Clang, Clang, Clang Goes the...Oh, Wait.

I've never been one for mass transit. In theory, I think it's a great idea. But in practice...well. Motion sickness is an unfortunate companion that I can never seem to shirk, especially when cramped quarters and recycled air comes into the mix. But if the video below is any indication of times to be had, I guess I'll just have to pack my Pulsatilla vulgaris C30 and climb onboard. I hear they're going to be building a new railway that will go into Provo. I'm not sure why I would go to P-Town, but I guess I can start finding out. Who's with me?

So Tell Me Then, Cause I'm an Idiot. Where Are We From?

I know I haven't posted in awhile. And I know that the BBC1 airing of the Doctor Who Christmas episode "Voyage of the Damned" (as well as the actual Christmas holiday) has come and gone. But darn it, I just watched it on YouTube, and am suffering from a pretty nasty case of insomnia right now.

Thanks to my current state side location, my viewings of Doctor Who have pretty much been limited to repeats on BBC America and the SciFi Channel. But what I've seen I've liked. Just last week, SciFi aired "The Girl in the Fireplace" guest-starring Sophia Myles. I found it delightful to see her onscreen in a way that made me not openly cringe and wish to change the channel. It's not even that Sophia is bad on Moonlight, she's just not that good. Is it the faux-American accent, maybe? Seeing as how Moonlight consistently kicks the trash of most all the television shows I treasure (both past and present) ratings-wise, I will switch back to Doctor Who gushing.

I loved Sophia in that episode and I love David Tennant in pretty much all Doctor Who episodes. I realize things have changed considerably in recent episodes, but can I just put out there that my favorite part of "Voyage of the Damned" was the absence of Billie Piper? Yeah, people like her. Yeah, she may have won innumerable polls to bring her back. But every time I see her overly made up face, I am transported to the late 90's, visiting my grandparents in New Zealand, and seeing her as a brunette, teen pop sensation all over the telly, and the announcer yelling, "Billie!" She may have a lovely voice (I never got around to actually hearing it), but choruses of "Billie!" whenever I was in close proximity to a media outlet for the whole month I was there was enough to drive me a little batty. Or enough to loathe Billie for any and all present and future endeavors. Kylie Minogue was a pop sensation and I had no problems with her. Was it because everybody's doin' a brand new dance now? And I know you'll get to like it if you give it a chance now. Or was there something else besides a loco-motion?

Anyhoo, I'm excited for the new year, when BBC America will be airing Doctor Who: Series Three. I still haven't found my Veronica Mars, and before that, Everwood, replacement, but I'm managing. With the writer's strike, I pray that I'll have more to look forward to next month than the season premiere of One Tree Hill (Just to be clear that was sarcasm. I felt it pretty clear from my end, but translation through text can be tricky sometimes).

This video is a bit old, but it made me giggle (could just be from sleep depravation, but see for yourself). (I also apologize for any grammatical/usage/spelling mistakes) (As well as all the parentheses).

Not Quite Veronica

Ahh, here it is, folks. The moment when I can launch in to a full on squeal over Kristen Bell...but I'm not gonna. Know why (or why not, as in this case)? Well, first, squealing is hard to do when I'm still not 100% invested in a show. Second, Kristen will not be appearing in the next two episodes which makes me hesitant to embark on full-on gush mode. And third, I have been spending the entire evening watching the special features of my season three Veronica Mars dvds. With that said, I have definitely enjoyed the episode over previous episodes (I did love Kristen, btw), and I loved the Grunny/Adrian fight sequence. The thread I have been hanging on to has found some newfound strength, but it's still a bit tenuous at best.

What I have found unequivocally entertaining is Greg Beeman and Grunny's video commentary on the episode. Not only do they acknowledge Miss Bell's unquestioning goddess, Grunny gives a nice shout-out to Felicity (another testament to my propensity for loving shows that are no longer on the air, sigh).

Stranded at the Drive-In...

This upcoming fall season has been a difficult one for me. I am a TV fangirl without a show to swoon over. I am really liking Pushing Daisies and Aliens in America and yeah, there are the usual suspects I remain loyal. The Office seemed to pick up last Thursday after a kind of lackluster first few episodes (I am willing to write a petition to have Jim Dale and Rainn Wilson co-voice chapters on the Harry Potter books on tape/cd). House continues to be an outlet for Hugh Laurie to showcase how poorly chosen the Emmy voters got it this year for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series. And 30 Rock still brings the funny.

And yet, there are no shows slated on the fall schedule that squees my fangirl heart. I am not rushing home to watch a show irrationally afraid an unkindness of ravens will swoop in to my window destroying my DVR with their bad luck unless I am there to protect it. I am not calling my friends up as soon as the episode ends to have hour long conversations speculating about where the characters will go from here. And I am not adopting catchphrases this season and inwardly giving myself points when uttered based on appropriateness and delivery (25 points if I use "Dwight, you ignorant slut!", 50 points if I use "Rob Thomas is a whore" while Matchbox 20 plays in the background)

One might reasonably ascertain from the rambling post above that this is probably a good thing. But it still saddens me.

One encouraging note in an otherwise unremarkable TV watching year is that the latest season of my TV obsession last year will be coming out on DVD this Tuesday, October 23rd. That's right, folks! VERONICA MARS SEASON THREE on DVD this Tuesday! Let it never be said that I didn't look on the bright side of finding ways to spend hours in front of my TV.

And because I'm so excited, here is a clip of the blooper reel as part of the special features.

Setting the Bar so Low, We Can Step Over It

I realize it doesn’t take a lot for things to pique my interest. I usually try to keep an open mind, try to give something a chance before dismissing it outright. And when it comes to television programming, it seems to only require a 28-second promo featuring a persnickety blonde to keep me watching.

True, the allure of the Veronica Mars alum has been the only reason why I’ve been watching Heroes. It is also the reason why I am willing to go back and watch the first season after giving up on it five episodes in last year. I gotta tell ya. It couldn’t come at a better time. I feel if I can stomach Moonlight for Jason Dohring, I can handle the ambivalence I feel while watching Heroes. My faith in Kristen is high. Or atleast my squeeing inner fangirl.

ETA: They deleted my video, so I thought I could add a clip of Elle's appearance on Heroes. Man, I love me some Kristen Bell.

Monday Catch-up

I had such nice aspirations to post on this blog more often than I have, but then the days would pass, and now it’s October and I’ve yet to post anything since August. So here goes…

The fall season is always tricky for a TV whore. Until my TV Prince Charming sets me up with a different cable package, I don’t have to worry about shows on HBO or Showtime until the DVD’s come out. Here’s what I watched last night:

Aliens in America: I’ve heard a few good things about this show, and was moderately intrigued enough to watch last night’s premiere. The main characters were sympathetic and relatable. There were some moments that were a bit sitcom-y, but nothing too over the top. I’m not sure if I enjoyed it because my expectations were low, or if it was legitimately good. I’ll definitely catch next week’s episode before I decide whether it’s worth occupying space on the DVR.

Chuck: If within ten minutes of the show you get a nagging feeling that you’ve watched this all before, odds are, you have. Enter nerd, played by Zachary Levi. A quick IMDB check and the only thing I vaguely remember him from is the ABC Family TV movie, See Jane Date. Then again, I barely remembered Patrick Dempsey in the ABC Family TV movie, Lucky Number Seven, so make your own assumptions.

I watched the pilot last week and wondered why I didn’t enjoy it more. There were elements of parkour, some great music (unsurprising coming from Josh Schwartz), and Levi as a poor man’s John Krasinski with all of the nation’s top secrets in his head. There was also a fight/shimmy dance sequence which, unfortunately, looks better on paper than what was played out.

This week, there was even greater music (Spoon, The New Pornographers), but I couldn’t really get in to it. I enjoy it enough to keep watching, but maybe only as a casual viewer.

How I Met Your Mother: Last week’s season premiere was good, but last night’s episode was…lacking. I hate to think that last season’s “Swarley” and “Slap Bet” were flukes, but I find myself more apathetic than really engaged most episodes. I’ll keep watching if only to see when Neil Patrick Harris gets his last three slaps.

Heroes: I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve only been watching Heroes this season because I’ve been promised Veronica Mars star, Kristen Bell, will appear. I tried giving Heroes a chance last season by watching the first couple of episodes, but I never found myself engaged enough to stick it out. There’s enough eye candy in Milo Ventimiglia and Sendhil Ramamurthy and enough talent and enthusiasm in Masi Oka, Greg Grunberg and Jack Coleman, to hold me until Kristen surfaces (which I’m told will be October 22nd). Please don’t bag on me for my Heroes indifference; I have the DVD’s in my drawer at work. I’m hoping the catch-up will warm me to the other characters.

The Hills: This show is one of the few where I revel in how bad it is. It’s got conniving coworkers that would have been sympathetic if they had drawn the line at office bitching instead of going for petty revenge, emo bad boys that refuse to acknowledge their girlfriend’s friends because one of the them called them out on how pretentious and ridiculous they are (btw, Lo is a goddess!), or a sham of a relationship where the vapid working girl is stuck in an engagement with the privileged, wannabe badass.

The “conversations” are pretty awkward, and last night’s episode had a gloriously bad voiceover, but I’m hopelessly hooked. My one comfort is the fact that as I indulge in my half hour guilty pleasure, my own surroundings feel that much more tranquil.

Phew, until next time…

My First Day

Oftentimes I wonder why I do the things I do. Perhaps I'm just a glutton for punishment. Maybe I just like to grate against my initial instincts, just to see what will happen. That was basically the gist of my evening. It was my first day as a cashier of a major international retail store. It had opened a few weeks before and was down the street from my house. My thoughts were thus, "Golly, this would be a nice part time job. Close to home. Close to work. Pretty easy and decent pay."

(You can already tell where this is going, don'cha? Was it the "golly" that gave me away?)

First days consist mainly of HR droning on about benefit/payroll/company policy information. Now these are all necessary evils when one begins a job, but I would like to address a minor irritant that plagued me throughout the tedium. In the movie Shaun of the Dead, Shaun works at an electronic store. He has probably worked there for a very long time. Maybe some days, to break up the monotony, he plays "You know how I know you're gay?" with his coworkers. Shaun is probably very happy with his life as an electronic goods salesman. But there is one aspect that chinks away at Shaun's otherwise pristine life of plasma TVs and cable, his coworkers are all seventeen year olds that call him Gramps and whose mouths are slightly ajar as they're listening to instructions or staring off in to space.

Three hours of gaping mouths and blank expressions. I was placing silent bets with myself on how long it would take for drool to seep from their lips and land disgustingly on their yellow employee handbooks.

Sigh.

This has only been the first day. I think I'll stick it out for a little longer. My one solace seems to be that if the zombies come, I'll be prepared with my "Hello My Name Is" tag and cricket bat. (Umm, once I get a cricket bat)

Modest Mouse "Wrong Decision" For less depressing, funner Modest Mouse, check out their blog - Modest Mouse blog