Oh the Fall I Love You Mostly for Your TV & the Boots & Sweaters ...

So since I was beyond late on answering the weekly question- so sorry I am a slacker but now sitting here at my computer with a belly full of Breakfast Burrito I am ready to contemplate all the wonder that Fall TV has to offer me and you! I am a fair amount OCD so when I get my Fall TV EW I write all the shows I am interested in into my trusty planner- I know but I have real stuff in there too. Here is the list with premieres dates after:

Alright all of these I am putting together because they are on the same channel and well we all know what this channel is about since these premiered early too this is also a tad review.

Gossip Girl- I love this show because most of the time it is just fun and dramatic and since I tend to live a pretty drama-free existence it is perfectly fine for me. And the premiere was just that pretty fluff with the flair for the dramatic.

Nikkita- I am still looking to fill that void Alias left. While this show is more fun than Alias was, so far it is worth giving a chance too. I find myself contemplating this though is man I wish they would mix this in with Covert Affairs I feel that would be the perfect cocktail of spy show!

The Vampire Diaries- While I am more of a Paul Wesley girl I have a feeling that, even though they are doing the tired addition of Werewolves, this season is going to be as Oh My Heck as last season. And from the first ep it is definitely true.

Supernatural (24^th) - I just got into this show because I was able to catch all of the last seasons on Cable. And I am now addicted- the last seasons have been really well done and I am looking forward to more Winchester Brothers. It takes that whole monster a week show to a new level. 

I am also looking forward to these shows too:

The Good Wife (28^th) - this show is so tight as far as storylines, characters and the acting goes it is pretty insane. Although I am new viewer thanks to my mom I can’t want to see who she chooses: her old college friend/boss or the man she stood by and the fact that I consider either a choice shows how well the show was done!

Hawaii 5-O (20^th )- Umm fun!

Grey’s (23^rd) - Of course after that crazy finale last year I want to know how my Seattle Grace is doing!

And then old faves: Cougartown (22^nd), Bones (23^rd), Glee (21^st), Justified and Chuck (20^th)!

Yes my DVR is going to be a land of plenty this year and now I will go back to trying to convince myself that 80 degree weather is perfectly suitable for jeans tucked into boots. Happy Viewing!

The Best Of . . .

Wow, an actual new post from me- it's been awhile! As Heidi said, that whole having a baby (and doing so in dramatic fashion, once again!) has really taken it out of me. And I of course should be sleeping right now since the baby is, and the toddler is, and its 11:34 pm, but I'd rather do something that brings back a semblance of my old life. Blogging, hooray!

It's time for a year in the review for the 2009-2010 TV season. I'd love to know what the rest of the Hacks think too, since everything is now in reruns I can catch up on something you all loved that I may have missed this past year. Hard to imagine that I missed much, since between 26 weeks of morning sickness and bedrest at the end of the pregnancy, I'd say I definitely watched more than my fair share of TV this year, but still, I may have missed something fabulous that I can now watch while nursing the baby. Thank God I was born in the era of two TVs minimum in every home!

1- The best thing about this past season was that comedies are back! Hooray! These are my favorites, I'm all about the half hour sitcom in most cases, and pretty much since "Friends" signed off there's been a dearth of them in my TV viewing. But now, thanks to "Modern Family," "Cougar Town," and the fact that I've started watching "How I Met Your Mother" and "The Big Bang Theory," there's a good two hours of solid laughs. Cameron from "Modern Family" is perhaps one of my favorite characters on TV right now (I crack up just thinking about him shrieking when they left their adopted daughter Lilly on the elevator in the Hawaii episode). We would totally be friends (you know, if he was real.) And although I was initially very off-put by the idea behind "Cougar Town," I discovered that its a quality ensemble comedy with an absolutely terrible, misleading title. Give it a chance!

2- "Glee" deserves the award for the best new thing in TV. I can't think of another show like it, or one that has influenced other aspects of pop culture so well. I read an interview with Ryan Murphy, the creator, where he said at first he was having a hard time getting artists to agree to let their music be used. But after the Madonna episode's soundtrack went to #1 on the Billboard 100 chart before the episode even aired, musicians are now asking him to use their stuff on the show. He brings in a good mix of show tunes, modern, and more classical stuff, and all of the actors are insanely talented. Any show that can give plum spots to Idina Menzel and Neil Patrick Harris is tops in my book.

3- Crazy, complicated, irritatingly addictive dramas ruled the one hour drama spot with the end of "Lost" and the rising popularity of "Fringe." I should admit that I don't watch either of these shows (well, sort of- Shiloh watches "Fringe" so I see it but don't pay that much attention), but I'm going to start streaming "Lost" on Netflix as soon as I figure out how to get our Wii hooked up to our WiFi and then use that disk I got from Netflix, and I believe I'll love it, from what I know, but also be super annoyed by it. I love J.J. Abrams, I've watched everything he's done starting with "Felicity," so I will always give his work a chance.

4- And finally, "Community" wins my award for the Show with the Most Characters that I Wish Were Real People. This show cracks me up week after week, I seriously want to join that study group or teach at Greendale Community College. Abed is my favorite (love his encyclopedic knowledge of all things movie/tv), but Troy got some great storylines as well (favorite line: "Troy, why do you have a monkey?" "It's an animal that looks like a dude. Why don't I have ten of them?") and Joel McHale is my new favorite comedian. He's even got me watching the "E" network, something I would never, ever have done before seeing "Community," because only one half hour a week of Joel McHale's snarky, sarcastic humor is just not enough, and thus "The Soup" has become another show I'll pretty much always stop on.

I've read up a little bit on the new TV lineup for fall, so a future post with what I hope will be the best of the next season is coming. But I think it needs to be stated that summer TV is pretty freaking awesome right now too. I know Abbey loves "Wipeout," she and Heidi got me into "So You Think You Can Dance" this past year, and who doesn't love every single show on USA Network? Not sure why NBC can't get decent programming on their primetime lineup, but God bless whoever is in charge of programming on USA. "Burn Notice," "In Plain Sight," "Royal Pains," "White Collar" and "Psych" are all pretty much must-see viewing for me (and blessedly available for free from Medicom On Demand, so I can watch during these many, many nursing sessions every day.)

Sue Sylvester

I realize that I mentioned Glee and Sue in the last post that I did, but this is more of an homage.  I have always loved Jane Lynch in pretty much everything she's been in because she's always the sarcastic, borderline mean person and I find that really funny.  I know that I maybe shouldn't because she is being mean, but just like Kara admitted she laughs when people fall, I'll admit I think it's hilarious when others are mean (in a purely fictional set-up of course ; ).  Honestly if I was an actor on this show I would have a very difficult time not laughing when I'm being mercilessly insulted by Sue.  I believe my favorite insult of the season was when she sensed Will was behind her and then said, "Ah Will, I knew it was you from the baking cookie smell coming from the little elves that live in your hair."  HA!  How incredibly random is that?  I loved it.  So all that has been impressing me, but then for the icing on the cake, in the last couple of episodes she has sung!  She's done Madonna and Olivia Newton-John.  And she's been amazing.  Her music videos are pure gold and have just made me like her even more.  I think she is my favorite character on tv right now.  Well favorite girl character anyway!  Yay team Sue!

And we're back...

Whew! Been a long time. But I'm feeling like I don't want to work SO here I am.  Haha apparently, finding new jobs, finals, having children, etc. really fills up our lives!  But I thought I'd lighten the mood and give a review of a movie I know at least two of my other Hackers has seen. 

Now I did not see the 3D version, one because they are 5 extra dollars here in Michigan, and also because I truly dislike 3D movies.  But I did go to a late night version with my friend and a blanket and it was awesome.  This movie was super cute and I totally adored all the voices in it.  The dragons were SO dang cute and I loved that they didn't talk.  I think it totally would have ruined the movie if the dragons had talked.  And it allowed them to have such cute facial expressions.  Overall it was just a super cute cartoon and is added to my growing list of favorites.  What can I say, I'm just a kid at heart always.

Some other things that I've been enjoying lately are the abundance of good tv shows on.  My favs include:
*In Plain Sight.  Honestly I just can't get enough of this show.
*Cougartown.  So funny and I love Courtney Cox and the neighbor.
*Modern Family.  Funny. The. End.
*Justified.  Oh my Timothy Olyphant.  Him and his Southern accent I could watch all day and night...
*Glee.  As always.  Love the singing and love that crazy Sue Sylvester is back.
Love it.

Back in the Day . . .

I've never tried embedding anything on here yet, but its quite fitting that my first attempt would be from "The Daily Show." In my course reviews from last semester, the top two things students wrote in as being their favorite things about my classes were something to the affect of she's funny (I make fun of myself a lot, that's basically what they mean there) and "she uses awesome clips from The Daily Show."

But anyway, as a professor of history, I often get irritated when people start talking about "the good old days." I'm telling you, there weren't any good old days. I don't mean to sound totally pessimistic here, but the adage "Life is hard and then you die" has always been true, but in the past life was really, really hard in super sucktacular ways, and then you died. Usually early, and of some horrible disease that we don't have anymore. Or, for us women, childbirth- its no coincidence that women didn't start outliving men until medical advancements made childbirth about a million times safer. (And its still super risky- this spring one of the doctors treating me told me that when he started practicing 20 years earlier, they would've lost me after the abruption I had with Emma. He said he's only seen 7 abruptions as bad as mine- and those moms were drug users, of course- and I'm his sole survivor.) So for me, even 20 years ago would have sucked (although I was alive then too, but not able to have children yet.)

There are other reasons why the good old days never existed either, particularly in America. I'm usually appalled when people ignore things like civil rights when they talk about simpler times. It truly was only about forty years ago that this country started letting African Americans VOTE- 1964, people! And even then, it took awhile to actually be put into practice. There were no good old days, we've just traded lynchings for terrorists (and there's definitely an argument to be made that lynchings are a form of domestic terrorism.) There's always a downside, and life never was, and never will be, idyllic.

So, I laughed OUT LOUD when I saw this clip on "The Daily Show." John Oliver is my current favorite correspondent (although Asif Mandvi does some great stuff too), and this helps prove why.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Even Better Than the Real Thing
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

New Years Greetings!

I just wanted to wish everyone a happy and healthy new year and share my excitement for things to come!!

A few of these things:
*Sherlock Holmes (which of course has already come out but I have not yet had the time to go)
*New season of Chuck - I'm just in love with him
*Alice in Wonderland - Crazy but I just can't wait
*Lost - I'm still lost but I'm considering trying again....
*Harry Potter - I think the first one of the last book comes out this year?
*Eclipse - because I just have to


Love you all and hope you're excited too!!! 


Also as an added New Year's BONUS I'll throw in a book review. On the plane home I was able to read one and a half books (not more because I get sick). The first was The Alchemist. Fascinating read I must tell you. It's about a boy who is trying to fulfill his 'personal legend'. It puts a really different spin on destiny. I recommend it highly (especially since it only took me 45 minutes to read). But, definitely read the foreword by the author before reading the book, it helps explain things a lot and lets you get more out of it.
The second one I'm almost through with is Mitch Albom's newest book Have a Little Faith. Love it just as much as I love his other books. It's about him being asked to give a eulogy for his Rabbi. There is also a story about a man who I believe becomes a Priest but I haven't gotten there yet. I already know though that I love it and I recommend it too!

Noisettes- Joss Stone-Greek

Once again I am too lazy to post three times so here it is all at once.

The Noisettes – Wild Young Hearts
They were featured on the One Tree Hill ep. a few weeks ago played during Brooke’s fashion show so I decided to check them out and imagine my great surprise and happiness when I found their CD for I think $6 on Amazon to download.
But here is the issue I don’t know how to describe their sound so here is my best crack at it” That Amy Winehouse new old sound with some more guitar/rock feel and a girl with amazing pipes thrown in." The songs have original hooks and lyrics you want to sing along too (or at least in my case). Give it a listen and see for yourself though since everyone hears something different. There is even a song called Atticus as in To Kill A Mockingbird.
Faves: Wild Young Hearts, 24 Hours, Beat of My Heart, Don’t Upset the Rhythm (Top Fave), Every Now and Then, Never Forget You - pretty much the whole CD.

Greek
This show has almost finished its season on ABC Family but last night’s episode was so good I just have to show some love. A musical episode where it was believable and you saw people really practicing for it. This show centers on a brother and sister attending college and their Greek system. The brother Rusty is a polymer science major so you get your smart funny but he also belongs to the craziest frat on campus- he is all about the balance. Casey the sister is on her way to figuring it out and just in time since she graduates soon and belongs to what used to be the best sorority there- they are trying to get back.
So I know what you’re thinking I know people in the Greek System and well they are their own kind of special but this show is so good. There is all this history, inter-house rivals, Crazy Southern Christian Roommates, and oh wait the big part of college trying to grow up thrown in. And they work a pop culture reference in the best way.

Joss stone- Colour Me Free!
This girl is stubborn and you can feel it- and while if you had read anything about the girl she is a fool. That whole New Old sound was all hers to begin with and she shows her chops on this CD. Her voice is as always really good and there are just some songs where the feel is just perfect velvety sultry. If you liked her old stuff you will like this CD and well I liked her old stuff. Plus it is so good I had to skip when it came up studying too distracting.
Faves: Free Me, Incredible, 4 and 20, Stalemate, Lady, Big Ol’ Game, You Got the Love, Could Have Been You (Love Love Love)

Letter from a fan

Dear Kate Gosselin,
Hi, I am a big fan!  I totally support you in what you're doing *errrrrrr!* back up, start over.  I'm not that kind of fan.  Here's the real fan letter.
Dear Kate,
Um, hi.  Could we please be best friends?  You and I are totally one of a kind in our parenting.  You are so sarcastic and fab with your children, although you know them deeply and love them even deeper.  I think that you say the exact same words that I've said to my children, and we are bosom buddies even though you don't know it.  I think you're sassy and a little to the left of rude, and I can tell you right now that I love it.  All those peeps out there who think you're a beehotch are just softies who can't take the truth.  I talk to my husband like you used to talk to Jon.  Difference there is, that my husband isn't a spineless EdHardy clothed d-bag.  He can take it.  And he dishes it back, which we all know is what we sassy sarcastic girls want.  You're going to raise kids who can mess around with you and joke and tease and laugh and take it!  And they'll give it back to you!  Some might say it'll create an un-loving environment to be in.  I laugh in their faces.  We girls need to show the world that we can be brats, but we love fiercely too, and that's what matters.  Family comes first, but they get our love shown differently than is conventional.  Our sugary sweetness is reserved for those fools we have to deal with at Starbucks who can't figure out how to make a Hazelnut Signature Hot Chocolate (ummmm, add hazelnut flavoring, hi).  Little do they know they are being belittled voraciously in our minds.  Our family though?  They make us insane, so let's tell 'em!  Let's tell them they're being little trolls!  It'll toughen their hide and make them much cooler to be around later in life.  Now on one, two, three.... lets roll our eyes together at the critics!  Stay sassy Kate!  You know I will, and I will silently watch your show and wish we were besties, because we would have so much fun. 
Love,
Abbey
PS I love your hair and if I didn't have a long horse face, I would totally have short hair too. 

Live, With Regis & Kelly!

I stay at home with the kids, and that means the majority of my TV watching occurs during the day (naptime).  I don't watch daytime TV though, I watch last nights DVR'd shows.  Except for Regis & Kelly.  I tape it and then watch it during naptime, every day.  I.  Love.  Regis.  And.  Kelly.  Mainly because I have a serious wish to be Kelly Ripa.  She is so cute, super funny, super in shape, always wears fabulous clothes, always has fabulous SHOES.  I love her sense of humor, she's totally unashamed and makes fun of herself, makes fun of everyone else in a kind way, and I think she is a great physical comedian as well.  So I have the female equivalent of a bromance on Kelly Ripa.  The rest of the show is great too, they always have good segments and since Kelly is so funny, they always get pulled off well.  Their guests I think (for the most part) like being there and interacting with them, so the interviews are always good too.  The conundrum here though, and what I am focusing on here is Regis Philbin.  I can't figure out how I feel about him.  Here is a list of my general feelings, and yes they conflict:
*He has a great sense of humor too
*He knows literally everyone in the tv/movie/music biz.  Everyone.
*He has a ton of knowledge of basically everything in the entire universe
*He's kind of an asshole
And here's why.  Do you ever get the feeling that famous people are just humoring the fans?  That they think us normal people are pathetic and useless and aren't worth their time?  But they have to act as though they're grateful for us because we make their paychecks nice and fat?  Well, that's how I truly believe Regis feels about everyone else but him and those he knows (which is a lot of people, granted, but).  Every day they make a surprise phone call to a viewer to see if they can answer trivia questions and then they get a nice vacation.  Regis' words are kind, but I consider myself a fairly good people-reader, and I see very clearly that underneath the kind words are "Good Lord, these people are pathetic.  Plain, boring, not rich, just normal.  How awful would that be to be normal?  I can't even imagine.  Oh the horror!  How long is this segment, how much longer do we have to talk to this fool.  I'm so much better than they are".  I honestly feel that he doesn't think anyone but those included in his circle are useful, have worth or contribute anything good to the world.  This might sound harsh, but I think he's a huge jerk!  And yes, he is a great entertainer and really makes Regis & Kelly great, and I won't stop watching the show.  But, like I said, I read people very well, and Regis is an ass. 

Bootmen / Vampire Diaries /Celebration- Madonna

So here it is all at once… because I am too lazy to post 3 times.

Bootmen is this Australian movie I got from Netflix, completely worth it. It has 2 very nice looking brothers in it who work at a steel mill in a small coastal town and they are looking for a way out. One brother wants to a buy a rig, the other wants to get out by dancing. Along the way a girl, some local thugs and a dad against it all crosses their path.
There is a tragic event in this movie which I feel I should warn people about and it is R. But the way they industrialize tap dancing is really interesting to watch. And Sam Worthington as in the latest Terminator is in it, it was really shocking in a good way to see him be funny and adorable. Definitely worth adding to your Netflix queue.
There are also just 2 things in general I love about Australian movies/shows: 1. The girls look real and 2. Being a great Dancer and a manly man are not exclusive parties, you can be both. Just look at another Aussie Hugh Jackman.

Vampire Diaries so me and Heidi have already talked last night’s ep to death. But since we are both enjoying it so much I would feel remiss if I did not mention. Ok here are some of my thoughts about last night’s ep: Although I covet Elena’s jacket and hair I really need her to stop asking dumb questions, looking confused in general and keep up with the story here. Old school suits are not flattering even on a boy as hot as that. Umm Katherine you are not that nice and not that cool either. The whole dancing away the day part really was hilarious and Ian Somerhalder pulled off perfectly. Really you are going to send the TV reporter after the vampire not the cop? Really that is your plan here? Hmm well good luck buddy!

Madonna Celebration CD- A greatest hit compilation. All the hits you forgot she had, mixed well with new at the beginning and the end. I literally forgot all these songs and this fun little CD reminded me of them.

Ahhhhhh!

The "fall" is here, warm up the Tivo!! It's like I can finally breathe again after being underwater once fall TV starts. Summer tv is great for the 5 shows I Tivo'd, but man I love me some fall TV. I must make this quick however, I have a little rugrat upstairs locked in her room kicking the wall signaling me to let her out of the pen and another one wants a bottle. Sheesh, these things are so needy! You can totally tell where my priorities lie, right? Duh, my children!... I'm not negletful, TV/blogging/music is just that important. Oh yes, I am adding music to our list of things we review as it truly is my passion, even above TV and pop culture. I will establish myself now as the music guru of the h.a.c.k. group, even though I will prob get slapped in the face by someone who knows more than me. But in all seriousness, I love music so I'm adding it. But I digress. Since my time is short, I'm making lists (they pale in comparison to Cory's lists) of what I watched over the summer, what I plan to watch this fall, and also some music joy. Ah yes, I digress again. I am the resident not-ever-watched-tv-phenomenons. I have never watched nor will ever watch:
24
Heroes
Lost
Survivor
There are others, but they aren't nearly as big of a deal. No offense to those of you who adore and are addicted to these shows. I tried to watch Prison Break and follow it (and I did successfully for 3 seasons), but goodnight I got tired of things always going wrong. It felt like Mr. Bean all over again, but more attractive (yes, thank you) and more dangerous. And I hate Mr. Bean.
Summer TV (don't judge now, I had to find something to pass the time)
*First and foremost is WIPEOUT. How awesome is this show? First because it is one of the 3 shows my husband chooses to watch with me (he really would be a lot more involved in my life if he sat and watched TV as much as I do...). Second, the announcers John and John. I know they have time to write this stuff, but it is pure comedy gold. And third, I could SO do this! I just feel deep within my heart that my calling and maybe only talent in life would be doing ridonkulous obstacle courses and totally rock it. I'm so not even joking. Some of you might think you can save the world, feed the hungry but I? I can do obstacle courses.
*Burn Notice and In Plain Sight. Duh. I know Kara detailed why we love these two shows, but I need to add. Ha-loo, Michael Weston is the new Jack Bauer, and I love him. And Fiona totally made the name Fiona cool again, because we all know Shrek's wife did nothing for the name (me and Cameron Diaz are not friends). In Plain Sight graced me with my favorite line ever:
"All you supposed happy people walking around really need to take a closer look at your lives". Nuff said.
*Amazing Wedding Cakes. I actually despise all of the people on this show, they are all weird or nuts or rude, but I love love love cake shows. I can't get enough of them. In my fantasy life, I rock at making cakes.
*SYTYCD. Not sure if I'll watch this fall though, it's a tough call. It's my summer show and I'm a little miffed at it for butting into my fall line-up.
*Real Housewives of NJ and some of Atlanta. I love NJ even more than OC, but Atlanta is insanity and real people do not behave like this ever, no matter how much fake money they have. And if they were in my restaurant, I would so kick them out.
*The Soup. Um Joel McHale makes me LOL. And this is another Ben watches with me, and we both sit on the couch and giggle hysterically. Joel McHale has brought us closer together. Joel McHale for President!!
*Loads of HGTV and DIY, since we have so much money and have so many projects to do around our house. You should see my house, it is a veritable DIY showpiece! Just kidding. That's only in my head.
Fall TV
Really my daughter is getting beligerent, I must hurry, so details later....
*THE OFFICE!!!!
*Law & Order: SVU
*Glee
*90210 (I so wish that real HS was like this, don't you? Not. Was HS all about sex? I didn't think it was totally completely all about sex sex sex but maybe I missed something huge and glaringly obvious)
*One Tree Hill
*Private Practice
*Grey's Anatomy
*HOUSE!!!
*Ugly Betty (I must have some shows that are not drama)
*So looking forward to watching Southland for the 1st time
*Fring sounds interesting Cory, totally adding it!
*Community
*I'm sure there's more but I can't remember them all right now...

And again, I am running short on time, bah! So for now, go to my other blog and listen to my current most favorite song by Seether. I know, I know, it is a butt rock group, but this song is fantastic. Thank you Ben for introducing it to me. Sometimes, music is a religious experience for me. I get choked up (literally, tears are shed), I feel warm and fuzzy inside, I feel excited and I feel happy. This song is what is doing that to me currently. Maybe later tonight I will do a list of songs that have moved me in such a way, but I might get overwhelmed with the fabulosity of it all and just keel over and die.
And last, but not least, h.a.c.ks forever! We are awesome. And I love that our initials spell hack, because me and my fam's initials spell bakd. Kind of a let down, especially when I realized it spelled baked like a cookie (not a druggie) immediately after stenciling it on some wall art.

Hack Into 90210 and Melrose Place

No it is not the 90’s....

So I really do not even know what to say about these 2 shows last night but here are some of the thoughts that crossed my mind… Oh and SPOILER ALERT!!!

90210

• It is hard for me to believe that Annie is downward spiraling in an oxford shirt and blazer. And wow lay off the moms.
• That Teddy kid is 30 no way he is 16 or 17.
• Silver I don’t like when you act this way because you are bipolar and I don’t know if you are really being dramatic or on the manic side of your disease?
• Naomi seriously your dating an old dude, really? That guy has more wrinkles than a prune.
• I love when HS students dance in synch at parties/dances
• I want those shoes, and those ones and prob those ones too.
• Elizabeth Rohm what are you doing to your skin to look so good? (She was the mean older lady at the club) I haven’t looked that dewy since I was 8.
• Oh Annie, how far you have fallen.

90210 was pretty entertaining I am curious to see how these girls will run that school. And I really love Navid so I tend to let a lot slide. Plus I have already made the investment of one season.

Melrose Place

• Ashlee whatever whatever go back to singing or maybe raising your baby just a thought.
• Bright Eyes song yeah!
• Max from Greek! And you should not hesitate to answer that question after 5 years.
• Oh I sense some unrequited love for Jonas (?) by the mean blonde chick.
• I want those shoes, and those ones and prob those ones too.
• What a sleazy producer in Hollywood bollocks!
• 5 Grand and you will do that, here is an idea get a Student Loan!

Melrose Place gets 2 more weeks and if no improvement it gets deleted from the DVR. Its seems like they made this checklist of what they wanted but forgot to add oh I don’t know some character development and intertwining story throughout. Hot cars check, evil older lady check, club scene check, cool pop music check, struggling artist check, small town girl who may be sketchy check, and dead girl in pool check.

Top 10 TV Shows I am Excited For This Fall

Some old and maybe new faves...

1. Glee: September 2nd. how do I describe a show that has so many parts to it- like a liger a new breed? Equal parts serious, dramatic, musical, large part farce and all around funny. About a High School’s Glee club, but these kids can sing & dance. Lead by a misfit teacher with no funding in a could be happier marriage to his retail addicted wife. This group of outsiders form the Glee club and it doesn’t look like the rest of the school likes them or the club that much. Their music of choice? Here is a sampling of what I have heard so far Amy Winehouse, Kanye West and Journey.

2. Vampire Diaries: September 10th. Yay more vampires (sarcastic voice and fist pump) but this guy made Dawson’s Creek. So it is bound to be full of angsty- hot teenagers dealing with their urges, those urges just happen to be drinking your blood not being secretly in love with their best friend. Oh and don’t forget the small town aspect, along with an evil brother who does not even try to fight his urges, and a hot girl with her soul at stake. What can I say I will be tuning in, and unlike with Dawson’s I won’t even have to make sure my little sister is not around. “Cory your sister cannot watch these things,” mom.

3. Fringe: September 17th. Did you see the double Dawson reference above, yes I will admit it I started to watch this show because I love me some Josh Jackson, have since The Mighty Ducks. It is about Fringe Sciences telepathy, spontaneous human combustion, etc. Involving a mad scientist, his genius son, an FBI agent with some history, a maybe evil corporation, their various cohorts in the FBI, and a handful of other bad mad scientists. I have a lot of really smart friends/live around the corner from 2 sets of National Labs, and they’re not making lipstick, so for me a mad scientist is quite probable. The idea that a person could tap into a little more than that 10% of the brain we are all using and do these things makes sense to me. How much more could this kind of person notice, create, how crazy could would it drive them, and what would they do with it? A smart show that requires weekly watching, but it is worth it, heck even my dad watches it (if you knew him you would see this as a compliment). Oh and J.J. Abrams helped to create this show enough said.

4. Southland: September 25th. A grown up Ryan Atwood from The O.C. !!! A gritty, real look at the cop’s life in LA. This show is not for kids. It is well done, the stories are compelling, the characters are brought to life and it is always original.

5. Dollhouse: September 25th. Joss Whedon! He pushes it too far on occasion but he does more good than bad and keeps you watching. There are dolls they live in a house. The dolls are blank people who have signed their life away for whatever reason (we slowly find out). They then get imprinted with new personalities based on what engagement they are going on (think of an unwilling Sydney Bristow). They have handlers who take them on their missions and watch over them. Throw in a curious federal agent and all kinds of characters and you get The Dollhouse. It’s complicated but not as much as Fringe.

6. Amazing Race: September 27th. The best reality show out there, it has been around forever for a good reason. Here is how it works a set of teams of 2 travel around the world in a race where they have to complete challenges along the way. While all of that is very interesting the best part is watching people adapt, react and get through everything with their partner, the other teams and in a foreign country. Throw in a host who is always calm and polite and this is a show your whole fam can watch on a Sunday night.

7. Gossip Girl: September 14th. Another show not for the kids, most of these are not actually. Completely gratuitous, but you get to see NYC, great clothes and uber rich prep school kids interact. A world otherwise I would never see. Granted it is probably exaggerated or maybe not? But it is a pure guilty night soap pleasure. Plus this year most of them are going off to college.

8. Chuck: February 2010. I know not really fall but this show is so good you should catch up now. Created and ran by the same guy who did The O.C. this show is as funny as that one was. Chuck Bartowski works at Buy More (think Best Buy), in the Nerd Herd (think Geek Squad). But oh wait this is TV, so not only does Chuck work there but he has the entire CIA central main frame downloaded into his head because he is actually really smart. So he gets taken on missions to see if he can flash on bad guys and provide intel to his 2 handlers. Handler #1: Casey he loves America and not Chuck (I think deep down inside he does). Handler #2: Sara a hot blonde with mad skills. Plus his family, his Buy More coworkers, and the mad skill he recently obtained (won’t wreck that for you) and you get this excellent show.

9. Friday Night Lights: February 2010. Another early bird, but you need to catch up and watch this show. Based on the movie that was based on the book that was based on the real town. This show follows the high school football team the Dillon Panthers in a small town Texas. We see the coach and his family, all the players, their families, the booster club, locals and pretty much the whole town. What can’t I say about this show it is amazing. Original, great writing and good acting. Deals with small town politics, racism, touchy subjects and growing up and getting out of this town in a completely believable manner. Oh and did I mention there was football!

10. Community: September 17th. Joel McHale from The Soup stars in this comedy about a shady lawyer who has to go back to college at a community college. I have attended a public university and community college and there is a difference, not good or bad but it is different. He forms a study group with questionable motives & members and we watch the shenanigans unfold. And here is something for the vintage SNL fans—Chevy Chase also starts.

What else do I watch So much: The Office, Lost , How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, Rachel Zoe Project, One Tree Hill, Bones, Greek and so much more my DVR should go on strike.
If you want a complete list of premiere dates check out Entertainment Weekly online they always have the most complete premiere list.
If you love this top 10 and want more check out this site too: http://bonustoptens.blogspot.com/

Hacking Heroes

So. I'm late to this bandwagon. I realize that. But here I sit, somehow unfortunately addicted to Heroes. I fought hard not to watch this show. Really hard, almost as much as I fought against watching Lost. Althought I made it longer with Heroes. I gave in. And now, for the past week I have been stuck watching Heroes because I now am invested. It's kind of a double edged sword getting invested in something...at least for tv shows that is. Especially when they are 23 episodes to a single season. BUT, a review. So the show is not exactly a new concept, genetic evolution, but it's presented in a really different way. It's these ordinary people's lives and that's why it's so easy to get sucked in. And you just want to know if they save the world. A definite drawback to this show though, is that's it's like Lost and 24 and all those other shows that suck you in, you really can't miss an episode or you'd have missed something vital. But Cory has not had to stage an intervention for me yet. I told her that if I missed class, then we would need one, but that hasn't happened yet and I have one more day before class starts. And all I'm guaranteed on Netflix is the first season, after that I have to go a disk at a time which definitely helps obsession.
Am I glad I got talked into it? Yes, because now I get to have an opinion on Heroes, and I always love having more opinions. I caved to peer pressure, I know, but it was fun. And I got to indulge in the REAL reason I wanted to watch. I have a total crush on Zachary Quinto. He's pretty much my dream. And not just because he's good looking. Because he is. But his voice. I have a real thing for voices and his is awesome. And he's a bad guy and who doesn't want that?! Milo Ventimiglia is also good, but he would be better if he cut his hair.... This show is good enough that I can overlook the fact that Hayden Panettierre bothers me. So that's a plus for me. We'll see if I stick with it after the first season, but so far, definitely good if you have the 20 hours to put into it....as I apparently do.

First Up to Be Hacked- Fall TV Shows!

It's fall! Or so I'm told- here in Arizona its still well above 100 every day, so I'm not really feeling the fallish vibes yet. Thus I must over celebrate the traditions and events that mark the coming of fall for normal places in the world, and one of my favorites is the start of the new fall TV season!

I have to say, however, that this summer's TV schedule was awesome. I discovered ABC's "Wipeout" this summer, which I'll let Abbey hack in detail because its one of her favorites, but it proved entertaining to both me and my two year old daughter, so that's a thumbs up! I also realized this summer that all of my current favorite TV shows are on the USA Network- "Burn Notice," "In Plain Sight," and "Royal Pains" were must-sees for me this summer, and as a result I also started to get into "Psych." "Burn Notice" is a fave for both my husband and me, him because he watches absolutely everything Bruce Campbell does (and I do mean everything, which means I have to watch everything too which means that there are at least 40 hours of my life somewhere that I'd like back). This is the first thing Bruce has done that I equally enjoy, but my favorite character is Fiona. You gotta like a chic who's barely 100 pounds but as lethal as they come. I love "In Plain Sight" because its filmed in Albuquerque, my hometown, and thus all the scenes are shot in places I love and dearly miss. And "Royal Pains" is just ridiculously funny. Divia and I would totally be friends- you know, if she were a real person.

So what will replace these shows this fall? How will I possibly fill these three empty hours I now have? I suppose I could work on my lectures for my classes, or get cracking on those two articles I'm supposed to write, or turn my dissertation into a manuscript . . . or I could watch "The Office." Yep, I'll watch "The Office." Best comedy on television. I'm hoping that "Community" will be equally as funny- I love Joel McHale (anyone who's made their living making fun of reality TV stars is okay by me) and Chevy Chase in a sitcom is worth a try. I'm also going to give "The Middle," with Patricia Heaton and Neil Flynn (the janitor from "Scrubs") a try, I'm a big "Scrubs" fan so I want to see their actors continue to do well, and he was one of my favorite characters. This is also why I'll watch "Cougar Town," since its created by Bill Lawrence. TV Guide says there's a cringe for every laugh, but we'll see. Courteney Cox usually plays self-depricating really well.

I've never been much for TV drama, although that constitutes the majority of the television landscape right now- I tend to like my television escapist, sarcastic and amusing. The standout exception to this would be "24," another show I watch with my husband, but that's definitely still escapist entertainment, even if some of the crises are disturbingly real possibilities. But its not back until January. So do I need any TV drama to fill up my evenings this fall . . . ?