Having computer issues today. Computer at work took forever to start this morning, this always happens whenever they do a software update. It slows everything down and we don't see any improvements. I've decided this is how IT people keep their jobs. Then at home? My DVR got funky. And didn't tape things. Luckily I decided to watch this week's Supernatural live or I'd have missed the episode where James Marsters and Charisma Carpenter play husband and wife and well ... 800 year old witches in a marital dispute over his cheating. Mr. Dan Stark and Mrs. Maggie Stark. Gotta give Supernatural credit for having a sense of humor when it comes to casting. They cast Amber Benson as a vampire. And James Marsters as a witch. Only a die-hard Buffy fan would get the joke. Since Edlund worked on Angel, he probably suggested it, he's currently writing for Supernatural. OTOH when the two actors start doing a chant...I could almost hear them commiserating off screen, "say what you will about Buffy and Angel, at least we never had to read latin. I have a whole new appreciation for what Ally and Amber had to deal with."

Speaking of Supernatural - maybe it's just me, but does the show suddenly seem off? Or out of character? Out of sync?
Like the characters just don't make sense all of a sudden?

Sam and Dean didn't appear to know what the thing was that was pursuing them and bleeding black blood - which Dan Stark saved them from. They also seemed completely clueless about Sam being in hell, Lucifer, or what happened. In fact the only big issue was Dean's guilt about killing Amy. Sam on the other hand was acting like well Sam from three seasons ago.
Very weird. Was quite jarring in this episode.

It's not a good thing when I'm more interested in the guest stars than the leads. I wanted more of the Maggie and Dan Stark show and less of Dean and Sam stumbling about like the two stooges. Rather liked the twist. We think it is Bewitched, but in reality they are both witches and been together a long time. Sort of the Dru and Spike of the witch world. Although no chemistry - does Charisma Carpenter have chemistry with anyone outside of Nicholas Brendan and Glenn Quinn? Also when did they both get so old? I know, I know they are in their 40s just like I am, but still. People are right - HDTV does not do you any favors. I'm starting to feel really sorry for actors. The non-digital age, when you couldn't see every pore and wrinkle in stark relief, was a lot kinder. That said, no one has a better fiendish grin than Marsters. What always throws me when I watch Marsters in tv shows is how incredibly short he is. Dean is not played by a tall man, but next to Marsters? He's actually pretty tall. I don't remember Marsters being that short on Buffy (possibly because he wore lifts and SMG is about 5 foot if that.) I also thought Charisma was taller? Apparently not, she appears to be the same height as he is, unless she's standing on a sloped floor or he's wearing lifts with her.

None of the Buffy alums have really aged well, outside of maybe Hannigan and Head (who more or less looks the same).
I'm noticing this only because in my head they look the same as they did when Buffy aired, I have to keep reminding myself that this was almost ten years ago. Jeeze, time flies, doesn't it?

The flaw in this episode is the leads didn't really have anything to do but bluster about. Nor does their dialogue make much sense - even the actors appear to be confused by it. They have an odd conversation in the car about what she is doing. And I wanted more of the guest stars. It felt more like a joke episode, and I don't know if joke episodes work that well in serials - they always feel a little jarring, unless done well - and focused on exploring something inside the character or central to them. Example - last year's episode about Dean and Sam entering our world, or the episode where they are in tv land. That fourth wall type of breakage actually did work on a certain level.

Also as an aside why is it in all of these shows, when the hero wants to investigate the suspect's house while they are in it, they ask to go to the bathroom, and instead wander freely around the house? Makes me happy that I have a small apartment, you sort of can tell if people don't actually go into the bathroom. Also, note to self, next time I want to investigate someone's house without them knowing? Ask to go to the bathroom and wander about their house instead. (Every single tv show I've seen does this tactic from the Good Wife to Fringe to Supernatural. Hmmm, is this what tv writers do in their spare time? When they visit their friends houses they ask where the bathroom is and wander about the house instead?)



Got EW, Ken Tucker really doesn't like Once Upon a Time - the premise confuses him. Weird. The premise actually is pretty straight-forward. Snow White and Prince Charming defeat Evil Queen. She's pissed and casts a spell that erases everyone's memories and transfers them into the real world, where they don't remember who they really are. Snow sends her child in a protective bubble ahead to this world, the daughter grows up, has a child, gives the child up for adoption, and eventually becomes a bails bondsman. The child she gave up hunts her down and tries to convince her that she is really the child of two fairy tale characters and has it within her power to break the curse keeping them in the real world and away from the land of fairy tales. How's that hard to follow? The criticisms don't make sense to me. EW needs to hire better critics. OTOH, tv critics are a dying breed - why bother reading them, when you can read your friend's blogs on the same topic for free?

Saw the Vamp Diaries also. Everyone else calls it TVD - but that's confusing. Particularly when it has a great comic short hand name like "Vamp Diaries". I don't do acronyms. I can't even spell the word. Also...it probably has something to do with living in a world where I'm overwhelmed by abbreviations and acronyms.



Show stop teasing me about killing off Elena. Now, show, we know you aren't going to kill off your main lead. Bad show.
Katherine on the other hand - I'm starting to worry about. Michael don't kill Katherine, I like Katherine. She has cool hair and a sense of humor. Although rather funny twist.

Katherine: You should really re-think about drinking human blood again to build up your strength, just a suggestion.
Michael: Oh, I don't need human blood to build up my strength. I don't feed off the living.
Katherine: If you don't feed off the living, then what do you feed off of ---oh, no, AHHHH! no, no...
Me: Hee. Katherine took on more than she could handle, literally. Next time, Katherine, do your research first. On the other hand - at least we know now how Michael can kill Klaus.

Interesting, evil Stefan still isn't getting the good lines. If I were the actor, I'd protest.

Can we have Alaric and Damon make up please?

Oh, Vickie and Matt managed to make all ghosts substantial or capable of wrecking havoc or crossing over? Is that why big bad werewolf uncle of Tyler is back to torture Damon? And I'm guessing everyone else who had a hand in killing him?
Does Tyler know that Caroline helped kill his uncle? I can't remember.

Does anyone else miss Elijah? I miss Elijah. I also miss Klaus. I find Rebecca a bit too...well I agree with Damon, Barbie Klause has joined us. Can Michael kill her first?

Outside of that not much happened. Slow episode in comparison to last week. Oh well, they all can't be that active.