help me i'm LOST

Next week is the Lost season premiere and I'm going to admit... I'm pretty damn excited. WOO! It got me thinking about how much television has evolved over the years (because yes, I've watched a lot of TV in my lifetime, and yes, I am a dork and think about things like that). Now there's all these different formats, online, DVD, etc. in which to watch your favorite shows, and the ability to watch multiple episodes all in a row have really changed the way shows are written. Sitcoms have become much more serialized (take, for instance, How I Met Your Mother), and DVDs, not syndication, is what people look forward to once a season ends.

I feel like the experience of watching something as it airs, waiting for it week by week, is so much different than marathoning it over a couple of weekends. Whether it makes the experience better or worse, I'm not sure. For me, I like the separation. The long, painful waits. Because it allows me to see each individual episode more clearly, and appreciate the nuances more. My obsession with a show lasts longer, and it has a bigger impact on me.

I don't know, I probably just watch way too much television.

at her feet was a footloose man

I must admit, I'm pretty addicted to Glee. Just in time for the hiatus until April. Woo!

I haven't done this in a while...

The Good: Although the first episode felt like some strange mixture of High School Musical and the movie Election, it was also pretty much brilliant. Somehow it managed to hit all the right notes (a pun!) and it was sweet, funny, and damn entertaining. While the rest of the season never quite reached that peak, it sometimes came pretty close. And always, even though they are obviously lip syncing, the song and dance numbers are fun! And the MVP of the series, Sue Sylvester, never fails to be awesome. I can't wait to ride that train next spring; destination: HORROR!

The Bad: Honestly, the characters are pretty blah. Not that they don't have personality, but even the likable ones aren't really people that endear themselves to you. Rachel's the lead character, yet most episodes you just kind of hate her. Will's kind of annoying. Kurt has troubles being gay, but sometimes he's just a bitch. There's Sue, but she's more of the love-to-hate variety. Eveyone's sort of two dimensional, and some characters, like The Other Asian, don't even have lines. I love Glee, but if the show never came back, I wouldn't really care about what ever happened to these characters. All I'd miss was snazzy renditions of catchy songs.

The Ugly: The writing is so all over the place it gives me whiplash. Stupid story lines about fake babies and yearbook defacing... it doesn't go as far as complete satire, yet it's not a realistic show in any way. Sue is a cold-hearted villain who enjoys kicking a person when he's down, yet she has enough empathy to visit her mentally challenged sister every week? I'm just really really confused with what type of show this is. The plots seem to almost act as draping for an excuse to break out in song and dance every week. See if this seems familiar:

Will walks in rehearsal room

Will: Hey kids! I have a new number for us to practice! This is because (it's a new category for competition, Artie's in a wheel chair, we need more hair in our numbers, etc.), so let's get started! Rachel you are the lead!

Rachel smiles HUGELY.
Kurt rolls his eyes.
Mercedes shoots her the death glare.
Finn tries to figure out what the word "practice" means.
Quinn pouts.

The singing starts and all the "kids" get into it!

Will: That was great guys! We're going to blow them away at sectionals!

Kids cheer!

Sue walks in

Sue: You look like a lesbian, Will. My Cheerios RULE ALL! I'm going to destroy your little Glee club. MWAHAHAHA.

Will looks angry.

END SCENE

Does it seem familiar? That's because it happens EVERY SINGLE EPISODE.

In conclusion, I'm such a sucker for cheesy musical numbers and get easily sucked into teen dramas. And I'm proud of it!

on happiness

In our quest for ultimate happiness in the form of complete satisfaction, are we just setting ourselves up for disappointment?

The more books that are written for self-empowerment, instructions on how to be Happy, and those on achieving some sort of modern American dream, the more unhappy we all seem to be. It's like people have begun to expect to be happy all the time... and any signs of depression just means you need medical attention.

There's so much focus on self-fulfillment, and messages on how to live The Good Life. I seriously hate watching movies or shows about the 1960s (I'm looking at you, Mad Men and Revolutionary Road), that seem to exist only to point out how desperately sad and caged in everyone was back then. "Thank GOD for all the freedom we have now! WHO wants to live in the SUBURBS?!" the shows yell at you as they blow smoke in your face. "Be selfish, and be directionless, I mean SPONTANEOUS, and BE HAPPY!"

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with wanting it all. It's just that people need to remember that Happiness isn't a goal. It's just an emotion. There's a reason we feel it all-- good and bad.

...But anyway, I'm starting to feel super preachy, so I'll end with something that will hopefully make you... a little happy! =)




Now, aren't you happy you're not in a love triangle with a lazy-eyed girl who's careless with her epileptic dog? Win!

family matters

Oh 80's sitcoms. How I love thee. Thank God for Nick at Night.

Watching Family Matters right now. It's interesting the things you find to do when trying to avoid actual work.

Highlights:

Silly jokes like, Eddie: "Hey Waldo, how do I look?" Waldo: "With your eyes."

Corny lesson-learned type speeches like, Carl: "Well Laura, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is."

Semi-racist jokes that you couldn't get away with after 1992 like Carl's imitation of a convenience store owner-- some kind of "ethnic" accent?!?

It reminds me of the good old days when floral curtains and carpets where in, Dads wore Cosby sweaters, all sons cared about was getting dates and teenage daughters just wanted to wear make up, and the lesson was learned at the end of the day.

Yeah, technically Family Matters aired more during the 90's, but as a spin-off of Perfect Strangers (trivia alert!), it retains that oh so wholesome 80's spirit.

And as a conclusion, here is my haiku to Alex P. Keaton, #1 crush. The only reason why I watched Family Ties. And yes, a haiku is a little ironic, I'll admit.

young republican:
sweater vests, pills, wall street talks;
chess, and courtney cox

Cool beans.

there goes my hero

So I think I’m starting to go from no longer liking Heroes to actively disliking it. Talk about most overrated piece of crap ever. Alright, so I know a lot of people still watch it (why??) but I just gave up after 1 ½ seasons. I devoted HOURS to that show, but all it did was take and take! So maybe I’m a little bitter. But I am a "Lost" fan, so you can’t say I’m not patient.

"Heroes" wants you to think it’s smart, but it’s so not. Superheroes by default are not dumb (obligatory example of “The Dark Knight” belongs here), and they are most certainly not boring (again, see “The Dark Knight”), but somehow this show is both dumb and boring. “We’re cool and epic like 'Lost'!” Is what seems to want to say. The last episode has Future and Present Peter arguing about whether people are good or bad [tangent: Just because the “Five Years Into The Future” episode in season 1 was awesome, doesn’t mean you should just throw them into the future any time!]. Philosophical, perhaps, but their conversation went more like this: “People are good!” “No, people are bad!”

Mohinder said in one episode, “You do not choose your destiny, it chooses you. And those that knew you before Fate took you by the hand cannot understand the depth of the changes inside. They cannot fathom how much you stand to lose in failure...that you are the instrument of flawless Design. And all of life may hang in the balance. The hero learns quickly who can comprehend and who merely stands in your way.” To which I say, just because you say it emphatically in a voice over like that, doesn’t make that speech make sense.

Despite all of Heroes’ shortcomings, I might still watch it if it were just more entertaining. The concept is so interesting, and yet, the execution just falls way short. The creators lack the imagination and foresight to take the mediocre characters anywhere remotely interesting. They borrowed heavily from comics like X-men and Watchmen, and can’t even live up to the original source material. Also, there’s build up, but no pay-off, which is the most frustrating thing. The heroes just seem to be bumbling around aimlessly, making stupid decisions and not interacting with each other. For a show about superheroes, "Heroes" needs more action.

i don't watch the simpsons

But sometimes, it's just made of win.

http://www.hulu.com/the-simpsons

So... that's what I'll be doing with my afternoon.

you're pretty, but dull

Oh Nate. You are an enigma, but not the good kind. After a whole season of Gossip Girl, I still have no idea what your personality is. You’re kind of just there so that Chuck doesn’t have to talk in monologues, to create vapid tension between Blair and Serena (and you don’t even do that anymore), or to be a (literal?) manwhore. Stop taking screen time away from the interesting characters (ie. all the other teens)! Maybe you should just stand next to whoever is talking so I can still get the pretty, without the dumb plotlines. See, in any given situation, I still have no idea how you’d react or feel about it. That’s… not good. I demand more quality character development from my TV shows, Gossip Girl!

(If this were an email, I’d probably CC this note to Rufus and Lily, too.)

Scene: Blair’s mom has remarried, and Blair is introducing her new dreadlocked, hippie stepbrother, Aaron, to her friends.

Blair: [to Aaron] …So this is civics class.

Aaron: Cool.

Blair: Hey everyone. This is my stepbrother Aaron. [rolls eyes]

Serena: Hey Aaron! Nice to meet you! Welcome to Constance!

Dan: Hi Aaron, nice to meet you. I’m Dan. Good luck living with Blair. You’ll definitely need it. [ha, I’m hilarious]

Blair: [rolls eyes]

Chuck: Yea, if you’re not careful, Blair might go Cruel Intentions on you. [Sneers]

Dan: Wow, I’m so glad you can add something to this conversation, Chuck. Your intellect is really staggering.

Chuck: Listen, Daniel... I--

Serena: [cuts Chuck off] So Aaron! How do you like New York?

[Chuck continues to sneer]

Aaron: I dig it.

Serena: That’s great!

Blair: Please. He hasn’t even seen it yet. All he does is smoke his hippie ganja-whatever in his room all day. Which is, like, so lame, BTW. [rolls eyes]

Serena: [whispers] Give him a chance, Blair. He seems like a really nice guy!

Vanessa: Hi Aaron, I'm Vanessa. If you'd like, I could show you around the city. I know this great art museum with a lot of interpretive art.

Aaron: Thanks. That'd be cool.

Jenny: Oh my God, that’s such an awesome shirt Aaron. Where’d you get it? [I wonder if he’s into the bohemian scene. It would be so cool if I could get in with them. Ok, after school, I’ll happen to run into him at the park and…]

Eric: Uh, Jenny, we’re not even in this class. Shouldn’t we get going? The bell rang like, five minutes ago.

Jenny: Hold on, let’s just stay for a few more minutes!

Aaron: Uh, I made this shirt, actually.

Jenny: Wow! That's so cool! You know, I make my own clothes too!

Serena: There’s a black and white party tonight, Aaron. Do you want to come?

Dan: What! You didn’t tell me about that!

Serena: Yes I did! Yesterday!

Dan: Oh, sorry, I’m just used to you not telling me stuff.

[Dan and Serena start to make out]

Blair: [rolls eyes]

Gossip Girl: Looks like B has a new playmate. Things might start to get a little tense in the sandbox this year….

End Scene.

See? What would Nate have to say?? Who knows!
Who cares.

the hills

Oh my God, you guys, I am like totally addicted to The Hills. The first season, it could be counted on as a guilty pleasure, but now, in the 4th (!) season, it’s just… sick. I’m just one step away from putting on my fluffy pink bathrobe and watching a marathon of Living Lohan all day. The horror, the horror!

I want it to stop so badly, but I need MTV to stop making new episodes because I won’t stop otherwise. It makes me wonder, why am I still so addicted to this show? I don’t even enjoy watching it (it’s totally beyond that so bad it’s good factor—it’s definitely just bad), and nothing ever happens so it’s not a great talking point either. It also annoyingly perpetuates the stereotype that all people do in LA is party (and anyway, I heard that NY is like 1000x more social). Do I watch the show because I identify with their ordinary, mundane lives? Does it make me feel better knowing that even with all that money and fame Lauren’s life is essentially vapid, tedious, and pointless?

Paris Hilton is so last year, and Lauren is totally this year’s pseudo-celebrity I enjoy hating on. Someone brilliantly renamed "The Hills" to "LC and the Seven Bland Dwarfs": Vacant (Audrina), Dopey (Whitney), Dirty (Justin Bobby), Plastic (Heidi), Slimey (Spencer), Douchey (Brody) and Bitter (Lo). And that right there is so spot on I can’t believe it.

Whenever The Hills finally does end, though, I think I’ll feel a bit like I lost touch with a friend. Not that I like Lauren or any of her friends, but the voyeuristic part of me, I guess, kind of enjoys being able to watch a lose reality show based on someone else’s life. Morbid curiosity. Vicarious thrill. I never really think of her as a celebrity since I know her from a “reality show” where we’re to assume that we are watching someone live their ordinary life. In an embarrassing way, it is like I know her. But honestly, she’s one of my dullest friends.

happy labor day

"You watch Avatar?!"

"I love Avatar! I love Prince Zuko!!"

"Yeah?"

"Oh yea, he's every girl's dream! You know, the hot, tortured-soul type. And he's a decent fighter to boot."

"Um, I guess. But he's a cartoon."

"You should see how I get about real-life fictional characters."

"Haha. But don't you ever fall for a guy you actually know?"

"Mmm... Yeah. But real boys are harder to love."

"Why?"

"Because they can break your heart."

a date

10 Fictional Characters I’d Date

After being inspired by EW’s “TV Characters You’d Date”, I spent way too much time thinking over my own list. I decided to expand the qualifications a bit (to movies, basically). Sigh… some boys are just too dreamy….

10. The Narrator from Fight Club (played by Edward Norton): OK. This one would be more of a tryst. A really hot, sexy one, no? This guy is seriously batshit insane—but to use an very trite phrase, he just looked so good being so bad. I’d say more about what he does in the movie, but you know the first rule of Fight Club, so I’ll just go on.

9. Han Solo (from Star Wars, duh): Thinking about it, I could pick a number of Harrison Ford movies (Indiana Jones, The Fugitive, etc.) in which I’d like to date him. So I kind of just wanted to pick Ford himself, but that kind of defeats the concept of this list, doesn’t it? In the end, I decided Han wins out, as a roguish smuggler who gets mixed up with this kid named Luke. Through this unlikely happenstance, Han discovers being part of a group ain’t so bad, and we (the audience… of his life) get to see that he’s a smart, sarcastic reckless, amazing pilot with a heart of gold. Also, his best bud is a big, cuddly Wookiee. Aww.

8. Logan Echolls (from Veronica Mars): Oh Logan, you were Veronica’s obligatory psychotic jackass, and yet your love for her was epic. The duplicity of Logan made him one of the best characters on the show. Even though he started out as an organizer of bum fights, went on to boink his friend’s stepmom (granted she was a MILF to the max), and eventually became super emo kid, Logan still maintained his wit, charm, loyalty, and all-around awesomeness. And honestly, it’s amazing he even managed to function with all the f—ed up stuff that happened to him (his dad sleeping with, and then murdering his girlfriend, and his mom committing suicide is just the beginning), so I guess I can give him a little slack. Plus, he sure is cute.

7. Leopold (from Kate and Leopold): Hugh Jackman was the only redeeming quality of a pretty bad chick flick. Leopold accidentally gets transported through time from 1870s New York to modern day 2001 NYC. He’s like Mr. Darcy minus all the haughtiness, and man, does his charisma just ooze off the screen. It’s like, one look from Leo, and you would eat some of that disgusting fake-butter stuff he’s trying to sell you. And you’d enjoy it, dammit. Meg Ryan has had a lot of enticing male leads to fall in love with, but none come close to the perfection of prim and proper Leopold.

6. Zach Morris (from Saved by the Bell): Way totally cool and awesome, who could resist his pretty brown eyes and surfer-boy blonde hair? I mean, come on-- he had a cell phone in 1991! He was like a class clown/troublemaker in 2^nd grade that just never grew up, because even though he did some pretty underhanded things to his friends, he always repented with the utmost sincerity, that little rascal. Kelly never deserved such a guy, and I want my turn.

5. Marshall Eriksen (from How I Met Your Mother): He sings! He studies law! He always wins games! He slaps!! Marshall is the fun-loving, somewhat naïve, and always loyal best friend I’d want to someday marry. Or at least date.

4. William Thatcher (from A Knights Tale): I didn’t always like this movie, but the more times I watched (I have no idea why I kept watching it), the more I grew to love it (along with Heath Ledger’s character, William, of course). Underneath the silly, purposefully anachronistic popcorn fare of a film lies a moving character study of a boy who grows up and does achieve his seemingly elusive dream. His wish to be a knight is so pure and noble, and his love runs so deep for his friends and family, that William is truly a hero for the ages.

3. Coach Eric Taylor (from Friday Night Lights): If there were such of a thing as a FILF, Eric Taylor would be it. He’s not perfect, but he tries so hard, and whenever he does succeed in being Awesome Dad or Husband or Coach, I swear my uterus gives a little jump. Like, marry me, Mr. Taylor. I’ve never seen any squinty-eyed guy look so good in a blue polo and southern accent. Oh, and his hair! It’s so emotive, I think it deserves its own show.

2. Edward Cullen (from Twilight): Otherworldly good looks (literally), a genuinely good disposition, intelligent, athletic (as in, insanely fast and strong), and a loving heart (if only it beat), Edward is perfect. Except for the fact that he’s a vampire.

1. Jim Halpert (from The Office): You know, since Jim is actually human, I thought he should get the number one spot. He’s nearly perfect, and, in fact, his lack of ambition is part of what makes him so charming. We would have so much fun pulling pranks on Dwight and making faces at the camera over the crazy stuff Michael says. We’d fall into a comfortable relationship, but his humor and thoughtfulness would keep it from being boring. I’d work in any office if he were my desk buddy.

a finale

Firefly (2002)

Status: Cancelled after 11 episodes; 14 episodes made (all on DVD)

Genre: sci-fi/western/drama/comedy/action

DVD extras: pretty good. Interesting commentary on a few episodes.

Basics: The series is set in the year 2517, when we’re no longer separated by continents or countries, but by planets, and follows the adventures of the renegade crew of Serenity, a Firefly-class spaceship. Joss Whedon (creator of Buffy the Vampire) pitched the show as "nine people looking into the blackness of space and seeing nine different things".

The show explores the lives of people who fought on the losing side of a civil war and now make a living on the outskirts of the society, as well as the pioneer/ wild west-like culture that exists on the fringes of their star system. In addition, it is a future where the only two surviving superpowers, the United States and China (they speak Chinese on the show sometimes—makes it fun and colorful, actually, if a little weird), fused to form the central federal government, called the Alliance, resulting in the fusion of the two cultures as well. According to Whedon's vision, "nothing will change in the future: technology will advance, but we will still have the same political, moral, and ethical problems as today."

The good: the cast. They are fun. Here we go:

Malcolm Reynolds (a.k.a. Mal)- the captain of Serenity. Fought in the war, which left him somewhat broken. Now his only goal is to keep his ship going. An enigmatic anti-hero figure, you might say.

Zoe: second in command; insanely loyal to Mal because they fought together in the war. She’s tough.

Walsh: the funny guy. The pilot. Zoe’s husband. (importance of role, not in any particular order, natch)

Inara: her job title is “Companion,” which essentially makes her a high class prostitute. Of course, she’s the only one making an honest living because everyone else on the ship gets paid by illegally trafficking stuff (and people) between planets. Mal kind of has a crush on her, and if he made a move, I don’t think she’d say no.

Jayne: hired muscle. His loyalty is the most questionable. Large and crude, he’s a lot of fun.

Kaylee: the sweet mechanic; the heart of the ship. She’s the best mechanic there is, and loves Serenity almost as much as Mal does.

Simon: a doctor (top 3%!) breed in the inner planets, the ones under Alliance control. He’s not really into the whole “outlaw” thing, but has become a fugitive because he broke his sister out of a government research facility where they fucked her up for sure. Now Simon and sis are on the run, and the crew of Serenity is nice enough to let them stay (it’s also handy to have a doctor on board). He likes Kaylee. She totally loves him. Simon’s problems with his sister, though, always seem to get in the way. Also, looks very good shirtless. Alas, we don't discover this until the very last episode. Damn.

River: the little sis of whom we speak. She’s kind of annoying at first, but the more you learn about her, the more fascinating she becomes.

Shepherd Book: he’s a priest/pastor/minister guy (they’re called “shepherds” in the future, apparently). Most of the time, he’s kind of just there. Had the series continued, I’m sure he’d have developed into something interesting. That leads me to my next point:

The bad: the fact that the series ended so soon. We have the seedlings of interesting characters, but we never get to fully go into their backstories. Inara and Book certainly had something very suspicious pasts. Such a shame.

The ugly: OK, I’m not really into sci-fi. Some of the episode weren’t that great, honestly. It kind of reminded me of those old Hercules and Xena shows; that’s the most similar thing I can think of.

Why it’s awesome: I think the idea of mixing the genres of sci-fi and westerns is brilliant. It works so well. The parallels between space and the wild west… you never think about it, you know? What really put this series over the top for me was the fact that Joss got to make a movie to finish off the show. And that movie is probably one of my favorite movies ever. I watched it more times than I like to admit. Brilliant direction and dialogue throughout the series.

Best episodes: “Shindig” is very Jane Austen (how cool is that?!), “Jaynestown” has that awesome song, “Out of Gas” is my favorite—it give some backstory in a highly interesting way, “Ariel” is heart-stoppingly thrilling, “War Stories” is fun (as fun as torture can be), and “Objects in Space” is just weird (but kind of in an awesome way).

In conclusion, maybe it’s a good thing it only lasted a few episodes, because that’s the only reason I gave this show a chance. I liked that it had a Big Damn Movie as a finale so I wouldn’t be stuck watching season after season. This show is lots of fun; a great summer distraction.

And so ends my DVD reviews. Yay! I really have too much time on my hands these days.

a little school spirit

Friday Night Lights (2006) SEASON 1

Status: It’s kind of a weird one. Season 3 is coming this fall, but with less episodes than a regular season, and it’ll air on cable/direct tv/something first, and then repeat on NBC some weeks later. So, it’s not totally cancelled—just kind of on a slow death march.

Genre: drama (family/teen/sports)

DVD extras: not great. A making-of documentary that is OK (and for some reason, not placed on the last disc—but watch it last if you don’t want to be spoiled). A few deleted scenes. The best thing about the DVD is that it’s cheap (probably why it’s lacking a lot of extras).

Basics: The first season of Friday Night Lights accomplishes something that few television dramas are able to do: It betters the 2004 film on which the series is based. Set in Dillon, Texas, where football--even on the high school level--is everything, Friday Night Lights is a compelling drama with a football subplot. Poignantly and effectively touching on racism, rape, steroids, jealousy, infidelity, and life-changing injuries, the series presents the inhabitants of Dillon as real people who are flawed, but remarkable in their ordinariness.

The story arc of the season is: Coach Taylor is the new head-coach of the Dillon High Panthers. He has to have a winning team because his job and the spirit of the entire town depends on him. Meanwhile, his wife has to deal with becoming the “head coach’s wife” and his daughter falls in love with the new, young, quarterback. The players on the team are more than just high school kids because of the responsibility to the town their uniforms come with, but they still have to deal with heartaches, alcoholism, absent parents, steroids, etc. It follows a small town on its quest for state championship.

The good: Incredibly real, heartfelt, fascinating, and well-acted. The actors are all really good looking. And I am pretty much in love with Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler). Total love. But since he has the awesome Connie Britton as a wife (uh, in the show), I’ll settle for Matt Saracen. More age appropriate anyway.

The bad: Stupid shaky camera shit. It suppose to give the show a gritty, realistic look, but it just distracts me. Either I got used to it though, or they calmed down a little after the first few episodes. I can see when the shaky feel works in certain instances, but in general I love me a well-done tracking shot.

The ugly: It’s only problem is that it started to fall apart the second season. For some reason they skipped half a school year, FORGOT about FOOTBALL, broke up the best couples, and added a MURDER plotline. Don’t worry, the first season finale ends satisfyingly enough. Like VM, make up what you think will happen after the last episode because it’s better than the reality.

Why it’s awesome: It’s just a really well done show. It actually made me like football. Even if you don’t like football, you can enjoy this show. Actually, if you do like football you’ll probably be a little disappointed because it’s more drama than sports.

Best episodes: The pilot was like a mini-movie. “I Think We Should Have Sex” was a definite highlight. The “Mud Bowl” and the last episode, “State”, were exhilarating.

In conclusion, it fails really because there’s no audience for this show. Either you’re living this show and don’t need to watch it on your TV every week, or you’re not, and subsequently have no interest in the world it portrays. But honestly, it’s a quality show, so if you have 22 hours to spare, give it a chance. It's even better than the movie, and it’s only $20 at Target! Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

a parisian night suit

Freaks and Geeks (1999)

[First I’d like to say that they’re re-releasing the yearbook edition of the series this fall, and I WANT IT. Hint, hint.]

Status: Cancelled after 18 episodes

Genre: comedy/drama/teen

DVD extras: HOURS of extras! It’s a Freaks and Geeks lovefest. Every episode has at least one commentary track. They’re very good in general, too. Lots of deleted scenes, bloopers, screen tests, and even some homemade video type stuff. Also comes with a booklet and playlist from each episode. Yay!

Basics: Created by writer-comedian Paul Feig and executive produced by Judd Apatow, Freaks and Geeks followed the Weir siblings--former math whiz Lindsay and her younger brother Sam--as they navigated the perils and pleasures of a Michigan high school circa 1980. What separated Freaks and Geeks from most other scholastic series was its brutal honesty--Lindsay and Sam, as well as their friends and parents, were given very human personas that showed failure, malice, indecision, and moments of great clarity. Likewise, the plotlines rarely offered pat solutions to the characters' conflicts--the show unfolded in a naturalistic manner, which was a welcome respite for viewers tired of flashy high school dramas.

Basically it’s an anti-Dawson’s Creek. Lindsey starts hanging out with the burnouts/freaks. Sam has a couple of geeky friends and a crush on a popular cheerleader. Hilarious and heartbreaking—it was doomed from the start.

The good: You’re watching the show, cringing at what topic they decided to cover this episode— vandalism, family violence, crushed dreams, parents dating teachers, divorce, hermaphrodites—and then by the end they just totally make it work. It’s so rare for a show to make you feel anything at all, and Freaks and Geeks manages to make you feel everything.

The bad: There’s a reason why F&G didn’t last one season, and Dawson’s Creek lasted six. Every episode of F&G ended bittersweetly—sometimes even somewhat depressingly. It was a little too much like life, where you don’t win the heart of the girl and go on to do great things. That’s what made it so good, but it’s also why no one watched. Somehow, though, anyone who’s seen the series thinks it’s the most awesome thing ever (and rightly so).

The ugly: Well, nothing really.

Why it’s awesome: Most notably, the music, which is a pretty good mix of classic rock. The casting is tops: Linda Cardellini is the perfect everywoman, I would totally play D&D with the geeks every week (and they are seriously geeky—not Hollywood geeky) or toke up in Nick’s basement with the freaks (you know, if I was into that type of thing), and even the minor characters have depth and personality. Every single character experiences a good amount growth. Amazingly, even though it was canceled before the end of the season, they filmed a last episode in advanced so there’s a pretty good conclusion at the end of the series.

Best Episodes: The pilot was like a mini-movie (every episode was, actually), “I’m With the Band” (episode #6) was when I fell in love with the show, “Carded and Discarded” is one of the funniest, “The Little Things” had amazingly impressive writing/acting, and the last episode “Discos and Dragons” was the perfect finale. Looking over the episodes list, I can’t pick one that isn’t an A+.

In conclusion, the best thing that could happen to the series is that it was canceled after 18 episodes. 18 perfect episodes. No disappointing future seasons to diminish the magic of the first. Julia Roberts said it best in Steel Magnolias (yea, you knew I’d manage to reference a movie sooner or later): “I would rather have 30 minutes of something wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special.”

a perky blonde

Veronica Mars (2005) SEASON 1

Status: Cancelled after 3 seasons

Genre: teen/drama/noir

DVD Extras: a few deleted scenes. Pretty lame.

Basics: In the wealthy seaside community of Neptune California the rich and powerful make the rules. Unfortunately for them there's Veronica Mars a smart fearless 17-year-old apprentice private investigator dedicated to solving the town's toughest mysteries. Veronica used to be one of the popular girls but it all came crumbling down around her after her best friend Lilly was murdered and her then-sheriff father Keith was removed from office for naming Lilly's rich father as the lead suspect. During the day Veronica must negotiate high school like any average teenage girl. But at night she helps with her father's struggling new private investigator business--and what she finds may tear the town of Neptune apart at the seams.

The good: Veronica is a total ball-buster (while still managing to be cutesy but not annoying). Everyone at school hates her, her boyfriend just stopped talking to her one day, she got raped at a party, her best friend was murdered and no one is looking for the real killer… and yet she handles it all. With talent, brains, and sarcasm. Every episode has a Mystery of the Week that VM solves. The overall arc of the season is defined by Lily’s murder case. We get tantalizing clues throughout and the payoff definitely delivers.

The bad: The voice-overs are an interesting tool, and help give the show a noir-ish feel. I sometimes wish they did more than just explain what VM was doing, though. In the pilot it helped give us some insight into VM’s thought-process and beliefs, but they didn’t really do that enough throughout every episode. Could have been a great tool in propelling the story lines forward. But you know, that’s a complaint in hind-sight. The viewing experience overall is very nice.

The ugly: Dad, Wallace, and Mac are all great. Logan’s character just keeps getting better throughout the season. But for some reason, they left Veronica’s love interest, Duncan, oddly underdeveloped and LAME.

Why it’s awesome: The feel, the dialogue, Lily’s murder plotline… it’s all amazing. The Mysteries of the Week are sometimes a bit uneven, but they’re never dull. An advantage of watching it on DVD is that the impact of the MotWs are minimized and you can get more involved with the main mystery.

Best Episodes: In episode 4 they do a good job of establishing the characters’ back stories and relationships. It’s essential to see why Lily was so important to Veronica (lots of good flashbacks throughout the season too). The Christmas episode is my favorite. And of course the finale episode is HOT (oh look, I made a pun—you’d get it if you saw the season).

In conclusion, a very good summer distraction. It’s fun and engrossing. Everything’s solved at the end of the season. Ok, it’s a little cliffhangery with a couple of things, but trust me, what follows in season 2 and 3 are disappointing. Use your imagination and make up your own ending; it’s much better that way. Without Lily’s case propelling Veronica forward, she just seems kind of lost in later seasons. But this first season? Nearly perfect.

a summer distraction

[Ah...the face of a defeated man...]

What better way to whittle away those glaring, hot summer days than a marathon of your favorite TV show? And in case you have commitment issues… here are 4 shows that will last you just approximately 24 hours. After you finish and your eyes are bleeding, you can discard the show forevermore (but I don’t think you’ll want to) because either the show didn’t go beyond one season, or the later seasons pretty much sucked. A marathon with a definite end point. Win-win.

What inspired this little project is a recent viewing of the movie “The TV Set” (2006), which I caught on Showtime today. Synopsis from IMDB: “A television network is making a pilot of Mike's quirky comedy based on the aftermath of his brother's suicide. As the network suits ask for change after change, and as Mike struggles with compromise, there are strains on families, execs who show rushes to their children, leads who feel each other out, and assistants who put a smile on everything. Can an honest show get made in the world of reality TV chasing an audience of teen-aged boys?” The answer is no. It was good and funny, but depressing as hell. Pretty much summing it up, Mike says: “If I don't worry about the content in my show, then I'm part of the problem. I'm making the world more mediocre!” It’s amazing any quality shows get made. But then, those that do, are cancelled anyway as these 4 shows prove.

So, anyway, I'll do one show a day, probably. Enjoy!

(first up is Veronica Mars, coming up tomorrow)

the telenovela

...Or should it be La telenovela? Hmm... my Spanish is pretty rusty nowadays. Luckily I have this summer to brush up until I have to take a Spanish class this fall. ["rusty"? "brush up"? Since when did I start talking with such pedantic idioms?]

Anyway, this morning I heard a lot of Spanish-speaking outside my room (long, wet story) and it got me thinking about... Mexico, I guess. And subsequently, telenovelas. In high school we would have to watch half an hour of Spanish-speaking TV each week, and I got hooked on this strange telenovela called "La Fea Mas Bella". It wasn't until later that I realized that obscure Univision show was actually a version of the insanely popular Columbian show "Yo soy Betty, la fea"; two predecesors of "Ugly Betty".

Interestingly, in that funny self-aware-meta way, "Ugly Betty" loves making fun of telenovelas, but I can't help but think about what makes them actually so popular. There are A LOT of them. More close to home: there are a lot of soap operas in the states as well. [Isn't it interesting how only foreigners call the US "the states"?]

What is the appeal? Are some people so dull minded that they'll sit through a soap opera five days a week? I'll admit, I was pretty addicted to one in middle school. I would get upset if the VCR missed taping just one day of the show. I'd act like I actually missed something important in the storyline. But see, I was in
middle school. My brain was not fully developed!

Oh, I sound like I'm making fun. Which, I am, but actually, the more I thought about it, the more I saw the virtues of such mindless entertainment. Or rather, came to accept the element of its draw. Because as failing shows like the realistic (and spectacular) "Friday Night Lights" prove, television truely is a lowest-common-denomintor form of entertainment, and if people really wanted some brain-food, they'd read a book.

The reason people love their soaps is because it is so disconnected from reality. We eagerly engage in entertainment that will take our minds off of the boring repitition of our lives. Soap operas generally operate in a world parallel to ours- one show equals one day for us- and watching someone going through such concentrated amounts of drama every single day becomes addicting because it acutely contrasts to our own. I'm not saying you have to have an utterly dull life to like soap operas, but the point of soaps are a hightend portrayal of life.

Imagine living in a world where every emotion you felt was overwhelmingly raw and sincerely felt. Where every high is the zenith of life, and every low is rock bottom. Every action has a consequence. Every moment is life and death. It sounds ridiculous... and it is. For while we watch these fictional lives play out every day, becoming obsessed against our better judgment, the other part of the draw is being about to watch with a critical (sometimes mocking, sometimes relating) eye from the comfort of our sofa. The sofa we bought with the money we earned from working our nine to five office job.

Because we grow to know these characters so intimately, five days a week, it is the ultimate example of living vicariously. Perhaps it helps satiate an innate human longing for drama when gossip just isn't enough. Perhaps it's nothing more than just a guilty pleasure, or background noise for when you're puttering around the house. I know that when I was addicted, I didn't really think about any of that, though. I just wanted to know if Miguel was finally going to pick Charity or Kay.