Benedict Cumberbatch is an attractive man--thereās never been any argument from me on that front. And accents make everyone 10x hotter. So how is Benny Batch even more wildly attractive in Doctor StrangeĀ with his U.S. accent?? And in that suuiiitttt at the beginning of the movie!!
So I finally finished Netflixās 13 Reasons Why, and I love it. Just as I love Jay Asherās book, which is one of the most important books Iāve ever read. And this may be an unpopular opinion, but I sincerely do not agree that the show (or the book!) glorifies suicide. While I may be able to understand why someone would think that way, I cannot agree because I do not believe Thirteen (13) Reasons Why is a book/show about suicide--itās about people and how we can and should treat others. Hannahās suicide is a horrifying lens to examine human interactions through, but it is touching and effective because it exemplifies the profound effect we have on one another and what can go wrong when we hurt each other--both intentionally and unintentionally.
That being said, I love the complexities that are added to the show through the expansion of the storylines and although it is weird that Netflix has chosen to do a second season, I am actually on board. I may not agree with the backlash to the show, but I cannot help but be satisfied that suicide, rape, and sexual assault have been brought to the forefront of the media. People need to talk about these issues and learn to support the survivors in a healthy and respectful manner. That is the gift that Jay Asher has managed to give yet again, all these years after the initial publication of Thirteen Reasons Why.
I welcome any (polite) disagreement and discussion.Ā
Itās time for my much-awaited post about my latest obsession, NBCās Emerald City. I started watching this past weekend and I caught up last night (the timing is unfortunate), so all my thoughts and emotions are still relatively fresh. From that very first episode, I was blown away (hah) and instantly hooked. I am overwhelmed by how beautiful and wildly creative this show is--itās almost too good for television, and definitely too good for NBC. And that worries me because I wantĀ it to continue.
A Friday night slot for a new show with not nearly enough publicity--itās like they wanted it to fail. Emerald CityĀ is pretty much cursed both with its non-fantasy/sci-fi friendly network (itās surprising GrimmĀ survived this long, in a Friday slot no less!) and with the crummy promotion efforts. There should be some stipulations against this kind of network behavior.Ā
I have heard some mentions of Emerald CityĀ created as a limited series event, but that speculation is not a comfort in the face of no network confirmation. If this was meant to be a limited series, I wholeheartedly accept that and look forward to aĀ āseasonā finale (why call it that if itās reallyĀ ālimitedā?) that ties things up with a nice, tidy bow. But I cannot possibly imagine how Fridayās finale could wrap things up for the fans in only an hour because of how last weekās episode ended--thereās too much to cover! Not to mention that this is a reallyĀ good show with a fantastic plot and passionate actors that deserve the chance to keep their show going if they so choose. But letās be honest: all I really want is more Dorothy/Lucas scenes (with a side of Toto and Sylvie).
Man, I havenāt felt this way about a show in such a long time (I believe it would be sometime a year or two ago when I binge watched Wonderfalls in one day) and a lot of it has to do with the crazy chemistry between Adria Arjona and Oliver Jackson-Cohen. Part of me feels like I shouldnāt care so much about these completely fictionalĀ relationships (yes, Iām not entirely delusional...both Adria and Oliver appear to be in very happy real-life relationships), but a good romantic dynamic always appeals to me.Ā You want me to love a show/movie/book? Make me love and root for your romantic ship. And if you donāt want me to cry sad/angry/frustrated tears when your show/movie/book ends, give that ship a damn happy ending! None of this Glinda crap (I think I want a reveal in which Glinda cast some spell on Lucas to make him so conflicted...maybe?).Ā
If this Fridayās episode ends up being Emerald Cityās last (please, donāt let it be so!!), then I can handle absolutely anything thatās thrown at me as long as 1) Toto doesnāt die and 2) Dorothy and Lucas end up at least in some semblance of togetherness. That way, I donāt spend the rest of my life heartbroken (*coughcoughSavingGracecoughcough*) and can then paint myself a makeshift āhappily ever afterā (see: Wonderfalls).Ā
Now: time to anxiously await Friday for the first (and hopefully NOT LAST) time I get to watch Emerald CityĀ live. No matter how it all ends, itās been a wonderful ride with the Emerald CityĀ family and I am so glad I finally tuned in.
I took a picture of this with my phone while watching because I wanted to capture the moment and and Iām so glad I did because IT ALL FELL APART SHORTLY AFTERWARDS </3
WAIT how did they tease that there was another Holmes sibling? (not starting anything just want an explanation)
at the end of the episode Mycroft picks up the phone and asks to be put through to Sherrinford.
InĀ āSherlock Holmes of Baker Streetā by William Gould, Sherrinford is the eldest Holmes brother. Since then, heās appeared in various adaptations.Ā
Building off His Last Vow, when Mycroft hints at another sibling (āYou know what happened to the other oneā), it makes sense that Sherrinford is that other sibling.
Thereās also a scene (and I forget what episode - possible The Empty Hearse?) where Mycroft pulls up a screen thatās tracking someone with the Code Name: Ugly Duckling. This may be a stretch, but that could also possibly be the other Holmes sibling.
ā
Thank you so much for asking. Never hesitate to ask for clarification or discuss theories. I love it!
Anyone else get super annoyed with John inĀ āThe Six Thatchersā?? I get character complexity and whatnot, but seriously, Mr. Watson!? You want to talk about vows? What about the VOWS you made?? I could write a little essay about this clear example of guilt projection from John onto Sherlock, but I wonāt.
I have rewatched the series once again (3x all the way through, 4x in pieces) and it has really reinforced my initial thoughts on Piz, but with a twist.Ā
Other than kind of/sort of hating him for getting in the way of LoVe (although, in all honesty, that is untrue), I knew from the beginning that Piz was a good guy. But, you see, thatās actually the problem with Piz: heās too good of a guy for Veronica. Despite all the nonsense VM has been put through and even though she deserves the world, Piz is not the guy to provide that for her because he is good, kind, patient, and oh-so-forgiving in a way that Veronica is not. Piz and Veronica donāt approach the world in the same manner and even though thatās okay for a little while, in the long run it cannot result in a successful relationship. Piz was alwaysĀ too good for Veronica and that became perfectly evident when the movie came around almost ten years later.Ā
Where does this leave LoVe? Well, in the same place theyāve always been: not only do Logan and Veronica have crazy beautiful chemistry, but they also truly deserve each other because they are similar enough to make their relationship work--as we see later on in the movie and books.
GUYS I STARTED THIS TWO MONTHS AGO AND FALL TV RETURNS THIS WEEK AND I NEVER FINISHED IT SO IāM JUST GOING TO POST IT AS-IS. SO SORRY. (I wonāt actually get around to watching any Fall TV until around November, so Iāll update these when I have time. Enjoy what I have for now and please feel free to respond!)
After its 4 month hiatus,Ā Bonesās season 11 finale just aired and that means itās FINALLY time for my thoughts on each of my 2015-2016 shows! (Yes, I was planning on doing a preliminary edition earlier, but summertime laziness got the best of me, so here we are now.) Since I watch too muchĀ a lot of TV, these will be little blurbs about my thoughts on the season as a whole and the finale in particular--not full-fledged summaries. My shows for this season are listed in alphabetical order below so feel free to skip ahead to your poison of choice. Fairly obvious warning: spoilers ahead.
(*) Denotes show that has officially been cancelled (and not suddenly saved by renewal) as of this postās creation.
A separate post will be made for my two (now, one) summer shows: UnReal and (the now-abandoned) Beauty and the Beast.
Arrow (Season 4)
Iāve had mixed feelings about the entire show for quite some time now. Surprisingly (despite my hopelessly romantic nature), I was never a fan of Olicity and that hasnāt changed, but I have grown more tolerant of their relationship. I started off this season annoyed by the Olicity drama of season 3 and then intrigued by the prospect of an intimate death later on. I am ashamed to admit that I initially cheered at the thought of Felicity dying only to a) realize Oliver and Barryās reactions at the grave were not reminiscent of a Felicity death, b) realize Felicity dying would not be the best thing for the show OR Oliver, and 3) grow (as aforementioned) slightly less annoyed by Olicity. I may be in the minority here, but I genuinely liked Laurel and found myself crying for the first time in my ArrowĀ show-watching history when she died. Maybe that was my punishment for momentarily relishing in Felicityās potential death. Those are really my two biggest plot-centric opinions, although I also have to mentioned how tired I am of the flashbacks--they really donāt matter to me anymore. And that leads my to my biggest revelation: Arrow had its good moments, but this seasonās ending would have been the PERFECT place to end the series. My mom (my Arrow buddy :) ) and I both concur that the show dragged by this season and should have ended with the season. Iām afraid that unless next season really picks up, our disinterest may head the way our Beauty and the BeastĀ watching did and lead to us abandoning the show. Final sentiment: Meh and a shrug.
BonesĀ (Season 11):
Despite how much Iāve loved Bones in the past (and I really have!) my ardor has sadly fallen under theĀ āThis show has gone on for too longā category. I must admit that a large part of my recent disinterest can probably be attributed to the loss of my beloved Dr. Lancelot Sweets--who sparked my initial interest in forensic psychology--at the beginning of season 10 (has it really been almost 2 years?!). I was surprised to see that this season had its charming moments (Betty Whiteās guest appearance and the creative filming style of episode 18, The Movie in the Making) and I was constantly amazed at how much I loved Aubrey--I never felt him trying to replace Sweets, even if that may have been his intended purpose in the writersā eyes. Hodginsās injury was an interesting screw to throw into the mix (on second thought, that may not be the expression...) and brought its fair share of both frustrating (jerk-ass Hodgins) and sentimental (all of Angelaās reactions, as well as the hint of a recovery) moments. But season 11ā²s REAL treasure was its season finale. That, folks, is how you lead up to your final season--with a wonderful director, some creeeeepy moments, and the shocking (okay, maybe not-so-shocking) reappearance of an oldĀ āfriendā. Wow, oh, wow. For the first time in a long time, I actually watched the show live and tweeted along to the events. (I was annoyingly interrupted by constant weather updates, but didnāt miss the important stuff.) Guys, I was left with actual GOOSEBUMPS at the end. THAT IS HOW YOU PULL OFF A FINALE. As far as Iām concerned, BonesĀ has doneĀ āgoodā by its fans by preparing what may actually turn out to be a spectacular series finale ahead of time. If you ask me, all shows should follow suit and actually plan a series ending in advance to avoid a) loose threads and b) unhappy fans. Iām looking forward to seeing how this works out! Final sentiment: Wow and a woo.
Doctor Who (Season 9):
This honestly feels like it was forever ago. Let me take a moment to remember... Ah, yes. I have loved every Doctor that has come along in the New-Who years, although to varying degrees: Christopher Eccleston had his charms and strong persona, but ultimately failed to moved me emotionally; David Tennant, on the other hand, moved me emotionally more often than I would have wanted, but was also ridiculously funny and clever; Matt Smith picked me up after the heartbreak that was 10ā²s goodbye with his witty youthfulness and showed me that it is possible to pick up the broken pieces, only to break me again; Peter Capaldi had big shoes to fill for me after the two phenomenons that preceded him, but he has not been a disappointment in the least. I am proud that I am not a typical New-WhoĀ fangirl with my bias towards the older Capaldi, because he truly brings a whole new dimension (pun?) to the Doctor. I am miffed (although Iām not sure at whom) I now believe (as most do) that Steven Moffat has not been good to the show and its fans. I know Peter Capaldi could be so much more if he wasnāt saddled with the storylines he was given (notable exception: although it isnāt season 9, I loved season 8ā²s 4th episode, Listen) and his less-than-satisfactory companion. And now we have arrived at the issue: Clara. I wish I hadnāt, but I really started disliking Clara at some point in the last couple of seasons--Iām not sure what happened (or when it happened) but she was no longer the clever individual I used to believe she was. I think it may be that the charisma and chemistry (the non-romantic and non-sexual kind) she shared with Smith was rather lacking in her interactions with Capaldi, but I canāt be sure. All I know is that I was reallyĀ tired of Clara by the end and was hoping that her beautiful death would be the end of her. But, no. Moffat couldnāt leave things as they were--he had to go and bring her back to life and send her annoyingness off on more adventures with the somehow even more annoying, Ashildr/Me (did people like her?), destined to probably return one day. Tell me one thing: why does Clara get that ending when more worthy companions (read: Donna) did not? I want Capaldi to live up to his full potential as the Doctor and I sadly donāt think that Pearl Mackieās Bill (Iām basing my opinion on the teasers) will help him with that. *sigh* I love Doctor WhoĀ and I just want it to go back to how it was before so I can love and embrace it as I once did. Final sentiments: Pleading and a sigh.
*Galavant (Season 2):
Oh, my dear Galavant. This show was the most unexpected of gems: a hilarious, witty, and creative musical on primetime television. What more could I ask for? Right: another season. Sadly, this lovely show never took off with a huge audience and was only blessed with one surprise renewal. Despite Karen David (Isabella) and her relentless campaign for a renewal, the show was ultimately cancelled. Although the ratings certainly didnāt help, I feel that Joshua Sasseās departure from his eponymous Galavant character was the final nail. Ah, well. What can you do? The cancellation of this show is one of the greatest disappointments in my recent TV history. Fare thee well to all the actors and creators! Final sentiments: Aw :( and an angry fist towards the universe.
*Heartbeat (Season 1):
Iāve never been a huge NBC fan (The Office and Parks and RecreationĀ are two universal (ha) exceptions) but I gave it two chances this year. I hate love triangles. Female-led medical shows (with the exception of Greyās Anatomy...which Iāve never seen) have a tendency to fail. But I gave Heartbeat a chance. And I loved it. Trust me, I understand all the reasons why it failed and why people hated it. But, I donāt care. It was charming and heartwarming and funny and based on a REAL person (I know the and/and/ands are grammatically incorrect and being based on a true story can mean nothing). HeartbeatĀ had great characters and one particularly good-looking gentleman (Dave Annable as Pierce Harrison stole my heart from the beginning...Don Hany as Jess(i)e Shane never stood a chance), but it also had, well, heart. I hated that love triangle-centric ending so Iāll just go ahead and pretend for the rest of my life that Jess(i)e never walked in and Alex only married her TRUE LOVE, Pierce. Final sentiments: Tsk and a headshake.
How to Get Away with Murder (Season 2):
My one Shonda Rhimes show (thus far, although Iām a tad interested in The Catch) has been a crazy one. I really donāt have that much to say other than expressing how truly great this show and all its actors are--Viola Davis deserves every award the entertainment business has to offer. If Greyās is even a fraction as good as HTGAWM (which I seriously doubt) then I can understand the hype. Damn, Shonda with the good show, keep the twists and turns coming my way! Oh, actually, I remembered to express how I hate the Wes/Laurel (Karla Souza is my Mexican homegirl) relationship because Laurel and FRANK BELONG TOGETHER FOREVER (even if he is a sexy hitman type). Final sentiments: Gah and a squeal.
iZombieĀ (Season 2):
Full disclosure: Rob Thomas is responsible for creating my favorite show of all time, Veronica Mars. Ergo, I am already biased towards loving everything this man creates. Additional disclaimer: I think I loved iZombieĀ before I even watched it, but I loved it even more (somehow) when I started watching it. iZombieĀ is honestly one of the few shows that I genuinely can never wait to see more of. (But there are many shows that come close!) I love all the damn characters (even theĀ āvillainsā (see: Blaine DeBeers)), the dialogue, the lore, the flashbacks, and the beautiful Major Lilywhite. I know that iZombieās season 3 renewal was a fluke (letās not kid ourselves, ratings arenāt that great)Ā caused by the CWās general renewals (the most generous I have ever witnessed), so I am terrified that this next season will be the last (can somebody sayĀ āThree is Rob Thomasās unlucky number!ā?). If that is the case, I just hope that Liv and Major actually end up completely together because we all know that is endgame and no amount of nearly-perfect Lowell Tracys and Drake Holloways will change that (Iām only a little sorry). Onward to season 3! Final sentiments: Woohoo and a sigh of relief.
Jane the Virgin (Season 2):
I donāt know how the CW pulled it off, but it really struck gold with Jane. The moment I saw the first trailer for the series premiere, I knew I had to watch it and it has never disappointed me since. The second season finale was no exception, although I am a little queasy about the writersā endgame... Remember how I hate love triangles? Guess which show has one, huge love triangle? Surprisingly, for the first time in my love-triangle-hating life, I have actually jumped ships throughout the story; sometime between the first and second season, I bounced from the Jane/Rafael ship to the Jane/Michael ship quite rapidly. Having at one point been on both ships, I can understand where the Rafael fans are coming, but I canāt ignore the power of Janeās love for Michael--which I believe to be the what the writers may intend to eliminate by killing him off, although perhaps not right away. Since season 1 (specifically Chapter 10), I have been weighed down by Michaelās impending death after Michael told Xo he and Jane belonged together and he would never stop believing that, to which the narrator nonchalantly added: āAnd for as long as Michael lived, until he drew his very last breath, he never did.ā Right from that moment, I knew Michael would die and we would see that death, probably sooner rather than later. So that dread was always in the back of my mind, only to be brought to the surface in this last episode. Now, Iām not saying Michaelās dead, and I really hope he isnāt, but Iāve started to get the feeling that Jane/Rafael is endgame for the production team and the only way Jane will ever leave Michael is if heās dead--and even that would take time. Iāve grown to forgive and love Michael again after his past mistakes and Iām not sure how I would handle having to say goodbye to him for good. (Found THIS interview with the showrunner about season 3 while looking up the above episode.) With that having been dealt with, I can move on to the next bit: Petraās situation and Rafaelās big mistake. I know Petra will never be a saint, but sheās the kind of bad that you secretly have to love, so I definitely donāt like seeing her taken advantage of by her mother and sister devils. In the end, I think Rafael will be the key to saving Petra and I hope that branches off into a new romance for them because I really think they fit together. The narrator continues to be the best part! Final sentiments: Satisfaction and worry for Michael.
Just watched the livestream of the iZombie cast signing at Comic Con and thereās a tiny bit where Rose is signing (ASL, presumably) to a fan and I was left in awe. Not only does she have no real obligation to carry out conversations with fans, but she was able toĀ signĀ for this fan. The fact that she signs at all is a lovely surprise. What a beautiful person!
[Canāt link the video so you would have to go to the FB page (https://www.facebook.com/warnerbrostv/) and find the first (and shorter) iZombie cast video from July 22nd.]