Tag Archives: television

My DVR is full this fall

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This week marks the return of fall television. It’s been a pretty good summer, though, I must say. Here’s what we’ve been watching regularly:

– Royal Pains
– Burn Notice
– Suits
– White Collar
– Necessary Roughness
– Keeping Up With the Kardashians
– Flipping Out
– Fairly Legal

I’m excited for all those shows to return – some of which will be back later this fall/early winter – but what everyone’s abuzz about right now is the return of fall prime-time television – click here for an interactive fall TV calendar. I am giddy with excitement about being able to push through my work day thinking about plunking down on the couch with a nice glass of wine to watch X show (depending on the day of the week).

By far our favorite show is How I Met Your Mother. The season finale finally revealed it was Barney’s wedding they had been flashing clips of throughout the season. I was happily surprised by that one and the premiere this season didn’t disappoint either. 

Two and a Half Men, the much anticipated return sans Charlie Harper/Sheen, was still very, very funny and now has the opportunity to capture a new Kutcher-loving audience.  But I can tell you that hanging up that bowling shirt in the backround of his funeral service alongside the flowers and casket means my dad’s days of tuning in are quickly coming to an end as well.  I think everyone was really impressed by how seamless the transition feels and how it was carried on with the same humor and wit, however, Charlie really brought a lot of charisma to the show.  Not that Kutcher can’t, but it’ll be a different show none-the-less.  I’m wondering if they’ll just give it a go this season and make it the last? 

Castle is a huge Monday night entertainer in our house and last season ended on a nail-biting cliffhanger, only to pick up last night with a frustrating and slow return. I still love it, don’t get me wrong, but I was hoping for a little more Castle-Beckett banter, however, I understand with all the drama that unfolded in one episode last season needed some time to fully recover and play out.

While crafting and killing time so we could fast forward through commercials during Castle, we watched some of Hawaii 5-0, which we haven’t seen since oh, i don’t know when.  Might have missed some big things but I think we got caught up in the 20 minutes we watched.  Still entertaining.

One that delightfully wowed us was 2 Broke Girls – sadly, we didn’t have it recording so we missed the ending.  We definitely added that one to the list, even though Mumbles says he isn’t fond of this actress who plays the lead.

Last week we welcomed Buffy babe Sarah Michelle Gellar (now Sarah Michelle Prinze – wife of Freddie Prinze Jr.) back to the small screen in the CW’s new show, Ringer.  I thought they did really well and knowing it had been made for CBS. I hope the CW doesn’t teeny-bopper it up too much. (a little bit is okay.  You know how much I love Veronica Mars).   Something isn’t quite right but I can’t put my finger on it.  For example, they keep showing this photo and it takes me too long to figure out what they were trying to accomplish…is the the uber rich twin and the fancy/weird/Gaga-ish outfit is supposed to tell me she can afford expensive, weird clothes?  That she can get away with anything?  Or, is it the prostitute sister and this is supposed to tell me that she’s imprisoned by her body? She feels trapped and chained down, trying to break free?  She doesn’t feel comfortable wearing a collar chained to her tube top in a similar fashion that she doesn’t feel comfortable impersonating her twin sister?  I don’t get it.

Also on my must-watch list (brace yourself, it’s kinda long):
(Returning)
NCIS
NCIS Los Angeles
Grey’s Anatomy
The Mentalist
Body of Proof
One Tree Hill
Gossip Girl

(Newbies)
New Girl – watched it last night… started out slow but had me laughing out loud by the end. 
The Playboy Club
Pan Am
Unforgettable
Person of Interest

What is on your DVR this fall?  Any new shows you’re really excited about?

Netflix and my obsession with television

Posted in Television & Movies, Thoughts & Stories by

Are you a Netflix customer? I didn’t realize that I was supposed to be so angry about all these new changes but I think I’m catching on. At present, I’m a little spoiled with all my tv viewing options – last year Mumbles signed us up for a 6 month free trial of all the movie channels and when I got super sick in January he took such pity on me that he decided not to opt out of it so I could watch all the sappy love movies I wanted to at all hours of the day despite the fact that it was very likely I’d already seen them 5 times or more (Charlie St. Cloud, Something New, Enchanted, and the list goes on…) That coupled with my brilliant idea to get Mumbles a Netflix subscription for his birthday last year (I’m a big fan of gifts that ultimately benefit me) so he could watch Entourage season by season and also because it became quite clear that Blockbuster was never gonna make it and I wanted to keep the ol’ movie-in date night alive.

So now here we are and Netflix is making all sorts of crazy changes so that it doesn’t seem like the steal it was before…yet — and it might just be me — it also doesn’t seem like a rip off. When I think about how much we’re paying for all the movie channels plus the streaming and mail-in DVD, well, that’s when I get a little remorseful. I like to think that we’d stream more often but until they really bulk up on the selection I can’t see that happening. I think the only real reason I’m clinging to Netflix is that I’d like to be able to request all the seasons of Veronica Mars if I wanted to, but I just found out BFOTB has every last one of ’em so that solves that insecurity. With how full my DVR is each week, we really do have plenty of options for which way we’re going to kill time watching tv. And now that I think about it even more, I feel really guilty/successful because when Mumbles and I met he wasn’t all too into television….now he is hooked! [insert evil laugh here].

Stay tuned for what I’m watching this week and let me know what your thoughts are on the whole Netflix debacle. Staying a subscriber? Jumping ship? Don’t really care about that extra $8 a month?

The Bachelorette Recap, Final Episode & After the Final Rose

Posted in The Bachelor/Bachelorette Recaps by

Ashley meets her family at a resort and sits down to tell them about the guys. She says she’s in love and she’s ready to get engaged but can’t make up her mind. I call BS.

JP arrives on the beach with wine in hand, noting a proposal is right around the corner. They need to get out of the sun…everyone is sweating like crazy, which is really unattractive and there’s just one poorly placed umbrella as far as we can see.  Everyone is literally wiping their faces with towels they’re so drenched. Gross. Ashley says she was excited and proud to introduce JP to her family and mom gives a toast to welcome him to the family. Ashley’s sister asks some “tough” questions and later tells Ashley flat out that he’s not the one. Mom says they are “ok” together. Wow, what a reception!  Sister says that Ashley is too much for him and she doesn’t think JP can handle her, being the much older man.  Really? I think he’s in his early 30’s.  Ashley immediately starts crying when she realizes that her sister will like Ben a lot more. I think we have our clear-cut winner.  Ashley just wants people to like her so she’s heartbroken that her mom and sister weren’t wowed by the man she’s fallen in love with (not that she’s said it yet). 

Sister tells JP that she’s very skeptical and “doesn’t see it” between them. JP says that he can’t stop smiling when he’s around her and he’s 100% in love with her. Sister is hung up on JP being so much older and will not be happy if JP proposes. And tells him so.  The clincher: Sister says she saw more between Ashley and Brad. Ouch.

“I just have to figure it out.” -Ashley
“I thought you had it figured out.” -JP
…oooohh!  This really leads me to believe Ashley has been telling JP he’s the one for quite some time, which then gets me really angry on Ben’s behalf because the poor guy is getting strung along.  

Ashley has a sit down with the sister to let her know she is not happy and flat out calls her a bitch. Sister says she is protecting Ashley from herself.  I must interject here and say I am not entertained. But then again, I haven’t been all season so I don’t know why I’m surprised. 

Now it’s Ben’s turn and he brings wine to the party too. He is sweaty, sweaty, sweaty… and not the good kind. Earlier in the show BFOTB proclaims that Ashley reminds her of a jack russell terrier. We find out that Ben has a jack russell named Hopscotch. Ahh, it all makes sense. Ben says he is absolutely in love with her and believes that Ashley is in love with him because nothing is forced between them.  Really? Not like the television cameras and awkward silent moments?

Oh, surprise, surprise, sister is a divorcee. That explains a lot. Sister seems content with Ben.

“Ben should win. But he won’t. Just like every other season when they pick the wrong person.” – BFOTB’s husband via text message

For their last date they take a helicopter ride aroundFiji. Ashley says Ben is perfect for her. They arrive at a healing mud bath and get each other all muddy, which they both proclaim to be very sexy. Later in his hotel suite they toast with champagne as Ben tells Ashley that he got her parents permission to propose to her, and he tells her he is in love with her. They kiss. No tongue. Never any tongue. Not a good sign.

Ashley wraps her legs around Ben and all we notice is the bug bite on her butt. 

Now it’s JP’s turn again and as always, she is looking to him to solve all her problems and she again needs reassurance so they have a somewhat difficult conversation. JP tells Ashley that he is madly in love with her, and already told her whole family. JP asks/warns her not to break his heart. Then there’s lots of making out with lots of tongue and JP unravels Ashley’s sarong like he’s done that before. I’m not surprised.

JP gives Ashley a photo and journal scrapbook. Uh oh, Ben didn’t give her a gift. No tongue, no gift. I think we all know where this is going.

“I get lost in JP; I’m completely infatuated with him.” -Ashley

Ben is meeting with Neil Lane to pick out an engagement ring because his heart is set on proposing. He says it wasn’t hard to pick out a ring. I wouldn’t think it would be if you don’t have to pay for it.

JP puts on pink and goes to make his selection. Neil asks him what he’s going to do if she says no. Haha. But whoa, the ring he chooses is gorgeous.

Ben is the first one to land. Ben is crying talking about losing his father and how happy he is to be adding Ashley to his family.  I am so angry at Ashley for letting him get down on one knee. I am writhing in anxiety. So awkward. Why couldn’t she have cut him off before he got down on one knee and actually proposed? What. A. Jerk. Having to stand back up in shame, Ben leaves angry and she runs after him. Ben doesn’t want her to sugar coat it and informs her that there is no way to leave this situation on good terms.

“Good things don’t end unless they end badly.” – Ben
“JP is a wonderful guy. I’m sure you’ll have a nice life together.” – Ben

Rejects get sent home on a motor boat, not a plane. Write that down. And, salt in an open wound: Ben sees JP’s plane flying overhead and then has to pass by Ashley standing there waiting for JP. Seriously, where is that boat taking Ben? Out to the middle of the ocean?  Getting rejected really sucks.  Hope they put a bottle of booze in that boat for him.

This better be an epic proposal. BFOTB and I both have a dark thought; somewhat hoping JP’s plane takes a nose into the water. It doesn’t.

Ashley and JP exchange “you look great” small talk.  JP starts at the beginning, rehashing what it was like getting out of the limo. Two peas in a pod, JP tells Ashley he is scared she doesn’t love him back but this is his leap of faith.

 “I smile because of you. I am madly in love with you.” -JP

Ashley tells JP she has wanted to tell him for forever that she is in love with him.

He gets down on one knee and says “Ashley, will you marry me?”
She says “yes.”
And cue the music…”I can’t fight this feelin’ anymore…” I told you!
And JP gets the last rose. 

At the end, my favorite part:
Ashley asks something along the lines of “can you believe we’re here?” and JP responds, “When you walked in the first rose ceremony and said ‘my husband is in this room,’ I was like ‘what the f&$@ is she talking about?'” hahah!
Ashley exclaims “It’s you!”

After the Final Rose
Ben says that after he was rejected he had to fly home fromFijistraight to his best friend’s wedding. Ooh…ouch. 

Ashley comes out and Chris asks Ben what he’d like to say. Ben’s response: “Nice ring.” Bahaha!  Man, this guy’s a hoot.  It’s the usual boring stuff…”thanks for helping me get to where I am now” and Ashley saying “he’s such a great guy, I’m always going to respect him.”

Ashley flashes that ring as Chris proclaims that she and JP are still engaged. JP comes out and not to disappoint her declaration that he’s a really great kisser, lays some big smooches on her. Chris asks the “why do you love each other?” questions, “how hard has this been?” …blah blah blah.

Ashley’s sister comes up on stage and apologizes for being so overprotective, exclaiming she’s on Team Cupcake (JP’s nickname) now and she can’t wait to introduce him to her kids and celebrate Thanksgivings and Christmases together. Ashley says “well, uh, Hanukkah.” ha, oh, right, yeah.

Where they’re at now: Ashley is finishing school, and then she’s moving toNew Yorkand they’re getting their own place. And as if that huge ring wasn’t enough, the show is sending them back toFiji. 

Well, I confess I’m glad it’s over. What did you think?  Are you going to watch The Bachelor Pad?  

Looking forward (with hope for a better Bachelor/Bachelorette) to next season. Until then – cheers!

The Bachelorette season 7, The Men Tell All

Posted in The Bachelor/Bachelorette Recaps by

The moments we didn’t get to see

  • JP in pajama date: JP breaks the entertainment center, they can’t get the DVD player to work and they fall asleep. Too much fun.
  • Ames ballroom dancing with a jabbawockee.
  • Mickey’s man junk in the goddess harness retrieving wine at a restaurant.
  • Constantine’s love lantern gets peed on by a stray dog.
  • Ames and Ashley [not] eating larvae and crickets.
  • Ben and Ashley banging bamboo sticks to try to get to the rice in the center.
  • Ashley’s toe cramp during Tai Chi with Ryan.

Theres a segment like 10 minutes long for The Bachelor Pad and guess who’s coupled up?

  • Ames and Jackie, the Glee/Wicked singer
  • Blake is hooking up all over the house
  • Graham (i forget what season but he was super hot) and crazy Michelle Money
  • “I’ll guard and protect your heart” tattoo Kasey and hot mess Vienna
    Kasey wants to punch Jake in the face and say “that’s for America!” …reminds me of the movie What Happens in Vegas…”you know why!”

Now for what we learned from the men:

  • What is the drunk guy Tim even doing here? He admits he doesn’t know why he’s there, saying he’s been a fan of the show and doesn’t even know the guys. He can’t remember them carrying him to his minivan ride home.
  • Ben C. is still harboring a grudge against William for getting ratted out and sent home because he supposedly had been looking at dating sites.
  • The guys proclaim Ryan to be like a puppy or camp counselor because he was so excited all the time.
  • William regrets the roast. Duh.
  • Ryan says he bought books like “Questions to ask before you get engaged” to prepare for the show. This man meant business.
  • Ames gives the “I loved her, I got my heart broken, and now I’m better for it” speech. Also Chris gives him the pink boxing gloves.
  • Bentley declined to be on the show. Shocker.
  • I was surprised Mickey didn’t speak up on the whole Bentley issue, having been so upset by his coming back to voluntarily leave the show. Plus, he is ridiculously good looking so I was hoping he’d get more camera time.
  • Wasting time [on Bentley] is Ashley’s biggest regret.
  • Tim introduces himself, which is maybe the only glimpse of humor.

Ali, Deanna and Jason come out to cling on to their pseudo celebrity status and shell out their advice that no one asked for.

The bloopers at the end are without a doubt the best part of the season.

Ashley says she is very, very happy with how it ends but it sounds iffy. Tomorrow we’ll find out if anyone proposes and then see where they’re at today on After the Final Rose… so stay tuned! Then in a week, catch all the hookups and drama on The Bachelor Pad. Oh joy.

Poll: Who is Bachelorette Ashley’s final pick?

Posted in The Bachelor/Bachelorette Recaps by

Do you think there will be a proposal?  Let us know how you think it’s all going to end on next week’s episode!  Don’t forget to watch The Men Tell All this Sunday.