Michael Stephenson's Blog, page 10
November 26, 2015
Thankful #Thanksgiving
Thankful #Thanksgiving
Turkey Pardoning Circa 2009 Courtesy of The White House
Yay for short posts. Still trying to rock out National Blog Posting Month (#NaBloPoMo) I give you on this beautiful (or horrifically bad-weathered; whichever you're getting) Thanksgiving day, my list of things I am thankful for.
I am thankful for the fact that I have the ability to read, write, do maths, and other cool stuff that unfortunately some poeple don't even get to learn let alone can do well. The fact that some people want to be able to do these things, expand their horizons, that children can't get a proper education according to their own societal standards (hey, some indigenous peoples don't need to be forced into brick and mortar schools) is quite often disheartening to me. Hopefully we'll find a way to remedy this situation.
I am thankful for the country I live in. I am a huge patriot and I love America, I really do. For all of our faults, pimples and beauty marks, we still manage to be the greatest country in the world to me. And as we find ways to push into the future, I believe we will find ways to keep this country as great as it can be, if not making it better.
Picture courtesy of TMZ and whoever made these truly ridiculous ugly sweaters.
I am thankful for the few twitter followers, blog subscribers, Goodreads comments and novel readers that have dared read my work in some form or fashion. You guys make me wanna dance "Hotline Bling"-style. Hey, I might not have many fans, but the ones I do have make my time spent creatively plowing away all the more meaningful. Keep up the plus one'ing, commenting, rating, reviewing and novel reading. And always pass on the word if you like something I've done.
I am thankful for my TV and to a much larger extent, the creativity of the other innumerable members in this global community. The writers of both novels and films as well as articles and blog posts that push me to laugh, think and try to be better at my craft. The people filling the film and television industry that suck me into their imagination on a daily basis, spitting me back out with ideas of my own. And especially to the music industry that inspires me from country to rap to classical to soundtracks and beyond. Each day you find a thousand ways to speak to me and I continue to find ways to listen. And hey, this blog wouldn't exist without you.
I am thankful for my ability to grow and prepare my own food. Though it may not seem that important to some when much of the world can quickly run out to the store and buy stuff, it makes a huge difference to me to be able to say I've grown my own meals before even if it is only in the summer for a short time. At least I have a useful skill when the zombie or some other apocalypse comes around.
And finally I am thankful for my family as always. Like any other blood relatives, they can grind your nerves, but they're there when you need them. And, you know, love is totally that thing, you know. Like, that thing, so... yeah.
As we all gather and sit down for a meal at Thanksgiving, remember that there is always something to be thankful for in this sometimes dreary life. Find it, keep it, and stay positive. Oh, and be safe out there people.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Turkey Pardoning Circa 2009 Courtesy of The White HouseYay for short posts. Still trying to rock out National Blog Posting Month (#NaBloPoMo) I give you on this beautiful (or horrifically bad-weathered; whichever you're getting) Thanksgiving day, my list of things I am thankful for.
I am thankful for the fact that I have the ability to read, write, do maths, and other cool stuff that unfortunately some poeple don't even get to learn let alone can do well. The fact that some people want to be able to do these things, expand their horizons, that children can't get a proper education according to their own societal standards (hey, some indigenous peoples don't need to be forced into brick and mortar schools) is quite often disheartening to me. Hopefully we'll find a way to remedy this situation.
I am thankful for the country I live in. I am a huge patriot and I love America, I really do. For all of our faults, pimples and beauty marks, we still manage to be the greatest country in the world to me. And as we find ways to push into the future, I believe we will find ways to keep this country as great as it can be, if not making it better.
Picture courtesy of TMZ and whoever made these truly ridiculous ugly sweaters. I am thankful for the few twitter followers, blog subscribers, Goodreads comments and novel readers that have dared read my work in some form or fashion. You guys make me wanna dance "Hotline Bling"-style. Hey, I might not have many fans, but the ones I do have make my time spent creatively plowing away all the more meaningful. Keep up the plus one'ing, commenting, rating, reviewing and novel reading. And always pass on the word if you like something I've done.
I am thankful for my TV and to a much larger extent, the creativity of the other innumerable members in this global community. The writers of both novels and films as well as articles and blog posts that push me to laugh, think and try to be better at my craft. The people filling the film and television industry that suck me into their imagination on a daily basis, spitting me back out with ideas of my own. And especially to the music industry that inspires me from country to rap to classical to soundtracks and beyond. Each day you find a thousand ways to speak to me and I continue to find ways to listen. And hey, this blog wouldn't exist without you.
I am thankful for my ability to grow and prepare my own food. Though it may not seem that important to some when much of the world can quickly run out to the store and buy stuff, it makes a huge difference to me to be able to say I've grown my own meals before even if it is only in the summer for a short time. At least I have a useful skill when the zombie or some other apocalypse comes around.
And finally I am thankful for my family as always. Like any other blood relatives, they can grind your nerves, but they're there when you need them. And, you know, love is totally that thing, you know. Like, that thing, so... yeah.
As we all gather and sit down for a meal at Thanksgiving, remember that there is always something to be thankful for in this sometimes dreary life. Find it, keep it, and stay positive. Oh, and be safe out there people.
Happy Thanksgiving!
November 25, 2015
And The Winner Is... #DancingWithTheStars #DWTS #ABC #SeasonFinale
And The Winner Is... #DancingWithTheStars #DWTS #ABC #SeasonFinale
All pictures courtesy of ABC
What a crazy two nights it has been with all the dancing and the singing and the Christmas spirit and the emotional tug-at-your-heartstrings roller coaster ride. Christmas came a little early this year as Dancing With The Stars (#DWTS) had it's two-night four hour 21st season finale (#SeasonFinale). Woo!
With four couples in the finale, the judges and America had plenty of potential winners from which to choose. First, there was the All-American Hero Alek Skarlatos who, after he and his friends helped thwart a train terrorist in London, became an international story of American bravery. His story along with his shy and humble nature propelled him to the top three as his dancing was clearly not the best. However, the charm coupled with his partner's ingenuity on just how to properly use him in the dances made for not only good routines, but one of the more creative dance numbers in the four-hour finale. Incorporating his military background into the dance, the set designers and prop masters created a dance-worthy bootcamp set equipped with ropes, climbing walls and even a drop wall trampoline for them to fall into at the end of the routine. Though I disagree with Carrie Ann (it wasn't an all-time great and memorable routine that viewers will still look back on fondly), I will say that it was quite possibly his best dance of the season in my eyes.
Next was Carlos Penavega from Big Time Rush fame. After the booting of his wife Alexa (Spy Kids; Machete) a few weeks prior, he tried really hard not only to keep positive (he really wanted to dance against her in the finals), but to give it his all to win the whole thing. While he had a few inspired moments during the first night, I thought it was the freestyle where he both shined and may have floundered. In a never-done-before twist, he invited a few of the past contestants booted earlier in the season to come back and join him and his partner in their sports-themed dance that saw them moving and shaking to Missy Elliot's newest hit "WTF." Probably the one thing everyone looked forward to the most--him dancing with his wife--didn't pack the "oomph!" I would have liked to see. Still, it was a very memorable dance.
Sadly, Carlos' journey would stall in the four spot as he was eliminated after the first two hours on Monday, cutting the group down to three.
My two big contenders for the entire season remained along with Alek. Nick Carter of Backstreet Boys fame not only brought the funk, he brought the speed in his first dance of Monday night. Truly one of the most exciting dances of the night, he and Sharna got everyone on their feet as even he was winded by the end of it, yet still energized enough to run up the stairs to the balcony section of the ballroom. Giving the fans more of what they wanted, in his freestyle he danced to another Backstreet Boys smash hit "Larger Than Life." Living up to its name, the production saw him not only flanked by other professional dancers but holding his own in what was mostly a solo effort in a near mosh pit stage, bringing laughs and fan hysteria with him.
While Nick went for fun and entertaining, Bindi Irwin, daughter of the late Steve Irwin AKA The Crocodile Hunter, went for a more sentimental slant. Partnered with the All-Time great Derek Hough (he's won five times; it's OK to say that), she danced in a number that was a send-up of the big band era as helped by Carrie Ann. Making not breaking hold a point of emphasis as Derek disobeyed that rule of the dance the previous time he danced it with a partner in the finale, he made sure not to break the sacred dance rule this time, ensuring he and Bindi perfect tens for the perfect dance.
For their freestyle, they opted for an emotionally heartfelt dance to encapsulate not only her time spent on the show, but the love she had for her now deceased father. Dancing to a song based off the old poem Footprints, she and Derek danced as one with movements more fluid than water. Sandy footprints projected onto the floor, the routine ended with a special surprise for Bindi from Derek. The surprise? A picture of her kissing her father on the cheek as a little girl. All eyes teary, she could barely make out the second string of perfect tens she garnered for the night, giving her another perfect night for the season.
With the top three set, what a night it was. Performances from Meghan Trainor and Ariana Grande scattered the night with new music. Many of the past contestants returned as they usually do. Kim Zolciak was able to return to do the dance she would have had she not suffered her serious medical condition--a send-up of I Dream of Jeannie. Unfortunately, due to her ongoing condition Tamar could not return to participate in the festivities.
Someone who did return was crazy ass Gary Busey and his strangely hypnotic old man moves. There was also Paula Deen who returned to meander her way through a dance so badly that she didn't even appear to know she was back on Dancing With The Stars. Chaka Khan sang her biggest hit "I'm Every Woman" while her partner pranced onto camera in the most hilarious attention-seeking moment of the night. She then sang with the country/pop guy whose name I forgot, but who makes some really good music.
Another finale that was both outside and inside, the outside setting was a winter wonderland not shying away from the Christian theme equipped with both a huge Christmas tree with a star at the top as well as Santa Claus and his reindeer flying across. The usual shenanigans of clip compilations and behind-the-scenes stuff was interrupted by a few important announcements. Not only would the internet sensation teenager Hayes Grier eliminated earlier in the season be going on tour with the Dancing pros, but Alek would also go on tour with the dancing pros. But the biggest announcement of the night outside of the winner came from across the pond when Len Goodman videoed in that he would return next season to re-take his position as head judge.
The time finally arriving, the contestants were whittled down to two after Alek was sent packing. And after all of that, the winner of the 21st season of DWTS is...
Derek takes home another mirrorball trophy. Almost as dominant as the 50s Celtics.
Bindi Irwin and Derek Hough. Come on, did you really think that Derek would not win with Bindi Irwin being a natural-born dancer and their chemistry being so phenomenal? Congratulations Bindi and Derek... again, and also congratulations to Nick for making it that far. He was pretty good too. What do you think? Did you watch this season of DWTS? Did you pick Bindi to win? Are you happy that Len is returning? Let me know in the comments below (hint: click the no comments button if you see no comments).
Check out my new 5-star comedy novel, Yep, I'm Totally Stalking My Ex-Boyfriend . #AhStalkingIf you’re looking for a scare, check #AFuriousWind, #DARKER, #BrandNewHome or #ThePowerOfTen. For those interested in something a little more dramatic, check out #TheWriter. The full first season is out now NOW exclusively on Amazon. If you like fast action crime check out #ADangerousLow. The sequel A New Low will be out in a few months. Join us on Goodreads to talk about books and TV, and subscribe to and follow my blog with that Google+ button to the right.
Until next time, "dance is not just about dance. Dance is a lifestyle... about dance."
P.S. What? It's a quote about dance? I see nothing wrong with that. I'll think of something better next time.
Amazon
Goodreads Author Page
Goodreads Books Similar to TV Shows
Twitter@filmbooksbball
All pictures courtesy of ABCWhat a crazy two nights it has been with all the dancing and the singing and the Christmas spirit and the emotional tug-at-your-heartstrings roller coaster ride. Christmas came a little early this year as Dancing With The Stars (#DWTS) had it's two-night four hour 21st season finale (#SeasonFinale). Woo!
With four couples in the finale, the judges and America had plenty of potential winners from which to choose. First, there was the All-American Hero Alek Skarlatos who, after he and his friends helped thwart a train terrorist in London, became an international story of American bravery. His story along with his shy and humble nature propelled him to the top three as his dancing was clearly not the best. However, the charm coupled with his partner's ingenuity on just how to properly use him in the dances made for not only good routines, but one of the more creative dance numbers in the four-hour finale. Incorporating his military background into the dance, the set designers and prop masters created a dance-worthy bootcamp set equipped with ropes, climbing walls and even a drop wall trampoline for them to fall into at the end of the routine. Though I disagree with Carrie Ann (it wasn't an all-time great and memorable routine that viewers will still look back on fondly), I will say that it was quite possibly his best dance of the season in my eyes.
Next was Carlos Penavega from Big Time Rush fame. After the booting of his wife Alexa (Spy Kids; Machete) a few weeks prior, he tried really hard not only to keep positive (he really wanted to dance against her in the finals), but to give it his all to win the whole thing. While he had a few inspired moments during the first night, I thought it was the freestyle where he both shined and may have floundered. In a never-done-before twist, he invited a few of the past contestants booted earlier in the season to come back and join him and his partner in their sports-themed dance that saw them moving and shaking to Missy Elliot's newest hit "WTF." Probably the one thing everyone looked forward to the most--him dancing with his wife--didn't pack the "oomph!" I would have liked to see. Still, it was a very memorable dance.
Sadly, Carlos' journey would stall in the four spot as he was eliminated after the first two hours on Monday, cutting the group down to three.
My two big contenders for the entire season remained along with Alek. Nick Carter of Backstreet Boys fame not only brought the funk, he brought the speed in his first dance of Monday night. Truly one of the most exciting dances of the night, he and Sharna got everyone on their feet as even he was winded by the end of it, yet still energized enough to run up the stairs to the balcony section of the ballroom. Giving the fans more of what they wanted, in his freestyle he danced to another Backstreet Boys smash hit "Larger Than Life." Living up to its name, the production saw him not only flanked by other professional dancers but holding his own in what was mostly a solo effort in a near mosh pit stage, bringing laughs and fan hysteria with him.
While Nick went for fun and entertaining, Bindi Irwin, daughter of the late Steve Irwin AKA The Crocodile Hunter, went for a more sentimental slant. Partnered with the All-Time great Derek Hough (he's won five times; it's OK to say that), she danced in a number that was a send-up of the big band era as helped by Carrie Ann. Making not breaking hold a point of emphasis as Derek disobeyed that rule of the dance the previous time he danced it with a partner in the finale, he made sure not to break the sacred dance rule this time, ensuring he and Bindi perfect tens for the perfect dance.
.@BindiIrwin & @derekhough definitely impressed with their moving freestyle. Will it be enough to win? #dwts https://t.co/RPxherlg38— Official DWTS (@DancingABC) November 24, 2015
For their freestyle, they opted for an emotionally heartfelt dance to encapsulate not only her time spent on the show, but the love she had for her now deceased father. Dancing to a song based off the old poem Footprints, she and Derek danced as one with movements more fluid than water. Sandy footprints projected onto the floor, the routine ended with a special surprise for Bindi from Derek. The surprise? A picture of her kissing her father on the cheek as a little girl. All eyes teary, she could barely make out the second string of perfect tens she garnered for the night, giving her another perfect night for the season.
With the top three set, what a night it was. Performances from Meghan Trainor and Ariana Grande scattered the night with new music. Many of the past contestants returned as they usually do. Kim Zolciak was able to return to do the dance she would have had she not suffered her serious medical condition--a send-up of I Dream of Jeannie. Unfortunately, due to her ongoing condition Tamar could not return to participate in the festivities.
Someone who did return was crazy ass Gary Busey and his strangely hypnotic old man moves. There was also Paula Deen who returned to meander her way through a dance so badly that she didn't even appear to know she was back on Dancing With The Stars. Chaka Khan sang her biggest hit "I'm Every Woman" while her partner pranced onto camera in the most hilarious attention-seeking moment of the night. She then sang with the country/pop guy whose name I forgot, but who makes some really good music.
Another finale that was both outside and inside, the outside setting was a winter wonderland not shying away from the Christian theme equipped with both a huge Christmas tree with a star at the top as well as Santa Claus and his reindeer flying across. The usual shenanigans of clip compilations and behind-the-scenes stuff was interrupted by a few important announcements. Not only would the internet sensation teenager Hayes Grier eliminated earlier in the season be going on tour with the Dancing pros, but Alek would also go on tour with the dancing pros. But the biggest announcement of the night outside of the winner came from across the pond when Len Goodman videoed in that he would return next season to re-take his position as head judge.
The time finally arriving, the contestants were whittled down to two after Alek was sent packing. And after all of that, the winner of the 21st season of DWTS is...
Derek takes home another mirrorball trophy. Almost as dominant as the 50s Celtics. Bindi Irwin and Derek Hough. Come on, did you really think that Derek would not win with Bindi Irwin being a natural-born dancer and their chemistry being so phenomenal? Congratulations Bindi and Derek... again, and also congratulations to Nick for making it that far. He was pretty good too. What do you think? Did you watch this season of DWTS? Did you pick Bindi to win? Are you happy that Len is returning? Let me know in the comments below (hint: click the no comments button if you see no comments).
Check out my new 5-star comedy novel, Yep, I'm Totally Stalking My Ex-Boyfriend . #AhStalkingIf you’re looking for a scare, check #AFuriousWind, #DARKER, #BrandNewHome or #ThePowerOfTen. For those interested in something a little more dramatic, check out #TheWriter. The full first season is out now NOW exclusively on Amazon. If you like fast action crime check out #ADangerousLow. The sequel A New Low will be out in a few months. Join us on Goodreads to talk about books and TV, and subscribe to and follow my blog with that Google+ button to the right.
Until next time, "dance is not just about dance. Dance is a lifestyle... about dance."
P.S. What? It's a quote about dance? I see nothing wrong with that. I'll think of something better next time.
Amazon
Goodreads Author Page
Goodreads Books Similar to TV Shows
Twitter@filmbooksbball
November 24, 2015
Constructing A Bestseller #NaNoWriMo #NaBloPoMo #TMOTR
Constructing A Bestseller #NaNoWriMo #NaBloPoMo #TMOTR
Courtesy of the NaNoWriMo organization.
I will probably never do this again! Goodness, this is a lot of work. No, not the NaNoWriMo (#NaNoWriMo) alone, nor THENaBloPoMo (#NaBloPoMo) alone but combining them is a lot. Don't get me wrong, I have written plenty of stuff in a month or less before--it's kind of my average for a full-length novel--but never have I had to do the posts every day too, coupled with the garden clean-up. MAN, November is just such a busy month for me. Is there any way we can move this to January when it's longer, there's less happening (no Thanksgiving means no Thanksgiving travel), not to mention it's actually snowing then and more people are snowed in and missing school or their other work because of the weather? Seriously, the NaNo people should look into that. Just imagine the rush of energy writers will feel from completing a book at the beginning of the year. Major bragging rights for the rest of the year, but I digress.
This Monday, as I am writing this, I am up to about 80,000 words and still have somewhere between 20 and 30 thousand to go. The book I'm writing--you know, the future bestseller that I told you about in my first NaNo post--is a mystery and it has a lot of moving parts to it. Oh, and remember that hashtag up top, #TMOTR, cause in about a year it will be everywhere, ON everything. Seriously, I cannot stress enough how big this book will be, people.
Courtesy of the BlogHer network.
Having now come to the hard part of writing for me, I am faced with the near insurmountable task of having to cobble together the sequence by which what I've written should actually go in the book. Revealing a little more of my writing process as talked about on my Twitter-friend and fellow author S.M. Dahman's blog, when starting a book, I just write. I have the details of what I want in the story, I have a basic structure of how it goes, I have THE plot from start to finish, and I have a few clear visions of scenes. Starting with the easiest scenes, I push forward and I don't stop until I hit a wall where I have to stop to force myself to think of how to get from point A to point Z (usually the ending is one of those things written first).
I have nearly reached that point. Now, I'll most likely spend a few hours trying to slot the things I've written into where it should go, shaving off what can and can't fit so that the transitions are smooth. Because it's a mystery, I actually will keep a hint of confusion for the reader to feed into the overall aura of the book; everything else must flow. Hopefully I can make that happen for TMOTR and still produce a bestseller. Remember that success starts first with convincing yourself that it's possible, then convincing the world, sometimes one person at a time. When you read this book about this ROOF, you'll know that I succeeded at convincing not only myself, but you as well.
What about you, fellow writers and readers? Writers, are you reaching any of your goals to finish a book or get to a particular word count or scene count (that's important too, as some stories needn't be long but every scene impactful)? Are you already finished or trying to rush to the finish line? And how do you feel about your finished draft? Is it good or did you just slop some words together just to say you did? What about you bloggers out there? Are you succeeding at the post-a-day for the month of November or did you miss a day or two? How do your readers/subscribers feel about the onslaught of posts? Are you ready to go on vacation from blogging? I sure am.
Well, wish me luck on completing these two challenges as I'll probably be working a little on Thanksgiving too. Anyway, let me know what you're writing/reading in the comments below (hint: click the no comments button if you see no comments).
Check out my new comedy novel Yep, I'm Totally Stalking My Ex-Boyfriendnow a 5-star rated comedy novel. #AhStalking
If you’re looking for a scare check #AFuriousWind, #DARKER, #BrandNewHome or #ThePowerOfTen. For those interested in something a little more dramatic, check out #TheWriter. The full first season is out now NOW exclusively on Amazon. If you like fast action crime check out #ADangerousLow. The sequel A New Low will be out in a few months. Join us on Goodreads to talk about books and TV, and subscribe to and follow my blog with that Google+ button to the right.
Until next time, "you want me to do what?"'Read a book!' "Fine!" 'And picture books don't count!' "What hell is this?"
P.S. I like that sign-off. Gosh, I might keep that one. It's just such a long conversation, though. Maybe I can fix it in the editing process. I'll see if it works for the next time.
Amazon
Goodreads Author Page
Goodreads Books Similar to TV Shows
Twitter@filmbooksbball
Courtesy of the NaNoWriMo organization. I will probably never do this again! Goodness, this is a lot of work. No, not the NaNoWriMo (#NaNoWriMo) alone, nor THENaBloPoMo (#NaBloPoMo) alone but combining them is a lot. Don't get me wrong, I have written plenty of stuff in a month or less before--it's kind of my average for a full-length novel--but never have I had to do the posts every day too, coupled with the garden clean-up. MAN, November is just such a busy month for me. Is there any way we can move this to January when it's longer, there's less happening (no Thanksgiving means no Thanksgiving travel), not to mention it's actually snowing then and more people are snowed in and missing school or their other work because of the weather? Seriously, the NaNo people should look into that. Just imagine the rush of energy writers will feel from completing a book at the beginning of the year. Major bragging rights for the rest of the year, but I digress.
This Monday, as I am writing this, I am up to about 80,000 words and still have somewhere between 20 and 30 thousand to go. The book I'm writing--you know, the future bestseller that I told you about in my first NaNo post--is a mystery and it has a lot of moving parts to it. Oh, and remember that hashtag up top, #TMOTR, cause in about a year it will be everywhere, ON everything. Seriously, I cannot stress enough how big this book will be, people.
Courtesy of the BlogHer network.Having now come to the hard part of writing for me, I am faced with the near insurmountable task of having to cobble together the sequence by which what I've written should actually go in the book. Revealing a little more of my writing process as talked about on my Twitter-friend and fellow author S.M. Dahman's blog, when starting a book, I just write. I have the details of what I want in the story, I have a basic structure of how it goes, I have THE plot from start to finish, and I have a few clear visions of scenes. Starting with the easiest scenes, I push forward and I don't stop until I hit a wall where I have to stop to force myself to think of how to get from point A to point Z (usually the ending is one of those things written first).
I have nearly reached that point. Now, I'll most likely spend a few hours trying to slot the things I've written into where it should go, shaving off what can and can't fit so that the transitions are smooth. Because it's a mystery, I actually will keep a hint of confusion for the reader to feed into the overall aura of the book; everything else must flow. Hopefully I can make that happen for TMOTR and still produce a bestseller. Remember that success starts first with convincing yourself that it's possible, then convincing the world, sometimes one person at a time. When you read this book about this ROOF, you'll know that I succeeded at convincing not only myself, but you as well.
What about you, fellow writers and readers? Writers, are you reaching any of your goals to finish a book or get to a particular word count or scene count (that's important too, as some stories needn't be long but every scene impactful)? Are you already finished or trying to rush to the finish line? And how do you feel about your finished draft? Is it good or did you just slop some words together just to say you did? What about you bloggers out there? Are you succeeding at the post-a-day for the month of November or did you miss a day or two? How do your readers/subscribers feel about the onslaught of posts? Are you ready to go on vacation from blogging? I sure am.
Well, wish me luck on completing these two challenges as I'll probably be working a little on Thanksgiving too. Anyway, let me know what you're writing/reading in the comments below (hint: click the no comments button if you see no comments).
Check out my new comedy novel Yep, I'm Totally Stalking My Ex-Boyfriendnow a 5-star rated comedy novel. #AhStalking
If you’re looking for a scare check #AFuriousWind, #DARKER, #BrandNewHome or #ThePowerOfTen. For those interested in something a little more dramatic, check out #TheWriter. The full first season is out now NOW exclusively on Amazon. If you like fast action crime check out #ADangerousLow. The sequel A New Low will be out in a few months. Join us on Goodreads to talk about books and TV, and subscribe to and follow my blog with that Google+ button to the right.Until next time, "you want me to do what?"'Read a book!' "Fine!" 'And picture books don't count!' "What hell is this?"
P.S. I like that sign-off. Gosh, I might keep that one. It's just such a long conversation, though. Maybe I can fix it in the editing process. I'll see if it works for the next time.
Amazon
Goodreads Author Page
Goodreads Books Similar to TV Shows
Twitter@filmbooksbball
November 23, 2015
Ash vs. Evil Dead vs. 80s Nostalgia Two: The 80s Strike Back #AshvsEvilDead #3WeekRoundUp #Starz
Ash vs. Evil Dead vs. 80s Nostalgia Two: The 80s Strike Back #AshvsEvilDead #3WeekRoundUp #Starz
All pictures courtesy of Starz
"Huh? What the hell am I reading? I'm even confused by the title. What part of the internet is this?" First off, for those of you who are saying that to yourselves or your significant others, don't be ridiculous, this is only a blog. For those of you who do know what's going on, you know that this is just another three week roundup of a new show this season. And what do ya know, its of a show not on network TV. I know what you're thinking right now, "god, he watches a lot of TV. And he writes and does other stuff too. That's insane! I don't sleep very much. But I sacrifice so that you all know precisely what you need to know about the entertainment out there that you don't know about. Or the stuff that you do know about but are so enamored with that you feel compelled to talk about it ad nauseam. Lo and behold, a place for that. And now, finally, after two wasted paragraphs of exposition I bring you... the review/recap of the first three episodes of Ash vs. Evil Dead.
It's Been A While, Ash. Good To See You Old Friend. Now Squeeze You Lovable Bastard!
First off, if you're not an Evil Dead fan I doubt you've heard about this show, as it is on the cable channel Starz and didn't have a huge amount of advertising dollars spent on network or basic cable. Or maybe you have heard about it but you weren't a fan of the movies or you just heard and saw the commercials and thought, "eh! I've got enough stuff to watch." If you fit into one of those categories, the good news is that you weren't far off from giving this show little, if any, of your attention. The producers/writers assume you have seen if not all three films (Army of Darkness is my favorite one and they don't have the rights to it so expect little to no reference of Ash's medieval adventure), then at least the first two. Really just the second one since the first one is kind of covered in the first ten minutes of the second one. The second is also the one that is responsible for the evil dead culture as it was the one to showcase the humor and over-the-topness a lot more than the first. In hindsight, watching the two films one could almost say that the second Evil Dead plays more as a parody of the first, but I digress.
Ash vs. Evil Dead picks up about twenty or so years after the third movie which shall not be named (man, it would have really been cool to see Ash time-traveling due to the book and going back and forth between now and medieval times). Technically, it's thirty years after the second movie which is ten years earlier than the third, but semantics. Still a valued but average grocery/small mega store (it's a thing) employee, he lives in a trailer park just a few miles outside of town in his own tiny trailer. Not much to his life, he's kept himself separated from most people, a real lone wolf as it were, el jefe... but retired, living his days out upon a groovy pasture of cheap women, cheap alcohol, and even cheaper laughs. Like the average American, he's not too fond of his boss, thinks many of his coworkers are kind of idiots, isn't madly in love with his neighbors but shows respect to everyone in his life. Carefree, he's spent those last twenty (or thirty)-odd years keeping the secret, the curse.
Well, as stupid men go when around stupid women, during one night of drug-addled fun, he haphazardly reads from the Necronomicon, unleashing all unholy hell to roam the earth once more just as it did in that cabin in the woods that time (not the Drew Goddard movie!). Now, he will be forced to stop this new rise of those that seek to take over the world and bring hell on earth, or at the very least inconvenience him and his hermit lifestyle.
Across the way, two cops enter into a dark and mysterious home, armed and ready for anything. State police, it's not clear why they showed up but they expected something sinister from the word go. Finding a few dead bodies, they run into one of the first evil dead minions seen in years. A gunfight breaks out and who dies but the male cop. As unholy luck would have it, he turns into an evil dead minion himself and is blasted away by his female partner played by Jill Marie Jones (Girlfriends fame). Not known to her, the woman/evil deadite who killed her partner is the same chick who slept with Ash a few days earlier. Jill manages to escape the home with the horrendous injury of a pair of scissors all the way through her hand--something which seems to go completely ignored seconds later. I mean, seriously she held a flashlight and shot a gun with that hand and everything. It had me all like "what!?" Now she must look for any clues as to why this has happened.
Back with Ash, as he goes back to work after realizing he just reopened the gates of hell, his young coworker Pablo slides easily into the quirky, nerdy sidekick--his robin to Ash's goofy Batman. He happens to have a crush on another mega small store worker and his recently hired neighbor Kelly, who has that whole dark soul apathetic "I don't really care about anything but maybe I kinda do" hipster vibe going for her. Attractive, Ash is the first one to hit on her because... you know, creepy old man juju and what not. Things get hectic when Ash goes into the back to store some bulbs and a doll attacks him--one of those porcelain white ones that wear the bonnets and look like those girls from Little House On The Prairie. Clearly not gonna be taken down by a little doll because he's a grown man fighting a little doll, he barely escapes to the front with his life when he notices that all hell has ensued.
The responsible adult who always cleans up his own messes, he books it out of the store and goes home where he searches for the book. However he beat the Evil Dead the last time probably isn't going to work so he's gotta embark on a road trip to find someone who can not only read the book but who can help him defeat the monsters popping up everywhere. And so his journey--wait, there's some more evil deadites popping up as his neighbors also become the non-zombie zombies and start to attack his awesome little trailer.
In the nick of time, because that's how these types of shows generally work, Pablo and Kelly show up to try helping save the day, and to ask him to give them a ride to her parents' house. Why her parents'? Apparently her mother who died months ago is not only returned, but has been alive and well this whole time and only just now got her memory back (something we learn in the second episode). Not until after they get into a fight with one of the gnarlier neighbor/deadites and Ash rips off his prosthetic hand to slide into that chainsaw bad boy that's become so iconic does he get down to the business of properly chopping off heads, rocking out to 70s and classic rock, and taking no names as he kicks butt. Everybody doing a little bit of saving everybody in the small trailer, the day is saved... momentarily. Ash still doesn't agree to go to the girl's house but he does take off with the two youngins by his side. And so his journey--I mean their journey begins.
Back up! Actually, what happens is that Kelly takes off with Pablo's bike for her parents house to either welcome her six months dead mother back from her non-grave or save her father from her deadite mother. After Pablo tells Ash that she took the book, they set off to her parents house where the second episode begins.
Courtesy of Starz and Entertainment WeeklyAfter an attack by their dickwad boss from the store who turned into a deadite and tracked them all the way down to Ash's trailer park only to stash himself away in the vehicle to facilitate a cool, gnarly, over-the-top bloodfest of a fight in a moving vehicle, their road is clear to Kelly's farmhouse. Arriving at night, Ash suspects the worst and opens the door to find... a happy family sitting with the once-thought dead mother. Kelly even changed into a purple robe which was a very nice color and a little distracting on her; she's an attractive young lady. Seriously, I don't know what it is about her that has me so intoxicated but I get it, Ash and Pablo. I get it. Why she was suddenly wearing that, I don't know.
Is It Racist To Say All Deadites Look Alike?Still suspicious, Ash questions her mother about her recent deadness, earning some BS story about how she drove off the road into a river and lost her memories and had been wandering around for the last few months until finally something clicked. Riiight! Getting cleaned up, Pablo finally reveals that he lied and that Kelly never had the book, but he took the book because he wanted Ash to help his would-be girlfriend, because if saving a young woman's life and her family don't get you into her purple robe, then I don't know what will.
Dismissing Ash's paranoia, Pablo reasons that if Kelly's mother was an evil deadite, she would have killed Kelly and her husband already. Still not buying it, Ash thinks it's a ruse to lure him in because all the book really wants is him dead... and world domination. Only after he tries quizzing her on her memory loss does he finally punch her to the floor. And holy cannoli, he was frickin' right! She jumps up and stabs her husband through the eye with a fork leading to another gnarly blood-spurting deadite vs. Ash scene (expect a lot of that, because of the title). The three nearly dying, Ash helps save the day again when he chainsaws into her body with Pablo's help.
Burying her parents' bodies, the group continues on to the next stop, an otherworldly apothecary/book store/novelties place where the guy who can read the book works. There, the guy wastes a little time marveling at the complexity of the book, the human flesh it's bond in and the history behind it. Long ago some unholy priests loved killing and darkness so much that they opened a portal into hell to get demons to do their bidding. The book is the portal and has thousands of incantations in it to unleash certain demons. Ash then has the bright idea to summon a lesser demon in order to interrogate him on how to close the portal as they can't find anything in the book on how to stop the evil dead caused by the book.
I'm Back And My Hand Still Works!
Summoning the low-level demon, hell breaks loose (literally, they had it in a containment circle) when Jill Marie Jones' character shows up and tries to arrest Ash because of his link to the other deaths. The demon can disappear and reappear at will, as well as command inanimate objects and explode brain cells one at a time. It nearly electrocutes Ash and Pablo to death before Kelly steps in to save them with an assist from Jill. The reader guy dies by glass shards piercing his eyes and head before the demon is dispelled back into the book. Free to arrest Ash, Jill handcuffs him only for him to pop his hand off and handcuff her to a metal shelf. It ends with her trapped in the room as the guy killed by the glass rises to become a deadite himself.
Yeah, I Used To Be A Warrior Princess
There's also a side story that has yet to connect to Ash's quest. Featuring Lucy Lawless (Xena fame), she is tracking after Ash and not only knows about the book but has some kind of special deadite weapon that burns at their skin and is quicker to kill them than Ash's chainsaw and shotgun. Not sure if I want her to be a potential partner in crime/love interest for him or another adversary like Jill but I can't wait to see what develops.
What's my score. I give it a B, but that comes with a strong caveat. As much as I might like wasting a quick half hour on Saturdays at 9pm on Starz, I can't see anyone who isn't a fan of the films and over-the-top comedy actually liking this. You have to love comedy horror and realize that this is going to be squarely in the stupid comedy canyon before going in to watch it. Walking Dead it is not. Nor is it Supernatural or Vampire Diaries or Teen Wolf. It is its own thing and is about three steps above Syfy's Sharknado, but has much better actors actually trying and much better production values.
Should you be watching? Refer to the paragraph above. If you haven't seen the films but you do like silly comedies or are just a fan of all subgenres of horror, then give it a look. Otherwise, stay away and don't diss it because you thought it was something totally different.
What do you think? Have you seen this show? If so, is it what you were expecting? And what do you think the future holds for Lucy and Jill's characters? Let me know in the comments below (hint: click the no comments button if you see no comments).
Check out my new 5-star comedy novel similar to Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Yep, I'm Totally Stalking My Ex-Boyfriend . #AhStalkingIf you’re looking for a scare, check #AFuriousWind, #DARKER, #BrandNewHome or #ThePowerOfTen. For those interested in something a little more dramatic, check out #TheWriter. The full first season is out now NOW exclusively on Amazon. If you like fast action crime check out #ADangerousLow. The sequel A New Low will be out in a few months. Join us on Goodreads to talk about books and TV, and subscribe to and follow my blog with that Google+ button to the right.
Until next time, "evil that pops up, gets shot up!"
P.S. OK, that's not the exact Ash Vs. Evil Dead catchphrase but it's pretty close. They can have it if they want. I'll come up with something much better as a sign-off next time.
Amazon
Goodreads Author Page
Goodreads Books Similar to TV Shows
Twitter@filmbooksbball
All pictures courtesy of Starz "Huh? What the hell am I reading? I'm even confused by the title. What part of the internet is this?" First off, for those of you who are saying that to yourselves or your significant others, don't be ridiculous, this is only a blog. For those of you who do know what's going on, you know that this is just another three week roundup of a new show this season. And what do ya know, its of a show not on network TV. I know what you're thinking right now, "god, he watches a lot of TV. And he writes and does other stuff too. That's insane! I don't sleep very much. But I sacrifice so that you all know precisely what you need to know about the entertainment out there that you don't know about. Or the stuff that you do know about but are so enamored with that you feel compelled to talk about it ad nauseam. Lo and behold, a place for that. And now, finally, after two wasted paragraphs of exposition I bring you... the review/recap of the first three episodes of Ash vs. Evil Dead.
It's Been A While, Ash. Good To See You Old Friend. Now Squeeze You Lovable Bastard!First off, if you're not an Evil Dead fan I doubt you've heard about this show, as it is on the cable channel Starz and didn't have a huge amount of advertising dollars spent on network or basic cable. Or maybe you have heard about it but you weren't a fan of the movies or you just heard and saw the commercials and thought, "eh! I've got enough stuff to watch." If you fit into one of those categories, the good news is that you weren't far off from giving this show little, if any, of your attention. The producers/writers assume you have seen if not all three films (Army of Darkness is my favorite one and they don't have the rights to it so expect little to no reference of Ash's medieval adventure), then at least the first two. Really just the second one since the first one is kind of covered in the first ten minutes of the second one. The second is also the one that is responsible for the evil dead culture as it was the one to showcase the humor and over-the-topness a lot more than the first. In hindsight, watching the two films one could almost say that the second Evil Dead plays more as a parody of the first, but I digress.
Ash vs. Evil Dead picks up about twenty or so years after the third movie which shall not be named (man, it would have really been cool to see Ash time-traveling due to the book and going back and forth between now and medieval times). Technically, it's thirty years after the second movie which is ten years earlier than the third, but semantics. Still a valued but average grocery/small mega store (it's a thing) employee, he lives in a trailer park just a few miles outside of town in his own tiny trailer. Not much to his life, he's kept himself separated from most people, a real lone wolf as it were, el jefe... but retired, living his days out upon a groovy pasture of cheap women, cheap alcohol, and even cheaper laughs. Like the average American, he's not too fond of his boss, thinks many of his coworkers are kind of idiots, isn't madly in love with his neighbors but shows respect to everyone in his life. Carefree, he's spent those last twenty (or thirty)-odd years keeping the secret, the curse.
Well, as stupid men go when around stupid women, during one night of drug-addled fun, he haphazardly reads from the Necronomicon, unleashing all unholy hell to roam the earth once more just as it did in that cabin in the woods that time (not the Drew Goddard movie!). Now, he will be forced to stop this new rise of those that seek to take over the world and bring hell on earth, or at the very least inconvenience him and his hermit lifestyle. Across the way, two cops enter into a dark and mysterious home, armed and ready for anything. State police, it's not clear why they showed up but they expected something sinister from the word go. Finding a few dead bodies, they run into one of the first evil dead minions seen in years. A gunfight breaks out and who dies but the male cop. As unholy luck would have it, he turns into an evil dead minion himself and is blasted away by his female partner played by Jill Marie Jones (Girlfriends fame). Not known to her, the woman/evil deadite who killed her partner is the same chick who slept with Ash a few days earlier. Jill manages to escape the home with the horrendous injury of a pair of scissors all the way through her hand--something which seems to go completely ignored seconds later. I mean, seriously she held a flashlight and shot a gun with that hand and everything. It had me all like "what!?" Now she must look for any clues as to why this has happened.
Back with Ash, as he goes back to work after realizing he just reopened the gates of hell, his young coworker Pablo slides easily into the quirky, nerdy sidekick--his robin to Ash's goofy Batman. He happens to have a crush on another mega small store worker and his recently hired neighbor Kelly, who has that whole dark soul apathetic "I don't really care about anything but maybe I kinda do" hipster vibe going for her. Attractive, Ash is the first one to hit on her because... you know, creepy old man juju and what not. Things get hectic when Ash goes into the back to store some bulbs and a doll attacks him--one of those porcelain white ones that wear the bonnets and look like those girls from Little House On The Prairie. Clearly not gonna be taken down by a little doll because he's a grown man fighting a little doll, he barely escapes to the front with his life when he notices that all hell has ensued.
The responsible adult who always cleans up his own messes, he books it out of the store and goes home where he searches for the book. However he beat the Evil Dead the last time probably isn't going to work so he's gotta embark on a road trip to find someone who can not only read the book but who can help him defeat the monsters popping up everywhere. And so his journey--wait, there's some more evil deadites popping up as his neighbors also become the non-zombie zombies and start to attack his awesome little trailer.
In the nick of time, because that's how these types of shows generally work, Pablo and Kelly show up to try helping save the day, and to ask him to give them a ride to her parents' house. Why her parents'? Apparently her mother who died months ago is not only returned, but has been alive and well this whole time and only just now got her memory back (something we learn in the second episode). Not until after they get into a fight with one of the gnarlier neighbor/deadites and Ash rips off his prosthetic hand to slide into that chainsaw bad boy that's become so iconic does he get down to the business of properly chopping off heads, rocking out to 70s and classic rock, and taking no names as he kicks butt. Everybody doing a little bit of saving everybody in the small trailer, the day is saved... momentarily. Ash still doesn't agree to go to the girl's house but he does take off with the two youngins by his side. And so his journey--I mean their journey begins.Back up! Actually, what happens is that Kelly takes off with Pablo's bike for her parents house to either welcome her six months dead mother back from her non-grave or save her father from her deadite mother. After Pablo tells Ash that she took the book, they set off to her parents house where the second episode begins.
Courtesy of Starz and Entertainment WeeklyAfter an attack by their dickwad boss from the store who turned into a deadite and tracked them all the way down to Ash's trailer park only to stash himself away in the vehicle to facilitate a cool, gnarly, over-the-top bloodfest of a fight in a moving vehicle, their road is clear to Kelly's farmhouse. Arriving at night, Ash suspects the worst and opens the door to find... a happy family sitting with the once-thought dead mother. Kelly even changed into a purple robe which was a very nice color and a little distracting on her; she's an attractive young lady. Seriously, I don't know what it is about her that has me so intoxicated but I get it, Ash and Pablo. I get it. Why she was suddenly wearing that, I don't know. 
Is It Racist To Say All Deadites Look Alike?Still suspicious, Ash questions her mother about her recent deadness, earning some BS story about how she drove off the road into a river and lost her memories and had been wandering around for the last few months until finally something clicked. Riiight! Getting cleaned up, Pablo finally reveals that he lied and that Kelly never had the book, but he took the book because he wanted Ash to help his would-be girlfriend, because if saving a young woman's life and her family don't get you into her purple robe, then I don't know what will. Dismissing Ash's paranoia, Pablo reasons that if Kelly's mother was an evil deadite, she would have killed Kelly and her husband already. Still not buying it, Ash thinks it's a ruse to lure him in because all the book really wants is him dead... and world domination. Only after he tries quizzing her on her memory loss does he finally punch her to the floor. And holy cannoli, he was frickin' right! She jumps up and stabs her husband through the eye with a fork leading to another gnarly blood-spurting deadite vs. Ash scene (expect a lot of that, because of the title). The three nearly dying, Ash helps save the day again when he chainsaws into her body with Pablo's help.
Burying her parents' bodies, the group continues on to the next stop, an otherworldly apothecary/book store/novelties place where the guy who can read the book works. There, the guy wastes a little time marveling at the complexity of the book, the human flesh it's bond in and the history behind it. Long ago some unholy priests loved killing and darkness so much that they opened a portal into hell to get demons to do their bidding. The book is the portal and has thousands of incantations in it to unleash certain demons. Ash then has the bright idea to summon a lesser demon in order to interrogate him on how to close the portal as they can't find anything in the book on how to stop the evil dead caused by the book.
I'm Back And My Hand Still Works!Summoning the low-level demon, hell breaks loose (literally, they had it in a containment circle) when Jill Marie Jones' character shows up and tries to arrest Ash because of his link to the other deaths. The demon can disappear and reappear at will, as well as command inanimate objects and explode brain cells one at a time. It nearly electrocutes Ash and Pablo to death before Kelly steps in to save them with an assist from Jill. The reader guy dies by glass shards piercing his eyes and head before the demon is dispelled back into the book. Free to arrest Ash, Jill handcuffs him only for him to pop his hand off and handcuff her to a metal shelf. It ends with her trapped in the room as the guy killed by the glass rises to become a deadite himself.
Yeah, I Used To Be A Warrior PrincessThere's also a side story that has yet to connect to Ash's quest. Featuring Lucy Lawless (Xena fame), she is tracking after Ash and not only knows about the book but has some kind of special deadite weapon that burns at their skin and is quicker to kill them than Ash's chainsaw and shotgun. Not sure if I want her to be a potential partner in crime/love interest for him or another adversary like Jill but I can't wait to see what develops.
What's my score. I give it a B, but that comes with a strong caveat. As much as I might like wasting a quick half hour on Saturdays at 9pm on Starz, I can't see anyone who isn't a fan of the films and over-the-top comedy actually liking this. You have to love comedy horror and realize that this is going to be squarely in the stupid comedy canyon before going in to watch it. Walking Dead it is not. Nor is it Supernatural or Vampire Diaries or Teen Wolf. It is its own thing and is about three steps above Syfy's Sharknado, but has much better actors actually trying and much better production values.
Should you be watching? Refer to the paragraph above. If you haven't seen the films but you do like silly comedies or are just a fan of all subgenres of horror, then give it a look. Otherwise, stay away and don't diss it because you thought it was something totally different.
What do you think? Have you seen this show? If so, is it what you were expecting? And what do you think the future holds for Lucy and Jill's characters? Let me know in the comments below (hint: click the no comments button if you see no comments).
Check out my new 5-star comedy novel similar to Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Yep, I'm Totally Stalking My Ex-Boyfriend . #AhStalkingIf you’re looking for a scare, check #AFuriousWind, #DARKER, #BrandNewHome or #ThePowerOfTen. For those interested in something a little more dramatic, check out #TheWriter. The full first season is out now NOW exclusively on Amazon. If you like fast action crime check out #ADangerousLow. The sequel A New Low will be out in a few months. Join us on Goodreads to talk about books and TV, and subscribe to and follow my blog with that Google+ button to the right.
Until next time, "evil that pops up, gets shot up!"
P.S. OK, that's not the exact Ash Vs. Evil Dead catchphrase but it's pretty close. They can have it if they want. I'll come up with something much better as a sign-off next time.
Amazon
Goodreads Author Page
Goodreads Books Similar to TV Shows
Twitter@filmbooksbball
November 22, 2015
Biggie Asked Who Shot Ya... Annalise? #HowToGetAwayWithMurder #HTGAWM #WinterFinale #ABC
Biggie Asked Who Shot Ya... Annalise? #HowToGetAwayWithMurder #HTGAWM#WinterFinale #ABC
All pictures courtesy of ABC
Though I was only going to do one show's winter finale (#WinterFinale) this week--Heroes Reborn--I just couldn't resist talking about Ms. Keating as she capped off the craziest TGIT (#TGIT) night since... well, last year's TGIT winter finales. With that said, Holy Crap! They shot her on purpose.
Sorry, I jumped ahead of myself there. Let's start near the beginning. Last week's episode revealed that Bonnie was the one who pushed prosecutor Sinclair off the roof. The woman's dead body landed in front of Michaela (is it weird that I can never remember her name) and Connor as they looked to be escaping from something. It was also revealed that the Asian girl making up the second half of the adopted sibling duo accused of their parents' murder not only knew this third guy Philip (their adopted aunt's incestuous son) but that she seemed to hang with him, maybe even like him as he had a personal painting of hers in his room. Michaela slept with the adopted brother, after which he revealed that tucked inside of a venting grate in what looked like an old rich person's study was a gun. And this was where we picked up.
It should also be noted at this time that the secondary plot of the season concerning rich boy Asher and his judge father played huge in this episode and the insanity that took place. This all stemmed from the prosecutor blackmailing Asher into testifying against Annalise or else she would expose and possibly seek prosecution on Trotter Lake--an incident where he as president of a fraternity didn't stop his fellow bros from raping a girl, ultimately ruining her life and forcing his father to bury the embarrassing floundering of his son's judgment. Now back to the episode at hand.
Suspecting that the gun may have been the one his adopted sister used to slay their billionaire white parents, the Black guy frets over what he should do with the gun. Michaela foolishly calls Connor who tells her that they shouldn't touch it and leave it be. He also tells them to call Annalise but Michaela doesn't want to do that because Anna would have to expose it to the prosecutor, which would just blow their case to pieces. Like an idiot, the Black guy grabs the gun, puts his prints all over it and says that he wants to destroy it. Finally someone wises up and calls Annalise over to the mansion. She agrees with Connor that they should never have moved the gun and that putting it back would only tamper with evidence a second time. Scheming, she sees the gun as a Robert Frostian fork, forcing her to separate herself from representing one of the siblings, because it's possible one of them is guilty. Since the brother currently stands before her, he lucks out and gets her representation, though she did give him the chance to get his own lawyer.
Meanwhile, the Asian girl is out of there faster than Speed Racer. The hunt for her is on as they need to question her about the weapon. She goes to a motel where she is supposed to meet Philip later. Speaking of, Philip starts the day sitting in the police station but when suspicions about his record arise, the office cameras get checked, revealing Nate had tampered with the boy's record, switching his record with that of someone else in order to help Annalise. Already two-times pissed from not having gotten him and/or Annalise on Sam's murder, Sinclair wants to see him burn for obstruction and tampering. He loses his mind on her and gets loud, causing her to file a harassment complaint as she felt threatened by the muscular bald Black man... or turned on. Not saying it's a race thing, just saying I didn't quite see "nothing but fear" in her eyes. Even more to my theory, later when he files a complaint against the DA's office for harassment himself (they've been trying to pin all sorts of crimes on him), she invites him into her car to talk, yet she feared for her life hours earlier? Please. She must have been bumping some old school Stevie Wonder in the back of her mind thinking about how chocolatey, Wesley Snipes dark this man was, but that's none of my business.
Did He Just Run Someone Over Or See That Mama June SextapeWhat was important is that he willingly got into her car and agreed to a mutual dropping of charges. Bad mistake. Hours later as she is leaving to go home around eight that night, who else but Asher shows up. Why is he there and pissed? Because earlier in the day cops discovered his dad Smurf-blue in his office as he hung from a rope: suicide. To save Asher from testifying against Bonnie for killing Sam--a cover-up for Wes and the others that really killed the man--Annalise had to give the DA something juicier. What better than a corrupt judge bending the law to protect his son. But neither Asher nor his father knew this, leading to the old man's death and Asher blaming Sinclair who had her hand all up in his business. I mean, all up in there!
Her attitude one of nonchalant, "your father did it to himself," I could care less-ness, he snaps and backs over her with his car, killing her probably instantly. He calls Bonnie, his older lady sex buddy and Annalise's right hand woman. Unfortunately she can't move unless Annalise makes that hand puppet gesture to make her talk. She calls Annalise just as the woman learns of the news of Nate, Asher's father and Frank being unable to figure out where this Asian girl is until now.
In one of the most brilliantly shot scenes of the show, Annalise breaks down a scheme to save Nate, to clear her client the young Black guy, to save Asher and to make Sinclair's death look like something that no one had much of anything to do with. Her plan is as follows: bring Sinclair's dead body to the house under the guise that she invited the woman there to discuss the startling new evidence of the gun; once there, throw the already dead body off the roof and make it look like she was either pushed by Asian girl or she fall off by accident; clean and disinfect her car of any DNA left behind by Nate; clean and disinfect Asher's car from having hit her; find the Asian girl and drug her with something either so powerful that she appears to have committed suicide, or powerful enough to send her into a blackout state where she could have tried to kill Annalise; and finally, take a bullet in the leg after calling the police and telling them that the Asian girl attacked and tried to kill her and Sinclair. Yeah, craziness.
Not only does this all have to come together perfectly, but the thing that stood out to me as something they completely missed was the forensic evidence left on Sinclair's body. If she got hit by Asher's car and ended up under his chassis, most likely she has flakes of paint, tire rubber, undercarriage metal and/or leaked fluids somewhere on her body. Even if the impact of her body upon the ground when they dropped her from the roof pulverized her bones and exploded her organs enough, she would have been in full rigor mortis by then and a decent pathologist would know that. Where's Rosewood and Bones when you need them? Oh, right. They're on FOX. I digress.
The biggest mystery since the first episode of the season has been who shot Annalise. After hanging up from 9-1-1, we got the answer with Latina girl and Michaela both turning down the opportunity. Connor, the morally corrupt gay guy from last year who somewhere along the line grew a conscience, also turns her down. Even Wes at first says no, but like all we viewers should have known from jump, he gives into the madness and shoots her in the stomach when she finally admits that Rebecca has been dead this whole time. The only reason he doesn't finish the job with a bullet to her head is because she calls out the name Kristoff, leading to a flashback years earlier.
All pictures courtesy of ABC Though I was only going to do one show's winter finale (#WinterFinale) this week--Heroes Reborn--I just couldn't resist talking about Ms. Keating as she capped off the craziest TGIT (#TGIT) night since... well, last year's TGIT winter finales. With that said, Holy Crap! They shot her on purpose.
Sorry, I jumped ahead of myself there. Let's start near the beginning. Last week's episode revealed that Bonnie was the one who pushed prosecutor Sinclair off the roof. The woman's dead body landed in front of Michaela (is it weird that I can never remember her name) and Connor as they looked to be escaping from something. It was also revealed that the Asian girl making up the second half of the adopted sibling duo accused of their parents' murder not only knew this third guy Philip (their adopted aunt's incestuous son) but that she seemed to hang with him, maybe even like him as he had a personal painting of hers in his room. Michaela slept with the adopted brother, after which he revealed that tucked inside of a venting grate in what looked like an old rich person's study was a gun. And this was where we picked up.
It should also be noted at this time that the secondary plot of the season concerning rich boy Asher and his judge father played huge in this episode and the insanity that took place. This all stemmed from the prosecutor blackmailing Asher into testifying against Annalise or else she would expose and possibly seek prosecution on Trotter Lake--an incident where he as president of a fraternity didn't stop his fellow bros from raping a girl, ultimately ruining her life and forcing his father to bury the embarrassing floundering of his son's judgment. Now back to the episode at hand.
Suspecting that the gun may have been the one his adopted sister used to slay their billionaire white parents, the Black guy frets over what he should do with the gun. Michaela foolishly calls Connor who tells her that they shouldn't touch it and leave it be. He also tells them to call Annalise but Michaela doesn't want to do that because Anna would have to expose it to the prosecutor, which would just blow their case to pieces. Like an idiot, the Black guy grabs the gun, puts his prints all over it and says that he wants to destroy it. Finally someone wises up and calls Annalise over to the mansion. She agrees with Connor that they should never have moved the gun and that putting it back would only tamper with evidence a second time. Scheming, she sees the gun as a Robert Frostian fork, forcing her to separate herself from representing one of the siblings, because it's possible one of them is guilty. Since the brother currently stands before her, he lucks out and gets her representation, though she did give him the chance to get his own lawyer.
Meanwhile, the Asian girl is out of there faster than Speed Racer. The hunt for her is on as they need to question her about the weapon. She goes to a motel where she is supposed to meet Philip later. Speaking of, Philip starts the day sitting in the police station but when suspicions about his record arise, the office cameras get checked, revealing Nate had tampered with the boy's record, switching his record with that of someone else in order to help Annalise. Already two-times pissed from not having gotten him and/or Annalise on Sam's murder, Sinclair wants to see him burn for obstruction and tampering. He loses his mind on her and gets loud, causing her to file a harassment complaint as she felt threatened by the muscular bald Black man... or turned on. Not saying it's a race thing, just saying I didn't quite see "nothing but fear" in her eyes. Even more to my theory, later when he files a complaint against the DA's office for harassment himself (they've been trying to pin all sorts of crimes on him), she invites him into her car to talk, yet she feared for her life hours earlier? Please. She must have been bumping some old school Stevie Wonder in the back of her mind thinking about how chocolatey, Wesley Snipes dark this man was, but that's none of my business.
Did He Just Run Someone Over Or See That Mama June SextapeWhat was important is that he willingly got into her car and agreed to a mutual dropping of charges. Bad mistake. Hours later as she is leaving to go home around eight that night, who else but Asher shows up. Why is he there and pissed? Because earlier in the day cops discovered his dad Smurf-blue in his office as he hung from a rope: suicide. To save Asher from testifying against Bonnie for killing Sam--a cover-up for Wes and the others that really killed the man--Annalise had to give the DA something juicier. What better than a corrupt judge bending the law to protect his son. But neither Asher nor his father knew this, leading to the old man's death and Asher blaming Sinclair who had her hand all up in his business. I mean, all up in there! Her attitude one of nonchalant, "your father did it to himself," I could care less-ness, he snaps and backs over her with his car, killing her probably instantly. He calls Bonnie, his older lady sex buddy and Annalise's right hand woman. Unfortunately she can't move unless Annalise makes that hand puppet gesture to make her talk. She calls Annalise just as the woman learns of the news of Nate, Asher's father and Frank being unable to figure out where this Asian girl is until now.
In one of the most brilliantly shot scenes of the show, Annalise breaks down a scheme to save Nate, to clear her client the young Black guy, to save Asher and to make Sinclair's death look like something that no one had much of anything to do with. Her plan is as follows: bring Sinclair's dead body to the house under the guise that she invited the woman there to discuss the startling new evidence of the gun; once there, throw the already dead body off the roof and make it look like she was either pushed by Asian girl or she fall off by accident; clean and disinfect her car of any DNA left behind by Nate; clean and disinfect Asher's car from having hit her; find the Asian girl and drug her with something either so powerful that she appears to have committed suicide, or powerful enough to send her into a blackout state where she could have tried to kill Annalise; and finally, take a bullet in the leg after calling the police and telling them that the Asian girl attacked and tried to kill her and Sinclair. Yeah, craziness. Not only does this all have to come together perfectly, but the thing that stood out to me as something they completely missed was the forensic evidence left on Sinclair's body. If she got hit by Asher's car and ended up under his chassis, most likely she has flakes of paint, tire rubber, undercarriage metal and/or leaked fluids somewhere on her body. Even if the impact of her body upon the ground when they dropped her from the roof pulverized her bones and exploded her organs enough, she would have been in full rigor mortis by then and a decent pathologist would know that. Where's Rosewood and Bones when you need them? Oh, right. They're on FOX. I digress.
The biggest mystery since the first episode of the season has been who shot Annalise. After hanging up from 9-1-1, we got the answer with Latina girl and Michaela both turning down the opportunity. Connor, the morally corrupt gay guy from last year who somewhere along the line grew a conscience, also turns her down. Even Wes at first says no, but like all we viewers should have known from jump, he gives into the madness and shoots her in the stomach when she finally admits that Rebecca has been dead this whole time. The only reason he doesn't finish the job with a bullet to her head is because she calls out the name Kristoff, leading to a flashback years earlier.
We woke up like THIS
November 21, 2015
So Most Women Want To Be Mistresses? #Scandal #ABC #WinterFinale #WhatTheHellShonda
So Most Women Want To Be Mistresses? #Scandal #ABC #WinterFinale #WhatTheHellShonda
All pictures courtesy of ABC
What the hell, Shonda (#WhatTheHellShonda). After a few days to digest and ruminate on the winter finale (#WinterFinale) of Scandal and How To Get Away With Murder (recap coming tomorrow or later today), I could only develop one question and not in the OMG-goodness kind of way. This episode was just... I don't even know how to explain it. Cringe-worthy? Check! Not what we anticipated? Sorta check! What we wanted to see? Hell no! But it did tie into my thoughts and theories I was going to write about in a few weeks. I'll write about it now while everyone still has yet to find their mind after losing it watching that episode.
Jake shot him in the head. Sweet Revenge!
To begin, I have to give Scandal (#Scandal) and Shonda some credit for not killing off their devil played by the black guy. Having already killed off not one but two black guys (sometimes we still miss you, Columbus Short; Russell, we hardly knew ye) it was refreshing to see one of them stay around and alive, even though his living is a disappointment fan-wise. The whole story with Rowan being kidnapped by Huck and sitting in some abandoned factory with him while they did nothing was such a let down that I had to rewind my DVR twice just to see that I hadn't missed something. You mean to tell me that Huck didn't even cut off a big toe? After all that he just drops him off back at home? And then Jake comes and goes inside to have Christmas dinner with him? What. The. Hell? Didn't this same dude try to have you both killed at one point? No, he isn't family no matter how much he's brainwashed you so why treat him this way. I mean, Caesar and Brutus were like brothers and even Brutus didn't have a problem plunging that knife into ol' dude's back (or front, I can't remember the specifics). The only possible satisfying end to his story that I can see is if Liv or her mother finally do him in.
Murray Christmas!
Then there's the rest of the story. Spotlighting Mellie's struggle as a junior senator, while great, I think might have done a disservice in some ways to some viewers. Look, I'm a story/TV/movie/book junkie so I'll keep watching something usually until the wheels fall off (I don't like not finishing things I've started), but I know tons of people don't like politics in their show even when it's a show about politics. Mellie's filibustering for the non-discretionary funding of Planned Parenthood is current and moving but I didn't feel like it shed a great light on modern feminism, at least when it concerned the rest of the show. First off, there was little mention of the big issue surrounding the defunding even if it does only make up 3% of what Planned Parenthood does--abortions. It wasn't an impassioned speech about all the other things the organization does (something which would have actually benefited viewers who don't know) and when that very topic is brought up we get a cut-away to something else. That, coupled with Liv's turn at the end, made it feel like the whole recent Planned Parenthood brouhaha was "totally about abortion" even though everyone said and the producers probably even agree that "it had nothing to do with abortion." Was anyone else confused?
As expected, because Liv saw Mellie's stand as one of female empowerment, and because she was bored to tears with her one-week stay in the White House, she tries helping her once adversary to remain on the floor so the budget wouldn't be passed by midnight. Mellie does succeed but I wonder at what cost to her political career going forward. She's not an old head here, she doesn't have any allies from what they've shown so far (at least not in the senate), there are tons of burned bridges left in ruin between her and her husband's staff and she just called every congress member out on their own BS funding. While she's made a name for herself to the public, inside Congress where it matters she's basically done nothing to ingratiate herself into a clique, and sadly, cliques are how things get done in Washington.
Side note: Is red the only color Mellie can wear anymore? Literally almost every week she's in red.
Now, to move on to the most heart-wrenching part of the episode, Liv and Fitz. Where do I begin? To start, Liv has only been living in the White House for a few days, or weeks at the most. The previous episode where Fitz had her stuff moved in also had the Christmas tree up already so it's gotta be somewhere between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Yet, even in that short amount of time she's shown as bored, mopey and disdainful for everything about being there. She hasn't even given herself or the situation time to settle. The countless holiday parties are getting to her as she reacts almost as bad to being asked about a cookie recipe as she did when she learned of her father's involvement with B6-13. What unrighteousness is this to have to engage in seasonal chit-chat with another woman, as if the men are constantly talking about the most important things ever. I got news for you people, the people who talk the most about politics and what needs to happen in this country are actually political pundits, not politicians unless they're being called onto a talk show. Why do you think nothing ever really gets done in D.C.? You think that people so obsessed with their jobs would take so many vacations or "recesses" from voting or would have time to make small talk about their March Madness brackets, or try to crack jokes about each other at those correspondents' dinners? Hell no! There's other stuff to do and talk about all the time. Yet, Liv doesn't see it this way.
Falling into the duties of a housewife, Olivia sees to more Christmas decorations, makes sure she gets those cookies to that lady and spends much of her time doing absolutely nothing but watching Mellie do the pee-dance on live television. It's become painfully apparent that the world truly doesn't revolve around her. Mind-blowing! In her boredom does she call her office to see if they have a case? No. What about seeing where Huck is or where her father is? Nope. Instead she wallows, briefly pulling her self from the self-imposed muck to help Mellie.
Forget the months I took off work to do nothing multiple times, I've been here a few weeks and I'm already going crazy.
Finally, when she is to be with Fitz at another dinner that night, she skips it to apparently have an abortion? What? Hold on, so she was pregnant with Fitz's baby, the love of her life's baby, the all-time great man Fitzgerald Grant's baby, the one who she enslaved with her... everything's baby and she gets rid of it? And without even telling him? Whoa! OK. As if that isn't shocking enough, and in-line with Mellie's story about Planned Parenthood and how, yes, the funding really is about abortion and nothing else that they saw fit to cover, she then comes home to have an argument with him.
Not just an argument, it's the argument. In the most side-eye inducing, side-chicky, narcissistic slut walk drivel ever, she expresses how she now feels trapped by him and that it's his fault, he's punishing her because she let out the man that killed his son; that she only got the good parts of him and not all of him before, and now that she sees all of who and what he is, she doesn't want it. Quite possibly the biggest sigh I've ever sighed escaped from my mouth. It's over. Their five season love affair is ended by a few weeks of actually having him, of actually living with him, of actually being his woman and he, her man. And she moves out of the White House and back into her place. And this is why I had my theory from literally episode three of this series. And this is why some people are so quick to blame gold-diggers and side chicks.
My theory has always been that Olivia Pope never (read: never ever ever) wanted to be the main woman. She does not want to be the wife, nor does she even want to be the only girlfriend. She always wanted to be and still wants to be the mistress. Now, I still enjoy viewing and discussing shows in common with my family members, mainly my mother. She could not fathom why a woman, especially of Liv's ilk, could want such a position. I explained just as Liv said in her speech that when you're the mistress you have it easier than the wife. You get the hot sex, you get spoiled and treated the way he used to treat his wife in the early days, you get his happy side. What you don't get our the expectations that come with being his wife, you possibly don't have to take care of his kids (every situation is different) and you don't get the back and forth nagging until the relationship is ready to end. Oh, but what about all the heartache and the pain and blah blah blah! All of that wraps itself up into passion. In other words, that not only becomes tolerated but welcomed because "that's how they know it's real." Since the man is doing something forbidden you know that you're getting the bad boy side of him and let's not act like the bad boy motif is something only found in books and never in real life.
I know, this is not only a longer post than usual, but it's probably pissing some long-time fans off, but know that this "love story" that the show has been billed as was never between Fitz and Liv. It was between Liv and the idea of being wanted uncontrollably by a man who can't fully have her. The fact that he is the president does not matter. Her job really does not matter. Yes, she spun it as some new age feminist BS (really, look back at the earlier feminists to compare and contrast) that no matter what she did, she'd lose her identity behind him. Because, you know, nobody even hears about Michelle Obama. I don't even think she's done anything with her husband's platform since he's been in office, right? God forbid that she claim stake on how she wants to be the first lady. Liv doesn't even bother to try to be different than those women before her, instead giving up because none of it is what she wants in the moment. And why? Because she's always wanted to be the mistress, be the one who is pined over, searched for, sought after, but never fully gotten. Their past break-ups were never her trying to spare his career or her own, but served only to keep him at arm's length whenever things got too close to being real. She doesn't want real, she wants fantasy.
People with sense. Real adults. People who are actually in love. Want me to go on?
Trust that they will probably write the character in a way that suggests she just "wasn't ready" for things with Fitz at the time, but that's not the real story. The truth--and here's what I've always expected to happen come the end of this series--is that she is not that white hatted person she so desperately wants to be. The truth is that she is just as ruthless as her father, even more so than her mother. The truth is that the only realistic end to the series is for her to end up not just without Fitz, not just alone, but unhappy because that is actually what she deserves. See, it's not just enough for her to be alone because being alone or single is no great punishment, but she has to be unhappy too. Why? Because she has flirted not just with Fitz, but with love personified far too often not to end up having "love" break her heart.
What do you think? I know there are plenty of fans out there who I'm sure disagree with a lot of what I said, so sound off if you're on both sides. Did you think that the fallback argument of blaming Fitz for this was good, or did it just make her look like a whiny baby? Were you just as shocked as I was about the abortion? Do you still want to see Olitz live to see Vermont? Or are you starting to lean toward my expected ending? Let me know in the comments below (hint: click the no comments button if you see no comments).
Check out my new 5-star comedy novel, Yep, I'm Totally Stalking My Ex-Boyfriend . #AhStalkingIf you’re looking for a scare, check #AFuriousWind, #DARKER, #BrandNewHome or #ThePowerOfTen. For those interested in something a little more dramatic, check out #TheWriter. The full first season is out now NOW exclusively on Amazon. If you like fast action crime check out #ADangerousLow. The sequel A New Low will be out in a few months. Join us on Goodreads to talk about books and TV, and subscribe to and follow my blog with that Google+ button to the right.
Until next time, "when a rich man want ya, and your current man can't do nothin' for ya. Ohhh! These *** ain't loyal."
P.S. OK, admittedly the thoughts and lyrics from that great philosopher Chris Brown is taking it too far into misogyny. I apologize, but don't say that you didn't unexpected laugh when you realized, "is this fool quotin' Chris Brown? What the...?" I think of a better sign-off next time.
Amazon
Goodreads Author Page
Goodreads Books Similar to TV Shows
Twitter@filmbooksbball
All pictures courtesy of ABC
What the hell, Shonda (#WhatTheHellShonda). After a few days to digest and ruminate on the winter finale (#WinterFinale) of Scandal and How To Get Away With Murder (recap coming tomorrow or later today), I could only develop one question and not in the OMG-goodness kind of way. This episode was just... I don't even know how to explain it. Cringe-worthy? Check! Not what we anticipated? Sorta check! What we wanted to see? Hell no! But it did tie into my thoughts and theories I was going to write about in a few weeks. I'll write about it now while everyone still has yet to find their mind after losing it watching that episode.
Jake shot him in the head. Sweet Revenge!To begin, I have to give Scandal (#Scandal) and Shonda some credit for not killing off their devil played by the black guy. Having already killed off not one but two black guys (sometimes we still miss you, Columbus Short; Russell, we hardly knew ye) it was refreshing to see one of them stay around and alive, even though his living is a disappointment fan-wise. The whole story with Rowan being kidnapped by Huck and sitting in some abandoned factory with him while they did nothing was such a let down that I had to rewind my DVR twice just to see that I hadn't missed something. You mean to tell me that Huck didn't even cut off a big toe? After all that he just drops him off back at home? And then Jake comes and goes inside to have Christmas dinner with him? What. The. Hell? Didn't this same dude try to have you both killed at one point? No, he isn't family no matter how much he's brainwashed you so why treat him this way. I mean, Caesar and Brutus were like brothers and even Brutus didn't have a problem plunging that knife into ol' dude's back (or front, I can't remember the specifics). The only possible satisfying end to his story that I can see is if Liv or her mother finally do him in.
Murray Christmas! Then there's the rest of the story. Spotlighting Mellie's struggle as a junior senator, while great, I think might have done a disservice in some ways to some viewers. Look, I'm a story/TV/movie/book junkie so I'll keep watching something usually until the wheels fall off (I don't like not finishing things I've started), but I know tons of people don't like politics in their show even when it's a show about politics. Mellie's filibustering for the non-discretionary funding of Planned Parenthood is current and moving but I didn't feel like it shed a great light on modern feminism, at least when it concerned the rest of the show. First off, there was little mention of the big issue surrounding the defunding even if it does only make up 3% of what Planned Parenthood does--abortions. It wasn't an impassioned speech about all the other things the organization does (something which would have actually benefited viewers who don't know) and when that very topic is brought up we get a cut-away to something else. That, coupled with Liv's turn at the end, made it feel like the whole recent Planned Parenthood brouhaha was "totally about abortion" even though everyone said and the producers probably even agree that "it had nothing to do with abortion." Was anyone else confused?
As expected, because Liv saw Mellie's stand as one of female empowerment, and because she was bored to tears with her one-week stay in the White House, she tries helping her once adversary to remain on the floor so the budget wouldn't be passed by midnight. Mellie does succeed but I wonder at what cost to her political career going forward. She's not an old head here, she doesn't have any allies from what they've shown so far (at least not in the senate), there are tons of burned bridges left in ruin between her and her husband's staff and she just called every congress member out on their own BS funding. While she's made a name for herself to the public, inside Congress where it matters she's basically done nothing to ingratiate herself into a clique, and sadly, cliques are how things get done in Washington.
Side note: Is red the only color Mellie can wear anymore? Literally almost every week she's in red. Now, to move on to the most heart-wrenching part of the episode, Liv and Fitz. Where do I begin? To start, Liv has only been living in the White House for a few days, or weeks at the most. The previous episode where Fitz had her stuff moved in also had the Christmas tree up already so it's gotta be somewhere between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Yet, even in that short amount of time she's shown as bored, mopey and disdainful for everything about being there. She hasn't even given herself or the situation time to settle. The countless holiday parties are getting to her as she reacts almost as bad to being asked about a cookie recipe as she did when she learned of her father's involvement with B6-13. What unrighteousness is this to have to engage in seasonal chit-chat with another woman, as if the men are constantly talking about the most important things ever. I got news for you people, the people who talk the most about politics and what needs to happen in this country are actually political pundits, not politicians unless they're being called onto a talk show. Why do you think nothing ever really gets done in D.C.? You think that people so obsessed with their jobs would take so many vacations or "recesses" from voting or would have time to make small talk about their March Madness brackets, or try to crack jokes about each other at those correspondents' dinners? Hell no! There's other stuff to do and talk about all the time. Yet, Liv doesn't see it this way.
Falling into the duties of a housewife, Olivia sees to more Christmas decorations, makes sure she gets those cookies to that lady and spends much of her time doing absolutely nothing but watching Mellie do the pee-dance on live television. It's become painfully apparent that the world truly doesn't revolve around her. Mind-blowing! In her boredom does she call her office to see if they have a case? No. What about seeing where Huck is or where her father is? Nope. Instead she wallows, briefly pulling her self from the self-imposed muck to help Mellie.
Forget the months I took off work to do nothing multiple times, I've been here a few weeks and I'm already going crazy.Finally, when she is to be with Fitz at another dinner that night, she skips it to apparently have an abortion? What? Hold on, so she was pregnant with Fitz's baby, the love of her life's baby, the all-time great man Fitzgerald Grant's baby, the one who she enslaved with her... everything's baby and she gets rid of it? And without even telling him? Whoa! OK. As if that isn't shocking enough, and in-line with Mellie's story about Planned Parenthood and how, yes, the funding really is about abortion and nothing else that they saw fit to cover, she then comes home to have an argument with him.
Not just an argument, it's the argument. In the most side-eye inducing, side-chicky, narcissistic slut walk drivel ever, she expresses how she now feels trapped by him and that it's his fault, he's punishing her because she let out the man that killed his son; that she only got the good parts of him and not all of him before, and now that she sees all of who and what he is, she doesn't want it. Quite possibly the biggest sigh I've ever sighed escaped from my mouth. It's over. Their five season love affair is ended by a few weeks of actually having him, of actually living with him, of actually being his woman and he, her man. And she moves out of the White House and back into her place. And this is why I had my theory from literally episode three of this series. And this is why some people are so quick to blame gold-diggers and side chicks.
My theory has always been that Olivia Pope never (read: never ever ever) wanted to be the main woman. She does not want to be the wife, nor does she even want to be the only girlfriend. She always wanted to be and still wants to be the mistress. Now, I still enjoy viewing and discussing shows in common with my family members, mainly my mother. She could not fathom why a woman, especially of Liv's ilk, could want such a position. I explained just as Liv said in her speech that when you're the mistress you have it easier than the wife. You get the hot sex, you get spoiled and treated the way he used to treat his wife in the early days, you get his happy side. What you don't get our the expectations that come with being his wife, you possibly don't have to take care of his kids (every situation is different) and you don't get the back and forth nagging until the relationship is ready to end. Oh, but what about all the heartache and the pain and blah blah blah! All of that wraps itself up into passion. In other words, that not only becomes tolerated but welcomed because "that's how they know it's real." Since the man is doing something forbidden you know that you're getting the bad boy side of him and let's not act like the bad boy motif is something only found in books and never in real life.
I know, this is not only a longer post than usual, but it's probably pissing some long-time fans off, but know that this "love story" that the show has been billed as was never between Fitz and Liv. It was between Liv and the idea of being wanted uncontrollably by a man who can't fully have her. The fact that he is the president does not matter. Her job really does not matter. Yes, she spun it as some new age feminist BS (really, look back at the earlier feminists to compare and contrast) that no matter what she did, she'd lose her identity behind him. Because, you know, nobody even hears about Michelle Obama. I don't even think she's done anything with her husband's platform since he's been in office, right? God forbid that she claim stake on how she wants to be the first lady. Liv doesn't even bother to try to be different than those women before her, instead giving up because none of it is what she wants in the moment. And why? Because she's always wanted to be the mistress, be the one who is pined over, searched for, sought after, but never fully gotten. Their past break-ups were never her trying to spare his career or her own, but served only to keep him at arm's length whenever things got too close to being real. She doesn't want real, she wants fantasy.
People with sense. Real adults. People who are actually in love. Want me to go on?Trust that they will probably write the character in a way that suggests she just "wasn't ready" for things with Fitz at the time, but that's not the real story. The truth--and here's what I've always expected to happen come the end of this series--is that she is not that white hatted person she so desperately wants to be. The truth is that she is just as ruthless as her father, even more so than her mother. The truth is that the only realistic end to the series is for her to end up not just without Fitz, not just alone, but unhappy because that is actually what she deserves. See, it's not just enough for her to be alone because being alone or single is no great punishment, but she has to be unhappy too. Why? Because she has flirted not just with Fitz, but with love personified far too often not to end up having "love" break her heart.
What do you think? I know there are plenty of fans out there who I'm sure disagree with a lot of what I said, so sound off if you're on both sides. Did you think that the fallback argument of blaming Fitz for this was good, or did it just make her look like a whiny baby? Were you just as shocked as I was about the abortion? Do you still want to see Olitz live to see Vermont? Or are you starting to lean toward my expected ending? Let me know in the comments below (hint: click the no comments button if you see no comments).
Check out my new 5-star comedy novel, Yep, I'm Totally Stalking My Ex-Boyfriend . #AhStalkingIf you’re looking for a scare, check #AFuriousWind, #DARKER, #BrandNewHome or #ThePowerOfTen. For those interested in something a little more dramatic, check out #TheWriter. The full first season is out now NOW exclusively on Amazon. If you like fast action crime check out #ADangerousLow. The sequel A New Low will be out in a few months. Join us on Goodreads to talk about books and TV, and subscribe to and follow my blog with that Google+ button to the right.
Until next time, "when a rich man want ya, and your current man can't do nothin' for ya. Ohhh! These *** ain't loyal."
P.S. OK, admittedly the thoughts and lyrics from that great philosopher Chris Brown is taking it too far into misogyny. I apologize, but don't say that you didn't unexpected laugh when you realized, "is this fool quotin' Chris Brown? What the...?" I think of a better sign-off next time.
Amazon
Goodreads Author Page
Goodreads Books Similar to TV Shows
Twitter@filmbooksbball
November 20, 2015
So The Future Kinda Looks Like Nevada #HeroesReborn #NBC #WinterFinale
So The Future Kinda Looks Like Nevada #HeroesReborn #NBC #WinterFinale
All pictures courtesy of NBC
It has been a long week, ladies and gentlemen and I am thoroughly exhausted. I'll be speaking about my activities from the previous week in and upcoming post but for now just know that my days were spent doing manual labor from 10am to 7pm just in my yard for my "vacation." Then I came in and would still try to work and do some blogging. Maddening stuff. Anyway, with all my day time consumed I would have lost my mind had I not been able to relax with some prime time TV of my fave shows' winter finales (#WinterFinale). One such show was Heroes Reborn (#HeroesReborn). After the past few episodes in which it was revealed the history of Tommy, the weird white eskimo girl that turned out to be his sister, the Katana Girl and a slew of other secrets (really, if you haven't been keeping up you've got to take the weekend to binge), this week the show turned its eye toward the future.
A brief glimpse at earth over 7,000 years into the future from last week with Katana Girl continued into this week as she approached the oasis city in the barren wasteland that was the remains of earth. Remembering that she was a digital manifestation, a mimicking program based off of a real live girl who was dying, she wondered how she suddenly appeared from nowhere several thousand years after her initial creation. Wasting little time, she immediately starts kicking butt in the new city, this gateway to the future, she comes across her own father or rather the guy who created her. Not only does he introduce her to the real life girl on which she's based, he gives her a new mission similar to the old one to find and save the time traveler who is now Tommy and not Hiro.
Speaking of, Tommy awakes to the house (read: lair) of the evil Renautas CEO lady. Giving him a hell of a pitch that even made me think she was one of the good guys (still think she might be), she convinces him to take them to the future so they can see her plan to save the world and how it's going. The future the same as with Katana Girl, he sees nothing for miles until they go to the future city. There, he encounters tons of scientist and other worker bees trying to grow crops, recreate genetic biodiversity and replenish the world of it's secondary life (if humans are thought of as the primary). She also tells him that his "father" Hiro was helping her with transporting these things through time. While she doesn't fully reveal her plan for a specific list of people she wants to go, she feels the boy is thoroughly convinced after their tour and will actually help. And he does want to help until Katana Girl rescues him.
Meanwhile, back in current times Noah and his granddaughter start their pilgrimage back to Odessa as was planned long ago. While on the way, they re-encounter Zachary Levi's character as he wants only to help after Malina saved his life. Though Noah refuses his help, he figures it is best to follow (read: stalk) them in a not-so-conspicuous vehicle. When they all run into a traffic jam on the highway caused by some great ominous black cloud that is powerful enough to lift whole cars, Malina jumps out the car and does her thing. As a side note, am I the only one who still doesn't fully understand her powers? What the hell does she do? Is she like a more tuned-in, more powerful Storm from X-men? Don't know.
The black cloud nearly proves too much, even tossing a car Noah's way before she finally stops it. Noah's life is save, we're assuming by Tommy as he is instantly transported out of there before the car smashes him. Malina then has to leave with Zachary Levi because some non-Evos are rallying their hatred.
Finally, the farm story where Malina's old guardian Farah, her ex-Bf(?) Carlos and evil lady's daughter have all wound up brings back another vet of the series, the mind reader. While Carlos is concerned with escaping with his nephew, Malina is concerned with escaping with her life and evil lady's daughter is concerned with screwing up her mother's plans by finding the leader of this underground Evo resistance group, all the mind reader cares about is if he's on the list to go to the future. After a little torture and threats of killing Carlos in front of Malina, the two manage to escape when he's called away to a doppleganger evil lady. Not much sense or connection is really made between what is being done on the farm and the rest of the story, however, all three of the good guys are united as they try leaving the compounding. And that was when the producers/writers decided to give us the old Matrix sequels treatment and put up the "To Be Continued" script over a black screen. Sorry, people, but with only three episodes left we'll have to wait until January 9th to for more answers to the questions we all have.
Am I on the list? Please tell me I am.
What do you think? Do you think that Renautas is actually good in a sense and that Noah and the others will somehow come together with them to save the world? Do you think Malina's powers can save the world? And what about Katana Girl? Were you surprised to see her again? Let me know in the comments below (hint: click the no comments button if you see no comments).
Check out my new 5-star comedy novel, Yep, I'm Totally Stalking My Ex-Boyfriend . #AhStalkingIf you’re looking for a scare, check #AFuriousWind, #DARKER, #BrandNewHome or #ThePowerOfTen. For those interested in something a little more dramatic, check out #TheWriter. The full first season is out now NOW exclusively on Amazon. If you like fast action crime check out #ADangerousLow. The sequel A New Low will be out in a few months. Join us on Goodreads to talk about books and TV, and subscribe to and follow my blog with that Google+ button to the right.
Until next time, "There's only one week between now and Gobble Day. Be prepared for anything... especially that cranberry sauce in a can stuff. That's delicious."
P.S. Having just finished off a half bag of chips, I am very hungry right now. Unfortunately, I'm also very sleepy and I have to cook dinner. I'll think of something better next time.
Amazon
Goodreads Author Page
Goodreads Books Similar to TV Shows
Twitter@filmbooksbball
All pictures courtesy of NBC
It has been a long week, ladies and gentlemen and I am thoroughly exhausted. I'll be speaking about my activities from the previous week in and upcoming post but for now just know that my days were spent doing manual labor from 10am to 7pm just in my yard for my "vacation." Then I came in and would still try to work and do some blogging. Maddening stuff. Anyway, with all my day time consumed I would have lost my mind had I not been able to relax with some prime time TV of my fave shows' winter finales (#WinterFinale). One such show was Heroes Reborn (#HeroesReborn). After the past few episodes in which it was revealed the history of Tommy, the weird white eskimo girl that turned out to be his sister, the Katana Girl and a slew of other secrets (really, if you haven't been keeping up you've got to take the weekend to binge), this week the show turned its eye toward the future.
A brief glimpse at earth over 7,000 years into the future from last week with Katana Girl continued into this week as she approached the oasis city in the barren wasteland that was the remains of earth. Remembering that she was a digital manifestation, a mimicking program based off of a real live girl who was dying, she wondered how she suddenly appeared from nowhere several thousand years after her initial creation. Wasting little time, she immediately starts kicking butt in the new city, this gateway to the future, she comes across her own father or rather the guy who created her. Not only does he introduce her to the real life girl on which she's based, he gives her a new mission similar to the old one to find and save the time traveler who is now Tommy and not Hiro.
Speaking of, Tommy awakes to the house (read: lair) of the evil Renautas CEO lady. Giving him a hell of a pitch that even made me think she was one of the good guys (still think she might be), she convinces him to take them to the future so they can see her plan to save the world and how it's going. The future the same as with Katana Girl, he sees nothing for miles until they go to the future city. There, he encounters tons of scientist and other worker bees trying to grow crops, recreate genetic biodiversity and replenish the world of it's secondary life (if humans are thought of as the primary). She also tells him that his "father" Hiro was helping her with transporting these things through time. While she doesn't fully reveal her plan for a specific list of people she wants to go, she feels the boy is thoroughly convinced after their tour and will actually help. And he does want to help until Katana Girl rescues him.
Meanwhile, back in current times Noah and his granddaughter start their pilgrimage back to Odessa as was planned long ago. While on the way, they re-encounter Zachary Levi's character as he wants only to help after Malina saved his life. Though Noah refuses his help, he figures it is best to follow (read: stalk) them in a not-so-conspicuous vehicle. When they all run into a traffic jam on the highway caused by some great ominous black cloud that is powerful enough to lift whole cars, Malina jumps out the car and does her thing. As a side note, am I the only one who still doesn't fully understand her powers? What the hell does she do? Is she like a more tuned-in, more powerful Storm from X-men? Don't know.
The black cloud nearly proves too much, even tossing a car Noah's way before she finally stops it. Noah's life is save, we're assuming by Tommy as he is instantly transported out of there before the car smashes him. Malina then has to leave with Zachary Levi because some non-Evos are rallying their hatred.
Finally, the farm story where Malina's old guardian Farah, her ex-Bf(?) Carlos and evil lady's daughter have all wound up brings back another vet of the series, the mind reader. While Carlos is concerned with escaping with his nephew, Malina is concerned with escaping with her life and evil lady's daughter is concerned with screwing up her mother's plans by finding the leader of this underground Evo resistance group, all the mind reader cares about is if he's on the list to go to the future. After a little torture and threats of killing Carlos in front of Malina, the two manage to escape when he's called away to a doppleganger evil lady. Not much sense or connection is really made between what is being done on the farm and the rest of the story, however, all three of the good guys are united as they try leaving the compounding. And that was when the producers/writers decided to give us the old Matrix sequels treatment and put up the "To Be Continued" script over a black screen. Sorry, people, but with only three episodes left we'll have to wait until January 9th to for more answers to the questions we all have.
Am I on the list? Please tell me I am. What do you think? Do you think that Renautas is actually good in a sense and that Noah and the others will somehow come together with them to save the world? Do you think Malina's powers can save the world? And what about Katana Girl? Were you surprised to see her again? Let me know in the comments below (hint: click the no comments button if you see no comments).
Check out my new 5-star comedy novel, Yep, I'm Totally Stalking My Ex-Boyfriend . #AhStalkingIf you’re looking for a scare, check #AFuriousWind, #DARKER, #BrandNewHome or #ThePowerOfTen. For those interested in something a little more dramatic, check out #TheWriter. The full first season is out now NOW exclusively on Amazon. If you like fast action crime check out #ADangerousLow. The sequel A New Low will be out in a few months. Join us on Goodreads to talk about books and TV, and subscribe to and follow my blog with that Google+ button to the right.
Until next time, "There's only one week between now and Gobble Day. Be prepared for anything... especially that cranberry sauce in a can stuff. That's delicious."
P.S. Having just finished off a half bag of chips, I am very hungry right now. Unfortunately, I'm also very sleepy and I have to cook dinner. I'll think of something better next time.
Amazon
Goodreads Author Page
Goodreads Books Similar to TV Shows
Twitter@filmbooksbball
November 19, 2015
No Juliette Barnes For A Full Episode? Yessssss! #Nashville #ABC #SoCountry
No Juliette Barnes For A Full Episode? Yessssss! #Nashville #ABC #SoCountry
All pictures courtesy of ABC
Yet another blog post and this time it's on Nashville (#Nashville) which I'm pretty sure I haven't done all season I've been so busy with other posts. Currently, I'm also writing a post for my three week roundup of Ash vs. Evil Dead so expect that sometime in the next couple days. So, how was the last episode of the country music night soap? Better than it has been in a few weeks.
To begin, the episode was devoid of the most annoying character on the show Juliette Barnes. I know I might be branded a Juliette hater, but frankly that's precisely what I've become. When the show first started I thought her character as the young know-it-all with the dark past was interesting, Britney Spears-esque and would soften as time went on, and we'd all know and love her and root for her. But after so many seasons of this girl doing everyone around her dirty, I got fatigued on her bad girl persona. Not only have I not really seen any character development outside of her becoming more drugged out and a worse person, but she has been written and portrayed as one of the devil's own brides--like, his most favorite, evilest one. When she wanted to commit suicide about three episodes back I actually applauded the writers for possibly doing it, until they wimped out and killed off Jeff. Not only is she not needed anymore, but I feel like there's so much more going on that her story almost distracts from the rest of the plots and drags the show down.
In walks this week's episode of Nashville and what do we have but a Juliette-free episode with a lot going on. First there was the plot point of Rayna's daughter Maddie dyeing her hair more blonde, behind Deacon's back (he was left in charge of the girls while Rayna helped produce her new artist's album). As if the hair dye wasn't enough, Sony calls to gauge interest in signing the 16-year-old to a recording contract, something she overhears her mother flatly refuse. While she throws a tantrum her younger sister feels left out because her dad is currently in prison and nobody talks about her anymore since Maddie wants to go solo.
Next was the tour for The Exes starting. Gunnar in all his Gunnar-y glory figures that it'd be a good idea to hire his sex buddy as the sound person for the tour. Receiving reminders from everyone around him that he is unable of keeping it casual as this woman wants to do, he defies the odds when he and Scarlett's concert short-circuits do to the inexperience of the new hire. He actually yells at her for misrepresenting her ability but accepts her apology and offers advice when she comes to his room later.
Scarlett on the other hand not only suddenly gets serious about trying to make this group work, but finds it near impossible to keep in touch with her doctor boyfriend back home. A man who seems too worried about his girlfriend touring in close quarters with her ex-boyfriend, he gets frustrated and sounds it over the phone, straining the relationship even further.
While Gunnar is away, his roommates Avery and Will bond more as Avery looks for a place for him and the baby. Unfortunately people still think he and Juliette are a thing and can't wait to meet her which turns him off the whole apartment-hunting experience. He bonds with Will when the recently dumped gay singer emerges from his bedroom with sheets and sheets of lyrics he wrote about the break-up with his first gay love. Too afraid to perform it himself, Avery takes the song and performs it for a packed crowd at the Bluebird. Unfortunately, Will is even too afraid to stay in the back and take credit for having written the song, but is hopeful when an exec asks about the songwriter possibly coming to have a meeting with him. Will convinces Avery that Gunnar will be gone for two months and it's a big house, so Avery might as well stay for now and get the free babysitting that Will provides.
After the Luke Wheeler-heavy episode of the previous week, Luke had little play as he continued dealing with the fallout from his son's distrust, his budding new relationship with his manager/PR woman, and the drama that is Juliette. Deacon on the other hand got a great deal of the spotlight as his pet project of the newly renamed "Beverly" took off with a bang of the wall. Two former drunks owning a bar together sure to make a little drama, Deacon supervises the renovations and even tries to knock down a wall by himself before the other sober owner comes in and tells him that he's dry-drunk, or acting drunk because he's overcompensating for other problems in his life.
His main problem is that he suddenly feels useless after getting his sister's organ and hasn't been able to find his way. Not even his attempts to parent Maddie and Daphne go well. With Rayna bonding a little too deeply with her new artist (he's wanted to sleep with her since he met her on the plane) she spends full days and nights producing him. Only after she has a heart to heart with him and returns home do she and Deacon come together to try to figure out the best way to deal with Maddie and the Sony thing. Their solution? Sign both girls as a duo to Highway 65, Rayna's fledgling label. While we all knew and expected this to happen, Maddie also knows that this is just a way for her mother to control her further and feigns happiness about it. Time will tell if that blows up in her face.
At the end of the show, Deacon read the text of the new artist guy, discovering that the idea Rayna posed to Deacon about maybe having the girls signed was actually this other guy's idea. Never the best at not being jealous, the last shot is of him ruminating on the possibility of this guy wanting his woman.
What do you think? Is the show still interesting, if not better without Juliette? What do you want for her character when she comes out of rehab? How do you think this new artist will affect Rayna and Deacon's relationship next week and for the foreseeable future? Let me know in the comments below (hint: click the no comments button if you see no comments).
Check out my new 5-star comedy novel, Yep, I'm Totally Stalking My Ex-Boyfriend . #AhStalkingIf you’re looking for a scare, check #AFuriousWind, #DARKER, #BrandNewHome or #ThePowerOfTen. For those interested in something a little more dramatic, check out #TheWriter. The full first season is out now NOW exclusively on Amazon. If you like fast action crime check out #ADangerousLow. The sequel A New Low will be out in a few months. Join us on Goodreads to talk about books and TV, and subscribe to and follow my blog with that Google+ button to the right.
Until next time, "you gotta know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, know when... you get the gist of it."
P.S. Don't know why I thought of that Geico commercial but I did. I might even have used that sign-off before but it's been a long day of moving leaves for me and I finally called it after realizing that I knew precisely when to fold 'em... for the day. I'll come up with something better next time.
Amazon
Goodreads Author Page
Goodreads Books Similar to TV Shows
Twitter@filmbooksbball
All pictures courtesy of ABCYet another blog post and this time it's on Nashville (#Nashville) which I'm pretty sure I haven't done all season I've been so busy with other posts. Currently, I'm also writing a post for my three week roundup of Ash vs. Evil Dead so expect that sometime in the next couple days. So, how was the last episode of the country music night soap? Better than it has been in a few weeks.
To begin, the episode was devoid of the most annoying character on the show Juliette Barnes. I know I might be branded a Juliette hater, but frankly that's precisely what I've become. When the show first started I thought her character as the young know-it-all with the dark past was interesting, Britney Spears-esque and would soften as time went on, and we'd all know and love her and root for her. But after so many seasons of this girl doing everyone around her dirty, I got fatigued on her bad girl persona. Not only have I not really seen any character development outside of her becoming more drugged out and a worse person, but she has been written and portrayed as one of the devil's own brides--like, his most favorite, evilest one. When she wanted to commit suicide about three episodes back I actually applauded the writers for possibly doing it, until they wimped out and killed off Jeff. Not only is she not needed anymore, but I feel like there's so much more going on that her story almost distracts from the rest of the plots and drags the show down.
In walks this week's episode of Nashville and what do we have but a Juliette-free episode with a lot going on. First there was the plot point of Rayna's daughter Maddie dyeing her hair more blonde, behind Deacon's back (he was left in charge of the girls while Rayna helped produce her new artist's album). As if the hair dye wasn't enough, Sony calls to gauge interest in signing the 16-year-old to a recording contract, something she overhears her mother flatly refuse. While she throws a tantrum her younger sister feels left out because her dad is currently in prison and nobody talks about her anymore since Maddie wants to go solo.
Next was the tour for The Exes starting. Gunnar in all his Gunnar-y glory figures that it'd be a good idea to hire his sex buddy as the sound person for the tour. Receiving reminders from everyone around him that he is unable of keeping it casual as this woman wants to do, he defies the odds when he and Scarlett's concert short-circuits do to the inexperience of the new hire. He actually yells at her for misrepresenting her ability but accepts her apology and offers advice when she comes to his room later.
Scarlett on the other hand not only suddenly gets serious about trying to make this group work, but finds it near impossible to keep in touch with her doctor boyfriend back home. A man who seems too worried about his girlfriend touring in close quarters with her ex-boyfriend, he gets frustrated and sounds it over the phone, straining the relationship even further.
The musical magic these two make! #Nashville #MusicMonday https://t.co/gSiDMcFIpl— Nashville (@Nashville_ABC) November 16, 2015
While Gunnar is away, his roommates Avery and Will bond more as Avery looks for a place for him and the baby. Unfortunately people still think he and Juliette are a thing and can't wait to meet her which turns him off the whole apartment-hunting experience. He bonds with Will when the recently dumped gay singer emerges from his bedroom with sheets and sheets of lyrics he wrote about the break-up with his first gay love. Too afraid to perform it himself, Avery takes the song and performs it for a packed crowd at the Bluebird. Unfortunately, Will is even too afraid to stay in the back and take credit for having written the song, but is hopeful when an exec asks about the songwriter possibly coming to have a meeting with him. Will convinces Avery that Gunnar will be gone for two months and it's a big house, so Avery might as well stay for now and get the free babysitting that Will provides.
After the Luke Wheeler-heavy episode of the previous week, Luke had little play as he continued dealing with the fallout from his son's distrust, his budding new relationship with his manager/PR woman, and the drama that is Juliette. Deacon on the other hand got a great deal of the spotlight as his pet project of the newly renamed "Beverly" took off with a bang of the wall. Two former drunks owning a bar together sure to make a little drama, Deacon supervises the renovations and even tries to knock down a wall by himself before the other sober owner comes in and tells him that he's dry-drunk, or acting drunk because he's overcompensating for other problems in his life.
His main problem is that he suddenly feels useless after getting his sister's organ and hasn't been able to find his way. Not even his attempts to parent Maddie and Daphne go well. With Rayna bonding a little too deeply with her new artist (he's wanted to sleep with her since he met her on the plane) she spends full days and nights producing him. Only after she has a heart to heart with him and returns home do she and Deacon come together to try to figure out the best way to deal with Maddie and the Sony thing. Their solution? Sign both girls as a duo to Highway 65, Rayna's fledgling label. While we all knew and expected this to happen, Maddie also knows that this is just a way for her mother to control her further and feigns happiness about it. Time will tell if that blows up in her face.
At the end of the show, Deacon read the text of the new artist guy, discovering that the idea Rayna posed to Deacon about maybe having the girls signed was actually this other guy's idea. Never the best at not being jealous, the last shot is of him ruminating on the possibility of this guy wanting his woman.
What do you think? Is the show still interesting, if not better without Juliette? What do you want for her character when she comes out of rehab? How do you think this new artist will affect Rayna and Deacon's relationship next week and for the foreseeable future? Let me know in the comments below (hint: click the no comments button if you see no comments).
Check out my new 5-star comedy novel, Yep, I'm Totally Stalking My Ex-Boyfriend . #AhStalkingIf you’re looking for a scare, check #AFuriousWind, #DARKER, #BrandNewHome or #ThePowerOfTen. For those interested in something a little more dramatic, check out #TheWriter. The full first season is out now NOW exclusively on Amazon. If you like fast action crime check out #ADangerousLow. The sequel A New Low will be out in a few months. Join us on Goodreads to talk about books and TV, and subscribe to and follow my blog with that Google+ button to the right.
Until next time, "you gotta know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, know when... you get the gist of it."
P.S. Don't know why I thought of that Geico commercial but I did. I might even have used that sign-off before but it's been a long day of moving leaves for me and I finally called it after realizing that I knew precisely when to fold 'em... for the day. I'll come up with something better next time.
Amazon
Goodreads Author Page
Goodreads Books Similar to TV Shows
Twitter@filmbooksbball
November 18, 2015
I Thought Sexy Angel's Were Victoria Secret Models #Grandfathered #FOX #Comedy
I Thought Sexy Angel's Were Victoria Secret Models #Grandfathered#FOX #Comedy
All pictures courtesy of FOX
That's right, this show is still on, John Stamos is still on TV and unlike Rob Lowe, he has yet to say something stupid about the terrorists attacks in France. Not to mention this show was picked up for an entire season by Fox because, you know, it's funny and stuff.
Last night on Grandfathered (#Grandfathered) after spending weeks seeing his son Josh Peck strike out with Christina Milian--baby mama, love of his life, doesn't know a good guy when she sees one, the usual stuff--he decides to step in and help the boy land a real woman who will not think that a Netflix and chill night will be a mistake. His plan: fix the boy up with some nice clothes (really a toned-down version of his own California laid back businessman-style), teach him a few techniques to land the ladies and take him out to a nightclub to pick up women.
Meanwhile, Christina Milian started another new job/hustle selling energy drinks to businesses, mainly Stamos' restaurant as he's been the only buyer. He, naturally, tells her he'll buy a few cases after hearing her terrible pitch because she's family but when she turns around to not only try getting him to become a distributor of the beverage himself (because that's where the real money is) but also to get into another hustle she's working, he realizes she is the perfect candidate for a mentorship.
Being the stand up guy he is, he orders his restaurant manager to do the job and take Christina under her wing. But this ditzy, empty-headed girl thinks she will be the mentor not the lesbian manager. Afros almost get pulled and ass whooped when Christina is offended by her new mentor's take on her life: it's crap! Who saves the day but the cute little baby.
Back with loving, open and caring Josh Peck, he and his dad go to a bar together where his father tries coaching him into the skirts of a few different fine ladies. Actually having fun, he ends the night with a young woman off of whom he does a few body shots. Things are a little crazy to say the least but everything turns out OK as he has met a girl. Not so fortunate, Stamos ends up with a rambler chick who has a "talent" for making any word shorter or hipper. A mouth that runs nonstop, he does leave with her and is happy so long as his son is. But he has his doubts.
Turning into the overbearing, worrywart parent he thought Paget Brewster would be when it came to their son, he makes a visit to the two girls' office (his and his son's girl work at the same place). Under the guise of bringing flowers, he learns the office gossip that Peck's new lady is supposedly sleeping with the boss on a long business lunch. Though it's only been a week, Peck's smittenness has reached critical mass and he needs to know that his new girlfriend is already cheating on him. No one stops to think at this point why she would have even given him the time of day when he supplies her with absolutely nothing that her boss probably doesn't already give her. He's broke, has a so-so job, is a single dad, doesn't have game and doesn't seem to make good sex as Christina hasn't gone back for seconds.
Both story lines collide when Peck brings his girlfriend and his mom to his dad's restaurant. Milian apologizing for exploding about the offence, she admits that maybe her dreams are a little out there. The manager levels with her, telling her how she once wanted to be a soul singer. Thinking she can teach the older lady something, she pushes her onstage to sing, I mean kill cats with her horrid, banshee-like screeches. She enjoys it though.
Ready to blow the whole secret wide open, Stamos sits down with Brewster as they listen to Peck's new girlfriend chastise him for eating, then being clumsy, and I'm sure for breathing too, though I might be wrong on that. When they get up and leave to clean the spilled oil from his shirt, Stamos and Brewster check her phone, finding texts from some name under "Big Daddy."
In the oldest, sitcom trick we all still know, love and fall for, it turns out they incorrectly identified big daddy as the girl's boss, as opposed to their son. He defends her, lesbian manager feels good that she made the right choice to give up on her singing career, Stamos learns both how to and how not to be a worried parent and Peck gets to keep his new girlfriend. The only casualty: Peck's 3-D printer which he sells to take his lady out on a snazzy date.
What did you think? Are you still watching and loving this family comedy? Do you think Peck's new girlfriend will stay for long? If so, will she make good competition for Milian? And what about the relationship with Stamos and Brewster? What do you think will happen there? Let me know in the comments below (hint: click the no comments button if you see no comments).
Check out my new 5-star comedy novel, Yep, I'm Totally Stalking My Ex-Boyfriend . #AhStalkingIf you’re looking for a scare, check #AFuriousWind, #DARKER, #BrandNewHome or #ThePowerOfTen. For those interested in something a little more dramatic, check out #TheWriter. The full first season is out now NOW exclusively on Amazon. If you like fast action crime check out #ADangerousLow. The sequel A New Low will be out in a few months. Join us on Goodreads to talk about books and TV, and subscribe to and follow my blog with that Google+ button to the right.
Until next time, "I'm not about to get knocked-out because of my stellar, always workable armbar technique. Oh, you said they're allowing kicks now? Oh."
P.S. Not everyone can take a foot to the side of their face like Rousey can. Does one loss a fake make? No. Like Donnie said, we fall down, but we get up! I'll think of a better sign-off next time.
Amazon
Goodreads Author Page
Goodreads Books Similar to TV Shows
Twitter@filmbooksbball
All pictures courtesy of FOX That's right, this show is still on, John Stamos is still on TV and unlike Rob Lowe, he has yet to say something stupid about the terrorists attacks in France. Not to mention this show was picked up for an entire season by Fox because, you know, it's funny and stuff.
Last night on Grandfathered (#Grandfathered) after spending weeks seeing his son Josh Peck strike out with Christina Milian--baby mama, love of his life, doesn't know a good guy when she sees one, the usual stuff--he decides to step in and help the boy land a real woman who will not think that a Netflix and chill night will be a mistake. His plan: fix the boy up with some nice clothes (really a toned-down version of his own California laid back businessman-style), teach him a few techniques to land the ladies and take him out to a nightclub to pick up women.
Meanwhile, Christina Milian started another new job/hustle selling energy drinks to businesses, mainly Stamos' restaurant as he's been the only buyer. He, naturally, tells her he'll buy a few cases after hearing her terrible pitch because she's family but when she turns around to not only try getting him to become a distributor of the beverage himself (because that's where the real money is) but also to get into another hustle she's working, he realizes she is the perfect candidate for a mentorship.
Being the stand up guy he is, he orders his restaurant manager to do the job and take Christina under her wing. But this ditzy, empty-headed girl thinks she will be the mentor not the lesbian manager. Afros almost get pulled and ass whooped when Christina is offended by her new mentor's take on her life: it's crap! Who saves the day but the cute little baby.
Back with loving, open and caring Josh Peck, he and his dad go to a bar together where his father tries coaching him into the skirts of a few different fine ladies. Actually having fun, he ends the night with a young woman off of whom he does a few body shots. Things are a little crazy to say the least but everything turns out OK as he has met a girl. Not so fortunate, Stamos ends up with a rambler chick who has a "talent" for making any word shorter or hipper. A mouth that runs nonstop, he does leave with her and is happy so long as his son is. But he has his doubts.
Turning into the overbearing, worrywart parent he thought Paget Brewster would be when it came to their son, he makes a visit to the two girls' office (his and his son's girl work at the same place). Under the guise of bringing flowers, he learns the office gossip that Peck's new lady is supposedly sleeping with the boss on a long business lunch. Though it's only been a week, Peck's smittenness has reached critical mass and he needs to know that his new girlfriend is already cheating on him. No one stops to think at this point why she would have even given him the time of day when he supplies her with absolutely nothing that her boss probably doesn't already give her. He's broke, has a so-so job, is a single dad, doesn't have game and doesn't seem to make good sex as Christina hasn't gone back for seconds.
Both story lines collide when Peck brings his girlfriend and his mom to his dad's restaurant. Milian apologizing for exploding about the offence, she admits that maybe her dreams are a little out there. The manager levels with her, telling her how she once wanted to be a soul singer. Thinking she can teach the older lady something, she pushes her onstage to sing, I mean kill cats with her horrid, banshee-like screeches. She enjoys it though.
Ready to blow the whole secret wide open, Stamos sits down with Brewster as they listen to Peck's new girlfriend chastise him for eating, then being clumsy, and I'm sure for breathing too, though I might be wrong on that. When they get up and leave to clean the spilled oil from his shirt, Stamos and Brewster check her phone, finding texts from some name under "Big Daddy."
In the oldest, sitcom trick we all still know, love and fall for, it turns out they incorrectly identified big daddy as the girl's boss, as opposed to their son. He defends her, lesbian manager feels good that she made the right choice to give up on her singing career, Stamos learns both how to and how not to be a worried parent and Peck gets to keep his new girlfriend. The only casualty: Peck's 3-D printer which he sells to take his lady out on a snazzy date.
What did you think? Are you still watching and loving this family comedy? Do you think Peck's new girlfriend will stay for long? If so, will she make good competition for Milian? And what about the relationship with Stamos and Brewster? What do you think will happen there? Let me know in the comments below (hint: click the no comments button if you see no comments).
Check out my new 5-star comedy novel, Yep, I'm Totally Stalking My Ex-Boyfriend . #AhStalkingIf you’re looking for a scare, check #AFuriousWind, #DARKER, #BrandNewHome or #ThePowerOfTen. For those interested in something a little more dramatic, check out #TheWriter. The full first season is out now NOW exclusively on Amazon. If you like fast action crime check out #ADangerousLow. The sequel A New Low will be out in a few months. Join us on Goodreads to talk about books and TV, and subscribe to and follow my blog with that Google+ button to the right.
Until next time, "I'm not about to get knocked-out because of my stellar, always workable armbar technique. Oh, you said they're allowing kicks now? Oh."
P.S. Not everyone can take a foot to the side of their face like Rousey can. Does one loss a fake make? No. Like Donnie said, we fall down, but we get up! I'll think of a better sign-off next time.
Amazon
Goodreads Author Page
Goodreads Books Similar to TV Shows
Twitter@filmbooksbball
November 17, 2015
Quit Your Job, Take That Dump And Make Sure You Move In With Your Boyfriend Before You Go To See Jesus #CrazyExGirlfriend #CW #Musical #AhStalking
Quit Your Job, Take That Dump And Make Sure You Move In With Your Boyfriend Before You Go To See Jesus #CrazyExGirlfriend #CW #Musical #AhStalking
All pictures courtesy of the CW
Well, I'm going straight to hell for that title. As I wrote it, I thought, "ooo, should I really write that? It's kinda sacrilegious, but I am guessing that Jesus does know about the endocrine and excretory system since, you know, he's kinda God and he created it, so... there's that. But what about the show?"
Last night's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (#CrazyExGirlfriend) led with Rebecca overanalyzing what Josh said last week. Admittedly, I did not watch last week's episode as I was just too busy with writing and all of the other shows. I was debating whether I'd continue watching it, but I figured that I should do a recap of something different and since this was on first, there you go.
The word was "very" and the overanalysis depended on what Josh meant when he said that he was attracted to/liked Rebecca very much. Her sounding board of two fat Asian guys doing her no good, Josh just happens to pop up and uses the word very a bagillion times (I counted), diminishing its importance. But in that casu' run-in he mentions his family's upcoming Thanksgiving dinner bonanza. Everybody and dey mama (not their mothers. Don't proper English it up) was going to be there. Mostly Asians and Valencia (Josh's hot girlfriend), I was and am always surprised when Snoop Dogg doesn't show up randomly when people start listing how many people are attending an event.
Excuse my sidetracks as this was a very ridiculous episode. While Greg contemplates quitting his job at the bar to go back to business school, graduate (because I guess going to college and actually graduating is en vogue now) and make something of himself outside of West Covina, he has to worry about taking care of his dying father. Sharing his problems with Rebecca, she too shares her problems as her coworker Creepy Paula (yes, I have nicknamed her Creepy Paula) has convinced her that she needs to worm her way into that Thanksgiving Extravaganza after hearing that Josh's parents don't particularly get along with Valencia. Clearly both of their problems are on the same level.
Paula, the true mastermind behind the "crazy" in Rebecca's life discovers the Asian market where Josh's mom shops and takes Rebecca there to do a surprise meet and greet. She meets the mom and after Paula's info dump about her background, Josh's mom is thoroughly impressed. She's invited, holy crap! After that, possibly the funniest song I've seen on the show yet breaks out as Rebecca prepares for the party, bragging about how she "gives good parent."
Meanwhile, Greg follows through and quits his job Jerry Maguire-style, even telling his boss about his bad breath as the guy cheers him on for striving to make something of himself and escape the hole-in-the-wall. Unfortunately right as he quits, his father suffers a setback in his health, leveling up his illness like a character in Street Fighter. Unlike Street Fighter this is a bad thing, not to mention a pricey one, causing him to go crawling back to his job where not only does he learn that every employee does the big quitting scene but he also has lost his seniority privileges and has to work on Thanksgiving where he does a song about West Covina being not good enough for him.
Back at Josh's parents' house, Rebecca knocks it out of the park with his parents: showing cultural awareness and sensitivity, being charming, being funny and showing up Valencia at every turn. Creepy Paula, meanwhile, shares a Thanksgiving dinner with her family where she has rigged a button to Rebecca's Stepford Wives' waspy sweater outfit so she can watch everything that's going on with Rebecca. Not to talk bad about the actress or try to call out feminine beauty standards or whatever, but did anyone else think she totally had elf ears with her hair back like that? Was that on purpose? It didn't look good and I got distracted with the continual thought of Christmas.
Santa's Helper? She even wore red. Come on!
Speaking of distractions, after downing so much Asian food, Rebecca had to run to the master bathroom to "drop off the kids." Ready to take a load off, she hears Josh and Valencia come into the room and argue about how she is showing Valencia up trying to steal Josh away in front of his family. The argument getting heated, it suddenly turns to sex. So much creepiness there, Rebecca listens/watches as the two of them have sex with a house full of family and friends. Daring not to take her dump--big health risk, by the way--she escapes after their extended sex romp only to hear him ask Valencia in front of everyone if she would move in with him. Of course the lady orange says yes after which the entire family goes to church. While Rebecca is invited, she doesn't go because she has to go and relieve herself, and she is very Jewish.
She returns to her place just in time and cops a squat. My question at that point: Was Creepy Paula really about to watch her take a crap not once, but twice? She was very interested in seeing whether Rebecca would make it there or not; it was her Thanksgiving Day suspense thriller. Frankly, both women need to be committed. The episode ended with Rebecca and Greg having a Netflix and chill night with Greg falling more in love with her, but there being no "chill." How you gone you have pillows and blankets and popcorn and Netflix but no chill? You know that ain't right. Even the color of the blankets, his shirt, her entire clothing ensemble and the low-glow of the TV screen could not match the overwhelming blueness of his balls. She's got Super Saiyan Friendzoning powers (80s cartoon DBZ).
What did you think? Are you still rooting for her to see the great relationship she could have with Greg? Is Creepy Paula creeping you out as much as she is me? And what has been your favorite song of the series so far? Let me know in the comments below (hint: click the no comments button if you see no comments).
Check out my new 5-star comedy novel similar to Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Yep, I'm Totally Stalking My Ex-Boyfriend . #AhStalkingIf you’re looking for a scare, check #AFuriousWind, #DARKER, #BrandNewHome or #ThePowerOfTen. For those interested in something a little more dramatic, check out #TheWriter. The full first season is out now NOW exclusively on Amazon. If you like fast action crime check out #ADangerousLow. The sequel A New Low will be out in a few months. Join us on Goodreads to talk about books and TV, and subscribe to and follow my blog with that Google+ button to the right.
Until next time, "there once was a girl. Her name was Felicia. And indeed we did say bye to her. And that was the story of Felicia."
P.S. I thought long and hard about that sign-off. I was going to try to say something clever, maybe fit in a comment about Becky and that Sir Mix-a-lot song and how often Rebecca Bunch shakes it. But in the end, I couldn't pull it together. I swear next time my sign-off will not only be better, it'll actually make sense.
Amazon
Goodreads Author Page
Goodreads Books Similar to TV Shows
Twitter@filmbooksbball
All pictures courtesy of the CWWell, I'm going straight to hell for that title. As I wrote it, I thought, "ooo, should I really write that? It's kinda sacrilegious, but I am guessing that Jesus does know about the endocrine and excretory system since, you know, he's kinda God and he created it, so... there's that. But what about the show?"
Last night's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (#CrazyExGirlfriend) led with Rebecca overanalyzing what Josh said last week. Admittedly, I did not watch last week's episode as I was just too busy with writing and all of the other shows. I was debating whether I'd continue watching it, but I figured that I should do a recap of something different and since this was on first, there you go.
The word was "very" and the overanalysis depended on what Josh meant when he said that he was attracted to/liked Rebecca very much. Her sounding board of two fat Asian guys doing her no good, Josh just happens to pop up and uses the word very a bagillion times (I counted), diminishing its importance. But in that casu' run-in he mentions his family's upcoming Thanksgiving dinner bonanza. Everybody and dey mama (not their mothers. Don't proper English it up) was going to be there. Mostly Asians and Valencia (Josh's hot girlfriend), I was and am always surprised when Snoop Dogg doesn't show up randomly when people start listing how many people are attending an event.
Excuse my sidetracks as this was a very ridiculous episode. While Greg contemplates quitting his job at the bar to go back to business school, graduate (because I guess going to college and actually graduating is en vogue now) and make something of himself outside of West Covina, he has to worry about taking care of his dying father. Sharing his problems with Rebecca, she too shares her problems as her coworker Creepy Paula (yes, I have nicknamed her Creepy Paula) has convinced her that she needs to worm her way into that Thanksgiving Extravaganza after hearing that Josh's parents don't particularly get along with Valencia. Clearly both of their problems are on the same level.
Paula, the true mastermind behind the "crazy" in Rebecca's life discovers the Asian market where Josh's mom shops and takes Rebecca there to do a surprise meet and greet. She meets the mom and after Paula's info dump about her background, Josh's mom is thoroughly impressed. She's invited, holy crap! After that, possibly the funniest song I've seen on the show yet breaks out as Rebecca prepares for the party, bragging about how she "gives good parent."
Meanwhile, Greg follows through and quits his job Jerry Maguire-style, even telling his boss about his bad breath as the guy cheers him on for striving to make something of himself and escape the hole-in-the-wall. Unfortunately right as he quits, his father suffers a setback in his health, leveling up his illness like a character in Street Fighter. Unlike Street Fighter this is a bad thing, not to mention a pricey one, causing him to go crawling back to his job where not only does he learn that every employee does the big quitting scene but he also has lost his seniority privileges and has to work on Thanksgiving where he does a song about West Covina being not good enough for him.
Back at Josh's parents' house, Rebecca knocks it out of the park with his parents: showing cultural awareness and sensitivity, being charming, being funny and showing up Valencia at every turn. Creepy Paula, meanwhile, shares a Thanksgiving dinner with her family where she has rigged a button to Rebecca's Stepford Wives' waspy sweater outfit so she can watch everything that's going on with Rebecca. Not to talk bad about the actress or try to call out feminine beauty standards or whatever, but did anyone else think she totally had elf ears with her hair back like that? Was that on purpose? It didn't look good and I got distracted with the continual thought of Christmas.
Santa's Helper? She even wore red. Come on!Speaking of distractions, after downing so much Asian food, Rebecca had to run to the master bathroom to "drop off the kids." Ready to take a load off, she hears Josh and Valencia come into the room and argue about how she is showing Valencia up trying to steal Josh away in front of his family. The argument getting heated, it suddenly turns to sex. So much creepiness there, Rebecca listens/watches as the two of them have sex with a house full of family and friends. Daring not to take her dump--big health risk, by the way--she escapes after their extended sex romp only to hear him ask Valencia in front of everyone if she would move in with him. Of course the lady orange says yes after which the entire family goes to church. While Rebecca is invited, she doesn't go because she has to go and relieve herself, and she is very Jewish.
She returns to her place just in time and cops a squat. My question at that point: Was Creepy Paula really about to watch her take a crap not once, but twice? She was very interested in seeing whether Rebecca would make it there or not; it was her Thanksgiving Day suspense thriller. Frankly, both women need to be committed. The episode ended with Rebecca and Greg having a Netflix and chill night with Greg falling more in love with her, but there being no "chill." How you gone you have pillows and blankets and popcorn and Netflix but no chill? You know that ain't right. Even the color of the blankets, his shirt, her entire clothing ensemble and the low-glow of the TV screen could not match the overwhelming blueness of his balls. She's got Super Saiyan Friendzoning powers (80s cartoon DBZ).
What did you think? Are you still rooting for her to see the great relationship she could have with Greg? Is Creepy Paula creeping you out as much as she is me? And what has been your favorite song of the series so far? Let me know in the comments below (hint: click the no comments button if you see no comments).
Check out my new 5-star comedy novel similar to Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Yep, I'm Totally Stalking My Ex-Boyfriend . #AhStalkingIf you’re looking for a scare, check #AFuriousWind, #DARKER, #BrandNewHome or #ThePowerOfTen. For those interested in something a little more dramatic, check out #TheWriter. The full first season is out now NOW exclusively on Amazon. If you like fast action crime check out #ADangerousLow. The sequel A New Low will be out in a few months. Join us on Goodreads to talk about books and TV, and subscribe to and follow my blog with that Google+ button to the right.
Until next time, "there once was a girl. Her name was Felicia. And indeed we did say bye to her. And that was the story of Felicia."
P.S. I thought long and hard about that sign-off. I was going to try to say something clever, maybe fit in a comment about Becky and that Sir Mix-a-lot song and how often Rebecca Bunch shakes it. But in the end, I couldn't pull it together. I swear next time my sign-off will not only be better, it'll actually make sense.
Amazon
Goodreads Author Page
Goodreads Books Similar to TV Shows
Twitter@filmbooksbball
