This Week on TV

I may be busy but I'm still not too busy to watch my favorite shows (think lunch on desk). What? I can't work all the time! If I do that, I'm bound to make some people my stress balls. Hahaha. Wag naman. This week is particularly special because of the season premieres of some of my favorite shows. Eeeeeeee!!! I love TV! Proceed with caution... Spoiler alert!

Lipstick Jungle

The girls are back and I love, love, love their clothes! Something happens that paves the way for a Nico-Kirby romance (I think, or maybe hope). I can't believe you Charles! Joe Bennett is still pursuing Victory even if she's being so pakipot about it. Go Victory! Hahaha. :) Wendy is Wendy. Sorry, she's just really my least favorite character. This show just might be worth the loss of Cashmere Mafia.

Heroes
I watched 2/3s of the first 2 episodes in the office. Which wasn't such a good idea. Because I screamed out loud twice (like an idiot) and even spilled coffee all over the desk and my clothes watching it. I totally agree it's very jam-packed and fast-paced but I'm not complaining about the info overload. Peter is still sooo hot. Even with the scar. And Mohinder now has a special ability? Plus, a new girl. WTG, dude! :) FYI, was watching Heroes during the last Ateneo-La Salle game. Yeah, I know. I'm such a dork. :)

Grey's Anatomy
Lexi is so cute and funny. And what's all the talk about delayed rage? Hmmm... someone's hit. Hahaha! But I hope we've seen the last of that Rose. I really just don't like her. Erica Hahn decides to work on being a good teacher, among other things. ;) Izzie and Alex again? Yey! I've always been rooting for them. But then Alex has to go and mess it all up. Again. What else is new? Well, Christina has a new guy! Woot! Christina's accident was comedic but good for her. *wink* And then towards the end of the show the chief puts everyone on notice as he decides to overhaul the surgical program (the fall from number 1 to number 12 must've really hurt). Oooooh... It's bound to get better. After all, Grey's Anatomy is Grey's Anatomy. :)



Also a few notes on the progress of other shows on my radar...

House
I have to admit House isn't quite living up to my expectations but I'm watching nonetheless. I'm still not sure about whether I like the new character though (the PI who's not even cute. Boo!).

Priviliged
Is it just me or is Megan getting a tad prettier? And she has another potential boylet? Wow. Is this one guy per episode? Yeah, I'm counting. :) But Will is still the fairest of 'em all. Go Will!

Gossip Girl
Hello Upper East Siders, the party's just getting started. Enter nasty Serena. I love it!!! She was getting boring with Dan anyway. Vanessa oh-so-stupidly screws up. Yey! Shoo! :) The Blair-Chuck pure evil saga continues. I'm still rooting for them. Lily is back! Hi Lily... you're so pretty. :)

90210
Hmmm... it's okay with Annie that she's the rebound girl? Annie, Annie, Annie... you should've listened to Silver. But hey, Ethan is growing on me. Is it because... never mind. Hahaha. And then Annie decides to rebound on being the rebound. Tsk, tsk. Although I have to admit the show is starting to bore me (OMG, am I too old?). Might have to put this on the "later list" soon.

One Tree Hill
I have no idea. I'm seriously not watching for now. Until they do a 180 on the sucky.

I know, I know... there's more to come. Next stops: B&S, Samantha Who?, DH, DSM and Private Practice. Eeeeeeee! Guess I'll be lunching on my desk more often. ;)

Remember Me? Now You're Talking

My sister read Sophie Kinsella's Remember Me? before me, and her only feedback was that it was nakakakilig. To which I asked (version edited), "Are you hormonal?" After reading the book myself, let's just say, I hear ya, sistie! Hahaha.

To be perfectly honest, I expected the book to fall short of the hype of being the latest Kinsella novel. Besides, how well can one spin yet another story about amnesia? That would be soooo Samantha Who?, right? Though I happen to love that show (hmmm, maybe that's my ideal life story, to be an amnesiac, haha!).

In a nutshell, Remember Me? may not be as pizazz-laden as the Shopaholic series (there's very little shopping involved) but whatever it lacks in shallow fun (though it is also quite funny), it more than compensates in romantic depth. I say romantic depth because beyond the goody-two-shoes and overrated fairy tale overtones of this book, lies a realization that is not only the stuff of hopeless romantic legends but is also something you would throw at a cynic's face when they say "really, love???" But then again, it's fiction. *rolls eyes*

While M. Scott Peck would have frowned on how love is depicted in this book (love is not a feeling, he said), it nonetheless provides a wonderful point - love is felt, it touches the soul and when real, it feels right and that goes beyond the limited faculties of the human mind (I know right? How very dramatic of me). Furthermore, I really liked how Lexi never got her memory back because it makes her choice all the more romantic and (drum roll please), unquestionably right. :) It tells us how one is capable of continually choosing only one person over and over again, even if slates are wiped clean (and maybe even when slates cannot be wiped clean, which is usually the case). After all, happiness is a feeling that can never be forced, and that goes beyond rhyme or reason.

Some may still say the book's plot is unoriginal but so what? It's funny and just the right kind of sunshine I need right now ;) Temporarily at least.

P. S. I loved the sunflower scene the most (kaya pala the cover has a sunflower)! Would have made a good rom-com movie scene. ;)

Such a Privilege

Ah, when one door disappoints, another one shows promise. Watching OTH and then watching Privileged proved just that (LOL, did you really think there's depth to this post? :P). While the show does seem a bit TDWP- or Nannie Diaries-ish, the humor factor is three notches above 90210 (and ten times more well-delivered), and Will, the next door neighbor is hands-down hotter than Ryan the English teacher (sorry, dear).

But seriously, what's not to like? There's good old-fashioned sisterly bonding and disbanding, a funny and witty new gay friend, a sophisticated mentor, an interesting love triangle brewing (and who's not interested in a love triangle? hahaha), and a sheeny, sheeny backdrop. There's no doubt the show has enough pizazz to be worth watching but while the show has more depth and heart than 90210, I can't help but wish they built a more interesting main character (despite the self-proclamation, she's not that quirky). Megan, while not entirely bad, doesn't particularly pop either. Will someone please dump glitter on this girl?

Still, with OTH out, this show is on my radar. I hope it doesn't disappoint. :)

Now I'm Bitching

I can't believe I'm actually saying this but what the hell is wrong with One Tree Hill? Have the writers lost all creativity? Because really what has been happening to the show? Lucas and Peyton oh-so-lovey-dovey it's sooooo pukishly annoying. Deb and Skills??? Brooke's face so badly bruised it's beyond creepy. Brooke on her way to becoming a criminal (gee, how cool is that *rolls eyes*). Nathan on his way to becoming a junkie. Haley being Haley *rolls eyes AGAIN*. And for the love of me, I cannot understand why there's a need to show uselessly disturbing scenes between the psycho Dan and the beyond psycho Carrie every so often? Oh, and they killed Quentin off and left it as a cliffhanger to an otherwise spectacular second episode (hence the cape-making). How fantastic! Bravo, bravo!

I can't believe I used to love this show. I can't believe I used to come off watching an episode all excited about the next. I cannot believe I wasted another 45 minutes watching one ridiculous scene after the other. No more. Will someone please just let me know if the old OTH is back? But then, I'm not holding my breath.

Love the One You're With - Love It or Leave It? Hmmm...

I've always wanted to read an Emily Giffin (Giffin, not Griffin, LOL) and so upon receipt (thank you), I enthusiastically leafed through this book first. The plot, especially the ending, is not exactly groundbreaking but perhaps, that's not such a bad thing. At the heart of this book are familiar themes that readers can relate to - stability vs. passion, past vs. present, the nice guy vs. the jerk, what is vs. what could have been. The book is also laden with enough internal monologues for any reader to say, OMG, this is all too familiar.

While the basic plot is nothing original, the writing was superb enough for the book to not come out as outrightly boring, in a tell-me-something-I-don't-already-know sorta way. Until the last chapter however (fine, maybe the last few *rolls eyes*), I was expecting a surreal twist that would make this book unforgettable, to no avail. And while I happen to agree with the book's ultimate lesson in principle, I can't help but wish it was injected in a fresher, more insightful manner.

Of the characters, Margot was my favorite, she who you can't really fault for having a pristinely great life. She who also competently handled the conflicting role of being the best friend and the sister-in-law. Of course, Andy was also the ultimate good-on-paper guy and he didn't exactly score a zero in the passion category, which is probably why I am on that side of the fence that is actually peeved at Ellen for complaining about her marriage and her life.

The verdict? The book is a worthwhile time killer but not exactly anything extraordinary, although I'd probably recommend this book to anyone I know who is wasting their time complaining instead of being grateful for what they have (gee, how many names come to mind? :P). My ultimate disclaimer: I wasn't exactly in the best of moods while reading this book. :)

The 9-2-1 on 90210

I've been waiting for CW's spin off of the old Beverly Hills 90210 series entitled 90210 (shock!). The show is now on it's third episode but I've only been able to watch the two-episode pilot so far.

I give NINE reasons why the show might be worth watching:

1. Ryan, the English teacher is H-O-T. In a dorky sorta way. If only he shaved. :)

2. The girls are sooo thin they make not want to eat anymore. LOL. Of the girls, I'm liking Adrianna and Silver so far. Adrianna for her potential depth of character, and Silver for her witty sarcasm.

3. Some loose ends got me intrigued.

4. Ethan has the potential to grow on me.

5. Ty Collins is handsome in a surreal, could-he-be-gay-coz-he-seems-too-good-to-be-true sorta way.

6. Naomi's slap was amazing! :) I hope there's many more where that came from. Because sadly, she is still a far cry from Brooke and Blair.

7. Pretty cool remarks and witticisms so far. To quote a few:

"The harder the slap, the faster they get back." - Naomi

"Yeah, his cheating was really an act of love." - Silver

"...that's what blogs are supposed to do. Cause problems." - Silver

"Is that like I'm-just-not-that-into-you "I don't know" or is it more of a I'm-going-to-play-coy-and-make-him-sweat "I don't know"?" - Ryan

8. Shannen Doherty is on the show! I've missed her! Brenda's no Prue, but she'll do. :)

9. It's no Gossip Girl but it's pretty light watching compared to the alternating sickening and creepy sensations that OTH's latest season premiere gave me (I still can't believe OTH is turning out to be such a let down).

However, I see TWO potential problem spots:

1. The drama and humor transitions feel off at times. Like it's trying too hard to be hip.

2. The plot somehow projects a lack of depth that might make it difficult to sustain.

I'm nonetheless watching! :P My ONE request: Harry and Tracy's son better be a scorcher! :D

Falling Through the Cracks

The logic was foolproof. So much so that I actually subscribed to a version of it. The execution was one for the books, and infinitely better than anything I could pull myself. To say the alternative fell short is an understatement.

So what's the problem? Why is this difficult?

Simple. In the midst of ensuring one thing, something else was neglected. The one thing that must precede all others.

Great. Just great. Some people never learn.