Y is sooooo going to kill me for actually posting about this. but i'm gonna. try to stop me! the power of fluffy reality television has me in its crazy grip and i'm completely obsessed with this season's Dancing with the Stars. go ahead and judge me, i don't care. sure, i mocked season 1 (um, who the hell are these D-list celebrities?) but once NFL legends Jerry Rice and Emmit Smith signed up to jive, quick-step, and cha-cha-cha into MY HEART i was sold. if manly football players can revel in such sequined glory then i'll have no shame in watching them do it.
and this season, i am officially in love. IN LOVE with apolo anton ohno. oh my goodness, who knew a short-track speed skater could shake his hips?!?! he is such a little fellow (no way i buy the 5' 8'' listed as his 'official' height) but man, when he launches into his latin dances, it's like porn. seriously, i'm not sure what i'm going to do monday nights after the show ends next week. i need someone to make me an apolo dance-montage-video so on those lonely nights, i can slip into something comfortable, sip a dirty martini and just watch apolo dance the rumba over and over and over...fan me!
Showing posts with label television. Show all posts
Showing posts with label television. Show all posts
Monday, May 14
Wednesday, December 13
Five Ways to Procrastinate. Or, How I Learned to Live with Mediocrity.
That fine line between procrastination and sheer denial? Crossed it. At least a hundred times in the past two weeks. And does it stop me from bitching and whining like a little girl about all the work I have to do? Nope. I still do that. It’s the charm of me.
I’m not sure how I caught the procrastination bug. As a youngster, I religiously obeyed the ‘never-put-off-until-tomorrow…’ mantra and in my first Real Adult Job, I rarely strayed from my workplans, getting my shit done in a fairly systematic manner. But that all went to hell a number of years ago, and is even more pronounced now in my life as a grad student. For some strange reason, I like to push the boundaries of all my deadlines—right to the very last second. It’s a bad habit that I don’t condone, but one I can’t seem to avoid. Really, it’s like crack: I’m addicted to the adrenaline rush that comes with knowing the clock is literally ticking and that project/paper/presentation just needs to get eff done already. Somehow, I convince myself this makes me more efficient. The inevitable remorse comes later—that moment when I hand in a paper and know (in fact, a little ashamed) that it's not my greatest work. Actually, it’s not even my tenth greatest work. And that can be a bitter truth to swallow—especially for a crazy perfectionist like myself. But can perfectionism and procrastination co-exist? Probably not. Which is why now, my third semester of grad school is the time when I’ve finally made peace with the fact that mediocrity is sometimes good enough. I mean, it’s my own darn fault for waiting until 48 hours before a deadline to start writing a 20 page research paper. Or two hours before a deadline to complete a twelve slide presentation. Whatever.
But really, what am I doing instead? Well kids, I’ve made procrastination into a friggin art form. Technically, its the internet which has better enabled me to develop greater procrastination techniques. The internet and television. And that combination has produced this how-to guide on how NOT to get your work done. cheers!
1. Web Reading. lots of it. there is always something more interesting to read (like: this or this) vs. starting a paper. often, i convince myself that what i'm reading is actually productive (as opposed to counter) since i'm addicted to the nerdy-liciousness of the Freakonomics blog or Malcolm Gladwell's insightful prose.. of course, there's also the less than academic sites that feed my personal obsessions, be it music or food or new restaurant openings (and closings) here in NYC. i gotta keep up-to-date...even while pushing a deadline.
2. Reviews and Reviewing. love reading reviews. of EVERYTHING. whether its movies or a new album. and reading user reviews always crack me up. people are so opinionated, i love it. and when i want to self-indulge in my own opinions [here's the blatant self-promotion!], i go and yelp. that's write (hee!). yelp. go there. be cool. and vote (positively of course) for my oh-so-fun reviews.
3 . Online Televison. as i had so many evening classes this semester (and often forgot to set my vcr) it was quite a blessing that so much tv can be watched online. i think i caught nearly every episode of Ugly Betty online. and asides tv, there's all the cool online videos-- and i'm not just talking youtube. want a good laugh? you MUST (MUST!) watch the webisodes of Late Night with Conan O'Brien's Pale Force. its an animated series featuring pale super-heroes Conan and Jim Gaffigan and their fleet of blindingly pale characters (e.g. Ron Howard; The White Stripes) battle those who seek to destroy their paleness. it is SO FUNNY. watch it. trust me.
4. Actual Television. it's really bad how addicted i am to television. sad but true. i can't help it! i love tv! whether its the Iron Chef America on the food network or a Top Chef marathon on Bravo or even better, some 'Totally Awesome...' specials on VH1, there's always something on!
5. Fantasy Vacation Planning. i'm not kidding. there are so many ways to fake-plan a vacation online and on tv. i love the travel channel. all of their shows give me great vacay ideas...assuming that one day i will have the time (and money) to take one. i adore globe trekker, and think Ian Wright is the coolest traveller around. and is it me, or does Samantha Brown have the BEST JOB in the world? me thinks, yes. how did she get so lucky?
thank goodness the semester is almost over. so i can stop procrastinating and instead find more websites/television shows to procrastinate on for NEXT semester. :)
I’m not sure how I caught the procrastination bug. As a youngster, I religiously obeyed the ‘never-put-off-until-tomorrow…’ mantra and in my first Real Adult Job, I rarely strayed from my workplans, getting my shit done in a fairly systematic manner. But that all went to hell a number of years ago, and is even more pronounced now in my life as a grad student. For some strange reason, I like to push the boundaries of all my deadlines—right to the very last second. It’s a bad habit that I don’t condone, but one I can’t seem to avoid. Really, it’s like crack: I’m addicted to the adrenaline rush that comes with knowing the clock is literally ticking and that project/paper/presentation just needs to get eff done already. Somehow, I convince myself this makes me more efficient. The inevitable remorse comes later—that moment when I hand in a paper and know (in fact, a little ashamed) that it's not my greatest work. Actually, it’s not even my tenth greatest work. And that can be a bitter truth to swallow—especially for a crazy perfectionist like myself. But can perfectionism and procrastination co-exist? Probably not. Which is why now, my third semester of grad school is the time when I’ve finally made peace with the fact that mediocrity is sometimes good enough. I mean, it’s my own darn fault for waiting until 48 hours before a deadline to start writing a 20 page research paper. Or two hours before a deadline to complete a twelve slide presentation. Whatever.
But really, what am I doing instead? Well kids, I’ve made procrastination into a friggin art form. Technically, its the internet which has better enabled me to develop greater procrastination techniques. The internet and television. And that combination has produced this how-to guide on how NOT to get your work done. cheers!
1. Web Reading. lots of it. there is always something more interesting to read (like: this or this) vs. starting a paper. often, i convince myself that what i'm reading is actually productive (as opposed to counter) since i'm addicted to the nerdy-liciousness of the Freakonomics blog or Malcolm Gladwell's insightful prose.. of course, there's also the less than academic sites that feed my personal obsessions, be it music or food or new restaurant openings (and closings) here in NYC. i gotta keep up-to-date...even while pushing a deadline.
2. Reviews and Reviewing. love reading reviews. of EVERYTHING. whether its movies or a new album. and reading user reviews always crack me up. people are so opinionated, i love it. and when i want to self-indulge in my own opinions [here's the blatant self-promotion!], i go and yelp. that's write (hee!). yelp. go there. be cool. and vote (positively of course) for my oh-so-fun reviews.
3 . Online Televison. as i had so many evening classes this semester (and often forgot to set my vcr) it was quite a blessing that so much tv can be watched online. i think i caught nearly every episode of Ugly Betty online. and asides tv, there's all the cool online videos-- and i'm not just talking youtube. want a good laugh? you MUST (MUST!) watch the webisodes of Late Night with Conan O'Brien's Pale Force. its an animated series featuring pale super-heroes Conan and Jim Gaffigan and their fleet of blindingly pale characters (e.g. Ron Howard; The White Stripes) battle those who seek to destroy their paleness. it is SO FUNNY. watch it. trust me.
4. Actual Television. it's really bad how addicted i am to television. sad but true. i can't help it! i love tv! whether its the Iron Chef America on the food network or a Top Chef marathon on Bravo or even better, some 'Totally Awesome...' specials on VH1, there's always something on!
5. Fantasy Vacation Planning. i'm not kidding. there are so many ways to fake-plan a vacation online and on tv. i love the travel channel. all of their shows give me great vacay ideas...assuming that one day i will have the time (and money) to take one. i adore globe trekker, and think Ian Wright is the coolest traveller around. and is it me, or does Samantha Brown have the BEST JOB in the world? me thinks, yes. how did she get so lucky?
thank goodness the semester is almost over. so i can stop procrastinating and instead find more websites/television shows to procrastinate on for NEXT semester. :)
Friday, December 1
Much Ado
to the handful of people who may read this blog, i say to you: do not fear. i am fine. promise. despite my occasional bouts with sadness , i am not ready to throw myself off a subway platform or anything. i mean, why do that when i can just drink myself into oblivion? hehe. just kidding. sorta. there's barely any liquor in my apartment anyway. but seriously, thanks for caring and worrying.
now, what can rescue a girl from a serious case of the blues? well, tv of course! yes, i am an easy sell. but c'mon, i only have so much. so to that i say: Scrubs! is back! on Thursday! it's amazing how much this show continues to make me crack the eff up. loved seeing the cast breaking down to an 'N Sync ringtone. and the little detail of how JD got his girl preggers? omg, HIL-arity. and of course, there's just Mr. Zach Braff himself. still dorky, still cute, still love him.
now, what can rescue a girl from a serious case of the blues? well, tv of course! yes, i am an easy sell. but c'mon, i only have so much. so to that i say: Scrubs! is back! on Thursday! it's amazing how much this show continues to make me crack the eff up. loved seeing the cast breaking down to an 'N Sync ringtone. and the little detail of how JD got his girl preggers? omg, HIL-arity. and of course, there's just Mr. Zach Braff himself. still dorky, still cute, still love him.
and because my most significant relationship is indeed with my television, i now have yet another show to obsess over. bye bye ladies of Sex and the City, and welcome My Boys. its a new comedy on TBS where the heroine--PJ--is the anti-Carrie Bradshaw. she doesn't wear manolos, she wears sneakers. and she drinks beers. and her best friends are a bunch of guys that she mocks and plays pokers with. despite the fact that sometimes, the show seems like a 30 minute advertisement for match.com , i immediately fell for these characters and the natural chemistry/camraderie they exude. in the first ep, PJ's attempt at a Booty Call made me laugh so loud, i think my near-deaf neighbor maybe heard me. guess my hibernation buddy this winter is most certainly my tv.
Friday, September 29
It's Just TV, right?
It’s pathetic, really. The most exciting thing that’s happened to me in the past 2 weeks is the start of the new television season. Oh yea. I do indeed live an interesting life. And as a full-time student, is there a better way to procrastinate than watching tv? Why yes. There’s surfing the net, reading blogs, cooking, window-shopping, drinking… I do all those things too. But nothing is as much fun as observing/reacting to other people’s (some real, some very much not real) extra-ordinary lives streaming before me on that big flat screen.
Highlights for me this week? Well definitely the latest installment of Project Runway. I’ve been obsessed since season 1 but this season has been STELLAR. Loads of drama, loads of bad taste (can we say, rosettes?), a bit of bitch slapping, and of course, the lovely Tim Gunn. If only we could all have mentors like The Gunn. And I'm happy with the Final Four and am ecstatic they all get a fair shot at winning the prize and showing at Fashion Week (for a sneak peak, there are photo stills of The Four’s twelve pieces available for the obsessed among us). Michael’s my favorite but I grew a soft spot for Laura after her breakdown. She isn’t a total Ice Queen. But oh how I miss Robert Best. He was labeled ‘boring’ by the judges but he had the funnest personality. I want to be his fag hag. Ha.
What else keeps me attached to the remote? The new season of The Office and Grey’s Anatomy. Love those shows. They are completely different but both make me laugh and cry and sometimes cringe (if you saw The Office’s brilliant season premiere, you know exactly what I mean). However, I really do dislike Meredith Grey. I know she’s supposed to be flawed and ‘relatable’—but I don’t think she’s all that. She’s whiny, and frankly, her boy problems? Choosing between McDreamy and a very grown-up Chris O’Donnell? Oh the dilemma….
New shows that have me setting my VCR? Justice on Fox gives me the Victor Garber fix I need to keep me going after Alias’ swan song last May. He’s no longer Spy Daddy…he’s Big Bad Lawyer Daddy. God, I love him. And it has Kerr Smith (aka Gay Jack from Dawson’s Creek). And the show’s episodic so you don’t really need to watch in sequence to figure out the premise (each week features a new trial/case). Another winner is the new ABC dramedy Ugly Betty. Sort of like The Devil Wears Prada, but there’s no magical transformation for the main character. She is who she is—and apparently, because she’s not lean and tall and blonde and has couture taste, she is labeled ‘ugly’—which is so offensive since America Ferrera is quite beautiful. Watch her in Real Woman Have Curves and try to disagree with me. Try. As Betty, Ferrara has an endearing on-screen presence that charms you in for the full-hour despite the show’s standard (and clichéd) storyline.
What's makes matter worse is now, with the quick evolution of interactive media, all the major networks are creating numerous ways for fans to extend their obsession beyond mere viewership. The Office, has special webisdoes that spotlight some of the more minor (yet brilliant) characters on the show. Other shows feature characters with their own blogs. Grey's Anatomy has an entire section dedicated to music used in each episode and enables fans to sample or download songs via iTunes. And if you're not home to watch a show (or don't own a Tivo like me), don't fret. In fact, don't even set your VCR. All you need is a little patience and access to a fast internet connection because each of the major networks are offering full-episode replays of their shows online 24 hours after airing. Great. Even MORE ways for me to procrastinate. I need to spice up my life real soon or else I'll never leave the house!
Highlights for me this week? Well definitely the latest installment of Project Runway. I’ve been obsessed since season 1 but this season has been STELLAR. Loads of drama, loads of bad taste (can we say, rosettes?), a bit of bitch slapping, and of course, the lovely Tim Gunn. If only we could all have mentors like The Gunn. And I'm happy with the Final Four and am ecstatic they all get a fair shot at winning the prize and showing at Fashion Week (for a sneak peak, there are photo stills of The Four’s twelve pieces available for the obsessed among us). Michael’s my favorite but I grew a soft spot for Laura after her breakdown. She isn’t a total Ice Queen. But oh how I miss Robert Best. He was labeled ‘boring’ by the judges but he had the funnest personality. I want to be his fag hag. Ha.
What else keeps me attached to the remote? The new season of The Office and Grey’s Anatomy. Love those shows. They are completely different but both make me laugh and cry and sometimes cringe (if you saw The Office’s brilliant season premiere, you know exactly what I mean). However, I really do dislike Meredith Grey. I know she’s supposed to be flawed and ‘relatable’—but I don’t think she’s all that. She’s whiny, and frankly, her boy problems? Choosing between McDreamy and a very grown-up Chris O’Donnell? Oh the dilemma….
New shows that have me setting my VCR? Justice on Fox gives me the Victor Garber fix I need to keep me going after Alias’ swan song last May. He’s no longer Spy Daddy…he’s Big Bad Lawyer Daddy. God, I love him. And it has Kerr Smith (aka Gay Jack from Dawson’s Creek). And the show’s episodic so you don’t really need to watch in sequence to figure out the premise (each week features a new trial/case). Another winner is the new ABC dramedy Ugly Betty. Sort of like The Devil Wears Prada, but there’s no magical transformation for the main character. She is who she is—and apparently, because she’s not lean and tall and blonde and has couture taste, she is labeled ‘ugly’—which is so offensive since America Ferrera is quite beautiful. Watch her in Real Woman Have Curves and try to disagree with me. Try. As Betty, Ferrara has an endearing on-screen presence that charms you in for the full-hour despite the show’s standard (and clichéd) storyline.
What's makes matter worse is now, with the quick evolution of interactive media, all the major networks are creating numerous ways for fans to extend their obsession beyond mere viewership. The Office, has special webisdoes that spotlight some of the more minor (yet brilliant) characters on the show. Other shows feature characters with their own blogs. Grey's Anatomy has an entire section dedicated to music used in each episode and enables fans to sample or download songs via iTunes. And if you're not home to watch a show (or don't own a Tivo like me), don't fret. In fact, don't even set your VCR. All you need is a little patience and access to a fast internet connection because each of the major networks are offering full-episode replays of their shows online 24 hours after airing. Great. Even MORE ways for me to procrastinate. I need to spice up my life real soon or else I'll never leave the house!
Sunday, October 9
Must See TV?
now that we're officially entrenched in the new television season, its time for some personal commentary on a handful of new AND returning shows...
Arrested Development 8:30pm, Mondays on FOX
Will PEOPLE PLEASE WATCH THIS SHOW!!!! it's BRILLIANT. okay, enough screaming, but please, America, i beg you for the second time to give this show a chance. in its third (and possibly last) season, the show is quirkier and even more ludicrously sardonic than ever. Ron Howard, who does the documentary-ish narrations, has infused his voice-overs with with a less-than-objective twist of actually mocking the characters. and those crazy characters--each member of the Bluth family is still hopelessly selfish and appalling. God, i love them. and this show. can any other sitcom rival its genius?...
My Name is Earl 9:00 pm, Tuesdays on NBC
well...Earl is setting itself up to be the cleverest new sitcom since...well...since Arrested Development. Earl, Jason Lee's shady redneck alter-ego is both smarmy and charming (trust me, the mustache works for him) and the show plays like a mini-movie: each ep has Earl (and his lovably dense brother--"oh no he DIDN'T") seek redemption by way of Carson Daly (again, just trust me) to undo all the horrible things he's done in his life. all 248 of them (or something like that). you see, he's won the lottery...gets hit by a car...lost the ticket...regains the ticket...and is thus set on his mission. the dialogue is smart, the set-ups are downright laugh-out-loud hilarious (exhibit A: gay club dance scene) and the low-life characters are actually empathetic ones... sounds like a recipe for success to me...
The Apprentice: Martha Stewart 8pm, Wednesdays on NBC
is it wrong that i love Martha? suddenly, she's this whole new person that i truly respect. sure, call me manipulated by the production whores, but i'm enamored with softer, gentler Martha. pre-white-collar-jail, Martha seemed so out-of-reach from the audience...her sets were almost as austere as her chilly demeanor. post-white-collar-jail: she's all warm hues and regal elegance...on her new daytime show (yes, i watch it, sue me!), she does fun craft/cooking projects with her celebrity guests...and she actually exudes patience in lieu of pointing out their incompetence. its charming, really. and on HER version of The Apprentice, she epitomizes female success. and unlike Trump's stupid-ass "business" tips...Martha actually doles out useful, relevant advice. and she's stern ("women don't cry in the business world my dear) but not bitchy. AND, to extend the soft side-- she write letters to the candidates she "lets go." LETTERS. dude. my new hero. okay, i'll stop gushing now.
How I Met Your Mother 8:30pm, Mondays on CBS
since when did CBS begin courting the coveted 18-35 age group? isn't this the old fogies network that features sappy shows like Judging Amy?no longer. nudged between mediocre family staples like Two and a Half Men (again, someone explain to me the appeal?) and King of Queens, is the above-mediocre-with-loads-of-potential Friends-like comedy, How I Met Your Mother. as the ads say, its a love story in reverse-- an unseen father in year 2030 (the voice of Bob Saget) is telling his teenage kids the long long LONG story of how he met their mother. flashback to present day NYC, where the doofily charming and neurotic Ted (played by Josh Radnor), gets a case of serious wedding-envy when his best friends (one of whom is played by American Pie's i-get-off-on-a-flute Alyson Hannigan) get engaged. Um, wha? A MAN...in NYC...with WEDDING ENVY? does such a man exist? hm...not sure. BUT, neil patrick harris is pretty funny as ted's dumb-ass bachelor friend and the ensemble has a natural enough chemistry that may endear themselves to a new generation of twenty-somethings suffering through yet another quarter life crises. i loved the first two eps...but the third one was drab and beyond contrived (licking the Liberty Bell as a metaphor for living in the moment, WTF?)...i'm holding out hope that things will get better.
Amazing Race: Family Edition, 9pm Tuesdays on NBC
as reality shows go, Amazing Race is definitely the cream of the crop. teams of two race around the world, duking out each other in physical and mental competitions with $1MM at stake. as teams traverse the globe, storylines emerge organically: under the burden of exhaustion, language barriers, and personal contentions, teams learn life lessons and test their both their physical limits and their social adaptability (and yes, the label Ugly American does rear its nasty head). but for this, the eighth iteration of the race...producers are ratcheting up the drama notch by expanding the teams into "families" of four. what use to be a compelling reality show that brought the world's nether regions to the American TV-watching masses has turned into a show about the Worst Family Roadtrip Ever. lots of camera time focusing on families bickering in the car. to be fair, only two episodes have aired so far. but so far, the teams haven't left the country yet (its been a journey through American history-- NYC--> Philadelphia--> Washington, D.C.) and the challenges seem contrived to induce a sense of American patriotism. not sure if this format works, but there are still 9 legs of the race to run...
Lost 9pm, Wednesdays on ABC
this show is going to drive me crazy. i literally watch on the edge of my seat, clutching my hands and scared of polar bears. but when the show ends, i end up reeling with questions. questions that usually begin with WHAT THE F---? inside the hatch is some grand scientific experiment? The Others are just a Lord of the Flies version of the other half of the plane? or ARE they? who is Desmond and where the hell is he running off to? exactly exactly. i still love the slow-reveal format of each character's psyche-- journeying deep into their past puts more context around each person's individual reaction to the island happenings. BUT. and this is a big BUT. the mysteries are starting to spin out of control-- at what point do the dots connect and will they ever?
Grey's Anatomy 10pm, Sundays on ABC
Arrested Development 8:30pm, Mondays on FOX
Will PEOPLE PLEASE WATCH THIS SHOW!!!! it's BRILLIANT. okay, enough screaming, but please, America, i beg you for the second time to give this show a chance. in its third (and possibly last) season, the show is quirkier and even more ludicrously sardonic than ever. Ron Howard, who does the documentary-ish narrations, has infused his voice-overs with with a less-than-objective twist of actually mocking the characters. and those crazy characters--each member of the Bluth family is still hopelessly selfish and appalling. God, i love them. and this show. can any other sitcom rival its genius?...
My Name is Earl 9:00 pm, Tuesdays on NBC
well...Earl is setting itself up to be the cleverest new sitcom since...well...since Arrested Development. Earl, Jason Lee's shady redneck alter-ego is both smarmy and charming (trust me, the mustache works for him) and the show plays like a mini-movie: each ep has Earl (and his lovably dense brother--"oh no he DIDN'T") seek redemption by way of Carson Daly (again, just trust me) to undo all the horrible things he's done in his life. all 248 of them (or something like that). you see, he's won the lottery...gets hit by a car...lost the ticket...regains the ticket...and is thus set on his mission. the dialogue is smart, the set-ups are downright laugh-out-loud hilarious (exhibit A: gay club dance scene) and the low-life characters are actually empathetic ones... sounds like a recipe for success to me...
The Apprentice: Martha Stewart 8pm, Wednesdays on NBC
is it wrong that i love Martha? suddenly, she's this whole new person that i truly respect. sure, call me manipulated by the production whores, but i'm enamored with softer, gentler Martha. pre-white-collar-jail, Martha seemed so out-of-reach from the audience...her sets were almost as austere as her chilly demeanor. post-white-collar-jail: she's all warm hues and regal elegance...on her new daytime show (yes, i watch it, sue me!), she does fun craft/cooking projects with her celebrity guests...and she actually exudes patience in lieu of pointing out their incompetence. its charming, really. and on HER version of The Apprentice, she epitomizes female success. and unlike Trump's stupid-ass "business" tips...Martha actually doles out useful, relevant advice. and she's stern ("women don't cry in the business world my dear) but not bitchy. AND, to extend the soft side-- she write letters to the candidates she "lets go." LETTERS. dude. my new hero. okay, i'll stop gushing now.
How I Met Your Mother 8:30pm, Mondays on CBS
since when did CBS begin courting the coveted 18-35 age group? isn't this the old fogies network that features sappy shows like Judging Amy?no longer. nudged between mediocre family staples like Two and a Half Men (again, someone explain to me the appeal?) and King of Queens, is the above-mediocre-with-loads-of-potential Friends-like comedy, How I Met Your Mother. as the ads say, its a love story in reverse-- an unseen father in year 2030 (the voice of Bob Saget) is telling his teenage kids the long long LONG story of how he met their mother. flashback to present day NYC, where the doofily charming and neurotic Ted (played by Josh Radnor), gets a case of serious wedding-envy when his best friends (one of whom is played by American Pie's i-get-off-on-a-flute Alyson Hannigan) get engaged. Um, wha? A MAN...in NYC...with WEDDING ENVY? does such a man exist? hm...not sure. BUT, neil patrick harris is pretty funny as ted's dumb-ass bachelor friend and the ensemble has a natural enough chemistry that may endear themselves to a new generation of twenty-somethings suffering through yet another quarter life crises. i loved the first two eps...but the third one was drab and beyond contrived (licking the Liberty Bell as a metaphor for living in the moment, WTF?)...i'm holding out hope that things will get better.
Amazing Race: Family Edition, 9pm Tuesdays on NBC
as reality shows go, Amazing Race is definitely the cream of the crop. teams of two race around the world, duking out each other in physical and mental competitions with $1MM at stake. as teams traverse the globe, storylines emerge organically: under the burden of exhaustion, language barriers, and personal contentions, teams learn life lessons and test their both their physical limits and their social adaptability (and yes, the label Ugly American does rear its nasty head). but for this, the eighth iteration of the race...producers are ratcheting up the drama notch by expanding the teams into "families" of four. what use to be a compelling reality show that brought the world's nether regions to the American TV-watching masses has turned into a show about the Worst Family Roadtrip Ever. lots of camera time focusing on families bickering in the car. to be fair, only two episodes have aired so far. but so far, the teams haven't left the country yet (its been a journey through American history-- NYC--> Philadelphia--> Washington, D.C.) and the challenges seem contrived to induce a sense of American patriotism. not sure if this format works, but there are still 9 legs of the race to run...
Lost 9pm, Wednesdays on ABC
this show is going to drive me crazy. i literally watch on the edge of my seat, clutching my hands and scared of polar bears. but when the show ends, i end up reeling with questions. questions that usually begin with WHAT THE F---? inside the hatch is some grand scientific experiment? The Others are just a Lord of the Flies version of the other half of the plane? or ARE they? who is Desmond and where the hell is he running off to? exactly exactly. i still love the slow-reveal format of each character's psyche-- journeying deep into their past puts more context around each person's individual reaction to the island happenings. BUT. and this is a big BUT. the mysteries are starting to spin out of control-- at what point do the dots connect and will they ever?
Grey's Anatomy 10pm, Sundays on ABC
love this show. i really do. its cutesy without being annoying. its moving without being overly manipulative. and sandra oh rocks. love her. her character's friendship with ellen pompeo's meredith makes meredith's i'm-a-fragile-porcelain-doll routine much more bearable. and did ANYONE predict that the ultar-dorky Ronald Miller from Can't Buy Me Love would turn into the hot Dr. McDreamy? HELLO!
Alias 8pm, Thursdays on ABC
okay. this is sad to admit...but i fear i may have to just let this show go. there. i said it. but i can't seem to buy into the crazy Rimbaldi-Prophet-Project shit anymore. and killing off a major character who's relationship with Jennifer Garner's Sydney was the major romantic thread of the show...it just seems so wrong. i mean, i still love Victor Garber (Best Spy Daddy Ever) but i can't watch Sydney Bristow screw things up and furrow her brow for the umpteenth time. i can't. i'm sorry. bring back Lena Olin or else i'm switching to Everybody Hates Chris.
Friday, June 3
The Doctor is In! "Scrubs: Season 1" finally on DVD
need a prescription for a strong, laugh-out-loud-yet touching comedy? well, you're in luck! get addicted to a tv show like no other: the brilliant but tragically underrated Scrubs has finally issued its fantastic season 1 on dvd! all the tv execs, critics, and most critically, nielsen families, who've lamented the demise of the sitcom obviously have not fully embraced (or perhaps even seen) the HIL-ariousness that is Scrubs.
i first fell in love with this little show about hapless medical interns turned almost capable doctors four years ago when i flipped onto the series' emotional, and truly excellent, fourth episode-- "My Old Lady." i nearly peed my pants when one character, shocked by a patient's response, literally received a delivery of a ton of bricks. get it? GET IT? before i could recover from laughing pains, the show reaches a poignant conclusion, reflecting on the fragile cycle of life and death always present in the hospital. i had never seen a show like this. Scrubs, shot in single-camera format, features innovative storytelling techniques-- most prominently in the form of a pseudo-internal monologue voiced by the show's central character, Dr. JD Dorian (played by the endearingly adorable Zach Braff-- who i hope will be my future husband. Zach, if you're reading this, call me!). JD's rich interior life infuses each episode with the most ludicrous fantasy sequences, ultimately revealing each character's secret fears and hopes.
season 1 follows this set of crazy and amazingly human characters--doctors, nurses, a creepy janitor-- through a story arc where they each grow, disappoint, and fall in and out of love with each other and their chosen profession. in addition, the dvd set includes all the cool bonus stuff a Scrubs fanatic has patiently waited for-- a "making of" featurette, interviews with each of the cast members, alternate lines, deleted scenes, and an outtakes reel. for a snoozefest summer of bad tv, this is pretty awesome.
so i bought the box set 2 weeks ago and watched all 24 eps over a 3-day period (i'm weirdly obsessive like that)--at the end of which i wondered aloud-- why the fuck is this show not a bigger hit? what the hell is wrong with America that the best quality comedies are usurped by the boring likes of Two and a Half Men or worst, the vomit-inducing According to Jim. THAT is what Americans think is funny? oh the national travesty.
sigh. it saddens me that the fate of Scrubs for next season is still up in the air-- nbc (damn you tv execs! don't you know that Joey sucks ass?) has yet to determine when it will come back on the schedule-- and the second best comedy on tv, the equally brilliant and hilarious Arrested Development barely eeked out the to-cut list. please America. i beg thee. buy this dvd, find out what you're missing, and help make sure Scrubs doesn't go into television's I.C.U. my sense of humor (and all that is right with the world) begs you.
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