#weekly tv

[lovelyrocker]

This  Month Jared’s Got You Covered

So proud of him!

[masterthespianduchovny]

I don’t know if this will be my last post about weekly tv or not, but the people using weekly tv as a defense as to how some don’t “understand” weekly episodes and shouldn’t react clearly don’t understand weekly tv themselves.

I’m not going to go over the history of tv, partially because I only know a fraction of it, however, weekly episodes on streaming platform exists purely to drive engagement and retain viewers.

You need to break up the episodes to have viewers ask invested and ask “what’s next?” Before you give them the “what’s next” you have them speculate and form opinions on the material you’ve already released.

You have water cooler talk, then the variation Twitter tags/trends, but also some actors/shows live tweet. This is a huge thing for engagement.

Show runners, writers, actors, etc all understand that viewers want suspense. We want the stripe tease. We want foreplay.

They know how viewers are going to react to certain storylines and character and that’s because they’ve most likely intended on this. They want to steer viewers in a certain direction whether they choose to stay they course or surprise us. But they need us emotionally invested to help their bottom line.

Which is why it’s ridiculous to criticize people who are reacting to exactly what the show wants them to react to. We understand our roles, I don’t think the people “defending” shows in this way do.

People know all this shit planned out and either we are enjoying the ride or hope it will be worth it when all is said and done, but we do know what’s going on.

[weeklypageone-blog]

Carrie Diaries: The Pilot (Fast Review)

Weekly TV

Last night was the premiere of The Carrie Diaries. The prequel to SATC, replacing Gossip Girl's slot. So how did we like it, here?

Photo credit: The CW

We all know by now the pitch of the new CW resident show. It follows the life of the 16 years old Carrie Bradshaw, juggling between school and an internship in Manhattan. The pilot picks up 3 months after the loss of her mother, and it's even more difficult for her since it's the first day of school, and she needs to deal with all that. 

Ok, it was nice to watch but it wasn't a revolution! I personally think that compared to pilots like Gossip Girl's or Sex & The City's, this one was a little weak. But if we don't compare it, it was nice. The show had its own stream if we take away the fact that ultimately she will become the Carrie Bradshaw. Anna Sophia Rob really handles the character with a lot of passion and professionalism, she lives it. And it's very nice to see someone play like that. 

Now for the storyline of the pilot...ouch! It went nice but I think we had too many answers in just one episode. We learned in just the piolt that her sister smokes pot, her guy friend is a closeted gay, one of her girl friends lost her virginity to the sheriff (?) and her other girl friend got dumped by the guy she lost her virginity to. In my opinion, it was a lot in just one episode, or maybe there was a lack in discovering them first.  But this is just my opinion. We'll see where the 2 other episodes of the show take us and we'll see from that. But that's not a bad show, I just think we need to get more familiar with the idea that she is not the SJP Carrie Bradshaw but a younger and innocent one. 

[weeklypageone-blog]

NYC: Here comes your new Queen...or not?

Weekly TV

Sex & The City Title card

February 2004, we said bye to the resident Queen of New York, Carrie Bradshaw. The show that had finally added fashion to drama and comedy was ending, leaving an all new perspective and approach to coming TV shows about women in our modern world. Sex talks weren't just a guy thing anymore and Sex & The City proved over its 6 seasons run that girls not only wanted to have fun but could have a hell of a good time doing so. 

The cast of the first season of Gossip Girl Courtesy of: The CW

September 2007, another blonde took NY by storm, Serena Van Der Woodsen.  Sex, drugs and...Pop Culture! Gossip Girl was aimed at a "little" younger audience but still was considered controversial  And what can we say about it? OMFG! One force of the show was the power of social medias. Compared to its peers, the show grew very fast an internet audience composed of fans from around the world. Goosip Girl took, in some way, where SATC left. Fashion, music, lifestyle of the rich and famous, GG was all about that. December 2012, the show aired its last episode and with that, let 6 years of Gossip Girl Empire on the net and an impressive fanbase. 

Tonight, the CW is airing the first episode of The Carrie Diaries. And we'll see where the new show stands. We're not about comparing stuff and saying which one is the best because our tastes are all different. But we're wondering if The Carrie Diaries can live up to our 2 favorite NY shows, SATC and Gossip Girl. We'll make a recap of the first episode tomorrow and we'll tell you what we think.

[weeklypageone-blog]

Gossip Girl Episode 3 review: Con artist looking for relevancy...ASAP!

Weekly TV

 - Friends 2.0 -

What am I watching? Those were my very thoughts while watching the beginning of this episode. You're not following? Let me explain. When I saw Nate and Chuck in the kitchen and then Dan came out to take his breakfast, I just had this feeling, like it reminded me of something. 3 guys living in a loft (ok an hotel), in NYC...Just had this "Friends" feeling and I kinda found the scene very convivial, very friendly,  until Chuck took a jab at "Lonely Boy" of course. Anyway!  After revealing to the world that his Dad and Ivy were sleeping together, Dan showed that he was more "Upper East Side" than some of our confirmed "Upper East Siders". It's something that Dickens points out when she talks to Rufus about the first scandal of the episode. 

- No moment for sleeping or eating or resting or stopping -

Blair is overworked literally. But it's understandable! With an assistant like Jean Pierre who is (sorry to say) a little useless, we're happy Chuck has her back and can come when she really needs someone.  Nelly Yuki is still a force who wants destroy Blair. In this episode Chuck is just...very adorable! Don't get me wrong, I'm not the kind of person who says stuff like that about everyone but Chuck seems like the guy, apart from all the things we know of him, that you want to introduce to your sister or best friend girl. Chuck's love and devotion saved the organisation of the show but couldn't predict or even prevent Little Drama Queen aka Sage's public exhibition in the middle of the show.

- Some people just have no manners! - 

The biggest shocker wasn't when Little Drama Queen took off her clothing in the middle of the runway, or even the fact that she walked back and forth for no apparent reason..no! The shocker was that Serena didn't apologize to her ex-friend Blair when she learned that her boyfriend's daughter did that on purpose. Because the first ever fashion show from Waldorf' has been ruined due to the bad relationship of Sage and Serena. So an excuse would have been the least but nah! Honestly no one can compete with Chuck in Blair's heart. And seeing the chemistry of the couple, it's easily comprehensible that Dair (Dan and Blair...duh!) couldn't go on. Dan's reaction at the end was really deceiving, and from the outsider of that world it was weird that he went with the girl who just had the body instead of staying with Nelly Yuki who has the beauty and the brains.

Personal Conclusion (Just my thoughts!) 

I really like Gossip Girl and honestly at times I get a little sad that the last season is here. But this is really the last season and we have no time for fillers! When you have a season of 20 something episodes you can have fillers but in a shortened final season you just can't. And compared to the first 2 episodes this was really a letdown. The promo for this installment brought high expectations but after watching it I just kept thinking "Ok...that was..nice...I Guess..." but it's not supposed to be just that. For example "Vampire Diaries" is not in its final season and we still have those cliffhangers all season long. When you watch an episode you go "Wow!" all the time and you're left breathless. This Gossip Girl episode just deceived me. And honestly Sage is just not really necessary. Let's hope it was the only filler of the Season.

[weeklypageone-blog]

Gossip Girl Episode 2 Review: Didn't she have a snuff film?

Weekly TV

- Daddy's little monster...we mean...little girl - 

In the Premiere we were introduced to 3 new characters. Some left at the end of this episode, Amira, ok that makes only one. And some seem like they're here to stay, Sage and Steven. The latter is Sabrina...hum...I mean Serena's older and wiser boyfriend, who discovered Serena's real name and life in the first episode of the season. But she wasn't the only one hiding secrets. Let me explain. After spotting Steven and Sage in a restaurant, Serena and Nate jump to conclusions (who wouldn't have?) and assume the two are having an affair together. Though Serena has to keep up appearances, Nate is less delicate and leaves a voice-mail to Sage that sums it all in less than 10 seconds. After Nate and Steven go head to head at a party hosted by our Blonde Girl, we discover that Sage is not a "slut" (Serena, come on!) and is in fact Steven's 17 year old daughter. 

 - Welcome back Nelly Yuki...and Poppy Lifton! (We didn't miss you, well maybe a little...Nelly!) - 

A good comeback seems to definitely be the new black! For the first time Blair has to act as the Head of Waldorf designs. But she'll have a hard time finding a proper balance, especially when she discovers that the woman for the interview is no one else than Nelly Yuki (what about that snuff film?). In an article featured in WWD, Blair has to go against Poppy Lifton. That makes 2 comebacks for the price of 1. But since Blair can't do anything without scheming (Serena's words from the season 5 finale, not mine!) she tries to steal Poppy's dresses and auto-humiliates herself in public and at the end misses the opportunity to be featured in the magazine. 

On an other side the Bass war still rages on. After we learn that Amira had an affair with Bart in the past, Chuck tries to discover why his father would still offer someone that much money for a secret that would have such a low impact on everyone. After scratching and scratching, Amira leaves him a photograph of the week end she spent with Bart and the letter she mentions "Never contact me again" (how harsh!). 

- How many refusals does it take? -

Georgina seems to be Dan's official literary agent but the 2 have a hard time finding a publisher for Dan's book. Actually, people are interested but they don't want to publish it the way it is, they want to drop the last names or so and so. But the purpose of this book is to expose everyone. In the end and against G's will, he finds a publisher...who might that be? No one else than Nate Archibald who agrees to go his route without changing anything. 

No sign of Ivy and Rufus in this episode and let's point out the key player role of Nate in this season...Very interesting!

[weeklypageone-blog]

Gossip Girl Premiere Review: New York, we missed you!

Weekly TV

- Serena Van Der Woodsen doesn't exist anymore -

Last week was the season premiere of the season Finale Of Gossip Girl.

Last season ended that way: Blair made a decision and chose Chuck over Dan. Serena slept with Dan to get back at her best friend (ouch!) and even made a tape of it, but she supposedly erased it (there is no proof until you show the receipts), but in the end it was ok since Blair had chosen Chuck. Nate receives a video from Diana Payne showing a very covered (it's the least I can say) Gossip Girl. At the end of the episode Serena is by herself in a train, leaving New York behind, after her friends made it clear that she wasn't welcome anymore. 

- New York, we missed you -

After a very cold shower given to Serena at the end of Season 5, the gang goes back to get our favorite it-girl from her hide place. 

There is a 4 month time lapse between the last episode of last season and this one (duh..doesn't take a genius to know that) and to be the most honest I can be...the Premiere didn't deceive at all! I was waiting for those kind of episodes since season 3 and finally my prayers have been answered. We can clearly see the A-game of the show, and at some point in season 4 and 5 I thought they had lost it but they kept the best for last.

- Do.That.Again! - 

Blair's now famous quote, defines our thoughts exactly! After seeing Gossip Girl's premiere and expecting the 9 other episodes are that good, or even better, we already cry over the fact that this is really the last season. But thinking about it, those episodes are epic because of the simple fact that those are the last ones. With a dream team behind the writing, Gossip Girl reaches a top in the stories department. The Gang is finally back and delivers more than it has done on the last seasons premieres.

- I don't want to be stuck...with you! - 

Contrary to last seasons, Nate was a lead player in this episode.  Even though I have to say Georgina and Dan carried a majority of this episode, Nate had an important role in finding Serena. After he received a video from Payne at the end of season 5, Archibald is getting closer to discovering the identity of the title character and had to blackmail her to get Serena's exact location. We also discover that Blair and Chuck are together but not really. You say it's complicated and I answer: not that much. Both are in places they need to be to actually deal with stuff on their own before accepting their story together. One shocking moment was when Serena refused to be "stuck" with Blair. The emotion was palpable and it sends you back to your personal life when you ultimately grow up and have to make a choice in your relationships. 

Overall, it was a really great start for the ultimate season of our favorite New-Yorkers. The gang delivered and the atmosphere was really Epic Gossip Girl, just how we like it. With Nate getting closer to unmasking Gossip Girl, the tension is just really amazing. So who is she? This time it's a secret she'll have to tell!   

[weeklypageone-blog]

Carrie Diaries: The Pilot (Fast Review)

Weekly TV

Last night was the premiere of The Carrie Diaries. The prequel to SATC, replacing Gossip Girl's slot. So how did we like it, here?

Photo credit: The CW

We all know by now the pitch of the new CW resident show. It follows the life of the 16 years old Carrie Bradshaw, juggling between school and an internship in Manhattan. The pilot picks up 3 months after the loss of her mother, and it's even more difficult for her since it's the first day of school, and she needs to deal with all that. 

Ok, it was nice to watch but it wasn't a revolution! I personally think that compared to pilots like Gossip Girl's or Sex & The City's, this one was a little weak. But if we don't compare it, it was nice. The show had its own stream if we take away the fact that ultimately she will become the Carrie Bradshaw. Anna Sophia Rob really handles the character with a lot of passion and professionalism, she lives it. And it's very nice to see someone play like that. 

Now for the storyline of the pilot...ouch! It went nice but I think we had too many answers in just one episode. We learned in just the piolt that her sister smokes pot, her guy friend is a closeted gay, one of her girl friends lost her virginity to the sheriff (?) and her other girl friend got dumped by the guy she lost her virginity to. In my opinion, it was a lot in just one episode, or maybe there was a lack in discovering them first.  But this is just my opinion. We'll see where the 2 other episodes of the show take us and we'll see from that. But that's not a bad show, I just think we need to get more familiar with the idea that she is not the SJP Carrie Bradshaw but a younger and innocent one.