Chuck vs. the Muuurder

That's it, I'm done. This episode of Chuck was spectacularly underwhelming. It's an interesting premise, what with the whodunit and the search for a new Intersect. Yet here I am, utterly underwhelmed by both of these underdeveloped plot points. Sure, we got the tongue-in-cheek reference to a Brody as Chuck's doppelgänger, but none of them were developed as characters so by the time it all came crashing down we still didn't really care. I get that montages are probably easy on the budget but COME ON, it makes a weak episode feel even more thin. On the other hand there was the Buy More B-Plot which was equally unfunny, my inner 12-year-old didn't even giggle at the 'big BM' gag.

I miss that spark it used to have. That having been said, I'll stick it out till the rest of the season - or should I say series? I'm not sure that this deserves to be renewed.

Checking in.

I'm still alive. Just because I don't reply to emails doesn't mean I am not here. My preferred method of communication is apparently Twitter, Facebook and G-chat, and I'm so sorry it's come to this.

Things I've been doing:

- saw a couple of very good films, including The Town and The Social Network

- ate a lot of hamburgers

- made cabbage soup

- wrote an essay

- got the flu twice in a month

The last item is really why I have been so absent from this blog. (So what was my excuse for June - September?)

"Vincent and the Doctor" and "The Lodger"

Two recaps for the price of one as I can't seem to get my act together.

"10 Things", summer time, reminiscing

First they took away "The Middleman", now they take away "10 Things I Hate About You". It doesn't help that I was informed of this tragedy at 3am after a impromptu rendezvous with a good number of Hendricks gin and tonics, therefore sleep was rather slow in coming as I was busy being angry and indignant. After a couple hours of sleep I can safely say that I am still angry about this but it's because of the potential for more, as opposed to the rumours of a cliffhanger season (series, who am I kidding?) finale.

Sure, it's based on the most derivative of premises: a show based on a teen movie that was in turn based on a Shakespearean play. to be perfectly honest I wasn't remotely keen on the idea before the show premiered in July. It felt cheap and tacky to be launching a show that essentially launched Heath Ledger's career so soon after his untimely demise instead of releasing yet another DVD celebrating ten years of 10 Things. In fact, I don't even remember seeing any sort of promotional material for a re-release of the movie.

I went into the Pilot of "10 Things I Hate About You", hereby referred to as "10 Things the series", thinking that it was the universe's idea of a sick joke; I felt as though someone had decided to take a ant poke and shove it through the eye socket of my teenage years and then waved it in my face. So yeah, it was upsetting to say the least. Except Carter Covington totally brought it and it was way better than I expected (even if it did take me far too long to warm up to Cameron 2.0's dorky ways). There's something fresh and snarky about this reincarnation of Padua High and those who walk its wacky halls.

I'm gonna miss Bianca and Kat sniping at each other. I'll miss Kat and Patrick's awkward dates. I'll miss getting to know why Patrick is both feared and revered at Padua High. But most of all, I'll miss a show that made me smile.

Mr Covington, I expect to hear from you soon. As for the cast, may you all land really excellent breakout roles in something that's not fickle like television. So say we all, and good night.