Television Love

Teen Mom ... good until "Dr" Drew got involved

2010-02-06T21:06:00.001-05:00

Overall, I applaud MTV for the series 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom. I feel that the shows have shown a realistic picture of what teenage pregnancy is like. It has not been glamorized or romanticized. It has shown some young people that have been strong and responsible.

I was looking forward to watching the finale special. I was hoping to see the girls still working hard, loving their children, and working to have healthy relationships. The show was scarred, however, by Dr. Drew and his horrendous advice to young mother Maci.

Throughout the season, Maci completely devoted herself to her son Bentley. She tried and tried to draw in Bentley's father Ryan, even getting back together with him because she thought it might be better for her son. Sadly, Ryan never showed an interest in having a relationship with Bentley and it broke Maci's heart to see it. Finally she broke up with Ryan to give her son the kind of life that he deserves.

On the reunion show, Dr. Drew told Maci that men were different and that Ryan was somehow excused from being disinterested in his child because of the penis that hangs between his legs. I am absolutely disgusted with this and I pray that Maci will get some better advice - truthful information - from another source. Interestingly enough, Dr. Drew was quickly proved wrong on his own show when father Gary talked about the physical pain that he felt when he and Amber were broken up and he couldn't see his daughter Leah as often. I could sit here all day long and list men that I know that prove "Dr" Drew wrong ... among them, my own father. I would love to have this buffoon try to tell me that my father loved me less than my mother does - I'd tear the mo-fo apart.

Bottom line, we need to give both our young girls and our young men more. Don't tell fathers that they don't have the capability to love their children as much as a mother does - this slaps the face of every loving, caring, committed, devoted father out there. Don't tell mothers that they should accept anything less than a man that puts his family before himself. Let's stop perpetuating the idea that men should walk away from their children.

Team Ed

2009-07-27T21:01:00.002-05:00

Here we are at the end of another Bachelorette season and I feel better for the future of this couple. I feel like Ed leaving as well as having the mysterious bedroom issue gives them the taste of the "real world" that is usually lacking from the experience. Unlike the other couples that come out of this experience, their relationship has already been forced to live beyond the fantasy suites and helicopter rides.

There was just one thing missing from this finale - I really, really wish that Jillian would have told Reid that in the end it wouldn't have made a difference if he had told her he loved her earlier on. I mean, if she fell in love with Ed, she fell in love with Ed - and whether it had been Reid in place of Kiptyn in the final two, she still would have ended up with Ed. I hope that Reid bounces back quickly. At least he didn't pull a Mesnick, though, right?

Seriously, Apollo?

2009-07-27T18:33:00.002-05:00

So, The Apollo scheduled Kathy Griffin to do her act - on their family amateur night. Seriously, Apollo? You have a show that will have children present so you schedule someone whose entire thing is her potty mouth? You'd think they couldn't get more ridiculous ... but they do. They get mad at her for saying pussy. They actually kick her the fuck out of the building. Seriously, Apollo? I'd say that I was going to boycott you, but let's be honest - I wasn't going to show up anyway.

Bittersweet Summer

2009-07-25T23:03:00.002-05:00

Ah, summertime ... usually a time of re-runs and a time to catch up on the "other" networks. Usually it's a time to find some hidden gems that I missed while caught up in my normal shows. This summer, though, it's a time of great television shows ... that are about to be canceled. Samantha Who? ... Dirty, Sexy, Money ... Pushing Daisies ... how I love you, how I'll miss you.

Hey, at least Big Brother is back, right?

Oh, the Humiliation

2008-07-07T23:32:00.000-05:00

Okay, I know that I'm behind on my tv, but I still need to write about this. One of the many reality shows that I adore is Family Jewels with Gene Simmons. I'm getting the chance to catch up on some old episodes and I can't believe how much I'm enjoying myself. There is no reason to like Gene Simmons - he prides himself on being an asshole - but within his family he manages to be just another bumbling guy trying to pretend that he's in charge. There is one family member that treats him as king - his dog Snippy. It's beautiful to see this cocky, arrogant rocker cuddle up with Snippy. In one episode, though, Snippy gets lost. It's horrible to see how upset he is but heartwarming to see what he goes through to look for Snippy. He spares no expense, even flying around in a helicopter looking. He brings in a local animal rescue organization who helps out, and they promise to continue the search so that Gene can put on a concert.

For whatever reason, Nick is separated from the family when he arrives at the concert, and he isn't able to get in. While I understand that this rent-a-cop has a shitty job that he's just trying to do, it's really pretty funny. Sergeant Security is surrounded by people vouching for this kid ... who happens to be surrounded by cameras for the reality tv show that he's on. I mean, come on - I'm sure that people try to tell you that they're "with the band" all the time, but how many of them can actually put together a camera crew in order to trick you? Rent-a-cop's stress is only added to when the animal rescue guy shows up with Snippy and wants to bring the dog into the arena. The fans are on Gene's side, though, and the animal dude is able to bust through the gates with Snippy and they go running towards Gene with Nick following suit. The predictably chubby security guard chases after them as they catch up to Gene, who is overjoyed. In his final humiliation, Mr. Rent-a-Cop escorts the family, including Snippy and the animal dude to the stage. I almost feel sorry for the clown.

America's Dance Crew Crap

2008-06-28T13:21:00.003-05:00

First of all, let me be very clear in saying that I am a huge fan of America's Best Dance Crew. Not only do I find it entertaining, I think that it's great that there are young people that are willing to devote themselves to being part of this. The bottom line is that the dedication dance requires determines a certain sort of lifestyle for its participants. Unfortunately, though, the show has taken a very definite stance on which cultures it will support and which cultures it will ridicule. I'm sure it's no surprise to you that they're working to bring down the white girls.

The group under attack right now is Sass Times 7, an all-girl group that dance together at Rutgers University. The girls are unbelievably talented, but they're too female and they're too white, so the judges have been ripping them apart. Now, I understand this coming from Lil Mama - her closest brush to talent was singing about lip gloss. Oh, wait, did I say talent? By talent I mean she must have managed to get into the bed of the right rapper. She's joined by Shane Sparks, who only compliments what he sees as sexy - and by sexy he means whichever girls whore it up the best. What I don't understand is why JC Chasez is so unbelievably stupid. He actually tore up the legitimate dancers from Rutgers, then commiserated with the pole dancers by telling them that nobody wants beautiful girls to do well. No, JC, nobody wants strippers to do well ... except you, apparently. I hereby denounce the fact that you were ever my favorite member of 'Nsync. I'm going to be going out to buy JT's latest album now ... goodbye.

I'm so over it, DeAnna!

2008-06-09T21:38:00.000-05:00

The only thing that ever comes out of this girl's mouth is that she's "been there before." She "knows what the guys are going through." She's "been in their position." This is followed shortly by how much she was hurt by Brad, how he led her on, how she doesn't want to do that to anyone else, blah, blah, blah. Well, girl, if you're so over it, why do you keep bringing it up? I understand that 25 guys would want to be on tv, but what I can't understand is why 25 guys would line up to be the rebound. I guess that hurting and vulnerable girs are pretty easy, though, so that could totally be it.

On tonight's episode, the guys in "The Outhouse" decided to throw a little barbecue, complete with steaks, beer pong, and corn hole. Everyone's just kind of kicking back, and not a lot of guys are pissing all over each other trying to talk to DeAnna. Her response? She threw a hissy fit. Are you freakin' kidding me? Now, she was in a bad mood because Graham, in a rock star move, had declined to kiss her earlier, but she still had no excuse. She couldn't understand why Graham didn't want to just be another guy kissing her and she couldn't handle it when a few guys didn't pay close enough attention to her. Why do these guys want to date her? She's a drama queen and she's high maintenance in the worst way.

In all fairness, these guys aren't all ones that I'd care to spend time with. Jeremy reminds me of a certain ex-friend of mine in that he's all about appearances. This is totally a competitio to him. Sean is just a tool, flat out. Twilley is a clown - a likeable clown, but not a dateable clown. Graham is adorable, but I know that the reason I'm hot for him is because he's emotionally unavailable.

Whoever DeAnna ends up with, they should totally have another reality show together, because their fights will be way better than Chris and Adrianne's!

Bite Me, Grey's Anatomy. Seriously.

2008-05-25T18:47:00.004-05:00

I was infuriated by the end of the Grey's Anatomy season finale, but not because of who died or what didn't happen - it's what did happen that has me frustrated. Okay, beyond frustrated, and here's why - the damn thing ended with everyone being in love. The chief is in love with his wife. Derek is in love with Meredith (again). Lexie is in love with George. Cristina is in love with surgery. Even Callie and Erika have found love - with each other. What-the-fuck-ever, I say. This isn't life. Life isn't everybody falling in love. Life is what will happen next season: the chief won't change his ways and his wife will be pissed off again. Meredith is in therapy, but she won't be able to un-crazy herself enough for Derek. George will disappoint Lexie. Erika will continue to fuck Cristina over and Callie won't be able to handle her new lesbian-ness. That's life. It's the messiness and the disappointment and the failures. Nobody lights ten million candles to symbolize their new house and life with their on-again-off-again. It just doesn't freaking work that way.

DeAnna Gets Her Turn

2008-05-20T22:12:00.000-05:00

Yay – it’s the first night of The Bachelorette and a new chance to judge people quickly based upon the way they look. Love it.

My immediate favorite? The guy that said that the only fighting position he knows is the fetal position. Another charmer is the science teacher who said that his only goal for night one is to get from the limo to DeAnna without tripping. Darling. Not so impressive is the resort manager metrosexual. Hasn’t he heard of the Manaissance? Seriously. Ryan, the virgin pro football player, is a Christian and obviously I support that, but his singing and his hair? Both are tacky.

One interesting thing is the single Dad, Jason. Personally, I’m in love with him already (I can’t resist me a great dad, plus, the guy is H-O-T) but I can’t help but be peeved because you know that a single mom would never fly on The Bachelor. I mean really – that would have to be the biggest secret ever for the poor girl because you know the minute the dude found out, she’d be packing her crap.

DeAnna, who wasn’t a favorite of mine on The Bachelor, looked absolutely fabulous. Maybe I’ll like her – we’ll see. Okay – the introductions. The Canadian, Paul, is a dork. Big surprise there. Graham seems sweet and might be good looking if he shaved. Sean is a tool. Mr. Science Teacher didn’t trip, but he lived up to the dorkiness of his profession. DeAnna needs to kick Jason off now because he’s my future husband. Jessie is dressed like a clown. Jon is a tool. Chris has really squinty eyes. Spero is so weird that he’s creeping me out. Brian has potential, but he twirled her (and he wasn’t the first to do so – where do guys get this stuff?) Jeffre is a cutie, but he’s the token black guy, so I don’t know how long he’ll last. Donato is pretty intense, but I think I might end up liking him. Twilley … um, Twilley?

Introductions, part two: I’m digging on Ron, but since I’m going to be marrying Jason, DeAnna can have him. He might be my favorite (for her). Patrick C. needs a haircut. Luke is a socially awkward oyster farmer. Robert is forgettable and I seriously doubt he’ll be getting a rose. Chandler is charming, but nothing compared to Greg – yum. Fred is adorable but a little awkward … in a good way. I like him. Patrick D. is a tool. Jeremy is a creeper.

My favorite part of the show was when Jenny came to question the guys. I love her! She’s engaged, so I know she can’t be the new bachelorette, but dude, did she grill those boys! It was awsesome. Her top three were Graham, Jesse, and Jason. DeAnna had already given a first impression rose to creeper Jeremy, and she gave the second one to the freakish snowboarder Jesse. He does seem pretty nice, so maybe she’s looking past his crazy exterior – maybe I can give her credit for that.

And now … the point of the evening where guys start to get desperate to get her attention: Chandler brought a duck call. Brian pulled up his shirt and made DeAnna feel his abs. Paul gave her his jacket, exaggerated his Canadian accent and (despite DeAnna’s pleas not to) jumped into the pool then stripped down to a Speedo with “DeAnna” embroidered across the back. What?

Time for the last first impression rose and this time DeAnna picks it up and carries it away from the large group in order to give it to Richard, the geeky science teacher. I can support that – he’s a cute little dork. I think that DeAnna and I have completely different taste in guys, so it’ll be interesting to see who else gets roses tonight. At this point, I may be over Jason (I know – I’m so fickle – I was so taken in by his single dad status that I may have fallen in love too quickly) but I would like to see him get a rose so that I can get to know him better. I have a few other favorites, but I have no idea who she’s going to pick because so far her choices have been pretty strange.

And now … the rose ceremony … oh, the drama … here are her picks:
Ron – the divorced guy who I may marry instead of Jason … we’ll see
Graham – I’m definitely a fan
Eric – the Greek dude (apparently she’s Greek too – don’t know how I missed that before – guess that’s how extremely interesting I found her)
Robert – seriously? I guess the cooking won her over.
Sean – WHAT? He’s a freakin’ tool! He kicked a lemon off of a guy’s head tonight! She’s as stupid as I always thought.
Ryan – Yuck. Yuck, yuck, yuck.
Chris – I support that. There’s something about him that I like.
Paul – This girl is a dumb ass, but at least if someone is going on tv and getting the chance to meet all these men and all, she isn’t taking anyone from the pool of America’s single men that I would want.
Fred – I like Fred. He’s too good for this crazy bitch, though. I don’t think she’s a nice enough girl for him.
Twilley – one of the producer’s picks – they’re going to need something to make this show interesting and all they have so far is Sean’s aggression
Jason – single dad makes it – we’ll see if he continues to make me fall in love with him and we’ll also see what happens when DeAnna is faced with the prospect of being a step-mommy
Brian from Texas gets the last rose – he’s okay, I guess, but she made a mistake by not picking Luke, I think.

So, for the last thoughts from the poor rejected dues:
Luke is poor class. He says that she deserves the best after what happened with her and Brad and says that all the guys “in there” are great and that he’s just a simple country guy. I predict a crop of websites devoted to girls wanting to meet and marry Luke. He’s good people.
Chandler is pretty bitter, but is mostly mad at himself – he says that he blew it and he cries a little.
Greg is just weird – he calls himself a rebellious bastard and a prince amongst men and says that he will rise from the ashes … and then he rips his shirt off and give s a tribal yell. Yes, I’m serious. He’s covered in tattoos and hot as hell, but boyfriend is cuh-ray-zy. It’s tragic, really.
So, I think that this season will be enjoyable – for one thing, the guys are living in a crappy “bunk house” and get the opportunity to occasionally stay in DeAnna’s mansion with her. I think that DeAnna might be a dirty girl … and she may also be a psycho girlfriend – with 15 boyfriends. This will make for some good tv.

Fat and Happy

2008-04-10T00:24:00.000-05:00

I don’t know why this never occurred to me before, but I totally need to date a chef. First of all, thanks to my love of Top Chef, I have learned that there are a lot of hot chefs out there. Think about it. First of all, there’s Harold, the yummy season 1 winner and my first major chef crush. You would have thought that Tom Colicchio would have been the first to catch my eye and yes - I’m a fan, but it was Harold that first stole my heart. Season 2 brought us the swoon-worthy Sam, but it wasn’t until Season 3 that I found my true future husband - CJ. I don’t know as if I’ve ever hated Padma more than when that stupid bitch told my CJ to pack his knives and leave. I’ll never get over that loss, but at least this season has given me Ryan to enjoy. What a cutie.

Now, it may seem at this point that I’m basing my new theory completely on looks, but I’m not totally shallow. There is also the fact that I’m a pretty crappy cook, so dating a chef would seriously improve the quality of what I’ve been eating lately. Also, I have to believe that chefs would have to have some appreciation for chubby girls. I mean, hey, if he’s going to be slaving away in the kitchen, he’s going to want me to enjoy it, right? Plus, I’m going to have to be supportive of my man by trying out his work. No skinny little bitch will appreciate what he’s doing.

With my new chef boyfriend’s good looks, skills in the kitchen and appreciation for my curves, you may think that this can’t get any better, but it does. Just think of all the traveling we’ll do. Come on - we’ll need to visit all those important foodie sort of places like France and Italy. We’ll be fat, happy, and seeing the world. It’s definitely time for me to do a little stalking to find my CJ.

Bad Hair, Big Pig

2008-03-21T18:37:00.002-05:00

Now, I know that you will be shocked and surprised, but Donald Trump is completely sexist. He demonstrated this once again with the latest episode of The Celebrity Apprentice. It’s telling that the show is ending with much less fanfare than has been attempted in the past. No multi-episode show-down, no live reveal, just cutting the contestants down to two and getting to it.
The episode started with the final four; Trace Adkins, Piers Morgan, Carol Alt, and Lenox Lewis; interviewing with two well-known business journalists. The analysts agreed that the strongest contestants were Trace and Carol. Eliminating Lenox was easy - the guy’s a softie. Cute, but a softie.

In the boardroom, Trump fired Lenox, then started talking about who should be in the final two. He conceded that he wanted to see the two men battle it out, and for this reason he fired Carol. Now, I’m not actually sure how I feel about this. Obviously, the man is a neanderthal, but we knew that already. I mean, certainly Carol wouldn’t be able to fight for the title - not only is she a woman, she’s hot. However, at least The Donald admitted was a bullshit reason he was basing his decision on. I’ll admit that it’s more marketable - the Country Gentleman versus the Tactless Brit - but that doesn’t make it right. I haven’t seen the end yet, but at this moment Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York is about to lend a hand to Piers. I used to like her, and now I have to go throw up. Dammit, Fergie! At least I have the entertainment of Trace asking if The Backstreet Boys were really still going by that name and not "The Backstreet Old Men" or "The Backstreet Grey Hairs." Oh, snap!

Drama Comes Early

2008-02-13T21:52:00.004-05:00

One thing that you can predict about Big Brother is that you can't predict anything. The first Power Couple (which I erroneously thought was the same as an HOH) had the dubious task of evicting one couple without a veto competition or a vote. At the end of the last episode, it seemed that Sheila and Adam were certainly out the door, seeing how Adam is kind of creepy and Sheila is a whining bitch. Lucky for those two, however, Jacob's big mouth saved their day. For a reason not understood to me, Jacob announced to a group of people that Parker was a "snake." Jen was in this group and being Parker's partner, she went straight to him. The typical "I'm calling you on it, say it to my face," power struggle ensued, and Parker managed to bring it to a whole new level - he woke up every single houseguest and tried to get somebody to 'fess up to starting the "snake" moniker. Of course nobody claimed it, so Jacob and his partner Sharon took the fall. I really felt bad for Sharon (as did Jen and Parker). This girl showed up in the house, completely excited to be there, then was faced not only with living with her dirty ex, but actually being his partner and sharing his bed.

Next up was the first HOH competition, and to my extreme excitement, BB brought back my favorite HG couple, Eric and Jessica. They're still together and still looking super cute. She was in a pink cocktail dress while he wore a snazzy suit with a pink tie. The competition was a Newlywed Game sort of thing with the "soulmates" proving how well they know each other through a series of wacky questions. It really was entertaining because they not only answered the questions - they dressed up as the answers. Silly, but cute.

The competition ended with the super cute Alex and Amanda becoming the first HOH. Coming up next time - Jen and Ryan have already revealed their coupleness to their partners (Jen is the worst secret-keeper that I have ever seen, including myself) and their partners aren't too happy about it. In fact, I can definitely see Allison campaigning to get Jen and Parker out of the house. Further drama will ensue because Allison is majoring crushing on Ryan. She claims to hate Jen, but I'm sure that a big part of her pissiness is that she thought she'd be getting a little somethin' somethin'. So, nominations next ... my predictions for the chopping block are Sheila and Adam and Jen and Parker. Let's see how well I do.

CBS' Winter Gift to Me

2008-02-12T23:44:00.001-05:00

This is the best present ever - a winter Big Brother. Even better, this cycle has a good twist. Usually, I have to count down the days to summer to not only stop hating myself for living in Erie but to watch my favorite reality tv.

So, first, the twist - each houseguest has been paired with what BB has determined to be their "soulmate" based upon the extensive interviewing and psychological testing they endured before entering the house. For the duration of their stay, these couples will compete together - win HOH (now "Power Couple") together, nominate or be nominated together, win POV together, and ultimately be evicted or win together. In a classy move that only BB would make, they get to sleep together too.

Of course these pairings caused some drama. First, there's Sheila and Adam, otherwise known as the Cougar and the Dork. Sheila didn't even try to hide her disgust at being paired with Adam, succeeding in bringing everyone down on their very first night. The only way that they'll stay in the game long is if someone else wants to use them for votes, and I don't think that even that will happen. The cruelest pairing, though, is Jacob and Sharon - a couple that recently split after a 12 year relationship. They were together off and on since grade school and he cheated on her. The poor girl almost threw up when he walked into the house and now she's sharing a bed with him. I don't know if their previous relationship will make them a target or if Sharon's absolute hatred of Jacob will make other couples think that they're safe to keep around.

The twist of the twist is that one couple entered the house already a couple - except that they were paired with others for the game. Ryan and Jen are dating, which is a secret from the other HGs, but their "soulmates" as determined by BB are Allison and Parker. Of course they'll want to keep each other safe, but Parker has already expressed a desire to get Ryan out.

Yes, it was wonderful to hear Julie Chen's voice tonight ... I'm a happy panda.

Ho...ping to win Bret's heart

2008-01-17T02:27:00.000-05:00

Ah, Bret Michaels, the amount of entertainment you bring me ... sigh ... yes, kids, it's time for Rock of Love 2. As you may remember from last season's reunion, Jes dumped Bret, telling him that he should have picked Heather. We all saw Heather's connection with Bret - I daresay they were adorable together. Instead of riding off into the sunset, though, Bret decided to try again with 20 new tartlets.

This show is the perfect example of the classic Texas expression, "She looks like she was rode hard and put up wet." Seriously, if you don't know what I'm talking about, take a look at some of these trashelorettes. Example one is Frenchie, who announced that she has had two boob jobs (the first one wasn't big enough for her liking) and has had her lips done. No shit she's had her lips done! She looks like a puffer fish. She's also abnormally skinny in that meth addict sort of way. And, come to think of it, I think that she has extensions in her hair. She's one scary bitch, so of course Bret kept her this round.

My initial favorite is Megan, a little hottie that you may recognize as the winner of Beauty and the Geek Season 3. Ironically, Megan won BAG 3 with her partner Scooter. I saw ironically because as the winner of the great social experiment, you would hope that she would have gained enough self-respect to not whore herself out on a show about an aging rocker looking for some pussy. But ... where would that leave people like myself who are hungry for trashy entertainment? So, what I really need to do is thank Megan, because she's going to deliver some of the best lines this season. For example, this week she was really drunk during her alone time, but she's almost positive that she had a good time. She also managed to make it through a whole 30 SECONDS of talking before sucking face with Bret. She is truly the picture of restraint.

So, maybe there's hope after all ...

2008-01-10T02:15:00.000-05:00

I watched the second episode of Cashmere Mafia tonight and while the men looked a tiny bit better, things for the women looked much better. I'm excited - I wanted this show to pump me up about my female-ness and it's getting there. I've also managed to retain a name or two this time around.

Okay - first of all, the props to the man. Zoe is the working mother whose husband has been spending more time around the kids and their school than she has - setting up a predictable scenario in which is hunted by the stay-at-home MILFs. A hottie blatantly hits on him while simultaneously charming the kids and making bitchy comments to Zoe. He dealt with it pretty well, but they did leave it open enough to keep the storyline going. However, I have high hopes for this dude.

Last night, it was Lucy Liu's character that was promoted and then dumped by her new fiance. Tonight, she was told by her new boss that she had to fire her mentor. My gosh, she's just making friends all over the place. She not only hesitates to do it, she tries every which way to get around it. In the end, though, she sees what a hack he is and drops the axe. Of all the women, she seemed to be paying the biggest price for her success. Thankfully, though, the show ended on a high note for her. When she was finally alone in her office dealing with her actual job, she complimented an assistant on the work she had done. This girl was almost overcome, and confessed that her dream was to follow Lucy Liu's example and work her way up. In a heartwarming moment, Lucy (yeah, I know, I really need to remember the character's name - I'm annoying myself at this point) places her confidence in the assistant by giving her an important and challenging account. This is the part that really matters - maybe she's been beaten down by the men that have been surrounding her, but she's able to become a mentor for a younger woman. What could be more gratifying?

It's looking as though I'm going to become a fan of this show. I'm impressed with the friendship that these women have. They push each other, they challenge each other, they call bullshit on each other. At the end of the day, though, no matter what mistakes are made, they're there. These are the friends that I'm thankful that I have.

Didn't We Almost Have It All?

2008-01-09T01:04:00.000-05:00

It was with great excitement that I watched Cashmere Mafia this week - not only have I been hungering for new tv lately (please, please just give the writers what they deserve, already!) but it definitely sounded like my kind of show. Powerful women - hells, yeah! I was hoping for Sex in the City with CEOs and they didn't disappoint. Now, it's not the best show ever, but it has definite potential and it raised some interesting and important points.

Now, in some aspects, the show is uplifting for women. These chics are kicking ass and taking names - earning promotions, running the show, winning the awards - they're some powerful bitches. On the other hand, though, the show seems to ask the question of whether women really can have it all, and not surprisingly the answer is no.

At the opening of the show, one of the chics (sorry - one episode isn't nearly enough for me to remember the names of the characters) is proposed to and as she's glowing as brightly as her new diamond, she and her new fiance run into their mutual boss. In a situation contrived for tv, the boss man lets them know that the two will be in direct competition for a promotion and the loser will be out on his or her ass. It's all or nothing and they both go for it. The woman wins the job and guess what - the man backs out of the engagement. Seems he wanted her to lose gracefully and retire to having kids and making his dinner. Lovely.

In another case, one of the women sees the husband of another woman kissing some hussy right in the middle of the street in the middle of the day. (Okay, maybe hussy is a strong word, but again, the names are eluding me.) The group decides to break the news to their friend and find out that she's completely aware of her husband's indiscretions and that the only rule he's broken is that he's supposed to keep the hussies out of town. So what does she do? She lets her husband know that she'll be taking a lover as revenge, then they'll be "even" and he'll keep it out of town in the future. Wow.

The third member of the group is the mom and wife trying to do it all and to her credit she's hanging in there, but just barely. She can't keep good help - she goes through two nannies in the first episode - and her husband gets a new job that will keep him from helping out. The poor chic is drowning.

In the end, the one woman with something positive happening in her love life is the lesbian. This does a whole lot to change my general disdain for the male species. Overall, I was entertained, but found it a little too true to life for it to be completely satisfying. I'm interested to see where this series goes. Don't misunderstand - it's not a man hater type thing persay - just the unfortuante reality for women in these positions.

What, Exactly, is Your Definition of Celebrity?

2008-01-04T00:59:00.000-05:00

The writer's strike has put a serious dent into the level of entertainment that I'm enjoying from my favorite pasttime, so I've been anxious for anything new that has popped up. Tonight it was The Celebrity Apprentice. Not surprisingly, though, I was disappointed.

I was a big fan of The Apprentice back in the beginning, but the quality of the show has been declining for some time now. I didn't have much hope for a season filled with so-called "celebrities," but like I said, the writer's strike has forced me to lower my standards. In the first episode, these celebrities - many of whom I've never heard of - were given the task to sell hot dogs in good old NYC. Once again, teams were divided by gender, and they got to work.

The men, who are calling themselves Hydra, immediately figured out that they needed to use their celebrity to pull in the big bucks. This is was they did, charging money for fans to take pictures to take home along with their hot dogs. The result was that they raised some $52,000 in a few hours.

The women, however, made their first mistake in allowing Omaroosa to be their first Project Manager. Now, I could go on and on about my objection to placing Omaroosa on a show that is supposed to include only celebrities, but I'm sure I'll plenty of opportunities to point out how useless she is. In a brilliant move, she told the women that one of her executive decisions would be that they would depend only on their business acumen rather than their celebrity. She insisted that they should rise above their obvious appeal and rely on their talent as marketing executives. Big surprise - they lost, and badly.

When The Donald took the women to task in the boardroom, I saw quickly that the producers are determined to keep Omaroosa, their pseudo-celebrity on the show. Her decision against using their celebrity was glossed over (don't insult me by suggesting that was anything but editing) and instead of kicking her sanctimonious ass out on the street where it belongs, Trump fired Tiffany, a former playmate of the year. Basically, what did her in was that she didn't call Hugh Hefner and ask him to buy a hot dog. Seriously. Now, I know that I'll continue to watch, mostly because there isn't much else on, but for now I'm going to return to reruns of Seventh Heaven.

Bite Me, Cover Girl

2007-12-13T01:31:00.001-05:00

Big surprise - I'm completely disappointed by the finale of ANTM because they managed to select the two most vacuous models in ANTM history. As they narrowed down to three, I hadn't lost faith in my girl Tyra because Jenah was still in the running. Jenah is edgy and real, while her competitors Saleisha and Chantal are unremarkable - in their looks and their personalities. However, Jenah was eliminated because she wasn't "Cover Girl" enough. In a fitting final competition, they brought back Jaslene, the bubbleheaded winner of last cycle, to perform in the runway show with the final two. As I write this, I haven't even found out who wins. It doesn't matter - they're equally nauseating. As for Jenah not being Cover Girl enough - it's exactly why I don't buy their crappy drugstore makeup. I'm way too much woman.

Damn Producers!

2007-11-15T00:42:00.000-05:00

While I am a huge fan of Bravo's reality tv shows, the network is definitely one of the guiltiest when it comes to the producers making decisions based on casting rather than talent. It's a shame, because they commit this sin in the first episode on a regular basis, sending home someone who could have been a contender in favor of some freak that will provide good television. The premiere of the new season of Project Runway was no exception.

I can definitely see that the talent on this show is increasing because the new competitors are amazing designers. The show has responded to this increased talent by creating an initial challenge that allowed the designers to showcase their visions. In a departure from the tradition of initially creating designs with unconventional materials (remember the frenzy of ripping the apartments to pieces to create outfits?) the contestants were given thousands of dollars worth of luxury fabric to create a design that expressed who they are as designers.

This season's freak showed herself immediately by kneeling on some of her fabric in an effort to cover it with grass stains. You see, she wanted to incorporate natural elements into her design. Sadly for us, though, we ended up not getting to see the grass stained fabric. Instead, she created a beautiful form-fitting dress with a train comprised of shredded fabric - a long, long train of shredded fabric that tangled around the legs of her model almost to the point that the poor girl tripped on the runway. In all honesty, it is a testament to the talent of that model that the girl stayed upright - I hope Tyra was watching, because her next reality tv appearance should be on ANTM.

Now, a sane person would think that this free spirit would have been booted quickly, but no, the producers wanted to provide us with a freak to watch for a few weeks. Instead, a lovely designer who didn't manage her time well was the collateral damage. One snotty comment from the snooty Michael Kors and the girl was packing her things next to a stoic Tim Gunn. Come on, Bravo - give a girl a chance!

When Will There Be Magic?

2007-10-11T00:52:00.000-05:00

Tonight, I realized why I love the new show, "Private Practice." Now, mind you, I was skeptical about this show. First of all, it's a spin off. Second, it's a spin off centered around a character that I never liked in the first place. I have clung onto Addison Montgomery-Shepherd as the shrewish, cheating wife of McDreamy. I was rooting for Meredith since the first time Addison stepped her perfectly coiffed self into Seattle Grace. Private Practice, however, has won me over.

What I love about this show is that the women don't have it all. They're beautiful and intelligent, and yes, they do have wonderful jobs (something currently lacking in my own life) but they do not have the total package. They're insecure, they have problems with men, and sometimes they even doubt that their fabulous careers are heading in the right direction.

Many of the girly moments of tonight's show occurred while the women were eating chocolate cake. Perfect. I, too, often turn to sugar when men let me down. I saw myself sitting amongst them, wondering aloud why man of the moment is emotionally unavailable, assuring my girlfriends of their fabulousness, and heading into a diabetic coma. These are the moments with my own girlfriends that keep me going.

Love Story for the Ages

2007-10-02T00:54:00.000-05:00

One of my recent reality tv favorites has been Rock of Love with Bret Michaels. In tonight's finale, he chose between wild girl stripper Heather and chill rocker chic Jes. While Jes is the one that I would much rather hang out with, I really thought that he'd end up with Heather and her fake boobs and self-described fuck me hair. However, Bret used two moments as key tests that helped him make the choice for the better girlfriend, which is what he claims to be looking for.

We learned tonight (or we learned before and I missed it) that Bret has the diabetes. The hard partying life that he has been enjoying on his reality tv show finally caught up with him, and he started crashing pretty hard. His date with Heather was first, and he was looking pretty rough. As they were driving a dune buggy around in the sand, he said that he needed something to eat, and Heather's reaction was to say that she wanted to drive, then proceed to take on the sand dunes like a wild woman. I couldn't believe it - my reaction to my date being sick would have been much different, which is what happened when he also got sick on his date with Jes. She was overcome with worry for him and ready to do whatever she had to, even when he pulled out the shot of insulin.

At the final elimination, in a departure of the standard reality rite of the guy speaking to the final two women one on one, both girl were there to listen to what Bret had to say at the same time. In his final test, he asked them if they would be willing to both be his girlfriend - to share him with each other. Heather immediately said that she would, rationalizing that she would do anything to be with her man. Jes, however, said that she couldn't share a person that she really cared about. In a moment too good to be scripted by reality producers, (didja catch the sarcasm there?) Bret picked Jes in the end, sending Heather into her tear-filled rant during her limo ride of shame. Guess that tattoo of Bret's name on the back of your neck wasn't such a great idea after all, huh?

While I don't hold out much hope for the long-term potential of reality tv's newest couple, Bret's choice made for some fantastic entertainment. Finally, the guy that picks the girl unwilling to bend on some of the fundamentals. My only question now is the choice of the final music - Every Rose Has Its Thorn. I always saw it as a sad song, but maybe I misjudged.

Observations of Paradise - Part One

2007-09-04T02:10:00.000-05:00

I've been completely absorbed by a Paradise Hotel marathon on Fox Reality lately, and surprisingly enough it's given me a lot to think about in regards to how I approach relationships. When I started watching, it certainly wasn't because I thought it would provide so much opportunity for introspection - I just wanted another guilty pleasure. In fact, I respect the show because one of the producers was interviewed as saying that he doesn't approach reality tv as a social experiment - he's just trying to entertain and get ratings. Out of the blue, though, it's given me a lot to think about.

Zack and Amy's relationship is at times twisted and at times adorable. In the beginning, Amy selects Zack as a roommate and he's disappointed - so much so that he tells her that he thought he would've "done better." When I first saw this, I pegged Zack as the biggest douchebag I've ever experienced. I mean, maybe you believe that in your cocky little head, but who says that out loud? After that comment, you'd think Amy would either bitch slap him or ignore him outright, but no - she sleeps with him that night. I'd like to say that I think she's insane, but instead I can see myself doing something similar. It's hard to admit, but I've been in situations with men where the worse they treat me, the more I try to be with them. I take it somehow as a challenge rather than a turn-off. Thankfully I've gotten over that now, but seeing Amy that night made me realize just how far I've come.

On the other hand, a girl that I just can't relate to is Charla. The girl goes on a reality show involving hot single people at a resort and acts like a cold-hearted bitch. She makes no effort to get to know anyone - male or female, then bitches because nobody likes her. Finally, she aligns herself with one of the guys and rooms with him, then freaks out when he even walks toward her bed. As if that private humiliation wasn't enough, she tells the entire group that she doesn't like for this guy to touch her bare skin. Ouch. Charla also walks around "paradise" looking like her puppy just died - she never smiles - yet almost all the footage of her consists of her talking about ways that she can stay. She wants to play the game, she wants to get other people out, yet she seems miserable. I don't get it. Is competition so compelling for some that they're willing to be unhappy just to win? I'm glad that I missed out on that gene.

Can We Get Some Parenting, Please?

2007-08-23T13:49:00.000-05:00

The current controversy over Kids Nation, a reality show for CBS, strikes me as just the latest way that parents in this country are forgetting what their job is. The show takes 40 kids and puts them on their own in the "wild west," taping them as they survive. I've seen promos for the show and it struck me as a reality show-slash-social experiment setting out to answer the question of whether the kids would cohabitate in a peacefulness that would make adults ashamed or whether a Lord of the Flies scenario would break out. Personally, I was planning to watch it. Of course, I questioned the ethics of such a show, but come on - I watch a lot of reality tv - why draw the line there? I also know that reality tv is nowhere close to reality.

So now, conveniently not long before the show is set to premiere, some of the parents of the children involved are crying foul. They're claiming that their children were mistreated and/or neglected by the producers. Wait a minute - who really exploited these children? I really believe that it was the parents that wanted their kids to have a shot at fame and money and signed an extensive release to allow them to do so. This was not a show in which participants felt that they signed up for one thing and then got blindsided by their partner admitting to an affair or something. No, the contracts required by CBS were extensive and covered many possible scenarios in extreme detail. Now, if the parents didn't read it - stupid. If they did read it - well, maybe that was stupid too. Regardless, it wasn't CBS' fault. The producers were doing their job - create a new show that would provide some sensationalism and cover the networks' ass in the process. Let's place the responsibility for whatever situations the children were put in on the correct shoulders.

All in the Family

2007-08-20T22:13:00.000-05:00

This season of Big Brother has had its ups and downs, and overall has been amongst the more enjoyable of the past years. My only real problem with it is the twist of the people with previous relationships. In the last permutation of this, each person came into the house with a "partner." Each pair thought that they were the only one, but in reality, every house guest came into the game on a level playing field. That just wasn't true this year. First of all, only six house guests had previous relationships with others, and those relationships were extremely different.

The first pair, Jessica and Carol, were so-called high school rivals. They were friends at some point in the distant past, then got into some predictable girl fight and stopped speaking. So what? Neither of them has a stake in what the other thinks or how the other performs. True, they both wanted the other out, but due to pride more than due to the effect that the other would have on the game. As it turned out, Carol was the first to leave the game anyway. Jessica was happy, yes, but I really question whether Carol staying would have been all that problematic for her.

Joe and Dustin were ex-boyfriends who broke up because Joe cheated. They hated each other bitterly, so they each had an easy target coming in. Now, this was a bit more problematic because they each had a person that was after them. The axe fell on Joe first because he was more obviously smarmy than Dustin was, but I believe that Joe would have cut his own throat pretty easily without Dustin speaking up against him. Joe loved stirring the pot, and he didn't believe in subtlety.

The last pair is where I think the producers went too far. Dick and Daniele are an estranged father and daughter. The details of their split have only been vaguely revealed - Daniele's brother (Dick's son) said that Dick lent Daniele money and when she couldn't (or didn't) pay it on time, he didn't deal with it well. That's wide open to interpretation, but whatever happened, it was big enough to cause Daniele to stop speaking to her father for many years. Then, the two of them showed up in the BB house and were faced with each other. Immediately, they had a person that could not really be an enemy but would be a difficult ally. They are completely connected, which has proven to be both good and bad. Dick's behavior is outrageous and ends up reflecting on Daniele. Daniele is often immature, but she is also dealing with a lot more emotionally than the other house guests. At this point, the relationship seems to be working for them, but I think that's immaterial. I don't like what BB did. It put the players on different playing fields. I really do hope that their relationship continues outside of the house and I would also like to see them go far in the game, but I just can't feel good about the way that they got back together.

I Go Weak

2007-06-11T23:25:00.000-05:00

It's certainly been awhile since I posted, mostly because I've been in a depression induced by the temporary loss of my TiVo. See, I am homeless-ish and currently reside in my sister's basement. She doesn't have a landline, so I can't program my Tivo here, which would be workable, except that she has different channels than I have. So, I have been missing programs, falling behind in my O.C. viewing, and worst of all .... watching commercials! Blech. However, if I'm really being fair, there are one or two that are entertaining.

If you know me, you know that I have a particular weakness for Axe and Tag. It's ridiculous, I know, but I had a "thing" with a guy that used one of the scents, and whenever I smelled him, I went weak. It was out of control - the guy really had a spell on me. Now, according to some of the latest commercials, Axe has added "Bom Chicka WahWah." This is seriously a problem! I mean, the commercials are hilarious and all, but I basically acted like those girls with the old Axe. What happens if I accidentally smell new Axe? What if it's on the aforementioned guy? I'm done, man. I'm toast. I need one of those noseplug things (or a clothespin), stat.

WTF?

2007-05-17T21:47:00.000-05:00

Burke dumped Cristina? George failed his exam? Callie was named Chief Intern? Callie? Am I supposed to like her now or something? 'Cause I don't. I really don't. In fact, I hate her. I hate the way that she spoke to Izzie at the wedding. She knew what she was getting when she married George. She knew that he didn't love her, but she married him anyway because she wanted to. And she ruined him. It is her fault that he didn't pass his exam because she made him dark and twisty. I hate her for that too.

So, what did I like about the season finale? I liked that Bailey was so wonderful to George. I like that Richard may get back together with his wife. I like that Derek was named Chief of Surgery, but I don't know if I like that he apparently didn't take it. Maybe I do, I don't know. I actually like that Derek put some responsibility on Meredith because he was completely right.

I am not completely looking forward to the new season. Meredith is dark and twisty enough - the damn writers don't have to shove her half-sister in her face. I don't want to see Callie have any importance. I'm anti-Callie. I used to think that George should do the right thing, but I'm over that. I want George to dump Callie, not have a baby with her. The baby would be pushy and make bad decisions and that would just stress out George more. Actually, what I want to happen is that next season Bailey sue the hospital because she was passed over for Chief Intern because she has a baby. Then, she'll win, Callie will resign in disgrace, and Richard will learn an important lesson on how to treat women. That's what I want.

Sad ... So Sad

2007-05-15T22:02:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it's over. My dear friends, Lorelai and Rory, have left the air and I don't know what I'll do without them. I was certain that the last episode would be bad. Maybe I believed that because I haven't wanted this to happen and I felt that if the last episode was bad, it would prove me right. Didn't happen, though. The last episode was charming.

Luke's gesture in planning the party was almost as heartwarming as his perseverence in making sure that it would happen. Rory's first job on the campaign trail suits her perfectly and the way that Lorelai and her parents interacted was more than I could have imagined. The ending was perfect too - where better for the series to end than the diner where they spent some of their best times?

As much as I like things that end in perfect, nice, happy ways, I guess that I can be satisfied with the ending of the love stories. Luke and Lorelai are friends or together or whatever and Rory and Logan are over. I will always hold out hope for a spin-off in which Rory and Logan somehow get back together, though. Maybe when the campaign trail reaches California they reconnect, then Rory returns after her job to work in San Fran.

This really is the end of an era - there is no other show on tv that is so witty and charming. The characters on Gilmore Girls are timeless and while that will prove to be a negative as these actors try to pursue other roles, it means that the lessons they have taught me and the jokes that have amused me will stay in my heart forever. Goodbye, Stars Hollow. You'll be sorely missed.

Monks on MTV

2007-05-10T00:02:00.000-05:00

On the current season of the Real World/Road Rules Challenge (I think it's another Inferno, technically), they recently had a challenge that was predictably weird and gross with the typical gratuitous semi-nudity thrown in. In this one, each team had to carry a crapload of grapes to a big stomping thing (I'm sure that there's an actual name for those things, but you know what I mean - it's made out of wood and has a spigot for the juice to come out after you stomp it) then jump in and crush the grapes. As the grape juice ran out of the spigot, team members had to put the juice in their mouth, and then run over to a jar and spit out the juice. The team with the most juice in jars at the end would win. This all took place while contestants wore a "uniform" of spandex boy shorts bathing suits for the men and bikinis for the girls (well, you wouldn't want their clothes getting in the way of the grape crushing, right?) The whole thing was disgusting - people of questionable cleanliness using their entire bodies to crush grapes into juice that mixed with dirt and the hay from the floor that was then held in the mouths of teammates. Yuck, but without stunts like that, what would these challenge shows be?

The surprising part of the episode was when three members of the "Good Guys" team refused to participate because they refused to wear the uniform. Timmy, Alton, and Ace all sat back and caused their team to lose because they wouldn't be subjected to that sort of objectification. Puh-leeze! Was it a ridiculous requirement for the challenge? Of course it was, but let's consider for a moment what we're talking about and what these boys signed up for. You're on an MTV reality show, kids - give me a break! Don't whine about what's asked of you when you make a career of performing your shenanigans for the 18-24 demographic.

Is This Really the End?

2007-05-08T23:18:00.000-05:00

Somebody needs to tell me that there is going to be a Gilmore Girls spin-off in which Rory has a fabulous adult life. I need to hear this because it is going to be the only way that I won't be completely devastated by what happened on the show tonight. You see, I love it when things on tv get wrapped up in nice, tidy, happy packages. This is part of the reason that I love tv - my life never gets wrapped up in a nice, tidy, happy package. I rely on my beloved television characters to achieve what I cannot. Right now, though, Rory seems to be ending Gilmore Girls with a big, gaping lack of closure with Logan.

Last week, Logan asked Lorelai for her permission to ask Rory to marry him in an endearing, traditional, generally un-Logan way that caused my heart to flutter. I know that Gilmore Girls is ending and this gesture gave me hope for a fairy tale ending to the series. Tonight, at the cocktail party thrown by Richard and Emily in honor of Rory's graduation, Logan popped the proverbial question. In a very public and very awkward moment, Rory responded by asking him to step outside with her to talk. She was blindsided, which was understandable, and she needed time to think. Of course she did. The proposal involved moving to California, and of course Rory would need to mull this over and discuss it with her mom. This conflict moved the episode along ... it created suspense that made me want to watch more ... it provided tension in between Lorelai and her parents ... and finally when Rory walked across Yale's lawn to talk to Logan, I was so, so ready for the warm and fuzzy. I was sorely disappointed when instead of getting engaged, they broke up. They broke up!

I suppose that as a woman, I should applaud Rory for knowing when she needs to strike out on her own and that I should be mad at Logan for forcing her into an all or nothing. I just can't muster those feelings, though. I don't want this to be real life. I want the fantasy. I want the fairy tale. I want Rory and Logan happy together forever. The good girl and the reformed bad boy - these two getting together could give me tons of false hope for my own future. Instead, Rory did what was probably the responsible thing. This is why I need a spin-off. I can't be okay with Rory just riding off into the opportunity-filled sunset.

The Things We Do For Love

2007-05-04T22:22:00.000-05:00

Now, to be perfectly clear before I even start in on this, I LOVE The O.C. I love the characters, the setting, the soapy storylines and even the fact that they are a bunch of 30-year-old high school kids dealing with adult issues. I mean, of course I love it - I loved 90210 too, right? However, as I watched today, I just got annoyed by the scene because I know what it's done to love lives everywhere.

Today, an epic episode was replayed. It was the day that Seth Cohen finally took a stand in his non-relationship with Summer. You see, whether it was shame or fear, Summer didn't acknowledge Cohen in public at the beginning. They spent plenty of time behind closed doors shagging like crazy, but when they entered the world of the high school, Summer tried desperately to hold onto the status quo of looking down on Seth's emo geekiness. Seth went along with this for awhile - after all, he was gettin' some, right? After some wise words from Anna, though, he put an end to it by refusing to get jiggy with Summer until they went public.

In one of the greatest declarations of love of all times, Cohen jumps on top of the coffee cart at school and tells everyone that yes, he's emo and yes, he's a total dork, but that he's a dork that's dating Summer Roberts. The cool guys look on in horror while the gaggle of girls in cheerleading uniforms gaze at him with sappy smiles. There's a tense moment when Seth reaches his hand down to Summer, but of course she joins him and they kiss. Fabulous, right? Wrong.

See, this is the exact sort of thing that ruins love for the average joe. Watching this makes me want this. I start to dream of a grand gesture, an epic love, a perfect expression of love. The problem is that real life isn't Hollywood. There are no actual dragons to slay and those of us in the real world have to rely on the small things to recognize those that love us. The grand gestures of screens big and small set expectations that we just can't live up to and that make it hard for us to realize when we find the real thing. All it really means, though, is that we just can't be lazy - we have to work hard, put ourselves out there, and remember that the people around us don't have writers doing the work for them.

I'm With Swarley

2007-04-30T21:24:00.000-05:00

One show that I don't believe is getting the attention it deserves is "How I Met Your Mother." The actors and characters are great, the show is funny, the situations are as real as they should be on tv, and most of all, they have great catchphrases. Most of them come from Neil Patrick Harris, also known as Barney. He suits up when he goes out, asks people, "Haaaaaave you met Ted?" and liberally uses the adjectives awesome and legendary. He is also the guru of the phrase, "wait for it."

In tonight's episode, Barney goes to a filming of The Price is Right. The reason for this is not what you may think: see, Barney believes that Bob Barker is his father, so he wants to meet him. In a rare glimpse into Barney's life, we see him at a young age ask his mother who fathered him. She says she doesn't really know, looks around, sees the television and says, "that guy," pointing at Bob Barker. After that, Barney spent a lot of time watching TPIR (as he refers to it), talking to his Dad. As an adult, Barney decides to try to become a contestant on the show, and he does it in true Barney style. He trains for the show studying prices and spinning bike wheels. He's a machine. He even perfects his run to the stage.

On the show, Barney performs perfectly. He takes some time to show Bob some pictures from his childhood, but he also wins every prize by naming the price to the dollar. This is especially beneficial to Lily and Marshall, who get the prizes as wedding gifts, but Barney is also able to make his dad proud of him. In the end, Barney elects not to tell Bob Barker about their relationship and instead keeps his childhood memories intact. In this moment, we learn more about Barney than ever. He reveals his vulnerability in a way that is legen ... wait for it ... dary.

Addicted

2007-04-30T01:04:00.000-05:00

I am officially addicted to Grey's Anatomy. I know that I'm not alone as it's a craze that's sweeping the country, but I'm getting to that scary place where I kind of think that the characters are real people. I also say seriously a lot. I'm so, like, mainstream.

In my mind, Meredith is my cuter younger sister. The one that gets guys. We are alike in our dark and twistiness but she uses promiscuity and not swimming (maybe on purpose, maybe not) to deal while I rely sometimes on promiscuity but mostly on eating Dairy Queen Blizzards. Cristina works as her best friend because she can deal with the directness but I am better friends with Izzie, mostly because she's more compassionate and better at being silly but also because she's great at baking.

The guys are a whole other matter. Dr. McDreamy is hot, but too earnest for me. McSteamy has the bad boy qualities that I admire and I could always count on being treated a little badly by him (something I apparently look for in men), but the perfect compromise is Alex Karev. He's bad, but he's starting to show his earnest side. We all know that Addison is leaving to start her private practice/spin-off, so that will leave him all for me. I would love to stand in a supply closet telling him to seriously take off his pants.

Another Disaster for Kelly?

2007-04-28T02:29:00.000-05:00

Sadly, I did not have cable in the early 90s. This was for several reasons: first, it took so long for my town to get cable, by the time it came around my parents were able to make the argument that we had already proven we could live without it. Naturally they also wanted us to avoid rotting our brains and it didn't hurt that they saved money at the same time. Being deprived of my entertainment like this may have contributed to my current television mania, but it also meant that I didn't get to see 90210 when it originally aired. See, not only did we not have cable, we didn't even have good enough reception to get Fox. We lived so far in the sticks that we really only got NBC. On a clear day we also got ABC and a fuzzy CBS. People nowadays feel they need high definition, but I'm still amazed by clear reception.

Anyway, I digress. Now that I do have cable, I have been able to catch up on the years of 90210 that I missed thanks to the magic of SoapNet. One thing that has amazed me is the incredible number of tragedies that Kelly Taylor has had to endure. Now, I knew about the fire, the cult near-miss, various sexual abuse, and that she killed an attacker in the store she shared with friend Donna Martin. This week, however, I learned of another tragedy - Kelly was shot in a drive-by in the airport parking lot and now she has amnesia! Poor Kelly! Poor Brandon!

Now, I appreciate that 90210 is a soap opera, but I think they need to spread the drama around a little bit. Maybe Val could've gotten amnesia and the gang could've made her think that she was a nice girl, then she could remember how evil she was, pretend to still have amnesia and exact revenge on foe Kelly. Or, Donna could have had amnesia (really, the only thing that ever happened to Donna was that she almost got raped) and David could have told her that they live together and have sex all the time.

Of course, it doesn't matter what happens - I love 90210 and will continue to watch two episodes a day. I'm really looking forward to seeing how in the heck Donna ends up with Noah and I'm dreading that Brandon is leaving soon.