About: Supernatural Mannequin 3: The Reckoning

True confession time. I committed what I consider to be the ultimate sin in TV viewing. I peeked at the first paragraph of a review for this weeks episode before I even watched it. I know, it's bad. I swear I never do this. I just got so curious when I saw that Maureen Ryan's review was posted and I decided to take a glance. Well, I wasn't happy with what I saw. Now remember, I only read the first paragraph and I'll go back and read it in its entirety once I finish my own but the outlook was not good.

I like Mo Ryan because she's always on the money. She's the best kind of fan because she's willing to point out the things that Supernatural does wrong that I'd rather explain away. And try as I may, I can't ever really explain them. So all that being said, I went into the episode expecting Bugs 2. I don't think I've mentioned that I loathe the season 1 episode "Bugs" entirely. Thank goodness it wasn't the first episode I saw or I would not be writing this right now. So let's just say I was expecting to hate "Mannequin". After watching it I've decided it's really not that bad. By no means is it my favorite episode or even in the top 100 but it wasn't as bad as I anticipated. It was just a filler episode.

The mannequins themselves were not my favorite monster of the week either. They just weren't that scary; This coming from a girl who jumps at her own shadow. I especially disliked the animation. It just looked low budget and a little cheesy for my taste. The story behind the haunting was a bit more interesting, but still had its problems. Rose, the vengeful spirit is punishing the boys who teased her. Seems like it could work but I don't think their joke was cruel enough to warrant a haunting. Now her sister Isabelle made it seem as though this wasn't a one time event for Rose. It seemed like she was the butt of a lot of jokes. The boys didn't kill her and never intended for her to get physically hurt but either way she's dead as a result of the practical joke, hence the haunting. It's a bit anti-climactic but I guess I can let that one go. (See me explaining things away?)The way she died on the other hand was uninspired. I'm no doctor but I really don't see how she died from that fall. It's a one in a million chance. Would it have been that much harder for her to fall down a flight of stairs? Or maybe the boys get rough with her and accidentally kill her? It just needed something to make it feel like the boys were at fault for more than being jackasses.

I also found the twist with Johnny's doll fetish a little odd. Why would he mock Rose with a mannequin secret admirer if he thinks it's possible to be in love with one? I know they needed to find a way to kill him once he thinks he's out of the water but there are plenty of other ways to do it. Maybe he's a Star Wars fan and he has a life-size C-3PO? That would have been better.

So what exactly happened to Rose and Isabelle? I realize Sam and Dean can't come to the rescue in every episode, and that's fine, but it would be nice to understand the outcome. We know Isabelle dies but how? Was it Rose's doing or was it a coincidence? How can Sam and Dean know that Rose is done murdering people? Did they salt and burn the body to be sure the got rid of the haunted kidney?

Was I the only one who was on montage overload after this episode? First there was the montage of Sam interviewing at the factory, then there was the montage of flashback images while Sam questioned Isabelle and then Dean got his own montage of Lisa and Ben moments. I love a good montage but 3 in one episode? Not to mention that the flashback sequence during Isabelle's questioning seemed unnecessary. All the images were from the episode, I don't have that bad of a memory and it isn't that difficult a story to follow. I also found that the music was a little odd this week. I don't know how to explain it but it sounded like the soundtrack for a 70's slasher movie. Did anyone else get that vibe?

Perhaps the redeeming quality of this episode was the Dean, Lisa and Ben story. I have been hoping to see Lisa again, I really like her and I like Dean with her. But I was more than a little surprised to find that Dean had been "Parent Trapped" by Ben. And I was also shocked to find that Lisa is dating someone else. Apparently, so was Dean. It was heartbreaking to watch his realization. Dean knows that he can't continue to be a hunter and also be a part of their family. And Lisa made it painfully clear in "You Can't Handle the Truth" that she feels the same way. So why is she mad at Dean for not calling her back? That didn't seem fair. It was unclear to me what she wanted from Dean.

Lisa: ‘I’m not asking for anything.’

Dean: ‘Then ask for something!’

Lisa: ‘I can’t ask for something. I know what I want, but I can’t have it, not how you live. My phone rings I think - tiny chance it’s you, big chance it’s Sam calling me to tell me you’re dead.’

Ben on the other hand made it very clear what he wanted from Dean. He wanted him to come home so they can be a family. It was very hard to watch Dean reject the thing he wants most in the world and Ben didn't make it any easier by accusing Dean of abandoning his family. But Dean knows that besides Sam, family is not an option.

Dean: ‘Just ‘cause you love someone, doesn’t mean you should stay around and screw up their life. So, I can’t be here.’

Ben:‘ You think something will follow you home?’

Dean: ‘No, no, I don’t, but I think my job turns me into somebody that can’t sit at your dinner table and if I stayed you’d end up just like me.’

Life for the Winchester's is miserable. This is no new realization for me but I can't help but feel heartbroken for them anyway. Sam can't seem to escape the evil inside of him and he can't forgive himself for the things he's done, but if he keeps remembering them he'll die. Dean can't protect his brother from everything but he won't stop trying. He takes on responsibility for things he shouldn't have to and because of this he has to push away what he wants most. Tough life.

There were a couple of moments in "Mannequin" that I'd like to mention.

*Sam: "What's a Snooki?"
Dean: "Good question"
This was just hilarious.

*Sam: "I got your back"
Dean: "I know"
What a transformation from earlier this season in "Live Free of Twihard" when Sam claims to have Dean's back but Dean knows better. It was great to see Dean so happy knowing that his brother is back.

Here's the promo for next week's episode "The French Mistake". Looks like it's going to be a good one!

About: Modern Family "Princess Party"

Is it too bold to say that "Princess Party" was the best episode of the second season so far? I don't think so. Every story line was well crafted and hilarious. We know that the show works best when the three families are together in one place, so Lilly's birthday party served as a great catalyst for the funny in this episode. Not to mention it facilitated the return of Fizbo, the hilarious, and now apparently English, clown. Eric Stonestreet who plays Cam is a comic genius and he has successfully turned Fizbo into the only clown I like.

This weeks guest stars included Matt Dillon (Claire's high school boyfriend turned Beiber-hair-toting limo driver) and Shelly Long (Claire's passive-aggressive, never satisfied mother). As far as these characters go, it's nothing we haven't seen before, but for some reason it worked. They blended in with the cast seamlessly and offered just the right amount of quirk. Just the fact that DeDe would think it was
appropriate to bring Claire's high school boyfriend over for dinner gave a good indication of what kinds of squeamish Claire moments we could expect. And there were plenty. But I have to say I didn't see the Stacy's Mom twist coming until Dillon's character forgot his keys. I actually yelled to Claire, "no, no, NO!" but she looked anyway. Talk about scarred for life.

The Jay and Gloria story line about recording the book was priceless. When Jay shares the flashback of the answering machine debacle I couldn't stop laughing. Especially at Gloria's exaggerated "beeeeeeeeeeep". Ed O'Neil and Sofia Vergara have great comedic chemistry and their story lines never disappoint. And the book they end up recording for Lilly is definitely a keeper. Nothing like the sound of Jay asking Manny to freshen up his drink to lull your toddler to sleep.

My only complaint would be that the kids weren't the center of any of the story lines. And maybe it's not a complaint so much as something I just noticed. Manny did have his cashmere-loving moments. I also never get over how delicately he sips his tea with his pinky finger in the air. Then there was Luke's attempt to calm Claire down with his cutesy "pasghetti" pronunciation.

*I also have to mention Cam quizzing the princess. "Never break character!"
*Gloria on Xanax
*Why does everyone smell like cheese?

About: Supernatural "Unforgiven"

This week's episode of Supernatural, "Unforgiven", gave us a much needed look into Sam's Soulless year. I'm hoping it was the first of many glimpses into his dark past. We already knew that Sam wasn't himself without his soul, we saw his coldness from the first episode of the season. But I really appreciated seeing exactly what soulless Sam was capable of. It made the contrast between the two Sam's much more palpable. Not to mention it really highlighted just how versatile Jared Padalecki's acting has been this season.

Grandpa Samuel said it best when he told Sam "You're about as cold as they come". But I can't help but wonder why Samuel continued to hunt side by side with him. He seems more than capable of hunting on his own, so what was his reasoning? Not to mention, how did they even find each other? There had to be some outsider intervention that put the two of them in contact. Sam would never know to look for Samuel and Samuel may or may not have thought to look for a Winchester, but if he had I would guess he'd find Dean first seeing that he was a civilian living and working as Dean Winchester. At any rate, I hope we find out how they came in contact with each other because at this point it's a bit of a plot hole for me.

While I'm on the topic of things I hope to find out I'd like to ask another question. Who brought Sam and Samuel back? Two different people, one person? I assumed Crowley had brought Samuel back but if Samuel was snatched from Heaven that seems unlikely. And why Samuel? He's been dead for so long. If someone wanted him back wouldn't they have done it a long time ago? Why Sam is an easier question, he is obviously at the center of some cosmic something that he can't escape. No matter how good Sam tries to be he always ends up a little darker than before.

OK, on to more episode-specific discussion. Overall I really liked the pace and editing of the episode. I enjoyed the classic black and white flashbacks and I thought they were nicely organized to give away just the right amount of information so that we were right in line with Sam during his rediscovery of the past. The one thing I found a little distracting was the jarring camera work, especially during the scene when Sam beats the cop. Maybe it was an attempt to put us inside the chaos of Sam's brain, but I found that it overwhelmed the scene. There were also a lot of extreme close-ups, especially in the flashback scenes. I love a good extreme close-up but I'm not sure they were always necessary. Again, I'm sure there was an intended meaning behind these choices but to me, the just felt odd.

Poor Sam. His conscience has always been his greatest enemy. He just can't leave well enough alone. He has to keep picking at that wall until he knows everything. He needs to know what he did wrong so he can make it right. The problem is that not everyone is going to forgive him. We saw it in "Like a Virgin" when Bobby couldn't even look him in the eye and we saw it again this week when Brenna slammed the door in his face. How is he going to deal with that? The Sam we know and love would be torn apart from guilt. And that can't be good for the "The Great Wall of Sam". Speaking of which throughout the episode all I could think was stop scratching! I even tried to trend #StopScratching on twitter. Totally unsuccessful but I thought it was funny.

There is one plot point that really bugged me (no pun intended) and maybe someone can straighten me out about it. When Sam breaks into Brenna's house looking for the case file he has a flashback to when he and Samuel discovered that they were dealing with an arachne. In the flashback, Samuel is holding what looks like a piece of web. Sam leaves Brenna's house immediately after this flashback. When he goes out on to her porch it's clear that his "spidey senses" are tingling. And we see that he is being watched. He notices the same web on Brenna's front porch and then....he leaves? It is obvious that Brenna is in danger and it's as if Sam completely forgets what he just saw.

There were a few funny moments in "Unforgiven" that deserve mentioning.

*The oh-so-subtle nod to Days of Our Lives, was that for Jensen Ackles?
*The use of the word squirly
*When Dean attributes Samuel's absence to sex therapy. Now that's just funny.
*One thing that wasn't funny so much as it was touching was watching Samuel talk about Mary during the flashback. It's clear that he really loved her and it made him seem just a little less awful for selling out his grandsons to get her back. Only a little though.

Check out the preview for this week's episode "Mannequin 3: The Reckoning"

About: Supernatural "Like a Virgin"

This post is very late but I couldn't not write about "Like a Virgin", so here we go!

The LOOOOOONG wait is over. Finally. The boys are back and everyone is alive and re-souled (?). Hallelujah! Dean and Death made a deal and everything is perfect, right? Ok, so I know this re-souling isn't going to come without a price but for now, can we just pretend? At least until the end of this paragraph. It was so nice to see Sam so peaceful since we haven't seen him rest this whole season. I was a little worried that he was going to sleep through the whole episode. In fact, I kind of expected him to wake up right at the end when we'd lost all hope. I'm glad that wasn't the case though because I really liked the flow of this episode. I loved having Sam back. And was I the only one who felt like I was looking at Season 2 Sam? He had that fresh-faced Sammy innocence that has been M.I.A. since the middle of season 2. Not that I haven't enjoyed the depth and darkness of Sam's character, because I have. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss Emo-Sam from time to time. But, I digress. On to the episode.

As I have said before, I'm spoiler-phobic so I really didn't know what "Like a Virgin" was going to be about. I only knew what the promo told us; "Virgins, Sam. Virgins". If you had told me I'd come back from a nearly two month hiatus to an episode about dragons, I probably would have been...shocked? Confused? I honestly don't know, I really haven't spent much time thinking about dragons. That being said, I was pleased with the way Supernatural handled them. I was happy that they were able to take on human form. The thought of Sam and Dean slaying a scaly over-sized reptile is a little too much for me to handle.

Once I knew we were dealing with dragons I didn't really know what to expect. Like I said, I haven't spent much time thinking about dragons. So, needless to say I didn't realize they had a taste for virgins. And the sword in the stone had slipped my mind completely. The scene that followed was a hilarious reminder. Watching Dean struggle with the sword while Dr. Visyak tried to hold back her smirk was wonderful. It's no secret that Jensen Ackles has great comedic timing and it was perfectly showcased in this scene. My favorite moment of the episode by far was Dean's defeat in the battle of man vs. rock. "Son of a bitch, that's really on there!". While we're still on the topic of Dr. Visyak, I'd like a little back story on her relationship with Bobby. There is definitely some bad blood there.

There were a lot of really funny lines in "Like a Virgin" But there was also some very crucial information given in this episode. These dragon's aren't back after 700 years for no reason, they have a very specific purpose; open the door to purgatory and let something out. "Mother of all" as they're calling her, creator of all things that go bump in the night. Who knew there was a big bad worse than Lucifer? We don't know her plans yet but we know it's not going to be good. Still I can't help but wonder how these dragons came back from a 700 year extinction. I know we've heard theories from Bobby and the boys that it's got something to do with the botched apocalypse but I'd really like to see the show get more specific about why all the bad guys were so affected by it. What is it about the failed apocalypse that causes these changes? Is it a total shift in world order? Then why are the monsters the only ones affected? I need more information! I know I should probably just be patient, I'm sure what I'm looking for will start to come out in the next few episodes.

I was surprised by a few things in this episode. Bobby's cold reaction toward Sam was a bit unsettling to me. On the one hand I understand where Bobby is coming from, Sam did just try to kill him a few days before. But Bobby should know better than anyone that that wasn't Sam. To me, soulless Sam should be no different than the possessed Sam we saw in season 2. In both cases it was Sam, and it wasn't, but they drew on Sam's memories and oppressed emotions. So why is this so much harder for Bobby to deal with? Is it possible that he doesn't believe Sam is really back to his old self? Is he just uncomfortable with the deal with Death because that wouldn't surprise me. Deals have never produced positive results for the Winchesters. Either way, I'll be interested to see Sam and Bobby's interactions in future episodes.

Another thing that surprised me was Sam's reaction after Cas spilled the beans about his year without a soul. I expected and big argument between the brothers. That is a major lie on Dean's part and a huge violation of Sam's trust. I understand why Dean did what he did but Sam had a right to be upset. So why wasn't he? Was he just so wracked with guilt that he didn't feel like he deserved to be angry? Even Bobby warned Dean that when Sam found out, it wasn't going to be pretty. Maybe the anger will come later when Sam inevitably starts to scratch at that wall. As much as we don't want him to, he will because his soul won't let him forget what he's done. And that is Sam's constant battle, constantly trying to right the wrongs in his life.

On the lighter side, I had a few quotes I really enjoyed in this episode, besides the aforementioned sword in the stone scene.

I loved Bobby's shout out to Hogwarts. Love me some Harry Potter.

Sam: Who likes virgins and gold?
Dean: P. Diddy?

How many different ways can Dean use the term "hymenated"? Hilarious.

About: The Cape "Pilot"

I finally jumped on the bandwagon. I've been interested in watching The Cape since I saw the first promo but I resisted. I always feel like there isn't enough time for all the TV I want to watch and I need to pick and choose carefully. Well, I gave in the other night and watched the Pilot. I was pleasantly surprised. Was it perfect? No. But I can see it getting much better.

I should start by saying that I tend to hate pilots, they feel so rough and undecided so I try to never judge a show by it's pilot. But I find that by the third episode of a series I can usually tell if it's worth sticking around to watch. And by the fifth episode I know for sure; the show either hits it's stride, or it doesn't. Characters are more developed and the overall tone and formula are established; not that this formula can never change, in fact it should. The most interesting series are those whose formula changes at least slightly from season to season.

That being said, as I watched The Cape I made a point not to treat this pilot as I would a fifth or even third episode but to remind myself that the story and characters are still being established. Then I was able to focus more on what the show does right rather than what needs work.

What I Like:

I love the family bond the show established from the beginning. I'm a sucker for a show where the character's motivations come from a deep connection to their family. Even though a fraction of the episode was spent drawing these connections I think the time was used wisely and the connection was achieved.

I like David Lyons as Vince Faraday. I can buy him as a do-gooder and family man. For me it has a lot to do with the fact that I didn't really know who he was coming into it. (I have to admit I didn't really follow ER where Faraday played Dr. Simon Brenner) For me, an "unknown" actor was a better fit for The Cape. It's easier for me to buy into a super hero story if I don't already know the actor from other work. Or at least it's a bit less distracting.

Every superhero story has an unforeseen turn of events where the hero has to pick his/her path. I expected that coming in to the show, that being said I found The Cape's story intriguing. It's one thing to be bitten by a radioactive spider and possess new powers and it's another to make a choice to be a hero and create your own "powers". Not that Vince Faraday is a selfless hero, his choice still stems from a need for revenge which adds another level of interest to the story. It's not entertaining to watch a good guy fight evil just for the sake of being a good person, you need that fire you get from a healthy dose of revenge. All that to say I think the show built a good platform to jump off of and I'm interested to see where it goes.

What I don't love:

How do you like the positive spin?

The hokiness. There was just a little too much for my taste. I love the Batman movies from the 90's but I feel the same way about those. It's just a little too difficult for me to believe that there's a group of circus-performers-turned-bank-robbers hiding out in the woods in a giant circus tent. It's also hard for me to believe that multiple bank robberies have been committed using a run-down ice cream truck. Throw a curiously strong midget in there and I'm out. If the show hadn't done so many other things right, I would have stopped watching altogether. Now, I wouldn't be surprised if some of the hokiness gets phased out as the episodes continue. I can't see viewers sticking around for something so campy when we've been exposed to great superhero movies and TV series with actual depth of character. If we're expected to care about this "Carnival of Crime" then I'm going to need to see a little more emotion from these characters.

I know it's the first episode so I may be expecting more than I should but I found the character of Max Malini (Keith David) a little too Yoda-y. Why must superheros have sensei? Can't they just go it alone? Or maybe have a friend to get advice from? Maybe I'm the only one whose sick of the sesei character and maybe I'll eat these words a few episodes down the line, who knows? I will say that Max Malini is not exactly a role model to Vince Faraday, so at least that's a change.

So there were a lot of things I liked about the pilot episode of The Cape, and there were a few things I didn't. But I'm willing to stick it out for another two to four episodes, as is my way! I'll be sure to let you know what I think. As always comments are accepted (requested and begged for), just no spoilers please!

Thanks for reading!

About: Supernatural and the Hiatus from Hell

I don't know about you but this hiatus is killing me. How long do we have to wait! (January 28th, I know.) This season has been all about patience for me. The summer after (the AMAZING) Swan Song felt like an eternity. So much was left up in the air and so many questions were left unanswered. How long was it before Dean and Bobby saw each other again? What is going on with Dean and Lisa? How did Sam get out of the hole? How long had he been out? Why was the street light blinking? Is that even Sam? And then the season premier finally came and I had a whole new set of questions. Dean is a civilian!? How could Sam let a year pass without contacting Dean? How could Bobby not at least tell Dean that Sam was safe? Grandpa Samuel!? What the heck is wrong with Sam? Where is the Impala?! I don't mean to sound like I'm complaining because I'm not. Shows like Supernatural thrive on anticipation and suspense. If you're not racking your brain after every episode why bother watching? It's part of what makes Supernatural so addicting. but now we've been left sitting on our thumbs for the past month wondering why Death is helping the boys and what's going to happen to Sam? What is up with all these alphas? Grandpa Samuel? What is going on with Cas? So needless to say, I cannot wait for next week's episode "Like A Virgin". I posted the promo below. If you haven't already seen it, what is wrong with you?

I love to hear feedback so don't hesitate to comment! But as always, no spoilers please!



Click here for the last Supernatural post.

About: Glee “Funk”

As we quickly approach regionals Glee took a moment to get funky.

Let me start by saying that I was shocked and impressed that Kurt was capable of some of the notes he hit in “We Want The Funk”. I have come to expect the glass-shattering high notes he so often hits but I did not realize his range.

Jesse. I knew it. We’ve known for a while that Jesse was playing Rachel but in recent weeks it seemed like he had developed real feeling for her. He didn’t want her to be hurt by the situation with her mother and so I thought that maybe he would take the sabotage down a notch. I mean there would still be sabotage, just less. But the egging in the parking lot was heart breaking and it made me wonder what he’s really mad about. It can’t still be the “Run Joey Run” debacle? Sure she secretly made the video with Finn and Puck behind his back but she still chose him in the end. She even spurned Finn’s “Jesse’s Girl” advances (for some reason). But I can’t think of any other reason he’d be so upset with her that he would agree to the public humiliation that he seemed to initiate.

And on that note, I will go off on a little tangent. If the “Run Joey Run” drama is really what Jesse is so upset about then the writers can’t just push that storyline to the back for a couple of weeks and expect us to understand his still feeling betrayed. It’s something this show does a lot; storylines disappear for weeks at a time only to be brought up again out of the blue. Viewers can’t be expected to remember, with enough freshness, how a character is feeling after weeks go by. We need to be reminded if we are expected to care. Now I understand that this show is primarily a musical so I came into it expecting a light and fluffy plot but that doesn’t mean that storylines can vanish into thin air or appear out of nowhere. I still need the development and buildup of the plot. Whew. Tangent over.

Finn and Puck working and Sheets and Things with Terri is one of those out of thin air storylines I was referring to. I thought I said “tangent over”. I will say that while it came out of thin air, I loved the performance of “Loser” it resulted in! Finn and Puck have really great vocal chemistry. I’d like to hear more of that. And see more of it for that fact! Hot!

Will seducing Sue was definitely one of the highlights of the episode. Although I have to say I was a little surprised that he was capable of something so cruel (and hilarious). In the end he did exactly what I knew he would; He made good on things with Sue and even inspired her a little along the way. Classic Will Schuester.

A couple of my favorite lines of the episode

Sue: “Even your breath stinks of mediocrity”

Will: “You know what Wednesday is, right? Hump day.”

Thanks for reading!