My Review of Ringer 1.11- It Just Got Normal

Welcome back after a very long break.  Things are really getting interesting now.  Siobhan is back causing alot of confusion, Machado knows that Charlie and Siobhan are connected, Juliet's secret is revealed, and Bridget finds out one of Siobhan's secrets....

I feel sorry for everyone trying to keep Siobhan and Bridget straight.  With them both in New York, interesting things start happening.  Siobhan made plans to meet with Henry and when she didn't show, he confronted Bridget about it.  Poor Bridget was terribly confused.  And Siobhan is none too happy that Bridget is fitting so well into her life.  I so want to see what happens when the two knowingly end up in the same room.  The results will be most interesting.

Poor Juliet.  She tells Bridget what Mr. Carpenter did and then Bridget goes off and decks him.  Not that I blame her, but not necessarily the best thing to do.  I am also not entirely sure that I believe Juliet.  Her actions seem to be textbook perfect symptoms of someone who suffered rape, so I could be wrong, but they do seem almost too perfect.  We'll just have to wait and see if I need to eat crow.

Henry is so not in a good place right now.  His wife was killed and he is blaming Bridget.  That is understandable given the fact that no one currently alive besides Malcolm, Bridget, and Siobhan know who Bridget actually is.  Then, Siobhan shows up and acts as if the past few months hadn't happened and when she is supposed to meet him, stands him up.  Poor guy is suffering from severe emotional whiplash.

I am glad to see that Malcolm has potential for a job with Andrew.  He can stick around and help Bridget out if she needs it.  I don't know what he is going to do when Siobhan reveals herself though.

Machado is slowly coming to realize how twisted everything is.  He was looking for a connection between Charlie and Bridget, only to find out that the connection was between Siobhan and Charlie.  Now he is going to go back and question Bridget.  How much longer before he starts putting the pieces together?

Next week, Siobhan apparently reveals the truth to Henry who seems to have a confrontation with Bridget.

Until then!

My Review of One Tree Hill 9.03- Love the Way You Lie

Chase tries to mend a broken heart, Haley gets some unexpected help at the cafe, Mouth and Millie have a very public fight, Clay is hiding a secret, Brooke has an unexpected day with her dad, and Julian makes a massive mistake.....

I will admit to being a little annoyed that the whole Chase/Alex breakup took place off screen.  But the aftereffects were amusing.  Chuck dressing like Chris was amusing, if more than a little disturbing.  And Chris trying to cheer up Chase by taking him to a strip club was funny, particularly when Chris used Chase's pain to get a free lap dance.  And the interviews for the intern position were just classic.  Chris is annoying, obnoxious, and a total horndog, but he is totally hilarious.

While I can appreciate that Millie wants to help Mouth, berating him on their television show was so not the way to go.  But, at least it is out in the open now.  I really hope Mouth starts to take better care of himself.  I was definitely amused at his rant about shrinking shirts.  But adding stairs to a stairwell?  Oh lord.....

It was really cool of Dan to help Haley out.  She needed the help and was definitely grateful for it.  And I thought it rocked that she actually defended Dan.  He did pay for his crime (and continues to pay for it) so people need to let him be.  And what did that woman think Dan was going to do?  Poison her or something?  I also can't blame her for not wanting him to come back given that it is Karen's cafe and Dan killed Karen's fiancee and the father of her baby.

Not fond of Clay or Quinn right now.  Granted, he shouldn't be taking drugs, but not so hot on the idea of her stalking him either.  I know she did it out of concern, but it was not the best thing to do.  At least the topic is out in the open and maybe he can start to fight it now.

Brooke, I just feel sorry for you.  Thought your dad wanted to spend the day with you, but he was just using you to get money for the company.  I know that is a good thing, but I don't trust him.  He is so slimy and doesn't exactly rank high on the trust scale.  For her sake, I hope he is on the up and up.  If not, I'll be massively annoyed.

Julian, I so want to smack you upside the head!  You frakkin forgot your baby in the car!  I get that your excited about the TV producers coming to see you, but seriously, I think they would have understood a little bit of lateness considering you were dropping off a kid and the fact that they arrived early.  I so want to see what happens when Brooke gets her hands on him.  Not so fond of the idea of the police getting their hands on him though....

OTH is on Saturday next week, not Wednesday, so look for my next review then.  Until that day....

My Review of The Secret Circle 1.12- Witness

Now that was an awesome episode!  We find out a lot about the fire and Faye is heading to a bad place.  Oh, yes, and Ethan has a little surprise for Charles....

Before character stuff, lets put together the events from the day of the fire.  The witch hunters promised the Circle a truce if the Circle would give up magic.  The Circle was split into two groups.  One group, led by Jake and Nick's dad, wanted the truce and the other, led by John Blackwell, smelled a trap.  So, when the members of the truce group met the witch hunters, they got themselves killed by having their throats slit.  John Blackwell was captured and tied to a stake so he could be burned.  Unfortunately for the witch hunters, he had a medallion that allowed him to protect himself and escape as well as kill the witch hunters in the room.  Unfortunately, he also killed Jake and Nick's mom and (I think) the uncontrolled fire was what burned the boat.

We also learned that Amelia was not present because she was avoiding John due to some betrayal.  Dawn apparently followed John slavishly and Ethan was present on the boat, but managed to leave.  Suspicious, not?   Not sure where Charles was during all of this though.  And Jake saw the whole thing because he snuck into his parents' car and then onto the boat.  No wonder he blocked it out.

Not sure how to react to Cassie's leaving Jake during the spell.  I get her wanting the truth, but going off on her own and becoming ungrounded was not the brightest thing to do.  Fortunately, he was able to go back in and save her with some help from Adam and Diana.  I do wish she'd be a bit more cautious, if only for her own safety.  Ah well, 'tis the burden that all heroes and heroines must bear.

This little love square is getting mighty interesting.  Cassie has an inexplicable attraction to Adam and Jake, Adam has strong feelings for both Cassie and Diana, Diana and Cassie are friends, Diana has strong feelings for Adam, and Jake has strong feelings for Cassie.  Keep it straight because this incestuous little circle within a Circle could implode at any time.

Faye, sweetie, I so want to smack you upside the head.  I get that you want your powers, but why the hell are you still trusting Lee after what happened last week?  And then to try and get drugs from his friend?  So not good.

Charles is definitely growing sick of Dawn.  So Dawn turns to Ethan for help because Ethan doesn't like Charles. So, Ethan hits Charles, takes his crystal, and then uses the same spell on Charles that Charles used on him.  Fortunately, Ethan is not totally blind and does not entirely trust Dawn, so he keeps the crystal.  Hope he keeps that backbone of his.

Next review in two weeks.  Until then!

My Review of Vampire Diaries 3.12- The Ties That Bind

Bonnie finds a face from her past, Tyler gets some help to break his sire bond, Alaric finds out some information about Dr. Fell, and Klaus gets a surprise visitor....

Well, not quite as good as last weeks episode, but still cool.

We finally meet Bonnie's mom and find out why she left Bonnie without a word.  Turns out Mikael came looking for Elena and Bonnie's mom led him away from Elena and cast the spell that left him desiccated.  In the process, she lost most of her magic and so left to establish her own life.  Unfortunately, in doing so she lost the rest of her magic.  But she still has knowledge and may be able to learn magic, so she may be useful after all.  I must admit to a certain wariness about this turn of events because all to often when parents return on this show, they aren't what they appear.  Well, here's hoping for the best.

Watching Damon, Alaric, and Dr. Fell was interesting.  She knew Damon is a vampire, so she dosed him with vervain and took his blood.  She is using his blood in order to save people who otherwise wouldn't make it.  While this is not a bad thing per se, it is dangerous because if the person dies with the blood in their system, they'll be a vampire themselves.  Also, pissing off Damon is never a safe move.  Granted, he is not the same guy he was when we first met him, but he's not a cuddly bunny either.

Tyler, Tyler, Tyler.  Turning to Caroline's dad for help in breaking the sire bond is not a bad idea.  He has shown that he is willing to protect Caroline from anything, and that does mean you if you can't control yourself.  This is going to be a dangerous journey for all involved.  Also, better chains are obviously needed.

Stefan and Elena have reached a detente of sorts.  He has acknowledged that he made mistakes and she seems to have forgiven him.  Trusting him, however, is going to be an entirely different story.  Oh, and telling him about the kiss, while admirable for its honesty, may not have been the best idea.

Klaus my friend, going into a house with the powerful spirits of dead witches is not necessarily the best idea.  Unless of course, you know the right threats to make.  And he does.

Elijah is back!  And what an entrance he makes, ripping out the heart of one of Klaus' hybrids.  That is true style.

We'll be back in two weeks!

My Review of One Tree Hill 9.02- In the Room Where You Sleep

Brooke talks with her father, Clay refuses to face his problems, Nathan issues an ultimatum to Dan, Alex makes a decision, and Millie has trouble telling Mouth the truth....

Well Alex, I hated you are first, but you really grew on me and I'm gonna miss ya.  Alex decided to take Chris up on his offer and go on tour.  The really sucky part of it is the timing.  Chase took the really sweet step of moving her in with him, and now she is leaving.  I get her decision and think it is the right one for her, but I still feel sorry for Chase.  Poor guy lost Mia to touring, and now he is losing Alex too.  I do wish they had shown us her telling him and really hope that they show us something next week because he deserves it.

How many people were giggling over Chuck's sudden turnaround in regards to Chris?  That was truly funny.  I must admit, I was hoping Chris was going to get chucked, but sadly, he wasn't.  Oh well.  At least Haley slammed the door in his face.  That was priceless.

Haley, honey, telling Nathan that Chris returned would have been a really good thing.  I understand that Dan showed up suddenly and you didn't have alot of time to tell Nate, but you knew about Chris for a little while before that, so telling Nate would have been awesome.  But you didn't.  Fortunately, Nate was pretty much able to take it in stride, so you got lucky there.  It sucks that Nathan has to turn around and leave right away, but at least there is a good reason for it.

Now if only Clay would get his head screwed on straight and get some help.  There is something wrong and he needs to leave the land of denial and get it fixed.  Not sure if this is about Katie or Sarah or losing his job at the other agency or what, but he really needs to work on it.  I don't know how much longer Quinn is going to be patient with him.

Poor Brooke.  She has parents who only seem to pay attention to her once she has something to offer them.  Well, at first anyways.  Victoria has come around and is being good, but her dad?  Not so much.  I just hope she isn't setting herself up for disappointment by going into business with daddy dearest.  If she is, Victoria is going to be able to say "I told you so!" but hopefully she'll have enough class not to because Brooke will be hurting.  Fortunately, she has Julian around to help her out.  And how cute was Julian trying to run interference between Victoria and Brooke by talking about the coffee cake?

And Dan has a limited amount of time before he needs to find a new place.  Bad news for Jamie who really wants Grandpa Dan around, but good news for Haley and Nathan.  I do have to say that I admire the fact that Dan tried (unsuccessfully) to convince Jamie that the insurance company was the reason he had to leave.

Until next week!

My Review of The Secret Circle 1.11- Fire/Ice

Faye's a bitch and nearly kills the Circle and destroys the high school, Adam and Diana have a talk, Cassie tries to learn more about her dad, and Jake reveals himself....

Ok, Faye, turn down the bitch-o-meter please.  There is a world of difference between you and Cassie.  Granted, Cassie has done some bad things, but each time it is either out of the intention of helping someone or a complete accident. You, on the other hand, do bad things out of a desire to get more power for yourself or other totally selfish motives.  This is why she gets passes and you don't.  For example, tonight you tried to steal dark magic.  The spell backfired on you and you hurt all of your friends.  Who were you trying to help?  Yourself.  Not Cassie, not by a long shot.  Whatever little justifications you may come up with are just that, justifications and lies.  Period.  So stop acting like an aggrieved, self-entitled, and spoiled little bitch and try being human for a change.

Well, Cassie tonight learned that the house the Circle has been using was her dad's old house.  Whether or not this is a good thing remains to be seen.  She keeps getting warned to stop looking into her dad.  There must be something to his past that threatens her or the Circle in some way.  Either that, or the Elders and parents are trying to hide something from Cassie that could cause damage to them.  I also don't know what to say about her and Adam.  I know that getting together with Adam will cause issues with Diana, but you can tell there is something there.  At least she gave in a little tonight.  Not sure how long that is going to last given that Jake has returned.

Glad to see Melissa keep on coming out of that shell of hers.  She did some nice interaction with Diana and told Faye off.  Very impressive little grasshopper.  Keep up the good work.

I feel sorry for Adam.  He loves Diana and feels this inexplicable attraction towards Cassie.  Diana dumps him and Cassie acts like he is radioactive so she doesn't hurt Diana.  Screwed up one side and down the other.  At least he got a kiss tonight.  And then Jake reappears....

Next week, we learn more about the fire 16 years ago....

My Review of The Vampire Diaries 3.11- Our Town

Talk about sucky birthdays.  Caroline bites off more than she can chew, Elena and Bonnie have a tiff, Klaus blinks, Stefan is a world class jackass, and Damon is the good brother....

Ok, Stefan last week was bad.  Stefan this week is even worse.  Casually killing hybrids, I can live with.  Heck, playing chicken with Klaus, I can respect even if it means he is more than a little mad.  But using Elena in his little game?  Dude, that was low.  And to use her on the bridge where her parents died and she nearly did, that is just even lower.  I would say the lowest, but I have a very strong suspicion Stefan is going to keep plumbing those depths of lowness.  The worst part?  He is doing this completely of his own free will.  He is ignoring Damon, taunting Klaus, giving the Council the finger (ok, can anyone really blame him for that one?), and totally threatening and alienating Elena.  That last part may be because he wants to convince Klaus that he doesn't care about her anymore, but I am somehow doubting that.

Damon being the good brother is just too weird.  He is being seriously protective of Elena a la Season 1 Stefan, letting her call the shots about their relationship, stepping between Klaus and Stefan to head off any collateral damage, and running interference with the Council.  I never predicted this twist.  That being said, he is still Damon and casually ripped the heart out of a hybrid, which was pretty cool, if totally gory.

Elena seriously gets it in the teeth today.  I get why Bonnie is mad at her and while I agree with Bonnie on some levels, I do think that Elena did the right thing with Jeremy.  He is in entirely too much danger because of her and his life has been going downhill for some time now.  Granted, this logic could also be applied to her friends, but Bonnie, Caroline, Alaric, Stefan and Damon can take care of themselves.  The only one in serious danger is Matt, but she needs someone normal around to help her stay grounded.  Not to mention the fact that Jeremy is her brother. Is he going to be pissed if/when he figures it out?  Sure, but hopefully he'll realize that she had good, solid reasons for what she did.

Poor Caroline.  She was looking forward to 18 until Katherine took that away from her by turning her into a vampire.  Then her boyfriend gets turned into a hybrid and falls under the spell of Klaus.  Then, he bites her on accident (I think), and she nearly dies until Klaus saves her.  I am hoping that drinking his blood doesn't put her under his spell.  I did love the whole birthday/funeral bash though.  That was cool, especially what everyone said about her.

And Dr. Fell is on the Council.  A little surprised at that.  I had figured she was one of the Fells, but a Council member?  Huh.  And what is her story anyways?  Ex turns up dead.  Did she do it?  Ok, I give it a 50/50 chance.

I feel sorry for Tyler's mom and Sheriff Forbes.  Both of them end up making deals with Klaus to save their kids.  Not good, not good at all....

Until next week when Caroline's dad kidnaps and tortures Tyler....

My Review of One Tree Hill 9.01- Know This, We Noticed

Welcome back to the final season of One Tree Hill.  And does it get started!  The first couple of minutes were....interesting and the rest really cool.  Without further ado, lets get started.

I am honestly a little confused by the opening montage.  We had a fire, Dan and Chris talking about killing someone, Chase being arrested in a cop car, Haley weeping over a dead body, Brooke destroying the cafe, Clay telling Quinn he doesn't want her around, and Julian being beat.  Aside from the fire, which we saw tonight, I am assuming that the rest will be revealed over the course of the season.  This should be an interesting journey.

Nathan and Haley are spending time apart.  No, they are not separating, Nathan is traveling for his and Clay's agency.  And obviously Haley is missing him something fierce.  But, Haley has the cafe that she and Brooke are running, she is the godmother of Brooke and Julian's children, and she has Lydia and Jamie to look after.  Also, amusingly enough, she has Chris to keep an eye on since he is now running the label, at least on a provisional basis.  I have to say that I cracked up when I heard he was calling himself Harry Johnson when he was e-mailing her.  Crude, yes, but oh so funny and so typically Chris Keller.  Haley also has Dan staying with her temporarily since his diner was the building burning down.  Talk about a full plate.

Brooke and Julian also have full plates.  Having twins to take care of, a cafe to run, a soundstage that Julian is trying to use for movies, and two bickering parents is going to give them their quota of interesting times.  I loved the scenes where Brooke was driving around with Jude and Davis and reflecting on her life and how far she has come.  And she really has come so far.  From being the party girl and high school slut to being a responsible mom and cafe owner, she is very impressive.  I hope that Julian isn't going to get into trouble because the soundstage isn't being used.  I suspect that the beating has to do with him borrowing money from the wrong people.  It is also possible that any or all of the montage scenes come from a movie Julian is making, but I doubt it.

So, Clay is sleepwalking.  Wonder what that's about.  Is it PTSD from the shooting (but wasn't that like 1-2 years ago given the time jump in the season finale?) or something else?  Liked that Quinn stayed up all night to keep an eye on him.  And *LOVED* the idea of him in leather pants and no shirt.  Not so fond of the mustache idea though.  I do wonder if he is really sleepwalking or if he is out wandering for another reason...

Chase and Alex are still together and not wearing much.  Talk about an easy wardrobe day for both Stephen and Jana.  It must be nice to live where you work.  Watching Alex be introduced to Chris and her reaction to his review of her work ("Crap") was great.  Chris still hasn't developed a mental filter or a superego.  That's ok though, because we love him for being the eternal jackass.  And he still refers to himself in the third person.  *Sigh*

Watching Brooke's parents was just great.  Bitchtoria was back due to her husband (can't remember his name) and lord, was that funny.  The two of them sniping at each other was just great.  I want more! :-)  And why did Brooke pick her dad to be her kid's godfather?  Why not pick Nathan or Clay or Chase?

Not sure how I feel about Dan moving in with Haley.  I wonder what happened to the diner to cause it to burn down.  I am going to guess that it is revenge for something he did in the past.

Next week, Bitchtoria and her ex snipe at each other some more.  Til then!

10 Biggest OMG/WTF Moments from One Tree Hill

This is obviously going to be mostly cliffhangers, but there will be some not. Don't forget that One Tree Hill is on tonight at 8! Watch it! My review will be up after Revenge is over at 11.

[10] Nanny Carrie at Lucas' wedding
[9] Deb tells Dan she set the fire
[8] Taylor is David's new "girlfriend"
[7] Katie shoots Clay and Quinn
[6] Nathan and Haley are married
[5] Peyton collapses in a pool of blood
[4] Lucas and Peyton are broken up at the beginning of Season 5
[3] Brooke and Jamie go off the bridge in a car
[2] The dealership fire

[1] Jimmy kills himself and then Dan shoots Keith

Well folks, that is; as they say; that. Until later tonight!

Funniest One Tree Hill Moments

[10] The girls dancing to "Wannabe" at the graduation party- I loved the moment, but can't stand the song, hence the low rating. Watching the girls just bust it out dancing together was great.

[9] Chris Keller getting dissed at the Honey Grove prom- I loved that he was trying to be all smooth and the girls just totally dissed him. Great moment.

[8] The conversations at the Honey Grove prom- Watching the characters discuss the weird twists their lives have taken was totally amusing, particularly when the only one who was remotely normal was Mouth.

[7] Rachel catches Brooke "Brooke-ing" herself- If only because the word keeps getting used and the look on both Daneel and Sophia's faces. And the look on other people faces when they find out about it was equally funny

[6] Mouth and Peyton dancing at the Halloween party at Tric- Lee can dance and watching Hilary dance as the Angel of Death was just funny. They were obviously having alot of fun.

[5] Mouth showing the Ravens the opposing teams dance and Brooke's reaction- Watching Lee imitate a cheerleader was hilarious enough, but to then have Brooke want to kick Haley off and keep him made it a total classic.

[4] Nathan/Chase and Jamie/Andre doing karaoke- Watching watching James rap and sing is funny enough, but watching him do it with Stephen was just too funny. Then add a whole other level with Jamie and Andre singing the same song.

[3] Dan superglues a phone to Deb's ear- And then blows a horn into his phone when he calls her. This was definitely the funniest thing in their feud. The rest were funny, but this was the best.
[2] Nathan, Mouth, and Skillz stripping- The funniest part is that it was Skillz' idea, but he got scared, so Mouth went out with Nathan who saw Haley front and center. And he gamely went on. Then Skillz joins them after some persuasion on Bevin's part.

[1] Nathan and Haley's Dinner before the second wedding- The skits. The finding out about the courtship. Deb playing Haley. Fergie playing Nathan. Nathan playing Nathan and getting kissed by Gigi. What wasn't to love?

In a little, the best OMG/WTF moments...

Favorite Songs of One Tree Hill

Ok, this one is definitely hard since there is so much good music. But here are my top 10:

[1] Dare You To Move (Switchfoot)
[2] Missing You (Tyler Hilton)
[3] Halo (Bethany Joy Galeotti)
[4] The Mixed Tape (Jack's Mannequin)
[5] Hallelujah (Kate Voegele)
[6] Elsewhere (Bethany Joy Lenz)
[7] Chasing Cars (Snow Patrol)
[8] Lightning Crashes (Live)
[9] Ah Mary (Grace Potter)
[10] When the Stars Go Blue (Tyler Hilton & Bethany Joy Lenz; Grace Potter and Bethany Joy Galeotti)

Tomorrow, the funniest moments and the MOG/WTF! moments.

Top Ten Musical Artists of One Tree Hill

I am going to be a bit more specific. I will be mentioning the top 10 Musical Artists to appear on OTH and play. In other words, Bryan, Bethany, Tyler, Kate, and any other musician who has a major storyline isn't going to be counted in this one. Don't get me wrong, I love all of them, but I wanted to make this more about musicians as musicians and not as actors. And yes, this does say alot about my own musical tastes, so it will probably be different from other people who have different musical tastes.

[10] The Noisettes (Episode 7.04)

[9] The Wreckers (Episode 2.13)

[8] Nada Surf (Episode 3.11)
[7] Fall Out Boy (Episode 3.15)

[6] Gavin DeGraw (Episode 1.10)

[5] Grace Potter (Episode 6.07)

[4] Sheryl Crow (Episode 1.16)
[3] Angels & Airwaves (Episode 6.10)
[2] Jimmy Eat World (Episode 2.22)
[1] Jack's Mannequin (Episode 3.15)

Tomorrow: favorite songs. Wednesday: Funniest Moments and "WTF!"/"OMG!" Moments

Best and Worst Storylines for One Tree Hill

I am not entirely sure I can do a complete list of 10 for each, but I'll see what I can do.

Best

[1] Naley Courting (Season 1)- Definitely my favorite storyline.  I have always loved the storyline of a bad guy (or girl) changing him (or her) self out of love for someone else.  I also loved how authentic the whole thing was.  Nathan didn't do some superhuman change overnight, instead he moved forward and back as he became a better man.  Haley also changed, and not always for the better.  But ultimately, this storyline brought us the best couple, Naley.

[2] The School Shooting- While not my favorite story, it was definitely among the best.  It was a story that was handled with a great deal of care and respect for all parties involved.  They didn't demonize Jimmy or the students who bullied him.  Instead, they showed what could happen when people forget about the power of words and actions.

[3] Luke's Investigation of Keith's death- This storyline laid the groundwork for the redemption of Dan Scott which I also liked (see 4 below).  Luke was doggedly determined to find out what exactly happened and to Keith even if it estranged him from his mom.  That took real guts and showed the depth of Luke's love for Keith.

[4] Redemption of Dan Scott- Obviously Dan can never been completely redeemed in the eyes of the people he has affected, but that didn't stop him from trying.  What I really liked about this storyline was that Dan didn't just become a weak-willed character, but kept the menace and danger that he had always had, just focused more constructively than previously.

[5] Deb and Dan's divorce- Especially the couple of episodes where they were pranking each other.  While most of the pranks were just downright petty, others were not so much, but they were all quite funny.  This story also brought us ultimately to the wacky Deb who was just great.

[6] Skillz and Deb's romance- This was just hilarious.  Skillz is such a cougar chaser.  I also loved the whole internet aspect of it (webcam anyone? <snerk>)  They were actually really good for each other, particularly after Q was killed.  I was sad to see the two of them breakup.

[7] Peyton and the Record Label- Mainly because it introduced Kate whose music I love, love, love!  It also gave Peyton's music obsession a useful adult outlet and showed us alot of really cool bands.

[8] Lucas' Investigation of Dan (Season 2)- This just showed that Lucas could play the same game as Dan, albeit not quite on the same level, although to be honest, who could?  I think it also gave Dan an idea of how determined Lucas can be to uncover the truth when he wants it.

[9] Nathan's Point Shaving- While I can't say I liked this storyline, it did show that Nathan is still a good guy no matter what he may do.  He started off the whole thing trying to provide for his family and then it got out of hand very, very quickly.  It also had impact in the 5th and 6th seasons.

[10] Haley going on tour- Again, not a favorite, but definitely an important plotline.  It introduced us to Chris, gave us rockstar Haley which would continue on even into the current season, and ultimately showed Naley's strength.

Worst

[1] Nanny Carrie kidnapping Dan- Hands down the worst storyline from One Tree Hill.  It never fit in and was just too weird to really be likable.

[2] Love Triangles- Take your pick.  I don't like love triangles because I see them as a crutch to real writing.  If you don't know what else to do, give us a love triangle.  They have also been overused and stretched out for far too long.  In addition, while they might have been ok in high school, in the post-college OTH, they were just annoying.

[3] Renee accuses Nathan of adultery- This one just seemed like drama for the sake of drama.  Never fond of that.

[4] Katie stalks Clay- Again, just a weird story which was basically a retread of FauxDerek.

[5] Nanny Carrie (Season 5)/Gigi (Season 6)- Basically these were two of the more annoying love triangles and again, just drama for the sake of drama.

Can't really think of anymore because #2 covers so many.  Tomorrow, I'll try to do Favorite Musical Artists and Favorite Songs.

My Review of The Secret Circle 1.10- Darkness

Ok, not liking the Elders.  Also not liking what Faye is doing to get her powers back.  Nice to see Melissa finally becoming her own person though.

Ok, so we all know Cassie is powerful.  Just how powerful is she is the question on the floor.  She can do single magic even though she is bound to the Circle, she can do magic when it is supposed to be contained, and she is powerful enough to overcome an Elder's magic.  Oh, and yes, she may be "the one" they are looking for to tip the balance between good and evil.  Not a good thing, particularly since her dark powers seem to come out if she is frightened or angry.  She dreams about killing Jake, nearly kills Adam, and bust out of a box meant to contain and kill her with explosive results.  To make matters even worse, she seems to like the dark powers.  Dark side of the Force anyone?  In other words, this is potentially a *VERY BAD* thing.

I don't like Diana's grandmother.  Anyone who would casually test a child in such a cold blooded and callous manner is not someone I can ever like.  She may have had good reasons for doing what she did, but still, she gives me the screaming willies.  At least the Elders know for sure that Charles has been using magic, and I suspect that they will figure out that Dawn is in on it too.

And Faye is seriously desperate.  Desperate enough to go to a voodoo practitioner to get her powers back.  And god help us all when she gets them back.  I am foreseeing a contest between her and Cassie and I suspect that without a serious power boost, Faye doesn't stand a a snowball's chance in hell.

I am glad that Melissa is becoming her own person and not just an appendage to someone else.  At least something good is coming out of Nick's death.  Standing up to Faye is a good first step.  Now, here's hoping she continues on the path.

And Jake is back.  Good thing?  Or not?

Next week, Faye starts on her quest to get her powers back with serious repercussions for the Circle.

My Review of Vampire Diaries 3.10- The New Deal

Welcome back from the long hiatus.  And what a welcome back we have, Stefan has gone over to the dark side which has Elena and Damon up in arms, Klaus is mightily pissed off, Tyler realizes what he is in for, Bonnie is put in the middle of Stefan and Klaus, Alaric suffers because of Stefan and Klaus, and Jeremy does something that shocks Elena deeply....

Wow, I cannot believe Stefan.  Kidnapping Klaus' family I get, but by refusing to release them, he is placing everyone in danger.  The worst part is that he doesn't care.  He is so focused on damaging Klaus that he no longer cares what kind of collateral damage happens.  That is truly scary.  If he is looking to drive Elena away, he is doing a bang up job of it.  But he has to realize that driving her away won't make her any safer, so I have to wonder if he has finally gone off the deep end.

And why oh why is he dragging Bonnie off with him?  I realize that he needs her power to mask the presence of the coffins, but seriously, That is just not cool.  And what is up with the unopenable coffin?  I wonder if it contains the Original Witch in it.  If so, can Bonnie open it?  My guess is that she'll need some sort of major power boost if it is her.  That and some sort of complicated spell or ritual.  Unless it is some form of primal magic in which case a complicated ritual wouldn't be needed.

Poor Elena.  First, Stefan takes the coffins which pisses off Klaus so he decides to go after Elena.  Seeing as he needs Elena to keep making his hybrids, he can't kill her, so he decides to go after the people she cares about.  Using Tyler to help him compel Jeremy is not a good thing.  Then she almost loses Alaric.  I wonder why his ring didn't fully heal him.  Is there some sort of limit on the number of times it can work?  Or does it simply need to be recharged?  To make matters worse, Jeremy beheads a hybrid right in front of Elena.  That was possibly one of the more horrific moments.  Not that we haven't seen worse, but just the fact that he did it so casually made it so bad.  So, she decides to have Damon compel him into leaving.  I do wonder if it will take or if Jeremy got his hands on some vervain between the time he was compelled by Klaus and the time Damon compelled him.  To top it all off, Stefan just doesn't seem to care about the damage being inflicted on her as a result of his revenge.  But, I have to say that the kiss was just, wow....

And Damon.  Boy, has he changed since we first met him.  He is now taking the role that Stefan had as Elena's protector.  I wonder if that has anything to do with Stefan's change of attitude.  Knowing that Damon will step up and protect Elena would free Stefan to focus all his energy on attacking Klaus.  But if Stefan isn't careful, he'll drive Elena into Damon's arms.  Good thing or not?  We'll have to wait and see.

Seeing Torrey play the doctor was just neat.  Her last name is Fell, so I assume that she is related to the Fell family who founded Mystic Falls.  So, does she know about the supernatural world or not?

Klaus needs to be a little more careful with Tyler.  Tyler seems close to trying to break away from Klaus.  I wonder if he can.  Also, I was shocked when Klaus redaggered Rebekah.  I get why, but I was still shocked.

Next week, Caroline's birthday!  Until then....

Top 10 One Tree Hill Episodes

Ok, this one was *REALLY* hard because there are so many episodes (174 as of the end of Season 8) and I love so many of them. But, I picked the ones I like the best. By each episode I will also put its season and episode number.

[10] All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone (Episode 4.21)- This was the final episode of Season 4 and would have been a great series finale had OTH not been picked back up. Between Nathan and Haley bugging Deb about Jamie, Mouth defending Erica's honor, the dance of the girls, and so many other little moments, this was just fantastic. And it ended perfectly, with the gang hanging out at the River Court.
[9] 4 Years, 6 Months, 2 Days/Racing Like a Pro (Episodes 5.01 and 5.02)- I am only counting both because they originally aired together. I liked the way we were reintroduced to our characters post-college. Watching Jackson having so much fun as Jamie was just cool as as watching how everyone related to him.
[8] The Wind That Blew My Heart Away (Episode 3.13)- You'll notice that there are several Season 3 episodes here, and that is mainly because Season 3 was far and away the best season of the show and this episode was a great example of that. Watching Ellie and Peyton bond, Lucas and Brooke fight and make up, and Naley work out their issues follow by making out in the storm, this episode just totally rocked.
[7] Pictures of You (Episode 4.13)- This episode brought us some good pairings that allowed our characters to look at their lives and see how things were going. I loved this episode so much, that I used some of it in an actual lesson when I was teaching. The individual pictures that they took and the group verbal collage at the end was just awesome.
[6] Screenwriter's Blues (Episode 6.16)- This episode was just flat out fun. Watching the casting for the movie, the faux-Brooke following the real Brooke around, the shirtless Nathans, Peyton "auditioning" to be herself, and finally James Van Der Beek as the asshat director was just a riot.
[5] Just Watch the Fireworks/Who Will Survive and What Will Be Left of Them/When It Isn't Like It Should Be (Episodes 3.15, 3.17, and 3.18)- Ok, I know these weren't broadcast together, but they are the bookends to 3.16, so I am keeping them together. From the return of Jimmy Edwards and the concert at Tric (totally awesome!) in 3.15 to the healing that took place in 3.18 and the process of grieving in 3.17, they just work together so well that I need to include them together.
[4] The Tide that Left and Never Came Back/The Leavers Dance (Episodes 2.22 and 2.23)- My last multi-episode group, but like 5.01 and 5.02, they were broadcast together. I loved the first hour for the theme from the assignment and the second hour ended with an incredible last 10 minutes with the fire and everything. That set into motion events that still echo in OTH.
[3] To Wish Impossible Things (Episode 1.18)- AKA The Boy Toy Auction. This episode was just jam packed with hilarity. The dancing on the stage, the water balloon fight on the roof of Karen's Cafe, Nathan and Peyton playing around, and Tim and Deb (tiger striped briefs!) just left some great moments. Other great moments were Jake coming out on stage and the bidding war for Mouth. Greatest line goes to Peyton "Now that's a creepy threesome!" to Haley's bidding on both Lucas and Nathan.
[2] Over the Hills and Far Away (Episode 3.21)- Naley's "engagement" party. Do I really need to say much more? No, but I will. I loved all the little vignettes the Brooke wheedled out of Nathan and Haley. Having the different people play them at various points in their romance was just neat to watch. No matter how good it was though, it can't compare to...
[1] With Tired Eyes, Tired Minds, Tired Souls, We Slept (Episode 3.16)- This episode is by far the best hour of television I have ever seen. Watching a teen soap cope with a major storyline like a school shooting is normally like watching a train wreck, you don't want to watch, but you can't stop watching. This episode however, dealt with the whole idea with a delicate hand. Mark never got preachy, he just laid everything out and let us decide about the rights and wrongs ourselves. It would have been so easy to just villanize Jimmy, but that didn't happen. Rather, we were shown how we can affect the lives of those around us in a very non-preachy manner. I have said it before, and will say it again, One Tree Hill can really be divided int 2 parts, pre and post 3.16. The events of this episode have ramifications that still echo in Tree Hill.

Next time, favorite storylines.

Top 10 One Tree Hill Couples

I will refer to couples by their combined name when I know it, otherwise I won't. Also, some couples I list weren't actual couples, but they still make my top ten.

[10] Brucas- Lucas was never good enough for Brooke, IMNSHO. Hence, not fond of them as a couple.

[9] Leyton- Like Lucas and Peyton individually, I have never been as fond of this couple as other people have been. They make the top ten, but not much further than that. I do love them, but sometimes the drama got a bit much.

[8] Mouth/Rachel- While never an actual couple, these two were very close and had lots of fun together, and were fun to watch. I appreciated the way she treated Mouth (well, most of the time anyways) and he (with few exceptions) treated her well too.

[7] Dan/Deb- They would be higher, but there are others I like more. I loved watching these two go at each other, particularly in Season 3 when they were playing pranks on each other. That was great.

[6] Karen/Andy- These two are so good for each other. He is incredibly respectful of her and Lucas and she loves him a great deal. They also gave us a great reveal when Andy was talking about "little Lucas" and brought baby clothes. <snerk>

[5] Keith/Karen- The star-crossed couple of the series. They love each other tremendously and keep missing their chances until near the end, only to have it taken away when Dan kills Keith. At least Karen got a daughter out of the deal. Not the best obviously, but its something.

[4] Brooke/Julian- (Brulian?) When she was abandoned by Owen, Julian picked up the slack. He knew how important Sma was to her and he was so willing to work with her. She loves him, he loves her, and they both know about living in the shadow of Leyton and the expectations of parental assholes. Say no more.

[3] Mouth/Brooke- My dream couple that never actually occurred. These two would have been great together. Sadly, it never happened. I often wonder how OTH would have been different if they had happened.

[2] Jeyton- The one that got away and a major casualty of Leyton. I think Jake was a much better match than Lucas for Peyton. Sadly, with Nicky in the picture, this would probably not have worked. Still, my favorite couple other than....

[1] Naley- If you knew this one was coming, congrats, you know me really well. This couple is the emotional center of the show. Not the dramatic center, but the emotional center. They have helped each other to grow in ways that are hard to imagine. They have been through so much and only emerged stronger because of it. Married too young, but so in love. This is probably one of my favorite couples of all time.

Next, favorite (actually, best, not necessarily favorite per se) episodes.

Top Ten Favorite Characters of One Tree Hill

In 2003, when I was 25, I came across a show that is one of my favorite shows ever. Nine years later, the show is coming to an end. To commemorate and celebrate the preceding eight seasons of One Tree Hill, I wanted to mention and explain some of my favorite things about the show. I am sure people will disagree with me, and that is totally cool. Just know that I am not trying to slight anyone else's favorites, but just to talk about mine. I would love to hear what everyone else thinks.

Today, I am starting with my top ten favorite characters. I am only including characters who have been in the main credits or major recurring characters, not other minor characters.

[10] Peyton- While I do love Peyton, she has never been one of my favorite characters. She is way too mercurial in my opinion. I do love Peyton and I love that she chases her dreams, but she can get way too bitchy with people for my personal likes.

[9] Lucas- See Peyton above. He spends so much time brooding and in his own head that he is paralyzed and doesn't act the way he should.
[8] Rachel- Yeah, she's a total bitch, but she's so much fun. I didn't like the way she was treated post high school, but it did make a sort of sense given who she is.
[7] Karen- She is the mom of the show. She is the biological mother to Lucas and a major parental figure for Haley, Brooke, and Peyton and helps Nathan and Jake out when needed. I really miss her, but do think having her leave was great for her character.
[6] Mouth- I loved him as a character in high school. He is the everyman, the ordinary guy with no major skills who lets us ordinary schmucks have access to the extraordinary world of One Tree Hill. He has turned into a total flake post-college and I really hope they have him settle down more this season.
[5] Jamie- In the first few episodes of Season 5, he brought a totally new life and vibe to the show. His eternal optimism and wonderful spirit has been great for the show, Seeing the world through the eyes of a child has just been incredible.
[4] Haley- As one half of the emotional center of the show, mother to Jamie, teacher, singer, producer, inspiration, and so much more, she has more than earned her place here. Despite a few missteps, she has grown tremendously into a wonderful and caring mother and wife.
[3] Brooke- She has been one of the people who has grown the most over the course of the series. When introduced in the second episode, she was the sexualized party girl who couldn't care less about anyone else. Over the past 8 seasons, she has grown into a large hearted mother and wife, the founder and owner of a multi-million dollar corporation, and someone who always follows her heart. I am so proud of her.

[2] Nathan- Like Brooke, he was introduced as a bad guy who started dating Haley in order to get at Lucas. Within half of a season, he had already grown into a guy who was working his hardest to be the good guy who would be worthy of a girl like Haley. There have been some major falls along the way (Seasons 2 and 5), but he has evolved into an awesome dad, loving husband, and someone who is unafraid to change his dreams without any bitterness.

[1] Dan- It might be surprising that he tops my list, but he is easily one of the most inspired characters to inhabit television. He is the bad guy. He is seemingly soulless, bitter, angry, and a horrible father. And this description is not too far off. However, he does care about 2 people more than anything else: Nathan and Karen. He only transitions into a decent person after they completely reject him when they found out that he killed Keith. He never loses his edge, but he does learn how to be a decent guy and a good grandpa to Jamie.

Next one will be my favorite couples.