LOST is like a bad relationship.

When I first signed on as a LOST fan it was exciting; it implemented cultural references and literary techniques that pulled me in and made me fall in love. However, as our relationship has progressed, it has done nothing but disappoint.

I thought that we might grow together, I would learn more about the secrets that it held and where our future would lead. What is the island? Why were they there? And most importantly, how did the polar bear get in the middle of a jungle? I was always hoping that it would let me in; answer some of my questions rather than leave me alone and unsatisfied.

I was wrong. It ignored my needs. For 5 years I have been here, waiting. Since season 3 I have been hoping things would change, that I would feel more of a connection. I hoped that I would get some answers and it would let me into it's mind. I kept telling myself it had promise. It just wasn't delivering.

I keep threatening to leave. After every bad episode I have told myself, "This is it. I'm leaving. I can't wait around anymore. There are better things I can do with my life." But each week, I'm back on my couch hoping answers will come. Once again, I am dragged around like J.J Abrams little play thing.

But this is it. The end of the road. I see now that I am stupid for sticking around. It hasn't been good to me. Will happiness come in the final season. Will I see the light and will it all pay off?

Doubtful.

Sons Season Finale

Ok, if you haven't seen the Sons of Anarchy season finale, your dead to me. Not since the Mad Men season finale (only a few weeks ago) have I seen a more perfect finale. In my opinion, recent finales have gone down hill, either wrapping everything up in a perfect little package with a bow on top, or leaving some many questions, that it would take the entire next season to answer.

Both SOA and Mad Men answered enough questions to make the show seem like an actual finale, but added just enough new issuess that I am counting down the days until next season. Oh and by the way, the issues that were resolved, were more covered, until next season. BRILLIANT!

I think some shows are afraid to do these things because it will require next season's viewers to have at least some knowledge of the season before. But, what TV series doesn't have the last season played from episode 1 to finale before the premier of the new season? Or hello, bring the DVDs out sooner and give people a chance to catch up.

Personally I would err toward a better show, causing a stir among my viewers, thus increasing non-users to want to jump the lease line than loose viewers, to hopefully make them back next season. I was a Lost enthusiast, that easily walked away after the show spun out of control with unanswered questions and sifi turns thrown in on a whim.

SOA and Mad Men, my hat is off to you. Hopefully new shows will continue in your vein. White Collar, I am talking specifically to you!

I need a Role Model

Of the 818,500 and change reviews for "Role Models" on Netflix, the overall rating is a 3.8 (a decent rating since Transformers [2007] is at 4.0). What's the similarity between these two, seemingly polar opposite, movies? I give them both 5 starts. 


Now, before you try to argue that these two movies aren't even on the same field of play (which I would totally agree to), simply put, Role Models is quite a good flick. Some parts are LOL funny, and most importantly NOT ALL IN THE COMMERCIAL! 


I hate movies that show ever single joke in the preview, that is ran a million times before the movie release, and the movie is a dud. It's like movie companies are brand-equity proof. No one knows who produced this crap, nor does anyone care. The actors take the heat, a lot falls on the plate of the writer and director, but what about the studio. They were the ones that decided to make Crank, even Crank 2: High Voltage and promote the crap out of it.

Paul Blart, Mall Flop?

I was nervous about Netflixing "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" as every review I read on the movie said it didn't deliver: azcentral "it delivers on everything it promises. Which is to say, nearly nothing." or "The targeted tween audience will lap up James' antics, but for the rest of us, "Blart" is just empty calories." from The LA Times. 


But last night I watched Kevin James (Star of "The Kind of Queens") go from mall cop loser living with his mother and daughter, to Paul Blart hero, with a much younger looking (and extremely more attractive) Jayma Mays, who will leave him once her former hostage adrenaline runs out. 


Ok, maybe that was harsh, because in all honesty, I laughed, I didn't see the obvious twists and I was entertained. Granted I was concentrating on other things as well, but for a background movie I was impressed. Will I purchase the movie, no. Would I have purchased the movie when in college and I could student charge it to my parents, probably. But then again I almost purchased Grid Iron Gang but my student charge was maxed out on late night pizza and "books."

I think that Lost has started a trend. Has anyone noticed that everyone has changed their opening title credits? Many TV shows have jumped on the Lost band wagon. During the opening credits they now only flash the name of the series rather than having a theme song and opening video. I think this is a new trend in TV; series that previously had the extending openings no longer have their videos. I must say, I don't hate it. I usually just TiVo through the theme songs if they have then so I would rather get more of what I want, THE SHOW!

Two In A Row

Sons of Anarchy in it's debut season (last year) got to be pretty "cookie cutter" with the classic answer problem created from last episode, climax, cliff hanger ending. Now while this season has had the same basic outline the cliff hanger endings have gotten extreme, which keeps me very interested.

Last week's episode ended with the entire club getting pinched, aside from Opie, the widower with enough rage to snap (yes that's a prediction). In this episode, Jax stands alone against the club, and the women are going to have to come to the clubs rescue, again. Vic trammel being shot in a "routine" pull over, and Jax going head to head with Stahl, hinting about Josh whom Jax killed for Tara last season! This dramatic series has all the makings of my mom's soap operas, plus guns!

Realistic

I sometimes wonder how TV series patterns emerge? How does one show have a crazy guy take the cast hostage, and then every series does an episode with a hostage taking psycho that the lead character is somehow completely unafraid of. Then the cliche ending, the main character saves the hostage taker from some life ending situation that lead him to take hostages in the first place, yet no one feels they have to answer for the fact the psychopath took hostages and will be going to jail for his actions anyways?

I am refering to last night's episode of Lie To Me in which Dr. Cal Lightman believes Eric Matheson did not kill his wife, but was framed. Then Cal and team solve the murder, have the real killer in custody and Eric demands to see his wife's killer, inferring that he will inflict some sort of harm to a man that killed his wife over 10k and a little nookie. The team cannot let this man kill a murder, not after harboring and assisting a fugitive, no this would be too far. They instead use Eli Loker as bait, and when Eric goes to shoot Loker, Ben Reynolds of the FBI takes down Eric. Because no one saw that one coming.

If shows are going to copy each other, at least pick something more believable. Love the show, but this one was a blemish on a otherwise good story line.