Bastet

Loved the category about movie lines censored for TV. I wish they’d included “Scum bum” from Smokey & The Bandit. I knew Snakes on a Plane was going to make an appearance; I’ve never seen that movie uncut or censored, but I’ve heard about the TV version many times. The contestants were pretty bad in the Executive Branch category, at least when it came to Cabinets. I was pretty bad in some other categories, which is why they’re in the ToC and I’m watching on TV. I like the play of all three contestants, so I wasn’t rooting for anyone, and Alex came by his untouchable status brilliantly. But I nevertheless felt a little sorry for the other two, especially when Matt bet it all on a DD and lost. I hope Kerry clapped when Alex's victory was first announced and just quit before the point at which they switched to a wide shot, because if she really stood there without applauding that's pretty crappy.

I guess I don't give a shit about appearing very 2015; it's 2015 and I exist as a productive member of society, so I'm as 2015 as I need to be. I think social media is useless to my life, has reasonable uses to other people, is giving a platform to voices who previously didn't have easy access, but is also having a deleterious effect on communication. I don't harangue people with my thoughts on its silliness or drawbacks when they ask to "Facebook me," but I've no qualms saying I don't use it or the others. There are plenty of ways to communicate with me between carrier pigeon and tweet. If they don't want to use them, I don't want to talk with them. Your good reason not to engage is that you're not interested.

My first assistant initially drove me nuts by reminding me of meetings, due dates, calls that needed to be made, etc. numerous times. I'm an adult, not an errant child; tell me once, I'll put it on my calendar, and your work here is done. When I sat her down to talk about it, it turned out her previous boss had railed at her for not reminding her of something that the boss forgot to do, so now she was paranoid and went overboard in reminding me. It was all straightened out after that, and we worked well together. Because I'm with you: If people can't be relied upon to show up to scheduled meetings without being reminded daily, they have problems.

I love it. The kid and the doll are ridiculous, sure. But I honestly don't even notice them. I am there for Vacation!Scully, the humor, great music to be murdered by, and Mulder & Scully giving such great phone. And the wet leg kick. And it cracks me up that the original script reveals Stephen King to be a giant 'shipper, who is like, "Can we just acknowledge what is going on here?"

Click on the CC button and the annotations will come up. No "N" word in Uptown Funk. Maybe you're hearing it when he says liquor (“Fill my cup, put some liquor in it”)?

I hate you people for causing me to look up Whip Nae Nae.

If I like a contestant's personality (or, what comes across as their personality from this unusual situation), it's a bonus. If I don't, I don't care. Most of the time, I don't really register it. The only time a contestant's comportment really bugs me is if I think it's an affectation -- like a reality show participant playing a role, rather than a person just being themselves, whatever that may be. And, okay, naturally hyper people bug me. Go audition for The Price is Right and leave me alone.

I didn't have a problem with accepting WWF (or NOW) because they're so commonly referred to by their initialism/acronym rather than by the organization's full name. But I wouldn't have minded a "be more specific" prompt, especially because I've heard some people who think the F in WWF is for Federation rather than Fund (maybe conflating with World Wrestling Federation, which had to stop using WWF and thus switched to WWE) and even more call NOW the National Organization of Women, rather than for Women.

I like the way all three finalists play, so I’m not really rooting for anyone. Kerry for the sisterhood factor, but I also find Matt’s demeanor endearing. And Alex is still making me chuckle over “What is Aleve?” So I’ll be happy with any of them winning. It should be a good match. Unfortunately, I have early dinner plans tomorrow so I’ll have to record that one, but Friday’s dinner plans are at 8:00, so I can watch in real time. Priorities! The videogame villains with whom I am familiar are the Donkey Kong Kremlings, Pac Man ghosts, and such, so that was not my category. I’ve never been a big Shakespeare fan, so I was pretty bad at that one, too. Musicals are not my favorite, but I did well in the show tunes category. Parents Without Partners was a bit surprising as a TS. Ethel Kennedy as a TS, despite the picture? Stunning. I’d have bet big on FJ based on the category, but it took me a while to come up with it once the clue was revealed. A former Soviet republic, obviously, but which one? I debated pretty much the whole time before guessing correctly.

That is one of those songs I initially loved and then got sick of because I heard it so much. Then right around the time I could have liked it again, it started showing up everywhere. It must be available for license at rock bottom prices. (And it's just not the same without the message from his barber at the end.)

Via the time and date stamp (under the username and avatar) on the post to which you want to link -- click on it, and a URL for you to copy will come up.

Yes, I understand that. It frustrates me coming when it does, because between Steele Searching and this episode, they were written as if they had finally learned how to handle their shit. They needed to have this fight earlier, or not be written in a new way for so long before having it, for it to feel organic. It's not as if they'll never revert to old habits, but this episode is written as if they'd made no progress, when about a dozen preceding episodes had been written showing they had made some. I got caught up in my reading last night, so I didn't get to it. I almost just watched the final scene, but told myself it would be all the more rewarding if I sat through the fight first (I don't dislike the fight itself, just the timing as I said above and, sorry, Steph, because you know I love you, the way she plays it). (Oh, dear - I'm afraid today's billable hours will be zero. It's still bugging me not being able to remember who was originally cast in Steele Blue Yonder, and it occurred to me I might still have Remington Steele bookmarks (I just import bookmarks from new computer to new computer, only occasionally weeding out the dead stuff). Yep, I do. So now I'm perusing the ones that are still active, looking for that particular piece of trivia, and getting distracted by all sorts of other stuff.) A ha! According to one site, it was Jimmy Stewart. Wow. I didn’t remember it being that big a star. But that would explain the script being so light on Steele and Laura and heavy on the guest character. Damn. I guess I have to get back to work.

Maybe I should drink this particular wine more often, because I was on fire tonight. Stuff was coming out of my mouth that I didn't realize I knew (e.g. ballet). I even got most of the Bible books clues, and that certainly never happens. Loved the football plays category. FJ was an instaget for me. I had no idea Gambia was The Gambia, even though geography is a strong subject for me, so that didn't trip me up; when thinking of rhyming African countries with short names that coincide with rivers, the two sprang immediately to mind. Alex is a bit weird at times, as the other Alex said, but he's a great player I have always enjoyed.

I could be wrong or I may be reading your post wrong, but I thought the clue did include Tony Lama, which is a brand of boots. Jesse said the clue didn't identify Tony Lama as a brand of boots, so the Tony Lama part of the clue didn't help. (It didn't help me, either, as I said, because I've never heard of it, but the category and the rest of the clue got me there.)

I didn't recognize the brand, so I didn't know they were boots, but style of jeans with "cu" near the end of it led me right to boot cut.

I got it because of Beaches. Thank you, Otto Titsling.

There's a string of just so-so episodes in the middle of this season. And Steele on the Air is almost unbearable on DVD thanks to the replacement music. The best is when they replace Girls Just Want to Have Fun (with the generic '80s synth pop that pervades the episode) on the radio, but leave in Laura singing along. Interesting they ponied up for Stephanie's performance here, but not for Satisfaction back in season one. I remember Steele Blue Yonder as rather boring, but since it had been so long that I couldn't remember a thing about the plot, I found myself enjoying the process of learning what Johnny was up to. It is driving me nuts, but I can't remember who was originally cast in that role and had to back out at the last minute (due to health ... I don't think he died, but maybe). It was a pretty big-name actor of that generation. Anyone else recall? Suburban Steele ... Wow, it's an effort to look past the numerous Japanese stereotypes on display and just watch the rest of the show. I like seeing the Pipers (the adults, anyway; don't care about the kids), and really enjoy Laura and Frances together and Steele with Donald. But I don't like this episode as much as I want to. And I thought, "There are weapons hidden in the hairdryers ... Oh, wait -- that's the Scarecrow & Mrs. King episode with some Mary Kay type sales force that is a front for illegal activity, not this one." It is interesting to see Steele with the kids, though. As Laura said, the man who walked into her life four years ago would not have happily taken this on. Then he's testing her in Santa Claus is Coming to Steele, asking her if she'd continue working as a detective if she had kids. We all know it's, "If we had kids," so would you keep working a dangerous job, Mr. Steele? Do we ever see the Pipers again? It's funny to me that the writers added a kid to the family (Laurie Beth didn't exist originally; Frances only mentions Mindy and Danny in the fantastic episode in which we meet her and Donald), and one named after Laura. Nothing about Frances and Laura's relationship at the time Laurie Beth would have been born suggests Frances would be naming a kid after her. Laura as a middle name, sure, but straight-up copying Laura Elizabeth? That had to be Donald's idea. So the writers give Laura a namesake niece, move the Pipers to Los Angeles, and then ... go nowhere with it? Or is there another episode with them I'm forgetting? Sensitive Steele tonight. I may need to drink heavily. Starting with Santa Claus, the characterization starts to shift back to about season two -- each automatically assuming the other is playing games. I am looking forward to the closing scene on the beach, though.

Fewer bathroom breaks.

Kerry's demeanor and hairstyle both seem perfectly typical and inoffensive to me. I didn't switch back from the game in time to see FJ, so I have no idea whether I'd have known it. I knew several TS (sphinx, Guernsey, boot cut ... but not the Lucy clue). From Alex's remarks, it seems they were only looking for Benedict, and had she not appended any number, she'd have been ruled correct rather than being asked to be more specific. And in another Pope clue, they gave the number as a parenthetical, which I thought was a little odd, as they always seem so specific (which is why I suck in Pope clues; even if I can come up with the name, I can't come up with the number). The opera clues must have been over-valued, as I got all of them and I know precious little about opera. And, yes, when a clue I can solve goes unanswered, I repeat it progressively louder as time ticks away.

Oh good, I'm glad the surprise is not that she knows about football (even though the person writing her dialogue clearly doesn't).

I don't know about prefer it, but I love it. Their voices are all great on it, and sound good together.

I love, love, love that Laura had no problem with casual sex, and would have jumped into bed with him in a second had it not been for the fact they were going to be working together. We didn't get that a lot with female protagonists back then; Christine Cagney on Cagney & Lacey, a bunch of soap characters that all blur together for me by now, Maddie Hayes (she didn't do it much - although there is a great episode when she goes on the prowl for a one-night stand - but she didn't have an issue with it), and I'm sure there were others, but not enough that it wasn't noticeably refreshing when it happened. It would have been far more typical for Laura to have a scandalized, "But I hardly know you/him" reaction to Steele and Bernice's suggestions she get her teeth rattled, so I adore the "Love to, but it's not practical" response. Anyway, season four. I dozed off and on through Steele Inc. and Steele Spawning and don't have much desire to go back and watch the parts I snoozed through. With most of the actors they kept bringing back, I know what their connection to the show is -- obviously we know Cassie's, Lynne Randall is Gleason's wife, the guy who played Kevin Masters and the news anchor is Gleason's best friend -- but I don't know of any personal connection of Michael Constantine. So I'm at a bit of a loss as to why they kept bringing back Mulch. I forgot to note that this viewing of the Christmas episode was the first time in all these years I realized the actor playing the advertising exec is the same woman who played Loretta Marcall in the first season episode where they go undercover as a divorcing couple.

One of the first things that struck me, when I started watching this show and did some research into Villalobos, was how reasonable they are in their adoption requirements and screening procedures. Because there are a number of rescue organizations out there who have ridiculous rules and make potential adopters jump through so many unwarranted hoops that people who would be great owners are arbitrarily excluded (and pets denied good homes). Imagine what Wade would think of one of them. Had he been complaining about the filming process, I'd have been sympathetic; it takes quite a bit of time, and a lot of people aren't prepared for that. But to have an "all this for a damn dog?" mindset? Hell, no - I wouldn't have left Smack there, either. Did he just want to see himself on TV? Well, you got your wish, Wade. Bubbly is adorable! Curtis covered in maggots was a rather stunning sight. Blech. How great for him he got a home without ever having to live in the kennels. I wonder what Lizzie's background is; she took over for Tania doing the meds long ago, and now Matt said something about her being good with the medical stuff, so I wonder if she just has an aptitude for it or if she worked in that field prior to meeting ... um, whichever one of the twins she's engaged to; Moe, right? ... and hiring on with VRC.

Laura's aborted "tonight's the night" in Cannes was going to be the first time, and there are other casual references along the way to their being stymied when they attempt to finally make it to the bedroom. Then the fact they're not doing it is a big deal in Sensitive Steele. And after they get married there's much humor made of the various obstacles they face in their quest for consummation. So the lights going out in Ashford Castle is established as their first time. Which ... whatever, show.

Aw, crap; I knew there was something I was supposed to record this morning, but I was too tired when I got home last night to figure out what it was. It's on again next Saturday at some unholy hour, and then a couple of afternoons during Thanksgiving week. I looked up the recipes, and Bobby's kale salad sounds really good. I don't eat much rice, but wild rice is among the varieties I like, and I like everything else in it, too. Ina's Brussels Sprouts sound fine, as I could eat Brussels sprouts daily and not get sick of them, but I'd rather save the shredding for raw dishes and eat them whole/halved them for a warm dish. The cranberry sauce is nothing new, but tasty. There isn't anything else I'd make other than maybe that cake, but I'll still check out a rerun. Bobby Flay seems rather hit and miss as a person, but I generally enjoy watching him cook.