Gossip Girl Commentary 1.5.09

So as I sit here trying to remember what happened on tonight's episode of GG almost 3 hours later, I have to admit that it's kind of hard... which means... it wasn't AS good as I expected it to be. Granted, my expectations are always high for GG because I love it so much. And I just wrote a commentary on OTH before this. But still, only one storyline seemed to have an effect:

Obviously, it's no secret that Blair is my favorite character and the Chuck/Blair love story has always been wonderful in my eyes. Whether they're verbally sparring, doing the nasty in backseat limos, or uttering painful i love you's and i'm sorry's I just want them to be together more EVERY TIME!!!! I'm invested in their doomed relationship because their characters just cant let themselves be loved!!! ::Sobs::

Tonight when Chuck finally steps down from the ledge and lets Blair hold him, like REALLY hold him... ::sigh:: I HAVE BEEN THERE PEOPLE!  silly boys with their issues! but lemme tell you girls, they all give in eventually!!!  oh Chuck, I only hope that when you find out whatever happened on NYE happened that you don't go all opium happy again. Speaking of which. Eww.. Jack Bass, really!?!? Blair must have been REALLY drunk. then again, finally saying i love you and getting the response "well thats too bad" can certainly throw a girl right into the arms of another. let's just hope the fallout wont be too bad. 

As for the rest of the episode...eh... I don't even really wanna get into it. I feel like I'm watching reruns! I mean, Rufus and Lily go away...again. this time to look for their son. Ok yeah, the son part is a big thing, but WTF... do they wanna be together or not? is the show gonna let them be even for a split sec? Talk about MIRROR images. Like father like son like Mother like daughter! Dan and Serena, back together AGAIN. Look, I like these two together but for chrissake! make up your damn minds!!!  and can we please get Lil J a storyline!! I am so sick of seeing the little mean girls and their antics. Ok! we get it! BAD, Snobby, Rich girls. Now we're over it. Show us something else!   

I have every bit of faith that the show will get juicier and the storylines will become more interesting in the following weeks. But until then, these commentaries will run short. Sorry!

One Tree Hill Commentary 1.5.09

Drip. Drop. Yes, that is the sound of my tears as I end this brilliant episode of One Tree Hill. God, its no wonder the Soapnet Channel picked up OTH reruns. This show is so well equipped with dramatic storylines and tearjerker moments. 

The final scenes or montages are always what gets me. Something about the up and coming pop music just really grabs your heart and makes u wanna cry. Kudos to Mark Schwahn. I really feel that OTH is like wine. It ages beautifully. With that said, let's cut to the Chase (haha... get it?! coz HE's back! and was that flirting with Mia, I saw!? No!)

But the best part of tonight's episode is-- no, not the Emo Spawn that is to be born in 9 months, but BROOKE finally got to kick the living shit out of her attacker and Q's murderer!!!! Finally, I feel a sense of justice! The entire scene beginning from when she realizes Skeezy Bro is the bandit to the moment Sam (bless her STILL annoying lil heart) calls her mom had me in tears. Yes, streaming tears! Put in a little scene of two sad kids who miss their big bro/friend and the streams become rivers. Even the scene of the future Leyton clan tugged a little at my emotions. And when Brooke finds out Q's murderer and breaks down in Julian's arms.....tears and a... smile? 

::Sigh::

Don't cast me off yet, Brucas fans. I stand by all that we believe in (namely, seasons 2 and 3) but let's face it, Lucas is never gonna be with Brooke now. And to be honest, he doesn't deserve her. Let him be with Pouty Peyton. 

This whole Julian Brooke thing... I gotta say, I really saw it coming a mile away and to be honest, I kinda like it. But it can go one of two ways. One, it'll make Pouty want Julian back. Ha, wouldnt be the first time she goes after Brooke's man. Two, maybe Lucas will step up and realize he doesnt want Brooke to be with anyone else!!! 

Realistically, it'll probably be 1 and if so.... it should make things quite interesting. 

For now, I'll relish the thought that Brooke finally got her groove back. Man, that last punch kick was hardcore. We saw her at the shooting range, where was the Kickboxing scene!? 

Other Things to Mention:

- Nate finally gets on a team but is still gettin pushed around... Hmmm, can we get a new story. Or for the love of god, just get him into the NBA already! how about some Laker guests on the show!!!?!

- Mia is back and so is Chase! Although I sensed a little flirting, isn't she like way too young for him?? and I thought he was still into Brooke? Didn't much like Owen but he was cast aside rather abruptly.

- Millicent and Mouth break up! Well, they were so cheesy to begin with, it was inevitable they'd fall apart. But maybe they'll get back together in the future when they've "matured." And what's up with the previews of Brooke being mad at Milli for sleeping with Owen, she didn't want him anyway?

- Wasn't it awesome not seeing Dan or even Nanny Deb in this episode?? 

Ok, I start school tomorrow so I apologize for the short commentary. And pretty much for not posting anything in the past few months. Unlike these TV characters, I actually have angst and real shit to do. But I still love them!

One Tree Hill Commentary: dedicated to #44

You will first have to pardon the following very disorganized blog. I am still sitting here, my face wet with tears after this heartbreaking episode of One Tree Hill. Sure, it's just a TV show. But death, loss, grief, and pain are such real, all-consuming conditions that touch everyone in one way or another. There is so much I want to comment on, I'm not even sure where to start. 

"He who does not weep does not see"

The two scenes in which Haley attempts to explain to her students why what has happened happens is beautifully done. As one angry high schooler shouts out, "whats the point?" Haley initially responds that there is none. And as much as the second response is the better one, THANK GOODNESS the show starts off with this one. Because to be bitter and upset and angry at the world is the natural first response. It would be a lie not to feel these things. Thus, OTH's take on it is completely true to life. How could anyone think that there is a point when good people are taken away too soon? Or when bad things happen to good people?

The second time Haley speaks to her class, she corrects herself and rightfully claims that the answer is, she does not know. And in a brilliant decision, she demands everyone to write about Q or about how they can make sense of it all: life, death, pain, take ur pick. Haley's speech about Literature and how ancient civilizations left behind stories of their own in an effort to make sense of such difficult things couldn't resonate more with my own English-majored lil heart. When pain or loss or grief or just plain sadness creeps in, how do you cope? How do you let it be known that you suffered or are still suffering? 

"Life is Short."

Maybe it is cliche. Maybe it is a phrase used so often that we forget that it has real, true, honest meaning. But there were several instances throughout the episode that highlight what it truly means to comprehend this significant thought. One example is Peyton telling Brooke not to let the "bitter ones make her forget how awesome she is." This is extremely important for Brooke to hear. Because we don't want her to become bitter and vicious like Victoria. We want to see her win despite all the crap her mother puts her through. We want to believe it for ourselves, that even when shit goes down, we can find a way to get through it... and it definitely helps when we're not alone. 

HUMAN CONNECTION

So many examples come to mind with this theme and I truly love OTH because of how they set up these important relations on the show. One of the first things that comes to mind is how Haley, Nathan, and Jamie all were connected to Q in their own different ways. And what better proof of that than when they visit Q's mom. Not to take away from the relationships Q had with Lucas and Skillz but let's be honest, we were most sad for the Haley/Nathan/Jamie clan more than anyone. Q had become family to them. For Nathan, Q was an image of himself. More importantly a version of himself who he could help NOT turn out like he did. And to solidify their bond even more, Q was actually helping Nathan get his game back. These two were tied by their bball dream--especially by the times when they almost lost that dream. (Nate's accident that lost him his NBA offer and Q's punching out K Fed that led to the chance of him not even playing bball.) In the case of Haley, Q represented the first real student she was able to reach out to. When we first met Q, he was loud, obnoxious, abrasive (hmm reminds me of an ex who plays bball =X) but with Haley's help, Q turned out to be a pretty decent guy. And if it wasn't for Haley pushing him to be better, who knows if anyone could have ever reached him? Lastly, poor poor poor Jamie. God, u gotta love this kid. Yes, he's supposed to be some intelligent brainiac child--but emotionally, he's pretty damn developed too. I might even go as far as to say that he handled Q's death better than any one of the grown ups! From refusing to believe Q would never play again, to asking for Q's jersey (only to give it to Q's little brother later), to the scene where he refuses to miss Q's funeral. "Q was my friend, and I want to say good-bye." ::SOBS:: 

...But perhaps the best moment of the entire episode was when Jamie pulls out the cape and lays it on top of Q's coffin. That MOMENT just put me over the edge. I had been tearing the entire episode and after that, I just lost it. For one, Brooke was standing by him and you could tell that in that same moment everything she felt, everything she had been holding in, everything she didn't know how to cope with.... just came POURING OUT. It was as if the cape was a shroud to cover her own pain and she was finally able to release it all without shame. This closing scene was just PURE brilliance.

Ok before I wrap this up, I just wanna mention some other moments of the episode that were also good because of how much it adds to the this idea of Human Connection. For lack of time, I'll just mention two. The first is Deb and Skillz. Of course their affair is ridiculous and hardly realistic. But even in ridiculous and hardly realistic relationships, we can find ourselves rooting for them if we can feel there is a connection between two people. Nevermind that Deb is old enough to be a grandmother. Nevermind Q and her hooked up through the internet. When she walks over to him at the funeral and stands by his side...you have to admit that she MUST care for him. And the truth is, you HAVE to believe that. Because you WANT to believe that. Because again, no one should go through such pain alone. 

On that note, I thank the writers of OTH soooo much for writing in the Haley/Brooke and Nathan/Brooke scene. Brooke is in a very dark, deep, and disturbing place right now and I have been watching since the premiere with such anticipation. Will she go crazy? Will she become a bitch? Will she do something she'll regret?! Because of these scenes in which both Haley and Nathan check in with Brooke, I'm not completely relieved, but I feel a little better that somehow... if she does go over to the dark side, there will be good people to pull her out. I am sooo glad that it was Haley and then Nathan who reached out to her. (shut up Leyton fans, bc I really do not believe Peyton and Lucas can help her with this). The fact of the matter is, Brooke is alone. VERY alone. Compared to everyone else on the show, she is flying solo. Even Deb and Skillz find each other. Mouth & Milli are having a blast in Omaha, Peyton and Lucas just got engaged. Which brings me back to the point that it is so important that Nathan tells her that it is HER who they are worried about and it is HER that they want to ask if there's anything they can help with. Basically he and Haley are the best people to reach out because they have a family to offer. I can only hope that Brooke will find solace somehow and it wont resort to other extremes.  

But seriously, Human Connection is sooooooo important. I can tell this Samantha Walker character will be trouble but the essay that was written for her by the OTH writers got it right. Someone, or anyone for that matter, should be jealous of Q because he did have human connections and proof of this is how he was extremely loved and missed by those who knew him. ***So this one's out to Haley, isn't that the point? Maybe it's another cliche, but maybe...death, loss, grief, and pain... the point of all those things is that they're a way to reveal what human connections we've had, still have, and will always have.

FRINGE Premiere Commentary 9.9.08

I must admit, this was a very strong and promising pilot. From its creepy, see-thru zombie like creatures to the teensy bit corny moments, witty banter and eerily familiar issues with our ever advancing science, FRINGE puts on a great premiere episode and I look forward to watching more of it (even though I will probably only be able to watch it if someone is watching with me because I'm a wuss and can't watch alone.) Now, let's proceed to a breakdown of this solid, first episode.

OPENING SCENES

ahhh... the ole airplanes in a storm scene....(reminds me of Lost! lol...) Ok... you know sh*t is about to go down when there's a creepy, sweaty man who can't just sit still during a traditional electric storm. So he injects himself with an insulin shot that turns out to be ingested with chemicals that by contact of the electricity or whatever...(not really sure) turns the whole plane into a f*cked up zombie looking gut, flesh, and bone death trap.....but LUCKILY! because of our progressive technology! the plane is able to land itself! (hmm.. good to know that if this were to actually happen, a plane carrying a deadly virus could safely land itself to infect all of us =/ yikes!] Moving on... the credits remind me of House in that it shows different symbols and icons that represent the eerie FRINGE science of it all. Very nice touch with the end of icon "Fringe" piecing together or dissolving (just like what one would imagine is... Fringe-like.) 

PLOT & CHARACTERS

So if you're a bitter, jaded pessimist like me... you'd take one look at that relationship between Olivia and Agent Scott and KNOW he is definitely UP to something. Inter-office relationships... always bad. Especially when you're initially shown in a skeezy motel-after sex romp scene, followed by a call to report for duty in which lover (aka Agent Scott) acts like ur just another colleague when people are around. Later, after a seemingly awkward conversation in which "i love you"'s are exchanged, we see Agent Scott suffer a chemical explosion that leaves him looking like those plane victims. 

Unfortunately, no one knows how to stop the toxins from spreading. So Olivia researches for a doctor or scientist specializing in flesh and finds Dr. Bishop. (she must have a great Google filter since she found the best guy for the job after one search!) We come to find out Dr. Bishop is, well...a little nutty. A very vague account of an experiment gone wrong that landed an assistant dead and him in the mental asylum is introduced, thereby needing his next of kin to be summoned since only immediate family can visit. Enter Pacey--er, I mean, Peter Bishop. High IQ, in debt, and on the run who despises his father and is reluctant to help Olivia but obviously there is an attraction and were already rooting for this clearly BETTER man. 

So we find that Dr. Bishop was once the head of Fringe science (science that involves weird freaky stuff that isn't real or is it?!) and he shared a lab with Massive Dynamics CEO William Bell. (who we also find isn't very cooperative and has a snooty, spooky assistant with freaky robot arm!) To make a LONG story short, we witness Olivia do everything in her power to save her beloved Agent Scott (including some freaky LSD, brain-probing experiment and chasing down Creepy Sweaty Man's twin who used to work for William Bell and killed his own brother). Finally, with the help of ever-so-sweet and saving the day Pace--er, Peter (sorry), Olivia is able to get the info she needs in order for them to reverse the chemical reaction and save Agent Scott. With all this great detective work under her belt, she is approached by a superior who is impressed by her work and wants her to work for him in investigating additional weird scientific occurrences that seem to make up a "pattern." But Olivia doesn't want to hear it. She just wants to go back to before. Meaning she's more concerned with getting back to Agent Scott.

...but here's the twist.

Agent Scott WAS IN ON THE PLANE'S WEIRD ZOMBIE DEATH TRAP! He actually put the twin brother up to sacrificing his brother's life in order to unleash the chemicals! WTF!!! So then the newly cured Agent Scott kills the twin brother as Olivia is rushing back to the hospital to warn everyone. A car chase ensues and Mr. I Love You is now trying to run Olivia off the road! (i knew he was a jerk!) But Karmas a bitch and his SUV flips over. Olivia rushes to his side and despite her efforts, he doesn't give her the name of who he was working for. Poor girl. After spending almost the entire episode trying to save the man she loves, he turns out to have been the enemy. So with her freshly broken heart and trust and all the other craziness she's witnessed in the past few days, she realizes... maybe she really can't go back to before.

So she rushes back to the lab where Dr. Bishop and Peter are about to leave. Apparently, Dr. Bishop has briefed Peter on the freaky experiments he and William Bell used to do in their old lab. Now Peter wants to get the hell away from there ASAP. But....the attraction is strong and once Olivia asks for their help.... it's clear we're witnessing the beginning of a wonderful series. 

AFTERTHOUGHTS

I'd have to say the best moment was right before Olivia entered her drug induced LSD trip to meet with her beloved Agent Scott in unconscious land. ONLY because as he so sexily applied those wires to her body, Peter says, "i hope your guys worth it." ::SIGH:: only Joshua Jackson could deliver such simple, yet endearing lines. The father son connection between him and John Noble was also convincing. The woman cast as Nina Sharp (William Bell's snooty assistant) was perfect for the role. That robot hand was very eerie. And to close out the episode we see her announcing they will question Agent Scott's dead corpse. Ooook...freaky much? And overall, the entire episode was shot very nicely. From aerial views to just the picture quality...it was almost like watching a movie, not a tv show. Good job J.J. Abrahams... (psh, like u needed my approval, ur a TV god!)

The Hills 09.01.08

"how would you like to be dumped?" 

hahahha... I forgot how much I love this show. This episode is probably the best one so far this season. Even better than the premiere. And from the previews of next weeks episode, the season is finally picking up on what it does best. With that said, how Awesome is it that Whitney may finally have a real boy toy on the show! its about damn time!! and I must say her and Alex have way more chemistry than Lauren and Doug. And can I get a boss like that to hook me up with a model!! If only my friends could learn how to set me up on a date like that, maybe I would've coughed up the balls to do some damage this past weekend! =X

Lauren and Doug....I sooo knew that relationship was going nowhere! That's right, I knew it and so did Brody! (lol...yes, great minds think alike.) How EFFIN cute are Lauren and Brody anyway! God can they please get together already!!!! The fact that he watches out for her and already knows which guys aren't right for her... Can u just be the One already!! why do these people who belong together play with my emotions!!?!! I can't even live vicariously thru these people's romantic relationships anymore! 

Heidi, Speidi who? I think the most interesting thing regarding that whole part of the cast is when Stephanie says, "it used to be a hamster but now its a guinea pig." uhhhh huh..... THATS why you and Spencer are related! thanks for reminding me that you're both STUPID!!! lol anyway... 

Best quote:

"My type is someone I've already dated."

Oh it's sooo silly how much Lauren and I have in common sometimes. LOL...I think once upon a time I had this same conversation! I can't wait for next week. The countdown to Audrina's getting kicked out could have started. And Brody and Doug in jail!!! Whaaaaaatttt...! and of course, Frankie manages to stay out of trouble. He really is the smartest of the bunch. lol...that's kinda sad. He's like Fez but smarter. haha... go Frankie!

Gossip Girl Premiere!!

3 words, 8 letters. ::SOBS:: Why didn't you just say it Chuck!?!?!!? if you and Blair are truly meant to be together...WHY DIDNT YOU SAY IT!!!! Why do boys NEVER just say it! lol...You know what, it's ok. Because clearly you still love her and you'll be pining over her all this season and somehow you'll whisk her away from the dashing British lord. But after you learn your lesson. Besides, that British accent is just what the cast needed. (ironically Ed Westwick aka Chuck has an accent in real life!) He is a little on the dry side though... I already forgot his name... James, was it? Well, he would still be the perfect distraction/rebound for Blair. But only for the meantime. As for other introduced story lines, well...

 

Nate and an older, married woman... Hmmm... a lil too cliche for me. I need that story line to get a lot juicier and more original if continued. Dan and Serena get back together... was it just me or was that WAY too easy?! ::sigh:: that just means they've got a hell of school year coming at them. To be honest I didn't really care where Vanessa was. And lil J gettin snubbed as an intern, didn't we see enough of her being snubbed last year? As far as season premieres go, this one was just a tad bit too tame for me, especially it being Gossip Girl and all. But here's to hoping it'll get much more controversial. XOXO =)

One Tree Hill Season Premiere

I just knew the opening was too good to be true, but lemme indulge in it once again. Oh that first fantasy shot of Lucas married to Brooke....I speak for all Brucas fans when I say it was THE best way to start off the season. I thought it was very wise of the writers to write in a possible scenario with each of the girls so that everyone would be pleased. Except that when Lucas' quickie fiance really turned out to be Peyton, I felt like vomiting.  But whatever, I've been told I'm biased. But in defense of Brucas fans everywhere, Brooke was the first and the longest of the imaginary wedding anniversaries--that's gotta count for something! 

Now that the biggest news is out (Lucas picks Peyton::yawn::), let's move on to the other shocking plot additions this season. First of all, NANNY CARRIE...aka CRAZY FUCKIN BITCH ran over DAN! and is now keeping him hostage in her creepy dead father's old hospital stuff. WTF! I'm already scared for what crazy shit she's gonna try to do to hurt anyone in her way. Poor Naley, there's always something going wrong. And how cute was Jamie and Haley dancing to Flo-rida!! ::tear:: Why can't this family just stay HAPPY! ::Sobs:: And Nathan's back problem... will he never live his dream and play for the NBA!? Hopefully he does someday so we can get some cute NBA stars on the show. What is the deal with Mouth moving to Omaha?? I can't decide if its more excruciating to watch Deb with Skillz (coz its pretty gross), Mouth and Millicent (coz its semi boring and corny), or Lucas and Peyton in their skeezy Las Vegas hotel room with mirrors on the ceiling...(coz they are just soo gay together--Leyton fans be damned!) But nothing could shock me or break my poor lil heart more than seeing Brooke ALONE!!! 

So alone in fact, that she gets mugged right before the damn episode ends! WHY OH WHY do the writers hurt me this way! The previews for next week look very dark and I just can't stand knowing that Brooke is always saving her friends and yet at this moment she's left ALL alone!! ugh...it makes me sick. Since Lucas is an idiot for thinking he's destined to be with Peyton, we've got to work on getting her a decent man! I've heard that Owen the Bartender will be back this season, but I really didn't find that prospect to be that interesting. I'll even take Chase or Angie's doctor, Ethan. He seemed genuinely interested in her. My goodness... Nothing could have prepared me for that horrific ending and I was expecting someone to get fucked coz everyone seemed to be a lil too happy and we all know that doesn't happen for very long in Tree Hill. I guess I'll have to hold on to the opening scenes of Brooke and Lucas to get me thru until next week. POOR, poor Brooke. ::sniff::