Dispatches from the Island - Jorge Garcia cracks me up

Thanks to the good folks at Sussing Out Lost, I just discovered that Jorge Garcia, who plays Hurley on LOST, has his very own blog, Dispatches from the Island. I have only read five posts and have already realized that it is 1. hilarious and 2. awesome. I mean, look at this post, and then tell me that you don't want to keep reading:

Friday, February 6, 2009

I feel so disturbed

A wild pig showed up on set yesterday. And we noticed he had a wounded front leg. Now law of the jungle tells me that this pig is doomed. How will he be able to compete with the other wild pigs in the search for food? So when I finished work and was about to get into the van I tossed the pig the rest of my sandwich.

As the sandwich left my hand I realized, "Wait a minute! THERE'S HAM IN THAT SANDWICH!"

Turning back to the pig I saw no signs of the sandwich. This pig had no idea that I had just turned him into a cannibal. He was just hungry.

I will never be the same again.

Neither will he.

Posted by Jorge Garcia at 9:41 AM 69 comments

Still lovin' Fringe, even with the giant slimy spiky slugs

I just watched episode 11 of Fringe, and I am still really loving this show. The night before I watched it my best friend told me that it had reminded her of "one of the grosser episodes of The
X-Files", so I knew I would like it, and I totally did!

On a random note though, that professor who was on that got sick in front of the lecture hall and died? Does anyone else in the world think of him as Cass from Another World? Because I totally think about that EVERY TIME I see him.

"They supersized the common cold, which, as it turns out, is disgusting.". My favorite quote this episode. I like a show that can gross me out AND make me laugh.

You once were lost, but now you're found... well, you're still LOST.

Oh my God, Lost, how I have freaking MISSED you! I FINALLY got to watch the first two hours of the season after getting home from vacation on Friday.

I love the blatant supernatural-ness of "think of time as a record, and that record is skipping". That either the island is moving or they are. RIGHT back into it with the awesomeness of that which is Lost...

The first episode was so well done, I feel like the mystery is back. How can this show be so good??

Hugo telling his Mom what REALLY happened during the 2nd hour? He DOES sound crazy. Actually, he sounded exactly like what I sounded like when I tried to explain to my Dad what this show was about once.

And of course, then come the questions... Why is the island stuck in a loop? When did the loop start? Do they ever jump back to before the hatch, or is it contained? Like, would they ever go back to dinosaur times?

I can't wait to see what happens next. For more awesome thoughts and questions, here are some great posts/websites:

The Chronicles of a SAHM
Sussing Out Lost
Long Live Locke

Mid-season Reviews: New Shows

For the second day of my mid-season reviews, I thought I'd write about some of the new shows that came out this season. These are the ones I've watched regularly.

Fringe - This is my favorite new show this season. As a former avid watcher of The X-Files, I was interested in this show as soon as I heard about it. I am a HUGE J.J. Abrams fan, so as soon as I heard a new show was coming that he'd helped develop, I was on the bandwagon. Much like I'm REALLY looking forward to Dollhouse, which premiers early next year and is spearheaded by Joss Whedon, one of my other favorites. The show focuses on FBI Agent Olivia Dunham. After things go awry with her current partner (and lover), she is moved to a special FBI unit that focuses on what they call "The Pattern", a series of unexplained and crazy events happening around the country (and world). She teams up with Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson) because of his relationship with his brilliant (and crazy) scientist father, Walter Bishop (portrayed absolutely brilliantly by John Noble), who uses his memory of scientific tests and experiments he did years ago before he was institutionalized for a long period. If it sounds crazy, it is, but it WORKS. There's a great chemistry between Jackson and Noble, and that familiar partner-friend-more tension is there between Dunham and the younger Bishop. It's only fault is that the back story is a bit involved, because there's an ongoing mythology having to do with a company Prometheus Corp., a cutting-edge research facility that seems to have been carrying on questionable scientific research. I think if they can cut back a little on that involvement, or make it more accessible to the viewers who haven't watched the entire season, it will be practically perfect. The episodes do stand on their own, the 'mystery of the week' works without that back story. Everyone should start watching now, because this is exactly the kind of show I fall in love with only to have it cancelled after the first season.

Apparitions - We've been watching a few more British shows this year (watch sometime in the future for a post on those), but this is my favorite. Apparitions centers around a priest living in London who has a relationship with the head Exorcist from the Vatican. I was wary when my husband first brought this show up, I'm really freaked out by exorcism in general. However, because it's a British show it's a little different. A little bit calmer, not as much SCARE factor and more thinking about what it means, and what the series of events happening means. It's a really interesting show, and the story brought me in right away with a series of demons and events that couldn't be explained. If you enjoy a little variety in the type of show you watch, it would definitely be one worth checking out.

Kath & Kim - Since I'm into the other shows on NBC on Thursday nights (30 Rock, My Name is Earl, The Office), I decided to give Kath & Kim a try. It stars Selma Blair and Molly Shannon as a mother and daughter. Selma Blair looks young, but in actuality is only eight years younger than Shannon. It seems to work okay as long as you don't think about it too much. The show is an adaptation from a popular Australian show of the same name (I'd love to hear a comparison if anyone has seen the original). The show is... well, it's just okay. I don't hate it. I don't love it. I'll watch it if I don't feel like watching one of my hour long shows, or if I want to watch something that I don't have to pay as much attention to. I don't think it will last much more than a season here unless they do something to step it up.

Worst Week- I watched a couple of episodes of this show, centering around a young couple with an unexpected pregnancy. Another one that was based on a British show being turned into a US adaptation. Somehow, I found the first episode hilariously funny. I can see how some people would have been uncomfortable - horrible things kept happening to the main character, much in the vein of the things that kept happening to Ben Stiller in Meet the Parents. Unfortunately by the time the second episode roller around I just wasn't as entertained. With all the other shows I have on my plate, it just wasn't good enough to grab my attention and make me want to watch, and I didn't.

Eleventh Hour - I was unsure about Eleventh Hour at first, but I decided to give it a chance because I quite enjoy Jerry Bruckheimer's brain seeds. This show focuses on Dr. Jacob Hood (Rufus Sewell), who plays a special science advisor to the U.S. Government, and his bodyguard/investigative partner, Rachel Young. They travel around the country to places where illnesses and crime scenes involve some sort of scientific background. It's a little bit similar to Numbers - an intellectual works with a major security agency to solve crimes. As I watched more and more episodes, I got drawn in more and more. Sewell is great as the main character, and despite my fears after the first episode, the scientific explanations are not tedious or boring. For fans of other Bruckheimer shows (CSI etc.) or of Numbers, I'd definitely recommend this one! It has just been greenlighted for 5 more episodes too, so I'm happy about that!

The Mentalist - Patrick Jane is a recovering psychic. Okay, so he's a guy who used to make a living as a psychic on TV, sort of John Edward style, while assisting the police on cases. His life changed forever when his wife and young child were killed by Red John, one of the serial killers he was helping the police track. Simon Baker plays Jane perfectly. He's a quirky, funny man. He uses his amazing skills of observation to help solve cases for the California Bureau of Invesitgation, and his unconventional methods can sometimes get him in trouble, but always end up solving the cases. There's a simple backstory of his desire to find the man who killed his family. It's not made the focal point of the show, but is just there enough to give some depth to his character. It's got a little of the humor and trickiness of Psych and some of the profiling of Criminal Minds and some goodness of it's own, and we thoroughly enjoy it in this house!

True Blood - Well, True Blood has been a big hit this season. Based on the Sookie Stackhouse Vampire novels by Charlaine Harris, the show premiered on Showtime several months ago. I have read three of the books in the series, so I was excited to see what they'd do with it. From the moment I heard about the casting though, I was NOT convinced about Anna Paquin. And I'm still not. I do have a confession to make - I've only watched a couple of episodes. I have a whole bunch of them recorded on my computer, and just haven't gotten around to watching them (that's what Christmas break is for!), so I'll post another update when I've actually gotten caught up on it. I'm still unsure about the show, but I am interested enough in the genre and the adaptation that I'll watch the rest of the season before deciding for sure what I really think!

Come back tomorrow for my thoughts on some old favorites.

What I'll Be Watching aka I LOVE previews!

I new that there would be AWESOME previews on the new James Bond movie, and I got some good ones at City of Ember & Twilight as well.  Here are the ones that I was most excited about...

Seven Pounds starring Will Smith.  I have seen several previews for this one, and it is intriguing to me.  It looks like it's going to be somewhat heartwrenching, but the best part for me is the mystery - what did he do?  What is his purpose?

Star Trek!  At Quantum of Solace I saw my first full length preview for the new Star Trek coming out next summer directed by JJ Abrams.  I am so excited about this one!  Also, how come I didn't know that John Cho was in this?  I really like him!  It looks great, and I absolutely love JJ Abrams, so I'm really looking forward to seeing this one.

Valkyrie So I'm not a huge Tom Cruise fan at this point.  I kind 

of think he's crazy.  But, when it comes to movies there are few 

actors who I am so turned against that I won't see something if it looks good.  This movie looks amazing to me.  I've always been very interested in WW2 (although I've seen previews for 'The Boy in the Striped Pajamas' and hell to the no, I am NOT seeing that), perhaps it is messed up, but Nazi shit intrigues me.  In any case, this movie looks really good, and I can't wait to see it.

Watchmen I'm a huge fan of the comic book movie genre.  The only one I've seen that I really haven't liked was Sin City, but Frank Miller made up for it with 300.  I see the movies because I usually enjoy them, but also because it's one of the genres (like vampire/werewolf movies) that I want to support so it can continue.  This is also touted as the most popular comic ever, and though I haven't read it yet, I plan to borrow from my friend before the movie comes out so I can compare.  

Coraline I read this book by Neil Gaiman when it came out, and it's a great story.  It's an intermediate level book, and the story is about a girl who finds a way into a reality similar to her own, but 

where things are sort of... off.  I saw this preview on City of Ember, and was really excited.  I think it'll make a great movie, plus I love Dakota Fanning and Ian McShane is pretty great too.  The style of the movie caught my eye as well - it looks Tim Burton-esque.

2012  I saw a teaser trailer for this one at Quantum of Solace. 

 HOLY CRAP!  I may not have discussed this before, but I have a... THING with disaster movies.  As in I LOVE them.  As in I will watch one no matter how bad (Nuclear Twister on cable starring Mark Paul Gosselar?  Seen it.).  As in The Day After Tomorrow is one of my favorite movies, and I've seen it multiple times.  As in, I watched 10.5 and Category 7: The End of the World when they were on TV.  It's like a sickness.  So, WHY did I not know that this movie was coming out?  Not only that it exists, but stars some of my favorite actors ever, like John Cusack and Chiwetel Ejiofor?  It doesn't come out until next July, but I am going to be waiting and can't wait to see a full preview for it when they come out!

I'm also looking forward to The Day the Earth Stood Still, Yes Man and Bedtime Stories, which are all coming out next month.

Grey's Anatomy: Where my missed shows come back alive

What's up with Grey's Anatomy?  First, they bring in Kevin McKidd from Journeyman, who is henceforth referred to as McJourneyman.  I like him on that show, and was sad it was cancelled, but bearded, hardcore McJourneyman... well, he's hot.  Then this week, first Melissa George (Alias) then Mary McDonnell (Battlestar Gallactica) come up both in one episode!  It's like my favorite shows that aren't on right now are coming alive before me.  Ha.  So far though, I sort of hate Melissa George's character.  But I thought Mary McDonnell did a wonderful job, although I find it hard to believe that they would all meet her and just think she was weird, and not consider that she might have Asperger's or something.

Here's the thing.  I love Grey's, it's one of my favorite shows.  But I don't think I like this weird Izzy seeing Denny's ghost storyline.  I LOVED Denny, don't get me wrong.  I swoon a little for Jeffrey Dean Morgan.  But I just am not sure that it fits in that well with the show, and I just don't like it.  It's one thing to dream about people, it's another to actually have a ghost.  Is he real?  Is he a hallucination?  Is Izzy having a NERVOUS BREAKDOWN?  Sigh...  I don't know if it's because of me or the show, but I haven't been as moved this season.  I used to cry during every episode, now it's more like every other episode.  

Good ending this week, loved Christina yelling at the interns, loved the scene in the bar with the Sloane/Lexi thing and the Christina/McJourneyman thing - HAWT!  But then, Izzy and Denny - WTF?  Like, seriously, is she mental?  I so wanted Alex to walk in to see what he would see when she was kissing him.  

What do you think of the ghost/hallucination?

Discover Something New: Fringe, Supernatural & Private Practice

There are some things that you should be watching right now, especially if you're missing some of your old favorites.  I'll have more in the future, but for now here are a couple of recommendations!

If you liked The X-Files, you should be watching Fringe and Supernatural.  

I described Fringe to my husband the other day as a mixture between Alias, The X-Files and Dawson's Creek.  Okay, okay, it really has nothing to do with Dawson's creek except that it has Joshua Jackson, who will forever be affectionately referred to by me as Pacey.  It's a great show, with seperate storylines that you can enjoy as well as an ongoing mythology that as of yet is not too tough to catch up on.  Also a safe bet for fans of Alias.

Supernatural is absolutely one of my favorites on TV right now.  It's got several people who worked on The X-Files working on it, and like the X-Files manages to put out great montser of the week epsidoes while carrying a really interesting, origingal backstory that continues to progress and twist.  Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles have great chemistry as brothers, and are just all around fun to watch.  

If you liked Gilmore Girls,  you should be watching Private Practice.

Okay, okay, I know that they're not really even in the same genre.  But one thing they do have in common is that these shows are PURE girlyness.  It takes place in a medical clinic that includes a pediatrician, and internal medicine doctor, fertility doctors, a new age doctor, and a therapist.  The relationships are complex, and draw you in.  Despite the fact that they're co-workers, they're a family and it's all about the talking and the secrets and the story.  Give it a try!    

New Shows - My Take So Far

So, we're not far into the TV Season, but I've started watching a few new shows.  Here is my take on them so far...

Eleventh Hour:  New crime show by Jerry Bruckheimer about a guy who travels around saving people from "the worst abuses of science", whatever that means.  It's based on a British show, so I guess we'll see what Jerry Bruckheimer does with a convert.  Aside from The Office I am not recalling any recent shows that have been based on British shows that have been very good.  I find Rufus Sewell a little bit creepy.  Especially when he explains cloning by using grapes, then he eats one of them.  I don't like either of the main characters that much at this point, but maybe I'll get used to them.  I'm afraid that after the first episode, I'm a little bit worried about the scientific parts simply seeming ridiculous and unfeasable.  I'm afraid that Rufus Sewell's character might take on a Matlock-esque quality of explaining things to people and somehow making them see some kind of light, like Matlock getting everyone to confess on the stand.  I'll give it a couple more episodes, but I'm definitely undecided on this one.  

Fringe:  I love it.  I am a huge fan of JJ Abrams, so I expected to really like this show.  It's quite X-Files-ish, which of course is a plus to me.  I also admit here and now that I love Joshua Jackson.  Despite the fact that I know it's not his name, I always call him Pacey.  I am not sure why I like him so much, but I definitely like him in this show.  In any case, I'm definitely going to keep watching.  I was surprised that after only a few episodes I was drawn in to the whole conspiracy - the events, the corporation, all of it.  How does Abrams do it?  With Alias, and Lost, and now this.  I just hope that FOX doesn't fuck up and cancel it before it has a chance like so many other shows I've liked.  This one is my favorite new show!  

The Mentalist:  The Mentalist is a little bit like Psych.  Only without the hilarity.  And with more smarm.  And the guy doesn't pretend to be psychic, he used to pretend to be psychic and now he just uses tricks and hypnotizes people into giving the police information.  I like the story so far, but I'm not a HUGE fan of the main actor - Simon Baker.  I'm not sure if it's him, or if it's the character but I find his brand of 'charm' a little annoying.  It could go either way at this point, I'm not convinced it will last.  Psych has it's crack-you-up funniness, Medium has the down-homeness of Alison and her family, Ghost Whisperer has... uh, Ghosts.  I'm not sure that this show has enough of a unique angle to last.

True Blood:  I've only watched a couple of episodes so far.  One of the problems is that I went into it already thinking that I did NOT think that Anna Paquin was right for the Sookie character.  I still don't think so, and I am not sure I ever will.  Other than that it's okay so far.  I will have more to say about it when I watch a few more episodes (I'm behind...), I'm wondering if it has the staying power to last more than one season.  

Worst Week:  I've only watched one episode so far, and I laughed out loud several times.  I hope that it continues to be funny, and that it isn't just going to get really OLD after a couple of episodes.  

What is your favorite new show this year?