Suits 4x01 "One-Two-Three-Go..." (It's Time For A Knife Fight)

"One-Two-Three-Go..."

Original Airdate: June 11, 2014

The hinge that Suits swings on is a rather complex one. This has always been a show that has revolved, simultaneously, around relationships, lies, drama, and – perhaps most importantly – the notion of loyalty. Harvey Specter and Mike Ross have always had that aspect of their relationship tested. But, like a good 90s sitcom, normally by the end of an episode, the two have resolved their tension and made amends. The reason they’ve managed to resolve their differences in the past is because they’ve been fighting on the same side of the line. But the surprising and (quite frankly refreshing) shake-up that this series presented us with during the season three finale was that of extracting Mike from beneath Harvey’s wing at Pearson Specter and tossing him into the world of finance. The hidden game of cat-and-mouse grew too much for Mike: he knew that someone was bound to discover the fact that he never attended Harvard and was therefore not a real, licensed lawyer sooner or later. He had a future with Rachel to think about and that changed the game for him. So instead of risking being uncovered, he found a way to get out of the game altogether. It was a smart and strategic move but also one that now affords endless possibilities for Mike and Harvey to grow and clash, as the episode begins with Mike as a client and ends with him firing his former firm. Ouch.

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The Road to the Emmys 2014 (Or Jenn's Slightly Narrowed Ballot)

it's back to that time of year again, folks! back to when i write up my narrowed ballot for the emmys just like i have done the past two years! as i've said both years, here is how i usually determine what i select:

now, the way that i determined who i’d like to be nominated is as follows: if it is an episode that is nominated, i’ve seen the episode (not necessarily the entire series itself. i.e. without having seen the entire series, i think the finale of house deserves an award.) if, however, when you get to the lead actor, actress, etc. categories, i have only nominated shows which i have watched more than one episode, and mostly consistently throughout this season (i’ve seen some episodes of season 2 of modern family, for instance, but not this season, therefore none of the cast is mentioned, etc.)

this year, i am throwing a little twist into the ring and i'm going to try to predict who will be nominated (mainly to see how accurate i am at guessing what programs will be rewarded.). so, shows like breaking bad and the americans and homeland are listed on here, even though i've never seen them. based on the past two years (or more) and trends within the emmys, this year i'm going to try to accurately predict nominations in these categories. that being said, is here's the code:

if there is an asterisk (*), it is something that i want to be nominated.

if there is a (~), it is something i feel WILL be nominated, whether or not i believe it deserves to be.

if there is nothing by the item, it's something i feel deserves mentioning but not nomination.

okay, ready? set... go, emmys, go!

*NOW UPDATED WITH NOMINEES HIGHLIGHTED.

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A Definitive Ranking of the Glee Mash-Ups

I remember when Glee first began because I remember watching the pilot after it aired on FOX. My immediate thoughts were this: “This show will either be a colossal hit or a huge flop, cancelled after thirteen episodes.” I suppose that it’s evident, what happened to Glee, but know this: even when the writing failed (and boy did it take a nose dive right after the first season’s end), the music was always the unofficial star of this series. The music was what captivated us in the first place. We all hummed “Don’t Stop Believing” for weeks after the pilot aired and we became enamored with the covers of classic pop, rock, country, and Broadway hits that the cast performed. I don’t like Glee now, mainly because I don’t respect the writing at all or accept how they blatantly assassinated perfectly lovely characters, but I do still enjoy its music. And quite frankly, one of the greatest assets this show still has in its chamber is its mash-ups.

So I decided to make a definitive ranking of all of the Glee mash-ups on the series to date (hopefully I got them all but feel free to let me know if I missed one or two). Will you agree? Will you vehemently protest some of my decisions? Click below the cut to find out what I’ve ranked from worst to best!

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The Crazy Ones 1x04 "Breakfast Burrito Club" (And The Process of Getting Un-Blocked)

"Breakfast Burrito Club"

Original Airdate: October 17, 2013

In September of 2012, I was suffering from one of the worst things that a writer could possibly suffer from: writer’s block. Usually my dealings with this particular demon have been rather short but I found myself struggling the entire month of September to sit down and write something – anything – that didn’t sound contrived or trite. It’s one of the strangest feelings in the world, writer’s block, because you desperately WANT to write but you find yourself unable to actually formulate thoughts or words when you sit down behind your computer screen. I was stuck in this quicksand-like trap of block and all I kept remembering was the advice that my college professor had given me years ago. When I had explained to him that my story had been going well until I hit a wall when I was writing, he looked at me with a slight smile and said: “There are no walls in writing – only secret passageways.” That quote has always stuck with me and it’s something that I latch onto whenever I encounter writer’s block (which happens infrequently, but is intense when it does strike). Speaking of being blocked, that’s actually the plot of this week’s Crazy Ones re-watch episode “Breakfast Burrito Club.” Simon Roberts may be a genius in many regards, but even the best and the brightest of all of the geniuses get blocked from time to time. This episode finds Simon stalling the creation of a pitch for a breakfast burrito because he’s blocked (and also because he prefers to un-block himself by “living,” which really means “distracting”). And who are we to judge Simon’s process, really? Everyone encounters a block at some point in time and everyone has a sort of process in order to maneuver themselves out of the grip of the block.

Sydney, however, is not a fan of her father’s un-blocking ways. She believes him to be dancing around the problem, trying to distract himself, Zach, Andrew, and Lauren rather than facing the real problem. She brings this notion back up later when she discusses with Andrew how she is from a family of addicts – they shove things down and banish them away rather than face them in the open. Sydney is so type-A in personality that she believes there is one solution to every problem. And while she tries to get everyone on the team to buckle down, her father forces them to loosen up, which causes a bit of a father-daughter conflict throughout the episode that’s resolved in a rather delightful way. Elsewhere in the episode, we learn more about Zach and Lauren’s respective love lives and something pretty shocking happens between Andrew and Sydney. But before we discuss that, let’s recap the plot, shall we?

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Jenn's Pick: 100 Things I Like

Earlier today, Brittany asked each of us to list things that we like. It was so wonderful to see everyone posting about some of their favorite things, whether the things that were being noted were people or places or abstract ideas. Everyone has something (or multiple somethings) in their life that fill them with joy. It can be the simplest thing, like that feeling you get from cuddling up in warm sheets from the dryer. Or it can be something significant like the memory of a child's birth.

Whatever fills you with joy and happiness is important because it triggers something within you. It triggers a memory or an emotion and in an instant, suddenly your entire day has turned around. So, beneath the cut, I expanded on my answer to Brittany and I've listed 100 things that make me happy. Bear in mind that this isn't an end-all-be-all list and I've very likely forgot something that makes me happy. 

Feel more than welcome to fill the comments with things that make YOU happy, no matter how small or silly they may seem. Don't be shy and don't be embarrassed. If something causes you joy, share it with the rest of us. And who knows, maybe you'll find that other people enjoy the same little and big things that you do! :)

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The Crazy Ones 1x02 "The Spectacular" (How to Fail Spectacularly)

"The Spectacular"

Original Airdate: October 3, 2013

I don’t like failure.

I am a type-A perfectionist who always expects herself to be the best. In grade school all the way up through my junior year of college, I never received lower than a B on a report card. The only C I have ever received in my life was in a college Economics class. See, I don’t just strive not to fail; I strive to not come anywhere CLOSE to failure. Grades are quantifiable successes and failures. I’ve failed in other aspects of my life, of course. I’ve failed to make the correct decisions or do an assignment when I should or spend my time well. But I’m like Sydney Roberts, really, because I’m much more comfortable when I don’t take risks. I enjoy routines and things that are safe and predictable. I’m not great at “winging it” or being impulsive. What Simon teaches his daughter throughout the episode, however, is that it is one thing to fail but it is another to limit yourself and your potential. Elsewhere in “The Spectacular,” Zach and Andrew butt heads when Simon decides to try and reach out to the latter.

But before we discuss the importance of realizing you ARE capable and special and talented even if you fail (a message worth hearing, might I add), let’s discuss the plot of the episode, shall we?

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Jenn's Pick: What I'm Watching This Summer

I always looked forward to summertime as a kid and a teenager. I counted down the days that were left in school and anticipated embracing those days of summer where I could sleep in, roll out of bed, and play outside all afternoon – the days where you smelled like sunscreen and chlorine and sat on the back porch, cooking out with your family and friends. I remember the days of riding bikes down the street and then going to bed that night, excited that I got the chance to do the same thing over again the following day. Now, as a twenty-five year old in the working world, I don’t get the chance to have a real summer. I can go on small vacations here and there throughout the year and maybe spend an extended weekend at the beach, but my office doesn’t shut down from May to July because it’s summertime.

The best part about summer when you’re an avid television watcher such as me is that you get a break from your favorite television shows. Don’t get me wrong: I love the series that I watch throughout the normal TV year, but it’s nice to have a few months where I don’t have to frantically fit shows into my schedule or salvage DVR space for them. There are fewer shows that air new episodes of a series during the summer (mostly cable shows like Suits on USA),  but for the most part, summertime is a time to catch up on all of those series that you’ve been meaning to watch during the normal season. 

In the spirit of summer, I’ve decided to list some of the shows I am diving into over the next few months. Here, folks, is what I am watching while my favorite shows are on hiatus!

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