Smallville: Allison Mack on her Directorial Debut
Our own Jason C. talks to the lovely Allison Mack about her first time directing Smallville. Check it out!
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January 30, 2009
13: Fear is Real: More Terrifying Tales from the Players
Three more players from 13:Fear is Real sat down to talk to us about the show, the Mastermind, who they could trust, and what it was like to know they could be killed at any moment.
First, Erica shares her fear of rats (she was not happy about our little friends) and roaches, and talked about being her own biggest competition:
Then, Adam talks about fears that developed over the course of the show -- like the fear of having to go to the bathroom alone:
Finally, Rodney teases that there are some heated conflicts too look forward to over the course of the show:
Supernatural: The Horror of High School
Truman High in Indiana is like a whole bunch of other schools across the country -- i.e., a terrifying maelstrom of hormones and emotional savagery. But things get even scarier when one of the downtrodden masses strikes back at a tormenter (who was herself tormented moments before -- seriously, high school sucks) by administering a fatal swirly. What a way to go. Even more ominous, black goo leaks out of her eye after she does the deed.
The boys infiltrate the school, posing as a short-shorts wearing gym teacher (that's Dean) and a hulking janitor (that would be Sam). When no sulfur or EMF traces turn up, the guys are willing to dismiss this as simple teenage rage. Then another kid snaps, plunging a jock tormentor's hand into a whirring Cuisinart. Ick! Sam sees the black goo this time -- it's ectoplasm, which means there was a seriously pissed off ghost involved.
A records search indicates that one kid died in the school -- a kid named Barry, who committed suicide in the girls' bathroom, where the first attack took place. Sam is shaken -- he knew Barry, and tried to protect him from a bully named Dirk. Maybe if he'd stayed at the school longer, he would have been able to help him, and he would have lived. The boys salt and burn the bones, and prepare to hit the road.
But first, Sam wants to see Mr. Wyatt, a teacher who actually took an interest and encouraged him. He praised an essay Small Sam wrote about his most memorable family moment (although he thought the part about killing a werewolf was fiction), and asks Small Sam if he's thought about being a writer. I can't, Small Sam says -- I need to go into the family business. That leads to this exchange:
Wyatt: Do you want to go in the family business Sam?
Small Sam: No one's ever asked me that before.
Wyatt: Well?
Small Sam: More than anything, no.
Wyatt: Well.... I don't want to overstep my bounds here, but you don't have to do anything you don't want to do. There may be three or four big choices that shape someone's whole life, and you need to be the one who makes them, not anyone else. You seem like a great kid, Sam. Just live the life you want to live.
Oof. Heartbreaking. Because we know Sam tried, he really did, but he couldn't live the life he wanted.
That reverie is interrupted by another student, who asks Sam for directions, then stabs him with a compass and kicks the crap out of him. Sam expels the ghost by filling the girl's mouth with salt, but that begs the question -- if it's not spectral Barry striking out at bullies, who is it? No one else died in the school, so no one else can be haunting the building!
The guys discover that all of the possessed kids rode the same bus. What if the ghost was haunting the bus, and then "riding" the kids through the school? They search the bus, and discover that it has a new driver: Dirk Macgregor Sr. Yep, that's the father of the same Dirk who tormented Barry, who Sam eventually put in his place by thoroughly beating him and humiliating him, even giving him a new nickname -- Dirk the Jerk. But it turns out Dirk lashed out at other kids because he was going through hell at home, caring for his cancer-stricken mother, who died by inches over a number of years. After Sam defeated him, he was an outcast, bullied and tormented. He drank and drugged himself to death at age 19. His father cremated his son, but he keeps a lock of his hair in the bible he has in his bus.
The boys catch up with the bus, and discover Dirk "riding" the bus driver. As far as spectral Dirk is concerned, Sam was the bully, the popular one, the tormentor. He commences the beat-down, jumping to another body when Sam and Dean immobilize the first one. Sam tries to talk him down:
I'm not evil Dirk. I'm not. And neither were you. Trust me, I've seen real evil. We were scared and miserable and we took it out on each other. us and everybody else. that's high school. but you suffer through that and it get better. I'm just sorry you didn't get a chance to see that. You or Barry.
But Dirk doesn't want to hear it, so Dean has to burn the lock of hair and banish him for good.
Dean is thrilled to finally be getting out of town -- he has nothing but bad memories of this school See, they were there much longer than they anticipated, and Teen Dean started to make connections. He started dating -- well, making out with -- a girl named Amanda, who was actually a little nonplussed when she realized Teen Dean and Small Sam were living on their own in a hotel. Teen Dean skates through school knowing everyone thinks he's cool, but then Amanda catches him making out in the closet with another girl. That leads to this exchange:
Amanda: You spend so much time trying to convince people that you're cool, but it's just an act. We both know that you're just a sad, lonely little kid, and I feel sorry for you Dean.
Teen Dean: Don't feel sorry for me. You don't know anything about me. I save lives, I'm a hero. A hero!
But no one is listening to him. The mystique is gone.
Sam returns to the school again, and this time really does talk to Mr. Wyatt. Wyatt remembers him eventually, and asks if Sam was able to do his own thing
Sam: Yeah, for a while. I think I went to college because of you. But, you know, people grow up, have responsibilities.... but still, you took an interest in me when no one else did, so thank you.
Wyatt: The only thing that matters is you're happy. Are you happy Sam?
And Sam has no response to that. Again, oof.
Smallville: No Fear, No Pain
Instead of returning to Metropolis, Lana sought out a man skilled in the art of training Green Berets and Navy Seals how to withstand extreme torture (because there is another kind of torture?). We weren’t aware that Lana had designs on becoming the next Rambo (watch out Sylvester Stallone!). But, submerging herself in a tub of freezing water and touching her wrists to a piece of scalding metal doesn’t satisfy the fire in Lana’s belly. She wants power. True power. Power not made by man alone.
So, Lana searches out the scientists carrying out Lex’s quest for superhuman strength and abilities and convinces this second-rate Gary Oldman-type doctor to use her as the ultimate guinea pig. Seems Lex has found a way to manipulate alien DNA into a skin-graph, body suit thing that will give its wearer permanent powers. Won’t Lex be upset when he finds out his see-through armor now rests upon Lana’s body?
As always, Clark and Chloe play the super-sleuths and uncover Lana’s plans and manage to arrive on the scene just as Tess pulls the trigger on a gun aimed at the good doctor (because she surely doesn’t want Lana running amok in this alien suit.) This time however, it isn’t Clark who catches the speeding bullet with his bare hands – it’s Lana!
Yes, finally Clark and Lana are equals. They can both save the world – together. And Clark doesn’t have to be distracted by worrying about Lana’s safety. She can take care of herself now. They kiss. And scene.
What did you think? How do you feel about Lana being on the same level as Clark? This episode ended with yet another kiss between Lana and Clark – did you want to gag or cheer?
January 28, 2009
Gossip Girl: Matthew Settle Answers Your Questions!
ANTM Cycle 12 -- Meet the Models!
Check out this photo gallery of the new models, then go to the comments start laying odds on (cue Tyra voice) who will be America's Next Top Model.
January 27, 2009
Sad News from Supernatural: Kim Manners Dead After Battle with Cancer
Everyone at Supernatural is walking around in a daze, shocked and absolutely devastated. Kim was a brilliant director; more than that, he was a mentor and friend. He was one of the patriarchs of the family, and we miss him desperately. He gave so much to Supernatural, and everything we do on the show, now and forever, is in memory of him.
Kim was a fantastic talent -- he directed some of our favorite episodes of Supernatural, such as Lazarus Rising, No Rest for the Wicked, Mystery Spot, and the list goes on. His career stretched back to 1970, and over the years he's worked on shows from Charlie's Angels to the X-Files, from 21 Jump Street to Star Trek: The Next Generation, and more. I had an opportunity to interview him last summer, and he was incredibly kind and giving with his time -- as well as ferociously smart and ridiculously funny. He will be greatly missed, not just by the cast and crew of the shows he helped mold, but also by the fans who were entranced by his work.
We also want to share our on-set interview with Kim, to share our memories of the man:
Our sympathies go out to Kim's family and friends. Rest in peace, Kim -- you won't be forgotten.
January 24, 2009
13: Fear is Real
The contestants on 13: Fear is Real face death at every turn -- but at least they're leaving some good-looking (and surprisingly animated) corpses. We caught up with a couple of the deceased contestants to ask them about their fears, what their experience on the show was like, and who they thought they could trust.
First, Kelly explains her goldfish phobia, then talks about what to do if you're buried alive (hint: go up)
Next, Steffinnie tells us why she gave up the Death Box, and considers whether she should have done the show in the first place:
January 23, 2009
Supernatural: You Can Do Magic
See, Ruby stopped by while Dean was out, demanding that Sam do ... something... to take out Lilith. She's broken 34 of the 66 seals! It's going to be hell on earth! Surely one little ...something... shouldn't keep Sam from taking her out! When the case gets the boys thinking about the aging process, Sam wonders if they'll die before they get old. Of course, says Dean -- "It ends bloody or sad. That's just the life." Sam wonders if that would be different if they could win -- "cut the head off the snake," he says, repeating Ruby's words. The snake has 1,000 heads, Dean says, so it wouldn't work. Sam seems to acquiesce... but he's wavering.
But that was just a few moments in a pretty packed episode. An aging magician seems to be able to escape death, but others die in his place. First he tries the Table of Death, which sends a dozen swords through his body. He emerges unscathed -- while Vance, a drunken schmuck of a magician who had heckled and humiliated Jay earlier that day, ends up dead of multiple, symmetrical stab wounds. Then there's Jeb Dexter, a sort of cross between Criss Angel, David Blaine and that Goth emo kid everyone avoids at school, who is similarly schmucklike to Jay. Jay attempts The Executioner -- a trick even Houdini wouldn't try -- and Jeb ends up hanged. The boys find suspicious tarot cards on the bodies, and figure Jay must be straying into the territory of real, and deadly, magic.
So they bust into Jay's room, tie him up, and question him -- but Jay obviously has no clue what they're talking about. He does know enough to escape even Hunter-level knotwork, though ("Guess we should have seen that coming," Dean says with a sigh), and he has the boys arrested for assaulting him. Then he goes back to work -- but he's a little freaked out. What if my act really is killing people He asks his friend Charlie. Are you crazy? That's impossible! Charlie responds. But when Jay does the Table of Death that night, Charlie ends up stabbed to death.
This makes Jay reconsider, and the boys tell him that it's obviously someone close to him that's doing this. Since Charlie's dead, that just leaves Vernon. The boys search Vernon's room -- practically a museum of magic -- while Jay talks to Vernon, accusing him of causing these deaths. But it wasn't Vernon -- it was Charlie. He's alive, and he's young again. He got a grimoire from Barnum and cast an immortality spell on himself. Now he wants to give his two good friends the same opportunity. Jay confronts him about the killing, but Charlie is unrepentant -- they were douchbags, and I was giving you your career back! He shows off the tarot cards used to transfer death. The boys burst in, but Charlie is chock-full of magic -- he makes a noose snake around Dean's neck, and Sam ends up shackled to the Table of Death. As the boys struggle, suddenly, Charlie gasps -- he's been stabbed. But no one is near him -- Jay filched the deadly tarot cards, planted one on Charlie, then stabbed himself in the gut. This, apparently is enough to kill Charlie for real this time.
Later, the boys thank Jay for saving them, but Jay doesn't want to hear it. I killed my best friend yesterday -- he was practically my brother! -- all in the name of doing the right thing. "Now I have to spend the rest of my life old and alone. What's so right about that?" he asks.
That rhetorical question gets Sam thinking. He goes back to Ruby and tells her he's in. He'll do that ... something.... because "I don't want to be doing this when I'm an old man." Uh-oh. We just a had a story about a man killing his brother to save people from harm. This can't be good.
What we're thinking about:
-- Sam was into magic when he was a kid? Poor thing -- we imagine that it was comforting to see some "magic" that he could, in fact, control.
-- At the same time, we get where Dean is coming from, too -- "It offends me -- playing at demons and magic when the real thing will kill you bloody."
-- Jeb Dexter really was a schmuck. How about him practicing his brooding looks in the mirror while the noose snaked across the ceiling?
-- Jay was planning on killing himself when he first did the Table of Death. What kind of counseling would you need if you were in THAT audience?
-- What did you think about Charlie and Jay sending Dean to an S&M joint in the guise of directing him to a tarot-card dealer? We couldn't help but think that seeing a masked torturer appear from the pit couldn't have been good for the poor boy's psyche -- even if Chief did ask for a safe word.
-- When the guys contemplate aged hunters, Sam brings up Bobby - he's survived this long! "yeah, there's a poster child for growing old gracefully," Dean scoffs. Hey! Mock not the Bobby, Dean! The Bobby is Awesome! You should BE so lucky as to be like Bobby when (and yes, Kripke, we said when, not if) you get old!
Smallvile: Metropolis Blue
Clark partners up with an all-American cop named Danny who finds himself caught up in the web of two officers determined to take the law into their own hands. Serving justice in alleyways and abandoned warehouses, these cops go against the badge. Clark unknowingly tags along on one of these trips and finds himself in hot water before Green Arrow drops in to save the day.
Danny does some digging and finds out Clark’s semi-true identity and helps his friends set up our hero for the shooting of Jones. Why Clark would ever find an abandoned car with a heavy duty gun in the trunk and open the trunk to grab the weapon is a mystery to us. Obviously Clark doesn’t watch enough cop dramas. Maybe he should go rent some “NYPD Blue” DVDs.
Danny and the boys then set up Green Arrow. Danny must prove his loyalty to this rogue outfit by shooting the Arrow, who does some quick talking about Clark’s faith in the young officer to try to convince him to lower the gun. It works (big surprise!). Detective Jones heals from his gunshot wound and pulls a few strings to get Clark out of trouble with the law. All is right in cop land.
While Clark was playing cops and robbers, Lana and Tess fought it out Jean-Claude Van Damme-style. Lana opens Tess’ eyes, literally, to the fact that Luther is monitoring the outside world through her. Who is Lana working for? What is her motivation? Why is she sticking around so long? The suspense is killing us. Tess’ heart is broken by Luther’s use of her and shuts down the technological configuration allowing him to spy.
Clark tracks down Lana to inquire why they can’t be together. It’s a steamy scene and worth the previous 50 cop-filled minutes. As Clark bores his eyes into Lana’s upturned gaze, she tries to turn him down, but what’s the use? Clark wants to know why he can’t have his cake and eat it too and then kisses her. Regardless of your opinion of Lana, the moment burned.
What did you think? Did you cheer or jeer the kiss?
January 22, 2009
90210: Tristan Wilds on "Thank You," Fan Mail, and Beverly Hills vs. Baltimore
We're still recovering from the Dixon/Silver breakup on 90210 -- our favorite couple, torn asunder! Sob! Fortunately, we've got something to distract us in our time of grief -- an interview with Tristan Wilds, the actor behind Dixon. Our own Jason C. gets Tristan to spill about how he'd react if someone responded to an impassioned declaration of love with "thank you" -- it wouldn't be pretty! Plus, Tristan talks about the differences between shooting The Wire and 90210, and spills on his outside projects. Check it out!
January 21, 2009
All About the Big Picture
So, of course, Lily turns to Will – the “one person who’s always been straightforward with her.” Then there was the kiss after he gives her the 411 on what happened with her mom while she was in jail. Really? A thank you kiss? Who does that?
Either way the night ends with Megan realizing she has to be a better sister and she apologizes for not being there in the past. Looking at and comparing the recent picture of Shelby Megan took on her cell phone, the two sisters really have a heart-felt moment at the beauty shop where Lily works. We love that we were left with the warm fuzzy feeling that things might actually get better between the two.
On the other hand, the one not handling the re-disappearance of Shelby is daddy Arthur, who goes as far as to put in a missing persons report. Megan and Lily have to repeatedly try to explain the situation to him. He even says he is going to sell his boat to pay back Will (which Will totally won’t accepts because he understands it wasn’t the family’s fault) and go on unemployment to pay his rent. Worse is that, he actually has the audacity to tell Megan and Lily that they are being unfair to their mother. What?!?
Now, it seems like all this craziness has worn on Arthur, perhaps even broke his will because we finally see that he may be thinking about jumping off the wagon. At least he had the common sense to put the liquor away in his cabinet and not crack it open all the way. But we still think its bad news that he has it in the house.
Complete opposite of the Smith family is Will’s family, who Megan finally gets a chance to meet. Granted, when she first meets his dad she totally mistakes him for the butler! Somewhere during the evening, Megan totally ditches his family dinner. We pretty much get the impression that it’s because his perfect family is just too painful of a reminder of just how messed up hers is.
But the episode ends when Will realizes that Megan, “the women he fell in love with,” (we’ll get to that in a moment), would never be able to not worry about and help out her family when in need. We were like, “the women he - what?” Granted, we love these two as a couple and we think Will is great for Megan, but love? Hasn’t it been like only a few weeks? Megan must have super powers to be able to change a playboy into a loverboy in that short amount of time.
The big development with the Baker sisters this week is that after a full schedule of socializing and partying for the sake of their endeavor to be famous, their faltering relationships with their boyfriends make them realize that perhaps now is not the time for fame. We can’t believe that Sage actually decides to give up her career to spend the last few years of her teens living like, well, a teenager. She listens to Megan’s advice and fires their publicist just in time to race to the airport to pick up Luis, who has been at a convention all week. Meanwhile, Rose and her beau make up too, now that he’s not so upset that Rose will be out partying without him.
Marco, on the other hand, decides it is time to work on his career and approaches Laurel for money to start his own restaurant, which she totally does and Marco is totally ready for. However, when he goes to check the place out and gets a glimpse of his boyfriend, who it seems has already moved on, Marco decides he is not ready to move on after all. So Laurel gives him the check to keep for when he’s ready and he starts a plan with Megan to get back Keith.
What did you think? Who bugged you the most? Talk about it in the comments!
90210 Recap: By Accident
Oh CW network, you are so tricky with your new ad campaigns! We think you're going one way and then you go somewhere completely different! Last night's episode of 90210 gave us further proof that Kelly Taylor thinks the world revolves around her, Naomi's bitchiness is what makes us love her, Annie is a whiner and hot teacher Ryan is the hottest commodity in West Beverly.
The show must go on even if Brenda Walsh is no longer able to direct! A new hotshot director from New York (they couldn't find one from L.A.?) is casting the students in the next school production: Antony and Cleopatra. Annie thinks she was just made for this part and tries to convince Ethan to try out with her. This way, she says, they'll be able to spend more time together. Being the jock that he is, Ethan is reluctant to take a dip into the theatrical pool. It isn't until Annie's former stage/theater partner (who was once in the running for taking Annie's virginity) Ty shows up that Ethan decides to try out. Was it just us or did Ty look kind of unattractive last night? Maybe it was just the attitude he was giving off when trying to make Ethan jealous and insulting Annie's audition.
Mr. Matthews is back and has got a foxy new angst going on. All the women in the building can smell it from a mile away and are drawn to him like I am to a can of Pringles. Kelly approaches him and tries to make small talk about him coming back. She even suggests a lunch plan to catch up - which he turns down immediately. Of course, if she were paying attention she would know that Ryan's new, manly cynicism isn't all about the way she crushed his hopes of being Mr. Kelly Taylor. He is jaded and feeling like his attempts at being an impactful teacher were all for naught. He is coming back to a classroom of students who believed he was capable of being a child molester. Silver posted terrible things about him all over her blog - it's not so shocking that he would feel uncomfortable getting back into the swing of things.
Mr. Matthews transfers Silver out of his class without notice and continues his day doing the best he can to teach without making an impact on his students.
Silver is upset with Ryan's decision to move her out of his class and talks to Dixon about it. Actually, it was more talking at Dixon about it. She just can't understand why he would be so upset with her. Dixon does his best to show Silver where she went wrong and uses his own experience to tell her she can sometimes hurt people with her words. While it is painfully obvious for us all that Dixon is really talking to her about his feelings -- which she took a blowtorch to -- Silver is completely oblivious. Instead of working on her relationship with Dixon, she vows to write the best paper Mr. Matthews has ever read.
Kelly sees Silver working on her paper later that night and finds out she was kicked out of the class. This prompts her to confront Ryan, who FINALLY puts Kelly in her place and tells her the world doesn't revolve around her. He didn't kick Silver out because he and Kelly used to date. It wasn't even really due to her slandering his name across the internet. He's planning on collecting his paychecks and checking out at the end of the year. Still, Kelly convinces him to read Silver's paper.
Naomi comes home to find a barefoot blonde standing on her dining room table. She's a realtor that her dad hired to sell the house. What I'd like to know is, do realtors usually take off their shoes and stand on expensive tables to check out the crown molding? My guess is no. So it is here when Naomi finds out the hard way that her mom has been seeking refuge in New York (not Paris) and isn't sure when she's coming back. And oh yeah - the house is up for sale! Her dad tells her to pack her things and move in with him and his girlfriend Gayle at the beach house. Naomi's parents are close to being the worst - only rivaled by Adrianna's mom. Since they are the most hands-off parents ever, it's actually kind of surprising to see how nurturing Naomi is with her friends.
Adrianna has been feeding her fetus a non-stop diet of granola bars and coffee. Even without all of the drug and alcohol abuse she put the baby through, she'll be lucky if she doesn't give birth to something that resembles Woody Allen. Naomi and Kelly try to talk to her about her options but are too pushy - which leads Adrianna to run away. She drives all night long and only stops to turn around after a near-death experience. When she makes it back to Beverly Hills she arrives just in time to force the play's director to watch her audition. Of course she chooses the suicide scene and does an eerily convincing job with it.
Naomi goes home to pick up a pair of her favorite jeans before going back to the beach house and discovers her dad can't keep it in his pants yet again! He and the realtor are missing more than just their shoes and Naomi uses this as leverage to tell her dad what a bad parent he is. She rents herself a hotel room and gets herself out of her dad's den of lies. Later that night, Adrianna finds her on the beach and tells Naomi all about the drive, near-death experience and going to Planned Parenthood. The choice to keep or abort the baby was made for her. She can't have an abortion because she is too far along.
The following morning, the play parts are announced and Annie is not too thrilled with her supporting actress role. She launches into whines and moans and overall just annoys. Ethan ended up trying out for the play too and landed a small part - which we have to admit, is pretty cute since he did it to spend time with Annie. Adrianna landed the part of Cleopatra playing against Ty's Antony. This normally wouldn't be a big deal but we find out that the only person who could be the baby daddy is Ty. Awkward!
The cast and crew for the new production are all going to an Egyptian restaurant to celebrate the show. Annie acts like a diva and ends up not going even though Ethan tries to convince her and goes by himself. Dixon goes to talk to Silver but she won't let him get a word in because she's too excited that her plan to get back into Ryan's class worked. When he finally blows up, he tells her that he understands she is a moody person but it's too much for him to deal with. Just like that, my favorite couple on the show is donezo.
Debbie and Harry go into Annie's room to cheer her up and convince her to suck it up and go to the cast party. Excitedly, she calls Ethan and tells him to turn around to pick her up. He's so psyched he doesn't pay attention to the stop sign he's supposed to stop at and all we and Annie hear is a huge crash on the other end of the phone.
Now we have to wait two weeks to find out what happened to poor Ethan! It looks like it's going to be a great episode. Silver flips out about being in love, Ty gets the news about being the baby daddy and doesn't take it very well, and we get to find out what happened in the car crash.
What did you think of last night's episode? Are you as annoyed with Annie as we are? Were you shocked to find out about Ty? Let us know in the comments!
One Tree Hill Podcast: "We Change, We Wait"
One Tree Hill provokes some debate this week as we discuss Brooke and Peyton's interactions with -- and about -- Julian. But we can agree that we're thrilled to see Dan again, even though this softer, gentler version has us confused. Plus, The Beek returns! Hooray!
Lucas and Julian are in trouble -- they need to pick a director, even though everyone they talk to seems to be insane. That leads to the return of The Beek as crazed director Dixon, who scoffs at Lucas' impassioned defense of his story -- then turns around and parrots Lucas' words to Julian's dad. That means The Beek gets the job, which upsets Lucas, but we couldn't be happier.
Meanwhile, Julian and Brooke are at an impass -- Brooke doesn't want to set a bad example for Sam (huh?) and she's unsure of what she should do. Things get murkier when Peyton comes bearing a bit information about Julian's character which gives Brooke pause. Is Peyton protecting Brooke, or is she in some way jealous?
Listen in as we consider Brooke's motives, ponder the nature of Dan's existence, cheer Nathan's basketball victory, wonder if Mia and Chase are the new Mouth and Millie, and dissect the power of writers in Hollywood. Check it out!
Listen to our One Tree Hill podcast for "We Change, We Wait" and let us know what you think in the comments!
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Gossip Girl Podcast: "You've Got Yale"
Gossip Girl hit us with a blast from the past this week as we return to Queen B leading her posse of headbands and vowing destruction for all who oppose her. Plus, Serena got accepted, Dan got petulant, Chuck got creative, Jack got dangerous, Rufus and Lily got WAY too friendly in public places, and Nate and Vanessa got screen time.
Meanwhile, Serena is torn about Yale, and eventually turns it down -- without consulting Dan, which pisses him off. Chuck is beyond college -- he's already teaching Revenge Schemes 101 as he tries to destroy Jack. But it's Lily who comes up with the winning strategy -- if she adopts Chuck, she becomes his legal guardian and Jack is out. Jack does not take kindly to this, and assaults Lily in the powder room at the Metropolitan Opera. Chuck saves her, and agrees to be part of her family.
Listen in while we chastise Rufus and Lily for flagrant PDA despite Bart's very recent death (tacky!) and take Blair to task for regressing to her headband days. We contemplate Eric's brief presence, wonder what happened to Nate's hair, applaud Chuck's ingenuity and his switch from date rapist to defender of women, and debate whether Dan's reaction to Serena's decision was justified. Plus, find out who to talk to for vegan recipes!
Listen to our Gossip Girl podcast for "You've Got Yale" and let us know what you think in the comments!
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January 19, 2009
One Tree Hill: Moving Forward
Let's get to the recap on last night's eventful episode!
What's up with Nathan, Haley and Jamie: Nathan's troubles on the Chiefs haven't improved. He's still on the bench while his nasty teammate #23 tries -- and fails -- to rule the game. But Devon doesn't about losing, since he sank enough baskets to get NBA attention. Nathan tries to tell him that basketball is a team sport, but the message doesn't sink in. They face off, but the coach arrives just then, so it's left at mutual stony stares. Nathan's frustrated, but he tells Jamie that b-ball's a team sport, and no one person is to blame for what happens.
What's up with Lucas: He's met with five directors, but none is quite right. And Julian's dad isn't happy; he wants Lucas to choose a director already! There's still a sixth coming to town -- apparently a real visionary. Lucas tells Peyton he's concerned he hasn't found the right one yet.
What's up with Brooke and Julian: Things are getting hot and heavy between them! But Brooke can't just relax and enjoy the moment -- she's worried about Sam. Speak of the devil! Sam walks in on the smooching couple, and it's awkward. Frustrated, Brooke storms off and the moment is ruined. Can she and Julian move forward when she's also trying to be Sam's mother figure?
What's up with Dan: He's at the doctor's discussing his chances for getting another heart. His chances still aren't good, but the doctor encourages him to keep his hopes up.
How it all wraps up: Nathan meets with his coach with some tips for how to make the plays work, but his coach tells him that he needs to just wait his turn. Hey, Nathan turned down the coaching job, so he has to just deal with playing. As an olive branch, Coach offers him some playbooks to research.
The "visionary" director turns out to be kind of a nut. He finds Lucas's life way too normal, so he wants to make it gritty and make some major changes to the script. So Lucas and Julian meet with Julian's dad. The most interesting part about the scene? Julian's goofy hat, which Lucas comments on. Julian's dad gives them an ultimatum: if Lucas doesn't choose a director by tomorrow, he'll have one chosen for him.
Nathan tells Haley that she and Jamie should sit out the next few games; he'll just be warming the bench. But Haley won't accept that. They're a team -- they win together and lose together.
Julian pays Brooke a visit at her store. She's made him a letterman's jacket along with her clothes for the movie. They share a cute moment... until Peyton comes in, Julian excuses himself, and Peyton accuses them of having sex. Brooke denies it, but it's obvious she has feelings for the guy. Well, Peyton's not about to let that slide. She spills that the weekend she and Julian broke up, he went and slept with some actress at Sundance. He's no good, she warns Brooke. Brooke is stricken.
After Peyton leaves, Julian returns, this time wearing the letterman's jacket. He's feeling flirty, but Brooke's not in the mood after Peyton's warning. She asks him where the relationship is going. He says they're having fun, and Brooke goes ice cold on him. He calls her out on it -- she's not even giving him a chance.
Lucas shows up and "proposes" to Haley -- but really, he's just showing her an enormous diamond ring that he wants to give Peyton. Haley says it's nice and all, but she always pictured him giving Peyton Keith's ring. He confesses that since he already gave it to Lindsey, he figured Peyton wouldn't want it.
Dan and Jamie share a banana split by the river and discuss his heart woes and Nathan's basketball troubles. Jamie sums it up nicely: "He finally made the team, but he never gets to play. The team's not very good -- they always lose." Dan, however, still has faith in Nathan: "It's about heart, and your dad has plenty of that, so don't worry." Speaking of hearts, Dan needs one. Does anyone have an extra?
Mia and Chase are getting hot and heavy, and they're ridiculously cute. In between smooches, Mia tells him she wants to play him a song. She's written a new one -- and it's good! Looks like she has the inspiration she needed.
Lucas takes Peyton to their spot -- the place they first met so many years ago. Aw! They relive the first moments. Him in his tow truck! Her dismissing him right away! He chooses this moment to give her the enormous diamond ring, and she can't believe it. They share a passionate kiss.
At the river court, Nathan's shooting hoops when Dan approaches. Nathan's not exactly thrilled to see him, but it seems like Dan has some words of advice for him. "Losing always forces change, Nathan," he says sagely. "Your time's coming." Nathan's not so sure, but Dan is. He tells Nathan that if he gets a second chance (with a new heart), he's going to make the most of it -- and Nathan should, too. Until then, he should just wait. What's this -- helpful advice from Dan? Has hell frozen over?
Peyton comes to her studio and is extremely thrilled to see Julian's dad hanging out shooting pool. They seem awfully tight, considering she's just been bad-mouthing his son. As they talk about the past, it comes out that Julian never slept with an actress at Sundance at all. Julian's dad planted the story to promote a movie! Peyton realizes she's screwed up and didn't even realize who Julian really is.
Brooke has another visitor at her store -- this time, it's Lucas. They catch up, discussing Julian and the movie. Brooke reminds him that he needs to stick with his own vision. He shouldn't compromise and go with someone else's vision. She tells him to do whatever it takes, as long as they tell the story the way he remembers it.
Peyton pays Haley a visit to cheer about Mia's new song. Then they have a heart-to-heart about the new ring. Peyton always imagined she'd wear Keith's ring. Haley has to spill -- Lucas wanted to give her that ring!
While they're distracted, Jamie calls Nathan's basketball coach and tells him that his dad's got heart, and that's what it's all about. The coach is amused and seems a little touched by the phone call.
Lucas and Julian argue about the state of the movie, but just then, a limo pulls up. Crazy, over-the-top Dixon (the Beek!) has returned! And he wants to make his pitch again. Lucas still isn't sold. He gets emotional, talking about the feeling he gets on the river court, Peyton's passion for music, and Brooke's two amazing sides.
Lucas meets with Julian's dad and says he still wants to hold out for a better director. Julian's dad doesn't agree -- time's up.
After Lucas leaves, the Beek shows up and seats himself at the bar with Julian's dad. He sells him on his vision -- or should we say, Lucas's vision? He repeats everything Lucas told him about the river court, Brooke, and Peyton, verbatim, and he does it with passion. Julian's dad likes what he hears.
Peyton returns to Brooke's store and tells her that she was wrong about Julian (why didn't she confirm this before she started spreading rumors?!). Looks like Julian is the nice guy he seems to be after all. Brooke tells Peyton she doesn't want to violate the girl code of dating exes, but Peyton tells her she's exempt. Hey -- she's engaged to Lucas, Brooke's ex! Brooke considers...
Nathan gives #23 some tips. His foe isn't exactly interested in getting b-ball advice. He just wants to sink the last shot. When the coach tells him to try something different, he refuses -- that shot's for him! So he gets benched and Nathan makes a key pass to a teammate, who sinks a shot in the final seconds. Looks like waiting worked out for Nathan! After the game, Dan shows up and tells him how proud he is of his son. Nathan gets a little emotional. He hasn't heard those words very often.
Mia and Chase continue to be really cute, sharing smiles and sips of Long Island iced tea.
Peyton has a talk with Lucas and tells him about how she's always wanted Keith's ring. Lucas agrees and replaces the enormous diamond on her hand with Keith's.
Julian shows up at Brooke's door and hands her the letterman's jacket she gave him: "It means we're going steady." Brooke tells him that this isn't a game. He then tells her that he came here to make a movie, but now he's here for the girl in the book... the other girl. Brooke likes what she hears, and they kiss... and move to the bedroom. Looks like these two are now an official item!
Lucas gets a late-night visitor. He's got a new, cigar-chomping, champagne-popping director. Will it be a success -- or a disaster? Lucas is troubled, to say the least.
What did you think of the episode? Will Lucas's movie turn out the way he wants it? What's in Brooke and Julian's future? Does Dan really have Nathan's best interests at heart? Tell us all in the comments!
Gossip Girl: When Basses Attack
Let's recap. College admission letters (well, e-mails) are coming in, and Blair can't relax until she hears for Yale. When she finally does, she's been waitlisted. Dan gets in, and so does Serena, but she lies and tells everyone she's been waitlisted so Blair doesn't get upset. Not a smart move, S -- haven't you learned by now that everyone's secrets come out on the Upper East Side?
Lily and Rufus are getting hot and heavy, much to the dismay of their children. Dan and Serena can't help but be squicked out by Mom and Dad's constant groping, and Eric tells them that their loud sex life is interfering with his sleep. None of this stops Lily and Rufus from enjoying each other's company a little too much. In fact, Lily even invites Rufus to the opera with her. He's excited, but he starts to panic -- will he fit in in her world of high-society operagoers? For help, Rufus reads Opera for Dummies (hee!) and consults with Eric, who of course knows everything about the opera.
Meanwhile, Chuck comes to Lily (reluctantly). His plans to foil Jack aren't working, and she may be the only person who can help him reclaim Bass Industries. She wants to help him, but she encourages him to quit his shenanigans to win over the board. Then she agrees to help... but only if he reconsiders his living situation and moves back in with her. He's not sold, but they tentatively agree to a plan.
Blair rages at the headmistress, and through her rants, she finds out that someone from Constance has been accepted to Yale. But who?
There's a new teacher in town, and she doesn't look much older than the students! Ms. Rachel Carr is new to New York after a Teach for America stint in Alabama, and she's just getting to know the lay of the land. Dan and Serena are friendly to her, but Blair isn't. How can she be when she got a B on a paper? She pulls Rachel aside and explains that as a second semester senior, she should be getting a free pass. Blair's face crumples: She needs a perfect GPA to get into Yale! Too bad, says the new teacher. Blair runs to Serena for comfort, and S can't be much of a friend right now, given her big secret.
Lily meets with another shareholder and finds out that only Chuck's guardian (right now, Jack) can control Bass Industries. Just then, Jack enters and faces off with her in a not-so-pleasant way. He doesn't like that she's getting involved in the company.
Chuck and Lily continue to plan how to get Jack out of the way, and it seems like they're making progress... until her phone rings and she takes a rather schmoopy call from Rufus. Chuck is furious and accuses her of caring about no one but herself. He storms out. Lily doesn't say a word to defend herself.
Serena catches Blair and her minions plotting at lunch and she calls them out on it -- are they planning something evil for Teacher Rachel? Serena finally blurts it out -- Blair got into Yale. Serena gave up her spot, so now Blair's in. Since she's in, will she call off Operation Get Rachel, Serena wants to know? Blair sort of agrees, but we find out later that she's still planning on tricking the teacher. And during all this, Dan stands awkwardly on the sidelines, trying to be a part of Serena's life and failing miserably. He's pretty upset that she a) lied about getting in and b) decided NOT to go to Yale without even consulting him. Some relationship! He stalks off.
Nate and Vanessa are strolling along, enjoying each other. He was going to take her to the opera, but she surprises him with tickets first, so he doesn't tell her about his plans. But when they arrive later, Dan spills the beans, asking about the box seat. To appease Vanessa, the couple still sits in the third tier seats, but they're next to an old woman who can't stop coughing, so Vanessa agrees to upgrade. And hey -- they can make out in the box seats! Looks like that class issue was easily resolved.
Blair and her pals decide to trick Rachel after all. She invites her to the opera with no intention of actually meeting her there, and naive Rachel accepts.
At the opera, Lily and Rufus seem to have their kids' lives all planned out for them -- well, more like their vacations, which will revolve around where their kids go to college. Long weekends on the East Coast! Trips from Yale to Brown! It's a little much for Dan and Serena. They take a moment to themselves and discuss their troubles. Besides their parents being all over each other, they're not even communicating anymore. Serena doesn't really think they can get past this, but Dan thinks they can, as long as they compartmentalize this part of their life away.
Lily and Rufus have an awkward confrontation with Jack Bass, who belittles Rufus. Then, after they chat with the Bass family lawyer who knows Lily, she has a flash of brilliance and runs to Chuck with a proposition. She shows him some papers that she and Bart had drawn up before he died about her adopting Chuck. Which would make her his guardian... and therefore take Bass Industries away from Jack. Chuck's all for it, but when Jack sees what's happening, he flips out.
Blair gets a call from the headmistress about Ms. Carr. Turns out Rachel was concerned about Blair and wanted to be sure that she'd still get into Yale in spite of her B. Blair feels awful and decides to go save her teacher from embarrassment, but it's too late. Rachel's not thrilled about this "lesson," and though Blair begs forgiveness, her teacher is not exactly up for a night at the opera. After Blair leaves, Rachel makes a phone call to the headmistress and tells her what Blair did.
Lily takes a powder room break, only to be surprised by Jack! He locks them both inside and confronts her. "I'm not scared of you," she says. "You should be," he says, blocking her path. Scary! Suddenly he throws her against the wall, screaming in her face, and then he tries to kiss her! She fights back, but he's winning...
Rufus and Dan notice that Lily's missing, but they're kind of slow on the uptake. It's Chuck who notices the powder room door is locked, suspects the worst, and bursts in, just in time. He punches Jack out. Then Rufus shows up, too late to do anything but escort her away. But something's changed between Lily and Chuck after this incident.
The next day, Chuck shows up and they discuss Jack's fate (he's on his way back to Sydney). Then she tells him that she knows he'll do wonders with Bass Industries. She's giving it all to him on his eighteenth birthday. All she wants is Chuck, as a part of her family. Chuck is surprised and touched. And then he tells her he knows Bart's death was an accident -- absolving her of the blame and accusations he lumped on her earlier in the episode. And THEN he agrees to move in!
Serena realizes things just aren't going to work with Dan. She calls him, but he must realize something's up, too -- he ignores her call. Just then, Ms. Carr (call her Rachel!) shows up at the Brooklyn cafe. They banter excitedly. Gee, will these two hook up?
Blair has a meeting with the headmistress. She thinks it's going to be about something good, but instead, she gets some really bad news. Turns out Ms. Carr's call to the headmistress means that Blair gets detention! Her Yale acceptance has been put on hold until detention is completed. Blair leaves the office with Dorota, determined to get revenge.
January 16, 2009
Smallville: Back To The Future
In the wake of Chloe and Jimmy's disastrous nuptials, Clark receives a visit from the future in the form of Rokk, a.k.a.Cosmic Boy (skinny, bearded and gorgeous!), Garth, a.k.a. Lightning Lad (geeky and prone to fits of enthusiasm) and Imra, a.k.a Saturn Girl (calm and even-tempered), who quickly dispatch Persuader. But they realize they're here on a historic day -- the day Kal El vanquishes Brainiac once and for all. The three Legion members bring tidings from the year 3009 and discover a Clark vastly different from the Superman legends future generations hold dear.
Clark is confused -- Brainiac is gone! No, they tell Clark, Brainiac is still a threat -- and in order to destroy Brainiac, Clark must kill the villain's host body, which happens to be Chloe. Unable to fathom murdering his best friend, Clark chafes at the task ahead, but our posse from another time fails to see the problem. One life in exchange for billions? The numbers just don't add up.
Brianiac, in possession of Chloe's facilities, puts Davis into a chrysalis where he will incubate for 12 days to rid himself of his human form and take on his proper role as Doomsday without the painful man-to-monster transformations. So, does this mean we won't get to feast our eyes on Davis' impeccable human shell anymore? We don't like where this is going.
Leaving Davis to his metamorphosis, Brainiac heads to the Daily Planet where he begins to suck the knowledge from every available human. The Legion enters the building, paralyzes Brainiac and is seconds away from plunging a dagger into the chest of the beast when Clark rushes in putting a stop to the sacrifice. Chloe still exists somewhere within her own body and the Legion agrees to perform a "techno exorcism" to get Brainiac out.
The trick works and the real Chloe reappears – only now her memory is fully intact with Clark's secret still on her mind. While she commends Clark for saving her life, she reminds him that doing what's best for the world is his first priority.
The Legion bids adieu to Smallville's finest (we're gonna miss you, Rokk!) and Imra tells Lana she'll be remembered for more than just Clark. All is right with the world – for now. The final scene shows Doomsday breaking out of his shell, ready to create more havoc.
Let's all take a collective sigh of relief that Smallville has returned. What did you think? Was this episode worth the wait? Would you like to see the Legion in future episodes (we think you know our stance on that one)? Was it just us, or did Clark look irregularly buff in this one?
Supernatural: Family Remains
Supernatural's back! We've got the boys, and the car, and the guns, and the... the... the boys, and... and... sigh. Look, we're thrilled the show is back from hiatus, but this episode really didn't do it for us. Are we alone in feeling that way?
There was just so much about this episode that felt... off. At the beginning, Sam wants Dean to talk about his revelation, then at the end, he rolls his eyes when Dean brings up hell. The girl was trapped behind the walls for years, but she was strong enough to knock Dean to the ground. The kids had been trapped and abandonned for years, eating live rats, but someone taught them to write? Those same bestial kids managed to get into the Metallicar's hidden gun locker? Dean gets all clench-jawed heroic about saving lives, but he hardly bats an eye when he confesses that he reveled in torture? It just didn't sit right with us.
On to the recap: It's been a month, for both us and the boys, since Dean's horrific revelation that he ended up torturing souls in hell. Since then, he's been finding job after job, never letting himself rest. Sam wants him to slow down, but Dean's not interest.
The guys find something -- Bill Gibson was butchered in a locked room of his locked house. Sounds like a haunting, right? They go to check it out, but they're interrupted when the Carter family, who just bought the house (fastest closing EVER!) arrives. Doh! The boys pose as building inspectors and scare them off, claiming asbestos, but the Carters come back. Strange things are going on -- Danny, the son, is playing ball with an unseen person; the word "GO" appears on the wall; daughter Kate gets a slobbery surprise when something licks her hand under the bed. She thinks it's the family dog, but it's not. The boys come back and try to get the Carters out, but it's too late -- all the tires are slashed, the guns are gone, and something seems to be hunting them.
So far, so good -- we've had some spooky thrills, and we're getting ready to settle in for a scary ghost story. So imagine out surprise when a ragged, filthy, bestial girl appears, and she's carrying a knife. Do ghosts need knives? Probably not, and they definitely can't cross over salt lines, which this girl does. Seems our ghost is not so ghostly at all. She's a real, live, human girl -- albeit a girl who seems almost animal. She attacks Dean, and is only driven off when Sam shines a light in her face. She disappears back into the walls of the house.
It seems the former owner of the house followed in the footsteps of Josef Fritzl, the Austrian man who confessed to imprisoning his daughter in a cellar for 24 years and fathering her seven children. Gibson's daughter hung herself years ago, but Gibson kept their daughter alive, confined between the walls of the house. She got loose, and that's how Bill died.
The mystery is solved, but the danger isn't over. Danny is missing, and Dean is determined to find him. He does, eventually -- the girl apparently wanted a friend, so she took him to a hidey hole in the basement and tied him up. But Danny has news -- the girl is not alone. She's got a brother. Said brother jumps Dean, while the girl attacks the shed where Helen and Kate are hiding. After a struggle -- and seemingly with great regret -- Dean shoot the boy to save himself. Meanwhile, the father drags the girl out of the shed and kills her to protect his family. All of which felt a bit anticlimactic to us. What about you?
After that horror show, the guys get to talking -- and we know something is horribly wrong because Dean declines to eat fast food. Dean tells Sam he felt sorry for the wild children in the walls -- they'd been tortured their whole lives, and were just animals defending their territory. While Dean... Dean had tortured for pleasure, It seems during his time in hell, he developed an appreciation for causing pain. "They took me off the rack and I tortured souls and I liked it. All those years, all that pain, finally getting to deal some out for myself... I didn't care who they put in front of me, because the pain I felt, it just slipped away." Yikes! Sam is just as speechless as we are. Exactly how are we supposed to process this bit of information?
That's our take -- what did you think about the episode? Were there subtle charms that we just missed? Are we being too critical, or do you agree that the episode was lacking? Talk about it int he comments!
January 15, 2009
Kristin Kreuk, Hero for Girls
Lana Lang's motives are still unknown on Smallville -- is she good? Is she evil? What does she have up her sleeve? Kristin Kreuk is a lot easier to figure out -- she's definitely one of the good guys!
Need proof? Kristin co-founded an organization, Girls by Design, to help teen girls explore, express, create and realize their potential. Now Girls by Design is co-sponsoring a retreat for teen girls in the LA area, designed to help them balance their lives. They're holding a contest to select 30 girls to attend, free of charge. Check out the rules at the Time Out for Teens site!