OK, Nat, the Amazing Race?

I apologize if I offended any other haters of Sci-Fi, like my dear Natalie. Yes, this blog should be about fluffy, rich kid shows. I just felt the need to branch out:)

Sunday night was the premiere of probably one of my FAVORITE shows hands down;
the Amazing Race. I've watched every season of this show (and if you're looking for a great show to randomly record, they replay all the old seasons on the Game Show network) I haven't traveled a great deal, but in my mind I would like to think that I would and could do more travelling.

I got really into this show back when Natalie and I were living in Stoneham, and we used to keep our own version of a blog of the race, of how we would have approached each task, etc. This began our obsession with actually going on the race. We joked about how we would always be hungry, and wanting to stop and eat and that we would want to sing songs from "Wicked" through the Sahara Desert. We figured the producers would probably tell us we couldn't, because they wouldn't be able to get the rights to the songs. We discovered places that looked so beautiful and we wouldn't definitely want to go to. And conversely we found places we had no interest in EVER going to (sorry India and Vietnam). In fact, we always love to watch as teams combust by the time they are packed like cattle into a train car deep somewhere in rural India. Heh, heh, heh.....

Lately my friend JoEllen at school and I are talking about teaming up. We figure we could do it as long as they filmed in the summer, and our principal would love it. JoEllen says she will do all the weird eating, as long as I handle all the height stuff. (Easier said than done, but I would try:) The new crop of Racers don't seem too spectacular. The Bee Keepers are classic:) I always love the couple in crisis- this time we have an ex-NFL player and his wife from Florida. Why do people think this physically and emotionally taxing race is the place to see if they are meant to be? It makes better tv for us when they start yelling at each other.....There's the newly dating couple, another great idea. (This guys seems especially needy in that he was whining in the preview that his teammate was spending too much time talking to other teams, when she should be spending time with him. Maybe she figured out quickly that you were annoying, dude.) Some geeks, frat boys, token Southern blondes, and others. No standouts for me yet. I will report back next week.

Your homework is to learn how to say "Go faster" in the following languages:
Portugese, Spanish, Swahili, Hindi, Chinese,

And if in doubt, it seems to be okay if you just say "Muy Rapido" to anyone around the world:)

Heroes vs. The 4400

I've had some requests, specifically to talk about Heroes some more. (So Erica, if you're out there and reaidng this blog, I expect some posted comments from you.) This season more than ever, I've been seeing a lot of parallels between Heroes and one of my now dead favorites, the 4400. When I ever saw Mohinder inject himself with the essence of Maya, all I could think of was when they began selling shots of promicin ( the stuff that the 4400's produced in their bloodstreams.) Let me back up....The 4400 was a little show on USA that premiered in the summer of 2004. It was essentially about a group of people who had previously disappeared (kidnapped) and were returned to earth. We think initially by aliens, but we find out later that they were taken by people from the future, given abilities, and sent back into earth's timeline to change things for the better. They could do all sorts of things; heal people, precognition, telekinesis, and some other crazy ones.

From the beginning, I thought Heroes was a lot like this show. The parallels keep growing. The 4400 was only on for 4 seasons; and since they are cable seasons they were short. (The first season was a mini series of like 5 episodes, then three more seasons of 13 episodes or so.) In the third and fourth seasons, normal people were clammering to be "special" like the 4400s and began taking shots of promicin to gain their own abilities. This seems to have been implied to us by Future Peter (the very appealing Milo Ventimiglia) that people are taking shots of Hero blood to be like them.

Speaking of Peter, after finally watching all of the first two episodes- The Second Coming and The Butterfly Effect, I had a big question. Most of you know or have actually seen me multitask while watching tv, i.e. I don't pay as close attention as I should. I was totally perplexed near the end of the episode when Future Peter was talking about "dropping" regular Peter into the body of Jesse (the lovely Francis Capra). Was I supposed to know that? Did that happend on screen? There better be a lot more to Francis Capra's guest starring role than just seeing his reflection when Peter sees his reflection! How many of you were wishing that Elle would have paused in front of his cell on Level 5 and do a double take? I was- Just throw the Veronica Mars fans a bone, Tim Kring!

The Remains of the Day

I'm back in the swing of things at school, and that is limiting the amount of shows that I can keep up with. (doesn't working suck) I've had to start making some decisions this week. I've had to face the reality of shows that just don't fit in my schedule anymore, or ones that I'm just not interested in anymore.

Shows I'm letting go of:
1. Desperate Housewives- this is one of those shows that I'm telling myself I can watch every once and awhile, but I'm not going to kill myself to tune in every Sunday.
2. Ugly Betty- this Thursday night conflict was becoming too much, and I'd rather stick with NBC. And, Henry my tv crush is not coming back this season, so I'm out.
3.ANTM-I'm really bored with this show, anyone else?

Shows I'm on the fence about:
1. HIMYM- I really want to stick with How I Met Your Mother, but the conflict with Gossip Girl and Dancing with the Stars will put me over the edge. I need a dual tuner TiVo, so keep that in mind for me for Christmas:)
2. Big Bang Theory- also hysterical, but again Monday night conflict
3. Dirty Sexy Money- Another one that I enjoyed, but I don't think my life would be over it if I missed it

Shows I might try and add back in:
1. ER- it's the last season (yes, Monica it's the truth) and this is a show that I love and whose reruns I watch constantly on TNT
2. My Name is Earl- another funny, funny one that I lost touch with last year because of Betty

Shows for DVD:
1. House
2. Bones

And I will be honest- I allegedly started this blog to talk about 90210- it might be soon fitting into one of the categories above........(it's kind of painful to watch)

Oh, yeah. I forgot about Heroes.

I'm totally exhausted tonight- all kinds of exhausted. But, Heroes is on. I kind of forgot about
Heroes. It was a show that I was kind of in to, a year and a half ago. Last year was such a let down. If I recall, we only had it till December and then it never came back. Somehow we all managed to fill our time during the Writer's Strike.....

Anyway- I do really like Heroes. If you are a friend of mine on Facebook you will see by my status update that I had forgotten how hard it was to multitask and enjoy the show at the same time (you see I tend to blog, or do other computer related things, or five other things while I'm watching a show- hey, natalie loves to vacuum) The issue of course with Heroes is that two of the key characters converse in Japanese. Can't read the all important subtitles if you are doing other things at the same time.

On to the exciting part- I had TOTALLY forgotten that a favorite actor of many of the people who read this blog is going to be on Heroes this season. They just briefly showed his picture.

Francis Capra!
FRANCIS CAPRA! (Weevil)

The amazing cast of Veronica Mars will be reunited!

Now if they could only get Jason Dohring.....

Skinny Bitches

So, according to "Us Weekly", our new lovely ladies of 90210 are signficantly thinner than their counterparts from our generation. Shenae Grimes is reportedly 90 lbs.!

Also, according to the magazine, the girls, especially on screen sticky sweet Annie, is a chainsmoking mega bitch! Well, duh- she's HUNGRY! Apparently she refers to the show as "her show".

Looks like Nat better cook up some megaburgers, stat!

This week the other networks catch up with the CW and Fox and begin most of their major season premieres. What are people excited for? Heroes? Amazing Race? Office?

I enjoyed some show commentary from fellow bloggers Goddess in Progress and Nancy at the Zimmer Zoo, about their tv committments.

There are so many shows out there they have interesting hooks behind them, and I just don't have time to watch.

Anyone else suffering?

A BOMB is dropped

Highlight to reveal.....

Dylan is the father?!?!

Suprising and yet not Surprising. It doesn't match my earlier prediction but it does at least go along with how the "original" series ended nine years ago, so that makes me happy.

Topics to discuss:

1. Okay- Naomi and her mother do not look like they could be mother and daughter. Naomi looks WAY too old, and her mother looks WAY to young. And, we're supposed to believe that the mother has an older child (son) with the principal guy?

2. Am I supposed to care about Naomi and Silver's "friendship"?

3. I like Stacey's thoughts- when will we see the periphery people- a personal favorite/blast from the past from the original series, remember when Matthew Perry (who I secretly love) played the Tennis star who fooled around with his dad's guns and Brandon was very torn about what to do?
or another favorite, Gabrielle Anwar (lately of "Burn Notice" and "The Tudors") starred as the figure skater who just wanted to be normal.

Sigh......

PS- I never even watched all of "Privileged", but I'm slowly being pulled into "Fringe"

CREEPY- but the first two episdoes have been heavily Boston based, and I love me some
J.J. Abrams

Hmmmmmm......

Thoughts on last night?

I'm not ready to give up. If we think back to those very first episodes, that were horrid.

Things i didn't like last night:

1. Naomi's dad cheating- felt just like Donna's mother, the holier than thou Felice Martin, being caught at the Bel Air Hotel (in the fabulous Color Me Badd episode)

2. Naomi looks way too old- and seriously were are supposed to believe that is her mother

3. Jackie Taylor- times have been rough for her- sad that she has fallen off the wagon again

4. Why would Annie feel the need to run out of the bowling alley to help Naomi- silly and unrealistic

Things I'm still digging:

1. Silver- I really like her character and interaction with Kelly

2. Kelly, of course- now I did have moment last night where I felt like it was a stretch for her character to be involved in this show (outside of her interactions with Silver). But for us I'm sure, we say keep the Kelly stuff coming- and allegedly she was supposed to do 6 episodes, but maybe now she'll be doing 11.

I only watched a little of "Privileged" so I'll get back you on that.

Episode 2.0

Well, everyone tomorrow is our second (or do we consider it our third since the premiere was clearly two episodes) episode.

Is Jackie Taylor back off the wagon? Will we get to see Brenda directing the new musical? Will Annie be just as annoying?

After we enjoy this episode, I encourage everyone to stay on the lovely CW network for the premiere of another new show called, "Priviliged".

Twenty-three-year-old Megan Smith (Joanna Garcia, Reba) has a Yale education, a relentlessly positive attitude and a plan to conquer the world of journalism, despite the fact that she is currently slaving away at a tabloid rag. Megan's plan is thrown off course when, in one whirlwind day, she gets fired, meets cosmetics mogul Laurel Limoges (Anne Archer, Ghost Whisperer) and becomes the live-in tutor for Laurel’s twin teen granddaughters in the heady Palm Beach world of wealth and power. The girls, Rose (Lucy Hale, Bionic Woman) and Sage (Ashley Newbrough, The Best Years), are beautiful, rebellious and less-than-thrilled with their new tutor, but Megan is determined to win them over as she enjoys the perks of her new job - breathtaking private suite, gorgeous convertible and live-in chef Marco (Allan Louis, Stomp the Yard).

If you watch, let us all know what you think!

The Day after....

Ok, so I've heard from some of my girls. And in the words of Life Cereal, "They like it!" (Mark, as the only male I know who's read this blog, I'm interested to hear your thoughts.)

Apparently it was the largest debut for a scripted series on the CW.

I'd like to comment on a few things you guys had to say-

Nat- totally agree, very racy opening- you know how I feel about kids being exposed to this kind of stuff too young. (I heard Jennie Garth commented that this 90210 was too racy for her girls to watch)

I agree with Allison- too much in one episode. It seemed like 2.5 episodes in one. I also agree that we got introduced to A LOT of information in this Jumbo sized episode. And yes, I would not handle it well if I had just moved thousands of miles away and then been dumped- and had my fabulous "A" paper being ripped off by the "Sweet Sixteen Girl".

Issues of Continuity- now you all know I love continuity, probably why I teach Social Studies, and I have a memory like a steel trap.

I thought it was interesting that it was implied that Silver and Naomi have matching friendship tatoos (doesn't everyone) that they got when? Because if you do the math, Silver's father (Mel) cheated on Silver's mother (Jackie) when she was in 8th grade. How many 8th graders do you know with tatoos? Hopefully none. I'm also slightly bothered by the implication that Mel and Jackie were remarried, and then divorcing AGAIN. (Jackie looked kind of messed up in the preview)

Kelly's son- we see/hear Kelly on the phone with Sammy's father- she says, "He's been asking for you". I guess this father could be several people we know or don't know, but I'm going to be honest I didn't think it would Brandon. (I've learned recently that many of you didn't continue with the show post college years, and I watched up to the very last moment.) Kelly and Brandon were off and on and off and on, and there was cheating, and a called off wedding. He left before the last season, and Kelly ended up with her "soulmate" Dylan. (You all recall the back in time Wild West episode.) Brandon might simply end up as the father because he is more willing to come back to the show and Dylan is not.

So the question is, are we invested in this show even without our old friends? I think the answer is clearly yes. Will this group develop into, a group? I kept thinking how the Walsh twins were the glue who brought the gang together. Will Annie and Dixon be able to do the same?

***How painful was Nat trying to work the espresso machine?

Allison and Natalie- Gossip Girl reairs every Sunday night at 6pm. I wouldn't be surprised if they do this with 9-0 too. It works out well, because I also like to watch "How I met your Mother" and this allows me to see or tape both.

Next week, "Lucky Strike"- Harry and Debbie plan a family bowling night, disrupting Annie and Dixon's Friday night plans; Naomi has a disappointing evening with her father and Dixon finds Silver asleep in his car, prompting Kelly to confront her mother Jackie"

Faboo!

So far....so?

Natalie asked if we all could remember where we were when the orginial series. Well, after doing some calculations, it would appear that I was in 8th grade, sigh. Not a pretty time for anyone. All of my peers from this same age group have been yapping about 9-0 for weeks. This is killing my friend JoEllen who cannot understand our fascination with this silly show. Reminding myself that it started when I was 8th grade and realizing that it ended the year after I graduated from college, just proves to me that these were my formative years. I mean, I can define so much by about all of their outfits and music.

I digress.......We're about 45 minutes into the show, and I thought I would pause momentarity and put down a few thoughts (since I'll have to go to bed soon, you know school started last week and I get up at the crack of dawn)

Ok, Erin Silver- I'm actually liking the character, and the dark hair. I'm pretending that she is dying it because of the tough alternative character that she is. What's her big secret? What did Naomi do to her? and is Mel Silver out of the picture again? Jackie and Mel had ended up getting back together, but not getting remarried. Kelly certainly implied that Jackie was in some kind of bad shape.

Annie is awfully sticky sweet. It's almost like Annie is Brandon, and Dixon is Brenda (the more rebellious one.)

Anway- I'll write more tomorrow night, after I read tons of other things, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

***Still watching- more thoughts

Brandon is the father of Sammy, Kelly's son???????

Linda Grey (SueEllen Ewing from Dallas) is Ethan's grandmother and friend to Tabitha.

One Day left...

The time has almost come. Tomorrow night at 8 will be here before we know it, and we will finally be able to see if this show lives up to any of the hype.

I think one of the most interesting things to pop up this weekend has been the confirmation that the character called "Silver" will indeed be Erin Silver, the little sister of Kelly and David. I think the character was written with this in mind, but since they were able to get Jennie Garth and her mom, Ann Gillespie to join, making this character be Erin made sense. (I had to do some math with my fellow Bev9er PHd candidate Melissa to decided that Erin was indeed born in 1992, so she should actually be 16. However, Melissa and I are unhappy that this new Erin is being played by a brunette actress. Clearly Erin was a platinum blonde child. Maybe we'll find out that this new "wild child" character will be dyeing her hair.)

Are we ready?