dogdays2

I don’t understand why they do a Christmas/ holiday show that features holiday products and then treat us to the sharks complaining about the seasonal nature of the products. When I assume there are many people trying to get on Shark Tank, I also don’t understand why some people get more than one shot, especially when their products suck. It’s almost as if the producers put them on for some sort of sick humor.

I just received a gift of a shea butter product from Occitaine that mentions how this product from Burkina Faso supports women there. No question that additional products that help additional people would be beneficial, but the concept certainly isn't new.

The drama aside, I hated idea of switching models when it happened the first time (with Christian facilitating). To succeed in the real world, designers can't just design for people who look like them or who would look best in their clothes or only customers with model-like figures. On this show, (I thought) one of the points was that the designers have to dress the model they end up with, especially after PR started diversifying models. All would probably prefer the "Twiggy" models, but they realize that any given week, they might end up with someone with a different physique. IMHO, allowing contestants to change models because they think their clothes will look better on another model, whether it be because of size, race, ethnicity, gender or any other quality, is bogus. Christian not only permitting it -- but abetting it -- conveyed that changing models was ok. And if you let contestants do it for one reason, why shouldn't they be able to for any other reason? Allowing contestants to ask to change models also puts the contestant who is asked to switch in a terrible position. If he / she refuses, that contestant risks being ostracized. It's easy to say that either of the women asked to switch could have said "no," but would the drama really have ended there? I think not, and that's why no one should be put in that position. I agree with the person far above who said that models should either be assigned or chosen in an ordered fashion. After that, no changes. If you aren't willing or able to dress the model you get, leave the show.

I was so happy that the Lit lady told her backstory with cheer and a smile instead of the tears we’ve come to expect. IMO, that alone made her deserve a deal.

I don’t recall seeing the Barcelona couple actually living in the home they chose. Just wandering around the city and then sitting in some home. Usually, they show how the couple has fixed things up since moving in. I wondered that, once they both got jobs, they moved to something else. Or did I miss something?

It’s really sad that, at a time when we are holding up healthcare professionals as heroes because they are, this show chooses to portray them as uncaring, unethical, criminal, homicidal, petty, narcissistic, and just about every negative trait one can imagine. Not just as an isolated incident but the way that doctors and nurses generally conduct themselves. And, as someone said, morphine is very closely tracked and every HCP know it. But then again, probably not at Chicago Death.

Has there ever been an episode where no one got a deal? If so, I wonder if the sharks are told to be sure that never happens.

Here’s what I don’t understand: folks like the baby mat lady who quibble about giving up 15% vs. 20% of their company for a deal. They theoretically come on ST to become the next Scrub Daddy - turn their 5- or 6-figure company into a multi-million dollar Blockbuster. Ending up with 80% of $5 million is a heck of a lot better than 85% of $500,000. if you think you can do $5M on your own, there’s no reason to come on ST. Just do it on your own. Thus, I think some of these people are primarily there just for the publicity. Now I do get 10% Vs. 50%. And I have no issues with countering to get more. But in the end, giving up the potential huge upside for 5% seems short-sighted. Maybe I’m missing something. I welcome contrary views.

I know TV is suspension of reality but this is suspension of credulity. I was recently in an ER and I can tell you that the doctors and nurses don't have time to be making goo-goo eyes at each other. It's really unfortunate that they choose this time of COVID to make a mockery of clinical trials. There are all sorts of legal and ethical considerations when enrolling someone in a trial. There are independent entities as well as the government to review trials (and enrollments) to make sure they are done properly. Without that, people would lose confidence in the trials and the medicines (and vaccines) that come out of them. It's not a 10-second process with an elderly patient who may not be fully competent to make that decision. There must be a VERY careful explanation of the way the trial is conducted, the risk and benefits, etc. I realize this is TV and every timeline is shortened, but this is also a time when people need to have confidence in the process and this wouldn't reassure a gnat. Then this random person appears (never figured out if she was his wife or what) who starts giving different orders and slapping! a doctor. That's assault and is never acceptable, even if Halstead was in the wrong. I think we should start a drinking game (water or soft drinks, b/c o/w we'd have a lot of drunk folks). One drink every time: Halstead imposes his will such that he either kills or almost kills a patient April gives one of her petulant looks April makes a holier than thou speech Choi gets angry Natalie kills (or almost kills) a patient Natalie makes goo-goo eyes at someone We discover another wife or child of Dr. Charles Why is it impossible for one -- just ONE -- character on this show to have a stable home / personal life. I know it's a drama but seriously, doctors and nurses don't stand around the ER talking about their personal lives, being jealous of patients (what was up with THAT with Natalie?), or trying to hit on their colleagues. They're too busy trying to keep people dying from COVID and all the non-COVID maladies that are still killing people.

First, I’m tired of sob stories. Seems like the entrepreneurs realize crying is key. Fact is that most adults have experienced some sort of hardship, loss, etc. in their lives. While sad, most of us don’t break down in tears years later. Especially not in a situation where it’s not prompted. It’s as if they realize things aren’t going their way, so time to cry. Second, the Huggy thing — I can’t think of anything worse than being constrained while sleeping. As others have said, what if you need to get up up in the middle of the night? But maybe it’s great for somebody. There’s a lot of inconsistency with the sharks on whether something is a product or business. Seems like an easy excuse for something in which they don’t want to invest.

I think Kleinfeld's charges a flat fee for alterations -- maybe $700? I know wedding dress alterations are very complicated due to need to keep the pattern and look when shortening, taking in, etc. But, if you're lucky enough not to need a lot of work done, it can be a huge, unnecessary expense. And it's almost pure profit for the store (any store) as they essentially are only paying for the seamstresses' time. The problem is that brides don't have a lot of alternatives. In the wrong hands, your dress could look like crap. -- it's not a DIY project. And while your hometown store can do the work, they don't have the same incentive to make you happy when you bought your dress elsewhere. The best approach is to do what the Irish castle bride TRIED to do -- keep in mind total cost (dress+alterations+veil+shoes+special undergarments+tax[which is considerable in NYC]). Bottom line is that (with very few exceptions such as the $299 dress), if you want to spend <$3500 all-in, Kleinfeld's probably isn't the right store for you, no matter how much you want a K dress.

The Pnina bride looked really good in her dress -- better than I would have expected, though I know I suspect with her great figure she could have found something a lot less expensive that still looked terrific on her. I also hated the hairpiece. It was like a giant claw on her head. I was hoping she'd take it off for the reception. The consultant with the too-white teeth -- need to wear sunglasses. Whitener is a good thing but, as with plastic surgery, a little goes a long way. This week, I was happy to see dresses that were not all Pnina, were not strapless, were not trashy . . . different designers, different styles (i.e., long sleeves) and reasonable price points. And brides that looked like most women from a size perspective (not size 2). That at least was a plus.

I loved the vintage dress -- and then realized why . . . it looked VERY much like my dress (which was not a Randy Fenoli). I was so happy to see a modern bride wear, and look great in, something that wasn't see-through, cut up to "there," showing way too much cleavage, strapless and plunging, backless . . . It was a lovely dress and she looked lovely in it. Also saved herself $$$$. As for plastic bride, when she said the budget was unlimited, I knew we'd get unlimited Pnina. Plastic meets plastic. I'm sure Kleinfeld does make more from Pnina b/c her dresses are exclusive to their store. The dress was trashy. Her fiancé was weird, her dad was weird. She was weird. If that relationship makes it to the actual ceremony, I'll be shocked. I thought the dress on the TN bride was ok but think she should have tried on more. This idea that you should try on 3 dresses and make your decision . . . for most women, this is the most important and most expensive dress they'll ever buy. It's ok to take some time to decide and try on enough (within reason) to be confident in your decision.

IF the Melendez thing was somehow related to #MeToo, here's what we've all learned: Don't deal with the issue. Don't report it. Don't sort out alternatives. No . . . what you should do is hope that one of the principals gets unexpectedly sick and dies -- really fast. Seriously??? Of course, they had two surgeons romantically involved with Melendez doing his surgery. Really? That creates its own ethical issues. Did the lady in the water Shaun live or die? I FF'ed because the story was so lame. You can see that two days later, I barely care. Just want to tidy up the loose end. Essentially, I hoped Leah had died when that thing fell on her and was crushed to see her not only alive but uninjured. I knew then she and Shaun were going to be back together and hated the thought of having to endure that story line. I knew that the guy with the legs trapped was going to die and just wished they'd get on with it and kill him off. I didn't care if lady trapped with Shaun died b/c she was merely a plot device. I kind of hoped the lady who owned the brewery would die just so that the plot ended because it was going nowhere (and it was forgotten in Part 2). I hoped the surgeon who'd had the hand surgery would never operate again so we wouldn't have to endure that plot any longer. Mostly, I just wanted the miserable episode to end, which I helped along with my FFing. It's a shame b/c, until this 2-parter, I thought the writing was generally strong and the acting more than decent. It's as if the writers didn't know where to go next so (as I once heard a TV writer describe it), they threw a bomb in the middle of the room. Unfortunately, the collateral damage may be the viewers/fans of the series.

Until now, I thought the most poorly written and acted medical show on TV was Chicago Med. This ep of TGD changed my view. it was unwatchable. I literally fast forwarded through it. Every single cliche in the book. I totally called the patient with the crushed legs saying he murdered his mom only to find out it wasn’t really murder and then having the doctor play the missing relative. Never seen that one before. And the only place in the entire city that seems to have any issues is the brewery And doctors have nothing better to do than sit with dying patients for hours on end. It’s like a 1970s bad made-for-TV movie. I kind of hoped all of the characters would die just to end the misery of the episode. The only one I rather wanted to live died. Had we skipped this finale, I would have continued to watch. Not now. Can’t take more of this garbage.

Whatever happened to Natalie’s son? And she NEVER seems to reminisce, reflect on or think about her dead husband. I don’t want to suggest she should obsess, but a random thought now and again would be normal. Oh, never mind.

Count me as one who found the whole thing somewhat uncomfortable. It reminded me of the "Moonie" mass weddings of decades ago. To be clear, I have no problem if the couples wanted to do it and managed to get a free dress and trip to NY and whatever out of it. I just didn't enjoy it. Here's what I didn't like . . . Having to select a dress in a few hours. Maybe it's b/c I spent a lot of time selecting mine (oh so long ago), but it all seemed rushed. The mass hair and makeup event. Brides know that it pays to do a preview of your hair and makeup with stylist who'll do it on your wedding day. There just wasn't time. I did think most of the brides looked okay but that whole part seemed awkward. Lack of family involvement. Yeah, the families held up signs, etc. but, for me, the best part of a wedding is having your relatives and close friends participate -- not just observe like gawkers and holding signs as if they were at a ballgame. The "reception." I kind of skimmed through it, but couldn't they have had real food? And, while it's a personal opinion, I thought the cake was ugly. Again, YMMV. The whole thing seemed rather creepy. I hope most of the couples could afford to have a "real" wedding where they wanted and the way they wanted it with their friends and relatives. With a free dress. Assuming that's the case, I can erase the mass wedding as a bad memory.

With the NY bride, I wondered if they allowed her to go over-budget (whatever that may be) or select a dress that wasn't originally in the queue. If memory serves, her dress was over $5,000 and the other dresses (based on designers) seemed to be significantly less ($2500-3500). Also, it was on a mannequin and the others have all come from some room. I just got the sense that, since Kleinfeld is in NY, they wanted the NY bride to be extra special and thus offered her something the other brides hadn't seen. Interesting that no two brides could have the same dress. Personally, I don't think it would be a big deal as long as 10 weren't wearing the same thing. That means they had quite a pool from which to choose, since there are 52 brides and presumably some of the available dresses weren't chosen. As for the bride with the alterations . . . I thought Kleinfeld was trying to make the point to brides in general that your memory of your dress may well change in many months it may take for the dress to arrive. That, plus different lighting, etc. can make you think the dress isn't yours. But we didn't need that entire segment to do it. Alternatively, it was yet another opportunity to present a bride that folks remember (if not fondly). Controversy is better than boredom to producers.

IMO, brides are entitled to their personal religious and social views, even if you don't agree with them. The bride this week wasn't espousing any views on the program -- what she believes (or doesn't believe) is her business. I thought bringing the kids was something like a Brady Bunch gimmick. Though I wasn't a fan, in the end, the kids were well-behaved and actually more likeable than most of the entourages on this show. Whatever the reasons the family had for doing the show were off-screen, so I wasn't bothered. The UK version is much more "normal." Small groups, modestly-priced dresses, minimal drama. However, as I said above, I don't think that would sell as a TV show on its own week-to-week. Thus, on the Kleinfeld version, we get the (mostly) outlandish brides, most of whom have something about them that the producers think we'll find interesting -- not necessarily likeable, but interesting. That's reality TV.

I love dogs like children. However, I've never worried about the flavor of their food -- more the quality. Moreover, all wet food and most dry food comes in different flavors (chicken, lamb, beef, etc.). Then there are treats of all types in all flavors. Cute concept but for a problem that doesn't exist. I think the producers put on the last vendor for the shock value alone. The presenters really annoyed me and I'm not sure why.

I wasn't a huge fan of the dresses Gok chose/made this week. That said, there is something refreshing/calming about the UK version. It shows that there are gorgeous dresses at every price range and for every body type. Gok seems genuinely interested in finding beautiful dresses for brides, regardless of their size or price point. Must admit that I sometimes think Randy & Co. are either making it up or phoning it in. Realize I could be entirely wrong about that, but it's the sense I get -- if you aren't famous or don't want to spend $$$ or don't have a sob-story, you're no one. Also, there seems to be a lot less drama in the UK version (in a good way). Smaller entourages. No one brings placards with numbers or tries to draw attention to themselves. I don't think the show could stand on it's own (w/o the Kleinfeld version as a lead-in), but I find it refreshing -- and definitely more interesting than the Canadian version.

IMHO, the concept of a mass wedding is . . . weird. It reminds me of the "Moonie" weddings of years ago. Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but for me a wedding ceremony is a time to celebrate a union with (what you hope will be) your partner for life. The reception is to celebrate that event with your family and friends -- not 50 other brides and their friends and relatives plus a bunch of hangers-on. I can't help but think it's a way for brides who don't have a lot of money to get the show to pay for much of their wedding. Perhaps a fair trade, but I've attended wonderful weddings (not just dresses) done for less than $2000 -- and the marriages are going strong decades later. Think that's how I'd do it, but that's just me.

One thing I do like about the British version is that it reminds women that you don't have to spend $5,000+ on a dress to look beautiful. Most of the brides are in the US $1500 - 2500 range. Do Gok and Co. react in horror? No. They're happy to work with the bride to find her a beautiful dress that she loves. The fact is there are gorgeous dresses at every price point and brides who decide not to bankrupt their marriage for sake of a dress are probably making a good decision. That should be celebrated and the British show does that. I'm fine with folks who have plenty of money and want to spend it on a dress, but the US show shouldn't denigrate those who don't. I'll never forget the US version when a year or so ago, a bride said $2000 was her max. Randy (away from the bride, thankfully) essentially said he had no idea how he'd find her a decent dress if that's all she had to spend. It was very disparaging. I understand that Kleinfeld caters to the higher end of the price point spectrum and brides with low budgets need to consider whether that's the best store for them. But that doesn't mean that you can't find a great dress -- just maybe not at Kleinfeld. Finally, this is a TV show. It wouldn't be hard for the US producers to vet brides to ensure they are in the general ballpark in terms of price point so they aren't embarrassed.

I’m also liking the UK version. It’s nice to see beautiful gowns at a reasonable price point. As well as sales people who don’t roll their eyes when the budget isn’t 10k. And no Pnina. Perfect. finally, neither the UK brides nor the sales people seem impressed with themselves because they’re on TV. No entourages. No weird signs. No crazy drama. At least thus far.

I've decided the writers are not only incompetent but complete idiots. There is NO way that a hospital would let someone remove life support from a patient whose identity had not been confirmed. Has anyone heard of blood tests (to start) or DNA testing? I mean seriously. Also, there was no evidence that "Abrams" was brain dead. They said his brain was fine, just that he would be a quadriplegic. Thus, he would have at some point awakened and had full cognitive function -- and be able to make his own decisions. I think the hospital would have required the wife wait until this played out. No way would they make a decision that quickly essentially to kill someone who would be mentally fine and might want to continue life . . . and it may be very frightening to some people that a hospital would/could allow this to happen. Not to mention that airlines keep very good track of people who board a flight. I suppose you could give your boarding pass to someone without going to the gate agent but I've never seen anyone do that. It would be moronic because, when you try to get a seat on another flight, the airline has you on a flight that's already taken off/landed. I imagine they'd be calling security in a HURRY to sort that one out. Finally, airlines check and double check before they release the list of passengers just so crap like this doesn't happen. I didn't for a minute believe that patient was Abrams. Not for one minute. I just waited for him to show up. The actor actually looked embarrassed to be in this episode and I was embarrassed watching him. The other dumb plot was the mixup at the IVF place. I've never done IVF but I would imagine that these things are VERY tightly controlled -- at least at legit places. This was like a bad comedy: wrong mother, wrong father, wrong mother and father. You know that if this sort of thing happened in real life, it would be all over the news. It just doesn't happen and, again, could frighten people unnecessarily. This show is a joke. And not a good one.