Finale Roundup

Here are some thoughts on some recent finales and the seasons accompanying them:

Community Season 4

I have...mixed feelings on everything involved with Community this season. I wanted to like the Harmon-less era. I really really did. But while the show wasn't terrible, it really wasn't the same. It just wasn't. And as such, while I kept an open mind and tried to like every episode, there was only so much I could do before each episode left me with a feeling of 'meh'. I was obsessed with Community last year. I rewatched every episode multiple times. I don't think I rewatched a single episode this season. I think the finale really demonstrated where the season went wrong. There were quite a few laughs throughout the episode (mostly brought on by Troy. In fact, Donald Glover has been one of the few consistently awesome things about this season), but the episode was also trying so hard to be like the past seasons that it was just too much. The darkest timeline AND paintball AND Jeff's existential crisis about graduating were all competing for time, that nothing got the attention it deserved. They didn't even give Pierce a proper sendoff! Just one line about how he decided to graduate. The episode wasn't bad, but it also wasn't what I wanted either.
When Community got renewed for a 5th season, I was surprised at my reaction, because it wasn't immediately joy. I go into next season with trepidation and that makes me sad. Last year if Community had been cancelled, I would have been devastated. Now, I just hope that the writers all learned that they don't need to recreate the Dan Harmon-era. They are never going to be able to. They need to create their own vision for the show and run with it. And preferably give Jim Rash A LOT of episodes to write.

Vikings Season 1

Vikings! Yeah! *breaks stuff*
I started watching Vikings because I had the History channel on and a commercial came on for the show and it looked like a historically-accurate-Game of Thrones and I was like, "Self, how are you not watching this show?!" So I did. And I liked it!  It's a good show. Often really good when it lets itself. It also does remind me of Game of Thrones, although not quite as violent and naked-y. That's not to say it isn't without violence of course. Turns out vikings were pretty hardcore, and the action scenes on this show reflect that and are kind of incredible. It's also visually gorgeous and just really well put together (and that credits sequence! My god!).  Huge huge props also to Travis Fimmel's Ragnar Lothbrok who carries the show with a constant mischievous grin and an intensity that makes him one of the most fascinating lead characters on TV right now.
As for the actual finale, well....it felt a little rushed. Actually, kind of a lot rushed, which I'm assuming was because there were only 8 episodes and they didn't know if they were going to get another season or not (they are! Yay!). As such, Ragnar seemingly choosing Aslaug over Lagertha felt like it happened too fast and was also super disappointing. So much of the reason why this show is so great is because of Ragnar and Lagertha and their strong relationship, and now I'm super bummed. And the finale could have used a lot more Athelstan, who has had such an interesting arc, and I was still kiiiiind of holding out for that Ragnar/Lagertha/Athelstan threesome that was teased at in the earlier episodes. And now it might never happen! Also, I wish Rollo would stop making terrible decisions because he is really hot, and I would like to just like him without feeling guilty about it. In conclusion, the finale wasn't that great, but the rest of the season was, and I am highly recommending it if you're looking for just some pure entertainment.

New Girl Season 2

I can't be objective about this show at all. I just love it so much and it brings me so much joy and I totally loved the finale. I always enjoyed New Girl in the 1st season, but it wasn't until towards the end of that season that I think it really started to live up to its potential, and Season 2 has just been fantastic pretty much all throughout. It might be the best live action comedy on television right now and Nick Miller may be the funniest character on TV. And Nick/Jess so far has been handled extremely well.  Their scenes together are often serious and emotional, but they also are frequently dysfunctional and hilarious, much like the characters. There's a good balance there. And I think the finale demonstrated that balance well. I was kind of annoyed at their initial misunderstanding (although laughing my ass off at all "Cotton Eyed Joe" humor), but they moved past it pretty quickly, and their actual fight later in the vents was realistic and ultimately made them uncalling it at the end that much sweeter.  Besides that though, I laughed consistently throughout the episode mostly because Winston being terrible/over-enthusiastic about pranks is one of the best things in the entire world. Actually Winston killed this entire episode. The character doesn't really have much to do most of the time, but the actor is consistently hilarious and I loved everything that came out of his mouth this episode. I kind of couldn't care less about Schmidt/Cece at this point, but I really like Elizabeth and I thought that the resolution of Cece's wedding was well done, with a surprisingly hilarious Taylor Swift cameo. I'm going to miss this show this summer.

Bob's Burgers Season 3

I had to put that New Girl was the best "live action" show on TV right now because Bob's Burgers is probably the best comedy on television at the moment period. I'm not sure I can think of another show that makes me happier than Bob's Burgers. Not only is it consistently hilarious, but the characters are appealing, good people, who genuinely like each other. I think one of the best things about the show is it's not mean-spirited at all. The Belchers may be kind of dysfunctional, but they love and support each other no matter what. Not to mention the show is so weird and creative! There are always tons of things going on in the background (the reveal of the "Burger of the Week" is half the fun of every ep), and now every episode incorporates both a new song AND a brand new end credits sequence.
As to the finale, it was another great episode, incorporating wackiness, like Tina becoming addicted to espressos (which was so great. So. Great), with heart, as the family came together to help Gene succeed at baseball. And omg how happy was I that Regular Sized Rudy showed up again in the finale?! He instantly became my favorite supporting character when he was introduced in the field trip episode, and his positivity and perseverance in the face of crippling asthma has brought me so much joy.

Once Upon A Time Season 2

I'm not even sure what to do with this show. Weirdly enough, I thought the first half of this season was kind of good. And some of the middle episodes with Cora were interesting. But I don't know, this back half has just been so...dumb. It's frustrating however, because there have been little glimpses of good. Peter Pan being an evil shadow monster was interesting and I kind of like Emma/Neal? I think. And the best part of the finale was surprisingly the relationship between Hook and Baelfire. I liked seeing the softer side of Hook, even when I always expected it was there. But when every answer to every problem is "MAGIC!" it gets really repetitive, really fast, and just so so dumb and cheesy. And is Regina evil or not?! Every time the show looks like they're leading her towards redemption, they have her do something so horrible it seems like no one could possibly forgive her. Yet all of the characters continuously cut her so much slack. It's just so frustrating! And I totally screwed myself because I kept waiting and waiting for Mulan and Aurora to come back every episode and was continuously disappointed. So when we finally had confirmation that they would appear in the finale, I got really really excited and then was HORRIBLY LET DOWN when they only had one tiny scene and Mulan didn't even get a line and fucking Phillip was there. Sigh. At this point I'm kind of on the fence on whether or not I'll continue with this show next year. We shall see.

Supernatural Season 8

Wow, I really really liked that finale. Actually I've really liked this entire season. It's a general consensus that the best seasons of this show were the first 5, as they followed the original creator of the show's, Eric Kripke, overall story-arc. And I definitely agree, as while there have been moments of Seasons 6 & 7 that I've enjoyed, there was a lot of wheel-spinning going on and it felt like there was just...something missing. So imagine my surprise at how much I've really enjoyed Season 8! It started off kind of shaky with the brothers not getting along again, but they saved it with the introduction of Benny the vampire and a mind-controlled Castiel. And I've always been very interested in the show's dealings with myth and religion and fate, so everything with the angels and the tablets and Kevin and Crowley and the trials was fascinating to me. Finally, the boys had a clear-cut goal to strive towards, and finally they were both working together and were functioning in a healthy relationship. Not to mention the Men of Letters thing was an ingenious addition to the show, and their new home-base was much needed.
So I'm glad to see the season end on a high note. There were twists and turns and excitement throughout the episode, but of course the most affecting scene was Sam & Dean's teary confession and hug at the end.  They still get to me! It's why I'm not sure I'll ever quit this show. As long as Sam & Dean keep eliciting these feelings in me, I'll be there to the end. Also, a potentially sorta-redeemed Crowley helping out the boys and Human!Cas next season would make me so so happy. Make it so!

The Office Season 9

If I attempted to write out all of my feelings on the The Office and just how much the show has meant to me throughout the years, I would never stop writing. So I'll try and keep this short and to the point. I love The Office. I've loved The Office since I watched my first episode back when Season 2 was airing. Between Seasons 2 and 5, The Office was one of my favorite shows on television, and not only was it appointment viewing for me, I pretty much got everyone I knew into the show as well. Yes, The Office declined in quality. Yes, some of the later seasons you could even describe as "bad". But I still loved The Office. Even through all of that. Even after Michael Scott left and they kind of ruined my favorite secondary character Andy and all the weirdness with Robert California. I still loved it. Because The Office consistently brought me so much joy throughout those earlier seasons (which spanned the entirety of my college career), that I forgave it everything. I loved it. And I always will.
The Office is over now. And I can't argue that it wasn't time. The show's been past its prime for a while. But I'm still sad. And it was still hard letting go this Thursday night, even though it ended so perfectly. Each character beat in this episode felt right, and I cried because I was so happy to see everyone get a special moment, but also because I was going to miss everyone so much. It was sappy and emotional and there was an overabundance of montages, but dammit, it was so good! If nothing else than because Michael came back. And him and Holly had kids! And he was so proud of his other "kids" for growing up and marrying each other. And he got to deliver the greatest "that's what she said" joke in the history of the series. It was perfect. And everything I wanted. And I'll never forget this show and what it meant to me ♥

Television for the Week of September 16th

This is where I talk about all the tv I watched during the week. Featuring Boardwalk Empire, The Office, Parks and Recreation, and Project Runway.

12/8/11 Week In TV Podcast: No Longer Living Under a Rock

The Ashitaka's Angels: Week in TV podcast 12/8/11 by Ashitaka's Angels

Nay, reader, your eyes do not deceive you. THE OTHER TWO THIRDS OF THE ASHITAKA'S ANGELS ARE STILL ALIVE!!! Many thanks to Good Grief, who has been holding down the fort while Lea and I were living under a rock. Well, living under a rock and watching lots of TV. Last night, we decided, "Hey, we should probably talk about all this TV we're watching. Now, if only there was some place on the internet where we could discuss all the shows that we watch....like... a TV blog. Oh, wait!" Then, we made this podcast. Warning: it is a bit of a WHOPPER. In terms of length, that is.
It is not, unfortunately, a chocolate-covered malt ball or a hamburger.

For those brave souls who end up listening to the whole thing, there's a digital hug waiting for you.
For those who do not want that and want to skip around, here's the rundown on what we discuss:

00:00-04:59 Boardwalk Empire: S2E11 "Under God's Power She Flourishes"

05:00-09:18 The Walking Dead: Season 2 in general

09:19-12:00 New Girl: overall impressions

12:01-13:50 Modern Family: S3E10 "Express Christmas"

13:51-18:00 The Office: S8E10 "Christmas Wishes"

18:01-24:00 Parks & Rec: S4E10 "Citizen Knope"

24:01-35:15 Community: S3E10 "Regional Holiday Music"/ Doctor Who Christmas Special Flail/ Inspector Spacetime Christmas Wish

35:16-40:00 Breaking Bad: Its similarities to Glee, how it has shattered Lea's life, and how she wants it to shatter mine

Enjoy :)

Lea's Weekly Recap 1/24 - 1/29

Chuck 4.12 "Chuck Vs. The Gobbler"

CASEEYYYY NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!11
Ok, so actually I'm not that concerned about Casey. I don't really think the dude is going to die. How much permanent damage he has remains to be seen, but they aren't going to kill off my Casey (Really, he probably should be dead. Because seriously, unless you're John Locke, you really shouldn't even survive a fall like that, but I digress). So, the rest of the episode was pretty good. I have to give it up for Timothy Dalton who has been an absolute DELIGHT every time he's been onscreen. Best guest star ever or best guest star ever (and this for a show that consistently has good guest stars). I still can't believe how readily Volkoff let Sarah walk into his organization, and the misunderstanding at the end was kind of lame. BUT the action was good and when Chuck and Sarah kissed in Castle, I swooned. Next week is supposed to be a real doozy, so I can't wait!

American Idol "Auditions #3 Milwaukee" & "Auditions #4 Nashville"
I. HATE. SOB. STORIES.

The Office 7.14 "The Seminar"

Everyone is talking about the Ricky cameo and rightly so! It was absolutely perfect. The look on Michael's face when he realized he had met his soul mate was priceless. I'm really glad they did that, and that they didn't dwell on it either. It was there and gone and so so satisfying. And what? Another good episode? Yay! Maybe this season is getting back on track! I just have to say that I could listen to Michael and Holly speak in weird accents to each other all day. And Andy was of course, magnificent: "I guess when you looked in me, you forgot about my balls. They're on the outside. Don't know how you missed them."


Community 2.13 "Celebrity Pharmacology" 

I was going to do a post about Community season 1 as I just finished watching the DVDs recently, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. I've been watching the recent season 2 episodes despite the fact that I missed the first half of the season, but regardless, this show has quickly become one of my favs. It's another one that doesn't make me laugh out loud all the time, but it's so dang enjoyable. The show is meta to a fault, but I actually love it. Some of my favorite episodes, like the paintball ep, were the ones that reminded you constantly, 'hey, you're watching a tv show!' I think the show took a little while to get its footing, but by the end of season 1, all of the character's 'places' in the show got figured out and it truly became great.
As far as this episode goes, I liked it a lot. Despite the fact that Chevy Chase is amazing on the show, Pierce isn't one of my favorite characters, but him riling up a group of middle schoolers into chanting "we want drugs!" was amazing. Not more amazing than Senor Chang however, who cracks my shit up every time he appears. I love him. He needs to be in every scene on this show ever.

The Ricky Gervais Show 2.3 "The Fly"

If you aren't watching this show, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! It's consistently one of the funniest things I watch all week. I cannot believe Karl Pilkington is a real person.

Lea's Weekly Recap 1/16 - 1/22

So we're trying something sort of new here at the good ol' blog. Every Friday or Saturday, Zozizzle and I (and yes, I changed my moniker to just 'Lea' now. Although Mind Grapes is still in my heart) will attempt a weekly recap post, where we talk about all of the television that we watched for the week. Granted, sometimes an episode that we see will be so great and so full of excitement that a short thought-synopsis won't be sufficient, and in that case, those episodes will be getting their own separate posts.  But for all the other tv that we watch (let's face it, we can watch a  lot of tv), these posts are for that.

Chuck 4.11 "Chuck Vs. The Balcony"

 Chuck is back after the hiatus with a pretty strong episode. The episode focused less on a real mission and more on the sub-mission to get Chuck to propose to Sarah. Amusing stuff mostly because of the inclusion of Morgan, who first worked with Chuck, then Sarah, and then with Casey to try and get it done (Gosh, I remember a time when I hated Morgan. No longer. I love Morgan! Love him!). I thought the episode was sweet and funny and my heart grew 3 sizes when Casey told his proposal story to Chuck: "Forget the balcony. All you need is the girl."
And then I got a Lester story line. A LESTER STORY LINE! Mayhaps you know that I'm kind of a big Lester fan, so when he brought his prospective fiancee into his "Saskatchewan Hinjew" cavern, I felt great joy. That was only surpassed by the appearance of JEFFSTER! Never change, Jeffster. Never change.
I will admit to being a tad bit annoyed that the proposal got cut short if only b/c this show has sometimes run the risk of dragging out Chuck/Sarah issues for a little too long. I'm ready for them to finally be engaged, dammit! The storyline resulting in the capture caught me a bit off guard, just because it seems so implausible (but lol what is plausible on this show, really), buuuut the preview for next week looks amazing and so I'm definitely willing to see how it plays out. I'm just glad my Chuck is back!

American Idol 10 "Auditions #1 New York/New Jersey" & "Auditions #2 New Orleans"

 Ah my love/hate relationship with American Idol continues.  So everyone's freaking out because Simon is gone, eh? Meh. I only started watching this show at the very end of Simon's run, when the dude had clearly checked out and was envisioning a world with an American X-Factor where he could control everything, and I never really found his critiques all that helpful. So I'd rather look forward to new judges (and no more Kara! PRAISE JESUS HALLELUJAH!), and so far I'm cautiously optimistic. Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez had a good first outing. Steven is sort of like the new Paula, wacky and out there and making up phrases, but he also was surprisingly compassionate and let people down easy, while still being tough. He also enjoys singing along to everything, which could get annoying, but eh, it's Steven Tyler, you let the man sing. So far he was definitely the bright spot of the episodes, but J.Lo did a pretty good job as well. She may have had trouble saying no, but she actually gave some strong critiques as well as seemed to really care about the contestants and what she was doing. The real test for both Steven and Jennifer will definitely be the live shows. That's where these guys are really going to sink or swim, but as of right now, I'm encouraged.  And Randy Jackson was just Randy Jackson. I've always had a soft spot for Randy, so as long as he keeps wearing cardigans and serving out "yo dawgs", I'm good.
Oh, the actual contestants? All I remember is that there were a shit-ton of teenage girls whose voices all sounded the exact same to me, which doesn't really bode well (are they looking for a female pop-singer?). A  few teenage boys got through, who I really only remember for their sob stories (Wheelchairs! Twins in Harlem! Picked on because of being a ginger!) than anything else. A fat Justin Bieber. And then of course there was Yoshi-Pop! We'll leave it at that.

Modern Family 2.13 "Caught In the Act"

 I thought this was a pretty solid episode, with quite a few laugh-out-loud moments for me. My watching of Modern Family has started fairly recently, when I went through the first season in about a month and have been watching season 2 ever since. I find this show extremely enjoyable and one that is always entertaining, even in it's "worst" episodes. I've kind of always seen it as the much less dysfunctional version of Arrested Development. But while that show had me in stitches practically the entire episode, Modern Family doesn't always get guffaws from me, but it's always really pleasant to watch. It makes me smile and it makes me happy, and the 3 different families give you at least one thing to grasp hold of every episode. One of them doesn't carry the whole season, but instead all are given good story lines throughout (my favorite story lines however, are the ones that bring all the families together).
The main plot of this one with the kids walking in on Phil and Claire in bed was pretty good, mostly for the kid's reactions (I love Luke and the actor who plays him. His one-liners are a riot: "I don't know what they were doing, but it looked like Dad was winning.") and for Phil being Phil: "Excuse me for thinking your zesty performance deserved some praise."
The mixup with Gloria's email and her thinking Claire was angry about something other than what she was was a liiiiitle too sitcom cliche for me, but the pay off - with Gloria propositioning them to "taste her cupcakes" and Phil almost passing out - was hysterical.
The Cam/Mitch story line felt a little like an afterthought, but I was dying as Cam tried to think of the correct actress who owned the rug as he was freaking out (also, is Lilly the most well-behaved child ever?).

The Office 7.12 "Ultimatum" 

Another pretty good episode after a hiatus. I think, along with it seems like many of the viewing public, that this season of The Office is the worst of it's 7 year run. I know I'll always love it no matter what and will keep watching until it ends, but some of the story lines this year have seemed a bit stale and repetitive (and in fact, I worry about that a bit with the Michael/Holly story line. Those two need to get together in the end, yet I thought a lot of to-do was made about them this episode, where ultimately nothing really happened. Holly's taking a break now? That's it? Boo!). However, I really enjoyed this episode, because there were quite a few great lines and moments which had me rolling. First, Erin has kind of become a caricature, but I don't care, she is hysterical. I love her helping Michael so readily with his video and his "sad box" and "happy box" (with the gummi bears in the sad and the gummi worms in the happy, obviously). And her hatred of Holly is never not funny. Also: "My goal was to learn a new word every single day. And I must say that it is going immensely."
The resolution story line is one that would be incredibly stupid in real life, but it led to some awesome gags, especially Kevin being forced to eat broccoli as he struggles and then spitting it out everywhere. And of course, Andy roller skating to DMB and then dancing to a strobe light, things that are never not good. Greatest line of the episode however was uttered by the legendary Creed, "F*** YOU! F*** YOU!" in response to Erin doing the perfect cartwheel, which Creed only dreamed a possibility.

The Office 6.9 "Murder"

I haven't talked about The Office in a while, which is a shame because it is still just as good as its ever been. There were a few 'meh' episodes at the beginning of the season, but I am loving these more recent episodes. The wedding episode was, of course, beautiful (and I still kind of can't believe I didn't make a post about it), but this last episode, "Murder", I thought was one of the stronger ones of the seasons.

The reason why this show is so good is because it can balance the dramatic with the funny. I'm concerned about Dunder Mifflin and where the bankruptcy is going to lead, but I also spent the entire episode laughing my ass off. Whether it was Dwight fighting with himself, Creed speeding away from the scene of the crime, or Michael getting way too involved in the game, this episode had a lot to laugh about.

Also, I can't be the only one who cried over the Erin/Andy thing, can I? Maybe it's just because I have great, undying love for Andy Bernard, but that whole story is so sweet, and curse them for being too dumb to realize they were both thinking the same thing. Someone said (I believe it was Master Sepinwall) that they are like the goofier Jim/Pam: a salesman falling in love with a receptionist. Awwww.

This show, along with Supernatural, which has been truly great this season, makes Thursday night awesome!

Are you ready for this?

Jim and Pam's wedding is tonight! Something that this show has been building up to since, well, since it started. I was talking with Zozizzle a couple of nights ago and came to the conclusion that Jim and Pam are my favorite OTP. I have never been this invested in a fictional couple before in my entire life, and never have I seen a show handle a couple this well. Every new step in their relationship people would be worried that the show would mess it up: they're dragging it out too long, they got together too soon, they're gonna add unnecessary problems, a baby is going to screw up the relationship, etc., etc. I can honestly say though, none of these problems have come to pass. Jim and Pam have been perfection since the first time we saw Jim flirting with her at reception.

Last year I made my "Top 10 Jim/Pam Moments" list. It's a little outdated now. The engagement scene I think ranks at the Number 2 moment, but the "I'm in love with you" scene will always be Number 1. Always. That is one of my favorite scenes of anything ever. Feel free to relive the moments on that list. I know I am.

*squee* Wedding. Tonight. Can't wait :D

Spend Some Time on the Internet

You'll find stuff like this:



There's plenty more where that came from on Hulu!

Like some words of wisdom from Dwight

I declare today....Office Day!

It's here



9:00 NBC

No words right now. No words

TV Season Recap Podcast Adventure!

Ashitakas Angels Podcast #3 - Ashitakas Angels

Long time no podcast, dear readers. That's right, Mind Grapes and I decided to do another podcast. This time around, we decided to do a sweeping season recap! Exciting, I know. We basically talk about all the shows we watched (in part or in total) and give our general impressions (plus bonus haikus! yay!). Just be warned, it's a long one. So, do whatever you need to do to settle yourselves in...grab your favorite beverage, pick your favorite chair, etc., and let the beautiful yet (hopefully) entertaining chaos that is an Ashitaka's Angels podcast overtake you.

ETA: Please ignore the random musical interlude around the 4 minute mark. Don't really know what happened there. Oh yeah...we're professional.

OMG we're podcasting again?!

Ashitakas Angels Podcast #2 - Ashitakas Angels

Yes! We are podcasting again! Why? Because we like the sound of our own voices! Today's installment features:

1. Office finale squee!
2. 30 Rock finale hilarity!
3. Talk of the Detroit Red Wings and their domination of all other teams!
4. Mentions of Kradam fanfic. Be warned.
5. Musical interludes!
6. A serious message for Good Grief.
7. A discussion of the Grey's Anatomy finale and its weirdness. Plus: Does Kevin McKidd = Marian Hossa?
8. Did we mention Kradam?
9. Insanity + Kris Allen outro

~mind grapes and zozizzle

Thursday night television recap: This sh*t just got real

The Office 5.21 "Two Weeks"-
I really liked this episode of The Office. It didn't have as many laugh out loud moments for me, but I thought it was really well written and offered up a lot of implications for the weeks to come. I totally bought that Pam would want to leave and not be a receptionist. I think they've been building that up with her character for a long time. BUT I thought it was pretty stupid that she would go with Michael of all people. She has to know there is no way he's going to get his business off the ground, right? I like that she decided to take charge, but that was also a really impulsive thing to do, and I'm not sure where they're going with it exactly. Still, I can't wait to see more, and I think that's why this episode succeeded. Also, Michael's attempts to get people to come to his company and people's rejection of said attempts allowed for some pretty funny moments, heh.

30 Rock 3.16 "Apollo, Apollo"-
Great episode! 30 Rock can be hit or miss for me sometimes, but I really enjoyed this episode. I love Jack and Liz's relationship and I think this episode highlighted it very well, while also hitting a kind of sweet emotional chord with Jack becoming a kid again. Aw. My favorite part of the episode though? Seeing the world through Kenneth's eyes. Muppets! I really do wish I could live my life like that! :)




Supernatural 4.17 "It's a Terrible Life"-
I thought this was a really nice episode. The past two weeks have been super serious and mytharc-y so it was nice to get a more lighthearted episode for change. Although, it seemed that the episode was going to be completely stand alone, and then they turned that on its head at the end. I liked that while it was a fun ep, it also connected into the mytharc somewhat, and I liked the implications behind Zachariah and trying to get Dean to buy into his destiny. My absolute favorite part of the episode however, was the return of the Ghostfacers! I don't know why, but I love them! "It's illegal in some states" "All states" "Possibly all states" LOL. I hope we get another Ghostfacers-centric episode soon!

Grey's Anatomy 5.19 "Elevator Love Letter"-



You guys! You guys you guys YOU GUYS! Listen! I actually watched the entire episode of Grey's tonight! I didn't just wait to watch YouTube clips of Kevin McKidd the next morning. I actually sat down to watch the whole episode and I'm glad I did, because um....it was pretty good. I actually thought that stupid Meredith's and stupid Derek's proposal scene was pretty sweet. But most importantly, seeing all the Cristina/Owen stuff in context just made it that much better. Dear sweet god! I kind of feel sorry for people who haven't been exposed to this couple yet. They. Are. Epic. And tragic! YOU GUYS! I am getting emotional just thinking about them. I had heard they were going to go to a dark place this episode with Owen's PTSD, but even I wasn't expecting that scene with them at the beginning. Extremely disturbing. But that scene, plus the hug scene afterward were so unbelievably well acted and emotional and ugh...they are amazing! And then the sex scene! Oh my. I don't know if I have words for that yet. It was both incredibly hot and incredibly sad all at the same time. These are two people who desperately want to be together, but can't because of things outside of their control. I thought Sandra Oh and Kevin McKidd did an amazing job this episode, and while I'm crushed they broke up, I am happy that Owen is going to get help.
Lordy, I just read over what I just wrote and I sound like a complete and utter crazy person, but I'm going to post this anyways, because people need to know how great those two are. Look at what you've turned me into, Grey's! You have turned me into a raving lunatic! I think I may need help.

Best Kisses of All Time

I was suppose to make this post for Valentine's Day, but we can spread the love into the month of March--it can use :P

So here are my top ten kisses in my television history. There the examples of the best romances and relationships developed throughout the year. So get ready to say "aww"

Number 10: Admiral Adama and Laura Roslin

"Revelations"
Laura and Adama. There what we like to call the Mama and Papa of the fleet and although they fight at times and disagree. They have a beautiful and sweet relationship, in which each understand the other in a very rare and scary way. I'm so glad they're finally together, though I could have done with out their sex scene!


Number 9: Kyle and Amanda

"Whats the Frequency Kyle?"

It took a season and a half for these two to finally make it. And although a slightly cheesy background (a garden like oasis), it still is sweet that they finally stop all the talking and Kyle finally gets it and simply kisses her. I also think that Matt Dallas is just so amazing because he completes the feat of experiencing things for the first time ever, as if it really is his first time! It's amazing. Also I truly rooted for this couple cause Kyle just really fell for her from the very start. In their case it truly was love at first sight.

Number 8: Clark and Lana

"Calling"



Surprised? I have often complained about the gratuitous nature of their relationship, but in the beginning--the pure crush that Clark had on Lana and that she secretly harbored in her heart for him were endearing and sweet. So when they finally kiss after she brings him a birthday cake and he implies that he wish has always been to kiss her....and then it comes true! It's just pure television bliss for the fans who invested the time and payoff of their chemistry.

Number 7: Lucas and Brooke

"The Wind That Blew My Heart Away"


So I may be the only person in the fandom who really truly, fully and completely rooted for Brooke and Lucas to make it in the the end but here it is my top kiss for OTH occured in my fave episode of all time. I love this moment between them because not only does it involve rain but it also has an argument between them--where in her true nature Brooke questions why he chose her and loves her. And what does Luke do? He never fails to give her the reasons why before they share an epic-esque kiss.

Number 6: Kyle and Jessi

"Electric Kiss"

Although I am iffy about this couple, and the whole situation in which it occurs. I have to admit that it turns out to be a bitter-sweet moment with a beautiful connection between the two surviving creations of Zyx. Besides read the title, how could it be a misfit?

Number 5: Starbuck and Apollo

"Home"/"Six of One"






The first of many amazingly emotion filled encounters between Lt. Kara Thrace and Cpt. Lee Adama occurs when Starbuck returns from a mission and out of nowhere Lee takes the initiative and shockingly plants a tender kiss on Starbucks lips! And this moment doesn't get lingered upon and they simply move on after a witty exchange.

Then another monumental moment occurs between all the gray area of the past in "Six of One" when Starbuck is locked up in the brig once and again and Lee is departing from his call sign of Apollo to join and Quoram and as a good bye they share this prolonged kissed that attempts to sum up their feelings for one of them--and it comes pretty close.
OK so obviously I am a big fan of Lee and Kara---And I guess what I'm trying to say is that all these moments that they've shared shows how much they belong together and how much he truly loves her and she appreciates him for being there for him. Also they've proved multiple times what a kick-A team they are!!!

Number 4: Veronica and Logan

"Weapons of Class Destruction"


What can I say they're EPIC! It's undeniable from the moment they hooked up its been dynamite! Literal they're a very explosive couple.

I mean for goodness sake! The first time they kiss is after Logan comes to her rescue. Why do I love this moment? It's just so perfect. I love the fact that she looks at him for a moment and in an impulsive moment gently kisses him for a mere second. Then when she once again stares into his eyes, she becomes unsure of herself--a rare trait to find in Veronica. But it also is very realistic and I can just imagine the thoughts that are running through her head. But then before she can even walk 3 feet away from him, Logan pulls her into his embrace and opens the floodgates of his emotions. Something that I never really saw coming. I mean I usually can pick up on romantic connections but Rob Thomas, the trickster that he is caught me off guard :) And all is forgiven becuase it is such a wonderful moment. The scene finally ends with her looking up at him with entagled and opposing emotions of fear and wonderment.

Number 3: Jim and Pam

"Casino Night"



Okay so, Casino Night! Amazing!! Not only does Jim lay it all on the line and get shot down. He still ends the night with an insane in the membrame kiss with the girl of his dreams. I mean he spills his guts along with a few tears and all she can do when caught up in the moment is kiss him back. I love this episode and moment because it filled with disappointment, pain, but most importantly the hope and maybe a chance that they could end up together.

Number 2: Chuck and Sarah

"Chuck versus the Imported Hard Salami


I love this scene! Chuck and Sarah are meant to be from the beginning but this scene is so intensely perfect cause they think its the end and filled with foreshadowing (to an extent) but also through it all Chuck shows his true colors--sticking it out when it gets tough, specifically for the promise of Sarah's safety and Sarah being the bossy protective spy she is to be for the 'asset' but in the end she breaks and can't keep herself from him any longer. This is a theme that we see being brought up repeatedly throughout the show. They display true passion! Props Given to Yvonne and Zach. I really hope that they end up together and not just as a cover. I'd say that season 2 has been playing with my emotions along with theirs.

Number 1:Sydney and Vaughn

"Phase One"


Finally made it! Sydney and Vaughn, this scene shall be remembered always it. In my mind it is the classic television scene that all other shows try to recreate. In a moment of victory all they can think of is being with one another. The way in which the scene is set up is so perfect that you almost want to cry. They are set apart from each other, literally on separate parts of the room and as soon as the smoke has cleared away they move toward each other, the music swells, its quite cinematic, and when they finally meet no words are exchanged its all about their physical connection. And it truly comes down to the chemistry between the two of them and it is there. P.S. Michael Vartan also looks like he is an amazing kisser. I don't know why you'd leave that for Ben Affleck--but its all good. I don't have to feel so bad for admiring his sex appeal :P

Final Comments
There's my list for the ages. I hope you enjoy and feel free to challenge these words, but I truly feel that you won't find better on the TV landscape. Also if you hadn't notice the majority of the list are first kisses. Here's a hint if you didn't get it right the first time, chances are that it'll never be right. Honestly! It's really about the chemistry and passion. Love its complicated.

This was too good not to share with the world....

WHY?!?!?!?

So this past week in the areas of Smallville and Metropolis, Chloe basically lost all of her memories. Due to the overuse of her new powers and the infection that she gained from Brainiac.
Chloe Sullivan is one amnesiac girl on a rampage in this epi. And the only thing that remains to the near end are her memories of Clark until the moment she's left alone and begins to forget him too!

The Ahh-HA! moment came when she has a memory of Black Thursday (the episode where she kisses him because she's unsure if she'll ever see him again--unexpectedly a good moment) and everything gets replaced and all she can remember is Davis.
Who apparently is Doomsday * dramatic music here* and in love with Chloe. Which I saw coming a mile a way but I still have to say, Dang Davis! Why are all up on Jimmy's girl.


Anyways back to Amnesia Girl she goes running into the arms of Davis who is making some creepy changes who brings her back to her fiance and bestie buddy and Clark takes her to the newly built Fortress of Solitude and replaces her memory through the powers of Jar-El but here's the glitch and the thing that is truly upsetting me, why did he have to take away her memory of when she discovered his powers and what made their best buddy bond so tight :(
I mean she was the best sidekick a guy could ask for. But I guess I can see him wanting her to be happy for the few days before her wedding.
Which happens this Thursday in a episode called "Bride"



And we all know that a wedding in Smallville can never go down without a hitch in the giddy-up.
As we found out after Davis confessed his love to the bride and her admittance of a connection before stating that Jimmy is her only one...
I can see it now the drama that will involve Davis and maybe a fight between Clark
Along with the dubious infection that Clark caused with the re-building of the Fortress with a mysterious and troublesome crystal.

Finally with the eminent return of Lana Lang--whom most cherish and adore, but personally I wish she would DIAF!!! Cause she may be the worst returning character and if she takes the spotlight for either Chloe/Jimmy or Lois and Clark new collection I will personally throw the match myself!!



Also none other that the evil Lex Luthor is rumored to return, because apparently he's in connection with Mercer.




On the Cubicle front:

The Office my why question has to be why won't Angela just let Andy loose already! I mean really that whole moment in the bar with Oscar just showed, if it hadn't before that this relationship just needs to be over. I mean the fact that she was with Dwight when he called her is a major problem.
So I hope that the producers clear that up soon. Finally I'm so glad that Pam "came back the wrong way" Cause I don't think that I could take much more of them being separated! I just love the twinkle in their eyes when they're together and hopeful they can bring that spark back to the office atmosphere.
Also Ryan has a serious problem and is such an idiot!!!
I need to say YAY!!! for the return of Toby, because I find it so hilarious how much Michael hates him :)

Goodness I love November Sweeps!

"There are only two things I like: everybody and television"

It's a Thursday night television roundup!

The Office 5.07 "Customer Survey"- Whenever you combine Jim and Dwight in any capacity, you can guarantee hilarity will ensue.  While I've been loving season 5 so far, this episode I think may have been the funniest one of the season.  Hell, the fake sales call with Jim, Dwight, and Michael may be one of my favorite scenes this show has ever done.  So funny!  I've also been slowly realizing that Kelly is one of my favorite characters.  Every scene she's in is brilliant, heh.  When watching this episode, my friends and I were commenting on how it's so nice that Jim and Pam are just being cute together and not having problems.  Then, of course, they had to end the episode with all that New York angst and I was sad again.  Mostly because, I don't know what they're going to do.  Pam can't stay in New York for the whole season, but yet, she isn't really going to want to move back to Scranton and be a receptionist again.  I don't know what's the best thing for the show to do, and it's scaring me.  I'm just going to trust the writers because they have never let me down, but Jim and Pam have a lot of decisions to make and they're not going to be easy.

 

30 Rock 3.01 "Believe in the Stars"- This episode was so much better than last week's.  I was really disappointed with the premiere, so this episode was such a relief.  I don't even know if I can go through all the funny parts of this episode because it felt like I was laughing the whole way through.  I will say though, that the amount of time Kenneth is onscreen greatly increases the likelihood that I will like an episode, and there was an abundance of Kenneth love in this episode.

Favorite quotes (besides my absolute favorite one from this ep in this post's title):

"I watched Boston Legal nine times before I realized it wasn't the new Star Trek!"

"I never get picked anyways because I wear my Princess Leia outfit"

"White people stole jazz, rock & roll, Will Smith, and heart disease!"

"I'll call you back.  I'm sitting next to Barpo!"

"Kenneth Parcel, you are one Latina fantastica." "Hola"

"Is Spongebob Squarepants supposed to be terrifying?"

Supernatural 4.08 "Wishful Thinking"- Wow, I absolutely LOVED this episode.  I'm a big fan of Ben Edlund episodes because they're always so wacky, and this one did not disappoint.  It was hilarious.  I can't even tell you how hard I laughed over everything with the little girl and her 7 foot tall, suicidal teddy bear ("Why am I here?" "FOR TEA PARTIES!") and Sam and Dean as teddy bear doctors ("lollipop disease").  But what I absolutely loved about this episode, was that even though it was funny, it was also serious, and it revealed a lot about both characters.  Hearing that what Sam would wish for most wasn't his old normal life back, but instead Lillith dead, was so interesting and telling, and to hear Dean say he remembered everything that happened in hell was surprising and horrifying and I can't believe that Dean is even functional.  But most of all, the reason why this episode was so good for me, was that it really felt like a Sam&Dean episode.  They were together in almost every scene, they were figuring things out together, sharing things together, and just being brothers.  And that, my friends,  is why I will always love this show.

That's Why He's a Keeper

In the spirit of our new layout, I felt that it was time that you heard from Good Grief.

Yesterday the Office premiered yet another wonderful Halloween themed episode, Employee Transfer.

Although hilarious it had a more serious tone to it this week.
The pressing thing on everyone's mind the break-up between Holly and Michael; Personally I think that its a tragedy--they're soul mates. And I think that Holly may be the only person who can put up with his antics and still love him no matter, and for Michael that's rare--very rare. So, I'm hoping that they get reunited in some way. Also I really liked the character of Holly and I will miss her.
Yet this leaves me to think that they might be bringing Tobey back....

Another serious matter, would be the "prank" that Jim's brothers pulled. I personally think that some of the things they were saying were way to harsh. But I love how Jim stood up for her and this, if you didn't know before, signifies that they will make it.

{Just A Nice REFRESHER!}

On the ridiculous, crazy, hi-larious side of things I really love the underhanded competition that ensued between Dwight and Andy. Though hilarious in every aspect possible; Andy as Dwight the beet farmer and Dwight as a wannabe Cornell graduate; I think it's high time that Angela make a choice and stop playing with these two guys feelings--especially Andy's.