WATCH IT!

No idea what made me think to write this post but I would love to find at list out there like this since Michael and I are always looking for a new show to watch. I have loved A LOT of shows over the years and this is NOT a list of my favorite shows. This list is a group of shows that I would encourage anyone to watch. Do you see the difference there? If this was a list of my favorite shows then Dawson’s Creek would be on there and I am not naive enough to think that everyone would like that show. These shows are shows that have not only touched me or made me laugh but are shows that I think any adult will enjoy. That being said you may not enjoy it as much as I do or did but you surely will walk away with something from the show. So here is my list of shows that I would encourage EVERYONE/ANYONE to watch: (In no particular order)




LOST – I don’t know what to say about this show except you will love it. It is a tough road ahead when you watch it and there might even be times where you want to walk away but I think overall it is a satisfying show that will leave you wanting more.

Friday Night Lights – For a long time I thought this show was a little over rated and while I don’t think it is the BEST show ever I do honestly think MOST people would enjoy this show. There is a little something for everyone.

Modern Family – Who is not watching this show? It is so funny…Enough said!

Parenthood – This is by FAR my favorite show on TV right now. For more of my thoughts on this show just check out my previous post: http://happywatching.blogspot.com/search/label/Parenthood

Friends - I will never understand when I quote from Friends and people don’t know what it is from…that is just plain sad.

The Office – This show in its prime would rival some of the best comedies of all time. The cast just feeds off each other so well. It is a little over played now and the dry humor and stereotypes don’t surprise us anymore but man it was good.

24 – I went back and forth with this one but once again in its prime this show was on point. The entire concept of this show was amazing. I loved that we only see one full day. It would be hard to start seasons 1-3 and not be sitting on the edge of your chair each week waiting for the next hour.



Ok I am out, any you want to add?

The Key to Keeping Up with All Your Shows:

I had a friend emailed me yesterday and asked me how I keep up with all my shows, because she wasn’t sure she was going to be able to record all the shows she wanted to watch this fall. Here are some key things that I have found that help me to juggle all my shows.

First I have a DVR that records two shows at once. So that is a start for sure. The other things to know are where you can watch shows online and how quickly the sites update their episodes.


ABC: THEY ARE THE BEST!!! They put shows up quickly. So if you like The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Desperate Housewives, Private Practice, Grey’s Anatomy, etc. but don’t want it eating up space on your DVR, ABC is the absolute best about good picture quality and having the shows up by the following day as they are aired. They also give previews and sneak peeks to the next week’s episodes!

Other networks Some that are fairly good about updating their sites quickly are: MTV, NBC, and Fox. However none of them are as good as ABC, just trust me. However MTV does lots of fun extra footage for entertainment. CW is awful about updating their site; it takes weeks for them to upload the latest episode of a show. So even though most of the shows I watch on The CW are my least favorite shows I watch they usually end up being recorded because I have to wait weeks to watch them online.

Hulu – I have found that Hulu is GREAT for watching past season’s of shows or shows that are off the air but they don’t usually get shows more quickly than the network sites. Remember they still have ot get permission to publish the shows and if the networks don't have them up yet they won't give permission for Hulu to put them up. However I have heard that "New Girl" episode 1 is being posted to Hulu Tuesday Sept 13, one week before it airs.   I will definitely be checking this one at early with all the buzz it has been getting.

As far as shows like American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance they don’t EVER release their shows to the Internet so if you miss them well you will have to try to find the performances on YouTube before the network snatches them down.  Moral of the story- put them on your DVR!

I hope this is helpful when you are trying to decide what is a MUST DVR and what you can catch online.

Here is my fall schedule:
Sunday: Desperate Housewives: 8:00pm
Monday: Gossip Girl 7:00 pm; Hart of Dixie 8:00 pm
Tuesday: 90210 7:00pm; Glee 7:00pm; New Girl 8:00pm; Parenthood 9:00pm
Wednesday: Modern Family 8:00pm; Up All Night 9:00pm
Thursday: Grey's Anatomy 8:00pm; The Office 8:00pm; Private Practice 9:00pm

As you can see I really don't have any problems right now with my shows however when you add in:  American Idol, The Bachelor, One Tree Hill, and Mad Men things may be different.
Happy Fall Watching!!!

Ode to Great Comedies

These may not all be in the list “top TV Sitcoms” ever but they are the ones that won over my heart and laughter throughout the years. 

All in the Family:

Laverne and Shirley:

I Love Lucy: This is so silly but re-watching it just made me laugh so hard…

Cheers:

The Cosby Show:

Fresh Prince of Bel Air:

http://youtu.be/T3ANUkOyDNQ

Seinfeld: HILARIOUS!! This is seriously one of my favorite scenes from this show!

http://youtu.be/2LCggmsCXk4

Friends:

http://youtu.be/DV8gxDQMiNw

Will & Grace:

The Office:

http://youtu.be/TrM6r9Kc_3Y

Modern Family:

What are your favorite Comedies?

Will there ever be another LOST?

My husband and I are in a TV lull. We can’t find a TV show that we both love! Ok well that is not entirely true. We both love Parenthood and Modern Family, A LOT! However we want to get back into a show we will be able to watch on DVD. We don’t want to have to wait a week to watch each show. Here are the problems we are having finding a show we can both enjoy:

1. I have A LOT of shows! As boring as some of my current shows are, I don’t give up on watching shows. I am really weird and once I start a show I finish it. Since fall TV is about to start back up I don’t want to add anything to my list unless I am going to LOVE it. Right now I will be watching: Desperate Housewives (final season), Brothers & Sisters, 90210, Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, Parenthood, Modern Family, Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, The Office and other shows rotate in like American Idol, The Bachelor, SYTYCD, Mad Men, and The Challenge.

2. Plot Lines – Michael tends to want to watch shows like “The Wire” “The Sopranos” “Breaking Bad”…. Do we see a trend here? I want to watch shows like, well the ones I listed above. I broke down and finally agreed on watching Mad Men and it has been pretty good. It is slow and the characters took me a while to have any connection with but after 4 seasons I am finally there. I started The Wire and I can appreciate it as good TV but it isn’t something I am on the edge of my seat to see. I mean I haven’t watched an episode in like 3 or 4 weeks and frankly I don’t miss it. I like to watch shows where I feel a real connection to the characters, where I feel for them. I also like there to be something that is up lifting. When a show is centered on the drug ring I just have a hard time watching those children get swallowed up in that life, knowing that it really happens. I know that LOST’s characters had flaws and very dark sides but there was something redeemable about each character.

3. High Expectations – Michael and I have really loved two shows together: LOST and Prison Break. We got really into Prison Break when we first got married. We would come home from work, fix dinner and sit and watch literally like 6 episodes of Prison Break. WE LOVED IT and couldn’t make ourselves stop watching. We would count down the hours until we got to see the next episode. Then when we caught up with Prison Break came LOST. LOST had been on for several years before we were introduced to it. We enjoyed watching Prison Break together and wanted another show we could both really enjoy. LOST did not disappoint. It was even more addictive than Prison Break. Prison Break’s first season was one of the best seasons of TV ever (in our opinion) but it slowly went downhill after season 1. We were invested enough in the characters to still be intrigued by the plot lines but season 1 was so good, it was hard to get past. LOST however never really disappointed us. There were dull episodes here and there but each season brought HUGE new developments, new mysteries, and new layers to the characters. They kept us on the edge of our seats until the very end. I think we are actually still waiting in anticipation, for nothing?!?! We invested a lot time in these two shows in our first years of marriage and we had so much fun watching them together. Now we want another show that we can both enjoy like these.

4. Disappointments: We have tried to watch other shows together, mainly dramas: B&S, Gossip Girl, Private Practice, The Wire, Weeds, and Arrested Development. None of them have caught both of our attention enough to make us both want to keep watching. Ok so we have had a couple shows that we both liked and watched together: Friday Night Lights and Mad Men. One is over and the other isn’t coming back until 2012! Neither of them is comparable to the way we felt about LOST or even Prison Break.

So the question is, will there ever be another show like LOST? A show we will both love, where there is enough action and suspense to keep us coming back for more, we feel such a strong connection to the characters, we can’t wait to see the next episode, we want to curl up on the couch all weekend and watch episode after episode???

Here are some shows that have been mentioned to us that we are still thinking about (none of them make BOTH of us excited):

The Good Wife

The Wire (not completely off the table yet)

The Sopranos

The West Wing

Breaking Bad

Big Love

Please share your thoughts on these shows or any others you think we NEED to watch!

Season Wrap Up

So we are drawing to a close on TV season 2010-2011, I am actually happy to be drawing this season to a close and I am not left sitting on the edge of my seat waiting the return of any show.

Let’s review:

Grey’s Anatomy- There was not a big cliff hanger ending (we all know MerDer will work it out) and the rest of the story lines were not very climactic. I hope Cristina has the baby. I hate that Lexi chose Avery. I am slowly falling out of love with this show. I am ready to wrap up and move on but not as much as I am with…

One Tree Hill- Seriously this finale would have been the perfect way to end the show. Brooke has twins and is happy in love. Nathan and Haley are happy and just re-opened Karen’s Café where Haley can still pursue her dreams of singing. Alex and Chase are together which I really like and then there is the rest of the bunch which I honestly don’t care about…Why did this show get renewed?!?!?

Gossip Girl - There was a little cliff hanger on Gossip Girl – either Blair or Serena is preggers! Or who knows it could be something stupid like Blair’s mom took a pregnancy test in Blair’s room to hide it from her hubby. But that is where we are left, Blair being with the prince (ugh –we all know she will end up with Chuck) and Serena being alone and annoying as per usual. Georgina is back which is a needed spice added to the show since it has gotten so dull. I don’t even watch the parts with Nate anymore because they are so boring! The only interesting thing awaiting next season is Dan’s book being published which is sure to stir up some drama.

Private Practice – Now that Ocean Wellness is dissolved and they are starting a new practice the show is going to be the same (minus Naomi). I hate Addison and Sam together so that was a real bummer for me. And I guess we are left with the cliff hanger of Pete’s heart attack (but since Naomi is the only one leaving the show I am thinking he will make it). This will be another downward spiral for Violet and Pete and Violet will be sad that she left him and wasn’t there! So done with their relationship, just be happy and let’s move on.

90210- Why have I gotten into this show?!?! It doesn’t really matter why but I have. I like Naomi and Max together but I really just like Naomi (not sure why) and I want her to have her man! I am definitely intrigued by the pregnancy story line but I hate how pregnancy is thrown around so much just to make the drama between characters better. So at this point Naomi either has an abortion (which I hate), gives the baby up for adoption (which would be so hard and has already been done once on this show), has a miscarriage (which is also really hard) or keeps the baby and her life is forever change on the show. It is a big story line to throw at a character. I guess she could also be lying to keep him around?!?! I should also note that I don’t like Annie (never have) so I hate that her and Liam are together. Also I don’t like Silver and Navid together. I actually liked him and Adrianna and they had to go and make Adrianna all psycho!

Desperate Housewives – this is yet another show that I wish would end but the finale actually did pull me back in. It might be one of the best finales of the season, especially if you consider the length and drama of years past. This episode did a great job of drawing viewers back into the tangled web which is Wisteria Lane. I love the fact that all the main characters are in on this murder cover up for Carlos. It will affect so many story lines on the lane. I hate that Tom and Lynette are separated!!! I hate it so so so much! They are the only couple that has been together since the beginning of the show and it is annoying how TV feels like they need to break everyone up. This storyline makes me anxious to see if they will make it work!

Parenthood – Ahhh a breath of fresh air!! This is the only show I am anxious to see, not because of the way it was left just because I love this show! I love every character and each story line on the show. I can’t wait to see what is in store for these characters next season.

Brothers & Sisters – I am bored just thinking about it….

Mad Men- We have one disc left to finish out this last season and then we will have to wait until January…I will let you know if I am excited to see next season.

The comedies: The Office (a little interested to see how things play out without Steve). Modern Family (it is a joy to watch)

Reality Shows: There isn’t much to say about these shows, we look forward to seeing them right before they return: American Idol, The Bachelor (which the Bachelorette started last night), The Voice (it has been interesting so far)

So now we start summer shows which I am severely lacking in but it is kind of nice to have a break for my DVR! Here is what I am watching this summer:

The Bachelorette – I don’t really care for Ashley but I am sure I will watch this show but I am going to try not to because it is just trash TV that I don’t need to get into. (I didn't watch it last night, yes!)

The Voice – It is kind of a summer show because it seems like it will last atleast through June.

So You Think You Can Dance- Always love this show! The all-stars have not been announced and likely not been chosen yet. Nigel said this year he wants the all-stars to compliment the top 10 dancers so it will depend on who makes the top 10. You know they have their list of possibilities. I sure hope that list includes: Ivan (wouldn’t that be fun), Allison Holker (she did incredible last season), Pasha (you need a great ballroom guy and who is better), Kent Boyd (wasn’t he great last season), Chelsie Hightower (I love her but she probably has other things going on), Mark (he is touring with well everyone right now), Joshua (he would be super fun to have back), Katie (she would also be amazing). I would love Travis but I think he should stick to choreographing because his routines have been awesome!

Now let’s talk about a few shows I am excited to see in the Fall:

Person of Interest – created by JJ Abrams (always intriguing) and has Michael Emerson and Jim Caviezel as the cast.

The New Girl – I really like Zooey Deschanel.

Up All Night – Christina Applegate is fun to watch and this could be a really funny show.

How Great Thou Art

I am going to stick with the Entertainment theme on this blog but I definitely wanted to post something about Easter weekend. This past sunday was Easter and I hope it was a true reminder of what Christ did for us on the cross. He bore the weight of OUR sin, he took OUR place and OVERCAME sin and this world!!! We can have VICTORY in Jesus!!! I hope you were reminded of the true meaning of Easter and it touched you to the CORE!!! I came across this youtube which is very appropriate for this time of year and I just pray that all the people that performed and in the audiance understood the true meaning of the words being sung....HOW GREAT THOU ART!!!

O Lord my God,

When I in awesome wonder

Consider all

The works Thy Hand hath made,

I see the stars,

I hear the mighty thunder,

Thy pow'r throughout

The universe displayed;


When through the woods

And forest glades I wander

I hear the birds

Sing sweetly in the trees;

When I look down

From lofty mountain grandeur

And hear the brook

And feel the gentle breeze;


Then sings my soul,

My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

How great Thou art!

Then sings my soul,

My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

How great Thou art!


When Christ shall come,

With shouts of acclamation,

And take me home,

What joy shall fill my heart!

Then I shall bow

In humble adoration

And there proclaim,

"My God, how great Thou art!"

Why Are You Not Watching Parenthood?!?!

I am going to keep plugging this show until everyone is watching! I believe this is truly the best show on TV right now! It actually ranks in my top five favorite shows of ALL TIME! If you aren’t watching this show I am not sure why? Please tell me! Is it because you haven’t seen it? Do you not like it? How is that possible? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Once again let’s review some reasons why you should be watching Parenthood:

1. The actors – last time I really focused on the parents and how great they are (AND THEY ARE) but the kids on this show are equally amazing! Amber (Lauren Graham’s daughter played by Mae) is wonderful. She may be my favorite character but it really is so hard to pick a favorite because they all do a wonderful job! I can’t imagine the cast being any better and there is not ONE character that I could do without. If one person left I would be really sad and I can’t say that about a show since Friends!
2. Plot lines – I hit on this last time but this show has realistic plot lines that pull you in. Real life is funny, they don’t take things over the top. It pulls at your heart strings and makes you laugh out loud. There are not many shows that do that. Most shows are one or the other. Grey’s – Purely drama, Modern Family – Comedy, this show is MOST DEFINITELY a DRAMEDY and PERFECT one at that. Desperate Housewives is a DRAMEDY but it is so crazy and over the top it isn’t nearly as good as Parenthood.
3. I want to watch it over and over and can’t wait for new episodes. I seriously could watch the episodes over and over again, they are that good.
4. Friday Night Lights Stars – If you are a FNL fan then there are several cross over stars on the show: Minka Kelly, Michael B. Jordan (Vince – had no idea his name was Michael Jordan until I just look it up), and even Angela Rawna (Vince’s mom) appears in one episode.

I wish I could find the perfect words to make you watch this show because it is great and you are REALLY missing out if you aren’t already hooked! Here is a sneak peek at Season 2 (which is on now) but it shows a little bit of the wonderfulness of the show: WATCH THE SHOW!!!

America's Best Dance Crew - NEW JUDGE!

DOMINIC SANDOVAL!!! I couldn’t be happier at the news that Dominic is joining the judging table of America’s Best Dance Crew! It should be fun to watch his interaction each week with the judges and the crews. HOWEVER this probably means he won’t be an All Star on So You Think You Can Dance This Season which makes me REALLY sad! Maybe he can do BOTH!! Now let’s just take a look back at some of his best performances: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eX3RGSok6U What do you think of the addition to the judges table? http://www.buddytv.com/articles/americas-best-dance-crew/americas-best-dance-crew-seaso-39906.aspx

Top 9 Performance Rankings:

I need to start off by saying I thought everyone did a good job last night I think OVERALL it might have been the best night. That doesn’t mean I think this was everyone’s best performances but I think it was across the board a good night for everyone which makes the rankings this week very difficult. I wrote down my order and I keep wanting to change it around (I am not 100% comfortable with what I came up with) but I am leaving it alone. You be the judge (and I know some of you will), did I get it right?

1. Casey – LOVE him and the upright bass! This is his lane (as JLo would say).


2. Paul – I think this was Paul’s best performance on the big stage. I thought it was fun and showed off his style better than anything he has performed (I almost put him first) THOSE TWO ARE MY TOP TWO FOR SURE AND THE REST GETS A LITTLE HAZY:


3. Lauren – I loved her version but after listening to past idols perform this, I see what Randy is saying and it makes me want to drop her down a couple spots.


4. Jacob – Well he still gets on my nerves “if I get sent home it is not because I didn’t sing it well or because I didn’t do good – it is because America didn’t want to look in the mirror” hmmm I understand what he is saying but let’s not come off as arrogant while doing so. Also I am not sure it would have been nearly as good with out the back up singer (she rocked)!


5. Haley – I really like her! This week was not nearly as good as last week’s Benny & the Jets.


6. Scotty – I think he did well. I do think he is a one trick pony but he is smooth and I like his voice.


7. Pia – I don’t care that the song was “upbeat” it was still boring. Here is the deal she is kind of like Celine Dion (obviously not as good). She is a good singer but is that style really going to make it in the industry? Her upbeat songs still seem like faster ballads. I am sorry she just doesn’t pull me into her performances AT ALL. But there is no denying the girl can sing!


8. James – He is slowly winning me over with his personality. I didn’t think he was bad this week at all and I somewhat enjoyed his performance but there were moments where I found that I was forcing myself not to press fast forward.


9. Stefano – He is sweet but it is the same thing week after week. And unlike Scotty his one trick is not as fun or as endearing. I found myself zoning out during his performance.

I hate to say it but I think it is Stefano’s time to go home. I think it is possible that Paul and Haley will join him in the bottom three even though, clearly from my list, they are not deserving this week.

My Thoughts: Grey's Music Episode

I will go ahead and tell you I was NOT a fan of the Music episode of Grey’s Anatomy. Here is why: · The Music was OK: It isn’t necessarily that the music was bad, because it wasn’t (except that one song with all the couples singing). And I will give it to Shonda Rimes, she was right that I was surprised at how well Lexie can sing. I understand the thought process behind this, "we have great singers (Tony Award winning singers) and we have GREAT music, why not combine them?" BECAUSE you are a MEDICAL DRAMA! · Instead of adding to the emotion it took away. I didn’t think this episode was bad, but it could have been GREAT! I think the singing did the opposite of what they intended. I believe they thought that the characters singing would add a new level of emotion to the story lines but for me it just took the attention away from the story. When Lexie goes to check on Mark and start singing “Just Breathe” it was awkward and I wanted to scream STOP singing and talk to him. I felt like this was true of the majority of the episode. When Hunt started singing about the surgery it was almost comical, that scene was NOT meant to come across like that. Ok so those are my thoughts I know there are a lot of people out there that really liked it, I would love to hear why you liked it so much! Please watch that episode and watch the episode with Meredith almost drowning or Burke getting shot or Izzie finding out she has cancer and tell me that episode brought the same kind of emotion?!?!? I just don’t see how! Here is a clip from when Meredith drowned, no DOUBT music played a huge role in making these scenes emotional. Especially when Mark walks up and sits by Derek. The music helps you to feel the emotion of the scene it adds to it, in no way is your attention drawn to the music. It is drawn more into the scene, into the emotion of the characters. Can you imagine if Mark had been singing that song when he walked up to Derek, no because it wouldn’t have been as good, silence in that moment was PERFECT! Watching this scene reminds me of the best times of Grey’s when Dr. Burke, Izzie, George, and Addison were all still there, ahhh those were the days! George dying…chills EVERY TIME!! Music once again adds, however you aren’t focused on the music it just helps bring the emotion to the surface! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aK5TYIB4EQ Ok so tell me your thoughts.

American Idol Top 11 (AGAIN):

I am not doing a ranking this week because I didn’t get to watch the episode last night yet however I have watched the performances on youtube. I haven’t had time to process and decide what I think. If you missed it like me here are the clips from last night: Lauren Alaina – Candle in the Wind Casey Abrams – Your Song Paul McDonald – Rocket Man James Durbin – Saturday Night is Alright for Fighting Scotty McCreary – Country Comfort Stefano Langone- Tiny Dancer Jacob Lusk – Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word Pia Toscano – Don’t Let the Sun Go Down Thia Megia – Daniel Haley Reinhart – Bennie & Jets Niama Adedapo - I'm Still Standing I am pretty satisfied with all of my favorite’s performances: Casey, Paul, Lauren, Scotty, and Haley. I really liked Lauren and Haley this week; they may have been my favorites, which is a first! I think Thia, Niama, Paul, and Stefano are in trouble this week. I think that Niama and Thia should go home.

Grey's Anatomy & Mad Men

Ok so all of my blogging lately has been about Idol but there hasn’t been much else on TV lately. My shows are slowly starting to come back on but they will only return for a few episodes and then will be gone again. Here are some thoughts on a couple of my shows:

Grey’s Anatomy- the Music Episode. Ok so I have not been this excited about an episode in a LONG time and it has almost NOTHING to do with the music. I was on the edge of my seat as I watched the preview for this episode. I know Grey’s does it time and time again, a cast member on the operating table but I love it every time (or almost every time). There is something so great about seeing these doctors who deal with the life and death of patients every day forced to deal with the patient being one of their own. I know it is probably very unrealistic that every doctor in the hospital be put on one patient just because they are a friend but it is still GREAT TV. Well due to the shift in characters the past couple season’s Mark & Lexie are my favorite couple on the show and yes I know they aren’t a couple right now but they SHOULD BE! That being said I think this could be an interesting episode for them. Mark will clearly be experiencing all sorts of emotions this episode with his Best Friend/Baby Mama gasping for life and the fate of his unborn child hanging in the balance. I can’t wait to see Lexie’s reaction to all of this.

We all over the years have LOVED the songs played on Grey’s Anatomy. They pick such amazing songs that bring just the right emotion to the forefront. I am definitely interested to see how the singing plays out but in my eyes it could go either way. I just hope we get to really experience all the drama that will take place!

Mad Men- My husband and I are still a season behind on Mad Men, we are anxiously awaiting its release to DVD. However it was just announced that the fifth season of Mad Men will not return until early 2012!! That means we will have to wait that much longer to get caught up! URGH!

The Judges SAVE!

Here are some of my thoughts on the judges save and saving Casey Abrams. First let’s take a look at what happened last night again: (I love how Ryan Secrest does not know what to do)



I love the idea of the judges save. We have seen some people in the past go home too early because of an off week or simply because America assumed they would be safe. Let's take a look back at the contestants that got voted off too early and are the reason why they started the judges save:





Should they have used the save this early??? They should only use the save this early if it is someone who has the potential to win or someone who America will truly be just as shocked as the Judges that they got voted off. So yes I love that they used the save this early. At this point there are only a couple that I think they should have used the save for Casey or James. I honestly think if it had been anyone else they should have gone home at this point but I am sure if Pia had been in the bottom they would have saved her as well.

Some many may still question using the save this early and here is my response to that:






It was NOT his time to go home. Now that the judges have used their one and only save then America needs to get it right from this point on…I guess I need to start voting : )

Were you shocked at last night’s results? Are you glad they used the save on Casey?

American Idol Top 11:

MOTOWN WEEK - a lot of people are talking about how great this week was well I am not sold. There weren’t many performances I loved but on the flip side there weren’t many I hated either. This week my favorites have been all moved around and my top spots are given to people that are far from my favorites. Let’s take a look:

1. Jacob – Your All I Need to Get By -I must admit Jacob’s past performances have rubbed me wrong and I wasn’t really paying much attention until the end of the song when he did “as brothers you got me…” and then I found myself rewinding it three times to see it! It was a moving and wonderful performance. I loved that he controlled his voice for most of the song and he belted only when he needed to. It was my favorite of the night!

2. James – Living for the City- Well James has rubbed me wrong in past weeks bc he seems cocky after he sings. After speaking to a friend who works with adults with aspergers she informed me that this could be due to his lack of social skills. So I am cutting him a break. I thought he did really well and I am starting to warm up to him.
3. Casey – I Heard it Through the Grapevine- He is getting kind of repetitive or something but I still like him!
4. Lauren - You Keep Me Hanging On- A lot of rankings have her really low but I thought she sounded great but I feel she has still has so much more potential
5. Scotty- For Once in My Life- He has something over me and it is hard not to like his performances, especially that low note like JLo pointed out. I like that he is taking risks with the range in his songs but I would love for him to go back to the low voice next week.
6. Paul – The Tracks of My Tears – I really like Paul and his voice but I am beginning to think AI is not really the place for him. I hope he stays around a few more weeks and is able to pick up a deal for his band bc I bet with his band singing his own songs he is awesome. I love the song he sang this week but I have to admit I was thinking back to Adam Lambert’s performances a couple season ago and I think Adam won:

7. Stefano – Hello – I am starting to have the same problem with Stefano as I do with Pia. I think he has a great voice and he is pretty likable but his performances are getting boring week after week.
8. Haley – You've Really Got a Hold on Me- I thought she was better this week and I still love her voice. I had such high hopes for her this week given the MoTown theme but I just think she still needs to pick better songs.
9. Pia – All in Love is Fair- I know the girl can sing but she puts me to sleep week after week…SO BORING!
10. Thia – Heat Wave – I didn’t give her the bottom spot because at least she did something upbeat and her voice sounded good but something about her on stage is still so blah…not sure what she needs to do. My over all thought once again is pick better songs.
11. Naima – Dancing in the Streets - A lot of rankings have her listed pretty high this week. I did think she hit her notes better this week but I still think she is all over the place and her voice isn’t as strong as others in the competition.

I still think the bottom three will be Naima, Haley, and a toss-up between Paul/Thia. I personally think it should be Thia but she does seem to have a following.

What did you think of MoTown week? Did you love it as much as everyone else I heard or are you similar to me and just thinking it was ok?

AI Top 12 Performance Rankings:

Overall I was disappointed with this week’s performances I just feel like there are so many people that aren’t making good song choices and aren’t living up to their potential. Even so here is my run down from last night and who I think is likely in the bottom three:

1. Stefano – I am not the hugest Stefano fan bc I just don’t like hearing cheesy ballads over and over but you got to give it up for the only one that really seems to hit every note last night!

2. Lauren- Ahhhh back to the girl I love. I love this song choice and she did make it a little country but I see her singing this style music more than country or maybe I just want her to!

3. Casey – I love him so it is hard for him to do wrong. This was a bold song choice since this song is ICONIC! I agree with Jlo that some parts felt more screamed but overall I enjoyed his performance. It was one of the few non-ballads which is a nice change.

4. Scotty – I think this guy does a great job of picking songs. I actually didn’t love his song choice last week for his voice (it was a little big) but I love The River and he didn’t do badly. Travis Tritt is PERFECT for him. I thought this was an excellent song choice.

5. Pia – Ok I am finally convinced that she can sing (even though her voice isn’t my favorite) but I did not like this song choice but atleast it was a little more up tempo.

6. James – It was just ok for me.

7. Paul – I really like his voice but I am confused why he doesn’t slow it down and get his guitar out….At first I thought it was because he wasn’t allowed but Casey used his bass last night.

8. Haley – I really like her voice but this song didn’t showcase her vocals, it was just the wrong song choice for her

9. Jacob – I thought he was “pitchy” the entire song plus it is hard to not compare it to these performances of “Alone”


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RWOHeskeF4

10. Naima- I am so on the fence with her

11. Karen – I just think something is boring about her performances. What happen to the girl in Hollywood with the wacky hair:


12. Thia – I really like her but her performances are just getting very repetitive and VERY BORING! We want this Thia back:


Bottom Three:
Karen, Thia, and Haley (but unfortunately Paul could be on the chopping block as well or Naima). It is a tossup who is going home because Haley and Karen were in the bottom three last week which usually means that there fans get worried and vote more so that might mean Thia is in trouble.

AI Top 13 Song Spoilers

I just typed this entire post and lost it so this one is going to be brief. American Idol was pre-taped this week but the plan is that it will be live from here on out. That being said this might be last week that we are able to get spoilers on the song choices. The theme this week is “Your Personal Idol” and here are the song choices (and I am pretty sure the order as well):

Lauren Alaina – Any Man of Mine (Intrigued that Shaina Twain is her Idol)
Casey Abrams – With a Little Help From My Friends (Joe Cocker)
Ashthon Jones – When You Tell Me That You Love Me (Diana Ross)
Paul McDonald – Come Pick Me Up (Ryan Adams)
Pia Toscano – All By Myself (Celine Dion)
James Durbin – Maybe I’m Amazed (Celine Dion) I love this song, please don’t ruin it!
Haley Reinhart – Blue (LeAnn Rimes)
Jacob Lusk – I Believe I Can Fly (R Kelly)
Thia Megia – Smile (Michael Jackson)
Stefano Langone – Lately (Stevie Wonder)
Karen Rodriguez – I Could Fall in Love (Selena)
Scotty McCreery – The River (Garth Brooks) – great song!
Naima Adedapo – Umbrella (Rhianna) – I think she is trying to seem more current after many throw back song choices

Here are some interesting tidbits from www.buddytv.com:

"Okay, while I'm not surprised, I'm a little disappointed with Ashthon, Pia, Thia, and Karen's song choices. They all did big ballads last week, and this week seems like a repeat performance. I get the "Your Personal Idol" angle on theirs (Diana Ross, Celine Dion, Michael Jackson, Selena--of course!) but I'm ready to see something else from these girls. Plus, of all the Michael Jackson songs, "Smile"? Thia Megia should look outside of songs that could be in An American Tale. Karen choosing Selena seems like a calculated move, too, with Jennifer Lopez on the panel. This may not have been Ashthon's week to begin with and I'm not sure this can redeem her.

As great as they are, I'm also a little bored by Jacob's, Scotty's, and Stefano's song choices. Casey and Paul nailed it with their choices. It's exactly what they should be singing, but could still be exciting performances.

I'm most "interested" to see the performances from Lauren, James, Haley, and Naima.Lauren, first out of the gate, chose a song that has sent two contestants home. It's been butchered on Idol so badly that I can only hear it sung off-key. And since when is Lauren a country singer? Someone mentioned this in the comments recently and I'm inclined to agree--all of a sudden she wants to sing country? This song choice is worrisome."

Clips of previous idol contestants singing Any Man of Mine:





"James made a fan out of me last week, but could just as easily turn me against him this week if he doesn't do well. This song could go either way, but I think it's a good song choice and it's showing us something different.

I'm most interested to see Haley, who is also a country singer now, apparently. Rickey.org reports Haley yodeling, so that will be interesting. Haley really turned me against her last week with all her growling and nasally vibrato, but I could be back on the Haley train if she sings "Blue" well. I think this is a good song choice for her.

Oh, Naima. There are several versions of "Umbrella" out there, but unless Naima is singing one of the acoustic ones, this song choice could spell trouble. The choice is confusing all around, and makes me wonder if people will ever just leave Rihanna songs alone. I just don't see this going well, but she's in the last spot so maybe it will?"

So who are you most excited to see perform tonight? Am I the only one that thought Kendra got robbed last week??? That was ridiculous!

Top 5 AI Guys

Here is my list of top 5 guys after last nights performances:

1. Casey Arbams

2. Scotty Mcreary

3. Paul McDonald

4. Tim Halperin

5. Jacob Lusk

So this year I feel like there are some unique voices that I love! It is more about the style then the strength of your voice (does that make since?). I really hope my top 4 make it through but www.dialidol.com worries me as always but at this point in the game it is incredibly inaccurate. They have Scotty as the only one forsure safe, which I am good with! I will be disappointed if the following people make it through:

James Durbin (Adam Lambert want to be)

Jordan Dorsey (seems too cocky)

Jovany Barreto (doesn't seem strong enough vocally)

Clint Jun Gamboa (hard for me to brush off Hollywood week)

Notice that Ryan didn't say how many wild card spots there are and I think that depends on who makes the top 10. If the following people don't make it through with the crowd votes then I think they are pretty much a lock for the wild card spots:

James Durbin

Casey Abrams

Scotty McCreary

Jacob Lusk

I hope people like Paul McDonald would earn a spot but I am not as sure about him. I know that atleast a couple of the people listed above will be in the top 5 voted in so I don't see a big need for too many wild cards but you never know. I did read somewhere a while back that it may not be even boys and girl in the top group, it will just be whoever is best. If that is the case their could be an uneven number of boys and girls even wild card spaces.

That is really all I have to say right now, looking forward to seeing the girls tonight!

AI Top 24

Here is a run down and a few thoughts:

Ashthon Jones
Brett Loewenstern – I already have a love/hate relationship with this guy. He seems really nice and some of his performances have been amazing. However sometimes his voice sits wrong with me and he is a little over the top, uhmmm, weird.
Casey Abrams – by far my favorite in the top 24!
Clint Jun Gamboa – He has a good voice but he didn’t do himself any favors during group week when he ousted Jace from his group.
Haley Reinhart – there is something about this girl that I like.
Jacob Lusk- I am undecided on him but the boy can sing some soul
James Durbin – Sorry but I don’t get him. I think he is an Adam Lambert want to be and he just isn’t as good.
Jordan Dorsey – Don’t like him at all! He seems SOOOO COCKY!
Jovany Barreto
Julie Zorrilla
Karen Rodriguez – I like her!
Kendra Chantelle
Lauren Alaina - One of my early favorites, but what was up with that dress?!?!?
Lauren Turner
Naima Adedapo
Paul McDonald – I really like his voice but I am not sure it is big enough to make it on Idol…I would love to be wrong!
Pia Toscano
Rachel Zevita – I really like her!
Robbie Rosen – He seems like a nice guy but I don’t see him making it very far
Scott McCreery – I don’t know if it is because he is a good ol’ boy or what but I really like him! I am not even a big country girl but I think he is sweet and has a great tone to his voice.
Stefano Langone
Tatynisa Wilson – I wasn’t very impressed with her
Thia Megia
Tim Halperin - I really liked when he played the piano (don’t we all love when the contestants play instruments)

Who is your favorite?

The Bachelor - FINAL THREE

I am going to just fill ya’ll in on few of my opinions on the Bachelor (because I know you are dying to know). We are down to the final three (Ashley, Chantal, & Emily) but let’s take a couple steps back. Aren’t we glad he finally got rid of Michelle?!?!? I thought that girl was crazy and stuck up. She has a movie coming out now….totally makes sense right. Do we actually think she was ever in it for love? I guess the real question is how many of them actually are in it for love??? I liked the final four he ended up with. There were moments throughout the season that I really didn’t like Chantal (she seemed abrasive) but now I almost just feel sorry for her because out of all the girls she seems to have really fallen for Brad. I actually think Shawntel was my favorite, she just seemed like the person I would most enjoy being around and I thought she was really pretty. However I knew she was going home this week because the other three clearly had more of a connection with Brad. So now we are down to the final three and let’s discuss each one of them:

Chantal – I already hit on her a little. She really seems to have fallen in love with Brad and seems really insecure in this situation. Can you blame her??? She looks great but around those other little stick people she looks bigger than she is and you could tell during the SI photo shoot she was feeling the pressure. Anyways I think her insecurities run deeper than just her appearance. She is the only one left that has been through a divorce and I am sure that makes you feel a certain way when competing for a guy. I haven’t read any spoilers of who wins but for some reason some of the news articles I have read lead me to believe she might win or atleast be one of the last two standing! I guess we will see this week!

Emily – I hope I ya’ll don’t hate me after I write what I think about this. Ok so Emily is no doubt SUPER sweet and has been through A LOT! I definitely feel badly for her and we will never really know the full story with her. However I have heard rumors that she has definitely dated some other Nascar drivers since the death of her finance and ABC is making this story appear different than I think it is. But that is not Emily’s fault. Also her look is typically not the look I like (it looks very fake- even if it isn’t). Anyways something about her doesn’t draw me in as much as it has the rest of America. However I will say again I think she is really sweet and probably very genuine but something is off to me. Maybe it is just something doesn’t sit right with her and Brad, I just don’t see them together. But the way he talks about her makes you feel like he puts her on a pedestal and that he doesn’t think he is good enough for her, is that a good or a bad thing for a relationship??? I am undecided!

Ashley – In the beginning I liked Ashley she was bubbly and sweet and seemed like the girl next door. Then somewhere in the middle she was a little crazy/whiny (the group hot tub scene was awkward for everyone). But now I kind of like her again and I actually think her and Brad make the most sense. However Brad seems a little turned off by her insecurities sometimes, but maybe that is what ABC wants us to think :) The only thing that makes me think that she might not make it through next week is the fact that I feel like most TV gossip sites have picked Chantal and Emily as the final two! Who knows but if I hadn’t read any of the sites, I would say she really had a shot at being the final one standing. What do I know????

Who do you think will be the last one standing?

AI Hollywood Rounds : )

American Idol Hollywood Rounds Break My Heart Once again…

It is no secret that in the past I fell for contestants during the audition portion of AI and they were CUT way too early! http://happywatching.blogspot.com/2009/01/countdown-to-american-idol.html I wrote about it back in 2009. Why do I do this to myself?!?!?! Anyways this year is no different my favorites have already been cut. I tried hard this year to avoid getting too attached to people early but once again I found myself really pulling for Rob Bolin and Chelsee Oaks (yes the ex-couple from Nashville). I kept telling my husband, I really only care if Rob and Chelsee make it! DOH!!! Why oh why can't I just wait to have a favorite!

I LOVE when they sang together and for some reason he just drew me in because it felt like he really loved/loves her, you know I am a sucker for a good love story. Something about their connection was so appealing and just warmed my heart. I almost feel sorry for Chelsee’s current boyfriend because you know all of America is routing for these two to get back together. I hope one day we will see that they are married and dueting together! Also they seemed like real musicians and the type of people I would go to workplay (local venue) to hear. If you are like me, you have already searched and found Rob and Chelsee’s music and love it! Here are some links to their music:

http://www.myspace.com/robbolinandchelseeoaks
http://www.myspace.com/robbolin
http://www.myspace.com/chelseeoaksband

So now that they are gone : ) I am routing for:

Casey Abrams (he is an awesome!)
Chris Medina (who can route against him with a back story like that)
Lauren Alaina (she is ubber talented for 15 and she seems extremely likable)

Who are you routing for this season? Has your favorite already gotten the boot?

American Idol Season 10

Well American Idol is back in full swing and we just wrapped week two of auditions. Next week we have more to watch but so far there have been some that have stuck in my head. And here they are:

New York/New Jersey:

Robbie Rosen:


Devyn Rush:


Nashville:

Chelsee Oaks & Rob Bolin (The Ex’s - LOVE THEM)

Lauren Alaina:


I missed New Orleans night of auditions and it looks like I missed some good ones:



Milwaukee:

Scott Dangerfield:


Thia Megia:


Alyson Jados: (I really like something about this girl)


More for Story than for singing but who wouldn’t be touched by these stories:

Adrenne Beasley


Chris Medina (probably the most heartbreaking love story this season)


Melinda Ademi:


I don’t like watching the train wrecks I know this is a lot of people’s favorite part but I actually like the purpose of the show to find hidden talent throughout America. Oh and I guess I need to say something about the new judges…so far I actually like the panel. I am not a big JLo fan in general but I think she is a good addition to the table being the “nice” one. I also really like Steven Tyler although I could do without all the singing/screaming. I know who you are Steven Tyler you don’t have to keep reminding me. To be honest my least favorite judge is Randy partly because it feels like he is trying too hard to be like Simon and he just isn’t.

What about you, do you love the new judge’s panel? Who were the stand outs so far to you?

Best TV Couples

I saw this today and I loved it:

Best TV Couples of ALL time:
(in random order)

Ricky & Lucy (I love Lucy)
David & Maddie (Moonlighting)
Ross & Rachel (Friends)
George & Louise (The Jefferson's)
Eric & Tammi (Friday Night Lights)
Paul & Jamie (Mad About You)
Carrie & Big (Sex and the City)
Luke and Laura (General Hospital)
Dan & Rosanne (Rosanne)
Ralph & Alice (The Honeymooners)
Cliff & Claire (The Cosby Show)
Sam & Diane (Cheers)
Lois & Clark (Smallville)
Sydney and Vaughn (Alias)
Luke & Lorelei (Gilmore Girls)
Doug & Carol (ER)
Jim & Pam (The Office)
David & Donna (BVH90210)
Zack & Kelly (Saved by the Bell)
Pacey & Joey (Dawson's Creek)
Meredith & Derek (Grey’s Anatomy)
Kevin & Winnie (The Wonder Years)
Kevin & Scotty (Brothers & Sisters)
Homer & Marge (The Simpson's)
Chuck & Blair (Gossip Girl)

This list is great and includes most of my favorites: Ross & Rachel, Chuck & Blair, Ricky & Lucy, Dan & Rosanne, Luke & Lorelei and ofcourse Joey & Pacey! The only couples I would add are from the two new series Parenthood and Modern Family (Adam & Christina and Phil & Claire). What about you? Who would you add to the list?