How The Mighty Have Fallen

I recently noted some of my new favorite shows on this blog and it's a damn good thing they've come along because some my higher ranking shows have fallen off the tracks (or in this case, dropped off my tiers almost entirely).

It's always a shame when a once beloved show falls out of favor, but for whatever reasons, the recent spate of mainstays disappointing or boring me has been more irksome than usual. I've broken up with shows in the past (Heroes and Grey's Anatomy were some of my more vitriolic recent break ups), but the shear volume of disappointments lately has been really depressing.

Here are some (though sadly, not all) of the current shit list occupants:

GOSSIP GIRL
It pains me to put Gossip Girl on this list, but what can I say? I think you'd be hard-pressed to find any die-hard fan who hasn't been let down by the current season. Where this used to be the very top of my very top tier, it is now teetering at the bottom of my third tier. This season started off a little shaky, but still enjoyable. Then the show went on a 4 month hiatus. Now my interest seems to be taking a 4 month hiatus... I have heard that the show is on an up-tick after several discouraging episodes, but I'm just not sure I have the strength to even get caught up. I currently have the last 4 or 5 episodes saved on my DVR and can't seem to motivate myself to watch them. Rather, I've been opting to re-watch other shows. And not even top tier shows at that... Why am I forsaking GG specifically?

• Chuck has been defanged. The whole beauty of a character like Chuck is that he's and uncompromising asshole. That's the whole point of a bad boy. He did as he pleased and pretended not to care what anyone thought. He was ruthless and debauched and malicious and wonderfully perverse. Nowadays? He's unbearably pedestrian. And mopey. The devilish glee with which he tortured his friends and enemies is gone and a new sad-sack version of Chuck has taken over. Getting him and Blair together could have been awesome, but instead, it basically ruined them both. I understand that this is a largely unavoidable pitfall of serialized TV. How long exactly can you have a character be the same bastard he's always been? For a character to remain interesting, he or she has to evolve. I just wish Chuck had evolved in a less depressing and untenable way. I hear a return to form is on the horizon and it's no shock to me that this will likely coincide with his and Blair's break-up.


• On a related note, Blair has gone from devious to annoying. The unfortunate decent of Chuck and Blair is due in very large part to the pair of them officially hooking up. As is so often the case, the tension was lost and the writers didn't know what to do with the new dynamic. So what did they come up with? Well, as discussed, Chuck became a mopey, sensitive snooze-fest and Blair? Well, apparently they decided that "weak" and "annoying" were the buzz words for Blair's new life. She was largely defanged as well and it gave her very little to do. Without having a high school to terrorize, she was basically lost. Neither she nor Chuck was left with any real purpose or direction, so Blair ended up turning all her energies on ridiculous and irritating pursuits, many of which involve whining at Chuck. Truth be told? It's been so long since I've jumped right into the show that I'm kind of forgetting where we left off... Last I remember, Blair was moralizing to everyone on the planet and trying to run their lives in completely pointless ways. I miss the badass queen B who ruled with an iron fist... With both Chuck and Blair reduced to pathetic shells of their former shells, the primary reason I watch the show basically imploded.


• I've seen so many combinations of couples that I simply don't care anymore. Serena and Dan. Dan and Vanessa. Vanessa and Nate. Blair and Nate. Nate and Jenny. Jenny and drug dealer guy. Lily and Rufus. Lily and Bart. Serena and Tripp. Serena and Nate. Back to Serena and Dan. Oh, holy hell, I stopped caring 18 relationships ago! When everyone is with everyone else from one week to the next, there's no suspense and very little payoff. Chuck and Blair were always the main reason I watched the show and now that they've lost my interest, the rest of the cast simply can't make up the gap.


• Gossip Girl herself doesn't really seem to matter anymore... This show used to be about the fact that there's no such thing as privacy. Gossip was used as a tool, a weapon, and a constant stream of entertainment. Now that they're in college? Not so much... I can't remember the last time Gossip Girl was even a key aspect of the main plot. She's been reduced to nothing but narrator and that kind of undercuts a show called Gossip Girl...

THE OFFICE
My faith and adoration of The Office has been slipping for the past few seasons, but lately? It's been relegated to the very bottom-most spot on my list. Even below Gossip Girl. Because, whereas with GG, I'm still recording them and have the intention of someday actually watching them, I barely even record The Office anymore and don't even kind of care if I never see episodes. I at least have some hope that GG will come back from its slump, but The Office has been hit or miss (mostly miss) for years now and I think I'm done. Every so often I'll catch and episode and while there are generally a few funny moments per episode, the past few I've seen have been so painfully unfunny that I didn't even finish them. It's hard to even remember what the episodes were about, let alone anything funny that happened in them. I was given quite a hard time when I first noted the slump in quality, but now, even longterm fans (oh, who am I kidding, especially longterm fans) have been forced to admit the decline. Some specific reasons it now mostly kinda sucks?

• Jim went from adorable prankster to managerial prick. Seriously, he suddenly became a real dick when he and Pam finally got together and it's not fun to watch. Even when he's pranking Dwight nowadays, it feels like he's just being an disdainful jackass. Thanks, but no thanks.


• Jim and Pam. That's pretty much the whole complaint. Wait. No. Jim and Pam and a baby. Oh, good lord, that's the way to make things better... You know, because bringing a baby onto a show always helps. [Sarcasm duly noted? Good.]


• It's not about the monotony of office life anymore. That was always the best part of the show and now? It's just one ridiculous hijink after another.


• Just about every character on the show is a cartoon character these days. You'd think that would make it funnier, but when there's no one who isn't clinically insane, the whole set-up falls apart.


• The show has been on for a really long time and the magic is gone. This is a problem for any show that's been on for more than a couple of seasons and The Office is feeling it. Bad.

HOUSE
This is kind of an interesting one... After the old ducklings were dismissed (except for Foreman, of course--because the secret ingredient in reinventing a show is keeping the lamest character around), the new ducklings started to drag things into the depths pretty quickly. I had largely lost all interest, but was still keeping up with the show. Barely. I would often fast-forward through the lamer storylines (13 + Parkinson's (or Forman) = where the hell did I put the remote?) and didn't seem to miss anything at all. The A-plots bored me even more than usual and the characters weren't holding my attention long enough to compensate. When the characters you actually care about only get 3 minutes of screen time a piece, it's hard to stay interested... But, in recent months, Foreman has been mostly marginalized, Cuddy finally got her groove back (the episode that focused on her was a refreshing change of pace and easily one of the best episodes in recent years), Wilson is getting more screentime, and Chase is back! It's as though the powers that be actually listened to my prayers! I'm not saying it's back in the top tier, but it has managed to pull itself up from no man's land to a respectable position in my second tier. Here's hoping this trend continues. If they could just get rid of the patient-of-the-week I think we'd have a top spot contender on our hands... Although admittedly, even the patients-of-the-week have been better. It's still the standard, tired conceit of yore, but I'm not fast-forwarding through as much of it...

PSYCH
Yet another show that it pains me to include on this list... Psych isn't in as dire of straights as other shows on this list (it simply moved from top tier to second), but it's headed in a direction that isn't encouraging. I think it's simply been on for too long. With the light-hearted tone and straight-up procedural concept, it's hard to really explore characters or develop new ones, but I don't think this show has any other choice at this point. It's been the same old thing for way too long. Even the aspects of the show that I once loved have gotten tired and tedious. Shawn's cavalier, snarky barbs and crazy antics are falling flat after this much repetition and his and Gus' interactions have gotten completely stale. The most recent season started off with a bang, but the closing episodes left me underwhelmed. Add to the monotony the belabored will-they-or-won't-they relationship between Shawn and Juliet and the show is starting to fizzle. I'm not totally sure I even really care anymore. All the characters seem to have been boiled down into one-note cardboard cutouts of themselves so even when the writers try to give some depth or range, it seems artificial. I enjoyed the season finale quite a lot and hope it points to better things to come, but I'm not exactly brimming with confidence. I don't know what the show could really do to reinvent things, but they've got to do something or I fear I'm doomed to break up with this one. Here's hoping they get the spark back before my interest really starts to evaporate...

New Year's Resolutions

I've never been one for setting goals, so the whole New Year's resolutiony thing has always struck me as pretty stupid. When asked by my fourth grade teacher what my goals for the next semester were (awwh, parent-teacher conferences... how very lame and mind-meltingly waste of timey), I couldn't come up with a damn thing. After several minutes worth of prodding, I rather wearily responded with, "I don't know... perform a lobotomy?" I was going to add "on you," but restrained myself. Not that there likely would have been much for me to remove, but at least it would be a goal worth giving a shot.

Fifth grade was no more fruitful. As an old, tattered written record of events confirmed for me a couple of years ago, when I couldn't come up with a academically acceptable goal, my teacher suggested, "How about... be less cynical..." My ten-year-old self had to concede the point.

Anyway, as I have a history of sucking at things like goals and resolutions for myself, I have opted to dole them out for TV.

TV and I have kind of been on the rocks lately. Between the current season just not quite doing it for me (across the board, to large extent) and the fact that TV abandoned me several weeks ago, I have a few grievances to air and more than a few suggestions to make.

RESOLUTIONS TV SHOWS/PRODUCERS/NETWORKS/ACTORS/ETC SHOULD MAKE:

• NBC: ...needs to stop sucking so very royally. Resolution #1? Man up and fire Jeff Zucker already! He's the CEO and president of the network and has been the driving force that rammed the network into the giant iceberg. After Comcast took over, I was sure he'd finally (FINALLY) get the axe, but no. I don't know what deals he's been making or with whom (good money is on Lucifer himself), but he must be in bed with some pretty powerful people to have been spared. Maybe it's a Stonecutters' plot... In other NBC resolution news, #2: They need to cancel The Jay Leno Show and Mercy immediately, they need to scale back on The Biggest Loser (the show has never needed to be two hours long, let's face it), and give talented writers some incentive to bring their shows to the network. As is, most writers worth their salt take their projects to a network that actually knows what the hell its doing, and NBC's scripted programming has been in stark decline ever since. They need to bring back the 9 o'clock hour and fill it with solid scripted programming. #3: Put Heroes out of its (and our) misery. I broke up with this one ages ago, but I still hear tidbits about it here and there and let me tell ya, I find myself gladder and gladder we broke up with each passing news bite. Yeah, apparently Ali Larter is playing identical quadruplets these days and Sylar is Nathan or something. Yikes. #4: They need to hold on to Chuck for dear life and give it a promotional campaign and timeslot that will actually allow it to survive. From what I'm hearing, the coming season is going to be better than ever. Can't. Wait. :)
  
  
• GOSSIP GIRL: ...needs to get back on track and return to its former glory. In a bizarro twist of fate, it's not even really the fact that they graduated from high school that has caused the problem. The show was never about high school to begin with, so that's the least of the show's worries. If anything, the problem is that it revolves too much around school these days as opposed to too little. The last few episodes have somewhat bolstered my confidence, but at the end of the day, the dynamics that make this show so great have largely been eliminated. Resolutions? #1: Break up Chuck and Blair. I know, I know, blasphemy, right? As much as I enjoy seeing them together on one level, on all other levels the relationship has lost all of its fire and snark. They need to break them up so that a new dynamic (one much more like their old dynamic) can take over. I would love to see them break up over betrayals on both sides of the fence. That would put them on an even keel for war. Which brings me to #2: Both Chuck and Blair have been suffering from badass decay for the entire season. Chuck much more so than Blair, but both have lost a lot of what made them awesome. It's satisfying to see other sides of Chuck's personality, but when it's done to the exclusion of the motherchucker core that we know and love, it's a wrong step. Also, he seems to have very little to do these days besides board meetings and crap. They need to give him a juicy storyline that awakens the badass of yore. Same goes for Blair. She's been relegated to little more than an annoyance for Chuck and a busybody without any real direction. #3: The writers need to raise the stakes and bring back the crazy. Remember when Blair was dating a British lord? Or when Little J was at the center of a social upheaval that we actually cared about? Or when Chuck... actually mattered? Yeah, they need to bring that all back. Stat. #4: Cut dead weight. Vanessa, I'm looking in your direction. #5: Bring back Gossip Girl herself. Seriously, when was the last time a storyline had anything to do with the website at all? The first two seasons presented a tantalizing and disturbing world when nothing is every private and everyone's dirty laundry is public, whether they like it or not. Gossip Girl was a weapon and a menace, and I miss that conceit. I could go on, but there are other shows which need to be taken to task...



• GLEE: ...needs to recognize what they've got and work with it better. As with Gossip Girl, I loves me some Glee, but there are still aspects which annoy me. #1: I'm a huge fan of anything that includes singing and dancing, but for a show like Glee, the musical numbers are so over-produced that it kind of takes me out of the moment. Seriously, you can't go from regular TV show conversation to a 40 person chorus and full musical accompaniment without it being a bit jarring. It makes the songs feel less organic to the story and makes the lip-syncing all the more apparent. #2: They kids are great performers, but not the greatest of actors. Some of them can certainly hold their own and generally speaking, they're adequate, but I think more emotional resonance and more convincing connections with the action would help considerably. #3: Accept the fact that Finn is NOT the show's male lead. The show keeps acting like he's the amazing glue holding the band of misfits together, but in actuality, he gets schooled by just about everyone else on the show. His singing and dancing are simply not strong enough and as a heartthrob? He falls short. I think we all know Puck is the real winner in this battle and Finn just isn't going to change that. Puck is a better singer, performer, and overall better character. It's no wonder people are pulling for Puckleberry (Rachel and Puck) while Rachel and Finn don't even have a celebrity portmanteau. Ouch.



• V and FLASHFORWARD: ...need to be completely retooled. V is painfully boring and FlashForward is laborious. Both shows have merit and potential, but unless they get their heads back in the game, they're well on their way to being cancelled. #1: V needs to build up characters that we actually care about. Seriously, 95% of the cast is just kind of... there. I think I'd be a lot more invested in the story if I cared one bit about the players. #2: V also needs to figure out what its end game is. At this point, they've established one big, huge storyline, but they don't seem to know where they want to go with it in the long run. Aside from "humans vs. aliens," they seem to be spinning their wheels. #3: FlashForward needs to get its head out of its ass and nail down its concept and characters. The show established this conceit about people seeing their futures and whether destiny is finite, but week to week they can't seem to decide if the future really matters or if what they saw is inconsequential. It takes away a lot of the gravity and just seems a little too convenient. #4: They also need to build up characters we care about. At this point, it's an entire ensemble of dour, earnest, wet blankets who are kind of tedious to watch.



• HOUSE: ...just needs to stop. I have loved the show for many, many years, but the conceit has become oppressive and the character development is suffering as a result. #1: Either eliminate the patient of the week or find a way to reinvent it. I've been bored to tears with the POTW pretty much since the show began, but it was tenable because the POTW created a framework for character interaction and development. Now the dynamic is largely wasted and I find myself fast-forwarding through the standard medical crap that I stopped caring about ages ago. It's been the same routine for over 100 episodes and I just can't take it anymore. #2: Cut dead weight. Foreman, 13, and Taub, I'm looking in your direction. It's not that they couldn't bring in new and interesting characters (I miss Amber more and more with each passing episode), but the show seems to have opted for dull over substantive or likeable. Good thinkin', writers! #3: Either resolve the Huddy issue already or let it go. The teasing is getting ridiculous.



• FOX: ...needs to work out a schedule that doesn't make people want to shoot themselves. Seriously, most of their heavy hitters are benched until April, and that, my friends, I simply cannot abide. #1: They should just axe the ailing and aging American Idol and 24. Every year that 24 comes back, I just have to shake my head. Even die hard fans are pretty sick of it at this point. I don't watch the show (what can I say? American jingoism and nationalist propaganda just don't quite do it for me), so all it presents for me is an obstacle to more Glee. As for American Idol, I've loathed that crapfest since its inception and the fact that it basically takes over the network every spring is like an obnoxious, slightly tipsy, thoroughly tacky slap in the face. #2: They need to not air So You Think You Can Dance in the fall ever again. What a disaster. I realize that reality TV is cheap, and don't get me wrong, I love the show, but it's a summer show first, last, and always. Plus, if they opt for such a debacle once again, it'll put shows like Lie to Me (which got pretty good after Shawn Ryan took the reins) and Fringe (which I had to give up on, but have been meaning to give it a second chance). Really, anytime reality trumps scripted I'm less than thrilled, so even when it's a reality show I enjoy, it's still a blow.
  
  
• PROJECT RUNWAY: ...needs to return to the Bravo network. I was trying to nail down all the things that were wrong with last season and it all boiled down to the switch to Lifetime. The show had the same look, same set up, and same host, but what it lacked it lacked in spades. You know, like entertainment value? Good god last season was dull. Even when it was good it was boring. Bravo just has a knack for this kind of programming that is unparalleled and Lifetime simply couldn't do it justice. #1: Bring back Nina Garcia as a regular judge. She didn't earn the nickname "Mean-a Garcia" for nothing. She was always the most delightfully brutal and blunt of them all and in her absence, many of the lackluster designs got a pass. #2: Come up with original challenges. I realize the show has been through 6 (is it 6?) seasons and that fresh ideas are harder and harder to come by, but I think the salvation of the show depends on it. Look at Top Chef. It just completed its 6th (is it 6th?) season and it's better than ever. The grudge match between the brothers Voltaggio certainly helped, but the show really managed to come up with some new and interesting challenges.

I'm sure there are other grievances for other shows that should probably be included, but compiling just these was taxing enough. Come on TV, be more funny! (A little something for all the Simpsons fans out there.) Really, TV needs to be a whole lot of things at the point, but bottom line? Most of my shows just need to be better. When they're competing with the awesomeness that is Burn Notice, Castle, Dexter, Psych, etc., they really need to step up their games.

Here's hoping they're better at keep resolutions than I am. You know, the fake resolutions that I just made up and that they don't even know about...

And no, my logic is not suspect.

Gossip Girl: The College Years

I have long been a Gossip Girl devotee, but while my loyalty to the show remains in tact, I have to admit that it feels like a very different viewing experience this season (which is both good and bad). I'd say creatively, the show has survived the move from high school to college better than expected (and FAR better than other shows who've tried to make the leap), but for various reasons things just aren't clicking with me in the same way.

I'd say the biggest difference is with the relationship between Chuck and Blair. They've always been the centerpiece of the show for me and have generally been the reason I'm eager to tune in week-to-week. Last season really overhauled their dynamic. The evil, snarky, deceptive manipulations of season 1 were replaced by a devastating loyalty to one another. Both characters were broken down to the point of near annihilation, so it only makes sense that they couldn't come back from the brink as their old selves. Once the dust settled, the pair finally let go of the games and the facade of imperious control and decided to give the relationship a chance--a startlingly honest, very real chance.

Seeing the pair of them lay their emotions out there for the other to see was a serious divergence from the masked interactions of yore and it necessarily changed the dynamic between them. In general, when a couple finally finally finally gets together on a show (often after several seasons of will-they-or-won't-they teasing), the spark is extinguished and I lose all interest in them (Jim and Pam, Barney and Robbin, Sydney and Vaughn, Derek and Meredith, etc). Playing house just isn't as enthralling as one would hope... With Chuck and Blair, the writers have done a wonderful job keeping the relationship interesting and have managed to have them be a couple in a very satisfying way. In a sense, I'm almost too invested in them now. Before, when it was all mind games and masked agendas, the main thing that was at stake was the facade. If things broke down between them or one betrayed the other, it was generally on a superficial level, and therefore didn't impact the realities in such a potentially devastating way. Nowadays, each scheme, each lie, each manipulation is a very real, very personal assault on the other, and that's kind of hard to watch.

I've gotten to the point this season where I'm a little afraid to watch the episodes because there's just so much as stake for the both of them. This is the first time either of them has been honest with anyone about anything and the tension for the audience (at least for me) is palpable. Their relationship (which feels more like a detente at times) seems like this fragile arrangement that I'm constantly worried will fall apart. That sounds unduly dramatic, but after the hell on earth they survived last year, it just seems counterintuitive that anything could faze them at this point. They've been through so much and have revealed so much about who they are that there's just a tremendous amount at stake. Every episode I find myself just waiting for the other shoe to drop. It's a little nerve-wracking...

As anyone reading this post surely knows, I tend to get a little (read: very--like, to an unhealthy extent) invested in my shows, and in particular, with certain characters on those shows. Well, Blair and Chuck are my characters on Gossip Girl. Actually, for some reason, I find I'm most tied up and worried about Blair most of the time (kind of like Dr. Carter was for me on ER). She has a tendency to set herself up for total annihilation and that's exceedingly interesting, but ultimately very stressful to watch. Now that she has so much invested in Chuck, it just makes the whole relationship all the more precarious. For example, in the episode where Blair and Vanessa are both vying to give the freshman toast (or whatever that was), the fact that Blair lied to Chuck was almost painful to sit through. It's not that the episode was poorly written or that the storyline was out of character (far from it), it just that the whole set up these days makes everything a much bigger deal than it would have been in the past. Chuck seemed genuinely hurt by this, where in the previous two seasons, it would have just been round 1. Lying to and manipulating each other was par for the course in seasons past, and in fact, was the largest facet of the game they played. Now, every slight is seen as an utter betrayal. It's a stirring dynamic, but that doesn't make it any easier to watch. I spend the better part of every episode on pins and needles wonder when the roof is going to cave in.

My investment in Chuck and Blair and my fears about all the horrible that seems inevitable for the two of them wouldn't be as big of a deal if I were more invested in the other characters on the show. I've never been all that tied up in whatever Serena has going on or what has happened to Jenny lately, but this season, I find I'm even less enthralled. Whereas with Blair, I'm constantly concerned about what's going to happen and how her plans are going to blow up in her face, with the rest of the cast, it's just like watching a bunch of stuff happen to a bunch of people I don't know. When Serena makes a fool of herself or Dan makes a mess of things, it's just a series of events that don't concern me. It's really kind of a weird sensation because I'm interested to know what will happen, but whatever that may be, I don't generally care. With Chuck and Blair and I'm constantly pulling for things to work out a certain way, but with everyone else? They could get deported tomorrow and I'd want to know what happens, but wouldn't really care one way or the other. In this sense, their storylines are much easier to watch, but no where near as satisfying.

Speaking of everyone else, I think the area where the move to college was the most detrimental was with regard to Jenny and Eric--those poor saps who are still stuck in high school. They've had very little screen time thus far this season, and with good reason. I don't really care all that much about Jenny's reign over Constance Billard. No one can out-do Blair, so watching her try just seems a bit out of character and redundant. Eric has always been a bit lost in the shuffle, which is a shame given how much I enjoy the character. I'm hopeful the coming episodes will integrate them a bit better into the overall world of the show, but I'm just not too sure how that's going to work... Same goes for Rufus and Lily... I used to be quite invested in their storylines, but now? Even with Lufus (er, Scott) showing up, I just couldn't get behind them. I was interested in the love child storyline primarily because of Georgina, not Rufus or Lily, which is kind of a shame (not that Georgie isn't awesome, but I just would have liked a bit more emotional resonance with the actual parents).

Dan's journey thus far has been decent enough, but I never really cared about him anyways. Hilary Duff isn't as nauseating as expected, but I'd still prefer she shuffled off to wherever she came from. Nate... is just kind of there. The Bree Buckley storyline turned into something much more substantive than anticipated, but that was all due to Carter Bazien. Speaking of Carter Bazien, I never knew how much I missed you! I developed quite an admiration for Sebastian Stan during his stint on Kings and my affections clearly carried over into Gossip Girl. Unfortunately, from what I'm hearing, his appearances on GG have come to an end for the foreseeable future... I was shocked at just how much I enjoyed his and Serena's relationship. I went in expecting it to fall flat, but it really worked for me. Again, although I was interested, the fact that the relationship came to a crashing end seemed more like just something that happened rather than the nuclear holocaust that would result from a Chuck/Blair split.

Anyway, long story short, I still love the show, but it has become mentally taxing to watch at times. It has moved to the second tier, I'd say. I'll be interested to see where everything goes, but I think I'm hoping to become a bit less ridiculously invested in Chuck and Blair and quite a bit more invested in the rest of the cast. As with any show entering its third year, it simply can't hold the freshness and novelty of its first two seasons, but the show appears to be growing and I'll be sticking with it while it does. (It just might be a little more stressful to watch than I'd prefer...)

Random TV Detritus

I couldn't come up with any logical organization for all the bits of televisual flotsam and jetsam that have been swirling around in my head of late, so I'm just going to throw them all in one miscellaneous post. Between the summer shows coming to an end, the TCAs (Television Critics Association panel-y type conference-y thingamajig), and BBC America invading my viewing agenda more and more, I've got a lot of randomness going on and simply can't be bothered to organize any of it beyond the most basic of categories. Long story short? Not thinking is muuuuch easier than thinking.

USA NETWORK UPDATES:

IN PLAIN SIGHT: While there's not a lot less fanfare involved with USA Network pick-ups, I was pleased nonetheless to hear that In Plain Sight just got the green light for a third season. It's really the little second tier show that could. I have to admit, I'm pretty surprised at just how much this show has grown on me over the past two seasons. I can't imagine it will ever become a top tier contender, but it makes for a nice addition to my schedule (especially my ridiculously slim Sunday viewing options). I'm a little afraid of where Mary's personal life is headed (what with the ill-fated engagement and all), but at least her mother has seemingly disappeared and her sister has been reduced to cameos. The writers are building up the sexual tension between Mary and Marshall and it's becoming more and more apparent that Marshall thinks of her as more than just a partner. It's a pretty standard storyline, but I have some ideas on how the writers could make it pretty awesome. I don't know that I'd ever like to see Mary and Marshall become a couple or anything, but I do enjoy the differing agendas going on. My predictions? I think the third season will illuminate to everyone the true nature of Mary and Marshall's relationship. Raf may be her romantic partner, but Marshall is quite clearly her partner in every other conceivable sense of the word. I'm not sure to what extent Marshall may or may not be in love with Mary, but I'm excited to find out. I realize I'm the only person who watches this show, so I don't expect anyone else to jump on the bandwagon here, but I'm thinking next season is going to be pretty awesome. The season 2 finale is on Sunday, so if you're just now thinking you'd like to give it a shot, this wouldn't be the most ideal time...

ROYAL PAINS: In other pick-up news, Royals Pains got the go ahead for next year after surprisingly decent ratings. Royal Pains isn't as horrible as I would have expected (it's fairly watchable, if not anything to write home about), but I think I'm giving it the official heave-ho. I've only kept up with it in the most cursory of ways, but even that is more than I really care to give. If USA didn't make it so damned easy to keep up with crap (what with airing them a million times), I'd have never have given it this much of my time. The fact that it's a summer show also played a part... In spite of all these aspects, it's as blah as ever and I'm done.

BURN NOTICE: Awww, Burn Notice. Eases the pain. How insane has this season been? With each passing episode, I become less and less supremely confident that everything will work out okay. Michael Westen may have actual magically powers when it comes to spy-ishness, but the baddies have been coming out in full force this year. While past seasons have been much more specifically client-of-the-week, this season has seen Michael and company be the clients more and more often. The tension between Mike and Fi hasn't helped calm the seas either. I'll be posting more about Burn Notice after Thursday's mid-season finale (which, holy moly, have you seen the sneak peek pics?! Ahhh!), but for now, rest assured that my most darling of shows has been renewed for next season, much to no one's surprise. The second half of the third season won't air till January 2010 (gah!), so soak up all the Burn Notice-y goodness while you have the chance.

CW NETWORK UPDATES:

THE BODY POLITIC: In spite of the fact that it had some serious potential, I'm hearing that The Body Politic is officially dead. Network president Dawn Ostroff confirmed today at the TCAs that the show won't be making it on the air, not even at mid-season as so very many people (read: me) had hoped. Word is, the actors have all moved on and been cast in other productions. I don't know if Dawn herself held the ax on this one, but I choose to blame her regardless. Here's hoping Jason Dohring finds a new gig that won't get cancelled... assuming he finds something that gets picked up in the first place... Oy.

GOSSIP GIRL: In better CW news, I'm also hearing that the rather unfortunate Gossip Girl spin-off with Lily's backstory is looking unlikelier by the minute. No official death notice, but it doesn't sound like it'll ever happen. That's not say that a spin-off isn't a possibility in the future, but that the original conception won't likely make it off the ground. I, like many, am rather relieved to hear this... Those Lily flashbacks were...not good, we'll say. It's a shame too because there were more than a few Veronica Mars alums in that thum thar flashback sequence...

OTHER NETWORK UPDATES:

DOLLHOUSE: I finally got around to watching the unaired pilot (you know, the one that was pretty much entirely scrapped) and I have to say, in many ways I liked it quite a bit better than the pilot that actually aired. I've heard conflicting reports of just why the original pilot was scrapped, and although the prevailing notion is that Joss himself was unhappy with it, I maintain that the brass at Fox had more than a little to do with it as well. In the plus column, the original pilot felt a lot more Whedon-esque, it explained the rules of the Dollhouse universe in a way that made much more sense and was much more logical in application, and most importantly, it didn't have the largely weak A-plot story-of-the-week of the official pilot (the aspect with which I was the most unimpressed). The hostage negotiator, procedural-style A-plot of the official pilot left me underwhelmed, a little annoyed, and tended to muddy the waters as far as the science and lore of the show is concerned. To be fair, it's hard to know how I would have reacted to the original pilot had I not seen the entire series thus far, but I'm supremely confident I would have liked it better. In defense of the official pilot, had the original aired instead, the series would have taken a very different path. In the original pilot, Ballard meets Echo right off the bat, Victor is revealed to the audience as a doll, and Echo's notions of self are already starting to show. The original set thinks up more clearly, but threw a whole lot of plot progression into that single episode. I've never been one for weak A-plots, so I think that's my primary bone of contention with the official pilot and really shouldn't reflect on the entire pilot as a whole, but kinda does... In terms of a pilot setting up the rest of the season, I can be persuaded that the official pilot was better, but as a stand-alone, I think the original had more going for it. I haven't watched Epitaph One yet, but I hear it's a whole lotta "huh?" For which, I'm unduly excited. :) In other Dollhouse news, I'm hearing Amy Acker (aka Dr. Saunders aka Whiskey) has been confirmed for three episodes for season 2. Thanks to her role in Happy Town, she just isn't as available and one would hope... Here's hoping they make the most of those three episodes. No official word yet on Alan Tudyk, but I'm hearing he'll be back as Alpha somewhere toward the middle of next season. In casting news, I'm hearing that Battlestar Galactica alums Apollo and Saul Tigh will be joining Helo for an episode a piece. Apollo is set for the premiere, as I recall... In even more exciting casting news, I hear that Alexis Denisof (aka Wesley from Buffy and Angel) is on the docket for next season. Yay! I've missed him... And I'd love to see him and Amy Acker onscreen together again. Finally, I've also heard the Felicia Day will find her way into the mix again somehow and there are plans to bring Summer Glau into the fold, although nothing official has been written. The show (as with most Whedon productions) is pretty much turning into one big family reunion--only this is a reunion you'd actually want to attend. :)

SKINS: Most of you have probably never even heard of Skins, but I'm going to tout its premiere nonetheless. For some connections for you, one of the kids in the show (Dev Patel) went on to star in Slumdog Millionaire as Jamal and remember that socially awkward kid (Nick Hoult, pictured) from About A Boy? Well, he's all grown up and raising hell for the first two seasons. (Quite contrary to what you'd have thought after seeing About A Boy, he totally plays the leader of the pack, the rake, the cad--basically the tool.) The third season starts up on Thursday and I'm more than a little giddy, if slightly apprehensive. Skins follows a group of British teens as they try to find their way in a world of questionable parenting, drugs, sex, violence, and pretty much everything else. It sounds like your straight-forward teen drama, but as with so many British shows, it doesn't pull any punches and has a much grittier, edgier feel to it than most of what's available on standard American programming. Along with the grit, the show is bitingly funny and manages to blend serious character development in with all the light and dark and crazy of the world around them. My apprehension comes from the fact that, aside from Effy, it's an entirely new cast. I'm sure the writers will knock it out of the park once again in spite of the new cast, but I just don't know if it'll be the same without Tony, Michelle, Sid, Cassie, and company... Regardless, I can't wait to find out. :) Seasons 1 and 2 are available on iTunes, if you're interested. Bear in mind, it's definitely not G-rated, so you've been warned. If, however, teenage debauchery is up your alley, you've officially hit the jackpot.

You can say that again. And again. And again. :)

Another year, another 743,622 crazy things that happened in a Josh Schwartz production. Much like The O.C. before it, only insanely awesomer, more stuff happens in a couple of episodes of Gossip Girl than happens in three or four seasons of any other show. And with a storyline success rate of about 96%, that's a whole lot of awesome in a relatively short amount of time.

Awww, eases the pain.

Unlike some shows that experience your typical "sophomore slump" in their second season, GG started off strong, got even stronger, then hit a bit of a snag, then ended back at awesome. From a show like this, it's exactly the kind roller coaster I'd expect.

It's truly difficult to comprehend that it was only a few months ago that Blair was dating a British lord, Little J was homeless, and Serena has mysteriously grown attracted to greasy hair and scraggly goatees. Aw, memories. Although overall this show kicks just as much ass as ever, some storylines were more successful than others. It's honestly hard to quantify so much information...

Over the course of the season, I think you'd be hard-pressed to find many viewers who weren't the most invested in the trials and tribulations of Chair (or Bluck--neither portmanteau really works for them...). Chuck and Blair have long been my favorite characters and they're the primary reason I tune in every week. Unlike the insanely dull and eventless back and forth of Dan and Serena (which Leighton Meester calls "Derena" and says it sounds like some snack food--you know, "I could sure go for some Cool Ranch Derena right about now..."), the every changing relationship of Chuck and Blair was never dull, never prosaic or overdone, and even in their briefest and most seemingly humdrum of interactions, the pair was always a joy to watch and squee-worthy at every turn.

Leighton Meester and Ed Westwick somehow manage to imbue every scene with a whole lot more than you'd ever think possible. They have always had great chemistry, no matter how their relationship was defined at the given moment. Chuck and Blair make for devilish enemies, passionate lovers, the most loyal of friends, and ruthless competitors, and they do so all at once. It's really quite impressive. Their feelings and motives in season 1 were usually veiled and only occasionally naked and honest, but in season 2, with the unremitting horribleness that happened to them both, they each had to shed the facade more and more often, in spite of their desperate attempts to keep the charade going. I think Gossip Girl herself hit it on the head during graduation when she labeled Blair a weakling (which belies her ruthless, unrelenting Queen B routine), and Chuck a coward (who has built himself up as this amoral playboy who isn't afraid of anything). Chuck's father dying threw a wrench into the game they play (you know, the "you say it first" nuclear assault they'd been engaged in for so long). Chuck fell apart, and Blair quickly followed. After going through something so traumatic, it's hard to think they could put the masks back on, but that's only mode in which Chuck and Blair know how to operate...

Which brings us to the season finale where Blair, once again, tells Chuck how much she loves him, and he's too much of a coward to handle it. Being the spoiler hound that I am, I had it on good authority that it wouldn't end like that again, but it was still damned distressing to watch. The revelation that Blair had hooked up with Uncle Jack didn't play out how I had anticipated at all. In fact, it's pretty clear that the writers decided to seriously overhaul the storyline before it had all played out. Back during the episodes with Jack, there was a promo that aired with Chuck confronting Jack about Blair saying, "Blair wouldn't touch you."



That scene never aired in the actual episode. It would seem that Chuck was supposed to have found out ages ago, but they decided against it. In fact, even the nature of Blair's and Jack's New Year's secret seems to have been revamped (or else Blair simply isn't providing the horrible details--which is definitely a possibility). If you watch the scene at the opera where Jack tries to assault Lily in the ladies room, you can hear Blair's voice yelling/commanding/almost screaming for Jack to stop (see below, about 4 minutes in).



I think in it's original incarnation, Jack was to have raped or assaulted Blair in some manner and she agreed to keep her mouth shut if he brought Chuck back. Although that would have been a much more powerful story arc, I'm kind of relieved they scrapped it. Blair has quite enough horrible in her life without adding that to the mix. After it was clear that the writers had tossed out that idea, I was still certain that it would be revealed that she had slept with Jack as a means of persuading him to go get Chuck. I was sure when it was all revealed, Blair would have told Chuck that it was the only way Jack would go get him, or something like that. Alas, the big secret, although still damning, barely caused any waves at all in the finale. I really enjoyed that Blair likened her tryst with loathsome uncle Jack to Chuck's dalliance with Vanessa though. Heh.

Anyway, as a final note on Chair, I have to admit that the closing scene of the finale was delightful. I'm not of the opinion that they should stay together as a happy couple for long (we all know how boring that is), but it's nice to see them happy once and a while. There are fans out there who want nothing more than for the two of them to live happily ever after, and I just don't understand that at all. How dull would that be? Ugh. Chuck and Blair are at their best when they're at odds, and fortunately, for a show like this, it shouldn't be long for that to be the case once again. :) If it makes the Chair-shippers happy, I'm supremely confident that they can be at odds even more effectively while they're together than when they're apart. So really, it's a win-win (like goose grease). It was only fitting that the closing scene of the season had Chuck finally tell Blair that he loves her. It hasn't been a secret for ages and ages, but that he got up the gumption to admit it to her was fun to watch and extremely satisfying after all we've been through. I especially liked that Blair asked him to say it again. And again. Even when she finally gets what she wants, she likes to hold the reins. It's just so very Blair it's delightful. At first I thought that the scene should have been set in a more intimate space, but after thinking about it, out in the open was much more meaningful. Chuck really had been a coward, heretofore, and telling Blair he loved her in public was a lot braver.

As much as I would love for Chuck and Blair to be the entire show, there actually are other characters to keep track of. Sadly though, they are generally the aspects of the show that led to some less-than-stellar storylines (the 80s weren't quite as awesomely 80stacular as one would have hoped, for example). Serena's fling with Aaron Rose was unpleasant, don't get me wrong, but her back and forth with Dan got very old, very fast. Part of the reason for Serena hooking back up with Dan for the 87th time was that the writers decided to write Aaron off the show well before his story arc was supposed to be over. The fans hated him, the storyline wasn't really working, and the actor they had cast was about as unappealing as possible. As such, while Aaron was supposed to come back from Argentina with Serena, the writers just decided to leave him there (and I can't says I blame them). I think the problem with Aaron mostly came down to unfortunate casting. He was just bland, unkempt, and charmless from beginning to end. Anyway, curtailing that storyline left a void the ultimately led back to Dan. Again. They only mostly worked for me as a couple the first (and possibly second) time around, so this was overkill that really dragged for a few episodes and was clearly a patch job with the overall arc.

Another storyline that didn't really work out was Rachel Carr. I'm confident in saying the episode titled "Carrnal Knowledge" was my least favorite of the series (not season, series). Although her character served an important purpose, the way it all played out fell a little flat. I was glad to see the writers wrap that up as soon as possible and send her back to Iowa or wherever she was from. But, once again, cutting one storyline short led to some sloppy recovery. Add to that the fact that the brass at the CW ordered 3 additional episodes out of no where, and the writers were left with fewer stories to fill more episodes. Henceforth with the filler... Not that I don't enjoy the filler in a way, but it all just detracts from more important things. There were a few episodes toward the latter quarter of the season that were fun and all, but didn't have a whole lot of substance in the end. I was glad to see the show really rein things in at the very end and wrap up a lot of loose ends and terminate a lot of filler storylines.

Among the stories that didn't really work for me were the Eyes Wide Shut escapades in which Chuck inexplicably found himself mired. Elle was never really established as a real character, so she came across as a random obstacle between Chuck and Blair. As lackluster as the arc was, I thought they wrapped it up quite well. A lot of guys have a savior complex where the thought of rescuing some poor damsel (read: hooker) from the depths is appealing, and to see that Elle was the one taking the advantage the whole time really put Chuck in his place. He was being played by the very person he was trying to save, and the whole fantasy just fizzled as a result. It smacked him in the face with a few realities that he had been too stubborn to acknowledge which was something that needed to happen, one way or the other. I have to hand it to the show that even the most frivolous of storylines have a purpose, and even if they aren't executed brilliantly, they're almost never true throw-aways and always seem to matter (even if they only matter in so much as they lead characters to something that actually matters). Clear as mud, eh?

Peeps on the web had a whole lot of anger to express about Blair and Nate getting back together, but I was generally okay with it. That's not to say that I like them together as a couple (I'm not sure it would be possible for a pair to have less spark), but in terms of the characters, it felt more organic and natural than I was expecting. Nate's always just kind of along for the ride, looking pretty and staring off into space, so when Blair comes up with a plan, it makes sense to me that they would both fall into it. Again. They were both totally lost and nothing was turning out as it should, so why wouldn't they happily jump back into a setting that was safe and comfortable. I also quite enjoyed the dynamic it made between Nate and Chuck, with Chuck trying to be the friend, but presented with a situation that he genuinely cannot be objective. Not that I was sorry to see them break up, but I seem to have enjoyed that little detour more than most.

In any season of any show, there will be things that worked and things that didn't. This season had a good few that didn't really do it for me, but overall, the goods outweigh the bads by a significant margin. Little J's fashion line turned homeless train wreck was completely awesome (and it was a sheer delight to see a former O.C.er on board), Cyrus Rose (unlike his son) is inconceivably delightful and exactly what Blair needed in so many ways, Chuck's odyssey to the brink, beyond the brink, and back again made for the most powerful and devastating story arc of the series so far, and the Chuck and Blair emotional arms race was riveting from beginning to end. Even Lufus van der Humphrey turned into a more interesting plot twist than I would have expected. I think we all knew there was no way he was dead from the very beginning and had to assume he'd be making his way onto the show eventually, but I genuinely don't know what his motives are at this point, and quite frankly, can't wait to find out. The Lily and Rufus relationship lost all of its spark and interest over the season (at least for me), but I'm intrigued enough with their long lost son that it kept me going.

Lufus was just one of the many twists the finale had to offer. Front and center, the kiddies try to unmask Gossip Girl. Quite frankly, I'm kind of surprised they never did this before... Especially after being completely demolished with her gossip, I think I'd be trying to nail down who GG was, how he/she came to know what he/she knew, and where I could hide a body. I guess it speaks to the nature of the conceit that they never really pursued this in the past. Rumors, gossip, and intrigue form the basis of their little cutthroat society. Gossip Girl acts as more of a framework for how people interact with one another than as a person. Plus, as Gossip Girl points out, everyone on the show is Gossip Girl. They are the ones sending tips; they are the ones spreading and receiving rumors. They aren't just subject to the machine's wrath, they are the machine. They keep it going. It's a burden and a tool. A social structure and a menace. They love it, and they hate it. And it seems that only when Gossip Girl decides to make some truly incisive and accurate assessments does anyone stop to think of Gossip Girl as a person. No one sent Gossip Girl a tip saying that Chuck is a coward, Blair is a weakling, Nate is a whore, Dan is the ultimate insider, and that Serena is irrelevant. That wasn't a function of the machine at work. That was someone firing a shot across the bow, independent of the tipsters and gossip-mongers. All those monikers are accurate and that's what makes them powerful. I thought each assessment was perfect, correct, and just the thing to say to set each of those people off. The only person who would really worry about being an insider is Dan, who has pretended to be the lonely outsider for the past two years, even though he's been right in the middle of everything. Nate's moniker is just obvious, but still packs a punch. Blair's and Chuck's were addressed earlier and Serena's, while it likely won't actually happen, it's one of Serena's biggest fears. Does Serena matter if there's no Gossip Girl to write about her? Does she have anything to offer besides tabloid fodder? She doesn't really know, and that scares her to death. The finale had its weak points, but the titles doled out by Gossip Girl did a really nice job of boiling down who these people really are at the end of the day (or at least who they're afraid they are).

This show is based on perceptions, facades, secrets, reveals, and masks, so having Gossip Girl out everyone on everything leaves everyone dazed, confused, but ultimately... free. For the moment, anyway. I really loved the scene where Gossip Girl got them all to go to that bar only to realize that they are all cogs in the machine, but that for the moment, the machine isn't running. All the gossip there was to tell has been told. And in spite of Gossip Girl's assurance that she'll be following them to college, for the moment, no one really knows what to do with themselves. For the first time, they can just relax. There's no threat of nuclear attack, no worry that your darkest deepest secret will be revealed. For once, they're all out of nukes and secrets. It's a nice moment. And it sets up a clean slate for next season, although not without some teases...

The big finale set up a fair set of little cliffhangers, but nothing insanely huge, much like last season. The show is good at leaving things up in the air so that they can go just about anywhere with it. Serena and Carter (whom I hated at first, but after watching Kings, really quite enjoy him now) are apparently off to look for Keith van der Woodsen, Georgina made an awesome return to tie up the Ponzi scheme storyline (yet another that peeps had a lot of issues with, but that I thought worked pretty well) and will apparently be rooming with Blair next season (!), Lufus may or may not be up to no good, I'm still not sure where some people are going to school, Lily and Rufus got engaged, but under dubious circumstances (or shall I say, "doobie-ous"), and Little J took over the high school (!!). I, for one, can't wait. I don't know where season 3 will take us, but it'll surely be somewhere crazy. :)

Count. Me. In.

GG Redux Part 2: Damn that motherchucker!

I couldn't possibly blog about the latest episode of Gossip Girl and only talk about Lufus (see below), so here I am again. With something even more important than the trials and tribulations and watersports-related accidents of a secret love child.

I posted the following on a Gossip Girl forum where I came across several comments saying that Blair wasn't sympathetic in this episode and some even saying that she was annoying. I completely disagree. I love my Chuck Bass as much as the next person, but when Blair told him she was done, I was actually glad to see her stand up for herself. She keeps putting herself out there, totally exposing her feelings, and standing by him through his toughest times, and she keeps getting clobbered for it.

Honestly, considering the things he's done, and more searingly, the things he's said to her over the past few weeks, my hat goes off to Blair for standing by him as long as she did. She got him through his darkest hours and he still spat all over her. Every time he broke her heart and then said he was sorry, she accepted it, because he needed her so badly and he was too broken to act otherwise. When he ditched dinner with Blair to go hook up with floozies (that's right, I'm going old school) and get high, however, he was on the rebound and had the presence of mind to make a non-destructive choice, but did it anyway. I think that's where the difference lies. When he came to Blair with a bouquet of peonies (which I guess he gets points for knowing that was her favorite flower, but still), it wasn't the emotionally distraught Charlie Trout in the elevator, honestly needing her forgiveness, it was someone else entirely.

I'm confident that Chuck knew he was in the wrong for doing what he did and saying what he said, but he knew that before he did or said any of it. He made a conscious choice to hurt her and then thought he could just pawn his actions off on being duped by his uncle. Jack may have set up the circumstances, but Chuck is the one who bailed on Blair, hooked up with random sluts, and got wasted, all in time for his board members to see. He made a choice, and even though he realized later it was the wrong choice, I think his remorse had more to do with getting caught than genuine regret for his actions.

The real kicker, as far as I'm concerned, is that he essentially the same thing to Blair less than a year earlier, and for very similar reasons. The whole situation reminded me of Chuck abandoning Blair in Italy because his father said how nice it was to see him settling down and becoming and adult. Jack's speech to Chuck about how he shouldn't be tied down and should live it up as a single playboy was coming from the opposite angle, but had the exact same effect. Chuck ditched Blair, again, not because he didn't want to be with her, but because he'd rather maintain his reputation (a facade that he just can't seem to let got of). After he abandoned her in Italy, he told her he immediately knew it was a huge mistake, but here we are again, Blair being stood up and stomped on because Chuck won't do the right thing, even if he wants to.

The crux of the matter is that I have to applaud Blair for not buying into his charade (again). I have no doubt that Chuck really does regret his actions toward Blair (which are pretty damn numerous at this point), but until he can actively modify his behavior, it doesn't matter how much he loves her (or she loves him), he'll just keep letting her down or more likely, completely smashing her to pieces. Blair has been allowing herself to be demolished at every turn because she loves him, but at some point, enough is enough.

Besides, as I see it, Chuck could only truly love a girl who can stand up for herself and put him in his place. The Blair of the past few weeks has played the role of loving mother, understanding girlfriend, and stalwart friend, because that's what Chuck needed to survive, but the Blair he fell in love with wears a very different mask. The Blair we all know and love is the Blair who doesn't take shit from anyone and wages war on those who've wronged her (in utterly fabulous ways). Which, incidentally, is very similar to the Chuck we all know and love. I'll be very pleased to see the two of them get their confidence back and be able to go toe-to-toe in a fair fight again. In order to take down Jack, I think they'll have to.

GG Redux: Lufus

By special request, I'm offering thoughts and opinions on Monday's episode of Gossip Girl. This season has been a bit of an angsty, boozy, scheme-y whirlwind already, but Monday's episode (2.15 entitled "Gone With The Will") still managed to up the ante. In case you missed anything, you can read a recap here.

Here are my thoughts and musings on the latest goings-on of the UES.

Lufus van der Humphrey:

So, as is customary for any show that even occasionally ventures in to soapy territory (and even those that don't), a secret love child will be showing up sooner or later (see such shows as Brothers and Sisters, 90210, The O.C., Alias, and if you're willing to stretch the definition a bit, even Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

Well, with Gossip Girl being soapier than most (saints be praised!), you had to know that some long lost relative would show up eventually. Well, enter Lily and Rufus' secret spawn, stage right. I'm still not sure how I feel about all of this, but I trust Josh Schwartz implicitly, so I'm willing to go with it.
If only Lily and Rufus (mainly Rufus) weren't so damned dull, I think I'd be much more invested... (Quite frankly, I think I'd rather be watching whatever they find so fascinating in the picture above. I'm guessing Chuck and Blair are to the left of frame...)

Anyway, so L and R go to Boston to find the kid L gave up for adoption. They said he was 19 I believe, so with Serena being almost 18, does that mean she had the lovechild (in Paris, as I recall), came back to the states, met up with Herr van der Woodsen, and immediately got pregnant with Serena? I would have thought Rufus Jr. would have to have been at least 21 by now, but I guess it's all possible. Anyway, moot point.

Although the whole love child storyline smacks of jumping the shark at times, for a show like this, it just means it's Monday. I really did enjoy the twist they put on it and I think that will open up a lot of fun avenues for the show to take in the future. So yeah, the family said that the love child (who will be called Lufus from here on out) was killed in a tragic jet ski accident (heh) the previous year. Lily and Rufus totally believe every word of this story because they don't watch their own show often enough. In actuality, it was the adoptive family's other son, Andrew, who was killed in the accident. I'm guessing Andrew and Lufus were roughly the same age, so I suppose that could work. I thought the newspaper article was a particularly nice touch on the part of the adoptive father in convincing L and R that their son was actually dead.

Why did the adoptive family do this, you ask? Well, the mother says that they already lost one son and they didn't want to lose another. A lot of forum posters were perplexed by this comment, not seeing where they could lose a son who was already an adult. I think it's more of an emotional issue for the parents than a legal issue. If L and R found their son, he might start to think of L and R as family (even if only to a small degree), and not the adoptive family alone. I can see where adoptive parents would feel like their territory was being encroached upon with the biological family stepping forward (particularly a biological mother who's insanely wealthy).

There was also some question on the forums as to why they couldn't just contact the kid directly, given that he's 19. Well, thanks to a lawyer on the forums, this quandary was clarified: The adoption agency or lawyer would still have to ask the parents and get permission before anyone contacted the child, unless the child was actively looking (e.g. he had signed up with an agency or contacted the people who placed the adoption and indicated that he was open to contacting his birth parents). It makes sense that the adoptive parents would need to be contacted first, especially if the child didn't know that he/she was adopted. So yeah, even if the person is 40, the biological parents would still have to ask the adoptive parents before they could proceed. In spite of this, it sounded like the adoptive parents themselves weren't too confident in maintaining the child's anonymity when they expressed concern that with all L's money and legal firepower, the child might be found anyway. Which is why they put together the elaborate ruse about which of their sons actually died.

It's a nice twist. It leaves the door open for the son to show up without anyone thinking he was really Lufus. I'm guessing he'll show up at the same college as some of the show's regulars. I'm also betting that he hooks up with Blair. Come on, how much fun would it be to see Blair face when she finds out that she's dating the spawn of Rufus Humphrey? Absolutely priceless.

I was apprehensive about the Lufus storyline from the first time I heard about, but I think it's going to be good. I must admit that I found Dan's and Serena's reactions to sharing a sibling a little underwhelming. For a couple that freaks out over who had first choice of canapes, I would have thought this would have been more of a dealbreaker. (Although if Serena's dress in the picture to the right wasn't a dealbreaker, nothing could be. I like to think Dan is begging her to go change into a gunny sack or a hefty bag or something, anything besides what only Serena van der Woodsen could consider a dress... it eases the pain. (Not that "antebellum brothel madam" isn't a good look, but still.))

"Are they talkin' about the bordello?"
"No! The burlesque house. So just keep your mouth shut."

I digress... Anyway... Fortunately D and S kind of bore me, so whatever is going on with them is beside the point. The point being Chuck and Blair, of course.

More on them later...

Best Shows(?) Ever

Ever since Gossip Girl premiered last year, there have been rumors and speculations that a spin-off could be possible if the show were successful. Well, as GG has become quite the cultural phenomenon and has proven to be the CW's flagship series, talk of a spin-off has become more and more palpable of late.

Initial rumors stemmed from the Gossip Girl books from which a Little J-centered spin-off was spawned called The It Girl series. I have never read any of the books from either series (like I read books, honestly), so I'm not exactly the oracle here, but from what I hear, Little J's spinoff centered around her and had little interaction with characters from the original series.

Of course, I also hear that in the books, Chuck traveled around with a monkey that would ride on his shoulder, so saints be praised that not all aspects of the book have been translated to the screen. So let it be with Jenny (ooh, 10 points for whoever knows to which classic work that line was alluding). Word on the street is that the CW does NOT plan to spin Jenny off, but rather plans to branch out a different character, although I haven't heard anything on which character that might be.

As unenthused as I would be by a Little J spinoff, her character really is the best suited to take on a new series. Oh, no, not because she's a solid actress who could anchor a show (certainly not), but because she is younger than the other characters, won't be going to college next year with the rest of them, and has her little fashion empire to build. Logically, a show centered around Jenny could quite easily spin her off into some fashion house with a new cast of characters and it wouldn't affect the original series in any substantive way.

But alas, several of the reports I've come across have said that Jenny isn't going anywhere. I'm guessing this is because the network, like myself, doesn't think she can anchor a show. And they'd be correct. Not that I wouldn't tune in or anything, but I doubt it would be very successful.

Anyway, the tentative plan is to introduce the idea of a new show using a backdoor pilot. For those who aren't quite as pathetically familiar with TV terms as I am, a backdoor pilot is one in which a current show has an episode (often an extended episode) which could serve as the premiere for a new series. This is a rather effective means of starting off a new show because it: 1) capitalizes on the established audience for the current show, 2) is able to gauge viewer response for a spin-off before it is actually spun off, and 3) is a much cheaper way to produce a pilot, in that most of the funds that are used have already been allocated to the current series. This is how Private Practice was unleashed on the world. You remember that episode of Grey's Anatomy where Addison went to LA and spent the whole episode with those new people and that talking elevator? That was the backdoor pilot.

Here's hoping a GG spin-off will be much less crappy. But what does a possible spin-off mean for Gossip Girl proper, you ask? Other than the exit of a current character, probably not much. It all kind of depends on who they spin off. And no, I can't imagine it would be Chuck or Blair, so I think we're safe on that end. According to a source for Gossip Girl Insider, "Chuck and Blair aren't just the Gossip Girl couple of the moment. They are the core Gossip Girl couple of the series. So you definitely will see much, much more of them in the days to come. The dance has just begun." So yeah, the primary reason I watch the show will stay intact. Yay!

Well, what do we think? Is a spin-off a good idea? Who do you think might be spun-off? Anyone you'd like to see spun-off? Premise ideas?

Maybe the new show could be an island where the characters I don't like get marooned... You know, Vanessa and Aaron can start a new society together. An incredibly annoying society where tights can be worn as pants and the unwashed, unshaved look lands you a hot blonde socialite...