Musings

Jason Castro reminds me of a long lost Hanson brother raised by Rastafarians.

Rastafarian is a fun word.

Random strange guys who call me "sweetheart" as they pass me on the sidewalk do not flatter me or make me feel good about myself. They just make me feel...ick. Really, ick. It's right up there with the twits who command me to smile. It's demeaning, belittling, irritating, and not to mention incredibly presumptuous. If you're a guy who does this? I don't know a single woman who likes or appreciates this sort of thing. So knock it off.

I'm willing to give the guy from this morning the benefit of the doubt that he wasn't shooting for any of the above. But I figure they're never shooting for any of the above. Nevertheless, this is how it's usually received. So again, just stop it.

Drivers in Tulsa are just friggin' insane. Myself excluded, natch.

But seriously, I was recently given the bird AGAIN for no discernible reason whatsoever, other than perhaps that I signaled to change lanes. And that's exactly what's wrong with drivers in this town. DRIVERS OF TULSA: You are SUPPOSED TO SIGNAL. Signaling is NOT an ACT OF AGGRESSION. It's a polite notice of intent. Signals are for OTHER DRIVERS' BENEFIT, not for your own, except in that warning people that you're about to slow down to turn or get in front of them is a good way to prevent yourself from getting rear-ended.

Um, wow. Wing, Glark & Sars are leaving TWoP. I've had my issues with those guys over the years, but that site also was the foundation upon which my crazed Buffy obsession was built (when it was still Mighty Big TV), and the forums served as a springboard for some fun, if fleeting, friendships. I know the site itself isn't going anywhere, but it just won't seem the same without them. It's definitely the end of an era.

In case you need another reason to grock Spock

Leonard Nimoy appeared on the Colbert Report recently to promote his new photography book celebrating beauty in women of all shapes and sizes. Because the standards set by Hollywood culture and the fashion industry are, in a word, illogical.

Yes, I had to go there.

Thursday Thirteen: 'Shipper edition

Thirteen Most Romantic and/or Heartwrenchingly Tragic TV Couples (a.k.a. the main reasons I love television) 1. Buffy & Angel - Not my favorite, but even I can't argue that their Season 2 arc takes the crown in both categories. 2. Buffy & Spike - I know a lot of people would raise an eyebrow at calling this paring "romantic," but they had their sweet moments, especially in Season 7. At any rate, even at their worst I couldn't stand not to see them together. 3. Willow & Oz - Most people would say Willow & Tara, but that pretty much goes without saying, and that's the only reason I'm going with Oz instead. I still can't watch the end of Wild at Heart without my heart breaking for Willow. 4. Zoe & Wash (this whole list won't be Whedonverse characters, I promise...although it easily could be; nobody does romance and pain like Joss) - Of course Whedon couldn't let a happily married, functional, fun and sexy couple stand. From the moment we realized how well they got along and truly loved each other, we should have known that one of them was doomed. 5. Wesley & Frillyria - As horrible as Fred's death was, and as heartbreaking as it was for Wesley, I just never really got into their romance, and I never really cared that much for Fred. That is, until her soul was burned out of her body and replaced by a demon goddess who turned out to be completely awesome. Wesley's anguish at having to be the keeper of the thing that both killed the woman he loved and looked like her was gutwrenching to observe, but none of it was as heartbreaking as watching some sliver of humanity surface in Illyria, causing her sincere grief as Wesley died in her arms. Excuse me, I have something in my eye. There. Moving on... 6. John Chricton & Aryn Sun - Everybody's favorite leather-clad interspecies couple were all over the romance map, and I loved following them every step of the way--even the parts that broke my heart. And then they got a happy ending. Nobody can say they didn't earn it. 7. Mulder & Scully - The last few seasons kind of fell apart, but their reunion won back some brownie points from me. Even so, it was the deep, deep regard and love that the OBVIOUSLY felt for each other before we even had a hint that they had ever acted on it that constantly made me swoon. 8. Jack Devereaux and Jennifer Horton - If you watched daytime television in the late '80s, then I probably don't need to explain this one to you. These two were totally my teenage self's Spuffy. 9. Mark Green Doug Ross (der) & Carol Hathaway - Two words: surprise ending. Made me cry. 10. Chandler & Monica - When these two hooked up I was almost as weirded out over it as they were. But it didn't take long to realize that they made total sense. And their proposal scene was hands down one of the best proposals ever seen on television. 11. The Doctor & Rose Tyler - Nine or Ten. Both versions had their own special chemistry with Rose, and it broke my heart and left me in tears when each of them had to say goodbye. 12. Lois & Clark - Okay, after they got married it kind of degenerated into corny fluff, but up until then this was one of the most romantic pairings ever. My early-twenty-something self's Spuffy. 13. D'Argo & Chiana - Another pairing that I didn't expect, but once they got together I liked it--at least while it lasted. But even if their relationship died, their love for each other stuck until the very end. Chiana's grief at having to leave D'argo behind to face certain death was nearly matched by my own.

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Joy for the season!

The TV season, that is, which is not completely shot to Hades by the writer's strike. Ausiello is keeping a frequently updated chart of when to expect new episodes for all our favorite shows.

The good news: Battlestar Galactica will kick off ten new episodes in April, and LOST will finish out its season. Supernatural will also be shooting new episodes to air late spring. Yay!

The bad: Heroes is on hiatus until next fall. Boo.

TVBFT: Boys of LOST, 3rd in series

James "Sawyer" Ford
Con man. Crook. All around bad boy.
Broken.

TVBFT: Boys of LOST, 2nd in series

CHARLIE PACE
One hit wonder. Hero. Dead now.
...or IS he????



Image credit: Moldova

LOST really is a good name for this show.

It's back, and I'm more confused about what the heck is going on than ever. But there were plenty of moments to love, and a whole new mystery to not get any real answers about, and I'm still totally JJ's bitch.

In other news from the Slusho-verse, we met up with a friend of Husband's to see Cloverfield again this weekend. This time, I made Husband stop at a drug store so I could get some Bonine to take before the movie started. Also this time, I tossed my Otis Spunkmeyer a third of the way through. I'll spare you most of the details, other than to say I tried to make it to the bathroom first, but didn't quite. The custodial crew was overjoyed with me, as you can well imagine.

I'm not sure whether the moral of this story is that Bonine doesn't do a dadgum thing for shaky-cam sickness, or that you shouldn't have coffee and a cookie right before going to endure a shaky-cam movie, or both. But if we try to see it a third time, I'm bringing along a barf bag.

I hope you weren't eating anything when you read this post.

TVBFT: The "Guess what's on this week!!!" edition

JACK SHEPHERD
Doctor. Leader. Hero?
Hottie.

Cloverfield

First things first: if you're the least bit prone to motion sickness, you should take your favorite motion sickness remedy before going to see this movie, or else you WILL get urpy and nauseous.

I meant to take Bomine before we went on Saturday. That stuff got me through even the storm-tossiest nights of my honeymoon cruise with nary a tummy flip-flop. But it only works if you remember to take it, which I didn't, so about a minute into the movie, I realized that I was screwed. I spent the rest of the movie with my head bowed and my hand over my eyes, looking up every few seconds to make sure I wasn't missing any cool parts, and forcing myself to keep looking during said cool parts.

So I think I saw all of the important stuff. I at least saw (and heard) enough to say confidently that, physical misery aside, I enjoyed this movie. I thought it was well done. I didn't feel like it was too gimmicky (although I do think that they could have given us a narrator who knew something about how to hold a camera still for two seconds), and it had what all of my favorite horror movies have: a slow build that allows you to get familiar with the characters and their surroundings and develop a sense of comfort and confidence before getting whapped upside the head with the realization that SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT, followed by relentless action, tension and danger that never lets up for the rest of the movie.

THIS is what a post-modern Godzilla movie SHOULD be, Roland Emmerich: a balls-out disaster movie where you genuinely fear for the lives of your protagonists, NOBODY knows where this thing came from or what the hell is happening, even the military is so taken by surprise that they're disoriented and scared poopless, and you have the sinking feeling that the only hope the rest of the world has is to nuke the dadgum thing to kingdom come, and God help anybody who's left in the way when that happens. It's a feeling of inevitable doom so intense that you know any kind of happy ending would feel like a rip-off, and that makes any of the quiet, caring, sometimes even laughter-filled moments between the characters all the more tragic and poignant. They know they're screwed, YOU know they're screwed, and you know THEY know they're screwed, but they keep moving, keep trying to survive as long as they can. Giving up is not an option, no matter how hopeless it appears to be. And that's the sort of thing J.J. Abrams excels at. It's why I keep coming back to LOST no matter how many times it makes me feel screwed over. Because giving up is not an option. I'm on this crazy ride all the way to the bitter end.

Also: Good on you, Drew Goddard. I'm sure this is just the beginning of your movie writing career.

Monday Memeage: Ten Top-Five Television Lists

Picked up from Fenchurche:

Note: These aren't so much "favorites" as they are "shows my Monday-morning-fog-wrapped-brain is capable of remembering."

Back in the Day: 5 TV Shows You Loved As A Kid
1. The Muppet Show
2. You Can't Do That On Television
3. Danger Mouse
4. Moonlighting
5. Miami Vice


Who Would You Do?: 5 TV Characters You Would...Well, It's Self-Explanatory

1. Spike
2. Wesley Windham-Pryce
3. Mal Reynolds
4. Dean Winchester
5. Dean Cain's Clark Kent


What? No, No, I Don't Watch That...: 5 Guilty Pleasure TV Shows

1. Crowned--What? There's nothing else on!
2. Moment of Truth--see above, and also, my remote was broken and I was knitting and the cat was on my lap.
3. Big Brother. This used to not be a guilty pleasure. Blame the Donatos that I can't hold my head up about still caring about this show.
4. Any celebrity "reality" show on VH-1.
5. America's Next Top Model--also not really a "guilty pleasure," but the loopier and more desperate Tyra gets, the harder it is not to be embarrassed that I watch this show. Add to that, Saliesha. Bleah.



Wow: 5 TV Moments You Still Remember (And Probably Won't Forget)

1. Lois Lane's de-glasses-ing of Clark Kent, right after he proposed to her - Lois & Clark
2. Dave & Maddie's furniture-breaking roll on the floor - Moonlighting
3. Nine kissing Rose to absorb her Tardis energy, and then getting killed by it - Doctor Who
4. The Post-Modern Prometheus dancing at a Cher concert - The X-Files
5. Claire waking up on the autopsy table with her chest flayed open - Heroes

I left out the entire Whedonverse because there's just too much to narrow it down. "Can we rest?" House-demolition sex. End-of-musical kissing. Sending Angel to hell. Wesley shooting his dad. The introduction of Illyria. Willow flaying Warren. Angel locking the lawyers in with Darla and Dru. Mal kicking the hench-guy into the jet engine. "Big Damn Heroes, Sir!" I could go on. And on and on and on.


"Tossed Salads and Scrambled Eggs": 5 TV Theme Songs You Know (and Love) By Heart

1. The Facts of Life
2. Duck Tales
3. The Muppet Show
4. Green Acres
5. Animaniacs


Eh: 5 Shows You Just Can't Get Into

1. Any incarnation of Stargate.
2. Flash Gordon
3. House
4. Reaper
5. Project Runway


The Starting Line-Up: 5 Channels You Go To First When You Sit Down to Watch TV

1. Food Network
2. HGTV
3. TLC
4. Travel Channel
5. BBC-America


This Is An Environment of Welcoming, and You Should Just Get the Hell Out Of Here: 5 TV Characters You Could Do Without

1. Maya - Heroes
2. Fred Burkel - Angel
3. Agent Diana Fowley - X-Files
4. Agent Monica Rayes - X-Files
5. Dr. Polaski - Star Trek: TNG


That's What She Said: 5 Quotes That Still Resonate

Again, I'm having to work really hard to think of quotes that don't come from the Whedonverse, and within said 'verse, there are too many to pick from. That said:

1. Love isn't brains, children, it's blood. Blood screaming inside you to work its will.
2. Love makes you do the wacky.
3. "I've got a cramp." "In your pants?"
4. I mock you with my monkey pants!
5. Go monkey! Choose monkey!


Gimme More: 5 Shows You Can Never Get Enough Of

1. Buffy (obviously)
2. Angel
3. Firefly
4. Farscape
5. Star Trek

Important Fangirl Reminder

Best not be forgetting that Teh Marsters is on Torchwood tomorrow night on BBC America.

That link takes you to a TV Guide interview.

In other loosely 'verse-related news, Episode 6 of The Guild is up. Poor Codex.

I are slow sumtimes.

I just now realized the significance of Cameron's name on The Sarah Connor Chronicles.

Husband would be very disappointed with me right now. So let's not tell him.

She'll be back.

Yes, I know. That title shows no originality whatsoever. I might as well have gone all the way to lametown and written a play on "Hasta la vista, baby." Which, I can't even think of a clever play on that line right now. Which shows you just how lame I can be.

What can I say? It's Monday.

Anyway, in honor of the third airing (and apparent non-impending non-cancellation!) of The Sarah Connor Chronicles tonight, here's an audio interview with Summer "She WILL rip out your spine" Glau.

The Return of Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Favorite Muppet Show Muppets Kermit (natch) Fozzie Bear Gonzo the Great Sweetums Beaker Scooter Lew Zealand Janice Zoot Rizzo Foo-Foo Animal Rowlf

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others' comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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News from the outer territories of the 'verse

Poor Young Simon Tam: Zac Efron had an emergency appendectomy.

Yay River! Her new show is doing well enough in the ratings that it probably won't get canceled! This pleases me. If you still don't know what all the hubbub is about, you can see the pilot episode of The Sarah Connor Chronicles free on iTunes (direct link).

But she'll always be River to me.

Cameron! That's her name. *slaps forehead*

Thanks, Io9.

Io9 interviews Summer Glau.

Sarah Connor Chronicles

I actually carved some time out of my busy weekend to write up some blog posts and movie reviews on my Alphasmart, and for once I was going to be prepared, yo. But then I went and left at home the cord necessary for uploading said blog posts and reviews to my computer. This is how attempts at preparedness usually go for me. So I am, as usual, flying off the cuff this morning.

But at least I'm blogging!

Anyway. So, The Sarah Connor Chronicles. I checked it out last night, and liked it well enough to plan to watch the second episode tonight. I initially just tuned to watch Summer Glau kick some ass --and I suspect I'm hardly the only one there-- but the story also grabbed me. I thought Lena Headey's performance was a little overwrought in places, but she was a believable bad-ass mama bear with the weight of the world on her shoulders. I liked Thomas Dekker's John Conner way more than I've liked any previous incarnations--sorry, but Furlong bugs. The bad Terminator was sufficiently scary, I like how it's tying into the movie mythology, and Summer, of course, was note perfect. And she kicked ass. What's not to like?

I especially like how the Terminators have gotten more sophisticated in their ability to imitate humans, and the hints that Summer's character might have some inkling of Replicant/Cylon emotional evolution going on, or at least the potential for it. I admit it, I eat that stuff up, so if they're going to go that route they'll undoubtedly have a pretty devoted following in me. I could already get behind a T-Summer/John 'ship, although I suspect that they're going to go the way of having T-Summer pose as his sister, which is also okay by me, as it's sure to provide some wacky hijinks, and this show could definitely use some comic relief.

So, in short: I approve. Which probably means Fox will announce Tuesday that it's canceled, writer's strike be damned.

Is it still slash if it's canon?

Did I say posting would start yesterday? BWAH HA HA!

But seriously. I watched a lot of movies on my break, and read a lot (that's part of the problem right there--I'm still in more of a mood to read than I am to write), and reviews are coming...sometime. I am gradually getting my blogging act back together, though, so that's something.

Here, have some man candy.



The slash writes itself.

A little bit of awesome: "I, Malcom"

Here's another in an ever-growing list of reasons to adore Nathan Fillion.

Guh. *thud*

Dear Heroes writers, producers, et al:

Can the next showdown between Peter and Sylar please, PLEASE happen completely sans shirts?

Pretty please? I'll bake you a pie.

Better yet, I'll buy y'all some (more) pencils!

Lustingly,
Jean

This just in

Apparently, "Lou-Bertha" is going to be my new nickname from now on. Thus decreeth the husband.

Which is fine, so long as I can call him Perfect Tosser.

VM Season 4: What could have been...

Fresh from the Season 3 Veronica Mars DVDs comes footage of the sorta-pilot for Rob Thomas's planned re-vamp of the show that would have fast-forwarded Veronica several years into her future working for the FBI. I haven't watched it yet, but word is that the new premise could have been awesome.

Part 1

Part 2

(Via Asking the Wrong Questions)

Best News Ever?

Not that y'all need news like this to distract you on the cusp on NaNo, but...

Joss is coming back to TV, y'all.

And he's bringing Tim Minear and Eliza Dushku with him. The only thing keeping my squee in check? They'll be on FOX. New folks in charge, seven episode commitment and apparent promises of treating him right this time aside, that makes me trepidatious as all get-out. But even so: NEW JOSS WHEDON TV SERIES, YOU GUYS!!! OMGZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TV Boyfriend Tuesday - Vampire Edition

I finally got Husband to sit down with me and start watching season 5 of Angel this week. And so of course I have to kick it off with...

The Boys



Their Progenitors








And Their Legacy

250: It's a (jump)start. Also, Jensen on TVG

After a week of fiddling with my outline to work in the Big Fix, this morning I finally sat my butt in the chair and typed out 250 fresh new words on the novel. I don't know yet whether they'll be keepers, but considering it's 250 words more than I've written in the previous two months, for now I'll take them. At any rate, The Hero Factor is moving forward again, and it feels fabulous.

I think 250 words/day is a goal that's both reasonable and attainable. The thought of keeping up my 1,000/day quota had become as intimidating and discouraging as Tyra Banks on an ANTM panel (note to Ebony: good for you, chica! [/digression]). 250, I can do. It might not sound like a lofty goal, but it's an accomplishable goal that will result in progress, nevertheless. I'm all for progress.

The important thing is, I'm writing again. Whee!

***

In TVBF news, TVGuide.com has posted an interview with Jensen Ackles. I've not had time to read it yet, so I don't know if it gets spoilery. Read at your own risk.

Mmm, Dean.

Oh! And in Supernatural news, last week I FINALLY got Husband to watch it with me. It was just an amazingly fortuitous coincidence that it happened to be a Ben Edlund-scripted ep. Needless to say, he liked it, and plans to keep watching it. Here's hoping the non-Edlund writing can continue to live up to the pretty high bar that last week set for his expectations.

TV Boyfriend Tuesday: Heroes Edition, Part 1

It has come to my understanding that Heroes just has too damn much hotness to be contained in a single post. So consider this first in a series.

Jess who now?





Senator Delicious





Who's your daddy?




Credits: miloventimigliafan.com; adrianpasdartributesite.com; IMDB; TV Guide

Yes, I know the captions are lame. I have a headache. Just hush and enjoy the pretty.

Thursday Thirteen #7: Fangirl Edition

Thirteen Fannish Obsessions I've Had Throughout Life, in Chronological Order 1. Star Wars (at four years old, seeing this movie pretty much sealed my geek fate) 2. Freddy Kreuger 3. Star Trek 4. The Vampire Lestat (the anti-Spike!) 5. Batman/The Joker/Harley Quinn (no, not like THAT! Ew. Although I'm sure there's fanfic....) 6. Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (Sigh and swoon!) 7. The Phantom of the Opera 8. The X-Files (...movie! Yay!) 9. Gargoyles 10. The Entire Whedonverse 11. Farscape (Swoon and sigh and SOB!) 12. A Song of Ice and Fire 13. Supernatural, Heroes and Dr. Who are all contenders for my newest obsession, but none of them are quite there yet. Header graphic by samulli Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. Impworks 2. Angela Klocke 3. Lynne 4. Qtpies (See more in the comments!)

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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And a big bit of TOTALLY NOT awesome

Not sure how I missed this when it was new news, but poking around the 'nets for TV Boyfriend pics, I stumbled across word that SciFi has cancelled their Dresden Files series.

Sigh. That show was flawed, but it had its own charm, and I'll miss it. Damn you, SciFi.

Thursday Thirteen #6: Quotable Buffy Edition

Thirteen Lines from Buffy the Vampire Slayer Notice I didn't say favorite lines, because that would be impossible to choose. To keep this short and sweet, I kept myself mostly to one-liners (although I cheated a little), leaving out dialog exchanges and big speeches. Interactivity Bonus: I'll send a Dancing Lessons: War! soundtrack CD to the first person to correctly identify the speaker and episode for each quote. 1. Well, this is just...neat. 2. Go monkey! Choose monkey! 3. The who whatting how with the huh? 4. No, sir, no more chick pit for you. 5. I mock you with my monkey pants! 6. I may be love's bitch, but at least I'm man enough to admit it. 7. I like the quiet. 8. It's a ritual sacrifice, with pie. 9. That'll put marzipan in your pie plate, bingo! 10. Don't taunt the fear demon. 11. Check. No more butt-monkey. 12. Hecate hates that! 13. Poor Watcher, did your life flash before your eyes? Cuppa tea, cuppa tea, almost got shagged, cuppa tea? Find links to other Thursday Thirteens in the comments!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

TV Boyfriend Tuesday: The Hot Doctor Edition

Doctor who, you say?

Yes, please.

EIGHT





NINE







TEN






And just in case you still don't get the David Tennant thing:



Bonus! This comedy sketch with David Tennant and Catherine Tate (aka Donna) is the funniest thing I've seen in weeks. "Bite me, alien boy!" Heeeee!

Jenuine Disgust

I know the TV Boyfriends are late again. I'm sorry. I got sucked into the Big Brother 8 forums at TWoP for a few hours, and now I need to make up some work. So it's going to be TV Boyfriend Wednesday again this week.

As for Big Brother, feh. I'm not completely over it this season, but I have reached a point where I'm not going out of my way to watch it. I'm content to catch it if and when it's convenient and catch up by reading the recaps. I TiFaux'd last Thursday's live ep, but the satell