Month: September 2016

‘Hollywood Game Night’: The show you should be watching

This blog was originally published on elkharttruth.com on May 9, 2014.

I was bored one night, so I went to Hulu and found “Hollywood Game Night.”

I had heard about the show on Facebook, but I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into.

After one episode, I was hooked.

It’s a kooky show. It’s a game show. It’s a celebrity-filled show. But most of all, it’s super fun to watch.

The premise of the show is this: Jane Lynch (“Glee“) plays host and emcee. There are two teams made up of three celebrities and one civilian on each side. Each segment focuses on a game.

The civilian on the winning team then picks a celebrity to play in the bonus round, “celebrity name game.” If the civilian gets 10 names correct, they win $25,000. If they get less than 10 correct, they win $1,000 for each correct answer. And, to top it off, the celebrity whom the civilian picks wins $10,000 or $1,000 for each correct answer, which then is donated to the charity of his or her choice.

Some games are simple, some are challenging, some are … odd.

In the game Timeline, for example, one celebrity, with the help of his or her team, has to arrange six pictures in chronological order. This game usually involves lots of yelling as the group shouts out suggestions for what pictures to swap.

An odd game is Celebrity Fusion in which two players from each team is shown a picture of two celebrities with their features fused together. The two celebrities in the picture share a common name. For example, Steven Tyler Perry could be a correct answer. Because traits of both celebrities are fused together, the picture looks … well, odd.

Each episode is titled based on the theme or a celebrity on the episode. For example, the season 2 episode “How I Met Your Buzzer” featured Cobie Smulders, who played Robin on “How I Met Your Mother.”

The fun is not only in the games but in the celebrities’ antics. Many episodes feature at least two people who are co-stars, dating, married or friends, so trash talking or crying foul happens almost every episode.

I think it’s worth a watch, but let me know what you think.

“Hollywood Game Night“ airs Thursdays on NBC, and you can watch full episodes online.

‘Dancing with the Stars’: the good, the bad and the in between

This blog was originally published on elkharttruth.com on April 28, 2014.

“Dancing with the Stars” is in its 18th season. It premiered in 2005.

Over time, the show has adapted to keep current. There have been host switch-ups, instant dances, partner switch-ups and more.

But are all of these changes good? Here’s my take on the good, the bad and the in between.

The Good: Theme nights

Almost every week on DWTS has a theme. Latin night, Disney night … some are simple, while others are more elaborate.

But the themes give the show focus, and they are fun.

Disney night was new this season. I loved seeing the cast dress up as Cinderella, Ariel and more. Plus, I love listening to Disney music.

But the best theme night, which has been around the past few years, is the most memorable year night.

Celebrities choose a year that meant the most to them and pick the song. Viewers get to see an honest, vulnerable side to the celebrities, or at least more insight into moments we remember.

Who didn’t love Candace Cameron Bure (who played D.J. on “Full House“) dancing to “Jailhouse Rock” as an homage to her years on the ’90s sitcom. Not only that, but Lori Loughlin (Rebecca) and Andrea Barber (Kimmy) were shown during the rehearsal footage. As someone who owns the entire series on DVD, seeing a reunion brought a huge smile to my face.

The Bad: Host switch-ups

When the news hit that Brooke Burke-Charvet was out of her DWTS hosting duties, I was happy. I thought she was stiff and uninviting.

But then it was announced that Erin Andrews was her replacement. And she’s just as stiff. Plus, she says things to the dancers that are way inappropriate. As funny as it may be to have a “DWTS baby,” Andrews asking James Maslow of Big Time Rush about his relationship with Peta Murgatroyd really crossed a line.

In truth, though, no one can compare to Tom Bergeron. He has the talent and the experience to make a great host. But can we please bring Samantha Harris back? She at least knew what she was doing.

The In Between: Guest judges

I’m all for more opinions. Another opinion can be really helpful.

Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli are great judges. They have great chemistry and a good balance on feedback.

In recent seasons, the ABC reality competition has brought in a fourth judge from time to time. It can be fun, if it’s the right person.

Former DWTS pros make great guest judges, because they understand the show and the process. Plus, they know the other contestants, which makes for great TV. Hey, Julianne Hough, did you ever “phone in” a routine?

But bringing in guest judges just for the sake of ratings is annoying. People like Robin Roberts and Redfoo of LMFAO are fun, but they can’t offer true critiques.

The Good: Graphics makeover

This season, new graphics were implemented for when the scores are given.

It’s a small detail, but the look is cleaner and up-to-date.

The Bad: Partner switch-up

This was just implemented this season. Viewers got to choose the new pairings using Twitter hashtags.

It was an odd week. Some people performed well with new partners; others crashed and burned.

It was only the fourth week of competition, so the celebrities were just getting into a good rhythm with their pros. Maybe if the switch-up happened at the halfway point, it would’ve worked out better.

Overall, it was gimmicky. There was so much hype around it, for just one week. To me, it wasn’t worthwhile.

The In Between: The music

I liked the Harold Wheeler Band. They had personality. I was sad to see them go this season.

But, the new band, led by Ray Chew, is good as well. But, there have been a few technical malfunctions this season, and that can really throw off dancers.

Also, while it’s nice to use pre-recorded music to get the true vibe of the song, the increased use of it is frustrating.

Live dancing should yield live music. Plus, as a musician, I appreciate that the band gives people jobs in the entertainment industry.

What do you think? What changes have you appreciated? Did you like the partner switch-up? Let me know in the comments.

‘How I Met Your Mother:’ Top 10 episodes of the CBS show

This blog was originally published on elkharttruth.com on July 14, 2014.

Just because “How I Met Your Mother” didn’t have the best finale doesn’t mean there weren’t great episodes of the show, which ran for nine seasons.

Here are my top 10 episodes of the CBS comedy, or the ones I watch over and over.

10. Glitter (first aired Nov. 15, 2010)

I loved when HIMYM revealed more information about Robin Sparkles, Robin’s Canadian teen pop star past.

This episode features appearances from Alan Thicke and Nicole Scherzinger, who played the titular friend of Robin’s.

Oh, and there was that robot from their kids math show, “Space Teens.”

9. Oh Honey (first aired Feb. 15, 2011)

HIMYM had some great guest stars. This season six episode featured Katy Perry as Zoey’s (Jennifer Morrison) cousin, whose name wasn’t really Honey, but she was so naive everyone called her that.

The show uses phone calls and flashbacks to carry the plot to the moment when Ted and Zoey finally get together, but it never felt forced or static.

8. The Best Man (first aired Sept. 19, 2011)

This season 7 opener was a moment of clarity for Barney and Robin. It forshadowed their eventual reuniting as a couple, but first Barney had to actually care about a woman and not use bad pickup scenarios, like pretending to be a prison escapee and wearing overgrown fingernails. Nora (Nazanin Boniadi), who called him back in this episode, helped him mature.

The episode also shows the day of Barney’s wedding, and we see Marshall ruin Ted’s friend Punchy’s wedding. But most importantly, Barney and Robin perform an epic dance to “Groove is in the Heart,” schooling everyone at the Cleveland wedding.

Lastly, this episode that has one of my favorite conversations from the show:

Robin Scherbatsky: “…You got chemistry, you only need one other thing.”

Ted Mosby: “What’s that?”

Robin Scherbatsky: “Timing. But timing’s a bitch.”

7. Brunch (first aired Oct. 1, 2006)

Brunch is supposed to a pleasant affair, but it’s not in this season 2 episode.

Ted thinks his dad cheated on his mom, Barney is mad at Ted’s dad for being a bad wingman, Lily and Marshall can’t handle not being together and Robin wants Ted’s mom to be honest about the fact that she and Ted’s father have separated.

It’s a mess of fighting told in different segments all leading up to a blowout after taking a nice group photo.

6. The Slutty Pumpkin (first aired Oct. 24, 2005)

A lost phone number on Halloween leads to years of wearing the same “hanging chad” costume (referencing the 2000 election) and attending the same boring rooftop party.

This season 1 episode sounds like it could be a drag, but it’s an early episode that sets up a lot of character development.

Viewers see how Lilly and Marshall interact as a couple as they wearing matching costumes and share food. In contrast, viewers see Ted’s hopeful longing for “the one” and Robin’s inability to truly let someone into her life.

It’s too bad the season 7 episode The Slutty Pumpkin Returns (first aired Oct. 31, 2011) didn’t live up to its hype. Sorry, Katie Holmes, not even you could save that snoozefest of an episode.

5. The Perfect Cocktail (first aired May 2, 2011)

I like this episode for the pure hilarity how of all of the different drinks affect the characters.

4. Something Borrowed (first aired May 7, 2007)

Lilly and Marshall are an adorable couple, plain and simple. But, like many weddings, many things go wrong when the couple ties the knot.

But in the end, they have the wedding they originally wanted. And Barney almost cries as he, the master of playing woman, performs the ceremony, despite claiming he doesn’t believe in marriage.

3. Slap Bet (first aired Nov. 20, 2006)

When Robin and Ted began dating in season 2, they had secrets. And Robin had a big one: She was a Canadian pop star who did a mall tour in the ’90s.

This episode not only introduced that side of Robin and the infamous “Let’s Go to the Mall” video, it introduced the slap bet between Barney and Marshall, which lasted until the penultimate episode.

2. How Your Mother Met Me (first aired Jan. 27, 2014)

By far the best episode of season 9, this episode gave viewers what they had wanted for years: the mother’s backstory.

Cristin Milioti did a fabulous job, and it was fun to see many of the clues viewers had seen throughout the show’s run from her character’s point of view.

1. Girls Vs. Suits (first aired Jan. 11, 2010)

The show’s 100th episode featured one hilarious song-and-dance number.

When Barney has to choose between his signature attire of suits and a girl, he dreams up his “Nothing Suits Me Like a Suit” fantasy, complete with a suit in the sky with angel wings and lyrics such as “Wingman I can wear/They’re oh so debonair/The perfect way to snare/A girl with daddy issues.”

Oh yeah, and Tim Gunn makes a cameo. According to IMDb trivia, he was the most welcomed star on set out of all the guest stars.

Obviously there are numerous good episodes of HIMYM. Let me know what your favorites are in the comments.

Journalists on TV are so fake

This blog was originally published on elkharttruth.com on Dec. 11, 2014.

Maybe this is because I’m a journalist, but I’ve noticed there are a lot of movies and TV shows that portray characters in the journalism industry.

But, as probably any profession depicted, it’s not usually accurate.

In movies, there’s Kevin in “27 Dresses,” Sophie in “Letters to Juliet” and Megan in “Absence of Malice,” just to name a few.

On TV, here’s a short list, from realistic to ridiculous.

Robin Scherbatsky on “How I Met Your Mother”

She worked her way to the top, which makes sense.

She worked weird hours (as in, went to work at 2 a.m.), which makes sense.

She went from horrible, meaningless stories/shows to the top TV station depicted on the show. And then worked even more. Makes sense.

Rory Gilmore on “Gilmore Girls”

Rory starts out how many journalists do: at her high school and college newspapers.

I give “Gilmore Girls” credit for realistically showing the struggle of finding a writing job post-college.

Rory was a Yale grad who set her sights on a New York Times fellowship. Those are hard to come by.

She freaked out during her senior year, but in the end, she got a low-paying job reporting on the road for Obama’s election campaign.

But, for someone who dreamed of being Christiane Amanpour, it was odd that Rory never tried broadcast journalism while in college.

Sabrina Spellman on “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch”

Sabrina loves writing and after graduating college in two seasons (thanks to the magic of TV time), she lands a job at the fictional Scorch magazine.

The magazine world is tough — but most likely, she would’ve been a freelancer, not a staff writer, at first.

Yes, she gets stuck with assignments no one else wants, but I don’t imagine the magazine world is anything like what she experienced.

Then, she quits and becomes a freelancer. But she never is seen working again for the remainder of the series. Because that would totally work … not.

Carrie Bradshaw on “Sex and the City”

No weekly columnist would be able to afford that big of an apartment in NYC, much less all the designer fashion.

While it’s believable that her columns were turned into a book, it’s absurd to see her lifestyle unfold on TV knowing that even columnists work long, odd hours, and could probably never afford Manolo Blahniks.

‘Gilmore Girls’: A show that will stand the test of time

This blog was originally published on elkharttruth.com on April 13, 2014.

Two weeks ago, I finished watching all seven seasons of Gilmore Girls.

I was very sad when I completed my three-month journey of watching all 154 episodes.

I admit, I’m mildly obsessed with the show. I think I’ve seen every episode at least three times.

I can relate to the show, especially Rory, the daughter of the mother-daughter duo the show centers around.

Rory is a driven, innocent girl who comes into her own in college and then freaks out about finding a job post-graduation … in journalism.

Yep. That sounds familiar.

But the show is relatable to others as well. Whether it’s the mother-daughter dynamic, the domineering mother/grandmother relationship or just the ups and downs of navigating through life, there’s something for multiple generations to enjoy.

Seven years after the show went off the air, it’s still a relevant show.

Here are three reasons why:

The mother-daughter dynamic

The mother-daughter duo of Lorelai and Rory, I think, is what many mothers and daughters want in their relationship.

In one of episodes, Lorelai tells her mother, Emily, that she and Rory are best friends first and mother and daughter second.

Lorelai and Rory share a bond of survival (Lorelai got pregnant with Rory at 16 and raised her as a single mother while working her way up to manager at an inn.) and love … not to mention the same name (Rory is a nickname for Lorelai).

They watch TV together, eat junk food together, poke fun at movies together, struggle through life together. All while maintaining a mostly honest relationship.

It sounds too good to be true. But that’s where Gilmore Girls keeps it real.

The show never sugar coats the relationship between Lorelai and Rory. They have fights. They rarely speak to each other in season six until the ninth episode. They tell each other how they really feel, rarely holding back.

The fast pace of the show

Fans of the show probably know this, but each episode’s script is about 30 pages longer than an average hour-long TV show script.

Why? Because each episode is chock full of fast-paced dialogue.

The characters talk a mile a minute, or at least it seems that way. It’s one of the main reasons I love the show, because I talk that fast in real life.

The actors have to work up to the final talking rate, which Keiko Agena, who plays Rory’s best friend Lane, demonstrated on a season 7 DVD bonus feature.

Sometimes when I re-watch an episode, I catch something new that I probably missed because of the speed of the show. It’s not enough that I miss a plot point, but it’s a treat to see what more you can laugh at each time you watch an episode.

The witty, obscure culture references

Some of the season DVDs of Gilmore Girls come with a handy dandy guide about the show’s “Gilmore-isms,” or a reference guide to all of the things the characters say.

Every episode contains multiple references to pop culture, literature, movies, current events and more.

For example, Rory calls Jess, a friend and eventual love interest, Dodger, a reference to Oliver Twist. Another episode references Lindsay Lohan’s barely clothed Vanity Fair cover.

It’s hard to keep up, but that’s what makes it fun. I’ve learned so many different tidbits from watching the show. I have to Google some things, and when I do catch a reference, it’s a proud moment.

I believe all the tidbits of knowledge will make you smarter … or at least better at trivia.

Gilmore Girls is a show that grew over seven years. It was never stale, and it was always entertaining. I highly recommend it. It’s a show I’ll continue to watch year after year, because it’s just that good.

‘How I Met Your Mother’ wraps its run with an unsatisfying end

This blog was originally published on elkharttruth.com on April 2, 2014.

Going into Monday night’s series finale of the CBS sitcom “How I Met Your Mother,” I expected mixed feelings.

Two days later, and I’m just confused. And I’ve watched the episode twice.

If you haven’t watched the finale yet, please stop reading, because there are spoilers.

Overall, the series finale felt rushed and unsettled.

The show is called “How I Met Your Mother.” But in the end, Ted goes to Robin’s apartment with the infamous blue French horn to ask her out, so maybe the show should’ve been titled “How I Decided to Reunite with My Ex.”

It’s such a letdown.

For years my friends have wondered why Ted and Robin’s romance lingered long after they broke up at the end of season 2. If Robin wasn’t the mother, why was she always in the back of Ted’s mind? And why was Ted always mentioning her?

In the last moments of the show, Ted’s kids told their father to go after Aunt Robin since the Mother had been dead for six years.

So, all that Ted/Robin stuff was kept in the show’s run for a reason. But that doesn’t mean it should’ve been that way.

To reiterate, the show is called “How I Met Your Mother.” Yes, in season nine, viewers saw key moments of Ted and the Mother’s relationship — their engagement, their first date and, in the finale, their first meeting.

But in the end, they weren’t together.

Viewers, myself included, anxiously waited to see Ted meet the Mother. While we finally saw that moment, it was skewed by the fact that he goes back to Robin.

Plus, the last few seasons have focused more on Robin and Barney. We see them get married, after some expected freak-out moments, at the end of the penultimate episode. Then, less than halfway through the series finale, they announce their divorce.

What? After the elaborate engagement, all the arguing, etc., they only last three years? The whole ninth season was about Barney and Robin’s wedding…and then it ended in 20 minutes.

Truly, though, the story always was supposed to be about Ted. And that was missing a bit in the last episode. I was hoping to see more of his life and his relationship with the Mother. But in the finale, we were updated on everyone in the MacLaren’s gang relatively equally. It would’ve liked to see more of Ted’s life than Barney regressing to his playbook-using days.

Also, I wanted to see the Mother more. I loved the character; she complemented Ted and all of his quirky habits, including his detective skills. While viewers were told they would see a lot of the Mother in season nine, the character was barely seen. And then she dies, which is a bit depressing for a sitcom. Wasn’t the death of Marshall’s father in season six enough?

I didn’t expect to see the gang stick together once they were in their 40s because that’s unrealistic, but I did expect to see Ted and the Mother evolve and grow in more than a few snippets.

I feel a bit betrayed that in the end, Ted goes to win back Robin. Nine years of waiting for the Mother led to one season of moments with her and then her death. I will say, though, that at least Ted’s kids made fun of the fact that Robin is in the overarching story more than the Mother.

I won’t go as far as to say the series finale of “How I Met Your Mother” ruined the show. But I will say I was dissatisfied with how the show ended.

What do you think? Were you happy to see Robin and Ted end up together? Let me know.