My Top 5 TV Shows

With talk about the new fall TV lineups all over the place, I started thinking about my own TV lineup. If someone asked me what my top five favorite shows were, what would I say? This is a tough question for me--have you seen all the shows I watch? I gave it some thought and finally came up with my Top 5 list. Before I reveal my shows, I must preface this list by saying that I only chose from the pool of shows currently on basic cable TV. This obviously does not include premium channels like HBO and Showtime since I don’t subscribe to them and only watch those shows on DVD. I'll save those for another post. So, without further ado…

VFMC Girl’s Top 5 TV Shows:

1. Mad Men: My previous post pretty much sums up why this ranks number one on my list. This show is consistently good and it blew me away from the very beginning. Enough said.

2. Friday Night Lights: I love this show for the same reasons I love Mad Men. The other guys just do it a little bit better. The characters and their stories are compelling and the actors bring the words to life in a way that really touches you. The show is about so much more than just football, and if people could just get past the game, then I think they could really love it as much as the critics and FNL fans do.

3. Glee: This is a crazy, over-the-top show that touches upon some important issues in a way that’s entertaining and makes you think. The talent displayed on the show is amazing—I have no words for it. This cast has to be one of the hardest working on TV. I feel like I’m watching a musical every week, and I think that’s pretty impressive.

4. The Big Bang Theory: This show has the coolest bunch of geeks on TV. I tune in every week knowing I’m going to laugh my ass off and I actually do. Sheldon is one of the most well-written and well-acted characters on a sitcom and I love watching him interact with the other characters. I’m so excited to see how his character evolves next season.

5. Smallville: I admit, two big reasons I love this show are 1) Tom Welling is hot and 2) I’ve always loved the Lois and Clark/Superman relationship—it’s epic. But those aren’t the reasons why it ranks number five on my list. If you would have asked me five years ago where this ranked on my list, I would have probably said it was somewhere close to the bottom. The focus of the show veered away from Clark and his destiny and focused more on characters we really didn’t care about—cough…Lana…cough. Now that it’s gone through a complete reboot and headed in a whole new direction, it’s even better than ever, which is why it has moved its way up the ranks. It’s tenth and final season is going to be incredible.

Glee: My Life Would Suck Without It

I've rewatched the Sectionals ep a million times, and every time I get chills when I hear Rachel's rendition of "Don't Rain on My Parade." That girl was definitely born to be on Broadway. Everything about this fall finale was great. From the big reveal about Quinn's baby to the Will/Sue showdown to the competition--pure awesomeness.

Let's break it down...

She's Not Having Your Baby: Yes, Finn is a total moron for believing the hot tub story, but a little piece of me felt bad for him when he found out the truth. Man, my heart even broke a little for Quinn even though she was the one who lied. It was inevitable that Rachel would find out and tell Finn. You knew that was coming. I loved how she apologized to Quinn. The fact that Quinn turned down her offer to hit her in the face was an example of why I love this show. Just when you think two characters are going to throw down and become mortal enemies, they change things up and make us love them even more.

Shue v. Sue: The ongoing war between these two is so entertaining. Her insults and one-liners are so perfect and I love how he fights her every step of the way. Shue may have won this battle, but he really did wake the beast. Yeah, I'm pretty afraid for him.

The Competition: Even though I knew Sue leaked the set list, it was still painful to see their routines being performed by the other schools. I'm glad at least one of the directors felt some sort of guilt for cheating. As for the glee clubbers' last-minute routines, well, they totally rocked them. Like I said, Rachel's rendition of "Don't Rain on My Parade" was amazing. Although Mercedes' solo was top notch, Rachel blew everyone out of the water with her performance. She may be annoying, but she's got skills. The group's version of "You Can't Always Get What You Want" wasn't their best, but it was still really good. Unfortunately, I still can't get over the fact that Finn's supposed to be the strongest singer in the group when it's clear that he's not. I kind of cringed when I heard him sing at the end of the show during their special performance of "My Life Would Suck Without You." Unfortunately, the  kids are going to have to step it up a notch at Regionals. That other team has got some serious moves.

Will & Emma: As much as I want these two together, I wasn't entirely happy about their kiss at the end. Yes, for a split second I got the warm fuzzies, but it also didn't sit well with me. Emma had it absolutely right when she pointed out that "he just left his wife." They've had this flirty thing going on the entire season, but the fact is that he was completely in love with his wife just a short while ago (not sure how much time has lapsed since that big reveal). Even though I let out a squee like a teenage girl, maybe they should have ended with her walking away and Will realizing that his life does suck without her. I can't wait to see how this all unfolds.

Unforunately, my life will suck a whole lot between now and April 13 because there won't be any new episodes until that day. That's OK--it'll be like a nice early bday present for me. Until then...

Weekend Update: Clois Love, Barney's Playbook, Good Medicine, Original Heroes Are Back, Glee Crush, Office Mayhem, A 90210 Goodbye

Caught up on a lot of TV this weekend and just wanted to jot down a few thoughts about what I watched.

Smallville: Yes, the highly anticipated Pandora ep did not disappoint. I'm glad we finally got to see what exactly Lois saw a year into the future. It was disturbing and I hope our lovely group of superheroes does everything they can to stop it. Although a half-naked Clark is always a good thing on this show, I have to say that my favorite scene was at the end when Clark and Lois decided they were an official couple. The last shot of them in the elevator when she grabbed his hand was probably my favorite shot of the evening. I'm not gonna lie--I got all warm and giddy on the inside.

BTW...I can't believe I have to wait two whole months for a new ep. Ugh!

HIMYM: I loved this week's episode. I am a sucker for all things Barney. An episode centered around his playbook was genius. I can't remember all the of them, but it was awesome that one was called the Ted Mosby. You just knew there had to be one. Barney Stinson is definitely one of the best characters on TV today.

Trauma: This is my new ER if it lasts beyond its 13 or so eps. I really like the characters and am interested in seeing how they're developed. I hope NBC gives them a chance. It's highly dramatic but there's just something about it that grabs me. I can't quite put my finger on it. Although I suspect it's the complicated characters.

Mercy: I thought I'd given up on this show, but I kinda liked this week's episode. It renewed my interest in it. I kinda like that the Iraq doc is going out with the foreign doc. They're cute. The New Jersey Housewives making a guest appearance didn't annoy me as much as I thought it would. It was somewhat comical. I think I'll keep it on the Tivo list.

Heroes: I think I'm starting to get back into this show. This week the ep focused more on the original characters and I got all excited. Seeing Mohinder again made my week. I missed him. Now that I'm starting to understand what's going on with Samuel, this whole Carnival thing seems more interesting. I actually want to know what's going to happen next.

Glee: The "Endless Love" duet with Mr. S and Rachel was awesome! I really like the whole student crushing on teacher storyline. I mean what girl hasn't had a crush on a teacher at some point? His mash-up was great. Where can I get a copy?

I was also happy to see Hannah from Everwood (Sarah Drew) as a guest star. I hope they bring her back. The scene where Quinn's dad kicked her out was completely heartbreaking. I could totally feel her anguish--great job! I know I should be pissed at her for lying to Finn, but a part of me feels for her. That's what I like about this show--as irritating as the characters can be, I can't help feeling something for them.

The Office: I really don't know why corporate thinks inviting Michael to anything is a good idea. You'd think they'd learned their lesson after all these years. I think my favorite thing about this ep was how they added Oscar into the Michael-Dwight-Andy mix. It made for an interesting dynamic since Oscar is always snubbing his nose at them. BTW...his southern accent in the Murder ep had me in fits of laughter. Actually that whole ep was hilarious. I love it when they do silly eps like that one.

90210: I have to admit, Jackie Taylor dying broke my heart. When Kelly thought she died without saying goodbye and had a breakdown in the hallway--wow, I thought I was going to lose it. Jackie was a huge part of both Kelly's and Silver's dysfunction, but in the end she was able to make amends before dying with her daughters by her side. Yes, I shed a tear when Jackie Taylor died.

TV DVD Extra: I just finished season three of BSG and I can't wait to get to season four. I was totally shocked when they revealed the four cylons. Crazy! And the whole Starbuck thing? OMG...so cannot wait until I get the next disc.

Glee: Soundtrack Love

I just have to say that I love the soundtrack and can't wait until December 8 for the second volume. What I love even more is that the Target version has three bonus tracks: "I Wanna Sex You Up," "I could Have Danced All Night" and "Leaving on a Jet Plane."

I only wish they had the mash-up songs they created for the boys v. girls episode. I have them, but they aren't exactly the best quality. I never would have thought in a million years that "It's My LIfe" and "Confessions" could work so well together. "Halo" and "Walking on Sunshine" was a big surprise, too. Check them out (I couldn't find good clips, but here are the songs):

This show has been getting a lot of love, which is great. I just hope it doesn't end up ruining the show.

Glee: I'm a Total Gleek

Last night's episode had me in fits of laughter...AGAIN! The music choices on this show are so great and completely unexpected. I mean who would have thought they'd have Mr. Schuester singing the "Thong Song" or swing dancing with Sue? I can't tell you how many times I replayed his glorious rendition of "Busta Move" over and over again. What can I say? I love to hear the man sing and watch him dance. He's got some pretty good moves. Although, there was one part of the "Thong Song" routine that reminded me of you, JG. I think I might have gagged a little when it hit me.

Aside from all the song-and-dance routines, I liked the storylines woven in between. Usually they're a little weak, but I think they didn't a pretty good job this time around. I loved how the King and Queen of the school were brought down by grape slusheees. I kinda got the warm fuzzies at the possibility of a Rachel and Puck coupling. The chemistry between Schuester and Pillsbury was undeniable. I actually felt bad for Sue when she caught her new man cheating. I loved how the Will and Sue pairing kid of mimicked Puck and Rachel at the end.

Overall, I felt it was a solid episode. Is it so wrong that I wish this show was 38 minutes of singing and dancing and five minutes of dialogue? I can't wait until the soundtrack is released!

Glee: Let's Hear It for the Boys

A capella hip-hop?! LOL! Acafellas! Hahahaha!

I love that they’re singing "This is How We Do It" by Montell Jordan. Ahhhh…brings me back.

Finn totally reminds me of Chris Klein. He must have watched American Pie tons of times.

Why are these cheerios trying to hook Mercedes up with the gay boy?

OMG…I can’t believe they’re performing "Poison" by Bel Biv DeVoe…LMAO! I love this show!

The reviews crack me up…they were pretty good.

I can’t watch Mercedes ask him out.

Wow, those Vocal Adrenaline kids are really good. Our Glee clubbers need Mr. Schuester back.

Ummmm…why is the a-hole jock asking to be in Acafellas? Ahhh…he’s trying to get a cougar. Makes sense.

Homeruns=dancing…creative way to teach a jock how to dance.

Gayvention…oh kids. Ummm…Mercedes, Kurt is gay. Stop living in denial. I don’t care how lonely you are.

LOL…he’s using Rachel as a beard? Bad idea buddy. Bad idea…you just pissed off Mercedes. And now we have an awesome musical number. Love the attitude! Beyonce couldn’t have done it any better.

This hobbit needs to stfu and get the hell out. The cheerios’ plan is not going to work.

OMG…are they doing Boyz to Men? Please say, yes. Please say, yes. OMG…Color Me Badd…"I Wanna Sex You Up"! Awesome!

Josh Groban hitting on Mr. Schuester’s mom…so wrong, but so funny.

Awwww Kurt, it’s OK to be yourself.

Wow…you tell her little cheerio. If you really believe in yourself, you don’t have to bring anyone down.

I’ll admit that this ep wasn’t as amazingly epic as the last two, but it was still entertaining. If the storyline is weak, you can bet the musical numbers will more than make up for it. Mercedes trying to make Kurt her boyfriend was a bit of a stretch. No matter how lonely the girl gets, no one with that kind of attitude is going to think a little gay boy is the answer to her problems. It was a little weird that Mr. Schuester was having another crisis of faith so soon, but I’m glad he snapped out it. I think it’ll be interesting to see what happens with the Cheerios now that their leader has effectively pissed them off.

Glee: Everyone Freak Out!

Last night was all about crap. Tonight—complete awesomeness! It’s official. This is my new favorite show of the season. Can’t wait until the soundtrack comes out. It’s going to be awesome. Anyway…here are some of my thoughts from tonight’s ep:


"Freak Out" for the school assembly performance? Disco? Really? Are you trying to get these kids killed Mr. Schuester?

Hell to the naw…LOL! Mercedes makes me laugh.

"Golddigger"…awesome! Teacher doing Kanye…even more awesome! LMAO! Teacher’s got moves for a white guy. I think I might love him.

I really don’t like teacher’s wife.

Celibacy club? We didn’t have those in high school. What are they doing with those balloons? "It's all about the teasing and not about the pleasing" Oh my!

Didn’t know chalk dust could be so hot. I guess we don’t have to worry about Henry’s ex showing up on Ugly Betty again. Looks like Miss Pillsbury’s found her man. Look out Mr. S--she's got her puppy dog eyes on you.

"Push It"...soooooo awesome! LOL! OMG! ROTFL! I can’t believe they did this song in front of the whole school. Sex sells no matter where you are. Oh, that was too funny! I can't breathe.

Is this a dream sequence? Are Rachel and Finn going to have sex on that stage? Ummm, what the hell just happened? Did I miss something? Oh...he's an early one.

No baby…I suspected that. Hysterical pregnancy? Didn’t know there was such a thing. Teacher’s wife has some explaining to do.

Damn, cheerio cheerleaders are going to be in glee club? Say it ain’t so Mr. Schuester. This can’t be good.

Can’t believe teacher’s wife lied! How could she?!

I kinda feel sorry for Rachel. And Finn is kind of an ass. I loved how they edited this last scene. It actually made me feel sad.

Did I mention this show is fabulous?! Although I’m sad that Jane Lynch won’t be on Party Down anymore—she’s just as great on this show. The tension between her and Schuester is going to create some pretty fantastic fireworks. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

It's All About Glee

After letting it sit on my TiVo playlist for weeks, I finally watched the entire Pilot episode for Glee.


And well, it looks like I have a knew show to add to my fall schedule. I absolutely loved it! The entire time I was watching it I felt like breaking out into song. Yes, it's that catchy. The show kind of reminded me of a combination of Election, American Pie and Grease. It's kind of quirky and not your typical teen show, which is why I love it so much. I admit, it's a little strange that the main girl reminds me so much of Tracy Flick (she must have watched that movie a lot to nail that part), but it's OK. I have a feeling that this version will have a little more heart.

The best part of the show is definitely the performances. I can't wait to see what other songs they use during the season. Some of them are available on iTunes, which makes me think I might be making a few music purchases after each episode.

If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend heading over to Fox and watching the ep. It's so fun!