Ellie's Couch

Special One Life to Live Marathon New Year's Day

2012-01-01T08:51:00.004-05:00

With One Life to Live ending on January 13, SOAPnet has scheduled a 14-hour OLTL marathon for New Year's Day. It begins at 10am Eastern and runs until midnight.

Here's the schedule:

10:00 am - Karen takes the stand and admits she was a prostitute. (March 6, 1979)

11:00 am - Tina goes over the falls in Argentina, which leaves Cord taking out his anger on Max. (March 9, 1987)

12:00 pm - The Buchanan clan goes back in time to the Old West. (May 13, 1988)

1:00 pm - Megan dies in Jake's arms. (February 7, 1992)

2:00 pm - 25th Anniversary show where Luna believes Max is alive, Viki and Dorian are trapped together, and Tina sits by Cord's hospital bedside. (July 15, 1993)

3:00 pm - Viki walks in on Joey and Dorian. David asks Tina to secretly marry him, and Powell holds Todd at gunpoint. (November 28, 1994)

4:00 pm - Blair and Todd get married, Patrick sleeps with Marty, and Kelly asks Joey to help take her virginity away. (November 14, 1995)

5:00 pm - Viki realizes she killed her father. Dorian is arrested for Victor's murder. (December 8, 1995)

6:00 pm - Asa's wives return for his funeral. Natalie crashes the service, adjusting to the news that she's a Buchanan. (November 16, 2001)

7:00 pm - Niki wants out of Viki's marriage to Ben. Todd is confronted by Blair over her baby dying. Natalie gives Jen a warning about Al. (May 14, 2002)

8:00 pm - Natalie confesses her feelings to John. Tess takes over while Jessica warns Nash that she isn't Tess. Evangeline receives thanks for saving Natalie. (August 22, 2005)

9:00 pm - Todd says an emotional goodbye while awaiting execution. Antonio tries to bring Jess back by pleading with Tess. (May 29, 2006)

10:00 pm - Starr bonds with Blair and Marcie after the birth of Hope. Bess steals Hope. Natalie and Jared are saved from the bomb in the basement. John tells Marty Todd raped her. (November 10, 2008)

11:00 pm - David marries Bo and Nora. (June 7, 2010)

Vampire and Zombie Books Set at Christmastime

2011-12-15T13:20:00.005-05:00

If you're into the undead and/or walking dead and looking for something to read around Christmastime, you may be interested in Christmas Reading for Vampire Lovers or Christmas Reading for Zombie Lovers. These articles give some great ideas for books that combine the Christmas season with vamps and zombies.

Grimm Marathon Tonight

2011-11-22T11:44:00.008-05:00

If you've missed out on Grimm--which airs opposite Supernatural and Fringe--you're in luck. Syfy is airing a special catch-up Grimm marathon tonight from 7pm-11pm Eastern. Fans will also be happy to know that it has received an order for a full 22-episode season.

Grimm normally airs Friday nights at 9pm Eastern on NBC. However, in an attempt to improve the ratings, the network is giving it a trial run on Thursday, December 8, when it will air at 10pm; another episode will air the next night in its regular timeslot.

If the Thursday test works out, it could mean a very full night of TV for genre fans, with The Vampire Diaries and The Secret Circle airing on the CW from 8pm-10pm Eastern.

No matter where it eventually ends up, I'm hoping Syfy will continue to air repeat episodes.

Special All My Children Marathons This Weekend on SOAPnet

2011-09-17T13:24:00.005-04:00

SOAPnet is airing two special All My Children marathons this weekend. These marathons consist of classic episodes from the show and are a terrific way for more recent fans to see episodes from before they began watching.

"I Love Lucci" is a five-episode marathon starting today (Saturday) at 7pm EDT.

"Last Chance for Romance" is longer, with seven episodes beginning Sunday at 5pm EDT.

Each marathon runs until midnight. After Sunday's special, the regular weekly AMC marathon will air.

AMC wraps up next week, with its final episode airing Friday, September 23.

Second Chance to See Ringer and The Secret Circle

2011-09-16T13:18:00.005-04:00

If you missed the first episode of Ringer or The Secret Circle, you're in luck. The CW is re-airing both shows tonight. Ringer will air at 8pm EDT, followed by The Secret Circle at 9pm EDT.

In case you don't know anything about these shows, here's a tiny bit of info. Ringer stars Sarah Michelle Gellar in dual roles as twins Bridget and Siobhan. Bridget is running for her life and ends up taking Siobhan's place, but she soon starts wondering whether it was a huge mistake.

The Secret Circle is about a teenage girl who finds out she's a witch after moving in with her grandmother. She's not the only witch in town--far from it.

This second chance to see these shows is a one-time deal, since Nikita and Supernatural are back in those timeslots next Friday night. (I don't watch Nikita, but I'm anxious to see what's in store this season on Supernatural.)

New Paranormal, Science Fiction, and Fantasy TV Shows on the Fall Schedule

2011-08-09T12:11:00.006-04:00

Every year, I wait for the TV networks to announce the fall schedules. I enjoy reading the descriptions of each new show and deciding which ones are worth checking out.

I tend to gravitate toward certain genres. If a scripted show has a paranormal/supernatural/horror slant, chances are good I'll at least give it a try. Science fiction and fantasy are also high on my list, as are mystery and intrigue.

I've found five cool new paranormal, science fiction, and fantasy series on the fall 2011 schedule. The premieres start in September, so if you're interested in those types of shows, check out my article for the details you need.

The Broken

2011-07-27T12:31:00.005-04:00

I watched The Broken recently and went online the next day to find comments about it. Between audio problems (caused by the channel) and video issues (my TV doesn't do dark scenes well), I almost gave up after a few minutes. Still, I continued. I wanted to know what was going on. Well, that wasn't easy. Maybe I could've figured it out much sooner if I'd been able to see what was on the screen well enough. I have a feeling that's the case, but I'll never know.

We were trying to decide on a movie, and the short description on the cable guide was intriguing. The Broken is about a woman whose life spirals out of control after she sees herself driving down the street. See? Doesn't that get your attention? Don't you want to know what's going on?

As I said, I went online to see what people were saying about The Broken. This movie has a lot of haters out there, which puzzles those who love it. I didn't hate it or love it. I thought it was interesting but wouldn't put it on any list of my favorite movies. I'll probably try to watch it again someday to see whether I can pick up the clues now that I know what to look for. Although it's sometimes referred to as a horror movie, there aren't many gory scenes. The element of horror is present, but mostly, I'd say it's a thriller. It's definitely not for children.

Since I didn't love it or hate it, I won't recommend it or say you should avoid it. I don't want to give anything away, but if you're looking for a movie that will make you wonder what's really going on and have you changing your mind back and forth, this could be it.

Set in London, The Broken stars Lena Headey. It is rated R.

Shows I've Been Watching This Summer

2011-07-25T13:05:00.006-04:00

I was thinking about how much TV I watch, and I realized I probably watch more this summer than any other summer. Some of this is due to how many soap operas I watch, since each one airs five hours a week.

Alphas is my only Monday-night show, although I don't watch it until a day or two later. In fact, at this point, I've only seen the first episode. Fortunately, there have only been two so far, with the third episode airing tonight, which means I'm not really very far behind.

On Tuesdays, Pretty Little Liars is a must, followed by The Nine Lives of Chloe King. That reminds me; any Chloe King fans who want The Rogue to be resurrected should check Kiko Ellsworth's Twitter or Facebook account for info about a campaign to get him back on the show.

Also, I watch The Young and the Restless on SOAPnet, either the evening repeat or the next morning. The same goes for One Life to Live; the story about the two Todds is too good to miss.

I do still watch All My Children, but not as often or as closely. I'm tired of the endless resurrections--especially Dixie. I've never been a Dixie fan. I do, however, want to see where Zach has been since his plane exploded. He's supposed to be back on August 5.

I still haven't had a chance to see Legend Quest, but it's on my list of things to do. I'm also planning to give The Lying Game a try when it premieres next month.

I tried to watch the premiere of Falling Skies, but I was very sleepy, and it was too action-oriented for me, so I gave up. If anyone thinks I should give it another chance, please let me know.

Bittersweet News for Fans of AMC and OLTL

2011-07-07T17:13:00.005-04:00

There was a big announcement from ABC today, when a press release revealed that both All My Children and One Life to Live will continue after all. The catch? They won't actually be on TV anymore.

Instead of continuing on ABC or any other network, both shows will be moving to an online venue. This is big news for everyone involved, and while it makes a lot of people happy to know that their shows will continue in some form, it isn't exactly the news we'd hoped for. You can read more about it here.

Two Awards and Some Trivia

2011-07-02T12:15:00.002-04:00

Lisa at Diary of a Square Toothed Girl has given me two awards: Stylish Blogger and Irresistibly Sweet Blog. Thank you, Lisa!

There are two conditions for claiming the awards. I need to tell you seven things about myself and pass the awards on to five other blogs.

The seven things I've chosen to tell you about myself are in keeping with the arts and entertainment theme here.

1. I avoid spoilers for my favorite series. If I'm really into a show, I don't want to know what's happening until I see it on my TV.

2. I don't watch my shows or any movies online. I'll watch something short, such as a music video, but when it comes to full-length entertainment, I want an actual TV screen.

3. I must watch episodes of my favorite primetime shows in order.

4. I've watched very few reality shows over the years.

5. I like most types of rock music, including classic, goth, southern, and alternative.

6. I've never played air guitar. Air piano is a different story.

7. I like to read suspense, horror, paranormal, and health-related books.

Now, I would like to pass the Stylish Blogger and Irresistibly Sweet Blog awards on to the following sweet and stylish blogs:

1. Amy at Content for Foodies
2. Jamie at From My Classroom Window
3. Langley at Hearts in Fur Coats
4. Pam at A Pirate Looks Past Sixty
5. Pup Fan at I Still Want More Puppies

3 Cool Blogs for Media Mayhem

2011-06-27T13:07:00.004-04:00

Now that it's Monday, it's time for my final post in RJR Daydreamer's Media Mayhem blog hop. Today, I'll be telling you about three blogs I follow. Since Ellie's Couch is dedicated to arts and entertainment, I chose three blogs that fall within this theme.

It's easy to see why La fotografía efectista abstracta has so many followers; it's the most visually stunning blog I've ever come across. Don't worry; you don't need to be able to read Spanish to enjoy this impressive image-filled blog. These posts would make a wonderful coffee-table book. Check it out and try to choose your favorite image. It's not easy!

The Pine Valley Exposer is for fans of the ABC soap All My Children. I don't know what will happen to the blog after the show ends, but I imagine it will continue with news about the stars.

Terror Titans is a cool blog I started following fairly recently. Blogger Steve Miller writes about vamps, werewolves, and other horror icons. Terror Titans is essential reading for horror fans.

Thanks to RJR Daydreamer for hosting this fun blog hop!

3 Movies Worth Watching: Media Mayhem Blog Hop

2011-06-26T13:02:00.005-04:00

This is day two of RJR Daydreamer's Media Mayhem blog hop, which means it's time to talk about movies. Specifically, I'll tell you about three movies I feel are worth watching.

Cold Comfort Farm
Cold Comfort Farm stars Kate Beckinsale as a young woman who moves in with some eccentric relatives. There are several memorable quotes in this movie, and they're repeated so often that you can say them right along with the characters. My favorite is, "There's always been Starkadders at Cold Comfort Farm," which involves a bit of action in addition to those eight words. Check out this PG-rated movie and you'll see what I mean.

Dick
Set during Nixon's tenure in the Oval Office, Dick stars Michelle Williams and Kirsten Dunst as teenagers who get caught up in the Watergate scandal. Rated PG-13, this is the funniest movie I've ever seen about Watergate.

Donnie Darko
Donnie Darko is in a class by itself. Dark, moody, and filled with '80s music, this is a movie most people either love or hate. I think it's great, but it's definitely not for everyone. As for the music, it includes some fantastic songs such as "Head Over Heels" and "The Killing Moon" (the director's cut substitutes "Never Tear Us Apart" for the latter). Jake Gyllenhaal has the title role in this R-rated cult classic.

3 Terrific Songs for the Media Mayhem Blog Hop

2011-06-25T11:04:00.005-04:00

Today is the first day of RJR Daydreamer's Media Mayhem blog hop, which means I'm writing about three songs I happen to like. They're not necessarily my top three all-time favorites, but they're certainly somewhere on the list.

This was harder than I expected. Sure, I can choose three terrific songs. I can choose a whole lot more than three--hence the problem. Whenever I thought I had three, I ended up changing my mind. I'd think of one I just had to include, which meant I had to eliminate one. This happened several times. I no longer remember what the original three songs were. In any case, here are the three I chose, in alphabetical order:

Buggin'
I have no idea why I like a song about bugs, but "Buggin'" by The Flaming Lips is pretty cool. That doesn't mean I want to hear any more buggy songs, though.

The Killing Moon
Echo and the Bunnymen's "The Killing Moon" is one of those songs I wish I'd found much sooner. I'm convinced I'd never heard it even once until just a few years ago. There are two versions of this song, and they're both long, with the All Night Version lasting over nine minutes. I can't decide which one I prefer; it seems to be whichever one I'm listening to at the time. The lyrics and the music are haunting and mysterious.

Who's Behind the Door
One day, my husband and I were listening to some music, and Zebra's "Who's Behind the Door" came on. I immediately grabbed the TV remote to use as a "microphone" as I alternated between actually singing and just lip syncing. I jumped up off the couch and got really into it, especially as the song progressed toward its climax. I was like a mad woman. When it was over, I sheepishly looked at him but then said I didn't understand why he wasn't acting in a similar fashion. His response shocked me beyond belief. "I guess I'm just not that into it," he admitted. I was so stunned that I almost dropped the remote. "What?!?" Since we have very similar taste in music and agree on well over ninety percent of songs, I couldn't believe it. How could "Who's Behind the Door" be one of the few? It was unfathomable. I had to find out what his deal was. As it turns out, he actually does like it; it simply doesn't evoke the same kind of response in him that it does in me. Sigh.

RJR Daydreamer Media Mayhem Blog Hop

2011-06-24T16:46:00.005-04:00

I've decided to participate in the RJR Daydreamer Media Mayhem Blog Hop. This particular blog hop lasts three days and covers three different types of media.

Saturday's post will be about music. Specifically, I'll be writing about three songs that I like. They don't have to be my absolute favorite songs; I just have to like them. That's good, because choosing my three absolute favorite songs would be an impossible task. I'd be changing my mind every few seconds!

On Sunday, I'll be writing about three movies I like. This could be really interesting. At this point, I have no idea which three I'll cover.

Monday is the last day of this blog hop, and its post will be about blogs. I don't traditionally cover blogs here at Ellie's Couch, but I'm going to write about some entertaining ones to keep the theme going.

Time to sign up is running out, so add your link before it's too late!

Summer TV

2011-06-14T11:22:00.005-04:00

Although it isn't officially summer yet, the summer TV season started a few weeks ago. My summer shows start tonight.

Pretty Little Liars returns for its second season tonight at 8pm Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). ABC Family is leading up to the premiere with a catch-up marathon from last season. Immediately after the new episode, there's a new show I want to see: The Nine Lives of Chloe King.

I'm also interested in four other new shows, which you can read about here. They should appeal to fans of suspense, science fiction, intrigue, and adventure--in theory, anyway. I hope they're good, but you never know until you give them a try.

At this point, I don't know of any other summer shows I'd enjoy, but there's always a chance I'll find out about something I missed. Most of my existing shows won't be back until the fall season. I'm glad Pretty Little Liars is back now, because my fall TV schedule looks really full.

CW Fall Schedule

2011-05-19T09:20:00.005-04:00

The CW announced its fall schedule today. In addition to some returning favorites, a few new dramas and reality shows will be on the lineup.

The CW picked up Sarah Michelle Gellar's new show, Ringer, after CBS passed on it. I'd already seen indications that this was the case, but now we have the official word. The network also picked up Hart of Dixie, which stars Rachel Bilson.

Supernatural is staying in its Friday night timeslot. I really wish it had been paired with The Vampire Diaries and put back on Thursdays. Instead, Nikita is moving to Fridays, and The Secret Circle will be paired with The Vampire Diaries. This pairing makes sense, considering the fact that both shows are based on books written by L. J. Smith. Days of Our Lives fans will recognize Shelly Hennig, who played Stephanie until recently, as one of the stars.

In addition to Supernatural's undesirable timeslot, I was disappointed not to see Awakening on the schedule. I was looking forward to the zombie show.

The full story is here.

CBS Fall Schedule

2011-05-18T12:04:00.004-04:00

The CBS fall primetime schedule is in, and it includes five new series and major timeslot moves for CSI and The Good Wife. Check here for the full story.

The five new shows consist of three dramas and two sitcoms. One of the dramas is A Gifted Man, which is about a surgeon whose dead ex-wife starts appearing to him to teach him the meaning of life. I mentioned this in an earlier post, but the series was still untitled at that point. Julie Benz will play the doctor's sister.

CBS didn't pick up Ringer, Sarah Michelle Gellar's pilot, but all indications are that the CW did.

ABC Fall Schedule

2011-05-17T13:24:00.006-04:00

The fall 2011 primetime schedule for ABC has been released, and it includes thirteen new series.

Fans of canceled soaps All My Children and One Life to Live may not be interested, since many have vowed never to watch ABC again, but here's some info for those not affected by the daytime situation.

Once Upon a Time, ABC's fairy tale offering, is currently set to air on Sundays, which means it's not in direct competition with NBC's Grimm. Several of the new shows won't premiere until mid-season; these include Missing and Good Christian Belles.

Hallelujah sounded weird enough to get my attention but didn't make it to the schedule. Neither did Poe, the drama about Edgar Allan Poe as the world's first detective.

You can see the full schedule here.

FOX Fall Schedule

2011-05-16T12:29:00.004-04:00

FOX has released their primetime schedule for this fall. It includes four new sitcoms, three new dramas, and one unscripted show.

The big news is that Terra Nova is finally on the schedule. After being postponed more than once, it's now set for Monday nights at 8pm.

Also of note, Fringe is staying in its current timeslot on Friday nights.

An important omission from the schedule is Locke & Key. I was really interested in that one.

A few more details about FOX's plans are available here.

NBC Fall Schedule Announced

2011-05-16T11:54:00.007-04:00

NBC has released the primetime TV schedule for fall 2011; the full list is here. At this point, I'm not as concerned with when shows are scheduled to air as I am the shows themselves. The networks often move them around before fall, so I'd rather wait a bit longer to see what they're going to do.

The renewal of Chuck, along with its move to Fridays, is of special note to me. Chuck has been one of my favorite shows since the beginning. Although the ratings are terrible, the fans are extremely loyal and vocal. Now that it's moving to Fridays, it's clear that this is the final season. For many years now, Friday nights have been where shows go to die. It's said that fewer people watch TV on Friday nights, although that's based on how many Nielsen households watch TV then. NBC chief Bob Greenblatt even stated that this is Chuck's last season. At least it should get a proper ending--as long as the network doesn't decide to pull it before all the episodes air. It's happened to a lot of my shows.

Okay, so I said I wouldn't get bogged down with the scheduling details, but this fall's Friday schedule is making me nervous. Chuck is to be followed by Grimm, which I was hoping to watch. Because of its timeslot, I don't expect it to make it; it will be competing with Supernatural and Fringe (if they stay where they are). That will make it tough for those of us who want to watch all three.

If NBC's new show REM caught your eye, it's important to know that it has a new title. Now known as Awake, it's currently on the list of mid-season replacements. My question is why they would change the title to something so similar to the CW's Awakening.

I was hoping NBC would pick up 17th Precinct, but it's not on the schedule. Too bad.

Storms: My Life With Lindsay Buckingham and Fleetwood Mac

2011-05-09T15:12:00.006-04:00

Last week's episode of Glee, "Rumours," highlighted the tension among the members of New Directions and compared the teens to Fleetwood Mac as they worked on their Rumours album. While watching this episode, I remembered reading an interesting tell-all book about the band.

Storms: My Life With Lindsay Buckingham and Fleetwood Mac was written by Carol Ann Harris. As the title suggests, the book is an autobiography of the author's time as a member of Fleetwood Mac's inner circle. It tells how she first met the band members, began dating Lindsay Buckingham, developed an antagonistic relationship with Stevie Nicks, and much more. Published in 2007, this book has very mixed reviews.

I don't read many autobiographies, but this one caught my eye. Although I enjoyed it, I didn't believe every word I read. After all, everything took place many years ago, and the memory is a funny thing. Also, the author was in an intimate relationship with one of the band members, and although she tried not to show any bias toward or against anyone, she didn't always succeed.

In any case, I felt Storms: My Life With Lindsay Buckingham and Fleetwood Mac was worth reading. Maybe those who have followed the band for decades already know everything mentioned in the book or can even dispute a lot of it, but most of it was new to me. All in all, I recommend it for anyone interested in learning about some of Fleetwood Mac's history.

Is General Hospital the Next to Go?

2011-05-06T14:30:00.005-04:00

General Hospital is likely on its way out, or at least that's the rumor. Would you like to know what would go on the air in its place? A talk show headed by Katie Couric.

Although GH spin-off Port Charles was my favorite soap opera, I've never been a GH fan. Nevertheless, I'm angry about this development. It seems that all the soaps are being systematically taken away. Many are already gone, and All My Children and One Life to Live won't be around much longer.

Even people who don't get into the soaps have reason to be concerned. Soaps have a huge fan base that is being ignored. Certain demographics are considered important, and if you're not included, the TV execs don't give a hoot about your opinions. For now, soaps are the target. When they're all gone, what type of show will be next?

Supernatural, Horror, Sci Fi, and Fantasy Pilots

2011-05-05T12:04:00.002-04:00

The television networks have been busy selecting the shows that will be on the fall lineup. Although none of this is set it stone yet, there are quite a few supernatural, horror, science fiction, and fantasy pilots that could start airing this fall on the major networks. By that, I'm referring to ABC, CBS, CW, FOX, and NBC. Other channels such as Syfy will probably have a few new shows of their own that fall within at least one of these categories.

Here are the ones I've been able to find:

17th Precinct - This series, which is set in a world ruled by magic, has potential. The cast includes Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica), Stockard Channing (The West Wing), and Brandon Jay McLaren (Being Erica). (NBC)

Awakening - Zombie fans, take note. This show is set during a zombie uprising. It stars Lucy Griffiths (Robin Hood, Collision) and Meredith Hagner (As the World Turns, Royal Pains) as teen sisters who don't get along. I don't know how it will compare to AMC's The Walking Dead, but my guess is that it won't be anywhere near as graphic, which will make it a better choice for those who find the other series too intense. (CW)

Ghost Angeles - This one is about someone who talks to ghosts, but instead of being a drama or thriller, it's a sitcom. (NBC)

Grimm - David Greenwalt (Angel) is involved, which means it should be good. It's described as "dark but fantastical," and it has characters from fairy tales. I hope this one makes it to the air. (NBC)

Hallelujah - Terry O'Quinn (Lost, Millennium) has joined the cast of this series, which is set in Hallelujah, Tennessee. Hallelujah is a small town that's being torn apart by the forces of good and evil when a stranger shows up to help. Music is going to be an important part of this show, and probably not the way you think. The songs will be performed by a gospel choir that serves as kind of a Greek chorus. Um, okay. It all sounds interesting, but I have my doubts that this one will make it to the final lineup. (ABC)

Heavenly - It's not clear how much of a fantastical element this series will have. It stars Ben Aldridge as a man who used to be an angel. (CW)

Locke & Key - Based on the graphic novel by Joe Hill, this series should be a good one if it makes it to the fall schedule. It's about a woman and her three daughters who move into a creepy old house where a violent murder took place.

Once Upon a Time – Okay, what's the deal? This is another show with characters from fairy tales. This one takes place in a small town where fairy tales might actually be real. The characters include Snow White, Prince Charming, Pinocchio, and Grumpy. (ABC)

REM - This series has been described as a "procedural hybrid which follows the simultaneous and parallel lives of a detective who can not let go of any aspect of his fractured family after a horrible car accident." Further digging around led me to some clarification. Basically, the main character is caught between two different realities after being in an accident. (NBC)

The River – I have no idea why this one is described as a "horror drama," but since it is, I'm including it here. After a famous TV explorer and his crew disappear in the Amazon, his son decides to go searching for him. (ABC)

The Secret Circle - All the buzz says this one is going to be good! It's about witches and is based on a book series by L.J. Smith, who also wrote the books on which The Vampire Diaries is based. (CW)

Touch - This is the latest series from Tim Kring (Heroes). Keifer Sutherland stars as a man who learns that his autistic, mute son has psychic abilities. (FOX)

There is also the Untitled Susannah Grant TV Project in which a surgeon's ex-wife starts teaching him about life--after she dies. (CBS)

I'm also going to include Terra Nova, which has been postponed more than once and is now slated for a fall premiere. This Stephen Spielberg series is set 85 million years in the past! (FOX)

Which Shows Are Coming Back in the Fall?

2011-05-04T10:46:00.005-04:00

It's that time of year again. Television networks are finalizing their plans for the fall season. Some series have already been renewed, while others won't be back. Still others are "on the bubble," which means that the decision could go either way.

At this point, only one of my shows is on the bubble, right where I knew it would be. The fate of Chuck is always undecided until the last possible minute. It angers, annoys, and just plain bothers me, but that's just the way it is. Chuck's ratings are never very good, and that's something I'll never understand. It's a fantastic show.

To find out the status of your shows, there are a few places you can look. My favorite is TV By the Numbers. They have a renew/cancel index and much more. I also recommend following them on Twitter.

You can also check this list from the TV Squad, which is updated as news becomes available. They are also on Twitter.

Muse

2011-05-02T12:17:00.004-04:00

Until I saw an article written by my friend Kenzy England, I had no idea that Matthew Bellamy and Kate Hudson were together. Most people probably recognize Kate, but those of you who aren't into alternative rock may be wondering who Matt is.

Matt Bellamy is the lead singer of Muse. I still remember the first time I heard his voice. I was absolutely mesmerized. I happened to see a music video of "Knights of Cydonia" being performed live, and it was pure magic. I had to know more about this band, so I started looking for more of their songs and videos. All I can say is that Muse is amazing.

In addition to the concert performance of "Knights of Cydonia," there is also a scripted video, known as the Western; both versions are well worth watching. "Uprising" is essential viewing. In fact, it received an MTV VMA award for special effects.

I encourage everyone who hasn't seen these videos to take a look. If you can't watch videos online and can't get them On Demand, I hope you'll be able to at least listen to the songs through last.fm or another website.

Whedon

2011-04-27T17:31:00.007-04:00

Joss Whedon.

The very name evokes a lot of different feelings in a whole lot of people.

Joss, as his fans usually refer to him, created two of my all-time favorite television series: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.

I still remember how I found out about Buffy. I noticed the listing in the TV Guide and realized I had to check it out. That night, I had some news for my husband. "We're watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer tonight," I informed him. He gave me a funny look but figured I knew what I was doing. As it turned out, he liked the show just as much as I did.

I was enthralled with Buffy, and later, with Angel. Joss did some incredible things with both series. Who would have thought a musical episode would work? Joss thought so, and it did. An episode with very little dialogue was even better; "Hush" was both absolutely hilarious and incredibly creepy. One of my favorite episodes of Angel was about puppets. I never knew what to expect, but I knew it would work.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer lasted seven seasons and ended in 2003. After five seasons on the WB, it moved to UPN. Angel, which began three years later than Buffy's premiere, ended in 2003 after a five-year run on the WB. These two shows introduced me to some of my favorite actors, and Joss has included many of them in his other ventures.

Before Buffy the Vampire Slayer became a series, it was a movie. The history and basic premise were carried over into the series, but with all new actors and mostly new characters. Now, a new Buffy movie is supposedly moving forward, but without Joss.

Buffy without Joss?

That's hard to imagine.

Viral Videos Starring Cute Animals

2011-04-26T13:19:00.004-04:00

I love watching videos of cute animals. There's just something about them that manages to brighten my day. Dogs, cats, and ducks are just a few of the stars of the great animal videos I've seen.

If you enjoy watching videos of adorable animals, check out these great viral videos. They're guaranteed to make you smile.

U2

2011-04-25T14:24:00.004-04:00

I was pretty much unaware of U2 until they released The Joshua Tree in 1987. That's when a friend urged me to check out their music. I was skeptical but decided to find out what all the fuss was about. I'm glad I did.

Here is a very short list of some of my favorite songs by U2:

"All I Want Is You" (Rattle and Hum)
"Love Rescue Me" (Rattle and Hum)
"One Tree Hill" (The Joshua Tree)
"Red Hill Mining Town" (The Joshua Tree)

Transitions

2011-04-23T09:42:00.005-04:00

On Thursday night, while watching The Vampire Diaries, a new commercial got my attention. The announcer stated that vampires are in my area and that I should check out this website to learn more. A locally produced web series about vamps? Cool!

Transitions premiered last August and is being produced by Ream Enterprises, which is based near Kalamazoo. So far, the first half of season one is available on the website, and the remaining six episodes will be available later this spring. The second season is under development; auditions are by appointment.

I haven't been able to watch this web series yet, but I definitely want to check it out.

Spin-Off Ideas

2011-04-22T11:55:00.006-04:00

Some of my all-time favorite shows were spin-offs of other shows. Angel was a spin-off of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which is another one of my favorites. Even Port Charles was a spin-off, although I didn't (and don't) watch General Hospital.

A while back, I wanted to come up with a few spin-off ideas for some of my favorite shows. Which shows had the best potential? I thought about what they would be like and who would star in them.

I came up with three shows that I felt had terrific spin-off potential, based on a character in each one. I planned them out carefully and came up with my dream casts. If you're interested, you can read all about them here.

Granted, this isn't something I would expect to happen. Most of my shows don't get spectacular ratings; they're usually hanging by a thread, hoping not to be canceled. In fact, since I came up with these fantasy spin-offs, one of these shows was canceled, but my ideas for its spin-off are still valid.

It probably seems like a silly waste of time to a lot of people, but I enjoyed it. After all, people are always thinking about their favorite shows and actors. They also like to come up with dream casts for movies or shows made from books. This isn't much different, and it was a lot of fun.

Protest ABC Across America

2011-04-19T12:16:00.005-04:00

ABC's recent announcement that both All My Children and One Life to Live have been cancelled has a lot of people very upset. Protest ABC Across America is a campaign intended to let the network executives know that soap fans have had it.

Hoover is even getting in on the protest, with the company's marketing VP writing a message to fans of the two shows and pulling their advertising from ABC. In addition, Hoover has set up a special e-mail address for fans and promises to get all messages to the network. Wow!

Please visit the above links for more information. Even though they're on Facebook, the pages are public so that everyone can read them.

One-Hit Wonders

2011-04-18T12:41:00.005-04:00

A one-hit wonder is a recording artist that has one major hit and then never achieves that level of success again. The exact criteria vary from one definition to another, from placing the song anywhere on Billboard's Hot 100 to maintaining that only #1 songs qualify.

While looking at a lot of lists of one-hit wonders and the songs that made them famous, I came up with a list of my favorites. I had doubts that some of the ones I saw really only had one hit, but I wrote them down anyway. Then I chose ten to mention here.

Here are some of my favorite hit songs by one-hit wonders, in no particular order:

1. "Bitter Sweet Symphony" (The Verve) - A phenomenal song, and a great video to go with it.

2. "Under the Milky Way" (The Church) - It's hard to get better than this song, which was later included in the Donnie Darko soundtrack.

3. "I'll See You in My Dreams" (Giant) - One of only two power ballads included on this list, although there are probably others I could have mentioned.

4. "Bad Day" (Daniel Powter) - A catchy song with a good video.

5. "Don't Close Your Eyes" (Kix) - The second power ballad I decided to include here.

6. "Tainted Love" (Soft Cell) - This one will always remind me of Port Charles, which made good use of the song during its "Tainted Love" arc.

7. "The Promise" (When In Rome) - This is a nice, catchy song.

8. "Cry Little Sister" (Gerard McMann) - This theme from The Lost Boys has been covered by several bands and re-recorded by the original artist, but the original version is my favorite.

9. "Cry" (Godley & Creme) - Somehow, I completely missed this one until seeing the video a few years ago. Priceless.

10. "Major Tom (Coming Home)" (Peter Schilling) - This follow-up to David Bowie's "Space Oddity" tells what happened to Major Tom.

Nolan North

2011-04-16T14:45:00.004-04:00

Who is Nolan North? Many people recognize his name. In fact, if you're a gamer, you're probably quite familiar with his work; for the past few years, he's been concentrating on voiceover roles.

That's not the only place you'll come across Nolan North, though. His acting career started when he landed a major role on a new soap opera. He's also been on primetime television and in movies, and he currently has a recurring role on Pretty Little Liars, as Spencer's dad.

Michael Easton

2011-04-15T15:36:00.005-04:00

Michael Easton has been one of my favorite actors for many years. His portrayal of Caleb Morley on ABC's Port Charles made Caleb my favorite TV vampire.

He's a fan favorite as one of daytime's leading men. He was on Days of Our Lives years before resurfacing on Port Charles. He also had a memorable guest role on Ally McBeal. However, his talent isn't limited to acting. In fact, Michael Easton is a man of many talents.

In his latest role on One Life to Live, his character is in transition. The woman he loved betrayed him, and he left her at the altar. Will he go back to her?

With OLTL on its way out, many fans will probably want the two characters to reunite and live happily ever after. I would have preferred to pair him with any of the other actresses I mentioned in my article about his leading ladies, but at this point, with the show ending in a few months, that's not likely to happen.

Loss of Two More Daytime Soaps

2011-04-14T19:03:00.004-04:00

If you're a soap fan and haven't heard the news yet, make sure you're sitting down. This is a doozy.

ABC has announced the cancellation of both All My Children and One Life to Live. Fans were expecting it to be one or the other, but certainly not both.

If this trend continues, there won't be any daytime soaps left.

Kansas

2011-04-13T12:58:00.004-04:00

For me, the classic rock band Kansas and the TV show Supernatural will always be intertwined. Whenever I hear or even think of "Carry on Wayward Son," I think of Supernatural.

Kansas released "Carry On Wayward Son," one of the tracks on Leftoverture, as a single in 1976. Who would've thought it would resurface thirty years later as a kind of anthem for Supernatural fans?

For those unfamiliar with the show, Supernatural is about Dean and Sam Winchester, two brothers who were raised as "hunters" and who now continue the tradition as adults. In this case, hunting means tracking down supernatural and demonic entities and vanquishing them. There's much more to the show; this is just the simplified version of what it's about.

Supernatural doesn't really have a theme song, but Dean's love of classic rock music is an integral component of the show. Most songs have only been in one episode, but "Carry On Wayward Son" has been used prominently in several episodes, beginning in 2006, near the end of the first season. Therefore, as someone who has seen every episode since its premiere, it's only natural that "Carry on Wayward Son" will always make me think of Supernatural.

Journey

2011-04-12T14:14:00.001-04:00

Journey has been one of my favorite bands since the late 1970s. I bought seven of their albums in a row, from Infinity (1978) through Raised on Radio (1986).

I couldn't begin to rank my favorite Journey songs, so I won't even try. What I will do is list ten that I would recommend to anyone asking about their classic work (the Steve Perry days).

"Lights"
"Feeling That Way"
"Anytime"
"Opened the Door"
"Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'"
"Good Morning Girl"
"Stay Awhile"
"Faithfully"
"Be Good to Yourself"
"Why Can't This Night Go On Forever"

I've heard some of their newer songs, and they're good. Someday I'll get around to checking them out more closely.

"I" Songs

2011-04-11T14:21:00.005-04:00

I started thinking about song titles that begin with "I." For this post, "I" songs are songs with titles beginning with the word (not just the letter) "I." Here are just a few of the ones I like, listed in alphabetical order:

"I Don't Care" - Finnish cello rockers Apocalyptica are brilliant, and this is a great song with a great video. It features Three Days Grace frontman Adam Gontier on vocals.

"I Don't Want to Be" - Gavin DeGraw's theme from One Tree Hill was eventually dropped from the opening credits, but fans of the show will never forget it. The best line? "All I have to do is think of me and I have peace of mind."

"I Drove All Night" - Cyndi Lauper was the first recording artist to release this hit, which was actually written for Roy Orbison. Although it's been covered a few times, this is the version I always think of.

"I Just Can't Help Believing" - B.J. Thomas sang a sweet song about a belief in a future with the woman of his dreams.

"I Love You" - I was surprised to learn that the Climax Blues Band released this hit in 1980; if I'd had to guess, I would have said it was a year or two earlier.

"I Never Cry" - This is a fantastic power ballad by Alice Cooper.

"I Ran (So Far Away)" - I always liked this song by A Flock of Seagulls, but the video is priceless.

"I Want to Know What Love Is" - Foreigner had a mega hit with this one. Besides the fact that the lyrics could reduce people to tears, the inclusion of the choir was a major plus.

"I Want You to Want Me" - I think this was the first Cheap Trick song I noticed. I ended up buying the Live at Budokan 8-track tape. Yes, 8-track.

"I Wish It Would Rain Down" - This hauntingly beautiful ballad is easily my favorite Phil Collins song.

House of Anubis

2011-04-09T19:51:00.004-04:00

When a friend first mentioned an interest in Nickelodeon's House of Anubis, I was skeptical. I decided to look it up anyway, and what I saw persuaded me to watch the first episode. After that, I was hooked.

As a kids' show, it's appropriate for anyone. There's no graphic violence or sexual content. There are 60 episodes, but they're paired up with two per half-hour.

House of Anubis is a mystery, and it's a doozy. It's set at a boarding school in England, and Anubis House is one of the "dorms" where several of the kids live. There's also quite a bit of comedy in this show.

The first five episodes aired together, as a movie, although they were edited to fit the timeslot. When they aired later as individual episodes, there were no edits. I decided to write summaries of the first five episodes, and I didn't hold back on the details. Whenever a show is very short, it tends to have a lot of information and action packed into it. This show is no exception.

Episode 1 is "House of Secrets," episode 2 is "House of Attitude," episode 3 is "House of the Black Bird," episode 4 is "House of Dares," and episode 5 is "House of Lies."

I also wrote character guides for the teens and the adults.

This show has been renewed for a second season.

Exciting News for One Life to Live Fans!

2011-04-06T11:09:00.006-04:00

For quite some time, fans of One Life to Live have been hoping for the return of Roger Howarth to the show. Well, now it's finally happening. Roger Howarth, the original Todd Manning, is coming back!

What does this exciting news mean for the the show, for Todd, and for the two actors who have played the role? There's a lot of speculation out there, and as someone who has watched the show for many years, I can speculate with the best of them. I pay attention to little details and always ask questions about what I see--and what I don't see. If you're interested in my thoughts, check out my article.

I'm looking forward to seeing Roger Howarth back on my TV screen. That doesn't mean I want Trevor St. John to go anywhere, though. Both are good actors who have brought something unique to their portrayals of Todd Manning.

The Borgias

2011-04-02T11:04:00.006-04:00

This morning, I noticed that my friend Kenzy England had written a new article about The Borgias. She had mentioned this upcoming series to me a while back, but with everything else going on--including all my shows and their various premieres and hiatuses--I forgot all about it.

In anticipation of this new Showtime series, Kenzy wrote a cool character guide about Rodrigo Borgia. It's definitely worth reading, whether you plan to watch the series or not.

I'm going to have to pretend I have enough room in my schedule and add The Borgias. The way I see it, a few shows are ending for the season anyway, so I can probably handle it. It premieres tomorrow, April 3, at 10:00pm Eastern Daylight Time on Showtime. Check the official website for more information.

Arthurian Shows: Merlin and Camelot

2011-04-01T11:20:00.005-04:00

If you're into Arthuriana, you've undoubtedly come across plenty of different versions of the legend of King Arthur and Camelot. Two current television series explore the legend, and each has its own take.

Merlin has been on Syfy for the past two seasons after completing its first season on NBC. As season three is about to wrap up, there's a new player ready to get our attention. Camelot is an original series from Starz that is scheduled to debut April 1 (today), although the network did offer a sneak peak earlier this year by airing the first episode.

As an unapologetic fan of Merlin, I wanted to see what Camelot would be like. I was curious to see how it would differ from the show I've already been watching for three seasons. Would it be worth my time?

After watching the sneak peak, I thought about different aspects of each series and wrote an article contrasting the two.

The verdict? I'll be watching both series, but they're quite different. Camelot officially premieres tonight at 10:00pm Eastern Daylight Time on Starz. It's a 2-hour premiere, so I'm guessing the sneak peak was the first half. Check the official website to see when the encore presentations will air.

Blogging From A to Z April Challenge

2011-03-31T09:09:00.001-04:00

After having to neglect all my blogs for several months, I've joined the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge 2011.

On Mondays through Saturdays in April, I'll be posting on anywhere from one blog to all five of them.

I'm hoping this will help me get back in the swing of things.

Wizards and Earworms

2010-10-13T15:11:00.003-04:00

A funny thing happened recently. I realized that the Trans-Siberian Orchestra's "Wizards in Winter" was playing in my head, complete with the music video. I didn't mind, since I like both the song and the video. I had it for several days and didn't realize how much I was getting into it until my husband pointed it out. He'd caught me with my head going back and forth in time to some song he couldn't hear, and as he watched, I got more and more into it, doing a hilarious lip synch to the instrumental music. Suddenly, I noticed he was watching me with a combination of amusement and utter disbelief.

As a musician and music lover, I always have a song in my head. The problem is that it isn't necessarily one I want in there. When I can't take it anymore, I have a couple different ways of dealing with the unwanted tune. You can read about them here.

If you're not familiar with the "Wizards in Winter" video, I encourage you to check it out by following the link given above. Just don't blame me if it won't get out of your head.

Love in an Elevator

2010-09-23T16:10:00.005-04:00

When SOAPnet first started advertising its What If web series, I really didn't plan to check them out, other than the snippets that would be shown on TV. Some of the crossovers looked interesting, but not enough for me to try to watch them online.

Then one day I found out about the one with OLTL's John McBain and GH's Sam McCall. These characters are portrayed by Michael Easton and Kelly Monaco, whose onscreen pairing as Caleb and Livvie on Port Charles made them one of my all-time favorite couples. I had to see their What If. I just had to.

Wow!!! Their chemistry is still there, as I knew it would be. This 5-minute webisode, titled Love in an Elevator, shows exactly why these two were a supercouple. Port Charles fans will love the inside jokes and should pay special attention to the poster on the elevator wall. If you haven't seen it yet, be sure to click on the link above; it won't be available forever.

There are several other webisodes, involving characters from all three ABC soap operas. If you're a fan of ABC daytime, there's a good chance at least one of your favorites is featured.

Big Premiere Week

2010-09-18T13:09:00.004-04:00

The upcoming week is going to be a doozy, considering all the season and series premieres.

My husband and I have several shows returning the week of September 20. Chuck, Glee, Fringe, Supernatural, and Medium will all be back. In addition, The Vampire Diaries has already started, and Rubicon has been on for a while now. The Gates will air its final two episodes of the season (and possibly of the series) on the 19th, just before this doozy of a premiere week begins.

As if that weren't enough, we're thinking about checking out The Event and Chase, which will really make Monday a full night.

This wouldn't be too bad if it weren't for one big problem: we're still behind from last season. I mean behind. We're going to have a busy weekend just trying to watch as many shows as we can. If we can't catch up in time, we'll have to delay watching the new episodes until we're ready.

There are a couple more new shows I'm interested in, but fortunately, they're not scheduled to start until late October and mid-November.

Pedigree: Write a Post and Help a Dog

2010-09-16T11:46:00.007-04:00

Pedigree has some of the best television commercials around. Some are funny, and some bring tears to my eyes. If I'm in another room and hear one of their commercials come on, I make it a point to go back and watch it. I can't say that about many other ads!

I don't know the official titles of any of these commercials, but in my mind, some of my favorites are "We're For Dogs," "We're for Shelter Dogs," and "Oliver Goes Home."

The ones about Oliver really get to me. Oliver is an adorable terrier mix who's found himself at the shelter. Pedigree started off his story with a short commercial showing him looking so sad from his cage at the shelter. Later, another commercial started airing; it was Oliver's lucky day. He was adopted and got to go home, where we saw him playing and just having a ball. It's a happy ending that gets to me every single time I see it.

Now Pedigree has a new commercial about senior dogs, and as always, it's a good one. This ad goes with their new Healthy Longevity Food.

Why am I writing about this on an entertainment blog? Well, for one thing, the Pedigree commercials are entertaining. However, as you've probably guessed, that's not the main reason.

Pedigree is running a promotion, and this post is part of it. I'm not getting paid for it, but shelter dogs will benefit.

The sad fact is that about four million dogs find themselves in animal shelters and rescues every year in the United States. While they wait for their forever homes, Pedigree would like to help them. That's where we bloggers come in.

For every blog post about the Pedigree Adoption Drive that is published through Sunday, September 19, Pedigree will donate a 20-pound bag of their new Healthy Longevity Food for Dogs to a shelter. That's right; a shelter somewhere in the U.S. will receive 20 pounds of dog food because of this post. Isn't that great?

If you'd like to help, you can do the same thing. To make sure your blog post counts, include the following bullets and add the direct link to your post to the Blog Hop below. (Bulleted info courtesy of Boulder Dog)

* Each year, more than 4 million dogs end up in shelters and breed rescue organizations. Pedigree created The PEDIGREE Adoption Drive to help shine a spotlight on the plight of these homeless dogs.

* This year the PEDIGREE Adoption Drive is raising awareness for homeless dogs by donating a bowl of food to shelter dogs for everyone who becomes a "Fan" or "Likes" the PEDIGREE Adoption Drive on Facebook. So far more than 1 million bowls have been donated.

* Special for BlogPaws West: For each blog that posts about the PEDIGREE Adoption Drive through September 19, PEDIGREE will donate a bag of its new Healthy Longevity Food for Dogs to shelters nationwide. It's simple: Write a post, help a dog.

* Thursday, September 16 through Sunday, September 19, the Pedigree BlogPaws bloggers will host a Blog Hop to help raise awareness for the "Write a post, help a dog" effort.

Include the hashtag #dogsrule somewhere in the post; you should also use it as a tag or label. You'll also need to link to the Pedigree Adoption Drive Facebook fan page within your post. When you're ready to promote your post, tweet it using #dogsrule.

That's all there is to it! Just follow the guidelines, and a shelter will get a 20-pound bag of dog food.

You might have trouble fitting a post about the Pedigree Adoption Drive into your blog's theme, but please try. Somewhere in the U.S., an animal shelter and the dogs housed therein will be grateful that you did.

When Books Become Movies

2010-08-30T14:16:00.004-04:00

As someone who likes both reading and watching movies, it's sometimes hard to decide which form I'd rather indulge in. Differences between a book and its movie adaptation can nag at me, even when they don't make a difference to the story. Because of this, I've found that it usually helps if I see a movie long after having read the book. That way, the text isn't fresh in my mind, and I can appreciate the film version better.

I found three books that I think have potential on the big screen. The publication dates range from 1982 to 2007, and I read them all fairly soon after they were published. If you're a fan of Christopher Moore, Dean Koontz, or Bentley Little, check out my picks for books that should be movies.

Update on status of Persons Unknown Episode 11 (and the Finale)

2010-08-27T15:16:00.004-04:00

I'd intended to write about books this week, but then something happened with Persons Unknown, and I wanted to provide an update.

Until very recently, NBC was saying that episode 11, "Seven Sacrifices," would be available online only. This was upsetting to those of us who either can't or just don't want to watch shows online.

I decided to check my cable's On Demand section, just to see whether the missing episode was there. Well, to my surprise, it was.

This won't help everyone, since not everyone has the On Demand option, but it helped me, and I'm grateful that NBC made it available in a way in which I could actually watch the missing episode. (No, I haven't actually watched it yet.)

If you're a fan of this show, don't forget that the final two episodes will air tomorrow, August 28. It's a double-header; check your local listings for the time.

NBC's Latest Persons Unknown Fiasco

2010-08-15T08:35:00.004-04:00

My husband and I were planning to check out The Event. Of all the new shows premiering in the fall, it's the one that most interests both of us. It's certainly gotten a lot of promotion. Now I'm wondering whether it's worth our time.

NBC can't even commit to a show that was planned as a 13-episode miniseries. I'm referring to Persons Unknown. For some inexplicable reason, the network is considering skipping episode #11.

As I said, it was always supposed to be a miniseries, and we were promised answers to all our questions by the end of its run. Did I ever believe that? Well, not really. Why? Partly because they can't begin to imagine all the questions viewers can come up with, but mostly because I always figured it was possible they'd pull the show before airing all the episodes. Normally, when this happens, they end the show early. I never imagined they'd yank an episode from the middle and then show the remaining two.

Most shows airing nowadays are in serial format, with no stand-alone episodes. If you miss one, the continuity is gone. This is even more true of a show like Persons Unknown. It's a huge mystery, and fans are supposed to look for clues in every episode. People like me--who don't like spoilers--don't want to find out elsewhere what happened if we miss an episode. They're called "spoilers" for a reason; they ruin the show for us.

Will I continue to watch Persons Unknown on NBC? Not if they really skip an episode. I'd rather wait for the DVDs. Am I still willing to give The Event a chance? At this point, I really don't know.

Pretty Little Liars

2010-08-02T08:53:00.006-04:00

A friend alerted me that ABC Family will be airing a Pretty Little Liars catch-up marathon on August 10. The marathon starts at 11:00 am EDT and will include the first ten episodes.

This show is based on Sara Shepard's book series of the same name. Although teens--especially teenage girls--are the target audience, it has broader appeal.

I knew about Pretty Little Liars before it premiered, and I was interested. The problem was that I couldn't justify adding yet another show to my schedule, so I decided to pass. I regretted this decision after finding out that Nolan North was playing the father of one of the liars.

Port Charles fans know Nolan as Chris Ramsey. Since its cancelation in 2003, he has become a prolific voice actor. In fact, if you're a gamer, there's a good chance you've heard Nolan's voice many times.

I like to watch shows in order, and I don't watch shows online. Now, thanks to the upcoming marathon, I'll be able to watch Pretty Little Liars from the beginning.

Thoughts about last week's Y&R, AMC, and OLTL

2010-07-26T13:08:00.007-04:00

I usually watch The Young and the Restless, All My Children, and One Life to Live on weekday mornings, when SOAPnet airs them in a three-hour block. I don't actually sit there the whole time and watch them with the same intense concentration I do my primetime shows, but I do like to keep up. With that in mind, I have a few thoughts about last week's shows.

Y&R: Victoria shouldn't have shown up at the dinner at all. After having been ordered to attend, that's the last thing she should have done. It doesn't matter that she intended to take Billy with her to annoy her father; the fact that she showed up at all means that she's still unwilling to completely defy him. That doesn't mean she should act like Abby, because there's something seriously wrong with that one.

I do have to give the writers credit for not dragging out the "Chance cheats on Chloe" secret. I didn't even know they'd done it; I knew about the kiss but thought that was as far as it had gone until I saw the flashback.

AMC: I really, really, really want Caleb to mop the floor with Junior. Really. Speaking of Caleb, the way he kept referring to Jackson's "perfect hair" was priceless. It's annoying that Bianca has no intention of keeping her kids out of Caleb's wing of the house. It's going to be even more annoying when he tries to shoo them away and they end up chipping away at his gruffness, and you know that's what will happen. And, to risk overusing the word, Bianca is even more annoying than ever.

I can't forget to mention Angie. That woman is a menace. I don't even like Ryan, but the guy doesn't deserve what would have happened to him if Jake hadn't taken over in the E.R. Angie is supposed to help people--first do no harm--but she's too stubborn to admit that she shouldn't be practicing medicine right now.

OLTL: I actually saw less of this than the other shows last week. One thing that stood out was Charlie and Viki's plan to get David and Dorian back together. It was silly but still fun and hilarious.

I keep waiting for Starr to dump Cole. It looks like that's the direction they're heading, but she's being stubborn about it.

I'm also waiting for an explanation about Elijah/Bennett. What did he have against Kelly's mother and Marty?

That's it for now. I'm sure I'll think of a few things I neglected to mention, but they'll just have to wait.

Some of My Favorite Love Songs

2010-07-16T12:00:00.002-04:00

I did something that was almost impossible. I compiled a list of my favorite love songs. Think I'm exaggerating about how hard it was? I'm a music lover. I always have a song in my head. Sometimes it's one that's been around for a while--a couple months, several years, a few decades--and sometimes it's a new release I just can't get enough of. When you take that into account, I think you'll have to admit it's hard to come up with a list of favorites.

I compromised a bit. I started by listing 20 of my favorite rock love songs. The only way to do it was to think of songs guaranteed to have me cranking up the volume. I went back pretty far but did include some newer selections.

When I finished that list, I started working on another one: 20 more great love songs that weren't necessarily rock. Again, I went back pretty far, but I didn't duplicate any from the other list.

I suppose I'll have to do some updated lists at some point. After all, great new songs are showing up all the time.

Awesome: The Best Word to Describe Chuck

2010-07-16T11:51:00.003-04:00

Chuck is a fantastic show that has it all: action, adventure, romance, humor, and drama. In spite of this, the fans, cast, and crew are put through the wringer every year while NBC makes a decision about whether to renew or cancel. I just don't get it; Chuck is such a great show, yet the ratings are never what they should be.

If you don't watch Chuck, why not? "Awesome" is more than just a catchphrase in this show; it's also the best word to describe Chuck.

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A&E Haiku

2010-07-15T13:19:00.008-04:00

Back in April 2009, I wrote a few haiku-style poems for National Poetry Month. One of them, "Classic Journey," shows the connection between the band and a popular show from a few years ago. In fact, whenever I watched the show and Journey came up, I had to chuckle. One character loved them, while his best friend just didn't understand their appeal and preferred Death Cab for Cutie.

I doubt there's anyone who hasn't gotten into a show, only to realize that the ratings aren't great and the network might give up on it. It happens to me all the time. When it's time for decisions to be made, each show is reported as being either renewed, canceled, or on the bubble, meaning that it could go either way. "On the Bubble" is a set of three haiku poems about the agonizing wait for the network execs to make up their minds. One of the shows mentioned is still on today, but the other was unjustly canceled. I still miss it.

What does this template have to do with arts and entertainment, anyway?

2010-07-15T10:19:00.003-04:00

Wondering why I chose this particular template? Funny how that happened.

I was looking at templates, rejecting quite a few but adding almost as many to my list of maybes. When I saw this one, I knew I had to have it. I just didn't know where I was going to use it.

I narrowed down the list to a more manageable size, still trying to assign templates to each blog. When I saw this one, I actually thought, Ellie's Couch.

If that were the scene outside my window, I'd want to curl up on the couch and read a good book or maybe watch TV. Either that or just enjoy the gorgeous view.

Then when I asked for my husband's opinion about which templates to use on which blogs, he also chose this one, but for a different reason. "It's cinematic," he said. I realized he was right. That gorgeous scene could easily have been taken from a movie.

So, that's how it happened. I realize that most people probably won't see it as a logical choice, but it makes perfect sense to me. Maybe someday I'll change it, but for now, it's here to stay.

Atta Boy, Luther: A Review of The Ghost and Mr. Chicken

2010-07-15T09:31:00.002-04:00

The Ghost and Mr. Chicken is a 1966 film starring Don Knotts, who plays scaredy-cat Luther Heggs in what is arguably his best work. Spooky, hilarious, and just plain fun, this is my all-time favorite classic movie.

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Strange Turn of Events: A Review of Being Erica

2010-07-15T09:22:00.003-04:00

Poor Erica Strange just had a terrible day. First, she got fired from her job at the call center--for being too bright. Then she got dumped so that the guy she'd been seeing could go to the gym. After getting drenched in a sudden downpour, she sought shelter inside a coffee shop and ended up having an allergic reaction to a free sample. That's what landed her in the hospital, where she met the mysterious Dr. Tom.

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Motel Hell: Cult Classic from the '80s

2010-07-13T15:14:00.001-04:00

Motel Hell is a hilarious classic horror movie from 1980. The title is something of a play on words, depicting both the name of the motel and the general state of affairs for the unfortunate soul who wanders anywhere near the motel and its proprietors. The story takes place at the very rural Motel Hello. However, the letter "O" on the sign has a bit of trouble, its light flickering on and off. The light on the other letters are fine, so that when the "O" is out, only the first four letters of the word remain. "Hell" is a good description of the motel, as you're about to learn.

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Review of U2's The Joshua Tree

2010-07-13T15:08:00.002-04:00

If you've ever listened to the radio, you're probably already familiar with several tracks from The Joshua Tree, U2's Grammy-winning album from 1987. "Where the Streets Have No Name," "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," and "With or Without You" seem to have received the most airplay, at least to my recollection.

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New Night for Persons Unknown

2010-07-12T16:57:00.001-04:00

I pulled up my cable guide last night to check the time for tonight's episode of Persons Unknown. It had aired in an early timeslot for two weeks, and I wanted to find out the story for this week's episode. Well, I wasn't happy to see that it wasn't even on the schedule. I thought it was possibly on hiatus--which happens all the time--but thought it was more likely that the network had canceled it. Since it was already pretty late, I decided to wait until this morning to investigate the situation online. I was relieved to learn that it had been moved to a different night. Instead of Mondays in varying timeslots, it's now scheduled for Saturdays at 8:00 pm EDT.

This is both good news and bad news. Persons Unknown was doing poorly in the ratings, and NBC decided to move it instead of canceling it--yet. I don't know what the network will ultimately do with the show, but my guess is that the move will actually save it. The ratings probably won't improve, but the networks don't seem to care as much about ratings on Saturday nights anyway.

We'll see what happens.

Welcome to Ellie's Couch

2010-07-12T16:37:00.001-04:00

When I watch TV, read, or listen to music, I'm usually on the couch. For me, it's the most comfortable place for those activities. That's why I chose "Ellie's Couch" as the name for this blog about books, television, music, and movies. I won't be writing about everything I'm watching, reading, or listening to; that would be a monumental task. Instead, I'll choose the most interesting ones and see how that goes.