November, 2011
November 3rd, 2011, 6:08 p.m. - I subbed for Survivor, and it was awesome
November 4th, 2011, 11:24 p.m. - Stick to novels, Joe
28. 20th Century Ghosts (Joe Hill)
Up next: The Rules of the Tunnel (Ned Zeman)
November 5th, 2011, 12:53 p.m. - "I have hepatitis C" "She got it from me"
The Amazing Race - "We Love Your Country Already; It Is Very Spacious": Not that I'm complaining, really, since I like Amani and Marcus, but are we done with the non-elimination legs? They're taking all the drama out of the season. Well, that and the fact that...there's really been no drama. Except for Laurence's sexist comments. Shut up, Laurence. Rating: 3 beds
Homeland - "Blind Spot": This is my favorite episode so far. I definitely don't trust Saul. Heck, I don't trust anyone on this show. Not even Brody and Jessica's son. I mean, you never know. Rating: 5 crayons
How I Met Your Mother - "Perfect on Paper": This season is certainly about revisiting the past, huh? Katie Holmes was an interesting casting choice. She wasn't bad, actually. Lily with pregnancy brain was brilliant, but I worry that they'll overplay that. Same with Barney being Canadian. No, wait, they can't overplay that. Awesome. Rating: 4 staplers
House - "Risky Business": I liked this episode more than I thought I would. I loved Park cheering for herself when she came to House after her hearing and told him how much he owed her in yuan. Can we see more of that Park? Rating: 3 burgers House tried to steal
Glee - "Pot O' Gold": What a dull episode. I don't even want to waste any more energy talking about it. Rating: 3 marshmallow-less boxes of Lucky Charms
Ringer - "Oh Gawd, There's Two of Them?": I love all the twists. The show has just become more and more interesting as it's gone on. Rating: 4 uncleaned-up spots of blood
Survivor - "Free Agent": I'm so happy I got to sub for this episode. It's always fun to see someone who thinks he's so brilliant make dumb moves. Good luck redeeming yourself, Cochran. Rating: 5 coconuts balanced on ropes
America's Next Top Model - "Game": This was clearly the best episode ever. I don't even know where to begin. I mean, Game is in love with Allison, Lisa can rap, Laura is Taylor Swift, Alexandria was like a Real Housewife, and, you know, everyone had to sing. Badly. What's not to like? Rating: 5 supposed Internet celebrity appearances
Modern Family - "Treehouse": I was bored by pretty much everything except Cam and Mitchell's plot, which was awesome. Nice use of Leslie Mann. Rating: 3 daughters ditched in the middle of nowhere
Top Chef - "Everything's Bigger in Texas": I liked the way they did this episode. 29 chefs is a lot of people to get to know quickly, and this was a great way to do it. Plus, there was drama immediately, as well as a way to let the chefs know that every challenge matters. In a regular season of a reality show, there are always a few people we don't get to see until a few episodes in. By doing the introductions this way, everyone gets at least a little screen time. Rating: 4 tenderloins
The Big Bang Theory - "The Isolation Permutation": I've been watching so many episodes that it was a little hard to remember which was the new one. Then I remembered Mayim Bialik's drunken delivery of "little Leonard," which was the most awesome thing I saw this week, and it all came back. Hee. Hee hee hee. Rating: 3 bridesmaid dresses
Grey's Anatomy - "Heart-Shaped Box": Dear show, please don't kill Henry! I was just starting to like him! Rating: 4 times I yelled for Lexie and Mark to get back together already
The Office - "Doomsday": Eh. Though I did enjoy Kelly and Erin screaming incoherently at Dwight. Rating 3 checks Semisonic was probably really surprised to get
November 7th, 2011, 8:53 a.m. - Tone it down, Cindy
"Won't Somebody Please Think of the Children?"
November 10th, 2011, 10:41 p.m. - The subtitle should actually be "Your Brief Period of Madness"
29. The Rules of the Tunnel (Ned Zeman)
Up next: 11/22/63 (Stephen King)
November 12th, 2011, 7:56 p.m. - "Come back here so I can love you!"
The Amazing Race - "Move[,] Goat": I'm officially Team Marcus and Amani. Which means they'll probably be eliminated next. Rating: 4 forgotten clues
Homeland - "The Good Soldier": I knew Saul couldn't be trusted. Interesting that the lie-detector tech thought he was just stressed when his test spiked after he was asked about passing the blade. By the way, I have a friend who lived in Riyadh the same time as Aileen, and is, in fact, her exact age. Should I be concerned? Rating: 4 safehouses rigged to explode
How I Met Your Mother - "Disaster Averted": Sucks to be Nora and Kevin. I like both of them. But I also like Robin and Barney together, so I'm torn. In much better news, an extra slap! Awesome! Rating: 4 fake phone calls from Robin's father
House - "The Confession": Duuuuuuuuuuuull. And disappointing, since I was looking forward to Chase and Taub coming back. I think I'd forgotten how much they ruined Taub last season. Rating: 3 shredded paternity-test results
Glee - "The First Time": I thought this was pretty dull, too, though most people seemed to like it. Probably because I don't care even a little bit about Rachel and Finn. I would have rather watched them all do West Side Story the whole hour. Rating: 3 non-vegan meat dishes
Ringer - "Maybe We Can Get a Dog Instead?": I love, love, love that Tyler, who was almost a throwaway character and who hasn't been on in weeks, became so important. That's some good writing there. Rating: 4 notes revealing wires
Survivor - "Cut Throat": I want Ozzy taken down so badly. I've never gotten his appeal. Why did they bring him back? Were they just trying to emphasize the whole "redemption" thing? Because he screwed up the last time he played, but he doesn't need redemption. I hate how no one on this show knows what that word means. Rating: 3 mouthfuls of coconut water
America's Next Top Model - "Nikos Papadopoulos": This was definitely the best episode of a TV show to ever incorporate a giant Greek salad. And trust me, I've seen a lot of them. Rating: 4 blocks of feta
Top Chef - "The Heat Is On": Man, I liked Janine and Chaz. That's the only problem with this set-up - so many interesting people got cut so quickly. And unlike on other reality shows, they don't get a shot at redemption. Rating: 4 empty bowls that were supposed to hold risotto
The Big Bang Theory - "The Ornithophobia Diffusion": Loved Sheldon this week. This is why Jim Parsons has an Emmy. Rating: 4 pictures of cats
Grey's Anatomy - "Dark Was the Night": Darn you, show! I never should have given you the benefit of the doubt that you might not kill Henry! Here's how you can make it up to me: Have Janet call and tell Meredith and Derek that they get Zola back after all. Also, more Ben. Rating: 5 screws
The Office - "Pam's Replacement": Other than the music stuff, which went on too long, this was a good episode. Dwight and Pam teaming up is always fun. Rating: 4 toothbrushes
November 13th, 2011, 9:57 p.m. - Bunnies! Bunnies! It must be...well, you know
November 20th, 2011, 5:12 p.m. - "You have your fans and I have mine. Someday your fans will work for my fans"
The Amazing Race - "Super Shady": Yeah, not sorry to see Laurence go. He was annoying. This was a fun episode, though; I loved seeing the non-dancing team members chat at the Roadblock. It's little moments like that that let us see what these people are really like. Rating: 4 bunnies
Homeland - "The Weekend": Remind me to play poker with Carrie. She might keep a poker face, but in the end, she wouldn't be able to stop herself from telling me what cards she was holding. Rating: 4 boxes of tea Carrie doesn't have
How I Met Your Mother - "Tick Tick Tick": As I told a friend, I only laughed once during this episode, when Kevin told Ted he was sitting in the wrong booth. The rest was boring and bad and...bleh. Rating: 2 nachos
House - "Parents": Taub having two kids with the same name is kind of brilliant. I wish House had just focused on that instead of trying to get under Adams' skin. Rating: 3 balloon animals
Glee - "Mash-Off": I've never really cared for Finn, or at least never had a strong opinion on him, but now I can say with certainty that I very strongly dislike him. And he kind of deserved to be smacked in the face. Speaking of which, who do I talk to about getting Naya Rivera an Emmy? Rating: 4 dodgeballs
Ringer - "Shut Up and Eat Your Bologna": I'm impressed that this show has been consistently good all season. There have been so many good twists that I don't feel like any episode has dragged or had too much filler. I find myself genuinely wanting to know what happens next. Rating: 4 bottles of mouthwash
Survivor - "Running the Show": I'm kind of rooting for Sophie, if only because I don't really care about anyone else left. And I'm willing to root for anyone who brings down Ozzy. Shut up, Ozzy. Rating: 3 bowls of rice
America's Next Top Model - "Exploring Greece": Yep, Dominique getting cut here seems about right. She was barely shown in the first part of the season, and she doesn't have the strong personality the other girls have. (She did in her original cycle, but she's matured so much that she just doesn't stand out anymore.) Anyway, Team Laura! Or Team Allison! Rating: 3 javelins
Modern Family - "After the Fire": Told you Alex was the best character on the show. Rating: 4 remote-controlled helicopters
Top Chef - "Quinceanera": After a great first two weeks, this was kind of a letdown. Though this early in the season, it's hard enough just keeping everyone's name straight. Rating: 3 store-bought tortillas
The Big Bang Theory - "The Flaming Spittoon Acquisition": I know it doesn't really need to be said, but Sheldon and Amy are hilarious together. Rating: 4 cowboy hats
The Office - "Gettysburg": It felt like this episode was going somewhere and...never got there. Maybe it would've been better if everyone had gone to Gettysburg? Rating: 3 cookies
Degrassi - "Nowhere to Run": Half cheesy and half entertaining. Marisol cracked me up, as did someone suggesting that the killer wanted a virgin and Bianca yelling, "Clare, Katie, sacrifice yourselves!" Rating: 3 buried rings
10:53 p.m. - I WANT TO GO TO LEGOLAND
November 23rd, 2011, 11:07 p.m. - I recapped a recap
"'The Most Powerful Man in the Game'"
November 25th, 2011, 5:05 p.m. - "Knock, knock. Who's there? Physics"
The Amazing Race - "It's Speedo Time": Who thought doing bodybuilding poses was so difficult? This was a fun leg, despite the random trip to Germany where nothing happened. It just goes to show that the racers always need to be on their toes, as they discovered at the end of the leg. Rating: 5 Lego pieces
Homeland - "Achilles Heel": I knew Brody couldn't be a completely good guy! It just didn't fit. Major points to the writers for creating an Anthony Weiner-like scandal involving someone named Richard (Dick?) Johnson. Jessica and Brody laughing over it in the limo was one of the highlights of the episode. Rating: 4 innocent bystanders
How I Met Your Mother - "The Rebound Girl": I can't be the only person who shouted out, "Oh, COME ON!" when Robin announced that she's pregnant. This seems like a bad idea. A very bad idea. Rating: 3 lamps
House - "Dead & Buried": The actress playing the patient of the week was amazing. Someone put that girl in a movie. No, a bunch of movies. She's awesome. I actually liked both the A and B plots this week, and was impressed by the acting from all the guest stars. Rating: 4 manicures
Modern Family - "Punkin Chunkin": Right before the final scene, I thought, "If they just hit the car with a pumpkin, it would solve everything." Two minutes later... Rating: 3 Head Scratchers (TM)
Top Chef - "Red Hot Chili Cook Off": I like the twist at the end, letting the bottom three chefs try to salvage their chili. It made sense for a challenge where it would be hard to determine who was at fault for the dish. Beverly needs to chill out, though. I won't be able to take a full season of her crying. Rating: 4 peppers
November 26th, 2011, 10:44 p.m. - It only took me 16 days to read this? That's pretty awesome
30. 11/22/63 (Stephen King)
King also says in the afterword that his son, Joe Hill, came up with the book's ending. I'm curious to know what the original ending was (or if he added the ending after what seemed like a suitable stopping point). I'll admit that I was saddened by the ending, not because of how the plot turned out, exactly, but because of what it meant for the characters. As I've said before, King writes wonderful characters, and I really connected with them.
Up next: The Tiger's Wife (Tea Obreht)
November 27th, 2011, 10:53 p.m. - Seriously, now I want waffles
I wanted something scary for Halloween. I didn't get it.
It took a little while to get used to reading a book in the second person, but once I did, I devoured it. As evidenced by the fact that I read 200 pages of it in two days.
Everything I've said before about King's characters and storytelling apply here. 11/22/63 doesn't pass its 840+ pages as smoothly as Under the Dome (which was even longer) did, but there was really only one section that dragged, and it was necessary to the plot. I'm impressed by King's research and attention to detail. He says in the afterword that he originally started writing this in 1972, but I think modern technology and research methods were necessary to really make this work.