Alias: The Great Rewatch

Over the last few months I rewatched the television series Alias. For those who haven't watched before Alias, it's the story of Sydney Bristow, double agent for the CIA and SD-6. Or at least that's what it is on the surface. Underneath it is a gripping family drama about the dynamics of a strained father-daughter relationship trying to find it's feet once again and even more strained mother-daughter relationship.

AND NOW FOR THE SPOILERS....

Season one and two remain the high points of the series. In seasons one and two, when JJ Abrams was always at the helm, the show did it's best to give Sydney a fascinating work life and an interesting personal life too. I really think that

For me, it's season three where things go off the rails. In season three Sydney s stripped of all her friends, except work pals. Not only do we have to deal with a completely retarded Vaughn, who I dislike most of the season, and the stupid Lauren and her eyeliner of doom. Also, I never like the lack of explanation of Lauren's evilness, however, I have to respect her choice of making the best with Sark. Rowr! I think what would have made season three really great was to have Will stick around and possibly delve into a Syd/Will romance. Because by keeping Syd single you sort of knew at some point she and Vaughn would get back together. And honestly, I am not sure he deserved to get her back. One thing I do love about this season is that Marshall gets a love story. Aww! Geek love!

Season four is by far my least favorite season to watch. One reason, Nadia. Ugh. There is just something about Mia Maestro that I never learned to like. Maybe it was her delivery or maybe it was her utter stupidity as a spy. I don't know. I am grateful though that Weiss finally got some in season four, eve if it was short lived.

Season five, oh season five. I get what they were going for here. I really do but you final season is not the time to go looking for an audience, mm'kay? I mean, they should have just gotten their asses back on track. Although, I have to admit that the final four episodes of the show are pretty amazing. I did get sucked back in there with the whole Ana/Syd combo, the Syd/Sark team up, and the final comeuppance of Sloane. However, and this is a big however, I do not know what Lena Olin did to these people to warrant such a totally awful character assassination of Irina Derevko. Irina may have been many things but I never once thought that her end game meant trying to actually murder her daughter. I mean, come on people. It does not gel with the story you have been telling for the previous four years. In my mind, that storyline just sort of doesn't exist in the finale. But for me the best scene, the scene that makes me cry every single time I watch it is the final Sydney and Jack (Spydaddy) scene. It's just amazing that interplay of these two characters. It was so moving and it felt so real.

Alas, I conclude by saying that Alias is a pretty fine show that really paved the way for more ass kicking females on television. I think if JJ hadn't abandoned the show to go make movies that Alias could have been amazing the whole way through and not had so many peaks and valleys. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend you watch Alias. If you have seen it, well, watch that shit again. It's pretty good.

Fall TV Preview

Beth might be the only person who care about this but here's my fall tv lineup.

Sunday:

8pm: Dexter
9pm: Brothers and Sisters
9pm: Mad Men (which I have been watching all summer and it should end soon)
9pm: Skins (been watching for 5 weeks now)

Monday:

7pm: Chuck (watching it on Hulu)
7:30pm: How I Met Your Mother
8pm: Heroes
9pm: Into the Unknown with Josh Bernstein

Tuesday:

8pm: Fringe
9pm: Eli Stone

Wednesday:

7pm: Bones (watching it on Hulu)
7pm: Pushing Daisies
8pm: Project Runway
9pm: Top Design

Thursday:

7pm: Ugly Betty
8pm: The Office/30 Rock
9pm: Burn Notice (again been watching it all summer and it ends soon)
9pm: Tabitha's Salon Takeover

Friday:

7pm: Crusoe
9pm: Life


Honestly though, I am more excited for January when I get BSG, Lost, and Dollhouse. JOSS WHEDON!

ZOMG! W00t!

It sounds like the WB is finally going to release Everwood season two on dvd. My heart is filled with joy at this news. And at the same time I am wondering when they will give us seasons three and four so I can stop worrying about my tivo crashing everytime we have a storm. Yes, I am so obsessed that I have season four saved on my tivo. Yes, I know the show has been off the air for two years now. In case, you all didn't know; I really love the show Everwood.

And speaking of Everwood...two very important Everwood things. One, when the WB online (I'm an early adopter and I get email updates) launches next month they will have all the episodes of Everwood online. No more excuses, Beth. This delights to me to no end as you can imagine. Second, Sarah Drew (aka Hannah on Everwood) showed up on Sunday night's Mad Men as Sal's (the closeted gay man) wife. Oh man, I hope this means that Sarah Drew will get an interesting story line.

Psych

It's just a little more than two weeks before new Psych episodes come back to my tivo. I usually fast forward through commercials but when I saw the new promo for Psych I stopped to watch and cracked up. I hope you enjoy this too and I know B-Mart will for sure!

Friday Night Lights

You know, I sometimes come to shows later that I should. Shows that are now my favorites; my must sees like The Office, How I Met Your Mother, Alias, Everwood, B-frakkin-SG. And now I must add Friday Night Lights to that list. Over the weekend I had a marathon session of watching season one via Netflix. This show is amazing. It's part compelling family drama, part teen angst, and part football all rolled into a fabulous show.

Oh have I forgotten to mention the hotness? Well, take your pick ladies and gents. For the women we have Coach Taylor, (if you like your boys a little greasy and bad) Tim Riggins, or (if you don't mind a guy who can't walk) Jason Street. The guys have some lovely ladies to look at too.

Honestly, I imagine that this show is a pretty accurate (if a little on the nice side) version of life in a small but big high-school football town in Texas. And I love every frakkin minute of it. This from a girl who doesn't even really like football all that much.

Anyway, you can watch seasons one and two online for free here. So, what is stopping you? I know I am going to be watching season two tonight.

My most favorite quiz ever

Thanks, Bill!

Which Battlestar Galactica Character Are You?

More on Battlestar Galactica. Created by BuddyTV

Squeeeee! JAM!

Look, I am not ashamed to admit that I love The Office. And I love Jim and Pam together. That is why this clip made me smile all night. Hell yeah is all I have to say.

P.S. Don't watch this if you haven't seen last night's episode of The Office.

Even more BSG

Bill really shouldn't read this coverage of an event found on TWoP. While I thought it could have been written better, it's still a fun little article. I think my favorite quote in the whole thing comes from Aaron Douglas (aka Chief Gaylen Tyrol),"Hillary's the final cylon." HEE!

Since emersing myself in the marathon reruns of BSG seasons one and two I have been having dream after dream about BSG. Sometimes I am Starbuck, sometimes I am Roslin. But it's fun either way. Six hours, baby!

Ted Mosby is a jerk

If you love HIMYM, then you must check out the website TedMosbyisajerk. And the song. OMG, the song. I was laughing so hard. You have to listen to all 21 minutes of it. It's glorious.

BSG Top Ten List

Frak yeah! Oh April 4, I cannot wait for your arrival!

ETA: What the frak?!?! I tried to post this like last week and it finally shows up today. Looks like Youtube is having some issues. But hey, don't you just love how Lee starts out speaking American and ends in his cute Brit accent? I know I do.

Why you should be watching BSG

Sometimes I think Beth's reasons and Bill's reasons and my previous pleas have fallen upon deaf ears. Because I think too many of you mother frakkers still aren't watching Battlestar Galactica. Well, if us regular Janes and Joe can't convince you maybe some famous folks who love this show can.

Now go watch these frakking videos that splain to you how awesome BSG is.

Tim Gunn rules

If you don't read Mo Ryan's column but you love Tim Gunn, then check out this awesome interview. Tim dishes all about PR and his show Guide to Style. Also, if you are wondering about the weirdness between Heidi, Tim, and Victorya at the Reunion Show then this is a must read.

Human Giant (NSFW)

I've told you before but I am saying it again. Watch Human Giant, mother frakkers! This shit is funny, plus Will Arnett. Who doesn't love Gob Bluth? Season 2 starts March 11 on MTV.

Eli Stone

I don't know if any of you are watching Eli Stone. But I am. Created by Greg Berlanti (yes, of Everwood fame) and starring Johnny Lee Miller and Victor Garber (squeee!), Eli Stone is the story of a lawyer who develops visions after having an inoperable brain aneurysm. Is Eli a sick, crazy man or is he a prophet? Tune in Thursday nights to find out.

Also, I just want to say that my love of all things Berlanti aside; any show that allows SpyDaddy to be on my tv once a week and allows him to sing can have all the legal inconsistencies in the world. I will be watching and waiting for my next SpyDaddy song.

I am stupefied and also pleased

So, last night on Project Runway Ricky FINALLY got the boot. I have been wanting his cry baby ass to be kicked off for a while now. Alas, what has me stupified is that this guy who has cried all season for no damn reason did not cry when he's finally eliminated. I sat there and I kept waiting for the tears to come. And they did not. Ricky vexes me so.

I was happy to see Chris win last night although I happened to like Jillian's outfit the best. And I think that Rami needs to stop with the incessant draping. We get it, Rami. You like to drape things. And I say this as a Rami fan. Next week looks like it will be Sweet P elimination time so, I think I will be changing my fantasy team.

In other news, I finally watched Northanger Abbey and Mansfield Park from the new Complete Jane Austen. I really loved Northanger Abbey. I've never read the book but I thought the movie was quite good. Mansfield Park was fine but I didn't really care for Billie Piper's portrayal of Fanny Price. I think that is mostly due to the fact that I can't stand Piper's voice. Superficial, maybe but it's how I feel.

But the best thing ever is that we get a whole new Lost tonight! w00t!

The Ties That Bind

Thanks to GMYH I was compelled to watch The O.C. in syndication on SoapNet. Now, I've seen the series twice through now and I am working my way through round three. Don't judge me; there is a writers strike going on.

Anyway, I am continually amazed at how the final episode of season one makes me sob for the last 15 minutes. It's the perfect, sad culmination of a wonderful season. And it makes me cry. The Gruesome Twosome get married. Ryan finds out Teresa is preggers and chooses to leave his new life behind to care for his (possible) unborn child. Marissa hits the bottle again. Seth, in a wave of great despair, runs away because he lost his only friend (which I think is a misnomer because Anna was also his friend). Then we have the terriibly sad scene where Ryan tries to say goodbye to Seth. And when Kirsten loses it while gathering up the sheets in the pool house. OMG, the tears, they flow. It's like I can't help myself. All the while Jeff Buckley's Hallelujah is playing over it all.

What I never understand about this episode is why the fact that the baby might not eve be Ryan's is not pounded home a little more. I mean, dude, chances are it's Eddie's baby because Ryan and Teresa had sex maybe three times. That's all I am saying. Also, Sandy Cohen and his eyebrows have some of the funniest lines in this episode.

Anyway, while I think The O.C. has a great four season run; the first season is the most amazing of them all.

"I can confirm that a round of sniffing has started"

Hey Arrested Development fans,

BIG NEWS: We may be getting a movie, according to an exclusive straight outta Bateman's mouth. Jason Bateman (obviously) and Jeffrey Tambor have already agreed and I can't imagine the rest of the folks would say no. If you've ever listened to the commentary on the dvds you can tell how much they all loved doing the show.

This is so frakkin' exciting. I am squeeing like a fan girl.

Books and tv: these are a few of my favorite things

So, just in case you were curious about how I have been filling my time lately; I thought I would fill you in. Aren't you excited?

First, the books. I finally finished Stowaway by Karen Hesse. Stowaway is the story of Nick Young. Nick is, as the title says, a stowaway on Capt. Cook's vessel The Endeavor. The book is in diary form and tells Nick's point of view on the ship. The book was interesting but I had a hard time getting sucked into the story fully. I can see the appeal of this book and I can see why Bill loves this book so much but it's not really my thing.



The second book I recently read was E. Lockhart's The Fly on The Wall: How One Girl Saw Everything. I really enjoyed this book. This is the story of Gretchen Yee. Gretchen's life has been turned upside down. First her best friend has been avoiding her for no reason. Second, her parents are getting a divorce. And lastly, just when Gretchen thinks she's getting a parent free week; she gets turned into a fly stuck in the boys locker room of her school. And Gretchen sees it all.

I thought this book was great fun and quite silly. It's not something I am ready to recommend to my niece since the kids have a bot of the potty mouth but I thought it was fab and similar to the way teens actually speak.

Now, onto telly. Two things. One, over the long weekend, I became completely addicted to America's Next Top Model thanks to MTV's Sunday and Monday marathon. This show is really good, especially if you tivo it and fast forward through much of Tyra's self-love fest. Man, that is one woman who makes it all about her. But the models and the shoots are pretty interesting. I am anxiously awaiting the new season on the CW.

Second, are you all watching Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles? Because if you aren't well I think you are missing out. This show is what I wished Bionic Woman had been. I like the intensity and I like Summer Glau and I like Lena Headley. I can see this show easily filling the role that Alias left vacant. Because in all honesty, nothing has come close to filling the Alias sized hole in my television loving heart.


Books Read in 2008:

Fly on the Wall by E. Lockhart
Stowaway by Karen Hesse
The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart.
Spike: Asylum by Brian Lynch and Franco Urru

Paris is way cooler than Hillary

I thought you Gilmore Girls lovers out there might appreciate this article I found on The Huffington Post. Comparisons are made between a beloved Paris Geller and one Senator Clinton. Personally, I would probably vote for Paris before I vote for Hillary but then who wouldn't want Doyle to be the First Husband/Gentleman?

To His Coy Mistress

I don't know how many, if any, of you watch the show Life. I don't know how many of you have watched the hot, brave men in Band of Brothers as I have suggested on multiple occasions. But for those of you who love Damian Lewis as much as I do, well, this is a must watch. Rowr!