Friends

8 Series Finales…

In honor of last weekend’s season finales of Turn: Washington’s Spies and Orphan Black (which were both fantastic), I have made a list of other favorite series finales. Most of these finales are attached to personal memories, and some are just really good episodes of television. All these shows affected me in different ways at different times in my life, but I felt a real sense of loss when they ended. There were a couple great finales this year, but I did not include them because it is likely they will make my list of Best Episodes of 2017. As long as you do not watch the videos, there should not be any big spoilers.

1. Sex and the City: I was in high school when this show started, and I used to watch it at night when my parents were in bed, because my mother would have never approved. When I got to college, it was the show that everyone watched. It ended my junior year in college and I remember watching it with my roommates at our apartment in Elon, North Carolina. I would actually have preferred for Carrie to end up with Aiden, but I was happy with the way the other three women’s stories were wrapped up.



2. Parenthood: Jason Katims knows how to do a series finales, as evidenced by Friday Night Lights also being on this list. I do not like too much ambiguity in my series finales, and this let me know that the Bravermans would all be okay. I watched this finale at the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, Texas surrounded by other Parenthood fans for an ATX Television Festival event. There was something cathartic being in a theater full of people, all of whom were sobbing.



3. Sons of Anarchy: I got into SOA in the middle of season three. I had put off watching it because of the subject matter, but could not ignore the critics raving about it. It also came to me at a time in my life when I needed to just completely lose myself in a world so unlike my own. When I moved to Austin, I bonded with one of my new friends over our love of Charlie Hunnam and the show, and we started watching the episodes together each week at my apartment. Obviously, I wish every character could have had a happy ending, but that is not what this show was about. It was about dealing with the consequences of the life each of them had chosen, and the actions they had taken along the way.



4. Buffy the Vampire Slayer: I do not really have a fun story for where I was when I watched the finale of this show. I actually think I was alone in my parent’s basement, which sounds kind of creepy. I got into this show late, and I don’t think I had even caught up on all the seasons yet, but wanted to watch the finale live. I did not really know what was happening at the time, but have obviously gone back and watched the entire series several times since then. This speech still brings me to tears every time I watch it:

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8 Musical Moments…

I am very excited for the upcoming Supergirl/The Flash musical crossover, and am especially hoping for a Jeremy Jordan/Jesse L. Martin duet of some kind. In preparation for this episode, I started thinking about some of my other favorite musical television moments.

1. Smash – Don’t Forget Me
There were a lot of great performances in this series, but this one still gives me chills. While I do feel that ultimately Ivy made the better Marilyn, I was rooting for Karen when this finale episode aired and this performance, in particular, really moved me.



2. Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Going Through the Motions??
This is not necessarily my favorite number from this episode, but it is the one that set the tone. A musical demon is making everyone sing their feelings, and sometimes those feelings are things people have been keeping hidden from everyone else. Since Buffy was brought back from the dead, she has been ‘going through the motions’ and she’s finally admitting it out loud.



3. One Tree Hill – Brooklyn
This was really the first show that made music into one of its characters instead of just something to set the mood in certain scenes. Grubbs only stuck around for one season as the bartender at Tric, and was played by Wakey Wakey’s Mike Grubbs. For some reason, his acoustic performance of Brooklyn has always stuck with me. I could not find a clip of the actual scene, but here is another performance of this great song.



4. Eli Stone – Faith
Eli is a San Francisco lawyer and he begins to have visions that encourage him to choose more virtuous cases. In this first episode, he believes that God is speaking to him through George Michael. It was a brilliant, but short-lived, series.

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Quotes of the Week: October 9-15

These are my favorite quotes from the past week, mostly from shows currently on the air, but also other random things I happen to be watching.

Supergirl
Alex: Your cousin smells terrific.

Clark: Being Kara is just as important as being Supergirl.

Clark: Up, up?
Kara: And away!

Lucifer
Lucifer: Goodness, gracious, great balls of fire.
Chloe: Lucifer.
Lucifer: I mean, I’ve heard of hot pants, but this really brings new meaning to the term “fire crotch,” doesn’t it?
Chloe: Lucifer!
Lucifer: Wait. I have more. Smokey Bobinson. Weekend at Burnie’s.
Ella: His burning bush?
Lucifer: Oh. Very good. That was actually me, by the way, so don’t tell anyone.

Lucifer: I punish because I’m good at it. I love giving people their due. Makes me happy.

Conviction
Hayes: If you don’t want me to sleep with waiters from Mom’s campaign events, don’t hire hot ones.

Hayes: Next time you want to check up on me, find a different spy, because I’m never sleeping with someone already in bed with my mother.

Timeless
Wyatt: An actor.
Lucy: Pretty well-known too. But his brother, Edwin, was literally the most famous actor in America. John never quite measured up.
Rufus: So, this is like if Donnie Wahlberg assassinated the president.
Lucy: Pretty much, actually.

The Flash
Barry: I’ve kissed Iris West twice, and I have managed to erase both times from existence!
Felicity: Yeah, I hate it when that happens.

Felicity: Everybody likes Barry Allen. You’re like pudding. Everybody likes pudding.

Jay: Are you just gonna take a do-over every time you make a mistake? Or will you live with them, and move forward?

Iris: Where ever you go, you’ll always be Barry, and I’ll always be Iris. We always find each other.

New Girl
Jess: You can’t be mad at these people.
Schmidt: But they were all horrible to me, Jess.
Jess: And that’s why you left. You created your own path. You changed cities. You made friends. You found your purpose. You met the love of your life!
Schmidt: I sure did.

The Real O’Neals
Jodi: I’ll make you a deal. I’ll do the modeling gig if you go out with VP Murray on a real date.
Eileen: And why would I do that?
Jodi: Because it’s National Coming Out Day. And if I can come out as someone who’s plus-size, you can come out as someone who’s got a crush on a thin man in Lycra.
Eileen: Of all the fabrics in all the world, he had to wear that one.

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8 Creepy Sibling Relationships…

This Sunday, April 10th, is National Siblings Day, and as someone who has an older brother, I get VERY, VERY creeped out by TV siblings that have sexual relations. Just typing those words nauseates me. I realize that the actors themselves are not actually related, but I still do not like watching it at all. This is my list of characters who have inappropriate family relationships.

1. Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia – The Borgias, played by Francois Arnaud and Holliday Grainger.
From the beginning of the series, Cesare and Lucrezia were always way too close, and often jealous of each other’s love interests, but it was not until the third season that they took their relationship too far. These characters are based on real people and their incest was merely a rumor at the time, people thought that Lucrezia’s first child was in fact her brother’s.



2. Claire and Bryan Robbins – Flesh and Bone, played by Sarah Hay and Josh Helman.
At first, it seems like Bryan had previously raped Claire, and she has come to New York because she is trying to get away from him. But when he tracks her down, she seems to need him near her and also wants him to leave at the same time. Eventually she sleeps with him voluntarily, so it is hard to say exactly what is going on with them. Either way, it is weird and gross.

3. Cersei and Jaime Lannister – Game of Thrones, played by Lena Headey and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.
Not only are Cersei and Jaime twins, but all of Cersei’s children are Jaime’s and do not belong to Cersei’s husband, King Robert Baratheon. In the very first episode, Jaime pushes Bran Stark out a window and, at the end of the first season, they have Eddard Stark beheaded in order to keep their secret. Before his death, Ned discovered that they had his predecessor as Hand of the King, Jon Arryn, and King Robert killed as well. Cersei also has several affairs with various Lannister cousins.



4. Helene and Anatole Kuragin – War & Peace, played by Tuppence Middleton and Callum Turner.
In Tolstoy’s novel, this relationship is merely a rumor. However, in the first episode of the mini-series you actually see Anatole climb into bed with his sister, while simultaneously talking to her about their father wanting to find them appropriate marriages. It may be a relatively short scene, but still creepy, none-the-less.

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8 Disastrous Valentine’s Days…

I have never been a big fan of Valentine’s Day. I do not really understand the point of this holiday. In high school, one boyfriend took me on a date to see the movie My Favorite Martian. So romantic. However, I do enjoy watching other people make fools of themselves in the name of romance. Which is why, this year, I made a list of my favorite episodes in which people’s holidays do not go as planned.

1. Buffy the Vampire Slayer “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered”
It is bad enough to be single on this holiday, but to also be tormented by your ex-boyfriend (who happens to be a soulless vampire), only makes things worse. Also, after Cordelia breaks up with Xander, he blackmails Amy to get her to do a love spell for him. Unfortunately, the spell affects every woman *but* Cordelia, and things turn deadly as the women fight each other for his affections.

2. Friends “The One With The Candy Hearts”
Joey accidentally sets Chandler up on a blind-date with ex-girlfriend Janice. Ross and his date end up at the same restaurant as his ex-wife Susan, and he invites her to join his date when she gets stood up. Meanwhile, Rachel, Monica and Phoebe have plans, so they agree to take part in Phoebe’s cleansing ritual, which has them setting fire to items from their ex-boyfriends. Rachel throws in a bottle of grappa, and the fire department has to be called.



3. Smallville “Persuasion”
Clark accidentally ingests gemstone kryptonite, which makes everything he tells someone he *wants* into a reality. This might sound ideal, but not when it turns your career-oriented girlfriend into Suzy Homemaker, and sets your best friend on a mission to break the two of you up. Also, Zod figures out what is happening and uses Clark’s new ability against him, which puts Tess in danger.



4. Happy Endings “The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre”
Penny is waiting until after Valentine’s Day to break up with the guy she’s been dating, and then convinces Dave that his girlfriend is doing the same to him. Brad makes big plans for himself and Jane, but goes to the dentist before his big evening and ends up having to be drugged because of a cavity. Alex is the only one excited about the holiday but, while on her way to a party, gets mistaken for a hooker and gets arrested. Meanwhile, Max spends the evening driving his limo and ends up picking up ex-boyfriend Grant.

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8 Scenes in the Rain…

April showers bring May flowers and, while we have not yet gotten an April rain here in Texas, I thought it was appropriate to make my list of favorite scenes that take place during or just after rain storms.

1. Ross and Rachel’s First Kiss – Friends
While on a date, Rachel gets drunk and leaves a message on Ross’s answering machine telling him she’s over him. After he hears the message, Ross must choose between Rachel and his current girlfriend Julie.



2. Doug Becomes a Hero – ER
Doug is leaving County General for a private practice and after his last shift, his car breaks down in the rain. A young boy approaches his car and asks for Doug’s help saving his brother, who is trapped in a flooded storm drain.

3. Angel Turns Into Angelus – Buffy the Vampire Slayer
After narrowly escaping Spike, Drusilla and The Judge, Buffy and Angel return to Angel’s apartment, where they have sex for the first time. This moment of pure happiness causes Angel to loose his soul and turn back into Angelus.



4. President Bartlett Decides He’s Seeking a Second Term – The West Wing
The President is not dealing well with the death of Mrs. Landingham and he has also just announced to the world that he has multiple sclerosis. Now, everyone wants to know if he is running for office again.

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8 Things I Would Want If I Were The Last Woman on Earth…

After watching the first episode of The Last Man on Earth on Sunday, I started to think about which TV memorabilia I would drive around the country to collect if I were the last woman on earth. Once I started thinking of things, I had way more than eight, so these are my top choices. Which items would you want?

1. Tim Riggins’ Truck from Friday Night Lights
After all, I will need something to drive around the country and I could attach a trailer to it to transport all my things.

2. Gilligan’s and The Skipper’s Hats from Gilligan’s Island
Headwear is important and it is always good to have options. I would probably pick up Raylan Givens’ hat as well.

3. Dr. Greene’s Scrubs from ER
If I am the only person left, then my appearance does not really matter, so why not be comfortable?

4. JJ Pryor’s Letterman Jacket from American Dreams
Even though I plan to live in a tropical climate, I would need something to keep me warm just in case it gets cold at night.

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8 Halloween Costumes…

I have never been super creative when it comes to Halloween costumes, as a kid I tended to dress as a witch or something else where I could use clothes I already owned, so I always love other people’s crazy ideas. These are my favorite costumes worn by television characters.

1. Ross as Spudnik – Friends
I mostly love that Ross is dressed as a giant potato.

2. Jess as Zombie Woody Allen – New Girl
It is just so random. Costumes like this would never even occur to me.

3. Ted as a Hanging Chad – How I Met Your Mother
I love that he wore the same costume every single year to the same party hoping to run into the Slutty Pumpkin that he met once, even though his costume was no longer topical.

4. Bert as Iron Man – Trophy Wife
Okay, so technically, Bert was dressed in the actual Iron Man costume, but Jackie’s misunderstanding of what costume he wanted is funnier.

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8 Great Jewish Characters…

Last night at sundown was the start of Rosh Hashanah, which is the Jewish New Year. I am not Jewish, but many of my friends are and celebrate the holiday, so this is a list of my favorite Jewish characters on television.

L’Shanah Tovah!

1. Jerry Seinfeld – Seinfeld played by Jerry Seinfeld. Jerry was a stand-up comedian on a show about nothing. One of my favorite episodes was about Jerry getting upset because his dentist converted to Judaism and he thinks it was for the jokes.



2. Beverly Goldberg – The Goldbergs played by Wendi McLendon-Covey. Beverly actually reminds me of some of my friends’ mothers, which is why I think I love her so much.



3. Bobby “Elvis” Munson – Sons of Anarchy played by Mark Boone Junior. Aside from the fact that he’s part of a motorcycle club that runs guns and owns a porn studio, I would enjoy having someone like Bobby in my life. He often bakes banana bread for the club and is an Elvis impersonator! What’s not to love?



4. Ross Gellar – Friends played by David Schwimmer. I could have included his sister Monica as well, but Ross dressed up as an armadillo to teach his son about Hannukah, so he is the one that made the list.

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8 Random Things That Make Me Happy…

Every once in a while, I have a rough week and need some cheering up. This happened to be one of those weeks as I lost one of my dear friends, so I thought I would share a few things from this week that made me smile and a few oldies that I use when I need to lift my spirits.

1. Charlie Hunnam’s Message for the Sons of Anarchy Comic-Con Panel For some reason, the actor was not able to be at the final Comic-Con panel for the show last weekend, so he sent this message to the fans.

2. Brian Williams Rapping Every single time The Tonight Show makes one of these videos, I pretty much watch it daily for about a week. I adore Brian Williams and they just keep getting better and better.

3. Justin Theroux drank a Yuengling on The Leftovers This probably excited me more than it should have, but that lager made this Philly girl very happy.

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4. Enlisted Clips I am still not over the fact that Fox canceled this show and have my fingers crossed that something works out with Yahoo Screen. Aside from randomly watching clips, I also may have watched each episode more than once on Hulu.

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