Chuck is back...we can all rejoice!!!!

Ok, so it has been a very long time since my last post!  Sorry humble readers, but life got in the way of my beloved television addiction!!!  (weird, I know, but it happens!) So basically I'm now a temporary writer for CinemaBlend.com and if I do well I might grow up to be a real one...only problem is that I'm having a bit of writers-stage-fright-block.  So I thought I'd come and do a warm up lap in my little home made kiddie pool!  yay!!!!

So this is basically my new favorite pic of Chuck....and my new desktop background!!!

So Chuck was on tonight!  Yes, yes, my lovely, wonderful, always awesome Chuck Bartowski graced the screen once again with his kung-fu fighting, awe inspiring, fan-girl squeal inducing presence.  And let me tell you, it was not at all a let down.  I mean, we got to see him with his shirt off (always great fun...do you remember Chuck vs. the Final Exam? Cuz I know I sure do!)

K, quick recap before I get into the nitty-gritty:  At the end of last season Chuck promised Ellie he'd be done with the spy life after shutting down the Ring, but he then discovers his dad's secret lair under the house and vows to complete his father's wish to find his mom, after his father's death.  So he's all spy-less life and he's officially dating super spy Sarah.  He gets stir crazy and he and Morgan go from place to place to place trying to find his mom.  They don't find her, they use up all their money (plus a ton), and they get their car repossessed, so Chuck looks for a job.  When that doesn't work out he goes to the newly rebuilt Buy More (after it kind of got destroyed last season) which happens to be run by Beckman and is now fully government operated and more or less a secret lair of sorts.  His intersect skills are then used (by force) to help the CIA/NSA with their problems but also help Chuck with his own resulting in both the Chuck/Morgan team and the Sarah/Casey team ending up in Moscow and Chuck saving Sarah and Casey's lives, rejoining the ranks of spies, and getting promised help with the finding of his mom from Sarah and Casey.  In the end, when he is about to tell Ellie that he has decided to become a spy again she tells him she's pregnant and goes on about how perfect life is so he rethinks telling her.  (Yeah, that's not gonna come back to bite him.)  And now for the part of this little entry that really matters (ie my opinions!)

It is unfortunate that this wasn't the best episode ever.  I don't think it was as good as the season finale of last season...or even the last few episodes (over which I did get pretty darn excited).  And why, you might ask, was tonight's not as good?  Well, it may have something to do with the fact that I'm feeling a little under the weather, but I'm not thinking so.  I think it might have more to do with Chuck's new haircut (not sold yet...still adore him and pretty much want to marry him all the time, but not yet sold on the hair), the fact that we didn't see him do any awesome fighting, the fact that he didn't flash at all till nearly the middle of the episode, or perhaps the rather ho-hum feeling that seemed to unfortunately permeate most of the episode.

Ok, with that all said and out of the way, I did love it!  First of all Chuck and Sarah are officially, officially together (yay).  We also got a few great Casey moments like when Sarah was talking to him on the roof and then later with him forcing Chuck to flash on the EMP when he didn't want to.  And speaking of which, the use of an EMP kind of totally brought out my inner nerd which got way excited with that one (I may or may not have written a short story in which the bad guys used something like EMP when I was 13 and had no idea what one was...so yeah, that was fun.)  I also loved the interview montage with Chuck.  How terrible would it be to go through a series of interviews and witness seizures, never ending coffee breaks, vomiting, and escorted out by beefy security all in the same day?  But it was all worth it when Beckman turned around in Big Mike's chair and you realized the whole Buy More was a kind of secret  headquarters (before it was even said) and that Chuck would most definitely return to spy life (before it even happened).  Personally, it all brought a sense of security to the episode.  It made the Chuck 'verse settle back into it's safe, good, happy place...the place where Chuck is one awesome, adorable, kind of geeky spy.

I thought it was pretty fantastic that Chuck, Morgan, Sarah, and Casey all ended up in the same building in Moscow (not that it was surprising.  In fact, come to think of it, this episode was actually fairly transparent.)  I love, love, loved how Casey told the Russians to run when he realized that Chuck was still alive.  And poor Sarah, thinking Chuck was dead.  I just wanted to hug her and say, "It's alright, don't worry.  He's the main character.  They won't kill him in the season premiere.  It's gonna be ok.  Trust me."  But that probably would've been a little odd...

And the Ellie/Chuck moment at the end...it was touching.  I have always had a soft spot for those moments since I am the oldest and have a little brother just younger than me.  I just smiled when Chuck just grabbed Ellie and hugged her and then quickly pulled back for fear that he was going to hurt the baby.

Over all, this was a good episode and a season premiere that was worth the wait.  There's lots more to say about it (like dude, Chuck didn't wear his Chucks most of the time--sad, and some of the mom stuff, Sarah stuff, the hilarious Morgan/Sarah sexting), but there just always seems to be more things that I love about Chuck than I have time to write about.  (I'm pretty sure that if I wrote about all of them each entry would be so long that by the time you finished reading them the next episode would have already aired.)  So with that, I'm pretty sure I'll get used to Chuck's hair, and I can't wait for the twists and turns that Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak are going to give us in season four!  (And hey, that wasn't too bad...maybe I'll just pretty much use this for my article...might as well try!)

Adios readers!  If you read this, then I pretty much already adore you!

~Manda

My latest guilty pleasures

So as I was thinking up the name for this post I realized that nearly all of my shows are basically guilty pleasures for me.  There are my "must-see" shows, but really, let's be honest here, TV in general is my guilty pleasure, but I digress.

So I have a show that was on Fox (a sci-fi show, naturally) and was cancelled (on Fox, naturally) and then it made a few lame movies (from what I've heard, I haven't yet seen them) and was then recently picked up by Comedy Central.  This show is Futurama. I had seen maybe two or three episodes before this Summer, and I really don't know what enticed me to watch it, but I started and I loved it!  Fry and Leela are probably now among my all time favorite TV couples, the Professor seriously cracks me up, Cubert is annoying, but that's sort of what he's supposed to be, I love all the crazy shenanigans, and over all, I think the show is pretty darn awesome!

I know I haven't posted much since Summer rolled into town, but that's partially due to the fact that all my fave shows have been put on Summer vacation till the Fall.  There has been one Summer show that I'm afraid to say I've seen every episode and that's Pretty Little Liars.  I know, I know, it's one of those lame teeny-bopper TV shows about drama and who kissed who, all trying to make life in high school seem more glamorous, intense, and even dramatic than it really is, but I sort of like it!  I think Aria pretty much carries the show, but I like the rest of the cast too, more than I thought I would.  I've heard a lot of people say that Spencer looks too old, but I like her, and I think Hanna and Emily are way too pretty, but the show is called Pretty Little Liars so it works.  Aria's parents (especially her mom) really bother me, but I'm thinking it's more the actors, cuz the story really doesn't.  I also miss Wren, he was probably my favorite guy...at least until Lucas, he's just adorable!  But I think I'll quit talking about this show before I thoroughly embarrass myself.

Lastly, Reaper.  I just started watching it and loved it.  I was working on a big art project and so I had to have something to distract me from how much time I was taking on it, so what better thing that a story about a kid who's parents sold his sold his soul to the devil and now he has to work by returning all of the devil's escaped souls?! I'm just way sad that it's gone, I thought it was clever, and I honestly believe there aren't enough lighthearted hour-long shows out there.  Oh well, I've still got Chuck and Glee.  I'm content!

So that's all.  Can't wait for all my favorites to come back in the Fall!!!

~Manda

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue

No, I'm not talking about a wedding...well, not exactly...I'm talking about the TARDIS...at a wedding.  The series 5 finale was really pretty much awesome!  It had everything a proper finale should have: a fez, a wedding, the Doctor saving the world, Amy being NOT dead, a couple paradoxes, the end of the universe, Big Bang II, and most importantly cliffhangers and reasons to watch the Christmas special!  I loved it...and now (like every week after watching this brilliant show) it makes me more than ever want to be British.  But Doctor Who Confidential restored my love of the USA with their clips from their trip to NYC and all their talk of great American television and their praise to the (albeit geeky) crazed response of their American fanbase...still wanna be a little British tho.

That's all, hope you have a fantastic Sunday!

~Manda

Now that was a great dream!!!

Before I went to sleep yesterday I had been awake for a very long time (36 hours) add to that the 10 mile walk I went on at 4 am and you can see, I was tired!!!  So when I went to sleep it was the first time in a while that I was asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow (and it was still light outside...9:30 pm).  And all of that created an amazing dream!  I'm a little vague on the details, but two of my all time favorite heroes were pretty much in love with me for the whole time I was asleep: Finn Hudson and Clark Kent/Superman (the Tom Welling one..and in the dream, yeah, I knew his true identity).  Well, it was a good dream...better than television I think...cuz I was in it and Finn was real!  Well, that's all...I'm probably going to go add a few more applications to the list of 32 jobs I applied for today...wish me luck!

~Manda

Smallville Season 9? Epic!

So, I had forgotten I really did love Smallville!  Season 9 was amazing (as I have now seen it all!!!)  And there are just a few things I'd like to say about how absolutely awesome it was.

1. Lois and Clark are finally Lois and Clark!!!

2. JSA was so cool (did you see Green Lantern's lantern and ring?!  I sure did...about had a fit too!)

3. Chloe and Ollie!!!  (I think I like that match A MILLION times better than Chloe and Clark!)

4. Martha's present in the finale: OH. MY. GOODNESS!!!!!

5. Clark is *this close* to being the real live Superman (my ALL TIME favorite super hero!)

6. Clark wears glasses yet again...and in that future-y sequence at the beginning...well, I won't spoil it (I loved it though!!!)

7. Lois dresses like...Wonder Woman? (and...there was a comic book convention episode!!!  sweeeet!!!)

8. Wonder Twins!!!  (yay)

Yeah, I think that's it...there are more...but I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't watched it yet *cough* Dad *cough* so that's all I'm gonna say (not even 10...the arbitrary 8 is killing me...but no more!).  It was awesome...like really really awesome... Season 10 (the very last one too) is going to be EPIC!!!!!!!

~Manda

For Kimberlie...because I love you, you are awesome, and I can't seem to get to sleep anyway!

 So it's late, I've already posted once today, er, yesterday I guess, but I can't sleep and I keep thinking about something my old roommate, Kimberlie, and I used to talk about all the time: the "Hot Guy Wall".  Well, I remember she thought it was wicked weird that I'd talk about BSG and a few other uber geeky shows all the time (but mostly BSG) and then I showed her pics of Anders and Lee Adama...well, she agreed, they were HGW material.  So this post is for you miss Kimberlie, I'm going to give you HGW: Manda's TV show edition (btw, if you're not Kimberlie and you find this offensive, just don't read on, it's ok, no judging, remember that!)

Michael Trucco, Samuel Anders: Battlestar Galactica

Jamie Bamber, Lee Adama: Battlestar Galactica

John Barrowman, Captain Jack Harkness: Doctor Who

Cory Montithe, Finn Hudson: Glee

Mark Salling, Noah "Puck" Puckerman: Glee

Michael Vartan, Agent Michale Vaughn: Alias

Joshua Jackson, Peter Bishop: Fringe

Zachary Levi, Cuck Bartowski: Chuck

Chace Crawford, Nate Archibald: Gossip Girl

 

Ed Westwick, Chuck Bass: Gossip Girl

Adam Brody, Seth Cohen: The O.C.

Kristoffer Polaha, Nate "Baze" Bazile: Life UneXpected

James Roday, Shawn Spencer: Psych

Tom Welling, Clark Kent: Smallville

Justin Hartley, Oliver "Ollie" Queen: Smallville

John Krasinski, Jim Halpert: The Office

David Tennant, The Doctor: Doctor Who

Ian Somerhalder, Damon Salvatore: Vampire Diaries

So I know I've missed a lot of HGW guys, but meh, that's alright!  I mean it's right now 2:20 am and I'm finally starting to get tired.  So Kimberlie, I hope you like your present!  I miss you and can't wait to see you in the Fall!!!  It will be epic!

~Manda

Long Time, No Write (and lots of finales!)

So I just realized how long it's been since my last post....and oh my goodness: nearly a month!!!!  It's rather insane.  Since then I have seen multiple amazing season finales, caught up on all the Doctor Who, started watching Vampire Diaries (and was surprised that I kinda liked it), have seen Psych, etc. etc.  So yeah, time to catch up!

Season Finales (in alphabetical order):

The Big Bang Theory's finale was kind of a let down.  I love the show, and it is so incredibly funny, but the introduction of the female Sheldon was just weird.  I also really miss the Leonard/Penny relationship (stupid Wil Wheaton anyway...just kidding, he's cool).  But yeah, the finale, could've been more epic.

Chuck on the other hand was AWESOME!!!!!  The whole his dad dying and his sister learning about his CIA secret and the his secret about dying getting out to Sarah etc. etc.  I just love that show!  It was so intense and so epic (and it's been a while since I watched it so the details are not at all fresh on my mind, but) it was all around awesome! I do remember that the whole thing with Ellie taking care of Chuck and stuff, it really made me miss my little brothers, especially Davis.  I love how real the relationship between Ellie and Chuck is, it's one thing about the show that just makes me love it even more!!!  Love the show, the characters, the fact that it's gaining a wider fan-base (finally, it's about time!)  Oh yeah, and the return of the EVIL EVIL EVIL Shaw (didn't love that!)?!  Oh. My. Gosh!!!  This show just pretty much ROCKS!!!

The "oh my gosh that was the most intense season finale EVER" award definitely would go to Fringe!  Peter and Olivia FINALLY admit feelings and it looks all happily ever after, then WHAM!  She gets locked (literally) in an alternate dimension?!?!?!  Nooooooooo!!!!!  But really, the suspense is KILLING me for next season!!!!  That was one crazy season finale!

  

Glee, oh Glee...I'm sure a lot of people are sick of hearing about that show, but I love it!  I have to admit it's an odd feeling loving a show in it's freshman year that is such a big hit and isn't on the brink of cancellation.  It seems there are a lot of people who were not impressed by the finale, and I'm kind of a fence sitter on the matter.  I mean, the show is great because of the music, everyone should've realized that by now.  The story is cheesy, rather predictable, clichéd, and all sorts of lame, but the music, the talent, the energy, that's why the show is good.  Yes the season finale felt like every other episode, but really, why wouldn't it?  I love that they went back to Journey...and Faithfully?  I totally LOVED it!!!  But I think my favorite part would have to be the little convo between Rachel and Finn (her saying, "Break a leg," and him replying "I love you"....yup, squealed with delight right there!!!)  And I'm so glad that Jesse is out of the picture (I'm a die hard Finn fanatic...freaking LOVE that guy!!!)  I didn't like the Bohemian Rhapsody/giving birth sequence, it just felt totally awkward and weird, but oh well.  (Oh, and Will telling Emma he loves her, that was fun too.)

The HIMYM finale was cute.  I love how Barney made himself his own doppleganger...I just like that show, it makes me happy.  I love how Lily thought that weird looking guy looked like Barney.  The finale wasn't epic or anything, but it was good.  I love that cast for that show, they're always so much fun.  And I honestly can't wait for it to return in the fall.

Ok, Life UneXpected has surprisingly become a favorite of mine.  I'm surprised mostly because I really hated Shirri Appleby in Roswell (if you ever get the hankering to watch that show, I'm warning you, DO NOT CONTINUE PAST SEASON ONE!  And if you do, remember, I warned you!!!)  But I really, really like this show.  I love the cast, Baze especially!  I love the dynamics they have between all the characters (Baze/Cate, Baze/Ryan, Cate/Ryan, Baze/Lux, Cate/Lux, Ryan/Lux, etc.)  I think it's a really charming show and I love how its more of a family dramedy and how it doesn't feel as skanky as say Parenthood (I really dislike that show!  Like serious dislikeage!)  But the finale...I have to admit...I did cry.  (I tend to do that during TV shows, don't judge...I bawled during the season 2 finale of the Office, cried in the series finale of BtVS, multiple other episodes of BtVS, a select few episodes of Smallville, the pilot of Lost...I could go on and on, and I surprisingly have a much shorter list of movies I've cried during...go figure.)  It was so heartbreaking when Baze looked at Cate with that ultra pathetic, adorable, puppy dog face and she still chose Ryan...bawling like a baby.  It was so good, love the show, can't wait for season 2!

Modern Family really surprised me.  I had talked to my brother about the show over Christmas break and he felt ashamed that he had seen a few episodes.  I decided to check it out and I instantly fell in love.  I love how it's all mockumentary style a la the Office, but with more of a TV show feel between head-shots.  I really like it and although the finale just felt like the rest of the show (a lot of first season finales are like that) I can't wait till season 2!

The Office isn't as good as it used to be.  I've seen every episode, a lot of them multiple times, and I have to say, season 2 has always been and probably always will be my all time favorite.  This season was good (a lot better than the pre-strike episodes in season 4 anyway) but I think I'm only really watching it out of loyalty.  Don't get me wrong, I love the show and I think it's really funny pretty much every week, but I think it's getting old.  I'll probably see every episode even if it lasts another six seasons, but I think its prime was back in 2006.

New Shows (for me anyway):

So, I've now officially seen all the new Doctor Who episodes.  I'm practically in love with David Tennant, I loved all the story lines, I felt smart knowing who Billie Piper was when I was talking to my British friend, Debbie, I now understand the obsessively compelling nature of the show, I think Matt Smith is a funny and slightly adorable Doctor (but I think its weird because even though he's quite a bit younger than David Tennant...and all the other Doctors for that matter...he seems more...I dunno, ancient and old and stuff...maybe its the fish fingers and custard), and I absolutely ADORE Karen Gillan...she is so cool! (I hope I can grow up to be like her one day).  Yeah, Doctor Who is molto bene!  Oh, and Saturday's episode?  How on EARTH is he going to get out of the Pandorica and is Amy REALLY dead?!  That's just so sad!  I mean she and Rory were finally back together (at least sort of).  So, the Doctor got super dark at the end of the David Tennant era, and so I guess I was just a little surprised with how dark the new series is already...but I have to admit, it was cooool!!!!

Ok, Psych.  It's so funny and the Shawn/Gus bromance is hilarious and the one liners are priceless, the Shawn/Juliette pseudo relationship is adorable...I have to admit, I like it all very much!  I just finished season 4 today and was so sad when Juliette started crying in Lassie's arms at the end of the episode...and it was just freaky, the picture of little Shawn with Yang....creeeeppy.  And it was sad what happened to Mary (but the funeral, how sweet!)  I'm excited for season 5.  I dunno if it's going to become one of my week to week shows (like Chuck, Fringe, Life UneXpected, Glee, etc.) or one of my "watch the whole season marathon style" shows (like Lost, Heroes, and Smallville) but regardless, it's a great show, and I have to thank my friend from work, Spencer, for turning me onto it.

Last is Vampire Diaries.  I have to admit, my friend, Ruthie, knows me pretty darn well.  We were making jewelry to sell at farmers markets around the valley and she turned this on.  She was smart and started it off with the disclaimer "Ok Amanda, don't worry, this show is based on books that were written 1991."  I immediately became less skeptical (and for those of you who don't already know this, the Buffy movie came out in '92 and the series didn't start till '96).  Well, if there is one thing I probably hate more than vampire-y stuff coming out because of (and based on *gag*) Twilight it's got to be Buffy wanna-bes (most especially the blatant ones and ones that admit that they are intentionally copying it *cough* Roswell and Charmed *cough*).  So, I decided, "hey, it's not based on Twilight and it's a pre-Buffy story, I guess I'll just try it out."  Well, it's good, not "oh my gosh amazing" but it's good.  And then there's Damon Salvatore!!!!  First of all I love Ian Somerhalder.  Loved him in both Smallville and Lost...he's got amazing eyes, a beautiful face, and really great hair.  Plus he can totally play the whiny, slightly incestuous, spoiled rich boy and make the character pretty hot, and he can also rock the villainous villain with a heart of pure evil as well as the boy who fits right in between...yeah, can't lie, I watch Vampire Diaries for Damon (and because I'm insanely jealous of Elena's hair...oh, and the fact that Damon is totally in love with her and it's more fun to watch than Stefan's love with the brooding and the complaining, that too).

So yeah, there you go...all the shows are pretty much over for a while (I guess they've already been over for a while).  So this TV junkie seriously can't wait till the fall premires (until then I have shows like Smallville, Lost, and the apparently disappointing final season of Heroes that I can watch).  Have a wonderful summer (cuz it officially started today!  YAY!)

~Manda