Top 5 Heartwarming HIMYM Moments

How I Met Your Mother is quite good at giving it’s fans amazingly happy, and emotional moments that make us feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and the last two episodes of season 9 were definitely not disappointing in this area.

In episode 20, which aired on March 10, Marshall learned of Lily’s second pregnancy, and quickly becomes frantic about the idea of everything they need to do before the baby is born — including researching schools in Italy. When Lily protests that they aren’t going to Italy, Marshall tells her otherwise in a typically “Aweee” fashion.

“Of course we are. Lily, we have to do this. You’re gonna live in Rome, and you’re gonna get your dream, because you’re giving me mine — again.”

At the end of the episode, we were offered a glimpse of Ted and the mother’s first date — and first kiss — and it made (most of) us so, so happy. It also got me thinking about all of the other HIMYM moments that put joy in my heart, and a big grin on my face. So I figured, with the end of the series fast approaching, what better way to commemorate one of my favourite shows than with a blog post.

So, here it is — my top 5 heartwarming HIMYM moments.

5. Mickey Comes Through — “Tailgate,” season 7, episode 13

Let’s be honest. Lily’s father, Mickey, is no one’s favourite character. And those feelings of dislike temporarily reached a peak when Lily reluctantly called Mickey to tell him she was pregnant, and his only response was a nonchalant “That’s great,” before he hangs up.

What we don’t know until the end of the episode is that, as soon as he heard the news, Mickey drove all the way to New York from a board game convention in Chicago to be with his daughter. He arrives at her doorstep, holding a giant teddy bear, and is rewarded by a hug from a teary-eyed Lily, and the regained respect of us — the audience.

(SIDE NOTE: This episode was also heart-warming because of the scenes featuring Marshall “tailgating” at his father’s grave, but since I’ve included another Marvin moment in my list, Mickey gets the #5 spot.)

Image obtained from fanpop.com

4. Barney Goes to San Francisco — “Bachelor Party,” season 2, episode 19

We all know that Barney has a particular fondness for strippers, and he definitely believes that no bachelor party is complete without one. So, despite Marshall’s insistence that he doesn’t want a stripper at his bachelor party, Barney hires one anyways. The stripper breaks her ankle in the guys’ hotel room, and they are all eventually kicked out after Barney’s lit cigar starts a fire. Essentially, Barney’s stripper ruined the awesome bachelor party that was carefully planned by best man Ted.

After Lily’s bridal shower, her and Robin head to the bar, where they are surprised to run into Ted and Marshall. After telling them about the bachelor party fiasco, Marshall says that he is so upset with Barney that he is considering not even inviting him to the wedding. Lily won’t stand for this, and tells a story that reveals to us that she and Marshall may not even be having a wedding if it weren’t for Barney.

Barney, being unable to continue seeing Marshall so depressed over losing Lily, flew to San Francisco. There, he told Lily that she should come back to New York, because she and Marshall are meant to be together. And, because we all know Barney is sweet in his own special way, he also tells Lily that he can’t keep stealing girls from Marshall forever.

Marshall is so happy to discover how much Barney cares about him and Lily, he makes Barney his co-best man.

Image obtained from tvguide.com

3. Barney Brings Canada to Robin — “The Rehearsal Dinner,” season 9, episode 12

I chose this moment as my third favourite, partly because it was just so adorable, and partly because, like Robin, I am just so proud to be Canadian. (My birthday is on July 1, after all.)

During the episode, it’s revealed to us that, although Robin hoped to get married in Canada, she compromised, and agreed to get married in New York instead. She tells Barney that, because she made this compromise, he must agree to have a “normal” rehearsal dinner. He agrees, but he has a trick up his sleeve.

For most of the episode, Barney plays it like he thinks Robin is going to surprise him with an awesome laser tag rehearsal dinner, but it’s actually him that has a surprise planned. He even makes an excuse to go to the laser tag arena, and Robin follows him there (where he has ended up in the security office.)

Barney tells Robin that he can’t promise he will never lie to her, if lying means preventing her from finding out about a surprise. On cue, snow begins to fall in the office. With the press of a button, the walls of the “office” raise to reveal an ice rink full of family, and friends, and decorated with red and white balloons, and streamers. Barney presents Robin with a signed picture of Wayne Gretzky as a wedding gift, and Ted falls on his face during an attempt to skate. It’s a winning combo in more ways than one.

GIF obtained from rebloggy.com

2. “Symphony of Illumination” — season 7, episode 12

Robin and Ted have numerous heartwarming moments, but this one beats them all, because it focused on their friendship, and not a romance between them.

During this episode — which opens with Robin telling her kids how she met their father — my heart absolutely broke for Robin. Her period is a week late, and she assumes that she is pregnant (with Barney’s baby). She makes a doctors appointment to find out, and she and Barney are both relieved when the results are negative. Robin celebrates this fact, until she receives more news from her doctor — she us unable to have children. Ever.

Rather than tell her friends the news, Robin says she is disappointed because she has just found out she didn’t make the Canadian pole-vaulting team.

The gang notices Robin acting strangely, and when Ted presses her to tell him why, Robin snaps at him, telling him he shouldn’t feel responsible for cheering her up. Robin takes a walk in Central Park, and it is revealed that the kids she spoke to in the beginning of the episode never existed.

When Robin returns to her and Ted’s apartment, Robin discovers a very elaborate, very bright, and very AC/DC Christmas light display, which Ted has lovingly constructed. Ted tells her that she doesn’t have to tell him why she’s upset, but that he will never stop trying to cheer her up. Robin breaks down into tears, and the two friends hug.

Future Ted tells his kids that, although Robin never had children, she became a famous journalist, traveled the world, and even had a stint as a bullfighter. But there was one thing Ted said Robin never was …

Gif obtained from wewatchfortheplot.wordpress.com

1. ‘I Love You Son’ — “Last Words,” season 6, episode 14

Marshall’s relationship with his dad, Marvin, was repeatedly a source of many chuckles throughout the series. Even “Bad News,” the episode in which Marvin dies, was humorous until near the end. This only served to make the news of Marvin’s death — and Marshall’s heartbreaking reaction to it — even more devastating. Thus far, that episode is the single saddest of the series. And, for the first while, it seemed like “Last Words” was heading in the same direction.

The episode takes place at Marvin’s funeral, in Marshall’s hometown of St. Cloud, Minnesota. Marshall’s high school bully, Trey, who is leading the service, tells Marshall and his family that Marvin’s last words to them should be a theme during the service.

Marshall’s mother and brothers discuss Marvin’s last words to them, and each story is more touching than the last. Marshall is hesitant to share the last conversation he had with his father, which was rather trivial, and neither touching, nor inspirational.

When Marshall charges his cellphone for the first time since before Marvin’s death, he discovers a voicemail from his father. Marshall initially decides not to listen to the message, but during the service, he heads outside to check it.

At first, the message is only static and scratching — the sounds of a pocket dial. Marshall is outraged, and begins a heartbreaking speech to his friends about how his father meant so much to him, and how unfair it is that Marvin’s last words to him were nothing but a pocket dial.Suddenly, Marvin’s voice begins speaking through the phone. He apologizes for the pocket dial, and tells Marshall that he loves him, and goodbye. (This is followed by Marvin asking Marshall for his foot cream, but the gang decides to ignore that — Marvin’s last words to Marshall were “I love you, son.”)

Image obtained from couchtimewithjill.com

So, that’s my list. What about you guys? What are your favourite HIMYM moments? Let me know in the comments!

True Detective Season Finale — Perfect Imperfection

Sunday night brought with it the season finale of what quickly became one of my most looked-forward to shows on television — True Detective. Since the first episode, which had Rustin “Rust” Cohle (Matthew McConaughey) and Martin “Marty” Hart (Woody Harrelson) discovering a horrifying, ritualistic crime scene, I was hooked. I’ll admit, I was kind of skeptical upon learning that the season would consist of only eight episodes — How can they possibly tie it all up in just eight hours?! After watching Sunday’s finale — “Form and Void” — I came to a realization.

**WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS**

The finale wasn’t perfectly tied up, and it didn’t end in a totally satisfactory way. But this isn’t any fault of the writers. In fact, I believe it was intentional. The perfectly imperfect ending was, in my opinion, the only way to end a show like True Detective, which spent so much time focusing on the imperfections, flaws, and downright fucked-up nature of mankind.

Let me explain.

The two main characters in True Detective were far from loveable. They weren’t even likeable a lot of the time. But that didn’t stop us from rooting for them, or occasionally sympathizing with them. They had their issues, (man, did they ever), their vices, their weaknesses, and their bad moments. In short, they were real. And it was refreshing. They weren’t superheroes, and this was a welcome change from the morally unshakable protagonists that are so common in TV, particularly in detective mysteries.

That’s why, despite some less-than-favourable reviews, I’m standing firm in my belief that True Detective‘s send-off was entertaining, suspenseful, satisfactory, and, most important, appropriate.

The main victory for Rust and Marty was that the duo, after 17 years, finally managed to nab their Spaghetti Monster — the lawnmower man, Errol Childress A.K.A The Yellow King — and what a monster he was.

To say Childress is the perfect villain is an understatement, and he can’t be defined as merely “the killer”. Some would say his defining characteristic was his redneck lifestyle, and that’s partly true (I mean, he “makes flowers” on his half-sister, which is absolutely as disgusting as it sounds — see ‘Exhibit A’ below).

Image obtained from ign.com

And some, still, would define Childress by his absolute brokenness. It makes perfect sense that he ended up that way, given the abuse he endured throughout his entire childhood, which is likely how he received his scars. But Childress is more than a tortured child turned sadistic murderer, too.

What I think made Childress so terrifying was that he didn’t even seem to understand himself. He had multiple roles — polite, and dutiful maintenance man at the schools, lover (yuck), and breadwinner during his messed up home life, abused child in a man’s body, serial killer, cult-leader… the list goes on. But, during our glimpses of Childress in his home, we see him trying on several different fictional roles, and moving from voice-to-voice, and accent-to-accent, with no apparent effort involved.

If the stacks of books piled haphazardly around the house are any clue, Childress makes a habit of escaping into other worlds, and other personalities. Maybe this is by choice — a method of escaping from his less-than-ideal life. Or, maybe, Childress is just plain schizophrenic, which, admittedly, seems more likely. Either way, it’s clear that Childress is accustomed to putting on a mask. This is an attribute he clearly recognizes in Rust, as is evident by Childress’ screams he guts Rust inside Carcosa ­— his vast labyrinth, which has been the stage for multiple ritualistic murders.

By the end of the episode, we still have a lot of questions about Childress and what drove him, but one thing is irrefutable — he is a masterpiece of a monster, and, if I ever see him again, it will be too soon.

Despite the major injuries they both sustain in Carcosa, our duo manages to shoot, and kill Childress, and, after being rescued, they make a full recovery in hospital. As I’ve already mentioned, however, it was far from the perfect happy ending.

Sure, there are some “awe =] ” moments, most notably Marty apparently receiving forgiveness from Maggie and his daughters, and Marty presenting Rust with some Camel Cigarettes in a Tiffany blue gift box.

But there were also plenty of “awe =[“ moments. Despite the discovery of Childress and his atrocities, the Tuttle brothers manage to weasel their way out of any implications made against them.

There was also Rust’s break down. He describes the moment when, while in a coma, he felt the presences and immense love of his dead daughter and father, and let go with a resigned “Darkness, yeah!” (Hey man, your McConaughey is showing). Rust gave himself to the darkness, only awake alone in a cold, sterile hospital. The effect this had on Rust is evident; he repeatedly tells Marty “I’m not supposed to be here.”

The biggest “awe =]” moment, and the peak of the duo’s bromance, is also when Marty has what is his most redeeming moment — he comforts Rust and knowingly steers the conversation in a different direction. This prompts Rust’s last, and most powerful, monologue, which is a perfect analogy for premise of True Detective.

Marty reminds Rust of a time when, before he watched TV, he would look up at the stars and make up stories, which always had the same theme — light versus darkness. When Marty — once the less cynical of the two partners — looks up in the sky, he comes to the conclusion that darkness is winning.

Rust, however, disagrees.

“Once, there was only dark. If you ask me, the light is winning.”

Did you like the season finale of True Detective? Why or why not? Let me know!

Image obtained from awardsdaily.com

New GOT Season 4 Trailer

Just when I thought I couldn’t get more excited for the season 4 premiere of Game of Thrones, this trailer — titled “Secrets” — was released last night, before the True Detective season finale.

The trailer includes, amidst clips of battle scenes, and dragon fire, major themes of revenge, and justice (no surprise there). It opens with Sansa Stark talking to Tyrion Lannister about the deaths of her mother, and brother.

“I lie awake all night thinking about how they died.” 

Poor Sansa.

We are also offered a glimpse of a new character, Oberyn Martell, A.K.A The Red Viper. He makes it clear that he has vengeance on his mind during a walk with Cersei, when she asks him “What good is power if you cannot protect those you love?” His reply:

“We can avenge them.”

Across the Narrow Sea, Ser Jorah makes a cautious suggestion to Daenarys Targaryen —“Sometimes it is better to answer injustice with mercy.”

The Mother of Dragons will have none of that, however, as is made clear in her reply.

“I will answer injustice with justice.”

What did you think about the new GOT trailer? Let me know!

Image obtained from winteriscoming.net

35 More Sleeps Until GOT Returns

Yes, I’m counting the days. And, in the meantime, I’m eating up every trailer, image, or piece of news that that has even the smallest bit of relevance to the upcoming premiere of Game of Thrones season four, including these character posters. I pre-ordered season three on DVD, and had a bit of a nerdgasm over the super cool dragon shadow packaging. So yes, I am excited, to say the very least.

One thing that sets Game of Thrones apart from other popular TV series today is that it’s based on books. Not graphic novels, or comic books, but George R.R Martin’s long, descriptive, and fantastical novels. Ten years ago, most people wouldn’t have thought it would be possible to turn those novels into a television show. But here we are, and Game of Thrones is unlike anything that has existed in the TV world before. It’s filmed in numerous locations — including Ireland, Scotland, Morocco, Croatia,and Iceland — has received widespread critical acclaim, and boasts multiple awards, and nominations. It has also managed to attract a huge, and very diverse, audience, which, because the series is based on such beloved novels, is basically split up into two groups — those who have read the books, and those who haven’t.

This isn’t entirely unheard of. Dexter, The Walking Dead, and True Blood are all based on books, but the divide between GOT fans is definitely more pronounced than any of it’s predecessors. Social media is a constant war zone while GOT airs, and the word “spoiler” has gained a whole new level of evil because of this show. As someone who has read (most) of the books in A Song of Fire and Ice (I’m currently on the fifth — A Dance With Dragons), I fall into the former group of “have reads,” and this makes following the TV series even more interesting for me.

For example, even during the months between seasons, I can still (kind of) get my GOT fix when the creators announce who will be playing some pretty important characters in season four. For someone who hasn’t read the books, “The Red Viper” may not mean anything, but for those of us who have, it brings a whole new level of drama, and intrigue to the upcoming season.

Of course, this isn’t to say that Game of Thrones always holds true to the books in A Song of Fire and Ice. For instance, although I knew the infamous Red Wedding was approaching in season three, there were definitely still a few surprising moments for me. The most significant of which was the death of Robb Stark’s queen, Jeyne Westerling. In the books, Jeyne doesn’t join Rob at the wedding, and thus, her life is spared. The series, however, has Jenye become pregnant with what she believes is a boy, one that she suggests her and Robb name Ned (*sniff*, *tear*). The young queen meets a horrific end — she is brutally stabbed in her pregnant belly, which earned an audible gasp from me. Seriously. It hurt.

Another moment that comes to mind is Arya witnessing her dead brother’s beheaded corpse being paraded around on a horse, with the severed head of his direwolf — Grey Wind — sewn onto his shoulders. In the books, this is merely speculation and gossip overhead by Arya, so the audience never really knows if it happened or not. Needless to say, it was horrifying to see it brought to life in the show.

Obviously, there will be more than a couple surprises in store for the “have-reads” in season four, which will be roughly based on the second half of the third book — A Storm of Swords. And you can bet that I am eagerly waiting to discuss them with you!

Which character are you most excited to see return in season four? Are you a member of the “have-reads” or the “have-not-reads?” What were the most shocking moments of season three for you? Let me know!

Image obtained from IMDB

True Detective = Truly Delightful

If any of you haven’t started watching True Detective yet, I highly recommend that you begin immediately. Amazing writing, incredible acting (Seriously, can you ask for a better duo than Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson?), great cinematography, and the perfect music — that’s a winning combination if I’ve ever seen one.

For those of you who have yet to tune in, I will explain the premise briefly, without giving anything away. And I promise to give fair warning before I dive into a quick recap of the most recent episode — “Haunted Houses.”

Set in the deep, dirty, religious south, True Detective, which was created by Nic Pizzolatto, is a crime series that follows two Louisiana State Police homicide detectives across seventeen years, and multiple timelines, as they attempt to catch a seriously creepy serial killer. The series, which has themes of religion and morality, is dark, addicting, sexy, and sometimes funny. The first episode — which introduces Rust (McConaughey) and Marty (Harrelson), as they discover a gruesome, eerie… okay, downright f*cked up, crime scene — will have you instantly hooked. At least, it had me instantly hooked!

The show was pitched as an anthology, which means that each season will feature different characters, a different cast, and a new story line. Lately, there has been talk that the second season could feature female detectives, but considering season two hasn’t been officially confirmed yet, that may or may not be true.

**IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE LATEST EPISODE OF TRUE DETECTIVE, READ NO FURTHER!**

For those of you who are newly True Detective faithful like I am, let’s talk about episode six — “Haunted Houses.”

Just when I thought I couldn’t dislike the character of Marty more… I do. Rust is portrayed as the “crazy” one in the show, but for awhile now, I’ve said that it’s the jealous, violent, abusive Marty that is the real nutcase. (I mean, really, Marty, if you’re going to be such a douche bag, at least be smart about it. READ: Coming home and washing the set of clothes you were wearing, and only those clothes, is pretty damn stupid). Maggie (Michelle Monaghan) immediately catches on, and, considering the drama that she endured the first time she caught Marty, opts for a different route — revenge.

Can I just say that I was cheering for Maggie at this point? Marty is such an asshole. He slaps his daughter across her face as punishment for her promiscuity, yet he repeatedly cheats on his wife WITH (A) GIRL(S) WHO IS/ARE THE SAME AGE AS HIS DAUGHTER. Come on, Marty, that’s really messed up.

My feelings instantly changed when I realized that Maggie planned to seduce Rust, although I had a feeling it would happen. From the beginning of the series, we have seen a friendly, and fairly intimate relationship between Maggie and Rust. He tells her about the death of his daughter, and the demise of his marriage, and she turns to him each time that she discovers her husband is cheating. It’s also pretty clear to us, based on Rust’s chastising, yet ambiguous, words to Marty about his unfaithfulness, that Rust has more than just friendly feelings for Maggie. This was apparent to Marty, based on the whole, and I’m definitely paraphrasing here, “You-cut-my-lawn-when-I’m-not-home-again-and-I’ll-fuck-you-up,” incident. Obviously, Rust’s feelings were clear to Maggie too. She seduces Rust into what was one of the most passionless, ugly sex scenes that I’ve ever seen, knowing that it is the one thing that will really hurt Marty. And, though I really wanted her to stick it to him, it’s hard to forgive her for manipulating Rust in that way. Maybe I just root for the underdog, or maybe I’m a bleeding heart, but Rust has been my favourite character since episode one.

In this episode, we also discovered, beyond a doubt, what most of us had probably been thinking for awhile — Rust believes that Reverend Tuttle is the serial killer responsible for the deaths of Dora Lange and multiple other women, and he is determined to prove it. The fact that Rust is investigating without the permission, or even the knowledge, of his department really doesn’t matter because, as we all know, he’s not the type to follow orders, or to stay within the line.

I speculated about the whole Tuttle thing earlier, but now that he has become the “obvious” culprit, I retract my prediction. It was  revealed that Tuttle died in 2010 under mysterious circumstances, so he very well could have had something to do with the murders, but I doubt that he was the mastermind. As any mystery fan knows, the obvious answer is never the right one. As far as what the solution is, however, I’m totally stumped. I refuse to believe that Rust is the killer (as the present day detectives seem to), but I don’t have any other theories to offer up. With only two episodes left, I better start guessing.

Do any of you watch True Detective? Do you have any predictions about who the serial killer is? Any inside scoops about a possible season two? Let me know!

Image obtained from asset1.net

The Walking Dead, “Claimed” — Recap

There were so many things I loved about “Claimed” — episode 11 of this season of The Walking Dead — that I knew I had to write about it. So, where to start?

**POST CONTAINS SPOILERS**

How about that dynamic between Michonne and Carl? It had been established earlier in the season, but was taken to a whole new level this episode. Michonne manages to make Carl laugh and, if only for a second, forget the devastation that took place at the prison — and the loss of his baby sister. (We, the audience, know that Judith is alive and well with Tyreese and Carol, but poor Carl doesn’t). But, perhaps more important (if only because it was so unexpected), the always mysterious Michonne confided — yes, confided! — in Carl, divulging important details of her life before “everything happened”, including the name of her (dead) baby boy. It’s becoming quite clear to us that Michonne, who has lost a son, and Carl, who has lost a mother, have developed a relationship that, in many ways, has a mother-and-son feel. Rick acknowledges this — “He needs you,” he tells Michonne of Carl. But it’s also become obvious that Michonne needs Carl as much as he needs her. Being around Carl has the effect of humanizing the usually cool, and aloof Michonne. Come on, as far as The Walking Dead goes, it doesn’t get any more heartwarming than that.

This episode was also more suspenseful than any others have been for quite some time. Rick, who is attempting to recover (from what looks like bruised/cracked ribs? A punctured lung? I don’t know. I’m a writer, not a doctor), wakes up to what appear to be the sounds of a murder taking place on the first floor of the house that he, Carl, and Michonne are staying in. What follows is an incredibly well-written, and dramatic game of cat-and-mouse that had me biting my nails the whole time. Admittedly, these scenes did nothing to advance the plot line, but they were highly entertaining, and that makes them worth a mention. I mean, how perfect was it when Rick hid in the bathroom only to discover a guy sitting on the toilet with a look of total shock on his face?

Finally, let’s talk about Abraham. Fans of the graphic novels know Sergeant Abraham Ford quite well, and I know I wasn’t the only one who was incredibly excited to see him finally make an appearance in the show. Personally, I thought Michael Cudlitz was the perfect choice from the moment I saw Abraham, Eugene, and Rosalita in the final scene of episode 10. My boyfriend, however, was less impressed, saying that Cudlitz was “too small” to play the one-of-a-kind character. All doubts were banished in episode 11, however, when Cudlitz absolutely nailed his portrayal of Abraham during an iconic crowbar bloodbath, complete with the Sergeant’s trademark one-liners. Like in the novels, Abraham is hell-bent on delivering Eugene to Washington, so that he may “fix the whole damn world.” At the risk of ruining the show for any of you who haven’t read the novels, I think I will end at that. Have faith, if you choose to. 😉

Finally, I think we all breathed a sigh of relief when we saw Rick, Carl, and Michonne choose to venture toward the same “Sanctuary” that Tyreese, Carol, and the kids were heading to.

There are still a lot of questions left to be answered, though. What is this “Sanctuary”? Will Rick tell Tyreese what Carol did at the prison, and why she was sent away? Will Beth and Daryl find the others? Will Maggie and Glenn be reunited? With only five episodes left, who knows how many of these questions will be answered. But I, for one, can’t wait to find out!

What are your thoughts about the most recent episode of The Walking Dead? Do you have any predictions for how the season will end? Let me know in the comments!

Image obtained from thewalkingdead.com

I Feel Like I’ve Seen This Before…

I recently read this article about a KTLA entertainment reporter who made the painful mistake of mistaking actor Samuel L. Jackson for his fellow actor Laurence Fishburne in a live TV interview. Yep. Live. Embarrassing, right?

For those of you who haven’t heard or read anything about this, I will summarize. Basically, the reporter (Sam Rubin) began asking Jackson about the movie RoboCop, and then changed the topic, asking Jackson what kind of reactions he had gotten from his recent Super Bowl commercial. You might be thinking, “What’s the big deal?” Well, here’s the problem: Old Sam hasn’t done a Super Bowl commercial, but Fishburne has.

There may be some explanation for Rubin’s confusion — Jackson has done a commercial (for a credit card company, whereas Fishburne’s was for a car company), but that doesn’t excuse the reporter’s lack of research, in my opinion (and Jackson’s as well, evidently).

The actor quickly put Rubin in his place, telling him “We may be all black and famous but we don’t all look alike,” and insisting that the reporter do much more research if he was asked to interview the rest of the RoboCop cast. Thankfully, Jackson was smiling the whole time, which is good. I imagine he is a very scary man when he’s angry.

Rubin did apologize profusely for what he called “a very amateur mistake”, and though I agree that it was, that wasn’t what I was thinking as I read the article. As a former newspaper reporter and a current communications student, I should be horrified at such an unprofessional move on the part of the reporter, and I was. (I mean, come on man, one of them is Nick Fury and one is Morpheus! It’s pretty clear to me!) But the main thought going through my mind was, “I’ve seen this somewhere before!”

And it’s true. The very same mistake was made by Maggie (Ashley Jensen), one of the main characters in the British comedy TV series Extras. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it. It was written by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant (who also penned the original — and better — British version of The Office) and it is absolutely hilarious. Each episode features a different guest star, including Kate Winslet, Daniel Radcliffe, Ben Stiller and, yes, Samuel L. Jackson. The stars all play “exaggerated versions” of themselves, and interact with Maggie and Andy (Gervais), who are film extras. The character of Maggie is sweet and adorable but not too bright, and the character of Andy is egotistical and rude. Together, they manage to get into a lot of painful, awkward, but ridiculously funny situations, including Maggie innocently telling Jackson that she loved The Matrix and loved him in it. This was all in a misguided attempt to prove to an attractive black man she was seeing that she wasn’t racist but, since it’s Fishburne in The Matrix and not Jackson, this attempt failed miserably.

I really don’t do the whole thing justice, so you should check out the show or watch a clip of that scene here. Let me know what you think and thanks for reading! =]

Image obtained from comedyquotes.tv

Au Revoir, AHS: Coven

The series finale of American Horror Story: Coven aired on January 29, so I’m a little late on this one. But I really wanted to talk about it, so I’m going to!

WARNING: POST CONTAINS SPOILERS!

Image obtained from IMDB

I’ve been a fan of the series since the first season — Murder House. The second season, Asylum, was so creepy and messed up and amazing that even my boyfriend, who avoids horror movies at all costs, was hooked on it. I’ve also always loved stories and movies about magic and wizards and such (I may or may not have cried when I didn’t receive my Hogwarts acceptance letter on my eleventh birthday). So, when I heard that the third season, Coven, was going to be about a sisterhood of witches, I was instantly intrigued. I figured it would be the best season ever. The conclusion of the season, however, confirmed what I had been thinking since about midway through — Coven was entertaining, but Asylum remains the best season of American Horror Story.

The season started out with potential. The first episode was very enticing, and I wanted more right away. As time went on, though, I became unsure about what exactly the season was trying to accomplish.

Was it going to be a narrative about a young girl who is outcast from her family because of her black widow-esque tendency to kill her boyfriends with her lady parts? Was it about an evil witch Supreme who would eventually be the bloody demise of her whole coven? Was it about witch hunters? Voodoo priestesses and a zombie army? A crazy ax murderer? An immortal, sadistic, racist serial killer?

This is a classic example of too much of a good thing. While it seemed like a lot was happening in Coven because new frights and delights were introduced in almost every episode, in reality the actual story didn’t progress much at all. At some times, it was almost static. We weren’t sure which side-story was going to be the main obstacle the characters had to overcome, and we weren’t sure what the climax of the season would be until a couple episodes before the finale.

Eventually, we got there. Misty (Lily Rabe), Zoe (Taissa Farminga), Madison (Emma Roberts) and Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe) each had to complete the traditional ritual of the Seven Wonders to prove which of them was the one true supreme, and the leader of the coven.

Image obtained from smallscreenscoop.com

The Seven Wonders are as follows:

1. Telekinesis: The ability to move objects with only the mind
2. Concilium: Mind control
3. Transmutation: The ability to quickly teleport from one spot to another
4. Divination: The ability to gain insight into a question/situation, usually through ritual
5. Vitalum Vitalus: Balancing the scales of life and death (resurrection)
6. Descensum: The ability to descend into the underworld
7. Pyrokinesis: The ability to create fire with only the mind

Surprise! Not everyone survives the trial of the Seven Wonders. Poor Misty, one of the sweetest and most likeable characters, becomes stuck in hell while performing the Wonder of Descensum. There, she is forced to dissect a live frog, over and over again… for eternity. This version of hell fit the character of Misty perfectly. Although it was heartbreaking to see Cordelia (Sarah Paulson) attempt to coax Misty back into the realm of the living, only to have Misty turn to dust in her arms, it allowed Rabe to demonstrate her acting chops, and give what was, in my opinion, one of the best performances of the season.

Oh yeah! Also, during an impromptu came of Transmutation Tag, Zoe manages to impale herself on the tall, spiky fence surrounding the Academy. (Good job, Zoe.) Queenie tries to bring Zoe back to life, and can’t, which means Queenie is incapable of performing Vitalum Vitalus, automatically disqualifying her from the competition. Cordelia implores Madison to try to bring Zoe back, or else fail the competition for failing to perform Vitalum Vitalus. In an ultimate act bitchiness, Madison squishes a fly in her hand and brings it back to life instead. (Oh, how I hated the useless character of Madison.)

Cordelia and Myrtle (Frances Conroy) retreat to the house, where Cordelia begins to weep in defeat because, as far as she believes, Madison is the new supreme. But, this is American Horror Story we’re talking about, and nothing is ever what it seems! One of the major twists this season was… drum roll please…

CORDELIA WAS SUPREME ALL ALONG!

Surprising, right? Just kidding. I can’t be the only one who saw that coming. The writers spent so much time stressing the idea that Cordelia couldn’t be supreme (The only magic she was truly adept at was potions until she went blind, and gained a second sight; she stabbed her own eyes out in a weak attempt to get that second sight back after she “lost” it; and Fiona was constantly telling Cordelia that she was a failure) that it seemed a little too impossible.

So, Cordelia completes the Seven Wonders (beating Madison out during divination, which causes the Hollywood brat to storm into her room. There, a vengeful Kyle [Evan Peters] strangles Madison as punishment for letting Zoe die. Good riddance, Madison!) Cordelia brings Zoe back to life, miraculously heals the bloody mess that was her eyes post-self-mutilation, and makes the decision to out the Coven to the general public. She makes an open invitation during a TV interview for any witches in the country to come join the Coven, and everything seems to fall perfectly into place… except for a few things.

Myrtle tells Cordelia that she cannot begin her Supremacy as a hypocrite, and cannot allow Myrtle to live while knowing she has willingly killed not one, but two council members. Cordelia reluctantly agrees, and Myrtle is burned at the stake, wearing a flowing, red silk gown. She screams the name of French fashion house Balenciaga as her last word (because she’s Myrtle and of course she does).

Just when we think all the surprises are done, Fiona (Jessica Lange) shows up. (Kidding again. If you thought we had seen the end of Fiona, you’re crazy. An off-screen death is not worthy of Jessica Lange).

I was relieved to see Fiona, because Lange is consistently the best part of that show, but I was also kind of disappointed. It was great to see Fiona finally look as ugly on the outside how she was on the inside, with sallow skin, shrunken eyes and a few wisps of brittle hair (though still fashionably dressed in all black and stilettos), but the whole scene was kind of lack-lustre and corny, in my opinion. Fiona finally gets the forgiveness she craves from Cordelia, and Cordelia finally gains acceptance from Fiona. Mother and daughter make peace, and Fiona collapses and dies in Cordelia’s arms. Pfffft. Boring.

One saving grace was when we are shown where Fiona ends up after death. She is awoken by bright light streaming through the windows, in a bed and a room she doesn’t recognize. She gets up, confused, and stumbles into the kitchen. We hear the sound of a familiar whistle, and Fiona’s one-time lover, the Axeman, strolls inside with two very large, very disgusting catfish. Fiona’s own personal hell is the exact love nest the Axeman described when he vowed to whisk her away from New Orleans. For the last time in the season, we are treated to Lange’s acting prowess. No one but her could get so convincingly (and hilariously) devastated over the prospect of living in a home with knotty pine walls. (See Exhibit A below.)

So there it is, my recap and opinions of the final episode in American Horror Story: Coven. What did you think of the episode? Did you read this article where series creator, Ryan Murphy, debunks the rumors about American Horror Story: Circus? Let me know in the comments!

HIMYM 200

I love How I Met Your Mother. I can’t say that enough. That show is amazing. For years, I have been faithfully watching it every week, and my Monday routine is totally thrown off if I miss it. When my boyfriend and I started dating about four years ago, I introduced him to HIMYM and he quickly began to love it as much as I do. After spending nearly nine years with them, I honestly feel like the gang — Ted, Marshall, Barney, Lilly and Robin — are some of my close friends. They have made me laugh until it hurts (Slap Bet, anyone?), made me cry uncontrollably (the death of Marshall’s dad was unbelievably heart breaking). But, more than anything, HIMYM has driven me totally crazy wondering when we will finally get to meet the damn mother!

So, obviously, the series’ 200th episode — “How Your Mother Met Me” — which aired on January 27th, was extremely satisfying for me. The entire episode took place from the mother’s (played by broadway actress Cristin Milioti) point of view. As any HIMYM fan knows, much of the show’s appeal lies in the “inside” jokes and facts, which are carried on from season to season. For years, fans have known certain things about the mother — she owns a yellow umbrella, she plays bass, she makes breakfast foods perform stunning renditions of show tunes — but for a long time, those little details were all we knew. Now, after the 200th episode, we know more about her than ever before.

Most of the episode took place in the form of flashbacks, which explained where the mother was, what she was doing, and how she felt during certain events we have already witnessed. For example, we see the mother’s reaction when (a very confused) Ted walks into the wrong lecture hall on his first day as a professor, and proceeds to teach a lesson about architecture to an economics class. We also see how she met Cindy (Rachel Bilson). Cindy is the reason the mother’s band ends up playing at Robin and Barney’s wedding.

These flashbacks were significant, but the most important accomplishment of this episode is that it made us fall in love with the quirky, nerdy, and totally adorable character of the mother. For the first time, we are reassured that all of Ted’s waiting, searching and heartbreak wasn’t for nothing, because the woman he is about to marry, and who will eventually have his children, is perfect for him in every way. (She even laughed at his lame “shellfish” joke. Come on, it doesn’t get better than that!)

We also began to glimpse the mother as more than just the mother, but as an actual person. This was a bitter sweet aspect of the episode. It was revealed to us that, years before she met Ted, the mother was in love with a guy named Max. The episode flashes back to the night that Ted met Robin, but the scene quickly changes to a different MacClaren’s, which is on the west side of NYC. It’s there that the mother is spending her birthday with friends, and waiting for Max, who is apparently always late, to arrive. Tragically, Max dies while on his way to MacClaren’s. Two years later, a friend of the mother’s begs her to go out for the first time in ages. The mother reluctantly agrees and, while she’s at MacClaren’s, is approached by a good looking fellow named Louis. The mother’s grief is perfectly summarized when she tells Louis why she can’t go out with him.

“It’s silly, but it’s like the first lottery ticket I ever bought was, kaboom, jackpot! And I’m pretty sure I’m not going to win again. Not like that anyway.”

Beautiful, right? Incredibly sad, but also very beautiful.

Anyway, the mother does end up dating Louis, and she likes him enough, but it’s definitely not the jackpot kind of love she described. (We know, because we see the mother performing an English muffin show tune for Louis, who only offers a smile and a weak “That’s funny.”) Louis has a house in Farhampton, so the mother stays there while she’s waiting to play at the wedding. Louis shows up and surprises her in more way than one — he proposes! The mother is overwhelmed with emotion and rushes outside to have a minute alone. While there, she tilts her head to the sky and speaks to Max, essentially asking him for a sign that it’s okay for her to move on. (Max gives her his okay in the form of a strong gust of wind). She says goodbye to Max, and returns inside to Louis, who is anxiously waiting for her answer. She tells him the answer is no.

The mother then ventures to the Farhampton Inn, where the rest of the gang is staying. When she tells the man at the front desk that she has just broken up with someone, he smiles knowingly and tells her that he thinks room 6 is the one for her. (Of course, room 6 is right next to Ted’s room.) Once in her room, the mother goes to the attached balcony with a ukulele — Max’s last birthday gift to her. She begins to play a sweet rendition of “La Vie en Rose.” The camera eventually pans to Ted, who is sitting on his balcony listening intently to the mother sing. His voice over explains to Luke and Penny (his kids), that the night on the balcony was the first — but not the last — time he ever heard their mother perform that song.

The episode pretty much ends there, and although I imagine that some people are frustrated at what can seem like a lack of progress (to the impatient viewer), I thought it was one of the best episodes in a long time. I have high hopes for the end of this season (although I really don’t want it to end), and I’m eager to see what happens in next week’s episode.

Did you watch How I Met Your Mother‘s 200th episode? Did you love it as much as I did? Tell me what you think in the comments!

Image obtained from IMDB