Category Archives: TV

Fangirly First: The US Version is Better

Posted in TV by

4s4i8E9  As a rule, I generally hate remakes. I didn’t love The Office (US), and loathed MTV’s adaptation of The Inbetweeners. Maybe I’m alone here, but reformatting shows that are still on the air seems like a pretty lazy and uninspired way to make TV. So you can imagine my surprise when I realized that I was enjoying the Syfy series Being Human even more that the original Toby Whithouse masterpiece. Allow me to state my case:
1) The cast is better- Although just seeing those words written down triggers my gag reflex, it’s the absolute truth. Don’t get me wrong, a adore the cast of the original show, but I often found that the characters they played could really get under my skin, and not in a good way (example: does George really have to burst into tears in every episode? He’s a werewolf, not a John Boehner impersonator). And while the characters in the US adaptation have eerily similar back stories to their BBC forbearers, I’m really enjoying watching them make these characters themeaghan-rath-as-sally-being-human-us-18440900-600-337-scaled500ir own. Sally the ghost (Meaghan Rath) has all the spunk of Annie (Lenora Crichlow) without some of the Type-A weirdness that could, at times, become a little exhausting. Harsh? I hope not.
2) It’s the difference that makes it- Ok, yes, the two shows are identical in almost every way. However, I’m finding it’s the little differences that allow the US version to stand out. Josh the werewolf wants to go to med school, unlike his UK counterpart George, who all but gave up on life. So while they are basically the same show, I think that the differences Josh-being-human-us-18572564-600-337are making all the, well, difference.
3) The UK version is… having problems. There, I said it. Not only did the BBC Being Human undergo a complete cast overhaul, I have to admit that the story has been a little out there as well. I think we can all agree that the “war-child” narrative from season four got a little…weird. Obviously I will continue to watch both shows, but for the moment I have to say that the writing in the Syfy series is just a little bit stronger.
But this is just one Fangirl’s opinion! Do you agree? Disagree? Think I should get a life? Make yourself heard in our comment section!

-Whitney

Sweet Streams: Spy

Posted in Anglophiles Anonymous, Sweet Streams, TV by

tv_spy_darren_boyd_jude_wrightThe hipster in me loves finding new delights from across the pond.  “It’s some show, you’ve probably never heard of it.  It’s British.”  Or even better, when the show inevitably gets adapted for American audiences, I can say, “The British version was better.”  (See: Coupling, The Office, Sherlock, Da Ali G Show, Being Human, Trading Spaces, What Not to Wear, etc.).  Of course, the Anglophile in me, also loves saying that last one.

Now, when the awfully funny Spy gets adapted for American TV, don’t you want to be a cool kid, too?  Well, you can be because it’s on Hulu.  In case, Hulu hasn’t already gotten you with their incessant self-promotion, let’s see if I can sway you.

Spy is about the unassuming Tim Elliot, a man who is always trying to impress his ambitious and genius son, Marcus.  To up his game, Tim decides to get a better job and accidentally applies to be an MI-6 agent.  The show becomes part workplace comedy, complete with the kooky boss and office crush, and part family comedy as Tim fights his ex-wife and her new boyfriend for custody of Marcus.

This show is so rife with hilarious characters that I have a hard time picking my favorite.  Is it Marcus, who runs gambling rackets out of his bedroom or runs his student council with the kind of iron fist that would make Stalin cower?  Or maybe it is Tim’s boss, known only as The Examiner, who eagerly awaits his next torture and opportunity to impress Tim? It could be Tim’s friend, Chris, who could be a lawyer but finds it easier to just hack bank accounts.

Just check out the first episode below already.  Of course, I’m mourning the fact that the second season just ended and it will undoubtedly be another year before the third season starts.  Crazy Brits and their weird TV programming schedules.

– Ellen

Fangirly Exposed: Bunheads!

Posted in Fangirly Exposed!, TV by

BAILEY BUNTAIN, KAITLYN JENKINS, JULIA GOLDANI TELLES, EMMA DUMONT, SUTTON FOSTERAmy Sherman Palladino sure knows how to give people what they want. I can’t count how many times I watched my beloved Gilmore Girls and thought, ‘you know what’s missing from this? Ballet’! Yes, it’s true folks, the woman who brought us the show that delighted us for years with lightening speed repartee and low-stakes prime time drama is back with a new series that tackles the world of, you guessed it, DANCE. My own ballet career ended prematurely at the age of five, due to a devastating stubbed toe injury and a general lack of interest, so this witty look at the lives of young ballerinas is particularly interesting.
Sutton Foster (a.k.a. Coco from Flight of the Conchords) stars as Michelle, a talented but down on her luck dancer who comes to the small town of Paradise, California looking for a new life. She pretty quickly takes up residence at the local dance studio, where she becomes embroiled in the lives of her teenage students. Even for those of us who know next to nothing about dance, this show is fascinating. It’s been a long timhe since I’ve found a show this funny, sweet, smart, and occasionally sad. If you’re looking for something new to liven up your DVR queue, give Bunheads a try. I promise you won’t hate it.

-Whitney

TV Obituaries: RIP Fringe

Posted in TV, TV Obituaries by

fringeseriesfinale_waltercryFringe left us on Friday night after a long and arduous battle with cancellation to board that great cloud in the sky with the other genre shows that were taken too soon (Firefly, Pushing Daisies, etc.).  While it still ended too soon, much of Fringe‘s run is a miracle.  It spent five seasons on the bubble, even surviving the Friday curse, never sure if it would make it to the next.  However, this seemed to only invigorate the show, making each season more compelling than the last.

I know there are those out there who have been disappointed in the this latest season, but I will fight anyone that was not satisfied with the series finale.  Were there some potential holes in the science and events that took place in that two-hour block? Yes.  Did that stop me from bawling like a baby for most of that two-hour block? No, because in the end it perfectly captured everything that Fringe was about: science, parallel universes, humanity, family, and love.  It was the best kind of sci-fi show.  One that perfectly combined hard science with the sentimental.

I particularly loved the quite apropos comments that Walter made in his farewell video to Peter about having shared “stolen time.”  We truly did share stolen time with Fringe. Time that the entertainment industry can’t seem to afford with other shows.  Time to tell their story and give a proper conclusion to said story.  While this one left me in tears, it was also able to do what only the best TV can do: restore my faith in humanity and television.

Let us raise our white tulips and Observer hats to Fringe.

–Ellen

Web Bytes: Shoopin’ with the Boys of Parks and Rec

Posted in TV, Web Bytes by

If you need to know anything about me, you need to know that I love Parks and Recreation and Salt-N-Pepa’s “Shoop”.  Seriously.  Give it a listen.  It is pure genius.

When those two wonderful things joined forces last night, I just about wept with joy.  With that being said, I give you the following for your viewing pleasure. (Check out the whole episode, too.  It was pretty great.)

– Ellen

Fangirly Exposed!: Beauty and the Beast

Posted in Fangirly Exposed!, TV by

New-Photos-beauty-and-the-beast-cw-31899800-1600-2133

Confession: I am currently entrenched in more CW shows than ever before and I’m talking almost every CW show.  To clarify, I am not a fifteen-year old girl.  In fact, I have even surpassed the target 18-24 demo.

I know I am in a safe space here, which is why I am going to talk to you about my current investment, Beauty and the Beast. I don’t know why, but I feel like this is currently the most shameful CW show right now.  Even if you think there is one more shameful, I probably watch that, as well.

I’m not going to come on here and argue Beauty and the Beast’s case for a Best Drama Emmy or anything, but I have to say, I am enjoying this show. Let’s see if I can do the impossible and sell you on it’s pretty cheesy plot.

Catherine (Kristin Kreuk) was saved by a mysterious, beastly creature years ago.  Now, this tiny little wisp of a girl is a cop out of some vengeance over her mother’s death.  She works a case that leads her to Vincent (magically delicious Jay Ryan) who is presumed dead.  She eventually encounters him, because like all good supernatural heroes, he is incapable of NOT stepping in when she is danger.  She comes to learn that he becomes beastly because he was part of a government project to create super soldiers that went awry.  He is in hiding from a government agency that is looking for him, but he steps out in the night to be a sort of vigilante.  But now, Catherine is awakening new “beastly” feelings within him and they have to figure out how to date while still maintaining his secret.

So, maybe that wasn’t a great sell, but bear with me.  I, of course, come for the romance and some of the dramatic intrigue over his secret.  The reason I feel like this romance stands is that almost from the beginning, these two have made it pretty clear to each other that they like the other.  The romantic tension comes from the fact that they don’t know how to be together because a) he is supposed to be dead and her whole precinct knows it, b) he kind of turns into this gnarly-faced beast every now and then, c) there is this whole group that wants his blood and by deafult, hers to get to him.

It’s a pretty classic superhero-meets-girl story line, but it is a nice change with all of these Castle/Bones will they/won’t they story lines that make us wait 3 -6 seasons for anything to happen.  They know they want to at least try and be together, but they have a myriad of things stopping them.

If I still haven’t sold you, just…

Jay-Ryan-in-Beauty-and-the-Beast-episode-1.07-03

I didn’t want to resort to that, but you forced my hand.  You made this tawdry! I have to go wipe the filth from my keybroad.  But seriously, look at him.  You’ll tune in.

–Ellen 

Awards by the Minute: Golden Globes

Posted in Movies, TV by

Join me, as I get angry, joyous, and ambivalent over the course of an entire award ceremony.

70th Annual Golden Globe Awards - Show0:00 Guys, not going to lie, Amy Poehler and Tina Fey have a lot to live up to for this old girl.  But given how much I love them and anything that comes out of their mouths, I’m sure they will deliver.

0:01 Off to a great start: “Only at the Golden Globes do the beautiful people of film rub shoulders with the rat-faced people of television.”

0:02 When you run afoul of the Hollywood Foreign Press, they make you host this show two more times.

0:03 Ooooh, James Cameron burn goes over swimmingly and will probably be the edgiest burn of the night.  “I have not been following the controversy over Zero Dark Thirty, but I’m going to trust the lady who was married to James Cameron.”

0:04 Provin’ me wrong:  “Anne Hathaway, I have not seen anyone left alone and abandoned like that since you did the Oscars with James Franco.”

0:05 And the award for Joke only Liz Lemon could have written goes to: “The Hunger Games was one of the biggest films of the year, and also what I call the six weeks it took me to get into this dress,” “Ang Lee’s been nominated for Best Director for Life of Pi, which is what I’m going to call the six weeks after I take this dress off!”

70th Annual Golden Globe Awards - Show0:05 Quentin Tarantino is coincidentally the star of all my sexual nightmares, as well Tina.  This is why I love her.

0:06 I loved Meryl Streep in The Flu, everyone is raving about it.

0:07 Also, it needs to addressed how smoking my ladies are looking.

0:08 They have to cut away from Lea Michele before she says something really bratty about Kate Hudson’s dress (which would not be completely unfounded). globes090-3_4_rx512_c380x510

0:09 Christoph Waltz gets Best Supporting Actor in a Film and I am actually someone surprised.  Everyone is saying Tommy Lee Jones is a lock, but Waltz’ performance is something to behold.

0:12 How did Hayden Pannetierre get nominated?  She is good at best. I was expecting less, so that is saying something.

0:13 Will Maggie Smith ever NOT win for Downton Abbey?

0:17 I have to admit, that mini-series and TV movie categories are always my blind spot, but I do want to see The Hour.  Shocker: Game Change wins.

0:21 Oh my gosh, please tell me that Amy and Tina are going to be sitting in the crowd all night as fake nominees.  Please, Golden Globes!

0:23 And here to remind a Hollywood that has become increasingly obsessed with musicals that she can sing: Catherine Zeta-Jones!

0:30 You can hear America tuning out as the HFPA president is announced, but she is actually quite cute and funny and hits on Bradley Cooper, so we have that in common.

0:31 Oh, hey, lifetime crush Paul Rudd.

damian-lewis0:32 I do not watch Homeland, but I love Damien Lewis so much from Band of Brothers and this really random adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing that he did, that I am always happy to see him win anything.  So charming.

0:35 Only Paul Rudd can make technical difficulties charming.  And apparently I need to watch Homeland.

0:42 Pretty cool that they got the real Tony Medez (Argo) there even if you couldn’t hear anything he said.

0:46 You guys, how adorable is Ang Lee?

70th Annual Golden Globe Awards - Show0:47 Is there any way that Adele is not going to win this?  Not necessarily that she deserves it more, but just because she was Adele in 2012?

0:49 You guys, how adorable is Adele?  Really, though.

0:55 I don’t think it will happen, but Benedict Cumbatch SHOULD win for Sherlock.

0:56 YES! They are doing the fake nominees for all of the acting categories it seems.  This bodes well.  But NO! Benedict didn’t get it.

0:58 Of course, Bill Clinton gets a standing ovation at the Golden Globes.

1:01 “That was Hillary Clinton’s husband!” Amy would say that.

70th Annual Golden Globe Awards - Show1:02 Thank goodness we have SNL alum like Will Ferrell and Kristen Wiig to liven this thing up.

1:06 Winners for best presenters of the night, so for, but probably for the night: Will Ferrell and Kristen Wiig.  “YOU GET OUT OF HERE!”

70th Annual Golden Globe Awards - Show1:07 Jennifer Lawrence’s really should mention that she beat Meryl because that is an achievement at the Globes.  And she is getting the award for most charming speech, so far.

1:13 You guys, how adorable is John Krasinski?

1:15 For award that is shocking no one: Anne Hatheway (but she does deserve it)70th Annual Golden Globe Awards - Show

1:17 You guys, how adorable is Sally Field?

1:24 Shocked by the love for Django Unchained.  Not that it is completely unfounded, just unexpected.

1:26 You guys, how adorable is Ewan McGregror?

1:28 In typical HFPA fashion, Don Cheadle wins just for being Don Cheadle and not for actually being a good show.

1:34  Arnold and Sly are BOTH pretty hard to understand.  Don’t take steroids, kids.

1:38 Homeland is sweeping.  Okay, I get it.  I’ll watch this stupid show.

1:45 Somewhat of a strange intro for the Animated Feature Film category.

1:49 All of my dreams are coming true.  Jason Bateman carried Aziz Ansari out on stage.

1:51 The Take That, Will Arnett Award goes to: Amy Poehler chatting it up with George Clooney when her name was announced.  I was dying.

70th Annual Golden Globe Awards - Show1:53 Amy should have won, but don’t get me started on the HFPA’s utter disregard for Parks and Rec

1:59 Warning Taylor Swift to stay away for Michael J. Fox is actually quite sage advice.

70th Annual Golden Globe Awards - Show 2:02 Did anybody else feel out of the loop during Robert Downey Jr.’s presentation of Jodie Foster’s Cecil B. DeMille Award?

2:04 You guys, the glee that I had at seeing Bugsy Malone on Jodie Foster’s reel is unparalleled.  (Look it up, kids).

2:11 I’m sorry, but I don’t get why everyone was teary eyed by the end of Jodie Foster’s speech.  She seemed somewhat the manic, crazy person, no?

2:17 For Biggest F You to the Academy:  Ben Affleck for director of Argo, after not getting nominated for the Oscar.  (Don’t get me started.)

2:22 Loved Jimmy Fallon trying to push Jay Leno out of The Tonight Show.

2:23 The Award that Should Have Been Parks and Rec’s:  Girls for Best Comedy (Don’t get me started)

2:32 I really wanted Bradley Cooper to win Best Actor – Comedy or Musical.  He deserves as much praise as Jennifer Lawrence but is not getting it because he is in the same awards season as Daniel Day-Lewis.

jackman-3_4_rx3402:34 I am going to say this in the nicest way possible, but does anybody else find it incredibly endearing that Hugh Jackman’s wife is not as pretty as him?  Just an observation.

2:40 I wanted Silver Linings Playbook to win, but I am fine with Les Mis winning.

2:47 Middle-aged Clooney DOES make young Clooney look like garbage.

2:48 Yay! Jessica Chastain! She really does deserve it.  Her performance in Zero Dark Thirty was haunting, depressing, and exhilarating, all at once.

2:51 Once again, Daniel Day-Lewis’ win shocks no one, but he REALLY deserves it.  His performance is eerily intoxicating.

affleck-onstage-4_3_r536_c5342:58 When they were reading the announcements for Best Motion Picture – Drama, I realized that this one could go any way, but after Ben Affleck’s snub at the Oscars, I really wanted Argo to win… and I got my wish!  Highly recommend this one, most crazy intense movie experience I have ever had.  It took me a solid hour to come down from this movie.

3:00 Well, that’s it, folks.  I was “meh” about most of the winners, in that I wasn’t surprised by a lot, was pissed about others, but more often, I had wished that someone else had won, but was okay with who won.  This just makes me excited for the Oscars to see if they make me less pissed or more.  Probably less, because I get more enraged by the TV nominees.

– Ellen

Fangirly Crush of the Week: David Walton

Posted in Crush of the Week, TV by

121002mag-NewGirl1_300x206Listen folks, nobody wants to see Nick and Jess fall in love already more than me.  I have to admit, though, I’m not hating having Sam, Jess’ latest love interest played by David Walton, around.

He’s the triple threat: cute, funny, and a doctor.  Am I right, ladies?  Add on to those that he is also a reformed commitment-phobe that came back to Jess because he just liked her THAT much?  There go my ovaries.  (TMI? Meh.)

He’s a babe.  If he were a president, he would be Baberham Lincoln. Scha-wing.

– Ellen

Fangirly Investigates: Who is Clara Oswin Oswald?

Posted in Anglophiles Anonymous, TV by

6402_10151323011974516_127340701_nEver since the premiere of this year’s Doctor Who Christmas special, and subsequent reveal that Oswin and Clara are the same person, I’ve been going nuts trying to solve the mystery behind the Doctor’s newest companion. This isn’t the first time my obsessive tendencies have gotten the better of me, but it just might be the worst. So for the sake of my mental health, I’ve compiled a list of all my craziest theories. And while I’m pretty sure that none of these theories are anywhere near correct, you can’t blame a Whovian for trying.
1) She’s Jenny!
Why: Clara/Oswin has the habit of dying and popping up in different times and places, a talent that we know the Doctor passed on to his baby girl in the season four episode, “The Doctor’s Daughter”. Also, Clara/Oswin’s phrase “run you clever boy” sounds a lot like Jenny’s favorite saying, “love the running”. Tenuous? You bet.
Why Not: My love for Doctor Who could make me forgive a lot of things, but I’m going to have to draw the line at incest. If Clara/Oswin really is the doctor’s long lost daughter, then their impromptu make-out sesh suddenly lost a lot of its adorability. I mean, a lot.
2) She may be another Time Lord (Time Lass? Time Lady?)
Why: Girlfriend is coming back to life and traveling through time and space. Sounding familiar?
Why Not: This particular plot device seems to be a little played out, if you ask me. First there was the return of the Master, and then the reveal of River’s quasi-Time Lord status leaves me feeling like our new companion will probably not turn out to be yet another time-hopping humanoid.
3) Clara/Oswin may be the twelfth reincarnation of the Doctor.
Why: This is by far my favorite of all the theories floating around at the moment. Personally, although my heart beats for Matt Smith, I think it would be beyond awesome to have a female Doctor. Not to mention that she is by far the cleverest of all the Doctor’s companions, maybe as clever as the Doctor himself. And let’s be honest, weirder things have happened on this show.
Why Not: There are just way too many holes in this theory . Firstly, we have so far seen three separate reincarnations of the same girl. Somehow I don’t think that the Doctor would, or could, regenerate into the same body three different times. Also, if Clara/Oswin is the Doctor then why wouldn’t she be aware of it herself? While I would love to have a sister piloting the TARDIS, I really don’t think it’s going to happen.
So there you have it, all my wildest Doctor Who theories! If you have any DW musings you want to share, feel free to go nuts in our comment section!

-Whitney

Top Five California Flicks!

Posted in Choice Picks, Movies, TV by

So I am six months into my first year in Utah, and while I love the people, the schools, and the fact that there is a Chuck-O-Rama on every corner, I am really missing my mild California winters. So, in honor of my homeland, and in an effort to stave off homesickness, I’ve compiled a list of all my favorite movies and TV set in the Golden State.
so-i-married-an-axe-murderer5) So I Married an Ax Murderer- This movie has been rocking my world since 1993. TO this day, I have a hard time getting through a serious conversation about relationships without blurting out, “Jane, get me off this crazy thing called love!” And don’t even get me started on my family’s trip to Alcatraz. Suffice it to say, every tour guide was named Vicky, whether they liked it or not.
4) Easy A- It’s about time someone made a movie that shows how Eprudish and uptight California high schools girls are. I can’t count how many times we ostracized a girl who DARED show up in tight pants and a sleeveless top. Honestly, the nerve.
tumblr_led6xzt9781qf314eo1_5003) Ten Inch Hero- I’d be lying if I said that Jensen Ackles and his adorable and love-challenged character Priestly wasn’t my favorite part of this movie. There, I said it. Even colored mohawks and ironic kilt-wearing couldn’t dim the beauty of the Superior Winchester. Also, the story is pretty good too. You know, if you like heart-warming love stories, on-screen chemistry, and other such junk.
2) Clueless¬– There is no way to put into words what this movie meant to me growing up. Really, being raised with the clueless-title-imagefirm belief that one day I would have a love/hate relationship with Paul Rudd that would eventually culminate in true love probably wasn’t super conducive to a healthy grown-up world view. Regardless, this movie is the best.
Main_Page_Photo_for_September1) Veronica Mars- This is the California I remember. The murder, the intrigue, the sleuthing. That pretty much sums up my high school experience too. Finally, a show that accurately portrays the life on an average California teenager, right? Like, totally.

Tell us your favorite California flicks in our comment section!

-Whitney

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Ike Barinholtz!

Posted in Crush of the Week, TV by

Believe me, I’m as shocked as anybody by this week’s object of our Fangirly affection. For most of this season I’ve been crushing on another Mindy Project dreamboat, Danny Castellano (Chris Messina), who is probably the toughest OB/GYN on TV. But this week, it was the show’s adorably doofy nurse Morgan (Ike Barinholtz) who caught my eye. What can I say, I have a thing for clueless guys in scrubs. Am I totally alone here, or is this guy bringing it, in all the weirdest ways?

-Whitney

An Impassioned Plea for Mockingbird Lane

Posted in TV by

I watched the pilot of NBC’s Munsters remake Mockingbird Lane on a whim, but less than 20 minutes in I was ready to add it to my DVR lineup. Obviously it was far from perfect, but I thought it showed a lot of promise. That being said, I was devastated when I heard that the chances of NBC picking the show up for a full season was pretty much non-existent. In an effort to quell the fangirlish rage in my heart, I compiled a list of reasons why this show should be given a chance.

1) The friggen cast!

Listen NBC, if you’re lucky enough to get Jerry O’Connell, Eddie Izzard, Charity Wakefield, and Portia de Rossi on screen together, at least be smart enough to realize you’re sitting on a comedy goldmine! That’s like locking A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter, and Kevin Richardson in a recording studio and telling them not to make a hit record (look it up, kids). Next time you axe a show after one episode, make sure it doesn’t star some of the coolest people in show business. Nerds.

2) It’s better than the actual Munsters

Yeah, I said it. Bryan Fuller and Bryan Singer took a cheesy 60’s sitcom and gave it some actual substance! I for one was totally intrigued by the way the characters interacted with each other. For example, what was the deal with all the thinly veiled tension between Grandpa (Eddie Izzard) and Marilyn (Charity Wakefield)? And how is Eddie going to handle the knowledge that his family tree is populated by things that go bump in the night? All good questions that may never be answered.

3) It’s time to take a risk, NBC

Haven’t you heard? Quirky is the new black! Viewers are looking for something different, which explains why ABC’s Once Upon a Time was the surprise hit of last season. And no offence, but your lineup consists of reality shows, family dramas, procedural cop shows and goofy sitcoms. Maybe it’s time to mix things up a little.

What were your thoughts on Mockingbird Lane? Tell us if you think it’s worth saving in our comment section!

-Whitney

Grade A Choice Picks: Best New Fall TV Shows!

Posted in Choice Picks, TV by

We are officially well into the fall TV season, so we thought we would let you know which of the new shows we are are still digging.

Whitney’s Picks: 

The Mindy Project (Fox): Called it! We told you that this show was going to rule, and so far, it has. Usually, shows about clueless women in the workplace (I’m looking at you, Ally McBeal) really annoy me, but Kaling’s Mindy is funny enough to pull it off. Plus, I feel I’ve found a kindred fictional spirit in Mindy, as she seems to be as rom-com obsessed as I am. Mindy, you totally complete me.

Last Resort (ABC): In all honesty, I can’t be sure if this show is actually as awesome as I think, or if I’m just so freakin’ grateful to have Scott Speedman back in my life that my judgment has been compromised. Time will tell. If you’re not already watching this show, think of it as Hunt for Red October sans Cold War backdrop. Are you asleep yet, ladies? If so, let me direct you attention to this picture of Mr. Speedman. Are you back with me? Good.

Mockingbird Lane (NBC): Honestly, my hopes were not high for this Munsters remake, but thanks to the combined talents of Eddie Izzard, Portia de Rossi, Jerry O’Connell, Charity Wakefield, and writer Bryan Fuller (of Pushing Daisies fame), I’m now totally on board. If I can’t have Ned and Chuck, I’ll gladly take the Munsters.

Ellen’s Picks:

Nashville (ABC): I have noticed that the only dramas that I am drawn to are crazy over-the-top and scandalous, and Nashville fits in quite nicely.  There are all sorts of sexual politics, real politics, shady business dealings, family drama, bedroom eyes over microphones, and country music (which in and of itself is pretty dramatic).  And I can’t get enough!

Ben & Kate (Fox): Definitely my favorite new comedy.  It is sweet, charming, and hilarious.  I can already tell that I am going to enjoy watching Ben and Tommy and their crazy antcis, B.J.’s dating lessons for Kate, the sibling love/rivalry between Ben and Kate, and the potential couplings that could ensue.  Not to mention, that little girl is  adorable.

Emily Owens, M.D. (CW): It has now been decided and proven that I have to add one schlocky show to my roster with every new season of television (see Hart of Dixie last year).  Regardless of the schlock, I still love to watch them.  Also well documented is my love of complicated love triangles, so it should be no surprise that I am on board with this one.  If this doesn’t sound like it is as much up your alley as mine, watch it at least once for the uncanny resemblance of Mamie Gummer to her mom, Meryl Streep.  It creeps me out sometimes.

-Ellen and Whitney

Grade A, Choice Picks: TV Proposals

Posted in Choice Picks, TV by

I feel I am safe in shouting this from the rooftops now because it has been a week, but BEN AND LESLIE ARE GETTING MARRIED!  I couldn’t be happier for these two crazy kids.  Yeah, I know, they’re fictional but that doesn’t hinder my excitement for the most adorable couple on TV.

Their perfect proposal got me thinking about other TV proposals which got me thinking about making a list.  I have compiled 5 of my favorite with the following disclaimers: Ben and Leslie may very well top this list but it’s too fresh to tell for sure, so I excluded it here.  Also, these are only from the shows that I watch, so there are going to be blind spots that I missed.

5) Michael and Holly – The Office: In their mad dash to give Michael Scott an epic send-off, the Office crew brought Holly back to make sweetly dorky music with Michael again.  This was great because it got everyone involved and showed everyone’s attachment to Michael despite all of his buffoonery in the past.  And let’s not forget, it was sweetly romantic.  The simulated rain, the candles, the first place they fell in love, and any proposal that happens in Yoda voice is A-OK in my book.

4) Turk and Carla – Scrubs:  This proposal is greatly aided by it’s simplicity and Old 97’s “Question”.  Turk kept asking and asking and Carla kept refusing to give an answer, until she calls Turk and tells him to ask again.  Turk comes running, they meet in a park, and we just watch as they finally get their moment.  Then, because this is still Scrubs, J.D. comes in running around with sparklers.  Love it.  And “Question” was playing in my car for a good couple months after this one.

3)  Charlie and The Waitress – It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: That sweet guy who has been mooning over you at the coffee shop for years writes a musical so that he will finally have his moment to tell you how he really feels and propose marriage. Sounds kind of sweet, right?  Well, the musical has a pedophile troll, a princess who wants little, baby boys, and penetration from behind.  Not all proposals are perfect and it may not be a huge surprise that The Waitress turned down Charlie, but this one is still up there for me.

2) Jim and Pam – The Office: I was Team Jim and Pam from the very beginning (mainly because I had been Team UK Tim and Dawn and I knew what was coming).  I cheered when they finally kissed and I wept when Jim moved away and started dating Ann Perkins.  With all their ups and downs, their sweet proposal in the rain at the gas station that was halfway between them was perfect.  And I’m starting to realize that Michael Schur and Co. should plan all of life’s proposals.

1) Monica and Chandler – Friends:  I know I’m not alone, but I loved Friends.  Like, LOVED it.  My love of this proposal is only increased by the fact that Chandler was my favorite guy and Monica was my favorite girl.  This just seems to be TV doing a proposal right.  Just when it seems that everything has gone to hell in a hand basket, you open the door to find a room full of candles.  I love how neither of them can get through what they want to say without crying, because that will probably be me.  I’m a weeper.  Let’s move past it.

Honorable mentions:  Matt and Julie on Friday Night Lights, Homer and Marge on The Simpsons, Will and Emma on Glee

What do you think?  Did I miss your favorite?  Because in researching this, I realized that there haven’t been as many as you would think.

-Ellen

 

Walk Down Memory Lane: My Pop Culture Themed Costumes!

Posted in Movies, TV by

From my earliest years, I have leaned more towards the pop culture based costumes.  My mom used to dress my brother and I as couples (weird) like Mickey and Minnie or Robin Hood and Marian.  Later, I would dress as Scarlett O’Hara, Cleopatra, and Dorothy.

To honor this holiday, I thought I would throw out some of my other entertainment-skewed costumes, starting with my most recent:

– French Kiss:  Get it?

– Velma from Scooby Doo:  I have don this a couple times now because I have had strangers on the street come up to me and tell me that I look like her.

–  Temperance Brennan from Bones:  This was my first year at Comic Con.  Made the coat myself.  NBD.

– Iron Man:  In an effort to escape our gender’s proclivity to dressing slutty on Halloween, my friends and I decided to dress like superheroes.  It turned out pretty awesome.

– Drew Barrymore in Charlie’s Angels: I had just dyed my hair red, I had two roommates, and we thought it was a good idea to go as Charlie’s Angels.

This one is just for fun, but I totally went to Richard Simmons’ aerobic class.  Total blast!

What are you going as this year?  What has been your favorite pop culture themed costume?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

-Ellen

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Damon Wayans Jr!

Posted in Crush of the Week, TV by

There was no shortage of crushable dudes this week in TV, but one bro stood out among the rest, and unless you have something against headlines, you already know that man was Mr. Damon Wayans Jr! Although we’ve always had our eye on the Happy Endings star, he really brought the heat this week in theseason 3 premiere. Examples, you ask? Well, we now know that Brad, Wayans character on the show, has a ventriloquist dummy named Sinbrad. (FYI, this is the only time you will ever catch us admitting that ventriloquism can be sexy. We generally feel that it has no place in society, outside of prime time sitcoms and Goosebumps books). To honor Damon Wayans Jr., here is a clip of some of Brad’s best moments.

–Whitney

Anglophiles Anonymous: Being Human

Posted in Anglophiles Anonymous, Sweet Streams, TV by

These days, there’s nothing I find more annoying than sexually driven supernatural TV shows (I’m looking at you, True Blood). They are everywhere, and although I remain an avid fan of The Vampire Diaries, I was starting to find the vampire/witch/ghost/werewolf monster-mash melodrama a bit tedious. Then I discovered that there are some shows that are so witty, so well written, and so awesome that they can transcend their spooky, sordid roots. Enter Being Human.

Ok, yes, it’s a show about vampire Mitchell (Aidan Turner), ghost Annie (Lenora Crichlow), and werewolf George (Russell Tovey) cohabitating and trying to navigate their respective supernatural situations. And if that were all there was to it, I would have stopped watching a long time ago. But this British import is also hilarious, sweet, and surprisingly poignant. The best example of this is probably George, who lost his job, his girlfriend, and his family after getting mauled by a werewolf while on a Scottish vacation. Here’s a clip of George going bananas.

This show has experienced quite a shake up since last season, including the arrival of three new lead characters, but I think season 5 is going to rule nonetheless. The first three seasons are available to stream on Netflix, something to keep in mind the next time you get a hankering for quality British TV. Which, of course, is always.

-Whitney

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Sam Palladio

Posted in Crush of the Week, TV by

As predicted, I am loving Nashville.  So of course, I had to decide who my main squeeze of the show is.  I had no other choice but to choose Gunner (Sam Palladio).  What can I say?  I love me the lovesick puppy and a good high falsetto.

It doesn’t hurt that his duet with Clare Bowen is currently on repeat during my commute.  Also, my Nashville comrade and I have decided that he is a young Lee Pace, which is A-OK with me.

Check out the duet if you missed it!

-Ellen

Must-Have TV Merch

Posted in TV by

We here at Fangirly firmly believe you can buy happiness. How do we know? Because nothing brings us more joy than wearing our matching Supernatural T-shirts or tacking our Bones calendars up on our walls. That’s happiness, people. And in an effort to bring you the same joy, we’ve comprised a list of what we consider ‘Must-Have’s’ for any nerd worth their salt. All this happiness may put a dent in your checking account, but the envy in your friend’s eyes when they see your awesome swag will be worth every penny.

River Song’s TARDIS Journal: Spoilers! This replica of River Song’s diary in the shape of our favorite blue box is a great place to record all of your adventures in time and space. If you’ve just gotta have it, you can get your very own TARDIS journal here. Just don’t read ahead, because we’re pretty such it will create a rift in the space/time continuum.  Be sure to time travel responsibly!

Fringe Division Sweatshirt: Do you ever come home from a long day of rebelling against the Observer overlords and just wish you had something comfy to put on? Well now you can be cozy, AND identify yourself as a part of the resistance with this awesome Fringe Division sweatshirt! You can buy this little piece of the Fringe universe here at CafePress.com.

Ron Swanson Pyramid of Greatness Poster: There is a LOT of fab swag for Parks and Rec, mainly because there are so many things that come straight from the show.  Take for example the Lil’ Sebastian shirts, the Pawnee Porpoises shirts,  or the Knope campaign buttons.  Perhaps the best P&R swag, though, is this glorious purpose.  Glorious in it’s stand alone hilarity and it’s educational value.  Where else are you going to gain nuggets of wisdom such as “Honor: If you need it defined, you don’t have it” or “Intensity: Give 100%.  110% is impossible.  Only idiots recommend that.” (Click that image for the other gems).  This poster is available on NBC.com and probably other sources that I am too lazy to look up.  That’s how they get you.

Tina “Butts” Shirt: If you still aren’t watching this show, shame on you. What are we going to have to do to convince you?  If you are watching, you know that if there is one thing that Tina loves, it’s butts.  Most of her energy goes into getting a glimpse at a good butt.  And its hilarious.  We love Tina.  We love her fascination with butts.  And we love this shirt.  All Christmas gift-givers out there, take note, because none of us yet own it.  This shirt is available at BustedTees.com (which has a lot of other really fun shirts, as well).
-Whitney and Ellen

Grade A, Choice Picks: Political Romps

Posted in Choice Picks, Movies, TV by

In case you haven’t heard election season is upon us and in honor of tonight’s debate, we decided we needed to help our readers get in the spirit!

Look, there’s a reason my main source of news is The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, and a humorous talk radio program.  If you want me to pay attention to politics and learn anything about how our system works, there better be a humorous jab in there somewhere.  You can keep your West Wing and Manchurian Candidate, I prefer my politicians played by the likes of Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis (a close runner-up).

I know that I can’t be alone in this because these programs and films seem to do pretty well for themselves.  If you watch the debate tonight and walk away feeling like you need to wash it all down with something making light of it all, I give you the following five candidates:

5. First Kid – Sinbad.  Enough said.  Granted I haven’t seen this one in a while, but little me loved this movie.  First of all, the kid was a babe.  Even little me was not immune to the effect that this major component can have on a movie.  Also, it showed that first kids are just like us!  They want get picked on bullies from Home Improvement and want to go to school dances.  We feel for ya, Malia and Sasha.

4. Dave – This one comes with an extra help of heart and romance.  The Parent Trap of political movies, if you will.  Although, they are not actually twins in this movie, they both just share a striking resemblance to Kevin Kline.  In all seriousness, if you haven’t seen this one, it gets a strong recommendation from this girl.

3. Veep –  This is Julia Louis-Dreyfus as you have never seen/heard her, because she has never been on cable.  Watching her Selina Kyle try and navigate the swampy DC waters with her intelligent and awful team is a treat.  Among that team is the little girl from My Girl all grown up (Anna Chlumsky) and Buster Bluth (Tony Hale).  Sold, right?  This one might be a little blue for some of our readers, but it’s pretty hilarious, so check it out if you think you can handle it.

2. Dick –This movie taught me everything I need to know about the Watergate scandal, presidential resignations, oh, and Deep Throat.  The anonymous informant not the porno!  Gutters, people! Out!  Don’t take this to mean that I believe two teenage girls double-handedly brought down the Nixon administration, but when I first watched this as an 11-year old, my mom had to explain all of the actual events to me so that I could find the movie funny.  Which I did and still do to this day.

1. Parks and Recreation – Disclaimer:  there are going to be very few lists in my in which Parks and Rec would NOT be at the top.  My love for this show knows no bounds.  There is nothing else out there that so perfectly combines laughs, heart tugs, and political satire!  Barbara Boxer and John McCain were in the premiere for goodness sake!  I feel like especially last season had a lot to say about our election process, applicable to both local and federal.  Campaign ads, fundraising, political scandals, the media, debates, bus tours, it’s all there to enjoy.

There you have it!  What did I leave off?  Do I need to be more serious about my political viewing?  (Like that’s going to happen).

-Ellen