Down to the wire!

There are only a couple days left of 2011, so if you haven't done so already please take my WWE 2011 Year End Survey!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JKHRDDS

I've been really happy with the turn out so far, but the more participants the better.

I decided that I'm going to do a short video for each question, with one posted each day, so I think I may need a week or so to prepare. So pencil in January 7th for your first video (but it could be earlier....it could be later). I'll stop counting votes after January 1st, though. So vote!

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LIVE Raw thoughts - December 26, 2011

11:05 - Really weak ending to Raw, mostly because the audience wouldn't seem to react the way WWE anticipated (or at least wanted). Along with that, it doesn't seem like Kane has quite grown comfortable in his new character. The odd speech pattern was something we weren't used to, which took away from the words he was trying to say. I still think they should have shown us one more 1/2/12 promo, just after the "WWE" logo appeared to end the show.

10:57 - So how long will Kane (the performer) continue to wear that outer mask before he gets tired of trying to take it off without removing the inner mask?

10:50 - Looks like I was right with my second prediction. So how do we end the show? With a Kane promo? With a super promo for 1/2/12? Let's see... Just odd to NOT end the show on Punk in Chicago.

10:34 - Alternative prediction: They surprise us and only go two matches, with Ziggler eking out the victory. My one issue with Henry being in there is that while they've allowed Superstars from both rosters to appear on each show, they've done a fairly good job of keeping the matches brand specific. Now we'd have a Smackdown guy challenging for Raw's top title.

10:32 - Prediction (obvious): Punk beats Swagger with little difficulty. He beats Ziggler after a highly competitive, semi-long match. He then loses to Henry due to outside factors (perhaps Johnny Ace interferes, while attempting to look innocent).

10:15 - If there's one Superstar who should only be used sparingly, I think it's the Big Show. People ride John Cena for being stale, but there's really nothing about Big Show that excites me. He'd be a great Special Attraction act. Making matters worse is that they seem to shift between him being a monster, a stand up comic, and an emotional mess on a weekly basis.

10:04 - I'm still not sold on Truth being a face. The dude was so incredibly awesome as a crazy heel. I always found him to be a bit stale as a face. Let's see how it pans out.

9:57 - To be honest, I'm a little surprised Cena doesn't get more respect in Chicago. Actually, I could see Cena slowly making his way back into the hardcore fans' hearts by becoming a respected, hard working wrestler.

9:53 - Cole, it's "Cenation" not "Cena Nation."

9:45 - What are the chances that Cole or Lawler even mention the Hart Dynasty during this match?

9:42 - Fun little story about Zack Ryder: For Christmas last year, he received that flip cam. Now one year later, that flip cam directly brought him to the most success he's ever experienced. Bravo to you, Zack.

9:21 - I have to agree with what many others are saying -- there's definitely at least one more "It Begins" promo coming tonight. Otherwise, why show one so early?

9:14 - So did that video answer any questions for anybody? The only think I kept wondering to myself was, "Why is Cody Rhodes in the background?"

9:03 - "This crowd has been booing him so loudly that he couldn't hear himself suck" - Lawler of Johnny Ace. Great line.

8:48 - We're about 10 minutes from the beginning of Raw and I hope everybody had a wonderful holiday weekend. I don't know about you, but Friday to today (which I had off) were far more tiring than your typical week of work. I am pooped!

Anyway, how about a quick pre-Raw discussion? Last week's show was universally regarded as a refreshing, rejuvenated episode. Yet, discouragingly, it not only did poorly in ratings, but it actually lost viewers as the show went on. What does this mean?

Personally, I wish wrestling fans steered clear of ratings reports altogether. First and foremost, people tend to only view ratings when it fits their argument. When the ratings are high and a Superstar they like is being showcased, it means that the person should stay on top. When the ratings are down and somebody they don't like is being highlighted, it means viewers are uninterested in the character. But when ratings are down and somebody they like is the star of the show, there are a million excuses that oddly don't apply to the other two scenarios.

Secondly, it's a truly archaic metric. For all we complain about the abundance of Twitter references, I honestly believe it's a far more valuable and accurate representation of your viewing audience. Consider this: If 10% of the wrestling audience is on the Internet, and Twitter is one of the top 10 visited sites on the Internet, that number is likely far more accurate than the LESS THAN 0.05% of viewers that Nielsen represents. When Michael Cole says "anal bleeding" once, offhandedly, and it's trending on Twitter, it DOES mean people are watching. Yes, advertisers care about Nielsen ratings, but I honestly don't know if that will still be true (or not as true) in 5 years.

The good news is that the show is in Chicago, which means the crowd should be electric and CM Punk should be at his best. Along with that, it's the last week before 1/2/12, so we're sure to see an awesome cryptic clip. Let's hope for Jericho!

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True or False #2 - With Santa & Jesus (Christmas Edition)

It's only the second edition of True and False and I'm already getting gimmicky! I apologize, but with today being Christmas Eve (which, for almost all of my childhood, I preferred over Christmas because I got gifts that night, and still had gifts to look forward to the next day), this seemed like an acceptable exception. So, using an online Ask Santa and Ask Jesus feature, I present to you a special Christmas edition of True or False, featuring the very representations of the holiday, Santa Claus and Jesus Christ. Enjoy!

1. Between Santa and the Easter Bunny, Christians have an interesting way of celebrating the beginning and end of Jesus' life.

Santa: I think it looks very possible.

Jesus: "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit." - John 15:2

2. You are the true representation and spirit of Christmas.

Santa: Are you sure you want to ask that question?

Jesus: "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." - Matthew 5:10

3. The Jesus/Santa fight on South Park was better than the one on American Dad.

Santa: Mrs. Claus says yes.

Jesus: "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you." - John 15:3

4. Beards, right?

Santa: Only with my Reindeer.

Jesus: "What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter." - John 13:7

5. At least one person will find this True or False offensive.

Santa: Everyone at the North Pole thinks so.

Jesus: "For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." - Matthew 5:20

6. Most readers won't find this offensive, but they won't find it very funny either.

Santa: Well, it looks promising.

Jesus: "If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. " - John 14:7


Of course, my intent here is not to upset anybody so I hope you were able to enjoy this with your tongue firmly in your cheek. And no matter what your religious beliefs are, this holiday season often allows us the opportunity to spend time with family, friends, and other loved ones. Take advantage of this time. I wish the best to all of my visitors. Happy Holidays!!!

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New Shows to Watch - Part 4: Once Upon A Time

And now, the new show this season that I recommend above all of the others I've written about for this feature, Once Upon A Time. To be perfectly honest, I originally had no intention of watching this program. In fact, when I first saw ads for it, I assumed that it was just some mini-series. I actually didn't even catch the first episode until a month or so into its run. One Sunday I just plowed through, like, 5 episodes and became an avid viewer. So what turned me around? Well, I read a pretty interesting article in Entertainment Weekly, and it made me realize that this is a pretty clever and interesting show that combines the two great mythologies: fairy tales and Lost. I'm going to continue my review after the page break, which contains spoilers up until the last new episode.

Continue reading "New Shows to Watch - Part 4: Once Upon A Time"....

Admittedly, my knowledge of fairy tales is pretty rudimentary. I know pretty much what Disney taught me about 25 years ago. But I actually think that works to my advantage. I know all of the characters and their basic story, but I'm not so completely invested that I get up in arms when the show decides to make its own interpretation of a certain tale. For example, according to Once Upon A Time (and, to my knowledge, not the actual fairy tales), Jiminy Cricket was once a human who took advantage of innocent people through various scams. And Cinderella didn't actually get her wish granted by her Fairy Godmother. Instead, Rumpelstiltskin hijacked the moment and made a deal with her. Hey, I actually appreciate that the show isn't restricting itself to the accepted interpretation of the stories. They're allowing themselves to mold the characters and the story to their liking.

And the characters are pretty damn easy to get into. My absolute favorite, at the moment, is Rumpelstiltskin. I LOVE how, in the fairy tales, he's this bonkers, daffy loon that bounces around and speaks with pep. Yet in the real world, he's so incredibly dry and understated. He walks with a limp, barely raises his voice, and dresses rather conservatively. And I love how they're being so vague about whether or not he remembers his past life, and knows about the curse. And if he does, what are his motives? He doesn't seem explicitly evil in the real world (although his actions with Cinderella were less than chivalrous). When the Sheriff was coming close to remembering his past, Rumpel didn't stop him. And when Prince Charming began remembering his fake memories, Rumpel almost seemed pained (although he did crack a slight smile). If any character from this show is Ben, it's Rumpelstiltskin. And the actor does a fabulous job with the dual role.

I've actually really enjoyed all of the characters. The Evil Queen/Mayor is easy to dislike. Snow White/Mary Margaret is easy to root for. The Sheriff is awesome (but more on him later). Prince Charming/David is surprisingly bad ass. Jiminy Cricket/Dr. Hopper is just kinda cool because I found it funny when Henry so nonchalantly told Emma, "That's Jiminy Cricket" in the first episode. Emma has the unenviable task of being the one character without a familiar backstory, but she does an admirable job as the center of the show.

Come to think of it, the overall story is just plain fun. It turns out these fairy tale characters are real, but there's a curse on them and they can't remember their past. They've been trapped in the real world for the past 28 years (obviously they haven't aged, so there has to be SOMETHING preventing them from maintaining actual memories. Besides, how else would they comprehend that Cinderella has been pregnant for nearly three decades?) And there are a lot of places they can take this mystery. For example, how did Henry become so knowledgeable? Who gave him the book? How did he become such a firm believer?

Plus, I enjoy the little hints the throw at you to fill you in on these people's fairy tale past. Little Red Riding Hood, fittingly named Ruby, has a decorative wolf hanging from her rear view mirror. Her Grandmother runs a bed & breakfast called "Granny's House." The Mirror on the Wall runs a tabloid newspaper called, you guessed it, The Mirror. Sleepy the dwarf falls asleep while on security duty. Hell, even Pongo (of 101 Dalmatians fame) showed up! It's just cool seeing a character and wondering, "Who is that supposed to be?"

Not to mention, the Lost-esque manner of storytelling -- using flashbacks to fill in the character's past or explain their motives -- works great with its own spin (instead of traditional flashbacks, we see their fairy tale lives).

One thing that does make me furious, though, is that they killed off the Sheriff. This guy was my absolute favorite (good guy) character! In my opinion, they could have stretched out the mystery of which fairy tale character he is for the entire season. It's not even something the show needed to hone in on....it could have just been a fun question for the viewers to ponder. He was also a surprisingly complex character. He clearly cared about Emma, yet was carrying on a scandalous affair with the evil mayor. But despite this sordid relationship, he still always seemed to do the right thing. There was a whoooooooooole lot of fuel left with the Sheriff, and I really think they screwed the pooch by revealing his identity and killing him off in the very same episode. Big mistake, in my opinion (then again, I'm biased because I thought he was cool).

Now, let me pose the question that I've asked for the past few series in this feature: Does Once Upon A Time lend itself to a long shelf life? Honestly, I think it fairs a better chance than some of the other shows. If Lost taught me anything, it's that a show built on mysteries and secrets can shift and evolve rather easily. I highly doubt any of the characters will remember their fairy tale past by the end of season one. If anything, I imagine that Emma will become a firm believer. Beyond that, maybe a character or two, but certainly not everyone. And once all of the characters do believe, the story can move forward towards reclaiming their former lives. But in order to truly succeed, I think the show needs to have an end date in mind -- like with Lost -- to avoid any unnecessary stalling.

But, yeah, highest recommendation.

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Could be worse, right? :)

Also, please take a moment to fill out my WWE Year End Survey:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JKHRDDS

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New Shows to Watch - Part 3: American Horror Story

Like my last installment, I'll be doing a page break here for people who would like to avoid spoilers. I'll be discussing what has happened on the show since the last new episode, which I believe is the final one before the season finale. For those of you who haven't seen American Horror Story yet, I highly recommend it.

Continue reading "New Shows to Watch - Part 3: American Horror Story"....

When I first saw previews for American Horror Story, I wasn't quite sure what to think. If I'm not mistaken, they did a bit of a viral campaign, where the guy in the black rubber costume hid in various places (like a bathroom) and jumped out and scared people. I might be remembering things wrong, but it gave me the impression that the show would be a Punk'd type program, like Truth or Scare. Then I saw more traditional commercials and became intrigued. I'm a bit of a horror movie buff, and for the most part I enjoyed Nip/Tuck, so I figured it was worth a shot.

Anyone who reads my columns has probably pieced together that I tend to enjoy any show if I enjoy the characters, and this show is no exception. At the center of this series is the Harmon family. Right off the bat, there's just something about Dylan McDermott (Ben) that wreaks complexity. From his manner of speaking to his physical presence, there's just something about him that makes you want to equally like him and root for him, and punch him right in the face. He seems smug and arrogant, yet strangely likable. So he's perfect for this role, where he always WANTS to do the right thing, but just sometimes doesn't. And I appreciate that the writers don't always try to justify his bad behavior. Sometimes he just does bad things, even though he's not necessarily a bad guy.

Connie Brighton, who plays his wife Vivien, is much the same way. She looks and speaks so angelically, but you can tell that she's a hard edged, tough woman when she needs to be. Some of the things she does and says are downright ruthless. Yet all of that is forgivable, because of what she's had to endure. Even their daughter Violet, who plays the angsty teenager character that television audiences always hate, has been rather redeemable the past few episodes.

So, yeah, what makes this show work are its characters. Horror stories are notoriously polarizing, so that's important. And much like Lost, you don't quite know who's good or bad. "Old" Moira, for example, is always soothing and supportive. Yet "Young" Moira (the same character portrayed by a different actress) is constantly trading sexual deeds and generally stirring up trouble. Hell, she's even assisted in a few murders, if I'm not mistaken. Similarly, Adelaide seemed troublesome, yet when people broke into the house, her first instinct was to get help. And Constance....she's a complete mystery and thus one of the most interesting characters!

The series has also provided us with a surprising amount of revelations and twists during its short run. The first was that Tate, a troubled patient of Ben who has been sneaking around with Violet, is actually dead and is Constance's son. We also learned that he was the person running around in the rubber suit, raping Vivien and killing former homeowners.

Another major revelation was that Violet had accidentally killed herself and was also a ghost in the house. A lot of people had long suspected this truth, as she had been holed up in the house since her suicide attempt, but it was still a really major plot turn, and the actress (and Tate) did a really great job with the material.

Arguably, this twist was dwarfed by what happened in the last episode, where Vivien died during childbirth. This was, in my view, very unexpected and really turns the series on its head. At this point, all members of the Harmon family have finally accepted the truth about their house -- that it's haunted by those who have died on its property -- making the scene so much more powerful. Seeing Ben slowly accept the fact that these ghosts are real and helping him was visually and thematically great (particularly him going from yelling "Who are these people?" to asking the ghost doctor questions about his wife's well being, as you would in a hospital). Actually, Ben's slow realization that he was wrong about the house was one of my favorite parts of the entire season (particularly the scene where he seems Moira transform from young to old, with her telling him he's finally able to see things now).

Much like with some of the other shows in this feature, my one concern is whether this series can have a long shelf life. Where do they go from here? With Vivien and Violet already dead, and the whole family in on the mystery, has the series given us too much, too soon? Somebody had suggested that they just feature a new family living in the house each season, but can't that get repetitive? And can this story be retold any better the second time around? My advise would be to keep Ben alive and have him as your character that can roam the outside world and try to uncover the mystery of why the house is the way it is. He can maintain his family life with Viv and Violet, as they're ghosts in the house. They can even have Ben struggle with meeting somebody new, and wondering if continuing a life with his dead wife is fair to him and the rest of his life.

To those of you who do watch the show -- based on everything we now know (and that's a lot), where do you see the series going for season two?

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WWE 2011 Year-End Survey

I had mentioned this in my LIVE Raw thoughts post, and on Twitter several times, but I am once again doing a WWE Year-End survey. Please take a moment to fill it out (there are just 10 questions), because the results are a lot more fun when there are a plethora of people participating. Take a moment, it'd be very appreciated.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JKHRDDS

THANKS!

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LIVE Raw thoughts (Slammy Edition) - December 12, 2011

11:05 - I guess that answers that! Kane is back!! And he seems to be a hybrid or his past incarnations. His tights have both the stitching look, and the flames. I kinda like the mask he enters with, although it makes him look like the Predator. And the half mask underneath (the one that looks like the one I never liked) kinda works. This could be an interesting mini-feud to keep Cena busy.

10:57 - I don't know if any other readers (you're out there, right?) are checking out the comments section, but Kyle and I are talking about plans for Cena leading into WrestleMania. One question I posed was whether he was even on the card for this weekend's PPV. According to WWE.com, he's not, and there are already 6 matches scheduled. I assume a Divas match will be added as well. And to be honest, there's nobody left off of the card that he's even casually feuding with. I like Cena and I think I understand his value to the company, but personally I don't think it'd be a bad idea to leave him off of some of the PPV cards leading to Mania in order to build the story of his reaction to the fans turning on him. Allow that story to flesh out organically, instead of attempting to manipulate reactions (positive or negative) based on his opponents. Leave him off of TLC, use him at the Rumble, and then use the Rumble to Mania with pure build. Which means no match at Elimination Chamber.

10:45 - The universe has righted itself here. Congrats Punk. But do you agree? Take my survey!!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JKHRDDS

10:37 - Well it seems pretty obvious to me that CM Punk SHOULD win Superstar of the year. But since he's been laid out and thus cannot accept the award (since it would take away from the beating he took), I would say his chances aren't good. And considering that it'll probably lead directly to the last match, I'm guessing it'll either be John Cena or Mark Henry. Hey, maybe they'll shock us and give it to Henry. But it really should go to Punk.

10:26 - My guess is the Muppets win, since they probably already filmed something for them for Tribute to the Troops. Who should win? Hugh Jackman.

10:19 - I love the fact that they're teasing that Kane will be wearing the mask again. And the videos have been cool, too. I just hate that they're using the mask I disliked the most. Why not go back to the classic one, or the black version of the classic one?

10:08 - I don't know if you caught it a moment ago, but Michael Cole just told people that JR released his rap on Twitter and urged people to check JR's Twitter page to read it. So WWE is now using their show to alert people to check Twitter. Shouldn't it be the other way around?

10:03 - So why exactly are Cole and King talking about how Punk doesn't even need to be involved in the decision to lose the title, and how Miz could pin ADR to win the title. They do know they're fighting in a TLC match, right? Where the only way to win is to grab the title from the ladder?

10:00 - Their tricky editing is how I would have ended the match in the first place. Orton chases off Barrett and Miz slips back in.

9:50 - I'm glad Cena showed a little hostility and edge towards Rock tonight. He's usually so pandering and respectful, but it's nice to see him stick it to the fans a bit for reminding them that they keep cheering for a guy that never shows up. Of course, as I write this, he's back to kissing up to Rock.

9:46 - I see Edge winning this one, especially with Christian presenting. I swear to Christ, if Nash wins it, though....

9:43 - I will say this, the Slammy Awards also provide us with some fun returns and reunions.

9:37 - Why was the winner's name in an envelope when the winner was determined during the match?

9:35 - Absolutely fantastic match, which helps make up for the lackluster in-ring action earlier. And c'mon, deep down we all knew Daniel Bryan was going to eat that pin, right?

9:31 - So the latest 1/2/12 video has been posted on YouTube and it's an interesting one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNdd9W5__TY&feature=player_embedded

I have wondered this since the last video, but who does the little girl in the video represent? The overall assessment seems to be that this is marking the return of Jericho, and I'm inclined to agree, but there really hasn't been any females in Jericho's past. Except for Trish, but this little girl actually reminds me more of Lita. Or is the girl something symbolic, like she represents 2012 or WWE or something. Thoughts?

9:25 - So according to my Twitter feed, both Ryder and Ziggler are trending, but Ryder is trending higher. Yet they're both below Tony Atlas!

9:22 - For those of you wondering, according to his Twitter page, this was the rap JR had intended on performing during the opening segment:

Michael Cole you're a damn fool.

King beat you like a government mule.

I should call Raw, you're not in my class.

You kissed King's feet, now you can kiss my ass!

9:19 - So what happens if none of them trend by the time the match ends? Do they just have them continue to wrestle until they get confirmation that somebody is trending?

9:17 - I mean, Zack Ryder has to win this one, right?

9:10 - Ah, gotta love Triple H. The one guy too cool for a Slammy. So why are we watching?

9:04 - Triple H's entrance has surpassed the amount of wrestling we've had tonight. Listen, I like the Slammy Awards, but this year has been disappointing. Aside from Punk, the winners have been pretty bland. Unfortunately, there hasn't been any action to counter that.

9:02 - I'm not surprised Undertaker/Triple H won.....honestly, I thought it should have.....until I saw that Punk winning the title was a contender as well. THAT was the moment of the year that everybody was talking about. That should have won.

8:57 - I like Kelly more than most people, but Beth's Glam Slam to Eve on the top rope was visually almost as great as the Mark Henry/Big Show slam.

8:54 - Is it me or has Lita's mic skills really improved since she retired? I don't know if the current crop of Divas just sound so manufactured and fake, but Lita seemed really natural and comfortable behind the mic.

8:44 - It's too bad they couldn't edit that opening segment into the Pipe Bomb montage.

8:38 - Road Dogg coming out is a nice little surprise, actually. Him coming out in an HBK/HHH DX shirt is funny.....didn't he and Billy Gunn rip them apart in all those interviews?

8:34 - Is it me, or did Big Show kinda crap on the concept of going through a table and getting hit with a chair? Just before a PPV built on that very premise.

8:31 - This "Holy Blank/Bleep/You-Know-What" nonsense is getting annoying. Obviously, you can't say what you want to say. And these cutesy ways of getting around it are not edgy. Just call it "Holy Cow" and get it over with.

8:23 - Told ya.

8:21 - Big Show/Henry will win this one. They LOVE that clip, and it'll push their PPV match. Don't even need to see all of the nominees.

8:20 - Foley looks pretty good in a suit, it's really too bad he doesn't dress better.

8:13 - Wow, pretty terrible opener. Why do I have a feeling that JR wasn't supposed to forget his lyrics like that? I have to say, Cole actually came close to saving that segment by interrupting JR when he clearly forgot the next line.

What I find frustrating, though, is that they keep bringing back JR, but it's to do things like dance offs and rap competitions and spineroonies. If they recognize JR's popularity and he's willing to participate, why not let him just do what he does best? Or at the very least, let him do something where he can contribute to the product? It's getting uncomfortable to watch.

8:03 - Well since it's a special Slammy edition of Raw, I thought this would be the perfect time to unveil my own yearly award nominations. Please take a moment to take my survey:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JKHRDDS

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New Shows to Watch - Part 2: Ringer

So welcome to the second installment of my new shows reviews. And being that I will be discussing major matters that have occurred so far on Ringer, I'm going to do a page break. Click the link below for my complete thoughts (spoilers up to the last episode that have aired within).

Continue reading "New Shows to Watch - Part 2: Ringer"....

I wasn't entirely sure if I was going to give Ringer a shot, but I like Sarah Michelle Gellar and the premise seemed interesting enough to give it an initial viewing. And actually, that was a mini-miracle in itself, because I don't think a lot of articles that previewed the series did them any favors (perhaps they didn't even fully understand the show). While I still don't necessarily comprehend the entire mystery, I really do care about the characters and I am invested in seeing what happens to them. It's the same reason I (and many others) stuck with Lost all those years.

What I like about Ringer is the role reversal and the overall theme of redemption. Bridget has always been troubled and has made some bad decisions, but we're never left to believe she's a bad person. Siobhan (which I would never be able to spell if I didn't look up) has always been put together and responsible, yet she cheated on her wife with her best friend's husband, and is currently involved in some conspiracy to apparently have her twin sister killed. To an outsider, Bridget seems "bad" while Siobhan seems "good" -- but the opposite is true. And in line with the idea of role reversals, in the past Siobhan was cleaning up after Bridget's mess. Now, Bridget is trying to fix the mistakes Siobhan has made with her life. And honestly, I'd really like to see her succeed.

One treat is that Sarah Michelle Gellar is incredible at playing savvy females. You can really believe that she's that quick on her feet and sly with her comments and actions. It's a lot of fun watching her in this dual role.

My one fear: Because I have really grown to like his character, I just have this sinking feeling that Andrew is going to end up being something somewhat sinister. He just seems a little TOO good, like the writers are deliberately trying to make us sympathize with and root for him before the other shoe drops.

Another thing I worry about with this show (and with all of the shows in this feature, except Terra Nova) is that I wonder what sort of shelf life it could have. How long can they keep this mystery going? How long can they have Bridget keep this secret, while continuing to make it interesting? I'm not saying it's impossible, but there is an inherent challenge to shift the focus of the show the longer it goes on.

Out of the four shows I will be writing about, this is the one that is probably the hardest to join in on at this point. But don't worry, it's in the midst of a winter hiatus, so you have a few weeks to catch up on the season (and since CW is pushing it pretty hard, I wouldn't expect a mini marathon to get new viewers up to speed.

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New Shows to Watch - Part 1: Terra Nova

This is going to be a four part piece, and I thought I'd start with the bottom (as harsh as that sounds). Terra Nova is a really fun show and the premise is clever, but I can't help but feel like it's the weak out of the four new shows that have joined my television line up. Ultimately, the thing that bothers me most is that they haven't bothered to explain why going back to that particular time -- to a period in which modern technology does not exist and, ya' know, dinosaurs are roaming around -- in order to save society. For example, 2011 appears to be relatively safe, environmentally and socially. Why not bring people to that period instead? And, naturally, this can't possibly be a long-term plan. It may still be several million years away, but there's the matter of the extinction and ice age coming. If the purpose is to save the human race, why go back to a time that we know extinction is an inevitability?

That's a pretty major criticism, but to tell you the truth, that's probably the only one. The effects, while not perfect, are passable for television and don't really detract from the viewing experience. The characters are mostly likable and its easy to root for the family the show is built upon. Plus, I think I have a slight crush on Naomi Scott.

There are some interesting mysteries, as well. Who's the spy (hinted at heavily in the last new episode, but I'm not sure that was a confirmation)? Are the Sixers truly the "bad guys"? Is Taylor really the "good guy"? I wouldn't be surprised if the Sixers don't end up like the Others (of Lost fame), where we learn that they're not actually bad, however their methods may be.

Speaking of Taylor, I'm wondering if they're going to delve into the fact that one man holds ALL of the power in this society. He truly is the judge, jury, and executioner (literally -- he played the role of all three in one episode). It sorta makes me understand why people would want to limit his power.

Overall, I do recommend this show. There are some kinks to work out, but it's an enjoyable hour and I am interested in seeing how things play out. And hey, I'm giving the show its own tag, so at least that means I plan on discussing it again in the future.

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Dive Bar Shirt Club: Buckhorn Bar

Stand back -- I think I have an official favorite Dive Bar Shirt Club t-shirt! I opened up the package and loved this thing. It's a faded red and has a distressed logo/design on the front. Very cool looking. It actually reminds me of the Old School t-shirts on WWEShop.com. Well, here's a thing or two about the bar itself:

When you're feelin' kinda parched in old downtown Laramie, you can mosey on over to the Buckhorn. It took more than a hundred years to get it like this, the perfect watering hole for the cowboy spirit that likes to range and ride. Mounted rifles and wildlife are caught in time. Art and artifacts pay their respects to the manly pursuits and the woodsman's blade carves out an adventurous history. There's something in every nook and cranny and each with a story. Some stories were punctuated with fistfights and guns. Random bullet holes remind folks what can happen when one too many meets up with love gone wrong. Upstairs you find the parlor for a different level of amusements. In the old days in this neighborhood the upper floors could mean female pleasures. It's no different at the Buck. You have your own bar, live music and a well-worn dance floor to find your groove with your gal. The night of the hunter is dark and dangerous and you might want to take care. This place can be a temptation to whip out that six-shooter.

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

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LIVE Raw thoughts - December 5, 2011

11:08 - That was a satisfying ending to an overall strong Raw. However, I continue to find WWE's self awareness, but unwillingness to change, extremely strange. They seem fully aware that fans don't care for Michael Cole and want Jim Ross back. They'll tease us with the possibility of giving us that, but they won't. They make outward reference to Johnny Ace being boring, but they won't replace him. They know most people don't care for the WWE Championship -- to the extent that performers, on the air, will promise to change it -- but they won't give us a new design. It's very unusual.

11:03 - "If you say 'it's your destiny' I'm going to start drinking." Even better than the last line.

11:02 - "That was a lot of information."

10:51 - Bravo, Mr. Ryder, for appearing in three separate segments.

10:44 - Didn't Cole already use the "looking to play spoiler" line earlier tonight?

10:40 - Really? That's how they're reintroducing Evan Bourne?

10:36 - Alright, let's see how this goes...

10:28 - The booking for this Zack Ryder/US storyline is pretty brilliant. The secret, though, is having Zack Ryder actually win the title. This is the perfect example of why I disagree with people who say that wins and titles don't matter. The difference between Ryder winning the match and the title, and Ryder losing and failing to win the title are worlds apart.

10:24 - Gotta love the World Heavyweight Champion being a pawn in the US Title story.

10:18 - Johnny Ace is only MODERATELY interesting when he's acting heelish. Why not just have him be an out-and-out heel? The guy doesn't have the presence to pull off ambiguous.

Also, I love these Kane videos. It would look utterly awesome to have him bring back the towel and mask. I do hope for the full mask, though, not that crappy half one.

10:07 - I love the poetic nature of this match. John Cena has been the one pushing for Ryder to get his US title shot, and now he's the one who crushes those dreams.

10:02 - Did King just claim that Zack Ryder tried to use him to get the rub?

9:55 - I've enjoyed the these viral videos -- rumored to be Chris Jericho. I'm inclined to believe that, because they're so much in the style of Jericho's past two debut videos. Plus the narration of this video included those big words he loves to use.

9:47 - What also didn't help was having Cole point out that Bryan was unable to beat the injured Henry, and then for Lawler to use Bryan's injuries as an excuse for losing.

9:44 - And after Cole ripped him apart and called him a loser, WWE has Alberto Del Rio escape one of Bryan's submission moves, and then makes Bryan tap in a match that lasted about two minutes. So incredibly odd how they can do such a great job building him up, but then tear him down.

9:42 - Remember that highly competitive match that Daniel Bryan had with Mark Henry, where he looked great even in losing? Yeah, Michael Cole just did everything he could to destroy that for anybody who didn't see the show.

9:38 - I actually liked the announcement and implications of Cena vs. Ryder. Very clever, where two friends are forced to fight while both have something to lose. Plus I think Cena will go out of his way to make Ryder look good.

Oh, and that Ladder match is absolutely ridiculous. In a ladder match, both guys are legally allowed to use the ladder as a weapon. If you can just beat the crap out of somebody with a ladder, why even bother with the sledgehammer?

9:26 - That ending made Orton look like a real doofus. I didn't mind him running off and chasing Barrett, thus losing the match, because Orton didn't have anything to win. But why throw Miz back in the ring, allowing him to win?

Oh, and it looks like that WWE Network logo was legit.

9:23 - By the way, WWEShop.com released another line of Limited Edition t-shirts. This is one of my favorite collections, I wish they did them more:

http://www.wweshop.com/category/men/tshirts-limitededition

Orton's is probably the coolest looking (unfortunately, since I'm not a huge fan), but Punk's is pretty sweet also.

9:17 - I have to wonder, when numerous Superstars come out and say they deserve a title shot, the result is always an opportunity to get said title shot. So why doesn't everybody just come down?

And just once I'd love to see the General Manager single somebody out and be like, "Not you. You're completely unqualified."

9:11 - For some reason I thought the line "Who has the most entertaining match of the night......on purpose!" hilarious.

9:01 - And thank the Lord, it looks like CM Punk was FINALLY added to the signature at the opening of the program. About time.

8:57 - Raw starts in about 5 minutes, but before the show starts I thought I'd give some blog news: This week I'll be posting some -- gasp! -- non-wrestling related content! With The Vampire Diaries on hiatus, my television discussions have been extremely limited. As I like to have a diverse readership, that's been somewhat disappointing. Well throughout the week, I'll be discussing four new series that have joined my TV line up: Terra Nova, The Ringer, American Horror Story, and Once Upon a Time. So stay tuned!

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