How I Met Your Mother Archives - Page 6 of 6

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Welcome to the Hellmouth and The Harvest

Okay, I finally caved. As soon as I finished the final episode of Angel, I wanted to go back and rewatch Buffy the Vampire Slayer from the beginning. I managed to hold off for several months by rewatching some of my favorite episodes, reading many of the comics, and watching various shows featuring Buffy alums (Bones, Veronica Mars, Tru Calling). But after reading a fellow blogger’s review of season one, the allure grew too strong.

I’m going to take things a bit more slowly this time. I’m also not planning to watch the later seasons in tandem with Angel, except for perhaps a few key crossover episodes. I simply enjoy Buffy more, and all the flipping back and forth got to be annoying. Plus I’ve already seen the first season of Angel twice.

I’m also hoping to review each episode as I go through, most likely writing about several episodes in each post.

“Welcome to the Hellmouth” and “The Harvest”

What is widely considered the show’s weakest season opens with a two-part introduction to Sunnydale High, the main characters, and of course vampires. This was my third time watching the two episodes. The first time I thought it was decent but campy, and the vampires creeped me out. The second time I enjoyed seeing Alyson Hannigan from How I Met Your Mother and Anthony Stewart Head from Merlin in different roles, but it bored me a little.

I guess third time’s the charm, because this time around I loved it.

Oh, sure, I still thought the vampires were stupid and I still consider The Master one of the most unimaginative villains of all time, but I wasn’t watching the episodes for them. I was watching to see Buffy meet Xander and Willow and Giles and Angel for the very first time. Knowing now all they’d eventually go through together made the episodes amazing.

I hadn’t remember Angel seeming so much of a wimp. Knowing that his fighting skills are pretty much even with Buffy’s, his inaction in these episodes seems ludicrous, especially with what’s at stake. Of course, it could partly be him trying to keep his true nature a secret from Buffy, but the end of the world is a bit more important. Darla seemed too easily cowed as well, though she at least held her own in a fight.

Even this early on, the dialogue was snappy and distinct, a fitting beginning for what would eventually become known as “Slayer Slang.” A few choice bits:

“Gee, can you vague that up for me?”

“I didn’t say I’d never slay another vampire. It’s not like I have all these fluffy bunny feelings for them, I’m just not gonna get way extracurricular with it.”

Willow: Do you have Theories in Trig? You should check it out.
Xander: Check it out?
Willow: From the library. Where the books live.

It was also fun getting a brief glimpse of Harmony, knowing who she would become in later seasons. But in all the flashbacks we’ve gotten of main vampires, it seems weird that there’s no mention (at least that I remember) of Luke. You’d think a vampire that powerful and connected to The Master would have been around for a while. Trivia note: the same actor plays the Judge in season 2.

In all, not the best first episode for someone new to the show (unless you’ll be able to convince them to keep watching no matter how they feel about season one), but a must-see for fans. It makes me excited for the rest of the season.

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Veronica Mars – Complex and Sassy

Wow. I’m just five episodes into this show, and already it’s blowing me away.

I first remember hearing about Veronica Mars on TVLine’s renewal scorecard page. The very first paragraph read:

TV’s queasy season has arrived. From now until late May, ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and The CW will determine which shows will be back next fall and which will be join Tru Calling, Heroes and Veronica Mars over at the MIA Network. (MIA is fictional people; stop scouring your on-screen channel guide now.)

I bookmarked the page and checked back frequently for updates (maybe once a week at first, but eventually every day around April and early May). I knew Tru Calling starred Eliza Dushku (Faith from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, Echo from Dollhouse), and I had the first few seasons of Heroes (watched the pilot, but the hand down the garbage disposal still makes me grimace and has deterred further watching), but I had no clue what Veronica Mars was.

The show popped up on my radar a few other times over the past months. I noticed it on the resume of several Whedonverse alums, particularly Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia on Buffy and Angel) and Alyson Hannigan (Willow on Buffy and Lily on How I Met Your Mother).

But it wasn’t until I read somewhere that the humor and dialogue on the show was very similar to Buffy that I knew I had to try it out. I had just completed my goal of watching every episode of every Joss Whedon show, and I needed something to fill that particularly quirky niche. And I was delighted to find out that Netflix had all three seasons of Veronica Mars on watch instantly.

The sassy nature of the show captured my interest immediately. But then the show continued to unfold new layers, and I knew I’d stumbled across something special.

On the surface, it’s a show about a saucy blonde going to high school in southern California (ditto for Buffy).

On an episodic level, Veronica’s dad is a private investigator, she helps him out with cases, and she finds some of her own (modern take on Nancy Drew).

Then the show delves into her character backstory. Less than a year before the show’s start, Veronica was dating Duncan Kane and was a part of his group of friends. Now she’s forced to keep seeing them at school, and they alternately ignore or belittle her. This ties into the show’s theme song, “We Used to be Friends.”

And then we find out Duncan’s sister Lilly, Veronica’s best friend, was murdered the previous October. At the time, Veronica’s father was sheriff, and pursued Duncan and Lily’s father as his chief suspect. Mr. Kane – rich, powerful, and beloved in the community – told the media and Keith Mars was ousted as sheriff. Veronica’s mom left town.

If that wasn’t enough, we find out that things don’t add up with Lilly’s murder. And Veronica’s mother may have had an ulterior motive for leaving town.

And this is only five episodes into the show!

Kristen Bell does an excellent job playing the various facets of Veronica. She can switch from pensive to spunky to flirty and back again easily. And while Veronica has plenty of Buffy-like sass, she also has Willow’s brains. Percy Daggs III plays Wallace, a Xander-like companion I hope the writers will give more to do in future episodes. Teddy Dunn plays the brooding Duncan Kane well, and keeps reminding me of a young Shane West.

I have a feeling I’m going to be upset about this show’s cancellation.

Side Note: While trying to figure out what to call this show’s genre (if anyone has other suggestions than my choice of “mystery” feel free to mention them!), I came across this quote from Joss Whedon about Veronica Mars:

My peeps and I just finished a crazed Veronica Marsathon, and I can no longer restrain myself. Best. Show. Ever. Seriously, I’ve never gotten more wrapped up in a show I wasn’t making, and maybe even more than those. Crazy crisp dialogue. Incredibly tight plotting. Big emotion, I mean BIG, and charsimatic actors and I was just DYING from the mystery and the relationships and PAIN, this show knows from pain and no, I don’t care, laugh all you want, I had to share this. These guys know what they’re doing on a level that intimidates me. It’s the Harry Potter of shows. There. I said it.

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What I Will Watch in Fall 2011

Now that CBS has finally posted its fall 2011 schedule, I have a good idea what I’ll be watching come September. Most of the time, of course, I will watch shows online the day after they air, but if I get a chance to watch them live, this will be my schedule.

Sunday

8PM – Once Upon a Time – ABC

This fairy tale meets modern life sounds like it has promise, and I love the promos.

Monday

8PM – How I Met Your Mother – CBS

8:30PM – Two Broke Girls – CBS

9PM – House – Fox

10PM – Castle – ABC

Chuck’s move to Fridays and House’s move to 9 finally makes my Mondays conflict-free (though I imagine Chuck’s ratings would have greatly improved with House’s move – seriously, is it any wonder the show wasn’t doing well against BOTH House and HIMYM?). Two Broke Girls sounds interesting, and will nicely fit in my half-hour gap.

Tuesday

8PM – NCIS – CBS

9PM – NCIS: Los Angeles – CBS

9PM – Ringer – The CW

CBS was smart not to mess with its Tuesday domination. Both shows had awesome finales Tuesday night, and NCIS: LA was finally renewed yesterday. I was a bit worried that they were going to off Jimmy Palmer in the NCIS finale, but Los Angeles ended with the more dramatic cliffhanger, making me anxious for season 3. I will have a hard time deciding what to watch at 9, but the CW’s terrible online viewing experience may tip the scale toward Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Ringer.

Wednesday

8:30PM – Suburgatory – ABC

8:30PM – Free Agents – NBC

I will be checking out these two shows solely for their Whedonverse alums: Suburgatory features Alan Tudyk (Firefly and Dollhouse), while Free Agents stars Anthony Stewart Head (Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Merlin).

Thursday

8PM – The Big Bang Theory – CBS

8PM – Community – NBC

8:30PM – How to Be a Gentleman – CBS

9PM – The Office – NBC

9PM – Bones – Fox

9PM – Person of Interest – CBS

Thursdays are still full of conflict. As usual, I probably will watch The Big Bang Theory live and Community on Hulu when both are airing new episodes. How to Be a Gentleman sounds promising, and I probably would have checked the show out anyway even if it didn’t perfectly fill a half-hour gap (the promo, however leaves a bit to be desired). Watching Bones will depend on if I catch up on back seasons of the show over the summer. The Office’s penultimate episode of season 7 proved that the show can still be hilarious without Michael Scott, so I plan to keep watching. Jim Caviezel (The Count of Monte Cristo, The Passion of the Christ) stars in Person of Interest, and the sneak peek was excellent.

Friday

8PM – Nikita – The CW

8PM – Chuck – NBC

9PM – Grimm – NBC

10PM – Blue Bloods – CBS

It seems a bit odd, having such a solid line-up of shows for a Friday night. Blue Bloods has proved it can hold its own on the evening, but its family vibe makes it a more likely choice for those who stay in Friday nights. I suspect the young-adult-aimed Chuck won’t do as well, but since it’s the final season of the show the numbers aren’t as important. And it’s pitted against fellow action show Nikita, which also doesn’t seem like a good Friday night fit. Grimm has a tough shot against both a cop show and TWO speculative fan favorites, Fringe and Supernatural (which even I may be watching instead if I have time to check them out this summer).

USA’s Psych typically counts as a summer show, it doesn’t sound like it will be starting until August or September this year (since it’s cable, I won’t be watching it live, though). There are a few other shows on the major networks and some mid-season pickups I also plan to check out if I have time.

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HIMYM – Challenge Accepted

Spoiler Alert: You probably won’t want to read this post if you haven’t yet watched the season six finale of How I Met Your Mother. If that’s the case, go to CBS.com to watch, then come back here to weigh in on the episode!

As Neil Patrick Harris mentions in an interview, this episode really isn’t as much the climax of season six, but rather more of a teaser for season seven. The climax of the season for the show’s main character, Ted, came in the previous episode, as his and Zoey’s differing views on the Arcadian came to a head, ending their relationship. Ted tried to side with his girlfriend on the issue, but finally had to be honest with himself and admit he wanted the building torn down. Zoey’s reaction was to play her recording of Ted saying the Arcadian should be saved, which (mini-rant here) was a completely horrible thing to do. Of course viewers knew that Ted and Zoey’s relationship would never last, and I for one am glad to see her go, but her willingness to betray her boyfriend like that sinks her down to the level of Ted’s awful college girlfriend, Karen. The fact that Zoey kept the recording all these months just adds to the premeditated way she decided to win at all costs.

In “Challenge Accepted,” pressures regarding the new building cause Ted to debate getting back together with Zoey. Robin and Barney try to prevent that from happening, and in the process get some much needed closure on their own relationship. The episode (nearly 2 seasons ago) where they broke up I consider one of my least favorite episodes of the entire show, especially since Ted’s caricature of how they let themselves go in the relationship was so extreme that it didn’t even seem like the real Barney and Robin.

The two do manage to talk some sense into Ted (aided by a ride from Ranjit), ending the Zoey plot arch and setting things up for Ted to meet someone new in season 7. The demolition of the Arcadian restates this metaphorically.

Of course, since this is the season finale, as soon as Lily starts throwing up you KNOW it’s not food poisoning, so that aspect of the story fell a little flat (you knew Marshall had nothing to worry about). Adding a baby to the group should be interesting.

And I’m glad that Nora has returned to the show, and that Barney seems willing to do whatever it takes to win her back. Those two seem perfect for each other.

The final scene of the episode, a leap forward in time to the wedding where Ted will finally meet his future wife, was amazing. All along I’d assumed that the wedding where Ted is best man would be his friend Punchy’s. Then Lily comes out to where Ted and Marshall are talking and tells Ted the groom needs him. They walk inside to see the groom – and there stands Barney.

Season 7 can’t get here quickly enough. Wait for it . . .

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Renewals, Cancellations, and Finales

Wow – tons of shows are getting renewed or cancelled this week, and many are airing season finales. I keep checking for news and getting a rush of joy or sadness, and sometimes both. This year I dived headfirst into many new shows, and quite a few of them got cancelled.

Before this year, only two shows I watched as they aired had been cancelled with only one season – Fox’s 2009 summer medical drama, Mental (I had only started watching it at the urging of my sister) and another summer show, NBC’s excellent modern retelling of the story of David, Kings. (I watched the best-known one-season show, Firefly, years after it was off the air.) I picked up 3 new shows in 2009-2010 regular season: Community, NCIS: Los Angeles, and V – all got a second season. Even the two new shows I started watching in summer 2010, Covert Affairs and Rizzoli & Isles, will be back this summer.

This year I watched 6 new shows: The Cape, Detroit 1-8-7, Blue Bloods, No Ordinary Family, Outsourced, and Nikita. As of this moment, four have been cancelled, and the other two haven’t been renewed yet.

A quick recap of the verdicts on this season’s shows, by network:

ABC

They kept Castle, one of my favorite shows, but cancelled the three other shows I watch on the channel – Detroit 1-8-7, No Ordinary Family, and V. Of the three, I was most surprised by V’s cancellation. The show was intriguing, with an excellent cast, and the short seasons helped keep the integrated storylines comprehensive. I started watching it for the sole reason that it starred Morena Baccarin, aka Inara from Firefly (Alan Tudyk, aka Wash, was also in a few episodes). With this season’s finale ending the life of one of the most annoying characters on the show, I had high hopes for season 3. Too bad.

CBS

They seem to be waiting to see what the other networks do, as they haven’t revealed many verdicts. But I’m confident they’ll bring back the two not-yet-renewed shows I watch on the channel: Blue Bloods and NCIS: Los Angeles. NCIS, How I Met Your Mother, and The Big Bang Theory have already been renewed.

Fox

I’m only current with one show on the channel, House, and its renewal is hardly a surprise (it will likely be the final season, however). I’m glad they renewed Bones (on season two now and loving it!) and Fringe (hoping to try it soon), though.

NBC

I was shocked to find out less than a day after watching the season finale of Outsourced that they’d cancelled the show. I was really looking forward to season two. The Cape was dead as soon as they shortened the episode count from 13 to 10, but I plan to get Bear McCreary’s soundtrack to the show. The other Firefly alumni show, Chuck, has been picked up for a 13-episode final season (I love Chuck, but as more and more of the show’s characters move toward domestic bliss, I can see why they’re deciding to end it.) And of course, Community and The Office got renewed. Community’s finale does raise the question of whether they’ll bring back one of the main characters for season 3. And does the show have a 4 season limit due to the college setting?

The CW

I only watch one show on the channel, Nikita, and there’s no word yet on whether it’s been picked up for season two. I really hope so. My lineup needs more shows that focus on the overarching story instead of individual episodes, and the last few episodes of Nikita really kicked things up a notch.

In conclusion: Networks really seem to be abandoning rookie shows this year. I hope that space goes to other high-quality scripted shows and not endless rehashed versions of reality and competition shows.

And my other wish for the 2011-2012 season – don’t air The Big Bang Theory and Community in the same time slot!

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HIMYM – The Exploding Meatball Sub

Now that I’m caught up with How I Met Your Mother, I really miss being able to watch half a dozen new episodes all at once. And tonight’s episode was only the second new episode airing since February, which made me even more eager to laugh at the gang’s continuing adventures (especially since the last one was more serious).

After my recent Buffy the Vampire Slayer marathon, it was almost shocking to see Alyson Hannigan playing a character other than Willow (I guess 7 seasons of a 45-minute show outweigh almost 6 seasons of a 20-minute show). Maybe I’ve just overdosed too much on Joss Whedon lately, because Barney made me think of Dr. Horrible in nearly every scene, and I haven’t watched that in months (though the lab coat and safety goggles in this episode of HIMYM were a fun nod to the character).

All that aside, this episode hit all the right notes. (Spoilers follow!) From the dreamy nostalgic “I Will Remember You” moments to Robin’s harrowing tale of the clock and the secret grave, the laughter never stopped coming. The contrast of Marshall and Lily’s relationship with Ted and Zoe’s was great, and I loved when Ted and Lily finally shared their difficulties with each other (the show really does need more Ted/Lily moments – it’s rare that we see them together without the whole group anymore). And of course Barney’s seemingly emotional meltdown over Marshall leaving the company was only regret at the delay of his overblown revenge plot.

The differing views on Tommy Boy were also fun.

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Coming Full Circle

Buffy the Vampire Slayer was my very first introduction to the world of Joss Whedon – and it didn’t capture me. I had heard some good things about the show, so I watched the two-episode opening in August 2008, and thought it a bit campy. Looking back now, I probably should have given it more of a chance, but with my slow internet at home, I could barely watch 4 shows a week over lunch at work. It was also the first time I’d watched anything about vampires, and to be honest, it creeped me out a little.

I didn’t give up on Joss, though. I figured maybe I’d enjoy one of his other shows, so I tried Firefly – and loved it! Less than two weeks after watching the first episode, I’d finished the entire series and the movie. A few days later I watched Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, which was also excellent.

I figured that perhaps the high-school cheesiness was what bothered me about Buffy. Maybe the show Angel, which seemed aimed more at twenty-somethings, would be an improvement. Hulu had the entire first season, so I watched it and enjoyed it. Returning fall shows crowded out my viewing time.

By the time Dollhouse came out in early 2009, I had become a rabid Whedon fan, so there was no question of whether or not I’d watch the show. I loved the action, the humor, and the mind-twists it put me through. Seeing a few Firefly actors was also a nice plus.

A year after Dollhouse ended (almost to the day), the combination of three things made me come full circle to retry watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer. One, with the new Hulu Plus, I now had access to all seven seasons of Buffy and all five of Angel. Two, I had a renewed interest in redemptive vampire stories after discovering Being Human.

And three, I realized several actors I didn’t know the first time around were a huge part of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Of course I “knew” Angel and Cordelia from the first season of Angel, but there were others. I now watched Darla on No Ordinary Family. And Giles I knew as King Uther on Merlin. But the primary reason I tried watching Buffy again? Alyson Hannigan, who plays Willow on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Lily on How I Met Your Mother.

And I guess second time’s the charm, because I’m on season two and loving it! Yes, it does have its corny moments, and sometimes low-budget special effects (reminds me a bit of Merlin in both ways), but it’s a show with heart and humor.

(Now that I’m thinking about it – there are tons of similarities between the shows Merlin and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. So many, in fact, that I’m shocked that Anthony Head is the only common denominator between the two shows. Not only do they share similar corny moments and special effects, they also have the whole similar “monster/demon/creepy spell of the week” thing. The main characters’ ages are similar, and there’s the whole “forbidden love that is meant to be” aspect. Gaius and Giles play very similar roles advising and doing research in dusty books. And of course, in both shows characters live a double life, hiding their gifts. I’ll probably find even more as I continue watching both shows.)

If you’re not sure you’ll like Buffy, give the show at least 4-5 episodes before you make a final decision. This show grows on you. 🙂

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Nikita – Intense Intrigue

I think it was a Hulu ad that first alerted me to the show Nikita. I wasn’t familiar with any of the previous renderings of the characters and storyline – in fact, I was several episodes in before I realized this wasn’t a brand new show.

The premise of the show intrigued me. A rogue agent taking down a corrupt agency and an undercover agent helping her from the inside. It alone was enough to get me to watch the first episode. I didn’t recognize the actors (the only one I might have noticed in the ad was Shane West), and I generally don’t watch CW shows.

The pilot episode blew me away. Great acting, great plot. Intense action sequences and deep back stories. Intrigue, manipulation, and hidden agendas. And more than that, it filled the missing place I’d had since another show I loved was canceled. That show? Dollhouse.

Before all the Whedonites jump down my throat, let me say that it’s not exactly like Dollhouse or even as good as Dollhouse. There is one Whedon-verse connection on the show, however – Amanda (who channels Adelle from the early episodes of Dollhouse) is played by Melinda Clarke, who also plays Nandi from the Firefly episode Heart of Gold.

Every episode of Nikita delves deeper into the characters. That plus the twisting plotlines makes me feel like I’ve watched the show for two seasons when I’m only 16 episodes (of 22) into the first season.

My favorite character on the show is Michael, played by Shane West. I’d only seen him before on A Walk to Remember, which I’d enjoyed, but not to the point where I looked for him in other movies and shows. After Nikita, however, he moved to my top 20 (if not my top 10) favorite actors. He plays the brooding, conflicted hero so well. And it’s surprising, because he doesn’t seem to have too much that typical “brooding look” many actors do (hint – they’re often cast as vampires). He has to show that brooding in a more subtle and difficult way through his acting.

Maggie Q as Nikita seems a bit cold, but she’s a trained assassin on a mission, so anything else would seem out of place. And that makes her emotional moments all the more poignant.

I only knew Lyndsy Fonseca (who plays Alex, the young undercover agent-in-training) as the daughter in the opening sequences of How I Met Your Mother. Her acting seems slightly overplayed (more dramatic), which works well against Maggie’s underplayed acting.

To round out the cast, you have the power-hungry and manipulative Percy, the poised but lethal Amanda, and the spineless computer genius Birkhoff, plus other recruits, agents, guards, and allies.

To up the show’s pull, episodes end with a final cliffhanging scene that makes you beg for the next episode. This past week’s episode’s was a doozy! And only after watching it did I realize that the show is off the air for 5 whole weeks. I’m going to go crazy! (And yes, that’s why I’m blogging about it now, to keep myself sane as I anticipate the wait!)

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HIMYM – Caught Up

I first started watching How I Met Your Mother back in July 2010. I’d finally seen every episode of The Big Bang Theory, and was looking for another short comedy show to watch over my half hour lunch breaks at work.

This show reeled me in with the very first episode, despite it’s cringe-worthy laugh track. The only actor in the cast I was familiar with was Neil Patrick Harris, whom I’d loved in Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. Being more of a Firefly/Dollhouse Joss Whedon fan, I wasn’t even aware that Lily was played by the same actress who played Willow throughout the Buffy series (I found out a few days ago).

I must admit it was Ted’s hopelessly romantic search for “the one” that pulled me into this show more than anything else. While the show is undeniably funny (although a bit too crass at times for my taste), even when some jokes fell flat I was rooting for Ted all the way.

I took a break from the show when my job ended, and was further sidetracked when the fall 2010 shows started. But I missed hanging out with Ted, Marshall, Lily, Robin, and Barney, so I came back to it like a child who’d been grounded from video games for a month. And despite a few hate-worthy episodes in early season five, the show is even funnier than I remember.

And now, a few weeks later, I’ve finally caught up to where the show is on TV. No more avoiding spoilers online. I can discuss the latest episode with friends all I want. But the accomplishment has a severe drawback – I can’t watch hours of new episodes anymore. I have to wait a week or more for a slice of HIMYM’s humor like everyone else.

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