Bastet

SyFy's Battlestar Galactica marathon was airing one of my favorite episodes when J! started, so no way I could turn away even though I have the whole series on blu-ray and can watch anytime. Now that an episode I don't like is on, I read the archive: I'm a bit surprised no one even guessed any fashion-related profession in the clue about what sartorial means; none of the three know that word? I'm also a bit surprised none of them had ever heard of a meat and three, and that Tim Russert (with a picture) and auger were TS. I missed three of the sitcom clues; pop culture continues to kill me, as otherwise I'd have run the first round. Thankfully my hit and miss history with pop culture was better in the second round; I only missed one of the musicians' nicknames clues. I only missed a few other scattered clues in DJ, and FJ was an instaget, so I had a good game. Any other X-Files fans say, "Mulder, toads just fell from the sky!" about the frogs TS?

I cannot stand Helo (which I sense is an unpopular opinion in the fandom, but this is my third or fourth time watching and he bugs me, especially when he gets righteously indignant), but when he has to kill Athena (so she can try to get Hera back) - holy shit. That's an incredible moment. I also like the confrontation about Hera between Helo and Laura (and Adama subtly keeping Helo in check, physically); as much as I sympathize with the fact that, as circumstances existed at the time Laura made her decision, she made, among shitty options, the best call (which Adama seems to forget he was basically advocating back then) not just for the fleet but for the baby, I really like that all three actors (Mary McDonnell, Grace Park, and Tahmoh Penikett) stayed on Ron Moore about the devastating affect on Sharon and Helo being something that had to be addressed.

Yeah, I think that just became a life goal. I'm not sure how I'm going to pull it off, but it's good to dream.

Gary looks familiar to me, and specifically looked like someone I'd seen as a contestant (but I've no idea who); when the show first started, I thought I was watching a re-run. No "I can't believe no one got that!" moments among the TS for me, but the trademark, columnist, temblor, grafting, reimburse, sponges, and sap clues were all ones I'd have predicted someone would get. I had a decent game, missing about half a dozen, but most of those came in the first round when my misses are usually concentrated in DJ (except in the College Tournament, where I kept staring blankly at first round pop culture clues). I didn't get FJ, though; I don't read much fiction, especially contemporary fiction, and I didn't pick him up via cultural osmosis.

Alex's "this being a house of gender equality and all" pitch backfiring, with the rest of them getting all excited and wanting to give him a quinceañero party, was funny. And I liked "I thought you were woke, but you're just broke." Him feeling unaccomplished compared to the rest of the family was touching, and "I stabbed myself with the needle so many times I needed stitches, but I didn't know how to do them" was a nice bit of humor in the midst of that. I also liked Elena's freak out - especially "I need Yale to fall in love with me and this is just going to make them file a restraining order" - too, because she briefly did her thing, then said the panic is part of her process, and went back to work. It wasn't some epic meltdown that paralyzed her and worried her mother like it would be on a lot of shows. Penelope taking over the curtain was funny.

That drove me nuts about Brenda on The Closer -- she had an insatiable sugar habit, most of her meals were take-out (and when she did cook it was clam linguine or southern food), and she hated exercise. Yet she looked like Kyra Sedgwick. Same with Rizzoli & Isles, where it was a character trait (one of the many anvils to show how different the besties were) that Jane ate like crap and disdained all things healthy. You do not look like Angie Harmon if you exist on a diet of burgers, beer, and Ma's Italian cooking.

I've had it on in the background pretty much this whole time, but haven't stopped to watch much more than the Laura scenes (gods, I love her) -- with one major exception. I am mostly "yadda yadda yadda" bored with action sequences, but I frakkin' love the liberation of New Caprica. I all but clap my hands together like a happy toddler.

Nope, you're not the only one. I don't buy their being in love with each other, whereas when I was watching them as friends, I was completely hooked and always loved their scenes. Co-sign. I am interested in Adam individually, but I am appalled by the Adam/Eric "romance" the show is pushing. This episode was really rather stupid. I'm still looking forward to the third season, but I found this finale quite a letdown. It was a parade of clichés with a few nice moments (e.g. Aimee telling Steve she thinks she's ready for a hug) sprinkled in. Woman who'd have a hard time getting pregnant if she tried thinks she's going through menopause, only to find out she's pregnant with an "oops"? Check. Phone conveniently left behind and unlocked so dickhead can erase the message? Check. Grand gestures/speeches in front of the world instead of between two people? Check and check. And I'm supposed to think teachers would ever allow such a play in the first place, and then that all the parents would be just fine and dandy with it? I did like Adam and Ola's friendship hug, but that relationship seems to have progressed very quickly and based on ... I'm not sure what. I also like Viv and Jackson's friendship. Aimee baking Maeve (or "Maerve" because she had an extra cupcake, and since she's Aimee, she doesn't think to make it an exclamation point - or just eat it) good luck cupcakes was adorable. And I'm glad Otis confronted his father. I hope season three is more like the first season than this one, but I do very much enjoy this show.

In 15 minutes, SyFy is beginning a nonstop three-day marathon of the entire series (including "Razor" and "The Plan"), hosted by Tricia Helfer and featuring guest appearances from some other cast members.

This was my favorite episode of the season thus far; even though I could see it coming from a mile away, I teared up at the girls waiting to get on the bus with Aimee. I loved all their scenes - in detention, smashing stuff, and getting on the bus. Otis hardly ever drinks, so he has a very low tolerance, and with how much alcohol he put away I have a hard time believing him capable of giving any kind of meaningful consent to sex. But he's not concerned with that, so if I take it the way he's taking it, I have to appreciate that he did not flip out that losing his virginity didn't happen the way he'd always pictured it happening. The way he over analyzes things and gets caught up in his head about them, it's probably for the best that he got that first time out of the way. There was good mother/son stuff in this episode; Jean saying, "You look just like your father when you lie" and walking away was very well done. She already felt out of sorts upon discovering he'd been selling sex advice, and she really didn't expect him to lie to her face. And Jackson's mom saying living vicariously through him was only part of it, that she glommed onto his interest in swimming because it was something they could share, since they don't share biology. Rahim loves Eric, is honest with him, treats him and his family with respect (he's even willing to go to a church service with them to see what that part of Eric's life is like), is openly affectionate yet respects Eric's boundaries in situations where Eric isn't as comfortable as he is, and is willing to try things he's not into because they make Eric happy (e.g. dancing). But he doesn't make Adam "sparkle"? Am I supposed to think he sparkles around the bully who won't even acknowledge him in public now that he's decided he's more interested in secretly kissing him than tormenting him into a years-long state of fear?

Wow, an awful lot of ugly behavior in this one! Thank goodness for Eric standing up for himself with Adam, because that was about the only positive thing. Oh, and the anal douching instructions; I loved the teacher taking a picture of Rahim's drawings. Otis is an absolute dick of a drunk, and Mr. Groff is pure evil. (As has been said, Jean is also an idiot for leaving her notes in an unlocked room at school.) Jackson telling Viv she's a robot, not a person, was painful to watch. Because it's very real - he doesn't want to be talked about as a statistic, so he lashes out, but she's genuinely afraid for him based on what she knows. This show is killing me with all the text messages shown on screen; my TV has a decent-sized screen, but my distance vision is weak even with glasses, so I can't read half of them.

I love Eric praising Jesus and running to the car when Jean comes to retrieve them, hugging her and telling her never to leave them again. And I absolutely adore Eric pulling Otis to him and rubbing his head when Otis says he really thought his dad just wanted to spend time with him. Their friendship is so lovely. I'm glad Otis called Adam what he is. I thought Ola was going to kiss Lily in the last episode when Lily gave her the drawing, so I was not surprised by her dreams in this one. I think she's right that she and Otis were meant to be friends. If I'm supposed to find Isaac's interaction with Maeve charming, I very much do not. I'm glad they cast a disabled actor in the role, but that's about all the good I can say so far.

I know she was there for her boyfriend, too, but it was nice seeing Aimee at Maeve's quiz team thing. I like their friendship. But the show is piling it on rather thick with how Maeve can never catch a break, with the team wanting her off - and the teacher just going right along with that - rather than talking to her about conferring as a team. This Eric and Adam storyline continues to enrage me. And Ola can miss me with her ultimatum; if you don't trust your boyfriend, you break up with him, not attempt to dictate who his friends are. Jakob is really annoying. I've never liked him, but the more time he spends at Jean's, the more he gets on my nerves. I'm glad he's finally getting on hers.

Oh my. I hung in for about a minute of "If I Can't Have You" before I had to make it stop. That was ... not good. Nor is the original (despite which I kind of like it in an odd way), but hers was just awkwardly bad. Her "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" cover plays pretty anemic to me. If this was all I had to go on - meaning I'd never heard her cover of "My Heart Can't Tell You No", which I quite like - I'd think she should stay away from pop songs. Her cover of "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" of course has nothing on the original, but I enjoyed it. I don't know anything about Sara Evans beyond some of her singles, but I like several of them, especially "Suds in the Bucket" and "Cheatin'".

I cook with ginger a lot, and always munch on some raw pieces while I'm cutting it up.

Exactly. With any skill, some people start with a natural inclination, which will be enhanced through learning (by instruction and experience). And some people whose baseline is pretty low won't improve much through learning, but some will indeed develop a new skill. With that said, though, the commercial is probably indeed pretty awful; most of them are, because most of the diploma mills educational institutions being advertised are.

I adore Otis and Eric's friendship, and the two of them squealing and jumping in the hall because Eric got kissed by the hot French guy is one of the many reasons why. But this episode was all about Aimee's storyline for me. First, I love that the joke about her thinking banker was baker wasn't just a throwaway; believing that's what she's supposed to be, she's going for it, and her first attempt is baking a birthday cake for her best friend who hates birthdays. And of course she screws it up, but I like that she's not just a punchline; it's a sweet gesture, and is treated as such. Most of all, I love the trajectory of her reaction to the assault on the bus. That she keeps apologizing for wasting everyone's time at the police station is heartbreakingly real, as is the transformation at home when it really sinks in that it was, indeed, assault. And then when she can't get on the bus the next day? Ugh, so painfully good. But I don't give a shit about Adam's "the tortured soul under the bully" storyline, especially as any sort of redemption angle with respect to Eric. That "twist" at the end of last season was a big fat NO in what was otherwise a thoroughly charming viewing experience, and I'm not any more open to it now.

I really like that the kids were typical high school kids to Jean at the assembly, and that the fact she works with adults, not teenagers, was painfully obvious. I love that she'll be overhauling the sex ed program, but I most love that it's realistically awkward - the kids would rather talk to Otis than the experienced professional because he understands them. When the teachers were having sex, she said, "Talk to me," and he said, "Hello," I nearly fell out of bed laughing. I like the potential of Maeve in whatever this junior overachievers class is. I'm glad she gave the teacher her essay, showing her why she didn't want to read it to the class to begin with, but especially not after hearing all their visions of their futures.

The opening montage of Otis's wanks was mildly amusing me, and then Jean got out of the car and said she'd be gone ten minutes, and I knew a bigger laugh was coming. I just had no idea how big. Oh my gods, the look on GA's face was utterly perfect. As was the conversation between Jean and Otis; I love that it wasn't just the uncomfortably open mom reassuring her embarrassed son that it's a normal, healthy thing, but it was also about no masturbating in shared spaces - and, by the way, son, exposing one's genitals in public is a crime - and I live here, too, and also need hot water, so quit using so much shower time to jack off. I so enjoy their relationship in all its dysfunctional glory. I'm glad it's not my relationship, but I love watching it. I'm excited to be watching this again (I've seen the first three episodes of the season so far).

It seems like every time “No Place Like Home” airs, another one of the guest stars has died since the last time. I know I kvetch about this every time, but I just can’t get over the entire premise of the case resting on such a fundamental error. I’d go in knowing shit like that is bound to happen on, say, Rizzoli & Isles, but I expect more out of this show. Killing Ed Dagby would not have resulted in the Prognosis Homicide folks inheriting the property; it would pass to his heir(s) – either by will/trust or rules of intestate succession if he didn't have one – and they’d retain their life tenancies. The characters didn’t know, anyway, so it wasn’t a motive; there’s not even a storytelling need to go down that blatantly wrong road. It’s a rare misstep by this show. Which only knocks my love of the episode down to about 95 on a scale of 100, because it’s hilarious. The La Shangra-La residents are a hoot (and, of course, played by a wonderful guest cast); I love Howard responding to Amy's question about any enemies Ed Dagby may have had with, "You mean besides us? Because we all hated him." And I love everyone’s reactions to them, especially Julio’s blank stare when Clayton gets distracted talking about knitting, Sharon’s reactions to Howard telling her all his ex-wives look like her and he loves her perfume, and Judge Richwood’s face throughout their allocution. Paul McCrane rounds out the guest cast doing his usual wonderful self as a slimeball you love to hate. The squad's reaction to the karaoke is fabulous, and I love that they show more of the "Time of My Life" routine under the closing credits. It’s a good Morales episode, too; I always enjoy seeing him outside the morgue, and his fig leaf drawing covering the pelvic region of the morgue photo makes me laugh every time. As does Andrea calling him Señor Quincy, and the sheer delight he takes in telling them about the prior 911 call (making the case by proving the residents knew about Dagby's nut allergy). One of the little things I enjoy is Sharon’s comforting squeeze to Provenza’s arm when “Scarface” walks in right as Provenza is finishing up his theory of the crime by saying this bald, scarred character is clearly some fiction the Lost Horizons residents cooked up based on storylines from their old cop show. It's such a Sharon thing to do, and I love that their relationship has become one where she doesn't hesitate to do it to him. My mind automatically fills in the grumble that would have ensued had Andy been present when Mike says, “As we say in the business, everybody back to one” as they’re going to recreate the night of Ed’s death, and then I remember Andy doesn't get good and fired up about Badge of Justice until he finds out Mike got the gig because Pope recommended him for it, and that doesn't happen until "Cutting Loose". At this point, just a handful of episodes after "Under the Influence" (in which Mike's technical adviser role is introduced), Andy wouldn't have had much, if any, of a reaction, but his visceral reaction to any and all references to "Mike's show" became such a part of the character, it's my automatic response. Provenza’s gun qualification woes are fun; I love the guy scoring the target saying “he must have had a good, long career” about the recently-retired Jerry when Provenza says Jerry had been doing his scores since he became lieutenant, and love even more Provenza confidently striding back up to him, decked out in Vera’s bedazzled glasses, with his perfect target at the end. Even though they’re butt ugly, I like Andrea drooling over the faux designer bags; see, TV and movie writers, when you present women as three-dimensional characters, you can include among their traits/interests stereotypically “girly” things and have it be completely inoffensive. And on the non-humorous front, I like Sharon reminding Rusty of her requirement he “be kind” when he continues to dither on telling Kris he just wants to be friends. It’s also a touching conversation between them when he tells her he’s not a kid anymore and hasn’t been in a long time; he had to grow up way too fast, and his experiences keep him from getting close to the kids in his class (not recognizing some of them might not be as "normal" and sheltered as he assumes them to be). I love that Sharon once again offers therapy, as she does every time Rusty says something that screams “I would greatly benefit from therapy!”, but once again does not force it. Add that all up, and I will let the will thing slide, along with the fact none of these people would qualify to be Emmy judges (their work isn’t recent enough to get them in the Academy). Because the episode is just plain fun.

Xiaoke got it right away. I'd wager the other two were trying to ring in as well. It was a hideously over-valued clue, is my issue with it. Asking, essentially, "what was the policy of discrimination in South Africa called?" should not be worth $2000.

I love that! That's one of the lines the writers re-use in season five (when Reese dies), but only the "one crisis and she's Scarlett O'Hara" part. It's only funny with the "without the sense God gave a goose" part first. I understand the symmetry in having Charlene again observe that in a crisis, Suzanne turns into Scarlett O'Hara, since both times involved her jumping in to cover the logistics when Julia isn't emotionally capable of doing it. But it's just not as good the second time around.

Good grief, that's another crappy group of ten. And the few I actually know and like, I think should all be ranked higher: Come the fuck on. I'm not even a big Kitty Wells fan, but given her place within country music history and this song's legendary status, it would easily be in the top 100 on my own list, and these morons put it at #620?! If you just sent me the lyrics for this song, I'd roll my eyes and say I hope the finished product is better. And, boy howdy, is it. It's still schmaltzy enough not to be top 300, but in the 600s?! The latest Lilith Fair was exhilarating yet disappointing compared to all those before, but audience reaction to this song - a clear mix of those who already loved it and those who'd never heard it but got caught up in the story (which reminded me of the 1999 Fair when the audience slowly and steadily went fucking wild for "Goodbye, Earl" from The Dixie Chicks) - was a highlight. To inspire that kind of reaction and have more than 600 songs ahead of you is wrong. This is another one that should be in the 300s.

That's so odd. People don't want to look at a barrage of pictures of folks they actually care about. To insert the occasional photo to illustrate something that comes up in conversation, sure. But just a slew of "here's my life in pictures" messages without any conversation? Um, no. I'm curious how people here looking to date react to that phrase. I'm not, so it's a moot point, but if I was, I'd swipe whatever direction means hell no once I could get my eyeballs out of their rolled position if I came across it. I doubt most have such a visceral reaction, but does it actually appeal to anyone?

I watched season one (minus one episode which wasn't uploaded), and appreciate how real all the characters were allowed to be - which means they have flaws, and even say downright ugly things at times. I remembered how angry I frequently was with Colliar, but had forgotten how much M.E. had me yelling at the TV. Actually, I probably reacted differently back then; as a liberal woman, his sexist attitudes and overt racial biases were obvious to me, but as a young and white liberal woman, M.E.'s latent racial prejudices co-existing with her deep love for Renee were almost certainly not as clear to me then as they are with 20 more years of life experience and listening to others speak their truth under my belt. And that's one of the things the show is so great at - showing how people look at things in very different ways based on their experiences, and how race and gender have tremendous impact on how people experience life, regardless of their other similarities. And a good half the time that's not explicitly pointed out by another character - it's just an honest presentation of how these characters receive and react to events, and the differences are sometimes just there for us to pick up on or not. It's a brilliant example of how important it is to have racial and gender diversity in the writers' room, because when there is, this realism is what results. This show is fantastic, and I'm greatly enjoying revisiting it, even with the spotty audio/video quality of the uploads and hope I'm able to find most episodes going forward. A DVD release is unlikely after all this time, but I sure wish a streaming service would pick this up - so the original audience could revisit it and a whole new audience could join in, everyone looking at how it was simultaneously a product of its time and very much ahead of it.