Battlestar Galactica (7): Why I Haven’t Said Anything Yet.

I did watch last week’s episode. In fact I was so looking forward to it, I convinced myself that I lived in the Central Time Zone, so I was all prepped at 9PM to be showered with newness.

But I am hesitant to venture any opinions at the moment. I need to see how this plays out. My gut reaction is that the choice of Ellen as the last Cylon is weak and unsatisfying. I don’t know how this thing with Kara is going to be resolved. And is it ever going to come to light that Cally was murdered? A long time ago my sister and I were talking about BSG and I half jokingly suggested that no one is really human, that everyone is a Cylon. I am going to be mightily upset if I turn out to be right.

Okay, so that is my jumble of thoughts/reactions that even after a week have not really managed to calm down. Given that, something happened that should be noted.

Obviously, I am talking about Dee’s suicide. I really didn’t see it coming. I thought that I was about to be tortured for episodes on end with a rehashing of the abysmal relationship between her and Lee. I was groaning when she kissed him and dreamily rummaged in her locker. And then she shot herself. Really shot herself, not like Boomer’s half-assed “cry for help.” I have been advocating Dee’s exit for a long time (she got Billy killed, and I have never managed to forgive that), but I am impressed that her death was handled in that way. Contrasting her to the Agathons, who hoped for Earth, but do not need it to have a fulfilling life was a really interesting way to indicate her state of mind and her situation. That she approached her own death with the same precision and determination that she approached her duties with lent a kind of dignity to her final moments.

Not that I am all for suicide or anything, and the extended consequences of such an act were addressed. For the first time, when she needed help Kara turned to Lee (I mean she turned to anyone and that is a huge deal in and of itself), but because of Dee’s choice he couldn’t be there to help Kara. She did the right thing and put what she needed aside for the moment (anyone wonder why I love this girl so much?), but it would be a mistake to say that whatever is the deal with Kara it can just be brushed to the side indefinitely.

I wonder what tonight has in store?

The TV Girl

Friday Night Lights (9): I Never Thought I Would Miss Texas…

But that big sunny sky looked awfully inviting considering that it is below freezing in the greater DC area.

Actually, everything looked inviting about Dillon, because it has been so long. I know that there are ways to find and download the episodes of S3 that have already aired on DirecTV, but I am a purist, I waited until NBC decided to give me back my Panthers.

And I like so many, have to ask who the Panthers are without Smash. For him to have fought so hard for his college scholarship, and then to have his mother’s worst fears come true is just heartbreaking. Not to the same degree as Jason, and I am immensely proud of the show that Smash’s decision to continue working with Coach Taylor, and to try to regain his dreams, didn’t arise from a conversation/inspirational speech from Jason. Don’t get me wrong, I adore Jason, and I cheer for every one of his inspirational speeches. It just would have been so cheep for him to say something to Smash like “well, at least you can walk” and for Smash to cry and decide he would play football again. The show is like Coach Taylor: there is no easy way out, you have to work for it.

It seems that hard work is in everyone’s future. While Billy’s proposal to Mindy might be one of the funniest things I have ever seen on TV, Tyra’s terror was anything but. I am going to go a bit in the face of general opinion and say that I think Tami’s devotion to Tyra is a bit disproportionate considering just how much guidance Julie needs. Her own daughter manipulates and disobeys, and Tami says that it is partially her fault because she is overextended, but then she just takes on more responsibility. I find it strange and a bit off-putting.

Guess what I found not off-putting? TIM AND LYLA! I have no desire for Tim Riggins to be any less badass than he is, and I don’t think that is really possible, I think part of what makes him so endearing is just how much he loves Lyla. Therefore, them together as a real couple is, in my opinion, the start of something that could be fantastic. I want to remember for all time Buddy’s face when he saw them kissing. I wonder what it would look like if he knew that there had been some sleepovers at his apartment?

Before I do what I am afraid the good people of Dillon are about to do, let me beg and plead that the precious Matt Saracen not be forgotten. Dallas McDouchee can shove it as far as I am concerned: Matt was not a placeholder between Jason and the arrival of his son. Coach Taylor is obviously one of the best men ever, and saw right through that creep, but I just have this sinking feeling in my heart that things are not going to go well for Matt, who just deserves good things in life. I’m worried.

But so happy that it is football season again.

The TV Girl

The Office (7): Does Anyone Else Think David Wallace Must Be an Idiot?

I know that such questions are not on the mind of others, since Michael’s trip to corporate was barely a subplot of “The Duel,” but I revel in useless questions, and it seems to me that someone has to ask. How is the man who both promoted Ryan and wants management tips from Michael, is the CFO of a company? I may never know. Or I could just chock it up to the standard joke about corporate America that no matter how dumb you are you can rise to the top.

This is all incidental, because ANDY TRIED TO RUN DWIGHT OVER WITH HIS CAR AT 5 MPH! I can’t believe that I live in a world where I really do feel bad for Andy and how he has been so badly treated by Angela. Andy, guy who went fishing for Jim, has my full support in trying to break Dwight’s legs. I’m with Oscar: he needs the win.

But since they both decide to move on from Angela, I guess they both win. And Kevin got to win by making fun of her. Granted, she is probably going to make everyone even more miserable now that she will have neither frequent sex nor someone to boss around, but in a way it is like the celebration in Munchkin-land for all of Dunder Mifflin. For now, the wicked witch is dead.

Jim was so adorable as he tried to keep the peace; not convincing Michael to keep his mouth shut, collecting all Dwight’s weapons stashed around the office, running out to make sure Dwight was okay. And Pam was out of the way. I am a big fan of her keeping her mouth shut until she decides not to be a shrew.

The TV Girl

Supernatural (6): I Am Going To Have Nightmares

When Dexter is not the creepiest thing you watch in a day, you know you have problems.
I know that certain outlets are upset that the first new episode we have had in almost two months does not directly relate to the season’s story-arch, but such is the way every season. I have no problem with the tradition, it is a nice way to ease the lovely viewing populace back into the grizzly and emotional tortured world of Sam and Dean.

That said, there was nothing nice about tonight’s episode. I do not deal well when the “thing” that they need to fight is actually human, and luckily up until this point I only had to face such a situation one other time. (For the record I have never ever rewatched the Texas Chainsaw-esque episode from S1.) I know that I should be appreciative that as a show they recognize the strictly human, but as evidenced tonight, it ends up being just amazingly disturbing.

Come on, secret incest twins locked in the basement escaping and going on a killing rampage! Could they have thought of something more icky? (I shouldn’t tempt fate.)

As a way of exploring Dean’s guilt, I found it somewhat ineffectual. I am always willing to pour my little heart out to Dean, to all that he has experienced, but there is no real way to connect with what he is going through. The more he talks to Sam about it, the more we can understand his current situation, but what he did in Hell is just a bit too out-of-body to allow for empathy.

I suppose that “a bit too out-of-body” could stand as a general comment on this season so far. I actually love the basic principles: I applaud them for trying to examine good, I think Biblical-type angels are awesome (and it doesn’t hurt that Castiel is way hot), and the underlying Cain-and-Able scenario developing is an organic possibility. (Please don’t misinterpret that. Sam and Dean’s devotion to each other is of course the core of the show, and it is incredible to watch, but there has always been a division between them. It is only now that Sam’s curse is being contrasted with Dean’s blessing.) Unfortunately for all of us, there is no continuity to the source material for the episodes. In “Houses of the Holy” Sam claims that there is 10x more lore on angels than on demons, but as far as I can tell, none of the writers are reading any of that at this point. City of Angels and Stardust are not appropriate sources to draw plots from! I am not asking anyone to espouse my particular religion, I just want them to pick something and stick with it.

I am not even trying to imply that I am giving up on Supernatural. I know that this can get straightened out. I have seen shows come back from a lot worse than a lack of foresight.

P.S. Kudos to the makeup department: those sibs looked beyond torn up and scared the living daylights out me.

The TV Girl

My Least Favorite Time of Year!

Seriously, I hate when American Idol starts. And every second that it continues.

It makes me want to choke myself.