December, 2010
December 4th, 2010, 4:36 p.m. - It only took me two minutes to tell Stephen Asprinio to shut up. How long did it take you?
The Amazing Race - "I Hate Chinese Food": When the season started, I was sure Thomas would turn out to be the most annoying racer. Who knew it would be Nick? What a freaking nightmare he is. Vicki should punt him as soon as they're out of the race. And if they win...there will be blood. Rating: 3 fake pieces of sushi
Glee - "Special Education": I had so many problems with this episode, I don't even know where to start. With the Vegas wedding? The freaking tie? The ridiculous dialogue between Finn and Rachel ("What you did was really mean")? The bizarre sectional song choices? I mean, why "Valerie," of the millions of songs in the world to choose from? I was going to give the episode a 2, but the performance of "Dog Days Are Over" earned a whole extra point from me. I think that's my favorite performance from the whole series. Rating: 3 magic combs
Survivor - "You Started, You're Finishing": Why did it take people quitting to make this season interesting? At least we're rid of NaOnka. And who knew Holly would turn out to be kind of awesome? Rating: 3 giant chairs
America's Next Top Model - "Roberto Cavalli": Wow, what a shocker. The only thing more surprising than the outcome of the season is how unsurprising it was. Rating: 3 mascara wands
Top Chef All-Stars - "History Never Repeats": I'm usually wary of all-star seasons (more on this when the next season of The Amazing Race starts), but I'm pretty pleased with this cast. Except for Spike, Mike, Stephen, and Marcel, of course. Jamie was one of the few people I thought wasn't really worthy of being an all-star, and then she went and almost won the first elimination challenge, which is a really good sign. Rating: 4 hidden scallops
Grey's Anatomy - "Adrift and at Peace": I always like when we get to see different pairs or groups of characters together, like we did this week with Callie and Alex, Derek and Cristina, and Meredith and Owen. Also, yay, Mark and Lexie are back together! How can I not like an episode with that? Rating: 4 giant trout
The Office - "China": The Pam/Dwight battle was great, as was Oscar being taken down a notch (not that I thought he needed to be; it was just funny). Let's hope the episodes earlier this season were flukes and the rest of the season will be like the most recent couple of episodes. Rating: 4 $8 muffins
December 5th, 2010, 12:10 a.m. - But...what happened to the question mark?
34. How Did You Get This Number (Sloane Crosley)
Up next: Matched (Ally Condie)
December 6th, 2010, 6:06 p.m. - I may not be 100 percent happy with the final three, but I'm at least satisfied
December 11th, 2010, 12:54 p.m. - Merry Christmas, Scranton Strangler!
The Amazing Race - "I'm Surrounded By Ninjas": Yay, Nick is gone! As I said in my recap, I'm not 100 percent happy with all of the final three teams (Jill and Thomas still bug me), but they've all earned those spots, and I'm satisfied. I would love to see either Nat and Kat or Brook and Claire win (especially Nat and Kat); I think that with all the hype about there being two all-woman teams in the finals, it could finally happen. Rating: 4 boards broken by awesome soldiers doing BACKFLIPS
Desperate Housewives - "Pleasant Little Kingdom": That's Paul's big scheme? A halfway house? There has to be something else. Something murderous. Otherwise he's the most disappointing villain of any season. Rating: 3 people Gaby has gotten in trouble with the government
How I Met Your Mother - "The Mermaid Theory": Meh. Why is Zoey still around? Why is the Captain here? So many questions, so much more boredom than answers. Rating: 3 ice cream cones Barney saved (sort of)
Glee - "A Very Glee Christmas": Also meh. I didn't like any of the songs, except "Baby, It's Cold Outside." I don't give a crap about Finn and Rachel. However, the Brittany stuff was great, if a little cheesy; Coach Beiste continues to be awesome; and the scene with everyone visiting the very tan Santa was a lot of fun. And I loved Brittany buying a dollhouse for a homeless girl so her dolls wouldn't be homeless. A few hits, but more misses. Rating: 3 reindog costumes
Survivor - "Not Sure Where I Stand": Is the season over yet? Rating: 3 multi-step challenges, because apparently the producers are getting as bored as I am
Modern Family - "Dance Dance Revelation": I just started watching this show a few weeks ago; I started with season 1 and am working my way through the DVDs. It's quickly become one of my favorite shows, but this episode didn't do much for me. The Claire/Gloria stuff felt bland to me. I did like Cam's song, though. (But who didn't?) Rating: 3 teal pocket squares
Top Chef All-Stars - "Night At the Museum": This is already in contention for the best season ever, after just two episodes. Who would have ever expected Jen to have a meltdown or for Tiffani to actually be likable? She must have really hated how she came off in her first season and has made a complete change. I mean, she actually said, "Save the crankiness for real life, because this is tons of fun." Tiffani! Said that! I KNOW! Rating: 4 delicious-looking treats Tiffani made
The Office - "Classy Christmas": I was kind of dreading this episode, since I usually don't like The Office's Christmas episodes (I just rewatched "Moroccan Christmas" the other day and was bored out of my mind), so I was hugely surprised that I loved this one. I was looking forward to Amy Ryan's return, and that actually wound up being the least entertaining part of the episode. I don't even know which part was my favorite. Pam being awesome with Darryl and his daughter? Oscar realizing that Robert's gay? Jim's slow descent into madness at the hands of Dwight? Erin exclaiming that she doesn't get the big deal about Holly? Pam's completely wonderful comic book? Best episode of the season, even though that's not saying much. Rating: 5 Hello Kitty laptop covers
December 12th, 2010, 10:52 p.m. - Best win in a long time!
"Everything's Coming Up Roses"
December 15th, 2010, 10:29 p.m. - Raise your hopeful voice / You have a choice...
35. Matched (Ally Condie)
Up next: Mr. Peanut (Adam Ross)
December 16th, 2010, 8:41 p.m. - 17 years in the making...
The Amazing Race - "Hi. I'm Sorry. I'm in a Race": Yay! I've always liked Nat and Kat, so I was very happy to see them win. They were just so...calm. They raced consistently well and always communicated with each other. Like I said in my recap, they had that right combination of brains and brawns that Phil always says will win the race. A lot of people were disappointed by this season, but I thought it was pretty good. The ending made it even better. Rating: 4 watermelons, because we got to see that scene again, and it will always be a classic
Desperate Housewives - "Down the Block There's a Riot": I don't get it. Are there actually whole neighborhoods willing to beat people up on demand? This show is so weird sometimes. Case in point: I'm rooting for a character played by someone who used to be on 90210. What is wrong with me? Rating: 3 tomatoes
How I Met Your Mother - "False Positive": I liked the narrative tricks, but not the content. At least not until the end, when Ted yelled at everyone. That was fun. Rating: 3 gingerbread houses
Survivor - "This Is Going to Hurt": The only way this season could redeem itself is if Jane gives a snakes-and-rats speech on Sunday. I'm not holding my breath. Rating: 3 extinguished fires
Top Chef All-Stars - "New York's Finest": The Quickfire was great; I'm amazed at how this show continues to come up with good challenges after so many seasons. I've always liked Antonia (even though I can't quite put my finger on why), so I was happy to see her place in the top four in the elimination challenge. Tre, too - I think I like him more this season than I did in his original season. Also, Stephen's gone! I just wish Dale L. hadn't had to go with him. It should've been Fabio. Rating: 4 frozen melons
December 19th, 2010, 9:57 p.m. - If recappers had elves, that would be me
December 24th, 2010, 2:27 p.m. - Game, set, match
Survivor - "What About Me?": Ha, I named my part of the finale recap "What About Me?" without even realizing that was the official title. Anyway, I was surprised that this turned out to be one of the few interesting episodes of the season, partly because Fabio suddenly started playing the game. I guess the real dummies were those of us who thought he was the dumb one. I'm glad he won, mostly because everyone else was annoying and/or didn't do anything. Rating: 4 wobbly coin towers
Top Chef All-Stars - "Advantage Chef": Disappointing. I don't even like Spike and I thought he didn't deserve to be eliminated. Freaking Jamie. Even though she was in the top three in the first elimination challenge this season, I still can't figure out why she's here. Rating: 3 gnocchi (is Fabio capable of making anything else?)
December 25th, 2010, 11:35 p.m. - Yeah, a book about murder and bad marriages is perfect to finish on Christmas
36. Mr. Peanut (Adam Ross)
Now every time I see a movie, I'm going to be looking for a chicken.
Up next: The Nobodies Album (Carolyn Parkhurst)
December 30th, 2010, 6:49 p.m. - This is why I give authors a second chance
37. The Nobodies Album (Carolyn Parkhurst)
Up next: What the Night Knows (Dean Koontz)
And now, the year-end wrap-up:
The best: Jodi Picoult's House Rules, Lisa Lutz's The Spellmans Strike Again, Joe Hill's Heart-Shaped Box and Horns, Abby Sher's Amen, Amen, Amen, Emma Donoghue's Room, Sloane Crosley's I Was Told There'd Be Cake and How Did You Get This Number, Carolyn Parkhurst's The Nobodies Album
The worst: Brady Udall's The Lonely Polygamist
Book that Entertainment Weekly named one of the ten best that I disagreed with the most: Brady Udall's The Lonely Polygamist (number one on the list, people. NUMBER ONE. THEY THOUGHT IT WAS BETTER THAN ROOM)
Best returns to form: Jodi Picoult's House Rules, Joshyilyn Jackson's Backseat Saints, Laura Lippman's I'd Know You Anywhere
Books that most lived up to their hype: Justin Cronin's The Passage
Books that least lived up to their hype: Tom Rachman's The Imperfectionists, Aimee Bender's The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, Kathryn Stockett's The Help
Book I was looking forward to that didn't disappoint: Emma Donoghue's Room
Book I was looking forward to that really disappointed: Brady Udall's The Lonely Polygamist
Good book, good title: Elna Baker's The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance, Sloane Crosley's I Was Told There'd Be Cake
Good book, bad title: Robyn Okrant's Living Oprah
Bad book, good title: Brady Udall's The Lonely Polygamist
Bad book, bad title: Actually, The Lonely Polygamist was the only book I read this year that I was really disappointed by, so I'll have to leave this one blank.
Books I'm most looking forward to in 2011: Jodi Picoult's Sing You Home, Ally Condie's Crossed, Megan McCafferty's Bumped, whatever Karin Slaughter has coming
Instead of just listing the books I read this year, like I usually do, I'm going to state what I learned from them. I'm planning to keep this up (and the things I've learned should be more interesting in the future, since I can keep a running record):
The question mark would have made it even better.
I hate to compare this to the Hunger Games books, because that seems too easy, but there are similarities: a dystopian society, a war, a love triangle, and a strong, rebellious protagonist. A great addition to the world of dystopian lit, which I love for some reason I don't understand.
To all those who wrote complaining reviews on Amazon: Read the book again. Pay attention this time.
I really liked Parkhurst's first book, The Dogs of Babel, but hated her second, Lost and Found. I've had good experiences with reading an author even after reading one of his/her books that I haven't liked, so I gave Parkhurst another shot, and I'm glad I did. I'm especially glad I read this during a week off from work so I had the time to savor it.