television – Tiffany A White's Ooo Factor

July 30, 2013

TV Today – Change Can Be a Good Thing

One thing’s for sure in life—with time, everything changes.

Even television.

For instance, years ago, May sweeps meant that the television industry saved the best for last. The networks broadcast non-stop, action packed, cliff-hanging storylines every night of the week, hoping to pull in the largest ratings of the year before announcing which shows would receive pink slips.

And while this still rings true for some series, times have changed (for the most part). Today’s May sweeps ultimately means knowing which shows will return and which shows will be swept away before the season finales have all aired.

CBS's Unforgettable — Last year’s May Sweeps swept Poppy Montgomery’s *Unforgettable* into the trash… prematurely. Now she and her insane memory are back on CBS this summer.

Another example would have to be the season/s in which new TV shows air. Back in the day, and similar to May sweeps, most television series aired from September to May. The summer months were left to reruns and made-for-TV specials, leaving parents and children tons of time to enjoy the warmer weather and outdoor activities. But today, viewers have to pay close attention to when their favorite shows will play new episodes—it could be the traditional September through May, or it could be August through November, January through April, June through August, etc.

With these new and scattered TV schedules, one would have to assume that taping for these shows is also sporadic and all over the place. Right? I think so. And I see this as a good thing. Why? Because it’s providing more opportunities for a few of the familiar faces we see in non-starring roles.

Seinfeld's Newman — One of the most popular recurring characters on TV that I can remember… *Seinfeld*‘s Newman.

When I was a young girl, very rarely did I see an actor or an actress, regardless of how small or large their recurring role in a particular TV show, act in any other program on television. Occasionally we’d see them in a Hollywood film or TV special they were able to tape during their “off-season,” but never did they land a second recurring role on another popular series.

The same is not true today.

Because of alternating filming schedules and series airing at multiple times throughout the year, actors and actresses have the opportunity to take on multiple roles. Over the last year alone, I’ve seen four different actors/actresses land recurring parts in multiple TV shows… that I can think of off the top of my head. Granted, these stars are only members of larger ensemble casts in their primary programs and not the leading man or woman, but their characters are crucial to the story and their names appear in the main credits versus the “also starring” or “guest starring” tape that airs after the first commercial break.

The actor who prompted this post played one of my favorite characters on Fox’s 24 for multiple seasons—Roger Cross. For years he played Curtis Manning next to Kiefer’s Jack Bauer, and that was the only role, at the time, that I recall seeing him play. But today, as in the 2012-2103 TV season, he landed three recurring roles on three hit TV series (in their own right, anyway): Sergeant Bloom on ABC’s Motive; Detective Hilton on the CW’s Arrow; and Travis, a member of the Liber8 escapees, on SyFy’s Continuum.

But Mr. Cross is not alone.

David Ramsay, recognizable for his previous roles on Dexter, Outlaw, and Ghost Whisperer, currently plays two different characters on two completely different shows—Diggle on the CW’s Arrow and Mayor Pool on CBS’s Blue Bloods.

Corbin Bernsen, most notably from L.A. Law and the Hollywood hit, Major League (but does he really need an introduction at this point in his career?), plays dad to two of my favorite TV detectives—to Shawn Spencer on USA’s Psych and to Jim Longworth on A&E’s The Glades.

And last, but not least, we have Gina Torres (from Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Alias, Firefly, the second and third Matrix movies, and a show I enjoyed that was given the axe way too soon, Fox’s Standoff). Currently we all know Ms. Torres as Jessica, Harvey’s and Mike’s boss, on USA’s Suits, but she can also be found playing her real-life husband’s (Laurence Fishburne) wife on NBC’s Hannibal.

I find the mechanics behind how TV shows work today very interesting. And personally, I think these changes are great for the industry. I mean, if you’re not the lead, why not explore your options and add to the resume as much as possible?

What do you think? Do you like seeing actors and actresses appear in multiple roles at the same time? Can you add to my list of four? I’d love to hear from you!

May 16, 2012May 16, 2012

Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday – Missing, in More Ways Than One

This week Amber West and I revisit two of our simmering reviews on Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday — ABC’s Scandal and Missing. Are we still watching? Or have we given up completely?

Well, I may not have given up on Missing completely, but it seems the network has. Missing has officially been cancelled — so I guess it’s missing in more ways than one. But for the sake of today’s review, I’m sticking with it… considering I’ve stuck with it every episode along the way.

What would you do if your child went missing while studying abroad?

This frightening situation is the premise behind ABC’s soon to be missing drama, Missing.

The series begins with Becca Winstone (Ashley Judd) as she witnesses, or overhears really, an explosion that kills her husband (CIA Agent Paul Winstone, played by Sean Bean) while talking to her son, Michael, on the telephone.

Missing then fast forwards ten years when a now eighteen year old Michael (played by Nick Eversman) informs his mother that he has been accepted to an architectural summer program in Rome. Becca’s hesitant at first, considering Venice is where her husband was murdered, but agrees to Michael’s study abroad opportunity. The two only have each other, and they share a very close relationship as apparent with his secret “I love you” code — 235@W’ — “23” is Michael’s soccer number; “5” because the heart is the 5^th largest organ in the body; and “@W’” because Becca is the head of the Winstone household, thus making her Winstone Prime.

A little while into Michael’s trip, all texts and calls stop. Causing her to worry even more, Becca receives a phone call from Michael’s architectural program telling her that he has missed multiple courses and has since been withdrawn from school. Becca decides to do what any mother would do — she takes it upon herself to travel to Rome to search for any leads and clues into her son’s disappearance.

Becca first visits Michael’s apartment where she discovers spoiled food on the table and his cell phone plugged into the wall charger. What teenager goes anywhere without his or her cell phone? She’s reading his outgoing call history when she is interrupted by a man with a gun. A struggle ensues, but Becca kicks this man’s booty, grabs his gun, and flees from the window after she hears police sirens.

How in the world can a soccer mom (literally, she’s a soccer mom — Michael’s favorite sport is soccer, and this plays into the story in more ways than one) and flower shop owner disarm and kill a man so effortlessly? Because like her deceased husband, Becca is a retired CIA agent (she retires following her husband’s death).

While on the run from authorities, Becca reaches out to an old ally (Giancarlo Rossi, played Adriano Giannini) who informs her that the man she just killed in her son’s apartment is former Italian intelligence. While hiding out and resting at Giancarlo’s, Becca continues to study her son’s phone and its photographs, and discovers that there is a surveillance camera out on the street behind his apartment. She tracks it across town, breaks in, disables the security alarm, and hacks into the video footage of the day her son disappeared (she knows Thursday was the last day anyone saw him alive). Becca watches the surveillance as two men grab Michael and throw him into the back of a black van with French plates. A mother’s worst fears realized…

Becca manages to track down clues, but constantly runs into more men and women with guns. Not only is she frantically searching for her son, hopping European cities left and right (Missing was filmed on location in Europe — eight different cities, I believe), and dodging foreign police, she’s also attempting to trust other CIA operatives (led by Agent Dax Miller, played by Cliff Curtis). She needs help, but Agent Miller’s team definitely doesn’t trust Becca because of the size of her CIA file — “the thinner the file, the better the agent.” After a few chance encounters with the operatives, Becca also begins to run from her former employer’s new team.

She can’t trust anyone. TWIST. Or can she? TURN.

Without giving too much away for those who haven’t seen it and still wish to, despite the cancellation — hopefully it will be available on Netflix and worthy of a watch — know that no one is as they seem. No one. TWIST and TURN.

With only the season finale left, the series has impressed me in that the action never slows down. The twists kept me on my toes and impressively answered questions along the way, while of course throwing more twists right back at us. Considering the network’s cancellation, I really hope the season finale wraps things up. I want to see Becca — a woman on a mission, comparable to a female Jack Bauer — beat the living daylights out of the bad guy and wrap her arms around her son.

And despite the network’s cancellation, I can’t help but award Missing with the MacTV rating. Not only do I like Ashley Judd (I can watch Double Jeopardy and High Crimes over and over again), but the non-stop action and numerous twists adds heat to the already rapidly boiling water — perfect conditions for a warm bowl of our favorite cheesy pasta.

If anyone missed the series, Missing may totally be worthy of a spot on a Netflix Queue when available – well, depending on how the season finale (eh-hem, I mean series finale) wraps up. If the episode ends on a cliffhanger, a cliffhanger that will never see answers, I might recommend everyone steer clear of Missing. There’s nothing quite like investing hour after hour in something to only be disappointed at the end. Thanks a lot, ABC…

But if the finale ends with Becca kicking booty and finding Michael, it’s definitely worth a watch!

What do you think? Did you watch Missing? Was this series cancelled too soon? I’d love to hear from you!

Now click over to Amber’s blog and find out if Scandal has passed her DVR queue test… is she still watching?

Come back next week when Amber and I review two of the USA Network’s dramas – the new series, Common Law, and the sophomore surprise, Fairly Legal.

Remember to stop by the #watchwed hashtag in Twitter to discuss any of today’s reviews, or to mention any television programs that you’d like to see on Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday in the future.

A Recap of The WatchWed Review System:

GTV (Gourmet TV): Everything we want and more
MacTV (MacNCheese TV): Guilty pleasure. Not perfect, but is satisfies
GMacTV (Gourmet MacNCheese TV): A combination of fine wine and comfort food
JFTV (Junk food TV): It’s not great for us, but we’ll go back for seconds
TBPTV (Twice Baked Potato TV): Part gourmet and delicious, while absolutely horrible for our cholesterol
SSTV (Still Simmering TV): It has potential, but the jury is still out
NIV (Nyquil Induced Viewing): Perfect for that late night television sleep timer
LOTV (Liver&Onions TV): Do we really have to explain? Blech

May 9, 2012

Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday – Oh, Those Good Christian…

This week Amber West and I return to somewhat of a normal Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday review – last week’s sex conversation had me all sorts of flustered.

What do girls do when they’re flustered? We rely on our girlfriends… which is why my TV partner-in-crime and I thought it best to review two television programs that feature women and their ever-important relationships with their girlfriends – Best Friends Forever and GCB.

Originally Good Christian Bitches and later Good Christian Belles, GCB follows a former high school Queen “B” (Amanda, played by Leslie Bibb from Crossing Jordan) after she returns to her home town (Dallas) following the death of her husband. Along with her two teenage children, Amanda moves in with her mother (Annie Potts, Designing Women) and attempts to pull her life back together – not only did her husband die with another woman by his side, but he was also guilty of embezzling millions of dollars from his clients (yet another TV show with a ponzi scheme storyline).

Despite the fact that Amanda left her “mean girl” days behind her, the girls she terrorized in high school haven’t quite forgotten the way she treated them. Everyone, including Amanda’s mother, seems to be stuck in the past and the tables have turned on her.

GCB also stars Kristin Chenoweth (Pushing Daisies) as Carlene, Marisol Nichols (24) as Heather, Jennifer Aspen (Party of Five) as Sharon, and Miriam Shor (Damages) as Cricket, the girls Amanda terrorized in high school still living in Dallas – the girls she donned the “javelinas” (ugly girls). Of course, not one of these women is physically ugly by any means, but they do mask their true intentions by hiding behind His Word and their church.

GCB - Carlene Cockburn — THE Christian B, Carlene. Boy, is she not happy to see Amanda…

Each and every one of these ladies are successful in their own right, but for three of them life wouldn’t be the same without their husbands: David James Elliott (JAG) plays Carlene’s husband, Ripp Cockburn (one of the best Texas names I’ve ever heard, and I live in Texas) who owns massive real estate, local businesses, and anything else that makes tons of money; Brad Beyer (Jericho) plays Sharon’s husband, Zack Peacham who played professional football for the Cowboys and now owns a struggling luxury car dealership; and Mark Deklin (Lone Star) plays Cricket’s husband, Blake Reilly, a “real” cowboy who happens to have a Dallas-sized secret of his own (he’s gay).

GCB - Blake and Cricket Caruth-Reilly — The Reillys are good at keeping secrets…

When I first saw the previews for GCB, I hoped it was ABC’s next Desperate Housewives. The potential for massive drama is there – Ripp seems to be one of the many that Amanda’s ex-husband ripped off, and he wants his money back – but as the show title indicates, the series is mostly dramedy showcasing the teeny-tiny cat fights the girls always find themselves wrapped up in.

GCB - Ripp Cockburn — Will Ripp rip Amanda for her husband ripping him off? Sorry, I couldn’t resist…

Carlene always leads the pack, horrified by everything teenage Amanda did and said to her. Sharon is not at all confident and constantly fears that Amanda is going to steal her man, much like she did Cricket’s high school boyfriend (Amanda’s deceased husband). Heather appears to be the only rational member of the foursome, and actually accepts Amanda’s apology and refrains from any of the vengeful games the others launch at her (unless she’s being threatened by Carlene, Sharon, or Cricket for whatever reason).

GCB - Sharon and Heather — Amanda’s entrance catches Sharon and Heather by surprise as well…

As usual, the show takes the regular Texas accent and twists it into the hideous Texas TV Twang we’ve grown accustomed to over the years. Seriously Hollywood, we don’t sound like that! And let’s not forget the idealism that everything is bigger in Texas, they play that up to a “T” as well, in addition to the Texan’s love affair with the 2^nd Amendment and BBQ.

GCB - Carlene & Amanda — Gotta have guns…

But bottom line, GCB is fun. It’s not great, it’s not even a series that I would rank in my top twenty – but it’s fun with its over-the-top humor (Annie Potts steals the show, hands down). I do laugh, but I still haven’t decided if I’m laughing at the show or with the show.

I’m torn as to how to rate GCB – it’s definitely not LOTV, nor is it NIV. But what is it? After watching the conclusion of the first season, GCB earns the JFTV rating – but it’s the kind of junk food that we should only reach for when we’ve kept to our workout regimen and there’s nothing left in the cupboard besides that bag of chocolate we know deep down we really should avoid.

Maybe if it makes it to a season two, GCB will redeem itself and move up the scale. I know it has the potential to be better than it actually is. And like I said, now that Desperate Housewives is done, I’m looking for a show to fill the Wisteria Lane gap. I’m not hating here… really, I’m not. I just want more.

What do you think? Did you watch the first season of GCB? Do you agree or disagree with my rating? Who’s your favorite character and why? Do you think the show will be back for season two? I’d love to hear from you!

Now click over to Amber’s blog and see what she thinks about another show that focuses on the relationships between female characters that also happens to form another acronym, BFF or Best Friends Forever…

Come back next week when Amber and I revisit a few of our SSTV reviews… How will Scandal and Missing fare today?

A Recap of The WatchWed Review System:

May 8, 2012

Tele-Tuesday: May Flowers, aka TV in Bloom

Just as most television programs wrap up the 2011-2012 season, a few networks plan to launch new series this month. It’s like a never-ending game of “What’s on TV?”

May is no different. Our revolving door of television is back.

We haven’t introduced any new programs since March because many have accused us of adding too much to their already full TV schedules. For that, we apologize. But that’s not going to stop us from talking about even more! Sorry – but we feel it’s our duty here at Tele-Tuesday.

So sit back and try to relax…

What will you watch?

*****

The L.A. Complex

We’re actually late to this party — The L.A. Complex premiered April 24^th on the CW. The show follows a group of twenty-somethings living in the same apartment complex who are trying to make it in Hollywood. Sound familiar? Melrose Place comes to mind…

The series stars Cassie Steele (Degrassi: The Next Generation) as Abby Vargas, a Canadian who dreams of becoming an actress. Abby meets other struggling artists at The Lux Motel, one of the few places they can all afford to live: Nick (Joe Dinicol), a comedian; Tariq (Benjamin Charles Watson), a musician; Connor (Jonathan Patrick Moore), an Aussie actor; Alicia (Chelan Simmons), a dancer; and Raquel (Jewel Staite from Firefly), a television actress. Will they survive Los Angeles?

Most of the cast are relatively unknown, but viewers will see many familiar faces throughout the season in recurring and guest roles, like Krista Allen (Days of our Lives), Alan Thicke (Growing Pains), and Mary Lynn Rajskub (24).

The L.A. Complex airs Tuesdays on the CW.

*****

White Heat

Normally we wouldn’t look to BBC America when searching for new television series, but because of the success of many British television programs here in the United States (Doctor Who, Being Human, and Sherlock to just name a few), we thought we’d change it up a bit.

White Heat follows seven friends (Lilly, Jack, Victor, Orla, Charlotte, Alan, and Jay) who first meet in London in 1965. The six episodes will flash-forward and feature these same seven friends in the years 1967, 1973, 1979, 1982, and 1990 as they maneuver through personal and political times.

Because we don’t frequent British television, most of the actors and actresses are not recognizable by name, however many have a favorable resume: young Lilly, played by MyAnna Buring (The Descent); current-day Lilly, played by Lindsay Duncan (Rome); young Jack, played by Sam Claflin (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides); young Edward, played by Jeremy Northam (The Tudors); young Jay, played by Reece Ritchie (The Lovely Bones); and many others.

One aspect of White Heat that really captured our attention was the music associated with each episode, featuring artists Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, Queen, The Clash, and Culture Club. The tunes alone make the series worthy, right?

White Heat premieres Wednesday, May 9^th on BBC America.

*****

Common Law

Common Law follows two Los Angeles detectives with an immense love for the job – and they’re good at it; they just don’t like each other very much. When a new police captain (Captain Phil Sutton, played by Jack McGee from Rescue Me) moves in, he sends the seven-year partners to relationship counseling or couples therapy as we’re familiar with today.

Common Law stars Michael Ealy (Flashforward) as Travis Marks and Warren Kole (The Chicago Code) as Wes Mitchell – two partners stuck in a “marriage with bullets.”

Viewers can expect to see a few other familiar faces: Sonya Walger (Lost) plays Dr. Elyse Ryan, the detectives’ therapist; Alicia Coppola (Jericho) plays a forensic pathologist; and Nora Zehetner (Grey’s Anatomy) is a new detective on the force, specializing in the digital world.

The USA Network is known for their fantastic original programs: the older and never forgotten Monk and The Dead Zone; the current and favorites Psych and Burn Notice; and the sophomore hits Suits, Necessary Roughness, and Fairly Legal. Because of the network’s track record, Common Law is probably the series we’re most looking forward to here at Tele-Tuesday,

Common Law premieres Friday, May 11^th on USA.

*****

Men at Work

Another channel we don’t usually watch for, TBS is launching a new sitcom this month created by the great Breckin Meyer (Franklin & Bash). Men at Work follows four friends who all work together at the same magazine as they help a buddy get back on the dating horse after a disastrous breakup.

The series stars: Danny Masterson (That ‘70s Show) as Milo, the recently dumped friend; James Lesure (Las Vegas – we are big fans of Mike Cannon here at Tele-Tuesday) as Gibbs; Adam Busch (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) as Neal; and Michael Cassidy (The O.C.) as Tyler.

Rarely do we see a comedy centering around all men, and funny character actors we’ve missed for years at that. Add the funny-man creator to this, and we can’t help but feel Men at Work could potentially be summer dynamite.

Men at Work premieres Thursday, May 24^th on TBS.

*****

What do you think? Do you plan to watch The L.A. Complex, White Heat, Common Law, or Men at Work? Which show has the most promise and why? The least? I’d love to hear from you!

May 2, 2012

Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday – “Can Sex Mend a Broken Relationship?”

This week Amber West and I are trying something a bit different on Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday. We’re still reviewing TV, of sorts… Amber takes a look at the Hulu original, Battleground (only available online), and I’m reviewing a reality show on Lifetime that I never thought I’d watch.

“Can Sex Mend a Broken Relationship?”

The Lifetime Network poses this question to troubled couples each week on their new reality program, 7 Days of Sex.

When I first saw the advertisements for this show, I had no idea what was in store for us. I didn’t know if it was a traditional drama like Lifetime’s other new racy series, The Client List, or if it was something else all together.

It is something else all together.

I emailed Amber about it and somehow I was tasked with the review. To be honest, I would have never watched otherwise. I’m not a prude (even if I feel a bit like one typing this review), but I also don’t watch shows like Wife Swap, The Bachelor/Bachelorette, or anything else relationship oriented. It’s simply not my cup of tea.

But I took one for the team with this one…

Each episode features two “real” life couples who aren’t having sex for one reason or another. In the pilot, one couple was married with three young children and the other couple had been married longer but without children. The couples vow to have sex once a day for seven days straight to re-energize their relationships.

Will it work?

Besides the fact that these couples are technically broadcasting their sex lives to the world (don’t worry; it’s PG-rated), the most intriguing part of the show happens to be the similarities between these couples and the relatability of men and women’s views on sex.

First, the most obvious difference between men and women’s views of sex:

What is sex to a man? A physical need; they should have sex every day.
What is sex to a woman? A moment of intimacy, a “deed” or a job.

Moving on, why don’t couples have sex?

For couples with children, it’s hard to find alone time for “nookie”
Husbands and wives aren’t on the same page about starting a family
Women feel uncomfortable about their bodies and don’t want to be seen naked, not even by their partner
Finances
Control Issues
Lack of respect for one another

7 Days of Sex — Married woman from the couple without children... Her generalized thoughts: I'd like to be in control every once in a while...

Regardless of the whys and the why nots, these couples pledged to have sex for seven days straight. So how do they feel about this? The men are excited… and the women are afraid their “lady parts” will be sore.

I could go on and on about the experiences of these couples throughout their week-long pledge, but I’ll try to summarize my favorite parts instead.

Men think that taking women out to a nice and fancy dinner will help them get “lucky” later
Women would prefer to nap than have sex
Men think that taking women on a surprise camping trip will help them get “lucky”
Women will try to bargain their way out of having sex; “How about we skip tonight and have a double feature in the morning?”
Men will do anything to have sex
Women want to be spoiled and wowed
Men feel sex isn’t complete without the woman reaching orgasm
Women don’t care about reaching an orgasm every time they have sex

And maybe it’s because I’m a woman, but I also found these points interesting and somewhat valid:

Women will set “rules” for a “sure thing” – rules instructing the men to be sweet and not do or say anything to anger her (that’s like walking in a landmine, isn’t it gents?)
If a woman buys her own “sexy” lingerie and toys, the men should prepare for a “fun” night
If a man buys a woman “sexy” lingerie and toys, the woman doesn’t feel nearly as comfortable
If one tiny thing goes wrong, say the man doesn’t help around the house with chores that the woman hasn’t told him about but feels he should automatically know, the woman is “closed” for business
Pouring hot wax over one another is not such a great idea, especially when you have children asleep in the other room

Anyway, after the seven-day pact, both couples reconnected; both felt like more of a team. Taking it one step further, the married couple with children wrote promises to one another going forward and the married couple without children vowed to have a “7 Days of Sex” anniversary every year. The sex vow seemed to work for these two pairs… but will it always?

Now for the fun part, how does Lifetime’s 7 Days of Sex rate? It wasn’t the worst thing I’ve ever watched on TV, but I also probably won’t watch it again unless I’m in bed waiting to fall asleep and there’s nothing else on. Therefore, I give it the NIV rating (Nyquil Induced Viewing): Perfect for that late night television sleep timer.

Sorry Lifetime, but as expected, it’s just not my cup of tea. I think having watched one episode, I’m good to go…. This is a very interesting conversation piece, but a series? I was thinking more like a one or two-hour special like the basic cable networks offer.

What do you think? Did you watch 7 Days of Sex? Do you plan to catch at least one episode – why or why not? Do you agree with any of the above assessments about how men and women feel about sex? I’d love to hear from you!

Now click over to Amber’s blog and see how the Hulu original, Battleground, fares in her opinion…

Come back next week when Amber and I review something fun and interesting… although it probably won’t be anything like 7 Days of Sex!

A Recap of The WatchWed Review System:

April 25, 2012April 25, 2012

Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday: Suc-u-what?

This week Amber West and I flip channels over to SyFy to review two of their science fiction dramas on Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday — a revisit to the soon to end series, Eureka, and a look at the Canadian hit picked up by U.S. television, Lost Girl.

What if we made a habit of waking up next to dead lovers?

That’s the story of Bo’s life (Anna Silk) — her life as a succubus. Of course she doesn’t know what she’s doing or what her powers are called; she only knows that she has the tendency to kill those she is intimate with. Over the years, Bo has learned to keep a stash of fake identification documents handy and to flee her whereabouts at a moment’s notice to keep her secret safe.

Lost Girl - Bo — Bo "sucking" the life out of someone deserving, I'm sure...

But Bo’s life is about to change forever.

After saving a human girl’s life (Kenzi, played by Ksenia Solo) from an overly aggressive man looking to take advantage of her, the human actually sticks by Bo and the two become fast friends and roommates. Throughout the investigation into the dead man, Bo also meets Dyson (played by Kristen Holden-Reid) and Hale (played by K.C. Collins), two detectives who understand her more than anyone has ever understood her in her entire life.

Lost Girl - Dyson and Hale — Dyson and Hale

Courtesy of Dyson and Hale, Bo finally learns all about her supernatural powers and about the Fae organization. Dyson and Hale also belong in this world – Dyson is a wolf shape-shifter and Hale is a siren.

The Fae is broken into two groups — the Light and the Dark — the good and the evil. The leaders of the Fae world insist that Bo choose a side, but she fights for her freedom and remains neutral — a rare oddity in the Fae organization.

Regardless, Bo has finally found a home.

Lost Girl follows Bo as she attempts to control her power and balance her supernatural and human lives. She works alongside a combination of supernatural beings and human friends as a private investigator, hired by those who can’t seem to find help anywhere else — human or supernatural.

Kenzi works as Bo’s partner, and uses her history as a scam artist and her “street” talents to their advantage. The two constantly rely on Dyson and Hale, not only for their access to the police department but also because of their knowledge of the Fae worlds. Also helping the team from time to time is: Lauren (Zoie Palmer), a human doctor with valuable knowledge of the supernatural Fae organization; and Trick (Rick Howland), the owner of a town pub where Light and Dark Fae comingle.

In addition to previously not knowing about her powers and the Fae existence, Bo also doesn’t know anything about her birth parents. She now understands that either one or both belong to the Fae world — her mother could be another succubus; her father could be an incubus; or her mother and father could both be “sex chi eaters” — regardless, Bo wants to know more; and for whatever reason, Dyson and Trick are keeping her past from her.

Lost Girl has aired in Canada for the past few television seasons, and has been renewed for a third. The SyFy network recently acquired the rights to air the first two seasons, and the series premiered this winter.

The succubus storyline is a nice twist on the usual vampire, werewolf, and witch filled supernatural TV programs, plus the special effects are great. Perhaps it’s because the series originated outside the U.S., but the language and sexual situations are far more risqué than what we’re accustomed to here in the States.

One might wonder just how much the sexual element plays into the story, and that would be a lot. See, Bo uses sex with Dyson to curb her succubus cravings and to heal. In bed, where she’d normally kill a human, Dyson can take it. It may drain him, but he keeps her satisfied. And, to test her ability on controlling her powers, Bo played a little sexual game with Lauren. It seems Bo can’t make up her mind — Dyson or Lauren; Lauren or Dyson?

Lost Girl - Bo and Dyson — Bo needs just a little of Dyson to heal or cure her cravings...

So how does Lost Girl rank? For now, we’re giving the SyFy series a solid JFTV rating; like Bo, every once in a while we need to satisfy our succubus cravings (only ours come in the form of chocolate miniatures). The show might rank higher, but considering we’re not current on the episodes and tend to let them stockpile on the DVR queue tells us that it’s not quite a MacTV favorite.

However, give us some more shirtless Dyson, and Lost Girl could move up the WatchWed food chain overnight…

Lost Girl - Dyson — Some eye-candy for the girls...

What do you think? Have you watched Lost Girl? Who’s your favorite character and why? If you could have any one supernatural power, what would it be and why? I’d love to hear from you!

Before we go, give Lost Girl a chance — don’t give up after watching the pilot. The episodes get much better…

Now click over to Amber’s blog and see her continued thoughts about the soon to be gone Eureka.

Come back next week when Amber and I review something fun and interesting…

A Recap of The WatchWed Review System:

April 24, 2012July 20, 2012

Tele-Tuesday: The King and Queen of TV Characters Worthy of a Slap, Figuratively of Course

It’s been well established these past few weeks that many of us watch television programs and think to ourselves, Someone really needs to slap that character! Wanting to slap someone doesn’t necessarily mean we don’t still love them, but that they need a reality check. Also, wanting to slap someone doesn’t necessarily mean we should slap them — this is all figurative of course, not literal.

But many characters on TV today find themselves worthy of a slap, at least in our opinion here at The Ooo Factor. Some of these characters portray leading roles on some of our very favorite television programs today, but we still find ourselves wishing we could jolt them back to reality at times.

Maybe they’re a bit overzealous; maybe they’re a bit narcissistic; maybe they’re a bit dense; or maybe they’re just a bit clueless — regardless, playing a game of Slap This TV Character might just be what they need… or better yet, what we need as a viewer to continue on.

Over the past two weeks, we named our top ten television characters worthy of a figurative slap. Readers also chimed in and now we have the top two TV characters worthy of a figurative slap — a King and Queen of sorts.

For the men, we have…

Dr. Gregory House – House

Dr. House is about as narcissistic as they come… He’s always right; always. Even when he’s wrong, does he admit it? Never. He’ll stop at nothing to prove his point and humiliate those around him, those who for whatever reason devote themselves to him. He’s outright mean, callous, vindictive, and ultimately misanthropic; but he’s the best at what he does — head diagnostician at a fictional and prestigious hospital. He has already chased one Dean of Medicine away, and she literally loved him, and now he’s working on number two. His best friend and his team of rotating doctors understand him like no one else does and they constantly try to break through the barriers known as House, but due to the impossibility, it’s more like a game now — House versus everyone else.

Our readers added:

“Gregory House needs a good bitch slap.” – Tom Wisk

“House totally needs a slap! Every time I watch it (surreptitiously, it’s really my husband who watches the show), I get so frustrated!” – Tameri Etherton

“House – he’s SO obnoxious.” – Kathy Owen

“Yes, please, someone knock some sense into House, especially if he doesn’t wise up and try to keep his wife. I was so disappointed when he ruined things with Cuddy.” – Marcy Kennedy

“House. It got to the point where there was just nothing redeemable about him. Running a car through Cutty’s dining room. REALLY? I can suspend disbelief with the best of them but it got to where I was just so done with the dysfunction. Not only was House annoying, but anyone who put up with his antics seriously needed therapy.” – Kristen Lamb

“On the House note – yup, deserves a slap. But, given my enormous crush on him, I would have to assume that a slap from me would whip him into shape. And then he could be my boyfriend. Haha.” – Amber West

“I’m with Kristen Lamb on House. This season he’s gone from being obnoxious and dysfunctional to downright cruel. If it wasn’t the last season, it would still be =my= last season watching. But it has sparked some interesting discussions with my friends about just how much people will tolerate in exchange for genius, a subject that has fascinated me for years.” – Justine Dare Davis

*****

Now as far as the Queen, our readers have spoken – not one of our six ladies topped the list; instead our readers’ comments elevated this very deserving girl to number one. Honestly, we can’t believe we didn’t think of her in the first place. At the first mention of her character, we slapped our foreheads! Talk about a “Duh!” moment.

“You missed Lori Grimes from The Walking Dead. I’ve seen so many internet gags revolving around her lack of parenting skills and the desire to push her out of the safe house into the crowd of Walkers…” – Damian Trasler

“As soon as I saw the title of this blog, I knew exactly who’d be my number one, and you hit it on the head. If Season 3 of Walking Dead consisted of a constant loop of Lori getting slapped, I’d start watching it again.” – Alan Edwards

“I’d also have to go with Lori from The Walking Dead.” – Emma Meade

“Lori Grimes is another one I’d like to slap.” – Jess Witkins

And so for the women, we have…

Lori Grimes – The Walking Dead

At first glance, Lori wasn’t so bad, was she? She survived, unlike many, and narrowly escaped the walker epidemic with her son and her husband’s best friend. For all intents and purposes, she was looking to start a new life — her husband was dead, or at least she had been told he died. So why not fall in love with his best friend? He was already the closest male figure in her son’s life and he risked his life to get her and her son out of the city. But then she and the rest of us learn that her husband is indeed not dead, and he of course makes his way back to her. The second he arrives at camp, Lori turns into a heartless, conniving, and lying Queen Bee (that’s not what we wanted to say here, so use your imagination). She assumes her role as the camp’s Queen, since her husband is naturally the leader, and she immediately begins to act like her indiscretions never happened. To make matters worse, we learn she’s pregnant — but whose baby is it — her husband’s or his best friend’s? Needless to say, she handled this situation like she’d never heard the term “kid’s gloves” and we believe her to be the entire reason why her husband’s best friend lost his marbles.

*****

So there we have it – King House and Queen Lori. But which one is even more deserving of the top slap slot? Vote now!

So what do you think? Is there another character on television even more worthy of the King and/or Queen spot? I’d love to hear from you!

Before we go,why not add a Prince and Princess to the Royal Tele-Tuesday Slap Party? After all, Dickie Bennett (Justified) and Sharon Peacham (GCB) ran a close second behind our King and Queen…

“Watch GCB religiously. Sharon deserves a bit more than a head slap, perhaps jaws wired shut to keep stuff from coming out and going in.” – Tom Wisk

“I agree that the gimp-legged Dickie needs Raylan to even out the limp!” – Tim L. O’Brien

“The only one I watch from the bunch is GCB and I agree, but I don’t want to slap Sharon, I want to shake her!!” – Claudia LeFeve

Dickie Bennett - Justified — Prince Dickie Bennett, Justified

“You know I’d like to snatch that scraggly Wyatt Earp wanna be mustache right off Dickie Bennett’s face. He’s such a little tick turd. And it’s too bad because he was actually sort of cool in Lost.” – Catie Rhodes

Thanks, everyone! The comments the past few weeks have been fabOoolous!

April 17, 2012

Tele-Tuesday: Television Characters Worthy of a Slap, Figuratively of Course – Part 2

Does anyone ever watch a television program and think to themselves, “Someone really needs to slap that character!”? Wanting to slap someone doesn’t necessarily mean we don’t still love them, but that they need a reality check. Also, wanting to slap someone doesn’t necessarily mean we should slap them – this is all figurative of course, not literal.

Many characters on TV today find themselves worthy of a slap, at least in our opinion here at The Ooo Factor. Some of these characters portray leading roles on some of our very favorite television programs, but we still find ourselves wishing we could jolt them back to reality at times.

Maybe they’re a bit overzealous; maybe they’re a bit narcissistic; maybe they’re a bit dense; or maybe they’re just a bit clueless — regardless, playing a fun game of Slap This TV Character might just be what they need… or better yet, what we need as a viewer to continue on.

Last week we named our first five television characters worthy of a figurative slap. So who else does Tele-Tuesday believe is worthy of a figurative slap?

*****

6. Dr. Gregory House – House

Dr. House is about as narcissistic as they come… He’s always right; always. Even when he’s wrong, does he admit it? Never. He’ll stop at nothing to prove his point and humiliate those around him, those who for whatever reason devote themselves to him. He’s outright mean, callous, vindictive, and ultimately misanthropic; but he’s the best at what he does — head diagnostician at a fictional and prestigious hospital. He has already chased one Dean of Medicine away, and she literally loved him, and now he’s working on number two. His best friend and his team of rotating doctors understand him like no other and constantly try to break through the barriers known as House, but due to the impossibility, it’s more like a game now – House versus everyone else.

7. Serena van der Woodson – Gossip Girl

Talk about Little Miss Entitled. Many may not like the scheming and evil games played by Serena’s best friend, but we personally don’t mind Blair’s tricks here at Tele-Tuesday. We do, however, mind the constant whining of Serena. We actually find ourselves rooting against her when it comes to love. We love that her supposed one true love is now with Blair; Serena deserves that. After all, she slept with Blair’s boyfriend before she skipped town to go to boarding school. While at boarding school, she fell in love with a teacher (which ultimately sent him away to jail for statutory rape or something like that). Since she’s returned to the Upper East Side, Serena is constantly sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong and blowing up carefully laid plans by those who actually know how to play the New York socialite game. And now she’s literally the infamous “Gossip Girl” — what will she blow up next?

8. Dickie Bennett – Justified

And if we’re talking about Little Miss Entitled, we should probably talk about her counterpart — Little Mr. Entitled. But where Serena rules New York’s Upper East Side, Dickie believes he rules Harlan County, Kentucky. Seriously, we all know Raylan Givens and Boyd Crowder run Harlan County — Raylan on the right side of the law, Boyd on the not-so-right-side of the law. And we love them both, right? But Dickie? Dickie’s got nothing, yet thinks because his Mamma knew how to run an evil drug empire that he’s entitled and completely trained and worthy of the same power. He’s not. He’s just a weasel that needs the living daylights beat out of him, not just a slap. Maybe Raylan can take a bat to his other knee to even out his limp? Or maybe Boyd can shoot him in the chest with a shotgun to even the playing field for Dickie’s shot on Ava? Either way, someone take this Bennett down…

9. Shawn Spencer – Psych

Shawn may be the most overzealous character on our list, but that doesn’t mean we don’t still love him (unlike Serena and Dickie). However, it does mean we’d like to slap him around from time to time. In his role of playing a psychic detective for the Santa Barbara police, Shawn must put on somewhat of a show, a dramatization, when working a case — like putting his fingers to his head, pretending he’s encountering a psychic vision; or his pretending to see psychic visions instead of admitting he is only using his keen sense of observation to point out something the “real” detectives haven’t yet noticed; or his acting out over-the-top actions, pretending his psychic visions have taken a hold of his physical being. But there are also times when Shawn’s antics take it a bit too far. Shawn has toned it down a bit over the past few years; but when we catch episodes of the earlier seasons, we find ourselves wishing Gus would reach out and slap the silly right out of Shawn.

10. Nancy Botwin – Weeds

Nancy does what she needs to do in order to provide for her sons since her husband’s sudden death – she sells weed. Despite her shenanigans, Nancy truly tries to be the best mother possible to her boys. However, Nancy has the tendency to screw things up and fall for the wrong men: Conrad, her weed-growing partner; Peter, her second husband/FBI agent; and Esteban Reyes, her third husband/Mexican drug cartel crime lord. Because of Nancy’s choices, her family is constantly running, constantly trying to escape her bad decisions. But somewhere along the line, Nancy believes that she is the only one in her family capable of making decisions; she always reminds everyone that she’s the “boss” — boss of the family; boss of the weed-selling business; boss of everything. It’s time to see someone in her family slap some sense into her; the sooner one of the boys stands up to her, the sooner the Botwin family may be able to stop running.

*****

That’s our top ten, again in no particular order other than alphabetized by television show. Adding to our list, we had some great slap-worthy character suggestions by our Ooo Factor readers last week:

Lori Grimes from The Walking Dead
Horatio Caine from CSI: Miami
Cassie Blake from The Secret Circle
Stefen Salvatore from The Vampire Dairies
Sookie Stackhouse from True Blood

Who should we add to this list?

And remember, we’re not condemning these characters — obviously we watch each and every one of these shows, and these characters hold a special place in our hearts for one reason or another. But don’t we all want to slap even those that we love the most every once in a while, figuratively of course?

That’s what we thought…

Do you agree with our choices? Which character/s on television do you wish you could slap, figuratively of course? Does an annoying character stop you from watching a TV series? I’d love to hear from you!

April 10, 2012

Tele-Tuesday: Television Characters Worthy of a Slap, Figuratively of Course

So who does Tele-Tuesday believe is worthy of a figurative slap?

*****

1. Charlie Runkle – Californication

Charlie is a bit clueless and he’s definitely a bit jealous, considering himself to be lacking in more areas than one. Over the years he’s been caught doing the unthinkable “alone-time” while at his desk at work; he’s been suckered into a sex-slave type relationship with his boss; his wife has left him and is raising his son with her new husband, who she met courtesy of Charlie; and, he’s afraid that everything good in his life will disappear and he continuously makes bad decisions in attempt to hold on to the good. Watching Charlie is kind of like watching a train wreck — we know we shouldn’t look, but we also can’t look away.

2. Annie Walker – Covert Affairs

Annie may just be the worst CIA operative on television. Don’t get us wrong, we love Covert Affairs; but Annie wears us out. We’re supposed to believe that she’s been through all of this top of the line secret agent training, yet she constantly makes so many bad decisions while in the field. And in her love life. Hello?!?! Why is she still pining away for the one who keeps showing up and disappearing again when she has the stable and sexy Auggie by her side? Wake up, Annie!

3. Susan Mayer – Desperate Housewives

Susan, Susan, Susan. Susan is a mess. Yes she’s quirky and fun, but she’s also annoying and clueless so much of the time. We should probably give her the benefit of the doubt since her husband was just murdered in front of her, but we’re not. So many things have gone bad on Wisteria Lane because of Susan and her not really thinking before acting. After Susan’s first husband left, her daughter Julie played more of a motherly role than Susan did. Even now adult Julie still shows signs of having done a better job raising herself than Susan has, and usually offers more support to Susan than Susan does to her own daughter. Let’s just hope Julie is around for MJ now that his father is gone too.

4. Sharon Peacham – GCB

GCB is new, but not new enough for us to have not already formed an opinion of Sharon. Sharon is a former beauty queen who has put on a few pounds since high school, yet she’s not big in any way; she’s married to a former football star who’s stuck living a bit in his past glory days; and she’s the mother to two heavily entitled children who always put themselves first. Through all of this, Sharon has lost her identity (if she ever had one) and she’s jealous of everyone and everything. Even when attempting to better herself, she proves to be nothing but an annoyance to one of the most patient men in her life (her pastor). Yes GCB is supposed to be an “over-the-top” comedy, poking fun at Texans and extremely devout Christians in a nice way (not spiteful at all), but Sharon is a bit much.

5. Maxie Jones – General Hospital

Maxie has always been a bit annoying, especially since she has lived in her younger sister’s shadow for as long as we can remember. What makes matters worse? Her character has not grown in the least over the years. Currently Maxie blames herself for her cousin’s death, but not in a quiet, self-destructive way — in a public, loud, and obnoxious way. Robin’s death is her fault? Fine! She wants to be incarcerated for Robin’s death? Lock her up! Throw away the key! Just please do something so we don’t have to listen to her whining anymore. Please.

*****

Come back next week when we divulge our numbers six through ten…

Please note that our selections are in no particular order, other than they are alphabetized by program name. And remember, we’re not condemning these characters — obviously we watch each and every one of these shows, and these characters hold a special place in our hearts for one reason or another. But don’t we all want to slap even those that we love the most every once in a while, figuratively of course?

That’s what we thought…

April 4, 2012April 4, 2012

Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday – Surviving “Real” TV

With over forty Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday posts under our belt, can anyone believe that Amber West and I have yet to review any reality TV programs? I’m shocked… especially considering I am one of the millions guilty of watching “real” television throughout the year.

During our WatchWed holiday-like hiatus, Amber and I published our DVR priorities where I listed reality TV as one of my number one DVR must-records. Why? Because most reality sensations don’t air again if missed at the original time slot, and I don’t want to miss out.

This week, Amber and I review two of Mark Burnett’s reality shows — the no-nonsense Shark Tank and the no-holds-barred Survivor.

Now in its 24^th season, Survivor follows tribe members (contestants of all races, ages, and backgrounds) as they battle it out to win immunity, hoping to Outwit, Outplay, and Outlast the other contestants. They are isolated, usually at a beautiful tropical location with gnarly storm seasons, and they must build a shelter to survive. During physical and mental competitions, the tribes earn rewards — flint for fire, fishing equipment, tarps, and luxury items (such as pillows and blankets — yea, not very “luxury” by our definition, right?). But no single prize is as great as the immunity idol.

The competitions aren’t the only obstacle standing in the way of the Ultimate Survivor winning the one million dollar cash prize. The elements are intense, sometimes so brutal I don’t know how the contestants find the will-power to keep going.

Fire is life; without fire, even the water isn’t safe to drink. I’m amazed every season at the number of contestants accepted onto the show who haven’t learned to master starting a fire using nothing but twigs and patience.

And then there are the bugs. The bugs are the number one reason why I could never play this game that I love. Call me a pansy; call me what you will. But I hate bugs — Bugs that crawl; Bugs that fly; Bugs that breathe. Period. The number of bug bites on the contestants makes my skin crawl.

Everything considered, the most important aspect of playing Survivor is one’s ability to socialize — to form alliances. Without the votes of the fellow tribe members, a contestant’s days on the island come to an end at tribal council (considering they don’t hold the immunity idol or a hidden immunity idol, of course).

Winning competitions over and over again does not guarantee the million dollar prize (does it, Colby?). Aligning with the perfect partner/partners can carry someone all the way to the end.

One of the best alliances of all time might just be Rob Mariano and Amber Brkich (now Mariano) in Survivor All-Stars. The two were playing the game for the second time and formed what many considered to be an unlikely alliance, but one that took them both to the end. Together they claimed both the first and second place cash prizes, and later pocketed the ultimate prize when they married and started a family. I actually think Survivor has been more successful with couples marrying than the Bachelor and Bachelorette. But I digress…

Sometimes being the villain of the group also pays off. How? I don’t know, but we’ve seen it on multiple occasions. Heck, I’ve even gone from despising a contestant one season to liking them later on (Coach, a.k.a. “The Dragon Slayer” had this effect on me, but it took him three seasons to do it). Villains do rather well most of the time – Parvati, Russell Hantz, and even Boston Rob (yes, the same Rob Mariano as mentioned earlier.) Russell was so evil that his own nephew didn’t want the other contestants to know he was related to him when he played on a later season.

Are these people really villains? No, of course not. But do they play the game of Survivor to win at all costs, no-holds-barred? Yes, and quite well at that.

Hosted by the ever-adorable Jeff Probst, Survivor has earned multiple award nominations and won. The show is such a success, that CBS has already ordered two more seasons following the conclusion of the one currently airing. Yay!

Survivor - Jeff Probst — The Probster...

But does that mean Survivor earns a GTV rating? No, but it is definitely a guilty pleasure and sits firmly as a MacTV favorite. Survivor is one of my favorite reality programs. I have never missed a season. Never. Call me crazy, but I literally get giddy as the clock inches closer and closer to 7pm CST on Wednesday nights — kind of like a young child standing nearby as his or her mommy makes mac-n-cheese for dinner. It’s exciting.

Survivor Jimmy Johnson — "Your tribe has spoken." Yes, that is Jimmy Johnson (the former NFL coach). The last words any contestant wants to hear...

What do you think? Do you watch Survivor? Who’s your favorite contestant over the years? Mine are Boston Rob and Colby Donaldson, if you haven’t gathered from my mentioning above… Have you considered Outwitting, Outplaying, and Outlasting the competition enough to apply for CBS’ reality hit? Do you watch any reality TV? I’d love to hear from you!

Now click over to Amber’s blog and see what she thinks about ABC’s “real” TV, Shark Tank.

Come back next week when Amber and I review something interesting…

A Recap of The WatchWed Review System:

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