Cruel to be kind

So as I said before, I've been watching, at first out of morbid curiosity and then out of genuine, I guess, not hating-ness would be the right way to describe the emotion, the ne 10 Things I Hate About You TV show. I was born between the years of 1985 and 1992, so obviously I think that 10 Things is the BEST MOVIE EVER. And also obvious when I heard about the show, I cried blasphemy from the rooftops. That was until I saw that Lindsey Shaw was plying Kat. I love Lindsey Shaw, seriously. I thought she was fantastic on Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide. Do you understand how hard it is to be fantastic on a Nickelodeon show?

So I decided to give the show, and Lindsey a chance.

I did.

I'm not saying it's great. It isn't. There are a lot of problems. But it's cute, funny and harmless. Mostly, if you forget that it's associated with the movie (not that hard) it's worth a watch if you're bored.

There are a few things I can't reconcile though.

1. The character of Joey Donner. Joey is meant to be a smarmy too good looking, manipulative SOB. The TV version is a brainless second string jock.

2. Mandella in the movie is Kat's spunky, borderline crazy bff, not a weird overweight goth. This really bugs me, since I've always related to Mandella.

3. Kat and Bianca's mother is dead, didn't abandon the family. It kind of ruins a lot of Kat's character motivation. She doesn't want to let people in because she doesn't want to be left again.

I initially had a problem with the guy playing Patrick too, but I've reconciled that. It's not his fault he's not Heath Ledger.

In Praise of Tamora Pierce

In case you were wondering why even the "Summer Reading" posts dried up over the past few weeks, allow me to explain...

I've been rereading the work of author Tamora Pierce. Pierce writes fantasy novels geared towards teenage girls (SOOO right up my alley folks, you've got no clue) and I was a big fan of her work in middle school.

Her books are written in "quartets" or "cycles," and she has created two mystical realms. TWO!

One is the world of "The Circle of Magic," "The Circle Opens," and then two other sequels "The Will of The Empress" and "Melting Stones." I'm almost through "The Circle Opens," on the fourth book in that quartet. I'm enjoying them. I'd read "The Circle of Magic" before but I didn't remember much of it. I'd forgotten how finely detailed everything in the series was. Or maybe I didn't notice last time at any rate...

The other is her original world, the fantasy kingdom of Tortall, where her Lioness, Immortals and Protector of The Small Quartets all take place, as well as Trickster's Choice and Trickster's Queen. This summer I've read The Lioness again, and I'm doing The Immortals next. I LOVED the series when I was younger. Loved, loved loved! I love them more now. At twelve I didn't really appreciate the detail put into the stories, the characterization. Also, I totally didn't pick up on the fact that Alanna, the heroine of The Lioness was kind of a slut. Not really, just kinda.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to reading more of the ones I didn't read in middle school now, since once I finish The Immortals I won't have read any of them. But seriously, I suggest you pick up her stuff, if you're into fantasy that is, otherwise I doubt you'd like it.

When you came in the air came out...

So, because I'm so behind I'm going to use the next few days to just get caught up on things.

Is anyone else loving this season of True Blood?

I mean, I loved the first season, but this one has been incredible. I love the Jessica side story, I think she's a great character. I'm wracking my brain trying to figure out what Marianne wants with Tara, and best of all, they've managed to hang on the the sexiness of the show, while ditching the almost pornographic elements.

Seriously, before the orgy this week there were no scenes that I would have been embarrassed to watch with my parents.

I still don't watch it with my parents though. You know just in case.

We've managed to make Entourage a family event, but I don't think we could pull this one off. Try though we might.

All the preachy...none of the heart

Again, apologies for the length between postings...

Has anyone else ever found themselves completely addicted to a show that they know is terrible? This summer I have been. I've been sucked into Brenda Hampton's The Secret Life of The American Teenager.

For those out of the know, the show follows a fifteen year old girl, Amy, and her friends as they navigate high school. The twist? Amy entered her freshman year pregnant after an encounter with an older boy, Ricky, over the summer at band camp.

This show is terrible. Really. Remember Brenda Hampton's other sugarry sweet creation, 7th Heaven? It's like that, but without the good acting. Or halfway decent acting. Add in awkward story lines featuring Amy's mother, played by Molly Ringwald, and you've got the worst show ever.

That being said, I'm hooked. I think Amy's a pain in the you know what, but her stand up guy boyfriend Ben is adorable, and Ricky reminds me of a young Milo Ventimiglia (we all know how I feel about him.) Plus what else is on in the summer?

All by myself...

Let me start by apologizing for being such a horrible blogger lately. I finally got a job (Hooray!) So I've been juggling that, the musical that I'm producing/being in, (Tom Foolery's Annie Get Your Gun, show info here, if you're in the Northern New Jersey area, come check it out. You won't be sorry!) and of course a summer TV schedule that is more crowded than I thought it would be. I plan on covering (now that I'm back) True Blood, Entourage, Merlin, and the morbid experiment that I just have to watch 10 Things I Hate About You.

Today though, Entourage. The season six premiere was last night. It was an exceptionally good season premiere, not a particularly great episode of Entourage. While Vince's comeback is now cemented, (Gatsby is about to premiere and the buzz is great!) Five Towns is renewed yet again (good to see Drama get his) E's business and love life are both on fire, and Turtle is dating Jamie Lynne-Sigler (adorable!) not much has changed at Casa Chase. That is until Vince decides to finally get his driver's license, and E gets a call from his ex (and let's face it, the love of his life) Sloane telling him she knows of a great house for him to rent. The two bffs of bffs must now face in impending and necessary seperation.

Meanwhile, Ari's acquisition of an old friend/TV agent for MGA is making his end of the agency boom and Barbara pissed. And Lloyd wants to be promoted and he wants it now. Ari freaks, until Lloyd plays hardball and calls his wife, when Mrs. Ari, Sarah and Jonah get on Lloyd's side, even the king pin himself can't resist. Are declares that if Lloyd can survive 100 days of pure humiliation, he will be an agent.

The episode ends with Vince in the dark house by himself, for the first time in his life. If last season was the focus shift, from E and Vince, to Vince and Turtle, this season is going to be the exploration of growing up.

Oh and Sloane and Eric are TOTALLY getting back together. Which is great, because I love her.