Catching up is all I seem to do these days
So much TV to catch up on!
Awkward
I'm a Jenna/Matty 'shipper, but I really, really wished that Jenna would have chosen herself instead of one of the guys. It would have been a much better ending to the season. And they could have gone either way they wanted next season.
Don't Trust the Bitch in Apartment 23
I think this show is genius and it's my favorite comedy on right now. Why aren't more people watching this?
Downton Abbey
Season 3 has been sooo much better than season 2 so far. Though it has made me hate Robert. Even more. Also, I'm so bored with Bates' - and by extension Anna's - storyline. I feel so sorry for her being stuck with him. Both as a character and as an actress.
Sybil's death hardly moved me at all, except for its impact on Cora, Mary and Edith. I was disappointed in her marriage to Branson, and pretty much stopped caring at that point.
I'm finally starting to warm up to Edith's storyline. It was almost a relief when she was left at the altar because it felt too much like she talked herself into being in love because he was the only man who'd ever shown any interest in her and she felt she couldn't do better. Misguided as it was, I think Robert did the right thing (just at the wrong time - much like Anthony).
Mary/Matthew have been kind of glorious, though. And that's pretty much what I'm here for!
Elementary
This show! The pilot was okay, but every episode since then I've loved! Much more for the character interaction than the mysteries, but that's a much better basis for a television show than procedural brilliance.
I am so happy this show exists. Favorite new show by far!
The Good Wife
It's official - I don't understand Alicia AT ALL. Like, seriously? "Peter is so amazing for not sleeping with a campaign staffer so now I must kiss him"?! I mean, what the fuck? Is that really the lofty standard she holds him to?
Also, I'm hating Kalinda's husband storyline. The guy needs to go.
What the hell is up with this show putting its awesome women together with men that aren't even close to their league?
Ugh, the only 'ship that's never let me down is Will/Diane, and I don't even 'ship it romantically. *sob*
(Speaking of, how awesome are they this season?)
Hart of Dixie
As soon as the season started the way it did I decided to just stay in it for as long as Zoe/Wade lasted. The fact that they're not giving up this whole Zoe/George=starcrossed!lovers thing makes me doubt that this show will ever be for me. As soon as they start pushing that 'ship hard again, I'm outta there.
Also, I'm kinda hating how they're writing Wade. Way to spend a whole season developing a guy and then just regressing his characterization to what it was in the very first episode! Is character continuity really too much to ask?
Zoe/Wade are super adorable, though, so it's worth it for now.
Haven
I keep falling behind on this show. I know a lot of people love it, but I just don't. I think a big part of it is that I find Nathan so incredibly dull, so 'shipping Nathan/Audrey is out of the question. Also, Duke/Audrey does nothing for me.
Also, this season Nathan's been kind of a prick and I'm pretty much over it. And I don't believe for a second that he's gone. There's a reason why that episode was about bringing people back from the dead.
Homeland
Every episode of this show has been wall-to-wall WTF?! moments. I feel like I can't catch my breath when I watch because new developments are coming at me so hard and so fast.
Pretty much the only thing I haven't enjoyed this season was the VP's kid in that hit-and-run accident last episode. It just felt so cliché and I question the need for even more DRAMA for Dana. Really? Does it need to turn into a soap opera?
Someone on the Slate Culture Gabfest podcast mentioned the killing of the tailor as being a Jump the Shark moment, but I scoffed at that. The car accident, on the other hand, could turn out awful if they don't know exactly where they're going with it.
Carrie and Brody have such amazing chemistry, though, and I'm so happy they're once again in the same room.
Parks and Recreation
That marriage proposal was glorious! I'm pretty happy with this season so far.
Project Runway season 10
Um, who won again? That's how memorable that season was. Dmitry was so the expected choice, but I really felt that the most exciting final collection was Fabio (even if I don't love that particular style).
Melissa's collection was probably the only one that I would consider buying, but it didn't feel high fashion enough to warrant a win.
Basically, season 10 was a snooze fest.
Project Runway season All Stars
Man, I hated Wendy Pepper the first time around, but this time I was enjoying her tons. So naturally she's already gone. Of course! Kayne should have gone, I thought. (What's the point of designing a look inspired by shoes when the shoes are hidden by the pants?)
I'm really loving Uli's stuff so far. Suede can leave any time now. Emilio, Joshua, Ivy and Anthony are all competent, I guess, but so far I haven't been wowed by their stuff. Can't really remember what the others have even done so far.
Revenge
Am I the only one who's kinda over this show? Not even Nolan and Emily/Nolan is making me sit up and take notice.
It was so fun for a while there, too! Oh well.
Scandal
I'm intrigued by the conspiracy. What the hell is going on?!
My biggest problem with this show is that I don't really love any of the characters. I don't have an "in" to the show so I watch it somewhat removed. I need a POV character, dammit!
I'm watching a ton of other stuff. Still haven't given up on Revolution, but I'm close. Same with Up All Night. Nashville is turning out to be trashy fun, but I wish they'd lay off the women being at each other's throats. I just want awesome female characters interacting and loving each other, why is that so impossible for television to deliver! Oh, except The Bletchley Circle delivered it in spades! And was only four episodes long. *sigh* Last Resort has settled into a humdrum existence, which is a shame. (I mostly want Ben Covington and Taylor Townsend to meet and mack on each other. I'm not sure how this is ever going to happen, so my interest in the show is dwindling fast.) I'm actually enjoying The Mindy Project more and more, and I hope they find their footing. Once Upon a Time is no slouch when it comes to women, but the crappy CGI just takes me out of the moment Every. Damn. Time. I had hoped they would have wizened up by the time season 2 rolled around.
Thanks to my awesome job I have access to season 2 of The Hour. But I've been holding off on watching it because what if it's amazingly awesome and I'll have no one to talk to about it? It's a hard knock life, I tells ya!
This past week I also finally started watching The Lizzie Bennet Diaries on YouTube (along with half of Tumblr it seems) and OMG, this week!
Darcy! Darcy! Darcy! I'm not sure about the actor yet, but I'm too excited about this development to care much.
Also, this has led to a whole P&P renaissance where I'm (re-)reading fanfic and contemplating watching other adaptations. It feels a bit like coming home...
An update on the book sitch!
Since my last post I've read:
Bitterblue - which I loved and which disturbed me quite a bit. Man, that Leck was one sick puppy (not that we didn't already know this).
The Giver - I started reading this the same evening that I finished Bitterblue. And finished it that same evening, too! It was a very quick read. The language was very sparse and while I can appreciate books like that, I'm much more fond of books with rich and deeply descriptive language, so I didn't truly love it. It was good, though!
Cinder - oh, this one surprised me! I figured I'd be disappointed because it sounded too much like Exactly. My. Thing. But it lived up to its promise! The only problem I had with it was that my expectation was that it would be one fairytale per book, finished and done with so I felt robbed of my happy ending when I suddenly reached the last page. However, I'm happy to keep following Cinder, so there's an upside too.
Divergent - myr_soleil said that the world-building was weird and I agree, it doesn't make sense to think that dividing people into factions based on their character would bring peace, but on the other hand, I still enjoyed the way the book played out and I'm about halfway through the second book (on hold now because of my resurgence of P&P love).
Next, I think I need to reread The Queen's Thief - at least the first three books (possibly just the middle two). But Dark Star is waiting for me at the post office, too, so... We'll see which will make my fingers itch to pick it up the most. Also, Jellicoe Road was recommended by a couple of people, so I gotta get on that.
Books!
Awkward
I'm a Jenna/Matty 'shipper, but I really, really wished that Jenna would have chosen herself instead of one of the guys. It would have been a much better ending to the season. And they could have gone either way they wanted next season.
Don't Trust the Bitch in Apartment 23
I think this show is genius and it's my favorite comedy on right now. Why aren't more people watching this?
Downton Abbey
Season 3 has been sooo much better than season 2 so far. Though it has made me hate Robert. Even more. Also, I'm so bored with Bates' - and by extension Anna's - storyline. I feel so sorry for her being stuck with him. Both as a character and as an actress.
Sybil's death hardly moved me at all, except for its impact on Cora, Mary and Edith. I was disappointed in her marriage to Branson, and pretty much stopped caring at that point.
I'm finally starting to warm up to Edith's storyline. It was almost a relief when she was left at the altar because it felt too much like she talked herself into being in love because he was the only man who'd ever shown any interest in her and she felt she couldn't do better. Misguided as it was, I think Robert did the right thing (just at the wrong time - much like Anthony).
Mary/Matthew have been kind of glorious, though. And that's pretty much what I'm here for!
Elementary
This show! The pilot was okay, but every episode since then I've loved! Much more for the character interaction than the mysteries, but that's a much better basis for a television show than procedural brilliance.
I am so happy this show exists. Favorite new show by far!
The Good Wife
It's official - I don't understand Alicia AT ALL. Like, seriously? "Peter is so amazing for not sleeping with a campaign staffer so now I must kiss him"?! I mean, what the fuck? Is that really the lofty standard she holds him to?
Also, I'm hating Kalinda's husband storyline. The guy needs to go.
What the hell is up with this show putting its awesome women together with men that aren't even close to their league?
Ugh, the only 'ship that's never let me down is Will/Diane, and I don't even 'ship it romantically. *sob*
(Speaking of, how awesome are they this season?)
Hart of Dixie
As soon as the season started the way it did I decided to just stay in it for as long as Zoe/Wade lasted. The fact that they're not giving up this whole Zoe/George=starcrossed!lovers thing makes me doubt that this show will ever be for me. As soon as they start pushing that 'ship hard again, I'm outta there.
Also, I'm kinda hating how they're writing Wade. Way to spend a whole season developing a guy and then just regressing his characterization to what it was in the very first episode! Is character continuity really too much to ask?
Zoe/Wade are super adorable, though, so it's worth it for now.
Haven
I keep falling behind on this show. I know a lot of people love it, but I just don't. I think a big part of it is that I find Nathan so incredibly dull, so 'shipping Nathan/Audrey is out of the question. Also, Duke/Audrey does nothing for me.
Also, this season Nathan's been kind of a prick and I'm pretty much over it. And I don't believe for a second that he's gone. There's a reason why that episode was about bringing people back from the dead.
Homeland
Every episode of this show has been wall-to-wall WTF?! moments. I feel like I can't catch my breath when I watch because new developments are coming at me so hard and so fast.
Pretty much the only thing I haven't enjoyed this season was the VP's kid in that hit-and-run accident last episode. It just felt so cliché and I question the need for even more DRAMA for Dana. Really? Does it need to turn into a soap opera?
Someone on the Slate Culture Gabfest podcast mentioned the killing of the tailor as being a Jump the Shark moment, but I scoffed at that. The car accident, on the other hand, could turn out awful if they don't know exactly where they're going with it.
Carrie and Brody have such amazing chemistry, though, and I'm so happy they're once again in the same room.
Parks and Recreation
That marriage proposal was glorious! I'm pretty happy with this season so far.
Project Runway season 10
Um, who won again? That's how memorable that season was. Dmitry was so the expected choice, but I really felt that the most exciting final collection was Fabio (even if I don't love that particular style).
Melissa's collection was probably the only one that I would consider buying, but it didn't feel high fashion enough to warrant a win.
Basically, season 10 was a snooze fest.
Project Runway season All Stars
Man, I hated Wendy Pepper the first time around, but this time I was enjoying her tons. So naturally she's already gone. Of course! Kayne should have gone, I thought. (What's the point of designing a look inspired by shoes when the shoes are hidden by the pants?)
I'm really loving Uli's stuff so far. Suede can leave any time now. Emilio, Joshua, Ivy and Anthony are all competent, I guess, but so far I haven't been wowed by their stuff. Can't really remember what the others have even done so far.
Revenge
Am I the only one who's kinda over this show? Not even Nolan and Emily/Nolan is making me sit up and take notice.
It was so fun for a while there, too! Oh well.
Scandal
I'm intrigued by the conspiracy. What the hell is going on?!
My biggest problem with this show is that I don't really love any of the characters. I don't have an "in" to the show so I watch it somewhat removed. I need a POV character, dammit!
I'm watching a ton of other stuff. Still haven't given up on Revolution, but I'm close. Same with Up All Night. Nashville is turning out to be trashy fun, but I wish they'd lay off the women being at each other's throats. I just want awesome female characters interacting and loving each other, why is that so impossible for television to deliver! Oh, except The Bletchley Circle delivered it in spades! And was only four episodes long. *sigh* Last Resort has settled into a humdrum existence, which is a shame. (I mostly want Ben Covington and Taylor Townsend to meet and mack on each other. I'm not sure how this is ever going to happen, so my interest in the show is dwindling fast.) I'm actually enjoying The Mindy Project more and more, and I hope they find their footing. Once Upon a Time is no slouch when it comes to women, but the crappy CGI just takes me out of the moment Every. Damn. Time. I had hoped they would have wizened up by the time season 2 rolled around.
Thanks to my awesome job I have access to season 2 of The Hour. But I've been holding off on watching it because what if it's amazingly awesome and I'll have no one to talk to about it? It's a hard knock life, I tells ya!
This past week I also finally started watching The Lizzie Bennet Diaries on YouTube (along with half of Tumblr it seems) and OMG, this week!
Darcy! Darcy! Darcy! I'm not sure about the actor yet, but I'm too excited about this development to care much.
Also, this has led to a whole P&P renaissance where I'm (re-)reading fanfic and contemplating watching other adaptations. It feels a bit like coming home...
An update on the book sitch!
Since my last post I've read:
Bitterblue - which I loved and which disturbed me quite a bit. Man, that Leck was one sick puppy (not that we didn't already know this).
The Giver - I started reading this the same evening that I finished Bitterblue. And finished it that same evening, too! It was a very quick read. The language was very sparse and while I can appreciate books like that, I'm much more fond of books with rich and deeply descriptive language, so I didn't truly love it. It was good, though!
Cinder - oh, this one surprised me! I figured I'd be disappointed because it sounded too much like Exactly. My. Thing. But it lived up to its promise! The only problem I had with it was that my expectation was that it would be one fairytale per book, finished and done with so I felt robbed of my happy ending when I suddenly reached the last page. However, I'm happy to keep following Cinder, so there's an upside too.
Divergent - myr_soleil said that the world-building was weird and I agree, it doesn't make sense to think that dividing people into factions based on their character would bring peace, but on the other hand, I still enjoyed the way the book played out and I'm about halfway through the second book (on hold now because of my resurgence of P&P love).
Next, I think I need to reread The Queen's Thief - at least the first three books (possibly just the middle two). But Dark Star is waiting for me at the post office, too, so... We'll see which will make my fingers itch to pick it up the most. Also, Jellicoe Road was recommended by a couple of people, so I gotta get on that.
Books!