The Tragedy (and Unmitigated Disaster) of Lifetime's Liz and Dick

The poster that started it all,
and where it should've ended too.

The romance of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton was the most iconic of the 20th century. Every move they made was front-page news. Their drunken fights were legendary. They were deemed vagrants by US Congress and the Vatican. They spent ten years in fantastic, outrageous, excessive splendor that you couldn't possibly make up.

And yet, somehow, Liz and Dick made that extraordinary romance extraordinarily dull.

For that alone, this movie should be regarded as one of the biggest failures in television history.

Watching Lifetime's interpretation of Elizabeth's fifth and sixth marriage was exhausting, for all the wrong reasons. It should boggle the mind that such a volatile couple could be so easily reduced to a simpering, whining, irritating, boozing mess. There were times when I was just bored, watching Grant Bowler and Lindsay Lohan go through the perceived motions of being the Burtons: the yelling, the kissing, and the pathetic throwing of wine glasses at each other. There were absolutely no fireworks, no chemistry, just a whole bunch of noise that amounted to nothing.

A lot of blame will fall on the performance of Lindsay Lohan, since this was touted as her huge comeback role. She was absolutely terrible in it, for sure. She failed miserably as the last great screen goddess. She delivered a performance both lifeless and histrionic, which is everything Taylor was not. There was not a moment of pathos or nuance in her scenes, nothing that would make us understand why Taylor was the way she was. But I don't think it was completely her fault. Yes, her British accent was there eight percent of the time, and she can't throw a bottle to save her life, but there were glimpses of a modicum of talent there. But between the tragedy of a script, the awful pacing, and the outrageously incompetent direction, I'm not sure there was much to be done for her. Maybe if this film was an actual full-length motion picture with an actual budget, then maybe her performance could've been salvaged. Unfortunately, this performance she gave will probably go down as the moment her career officially died. Grant Bowler, who had material just as bad as Lohan's, did much better, effectively carrying the film for them both. Still, both delivered performances well beneath their talents, and Lohan certainly gave the worst performance of her career, one she may never live down.

The blame lies much more with the direction than with the acting, though. For starters, the dialogue was ridiculous. Even Liz and Dick's infamous jibes at each other were limp. The way their history was spread out in the film was even worse, with way too much attention paid to their time on the set of Cleopatra, and not enough to the rest of the ten-year marriage. They basically skipped over their divorce and his death. The scenes were short, lifeless, and almost purposeless, even the tentpole moments. The scenes of the two playing in their films, particularly Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, were cringeworthy (that can be chalked up to Lohan's acting; easily the worst of her career). Then there was the most astonishing thing besides Lohan's acting, the use of a green screen when the couple was in Italy. I will grant the producers that the movie was filmed on a cable television budget, but they seriously couldn't afford a set? And I've seen better backdrops in movies that Taylor has starred in: how sad is that?

If anything, Liz and Dick is less a television movie than a cautionary tale of how not to make one. It wasn't even smart enough to be exploitative, or interesting enough to be trashy. Instead, what Lifetime delivered was a shameless but failed attempt to cash in on the death of Elizabeth Taylor and the desire for a revival of Lindsay Lohan's career. To be frank, Lifetime deserves to be canceled for airing this disastrous farce.

MTV's Teen Wolf Has Serious Bite

Note: I am officially a Blogcritics contributing writer! This was my first review for them!

Werewolves have had it rough in the entertainment industry lately. Hollywood has become obsessed with vampires, dedicating movie franchises (Twilight), television shows (The Vampire Diaries, True Blood), and even awards shows (the MTV Movie Awards might as well have been called the Twilight Awards instead) to the undead. Meanwhile, the werewolves have been relegated to supporting characters, unable to truly bare their fangs.

MTV has rectified the glaring imbalance with its latest scripted program, Teen Wolf. Loosely based on the 1985 cult film of the same name, the show follows the life of lacrosse player Scott McCall (played by Tyler Posey) as he deals with the aftermath of being bitten and turned into a werewolf. We see the looming shadow of the beast within affect every aspect of his life, most importantly a budding romance with Allison (played by Crystal Reed), the new girl at school.

The title of the show itself begs for ridicule, but MTV has done an excellent job at making the series as realistic as humanly possible (pun intended). The characters, with all of their teenage angst, are relatable. Scott is a pretty likable guy, and Tyler Posey has an awkward, yet sympathetic charm that makes you want to root for him. He has some serious chemistry going on with Crystal Reed, most evident in a creepy, but cute scene involving an injured dog.

Speaking of creepy, this show is looking to be the most legitimately scary show since Nickolodeon's '90s classic Are You Afraid of the Dark? With the dark visual tones, the excellent CGI effects, and the haunting werewolf Derek Hale causing trouble, you actually feel that there is something wrong with this sleepy town. As more of the story unfolds, that feeling promises to grow.

Teen Wolf has a lot of potential to be MTV's next big hit, a refreshing change from reality shows like Teen Mom and Jersey Shore. Time will tell whether the show's bite is stronger than it's bark.

Article first published as TV Review: MTV's Teen Wolf on Blogcritics.

The Legacy of The Oprah Winfrey Show

Oprah said goodbye to The Oprah Winfrey Show after twenty-five years on the air

Today, at approximately 4:55pm EST, Oprah Winfrey officially said goodbye to The Oprah Winfrey Show after a spectacular 25 years on the air.

I can remember being five years old, sitting in my grandmother's living room, being forced to watch Oprah instead of my favorite cartoons. Even back then, even when I was annoyed that I wasn't watching    Doug or Dragon Ball Z, I knew how important Oprah was.

Watching Oprah recall her show's greatest moments and lessons really brought home a truth about what she has meant to not only me, but America as a whole. Her program, one of the most successful in television history, was the country's conscience. Oprah herself is the true personification of the American dream, that if you work hard, that anything is possible.

The Oprah Winfrey Show has systematically opened America's eyes to the issues and people that have been conveniently swept under the rug for too long. She took on racists, homophobes, rapists, child molesters, abusers, and general idiots with both fearlessness and grace. She shined a light on the secrets and troubles that millions suffered through in silence, such as all kinds of abuse, ultimately absolving them of their shame and inspiring others. There are numerous accounts of people claiming how their lives were changed, if not saved, by watching Oprah. She helped people take control and responsibility of their own lives. As she said on today's finale, even with all of the celebrity appearances and the wacky stunts, her show was really about the distribution of the "golden rule": do onto others as you would have them do onto you. Oprah's show was also about helping people improve their lives through their own means. She didn't force anyone to buy a book, or donate millions to charity, or be inspired to start a project that would impact the lives of others. Yet, millions across the country, of all races and genders and thought processes did so. Why?

They did so because Oprah Winfrey is what every person who ever heard the concept of the American dream wants to be. Born in the backwoods of Mississippi, poor, from a broken home, Oprah persevered through it all. She disciplined herself and slowly, but surely, climbed her way to the absolute zenith of wealth and success in a country where it has gotten increasingly difficult to do so, especially for a person of color. For African-Americans, she serves as the blueprint for what genuine hard work can achieve, a blueprint our culture should pay a lot more attention to. For the average person, she was a shining example that anything could be achieved if you fought for it.

Even as she became ingrained within the American consciousness, she still continued to grow as a human being before our eyes. She inspired millions with her unbelievable philanthropy, not just by giving money, but by how she gave it, making deserving people's dreams come true. She shared her harrowing stories of struggle and survival, like her molestation or her weight problems. Quickly, and solidly, she gained the trust of the country, so much so that she nearly brought down the cattle industry in 1998, and helped make Obama's campaign a decade later. What's even more remarkable is that in her quarter century of pop culture dominance, she never betrayed that trust. Instead, she pushed and challenged it to improve how we all interacted with each other. Not everyone agreed with her methods and ideas, but there was heavy sense of respect for her nonetheless. Simply put, she was an inspiration.

Oprah Winfrey is as much the soul of America as a talk show host could be. But then again, she is much more than that. In her twenty-five years of syndication, she has become a media magnate, a 21st century political figure, as Phil Donahue once put it, and a spiritual leader, and a legend of popular culture.

But most of all, and this was most obvious in her final moments on air, she was a teacher to a country who sorely needed it. She taught us all, directly and indirectly, the importance of living life the best way you can, whatever that meant to the individual. It is an overarching lesson that is valued much higher than her economic net worth.

It is a lesson that will be the ultimate legacy of both her and her show.

The Best Bits from the Glee Season Finale

Last night, Glee pulled the curtain on what I consider an uneven second season, with the New Directions heading to New York City to compete in Nationals. After viewing and re-viewing the episode, here are my top moments from the season finale:

Finn wows Rachel with a classic
New York date

Finn and Rachel finally "get it right" - They have been dancing around each other for months, with an absolutely wicked (in a bad way) detour with Quinn thrown in for good measure. But Glee's star-crossed lovers Finn and Rachel finally reunited, albeit temporary, as Rachel assured Finn that she would leave Ohio to pursue her dreams in New York. Still, Finchel fans will surely consider this a landmark episode, one where Finn finally fought for his girl, wining and dining her in Central Park, and kissing her twice, once after their duet "Pretending" and again on the floor of the library. Here's to hoping that they will keep it right through Season 3 (serious Ryan Murphy, don't break them up again, at least not until the season finale).

"I Love New York/New York, New York" mashup - Of all of the mash-ups that Glee did this season, this was by far their best. It was fun, funky, spunky, and just all-around fun, and the fusion of the Madonna track and the standard classic was a stroke of genius. Plus, there is no better backdrop than the streets of the Big Apple.

Rachel and Kurt Singing "For Good" - It's official; Rachel and Kurt account for two of the top five music moments of this season. Their performance of the Wicked closing number was an emotionally resonant, flawless showstopper that put their two Nationals numbers to shame. Maybe if they performed this there instead of in an empty theater, New Directions would have won.


Kurt and Blaine's Catch-Up - I think I speak for everyone when I say that Blaine is the best addition to a television show in ages. So, seeing him was a treat, even though he was just staring dreamily at Kurt. The "I love you" totally came out of nowhere, but it seemed very natural and another perfect moment for the little couple that can.

Santana's Spanish Rant - It was only a few seconds, but seeing Santana scream at Finn and Rachel in Spanish was literally the greatest thing ever. The best part? We finally know about the "wrong side of the tracks" that Santana goes on about. I would cross "Lima Heights Adjacent" off the tourism list.

The Sam/Mercedes Surprise - Ryan Murphy hinted at a new couple, but who would've thought Sam and Mercedes? It does make sense, though; maybe they got closer after the prom on a budget date? Still, it was very cute, seeing them try to hide it from Blaine and Kurt.

Why The Final Scene of The Hills Was Genius

MTV' series ended with a surprising final scene

Last night, MTV's stain on the face of recent pop culture came to an end last night.

The Hills, which followed the vapid exploits of a bunch of privileged young people in Los Angeles, aired its series finale amidst a schnazzy red-carpet party at The Roosevelt Hotel. The last episode attempted to answer many questions about the lives of Kristin Cavallari, Audrina Patridge, and Lo Bosworth, but the biggest question of all was finally given a definite answer.

Was The Hills fake?

Many of the cast members, including former lead Lauren Conrad, have all implied that the show wasn't as real as MTV would want you to believe. Ultimately, the real question was, how fake was the show? How staged were the fights, the tears, and the parties? Was there any iota of truth this hyper-reality? Despite years of speculation, the producers had the last say in the final moment of the series. Kristin Cavallari and on-again, off-again boyfriend Brody Jenner shared an emotional goodbye (complete with montage) as she prepared to head off to Europe to "find herself". As the car drove away, the camera pans out to reveal a solitary Brody... in front of a Hollywood backdrop on a soundstage with cameramen, production workers, and all the makings of a relatively expensive looking cable network show. Seconds later, Kristin comes out of the car that was supposedly headed for LAX and hugs Brody as the camera pulls further away to show what "the hills" really are.

It can be debated forever (hopefully not that long) whether the ending was MTV copping out to the obvious truth, or having a tongue-in-cheek. Either way, the ending of history's fakest reality show was sort of brilliant. While I'm sure many fans are either feeling devastated or betrayed if they believed this show was real, I thought the ending was refreshing for a show that took itself way too seriously, even to after it's end (with the god-awful reunion special). Sure, MTV should be sent to the gallows for holding the lives of millions of people hostage over a farce, convincing Lauren Conrad she could have a sustainable career outside of looking pretty, and introducing Spiedi into the American lexicon.

But, at least The Hills, which was never good television to begin with, can say proudly that they offered up a satisfying conclusion.

TV Review: Glee Goes to Regionals!

SPOILERS AHEAD

It's all about the "Journey".

I would like to say that New Directions' decision to do a Journey medley for their Regionals performance was predictable, but I really didn't see it coming. It was also a wonderful way to come full circle, since "Don't Stop Believin" was the song that put the show on the map back in May of last year.

As I expected, the season finale of the most exciting new show of the year was truly amazing, and definitely made up for the weakness of last week's "Funk" episode. The show was full of charm, joy, hilarity, and more than a few heart-tugging, Kleenex-grasping moments. While there are still some questions, everything for the most part was wrapped up enough for a clean slate this September.

Finn and Rachel fans got their big moment tonight when, just before going on stage, Finn told Rachel that he loved her. The way he said it, coupled seconds later with the power ballad opening number "Faithfully" was an emotional one-two punch. Speaking about that song, it may just be my favorite musical number of the entire season; Lea Michele's voice is revelatory and the high note she hits almost stopped my heart. I'm actually listening to the full version of the song as I type, and this might just make my Top 100. The rest of the Journey medley was amazing, and I was pleasantly surprised to see my girl Santana get a solo in the song (dear Ryan Murphy, Naya Rivera needs more solos. She can actually sing!). Even though there was so much happiness and pure joy in the performance, you can't help getting emotional watching it, especially if you've been watching since the beginning. It was cathartic seeing the kids finally get their chance to shine like the stars they are.

Of course, it would've been too easy to have New Directions take home their first Regionals championship. It turns out that Olivia Newton-John is a mega-bitch who only likes show choirs who sing her songs and doesn't like brunettes, and Josh Groban is attracted to Sue Sylvester and not much else. They were hilarious, even though while watching I could barely suppress my desire to purchase voodoo dolls in their image for voting against the glee kids. Surprisingly, it was Sue who put New Directions as her number-one pick; she clearly feels for those ill-shapen kids more than she lets on.

The other big story was Quinn finally giving birth to the spawn of Puck, to the 5-minute Vocal Adrenaline performance of "Bohemian Rhapsody" no less. Ryan Murphy's gonna have to explain that one to me, because I'm pretty sure women spend hours in labor. Oh well, it was entertaining nonetheless, especially with Quinn yelling "you suck" at everyone in the room as she pushed. Another few gold nuggets: Mercedes was invited to the delivery, as was Quinn's mother, after leaving her husband, who cheated with a "tattooed freak" (ouch, Jesse James dig). Puck and Quinn shared a very sweet, although slightly confusing scene outside of the hospital nursery, where Puck admitted that he loved Quinn both before and now. Not sure what that means for the future, but it could be interesting. The baby story closed in a very surprising way, with Shelby adopting their baby to finally start the family she couldn't with Rachel. Will we ever see them again? Hopefully.

So, with Glee not placing at Regionals, everyone was ready to pack it in, except Emma Pillsbury. In a surprising show of passion, she got into a screaming match with Principal Figgins and then chastised Will for not fighting harder for the group. He countered with an "I love you" and a kiss, even though she's dating her dentist. After the third love declaration of the night, the Glee kids sang "To Sir, With Love" as a thank you for his support. It was touching to hear in the beginning how far they all came since joining the club. We also got another solo from Santana, and Mike and Matt (aka the two boys who aren't Finn, Puck, and Kurt) actually spoke words. As Will packed up the room, Sue revealed that she used her powers of sexual blackmail to get another year for Glee. We also learned that she does admire Will's dedication to his kids. She also admires beating him, and not being able to do that would suck for her. So, Sue came through. Nice touch. After celebrating their renewal, Will gave the gift of song back to the kids, singing "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" with Puck.

There were definitely some rocky bits, but the season was wrapped up very nicely with this episode. The music was brilliantly performed, the big moments were awesome, and even though they didn't win, the ending was still satisfying. It goes to show that in the end, the journey is often better than the destination.

Musical Number of the Night: "Faithfully"

TV Review: Glee Goes Gaga!

Last night's episode of Glee was marketed as featuring the music (and hilarious styles) of pop princess Lady Gaga. However, something far more profound emerged from "Theatricality", which her Gaganess would highly approve of.

The episode had Will getting the Glee clubbers to expose their wacky, freaky sides to aid Tina, using Lady Gaga as a reference point. All of the girls and Kurt went, you guessed it, "Gaga" over the idea, but the men were less than thrilled. Instead, they took their cues from legendary rock band KISS.

Yet, with all the makeup, glitter, and bubbles, the show proved to be more about accepting the freak inside instead of actually expressing it. The show successfully toed the line between powerful and preachy, thanks to some stunning performances and surprisingly frank and honest writing on Murphy's part. The episode was also able to wrap up some seriously loose strings very nicely, and push other stories further as Regionals approached.

The prevailing plotline of the night featured Kurt and Finn, who were forced to share the basement after their parents decided to move in together. Already uncomfortable with his mom's new relationship, Finn was pushed to the edge as Kurt tried to make the new arrangement work for the both of them. Finn criticized Kurt for not being able to blend in with the crowd, choosing to put his sexuality on display and attracting the bullying. There was considerable truth, if not a full on commentary on middle America, in this quip: "We live in Ohio, not New York or Ohio or some other place where they eat vegetables that aren't fried". Finn recoiled when Kurt tried to help him remove the KISS makeup for which he was made fun of by those bastard jocks in the bathroom earlier. Things hit a shocking pitch when Kurt's efforts to redecorate the room are rebuked and Finn basically loses it. He finally confronts the elephant in the room; that Kurt has a crush on him and that it is so uncomfortable that he has to put on his underwear in the bathroom so Kurt won't look. When Kurt says they can change the room, Finn unleashes the slur "fag" twice describing the room. This didn't sit well with Kurt's dad Burt, who gave Finn one of the biggest verbal smackdowns I have ever seen, ultimately throwing him out in defense of his son. The whole scene was intensely and beautifully acted by all three, but Mike O'Malley was an absolute revelation, and if he (and the show for that matter) are not nominated for Emmys next year, there is no justice. Finn, realizing his grievous error, stood up to Kurt's bullies wearing his own type of a superhero outfit: Gaga's infamous red rubber dress from meeting the Queen. It was spectacular character development for Finn, who has been hesitant about his role in the club since day one, to finally let go and accept that being normal isn't everything.

Rachel finally got her wish when she discovered her mom was Shelby (played by Idina Menzel) as she sang Barbra Streisand's "Funny Girl". Unfortunately for her, it wasn't the slow motion run into each other's arms, as Shelby put it, that either was hoping for. It turns out, despite her machinations, Shelby wanted her baby back, not a 16-year old with an ego the size of Texas. While it did seem rushed, it was pretty smart of them to wrap up the storyline quickly. I mean, how many more Barbra duets can we hear before we get bored? To close the door on their story, the two women sang a great, stripped-down version of "Poker Face".

Another story approaching a conclusion was the Puck/Quinn baby drama. Puck, who's gaining more and more interest in playing daddy, wanted to name his daughter Jackie Daniels, to the utter refusal of Quinn. Realizing his error (or the utter stupidity of that name), Puck sang a tribute to his unborn daughter to the tune of "Beth", KISS's power ballad. "Beth" also served as the name Puck wanted to give the baby. This was my second favorite Puck performance after "Lady is a Tramp" and I find myself looking forward to Mark Salling doing solos.

For the first time really, the show's plot really took precedence over the sparkly musical numbers. There was serious plot and character development, and the actors (O'Malley, Monteith, and Colfer in particular) were really able to shine. But of course, the show had to have some pretty epic music and costumes, right?

I got the greatest kick out of all of the Gaga costumes, which looked impressively amateurish (which was the point; I don't think McKinley High can afford those McQueen crazy shoes). It goes to show just how iconic Gaga has become in her short career. My favorite is actually a three-way tie with different reasons for each one. Quinn looked stunning in Gaga's Grammy red carpet dress, Santana looked ridiculously sexy in the full black lace outfit Gaga wore around London earlier this year, and Finn just looked ridiculous, and hilarious, in the red Queen dress. To be fair to the guys, the KISS costumes were kick-ass, although the only ones I could really discern from were Finn (on the drums) and Artie (in the wheelchair).

The best performance, by far, was "Bad Romance". Everything, from the choreography to the costumes to the vocals, was spectacular, and my favorite Glee performance so far. Rachel and Shelby's "Poker Face" was great. As for the KISS songs, "Beth" proved to be the emotional core of the show, while "Shout It Out" was properly rockin'. 

"Theatricality" was arguably the best show of the season so far. My only gripe was the missed opportunity of having Sue Sylvester and Emma Pillsbury not involved in the Gaga episode. Other than that, it was an emotionally resonant spectacle, and easily one of the best hours of television I've seen all year.

Celebrating All My Children's 40th Anniversary, The Wrong Way

Today marked the 40th year that ABC soap opera All My Children has been on the air. With the dire straits the genre is in right now, reaching such a milestone is a really big deal. You would expect ABC to do it up right for their show's birthday, and it's exactly what they led us to believe. They brought back some very popular faces, including Eva La Rue (Maria Santos), Julia Barr (Brooke English), and of course Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos (Hayley and Mateo Santos). They even tracked down Taylor Miller, who last played Nina Cortlandt Warner fifteen years ago. With all of these popular characters back on set, it was expected to be one of the best anniversaries in the show's history.

Clearly, we were all wrong.

The anniversary show that aired today was an utter farce. While the format was pretty good (TV show host Hayley returned to do a Pine Valley documentary, interviewing her fellow townspeople), the actual content was a complete copout, and an insult to the show's rich, four decade history. Speaking of, you would need slow motion on your DVR to find any clips from before 2005, since they came and went so quickly they might as well have not been there. In some cases, clips were replaced with pictures of the characters and couples, making one question if the AMC producers even know where the show's archives are. What we did were lengthy recollections of head writer Charles Pratt's show-killing storylines, like the highly despised tornado of 2008 being passed off as a true Pine Valley rallying effort.

Remember all of the great returns I mentioned in the beginning? Window dressing, for the most part. Former major players like Brooke and Nina were relegated to 15 seconds or so of screentime, while JR was given at least 3 minutes to ramble about the loss of Babe. The most annoying part of it was that the originator of the role, Alexa Havins, wasn't featured at all, making us deal with random clips of the couple with the newer actress instead of the couple's best moments. It was the same deal with other re-casted roles, most notably Liza Colby, formerly played by Marcy Walker, now played by Jamie Luner. Other high profile characters missing from the show included Dimitri Marick, Grandma Kate Martin, Leo du Pres, and Anna Devane, among many others. Dixie Cooney was relegated to one mention by Tad and Palmer, while Maria's marriage to Edmund Grey was virtually ignored save for an indirect mention of her wedding. Don't even get me started about Gillian.

Amongst the dreck was some good moments. I choked up a bit as Mateo and a tearful Maria recalled their unreasonably dead sister Julia. Watching Adam trying to successfully remember his wives in chronological order was hilarious, as was Erica's dig at Brooke: "Brooke who?" The ending, where show creator Agnes Nixon recited that famous poem that the show was built on, was easily the best moment of the entire program.

Thankfully, Charles Pratt has been fired for attempted soapicide, but it is a shame that he was around long enough to leave this disappointment for fans wanting to remember the good times. A trip to YouTube would have been a better retrospective.

TV Review: Doctor Who's "The End of Time"

With Russell T Davies at the helm, classic British series Doctor Who saw one of the most successful revivals in entertainment history. Primarily aided by the thoroughly excellent David Tennant as the tenth incarnation of The Doctor, the executive producer and writer elevated the series from sci-fi staple to excellent human drama worthy of its growing global fanbase.

Now, both men are exiting the show, leaving Steven Moffat and eleventh Doctor Matt Smith to fill their shoes. In what can be called an extended send-off, Davies fashioned a series of specials this past year, concluding with a two-hour epic Christmas finale titled The End of Time. It was one of the most anticipated bits of programming of the year, as fans desperately waited to see how Davies would end Tennant’s extremely popular journey. After the gripping Torchwood special earlier this year, people were expecting something so emotional and so grand in scale that they would be presumably wrecked for weeks onward.

So, did Davies deliver?

Yes, with a little mixture of no.

The End of Time was as much of an emotional wallop as he’s ever given us. We saw the Doctor at his darkest and most destitute, contemplating his imminent demise and the wreckage he left behind. We saw the Master struggle with his descent into madness and death. We even saw the Time Lords (led by the towering Timothy Dalton as Lord President Rassilon) desperately fight for survival, even if they destroyed the “whole of creation” in their efforts. Yet, with all of this high-octane character development, the story was lacking in something important; it lacked a high-octane plot.

The return of the Time Lords and Gallifrey through the unsuspecting Master was so racked with genius that it deserved a lot more than 135 minutes to handle it. In fact, it boggles the mind that Davies didn’t tell the story over the four specials, especially considering the outrageous disappointment that was Planet of the Dead. Instead, we watched this potential-rich plot played out in the slug-paced Part 1 and the very-rushed Part 2. Things didn’t really kick into high gear until halfway through the second episode, which meant about 70 minutes of very extraneous material (just in case you’re questioning the math, there was 20 minutes that was really excellent).

Even though it was compacted, it was still an important plot to show, as it finally allowed us a glimpse of the torment the Doctor felt all of this time. Instead of just being a survivor, he was responsible for the demise of the Time Lords, as he explained to the Master upon their arrival. Yet, it added more to understanding the Doctor than it did the episode.

What truly made the episode was everything else but the story. The acting in this episode was excellent all around, but the performances of David Tennant and Bernard Cribbins were downright revelations. Cribbins, playing Wilfred, did most of his acting through those soulful, hopeful, weary eyes. When activated, they could inspire even the hardest of people to prick up tears. He was the subtlest of the Doctor’s companions, but easily one of the best because of it. John Simm, while quite ridiculous in Part 1, pulled it together in the second part to allow us to sympathize with his tormented villain. Timothy Dalton was as epic as he needed to be in such a regrettably short appearance.

And then there’s Tennant. The man is a walking, talking, acting masterclass. He was effortless in this episode, conveying the Doctor’s joy and pain with such painstaking realism. While Davies allowed him room to go all out, the quiet scenes he shared with Cribbins and John Simm that were the most affecting. The moment in the coffee shop in Part 1 was one of the best scenes I’ve seen all year. No offense to Matt Smith, but the BBC is stupid for not trying harder to get him to stay.

The special effects for the episodes were stunning, as always. The scene where Gallifrey appeared in the sky above Earth was a jaw dropper. Doctor Who has always been about cinematic CGI, and they held up that standard. Another guaranteed part of the special was the guest appearances from all of his past companions. The most shocking: the Doctor saving a married Mickey and Martha from the Centaurian assassin. The most enjoyable to watch: the Doctor hooking Jack up with Alonso from the Kylie Minogue Christmas special. The most head scratching (and speculative): the Doctor meeting the great-granddaughter of the nurse from The Family of Blood. The most touching: the Doctor seeing a 2005 Rose for the last time.

The last 20 minutes of the series was dedicated to the Doctor’s “reward”, as he called it. Was it a bit self-indulgent? Sure, but it was thoroughly enjoyable, as was the devastating moments leading to the regeneration. The choking-up officially began when Ood Sigma appeared and dropped this heartbreaker of a line: “the universe will sing you to your sleep”. The floodgates exploded when, in his last line as a 906-year old Time Lord, Tennant tortuously said with tears in his eyes, “I don’t wanna go” and began to glow. The mood was abruptly changed when a jubilant Matt Smith popped up in his place. While they could’ve shortened that scene a bit, it does set the tone for the new regime, which I hate to admit is kind of hopeful.

The End of Time is not the best episode Davies has ever done. Yet, it was a more than moving tribute to a very successful era in the Doctor Who canon, one that saw a more human, more appealing Time Lord presented to the masses. There is no doubt that Russell T Davies is excellent at what he does, and while this special didn’t necessarily embody it, there was more than enough to remind us of his and Tennant’s pure brilliance. It may not be the end of time, but it is the end of an era.

RATING: B

The Best Soap Opera Episode of 2009: Brad's Christmas Farewell on As The World Turns

What a sick, twisted bit or irony it is.

Just on the heels of As The World Turns' shocking cancellation announcement, the show puts out the most heart-wrenching, wonderful, flawless episode of the year, and possible the best in the show's recent memory.

A month or so ago, ATWT made the shocking, stupid decision to kill off the delightfully funny Brad Synder (played by Austin Peck), just as his wife Katie gave birth to their son Jacob. Since then, he has been wandering around as a ghost, accessible only to Henry, watching as the lives of his loved ones were falling apart.

On Christmas Eve, he finally got a chance to help, with some guidance from jolly old Saint Nick.

Brad was finally able to help the people he left behind move on with their lives. He spoke to his daughter Liberty, his ex-girlfriend/Liberty's mother Janet, his despondent brother Jack, and of course his devastated wife Katie. Just as he was about to put the star on the top of their Christmas tree, Santa arrived to inform him that their time was up. With plenty of tears, hugs, and kisses, the best couple on the show said goodbye and Brad finally ascended to heaven.

All I can say to As The World Turns is well done. OK, I can say more. This episode was absolutely devastating to watch. For a show on its way out (unless someone saves it), it is comforting to know they aren't decreasing their output. In fact, it appears they are increasing it, since this is the best episode I have seen since Carly and Jack's breakup way back in 2006. Even though Brad's death is something I utterly disagree with, they give an astonishingly great send-off. Everything about this episode was perfect. The acting, however, was where the money was. Terri Colombino (Katie) and Michael Park (Jack), who have been delivering Emmy-worthy performances since November, were excellent, although the biggest performance came from Austin Peck. As The World Turns proved to be the best thing to happen to him acting-wise, because he couldn't have delivered such a powerful performance as the idiot Austin Reed on Days of our Lives. With this episode, Peck's hair model status can be officially declared null and void as he steps into the ring for the 2010 Daytime Emmys.

All My Children and all other soaps who have the luck to not be canceled, take note: this how a soap is supposed to be run.

Here is Brad and Katie's final scene, below:

Soap Scene of the Week: Fish and Kyle Fight, Kiss on One Life To Live

Amidst the controversies of Prop 8, Carrie Prejean, and the White House's apparent ignorance of their gay rights promises, soap operas have begun to feature gay and lesbian storylines more than ever before. Launching with the mega-popular pairing of Luke Snyder and Noah Mayer on As The World Turns, nearly every soap has featured some kind of LGBT relationship, in an effort to accurately portray the spectrum of human relationships. So far, some have been successful (Olivia and Natalia on Guiding Light), while others have been dreadful (Adam and Rafe on Young and the Restless). What can be said for all of them, though, is that new ground is continually being broken, making soaps arguably the most socially-conscious programming on television.

Sensitivity is important, but at the end of the day, it means nothing if the storyline is weak and the acting is sub-par. Thankfully, that can't be said about One Life to Live, which has launched its first gay storyline in 16 years (a bit of history: Ryan Phillippe played Billy Douglas, the first-ever gay teenager on a soap opera, in 1993). The story revolves around medical student Kyle Lewis and officer Oliver Fish. The two characters were friends in college and have crossed paths once again, sharing a mutual secret: they were lovers. While Kyle is open about his love for Fish, Fish is determined to deny being gay, dating Layla Williamson to either convince himself he's straight or hide the truth from everyone else.

After two months of rising tension between the two, the dam finally burst in a passionate, angry, gripping, and emotional fight in the alley behind the diner. After learning that Roxy knew about their past, Fish pulled Kyle to the back to confront him. Kyle finally lays all the cards out on the table, announcing aloud their past relationship, and that he still loves him. They then proceed to fight about their past and present: Fish tries to make Kyle see that their relationship was a "bad experiment" and that he was with Layla, while Kyle accused Fish of using Layla as his "beard" and lying to everyone, especially himself. With the fight reaching a fevered pitch, Kyle kisses Fish, and Fish clearly reciprocates.

While the kiss may be the headline for most (I believe it's the first for the show), what truly caught my attention was the scene leading up to it. For someone who barely had a clue about this storyline (I was watching ATWT instead) I found myself easily engrossed in this scene. The energy was palpable and coming from so many different sides. Whether it was Fish's fear, Kyle's desperation, or even the passion from both, you could feel everything those characters were offering up. The dialogue was raw and realistic, refusing to tiptoe over the implications of hiding oneself. The acting was brilliant from both actors, but who blew me away particularly was Brett Claywell as Kyle. Formerly Tim on One Tree Hill,  he delivered every word in that scene with a captivating mix of emotions; pain, fury, desperation, and love. Originally portrayed as a bad guy, you could help but feel for Kyle as he finally blew the lid off their secret romance and revealed his lingering feelings for his closeted ex-lover. Scott Evans (Fish) was excellent at portraying a man in deep denial, and the moment where he slipped, revealing that he would lose everything if he came out, was pure soap magic.

If you take the social and political implications embedded in this scene, what you have left is a pure soap opera scene. Without all of the gimmicks, you have two people dealing with deep and powerful emotions that aren't necessarily exclusive to one sexual orientation. What soaps used to be were tools to examine the interactions between human beings in various social settings in a way that was relatable, yet revelatory. That concept was lost amongst baby swaps, murder mysteries, brain chips, and other foolishness. Kudos to OLTL for reviving it, in a way that is relevant to today's times.

TV Review: Torchwood - Children of Earth

Russell T Davies, the writer of Torchwood's five-episode season arc "Children of Earth" is probably the most loved and hated man in television right now.

He is loved for broadcasting five of the most brilliant hours of television this year has seen so far. He is hated for completely shattering our thoughts of government, society, morality, and even mortality.

It would have been too easy to create a crowd-pleasing spectacle filled with explosions and BBC-treading sex scenes. No, Davies made us think hard, making us question the building blocks of human interaction, and how easily they could be rearranged. Under the blanket of aliens attempting to take over the world was a serious, stunning commentary about government and its secrets, society, sacrifice, life, and even drug use.

In this story, the children of the world are being controlled by an unknown force, parlaying harrowing and disturbing messages of an impending arrival. No one knows what it is, except the government, who apparently had a previous dalliance with said unknowns before, in 1965. In an effort to keep it quiet, they (being Home Office civil servant John Frobisher, in particular) order the murders of those previously involved, including Captain Jack Harkness. They blow up the headquarters by planting a bomb inside Jack's stomach, but thanks to his immortality and the quick wits of partners Ianto and Gwen, their plans ultimate fail. The force is ultimately revealed as the 456, an alien race who requires the children of the Earth, approximately 35 million of them. Why? The children produce a chemical that serves as a recreational drug for them. The children are essentially apart of an intergalactic drug cartel. The 456 gives the government an ultimatum: 10% of the child population of Earth, or annihilation of the entire species.

While the show has its fair share of spectacular action sequences, the plot, or its metaphorical truth, is what is truly the draw. The government is forced with the arduous task of choosing which children are to be handed over to the 456. Seeing them squabble about saving their own kin and sending off children from what they consider the bottom denominator is stunning, infuriating and not completely outside the realm of possibility. More disturbing when watching those scenes is wondering if you would agree with their choice. How would you sacrifice the lives of innocent children, in order to save the human race? It's an impossible choice, but it had to be made, with the excuse of "35 million children or 6.7 billion people?". Ultimately, the government's role in this plot reinforces the difficulties that a president or prime minister must go through in deciding what it is good for their country, and how much sacrifice is needed to preserve what they consider peace. It also acknowledges the evils of politics; the scene where the Prime Minister tells John Frobisher that his children will be sacrificed while writing something is chilling beyond words.

Frobisher (played by Peter Capaldi), a civil servant for the Home Office who is thrust into the middle of this scandal, probably accounts for 65% of the show's most memorable moments. Capaldi is brilliant conveying a man against the moral ropes as he tries to navigate a global disaster. Even if his choices are highly questionable, you can understand why he makes them. His last choice would serve as his most shocking and heartbreaking. After learning the fate of his two daughters, Frobisher sends them and his wife upstairs, where he follows them with a pistol and closes the door behind him. The next 20 seconds are cinematic genius, as the four gun shots ring out, signaling the deaths of those inside. Compounding the horror is the voice of Bridget Spears speaking to supporting character Lois in jail, repeatedly informing her that Frobisher was a good man.

Also dealing with improbable choices and their consequences is Captain Jack Harkness. Throughout the story, we learn more about the things he's done and watch him as he struggles with them. For example, he was directly involved in the 1965 incident with the 456, who had requested 12 children in exchange for an antidote for Indonesian flu. We learn that when he comes face-to-face with one of the children who escaped, Timothy White. He also chooses to confront the 456, which results in the extermination of the building, and his partner Ianto. It was so sad watching a crying Jack, a man who would refuse to even acknowledge them as a couple, hold a dying Ianto. What was sadder was Ianto, in his last words, resigning to the fact that the immortal Jack will eventually forget him, regardless of his plea not to.

The most tragic element of the final hour of the show involved Jack and his relationship with his never-before-seen daughter Alice and grandson Steven. His daughter, who looks older than her father, kept her distance, claiming two reasons. One, he makes her feel old, and two, he is too dangerous. In a bit of foreshadowing, she says, "a man who doesn't die knows no fear". A truer statement was never made before, especially considering the devastating decision Jack makes in order to save the 35 million children about to sacrificed. He trades their lives for the life of Steven, using him as a sonic vessel to kill the 456. Alice screaming, tears rolling down Jack's face, blood pouring down Steven's face, and the high-pitched squeal of those children form an unspeakable moment that will go down as the most harrowing in the show's history.

All in all, the third (and possibly final) series of Torchwood was a tour de force. While there were some weak moments throughout the five hour presentation, the series reached a level of excellency I would have never expected. The acting was superb, the story was solid and meaningful, the production was intensely satisfying, and presented wonderfully. What pushed the showing into the stratosphere was its presentation of the world's worst fear in a way that wasn't cliche or tired. Instead, it inspired consideration of our own moral code if something similar and of massive scale were to occur in our lives. As we watched those choices made by Torchwood, the government, and even the public, we were brought to the realization that we take for granted the concept of humanity and what a delicate concept it is.

Rating: 10 out of 10

American Idol 8: Movie Night Flops Big Time!

Let me get this straight:

There are literally MILLIONS of songs from motion pictures to choose from, and yet somehow, TWO people perform Bryan Adams? Who the hell is helping them choose these songs?

Proving that this season will go down as one of the worst, the movie theme failed to bring out anything new in our Top 7. The most compelling moment of the night was Lil Rounds fighting back against Simon's downright cruel criticism.

Points have to be given to Kris Allen. Unlike his fellow contestants, Kris decided to be a bit more original, choosing the "obscure" (as Kara put it) Academy Award-winning song "Falling Slowly". It was a simple and understated performance, while delivering his best vocal yet. I didn't even know he could hit some of those notes. Listening back, it was definitely the best performance of the night. Falling somewhat in Kris' footsteps is Adam Lambert, who pretty much has this season in the bag. He chose "Born To Be Wild", which was a bit disappointing (I finally understand what Simon means when he says "indulgent"). He needs to go back to performances like "Mad World" and "Tracks of My Tears". That's where the gold is.

Alison Iraheta and Anoop Desai may have chosen predictable songs, but the performances were pretty solid. Alison's choice of "I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing" by Aerosmith had me raising an eyebrow at first, but she did her thing. Anoop's choice of "Everything I Do" by Bryan Adams (the first of two by him) really had me worried, but he proving himself to be quite the vocalist. It was a very strong performance from him, but I unfortunately doubt its ability to keep him from the Bottom Three.

In the second most shocking song choice of the night, Danny Gokey chose "Endless Love", the duet by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie. I honestly have no clue why he would choose that, of all the movie love songs in history. His vocals are, without a question, srong, but once again, the performance was boring.

The worst performance of the night goes to Matt Giraud, who hasn't truly wowed me since the first week of the finals. He chose the second Bryan Adams song of the night, "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?" from Don Juan Demarco. The song was a mess, and his voice didn't even make up for half of it.

What everyone will be talking about tomorrow is Lil Rounds, who may have just sung her last song on the Tuesday stage. Once deemed a front-runner, she has endured weekly complaints from the judges about her lack of "artistry". Apparently, she thought choosing "The Rose" by Bette Midler would prove once and for all she had that.

Seriously, though. "The Rose"? What the hell?

Anyway, I thought she did a good job of the song, showing off her considerable, although under-utilized, vocal chops. She even injected some gospel into the song. That wasn't enough for Simon, who skewered the shrinking diva with this cutting remark: "you are not the artist I believe we met seven or eight weeks ago". That finally caused Lil to snap, arguing that she did what the judges asked of her. Simon's reply? "But it was Bette Midler". Frankly, I think the judges and their "artistry" complaints this season are full of BS, but that's for another post. Either way, Lil's performance just wasn't up to snuff for the judges.

With such a broad theme, this week, like last week, was ridiculously uninspiring. If this show did anything, it really highlighted how the former mighty have fallen and how the current mighty can be stagnant.

Who's in the Bottom Three: Matt Giraud, Lil Rounds, Anoop Desai

Who's Going Home: Lil Rounds

So, Was Doctor Who's "Planet of the Dead" Easter Special a Complete Disaster?

Last night, BBC One aired the first of four highly-touted specials to aid David Tennant's exit as The Doctor. An estimated 8.4 million people tuned into the Easter special titled "Planet of the Dead". Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if they thought afterwards, "why the hell wasn't I watching Britain's Got Talent instead?"

Indeed, "Planet of the Dead" is a massive stepdown from previous specials, particularly the always-excellent Christmas specials of years past. While those had significance that reverberated throughout the series, this one-off was a pointless as The Doctor's assistant this time around, Lady Christina.

Kylie Minogue can now breathe a sigh of relief; Christina, played by Michelle Ryan, will likely be remembered as the worst Companion in recent Doctor Who history. Nothing about her was compelling, funny, or interesting at all. At least Astrid (Minogue's character from the Voyage of the Damned special in 2007) has some kind of identifiable wish. Christina served virtually no purpose at all. Sure, she could steal things well, but so could the Daleks. Doesn't make the good, does it?

All of the blame shouldn't be laid on her, though. The plot was shockingly weak, in complexity and entertainment value. Seriously, how much fun can a person have watching a group of mildly interesting people on a double-decker in an endless desert for a good 40 minutes? The swarm of metallic stingrays are straight-up non-villians, and the fly-like aliens inhabiting the desert are pathetic compared to past extra-terrestrials. There is really no impending danger or anything. No suspense. No anything. The episode was virtually barren, like the desert they were stuck in.

Except for the interesting little tidbits delivered in the end, missing this episode was nothing to shed tears over. Considering the anemic quality of the plot, I'm surprised the BBC comissioned this as a whole Easter special, when this wouldn't even tide over viewers of a Children in Need mini-episode. It was a fantastic waste of a timeslot, to be honest, and truly not fitting as part of a tribute to the excellent tenure of David Tennant as Time Lord.

Rating: 4/10

Eight Reasons Why I Hate Ryan Mason For Making Me Watch Doctor Who

My best friend Ryan Mason (owner of http://acollisionofthoughts.blogspot.com) is a huge fan of BBC series Doctor Who. I mean HUGE. I mean, watching a debate about whether Doctor Who is rubbish, huge.

Being his best friend, I thought it only fair that I figure out what was so special about this show.

Well, let's just say I did, and I hate Ryan for it.

Over the last few weeks, I have been watching the first two seasons (series in the UK) of the rebooted Doctor Who episodes. I just finished the 2006 Christmas episode (the one starring the freakin' hilarious Catherine Tate) and am about to start season three. So, here's what I've gathered from my viewing experience (also titled "Reasons Why I Hate Ryan Mason For Making Me Watch Doctor Who"):

1. David Tennant (the Tenth Doctor) is my new favorite actor (Why it makes me hate Ryan: he's leaving the show)

2. Billie Piper is all kinds of awesome (Why it makes me hate Ryan: she's been gone)

3. The Cybermen are the hokiest-looking villains ever (Why it makes me hate Ryan: he neglected to tell me I would be encountering them in TWO two-part specials)

4. "The Girl In The Fireplace" and "School Reunion" are my second and third favorite episodes, respectively, because David Tennant's acting is brilliant in them  (Why it makes me hate Ryan: see #1)

5. The last 15 minutes of "Doomsday" left me absolutely wrecked, and it ranks in the top 3 best moments of television I have ever witnessed, ever (Why it makes me hate Ryan: he neglected to mention that the episode, and the series for that matter, were so damn emotional!)

6. Catherine Tate's appearance at the end of "Doomsday" was a pointless, daft mood-killer (Why it makes me hate Ryan: he neglected to mention that the series interrupts emotional moments on the show with women dressed in wedding dresses)

7. Speaking of Catherine Tate, her sketch with David Tennant for Children in Need was ace (Why it makes me hate Ryan: he doesn't like Catherine's character Lauren. Bovvered? Hello!)

8. And finally, from what I've gathered from these episodes so far, Doctor Who is well-deserving of its status as national treasure in the UK. It's quickly ascending to the top 10 of my favorite shows, ever. In fact, the only show ahead of it is Friends. Rose and The Doctor are also in the top 10 of my favorite TV relationships. (Why it makes me hate Ryan: First off, why didn't he introduce this show to me earlier? Second, why did he introduce the show to me, just when the awesome Tennant was leaving? And finally, he won't let me keep the DVDs!)


So, those are the reasons why I hate Ryan Mason for getting me into Doctor Who (aka, "Why I Love Doctor Who" and "Some Reasons Why Ryan Mason is My Best Friend")

Stay tuned for more BWU Doctor Who coverage!

Soapy Suds: Angie Comforts Ryan on All My Children

There is a common belief that masterful actors have the ability to help their fellow castmates reach a higher level when they share scenes.

Well then, I guess Debbie Morgan is a masterful actor.

Morgan, an actor with a career that spans over 25 years in mediums including film and television, returned to All My Children last year, playing Angie Hubbard. Since then, she has helped maintain a somewhat stable ground for the fledgling soap. No matter what kind of crap she is given, she turns it into screen gold, hence her Daytime Emmy pre-nomination.

Her true gift lies in her ability to elevate her costars to her level. Such is the case in last week's episode, where Angie treats Ryan Lavery's injuries after a rough night at the casino. What could have been a fly-by-night scene became a significant piece in understanding the loss that Ryan (played by Cameron Mathison) is suffering after Greenlee's death. While treating his injury, Ryan FINALLY opens up about Greenlee, and instead of spewing unsympathetic garbage about revenge, he expresses feelings of hopelessness, pain, and vulnerability. By the end of the exchange, he breaks down in Angie's caring arms.

What makes this scene particularly special is that for the first time in nearly eight years, Cameron Mathison isn't performing full throttle. His performance here, opposite Emmy-winning Morgan, is quiet and restrained, exposing Ryan's grief far more poignantly than the tirades against Zach that he has been forced to play in the last week or two. He resists the urge to over-express himself, making the scene powerful.

What's spectacular about Debbie Morgan is that, despite her powerhouse acting chops, she lets Mathison take the reigns of the scene, acting with him instead of against him. Their chemistry here is ace, giving Mathison his first viable, non-romantic acting partner since Julia Barr as Brooke English. I'm referring to the scenes with Brooke and Ryan in the hospital after his true love Gillian dies. Just like those, this scene is a truly special moment where everything, as understated as it may be, are terrifically in sync.

The CW's Gossip Girl Delivers Best Episode To Date

Gossip Girl is many things to different types of people. It's a visual Bible for tweens, a guilty pleasure for teens and young adults like me, and a source of corruption for adults. Rarely is it considered a genuine television drama worthy of praise.

Well, that may change soon because tonight, Josh Schwartz presented the best episode in the entire Gossip Girl series. Emotional, powerful, intelligent, and shocking, tonight's episode, entitled "O Brother, Where Bart Thou?", should silence the critics who brand the series as mindless fluff.

SPOILERS COMING UP

The episode focused on the aftermath of Bart Bass' timely death. For such a minor character, Bart's passing definitely caused a ripple effect. By ripple, I mean massive waves that threaten to crash onto the show's already shaky canvas. His death left many of the characters shaken, but no one more than his very troubled son Chuck. Usually impeccably composed in appearance and demeanor, the Chuck Bass seen tonight was completely dissheveled. His eyes were weary, his hair was scruffy, and his voice was gravelly. What was more interesting was Chuck's attitude throughout the episode. Chuck has always been a kinda bad guy, but he was bitter cold, even dealing with his step-brother Eric. The ice veneer finally cracked, thanks to Blair. Never one to give in, Blair fought hard to get through to Chuck. She even went as far as to say the words she never wanted to; "I love you". The words struck a chord with the broken Bass, who showed up in her room during her mother's wedding to Cyrus. There, Chuck finally broke down, crying sobless tears in Blair's waiting arms. It was a beautiful scene, probably the best in the show history. Ed Westwick's performance in this episode was a revelation, and if I wasn't certain that teen dramas will never be nominated Emmys, I would consider him a lock for a Best Supporting Actor nod.

Another big storyline affected by the death of Bass was Lily and Rufus's on-and-off relationship. The two met in Central Park, where he declared he would wait for her this time. Lily, after episodes and episodes of denial, finally admitted she loved him too and the two planned a getaway. However, that rendezvous seems to be postponed indefinitely, especially after the bomb that was dropped in the jaw-dropping cliffhanger.

The last few episodes have revealed that Lily was in fact institutionalized, like her son Eric. Bart's digging into her past was definitely unwelcome, but we didn't know why until tonight. She was sent to the institution because of attempted suicide or drug addiction. It turns out that Lily was pregnant, with Rufus' baby. BOMB DROPPED.

Just when you thought that the path was cleared for the longtime lovers to reunite, a whole mess of bricks are dropped in front of them. If Rufus' word can be trusted, than the chances of the bricks being lifted are slim to none.

The only weak spot into tonight's episode was the slightly dreadful Aaron/Dan/Serena love triangle. Amongst death, emotional breakdowns, and dirty secrets blowing up, these three are trying to decide which guy gets the girl? Honestly, there's no one to root for anyway; Aaron's annoying, Dan's an obnoxious, pretentious jackass, and Serena has REALLY bad taste. It's a lose-lose-lose situation.

Except for that small, but annoying blemish, tonight's GG was exceptional. The acting, particular Westwick's, was excellent, the storylines were appetizing while leaving us craving for more, the cliffhanger was shocking, and there was significant character development.

It makes me wish that new episodes ran through the Christmas season.

To vote for Gossip Girl as Best Primetime Show, visit the BWU Website at http://brandonbestworst.webs.com and click on the "BWU Awards" link at the top of the website

2008 Olympics Closing Ceremony Review

Note to the London Olympics organizers: you HAVE to come better than this!

The 2008 Beijing Olympics ended Sunday with the Closing Ceremony, which includes the extinguishing of the flame and the handover to the next Olympic host. After the spectacular display put on during the Opening Ceremony, everyone was expecting a real show.

The Chinese delivered on their end, with another visual masterpiece, directed by the same man behing the opening show. Once again, the entire stadium was used to deliver a truly 3-dimensional experience. It was colorful, precise, and absolutely perfect. It may not have been of the same scale of the Opening Ceremony, but it was still amazing.

If only London held up the quality. To be honest, the London set was a true mess. First off, the double decker bus thing was pretty lame, even when it evolved into the stage. I also didn't really get all of the dancers and the two little girls passing off the soccer ball. The best part of the sequence was Leona Lewis and Jimmy Page performing "Whole Lotta Love", and even that was screwed up a bit. Leona looked GORGEOUS in both the super-long dress connected to the stand and the mini-dress when she came out of it. She also sounded amazing, of what we could hear of it. Unfortunately, we could barely hear her, thanks to a crappy sound system. They can make up for it by releasing the song on iTunes.

Finally, David Beckham came up from the double-decker bus with a bunch of kids and taking the aforementioned soccer ball, he kicks it into the crowd. That was it? They hyped up the appearance of David Beckham so much and all he did was kick a ball? Seriously?

Kudos to China for a spectacular Olympics experience that won't soon be forgotten. London, you've got four years to match that. If the handover ceremony was indication, you've got A LOT to work on!

I Love Money: TV Review

Last night, VH1 rose to new heights of tackiness with the premiere of I Love Money, a game show starring previous contestants of I Love New York, Flavor of Love and Rock of Love. The craziest contestants from the 6 seasons are competing to win $250,000 by participating in various mental and physical challenges, all based off of the most memorable moments from the shows.

I have watched 5 seasons of three shows (I didn't watch the 1st season of Rock of Love), so I was pretty familiar with the cast. It wasn't surprising that none of them have changed, except that most of them have developed this false sense of celebrity. I've gotta give it to the casting directors, because this is the craziest group of people to ever live in a house together, or be forced to be put on unisex bikinis.

Speaking of the bikinis, every member of the cast had to put on the "uniform" in order to compete in the challenge, which was to get the most money flying around in a telephone box thing. Midget Mac, the memorable little person from I Love New York 2 was the only person not to wear it. The issue launched the first big fight of the season, with Midget Mac going toe-to-toe (no pun intended) against Hoopz, the kick-ass winner of Flavor of Love. Things got really nasty when he called her a ho, and Hoopz threatened to drown him in the pool. Seriously, even Chance from ILNY wore the bikini, so it wasn't that big of a deal. He was just being a spoilsport.

The night had me seriously busting my gut with laughter. Between dreams of helping mentally challenged dogs and shocking revelations of premature ejaculations, there was barely a minute I didn't stop laughing. Mr. Boston, from ILNY, provided the most unintentional laughs. After Pumkin (still a whore) told everyone that he, erm, released early when they kissed, Mr. Boston revealed to the audience that he stuffed his speedo because he wasn't very endowed. He unfortunately had to pull the stuffing out in front of everyone to make room for the money he was gonna stuff down there. When he was taking the money out, he accidentally flashed the cast. Any cool that Mr. Boston built up on his previous show has effectively been destroyed.

So far, the show is looking as expected; crass, tacky, slutty, and overly ridiculous, much like its predecessors and contestants. While there are some I am rooting for, none of them honestly deserve it. The fact that they are willing to humiliate themselves, again, is just proof of that.

If you are looking to laugh at people and making yourself feel better, this show is for you.

If you are looking for a stimulating program, turn around.

In fact, just leave VH1 alone.

TV Review: Camp Rock

Early on in my blogging career, I wanted to investigate what made Disney-related music, TV shows, and movies so insanely popular. It was one of the reasons why I decided to take my time reviewing Camp Rock, "starring" insanely popular teen sensation Jonas Brothers. I wanted to make sure I accurately criticized this TV movie.

After reading numerous reviews and watching the film live on ABC this past Saturday, I am ready to deliver my opinion of the latest DCOM.

Acting
Now, I wasn't expecting Oscar-worthy performances, but I was at least hoping for some kind of delivery that wouldn't have me rolling me eyes. Let's start with the leading male, Joe Jonas. The one thing I noticed was that his acting was really limited to scenes that didn't require a clear-cut emotion. I found myself rolling my eyes when he was playing angry in the limo or upset when he confronted Demi Lovato's character on her lies. However, things were much less awkward during the low-key scenes, like when Shane sang his song to Mitchie on the pier. He came off more natural and believable during those moments, and they were definitely more enjoyable. Demi Lovato, who played lead character Mitchie, was surprisingly good. Even though there were parts of her story that were absurd, I never once lost sympathy for her. It was probably that blinding smile, which flashed at least 200 times during the film. It's rather ironic that while her character pretended to be fake, Demi's portrayal was one of the realest of them all. The other notable was Alyson Stoner, who played Mitchie's friend Caitlyn. She played the cynical aspiring music producer very well, so well that I wondered why she didn't have the Disney package (album, TV show, her own movie). The other performances were subpar, at best (among the teen actors, anyway). Meaghan Jette Martin, who played Camp Rock bitch Tess Tyler, was pretty stale, often being upstaged by her co-stars. Her scene toward the end, when she ran backstage after messing up in front of her mother and started crying, was painfully bad. As for the other Jonases, I enjoyed Kevin's character the most, but I'm not sure whether that was the acting or the writing. Nick wasn't acting at all; his character was very serious and collected, much like his own personality. Not much of a stretch.

Writing
The movie, in my opinion, suffered immensely in this area. Whether it was the basic plot or the lines the characters spoke, the writing all seemed contrived and awkward. There were many holes and a lack of development that disrupted any enjoyment the movie could've delivered. For example, Peggy (Jasmine Richards) breaks free from the clutches of Tess and performs at Final Jam, eventually winning the whole thing. But where is her story? Why did she feel she wasn't good enough to go solo in the first place? Why did she let Tess (who really sucked) outshine her? I get the movie was focused on Mitchie, but there could've been a subplot about Peggy. Hell, it could've intertwined with the main story. It was these types of discrepancies that didn't exist in HSM that made the movie difficult to relate to if you were older than 15. It is surprising (and disappointing) that Julie Brown helped write this film, because it wasn't very smart.

Then there were the lines. I'm surprised that the actors were able to keep a straight face saying some of these things. Consider Shane's response to Mitchie saying she liked his song: "Wow, you really know how to make a guy feel better." It would've been okay if he was being sarcastic, but he was being sincere! Such an eye-rolling moment. To be fair though, there was some cool (even quite clever) writing in the film. Whoever wrote Kevin's lines deserves an award, because he was hilarious (again, either it was acting or writing, not sure which). By the middle of the movie, I wanted him to get that birdhouse!

The plot was rather formulaic (as noted in other reviews) and predictable. Mitchie, who's attending Camp Rock because her mom agreed to be a cook, lies about who she is to fit in. Her lies eventually catch up with her, just as she gets closer to bad boy popstar Shane Gray, who was sent to the camp to rehab his image. He gets inspired by a girl singing (Mitchie) to write music not typical of his band, Connect Three. He runs around the film trying to find her, never realizing that the girl he's been canoeing with or serenading on docks to was her. Anyway, things go sour when Mitchie's lies are revealed, and they get worse when Tess (the movie's Sharpay) sets her up for theft, which bans her from the Final Jam celebration. She does get to sing, and the song unites her and Shane in a really nice scene. At the end, they break in the "We're All In This Together" equivalent "We Rock". The story dripped in cheese and lacked any real substance, even with the Disney-typical "be yourself" theme. There wasn't much else to take away from the story, which was very disappointing. They could've elaborated more on the Shane wanting to expand his sound past the "stupid cookie-cutter popstar stuff" his label wants, but it stalled; another pot hole. It was if Disney was determined to make this film as uncomplicated as possible (maybe they're saving the real deepness for HSM 3?), not realizing how deeply affected the film. I'm not sure even the most die-hard JB fan would watch the film in film more than its three premieres.

SONGS
The most important part of Camp Rock was the music. There were a lot of songs, with a surprising variety of singers. First there was "Who I Will Be", song by Mitchie. I didn't real pay much attention to the song, since it was during the opening credits, plus there were more important songs she would sing. From the Jonas Brothers/Connect Three, there was "Play My Music", the song that was inspired by Mitchie's song. I can't call Disney crap on this one, it was actually pretty good. I was impressed, and when it comes to them and Disney, it takes a lot to get a positive reaction from me. it's the only song that could be released as a single unrelated to the movie. Shane's solo "Gotta Find You" will surely set JB lovers' iPods on fire for the next few months, thanks to a passionate delivery by Joe. "Too Cool", Tess' bitchy song was terrible, vocally and lyrically. Peggy's breakout song "Here I Am" was very nice, although her terrible pretend guitar playing was distracting.

Then, there was Mitchie's big song "This Is Me", which toward the end became a duet with Shane (a la Breaking Free from HSM). Demi Lovato's voice was fantastic in this song, although there were parts where I felt she was holding back. She definitely held her own against the Jonas, and their voices blended together extremely well. Yeah, the lyrics are a bit corny, but if you push that aside, it's actually a great song, best of the album.

OVERALL
With all of the hype surrounding the film, I was expecting something really good. Let's just say it fell below my expectations. Given the opportunity to make a really nice film to introduce two of Disney's rising talents (less JB, since they're already huge), they decided to pull out a predictable storyline with little substance or relevance to anything. Although some of the songs were nice and the acting was bearable, it couldn't outweigh the sher mediocrity of the movie. It's a shame really, considering how talented Demi Lovato is and how much money the Jonas Brothers have made Disney, you would think they would give them something to sink their teeth into. Oh well, considering a Camp Rock sequel is already in the works, maybe Disney will actually do it right.

Rating: 5/10