'The Foot in the Foreclosure'

Now, I know I said I would post notes for every episode of Bones... But let's face it: I lied.

Anyway...

I like how the real estate agent's main concern was that now the house won't sell.

He hit a nurse. Hahaha.

Let me begin by mentioning that "Pops" is played by Ralph Waite, who played Gibbs' father on NCIS. This makes Gibbs Booth's uncle.

"Shrimp?" "I imagine Booth used to be... shorter." "Ahhh." Good job, Sweets.

Booth and his grandfather have a secret handshake. Nice.

I like the way he came and stood so close to Bones to present her.

"You weren't kidding." "What did you tell him?" I'm assuming he told his grandfather that Bones is freaking beautiful.

"Who is this, a friend of Parker's?" Hahahah. "You got room on your bicycle for my bag?"

"Nothing trumps family, Bones. Just remember that."

"Okay, Bones, we're frozen now." I love his sliding.

Of course it was spontaneous combustion. That is the only conclusion that makes sense.

Clark! This means this will be interesting. "Booth is a good man." And I like how he talks about the elderly. Clark is cool.

"Well, the SOB up and died on me." I love Pops.

"My therapist says I'm afraid to feel." Wow, this real estate lady is ANNOYING.

"Booth must be cute with his grandfather." And she does this cute little smile that says, "Oh, yes!"

So now she realizes that 'Bones' is a sign of affection. She definitely gave this little smile when she said, "No, just Bones," that meant that she doesn't mind that that's been her only nickname. And Angela knows it.

Angela is magical.

"Just because I'm maturing, people think I'm going senile."

"Don't worry. If you ever need a little privacy with that Bone doctor, I'll make myself scarce." Go, Pops! "There's nothing going on with us." "Are you gay?" HAHAHAHA. That's the second person to ask him that, about her. "She's a keeper."

"Well, go! Keep America safe!"

Hahaha. Pops has decided he is an employee.

*gasp* People actually eat at the Founding Fathers? Lol.

"I like her. She's real. She has balls." "Ovaries, actually." "Okay, you have a pair of steel ovaries." "Thank you." I. Love. This. Episode.

OMG! Poor Little Booth! *sniff*

She promised to hold him if he needed it when she tells him. I am taking it upon myself to write this one-shot.

Booth is kind of grossed out by Club Jiggle. And so am I.

"He's making you grilled cheese tonight." "Really?" "Yes. and I'm inviiiiiited."

"So, we were talking about murder here. Meg Tracy, fondling of fat..."

I love grilled cheese. =]

And the fact that Brennan is assuming responsibility with Booth. It's like how she's helping raise Parker. =]

"Your Grandma had some jam in her jelly." HAHAH.

"Is she always like this?" "She always has the facts." He was proud.

"She's got talent, charm, beauty, and money, and you are just friends? I didn't teach you well enough."

What an appropriate song.

"I don't want you disappearing into one of those women." Haha.

Celery stick? Why do people always call Bones skinny? In fact, she's putting on a little weight. It looks good.

"I mean, yes." and he puts an arm around her and pulls her close and they both look REALLY happy.

Go Pops! Hahaha.

"Neither can you." "That was nasty." "But it was true." Haha.

Fire? Why didn't Bones run out of there, too?

A leave of absence? =[ Of course he knows you love him!

"Weird cake sex." Hahaha. Clark is cool.

"That's so sweet. And horrible. Mostly horrible." It's really hard to be mad at Angela.

"You crochet?" "It's what we call sex." LOLZ.

"He's big and strong, but he needs someone. He's gonna need someone. Don't be scared." Awww!

Awww! He said she looks pretty! =]

All in all, a FANTABULOUS episode. My notes are lousy because I was way too caught up in its fantabulousness.

Old Criminal Minds

Okay, so I've been saying I was going to blog about this for a long time... So, I guess, here we go.

Lately, I've been watching some old CM episodes (and when I say old, I mean like, 'Extreme Aggressor' and 'Compulsion', as in, the first episodes of the series). I started analyzing them and comparing them to what goes on now. and here is what I have...

Characters

Gideon: I never did like him. Alex and I talked about how he takes too much of the blame- seems to make everything HIS fault. He is not Family Oriented, which is a big problem here. He's a loner. He is a good profiler, and he talks to Hotch, but he's too much Co-Worker and not enough Family Member. Rossi pwns all, but I may be biased.

Hotch: He smiled. Because, at that point in the time, his Family Drama was nonexistent. In fact, we were still waiting for Baby Jack- naming him, actually. It was CUTE. As in, Hotch IS actually capable of fluff. Other than that, he's Hotch... He's Mom.

Morgan: He wore suits. Which is weird enough. The first time we see him, he's hitting on trainees. He's pretty business-like. Also, he has to stop Gideon from saving someone? You mean, he wasn't always a vigilante I-must-save-those-people kind of guy? What kind of world was season one?

Reid: He was cute. I liked him. He was like a little kid, all Dr. Reid, and I wanted to hug him. There was a time I could stand him. Pre-'Revelations'.

Garcia: First of all, I just realized she's not in this picture. Fail. Then again, she was minor with a capitol M. Like this- Minor. She was not magical, which was ridiculous. But she did flirt with Morgan, so, points for SOMETHING being the same.

JJ- Awww, Jayje. I love her. She was so darn CUTE the first time we saw her. We didn't know her, and she didn't travel, but she left an impression. Shegavetheteamtherun-downwhiletalkinglikethis. She was kind of preppy. Which was weird.

Elle: Now, I always said I didn't have an opinion of her, but now that's a lie. I like her. She was funny, and sarcastic, and made comments... And she was CUBAN. Now, if Emily had never come, Alex and I would be lost, so it was kind of necessary for her to leave. But, if I HAVE to watch old stuff... I don't hate her. I don't think she was as Sisterly because she didn't have the time.

Other

The profiling stuff hasn't changed much. Our killers now are creepier, but whatever. There's not enough to say for this to have it's own heading. But it's too late.

The filming was weird. It was DARK. I couldn't see. Which was a problem.

So...

Season One is okay. I don't think I would have devoted my soul to this show had I not started watching late Season Two. It was VERY different from today. I guess I don't really have an opinion on it- It's just interesting to watch and think about.

The Diary of Someone's Daughter

So, the sequel to 'Dear Journal/Sweets' is FINALLY up. This story will tell Lily's tale through Season 5.

She is now Lily Catherine BOOTH, but still the same old Lily. Please read and review!

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5406181/1/The_Diary_of_Someones_Daughter

Bones- 'The Bond in the Boot'

I have decided to take notes for every episode of Bones because, simply put, it's my favorite. Although, again, this is my second time watching it. I was too busy cleaning to be on the computer when it actually aired.

This episode has Wendell. I love Wendell. I have a Wendell dance. It's quite amusing.

Handcuffed to the briefcase... Intriguing.

And of course he gets killed for it. Although I could have gone without watching him saw the guy's hand off.

Who's shooting now?

That cat is EATING him. Ga-ross.

"They just gave you a Rolex?"

"That's okay, Miss Rolex."

"Hey, you. Parking Guy."

I love how Booth totally knew what she meant.

"Why are the cats staring at us?" Creeeepy.

I love when Michellle gets mentioned. Yay for continuity. Yet I am wondering why a sixteen-year-old keeps asking for a kitten...

Wendell! "Actually, the family dog is much more likely to attack and consume it's owner." Not eat. Consume.

"Ergo, Dead Russian." "I don't get to say 'ergo' very often."

"An ex-Army Ranger with multiple commendations and a pristine record at the FBI isn't good enough for you?" "You shot a clown." "A mechanical clown. Don't tell me you've never wanted to do that."

Did he really just call him old? Really?

"We're not sure of anything." Ooh.

Accent! Lol. Russian accents are cool.

Of course Brennan is with Booth. Why do you even ask?

Um, NO. Wendell is NOT allowed to lose ANYTHING, especially not his scholarship/internship. No Wendell = MAJORLYdepressed!Bryn

I love how everyone likes him the best. This makes me wonder why he isn't just there so they can permanently keep him.

And they all freak out when he comes in. "What's new?" "Um, since you saw me on the Forensic Platform five minutes ago, not much."

That's James Bond's car! And then they start talking in British accents because they are AWESOME.

Please stop dissing the profiling. Tis my future job.

"Would lead any reasonable person to conclude..." "He's a spy." "Spy-ish."

Not Pilates for Dummies.

"There goes AAH."

"You want my advice?" "No." "Okay..." I think she should learn from Booth because it would make him happy.

Ballistics Guy. We have one of those now.

"Booth. I think the car is bleeding." And he magically gets a crowbar.

I could SERIOUSLY go without the melting flesh.

Bond's Car, Bond's Gun...

Mila- Ange, she's always had a lot of money. What are you talking about, "Now"?

Honey, you have enough money for the scholarship AND the poor people.

"I try not to get too attached to my assisstants. I find that even the best ones can dissapoint." Awww. Stupid Zack.

Conversation in between technical splurting.

Conspiracy Theories. I am glad those are back.

"Hey. I pack my lunch."

More freaking out when he comes around.

"It's a little weird. I mean you're loaded."

"Parker, giving me a hug because it's my weekend, and, you know, me and you solving a case... That's not about money." Awww.

"Someone like me?" Why are they all such jerks to Booth? He has Level 3 clearance.

She's sad that she can't stay. "But I can keep a secret." "We know, Bones."

"Oh, you mean The Miracle?" Awww. His mom prays to thank God for it. How can they take it away???

This girl is weird. And oddly familiar.

Pedro. haha. Just a poor little misunderstoood car thief who owns a chop shop. He got a check from the CIA for wrongful something and detriment of something else.

"You can ask my mother." Never a great defense. Kind of embarassing.

"It's always been my dream to work with you." Awww.

"I'll be sorry to see you go," "Um, where am I going?"

NO! DON'T TELL HIM!!!!!!!!!!!! Especially not so callously. Jeez.

"Why such excitement over this particular insect?" "Someone was spying on our spy who was spying on another spy."

"Aw, man. You told him?"

"Book for Imbeciles."

I love how, like everyone else, she thinks they're together.

"Like there's an acceptable protocol for crushing someone's soul."

"Anyone who could take that kind of abuse makes James Bond look like a weenie." "Weenie?"

She bought him the book. =] "Thanks, Bones. That is the sweetest thing."

She wants him to pay her so that he doesn't feel insulted. "No, I don't take credit cards."

Awww. She is taking Sweets' advice.

His mom. Awww.

Booth is NOT a double agent. "All elephants are grey, but not all grey things are elephants."

That dude did NOT just call Sweets a kid. I mean, I'm mad at Sweets, but still. They're like the same age. "At least I tuck myself in at night."

Bone Room.

They have ten minutes because the CIA is fail. Rutledge can bury the evidence and make it all go away.

"Let's just pretend this is the Stanley Cup Finals right now. You're down by two goals, you've got nine minutes left. The puck is about to drop. How do you want to go down? How do you want to be remembered?" Best Bones moment EVER.

And he goes into Frantic!Speech.

"You got one shot. One shot on goal to get in the net. What are you gonna do?"

"I'm gonna send you back to The Ukraine."

Major Bomb Squad action for a flash drive.

Can I please have a picture of Wendell in that shirt? Please? Yummm.

And they all hug him...

"Anonymously." Right. He knows.

I love that End Scene of Fluff. I mean, there was hand holding, him practically laying on top of her, and a really cute moment where they got sprayed. Plus they were talking about having no secrets and saying whatever they're thinking. Except for, of course, the Elephant in the Room, being the whole love thing. But, hey. They feel close to each other. I'll take that.

So... Wendell is the Love of My Life. Just so ya know.

'Harbingers in the Fountain' OMGYAYZ!!!!

IT"S CYNDI LAUPER!!!!! She was the best part of the show.

Okay, so I'm taking notes while watching this for the second time because the first time around, I was too busy fangirling.

Temperance... Sick man in a hospital... Dream... She's telling him a story... They're happy... He's excited... ("People are already dead when I get to them." HAHA.) Booth has a lion heart! I love this psychic.

Stubbly!Booth.

Seeley Joseph Booth. I am happy to now know his middle name.

He hasn't even talked to her in six weeks? Holy frick on a stick.

He misses the clothes? Uh-huh.

He thought they were married for days. Awww.

"Were you pregnant?" "What?"

"I'm tired." Code for "This is freaky and too true and it hurts."

Critical turning point between great happiness and... Death?

"Care to hug?" "Why?"

They're all acting like she's been gone for years, not six weeks...

SHE SAT ON HIM!!!! I haven't laughed that hard in a while.

And then they hug. Instantaneously, naturally, happily. =]

Coinky-dink. Heehee.

A furniture mover? Really?

Crack!B&B blowing rasberries. HAHA.

Awkward!Moment.

You do NOT need to shave!

"Bones sees dead people."

Caroline!!! "I did not hear 'psychic', I hear 'anonymous source'!"

He IS worried he lost something. Sad!Booth.

I love the Cam and Booth friendship. Tis awesomesauce.

"Are you hearing voices? Seeley, if you're hearing voices, that's really serious."

And... it totally looks like he grabbed her.

"You're in love with Dr. Brennan." Now it's out in the open.

"Sweet, kick-ass FBI murder-solver with hard-fists and a lion heart?" "Forget your bruised brain and go with your lion heart." I love Cam. Now.

Basically, she just said that Bones trusts Booth with everything, and if he hurts her, she'll never be able to trust someone again.

I love this Cyndi Lauper song.

They have those articles to read. They're cool.

He got scared. And backed out. She wants to spend time with him, but he is afraid. How sad.

"Yay, brain damage joke. Real funny." I love Caroline.

"What I got are multiple degrees in botany, geology and entomology... Which allow me to discern vital clues... Like THIS one." I love the way he says that last part. And his Smart!Bragging.

"What's that? A graph of Russian wheat production in 1955?" Caroline is WIN.

Government conspiracy theory!

And Caroline explains Her vs. Booth.

He was killed from the inside out... Right.

"Awkward. Awkward. Very awkward."

"You should be proud of your excellent work."

"Why did you make a picture of the psychic?" She got bored.

"It's nice to see you together." She's on a first-name basis with them because she's Cyndi Lauper.

The Coffee Shop.

"'Oh, hello Angela. You look pretty today.' "Why, thank you, Booth. And hello to you, too." "Oh, I get it. She's pretending to be you and herself, though I don't know why."

"And Angela is going to work on the Internet..." Nice job description. And way to order her around. That made her sad. I love Angela.

Heck yes he wants a kiss on the forehead!

"Allergic to the whole world?"

Caroline is rankled.

I like how her nails are all white, except for one.

Dr. Brennan is magical.

"Don't touch the bobblehead!"

"Cam ratted me out?"

"Conclusion: Your feelings are not real." Sweets is WRONG!!! What happened to him being the ultimate fangirl?!?!

Yes, we all know that Bones' rational exterior is a defense for an extremely vulnerable woman. Only Booth REALLY sees that, though. Because she is only vulnerable around him.

Sweets is saying the same thing Cam did: DON'T HURT BONES.

"And that, Ladies, that is why they call me King of the Lab." "No one does that but you." Awww. Hodgins, WE care. You ARE King of the Lab.

He goes to Cyndi Lauper with his Brain/Love problem. She says they're losers. I agree.

"Go to her, now! Go to her! Now! Go! Go to her, now! Right now!" "Bones?" "Go to her right now!" "Bones!" I loved that.

Mila- Why did you lock the door? You DON'T lock the door!

Sneaky Bad Guy Doctor.

He has a scalpel and Bones goes Ninja.

Yay! He shot him! Knight in Shining Armor!!!

That's a lot of blood.

THIS SCENE IS EPIC. WILL ANALYZE.

EPICALLY EPIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HE CALLED HER BABY AND KISSED HER ON THE FOREHEAD!!!!!! EPICALLY EPIC!!!!!!!!!!!

Me = TOTAL FANGIRL. If you hadn't noticed.

"It's Bones' blood." "Is that supposed to be good?"

"I should've been there for her." Awww. Knight in Shining Armor.

"You killed the bad guy dead." As opposed to... Killing him ALIVE? "It always makes me a little glad. Does that make me a bad person?" Caroline = Win.

"Our little psychic friend."

And, apparently, she didn't learn her lesson about visiting suspects in the middle of the night. Although, it's Cyndi Lauper, so...

"Well, they gave me medication, so I feel how I imagine people of average intelligence feel all the time."

"That is a waste of time." "You tell me that AFTER I sent Agent Booth to save you?"

Abandoned child... Afraid of the world... Wrap it up neatly in bonds of reason, education, and proof... She's ah-mazing.

The only riddle she can't solve is why someone can't love her.

"Well, I'm beautiful and intelligent." And oh so modest.

"Yes, he knows the truth of you. And he is dazzled by that truth." Dazzled. Yes.

"Why is facial hair the marker of an adult male? Why not height? I'm tall." Normally, I would sympathize with Sweets, but I'm MAD at him.

"See, she is certain. That is good enough for me." Awww.

"Do not thank me."

FBI People! Yayz!

It's Attack!CyndiLauper! And WeUsePeople!B&B! And Sad!CyndiLauper.

"Is Sneaky good or bad?" "Good... If it holds up in court."

"Still in earshot, cherie, still in earshot."

"I don't want to talk about work."

"I have something to say to you, from inside my heart." "You have blood in your heart."

"Booth, do NOT kill the clown."

Clown Scene = EPIC FAIL.

I think when he shot that clown, she had that exact outfit and expression on.

And now he's doubting himself again.

"I love you."

"Atta-girl kind of way?" She sounds hurt by this.

"Murder isn't the only crime in the world, though it may seem that way to us."

I love Caroline's steering wheel cover.

HAHA. "Yeah, that's right, you SHOULD kiss me."

"Underneath, you're as crazy as I am. And that's a compliment." "It... Doesn't sound like one."

"This is usually the time when we go and get a drink." Yes it is, Booth. Good job.

"You guys are going to keep doing business as usual." "Sometimes, you gotta settle for second best."

"My cards tell me this all works out eventually." "Oh! Really?" =]

No end Scene of Fluff... Well, kind of, but not directly. Oh, well. There was Cyndi Lauper.

No Squintern, either. But Caroline. Also acceptable. Maybe.

I have MANY things to analyze. I think I'll do a separate post and collect my thoughts.

TOTALLY EPIC AWESOMESAUCE EPISODE!

Burn Notice Summer Finale 'Long Way Back'

Show Notes

Awww. Those pictures... He's so sad. I love those pictures. A lot.

There she is! Upset.

This is so sweet. And sad. But mostly sweet.

Ireland? That's far away.

"This isn't about one fight. Honestly, Michael, if you didn't see this coming, you weren't paying attention." Yayyy Fi! She asked The Question... Well, more like stated it.

He's emotional about her GUN. That's a new one.

Irish!Michael. Haha.

Someone is trying to kill Fi? Oh, the look on his face. He loves her, and he just needs to frick-fracking say it.

She definitely lost her accent. I was expecting her to use it with Michael and Sean using theirs.

All of her big guns are packed away. That's not like Fi, even if she is moving.

Thomas O'Neill- Bloodthirsty Hooligan.

They wouldn't accept an American Spy. Fi says Sean better not find out.

Background checks. I love Sam. This Sean guy? Not so much.

Awww! She had a sister who was killed.

Danggg. This is sad.

"There's no point in fighting with him. Trust me."

"I am not one of your damn clients." Fiona- The Client.

Strickler, GO AWAY. Fi is like eighteen trillion times more important.

Partners. Ha. Strickler. Jump. In. A. Ditch. Actually, off of a cliff.

One-Man-Ultra-Radical-Splinter-Group. Uh-huh.

"Boys, put those things away." I think Maddy is my favorite.

Oh, no. She CANNOT sell the house.

"First your girl, then you're childhood home."

"But you like Fiona, right?"

Lucky Charms Brigade.

Missing a shot because she broke a nail or dropped her purse? He clearly doesn't know his sister.

Um, she never answers her phone while in danger. Haven't we learned that?

Ms. Reynolds. Uh-huh.

"Aw, just... Don't." Michael is bad for Sam's love life.

"No more ignoring your phone." Because, apparently, that's a problem.

Undercover as an American. Haha.

"Your accent's a bit dodgy." Bahaha. Fi is trying really hard not to crack up laughing.

"Helps unhappy people kill each other..." That is a GREAT description for a gun.

I love the name Glenanne.

"Butch, Sundance, cool it." Maddy is DEFINITELY my favorite.

Strickler. Frick. GO. AWAY.

"Nothing about this is clean." Amen.

Nothin else matters? What freaking ever.

"Why are you coming home without McBride?" That's a great question, Sean.

Of course she's still in love with him. And him with her. Duh.

Okay, maybe Sean isn't SO bad.

Protecting Fi is like Michael Westen Priority Numero Uno.

Okay, I take back the whole Sean thing. Turn the laser OFF!

Signature bomb. Lucky thirteen.

For sale? People hate Fi? Sad.

"How about you shut up?!" Go Fi.

Sean = Jerk.

"It's all right. I don't need to know." Oh, Maddy. You are the greatest.

"You probably won't understand this, but most people- normal people..." I love Maddy.

"It's not easy for everyone." This is ridiculously hard for him.

HE ALMOST SAID IT!!!

Michael got shot with drugs, Sean with bullets, and Fi has been stolen.

This is ah-mazing and yet will become eighteen million times better. Bring on Frantic/Worried/In Love!Michael.

Oh, my gosh, he's SOOO freaked out. I LOVE IT. Like I can't even describe.

Um, yeah, Strickler. This DOESN'T wait.

Oh, my heck. Strickler did this?

"She had to go." Oh, dear. Um... I can't even describe the intensity of this scene or Michael's rage.

"You can't have the girl AND the job." There's The Question.

"Fi isn't my past." Yesss!

HE KILLED STRICKLER!!!

Be still, my heart.

"In my version, I'm stabbing you in the throat with an ice pick." I love Fi.

She's scared but doing an awesomesauce job of hiding it. Fi is ah-mazing.

Hahahah. So is Sam. "Oh, I'm finishing this, Brother. I'm getting Fi out of there, no matter what. Just don't tell her I said that."

And she jumps into the water so I can have my Walking-Out-of-the-Ocean-Carrying-Her Picture, which is my iPod background.

Oh, dear. She hasn't come up... Oh, thank God. She breathes.

Awww! More Face-Holding. And Loving Looks.

I keep squealing. It's pathetic how much of a Fan Girl I am. *facepalm*

I officially hate commercials because they keep me from Fluff.

Awww! He's doctoring her. I love it.

Yayyy for not selling the house.

Sean-the-Jerk is not being such a jerk. Still... Dislikeee.

And her first concious action? Calling for Michael.

Oh, they can't say it, but they know.

I love the Face-Holding. Not many other characters do that.

Oh, don't answer your phone. Don't do it.

Diego is freaked. and drinking. *growls* Fi is more important!

More danger for Michael. Woo-hoo.

Diego died. Greattt.

No more Fluff? *pouts*

Ooh. The Enemy You Don't See. Scary.

How can I go so long without Burn Notice, especially after that awesomesauce? *weeps*

So, apparently, many more Near Death Experiences are in Michael's future.

And, according to Sam, Operation: Un-Burn Michael Westen is Off.

I CANT WAIT FOR JANUARY!

Why did I not tape this? Screw large screened TVs. When can I watch this over and over? The Solution- iTunes.

Discussion

Face-Holding

I have noticed in the last two episodes, that asa sign of affection, Michael likes to hold or stroke Fiona's face. This doesn't happen with many other characters I can think of (Booth has done it to Bones a few times when she has been hurt), and I love it. Their not a normal couple, so they don't do all of the normal stuff, such as holding hands or kissing, but Michael does have a way of touching her to show his affection. It's very gentle, very sweet, and... What can I say? I love it. I hope to see a LOT more of it in the future.

"We're so not good at this."

A major... I guess you could say 'problem' in Mike and Fi's relationship is their lack of ability to put their feelings into words. Particularly three little words. In this episode, each came dangerously close. And while they didn't say it in the way normal people might, they said it, in different words.

Both of them began to voice their feelings, obviously struggling to string the words together. And then, the other one says, "It's okay. We're so not good at this."

They know.

Pick Up the Phone!

In the episode before the Summer Finale, 'Friends Like These', Fi was in danger from some psycopathic chick who they thought was the victim. The second Michael found this out, he called Fiona. Over and over. It REALLY worried him when she wouldn't pick up the phone. Same thing in this episode.

Fi has a bad habit of not answering her phone when in danger and worrying the crap out of Michael.

This time, Sam called to warn her that there were more men, and she ignored her phone.

Now, it's sweet to see Michael worried, but he's going to drive himself crazy.

Fi, Querida, please pick up your phone.

The Question

It was answered in this episode when Michael shot Strickler.

"You can't have the job AND the girl." Strickler put the question out there and Michael HAD to answer.

"Fiona is not my past!" BANG. BANG. BANG.

Michael answered the question.

After he's already tried to tell Fi he... Yep. Loved her.

I am satisfied now.

Wait? What relationship problem shall we have next?

Gee, I don't know. I'd be a little mad if I just regained conciuosness after being kidnapped, was trying to tell the man I loved that I loved him, and then he answered his phone two seconds later and ran off.

I would like an ACTUAL relationship now. THOSE problems will be interesting.

But, if not... I'm happy that The Question was addressed. In an even better way than I could have imagined.

The Criminal Intent Corner

Law and Order: Criminal Intent is one of my favorite shows, and Bryn holds it in high regards as well. I’ve watched most of the episodes, and seen them on DVD as well. I know quotes from the episodes, and Bryn claims I’m obsessed. Recently we were watching a rerun at one on the CW and talking to each other over the phone. Here are some of the things we discussed that we thought would make good discussion topics for the blog.
1) No Continuation
Every now and then there is an episode of Criminal Intent that really stands out (Bryn said: In some shows like Bones every now and then you get a bad episode, but in Criminal Intent every now and then you get a good episode.). Certain episodes rank high on my favorites list, and I want to watch them over again (Purgatory, Amends, Blind Spot, Ladies Man). These episodes have everything from amazing acting to an awesome script, and great character interaction. But there is absolutely no continuation. Eames gets kidnapped and in the next episode it mentions one therapy session and that’s it. There are no story arcs, which, let’s face it, are really interesting. The only reoccurring theme, I guess you could say, is Nicole Wallace, and that’s spread out over seasons not episodes. Now, to be fair, I guess it would be harder to keep up a continuing story arc with the characters schedules (they alternate weeks), but it could be done. A story could be continued with the viewers knowing the next part every other week. And things aren’t ever mentioned after an episode is done. For example, Goren never asks how Eames is after the kidnapping, and things like that. To be fair, there was a little story arc with Wheeler and her now ex-fiancé. Though this was probably written in to coincide with Nicholson’s pregnancy.
2) Little Characterization
The characters of Criminal Intent are a big part of the reason why I love the show. Eames is a no-nonsense tough (not to mention sarcastic) woman cop, and Goren is a quirky yet intelligent profiling detective who still manages to amaze everyone (though, perhaps not Eames). Previous characters that we loved include Logan and Barek, my personal favorite Deakins. The current characters (including Wheeler and Nichols, Rodgers and Ross, and of course, Goren and Eames) are all amazing, and add a strange kind of quirky personality to the show.
However, the only time we learn anything about the characters is in those aforementioned amazing episodes. Sure, in the first few seasons there would be moments when we learned something about the characters, but these moments seem fewer and far between. It was a while before we learned anything about Eames. While it has been said that this Law and Order is character driven, I believe that it could be more so.
Aside from those awesome episodes, the rest can be classified as just procedurals. I personally don’t mind, I’ll watch any episode.

If you have any thoughts on this show, we’d love to hear them.
All the best,
~Mila

The Importance of Research and Criticism in Writing

As a writer I tend to find myself being a critic as well sometimes. It comes in handy when I get the honor of editing work for other amazing authors on www.fanfiction.net. However, there is a difference between constructive criticism (which is what I give out), and just cold hard criticism. I prefer to not use the Gordon Ramsey/Simon Cowell type of criticism.
What I’m trying to say is this: I recognize mistakes in writing. But it isn’t simple spelling mistakes that bother me the most. What I find annoying is un-researched writing. Let me explain.
Since cop stories are my story of choice, I’ll use that as an example.
If there is a story saying that there was a ‘cop’ who worked in ‘this building’ and worked for ‘the murder unit’ I can tell that it’s been un-researched. But if there is a story saying that there was a Detective who worked at One Police Plaza for the Homicide Department, I can tell that this person did their research (or just knows what they’re talking about).
If someone were writing a story about an FBI Agent, it would be nice to look up a few things. Would this person have a partner? What type of cases would they work? What other law enforcement personnel would they work with?
If someone were writing a story where their characters go to another country it’d be beneficial to research the culture, the weather, the sights of the place.
Remember, other people are reading your work. They believe you. Misinformation is usually not a good thing, and pretending to be knowledgeable on something you don’t know much about can have bad results.
Ask for help. There are people who know more than you in some areas. They can help you. Another thing I find helpful are disclaimers. Often times you can get help through them. For example, “I’m sorry if the little music scene I have is wrong. I don’t play piano, so if I messed something up please feel free to tell me”.
See, I think that people are afraid to give - and receive- criticism. And I suppose that is plenty reasonable. No one likes having their mistakes pointed out to them; no one likes being told what doesn’t work. And no one likes to be on the giving end of criticism either. They’re afraid of coming off too…well, critical. But the truth is, constructive criticism can do wonders to your work. Often times you understand how you want something interpreted, but when you see it through someone else’s eyes you realize what needs improvement.
Often times the best reviews or critiques are the ones who are truthful, not the ones that tell you what you want to hear.

It’s all about balance, remember that.
Until next time,
~Mila

True Crime Vs. Fiction

Bones. Law and Order: Criminal Intent. CSI. Criminal Minds.
It’s the Crime sensation gripping the nation. America is obsessed with crime, and it seems that as the crime rates rise in the world today the number of shows devoted to crime rise as well. All throughout literature crime has been making its mark, from Agatha Christie’s amazing work to children’s series such as “Encyclopedia Brown”. Crime shows have been on for a number of years now as well, with series such as “Law and Order” spanning over many years. And all the crime has been immensely popular.
Crime is one of those things we as a culture are captivated by. Grisly murders give us the chills, but we can’t rest until we figure out the whodunit; we want to know more. Like a horror movie (or a train wreck) we can’t look away.
But, a thought occurred to me as I was reading an old article in TVguide magazine about the fascination America has with crime. Which is more popular, True Crime (real events which happen to real people) or Fiction (crimes written by authors, where everything from the crime itself to the people involved is created by the author)?
If you go to your local bookstore or perhaps library and find the crime section you’ll notice that both these…genres, have well developed sections, with many kinds of crime books. Books by such authors as Ann Rule explore the chilling details of real life murders and murderers, while books such as those by Max Collins focus on fiction cases involving characters from well-known TV shows. I’ve read books by both authors, and enjoyed them equally.
I recently set up a poll on fanfiction.net, asking which the voter preferred, true crime or fiction. So far, there haven’t been enough voters to give a conclusive response to which is more popular (you can find the still open poll at www.fanficiton.net/~missmila). So far, however, voters tend to lean towards Fiction, since it isn’t as ‘creepy’, since it isn’t real. Which is reasonable. As much as we love crime we don’t want it happening to or near us. We want to distance ourselves from it, and reading works of fiction give us the ability to do just that while still enjoying the crime aspect.
On the other hand, I talked to a person who didn’t vote on the poll, but prefers True Crime. They argue that True Crime is real, and that’s why it appeals to them. Everything is portrayed accurately. Things don’t always fall into place, and the reader (or author) doesn’t always know the end result. Everything is told how it happened (hopefully).
As for me? I don’t mind much. If there’s a decent crime or murder and amazing Detectives it can be real OR fiction and I’ll read it. Though with True Crime I’m often amazed by the real actions of amazing, hardworking Detectives who do all they can to find a person, or to bring closure to a family.
The poll is still opened, and if you have time to visit the site (though I recently found out you have to have an account on the site...I think), please do so. Or, leave a comment right here in the comment section below. I’m interested to hear what you think.

All the best,
~Mila

Stereotyping in Writing and On TV

As much as we hate to admit it, writing and TV have become full of stereotyping. And the thing is, we encourage it. We love it. But if it happens in real life, it’s different.
Does this sound familiar: There’s a very ordinary main character with good looks that lost their parents(s). They have a sidekick or two and find an evil villain, who’s usually quite ugly. There are a few evil sidekicks, obstacles and fights, a few romances, and the main character is always victorious.
Or how about this: There’s a good looking man, so he must be afraid commitment, and he’s dating a blond girl, so she must be flirty and dumb. He finds a real girl and changes his ways. They end up married, living the picket fence life.
Just because she’s blonde, doesn’t mean she’s stupid, just because he’s good looking doesn’t mean he’s fearful of commitment, or perfect. But most of our movies and pieces of writing say otherwise. Granted, there are those movies with characters that start off stereotypical but prove the viewer otherwise.
Now, humans are often times known as creatures of contradiction, which explains why we love watching something we hate. We always tend to go towards something familiar, and certain stereotypes have been around for a while.
I classify stereotypes as personalities assigned to certain looks (generalizations), or certain reoccurring themes (as in movie formats) that are easy to predict.
Most police procedurals have these elements as well.
Both “Bones” and “Leverage” have incredibly intelligent lady individuals who tend to act cold or heartless but are really caring deep down, and good looking men who are, well, normal. Goren from “Criminal Intent” has his white whale, Nicole Wallace; similar to how Harry Potter has Voldemort.
Stereotypes (especially those in high school settings) make everything more predictable. However, it is the writer (or show) that is able to use these stereotypes AND keep people guessing that is the successful one.
The predictability of stereotyping brings something else to light. We, as a general people, don’t like surprise. There seems to be little surprise with stereotypes, which is probably why we chose them. All through time we’ve stayed away from the different or uncomfortable. Why choose a new favorite ice cream when rocky road is just fine? Why listen to that song when our favorite is better? It’s the same concept with stereotypes. People want characters to act in a way that is easier to predict…to relate to. As much as a contradiction as it is.

All the best,
~Mila

The Write Reason

A few weeks ago I was watching a movie with my family called “Alex and Emma”. It was a pretty good movie, in my opinion. It’s about a man named Alex who owes money to the Cuban mob. He can get the money only if he finishes his latest manuscript, and if he doesn’t get the money…I’m sure you can guess. The only catch is, he has 30 days to finish the book. So, he hires a stenographer named Emma to write what he dictates. She ends up being an inspiration for him, as well as a critic while he’s writing.
The movie talked about writing in general and why Alex writes.
Which got me thinking about the reasons I write. I guess you could say I inherited my love for writing from my dad. But I think that my family often wonders what draws me to writing.
Being a writer lets you (through your character) do things you can’t do, or say things you can’t say. You can face your fears as a writer, deal with obstacles.
As a writer you have a certain level of control, of power. But the real magic of being a writer (the reason I do it) is making your characters come alive. Letting your characters tell you where the story will go, letting things play out how they will.
Writing is about compromise. About giving your characters what they want, but ultimately taking the story where you want it to go. Writing is about creating worlds and people and places. It’s about letting you use your imagination. Writing is addictive. And yes, I do talk to my characters.
I know I probably sound crazy to some of you non-writers, heck, probably to the writers. But it’s something difficult to understand, why someone does things. It’s like trying to understand why a bungee jumper jumps. You can only try and understand.
I love to write, to escape reality for a short time. It…relaxes me.
So, there. That’s why writing appeals to me. Whatever reasons you have for doing what you love, I’m sure it’s the write reason (haha, get it?).
All the best,
~Mila

p.s And if you're wondering, I like the central format of these posts better...it looks nicer.

It's All in a Name

I was recently reading the blog of one of our favorite authors; Scott Westerfeld, {http://scottwesterfeld.com/blog/} and I came across an interesting post. He talked about the importance of names in writing, and it really got me thinking about the impact of names in my own writing, and in the TV shows I watch.
Now, names aren’t everything in writing, or on TV. Character, personality, and attitude are all equally important. But names can sometimes establish these things. And they often provide information such as where someone is from, or which nationality they are. It’s important to put thought into names; I find myself not getting far in stories where the main character is Bob Smith.
In my personal experience I tend to take certain things into consideration when I name a character. These are usually the things that go through my head:

1) The first thing I do is decide what kind of story I am writing, so that I know whether to put more consideration into the first, or last, name. Let me explain. I usually write stories based off of the shows I watch. Cop dramas with a little bit of romance. As you know, cops are usually referred to by their last names, sometimes preceded by “Detective” or “Captain”. Let’s do a sample name. A good last name is…Denver. Detective Denver. Captain Denver. They both sound good.
2) Then, I think about the personality of my character. I usually have strong, tough characters, so a name like Priscilla just won’t do. Another thing to consider is balance. You shouldn’t have a character with a flashy first name and a flashy last name, unless that character is really flashy themselves. So, for the first name, how about Camryn?
3) Spelling can make an ordinary name extraordinary, even unique. So, instead of Camryn, why not Kamryn? Kamryn Denver. That’s a good name, in my opinion.
4) We didn’t really take this into consideration for Kamryn’s name, but you should take nationality into consideration. Trust me, it’s not stereotyping to name a Hispanic character Maria, or give her a last name Lopez, or to give an Irish character the last name McNeil, or O’Toole.
5) Another thing you want to think about is the time period of the story. You can’t really have a boy in the 1800s named Jake, or a boy in the 21st century named Bartholomew…unless you have some kind of unique plot.
6) Since my writing usually has a strong friendship or romance sense to it, nicknames are used a lot. I always find myself looking for names I can shorten, Kamryn can be Kam, and Elizabeth can be Liz, or Beth.
7) Research. The Internet is right there, don’t be afraid to Google “boys names” or “Irish girl names” or things like that.

Now, I’m not saying you have to go through this entire process every time you introduce a new character. This should be used for the main characters, the ones who you’ll be referring to throughout the whole story, not for the man at the desk who your character passes by once.
Anyway, that’s how I go about it. Now I’d like to mention characters’ names from a few TV shows and movies that I particularly like.
Cynthia Morales from “Chasing Liberty”-- Being a Secret Service Agent calls for a good last name, and Morales is an amazing last name. This movie is one of my favorites, as is the character herself.
Alexandra Eames from “Law and Order: Criminal Intent”--Eames is a cop in this drama, and her name is unique. It’s a good name for such a tough, no nonsense woman. She’s one of my favorite TV characters.
Abigail “Abby” Sciuto from “NCIS”--A unique name for a very unique character. A name like this wouldn’t work for just anyone, but Abby pulls it off.
Anthony “Tony” DiNozzo from “NCIS”--This character is Italian, just as his name suggests. A common first name and an uncommon last name work together well.
Leroy Jethro Gibbs from “NCIS”--The name is slightly old fashioned, just like the character himself.
Horatio Caine from “CSI: Miami”--Another unique name, though this one is…solid. Strong. Works well for this character.
Another thing I’d like to mention is that naming characters after times and places is okay. Me, I love names like Brooklyn, Liberty, April, and Summer. They aren’t that common, and they add diversity to stories.

I hope I’ve given you something to think about.
Until next time,
~Mila

It's Time to Update the Ship List

More shows means more ships.

Law and Order: Criminal Intent- Goren/Eames and Logan/Barek or Logan/Wheeler (Depending on what season it is. But trust me, we have a story)

In Plain Sight- Mary/Marshall or Mary/Raphael (It's undecided) and Brandi/Peter

House- House/Cuddy, Cameron/Chase and Foreman/Thirteen

CSI: Miami- Eric/Calleigh, Ryan/Natalia and Horatio/Yelina

NCIS- Gibbs/Jenny (Which is, sadly, no longer), Tony/Ziva and McGee/Abby

Fringe- Peter/Olivia

Lie to Me- Lightman/Gillian and Loker/Torres

Criminal Minds- Morgan/Garica

Law and Order: Special Victims Unit- Elliot/Olivia

Leverage- Nate/Sophie and Parker/Elliot or Parker/Hardison (I'm leaning more toward Parker/Elliot, but the show prefers Parker/Hardison)

Dark Blue- Dean/Jaimie

CSI: NY- Flack/Angell (Which is no more), Danny/ Lindsay (About as canon as it gets) and Mac/Stella

Bones- Booth/Bones and Hodgins/Angela

Burn Notice- Michael/Fi

CSI- Greg/ Riley (But no more Riley) and Grissom/Catherine (Which has also been shot down)

Eleventh Hour- Hood/Rachel

Psych- Shawn/Juliet

I think that's all.

Burn Notice

Recently, I've REALLY gotten into the show Burn Notice on USA (I now watch all of USA's original series). I've caught three of the most recent episodes, and about ten from the first and second seasons during a marathon. Next week is the Summer Finale, but I'm following well.

The show follows Michael Westen, an ex-spy with a Burn Notice out on him (Tagline: "Spies don't get fired. They get burned.). Basically, this means he has nothing- no job, no money, no credentials... He was dumped in Miami, and the only people he can truly trust are Fiona, or Fi, "a trigger happy ex-girlfriend", Sam "a friend who used to inform on you to the FBI", and his mom, Maddy.

I am officially hooked on this show.

The OTP

Series Creator Matt Nix says "The thing about the relationship with Fiona is... They are two people who really don't have anybody else that they can be with. Anybody else is going to be afraid of what Michael does, and it sort of turns her on, and anybody else for Fiona is going to be uninteresting. He is attracted to her, but part of what we explore over the first season is that they really are attracted with each other, and yet there is a reason they broke up. She is an incredibly chaotic person who just thrives on disorder. Violence is foreplay for her."

I'm not quite sure how to define the Michael/Fiona relationship. It's very complicated... I know they once dated, but what about now? Lover? Love interest? Friend? They surely act like a married couple. (For sure OTP, but anyway...) The most conflicting episode was 'Wanted Man', with Fi upset by the lack of attention Michael is paying her, her trying to make him jealous, and Maddy trying to talk to Mike and Fi about their relationship, stating that Fiona is the best thing that ever happened to Michael.

As of 'Friends Like These', they are fighting over Strickler. Fi doesn't trust him in the slightest, and is worried about Michael. He knows that Strickler is his only way back in to the Spy Game, however, and he feels he has no choice. This episode has me wondering if Fiona is asking "Who is more important? Me or the job?" This question defintely needs to be addressed. She's been subtly asking it over the entire course of the show, and he desperately needs to answer before he loses her.

'Friends Like These' was also a great episode to show how much Michael cares about Fiona. When he finds out she is alone with the psychopathic killer, he panicks and keeps calling her. When she doesn't answer, he keeps calling, obviously very worried. When he arrives, to see that she has let the killer out of her handcuffs he says that he has to cover a rush of adrenaline with an emotion that won't give him away.

He decides to cover this adrenaline with anger, and he hits her. You can tell that as soon as his hand makes contact, he hates himself. He apologizes over and over, gently holding her face in his hands. He felt horrible for doing it.

Also, in the end, she tells him she's leaving. He calls after her, and while he doesn't go after her, you can tell he's upset she's leaving. In a voiceover, he admits to wanting her on every mission he goes on. He also says there is nothing worse than losing someone to bullets, politics, or personal reasons. When she appears in her position, he smiles.

Next week, she is kidnapped. Michael is angry and worried beyond reason. In just the preview, he is a thousand times more upset than he was when Sam was kidnapped. Perhaps the question will be answered as Strickler tells him to "just forget the past".

It's clear that they definitely care for each other... And yes, I dare say, love each other.

Dark Blue Season Premiere

I know this is super late, and I apologize for being lazy.

Show Notes

Torture. What a great way to start it off.

I like this opening. Very DC Comics. Think Batman.

Coffee and donuts. Nice. "You guys are doing nothing for the sterotype."

"I haven't seen seven am since 1992." Oh, I wish.

Federal Bureau of Intimidation.

Jack-of-All-Crimes

All right. The murder of a Federal agent means the death penalty.

"That's a weird dude." "Yeah."

Dean is undercover on Franzine. Lt. Carter Shaw is the head guy. Okay.

"You build a case from the inside out. Get in deep."

"It's just, you know, daylight, and you're up."

"Is that Aspirin?" "Something like that."

"He's here." "Who?" "The Prince of Darkness."

"Million dollar question. Is it enough for him to flip?"

The black guy is Ty. He's married.

Did Dean snap? Come on, let's not have somebody snap. That's never cool.

This is very dramatic. A VERY dramatic show I'm getting myself into.

--Commercial Break One--

Carter is a third generation cop. Eighteen years in. Worked everything from Vice to Narcotics (Actually, those are the only two divisons you EVER hear of detectives working prior to whatever they're working now. Hmmm). Huge arrests. Disappeared three years ago and is now officially called an "Administrative Liasion."

"He should have a penetentiary named after him."

Guys like that don't fade into the twilight.

"I'm clapping because I saw forty-eight rounds before you got a kill shot. After fifty, they move you to the Fire Department."

Jaimie Allen. She lied about her past.

"I see a man looking for his next fix. I see a girl who just made her rent in the backseat of a car. I see a woman who just lost her son in a drive-by. I see everything that needs to be fixed."

A special unit. Deep cover. All about perception. More accurate, deception.

"I'm not worried about when you'll come home. I'm worried about who you'll be when you do."

Ty speaks Spanish!

Dead, or, worse, arrested.

Florida is like death? Hey!

"You don't just send in a resume to Franzine. HE picks YOU."

Looks like an alias the FBI would do.

Education probably means prison.

"Don't think about the job. Think about life the day after the job... Just think about the money."

Gina?

"They either stupid or something else."

Holy frick on a stick! The cop shot a cop! A little lady cop! Ahhh!

Oh, she was part of the plan. Thank God.

--Commercial Break Two--

The actor who plays Dean just has that rugged undercover cop look. He's a hottie.

I knew he was going to shoot him.

Acting like he's all about the money.

"Carter, in front of the new girl?" "Come on, seriously?"

"No fear, no emotion, no nada." "Maybe he couldn't do anything."

"Blend in a little, eat something." "Who says we're on a stakeout?" "Oh, yeah, I forgot. All you Feds get your porno DVDs down here."

"Am I as interesting on paper?" "Yes."

His wife? What happened? Did she die? Sadness.

Dean doesn't want to be pulled out. He doesn't care about the FBI Agent, he doesn't care about the guy who got shot. He doesn't care about the rules.He's going to finish it.

--Commercial Break Three--

I like Jaimie's accent... At least I think it's an accent.

Two things to know about Carter- He'd to anything to protect his team, and he'd do anything to get his man.

"You spend more time as an addict or a thief or even a killer more than yourself, and you forget which parts are your cover and which parts are you. How long can you pretend to be something before you become it?"

"If Dean has turned, how far do we go to stop him?" "You shoot him, because if he has turned, he'll shoot you first."

Tracy is cool. Kind of like Garcia, I guess, but less quirky and fun, Still cool and brilliant, though.

Uh-oh. They found out Dean is a cop.

Certain scenes are reminding me of Leverage, like this one. A bank trick with parker (In this case, Jaimie), telling them where the, erm... victim of their con, is going, and with whom.

Dean is leaving with Franzine, which is bad.

Dean is shooting at the FBI. VERY bad.

Has he really turned? *sadness*

--Commercial Break Four--

Tariq sounds Arabic. Is he a terrorist? Because when stuff like this goes down, they usually are.

The FBI needed to be straight with Carter. They did all kinds of crap in his backyard and didn't tell him.

"Your backyard is the Wild West."

Ty thinks Dean flipped, but Jaimie doesn't think so.

He looked at her, knew she wasn't a teller. He didn't give her away. She has a feeling.

"You've worked with us half a day and we're supposed to trust your feelings?"

Muscular black dude. No sleeves. Tight, bulletproof vest. Yum.

Terrorist. Called it.

"I didn't sign on to be a hired killer." "For five million dollars, you'll be whatever i tell you to be."

Disappear.

"I'm a cop."

"Waste of your talent... I've seen you... You're no cop." *shoot*

Jaimie's with them.

"There's a difference between going under and stepping over."

What did Carter give Jaimie?

Gina?

Cash box?

That's his wife, isn't it. How cute. How sad.

--End--

This. Show. Is. Intense.

I am hooked. Fricking in deep.

My favorite episode is 'Purity'... Which most likely has something to do with the whole Dean/Jaimie thing.

Discussion

This is different from all of the other crime shows...

because it isn't a procedural. It's edgy. It's real. It's not about looking at the evidence. It IS about catching the perp, though. But not in the usual way. You're always wondering what we'll happen next, and how the characters will deal. You have to pay attention and figure out who the characters are and what end they're accomplishing. It's unique, and I love it. It's a new breed of Cop Show.

Intense Drama

Holy frick on a stick this show is intense. Writing show notes were hard... I had to write one or two words in the margins to get everything down. It was fast-paced, and the whole time I was worrying for their lives, their cover, and their sanity. This has happened in all three epsiodes I've watched.

Dean/Jaimie

From their first look, there was something there. I watched behind-the-scenes stuff, and Nicki Aycox said it was going to happen. And the previews for 'Purity' had me counting the days. That episode turned out awesome. There is definitely attraction there, and even caring. I can't wait how they play it out... On a series like this, where their not professional and you never know what will happen next, it's bound to be awesomesauce.

Leverage Season 2 Premiere

Show Notes

Insurance. Psh. Nobody looks happy, so he's outta there. "Is it something I said?"

Baha. It's Super!Nate. Gotta love it. LOVE him saving the little girl.

Bananno? Ha.

All right. Leverage = Coolest. Title. Sequence. Ever.

Did something happen to her? Awww.

Daddy!Nate. Love that even more.

Sophie in a play. Hmmm. That's always, um... Interesting.

"Last name?" "Parker." "First name?" "No. Just one name."

Typical Eliot, trying to pick up a lady.

Look who all showed up. Quinky dink. "Eliot." "Nate." "Parker." "Hardison."

She tried to hug Nate. JUST Nate.

"You sing?" "Well, not as well as I act..." Uh-oh.

Poor Soph.

"Never before has a production of 'The Sound of Music' made me root for the Nazis." I've always loved Parker's unfeeling honesty.

"You quit drinking? You quit drinking?" I love Eliot.

"You rent a condo above a bar? How... Catholic."

"I know what would make you feel better. Let's steal something." "Yeah! We can do it together!"

Bike of crime.

She stole the Hope Diamond. And then she put it back because she was bored and didn't care. Typical Parker.

Hardison hacked the White House e-mail.

Hinky stuff in Pakistan. "I was in Pakistan."

They can't move on. They're the Leverage Team.

Hitter. Hacker. Grifter. Thief.

Look, they even raise their hands at their titles.

"You broke us."

Nate, you ARE a thief. So take your team to go steal something to help somebody.

Fight. Always cool. Oh, good going, Soph.

- Commercial Break One-

Parker is dressed like a nun. And she's eating cereal.

Sophie is wearing his shirt... She spent the night =]

"It's Parker." So true, Eliot.

Nate won't leave them.

Hahahaha. Hardison is the Priest and Parker the Nun.

Wrong.

Awww! He looked for her.

"People are like locks." Hmmm. I'll remember that.

Fiddly.

Fo-cus.

"This is not 'gone'. This is 'more'."

Apple shampoo.

"Oh, THAT mob."

Robot Parker.

Get the mob with taxes.

Wow. That mob is smart.

Sober = Creepier metaphors.

Need one more person...

Of course you'll do this job, Nate.

Hardison and Parker... I like Eliot and Parker better, but we're clearly supposed to go in a Parker/Hardison direction... More on that after my notes.

-Commercial Break Two-

Detectives Costello and Castigan.

Finger thing. Everybody gets that.

Perfect... Beautiful... He likes it... H/P.

Hahaha. "I have thse things in my pants!"

Nate is currently getting the crap beat out of him. "Yeah. I'm the smartest undercover cop ever."

I love Sophie's acts. Annie Kroy.

Eliot thoroughly enjoyed that.

Nate and girl!

"There are wolves in the world."

-Commerical Break Three-

New earbuds. They get new ones, like, every episode.

$250, 000 is nothing to them.

That look said, "Don't talk about Sopihie that way."

He was SUPPOSED to go to the cops. Don't you hate it when awesome plans fall through? It does tend to make the storyline more interesting, though.

"Ooh, they're probably gonna shoot Nate in the face." "Parker, I can hear you."

This situation is not good.

ELIOT!!!!!

Wait. I have a hypothesis. I BETTER be right. I love Eliot. He HAS to be okay.

-Commercial Break Four-

He's looking at Sophie like, "Oh. My. God."

BAHA Razorblade.

Smart move with the phone, lol. And I love Eliot as a cop.

Lasers. Nice.

Parker tazed him. Awesome. And she has duct tape. Wow.

Ketchup. *Gag* I. Hate. Ketchup. Ayway... Go, Eliot!

"I love a good death scene."

Hahahah Justice.

I always love Parker and money. The crazy chick cracks me up.

Nobody's that smart. Right.

A HUG! I called it. Yayyy for Daddy!Nate.

She has some long hair.

Awww. She gave him her medal.

Yayah! More jobs! (Like we didn't see that coming...)

He totally asked her out. That makes me smile.

Boyfriend??? NO. He WAS gone for six months...

Oooh. Nate is j-e-a-l-o-u-s. And very hurt.

Sophie, you drove him to the alcohol.

Don't do it... Don't do it... Good Nate.

"I'm Old Nate and I live here, too."

Hardison bought the building. Bahhaha.

Eliot and a chainsaw =]

I. Love. Leverage.

They're going to make me wait for scenes from next week. I was planning on watching Dark Blue anyway... (Notes for that later).

Next week- Crooked fight club. Nate... Fighting? No, Eliot. And Sophie looks very scared for him. Uh-oh.

Thoughts

H/P or E/P?

I, personally, like Eliot with Parker better. Maybe this is because Eliot and Parker are my two favorite characters. I just like Eliot's observations and comments about Parker, such as "There's something wrong with her". But maybe E/P is supposed to be a brother/sister relationship? Or, here's another thought. Both Eliot and Parker are not ones for being in serious relationships or settling down. Eliot likes to flirt and pick up lots of girls, and has broken off relationships when they become serious. Parker is just... Not normal. Having two characters who do not have serious realtionships kind of gets in the way of having a relationship. Hardison seems to be more of the guy who finds a woman he likes and dates her. He certainly does like Parker. Eliot is just such a gentleman, and he would be good for whoever he chooses. If we go in an H/P romantic direction, let's go in an E/P brother/sister relationship.

Foiled Plans

The great plan in this episode did not, well, go according to plan. The banker did not go to the cops, and therefore, everyone was put in danger. Well, that was certainly not good for our team, but it sure made the ending more interesting. Had the man gone to the cops, we would not have had the suspense of thinking Eliot was shot, for one thing. So, sure, we all like it when the brilliant leverage Team executes one of their awesome plans flawlessly. But, when things get mixed up... It mixes things up for us.

Six Months Apart

The Team was apart for six months before the reunion at Sophie's play. Obviously, they all missed each other and their jobs. Hardison even admitted to looking for Parker. But, they all seemed to fall into place as if they'd never been apart. Except, of course, for Nate and Sophie, the obvious OTP of this show. Now, Sophie told Nate she hada boyfriend. That really seemed to hurt Nate. At first, I was mad at her, like, How could she do that to him? And then I remembered the six months, in which he never tried to contact her. She had every right to find someone else if he was going to leave. His perpetual leaving is just another obstacle they'll have to overcome.

So, there was my first shot at analyzing. Was it good? Horrible?

Dark Blue will be my next post.

Thought

After spending the week reading blogs, I have decided that ours needs some work. It still needs to be dedicated to amazing TV shows, as is it's original purpose, but it needs more thought put into it.

A blog I've been reading is called "Chaos in General" (http://chaosingeneral.blogspot.com/#0), and the writers really put deep thought in and analyze everything that happens, whereas we just report. My favorite post is about anvils. We haven't even identified any anvils!

Anyway, I plan on making a bunch more posts today, but I just wanted to say that from now on, expect more.

Bryn's Top Five Shows

I can't even explain how hard this is for me to rank them.

1. Bones
I have to rank this one first because I've followed the show for a while. I've always loved the banter and unique crime-solving techniques.

2. Criminal Minds
I have also seen most of this series. The characters are some of my favorites on television, I love the profiling. Maybe this is because I want to be a profiler... Maybe because Shemar Moore is freaking hot. Gosh, this is so close to #1 it's ridonkulous.

3. In Plain Sight
I just tuned into this now, during Season 2, but I love it. The characters are amazing and their job is unique. I can't get enough of sarcastic heroines.

4. CSI: NY
It beats the other CSIs by a mile. The city is great, the characters are awesome, cases and storylines are unique, writing is awesome and the acting is some of the best on television.

5. Fringe
A new show, but I am hooked. This show is obsessive. I. Want. More. Answers. Now. Okay? Anyway, I love the characters and the cases. Very unique and enthralling.

Bryn's Season Ratings

So, I'm too lazy to do reviews for whole seasons, but I am rating them and have little comments explaining my ratings. Agree? Disagree? Hit us up.

House Season 5- 7 out of 10
House is not my favorite show, and I was not particularly impressed this season, except for the Chameron and Huddy. Mostly the Chameron.

CSI: Miami Season 7- 9 out of 10
It got a little boring, but the cases were pretty good and I am thouroughly enjoying the E/C and their storylines. And Super!Horatio always makes me laugh.

NCIS Season 6- 10 out of 10
This was an awesome season. I loved the TIVA especially, and all the character development we got. The storylines were awesome.

Fringe Season 1- 11 out of 10
This series has started epically. I am fully involved in in the "cult" now. Great characters, great storylines... I can't wait to see what next season brings.

Criminal Minds Season 4- 10 out of 10
This is one of my top five shows, and boy, did it deliver this season. Awesome character development, unforgettable cases, and a cliffhanger that would make me kill to see next season.

CSI: NY Season 5- 9 1/2 out of 10
I would have given it a 10 had my favorite character not died. This season offered great writing, acting, and directing. I enjoyed all the storylines and character development immensely, and the acting was ah-mazing. Another of my top five. Cant wait for next season!

Bones Season 5- 10 out of 10
Awesome B/B, which is the most important thing for me. Great cases, great writing, and great acting. The ending storyline was fabulous and has left me wanting more. In my top five.

There you go for the seasons I watched every (or close to every) episode of.

I have one more blog post for the night- my top five shows.

Bryn's Season Finale Reviews and Ratings

All right, it's time I stop being lazy and actually post these lovahly reviews. These will go in order by day. Spoilers to follow. Duh.

House- Epic failure. I was confused and then found out I was ripped off. I loved the wedding, though, and caring Chase. Chameron is my ship, man.
4 out of 10- 3 of those points were awarded for the ah-mazing Chameron

CSI: Miami- Kind of anti-climactic, but okay, I guess. I was happy to see Yelina again, but I almost wanted a Horatio/Yelina/Julia love triangle. And I think Calleigh is scarred for life. WE MUST FIND ERIC!!!
8 out of 10- Interesting and a nice cliffhanger.

NCIS- Can you say EPIC? Ay. Dios. Mio. Ah-mazing events, ah-mazing dialouge, ah-mazing character interaction... Sure, the opposite of what I wanted to happen as a conclusion happened, but reactions were way appropriate. Ah-mazing TIVA.
11 out of 10- Sweet and sad and EPIC!!

Fringe- I understand, yet I have so many questions... But it was awesome! It was well-written and the perfect ending to the season... OMG William Bell!
9 out of 10- So many doors closed, so many opened...

Criminal Minds- Two hours was awesome. The first part was gross, but the episode was ah-mazingly written. It was very sad, though. I LOVED it. But HOTCH!!! No! He is NOT ALLOWED to be shot!!!
11 out of 10- Well-written, great characterization... EPIC. But NO!!! Hotch!!! I cannot wait until next season...

CSI: NY- No! No! NO!!! Jess was my favorite and Flack/Angell was the best shp ever. Ugh. Uncool. Flack was so sad... Eddie Cahill did a fabulous job. I loved the SMacked, and both epsiodes were incredibly well-written... I cried my eyes out. And the ending? Rawr.
8 out of 10- Because Jess DIED and Flack's broken heart broke mine... Yet it was ah-mazing... Next season needs to hurry up and get here.

Bones- Another epic failure. it was funny and interesting, but I was sooo confused... we were totally ripped off. As far as season finales go, it was a great idea. As far as post-brain tumor episodes go? Yikes. It was cute, but what happened to the spoiler that they would ACTUALLY be together? And he was in a coma? And asked "Who are you?" (I know what that's about, actually... I may post spoilers later). And it ended there? No, okay? No.
7 out of 10- Cute but weird.

Psych- This aired forever ago, but I figure that while I'm at the whole season finale review... Anyway, it was a cool case and I loved Frantic!Shawn. The ending made me fabulously happy and yet disappointed. Baby, it is now time for some serious Shules! Bring on next season!
9 out of 10- It would have gotten a 10 had Shawn made the right choice at the very end.

So... There you are, as far as season fianles go... At least the finales I watched. Season ratings to follow. And perhaps spoilers. Whatcha think?
~Brynnie Boo!

Eleventh Hour News

A few posts back Bryn and I talked about the Eleventh Hour season finale, and how we hoped to see the show back on air. Sadly though, CBS dropped the show. I am however hopeful that we will see more of Rachel and Hood because of the adamant attempts a friend of mine on fanfiction.net is a part of. They are trying to get other networks to pick the show up.
Known best as her screen name, luvinx has been a part of a series of efforts to try and have cable and non-cable networks to pick up Eleventh Hour.
Now, I know that there are skeptics out there who don’t believe that common people’s attempts to make a change will be listened to, but luvinx proves quite the opposite. She told me that they’ve had kind responses from networks. Some say they can’t pick the show up, but they direct them to other people who may be able to help.
If you are interested in seeing this show back on the air, check out her attempts on http://forum.planet-hood.net/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=52. If you can help in any way, I urge you to do so. Maybe you can be a part of bringing this show back!

Note: I just wanted to add as a little disclaimer that I am not advertising anything by saying the above. And I haven’t become part of the campaign to save the show, but I believe in its cause. I am just amazed by the persistence of these Eleventh Hour followers.

Mila's Season Finale Reviews

Okay, so I had to re-do my finale’s list since I was missing some shows. This is the updated and revised version.
SPOILERS FOLLOW!

Cheers to Dollhouse, Castle, and NCIS for having amazing and well rounded season finales. Later I’ll go into all the finales with a little more detail, but these three stood out and had a mix of all the great things readers wanted to see.
Jeers…well, none here. While some of the finales haven’t exactly been what we expected, they were good.
Now, by air day, my views on the season finales:

MONDAY:
House -
Wow, an amazing episode! Very shocking. I loved the case (left brain vs. right brain was very entertaining), and the interaction between our characters was awesome (especially that lovely wedding, and a caring Chase). I was disappointed that everything from the previous episode was a hallucination, but it made for one heck of a story line. I thought the ending was appropriate.
Bottom Line: Next season is bound to be good…I, for one, can’t wait.
Castle -
Ah-mazing! Wonderful character insight, awesome familial interactions, and a cliffhanger that leaves you wanting more.
Bottom line: Can’t wait for season two, which HAS BEEN confirmed. This is one of my cheers for the week.
CSI: Miami -
A typical Miami episode to be honest. I was glad to see Yelina, but there was no Yelina/Horatio in the episode. A twist with Eric and his roots…Horatio with his gun…A fair finale that left Calleigh crying and Eric missing.
Bottom Line: Not exactly on the edge of my seat, but I have one question: Will Horatio save the day…once again?

TUESDAY:
NCIS -
Now, NCIS being my favorite show, I’ll try to be unbiased. It was an absolutely amazing season finale that wasn’t what I expected at all. Character interaction was brilliant, and the ending was SHOCKING!
Bottom Line: NCIS better come back soon, but I have a feeling that fan fictions will be booming. This is one of my Cheers for the week.
Fringe -
Can you question the answer? - Because, Fringe totally can. Actually, there aren’t many answers on this show at all. An amazing episode with freaky science and William Bell. What more can you ask for?
Bottom Line: Some doors closer as many more open…except these doors are to parallel universes. I can’t WAIT for season two, which HAS BEEN confirmed.

WEDNESDAY:
Lie to Me -
A good finale as finales go. From the not-so-suicide bombers to Alec and Gillian separating (a few of us have been holding our breaths for this one), it had everything a finale should. Next season, which I’m pretty sure has been confirmed, is one I’m looking forward to.
Bottom Line: Left a lot of doors open…I’m excited to see how they’ll be closed.
Criminal Minds -
O.M.G. I cannot wait to see if the person who got shot will die. An amazing episode, and an even better finale. But all I’m saying is that the cliffhanger? It better not end how all of think it could end. That person has no right to die. And Hotch gave a great monologue at the end of the show.
Bottom Line: On-the-edge-of-my-seat type of episode. Next season better hurry.
CSI: New York -
Can you say, “OH MY GOD”? I can, and did during the two episodes that served as New York’s finale. It was BRILLIANT. Brilliantly sad. The first episode was FULL of SMacked, and the last professor scene was touching. And the second episode…man, I can’t BELIEVE Jess died! She was my favorite, and Flack must be devastated. And the LAST SCENE???
Bottom Line: Next season looks promising…let’s hope it stays strong, stronger than the other CSIs.

THURSDAY:
Bones -
An amazing episode as far as episodes go. As a season finale it was GREAT. As a post “Brain tumor episode” for us viewers…it was bad. On of those train wreck episodes were it’s amazing and horrible yet you can’t look away. I CANNOT believe they left it off there!
Bottom Line: I’ll be watching out for this one on the edge of my seat.
CSI -
I didn’t watch this one, and I’m not planning to. I just hope that this show starts coming up (because it’s a good show, but it started going downhill) , because it sure was better when Warrick was alive and when Sara was there.

FRIDAY:
Dollhouse:
An absolutely amazing finale. We learned A LOT about our characters…and that twist with Dr. Saunders…shoulda seen that one coming. Alpha was finally revealed, and we learned (confirmed, actually) where Echo’s loyalties lie.
Bottom Line: An amazing finale, next season has been confirmed I believe…and I’ll be watching it. This was one of my Cheers of the week.

If you have any opinions about these shows, leave a comment!

We Were Ripped Off, Man!

Mila and I were all excited about House, M.D. spoilers that spoke of two characters sleeping together. We were even more excited when the scene happened in the penultimate episode of the season.
However, we got jipped!
I was freakishly confused by the last part of the season finale, and then, our lovely history teacher (claps for Mrs. S), explained it to me.
House’s detox and the scene between him and Cuddy was a hallucination!
House insulted Cuddy about her daughter, and then she walked out. The rest of the episode was all a hallucination- Cuddy helping House detox, them sleeping together, and him finding her lipstick.
I am sad.
Bryn

We Has a Theory!

In the season finale of Fringe, Walter was at the grave of a Peter Bishop, who died at age seven. We also know that Walter often brings up memories of a sick, dying Peter that Peter himself does not remember.
When we first saw the grave, we thought that maybe Peter was a clone. But if he was cloned after the real Peter died, in 1985, Peter would only be twenty-three. Obviously, he is older.
Someone brought up that Olivia and William Bell were meeting in the Twin Towers, in the alternate reality, so we had a thought (that was basically confirmed by everyone in the Fringe fandom)…
Walter took Peter from the alternate reality.
Now, Mila has another theory. She says that the Observer saved Peter and Walter from the car crash. Well…what if the real Peter actually died then, but the Observer brought the other Peter and left him there instead. Eh?
Bryn