Category: television

“The Hills”: Season 2 Review

Since my mid-season review, The Hills just kept getting better. Even though the second season trailer contained a hint of the growing split between best friends Lauren and Heidi, I didn’t think it would cumulate into the two ultimately not speaking to each other.

Unlike at the end of season 1, the show was renewed for a third even before the season finale aired. Thus the editors were granted the opportunity to create a cliffhanger – namely, the result of Whitney’s job interview. I like the inadvertent parallel of Heidi and Spencer’s new living arrangements with Lauren and Jason’s summer accommodation storyline last year. Will season three open with a newly single gal too? I also have to say that the shot of a penseive Heidi in the side mirror of the moving van as she departed was so perfect you have to wonder if it was pre-planned.

Lastly, echoing a frustration all viewers must share, how can Heidi remain with Spencer even after his blunt playboy confession? On some level, young love can explain some of her tunnel vision, but there comes a point where the sympathy becomes exasperation at her naïveté, blindness, or at worst, docile acceptance of his cheating tendencies.

If the recent Lauren/Jason sex tape scandal or Heidi’s breast implants and rhinoplasty gossip are any indication, there will be much to follow even before season 3 airs.

“Laguna Beach”: Season 1 Review

As I’ve been immobile over the last few days, I’ve finally had the time to watch, from beginning to end, the first season of Laguna Beach.

In contrast to season 2, the drama really wasn’t as entertaining, and the storylines were slim – reduced to the Kristin-Stephen-Lauren love triangle. As a whole, the season demonstrated an expected learning curve for its inaugural year, as in my opinion, it didn’t hit its stride on manipulative editing, music selection, and episode-to-episode cliffhanger creation until the penultimate “The First to Go” (including a heartbreaker of a scene between Kristin and Stephen, who surprisingly end up as the show’s emotional anchor).

Other thoughts:

  • I was impressed with Trey’s thirst for activism, especially in the face of Laguna’s stereotypical consumerist culture and seemingly apathetic climate.
  • Though they weren’t billed characters, I really hoped to see more of Dieter and Jessica (as a couple or as individuals) – before Jessica’s descent into the land of the jealous and needy in season 2 (and really, how cute was Dieter’s prom-posal?).
  • I loved Lo(!) and thought she was edited to be one of the most grounded girls in Laguna.
  • I enjoyed the “foreshadowing” of Lauren’s interest in fashion (the producers really couldn’t have set up The Hills better if they tried), but I really can do without hearing her utter the phrase “best friend” ever again.
  • Based on the deleted scenes, the editors really could have highlighted Trey and Morgan’s college selection processes, especially since they were both initially rejected by their first choices. This would have been a great opportunity to expose the very impressionable 14-16 sect of the audience to post-secondary applications, but this plotline was likely shafted in favor of more time for the aforementioned love triangle.
  • For anyone who hasn’t had a gander at the DVDs, they are worth a look purely for the sequence of “Laguna Beach Interviews” on the third disc. Questions such as “What does hooking up mean?” or (to Lo), “Did you ever tell Lauren to just get over Stephen?” are granted a mock-serious tone with its white-on-black panel display format.

Some may think I wasted precious hours of my life, and while I will admit that an entire season in two days was a bit much, Laguna ultimately shirked my need for painkillers.

“Prison Break”: Season 2 Review

Based on my excitement early on in the season, I don’t think the rest of the episodes this year fulfilled the expectations that I had built up. I don’t know if I like the fact that Michael ended up, full-circle of sorts, back in prison. Nor am I sure about the descent into science fiction or X-Files territory as Megan said (if that’s what the white-light was supposed to allude to). And poor Kellerman…it took a while for me to believe that his 180 degree turn was genuine, but Paul Adelstein really sold the performance at the end.

Even more disappointing, TPTB at FOX decided to renew the show for a third season. It’s really hard to take the show seriously now when it is common knowledge that Prison Break was conceived as a 44-episode run – all subsequent material is a stretch. Though I guess I really won’t be able to judge the quality until it airs, and the creator, Paul T. Scheuring, is right to some extent about how networks tend to commodify successes, and I’m sure he will do the best that he can with the opportunity he has been given (from a recent panel interview – scroll down to 8:51pm).

The long wait until the fall begins…

Random Entertainment Notes

  • Congratulations to the newly-engaged Celina Stachow & Josh Dean. Yes, I am an Edmonton-theatre-actor stalker.
  • Stewart Lemoine’s At the Zenith of the Empire is being published in April by Newest Press.
  • I’m sure Dickson and Mack will be thrilled to learn about the new DVD Board Game based on High School Musical. It’s in stores now! And for those of you who didn’t know – the movie is also on ice!
  • “Snowy!” – anyone else excited for the upcoming Tintin movie?
  • My beloved TWOP was acquired by Bravo a few weeks ago. I’ll choose to think that gives us legions of posters (and lurkers) an honest-to-goodness legitimacy.
  • Critics have been saying not to hold out for Studio 60. Though I’ll be a Sorkin fan until the end, even I’ll admit that he could do better. But I still hope they will air the remaining episodes. In the meantime, take a look at this hilarious bumper sticker.

“The Hills”: Mid-Season Review

While I’ve been following the show closely, I haven’t felt the urge to post about The Hills so far this season. Most of the plotlines, including Heidi’s pregnancy scare, Lauren and Brody’s flirtations, and nouVogue‘s intern supreme Emily have been quite unexceptional.

But with last night’s intense fight between Lauren and Heidi, I think the season has found its legs and resonating moment. Though the tension has been building over the last few episodes, it erupted today in Lauren’s ultimatum – Heidi’s choice between her boyfriend or their friendship.

Beyond boy dramas, Laguna Beach and The Hills have both had their share of female cat fights and clique wars. But there’s something about best friends at an impasse that is relatable on a very raw, personal level – voyeurism at its best, with situations playing out in a suspended reality. Producer manipulation and editing aside, it’s just darn good reality television.

I can’t wait for next week!

“The O.C.”: Down to the Wire

I watched the fourth-to-last episode of The O.C. today, and though I’ve already lamented over its cancellation, there is much to be said about the writers’ insistence not to go softly into the good night.

As tonight’s episode aptly demonstrated, Schwartz & Co. fully intend on stretching their creative rein as far as possible. In a series of cheesy-bordering-on-campy flashbacks, the audience is shown a young Summer and Seth, as well as how Kirsten and Sandy met all those years ago at Berkeley (spawning the aww-worthy phrase, “You’ve found your Sandy Cohen”). I love how Julie and Frank’s relationship has developed gradually, which is quite unusual for the soapy drama. Lastly, Willa Holland has been the season’s true surprise, playing ‘Mini Coop’ with a sass and grace Mischa Barton could only dream of. Her scenes of fatherly bonding with Bullit are pure gold, carefully mined for comic tenderness.

If you missed it, CTV Broadband should have the episode up by Friday. Three to go!

Man-purse!

Never usually one with great timing, turns out my 24 post earlier this week showed a bit of foresight. Today’s Edmonton Journal printed an article originally conceived for the Colorado Springs Gazette all about Jack’s handy bag from season 5:

“they can hardly keep the bag in stock. Both men and women are buying it. It was a big hit at Christmas and now, with the sixth season premiering Sunday and Monday night, orders are pouring in. ‘I mean people are saying things like, ‘Thank God I found one. My husband wants one, my son wants one, I want one.”

Jeffrey is just a tad mystified, not being a die-hard fan. But his brother Michael is a fan. And it’s kind of embarrassing for Jeffrey to relay this, but he does, anyway, for the sake of capitalism: ‘Michael is always saying, ‘What would Jack do?’ I mean, he’s 61.'”

And for $24 US, you too can be like Jack.

Jack’s man-purse (photo from NewYorkFirst.com)

“24”: Season 6 Initial Thoughts

Jack’s back(!) in the adrenaline-pumping, non-stop thrill ride known as 24.

As per prior seasons, it appears the central focus of this day will be preventing a nuclear attack (is it just me, or have warheads become blasé for other seasoned 24 watchers?). But now that the show has matured, and we’re on to POTUS #3, it’s interesting to be able to compare the leaders, asking, “What would David do?” or, God forbid, “What would Charles do?” and wonder if Wayne Palmer’s insecurities are any worse than Logan’s.

I continue to be fascinated by the mainstays of the show, including the steady erosion of civil liberties, the astonishing viral corruption apparent in all levels of public service, the ethical and moral dilemmas faced by the CotS (Civilian-of-the-Season), and of course, how “we’re securing a 10-block parameter around the scene” still means erecting a barrier of swiss cheese.

I also love the director’s ability to flawlessly point to character relationships – a flash of Karen Hayes’ ring to indicate her engagement to Bill Buchanan, or Sandra Palmer’s call to her brother in high office. And speaking of characters, there has been an interesting array of casting choices so far this season: Peter MacNicol of Ally McBeal fame (“I like a clean bowl!”), as a suspicious Presidential advisor; Shaun Majumder, a former host on the children’s television network YTV, as an Islamic fundamentalist martyr; and Kal Penn, one half of the Harold & Kumar duo who spent the length of a movie searching for a burger, as a terrorist recruit. It’s also worth noting that Mary Lynn Rajskub looks great this year; Chloe is really coming into her own.

Lastly, the real reason why I watch this show: to uncover, while mourning the loss of Jack’s man-purse, how it is possible for Kiefer to look equally good in a casual long-sleeved tee and a dress shirt.

Episode 5 airs tomorrow night!

“The O.C.”: Cancelled

And another one of my shows bites the dust.

News surfaced yesterday that after four seasons, the pop-culture phenomenon, The O.C., will be airing its final episode on February 22. Although I was more affected by the cancellations of Ed and Everwood in years past, I will be sad to see this show off.

After the creative black hole that was Oliver and, well, most other Marissa-centered crises, the producers worked hard to get the show back up to Season 1-par this year, despite the death of the princess herself. The storylines have been great – being able to watch Ryan and Julie overcome their grief, Ryan and Taylor’s relationship blossom, and Ryan’s continued maturation (okay, you’ve got me there…I’d be satisfied with Ben Mackenzie in any shape or form). Even the very soap opera-esque appearance of Ryan’s dad this season was handled exceptionally well.

I will miss the Cohens and their merry band of friends.

“High School Musical”

I had heard about High School Musical here and there – a cast member on Jay Leno, a clip on the Family Channel – and I was morbidly curious as to what the hype was all about. So I took the time finally to sit down and watch it yesterday, in full, courtesy of my sister’s DVD.

The storyline is fairly straightforward – a basketball star meets a science champion on summer vacation, connect magically over a forced duet, and à la Grease, discover themselves schoolmates come September. They both want to audition, as a pair, for the school mu-zi-kal, but can’t due to peer pressure, and allegiance to their original callings. And I’m sure you can see where this is leading…

The movie is predictable, overacted, driven by stereotypes and characterized by clichéd moments…but in the end, it won me over. High School Musical never pretends to be anything other than a made for television family movie, and it’s hard to dislike a movie with a good heart at its core and noble intentions.

One song in particular, “Status Quo,” was rather clever. It involved members of several cliques confessing their deepest secrets – a jock’s penchant for baking, a skater’s talent for the cello, a bookworm’s love of hip hop. It kind of made me wish my high school cafeteria broke out into sweeping song and dance numbers more often.

The penultimate performance, “Breaking Free,” the showstopper involving the two leads, is pure pop, and irresistible in its own right. I wish they had eliminated the last number, “We’re All in This Together”, and ended on the more memorable “Breaking Free” instead. It not only screamed of Grease‘s “We Go Together,” with everyone pairing off, but also unnecessarily hammered home the movie’s byline that individual differences should be celebrated. But I guess if I’m looking for subtlety, I shouldn’t be watching the Disney Channel.

Turns out, High School Musical 2: Sing It All or Nothing! is already in the works, to be released some time this year. I may have to watch it just to see if it lives up to the original.