Ringer Review

I believe Sarah Michelle Gellar is a great actress, Emmy-worthy. I am surprised she has not been on Law & order or CSI. I believe she belongs on a  high profile network like NBC or CBS. After watching Ringer, I believe it also belongs on NBC or CBS, at least for a bigger budget. Sarah plays both Twin roles of Siobhan and Bridget. I don't like the name Siobhan by the way, it seems like trying to hard to have a snobby name. I say that because of the production values, the twins go on a boat and it looks really fake. The effects of the twins look okay, but sometimes it is too obvious. Bridget is a recovering addict/former stripper running away from a killer out to get her because of something she witnessed. She goes to stay with Siobhan, who leads her to believe she committed suicide. So Bridget pretends to be Siobhan, thinking she is dead and taking a new life. Siobhan's husband is played by Ioan Gruffudd, who has kept his British accent, thank god. Ioan has the same problem as Sarah, great actors, have cult following but fallen into dead-end movies, like Fantastic Four.

Sarah does some terrific acting in juggling the roles and when pretending to be Siobhan, you can tell it is Bridget. But after watching Buffy's seven seasons repeatedly, I already know her inflections, mannerisms and pauses, which she has not changed. But the show does fall into a soap opera. Sarah says it is a noir/soap opera, but I wish it had less of that soap opera-ish music. Nestor Carbonell is as hot and on his game as ever.

About the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot

Okay, all Buffy fans are upset about Fran Rubel Kuzui, and her husband Kaz Kuzui wanting to reboot Buffy the Vampire Slayer without Joss Whedon. I was not going to say anything but with Entertainment Weekly (big Buffy fans there) confirming it might be a go, I just want to say that no fan of the TV show should go see this travesty. The first Buffy movie did not succeed because it did not go with Whedon's vision. It was directed by Kuzui and she didn't want violence and it sucked. Some people like the movie but it made no money. Fans of the movie are only maybe 25% of the Buffy TV show fans. Whedon doesn't control the rights to Buffy. Kuzui plan to make a new movie with a new story and new actress but they don't have the rights to Willow, Angel, Xander, Giles, Cordelia, Spike and any other character from the show. Even Buffy's mom Joyce didn't have that name in the movie. The only characters they could use are from the movie--Merrick and Pike (Luke Perry's character). But why make a movie out of a bad movie with the very people who made it bad and not use the person who made it popular? With no Whedon, there would be no Buffy popularity.

MTV News
Hollywood Reporter

Religious School teacher sexually active with 15 year-old Student

The latest news on the religious school teacher, Maria Guzman Hernandez (32 years old) who had a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old student in Hialeah, Florida is that she is out of jail on bond. If convicted on her charges, she could face up to 30 years behind bars. Hernandez has two children and was estranged from her husband. On the TV news but not on article, it says he is an 8th grader. No one has mentioned the fact that he is a 15 year-old in Middle School. Wouldn't that rings some bells too? Instead of a blurred picture, we get video of the boy but no face of course. I did not know how old he was when I saw it on the news but his body looked way too old to be a 13 year-old, which is the oldest age you can be in middle school without flunking. Well, news is that the boy's mother is from Cuba, so maybe he is from Cuba too, explaining his age. That he is behind because maybe he just arrived to this country. According to police reports, a detective on the case wrote, "The victim stated he and the defendant have been sexually active since March and that Hernandez confessed." DCF officials are also working to make sure the victim and his mother get counseling.


WSVN 7
Miami Herald

The Adventures of McGee and Me

There was this show I watch during Sunday school that was live-action with cartoons and very memorable. The Adventures of McGee and Me (1989-1995) was about human Nick and his imaginary cartoon friend McGee. Each episode of it promoted a moral lesson while containing many underlying ethos throughout. Episode titles are puns or witticisms derived from literary or pop culture references. A typical plot-line involves Nick and McGee's adventures while either attempting to help others or overcome a personal setback. Before the resolution, Nick has a 5 minute dream sequence involving McGee in his native cartoon world. McGee plays out a new story that mirrors the trials Nick is facing in the real world. Although shot on film, McGee and Me! was the first made-for-video production to air on network television (ABC-TV), and was a winner of over twenty awards.

Nick drew McGee and I loved drawing and wanted to be a cartoonist so I looked up to Nick. I thought he was cute too... something I kept to myself of course. I once talked about it to a work mate about the series. He had seen it too, being homeschooled and of a Christian religion. This series is rarely mentioned or referenced.

Winter Shows When & How Many?

When are the shows premiering and how many episodes will there be? Red is the new shows. Italics and the * means I will be watching. I don't own Showtime or HBO, so don't get on my case. UPDATED JANUARY 11th

January
The L Word January 6; Showtime, 9pm; 12 episodes
The Wire January 6; HBO, 9pm; 10 episodes
Cashmere Mafia January 6; ABC, 10pm; 7 episodes
* Medium January 7; NBC, 10pm; 9 episodes
One Tree Hill January 8; The CW, 8pm; 12 episodes
* Friday Night Lights January 11; NBC, 9pm; 5 episodes
* Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Jan 13; FOX, 8pm; 9 episodes
* Brothers and Sisters Jan 13; ABC, 10pm; 1 episode
* Kyle XY January 14; ABC Family, 8pm; 10 episodes
* Breaking Bad January 20; AMC, 10pm; 7 episodes
Mind Games January 28; HBO, 9:30pm; 43 episodes
Eli Stone January 31; ABC, 10pm; 8 episodes
Lost January 31; ABC, 9pm; 8 episodes

February
Welcome to the Captain Feb 4; CBS, 8:30pm; ??
The New Adventures of Old Christine Feb. 4; CBS, 9:30pm; ??
Lipstick Jungle Feb 7; NBC, 10pm; 7 episodes
* Jericho Feb 12; CBS, 10pm; 7 episodes
* New Amsterdam Feb 22; FOX, 9pm; ??

March
* Unhitched Mar 2; FOX, 9:30pm; 6 episodes
* The Return of Jezebel James Mar 7; FOX, 8:30pm; 7 episodes
* Greek Mar 24; ABC Family, 8pm; 8 episodes
The Tudors Mar 30; Showtime, 10pm; 10 episodes

April
Battlestar Galactica Apr 4; Sci-Fi, 10pm; 10 episodes

Related Topic: Fall Prime Time Sci-Fi Shows

Buffyversary?

There is no surprise that I am a Buffy fan but even though I was taken aback when I found out somebody was throwing an anniversary for Buffy. The show first aired Monday March 10, 1997 and it is 10 years old now! TV.com celebrates it.

Article about the anniversary

Today's front page covers everything Whedonverse with 'Angel' and 'Firefly' and anything connected like Nathan Fillion's new show 'Drive' and 'Family Guy' and 'Bones.' In the interviews, we can Charisma Carpenter, Danny Strong (Jonathan), and Adam Busch (Warren) and blink if you missed her Amber Benson and Joss and Marti and Jane Espenson. I think it is great that TV.com is celebrating the show.

What I hate about people who judge the show is that either they have never seen the show or they judge it out of context. One of my friends was like 'it's so goofy, they are fighting in a playground.' ['I Was Made to Love You'] I'm like, 'that's the point.' A fight between a slayer and a robot on a sunny playground was just funny and bright and somewhat ironic. Who wants to see more fights in the dark? I also hear that large misconception that she is just dumb blonde. Buffy was not a bimbo, she was smart. And the biggest complaint I've gotten is that she has died so much. I'm like, well it didn't come without a price. Piper Haiwell died like 9 times so let's not split hairs. Buffy only died twice. Also, one of my cousins was like, 'Oh, there isn't enough Vampires.' But Joss made it very clear by the third episode 'Witch' that they wouldn't only be dealing with vampires and I think that gave them plenty of room for the metaphors.

I think what separates this show from other Sci-Fi genres like 'Charmed', 'Xena' and even 'Andromena' and 'Babylon 5' is the metaphors. And what I liked was that the show dared to go dark and make fans upset like season 6. I like all the seasons. I try to think which one is my favorite season and I love them all. With season 1, people usually put the bottom of their list but if with 12 episodes, Whedon had us craving for more and blew us away. The dodgeball scene in "The Pack" really got me, the ignored girl becoming invisible was genius and in 'Nightmares' Giles' nightmare was that Buffy died, little would he see it happen twice. Season 2 is the one people identify with most and has a special place in my heart. ONE of my favorite episodes in that season was 'Lie to Me,' it speaks strongly about the line between child and adult, when you are a teenager and you realize that life isn't easy and you kind of understand why adults lie to you and you want them to because life sucks.

Season 3 was my favorite for a long time, mainly because of Faith. There were lots of great episodes like when the adults starting acting like kids in 'Band Candy' and Buffy reads people's minds in 'Earshot.' and everything went bizarro in 'The Wish' and 'Dopplegangland.' There is a lot of good episodes there. Season 4 gets slammed but it was a great season writing-wise. One would wish the Oz-Veruca storyline would go longer if Seth Green stayed. But without that, we wouldn't have gotten scorned Willow that was fun to watch through 'Doomed' and 'Beer Bad.' My best friend actually loves the episode 'Beer Bad,' it was without its merits. I was so excited when Faith came back and with a great body-swapping episodes. I think it spoke strongly when Tara, who Willow still hasn't come out with, was able to tell Buffy wasn't Buffy. The 'Superstar' episode spoke strongly that they put Jonathan in the opening credits.

Season 5 spoke strong of feminism and family. I didn't even know Buffy got a new fighting style. Glory was one of those 'Big Bads' that stayed the longest through a season and I feel like it didn't skip a beat. Almost everyone complains about Dawn but she was great---its hard to bring someone new in, especially so integrated in the gang but people don't realize how much Dawn was like Buffy and her discovery that she was the Key really mirrors how Buffy felt about being a Slayer. Hey at least we didn't get a seven-year old 'Sixth Sense' girl like they were planning. Season 6 is strong and the best. I loved the episode 'Dead Things' were Buffy and Spike went doggy style in the Bronze in front of the Scobbies. It was dark and it dared going there. I think what bummed people out is that it was after 9/11.

I loved the musical, I don't care what people say, the songs were strong and related to the show, maybe not the singing. And if you got any more complaints, you got to understand they have a tight schedule and the creativity they had was great. TV ain't easy. I like Dark Willow more than Vamp Willow which is a fan favorite. The GLBT community was upset that Joss was punishing Willow and Tara because they were gay. I understand why they did it, Willow needed something strong to happen to her. But everyone dies on the show. Just like complaints that they kill or harm black people (Trick, Gunn, Wood, Rona), if you single it out, you have to realize every group has been killed. If you are going to complain about Tara, then what about Jenny Calender and Katrina (Warren's ex)? Season 7 people complain is weak and I do feel they built it up to virtually nothing and were annoyingly vague (The First found a loophole because Buffy was brought back? Why couldn't they activate the slayers before going down into the Hellmouth? What happened to the usual Hellmouth demon we saw the seasons before?) but there was pretty strong writing there and memorial scenes. But my fav. ep has to be 'Selfless.'

Wow, that was a lot. :)