Eureka (the town) has changed, possibly for the better, maybe for destruction. As a show, the change was more than a shot in the arm, it created a whole new world. The brilliant writers now have license to go in any direction with our beloved characters, even backward. This is the first GIANT manipulation that seems natural and doesn’t bother me; in fact, it intrigues me so much that I can’t wait for the next episode! The cast continues to impress me, even some of the new additions. Oddly enough, the SyFy Eureka site has pics from the original cast. However, there’s still no sign of Nathan, and I would have thought that this new guy from BSG would have been a major selling point for them. Whatever.

One of my complaints about the show has been the overemphasis on the personal and relationship matters, but now that time continuum issues are involved, I’m on board with the will they/won’t they for all the couples affected. Seeing Alison’s anguish over possibly losing her new-found connection with Kevin is heartbreaking, and don’t even get me started on Jo! Our poor Sheriff Carter has also found himself between a rock and a hard place. Jack? If you need anyone to break the bad news to your housemate, have SARAH give me a call. I’ll fill her in on the non-classified details.

Mood: Amused

I’m not going to do any background checking to see if the last episode was re-edited as the finale, but I can only imagine that it was. We got most of the answers to the big questions (Who is the Magic Man? What’s the deal with Dan?), but the details that could have been fleshed out over time would have made the show so much better. For instance, I still have no idea what Henley’s deal was. Is she Chloe? If so, big deal. We don’t know the significance of “Chloe” at all. Her last phone call was a bit contradictory, but was is significant? And the Magic Man. Whoa. How did the Magic Man get away with everything when the identity wasn’t exactly secret at all? Magic, I guess. *pfft*

Regardless, I guess in the end, I don’t regret having watched the show, and that’s a lot more than I can say about most of them.

Mood: Confused

My head is still spinning from all the greatness of S5. Matt Smith, I get teary eyed just thinking about how great your Doctor is. I’m just as thrilled to find that many of my friends, who are diehard fans of The Tenth Doctor, have come to love Eleven as well. There is a magic in the eyes that just sucks us in. This, combined with an utterly delightful companion or two has made this a great time to be a fan. This series was also significant to me because of the excellent writing. I’m on record as defending RTD, and I will continue to do so, but this series we got to see a poignancy that most sci-fi shows are too timid to allow. The Doctor’s concern for his companions, other races, and other worlds is a given, but seeing The Doctor’s interactions with young Pond was both inspiring and heartbreaking.

I always try to keep my posts (mostly) spoiler-free, so there’s not much more I can say. This is probably just an excuse though, because I’m still so ridiculously giddy that I can’t really find words anyway. I can’t wait for the next special, and thank you, Doctor Who, for making this the year of redemption.

Mood: Giddy

Top Chef has remained one of the best produced, most interesting, and creative shows in this genre. All of that changed last night. This episode was, by far, the worst of the series (and that’s saying something since Hosea was once named the winner…). Washington DC is, of course, a political town. Top Chef, however, did not have to “go there” with the whole school lunch thing. If anyone, First Lady included, thinks they can abolish childhood obesity in a generation (or twelve), they are delusional. For Top Chef to pay such respect to such bull truly diminished the spirit of the show. When the cheftestants of the first season were charged with creating lunch for children using monkfish, they had FUN. The teams were still able to cook healthy food, but without the OMG!NO MONEY FOR SCHOOL LUNCHES pity party hanging over their heads. Even the kids in this episode seemed bored.

This season is off to a very slow start overall. I spent the first episode thinking, “Shut up, Tim, you big baby,” only to have him redeem himself (at least temporarily) in this episode. Maybe I just hated everything else so much that even Tim didn’t bother me. I don’t know. I’ve never turned against a show so quickly (not even Lost), and I am hoping that this isn’t the end for this fandom. Get back to doing what you do right, show!

Mood: Irritated

You can always attempt to call them out, right? I very much cheered for The Doctor as he made his last stand speech. His Jesus-pose > Ten’s. I’m just saying… I didn’t cringe once during the speech, which is rare for me. I normally roll my eyes at grandstanding, or maybe I’m just flashing back to the buffoonery of the last few years. Then again, I’m also one of those people who has weird nervous habits, for instance, in high pressure situations, I yawn. Constantly. It’s a wonder I’ve ever landed a job.

Without overspoiling anyone, I think it’s safe to say that I don’t think we’ve seen the end of our three-ish companions just yet. River Song, love her or hate her, is important. Furthermore, I think she’s important in way more than a deus ex machina way. I’m smiling punningly at myself right now, because I am in full support of THIS THEORY. As a matter of fact, if this doesn’t turn out to be mostly true, I’m going to be a little disappointed.

Since, like most series enders, we have no preview for next week, I’m going to just re-watch “The Pandorica Opens” a few more times and prepare for the worst, but hope for the best.

Mood: Hyper

First up is Justified. For people who don’t know me, I live in WV, which borders KY. If I thought for one minute that Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) could actually be found anywhere in the tri-state area, I would be in the Scionmobile in a heartbeat. I’m surrounded by people who think they’re as cool as Raylan, but they are so, so painfully wrong. I don’t know where the show is actually filmed (and not bothered enough to look it up), but it has the feel of backwoods country goings-on. Normally, I would have passed on premise, but my dad raved about it, as did AICN, so I gave it a chance. I think the best way I’ve rec’d it to someone was as “Dexter, but without the serial killings.” ;) It’s definitely worth buying on DVD, as Hulu has already lost the first half of the (short) season. This is the first FX show I’ve ever made it a point to tune in to, and I’ll be tuning in to every.single.episode they give us.

Another show I was surprised to find I had in common with my father is Happy Town. Right off the bat, I’m going to admit that yes, it is choppy. The scenes don’t appear to flow properly. There are too many things going on that don’t really make much sense or seem to be a good use of screen time. Most of the storylines are implausible. HOWEVER, I’m still intrigued enough to keep watching for some reason, so it’s gotta be doing something right, yes? I like the cast very much. Surprisingly, the weak link is Amy Acker, who I really do like. Sam Neill’s character is a blatant homage to Leland Gaunt (of Stephen King’s Needful Things fame), and may or may not be (and probably is definitely not) connected to the central mystery surrounding the Magic Man, but it’s Sam Neill, so I’m there. The sheriff doubles as the main baddie on Justified (and was also on Lost for a bit), so there’s a connection to ponder. The show has already seen ratings deathsigns and was pulled from May sweeps, but I’m hoping that ABC will at least let us see what they’ve already filmed. BTW (By The Way), I still curse ABC daily over the whole Defying Gravity thing.

The last show I’ve just started watching is Persons Unknown, which again, was a recommendation from my dad. As a matter of fact, I’m going to call this whole entry a tribute to Father’s Day (which is this Sunday). Ha! Persons Unknown is best described as Lost meets Harper’s Island. I was impressed to see that the writer of The Usual Suspects (one the the finest cinematic efforts ever made) was the creator/writer of the show. This means the potential for greatness is already here. The only cast member I recognized immediately was Alan Ruck (aka Ferris’ pal Cameron). Alan has also appeared on Justified, so maybe there’s more to my grouping of these three shows that I thought. Hmmm. Anyway, the show is actually pretty tightly produced. The premise seems far-fetched, but not to the point of annoyance. Until we find out a little bit more about why all this is happening, I can’t say much more. It’s not that the show is boring, but every scene feels deliberate. I prefer this format a bit to Happy Town’s, in which everything seems a little bit rushed. The show is only two episodes in, and you can still catch them on Hulu, or watch on NBC on Monday nights.

So there you have it. New fandoms. Happy Father’s Day.

Mood: Working

Now before I start talking about the next episode, let me just say, “WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE END OF THE SERIES IS UPON US?!?!?” I can’t believe there are only two episodes left. I won’t even discuss the “specials (which weren’t)”, but for the last few years, I’ve been sitting here tapping my finger on the desk thinking, “Just wrap this up so I can go on with my life” as time went by. By the time the last two episodes of S2, 3, and 4 arrived, I was ready to get it over with. I do NOT feel that way this time. I feel like we’ve been given just a taste of this new experience, and I want more. A lot more. *sigh*

On to the preview: The Pandorica. Still don’t know what it is, why it’s important, or what it holds. Old faces are back, which I personally look forward to seeing. I’m not claustrophobic, but there’s something non-threatening in all the empty space in the cave. I’m certain that it’s all very, very threatening, which will no doubt make me feel foolish for thinking there’s enough space to maneuver out of harm’s way. Heh.

My one big hope is that the next two episodes are not striving to be the epicness of all epicocity (i.e. Journey’s End). There appear to be many elements coming together, and with a title like “Big Bang” we’re sure to have some big things happening, but as long as it stays confined to our Doctor and his companions, I’m ok with that.

Mood: Okay

Moving back: I may be the only viewer who thought the crack was sealed for the rest of this series. I don’t know why I thought it was, and I was actually a bit surprised to see it again. The shock of the events at the end of “Cold Blood” was nearly overridden by the opening of the crack, but I’m not disappointed that it’s still relevant. The Doctor, always so brave, reaching into the crack to pull out “shrapnel” was frightening enough, but when the collected fragment was revealed, I let out an audible gasp and my heart raced. This isn’t good. No, it’s not good at all. Seems to me that The Doctor and Amy are due for some serious treachery in the remaining episodes. Whoa. I’ll definitely be watching on the edge of my seat!

Mood: Touched

In the next few episodes, we began to cringe at the ridiculous pregnancy stories, bad production numbers, and lack of originality. What we didn’t know then, was just how far off the rails the show would go. Not since Finn laid his head in his mother’s lap and wept at his (alleged) impending fatherhood have I seen anything close to a “heart” on this show.

The worst part of this whole ordeal is that we are still in Season One. In less than one full season, a show about misfits coming together and conquering their peers is now little more than a gaygenda show. A Madonna episode? Really? That would have been cool about 15 years ago. Word is that there may be another one. Ugh. Neil Patrick Harris (current poster boy for gayness) playing a reformed singer who has turned uber conservative? So obvious. Also? He cannot sing. It’s this kind of ploy has me ashamed to have pimped this show based only on the pilot episode. Behind the scenes, the creators would rather fight political battles over Newsweek articles than realize that their show has lost its charm to all but the pandered. Even the moments which are supposed to tug at our heartstrings are so heavy handed that more often than not, we can only groan.

I guess it’s no coincidence that Lost and Glee both air this season on Tuesdays, in the ultimate Bait N’ Switch hour.

Mood: Disappointed

This episode did two much needed things in a very simple way. It used “dreams” to allow us to wrap up the issue of Amy’s choice and to remind us that our Doctor is carrying his demons heavily. I’m enjoying the season possibly even more than Nine’s because I honestly do not know what to expect from The Doctor, and that is a very good feeling.

Mood: Contemplative

I’m completely over the teeth thing. Why have we had two sets of baddies already with teeth that are so long that no matter how pointed they are, the owners wouldn’t be able to open up wide enough to actually bite?!? I can’t get scared of bad guys if I’m laughing at them. I just can’t do it. Also? “Our planet was lost…wah wah wah” We did this. Last year. Maybe it was the delivery of the line, and maybe it was because we did just do this, but I’m not as sucked in to the story’s potential as I’d like to be at this point. Pun, y’all. PUN. Sucked in? VAMPIRES?!? OK, not really, but still…

Next week: My word, that Doctor has amazing profile close-ups!!

Mood: Indifferent

While I very much enjoyed the episode, I can’t be sure if my divided attention prevented me from following some of the “science” as I watched, or if I just needed a re-watch to get a lot of the nuances. Either way, after a quick re-watch, I’m pretty sure I’ve caught what I needed to catch.

I’m not going to address the last scene yet. The whole thing is a giant, NO NO NO, wait, they wouldn’t do that to us again, OR WOULD THEY, no, definitely not, there has to be something timey-wimey or odd happening, right? RIGHT?!?!?!?

Mood: Confused

That’s the big difference with the new series; it’s smarter. Certainly not to disparage RTD’s helm, which was still largely better than anything else on television, but the nuances now are just a bit more mature and cerebral. Perhaps the least cerebral clue, as I mentioned before, is “The Crack” and though I did not spot the crack in the episode, it’s FINALLY being seen by The Doctor in the preview for next week’s episode. Next week’s episode, by the way, looks to be full of excitement, and motion, and intrigue.

In what I consider to be the mark of greatness for a show, a Twitter friend of mine is just getting into Doctor Who, and I’m proud to have him jump on board with Eleven and Amy. Welcome to the greatest show on Earth. Or Gallifrey. Or Raxacoricofallapatorius. Or, well, you get the picture. With The Doctor and the TARDIS, anything is possible!

Mood: Ditzy

I feel a bit guilty about “finding” the crack this episode since it STARES US IN THE FACE. Heh. No “Spot the Observer” Fringe level of difficulty here, guys. The clue is right here, in plain, unobstructed view for all to see. I guess I’m not going to complain because with a thread this blatant, the pay off is going to have to deliver the goods. Got that Doctor Who team?? We are expecting greatness (and I have no doubt we’ll get it, too!).

Mood: Impressed

It’s hard to believe so many years have passed since I first became a fan; an unlikely fan, at that! I think the general love in the LOTR fandom helped foster my craziness.

I can easily say that Sean Bean’s performance was the sole redeeming factor of Percy Jackson. I’m hoping that HBO’s Game of Thrones is as good all the critics are predicting. I could use another round of fangirl frenzy for Sean.

Mood: Thoughtful