The TV Geek

Loose Ends (Girls 2x01 It's About Time Episode Review)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 10:45:00 +0000

Hanna and her girl friends (with their respective boys) are finally back!

Girls season 2 opened up where we were left of last year. And it was good.

Let's do it one girl at a time, shall we?:

Hanna - still being under Adam's wings for being the reason why he was hit by a truck last season. Adam broke his leg, thereby making Hanna his personal servant (giving her orders and such). But unbeknownst to him, Hanna is already dating someone - played by Community's Donald Glover (and the first black recurring character for the show). Moreover, Hanna's already roommates with her former guy-turned-gay roommate Elijah.
Marnie - still boyfriend-less. On Elijah and Hanna's soiree, Marnie saw Charlie - her former boyfriend - with his new girl Audrey, but things are not as smooth as Charlie likes it to be on his new relationship. During the last minutes of the episode, Marnie went to Charlie's loft to sleep beside him because she's lonely after awkwardly making out with Elijah who's also confused about his status in life. Furthermore, she was laid off from her job.
Soshana - devirginized. After loosing her V Card to Ray, Sosh felt weird (and even unfriended on Facebook) her paramour Ray on Hanna's soiree. But after Ray confronted her, they patch their awkwardness by making out.
Jessa - happily married with Thomas. She only made a small cameo this episode but she looked happy with her new husband.

Over all, the episode was a whole lotta fun. It was not the best Girls episode, but it's a strong start for the season. It opened up the loose ends from last season and it tried to tie the knots for this premiere - although not completely. There is consistency in every scene and we did not feel lost on the entire episode. Plus, the opening scene where Elijah and Hanna just woke up cuddling in bed reminds me of the opening scene in the pilot episode but instead of Elijah, it was Marnie.

The sex scene between Elijah and Marnie was very very awkward and uncomfortable to watch. But I guess that was a good thing since the two did not finish it and felt that it's wrong. And I am quite disappointed that Marnie did not show her boobs. (Still Allison Williams? Lena Dunham is doing it)

The scene where Adam and Hanna fought on the his's apartment was the hilight for me. It was excellent, yet we're not sure if Adam is being serious on telling Hanna that he needs her.

Scottish Nightmare (Downton Abbey Season 3 Christmas Special Episode Review)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 18:32:00 +0000

As mentioned in the title of this review, the Christmas Special of Downton Abbey's third season is a nightmare for fans. Why?

First, a flat and disappointing episode.

Second, the death of a major character - as in, if you think Sybil's death was devastating... you might want to think again.

Let's first discuss my first reason why this special episode was not so special as I thought it would be. Maybe it's my fault that I'd expected too much since last year's Christmas special was Downton Abbey's best episode ever. But still.... I expected more from this award winning series. The entire episode felt weak and flat. There are a lot of unnecessary storylines that I strongly believe can be included in the season finale a few months back. Also, nothing big really happened during the entire 1.5 hour, just the introduction of the possible character/s for next season, and the exit of some. It was so bad that even the Dowager Countess' crazy and funny antiques did not suffice. In short, the entire episode was boring and pointless. Yes, it was nice to see the characters in action again after weeks of being gone, but still.... the fans are hungry for more.

For the second reason, a character died. It's not just any character, it's Matthew fuckin' Crawley. Yes, the show's leading man himself was killed off in a stupid car crash. It's all over the news weeks ago that the actor - Dan Stevens - had decided to leave the show for good, so I was expecting that this may be his farewell episode or he'll appear in next season's premiere then he'll just leave Downton and Mary for some sad and personal reasons. But no. The writers of the series decided it would be better for him to die. Why, right? Does he really have to die? Furthermore, he was killed when his child with Mary was born! I am personally disappointed with that outcome and I hope that the show can pick itself up for next season.

Overall, I'll give the episode a rating of....

4.5/10

Asylum of Talents

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 09:30:00 +0000

The second season of American Horror Story (subtitled, Asylum) brought back some of the casts from the show's first run last year. Due to the undeniable success of this horror/thriller TV series, it won some major awards - including a Best Actress hit for Jessica Lange who played the enigmatic psycho Constance.

This season, as we all know, the show's setting is the Briarcliff Asylum for the Criminally Insane during the 1960s. Surprisingly, not only the crazy plot that psyched all of us. The returning actors are - hands down - unbelievably better than their previous performance in the show.

Check the actors below who I think deserve some much needed attention for their acting skills:

1. Jessica Lange as Sister Jude

She's not your typical nun, per se. Lange played her character so well by inputting a distinct accent and strength, leadership and fear in her aura. I was not surprised that she was given the lead role in this season - after her wins from some major awards show. Lange did not fail and gave justice to Sister Jude.

2. Sarah Paulson as Lana Winters

She is the biggest surprise for me. If there can only be one Emmy nominee for AHS (as if...), then I 'll choose Sarah over Jessica. Paulson is sooo amazing! Her exhilarating storyline plus the complexity and the insane events for her character definitely made Lana Winters one of the hilights for this season. Her minor role from season one did not give light to her talents, so it was really refreshing to see her acting prowess for this one. Job well done!

3. Lily Rabe as Sister Mary Eunice/ The Devil

Last season, she was just the flailing and weeping ghost roaming around the house. Now, she's the devil. Sister Mary Eunice started off as this weakling nun who always follows orders from Sister Jude. But after the Devil possessed her - despite the knowledge of others, which was then discovered by Jude - she became one of the biggest antagonist for AHS:Asylum.

4. Zachary Quinto as Dr. Oliver Thredson

He's Bloody Face for crying out loud. He was able to maintain a stable outlook without the others knowing that he's the serial killer behind all of these heinous crimes. When Lana found about this, Zachary Quinto did an amazing job portraying such an enraged and demented character like Dr. Thredson.

Top 10 Best TV Series of 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 09:15:00 +0000

2012 is nearly over. And as the TV shows in America are now taking their usual holiday hiatus, I decided to give you my top 10 best TV shows of the year. This includes new and old shows which ran from January to December 2012. I am following 28 series this year so it's very difficult to evaluate each and choose MY creme of the crop. But I did my best.

I just have to remind you that this is my list - based on my own personal taste and criteria as an audience. I have not seen every show which aired this year so if your favorite is not here, that means either it's not worthy to be in the top 10 or I just do not watch it.

Anyway, here you go.

Starting from...

TOP 1

BREAKING BAD SEASON 5

(July - September)

Are you still even surprised? The first half of Breaking Bad's final season was phenomenal, amazing, exciting, and an instant classic. The preceding season took a lot of hype for its mind boggling and twisted plot, but season five started with a slow rhythm until it built up to some strong momentum halfway - and then bam, a jaw-dropping mid season finale. Season five of this award winning series from AMC is definitely one for the keeps. It may not be as perfect as season four, but I know the last eight episodes which would premiere next year would kill our socks off.

TOP 2

COMMUNITY SEASON 3

(March - May)

Episodes 12 to 22 of Community seaosn 3 was such a blast, And the fact that fans all over the world had to endure such longing from January to March just for the second half of the season made it more worthwile. Community is, without a doubt, the funniest show on TV right now. Hands down.

TOP 3

HOMELAND SEASON 2

(October - December)

I have to admit that the first season of Homeland was better than the second one. But the last 3 episodes of Season 2 put this show on top of my list. It was Homeland at its finest. Unexpected twists, Claire Danes' acting prowess, gut-wrenching plot. And I guess a good season finale is wherein the viewers will have no idea how the next season will go. Homeland delivered that.

TOP 4

THE WALKING DEAD SEASONS 2 and 3

(February - March [2] and October - December [3])

Season two of Walking Dead was a... bummer. Thank god the plot thickened during the second half of season 2. Two major deaths and a thrilling season finale. PLUS, the first 8 episodes of season 3 was turning out to be amazing. The Walking Dead does a good job at finding the balance of putting so much brutality and gore from the fighting sequences and the electrifying stories of the survivors while searching for humanity amidst this calamity. My most favorite line of the show so far (which I think can sum the entire series) was said by Maggie: "All this time running from walkers [zombies], you forget what people can do"

TOP 5

SHERLOCK SEASON 2

(January)

Sherlock's three-episode seasons are all 100% perfect - acting, cinematography, screenplay, direction, plot development. Season 2 was so much better the the previous one and the cliffhanger on the third episode killed me. Without a doubt, best British TV show right now.

TOP 6

GAME OF THRONES SEASON 2

(April - June)

This show has over a dozen major characters yet each still have their moments of glory in this 10-episode per season series from HBO. When I was deciding what to be in my list, Game of Thrones was initially in my Top 10 because I felt that the second season was weaker and less compelling than the first. Daenerys' storyline, for example, was a huge disappointment due to the fact that her storyline in season one was the hilight of the show. I also felt that the characters, especially the Starks, are too apart from each other and there were not any connections that can justify the ending. However, upon realization, Game of Thrones did a bit well. The penultimate episode was the show's best and Arya's and Sansa's plots are very exciting to watch.

TOP 7

PARKS AND RECREATIONS SEASONS 4 and 5

(January - May [4] and September - December [5])

Aside from Community, Parks and Rec is one of the most underrated comedy shows on TV. The second half of season four - the election campaigns and Leslie's victory - was quality television at its finest. Parks and Rec is poignant and funny, with a tinge of romance and political drama. I just wish people would appreciate this show more before it's too late.

TOP 8

SCANDAL SEASONS 1 and 2

(April - May [1] and September - December [2])

What a huge surprise in mainstream/local television. I believe that Scandal should be in a cable network to fully maximize its potential to be the next big hit. All the plots introduced are engaging and the characters are very well written. Shonda Rhimes surely did an amazing job with Scandal.

TOP 9

SCANDAL SEASON 5

(March - June)

Maybe you're wondering why Mad Men is in my bottom 2. The reason is simple: Season 5 did not meet the standards set by season 4. The latter was so amazing that people's expectations for the fifth season was really high. But thank god for Episode 9 and 10, it saved the show from demise. Mad Men is already considered a TV classic that's why every episode is a gem and every characters are precious. Many exciting things had happened in this season, but it failed to capture the harmonious growth o of the characters of that of the prior seasons.

TOP 10

GIRLS SEASON 1

At first glance, you think this is just your typical show about some white girls facing a couple of basic white girl problems - ala Mean Girls and Clueless. But boy, I was wrong. Girls is so much more than that. It offered a complex view of the lives of four teenage girls in New York as they face some complicated adult (and childish) problems. Yes, it may raise the eyebrows of some convservatists, but Girls proved to be the best teen show on TV right now. I can say that this is one of the best freshman show of 2012. PLUS, it's produced, directed, and written by the show's lead actress herself Lena Dunham.

As an added bonus, I've decided to also include my Top 11 to 15 for you my readers!

TOP 11

THE NEW NORMAL

(September - December)

One of the best freshman shows of Fall Season 2012-2013. Although the married gay couple is already cliche in terms of television (ehem Modern Family ehem), the show has a strong ensemble and a very poignant and relatable screenplay.

TOP 12

AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ASYLUM

(October - December)

At first, it was a bit weird and wild... very wild. It's quite difficult to move on from the awesomeness that the first season brought last year. The setting for the second season of AHS is interesting (1960s, asylum), the number of characters and storylines were overwhelming which then became complicated. However, as the season progressed, the events became creepier, dreadful, and drop-dead intense. Plus, the actors (Lange, Rabe, Paulson, Quinto, etc) are all unbelievably and undeniably amazing.

TOP 13

DOWNTON ABBEY Season 3

(September - November)

So many things had happened in the third season of this period drama from UK. It's not as good as the first season, but it's quite better than season 2. Also, the unexpected death of a major character, the conflict between Thomas and O'Brien, the unfortunate events in Sybil's life, and Mary and Matthew's marriage made this season a memorable one.

TOP 14

DEXTER Season 7

(October - December)

Give me this moment and let me rejoice for Dexter. Season 7 became soooo much better than the last two seasons. This season is not perfect (nothing - and I mean, nothing - beats Season 4), but the inclusion of Yvonne Strahovski in the casts made it worth watching. Also, I kinda' like how the Debb-Dexter plot went on. "He knows. She knows."

TOP 15

SUBURGATORY Season 1 and 2

(January - May [1] and October - December [2])

Just like The Middle, Suburgatory is always overshadowed by Modern Family. These shows are in the same network so it's quite difficult to battle an award winning just like ModFam. The second half of season 1 was very funny and season 2 is turning out to be great. Tessa became downright annoying she was in season one to a lovable and funny character.

Chevy Chase - OUT of Greendale 7

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 13:52:00 +0000

Despite a couple of allegations towards the actors and the producers' hate towards Chevy Chase and a few controversial setbacks on the set of Community because of the actor's attitude, the NBC sitcom has finally pulled out the plug on Chevy Chase as the mean and racist Pierce Hawthorne.

Just a few hours ago, it was announced that the former SNL cast member won't appear on Community season 4's final episode.

It would be remembered that Community creator Dan Harmon had left the show after its junior run because of some problems in his contract and all that sheningan. But I'm pretty sure it was mainly because of his dispute with Chevy.

How will Pierce leave the show? Will he die? Or will he just decided to leave the study group?

Is Pierce that much big of a change in the camaraderie between the Greendale7? I personally think yes.

Good luck to your future endeavors, Chevy... if you still have any.

Shows I Give Up

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 17:12:00 +0000

Through the course of enjoying all of the TV shows I watch, it's inevitable to give up on some shows you used to love. For this post, I will share to you the TV series I have decided to stop watching due to some different reasons.

And I am telling you, choosing these is difficult for me. It's like breaking up with a girlfriend. Without further ado, check them out below. Oh, and to the shows I have to say adieu, it's not me... it's you.

1. SUPERNATURAL

Probably the most difficult for me. Supernatural has been one of my faves ever since, but after season five, this show has went downwards... and it does not stop from going down. The plot's all over the place, some storylines are boring, and it's not just the same anymore. The first 5 seasons were amazing - twists, character development, plot - but after that, Supernatural does not deliver so well. Sorry Winchester boys!

2. NEW GIRL

I was supposed to give this show up last year, but it's very hard to resist Zooey Deschanel so I continued on with New Girl. But now that the show is in it's second season, it reminded me why I was so close on saying buh-bye to this comedy series. It's not that funny, the characters are bizarre, and nothing is happening that much. Looks like Zooey's charm is not enough to make me tune in on New Girl.

3. GO ON

Oh, Matthew Perry. I had so much hopes on this show because it features the one and the only Matthew Perry who played Chandler Bing on FRIENDS. But, Go On turned out to be such a borefest. Maybe I'll give this show another try soon, but as of now, it's a farewell.

4. GRIMM

Over the top arc, unecessary storylines, unrelatable characters... just.. not for me.

5. GLEE

I know I am not the only one who gave up on this. Glee just became so bad. Yes, this season might be quite good (a far far far better improvement than the two previous seasons), but it's time to bid goodbye to the students of McKinely High. The characters are boring and their storylines are just plain annoying. Bye bye.

Of Crickets and Affairs (Downton Abbey 3x08 Episode Eight Episode Review)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 17:39:00 +0000

Downton Abbey had concluded its junior run with an episode which hilighted the solemness and grandeur of the writing, the direction, the actors, and of the scenery.

Basically, the season three finale tied all untied knots from the past seven episodes, and also it gave us a glimpse of who may not return on the show for season four. UK's Most Watched Television Show really knows how to make viewers feel so much emotions for just an hour. However, I do believe that the finale could have been better.

As a bonus, I'll share to you - my lovely readers - my top 5 most favorite storylines for this season of Downton Abbey. I think it's pretty amazing how a show with only few episodes every season introduce us to a lot of subplots for the lords, ladies, and servants of the manor.

5. Mrs. Hughes' cancer

I just wished they had extended this subplot for Mrs. Hughes. Or, they should have given her cancer. It was really sad when she was waiting for the results if she has this terminal disease, but when she found out she doesn't have it, all of it fell flat and pretty useless.

4. Ethel as cook of Isobel and giving up her child

I was really surprised when I found out that Ethel was back this season. I thought her stint from season 2 was already her last (just like Agnes' in season 1). To make a living for her and for her child, she decided to be a prostitute. When Isobel found out about this, she took Ethel as her cook. Also, Ethel decided to give up her child to the father. Another arc for her is the whole controversies and scandals - whatever those were - that arose from Ethel's admission as a servant in Isobel's house eventhough she was a prostitute, thereby, she has to go.

3. The whole Downton being bankrput - thus, Matthew invested is inherited wealth from Lavinia's father to Downton, making him "co-captain of the ship".

I love that Matthew are taking over Downton, as much as Lord Grantham hates it. Mathhew's plans may be conflicting as to what His Lordship wanted, things still went pretty smoothly to Matthew.

2. Thomas' homosexual act towards James

Another interesting arc for this season is the bickering and battle between former partners-in-crime, O'Brien and Thomas. However, I never thought it would reach this far. James, the new footman of Downton, had arisen so much interest from the ladies... and to Thomas. So, O'Brien made sure that she can lead his former ally to James eventhough she knew that the footman is straight as a wooden stick. During the penultimate episode of the season Thomas made his move and kiss James while he's asleep. James, all shocked and disgusted, with of course some coaching by O'Brien, decided to break Thomas more. I never thought that homosexuality was such a huge issue back then so this subplot - which became one of the biggest arcs for the season - was so fun to watch.

1. Sybil's death, and its effects to the people of Downton

What a surprising and sad death. Sybil died from childbirth despite the advice of Dr. Carson to follow his methods rather than the Other Doctor's ways. The youngest of the Crawley sisters left a daughter and her former chauffeur husband Branson in despair. Furthermore, the drama and and the conflict that happened after her death between Robert and his family was such a treat!

PS. I really want to include the whole Bates-getting-out-of-prison plot since it's one of the biggest ones for this season, but it felt short and a little bit dragging. Also, it's pretty predictable that he will be free anyway so it was not much of a surprise. I was happy for him and Anna, but the storylines mentioned above are far more enjoyable.

PSS. Number Six for me would be Edith's miserable wedding, Well, she was left out in the altar during her wedding so it's really bad. I think the writers don't want Edith to be happy.

See you next year, Downton Abbey!

La La La La Lalalalala (Suburgatory 2x01 Homecoming Episode Review)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 16:31:00 +0000

Last night I had a pleasant nightmare.. La La La La Lalalalala

Well, the premiere episode of the second season of ABC's Suburgatory was not surely a nightmare. But it was hell lotta' pleasant.

Tessa is still building her connections with her mother through her grandma who she just met on last season's finale. When she went home from New York, she told her dad all about she learned from her mother and even brought home some stuff of her mom. At first, George was not comfortable with this but then by the end of the episode, he told Tessa how he reminds him of her mother.

In other subplots, the Shays (and the rest of people of Chatswin) are preparing for the town's local talent show while Lisa blackmails her parents about how she knew that Ryan is adopted. Furthermore, Dallas and Fred are fighting for Carmen to become their nanny.

"Homecoming" jumped from the whole summer, therefore, making us known that George had ended ways with Eden. However, this did not stop from finding out what's goin' on with the lives of the fancy people of Chatswin.

Of course, some moments were bizarre and ridiculous but it still worked for me and it made me laugh like a maniac. I love the scenes with the Shays. They're hilarious! Definitely one of the best TV families.

The last part when Tessa sang her mother's composition for the local talent show is probably one of the best Suburgatory moments for me. It was touching and she finally sings the song from the open credits of the series. And btw, Jane Levy can sing!

Overall, an almost-perfect episode to start off the season. Last season's finale was such a disappointment that's why I am really happy for this outcome. Definitely worth the wait.

I'll give this episode a rating of 9.5/10!

Bad Nurse (American Horror Story:Asylum Welcome to Briarcliff Episode Review)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 12:35:00 +0000

That was a crazy wild ride!

American Horror Story: Asylum has finally opened its doors for a brand new ass-kickin' season. If the pilot episode of the show from last year made your minds jumble like there's no tomorrow, this premiere episode confused the hell out of all us. There were the usual scary elements, monsters, crazy characters, religion vs. science, and aliens.

As we all know, the setting of the second installment of the American Horror Story series is an asylum for the criminally insane during the 1960s. Sister Jude, played by Emmy-winning Jessica Lange, is the head of the institution and of the series. Everybody's afraid of her and she has some dark and dirty secrets hiding behind her black nun outfit - and yes, I am also talking about her hot red lingerie and her hidden desire for Monsignor Timothy Howard.

Aside from Sister Jude, there are also 3 other standouts in the show. First is Kit Walker, played by Evan Peters. He sees aliens and he's dubbed as Bloodyface because he kills his victims, skins them off, and wear these as a mask. Yikes. But, he can't remember all of these. Thus, he's sent inside Briarcliffe. Second character which will be one of the main focus of the show is Lana Winters, played by Sarah Paulson. She's a news reporter and she's willing to do anything to get the inside scoop in Briarcliffe. But as she got deeper in the asylum, her goal-orientedness bit her in the ass. Lastly, Dr. Arthur Arden, played by James Cromwell, is Briarcliffe's health doctor - but's he's not the typical doctor we know. He's a firm believer that science is the answer for everything and he does experiments on a number of patients to find out how their evilness exists in their brains. Let's just say that Dr. Arden and Sister Jude are not vibing with each other.

Also one of the main reasons why this season got a huge hype from the fans is because of Adam Levine. However, he's in the "present" subplot of the story with Jenna Dewan-Tatum. It's already 2012 and Briarcliffe is already closed. When he and his new wife went inside the asylum to do their honeymoon, you know, for fun... the couple faced something unimaginable. Because after all, legend has it that if you go inside Briarcliffe... you never get out.

As I mentioned above, the premiere episode alone is all sorts of crazy. And in the end, all I can say was "Whaaat the hell was that all about?". In spite all of these shenanigans, I was still very invested with the main characters. The episode made me want to know more about them and it felt that each character has a deep background lying under their extreme exteriors. Let's just hope that the writers of AHS can maintain this momentum and will not make crazy, unrealistic, and over the top scenarios which would make us all stop watching.

The cinematography is great, the acting was superb, and the screenplay was excellent. American Horror Story:Asylum began with a good start and should aim to keep us glued on our screens for the next 10 weeks.

I'll give "Welcome to Briarcliffe" a rating of.... 8.5/10!

Guns and Prison (The Walking Dead 3x01 Seed Episode Review)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 16:58:00 +0000

Bang, bang, bang.

The Walking Dead's season opener surely, well, opened with a lot of bang.

The cold open set up the tone of the episode, and of the series - it was dark, fast paced, creepy, and downright outrageous.

Also, the third season premiere of AMC's The Walking Dead did a time jump which was really obvious in Carl's hair and Lori's belly. Another surprising and refreshing thing in this episode is all of the characters - even Carol - know how to use guns and kill zombies. They're not backing down, and as a team, they have one goal in mind: to survive.

I love the fact that the characters did not utter any word in the cold open. Everything happened fast and in just a few minutes, we saw how they lived when they left the Farm.

As mentioned above, the characters are all fighting for survival. No one tries to be a weakling, and they all kill these walkers that stand on their way. Furthermore, the episode did not lack the typical TWD spices: unnerving and dark spine-chilling places, hundreds of walkers, gross yet satisfying killing and fight sequences, and the amazing improvements in the character development. Rick is, without a doubt, the leader of the group and everyone follows to his commands.

Also, I appreciated that all of the characters were given some minutes of glory - except the black dude (I didn't even bother to remember his name because he's that pointless... he's a wallflower). The writers should really give him some screentime.

Another awesome thing in this episode is that the characters are not afraid of the walkers anymore - well, compare to how they reacted before. They just fight, kill, fight, kill, fight and kill as if defeating walkers has become a part of their ordinary lives. Furthermore, their dirty and slimy faces and skin show how difficult it is to thrive in the woods while fighting off zombies.

Aside from the sequences of the main group, we were also able to see how Michonne and Andrea survive. If you can remember from last season's finale, Andrea was helped by a hooded woman from the walkers after she was left out by her group. Nothing much happened between them except that the writers focused on their budding friendship.

As the main group finds a perfect solace for them (also for Lori to give birth), they found the Prison -which would be the main setting of this season. If we thought that we've seen enough, we're wrong. As Hershel became the first death (?) of the season. Hershel got bitten through the end of the hour. It was surprising and it made me scream. When Rick tried to save him by cutting of Hershel's bitten leg, without any hesitation and due to desperation, it was gruesome and disgusting. And plain sad.

The episode ended with some peculiar bystanders who saw our team in the prison... "holy shit!" that what's they said when they saw Daryl and company... and that's what we said too.

Overall, I'll give Seed a rating of... 10/10! PERFECT!

Revenge is Green (Arrow Pilot Episode Review)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 15:08:00 +0000

The CW's much awaited new series has finally premiered... and it was amazing.

Arrow is the modern retelling of DC Comic's Green Arrow, and obviously, it's a origin superhero series.

The show centers around Oliver Queen, who was stranded in an island after the yacht - which also carried his father and "sex friend" who then died - sank into the ocean. Five years later, after everyone thought he's dead, Queen was rescued.

In contrast to his former fun and notorious life, the island changed Oliver in ways no one imagined. When he returned, all he has in mind is one word: Revenge. For what, we will know in the next episodes to come.

For some reason, the main plot of the show reminds me a lot of ABC's Revenge. The big difference, of course, is that the "Revenger" is a dude. But if you'll look at it, it's basically the same. However, don't think of this as a bad way. The pilot proved to be worth watching and deserves some needed attention. With a strong start of 3.3 million viewers, Arrow has a lot to prove in its next weeks to come.

I love the conflict and the relationship between the characters. Oliver cheated on his girlfriend - Lauren - with her sister (who, spoiler alert, died in the yacht). Also, the cop trying to defeat the green-hooded man is Lauren's dad.

Over all, a strong pilot episode with a worthy plot. The characters are three dimensional and the main plot is exciting. It may be shaky at times, but the promising surprises in the arc compromises with those.

SO, i'll give ARROW Pilot Episode a rating of.... 9/10

It all Changes ( The Vampire Diaries 4x01 Growing Pains Episode Review)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 14:28:00 +0000

After a few months of waiting, TVD is finally back!

And it was good. The wait is totally worth it.

Let's do a quick recap shall we?

Elena is now a vampire thanks to Dr. Pretty Little Liars, Klaus took Tyler's body, Damon is still in cahoots on Elena's decision that she chose Stefan... well, I guess that's pretty it.

So, what happened here?

Elena is still in the transition face with the help of her true love Stefan
Damon grieves because Elena is now a vampire, and blames Matt for it.
The Council, thanks to Alaric (RIP), went commando to all vampires in Mystic Falls by putting them in captive. For some reason, they only got Caroline, Rebecca, Stefan, and Elena.
Klaus, who is in Tyler's body, forces Bonnie to bring him back on his original English bod.
Bonnie and Jeremy find a way to make Elena human again. But, they failed since doing so is taboo to dark magic, or something like that.
Also, Elena remembered everything that Damon did/told her before. But our damsel in distress still chose Stefan (yey!)

I have always wanted to see Elena as a vampire. Eventhough we have seen Nina Dobrev as a vamp before when she played Katherine, it's still different and cool. I love this scene when a tear fell from Elena's eyes when she tasted her very first blood. You can feel the guilt and the extreme desire from Elena on that scene. Well done, Nina.

Also, Growing Pains introduced us to some new arcs we might encounter this season. One thing is The Other Side of the witches' world, the Council is the beginning of something - according to pastor Young, the hate between Klaus and Rebekkah, and of course, the never ending love triangle of Elena-Stefan-Damon.

Some portions, however, made me raise a few eyebrows. How the hell did Elena, Stefan, and Rebekkah escaped from the barn? How did the Council get all the vervain in the Salvatore manor? If it's that easy to transport Klaus back to his body from Tyler's, why bother with that arc-with-potential from last season's finale? Is Elena always the damsel in distress?

The writers obviously injected every hanging question from last season and immediately gave them some answers. Nevertheless, they, as i mentioned above, opened more doors for new storylines. So many things happened in here that its' quite difficult to comprehend and fully appreciate all the details. But still, the premiere episode was still outstanding and as exciting as ever.

PS. Did I mention that I am a big STELENA fan? STELENA forever!

Sherlockians (Elementary Pilot Episode Review)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 05:55:00 +0000

Ever since it was announced that an American adaptation of UK's Sherlock, fans all over the world went into clamor. Many people have complaint, even the creator and actors of the said British series, do not have anything good to say about this.

Surprisingly, the pilot episode of Elementary.... was good. The crime/mystery that the duo solved was not as exciting and as thrilling as I thought it would be, but then I have to force myself to realize that this is not the UK Sherlock wherein it only airs three episodes every year. Miller played Sherlock really well. He was able to make the character his own rather being compared to Benedict Cumbercatch. Moreover, Sherlock in this American series is more flawed, agnostic, self centered and aloof than what we would have expected.

Lucy Liu, on the other hand, proved that a woman Watson is not so bad. She's a good sidekick and the connection between the two main characters are definitely undeniable. Joan Watson became the hand that Sherlock needs to hold on to. Crap, that was cheesy.

Obviously, they made Watson a woman to further strenghten the romantic relationship between Sherlock and his best friend. By this, the whole bromanship would be repudiated and a realistic and more sensible relationship would exist. However, we have seen this before. Knock knock, Bones? Castle? I just hope that the show would not focus on their bond but more of their personal growth and friendship.

Over all, Elementary was such a treat. I think it's inevitable to compare this series to BBC Sherlock, but still, both shows offer something different and unique. I can say that this Sherlock and Joan are more complex and has more depth in terms of personality and background. A good start for an expected-to-be-bad series.

I will give ELEMENTARY pilot episode a rating of.... 8.5/10!

Another Door Opens (Once Upon A Time 2x01 Broken Episode Review)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 16:47:00 +0000

After a long wait, Once Upon A Time is finally back!

The opener episode of the second season of the said show opened more doors of storylines that we could never have imagined. Instead of having answers from what happened in last season's finale, we were overwhelmed with more questions that had arisen.

As the purple smoke dispersed everybody in Storybrooke finally remembered their "past life". But as we thought that magic is finally here, we are wrong because it isn't. Regina is still powerless and the blue fairy is not flying. Anyway, the citizens were raving about the evil queen for what she did, and when they found out that her evil powers are not back, they imprisoned her. Mr. Gold, on the other hand, made a promise to Belle that he won't avenge her to Regina for putting her in an asylum for 28 years. So, he just summoned a ~~dementor~~ to take Regina's soul. Since Emma and pals think and believe that killing her is not justifiable, they decided to save the evil queen who wanted them to be dead all this time. Sigh. They were able to save her from this monster by using Mad Hatter's hat as a doorway into the other world. BUT, the monster grabbed Emma by the foot and took her down with it. Snow also jumped into the transport thingy to save Emma. When it's Charming's time, the hole shut down already. Furthermore, Regina was able to get her powers back when she and Emma helped each other in opening the transport thingy.

Throughout the episode, during the scenes in the fairy tale world, we thought that Mulan, Aurora and Philip were just having their flashbacks. But it was revealed that their side of the world were not put included in the curse of Regina before. When magic returned to Storybrooke, their lives in he fairy tale land resumed again. In he end of the episode, Snow and Emma were transported into their world!

Wow, that episode was surely somethin'. It was not as thrilling as I expected i to be but I was not expecting the major twists they introduced halfway! However, as I mentioned above, the episode raised more questions for this season of Once Upon A Time. "Broken" also sprinkled some unprecedented humor in some scenes which was... weird. But nah, it worked anyway.

I am very excited for the next episodes to come!

Everybody Leaves (Grey's Anatomy 9x01 Going Going Gone Episode Review)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 16:12:00 +0000

Well... that was sad.

After the horrific events of last season finale's plane crash, the doctors onboard of the plane try to do their best to live normally and to forget what had happened to them. But for the two of them (with the exception of Lexie who died in the crash), moving on would be really really difficult.

The premiere episode of Season 9 of Grey's Anatomy jumped a month after the accident.

Christina is already in Minnesota, Meredith is nicknamed "Medusa" for being such a mean mentor to her new interns, Derek is still having problems with his injured arm...... Mark is in a coma..... and... you ready?.... Arizona's crippled - as in she-has-no-legs crippled.

It was announced a few months back that Eric Dane (Mark Sloan) will leave the show for good, so I was not really surprised when his character died in this episode. It still made me feel sad especially on how Shonda - creator and writer - devoted most parts of this episode to him by showing "amateur video clips" of Mark throughout his life. I'm happy that they decided to kill his character rather than make him leave Seattle Grace because I don't think he's just gonna leave his kid just like that to Callie and Arizona. And of course, he'll be with Lexie Grey in heaven - or where people who died in Grey's go.

The biggest surprise in 'Going Going Gone' involves Arizona. Throughout the hour, the characters are giving hints that something bad had happened to our blonde lesbian. In the end, we found out that Arizona's legs were cut off... by Callie herself. I am really curious on how Arizona will continue to be a surgeon now.

It saddened me how Bailey is becoming a comic relief in the show. She's one of the strongest characters in the first few seasons of the series, but now.... Anyway, I hope we can see more storylines for her.

Overall, the episode went really well. It sill surprises me how Shonda Rhimes were able to inject so much stuff to the lives of these doctors. It has been 9 years... and Grey's still continue to shock me. Next episode, we can finally see what really happened to Mer, Christina, Derek, Mark, and Arizona in the island. What lead to Mark's coma? To Arizona's legs?

Favoritism (The Middle 4x01x02 Last Whiff of Summer Episode Review)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 13:14:00 +0000

I think it is safe to say that this premiere episode of The Middle season 4 is better than the entire third season of Modern Family.

Yup, it's that good.

The Middle is still one of the most underrated comedy show right now. It has everything that a perfect family TV series should have. Unfortunately, The Middle is always overshadowed by Modern Family (same network, same night).

'Last Whiff of Summer' proved why The Middle is one of my favorites. It's funny, poignant, dramatic, and very relatable. I love "who's you favorite child?" plot in the episode, because, let's admit, we have asked this question to our parents already (or at least thought about asking it).

Sue's 'Summer of Sue and Dad' or SO SAD was perrrfect. The credits part when we get to see what's inside the scrapbook was such a treat!

Oh god. Sorry I can't make a better review.

Let's just make it short.

This episode of The Middle is probably one of the best episodes I have ever seen - as in ever. It's not THE best, but Last Whiff of Summer is definitely one for the keeps.

PS. What happened to Brick's voice? Damn, he's growin' up.

PSS. If you haven't watched The Middle - ever - then I recommend you watch this episode.

Preggy Gloria (Modern Family 4x01 Bringing Up The Baby Episode Review)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 12:29:00 +0000

The Emmys are over and while Modern Family has some celebration to do for taking home the Best Comedy Award for the third time in a row, the show is back to business.

The premiere episode of the fourth season of Modern Family began a day after the events of last season's finale. Gloria just found out that she's pregnant and the best day to announce it to her husband is during his birthday.

Although most of the characters have their own plots to fulfill, the episode focused more on Gloria and Jay - especially on how the hot Latina will tell Jay about the baby. The episode built up on that moment, however, it was done so fast I did not realize at first that Gloria just told Jay. I expected more drama or romance with a small comedic relief from Jay. But instead, the old balding daddy pour his heart out to Gloria that he's really happy about the new chapter in his life. It was quite sweet, but still.... I expected more.

Michel and Cameron are still grieving because they weren't able to get a baby. The melodramatic scenes that these couple had in the episode was quite effective, plus the two huge stuff toys scene on their car was hilarious. Classic ModFam.

On the last few miuntes of the episode, the show (or a mockumentary like this) did something I did not expect: a flashforward. The episode jumped from Gloria being a few weeks pregnant to already having a full grown belly. She's probably five to six months preggy since she does not know the gender of her new kid. It was a good jump and totally unexpected. I guess the writers want to rush this Gloria-being-fat plot, so most probably she's giving birth on the winter finale.

Overall, a mediocre episode from Modern Family with some extensive humor here and there. Cheers to the show for grabbing most of the awards in the Emmys, though!

The Return of the Yellow Umbrella (How I Met Your Mother 8x01 Farhampton Episode Review)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 14:07:00 +0000

The yellow umbrella has always been one of the biggest clues in the whole mother mystery in CBS' How I Met Your Mother. It has been a few years since we were given a glimpse of this object, and on the premiere of the 8th season of the said sitcom, the famous umbrella appeared once again.

The episode is divided into two timelines: the present and the future.

In the present, Ted just ran off with Victoria on her wedding day. But when Ted found out that her lover did not leave a note to her supposed-to-be husband as a common courtesy, the two decided to come back and give Klaus - the groom - some closure. Meanwhile, the rest of the gang were still in awe when Barney and Quinn announced that they're engaged.Since Quinn does not know that Robin dated her fiance before, the soon-to-be-bride were surprised when she found out because of Lily and Marshall. But, Quinn's got her peace of mind when Robin told them that she have a new boyfriend, therefore, Quinn does not have to worry about "rekindling feelings" between the two.

In the future (a little ways down the road...), Ted was seen waiting for the train in Farhampton station. It seemed like he's about to go home from Barney and Robin's wedding. AND, during the last few seconds of the episode, a lady got down from a taxi and she was bringing a guitar... and a yellow umbrella. Yes, Ted will meet her freakin' wife in that station.

"Farhampton" is, I can say, a typical HIMYM episode. For us to further understand what's happening in a certain scenario, a little flashback (or a flashforward) is very much needed. Furthermore, a few good laughs and giggles were spread out in the entire episode, therefore, making it worthwhile to watch. I just don;t like how Nick - Robin's new boyfriend - was introduced. It was random and there were no backstory on how Robin "started licking his abs all day". Probably we'll see it soon, but still...

The touching montage in the end was also a nice added touch from the writers. But, I hate that Klaus - with his thick German accent - did the voice over. He was really difficult to understand. It would have been better if future Ted, or even Victoria, did it. But still, through this small speech, Ted realized that Victoria is the one he's looking for... but not quite.

It looks like that Lily and Marshall's plot for the whole season would be about their adjustment as new parents. I guess it's pretty cool, but I hope the writers cans still offer us with something more.

Lastly, Barney and Robin. Ahhh... Cobie and Neil's chemistry is definitely something. As a huge SWARKLES fanatic, I can't wait for what's in store for them this season.

Over all, the episode was good. We may still be a few steps away from finding out who the mother is, but fans of HIMYM love the small clues that the writers leave for us in every season.

The Mindian Project (The Mindy Project Pilot Episode Review)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 12:39:00 +0000

I am deeply sorry for the title of this review post. I really want to be clever... but it turned out to be a bit racist.

Anyway...

The Mindy Project is starred in, written and produced by The Office's Mindy Kaling herself. This is her way to explore more facets of comedic writing after her years of stint as a writer and actress in her former NBC sitcom.

The Mindy Project has a lot of potential in it. Mindy Kaling is such a great comedian that I know her show would be successful. However, the pilot episode did not do well for me. There were full of cliche and predictable plot lines which made our maiden to be an Indian with typical white blonde girl problems. We've seen the oh-where's-love plus the friend-with-benefits plus the whole would-they-won't-they plots before already so they're just old news to the audience. Nonetheless, the episode still tickled my funny bones.

Probably I was expecting more. Probably my expectations were high.

So, I am gonna give The Mindy Project episode 1 a rating of.... 7/10.

Emmy Awards 2012 Winners

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 14:59:00 +0000

credit to TVLine.com

Hear ye Hear ye!

The nods had been revealed weeks ago and the winners are finally revealed. Two shows dominated the prestigious awards night. And as any other ceremony like this, some winners are a surprise, some are disappointing, and some are expected.

So, let's cut to the chase and check the list of winners below!

HOMELAND and MODERN FAMILY became the emperors of this year's Emmys as the said shows received most of he awards in their respective categories.

Outstanding Drama Series | HOMELAND

Lead Actor in a Drama Series | Damian Lewis, HOMELAND

Lead Actress in a Drama Series | Claire Danes, HOMELAND

Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Aaron Paul, BREAKING BAD

Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | Maggie Smith, DOWNTON ABBEY

Writing in a Drama Series | HOMELAND

Directing in a Drama Series | Tim Van Patten, BOARDWALK EMPIRE

Outstanding Comedy Series | MODERN FAMILY
Lead Actor in a Comedy Series | Jon Cryer, TWO AND A HALF MEN
Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | Julia Louis-Dreyfus, VEEP
Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Eric Stonestreet, MODERN FAMILY
Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Julie Bowen, MODERN FAMILY
Writing in a Comedy Series | MODERN FAMILY
Directing in a Comedy Series | Steve Levitan, MODERN FAMILY

Outstanding Reality - Competition Program | THE AMAZING RACE
Reality Host | Tom Bergeron, DANCING WITH THE STARS
Writing in a Variety, Music or Comedy Series | Louis C.K., LIVE AT THE BEACON THEATER
Directing in a Variety, Music or Comedy Series | Glenn Weiss, 65TH ANNUAL TONY AWARDS
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series | THE DAILY SHOW WITH JOHN STEWART

Outstanding Miniseries or Movie | GAME CHANCE
Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie | Kevin Costner, HATFIELDS & MCCOYS
Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie | Julliane Moore, GAME CHANGE
Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie | Tom Berenger, HATFIELDS & MCCOYS
Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie | Jessica Lange, AMERICAN HORROR STORY
Writing in a Miniseries or Movie | Danny Strong, GAME CHANGE
Directing in a Miniseries or Movie | Jay Roach, GAME CHANGE

Moving Forward (The Office 9x01 New Guys Episode Review)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 16:37:00 +0000

On the premiere of the final season of The Office, the show finally did something we never thought a mock-documentary show like this would do... the camera men finally interacted with the casts (well, only with Jim and Pam).

I have entitled this review MOVING FORWARD because this is the episode's main focus are the characters' new ventures in life.

Jim received an offer to work with his friend in Philly (billion dollar project to be exact), thus for him to realize that he can still do a lot of things rather than being stuck in this company for the rest of his life.

The episode was not the best, but it still made me happy - probably because I know that this is the last run of The Office. Take note, I said happy not laugh... there's a difference. However, it quite disappointed me that the whole Is-Dwight-the-father-of-Angela's-baby? arc from last season was shot right through in the cold open. There were not even any precedents, therefore it seemed like the writers randomly decided to end this ridiculous arc. Anyway, through the end, it was shown that Oscar has an "affair"(?) with Angela's husband! Take that for a subplot in a sitcom!

Furthermore, I am not sure what to feel about Andy-getting-his-revenge shenanigan to Nellie. It was funny, but just rude. He seems like a bully which he is not. Another new plot they introduced is the introduction of the new guys of Dunder-Mifflin. They're called Little Jim and Little Dwight because they look like them, but Dwight did not take this well for he proved that he's better than Lil Dwight by doing some random and unnecessary shit.

Overall, the episode showcased its typical dry humor that it has been offering since before. It's the beginning of the new season so I expected the introduction of new plots. I just hope that they would get better and this final season of The Office would be at its finest.

PS. I still can't get over how Jim and Pam talked to the camera men. So cool.

Emmy 2012 Dream Winners

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 16:53:00 +0000

The annual Emmy Awards for Primetime Television is very near already so I have decided to give you my dream winners for the ten major categories of the said award show.

Check them out below!

To save space, I copied the nominees list from TV Guide! Just click on the photo for a better quality :)

BEST DRAMA SERIES:

Man, this is the most difficult for me. And all of my dream nominees on this category are nominated. But I have to say that BREAKING BAD is the most deserving. Its fourth season was just mind blowing and purely entertaining. Homeland is a close second, but Breaking Bad 4 did an excellent job.

LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES:

CLAIRE DANES. Do I really have to explain why? She got it in the bag since the cold open of the pilot episode of Homeland. Michelle Dockery from Downton Abbey is the runner up for me.

LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES:

BRYAN CRANSTON. He's done it before and he can do it again. Damian Lewis from Homeland is my second placer.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES:

This one is quite tricky. Frogatt, Gunn, and Hendricks are my bets.... but I got to side with CHRISTINA HENDRICKS for this one. Her performance in the fifth season of Mad Men (especially in The Other Woman episode) was unbelievably awesome.

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES:

I have to admit that all six men on this category deserve this award - well, except Jim Carter. I so wanted Aaron Paul to win but GIANCARLO ESPOSITO did an amazing job as the antagonist in Breaking Bad. Damn, i still have nightmares from his "I will kill you wife. I will kill your son. I will kill you infant daughter" scene. Aaron Paul is my runner up, followed by Brendan Coyle.

COMEDY SERIES:

If I can say NONE, I would. But I cannot. I still grieve that Community and Parks and Recreation are not even nominated. Why Emmy voters, why?! Anyway, by default, I'll go with MODERN FAMILY. The third season of the said show was not really that funny as its preceding one, but the Emmys has some weird love for Modern Family so they have a huge chance of taking home the bacon once again. Girls and Veep are tied in my second place, while The Big Bang Theory is my third.

LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES:

There are seven nominees in this category - the most among the rest - which kinda proves that women are hell lotta' funnier than men. Since Parks and Rec's only claim of honor for this year's Emmys is AMY POEHLER, I will vote for her. Amy deserves this award ever since her show started a few years back. Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Tina Fey are tied in my second place. Can someone explain to me why Edie Falco got nominated? Gillian Jacobs is more deserving.

LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES:

This category is not really that exciting for me... dunno why. But I gotta vote for LOUIE CK for this one. My runner up is Jon Cryer from Two and a Half Men.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES:

People's money for this one will be on the two girls of Modern Family, but I have to be different. My vote will be on KRISTEN WIIG from SNL. Last season was her last (after 7 years) in the live sketch show, and she deserves it so much. She's funny, smart, and very very talented. I'm gonna offer my second spot to Sofia Vergara from Modern Family.

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES:

Just like the previous category, most people will bet on the four guys of Modern Family. For this one, I have to say yes. My money is on TY BURRELL - who won last year too. Bill Hader is a close second.

So... What Now (Revolution Pilot Episode Review)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 13:51:00 +0000

I am really not sure what to feel about Revolution's pilot episode. With all the hype in the show and the credibility of the producers of it, episode one was placed between the lines of mediocrity and quality television.

So many things had happened in this episode that it became difficult for me to divulge in the characters, especially to Charlie who's obviously the lead star of Revolution. There were fights and battles here and there that it seemed like I am watching a badly written movie where all the writers want is to give a number of unnecessary action packed sequences to the audience.

The cold open of the series reminds me a lot of Stephen King's The Stand. It was a typical night but then god knows something happened and the blackout occurred. After that, the episode jumped forward fifteen years later wherein all of the people have finally adapted to their condition. However, a new government has risen - named the Monroe Republic which is led by of course, Monroe - and they need Tim (the father of Charlie) because Monroe knows that he knows the solution for this blackout problem. But, as Monroe's militia tried to get him from his village, an outburst occurred which unfortunately killed him. So that the militia will not go home empty handed, they took Danny (Charlie's brother) instead. Before Tim died, he asked her daughter Charlie to look for his brother Miles in Chicago because he knows the secret too.

The overall plot of Revolution is really interesting. I believe that the show will reveal more secrets and mysteries as it progresses since we're still stuck with what happened on the last few seconds of the pilot - Grace, the woman who hides Danny from the Monroe Militia, has the same necklace/flash drive as Tim's and she has access to... electricity. She apparently has some online chat voodoo in her computer and she was communicating with someone.

Overall, Revolution had a pretty rocky start. It may either improve as it goes on or it may disappoint us. Nonetheless, Giancarlo Esposito is in it. Oh wait, that's not a valid excuse. Let me repeat. Nonetheless, a stable and well written arc has a huge chance of becoming so much better in the next weeks to come.

Tying Knots (Downton Abbey 3x01 Episode One Episode Review)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 13:55:00 +0000

Are those wedding bells I hear?

Yes it is! Mary and Matthew finally tied the knots in Downton Abbey's third season premiere. But of course, this is Downton Abbey, it will not reach such joyous occasion without some\ bumps and blows along the way.

Almost all of the major casts returned for Episode One. Surprisingly, they were all given an ample amount of time to shine in just a one hour episode. We saw where these characters are right now (after that amaze-balls Christmas episode last year) and how they were coping up with the engagement of Mary and Matthew. Even the downstairs people made sure they were given some exposure. Bates, who's locked up in prison for allegedly killing his ex-wife, also made an appearance as he and his wife Anna still grieves for their forlorn separation.

One of the biggest arcs of the season was introduced in this episode - the unexpected bankruptcy of Downton. Yes, the Upstairs family have to prepare themselves to say 'hi' to poverty... unless Mathew saves them. Apparently, Matthew became the heir of Lavinia's wealth and if he takes this, he can save Downton from its imminent downfall.

Moreover, I am not sure if this arc will proceed to be more interesting but I sensed a little tension between Thomas and O'Brien. I can say that I am really excited for this and I am in dire need for more disputes among the two "partners-in-crime".

Before I forget, Cora's momma came to Downton too! Let's just say she's as meticulous and affluent (and funny) as our Dowager Countess.

Sybil and Branson returned to Downton too for Mary's wedding, and as cliche as it can be, the royal family did not fully accept the lowlife Branson as their daughter's husband - with of course, the exception of Mary and Matthew.

Over all, the episode was a delight. Last season ended with not so much of a cliffhanger but still, the show was able to open more windows of new and interesting storylines for these characters. I have said this above but I am going to say it again, I am really surprised and happy on how the writers were able to balance all of the characters in just one hour. Anyway, multiple thumbs up for a god start Downton Abbey!

What Makes a Good Show?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 16:06:00 +0000

This post will include my criteria of a good TV series. I have to point out that these are my opinions, therefore, some people (or you) might have different reasons on why they watch a particular show/s.

After watching a lot - i mean a lot - of shows over the years, I got fully aware on what constitutes a show which gives the viewers top quality TV experience. I became more critical and smart on the things I watch on TV.

For clarity, I'll rank them from the most important down to the least.

1. Character Development

A mean girl cannot be a mean girl from the beginning until the end. A killer cannot just be a plain killing machine all throughout. How the audience perceive a certain character must change or deepen as the series goes on. These are just some examples of good character development. Obviously, this is solely based on the writers of the show, because if not for them, well.. then there will be no show in the first place. What I look forward to is when characters are constantly faced with circumstances which change their personality: either for the better of for worse. As the show progresses, the audience must able to further understand the characters.

2. Plot Development

Of course, what makes the people watch a show is its story. The plot has to be original and interesting. Together with the subplots, the show must offer something new to the audience. It must, as much as possible, put us on the edge of our seats or make us cry like there's no tomorrow. Just like the in the preceding criterion, the plot of a series must develop into a more complicated, complex and exciting one. Furthermore, I hate it when TV shows insert random subplots that does not have any connection or most of the time unnecessary to the main arc of the show.

3. Realistic

In connection with Plot Development, the setting, plot, and the characters must be realistic or at least realistically possible. Of course, there are shows which are fantasy or sci-fi in nature, but they have to have features which can make the viewers believe that their world is true. In a nutshell, everything about this certain series must make sense.

4. Acting

Yes, a show may have the best plot or the best setting, but if the actors cannot act that well... then their show is totally doomed. Top-notch acting + Perfect writing = Excellent show.

5. Actors

This is the least important factor for me, but still, I consider it. If the trailers/previews of the show did not entice me but the actors/actresses involved are stars I know or loved, then I'll watch it. Especially if that particular actor is from another series which I am a big fan of, then expect me to tune in to his or her new show.