TV Obituaries: RIP Parks and Recreation

Posted in TV, TV Obituaries by Ellen Lloyd

Thank you all for being with me during this trying time. Parks and Recreation left us peacefully two days ago and there is no other show that more deserved to go out on its own terms. Whitney already gave Parks a moving and appropriate tribute, but this show more than any other deserves an extra.

If I have recommended Parks and Rec to you in the past, you have heard my pitch, but it remains the same. Parks and Recreation is truly a special show because it is that rare breed of comedy that is all at once optimistic, smart, joyous, and oh, hysterically funny. This breed is so rare that I’m not even sure there is another.

Comedies are my jam, but what I have always loved about Parks is that I leave every episode feeling uplifted because (Jerry jokes aside) the humor rarely comes from malicious place. The show is truly special because it is about a group of people who are crazy degrees of different but who still love each other and (to varying degrees) love what they do. Mainly because they get to do it together. The show’s series finale was the perfect encapsulation of this, the perfect send-off to our little band of weirdos and I cried more times than I would like to admit because it wasn’t really that sad. I cried because I am losing my best (TV) friend.

I’m really going to miss Pawnee and all of its eccentricities, because the town is a character in and of itself, but more than anything I am going to miss watching the Parks department and the genuine love that they have for each other. It truly is the most enjoyable show that you could ever watch and I highly suggest that you get on Netflix if you have never had the extreme pleasure of watching this show.

So bye, bye, Parks and Rec. I already miss you in the saddest fashion.

– Ellen

24Feb2015

Run-On Sentence Review: The DUFF

Posted in Movies, Run-On Sentence Reviews by Ellen Lloyd

This generation needs a good high school movie because the 80’s had the John Hughes catalog, the 90’s had such cinematic classics as Clueless and She’s All That, the early 2000’s brought us Mean Girls, and most recently we’ve had Easy A, but these tweeting, vining, posting, snapchatting, tumblring, blogging, vlogging young scamps need a film of their own and The DUFF is the best we’ve had in a while because it is funny, sweet, has a great soundtrack, and a hot guy, which are basically all the makings of a great teen movie and the cast is great fun with, dare I say it, the hotter Amell and the always endearing Mae Whitman (her?) as the leads and the latter playing what always felt like a real representation of a teen girl to me because she is strong but still goes through some self-doubt, which we just all do at that age, and I know the acronym for DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) is a bit off-putting to some but the film ends with a good message and some confidence building for our young friends and this is coming from someone, who I’ve come to realize, was (and still probably is) the DUFF of every friend group she has ever been a part of and someone who is okay with that.

Verdict: If you are an adult and still enjoy some of those movies I mentioned, then you will prpbably enjoy this one.

– Ellen

16Feb2015

J-Fal and JT Bring It All Home In This 40th Anniversary Tribute

Posted in Web Bytes by Whitney Weldon

If you’re aren’t in tears at the end of this clip, you probably… had a normal childhood. Regardless, this will make your day.

-Whitney

16Feb2015

Fangirly Poetry: A Lyrical Sendoff for Parks and Rec

Posted in Fangirl Poetry by Whitney Weldon

I feel there’s much I need to say,

So many respects I need to pay

My sorrow is depth-less, my grief without bounds

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

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

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

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

As Knope and Co. prepare to take their leave

We should celebrate, honor, and thank it,

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

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

And the time Ben and Leslie got to first base

Remember Leslie, a woman of class and smarts

Who makes me proud to own Lady Parts

Remember that, should your heart you ever misplace,

Burt Macklin will always be on the case

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

To once more see Ann, that beautiful, tropical fish

If nothing else, we take comfort in this,

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

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

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

-Whitney

10Feb2015

Indisputable Proof that Tina Belcher is My Spirit Animal (and Maybe Yours)

Posted in Fangirly Exposed! by Ellen Lloyd

It does not bode well for me that the TV character I most relate to is an awkward, hormonal, 13-year old but that’s where I’m at right now. That’s right, Bob’s Burgers‘ Tina Belcher is my spirit animal and there is a lot of proof in the pudding.

We are avid romance readers and writers and sometimes our art imitates life. Guilty, so, so guilty.

The athletic arts are not exactly our strong suit. I got a C in PE in the sixth grade because I couldn’t throw or catch a ball.

Sometimes life is hard on us and we respond accordingly. I feel ya, sistah.

We have curious minds and aren’t afraid to get straight to the facts. I settled for Cosmo articles, but she is more ballsy.

We are not the smoothest operators. But Tina gets more action than I do.

We are not the best with makeup. This one hits so close to home. I am about as capable of keeping makeup on my face as a toddler.

We have very sensual, realistic dreams. I mean, I don’t want to reveal too much…

Our glasses are both our identity and our struggle. Four-eyed salute.

We are not exactly graceful. I can’t do yoga in public places because it is far too embarrassing.

Hence the reason we like to practice at home. I am a fan of the at-home workout due to the uncoordinated thing.

Our first times driving were pretty much the same. Our dads were about the same, too.

We stand out at dance parties. For our awesome but subtle moves. I go for the shoulder shimmy.

We agree on the real reasons to go to sporting events. I once spent an entire Dodgers game checking out right field’s hinder.

And to cap it off, we both wanted the same thing for Christmas.

Some of these qualities are not quite enviable or flattering but I could not be more proud to be like this strong, sensual woman.

– Ellen

9Feb2015

Fan Rants: Why You Should Be Watching Agent Carter

Posted in Fan-Rants by Whitney Weldon

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?…

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 ourselves, 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.

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

6Feb2015

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

Posted in Crush of the Week by Whitney Weldon

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…

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

Evans?

Oh. A man of substance. I like it.

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

Oh…wow…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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

Wait, huh?-

No, guys-

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

Ok, better…

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.

–Whitney

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Monthly Archives: February 2015