People Who Spoil Things

All right - I couldn't watch tonight's episode of Hell on Wheels, which made me very upset because that show is about ten different levels of awesome. But, I decided I'd be a good girl and not read about what happened in the season 2 premiere. I'd wait until I could finally watch it. You know, be patient and all that.

However, a friend (I use that term very loosely) of mine had other plans. He texted me an hour ago - the basic plot included. First of all, I was pissed. How rude! If I wanted to ruin the episode, I would have done it my darn self. But then, a new emotion came to the fore. I wanted to know more. I wanted to know every freaking thing that had happened. So now, I'm utterly torn. I'm annoyed that it was spoiled, but at the same time, that plot outline wasn't enough. It piqued my curiosity, and I can't decide what I should do about it. To read the complete plot synopsis or wait? It's almost Shakespearean.

Sherlock vs Sherlock

So I got a question regarding my quip about Americans being stupid and stealing Sherlock for CBS's Elementary. Yes, the style was completely jacked. Check out this photo, thanks to radiotime.

Nice scarf, American Sherlock.



Why AMC Rules TV

The title says it all, really. It's amazing that a small, basic cable channel like AMC can have two of the most critically acclaimed shows on television with Mad Men and Breaking Bad. Now, I've never seen Breaking Bad (the thought of a chemistry teacher making meth with a former student is a little out there for me). Plus, I still remember the season 1 poster with Mr. Cranston in his underpants. But, I may be brave at some point and give it a go.

Mad Men, of course, is watched by three people - myself included - but it manages to win every award known to man. I really like it, though I do get tired of "cultural elitists" who say it's God's gift to mankind, because it ain't. It's entertaining, yes. It's often thought-provoking. Yet even you Mad Men lovers have to admit that the show is entirely character driven. Sometimes, there is almost no plot. The closest thing we've ever had to an action sequence was that ego driven brawl between Pete and Lane last season. (I'm still annoyed about Lane's... ending). The point of Mad Men is that the long, occasionally dull stretches will lead to something brilliant, and 80% of the time, the show succeeds. However, when it fails to deliver the emotional punch necessary to keep your interest, you feel pissed because you've just spent ten hours binge-watching it for (apparently) nothing. Not. Cool. The season 5 finale, for example, was a major letdown. But overall, look at this last batch of episodes. (Spoilers be ahead!) Lane kills himself! They pimped out Joan!! - more importantly, Roger was willing to pimp out Joan!? Peggy quit!!! WWHHHAAATT!?

Anyway, you get the idea - spoilers are over, by the way. For the most part, a major success. I've heard Breaking Bad is a real nail biter, but again, I can't comment. (I seriously need to just sit down and watch that thing.) And then, there's The Walking Dead and Hell on Wheels - the channel's two most popular programs, the latter of which is returning tomorrow night! (Tries not to squeal with glee.) Again, I keep meaning to watch TWD, but I have to admit, the whole "futuristic, zombie apocalypse thing" isn't my usual. HoW, on the other hand, has the advantage of being a western. And I love westerns. As in, I grew up watching John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. ("Jacob McCandles" - "I though you were dead!" from Big Jake cracks me up every time.) Now, HoW is often compared to its sister programs Mad Men and Breaking Bad, rather unfairly, if you ask me. According to the critics, HoW is not nearly as deep and meaningful as Mad Men. The main character wasn't born of a hooker, doesn't cheat incessantly on his (ex)wife, pretend to be someone else, or act so slick you think he'd be greasy to touch - because these are deep and meaningful qualities. The aptly named Dick (because sometimes he just pisses me off) Whitman/Don Draper is such a character. Now, Cullen Bohannan of HoW does have certain things in common with Mr. Draper - they both drink and smoke and... umm. Well... that's about it. So how can you compare two completely different programs? Well, television critics? A show about a former Confederate soldier going on the hunt for the Union scum who killed his family can't be compared to a show about Madison Avenue ad execs of the 1960s. And as much as I enjoy Mad Men, I can't watch too much of it because it gets a little (dare I say?) tedious. This makes HoW such a delightful surprise because it's ridiculously entertaining watching the main characters get themselves in disastrous situations. It's got the action and adventure necessary to keep you entertained while following a would-be Edmond Dantes on his quest for vengeance - a man who, if he stopped and looked around, would see that he could leave his past behind and start over with the opportunities given him. And what the heck is gonna happen next after that finale? I sure hope the writers thought this one out... But I'm optimistic. The promos look very promising. Though, I gotta say, Anson Mount's (such an awesome name) hair is crazy. Seriously. Someone needs to cut that.



But I digress... AMC has managed to become one of, if not the most, respected channels on television. With only a handful of shows, their success rate has been darn impressive. Only Rubicon (which was like watching mold grow, it was that exciting - and I'm all for a slow-burning story) and The Killing, which so totally deserved to be canned and I will never, ever watch it, have failed. And look at the variety! Network TV shows have become repetitive and dull. Heck, this upcoming season we're going to get Sherlock 2. I mean, Elementary. Hey CBS, if you wanted people to think of your show as its own animal rather than a ripoff of the British program, you shouldn't have copied Mr. Cumberbatch's wardrobe. Just saying. Four shows: slick ad men, the Transcontinental Railroad, hungry zombies, and drugs. Quite the setup.

USA Kicks Everyone's Rear End at Olympics Tonight!

Well, the U.S. women's gymnast team won gold as did the men's relay swim team! Heck yes! The gymnasts were brilliant tonight - did you see that perfect vault from Mckayla Maroney?! Holy crap - and yet the judges somehow found something to complain about, as per usual. And, of course, Michael Phelps was big in the news. Yes, he came in second in his first race, but still. That's 18 Olympic medals. And the guy who beat him (South Africa's Chad le Clos) looked so utterly ecstatic at having beaten his idol you really can't begrudge him the medal. He won, fair and square. Good for him. But Phelps still got his gold in the 200m relay, along with Lochte, who truly redeemed himself tonight.

As proud as I was of these awesome Americans, I gotta say, I felt so bad for the Russian gymnasts, particularly over one floor routine (if you watched then you know which one - talk about cringe worthy). I hate to see people screw up like that. It was like watching the U.S. men's gymnast team, only that one was worse because national pride was involved.

All in all, great Olympics so far! I'm enjoying spending the majority of my days on the couch.

Who's Mature?

I don't know how many of you have done this (I'll bet quite a few) but this morning, I did the "how many marshmallows can I fit in my mouth?" deal. I know, I know. It's childish and stupid and idiotic and strangely enjoyable. Not only did I feel like a total rebel - remember when your mommy wouldn't let you eat twenty marshmallows at once? - but it was really yummy. I hadn't had those delicious, sugary goodnesses in several years. I guess I figured I was too mature and all that jazz. Marshmallows are for kids. I'm a big girl now. I watch Mad Men, not Barney (though that purple dinosaur was my first love). I'm too cool for such things.

Yeah, right.

I've decided it's time to embrace my inner child. To not be ashamed of the fact that I love superhero movies just as much as I love Shakespeare. To not deny the fact that part of the reason Kenneth Branagh is so brilliant is because he managed to make Thor a good movie - and that one really ought to have sucked. I should be proud of my stuffed animal collection. There's no reason why I can't enjoy both Lord Byron and Bill Watterson. Calvin and Hobbes is genius, after all.

The Aurora Shooting

I know I mentioned this senseless attack earlier today, but something about reading the list of the victims' names just made me unutterably sad. It's probably silly and a little selfish. I didn't know anyone there. I've no connection to anyone who knows anyone who was there. But it's tragic on a level that is beyond comprehension. What kind of depraved society do we live in? A man just walks into a crowded theatre and shoots men, women, and children alike? No pity, no mercy, no depth of feeling. It's sick. It makes you understand the point of speedy justice (quick, tidy public execution). And what's up with all this "alleged shooter" crap? Alleged is one of the most overused words in the English language. The man did it. Everyone knows he did it. People saw him do it. Why is he an alleged shooter? It's sheer idiocy.

But what's more important right now is to support the victims' families in thought and in prayer. There will be a time for dealing with Mr. Holmes later.

The Trouble with Shopping

I just spent two hours at a store looking for new school clothes. Anything I buy has to meet three criteria:  must be comfy, must be light, and must be cheap. As is, very, very cheap. So cheap even I can afford it. So, I find a few things here and there on various clearance racks. Try it all on. The problem was, of course, that I liked everything, but that would have meant spending more money than I wanted to. I like trying on clothes and then discovering that they look wretched on me simply so that I won't have to buy it, but I can say that at least I looked.

Then, I had to pick and choose. The capris or the leggings? The summer dress or the long purple skirt? I managed to find faults with each and every garment before returning them to the racks. However, on the way out, I caught sight of an adorable pink dog that I just had to buy.

So it's amazing how I go in for clothes and come out with a stuffed pooch.