Fangirly Poetry: A Lyrical Sendoff for Parks and Rec

I feel there’s much I need to say,

So many respects I need to pay

giphy (2)

My sorrow is depth-less, my grief without bounds

I swear to Zorp, my pain is as bad as it sounds

anigif_enhanced-buzz-10033-1374283936-5

You dare ask the source of my soul’s deflation?

‘Tis the terminus of my sweet, sweet Parks and Recreation

tumblr_inline_ngvd1spxCT1qzzg43

But we come here, neither to mourn nor to grieve,

As Knope and Co. prepare to take their leave

giphy (1)

We should celebrate, honor, and thank it,

The show that warmed us, like a toasty Bean-Blanket

giphy (3)

Remember it’s humor, and wit, and grace,

And the time Ben and Leslie got to first base

11

Remember Leslie, a woman of class and smarts

Who makes me proud to own Lady Parts

pr-5

Remember that, should your heart you ever misplace,

Burt Macklin will always be on the case

pr-2

I’d have no regrets, could I but get one wish

To once more see Ann, that beautiful, tropical fish

Ann-Perkins-Trying-to-Drink-Out-of-Straw

If nothing else, we take comfort in this,

There’s one person, at least, we really won’t miss

tumblr_mtralpgxoz1rdh9azo1_500

Now we send you off, with a kiss and a prayer,

We’ll never forget you, by this dead crow I swear

tumblr_lk1oijzAse1qbehdo

-Whitney

ron

Fan Rants: Why You Should Be Watching Agent Carter

Not too long ago, I had a conversation with one of my Fellow Fems about female under representation in pop culture (like many a pretentious, twenty-something, bra-burner before us). She made the inevitable leap to how unfair it was the Marvel’s Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) doesn’t have her own stand alone movie. My initial response was, ‘right on, sister’. Then I asked if she’d been watching ABC/Marvel’s new series Agent Carter. She answered that, no, she wasn’t. Come again?…

JqS6luU

It’s probably the worst kept secret in network TV history that Agent Carter is serving as a dry run for strong female leads in the MCU. If smart, empowered, beautiful, charasmatic Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) can’t draw crowds with a limited run TV show, why should Marvel shell out millions upon millions to make a female driven superhero movie? And let’s not kid agent-carter-pilot-hayley-atwell_article_story_largeourselves, Carter is enjoying pretty abysmal ratings, despite the fact that, in my opinion, it’s a good show. It’s got a great lead in Atwell, James D’Arcy as bulter Edwin Jarvis makes for an awesome Girl Friday, and frankly, it’s been much fresher and more entertaining than Agents of Shield ever was in it’s first season. So why in the Susan-B-Anthony can’t this show seem to thrive?

I keep coming back to one thing. Because really, there is only one reason I can think of why audiences would be more receptive to a Black Widow stand alone than a Peggy Carter one. Black Widow is defined by her sexuality. I mean, yeah, she can quip with the best, and kick all the necessary ass, but she’s also severely underwritten and hyper-sexualized.  If Peggy Carter ran around in a black cat-suit, would that make her more marketable? I’m actually scared of the answer. la_ca_0325_captain_america

I guess what I’m getting at is, let’s not perpetuate the idea that Marvel’s fan base won’t support strong, independent, female leads with more to offer than their butt-kicking capacity and deft application of feminine whiles. Let’s promote female characters with emotional depth and intelligence and appeal that isn’t directly related to how good they look in skin-tight stealth suits. Watch Agent Carter, Tuesday’s at 9 on ABC, and you’ll see what I mean.

–Whitney

Crushes of the Week: Chris Pratt and Chris Evans (AKA Chris Prevans)

We’ve crushed on Pratt. We’ve crushed on Evans. But this week, we’ve fallen prey to the combined charms of our two favorite Marvel Males, whose Super Bowl hijinks made the years most watched sporting event more, you know, watchable. We’ll be sitting down to talk with Chris Prevans, an exclusive interview you’ll only be able to find here, on Fangirly. Here they are now…

rded_wBumlWx

e6e3e3458573f0be59a07b5b31eb595d (1)

Whitney: Gentlemen, it’s a real pleasure to have you… here, at Fangirly. Last weekend was the Super Bowl. Pretty good game, right?

5196cfe8-074d-40e1-ba9c-409116a7e745

Evans?

tumblr_m1uut7aE0K1qax34ro1_250Oh. A man of substance. I like it. 

tumblr_n72tfrdKEI1repjwxo10_500

There seems to be a bit of a bromance brewing between you two.

tumblr_inline_nj7mszjtVC1rrrbiv

Oh…wow…

tumblr_n37bjkUKWA1qj5p41o4_250

Ok, guys, we can’t do this here…Chris Pratt, what are you doing?!

tumblr_inline_n9oqf6ZVw81ro8gba

I didn’t mean to make you feel bad, but you’re married, you know? Some things can never be…Please don’t cry…

tumblr_mgr0g3bz2W1r0n9bmo2_250

Point taken. Let’s talk about your plans for 2015. What can we expect from the Chris’?

tumblr_inline_n3uf94CY4H1qafkc6

Oh… this year? Man, I don’t know how to tell you this… you didn’t get  nominated…

tumblr_m55e8zkk4e1qb05l1o8_r1_250

It’s a really tough break. You were pretty good in Snowpiercer.

tumblr_n4omdz4GMN1qzbq69o1_r1_250

I feel your pain. But Chris Pratt didn’t get a nom either, and he’s handling it pretty well. Right, Chris?

tumblr_ncirefgkm71tv4k5po1_500 (1)

Ok, let’s try something else. Is there anything you’d like to tell the fans? Help them get to know the real Chris Prevans?

E6cc51b

Oh, ok. That’s not really what I had in mind-

tumblr_m5kfl76Blt1qjl035o4_250

Wait, huh?-

tumblr_m5kfl76Blt1qjl035o5_250

No, guys-

tumblr_n2emsm83WD1qm2l53o2_250

You’re definitely aren’t alone there, but-

chris3

Ok, better…

njk

And on that note, we are all out of time. Thank you, Chris Prevans, so much for taking the time to talk with us.  Congratulations on being altogether too much for us to handle.

tumblr_nagtwptQJ61tiiptwo4_r1_250

–Whitney

RIP: A to Z

A to Z - Season PilotI do love it when a headline has it’s own rhyme scheme. Much farther down on my list of loves, however, are Fall cancellations. That’s not to say that they aren’t a necessary part of the TV circle of life. When shows die, their carcasses are absorbed back into Mother Pop-Culture and are reborn, under the guise of a “new” show. And so it goes; Cheers begets Friends begets How I Met Your Mother begets Happy Endings begets… CSI: New Orleans? Who knows.

While I’ve been pretty satisfied by most of this year’s early cancellations (Bad Judge, Manhattan Love Story), one has lodged itself in my craw. I know that A to Z wasn’t the strongest contender this year. It’s ratings weren’t great and it was, truth told, just another serial rom-com to clutter the bottom of the DVR, but I liked it. Whereas the aforementioned Bad Judge and Manhattan Love Story were fundamentally flawed, I thought A to Z had a lot of potential. Or that it would, at least, outlive that laugh-tracked disaster Mulaney (sorry John). Because it was funny, and it was clever, and it was going somewhere, albeit a little slowly. Apparently that wasn’t enough for the ‘stach twisting, cigar puffing, show slaughtering fat cats over at NBC. So rest in peace, A to Z. We hardly knew thee… RHYME! Sorry, sad again. So, so sad. It really is too bad. More time is what I wish we had.

tumblr_lm2yz9Pecq1qczibyo1_r1_500

–Whitney

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Grant Gustin

Audi And Derek Lam Kick Off Emmy Week 2012You know what I love about TV? Anything is possible. I mean, network television is the only place where a Disney Prince like Grant Gustin (star of the CW’s new hit The Flash) could convincingly pass as a physics nerd who just can’t seem to get some strange. Do TV executives really think that girls hate math and science so much that we would overlook a guy this seismically sexy because he’s a college educated professional who likes to talk about particle physics? I’m having a really hard time not feeling insulted.

The truth is CW, nobody’s buying it. I honestly believe that this man could play a dumpster-diving cannibal with a bad case of halitosis and a third arm growing out of his neck, and my reaction would still be…

arrested-development-maeby-marry-me

So, Grant Gustin, we here at Fangirly salute you. You are great, your new show is great, and we look forward to watching you inexplicably not get laid for many years to come.

–Whitney

Get With the Program: Marry Me

marry-me-nbc-hed-2014During Fall Premiere season, sometime you have to step back and objectively evaluate each show based on their respective merits. I said sometimes you have to do that. I can’t. Tried, but can’t.

Which brings me to NBC’s new sitcom Marry Me. Now, my approval of this show was pretty much written in the stars. Firstly, it’s produced by David Caspe (if reading that name does not make you observe a moment of silence for our funny, fallen friend Happy Endings, there is a good chance you are a monster, or possibly have a life). Then there is the dazzling combined on-screen talents of Casey Wilson and Ken Marino, easily two of television’s funniest staples. Wilson and Marino play a couple in a long-term, quasi-committed relationship that gets turned on it’s head when Jake (Marino) proposes. I know, not exactly high concept, but some of the best sitcoms of all time have been based on even less (Cheers, Friends, Scrubs).

The supporting cast is none too shabby either, Tim Meadows, John Gemberling, and Sarah Wright being the most notable. marry-me-hed-01-2014One of the really impressive things about Marry Me is how it tricked us into thinking we’re watching a show about two attractive leads with occasional appearances from a supportive role, when really this is an ensemble. There are a lot of great characters here, and I have a feeling they are going to get the screen time they deserve. Assuming that this show doesn’t get chopped like another David Caspe gem I could mention. Yeah, ABC, still bitter.

-Whitney

Somebody Convince Me: Game of Thrones

maxresdefaultMy reasons for waiting this long to even attempt breaking into Game of Thrones are manifold. Firstly, because watching HBO’s hottest show is a bit rough when you don’t have HBO. Or an actual TV (bless the internet).  Also, my tolerance for televised incest is pretty low; I mean, that is ground that even Law and Order: SVU fears to tread. And from what I have been told, there is a stunning amount of Bro-Boffing going on in this show, leading me to conclude that siblings in Westeros must not have to share a bathroom. Because I firmly believe that walking into a water closet that your brother or sister has completely destroyed would nip any incestuous inklings right in the bud.

My final reason for steering clear of GoT for this long is that, well, I’ve actually seen George R. R. Martin, and he has got a george-rr-martinparticular look. You know, the Neighbor Who Writes His Own Pornographic Fanfic look. Before you say it, I totally understand how mean that sounds, but LOOK AT WHAT HE WRITES: Hot chicks, dragons, tons of sex and violence. I’m just saying, he fits a very particular profile. So please, someone convince me why I should get over my hangups about today’s most zeitgeisty show and learn to love Game of Thrones.

–Whitney

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Tom Mison

Fangirly Presents: A Hypothetical Conversation with Crush of the Week Tom Mison, Star of Fox’s Sleepy Hollow.

Whitney: “Hey Tom Mison, I just, uh, wanted to tell you that this season of Sleepy Hollow has been really great so far.”

tumblr_mtztffU6ne1rgghaio1_1280

“I also wanted to say that you’ve got a great body…”

tumblr_mwhqr7VNBO1ruu897o2_250

“…Of work! Body of work. So uumm, my cousin Ellen wanted me to ask you if you had a girlfriend or something. I mean, I don’t care, but she was all like, ‘oh my gosh, I’m going to stick my head in the oven if he’s someone’s boyfriend’.”

oszuw9

“Oh, cool. She’ll be super excited. I mean, she spends SO much time on the internet looking up gifs of you. What a weirdo, right?”

tumblr_mnocuv3KWy1qax2xho1_250

“Uh, yeah, I’m single right now. It’s no big deal. It gives me a chance to do some baking and stuff.”

giphy

“No they’re not! Stop it! You’re so good.”

Ichabod-Crane-Sleepy-Hollow-TV-Series-image-ichabod-crane-sleepy-hollow-tv-series-36561725-500-250

“So do you, like, wanna hang out some time?”

giphy (1)

“I’m actually having a really hard time imagining anything else right now.”

sleepy-hollow-ichabbie-your-company

“Sorry, real quick, do you know what an aneurysm is supposed to feel like? I’m just worried that my head is going to  explode all over your fancy period costume.”

giphy (2)

“Oh, it’s cool, false alarm. I just needed to pop my ears.”

tumblr_mwp6tf1tur1qcc187o1_250

“I am so glad to hear you say that. I totally feel that same way. I wasn’t going to say this before but, umm, I think you are super hot.”giphy (2)

This has been a Hypothetical Conversation with Fangirly Crush of the Week Tom Mison.

–Whitney

The Reviews are In: Gone Girl

gone_aMy attempt to read Gillian Flynn’s mega-opus Gone Girl was, at best, halfhearted. I like books that end in a marriage, not begin with the end of one. So when Gone Girl‘s film adaptation was announced I thought, “sorry Ben Affleck, but Jane Austen has gotten me this far”. That being said, I did in fact end up seeing this movie during it’s opening weekend. What can I say, what I lack in conviction I make up for in plenty of free time to see movies I previously determined not to see.

And you know what? I totally dug it. Ben Affleck plays Nick Dunne, the husband of missing Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike). Suspicions fall to Nick because apparently most cops are overly familiar with Law and Order and he does, objectively, seem super guilty. And although the audience is clued-in pretty early, it doesn’t make the unfolding of events any less thrilling. And freaky. Think Double Indemnity meets American Psycho meets The Scapegoat. Clear as mud?

Affleck may be the the film’s biggest name but the real star here is Pike. For reasons I can’t explain without initiating a spoiler rosamundgonegirl_640pxavalanche, her performance as Amy is insane, in every sense of the word. This lady is by no means an angel, although we can see how capable she is of perpetuating that myth. Getting to watch the game of psychological ping-pong between Adorable Amy and Demented Amy is a reason in itself to brave going out into the balmy October clime to see it in theaters. Which I recommend, because fictitious or not, insulting Amy Dunne seems like a categorically bad idea.

–Whitney

The Reviews are In: Annabelle

annabelle_movie_imagesChances are, you’ve seen Annabelle before. Several times. Let me break it down: creepy doll, catholic priest, couple whose marriage was ordained by the casting gods, tragic murder, satanic rituals. ect. Nothing about this movie is new or innovative or shocking. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t good.

Horror is a really formulaic genre for a reason. The same tropes and archetypes pop up again and again because they are rooted in what scares us. Annabelle takes advantage of that fact pretty shamelessly, beginning with the happy expectant couple, a Manson-style murder spree, and an onslaught of spooky ‘what the frak’ moments. I won’t synopsize because everything I could say would begin and end with ‘creepy doll’, but I will say that if you are a fan of gimmick-less horror, this one might be up your alley. Or at least up an adjacent alley. Annabelle feels like an homage to old-school scary, a feature length tribute to bygone classics like Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist. And while I don’t like the idea that this Conjuring spin-off is turning one of last years best movies into a haunted tent-pole, at least the result was a film freaky enough to do James Wan proud. So if you are looking forannabelle-movie-2 a serviceable, entertaining movie to see this weekend that could potentially derail your circadian rhythm, go see Annabelle. Or Guardians of the Galaxy for the 9th time. Either way, I fully support your decision.

–Whitney

How Does ABC’s Selfie Suck? Let Me Count The Ways

I have one hard and fast rule about Fall TV season: no matter how much you may hate a pilot, it is VITAL that you make it to at least episode two. Because usually, the things we hate about pilots get ironed out during the first season. That is what first seasons are for. If the premise is good and the writing is solid, there is always room for hope. But some shows are so fundamentally flawed, so irreparably stupid that a second look only serves to draw out the inevitable and necessary cancellation. Selfie falls, face first, into this category just like Ellen said it would. Let’s break it down.

abc-selfie-eliza1) Eliza Dooley (Karen Gillan) might be the Worst, and not in a good way. I know that as one of Doctor Who‘s resident red heads, Amy Pond was kind of a polarizing character. And it is totally possible that I am projecting my dislike of The Girl Who Waited onto Eliza, a character with many of the same flaws that kept me from registering with the Amy Pond fan club (selfishness, over-confidence, tends to take others for granted). At least Amy was an interesting character; the most interesting thing about Eliza is her ability to fill two airplane yarf-bags. Which, when you think about it, really set the tone for the rest of the show.

2) Your main character should be redeemable, not reprehensible. By the end of the pilot, we should have had a reason to root for Eliza, and I don’t feel that we ever got it. Most of the attempts to add depth to her character were pretty weak (you mean, she was able to stash her distaste for the office hipster girls long enough to let them clean her apartment, loan her nice dresses, do her hair and make-up free of charge, and generally extend her an undeserved hand of friendship? What personal growth). If you are going to write horrible characters to populate your show, a la It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, at least make sure their horribleness is offset by their hilarity. Which brings me to…

3) Traditionally, TV comedies should be, you know, funny. If nothing else, Pilots should be clever enough to give audiences the idea that, even if the rest of the show isn’t prefect yet, the experience won’t be a total loss. Selfie did not make me laugh once, and I laugh at everything. Seriously. Everything.

4) Being unpopular in high school does not a tragic backstory make. Selfie isn’t the first show to try and make not being selfies-main-character-is-eliza-dooley-dooley-grew-up-being-most-butt-in-high-school-butt-as-in-ugly-so-she-modeled-herself-after-the-most-popular-girl-in-her-school-and-grew-up-to-be-beautiful-but-vapidthe most popular person in high school a credible excuse for sucking in the present, and it won’t be the last. TV comedies can still be fun and lighthearted even if they delve deeper than an unpleasant school dance experience. But Selfie is just as shallow as it’s main character, which is why I’ll be taking my business elsewhere. Better luck next year, ABC!

–Whitney

Fan-Rants: Too Far SNL, Too Far

tqq2fftrgyvppodtgtppThe day Saturday Night Live stops making raunchy jokes is the day I stop watching. Innuendo and crassness were the solid foundation upon which SNL was built. But can we agree that there is a line? That there are jokes that, while totally acceptable on a un-rated stand-up special, have no place on network TV. Well, Pete Davidson’s SNL debut during the 40th season premiere went there and made itself at home.

I’m not saying that I didn’t find the “Talk Business” bit completely hilarious, because I did. It just wasn’t appropriate for SNL. If you’re thinking, “but Whitney, inappropriate is where SNL lives!” you would be right. But there’s a difference between clever, subversive humor and being gross for laughs.

More than anything, this tells me that there are probably just not enough chicks in the SNL writer’s room. Because you know that if someone had tried to get away with something like this during the Tina Fey years her response would have been…

tina-fey-6I’m pretty sure she would have laughed first, but after the lizzing had subsided, Bossypants would have told the guy to fix it or nix it. Sadly, these are not the Tina Fey Years. Most of TV’s funniest women have taken their act elsewhere, leaving audiences with sorta funny, way too explicit Weekend Update segments about what today’s youth are willing to do for a million dollars. I guess that’s what happens when over 80% of your writing staff is made up of sweaty, y-chromosome-bearing comedy dorks. Which begs the question: where are all the sex jokes coming from anyway? I thought writers were supposed to write what they know.

tumblr_maw42vwjUV1rrvdab

–Whitney

Web Bytes: Dylan O’Brien’s Saucy Snake Hips

If there is one thing I know how to do, it’s how to pay the minimal amount of attention in class. To that end, Dylan O’Brien (Teen Wolf, The Maze Runner) and his super-fresh moves have really helped me step up my game. In fact, I haven’t paid attention in statistics for weeks now. And don’t worry mom. The odds of my failing are pretty slim. (I think. Like I said, I haven’t really paid attention in stats).

–Whitney

583f32067d0d9d5dde2f260b32a69438 (1)tumblr_m9rdpc0pyS1qdd5cto2_250

tumblr_mwkkpkOjDr1rxqv68o2_250

tumblr_nbvpofAd471slag1ao10_250

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Jessica Lange

??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I present to you a pop culture syllogism: if you like good TV, then you like American Horror Story; if you like American Horror Story, then you LOVE Jessica Lange. Therefore, if you like good TV, you love Jessica Lange.

It was recently announced that Lange will be making the fourth season of AHS her last. If you are wondering how the show can survive without her, you aren’t alone. For now, we’re going to enjoy the guts out of Freakshow and revel in Constance-Sister-Jude-Fiona’s last season. Thanks for proving that there are still great roles for gracefully aging women in TV. And the four years worth of reoccurring nightmares. Can’t forget about those.

tumblr_n1hh72jBWh1s73emno1_500

-Whitney

Fangirly Spotlight: The Genius Responsible for THIS

Every day on my way from Human Development 1500 to Math 1040, I pass this informative but super forgettable sign.

photo

But not today. Some brilliant weirdo, in a fit of genius, turned this ordinary construction sign into something magical…

photo 3

I don’t know who you are. I don’t know what you do. I do know that every moment we are not best friends is a moment wasted.

–Whitney

Fan GirlTalk: Why No Girl Should Date Danny Castellano in Real Life

For the third season in a row, Danny Castellano (Chris Messina) has made it nigh on impossible to watch The Mindy Project in company.

excited-gif20

emma-stone-excitedtumblr_inline_n7pwi32YBr1rb5pth

But let’s not kid ourselves ladies (and pertinent fellas), Dr. Dan would make a horrible boyfriend. Allow me to present my case using moving, captioned pictures.

1) He’s the worst kind of mama’s boy, AKA mama’s full-grown-employed-man-who-should-really-know-better.

mamama

2) He’s the office D-Bag, and on this show, that’s saying something.

tumblr_mmeesxEhsT1s2xh05o1_500

3) Not super attentive.

tumblr_mleylzsKWb1qdlubpo1_400

4) He says things like THIS. To women. In public.

the-mindy-project-danny1

the-mindy-project-danny3

5) And lest we forget, he recently initiated this…

tumblr_mzt3ufkLdX1qd7kvso4_250

culminating in this traumatizing (for me) breakup.

tumblr_n3se84UVCX1qh0b9go4_500_zps78fa1482

To which he responded…

tumblr_n3ql6gmRul1r9a32bo3_400

Well, as long as he’s sorry, right?

I should make it clear that these objection would carry a lot more weight if he wasn’t capable of this.

a_560x0

anigif_enhanced-buzz-23221-1410967256-5

Actually, forget I said anything. Proceed with your regularly scheduled crushing.

–Whitney

About Last Night: The Gotham Premiere

If the Oscars are fangirl Christmas, then Fall premiere season is definitely fangirl Hanukkah. Days and days of network gift gotham-series-cast-211e9giving, some of which are way cooler than others. In the case of Fox’s new would-be hit Gotham, I still can’t decide whether or not I should hold on to the receipt. Here’s the breakdown:

Pros

1) I am really feeling Ben McKenzie as Jim Gordon. He’s got the gravitas of Gary Oldman and the raw sex appeal of Gary Cooper (sorry, I couldn’t think of any other sexy Gary’s).

2) This show isn’t trying to cash in by being too Christpoher Nolan-esq. It’s got it’s own vibe, and I like that.

david-mazouz-1400085068

3) David Mazouz could not be cuter as The Batbaby.

4) I think Gotham will be playing a bit fast and loose with the source material, which is a good thing. This show’s target audience is probably going to be pretty familiar with Batman, and if they don’t mix it up, viewers might just opt to rewatch their Dark Knight collector’s box set inTV-Fall Season-10 Beststead

5) Jada. Pickett. Smith. Ever so fierce.

Cons

1) In one episode, we’ve met Catwoman, Poison Ivy, The Riddler, The Penguin, Carmine Falcone, and completely wizzed through pretty much all of Batman’s origin story. Too much, too soon.

2) Gotham, like almost every DC blockbuster ever, is a little short on the funny. We get it, you’ve got #Gothamproblems. But cracking jokes doesn’t make your heroes any less bad-ass. Just ask these guys.

AEc5b

Conclusion? Well, I don’t really have one yet. So far I like what I see, but like many another comic book premise, Gotham could go sideways pretty quickly. Luckily, they’ve got a sexy Penguin. I could put up with a lot for a sexy Penguin.

–Whitney