Tag Archives: recaps and reactions

The 2013 Oscars: Winner and Losers

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It may have been long. It may have been riddled with bad jokes and too many musical numbers. But when the right people win (which was almost completely the case last night), it’s hard to see the Oscars as anything but a fun night at the movies. So here they are, the winners and losers in my eyes from what was a memorable 2013 Oscars.

Winners: Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner

d47aff52da9036985f6987111ab70e20ec7d7266 Ben Jen US Magazine

Source: Us Weekly

Not only did they both look great, they proved once again to be the sweetest, most normal couple at the Oscars when Ben talked in his acceptance speech about how marriage is work but, “…it’s the best work. There’s no one else I’d rather work with.” Real, lasting marriages take hard work, but the key is to find someone you love working with—and I’m so happy two of my favorite people in Hollywood found that in each other.

Losers: Seth McFarlane’s attempts to be edgy
With jokes about 9-year-old nominees dating George Clooney, Rihanna and Chris Brown, and actresses looking great after getting the “flu” (a not-so-subtle reference to bulimia), there were more than a few spots where McFarlane didn’t just fall flat; he crossed the line. And I kept feeling uncomfortable when he would call out the crowd for not laughing or for reacting poorly to his jokes. It just wasn’t my style of humor, but I suppose we sadly can’t have Amy Poehler and Tina Fey host everything.

Winners: Dancers
Channing Tatum and Charlize Theron looked gorgeous during their old-Hollywood-style routine, as did Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Daniel Radcliffe. If there’s one thing McFarlane and the producers did right, it was bringing back some panache to the show in the classiest way possible: good-old-fashioned dance numbers.

Loser: Catherine Zeta-Jones
Her performance of “All That Jazz” was just painful. If you’re going to lip-synch, at least have the decency to match up your mouth with the music.

Winner: Jennifer Hudson
Now that is how you relive your Oscar glory, Ms. Zeta-Jones.

Losers: James Bond fans
Was anybody else severely underwhelmed by the Bond tribute, or was that just me? Halle Berry was the best you could do, producers? Did none of the past (or present) Bonds want to come to the Oscars?

Winners: Musical Theater Nerds
Seeing the cast of Les Misérables all on stage at once, belting their hearts out to “One Day More” was enough to give me chills and keep me rewatching multiple times. Kudos to Samantha Barks, Eddie Redmayne, Aaron Tveit, and, of course, Hugh Jackman for standing out and making the Oscars feel for a brief moment like the Tony Awards—and I mean that as a compliment.

Losers: The men of America not named Hugh Jackman and Bradley Cooper
After Jennifer Lawrence’s unfortunate tumble on her way to accept her Best Actress Oscar, Jackman and Cooper immediately rushed to her aid, proving to all the women watching that chivalry isn’t dead and gentlemen do still exist. My expectations for the opposite sex may have just been raised more than a little bit.

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TV Time: Parks and Recreation 5.14/5.15

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Source: Glamour.com

Source: Glamour.com

Titles Leslie and Ben/Correspondents’ Lunch

Two-Sentence Summary In “Leslie and Ben,” the title characters get married after an evening that doesn’t exactly go according to plan. “Correspondents’ Lunch” features Ben and Leslie returning to work, with Ben beginning a new job as the head of a Sweetums-run charity and Leslie dealing with the fallout from her email being hacked by journalists.

Favorite Lines
Ben and Leslie: “In my time working for the state government, my job sent me to 46 cities in 11 years. I lived in villages with 8 people, farming communities, college towns…I was sent to every corner of Indiana. And then I came here and I realized that this whole time I was just wandering around everywhere…just looking for you.” (Ben’s vows to Leslie)

Correspondents’ Lunch: “I wish this office only had walls.” (Ron)

My Thoughts

yeah i loved it

I’m still having trouble formulating coherent thoughts about this week’s Parks and Rec event. I watched “Leslie and Ben” six times in 36 hours (a new personal record for TV episodes), and I still cry just as hard every time. I honestly believe that was a perfect 30 minutes of television—it made me laugh, it made me cry, and, more than anything, it made me feel good. If Parks and Rec would have ended forever after that episode like it was originally believed, I would have been devastated but ultimately satisfied; it was that good.

But thank the television gods it didn’t end, and “Correspondents’ Lunch” proved that there are still moments of laughter, kindness, and character development to be found even after such a brilliant high point like “Leslie and Ben.” While the episode wasn’t as good as the one that came before it, it still held is own. It featured Amy Poehler doing impressions, Retta being flawless, and a hopeful turn of events for Andy as a character—of course it was good. I may still not be crazy about the seemingly random “Ann’s baby-daddy search” storyline, but I have been missing her sharing scenes with Chris. So I liked their interactions in this episode. It was an episode worthy of its place, sharing a night with what I now think is one of the best sitcom episodes—and the best wedding episode—of all time.

There were a million little things to love about “Leslie and Ben”—the callbacks to previous episodes, the joyful feeling that permeated the whole thing (but was kept from being too saccharine by Councilman Jamm’s antics), the acting by each member of this incredible ensemble, RON F—–G SWANSON…I could write a recap to rival Leslie’s first draft of her vows in its length if I wanted to list everything that made me happy about this episode.

Ultimately, the thing I loved most about “Leslie and Ben” was that it was an episode about love—the love between a man and a woman and between the two of them and the friends who have become their family. And it was about the love between a show and the audience that has come to adore it over five beautiful seasons.

I’ve said it so many times, but it bears repeating: There is nothing that makes me happier than watching an episode of Parks and Rec where the characters join together to help one of their own. So it should go without saying that I was incredibly moved by the fact that every character had their place in this wedding; even Jerry played a part and played it well. As Leslie is so fond of saying, “No one achieves anything alone.” That’s such an important theme when it comes to this show, and it came to its most beautiful realization here.

Another important theme that makes Parks and Rec such a groundbreaking show is feminists can love and be loved, too—without ever having to sacrifice their feminist streaks. This wedding was so incredible to me because it was a celebration of the fact that strong, independent, ambitious Leslie Knope never had to give up any of those traits in order to find her perfect man. Instead, she found a man who finds the very idea of her submitting to him in any way—including taking his last name—so ridiculous that he jokes about it. She found a man who believes his entire career with the state government was just wandering in the wilderness until he met her. She found a man who sacrificed so much in order for her to achieve her dreams and did it for no other reason than the fact that he loves her more than he’s ever loved any job. And Leslie doesn’t just take advantage of Ben’s support; she does the same for him.

For all of us romantic feminists out there, Leslie and Ben are a sign of hope that it can happen—there are men out there waiting to help us, support us, surprise us, and make us happy.

Instead of continuing to wax poetic about every minute detail that I loved about “Leslie and Ben,” I’m just going to make a list of my favorite things:

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TV Time: New Girl 2.17

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Title Parking Spot

Two-Sentence Summary An all-out war over a coveted parking spot highlights the new tension between Nick and Jess in a way that not even Schmidt can deny. Meanwhile, Winston goes on a desperate search for a condom before he can enjoy some quality time with Daisy.

Favorite Line “You dropped your fish sticks.” (Nick)

Episode M.V.P.: Jess. While the entire cast—including Cece—was stellar in this episode, Jess stood out to me because she had to go through such a wide spectrum of emotions. Zooey Deschanel was able to effortlessly transition from silly (taking pictures of the cats on her car) and strange (the weird-off with Nick) to heartbroken (her belief that Nick regretted the kiss) and falling awkwardly but realistically in love. The moment just after Nick told her that the “no-nail oath” was created because he wanted her from the start was breathtaking. Deschanel faces Jake Johnson with a look of total, lovestruck shock, like it’s dawning on Jess as it’s dawning on the audience that Nick has been falling in love with her from the very start. You can see her struggle to breathe as the tears form behind her eyes, and it’s a moment of real, human beauty in the midst of such a hilarious episode. I also have to say that I’ve never liked Jess more than when I got to see her indignation at the very idea of the no-nail oath. She is a strong woman, but her strength is relatable and imperfect. And I love her all the more for it.

Favorite Moment: The entire montage of Nick, Jess, and Schmidt racing to get to the parking space was one of the funniest things I’ve seen on TV in a long time. Every detail was perfect: Nick negotiating with the kids to fold the cardboard and push his car; Jess’s awkward standoff with the old man; Schmidt hitting Nick with his car; and Jess pushing Schmidt’s car with hers. The comedy in this sequence was just pure, silly fun, and that’s sometimes all you need from a TV show—a good dose of laughing until you cry.

A New Girl GIF* for my New Girl Feelings: 

jess dance

Another week, another happy dance. New Girl just keeps getting better and better. The laughs are coming fast and furious, every storyline is working, and the chemistry between all of the actors in the cast has never been more perfect. The writers used Nick and Jess’s kiss as a realistic starting point for an entirely new branch of storytelling, and I love what they’re doing with the situation so far. It’s organic to the characters and the show as a whole, and it’s not getting in the way of the comedy. In fact, it’s making the show funnier—but also more emotionally charged—than ever before.

*I have no talent for GIF-making. Thankfully, I am highly skilled at searching Tumblr for the best GIFs. I take no credit for this beauty. 

TV Time: Castle 5.15

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Before I get to my recap, I have to wish a very happy birthday to Leah, a great writer, great friend, and the Kevin Ryan to my Kate Beckett.

Title Target

Two-Sentence Summary The murder of a Columbia student leads the team at the 12th precinct to the kidnapping of the daughter of a high-ranking member of the old Egyptian regime. When Castle discovers that Alexis was also kidnapped, he proves that a father will do anything to protect his child.

Favorite Lines
Beckett: I didn’t think you had that side to you.
Castle: When it comes to the people I love, I do.

My Thoughts WOW. I’m not sure there are words to describe “Target” beyond that. Everything about it was exceptional: the characterization, the music, the plotting, the twist, and the ACTING. I’m the kind of person who gravitates towards performances more than I do towards any other aspect of visual media. So when an episode of a TV show features the finest acting by its very talented cast to date, it’s safe to say that the episode is going to be one of my favorites.

I felt the setup at the beginning of the episode went on just long enough to build the tension. While some parts were certainly a little heavy-handed (Castle talking about setting Alexis free), it all functioned as a kind of calm before the storm we all knew was coming, a brief period to get settled in before Castle found Alexis’s phone and the wild, emotionally turbulent ride began.

In an episode that depended on Molly Quinn more than she’s ever been depended on before, she truly shone. I loved that the writers kept Alexis in-character. She’s her father’s daughter—like Martha said—brave and smart and strong. She’s also been shown throughout the series to be incredibly resourceful, which served her well here. It would have been easy to turn her into a crying, frightened mess, but I loved that she was the strong one. She used her brains, and she used them to the best of her ability. Alexis has always been one of my favorite representations of young women on television, and this only added to my love for the character.

Speaking of the women in Castle’s life, let’s give another standing ovation to Susan Sullivan, shall we? This woman can take a few minutes of screen time and use them in a way that makes her performance unforgettable. I loved seeing her strength rise to the surface again. Martha has grown in such a natural, believable way along with her son over the course of these five seasons. In a time of total crisis, it’s Martha who becomes the glue holding her family together—and Sullivan nailed that mixture of hope and fierce determination with her trademark power and passion.

Castle’s family at the precinct was also a subtle but huge source of support in this episode. I loved the moment when he walked out of the meeting with the FBI agent and the rest of the team watched him go. You could see the sadness, pain, and resolve on all of their faces. Castle is a part of their family and has been for years. And these people protect their own. I never doubted once that they were ready to do anything in their power to save Alexis, who is part of their family, too.

Captain Gates was especially powerful in this episode. I got tears in my eyes for the first time in the episode (but certainly not the last) when she told Beckett to do whatever it takes to “find his little girl.” For all her gruff exterior when it comes to Castle, it’s clear that Gates sees him as part of their family, too. I also loved the way it became clear that Gates knows about Castle and Beckett’s relationship. Like “Probable Cause,” this episode didn’t make a comedic moment out of the reveal. Instead, it was a quiet but important moment of recognition when Gates saw them holding hands. I’m sure this will cause tension after all is said and done with Alexis, but I liked that it was handled in an understated way for now. There were more important things to deal with.

Like any strong Castle episode, “Target” got its strength from its leads. Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic both have never been better than they were here—and I say this is as someone who was blown away by their work in “Always.” I know it’s common fandom hyperbole to say that an actor deserves Emmy recognition after a particularly good episode, but I genuinely believe Fillion deserves at least a second look by the Emmy nomination committee for his work here. His vulnerability was something we’ve never seen from him before—not even from his best work on Firefly. And his darkness was something I’d missed from his days as Captain Mal. There’s something truly terrifying about watching those beautiful blue eyes go dark and cold—and it was absolutely necessary here.

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TV Time: Once Upon a Time 2.14

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First of all, I would like to wish a very Happy Birthday to one of my favorite fellow Nerdy Girls, the Ann to my Leslie, Heather! 

Title Manhattan

Two-Sentence Summary Rumplestiltskin finds his son, Emma finds Neal, and Henry finds his dad, while, back in Storybrooke, Regina, Cora, and Hook begin to search for Rumplestiltskin’s dagger—and a way to kill the Charming family without getting blood on Regina’s hands. In flashbacks to Fairytale Land, we discover how a meeting with a seer on the eve of battle turned Rumplestiltskin from a beloved husband to a coward.

Favorite Line “It’s a good thing we don’t have Thanksgiving in our land, because that dinner would suck.” (Charming, talking to Snow about Henry’s complicated family tree)

My Thoughts “Manhattan” was Once Upon a Time at its best. It had truly transcendent moments of acting, brilliant pacing, and a story that’s still haunting me in the best possible way today.

I’ll get this out of the way first: I didn’t care much about what the Storybrooke folk were doing in this episode. I found it incredibly unbelievable that Regina wouldn’t lock the door before using (highly unnecessary) magic to retrieve information from Belle’s purse. I also still don’t care about Greg the way I feel like I’m supposed to. There are so many more interesting things going on right now that are taking my attention away from his parts of the story. I’m sure this won’t always be the case, but right now his story seems kind of tacked-on to the plot in a superfluous way.

Ultimately, this episode wasn’t about Storybrooke. It was about three broken people and a little boy coming together in an apartment in Manhattan. Although the background looked fake at times (especially on the fire escape), there was nothing artificial about the performances each actor brought to this part of the episode. Their interactions crackled with an intensity and a depth not often seen on Once Upon a Time.

Robert Carlyle once again proved that he is the best actor in this talented cast with his work in this episode. Rumplestiltskin broke my heart in the flashback scenes. It was incredibly sad to see him as such an eager, brave young man about to go to war when we know it’s going to end badly.

Sometimes big plot reveals can fall a little short (see August’s box in this episode), but I was shocked in the best possible way by the circumstances surrounding Rumplestiltskin’s “cowardice” in the Ogre War. The seer was terrifying in a way straight out of Pan’s Labyrinth. And I’m still haunted by the questions she raised. Can we escape our fates? Are our lives predetermined, or can we choose? Even with free will, are we destined to go down a certain path?

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TV Time: Parks and Recreation 5.13

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Title Emergency Response

Two-Sentence Summary A surprise emergency preparedness drill leaves Leslie in lockdown at City Hall on the day she’s supposed to host a gala to raise the money needed to make Pawnee Commons a reality. With Leslie unable to run the show, Ben takes the reins—while Ron becomes a big hit on TV and Andy takes his police exam.

Favorite Line “Love fades. But things? Things are forever.” (Tom)

My Thoughts It’s hard for me to separate how I feel about last night’s episode as a whole from my whirlwind of emotions about the end of the episode and what’s coming next week. Every time I try to think about specific moments in “Emergency Response,” it’s like I can’t hear rational, analytical thoughts over the fangirl voice in my brain screaming, “BEN AND LESLIE ARE GETTING MARRIED NEXT WEEK!”

But because I am nothing if not a professional media analyst (Hey…caps lock is totally professional.), I’m going to try my best to sum up why “Emergency Response” was one of my favorite episodes of Season 5 so far—beyond the beautiful cliffhanger of an ending.

I’m one of those people who believes that Parks and Rec can never be too optimistic. I watch the show because it makes me happy, and the happier I feel while watching an episode, the more I’m going to like it. Nothing makes me happier on Parks and Rec than people coming together to do nice things for one another, so it goes without saying that this episode was one big bundle of joy for me.

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TV Time: Castle 5.14

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Title Reality Star Struck

Two-Sentence Summary Castle and Beckett prepare for their first Valentine’s Day as a couple while Ryan’s “family planning” begins to affect his work life, and Esposito rekindles an old flame. These holiday preparations are set against the backdrop of the murder of one of the stars of a catfight-filled reality TV franchise.

Favorite Line “You are beauty, passion, and fierce intellect. Be my valentine. —Rick” (Castle’s Valentine for Beckett)

My Thoughts Fun, flirty, fabulously romantic Castle—oh how I’ve missed you! Honestly, that was the most fun I’ve had watching Castle in a long time. The comedy was sharp and full of pop culture references, the twists came fast and furious, and the romance was subtle but still significant. In short, this was an example of what a comedic Castle episode can be when all of the pieces come together in the right way. This episode was like a great piece of chocolate—sweet but not too sugary and incredibly satisfying.

In fact, my only complaint about this episode was the use of Gina Torres. Of course each scene she was in was made 1000 times better just by her BAMF presence, so I simply wanted more of her. She is one of my favorite women on television and has been for years. (Anna Espinosa was always a favorite villain of mine.) Therefore, I kept waiting for her to show up again—and to share some screentime with Nathan Fillion. On Firefly, those two were a dream team, so it broke my heart that we didn’t really get much interaction between them, especially compared to Fillion’s gleeful reunion with Adam Baldwin in last season’s “Headhunters.”

Although I was left longing for more Anna Zoe Jessica Gina Torres, I honestly loved everything else in the episode. In fact, in honor of Valentine’s Day, I’m going to turn this recap into “14 Things I Loved About Reality Star Struck”:

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TV Time: Once Upon a Time 2.13

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Title Tiny

Two-Sentence Summary After Emma and Henry leave with Rumplestiltskin to find his son, a security screening at the airport leads to a most unwelcome change for one of Storybrooke’s most powerful residents. Meanwhile, Snow and Charming must stop Anton the giant from destroying the town in pursuit of revenge against Charming’s brother James, who (along with a woman named “Jack”) was responsible for the murder of Anton’s family.

Favorite Lines
Hook: You didn’t even ask about my recovery.
Snow: How are you feeling, Hook?
Hook: Come closer and feel for yourself.
Charming: You want to lose the other hand?

My Thoughts This was a fantastic way for Once Upon a Time to return from its mini-hiatus. “Tiny” incorporated all that’s good about the show into one hour of fast-paced television: feminist twists on classic fairytales, great acting, fun little character moments, big twists, and a heart worn firmly on its sleeve.

I loved the Fairytale Land flashbacks in this episode. I thought Anton was such a fantastic character, and Jorge Gracia was such an inspired casting choice. He really is a gentle giant, and he made me feel so much for this character I barely knew. I loved that his story was kind of a dark twist on Disney’s version of The Little Mermaid, with the endearing love for human culture ultimately coming back to haunt the protagonist.

Another great twist was the gender-switch involving the character of Jack. When she revealed her name, I actually jumped up and down on my couch—that’s how much I love seeing Once Upon a Time turn fairytales on their head and give them new life as female-centric stories. However, Jack’s fate ultimately made me despise James all the more. He was a truly horrible human being, but I have to admit that it was kind of awesome getting to see Josh Dallas really sink his teeth into playing such an arrogant jerk.

Back in Storybrooke, I enjoyed the way we were shown rather than told just how different David is from James. (Anybody else totally call David being his real name?) David is such a beautiful character, one who always strives to do the right thing, even when it’s the hardest choice. He’s a hero not because he can swordfight with a baby in his arms or slay a dragon; he’s a hero because he selflessly fights in whatever way he can for what is good and for the people he loves.

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TV Time: Parks and Recreation 5.12

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This week, the beautiful tropical fish Heather takes the reins and shares her thoughts on Parks and Rec! 

Title Ann’s Decision

Two-Sentence Summary When Ann decides she wants to be a mother and is willing to do it on her own, Leslie steps in to keep Ann from making a rash decision. Elsewhere in Pawnee, Ben picks a caterer for his and Leslie’s wedding and April channels her inner Leslie Knope at a public forum.

Favorite Line “Tragically, we are both heterosexual.” (Leslie, about her friendship with Ann)

My Thoughts The main focus of this week’s episode was on Ann’s decision to have a baby with herself and Leslie’s reaction to her decision. Leslie felt Ann was rushing into the decision, especially considering the quality of guys from whom she was considering getting sperm. If there is one thing that is undeniable about Parks and Rec, it is how much Leslie loves Ann and wants her to live a beautiful, happy life, and so Leslie makes it her mission to stop Ann from going through with what she sees as a big mistake.

Without the final scene between Leslie and Ann, I would have been disappointed by Leslie’s actions. I never doubted that Leslie wanted the best thing for Ann, I was just sad that she thought she should make that decision rather than Ann. I recognize that Leslie is always going to think her way is the best and often will go to ridiculous lengths to prove that, but I also know she is also capable of recognizing when she’s gone too far, especially when she’s hurt someone she loves, which is why I was grateful for that final scene. I’m glad Leslie was both willing to admit that the way she went about things was wrong and openly tell Ann that she should take a little more time with this. To me, that is what makes their friendship the best one on television. Ann recognized that Leslie had her best interests at heart, and Leslie recognized that it was okay if her friend chose something in life other than what she would have chosen. At the end of the day, they will always love and accept the other for who they are, and that’s what a good friendship is all about.

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TV Time: New Girl 2.16

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Because I’m apparently looking for more to do, I’m now adding New Girl to my weekly reviewing/recapping rotation. This will take a little different format from my usual TV posts, but I love the show so much that I can’t keep my feelings to myself anymore.

Title: Table 34

Two-Sentence Summary: Nick and Jess deal with the fallout from their kiss by trying to pretend it didn’t matter to either of them, but it matters to Sam enough for him to dump Jess. Meanwhile, Schmidt attempts to win Cece back at an Indian matchmaking convention.

Favorite Line: “You look like the fortune teller in Big.” (Winston, about Schmidt’s outfit for the matchmaking convention)

Episode M.V.P.: Schmidt. He was hilarious (“I will Calcutta bitch!”) but also genuinely sweet, which is my favorite way to see Schmidt. Max Greenfield is at his best when he’s able to show the soft heart underneath Schmidt’s false bravado, and he got to do that to great effect with his beautiful (but also perfectly awkward) speech about Cece. It didn’t surprise me at all that she left the Indian dating convention with the Jew in the turban. I would have done the same thing.

Favorite Moment: Though I will never get tired of Nick panic moonwalking, awkwardly dancing to Taylor Swift, or looking hotter than ever before going in to almost kiss hug Jess, my favorite moment had to be when Nick and Jess put together their indestructible table. That scene allowed Zooey Deschanel and Jake Johnson to play off each other so wonderfully, their banter crackling with sparks we’ve never seen this intensely before. And if you didn’t laugh while watching Nick attempt to break the table, then your sense of humor is broken. But the thing I enjoyed most about this scene was the surprisingly symbolic nature of it. Jess said to Cece that the reason she’d choose Sam over Nick is because Nick breaks things. But then we get to see him build something with Jess that even he can’t destroy. Nick often tries to break things he built—he sabotages his own happiness— but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t break what he built with Jess. As I said so eloquently (or not so eloquently) today on Tumblr: “New Girl just got deep y’all.”

A New Girl GIF* for my New Girl Feelings: 

dancing new girl nick

“Table 34” was the perfect followup to last week’s stellar “Cooler.” It was realistically awkward, it was hilarious, it was heartfelt, and it was fun. In short, this episode made me want to do my own happy dance (hopefully one that looks better than this).

*I have no talent for GIF-making. Thankfully, I am highly skilled at searching Tumblr for the best GIFs. I take no credit for this beauty.