Will New Girl ever stop?

I got inspiration to write from this article from televisionwithoutpity.com and I just loved how Angel Cohn talks about the things she both did and didn't like about the episode in question, while still referencing problems that the characters have had throughout the whole series. It made me laugh and I could see where she was coming from in all of her arguments.

Is this how New Girl is going to be from now on? Is it all going to be about Jess and Nick going over their relationship, while Schmidt is a douche? If this is what it’s come to then I am starting to think that maybe I should move on to bigger and better things. This last episode, The Box, was not impressive and the show as a whole has been lacking in the whole realm of developing characters, especially when it involves a relationship. There have been greater ideas for relationship stories--from Friends with the whole Ross and Rachel arc, to the family relationships in Modern Family. 

Skip: Schmidt’s self loathing

If Schmidt was really in love, or cared about, either of the women he was sleeping with then why would he lie to them and date them both at the same time? Schmidt has always seemed to be selfish and a little stupid, but there seemed to be no real need to do what he did. Claiming that he did so he wouldn’t hurt either of the girls is just dumb and had no thought at all.

Skip: Nick and Jess constantly reassuring the relationship

So Nick came into some money that his father left him after he died and, in true Nick fashion, decides to use it to buy stupid things, while Jess decides to go behind his back and pay for some of his over due bills he keeps in a box in his closet. He eventually finds out and is pissed at her and she feels guilty and not. It happens far too often and by the end of it Nick would do anything for Jess and she vice versa, which brings us to another standstill in their relationship of nothing actually changing, but constant validation that they belong together.

Keep: Winston as the bonding agent of knowledge

Winston has become a wonderfully sometimes-crazy character that never seems to be the craziest one in the loft. He is the only one who can play therapist and is always able to back up his thinking in one way or another, which can put Schmidt and Nick in their place, especially now when they are so divided at home. The guys don’t really seem to give Winston credit unless they say they need his help, but he always comes through like a normal friend should.

I chose Matt Fowler as my reviewer. I found him by searching for reviews of shows that I like. He writes for IGN.com. Here are a few samples of what I based my review off of: 

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/08/19/true-blood-radioactive-review

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/07/29/true-blood-in-the-evening-review

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/09/27/parks-and-recreation-london-review

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/09/29/hello-ladies-pilot-review

I chose Matt Fowler because I like his style of writing, it isn't too formal and he really just recaps the show while offering thoughts and questions about where the show is going to go. He writes his reviews for hardcore fans of the shows he is reviewing, so he is able to go into detail about character and plot. I chose to review episode Boy Parts of the show American Horror Story. 

American Horror Story: Coven – “Boy Parts” Review           

It’s completely understandable for people to have qualms about American Horror Story after Asylum. It had mutant zombies, alien abductions, Satanic nuns, Anne Frank, and Santa Claus serial killer. But when the show is on point, it’s really good, and Coven’s first two episodes have proved that this season is on the right track.

The premiere episode included Fiona blowing lines of coke, Madame LaLaurie’s torture chamber of mutated slaves, Zoe humping a guy to death, and a graphic gang rape scene. The writers never hesitate to take the show to levels that border on offensive. Those scenes proved to be only a small taste of what they have in store for Coven, judging from the somehow even more controversial “Boy Parts.”

The first big shocking scene was when Zoe and Madison break into the morgue to resurrect Kyle. His body is in pieces, mangled in a body bag with the guts hanging out. None of the gory details are spared. Madison, who is turning out to be as twisted as she is powerful, suggests that the girls collect the nicest of the dismembered limbs and create the perfect Frankenstein boyfriend. I think that idea is almost unrealistically dumb (Zoe only met him once!) but I’m willing to overlook it for the sake of plot.

The weird is what makes the show worth watching, even when it borders on disturbing, like Cordelia’s sex scene with her husband. Sarah Paulson as Lana Winters was one of the best parts of Asylum, and luckily this episode delved deeper into Cordelia’s character than the premiere did.

Apparently, she’s married and can’t conceive a baby. Her husband convinces her to use magic. They perform an elaborate ritual conception ceremony, including snakes and blood. Cordelia’s eyes turn completely black. It’s really scary and weird. I just don’t see how anything good can come of that. Something has got to be wrong with a baby conceived under those circumstances.

The episode set in place a rivalry between Fiona and Marie Laveau that will unfold over the season. The cast of American Horror Story consistently delivers, and I’m interested to see the what kind of relationships will develop among the characters.  Coven definitely isn’t done shocking us yet.

30 Days Without an Accident: Walking Dead Premiere

Maryann Sleasman has a similar style on most of her articles on certain TV shows that she reviews about. When reading her articles, you tend to realize she's overly emotional about the characters which soon becomes annoying and obnoxious. What I like about her style, is that she's straightforward with her writing, and it's easy to understand her. Sometime she sounds like either an overly attached girlfriend or a child. The reason why I'm imitating her style, is because I feel it would be fun to copy and see how annoying I can get with this. One thing to notice is that, at the end of each review she has her own notes, but then I checked out other critiques and I realized it's the websites layout to add notes. So it isn't her writing style to add notes at the end, but I did try to copy how she wrote her notes into my review.

Walking Dead: Season Premiere: 30 days without an accident.

Finally, after a long year of waiting it's back and better than ever. The last season left us with questions about where the governor disappeared of to? What will happen to Daryl after he killed his brother? And what will happen to the rest of the community that has been in the hands of the governor for a whole season?

The season premier is a shocker with Rick having a heart. What??? Rick is now soft as ever helping people and being less of an ass than he was the last season. And Oh My God Michonne started smiling and finding comics for Carl. Looks like this community of theirs made people have a change of heart. Hershel is still the same as ever giving Rick wise wordings from his book of lives, and apparently out of the blue Hershel found a leg to walk with, he's no longer on crunches. Damn I didn't know they had that many resources in a world that seems lacking in assets.

Putting aside the change in the characters' personalities, “30 days without an accident” added new characters, with a new emphasis on Bob Stookey, a glimpse of him was shown in season 3, and now they are showing his alcoholic problem. Just shows you that this alcohol drama will come up later on in the episodes. Of course more annoying kids, and Carl being a little boy diva as always acting all mature. Beth turned into a cold teenager. Who can blame her, after all the deaths she's seen, crying doesn't seem to cut it out anymore. Just to make the season premiere of this show more of a hit, someone had to die. It turns out to be Beth's lover, and at the end you see Beth being on tough cookie and trying not to cry over him.

On the flip note they are finally starting to emphasize that anyone could turn into a walker without being bitten, because everyone is infected. At the end of the episode the new kid with glasses starts getting very sick. It's true that we still don't know if he just got sick, or whether he was bitten, hopefully it will be reveled in the next episode. But the main thing is at the end he rushes to get some water all over his body. So probably a high fever. Then he falls and dies and turns into a walker. So it's a virus spending, that would just mean that he died by getting sick and turned because he is already infected. So is everyone else!!!!! Which brings me back to the first season, when they were all at the scientists lab, the scientist said that everyone is already infected, so if you die without getting bitten, you still turn. During season 2 and 3 they never emphasized this part, it was just a bunch of drama and chatters.

Time to see how this season will turn out. From complaints about how boring the last two seasons were, everyone seems hyped about the opening of this season. But so were the openings of the other two seasons, everyone seemed hyped about it and it turned into well a disappointment. So stick for the ride and more walkers people!!!!! 

Parks and Recreation "Doppelgangers" review (Matt Fowler Style)

Parks and Recreation "Doppelgangers" episode review

In an unbelievable (even to herself) and all too honorable move by Leslie Knope, Pawnee has absorbed and is helping pay the debt of neighboring Eagleton.  While Eagletonians are as you know “the worst kind of people”, Leslie kept true to her values of helping anyone in need.  This season of 

 Parks is promising to keep the same quick wit and style that it has these past five seasons. Keeping a show lovable after so many years seems all too easy for the writers of Parks and Recreation, little can be said for the rest of NBC’s current lineup.

With Pawnee and Eagleton’s new merger the two departments are being put together and it is up to Leslie to decide who stays and who goes.  Right off the bat the show gets in some great jokes with Jerry’s return to the office as a temp immediately resulting in the gang changing his name to Larry.  We also get to see the dream team Ben and Chris back together helping with the Eagletonian budget and debt.

The parks department soon meets their doppelgangers of Eagleton employees with some incredible moments.  April showing off her character/impersonation skills and Ron meeting his other played by Sam Elliot (also named Ron) being the most powerful moment in televised mustache history since Magnum PI.

In big Anne news she finally breaks it to Leslie that she is thinking about moving with Chris to raise their future child.  She immediately follows these words by (in what is sure to be a GIF by tomorrow) shoving pie and ice cream in her face as a distraction.  Leslie spends the rest of the episode trying to cope with this news the occasional quirky outburst spurred by others thinking of leaving. 

Almost all of the Eagleton staff decides or is chosen to get cut and the team is safe.  Chris talks with Ben about the plans to move with Anne and is fully supported by his friend.  The show closes with Leslie and Anne finally coming together to get a chance to talk more about Anne’s departure.  Leslie has always been overpowered by her emotions and desires and didn’t handle the original news so well.  Will she be able to come to the same feelings of acceptance, we shall see next week.  It was yet another exemplary demonstration of what a quality sitcom can and should be.

Matt Fowler - Critic

Parks and Recreation: "London" Review by Matt Fowler

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/09/27/parks-and-recreation-london-review

I wanted to review a show a currently am following and though this is more of a recap than a criticism it is full of the authors opinions and makes comparisons to other current shows.  The writer starts by talking about how good the show is and compares it against other “bad prime time television”.  He is not shy to speak his opinions on the quality of a program and gives some backing up to it. He is obviously actually a fan and follower of the show as it is littered with quotes and references to past seasons. He does explore some of the questions and developments of characters at the end of the piece in more detail than just a summation.  His style is short paragraphs following a character or seen.

Scandal Review

Scandal is back and it seems a bit more scandalous than ever. Last night, after another juicy episode of Grey's Anatomy (on its 10th season), ABC premiered its third season of the highly anticipated hit television show scandal. The ending of season two left us all hanging on the edge of our chairs begging for answers to the most intriguing questions while anticipating the wittiest answers. Writers of the show have a way of doing that to audience members. We were excitingly welcomed to season three by the publicized claims that the president was having an affair with Olivia Pope. Yes- yes- yes- the reveal has come.  Leave it to Shonda Rhimes to add the perfect twists in this upbeat series. The shows flow was well paced and Kerry Washington (Olivia Pope) does a great job keeping true up-beat flow of the show as she continues her take-charge, take-no-prisoners methods. But I must admit it’s crucial you pay attention to the bulky dialogue or you will get lost. I understand you have to squeeze a lot in but can we slow it down a td bit ABC? ... Just a suggestion.

                

           Aside from the spoilers and the delicious gossip (for those who are not caught up), I'm pretty sure we all were anticipating the infamous mistress Miss Pope and her latest fashion statements. The shows wardrobe team has done a great job keeping miss popes attire match the character perfectly. It has been a statement for miss "Pope" to wear all white, which usually symbolizes purity (ha-ha), which has definitely contributed to her character traits. I know we all love to see her revved up in the heels we all feel we need. Season three did not disappoint as far as fashion is concerned. Miss Pope looked professional but her outfits also let the public know why the president (Tony Goldwyn) has his eye on the sophisticated diva with a soft side.

Thus far the premiere episode did not disappoint and I am excited to see what else the show has to offer. I do fear however that writers may add too much twist in the show which may overwhelm us but I guess the only way to find out is to tune in and I’m willing to continue to give it a chance.

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I decided to write my blog about the hit show Scandal and my writing style will be inspired by Maureen Ryan of the Huffington post. I chose Ms. Ryan because I enjoyed her writing style and topics she wrote about. Her reviews are a reflection of her personal opinion as well as thought that many audience members may share. I also enjoyed her comparison of shows, word choice and side comments as she critiqued and analyzed a show. Bellow are some examples of her work...


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/maureen-ryan/jon-hamm-daniel-radcliffe-young-doctors-notebook_b_4031760.html?utm_hp_ref=maureen-ryan

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/maureen-ryan/scandal-abc_b_1406637.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/07/jessica-lange-american-horror-story_n_4058486.html?utm_hp_ref=maureen-ryan

‘American Horror Story Coven’ review: Witches worth Watching’

Photo Courtesy of Google.com

THE SHOW: “American Horror Story: Coven” 

WHEN | WHERE: Wednesday at 10pm on FX

WHAT IT’S ABOUT: The third season of "AHS" is making it's comeback with the Coven. Marie Delphine LaLaurie (Kathy Bates) was a "lady of her time" in New Orleans. She just so happened to be a serial killer who tortured and killed her African American slaves. Marie Laveau (Angela Basset) was considered the city’s most famous master of voodoo during the same time period. Both characters are historically accurate, dating back to the late 1700's. It's unknown if they ever did cross paths in reality -- but for this story they do. American Horror Story focuses on a “coven” of witches in modern time, who just so happen to live in the same spooky city.

THE PLOT: Zoe Benson (Taissa Farmiga) is forced to Miss Robichaux’s Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies because of incidents that exposed her powers. This witch boarding school is located in New Orleans and houses five teenage girls with special powers: Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe), Madison Montgomery (Emma Roberts) and Nan (Jamie Brewer). All of these women have unique powers that give them clear advantage over a normal human-being.

Despite the school’s small class size, there are several big secrets that they keep hidden behind closed doors. Currently the school is ran by a middle-aged witch, Coredlia Foxx (Sarah Paulson), but it seems as if her mother Fiona Goode (Jessica Lange) may end up changing that.

MY SAY: The big question is how does Miss Robichaux’s Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies relate to LaLaurie and Laveau? 

With a proven cast as well as two exceptional creators (Ryan Murphy and co-creator Brad Falchuk), it’s hard to expect anything shy of a “magical” season. A-listers Lange, Bates and Basset have already appeared in the premiere episode and that is not the only big names we will see. Others we can expect to appear throughout the season include Patti Lupone, Frances Conroy and Christine Ebersole. It is amazing that all this talent is brought together for just one season (13 episodes). 

Will it match up against season one and two? I’m not sure as of yet. Regardless, I am excited to see what is in store for season three. 

BOTTOM LINE: If you’re into witches, creepy plot lines and continual twists, this series is worth a shot!

GRADE: B+