reading the recaps
Apr. 1st, 2009 08:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jlhIn this issue: Guiding Light, United States of Tara, Dancing with the Stars, Elton John videos, Castle, and Jacob on last night's idol. I had one of my non-sleep naps today and feel ever so much better now.
Jacob on last night's American Idol theme:
I've been watching Dancing with the Stars this season because there are so many SYTYCD alums—Dmitry, Chelsie and Lacey—but I've been completely charmed by Gilles Marini, the naked neighbor from the Sex and the City movie. Lil' Kim is pretty awesome, too. I'm glad that Holly and the Woz went home, because neither of them were pleasing to watch. I find the whole hot-girl-who-can't-move to be baffling, but they do seem to get reality shows on E!—Kim Kardashian, Holly, Denise Richards who left last week. I guess they're so self-conscious about looking good that they just can't let go enough to actually look good dancing, or something. Loving Shawn Johnson and Melissa from the bachelor (very good move!) as well.
But more importantly, why didn't anyone tell me that judge Bruno Tonioli is the leather-thonged dancer in Elton's I'm Still Standing video? While I could see the gayness for a country mile, just the fact that there was an objectified scantily clad boy in a music video had a big impact on my adolescent self. (I'd embed, but it's disabled—and MTV won't offer the video to "viewers in my region." I'm not sure why that video and not so many others, but whatever; UMG sucks.)
Castle continues to be what I want from a television show. I'm mostly just excited to actually be excited about a new show; I haven't been in so long, probably the first season of HIMYM, or maybe the start of Studio 60 before it all went horribly wrong. I liked that they showed Castle's vulnerability this week, and his insistence that he's "a wiseass, not a jackass." Of course I adored his reaction when Beckett showed up to his reading in her hot dress, but even more I enjoyed his mother's reaction: "Oh, look at you!" The mystery was good, too—I thought it was the wife as soon as I saw her at the press conference announcing her candidacy.
I'm not sure how I'm feeling about United States of Tara. The acting is great and the scripts sparkle, but the plot is a little all over the place and I'm never sure where we really are or where we're headed. It's been renewed for a second season—the first season finale is this Sunday—and I definitely think I'll watch it, but I don't think it's definitely a big winner that I have a lot to say about. On the must watch list for me, but I don't think at the top of the recommendation list for others.
Last but absolutely not least: CBS cancelled Guiding Light. GL was the longest running scripted program on television, and when you add the radio show, had been running continuously since 1937. (And yes, the Bauers were at the center of it from the start.) GL was my soap as a teen, and even now I can see five seconds of it and recognize most of the characters. Sad, sad news, especially for New York theater actors who will have one less way to make the rent.
Jacob on last night's American Idol theme:
I'm not sure I understand the theme. "Most popular downloads" according to something or another. Like One Night In Paris, maybe, you could sing that somehow. "Tommy Lee Gave Me Diseases On A Yacht With His Mile-Long Penis, Parts I & II."Everyone seems to agree that last night was Bizarro!Idol, with the judges praising what sucked (Danny) and dinging what didn't suck (Allison) and singers who are good being weird (Matt) with the only parts everyone is happy about being Kris and Adam. I keep going back and forth about whether its Anoop or Megan who'll go tonight.
I've been watching Dancing with the Stars this season because there are so many SYTYCD alums—Dmitry, Chelsie and Lacey—but I've been completely charmed by Gilles Marini, the naked neighbor from the Sex and the City movie. Lil' Kim is pretty awesome, too. I'm glad that Holly and the Woz went home, because neither of them were pleasing to watch. I find the whole hot-girl-who-can't-move to be baffling, but they do seem to get reality shows on E!—Kim Kardashian, Holly, Denise Richards who left last week. I guess they're so self-conscious about looking good that they just can't let go enough to actually look good dancing, or something. Loving Shawn Johnson and Melissa from the bachelor (very good move!) as well.
But more importantly, why didn't anyone tell me that judge Bruno Tonioli is the leather-thonged dancer in Elton's I'm Still Standing video? While I could see the gayness for a country mile, just the fact that there was an objectified scantily clad boy in a music video had a big impact on my adolescent self. (I'd embed, but it's disabled—and MTV won't offer the video to "viewers in my region." I'm not sure why that video and not so many others, but whatever; UMG sucks.)
Castle continues to be what I want from a television show. I'm mostly just excited to actually be excited about a new show; I haven't been in so long, probably the first season of HIMYM, or maybe the start of Studio 60 before it all went horribly wrong. I liked that they showed Castle's vulnerability this week, and his insistence that he's "a wiseass, not a jackass." Of course I adored his reaction when Beckett showed up to his reading in her hot dress, but even more I enjoyed his mother's reaction: "Oh, look at you!" The mystery was good, too—I thought it was the wife as soon as I saw her at the press conference announcing her candidacy.
I'm not sure how I'm feeling about United States of Tara. The acting is great and the scripts sparkle, but the plot is a little all over the place and I'm never sure where we really are or where we're headed. It's been renewed for a second season—the first season finale is this Sunday—and I definitely think I'll watch it, but I don't think it's definitely a big winner that I have a lot to say about. On the must watch list for me, but I don't think at the top of the recommendation list for others.
Last but absolutely not least: CBS cancelled Guiding Light. GL was the longest running scripted program on television, and when you add the radio show, had been running continuously since 1937. (And yes, the Bauers were at the center of it from the start.) GL was my soap as a teen, and even now I can see five seconds of it and recognize most of the characters. Sad, sad news, especially for New York theater actors who will have one less way to make the rent.
