Reminder

Pushing Daisies is on tonight (Thursday the 18th) at 8:00 on ABC. If you don't watch it I will personally hunt you down and kill you.

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SAVE PUSHING DAISIES!

For some reason, the TV universe is so unbalanced that there's room for about a million CSI spin-offs and a new version of Knight Rider, but heavily favored/highly superior shows struggle to stay on the air. The latest of this kind to face the chopping block is Pushing Daisies. Known for its twisted plot lines and timeless romanticism, Pushing Daisies premiered last Fall to favorable critical reviews. It quickly built a small but passionate fanbase, averaging 9.42 million views last season. But it became a victim of the writer's strike and didn't return to finish up the season. So when it premiered again this fall, the ratings dropped to 6.10 million. Now, the rumors are rampant that the show might not get a full season pickup. I shudder to think of a world where I can't get my weekly dose of saccharine sweet murder-mystery. But luckily no action has been taken yet. There's still a few things you can do. For a listing of those things, you can go here. And, please, if you aren't already watching this show, start now.

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Fabulous Halloween Programs (For Your Viewing Pleasure)

Here are my favorite movies for Halloween

Scream


For more Movies (and TV) click

Carrie


The Haunting (1963)


And for those of you who don't have such strong stomachs

The Haunted Mansion




TV

There's the classic staple of Halloweek

Charlie Brown


The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror is different every year. Always fun.


That 70's Show


Last but not least, Alvin and the Chipmunks!


Joey's Favorites

Ugly Betty-Season 1, Ep 5: The Lyin', The Watch, and The Wardrobe

Sabrina the Teenage Witch-Season 2, Ep. 7:A River of Candy Corn Runs Through It


The Office-Season 2, Ep. 5:Halloween
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We Rock

I've only furtively expressed my love and obsession with both Tina Fey and 30 Rock, but the time has come for me to yodel my profession on the top of a mountain. When I watched the first episode of 30 Rock, I foolishly decided it wasn't for me (yet continued to watch Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.) But as I kept hearing great things about it, I bought the first season on DVD and caught up with season two. And behold, an intense but justifiable fixation was born. Unfortunately, last season saw the coming and passing of the writer's strike that paralyzed TV for months, and the second season was cut short. So, I was forced to wait anxiously for this third season to come. When it finally came time for the shows to come back, I discovered a terrible thing. 30 Rock was not coming back until October 30th. It was hard to be strong, but I've held on so far. Luckily, Oprah will grace the show with her almighty presence on the second episode back. Until then, us junkies will have to get our fix from either Tina Fey's Sarah Palin on SNL or the newly released second season DVD.

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Project Runway Finale:The Good and The Bad

This season of Project Runway, as I've said before, was seriously lacking in talent. There were a few good ones in there, and luckily the final three were just right. I already gave short reviews of the final collections during fashion week, but I'll expound after seeing them again last night.
First of all, Kenley's wasn't what it should have been. If you're going to make the 50's your signature, you've really got to go for it. I didn't think she pulled it off. While the judges cried Balenciaga, my complaint about the painted dresses is just that they were ugly. Sure, she went for an interesting technique, but her paintings just looked random and ruined what could have been some successes. As for Korto, I think I gave way too harsh a review during fashion week. There were a few really stunning pieces, particularly the one with the voluminous sleeves. I could see her being extremely successful, because she fits the bill for the pack of ubiquitous designers tearing it up in sales. She makes clothes that women would want to wear, and that takes serious skill, so I commend her. Now, Leanne's was really just sensational. I was very proud of my favorite for doing so well. It was all so perfect and floaty, sort of what Erin Fetherston tried and failed to do this season. Now to discuss the results! To avoid spoilers, click
Ahh. We're in the safe spoiler zone now! So basically it went like this: first, Kenley was booted off. I hate her personality, obviously, but her designs were solid. The final collection failed to encompass her ability. Next was Korto. She was a true talent, and if anyone was gonna take it from Leanne, I would be okay-ish with her. Now, obviously, Leanne won. I hate to say I told you so (I LOVE to say I told you so) but, Leanne was one of my picks for the win after the first episode. Along with Wesley. He was prematurely voted off, but I was good with Leanne, right? Now, with an unclear future for the show, I was happy to see Tim Gunn guest judging. Heaven forbid this was the last season ever, it was a fitting tribute to the man that makes the show so iconic. No show has been able to showcase design as well as Project Runway, so needless to say I hope the legal drama is worked out soon.
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Is It Time For a Change At 'SNL'?

This week's Entertainment Weekly included an article about the current state of Saturday Night Live, in which Ken Tucker argued that Tina Fey's ever popular impression of Sarah Palin is hurting more than helping the show. As the rest of the show becomes increasingly unfunny, Tucker concludes that "now more than ever, [SNL] needs more hit bits that can be sliced and posted everywhere, instantly, to maintain cultural significance." What's interesting is that an election year is supposed to be prime for the show. With all of the characters that have come out of this election, they have done an excellent job so far. But the problem doesn't rest there. The majority of the show after the political sketch of the week is starting to feel increasingly sour. People tend to find faults with the show itself, claiming that it is failing to match the glory days when each sketch was a national treasure in itself. However, in my opinion, our culture has adapted itself to the point that we can no longer get our kicks out of sheer...goofiness. We've come to expect a brand of smart, wry humor that doesn't seem to fit with the format of Saturday Night Live anymore. One of the rare exceptions to this is the Weekend Update segment. While the anchors seem to be constantly changing (Amy Poehler, one of the current anchors, will leave for good once she goes on maternity leave), it always seems to find it's way back to cultural relevance. In other words, to answer Ken Tucker's original question, that's where the funny is after 11:45. This past Thursday, the first in a series of three Weekend Update Thursdays premiered on NBC. It encompassed all of the good parts of the current SNL while condensing down to a more consumable format and remaining evenly funny throughout. This begs the question: is SNL ready to change their format after all these years? Or should they keep the old one intact, but try to skim down the inane, irrelevant sketches?
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If Real TV Were More Like Model.Live...

I've been watching Model.Live religiously, and I am, of course, addicted. All the promises have been kept, and it really feels like you're experiencing the real world of modeling. Footage taken from just a few days earlier is edited into episodes that are short enough to leave me wanting more, yet satisfying because they don't feel dragged out. The difference from televised shows is clearly noticeable, mostly because it's not all happy endings. So far Madeline has failed to book any shows in Milan or Paris, and couldn't go to London at all because of a problem with her work visa. Tired from all her castings, she repeatedly told the cameramen to stop filming, before admitting that "everyone wants Cato." And it's true! Cato has victoriously been picked for a number of big shows, and continues to be the it girl of the three. Meanwhile, Austria has failed to impress casting directors and is contemplating going home. If you can't already tell, I'm obsessed, but just how much it works makes me wonder; why can't something like this be on TV? Lord knows people have tried, but America's Next Top Model becomes increasingly inauthentic, and TLC's A Model Life didn't reach the level of realism shown in Model.Live. So if this can be broadcasted online, why not on TV? Or are we actually coming to a world where online shows are just as credible?
picture from Cato's bebo account

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Another TV Update

When I'm not preparing my comprehensive and genius coverage of fashion week, I like to partake in the great American pastime of TV. TV is having sort of a renaissance, with the lesser programs of the season (hello Do Not Disturb and Knight Rider) either canceled or extremely close to it. TV is arguably better than what's showing in theaters these days, so I'm happy to be a viewer! I give you my thoughts on Ugly Betty and The Office, after you click

Ugly Betty
Ugly Betty is one of my favorites, so I waited for this with baited breath. After the predictable but most likely necessary solution to last season's cliffhanger, Betty returned home from a cross country trip where she went to "find out who she was." Cheesy, but the checklist that Betty came up with for a more successful year served as a good outline for the episode. 1.More responsibility at work. Betty returns to a revamped Mode (Marc and Amanda stole the show once again.) only to find that Daniel's office is now a nursery, and he no longer works there. She travels downstairs to Player magazine, Daniel's brainchild and the "third bestselling no-nudity men's magazine in the country." The new receptionist got a lot of laughs, but my reaction to this change of scenery was similar to Betty's, not good. Luckily I have faith that the writers will find some way to get Betty back to where she rightfully belongs. 2.Her own apartment in the city. Betty, wonderfully naive, fell for the ways of a fast talking New York City real estate agent and ended up with the worst apartment ever. Luckily, her family pulled through and fixed up the place, and I have a feeling she'll Betty-ize it enough. 3. No more romantic entanglements. Easy enough, until she meets Val Emmich's character in her building. I think I like him better than Henry and Gio, mostly because he's pretty much Betty's polar opposite. Also of note:Lindsay Lohan began her role. I can't tell whether it was amazing or awful, really. She didn't have a lot of lines, but she was pretty funny at some parts! All in all, it's a good role for her to restart her career with.

The Office
I have to say, this just may go down in history as the best episode ever! Fan favorites Jim and Pam are finally engaged, and of course it was in front of a gas station/rest stop. My favorite character, however, is Kelly, and this was a great episode for her! There was a company-wide weight loss competition, and of course she was all over it. She went for the lemonade diet, and looked a lot like death. Hands-down the funniest moment of the episode was when she fainted on the scale. I could go on and on about the goings on, but I think I...won't. Just watch it!
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Tv Updates

"Thanks Mr. Turtle! You saved me!"
"Why are you talking to a turtle?" (lol)

It's been awhile since we've talked about our favorite shows hasn't it?
While i am super excited to start on Heroes, i must restrain myself. Because Gossip Girl has taken off in a whole new direction. It's getting back to basics with the drama, and our forecast for next week? With Dan out of the way, Serena and Blair will go at each other like old times. Overall, we love it. Although, with all this scandal, it does get to be a little much. Like the creators of the show are trying too hard to keep viewers attention.

We're pretty divided when it comes to Privileged, the other new show on the CW. Joey likes it, saying that its funny, and much better than 90210 was. But I'm bored by it. Maybe it's because the main character is just too much like myself, lol. (Come on, she even stole my name!!!)

The Heroes two hour season premiere i must say was superb!

Hiro and Ando have gotten themselves into another pickle (you gotta love them). A new character, with a new power has come into the picture. Yep, it seems the storyline CAN get more complicated after all.



Meanwhile, I think Mohinder had gotten tired of not making any progress what-so-ever with his thing, so he got a little compulsive when he finally figured out the... whatever it is that gives the people the powers. On the other hand, its going to be fun to see him in action!



Don't you ever wonder, where did they find this guy? He's such a great actor, along with begin quite intimidating. Hes just the ultimate villain!

So everyone get psyched for tomorrow night!!!

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Passing Judgement:90210

Last night was the 2 hour premiere of 90210 that the CW hyped up to be "the biggest event of the year." Yeah, ok. It seems that in the midst of the hype they thought no one would notice the formulaic characters, shoddy writing, and sometimes unbearable acting. Well, CW, I noticed. The only upside was seeing Jessica Walter basically being Lucille Bluth again, which would have tasted much sweeter if this were the Arrested Development movie. But I have to say, I can handle the good girl, the rich/mean girl, and even the heart-of-gold jock. But the worst offender was surely The Wilsons' adopted son Dixon, who loves to share his feelings with whoever will listen. No I don't want to listen to him gripe about the pains of being adopted, thank you very much. And what's up with the Principal/father? Please tell me someone else caught his creepy two-face eyes. So here's a challenge to everyone involved. Surprise me! I'll keep watching until I can't bear it anymore, which might be never if things go well.
Note:Meg actually liked it, but mostly because of the music.

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Passing Judgement:Gossip Girl Season Premiere

Joey: so
omg
gossip girl
Meg: ooooo
1st things 1st
nate has sunken to a new low
Joey: lol
how so?
the lace-up top?
Meg: a married lady
Joey: lol
yeah
but also the lace-up top
to read the rest, click
Meg: lol
Joey: did you see that thing?
Meg: idk
Joey: well I did
and it hurt
but idk
I don't think that guy is really a duke or whatever
unless he's just a really bad actor
Meg: lol
hes in the book & hes legit
so i think yes
Joey: oh
well thats just gonna get boring
although
I have to say
when it seemed like blair & chuck were gonna get back together, I was kinda dissapointed
Meg: lol
Joey: because it was like they just broke everyone up randomly at the end of the season
and now everyone's gonna get back together
Meg: lol
well chuck & blair were kinda random to begin with
Joey: yeah i know
I remember how weird it was at first
Meg: lol
Joey: but now they're like the golden couple
Meg: i thought it was kinda sweet how much he liked her, but then i wuz like, wait... its chuck...
he shud b brought down a notch
so i hoped she'd say no
lol
am i evil?
Joey: lol
no
I think so too
he was like a rapist in the first episode
Meg: LOL
yeah
in the book he was never this nice
he was like that all the time
Joey: yeah
and they tried to make him like that again in the finale
but it really didn't work
Meg: lol
Joey: but how fabulous were the hamptons?
they kept having all those long scenic shots
Meg: lol
YEAH!!!!
Joey: but i'm glad
because I guess they're leaving them like now
and i want it to be NY in the fall again
Meg: lol
yeah
omg
except!!!!
ERIC
Joey: lol
what about him?
M: he's chucks mini-me
Joey: lol
Meg: its so weird!!!!
Joey: he's like a sidekick
M: lol
ooo
DAN!!!!!!
Joey: lol
ik
what a loser
M: lol
wow, ur nice
Joey: he couldn't even write his story!
M: lol
well u never have writers block
Joey: lol
M: u wudnt understand
Joey: yes I do!
M: *sobs
Joey: but he had an idea
he was just lazy
and then he had a full house moment
on the phone with his dad
M: lol
omg i LOVED the scene w/ him & serenas grandma
Joey: lol
u did?
I didn't get it
It was like
we're REALLY supposed to believe that she's had a sudden change of heart?
M: lol
yes?
Joey: that's meeting her more than halfway
she was like this evil witch in the cottilion episode

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"No wonder you hate Charade,it hits too close to home."

--James to Blair on Gossip Girl, after finding out she was using him to make Chuck jealous.


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Jennifer Aniston to 30 Rock

This year appears to be the year of the guest star. From Michael Kors on Gossip Girl, Lindsay Lohan on Ugly Betty, Nicole Richie on Chuck, all the way to Mary-Kate Olsen on Samantha Who, Britney's starting trends again and this one is in full swing! So who does 30 Rock, that's managed to nab Jerry Seinfeld and possibly Oprah, get to fill their quota? Why, Jennifer Aniston!This is a pretty big get for 30 Rock, since it appears that she has an intense phobia of TV or anything that is at all related to Friends. But who will she play? Details haven't been released just yet, but keep checking back here!
Update:She will be playing Claire Harper, Liz Lemon's former roommate who comes back and apparently stalks Jack!

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My Favorite Kids Shows

Kids shows strictly for kids? Don't believe the hype! In case you ever find yourself up in the wee hours of the morning, and Regis is not on Regis and Kelly (seriously, Reege, pull it together)these are my recommendations for the kid in all of us!

LazyTown•Weekdays at 10:30 AM on Nick Jr.

In this Icelandic import, the not-so-lazy,synthetic pink-haired protagonist Stephanie moves to a town where everyone is lazy! Fret not, young Stephanie, for our fearless leader Sportacus is here to save the day. All you have to do to reach the mysterious Sportacus is put a letter in a special mailbox which is then delivered to his plane/house in the sky and he will rush down and help the lazy kids of LazyTown. If this alone isn't enough reason to watch, there's always Robbie Rotten, the Grinch-like villain who plans foolproof disguises to spoil all the fun. Plus they have the tendency to break into sugar coated techno songs about the lessons they've learned.
To see the rest, click
The Doodlebops•Weekdays at 9:30 AM on Playhouse Disney

The Doodlebops, this time Canadian, follows the lives of the extremely in-demand kids band by the same name. They can't go anywhere without being followed by legions of adoring fans, which I think is inspiring given the fact that they look something like homeless muppets shopping at the most sparkly goodwill in aaaalllll the land. It's amazing, I promise! You'll come for the "Don't Pull the Rope!" gag that gets better every time, but you'll stay for "Get on the Bus."
Dragon Tales•Weekdays at 8:00 AM on PBS

What's not to like? Spicy Latina jalapeños Max and Emmy discover that by way of a bizarre ritual that involves clutching a rock and chanting,they can be transported to a magical world of lovable dragons! Cassie has always been the best, but we can pretend to like the annoying Zak and Wheezie too. Plus, the DragonTunes? Genius! Max and Emmy are basically a big F U to Dora, who will never be as spicy as those two.

Well, that's it kiddies! Set your alarms or fire up your Tivos. And remember, BOYCOTT HIP HOP HARRY!

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Fantasy Gossip Girl League

Fantasy sports leagues have been a popular pastime for those avid fans, but sports is one topic that truly perplexes me so I have no experience with the matter. Now, entertainment site Fafarazzi has decided to bring the concept to an entirely new demographic with The Fantasy Gossip Girl Game. It's this simple: you pick your three favorite characters (Blair, Chuck, and Jenny for me) and whenever they do something like fight or do drugs, you get points! So if you've ever had an "I knew that was going to happen!" moment, this is the game for you. And you'd better sign up quick, because the show comes back September 1st!


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5 Reasons to Watch FNMTV

At last year's infamous VMA's, Justin Timberlake took advantage of his acceptance speech to challenge MTV to "play more damn videos." It was simple yet necessary advice to a network that can barely call itself "Music Television" anymore. And while the channel is still infiltrated with The Hills and other shameless programming, they've managed to dedicate one hour to actual music. I now present the five reasons why you should tune in.

1. Because if you do then maybe they'll play more videos!
2. Because there's always something for everyone.
3. They play the whole video instead of that 1 minute crap on TRL.
4. There's always a live performance.
5. Because they're trying to be different, and sometimes change is good!

FNMTV airs Fridays at 8:00 PM on MTV.

picture from daylife.com

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Chanel On Screen

Surprisingly enough, that biopic on the life of fashion hero Coco Chanel doesn't exist, well at least it doesn't yet. Already there are two on the horizon, with a rumored third one on the way. Unfortunately for English speakers, Coco avant Chanel, starring Audrey Tatou in the lead role will be completely in French, so we'll have to focus our attention on the two others. The first one is a mini-series starring Shirley Maclaine premiering on Lifetime September 13th, which unfortunately appears to pretty much suck. Oops. Looks like we'll have to set our sights on a rumored but likely fabricated English version with Demi Moore. Or we can just wait for the English subtitles on the French version.
picture from ultrapdx.com

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The Guide to Everything Skins

The US premiere of Skins was on Sunday night, and while I wish I could tell you I was right there watching it, I was probably using the bathroom at a tragic gas station on my endless return home from vacation. Luckily I caught it at 3 am, and it was everything I could possibly want it to be. Hopefully you too took my advice and watched it,(if you didn't all the episodes are available on iTunes) because people are finally noticing it stateside. EW's Popwatch blog calls it "a better Gossip Girl with a huge dollop of Brit smarts." If you, like me, are obsessed and craving more, you can check out the official website and YouTube channel. And don't forget to watch (and tell your friends to do the same), every Sunday night at 10 PM/9PM central on BBC America.

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Meet Abigail Lorick

If you watch Gossip Girl, there's probably a good chance that you've seen some of Abigail Lorick's clothes. They show up on Blair frequently, and Eleanor Waldorf's fictional collection consists entirely of Lorick clothing. Abigail was born in Florida, but moved to Paris when she was eighteen and became a successful model. In 2003 she moved to New York to study at FIT and design for T.S. Dixin's. She launched her own collection in 2007. Her clothes are always romantic and timeless, and she refuses to follow trends. She will be showing her Spring 2009 collection in New York. Expect a full report in September!
picture from soonlee.wordpress.com

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Get Ready!

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