The Sunday Salon: Catching up on Stuff, Like Everything

You guys!

We made it through another BBAW! And this one was awesome if I do say so myself, like I didn't get a chance to read the closing posts on Friday so today when I settled down to read them, I became downright teary. They were just lovely. You guys are lovely and it's amazing to know BBAW still means something to the community. If BBAW was any good this year, it was because you guys are awesome. End of Story. (and you are, so)

In other news, I finally caught up to the rest of the world and read Gone Girl this past week! I do have thoughts on this book. I actually read another book I have thoughts on but expressing my thoughts on both of these books is going to require major spoilers. I don't feel as bad about it with Gone Girl but the other book hasn't been released quite yet. But I don't how to talk about what I think is most essential without spoilers so...if you see some reviews with big white spaces soon, that's why!

Also, I'm having another of those woe is me I'm mortal and will never be able to read all the books in the world life crises. I try to will myself into oblivion as often as possible on this front, but alas it always catches up to me.

Music

Thanks to the wonder of tumblr (that's the only time you'll ever hear me say that) I learned that the band that played in the first seven episodes of the second season of The L.A. Complex is The Rural Alberta Advantage. And oh my gosh, I love themmmm. I don't know it's just the right kind of music for me. But also, The L.A. Complex had a cool band on it, I mean WHY AREN'T YOU WATCHING? The show isn't perfect at all, but it is such a solid soap with interesting and...even groundbreaking storylines.

TV

Fall TV kicks into gear this week for real! I mean Bones is back tomorrow (not sure if I'll be able to watch this season tbh), and Parks and Recreation is back as well this week! (I'm still not caught up on S4 but not too worried). Revolution premieres tomorrow as well (watched the pilot and sigh. Despite the fact that I love Elizabeth Mitchell I already sat through V for her I don't think I can do another terrible show) This is exciting everyone! Oh and Downton Abbey starts in the UK. I have managed to muster up a little interest in that finally, let's hope Season 3 returns the show to a fun soap with a bit less Mr. Bates.

The L.A. Complex is still on, though! AND!

I don't think this show is a brilliant masterpiece of layers and themes or whatever but I do think I find more care in Connor's storyline. It could be because I tend to pay a bit more attention, but I thought there was a lot of ~symbolism in the episode where he convinced Eric to stay. And I realized as I was getting ready to write this that they foreshadowed what I suspect will be his upcoming story line about scientology in the season 2 premiere. I don't read episode blurbs or anything for story lines coming up and I don't even always watch the previews, but if they do indeed explore scientology in Connor's storyline, I think it's a really smart direction for the show to go, because it makes so much sense for Connor's character. It won't be coming in randomly, you know? All the character work has been laid.

Anyway do you remember how Connor and Raquel were taking that walk down Hollywood Blvd or whatever in the Season 2 premiere and that girl randomly stopped him and tried to sell him on Dianetics? Well as it turns out, dianetics was the precursor to scientology! In fact, on wikipedia, the world's most reliable source of information, it says that Scientologists practice dianetics. I think this was a particularly good piece of foreshadowing because it worked fully in the episode as its own incident, it revealed more of Connor's character (i.e. his desperation to find healing), and it gave us a glimmer of what's to come.

I thought the Nick storyline was so stupid. Like, first of all, can't they do a drug test or something? Also, how could Nick EVER think it was a good idea to take responsibility for that? Even so he made me laugh a lot this episode for some reason and Sabrina giving him a pep talk was adorable.

Ugh Raquel. WHY didn't she embrace the image of bitch? It's who she is, it would have made her whole life easier, and she would be working as a bartender. That guy in the restaurant was way too nice to her, but I actually think he was right that she belongs behind a bar, lol.

Beth, ew.

Kal inviting Abby to sing back-up vocals was..I don't know it was so sad. Like he wanted to do this thing for her, Tariq's friend, but he was in no position to do it. The end scene, the way it was silent, was great. And accepting her rage...I think Kal kind of wanted it.

I kind of disliked Switched at Birth this week. Partly because they showed that preview of the whole season so I felt like I was just waiting for that other stuff to happen. Partly because the resolution to the marriage storyline was pretty bad. If the problem is surprise inspections or whatever, I think they'd be able to tell Angelo is not living with Regina and Daphne. I don't know I feel like the story telling with Angelo has always been a bit poorly paced. I did like seeing Tania Raymonde show up, though, I really like her. I'm excited to see a Bay storyline that doesn't have to do with Emmett? And...Daphne's upcoming romance better have a point. I can sort of guess what they might attempt to do with it, but we'll see!

IMPORTANT STUFF

The Faith and Fiction roundtable discussion of Gilead will take place on September 29th. And our film club discussion of Japanese Story will take place on the 25th. I hope you will all join for both!

TV: The Good Wife Season 2, Switched at Birth 1x23 This is the Color of my Dreams, The L.A. Complex 2x8

Yeah, yeah I'm going through this quickly, I think I'll be able to watch the show live this year!

I did not like the second season nearly as much as the first and I think I can pinpoint several reasons why. I still liked it, and there are some things I LOVED, but a lot of it just didn't work for me.

Part of the problem for me was the plotting. I didn't notice this happening in the first season as much, although I think it did happen a little since I never knew what to believe about Peter. But basically the show introduces threads and then just DROPS them for episodes on end. If I was watching this live (woe is me this year) I'd be really frustrated by it and/or forget everything. Not to mention that some of the stuff planted hasn't even come to fruition yet! And, the endings are often really abrupt? Also, I found some of the story lines unbearable and tempting my FF button and I don't really appreciate how hyper sexualized they make Kalinda, BUT despite these things I do like the show!

I guess I'll start with what I liked. I LOVE WILL AND DIANE. Their dynamic and relationship is really interesting to me, I eat up all their shared screen time with glee. I don't ship them or anything, I just like watching them interact and try desperately to save their firm. I probably like their relationship precisely because it's complex without any romantic or sexual undertones.

I loved the storyline about Kalinda having slept with Peter. That probably sounds mean, but it was filled with the sort of angst and impending sadness I just looove. So all the scenes leading up to it, you know where Kalinda and Peter are so desperate to keep this secret, especially Kalinda since she's the kind of person who is reluctant to open up to anyone and you just know her friendship with Alicia is particularly important to her, to be perfect. And also it was this thing that happened in the past when Kalinda probably thought it wouldn't ever matter, she was clueless about the real people involved, she could even convince herself that she was a different person at the time (since she had a different identity). Ugh, I just love stories that remind us that our actions don't exist in isolation, that the things we do have larger consequences and implications and this was one such story. And I don't blame Peter and Kalinda for trying to keep it a secret, it's the age old question...would it have been better for Alicia to never know? It was so far in the past, and both Peter and Kalinda loved her. I mean knowing hurts her deeply, takes away one of her best friends, and makes her feel stupid. Does it really change anything? And the timing! The timing of her finding out, after she gives in and gives a lovely supportive interview for Peter and he wins and then BAM. So yeah this story was A+.

Also A+ is Jackie. It occurred to me that this type of character is so rarely depicted. And while I think maybe most people don't like Jackie, she's so realistically drawn, I couldn't help but feel a lot of sympathy for her. It's easy to have a television show about lawyers and their cases and politicians and infidelity, but elderly people don't often get their own stories. So to watch Jackie see Peter and Alicia's marriage fall apart, when it's like..the one good thing she has in her life, (her grandkids and Peter's career) and see how much it shook the foundation of her world was really sympathetic. I even think the show wanted us to be on Alicia's side a little when she went and yelled at Jackie and everything, and I get that, but Owen was right that she is lonely. Also, it goes to show how when a family falls apart, it affects so many people. It really does, it affects other family members and friends and while yes it's Peter's and Alicia's business it's not their hurt alone, it has reverberations throughout the lives of the people they know who are powerless to do anything about it. So I liked the Jackie stuff.

I also like seeing recurring lawyers and judges. I think my favorite is the federal judge that always makes them say "in my opinion" it makes me laugh so much.

So those were my favorite things. I continue to dislike the story lines around the kids because part of me wonders why they are even on here. However, I was sort of amused by Grace being interested in religion as a form of rebellion because it's opposite to EVERYTHING I HAVE EVER KNOWN. I sort of wish that she'd been genuinely into it because it would have been a fascinating story to watch, but even the hint that was given, Alicia confronting her own discomfort with it, was interesting.

I hated the story line with Eli and the nanny (forever Ugly Betty). It was just weird and made me uncomfortable and also it was stupid. I disliked how often Kalinda is used in super sexy situations, I don't know why this bothers me so much but it does. She's hot, we get it. I thought the campaign storyline sort of fizzled, like, I realized in one episode there was an entire story line that had been deleted (five minutes worth!) with Peter, Wendy, and Childs. (they ended up not being in the episode at all!) It basically set up how Eli got the info about the illegal nanny, but I guess it seemed like the campaign should have been more exciting and it wasn't, the most dramatic moment was when Wendy Scott Carr announced she was running!

But overall, I did like the season! And I'm looking forward to season 3! I think a lot of times shows have a hard time sustaining truly excellent story telling throughout the life of their show, like I can feel The Good Wife dragging stuff out already. But I don't think it's that nothing can live up to the first season, because shows often have a resurgence later on.

Switched at Birth is back, yay!

This is the artwork the episode is named after. Switched at Birth is deeply educational and teaches me about art.

I love this soapy ABC Family show and I'm glad it's back, though for the first time ever the ABC Family-ness of it was irritating me a little bit. Even so, the show managed to reel me in with its emotional beats as usual. I was unfortunately prepared for the Bay/Emmett of it all...I read an interview with Vanessa Marano where was she was like, "when someone cheats it should be over, unfortunately I don't think anyone agrees with me" so I knew the show wasn't done with them yet. I don't really like it, but I think they made the most compelling case possible with the idea that Emmett had shared all these really huge life changing things with her and anyone else would just be reading it out of her mom's book. (even so though Alex was cute! And fun! And he wanted to read her mom's book! Sigh, epic OTP couples ruining my fun)

It's funny because now on two of my shows after a relationship has been ruined I've been able to watch the person hurt get to tell the other person that they not only wrecked their relationship but that they wrecked future relationships for them. I love this so much, because it's true! And also this is the thing I wish I could tell the writers of Gossip Girl...they not only destroyed my favorite couple, but they have ruined my relationship to fictional works since. Well at least for a little awhile. Anyway, Emmett's artwork was really cute, but Bay was right that it will obviously take more, that it's not enough to repair them.

And Katie LeClerc is so pretty! She looked stunning throughout the entire episode! I thought the chef was a jerk to her, but I get it...he thought she got the job through based on something other than merit and he wasn't interested in a little extra work to make it possible for her to work there easily. I thought he was really harsh when he said not everyone can do everything (even if it's true) but what a great scene! And I love that Daphne isn't giving up. And Kathryn is writing a blog and doing social media to promote her book! ♥

The ending was...really goofy to me? I think Bay's reaction was over the top. But it IS a soap. Anyway I recommend this piece on the subversiveness of Switched at Birth, mainly because I want everyone to realize that even if I'm watching a goofy teen soap it's obviously full of merit and importance.

The L.A. Complex -- Stay

So Connor's fake family kicked him out, no surprise there. I am curious about this new mystery girl. Nick going around and meeting people to get material was kind of fun. Simon was hiding in an empty room in the complex the whole time and no one found him? Um, okay. Abby quit YET ANOTHER JOB for a boy. Ugh, Abby.

What is Raquel doing??? Her pride is ruining everything for her. How is she going to handle yet another lawsuit? And I love the lawyer and what he said to Kal. I kind of hope we get closer to some resolution on this. I was reading a reaction to the show and the person complained about how the show had chosen to focus on Kal rather than Tariq. It was an interesting decision since Kal has no real connections to the complex. But their complaint was how shows always focus on the perpetrator of violence and pain rather than the victim. And it's true that Tariq would have an interesting story to tell, too. Anyway, I don't mind because I do think the bulk of the story is with Kal and coming out and his self loathing, etc. But it's a fair argument and I hope when Tariq comes back we get to see him fall in love and live happily ever after.

Your thoughts, always welcome.

The L.A. Complex 2x7: Half Way

There are some interesting stories being told on TV nowadays, and a lot of them are being told on The L.A. Complex. I thought this week's episode was particularly good, enough that I want to write about it.

Admittedly, the first half of the season has been kind of a hit or miss, some of the stories seemed to lack focus. But the first season of this show sold me on the majority of these characters, enough that I'm happy to just check in once a week and see what they are up to. The major exception to that is the new characters they added this season, Beth and Simon. WHY? Ugh, I hate every second of screen time they take up and I resent the predictable story line that I don't care about. But despite this, I do care about the other stuff, so.

The episode's title is Half Way! And while that is obviously in reference to Raquel's appearance at on Celebrity Half Way House, it's also the mid-point of the season, so very clever. :)

And it felt like a mid-season episode. A lot of storylines wrapped up in significant ways, while new ones were launched.

I think it's interesting that at the beginning of the season Abby was sort of in a love triangle with Nick and Sabrina. She was the clear winner, while Sabrina was the scorned woman forced to work with her one time lover. But then Abby found herself in an actual threesome. She was interested in Brandon, quickly threw Nick over for him, but lost in the end. And by this point, Nick and Sabrina have found a way to make things work, so Abby's the one who finds herself in Sabrina's shoes...betrayed on the job by a guy she likes who prefers another girl to her.

Nick's story was largely irritating this first half, but I realized in this episode that so much of the story wasn't actually about Nick, but about Sabrina. The L.A. Complex doesn't play games about how hard it is for women to work in Hollywood, Alicia's story last season was a pretty smart depiction of the complexities a woman faces in valuing her abilities and balancing her dreams and what to do about the opportunity of cutting corners. And so the episode when Nick decided to fight back for his job against Sabrina using his gender privilege, I realized that this story was more interesting than I originally thought. While Sabrina did things like leave Nick at the fast food restaurant or not wake him up, Nick decided to take his boss to a strip club and a um, brothel. And in the end he got the job, not because he was funnier or more clever, but because of this. Sabrina had been getting on my nerves a little but I'm back to loving her after she refused to take any credit for Nick's jokes and told him how it was. She wanted the job, but on her own merits. And so the story ended up being exactly what she said to Nick...about how hard it is for a woman to work in comedy in Hollywood. Sabrina was smarter, she was funnier, and yet she still lost.

Connor's story was a mixture of creepy and heartbreaking to me. I love Connor, though I feel a little guilty about it. I mean it's not terribly unique to have a male character who suffers from a broken family. But...I don't know Connor is like a lost little puppy, looking for love in all the wrong places, really deeply troubled, I think Jonathan Patrick Moore does a really great job of letting you feel the pain that's just bubbling under the surface. He's not the kind of character that's terrible to other people, though, he's not Chuck Bass or Damon Salvatore or what have you. So it's creepy to me that Jennifer is kind of a mother figure to him and he's also sleeping with her. And then when her ex-husband comes Connor tries to patch them up into a little family! I found the scene where Eric breaks the vase intentionally and Connor replaces it and says "no one will know the difference" and Eric is all like, "it's not the same" to be significant. Connor thinks this sort of artificial family he has created to replace what someone else has broken is as good as the real thing, but it's not. And...his peace will definitely be short lived. The didn't show the timepiece draining for nothing. Aw, poor Connor :/ (he wanted to have game night!!)

Kaldrick! After I watched the first season, I asked if it was unusual to be gay and a rapper, and I have since found out that yes it is, which makes this story even more timely. It's been interesting to watch Kal continue to flounder even while he tries to atone for his past by helping at the shelter. I was pretty happy he hooked up with the lawyer, who is hot, in this episode so hopefully he'll stop pretending to be straight with this poor woman.

And finally Raquel. I think...her cruelty to Connor soured me on her a lot, and her cruelty and manipulation on the Half Way House show makes it hard to think she's a nice person, but she's a genuinely interesting character. Her fight against being typecast as the bitch is pretty fascinating to watch (since it essentially requires her to be a bitch). I think she should embrace it to be honest, a lot of people like that kind of character on a show!

Beth and Simon...gah who cares.

So I'm guessing the second half of the season we'll see the resolution to Connor setting his house on fire, since Simon got called back for the science show probably some drama with that married guy Beth slept with, and I think Tariq is coming back too. Oh and Nick is going to have to face that he's actually not that great at his job? And hopefully more cast interaction!

The Sunday Salon and TV Talk

I am sick of summer. I know that some people have it worse, but ugh, I hate the heat! I hate this time of year because the stores can't keep themselves cool, and anyplace that does manage to stay cool is FREEZING. My car feels like it is sitting in an oven at all times and I want to take multiple showers a day.

And I hear that other places are feeling like fall which just makes me jealous because we don't have fall. Pretty much summer stopped being fun when I graduated from high school...once I went to college I always preferred to be at school because my summers were full of working and then once you hit the workforce, summer is just the worst.

Enough of my complaining, though! This week on the reading front I finished the sixth Harry Potter. I can't believe the reread is almost at an end! I probably won't reread the books again for a long while so it's kind of sad, like saying goodbye all over again. I also started Cloud Atlas but so far I'm not sure what's happened because it's a bit of a difficult read. I'm reading that with a few friends as well (all much smarter than me) so you'll be hearing more about it. (once they explain it to me)

Some TV Stuff

I have a lot to say about my shows this week guys, apologies in advance. I already wrote about The Bridge, which was the best thing I did TV wise this past week, but I also have things to say about a couple of the other shows I watch.

Breaking Bad--I wish I liked this show more because whenever I do bother seeking out writing on it, I'm impressed with the kind of show it is. I'm pretty much a casual-to-the-extreme viewer, but this is the sort of show that rewards anyone who cares about it. I just...can't. But last week's episode did have kind of a shocking ending and I really enjoyed reading the reviews of it. I'm sort of surprised there are only three episodes left since I have no idea what the season is building towards. Does anyone else watch this? Do you think the series will end with Walt dying or being imprisoned? Also, Jesse ♥♥♥

The L.A. Complex--I saw someone say this week that none of the couples last very long on this show and it's so true, lol. The only couple I kind of shipped was Connor/Abby for like two seconds at the beginning of the series before they killed it fast. But I kind of like that the show isn't shippy...the relationships end up feeling a bit more real and they can tell stories about how these people have messed up relationships and ruin their lives. Which brings me to Raquel/Connor...like, holy cow. I think while watching the last two episodes I can actually say I think this is borders on being an abusive relationship, but a gender reversed one, I think Raquel is the abuser. And it makes sense...that Connor would be drawn to her because he both thinks he deserves it and it's what he's used to. Raquel is always the one in a position of power in the relationship, the only time she wasn't was at the very beginning of the show when he was kind of interested in Abby, and it wasn't like she cared that she was losing him, sigh. I also think it's why she flipped out when he was fake dating Jennifer, not because she really cared about seeing her boyfriend with someone else, but because she was no longer in control of the situation. She regularly cuts him down, and I don't know, I guess I see that as being equivalent to the way Connor hurts himself. She does it to release her own pain, self-loathing, etc. I just...never want them to get back together. I did like that Jennifer caught Connor with the teapot, though, I really want him to get help. And I like that she immediately stuck up for him with Raquel.

I also kind of enjoyed Kaldrick's story. I think he's willing to give his dad a second chance, because he needs a second chance himself? Like he knows how one's own personal issues can lead them to really hurt someone they love. I like that angle for the story, because...I don't know something about recognizing the monster within, like that moment when you stop being so self-righteous because you realize you are also capable of things you never thought you would be is something I wish we saw more of. Our world is so lacking in grace and it's so judgmental, I feel like we need to give more room for failure and mistakes and just..grace, sigh. So anyway, lol, I have no idea if that's what I was supposed to take from that story or if I'm just projecting, but there you go.

The threesome story is so goofy, I don't get why Abby is into Brandon, tbh. And Nick and Sabrina...I don't know I guess Sabrina just feels like a second choice so I don't know what I'm supposed to think. And Beth, omg, I don't think I could care any less about her story if I tried. I mean having her casually sleep with a married man is not the way to endear her to me, show.

Awkward (or I hate love triangles)--lol remember how a couple of weeks ago, I was all surprised and like, WHAT IS THIS SHOW DOING? I should have realized that was the moment the show broke. It's sad, too, because I thought last season the love triangle was really well written. I felt like Jenna and Matty each had genuine issues that were keeping them apart and I could see why Jenna found Jake appealing. But all of this season, I felt like she still really liked Matty and so having her decide she was in love with Jake was too much. I mean, okay:

*Jenna and Matty are both lying to Jake about the fact that they were in a relationship previously.
*Jenna really still likes Matty, every episode deals with Jenna's feelings, whatever she thinks she's convinced herself they are, for Matty
*Jake tells Jenna he loves her, and she decides she loves him, too, but waits for the perfect moment to tell him.
*Sadie tells Jake about Matty and Jenna at the exact same moment Jenna is leaving him a voice mail saying she loves him (stupid!)
*Jake doesn't bother to ask Jenna about what Sadie said, but just breaks up with her and doesn't tell her why
*that only happens so that Jenna thinks he broke up with her because she didn't say I love you fast enough. THAT IS THE ONLY REASON. It really doesn't make sense otherwise.
*Jenna goes home, Matty goes to comfort her, Jenna decides she never fell out of love with Matty. They start kissing.
*Meanwhile, Jake listens to the voicemail, regrets his actions, and goes to Jenna's and sees them kissing.

End result: I hate them all. I mean it's just so stupid and contrived, and to be honest a huge disappointment. Everything was just rushed through, I don't know. Maybe the season ends with Jenna dumping both these fools, but that never seems to actually happen, so I don't know. I'll probably finish out the season, I still like the side characters (I actually love Jenna's mom), and it's not like a huge time commitment, but I am officially turning off my brain when I watch.

The Closer Series Finale--a disappointment to be honest! What in the world was the weird camera work on all the fight scenes? ugh pulled me out of the scenes. I'm glad she finally caught Stroh, but all of her decisions felt rushed to me, or...IDK it felt like I could see everything they were doing but it lacked emotional resonance or something...but I did think the last scene was really sweet. I will miss her a lot , though, because...

Major Crimes--felt like just another procedural. I've read some fan reaction, and it's true they can't win in a way...they can't create another Brenda, but Sharon doesn't have the same spark (at least for me) so I don't know...I'll probably watch it for a bit, but I already missed Brenda! It feels weird to see the same place and the same characters and not have her around.

Other Stuff

Carrie and I hammered out the film club schedule for the next year and it is fun. We have chosen some excellent movies, you will thank us for bringing them into your life.

I also really want to thank you all for your comments on my post last week, BBAW will be happening, albeit on a much smaller scale, but we got the banner updated if you check out the site. I'll be making an official announcement this week! We'll see how this goes.

Hope you all have a wonderful Sunday!