Happy New Year!

And PLEASE take a moment to vote in my WWE 2010 Year End Survey:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3HZ6G5M

Have a safe and fun night.

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CM Punk & Nexus - What's next?

Those of you who watched Raw last night caught CM Punk emerge as the new leader of Nexus, as Wade Barrett has apparently been ousted from the group. It’s GREAT seeing CM Punk in such a critical role on Raw, and I really hope that this feud lasts until WrestleMania. After his stellar work the past couple of years, he really deserves a high profile match. And Nexus is an established group that I think has a lot of fuel left in its tank, so I’m glad that they’ve figured out a way to keep them as a focal point of the show. I’m really intrigued with the possibilities, and I’m really anxious to see what’s going to happen next. However, there are a few things I really hope they don’t do:

DON’T reveal that CM Punk was the mastermind behind Nexus. There’s no need to rewrite history here. And, for that matter, going back and saying that Punk was behind it all would cause more headaches than necessary. As many of you recall, CM Punk was wrestling John Cena the night Nexus debuted, and they beat the tar out of Punk and the rest of the Straight Edge Society as well. Why would they do that if Punk was in actuality their leader? To simply say it was a ruse is lazy and unconvincing. Why bother pretending to beat him up? It certainly wasn’t to Punk’s benefit.

And that’s the other problem. While Nexus was dominating Raw, Punk was getting his ass handed to him by the Big Show on Smackdown. What sort of mastermind would CM Punk be if his underlings were garnering all of this success while he was struggling to stay afloat?

Basically, they’re better off just saying that Punk seized an opportunity and made a deal with the remaining members of Nexus while Barrett was out of commission. One of those “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” deals.

DON’T drape CM Punk in yellow and black N’s. Back when Stone Cold Steve Austin joined the Alliance during the Invasion angle, it was imperative that Austin wore the WCW logo t-shirt in order to establish that he’s part of this team. For a long time, he didn’t, and quite honestly the angle struggled. Austin was acting like his WWE personality and really didn’t seem like he was part of this group. Yet the whole angle was built on the premise of him being their leader.

However, I take the opposite stance with CM Punk. He has a unique and gravitating look and personality, and it would be a mistake to have him conform so that he’s just another member of this group. I don’t have a problem with him wearing the Nexus arm band (it would be strange if he didn’t), but I don’t think he should wear the logo t-shirt or replace the color scheme of his Chicago-inspired trunks. Nor should he ditch his current and recognizable theme music. As the expression goes, go with what brought you to the dance. Don’t change what made Punk successful.

DON’T turn Wade Barrett face. One of the biggest questions being asked is, “Where does this leave Wade Barrett?” Honestly, I don’t know. Does he stay with Nexus under Punk’s leadership? Does he distance himself from the group and drift into obscurity like Darren Young? Or does he return as a face, fighting against the group he once led? While the last option would be something different, I think it would be a mistake. Barrett is a natural heel, and there’s a lot more he can offer as a main event level villain. Why not move him over to Smackdown, where he can continue his routine with a whole new crop of Superstars? When Edge is finished with Kane, he’s going to need a new heel to feud with (after Alberto Del Rio, is there anybody left?) The WrestleMania possibilities are wide open, and I could easily see matches against Mysterio, Edge, Taker, or Big Show. Now is not the time for Barrett to turn face.

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WWE 2010 Year-End Survey

I hope everybody had a great holiday, and unlike me, I hope you're not snowed in! But with the year coming to a close, now is the time to reflect. So, please take a moment to fill out this WWE Year-End Survey!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3HZ6G5M

Check back for the results (as well as my thoughts) next week, provided I get enough feedback! Thanks!

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Merry Christmas!!

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Take a look back at what we expected from 2010

I'm going to post a link for a 2010 year-end survey for WWE and TV, but before I do that I thought I'd post the results of last year's survey:

http://acaseoftheblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/2009-wwe-year-end-awards.html

What did we expect for 2010? For one - a big year for Kofi Kingston. Did it come to fruition? Most would likely say no (at least not to the extent that we expected). I actually referred to it as a "no brainer."

Keep checking over the next couple of days for the new survey. Hope everybody has a wonderful Christmas Eve!

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Don't be a jerk, it's Christmas!

I'm not even a Sponge Bob, but I found this hilarious. Enjoy!

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LIVE Raw Smackdown thoughts

11:06 - I know Cole is pro-Cena, which is fine, but his sudden anti-Vickie-ness is extremely strange. He goes on and on about how hot and gorgeous she is, but is now calling her fat and proclaiming that Cena "has guts" for kissing her?

Great seeing Punk again, and YAY!! He's wearing some snazzy new blue trunks. Will miss him on the Raw commentating team, though.

Overall, a lackluster show and a waste of WWE Week.

10:55 - Great, now Michael Cole is chiming in with the fat jokes as well.

10:50 - Between his stellar matches with Daniel Bryan, his lengthy Intercontinental Title reign, and his competitive battle with John Cena, Dolph Ziggler has been getting a lot of attention lately. Notably, with the main event of this highly hyped edition of Smackdown. This attention is well deserved. I wasn't a big fan of Dolph when he debuted with this new character, but over the past couple of months he's really flourished and improved. Bravo to him.

10:32 - Has any Superstar ever relied on the drop toe hold more than Rey Mysterio? Talk about having a go-to move!

10:15 - Can you claim that something is the first time ever when it's an encore showing?

10:11 - Another curious segment. Kaval is a really entertaining and unique Superstar. Why waste him in a segment such as this? Fans are already familiar with McIntyre, so they didn't need to showcase him in such a dominant fashion. A disappointing show so far.

10:09 - Am I the only one who thinks that Smackdown feels a bit more like Raw than usual? Granted, I don't see Smackdown every week, but don't they typically not show the Superstars' entrance videos on the big screen? Instead, the graphics that appear near the entry take up the entire screen. And there's also graphics on the ring from the lights above. Instead, we see the usual Raw routine.

9:58 - Believe it or not, it's been over a year and a half since Edge has been World Champion.

9:51 - I'm glad they're at least using the Cobra as a distraction so that he can transition into a roll up, opposed to a legitimate finishing maneuver that puts somebody out, but it's still a little TOO silly. If nothing else, why not use it as a distraction so he can use that Stunner-esque move?

9:40 - Doing a Raw Recap, which in and of itself includes a Slammy recap, is like a dream within a dream.

9:32 - How does Cody attacking Hornswoggle mean that he doesn't believe in Santa Claus? That was an awful segment. Terrible way to use this opportunity to hold onto viewers who might be tuning in for a change.

9:15 - I know people find Michael Cole's heel spiel annoying or unwatchable (I love it), but I appreciate the fact that he's bringing up the very valid point that the Miz didn't do anything that every other MITB winner didn't do as well (except RVD, which Cole didn't mention).

9:06 - Visiting WWEShop.com, I come to see this new item, which continues Edge's trend of wearing mismatched wristbands:

http://www.wweshop.com/item/edge-rated-r-ockstar-wristbands/edge/50-07267

9:02 - Welcome to a special Smackdown edition of my ongoing LIVE thoughts. Quick observation - I find it curious that Smackdown seems to get a new theme music, intro video, and graphics theme every 6 months or so. Yet Raw constantly gets into these funks where they use the same theme and intro video (altered slightly to acknowledge debuts/departures/roster changes) for numerous years. Like, 4+ years. Possibly why Smackdown always seems younger and fresher.

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Random, for your enjoyment...

While perusing YouTube this afternoon I came across this clip, which I believe is the greatest scene of The O.C. in the series' history. No surprise, but it also features my favorite person in the whole world (that I don't actually know). ENJOY!:

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A Case of the.... Smallville - Episode 10-11

So are the holidays kicking anybody else’s arse as well? I promise, once we return with new episodes in January, I’ll be better about getting these reviews up in a timely fashion.

Anyway, before moving onto last week’s episode, I wanted to respond to the comment Wally Kovacs left regarding the prior episode. I’ve really come to enjoy Wally’s insight, as he certainly knows a great deal about the various comic book allusions (a lot of my knowledge is limited to what is commonly known), so I hope he continues supplementing my reviews with his comments. Here’s what Wally had to say:

It was bit interesting as they used Ultraman despite most of the rest of the universe being different seemingly only because of a single difference (Lionel got to Clark first) while the Ultraman of the comics is from a universe where everything is reversed (Evil tends to win instead of good, etc). However, they do sort of allude to that in that alternate universe Lionel is right handed instead of left.

I’ll admit that I don’t know much of anything about the comic book Ultraman, but that’s an awesome catch with Lionel being right handed instead of left. Bravo, sir!

Lionel was (nearly) redeemed near the end of the series because of a combination of Jor-El’s influence, Martha Kent, and Clark. In the alternate reality, Clark wasn’t influenced by the Kent’s (and thus couldn’t have a positive effect on Lionel). Similarly, without the Kent’s finding Clark as a child, they never entered into Clark’s circle and thus couldn’t impact Lionel that way. Also, in that universe, Lionel went out of his way to supress Jor-El, so he was never “enlightened” as he was in the real world.

I agree with Wally’s assessment that Lionel reformed because of Clark and the Kents’ influence. To clarify on my comments from last week, I don’t have an issue with the fact that Lionel was completely evil in the alternate universe. That made sense to me. My problem was with Clark’s revisionist memory of Lionel. Clark condemning Lionel as something poisonous and vile discounts the close relationship they had developed over the last few years of Lionel’s life. Like I said, when Lionel died, Clark’s funeral scene quite purposefully mirrored the scene when Clark buried Jonathan. Clark was impacted by Lionel’s death and for him to view him as this completely malicious sociopath discounts the story of his character.

Similarly, it seems that Lionel isolated Clark from most of the positive influences of his life … not only was he not with Kent’s, nor able to learn much of his Kryptonian history and responsibilities from Jor-El, but he also never went to Smallville high, so he didn’t have Lana, Pete or Chloe … If anything, it makes sense how Clark Luthor would be even worse than Lex, as basically he was raised much like Lex was, but without the positive influences that Lex ended up encountering.

So, while the idea of “Lex was the way he was because of Lionel” is a bit of a cop out … ultimately Clark was calling Lionel evil one way or the other in terms of nature vs. nurture argument he made earlier. He realizes that, even he and his parents weren’t enough to disuade Lex off his path, Lex was his father’s son. Even with Lionel changing near the end, the damage was done.

Lex in Smallville is set as a tragic figure, simultaneously trying to escape his legacy but being defined by it either way. Although, even while rejecting his father, he didn’t really reject what his father taught him, only really how his father treated him. He wasn’t really able to walk away from the Machiavelian mindset that pretty much drives him constantly.

To be perfectly honest, my issues with Clark being swayed by the darkside were relatively minute. And it also occurs to me that one of my favorite modern comic books (although I admittedly don’t read them much) is the Superman/Batman Absolute Power story in which Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne are raised by evil time travelers, turning both heroes into murderous killers. This is essentially the same story, so I don’t really have much of a problem with it.

Anyway, onto last week’s thrilling episode – the last before a long hiatus (damn you, CW!)

Continue reading "A Case of the.... Smallville - Episode 10-11"....

The episode kicked off with a bang, as Clark proposed to Lois. I wish I could say I was surprised, but the scene was spoiled by a recent edition of Entertainment Weekly. Sure, they wrote “Spoiler Alert” in bold, but that didn’t stop them from plastering the photo of Clark on his knee presenting Lois with a ring on half of the page. Actually, this isn’t the first time EW has spoiled a major plot point. They nonchalantly revealed the killer of Monk’s wife weeks before the series finale. Nice, real nice.

Anyway, I thought it was a sweet scene and I’m glad they didn’t wait until the final episodes to have them take this plunge. As I’ve said a number of times, this is their final season and they have A LOT of big moments to cover. Not all of them have to wait until the last couple of episodes. Space them out a bit. They’ve done a nice job of this so far.

I also really enjoyed the brief Chloe cameo. At first I wasn’t sure if I was seeing a flashback of footage we’ve seen before. When it became clear it wasn’t, it made me pay even closer attention to what was being said. I loved Chloe’s genuine smile when she put together the pieces that Lois had figured out Clark’s secret. However, I could have done without the Lana mention. For one, we don’t need to tie every significant Clark/Lois moment to Lana. Second, it wasn’t really historically accurate. Lana was willing to let Clark be the hero he needs to be. The problem was that she became so consumed with hate and revenge that she was forced to make decisions that ultimately cost her her relationship with Clark. It was a sweet enough moment that it didn’t need the obligatory and awkward former lover mention.

I also enjoyed the surprise engagement party. Many of these characters only come out to play when it comes time for an epic battle, and even then their relationships seem professional. Sometimes even competitive and abrasive. It’s nice to see that they actually like and care about one another, and that they can also share their happiness with one another. To paraphrase what Clark said to Oliver when he asked him to be his best man, they’re out there together for their worst moments, so they might as well be together for their best too. It was nice seeing everyone happy.

Of course, the happiness didn’t last as this episode also saw the demise of Hawkman. I was really saddened to see this happen, as Smallville portrayed him as a genuinely bad ass character. He looked cool, he talked tough, and unlike virtually every other character on the show – where their costumes take a modern, realistic turn – he looked exactly like he does in the comics. Except even more awesome – with the helmet and wings and everything.

Then again, I probably should have seen it coming. Hawkman got the traditional action movie hero send off. He had a sweet, bonding moment with somebody he never quite saw eye to eye with (Oliver) and an exciting, epic fight scene in which he got to display his abilities (in this case, fight and flight) before succumbing to his dirty fighting opponent. And while I was disappointed to see him go, I loved the way the scene played out. I really enjoyed the fact that he was the one who rescued Lois, despite his debilitating state. And his dying line of “it can’t always be you, Clark” was poignant in its simplicity. Clark can’t be everywhere at all times, so there is a need for all of these other heroes.

The final scene, with all of the heroes in their respective costumes paying their respect to Hawkman was rather great, as well. Honestly, I just love seeing them all in their costumes. And hey, Oliver actually decided to wear the hood and sunglasses.

Anyway, that’s it for me. Sorry again for taking so long to post this. I hope everybody has a great Christmas, if you celebrate, and a safe and happy new year. See you guys in 2011. Until then, be sure to visit my blog and follow me on Twitter! Be well!

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LIVE Raw thoughts (Slammy Edition)

11:10 - So I wasn't completely off the mark on Nexus turning on Otunga. However, the ending to this match made me realize that a Chairs match is probably the least enjoyable of any match being offered on Sunday (for the competitors, anyway). There's very little give with a steel chair, and with the competitors not allowed to hit each other in the head (something I agree with), there's not really a chairshot that'll truly excite the audience. In many ways it's a no win situation.

But I did love Punk saying, "Stay down David!"

11:00 - I don't have a problem with Cena winning Superstar of the Year. If this recent angle with Wade Barrett showed anything, it's how immensely over John Cena truly is.

10:41 - Bravo to David Arquette for taking a powerbomb through a table. Apparently David Arquette donated 100% of the money he made during his time with WCW to Owen Hart's widow (or perhaps it was Pillman's widow), so as far as I'm concerned he's a stand up guy.

10:29 - Glad to see HBK win. And once again, a wonderful video package for the nominees.

10:24 - CM Punk looks like Abe from Clone High.

10:14 - Edge's wrist bands don't match (one is the classic Rated R Superstar logo, the other one is the "sleazy" one) and it bothers me.

10:06 - Divas Tables Match? Interesting idea. They at least seem to be doing more with the TLC gimmick this year than they did last year.

10:04 - Quite honestly, LayCool does deserve the Divas of the Year award. But did they forget to turn Melina heel?

9:46 - I find it interesting that Raw gets the ladder match, table match, and chair match. Or is Mysterio/Del Rio a chair match also?

9:43 - I liked Sheamus' leather crown more. It was something different and unique.

9:39 - Isn't it a conflict of interest for Edge to be presenting for an award in which he's a nominee? Also, Edge needs to grow his crazy beard back. And bring back the sunglasses.

9:38 - EDGE AND CHRISTIAN REUNION!!!! YAY!!!

9:29 - A bit surreal seeing Punk assist Mysterio (by preventing Cole from interfering), eh?

9:21 - We missed out on a great opportunity to see Miz/Kane vs. Rated RKO tonight. Too bad.

9:19 - Awesome that they got the girl to actually appear. Cool for her. And actually, after hearing Miz's accolades for the year (WWE, US, Tag Team title holder, and Money in the Bank winner), he actually is pretty deserving of the Slammy.

9:15 - I always have a little more respect for the celebrities that are willing to make themselves heels. Oh, and Miz girl is totally winning this.

9:09 - So where were all of those Cena allies when Nexus attacked him? Also, I loved Otunga's sly smile when Barrett announced the match, knowing full well what the Nexus leader was up to.

9:05 - I'm guessing that Barrett rehires Cena, and Nexus turns on Otunga.

9:01 - I have to admit, Randy Orton should have won that last Slammy for that awesome RKO on Evan Bourne. Also, Vickie Guerrero has some immensely thick skin -- it's amazing she OK's all of these weight jokes, especially since she HAS lost a considerable amount of weight. Good for her for slimming down to a healthier weight.

8:46 - I'm going to have to agree with the popular opinion that Shatner was robbed. And man, how long was Pee Wee's acceptance speech? I also enjoyed the continued dissension between Nexus, however I think it would have been a nice touch by having Otunga and crew wearing a different Nexus t-shirt. It would have shown the division.

8:30 - Oh, I also loved Punk's big hug to Cole, and yelling "Tyson! I did it!" as he ran up the ramp.

8:24 - Still getting used to Punk without the mustache, but it was great seeing him with an open mic, uninterrupted, for an extended period of time. So.....who do you think he was talking about?

8:15 - I honestly don't know who should win Superstar of the Year. The Miz is the easy option, but I'm not really sure. 2010 was undoubtedly the Miz's year....but was it the year of the Miz? That is to say, this past year was the best year of his career, but when we look back at 2010 as a whole, is the Miz the person we'll be thinking of? Perhaps he is, I'm not sure. I just don't think it's as much of a foregone conclusion as we may think. Even though I don't particularly like him, a strong argument could be made for Randy Orton.

8:09 - I was glad to see Nexus win the Most Shocking Moment, because it truly was. Could anybody have expected that the rookies from season one of NXT would go on to become the focal point of the flagship program for the latter half of 2010? And those nominee videos are pretty damn sleek, too.

8:01 - Clever idea promoting the show as the Slammy Awards, instead of a typical Raw. I like. Although Punk ditched the mustache, which bothers me.

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A Case of the.... The Vampire Diaries - Episode 2-11

This past week brought us yet another strong episode of The Vampire Diaries – one that continued the season’s trend of answering some recently asked questions while retaining enough mystique and interest to keep us watching. In this episode’s case, we now understand why Elijah saved Elena from the prior week’s vampire attack.

I am intrigued by the possible ramifications of Elena’s new deal with Elijah. Is Elijah being completely truthful with Elena about his plan, which seems to imply that she’ll escape the entire ordeal unscathed? Let’s say Elijah does kill Klaus – will he really just let Elena go on her merry way? And how will less trusting characters like Damon and Rose respond to this uneasy alliance?

Continue reading "A Case of the.... The Vampire Diaries - Episode 2-11"....

For that matter, what do you think of Luka and his dad? A couple of episodes ago, when it was revealed that Luka’s father was working alongside Elijah, it seemed like they might be something unsavory. Now that it appears that Elijah is actually trying to protect Elena, I’m not sure. Then again, Luka’s father did want him to essentially use Bonnie, so they’re probably not “good” either. Personally, I’m leaning towards the side that says they’re going to end up being something of an antagonist – if only to ensure that Bonnie ends up with Jeremy by the end of the season.

And excuse my ignorance, but exactly what portion of the curse did Bonnie and Luka disable when they destroyed the moonstone? Did it just break the barrier so that Stefan could escape the cave?

Caroline and Tyler continue to bring the awesome in the season’s B-story. They did an absolutely wonderful job of showing us how dreadful the werewolf transformation can actually be. I was especially impressed with the visual effects, notably the bone crunching and unnatural manner in which his limbs would twist. And let’s not discount the actor’s performance. His screaming and wailing were believable and uncomfortable to watch. You really sensed the immense pain he must be experiencing. And while I hate seeing nice guys get overlooked, quite honestly I do enjoy the budding relationship between Caroline and Tyler, and wouldn’t mind seeing them end up together. It’s also nice that these two characters have developed to the point that they can carry their own story, especially one with such substance.

The arrival of a new, more experienced werewolf also adds some intrigue to the ongoing tension between the vamps and their furry foes, and it gives us yet another example of how Damon’s impulsive and volatile behavior can get him – and the those he cares about – in quite a bit of trouble. Although I did love how her skills are so honed that she can smell a vampire and a (date rape?) drug upon walking into a bar. And who do you think she was on the phone with?

Well, that’s it for me until the beginning of next year. Damn CW and their long hiatuses (although this isn’t as bad as usual). I hope everybody has a wonderful holiday season and a safe, happy new year! See you again in late January! Visit the blog (http://www.acaseoftheblog.blogspot.com) and follow me on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/acaseofthetwit) until then!!

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Dive Bar Shirt Club: Swallow at the Hollow

I received my third Dive Bar Shirt Club t-shirt, and it's my favorite one yet! First off, it's not within the tri-state area (where I reside), so it truly feels like something I wouldn't be able to get unless I exerted a lot of effort. Plus, I love the color scheme and design! It's just a really cool looking shirt. But, alas, it doesn't appear the bar has a website, so here's what the little mailer says:

They just don't make 'em like this anymore. Tattered wood paneled walls and chalkboard menus set the scene at this authentic watering hole. The place shows the years like we all do, with a little scuzziness here and there, but it will be forever young because the Loyola campus is nearby for better and worse. The regulars who have their favorite barstools don't take it too kindly when their space gets jammed by the Friday night college crowd. Oh well, such small prices for the comforts of perfectly grilled burger, the flattering effects of colored neon and the company of famous hometown birds.

Dive Bar Shirt Club: http://www.divebarshirtclub.com/Default.asp

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A Case of the.... Smallville - Episode 10-10

Continuing the trend of this season in which the story shifts between three different arcs, we had a very enjoyable Luthor-centric episode this past week. Best of all, the episode featured the return of the supremely talented John Glover, portraying the patriarch of the infamous family, Lionel.

The hour saw us travel to a (darker, bluer) universe in which Clark was raised by Lionel Luthor. As a result of his devilish upbringing, Clark was a heartless, seemingly promiscuous killer (one who apparently expenses prostitutes) that prowls the streets as Ultraman. Oh, and he hooks up with his not-blood-related half sister. At the Kent Farm, of all places (was THAT ever explained?) And he killed Lex. Long story short: He’s no Boy Scout (I’m sure some people were disappointed that we didn’t see more of evil Clark in the real universe, but to be perfectly honest the story didn’t call for that. It would have just eaten time, rather unnecessarily).

Continue reading "A Case of the.... Smallville - Episode 10-10"....

While the episode was loads of fun – and it really was enjoyable seeing a sinister Clark Kent (I love how nonchalantly he told Tess he’d kill her) – I wasn’t completely sold on the idea that he could be so supremely evil simply because Lionel had raised him. My problem with it is that it takes the impact away from the people Clark and Lex grow up to be. To say that Clark becomes Superman and Lex becomes an evil genius simply because of their upbringing is a bit of a tragic outlook. I prefer to think that Lex’s descent was something inevitable. Meanwhile, while the Kents were Clark’s moral compass, I’d like to think he’s a genuinely good guy that would have grown up into something noble and proud even without their guidance. But I guess that’s just nitpicking, because it was an absolute thrill seeing Lionel again.

And how typical is it of Lionel to lace Clark’s foil with blue kryptonite to prevent him from using his natural abilities while they fence? And despite being brief, how incredibly awesome was it seeing Lionel and Tess sharing a scene together? These two are so incredibly twisted and complex (and perhaps above all else, insecure about their nature and legacy) that seeing them trade barbs was a pure joy.

My one qualm with the episode was Clark’s complete condemnation of Lionel. Near the end of Lionel’s life, Clark reluctantly came to view him as almost a father figure (indeed, Lionel’s funeral scene mirrored that of Jonathan’s). And although his methods and even motives were questionable, Lionel literally sacrificed his life in order to protect Clark’s secret. Even in his final moments, Lionel wouldn’t give up the truth about Clark to Lex – and it cost him his life. Sure, there were reasons to distrust him, but the guy wasn’t pure poison, and Clark knew that.

It also appears that Lionel may be back, for good. I find this supremely intriguing. Sure, some might view it as a bit of a cheat, but c’mon. This is the final season, and it’s been years since the character has been on the show. This isn’t some desperate measure to save a sinking show. This seems like a legitimate twist that adds another layer to an already interesting story. And for what it’s worth, I don’t expect to see Lionel back in any regular capacity. I anticipate that this’ll be like much of the rest of the season – we’ll go several episodes without seeing a certain character or story point, and then it’ll abruptly pop up again weeks later.

By the way, I’m sure there are a lot of people out there who though that Lionel’s closing scene (where he essentially talks right to the camera) was rather hokey. It was on the cusp, but I like to think of it as an allusion to the old George Reeves series, where Superman would turn to the camera and acknowledge the audience. That’s how I’m choosing to see it, anyway.

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A Case of the.... The Vampire Diaries - Episode 2-10

I like to report when my shows are recognized by major publications, so let me congratulate The Vampire Diaries for ranking in at #1 on the Must List of the latest edition of Entertainment Weekly. Great job!

And Nina Dobrev continues to bring the goods in her dual portrayal of Elena and Katherine. I don’t want to sound like I’m going overboard with the compliments, but it is very easy to forget that the same actress is portraying both of these characters. She’s so deliciously devilish as Katherine. I loved the way she toyed with Jeremy when he was in the cave with her – the way she nonchalantly (and literally) tossed him aside as she noted that he can’t die, so she’ll just continuously feed on him. And I just loved her satisfied smirk when Stefan rushed into the cave to rescue Jeremy, thus trapping himself in there as well. She’s doing a really great job in that role.

Continue reading "A Case of the.... The Vampire Diaries - Episode 2-10"....

Meanwhile, she continues to play Elena with such softness and innocence. Considering that these two characters are identical, it would be easy to view Elena more negatively because of the monstrous actions of Katherine, but that doesn’t happen. In fact, it’s actually quite fun seeing the two characters interact with each other. They’re able to be “civil” – for lack of a better word – because Elena legitimately wants to understand why Katherine is doing what she’s doing. Meanwhile, Katherine just enjoys toying with Elena, and thus doesn’t need to resort to physicality or violence.

I could also sympathize and understand Elena’s desire to sacrifice herself in order to save those she cares about. Jenna’s near death experience should have been a real wake up call for her (in many ways, I feel like the rest of the characters haven’t reacted with the appropriate level of severity) – and unlike Katherine, it appears that these original vampires have no desire to “play” with Elena. They just want her. And that possibly makes them even more dangerous.

Speaking of characters not reacting to something properly, I’m glad Elena finally brought up the fact that Rose is not some friendly ally. She was perfectly willing to use and sacrifice Elena for her own benefit (ya’ know, the very same thing that Rose is condemning Katherine for doing). It seemed somewhat strange that Damon was willing to jump into bed with the woman that was so willing to harming Elena.

On the topic of Damon, his relationship with Stefan remains one of the true highlights of the show. I think back to the early episodes, where Stefan actually plotted to kill Damon, and I remind myself how much more enjoyable things are now. I enjoyed the way Stefan waited for Elena to leave before re-emerging from the cave, and having a nice heart to heart with Damon. Damon assured Stefan he would get him out of there, even though it didn’t benefit his chances with Elena. And Stefan made Damon promise to look after Elena, even though it could potentially bring them closer together.

I am intrigued by these new warlock characters. Initially the father seemed villainous due to his association with Elijah and his desire to pry into Bonnie’s life, but now I’m not entirely sure it’s that simple. I do think we will learn that they’re not traditional “good guys” – because, even though I don’t like the fact that they’re screwing around with him again, I do think Bonnie will eventually give Jeremy a shot – but I’m not sure they’re out-and-out bad either. For some reason, they want to protect Elena, even though the chance to abduct her was right there for the taking.

And it appears that, for at least the time being, Bonnie has shot down Jeremy. Like I said last paragraph, I think she’ll end up choosing him over this other guy, but I do think she’ll be drawn to him because of their supernatural similarities. So, for the time being, he’s being screwed over by a girl yet again. And in other relationship developments, it does look like they are moving forward with the Tyler/Caroline possibility. This could be interesting, and as the season draws on, Caroline continues to become a more likable character.

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No Shave November: A Look Back

November may be over, but join me in looking back in the month in which a razor didn't touch my face (incidentally, I didn't get a haircut either). I started off completely clean shaven, and, well, see how I ended up looking. But be warned, you're about to get A LOT of close up shots of my mug.

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LIVE Raw thoughts

11:07 - The problem with this match is the reason I don't like when they involve the announcers in storylines. In a couple of weeks, Lawler will be announcing as if he never had any issue with Miz (like how Cody Rhodes gave Striker one of his t-shirts, to Striker's acclaim, despite the fact that they feuded on NXT). And as many have likely already noted, how could Lawler and Cole work together, for the next several weeks, without there being significant tension between them? Further, Cole's interference was a bit peculiar in the first place. He's watched Miz lose countless times. I understand this is a whole new level, but, to quote Miz, really?

Overall a fun show, but they painted themselves in a corner by even making that match.

11:04 - Somebody FINALLY gets their hands on Michael Cole and they waste the moment on Jerry Lawler?

10:59 - I must also wonder, why risk injuring your WWE Champion just weeks before a PPV in a stipulation match that we'll see once again at said PPV?

10:57 - It's strange hearing Cole taking such an anti-Lawler slant in his commentary right now.

10:51 - Odd that Miz still has his briefcase even after cashing in the contract.

10:41 - ya' know, Santino should really do a guy a solid and help out Morrison right now.

10:35 - Is it me or have Punk, Lawler, and Cole all been a little off their game today? Like they're particularly distracted.

10:26 - Wow, so Raw is basically three hours every other week now. Quick predictions, based on the commercials: Match of the Year - HBK vs. Taker (again!), Most Shocking Moment - HBK and Hitman embrace, Diva of the Year - LayCool, Superstar of the Year - Toughest to determine, but I think they'll go with Orton.

10:13 - By the way, I did check the photo gallery from the 2008 King of the Ring, and Punk DID wear different trunks for each match. He did black/white for the first round, black/blue for the semis, and blue/black for the finals:

http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/04212008/kingoftheringtournament/

Another reason why he rules.

10:03 - I loved Cena's Leslie Nielson tribute. Great stuff. And I have to say, his attack on Gabriel was one of the most extreme beatdowns we've seen in quite some time. And I'm glad they acknowledged the elephant in the room regarding Cena's ability to appear backstage without issue.

9:52 - I love how matter-of-factly CM Punk says, "Because he's Rey Mysterio! He steals cars on the side!"

9:47 - I'm disappointed nobody is going the Randy Savage route of wearing a different pair of tights for every match. In fact, didn't CM Punk do that?

9:34 - Did I just spy a beer pong table in the audience? I woulda sworn I saw a long table with red Solo cups on it.

9:31 - Add Justin Gabriel to the list of people who look cooler with a beard.

9:26 - By the way, I'm still pissed about AJ getting voted off NXT last week. What a load of crap.

9:22 - I guess the upside is we get Cole and Punk alone on commentary.

9:12 - So Lawler accuses Miz of being an underserving champion and then issues a challenge for the title when he hasn't wrestled consistently for WWE in over a decade? Further, nobody takes Lawler seriously, so Miz getting a victory over him doesn't mean anything to the casual fan. And why give away a TLC match when you have the PPV coming up in a matter of weeks? Why not sacrifice somebody like R-Truth in a standard match?

9:09 - Punk's facial expressions when King and Cole are bickering over Miz are just priceless.

9:05 - So who interrupts Miz's promo in Orton's absence?

8:49 - "Actually you're a Superstar, not a wrestler."

8:29 - I like the new Nexus t-shirt.

8:23 - Well I'll be damned, CM Punk was right:

http://www.wrestlingattitude.com/kotr.html

8:21 - Bret Hart won the King of the Ring again in 1993?

8:12 - By the way, my predictions based on this graphic:

http://www.wwe.com/content/facebook/kotr2010jpg

Del Rio over Bryan

Morrison over Rhodes

Jackson over McIntyre

Sheamus over Kingston

Next round:

Del Rio over Morrison

Jackson over Sheamus (only because I don't see them going heel/heel for the finals)

Finals:

Del Rio over Jackson to win King of the Ring

Of course, I will alter these predictions after each round.

8:05 - "Looks like he's dressed for court." Now THAT'S awesome.

I am here for my Raw LIVE thoughts, but as I'm not feeling great and can't really sacrifice taking time off work, I can't promise I'll be around for all three hours. But hell, let's see what happens.

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The Beer Pong Championship Belt!!

So a while back, over on CollegeHumor.com, I found this Beer Pong Championship Belt made using the Spinner WWE Championship belt. I liked it so much, I decided to make my own (shown above). But I made some improvements: Instead of cutting out the beer logo from the six pack, I thought coasters (of which I have a rather large collection) would fit better. I also decided to glue a ping pong ball to the edge of the cup, as if it's moments away from going in.

Now, I just need somebody to arrange a beer pong tournament (used to have an annual one during my college days). I'd even make a second one so that both champions have their own. Anyway, check out all of the photos:

http://s653.photobucket.com/albums/uu256/acaseoftheblog/Beer%20Pong%20Championship%20Belt/

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CM Punk is better than Matt & Jeff Hardy

While I’ve made my feelings on Matt Hardy pretty well known over the past couple of months, I never really had a problem with Jeff. I find him far more charismatic than he’s given credit for, and while his work is sloppy looking, his technical skills aren’t as far behind Matt’s as Matt likes to make people think. However, after watching his “shoot” on CM Punk, I now can’t stand Jeff either. Holy Hell, is there any family less likable than the Hardys right now? Are there any two individuals, in recent memory, that have destroyed the special and unique bond they have with their audience? Here’s the video, if you haven’t seen it yet:



Wow. Just wow. There’s Jeff, slurring his words and rubbing his red nose as he judges CM Punk for POSSIBLY taking Ambien to fall asleep at night. Yeah, and who’s the one who was charged with drug trafficking? And here’s a guy who just brought a kid into the world, and he’s talking about how CM Punk’s drug free lifestyle is “not right.” Mind you, he’s not talking about CM Punk being a jerk or being preachy….he’s talking about going out and having fun (i.e. not drinking or doing drugs). And this idea of Jeff “making” CM Punk is ludicrous. Before Punk feuded with Jeff, he became the first – and ONLY – WWE Superstar to hold the World Championship on all three rosters (he was ECW Champion on ECW, World Heavyweight Champion on Raw, and captured the World Heavyweight Championship on Smackdown against Jeff). He was also a two-time Money in the Bank winner. Clearly the front office had big plans for this guy.

I’m not discounting the important role Jeff played in Punk’s development. Quite frankly, I don’t think Punk’s heel turn would have worked against anybody else, except maybe Shawn Michaels. And even then, it wouldn’t have been as perfect a match. And Punk’s heel turn IS what made everybody open their eyes to the guy. But, to be honest, that had more to do with Punk. Hardy was a perfect foil, but Punk had the goods to make it work. This is like saying that Matt Morgan made Jeff Hardy.

And you’re giving the middle finger…..oh, how edgy!!!

And then you have Matt there stuffing his face with French Fries (but it was those intestinal issues that made you a fat piece of crap, right?) talking about how CM Punk is very dramatic and very emotional. Um, what? Is CM Punk the one who made numerous incoherent and erratic YouTube videos a week repeatedly complaining about everything that’s happened to him in the past year? And when your girlfriend cheats on you with your best friend, you’re a Grade A Chump if you sit there and listen to her when she complains about her new boyfriend. What a tool.

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A Case of the.... Smallville - Episode 10-9

I apologize for the lateness of this column, but the time consuming nature of Thanksgiving preparation has really cut into my free time (which, unfortunately, is the only available time for me to write my reviews). But as the expression goes, better late than never!

I also want to thank comment posters Wally Kovacs, who has provided his fun insight in the past, and Dan Smith, for kick starting the discussion on this most recent episode. I’ll admit that my knowledge of Superman is pretty rudimentary, so these gentlemen seem to know quite a bit more about many of these characters than I do. As such, I’m going to trust their instincts, and if they’d like to elaborate any more on any of their thoughts, I welcome them to do so.

But, overall, I think the three of us seem to be in agreement that we wanna see Darkseid in the flesh – and not at the last possible moment. And we want to see him looking like a monstrous bad ass, not an EMT working Abercrombie model. I actually am pretty optimistic that we’ll see this, to tell you the truth. It’s the last season, and I think the powers that be realize that this is the time to lay it all out on the table. While they have been showing an admirable amount of restraint with certain things, they’ve actually delivered, big time, with a number of cool developments and introductions over these first several episodes. We probably won’t physically see Darkseid the first half of the season, but I don’t think it’ll be the final few episodes, either.

Anyway, in my review for last week’s episode, I noted that I’m eager and intrigued to see how the three main story arcs (Lex’s return, the Suicide Squad, and Darkseid) come together and intersect. We began to see that with this latest episode, as it turned out that Slade Wilson, leader of the Vigilante Registration Act, had actually been possessed by the darkness that has been unleashed by Darkseid. I was actually quite pleased with this revelation, because near the end, when Slade had Clark trapped, I couldn’t help but feel like they went over the top with his anti-hero stance. While his stance had always been a bit strong willed, it was at least based in something believable. By the end, he was willing to blow up entire compounds in order to eliminate a handful of individuals with special abilities. Even though one of them was fully human. But once we discovered that he was actually under Darkseid’s influence, his behavior became much easier to accept. And in the final moments of the episode, we also learned that Slade had survived the explosion (was it ever explained how Clark survived as well?) and was being reborn as Deathstroke.

Oh, and as a side note, there’s something about Clark and everybody referring to “the darkness” that sounds really hokey and cartoony. That’s another reason why I don’t want them to go all out with the possession route. When the characters verbalize it, they just sound so silly.

“Patriot” also brought the return of Aquaman. I’m sure this won’t be the last we saw of him, since I do fully expect a full out Justice League appearance sometime within the final episodes (that means we see Green Arrow, Supergirl, Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, Flash/Impulse, Hawkman, Star Girl, Cyborg, Black Canary, and any other heroes they introduce between then and now, fighting side by side), but this is the first time in a while that we’ve seen him for any extended period of time. And is it me, or was he a lot darker and generally less likable? I know that’s what they were going for, but considering that Aquaman doesn’t appear at the frequency of, say, Green Arrow, it’s tough to be forgiving when the hero is acting like a complete ass. And I know they tried to soften her up in the final minutes of the episode, but was Aquaman’s wife a bitch or what? Then again, I do love that somebody FINALLY brought up the fact that Lois has dated, like, every single superhero on the show.

I’m having a little fun at Aquaman’s expense, but truth be told I didn’t mind his appearance. Although it is a bit rough seeing him in a variation of the classic costume, when there’ a much cooler look to go with. C’mon, how awesome would it be seeing a long haired, bushy bearded, hooked hand Aquaman?

One side story that I found myself really enjoying is the way Clark and Lois are beginning to realize that just because his secret is out in the open doesn’t mean that they have a completely open relationship. There is still plenty that Clark hides from her – of course, under the motivation of protecting her – and until he’s ready to fully trust her, they’ll never reach that level of openness that Clark experienced when he went into the future. I also really, really loved the elevator scene between Lois and Tess, where they were both kinda testing the waters to see how much the other knows about Clark. That being said, I thought their final scene together, where Tess welcomed Lois to Watchtower with open arms, was a tad on the heavy side. It was just a little too….friendly. Even when neither of them knew Clark’s secret, they didn’t particularly like each other. And even before Clark and Lois had a relationship, and Lois was none the wiser about Clark’s abilities, these two actually brawled with each other.

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Watch Miz's WWE Championship Win

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LIVE Raw thoughts

11:02 - WWE Champion The Miz! Who woulda thunk it two years ago? Honestly, aside from Rob Van Damm's title win at One Night Stand, this was probably the cleanest Money in the Bank cash in we've ever seen.

10:59 - Loved Punk's "Well this looks very familiar." Although I feel like Miz won't succeed.

10:58 - Orton RKO's Barrett, retains, Miz cashes in.

10:55 - The irony of the announcers' discussion: Didn't CM Punk's first World Title reign end because he couldn't make it to the ring to defend the title? Further coincidence: Wasn't it because of an Orton punt?

10:43 - I'm not sure if Daniel Bryan will win the King of the Ring, but I do think he'll make it to the finals. In looking at a list of the competitors, how awesome would a Mysterio/Bryan finals be?

10:42 - Unrelated, but I kinda love this shirt:

http://www.80stees.com/products/Rather-Be-Playing-Pac-Man-T-Shirt.asp

10:30 - So does anybody get the sense that they're actually going to do what everybody was predicting last night? Between Cena laying on his face act REALLY thick, to Orton repeatedly complimenting Cena, to Orton guaranteeing that Barrett doesn't leave the building with the title, to Miz no-showing his match....it's got all the makings.

10:27 - Wow, are they finally doing what I suggested, like, over a year ago and reuniting John Morrison and Melina as an on-screen pair? It's about friggin' time! Although I have to say, for an ACTUAL couple, they just displayed some very awkward chemistry.

10:24 - FOUND THE SECOND TABLE LEAF!!

10:18 - "Now Nikki Bella" - Michael Cole. "UGH!" - CM Punk.

10:10 - I wouldn't have said this last night, but the dude is totally turning heel tonight.

10:07 - Ways you can tell WWE has been PG for a long time: Hearing Cena say "Sucks," "Bitch," and "Hell" are actually a bit edgy.

9:59 - How long before people read into the fact that Cena didn't mention Rock?

9:47 - I love the teases that Miz might cash in the briefcase. Remember when Edge finally cashed in his contract? He gave up a victory over Flair and purposely got himself disqualified. His logic? Why exhaust himself when he's cashing in his contract later? I see the same thing going on here. They want us to be thinking, "Maybe Miz is conserving his energy so that he can cash in his briefcase in the main event."

And Punk continues to be commentary gold. His remarks about Riley being under the influence were great.

9:40 - Maria, Beth, Rosa, and now Tamina....how many times are we going to do this Santino/romance angle? And what is with the numerous backstage pretapes in a row? And Randy needs to shave his head.

9:35 - Oh, in addition to Thanksgiving stress (I can't find the damn second table leaf!), I'm also going to be working on my Smallville column. A lot on the plate tonight!

9:30 - CM Punk's facial expressions during the commentary is worth the price of admission. And man, didn't we just have a 3 hour Raw last week?

9:15 - CM Punk as announcer = the greatest thing ever. That is all.

9:10 - In regards to Kyle's comments last night, I didn't see the PPV, but I heard both title matches failed to deliver. This is disappointing because: (a) Edge is really catching fire as a face, and this match would have gone a long way for him if he and Kane hit a home run and (b) the John Cena/Wade Barrett/Randy Orton angle has been on such an incredible roll -- especially after last week -- that it REALLY needed to be lackluster to get almost universal panning. As I said in my prior post, there were a lot of directions that the angle could have gone, and I don't think most people expected this. I am intrigued about where they're going to take this tonight, but a lot of people don't have that sort of patience.

One thing I do hope they do is follow up on this R-Truth thing. If nothing else, this could be Randy Orton's next feud. I don't particularly like Truth, but I am interested in his actions. He goes from trying to talk sense into Cena, to stirring the pot with Orton, to offering to do a hit on Orton in order to assist Cena. There's certainly something to that, and I hope they follow up.

9:02 - Yes, I am doing my Raw thoughts this week, and I'll provide my thoughts on last night's booking. Oh, I'll reply to Kyle's insightful comments in my prior post as well. Just off to a late start due to some Thanksgiving preparation stress.

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What's in store for Cena at Survivor Series?

So Sunday is Survivor Series, which will likely feature the climax of the John Cena/Nexus storyline – one of the better written feuds of recent memory. They have a lot of intriguing possibilities. One sees Cena helping Wade Barrett win the title, only to beat him to oblivion, allowing Miz to come in and win the championship. This could continue the Cena/Barrett storyline, or lead to another Cena/Orton storyline – albeit with a different dynamic than their past feuds – or a full blown Cena/Barrett/Orton/Miz blow out for the championship.

Here’s another idea: Barrett cheats to win, however Cena doesn’t see it. Cena counts the pin, allowing Barrett to win the title. This effectively ends the Cena/Nexus feud without turning Cena heel and without creating a significant rift between him and Orton. Then who does Cena feud with next? How about R-Truth, who has rather needlessly and harshly stirred the pot between Orton and Cena. At first Truth’s intervention made sense. But over time his comments have become increasingly antagonistic, almost as if he’s instigating problems that aren’t necessarily there.

The endgame most people are asking for, however, is a Cena heel turn. I’m not necessarily against this move, but I feel like the story didn’t reach that point yet. If Cena turns heel, what sense will it make? The only logical explanation is that he did it to save his job, which isn’t evil as much as it is selfish, and that isn’t necessarily a strong enough reason to hate the guy (not to mention that this would also leave Randy Orton the undisputed top face, despite being awfully self centered himself). In order for this heel turn to truly work, it needs to be monstrous and heartbreaking. And in order for that to happen, Cena has to have a sensible reason to turn against his beliefs. And that’s just not the story they’ve been telling.

Preferably, they would have had Cena put in precarious situations, only for him to slowly but surely realize that there’s a great benefit to having six or so people watching your back. But we’ve actually gotten the opposite story. On his own, Cena won the WWE Tag Team Championship. And due to Nexus politics, he lost that championship. A greater story would have been if Cena won the championship BECAUSE the gang is fighting on his side. And through it all, Otunga could be buttering Cena up in an attempt to overthrow Barrett as leader. In fact, Cena and Otunga can actually develop a bit of a friendship. Initially Otunga is using Cena for the reasons above, while Cena is manipulating Otunga in order to create a rift within the faction (which was his initial intention). But through time, they’ll actually start working together and relying on one another. This alliance could be the catalyst to him turning full blown heel.

I’d say there’s about a 50/50 chance that Cena turns heel on Sunday. If this does happen, I can’t help but feel like they missed out on telling a great story. A story that, in many ways, can only be told once.

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WWE Releases Six Superstars & Divas

This afternoon WWE.com announced that six Superstars and Divas were being released from their contracts. Many of them weren't surprising, per se, but they were probably avoidable.

Shad and Vance Archer, for example, were part of a tag team that were regularly featured on television. Yet once the teams split, each of the competitors were featured less than before -- and in this case, two of them were let go. With the tag team division already struggling, what was the point of breaking Cryme Tyme and the Gatebusters up? And I suppose the same can be said for the Dudebusters (one of which was released), although I'm under the impression they were still competing together.

Jillian isn't particularly surprising, since she won a grand total of two matches since her WWE debut five or so years ago, but I'm assuming this is just the end of her talent contract. I do believe she is now a trainer in one of the developmental territories.

Tiffany's release was expected, given that she was immediately taken off television following her arrest, and was never brought back when the charges were cleared. I'm disappointed, because I thought she was hot (and she has better mic skills than most Divas), but I guess I should be glad that she was paired up with my other favorite, Kelly Kelly (who remembers when I used to beg WWE to put these two together?) Hell, they even did a photoshoot together!

Luke Gallows, in my mind, is the most tragic figure in this list. He had a good thing going as Punk's right hand man in the Straight Edge Society. He slimmed down A LOT and really looked great. He even had an impressive and marketable look. Yet the team was split, seemingly for no reason (this was before there was any talk of moving Punk to Raw), and the writing was on the wall for him.

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Top Ten Cases: Favorite Jack & Kate Moments

FINALLY! Nothing earth shattering, but a fun trip down memory lane.

Yep, better late than never. Please ignore the brief silent moment during Moment #9. It passes.

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A Case of the.... Smallville - Episode 10-8

So after taking a reprieve for several weeks, Smallville is finally back on track with its Darkseid story arc. And hell, they actually took a huge step forward this past episode by actually dropping his name (having only seen him in print, I’d actually always thought his name was pronounced “Dark-Seed” instead of the appropriate “Dark-Side”). But even though this was a highly enjoyable episode with a great appearance from the detestable Granny Goodness, to me the hour was highlighted by the two emotional parent-child moments.

Continue reading "A Case of the.... Smallville - Episode 10-8"....

The first featured a fun guest stint from Teri Hatcher. Most of you know her from her gig on Desperate Housewives, but she truly came into prominence playing Lois Lane on the short-lived Lois & Clark. I have to say, the fact that Hatcher appeared on this little old CW series speaks volumes about the respect it has garnered over the past decade. Sure, she’s not Julia Roberts-level famous, but I truly believe she may be one of the biggest names that has ever appeared on this show, while still being regularly active in the entertainment industry (as in, currently starring on a highly rated drama on a top network). And while her appearance was brief, it was rather powerful. It also set the tone of how parents try to protect their children from seeing them when they’re vulnerable and weak, which ultimately creates a rift that the child must overcome. Granny Goodness believes that children should forget this heartache. Lois, Clark, and even Tess decide to confront it. And by overcoming this emotional obstacle, they each found a degree of strength and comfort.

Truthfully, Lois’ mother/daughter scene probably wasn’t my favorite of the three, but it did a fantastic job of setting the tone and framing the episode as a whole. And Teri Hatcher’s performance was pretty heart wrenching – I actually got a little teary eyed. The way she talked about how big, bad, tough Sam Lane was in denial and the realization that she wouldn’t be there for her girls during all of their significant life moments. It was quite touching. And, unsurprisingly, Erica Durance nailed her subdued part out of the park. And, as I already said, it shaped the rest of the episode with the message that our parents aren’t perfect. They make mistakes. The important thing, though, is that we accept them for their flaws and we don’t allow their insecurities to dictate who we become. Once we are able to do that, we can find peace with ourselves and our departed guardians.

The highlight for me, as one might expect, was Clark’s brief scene with Jor-El and Lara. The past few years I’ve noted how much more I enjoy Jor-El as the supportive father, opposed to his early portrayal as a borderline abusive and evil overseer. There was no real reason for Jor-El to be viewed in such a villainous manner, and I just thought the show worked so much better when he was seen in a more positive light. I remember smiling when he told Martha Kent that he made the right choice in leaving Clark with her and her husband. And I was happy when, at the beginning of last season, Jor-El reminded Clark that he didn’t need to deprive himself from his humanity in order to complete his training. And how could you forget about Clark’s touching scene with Jor-El’s clone? This is why I was so disappointed when he seemingly reverted back to his mean spirited ways at the beginning of this season. And so it was nice seeing a young Jor-El confess to his wife, with such candor, that so many of his own mistakes were based on his insecurities and ego, and that he knows Clark has the potential to be so much better than he is. While Jor-El’s actions may have contributed to the end of one civilization, Clark can grow up to save another one. It certainly brings new light to Jor-El’s current harsh behavior. And I truly do hope that this marks the end of any sort of hostility we see between Clark and his birth father.

It was also great seeing Helen Slater reprise her role as Clark’s Kryptonian mother, although her apparent ignorance of earth was confusing. Didn’t she visit the planet a few times during her lifetime? I seem to recall her and Kara visiting earth at the same time.

The final example of some repressed parenting issues revolves around the revelation that Tess is actually part of the Luthor family. When Granny Goodness revealed that Tess came from a very powerful family, you had to know this was going to happen. During the flashback scene, I actually thought we’d get a surprise guest appearance from the ultra talented John Glover, who portrayed Lionel Luthor. Although, this sheds an extremely creepy light on Tess’ infatuation, which was most certainly based on an intense sexual interest, with Lex.

I’m not going to completely overlook Granny Goodness, because she was great. There’s something so incredibly unsettling about an evil old lady. The way they deliver their lines with such composure, while acting all prim and proper, is just so incredibly devilsh – and Granny Goodness was no exception. And I loved the way she completely “no sold” (to use a wrestling term) the other two parts of Darkseid’s unholy trio (while they completely sung her, and each other’s, praises). More than anything, this episode made me really, really want to see Darkseid in the flesh. And I remain hopeful that they won’t take the Davis Bloom “Let’s make him some ordinary human before showing you brief glimpses of him as Doomsday” route. Nor do I really want them to take the “Let’s wait as long as humanly possible for Clark to fly” approach. I kinda wanna see Darkseid throughout the rest of the season. This is the end, folks, so there’s no need to hold back.

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LIVE Old School Raw thoughts....

11:14 - Now that was a fantastic conclusion to the show. It provided some legitimate intrigue, with people making logical arguments to support their positions. Piper correctly pointed out that Cena claims to respect those that came before him, but by simply handing the title over to Barrett, he's spitting in the faces of all of those Legends who never achieved the grand prize. Cena relented and admitted that even if he is "freed," he's not going to be the person he always claimed and strived to be, so it's not worth it. And Barrett FINALLY had Cena wear the shirt, and rightly brought up the fact that Nexus will negate any attack Cena makes post-match. And finally Orton realized that he can take out Barrett if he can't take out Cena.

In the end, all of the characters looked strong and/or intriguing. And, again, Cena was able to show a little edge. Bravo!

10:58 - Odd that they ended the Legends line up with two of the only ones that played heels tonight.

10:49 - Wow, how did Chris Masters sneak onto a PPV?

10:44 - I always find it awkward when the commentators are talking about a wrestler when he's standing inches away from the announce table.

10:38 - JR still has it. Boy does he still have it. These three could be a great commentating team. Allowing JR to call the match can let Cole just play his character.

10:34 - JR on Raw....this is a genuinely grand surprise. It'll be fun seeing JR commentating against this new Michael Cole character.

10:26 - Truth be told, Mae Young has played a bigger part in Raw's history than most of these Legends. It's nice that she gets this recognition. It still amazes me that she took that powerbomb off the stage from Bubba Ray when she was in her 70's. Apparently nobody told her it's PG now, though.

10:17 - Gotta say, Slaughter still moves pretty well considering his age.

9:47 - Okay, THAT Legends segment ruled!!

9:40 - A few months ago, Nexus was ruthlessly destroying Legends. Now they just stare at them with confused looks on their faces.

9:21 - By the way, odd that they didn't get Rikishi to appear. Unless he'll be a surprise post-match.

9:17 - That was another rough segment. And, shockingly, it revolved around a couple of Legends. It's possible to pull off the old school feel while still focusing on your current crop of Superstars. At the end of this episode, people will be talking about how cool it was seeing the blue ring apron and the classic logo. They won't be talking about how great it was to see Bob Orton again.

9:06 - I'm glad they allowed Cena to show a little edge by throwing a mostly unprovoked punch at Orton, but did anybody else think their exchange looked really, really weak? It barely looked like they were even hitting each other. It looked like they kept grazing each other until the officials ran in (the parade of refs and officials was a throwback in and of itself). I almost expected it to be revealed as a ruse.

8:58 - Wow, that briefcase is beat up, huh?

8:56 - Is Survivor Series really this Sunday? And they haven't announced any matches but the title matches? Have they not learned from December to Dismember?

Oh, and the wigs are a bit overkill. The point is to be old school, not cartoonish.

8:49 - Oh man, they REALLY missed out on comedy gold by not using the classic AOL "You've Got Mail" as the Anonymous Raw GM alert.

8:41 - Why has Michael Cole twice said it's 2011?

8:32 - That R-Truth is a bit of a shit stirrer, isn't he?

8:26 - Methinks this is when they'll finally pull the trigger on the Hart Dynasty split. And wouldn't the retro Survivor Series shirts be a little more appropriate?

8:22 - Imagine masked Kane? Yeah, that's a pipe dream. Anyway, why does the Hart Dynasty continue to get tag team title shots when they continuously lose? Also -- anybody else a little disappointed they're not whipping out the classic championship belts?

8:17 - What other Old School personalities of current WWE Superstars do you think we'll see tonight?

8:14 - LOVE that the refs are wearing the bowties!!!! Love the inset pre-recorded interviews. And Sexual Chocolate is back!!!

8:09 - I have to say, I was a bit disappointed with the opening segment. And it actually brings up one issue I have with this special show in general: The Legends. The fact of the matter is, I think the concept of an Old School Raw -- with the classic visual look -- is enough to sell the show. I think THAT is enough to bring back some casual fans. The truth is, Legends like Jimmy Snuka, Roddy Piper, Dusty Rhodes, Sgt. Slaughter, and the like appear frequently enough that their presence is not enough of a selling point. Further, guys like that -- and Cowboy Bob Orton -- aren't really from the Raw era. Which made Cole's Jesse Ventura reference even the stranger -- Ventura never commentated for Raw. Why not reference the much beloved Bobby Heenan? And really, this was the one night where they should have brought back the three man announce team, which was featured for much of the early Monday Night Raw days.

8:05 - Quick thoughts: I saw the photos on Facebook, so I wasn't surprised by the WWF block logo banners or the red, white, and blue ring ropes. Or the RAW lettered entrance. But they look really, really cool. I also got a kick out of the way they crossed the "Federation" out and replaced it with "Entertainment" with the classic open. And finally, I'm glad they opted to use present-day Superstars in the classic Raw video opening. And I love the fact that King is wearing his old school, classic outfit, with the ring jacket. And yay, he's actually wearing the crown!!

Check back here at 8:00 for my live ongoing thoughts for the highly anticipated 3-hour Old School Raw!

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5 Years Later

This weekend marked the five year anniversary of Eddie Guerrero's death. I thought I'd take this opportunity to provide a link to my "A Case of the Mondays" column, written the day after I received the news of his passing:

http://insidepulse.com/2005/11/14/44451/

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A Case of the.... The Vampire Diaries - Episode 2-9

It’s almost as if the writers of The Vampire Diaries read my review last week, because they specifically answered pretty much every one of my questions and clarified any issues I was confused about. Sure, the episode itself was filmed months ago – and likely written months before that – but still, I was impressed.

Continue reading "A Case of the.... The Vampire Diaries - Episode 2-9"....

This episode, which primarily focused on Elena’s personal interview with a vampire – in this case, her ancestor Katherine – we came to understand the full details of why Klaus and Elijah are after Elena (they need a human doppelganger), why Katherine needing the moon rock (it binds the curse), and why Katherine needed a werewolf (one needs to be sacrificed). As an added bonus, we discovered that Katherine turning Caroline into a vampire wasn’t some random act of villainy (there must be a vampire sacrifice as well), and we came to understand why she surrounds herself with witches (one is necessary to break the curse). And, of course, we learned why they want to break the spell, even though they all roam around in daylight anyway (if a vampire doesn’t do it, a werewolf might. And then they are bound by the spell while the werewolves are released from it). They really did cover all bases.

And through flashbacks, we came to learn a lot more about the psycho bitch vampire herself. Her family lineage is a secret because she had a child out of wedlock, and the baby was given up. We also saw the circumstances behind her betrayal of Trevor and Rose, although I do have to ask: Did Katherine honestly do anything wrong here? Sure, she was a little loose, but her relationship with Klaus seemed pretty innocent (on her behalf, anyway). And I don’t think she even used Trevor. He willingly told her to go to Rose’s cabin, without any provocation. Once she arrived, it was Rose who essentially kept her captive and openly stated that she would be turning her over to Klaus. And when Katherine attempted to take her own life, Rose refused to let her due to her concerns for her own well being. Rose didn’t offer Katherine asylum out of the goodness of her heart, so I don’t really see how Katherine used them or betrayed them. Katherine did what she needed to in order to save herself, which is the very thing that Rose was going to do with Katherine. Even worse, it was the very thing Rose and Trevor were going to do with Elena – an innocent girl who they were going to turn over to Klaus as a human sacrifice. And we’re supposed to sympathize with this woman? I don’t buy it.

It does also appear that Rose and Trevor ARE susceptible to sunlight, which was hinted at last week but not explicitly stated (with Trevor forcing the kidnapper to come close to the car’s window so he could attack and with Rose covering the windows of the mansion). I suspected this was the case, but hesitated to state so because Rose was practically bathing in the sun when she was covering the windows.

I will say this, though: I was actually quite taken aback by how ridiculous Nina Dobrev looked during Elena’s tearful scene with Stefan, yet how powerful she came across during Katherine’s understated emotional moment at the conclusion of the episode. It just goes to show you how a talented actress (and I do think she is one, I love her dark and twisted portrayal of Katherine) can miss the beat every now and again.

So the past couple of weeks I’ve talked about how Jeremy has been through so much crap with the women in his life that I don’t want to see him get screwed over once again. And what happens this week? The first step towards him getting screwed over. He asks Bonnie to hang out, and seconds later he’s interrupted by a warlock who hits it off with her. Then when they meet to hang out, she once again runs into the warlock. And then Bonnie proceeds to ditch Jeremy to have a heart with this other guy. Having said that, I do fully expect this guy (can’t recall his name) to turn out to be somewhat sinister –similar to his father (apparently) –leaving Jeremy to ultimately come to her rescue. Nonetheless, it was tough seeing him get hurt again, even though he took it in good stride.

All in all a fun, informative episode that was highlighted by an interesting dialogue between Elena and Katherine. This episode helped clarify some issues, and created that sense of urgency that I said was lacking last week. Overall, this hour earns two thumbs up.

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The Curse of the NXT Season One Pros?

Just a random observation....

Carlito - Released

Matt Hardy - Released

Chris Jericho - Taking hiatus from company

William Regal - Possibly retiring soon

Christian - Out with injury

CM Punk - Out with injury

Shockingly, this means that only The Miz and R-Truth are still actively and regularly competing on television. While the season one pros, for the most part, have been receiving the strongest collective pushes in years.

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A Case of the.... Smallville - Episode 10-7

First off, congratulations to the cast and crew of Smallville for receiving a stellar B+ grade in a recent edition of Entertainment Weekly. Hell, a mention in the publication is pretty impressive – EW doesn’t tend to recognize you unless you’re a power player or have a vocal cult following (when was the last time “the best show you’re not watching” was actually a show nobody watches?), but to be regarded so glowingly is not something to scoff at. Congrats, and very well deserved!

Speaking of Entertainment Weekly, their reader’s mail section featured yet another person who believes that Tom Welling should be the next Man of Steel in the movie franchise. It’s a bit of a pipe dream, but it’s really too bad that the Smallville series can’t simply transform into the upcoming movie. I mean, you have a talented group of actors that have become their characters, and the story is already there. But, as I’ve said in a prior column, there’s no way they’re going to bank a multi-million dollar movie franchise behind a CW series.

Continue reading "A Case of the.... Smallville - Episode 10-7"....

You know, it wasn’t until this episode that I realized how much Smallville has spread itself thin in the villain department. We’re, what, seven episodes into the season and we’ve already had a number of episodes building up Lex, Darkseid, and the Suicide Squad. This isn’t necessarily a criticism, because I am curious o see if these three courses interconnect – and the collision would likely be loads of fun – but I can’t help but wonder if this is a dangerous method. If I’m not mistaken, we haven’t seen or heard of anything Darkseid-related since the third episode. And the last Suicide Squad reference, I believe, was the second episode. More casual viewers (which includes those that don’t follow the comics – and therefore really have no idea who Darkseid is and where that story is going – as well as those who perhaps aren’t paying full attention) may completely forget about these villainous characters when they are reintroduced. I’m not saying they should dumb down their product (on the contrary – as I said earlier – I’m actually eager to see if and how these various stories come together), but I do wonder if they’re needlessly trying to squeeze everything in because it’s the last season.

Again, though, not a criticism. I’m going to wait to see how this all plays out before I officially make my judgment.

So this episode stepped away from “filler” territory and got back on track on building towards the season’s story arc – and they did this through a very entertaining Lane family reunion (which included Lois’ hot sister!) Of course, the Lanes attempted to place a wedge between Lois and Clark, but they ultimately failed. By the way, I was disappointed in Lois bringing up the fact that Clark’s father is dead, and thus he couldn’t possibly understand what she was going through. I’m not upset because it was cold – just that it was so lame and clichéd. First off, it’s not a fair argument, as Lois and Clark are essentially in the same boat. Their same sex parent is dead, leaving them only with their opposite sex parent. Thus, there’s a special need to bond with or protect that remaining parent. Likewise, Lois’ follow up that Clark is independent and on his own and thus doesn’t understand her situation was equally bad. I mean, we’ve seen Clark with the Kents far more times than we’ve seen Lois with her father (and they never gave us the impression that she’s visiting him off screen either). If anything, Lois should’ve gone with the “you’re adopted” approach. Then at least she would’ve had a leg to stand on.

Anyway, we also discovered that Sam is an advocate of the Vigilante Registration Act, earning him the ire of the Suicide Squad (which, in a strange way, is actually fighting “for” those with special abilities) and setting him at odds with his future in-law, Martha Kent (now that’d be a fun argument to sit in on). Sam ultimately relented on this issue – as well as his hazing of Clark – when the Blur saved Lois’ life. Side note, but I’m glad that they didn’t go the route of Sam slyly acknowledging that he knows Clark is the Blur. I mean, let his identity be secret from SOMEBODY! I also enjoyed the hinting at Clark and Lois getting married. Despite what I might have said in the introduction, I actually do believe certain things can be rushed for the sake of this being the final season. Maybe we don’t need to see Lois and Clark get married quite yet, but I wouldn’t mind seeing Clark pop the question.

Oliver, enough with the damn Chloe sobbing already. It’s getting unbearable. But I am glad that he (and the writers) brought up that elephant in the room – if everybody knows Oliver’s the Green Arrow, and everybody knows that there are more vigilantes out there, aren’t the people in Oliver’s life now at risk of having their identities revealed? I mean, I’m kinda shocked that people on the show – those not “in the know” – haven’t gone to Clark and talked to him about Oliver being the Green Arrow. Or that those who are obsessed with unmasking these guys aren’t following him around due to their known friendship.

Next week’s episode looks pretty kick ass, with Teri Hatcher (Lois Lane from Lois & Clark) appearing as, apparently, Lois’ late mother. And it also looks like we’ll meet Granny Goodness, which means more Darkseid build. And I’m down for that!

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