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

No Chuck this week :( ....But GLEE IS BACK!!!

Glee is back and I still haven't had any internal rivalry between my two favorite shows on air (I think Chuck would win!)  So sad that Chuck wasn't on this week, but the Big Bang Theory was back this week with some very sad development between Leonard and Penny, but other than that, it was great fun!  Monday night also showcased the heartbreaking season finale of Life UneXpected.  That show is leaps and bounds better than I expected!  People who know me know that I seldom cry in a movie, but I'm ALWAYS crying with TV, and I cried when Cate kissed Ryan after locking eyes with Baze who was trying to proclaim his love and stop the wedding....sooooo sad!!!!!

 
Well, yes, Glee is back for the final nine!  Personally, I found last night's episode to be kind of a let down.  The music was great as well as the comedy and the introduction of  Johnathan Groff and Idina Menzel's characters, but I felt like the whole thing was a little choppy.  In the "previously" section it just went straight into saying that Rachel thought she and Finn were dating and that he felt kinda weird about it....WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN?!  I think it's unfortunate that they pretty much completely glossed over that.  I did, however, end up liking Jesse Saint James a lot more than I thought I would...and now part of me is thinking that this whole Rachel/Finn on and off drama is feeling a little like Jim and Pam in the first seasons of the Office...but they move a lit faster (thank goodness!)  One more thing I just loved: Terry!!!!  She rocked!  She didn't seem quite so crazy, in fact I personally thought she made Will look a little crazier than we've seen him...she's what kept him sane!

As for the music...I love the Doors (absolutely love "Hello, I Love You" and Finn was AWESOME in it!!!) and the Beatles (so glad they didn't end up doing "Come Together"...only the Beatles can do that song, not Michael Jackson or Aerosmith! And the way Rachel pulled away from Finn and ran off stage at the end...she still likes him!!!  YES!!!!) and I think their Classic Rock songs are the best (especially when Mr. Finn is singing....mmmmm :)  wonderful!)  I hope that sometime in the near future they'll do some STYX, Foreigner, and something by the Cars.  Yeah, the main reason I watch the show: the music, most definitely!

So yeah, the choppiness is what I didn't like (and it's why, right now, Chuck is winning in the competition for my affections...cuz we all know that that's a REALLY important, cut throat competition...kidding!)  But that's all...excited for next week's episode and for when Chuck comes back again...I can't wait to compare the two on back to back nights!

~Manda

Hugs and Kisses...happy (my favorite holiday ever for absolutely no reason at all) Valentines Day (in a few days)!!!

My (at this moment in time and open for discussion) top 15 TV couples and/or couples that I wish existed (oh, and by the way, these are in no particular order).

Ned and Chuck – Pushing Daisies

I love how they made this couple untouchable.  They stayed cute the whole run of the show.  The tension stayed, but it wasn’t ever a “will they, won’t they” type tension because you always knew for a fact that if for a second they could touch without fear of death that they totally would.  Their rambling, fast paced arguments/conversations were pretty awesome too.  I also love how the show managed to get them to kiss and hold hands without anyone dying…clever, clever!!  This couple might go into my top 10 of all time couples (when I’m older and have seen a larger spectrum of fictional televised couples).  But for now, the adorable, colorful, quirky Ned and Chuck are on this Valentines list.

Rachel and Finn – Glee

I am a huge “gleek” and since the end of the first episode of Glee I have wanted these two to get together really bad!  The fact that they are pretty much the two lead singers of the group is awfully appealing to me (as a singer) and the fact that their heights are SO different is kind of funny!  I also love the kind of loud, overbearing, super confidence that Rachel has matched with the almost oafish, slightly stupid, sweetheartedness that Finn has.  They’re my favorite characters (even when Rachel was acting like a total self absorbed idiot…which is almost always) and they seem to work really well together.  I love my Rachel and Finn!

Claire and Sylar – Heroes

Ok, this one might seem weird, but a while ago I got it in my head that they would go really, really well together.  I don’t remember when (I think it may have been during the first college episode with Claire), but the more I watch, the more I want them to get together.  I just feel like Claire is such a blah character.  She always tries to save the world, but I’m sorry, the only person I know who could save the world with the superpower of never dying and healing really fast would potentially be Wolverine and he has blades coming out of his hands and a skeleton of adamantium.  I just think it would be awesome to take the character who is supposed to be the epitome of good and stick her with what’s supposed to be the epitome of evil and see what happens.  Now, how to get that to fit in the storyline?  Who knows, but considering the fact that they haven’t really gotten the carnies to fit into the story, I’m not so sure if that really matters.  But yeah, Claire and Sylar…it’d be fun!

Codex and Zaboo – The Guild

K, so in season 1 I totally understand why it didn’t work out between them and in season 2 I really didn’t like him with Riley, but I really hope they can get together in season 3.  Zaboo has just been in an absolutely TERRIBLE relationship, Codex hasn’t been in any sort of relationship, and I’m just hoping that they get together in season 3…maybe?  (Please…Felicia Day, I know you could do it, and it’d be really funny…plus, Codex is getting kind of pathetic…except for the fact that she beat Axis of Anarchy single handed pretty much…that was cool!)

Olivia and Peter – Fringe

There’s something about Joshua Jackson, he just totally looks like the kind of trustworthy, sweet, awesome guy that a girl should have.  As Walter has stated on previous occasions, Peter has feelings for Olivia, and with the way she reacted when she found out that Peter and her sister were friends, it leads one to believe that those feelings aren’t one sided.  (plus the almost kiss that frustrated the heck out of me and was unfortunately followed by the truth about Peter being revealed to Olivia..grrrr.)  Unfortunately, considering other shows that J.J. Abrams has done, I have a feeling they won’t get together anytime soon, and when they do there will be a million forces trying to rip them apart, so it won’t amount to any type of closure.  But I still like the idea of Peter and Olivia a lot!

Clark and Chloe – Smallville

Chloe is just so adorable (way more so than any other girl on the show) and if it wasn’t for the fact that everyone knows Superman ends up with Lois Lane, I’d be rooting for Clark to end up with Chloe.  The first few seasons of the show when they really dressed her down and plained her up I wasn’t so much on team Chloe, but once she got her job at the Daily Planet and they started giving her ADORABLE clothes and jewelry and started playing up the make-up and cutsiefying the hair, I thought they’d go great.  Plus the Christmas episode where Lex is in the role of Scrooge in a story that is practically the Christmas Carol, the fact that he dreamt that Clark and Chloe would end up together, and...well that just made me want it too... they were a very cute couple!  And now that she’s all superpowered, it wouldn’t be all that weird.  So, if we all didn’t know that he’d end up with Lois (and if he and Lois didn’t have such awesomely amazing chemistry together), I’d say he needed to marry Chloe and live happily ever after!

Seth and Summer – The OC

These two were just soooo cute!  First, with the whole her being super popular and him having a crush on her from the beginning of time and him being a total geek.  And then with the her totally falling for him and not wanting him to divulge this information.  And the him standing on the coffee cart to proclaim his love…yeah, since the beginning, their coupleship was adorable!  I love Seth and Summer!

Chuck and Sarah – Chuck

One of the greatest shows and one of the most frustrating relationships.  Everyone and their dog wants the Chuck and Sarah relationship to not be so freaking doomed, but that is most likely not going to happen (and that is EXTREMELY frustrating!)  I love how the fact that Sarah loves Chuck softens her up and makes her more sweet and girly and less hard-core spy, and the fact that Chuck loves her makes him more macho and manly while keeping that adorable geeky Chuckness that we all know and love.  I don’t know what this season is going to bring to the Chuck/Sarah dynamic, and to tell you the truth, I’m a little scared to find out, but still…they are my FAVORITE!!!

Jim and Pam – The Office

Now, the fact that they’re all married with a kid on the way is a little odd in the TV realm of relationships, but they’re even cute married!  I loved the pranks they pulled together, the many, many times Jim went to the reception desk for no reason other than to be close to Pam, the kiss on Casino Night (that made me cry and cry and cry every time I watched it and to this day don't really know why), the phone call she had with her mom right before, when she realized her feelings for him…but probably mostly the pranks (season 2 is my all time favorite…so yeah).  Love PB&J…they’re the greatest!!!!

Willow and Oz – BtVS

The all time favorite couple of my all time favorite show!  Now, this was a little hard for me to chose…there are so many good and rather epic couples from this absolutely INCREDIBLE show!!!!  There’s Buffy and Angel (for obvious reasons), Buffy and Spike (for not quite so romantic ones), Xander and Cordy (holy cow….I could go on and on about them!!!), Xander and Anya (again…on and on…especially with the fact that she was rather brutally killed in the series finale…so sad!), but my choice couple from the greatest show ever is Willow and Oz!!!!  They were another couple that was cute from the first second they were on screen as a potential couple (“Who is that girl?” Anyone? Anyone?...yeah, awesome!!!)  And then their first kiss and Oz’s completely CHEEZY reaction (“A werewolf in love”…behold the power of cheese!)  Now, the way they ended is so incredibly sad, and her relationships afterwards were much less desirable, but Willow and Oz will always make me grin from ear to ear!

George Michael and Maeby – Arrested Development

Ok...I have two from this show Lindsey and Michael; and George Michael and Maeby.  (I love the fact that Lindsey tries to get together with Michael at the end...the idea of the two of them together is a very happy/funny idea to me...but not good enough to make my list...too bad!) But George Michael and Maeby really had much more potential in their relationship than their parents.  They were awkwardly on again/off again…great comedy!  And now that they know they’re not really cousins…who knows, maybe they’ll get together (and with the movie coming out next year…possible potential for both them and their parents…but I’m highly doubtful about that)

Rory and Jess – Gilmore Girls

I liked Dean, I tolerated Logan, but I just LOVED Jess!!!!!  I was so angry with Rory when she didn’t leave with Jess and go to New York and instead went and slept with the MARRIED Dean…Still to this day I yell at the screen when that part comes around….lots of anger towards that Rory chick!!!  I mean, Jess is PERFECT for her!!!  They look good together, he’s a better height for her than Dean is, he’d do absolutely ANYTHING for that girl!  In my mind he’s never gotten over her and after she goes and gets that job of hers (after the series ends) she eventually runs into Jess and the two of them develop their relationship without the insane influence of the town and her mom and family and stuff and then they get married and travel the whole world together, him with the writing, her with the reporting or whatever, and them both making fun of all the same stuff and watching stellar movies and debating books and current events…they seriously BELONG together!!!  So in my mind they end up together…and they live happily ever after!

Veronica and Logan – Veronica Mars

A little like the Rory/Jess relationship , he was the bad boy and she was the girl next door.  I loved Logan though.  (They almost didn't make the cut...but I really just like the idea of them together.)  When they were together he was always really sweet to Veronica and he was dark and broody without getting to the point of annoying.  He was also pretty hot…not gonna lie!  Their relationship isn’t totally epic or entirely individual, but I did absolutely love it!!!  Also...the way they look at each other at the end of the series...it's not over yet!  (yay!)  Gotta love the lesser known, lesser epic couple of Logan and Veronica.

Topher and Bennett - Dollhouse

This one is fairly recent.  I started this post forever ago, and that was before Topher became my all time FAVORITE character from Dollhouse.  I’m really completely and totally wishing that they could’ve stretched the length of those last few episodes over at least a season or two.  They were good…but choppy and had too much info in too little an amount of time.  They missed a lot of answers to questions fans had!  But, this isn’t the time or place for that rant…I was so incredibly happy when Topher kissed Bennett…and then I nearly cried when she died.  It was the start of crazy Topher (and how could anyone want to kill a person everyday in front of that incredible, absolutely adorable geek?!  I just don’t get it…he was so awesome!)  The adoration they had for each other was so cute!!!  I love their geeky relationship (however short it was).  Who knows, maybe the atheist Joss imagined some kind of geek heaven for the two of them to live happily ever after in (doubt it though, but it’s a happy thought for such a sad ending!)  Love Topher and Bennett!!!

Sydney and Vaughn – Alias

Ok, so this was going to only have 14 originally, but I couldn’t leave off Syd and Vaughn!  (And I couldn’t have two from Schwartz, and two from Whedon and only one from Abrams…that’s just not right at all!)  So…yeah, Alias was one of the first shows I ever started watching avidly.  It overlapped with Buffy and was after 24 (which was the beginning of my TV addiction…but you didn’t really need to know that…hahaha).  As a 15 year old I was completely infatuated with Vaughn, and I was so frustrated by the will they/won’t they approach to their relationship.  I loved it though!  (As I’m sure many fans did.)  So, they made it on the list (even though they were originally bumped by Topher and Bennett…it’s ok, don’t worry about it.)

So, I know I missed a lot of GREAT ones, and I’m sorry about that (please forgive me!)  And if you read this (yeah, that’s a big “IF” and a hypothetical “you”, I know…oh well) please feel free to comment or add any couple or potential couple you like from TV…and have a happy (early) Valentine’s Day.

~Manda