BusyOctober

OK, I am officially hate-watching vs. enjoying a fine PBS period drama. If I keep watching it will be only to see how many things are anachronistic/out of place/laughable/soap operatic. This production is a mess. Just...wow. I think Carol Burnet & Harvey Korman portrayed more realistic Southerners in their brilliant send up of "Gone With the Wind". It (almost) makes me feel bad about snarking on Jeremy Pivan's acting abilities in "Selfridges". Piven looks like a Royal Shakespeare stage genius like Lawrence Olivier or Alec Guinness compared to the "Mercy Street" cast.

Once again someone is murdered for relatively small payout. Pam is definitely guilty in my eyes. She killed a dying woman with 2 kids for $150k (not that ANY amount is justifiable, but I think that's what the insurance was worth). And I'm confused why one of her sisters or even her mother wasn't named trustee for the children. If Betsy knew her husband couldn't be trusted to do right for her girls, good for her for thinking ahead but she sure didn't choose wisely. Her "trusted friend" not only screwed the daughters out of their inheritance but most likely killed their mother to get enough money for a new car and a few fancy purses. The police and the prosecutor should be terribly ashamed and embarrassed by their sad-ass efforts on this case. I guess the only silver lining is that the husband only served a few years in jail and not decades like some wrongfully convicted do.

Last night was the final proof (to me) that the Junior designers this season were as a group so much more talented than the last few seasons of the "grown ups". Maya & Peytie especially, but even my less-favorite Samantha and Zachary have major talent and sense of design. I also really appreciate how mature they all are and how well they handle the pressure and the competition. They had a real camaraderie and showed empathy and joy being around each other. We never heard "I'm not here to make friends" or nasty TH's like "This is Project Runway, not Project (fill in the blank w/ snide remark). I've enjoyed this season a lot thanks to these young designers. My dislike for Hannah the Host is my only real peeve. Hannah is attractive & I guess she is a good model. But she seems so robotic. She says the words (in a stilted manner) but her face doesn't register the matching emotion. Her delivery and expression for her "Congratulations. You. Are. The. Winner." announcement is the same as her "We. Are. Sorry. But. You. Are. Out.". Has she OD'd on Botox at such a young age? The muscles on her face do not move and she has that frozen Joker-ish smile perma-face.

OMG! That guy was so freakin' annoying! I would have punched him in throat after listening to his "I'm a businessman" speak. What a dolt. He obviously was told all his life he was a smooth talkies and had good sales skills-probably by people who just wanted him To. Shut. UP already...but not so much in real life. I didn't get why fabrics from other regions his hook. So what? The GAP and Old Navy can say that too. Wouldn't it have been more inline with what's hot right now by focusing on "Fair Trade" sourced fabrics? Be able to show the villages or factories in Africa, India, South America where local tradespeople hand dye/weave the fabric? Explain these artisans earn fair wages, no child labor etc. That kind of back story helps sell and makes customers (who care about such things) feel good about purchases. All I got from this joker was he liked to travel and buy fabrics. I didn't see any cross over potential for Marcus' other businesses either. Unless he plans to make the employees at his other places wear them as part of required uniforms?

I think Kate is padding her resume with all her home improvements. If TLC drops her, she can try out for HGTV. Seriously, we've seen the landscape redone, the deck being built, refinishing antique furniture and picnic table project... I'm curious where her income comes from. I don't think Jon contributes any child support. Does TLC cash pay for the day to day bills for the house, all the remodeling, utilities, groceries, clothing? I assume production pays for the vacations and the little mini field trips to zoos, spas, restaurants, etc. But does she get enough of a salary to support that house and the kids all for just being "Kate +8"? I sure hope whatever money the kids get for participating is held in trust and NOT in either of their parents' control.

I was so happily surprised that my DVR recorded this! So good to see Georgie & Poppy again. The mermaid tank was fantastic.

Re. the mixed up elevator/wrong floor stupidity...I was on Team Annoyed Neighbor from the get-go. I was infuriated every time someone referred to her as "that bitch". OK, let me knock on your door at all hours and leave piles of UPS boxes outside your door for several weeks and see how you'd react. it would have made much more sense if the story was Alicia moved to a new unit in the building, and the clients/delivery schmos kept going to the "old" unit. Of course, that wouldn't address how NEW visitors/clients went to the wrong floor. But it would eliminate the ridiculous premise that fair to mid intelligent people (aka- anyone past preschool) can't recognize ordinal numbers & find the right button. And I highly doubt in a multi-million dollar per unit Chicago condo building doesn't have a doorman or a concierge desk for deliveries. Add me to the list of viewers exhausted by the musical chair revolving door of law firms. I don't care about the machinations of these relationships any more. They are all incredible unlikeable at this point. The only one that has been consistently written is David Lee. HE should start his own firm and leave Diane, Cary and the rest to squabble over hurt feelings.

i don't think I'll last through the series. I'm a history nerd and too many things bugged me. One of the female characters said"Thanks" at one point. I'm not an expert but it sounded too modern. Language was very formal in the 1860's in the North and South. I doubt anyone, let alone an upper class female, would use shorthand for "thank you". I also felt most of the acting was...off. I don't know how to explain it...maybe it's too "American"? I feel like I was watching any American network drama vs. a true period piece. I don't feel the same immersion into the time or place as I have felt when watching "Crimson Fields", "Homefires" or "Downton Abbey". Maybe this production didn't have the budget for an on-set historian to beat the importance of accuracy into the writers and actors. Gary Cole will always be Lumbergh to me, so I kept waiting for him to remind the Union soldiers to use the new cover sheets on their TPS reports.

Re. Plot Twist...so the motive for double murder was $60k?? I kept waiting to hear the killer's reason and I'm not satisfied that is it. I'm not saying ANY amount of money is a good enough reason to shoot and dismember one's friends, but $60 grand wouldn't stretch very far even if the actor and his fiancée got away with it. I thought at the end of the story they would reveal the killer and his GF were both cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs. Like, they had some dual delusion of creating a real life drama they could write, direct and star in and become famous. Too many questions unanswered (per usual for Dateline IMO). If she were an accomplice, why wouldn't the BF tell the cops?

Colin Hanks gets better every week. I always enjoyed Tom Hanks in "Bosom Buddies" and his comedic roles in movies and it looks like he's passed his sense of timing on to his son. In my opinion, Colin is even better at the physical stuff than his dad. Love the 10 year gym membership...that lasted 1 day.

I don't get the truffle-gasms on cooking/restaurant shows. I've had really high-end meals with truffles in Milan and lower-end pub grub truffle mac n cheese in Boston. Meh to both. The truffle didn't make me fall on the floor twitching in ecstasy. Maybe my palette is just not sophisticated enough? I didn't like the wife at all. She was obnoxious. But she does have a great sense of style. I also didn't like the name of their restaurant. I know it's Latin and I get the subterranean theme. However, every time somebody said the name, I heard "sepsis". Not something I want to associate with food, especially if the chef wants me to pay $300 to eat there. Finally, not a fan of tasting menus either. I like to pick what I want to eat, especially if the chef wants me to pay $300 to eat there.

I recently started working from home and I put the TV on for background noise (sometimes I do watch an occasional show..or 5). Now that I am inundated with ads I've never seen during my night viewing, I have sooo many questions! I'll start with the insurance ad for "The General". Why would anyone need their free quote to be "anonymous"? And how anonymous could it be? Don't you have to give some info to get the quote? Wouldn't I need to supply my city/state for rates? And does The General not care about my past driving record with regard to what kind of risk I'd be? Wouldn't they want to know my driver's license # and/or my car registration to look up my history? Or is "anonymous" code for "we won't turn you in for your years of reckless behavior as long as the check clears"?

re. yesterday's case with the woman "earning" income a la student loans...I didn't know you could actually use student loan money for non-education related expenses. I assumed the loan money was specifically for tuition, fees, books, meal plan/food and school dorms/apartments. So if I get accepted to a college & the tuition and school expenses = $30k. I could apply for a loan for $40k and go blow some of that on a trip to Cabo? And I don't need to hold down even a part time job to help pay for my own shampoo and toothpaste? Since student loans or hardship loans are usually at a lower interest rate, I'd be using other people's money to subsidize not only my education, but my weekend spending money too? No wonder our economy is in dire straits.

You all said what I was thinking re. 9yo dog kicker, cat tossing boy. That kid needs a shit ton of intervention and stat! The thing that really will seal the deal on how he ends up was his idiot mother's response to being found liable for her kid's behavior. In the hallway she just shrugged her shoulders and said something to the effect of "I'll just keep my kid with me and not let him around other people." Yeeee-ah, THAT will fix everything. Deny his needs, overlook his issues and cries for help! Make him more anti-social and isolate him as your special boy! Your Preordained Sociopath Predator's Mother of the Year Award is on it's way, Mrs. Bates.

I can't speak to the pros or cons of Simple Sugars. I am impressed by the young woman's achievements and her business success. She has a lot of confidence but her way of speaking with that God-awful vocal fry and the constant tossing and shaking her head while talking takes away from her presence. Even if someone has the business acumen this young person has, and even if he/she has an IQ beyond Stephen Hawking's, I can't take that person seriously if he/she speaks and twitches like a Kardashian. I remember luggage guy from his episode. I remember thinking back then he had daddy issues. I still think he is trying to live up to daddy's legacy and has tunnel vision. There are already enough high-end luxury luggage companies out there. People with that kind of cash are going to go for Coach or Louis Vuitton, not "Biaggi". There are waaaay more folks out there in lower income brackets who could appreciate well made, affordable, light, collapsible travel gear. Stick with the Zipsac and remember to thank God Lori knows more than you do.

Aside from the crazy eyes, the swaying thing ezpz lady was doing was making ME crazy! I know most moms (myself included) do the bounce-bounce sway moves while holding their small kids. But when you are in a business meeting trying to convince a roomful of investors to give you millions, you should probably practice standing still for 30 seconds in a row. I have seen suction placemats and food service items before, so I have doubts about securing pattents too. In fact, I think I saw similar suction type items intended more for nursing homes, Alzheimer units, cafeterias serving people with CP or muscle control issues. There were additional items to help prevent spills & shaped bowls to make scooping food out easier for the patients or caregivers. Controlled Chaos lady was her own worst enemy. I think her partner/associate was giving her major side-eye and doing her damnedest to Jedi mind trick her into shutting the eff up. I'm glad the Hungry Harvest guy got a deal and glad it's with Robert. I don't know why the guy hesitated though. I think the spritz spray guys are great presenters, but that product is not for a large market. They should go smaller with that spray and go after smokers. They need the combo of breath and hand deodorizer more than any other population. Sell it in smoke shops and use their creativity energy to come up with something else.

From the point when Samantha chose her fabrics/color scheme up to it walking down the runway, the only thing it made me think of was "Which one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is her model dressing up as?" I don't get Samantha's esthetic and I don't understand the heaps of praise for her work. She looks more smug every week. Jaxson is safe again??? He is circling the drain and needs to go soon.

GAH! Why do I torture myself watching this woman? I used to watch for the kids' cuteness factor but it has turned into hate watching only. If Kate mentioned one more time how awesome her deck was and how much easier it was to entertain with a deck off the kitchen...GAH! No shit you dumbass! Of course it's more efficient to carry food and supplies 5 steps out the door vs. lugging it through the length of your McMansion and down flights of stairs. If she went out and got a real job rather than trolling for TV appearances, maybe she could have afforded that deck sooner. (but then again, if it weren't for TLC cash she'd never still be in that house in the first place) And who is the "family" she kept going on about at the deck party? I'm assuming she meant her own 8 kids because she has famously dis-associated herself from her parents and siblings and her ex-in-laws. The boys' magic show was cute, and the girls weren't as bad as they could have been. However, once again Kate makes it all about her. Yes, she helped plan the show and encouraged the boys to stay confident. Good parenting. Saying she was "sooo nervous!" and acting all anxious was OTT drah-mah. The boys were doing a 15min cute show in front of their sisters; they were not performing for the Queen of England or auditioning for "America's Got Talent".

I literally spit out my drink last night when Yo came up with the "brilliant" idea of Erica performing w/ David in Italy. He's doing a benefit for Andre Bocelli's foundation and the Pope is a surprise guest. D-list Pussy Cat Doll impersonator Erica Jane is not the right act to feature in that venue (is there ever a proper venue for that?). And David's nodding and saying it wasn't a bad idea...can anything be more scripted? David wouldn't tolerate people (that he invited into his home) singing around his piano while he performed, so I highly doubt he'd be willing to share one sliver of a spotlight's ray with an over aged pole dancer. Apparently the producers (or Erica's rich sugar granddaddy) wants the audience to take Erica's "music career" seriously. If Erica truly can sing, I'd be happy to listen- as long as the auto tune is turned off and she covers her cooch. Eileen's interpretation of Vince's attitude re. family & schedules is pretty common IMO. I love my husband and he is a great father and he helps around the house more than some husbands I know. However, I am the sole owner of schedules and managing conflicts. If he gets invited to go snowmobiling, or out to dinner after work, he accepts without checking with me. It's not that he needs my permission to go but I may have an appointment of my own or need to get something done and it never enters his mind that I may have had other plans or how his sudden change affects me or the kids in some way. His time is his time, my time is everybody's time! Kyle's girls were ridiculous at the ear piercing place. Both girls asked to get their ears done. Kyle didn't force them into the store. I'd tell them not to ask me to take them ever again. (edited b/c Botticelli was a painter; Bocelli is the singer)

Children learn what they live (TM Dr. Phil), so I guess no one should be surprised Mady & Cara (and some of the "little kids") have such miserable attitudes. I grew up in a family full of sarcasm, snark and dry wit, but we knew the difference between joking around amongst each other and being disrespectful. The 2 older girls are just miserable and it isn't just because they are teenagers. Mady has been a brat since Kate decided to make money off her kids' backs. Mady and Kate are 2 peas in a pod. I think Cara has a count down calendar hidden in her room to mark the days until she can be emancipated.

The faux whispery Buick ads are KILLING me!!! I mute the tv as soon as they come on. It just drives me irrationally insane with the fakey fake whispering. They can hear you, you freaking psycho! I must have undiagnosed misophonia because hearing these idiots do their stage whisper puts me in a rage. Please tell me these ads will disappear after Christmas.

Nicole has a great personality, and she would be fun to hang out with, but her baking skills are just not there. I was so tired of her looking at the camera and saying she never heard of this, or never made that. If you enter a baking competition show, you should assume the judges are looking for more than treats you make fro your kids' Girl Scout troop. Pastry, various cakes, breads, fillings...there's a lot of skills they want to see. And for the love of God, enough with the damn pumpkin (and it's smaller cousin, sweet potato)! Does Nicole live on a pumpkin farm? Maybe she or her husband work for the Pumpkin Growers of America lobby? I liked this show overall. It would be great if they do another series and tweak it to be more like the original BBC version -I.e.- more bakers with more range and more skills.

So ManBun has used grass from a public park to smoke food and dirty hot rocks as serving plates. If he lasts much longer, Lord help the judges in San Francisco. "Today for you I prepared a ceviche served in a vessel crafted from organic dehydrated free range sea lion droppings, humanely harvested from Pier 39." What a hipster doofus. Like some others have commented, I am intrigued enough by ManBun to hear what his wife's occupation will be next week. Cirque de Soleil performer? Renowned pediatric oncologist? Unicorn rancher? I know I watched the whole TX season, and I remember Grayson as a cheftestant. However, I do not remember her being so unlikeable. Was she as disagreeable that time too? She didn't make it to the end, so she was lacking cooking skills then too, but good gravy! She was just so snotty.

I haven't watched a full episode in a long time, but what is all this about "walk in Robin's shoes"? Is that for real a prize for some woman who endured domestic violence? She gets to wear Robin's shoes??? Someone please explain how walking off stage with Dr. Phil and Robin is some wonderful reward. I didn't see today's episode but I did hear Phil say on the way to a break that they gave the woman a Christmas tree but that wasn't all...stay tuned for something "historic". Please tell me Phil hasn't become so delusional and drank enough of his own Kool-Aid that he thinks holding hands with him and his wife to walk out of the studio is somehow on par with man's first step on the moon.

I know Kate only does anything for the sake of the cameras, but for the love of God...If you know your kids get sea sick, 1) why go deep sea fishing at all? 2) you brought change of clothes, vomit bags & towels but you didn't think to give them anti-nausea meds or those wrist band pressure things to prevent them from puking everywhere? 3) you're so self involved that you'd rather have your kids get physically ill so you can haul in a few fish? Being sea sick is no joke and the effects last for many people after they throw up and get back on land. Kate gives narcissism a whole new meaning with every episode. I see Maddy and Cara have both maintained their pleasant personalities over the years (snerk). I guess they have the excuse that they are teenagers now, but Maddy especially has been a sour puss since she was 6. They also have the excuse that they are products of their environment; living with a harpy who screeches about what SHE needs/wants/demands 24-7 would turn any kid into a unlikeable shrew. Maddy is her mother. The one thing I found myself agreeing with Kate over was the anti-water park sentiment. I'm not a germaphobe, but those places are literal cesspools. There are at least 5 water parks within a 2 hour drive from my house. Each one of them has had complaints or reports of horrible infections (gastro troubles, ear infections, warts, chlorine burns). I know one girl who lost her tear duct due to a flesh eating bacteria traced to one of those water parks.