Betty's bad clothes and solid gold staplers

I'm listening to very loud music while I blog and I've got two people cleaning my place, one of whom seems very upset--and not so great either if the bathroom is any evidence. But better than I feel like doing before a party I'm having on Sunday. I never entertain because I hate to clean and my cats make messes and shed everywhere and I don't want to let anyone in without having it really clean--so I'm in a bind.

Anyhow, TV. The Office was more like old school Office last night I think--they were in the office, Jim and Pam were pranking each other, and everyone was taking sides over chairs or a copy machine. I would have gone with chairs myself--a bad back is part of the reason I hate to clean so much. Of course I also hate all the copy machines at my office which, on the rare occasions I try to use one, inevitably jam. I don't think we're going to have a surplus this year--nor is any paper company but hey, that's why fiction is fun. Somehow, when I read the description on TiVo, that the office mates were trying to decide how to spend a surplus, I was thinking of it more like when they had a surplus at Springfield Elementary and people were ordering solid gold staplers and stuff (I just searched for a good ten minutes and could not figure out which episode this was or precisely what they ordered), so I will say I was a wee bit disappointed to find them asking for such pedestrian things, although Michael's $675 man fur from Burlington Coat Factory, that he turned out not to be able to afford because he didn't get the bonus he could have for turning the surplus back in, but couldn't take back because an anti-fur activist threw red paint on it, was much closer to what I had in mind.

30 Rock was OK, but I'm not really sure I got the whole Liz being a bully thing. Yes, obviously her funniness comes from defensiveness, and I'm sure she muttered nasty things under her breath about the popular crowd, but who would have listened or cared? It's an interesting conceit to think they might have cared but what kind of wimpy popular crowd did that school have? Anyhow, the whole thing came off as mean spirited. Not my favorite, but interesting by being, I believe, the first episode this season without a celebrity guest. Just the core, plus Rip Torn who is semi-regular anyhow.

Ugly Betty--oh my fucking god what was she wearing. I honestly don't get it. She goes out with Amanda, and Amanda gets a fabulous $2000 dress for free (well, she pays for it, but keeps the tags in and intends to take it back) and scores Betty a scarf that same way that doesn't even match. I mean nothing on earth would have matched that monstrosity, but it was sort of teal and pink (I think--I was too blinded to really see it) and the tights another non-matchy color, and the scarf was a deep red. And her wig is terrible, and her braces binding (are Invisiline really that much more expensive?) and there was just no way those "Italian" guys would have picked her up if it wasn't some kind of trick--which it was since those guys dined and dashed. It's a good storyline to have her and Amanda teamed up, and Ignacio encouraged her to learn from Amanda, which I hope to god she will if only fashion-wise. It's driving me nuts. The ugly in Ugly Betty is not supposed to be literal, not after this many seasons.

Top Chef tastes pretty good, actually

I wonder if we'll ever really see what happens on Dirty, Sexy Money? It seems like they're building to something, but the chances that the producers didn't plan ahead or NBC won't even run all 13 episodes is pretty damn good, so it seems somewhat pointless to be watching it. Thank goodness I don't care about it. I do care about Pushing Daisies, but since I went to a going away party last night, I didn't get to watch it yet. Without Life on Mars, I have my choice tonight of watching it (and Stylista, ugh), or checking back in with ER, which I don't really want to do. I feel like Michael Scott saying, when Holly and he essentially broke up, "I just know I'll go back to Jan, and I hate Jan!" Anyhow, it seemed like more of the same--someone screws someone over and Nick ends up doing shit work and having a moment with Karen Darling. What. ever.

You know, I was dubious at first about Top Chef, since it bugs me that all we have to go on is personality and the opinion of the judges. We can't taste the food, and even if we could, with all that bacon and all those scallops, I wouldn't be able to anyhow. But it really is a perfect reality show. Just enough time spent on the Quickfire--which is much more interesting somehow than Pop Design, just enough on the elimination challenge, just enough at Judges table, much better music than on Top Design where there happy shiny music when someone wins gives me the creeps. I just wish they didn't start with so many contestants, since I still don't know most of their names, but it wouldn't be the same if no one got eliminated and this allows for a longer season, so I guess that's fine as long as I know the name by the time the show ends.

Damn, I just looked for a picture of the one I was going to root for to win, and got spoiled. I hate that. Almost as much as I hate Jan.

Best jacket ever

One of the most fun things about Gossip Girl is the way Chuck Bass dresses. It's always something different--not fashonable, but locating him in some sort of era gone by, be it the 1930s or the 1950s. Last night at the Snowflake Ball, he looked like what I wish my Ken Doll had looked like and was wearing this jacket I need to own but definitely couldn't afford. I wanted to put a link here, but so far haven't found a picture, but I will when I do. Black and totally glittery, and looked, needless to say, fabulous on him. Anyhow, that was probably the best thing about last night's episode--too much emphasis on Dan, Serena, and Jenny, and not nearly enough on Chuck and Blair, though certainly more than in the last two or three. Just get them together already--it's so artificial that they aren't because "they're not that kind of couple."

I did wonder about Serena wearing a sparkly sweater that looks a lot like the one I just ordered (see above) to high school. It's what I'm planning to wear for New Year's Eve. Hers seemed to have actual pailletes on it, though. Anyhow, it made me feel very poor that something I'd spend birthday money on for special occasion wear would be everyday wear for her, but that's the show, isn't it. The rich are different from you and me.

It's sort of interesting to me that last year there were four Chucks in primary roles on network television. Back to You, featuring Kelsey Grammer as newscaster Chuck only made it through last season. Pushing Daisies (sob) has been canceled, so relatively soon we won't have Charlotte "Chuck" Charles to kick around anymore. I'm very worried that putting House up against the show called Chuck on clusterfuck Monday will doom it, despite the full season order, which leaves Gossip Girl, which I assume isn't going anywhere and Chuck Bass. I wonder what the next shared name will be?

Otherwise, I haven't posted here in while, in part because with Thanksgiving last week was a bit lighter on TV. The Monk and Psych Christmas episodes were not very memorable, except that Monk was unbelievably rude to some homeless men, calling them "bums." I did enjoy a whole BH 90210 marathon of "Kelly's Leftovers" that they were still having commercials for yesterday. It's definitely clear when the show gets darker and the dialogue gets more unbelivable. This happened about 3PM, but before that I was enjoying it, even if I already know what's going to happen well before it does.

Should Michelle wear a turtleneck to the inaugural ball?

Well, who knew if I put Rex Parker's blog on my list of links, that I'd be able to get to mine from his page, even if he doesn't know I'm there. I almost wrote to him because he snottily said that the Venn diagram of CW watchers and NY Times Crossword Puzzle viewers is small. Maybe, but I nestle right in there quite nicely. I may still write.

So as long as I was here, I had a lot of trouble concentrating on Pushing Daisies last night, but I don't think it was its fault. My eyes were stinging from the nasty flourescent lights at the Holiday Inn where our annual All Area of Studies Meeting was. So even though I did my normal Wednesday (for now, since these shows likely won't be here by January) of PD, Stylista, and Dirty, Sexy Money, I don't have a lot to say about the shows. I haven't watched Top Chef yet, and I guess I'll get spoiled for ANTM before I can watch it tomorrow. Bummer. I actually thought I'd be so busy with the AAOS meeting like I was last year that I wouldn't get to most of my TV, but it's been very poorly attended this year, and unlike last year pretty lackluster, and it just didn't make sense to stay when our Cultural Studies meeting broke up two hours early and dinner wasn't for 3, not to mention the food at the Holiday Inn sucks. I'll go to talk about "My life in TV studies" at 1:30.

So, I'm still pissed that PD is likely canceled (at this point it's just not on the schedule) and that evidently it ends on a cliffhanger. In fact I thought last night might have been the last for this year but there was a preview so I guess I should have remembered that ABC isn't the CW and doesn't replace its shows for a full 6/7 weeks. That's a long time for teenagers to get used to not watching 90210, though of course I'll be watching January 6th or whatever that date was. I had hoped they might rerun Privileged, so I could watch it on actual TV, but next week is an 8 year old Mandy Moore movie that looks dull, so I guess not.

Stylista is still awful, and now the "fat girl" is gone and the ones who fight all the time are the only ones left. I think next week is one of those clip shows I hate so much. I really thought I might learn something, and I did learn something about a party page last night--we're supposed to feel like we're there at this party we weren't invited to and wish we were there. I almost always skip those, especially when they're full of people I haven't heard of. And Nigel Barker. I'm not the Elle audience I guess. The fact I don't read it would probably prove that.

Dirty, Sexy Money? It was there. I like it enough while I'm watching it but it has no traction with me. I suspect shows like it and Lipstick Jungle--which was announced as canceled, but Brooke Shields says it ain't so--may fade as the economy worsens, along with $12000 handbags and Jimmy Choos. When even the president-elect is supposed to scale down the Inaugural Ball--while still celebrating for the benefit of America, and even CNN is recommending that Michelle wear a Gap turtleneck, the stories of the wealthy idle just gets more and more unlike how we are living these days. On the other hand, the rich will always be with us, and don't we need escapism? I'd hate to end up with a bunch of ugly shows that look like Sanford and Son, or even My Name is Earl.

I also watched Forgetting Sara Marshall last night since my eyes wouldn't allow anything else. My reaction I'm sure, is colored by the fact that the closed captioning didn't work, and when the heat is on it gets pretty noisy in here and I simply couldn't hear a lot of the jokes. Love Jason Siegel. Love Kristen Bell. Love Mila Kunis. Love Paul Rudd. Love romantic comedies. Did not love this movie. Enough with the guy humor/shlubby guy who hot girls adore for strange reasons.

Hi, I'm Kelly Taylor and I have the perfect anecdote for your problem

Last night's 90210 was somewhat better, if only because of the increased Brenda. I'm surprised I missed the news she was back for two more episodes, but am glad she is. I thought she insisted she and Kelly not fight about men, though?

I have to say though, if I'm Kelly Taylor and I'm trying to get Annie and Naomi, who have just found out they have a long lost brother in common, and who hate each other because Annie is dating Naomi's ex despite the fact Naomi asked Annie not to while they were friends, I really have my choice of stories:

1. My mother married the father of a geek from this very school with a giant crush on me. It was initally icky, but I learned to love him. And of course this relationship ended up with Silver, who you both like.

2. My dad invited me for dinner but didn't show up. In his place was the grown up sister I never knew I had. I learned to love her. Until she disappeared after two episodes and was never spoken of again.

3. I slept with Brenda's boyfriend while she was in France for the summer. When she came back, we told her and she stomped away, informing us we should "never speak to me again." Eventually, we all became friends again until later tonight when she will break up with me and tell me she slept with my potential boyfriend, who has temporarily disappeared for no reason.

But now, she gave some lame story about plants v. flowers. C'mon show, you can do better. Please do.

I really have to start watching Privileged, because that spot is a dead zone now. I hope they show reruns while 90210 is in almost two months of reruns. I'll have to get to the big stack of movies I got from Netflix during those nights, too.

SNL: That's so gay

Friday was Degrassi, Saturday was SNL, Sunday was The Simpsons, Desperate Housewives, and Skins. Degrassi did something interesting, what with having the double standard for Indian girls and boys, but the newbies are still boring and Emma/Manny/Liberty is so far very silly and dull what with them all wanting to go out with their non-cute roommate. I know there's an article in Flow this month about Canadian teen shows, but I haven't read it yet.

I love Paul Rudd, who was the host on SNL but it really bugs me that every sketch had a silly homoerotic slant. I don't know if that's just the show these days, or the Apatowness of current humor, or what Paul Rudd thinks is funny but it really bugs me. Given that only Kristen Wiig had anything to do of the women, and that only in one sketch, and that only one of the new women seemed to have lines, and those were just as a waitress, it may be that Paul Rudd was the impetus for all the sketches. Even the Beyonce sketch was about male dancers with the central conceit being "isn't it funny that these guys are gay?" and included Justin Timberlake who also brings on that kind of behavior in his appearances. Why is this necessary? Why is it funny? The sketch where the family was all kissing each other was funny only for the discomfort it brought on, and the idea that all the actors, who I guess we are supposed to assume are all very straight, would go for it.

I couldn't not watch a Simpsons episode in which Lisa enters a crossword puzzle tournament, given that I do about 8 crossword puzzles a week, and loved the use of "Word Up," and the cool graphics, but overall a lame attempt. I tried to imagine how much cooler the episode might have been 5 or so years ago. Desperate Housewives has gotten into a nice groove, and Steven Weber is always a nice addition to any cast, but can they keep up the Dave mystery all season? It might be smarter to solve that one by the end of November sweeps and then start up something else in January. Anyhow, I don't really care about it. I also checked out the new Summer Heights High on HBO. That isn't going to save them, it has the same "that's so gay" problem, and the mean girl is not interesting. The Polynesian bully is slightly interesting and I'll check it out again, but am not very intrigued and it should be totally up my alley. I do need to find some Australian teen shows to watch.

I'll be very sorry when Skins is done as it only has two more episodes for the season, I think. I feel bad for Sid though. And Cassie. Though I guess they'll ultimately get together. And it does bother me that Jal, the smart girl and the only girl of color, didn't get an episode of her own this season, and her only storyline was being with Chris, my least favorite character, and while I don't care about Anwar, the fact that he's the other character of color and his only storyline is being with the crazy girl with no dedicated episode makes this show no better than the average teen show in terms of multicultural representation. One of them could have the final episode, but I don't think so although from what I've read I guess come to think of it she will be very affected. Since only Effie will be in the next season there's not much time.

I guess I missed a day in there, due to three meetings yesterday and a few minor but annoying health issues. Tomorrow I need to plan for a presentation about my work for our annual All Area of Studies meeting. I'm not sure what I'll say yet, but I guess I'll backtrack all the way to the beginning, and talk about my dissertation, and then what little I've been doing since.

Anyhow, TV Tuesday was 90210--or as I like to call it, the city of Jessicas--I think there are at least four on the show right now--and House. Kelly was back, but 90210 was pretty bad, what with the over-emoting by Annie and Naomi. Naomi only think she's Blair Waldorf, she ain't even close. Nor is she pretty. However, having them as enemies makes for a better storyline than having them as friends, I suppose. Ho hum. I did enjoy Adrianna and Navid--and whoever did the production design on Navid's house did a great job--and it's interesting that more than half the teenage cast (Navid, Silver, Dixon, and Annie but not Naomi, Ethan, or Adrianna) are admitted virgins. I guess that's actually only slightly less than the ratio on the original show when it started (David, Scott, Andrea and Donna, with Brandon having sex the first time in the first few episodes, and Brenda by the winter dance), but surprising for this day and age and the style of show. I can't imagine that will last long as several couples seem on the way, if they don't break up first. Which I imagine Silver and Dixon will soon do, as they've been happy for weeks now. Thank God Brenda's back next week. Boo on demoting grandma Bluth to occasional player, though. Thinking about what her casting indicates the show was supposed to be, given the Freaks and Geeks pedigree of the showrunners makes me sad.

I watched two reruns of House because my students just love it. I could see some of the allure, but to me a good mystery means that I can assemble the clues myself and at least get part of it right. On a show like this, with my (and I assume most viewers') basic lack of medical knowledge, it's not even close. Anyhow, both episodes seemed to follow the same trajectory--in one a Mafia guy going into Witness Protection falls into an unexplained coma, in another Samatha Mathis's husband turns blue and can't breath while having kinky sex with her, in a much more disturbing and gross episode. There's a lot of writing on a flip chart. How retro. No one ever consults a computer, say, (or any books or medical journals even,) they just sit around and toss ideas around, or stare into the air and think. And House is completely right both times, and the others are wrong. I don't know if every episode is like that or not, but I assume so. I have always liked Lisa Edelstein, but that was a fantastic episode, and I didn't even recognize Chi McBride for a while--he's so much better as Emerson Cod. I may watch again, though not only has it been on the same time as my must watch for work 90210, but now they're moving it into the Monday night clusterfuck slot, against Gossip Girl, Chuck, and How I Met Your Mother, so I definitely won't watch in first run. But Tuesdays at 9 are a gaping hole unless I catch up with Privileged, so I may check it out in reruns.

Last night Pushing Daisies, and Dirty, Sexy Money, neither of which are long for this world evidently, (sob for PD, at least), were preempted, so it was once again all reality, all the time. The last interesting one of the Top Models was kicked off last night after drinking a lot of wine, so my money's on McKey but really it's just a buncha boring white girls. Stylista, same train wreck and I hope the fact that two dull people were sent home last night means it will be even shorter than planned. Top Chef seems almost exactly the same, and no one impressed me much--not surprising as I can't keep 17 people straight--although it's nice that none of the brown or black people were sent home in this first round. Just two very young white folks who knew each other from the CIA, and not the fun Chuck one.