Monthly Archives: April 2013

Web Bytes: Clip from New Arrested Development

Posted in Sweet Streams, TV, Web Bytes by

o-ARRESTED-DEVELOPMENT-PREMIERE-DATE-570I think I just blue myself.  You can look forward to a forthcoming ode to Arrested Development on this blog, but I am trying to rein in my excitement and not write a million posts (instead I just post a million Facebook statuses about it).  Nothing has ever been more difficult.

To whet your appetite until my more lengthy soliloquy, check out the exclusive clip that Entertainment Weekly posted today and try and get as excited as me.  I dare you.  Unless you’re a chicken.  Coo-coo-ka-cha.

Nothing made me more happy than the “all new episodes” at the end.

– Ellen

Fangirly Exposed: Teen Wolf

Posted in Fangirly Exposed!, Sweet Streams, TV by

teen-wolf-mtvIn preparation for the forthcoming Arrested Development season (!!), I set the necessary goal of re-watching the first three seasons.  Upon finishing all of the episodes in an embarrassingly short span of time, I browsed Netflix looking for something else to put on. I am going to blame boredom for making me start watching Teen Wolf, but I have only myself to blame for watching the first two seasons in the span of two days.   Yep, that happened.  Not that me watching a lot of TV should come as shock anymore.

The “embarrassing” factor comes into play when I tell you that Teen Wolf isn’t that good.  But like most entertainment that isn’t very good, it’s a pretty fun ride and it isn’t all bad.    I would find myself guffawing at a  poorly delivered line and then a second later I would get wrapped up in a genuinely sweet moment or hit play on the next episode because I had to know what happened next.

Dylan-OBrien-teen-wolfAlso, let’s not beat around the bush, the boys on this show are adorable.  I use the words “boys” and “adorable” because they are all younger than me and I feel the need to tread lightly.  WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?!  I suppose when I left that key 18-24 demographic.  But really, Stiles (played ever so endearingly by Dylan O’Brien) is the best part of the show and “awwed” every time he and his little puppy face came on screen.

If teen supernatural shows are in your wheelhouse (I’m looking at you, TVD fans), then I think that you would get hooked, too.  Check it out!  Seriously. It’s a good time.

–Ellen

Fangirly Investigates: The Best Movies and TV to Help You Survive Finals Week

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Are you stressed out beyond human endurance? Do you feel like your entire future depends on the outcome of a few essays and exams? Is your room so full of books, papers, and processed junk food that it looks like you’re preparing for the Rapture? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might be suffering from Finals Week. We here at Fangirly know that academia can be a hard pill to swallow, so we’ve compiled a list of the best TV and movies to help you survive your last week before summer vacation!

mars14f-1-web1) Veronica Mars Season 2- Nothing puts your academic woes into perspective like watching this show about a teenage PI who manages to pull off a 4.0 GPA, work part-time at her fathers detective agency, and look good on a budget, all without breaking a sweat. After seeing VM graduate with honors AND figure out who orchestrated a tragic bus crash, you might think twice before whining about your course load.always-sunny-dayman

2) It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia- Should the worst happen and you totally bomb the biggest week of your semester, you can take comfort knowing that you are still way, WAY smarter than these idiots.

renfield3) Dracula (1931)- I bet you weren’t expecting this one! This primordial horror flick will help you break up the monotony of studying by allowing you to indulge your long-standing crush on Renfield (Dwight Frye). Oh wait, that’s just me? Ok, forget I said anything. Seriously.

Good Luck!

-Whitney

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Ben Wyatt

Posted in Crush of the Week, TV by

tumblr_lijcztUtdR1qhpa58o1_500_thumbIf you caught the full hour of Parks and Recreation last night, there can be no doubt in your mind as to why Ben Wyatt is our crush of the week (or decade).  I didn’t think it was possible that I could love one fictional man more, but he just continues to become even more my soul mate.

How are we to resist when that adorable man drops knowledge on Game of Thrones (“The Lannisters while very wealthy, do not posses the magical abilities…”) and Fringe (“I went back to season one of Fringe to check for plot holes. As I suspected…air tight.”), and makes macaroni and cheese pizza (I don’t know what it is, but I want to go to there.

Be still, our nerdy hearts.

Observe the fangirly-crush-worthiness of Ben Wyatt in the clip below.

– Ellen

Web Bytes: The Ricky Gervais Show

Posted in Web, Web Bytes by

Ricky+Gervais+Steven+Merchant+and+Karl+Pilkington+KarlPilkingtonStephenM0011Allow me give you, dear reader, a piece of life advice: If you are ever feeling down, plug in the headphones and give The Ricky Gervais Show a listen.  Now, I a know that this podcast originally aired back in 2005 or so and that this is hardly current or cutting edge advice, but  no matter.  I have now listened to all of the episodes several times and it still never fails to slay me with laughter every time.

The basic format is Ricky Gervais and his collaborator Stephen Merchant sitting in a room and picking the brain of their odd little idiot savant, Karl Pilkington.  He has the strangest life perspective and Merchant and Gervais spend the entire show making fun of him.  It sounds mean, and sometimes it is, but I still laugh.  The podcast has now expanded into TV Shows (the animated Ricky Gervais Show and Idiot Abroad), but I still like to go back to roots and give the old podcasts a listen.

This week, for example, has been completely wretched at work.  Yesterday one of the episodes came on during my a shuffle on my iPhone.  Within a few minutes, I was stifling laughter, albeit not very well because my co-worker finally had to ask what I found so funny.

If this flew under your radar, I highly suggest you get your hands on some episodes and give it a listen when you are having a bad day.  In the meantime, check out a clip of the animated show below.

– Ellen

Anglophiles Anonymous: Ripper Street

Posted in Anglophiles Anonymous, TV by

RipperMain_1644262aAs per tradition in my family, my Easter basket this year was filled with candy and a DVD.  Because my mom gets me, she got me a BBC series, which have been sadly lacking from my life now that I no longer have BBC America, called Ripper Street.

I publish this post knowing that I am way behind the times seeing as how this aired a while ago, but in the likelihood that it flew under some radars, I have to recommend this one.  It takes place right at the height of Jack the Ripper Mania in London.

Detective Inspector Edmund Reid, played by Matthew Macfadyen with his adorable face and lovely, deep voice, heads up the Whitechapel H Division but struggles with never having caught the infamous Jack the Ripper. The series follows Reid and his crew as they solve cases in a time that was seeing strides in explosives, forensic science, and new forms of debauchery.

It is all kinds of creepy, good fun!  It’s Sherlock Holmes meets CSI, in the best way possible.   If this sounds like something that is up your alley, I am going to have to insist that you check it out.

– Ellen

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Anthony Jeselnik

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anthony-jeselnik1This weeks crush is Anthony Jeselnik, a writer and comedian who vaguely reminds me of that guy we all knew in high school. You know, the guy who was a total jerk, but also really smart and super smokin’, so you secretly had the hots for him anyway? If you like your comedy to be cringe-worthy, you should watch his new show The Jeselnik Offensive on Comedy Central. Here’s a pretty hilarious clip to show you what I’m talking about…

-Whitney

Get With the Program: Mr. Selfridge

Posted in Get with the Program by

I don’t want to say I told you so, but I totally told you so. In a previous post I predicted that this Jeremy Piven period dramedy was going to rule, and after watching two episodes I can safely say that it does. Here’s why:

PreviewFile.jpg.ashx 1) An American in an ITV drama? Awesome! 

Not only is the titular character an American, he’s played by an American actor. And if there is one thing that we yanks love, it’s outsourcing, making this show something of a win-win for American audiences. Also, can we address how smokin’ hot JP is looking these days? The 20th century is totally agreeing with him…

2) Frances. Friggen. O’Connor.frances-oconnor-mr-selfridge

It’s no secret that Frances O’Connor is one of my favorite ladies on Earth (somewhere between Billie Piper and Eleanor Roosevelt). So when I found out that she had a pretty decent sized part in Mr. Selfridge I was pretty much sold. Let me break  it down for you in mathematical terms: Frances O’Connor is wonderful, therefore by the transitive property of TV, this show is wonderful.

3) Finally, some likeable characters!

I know it’s early days, but I’m finding all the principle characters engaging and (for the most part) likeable. For some reason, I expected this show to be Mad Men: UK, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.I’m not saying that they’re not flawed, but it’s nice to find a show with characters you can actually root for.  Don’t get me wrong, I love a good anti-hero as much as the next single gal, but it’s refreshing to find a show that is going in a different direction.

What do you thing? Agree? Disagree? If you’ve got a comment, I know where you can stick it! (In the comment section…)

-Whitney

Fangirly Makeover: How to get the Zooey Deschanel Look!

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We love everything about Fox’s New Girl. Nick is a turtle-faced fox, Winston is the best friend we never knew we needed, Schmidt is a walking tutorial on how not to behave, and Jess is the style guru we fangirls have been waiting for. This week, not only are we going to show you how to get Jess’ look, we’re going to show you how to make it your own.

6277457265_4beddae06c_oEyewear: When trying to look like America’s Queen of Quirk, accessorizing is key. And, as every good New Girl fan knows, Jess’ fav accessory is a super cute pair of glasses. So to all my myopic sisters out there, ditch the contacts and sport those specs! To really make it your own, why not go for a cool monocle? It’s the perfect blend of sass and class.

Dresses: If you’re anything like me, you covet every dress that Deschanel has ever worn. But how does a fangirl on a budget get her paws on cute frocks without having to sell an organ or competing on a reality TV show? I’ll tell ya how: Modcloth! They’ve got a pretty great selection of cute dresses that are guarenteed to help you access your inner quirky girl!

Leg wear: It’s simple folks. Wear tights with everything. There is no situation too formal for tights. Got a big meeting coming up? Slap on some tights under your favorite pantsuit and then- this is important- DITCH THE PANTS. It’s a classic example of business on top, party on the bottom. Your coworkers will admire your moxy and your sexy gams.

Attitude: A key element to Jess’ look is plenty of confidence. So go on, sister-friend. Put on your new outfit (complete with brand new monocle) and work it. If you follow our advice, I promise that all the Nick Millers in your life will be beating down your door. And it will probably look a lot like this…

tumblr_mfhss4La5x1qmmqpso1_500

-Whitney

Fangirly Investigates: When to Give Up on a Show

Posted in Fangirly Investigates, TV by

GABRIEL MANN, ASHLEY MADEKWE, NICK WECHSLER, EMILY VANCAMP, JOSH BOWMAN, CONNOR PAOLO, CHRISTA B. ALLEN, MADELEINE STOWE, HENRY CZERNYLately, I have been beset with a most alarming problem in that getting myself to catch up on all of my shows has become somewhat of… a chore.  Believe me, no one is more surprised than myself, but as my DVR and Hulu queue become more full, I become less inclined to catch up with a large percentage of my shows.

The question I now pose is: Does this mean I need to give up those shows? There are still a select few that I watch that night or at least the next day (New Girl, Parks and Rec, Happy Endings).  Coincidentally, the shows that have begun to feel like homework are all shows that are generally regarded to be waning in their quality as of late (Revenge, Vampire Diaries, etc.) and I know that I am not the only person out there who is losing interest.  But I also know, that shows can come back with an exhilarating vengeance and that it could be just some weird mood on my part that is causing my ennui.

What is a TV lover to do?  When do you give up on shows that you once loved?

–Ellen

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Cary Grant

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58_style-icon-cary-grantAs previously discussed on this blog, Whitney and I are cousins.  On a recent visit with our Grandpa, he complained that we talk about people he has never heard of and he can never tell “what the hell [we] are talking about”.  So, to appease our grandpa, I chose Cary Grant as our crush of the week.

He sure is a smart-looking beau.  In a perfect world, we would go steady, he would pin me, and I’d be his dame.  He really is the cat’s meow.  Golly gee, he really gets my motor revvin’. And best of all, he ain’t no chump and he ain’t no skirt chaser.  Cary Grant is the kind of guy who would treat you like a lady.  He really is the bee’s knees.

Am I talking your language, Grandpa?

– Ellen

In with the Old: The Sandlot

Posted in In with the Old, Movies by

The-Sandlot-SquintsBaseball season.  The smell of freshly cut grass, the taste of peanuts and Cracker Jack, the sound of the crowd roaring in the stadiums.  But for this girl, the best part of baseball season is the yearning I get to watch The Sandlot.   Granted, this is coming from the girl who spent a good portion of a Dodgers game analyzing the Padres right fielder’s butt, but everything I know about baseball, I learned from The Sandlot.  How else is a 7-year old to learn who the “Great Bambino” is?

If you’re reading this post, you probably don’t need me to tell you what a great movie it is, but it’s a great movie.  It’s one of those rare family movies that the whole family can actually enjoy.  We must have watched it at least 100 times (no joke) in my family.  It’s the only way to explain why I can still quote the entire movie.  And why I still think that Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez is the perfect man.

More than anything, I love Sandlot for it’s heart.  There are few movies that capture childhood as well as this movie.  It only makes me sad that kids don’t seem to have summers like that anymore, running around the neighborhood getting up to antics kids get up to.  Blame it on To Catch a Predator, kids with iPads, or whatever it is we are blaming these sorts of things on these days.

So here’s to summers of big dogs, throwing up on Scramblers, Wendy Peffercorn, playing ball “like a girl”, S’mores, and shaving your dog’s butt and teaching it to walk backwards.

Don’t lie.  You want to watch Sandlot now, right?  Don’t be ashamed, it doesn’t take much for me either.

– Ellen

Dinner and a Show: Whitney’s TV Themed Meal Plan

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Eating is such a drag (said nobody, ever). If you’re looking for a way to spice up your weekend meals, look no further than our Fangirly Meal Plan, designed to help you literally live, breathe, and eat TV.

happy-endings-20120403040230005Friday

Thanks to some shady scheduling, ABC’s Happy Endings is now on Fridays, and in honor of the show’s gorgeous garbage gut Alex (Elisha Cuthbert), we’ll be eating nothing but ribs. Seriously. Just ribs. And if by the end of the meal you DON’T look like you just took down a live cow with your teeth and bare hands, you’re probably not doing it right.

Saturdayngbbs5065f9dd2e77a

Every good geek knows that Saturday is Doctor Who day, or as Ellen and I like to call it, the Nerd Sabbath. We’ll be commemorating our favorite show with a special dish, Fish Fingers and Custard! It is quite literally just fish sticks and pudding. If that is a little “Too Who for You” then here is a super cute Fish Stick Cookie and Vanilla Pudding recipe, from Bakingdom.com. (Side note: how does Matt Smith manage to make pre-packaged seafood look so sexy?)

618w_downton_abbey_s02_e07_1Sunday

Let’s close our weekend on a classy note, shall we? Sundays are all about the Masterpiece Classic, so we will be eating like our cousins from across the pond. What does that mean, exactly? I’m not really sure. What I do know is that what you eat is far less important than how you eat it. First, set the table so that each place setting has about a zillion plates, forks, and glasses.  Second, be sure to have a very intense conversation during your meal that is frequently punctuated by zingy quips from an old woman. Finally, find someone to serve you your meal, preferably someone who is dealing with their own drama, thank you very much.

-Whitney

Run-On Sentence Reviews: Admission

Posted in Movies, Run-On Sentence Reviews by

admissionI went into this thinking “Tina Fey and Paul Rudd, my girlfriend and boyfriend in one movie, what could possibly go wrong?” and while nothing necessarily went wrong, per se, there wasn’t anything that went crazy right either and that left me a little sad inside because while Paul Rudd was adorable as ever this was pretty much my dream team cast and it didn’t live up to expectations but I would recommend that if you go see it to know that it is NOT a comedy but more of a drama with somewhat humorous moments because everyone I went with was expecting it to be a laugh a minute and that will only lead to extreme disappointment.

Verdict: Meh.  You can wait for Redbox.

– Ellen

Whitney’s Application to be the New Doctor Who Companion

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Clara_OswaldFor the record, I think that Clara (Jenna-Louise Coleman) is the coolest, smartest, least irritating Doctor Who companion since Donna Noble. However, just because I wholeheartedly approve of the Doctor’s latest choice of BFF doesn’t mean I wouldn’t kill to have the job myself. And because Time Lord traveling companion jobs are so hard to come by these days, I thought I’d submit my application in the event that Clara gets sucked through a hole in the space-time continuum, or gets zapped by the Silence, or sprains an ankle and has to go on disability (all equally plausible on this show).

Name: Whitney

Desired Position: Must… resist urge… to write… euphemism…

Education History: Have seen every episode of Doctor Who at least five times, well versed in the Doctor’s Rules, extensive knowledge of…. Oh, you mean like, school? My bad.

Employment History: Server in a Mexican restaurant. Which, frankly, isn’t any less cool than being a shop girl (Rose), or a temp (Donna), or a resurrecting nanny with the computer hacking skills of Nolan Ross and the baking skills of Paula Dean (Clara). Actually, forget about that last one…

Why I would be right for the job: I’m a twenty-something female with a spotty employment record and a passion for intergalactic hijinks! A better question would be, how am I WRONG for this job?

Joking aside, this is probably the strongest job application I’ve ever written. Seriously.

-Whitney