Britt's On

Oh Project Runway, just when I think you're lagging in entertainment value, you come back and surprise me with one of the best seasons in recent memory. After the disaster that was Season 6's sojourn to LA and the relatively snoozy final 4 from last year, Season 8 is back with a vengeance!

I've been busy moving the last few weeks, plus in Canada the show runs on a two or three week delay anyway, so I had no choice but to download the episodes to catch up. So far I've made it through the first five (and I'm *trying so hard* to resist moving forward as I'm enjoying this daily dose of PR) and I believe another one will pop up tomorrow, and I have to say, I'm enjoying myself.

General thoughts:

Eliminations: one thing PR does well is eliminating people more or less at the right time. The people who have gone so far are people I wasn't too keen on seeing more from, although to Sarah's credit, I thought she had a *fantastic* attitude and it saddened me that her party store dress was so blase.

Gretchen vs. Valerie: PR hasn't had an epic battle like this in forever, it harkens back to Kenley vs. Leanne or the Season 3 fantastic final four. Personally I'm on team Valerie (as per the show's edit) - she resembles Shiri Appleby which automatically makes me like her, her deconstructed personal wardrobe is very fun, and I've loved everything she's sent down the runway - girl hasn't missed the top to date! Gretchen on the other hand, I've *liked* her clothes but I feel like she's reminiscent of Season 2's fallen wunderkid, Daniel Vosovic, he of many early wins and praise that had too big of a head and produced a snoozy final show. Her holier-than-thou condescending attitude, especially in the confessionals, is just so off-putting, it reminds me of my most hated winner, S6's Irina. Gretchen's wardrobe of 'check out my boobs with no bra but a cami under a sheer and or / cropped shirt' seems more suitable for one of the models than the designers, although to her credit she's very pretty and has a rockin model-esque bod, but still. I think I'd hate her in real life.

Two Team Challenge: This is the last episode I watched and it was pretty unique, which is saying something this far into a series. The symmetry of the winners and losers each being the top 6 and bottom 6 was cool, and having them produce collections close to the size of the finale collections was interesting. I definitely agreed with the winners - the oversized proportions of the 'Luxe' team were fugly, almost as much as their in-fighting. I agree that Gretchen should have taken the fall, however I see the producers / judges point of view - AJ was not going to win the show with his gimmicky OTT looks, while Gretchen had two wins and a frenemy rivalry with Valerie (the other team's de facto leader!) to play out.

The Innovation Challenge: This is my favourite innovation challenge in a l-o-n-g time. I was literally flabbergasted at how far from 'party stuff' each outfit looked, and I loved the top three designs and beyond. After last season's disastrous hardware store innovation challenge, it was refreshing to see the designers get actual sewable materials to make it work - and they did, in spades.

Bitching & Michael C: I felt terrible for Michael C in the last two episodes. I actually loved his dress from last week and thought it complimented his hat/mask fabulously as well. Obviously I'm not there and I don't know the level of his technical skills but the team throwing him under the bus when he had immunity was just ridiculous. The hat challenge was the weakest one of the show to date, so I suppose it makes sense he won it. Regardless, Michael see and bald guy with glasses have been the best commentators this season, so I don't want either of them to go.

Extended Play - The new 90 minute format is a welcome addition to the show for me. I'd rather watch more reactions and gossip (and see more in-depth challenges like the double collection episode I just watched) than have to tune into another 5 minutes of 'Models of the Runway' (which is about all I watched as I fast forwarded the rest).

Predictions - I wasn't spoiled per se, but simply reminded by Entertainment Weekly recently to start watching the show when they mentioned something about Casanova, this season's lah-tin lurv-er, he of the frustrating misunderstanding but hilarious pull quotes from Kors. I had no idea how Casanova would make it past the first few episodes, but his quasi-deserved immunity win in the team challenge (personally I loved bald guy with glasses' shredded top) explains how he makes it to at least Episode 7. I don't see a long future for Casanova, Peach, or April - they've failed to impress me throughout, and I suspect the bashing Michael C got this episode will come to fruition eventually. Valerie, Bald Guy with Glasses (hm, other Michael?), and Gretchen stand the best chance of pushing through, especially after Gretchen was taken down twenty pegs or so this last episode. I don't love Hawaiian wunderkid, Christopher Cowie's or Mondo's stuff - although the winning party dress look was insane! - so I'm on the fence about how far they'll make it. I *do* like Ivy. She's the best of the females for commentary with her pseudo-valley girl chirping, and I think she's produced some really beautiful stuff that's been overlooked by the judges - hello chiffon-backed jacket from the hat challenge! She could prove to be a worthy adversary to the two amazons running the show right now.

Finally I leave you with my suggestions for 10 New Project Runway Challenges, in the order I've thought of them in. Project Runway producers, credit me if you steal one!

10. Halloween - Have the designers shop in a Halloween / costume shop to create a party look. Taking actual costumes made of cheap materials (and / or a palette of strictly orange, purple, and black) and making them non-costumey? That's what I call a make it work moment!

9. Laboutins - We've had a hat challenge, why not a shoe one? Take a major shoe designer - Laboutin, Blahnik, Choo - and give each designer a pair to draw inspiration from. Obviously everyone will be doing cocktail dresses so they don't cover up the goods.

8. Icons - Assign each designer an iconic OTT dress from a major awards show and have them use it as inspiration for a new red carpet dress - think: Liz Hurley's safety pin dress, Jennifer Lopez's green Versace stunner, Audrey Hepburn's Breakfast at Tiffany's movie-opener, Halle Berry's sheer topped Oscar winning gown, Geri Halliwell's Union Jack micromini, Bjork's swan dress, Julia Robert's vintage Versace, Marilyn Monroe's Seven Year Itch gown, Madonna's Material Girl dress.

7. Stewardesses - Runway loves to do 'uniform' challenges, including the Olympic Games and Postal Workers. Since they love to call tacky clothes Stewardess-inspired, why not have them design a fashion-forward look for an airline stewardess?

6. Umbrellas - This is not a new challenge to be fair, but I thought it was a cool innovative one on Project Runway Canada. The designers were told to grab umbrellas as their only fabric for a challenge. However what they didn't know is they had to use *all* of the fabric they'd collected, meaning the designers that greedy and the designers that went all grabby for anything were sort of effed, but it worked out.

5. Haus of Gaga - Get the designers to whip up an outfit inspired by a Lady Gaga song / video, and obviously have the Lady herself in to judge - and okay the music rights. It'd be like the Christian Siriano / Chris March couture duo but amplified!

4. Office Supplies - We've seen gardening, party, grocery, and hardware stores be ransacked by the designers - why not office supplies? I'm again drawing on Project Runway Canada and the post-it challenge which was so-so, a little too neon to be fashion, but I think Office Supplies is up there as a viable choice for an innovation challenge.

3. Musical Instruments - The show is a game of musical chairs, so why not design clothes inspired by different instruments? Let the designers peruse an orchestra's worth and each select one to be inspired by - picture: silver column dresses with 'fluted' sleeves, golden evening gowns with 'trumpet' flares, grecian-inspired dresses with bias-cut harp-string fringe...pianos, timpani drums, smooth walnut bass curves, oh my!

2. Literati - Dresses based on famous books. I mean FAMOUS books - at least give the designers a synopses and pull sections out that reference the fashion of the book. Ideally books that don't have films with specific iconic fashion tied to them (a la Breakfast at Tiffany's) but more generic fashion eras - Little Women, 1984, Peyton Place, Harry Potter, the Bible (!), The Great Gatsby, Wuthering Heights etc. Bring Penguin Books on as a sponsor of the classics!

1. Fitness Wear - Another thing the show likes to do is make the designers create relatively exceptional pieces of clothing for the likes of female wrestlers, drag queens, and figure skaters. Fitness Wear is an area they haven't touched on too closely - yet designers like Stella McCartney have made a bundle on their athletic lines, while tennis and golf hotties like Sharapova, Wie, and the Williams sisters have made a splash with their fitness wear. Having the designers create a look for someone like Jillian Michaels would make for an interesting episode yes? Although it might be interesting to assign each designer a fitness area to draw inspiration from - golf, tennis, swimming, skating, running, yoga, aerobics, hiking, dance.

0. Ballroom! - Actually athletic wear is a legitimate challenge. Ballroom dancing costumes however, are more in tune with the wackadoodle challenges I just mentioned. Apparently on Dancing With The Stars they have a full-time team of seamstresses that whip up those costumes week to week, so surely our designers could create something sequinned, feathered, and bedazzled in a day or two to wow the judges with? This seems like such a surefire match for some OTT style!

- Britt's On

I knocked out two more season premieres last night, and here are my thoughts:

Survivor: Nicaragua
After two all star-ish seasons across five seasons (16 and 20 respectively), it was nice to see a fresh cast of characters with some potential to be memorable. Survivor's stumbling block in the last few all-new cast years has been poor casting, and that is a massive part of that show, especially as it carries onto its 21st season! Samoa had one of the worst casts in history, with Russell as the breakout star over two tribes of idiots and mannequins (save for Shambo, although I wasn't much of a fan). Tocantins, well, it was nice to see the good guy win and Coach alone kind of made the season, but in general this season was a snooze because everyone handed JT the win. Gabon had a pretty unlikable cast and villainized the most interesting people in my books, but it had its moments.

As for Survivor Nicaragua? I'm tentatively optimistic about this season:
- Well for one, Jimmy Johnson added some star power that ruffled many feathers on the show. I'm interested to see how he plays out.
- Technically speaking Thailand was not divided by old vs. young, but the way the tribe leaders selected their tribemates it ended up that way. The only other time they've done old vs. young is Danielle's 'Exile Island' season which had four initial tribes - old men, old women, young men, young women. Interestingly the final four had one representative from each group, and a young male took home the prize. The difference this time is there is a ten-year age gap between the young guns and the old folks, while before several Survivors (such as Cirie) commented they felt more in tune with a different group than the one they were assigned to.
- The medallion of powahhhh has one of the cheesiest titles of all time and felt a bit gimmicky, although the choice it provided the survivors in the beginning and the fact it will be cycled back and forth (potentially) between the teams throughout the season makes it an intriguing experiment for this season at least. I agreed with the old folks choice to not use it this time, not only because the reward wasn't as great as the producers intended (read Jeff Probst's blog on EW.com), but also because this wasn't an incredibly physical challenge, which is where they'll need more help.
- I'm intrigued by how the first clues to the hidden immunity idol were presented this season. For one, does that mean those two girls will always have to go get tree mail to ensure they are the only ones to get additional clues? Or will additional clues be rolled out in different ways, causing suspicions to arise as the contestants try to figure out how else has a piece of the puzzle? I can definitely see how Russell's domination of idol snatching came into play when rejigging the idol thing. For another, did anyone on the other tribe get a clue yet? If not, why? The young girls got the clue *before* the immunity challenge so it's not like it was a reward for winning. Was it because they didn't have the medallion of powahhhh? Curious.
- I have no early favourites, but I enjoyed watching a celebrity in the midst of the Survivors. It also inspired me to think up a few Survivor casting twists for the future, although I thoroughly get that a big part of the show is tied to the idea of 'group of strangers thrown together - make it work!' (or am I just mixing up my reality show catch phrases now?)


Moving on to Life Unexpected, The CW's new-ish sweet family drama about a teenager whose parents gave her up for adoption until she was reunited with them through the courts at 16. When we last left the LUX cast, Base realized he had feelings for Cate and tired to break up her wedding, Ryan and Cate went through with said wedding, and Lux was sort of caught in the middle of her two fathers. The season opener shook things up and provided some short and long-term threads for the show, some expected, some not so much. General thoughts:
- Cate getting sacked from the radio station wasn't entirely unexpected. Knowing all about the radio biz (and hearing the boyfriend continually gripe during this week's episode 'NEVER DATE SOMEONE YOU WORK WITH IN RADIO') I was expecting some sort of career friction to break their happy union. I'm not loving the Bree Van De Kamp-esque replacement and her obvious lusting after Ryan, but perhaps they can define her character to be less of a caricature and more of a foil to Ryan & Cate
- Cate being fired and Base having to rebuild the bar...I'm sensing the two of them having a lot of free time will have an impact on their respective relationships.
- I'm not a fan of removing Allison, even though her character was a bit underdeveloped. She provided (along with Cate's understandably MIA sister) an outlet for Cate to talk about what was going on in her life. Without her, I'm worried Cate will become as two-dimensional as Ryan seemed other than the scenes he had with Lux.
- On the introduction of Paige: well, I thought it was a bit contrived for her not to be at last season's wedding (a mere two weeks ago by the show's timeline) regardless of her character's free-spirited adventurer persona, but I am intrigued because A) Base knows she's responsible for the fire and had a steamy night with her, and B) Last season I specifically talked about how Ryan really needed someone in 'his world' in the same way Cate had Allison and her sister and Base had his roomies, while Ryan really only shined and was given dimension in his scenes with Lux. The introduction of Paige - however radically different she is from her brother and the fact she's already intertwined in their story - provides a platform for us to see more of Ryan.
- Ryan and this mysterious Julia I think it was, gifter of fancy-looking vases. Again I felt it was a tad contrived to throw us for a mysterious loop, but as the same time I felt like there really WAS a dead zone last season where we didn't know just what Ryan was up to. And quite frankly if he hooked up with someone during that time, when he was referring to 'Cate not knowing anything', I wouldn't blame him. I'm glad he has his own little plotline to unwind though.
- Yay for the potential end of Lux and Bug. After two misguided romantic leads last season, I was surprised the writers threw another challenging relationship at Lux in the form of a new teacher (not even playing the student teacher card, wow) who she recently shared some smooches with. I don't know how long this will last for but I hope the show hits a stride when it comes to finding Lux a suitable mate for the audience to fall in love with - the best episodes of Gilmore Girls often centred on Rory's romantic relationships (Dean! Jess! Tristan! Logan!), but I feel like the show hasn't hit on who exactly Lux should be with. I guess when the right fictional relationship comes along it'll be that much sweeter next to these duds.

Overall I thought this was a solid season premiere in terms of setting up tons of drama for the season to come. Sometimes I worry that Life Unexpected has set the Cate/Base 'destined to be together' bar a bit too high too soon, especially since they've made Ryan a relatively appealing alternative so far, but I have faith the show will continue to tangle and untangle their feelings for one another for quite some time.

Two solid season premieres, and just a handful more to go!

Shock of all shocks, I am NOT watching any new series this fall. The closest I've come is picking up mid-season newcomers Life Unexpected and Parenthood earlier this year, but none of fall's big offerings appeal to me. I have no faith in JJ Abrams to follow through on a show, and this year's 'Undercovers' seems like a blah retread of Alias. The new CW offerings both look like they have short futures, and I'm extremely skeptical to watch the only remotely Lost-esque replacement, 'The Event' after last year's Flash Forward debacle.

Instead that leaves me with the opportunity to rate the season premieres as they roll through town, starting with the first four I've consumed in the last few days:

America's Next Top Model - first out of the gate, I was skeptical about tuning into Top Model this year. The show is consistently cornballish and gimmicky and the talent pool has, ahem, thinned out so to speak. Last year's winner was a disappointment, not because she didn't take good pictures but because after judging a modeling contest with scouts from around the world (including the agency last year's winner got scouted to), there was NO WAY Krista would ever actually be scouted at the age of 24 to start her career. Sorry. No way.

Regardless, the season's opener was better organized and less cheesily themed than the last few and I got to know the finalists a bit better than normal - and saw potential in several of them (my money is on Jane). It also provided humour from the girls instead of Tyra herself trying to force her way into the spotlight, which I appreciated, and the prizing is...intriguing. I have decided to watch this year, which is saying something as usually I find the first episode a total snoozefest. Consider me entertained.

Gossip Girl - I am a reluctant Gossip Girl watcher. The show hardly belongs in the hallmarks of great YA dramas, yet it consistently comes back with ridiculously soapy turns. I guess I can tolerate them more here than I can on two other soaps I watch because of the fantastic clothing and the line delivery by Penn Badgley, who was severely underused last year and has a lame storyline this year. At least him and Vanessa are splitsville. I hope. The season opener was fluffy as all hell, with yet another Blair/Serena "I hate you, I love you!" smackdown reminiscent of Emma & Manny on Degrassi in a single episode, but I did appreciate the nod to the book series which also pulled some sort of European royalty card in one of the later volumes. At least they'll be going to school this year? Sort of. Also is Juliet Gossip Girl? She looks way too old. And not like Kristen Bell. How awesome would that be if they brought on Kristen Bell to reveal herself as Gossip Girl??

Parenthood - Last night's episode reminded me of what I like about the show, soundtrack and all. Also the show touched on two points that I said were essential to its second season success - it gave Joel a storyline of his own (and looks like we'll develop his persona further next week with the Julia/baby debate) and it showed us more of Adam's life at work. For a guy that can support his family quite handily off whatever his job at the shoe company is, I expected Adam to be a little more ballsy and a lot less ball-less when it came to working with his Baldwin brother of a boss (fresh off a stint on Gossip Girl). I like the set-up of Sarah working at the office, and the Julia/Joel storyline, and I called the Crosby/Gabby hook-up as soon as I saw them interact. I think it'll be an interesting interwoven plot line once they make that happy - Crosby and Jasmine only being kept apart by her ambition, Crosby as a (potential) single parent, Crosby and Gabby making it work in the insane household of Kristina & Adam? Has promise. The Hattie/Kristina/Adam stuff this week drove me up the wall, although the two Max breakdowns (including the one where Hattie rightfully snapped, regardless of whether the kid has Asperger's, any teenage girl would) were well done. Overall I'm looking forward to diving into this season!

One Tree Hill - Blarghity blargh blargh. I don't know why I'm still watching. I guess in the hopes that they'll wrap things up satisfactorily by season's end and not carry out this torture any further. General thoughts in bullet form:
- OMG Peyton and Lucas EXIST AGAIN. After being personas non grata last season, we had Haley writing Lucas an illustrated notebook letter thinger, photos of Peyton and Brooke on the fridge, and reference to the fact Peyton used to be engaged to Lucas. Are we setting up a guest appearance, preferably during a series finale? I hope so!
- Brooke's company heading for financial ruin felt a little forced, but I get why they wouldn't want to drag out a state of limbo for several episodes. Let's face it, her store and clothing line hasn't had much point since season 5 when they first introduced it - with Baby Brooke shelved and Clothes For Bros nowhere to be seen - so I'm not weeping over it so much, just the fact that why let all the characters 'achieve their dreams' and rip them away in one episode? Lame.
- The return of a montage-y opening credits! Fun, and I appreciated the longer timeline flashbacks for the three rightful leads.
- Which member of Naley will have complications in the medical department? It ain't tree hill without a visit to the OR!
- Both Parenthood and OTH tackled small children asking about where babies come from and tried to be all cute and funny about it. I think OTH won, although Parenthood's had more relevance to where the show is going versus Naley being all "Tra la la baby time!"
- I have no words for Clay and...and...wtf is Haley's sister's name? Oh Quinn. I spent the whole episode repressing puke during their sappy as all hell lovey dovey pointless scenes, was pissed at the show's creators for making the shooting a dream, and wondering what the point of their endless sex on the beach scenes were for...and then they got me with the dream within a dream thing, similar to Clay's first season hauntings from Sarah. I clapped with joy at the prospect it really wasn't a dream, only to realize they will survive (likely) because they are in the credits, and if I bothered to look on IMDB I'd see they were there as well, and on the CW website. The only thing stupider than a season-ending death cliffhanger is a season opening one, because you know their contracts are signed and sealed if they're in the goddam credits. OTH is not crafty enough to trick us with a "Oh look they're in the credits but they're actually dead!" Joss Whedon-esque move, sorry.

Well that's all for now. Survivor tonight, a downloaded episode of Life Unexpected to go, and a few more new shows kicking off next week.

Till then!

Britt's On

I have to admit, sometimes when I'm feeling a wave of Buffy nostalgia, I'll just google around and hunt down new sites that have "Best Buffy Episodes" ranking lists - and there are plenty. It did direct me a couple of years ago to the incredibly thorough and thoughtful website Critically Touched, which has crazy in-depth reviews of each episode, season, and character. As a matter of fact, I was actually supposed to write this particular post - my own take on the best Buffy eps ever - eons ago, it was one of the things I thought for sure I'd do in this blog, but I just found it too challenging and shelved it for awhile.

Well folks, that ends today. I happened upon one of the worst compilations of Best Buffy Episodes ever today, and scoffed at the audacity of the creator to pick such a random group of 25 episodes - leaving out at least one universally revered episode, and several more that often make people's 'best' lists.

That being said, I understand every list is very subjective - there are often a handful of episodes out there that people will go 'Really?' to, and many that are quite polarizing. There are some that often make people's 'best' lists and they don't really make mine.

The other problem is the definition of 'best'. Some people define it as, plain and simple, what are the best episodes for character & plot development combined with artistic integrity? To that end, episodes like 'Hush' and 'The Body' are up there, even though the latter is generally pretty painful to watch in comparison to something fun like 'Halloween' or 'Storyteller'. I came across a web forum discussion at some point in my life that covered the debate between 'best' and 'favourite', which in the Buffyverse are generally two different things.

So here is my compromise. I've selected the top 20 episodes that I simply look forward to the most whenever I watch the series (or know that a friend of mine who has it on loan is about to watch). I've found in the three times I've watched the entire thing now, I get a general sensation as I go to hit the play button on each episode - sometimes doom - but even the dark but awesome episodes like 'The Body' generally give me the squee feeling of excitement, especially when it comes to someone new watching the show.

One final thing I'd like to point out - the seasons that typically have a stronger season-long story arc are the ones with less individual standout episodes. Seasons 3 and 5 in particular had a great continual thread, but less knock-em-dead episodes. Meanwhile seasons 4, 6, and 7 are generally regarded as weaker seasons, but they have a few amazing standouts each. Without further ado, these are my favourite Buffy episodes, ranked by order of appearance. Please don't ask me to actually rank them. I will crumble...this was hard enough!

SEASON 1


Episode 12: Prophecy Girl
Here's the thing about Season 1 of Buffy: it's generally universally regarded as a campy joke, and in general, it's hard to convince people of the show's awesomeness as they go through eleven episodes of monster-of-the-week hokeyness. That being said, the show cleverly interweaves mythology from Season 1 in a humorous way in future seasons (particularly in regards to jokes about Xander) to make it an integral part of the Buffy watching experience. The good news is, the season finale of the show's first season gives a solid glimpse into the world to come and Sarah Michelle Gellar's acting chops. The scene in the library when Buffy overhears her prophesied death and yells and Angel and Giles to tell her what her fortune is shows the emotional weight the show manages to pack, even in a relatively light season, and rewards the dedicated viewer with a teaser of just how good the show can get. Plus, Buffy's death sets up a variety of interesting scenarios with long-lasting repercussions on the show. Shame about the hokey library monster though :)

SEASON 2


Episode 17: Passion
Much like the Season 1 finale, Passion showed us how grim Joss Whedon was willing to get, shockingly killing off a major non-evil character and then setting up one of the series most brutal send-offs with Giles' discovering the deceased Jenny in a decidedly creepy faux romantic scene. Rewatching the series, this is the episode of all the evil Angel episodes that told me this guy meant business, and got me truly nervous for what was to come.


Episode 22: Becoming Part II
Generally considered the best season finale (or at least up there), this episode makes me cry every single time I watch it. There are so many emotions running so high - Willow is in the hospital! Xander is hellbent on seeing Angel die! Buffy and Angel swordplay! Giles is being tortured! Angel backstory! Spike is making bargains! Plus the devastating final scene between Buffy and Angel, I mean...it was incredible. Plus I enjoyed the very clear beginnings of outlining the true burdens of being the chosen ONE that were particularly highlighted in this episode towards the end, and the sacrifices Buffy will continually have to make in her life. Fantastic!

SEASON 3


Episode 22: Graduation Day Part II
I feel weird not picking out more episodes in Season 3, but I've always felt like the season suffered a little in the balance between too many monster-of-the-week main plots with b-plot story arc development. There are several others I considered - Earshot and The Prom being key - but ultimately I feel like giving a nod to the Season 3 finale is a nod to the general solidness of this entire season. There are a lot of classic moments here, including the set-up for the Season 5 finale (I mean really!), Angel feeding on Buffy, the dream sequence that - like many others for Buffy - unlocks the key to her success, and the final epic battle. Mixed in with all of the drama we had genuinely touching moments between Anya and Xander, Willow and Oz, and Buffy and just about everyone. Great solid episode representing the culmination of Buffy's first consistently solid, tied together storyline.

SEASON 4

Episode 10: Hush
Many people thought Hush was the best Buffy episode ever, until they saw Season 5 of course. Hush was just about the mid-point of the series and tied in the monster-of-the-week set-up of the earlier seasons with the mythology / plot arc-heavy style of the later ones. We got some truly hilarious scenes and moments - Giles' lecture being the number one example - as well as the series' most creepy villains, ever. This episode ranks high for artistry, and even higher for wiggins' inducement.


Episode 16: Who Are You?
I often forget about this episode, but I actually really love it. I always manage to suspend my disbelief and get into the headspace with any body switching storyline that they really *have* switched bodies, and Sarah Michelle Gellar's acting here is a testament to how believable this plot device can be. I liked how even a brief reintroduction of Faith shook up the slayer's world so thoroughly, while also giving new depth to the character. Seeing Buffy through Faith's eyes kind of made me as a loyal Team Buffy fan step back and go, hm, maybe she is a little too Suzy Sunshine for her own good. It's certainly a creative way to get the viewer to look at both characters in a new light, so kudos there!


Episode 22: Restless
For the record, I don't put as much stock in this episode as other people do. I simply appreciate it for its artistry more than anything - there are many little memorable scenes and moments that I've never asked to make sense, I just simply enjoy. I've read many interpretations of what the episode is foreshadowing, exploring, and revealing but at the end of the day, there is some ethereal quality about this episode that makes it worth rewatching, versus a Lost-esque "WHAT IS HAPPENING?" curiosity. Of course, knowing some of the obvious hints - like the references to Dawn - are satisfying to pick up on as you watch it, and making observations that may have nothing to do with Whedon's original intent or lack thereof is always a fun game. Also, I tend to really enjoy episodes that explore specific elements of Slayer mythology, and the introduction of the first slayer here is done in an interesting way that sets up her return in the future. I could point to scenes in the Season 5 opener, and many in Season 7 that could be plucked from each episode for their excellence at building a portrait of what it means to be the slayer.

SEASON 5

Episode 7: Fool For Love
I decided to do this post (note: in multiple sittings, go save drafts!) because the latest 'best Buffy episodes' list that I read did NOT include this fantastic ep in the top 30. For the record, I tend to love the stories that explore the characters beyond the Buffyverse, which is why episodes like Becoming, Selfless, and even Hell's Bells appeal to me so much. The development of Spike here sets up his arc quite well for the remainder of the series, and the continued development of 'What does it mean to be a slayer' is seen through a vampire's eyes. I actually use Spike's commentary of 'They had a bad day and I had a good day' when it comes to killing slayers as a metaphor for when a favoured sports team just can't make a big W happen.


Episode 16: The Body
Many people call this not only the finest hour of Buffy, but the finest hour of television ever created - including Entertainment Weekly's look at the top 100 pop culture moments of the past 20 years. I was emotionally devastated when I watched this episode, and repeated feelings make it feel no less raw. The sheer genius of subtle shifts in what we're used to as viewers and Buffy fans - no score, single scene 'acts', and humanity interfering in a world dominated by the supernatural. It's crushing. It's not my favourite episode owing to how dark it is, but it's easily the *best* episode of Buffy.


Episode 21: The Weight Of The World
This is an obscure one to be on any person's list, but it's always resonated with me for some reason. I thought it was a very interesting set-up to the dilemma Buffy faced in the season finale, and the reverse of what we saw at the end of S4 (action-packed finale followed by dream sequence). Deciphering what was going through Buffy's head and actually being told what was going on was a welcome change from 'Restless' however.


Episode 22: The Gift
Season 5 was my favourite season, and the season finale had a lot to do with that - it culminated in a truly heartwrenching climax, but really the entire episode was enjoyable. I spent the whole season wondering how Buffy would overcome this super demon and was truly nervous for her in the end - and Whedon surprised us all by giving us an ol' you win some, you lose some smackdown. The image for this episode is possibly one of the most famous of the series.

SEASON 6


Episode 3: After Life
The success of this episode really lies in the scene this screencap is from. When I first unpacked my complete series, I randomly but specifically sought out this particular episode just to rewatch this scene. That being said, the rest of the episode is a welcome change of pace from the razzle dazzle hocus pocus of the season opener - it doesn't let Buffy off the hook right away, and it explains why to the viewers by the end of the episode. I also found the villain (minus the final fight) pretty creeptastic.


Episode 5: Life Serial
There are a lot of dark humour episodes in Season 6 that I like - Tabula Rasa and Gone among them - but for whatever reason Life Serial goes down as one of my fave fun episodes in the entire series. The four-act set-up lends itself brilliantly as an introduction to our so-called villains, and I particularly enjoy the claw scene the most. The final drunken scene is relatively funny as well...kitten poker anyone?


Episode 7: Once More, With Feeling
How could a top episodes list not include the Buffy musical, Once More With Feeling? I own the soundtrack to this and know pretty much every lyric, which while not the most sophisticated stuff ever written, certainly is clever and on point with the plot development. The fact that an episode that was such a departure from the show could gel with it so incredibly well speaks volumes about how damn good this show actually is!


Episode 17: Normal Again
Unlike 'The Wish', which shows up on most people's top lists, 'Normal Again' is the episode for me that turns the series on its head. In fact I often tell people it's my favourite episode because it doesn't ram this potential explanation down your throat - it simply inserts a level of reasonable doubt into your mind for the remainder of the series. Obviously fans would have been disappointed if this were the series finale, but it wasn't, and it put all of Buffy's angst and struggling into perspective. Loved it!

SEASON 7


Episode 3: Help
Another random choice, up there with 'WOTW' (S5), but I've always enjoyed this episode and look forward to watching it. There are echoes of Joyce's death here, except this time Buffy is given fair warning. The message in both is the same however - that sometimes you can stop humanity from interfering. The actress that plays Cassie (Azura Skye) is what makes this particularly convincing for me -hope she gets some future work in Hollywood.


Episode 5: Selfless
I always thought this episode occurred earlier in the series, and last time I watched it I was so choked you have to wait this long for a brilliant Anya-centric episode in the same vein of Spike's S5 turn in 'Fool For Love'. The flashbacks mix hilarity with heartbreak (the revisit to the musical episode and 'Mrs.' put S6 into perspective) and the actual real-world storyline between Anya, Xander, and Buffy was a shake-up like none other. Plus the payoff of Season 2, with the truth finally coming out about Xander's lie to Buffy when she was off to kill Angel in a similar fashion.


Episode 7: Conversations With Dead People
Wow, three really strong episodes in the first string of Season 7. What went wrong? Sigh. Regardless, I didn't get what all the hype with this episode was until I rewatched the series. There is something magical at work here, and I once again enjoyed the decision to separate the storyline based on the four-act structure of the show. The creepiness by the end of the episode set up high expectations for the rest of the season, which sadly were never met.


Episode 16: Storyteller
I always loved Andrew as the newcomer to the nerd trio in Season 6 - his self-deprecating unintentional humour was a welcome change to Jonathan's backstabbing and Warren's downright scariness. Keeping him around in Season 7 paid off both hilariously and emotionally in this episode as we once again - my fave! - get to watch the Slayerverse through an outsider's eyes - that which hilariously echoes the fanboy to end all fanboys of the show.


Episode 22: Chosen
Whenever I lend the series out to people, this is what I say: don't worry, it ends well. I had NO clue how Whedon could successfully end the show, and yet he did. He didn't wuss out too badly when it came to some final bloodshed (although I totally forgot about one of the major deaths and was shellshocked the last time I watched it), and he provided a successful resolution to the weight of being the chosen one, at least within Sunnydale. Brilliant and epic in an uneven season.

And for the record, episodes I know people LOVE that for whatever reason just didn't make my cut:

- Season 2 'Innocence' - I know this is a really classic episode of Buffy and the major turning point of Season 2 (plus rocket launcher) but for whatever reason it doesn't resonate with me. I always find it kind of uncomfortable to watch Buffy have to continually reveal what exactly might have made Angel wake up on the wrong side of the bed.

- Season 3 'The Wish' - Another episode I know people view as critical to the series. At the end of the day, I always go into this ep thinking that I will love it, but I never do as much as I think I will, tingly "Press Play" feelings aside. It's fun to see the characters in an alternate state, and weird to see Cordelia in such a main role, and Giles' line of 'Because it has to be!' is one of the greats of that season, but I just can't put my finger on why I'm not blown away by this one.

Also, some honorable mentions:

Season 1
Nightmares - The first episode I ever saw, and a precursor to another honorable mention in Season 4, Fear, Itself. A good example of foreshadowing re: Buffy's fear of dying.

Season 2
Halloween - The first episode I really remember being eager to make. sure. I. taped. and discussed with friends. I know I had been watching Season 2 up to that point, but this episode always sticks out in my mind and has many fun moments. Again, kind of a precursor to another hon. mention in Season 6, Tabula Rasa.

What's My Line Parts 1 & 2 - I know a lot of people hated Kendra, but the whole other slayer thing was such a 'WHOA!' concept to me that I quite enjoyed this two-parter. Plus, the start of Xandelia!

Ted - Although this follows the MOTW format I kind of eschew, John Ritter's performance here makes this episode memorable, funny, and creepy.

Innocence - See the above. I know it should be in my top 20.

I Only Have Eyes For You - I actually really love this episode and was tempted to put it in my top 20, but alas, here it sits, a notch or two shy of greatness. The main thing I will highlight here is that this episode eases us into a 'What if Angel *could* be good again?' scenario, which makes the season 2 finale that much more crushing.

Becoming Part 1 - I like the Angel development here, and the set-up for part 2 is a-ok in my books.

Season 3
Lover's Walk - Great character development here that sets up Angel's departure, adds depth to Spike, and has some heartbreaking moments between the b-characters.

The Wish - I know I know. It's a great episode.

Consequences - The contrasts between Buffy & Faith throughout this episode brilliant set up the race to the finish line.

Doppelgangland - Return of evil Willow, plus good Willow as evil Willow! Funny stuff.

Earshot - This episode mixes humour with one last 'after school special' issue that the show so brilliantly turns into metaphors throughout its existence. From feeling invisible to turning invisible in Season 1 to feeling unheard and wanting to eliminate oneself in this season, the show has always done a good job at highlighting the oddballs (given Buffy and her friends are outcasts themselves).

The Prom - I hate the 'monster' in this episode and find much of the Buffy/Angel stuff superfluous by this point - the set-up was all there between Lover's Walk and the Mayor's speech in Consequences I think. That being said, it's fun to see the show's take on prom, and Jonathan's little heart-tugging speech on Class Protector (an award that is symbolically destroyed at the beginning of next season).

Graduation Day Part I - Lots of great set-up here, including the epic battle between Faith and Buffy.

Season 4
Fear, Itself - I like this revisit to Season 1's 'Nightmares'. It's funny yet also insightful at continuing to delve into our character's psyche's in supernatural ways. Possibly the best of the 3 Halloween episodes.

Pangs - This is one of the stupidest episodes in terms of Buffy lore (with an obligatory Angel appearance and an uninteresting and kind of offensive villain), but also one of the funniest. Unfortunately for it, the *best* episodes combine both.

Something Blue - I know some people don't like this episode for whatever reason, but I always have. Seeing the characters in a different light as we do in Halloween, Once More With Feeling, and Tabula Rasa is always a treat.

The I In Team - This is sort of the peak of The Initiative episodes - in some ways I felt like our insider introduction was followed by too swift a kick to the ass out, but I always enjoy this most revealing look inside and the big mid-season cliffhanger that happens at the end.

Superstar - Buffy's hair is awesome for these last few episodes, can I just say that? Why didn't she keep it like this always? Whatever. This episode was a clever way to reintroduce Jonathan and keep him somewhat top of mind before season 6, and it was done in a funny way that still advanced the plot a bit.

Primevil - There are things I like about Primevil, but I'm glad it wasn't a season finale. The rebonding of the Scoobies, and the first big exploration of just how powerful Willow has become makes this a decent episode.

SEASON 5
Buffy Vs Dracula - My favourite season opener, although I always enjoyed 'Anne' and 'The Freshman' as well. Slayer lore abounds here as the show pays homage to the ultimate vampire.

No Place Like Home - The big reveal about Dawn was thankfully done relatively early in the series, plus we got a taste of the big bad unlike any other we've seen before. She's not aiming for immortality like our past villians, she's got that in spades kittens.

Intervention - This episode combines more of my fave slayer lore stuff (plus sets up the finale perfectly) while also featuring a pretty hilarious look at the Buffybot, she of a thousand lives.

SEASON 6
Tabula Rasa: If you couldn't tell by now, I like this episode, a lot. The last time I watched it I didn't love it as much as a few other similar episodes so it's just a hair shy of the top 20, but I think it's another fun 'What If' scenario the show plays with while also putting the final nail in the Willow/Tara relationship, and a 'No Turning Back' label on Willow's use of magic.

Gone: As I mentioned when talking about Life Serial, there are many fun episodes in this season, and Gone is one of them. We've had several bouts of invisibility here, but none as interesting as the slayer's, and the dark emotional feelings behind it.

Dead Things: The morality lessons of Season 3 come back to bite Buffy as she grapples with having blood on her hands. Plus the gang finally figures out who they're up against.

Hell's Bells: Another episode I wish I could have room for in the top 20 - definitely in the top 25. I didn't like the payoff for who the 'old Xander' really was, but the glimpses into the future and Anya's heartbreak made this one of the best character episodes in the entire series.

Season 6 4-Part Finale: This is the only finale that did not make my list of top 20 episodes. I think it's partially because it spreads across these four episodes so it's hard to pick one single episode that rocks the most. I liked the bait and switch of the real villain in town, and there are tons of great epic battles, and mortality via human-oriented murder was a big shocker.

SEASON 7
Get It Done - I was pretty generous in awarding 5 episodes from season 7 among my faves. In fact as I write this I'm considering swapping 'Help' for something like 'Tabula Rasa' or 'Hell's Bells', but whatever. As a result, the only other episode worth mentioning in my books is 'Get It Done', which explores the final themes leading up to the battle side of the finale - Willow tapping into dark magic, Buffy and the shadowmen and understanding where her power comes from, and the big reveal of just what they're up against make this the best of the otherwise pretty weak story-arc episodes.

Phew! That was done over a couple of sittings. Sorry for the EPIC length but this is an EPIC show!

I’ve talked about Degrassi way, way too much in here lately, but I will say that I’ve been rewatching the earlier seasons of the new series (you could call it V1.0 of The Next Generation, we’re now in V2.0) and have been working on a drinking game to accompany my original series drinking game. If you google ‘Degrassi Drinking Game’ the majority, if not all drinking games, are dedicated to the new series. I haven’t looked at any of them in eons (last time was when I was trying to find an original series game), so my list is as original as I can be based on my own observations. I plan to update this list in future posts as I continue to spot patterns on the show.

So my friends, take a sip, or a shot, every time:

- There’s a confrontation in the bathroom (a bizarre replacement for ‘confrontation in the stairwell’ of the original series)
- Characters talk about one another using their full first and last names
- Emma protests something
- Kid Elrick is mentioned
- A teacher is totally incompetent at catching a misbehaving student
- An original series cast member makes a guest appearance (this excludes regular cast members like Snake, Mr. Raditch, and Joey, but includes Emma’s mom Spike / Christine when not credited as a regular)
- Paige says ‘hun’
- Somebody gets stuffed into or slammed against a locker
- Downtown Sasquatch or Studz plays
- Whenever someone brings up Heather Sinclair
- Sean talks about being poor
- Anytime there is a reference to Bollywood
- Someone brings up how something didn't happen on school property
- A dance is held
- Someone makes a joke about how slutty / skanky Manny is
- Emma talks about the environment
- A Degrassi couple breaks up
- Paige & Spinner call each other Honey Bee
- Spinner gets a new hairstyle
- Anytime Marco or someone else talks about Marco being gay
- Terri has a storyline or scene regarding her weight
- A new character with speaking lines shows up
- Ellie does something related to journalism
- Jimmy develops a new talent
- Holly J has a clipboard in her hands

In other news, my other random summer fixation is a pretty terrible one. I’ve become addicted to TLC’s “Say Yes To The Dress”. Although I find the show mostly horrifying – capped off most recently by a Jersey bride buying a HIDEOUS $27,000 dress – it does make me want to go wedding dress shopping. Just not at New York’s Kleinfeld’s.

I tend to like the Atlanta incarnation a little better. Although the two main stars of the show, Monte and Laurie (?), keep on using the same phrases, primarily “Jack Her Up” (to describe when they throw on a veil and some gems to give people a glimpse of the bride to be), I generally find the people that work at Laurie’s place a little more relatable. Also the prices are far more reasonable – most of the people come in with budgets of $1000 to $2000, while only a handful have spent closer to $5000, and nothing over that (again, unlike some of the horrifying episodes I’ve watched of the original series).

This isn’t the place to get into it, but I’m pretty ambivalent about the wedding hoopla that exists out there these days. I feel like its become such an ‘industry’ and that you only do all these crazy things because there’s this expectation that it’s ‘what’s done’. I went from wanting to be a wedding planner as a kid to recoiling at the thought of being a bridesmaid at least 2 or 3 more times in my life. Other than shopping for a pretty dress, getting married to my boyfriend, and having some hot damn photos, I’m not really excited about the whole wedding thing. I’ll admit though, of all the wedding concepts TLC has tried to float over the last decade (remember that terrible “do your wedding on $5,000! And your friends will plan it for you!” one?), Say Yes To The Dress is the only one that makes me the tiniest bit excited, if simultaneously repulsed. At least their staff is probably paid pretty damn well.

- Britt’s On

The title of this post is a reference to the supreme cheese documentary segments the original Degrassi series ran in the 80s, featuring Caitlin Ryan (Stacey Mistysyn) singing the theme song. "Degrassi taaaaalks!". Anyway it's summertime, so there isn't much to talk about. Summer movies are balls this year (I've written about the only two worth seeing - Toy Story 3 & Inception), and the only other good shows worth talking about - Mad Men and Friday Night Lights - were covered in my last post.

But really, I have to give kudos to Degrassi for the best week to date of this summer's jam-packed soap opera style scheduling (and oh god do I wish the show were always on four times a week). Or perhaps, just the two best episodes to date. The nice thing about the series this season is they aren't just giving a storyline two episodes and letting the after-effects sort of flutter along. Instead, they're allowing a story to percolate across several episodes, and you get the sense that things aren't really over when the show indicates they might be.


For example, Fiona's abuse storyline earlier this season led into her trying to buy Holly J's friendship which led to Holly J not liking Declan trying to buy her affections which led to Holly J and Sav's illicit affair which was played out to nice effect in last night's episode. And oh yeah, Fiona's abuse storyline is still going to come back later this season. Noice!


I have to say though, I'm pretty impressed at how they've handled this transgender storyline that was the big to-do about the summer series. For the first few weeks when Adam was on screen, they didn't really explain his situation, although I was well aware of it from the online promos / blogs I've read. It helps that the actress that plays the character is named Jordan. I asked my boyfriend if he would have realized if Adam was a girl had I not told him and he said it was pretty close.

Anyway here's the thing. I'm not part of the LGBT community, so I'm sure there will be some dissenters out there who will complain about Degrassi's oversimplification of the issues at hand or not like the treatment of the storyline in one way or another, but to be perfectly honest, I think the show did a fantastic job of enlightening me about the struggles of transgender people, especially young ones.


I never realized how complicated the whole situation was - that you are mentally one gender but born into the opposite body. Adam's mom's struggle to accept that her daughter was long gone, the whole-hearted acceptance from his jock strap brother, changing his identity to appear as a girl to make his grandma and classmates more comfortable, using the special needs bathroom, the self-mutilation that occurred when Adam tried on his Gracie identity again - just everything made me go Wow. That is seriously tough. I sympathized with everyone involved, but also respected the way the actress played the role as someone who managed to be both 100% confident and comfortable with themselves, but also 100% aware of how many people weren't. I fully believed in Jordon Todosey's performance, especially during the scenes when Adam looked fully uncomfortable dressed up in girls clothing. I believed in and understood Adam over Gracie, and that is pretty impressive for a half-hours serial to do.

I hope this relatively groundbreaking plotline is embraced by the LGBT community out there, and I hope Degrassi doesn't drop the ball on this in future episodes. Kudos to them for tackling an entirely new, complex situation with such grace, empathy, and honesty.

Other quick points: Anya finally getting a non-Sav storyline was a refreshing change of pace. The scene when she finally cracked down after Holly J's not-so-big confession felt very honest and one of the actress' best moments on the show to date.


Also, Eli has quickly become one of my fave characters on the show. There is something entrancing about the actor that plays him (he's not nearly as creepy as the previews for the season made him out to be, but there is something enigmatic about his performance) and I look forward to every season with him. Double kudos for the vast improvements to Clare's character this season. I've always liked the actress that plays her, and now she's finally got a developing personality of her own. The natural chemistry between her and Eli has been a highlight this season, and their involvement with Adam this season has been fantastic. Love!

- Britt's On

It's funny that two of the best shows on television right now air in the summer, at least on network television for one of them (some might argue True Blood also stands strong as another summer entry, although Emmy voters may disagree). I'm talking about two programs that are inherently, dramatically different, yet find ties in their collective strengths.

The first just ended over the weekend, DirecTV's / NBC's brilliant Friday Night Lights. To be fair, the show is the more flawed of the two, often sacrificing realism for my most hated plot technique, 'slate wiping', but it's still one of the best things on the small screen these days. I honestly don't get why it doesn't have more of a following, particularly in the US of A - it's a show about football with plenty of hot dudes and dudettes to drool over! Regardless, FNL remains one of my most-looked-forward to programs on a weekly basis, and this last season still delivered with another tally in the 'W' column.

The other show is the much more publicly lauded Mad Men, which airs on AMC in the summertime and fall. Set in the 1960s world of advertising, the show plays out like a film, sometimes at an oppressively tedious and dense pace, although it still manages to provide plenty of watercooler chat every Monday. I've found the people that are the most fervent supporters of the show are the ones that watched early on - I caught up with Season 1 in a very short period of time so I could start watching Season 2 immediately. I've noticed many of the people who joined up for Season 3 (or afterwards, due to the hysteria around it) are less enthusiastic about Matthew Weiner's attention to minutiae, and how the show is really about more than just some pretty faces acting out dramatic scenes.

There are flaws to both shows to be sure, but they are ultimately two of the best written, best paced shows on television (I only wish they had a few more episodes each per season). But what does a show about present-day small town Americana have to do with a show that is diligently obsessed with 1960s culture set in the Big Apple? Plenty:

Ensemble Casting - this is a 21st century trend, to be sure. Over the last decade we've seen a plethora of shows flourish with the stream of thought that there is safety in numbers, a big turnaround from the earlier decades where stars named shows after themselves (translation: if a show aired called The Mel Gibon Hour, you probably wouldn't watch it). A few of the more famous examples include Degrassi: The Next Generation (a format they piloted in the 80s), Gilmore Girls, and Lost, and the failed drama FlashForward that was cited as 'too broad' of an ensemble. Both FNL & MM have thoroughly embraced the ensemble cast, or in the case of Gilmore Girls, the 'community' cast wonderfully.

On FNL, we have a core couple - Coach Taylor and his wife Tami Taylor - played with brilliance by Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton, both finally earning Emmy nods this year. From there the tendrils spiral outwards: football players on Coach Taylor's multiple teams and their families and their girlfriends and their friends, members of the cheerleading squad, pushy booster club members, school administrators, and even the city's mayor are all part of the narrative here, even if they don't all have major storylines. The show does an excellent job at providing you with a familiar cast of faces that populate the town of Dillon beyond a core cast, and make it seem more wholly realized (something Gilmore Girls 'Stars Hollow' did perfectly).

On Mad Men, we have the natural office setting for a range of core, mid-level, and fringe characters. Although Bert Cooper (one of the founders of the show's agency) has never had a standalone storyline, the show wouldn't make sense without him. Beyond the office we also get glimpses into the personal lives of the office workers (and even further beyond that through the eyes of leading female Betty Draper's relationships with friends, family, and various men). Matthew Weiner is smart though, as the majority of his storylines outside of the office still tie into what's going on in the office: Don Draper's constructed lifestyle is enabled by the very fact he is in advertising. Weiner demands you remember characters that may have only appeared once in the last few seasons when they randomly pop up again years later (as Anna, Don's pseudo-wife / sister did in this last episode).

Either way, both shows are fantastic at creating a pyramid of characters that don't hog the spotlight - they each get their times to shine while quietly developing their major moments with small moments episode to episode. FNL this past season struggled a little with letting their increasingly diverse cast have equal playing time, but overall I still felt a connection with the new characters while satisfied with the resolution of the old ones.

Moving Forward, Moving On - Another major hallmark of both of these series is their ability to let characters move on with their lives (and leave the narrow nexus of the show's focus).

Friday Night Lights stumbled with this a bit by having some of their early regulars stick around a year or two past when they should have presumably graduated high school, but for the most part, when you leave Dillon, they give you a nice swan song and goodbye. It's very much like real life - there are reasons why someone might come back to their small hometown, just as there are reasons we might not have seen the last of Smash, Jason, Lyla, Julie, Tyra, Matt, Tim, and Landry (the original cast of teens that have since moved on). Although the show strained against letting go of its stars early on, I give it kudos for working hard this transitional year to introduce new faces while saying a long goodbye to old favourites.

Mad Men is perhaps a more jarring version of this rarely seen phenomenon. When Sterling Cooper dissolved itself into Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, a slew of beloved second-tier characters were caught in the crossfires. Smug accounts man Kenny Cosgrove, second-rate creative guy Paul Kinsey, and closeted graphic designer Sal (among a few even more minor characters) were on the chopping block. In some ways, it's been a creative coup for Weiner - instead of chipping away and stringing out Sal's homosexuality, he was able to write him off the show with ease and relative legitimacy, while still providing a bookend to his primary storyline. Rather than ride out the tensions between an increasingly bitter Pete and chockful of goodness Kenny, the writers sagely let Pete prevail...for a day or two anyway.

Going back to my earlier point about Mad Men's community cast, some might argue it has a smaller cast of leads than FNL, and I would agree to a certain point - at the end of the day Don Draper takes way more prevalence over anyone else (unlike Coach Taylor, who is always present, but doesn't always have a lot to do). Weiner will let his regulars lapse (see: Joan in Season 3, who, as expected of her, quit her job when she got married only to find she really actually needed the money and disappeared for about half the season) for episodes at a time, because the real true focus is Don, and to a degree Betty, but even she can disappear, as she has so far in this season. The amount we see a character largely has to do with their orbit around Don Draper.

I could go on and on about the strengths and similarities between these two seemingly different shows - great casting, fantastic writing, authenticity - but at the end of the day, the two reasons above are what makes each show really special. They are willing to break the television rules - and while I doubt we'll ever see Don Draper leave and the show continue on (ahem, The Office), or that Tim Riggins will be a non-entity on next year's FNL, I don't doubt the creators will continue to entertain us by making surprising, sometimes hard choices and deftly deleting people from the lives of our stars...just like in real life.

Orbiting around,

- Britt's On

I know I’ve talked about it a few times on here already, but I am an admitted Degrassi fan. I watched the original series after school in the 90s (during its first set of reruns) on CBC, and was eager for the reboot at the turn of the Millennium. I lost touch with the show around season 6, but after a chance viewing of ‘Degrassi Goes Hollywood’ last summer I scooped up all of the original and new series, and caught up with TNG just in time for Season 9.

Some people have complained the show isn’t as fresh as it used to be, but I’ve enjoyed the majority of the new characters and felt like they have broached some new topics, while taking different approaches on others they may have tackled in the past. This summer’s daily dose of Degrassi has been a welcome treat as I sit down for a bite-sized portion of Canadian teenage drama, and I like the gradual introduction of the new characters, who so far have only played second fiddle to our (also relatively new) main stars.


In the last week in particular we’ve been introduced to a new villain in town, Drew Torres, a transfer student that came to Degrassi with hopes of snagging the QB1 spot on their supposedly awesome team (the fact they are the Degrassi Panthers cast an ironic light on the lack of football or its importance on the show in comparison to the Dillon Panthers on Friday Night Lights).

In his first week, Drew blackmailed his fellow teammate with a secret about his sexuality in order to (more or less) take over as QB1. He also established himself as the school’s new resident eye candy as various extras fawned over him, and supremely shallow sophomore Alli threw herself at him with a game of strip ‘Would You Rather?’, and was rewarded with a post-school booty call.

I kind of hope Degrassi will keep Drew a villain. Because here’s the thing. Every character EVER on the show that has been introduced as a villain, or even a slightly offbeat dark house, eventually evolves to become a downright likable, interesting, ‘lite’ version of their badass former selves. In fact the show is more successful when it lets its straight edge kiddies dip into the dark side (Sean, Ashley, Spinner, Craig) versus having someone come onto the scene, guns-a-blazin (not literally) and stay that way.


My one quasi-exception to this phenomenon is Ellie Nash, introduced early on as the punky alternative playmate for outcast former prepster Ashley Kerwin. Although Ashley’s edginess lost its teeth, Ellie always remained slightly offbeat (albeit with better hair and less Hot Topic accessories) and dark in the social schema that was Degrassi. Although...much like Jane of the second next generation, she got a bit of a glamover / personality upgrade by the end of her time on the show. As for everyone else? Let’s review.


Jay Hogart was sort of the proto-Degrassi villain. He led a band of misfits that appropriately looked too old to be in high school (they always do!), got into fights, bullied people, stole things, and coerced our cleaner, greener students to behave badly. He also spread an STD throughout the school, in a truly inspired villainous move. The show let Jay have his moments of redemption – the odd one-liner, his acceptance of Alex’s sexuality – while also continually using him as the fallback bad boy totem whenever they wanted a character to do something ‘wrong’ with an enabler by their side.


Then came Manny in Season 7. By this point Manny was one of the alpha females, which automatically meant her relationship would get a lot of airtime. To my surprise and delight, they paired Jay and Manny together in an unlikely sham of a relationship that blossomed into something genuinely sweet. In fact by the time I got to ‘Degrassi Goes Hollywood’ when Jay and Manny finally got their sh*t together, I was desperate to find out what had made Jay become the ultimate ragamuffin with a heart of gold, and their storyline over seasons 7 and 8 was one of my favourites. After that, Jay’s appearances were mainly to facilitate the Jay and Manny show, and to give Spinner someone to talk to.

And thus, Jay Hogart the villain was more or less destroyed. To the show’s credit, they’ve never let Jay do a complete turnaround (as per Spinner’s brief stint as a Christian born again virgin), as per one of the main reasons for his split with his major split with Manny had to do with theft, but his persona certainly softened from ‘ravine guy that gives out STDs’ to ‘Manny’s true love’.


While we’re talking about Jay, one of his top cronies, the female Jay and his early-on h-core girlfriend, Alex, also got the soft and sweet treatment. This was developed through her seemingly random but partially honest lady friend relationship with alpha girl Paige, but also in the episode where former bully Alex was bullied by younger kids when she came back to Degrassi to upgrade her marks for college. Suddenly we had the bully getting pelted with carrot sticks, and we were meant to felt bad for her. Again, to the show’s credit, Alex always maintained her tough girl streak, but she was also a big melodramatic softie when it came to Paige.


So those are the original ‘bad kids’, and how they evolved. Their second ‘next’ generation counterparts were kids from the merger between Degrassi and some other randomly named high school that possibly involved the words east, side, woods, or river. When Johnny DiMarco and his buddy Bruce were introduced, they were sort of Jay and co 2.0, in fact there is a great, misleading promo of Johnny doing a voiceover about taking over Degrassi. Well, that didn’t happen. Johnny wasn’t ever quite the enabler that Jay was (perhaps too easy for the show), and his conflicts with others were mostly reserved to menacing glares and snide comments. His most compelling, realistic storyline was his relationship with Alli and what it meant for his hard-edged persona. Unlike Jay, he never quite opened up and showed his inner muffin to the world (or did, and broke up with his girlfriend when it happened), but the fact his biggest storylines were about dating should tell you how much of a non-badass he was. Bruce in comparison was there for comic muscle relief.


Technically speaking, Jane was originally introduced to fill the gaping void Ellie and h-core Alex had left (although she was never mean). If you watch Season 7 when she is first introduced, it’s stunning how transformed she became as the seasons went on. Gone are the ugly dreads, boy-ish clothing (now reserved for transgender characters like Adam), and off-putting makeup. In its place we gifted with the alternative to the popular alpha girl, a bright, strong female character – although one whose controversy often stemmed from her facing her weaknesses over having some sort of badass reputation. Jane was one of my fave newer characters though, so I won’t complain too much.


Now, in comparison to the above, the prototype for Drew is pretty different. We’re talking preppy jock a-hole. The closest comparison we’ve got can be found in the charmingly awkward Peter, who appeared around season 6 in a memorable episode where he convinced Manny to strip for a video that was then broadcast on the internet. During that season Peter was persona non grata, causing him and Emma to have a clandestine relationship. Peter to me is one of the most interesting characters on the show because he has filled so many random roles. It’s like the writers never really knew what to do with him, and thus Peter had many an identity (and girlfriend) crisis. He was more of an example of a socially awkward menace that burned a few bridges over an actual villain. Drew in comparison to Peter has given us someone who is much more confident in following through with his arrogance, although he hasn’t exactly made any friends yet that will help him overcome the awkward social situations to come once his initial antagonism phase is over.


There are other people I could mention here. For the girls, think about Ashley Kerwin, the original mean girl, was taken down many a peg by the end of Season 1 and was given a slightly whiny but mostly sympathetic character during the rest of her tenure. Ditto to Paige, whose early rape storyline made it hard to ever see her as much as a villain as the show sometimes liked to paint her as. Even Holly J, who started out as a brownnosing snot but has become one of the show’s most dynamic characters has revealed a heart of gold under that ambitious shell.


For the guys, obviously there is Rick, he of the school shooting. Rick wasn’t introduced as a villain however, and it was mostly (aside from his accidental abuse of Terri) through his final act that he has been remembered as one, but even then, moreso as a troubled, bullied student. Declan was somewhat of a cocky villain (in the same vein as Drew) when he was first introduced last season, however these days he sits around pining for Holly J and avoiding twincest. Derek, the curly-headed pal of Danny’s in the middle years of the series, was sort of a jerk through and through, but not exactly a villain.

I get that Degrassi is trying to show multiple sides to each character, and I appreciate that they don’t let the kids who have a badass introduction completely transform to become one of the ‘good’ kids (although Jane is a notable exception here, based on how she was portrayed at first). Holly J and Paige still have their mean streaks, Jay was still an enabler to his last days as a regular on the series, and Peter was still ruining friendships last year…but ultimately every person that is introduced on the show as a villain softens once their initial antagonistic plot point is resolved. I wouldn’t mind seeing Drew go on a testosterone-fuelled rampage of antics on the football team and with the ladies, although I suspect his relationship with ‘Adam Torres’ (the transgender character I can only presume is Drew’s sibling) will give him his entry into the softer, sweeter side of Degrassi.

Finally for the record, Degrassi is by far not the only show where this phenomenon occurs. As one of TV's longest running youth-oriented programs, it just happens to be the most obvious one. Think of Luke, the hyper-aggressive Drew-esque villain of Season 1 on the OC, and how he became almost comically sad by the end of that season when his dad turned out to be gay and he sat around trying to strum a guitar backstage at a Rooney concert. Or for that matter, one of TV's most realistic shows, Friday Night Lights, where Tim Riggins has been continually toed the line between saintly and sad, a far cry from his Season 1 womanizing and extreme boozing antics. It's natural for a show to want to make their characters sympathetic, and taking them out of their villainous comfort zones seems to be the only way they can think to do it. I guess there are two sides to every archetype.

Ah well,

Britt’s On