"I wanna do bad things with you."

Sorry about the radio silence, things have been pretty insane in my life lately. But I have returned! And am excited to finally have an opportunity to admit my LOVE of TV credits!

Day 18 - Favorite title sequence

I always watch title sequences for shows, never fast forward through them. There's lots that I love and which I think fit the show, such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Gilmore Girls, Parenthood, Arrested Development and Modern Family. And those are just examples off the top of my head! I feel that for a title sequence to work it must have an appropriate-to-the-show song/music choice and appropriate-to-the-show imagery that come together perfect. So I feel that Everwood's title sequence always come across as too schmultzy because of the clips from the show turning into drawings combined with the cheesy music doesn't give a sense of how well the show explored complicated issues and relationship. Of course, the issue with title sequences can be simple and be something like Life Unexpected which just has a song that totally doesn't work, too indie/spoken wordy from the '90s feel, not melodic enough. I don't mind things like the creepy music and the image of the word "Lost" for Lost, that worked for the show; although I still prefer a meaty title sequence. So my choice is...

True Blood



I possibly love the title sequence for this show so much that it's kept me watching the show. Okay, I admit it, the title sequence is my favourite part of the show! The song choice, "Bad Things"," is perfect, and the images are perfect (a fantastic mix of Southern stereotypes, contradictions, quirks and with just the right amount of violent/blood imagery). Together the song and images combine to create the atmosphere of the show and communicate exactly what the show is about. Sometimes I think that the credits get the mood better than the episodes do!

Tomorrow I'll talk about who I think are the: Best TV show cast

"I can't eat. I can never eat when I'm in the depths of despair."

It's been a long day for me so I'm going to make this short:

Day 17 - Favorite mini series

I'm going to pretend this is like the Emmys and that TV Movie & Miniseries are one category, and thus my selection is:

Anne of Green Gables: The Movie



Practically perfect adaptation of my favourite book. It delighted me when it first aired on CBC in 1985 and it still delights me today. I'm part of the generation of kids who grew up picturing Megan Follows as Anne Shirley and Jonathan Crombie as Gilbert Blythe. In fact, I'd say all the actors are perfect in their roles and beautifully bring the characters from the page to the screen. I couldn't love it more, and I know I'm not alone in my love for the movie (and the books)!

Tomorrow I'll talk about my: Favorite title sequence

"I hope you enjoyed our 'salt in the wounds' slow motion."

Today's category may be tricky for me:

Day 16 - Your guilty pleasure show

I'm not sure if I have any shows I feel guilty about watching. Like the Vampire Diaries could have been it but it's too good I just can't feel guilty about it! Aha, I have just figured out what my choice is:

Dancing with the Stars



I feel this image nicely illustrates the cracktastic nature of the show: the two finalists descend onto the stage in a giant mirror ball! I normally don't feel guilty about watching DWS because it's fun entertainment but this season was a different story. There's always a certain cringe factor of some "celebrities" who are deluded about their dancing ability but Kate Gosselin took it to a whole new level of cringe.

Seriously, this "dance" she did to Paparazzi was one of the worst things I've ever seen. It was basically walking, and this Jimmy Fallon version of the dance has better dancing than she did. To watch one of the shows that had Gosselin in it, my partner and I tried drinking wine to see if it helped. It didn't.

However things started to look up when Kate Gosselin was eliminated and we were left with the better dancers. DWS became it's usual self again with crazy sequined costumes, occasionally awesome dances and funny quips from Tom Bergeron. Also, I liked all the finalists and felt they deserved to be in the finals so that was nice. Not a show with deep meanings but when everything comes together it's fun with great dancing.

Tomorrow I have to decide on my: Favorite mini series

Oh no - not being attacked by a band of swans. Was it an all-boy band? Kind of a scary, feathery *NSYNC kind of fiasco?

This may be one of my toughest choices yet!

Day 15 - Favorite female character

I am drawn to shows with strong female characters and there are so many who I could talk at length about. Just four that immediately pop into my head are: Amber Tamblyn's Joan of Arcadia, Connie Britton's Tami Taylor on Friday Night Lights, Tina Fey's Liz Lemon on 30 Rock, Sarah Michelle Gellar's Buffy the Vampire Slayer. However, I made the hard decision and selected:

Lorelai Gilmore

Brilliantly played by Lauren Graham, Lorelai is quirky, funny, smart, big-hearted, and, yes, flawed. I'm not sure if I'd want her as my mom (good thing she has the amazing Rory for her daughter) but I definitely want her for a friend: we could hang out, watch TV, eat lots of food and have crazy fun conversations. There's an episode where Luke is confused about why she's saved all these old videotapes with TV shows on them and I had this moment where I realized that she and I are kindred spirits (my partner has asked me exactly the same question about my video collection). Other than the fact that Lorelai (with help from Graham) is stunningly gorgeous (and also super skinny), she feels like such a real relateable character. In real life most of us do drink caffeine, talk a lot and watch TV! haha, or I do anyway!

I feel I should clarify my comment about not wanting Lorelai to be my mom. The thing is that on the show she's an awesome mom and she raised an amazing daughter. She's definitely unconventional and there's times when it's clear that Rory is the more mature one. But what makes her awesome is how much she loves Rory and how Rory is the #1 person in her life.



Sure their relationship may feel a bit like glamourized single motherhood but it is ultimately a wonderful relationship to watch, which, like Lorelai, isn't perfect.

Also, the difficult relationship Lorelai has with her parents is so well played out and shows an entirely different side of Lorelai, and we understand why she's the kind of mom that she is. The show is just so good at relationships. Oh! And I can't forget the fact that she worked her way up from being a high school dropout to getting her degree in business at college and running her own Inn.

Unique, strong, loving and so damn funny. Just a few of the reasons why I love Lorelai Gilmore.

Tomorrow I'm talking about: Your guilty pleasure show

Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose

Oops, I didn't *quite* meet my daily posting promise but I swear it was for good reasons! Yesterday was the going away party for a friend and tonight I was late because of visiting an injured friend.

But I am back and ready for more TV talk!

Day 14 - Favorite male character

If this was a few years ago my answer, without a doubt, would have been Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Spike (played by James Marsters). He started out as a two-dimension villain and went on this incredible journey and transformation throughout the course of the show - plus he's fun and sexy! But how could I forgot Michael Emerson's brilliantly portrayed Ben, on Lost? Mostly a villain but Ben is always fun to watch and an intriguing character. I think if the wonderful Friday Night Lights hadn't come along it would have been one of those two but now my choice is.....

Coach Erin Taylor



Kyle Chandler's Eric Taylor, or Coach Taylor as he's most often called and how I think of him, is one of those wonderfully understated strong characters. When I have a hard time remembering that he's a fictional character I don't worry about my sanity but rather consider that high praise for the show and Chandler's acting. Coach Taylor is such an amazing guy who works hard, loves the kids he coaches and goes above and beyond for them (he's a coach for them in all parts of their lives), and who always tries to do the right thing.



We also see Coach Taylor not just as a football coach but as a loving (and not always perfect) father and husband. Actually I think the not perfect part is what makes him such a great character. Yes, Coach Taylor is always trying to do the right thing, but sometimes he makes the wrong decision. Because we all make mistakes! The absolutely brilliant Connie Britton shines as Tami Taylor, and I suspect she's one of the reasons I love Coach Taylor so much: Tami loves him and knows he's a good man, so I see it too!

Coach Taylor makes me wish I played football even though I hate to run and have a bad knee just because I'd love for him to coach me. Or maybe just be my dad. I don't know, but I do know that he's a fantastic character, and along with Tami the heart of Friday Night Lights.

Not surprisingly, tomorrow I talk about my: Favorite female character

"[You tear] up more than Michael Landon in a sweeps weeks episode of Little House on the Prairie."

For once a category where I have an easy decision! I was more a reader as a child, and I watched minimal television until I was 10 or 11 and discovered my television love.

Day 13 - Favorite childhood show

I know that I watched the great Canadian children's shows Mr. Dressup and The Friendly Giant but don't remember much about them. So my selection is oddly appropriate considering the reference on tonight's Glee's finale (quoted above) .....

Little House on the Prairie

I'll be honest, I don't remember much about the actual show. I was a much bigger fan of the books, which I've read multiple times, so they are the Little House on the Prairie in my mind. I fell in love with Laura Ingalls Wilder and her pa in the books so it was hard not to love them in the show.

You may be asking why I picked a show that I don't remember very well and when I clearly preferred the books better.

For one reason: my grandpa.

Whenever I'd visit my grandparents, my grandpa and I would watch the show together. The act of watching the show with my grandpa and seeing the girls running (and falling) down the hill in the credits is such a fond and clear memory of mine (here's the link for the credits). I am lucky to have lots of great memories of my time with my grandpa, and this is one of them. For people who think that TV is anti-social, I feel this counters that. I learned at an early age how great it is to share enjoyment with someone special.

And, yes, I did see the Little House musical with Melissa Gilbert (Laura on the show) as Ma. Interestingly it was more faithful to the books than the show, which pleased me. Although sadly not a great musical.

Tomorrow I switch gears and talk about: Favorite male character

Hat. You thought of authentic Native American head-dress, before hat.

Day 12 - An episode you've watched more than 5 times

I can imagine that this might be a tricky selection for some people, but I'm someone who LOVES to reread and rewatch things. If something is good I always find myself getting something new out of it on repeated viewings/readings! I have seen the majority of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes at *least* five times. Same for all of Firefly and some Angel episodes. I also think that thanks to reruns there's definitely episodes of The Simpsons and Friends that meet this too. But I want to pick something that really stands out!

First my honourable mentions:

- The "Self-Esteem" ep of My So-Called Life. Aka Angela (Claire Danes) and Jordan Catalano (Jared Leto) make out in the boiler room for most of the episode. Enough said.

- "Jump" from season 1 of Joan of Arcadia. This became the episode which I would show people to convince them that this is an amazing show. Everything is perfectly balanced in this ep: humour, sadness, real life issues that aren't resolved easily, the questioning of God and spirituality, and most of all hope and love.

- "Modern Warfare" from Community. Definitely the best episode from this season with its perfect homage to every action and survivalist movie.

And my official selection is.....

"Something Borrowed" (season 2, episode 21) of How I Met Your Mother


So why did I pick the wedding episode of a sitcom, you may be asking. Here's the thing: if there's one cliche that's been cliched-to-death on TV it's wedding episodes. There's always a 50-50 chance of either heartbreak or happy ending. For some reason, there's frequently someone who speaks up at the "speak now or forever hold your peace" part of the ceremony and always someone rushing to get there at the last minute. OR it's just hopelessly smultzy.

What How I Met Your Mother did was make a genuinely heartfelt wedding episode that's also hysterical. First of all, there was no doubt whether believably in-love Lily and Marshall would get married - of course they would! They're one of those few TV couples that are long-term and clearly functional and awesome together. Secondly, they went with the "every possible bad thing that could happen does" cliche and had fun with it. Lily is determined *not* to be the bride who freaks out because everything isn't perfect so even though disaster after disaster occurs she tries to keep it cool. Marshall gets the worst hairstyle ever (horrible blond tips) and proceeds to make it worse by shaving a strip off the top of his head. What follows is hysterical as Ted and Barney scramble to come up with something to cover Marshall's hair (they ponder a bad toupee and Native American head-dress but forget about hat!).



I recall watching another TV show's wedding episode and it just left such a bad taste in my mouth, that my partner and I were like "we need to watch the HIMYM wedding episode, that was a good one" and it still is! A romantic and funny wedding episode is not an easy thing to pull off and How I Met Your Mother did it!

Tomorrow's topic is: Favorite childhood show

Veronica Mars is smarter than me

In the first few seasons of Veronica Mars I would have agreed with that quote but in the 3rd (and final) season not so much. Which brings us to today's TV topic:

Day 11 - A show that disappointed you

Yep, Veronica Mars is my choice for disappointing show. Sure I could have picked something like Battlestar Galactica which had an immensely disappointing resolution to its brilliantly written show and fascinating mythology. But, to be honest, I'm still too bitter about how it ended to write clearly, whereas I remain disappointed in Veronica Mars.



When Veronica Mars emerged on the scene I was very excited! Here was a show with a strong female protagonist, who without superpowers could consistently save the day. As well as being a beautifully shot, noir style show especially in its practically perfect first season, it had genuinely intriguing and surprising mysteries and an excellent cast. Veronica (Kristen Bell), her dad (Enrico Colantoni), Wallace (Percy Daggs III) and Logan Echolls (Jason Dohring) were particular standouts. An intelligent show with an intelligent heroine - I was hooked!

While the second season wasn't as brilliant as the first, I still enjoyed it. However, it wasn't until the third season when the wheels came off, spun out of control and destroyed the show. There are a number of things that frustrated me:

- the general decline in quality and intelligence of storylines and writing
- the minimal amount of screen time for characters like Wallace and Mac
- how boring much of the Logan/Veronica tension became (and I like them as a pairing)
- how in general things didn’t seem to come together

BUT the worst for me was the whole rape storyline. I didn't object to them having Veronica investigate a serial rapist, it’s how the story played out. First of all they had women ("feminists") fake as least one rape! Which contributed to the already crappy portrayal of feminists on the show that season. In previous seasons it could have been argued that Veronica was a feminist (who just never identified as one) but in the third season she was actively opposed to the so-called feminists on the show.



I also don't think it’s okay for a network TV show, that’s being directed towards young people be suggesting that there’s women who lie about being raped. In a time when women still have difficulty being believed when they say they were raped, it’s not okay to be having female characters lie about it.

Having Veronica say to the "feminists" on the show that what they’re doing “doesn’t help the cause,” doesn’t make the storyline better. Because, by that point, Veronica Mars wasn't helping the cause.

I continue to be disappointed in the show and refuse to own the third season on DVD, although I do own the first two.

Tomorrow I will be talking about: An episode you've watched more than 5 times

What's not to like? Custard, good. Jam, good. Meat, good!

So today's topic is:

Day 10 - A show you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving

I haven't really had that in a long time because I tend to read a lot about TV and have a good idea of what a show is like before watching it. I've given shows a chance that I didn't love immediately, such as The Big Bang Theory, Community and the Vampire Diaries but I started watching them with the sense I would like them.

Probably what most qualifies is a show that I refused to watch back when I was a pretentious snobby high schooler:

Friends

I ended up getting into the show thanks to reruns and did watch the last few seasons as they aired, but I was totally disinterested initially. A show about a bunch of white, seemingly well-off New Yorkers seemed totally obnoxious to me. What I didn't expect was to find the show genuinely funny and be impressed at the character development over the seasons. In particular, Jennifer Anniston's Rachel had a fantastic and believable transformation from materialistic spoiled rich girl to capable career woman and single mom.



Friends is the show I can turn on whenever I need a laugh. It's like comfort TV for me: I know it'll cheer me up as I relax into a funny, silly world where I actually care about the characters (except for possibly Ross in the later seasons who I feel they made very unlikeable). I'm a huge fan of the Monica and Chandler romance and think it was a smart decision and I enjoyed it more than the "we were on a break" arguing of Ross and Rachel.

One of my favourite episodes is the Thanksgiving one where Rachel makes Trifle with beef in it!! It always cracks me up. Check out some of the funny from that ep.

Oooh, I know what I'll be talking about tomorrow: A show that disappointed you

Don't Tell Me What I Can't Do!

Oh my goodness, today's topic is such a hard one, I've been mulling over it all day:

Day 09 - Best scene ever

I could probably answer all of these types of questions with answers from Buffy the Vampire Slayer but that seems silly considering the ridiculous amount of TV that I watch. And just because I didn't want to include Buffy, it didn't stop me from pondering this scene:

- The season two finale of BtVS where Angel regains his soul but the world's still going to end so Buffy has enough time to kiss him and tell him to close his eyes before sending him to hell.



I also pondered these scenes:

- Rory graduates from high school on Gilmore Girls (season 3 finale). I'm pretty sure I was as proud as Lorelai, Luke, Sookie and the grandparents!

- That screaming match in the pilot of Everwood where Ephram screams at his dad that he hates him and his dad (Andy Brown) screams it right back.

However, I decided to go with one of those scenes that totally shocks you and causes you to reassess everything you knew and wonder exactly what this show is all about. Also, the scene is brilliantly acted and it is....

The final sequence of "Walkabout" (4th episode in season 1 of Lost) in which we learn that John Locke had been unable to walk before the crash.



Click the link here to watch the scene.

A brilliant revelation in one of the best episodes of Lost ever which established we were going on a wacky ride with this show! However, the scene is grounded in the always phenomenal acting by Terry O'Quinn who has viewers feeling anger and despair along with him as he shouts "Don't Tell Me What I Can't Do!" And then when we revisit him moving his foot and standing after the crash, we experience that joy and wonder with him. A scene that had me hooked on the show and on Terry O'Quinn's brilliantly portrayed John Locke!

So tomorrow I will talk about: A show you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving

That's for me to know and for you to dot, dot, dot.

So today's topic is, I think, probably not possible to accurately answer:

Day 08 - A show everyone should watch

People have very different tastes, so telling my brother he should watch Gilmore Girls? That's not gonna happen, plus I know he doesn't like it despite how awesome I know the show is. Same as trying to convince my mom that Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a brilliant show which she must watch. No matter how much she believes me, she isn't going to watch it and if she did, she likely wouldn't enjoy.

I pondered trying to think of a show that would appeal to the most demographics and I can think of something like Modern Family, which is funny, smart and a genuinely modern comedy. However, I have friends who don't like comedies and find them too cringe-worthy, so that still wouldn't cover it. So instead, I'm going to select a show that's given me a lot of pleasure this season and I think would appeal to most of my fellow TV-lovers around online:

The Vampire Diaries



I just have so much fun watching The Vampire Diaries. When I watched the pilot I wasn't sure, it didn't have that sparkle that BtVS had or the fun dialogue of Kevin Williamson's other teen drama, Dawson's Creek. However, this is one of those times when I'm glad that I stuck with a show because it just got better and better. First of all, I don't think the show would be nearly as fun without Ian Somerhalder's delightfully bad vampire, Damon. He's so charming and fun that I have to keep reminding myself that we've seen him kill people and do crappy things on the show. But it's not just Damon that makes the show. Nina Dobrev, in particular impresses me with her strong and confident Elena Gilbert. Also I think the pace of stories is perfect. Whenever I've become bored of a particular storyline (Vickie as a drug addict, Elena and Stefan's sexual tension, whiny Jeremy), the writers seem to sense that and have a resolution and move onto to new plot developments, new characters and/or new stories.



What also really adds to the show is the history of the town and the dynamic between Damon and Stefan over the years and their dynamic with Katherine (also played wonderfully by Dobrev). The developing relationship between Elena and Damon and the established relationship of Elena and Stefan is really great TV! The show is fun, sexy, well-paced, funny and just a blast to watch.

Oh man, tomorrow's topic is going to be HARD: Best scene ever

This will give them some time to ponder the geo-political ramifications of BEING MEAN TO ME!

If you're a die-hard fan of your favourite show, like me, this is a tricky topic to write about!

Day 07 - Least favorite episode of your favorite TV show

Even if a Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode isn't as fantastic as something like "Once More with Feeling", "The Body" or "Hush", there's still normally redeeming moments and things I enjoy. Even in the episode I picked there are a few things I like but I feel this is one of the few BtVS that really really doesn't work: "Beer Bad"

Really? An episode that demonstrates that when college kids drink they regress to cavemen? Really?! This has to be the most unsubtle "metaphor" that BtVS ever tried to pull off. Thanks for the anvil of a metaphor! And did we really need all those extended scenes of these guys being cavemen? Really?! Really?!



Sure I enjoyed the Xander parts and Cave!Buffy was kind of adorable, but was this really the best they could do with the concept?


For a show that so poignantly illustrated how first love can go horribly wrong and the man you love can become a monster, this has all the subtly and deftness of an episode of Charmed. At least they didn't dress Buffy up in a skimpy cavewoman outfit, but really is that how low my expectations are about this episode?! Also, the whole fake-out conversation with Willow and Parker just annoys the hell out of me. hahaha, apparently talking about this episode brings out my crankiness!

So, okay, that wasn't very hard to write about after all!

Upcoming tomorrow: A show everyone should watch

"Dawn's in trouble. Must be Tuesday."

After talking about what I don't like yesterday, it's great to be back to talking about what I do like!

Day 06 - Favorite episode of your favorite TV show

The episode I'm picking is the classic Buffy the Vampire Slayer musical episode "Once More, with Feeling," which should come as no shock to any Buffy fans!



I think that "the Body" is the best episode of BtVS but it's so sad and I inevitably cry which means I rarely rewatch it despite its brilliance, so it ultimately isn't the one I picked. The musical episode succeeds at being an excellent musical in its own right and also a seamless part of the sixth season. I like that all the actors sing their parts because even though they don't have the best voices (with a few exceptions of the really excellent singers), it meant that we got the characters' emotions. There's great songs, fun dancing, that awesome quippy Joss Whedon humour and just general brilliance. One of those episodes I can endlessly rewatch!



And tomorrow I'll talk about the: Least favorite episode of my favorite TV show