'SVU' marathons are the bane of my existence (also, John Mulaney is right for once)

I didn't watch this season of 'Law & Order: SVU' as it aired (I had to work while it was on). I'm one of those weird people who watches the show for character development. The cases are fairly interesting, but I really just want to know what's going on in Benson's love life, and whether Rollins' character is actually straight, and what the hell is going on with Amaro. When you watch a show for character development it typically helps to watch the episodes in order so that you can, you know, observe the characters' development.

One of the main frustrations of my life is that despite the fact that USA seems to play 'SVU' marathons about 70 hours a week, they always have weird themes; "ripped from the headlines", "famous guest stars", "Benson's boyfriends". Okay, I may have made that last one up since it's a marathon I'd actually be willing to watch, but regardless you get my point. Those marathons really don't help someone who cares about character development. They skip from an episode where District Attorney Cabot is no where to be found because she's in witness protection and almost everyone thinks she's dead to six episodes in a row where she's lead prosecutor. Then you see Stabler and Benson solve a case, but the next episode he's gone. Then Benson has super short hair and you wonder if they were trying to make her a butch cop, but suddenly she's all femme and kissing David Haden. This is why I need to watch the episodes in order.

I'm apparently too cheap to pay for Hulu Plus so I've decided that I'll take advantage of their free trial and watch all of season 14 of 'SVU' in one week.

I started two days ago and I'm already starting to notice several patterns. I could probably write this show y'all. Besides that, I've also learned that John Mulaney is totally right: 14 years and Ice-T still has no fucking clue.

SVU marathons on USA are kind of a big problem

Here's why 'SVU' marathon's on USA are kind of a big problem, y'all

1) First you're all: Score! An 'SVU' marathon. I just love watching those sex crime detectives hard at work.

2) Episode two starts and you're happy because Alex Cabot is the ADA and she's your favorite.

3) Then Novak's on and you're all: Okay. Sure. I can deal with her.

4) They play that super dramatic episode where Cabot gets shot and hello Witsec.

5) Episode five begins. Benson wants a warrant so she calls up Cabot cause, you know, she's back or she never left, or something. (Wait, what season is this now?)

6) Benson and Stabler share several dramatic moments this episode. Boy, their partnership is the best.

7) Benson hugs Amarao: "You're a great partner". Oh right, Stabler's gone.

9) This is getting ridiculous. You should probably be able to tell which season this is by the five second still of the gang in each episode's opening credits, but at this point you're 9 hours in and kind of exhausted.

Mariska Hargitay's New Baby

Hargitay adopted her daughter Amaya six-months ago, but apparently she still wanted more children.

Hargitay and her husband, Peter Hermann, have just added another baby to the mix, and it's a boy this time.

Their newest son, Andrew, joins big brother August and big sister Amaya. Anyone else notice a pattern with these names?

Hargitay with her daughter, Amaya

Response to "What a Woman Really Wants From a TV Show"

I recently read “What a Woman Really Wants From a TV Show” on Jezebel. I agreed with almost everything Dodai Stewart wrote.

1. I also miss having both physically and emotionally strong female leads or, as Stewart puts it, “kick ass female lead(s)”.
2. Unlike Stewart, I love a good procedural/medical drama (perhaps more than most), but I don’t think I can stand adding many more to the mix. I already have Law and Order: SVU, Bones, Grey’s Anatomy, Rizzoli and Isles, and Body of Proof. Please, no more.
3.  Two Broke Girls is somehow watchable, but parts of it are definitely racist. Really, really racist.
4. New Girl also has a few funny moments, but Jess as a character is not fleshed out.

What Stewart didn’t discuss, although she did mention it, is ABC’s newest show, Revenge. I’d argue that Revenge, perhaps more than any other show on the air right now, has a strong female lead.

Revenge is centered around Emily (Emily VanCamp), a young woman who moves back to the Hamptons to seek revenge on those who destroyed her father’s reputation. I won’t go into the complex plot right now, but I will tell you that there is one. At the same time, after watching an episode of Revenge it could easily be dismissed as a mindless sexy drama.

But Revenge has a one thing that other shows are missing: a strong female lead.

Emily’s character is intense, intelligent, and manipulative. She’s not necessarily likeable, but she’s a strong woman who successfully achieves her goals. She’s also beautiful, but for once beauty doesn’t make her an airhead, nor does it make her someone who only uses her sexuality to get what she wants. Her character is multi-faceted enough that she is able to use her beauty alongside her intellect, and she is also psychologically complex. That’s a refreshing thing to see on television. 

What time? What channel? The Emmys.

It's finally that time of year again...time for the Emmys! Whether you like red carpet action or the actual award show, here's where you can watch it all:

Live red carpet action starts at 6 pm on E!

Countdown begins at 7 pm on FOX

The actual awards show begins (live!) at 8 pm, also on FOX

I'm crossing my fingers for:
Amy Poehler ('Parks and Recreation')*
Alec Baldwin ('30 Rock')*
Jane Krakowski ('30 Rock')
Ed O'Neill ('Modern Family')*
'Parks and Recreation'*
Mariska Hargitay ('Law and Order: SVU')
Hugh Laurie ('House')
Archie Panjabi ('The Good Wife')
John Slattery ('Mad Men')
'The Good Wife'

I've starred the ones that I actually think will win. As you can see, I'll be pretty shocked if more than four of my choices walk away with that gold statuette.

Here's hoping!

emmy nominations for 2011 are announced! drama

2011 Emmy Nominations "Drama"
...who's nominated, who I want to win, and who probably will
looking for "comedy"?

Lead Actress--Drama:
*Elisabeth Moss I stopped watching 'Mad Men', so I can't really comment. Except to say I stopped watching 'Mad Men'.
*Connie Britton Maybe the 3rd nominated year will be the charm? She's a fine actress, but there are bigger names here.
*Mariska Hargitay Even after all these years this show is still great, and Hargitay is a big part of that. Plus it probably won't be around much longer. She's been nominated every year since '04, but hasn't won since '08.
*Mireille Enos This is her first time being nominated, and the Emmys do occasionally like surprise wins. But do enough people watch 'The Killing'?
*Julianna Marqulies She won 6 in a row for 'ER', and this is her second year nominated here.
*Kathy Bates She is a favorite, but I just couldn't stick with 'Harry's Law'

Lead Actor--Drama:
*Steve Buscemi Apparently this means I need to watch 'Boardwalk Empire'
*Michael C. Hall I love 'Dexter', and I think Hall's brilliantly acting plays a part in this. Plus, I'm not sure many people could be so successful acting next to their ex-wives who play their sisters.
*Kyle Chandler Damn, I need to watch more 'Friday Night Lights'.
*Jon Hamm I don't think this will happen, but maybe the Emmy folks will surprise me.
*Hugh Laurie This is one of my favorite shows, and Laurie makes it what it is. Plus, he can drop his accent like woah.
*Timothy Olyphant This category often likes the first time nominees to win, and that's what Olyphant is.

Supporting Actress--Drama:
Kelly Macdonald Never seen it.
Christina Hendricks She's good, but is she good enough to beat Panjabi?
Michelle Forbes Put a photo on your page, how will the voters know who you are?
Archie Panjabi She won last year, and I bet she'll win this year.
Margo Martindale Again, lets hope the voters aren't relying on the Emmy website!
Christina Baranski She keeps getting nominated and keeps losing, her last win was in 1999.

Supporting Actor--Drama:
*John Slattery There's a chance voters will want to give 'Mad Men' a bone.
*Andre Braugher I think he might actually win.
*Walton Goggins There's no photo on the website!
*Peter Dinklage Hmm...a little too much fantasy for the voters?
*Josh Charles No photo? Go yell at your agent.
*Alan Cumming Go ahead, yell.


Check back later for my opinions on the other Emmy categories (Comedy). Also, think I'm wrong? Think someone should have been nominated who wasn't? Leave a comment! Who will win? Who should win?

Rizzoli & Isles Season 2 Premiere "We Need Another Hero"

'Rizzoli & Isles' finally premiered tonight at 10 pm on TNT.

I don't want to ruin too much for you, so please stop reading now to avoid spoilers.

'Rizzoli & Isles' opened with Rizzoli still recovering from her injury that happened at the end of last season (where she saved her brother by shooting herself. It's complicated. Watch Season 1 and maybe it will be clarified). And by recovering we really mean whining. Of course Isles is there trying to help her recover. And pointing out, in what can only be compared to typical Brennan ('Bones') fashion, that her pain isn't real anymore because it's not medically possible.

Now, lets talk about the men. Once again the show managed to introduce romantic possiblities for our main characters. Rizzoli was approached by Charles (her ex-boyfriend from high school) about 15 minutes into the episode, and two seconds later we learned that Isles was dating Rizzoli's surgeon. But don't worry, the writers aren't going to ruin the possibility for future romance (I'm talking heteronormative romance here, even though I love the insinuations of less heteronormative assignations). Charles was gone (I'm guessing temporarily) by the end of the episode because his leave time was over. And Isles realized that her surgeon boyfriend was as pompous as Rizzoli had said he was.

The thriller/mystery plots are all right, but nowhere near as detailed or intelligent as many of the other criminal justice shows out there ('NCIS', 'Law and Order: SVU, etc.). Still, Alexander and Harmon's ability to act so seamlessly together, and to have what appears to be a realistic friendship on-screen, is the true reason that the show is successful. Their chemistry makes the show's writing seem stronger than it is...in this episode the buddy cop conversations continued (see my prior post with quotes) and that really helped the episode move along.

I'm not going to tell you what the solution to the mystery was, but if you haven't figured it out before the detectives do you've missed some major hints. Or you've just been distracted by Rizzoli & Isles brilliant quips.

If you missed the episode tonight you can catch it tomorrow (July 12) at 12 am on TNT.