You're Either on the Bus...Or Off

I feel like the universe is trying to send me a signal. The other day on my train ride into the city the girl next to me was reading A Game of Thrones. It happened again on the subway. Two of my good friends and my boyfriend are reading the book series as well. My dad is obsessed with the HBO show. And me? I just feel like I am missing out on something.
A Song of Ice and Fire, the series written by George R. R. Martin, and the show "Game of Thrones" have become one of the most talked about series in awhile. Usually I am part of major cultural phenomena. If you have read any of my blog or follow me on twitter you know what a diehard Harry Potter fan I was from the very beginning. I devoured The Hunger Games trilogy. I jumped on the Twilight bandwagon...before jumping right off. I have even perused 50 Shades of Grey before refusing to read it. I do not know what it is about (A) Game of Thrones that has aliened me so.

Girl power all the way.

After everyone could not stop talking about the first season of the show my boyfriend and I watched it. Watching it late left me open to spoilers like the deaths of major characters-but it was my own fault. However, it did take away some of the shock and awe of the series for me. I have seen maybe two episodes of the current season and again I find myself in no hurry to catch up. Do not get me wrong, I really like it, but I am not an avid fan like most others. I love Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen whose character portrays both power and vulnerability in equal measures and the adorable and sometimes identical looking Stark (half) brothers. Even everyone's favorite character, Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister I find amusing, but not as rave worthy as everyone else seems to believe. I just cannot seem to agree with the masses on this one.
 I somehow feel like I missed the boat. I know it is never too late to get into a series; if I just picked up a book or started watching I could be caught up in no time, but I hate being so far behind. I despise having friends ask, "what page are you on?" and when you tell them they shake their heads knowingly and say, "oh just wait what happens next." Even if they do not tell you anything it tarnishes the first reading/watching experience which I believe should remain pure.

Yes, I'm talking to you J.K.

Another part of me just does not want to read it solely because everyone else is; maybe it is the hipster in me. I just cannot believe what a big deal Game of Thrones has become. I feel like everyone is either reading or watching it. I know it is not to the same extent, but this is what it must have been like to be a non-Harry Potter fan during the height of Pottermainia. It is like I do not want to give in and let the rest of the world know they are right. Even though I have watched a season of the show and read two chapters of the first book.
I will probably continue to watch the second season and maybe get up to the point where I can actually watch the third season live. Until then I will contemplate why I do not want to be part of another fandom. I have given my heart to authors so many times and it has been exhausting. I have devoted myself to them and in return they have killed some of my favorite characters, made horrible movie adaptations, and then stopped writing the series and moved on. I take it personally. My heart cannot take it any more. I think it is time I sit this round out.  

A Letter to the Doctor: Part 2

Dear David,
After reeling from the loss of Chris, it was hard to figure out how I felt about you. I mean, you are David Tennant, you are (almost) everyone's favorite Doctor. At the beginning of season two I only knew you as Hamlet and Barty Crouch Jr.

I never knew how hard I would fall. I thought I would love Rose and Nine forever, until Ten showed me she could be so much more. With you, Rose grew. She became smarter and braver-you seem to have that effect on people. You did the same with Donna and Martha too; almost everyone you meet changed for the better.
I loved your adventures, since we had more time together there were so many more places to go: 1700's France, meeting Agatha Christie, fake Time Lords and forgetful Time Lords and Time Lords coming back to life, and alternative universes. Every adventure something new to learn, some new planet to save.

" That was the worst thing —
the fury of the Time Lord. And then we discovered why...
why he had run away from us and hidden... he was being kind."
-Son of Mine The Family of Blood)

There was something more to you however. While Chris was grizzled and lonely, a true solider of the war, you were the civilian-the man trying to re-enter the world. Sometimes you had so much energy and excitement about the everything around you. You wanted to explore the universe and meet new people. But then there were those times where you had so much anger. And power. Like when you first met Donna and the end of season four when you were trying to escape death and changed time just because you could. Those were the moments you scared me, the moments that I knew that the Time Lords were not all good. The moment I knew you could never be alone with all that power because someone needed to be there to tell you when to stop, when to reign in your power, and just let go. You wanted to save everyone and that anger happened because you could not and deep down that was the truth you would always know. I thank you for trying even though it literally killed you and even though sometimes you lost the people you loved.
This is one thing I do not understand. When I think of Eleven, I think goofy. Granted I only saw two episodes and that was before I met you, but how do you become him? You are so multidimensional, I do not think anyone can encompass all that you are.
I am going to miss you David. I still cannot be sure if you are my favorite Doctor, but I know I will never forget you. I will defend you to the haters who inexplicably say that you cannot act and who say Matt has better hair (to that I say: never). Nevertheless, Geronimo. Onto the next Doctor.
That is the best part about Doctor Who. It never ends.

An Ode to Rose

Ten: Well, I've seen a lot of this universe. I've seen fake
gods and demi-gods and would- be-gods. I've had the
whole pantheon. But if I believe in one thing...
just one thing...I believe in her!

Having just finished season 2 of Doctor Who, I feel like I need to defend Rose Tyler. I know a lot of people hate Rose, hell I complained about her for most of the first season for all the stupid things that she did. The thing is, I grew to love Rose for all that she is and represents. Rose is normal. She represents the choices many of us would make if given the opportunity to travel all of time and space; we would all blunder in head first and then need saving later. I may consider myself a tad brighter than Rose at times, but I would probably make some of the same mistakes she did. And you can't say she didn't change; she grew over the seasons from a silly shop girl to one who knew about life and could take action.
Rose was the first one to pull the Doctor out of his shell after the Time War. She had just enough spunk and wit, but also fragility that made him come alive again and gain that spark behind his eyes.  She even stayed with the Doctor through his regeneration and subsequent changes as he grew accustomed to his new body. If that is not a good companion than I don't know what is. Granted, I have only seen Rose and two episodes featuring the lovely Amelia Pond, but Rose, like Nine will always be my first and therefore have a special spot in my heart.
The last episode of the season, "Doomsday" is heartbreaking for a number of reasons. Rose saves the world and how is she rewarded? By being forced to live a ordinary life. After all that she has seen. And it is not only that, but the person she has seen it all with, the incredible man with the changing face who taught her that life could be so much more than she ever imagined. And she can never go back again. That is the saddest part. She is resigned to live her life knowing that the Doctor is out there somewhere and she can never be apart of his adventures.

The lost girl, so far away from home

As for the Doctor, I think he should truly be the 'forever alone' meme because that is what he is. He has all of time and space, but no one to call his own. Rose filled that void for awhile as countless others had and will have. But in the end, they will all leave. That is the burden of the Time Lord.
The image of the Doctor and Rose on separate sides of the universe both staring at the same wall yet so far away from each other was where the tears started flowing for me because she came back. Despite of everything and willing to risk her own life, Rose came back to the Doctor and left everyone she loved behind because she knew she would never be able to go back to living an average life after all she's done and seen. It was worth the risk.
And then it was all over. That is why I am so glad they got to say goodbye. They got the closure we all needed them to have and had  one the of best "I love you" exchanges since Han and Leia.
Anyone who calls Rose Tyler weak is a fool. Daft? Maybe. Leaps before she looks? All the time. But I think she's brave merely for giving this whole thing a go, for leaving the shop and plunging into the unknown. For representing all of us. It makes me wonder what I would do in the same situation.
So onto season three and my first new companion. Allons-y. Goodbye Rose. You will be missed.

Turn Off the 'Lights'

Jess: Being a part of the Lions has been the greatest experience of my life.
Coach: I think it's been mine too. 

It ended the same way it began: the Taylors on a football field surrounded by those lights.

For most, the television show Friday Night Lights officially ended last summer, but for me it ended last weekend via Netflix. The final episode 'Always' left me in tears, but also satisfied with where the characters ended up.

It all revolved around the big game, the Lions playing for the state championship. This was a big deal because we had to struggle through the previous season where the Lions only won two games. Seeing the team's development was one of the highlights of the last season. Not only did the players come together on the field, but they also showed their growth as individuals. When Vince first made his appearance in season 4, I thought I would never like his as much as I liked Matt or Tim. However, his relationship with Coach Taylor and his father won me over. He is so different from the young hoodlum we see in the first episode. Watching him become a man worthy of respect was one of the highlights of the season. He, like many other characters on the show, proved that sometimes all that a person needs is someone to love and encourage them in order to succeed. That is one of the many themes of this show. It is the little things that can really make a difference. Friday Night Lights is never preachy, but it shows what can happen if only a few people are willing to make a difference.

The game itself was not important, it was not the point. It was wonderfully shot using mostly music and visuals of the characters' faces to give us clues on what was going on. When Eric finally looked to the score board the Lions were down by one touchdown, with one play to go (of course). However, the last play isn't shown. We don't know how the game ends. In a show about football. Because this is not a show about football. It is about family, friendship, over coming obstacles, love, and life. And football.

The shot couldn't have been better. We watch the crowd, the players, and the coaches all following the trajectory of the ball and then there is a cut. Someone in a green jersey, not Lion red, catches the ball. The scenes change around showing what each character is doing now. But when that scene cut to Vince's hand wearing the championship ring I lost it. It doesn't matter who caught the ball. The Lions won as a team. As they had been doing the entire season. The surprise in editing added an emotional element that I was definitely not expecting.

All the loose ends are tied up. Vince and Tinker (yay!) and even Buddy Junior are all Panthers. Julie and Matt get married. The Taylors move from Texas. Luke joins the military (that was the only thing that confused me, it seemed to come out of nowhere.) In perhaps my favorite scene of the finale, Tim finally gets the ending he deserves with his land and his dream house. As he clinked beer bottles with Billy, I whispered at the exact same time he did, "Texas forever." 

It is moments like this that made the final episode and the entire series so powerful. Small moments such as Tim's dream house finally being built and 'Jason Street' scrawled on the wall of the Panther's locker room and  Tyra saying she wants work in politics, "like Mrs. T but bigger" carried over from season to season creating characters as familiar as one's own family. So while I will miss Friday Night Lights for its amazing acting and unique camera style, I will miss it more for the bond that was created between viewer and character; for the way they made me care about what happened to every single person on that show. That is why I cried, not because it was a sad episode in and of itself, but because I was sad to say goodbye to my friends.

Clear Eyes. Full hearts. Can't lose. Goodbye, Dillon. Texas forever. 

Review: No milk needed.

A Letter to the Doctor

"The Doctor showed me a better way of living your life...that you don't just give up, you don't just let things happen, you make a stand, you say 'no', you do what's right when everyone just runs away."- Rose Tyler (potentially the smartest thing she's ever said) 

Dear Chris,

Christopher Eccleston: the 9th Doctor

I just finished watching season one of Doctor Who and I wanted to say thank you. Thank you for making me a Whovian and immersing me in the wacky, wild, and wonderful Who-universe. Every episode was crazier than the next; you met Charles Dickens then traveled to the year 200,000 and back again and yet I found it all plausible. You rooted yourself in reality while at the same time exploring the stars, something that was no easy feat.
I really liked you as the Doctor. Your grizzled and tough exterior made it possible for me to imagine the horrors you must have gone through in the Time War and the way you occasionally looked off into space (and maybe time) made you seem vulnerable and oh so lonely. I love that you have the ability to convey all those emotions at once. Your wry British humor was also fantastic. You were never the man with a plan; or if you had a plan, you were never completely certain it was going to work which always made for good fun.
Most of all though, I want thank you for putting up with Rose Tyler. I know that could not have been easy and we both know she rarely deserved the affection you showered on her. She may not be the smartest girl in the galaxy, but because of you I found her endearing and even sometimes likable. I found myself defending her actions to people. And really she was not that bad. Just an average girl who got the chance of a lifetime. We would all probably make the same mistakes in her shoes (okay, that might be taking things a bit far...)
As I move on to season two and many a Whovians favorite Doctor, David Tennant, I will never forget you. You may not be my favorite Doctor once this is all finished, but you will always be my first and that counts for something.
Love,
Brittany
P.S. I also have to thank Alex (who I know will read this) for making me watch Doctor Who and want to go adventuring through time and space with him.

10 Reasons Why I Love Friday Night Lights (season 1)

Over the summer I began watching Friday Night Lights (FNL) and I finally finished season 1 today. Here are 10 reasons why I love this show.
10. Its Real (as real as TV can be)
While FNL is a show there is something so real about it. It seems more like a documentary of a real town than a scripted show. The characters and their relationships, the dialogue, the football games all feel so true to life. It makes the show about a town nothing like anywhere I've ever lived extremely relatable.
9. Footballl as a backdrop
Yes the show is about football, but it is not all about football. The show uses football as an overlying theme; a way to connect the diverse characters and their narratives. Even being a girl who knows little to nothing about football, the dialogue of football talk never bothers or confuses me, it adds to the realism of the show. Plus the games are truly spectacular. I always find myself (stupidly) wondering if the Panthers will pull out a win in the end (in the whole season they only lost once). The Mud Bowl episode was especially awesome with the characters sliding around in the mud and the State game was of course inspiring.
8. Filming methods
The almost documentary style filming of FNL is very well done. It adds to the feelings of reality of created in the show. I love the use of  the handheld camera with its close up shots and quick zooms. It puts the viewer right into the action. Long shots of Texas landscapes and empty locker rooms establishes the setting. Besides being beautifully shot they help to create the environment that the characters inhabit. Closes up shots on the characters' faces as the enter the field before the big game say so much more than words ever could. The little shots of hand holding and feet touching also are just little things that reveal so much of the characters' relationships.
7. The fact that I cried during every episode
 Every episode. Some more than others. I  happy sobbed when Riggins' dad showed up to his game for the first time, during the cuter moments that take place in the Taylor family, and when Matt's dad came home from Iraq. I sad cried during Jason's injury and some of the numerous breakups. Rarely have I had such emotion evoked by any TV show.
6. Coach Taylor's speeches
Clear eyes, full hearts, can't loose. Such a beautiful sentiment, it gets me every time. Plus every pregame speech Coach Taylor inspires his team not only confidence to go into battle, but deeper themes about ways the players can make themselves better people. You can tell this guy really cares about his players. He demands respect and a definite level of quality from his players. Dillon Panthers are the best period.
5. Bigger themes 
FNL like I've said before is not about football. There have been episodes on race, class, family, bipolar disorder, steroid use, and paralysis. Each episode is better than the last and brings about great moments for discussion. The idea of the family as developed in the show is one of the most important themes. I love the multiple ideas of family represented from the Taylors who seem to represent the ideal and the numerous unconventional family structures. And the family made up of the team and the separate families created with the groups of friends.
4. Jason Street
When Jason got hurt in the first episode I thought he was done for. I love how they have let him stick around for the entire season. I really love the development of his character from the hot shot quarterback to a man of real substance. And his relationship with Lyla, no matter how flawed, grows and changes in a very real way. I loved seeing him learn how to adjust to life in his wheelchair and making new friends with whom he can relate.
3. Tim Riggins 

Need I say more?
But for reals, I am a sucker for the bad boy with a heart of gold. He is so wounded and misunderstood. I love the changes his character goes through in the season and the relationships has with his father, brother, and Beau. The females in his life cause problems but I do think he has good intentions. And he and Lyla had some serious chemistry, I feel that there is still more their story.
2. Relationships between the characters 
I love the different groups and their relationships. I was extremely happy when Street and Riggins reconciled near the end of the season because their friendship I feel is so important to the show. I'm always a fan of the bromance (hence my love of war films...but I digress) and I love the relationship of the team and how they grow as a unit throughout the course of the season.
1. The Taylor Family
I want to be a part of the Taylor family. The relationship between the mother and father is one of the sweetest I've seen. I love the power of the mother and the deference of father, they balance each other perfectly. The mother/daughter and father/daughter relationship are also so cute and pure. I love how they talk about things to work out problems and they seem to genuinely care about one another. Very TV but at the same time very real. And I hate that I keep saying real but for me that's what FNL is, a representation of real life.
And I can't wait for season 2!

Can Glee Recover from their "Thriller"?

Don't get me wrong-I'm a huge Gleek. But for some reason, season 2 has been rubbing me the wrong way. I think its because season 1 was Glee's "Thriller" (or St. Pepper, or whatever). Nothing can top it. It was such a surprise and such a success that no one knew what to do with themselves. Hence, we have found ourselves in shaking territory. The question is: how do you top "Thriller"? The answer: you don't. (Or MJ couldn't-RIP, the Beatles however are a different story...)
So here (in no particular order) are my problems with season 2:
1. Too much Shue.
I love Mathew Morrison. Love him. But this season Mr. Shue is getting on my nerves. His whining about "finding himself" and trying to be cool is obnoxious. Stop taking off your shirt (which I actually don't mind that much) and actually do something to help these kids. Also, if you need to stop singing. I know glee club was cool when you did it in high school blah blah blah, but really, its time to stop. You are an adult. It is not appropriate when you dance with your kids.
2. Too Many Guest Stars, Not Enough Time
There are so many people in the cast of Glee already that we hardly know about (Mike Chang anyone?) Then they add the guest stars. This years list has been quite impressive so far and I'm really loving the selection but I feel that there are just sooooo many. Where has John Stamos been? And is Gwyneth Paltrow now going to be another reoccurring (but actually only sometimes occurring) guest star? And they're going to throw Katie Holmes somewhere into this mix? Not to mention the rumors that all of last years guest stars will be returning? Geez, that's a lot of people for a show that only lasts 40 minutes (don't even get me started on commercials)
However, let me say on a random postive tangent how much I love Darren Criss. He along with Chris Colfer has saved the 2nd season for me. And this is not just a Glee crush. I'm a huge Criss fan, I've followed his youtube career and loved him before it was cool. He will always be Harry Freaking Potter to me. (If you don't get that reference please head to this link and watch "A Very Potter Musical" (yes you heard or read me right) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmwM_AKeMCk. But he is great and so was "Teenage Dream" so for that I do tip my (imaginary) hat to Glee.
But back to complaining...
3. One Dimentional Characters
Yes, I know this is a TV show. But I would like some growth. I feel like week after week the glee clubbers learn the same message of acceptance and team work. I want more. I would like to see more growth especially in Rachel (who is weirdly invisible this season and then when shown utterly annoying) and Mercedes who we never get to know much about. This episode especially ("The Substitute") was annoying because it morphed her usual girl power-ey self into a mope complaining about fried potatoes. Not to mention there are still people like Tina, Mike Chang, Sam, Brittany, and Santana who we know little to nothing about. I just like the main cast so much I want to get to know them all as I know say Kurt or Finn.
4. What do they feed those McKinley kids?
Just putting it out there that yes, this is a show but the characters all pick up the songs/dances miraculously fast. And they never practice the songs they are going to do for nationals. Ever. I would just like to see them struggle once and a while. And actually practice/ pretend for a moment that they are a real glee club. I think (as a non-music person) it would be cool to see how a piece is worked on and the different parts/harmonies/etc that go into making it sound so amazing. One episode is all I ask for.
But enough complaining. The show is what it is and I will watch regardless because its still good and the music is still superb. And it has been improving steadily. So I will wait. And while I don't think it can ever reach first season status, maybe one day it will return to the former place of love it once held in my heart.