TV review

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Watching Lately

My TV habits slow way down in the summer months, but I have a few shows I have been keeping up with.

So You Think You Can Dance

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This is one of my favorite shows. The talent and creativity shown is just inspiring. Many of the top 10 end up going on to Dancing With the Stars, so obviously I love the connection. I really like the new judging panel of Nigel, Paula Abdul, and Jason Derulo. Paula is really quirky, and she wears her emotions on her face or by the noises she makes. So you can tell right off the bat whether she likes something or not. I was really surprised by Jason’s dance knowledge, but come to find out he was classically trained in dance since he was really little (like 4 years old I think). And Nigel is just Nigel, the crusty old British judge. They are now done with the auditions, so next week we will see Vegas week. That week always makes me nervous because it really pushes people to their limits, and some prosper and some fail miserably. I do think this new format of street vs stage is interesting. I am not completely sure how it will play out yet, so I don’t know if I like it yet. I love the idea of the mentorship with Twitch and Travis. I think that will be a really cool dynamic to bring to the set. There have been some phenomenal dancers, so I can’t wait to see the numbers they come up with. I loved Jim the ballet dancer if you were curious.

The Bachelorette

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Oh. My. This season. I don’t even really know where to begin with my comments. Kaitlyn really does her own thing, which I can appreciate to an extent. I do agree with her that she does need to kiss people to see if there is that intimate connection, but I still am not sure how I feel about what happened Monday and how far she has gone. That isn’t a route I would go, but that’s apparently her prerogative so who am I to judge her choices. I also wouldn’t go on a reality TV show to find my husband, so there is that. I do not really like Nick being on the show in the first place. I was not the biggest fan of his when he was dating Andi, and I think he is still kind of a sleazeball. And I think there is something fishy about him waiting until the show actually started to reach out to her instead of when they were “talking” before the show began. I think it will be interesting to see how this talk with Shawn goes. I think Kaitlyn is going to blow her secret and the real drama will begin. Also I really liked Shawn until he started showing all the jealousy and got drunk off it. It kind of ruined him for me. You know what you are getting yourself into when you sign up for this show. She is dating 25 men AT THE SAME TIME. Anyway, that convo will be something. I really DO NOT like this new format of doing a cliff hanger every week with the rose ceremonies. It is driving me crazy that they are at the beginning of the episodes now.  Grrrr. My favorites after this week are Joe, Jared, Chris, and both Bens. Ben H. is my first choice for her. He seems like someone who can keep up with her wit but also keep her grounded.

Pretty Little Liars

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They said this season would be all about answers, but four episodes in I still only have questions! I honestly have no clue what is going on. But I guess that is the attraction to this show. I wonder if these girls will finally graduate? Also did you know that the actress who play Ali is only 19 in real life? That means she was super young when the show started. Anyway about the show, it is still packed with drama. I am skeptical of this new cop, but you are always skeptical of new characters on this show. I have no idea if Charles is alive or not, but obviously there is something surrounding his time in Radley. Initially I do think that he is alive, and he is taking his frustration out on Ali for living the life he should have, but that doesn’t explain why he hates the other girls. I also think there is something not right about Sara. She is creeping me out. I don’t have much more to say because I am so utterly lost when it comes to PLL.

The Whispers

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This is a new show on ABC. When I saw the commercials initially, I thought no way jose. It looked creepy and scary and not up my alley at all. But it comes on right after the Bachelorette, so I caught the first 5 minutes of the pilot, and I couldn’t help but get sucked in. It is really creepy, but I am hooked on the suspense. I don’t think I can really explain the plot because there are so many different variables that when I try to explain it becomes really confusing. But the premise is there is this entity that is speaking to children and getting them to play this game to do pretty awful things. The parents think this “Drill” is an imaginary friend. And all of the parents seem to have some high power/influenced job. I feel like the ultimate result is world domination through these awful acts these kids are doing (like making their mom fall out of a tree house). There are some other plot lines that are playing into it that I haven’t figured out, but it is only few episodes in. If you are looking for something with a little mystery and suspense this is a great show. It is a little more on the SciFy realm–a little. These kids are phenomenal actors too! This is not a show I can watch before bed (because I am like a child and will have legit nightmares).

The Astronaut Wives Club

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This is based on the book by Lily Koppel. I have had this book on my to-read list for a long time, and I have now since ordered it and will be my next book to read. I have only seen the pilot of this show since it just started last week. Naturally, I love a good period piece show, and this era is on of my favorites stylistically. I could just watch the show to see what the women are wearing and be just fine. So since this is based on a true story, and since I haven’t read the book yet, I was on the interwebs most of the episode to see how much of it was actually true. I would have to say for Hollywood standards, they did a pretty decent job (at least from my brief internet research). Some of the pictures they staged for the magazine, are exactly the ones they did in real life, wardrobe and all. This show is meant to show the side of the wives of the Mercury Seven, which was the space program for the first US man in space. These women became famous and model “homemakers” during this time thanks to a spread in Time Magazine. I am really fascinated by this, so I will definitely be tuning in for every episode. I do know that right now they have only guaranteed this as a summer 10 episode mini-series unless it does extremely well. Then they may come back for another season. From just the pilot alone, I think this would be a great summer investment! (Although, I may just record all the episodes knowing there are only 10, and wait until I finish the book to watch the rest.)

What are you watching this summer? Have you seen any of these shows?

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Friday Filter: New Premieres

Here are three shows that have been taking over my DVR.

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“Turn” on AMC

This is based on America’s first spy ring during the American Revolution. Felicity was my favorite American girl doll, so I was fascinated by this time period every since I was little. Tom also loves the American Revolution, so when we saw commercials for it, we knew we had to tune in. It has not disappointed! It is a beautifully done show. The costumes and settings are dramatic and vivid. The acting is pretty spot on. The story line is very interesting as it shows how little events can turn someone one way or the other in the war. It also does a good job of showing all different sides of the war:  British over-running towns, soldiers captures, the original Rangers were actually working with the British, how dangerous collecting information can be. I also like that it shows that there are good and bad people on both sides and how values become ingrained into people. From what we can tell, it is fairly accurate. Obviously they are going to take some liberties to infuse drama, but a lot of the basics are based on reality. It really is a fabulous show to watch, so if you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend it!

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“The Bachelorette” on ABC

This is one of my guilty pleasures. It is an absurd show, but I just get a kick of it. I always get invested in the love story whether they end up together or not. The drama divas are the reason I have been watching this franchise for over a decade. My current favorite guy is Chris the farmer. Anyone else have a favorite?

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“So You Think You Can Dance” on FOX

I love when this comes on during the summer! It is a wonderful premise of showcasing unknown talent and grooming them to be America’s favorite dancer. It is basically the dance version of American Idol. I am interested to see how the change the format of the show this year. I like how they did it last season where the first part was with the same partner from the season and then they paired them with a different all-star each week after the half way mark. The routines that the choreographers come up with is phenomenal. There have been some doozies, but some that have just wowed the pants off of me (not literally). I already cried on the first episode…so many emotions. I just love watching people pour their whole self into a dance number, and to watch these individuals grow throughout the process is very special. And who doesn’t love the Hot Tamale Train? (Oh yes, that’s my husband…)

Do you watch any of these shows? Do you have any other summer favorites that you are watching?

 

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Friday Filter-New TV Premieres

So with three snow days this week and having no energy, I checked out a few new shows. I am so glad I did! Each of these are so great. I really hope they continue.

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This show is hilarious. It follows a family that just went through a divorce. The twist is that the dad is blind. His son has been his guide for most of his life, but with the divorce the dad now depends on his new companion, a dog. The mom tries to be much cooler than she is, so the whole show is basically the kids being the adults in the situation. The antics that the whole family gets into are pretty funny. It is a quick and smart show. They cover the topics of blindness and how it impacts more than just that person. You will also see regular teenage/tween growing pains, but also parents trying to figure out how to be partners as parents but not be married. The son is my favorite. He narrates the show, so you see more of his transition than the other characters. You should check it out!

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If you have seen the movie with Hugh Grant, the premise is very similar on this show. I would say that since this is a sitcom, it moves much faster and is a little more light-hearted. A mom and her son moved next door to this bachelor, and the boy latched on to manly role model as a neighbor, much to the chagrin of his mother. The bachelor first tries fighting the relationship not wanting the responsibility of caring for someone else, but you see the kid slowly (and hilariously) breaking down those walls. Did I mention that their lifestyles are completely different? The bachelor is as bachelor as you get, whereas the mother son duo are vegan drifters who have a very rosy outlook on life. Watching the son and his neighbor interact and teach each other things is just delightful. Much like the previous show, it is a quick show but super funny!

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This show is very different. It revolves around a new consulting firm that uses psychological methods to meet the needs of their clients. It is a new twist that I am really enjoying. They look at how little things like how you dress or where you sit in a room can affect how someone views you and the decisions they make. Two brothers are the creators of the firm, and their personal stories provide different layers to the story. One brother is a bi-polar professor who was recently fired from a university for having an affair with a student. The other brother just finished a jail sentence for white collar crime. So you can imagine what kind of drama these two can create. I would call this a dramatic comedy. The  premise of the mind manipulation really intrigues me, so I will keep watching for a little bit.

So those are just a few more shows to keep my DVR busy.

Have you seen any of these?

Friday Filters offer a review that are my own opinions. I was not contacted by anyone associated with these works or compensated for my review. My review has not been influenced by anything other than my love for entertainment and art.

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Friday Filter- TV Winter Premiere Reviews

They’re back! These are all shows that I did not review in the fall and just started in the past couple weeks.

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The Bachelor

Has anyone else been watching Juan-uary? I am loving this season so far. There have been two episodes so far, and the drama has already begun. There has been drunkenness, nudity, gimmicks, and ridiculousness. Juan Pablo is proabably one of my favorite bachelors though. He is so real, quirky, and super funny. I really admire how much he makes his daughter a priority in all his decisions. I am a hopeless romantic, so deep down I really want to have all these engagements work. However the realist in me knows that most do not. It can’t be easy falling in love in a group on these fantasy dream dates and then try to step back into the real world. I always wonder how many are actually going on the show to find love instead of the 15 minutes of fame. Tom thinks the show is stupid and gives false expecatations to women everywhere, but he still watches it with me so we can guess what dramatic thing will happen next. It is our guilty pleasure. I also really enjoy the added specials on Sunday nights too. It gives more details to the show, which obviously keep me more invested. I am really excited to watch Catherine and Sean’s wedding and then touching base with all the couples who have gotten married or are still together. Trista and Ryan are celebrating 10 years this year, and they were the first season I watched! So obviously I feel like I had something to do with their love story success.

The Assets

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The Assets

This show is brilliant so far. We have watched two episodes of this ABC mini-series. It is about CIA intelligence officers during the Cold War era who are trying to save “assets” from being killed. The first show laid out that there is a traitor in Sandy’s office, and she has vowed to find out who this person is. It shows how she has to live a double life herself with the secrets of the CIA and going home to a doting husband and kids who don’t appreciate mom’s work. I don’t know much about the Cold War since most of the classes I took focused on early America and up to WWII. Tom’s history knowledge picks up right where I left off. So it has been really interesting to talk about the historical context of the show. It is a smart show but it does have some dark moments about what spies put on the line and how quickly some one can turn if offered the right price.

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Switched at Birth

This is just one of those teeny bop shows that I adore watching. Initially I started watching because one of the main characters debuted as Luke’s daughter on Gilmore Girls. I was intrigued at what she had grown up into. And come to find out that the show is based in Kansas City, so obviously I had to keep watching to see how they butcher my city, which they do on a pretty regular basis. I will forgive them though because they say it is Kansas, so they can just continue with the bad rep. For your education though, most of Kansas City is in MISSOURI. They show some of the skylines in the show which is really fun to point out (to myself). All in all, it is not a bad show. It is about two girls who were switched at birth at the hospital and did not know until they were in high school. The two families are from very different backgrounds:  very affluent family with one and a single mother raising the other.  One of the girls happens to be deaf as well, so you get to see exposure to that culture. I am not real familiar with sign language, but from some research I have done there are mixed reviews on how the show portrays the Deaf community. On the one hand, the show has hired several Deaf actors and started a conversation, but on the other hand what I gather from some critics is that some of the sign is not an accurate portrayal of the way of the real world. As with most TV shows, I think Hollywood does take some creative liberties with most cultures. I do feel that the show is innovative by at least talking about the experience that Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals have, but I would agree that the show would benefit from integrating more Deaf individuals into the behind the scenes process to make it more accurate. Even if they do not portray it perfectly, as someone who is hearing abled, I feel that it encourages folks to learn more about these individuals, what we unknowingly/knowingly do as hearing abled to halt progress, the significance of sign language, and the beautiful Deaf culture that has been created. I am interested to see where they continue to go with the show as the girls are in their final stretch of their senior year. They also don’t portray the military very accurately either in the show as one of the main characters is enlisted. So maybe they just need a panel of experts all around on their writing team (Kansas City, Deaf, Military…). I am also nervous that they are headed in a pour direction with alcohol and sex becoming more common on the show. However, I think it isn’t as dramatized as other teeny shows have made it. It just wasn’t a direction I was hoping for. I am still intrigued by the concept and am invested in the storyline. And unlike some other ABCFamily shows, the cast can actually act. This is a show that I would recommend if you were wanting a light drama with a different plot line than most mainstream shows.

And just for fun, this is currently our feel good song. Tom loves all things Ke$ha. Seriously, he knows all her lyrics, ALL of them. Any pop song that has my husband singing, I am for. So naturally, we are all about this newest dance jam. And a partnership with Pitbull just makes it all that better! Judge away, but I love this song (not so much the video). The tune is just so catchy! I have also gotten the dogs excited about this song. We dance away in the kitchen every afternoon when I get home! And it’s the kind of dance that you only do when you are alone-or for me just whenever. I let the music move me.

Have a wonderful weekend!

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Friday Filter-My TV Guide

So the seasons are starting their Winter hiatus. How did this become a thing?

Anyway, I figured I would give a brief update on where I am at with all of my TV shows.

Sundays

  • Once Upon a Time-Still one of my favorites out there. I am having a hard time watching “Henry” in his “Pan” moments. I also kind of want Emma to be with Hook more than Neil.
  • Walking Dead-So glad the Governor is gone…or is he? Also, I may have teared up a bit when Hershel died.

Mondays

  • Dancing with the Stars-My man Derek and his partner Amber Riley won! I have an obsession with Derek Hough and also Tristan MacManus. I want them both to be my dance partners, and I honestly watch the show more to see them than the “stars.” Maybe they will help me fulfill my 30 before 30 task of dance lessons.
  • Castle-My favorite show currently. I called it that Beckett would return to New York, which happened in either the third or forth episode of the season. If you do not watch this show and you are looking for something new, ADD THIS ONE!
  • Hart of Dixie-I watch this show at lunch every Tuesday. It is such a pick me up. I just love the quirkiness of the small town. I am glad Dr. Hart’s family has come around!

Tuesdays

  • New Girl-I am really enjoying Nick and Jess together. Winston is my favorite. He generally makes or breaks every episode for me.
  • The Biggest Loser-I am in love with this season. I mistakenly tried watching this at lunch a few times, and ended up crying in the Union dining court. Whoops. I am rooting for all of them, but really mostly Rachel.
  • Awkward-I stopped watching consistently after the third episode. I have them all on the DVR ready to binge watch the Awkwardness. I just need to be in the right mood right now for teenage affairs.

Wednesdays

  • Super Fun Night-I honestly forgot that I started watching this. My DVR stopped recording it for some reason, so I haven’t seen it for a few weeks. It isn’t a bad show, but I am obviously not missing it.
  • Nashville-I watch this every week live, and I am slowly getting Tom hooked. I really wish Rayna and Deacon would just be together though. Also, I am hoping that I see them on my excursions to Nashville. Real life right?

Thursdays

  • Grey’s Anatomy-I will go week’s without watching and then binge watch 3 episodes while Tom plays video games. I am apathetic about the show, but I am still hooked enough to come back to see what’s up. I am invested until the end.
  • Once Upon a Time in Wonderland-I just wasn’t into this show. I stopped after the third episode I think. It was too Willy Wonka for me. There was not as much overlap into the original as I was hoping so I didn’t feel I was missing anything by not watching.
  • Crazy Ones-I really enjoy this show. It is ridiculous, but it is short enough and light so I will watch it when I need a quick pick me up. Robin Williams is totally worth it.
  • Parenthood-Max working with photography? Perfect. I see myself in Julia with her struggles of being a stay at home mom (except without the mom part obviously). I just love this show.
  • Glee-I stopped watching this show two episodes ago. I think it was the muppets episode that I just couldn’t do it anymore. I am not sure what is going on but it has just gone way downhill for me. The music also doesn’t really call to me anymore, so there was no reason to keep watching the absurdity. I was really sad about it, which is why I held out as long as I did. The last couple just did me in.
  • Scandal-I am in a constant state of shock with this show. I have drug Tom into the goodness! I caught him up on the first couple seasons so he knew what was going on. If we weren’t married, Tom would want to work in CIA/Huck like jobs. Scary I know, but that’s what it is. So he loves it for that, and I just love it for all the OMG moments. I did not see last night coming!

Every Day

  • Ellen-this is the best part of my day. I watch it in small segment–a little before I go to work and right when I get home. And when I don’t get through it, I will binge watch that week’s episodes on Saturday mornings while Tom is sleeping in. I just love Ellen so much. She is great and fantastic, and a great role model for human beings. I want to dance with her/meet her/embarrass myself ridiculously for her. Also, when I am home alone, sometimes I think Tom is secretly in the house to video tape scare me like Ellen would do. He has gotten me more times than I would like to admit-no video yet, just lots of scaring and screaming. So I am in a constant state of panic because of Tom being inspired by her pranks. Thanks Ellen.

Not on right now

  • Pretty Little Liars- CAN.NOT.WAIT.
  • Switched at Birth-This comes back soon too. I love this show for so many silly reasons. One being that it is based in KC. They mentioned World of Fun (not the real Worlds of Fun) once. Although they are in KC, Kansas, and not Missouri. But I will forgive them for their ignorance when showing the KC, MO skyline. Here is your education on Kansas City. Yes it has Kansas in the name, but most of the city is actually in Missouri. All the sports teams are in Missouri, all the famous BBQ-Missouri, all the jazz history-Missouri, all the goodness-Missouri…haha JK (only kind of)

So there you have it. I only weeded out a couple shows. What can I say, I am TV junkie!