We Remember Cory Monteith and Glee Season 5 Update

         

 Several days ago the nation was rocked by the news that Cory Monteith (aka Finn Hudson) had died of an alcohol and heroin overdose. While Glee fans were shocked and saddened by this tragedy, we can only imagine the pain and sorrow Cory's family and friends are feeling. My heart goes out to them and my prayers are with them especially Lea Michelle, Cory's girlfriend both on screen and off. I can't imagine how she must feel to lose someone so close to her so suddenly. I can only hope she seeks strength from the support of her family and friends.

          As for those of us who did not know him personally, we can mourn Cory by watching his performances on the first four seasons of Glee. Many blogs and Youtube Channels and magazines have honored Cory by highlighting his best performances or their favorite Finn Hudson scenes on Glee. I am not going to do that. If you were a Cory fan, I encourage you to look back and find the scenes that you like best. We will all miss different things about Cory and we know that Glee will not be the same without him.
                                                                                       

              Naturally this tragedy changes things for Season 5 of Glee. There have been rumors that the writers will use old footage of Cory to work him into the first few episodes of Season 5 therefore giving him a proper goodbye instead of explaining away his absence with an inadequate excuse. It has been confirmed that Lea Michelle is returning to Glee and I know the show is going to try to make it as easy for her as possible.
               Other Season 5 updates include the news that Marley, Jake, Kitty and Ryder will all have big roles in the coming season. Brittany, Mercedes, Mike Chang and Puck will no longer be recurring characters featured on the show. Honestly I could care less about the first three characters but I am going to miss Puck. Then again his half brother is around to play our sexy bad boy and hopefully he is up to the challenge. I was also relieved that there was no mention of Santana leaving the show although the character of Emma will not be returning after Season 5 but she stopped being relevant after Season 1 in my opinion.
                   On a more serious note, I once again would like to publicly give my condolences to the friends and family of Cory Monteith (although they probably will never know it). My thoughts are with them during this troubled time and we will all work to remember Cory for the talented young man he was.

Gossip Girl Best of Season 3 Episodes 11-22

Once the storylines got under way, Season 3 took a turn for the better with more fights, more scandal and lots of Chuck and Blair interaction. Here's the best of the best: 

Yet Another Extremely Awkward Thanksgiving- 

As with most TV shows, the holiday involved a bunch of characters ending up in the same place through far fetched means. This Thanksgiving dinner included Serena, Lily, Rufus Cece, Eric, Jenny, Nate, Tripp, Maureen, Vanessa, her mother, and Blair, her mother, and Chuck. In other words the entire cast. As I've mentioned before, having everybody in one place is the perfect oppurtunity for bombs to be dropped and secrets to be revealed. And this dinner is no exception. 

                                                      
                                                           Elizabeth and Jack's betrayal

I always thought there would be one of three outcomes to the Elizabeth Fisher story- she really was his mother and they would start to build a relationship, she really was his mother but he did not want a relationship or she was not his mother at all. Never did I imagine she was in alliance with his Uncle Jack in a scheme to take away his hotel. That's the kind of twist that makes Gossip Girl so different from all the other shows. I felt incredibly bad for Chuck who really has never had anyone on his side except Blair and Lily. To be betrayed by yet another person who professed to love him is only going to make                                                                                  our bad boy that much worse. 

The Promise of Blair at Columbia

Blair at NYU was all wrong. When I think of NYU, people like Dan and Vanessa come to mind- artsy  funky, liberal. People like Blair do not. I was disappointed with the way Blair floundered at Columbia- socially and academically she didn't seem to be reaching her potential at all. I mean she had a sleepover with high school girls, obviously a desperate move to make her feel like she belonged once again. So I look forward to seeing Blair get a fresh start with fresh peers and fresh classes at Columbia. She already has a built in fan base! For Blair there is nowhere to go but up. 

Agnes's Revenge on Jenny

With all the drugs floating around in this city and people like Damien available on practically every street corner, I'm surprised no one got roofied before (I mean Serena has  but its Serena so its not like its at all surprising)  I liked this storyline because it showed just how dangerous it can be for a young girl out there and how danger can come from the most unexpected of places. I have to wonder is Nate is ever going to get tired of rescuing Jenny. Too bad he's not running for Congress. "Archibald Saves Roofied Girl from Possible Assault" would definitely get him votes. 

Chuck Trading Blair for the Hotel

The Chuck- Blair saga certainly is no Cinderella story that's for sure. In what fairy tale would a prince charming give his princess away in exchange for a hotel? When Jack Bass tells Blair that if she sleeps with him he will give Chuck his hotel back, I knew Blair (repulsed though she might be) would do it for Chuck, the man she loves. What I hadn't counted on was Chuck using his girlfriend to get his hotel back. I always believed Chuck would have more pride than to admit defeat and make a deal with the devil. And besides there are many hotels. There is only one Blair. But it's scandalous. And certainly unexpected. Therefore I must love it.

Game of Assassin

The Upper East Side does Assassin like it does everything else- they go all out. Instead of writing the names of targets on scraps of paper they have polaroid shots of all the players. Everyone wears suits of black like they are going to the a Ninja Academy and they go rushing around the entire block "killing" each other without being stopped by the cops or concerned civilians (then again it is New York. This is the town with something new and exciting on every street corner) So even though it was somewhat unrealistic, it was incredibly fun to watch everyone tearing around the streets of New York City and trying to blend into the gray walls and hiding behind the cars. And since its Gossip Girl everybody looks good in a body suit. 

Dorota Getting Married

A character as strong as Blair needs an assistant. And Gossip Girl did a good job of providing Blair with one. Dorota, the Waldorf housekeeper is not just your stereotypical snooping maid who stays in the background dusting furniture and offering dialogue when nobody else happens to be around. No, Dorota is always in the middle of things. Although she attempts to dissaude Blair from her schemes she usually ends up getting dragged into them anyway. But in order for Dorota to truly be a three dimensional character she needs to have a life of her own which we see when she gets pregnant and then married. I also like that they made a big deal out of Dorota getting married rather than quietly marrying her off between episodes and then having it revealed later (I think a lot of shows do that because weddings are alot of pressure to create in TV. Plus wedding dresses are hard to find.) If Dorota had a daughter I think somebody should create a spin off of Gossip Girl from her point of view (less glamour, less money but just as much drama)

Jenny and Chuck Discovering Something Weird About Lily's Medicine

One of the only times I actually liked Jenny was when she and Chuck worked together to find out what was wrong with Lily's medication. I sort of wish Jenny and Chuck had developed the same sort of relationship that Chuck and Serena had. If Chuck had been in a few more of her scenes maybe they wouldn't have been so unbearable. 

Jenny Leaves

I had confetti canons lined up, just waiting for this development. I knew it would be a matter of time before her dad sent Jenny away (one of the benefits of having characters with divorced parents is they can always go live with the other parent once you get tired of them) They sure sent her out with a bang (I'm beginning to think nobody ever leaves the Upper East Side on their own. They just make things so bad for themselves that they finally get chased out. Can we target Vanessa next?)

Chuck Gets Shot

Sometimes when I am watching an intense movie (and when I'm watching TV although it happens much less often) a scene will send a chill up my spine. This happens usually when somebody A) gets hit by a car B) gets assaulted physically or C) gets assaulted sexually. I only get goosebumps if it does somewhat realistically (and I do literally get goosebumps. Plus the hair on my arm kind of bristles) When Chuck was mugged and then shot because he refused to relinquish the ring he had bought for Blair my heart ached for him and my arm hair (of which there is not much since I am a girl) stood straight up in the air. I am a huge fan of horror movies (I used to blog about them actually) but seeing it in a "realistic" TV show with characters I have known for three seasons is very different. I probably should take this as a sign that I need to watch more CSI though. 

We have officially reached the halfway mark, Gossip Girl wise. What do you think of my reviews? Have they been fair? Do you agree or disagree? Please let me know in the comments below and check out my next post. You know you love me. XOXO Bernadette

Reality Show Challenge Episode 6 Part 2

Bad Girl's Club

                                                                                          This week another girl, Jennifer, arrived.

Jennifer

I soon realized she was a better candidate for the Sad Girl's Club rather than the Bad Girl's Club. Not because she was sad (although I'm sure that deep down inside all these girls are) but because she behaves like a five year old in desperate need of a tranquilizer especially after a few drinks. She quickly joins Team Char in antagonizing Nicki and Lauren. But in my defense Nicki and Lauren did kind of get off on the wrong foot with her when they took the car so that Jennifer, Kori and Ashley were late for their Playboy interviews. Everyone knows that to be a real bad girl you need to take your clothes off which is why all three girls pose for Playboy although it is revealed that the photographers liked Ashley best. Hurrah. Probably because she didn't look like the carbon copy of a Barbie- or a carbon copy of a Barbie doll who was locked in a tanning bed for seven hours straight. Other than the Playboy photo shoot nothing much happened in this episode aside from the fact that the drama is escalating between Team Char and Team Nicki. Everyone keeps bragging about how they are going to send another girl home but so far it definitely seems like all talk since I don't think a few pushes and swear words are going to do much damage.

Ashley

Characters: 2 Now that Sydney's left and Kori's turned out to have no personality, my favorite girl would have to be Ashley just because she seems to be the only one not doing Char's dirty work over her. I don't know what pull Char has over the girls but in the last few episodes she has manipulated Jessica, Kori and Jennifer to do her bidding which is ironic since each of them has bragged numerous times that they are their own person. An independent minded girl on a reality show? Sounds like an oxymoron for me. 

Emotional Intensity: 1.5 There was a brief moment in the episode (between the stripping and the shoving) where I caught a glimpse of raw emotion and that was when Char revealed that one of her parents used to hit her when she was younger which was why she reacts so strongly whenever any of the other girls hit her. It's not surprising that one (actually probably more than one) of the girls have been a victim of abuse so I'm beginning to find this show exploitative. Stick a bunch of girls with psychological issues in one house with unlimited freedom. Are we going to go straight to the mental hospitals and clinics next time? 

Conflict: 2 There was just as much fighting in this episode as all the other ones but the more fighting there is the less effective it becomes. All the show has become is a bunch of shallow girls take cheap shots at each other on national television. Wait, that implies there was more to the show to begin with.

Class: .5 Finding a character with the least semblance of class in this episode was like Mission Impossible. Can I name the security guard who steps in once in a while to separate the fighting girls as the Classiest Cast Member? Even if he doesn't have a name I think he's my new favorite character.

Overall Rating: 6/20

The Biggest Loser

This week the contestants were in for a shock when Alison informed them that only one person from each team would be stepping on the scale- and the contestants would not know who that person was until the end of the week. So each person needed to push themselves in case they were the one representing their team. This made no difference to Danni since she's riding solo anyway and the Red Team seemed to take it in stride but the Blue Team fell to pieces under the pressure. The Blue Team has gotten very good at psyching themselves out with the help of their trainer Bob who is even more intense than Jillian. This week the challenge was a combination of both physical and mental prowess. One person from each team (chosen by the rolling of the dice) would compete in the hopes of getting to read their letters from home. Like many challenges this one is going to be a little difficult to explain. Each team member had to walk across a balance beam while avoiding swinging pendulums which reminded me a little like Wipeout. Once they reached the other side they would take a plate with a number of calories on it. They recrossed the balance beam with the plate and placed it under the picture of the food that they thought match the number of calories on the plate. Danni represented the White Team, Gina represented the Blue and Jackson represented the Red. Danni had gotten four plates before Gina or Jackson had even got one. It took her three tries to match up all the plates but since she was so far ahead of everyone else she won anyway. Meanwhile Bingo, Lindsey and Sunny are getting themselves and their friends moving at their own schools. Sunny created a series of fitness excersises for her gym class and Bingo formed an after school club where they played football which looked like a lot of fun. If my friends weren't so lazy it sounds like something I would want to try. Lindsey took a courageous stand when she delivered a talk to her classmates about bullying and how it had affected her. Kids are alot more likely to listen to another peer rather than an adult. Then again children can be cruel and it might not have any effect whatsoever. Either way I admire Lindsey for trying to make a positive change. For the last chance work out Jillian took Danni to a parkour gym. I didn't even know such things actually existed. For those who don't know parkour is (according to the dictionary of Bernadette) "Jumping off of things and seeing who can break the most bones" Dictionary.com defines it as the sport of moving along a route typically in a city trying to get around or through obstacles in the quickest and most efficient manner possible, as by jumping, climbing or running" which is what I said only different. Anyway I would work out a lot more often if I had my own parkour gm complete with a foam pit to do front flips into.

The Red Team also spiced up their last chance work out by bringing in a professional boxer, Laila Ali, daughter of Muhammad Ali. The Blue Team used the Biggest Loser gym and Bob pushed each of them until they were on the verge of collasp. Unfortunately it was not enough. The Blue Team lost at the weigh in and ended up sending David home where he is continuing to practice all that he learned on the ranch.
Characters: 3.5 Danni might be one of the most inspiring people that I have ever come across. Certainly one of the most inspiring person I have seen on a reality show. I'm not even sure what she's doing there since she seems to be miles ahead of everybody else. Danni is doing laps in the deep end while everybody else is splashing in the kiddie pool. Even Jillian commented that she thinks of Danni as more of a work out buddy than a contestant. Even if Danni doesn't win (and I am pretty sure she will) I know the improvements she will make through the Biggest Loser experience will be drastic.
Emotional Intensity: 3 Seeing Lindsey address her peers was really powerful since I too was bullied although not about my weight. No matter what the reason for the bullying was the result is still the same- feelings of shame, of guilt, of worthlessness. No one should have to go through that. And to see Lindsey trying to make a difference so other people will not experience the same thing was really touching.
Conflict: 2.5 The Blue Team seemed to experience some discord this week when they felt the pressure of keeping all five members of their teammates around. Bob and Gina clashed over Gina's defeatist attitude. I'm not sure why the Blue Team has done so well considering they have both Gina and Alex on their team. Gina and Alex are constantly getting ripped on by Bob for not putting in enough effort or not having the right attitude.Sounds harsh but I am kind of with Bob on this one. They knew exactly what they were getting into when they signed up for the Biggest Loser (I mean it's a show on national television. Practically everything about the show is out in the open) So if you aren't sure you are up to be on the show and you don't want to give 100%, then why go on the show? There are hundreds of people across the country who would see this as the chance of the lifetime and make the most of this opportunity.
Class: 3.5  As usual my attention was focused on Danni for most of the episode so I am going to name her the Classiest Cast Member of the Week (I guess you could say this award is kind of rigged since I really wasn't paying attention to anyone else) I'm trying to develop interests in other characters but although they are all likable I don't take to any of them the way I take to Danni.
Overall Rating: 12.5/20

Beauty and the Geek

Before I say anything else, I just have to write that whenever I watch an episode of this show the theme song will get stuck in my head for days. By the time I replace it with something else, it's time to watch another episode. I am caught in a vicious cycle. Anyway, there are still six teams remaining at the Beauty and the Geek house because nobody got eliminated last week. The episode started up with the entire house getting Tom dressed up as a vampire so he could scare Tara, who apparently thinks the house is haunted. But Joe, probably feeling bad about his lack of enthusiasm the previous week, assumes the role of bodygaurd and won't let anybody in Tara's room. I thought that was kind of sweet but it annoyed the pranksters especially Randi. This week the geeks and the beauties faced separate challenges. The geeks needed to don a fire fighter suit, climb up a burning building and jump off from the second story window with their beauty. Just kidding. Actually no I'm not. I am assuming it isn't real fire (I was half asleep when they were explaining it) I should probably mention that they jumped onto a bouncy thing so it didn't hurt them. Tom and Amanda won the challenge with Tom having the fastest rescue. The girls had a slightly...messier challenge. They were sent into a heap of garbage to find recyclables. Each of the items was worth a certain amount (Ex. aluminum cans are 10 cents)The girl to come up with exactly 5 dollars fastest wins the challenge. Since a lot of the girls can't do math this was easier said than done. Christina and Jason ended up winning the challenge and they (along with Tom and Amanda) decide to send Randi and Greg to the elimination room. In the elimination room Randi and Greg lost to Joe and Tara and were sent home. Buh-bye!                  

Characters: 2 I know I said that the Beauties didn't have much of a personality but I would like to take that back. The more I learn about Tara the more I realize how sweet she is. When Randi and Joe got into an argument, Tara quickly leapt to Joe's defense. And even though Joe isn't the easiest to get along with and apparently he doesn't practice the best hygiene, she is always patient with him. 

Emotional Intensity: 1.5 I started to feel bad for Joe in this episode. After Randi's verbal beating he started crying saying that he was a bad person. If it had been a girl doing that I would have thought it was a calculated move for sympathy but Geeks have a wonderful naviety about them. They aren't aware of such maneuvers.   

Tara- Classy and Sassy

Conflict: 3.5  The beginning of the episode featured a showdown between Randi and Joe. They have clashed several times before, mostly because the two of them have very similar types of personalities-they are both loud, outgoing and don't think much of what other people think about them. This time Randi started chewing Joe out until he spit at her, which is a unique way of solving things I guess. As you might imagine, that didn't help. When Randi and Greg finally had to leave the Beauty and the Geek house, Joe made another attempt to apologize to Randi but she wasn't having it. Get over it Randi. It's spit- he didn't go all Miggs on you (Silence of the Lambs anyone?) 

Class: 2.5 Although I do not view spitting as a federal offense it's not exactly classy (Especially indoors. People have to walk on that floor) On the other hand I thought Tara and the way she stood by Joe was admirable therefore she shall receive the Classiest Cast Member. It's almost as good as winning the challenge.

Overall Rating: 9.5/20

I feel like we are somewhere around our halfway point. What do you think of it so far? Have my critiques been fair? Is there something else you would like to point out? Leave a comment and let me know and please check out my next post. 

Worst of Gossip Girl Season 3 Episodes 11-22

As Season 3 progressed the weaker plotlines fell by the wayside whereas the stronger ones remained. Nevertheless there were still some plot points I found to be unnecessary, irritating or just boring Here they are:

Dan and Vanessa again

I have never understood the appeal of Vanessa. Yes she's pretty. But I doubt I would last two minutes in conversation with her without ripping out my eardrums or her vocal cords- maybe both just to ensure I would never have to hear her again. Her constant complain with the Upper East Side is that they all like to lie and betray one another yet she does the same thing in ever other episode. A hypocrite is bad enough but she's a hypocrite without any other redeeming qualities. And the fact that she is dating Dan only means she will be in more episodes. I'm counting the episodes until their break up and I predict it will be because another girl catches Dan's eye. Probably one who isn't so whiny. 

Serena's Car Accident

The characters on this show have the worst luck when it comes to automobiles- Bart died in a car accident in Season 2 and in a later season two other characters are badly injured in another car crash. Both of those car accidents were important to the overall plot of the show but this accident involving Serena and Tripp was something I felt was unnecessary and boring. They could have easily split up without this needless storyline.

Jenny Trying to Be a Drug Dealer
Give it up Jenny. This is going to sound sexist  but there are very few girls who can pull off the role of drug dealers- both in real life and on TV. And little J with the way she constantly throws herself at Nate Archibald and is always desperate to have some man candy on her arm does not exactly conjure to mind the image of a shady criminal determined to make money through illegal means. Then again she definitely is greedy enough.

Serena and Nate/ Serena and Carter

I shall never understand the attraction of Serena. She seems to have this magnetic pull over boys. Is it the hair? The seemingly innocent smile? The fact that she has more daddy issues than half the girls in Los Angeles? Probably a weird combination of all three. I wouldn't care if Serena's romances were actually somewhat interesting but they are so contrite- politicians, married men, friend's boyfriends, artsy loner. I predict that somewhere along the line she's going to date a criminal or a teacher. Or both. Serena and Nate were one of the most boring couples and Serena and Carter was just pointless. Carter is a Chuck wannabe and seeing him with Serena just feels like they are riding on the coattails of the success that Chuck and Blair have had as a couple. 

Chuck's Drama with His Mom

I didn't really have any problem when it came to Scott tracking down his birth parents (Rufus and Lily) But one of the biggest issues I have with soap operas and dramas is when people who are dead mysteriously come back to life (and then it is revealed that they were never really dead in the first place) Honestly I don't care who Chuck's mother is. When it comes to Gossip Girl, I am really only concerned with the younger generation. The lives of the parents don't really concern me. I like to see Chuck with shady business deals, fighting with his dad and stepfamily, scheming with Blair- not trying to track down some random woman who may or may not be his mother. Chuck already has enough to his character- adding even more family turmoil is unnecessary. 

Dan and Vanessa and Their Writing
Who cares?

Jenny Trying to Steal Nate

I'm still trying to figure out what Serena did to Jenny- other than throw her a party. I think Jenny just isn't used to people actually being nice to her. So she decides she needs to sabatoge yet another relationship and come between Serena and Nate. Jenny doesn't understand the meaning of the term "pity friendship" I understand Jenny had a somewhat traumatic experience after Agnes roofied her. But my sympathy is somwhat diminished when she uses that to her advantage in an attempt to get sympathy from Nate. Is there anything this girl won't do? 

Rufus and Lily

That is one marriage that never should have happened. If I had to create a list of guidelines to live by one of them would definitely be "Thou Shalt Not Marry Someone Who Has Been Married More Than Three Times" Apparently Rufus did not have access to such wisedom because he marries her anyway. And sure enough they start fighting right away. Lily feels like Rufus pays too much attention to their family. What a crime. Maybe she should have gotten to know husband Numer 5 (at least I think it's Number 5) a bit better. When will people learn that a ring and a license isn't going to make the arguments go away. It just makes it more difficult to get away from them. 

Jenny Tipping Off William so He Can Get Away

Yet again Jenny demonstrates more selfishness than even I expected. But of course she's Jenny so she can get away with aiding and abetting a criminal as well as betraying her family. I'm glad Rufus finally sees her true colors after this though. I was getting tired of him making excuses and sweeping things under the rug. Is she going to be sent away now? It's about time. I thought someone was going to have to end up dead. 

Chuck Sleeping with Jenny 

I did not see this coming. After he attempted to rape her in Season 1 and then gave what seemed to be a heartfelt apology in Season 2, I thought Gossip Girl would take care to steer clear of any romantic/ physical interaction between Chuck and Jenny. So when Chuck takes Jenny's virginity, it was a big blow to me (I hate when little J snags the attention of any guy especially my beloved Chuck). But at the same time I felt that it made sense. I mean Chuck yanked Jenny into the dark world in the first Season so it makes sense that he should be the one to take her innocence not only figuratively but also literally. I'm really surprised Chuck would do that though. I knew he would do something desperate after being rejected by Blair but doing something as irresponsible as sleeping with an underage virgin who happens to have an older brother who will be out for blood. Plus I thought he had grown something of a conscience when it came to Jenny after realizing how much he had hurt her in Season 1. So I'm surprised he would travel down that route again. And Jenny enjoys the comfortable role of the victim once again. Don't get me wrong I feel bad that she gave up her virginity so someone who didn't treasure it but it was her own fault. She went to Chuck, not the other way around. My sympathies lie with Blair on this one.

As Gossip Girl progresses, I worry it will fall prey to what has happened to so many other shows after a few seasons have passed. What do you think? Has Gossip Girl seen better days or will it come out of this slump unscathed. Let me know. Subscribe, leave a comment and check out my next post. XOXO Bernadette. 

Reality Show Challenge Episode 6 Part 1

The Bachelor

The numbers are dwindling, and the tension is rising as the nine remaining ladies and Ben fly off to Panama. Traveling always looks alot more glamorous in reality shows than it actually is- especially airplane travel. As long as you have a glass of champagne in your hand you can combat anything that should confront you at 33,000 ft above the ground. In Panama, three dates awaited the ladies. The one on one date went to Kacie B who connected with Ben on an even deeper level when she revealed that she had once had an eating disorder. Ben is always encouraging the ladies to open up about their lives and their feelings. He is seemingly oblivious to the fact that whatever they divulge to him is also revealed to the rest of the country. But Kacie B shares all and Ben seemed to like that since he gave her the rose. Six of the girls went on a group date where they sailed down a river and made friends with a tribe of Indians (that is probably politically incorrect on so many levels). The women of the tribe presented the ladies with some authentic tribal wear- beaded tops and skirts Most of the ladies kept their bathing suits on underneath their top but not Courtney. If I was looking for a wife I don't think I would choose one who lets it all hang out for anyone to see but Ben only said that he appreciated it in "more ways than one" Yeah Ben I bet you did. Despite Courtney's tactics, the rose ended up going to Lindsay and the world was righted. The last date of the week was a two on one-Rachel and Blakely and Ben. For those of you unfamiliar with the The Bachelor, there is only one rose on a two on one- and the girl that does not receive the rose goes home. No pressure. Rachel and Blakely could not be more opposite. Rachel is sweet, modest and refined while Blakely is wild, seductive and flashy.

At the beginning of the date, they both competed for Ben's attention while learning how to salsa dance. Blakely resorted to some pretty...er, physical tactics while Rachel tried to keep up by keeping it clean. Before dinner they both each had one last private conversation with Ben. In the end, he gave the rose to Rachel who definitely deserved it more but I definitely felt for Blakely who ran crying from the table. Even after the dates were finished, the drama was far from over. Chris (the host of the Bachelor) appeared and revealed that he has heard from multiple sources back home that Casey S. was still in love with her ex boyfriend. It's creepy how he knows that. After Casey discussed it with Ben, he suggested that she should go home. Later in the evening Jamie also returned home after failing to receive a flower during the rose ceremony. 

Characters: 3 Although I definitely feel that Rachel is the better match for Ben, I confess I was sad to see Blakely go. I felt that Ben was a good influence on her and that she was really opening up to him the best that she could. Watching her leave sobbing kind of broke my heart since I knew it would be incredible difficult before she started to trust again. I even felt some shred of sympathy for Courtney when she invited Ben to come to her room after hours and he never showed (although Courtney waited the entire night) Of course Courtney probably should not have made the offer in the first place but watching her sit up by herself, alone made me she probably doesn't have that much experience with genuine people- especially since she is in the fashion industry. I also felt bad for Jamie. She really made an effort to connect with Ben the night of the rose ceremony (sitting on his lap and kissing him even though she admitted she was very shy when it came to that stuff) I understand Ben's point though- she could have started off with a simple kiss instead of going full makeout all of a sudden. Out of the six remaining girls, I am definitely rooting for Lindsay- I think I've been rooting for her from the start. I have a feeling that if she is up against Courtney, she'll need my luck. 

Lindsay and Emily stare at Courtney's chest while they try to convince her to  put a top on

Emotional Intensity: 2 Seeing people leave is always difficult especially when you think they deserved to stay more than somebody else (cough Courtney cough) But they can't send Courtney home since she is pretty much the source of all the inter-house conflicts.
Conflict: 3 As usual Courtney was front and center of any drama. In this episode Emily attempted to apologize for her unkind statements about Courtney earlier in the season. Courtney accepted it gracefully. Actually no she didn't. Just one of those cases when an apology is more trouble than its worth.
Class: 1.5 If Courtney puts her shirt back on, and Jamie gets off Ben's lap and Ben stops encouraging the affections of 7 plus women...then I might reconsider this rating. The Classiest Cast Member goes to Emily for having the guts to apologize to Courtney even though she almost got her head ripped off. I doubt she'll make that mistake again.
Overall Rating: 8.5/20

                                                   16 and Pregnant

This week on 16 and Pregnant, Jordan proves that Lancaster has more than the cows and the Amish. I actually found this episode to be the most interesting so far. At least the plot moves along at a somewhat decent speed at least in comparison to some of the other episodes. And it definitely had a strong cast of characters that would frequently butt heads with each other. 

Characters: 3.5 Aforementioned characters included Jordan (of course), Jordan's mother (no dad yet again), Jordan's boyfriend Tyler and Tyler's parents. I liked Jordan who seemed to have a good head on her shoulders (although I really didn't learn anything about her other than the fact that she was pregnant. Did she have any hobbies? Do any sports? And did she have a job?) At first I thought Jordan's mom was flat-out terrifying and that the best thing would be to keep the baby away from her. I mean, she wouldn't let Tyler in the house just because he's white. And she doesn't seem to care about her daughter being pregnant so much as the fact that her daughter is dating a white guy. God forbid. Jordan's mom wasn't the only one who was less than supportive of Jordan's relationship with Tyler. Jordan's friends also didn't understand. Honestly I can't blame them. At first I didn't see anything all that wrong with Tyler (he didn't seem worse than any of the other boyfriends) but as the episode progressed I spotted something "off" with him. Especially at the end of the episode where he just starts cursing out Jordan's family. Smart move if you ever want to see your son again. Tyler's parents also did a 180. At the beginning of the episode they seemed like really great people, offering Jordan a home for her and her baby and offering emotional support. But when Jordan makes the decision to raise the baby while staying at her mother's house, they turn cold. In fact I think the grown ups were the ones who were behaving childishly- practically having a tug of war over Jordan's baby instead of thinking about what's best for her and the baby. Don't these people think about how they will look on national television? I'm really interested in all the legal negotiations that go into these shows. 

Emotional Intensity: 2.5 After the arrival of Chase (the baby) Tyler (who had probably been the most supportive prospective father) went AWOL. It was heart breaking the way Jordan's faith in Tyler wavered as his appearances became more and more infrequent. Finally Tyler shows up at night after the baby has gone to bed and when Jordan refuses to let him see it, he decides the mature and responsible thing to do is to curse out Jordan and her family. After her brothers chase him out of the house, Jordan says things really are over between them which is probably true. Letting go is always difficult but letting go with a baby in your arms must be heart breaking.
Conflict: 3 Poor Jordan being caught in a tug of war between her mom and Tyler's parents was both painful but engaging. I don't know how grown ups can be so selfish as to sacrifice the emotional well being of a new mother for their satisfaction. They act like a baby is a prize to be won instead of a human being. It's actually quite frightening. Whats even more frightening is Tyler's diminished interest in his son. He actually had all the makings of a promising father which is why it was so disappointing when he only stopped by Jordan's house every other week and never bothered to text or call. Starting next episode I have no expectations for any of the future fathers. It's exhausting being let down every time even if it's only through a computer screen.
Class: 2 I thought Jordan's actions were admirable. She tried to accomplish the impossible task of pleasing everybody while getting ready to raise a kid. Pleasing everybody is even more taxing than a job- and you don't get paid for it either. Plus it is a task that will never be finished since people always want more of you. I thought Jordan was the Classiest Cast Member since she seemed to be the only person who cared about someone other than herself. And we sure as hell know the title isn't going to Tyler.
Overall Rating: 11/20

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

Last week focused on push up bras and child raising strategies. This week explored the theme of homosexuality. What is this, the Family Learning Channel? "Today on the Real Housewives of New Jersey we take a close look at homosexuality and the effects it can have on families" Apparently Rosie, Kathy's sister, is lesbian which wasn't really surprising but kind of random considering it didn't really have anything to do with anything else that happened on the show so far. In fact up until this episode I wasn't even sure who Rosie was and why she was on the show. To tie in with the theme of the homosexuality, the show followed Caroline to her brother's wedding. A "gay wedding" as everybody kept calling it. Heaven forbid it should simply be a wedding. Everyone is invited although I'm not really sure why. Teresa and her husband go but leave the kids at home, thank god. If I hear Gia whine about one more thing I will stuff her bra down her throat. Teresa insists that she and her husband "love the gays" but her husband's comments would suggest otherwise. Why Teresa lets him near alcohol especially since she cares so much about appearances, is beyond me. I'm counting the episodes until someone punches him in the face. Whatever episode that happens in will automatically score bonus points. 

Characters: 2.5 Rosie's cool, don't get me wrong. I love the hair. But I'm not sure why we need to learn about her sexuality all of a sudden. I'm still trying to figure out the love lives of the main characters but now we have to throw sisters and brothers and their lives into the mix. I guess this is probably why people generally don't start watching a TV series during the 4th season.  

Emotional Intensity: 1.5 I got the feeling that the episode was building up to something that has yet to happen. Nevertheless, there was absolutely no tension. Well there was a little bit of anticipation whenever Joe opened his mouth- what stupid thing would he say this time- but other than that the episode was flat. 

Conflict: 1.5 Usually a wedding presents the perfect opportunity for conflict (as does funerals and hospital visits) But all that happened was a lesbian flirtation (should I be male I'm sure I'd be a bit more receptive) and a few biting comments from a man who had too much to drink. I have more drama in an average day of high school than this episode. 

Classy: 1.5 Joe needs to learn what is appropriate and what isn't and until he does I have little hope of this show being the least bit classy. When he stops treating his wife like he owns her, and learns that it is not all right to discuss the private parts of your anatomy in public then I will reconsider giving the episode a higher rating. 

Overall Rating: 7/20

Best of Gossip Girl Season 3 1-10

Although I had several complaints with Season 3, it's Gossip Girl so of course it had its good points too- and I outlined them below. 

Chuck and Blair's Cheating Game

Hey whatever floats your boat. Personally I think the game is kind of hot although if I were Blair I'd  play the other way around. Then again maybe she doesn't want to be solicited by random strangers at bars. Chuck doesn't mind. He's probably used to it. 

Chuck's Sweet Side

Chuck is hellbent on making up for lost time because he is definitely going for Boyfriend of the Year. Standing patiently by Blair while she struggles to conquer the NYU social scene, getting a photographer to boost Blair's confidence by taking her picture, being the world's most supportive boyfriend. He even kisses another boy for her (wowzers. Chuck proves he can work his magic on anyone) Now that's dedication. As long as Blair has Chuck nothing can be wrong with her life.

Georgina and Blair's Fight for Social Dominance

I love this tug of war- mostly because its over something I would never fight over in a million years (I am definitely not Queen Bee material) but seeing Georgina and Blair go cut throat over the attentions of the NYU masses through bribery backstabbing and underhanded comments is just pure entertainment. And a little scary. Two Queen Bees, one college- now that's a recipe for diasaster. 

Dan and Georgina

During Season 1, the relationship between Dan and Georgina was frustrating since he was obviously being manipulated by a lying two faced psycho. But Season 3 all cards are on the table and for some reason Dan and Georgina end up "together" For one night anyway. After Georgina reverts to classic desperate girl behavior, by calling, borderline stalking and eventual blackmailing in an attempt to ensure that they end up together again. 

Tripp and Serena

Tripp is hot. Not gonna lie. And I love affairs that should never happen but do anyway. And Serena hasn't had an affair with a married politician yet so why not? It's time. Now Serena can check "married" and "congressman" off her To Do list. Double whammy! 

Dan Olivia Vanessa Threesome

Lets be real here. In what world would any guy ditch Olivia for Vanessa? And in what world would a girl let a guy hook up with his ex girlfriend? Shes been in enough movies to know that that never ends well. But it does create some interesting dynamics. Dan walks through the entire episode in some sort of a daze. I think he never imagined one girl would be fighting for him let alone two. 

Did you agree? Did you disagree? What did you think? Please comment or subscribe and check out my next post. You know you love me. Until next time XOXO Bernadette

Worst of Gossip Girl Season 3 Episodes 1-10

Season 3 is usually when the "worsts" start to balance out the "bests" After a few seasons, writers start churning out some stale ideas and everyone is already so in love with the show that they can get away with it. But with my eagle eye, I spotted the worst of the first ten episodes of Season 3 and will now call your attention to it. 

Bree Buckley

Nate's girlfriend/ friends with benefits at the the beginning of Season 3. He returns from Europe with her only to discover that her father is a bigwig in an opposing political party. Their families are pretty much enemies. It would be classic Romeo and Juliet if I actually cared about Bree. But I don't. I find her fake (so does Blair. And I always trust Blair's intuition) I like Nate as a person but when it comes to his love life I feel the show focuses on it wayyy too much.  If we must see Nate hop from woman to woman can we make the girls a little more interesting? And less manipulative. A unique combination if there ever was one. 

Serena Flaking Out On Brown

Surprise, surprise Serena flakes out yet again. Never saw that coming. Serena and her "the world owes me something" attitude are getting more and more frustrating to deal with. She got into her dream school based on her social calendar and how many times her picture appeared in People magazine. But once the time comes to stop playing games and get to work, Serena flakes out once again. I wonder if Serena has ever done a day's work in her life. Can we send her off to Africa and have her do charity work? Now that would be interesting.

Serena Ruining Chuck's Plans

I find the Chuck-Serena relationship is one of the my favorite relationships on the show. The fact that Chuck has a brother-sister bond with a girl instead of viewing her as a one night stand is something that I find touching. Chuck confides in Serena his plan to open a new club, she ruins it not once but twice- the first time because she does not have the sense to keep her mouth shut, the second time because she figures that if her future isn't going anywhere than neither should anybody else's. Serena needs to find a hobby. I still think Africa is a good idea. 

Serena and Carter

 What a pointless couple. I'm really getting sick of Serena's every other week romances with guys who are not all that interesting. i mean Carter Bazien is like chuck bass 2.0. Only not as rich or polished. and the writers are running out of storylines for them already. I mean sending Carter on an oil rig to work off his debt? Will he get kidnapped by pirates while he's out there? I expected better Gossip Girl. You are moving into soap opera material here. 

Chuck and Blair Fighting for the Painting

Really? Chuck and Blair's relationship has been reduced to squabbling over a painting? Where did the exciting game playing scheme cooking couple go? Now they are bickering over a piece of canvas. Oh how the mighty have fallen. 

Vanessa Trying to Break up Olivia and Dan

If we do send Serena off to Africa, I nominate Vanessa as her off-screen travel guide. Her attempts to break up Dan and Olivia (as a result of Georgina's blackmail) are not only transparent but...downright bad. She's played the role of the jealous girl so much I thought she would have had more experience breaking up happy couples. Even if she hasn't done it firsthand she's spent months watching the girls of the Upper East Side operate. They have got splitting up couples down to a simple art. And what they don't know they learn. 

Rufus and Lily's Constant Fighting

They aren't even married and already I am sick of the fighting. If they can't agree on where and when to have the wedding, how are you going to be able to handle the ups and downs of married life? If you keep breaking up there is probably a reason why it isn't working out- and that reason is probably still valid. I'm going to take a guess and say that this marriage will last two years tops. 

Vanessa and Her Relationship With Her Mom

If I can barely stomach Vanessa i am definitely not going to be able to handle her uptight excuse of a mother. I blame her for the way Vanessa turned out.  If she had a been a better mother, then maybe Vanessa wouldn't be so damn annoying. 

Vanessa Trying to Stop Olivia From Giving the Speech

How desperate are you? You would ruin your best friends relationship just so you could give a freakin speech about all the good things you've done/ plan to do. Oh the irony. If i was Dan I would have been done with Vanessa a long time ago. When is he going to realize she has become just like the upper east side that he so despises? 

Jenny Hazing Jonathan and Eric

 I think what happened is that Jenny realized she doesn't have any friends so she might as well dump yogurt on the only people who show her the least bit of kindness. Love the reasoning, Jenny. I don't know how she rationalizes treating the people she cares about so badly but if I hear one more hypocritical comment about how mean the Upper East Side is I am going to drown her in giant vat of yogurt.  

Serena Pushing Blair into Cake

Really mature, Serena. 'Nuff said. 

Jenny Being Disrespectful to Everyone at her Cottilion and Still Getting Nate as an Escort

 Jenny has gone from being a little frustrating to a full time brat. And when I say full time I mean 24 hours a day. Her stepmother has very generously arranged for Jenny to make her debut in society even though she is a nobody. A five year old has better manners than she does. Not only is she incredibly rude to Blair but she also hurts Kira and Eric. And she STILL ends up with the best date. Stupid Nate. Why cant he see through her? Someday Nate wont be around to rescue Jenny. Or he won't want to. I look forward to it.

So basically eliminating Vanessa, Serena and Jenny would solve all my problems. There is probably enough room in Africa for the three of them. You know you love me. XOXO Bernadette