The Fangirly Show: Episode #4 Fangirling Over Girl Power

Ellen and Whitney get deep into it while discussing strong females on TV and movies, diving into which shows are doing the ladies proud and which have some explaining to do.  How are gender politics affecting fandoms?  And is SNL doing right by its ladies?  Plus, a rapid fire game of Either/Or to get to know us better.  Star Wars or Star Trek?  Friends or Seinfeld?  Listen to find out!

You can listen and subscribe HERE on iTunes or you can go HERE to listen and let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

girl power

Grade A, Choice Picks: Top Christmas Episodes

Today, I give you my list of Christmas episodes.  This list is almost impossible to whittle down to just 10, so I made this a list of 15.  Also, I tried to keep the list to just one episode per show.  Some of these, I haven’t watched in a long time and some are brand new additions to the Holiday Episode list. Keep in mind that I don’t watch every show and I am very biased in my selection of the “best holiday episodes ever”, but I think you can enjoy my list regardless.

15. “The 23rd” New Girl: Season 1 – Nick really fouls things up when he tells Jess’ current boyfriend that she is not in love with him.  The real Christmas magic is when Nick wakes up the most decorated neighborhood in town, Candy Cane Lane, to turn on all of their lights to cheer her up.  Is it any wonder why these two are together now?

how.i.met.your.mother.11120514. “Symphony of Illumination” How I Met Your Mother: Season 7 – Definitely the biggest bummer episode on the list, but that is what makes this episode so great.  Robin takes the narrating reins and tells the story of when she thought she was pregnant to what turn out to be her imaginary children.  You see, Robin finds out that she cannot have children.  The true Christmas spirit comes when Ted cheers her up without knowing why she needs cheering up by setting up an elaborate Christmas light routine.

13. “Christmas Party Sex Trap” The Mindy Project: Season 2  Yes, this just aired, but hello!  Did you see Chris Messina dance to Aaliyah?  Yeah.  And if that weren’t enough, Mindy and Danny almost kiss!

Bones12. “Santa in the Slush” Bones: Season 3 – Ah, the good old days when the only person getting into the Bones-Booth mix was Caroline bribing them into kissing under the mistletoe. I love Caroline. While the whole first-kiss aspect really helps, this is also just a pretty good Christmas episode. You have the gore and mystery with a dead Santa in a sewer, you have the funny with Booth having to sniff Santas, you have the whimsy with Santa’s apartment above a toy store, and you have the touching with Booth giving Brennan her Christmas tree. Le sigh.

11. “Christmas Special” 30 Rock: Season 3 – In my book, it doesn’t get much better than Liz Lemon ruining Christmas for some kids and Jack finding out that his mom took F.A.O. Schwartz as her gentlemen lover (“Uhh that word bums me out unless it’s between the words meat and pizza”) to make Christmas for him as a kid.

Parks-Recreation-Christmas-Episode-Pictures10. “Citizen Knope” Parks and Recreation: Season 4 – It shouldn’t be surprising that the merriest show on television is good at doing a Christmas episode.  Sure enough, in true Parks and Recreation style, this episode is hilarious and sweet.  Leslie is in the midst of her suspension after it is revealed that she and Ben are dating. Leslie is obviously the best at gift giving, but the parks department wants to make up some of the difference.  When her campaign team bails after low approval numbers, they give her the best gift of all!

9. “Afternoon Delight” Arrested Development: Season 2 – Ah, Christmas. The time of year when you have parties on Bethlehem time, sing about daytime lovin’ with your niece, and let kids get their grubby little hands all over a $3000 dollar suit. Come on!

8. “The Polarizing Express” Psych: Season 5 –  It is exactly what you would want out of an It’s a Wonderful Life episode from Psych written and directed by James Roday: bizarre, hilarious, and Gus in a UPN sitcom in the 90s. This episode only further solidifies my love for Roday.

Community Christmas7. “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas” Community: Season 2 – This stop-motion, musical spectacular holiday special send-up had to be on the list. Um, Abed finding out that the meaning of Christmas is the first season of Lost on DVD because Christmas can mean whatever we want it to mean? Brilliant, uproarious, and kind of sweet. Also, this episode gave me my new favorite Christmas mascot. Christmas Pterodactyl!

6. “Christmas Party” The Office: Season 2 – This one made me all sorts of nostalgic for the (now fulfilled) sexual tension of Jim and Pam. It also had some other great stuff, too. Michael’s impromptu Yankee Swap to get rid of the homemade oven mitt, Creed’s equally impromptu Secret Santa gift, Angela’s babies-playing-saxes poster, and Meredith flashing Michael. “Happy birthday, Jesus. Sorry your party’s so lame.”

5. “A Very Supernatural Christmas” Supernatural: Season 3  This episode is exactly what you would expect from a Supernatural Christmas episode: it’s creepy, it’s kooky, and it has that punch of heart right at the end between the demon hunting bros.

happy4. “No-Ho-Ho” Happy Endings: Season 3 – All I want for Christmas is this show to come back.  Is that so much to ask?  The episode centers around the gang trying to give Jane the best birthday ever when they find out that her birthday is actually on Christmas, but they have a hard time keeping Christmas out.  Between Brad’s penchant for dancing with hip-hop Santa, Max’s Egg Nog addiction, and Alex’s weird present opening fetish, there is no way they can succeed.  “Happy Birthday, Jane.  And Jesus.”

The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis3. “Bath Item Gift Hypothesis” The Big Bang Theory: Season 2 – Sheldon really struggles with what to reciprocate Penny’s Christmas gift with so he buys up every gift basket in Bath and Body Works with plans to pick the present that best fits her gift to him in terms of price. And while I enjoy this whole episode, I adore the last five minutes. When Sheldon receives Penny’s … you know what, just go watch this.

2. “A Christmas Carol” Doctor Who: Eleventh Doctor – It should be noted that I somehow forgot to include at lease ONE Doctor Who special on yesterday’s list.  I’m so ashamed that I am cheating and including this special on the episode list.  Hey, it’s my list, I can do what I want.  It has gotten to they point now where my Christmases are not complete without my Doctor Who specials and this one is my favorite.  A twist on the Dickens classic may be a bit over done, but the Whovian element makes this just right.

mst3k-patrick-swayze-christmas1. “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians” Mystery Science Theater 3000: Season 3 – In answer to your question, yes, this movie is as ridiculous as it sounds. In fact, probably more so. But that is what makes Joel and the bots making fun of it so great. Then you couple their commentary with their performance of “A Patrick Swayze Christmas”, a seminal Christmas carol classic, and you get pure holiday magic.
Phew! That’s a lot of linking for your viewing pleasure, there you have it! Do you have any shows you like with great Christmas episodes that I should check out? Do you disagree with my order? Not that I am going to change my mind, but I would love to at least pretend to listen to your feedback. Check out my favorite Christmas specials and stay tuned for my favorite holiday movies and holiday records!

Ellen

MBK: Dean Winchester, Peter Bishop and Daryl Dixon!

Our never ending game of “Marry, Boff, Kill” rages on, and the questions aren’t getting any easier. This week our debate gets pretty heated as we discuss the relative merits of our favorite Sci-fi/fantasy boys: Dean Winchester (Supernatural), Peter Bishop (Fringe), and Daryl Dixon (The Walking Dead).

Whitney’s Answers:

Marry (duh) DEAN WINCHESTER!– aka The Superior Winchester. In the words of REO Speedwagon, I can’t fight this feeling anymore. I knew from the first time I heard you say “pig in a poke” that you and I had something special. I don’t care that you can’t hold down a legitimate job or a successful long-term relationship. Are those things even indicative of marital success? Probably not. So what do you say Dean? I’ll bring the salt, you bring the holy water, and Sam can go sit in a corner and contemplate his poor life choices.

Boff Peter Bishop– Why not? He meets all my criteria for a Boffable TV leading man. First, he’s got a checkered past (I mean, when he met Olivia in the first season he was working for shady characters in Iraq). He’s also crazy smart, which means we would have some pretty intellectually stimulating pillow talk. I should also mention that I’ve wanted to make-out with Mr. Jackson ever since he skated his way into my heart as Charlie in The Mighty Ducks. All things considered, Peter Bishop is a totally suitable Boff.

Kill Daryl Dixon– Don’t get me wrong, I have a serious case of the Hots for this post-apocalyptic bad boy (I find his ear-necklace to be both a Dealbreaker and a Dealmaker). I just don’t think I’m cut out to be the wife of a seasoned zombie slayer. And while he would probably be an excellent Boff, brother hasn’t taken a shower in months, something that I would find repulsive even if he hadn’t spend all that time covered in zombie gore. So thanks, but no thanks Daryl. Best of luck living in your Walker-ridden dystopia.

Ellen Answers:

Marry Dean Winchester:  Well, well, looks like that next family gathering is going to get pretty awkward, Whitney, because we’re both bringing home the same guy to meet the folks.  Readers, if you need to know anything about us here at Fangirly it should be that we love talking about movies and TV.  Following close behind, though, we love talking about our shared love of Dean Winchester.  While I am aware that a life being married to a Winchester definitely comes with its fair share of cons, it comes with a huge, massive pro in that I would get to call this man my husband.  Let the demons, vampires, shape-shifters, leviathan, and menacing angels, I’ve got my man.  May the best girl win, Whitney.

Boff Daryl Dixon: Just know that it is going to be impossible for me to get through this paragraph without some strong use of innuendo.  Daryl is the obvious choice here.  He fulfills every “bad boy” fantasy that a girl can ever have.  Motorcycle: check.  Can be really sweet, but then turn around and be kind of awful, AKA “the tortured soul complex”: check.  Knows his way around a weapon, in this case a crossbow: check.  My opponent accuses Daryl of being dirty.  My rebuttal would have to be, yeah, he is!  Isn’t that we look for in a good boffing candidate.  Lori, put a leash on your kid because this is happening.  And if Dale’s trailer is a rockin’…

Kill Peter Bishop:  Look, I love Peter Bishop.  He’s done more for his woman and the rest of mankind than any guy out there.  It just would never work because he looks too much like my cousin.  Who happens to be Whitney’s brother.  Yeah.  Let that one sink in.  Sorry, Peter.  Maybe in a parallel universe.

Whitney’s Post Script: My brother wishes he was as foxy as Joshua Jackson.
-Ellen and Whitney

Spooky Streams!

It officially Halloween season (for us, anyway), and we’re celebrating by naming all of the scariest TV episodes available to stream on Netflix. It wasn’t easy, but we finally narrowed it down to the top five TV episodes that we find totally terrifying.
5) “Home”, X-Files season 4– I don’t know if spooky is the right word to describe this episode about homicidal inbred hillbillys. Revolting, maybe? My official recommendation is that this episode should be watched with a in a well lit room. If this episode teaches us anything, it’s that incestuous weirdos love dark corners.

4) “Family Remains”, Supernatural Season 4– There are plenty of Supernatural episodes we could have gone with, but in the end we settled on this one about a family who moves into a house haunted by a very pissed ghost. OR IS IT?


3) “Hush”, Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 4– For a show about daemons and vampires, Buffy was rarely ever really scary. Here’s one of the best exceptions to that rule. In this episode, all the inhabitants of Sunny Dale lose the ability to speak (and scream) when The Gentlemen come to town.


2) Harper’s Island– It would be impossible to pick one single episode from this awesome murder mystery series, so just go ahead and watch all of it. Because really, nothing says Halloween like a show about a group of strangers trappedon an island with a raging psychopath. Right?

1) “Blink” Doctor Who season 3- We pretty sure that our deep distrust of any kind of carved statue can be traced back to this exact episode. If you do choose to watch this episode, we recommend you stock up on eye drops, because you will never want to blink again.

-Whitney

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Jensen Ackles

There wasn’t really a choice here.  Supernatural came back this week and with it, the irresistible charms of Jensen Ackles, AKA The Superiour Winchester.  Also, I felt like I HAD to pick him this week, because things are not looking well for his likability factor this season.  What did he get up to in Purgatory?  What did he do to Cas? Who is this guy he is all chummy with?  Why won’t he tell his brother to cut his hair?! Ghahgljkdo!

Breathe.

Sorry, I had to go to my happy place.  A land where I don’t doubt Dean and our trust issues are non-existent.  I just have to hope that Purgatory didn’t get the best of him (although, I will admit that he was looking pretty good in those flashbacks.  Gettin’ all done and dirty, covered in his own sweat, dirt, and… vampire blood).

Anyway, Jensen Ackles gives Dean the perfect mix of funny, charming, sentimental, and rugged.  Oh, so rugged.

Ahem, enjoy the picture that I took when I was about ten feet from him at Comic Con  and the awesome video of him rocking out to the leg guitar!

-Ellen