Let's Talk About Finales Baby

Fringe
After an entire season of buildup this was pretty disappointing. In the penultimate episode we saw Peter flash forward ten years into the future and 3/4 of the finale was spent in this time period where the alternate universe has been destroyed, Peter and Olivia are married, Walter's in prison and our universe is unraveling to the point of destruction. It's interesting of course but finale worthy? Not so much. It never felt like there were any real consequences because I was convinced they'd eventually end up back in the present anyway; so Olivia dying and Peter tearfully delivering her eulogy didn't affect me the way it should have. The last five minutes were awesome I have to admit (Peter! Never existed! WHAT?!); I just wish the preceding moments had felt more important.

Community
Fan-freaking-tastic. When I heard they were doing a paintball sequel I was wary but wow did it work. The first half of this episode - a full spaghetti Western homage complete with Josh Holloway (SAWYER) - was a thing of beauty. Annie was a BADASS, Jeff was working the cowboy look, the music was pitch perfect, and Pierce had a saloon-fort complete with Vicki and Garrett dancing for Twinkies. How is this even a real sentence? The second half turned into an epic Star Wars-esque showdown between Greendale (the rebels) and City College (the empire). Abed kissed Annie in a moment of Han Solo role-playing, we found out that Denny's is for Winners, background characters like Magnitude and Leonard and Vicki and Starburns all got their chance to shine, and when it was all said and done Pierce saved the day. The through line, other than paintball, was Pierce's recent villainy and the group trying to decide whether or not to ask him back after the summer so I assumed once he saved the school that everything would go back to normal. In the end though HE walks out on them, tossing out the surprising and sad reveal that he's been a student at Greendale for 12 years. Since I know Chevy Chase isn't leaving the show I'm not too worried that Pierce won't be around next season but still, it was a little heartbreaking. I love my little study group. All seven members. And as they've found in the past, they work best when everyone is present and accounted for. So, how will it be resolved? Is it Fall yet?

Chuck
I'm really glad that the show is getting an additional 13 episodes to wrap things up but I actually would have been satisfied with this as the series finale. Chuck and Sarah are married, the Volkoff storyline is resolved, the Buy More is out of danger of being shut down and it's all a nice little bow on the top of four seasons. But now Morgan has the intersect in his head, the team has been fired from the CIA and a new mystery has been introduced. It should be an interesting ending.

How I Met Your Mother
Lily's pregnant (totally called it from the second she threw up) and Barney's getting married at some point in the future. I really only have one thing to say: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LET IT BE ROBIN. 

Castle
Wow. Hands down this was the most intense season finale I watched. Favorite scenes: The verbal smack down Rick laid on Kate (Nathan Fillion was channeling Malcom Reynolds something fierce in this scene), the fight between Ryan and Esposito after they figured out the truth about Captain Montgomery (these two are my favorite and seeing them go at each other with such high emotion was simultaneously awful and amazing), and the moment when Castle has to drag Beckett kicking and screaming out of the hanger. (When he has her pressed against the car? GASP. HOTNESS). And then there was that ending. WHAT. THAT ENDING. Was not expecting that. AT. ALL.

Raising Hope
Really sweet episode. I tend to be a sucker for origin stories so it was cool to see how everyone ended up where they were at the beginning of the series. Loved scary!Jimmy and Sabrina being attracted to him; loved finding out how Shelley got her dead tooth, LOVED the scene where Burt and Virginia figured out that Maw Maw may have "Old Timers." This show continues to be a sprinkling of powdered sugar on top of my Tuesdays.

The Big Bang Theory
Penny and Raj? BLECH. No thanks. Can the show be focused on the antics of the women next season? The guys are starting to grate.

Parks and Rec
Awesome. Again, another comedy that feels like a yummy desert all the time, leaving me all warm and satisfied. And in a season where a lot of finales didn't have a "FINALE" vibe, this one did and left a lot of questions up in the air. Will Tom really quit? Why is Tammy # 1 so scary? Will Leslie run for mayor? Is her relationship with Ben in jeopardy? WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN? I don't know but I can't wait to get back to Pawnee in the Fall.

The Office
I don't know. It seemed like this entire episode was just going around in circles; it definitely did not need to be an hour long. I'm not excited about any of these possibilities for the boss and whoever it is is just going to drive me nuts. They need to find someone who is NOT Michael Scott and who can play the role of the manager in a completely different way. But from what they've presented here it seems they're just going for a Michael Scott 2.0 (part ineptitude, part insanity). After seven seasons it's gotten old. So, I don't know. The heart's all gone and it makes me sad. (I am curious as to whether they or going to write in Jenna Fischer's pregnancy or not. Another Halpert baby? Either way I'm guessing that she'll be missing out on a few episodes at the front of next season). 

Glee
(WARNING: There's a lot of ranting ahead. If you enjoy Glee you might want to skip this one). By far the most redeeming moment: Kurt and Rachel singing "For Good." (Oh, and pretty much anything Puck did or said. And the reveal that Sam and Mercedes are together. And Brittany/Santana). Other than that? UGHH. The episode lost me the moment Rachel didn't know that Cats hasn't been playing on Broadway for years but QUINN did. WHAT? Is it that hard to write consistent characters? Really Ryan Murphy? This is why this show is losing me. I can't even begin to root for anyone because no one makes sense. Finn's an ass and I hate that he just flits from girl to girl at whim and they just melt for it and let him get away with it. And Quinn's apparently got this big evil plot to... get her hair cut? And suddenly things are fine and she's greeting Finn and Rachel like they're all besties? And Will... you know what? Never mind. It's not even worth talking about because again, his character is a self-absorbed, wishy-washy ass. (Sometimes. You know, when the plot calls for it. BAH). Oh, and remember that line from Community when Jeff yells at the Glee Club to "write some original songs?" Well, it was a bad idea. Keep it up with the Journey and the Lady Gaga. Because the original songs suck. Hard.

*Sadly (and I say "sadly" because I really did love the first season) this is the one show I'm considering dropping. It's not worth watching something when I barely even enjoy it anymore. (Although if Brittany and Mike Chang were to spin-off into their own show where they do nothing but dance for an hour, I'd watch that.)

Modern Family
Really nice episode. I really have nothing else to say. 

Cougar Town
First and foremost: ABED!!!! Or should I say, Chad? The love fest between Community and Cougar Town brings me endless happiness and when Abed talked about being an extra on Cougar Town in the "My Dinner With Andre" episode I thought it would be extra awesomesauce if it actually happened. And look! It did! SO COOL. (So, if Cougar Town exists as a show in the Community universe and Community exists as a show in the Cougar Town universe... WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? BRAIN = WRINKLED). Other than THE BEST CAMEO EVER this was another really good send-off episode. (Really depressed that it's not coming back until Winter.) Is it wrong that I want Travis and Laurie to actually happen? Cause they're kind of adorable.

Happy Endings
I'm really enjoying this show and I'm pleased it got picked up for a second season. Penny and Max are my two favorites (which is surprising because I was never a fan of Casey Wilson on SNL) and Damon Wayne Jr. is pretty flippin' adorable. If you haven't tried it yet, please do. Every episode is currently available on Hulu. Here's one of my favorite exchanges: 

Jane: Have you and your father ever said I love you to each other? 
Brad: No, we don’t have to say it because we show it. By not saying it.  Like how the mountains never say it to the sea yet the sea knows. 
Jane:  Do you ever think about these things before you say them, or just?
Brad: Yeah, I do. I think ‘Wow, that’s brilliant. I should say that out loud’. Then I say it out loud and it’s spectacular, it exceeds my expectations. 
Jane: Right.

So, thank you 2010-2011 television season. You've been lovely. See you in the Fall.

Doctor Who

Most of my shows will be airing their season finales in the next few weeks which leaves me with a three month void of bad reality shows and soapy dramas. (With the exception of the last few episodes of Friday Night Lights and Breaking Bad, which starts in July). So as I've mentioned, I'm going to fill the time catching up on shows I've missed. On the docket: Party Down, Dexter, Sons of Anarchy, Justified, Parenthood and possibly The Vampire Diaries. I've started off the festivities with the BBC's Doctor Who. And I have thoughts.

Here's what you need to know: The Doctor is a 900-some-odd-year-old Time Lord who travels through time and space in a blue police box called the TARDIS. (It's bigger on the inside). He usually has at least one companion with him, usually a female who has relationship attachments in the form of family, boyfriend, or fiance that keep them slightly tethered to earth. In the midst of their travels they usually find themselves in dire situations involving any assortment of killer aliens, robots or reality-erasing cracks in the universe. The Doctor, being the genius that he is, is usually tasked with saving them and whatever planet they happen to be on in the process. Oh, and The Doctor can regenerate - meaning that when he's close to death his body can take on a new form. This is how eleven different actors have been able to play the part of the same man. Or mostly the same man. Each regeneration comes with new personality, quirks and tenancies.

for the beauty of each hour

I've been troubled this past week over something my pastor said during his sermon on Easter morning about the excuses people make for not going to church. Maybe people, he said, claim that going to the beach or taking a hike or spending time with family are ways of worshiping God. But no, he continued, none of these things are a proper substitute for church attendance and surrounding ourselves in worship with fellow believers.

Well... I don't know if I would use the word "substitute" but I absolutely, 100% believe that walking along the beach or hiking through the canyons, or driving with the wind blowing through my hair, or spending a moment in quiet writing are ways of worshiping God. They are my ways. They are the moments when I feel the closest to Him and his creation.

Alright, I admit it: my church attendance as of late hasn't been... stellar. Which is strange for me. I was raised in a family that went to church every Sunday. My parents required that I go to Sunday School after service (something I HATED). I attended confirmation classes every Thursday for two years and was confirmed in May of 1997,  I was an active member of my church youth group,  and I attended youth gatherings and retreats and choir tours. After graduation I turned around and taught those Sunday School classes and confirmation classes for about six or seven years. I took classes to become a Bible Study leader. I was, for all intents and purposes an active member of church life.

But then, for whatever reason, I stopped teaching and started skipping church services here and there more and more often until it's come to pass that I rarely ever go anymore. I'm on the verge of that dreaded CEO title (Christmas and Easter Only).

Maybe it's because my sisters don't go as often. Or because I don't live with my parents anymore and it's HARD to get up when I don't need to and it's so much easier to snuggle under the covers a couple hours later and not set the alarm. Maybe it's because all my friends have moved away or gotten married or had kids (And I can honestly say that it freaked me out the day one of the girls I confirmed with brought her son into my Sunday School class. I don't feel old enough for this to be possible). Maybe it's because some of the political stuff behind the scenes left a bad taste in my mouth. Maybe it's because a lot of what I took away from college, from life in general and so many of the people that I've known over the past few years have made me question those beliefs that were instilled in me from such a young age. Maybe it's everything. Maybe it's me.

Easter church service was lovely. The sanctuary was filled with sweet smelling lilies, the orchestra was powerful, the people were dressed in their Easter finest. But in so many ways for me it was lacking and empty. The hymns sounded robotic and dreary, the sermon was formulaic, the entire service felt akin to a stage production that we were watching and had no part of. How is this worshiping God? In so many ways it would make a million times more sense to go and plant a tree, feed the homeless, hike up to a mountain top and marvel at the sunset.

I believe in God. I believe in Jesus. I believe that He died for our sins. I believe in the love that He preached. I believe that He is in everything. And I believe that I can find him on the sandy shores of a Southern California beach just as well as on the alter of a church sanctuary. Everyone is different. Everyone feels and experiences things in a different way. Who's to say that I can't feel God the most when I'm watching a really good movie? Or when I'm caught up in writing? Or when I'm whipping up a batch of cupcakes? Or when I'm sitting around my parents' kitchen table and laughing with my sisters? Or when I'm talking with a group of friends about the mysteries of the universe? (That sounds weird and pretentious. I'm sorry. I don't actually ever sit down with friends with the intent to "talk about the universe." Usually it's a lot of meandering and nonsensical laughing leading to questions like "what IS the color red?" and "what are cats really thinking?")

For me, church can be found anywhere and everywhere and if I'm surrounding myself with people that can share and elevate and challenge my beliefs, and it brings me closer to God? Then I'm going to keep on doing just that.

Blessings.

 "God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars."- Author unknown, commonly attributed to Martin Luther

"I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in." 

- George Washington Carver

we will never forget

BREAKING NEWS: Osama bin Laden is dead, reportedly shot in the head by special forces in Pakistan early this Sunday morning, May 1, 2011.

Source

I'm glued to my television as this news is reported, as there's a crowd of people standing in front of the White House draped in flags, chanting "U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!" and filling me with a sense of tentative "FUCK YES."

The events of 9/11 are forever pressed into my brain, vivid in detail and feeling and a sense that on that day the world as we knew it spun off onto a new course. I was two weeks into my first year of college - eighteen years old and naive about anything outside my suburban bubble of life; then one morning I turned the TV on to find the same images of destruction and terror on every channel and I knew, with a cold chill running through my bones, that life was just different. Even now, ten years later, we still don't know what it all means for our country and the people on this planet.

We continue to ask questions, we continue to wonder and search for answers and THIS, this for me is the most important thing. One of my biggest questions after 9/11 was WHY? WHY do we have to treat each other in such inhumane ways? What does the mass murder of so many innocent people ever accomplish? WHY? WHY? WHY? I'll never understand. But we should never stop trying and asking.

In that vein, I have a hard time feeling celebratory the death of someone (in large part because we have to idea what the long term security affect of this will be) but the major orchestrator of a mass murder has been killed and and in a sense brought part of this story to a close. Not the entire story of course, Al Qaeda still exists, but for the people directly affected by 9/11 this has to feel a bit like closure. I'm choosing to believe that this is why that crowd in front of the White House is there and continuing to grow and cheer and voice their pride in this country.

President Obama gave a perfect speech tonight (and apparently wrote it himself) and I thank him, his administration and the servicemen who risked their lives in this effort to keep us safe. God bless America.

In closing, a quote from Mark Twain:

"I've never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure."