1. The incomparably Jaye Wells (author of the Sabine Kane novels, as well as fellow League member) has declared her own damned holiday. You can read about it, as well as get in on a massive giveaway of urban fantasy and paranormal romance novels (including a signed copy of TRANCE). Just let us know why you love urban fantasy!
2. The movie trailer for The Avengers is up online. If you haven't seen it, watch it! This movie looks like it will be amazing (and with Joss Whedon at the helm, it's almost a guarantee).
3. The cast of The Princess Bride, 25 years later. I adore this movie. I've met few people in my life who don't like it.
4. I am stupidly excited by the upcoming "The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs" competition. Why? Have you seen the chefs competing? Anne Burrell versus Robert Irvine, again! Plus Geoffrey Zakarian! The only problem is that it's on at 9, opposite "The Walking Dead." Although TWD repeats immediately at 10, so I think it's workable. *grin*
5. With TRANCE releasing in just six days, I'll be all over the internet for the next week, doing guest posts and stuff. Stay tuned for links!
Showing posts with label television. Show all posts
Showing posts with label television. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Five Items of an Everyday Sort 2
Item the First: In case you haven't heard, the awesome Stacia Kane's Downside series is on sale for Kindle and Nook. You can download the first book, UNHOLY GHOSTS, for $.99, and the next two books, UNHOLY MAGIC and CITY OF GHOSTS, for $4.99 each. That's the entire digital series for $11! Give it a try, why dontcha?
Item the Second: This might seem obvious, but here goes. Social media is not private. Corporations and companies pay big bucks to track what people say about them in Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and anywhere else you post stuff publicly. So be careful what you say and how you say it, especially if it's about something YOU WORK FOR.
Item the Third: I think I've seen a total of two episodes of EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION. It's not a show I tend to watch, but I will be tuning in for their Thanksgiving special episode. Why? Because it's currently filming in my hometown of Lewes, DE. And they're helping out a very wonderful lady I went to church with once upon a time. I'm so excited for Dale and for all of the good work she'll be able to do in Sussex County with her new, improved soup kitchen.
Item the Fourth: Yesterday afternoon, I was taking a break from reading SOFT APOCALYPSE by Will McIntosh to check Twitter on my computer. The book is near-future, not-quite-SF, and pretty dark scary in how possible that future seems. But just as I was sitting down at my desk, it started to shimmy. Then the wall started to shake. And I started to freak the hell out. It lasted about forty-five seconds. I remember thinking "This feels like an earthquake, but that's not possible. We don't have earthquakes this strong out here!" Then a friend in DC emailed me and asked if I'd felt it. Then my sister called. Yep. We'd had an earthquake.
Item the Fifth:
If you read anything this fall, read this book. It's going on my top 5 for the year. It isn't a happy book, but it also isn't a sad book. It's a hopeful book, with a narrator you can't help but root for. I just loved it.
Item the Second: This might seem obvious, but here goes. Social media is not private. Corporations and companies pay big bucks to track what people say about them in Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and anywhere else you post stuff publicly. So be careful what you say and how you say it, especially if it's about something YOU WORK FOR.
Item the Third: I think I've seen a total of two episodes of EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION. It's not a show I tend to watch, but I will be tuning in for their Thanksgiving special episode. Why? Because it's currently filming in my hometown of Lewes, DE. And they're helping out a very wonderful lady I went to church with once upon a time. I'm so excited for Dale and for all of the good work she'll be able to do in Sussex County with her new, improved soup kitchen.
Item the Fourth: Yesterday afternoon, I was taking a break from reading SOFT APOCALYPSE by Will McIntosh to check Twitter on my computer. The book is near-future, not-quite-SF, and pretty dark scary in how possible that future seems. But just as I was sitting down at my desk, it started to shimmy. Then the wall started to shake. And I started to freak the hell out. It lasted about forty-five seconds. I remember thinking "This feels like an earthquake, but that's not possible. We don't have earthquakes this strong out here!" Then a friend in DC emailed me and asked if I'd felt it. Then my sister called. Yep. We'd had an earthquake.
Item the Fifth:
If you read anything this fall, read this book. It's going on my top 5 for the year. It isn't a happy book, but it also isn't a sad book. It's a hopeful book, with a narrator you can't help but root for. I just loved it.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Five Items of an Everyday Sort
Item the First: Wednesday seems to have become my default blogging day. I'm not sure how that happened. Probably because I tend to have the day off from my Day Job, and I usually have time to come up with witty, scintillating posts (*cough*). Alas, I don't really have a single awesome topic with which to fill an entire post, so I figured I'd break it down into a few bite-sized chunks.
Item the Second: I put a call to Twitter for blog topics, and I got an awesome suggestion to talk about Audiobooks. Unfortunately, I don't know a lot about audiobooks. The only audiobooks I own are copies of my first three Dreg City novels (all available from the lovely folks at Tantor Audio). But I know people who listen to them all the time. I'm actually a little jealous of them. My best friend's mom travels a lot to dog trials and she keeps them in the car (I don't travel much, and my drive to the Day Job is about ten minutes). And I can't listen to them at home, because my mind tends to wander (trust me, I've tried), and then I have to rewind to see what I missed. So yes, jealous of the folks who get to absorb the awesome talents of so many audiobook narrators.
Item the Third: DEADLINE, by Chris Crutcher. If you haven't read this book, go read it. Now. Bring tissues.
Item the Fourth: Dante's Cove. This show will never win any acting awards, but does that really matter with these guys to drool over? I think it's sparked an unhealthy obsession with actor Charlie David (the hawtness in the center).
Item the Fifth: TRANCE has received it's first review! I'm excited that it was very positive and from a new-to-me reader. I really hope Dreg City fans embrace this new series, as well.
Item the Second: I put a call to Twitter for blog topics, and I got an awesome suggestion to talk about Audiobooks. Unfortunately, I don't know a lot about audiobooks. The only audiobooks I own are copies of my first three Dreg City novels (all available from the lovely folks at Tantor Audio). But I know people who listen to them all the time. I'm actually a little jealous of them. My best friend's mom travels a lot to dog trials and she keeps them in the car (I don't travel much, and my drive to the Day Job is about ten minutes). And I can't listen to them at home, because my mind tends to wander (trust me, I've tried), and then I have to rewind to see what I missed. So yes, jealous of the folks who get to absorb the awesome talents of so many audiobook narrators.
Item the Third: DEADLINE, by Chris Crutcher. If you haven't read this book, go read it. Now. Bring tissues.
Item the Fourth: Dante's Cove. This show will never win any acting awards, but does that really matter with these guys to drool over? I think it's sparked an unhealthy obsession with actor Charlie David (the hawtness in the center).
Item the Fifth: TRANCE has received it's first review! I'm excited that it was very positive and from a new-to-me reader. I really hope Dreg City fans embrace this new series, as well.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
The Good, the Bad, and the WTF?!
THE GOOD
I'm a huge horror buff, which I bet is no surprise at this point. When the first Scream film came out in 1996, I was in high school. I'd seen the slasher films from the eighties, and I loved anything scary. But at the time, very few horror films were being made and released by major studios. And Scream was exactly the creative boost that the horror genre needed at the time. It revitalized the genre, while making fun of itself at the same time. I'm a huge fan of the entire trilogy.
Needless to stay, I was absolutely pumped when I heard that Scream 4 was being made, with original director Wes Craven, original screenwriter Kevin Williamson, and original stars Neve Campbell, David Arquette, and Courtney Cox. How could a fan not be stoked for this?
So I admit to going into this film with pretty high expectations. And you know what? For once, my expectations were very much met, maybe a little exceeded. Scream 4 was brilliant. It does for the glut of horror film remakes what the original film did for the dying slasher genre: it exposed the cliches, makes statements on society, and it also (minor spoiler) remakes the first film! Remakes it in a hugely original way that I didn't always see coming.
Horror fans may still appreciate this film, but if you haven't seen Scream 1-3, then don't bother with Scream 4. You just won't have the same experience.
THE BAD
So there was once a time when I loved "Glee." I bought the boxed set of Season 1 at the end of last summer and I spent an entire weekend watching it. It hooked me. I loved the characters. I loved the stories. I loved what they were doing with the songs and musical numbers, and how everything flowed well.
Cut to the hot mess that's been Season 2 so far, and can I just say "Gah!"? Gah!
The show's been on a month hiatus, and the last aired episode was amazing. It was the Regionals ep, and the cast sang original songs. It was tense, it was emotional, and it was what the show used to be.
A new episode finally aired last night. I watched it this morning. Gah!
I just don't have the energy to rant on everything that I thought sucked about last night's episode. So I'll talk about the only good thing (besides the fact that Paltrow is gone for the foreseeable future). The corridor confrontation between Kurt, Blaine, Santana and Karofsky--pure gold. I loved Santana getting up in K's face, and I really hope this is setting up for what was promised to us earlier this year. There is a lot of potential with the Karofsky character, and I'm afraid the writers will butcher it, like they've managed to butcher most of this season.
One more "Gah!" for good measure....
THE WTF?!
Last week, ABC Daytime announced the cancellation of daytime soap opera staples "One Life to Live" and "All My Children," leaving the network's daytime lineup with one soap opera ("General Hospital"). GH joins what will become only four surviving soap operas on network television (ABC's "Days of Our Lives," and CBS's "The Bold & the Beautiful" and "The Young and the Restless"). OLTL and AMC become the third and fourth soap to be canceled in the last two years.
I watched "One Life to Live" for a few months last year and then stopped once the stories I was following ended, and most of the actors were fired. But it wasn't a terrible show, and I'll mourn its loss. I can agree that television is changing, and that maybe soap operas are a somewhat dated format. But there are still loyal viewers and fans out there, and it sucks that they are losing shows they've watched for THIRTY or FORTY YEARS. That's a lifetime.
I think my major complaint is that these dramatic serials are being replaced by more cookie cutter talk shows. I mean, really, do we need more groups of people gabbing at each other over inane topics? Really?
I don't know. But I do applaud Hoover for listening to their consumers and pulling their ads from ABC. Some might say it's counterproductive to pull ad revenue from a show that relies on it to stay afloat, but it's already canceled, no? I can't imagine ABC Daytime would eat humble pie and reverse the cancellations, so why not show them exactly how their fans feel about this betrayal?
I'm a huge horror buff, which I bet is no surprise at this point. When the first Scream film came out in 1996, I was in high school. I'd seen the slasher films from the eighties, and I loved anything scary. But at the time, very few horror films were being made and released by major studios. And Scream was exactly the creative boost that the horror genre needed at the time. It revitalized the genre, while making fun of itself at the same time. I'm a huge fan of the entire trilogy.
Needless to stay, I was absolutely pumped when I heard that Scream 4 was being made, with original director Wes Craven, original screenwriter Kevin Williamson, and original stars Neve Campbell, David Arquette, and Courtney Cox. How could a fan not be stoked for this?
So I admit to going into this film with pretty high expectations. And you know what? For once, my expectations were very much met, maybe a little exceeded. Scream 4 was brilliant. It does for the glut of horror film remakes what the original film did for the dying slasher genre: it exposed the cliches, makes statements on society, and it also (minor spoiler) remakes the first film! Remakes it in a hugely original way that I didn't always see coming.
Horror fans may still appreciate this film, but if you haven't seen Scream 1-3, then don't bother with Scream 4. You just won't have the same experience.
THE BAD
So there was once a time when I loved "Glee." I bought the boxed set of Season 1 at the end of last summer and I spent an entire weekend watching it. It hooked me. I loved the characters. I loved the stories. I loved what they were doing with the songs and musical numbers, and how everything flowed well.
Cut to the hot mess that's been Season 2 so far, and can I just say "Gah!"? Gah!
The show's been on a month hiatus, and the last aired episode was amazing. It was the Regionals ep, and the cast sang original songs. It was tense, it was emotional, and it was what the show used to be.
A new episode finally aired last night. I watched it this morning. Gah!
I just don't have the energy to rant on everything that I thought sucked about last night's episode. So I'll talk about the only good thing (besides the fact that Paltrow is gone for the foreseeable future). The corridor confrontation between Kurt, Blaine, Santana and Karofsky--pure gold. I loved Santana getting up in K's face, and I really hope this is setting up for what was promised to us earlier this year. There is a lot of potential with the Karofsky character, and I'm afraid the writers will butcher it, like they've managed to butcher most of this season.
One more "Gah!" for good measure....
THE WTF?!
Last week, ABC Daytime announced the cancellation of daytime soap opera staples "One Life to Live" and "All My Children," leaving the network's daytime lineup with one soap opera ("General Hospital"). GH joins what will become only four surviving soap operas on network television (ABC's "Days of Our Lives," and CBS's "The Bold & the Beautiful" and "The Young and the Restless"). OLTL and AMC become the third and fourth soap to be canceled in the last two years.
I watched "One Life to Live" for a few months last year and then stopped once the stories I was following ended, and most of the actors were fired. But it wasn't a terrible show, and I'll mourn its loss. I can agree that television is changing, and that maybe soap operas are a somewhat dated format. But there are still loyal viewers and fans out there, and it sucks that they are losing shows they've watched for THIRTY or FORTY YEARS. That's a lifetime.
I think my major complaint is that these dramatic serials are being replaced by more cookie cutter talk shows. I mean, really, do we need more groups of people gabbing at each other over inane topics? Really?
I don't know. But I do applaud Hoover for listening to their consumers and pulling their ads from ABC. Some might say it's counterproductive to pull ad revenue from a show that relies on it to stay afloat, but it's already canceled, no? I can't imagine ABC Daytime would eat humble pie and reverse the cancellations, so why not show them exactly how their fans feel about this betrayal?
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
Happy March (Plus Someone Else's Giveaway)
Happy March! There's something wonderful about flipping the calendar out of the last winter month and into the first spring month (even though spring is still technically 20 days away). I have this adorable homemade calendar that my sister gave me for Christmas, and each month has a different picture of my niece. In March's picture, my niece is eating a piece of corn on the cob. It's so cute! And I get to look at it for a whole month!
Today is also a big release day in the urban fantasy realm. Here's a handy link to fellow Leaguer Carolyn Crane's blog, where she is hosting a cool giveaway for several of those releases. If you like free books (and who doesn't?), check it out!
As for myself, I don't have much to report. I admit, I'm insanely excited about the Food Network's new special, Chopped: All-Stars. I love Chopped and tend to Tweet about it if I'm home to watch new episodes. And this time, both regular judges and other FN chefs are the ones competing. It looks like a lot of fun.
Alas, I only read eight books last month. I know, some folks are thinking "ONLY EIGHT?!?!?!" But considering I read 21 in January, eight is a big step backward. Then again, I don't think I read anything the first two weeks of the month, so maybe it's not so bad. My reading choices were pretty evenly divided between urban fantasy and YA, plus one true crime and one contemporary romance.
Anyone else read anything good recently?
Today is also a big release day in the urban fantasy realm. Here's a handy link to fellow Leaguer Carolyn Crane's blog, where she is hosting a cool giveaway for several of those releases. If you like free books (and who doesn't?), check it out!
As for myself, I don't have much to report. I admit, I'm insanely excited about the Food Network's new special, Chopped: All-Stars. I love Chopped and tend to Tweet about it if I'm home to watch new episodes. And this time, both regular judges and other FN chefs are the ones competing. It looks like a lot of fun.
Alas, I only read eight books last month. I know, some folks are thinking "ONLY EIGHT?!?!?!" But considering I read 21 in January, eight is a big step backward. Then again, I don't think I read anything the first two weeks of the month, so maybe it's not so bad. My reading choices were pretty evenly divided between urban fantasy and YA, plus one true crime and one contemporary romance.
Anyone else read anything good recently?
Thursday, March 11, 2010
In Which I Take Something Very Personally and Have A Good Vent
Warning: I don't usually do this, but a rant is coming. A very long rant. I will use bad words. I may say controversial things.
You have been warned.
So 2010 hasn't been a banner year for me. It pretty much sucked from the stroke of midnight for a variety of reasons. Y'all know my kitty, Anya, has been sick, and I've recently gotten some bad health news about a close family member, plus there's an echoing silence on the book front. I don't know anyone who isn't stressed about money, myself included. I kept hoping March would bring with it both warmer weather (check) and some good news (ha!).
January was, without a doubt, Anya's very worst month—weight loss, vomiting, peeing everywhere except the litter box (including my bed), constant fear I'd come home from work one day and find her dead. My stress levels were through the roof from it and a serious lack of sleep wasn't helping. Then one day while trying to decompress on Twitter, I clicked on a vid link because it promised "hotness." Male hotness, to be precise. I needed eye-candy, so I clicked. And it delivered.
It also alerted me to something I didn't know existed: an emotional, realistic, beautifully-written and honestly-acted love story on a soap opera. It touched on themes of unrequited love, longing, and the need to truly accept yourself as you are before you can give someone else your heart.
I know, right?
Did I mention this heartwarming story is about two men?
If that offends you, catch you on my next post.
If not, please keep reading.
Through the power of YouTube and some dedicated fans, I was able to discover a story line that's been running on the ABC soap "One Life to Live" since around June 2009. Brilliantly brought to life by actors Scott Evans and Brett Claywell, the story of Oliver Fish and Kyle Lewis is a gem in the world of daytime television, and it was groundbreaking in many ways. It was also expectedly controversial.
I mean, really, how could an honestly-told love story not be controversial? (<--yes, that was sarcasm)
So I dove into the Kish story line via YouTube and during a month of my life where I cried almost every single day, this little break from reality was a wonderful treat. It opened my heart and my mind a little bit more, and in February, I started watching OLTL every day on television. I've heard from other folks that OLTL is one of the best-written soaps, with one of the most diverse casts, and I admit I was surprised by the quality of writing I saw. I was never a soap watcher, but I've seen bits and pieces over the years (my grandparents were big soap watchers when I was a kid), so I was expecting overblown melodrama and barely-passable acting. The show actually has some very witty dialogue, (mostly) believable story lines, and a very (with a few exceptions) talented cast.
I let myself immerse in the other characters outside of Kish, follow the story lines, and by the end of February, I was hooked. I was prepared to become a long-time viewer—which is big for me, because my television viewing has dwindled to nearly nothing this year. Even long-time favorites (I'm looking at you, "24") have failed to capture my attention like they used to.
Does this make me feel a little possessive of the show? Maybe a tad. Does this mean I take the Kish story line a little personally, because it helped me through a very tough period of time? Definitely. I was just settling in to the idea of seeing these guys on TV for a while, and loved the fact that OLTL had a pretty good cast of characters in my 25-30 age group. Then the cast started dwindling. One actress left on her own. One actress was fired. Another actor, Scott Clifton (who has been doing amazing work these last few weeks, and who I was looking forward to seeing more of) was fired.
Ugh. The age group was dwindling. Okay, well, at least Kish was still around, and there's still some decent actors in that age group. I wasn't happy, but I could live with it.
So I got online last evening to find an article on TVGuide Magazine.com saying that the characters of Oliver and Kyle will be written off the show and gone by mid-April. Next month!
*facepalm*
In the middle of a week that began with some blah news, this did not help my mood. Reading the rest of the article, and the apparent reasoning behind letting the actors go, incensed me further.
Why?
And I quote:
WTH? The mainstream audience? Don't they mean Focus Groups made up of people who are rarely habitual watchers, who are given select scenes and made to judge a character based solely on those scenes rather than a larger body of work? I hate the word mainstream, anyway.
Okay, so I've learned a little about "One Life to Live" and its landscape of characters in the last six weeks or so, so let me get this straight. A committed couple with a healthy relationship (ie, they don't keep secrets and they friggin' TALK to each other) isn't resonating with the mainstream audience. Um…okay.
I admit, as a shy bookworm with a penchant for SF, fantasy and horror, and a deep love of geekery, I've never been terribly mainstream. But this "mainstream audience" who objects to Kyle and Oliver apparently have no problems with:
A leading man who is a convicted rapist. Who was planning to steal his teenage daughter's baby and raise it with the woman he raped. Who is a narcissist. Who uses money to buy whatever the hell he wants—his daughter's affection, most recently. (even worse, the actor has one expression and it telegraphs constipation)
A leading lady whose husband just died, but who is already entertaining thoughts of (and smooching it up with) an old flame, and said old flame is in a relationship with another woman who just found out she's pregnant. Homewrecking is a theme on this show, I've noticed, that is quite the valued trait in its female characters.* (oh, and "old flame" is another unfortunate with only one facial expression)
An absolute whack-job religious zealot who storms into town, blackmails the mayor, kidnaps a pregnant woman so he can raise her baby as the "chosen one," kidnaps his own daughter and gives her electro-shock and then tries to rape her, and is now planning something else (that likely involves kidnapping small children) from jail with the help of his baby-stealing accomplice. **
*Now, I realize things like infidelity and homewrecking are staples of soap operas, but come on! This is more acceptable to the "mainstream audience" than a gay couple?
**This guy's story line had way more air time since it began last November than the combination of all of the Kyle/Oliver scenes aired since last June, and yet "the gays" are being blamed for bad ratings this past winter?
Yes, I just said that. According to several sources, ABC received some flak for some of OLTL's gay-centered story lines last fall. Never mind that ratings continued to be somewhat low even after those story lines got the kibosh. Never mind that as I just said above, the Kyle/Oliver scenes were maybe 1/20 of the overall storytelling landscape during that time frame. Never mind that K/O drew brand new viewers to the show because of their story(and I wasn't the only one), and that ratings were on the upswing in February.
They became the scapegoats for what is a much larger lack of good story telling over the last few months. And it sucks that The Powers That Be at ABC Daytime aren't spreading the blame around or taking responsibility for stories that are (according to some people more familiar with the show's history than I) rehashes of the same old stories that have been told and re-told for the last five years. Oh no, let's blame bad ratings on something NEW and DIFFERENT that actually drew in new viewers and brought INTERNATIONAL attention to OLTL.
I get that some of the gay-themed stories have seemed in-your-face to some viewers. There will always be people who don't want to see an accurate portrayal of American life on their TV screens, on film, or in the books they read. Fine. But others do. And for ABC-D execs to bend over to the will of the naysayers?
Do they compromise by scaling back the more heavy-handed stories? Do they step back a little with the characters until the hotheads cool off? Nope. They listen to uninformed Focus Groups and put the characters on the chopping block.
And now Scott Evans and Brett Claywell, two very talented actors, are losing their jobs. And the absolute suckiest part of this entire suck-fest? According to his Twitter feed, Scott found out via that damned TVGuide article. How much does it suck to find out that a character you've put so much time and effort into for over a year is being written off—from a website?! The entire OLTL cast has been, so far, silent about the news, but it's probably safe to assume Brett found out in a similar way.
Just…ugh. MAJOR FAIL, ABC AND OLTL.
The 20/30-something age group is being whittled down—my age group, damn it. But I guess I'm not the mainstream audience that soaps want watching. At this rate, all the show will have left is teenagers (with their "High School Musical" May sweeps nonsense) and 40+ characters who rotate beds, push each other out windows (no, I'm not kidding), and mope around pining for people they can't have.
Maybe it's a good thing these talented young actors (Scott Evans, Brett Claywell, Scott Clifton, Amanda Setton, Crystal Hunt, Daphnee Duplaix) are getting out while the getting's good. Maybe I'm taking this more personally than I normally would, because the K/O story helped keep me sane during a really rough month and a half. Maybe I'll feel better tomorrow and regret posting this at all (nope, I edited and added to it, because yeah, I wrote most of this last night while pissed). Maybe.
All I know for sure is that after April, OLTL has lost this brand new viewer. I also know from a message board I frequent that quite a few long-time viewers (and by this I mean people who've watched the show for upwards of 23 years) will quit watching.
I've never been so proud to not be "mainstream." And by that, I mean I'm not someone with my head stuck so far up my own ass that I can't see a good thing on my television screen that hasn't been told and retold eighty-five times in the last sixty years. It means I don't have time for a show or a network that lays blame for its own failings on the heads of actors who've done everything asked of them in order to breathe life into two characters that have trail-blazed daytime television.
It means I can see a good story in something—fuck that, a good LOVE story in something—no matter if it's a man and a woman, or a man and a man.
Guh.
Shame on you, "One Life to Live." Shame on you.
You have been warned.
So 2010 hasn't been a banner year for me. It pretty much sucked from the stroke of midnight for a variety of reasons. Y'all know my kitty, Anya, has been sick, and I've recently gotten some bad health news about a close family member, plus there's an echoing silence on the book front. I don't know anyone who isn't stressed about money, myself included. I kept hoping March would bring with it both warmer weather (check) and some good news (ha!).
January was, without a doubt, Anya's very worst month—weight loss, vomiting, peeing everywhere except the litter box (including my bed), constant fear I'd come home from work one day and find her dead. My stress levels were through the roof from it and a serious lack of sleep wasn't helping. Then one day while trying to decompress on Twitter, I clicked on a vid link because it promised "hotness." Male hotness, to be precise. I needed eye-candy, so I clicked. And it delivered.
It also alerted me to something I didn't know existed: an emotional, realistic, beautifully-written and honestly-acted love story on a soap opera. It touched on themes of unrequited love, longing, and the need to truly accept yourself as you are before you can give someone else your heart.
I know, right?
Did I mention this heartwarming story is about two men?
If that offends you, catch you on my next post.
If not, please keep reading.
Through the power of YouTube and some dedicated fans, I was able to discover a story line that's been running on the ABC soap "One Life to Live" since around June 2009. Brilliantly brought to life by actors Scott Evans and Brett Claywell, the story of Oliver Fish and Kyle Lewis is a gem in the world of daytime television, and it was groundbreaking in many ways. It was also expectedly controversial.
I mean, really, how could an honestly-told love story not be controversial? (<--yes, that was sarcasm)
So I dove into the Kish story line via YouTube and during a month of my life where I cried almost every single day, this little break from reality was a wonderful treat. It opened my heart and my mind a little bit more, and in February, I started watching OLTL every day on television. I've heard from other folks that OLTL is one of the best-written soaps, with one of the most diverse casts, and I admit I was surprised by the quality of writing I saw. I was never a soap watcher, but I've seen bits and pieces over the years (my grandparents were big soap watchers when I was a kid), so I was expecting overblown melodrama and barely-passable acting. The show actually has some very witty dialogue, (mostly) believable story lines, and a very (with a few exceptions) talented cast.
I let myself immerse in the other characters outside of Kish, follow the story lines, and by the end of February, I was hooked. I was prepared to become a long-time viewer—which is big for me, because my television viewing has dwindled to nearly nothing this year. Even long-time favorites (I'm looking at you, "24") have failed to capture my attention like they used to.
Does this make me feel a little possessive of the show? Maybe a tad. Does this mean I take the Kish story line a little personally, because it helped me through a very tough period of time? Definitely. I was just settling in to the idea of seeing these guys on TV for a while, and loved the fact that OLTL had a pretty good cast of characters in my 25-30 age group. Then the cast started dwindling. One actress left on her own. One actress was fired. Another actor, Scott Clifton (who has been doing amazing work these last few weeks, and who I was looking forward to seeing more of) was fired.
Ugh. The age group was dwindling. Okay, well, at least Kish was still around, and there's still some decent actors in that age group. I wasn't happy, but I could live with it.
So I got online last evening to find an article on TVGuide Magazine.com saying that the characters of Oliver and Kyle will be written off the show and gone by mid-April. Next month!
*facepalm*
In the middle of a week that began with some blah news, this did not help my mood. Reading the rest of the article, and the apparent reasoning behind letting the actors go, incensed me further.
Why?
And I quote:
But sources at the network say the duo failed to resonate with the mainstream audience.
WTH? The mainstream audience? Don't they mean Focus Groups made up of people who are rarely habitual watchers, who are given select scenes and made to judge a character based solely on those scenes rather than a larger body of work? I hate the word mainstream, anyway.
Okay, so I've learned a little about "One Life to Live" and its landscape of characters in the last six weeks or so, so let me get this straight. A committed couple with a healthy relationship (ie, they don't keep secrets and they friggin' TALK to each other) isn't resonating with the mainstream audience. Um…okay.
I admit, as a shy bookworm with a penchant for SF, fantasy and horror, and a deep love of geekery, I've never been terribly mainstream. But this "mainstream audience" who objects to Kyle and Oliver apparently have no problems with:
A leading man who is a convicted rapist. Who was planning to steal his teenage daughter's baby and raise it with the woman he raped. Who is a narcissist. Who uses money to buy whatever the hell he wants—his daughter's affection, most recently. (even worse, the actor has one expression and it telegraphs constipation)
A leading lady whose husband just died, but who is already entertaining thoughts of (and smooching it up with) an old flame, and said old flame is in a relationship with another woman who just found out she's pregnant. Homewrecking is a theme on this show, I've noticed, that is quite the valued trait in its female characters.* (oh, and "old flame" is another unfortunate with only one facial expression)
An absolute whack-job religious zealot who storms into town, blackmails the mayor, kidnaps a pregnant woman so he can raise her baby as the "chosen one," kidnaps his own daughter and gives her electro-shock and then tries to rape her, and is now planning something else (that likely involves kidnapping small children) from jail with the help of his baby-stealing accomplice. **
*Now, I realize things like infidelity and homewrecking are staples of soap operas, but come on! This is more acceptable to the "mainstream audience" than a gay couple?
**This guy's story line had way more air time since it began last November than the combination of all of the Kyle/Oliver scenes aired since last June, and yet "the gays" are being blamed for bad ratings this past winter?
Yes, I just said that. According to several sources, ABC received some flak for some of OLTL's gay-centered story lines last fall. Never mind that ratings continued to be somewhat low even after those story lines got the kibosh. Never mind that as I just said above, the Kyle/Oliver scenes were maybe 1/20 of the overall storytelling landscape during that time frame. Never mind that K/O drew brand new viewers to the show because of their story(and I wasn't the only one), and that ratings were on the upswing in February.
They became the scapegoats for what is a much larger lack of good story telling over the last few months. And it sucks that The Powers That Be at ABC Daytime aren't spreading the blame around or taking responsibility for stories that are (according to some people more familiar with the show's history than I) rehashes of the same old stories that have been told and re-told for the last five years. Oh no, let's blame bad ratings on something NEW and DIFFERENT that actually drew in new viewers and brought INTERNATIONAL attention to OLTL.
I get that some of the gay-themed stories have seemed in-your-face to some viewers. There will always be people who don't want to see an accurate portrayal of American life on their TV screens, on film, or in the books they read. Fine. But others do. And for ABC-D execs to bend over to the will of the naysayers?
Do they compromise by scaling back the more heavy-handed stories? Do they step back a little with the characters until the hotheads cool off? Nope. They listen to uninformed Focus Groups and put the characters on the chopping block.
And now Scott Evans and Brett Claywell, two very talented actors, are losing their jobs. And the absolute suckiest part of this entire suck-fest? According to his Twitter feed, Scott found out via that damned TVGuide article. How much does it suck to find out that a character you've put so much time and effort into for over a year is being written off—from a website?! The entire OLTL cast has been, so far, silent about the news, but it's probably safe to assume Brett found out in a similar way.
Just…ugh. MAJOR FAIL, ABC AND OLTL.
The 20/30-something age group is being whittled down—my age group, damn it. But I guess I'm not the mainstream audience that soaps want watching. At this rate, all the show will have left is teenagers (with their "High School Musical" May sweeps nonsense) and 40+ characters who rotate beds, push each other out windows (no, I'm not kidding), and mope around pining for people they can't have.
Maybe it's a good thing these talented young actors (Scott Evans, Brett Claywell, Scott Clifton, Amanda Setton, Crystal Hunt, Daphnee Duplaix) are getting out while the getting's good. Maybe I'm taking this more personally than I normally would, because the K/O story helped keep me sane during a really rough month and a half. Maybe I'll feel better tomorrow and regret posting this at all (nope, I edited and added to it, because yeah, I wrote most of this last night while pissed). Maybe.
All I know for sure is that after April, OLTL has lost this brand new viewer. I also know from a message board I frequent that quite a few long-time viewers (and by this I mean people who've watched the show for upwards of 23 years) will quit watching.
I've never been so proud to not be "mainstream." And by that, I mean I'm not someone with my head stuck so far up my own ass that I can't see a good thing on my television screen that hasn't been told and retold eighty-five times in the last sixty years. It means I don't have time for a show or a network that lays blame for its own failings on the heads of actors who've done everything asked of them in order to breathe life into two characters that have trail-blazed daytime television.
It means I can see a good story in something—fuck that, a good LOVE story in something—no matter if it's a man and a woman, or a man and a man.
Guh.
Shame on you, "One Life to Live." Shame on you.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Zero Day
There's something altogether exciting and terrifying about looking at that countdown widget and realizing the DAYS column says 0. Big fat zero. Only hours left.
The good news is Amazon seems to be shipping Pre-orders of THREE DAYS TO DEAD, so yay!
Today is the last day to enter the GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY!!!! If you haven't already commented in either the 2K Quiz, the Charlie Madigan interview, or the Evy Stone interview, and you still want a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card, send me an email with the header: Enter Me! If you've already commented on all three, you can still send me that email! We're giving lots of chances to win!
I have a new interview up at Number One Novels today, so stop by and comment for a chance to win a signed copy of THREE DAYS TO DEAD. I'm talking about character names and why Joss Whedon is my patron saint of writing.
"The Hoarder" short story serial continues. Part 3 and Part 4 are posted, and be sure to tune in tomorrow for the conclusion to the serial!
In a completely non-book note, I've been rewatching one of my favorite TV shows from the nineties. How remembers "The Pretender?"
A genius named Jared who could be anyone he wanted to be, chased by the cold-hearted Miss Parker who had deeper issues than anyone thought. Sydney, Broots, Mr. Raines, Lyle...great, great cast of characters on this show. I've had the entire series on DVD for a while now, but just yesterday I put in Season One, Disc One, and have been half-watching the show while doing other things. And it's been great fun re-discovering it. Watching Jared discover new things with the fascination of a child--Oreos, Pez, roach motels, Curious George, ice cream--is one of the best things about the show. It died off in later seasons as Jared became more worldly, but in the first half of the first season, his innocence is refreshing.
The good news is Amazon seems to be shipping Pre-orders of THREE DAYS TO DEAD, so yay!
Today is the last day to enter the GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY!!!! If you haven't already commented in either the 2K Quiz, the Charlie Madigan interview, or the Evy Stone interview, and you still want a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card, send me an email with the header: Enter Me! If you've already commented on all three, you can still send me that email! We're giving lots of chances to win!
I have a new interview up at Number One Novels today, so stop by and comment for a chance to win a signed copy of THREE DAYS TO DEAD. I'm talking about character names and why Joss Whedon is my patron saint of writing.
"The Hoarder" short story serial continues. Part 3 and Part 4 are posted, and be sure to tune in tomorrow for the conclusion to the serial!
In a completely non-book note, I've been rewatching one of my favorite TV shows from the nineties. How remembers "The Pretender?"
A genius named Jared who could be anyone he wanted to be, chased by the cold-hearted Miss Parker who had deeper issues than anyone thought. Sydney, Broots, Mr. Raines, Lyle...great, great cast of characters on this show. I've had the entire series on DVD for a while now, but just yesterday I put in Season One, Disc One, and have been half-watching the show while doing other things. And it's been great fun re-discovering it. Watching Jared discover new things with the fascination of a child--Oreos, Pez, roach motels, Curious George, ice cream--is one of the best things about the show. It died off in later seasons as Jared became more worldly, but in the first half of the first season, his innocence is refreshing.
Monday, November 09, 2009
Alice
14 Days....EEEEEEEEE!
I've posted an interview with my 2K Event partner-in-crime Kelly Gay over at the League of Reluctant Adults. Go ask her questions and heckle. And then pre-order her book! It's awesome!
Today is also the last day to play in the 2K Quiz. Don't forget, you can win two ways! There will be a drawing from all entries (correct or not) for four books. And everyone who enters the Quiz gets an entry into the Grand Prize drawing! That's for a $100 Amazon gift card, people!
Have you guys seen the trailer for SyFy's new miniseries, "Alice"? I'm a huge fan of what they did with "Tin Man" two years ago, so I'm pretty excited for this. Plus I love Kathy Bates.
I've posted an interview with my 2K Event partner-in-crime Kelly Gay over at the League of Reluctant Adults. Go ask her questions and heckle. And then pre-order her book! It's awesome!
Today is also the last day to play in the 2K Quiz. Don't forget, you can win two ways! There will be a drawing from all entries (correct or not) for four books. And everyone who enters the Quiz gets an entry into the Grand Prize drawing! That's for a $100 Amazon gift card, people!
Have you guys seen the trailer for SyFy's new miniseries, "Alice"? I'm a huge fan of what they did with "Tin Man" two years ago, so I'm pretty excited for this. Plus I love Kathy Bates.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Why "Chopped" is Like a Writing Challenge
Yeah, that's what I said. Bear with me for a minute...
So I'm sitting here watching "Chopped" on the Food Network. Food Network, by the way, is my crack right now. It's on all the time while I'm working at home, and I've even picked up a few tips along the way. But I digress...
Anywho, to the uninitiated, "Chopped" is a show in which four chefs are given a basket of secret ingredients and must create dishes using those ingredients in under thirty minutes. Usually, the ingredients make little sense together (recent dessert round: ripened plantains, prosecco, crystalized ginger, and bacon), but the chefs have to make them work together and taste good. It's fun to watch. I love to see what these folks come up with off the tops of their heads.
During a commercial break, I jumped over to Twitter and a friend made a comment about the upcoming NaNoWriMo Challenge. To the uninitiated, NaNoWriMo means National Novel Writing Month. It's a writing challenge held every November, in which participants are challenged to write at least 50,000 words between Nov 1 and Nov 30. That's about 1700 words a day, minimum. That's a lot of words.
Now, not everyone takes NaNo seriously. Many folks do it in order to take a break from more serious endeavors--they allow their writing to go completely wild, without the pressure of making it "good." They use it as a way to get into a writing groove and to improve upon their daily word count output. To do this, challenges are issued to other participants, by participants. The challenges are usually to include random, odd elements in the story.
From this, my brain took another hard-left tangent back to my days writing fanfiction. I participated in a mailing list in which similar writing challenges were issued. We were given a list of random elements, and we were challenged to include them all in a story. The list could have looked something like this: a stuffed gorilla, banana ice cream, a clown riding a skateboard, fireworks, and a length of rubber hose. And people would write stories. Usually very good stories. Some folks went goofy, but many of us chose to use this as an exercise to improve our skills.
We did the very best we could with the ingredients we were given, and we put together the best final product possible.
Kind of like the chefs on "Chopped."
Now I miss those old fanfiction challenges.
(And don't forget to comment in the Countdown: October Contest!!! Still two days!)
So I'm sitting here watching "Chopped" on the Food Network. Food Network, by the way, is my crack right now. It's on all the time while I'm working at home, and I've even picked up a few tips along the way. But I digress...
Anywho, to the uninitiated, "Chopped" is a show in which four chefs are given a basket of secret ingredients and must create dishes using those ingredients in under thirty minutes. Usually, the ingredients make little sense together (recent dessert round: ripened plantains, prosecco, crystalized ginger, and bacon), but the chefs have to make them work together and taste good. It's fun to watch. I love to see what these folks come up with off the tops of their heads.
During a commercial break, I jumped over to Twitter and a friend made a comment about the upcoming NaNoWriMo Challenge. To the uninitiated, NaNoWriMo means National Novel Writing Month. It's a writing challenge held every November, in which participants are challenged to write at least 50,000 words between Nov 1 and Nov 30. That's about 1700 words a day, minimum. That's a lot of words.
Now, not everyone takes NaNo seriously. Many folks do it in order to take a break from more serious endeavors--they allow their writing to go completely wild, without the pressure of making it "good." They use it as a way to get into a writing groove and to improve upon their daily word count output. To do this, challenges are issued to other participants, by participants. The challenges are usually to include random, odd elements in the story.
From this, my brain took another hard-left tangent back to my days writing fanfiction. I participated in a mailing list in which similar writing challenges were issued. We were given a list of random elements, and we were challenged to include them all in a story. The list could have looked something like this: a stuffed gorilla, banana ice cream, a clown riding a skateboard, fireworks, and a length of rubber hose. And people would write stories. Usually very good stories. Some folks went goofy, but many of us chose to use this as an exercise to improve our skills.
We did the very best we could with the ingredients we were given, and we put together the best final product possible.
Kind of like the chefs on "Chopped."
Now I miss those old fanfiction challenges.
(And don't forget to comment in the Countdown: October Contest!!! Still two days!)
Monday, September 21, 2009
Top 3 Emmy Moments
Yes, I watched the Emmy Awards last night. I actually liked the new format, dividing the awards up by genre. I knew exactly when to take a snack break.
As expected, Neil Patrick Harris was an amazing host--funny and personal.
My top 3 moments:
3. Battlestar Galactica was included in the Drama Series clips, finally getting some mainstream love.
2. Angel and Bill. Together. On stage. In formal wear.
1. Dr. Horrible's Interruption
As expected, Neil Patrick Harris was an amazing host--funny and personal.
My top 3 moments:
3. Battlestar Galactica was included in the Drama Series clips, finally getting some mainstream love.
2. Angel and Bill. Together. On stage. In formal wear.
1. Dr. Horrible's Interruption
Saturday, August 15, 2009
FOX's Peter Pan and the Pirates
Every once in a while, I'll go browsing around YouTube. It's amazing what you can find on it, and somehow I found myself watching the opening themes to half a dozen different cartoons I loved as a child (My Little Ponies, Jem, Gummi Bears, She-Ra, to name a few).
Then I thought about a show I adored during its first run: Peter Pan and the Pirates. I was completely in love with this show, as it came on right around the time I was really discovering Peter Pan--the Disney film, the novel, and a few of the other novels that have come out since.
I remember loving the opening theme music, and after hearing it again, I still do.
And apparently all 65 episodes are available online.
Must. Resist. Time. Sink.
What old shows do you find yourself wanting to go back and re-experience?
Then I thought about a show I adored during its first run: Peter Pan and the Pirates. I was completely in love with this show, as it came on right around the time I was really discovering Peter Pan--the Disney film, the novel, and a few of the other novels that have come out since.
I remember loving the opening theme music, and after hearing it again, I still do.
And apparently all 65 episodes are available online.
Must. Resist. Time. Sink.
What old shows do you find yourself wanting to go back and re-experience?
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Oh, For Frak's Sake!
Anyone who dares to tackle yet another re-imagining of "Battlestar Galactica" has either got a pair of brass ones, or he's a lunatic. Stark raving mad.
After the critically acclaimed run of Ron Moore's BSG on the SciFi Channel (I refuse to admit to such a thing as SyFy), the need to succeed at bringing the franchise to the big screen is enormous. There are millions of dedicated fans to not impress, but blow away. Oh yes, this film Bryan Singer is developing will have to be something extra special good to appeal to the fans of the new show.
Granted, there are fans of the original 1978 series who thumbed their noses at Moore's vision, and who've yet to give the new series a chance. Perhaps Singer hopes to appeal to those fans? I dunno. Maybe.
The SciFi series had it's flaws, to be sure, but those flaws were far overshadowed by a series rife with excellent narrative, superb acting, amazing special effects, and moving, emotional storylines. I'm sure some folks will argue with this assessment, but to me, as far as television shows go, BSG was pretty darn close to perfect.
I'll be keeping an eye on this as it develops, trust me.
After the critically acclaimed run of Ron Moore's BSG on the SciFi Channel (I refuse to admit to such a thing as SyFy), the need to succeed at bringing the franchise to the big screen is enormous. There are millions of dedicated fans to not impress, but blow away. Oh yes, this film Bryan Singer is developing will have to be something extra special good to appeal to the fans of the new show.
Granted, there are fans of the original 1978 series who thumbed their noses at Moore's vision, and who've yet to give the new series a chance. Perhaps Singer hopes to appeal to those fans? I dunno. Maybe.
The SciFi series had it's flaws, to be sure, but those flaws were far overshadowed by a series rife with excellent narrative, superb acting, amazing special effects, and moving, emotional storylines. I'm sure some folks will argue with this assessment, but to me, as far as television shows go, BSG was pretty darn close to perfect.
I'll be keeping an eye on this as it develops, trust me.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
The Return of Zack Morris
I promise to post something more substantial than videos fairly soon, but I came across this one and it just tickled me. I grew up watching "Saved by the Bell." I still catch reruns on TBS whenever possible. The show, for all its dated styles and slang, still cracks me up.
So if this reunion happens, I'm so tuning in.
So if this reunion happens, I'm so tuning in.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
I *heart* Shapeshifters
I do. I prefer them over vampires. I suspected as much before, but my taste was reinforced yesterday when I threw myself into Season One of "True Blood." I don't have HBO, so I had to wait for the DVD release last week to get it. After the exhaustion that was our yard sale, all I wanted to do last night was watch TV.
Seven hours of TV. I finally quit at quarter til two, after devouring the first seven eps of TB.
Love. It.
I've probably ranted before about judging movies/shows on their own merits--especially those adapted from another medium, such as graphic novels or books. Part of it is my former-film student geekiness, that recognizes the necessary differences between visual and print media. I have read the first two Sookie books (I'm working on it!), so I could ruthlessly make comparisons. But I won't.
Because I can't. One is not the other. And I love both for their own charms and quirks.
So where is the evidence that I will, 99% of the time, choose the shapeshifter over the vampire? In both the Sookie books and TB, I was rooting for Sam. I love Sam.
Want more evidence? I've never even read the Twilight books, and I will willingly cast my vote for Team Jacob--cuz werewolves are hot. I fell over myself to read all four Mercy Thompson novels once I started them, because of the werewolf awesomeness in those books (heroine shapeshifter bonus!). Give me a paranormal romance with the heroine stuck between choosing a shapeshifter or any other sort of character, and I'll be rooting for the shapeshifter (unless they are irrevocably evil, duh).
I'll chat more about my impressions of "True Blood" once I've finished the series, but for now, I'm enjoying the hell out of it. And I'm seriously considering paying for HBO this summer, just for the new season.
Seven hours of TV. I finally quit at quarter til two, after devouring the first seven eps of TB.
Love. It.
I've probably ranted before about judging movies/shows on their own merits--especially those adapted from another medium, such as graphic novels or books. Part of it is my former-film student geekiness, that recognizes the necessary differences between visual and print media. I have read the first two Sookie books (I'm working on it!), so I could ruthlessly make comparisons. But I won't.
Because I can't. One is not the other. And I love both for their own charms and quirks.
So where is the evidence that I will, 99% of the time, choose the shapeshifter over the vampire? In both the Sookie books and TB, I was rooting for Sam. I love Sam.
Want more evidence? I've never even read the Twilight books, and I will willingly cast my vote for Team Jacob--cuz werewolves are hot. I fell over myself to read all four Mercy Thompson novels once I started them, because of the werewolf awesomeness in those books (heroine shapeshifter bonus!). Give me a paranormal romance with the heroine stuck between choosing a shapeshifter or any other sort of character, and I'll be rooting for the shapeshifter (unless they are irrevocably evil, duh).
I'll chat more about my impressions of "True Blood" once I've finished the series, but for now, I'm enjoying the hell out of it. And I'm seriously considering paying for HBO this summer, just for the new season.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Sunday Silliness
Check this out for something quite hilarious.
Spike & Angel debate the Battlestar Galactica series finale.
Brilliant!
Spike & Angel debate the Battlestar Galactica series finale.
Brilliant!
Saturday, March 21, 2009
R.I.P. Battlestar Galactica
Four amazing seasons.
Dozens of inspiring performances.
Millions of loyal fans.
One truly awesome show.
Frakkin' A! And don't miss this post-finale interview with creator Ron Moore.
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
When Is a Twist.....
....not really a twist?
When it's a cop-out. Or when you know a show still has at least one season left, and one of the major story lines can't possibly continue in the same direction it's been going, so the big, last-scene revelation isn't all that shocking. Okay, it's not even a tiny bit shocking.
I'm looking at you, Nip/Tuck. You had me up until that final phone call. Argh!!!
I love it when writers make the hard choices. I love it when difficult situations have difficult solutions. I love it when an author or a series GOES THERE. Not many of them do. Maybe it's why I don't like watching sitcoms anymore--the majority are neat little packaged problems, solved within twenty-two minutes, and tied up with a bow.
Nip/Tuck pushes boundaries, sure. It shocks and surprises, and it'll go places a lot of shows won't (having sex with a sofa, for example). Alas, tonight's season finale "twist" had me rolling my eyes, wondering when I'd wandered into a bad episode of Grey's Anatomy.
When it's a cop-out. Or when you know a show still has at least one season left, and one of the major story lines can't possibly continue in the same direction it's been going, so the big, last-scene revelation isn't all that shocking. Okay, it's not even a tiny bit shocking.
I'm looking at you, Nip/Tuck. You had me up until that final phone call. Argh!!!
I love it when writers make the hard choices. I love it when difficult situations have difficult solutions. I love it when an author or a series GOES THERE. Not many of them do. Maybe it's why I don't like watching sitcoms anymore--the majority are neat little packaged problems, solved within twenty-two minutes, and tied up with a bow.
Nip/Tuck pushes boundaries, sure. It shocks and surprises, and it'll go places a lot of shows won't (having sex with a sofa, for example). Alas, tonight's season finale "twist" had me rolling my eyes, wondering when I'd wandered into a bad episode of Grey's Anatomy.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
It's Nice to See....
That the alums of Battlestar Galactica (4 episodes left, *sobs*) are keeping busy.
If you haven't caught Tahmoh "Helo" Penikett in FOX's Dollhouse, tune in on Friday nights. No, seriously. Ratings aren't that great.
Katee "Starbuck" Sackhoff has been burning up the screen on the last two eps of Nip/Tuck. It's great fun seeing her play such a one-eighty from Starbuck. And speaking of one-eighties, Richard Burgi's guest spot on last night's episode was PRICELESS! The ick-factor of what he did was worth the two butt-shots, though. Wow. Is it a contractual obligation for hot men to flash their rear ends on this show?
Jamie "Apollo" Bamber has, likewise, been busy on Law & Order:UK. Seriously.
Mary "Laura Roslin" McDonnell has popped up on Grey's Anatomy, and the role once again proves the woman can do anything. I do hope they bring her character back.
Did I mention BSG only has four episodes left? *sobs more*
If you haven't caught Tahmoh "Helo" Penikett in FOX's Dollhouse, tune in on Friday nights. No, seriously. Ratings aren't that great.
Katee "Starbuck" Sackhoff has been burning up the screen on the last two eps of Nip/Tuck. It's great fun seeing her play such a one-eighty from Starbuck. And speaking of one-eighties, Richard Burgi's guest spot on last night's episode was PRICELESS! The ick-factor of what he did was worth the two butt-shots, though. Wow. Is it a contractual obligation for hot men to flash their rear ends on this show?
Jamie "Apollo" Bamber has, likewise, been busy on Law & Order:UK. Seriously.
Mary "Laura Roslin" McDonnell has popped up on Grey's Anatomy, and the role once again proves the woman can do anything. I do hope they bring her character back.
Did I mention BSG only has four episodes left? *sobs more*
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Thanks to Nip/Tuck...
...I'll never look at my electric knife the same away again. And being Dina Meyer, all I could think about was the Saw films.
Jennifer Coolidge, flying ashes, and the healthiest (if strangest) relationship Christian's ever been in. Yeah, just another day at McNamara/Troy.
Jennifer Coolidge, flying ashes, and the healthiest (if strangest) relationship Christian's ever been in. Yeah, just another day at McNamara/Troy.
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