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.

Ironic

Last night I rushed home from work because I noticed the first movie in my Netflix Queue was no longer there (ie it was being delivered). This movie is something that my office roomie and I had continued to talk about, which had lead to a full fledge debate between the two of us. Since we are both researchers for an advertising agency, often times our debates turn into box office ratings and gross income, occasionally a movie quote or two. After scouring Youtube, looking for the exact scene that personified our arguments, and seeing that we were getting a little heated, I decided I should review the movie.

So, I signed up for Netflix because I could not find this movie in any of my regular spots, redbox and Movie Cube. On my way home Wednesday I received an email from Netflix saying I should expect the movie Thursday... Damn, foiled again. So, as I am surfing, waiting for good programing to return to Wednesday nights, I casually flip to HBO, and what's on? Obviously the movie that is in the mail arriving Thursday. FML what to do? I couldn't let myself watch... Oh Netflix, if my movie doesn't come today, our relationship might be over!

My Turn

Like Cathy, I too spent countless hours outside when I was younger. But my interest, ne addiction, to TV is much older. I remember many times I would come home from school and watch TV instead of starting my homework, a cardinal sin in my household. It got to the point my mother was touching the TV when she returned home to see if it was hot from use. Needless to say I developed a system to overcome each obstacle, and now with no regulation, my abuse of Television has peaked.

Currently I watch between 1-5 hours a day, one hour only on days when I have work that keeps me from my drug. Yes, drug because like pot, TV is a gateway to DVR, Hulu, Netflix, and paying 9.25 to see a new release in the theaters. And since I do not do drugs, TV simply takes that spot in my life. Its how I relax.

So, what do I watch? Here is my list by day.

Sunday (Watch Entourage and DVR Mad Men)
Monday (Scrubs everyday 8-9, House, Lie To Me)
Tuesday (SOA aka Sons of Anarchy)
Wednesday (Leverage and Dark Blue when they return, looks like soon)
Thursday (Burn Notice and Royal Pains was my favorite night of TV, now Bones)
Friday (Netflix, maybe the crappy movie TBS is playing, Numbers)
Saturday (MMHHhh)
Sunday (Marathons- Burn Notice, House, Bones, Numbers)

There are a few other shows I will probably comment on, but not religiously.

ENJOY!!!

Does it make me old and kind of pathetic that I consider myself a professional TV watcher? It's been a long time coming, when I was little I didn't watch a whole lot of TV, my parents believed in sending me outside to get some fresh air! But last year my dear roommate introduced me to the most toxic and addicting technology that is around today, DVR. I blame DVR for many things in my life; my procrastination, my tardiness, and my newfound appreciation for excessive wedding gowns. Charlie is a dedicated Hulu fan, and stays connected with his favorite series in a much more tech savvy fashion. This blog will give Charlie and I a chance to talk about and share all of the useless knowledge and options concerning TV shows that we have stored away in our little heads! Here are the shows that I currently follow:

Glee

Flashforward

Grey's Anatomy

So You Think You Can Dance

Say Yes to the Dress

Gossip Girl

House

The Soup

30 Rock

Amazing Race

The Office

Nostradamus Effect

Greek

The City

Project Runway

I have a lot of commitments.