We ♥ TV

Why You Should Watch Awake SWEEPS SWAP

2012-02-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

♥ The TV Czar

Once again, an opportunity has arisen that can restore my faith in the American television-viewing public: New NBC drama, Awake, premieres a fortnight from now. I have gone on record in several places stating that I am all-in on this show. That being said, I haven’t really taken the time to outline all of the reasons why people with Nielsen boxes should do their duties as Americans and make sure this show is a huge success. I intend to rectify that situation today. If nothing else, you should watch the extended trailer of this show. If you aren’t at least moderately intrigued by it, I will buy you a coke. Blackout dates and some restrictions may apply.

Despite my strong desire to see this show succeed, I am also a realist. I recognize that trying to get traction in the Thursday 10 PM timeslot against The Mentalist and Private Practice is not going to be easy sailing. In addition, it’s a high concept show (more on that soon) that isn’t going to be serialized. There will be some serialized portions of episodes, but it seems like we are going to focus more on the larger story at hand. Therefore, it won’t be a show that will allow people to pop in and out. I’m worried that I will only have about 10-12 great episodes to hang my hat on when this thing is all said and done.

Since I am hoping that I am wrong about most everything in the previous paragraph, let’s dive in to the reasons why you should watch Awake.

Jason Issacs
Mr. Issacs has long been one of My Guys (underrated guys that I attach myself to) so I am hoping that this show is really successful for him. After the Harry Potter films, I am sure he doesn’t need the money, but I want the world to respect the acting chops of this guy. Though he co-starred in the critically acclaimed Brotherhood, Awake seems to be his first chance to be a leading man on a widely consumed platform. NBC has done a nice job with the promotion of the show. As long as they continue to highlight the performance of Issacs, they should be fine.

'That Guys' and 'Gals' galore
Everyone loves to point at the screen and say “Hey, it’s That Guy!” It’s one of the fun parts of watching television. Seeing people that you have positive memories of pop up in various places is one of the small joys associated with watching copious amounts of television. In this regard, Awake does not disappoint. Do you miss President Taylor from 24? No worries, she’s here! How about the psychiatrist dude from Law and Order: SVU? We’ve got him too! Are you one of those people who misses the short-lived glory of Terriers? You’re in luck, we have Britt’s girlfriend, Katie! It’s a pleasure to see them all. For Pete’s sake, we even have Eugene Young from The Practice and Fez mixed in. Awake is loaded with 'That Guy/Gal' power. I will enjoy seeing all of my old friends again.

Easy to follow, high-concept show
Though the concept of the show seems pretty out there, it’s actually fairly easy to follow. A man deals with the tragedy of losing his wife or son by creating two separate realities in which the wife survives in one and the son in another reality. There. It took me all of one sentence to deliver the basic premise. There should be no concern about the show being “too smart for the room,” which is a concern I have seen in a few places. I could see where the cases could get slightly confusing as Issacs’ character merges details from his two realities. Still, while the concept is fascinating and different, the premise seems easy enough to follow. I will be surprised if I hear people check out following episode one because it is too difficult to follow. I’m a big fan of this show, but I don’t think we are talking about the next edition of The Wire.

Because network TV doesn’t do this type of thing very often
Take a quick look at the network TV landscape. There are some cop shows, some quirky comedies, some traditional sitcoms, some medical dramas, some law dramas and… that’s about it. Aside from certain shows that showcase some character (Fringe springs to mind), network TV tends to follow traditional formulas that guarantee viewership and enough ad money to make everybody rich. While Awake will have serialized elements to it (he is a detective after all), the show itself is about something deeper that most people should respond to: The concept of loss. This show probably won’t leave you feeling warm and fuzzy or uplifted. Instead, the show seeks to explore the lengths some will go to deal with the loss of a loved one. Issacs will see to it that your heart breaks for this man. You will root for him, you will hope that the parallel universes can one day be combined, you will wonder if he has gone crazy. Network TV shows don’t ask us for those kind of emotions very often. It’s an exciting idea. It’s an idea that will hopefully prove successful and lead us to more television that is thought-provoking and different from our usual run of network normalcy.

If nothing else, that’s what Awake really is: A diversion from the normalcy of network TV. When we look at our DVRs we see predictability. For better or worse, we know what we are getting from each passing hour of network television. Awake will allow us to escape from our network TV rut. On March 1st, give Awake a real chance. You may enjoy the diversion.

Annnnnd here you have them! The TV Czar's Famous 15!!

Your current can't miss: Justified

Forever Faves: NYPD Blue, Sopranos, Lost, House, The West Wing

Fave guy TV characters: Don Draper, Tyrion Lannister, Ron Swanson, Raylan Givens, Jack Donaghy

Fave girl TV characters: Carrie Mathison, Dany Targaryen, Lois Griffin, Liz Lemon, Lana Kane

Fave TV couple: Seeley Booth and Temperance Brennan

Fave Male TV Actors: Jon Hamm, Timothy Olyphant, Damian Lewis, Michael Pitt, Hugh Laurie

Fave Female TV Actors: Claire Danes, Sophia Vergara, Tina Fey, Christina Applegate, Zooey Deschanel

Fave award show: Emmys

Fave Red Carpet Host: Miss Piggy (You heard me)

First TV crush: Kelly Kapowski, Saved by the Bell

Current TV crush: Kristen Bell, House of Lies (For guest stars, I’ll take Carla Gugino)

Character you were meant to play: Michael Weston, Burn Notice

Who would play you on TV: Mark Wahlberg if he felt like slumming it for television.

TV shows you've loved (& lost): Journeyman, Human Target, DayBreak, Terriers, Sports Night. RIP to them all.

TV shows you're watching: Justified, Parks and Recreation, 30 Rock, House, The Good Wife (to name a few).

NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NOOOO!

2012-02-15T15:33:00.000-05:00

♥ Aryn

Write this address down - info@cwtv.com - and SEND THEM AN EMAIL! What is this about The CW cancelling Nikita?! NOOOOOO!!

TV By the Numbers announced yesterday that The CW is going to cancel at least 2 scripted shows and they're choosing from:

Nikita
The Ringer -or-
Hart of Dixie

What happened to SCRIPTED TV? Are we really going to sit here and let the take away our show?!!! ARE WE?!!!

It took me forever to FIND this show, then I fall IN LOVE with this show, and now you're going to take it away so I can watch another terrible reality show? That I won't watch BECAUSE I HATE REALITY TV!

This is a terrible turn of events that has officially ruined my day. Good job CW...

TV's Most Inspirational Couples (of 2012) SWEEPS SWAP

2012-02-15T08:30:00.000-05:00

♥ Danielle Turchiano

If you follow my personal blog, Made Possible by Pop Culture, you have inevitably read countless cautionary tales of how I spent my youth looking towards television couples to teach me how to act in my own eventual relationships. I know, I know; I said they were cautionary tales! Where you look for guidance can be tricky, seeing as how so many shows rely on melodrama and bad behavior to get their ratings, but strong, positive role model couples did exist then, and perhaps surprisingly seem to exist even more now. When I was growing up, I had the likes of Zack and Kelly, Chandler and Monica, Jesse and Rebecca, and Billy and Alison (even if the latter didn't end up together on-air). Let's take a look at who television audiences of today have. And I swear, this post wasn't inspired by Valentine's Day; it just happens to be opportune timing!

- Ben Wyatt and Leslie Knope (Parks and Recreation) - He may love calzones, while she'll go for waffles with too much whipped cream any time, and that makes their dinner table look kind of weird. But their differences don't become points of contention, or even points of compromise: they allow each other to be exactly who they are. Ben may never truly understand the appeal of Li'l Sebastian, but he knows how important it is to Leslie, and so he nods and smiles along and lets her have it. I'm sure she doesn't understand his love of Batman, but she lets him have that. They can both be so strong and serious, but they know how to have fun and embrace their inner children, too. Between her elaborate scavenger hunts and his adorable custom stuffed animals, they certainly have the lock on thoughtful presents, too.

- Marshall and Lily Eriksen (How I Met Your Mother) - A couple who has been together since their college days seems like an anomaly, but these two grow together and literally become more in tune with each other with each additional year. They know each other so well through all of their time together that they know how to have fun in any situation, but they also know how to comfort and aid each other-- even when the other person doesn't realize they may need some help. And let's face it, it's pretty darn cute that they never want to spend a night away from each other.

- Sarah Braverman and Mark Cyr (Parenthood) - I'm sure I should say something more than "how adorable are these two?" but honestly that is the first thing that comes to mind. He brings out a lightness in her that I never expected to see, considering how much weight she still carries on her with an ex in recovery, teenage children trying to find their way, a dead-end job while she still tries to find her own way... They're a true testament to being able to see beyond the baggage with which a potential partner comes into a relationship and just see the person.

- Nikita and Michael (Nikita) - The couple that spies together stays together. But in all seriousness, on the surface it may seem like the pure adrenaline rush of stealing black boxes and saving the day at gunpoint may be the fire behind the attraction. Hey, it worked for Mr. & Mrs. Smith to reignite their flames. But these two have proven there's a much deeper connection than just bonding over being in dangerous situations. They can weather long distance, a child from another, former lover, and a shared space with a nerd and a daughter figure and still come out strong. He may never make her breakfast, but it seems pretty obvious he would literally die for her.

- Wade Kinsella and Zoe Hart (Hart of Dixie) - They may not currently be together-- nor may they really be ready for anything past eighth grade level relationships with pranks and poking at the person you actually like-- but they should be! Though they appear to be opposites on paper (and in the way they dress), they actually compliment each other perfectly in that "there are just enough differences to challenge the other person," and a little challenge in a relationship means no chance of growing complacent. Zoe learns to have a lot more fun around Wade, while Wade actually is inspired to step up his responsibility when he is around Zoe. Together with young Rose Hattenbarger they make the perfect, albeit unconventional, family.

Photo © NBC

- Julia Houston and Michael Swift (Smash) - You haven't met him yet, but tell me you don't automatically fall in love with him, and the idea of a "them," when you do, and I will send you to the doctor to make sure your heart is working properly. They may be a bit of forbidden love right now as they are each married to different people, not to mention the fact that technically she's his boss, having cast him in her new Marilyn musical workshop, but just because they can't be right now doesn't mean they're not meant to be. They are each other's "one that got away" because the timing was never quite right, but when he steals little glances at her while singing as Joe DiMaggio, the excitement he brings out in her, and the audience by extension, is palpable. They will get over all the obstacles (yes, I am seeing their respective current spouses as obstacles!) and be together or so help me...
(Editors note: no pics available at press time! Guess you'll have to tune in to see!)

- Mike and Frankie Heck (The Middle) - If you watched The Middle's Valentine's Day episode from this season, their youngest child, Brick, read his school paper on learning about love from his parents. He cited the little things they do for each other, even through all the fighting-- little things that they don't even notice they do because they are so comfortable with each other. They may not be new or young love, but they have something better because they have proven that once the initial shininess wears off, they found something very real beneath. It may seem odd to say it, but their routine is a not a rut, and they may be the couple all others (on TV or otherwise) can look up to the most.

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Back in June 2010, I had the pleasure of participating in the Famous 15 for "We Heart TV," so when I was asked to do it again only about a year and a half later, I feared that my answers would look like a straight copy-paste scenario, re-posted only to hit whore. But oh, how so much can change in a year (and a half)! It turns out my list is very different these days-- in part because I am much deeper into blogging professionally than I was back then, and in part because the television landscape itself has changed so much. So sit back, enjoy, and please don't send me any intervention emails about how much TV I watch. I know it's unhealthy, but I just love it so much!

Your current can't miss: I am all aboard the Smash train. It was my favorite pilot to come out of upfronts in May 2011, and I waited not-so-patiently for NBC to announce its premiere date-- and then I waited not-so-patiently for episode two since I had seen the pilot only about eight times by the time it actually aired on NBC. That is at the top of my list now, and (I hope) it will remain there for many more years to come. However, I also have a deep, deep love for Parenthood and it's complex relationship drama. Both are shows that inspire me to work a little harder on my own creative works.

Forever Faves: In theory this is a list that should never change, right? Except maybe to add a few titles as new shows come and go. But let's face it, it's also about what I remember the most (not just the most fondly) at any given time you ask me. I have so much TV rattling around in my brains these days! The shows that I own on DVD and re-watch all the time and will be passing onto my children someday include: Friends, I Love Lucy, Gilmore Girls, Melrose Place, Community, Saved by the Bell, Arrested Development, Life Unexpected, and of course Friday Night Lights.

Fave guy TV characters: This is going to be a combination of current favorites and all-time favorites, just an FYI. And apparently I have a "type." Zack Morris, Michael Mancini, Sergeant Nicholas Brody, Dexter Morgan, Dean Winchester, Chandler Bing, Emmett Bledsoe, Tim Riggins, Eric Taylor, Baze, Ron Swanson, Chuck Bartowski, and Abed Nadir.

Fave girl TV characters: Same combo of current/all-time: Lorelai Gilmore, Liz Lemon, Penny Hartz, Leslie Knope, Phoebe Buffay, Kalinda Sharma, Constance Langdon, Julia Houston, and Tami Taylor.

Fave TV couple: Zack and Kelly (Saved by the Bell), Monica and Chandler Bing (Friends), Eric and Tami Taylor (Friday Night Lights), and Marshall and Lily Eriksen (How I Met Your Mother).

Fave Male TV Actors: In order to narrow the list down, I'm going to only include those who currently have a show on television. Note that the show doesn't have to currently be airing, just that the show will be returning at some point. Jensen Ackles, Damian Lewis, Walton Goggins, Jim Parsons, Kristoffer Polaha, Billy Campbell, and Michael C. Hall.

Fave Female TV Actors: Same note for the ladies! Jessica Lange, Amy Poehler, Martha Plimpton, and Lauren Graham.

Fave award show: The Emmys and the Golden Globes.

Fave Red Carpet Host: I honestly criticize them all more and more every year. I think it's because I do so many interviews myself that I get frustrated with how little they seem to prepare for their (much more) high-profile ones.

First TV crush: Zack Morris! And his portrayer Mark-Paul Gosselaar.

Current TV crush: I assume we're still talking about characters? Look, I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for Dean Winchester, but I have to say these days I'm all about Michael Swift (Will Chase) on Smash. Chase played Roger in RENT (fastest way into my heart), and he is proving he still has the moves musically! I have also fallen inappropriately in love with Emmett on Switched at Birth, but I am much too old for him.

Character you were meant to play: I still feel like Liz Lemon was based on me.

Who would play you on TV: I'm going to go with Tina Fey. Unless my life was a musical, and then it would be Kat McPhee.

TV shows you've loved (& lost): I'm omitting shows that I feel like got their stories told properly, over a good amount of time, and with enough notice that the showrunners could create an end arc. I'm only selecting the ones I felt were canceled prematurely or just yanked from the schedule without letting the audience see the end: Miss/Guided, Life Unexpected, My Generation, and Studio 60.

TV shows you're watching: Oh get ready for your eyes to bleed: Once Upon a Time, The Good Wife, Shameless, The Voice, Hart of Dixie, The Lying Game, Castle, Hawaii Five-0, Smash, The Biggest Loser, Raising Hope, Ringer, Parenthood, Southland, Justified, The Middle, Suburgatory, Modern Family, Happy Endings, Revenge, The Challenge: Battle of the Exes, The Vampire Diaries, 30 Rock, The Big Bang Theory, Parks and Recreation, The Secret Circle, Up All Night, Archer, Nikita, Fringe, Supernatural, Portlandia, Switched at Birth and The Soup.

Danielle Turchiano is an entertainment blogger, author, and sometimes producer based out of Los Angeles, CA. Currently she primarily covers all things television for LA Examiner, Snakkle.com, and Made Possible by Pop Culture, but she also Tweets too much. Her favorite shows of all time include Friends, Friday Night Lights, Melrose Place, and I Love Lucy, but current favorites also include Homeland, Happy Endings, Parenthood, Shameless, Community, The Vampire Diaries, Nikita, Parks and Recreation, Archer, Southland, and Smash.

I Heart Obscure 80s Genre Shows Sweeps Swap

2012-02-14T10:31:00.000-05:00

♥ Kyle Nolan

I have always watched a lot of TV, and much of it has and continues to be genre/sci-fi fare. During the 80s, there were so many great short-lived shows that, unless you were a diehard TV watcher, you may not even know existed. While many of these shows are quite similar to current or recent shows, I wouldn’t go as far as to suggest that Small Wonder was a precursor to Caprica.

Here are some of these shows I recall enjoying as a kid. (Can I just add how much I love the internet–I was able to find clips or promos for all of these shows on YouTube, and hyperlinked the photos to them!)

In Automan (ABC, 1983, Thurs 8pm, 13 eps), Walter Nebicher (Desi Arnaz, Jr.), a cop by day/computer programmer by night, develops an artificial intelligence program to help him fight crime. However, he discovers that, with enough power, the program can take the form of a hologram, named Automan (Chuck Wagner), and is able to leave the computer. So Automan and Walter hit the streets at night to fight crime, joined by a sidekick caller Cursor (think Tinkerbell) who is able to draw vehicles or other objects constructed of lines of light. Sometimes, Automan needed to interact with the physical world himself, and so he was able to jump into Walter’s body and control him (Not unlike Sally in Being Human). Being a computer nerd myself, I absolutely loved this show. Sadly, it never even aired all 13 of its episodes before it was cancelled. However, it was rerun in its entirety a while back on the Sci-Fi channel.

With recent shows like Once Upon, Grimm, Merlin and Camelot, there is no shortage of Medieval and Fairy Tale drama on TV. However the 80s had it fair share as well. There was the tongue-in-cheek fantasy Wizards and Warriors (CBS, 1983, Sat 8pm, 8 eps). The series followed Prince Erik Greystone (Jeff Conway), the air-headed Princess Ariel (Julia Duffy) and the evil Prince Dirk Blackpool (Duncan Regehr). I remember this series was always great at setting up a cliffhanger just before the commercial break. I remember in one episode, Prince Erik was hanging by a chain over a pit, and you could see the chain getting hotter and redder and cut to commercial. It was like a live-action version of the Dragon’s Lair game.

The 80s also brought us a sitcom version of this world with The Charmings (ABC, 1987, Fri/Thurs, 21 eps). The premise was that the evil stepmother put a spell on Prince Charming and Snow White, causing them (as well as herself) to sleep for 1000 years. When they wake up in modern times, they must deal with the problems of California Suburbia, with the wicked stepmother and her magic mirror living in the attic. (You are probably thinking “this sounds horrible”–but I have watched these episodes so many times over in reruns!)

Before Terra Nova took a family on an adventure through a portal, there was Otherworld (CBS, 1985, Sat 8pm, 8 eps), which followed the Sterling family who, while on vacation to Egypt, get sucked into a vortex and find themselves on another planet. This planet is divided up into “zones”, each with its own unique civilization, atmosphere and culture. Each week, the Sterlings travelled to another zone in a search for the way home. Meanwhile, the family was being hunted by the planetary police, called Zone Troopers, led by Commander Nuveen Kroll (Jonathan Banks). (To this day, whenever I see Jonathan Banks on Breaking Bad, I always think “Nuveen Kroll!”) Episode topics included the children becoming rock stars, the family getting caught by a drug-running motorcycle gang (though not the Sons of Anarchy), a community where women rule and men go to Tupperware parties, and the son getting drafted into the Zone Troopers due to poor grades. I loved this show–each week it was a brand new adventure.

Before Alphas and Heroes, there was Misfits of Science, (NBC, 1985, Fri 9pm, 16 eps). Dr. Billy Hayes, a research scientist at the Humanidyne Institute, brings together a group of misfits with odd abilities to stop crimes or help people in need (like an A-Team of sorts). Courtney Cox stars as troubled teen Gloria “Glo” Dinallo who has telekinetic abilities. Also in the group are 7’4″ Dr. Elvin “El” Lincoln who can shrink to 11 inches tall, rock musician Johnny “Johnny B” Bukowski who can run fast and shoot lightning bolts, and ice cream truck driver Arnold “Ice Man” Beifneiter who can freeze anything he touches.

Before shows like Chuck and Jake 2.0, there were a couple series that covered this ground for a slightly younger demographic. The Canadian series My Secret Identity (CTV, 1988, 72 episodes) aired in syndication here in the US. Jerry O’Connell played 14-year-old Andrew Clements, who accidentally gets hit by a photon beam and is given superpowers, which he uses to help stop crime. I remember thinking it was so cool that this kid my age had all these awesome powers. Though, Andrew may have single-handedly depleted the Ozone layer as he used a lot of aerosol cans to help himself fly!

There was a show that was part of the inaugural FOX primetime summer lineup called The New Adventures of Beans Baxter (FOX, 1987, Sat 8:30pm, 17 eps). In this series, teenager Benjamin “Beans” Baxter Jr. is recruited by a secret spy agency called The Network after his father (also a spy) is kidnapped. He must help thwart the evil plans of the UGLI organization. I don’t remember too much about this show as I haven’t seen the series since it originally aired. However, it was very campy (much like The Middleman) and I recall them having an excellent Halloween episode.

This post has grown way longer than I originally expected–I keep thinking of more cool shows I used to watch. So I will rapid-fire a few more, but maybe I need to do a part 2 and/or cover the 90s.

Nowadays we are flooded with supernatural dramas like The Vampire Diaries, The Secret Circle,Teen Wolf and Being Human. But in the 80s it was all about the sitcoms. Nearly Departed (NBC, 1989, Mon 8:30pm, 4/6 eps aired) starred Eric Idle as deceased English Professor, who, along with his dead wife, haunted the new inhabitants of their home.

Free Spirit (ABC, 1989, Sun 8pm, 14 eps) was a Who’s The Boss? style sitcom starring Corrine Bohrer as Winnie Goodwin. Winnie is hired by lawyer Robb Harper to work as a live-in housekeeper/nanny to his three children. What Mr. Harper doesn’t know (and the children soon find out) is that Winnie is a witch. A pre-Buffy Alyson Hannigan starred as the daughter, Jessie Harper.

The People Next Door (CBS, 1989, Mon 8:30pm, 5/10 eps aired) starred 80′s icons Jeffrey Jones and Mary Gross as cartoonist Walter Kellogg and his wife Abigail. Whatever Kellogg’s imagination came up with, if he drew it, it came to life. All that I can really remember about this show was that there was a talking moose head on the office wall. The series was created by Wes Craven!

Finally (I think I need to stop–this list could go on forever!), there was

Hard Time on Planet Earth (CBS, 1989, Wed 8pm, 13 eps), which followed a Terminator-like alien military officer (Martin Kove), who is exiled to Earth in human form to learn more about compassion and restraint. A floating mechanical eyeball named Control is sent with him to monitor his progress. The series was a fish-out-of-water type drama mixed with that signature 70s/80s help-the-person-in-trouble of the week, and a dash of need-to-find-my-way-home.

Anyone else remember or watch any of these shows? Do you have any of your own favorite obscure shows that didn’t last long?

Kyle Nolan run NoReruns.net and is a huge TV fan from Massachusetts.

One of the original founders of the Official Silk Stalkings Fan Club, he got involved before actually even seeing an episode of the show. Interested in Desktop Publishing and wanting to work on the newsletter for the club. He ran the club for many years, until the show was canceled.

Nowadays, Kyle find himself tweeting/blogging about the absurd number of TV shows he watches regularly, and also writes TV-related app reviews for AppAddict.net.

And now... Kyle's Famous 15!!!

1.Your current can't miss: Breaking Bad

2. Forever faves: The Simpsons, Family Guy, Futurama, Buffy The Vampire
Slayer, Monk, Psych, Stargate Atlantis, any Bryan Fuller show, ... (too many)

3. Fave guy TV characters: Phil Dunphy, Sheldon Cooper, Dexter Morgan, Walter Bishop, Shawn Spencer, Axl Heck

4. Fave girl TV characters: Leslie Knope, Amy Farrah Fowler, Sue Heck, Liz Lemon, Sydney Bristow, Buffy

5. Fave TV couple: Shawn Spencer and Gus Burton

6. Fave male TV actors: Bryan Cranston, Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Fillian, Bret Harrison, Michael C. Hall

7. Fave female TV actors: Jennifer Garner, Julianna Margulies, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alyson Hannigan, Kristin Wiig, Amy Poehler, Tina Fey

8. Fave awards show: Emmys

9. Fave red carpet host: I don't really watch the red carpet, so favorite awards show host is NPH (or Ricky Gervais if he's busy)

10. First TV crush: Evie Garland on Out of This World

11. Current TV crush: The nerdy girls of The Big Bang Theory

12. Character you are meant to play: The nerdy-but-cool techie sidekick on shows like Alias, NCIS, CSI, Criminal Minds, Undercovers

13. Who would play you: Sad to say, but I had Screech hair as a kid, but maybe Fred Savage could pull it off instead

14. TV show(s) you loved and lost (canceled too soon etc): Dead Like Me, Pushing Daisies, Reaper

15. TV shows you're watching: Far too many to list, but includes the following currently airing The Big Bang Theory, Happy Endings, How I Met Your Mother, The Middle, Modern Family, The Walking Dead, The Good Wife, The Amazing Race, The Simpsons, Family Guy, Once Upon a Time, Desperate Housewives, Shameless, Castle, Being Human, Smash, Raising Hope, Revenge, Grey's Anatomy, The Mentalist, Parks and Rec, The Office, 30 Rock, Fringe, Spartacus, Psych, Criminal Minds, CSI, Glee, Hart of Dixie, White Collar, Royal Pains, Body of Proof, Parenthood, Breaking In, The Finder, Dexter, Archer, Supernatural, Leverage, Doctor Who, Sons of Anarchy...

ODE TO BEING HUMAN Sweeps Swap

2012-02-13T07:00:00.000-05:00

ODE TO BEING HUMAN

♥ Dana and Kristi Hahn

www.BeingFans.net

So we were told to write about Being Human........Sorry, just letting that sink in.

Okay, let us be perfectly clear. We were told we could write an "ode" to Being Human.

Back up one more time, we'll start with this: We LOVE Being Human. We are two girls in our thirties. Nerdy scifi/fantasy/anime/Star Wars loving geeks who love geek shows like Buffy The Vampire Slayer,the X-files, and Supernatural, to name a few. Before watching Being Human we were told it was a show right up our alley, and we kind of figured we'd like it based on the description. We never expected to get as addicted and smitten as we did. It firmly cemented itself on the top shelf of "favorite shows" of all time.

A common question we hear about Being Human: "Is it like True Blood or The Vampire Diaries?" Don't get us wrong, we love True Blood. Love Vampire Diaries. Love sci-fi and vampires, with action scenes and supernatural beings tearing heads off other supernatural beings....gasp!

But Being Human doesn't live there, not completely. Simply put, Being Human is grounded. While True Blood gives us a hyperreality of life with vampires around us, Being Human gives us a cool but tortured guy living with a quirky but genuine guy living with a gorgeous but strong-willed girl. Being Human gives us a vampire living with a werewolf living with a ghost.

Ok, so fast forward to writing an ode! That's a big challenge. How to express love for this show properly enough, so that people reading this GET IT.

We started with, what's an ode, exactly? It is an elaborately structured poem praising or glorifying an event or individual, describing its nature intellectually as well as emotionally. Also, an ode usually has three parts. We're not gonna say it because it's too obvious...kay, it fits our three roommates…we were gonna say it anyway. Being Human's heart lies is in it's characters. An ode has three parts to it. Therefore we submit this ode to Being Human.

He May be the Only Shark who pulls out his teeth...

If you're a vampire, survival is in the blood, literally. But even with that reality, our vampire Aidan tries to live a life that goes against the very nature of the one he's been given. It’s not a new concept, vampires deciding to steer clear of yummy human morsels, and in fact is basically the norm nowadays. That is also Aidan's journey, though he doesn't have many of the million kinks worked out to succeed in this own plan, by his own admission. What makes Aidan’s character different than most of the other’s out there is the fall and the consequences. Being Human decided to liken the idea of “bloodlust” to drug addiction. So, the temptation, the longing stares at jugular veins that we see from other vampires is suddenly different with Aidan. It’s dangerous. It leads to dark places. Its not just about a monster harming humans, it's about the fact that he's damaging himself in powerful ways. He's not just breaking his diet by eating a doughnut, he's shooting up with heroin. The consequences for giving into these temptations mean that we flat out lose the character we love because he is LITERALLY a different character when he is “on the sauce.” It makes for a very stressful and humanly understandable experience while watching Aidan. Oh, and it also makes us shout at him through the TV!

The other really amazing thing that comes along with the drug comparison is the fact that we get to see the centuries old character as if he's a brand new monster. Usually, our favorite vampire characters are the older, wizened beyond our comprehension, "i've seen the times-a-changing" vamps. Aidan is 257. He's seen things. But because of his chosen lifestyle, he's now seeing the world anew. The drug haze has been lifted and he's seeing colors he's never seen, feeling emotions he probably forgot he had. It an astonishing way to watch this type of monster.

The Perfect Obessesive Compulsive Hero

We've never been a fan of a perfect hero. Too much perfection alienates the viewers. Character flaws give depth and interest. Have you met Josh Levison, the OCD control freak with an extra tall soapbox used for giving morality speeches fueled by his own jewish guilt? Oh, he also happens to turn into a serial killer werewolf against his will once a month.

It's difficult to compare Josh and his wolf to others in the genre to help explain how Josh is unique in character, mostly because there aren't as many popular or prevalent werewolf tropes. Regardless of this, Being Human goes above and beyond to give their werewolf layers of original complexity. The end result is a character we want to slap at times, and hug in others. He's the awkward one, the funny one. Yet he's also a man with a curse of a killer. A man who wants control more than anything in his life, and loses all of it once a month. A man who has put a halt to his life completely because he feels the burden of his curse weighing on his soul, and would rather suffer in solitude than inflict his lifestyle on others. And he's the funny one.

Despite all the issues that were born with his wolf that made him reclusive, weak and even fragile, we've loved watching Josh grow stronger as he learned his life wasn't over. He's still at odds with his curse, the uncertainty it brings to his life also gives Josh those character flaws we love so much. But he also learned he could have friends. He could find love. He could have a new family. Tell us that's not both amazing and interesting.

Fiiitttzzzting like a firecracker.....

Sally is a firecracker, plain and simple, good and bad. The greatest thing that comes along with that is that she's a ghost who wants to behave like she's still a human. Sally the ghost longs to find passion and love, and takes "life" by the reigns, jumping into them full throttle. Okay, sometimes it gets her into sticky, scary places, but she's not going to let that slow her down.

As far as journeys go, we the audience have pretty much been with Sally from the beginning of her afterlife ride, in all its ups and downs. We were in awe as she sparked to life when she realized the truth behind her death. And this is where the fun of Sally starts for us. We love this vivacious character, and we want the best for her. So does that mean we want her to find peace and move on? Or does that mean we want to see her settle in her ghost life, find some sort of balance where she doesn't feel lonely and enjoy some time with her supernatural roomies? Toughie. We don't know. We just know we love seeing her laugh and bounce and cry her way through her death.

Now Put it All Together

We're breaking the mold of the ode and adding part 4 (it's ok, it's not like this was actually a poem, either). The best part of all of these not only unique but amazingly intriguing character traits is the fact that they're all living together in one of the cutest little houses we've ever seen (complete with Dog the Catmandu). Aidan needs Josh to be his moral compass, to keep him from slipping up and going to hang with his drug buddies. Josh needs Aidan to give him balance, to show him that you can be normal, and that he doesn't have to do it alone. Sally needs her boys to not only guide her through this unknown new path, but also to remind her that she is, in fact dead.

Aidan offers advice and works as a father figure should. Protecting his family because, well let's face it, he is the strongest physically out of all of them. And they offer him sanctuary, a place that is not a vampire crack den! Josh holds tightest onto the ideal of normalcy. It could almost be the "thing" he's in charge of. Josh has a harsh way of going about it, but he criticizes, questions, and even chastises his roommates because he wants to them to succeed at their humanity. Sally is both a daughter and a little sister. When a child leaves the house, you notice, and it's the same with Sally. She wants to be seen and they provide her a loving audience and because they do, Sally is a key figure in completing their family.

The combination of each character as well as their interactions with each other make for a fresh, unique and addictive TV experience. Add to this the amazing side characters (shout out to Nora, who is astounding!), the breathe stealing CG, and the not common but always exciting actions scenes and we have to wonder how everyone isn't watching this show. The writing team for Being Human knows how to pull at our heartstrings but also ties in themes flawlessly through the use of monologues and comparable character situations. Thankfully, the writers don't seem to want to let our monsters find their happy places, so we'll be watching them struggle toward being human for a little while longer.

---

Dana & Kristi Hahn maintain http://www.beingfans.net/, a site dedicated to their love of all things Being Human. The elder Hahn, Dana, is a television promo editor for a post facility in Hollywood, CA. She loves comic books, video games, elves, Jedi and cats. She would not survive the zombie apocalypse, and she's afraid of spiders.

The little Hahn, Kristi, is a character/conceptual artist, but she also draws things "anime style" for Dana, when Dana asks nicely. She loves comic books, anime, cartoons, owls, sharks and coffee. She collects stuffed animals and cuts and styles her own hair.

Dana & Kristi Hahn's Famous 15!!

This is a culmination of Dana and Kristi, we agree on a lot of things(especially when it comes to TV), however sometimes we do differ, so we put individual "Dana" and "Kristi"'s on those!

1.Your current can't miss: Just one? Harsh. Syfy's Being Human.

2. Forever faves: We both love Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Angel, FullMetal Alchemist, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Friends.

3. Fave guy TV characters: Kristi's favs: Josh Levitson (Sam Huntington, Being Human), Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles, Supernatural) 10th Doctor (David Tennant, Doctor Who), Sokka (Avatar: The Last Airbender), Derek Reese (Brian Austin Green in The Sarah Connor Chronicles) Lincoln Lee (Seth Gabel, Fringe)

Dana's Favs: Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant, Justified) Walter Bishop (John Nobel, Fringe) Aidan Waite (Sam Witwer, Being Human) Troy and Abed (Danny Pudi and Donald Glover, Community) James Bishop (Mark Pellegrino, Being Human) Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki, Supernatural)

4. Fave girl TV characters:Kristi's Favs: Willow (Alyson Hannigan, Buffy), Sally (Meaghan Rath, Being Human), Kaylee (Jewel Staite, Firefly) Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell, Veronica Mars)

Dana's Favs: Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation), Zoe (Gina Torres, Firefly), Lucretia (Lucy Lawless, Spartacus) Kristen Hager (Nora, Being Human), Mayim Bialik (Amy Farrah-Fowler)

5. Fave TV couple:Kristi's Favs: Willow and Oz (Buffy), Josh and Nora (Being Human), Sokka and Suki (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

Dana's Favs (But upon review, Kristi likes these too) Jim and Pam (The Office) Daenerys and Khal Drogo (Game of Thrones) Fred and Wesley (Angel)

6. Fave male TV actors: We both like: Nathan Fillion, Mark Pellegrino, Charlie Day, Patrick Stewart, Sam Witwer, Jim Parsons.

Kristi adds: Sam Huntington, John Krasinski
Dana Adds: Timothy Olyphant, Ed Helms, Ian McShane

7. Fave female TV actors: We Both love: Kristen Hager, Kristen Bell, Amy Acker.

Kristi adds: Meaghan Rath, Felicia Day

Dana adds: Tina Fey, Melissa McCarthy

8. Fave Awards Show: Peoples Choice (OUR vote makes it happen) and Kids Choice Awards (so much slime!), Golden Globes because they mix up tv and movies!

9. Fave red carpet host: We LOVED the little British girls in pink ballerina costumes that Ellen put at the AMAs!

10. First TV crush: Kristi: The Red Power Ranger, Jason. (The original Power Rangers)

Dana: Keith, the black lion driver from Voltron, followed in the tween years by Jonathan Brandis (when he was in SeaQuest DSV)

11. Current TV crush: Kristi: Josh (Being Human) This character is the perfect blend of funny and cute, and we still get to see his serious side, Sam Huntington can do it all!

Dana: Sam Witwer (Aidan, Being Human) He's too nerdastic to be for real, at least that's what I tell myself.

12. Character you are meant to play: Kristi: The snarky, sassy sidekick, with all the snappy one-liners.

Dana: A slayer in Buffy's universe. They kick ass and are still dramatic and angst!

13. who would play you on TV: Kristi: Alyson Hannigan. (Though my hair is shorter now, people have told me, "You look like that American Pie girl!"

Dana: I think Eliza Dushku or Amy Smart could play a good Dana.

14. TV show(s) you loved and lost: Firefly for SURE! Titus, Out of this World, Blossom, United States of Tara, Battlestar Galactica, Veronica Mars, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.

15. TV shows you're watching: Syfy's Being Human, Face Off, Lost Girl, Justified, Fringe, Supernatural, Vampire Diaries, The Big Bang Theory, The Office, Parks and Recreation, Dexter, True Blood, Spartacus, Game of Thrones, Young Justice, MythBusters, Thundercats, Simpsons, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Community, Ellen, Doctor Who, Conan (phew! Thank God for DVR)

Ping Back - Nikita

2012-02-11T00:23:00.000-05:00

♥ Aryn

NIKITA! I'm gonna live forever... I'm gonna learn how to fly HIGH!

So guess who's back in town? Carla Bennett (Erica Gimpel - who was in Fame and other things too, but I loved Fame as a child.) The woman who got Nikita clean, before she relapsed, and then shot a cop for shooting her friend, who was really just trying to help her out, when the cops were being a bit dicky.

The ONE person who loved her, just because. (She loves everyone, except Amanda... batty)

OMG! Was that Percy having compassion towards Carla? Did you see it? Right there in his beady little eyes when they were talking in the empty garage. Did we just find the ONE person on this planet that Percy... likes?

I didn't see this coming.

I guess I never really thought about "who" created division, or maybe I just assumed Oversight went out and found Percy as the first Division agent ever, and had him run the place.
See what happens when you assume? Carla.

Kudos to "young strung out Nikita" makeup - it was suburb.
& Kudos to "You wanted Daddy's attention, now you've got it." (my love of Percy is blossoming like a flower in the desert...)

I'm enjoying the turn of events. Percy on the run, guardian/cleaners in tow. Amanda BAT crazy, with beautifully applied lipstick. The humanity of Nikita. Michael's new haircut. Alex... being Alex...

I missed Birkhoff.
I didn't miss Sean Pierce.

And I liked to give a nod to Juan Coto and the other writers. Yay for twists and turns!

Go Nikita Go!

Witchy Woman

2012-02-10T17:10:00.002-05:00

Am I talking about Esther, or Elena?

Typically, I have to struggle with not inserting some snark when it comes to TVD. In the first few minutes I was gnashing my teeth, like normal, until Elena entered the ball. I was bewitched!

Give me...the dress... My preciousssss...

That dress! Oh my goodness, that dress! I lived in a city, and I still had to drive to a bigger city to find a decent dress shop. How many people does Mystic Falls have? Whoever runs the local dress shop must be making a killing. “There’s yet another ball tonight, time to head down to Delaney’s for a gown that no one else will have!” Mystic is right…

One thing I can never complain about is the wardrobe department. I want Leigh Leverett’s job. Everyone is always impeccably dressed, and I want their wardrobe crammed into my closet. Every. Last. Piece. The recent episode was no exception. Elena’s dress, Caroline’s dress, just give them to me! Now! I will forgive the show any fault in trade for that darn dress. I’ll even ignore the smoky grey eye shadow they gave her instead of a bronze.

Just to make me happier, we also got a glimpse of crazy Damon. I adore crazy, predictable Damon, and he didn’t let me down. The crazy eyes are appropriate again! And to be honest, I think for the first time I'm starting to like Stefan(barring the final emo moment of the episode.... No Bandeau! Bad! No snark! Think of the dress...). I much prefer the backbone, "get it done", Stefan to the usual "watch your step you might bruise your foot!" Stefan.

I'm not saying the episode was good, because, well, it's me... But I will say I enjoyed it. So there.

::witches night in - 10 items or less::

2012-02-10T12:28:00.001-05:00

♥ Jenna

I love The Secret Circle.

I look forward to Thurday night's for a visit to Chance Harbor way more than Mystic Falls.

Sure, not every ep is as amazing as the pilot- few have been but nevertheless, I cannot get enough of my fave teen witches.

1. Jake/Faye- Last night started with a bang. LOVE their chemistry. Cassie who? Jake and Faye need to make this little love fest work out! Well, or not work out so they can just fight and have angry sex all the time.

2. Valentines day - 'So random.' Chance Harbor high went all out with the decorations, huh?

3. Faye/Diane/Melissa- THIS is the BEST bestie war EVER. I've seen it happen in real life! And I love that it's happening with these 3. When Melissa grabbed Diana's hand after being all pukey? OMG! Poor Faye. Even in her devil drug stooper Melissa knew that Diana is the friend that can take care of her and make her all better. Faye, well she's the friend that can get her high- and stuff. Girl's night was a fun little tangent for the witches. Yah, it was sprinkled with some of the usual witchy drama but come on- they did a spell to make the pizza man hot and they had a pillow fight. Plus, Diana was FUN! She made out with Lee AND the pizza guy! He could have been hotter, by the way- but that was cute! And that's not all 'girls night in' gave us- Faye called Diana out for ditching her friends once Adam came along, Diana admitted to being that bitch, Melissa did all the drugs and seized- then puked, Cassie tried to make the night all about her. And pizza, pillow fights, ouija board…perfection.

4. Cassie's hair- Loved it.

5. Jake/Adam- Bo and Luke Duke? No. But still super cute! "Are you coming loverboy?" I like how Adam recognizes that having Jake around has its benefits. It was cute when he told Cassie to go to Jake for help. She did not believe him. Loved it.

6. Jake/Cassie/Adam- Thankfully this is nowhere near as overdone as Damon/Elena/Stefan (hiding under my desk for a second.) This little witch triangle is well done. It's clear both Adam and Jake care about Cassie. Yet, all she cares about is learning all she can about who she is. Can't blame the girl. She's definitely clouded but I don’t think there's a choice for her to make- when it comes to the boys. I think the choice will just happen. Not sure it's supposed to be Jake but I'm just as unsure that it should be Adam. Cassie needs to add a 3rd boyfriend to the mix to help me figure this all out. (Good idea Diana!) I like her with both of them- her relationship with each serves a different purpose. In the end it will be -what does she need? Does she need the 'Jake' or does she need the 'Adam.' Given how bad ass she's become, she may need neither. The scene on the church was edge of your seat freaky. Adam possessed, Jake basically helpless. And Cassie, well she made it look like she chose Adam over surrendering the medallion to the ghost coven. The look on Jake's face? Yah, Cassie chose. Course Cassie went and surprised the crap out of Jake- and me when she destroyed the medallion instead of handing it over- saving Adam but not risking uncertain dead witch craziness. Poor Jake still felt her choice though. The games not over yet though Jake. Stick around.

7. Cassie- Um ouch. Her air bag bruises and burns must kill. Didn't seem to phase her as she chased the hoodie through the woods and then crushed the magically evil medallion with her bare hand. Oh and then joined Adam on the boat for a better late than never valentines day dinner complete with make out session. THAT was a good scene. I'm not a Cassie/Adam fan but I loved that tender little moment they shared- tear worthy. And Adam actually looked hot, from one angle.

F15 w/Randy Wayne!

2012-02-09T09:32:00.000-05:00

ABC Family has a ton of hits on their hands- The Lying Game and The Secret Life of The American Teenager - to name two! And Randy Wayne has been on BOTH! No stranger to the screen, Randy has been seen on The Closer, Jack and Bobby, Numb3rs, True Blood, Hot in Cleveland and played a young Luke Duke in The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning. More recently, Randy is starring in the film Jake's Choice and starred opposite Kat Graham in Honey 2! Read on for Randy's F15!!

1.Your current can't miss: After a month of hanging with my nieces and nephews it's now "Jimmy Neutron"!

2. Forever faves: RuPaul's Drag Race!!!....jay kay jay kay. But for real, I've always loved The Biggest Loser.

3. Fave guy TV characters: Derek (Ben Elliot/The Lying Game) Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall/Dexter) Frank Gallagher (William H. Macy/Shameless)

4. Fave girl TV characters: Elka Ostrovsky (Betty White/Hot in Cleveland) Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester/Gossip Girl) Laurel Mercer (Allie Gonino/The Lying Game)

5. Fave TV couple: That's a no brainer, Justin and Laurel "Lustin" (The Lying Game) and of course Ice and Coco (Ice and Coco)

6. Fave male TV actors: Randy Wayne. I'm probably his biggest fan.

7. Fave female TV actors: Selena Gomez and Lucy Hale. (They're of age right?)

8. Fave awards show: MovieGuide Awards!!!... and that has nothing to do with the fact that I was nominated last year. None. Nope, absolutely doesn't play a part in me deciding.

9. Fave red carpet host: Whoever talks to me at the time.

10. First TV crush: Lisa Turtle (Lark Voorhies/Saved by the Bell)

11. Current TV crush: Cameron Tucker (Eric Stonestreet/Modern Family)

12. Character you are meant to play: I'm rather good at playing southern and autistic characters. So maybe a southern autistic swimmer that loves surfing.

13. who would play you on TV: Hmmm... who is the best looking guy in Hollywood...? Nah, kidding, it would have to be someone who looked similar and has a certain quirky confidence about them. Maybe Louis Hunter from The Secret Circle.

14. TV show(s) you loved and lost: Sons & Daughters (My first series, but I honestly loved watching it as much as working on it) and the old HBO series Oz.

15. TV shows you're watching: Shameless, The Lying Game (DUH), and I watch a lot of news.

Jake's Choice

2012-02-07T18:08:00.003-05:00

♥ Jenna

We ♥ TV's affiliate The VRO is working to help promote Jake's Choice. A film starring Randy Wayne of ABC Family's new hit The Lying Game. Read on....

To Save a Life:
Jake Taylor (Randy Wayne) has it all – High School basketball star, lots of friends, and a beautiful girlfriend. Throughout the years, Jake has become estranged from his childhood friend. Roger sustained a permanent injury while saving Jakes life. Pushed aside, picked on and bullied, Roger feels that suicide is his “only way out”. Tragically, Roger commits suicide in front of his classmates and his old friend, Jake.

Read the rest of the article and find out where to watch at The VRO.

Can Suren go away now, please?

2012-02-07T12:29:00.000-05:00

♥ Aryn
Being Human totally just bummed me out last night... I can't say I hated the episode, it did what it was supposed to do... (massively making me depressed and utterly sadden by how humanity is wearing on ones soul...) Guess it's better to discuss what I DID like!

<- I liked this - the wolf stuff. Purebred = Serious Coolness!

And the Sally boyfriend, or lack there of thing... Nice little twist! I kinda like "crazy" Sally and her need to posses those around her!

But I don't like Suren...
I don't
I don't
I don't
I don't... I just don't... I don't like her and I want her to go away now.

Thank you.

Just. Because.

2012-02-04T12:58:00.001-05:00

♥ Jenna

Because I can.
Because my new PVR has live TV capture.
Because he's super freaking adorable.
Because I like to look at him.
Because he slept with 'Aunt Jenna.'
Because I'm bored.
Because I want to.
Because you want me to.

Oh Nikita, how I love thee

2012-02-04T00:35:00.000-05:00

♥ Aryn

I have learned from Nikita that when one is planning on going into battle you should be completely prepared. Guns, uzis, maybe a grenade or two, bullet proof vest, but most of all - make sure you're makeup is perfect.

First it took me forever to start watching this show, and now I swear to god it just keeps getting better and better.

Then I was so far behind - ok I have to be honest, there's a chunk of this season I straight up missed (hulu+ and it's "expiring" episodes - what are they made out of? Dairy?) But it's so good!

My favorite moments of Clean Sweep are a tie between Roan and his bad ass killing everyone without flinching in Division and Percy walking off a gunshot wound. Every time I think he can't become a better villain he does something just that crazy. That's where I'm at - Madeline, Percy, Amanda, Gogle - I really feel like I should go do 200 sit ups and start going to target practice...

Thank you for being awesome Nikita - I love you!

Hitch It or Ditch It - 'G.I. Joe: Retaliation' trailer

2012-02-02T13:47:00.001-05:00

My guest is original co-columnist Marcus Eger (read more about the history of 'Hitch It or Ditch It' here). As I usually see movies with Marcus, this isn't far off from our original conversation about this trailer. We will either recommend "Hitch It" (go see it when it comes out) or "Ditch It" (wait until DVD or never) based on the trailer and what we know about the actors, director, etc that could sway our opinion.

G.I. Joe: Retaliation
(IMDb | Wiki | Official Site)

Opens: June 29, 2012 USA
Starring: Channing Tatum, Dwayne Johnson and Ray Park
Directed By: John M. Chu

(Marcus says, Hitch it!)

Clearly, when looking at this upcoming sequel, you have to leave allreality at the door. If you don’t, you will be in for a huge disappointment, asanything based in or around a toy can’t be taken seriously. Sure, we have seen aton of films come and go that teeter on being a little ridiculous, but very fewhave as shallow concepts as G.I. Joe. That’s no slight on the series, it’sjust the truth for something I’m surprised made it to a second film. Yeah, thefirst installment earned over $300 million worldwide, but that doesn’t mean itmakes sense to do another one. And that’s coming from a fan who played with theaction figures as a kid, so when I see a trailer like this with all thesethings that have nothing to do with what made G.I. Joe guys popular back in theday, I get a little incredulous. Could it be better? Of course. But, it couldalso be worse, so even though they are bringing in Dwayne Johnson and BruceWillis, I have a hard time saying this is a must see. Sure, I will see it, butit will be out of curiosity over any other reason.

(We ♥ Kel says, Ditch it!)

No Hollywood, I'm not playing your game of cramming everything but an original idea into a film and expecting me to go see this one. You have a big, fun, action, popcorn film out in the summer, okay I could have played along, but no. You cram in Bruce Willis for 80s action fans, Dwayne Johnson for late 90s/early 00's wrestling/action fans, Channing Tatum for whoever he appeals to these days, (his thick neck and wooden acting do nothing for me) plus Ray Park who was the coolest thing in a movie that featured Jar Jar Binks on the opposite extreme. You also want to appeal to fans of a toy brand that goes back to the early 60's through today. This same toy line that had a popular cartoon that fathers of kids today grew up watching. There's some female eye candy of some sort but really, these types of films don't give the female characters the same screen time or much to do other than to show up occasionally so straight guys don't panic that they are watching a bunch of sweaty dudes on screen. There's guns! There's ninjas! There be explosions! Cheesy one-liners? Yeah we got 'em!

Ummm, no thanks. I'll just watch another True Blood season this summer on HBO instead. If I wait long enough there will be actors better looking than anything in this movie showing up to play ware-panda ninjas. Oh, and they show boobs on True Blood straight guys, and watching will likely get you laid more than taking your girlfriend or wife to this piece of shit looking movie. Plus if you watch another season the following year, this movie will likely show up on HBO and you can watch it then. The only cool about this trailer was that kick-ass remix of The White Stripes "Seven Nation Army" by Glitch Mob. That's how you remix a known property.

About Hitch It Or Ditch It

Have you ever found yourself watching a trailer before a feature presentation and turning to your friend or spouse with a snap judgement of, "I want to see that" or "Ugghh! Lucas is trying to suck more money out of me with a crappy 3-D conversion of Phantom Menace? REALLY??!"? That's the experience I try to recreate with this column. A movie trailer (aka preview) is suppose to sell you on a movie. You may never read anything else about the movie or see any cast on talk shows promoting the film. So, the trailer might be the only experience you have to learn about the movie and quickly make a decision on whether you file this away as something you want to see or skip.

One Tree Hill: Absolute Perfection

2012-02-02T01:18:00.001-05:00

One Tree Hill is perfect.

*WARNING: be prepared to hear that word, and any othersynonym that I can come up with, a lot. I just can’t help it! Everything aboutthis show is, well, perfect.

Previously on…

I honestly cannot even begin to explain how amazing the lastscene of last week’s episode was. Leaving your own child in the car has to be oneof parent’s worst nightmares. Poor Julian. Poor Davis. Poor Brooke. My heartabsolutely broke as Julian turned the corner to see his own, innocent child inthe ambulance. He didn’t even need to say a single word for me to see the painand guilt that he was feeling. Austin Nichols was absolute perfection. His facesaid it all.

This brings us to episode 4, Don’t You Want to Share theGuilt?

The episode starts right where we left off… Julian sittingin the hospital waiting room as Brooke anxiously arrives, a look of terror,pain and confusion on her absolutely perfect face.

And then there’s Quinn and Clay. I’m still not 100% surewhat is happening with this storyline. I absolutely adore them as a couple, soI’m hoping that whatever’s going on with Clay won’t impact their relationship.Then again, that would be way too easy.

Jamie and Dan are camping together in the backyard. Dan tellsJamie that he never got a chance to do things like that with Nathan… I wonderwhy?! Maybe because he was too busy being controlling.. oh and killing Keith.

Brooke & Julian are back in the waiting room and youcould feel the tension. Brooke, looking flawless, may I add, questions herhusband about the accident. “I forgot, I just…” Absolute heartbreaker.Thankfully, Davis is okay, but you know that this isn’t the end.

Chase, Chase, Chase. I won’t lie; I watched Stephen Collettion Laguna Beach… and loved every single second of it. His stint on One TreeHill? Not a huge fan. I hate that so many scenes each week are dedicated to hisfriendship with Chuck and now, his relationship with frenemy(?) Chris Keller.You can just add his new romance with Tara to that list.

Another plot that I could do without is fat Mouth. I justdon’t get it and would much rather more Brooke and Haley scenes! Sorry, butit’s getting so repetitive and boring.

Have I mentioned how perfect Austin Nichols is? Julianwaking up in an empty bed to two empty cribs was devastating. My heart isliterally in pieces.

Nathan and Haley video chatting was one of the cutest partsof the episode. And, after the promo for next week, we know that there is someHUGE drama next week! CAN. NOT. WAIT.

Dan trying to be the good guy just doesn’t seem right. I getthe whole concept of forgiveness and all, but I’m sorry, he shot his ownbrother.

Brooke & Haley together makes me so happy!! Theirrelationship has grown so much from the very first season! Plus, with a lot ofthe original cast members gone, they’re pretty much all we have left!

Julian and Haley in the café was truly the highlight of theentire episode for me. She tells him the story about the night she was arguingwith Nathan and Jamie fell in the pool. The emotions and feelings that I hadwatching that scene years ago came rushing back to me. “The best that we asparents can do is love them with all of our hearts and try and do better nexttime.” Perfection.

As if he hasn’t destroyed us enough this week, Julian is athis best… again. He turns the heat in his car up as high as it goes, whichstill isn’t as hot as it was the day he left his son in the car. He and Brookehave a heart to heart, and she forgives him. I love them. So much.

The final scene of the night is also the most pivotal. Acrowded airport. The stuffed animal that Nathan bought for Lydia. But, noNathan. I think it’s safe to say that it’s going to be the longest week ever,but I can pretty much guarantee that when next Wednesday comes, we wont be disappointed.

Overall, I could not be happier with where and how this season isgoing. While the entire cast blows me away each week, there are no words to describehow incredible Sophia Bush, Austin Nichols, and Bethany Joy Galeotti are. Thisweek, of course, was certainly no exception. With only nine (yup, you read thatright!) episodes left of the SERIES, I’m taking in every single second of everyepisode and appreciating the perfection that is One Tree Hill.

Milch?, Mobsters?, Mann?, Hoffman?, The Track? Degenerate Gamblers? Yes, You're in 'Luck'

2012-02-01T12:10:00.003-05:00

HBO marched out it's new stakes horse last Sunday with the premiere of the David Milch colt 'Luck'. I'll be honest, this shows' credentials and subject matter have me frothing at the mouth. I'm a sucker for the seedy side of the gambling underworld. The creeps and miscreants rubbing shoulders with the gangsters, noble sportsmen and honest trainers, the day to day activities of a large race track( My wife being from Saratoga and former employee of their famous track, she helped me fall in love with the setting and pageantry of a big horse race...and oh... the action!), and all the characters that inhabit a fading facade of America in the age of NFL and Hi-Def..The pedigree of producers, actors, and writers doesn't hurt either. David Milch has always delivered human ethos with a spiritual brutality that sings. Michael Mann is a highly stylized director who makes sheen seem easy and action visceral and cerebral simultaneously. (Bank heist in 'Heat' being one of his masterworks: You're invested IN the action!). Oh, and the cast...Dustin Hoffman, Nick Nolte, Dennis Farina.. These are Hollywood A-List guys.Then you get down to the side character actors: John Ortiz, Kevin Dunn, Richard Kind, Jill Hennessey, Ian Hart, Richie Coster...This hand is definitely stacked. And after watching the first two episodes I'm glad to say, this new HBO series has legs...
'Luck' sets up the series slowly as characters emerge from all types of corners. Prison, All-Nite poker dumps, paddocks, luxury hotels, and the track itself. Milch creates the different classes as equals who all seem to revolve around and throughout each others stories. Hoffman plays the newly released Ace Rothstein who just did a three year bit for standing up for a fellow big wig by not ratting. This will propel his motivation towards his old cronies. Hoffman is pitch perfect with a smoldering intensity that erupts quite quickly. For such a little guy he's menacing.. His right hand man 'The Greek" is played by Farina who is always reliable as likable and frightening at the turn of a hat. Their camaraderie is what finishes each episode with steely banter and set ups for further plot developments.
We then meet the motley group of track rats who are looking to hit the big score...and do they ever. I love this solid device of hitting the 2.6 mil pick 6 to START the season. Now what do you do?! Each guy has his own plan and none of them are on the same page.Kevin Dunn is nailing it as the asthmatic cripple.
We also have the trainers, jockeys, jockeys agents, owners, track security/shylocks...they're all here!
And did I mention the race sequences? Exhilerating. We are in the gate, on the rail, on the horse, in the stands, and the dirt is slapping us in the chin. But the reason these scenes work is because the episodes set up these races to MATTER. Some, if not all, of the characters have something invested in the outcome for different reasons. It's grand television.
I might see how this show won't be for everyone. The vernacular of betting and horse training can be muddled and some of the exposition is guesswork. I ,fortunately, picked right up on it and it's a bonanza of intelligent writing and craft. A trifecta of dynamite writing, stellar ensemble work, and sure handed direction will make 'Luck' a new Sunday night staple for me. Bet on it.

The CW + pilot season = WHOA!

2012-02-01T11:33:00.001-05:00

♥ Jenna

No, they won’t all make it to air but STILL! The CW had a field day picking up potentials for the 2012-2013 TV season. What does this mean for all of the current CW series? Who knows! Personally, I know of one or two they can lose. And we all know that this is the definite last season for OTH. I guess we shall see…upfronts are in May! For now, keep your fingers crossed for the shows you love and read on for a list of what the CW has ordered up- plus a few of my initial thoughts.

Shelter - A JJ Abrams produced drama set in a "historic New England summer resort where the new and returning staff attend to the practical, emotional and often comical needs of the guests while navigating friendships, rivalries and romances of their own." Sounds promising! With OTH alum Mark Schwahn writing, this could be good. I just hope they stick with New England. TSC was originally set in Maine…somehow moved to Washington State.

Green Arrow- A modern retelling of the Green Arrow comic book story starring Stephen Amell. Not my thing but given the success of Smallville, The CW may have a hit on their hands with this one.

The Carrie Diaries- My gut tells me 'no thanks' but my brain tells me to keep an open mind- Josh Schwartz is attached to the project so…so what? I am a through and through Sex and the City fan- TV fan…we are not talking movies here. I have my story, I am good; 6 amazing seasons of Carrie Bradshaw. Do we need to go back to her high school days? NO. The past and future of who and what Carrie Bradshaw is/was lives inside each veiwer. Leave it alone. Do not wreck it, do not touch it. UGH! I know who MY Carrie was. Let it be. I can whine and complain all I want. Truth is, this pilot is getting made. I hope to the TV GODS that this is not an embarassment to the loyal SATC fans. If I wanted to know what someone else imagined Carrie's younger days were like I would have bought the book. Ok?

The Selection- Something about the future. Sci-fi. I read somewhere it's apparently The Hunger Games meets The Bachelor. We'll see.

Joey Dakota- Hmmm. Being called sci-fi BUT listen to this premise- not that I am at all opposed to sci-fi..just saying. "A romantic time-travel musical where a documentary filmmaker from the future travels back in time to the 1990’s and falls in love with a rock star named Joey Dakota who happens to be the subject of her film. When she expectantly returns to her time, she looks for a way back to the past to reunite with her love and prevent his untimely death." Who doesn't love the 90's?? And time travel?

Beauty and the Beast revamp- No thanks.

Oh Sit!- A musical chairs for grown up? Pass.

Did I miss any?? I thought there were 8? 8. Wow. Even 7 is a ton! Each are hour longs. What is next season going to look like for The CW!

An Ode to Nora - Being Human

2012-01-31T01:36:00.000-05:00

♥ Aryn

I like Nora. Don't you like Nora? You should really like her because she's a firecracker - yup, I'm my grandma in this post... FIRECRACKER!! I've heard the complaints, and yes, I do understand that she's the "fourth wheel" that bumbles up the tricycle joy ride of the Vampire/Werewolf/Ghost springtime jaunt the forest of Humankind, but I love this character, and I very much love Kristen Hager for her portrayal of the cursed nurse-wolf.

Like, relationships aren't hard enough as it is? Then it turns out not ONLY are you dating a freaking shapeshifter - but he infects you...

Then he says he loves you, but does he really? I mean, he loved old what's her face (*cough* Julia *cough*) enough to runaway from their soon-to-be marriage, and live the rest of his life knowing there would always be a slew of rumors FOREVER be attached to his name (where ever that ex-fiance may wander too) - but for you, for Nora... not so much.

OK, so I like Josh too, but I'm guessing you see my point!

Love me some werewolf love!

But let me put this out there, in the form of a letter to Josh:

Dear Josh:

Please take a stand, because while you're cute (in a boyscout, yes I'll buy a tin of popcorn, kinda way) but I think you found a much better woman in Nora and if you lose her because you won't allow her to express the new feelings and emotions she has as a newly turned werewolf, I'll be very disappointed in you.

Stay cute!

Love,

-me

As for my other two fav paranormals - what in the heck is following Sally? I thought it was the grim reaper, but now I'm not so sure. And will someone PLEASE give Aidan a pint!

I'm excited for next weeks flash back to not so nice Aidan... woohoo! A real vampire that doesn't sparkle!

Empire Magazine & The Avengers!

2012-01-29T18:06:00.000-05:00

Alex....Did you...did you just waste a blog post to showcase this picture of one of Empire Magazine's covers?

Yes. Yes I did. I don't think any more words need to be said here.

It's f***ing Avengers.

TVKel crowdsources a list of Not So Successful Spinoffs

2012-01-28T17:16:00.001-05:00

Adam at TVDoneWright reported this week on the rumbling of a Dwight spin-off from The Office going around the internet. This got me into a stream of Tweets remembering less successful spin-offs (as the assumption was by me that a show about Dwight would be such) and my Twitter followers joined in.

Yes, The Brady Brides existed!

Also joining the walk down memory lane was Erin Murphy who played young Tabitha on Bewitched. When Tabitha got her own series, she was magically aged to her 20s and now played by Lisa Hartman (who would later play two characters on the successful spin-off of Dallas, Knots Landing). See what Erin had to say about that!

One of my favorite TV "WTF!!!???" moments came from the spin-off of Dynasty called The Colbys. In the final episode Fallon is abducted by aliens. Yes. It happened. The producers even continued the storyline when Fallon returned to the mothership, err, Dynasty!

UPDATE: If the Storify feed is not showing up below, you can read it here separately.

**

The "Team" Does "F15" - Movie Style!

2012-01-28T14:14:00.000-05:00

In honor of our recent launch of the Movie Division of We♡TV, I thought it would make sense if we did our token "Famous Fifteen" survey with the focus based on our film favorites. I decided to shake things up a little, though, so we could always remember the day the Movie Division was born. Instead of a "F15" I gift you all with a "F13," because Friday the 13th is a lucky day in this gal's book!

Enjoy!

♥Alex:

1. Favorite movie(s): Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, The Losers, Untamed Heart, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

2. Favorite male film star(s): Chris Evans, Ryan Reynolds, Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law, Jeremy Renner, and my first movie star love - Christian Slater

3. Favorite female film star(s): Scarlett Johansson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Charlize Theron, Drew Barrymore, Sandra Bullock

4. Favorite genre(s): Action! (especially comic booky goodness!)

5. Favorite director(s): Right now, Brad Bird. Amazing work on revamping the Mission: Impossible franchise.

6. Movie you wish someone would make: A sequel to The Losers

7. Movie you wish someone *didn't* make: Avatar: The Last Airbender (uuuuggghhhhh!)

8. Favorite male character(s): Jensen (Losers), Riley Poole (National Treasure), Johnny Storm (Fantastic Four), William Brandt (Mission: Impossible)

9. Favorite female character(s): ...Um...any gal that can handle herself in a fight! Aisha (Losers), Natalia/Black Widow (Iron Man 2, Avengers), Lara Croft (Tomb Raider)

10. Favorite movie quote: Don't know why, but this one always comes first to mind when I'm asked this question: *sung* "There was a rich man from Nottingham who tried to cross a river. What a dope! He tripped on a rope! Now look at him shiver! Beg for mercy, rich man!" ~ Will Scarlet (Christian Slater) - Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

11. Movie you love even though no one else seems to: The Thin Red Line - it touches me on this profoundly emotional level that few movies have ever reached

12. Movie you hate even though everyone else praises: Black Swan. It scared me!

13. Ode to (Gone, but not forgotten): Heath Ledger, one of the first very talented actors to spawn my love for the film industry. RIP.

♥Jenna:

1. Favorite movie(s): The Outsiders, The Goonies, Road Trip, Almost Famous, Grease 2, When a Man Loves a Woman, Evil Dead, A Christmas Story, Elf, Christmas Vacation

2. Favorite male film star(s): Clooney, Matt Dillon

3. Favorite female film star(s): Drew Barrymore

4. Favorite genre(s): Drama

5. Favorite director(s): hmmmm….got me there. I watch TV. So, if a movie is good, then I like that director…for that movie. Lol.

6. Movie you wish someone would make: ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT!!!

7. Movie you wish someone *didn't* make: Any of those TV remakes….NOT an extension, but a re-do…like “The Dukes of Hazzard,” “Starsky and Hutch,” ummmm and I hear there is a “CHiPs” remake out there? Um, no thanks! There is only one Ponch and Jon!

8. Favorite male character(s): Ponyboy Curtis, Dallas Winston, Mikey Walsh, Michael Greene

9. Favorite female character(s): Penny Lane, Stephanie Zinone

10. Favorite movie quote(s): “Stay gold…” Johnny, The Outsiders “Let’s do it for Johnny” Dallas, The Outsiders “They don't even know what it is to be a fan...to truly love some silly little piece of music or some band so much that it hurts” Sapphire, Almost Famous “It's all happening!” Penny Lane, Almost Famous

11. Movie you love even though no one else seems to: Boogie Nights…it’s got to be the home town love….Mahky Mahk!

12. Movie you hate even though everyone else praises: Where do I start?

13. Ode to (Gone, but not forgotten): Patrick Swayze….Darry Curtis, Jed, Derek Sutton, Johnny Castle, Dalton, Bodhi….amazing!

♥Bandeau:

1. Favorite movie(s): The 2005 Pride & Prejudice with Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen (along with the soundtrack which makes me melt!), LA Confidential, Lars and the Real Girl

2. Favorite male film star(s): I’m blown away by Ryan Gosling, all the time. The range he can play is unlimited (hell, he even played an excellent female senior citizen!)

3. Favorite female film star(s): Emma Stone. I love anyone who can’t take themselves seriously. Oh! And Emily Mortimer.

4. Favorite genre(s): Don’t think I have a favorite. All of them? So long as they are well done.

5. Favorite director(s): Yeek….I could list favorite composers, but directors? No clue.

6. Movie you wish someone would make: Vampire Hunter D, starring Johnny Depp. Seriously, he would make an amazing D

7. Movie you wish someone *didn't* make: *cough*Twilightseries*cough*

8. Favorite male character(s): Mr. Darcy

9. Favorite female character(s): Sofi, from Howl’s Moving Castle.

10. Favorite movie quote: “Fifteen bucks, little man. Put that shit in my hand.”

11. Movie you love even though no one else seems to: Ninth Gate

12. Movie you hate even though everyone else praises: 300. Just...Ugh.

13. Ode to (Gone, but not forgotten): Elvis. :P

♥Lindsay:

1. Favorite movie(s): The Notebook, A Walk to Remember, The Blind Side, Pretty Woman, Remember the Titans, Rudy, Field of Dreams, Legally Blond, Uptown Girls, The Last Song, The Descendants, The Breakfast Club

2. Favorite male film star(s): Ryan Gosling, Jake Gyllenhaal, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Ryan Reynolds

3. Favorite female film star(s): Reese Witherspoon, Sandra Bullock, Kate Hudson, Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Mandy Moore

4. Favorite genre(s): Drama, Romantic Comedy

5. Favorite director(s): I don't have one.. I watch movies for the plot and cast

6. Movie you wish someone would make: all of Nicholas Sparks and Jodi Picoult's books.. seriously love them all!

7. Movie you wish someone *didn't* make: Twilight - loved the books, but the movies ruined them for me

8. Favorite male character(s): Noah from The Notebook, Landon from A Walk to Remember

9. Favorite female character(s): Allie from The Notebook, Jamie from A Walk to Remember, Elle Woods from Legally Blond

10. Favorite movie quote: the entire scripts of The Notebook and A Walk to Remember.. some of my favorite writing!

11. Movie you love even though no one else seems to: that's a tricky one..

12. Movie you hate even though everyone else praises: Harry Potter and The Twilight Series.. sorry, but I don't really get it

13. Ode to (Gone, but not forgotten): Brittany Murphy - Uptown Girls will always be one of my favorite movies!

♥Aryn:

1. Favorite movie(s): Die Hard; Strictly Ballroom; Pride & Prejudice (2005); Peter Pan (2003); Gilda; The Philadelphia Story; Indiana Jones (the first 3) Star Wars - Episodes 3-5 - don't care for the reboot; The Road; Ghostbusters; Batman (Burton & Nolan); Scott Pilgrim Vs the World; Notorious (1946); Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

2. Favorite male film star(s): Bruce Willis; Adian Turner; Matt Damon; Harrison Ford; Cary Grant; Christian Bale; Joseph Gordon-Levitt; Simon Pegg

3. Favorite female film star(s): Ziyi Zhang; Amy Adams; Isla Fisher; Angelina Jolie; Katharine Hepburn; Michelle Pfeiffer; Cate Blanchett

4. Favorite genre(s): Action Adventure or Historical Romance

5. Favorite director(s):Alfred Hitchcock; Sam Mendes; Neil Marshall; Edgar Wright; Joe Wright; Tim Burton; Martin Scorsese;

6. Movie you wish someone would make: The one in my head

7. Movie you wish someone *didn't* make: Swim Fan

8. Favorite male character(s): Jason Bourne; Han Solo; C.K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant, not Frank Sinatra); Indiana Jones; John McClane

9. Favorite female character(s): Any female character that had fire in her belly - example: Elizabeth Bennet; Fran (Strictly Ballroom); Ripley (Alien)

10. Favorite movie quote: "Shut your mouth when you're talking to me" - The Brother McMullen
"A life lived in fear, is a life half lived" - Strictly Ballroom
"Now I know what a TV diner feels like" - Die Hard

11. Movie you love even though no one else seems to: Brick (frickin love it)

12. Movie you hate even though everyone else praises: Napoleon Dynamite

13. Ode to (Gone, but not forgotten): Notorious - Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, Alfred Hitchcock - amazing.

♥Matt:

1. Favorite Movie(s): The Apartment, Godfather 1&2, The Third Man, Stalag 17, The Last Detail, Pulp Fiction, Some Like it Hot, North By Northwest, Network, On the Waterfront, Citizen Kane, Goodfellas,To Kill a Mockingbird, The Manchurian Candidate(1962) Eternal Sunshine, Rushmore, Animal House, No Country for Old Men,The French Connection, Glen Garry Glen Ross,JFK, Short Cuts, Best in Show, Crimes and Misdemeanors,The Exorcist, Day for Night, Heat, The Verdict, The Killing, Into the Wild, Young Frankenstein, ugh...this could go on for a while.

2. Favorite Male star: Jack Lemmon, Gene Hackman, Robert DeNiro, Paul Newman, Jack Nicholson, Cary Grant, Marlon Brando, Edward Norton, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Donald Sutherland, Sean Penn

3. Favorite Female Stars: Kate Winslet, Katherine Hepburn, Meryl Streep, Frances McDormand, Kate Blanchette, Holly Hunter, Liz Taylor, Faye Dunaway, Charlize Theron, Ellen Page

4. Favorite genre: Most but I lean towards crime/thrillers...I avoid musicals at all costs and any film that I can smell turd from a mile away (read:Adam Sandler movies)

5. Favorite directors: Billy Wilder, Martin Scorsese, Alfred Hitchcock, Sydney Lumet, David Fincher, Quinten Tarantino, Chris Nolan, Coen Bros, Robert Altman, Akira Kurisawa, Woody Allen, Orsen Welles, Francis Ford Coppola, Alexander Payne

6. Movie you wish someone would make: Stephen King's The Stand- That crappy TV movie doesn't count.

7. Movie you wish someone didn't make: The Bonfire of the Vanities

8. Favorite Male character: Badass Badusky (The Last Detail) C.C. Baxter (The Apartment) Sefton (Stalag 17), Herman Blume (Rushmore) Roger Thornhill (North by Northwest), Reggie Dunlop (Slap Shot) Don Logan (Sexy Beast)

9. Favorite Female character: Bridget Gregory( The Last Seduction) Margo (All About Eve), Diana Chistensen (Network), Annie Hall, Helen Sinclair(Bullets Over Broadway), Clementine (Eternal Sunshine)

10. Favorite Quote: Too many but today I'll go with: "If I ever run into any of you bums on a street corner, just pretend like we never met."-Sefton-Stalag 17

11.Movie you love that no one else seems to: Teen Wolf, That Thing You Do

12. Movies you hate even though everyone else loves: 2001, There Will Be Blood, Don't 'hate' these films just never saw what the hub bub was about.

13. Ode: Gone but not forgotten: John Cazale, Bogie, River Phoenix, Michael Keaton (Career?!)

♥Kel:

1. Favorite movie(s): Rebecca, Vertigo, Network, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Waiting for Guffman, Star Wars (A New Hope & Empire Strikes Back) Nolan's current Batman series, Star Trek (Wrath of Khan, Undiscovered Country and JJ Abrams reboot)

2. Favorite male film star(s) Ewan McGregor, Paul Rudd

3. Favorite female film star(s) Julianne Moore, Drew Barrymore

4. Favorite genre(s) comic book adaptations, mockumentaries

5. Favorite director(s) Alfred Hitchcock

6. Movie you wish someone would make - a Cornwall and early 70s setting for a multi-movie adaptation of The Dark is Rising books by Susan Cooper. The attempt a few years ago (The Seeker) to modernize it was horrid and quickly forgotten.

7. Movie you wish someone *didn't* make - anything with Kevin James

8. Favorite male character(s) - Batman/Bruce Wayne

9. Favorite female character(s) - Juno, Matilda, Mary Poppins

10. Favorite movie quote - "I'm Mrs. DeWinter Now!"- I (the otherwise unnamed narrator of Rebecca)

11. Movie you love even though no one else seems to - (at least not to degree I do) Addams Family Values

12. Movie you hate even though everyone else praises - Forrest Gump

13. Ode to (Gone, but not forgotten) - Jimmy Stewart

2 weeks of TV hell...

2012-01-28T10:41:00.001-05:00

♥ Jenna

My relationship with TV hit a rough patch recently. No, I'm not talking about my beloved shows- we're still good. I mean TV…well, I mean the 'people' that provide us with the TV signal…namely: DirecTV.

It all started on Globes Sunday. What a day. Watching E's coverage of the red carpet, few cocktails, rest of the family on the other side of the house playing video games…it was pure TV heaven. Even Clooney showed his face- which red carpet watchers will know is a rarity. It was perfect.

Fast forward to 7:59, my winners picked, I flick to NBC. What's this? There's a message on the screen telling me that DirecTV no longer carries the channel. What? This is a joke. Whatever. Do-de-do….a minute passes. The message is still there- regardless of how many times I have flicked off and then back again. Hmmm. Ok. What does this MEAN! The Globes are starting! WAIT! We have an OTA antenna! The 'regular' NBC should come in! Flick. Nope. Same message. What?!

By this point panic is setting in. It is 8:04. The Globes ARE ON! What do I do? I know! TWITTER. In under 20 seconds on Twitter I learned the truth and my panic turned to rage- uncontrollable 4 letter word rage. DirecTV and Sunbeam, the company that 'owns' our local NBC and CW are not seeing eye to eye on the exorbitant amounts of money they are willing to sell/pay. SO! WHO CARES!! PUT THE GLOBES ON!

Next step: tell the husband. He can fix anything. He thought I was joking. Nope. "Come look" I say. So he did. His reaction; "Wow."

Next step: call my mom and dad!!

Mom: Hello

Me: Is dad there?

Mom: Yes. What's wrong?

Me: I need to talk to dad. (Mom does not know how to work the DVR)

Mom: Ok….

Dad: Hello

Me: Can you please dvr the Golden Globes. Now. @#^$*()&^ DirecTV ^^%$^^%$& OMG %$#$%&% Missing the $%$% GLOBES! %$$

Dad: Yes dear. Anything else?

Me: No.

Next step: Twitter listed a few # to call to voice concerns. It happened to be the # to the local NBC affiliates new line.

Call # 1

Them: Channel 7 news.

Me: Breaking news. Channel 7 is not on DirecTV tonight. FIX IT!

Them: Go away.

Call #2

Them: Channel 7 news

Me: What's going on? I cannot watch the Globes.

Them: Call DirecTV

Me: No. I'm calling you.

Them: Go away

Me: That's creative. I'm calling you every 2 minutes til channel 7 is back on my TV.

Them: Go ahead.

Me: You're helpful. IT’S A LOCAL CHANNEL THIS IS RIDICULOUS.

The calls continued. Sorry. I was THAT mad.

SUDDENLY, an hour and a half later…after using the best of my averty eyes to NOT BE SPOILED on Twitter (I was totally calling in sick the next day to go to my parents and watch- unspoiled) THE GLOBES APPEAR in beautiful HD on my TV. YES! The husband did it. Took some rewiring and all but there they were THE GLOBES. 9:36 pm. The anger and rage quickly faded as I retreated to the couch to salvage the rest of my awful awful evening. And, I got to see Clooney's win. All is better. All is perfect…and when I wake up in the morning NBC and CW will be back. This is dumb, of course they'll come to an agreement. They can't do this. They can't mess with the locals. They are in the air. They are FREE.

That all took place on January 15th. Here we are January 27th and NBC and the CW came back last night- according to social media, I have no proof, I would not know. See, WE CANCELED the other night. JUST 24 hours before the deal was settled. Nice. Oh well. Not going back. After 10 years, we are done. When we called to cancel the guy offered to take 30$ off our bill for the next 6 months. I thanked him and all but 30$ off or not, I still have no NBC. If he had told me that he knew I'd have my precious networks back in my living room within 24 hours would we have canceled? Probably not. But he told me nothing. He told me his mom has Dish….and 3 minutes later he told me his mom has Charter. He was selling me. Going all out to make me stay. Sorry. The last 2 weeks without NBC and The CW have been a challenge. Our OTA signal is not the best, not dependable. I TV. I cannot live with TV that is not dependable. Bye bye DirecTV. We're going our separate ways. After 10 years. A combo of basic cable, internet TV, Netflix and Hulu…here we come. We'll save a ton. Plus, this is the way forward. TV is changing. The internet has already changed how we watch. It's only going to change more. So screw you DirecTV, screw you Sunbeam. You can't do that to me and think I'm going to stick around.

I missed the Globes. That's all I took.

Hitch It or Ditch It - 'The Avengers' trailer

2012-01-27T13:10:00.002-05:00

Movie Editor in Chief We ♥ Alex joins me on another We ♥ Movies version of Hitch It or Ditch It with the trailer for The Avengers. My guest is original co-columnist Marcus Eger (read more about the history of Hitch It or Ditch It here). As I usually see movies with Marcus, this isn't far off from our original conversation about this trailer. We will either recommend "Hitch It" (go see it when it comes out) or "Ditch It" (wait until DVD or never) based on the trailer and what we know about the actors, director, etc that could sway our opinion.

Sound off with your own "Hitch It or Ditch It" in the comments and the next installment will be a bit more divided in opinion so stay tuned!

The Avengers
(IMDb | Wiki | Official Site)
Opens: May 4, 2012 USA
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, and Scarlett Johansson
Directed By: Joss Whedon

(We ♥ Alex says, Hitch It!)

Pssshhhhh, ditch it.

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! WHAT?!?!?! Who would say something like that????? People that are not sane, that's who.

It's frakkin' Avengers! We've been watching all the little clues and bits and pieces and cameos for this movie popping up all over the place in the last few years' worth of Marvel films. To not actually see how all those carefully placed foreshadow webs weave together would be nuts! Plus, come on, Chris Evans (my fake movie boyfriend), Robert Downey, Jr (the best, snarkiest Tony Stark of all time), Samuel L. Jackson (just f****** awesome in everything), Mark Ruffalo stepping up as Hulk (yes, I'm excited, I love Mark), Scarlett Johansson (she's hot and kicks a**, what more can I say?), Jeremy Renner (my - and probably the rest of the world's after Mission - new favorite to watch), Chris Hemsworth (shallow, but girls drop panties for that dude...), and Tom Hiddleston (the seeming fangirl favorite for his endearing qualities). That's like having an eye candy aisle at the grocery store and putting one of everything in your basket. Even if the writing, plot, and directing wind up being god-awful, you still have two hours of drooling over that cast. Worth every dollar, right there! Though I do honestly think the writing, plot, and directing will be totally fine since all the precursors to this hawt-fest were major hits. Plus, Joss Whedon. He's one of my heroes in the director world. As long as he was able to keep all the man-divas in line, I'm positive this will be my favorite movie of this year.

(Kel says, Hitch it!)

Ditto what Alex said. The End. I kid.

Thor was my first time noticing Tom Hiddleston on screen. His Loki had dark hair and was a great villian. So here I am watching Midnight In Paris on DVD and their version of F. Scott Fitzgerald comes on screen and I'm going "Who is this blonde actor? Wow, he's got some great screen presence. I've got to IMDb that guy." My mind was blown that it was frakin' LOKI. Then I'm with my movie buddy Marcus watching War Horse, and Hiddleston turns up (blonde again) and I'm all talking in the theater excited about it. Well he's not on screen for long but his thread is one of the more powerful in that film. At first, I wasn't that excited to know Loki was coming back as a/the villian in The Avengers. I kinda wanted something new, but now I'm a Hiddleston fan I'm not complaining.

Also, truth be told I'm a DC Comics guy, BUT I've been completely impressed with the Marvel movies leading into this movie event. Not knowing a lot about the Marvel Universe has given me a chance to just enjoy the serialized bits and character introductions I've been given. I think it is totally appropriate that Joss Whedon wrote and directed this. His Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a network drama that wasn't a soap that allowed serialized storytelling, characters to die, settings & time periods to change, new big bads every season, and to play with drama and comedy like no genre series prior. I hope to see the Whedon touch shine in character moments and growth. I also fully expect someone on the team to die (even if it doesn't stick) and fans of Whedon projects know I'm right. He goes there.

(Marcus says, Hitch it!)
It’s hard to argue this film won’t be a huge topic of conversation in a few months, given all the dynamics and planning that went into it. I mean, even now the anticipation is growing for what might be a monumental film for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So, I can only imagine how it will be when this film hits the big screen. And as a fan of all the prior films and characters that make up The Avengers, I look forward to what writer/director Joss Whedon has done. Because with a cast as powerful as this, it will take a careful eye to be sure it all fits and honors the pages for which it was taken from. That’s what will determine how this film either rises or falls, so don’t get lost with all the action and special effects will sure to keep us all on the edge of our seats. This film of cinematic heroes will be held to a higher regard and I can’t wait to see how it all shakes out.

About Hitch It Or Ditch It
Have you ever found yourself watching a trailer before a feature presentation and turning to your friend or spouse with a snap judgement of, "I want to see that" or "Ugghh! Not another talking animal movie!" That's the experience I try to recreate with this column. A movie trailer (aka preview) is suppose to sell you on a movie. You may never read anything else about the movie or see any cast on talk shows promoting the film. So, the trailer might be the only experience you have to learn about the movie and quickly make a decision on whether you file this away as something you want to see or skip.

Being Human "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?"

2012-01-24T01:46:00.001-05:00

♥ Aryn

Isn't Sally is so darn cute! Am I right, or am I right?

So here's your quick recap:

Nora is a beast, waking up in a pile of leaves in the backyard of some suburban Boston home, yes it's official, Josh now has a mate for life! (well, maybe)

Josh was shot by a vampire, waking up to realize he turned his new girlfriend into a werewolf, who ate the vampire that tried to kill him. Oh, and he got into med-school, for dermatology...

Aidan is still stuck between his new and old families, waking up in the same hotel as before, but this time with Suren [Dichen Lachman, Dollhouse] in tow, Mother's very own screw up of a daughter - turned into Boston's new head Vamp, who he is supposed to help rise to power.

And Sally is scared, waking up after finally learning how to sleep as a ghost, only to realize it is no longer relaxing, freeing or restful. Nightmares of her missing door appearing, opening ever so slowly, to reveal a tall wispy form, shadowy at best, coming to claim her for the underworld... or worse - make her disappear all together...

That's a lot!

I love Sally. Seriously, I kinda just want to go give her hugs and hang out for a few days discuss whatever over a beer and laughing the entire time. Her ghostly spirit is contagious, even when she took over a body - best mini-conversation?

"You really like beer!"
"Yeah, that doesn't mean I'm easy."

Her character is so easy going. Between her friendship with Adian and Josh, to her new BF Billy and even what will, I'm sure, develop with Nora. Meaghan Rath has the chops at being a monster, previously shown in last years "You're the One That I Haunt" episode to see her embody the terrifying ghostly side of herself - so seeing this childlike ghost, if you will, explore, learn, and grow into the perfect ghost she is meant to be - with her friends and running from what lies ahead....

And what are Josh and Nora going to do? Right now I'm not sure if Nora will stay or run. (I'm hoping stay.) And Mr. Aidan... um... the last time you took home a human, it really didn't end well... but then, your life with Suren and mother WOULD be much easier...

You know, some times I just want to wait till a point where I can simply watch a marathon so I don't have all these questions and then have to wait another WHOLE week. That's a long time.

I love this show! Thank you Being Human for being so awesome. Now I just have to make it till Monday.......

Hitch or Ditch It -'The Dark Knight Rises' trailer

2012-01-22T17:29:00.002-05:00

Movie Editor in Chief We ♥ Alex joins me on the inaugural We ♥ Movies version of Hitch It or Ditch It with the trailer for The Dark Knight Rises. My guest is original co-columnist Marcus Eger (read more about the history of 'Hitch It or Ditch It' here). As I usually see movies with Marcus, this isn't far off from our original conversation about this trailer. We will either recommend "Hitch It" (go see it when it comes out) or "Ditch It" (wait until DVD or never) based on the trailer and what we know about the actors, director, etc that could sway our opinion.

The Dark Knight Rises
(IMDb | Wiki | Official Site)

Opens: July 20, 2012 (USA IMAX and wide release)
Starring: Christian Bale, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Marion Cotillard
Directed By: Christopher Nolan

(Marcus says, Hitch it!)

Considering I watched each of the last two Nolan-driven Batman flicks 2-3 times in theaters, I think you already know my answer. And that’s not counting the fact I own Batman Begins and The Dark Knight on regular DVD and Blu-Ray, you know, in case one or the other is unwilling to spin in my DVD player. With that said, if this trailer doesn’t get you pumped for wanting to see this film, I feel sorry for you because I have a feeling Christopher Nolan wants to finish this series in grand fashion given all the ups and downs he has faced over the years with this franchise. Sure, having most of the cast that has brought us here never hurts, but adding the likes of Marion Cotillard, Tom Hardy and Anne Hathaway as Catwoman makes this go from a ‘must see’ to a ‘you’re crazy if you don’t see’ film. Because, the reality is, after this third installment comes and goes, Nolan would have just mastered one of Hollywood’s storied franchises like no one before him. So, it goes without saying I will be there and truthfully, even if I wasn’t such a loyal fan, this looks like it could be the movie of the year if all goes well considering the talent behind and in front of the camera.

(We ♥ Kel says, Hitch it!)

Do you really have to ask me? I'm there 100%! I had to pick my jaw up off the floor the first 20 times I watched this. That stadium scene is CRAZY! There's Anne Hathaway wearing cat ears at a fancy function, so not quite a full blown Catwoman outfit -yet. Interesting that Batman is not the target, but rather Bruce Wayne. Is Bane leading a very lethal looking Occupy Gotham movement against the wealthy? I get a very dark vibe from this, much like Nazi Germany or other dictatorships where people are sent to internment camps. JG-L is an added bonus, I haven't read any rumors as to his character's role, so I will try to stay spoiler-free on a few things. I have read rumors about Marion Cotillard's role but won't share them right now because it is all speculation. However, I will say she might tie back to Batman Begins. Yes, I've read all about the uproar over not being able to understand Bane, some over-dubbing will be done from what I understand. Again, this is an easy "Hitch It" for me.

(We ♥ Alex says, Hitch It!)

Okay, so yeah, I'm automatically biased because it's a comic book movie, specifically a Batman movie, and I pretty much heart all things Batman. But seriously, how could you not hitch this? Nolan's made this franchise pretty much perfect from the start, and with the returning cast (plus bringing in Inception favorites Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Marion Cotillard - squee!), there's no way this could go wrong! Then there's that whole Catwoman sort-of appearance, and that tiny little rumor about Joe's character that I sooo want to be true because how AWESOME would that be?!?!?!?! ...No, no, Alex, keep excitement contained until "rumor" becomes "fact." *calming breath* That really is part of the intrigue, though - trying to figure out what Nolan is actually planning with these characters. False leads, hidden clues, "spilled secrets" that could be something or nothing at all - all part of what makes me want to watch. It's like a Gotham Easter Egg hunt, and I plan on being one of the first kids to go seek!

About Hitch It Or Ditch It

Have you ever found yourself watching a trailer before a feature presentation and turning to your friend or spouse with a snap judgement of, "I want to see that" or "Ugghh! Not another Kevin James movie!"? That's the experience I try to recreate with this column. A movie trailer (aka preview) is suppose to sell you on a movie. You may never read anything else about the movie or see any cast on talk shows promoting the film. So, the trailer might be the only experience you have to learn about the movie and quickly make a decision on whether you file this away as something you want to see or skip.

Hitch It or Ditch It - The Return

2012-01-22T17:27:00.001-05:00

‘Hitch It or Ditch It’ is a column that fellow movie lover Marcus Eger and I originally created a couple years ago for my now defunct Sonic Film Box blog. Marcus picked up the mantle for a bit on Examiner, but we both kind of let it fade. When I found out We ♥ TV was expanding movie coverage, I thought it would be the perfect time to revive HIoDI! Have you ever found yourself watching a trailer before a feature presentation and turning to your friend or spouse with a snap judgement of, "I want to see that" or "Oh, that looks awful!"? That's the experience I want to recreate with this column.

A movie trailer (aka preview) is suppose to sell you on a movie. You may never read anything else about the movie or see any cast on talk shows promoting the film. So, the trailer might be the only experience you have to learn about the movie and quickly make a decision on whether you file this away as something you want to see or skip. I will be inviting Marcus, fellow We ♥ team members and some social media pals to rotate as guests on the column. We will either recommend "Hitch It" (go see it when it comes out) or "Ditch It" (wait until DVD or never) based on the trailer and what we know about the actors, director, etc that could sway our opinion.

First up will be some expected summer blockbusters, because honestly, it will help bring in some clicks. However, with this column you will get something unique besides just the trailer and a press release. As the column progresses I hope to bring in more diverse titles like foreign films (that should be interesting!) and documentaries.

Let's kick things off with The Dark Knight Rises!

Witness.. The Secret Circle

2012-01-22T00:48:00.000-05:00

Anyone and everyone that knows me knows about my obsessionwith Life Unexpected. When it aired its series finale last January (almost oneyear ago to the day), the idea of not being able to get my “Britt Robertson fix”every week devastated me (sorry, but I absolutely LOVE her). Enter EPs KevinWilliamson and Andrew Miller with the perfect solution: The Secret Circle. WhenI found out that Britt was tied to the project, it didn’t take long for me todecide to make TSC a part of my weekly schedule.

No, the magic and effects aren’t up to The Vampire Diariesstatus, and the show doesn’t have the heart that Life Unexpected had, but, weekafter week I continue to tune in. WhileI initially started watching because of Britt, the entire cast shocked me inthe best way possible. I’m continuously surprised and impressed by the magnitudeof Phoebe Tonkin and Shelley Hennig’s talents and the addition of Chris Zylkadefinitely did not hurt. Characters aside, this week’s episode of The SecretCircle made the reason why I love this show so much perfectly clear. “Witness” was seriously the best episode yet. Why, you may ask? 5 simple reasons…

1) JAKE JAKE JAKE!! He’s finallyback and really trying to shake things up. While his shoes (yes, his shoes)made an appearance at the end of last week’s episode, the return of the whole,actual Chris Zylka was greatly appreciated. Yes, there were a few parts of theepisode where I wanted to kill him (you don’t mess with Cassie… or BrittRobertson), but he’s also been an important part of the latest mystery: wherein the world is John Blackwell?! His ability to help Cassie go back in time tosee what really happened in the fire was really cool and one of my favoriteaspects of magic throughout the entire series so far! Welcome back, Jake!!

2) This leads me to the magic. Don’t get me wrong, therehave been some tricks and stunts in TSC that have floored me (yes, I’m STILLtalking about that exploding coffin), but that aspect of the show was seriouslylacking for me. I wanted the oohs and ahhs. I wanted to be surprised by whatwas about to happen. I never felt as if The Secret Circle was reaching its fullpotential in that sense. “Witness” changed all of that for me. While theflashbacks were extremely well done and an integral part of the episode andseries as a whole, their connection to the present was what really impressedme. I loved that what was happening to Cassie in the past was really happeningto her. It was something that I haven’t really seen before, so that alone madeThe Secret Circle stand out. (Witness (no pun intended!!) the magic & the amazingness that is Britt Robertson below!!)

3) Three words: Friday Night Lights. As a HUUUUUUUGE FNLfan, I was thrilled that Grey Damon was joining the cast of The Secret Circle.Although he has helped Faye try to sabotage the circle and caused so manyproblems, I kind of like watching the two of them together. The Faye and Lee scenes this week were someof my favorite Phoebe Tonkin moments, and I sort of like where her character isgoing. So, I guess all that I can say is MORE HASTINGS RUCKLE PLEASE!

4) While the parents of The Secret Circle have always playeda role in the show, recently, they’ve become an important part of thestoryline. With such an amazing cast (Gale Harold, Natasha Henstridge and AdamHarrington), I’m so glad that more focus has been placed on the oldergeneration. I love trying to put the pieces of the past together, and amseriously looking forward to learning more about the circle from them.

5) I say this week after week, but Britt Robertson isperfect. Between the pilot and now, the growth that both she and her characterhave experienced is tremendous. She gets better and better with each passingepisode, and I absolutely love watching her grow as an actress. “Witness” wasseriously some of her best work yet. You could feel the pain that she wasexperiencing in the flashback, and her fearlessness and perseverance wasadmirable. She is one of the many reasons why I will continue to not only watchThe Secret Circle, but also enjoy it more and more each week.

While the next episode doesn’t air until February 2^nd,the previews for “Medallion” are kind of perfect, so it’s definitely worth thewait! Until then, I will watch this episode of The Secret Circle over, and overagain (that’s how much I LOVED it)!! Until next time…

An Interview with Being Human's Sam Witwer

2012-01-19T23:21:00.000-05:00

♥ Aryn

Sam Witwer, or Aidan as you Being Human fans may know him, was kind enough to answer a few questions for me and all you lovely BH fans out there.

For those who aren't familiar with this dynamic actor, Sam Witwer is a native of Glenview, Illinois, made his acting debut as a ninja a commercial for the Chicago Bulls that lead to him limping for a week after the shoot. Since then he has appeared in the cult movie The Mist as Private Jessup, played fanboy favorites Doomsday in Smallville & "Crashdown" Battlestar Galactica, tussled with Dexter as Neil Perry, the guy claiming to be the Ice Truck Killer, and if that wasn't enough Sam also lends he voice to the Star Wars Universe in The Force Unleashed (I & II) video game [Aberrant Clones] and Star Wars: The Clone Wars [Darth Maul] television series.

Outside of acting, his passion is music, which lead to the creation of The Crashtones (more about that below).

~~~

Aryn Youngless: I know when Syfy’s Being Human was originally announced a lot of people were up in arms because the original BBC version is still on the air. Actually, I was one of those people, I am (now) an avid fan of the both series, that said, do you feel now that Being Human is now in it’s second season, some of the stigma of the series being a “remake” has disappeared?

Sam Witwer: Well, I am very happy to hear you like it, firstly. I think that we were cut a break by the fans. Before our first season aired there was a lot of hostility on the internet. Not encouraging… but not unexpected either. I certainly remember how much flak Battlestar took when it aired.

I was shocked how fans of the BBC gave us a pass once we started airing. The backlash I was anticipating never happened and I’m grateful to them for that. The BBC series is a wonderful show. They were right to be concerned. I’m just happy that our series seems to have found it’s place as a complimentary, not competitive entity.

AY: In season 1 we came to know Aidan on a very intimate level. We learned of his past, the torment he endured, about his relationships with Bishop, vampires and humans. We were able to watch him evolve from a creature who enjoyed being a vampire, into a creature that felt lost – soul searching to find the man he had been before the beast took hold. What will we be seeing of Aidan in season two, and will he be able to juggle the vulnerable vampire self-discovery to blend and be human with the vampire he is expected to be according to Mother?

SW: Short answer… no.

Long answer; The metaphor we play with concerning Aidan’s vamp stuff is drug addiction. I don’t think that’s any secret. In season one, he was smart enough to know that he needed to stay away from his old drug buddies (the Vampires) if he wanted to stay clean. This season he no longer has that option so we start to see old personality traits creep back into his character.

We’ve heard a lot about how feared this guy was. How ruthless. Well we get to see it this season. We even get to go back to the 1930s and tell some stories about a time when things were a lot better for the Boston Vampires. I think it’s safe to say that we see new sides of the Aidan character. I just hope the audience doesn’t turn on him for those new sides cuz it ain’t all smiles and laughter.

AY: If there is one thing Aidan could do, that hasn’t already been done (including everything I don’t know) what would it be? What unseen path would you want to take him down?

SW: Oh, I have very specific ideas of where this character could go after these stories. Unfortunately, I cannot divulge the details. I’ll say this – The character is primed for some of our most exciting stuff after this season… but you gotta put him through hell first.

AY: Are Aidan’s dynamics similar or nothing like your real life dynamics?

SW: Um… Yes and no. I’m certainly using specific parts of myself to create him. I’m a bit funnier and I don’t always sound like him vocally. He’s just a very specific side to myself that comes out in certain moods and situations. I guess it depends on when you catch me.

AY: I’ve also read a lot about the amazing chemistry you have with both Sammy Huntington and Meaghan Rath. What is the funniest thing that you guys have done on or off set?

SW: Oh, see that’s tough… We’re constantly laughing. Too many things to name. Sammy Huntington and Meaghan Rath are amazing people to be around. Truly, these two are beyond what I’d term as capable actors. They are uncommon. They are motivated, driven, intelligent, and stupidly witty.

Sammy likes to come up behind you and dig his chin into the area between your shoulder and your neck. Why? Cuz it’s really psychologically uncomfortable. Meaghan likes to take on this strange Spanish-like high pitched voice and ask me questions like –

M – Wampypre, Waht is that theeng on the wall? Is Eeet your Coffeen?

Me – Um… no. It’s a locker. It’s my locker.

M – A lockahr?

Me – Yes.

M – Why Doo you need a lockahr, Wampyre?

Me – Well… um..

M – Is eeet becuz you needt to lock yourself eeen your Coffeen?

AY: One last Being Human question – if Aidan and Mitchell walked into a bar together, what would happen?

Thunderdome. Two men enter, one man leaves.

AY: Please tell me about The Crashtones.

SW: My first love was music and it’s something that I do when I have the time. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been any! However, there will be, one day, a follow up album to Colorful of the Stereo.

The live band is a bunch of my friends including Glenn Howerton from Always Sunny in Philadelphia and we give a pretty good (read ridiculous) live show. I get a great thrill from seeing that people are buying and listening to my stuff, whether it’s itunes or cdbaby or whatever. As to whether they’re enjoying it…? oh those poor poor people… their ears!

AY: Who are you biggest musical influences?

SW: James Brown, Peter Gabriel, Mike Patton.

AY: Another love of yours is Star Wars. What is your favorite movie episode, and why?

SW: Episode IV… The original. Aka STAR WARS. It’s stunning how that movie starts with absolutely nothing and by the end you have Star Wars! Most people would say Empire. I agree that Empire is the most flawlessly executed, I think Jedi has the greatest showmanship but the original Star Wars (ANH) is the only film in 6 that tells a complete, self-contained story, and a damned good one. Empire Strikes Back didn’t invent Darth Vader or R2-D2. A New Hope did.

I would also like to say that I think Vader’s birth was really handled well in III. …And I love the end of that movie.

My pal Ken Mitchell and I actually showed my buddy Dave Giuntoli (star of Grimm) the Star Wars movies for the first time. He’d never seen them! We had limited time so I chose to do a little experiment. I showed him 4 and 5. We debated whether Darth Vader was Luke’s dad, then we Godfather II’d it and flashback to 3… Then 6 immediately after.

Dave says 6 is better with the setup of 3 behind it. We made him a fan. We did it for science.

AY: If you could gather all of your friends together to create one dream project (movie; television; music; all of the above) what would that be?

SW: I have an indie project I wanna do.

AY: I also have a couple fan questions for you:

Why are you not on Twitter? This came up a lot when I was asking around for questions. Actually it was the number one question I received.

SW: Umm… I dunno. Ashton Kutcher puts his foot in his mouth and I ask myself whether what I have to say on a daily basis is really worth people’s attention. Interviews are one thing, we’re talking about projects and specific things. …But does anyone wanna know I made a sandwich today? Further, if something happens out in the world and I make some un-informed comment, is that going to influence people? I’m an actor. My opinion is no more valuable than anyone elses’. Why then are so many actors pretending to be experts on just about everything? Because they have an audience. They have people paying attention and I think some of them abuse that.

I don’t think that Twitter inherently causes this abuse, and I know Sammy and Meaghan just use it to entertain. I might join in the future, but this is the basis for my hesitation.

AY: What is happening with The Force Unleashed 3?

SW: I get asked this all the time. It’s not currently in production. We have an incredible story and I’m anxious to get to it, but Lucasarts has their roster and their plan on when such things should happen. The first two games were financially very successful investments for the company so there’s no problem there. If people wanna see it sooner rather than later, I suggest making some noise about it. Grab their attention.

I will say this about the story Haden Blackman, David Collins and I have discussed. Anyone who thinks Vader can be taken this easily is in for a rude awakening.

From all of us here at Weheart-TV.com - Thank you Sam Witwer for the lovely interview and good luck with all your future endeavours!

Catch Sam Witwer, Sam Huntington and Meaghan Rath, Monday nights at 9/8c on the Syfy hit series Being Human!

[**rights of both Darth Vader photos belong to Dan Pedersen, Darth Vader for the 501st Legion, Ohio]

Austinnnnnnnnn......

2012-01-19T18:55:00.000-05:00

♥ Jenna

Texas, that is.
Where I want to be.
At least on June 1st...and 2nd..and 3rd!

Are you READY??
It's FINALLY happening!
A TV FESTIVAL!!!!

ATX!

....in Austin, not Boston. Road trip anyone? (lol) Anyone got any frequent flier miles they can share with me?

Yes, my TV loving friends, Julie Plec, Chris Gorham, Liz Tigelaar and MANY more are helping to make this inaugural event happen.

Go here for more info: ATX TV Festival
And follow ATX on Twitter and Facebook!

Looking forward to hearing from you about those miles!

The Original Badass

2012-01-18T13:04:00.000-05:00

So this is my first post and I am so excited! I am a HUGE TV lover. I have already listed a lot of my favs in my 15 so I won't go back into all of those. Let's get right to it, shall we?

The Vampire Diaries: Klaus. I just have to rave about Joseph Morgan's portrayal of Niklaus, the original badass vampy hybrid. He is just so wonderful! Not only does he scare the crap out of me with those death stares, but then he will break into that amazing smile. Those dimples. He slays me. Yes. I said it. Call me cheesy but I don't care. This weeks episode was crazy. First, Stefan and Klaus tried to "out vamp" each other and see who could piss the other off more. Klaus has Tyler bite Caroline. But then he saves her. Hmmmm... I smell a romance here. Or possibly just a trap to ensnare Caroline and maybe pull her over to his side? We will have to watch and see. While I am a little intrigued with the idea of Caroline and Klaus, I still want Caroline and Matt to rekindle their love. I know this is probably not going to happen, but wait, didn't she call him "honey" in the tomb scene when Tyler showed up? I cannot even speak of what Stefan did to Elena. Cruel. Mean. Horrible. But such GREAT TV!!!! He is certainly the bad-ass dujour. I like it. This is why I keep coming back for more TVD! The writers are amazing and they always manage to add twists and turns that you really don't expect. Love. Please don't stop. Oh and don't kill off Klaus just yet. I need more of him. Much.

Once Upon A Time: This show has such potential. The problem is, I am more interested in the fairy tale aspect than the present day. I love when they do flashbacks and my favorite story book characters are brought to life in such a different way. In this week's episode we learned how Rumplestiltskin got his power. He is by far the scariest character on the show so far. In a flashback to fairy tale land, we see him before he became Rumplecreepster. He is with his son and he is a bit of a coward until he meets a man with immense power. Once he takes the power from "The Dark One", his teeth become rotten, he looks dirty and gross and he is no longer afraid of anything. Unfortunately, because he is now evil, he loses the one thing that mattered most to him... his son. And I doubt that he ever finds happiness. With those teeth, how could he?

Just a few others that I must touch on:

The Good Wife: Am I the only one who is happy that Alicia and Will have split? I really wanted them to get together, but once they did, I didn't like it. I love Chris Noth and even though his character is a scoundrel, I like him. Part of me would love to see him reunite with Alicia. Part of me wants a new man to enter the picture. Oh and I just would love to smack Wendy Scott Carr! Good stuff, but boy she is hateful! Love Cary, Khalinda and the sexual tension that they bring into the mix. Eli is just so....Eli. I adore him. I adore Alan Cumming. I love this show!

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills: I do like the occasional reality show. Sometimes, this one is a train wreck but it is my guilty pleasure. Kim. Kim, Kim, Kim. Dearest, you MUST get yourself together and please stop being such a hot mess all of the time! I really have enjoyed watching Kyle for most of this season. She had a few mean-girl moments early on, but for the most part, she seems like a cool gal and a great mom. Glad to see Camille being a bit nicer and less ego-driven this season. Taylor. She really has had a rough time. Let's be honest, it is fun to see the ladies go through all of their drama and it makes me thankful that I have none of that in my life!

Being Human "Turn This Mother Out"

2012-01-17T01:40:00.001-05:00

♥ Aryn

Welcome back, Being Human fans! Were you tired of the waiting? Tired of watching the calendar day after day, and the clock, second after second? Well wait no more!

To quote the opening dialogue, it's time you "...sentence yourself to the next adventure..."with season 2 of Being Human.

Bishop (Mark Pellegrino) is dead.
Nora (Kristen Hager) lost the baby, and is a bonafide werewolf.
Sally (Meaghan Rath) is trying to learn how to pick things up, on a good day, and being chased by a shadowy black figure on the bad ones.
Aidan (Sam Witwer) failed Mother's test and a second, to her daughter... and Josh (Sam Huntington) is still cute as a button. You know, for a werewolf.

I'm even more excited for this next run of Being Human after watching tonight premier. I see lots of changes are on the horizon, a lot of amazing story lines filled with action, adventure and attempting to blend into the masses.

My final fears that the Americanized version of this show would be either a blatant rip off, or simply a lessor imitation, of the original have been squelched. With Toby Whithouse (creator of Being Human) writing over here on top of this amazing cast, how can it not be the gem it was created to be?

Being Human continues to change what the definition of "Monster" really is, and it does it in a way you become connected to the characters - almost forgetting the nature of what's really going on. These are the people who go bump in the night. They are the reason you lock your doors and your children have you check under the bed before that final good night. Even when you accept that is truly the case, somehow they get you to still want to give them all a hug, and hang out for a beer or two.

Cheers to "Turn This Mother Out" for throwing us right back into the fire that is this wonderful show. In with the old and out with the new, because change can be pesky... for now... until our little roommates decided to make that next adventure really, really count.

Being Human airs on SyFy, Mondays 9/8c until then, lets just hope that Nora ate good old Hegeman...

Not So Joyful Noise

2012-01-16T20:51:00.000-05:00

Joyful Noise - ♡1/2

For those new to my movie rating system, or perhaps don't remember, my method goes as follows:

♡ = I absolutely hated it. I feel my two hours of life were utterly wasted on it. I can count maybe three movies I've ever scored this low.
♡♡ = I didn't like it. There was some tiny, little redeeming quality in there somewhere, but generally it's not worth watching.
♡♡♡ = It was entertaining, but not worth seeing a second time; and nothing really stood out to make me particularly hate it or love it.
♡♡♡♡ = I liked it. I'll watch it again if I get the opportunity, and I generally recommend it to the public.
♡♡♡♡♡ = I absolutely loved it. It warrants multiple viewings at the expensive theater price, and I will definitely add it to my home collection when the DVD/Blu-Ray version comes out.

I also have a tendency to put in fractions for those films that fall somewhere between levels, as I did with this particular film.

...So, based on this system, a 1.5 heart rating is very, very bad! Read on to find out why!

I have a guilty pleasure. A small town character having a dream and making something of themselves, especially if it involves song or dance, happens to be it. By all rights I should've really loved this movie, but it was just so...so...bad! I'm going to keep using that word, because even as a writer I find myself at a loss for the proper way to described the horribleness of this film.

First, the acting was atrocious. I found myself actually feeling bad for Queen Latifah since she was the only one who could deliver her lines with more professionalism than a high school freshman drama student. I was literally cringing (or sometimes even covering my mouth in sheer horror) at how bad the performances were. I don't think I've ever seen acting that bad in a wide-release movie, and I pray to everything holy that I never have to experience seeing it again!

Second, the writing was worse than the acting. In fact, perhaps it was because the script was so bad that the actors just didn't have anything good to work with, hence diminishing whatever skills they normally would've portrayed. The plot was all over the place, there wasn't enough time spent on characters you were supposed to care about when problems arose, the jokes were so bad that, while I did laugh at them, I was laughing because of how awful they were and not because they were necessarily funny, and some of the songs were thrown into the middle of the storyline more randomly than in an episode of Glee. How anyone picked up that script for a big production film is beyond me.

Third, most of the songs and choreography were just kind of average. Yes, we know your people can sing. You already established that. Like five times. It wasn't like Sister Act where the choir started off kind of bad and worked their way up to awesome. These folks were already sounding amazing right off the bat. It wasn't that big of a leap for them to go from normal choir to adding a few new instruments and dance moves, making them more "modern." There was no real metamorphosis there; and their "major competition" was not in the least bit impressive to me. If the audience was supposed to feel like it was beyond belief that our little town choir couldn't beat the "ten time champion" (or whatever it was supposed to be - there wasn't much focus on that...), then I completely missed something. All I saw was "lame."

Fourth, I can only have so much religious propaganda forced onto me before I become uncomfortable. Yes, it's a church choir movie, and yes, I was aware there was going to be a lot of religious moments in the film. I'm fine with that. However, when random character A loses his business and therefore his livelihood (...not that I cared too much because he had such a minor role in the film that I wondered why this part was even put into the movie to begin with), and questions his faith, he isn't going to suddenly be back on the righteous path within seconds of Queen Latifah giving him the most cliche "God loves you" speech I've ever heard. This was repeated in various scenarios several times throughout the film, and all pretty much completely at random with no bearing on the actual plot. Really. I got it. You can stop using your movie as an excuse to preach at me now...over and over and over again (and one more time for good measure).

So why did this movie get that extra half heart if it was so very bad?

It did make me laugh. Maybe I was laughing for the wrong reasons, but at least I found something entertaining amidst the sea of *blech*. The other redeeming quality was the final number during the choir competition. Now that was impressive. If the film creators and actors had spent as much time and care with the rest of the film as they clearly put into that song and dance number, I'm sure it could've been an amazing movie. As it stood, though, don't bother trying to sit through this one. You might wind up overusing your "I can't believe I'm seeing this" face.

Tweeting the Globes

2012-01-15T16:48:00.001-05:00

♥ Jenna

Not sure how much tweeting we will be doing BUT follow the We ♥ TV team! Now that we're invested in BOTH TV AND MOVIES...the Globes are the BEST of both worlds! Oh, and Clooney will be there...so...there's that. And that, for me anyway, is all I need! No need to try and filter through all the Twitter craziness. Team We ♥ TV tweets will all be right here for you...(just click this post to open in a new tab and view the tweet-semi-fest) in a nice neat little package. Again, our eyes will be glued to the TV so there may not be a ton'o'tweets....but entertaining regardless! ENJOY the Globes!!

Movie Madness Makeover!

2012-01-14T11:43:00.003-05:00

Hey, kids! Remember how I used to do a "Movie Madness" post once in a blue moon when I wasn't yacking about TV? Well guess what? I was finally able to get my own movie section of the blog set up! Now I can post about by biggest media love as much as I want, and it's all official! So, in light of that, I've retired the old "Movie Madness" red theater image, and we're starting new with all new material (don't worry, I've made certain to move all the old movie material over here, too, so you can still find it with ease)!

...That was a lot of exclamation points in one paragraph, wasn't it? Well, that just shows you how very excited I am about all of this! Even better, the rest of the blog staff seems to be just as thrilled about this venture into film media as I am. That means lots of movie posts coming your way, including a special film rendition of our very own Famous 15, more interviews, hopefully some set visits, and some good ol' fashioned movie review fun!

To start us off, I thought I'd run through the list of all the films from 2011 that stood out to me. That means they were either fantastic, surprisingly good when I thought they'd be bad, sadly disappointing when I thought they'd be great, just plain awful, and what I dubbed to be my personal favorite of the year. Read ahead if you want to see my movie yays and nays of 2011!

Green Hornet - My first comic book movie of the year (for those that don't know, comic book adaptations are generally my favorite genre!). Was it up to the original comic book fan standards? I'd say most likely probably not! Me? I thought it was great! Funny, great action, the cast was good, and it was full of utter ridiculousness as any good comic book adaptation should be. I went in expecting to be entertained, I wound up liking it enough to see the film a second time in theaters. This one was definitely a surprise for me in a happy panda kind of way!

Sucker Punch - Nooooooo. This was my first big disappointment for the movie season. While the visual effects were pretty impressive, the Steampunk style designs were to drool over for a hobbyist like myself, and the soundtrack consisted of the most amazing music ever, the plot failed to....well, failed to exist in general! Watching this movie was like sitting through the longest trailer of all time - kind of cool to look at in a disjointed way, but don't try to make any logical sense out of it. Buy the soundtrack, though. It really is the only worthwhile thing that came out of this movie.

Thor - Comic book movie!!! Was it awesome? Yeah (she says with a casual shrug). My favorite part? The ten seconds we got to see Jeremy Renner cameo it up as Hawkeye! I might be a little biased here... Hey, comic book geeks have their favorites, and Thor wasn't ever particularly one of mine. Didn't stop me from having a generally good time at the theater, though, or from squealing in delight when Renner nabbed that bow! (Can we tell I'm excited for 'Avengers'?)

Captain America - Now this one...where do I start? I suppose I should say that I've always kind of hated the Cap as a comic book character. Not that I'm all anti-patriotic or anything; and yes, I know he was kind of one of the fathers of my beloved Marvel Universe, but really? He's dull to me as a super hero. Had it not been for my fake movie boyfriend (hey, if Jenna can have Jensen Ackles as her fake TV boyfriend, I can claim Chris Evans as my fake movie boyfriend!) taking on the role as the red, white, and blue-donned hero, I would never have seen this movie. Having made that clear, I absolutely adored this film! No, it wasn't just because Chris was something pretty to look at, either. The storytelling was fantastic, and the actors portrayed their characters in a way that made you care about what happened to every last one of them (with the exception of Red Skull - boooooo villains!). There was clever wit, plenty of action, heroic sacrifices - it was perfection as far as comic book adaptations go. This one I shelled out the money to watch three times in the theaters, and will for sure be one I go back to over and over again on my own home screen. If you haven't seen it, I highly, highly recommend you do so immediately!

Cowboys & Aliens - Oh, the very second I saw the trailer for this movie my thought was, That is going to be the best movie of all time, even if it's the worst movie of all time! I love movies based in the old west. I love them almost as much as I do comic book adaptations. Wait, this film was a comic book adaptation! Score! With aliens invading my old west cowboys! Double score! Seriously, even if this film had wound up being hokey enough to be laughable, it would've been the funniest thing ever! Surprisingly, it didn't come off as hokey. It was exciting, and dramatic, and a little frightening at parts, and touching in others. Harrison Ford was a total joy to watch as the token Western bad guy before the unexpected, outer-worldly visitors showed up; and Daniel Craig as the mysterious hero led the cast with a stern presence that was anything but laughable. For a notion so ridiculous as pitting old west cowboys against aliens wielding far superior firepower, the vision of a movie that could be taken seriously was pulled off splendidly. Bravo!

Killer Elite - In all fairness, I walked into this movie having no idea what it was about. I felt like a trip to the theater, saw Jason Statham's name, and assumed I was seeing another 'Crank' or some other equally over-the-top action flick. When I saw the words appear on screen, "Based on a true story," I groaned. Worse, a few minutes into the film we hear Jason claiming that he "won't ever kill again." Double groan. I wanted a movie where I could take bets with my friend on how many bad guys Jason wiped out, not how many times he could almost kill somebody only to have someone else finish the job. Not that there weren't plenty of car chases, bloody, violent deaths, and some intrigue going down; it just wasn't what I wanted when I stepped into that theater. The only redeeming moment of the movie? The absolute best stunt work involving a chair as a weapon that I've ever seen! Here, I'll save you the trouble of watching the rest of the movie: Chair Flip. Bam. There you go. That's all you need to see.

Real Steel - This was another film that caught me by surprise. It looked fun - I like Hugh Jackman, love boxing, and figured if nothing else, I could get a laugh out of "rock 'em sock 'em robots, the movie." I totally loved it! Not to sound cliche, but it was heartwarming, and had enough humor and action to keep it highly entertaining all the way through. On top of that, Dakota Goyo (who plays young Max) absolutely stole the show. I'm not typically one to go for the whole child actor admiration thing, but this kid really had that spark. He was a natural in the role, comfortable, and seemed like he probably improvised a lot of his material, and improvised it well. I'll definitely keep my eye on that kid for his future roles, because I think if he keeps it up that he could be big somewhere in the movie business future.

The Three Musketeers - I'm a reader. I'm a reader of classic novels. The Three Musketeers happens to be one of my favorite classic novels. If Dumas had seen what had become of his characters in this film, he would no doubt be rolling in his grave. Does that mean I hated it? No! I loved it! I had seen the trailers, knew what to prepare myself for, and went in treating it like an alternate universe of the original works. One thing that almost ruined it for me? A lady of that time period wearing the full, proper garb - skirt layers, corset, and don't-touch-me undergarments - would never in a million years be able to tread water as if she were wearing a bikini suit. That was a little too far-stretched for my brain to handle. What definitely saved the movie for me? Airship battles!!!!! It was so awesome!!!! The Steampunk in me couldn't help but be ecstatic over that one! Maybe that was a sour point for others, but I can't quell my inner nerd. That. Was epic.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows - The first movie was great. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law returning for round two should've been equally great...and yet...no. Don't get me wrong - my two leading men were still rather enjoyable in the roles, and there were plenty of moments where I laughed, or cringed, or held my breath; but for a movie that I've been waiting two years to see, it fell a little flat. There was too much focus on the special effects and action sequences that made the first movie unique; only this time, it wasn't unique. We've seen it. Going overboard with it only made the film a little gimmicky. With the conclusion of the Holmes saga, the movie Powers That Be really should've focused more on the story instead of on the visual effects. If they had, I might not have walked away feeling a bit disappointed with the end results.

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol - I did not like the first M:I movie, as with most fans of the original series. I thought the second M:I was overly complex, and I walked away not having a freaking clue what I had actually watched. The third one was a bit better - I at least understood what was happening, and Simon Pegg was a bonus. This one? Blew. My. Mind. Brad Bird, a guy known for his work on animated films, pretty much completely wiped the slate clean on the previous M:I franchise, and in its place gave me my absolute favorite movie of the year. That's right, the fourth movie in a series of films that I previously couldn't stand, and by all rights should've been my last go at the franchise, managed to win out over Captain America at the last minute. I loved it so much that I saw the flick three times within six days, and two more in the week that followed. Five times. I've never seen a movie five times in the theater before! It's a new record! So why did this one work when the others didn't? Team dynamics. We went from "Ethan Hunt vs the world" to "We've got this great team of agents with different skill sets, all fumbling, becoming emotional at the wrong times, getting the job done right only to have something else blow up in their faces, playing off each other with conflicting personalities, while at the same time forming a functional bond." This movie would not have worked without Brandt, Benji, and Carter coming along for the ride, so I give much kudos to Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, and Paula Patton (respectively) for breathing new life into this series. Tom? Well he did pretty darn good, too, for his age! I loved every second of this film, and I'll probably be the first in line to buy a copy of it when it comes out on DVD/Blu-Ray release. For this one I'm not going to recommend that you see it. I'm going to demand it!

So that's it! I saw plenty of other movies last year that I thought were good, others not so great, but the ones mentioned above were definitely the most memorable. This year? Well, let's just say that with this new addition to our blog, you'll be getting my reviews one film at a time from here on out. I look forward to sharing my opinions with you, and I hope I don't steer you wrong!

PICS from #TCA 2012!

2012-01-14T08:42:00.000-05:00

The Critics Association Winter Press Tour is underway!

Here are a few pics from the CBS/The CW/Showtime 2012 Winter TCA at The Langham Hotel in Pasadena, CA The One Tree Hill Final Season Cocktail Reception.

Pictured (L-R): Kris Polaha ("Ringer"), Sophia Bush (ÒOne Tree HillÓ), Jared Padalecki ("Supernatural"), and Joseph Morgan ("The Vampire Diaries").Photo credit: Joe Magnani/The CW © 2012 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved.

Nikita - "Sanctuary" a.k.a. Percy really is a god

2012-01-14T01:13:00.001-05:00

♥ Aryn

OK - so I'm a week behind on Nikita, and yes, I wasn't around at all for season 1, but here I am and let me just say - HELLS BELLS! "Sanctuary" really kicked some butt.

Quick Recap:

Sean's trying to save his mother Madeline, his mother is trying to save Division from certain death. (Why? Not sure...)
Oversight is trying to save themselves from Percy, Nikita and potential treason charges by initiating "Clean Sweep." A fail safe set up to gas every single person locked in the underground bunker built to keep out Russian nuclear bombs during the cold war that houses Division.
Amanda is trying to save her broken heart given to her by Percy, which, to her, means Percy must be put in a drug induced coma
And Percy, dear god, Percy is staging a coup locked inside a plexi-glass cage.

How can you not love a man that is so overly prepared he was 10 moves ahead of you before you even realized you knew each other?

"Sanctuary" may be my favorite episode of season 2 thus far...

With the final two Guardians moving in on Oversight, using Clean Sweep as leverage to spring Percy, and Sean being held captive by Nikita and her team after a failed solo attempt to assassinate Nikita - all you can ask is, why do we have to wait 3 WEEKS till Nikita comes back?!

I will say it for the records, Percy is one of the best villains I've seen in a long time. He is calculating, cold, and he would rather die than lose. You can't beat that. Hell, he got into Amanda's head, that's really not something to take lightly.

Things I'm looking forward to:

Percy taking back Division, or will he become Oversight?
What in the world is Amanda going to do now? (someone burnt some bridges...)
Will Alex get it together, or is she going to jump off the sobriety train because of her mother?
Will Nikita and Michael mend their broken ways? Ok - they will, but I really love Owen and feel Nikita should give him a shot. Sorry Michael.

And my favorite random line of the night:

"It's like searching for a needle in a needle stack." Seymour Birkhoff

See you on February 3rd!

And The People's Choice Award Goes To...

2012-01-13T19:14:00.000-05:00

Award shows are my guilty pleasure and there is nothing more exciting than the start of award show season! Week after week, myfavorite movies, television shows, actors and musicians are honored for theiraccomplishments. (You can check out a calendar of award shows here!) I love anxiously awaiting as the nominees and winners areannounced, and crossing my fingers that my favorites get to deliver anacceptance speech. I love anticipating the latest trends and watching fashionicon after fashion icon walk the red carpet. I love the performances and hosts.I love it all.

Award show season kicked off on January 11^th inthe most amazing way possible: the Peoples Choice Awards. The PCAs are one ofmy favorite shows all year. Voting is determined by the fans, which gives me anopportunity to spend endless hours voting for all of my favorites in thecategories of television, movies and music. It’s one of the few times that allof my favorite celebrities – including actors, actress and musicians - aretogether in one place.

Like every award show, the PCAs had plenty of high points,and a couple of lows. Here’s what I thought.

Things I loved:

-Kaley Cuoco was the perfect host. Her Big Bang Theory &Neil Patrick Harris skits? Hysterical

-Emma Stone is adorable

-I know Kristen Bell was only a presenter, but I love her.

-NINA DOBREV. No explanation is required.

-The Parks and Recreation skit… need I say more?

-Lots of Supernatural love!

-YAY Bridesmaids! That sing-along made me laugh. Plus, the fact that Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder presented the award together was kinda amazing.

And, not so much:

-My biggest complaint about the PCAs is the amount ofcategories that aren’t even acknowledged! There were so many winners that Iwanted to see up on that stage!

-Lea Michele for best comedy actress? Sorry, I don’t get it. Every other nominee was WAY funnier.

-I feel bad for Demi Lovato. I really do like her and have ahuge amount of respect for her, but that performance was not very good.

-No love for The Secret Circle or The Vampire Diaries? Iguess the hours (and I really do mean HOURS) of voting didn’t help. There’salways next year, right?!

Then and Now

2012-01-09T21:42:00.006-05:00

If I am to be embarrassingly honest, then I would have to admit that a year ago I thought Hawaii Five-O was a surfer drama. But I don’t need to be honest so let’s just ignore that blip, shall we? Okay, good. Moving on.

Thanks to my newfound love for actor Alex O’Loughlin, my tv-partner, errr….husband, and I just ploughed our way through the first season and a half of Hawaii Five-O. The show is great, but it could be amazing.

I’m not a simple tv-watcher. I like to dissect things. Since I was aware the show is a remake, I decided to look up the original and was blown away to find it lasted for 281 episodes. 281. Episodes. Holy...

How do you act for 22 years as the same character without developing a complex?

Then I thought about the other shows I love, almost all of them are cop dramas. Law and Order, Law and Order SVU, Castle, Bones etc. I could do cop drama marathons all day, but unfortunately that means I’m almost never surprised anymore. It also meant I realized that these shows just aren’t built to last anymore.

But, damn would I love to be proven wrong! Please, please prove me wrong!

The original Law and Orders, like the original Hawaii Five-O’s and many others, played out slower. Sure there were side storylines that revolved around the private lives of the characters, but these side stories could play out for years.

After a fast forward marathon of the new H5O I noticed it felt like what could have been years worth of storyline flew passed me in a matter of moments. Plots that could have been thoroughly explored were instead slung at you and solved near-immediately.

The story of Steve’s father’s murder could have played out for many seasons, but instead the bulk of it was resolved all in the premier season. The beginning of season 2 showed that cops can be stupid when the writers want them to be, and had the team thinking Kono had turned bad to having it explained to them she was undercover. Again, that could have stretched on for a long time and brought real depth to a story that’s already good, to make it great.

Cop shows no longer have what it takes to last ten or more years. Or the audience no longer has the attention span to enjoy watching the puzzle unravel before them. They want answers, and they want them now. Which brings me to my next point.

I highly doubt I’m the only one who can pick out the murderer as soon as they’re on screen.

On a more recent episode of Bones a doctor was introduced and they brought your attention to his gum chewing. This is how my conversation with Logan played out:

“He’s the murderer.”
“Huh? Why?”
“They pointed out an inconsequential personal trait; meaning somewhere down the line they’ll find something specific to gum chewing that will point them to him.”

Sure enough, they found a piece of chewing gum that, if I remember right, had an imprint of his molars.

If the writers point out menial traits or introduce minor characters the police weren’t directly looking for, that’s your killer! It’s the same formula they all use now. Once I pointed this out to Logan we now have a competition going to see who can point out the killer faster and how they’ll be found out. It’s fun, for us, but it takes away from the quality of the show.

I hope Castle and H5O can last for ten or more seasons, but so few newer shows make it passed seven. They all use the same formulas and many of them get renewed at the last moment, if at all. Is it because we as the viewers get bored too quickly, or are the writers trying to take the easy way out? I don’t know the answer, so in the meantime I’m going to keep on loving my favorite shows while they’re still on the air. Who knows how long I’ll get with them?

New Year, New TV

2012-01-08T12:11:00.000-05:00

I <3 TV. When I’m not watching it, I’m reading about it,talking about it, and even thinking about it. I’ve spent the past couple ofmonths of the television hiatus rewatching all of my favorite series andepisodes. I’ve fallen in love with One Tree Hill all over again and preparedfor new episodes of Parenthood and The Vampire Diaries by spending hours andhours on Netflix. It’s been the only way to curb my need for new TV.

My favorite part about the new year has always been thereturn of great television. While some shows have already begun, I’m anxiouslyawaiting the day when all of my favorites will be back. With most of myfavorites and even a few new shows on the midseason schedule, my nights arepacked… and I’m completely okay with it. I’ve compiled a list, in no particular order, of the 10 shows that I’mmost excited about. 2011 was a great year for TV, so let's hope that 2012 doesn't disappoint!

1) Pretty Little Liars returned on January 2^ndand didn’t hold anything back. PLL is easily my favorite show on ABC Family. Itpushes the boundary further than any other show on the network, which makes forREALLY good TV. I love everything about it. The drama. The romance. Thesuspense. It has all of the qualities of a good show in one, so you KNOW it hasto be on my must watch list!

2) I started watching Switched at Birth because of VanessaMarano. I wasn’t necessarily a huge fan of hers, but she’s a Gilmore Girlsalum, so I needed to at least give it a chance. And then once I heard that D.W.Moffett (or Joe McCoy for my fellow Friday Night Lights fans!) was a part ofthe cast, I figured it had to be good! My initial thoughts weren’t great. Whilethe concept was somewhat interesting, I wasn’t thrilled with the first coupleof episodes.The addition of Austin Butler to the cast was the turning point for me. I lovedhim in Life Unexpected.. a lot! I was so happy to have him back every week! Thesecond half of the first season premiered on January 3^rd and afterwatching, I can completely say that I’m glad that I gave it a chance. The castis extremely talented and have definitely proved to me that they have what ittakes to gain a spot on my must watch TV list!

3) I LOVE Parenthood. It’s without a doubt one of myfavorite shows on air right now, and I KNOW that it’s going to be one of thoseshows that I’ll constantly find myself watching on Netflix. With an A+ cast (~~Lorelai Gilmore~~ Lauren Graham) and real life storylines, I was hooked from the veryfirst scene (hellllllllllo Peter Krause). I want to be a Braverman. Yeah, theyhave their struggles, but they ALWAYS figure it out. Always. I can’t sayanything else about the first episode of the new year other than that it waspure, TV gold. Is it Tuesday yet?!

4) I started watching The Secret Circle exclusively forBritt Robertson. She was hysterical in Dan in Real Lifeand perfect in Life Unexpected, so I knew automatically that I had to tune in.After 10 episodes, I now watch for many more reasons. While Britt continues to blowme away week after week, I’ve come to love the entire cast. Phoebe Tonkin, Shelley Hennig and Chris Zylka have become standouts for me. I’ve becomeinvested in the relationships and friendships that have formed and with moreand more magic every week, I’m always surprised and impressed! It wasdefinitely a highlight of TV last year, and after only one episode, I knowthat it will continue to be a favorite this season.

5) I didn’t start watching The Vampire Diaries from thebeginning, but after I sat down and watched one episode, I fell in love. Istarted the series from the beginning, and flew through the first 2 seasons.TVD has one of my favorite casts on TV. I loved Nina Dobrev on Degrassi, andyou can’t really ask for anything more than Ian Somerhalder, Paul Wesley,Steven R. McQueen and Michael Trevino! While I’m still processing the firstepisode of the year (JEREMY. DENVER. WAIT WHAT?!), I can say that it leaves mesuper optimistic (as always) about the upcoming season!

6) How do I begin to describe the obsession that I have withOne Tree Hill? After eight seasons, January 11^th will mark anextremely sad day for OTH fans: the last season premiere. Ever. After 174episodes of amazing TV, the show has just 13 episodes left. That’s 13 episodesuntil we have to say goodbye to Brooke Davis and the Scott family. And to theRiver Court and the Ravens. And to Karen’s Café. And to Tree Hill. I’m SO notready to say goodbye to One Tree Hill. The past 8 seasons were everything thatI could have ever hoped for and more. While I can’t wait for it to return,knowing that it will soon end makes me wish that it could go on forever. It hasbeen a constant on my must watch list, and season 9 will definitely not be anexception.

7) Thanks to Sarah Michelle Gellar, whose career has spannedover 20 years, and Kristoffer Polaha, who won me over in Life Unexpected,Ringer became one of my favorite new shows last season. While it took a coupleof episodes for me to really get into it, once the real drama started, therewas no stopping it! Although I wish that KPO could have played Baze forever, his role as Henry in Ringer isdefinitely the next best thing. He is my absolute favorite part of the show.With plenty of drama and suspense, Ringer continues to hold a place on my mustwatch list!

8) I was so unbelievably happy when I found out that SummerRoberts… uhhhh, I mean Rachel Bilson, would be returning to TV. With a coupleof decent movies since her role on The OC under her belt, I was really excitedto have her back on television. Hart of Dixie won me over instantly. It hadeverything that I was looking for. The beautiful lead actress, the supportingactors, the small town charm. It was sodifferent then a lot of what I was watching, which made me love it even more.

9) Out of the many different talent reality shows outthere, So You Think You Can Dance has always been my favorite. No, I don’tdance, but this show makes me wish that I could do even a quarter of what someof these contestants can! My favorite part about the show is the system ofvoting used. Unlike the shows where elimination is based on voting by theaudience, the judges on SYTYCD play a very important role in the results. Byallowing them to eliminate a contestant, the show becomes less about popularityand more about talent, which helps contribute to its success. While summer is along ways away, I’m anxiously awaiting the return of So You Think You CanDance!

10) I am SO excited about Smash. The promos look great. I’veheard amazing things. It looks extremely promising. I love new TV shows. It’s anew opportunity to fall in love with characters and storylines. Smash seems sodifferent than everything on television right now, and I hope that it will beas successful as I think it will be!

We ♥ TV

Why You Should Watch Awake **SWEEPS SWAP**

NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NOOOO!

TV's Most Inspirational Couples (of 2012) **SWEEPS SWAP**

I Heart Obscure 80s Genre Shows **Sweeps Swap**

ODE TO BEING HUMAN **Sweeps Swap**

Ping Back - Nikita

Witchy Woman

::witches night in - 10 items or less::

F15 w/Randy Wayne!

Jake's Choice

Can Suren go away now, please?

Just. Because.

Oh Nikita, how I love thee

Hitch It or Ditch It - 'G.I. Joe: Retaliation' trailer

One Tree Hill: Absolute Perfection

Milch?, Mobsters?, Mann?, Hoffman?, The Track? Degenerate Gamblers? Yes, You're in 'Luck'

The CW + pilot season = WHOA!

An Ode to Nora - Being Human

Empire Magazine & The Avengers!

TVKel crowdsources a list of Not So Successful Spinoffs

The "Team" Does "F15" - Movie Style!

2 weeks of TV hell...

♥ Jenna

Hitch It or Ditch It - 'The Avengers' trailer

Being Human "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?"

♥ Aryn

Hitch or Ditch It -'The Dark Knight Rises' trailer

Hitch It or Ditch It - The Return

Witness.. The Secret Circle

An Interview with Being Human's Sam Witwer

Austinnnnnnnnn......

The Original Badass

Being Human "Turn This Mother Out"

Not So Joyful Noise

Tweeting the Globes

Movie Madness Makeover!

PICS from #TCA 2012!

Nikita - "Sanctuary" a.k.a. Percy really is a god

And The People's Choice Award Goes To...

Then and Now

New Year, New TV

Why You Should Watch Awake SWEEPS SWAP

TV's Most Inspirational Couples (of 2012) SWEEPS SWAP

I Heart Obscure 80s Genre Shows Sweeps Swap

ODE TO BEING HUMAN Sweeps Swap