone should watch
Day 09 - Best scene ever
Day 10 - A show you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving
Day 11 - A show that disappointed you
Day 12 - An episode you've watched more than 5 times
Day 13 - Favorite childhood show
Day 14 - Favorite male character
Day 15 - Favorite female character
Day 16 - Your guilty pleasure show
Day 17 - Favorite mini series
Day 18 - Favorite title sequence
Day 19 - Best TV show cast
Day 20 - Favorite kiss
Day 21 - Favorite ship
Day 22 - Favorite series finale
Day 23 - Most annoying character
Day 24 - Best quote
Day 25 - A show you plan on watching (old or new)
Day 26 - OMG WTF? Season finale
Day 27 - Best pilot episode
Day 28 - First TV show obsession
Day 29 - Current TV show obsession
Day 30 - Saddest character death

Day 01 - A show that should never have been canceled

I'm going to skip the ever popular choices of Arrested Development and Firefly for this one, just because I've seen it done so many times. But, yes, let's acknowledge, Arrested Development and Firefly should never have been canceled. We all know it.

Now, for my choice...

High Society (1995), starring Jean Smart and Mary McDonnell

This hilarious show only lasted thirteen episodes. I've heard that it was canceled because the network wanted the producers to turn it down a bit, but the producers refused. Jean Smart's character Ellie Walker abuses prescription drugs and has more sex partners than Tiger Woods. [Sorry for the obligatory Tiger Woods joke! Couldn't resist it!] Mary McDonnell plays Dott Emerson, Ellie's best friend. Dott is a divorced mother who runs a successful publishing company, and Ellie is a best-selling author of trashy and explicit romance novels.

I love the dialogue on this show; it has some of the best quips around. I adore both Jean and Mary, and together, they make quite a team! Their chemistry is undeniable. I love that although both Dott and Ellie are incredibly superficial, materialistic, and vain, their friendship is as genuine as it comes.

The show definitely needed work. With the exception of Jane Meadows, I feel the supporting cast was a little weak and probably could've benefited from some tweaking. But the show was so freaking funny! It definitely should've lasted longer than thirteen episodes.

And now you know the rest of the story

2009-09-12T23:24:00.019-04:00

This is incredibly detailed. My memory sucks. I want to write down all that I can remember right now because I’m sure by next week, I’ll have forgotten half of it. And it’s definitely not something I want to forget. (Amanda edited the pictures, so they're all pretty!)

Friday afternoon, I began looking into Dragon*Con prices because I couldn’t stand the fact that Mary McDonnell was going to be so close and I was going to miss her. Saturday day-pass was $50 and Sunday’s was $35. “Holy shit, that’s it? Totally doable!!” I spent literally the next 3-4 hours researching. (That DC website was impossible to navigate.) I had never been to a con before, so I had no idea how anything worked. The only image I had of cons came from Galaxy Quest. I facebooked Madi to tell her the prices and the times of the panels and waited to hear back. Finally, Madi texted me and said, “We should go.” I believe I was skyping with Grace at the time, but I started screaming and jumping and dancing around my apartment. After Grace and I finished, I called Madi and we worked out some details. We decided to go Sunday, since it was cheaper. Then we both went online to do more research (parking, Froggy, etc). We IMed Amanda and told her that she should go, too, since we knew she didn’t live too far. She then invited me and Madi to stay the night at her place, so we wouldn’t have to drive over ten hours in one day. We accepted her generous offer and I screamed my head off for the next three hours.

We left Saturday about 2:30 pm. I had spent the morning running errands (returning the 2-day rental to Blockbuster, eyebrows, snacks, etc) and packing. I drove the whole way (5 ½ hours) because I’m a much more experienced driver than Madi and it’s my car (so I’m more accustomed to it). With all the excitement, I was feeling okay, anyways. When we got to Amanda’s (a million hours later), she took us to buy food for breakfast and then we watched the extended “Unfinished Business” because Amanda had only seen the cut version. At some point, I think during the alluvial deposits scene (♥♥), someone (it may have been me, but I really don’t remember) mentioned something about the way Adama gazed at Roslin. Then I said, “I do not gaze at Agent Scully,” quoting The X-Files. Then Amanda turned and went, “Yesss! I was just thinking that!” It was such a special thing for me to be able to reference TXF and have someone get it.

Also, in UB, Roslin wears this shirt that is the most beautiful shade of baby blue. She looks amazing, as she often does. Seeing that, I decided I wanted Mary to wear blue the next day. I wouldn’t have been disappointed had she worn a different color, but I was going to guess blue. It wanted to make a little wager with Madi and Amanda, just for the personal satisfaction one might feel when making a correct prediction, but neither of them picked a color.

I slept miserably that night. (In all honesty, that week, I had been dealing with severe bouts of insomnia, so I wasn’t surprised I couldn’t fall asleep.) When I woke up, I didn’t feel like I had slept at all. I know I had slept some because time passed rather quickly. Each time I checked the clock, at least an hour or two had passed.

We left Amanda’s house a little later than we had planned, but it was fine because we made the second MARTA train in plenty of time. When we got off, we had to find the Sheraton. I asked for directions and we were a little confused, but we found it okay. (Easy, and obvious, rule of thumb: When in doubt, follow the people in costume.) The line for tickets moved very quickly, so we had our badges in no time. (Best $35 I’ve ever spent.) I think it was probably about 9 or 9:30 a.m. at this time. The Walk of Fame (where you met the celebs and get autographs) opened at 10 a.m. at the Hilton. Amanda and Madi had seen that hotel on the way to the Sheraton, so they knew where to go.

Once we found the Walk of Fame, which had still not yet opened, we took the first pictures of the day.

There was this dude, aptly nicknamed Soundtrack Guy, who had a portable sound system, with speakers taped to the straps of his backpack. When he saw a girl dressed as Dr. Horrible, he started playing “My Freeze Ray.” It was really exciting, because that’s probably the only song from Dr. Horrible with which I am slightly familiar. Later, The People with Green Lanyards (TPWGL), who are in charge, moved our line and we ended up standing next to this one couple. We talked to them for a little while about telling friends and coworkers that you attended a con. They both said that they hadn’t told many people and probably wouldn’t share stories or photos when they returned. Listening to that, it made me really grateful for friends who, while they might not quite understand, are awfully tolerant and even supportive.

Then it was time to go in. James Marsters’ table was the first one when you walked in (and because of that, his line was mostly out the door later in the day). We saw signs for people like Claudia Black, Julie Benz, Charisma Carpenter, Karen Allen, Ron Glass, and Joe Flanigan. (Unfortunately Patrick Stewart had his own room, so I wasn’t able to snap an illegal candid for my mom.) Not many stars had arrived yet, but fans were already lining up. We found Mary’s table and quickly got in her line.

We started talking to the girls in front of us. One of them wasn’t a Maryfan, but the other girl, whose name I never learned, was hardcore in love with her. They had been there since Friday, so they gave us various pointers on con etiquette and meeting Mary. The Maryfan told us not to worry about meeting Mary because Mary was like a drug. There was something about her that instantly calmed you down. Instant Zen. (I would soon realize that this was not entirely true.) Maryfan also told us exactly when and where we could go to set up pictures with Froggy. She was very helpful! Some lady, one of TPWGLs, walked by and told us Mary would be out “momentarily.” Another PWGL dude came by and handed out post-its to people who were getting autographs, so Mary wouldn’t have to ask how to spell the names.

Now, the next 20 minutes are a blur to me. I can’t remember exactly what happened or when. Mary came out. And she was there. Ten feet in front of me. For real. Not on a television. But for real. In person. AND SHE WAS WEARING BLUE. Maryfan and I both recognized the dress from pictures. And then we flailed for a bit how Mary re-wears her clothes and how much we love her for that. Mary took some time to set up her pictures and whatever. I remember feeling that it was taking forever. There was one group ahead of us in the short line, and then Maryfan and her friend (who I think had left to meet Trucco at this point?) and then US. The first group left, and it was Maryfan’s turn, so that meant we got up to the short line. Mary was two feet in front of me. Two steps and I’d be at her table. Mary McDonnell was two feet away from me. Mary McDonnell was two feet in front of me. Breathe. Don’t die; wait until later. Stay calm. Mary McDonnell is sitting right there.

I know that I purposefully wasn’t looking at her. I was too afraid. I thought I might not be able to handle it. I was trying to stay calm, and I thought that if I looked at her, I’d lose my cool.

After what felt like an eternity, it was our turn to go up. I really don’t remember what happened. I know Madi told me later that I kept talking. And it’s true, but wasn’t consciously aware of it at the time. Madi got her autograph first, and Mary messed up. Madi says it was my fault because I was talking too much, but I know Mary said that she was still waking up, so that’s what I thought the problem was. As to not distract her, I started talking to her assistant. I asked if she was having a good time and if she got to go to the any of the fan events and some other stuff that I can’t remember. And then it was my turn to get an autograph. And I showed Mary my post-it and she mentioned that it was her daughter’s name. (!!!) And then I said something like, she made a good choice, or that I was fond of the name, or something like that. I don’t really remember. And then somehow we said something (and I really think that I said it, but I’m not sure) about how great it was to see her on Grey’s Anatomy with her beautiful hair, because we had just seen her on BSG without hair. (I have seen her GA episodes, but it wasn’t like I watched them, or even BSG, as it aired, as I think my statement implied. But I totally wasn’t thinking. I just kept saying things that I thought were complimentary, but may actually have come off as psycho. I did this, too, with Kate Vernon, but I don’t think it was creepy at all with her.) And I think Amanda said something about how much she like BSG and Laura Roslin, or something. I know Amanda said something after I got my autograph. And then I said something about how I really liked how strong the female characters on BSG were and how you really had to stick with a show that represented women in that way. And then I think we left.

I remember as we walked away, I couldn’t believe it had actually happened. I know I was grabbing Amanda’s arm and I think I may have been leaning on her, sort of, because I needed to sit down. We found a place out of the way so we could sit. They called friends. I may have called Brooklyn and/or Mariam.

While we were recovering from Mary, we decided to go to the Marriot and sign-up for pictures. To cut costs, we decided to all take one picture together. They were three of us, so this meant that one person wouldn’t able to stand next to her. We opted to only get one hardcopy of the picture and then a super hi-res copy that would be emailed to us. (Still haven’t gotten it.) We decided that, to be fair, whoever got to keep the hardcopy would be the person who didn’t stand next to her. Madi and Amanda both instantly said that they didn’t really care about the hardcopy, so I volunteered to take it and not stand next to Mary. I did this for a few reasons: 1) My day was already set because Mary had already done everything I wanted of her: she wore blue and mentioned that her daughter and I had the same name; 2) I hated the idea of pulling straws. I felt like, had I been the person to choose the short straw, I would’ve felt miserable. I would’ve felt so unlucky. It could’ve changed the way I looked at the whole day. At this point, I was feeling really lucky and thinking that things were totally working out for me. If I had gotten the short straw, it would’ve been that, by chance, I lost. For whatever reason, the universe didn’t want me to stand next to Mary. (Because I suck and I know I get this way sometimes,) I would’ve let this one thing define the day for me; 3) I figured that if it was my choice, then, not only did I one-up the universe, but then I was also doing something nice for my friends; and 4) if someone volunteered to be that person then there was no conflict or bitterness between friends because of bad luck.

We headed back to the Walk of Fame at the Hilton so we could meet more BSG cast members. We went to Michael Trucco’s line first. I told Madi and Amanda that since I was the first person who approached Mary, one of them had to talk to Trucco first. But, when it was our turn to go up, neither of them really did. I don’t know exactly what happened. Maybe they didn’t notice that it was our turn or maybe they were too shy, or hell, maybe I just walked first. I really don’t know. I just know that I was there first. And I really had no idea what to say to him, so I just blurted out, “You are very attractive.” (Thinking back on it, I should have quoted Dott Emerson and said, “You’re a very large and big-chested man and it’s a pleasure to meet you.”) And then he started laughing and blushed a little and he was so cute, omg. The Maryfan from earlier had told us that as cute as he was on tv, he was even better looking in person. (To quote Dizzy when Amanda repeated this to her: “How is that possible?” Haha.) IT’S TRUE. He’s so hot and his eyes are amazing. He’s just gorgeous, and I think, because he just has such a darling personality, he looks ever cuter. People always look more attractive to me if I like their personality. Also, he really looks at you when he talks. I really felt like he was paying attention to us. He said thank you, and then said that his mom would say thank you, too. And then I think I said, “You must get that a lot, right?” And he said, with the most serious expression, “No. Not at all.” And then he started laughing and was like, “How am I supposed to answer that?” I’m not sure how exactly things progressed after that, but I know somehow it came up that if a cop happened to pull him over, the cop would say, “You are very attractive. Here’s your ticket.” At some point, he mentioned that it was his first con, but he was going to do more because he was having such a great time! (OH! So, when we were waiting for Mary to come out, Trucco was there. His table was right next to Mary. He was eating a banana. It was amazing. As I told Brooklyn, I have never seen a banana eaten so sexily before. I wish I could’ve been that banana.) We asked if we could take a picture, because, unlike Mary, Trucco and the rest of the cast would take pictures at the tables for only $10. Since Amanda was getting her camera out, Trucco came behind Madi and me and put his arms around us. I think the handler was having difficulties with the camera, so Trucco had his arms around us for a LONG TIME. (Okay, so it wasn’t THAT long, but it was still longer than you’d expect.) I think we were talking to him about something, but I can’t remember. Amanda finally came over, and I turned to Trucco, and asked him if he could please make sure to touch Amanda, too, because she really loved him and I didn’t want her to hate me for being next to him. So he said something like, ‘Yes, everyone’s gonna get touched!’ Since Amanda was next to me, I got squeezed in so he could rest his hand on her back. And IT WAS AMAZING. I was snuggled in the little nook of his arm and I think I seriously stopped breathing. He has really nice arms, you guys. They’re perfect. I wish I could sleep with them because they are so comfortable and strong (and hey, I’ll take the arms with or without Trucco. Of course, I’d prefer if he came, too).

(So, side note about pictures at the table: When I first read online a week or two ago that Mary’s pictures were going to be more expensive than that of the rest of the cast, and that she wouldn’t take pictures at the table, I joked to Mariam that Mary was a bit of snob for doing that. But, after actually being there and getting a feel for the situation, I have a different opinion on it. The thing is, Mary had the longest line. Felicia Day’s was pretty long, too. And, I imagine that Patrick Stewart’s was epic because they had given him his own room. (And I don’t think Nemoy or Shatner were there that day because I didn’t hear anything about them.) But if Mary had to stop and get up and take pictures with every group of people, she’d never get done. It would’ve taken too much time. Even without stopping for table pictures, I’m sure she still didn’t get through everyone. In addition, Brooklyn told me later that when people asked if they could take pictures with her, Mary would say she couldn’t because that’s how it was in her contract. See, Dragon*Con has this deal with this company Froggy to take these professional pictures. I bet the deal was that because they knew Mary was going to be such a big hit (SHE WAS THE FRAKKING QUEEN, let me tell you) they only wanted her to do Froggy pictures. They knew that many people would be willing to shell out $40 to have their picture taken with her. However, I’m sure less people would’ve been willing to pay that much for a picture with Hogan or Trucco. Most of the money they got from Hogan and Trucco and the rest came from the group pictures. (Like, you could take one with the BSG girls, for instance. Or the men. Or the Tighs. Or the whole group. But, obviously the more people in the picture, the most expensive it was.) Actually, when we went for the pictures, Mary’s line was so long that they started her pictures at 2:45 instead of 3:00, as scheduled. The BSG panel was at 5:30 and she needed to get done before that. Mary’s a big frakking deal, people.)

We were waiting for Kate because she was first in line, but Hogan’s table was empty, so we went to him. I don’t remember who said what, but one of us asked his handler if we could have a picture with him. Hogan hadn’t been paying attention, I think because he was just making his way back around the table after taking pictures with the previous group. The handler then told Hogan, “These three lovely ladies want to take a picture with you.” And Hogan goes, “YESSSSSSSS.” And he walked back around the table and he was super cute. He was between Madi and Amanda, so then he suggested we take a second picture, and he moved over, between Amanda and me, so that I could be next to him, too. I said something like, “That’s super considerate of you!” And I can’t remember what he said back, but he used the word “super” as well, and I think he was making fun of me. That’s why I have a haha-wtf expression in the second picture. I wasn’t mad; it was all in fun! I know Amanda told him at some point that Tigh was one of her favorites and one of us (it might’ve been Amanda) said that we were happy he could come, because he wasn’t originally suppose to be there. And Hogan said the most adorable thing about how Eddie had to cancel, so when the Admiral can’t show, the XO has to take his place. We didn’t talk to him much after that. I just think we didn’t really have anything else to say to him. Although thinking back on it, I wish I would’ve thought to say how much he rocked that eye patch in season 4.

So then we went backwards to Kate, who was just one table back. When we first got there, Kate’s phone was ringing, and she picked it up and answered, “Well, hello, darling!” And it was so cute! She hung up, though, because as she said, she had “a bit of a line forming.” I’m not sure who spoke first or who said what, but I do know that we mentioned that we were really glad she was the final Cylon because she got to come back! Actually, I think I said that. And that was a lie. I hated Ellen at first. And I was happy when they killed her. It wasn’t until she was all Cylon-ish that I began to like her. And that after that, I loved her. And now when I watch the early Ellen episodes, I love her so much. But in my first BSG run-through, I wasn’t exactly happy that she came back. Because I didn’t like her. So. I lied. (But not as creepy as telling Mary I liked her GA hair?) And then Kate said something about she really liked it, too, because she liked that a woman was the one who had sort of created them and was the mother of all Cylons. And then she also said something about it made Ellen’s relationship with Saul especially meaningful because they had been in love for two thousands years and managed to (mostly) stay together without a counselor! We asked for a picture, and then we went around the table to take one with her. I was on the outside and I was leaning kind of awkwardly, which I think you can tell in the picture. We almost formed this U-shape, so I don’t know, I was standing weird, and only on one foot. So I was shaking. And Kate noticed. And she said, “One of you is shaking!!” And she noticed it was me, so she patted my back and then started rubbing it!!!! It was the sweetest thing ever. And I don’t know if she has kids or anything, but she was so delightfully maternal. You know? She was just so sweet. And I loved her. I think she was the one who impressed me the most, just because I wasn’t expecting her to be so different from Ellen. (Amanda and I talked about this later, and we both agreed that we had so much more respect for her as an actress after meeting her, because we could really appreciate how talented she is because she’s so different from Ellen. Like, we both thought, Gillian Anderson. You might not realize how awesome Gillian is until you see that she and Scully are complete opposites.)

We didn’t do much after this. We just sat around and ate. We had brought food with us so we wouldn’t have to buy anything. (I had so much food. You should’ve seen my bag. I had grapes, apples, dried fruit, nuts, a few granola bars and organic pop tarts.) There was a Karen Allen panel so we decided to go, because we still had plenty of time to wait before our pictures with Mary. While we were waiting, Amanda showed me this youtube video that was a sound clip of someone asking Gillian Anderson what it was like to pose naked with David Duchovny. And Gillian was being super funny and she said that David’s body was really soft or something. I don’t know. But it was really funny. I heart Gillian.

Karen Allen started talking and she was adorable. The only thing I’d ever seen her in was the Indiana Jones movies (and I actually hated her character), so I wasn't really interested in what she was saying. I saw that a number of people got up and left during her talk. So after about half an hour, I suggested we go, too. By this point, Amanda and I had decided to call Dizzy later, and the idea of talking to Dizzy was too appealing.

We called Dizzy once we got out, and Amanda told her about Trucco, and then she handed the phone over to me, so I could tell her about meeting Mary. And then Amanda filled her in on the rest of what was going on. We just hung out after that. And then, I think we left for the pictures some time later.

Even though we were probably about an hour early for pictures, there was already a line forming. At first they were having us wait inside, but because, I think, there was just too many of us, they sent us outside. We got pretty lucky, though, because there was plenty of shade so we weren’t hot. We saw Maryfan from the Walk of Fame there and that was fun! We didn’t talk to her very much that time, though.

Then moved us inside into the hallway, and then into this little room where we had to line up according to actor. Mary’s line was the longest. NO SURPRISE. We were one of the first groups in line. It was incredibly stressful, though, because they kept yelling, “No posing!” and, although I know that no one touched me, I seriously felt like I was being pushed in and out. They announced that they were going to start Mary’s pictures fifteen minutes earlier than scheduled, and we assumed it was because the line was already epic. It was our turn to go in, and we handed our purses to one of the assistants and ran to stand next to Mary. About a split second after I stood next to Madi, the photographer snapped the picture. Like I said, we weren’t allowed to pose, and I was really worried because I didn’t have any time to fix my hair, which had shifted after my rushing, and I wasn’t sure how it was going to look in the picture. The thing is, I realize that they were in a hurry, but we paid serious money for these pictures. It wasn’t a $10 shot at the table in the Walk of Fame. This $40 minimum picture was the only option we had if we wanted one with Mary. And since it’s not exactly cheap, it would’ve been nice if they had given us a second or two to make sure we looked okay. As we were walking out, a second and a half later, I said, “it was really nice to see you again,” to Mary. Madi and Amanda both said that she smelled really good.

After this… I don’t really remember. There was more waiting. We headed to the ballroom in which the BSG panel was going to be held in a few hours. They weren’t letting us line up, though, so we waited nearby in this little restaurant bar thingy. We were all totally exhausted. I honestly felt like I could fall asleep. I don’t really remember how long we waited, but then we heard that people were starting to line up, so we went ahead and got in line. TPWTGLs put this line outside, too, but this time, we were in the sun. No shade for us. We got to see some interesting costumes during this wait. I think this was when I saw my first full BSG military costume.

The panel was awesome. I feel like, by now, there are so many videos on youtube, that’s there’s really no reason for me to talk about it. But, my favorite moments:

Mary imitating Eddie. I guess when they were filming that final episode in 4.0 on the beach, they would all call their agents every break because they weren’t sure if the show was coming back or not. Mary said Ron promised them that they’d be back, but Eddie didn’t buy it. Mary said, in her best husky voice imitating Eddie, that his agent told them that they were done; the show was over. (Good thing Eddie’s agent was wrong!)

One of the audience members asked about the Adama/Roslin relationship and if/how Mary thought books represented their relationship…? Or something. It was kind of like, “Books are a symbol for Adama and Roslin’s relationship.” Mary, who is brilliant, responded beautifully. She said that literature is really romantic and blah blah blah. And at some point, she said that, “He read very slowly… and she really liked it.” DIRTY.

Trucco, who was wearing a hat (that blocked his beautiful face!), answered one word to a question if he would’ve liked to see Sam confront Lee about Kara. He said, “One word: Yes.”

After a very lengthy and thought-out explanation from Richard Hatch insisting that Zarek was not, in fact a villain, Mary responded with, “Well, I still think you’re a villain.”

Oh, this was this other part where someone went up and said, “This is a question for Mary…” and then, because people had been asking Mary a lot of questions, she said, “Sorry!” And then Mary goes, “You don’t have to apologize!”

Luciana Carro told the story of how she found out she was going to die on the show. She was at LAX, getting ready to fly to Vancouver to film “Unfinished Business” when her roommate called her. The script had just been mailed to her house and her roommate, who had never seen BSG, was very excited because Kat was all over the script. The roommate started to tell Luciana some of the backstory that was revealed (being a drug runner, changing her name, etc), when Luciana began to get suspicious. She asked her roommate to turn to the last page. (The actors had mentioned before that since they never knew whether or not they were dying, they would always turn to end of the script first to see if they were still in it.) Then her roommate got really excited. “They put your picture on the memorial wall!!!” she exclaimed, thinking this meant something wonderful. But Luciana knew the truth. The memorial wall is for dead people! Luciana said that she was like, “WHAT?! I’m dying!?!” And then she said that people started looking at her (I guess she was being loud?) and they must’ve assumed she had gotten some horrible news from her doctor.

Kate Vernon’s story was different. Kate actually got a call from Ron and David and she said she felt so excited that the producers were calling her. I guess they started complimenting her and saying all this nice stuff, and she thought, Wow, these are the best producers ever! But then I guess they said something like, “You are so more than we ever thought you’d be.” What that heck does that mean? “Oh, yeah. We’re gonna have to kill you.” WHAT?! At least she got a phone call, unlike Luciana.

Alessandro Juliani, who played Gaeta was incredibly funny. He came out taking pictures of the crowd on his iPhone, and I thought that was really cute.

At the end, they so-say-we-all’ed us. It was epic and really funny. I don’t remember ever having any desire to scream So Say We All, but I can tell you, it was definitely one of the highlights of the day. I don’t know if I’ve ever felt so entirely dorky, but… strangely comfortable, in my whole life.

Michael Hogan: “So say we all!”
Audience: “So say we all!”
Mary McDonnell: “So say we all!”
Audience: “So say we all!”
Kandyse McClure: “So say we all!”
Audience: “So say we all!”
Kate Vernon: “So say we all!”
Audience: “So say we all!”
Richard Hatch: "So say we all!"
Audience: "So say we all!"
Luciana Carro: “So say we all!”
Audience: “So say we all!”
Michael Trucco: “So say we all!”
Alessandro Juliani: “Line?”
Audience: “HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!”
Alessandro Juliani: “So say we all!”
Audience: “So say we all!”

So. That was that. We found our way back to the MARTA station, got a train, dropped Amanda off at Moe’s and hit the road. The drive seemed much shorter this time. We made excellent time. And that was that.

I’m so glad that I got the opportunity to go. It was such a fun and amazing experience. Not even just meeting the actors and sitting in on the panel, but it’s an incredible experience to be surrounded by, well, so many nerds! The thing is, I sort of hate being in large crowds. I hate people when they get in crowds. My least favorite thing about going to football games is the annoying fans you have to deal with. And it’s not just because they get excited. That’s not the problem. It’s that they get obnoxious and mean. We did not meet a single mean person there. Everyone was extremely friendly and nice and helpful. And I just felt like… it was such an atmosphere of acceptance. No one judges anyone, because everyone there is weird in someway. It’s really an island of misfit toys. And it’s fun and fascinating and exciting and I would definitely go to another one.

(500) Days of Summer

2009-08-14T22:13:00.009-04:00

Although I completely enjoyed the film, I must say I found the character of Summer Finn (from (500) Days of Summer, of course) rather annoying and just generally unpleasant. I saw the film a few days ago and it's no longer fresh in mind, so coming up with specific reasons might prove somewhat difficult. (But, I just didn't like her, okay?!)

Obviously the film portrayed Summer (played by Zooey Deschanel) as this enchanting and beautifully striking girl. I saw her as immaturely flighty. She was inconsiderate, directionless and, frankly, not all that interesting.

And, just as a personal peeve, I hate when female characters must seem attractive to every man. In (500) Days, the narrator mentions at some point that all men are instantly drawn to Summer. Not only does this set ridiculous standards for those of us average-looking REAL women, but it cheapens the love story. Rather than loving Summer for her spirit, it seemed that Tom just loved her for her looks. It feels incredibly shallow.

Despite all this, I truly loved this film. It was funny, quirky, and delightfully cute.

Edit:

The story is told from Tom's point of view. It's meant to be, I suppose, a completely subjective description on what makes Summer so appealing. But, at least for this viewer, I have no idea why Summer is appealing at all. As played by Deschanel, Summer is a standard 'dream girl' type with no deeper dimensions than that; Tom likes her because she has iconoclastic taste in music and pop culture, but as for that, Deschanel's performance is so slight and even at times unappealing that it's hard to see why anyone would like her
.
The young woman has been typecast to such a degree that she isn't given roles that require much in the way of actual acting. In fact, for a movie about love, its female characters are terribly hindered by a significant lack of characterization or interest on the filmmakers' part.

DITTO. (here)

Season 8 of The X-Files

2009-07-09T22:02:00.015-04:00

Many X-Files fans do not acknowledge the existence of seasons eight and nine. It's true, with Mulder's absence, the show changed greatly. But I think we still have many reasons to watch them.

1. I had a difficult time adjusting to Scully's new open-mind. It was so weird to hear her actually admit that Little Gibson Praise was half-alien (er, that part of his DNA was alien?? I don't know. This show confuses me). In the past, even if she hadn't quite disputed Mulder's theory, she never outright agreed with it. I did appreciate that Scully herself acknowledged this drastic change in her personality and admitted she was just trying to fill Mulder's shoes. Also, even though it seemed like a huge jump for her to become the believer and suggest that maybe one killer was a bat-like human, I believe the progression was quite natural, and not only because of Mulder's absence. Overtime, Scully learned to believe Mulder. There was even an episode in season seven (I think), where when Scully was mocking Mulder's interpretation of the new case, and he asked her if he didn't deserve the benefit of the doubt. He pointed out that he had hardly ever been proven wrong in the past. And I think that was important for Scully to hear. She needed to stop and think and consider his point and maybe open herself up to extreme possibilities. While Mulder's disappearance obviously gave her quite the push, I think she would've wound up there on her own (eventually).

2. I seriously like John Dogget. Like many others, I hated his very presence and had every intention of hating him simply for the fact that he was not Mulder. Also, he was the very boring T-1000 from Terminator 2, which makes me hate him. [Seriously, the dude could NOT die. Where's the fun in that? The entire movie was just a glorified chase scene. If not for James Cameron's complete and utter brilliance, I'd call the film a waste of time. I'm not biased. Cameron is just that amazing. I can not wait for Avatar!!] But, I suppose it was the way Dogget handled Scully throwing water in his face that made me love him. He was very dignified and understanding about it, and that didn't change throughout the course of the season. Obviously he was the new skeptic, so his general attitude had to be slightly annoying [Me: "Yes, Dogget. Clearly it just is a alien bounty hunter impersonating Mulder. Duh, you frakking idiot! GET ON-BOARD ALREADY."] but that is expected. (I think it took me nearly a season and a half before I really liked Scully because of that same reason.) I appreciated his dedication to Scully and the cases.

They handled his back-story very nicely, too. It made him interesting and gave him so much depth without overpowering the show. They balanced it quite well.

Also, I find him quite attractive, although I could do without the accent. Every time he says "him" I want to put my fist through a wall. (He says it like, 'eem.)

3. I LOVE MONICA REYES. After first, I couldn't tell if I was going to either love her or hate her, but I was sure that to whichever side I fell, it was going to be intense. But, Scully liked her. AND that was a good enough reason for me to LOVE HER. I always want the women in the shows that I watch to be friends, and so often, they hate each other. (Like Cuddy and Cameron on House. Why can't they just be nice to each other?! Although, they did have a nice moment or two at the end of the recent season.) But, here, they acknowledged their differences but still got along just fine. They could disagree, but not hate each other. Scully seemed to enjoy Monica's quirkiness. Monica even delivered Scully's baby! (That really promotes togetherness.)

4. I don't think that many of the monsters were particularly memorable this season. There was the nasty slug thing that was put in Scully's back which unfortunately played quite a scary role in a dream of mine once. But, the truth is, I've never watched this show for the paranormal aspects, so I tend not to remember them anyways.

5. I was quite disappointed by the lack of Maggie Scully this season. I had hoped that because Scully was pregnant, we would've seen much more of her. I liked that Scully called her in the beginning, saying that they needed to talk, but they never actually showed a conversation. And that's a conversation I wanted to see! (You know Mama Scully would've asked the inevitable question of paternity and I would've been interested to see Scully's answer, or even just how Scully answered.)

6. WILLIAM. Now, I love pregnancy in television, unless, of course, it is a show that I actually like and hope for its continued success. Pregnancies are usually so over the top and just plain corny, but that is why I love them, as long as I can accept the fact that the show will get canceled soon after. Scully's pregnancy was perfect. There was so much corny drama that I honestly felt like I was watching an episode of Grey's Anatomy. It was delightful. And the possibility of an alien baby! And, wait, it's more human than human (wtf does that even mean?!) Born to a barren mother!!! LYKOMG! Of course Scully can't just have a normal pregnancy. It has to rival the second coming. And THE BIRTH. Oh my gosh. We've got to get Scully out of here! She's in danger! The aliens want her baby! Take her to a secret location. So she can't deliver in a hospital or even anywhere near civilization. That means no drugs! (And it is a rule that women can not have drugs when delivering on tv. Pain is much more fun and end-of-the-world-ish.) Aaaand she can't even have a doctor deliver the baby! It must be Reyes, who of course has no medical experience. HELL TO THE YES. And a hundred of the zombie-like alien replacements are somehow going to find her and OMG.

It was so fantastic. I've never been so amused in my life. For me, the whole thing really worked because... it's The X-Files. This show can be over the top and get away with it. That's the beauty of it. And I just loved the very idea of her being pregnant because I wanted Mulder and Scully to have a baby! And at least they held it off until the eighth season. That's a respectable time, I think, for a baby to come about. After eight years, the show could not have been expected to continue much longer, especially because David Duchovny was being such a turd. (Yeah, I just said that.)

7. (I just want to say that I find it incredibly interesting that the season Scully becomes the boss of the X Files, is also the season that she gets pregnant. It seems to me that because a woman is allotted some kind of power, a separate situation must occur to weaken her. I don't necessarily believe pregnancy to be a weakened state, but let's face it, Scully missed out on some cases because of the pregnancy. It obviously held her back and made her fragile; in need of protection. I don't think this was a conscious decision on the part of the producers or writers, I just... find it interesting. That's all I'm saying.)

First post

2009-06-28T01:18:00.002-04:00

Hi! I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do with this yet. Probably just use it to give my opinions on whatever tv show I'm watching.