Weekend Rant – Endings & Beginnings

Things have been very busy this time of year and while the end of the regular television season is upon us I been catching up on a few things. I have been pretty disappointed this season with the meh endings to the majority of the shows. It used to be that end of seasons were for huge cliff-hangers or other hooks to get you on board for the next season, but it seems that a ton of shows have taken the easy route and done nothing more than a regular episode. That’s just plain lazy.

Although not mentioned earlier, the season finale to Lost was as mind blowing as expected and I will be on pins and needles until 2011 and the final season of this astounding show. The parallel stories of our time lost heroes trying to save the future and the enigmatic Locke look a like who is out to kill the very mysterious Jacob (who suddenly seems to have an influence in the lives of almost all of the survivors). There seems to be other eternal beings who are responsible for creating Richard and it’s hard to read who is on the side of angels… some of this story smells like Cain and Abel to me but the whole Egypt angle has me really intrigued. There is so much to this story that it blows my mind.

Survivor Tocantins finished up almost as expected, I did see JT winning but did not see that it would be between him and Stephen at the end. It was a great season full of some very memorable characters, but I was happy to see that the majority think that Coach is a complete knob and fraud and I am soooo happy his 15 minutes is up. The next season in Samoa looks great and I will be checking out Burnett’s next venture, Expedition Africa: Stanley and Livingstone. I would love to see Mark return to his roots and bring back some Eco-Challenge, one of the best competitions ever.

So you think you can dance? has started the selection of the Top 20 and the auditions were as interesting as usual. I still prefer the Canadian format that highlights more of the talent as opposed to the losers, and found the brother and sister team very disturbing in an incest kind of a way (just creepy) and I can’t believe that they had that retarded “Sex” idiot back again (seriously?) in a dance off with another delusional idiot. I would much rather see the talented dancers and see the best. At least next week it will be Vegas portion of the auditions and the first culling has been done. I hope to see them pushed hard and it will be great to see some of the choreographers come back. Nigel seems particularly snippy this season and Mary definitely has the cougar claws out.

The Fashion Show is boring me senseless and has none of the appeal of Project Runway. The change in format, the hosting of Not–Beyonce and Isaac is terrible and the editing sucks. There was so much crap on that catwalk last night that I was wondering why it wasn’t a multiple elimination. I don’t agree that our Underwear designer got bumped, there was stuff that was so fugly that got through that I don’t understand how the voters could not have chosen one of them instead. The show is just filler until the real Fashion comes back.

I finally caught up with Dollhouse and loved the first season. I was shocked to learn that our Doctor is actually an ex-active Whiskey (one of my favourites from Josh’s universe Amy) who was the hottest ticket until Alpha went postal on her. The storyline was well developed and the characters fascinating, so I hope Josh has a good plan for next year and some more interesting developments with the concept.

Make me a Supermodel surprised the hell out of me over the past 2 weeks with the elimination of Salome last week and then the dismissal of Mountaha this week has made it an all male finale that has Jonathon poised to win the big title. I wish he was back to his more natural looking blonde, but he is still bringing it big time each time and the best of the boys. I still can’t believe that the 2 strongest girls are gone, the Judges seem to want a male winner this year but I don’t think Branden has the goods and Sandhurst is too limited. Jonathon has been consistent pretty much every week and has the look.

WipeOut returned this week and was even more hilarious than last season. I think the level of cruelty has been oomphed up a notch this round, but the competition is so funny to watch and the commentary so scathing that I am literally rolling on the floor laughing my ass off (ROTFLMAO for all you acronym people) watching these poor contestants get bashed and bruised senseless. I would love to get my shot at this show, but the new final zone looks even harder than before.

This week I am getting all hyped up by seeing the final episodes of Pushing Daisies (I am still so disappointed with ABC for not giving this one the chance it deserved) and the return of Burn Notice. Some of my favourite summer fare is around the corner and I can hardly wait until we get into some fun dance competition and see the return of Kathy Griffin and friends.

Weekend Rant – The beginning of the end

I am still playing catch up with several shows (most notably 24 and CSI) and have been in full blown End of Season mode all this week as a whole whack load of my shows on the Watch List are already wrapping things up as this season winds down. It’s already a Win Some / Lose Some situation as it’s a shame to see some shows go (already?) but it will also herald the beginning of the Summer season and the return of favourites such as So you think you can Dance? and WipeOut. There are a few new things of the horizon as well and Glee looks like my kind of show. All that will be checked out in the upcoming weeks. It’s a busy time of the year.

Desperate Housewives is following up on some of the storylines (the Jackson/Susan wedding is too stoopid for words) and developing others in an attempt to create some tension and get things all built up for the end of this season, but has left me the impression that there is much frantic grasping at straws and trying too hard. I think they are going in the right direction of trying to streamline things, but need to get back to the the core characters and the challenges of being desperate and a housewife. I hope the next death is Orson… his character has had it’s time.

Dancing with the Stars pissed me off so much the other week with the untimely dismissal of Lil’ Kim that I was holding my breath to see who would make it to the finale and didn’t want to make any predictions in case I was sending out the wrong vibes. I still can’t believe that Ty got to hang around for another round and one of the best dancers ever was sent home. I will never understand bone head moves like that, and one of the reasons I avoid voting shows like American/Canadian Idol where it turns into a popularity contest instead of being judged on talent and ability. All that being said and done… I know that I have whined about Melissa and her lack of celebrity, but I am pulling for her and Tony to win because I like them, and think that they have great chemistry together. Besides, as sexy as Gilles is, I am not too fond of Cheryl and would rather see someone else win. I don’t think Mark and Shawn have as much of a chance due to entertainment factor. Shawn is cute, she just doesn’t connect as well with the viewers.

Make me a Supermodel has been true to form and the real candidates for the title are becoming the front runners. I think it is interesting that Salome resembles last year’s winner (Holly) and has been winning the majority of the challenges. Jonathon was doing incredible but seemed to loose some of his glow this week (that makeover was not a good idea) and I was very pleased that the really bitchy girls are gone. Like last season, the boys last longer than the girls but it will be hard to say if one of them will win the big prize… I’d still love to see Jonathon win, even if there aren’t that many male supermodels.

Survivor - Tocantins has finally granted my wish and that knob Coach is finally voted out. I am pulling for Taj to surprise all and win the big prize, she has played a great game. I am wondering if JT will be able to fight off all the other players for the final Immunity, I have the feeling that if he doesn’t win it he will be voted off before the final Tribal Council. It’s been another good season and I feel sorry for the Jury being saddled with Coach, but better them than me.

Smallville disappointed with an impotent finale that just left a bad taste in my mouth. Jimmy dead? What? I sure as hell hope that Lois travelling through time will help remedy that situation… I was really disappointed with the small battle with Doomsday, the yucky Justice League that just posed and flexed and did nothing, and the whole Clark abandoning Chloe after her shitty storyline. I know the show is coming back next year, but they better make sure the Clark grows a pair and stops being such a knob. The guy is supposed to be an inspiration and a hero and not some schmuck. There was way too much build up for a story that never seemed to be all bark and no bite.

Supernatural had the potential for a hell of an ending and left me begging for more… as any good ending should and while it ended abruptly, I know that the show is already back for next season and can hardly wait to see how things turn out. The writing was phenomenal this season but I hope to get back more of the lighter side of the series and more of the dead pan humour. The guys are too multi faceted to waste on just angst, sacrifice and anger.

Dancing with the Stars – Week 9

Last week was a bit of a surprise with Chuck leaving and Melissa miraculously surviving elimination after that terrible rehearsal tape that the Judges had to critique from. This week is was all about finding the Top 4 and each of our dancers has to do 2 dances (one ballroom and the other Latin) and has to do a solo as part of the performance.

We did get treated to a some nice group numbers by the pros and the quality of dance was incredible last night. I LOVE seeing Dmitri and Lacey in the numbers… those too can really dance and I am hoping to see them around next season. The camera really loves Lacey though and she knows how to work it. Snap.

Melissa & Tony - Viennese Waltz & Samba

Melissa redeemed herself after last week and actually was the leader at the end of the night. She was very graceful in the first dance, but I was not as fond of her Samba but have to give huge props to Tony, he did a great job and it looked like they were having a lot of fun. I am pretty sure that they will be back next week but not sure she will take the trophy home.

Ty & Chelsie – Argentinean Tango & Rumba

Ty has a certain quirky charm that has brought him far, but Chelsie was doing the really heavy lifting in both of the dances and he just feels awkward. The Rumba was cute, and it looked like he was planning on getting it on with Jewel after the show as he gave his best moves and a kiss to her.The guy is a charmer though and the Judges gave him decent scores, but he is more than likely the one to be eliminated tonight.

Shawn & Mark - Quick-Step & Paso Doble

The dynamic duo upped their game last night and did 2 great numbers that put them just under the leader on the scoreboard. The only criticism that I have with Shawn is her upper body shape (she is built like a linebacker) and it gives her strange shapes at times, but she is so precise it kills me and is really having fun with Mark. I hope to see these 2 next week, but you never know with the voters…

Gilles Marini & Cheryl – Foxtrot & Rumba

In some ways it appears that the love affair that the Judges have with Gilles has cooled slightly and they are being more critical on him, but all for the right reasons as he is tied for second place and is hanging right near the Top spot. I wasn’t that impressed with their Foxtrot, but was quite impressed with the Rumba. Gilles couldn’t out sexy Lil’ Kim this week but he came damn close. Is it just me or does it seem that more than one Star is afraid of Cheryl? There is just something about her that irks me.

Lil' Kim & Derek – Waltz & Salsa

I can’t believe the range that Lil’ Kim has and how she can adapt to each dance style – it is very astounding considering her hip hop back ground and that damn sexy vibe that she brings to everything. I loved her Waltz but that woman brought the house down with her Salsa. I don’t care if she got too into it – it was bootilicious fantastic and no one else can move like her. I’d really like to see her in the final 2 and win the competition.

I am looking forward to tonight's elimination and expect to be Cowboy free. But as I have said you never know... stranger things have happened...

Weekend Rant – The Week in Review

Things have already started finishing up for this season and this past week brought the end of the season (and possibly the end of the road) for Chuck and Heroes. Heroes has completely bored me this season and it really felt like the writers were grasping at straws before ending this season with a whimper and nothing that particularly interesting. I can not understand how and why they have decided to make the characters all caricatures of themselves, and the only bright spot in the last episode was the reappearance of Tracy (at least her story had an interesting twist) but I hate what they are doing with Hiro and the rest of the gang. Why have the big fight scene with Peter and Sylar if nothing was shown? The whole death of Nathan and resurrection via Sylar was stupid. What a waste of characters.

Chuck fared much better and I love the multiple storylines with the gang at the Buy More, Ellie and Awesome’s wedding and the whole Chuck/Sarah dynamic. I was in hysterics at the end when Chuck got all Intersect 2.0 and suddenly had ninja skills. It was a great way to continue the series and I really really hope that the show will be back for another season. There is way too much of a wealth of characters to ignore or to waste. Good writing – it’s just too bad that some of the viewing public has jumped ship.

Bones had another astounding episode with The Beaver in the Otter (and no it is not some new fancy food preparation) that delved in frat life and it has to be the scenes with Booth and Brennan that kill me each time. Temperance is so clueless (yet curious) and her dismissal and apparent fascination with Sweet’s methods of deduction had me on a roll. I still say that our psychologist is up to no good and I bet you that our dweeb that was helping out the Beaver with hacking into the database is a potential new acolyte for the Gorgoman, the guy seemed too impressionable and there is something about Sweets that gets the hair standing up on the back of my neck when he is on screen sometimes, I may sound repetitive but I am still convinced that he is up to no good. In our rotating intern position, the Muslim guy was hilarious and I loved his reasoning to why he was willing to work with Hodgins on his banned experiment. The episode was more brilliance and the whole Beaver was banging a Cougar was hilarious…. the writers do an amazing job. It was great seeing Booth’s brother again and Booth hit the nail on the head when he got Brennan to “Dine & Dash” in an effort to get her to lose some of her good behaviour and harden her frontal lobe. Booth has some pretty funny theories sometimes and I love watching Brennan’s head explode at the threat of non science. This show is so under rated it’s ridiculous.

Lost is blowing my mind with all the twists and turns that we are learning concerning our scientists that Widmore hired to come to the Island, and more information about Daniel (and his very cool mother) and the big revelation that Mr.Widmore is also dear old dad to our nerdy scientist. I am still not sure what the whole scoop is with the Hostiles and why Eloise left as well (it seems that many of the residents on the Island decided to leave at one point) and it looks like we might be getting more of a reveal to some of the big secrets as this season starts wrapping up. There is still a lot of unanswered questions and I am wondering how Mom shooting Daniel is going to work out.. the death tally on these scientists is stunning and I wonder if Miles will survive also.

Survivor Tocantins is as amazing as any of the good seasons of Survivor, and I am really digging how the game is coming together for some of the players. It’s a shame that the know Coach won immunity this round, but I have the impression that lots of the gang are getting tired of his yapping and I can’t believe how utterly disposable his morality is. All bark and no bite it seems, the way that things are going I am starting to get the impression that one of the more subtle players (like Taj) will win it all. The alpha players seem to be all about getting rid of each other right now and not looking at the more subtle threats. I was sad to see Sierra go, but it depends on how you play the game but I loved how she was fighting to the very end.

Smallville is prepping for the end of the season (and breathing a sigh of relief knowing that they are coming back for another season) and I can’t believe that after all this time that Clark is such a knob that he doesn’t realize that Chloe is trying to protect him. I don’t completely understand the dynamics with Jimmy and Oliver (seemed like filler to me) and Clark needs a super kick in the butt to realize what Doomsday is. It’s all going to hit the fan with only 2 episodes left this season and I am looking forward to seeing how it all ends. I still say that Clark and Doomsday bite the big one at the end of the season and we will have to wait for next season for the big resurrection. Time for more heroes!

Supernatural was quite the episode and explained more about Angels than previously know ( I had no idea that they used vessels while on our plane of existence) and the back story to Castiel was interesting. I am not sure if they are building up to the same kind of finale that we have had for the past couple of years, but Sam is in some big kind of trouble with that demon blood monkey on his back and his detox could be interesting. I am looking forward to the last 2 episodes of the season but finding that suddenly the season seems short and the ending snuck up on us. The storyline has not developed as clearly as I first thought and I almost feel like we have missed a chapter. I am glad that we already know the Winchester boys will be back next season, but I think that might have cheated us out of a more dynamic last few episodes.