Previously on The Amazing Race, the teams did karaoke with trannies, and people generally acted like idiots. Mark and Michael got four hours worth of penalties, but were spared by a non-elimination leg. Will they be able to catch up? Does anyone care with the promised mat drama/Luke & Jen fight?
The teams start out from Bangkok and are heading out to Guliin, China and must find a hair salon. Margie and Luke are team number one, and Luke points out that being in a country where they don’t speak English makes it an even playing field. Margie says it’s eye-opening, to which Luke says good. I get what he’s saying, but I get a slight feeling of douche from this guy. Jamie and Cara are, of course, disgusted to be going to another country where people don’t suddenly know English when she screams at them too. Tammy has actually been to Guilin before, and they’re Chinese, so they have a leg up. Jen says that her competitive nature is starting to come out and if someone gets in front of her, she’s gonna knock them over. So clearly the show will be editing tonight’s events tonight in Luke’s favor. Kisha and Jen actually jump ahead of the others, because the first three teams (M+L, J+C, T+V) are all on a delayed flight. The delayed teams get there shortly after though, it seems. Mark and Mike are nowhere to be seen. Tammy and Victor are very happy to be in a country where they speak the language. We then cut to Luke saying that he wishes he could go to a country where everyone was deaf. So, yup, definitely being edited so we sympathize with Luke.
Jamie and Cara get to the salon first, and are directed to go to a bridge. Tammy and Victor are right behind. Mark and Mike finally land in Guilin. Kisha and Jen have seemingly gotten very lost, and are wandering around getting passed by everyone’s cabs. Margie and Luke and Kisha and Jen make it to the salon and are flummoxed that they can’t find the clue box that is, at one point literally, touching them its so close. Luke and Jen see the clue box at the same time and rush to the box, where Luke clearly elbows Jen, to which Jen responds by calling Luke a bitch. We see Margie tell Luke not to push, then tells him about Jen calling him a bitch which riles him up. As we go to commercial, Travelocity salutes Luke and Margie for powering through the dentures task last week. Yeah, this editing isn’t one sided and seemingly wrong so far.
Side Note: I kind of love the Spongebob Burger King ad. The line about a square butt being from phonebook implants is great.
We come back and have traveled back in time, because the fight just occurred again. According to Luke, you’re not allowed to call a deaf person a bitch. Why, I have no idea. I would think it is actually the opposite, because it allows the frustration to be vented without actually having to engage the other party. But whatever. Tammy and Victor make it to the bridge first, and it’s a roadblock, where they have to Fish, old-school Guilin style. What that means is teaching cormorants to retrieve fish. Which is awesome. The tasks this season have been great. Jamie and Cara are there next, and are, of course, repulsed by foreign culture. Mark and Mike are lost. Yeah, they really stand a chance this leg. Margie and Luke and Kisha and Jen make it to the bridge the same time. This time, it’s unclear who instigates it, but Jen and Luke collide, maybe trip one another, and push each other away, culminating in Jen being pushed into the clue box. It still seems like Luke was more active in the physicality. Margie yells at Jen that it’s uncool. Whatever. This is significantly less drama than I was expecting. It seems like the handlers are treating the birds roughly, which isn’t cool. Mark and Mike finally find the hair salon. Possibly by accident. Their speedbump involves shampooing two women. No, seriously. That’s their special task. To quote Rock of Love, LAME. A bird bites Luke, which to me clearly shows that karma is on Jen’s side here. Which is only furthered by the fact that they charge through the roadblock, beating everyone. Jamie and Cara are right on their tail. The teams now need to make their way to Ancient South Gate. Jen also subscribes to my karma theory about Luke’s bird bite. Jamie and Cara are happy with their taxi driver. I would call this a miracle, but its more tied into the fact that she may be understanding some of their English. Luke and Margie finish, but Tammy and Victor’s birds are being disobedient, so they’re still stuck there. Mark and Mike finally finish their speedbump, and are on their way to the fish task. Tammy and Victor finish before Mark and Mike get there though and manage to pass Margie and Luke getting back to shore. Karma’s totally screwing over Margie and Luke. Good. Margie is now talking to Luke and denying that he pushed Jen first, which she basically acknowledged earlier in the episode. Good memory Margie. Jen promises to laugh in his face later. I fully support her.
Jen and Kisha get to the gate first. It’s a detour: choreography or calligraphy. So, learning a dance (which has been oh-so-comical in recent races) or copying four different calligraphic statements which spell out directions. Kisha and Jen head towards writing, Jamie and Cara get there and head towards dancing. Margie and Luke head towards calligraphy, and, lo and behold, the show reminds us that Luke is deaf again. No, really? I forgot that Luke can’t hear. Wait, guys, can Luke hear things? Honestly, I know that he must face a set of challenges that I can’t even fathom, but the show is pushing it and he pushed Jen. So I’m rooting for the sisters. Tammy and Victor head towards calligraphy too. Mark and Mike finally start fishing. Oh, and Jamie and Cara aren’t quite frat boys level bad at dancing, but are certainly far worse than they should be, considering they were/are dancers/cheerleaders. Tammy and Victor decide to work with Kisha and Jen. Jamie and Cara dance and hit other dancers. This is just a physical episode, ain’t it? Oh, and Jamie and Cara fail at the dance, and are mad at people for laughing at their failure. Would it be ok if they laughed in English girls? The whole pack is now working together at calligraphy, but you can feel the hatred simmering below the surface. Tammy and Victor are telling jokes in Chinese, which is both awesome and the jokes are actually funny. Mark and Mike finally finish the fish, but there is no way they catch up. Unless Jamie and Cara are really that bad. I mean, they are having another freakout over no one speaking English to them as we go into the commercial.
Jamie and Cara decide to switch tasks, which, lets face it, is still not gonna give Mark and Mike a chance. But then decide to switch back. I wonder if the lack of English in calligraphy scared them off because they can’t yell at ink to switch languages. Although they likely would have tried. The calligraphy teams all finish their task together, and have to make their way on foot to Banyan Lake and find the pit stop. All three teams footrace to the mat, with Kisha and Jen first, Tammy and Victor second, and Luke and Margie three. Margie tells Luke not to say anything, but Kisha and Jen bring it up. Luke walks away, Phil calls him back, and shit blows up. Margie accuses Kisha of laughing at Luke’s signing (which she may have done, I can’t tell), then yells at them because they should be able to fathom what Luke deals with because they’re black, and it just gets crazy. Props to Tammy and Victor for being awkwardly in between those two and to Phil for mediating as best as possible. Jamie and Cara then come in fourth. Mark and Mike apparently chose to do choreography, and the show politely shows us some footage of them making fools of themselves. They are team number five, and are thus eliminated from the race. They had a good time, did some good things. It made them better people. Whatever, I never liked them, lets just move on to the preview for next week.
Next time on The Amazing Race, the teams get exceptionally painful foot massages, and a swimming pool foils Jen to the point where she declares she wants to go home.
Showing posts with label Amazing Race. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Amazing Race. Show all posts
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
The Amazing Race 4/12- Tranny/Packs
Previously on The Amazing Race, we lost the best team left to root for, Mel and Mike. So, now we’re left with 4 semi-likeable teams and Jamie and Cara, who are in no way likeable whatsoever. Oh yeah, and Mark and Michael got penalized and Margie collapsed at the mat.
Leaving from Phuket, Tammy and Victor are first out, and are told to fly to Bangkok, Thailand. They are still gonna take things slow, because they don’t want another Romania on their hands. Jamie and Cara are next, and aren’t sure if they have a real taxi. The meaner one (I just think of them both as mean) gets angry at someone because they are speaking Thai to one another. Because everyone should speak English, according to them. I dislike them, immensely. Tammy and Victor find the first flight, at 7:25 in the morning, which means everyone is gonna equalize at the airport.
In Bangkok, the teams all have to make their ways to a boatyard at the edge of town. Kisha and Jen, who were in first place, need to stop and get directions. Same with Margie and Luke. Which is when Margie tells their cabbie to sabotage Kisha and Jen’s cabby. Margie and Luke are the first ones there, and it’s a roadblock. They have to attach a propeller to a special type of Thai boat. Jamie and Cara are there next, but shortly after they get there, Margie has sped through and finished the road block. They then have to navigate said boat through Bangkok’s water system to a specific pier. Tammy and Victor and Mark and Mike arrive at the roadblock at roughly the same time. Kisha and Jen are still nowhere to be seen still when Jamie finishes. They realize they almost forgot their bags and turn back. Foreshadowing much? Kisha and Jen finally get there shortly before Jamie and Cara leave for real. Mark and Mike are next out, but leave their bags. Kisha passes Victor and they peace out, also leaving their bags. Victor finally finishes, but apparently, he failed, because their boat can’t leave. Drama into the commercial break.
But, almost immediately, he fixes it. Tammy and Victor decide to grab their stuff, which will likely mean they won’t be in last for long. Jamie and Cara think that the water in Bangkok is gross compared to Florida water. Kisha and Jen realize they don’t even have the fanny pack, and bicker about whether or not to go back. They agree to disagree, but stay in the boat and hope they end up back at the dock. Margie and Luke make it to the next clue first, the detour: Broken teeth or Broken Record. In Broken Teeth, they have to find dentures for people. Ewwww. In Broken Record, they have to karaoke in a party taxi. Margie and Luke opt for teeth, while Jamie and Cara and Mark and Mike head towards record. But Mark and Mike have to go back to the boatyard. Kisha and Jen head towards record too, but are going to wait until after they do the task to do go back and get their bags. Jamie and Cara bitch about water in the streets and how slow the cab is going. To be fair, this is one of their more reasonable bitchings. Kisha and Jen, mainly Jen is still uneasy about the whole not having their packs thing. Margie and Luke get to teeth, and it’s just as creepy as I expected it would be. Mark and Michael decide to call their cab and have him come to them, a smart move. But they bicker over having the cab come to them or going to the detour location. Kisha and Jen and Cara and Jamie get to record and start racing each other. Tammy and Victor get there, and they have a cab full of trannies. That is seriously awesome. No joke, I’m hugely envious. I want to do karaoke with Thai trannies. Mark and Mike are going back to the dock instead of going to the task, but bicker really annoyingly throughout this whole endeavor.
Their bickering continues after the break. Margie and Luke finish the teeth and are on their way to the pit stop, Phya Thai Palace. Apparently all the cabs had Trannies, which makes that entire task all the more awesome. All the karaoke teams seem to be having a good time, which is fun to see. The race is always more enjoyable when the racers are actually enjoying it. Margie and Luke are first to the pit stop, and are greeted by a parrot, and a man who maybe was supposed to be at the teeth detour. Kisha and Jen and Jamie and Cara finish the detour, and Tammy and Victor right behind them too. Kisha and Jen are having some trouble, what with their having no bags or money. A nice cab driver takes pity on Kisha and Jen and agrees to take them to the pit stop for free. Mark and Michael finally make it all the way back to the boatyard, only to have to go all the way back to the detour. Kisha and Jen are now behind Tammy and Victor directly. Jamie and Cara make it to the pit stop as team number 2. Tammy and Victor and Kisha and Jen race and K+J make it there seconds ahead of T+V. However, K+J cannot be checked in because they don’t have their passports, so Tammy and Victor are team number 3.
Tammy and Victor tell Kisha and Jen to just go because there’s still a team behind them, indicating that they seem to want them in the race. Which is cool. Mark and Mike finally make it to Karaoke, but they already have to start bartering because they’ve run out of money. Kisha and Jen make it back to the boatyard at the same time we learn that Mark and Mike might not know they are singing with trannies. Mark and Mike finish the detour, so it’s a race to the pit stop. Mark and Mike make it there first, bartering their watch. Which is a violation of a race rule, which means they now have a two hour penalty. Twice, because they did it twice. God, these guys suck at following the rules. Kisha and Jen make it back before those four hours are up, which means they are team number four and still in the race. Which I’m glad about, since I’m probably rooting for them of the remaining teams. Mark and Michael, however, luck out, because it’s a non-elimination leg. But they still will have to deal with the speed bump, plus being over three hours behind team number four. I’m sure there will be an equalizer though. So whatever. I miss Mel and Mike.
Next time, on The Amazing Race: DRAMA between Luke and Jen. Sweetness.
Leaving from Phuket, Tammy and Victor are first out, and are told to fly to Bangkok, Thailand. They are still gonna take things slow, because they don’t want another Romania on their hands. Jamie and Cara are next, and aren’t sure if they have a real taxi. The meaner one (I just think of them both as mean) gets angry at someone because they are speaking Thai to one another. Because everyone should speak English, according to them. I dislike them, immensely. Tammy and Victor find the first flight, at 7:25 in the morning, which means everyone is gonna equalize at the airport.
In Bangkok, the teams all have to make their ways to a boatyard at the edge of town. Kisha and Jen, who were in first place, need to stop and get directions. Same with Margie and Luke. Which is when Margie tells their cabbie to sabotage Kisha and Jen’s cabby. Margie and Luke are the first ones there, and it’s a roadblock. They have to attach a propeller to a special type of Thai boat. Jamie and Cara are there next, but shortly after they get there, Margie has sped through and finished the road block. They then have to navigate said boat through Bangkok’s water system to a specific pier. Tammy and Victor and Mark and Mike arrive at the roadblock at roughly the same time. Kisha and Jen are still nowhere to be seen still when Jamie finishes. They realize they almost forgot their bags and turn back. Foreshadowing much? Kisha and Jen finally get there shortly before Jamie and Cara leave for real. Mark and Mike are next out, but leave their bags. Kisha passes Victor and they peace out, also leaving their bags. Victor finally finishes, but apparently, he failed, because their boat can’t leave. Drama into the commercial break.
But, almost immediately, he fixes it. Tammy and Victor decide to grab their stuff, which will likely mean they won’t be in last for long. Jamie and Cara think that the water in Bangkok is gross compared to Florida water. Kisha and Jen realize they don’t even have the fanny pack, and bicker about whether or not to go back. They agree to disagree, but stay in the boat and hope they end up back at the dock. Margie and Luke make it to the next clue first, the detour: Broken teeth or Broken Record. In Broken Teeth, they have to find dentures for people. Ewwww. In Broken Record, they have to karaoke in a party taxi. Margie and Luke opt for teeth, while Jamie and Cara and Mark and Mike head towards record. But Mark and Mike have to go back to the boatyard. Kisha and Jen head towards record too, but are going to wait until after they do the task to do go back and get their bags. Jamie and Cara bitch about water in the streets and how slow the cab is going. To be fair, this is one of their more reasonable bitchings. Kisha and Jen, mainly Jen is still uneasy about the whole not having their packs thing. Margie and Luke get to teeth, and it’s just as creepy as I expected it would be. Mark and Michael decide to call their cab and have him come to them, a smart move. But they bicker over having the cab come to them or going to the detour location. Kisha and Jen and Cara and Jamie get to record and start racing each other. Tammy and Victor get there, and they have a cab full of trannies. That is seriously awesome. No joke, I’m hugely envious. I want to do karaoke with Thai trannies. Mark and Mike are going back to the dock instead of going to the task, but bicker really annoyingly throughout this whole endeavor.
Their bickering continues after the break. Margie and Luke finish the teeth and are on their way to the pit stop, Phya Thai Palace. Apparently all the cabs had Trannies, which makes that entire task all the more awesome. All the karaoke teams seem to be having a good time, which is fun to see. The race is always more enjoyable when the racers are actually enjoying it. Margie and Luke are first to the pit stop, and are greeted by a parrot, and a man who maybe was supposed to be at the teeth detour. Kisha and Jen and Jamie and Cara finish the detour, and Tammy and Victor right behind them too. Kisha and Jen are having some trouble, what with their having no bags or money. A nice cab driver takes pity on Kisha and Jen and agrees to take them to the pit stop for free. Mark and Michael finally make it all the way back to the boatyard, only to have to go all the way back to the detour. Kisha and Jen are now behind Tammy and Victor directly. Jamie and Cara make it to the pit stop as team number 2. Tammy and Victor and Kisha and Jen race and K+J make it there seconds ahead of T+V. However, K+J cannot be checked in because they don’t have their passports, so Tammy and Victor are team number 3.
Tammy and Victor tell Kisha and Jen to just go because there’s still a team behind them, indicating that they seem to want them in the race. Which is cool. Mark and Mike finally make it to Karaoke, but they already have to start bartering because they’ve run out of money. Kisha and Jen make it back to the boatyard at the same time we learn that Mark and Mike might not know they are singing with trannies. Mark and Mike finish the detour, so it’s a race to the pit stop. Mark and Mike make it there first, bartering their watch. Which is a violation of a race rule, which means they now have a two hour penalty. Twice, because they did it twice. God, these guys suck at following the rules. Kisha and Jen make it back before those four hours are up, which means they are team number four and still in the race. Which I’m glad about, since I’m probably rooting for them of the remaining teams. Mark and Michael, however, luck out, because it’s a non-elimination leg. But they still will have to deal with the speed bump, plus being over three hours behind team number four. I’m sure there will be an equalizer though. So whatever. I miss Mel and Mike.
Next time, on The Amazing Race: DRAMA between Luke and Jen. Sweetness.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Top 10 Of The Season: The Honorable Mentions
And thus begins my countdown of the top 10 shows that aired during the 2007-2008 TV season. Over the next, oh, lets say two weeks, I’m gonna roll out my list of the 10 best shows that aired during the 2007-2008 TV season. My family always makes fun of me because I love to make lists. So a) Suck it family, this is a proper forum for lists, and b) expect many more to come. As a precursor/note: I am very behind on Battlestar Galactica, am starting to catch up on the first few seasons of The Wire, and am not as great a TV fan as I should be, because there’s a large number of shows I just wasn’t interested in/couldn’t muster the strength to follow. So that being said, here are the five shows that just barely missed the countdown. In no particular order:
Dirty Sexy Money- If this show had had a full season, and had continued the steady progress it was making quality-wise, it very well may have made the list. But, with the writer’s strike, we only got around 10 episodes of this. I know ABC is planning a big relaunch in the fall, so at least that’s good. The show’s got a solid cast, good writing, and a few interesting enough plotlines to make it a favored viewing.
Psych- I love this show. It never fails to make me laugh. Shawn and Gus together are amazing. That being said, it’s not the highest quality show, which is why it did not make the top ten. I still love it though.
The Amazing Race- I’d probably rank Amazing Race among my 5 favorite shows on television. However, as much as I wish it wasn’t the case, this season just wasn’t up to snuff with some of the others. But I am very eagerly looking forward to the next one.
Reaper- Darn season finales and such. This show, while always having been funny and entertaining, has really been thriving creatively in recent weeks. The writing is, for the most part, sharp, and the actors all have great chemistry with one another. If the creative uptick had started a little earlier in the season, I have no questions that this would have made the top ten. But, I’m just happy it did, and that it’s coming back next season.
Brothers and Sisters- The Walker family is my favorite dysfunctional family on TV (and god knows there are lots of ‘em). Something about their dynamic, even though no family could ever exist like that and not end in one sibling killing everyone, seems real. Too bad this show hit a major sophomore slump this year. I love Rebecca, but this whole end-of-season storyline involving her paternity was useless. And really, really aggravating.
So those were the ones that just missed the list. If you, my (I’m guessing) one loyal reader, want to make predictions as to what actually made the list, feel free. I will tell you that there are two representatives from cable, NBC has the most spots with 3, and there’s only one network in the big 5 that didn’t make the list.
PS: I'd like to make a special mention of Doctor Who, which is a British sci-fi show about a time-traveling alien. If I was allowing foreign TV onto the list, this would have cruised to the top half of the list easy. But my list is solely American TV, so Doctor Who, even though you air on Sci-Fi in the US, I'm sorry.
Dirty Sexy Money- If this show had had a full season, and had continued the steady progress it was making quality-wise, it very well may have made the list. But, with the writer’s strike, we only got around 10 episodes of this. I know ABC is planning a big relaunch in the fall, so at least that’s good. The show’s got a solid cast, good writing, and a few interesting enough plotlines to make it a favored viewing.
Psych- I love this show. It never fails to make me laugh. Shawn and Gus together are amazing. That being said, it’s not the highest quality show, which is why it did not make the top ten. I still love it though.
The Amazing Race- I’d probably rank Amazing Race among my 5 favorite shows on television. However, as much as I wish it wasn’t the case, this season just wasn’t up to snuff with some of the others. But I am very eagerly looking forward to the next one.
Reaper- Darn season finales and such. This show, while always having been funny and entertaining, has really been thriving creatively in recent weeks. The writing is, for the most part, sharp, and the actors all have great chemistry with one another. If the creative uptick had started a little earlier in the season, I have no questions that this would have made the top ten. But, I’m just happy it did, and that it’s coming back next season.
Brothers and Sisters- The Walker family is my favorite dysfunctional family on TV (and god knows there are lots of ‘em). Something about their dynamic, even though no family could ever exist like that and not end in one sibling killing everyone, seems real. Too bad this show hit a major sophomore slump this year. I love Rebecca, but this whole end-of-season storyline involving her paternity was useless. And really, really aggravating.
So those were the ones that just missed the list. If you, my (I’m guessing) one loyal reader, want to make predictions as to what actually made the list, feel free. I will tell you that there are two representatives from cable, NBC has the most spots with 3, and there’s only one network in the big 5 that didn’t make the list.
PS: I'd like to make a special mention of Doctor Who, which is a British sci-fi show about a time-traveling alien. If I was allowing foreign TV onto the list, this would have cruised to the top half of the list easy. But my list is solely American TV, so Doctor Who, even though you air on Sci-Fi in the US, I'm sorry.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Thanks and No Thanks
Well, I’m a day late and more than a few dollars short, but I’ve compiled a list of things to be thankful for and things to lament this TV year:
I’m Thankful For:
Slap Bets: Not only was the original episode my favorite episode of television of the past year, but every subsequent payoff has been pitch perfect, including this most recent Slapsgiving episode.
The Writer’s Strike: I know this is surprising to see here, but as a writer who is hoping to break into TV, this strike will be key in getting fair wages for any future work I do.
Pushing Daisies: For bringing fairy tale and whimsy and quality back to primetime television. Also, for finally bringing Bryan Fuller the success he so deserves.
Alec Baldwin and “30 Rock”: For making “The Office” more than a fluke for NBC.
Rock of Love: If only for teaching me that it’s never a good idea to threaten a person with a good time. Especially if they’re a drunken stripper.
Imaginationland: For violating everything my childhood held dear, and making me love that violation.
My Readers: It makes me feel really good about myself when people read my blog. So, sentimental “aw” moment: Thanks for reading guys. “Awwwwwww”
I’m NOT Thankful For:
The Writer’s Strike: While I support what they’re doing, there’s a good chance that it’ll seriously hurt a bunch of good freshman shows.
Meredith Not Dying on Grey's Anatomy: I hate her. I hate her so much. I want to punch her anytime I’m reminded of her “Choose Me. Pick Me. Love Me” speech.
I Love New York Season 2: Because it’s nowhere near as good as season one.
The Cancellation of Studio 60: Because it had such good potential, but still couldn’t find viewers.
The Way Veronica Mars Ended: I seriously wanted to punch my TV. That’s the way they ended my favorite show?
Lorena on The Amazing Race: It takes a special something to become one of my most hated reality competitors three episodes into a season. Kudos, Lorena. Kudos.
Most Reality Shows on the CW: Beauty and the Geek and America’s Next Top Model, those I can live with. But, seriously, “The Search for the Next Pussycat Doll”? The Upcoming “Crowned: The Ultimate Mother Daughter Beauty Pageant”? The Upcoming “Farmer Wants A Wife”? Someone sold their soul to the devil for development deals…
Overall though, I’m a lot more thankful for this past year than I am sad about it. While we lost some great shows, we gained some other great ones. Good times, people. Good times.
I’m Thankful For:
Slap Bets: Not only was the original episode my favorite episode of television of the past year, but every subsequent payoff has been pitch perfect, including this most recent Slapsgiving episode.
The Writer’s Strike: I know this is surprising to see here, but as a writer who is hoping to break into TV, this strike will be key in getting fair wages for any future work I do.
Pushing Daisies: For bringing fairy tale and whimsy and quality back to primetime television. Also, for finally bringing Bryan Fuller the success he so deserves.
Alec Baldwin and “30 Rock”: For making “The Office” more than a fluke for NBC.
Rock of Love: If only for teaching me that it’s never a good idea to threaten a person with a good time. Especially if they’re a drunken stripper.
Imaginationland: For violating everything my childhood held dear, and making me love that violation.
My Readers: It makes me feel really good about myself when people read my blog. So, sentimental “aw” moment: Thanks for reading guys. “Awwwwwww”
I’m NOT Thankful For:
The Writer’s Strike: While I support what they’re doing, there’s a good chance that it’ll seriously hurt a bunch of good freshman shows.
Meredith Not Dying on Grey's Anatomy: I hate her. I hate her so much. I want to punch her anytime I’m reminded of her “Choose Me. Pick Me. Love Me” speech.
I Love New York Season 2: Because it’s nowhere near as good as season one.
The Cancellation of Studio 60: Because it had such good potential, but still couldn’t find viewers.
The Way Veronica Mars Ended: I seriously wanted to punch my TV. That’s the way they ended my favorite show?
Lorena on The Amazing Race: It takes a special something to become one of my most hated reality competitors three episodes into a season. Kudos, Lorena. Kudos.
Most Reality Shows on the CW: Beauty and the Geek and America’s Next Top Model, those I can live with. But, seriously, “The Search for the Next Pussycat Doll”? The Upcoming “Crowned: The Ultimate Mother Daughter Beauty Pageant”? The Upcoming “Farmer Wants A Wife”? Someone sold their soul to the devil for development deals…
Overall though, I’m a lot more thankful for this past year than I am sad about it. While we lost some great shows, we gained some other great ones. Good times, people. Good times.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Reality, Returns, Recaps, and other R-Words.
Wow readers, and by readers, I mean the maybe 2 of you who still look at this blog with any regularity, it’s been a while. This semester suddenly got really busy, and the blog kind of fell to the wayside. It was my bad. But, it’s that time of the year where schools empty, people gorge themselves, and dysfunctional families unite in their respective dysfunctions: Thanksgiving!
And since it’s Thanksgiving, that means I finally have time to update! Yay! Even though I have a ten page paper due on Iraqi sectarian violence and whether or not it constitutes Jihad, I’m gonna due my best to stock pile this blog full of legible goodies in the upcoming days.
So here’s starting: Reality TV Time!
Recently, two of my most favoritist reality shows came back on the air, Project Runway and The Amazing Race. So, since I haven’t been recapping them, which I may start doing in the future if my workload subsides, I’m gonna give you might thoughts on both shows so far.
The Amazing Race
Well, so far, I’m not sure what to think of this season. I don’t have any teams I love, but I do have teams I hate. That’s never a good sign. So far, the tasks have been interesting, although seemingly very based on animal cooperation. And I’m loving the locations so far. My family has a running joke about Ouagadougou, so it was nice to finally see Burkina Faso get some recognition. My thoughts on the teams, in order from Like to Dislike
1) Nicholas and Donald- Mainly just for Gramps, because he seems to be bringing most of the non-breakdown related entertainment this year.
2) Ron and Christina- Love her, dislike him. But he’s starting to redeem himself after his behavior on leg 2.
3) TK and Rachel- The only romantic couple who I don’t actively dislike.
4) Azaria and Hendekea- I don’t know if it’s the editing or if there’s actually something there, but does anyone else get a slightly incestuous vibe from these 2?
5) Kynt and Vyxsin- I had so much pre-race dislike towards them, because there biggest concern was going to be keeping up with their makeup on the race. While they’re proving to be good competitors, neither has really done anything to erase all my pre-race hatred.
6) Nathan and Jennifer- I truly truly truly dislike Jennifer. Facetiousness is one thing I cannot stand, so that’s Jennifer in a nutshell. Nate is alright, if only for his constant use of “Fudge!” when angry.
7) Shana and Jennifer- See comments with Lorena and Jason
8) Lorena and Jason- Hoo boy, where to start with these two teams. In the history of the race, I can only think of three competitors who really brought out the bile in me: Flo of the Mental and Physical Breakdown (Season 3’s Flo and Zach), KKKendra of the Racial Intolerance (Season 6’s Freddy and Kendra), and Jonathan of the spousal abuse (Season 6’s Jonathan and Victoria). While Jonathan doesn’t really factor into this paragraph, the two girls do, because I’m seeing shades of them here. Lorena, I’m pretty sure, is Flo 2.0. She is carried by her partner, prone to breakdowns, and whiny and insufferable. I was really hoping that the Latin Sisters, who would have been number 1 or 2 most liked had they not just been eliminated, would beat them to the Mat, but alas, not the case. As for the blondes, well, their comments about the people of Burkina Faso, while not holding a candle to KKKendra’s comments about breeding in third-world countries, are certainly fulfilling the Ugly American stereotype. But, they’ve actually surprised me with their abilities in certain tasks, which is why they just barely avoided being my most hated team.
But seriously, this season is lacking in the root for department. Here’s hoping it improves as we go on.
Project Runway
Ah, Tim Gunn. How I’ve missed thee. I only started watching Project Runway in season 3, but I’m quickly becoming hooked to this one. But this season, well, I’m not so sure about the judging. Granted, we’ve only had one episode, and the deserving person went home, but I only agreed with one of their top three. None of the contestants have distinguished themselves yet, but there appears to be a lot of real talent so far.
(Note, I’m going in the order they currently appear on the bravo Website)
Jillian: Really Meh for me. It doesn’t look well fit for the model and I’m not a big fan of the color or the bubble skirt.
Christian: I really don’t get why this made the top 3. I don’t like the jacket, which appears to be the most intricate and interesting part of the dress. I did really like the way the dress was hemmed though.
Jack: This one I thought should have been in the top 3. Sure, it’s probably a little simple, but I love the pattern and the cut of the top.
Kevin: I thought this was one of the better ones, if only for the corset, which I thought was an interesting addition to a basic black cocktail dress.
Chris: I’m a big fan of this dress. The color is beautiful and goes amazingly with the top. If I remember though, it was a little much in the back.
Marion: I was not at all impressed with this. It doesn’t look like a finished product to me.
Kit: I like this one a lot. I think the simple dress in itself is really nice, and I like the addition of the red shoulder piece, which offsets the basic black pattern. I can see where it’s a little to busy though.
Steven: I liked it. It’s very simple, yet there’s an elegance to it that I dug. It’s really reminiscent to me of Laura’s work from last season. Although that may also be because the model bears a resemblance to Laura.
Carmen: Just too much. Too Arabian Princess meets bad pop video.
Sweet P: Again, I really liked this one, even if it was very simple. I love the red trim with the gold dress. And the slightly sherbety straps work too.
Ricky: A simple babydoll dress. It’s nice, but it is very simple. Although it looks very well constructed.
Victorya: Again, very simple. I don’t get why this made the top 3. It’s a simple black cocktail dress with a big white flower and arm straps that limit movement. I mean, it’s cool looking, but this would barely make my top half.
Elisa: Crazy mermaid dress. But not crazy in a good way. If the model can’t walk in it, you’ve got a problem. Cut off the train, maybe it works. But still very weak.
Simone: Very basic, but I still liked. I like the cut of the top. Don’t have much more to say about it though. I just like it. It was, however, horribly constructed.
Rami: Yup, this one was the deserving winner. It looks beautiful on her and makes her look like a Greek goddess. And extra points to Rami because he had the seemingly biggest and most broad-shouldered model. Nothing against her, it’s just that it seems like it’s harder to design for biggest models. If you think about the parent-modeling challenge from last season, the winners were the ones with the most model-like figures.
So yeah, more likes than dislikes from the first week. Looks to be a talented batch this year. I just hope they make it work (I couldn’t resist, Tim Gunn. Please forgive me.) I do hope some of them make themselves more memorable. I have no idea who some of these people are.
So, to recap this recap. Yay for Thanksgiving break, Reality returns, and talented designers. Boo to Islamic Studies papers, unlikable racers, and questionable judging.
In the upcoming week, look for a check-in with VH1’s current crop of reality shows, thoughts on the writers strike (I fully support it), a look at other show’s seasons so far, and notes on what shows I’ve already abandoned (there’s at least 3 new ones). And maybe a look at what to give thanks for on TV. Thanks to the two of you for reading again.
And since it’s Thanksgiving, that means I finally have time to update! Yay! Even though I have a ten page paper due on Iraqi sectarian violence and whether or not it constitutes Jihad, I’m gonna due my best to stock pile this blog full of legible goodies in the upcoming days.
So here’s starting: Reality TV Time!
Recently, two of my most favoritist reality shows came back on the air, Project Runway and The Amazing Race. So, since I haven’t been recapping them, which I may start doing in the future if my workload subsides, I’m gonna give you might thoughts on both shows so far.
The Amazing Race
Well, so far, I’m not sure what to think of this season. I don’t have any teams I love, but I do have teams I hate. That’s never a good sign. So far, the tasks have been interesting, although seemingly very based on animal cooperation. And I’m loving the locations so far. My family has a running joke about Ouagadougou, so it was nice to finally see Burkina Faso get some recognition. My thoughts on the teams, in order from Like to Dislike
1) Nicholas and Donald- Mainly just for Gramps, because he seems to be bringing most of the non-breakdown related entertainment this year.
2) Ron and Christina- Love her, dislike him. But he’s starting to redeem himself after his behavior on leg 2.
3) TK and Rachel- The only romantic couple who I don’t actively dislike.
4) Azaria and Hendekea- I don’t know if it’s the editing or if there’s actually something there, but does anyone else get a slightly incestuous vibe from these 2?
5) Kynt and Vyxsin- I had so much pre-race dislike towards them, because there biggest concern was going to be keeping up with their makeup on the race. While they’re proving to be good competitors, neither has really done anything to erase all my pre-race hatred.
6) Nathan and Jennifer- I truly truly truly dislike Jennifer. Facetiousness is one thing I cannot stand, so that’s Jennifer in a nutshell. Nate is alright, if only for his constant use of “Fudge!” when angry.
7) Shana and Jennifer- See comments with Lorena and Jason
8) Lorena and Jason- Hoo boy, where to start with these two teams. In the history of the race, I can only think of three competitors who really brought out the bile in me: Flo of the Mental and Physical Breakdown (Season 3’s Flo and Zach), KKKendra of the Racial Intolerance (Season 6’s Freddy and Kendra), and Jonathan of the spousal abuse (Season 6’s Jonathan and Victoria). While Jonathan doesn’t really factor into this paragraph, the two girls do, because I’m seeing shades of them here. Lorena, I’m pretty sure, is Flo 2.0. She is carried by her partner, prone to breakdowns, and whiny and insufferable. I was really hoping that the Latin Sisters, who would have been number 1 or 2 most liked had they not just been eliminated, would beat them to the Mat, but alas, not the case. As for the blondes, well, their comments about the people of Burkina Faso, while not holding a candle to KKKendra’s comments about breeding in third-world countries, are certainly fulfilling the Ugly American stereotype. But, they’ve actually surprised me with their abilities in certain tasks, which is why they just barely avoided being my most hated team.
But seriously, this season is lacking in the root for department. Here’s hoping it improves as we go on.
Project Runway
Ah, Tim Gunn. How I’ve missed thee. I only started watching Project Runway in season 3, but I’m quickly becoming hooked to this one. But this season, well, I’m not so sure about the judging. Granted, we’ve only had one episode, and the deserving person went home, but I only agreed with one of their top three. None of the contestants have distinguished themselves yet, but there appears to be a lot of real talent so far.
(Note, I’m going in the order they currently appear on the bravo Website)
Jillian: Really Meh for me. It doesn’t look well fit for the model and I’m not a big fan of the color or the bubble skirt.
Christian: I really don’t get why this made the top 3. I don’t like the jacket, which appears to be the most intricate and interesting part of the dress. I did really like the way the dress was hemmed though.
Jack: This one I thought should have been in the top 3. Sure, it’s probably a little simple, but I love the pattern and the cut of the top.
Kevin: I thought this was one of the better ones, if only for the corset, which I thought was an interesting addition to a basic black cocktail dress.
Chris: I’m a big fan of this dress. The color is beautiful and goes amazingly with the top. If I remember though, it was a little much in the back.
Marion: I was not at all impressed with this. It doesn’t look like a finished product to me.
Kit: I like this one a lot. I think the simple dress in itself is really nice, and I like the addition of the red shoulder piece, which offsets the basic black pattern. I can see where it’s a little to busy though.
Steven: I liked it. It’s very simple, yet there’s an elegance to it that I dug. It’s really reminiscent to me of Laura’s work from last season. Although that may also be because the model bears a resemblance to Laura.
Carmen: Just too much. Too Arabian Princess meets bad pop video.
Sweet P: Again, I really liked this one, even if it was very simple. I love the red trim with the gold dress. And the slightly sherbety straps work too.
Ricky: A simple babydoll dress. It’s nice, but it is very simple. Although it looks very well constructed.
Victorya: Again, very simple. I don’t get why this made the top 3. It’s a simple black cocktail dress with a big white flower and arm straps that limit movement. I mean, it’s cool looking, but this would barely make my top half.
Elisa: Crazy mermaid dress. But not crazy in a good way. If the model can’t walk in it, you’ve got a problem. Cut off the train, maybe it works. But still very weak.
Simone: Very basic, but I still liked. I like the cut of the top. Don’t have much more to say about it though. I just like it. It was, however, horribly constructed.
Rami: Yup, this one was the deserving winner. It looks beautiful on her and makes her look like a Greek goddess. And extra points to Rami because he had the seemingly biggest and most broad-shouldered model. Nothing against her, it’s just that it seems like it’s harder to design for biggest models. If you think about the parent-modeling challenge from last season, the winners were the ones with the most model-like figures.
So yeah, more likes than dislikes from the first week. Looks to be a talented batch this year. I just hope they make it work (I couldn’t resist, Tim Gunn. Please forgive me.) I do hope some of them make themselves more memorable. I have no idea who some of these people are.
So, to recap this recap. Yay for Thanksgiving break, Reality returns, and talented designers. Boo to Islamic Studies papers, unlikable racers, and questionable judging.
In the upcoming week, look for a check-in with VH1’s current crop of reality shows, thoughts on the writers strike (I fully support it), a look at other show’s seasons so far, and notes on what shows I’ve already abandoned (there’s at least 3 new ones). And maybe a look at what to give thanks for on TV. Thanks to the two of you for reading again.
Monday, October 22, 2007
The First Cut Isn't So Deep
Yup folks (or folk, singular. I have no idea who's reading this), the first real cancellation of the season has occured (I do not, and will not, consider Nashville or Anchorwoman as shows). Viva Laughlin has been given the boot after just two episodes aired, and only one in its regular timeslot. Following in the disasterous footsteps of Cop Rock, I didn't really see this show making it past episode 5, so this isn't really a surprise to me. Musicals are an acquired taste, and syncing one up with a gambling murder mystery wasn't going to add more viewers. So Sorry Viva Laughlin, to quote Chicago, "You had it comin'".
The good news to this however, is that The Amazing Race is gonna be taking VL's timeslot starting on November 4th! Color me ecstatic. I love love love The Amazing Race. It's far and away my favorite reality show that is still on the air (I will always remember you, The Mole. I'm sure Anderson Cooper wishes that wasn't the case though). Even an all-star season, usually a harbinger of bad for a reality show (Cough cough Survivor and Big Brother), TAR still managed to deliver a pretty great season, even if I was disappointed with the end result. So I wanna thank CBS for my birthday present (Nov. 3 I hit the two-decade mark), and look forward to many more Philiminations to come. On your mark, get set, Go!
PS: I know I haven't posted in a long while. I have been and am still swamped with work. Im currently working on a ten page paper, a ten page short story, and I have a midterm coming soon that I really don't know anything for. So posting may be a little erratic for the next few weeks, but then I hope to get back into a regular rhythm.
The good news to this however, is that The Amazing Race is gonna be taking VL's timeslot starting on November 4th! Color me ecstatic. I love love love The Amazing Race. It's far and away my favorite reality show that is still on the air (I will always remember you, The Mole. I'm sure Anderson Cooper wishes that wasn't the case though). Even an all-star season, usually a harbinger of bad for a reality show (Cough cough Survivor and Big Brother), TAR still managed to deliver a pretty great season, even if I was disappointed with the end result. So I wanna thank CBS for my birthday present (Nov. 3 I hit the two-decade mark), and look forward to many more Philiminations to come. On your mark, get set, Go!
PS: I know I haven't posted in a long while. I have been and am still swamped with work. Im currently working on a ten page paper, a ten page short story, and I have a midterm coming soon that I really don't know anything for. So posting may be a little erratic for the next few weeks, but then I hope to get back into a regular rhythm.
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