Tuesday This n That

The arrival of Memorial Day usually signals the beginning of summer (knowing Mother Nature, that won't come for another two months!). It also means it’s that in-between time. The time where the fall/winter tv season has been completed and the summer tv season is getting ready to kick in. That gives us time to both look back and ahead.

Let’s start with the ending of the fall/winter season first.

NCIS ended with the big vendetta/investigation against NCIS (specifically Gibbs); Gibbs talking to/seeing the ghost of Mike Franks;  Mc Tiva (that’d be McGee, Tony & Ziva for those that don’t get the portmanteau) turning in their badges in defiance. Then Gibbs going on a secret mission to shoot…Fornell? Really? I don’t buy it. We know with Gibbs’ abilities as a sniper that he can shoot him somewhere that won’t kill him. I’m guessing the beginning of next season will have Fornell supposedly dead, but actually laying low to flush out whomever they’re targeting.

Then there’s Chicago Fire. It was nice that they combined the birth of Kenny Hermann with the news of Renee coming back pregnant, along with Shay’s IVF not taking. I liked the part where it became firefighters vs the prisoners. This is much more preferable to the whole firefighters vs Chicago PD and Voight. Speaking of…now that Voight and Anthony Dawson will be on their own show (Chicago PD) this fall, maybe we can finally get them out of this show and focus more on the firefighters/paramedics than on the PD and dirty cops.

Revolution is coming down to the ending of the season, with the finale next Monday. I loved the episode where Nora was tortured (in a dress, no less) and held out for several weeks until she could handle the drugs no more.

CSI had their finale a week ago, but I still haven’t watched it…and not sure I ever will – especially since Jorja wasn’t in it. It’s interesting how just a few changes can make me stop being interested in a show that I had watched for over a decade.

Yes, in my tv viewing world, it’s the actors who determine whether I like a show or not.  I started watching CSI because of Marg. Then I grew to love Jorja, Louise and Eric because of their characters. I mainly lost interest in the show during the Laurence Fishburne/Ray Langston era. Yes, it was just one new character, but it was a character who seemed to take over the entire show. That’s not what the show had been about.

On the opposite side of the coin, there are shows like Chicago Fire and Defiance (one of my new faves). They are both shows that I really didn’t know any of the actors to begin with, but immediately grew to love not just one, but many different characters (and actors as well).

Turning to the summer shows –

Rizzoli and Isles returns June 25^th. I’m so glad they pushed it back from the original starting date. With this new date, I might actually be home to watch it. I love the promos for the new season, especially the ones in handcuffs.

 

I’ve done some research and actually found out just what the two ladies are hiding under that tablecloth.

Now I know why they were hiding the body – because looking at J&M is much more appealing than looking at that guy. They should have just put Giovanni under the blanket instead.

Other returning shows include Longmire, which aired yesterday, but I haven't watched it yet.

Necessary Roughness 6/12, Continuum 6/7 on Syfy, and also Burn Notice will be starting up.

New shows include Motive on ABC. This is a Canadian show that's already been airing there, and now will start in the U.S. I had the chance to watch the episode (1x13?) that featured Amanda Tapping, and loved it. It helps that the show features a few actors that I like.

Another new show that looks really cool is CBS’ Under the Dome. The previews remind me of the Sanctuary episode, Caranten, where Helen & Will were trapped in the time dilation field and couldn’t leave the bubble.

On a slightly different topic, the China Beach full dvd set is available now. I went to amazon to check it out. It’s $400? Seriously? I guess those music rights were worth more than all of the gold in the world – or maybe worth more than all of the Kardashians put together. Seriously? $400? I think I’ll wait for a while before getting that.  Maybe a long while.

Speaking of tv show dvds, I’m still waiting for season 6 of Facts of Life to be released. Why in the heck does it take so long to get more seasons of shows released? I’ve got the first five already, bring me more. Bring. Me. MORE!  Dammit! I saw this short article with Lisa & Mindy in the latest issue of People magazine.

On the music front – I saw the other day that Sheryl Crow tweeted that her new album will be coming out September 10^th. Really? Still another 3 ½ months? Sheesh. All good things come to those who wait, and wait, and wait, I guess.

Speaking of music, for the past two weeks I’ve had Tegan & Sara’s “I was a fool” running through my head. I love the song dearly, but it’s driving me nuts that it’s been stuck in my head for so long. 

24th anniversary of China Beach

Today marks the 24th anniversary of the premiere of "China Beach" on ABC.


China Beach told the story of those at the "5 & Dime" - the 510th Evacuation Hospital and R&R facility at Da Nang, Vietnam during the war. It highlighted the women, military personnel and civilians, who were present during the conflict.




Those featured during the series included nurse Colleen McMurphy (Dana Delany), Karen Charlene "K.C." Koloski, who was a prostitute/business woman (Marg Helgenberger), surgeon Dick Richard (Robert Picardo), Major Lila Garreau (Concetta Tomei), Corporal Boonie Lanier, lifeguard and manager of the Jet Set Club (Brian Wimmer), Samuel Beckett, who worked in the GRU [morgue] (Michael Boatman), soldier Evan "Dodger" Winslow (Jeff Kober), Private Frankie Bunsen who worked in the motor pool (Nancy Giles), Master Sergeant Bob Pepper who was in charge of the motor pool (Troy Evans)

Finally Friday This N That

Yay, it’s finally Friday.

Let me be more specific. It’s finally THIS Friday.

I really hate those 12-day work weeks. So, THIS Friday actually means two days of “non-work” (I won’t go as far as saying “rest & relaxation) coming up. And considering that Mother Nature’s been very… agreeable this winter & spring (wonders never cease, I know) It seems that I will actually have to get out & mow lawn – even before April gets here. Wow.

On the TV front, the basketball tournaments have killed any flow for regular shows. They’re new one week, repeats the next. It sucks – especially since it’s getting down to season finale time.

Speaking of finales, this week had part 1 of the 2-part ending for season 2 of Body of Proof. It kind of sucked that there was a lot of acting in hazmat suits. The promo for next week’s finale seems pretty good, as we continue the story following Kate’s collapse at the podium. As much as I like Dana Delany, it seems that Jeri Ryan’s Kate has become the star of the show for me. Her character reminds me a lot of Catherine Willows.

Speaking of both Catherine Willows and Dana Delany, I’ve been re-watching China Beach episodes this week. Each time I watch, I seem to adore Marg as K.C. even more (if that’s possible). Now, if only we could get Marg to guest on some current show. I’m really going into Marg withdrawl.

Marg’s former CSI co-star, Liz Vassey, tweeted yesterday that she’ll be back on Necessary Roughness again soon as Gabrielle. I’ve only watched a few episodes of that show, including her two previous appearances. I loved her character.

Another CSI alum, Louise Lombard (Sofia) tweeted that today was her final day filming the FOX pilot titled, Rogue, with Julian McMahon. Hopefully the pilot gets picked up. It'll be great to see her on tv again. I wish she'd have come back on CSI, at least for the season finale since it seems that dipshit McKeen (the guy who killed Warrick) will be back.

Laura Innes returned as Captain Tricia Harper on Awake last night. It seems she had a little bit more screen time last night than in her initial appearance. I hope she comes back soon. I love seeing her as the HBIC. Her character very much reminds me of Bonnie Bedelia’s Captain Kate McCafferty on The Division.

On the subject of guest appearances – Stargate alums Christopher Judge & Jay Acovone were both on last night’s episode of The Mentalist as a chief of security at a casino & casino boss. Hearing Chris’ deep voice on tv again was great, but it was even more pleasing to see him in a nice, crisp suit. Oh, and his shiny head again as well.


Speaking of shiny…
The promo poster for the revamped version of Dallas seems a bit squeaky clean.

Are they really going to get us interested in a revamping of the old show by reminding us of the infamous “it’s all just a dream” fiasco of a storyline from the original? Seriously? At least they put Larry Hagman & Patrick Duffy in the back. And it’s nice to have Larry with his hat on as well. Just one big question – how much photoshopping was actually done for that poster?

I got the new issue of Entertainment Weekly in today’s mailbox, and was pleased to see that much of the cast of Downton Abbey has a number of other projects coming out soon as well.

Top TV Characters

Today is officially "Make Your All-Time Top Ten Favorite TV Characters List" day.

So, here we go with my Top 10

1. Samantha Carter -Stargate SG-1 (Amanda Tapping)


It wasn't until a couple years ago that I 'discovered' this show. I'm so thankful that I did, as I totally fell in love with Captain Samantha Carter. She's smart (an Astrophysicist), strong (a soldier), and sexy (her deadliest weapon). Through the 10 seasons of SG-1, one season on Stargate Atlantis, and a couple SG1 movies, she made her way through the ranks and eventually ended up as a Colonel and commander of her own ship, the General Hammond. One of the greatest things about Carter is she was usually the one who was being counted on to save the day. She usually never disappointed.


2. Catherine Willows -CSI (Marg Helgenberger)


Street smart, savvy, sexy, and sultry. A former stripper, single mom, divorced - with a sometimes volatile ex, and a woman who rose up from her somewhat seedy past to become a CSI. A woman who was usually in charge, even when she wasn’t the one in charge. Oh, and a character that’s played by Marg Helgenberger. What’s not to adore?

3. Dr Helen Magnus -Sanctuary (Amanda Tapping)


Only in the world of science fiction can one find such a wonderfully enigmatic and diverse woman of skill, knowledge, intrigue and a lengthy past. A very, very lengthy past. In the pilot, we discover that she’s 157 years old. By the end of season 4, with the help of time-dilation fields and other time travel, she’s upped that by over 115 more years. But really, that’s not the coolest part of this lady. Besides the fact that she wears skirts regularly, is deadly with a gun, is an accomplished pilot, and is also a medical doctor, this woman now has 270+ years of her own history to draw from. Her ex-fiancee is Jack-the-Ripper. Her best friends through time were Nikola Tesla (vampire genius), Dr James Watson (aka Sherlock Holmes), and Nigel Griffin (the invisible man). She’s hung out with Einstein, Amelia Earhardt, Joe Dimaggio, and at least one of The Beatles. Oh, and her English accent is quite sexy as well.

4. Jo Polniaczek - The Facts of Life (Nancy McKeon)


A street-tough tomboy from the Bronx attending a stuffy all-girls boarding school in Peekskill, NY? What were the chances that this character wouldn’t make my all-time list? I grew up in the middle of nowhere. The Facts of Life was the first time I’d really heard about boarding schools. Jo Polniaczek being a tomboy and Blair Warner being the stuck-up rich girl, and the two learning from each other on how the “other” society functions – it was a match made in heaven…or at least on my tv screen. I believe the two have almost been reincarnated as Max & Caroline in the new series, 2 Broke Girls.

5. Samantha Stephens -Bewitched (Elizabeth Montgomery)


A twitch of her nose, the twinkle in her eye was all it took for me to absolutely adore Samantha Stephens. She tried so hard not to use her craft, for the sake of her husband, but she just couldn’t keep a lid on her easily amused mother or her other witchy relatives & friends.

6. KC Koloski - China Beach (Marg Helgenberger)


A hooker in the middle of a war zone. What’s so exciting about that? Well, KC wasn’t just any hooker. She was a woman who followed the almighty dollar, no matter what road it would take her. She may have started out as just a hooker on the show, but she was really a very savvy business woman. Whatever you needed, she could get it for you – for the right price. As if being in such an unreputable business wasn’t hard enough, KC was also cursed with a dark past. A past that involves her father doing unspeakable things to his daughter at a young age. Oh, and did I mention that, as a hooker, KC also got pregnant & had a baby – in the middle of the Vietnam war as well? And what would a character like KC be like without being a drug addict at some point? It’s all part of the charm, my friends. How else would she be on my Top 10 list?


7. Lucy Ricardo - I love Lucy (Lucille Ball)


I guess as I look back through the years, I’ve never been drawn to full-blown comedies. Lucy Ricardo is the exception to that rule. I mean, seriously – the VitaMeataVegamin commercial, the chocolate candy factory, the grape stomping, all the times her antics brought her a whole pile of trouble – who could resist the charm of one redhead named Lucy?


8. Andy Sipowicz - NYPD Blue (Dennis Franz)


I realize that I usually gravitate towards the female characters, but Andy was a character whom, once I finally tuned into the show, I found myself gravitating towards. He was brash and ballsy, and didn't care about being "politically correct". Yet he was someone whom you could trust with your deepest secrets. I may have started watching this show because of Diane Russell, but I ended up staying with it because of Andy.


9. Nikita - La Femme Nikita (Peta Wilson)


As the newest incarnation of the Nikita series rolls on, I’m continually reminded of how great Peta Wilson’s version of Nikita truly was. A child of the streets removed from society, trained to be an assassin (against her will), yet she continues to cling to her morals & values at all costs.

10. Jane Rizzoli - Rizzoli & Isles (Angie Harmon)


A detective, friend (some would say ‘more than’), a sister, a daughter, and a deep yearning for justice. All descriptions of one Detective Jane Rizzoli of the Boston PD. This woman has survived her own personal boogeyman (a serial killer), a dirty cop, the break-up of her parents, and her own nightmares, all in the name of justice. She’s taken it upon herself to become the overseer of her family and friends in order to try to keep the peace & harmony. Most times she succeeds with that. It’s in those times that she doesn’t succeed that makes her such a wonderful character.

Honorable Mention:
Janet Fraiser - Stargate SG-1 (Teryl Rothery)
Shane McCutcheon - The L Word (Kate Moennig)
Ziva David - NCIS (Cote de Pablo)
Abby Scuito - NCIS (Pauley Perrette)
Diane Russell - NYPD Blue (Kim Delaney)
Sister Pete - Oz (Rita Moreno)
Gemma Teller - Sons of Anarchy (Katey Sagal)
Abby Ewing - Knots Landing (Donna Mills)
Thelma Harper - Mama's Family (Vicki Lawrence)
Maryann Thorpe - Cybill (Christine Baranski)
Lindsay Boxer - Women's Murder Club (Angie Harmon)
Lady Heather - CSI (Melinda Clarke)
Barbara Gordon - Birds of Prey (Dina Meyer)
Vicki Nelson - Blood Ties (Christina Cox)