It took me like 2 weeks...

My absence from the world for the past couple of weeks means I'm behind on almost every single TV show I do watch. It's taken me like 7 full days to catch up. I finally finished yesterday with a 4 hour long marathon of "Ringer". Anyway, here's my thoughts.

First thought - I watch way too much TV (this is fact)
Second thought - Half of it is supernatural(?)


The Secret Circle

I swear that I have watched every episode of this damn show, and, most of the time, I zone out by the 3rd act. Not sure why but it happens almost every episode. Strangely every 4 episodes or so there's one that captivates me and keeps me coming back. Well, that and Gale Harold and Thomas Dekker, but, I mean, aren't we ALL watching because Gale Harold and Thomas Dekker are on in it?

So... my gripes:
- I have wanted Cassie and Adam together from the beginning (I am not a Jake fan) and you give me ONE episode??????
- That one episode was pretty kick-ass. Specially the mass of dead crows in the front yard. My favorites were the dead ones with their feet up in the air on the stairs of the house. I could not stop laughing.
- I'm loving John Blackwell. Joe Lando was inspired casting.
- There still is not enough Gale Harold in this damn show.
- I think I zone out because the mythology bores me (unless it's the flashback episode of the boathouse thing). Maybe after "The X-Files" and "Lost" I just can't deal with mythology anymore. More accurate to say I don't really want to put the effort into learning and memorizing a mythology after "Lost".


The Vampire Diaries

I lose interest in the latter half of every season of TVD. I have no idea why. Maybe it's because I like characters that they constantly shuffle to the background or "out of town". Last season kept me going because of the Tyler transformation stuff but the fact that he's been gone for so long now? And Jeremy? It gets old.

That being said. I could live the entire season long watching these handsome Originals. I just wish the guest stars weren't at the expense of other characters.

Also, every season I find the Elena torn between whoever for the entire season pretty long in the tooth. Just hit it with Elijah and let me have some more Tyler and Jeremy.


Once Upon a Time

First of all... SHE'S THE WOLF?!?!?!?

Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm weeks late in this reveal but that freaked me out. Ask anyone who was paying attention to me on Twitter Saturday evening. Great freaking reveal.

Loved the Mad Hatter episode. Loved. It might be my favorite episode of the season. I'm not a huge Wonderland fan, but I thought the concept of Storybrooke and the Mad Hatter's insanity aka reality was well thought out. Not going to lie, I'm finding this Kathryn murder thing real slow going, but I can see how this all leads to the finale and will be patient.

That being said, Mr. Gold better find Belle in that hospital in the finale or I am not going to be pleased.


Awake

I am sorry. I tried. I truly did. I watched the pilot, like, 3 times. It put me to sleep every time which I thought was ironic but anyway... I watched 3 episodes. As I began the 4th one, and I realized I was essentially staring at my laptop's screen and not even absorbing it, I decided it was time to cut it loose. I love all those actors, I loved the idea, but something about how it's shot or the pacing or some intangible keeps me from liking it. Also, after that episode two reveal, I think if I continue watching, there's no way that the show won't piss me off. That was almost, to me, some sort of backhanded way of explaining the concept to an unwilling audience so they would know it wasn't supernatural.


Touch

I know, I know, not supernatural. Spiritual? Whatever it is, I LOVE it, am obsessed with it, etc. I read a lot of hate for it online which I don't understand. Also a lot of complaints that it's too hard to distance Jack Bauer from this new character. I think that's a load of bullshit. It's not like Keifer's a one trick pony. He's been acting since he was like 16 years old.

The show touches me on an emotional level that I haven't experienced with television in awhile. I think the closest comparison is how I feel about "Little House on the Prairie" or maybe "St. Elsewhere". This is not faint praise from me either. I hold both of those shows in the highest of esteem.

There was a moment in the 2nd episode when a Russian loan shark/gangster stereotype took a phone call from his lonely and sad teenage son back in Russia. The son asked him if it was true that he hurt people, and this question came right as the Russian was going to hurt a borrower who had defaulted. The actor playing the father had maybe, I don't know, 1-2 minutes - maybe just 50 seconds-to show the shock, shame, and, finally, resolve to change on his face. You don't see shit like that on TV often. It was breathtaking.

Anyway, if you're not watching it, you should be. I end up watching every episode like 3 times just out of pure joy. It makes me feel like the world isn't on the point of ruin. Or, at least, there's hope.


Ringer

I complained so much about this. Like every episode I complained on Twitter. I just felt like we were spinning and going nowhere half the time. Seemed like it was one complication after another, but I stuck around for those actors. Specifically Nestor and Ioan. Totally worth it. Every unexplained twist or complication (well almost every but there's still a couple of episodes to go) has been brought back into the fray. I mean, we're talking about something that happened in the second or third episode has finally been explained. I appreciate that kind of thoughtfulness in a TV show.

And there was a fantastic Agent Machado-centered episode that gave me mucho Nestor and a swoon-worthy moment of "Suspicion"-like intrigue from Ioan. Oh, and in these last couple of episodes, the frustration Henry has with Shiobian has been hysterical.


That's it. Many, many hours of television... and I didn't even tell you about the six hours of 'The Voice' I endured.

Last thought... reality competition shows should NOT BE 2 hours long.