DearEvette

I saw him and I shouted "It's, Paperboi!!" in my onw living room. At 10:00 at night. Totally the break out character in Atlanta for me. Tickled to see him in this as a lawyer. Yup. I loved this. I hate on tv how people get all eloquent with no preparation. This messy speech felt real. And I love how even -- Connor? - was all "she should've let you write something for her." Oliver is shady. SHA. DY. He lied so smooth. I think he was lying to them when he was sweating. That is how much a liar I think he is. I loved seeing the look on Connor's face when that realization dawned about how simple it is for Oliver to lie. And if Annalise hadn't spilled the beans to Connor about the Stanford letter Oliver would have gone on lying (by omission) to Connor about that. I Oliver in anyone's pool to be Wes' murderer? That'd be a twist for sure. Also I agree wholeheartedly that Michaela was MVP of the episode. I love how every week someone has asked Aja Naomi King on twitter why Michaela isn't wrapping her hair. Her response re:Asher and Michaela "They aren't there yet." and then finally we see they are there. And It is lovely and natural. I continue to be amazed how good they are together. Just amazed.

I didn't find Maggie terrible in this. I like LaTanya Richardson and all but I can see Maggie's point. Her mom shows up, no warning, no call and basically letting everyone else know before Maggie even that she is there. And this on top of her having left the family to move to Hawaii, apparently surprising her then. I can't totally fault Maggie for her reaction. I LOVED DeLuca telling Alex that he saw him everyday and he could have apologized to him then. I am 100% in agreement. Man, Minnick is the worst. The WORST! I was hoping that April would tip to the fact that Catherine was the architect of the Minnick decision or Richard. That is still possible, Catherine was showing her hand too much for someone not to realize something. Bailey -- what happened to you?

Key and Peele have a couple of sketches that play around with both the common name and the sterotypical name. The subsitute teacher one is where an black teacher finds "normal" names hard to pronounce And then their more famous East/West bowl which plays around the trope of the stereotypical black name and NFL players

Confession time, Jodeci were never in my top five. Sorry, not sorry! Boys II Men though, yes! Also anything Teddy & New Jack related. But I was partial to the girl groups: En Vogue, SWV, Jade and of course TLC. The funny thing is, this sounds stupid to us now but the etymology of naming shows that so many names came from really commonplace things. Like, most surnames we use today came from the job the people of the commoner class had. So names like Smith, Cooper, Baker, Hunter, Clark etc. weren't so much their names, but a way to identify what they did and basically the poors weren't individuals to the upperclass nobility. So no matter what your actual family name was, you were 'John Coachman' because that is what you did. Outside of names in the bible, even first names came from general terminology like Barabara was what the Greeks called barbarian (foreign) women. Supposedly, William meant 'helmet' in olde english and the names Jessica and Pamela were apparently straight up inventions.

But I think that is exactly the point the show as trying to make. There is such a deeply rooted racism in the idea that the name black people invent are considered inferior, laughable or 'stereotypical' while names that white people invented are considered acceptable and 'normal'. In and of itself the name 'Jessica' is not inherently better than the name 'Devonte' but the latter has been loaded with such derision simply because it is a name no white person has ever used. There is literally no other reason. And yet even when white folks begin using unusual names of their own - Skyler, Braxton, Kayden etc. people may raise eyebrows but they are not actively derided to the point where the names become a detriment or yet another signifier of 'otherness' toward an entire race. I liked the episode because once again I think the show made a lot of salient points on both sides - that and the photoshopped baby head at the start of the show. Ha! But Personally, I dislike both extremes. I roll my eyes at the too out-there cray-cray names. Really watch Toddlers and Tiaras sometimes for some incredibly inventive names or incomprehensible spellings of conventional names (how is it that a name pronounded "Kaylie" ends up with 15 letters in it?) But I also sigh at the utter conformity of it all too (my youngest son was in a class had that five girls names Emma. Out of a class that had 12 girls, five of them were named Emma).

I don't see this as a 'shipper show.' To me, it is a suspense/mystery show. But it is also a show with a small, tight-knit group. So It is natural that people in that group create connections otherwise they'd become nothing but a toxic bunch who are always watching their backs. While that could be mined for drama for awhile, it would be exhausting, imo, to maintain in the long haul. And it isn't cookie-cutter CBS procedural where the people feel like card boards. There is a soapy elements amongst the drama. So in I can see why we can watch the show for the mystery/drama and also root for relationships based on personalities and interactions of the group dynamic. I actively root for Connor and Michaela's friendship because I see the possibilities in it, the writing set it up and the actors sell it. Conversely I would have never thought of pairing Asher with anyone. I didn't think he had any chemistry with Bonnie (but I do appreciate how important that relationship became in the larger story once Asher ran over ADA Smugface because Bonnie was uniquely positioned to be the one to help him) -- but I think he and Michaela are perfect together. I thought (and still do think) that Laurel and Frank had some great chemistry. I was not feeling her and Wes at all, except for a very brief time for a couple of episodes early this season. It feels to me like the Wes/Laurel pairing was made for pure plot purposes regardless of the actor's chemistry, where the Asher/Michaela pairing was probably just a lark, but the show unknowingly hit gold with them. I would tend to agree with this on the whole. But this isn't really something that comes out of thin air. There has been a lot of discussion, articles, blogs and think pieces about the concept of subconscious bias is shipper/fandoms for years. Yes, chemistry is very subjective and you like who you like, but subjective bias is very real and it would be unrealistic to think it doesn't creep into fandoms especially in the area of romance.

I haven't been a news watcher in ages. My husband is though. He is an old fashioned, sit down at 6:00 and watch the national news kinda guy. So I had nothing to give up. I checked and the only scripted show I watch on NBC regularly is This Is Us. Weird, i hadn't realized my viewership of that network had fallen so sharply.

Don't forget the Melissa Harry Perry's ugly departure from MSNBC. In fact, I would say her issues were the harbinger of the changes on NBC and MSNBC https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2016/03/02/the-ugliness-of-melissa-harris-perrys-departure-from-msnbc/?utm_term=.31f41560efc5#comments My husband, white moderate guy, stopped watching his beloved Lester Holt because he hates Megyn 'Santa Claus is just white' Kelly and the minute NBC hired her, NBC was dead to him.

Yes to all of this. The metal wedding song Rebecca and Paula did really presaged the tone. Not a lovely wedding at all, really dark and twisted. I will say that the show has never been coy about Rebecca's mental issues. I think on some level as viewers we push them aside -- maybe subconsciously -- to concentrate on the comedy because the idea of Rebecca being really unstable just doesn't sit comfortably in the setting of the show. So I am not surprised really that it took us there, but then I kinda am. Everyone gets kudos to their reaction when they learned Josh wasn't coming, especially Rebecca (who really looked liked she was losing it) and Paula (her whisper threat of taking Josh's husky limbs and tearing them apart was perfect). I also loved the cut away to Heather's scream. The wedding was really beautiful. The venue is spectacular. The bridesmaids dresses were really pretty -- good touch having Josh's sisters be bridesmaids along side Heather. Valencia and Heather make a good comedy duo. And I loved Hector's mother covering his eyes when it looked like Rebecca was gonna jump. Very much looking forward to season 3.

I am currently angry at Connor. I don't hate him, I am mad at him. And I want to slap him upside the head. But it would be a frustrated "get your shit together' slap. With an added thump to say 'stop being a bitch to Michaela.' My most loathed character in the history of the show is definitely Rebecca with ADA SInclair a close second and Oliver a distant third.

I generally agree with the rankings. But I wouldn't have placed Trinity Taylor as high. She was rather meh to me. Nor Eureka also rather meh. She looked like a giant lit match. very distracting. I liked: Charlie Hides - Not just funny but witty Alexis - reminded me of Raven in the face. Looks like an older Raven. Also had some smart, thoughtful answers Valentina - also smart & thoughtful in her answers. And yes her fashion, film and pop culture references as they related her aesthetic were great. Sasha Velour - I was riveted by her brows I couldn't look away. But yes, another smart queen who speaks eloquently about her transformation process Nina - LOVED. Such charisma. everyone else was kinds middle of the road, although I did find Shea Corlea funny. But she felt like she was filling out a college application listing all of her co-curricular activities. Everyone else - eh. I only actively disliked Kimora. Seems like a try hard. And who names themselves after someone only to dismiss them as irrelevant. Also, I gave Farrah Moan too much credit. I was sure she was gonna say her name was a play on the word pheromone. Oh well. Jaymes Mansfield. Eek. Her hairline is tragic. You're not supposed to actually see the lacefront.

She heard me yelling at my tv everytime Rebecca's stupid face came on the screen "Would somebody please kill this chick?" - Man I want Annalise to get out of jail. The jail scenes are real clunkers. - Even the DA knows she has no hard evidence. They have lots of people dead around Annalise, but no real evidence. But it strikes me as really stupid to be so mad at defense attorney because she beats your ADA office at your job so you have to set her up to get her out of the way? How about, I dunno, do your job better? - Milauna Jackson, the actress who plays the DA, has really pretty natural hair. Why her hair on the show looks like a janky wig I will never know. - Whose side is Frank on? - I LOVED Michaela this episode. She scared Oliver. - I LOVED goofy Asher's alter ego Gustav. - Connor is still working my nerves. Come on man, I was rooting for you!

I am assuming that Amelia showed up on Steph's doorstep and asked for a place to stay? Cuz if so, then hells yeah I am gonna complain that she is eating the last of my shit. She shows up wanting room and board and asking you to lie? GTFOH. I like Steph but her character has been so ill used that I glad Jerrika Hinton has a new Alan Ball show to go to and it looks like it is something meaty enough for her to really sink her teeth into. Good for her. I honestly would've never even thought to compare this to LLL. The two eps have nothing in common except a pregnant lady. But I agree that was one of the most tense, gripping episodes of tv I can remember ever seeing. This was kind of a mess episode, tbh. Jo and Minnick were like the Twin Towers of Suck. Minnick was just ridiculous. Even worse than she was before. And what bug crawled up Jo's but and crawled back to spew all over Ben like that? Not cool. The Alex reveal at the end was a big yawn to me. I knew he wasn't in jail. Unless Justin Chambers wasn't coming back, then he wasn't gonna be in jail. And Justin has like five kids to put through college, he is not going anywhere yet.

I swear, I wouldn't be surprised if Johnny Gill had that Teddy Pendergrass voice when he was five. LOL. Whenever I think of Staci Lattisaw and Johnny Gill it is always Perfect Combination I hear. Always!

Merlyn and Darkh were a blast!! I could've watched them bickering all episode. I am still rather meh on Eobard. But I love that he can't use his speedster power, it brings him to the level of everyone else. That makes me happy. And I am sure they aren't going to settle into peaceful partnership. At least I hope they don't. This is the most I've liked the bad guys. Poor Rip, er, Phil. "My former self encountered your mother's former self. And when two former selves love each other..." I didn't see the ending of that sentence coming but when it did it was great. Especially because it was delivered with such utter seriousness.

The opening and closing car scenes are the only scenes that really place it being the same night as Alex going to turn himself in. IIRC, nothing else about the whole episode places it in any timeline context. Without those scenes this episode could have been slotted anywhere, really. So my guess is this probably was intended to be 13x13 but when they decided to air it as the mid-season premiere, those car scenes were shot and replaced whatever the original opening scenes were. I am also inclined to think it was meant to be aired later is because it makes no sense to end in the winter on a cliffhanger (even if I don't really think Alex is going anywhere) and not to come back immediately to pick that right back up.

Gawd, me too. I don't think it deserved any it got. Ever.

The ratings have been fantastic. 1.9 in the demo and over 4 million viewers all three nights. To put in context, it had better demo numbers than all the shows it aired opposite on all four major networks on each night it aired except for This is Us, Greys and Scandal. That is really impressive for cable in general and BET in particular.

Ha! People were dragging Lifetime on twitter during this. I had completely forgotten about the egregious casting of Missy Elliot in the Aliyah bio-pic. But as they say, the Internets never forget!

Honestly, I saw it as yet another sign that this wedding was doomed. It doesn't help that Rebecca still has some UST with Nathaniel and Josh is now looking at the church basketball girl with a look that was a little too warm and approving. I wasn't crazy about this episode. There were some amusing moments... Sasha and Dustin's wedding is spot on! I went to just one this summer. And I loved Seth green as Patrick the UPS guy in all his appearances. I especially loved his lying on top of the piano, feet crossed at the ankles in the universal pose of teenage girls at a slumber party. And I love the continued larger role the minor characters in the office are playing. They are getting more fun each week. But overall I didn't think this ep got any real energy until Valencia's wedding planning kicked into gear. It felt like it got some momentum then.

I just giggled every single time they said his name it was his full name "George Lucas" -- But it totally makes sense because think about it, every single generic person who doesn't know him personally probably always does refer to him as Geroge Lucas -- full name. I know I do. I honestly hate Thawne in this show. He is basically a Deus Ex Machina for the bad guys. For all Damien and Merlyn are supposed to be such master villains, Thawne has come out of nowhere several times and snatched them from the jaws of defeat.

Yeah, I had no issue with that piece of it either. And if they had just left it at that, then it would have been fine with me. But then Arizona had to go and get all self righteous with the mother. I think they did it deliberately. Look how much discussion and speculation it is generating. This is exactly the sort of thing they'd want. I also think they not only left her crime a big question mark, but they also left much of her life deliberately blank just so people could have as much latitude as they need to headwank. All we know for sure is that she has a mother, she's at least upper middle class to wealthy, and she loves her mother. Other than that we got nothing. We don't know anything about a father or any siblings or anything. The absence of mentioning them would lead one to believe that they don't exist but that is not necessarily so. They could have cut her off so completely that they don't even want to visit or have anything to do with the baby, only the mother. Or she could have killed them all just to keep her mother for herself. If I had to headwank her crime, I would go with the one where she killed one or more members of her immediate family. Her mother seems like a nice lady. She didn't come off as one of those cold, snotty distant mothers who have never shown affection to their children. I imagine she would forgive her daughter almost anything no matter how bad.... except killing a sibling or other close family member and then exhibiting no remorse.

Yup. I immediately thought about Straight Outta Compton. Is easily on par with that movie.

Yes. This was shocking. Had to look up his wife too, They are still together. Also, good to know Mike Bivins was good with managing his money. And yes, he came off as really sweet but his loyalty to the guys did seem to hurt him. TBH, I was never a huge Ralph fan outside of the group. I thought his music was too R&B Treacly for me. As much as I think he is an asshole, I liked the harder charging stuff of Bobby Brown. My Prerogative my jam back in the day!

RIP Mary Tyler Moore. Like so many, I found Mary Richards and Laura Petrie such iconic characters. I must say though if you haven't see it, rent or stream or whatever Flirting With Disaster. A really funny movie and MTM was frickin' awesome in it!! also RIP Mike Connors. It wasn't one of them, but I always think of it in connection with shows like 'The Streets of San Francisco' and 'Barnaby Jones' etc. whch always ended with the tagline 'This has been a Quinn Martin production." Also, Not gonna lie, I remember my mother watching Mannix because of Gail Fisher's Peggy. Representation and all, y'all.