Happy Thanksgiving!

Things I'm thankful for in 2008:

• At the top of the list is, and always will be, my close group of friends who continue to be so supportive as I struggle to get all of my shit together. I am truly blessed to have such beautiful people in my life.
• Speaking of friends...I'd never thought I'd say something like this, but I'm actually thankful for a stupid little networking site like Facebook for putting me back in touch with so many people that I haven't been connected with in years. It's been great getting to know folks again.
• While my dad's health hasn't been good this year, I am thankful that our relationship is improving and we're getting along better. I am also thankful that Sharon is still here to enjoy the 2008 holiday season.
• And I'm thankful that I've taken time this year to try and get my head on straight and to try and take time "for me". I know I could do better with this but at least I'm trying.
• Finally, I'm glad 2008 wasn't 2007.

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!

This week in TV season finales

Ok, let's talk about the first season finale of HBO's True Blood. It was awesome, and yet a little upsetting.
I've read 3 of the Sookie Stackhouse mystery novels by Charlaine Harris that the show is based on, and I had been pleasantly surprised at the things the show had kept the same as books, the things they changed, and the new elements they'd added. But as the season progressed I started to figure out that they were probably going to still make (spoiler alert!) Rene the killer like in the book, even though they'd expanded his character for the show and had made him so damn likeable! It didn't hurt that the actor playing Rene, Michael Raymond-James, is so cute and likable with his (fake, yet realistic) cajun accent.
Then last night at the end of the finale they (spoiler alert!) killed my favorite character Lafayette! So sad about this. Nelsan Ellis was so amazing in this role. In the books Lafayette is a very minor character that is killed in the beginning of the second book and whose murder sets up the plot for that installment. But on the show they'd made this character the most dynamic and likeable of the supporting players, so I thought there might be a chance that they would postpone his murder for awhile; like maybe the end of the 4th season?

So now with 2 of the 5 reasons that I watch the show gone, I'm hoping that season 2 won't be a disappointment. Maybe they can make Lafayette a ghost character that Sookie or Tara can talk to in visions? It is a show by Alan Ball ("Six Feet Under") afterall.


Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders: Making The Team 3 - This show is probably my guiltiest of guilty pleasure reality shows. I. Love. It. Can't get enough of it. I wish that every episode was an hour long like the first and last eps of each season. I can't explain how caught up I get in the training candidates attempts to make it on this year's squad. I'm way too invested in some of the veterans; desperate to see if my faves like Brooke, Kandi, and Deryn make it another year.

I'm not sure whether it's the bitchiness and control-freakedness of Kelli Finglass that I love to hate or the way too bubbly goody-goodness of most of the auditioners, or my fondness for the team from the 1970s that were on two (TWO!) episodes of the "The Love Boat", that makes me so obsessed with this show, but I'm always so disappointed when the seasons end. Can't we follow the squad throughout the NFL season?! Oh well, I guess I'll have to wait for next Fall. And Yay! All 4 of my fave vets made it for 2008!

WTF Television?!

What the hell is going on with my beloved medium Television?

First ABC, my most hated network because of their track-record of killing shows that I love so damn much (see: Home Front, Miracles, Eyes, Miss Guided, Women's Murder Club, Knights of Prosperity, Jake in Progress, Men In Trees, Invasion...the list goes on for miles), decides to cancel Pushing Daisies, one of the most enchanting and charming shows ever made. ABC also cancelled "Eli Stone" and "Dirty, Sexy, Money"; but I'm not as broken-up about these because my love for them had already waned.

Then I just heard that the dumbasses over the NBC soap "Days of Our Lives" have decided to fire much-loved actors Drake Hogestyn and Deidre Hall! The hell?! I know that Drake and Deidre make a shit-load of money and their salaries alone are probably enough to cover paychecks for half of the Days staff but dayyumm, why would you fire the only reason most of the fans of your stupid show even watch?
I'm probably sounding like a hypocrite because I stopped watching DooL over a year ago, but even I will miss the spectacular overacting that Hogestyn and Hall made their trademarks over the years. What will DooL be without John (Roman) and Marlena?

And ABC you bastards, you might just have lost me as a viewer forever. For years I've taken your abuse and heart-break, coming back for more over and over as you kept giving me tastes of interesting, imaginative, smart shows that you then just yanked away without remorse or warning. While you keep horrific drivel like Extreme Nanny: Wife Swap Edition, greenlight another f*cking season of The Bachelor, and continually introduce stupid reality shows like this new turd "True Beauty". Why do you continue to give carte-blanche to failing shows like "Private Practice" just because they're connected to a more successful show (Grey's), when you could be putting an effort into promoting and scheduling "Daisies" which is critically acclaimed and Emmy/Golden Globe nominated? You suck ass ABC!!
You've still got Lost, Grey's Anatomy and Ugly Betty to tether me to your evilness, but unless these three shows start showing considerable improvement, they might not be enough to keep me and then I'll be gone forever you tools.

#1 Boyfriend is 2008's "Sexiest Man Alive"

It's nice to see my favorite hottie Hugh Jackman being recognized for the god that he is. But I need to go on record that I have been his #1 fan for years - I mean like from before the "Swordfish" years and "Oklahoma" stuff. So I'm just saying, his wife aside, I saw him first!

Sex on legs full stop.

Status of my TV show relationships - November 2008

Recent break-ups (season passes erased from Tivo):
Private Practice: Dude this show looks good on paper - spinoff of successful hit; great actors; sexy people - but it Sucks. So. Much. I tried to give it a chance because of things like Taye Diggs's hot pecs, but I can't do it anymore. I'm out.

Eli Stone: I love you Jonny Lee Miller and Victor Garber. And I love television characters randomly breaking out into song, but jeezus this show is boring. A good idea, wasted.

Life on Mars: I watched the BBC version of this and actually the American one is very well done for what it is. Again it's just sort of boring. Harvey Keitel is even boring. And Michael Imperioli's 70s 'stache is really scary.

Relationships in trouble (episodes gone unwatched/dropped off Tivo):
Dirty Sexy Money: Oh, DSM. I don't know what to do with you. There's so much I love about you...but your ridiculousness has moved from campy fun to lame triteness. And there are a couple of characters that I absolutely hate that are bringing the whole show down. I'm looking at you Karen and Simon...

Heroes: We've already had this conversation babe. And again, I haven't given up on you yet. But on the other hand your last 3 episodes are just sitting on my Tivo hard drive. Just sitting there. Waiting. I don't want the same thing that happened with "Lost" to happen to you.

Grey’s Anatomy/Ugly Betty: Ok, you Thursday night ABC guys get lumped together. You both disappointed me greatly last season. So much so that I almost ended it with both of you. But with the writer's srtike and everything I thought that I'd give you both another chance to win my love back. Betty, you started off a little weak but with last week's ep you got a firmer foothold on my heart. But I'm still on the fence about you taking up recording time that I could be using for my brilliant "30 Rock". Grey's you had redeemed yourself, what with the Mer being less annoying, and the getting together of Iz and Alex (squee!). But then you had to go all weird and fire Brooke Smith who played Dr. Hahn. Now on one hand, I kind of hated her character, but on the other hand, I'm concerned that you might have gotten rid of the character because she's now a lesbian? That would make you a real douche, Grey's.

Shows that still have my love and devotion (season passes bumped up on the priority list):
True Blood: Only 2 eps left this season and I'm just as entranced as I was from the first taste. I think I've even figured out who the killer is! Although I hope I'm wrong. But as long as you keep giving me Lafayette, Rene, and Sam I'll be in this for the long haul.

Pushing Daisies: I've waxed poetic about how much I love you. I'm not going to say anything more except to reiterate that Emerson Cod is one of the greatest television characters of all time. And I wish there was a Pie Shoppe in my town.

Gossip Girl: GG, you make me feel like a 14 year-old girl again. But in the best possible way!

30 Rock: You know I love you when I'm willing to watch you on Hulu.com (that little screen!). But seriously, you are so brilliant I can't even take it.

Top Chef: You've been away for too long. And sometimes you annoy me with the cheftestants that you choose (fucking Ilan?! Assy Lisa? Really?!) but generally the foodie in me can't keep away. And Tom and Padma are just so damn sexy.