Random Dizi Ramblings: Aşk Mantık İntikam, Sen Çal Kapımı, Secret Babies, and Time Jumps

Happy Monday! I have so many dizi thoughts running through my head, and I just need to get them down. Who knows? Maybe there's someone out there thinking about the same things. Or maybe this will just be cathartic for me. Either way, these words need to be said! (Also, I'd like to take back 95% of what I said when I wrote about Aşk Mantık İntikam before. I had no idea what was in store ...)

Lately, my biggest dizi obsession has been Aşk Mantık İntikam. I started watching after about eight episodes had aired, and I was quickly all in. The leads have some of the most insane chemistry I've ever seen, and the show - about a couple (Esra and Ozan) reuniting two years after their divorce - was so fun to watch. And then it all fell apart. Ozan proposed to his friend Çağla out of anger after misunderstanding something Esra said. Then he married Çağla out of pity with the understanding that they would quietly divorce. Çağla developed psychological problems, slept with her ex, accidentally injured Esra but then left her for dead, sabotaged Ozan's company, sexually assaulted an incredibly drunk and unable to consent Ozan and lied to him about what happened, and is currently passing off the child she is pregnant with as Ozan's when it's really her ex's. 

Now there's a time jump and a secret baby (Esra and Ozan slept together one time, which in diziland pretty much always will result in pregnancy). While I hate what the show has become (and it probably should've just ended with a different ending to episode 10), I have a little hope. Why? Because I've seen this movie before, and it ended well. 

Let's look at Sen Çal Kapımı. This show started as a romcom, but then it became ... something practically unrecognizable. The episodes in the SÇK 30's were, simply put, awful. Serkan's amnesia went on far too long, Selin pretended to be pregnant with Serkan's baby, Eda was tricked into marrying Deniz, there was an incredibly strange and never completely explained murder mystery episode, and Serkan got a brain tumor. I - and many others - only continued watching because of Hande Erçel and Kerem Bürsin. And then season one ended, the original writer came back, and season two brought back that SÇK magic.

Season two of SÇK started five years after the end of season one ... and featured a secret baby. I had my doubts heading into it, but Kiraz (the secret baby) was the best thing to happen to the show. The season was all about Serkan finding out that Kiraz was his, Serkan and Eda reuniting, and the Bolats finding their happily ever after. I loved every second of it. I know some people believe you need to have a villain to keep the story going (this is apparently the theory the AMİ writers are going with), but a show without a villain can be so fun to watch ... and it's much less stressful! Serkan and Eda still faced conflict, but there was no Selin in the way. The potential other love interests (Burak and Deniz) were so not even remote possibilities that it was laughable. And watching Serkan with his daughter was just so heart warming. 

The difference here is that I have great faith in SÇK scriptwriter Ayşe's writing*, while I don't trust the AMİ writers as far as I can throw them. Could it be wonderful to watch Ozan getting to know his son with Esra? Of course. But the rumors say that Ozan has been raising Çağla's child. Years have passed, and none of Çağla's lies have come out? Ridiculous. Also, I hate that Ozan missed out on Esra's pregnancy. This is speculation, of course, and maybe production is running a long con and none of these rumors will be true. Maybe the time jump is a way to get Çağla off the show (or, you know, she could just enter a mental hospital ...). The trailer that was released today shows Ozan meeting Esra's son ... who calls Çinar "daddy." This little twist actually gives me a little more hope, as it logically means one of two things:

1. Ozan has no contact with Çağla. Çağla and Çinar have been thick as thieves, so if Çinar is raising Esra's child, Çağla would know about it. And she certainly wouldn't keep that a secret from Ozan (though she would definitely frame it up as "Çinar and Esra's" child.
2. It's a ruse, and Çinar and Esra haven't been together all this time, but Çinar is helping Esra save face and not be labeled an unwed mother when she returns to Turkey.

Of course, AMİ writers have never been driven by logic, so it could be that somehow Esra and Çinar really have been raising Ozan's son together while Ozan is raising Çağla's daughter, and Ozan has been kept in the dark for years. But, sensical or not, I'm curious to see where this will go.

Ultimately, since the writers/production/FOX were unwilling to actually have any of Çağla's deeds come to light, a time jump is the best option. The audience will only stay around for so long, and this viewer was certainly ready to jump ship. With a time jump, things can be reset (and hopefully they will be). I'll even be OK with a shift to Çinar being the villain ... just please, please, please don't let it remain the Çağla show.

I guess we'll see what happens when the new episode airs Friday. FOX has been canceling shows left and right, so I'd imagine they'd like to keep AMİ around for a while ... but what do I know? I just hope that, whenever the axe finally falls, Esra and Ozan get an actual happy ending, and Çağla doesn't get a redemption arc**.

*I will watch anything Ayşe writes. It's magical. See: Erkenci Kuş, Sen Çal Kapımı

**This is one of my biggest beefs with dizis. The villains hardly ever face any real repercussions. Çağla needs to do some prison time.

If you're watching Aşk Mantık İntikam, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Let's chat in the comments!

Kara Para Aşk (Black Money Love): Bölüm 1 (2014)

Series Summary (from Fun Network): Omer is a police officer. After the death of his fiancée he suffers great pain. Sibel, Omer's fiancée's, body was found on the top of a cliff, in a car next to a fairly old, rich business man. After the shock of her sudden death and the accusations of his love cheating on him, Omar realizes that there is more behind her suspicious murder.

Aşk 101: Bölüm 1 (2020)

Series Summary (from Netflix): While trying to make their teacher fall for a basketball coach, four misfits and a model student find friendship, love, and the courage to be themselves.

I'm watching this because at this point, it's like "why not?" when I hear about a dizi. I actually watched the first episode long ago, as I stumbled across it on Netflix, but it didn't grab me. After more than a year of being fully immersed in dizi culture, I was ready to give it another shot.

Episode Reaction: Aşk Mantık İntikam Bölüm 10

I know ... I haven't even written about Aşk Mantık İntikam's first episode yet. But I had to get these thoughts down now, and this seemed like the perfect place to do it!

I just finished the episode that sent the fandom into a meltdown. And while I can understand why people are upset, also, I kind of feel like we've seen this movie before, and we survived. I can't imagine that the Ozan-Çağla relationship will be nearly as maddening as amnesiac Serkan and Selin in Sen Çal Kapımı. I realize that SÇK left some fans with a bit of dizi PTSD, but I figure if I can survive the SÇK 30's, I can survive anything diziland wants to throw at me! (It probably helps that I'm so wholly satisfied with SÇK season 2...) Also, I happen to love fighting Ozan and Esra, so bring on the hurt, angst, and yelling.

Erkenci Kuş: Bölüm 1 (2018)

Series Summary (from IMDb): Sanem, a young girl with aspirations of becoming a writer, is forced by her parents to choose between an arranged marriage and finding a proper job. Rushing into a new job at an advertising company, she soon falls for her boss, Can.

I watched this because I stumbled across this gif in a "sweet and clean" romance group I'm in on Facebook.

I'm Back!

Hi, friends! This blog has been dormant for seven years. Honestly, I never expected to post on it again. And then ... I found the dizi, and a whole new (and wholly wonderful) world of television opened up to me.

I wrote a post on my other blog about how much I'm loving dizis, but I thought that constantly posting about them might be too much for my regular readers, who come for book recommendations, not dizi gushing! So I'll be posting here every so often. My initial thought is to keep the old format and review the first bölüm (episode) of several dizis, and then also write season and/or series reviews. Who knows, maybe you'll catch the dizi bug and find your next favorite show!

Friday Night Lights: 1.1 "Pilot"

Series Summary (from IMDb): The trials and tribulations of small town Texas football players, their friends, family, and coaching staff. (I love how succinct it is!)

I'm watching this because: I've heard so many good things about this show—from critics, from my sister, from friends. I purchased the series for about $40 from Amazon a couple years ago, and I watched the first episode about four times at different times, but it just never grabbed me ... until now. After I finished The West Wing (one of the most addictive and satisfying viewing experiences of my life), I decided to give Friday Night Lights another go.

Recap: The pilot episode follows the week leading up to the Dillon Panthers' first game of the season. Football is life in Dillon, and the football players are revered. New head coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler) is under extreme pressure to deliver a win—and perhaps a state championship. Starting quarterback Jason Street (Scott Porter) is the team's star, and he's looking forward to guaranteed college scholarships ... until he is gravely injured in the season opener. Backup Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford) saves the game with a last-second Hail Mary.

Reactions: For whatever reason, the fifth time's the charm. Even though I basically knew what would happen, thanks to my previous four viewings of the pilot over the past two years, I was riveted to the screen, and I immediately watched the next two episodes, as well. I love, love, love Coach & Tami Taylor (Connie Britton), I think Saracen is adorable, and, for the first time ever, I get why Taylor Kitsch (as bad boy Tim Riggins) was supposed to be the "next big thing."

Keep watching? No question. I'm completely smitten!

Watch it on Amazon or Netflix.

The West Wing: 1.1 "Pilot"

Series Summary (from Netflix): This powerful political epic chronicles the triumphs and travails of White House senior staff under the administration of President Josiah Bartlet.

I'm watching this because: Honestly, it was on a whim. I was looking for a new show to watch, and I'd pretty much decided to try The Good Wife when The West Wing popped up as a suggestion on Amazon Prime. So I pressed play ...

Recap: Basically, the pilot serves as a vehicle to introduce viewers to the vast cast of characters: President Josiah Bartlet (Martin Sheen), White House Press Secretary C.J. Cregg (Allison Janney), Chief of Staff Leo McGarry (John Spencer), Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford), Communications Director Toby Ziegler (Richard Schiff), Deputy Communications Director Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe), and others. About a million things happen, but the memorable threads include Josh's near-firing over comments he made about the Religious Right and Sam's one night stand with a prostitute.

Reactions: OK, so now I get what all the buzz is about. The West Wing is completely charming. And though I'm a conservative and the majority of the characters are incredibly liberal, I love them. (Though it does bug me when Christians get stomped on.)

I'll now admit that I'm writing this as I begin the sixth season (less than two months after I began watching)—so obviously, I'm all in! I adore Donna (Janel Moloney) and C.J., am thrilled that Josh is finally figuring out how much he cares for Donna, and eagerly scour the names of the guest stars at the beginning of each episode, hoping that Timothy Busfield's Danny is going to return to sweep C.J. off her feet.

Also, it's so much fun seeing who will pop up as a guest star—Nick Offerman ("Ron Swanson" on Parks & Rec), Matthew Perry, Christian Slater, Lisa Edelstein ("Cuddy" on House) and John Goodman have all shown up a time or two. But I did the most squealing when George Frankly from Mathnet (Joe Howard) showed up in a one-line role!

And it's really a testament to how great an actor Dulé Hill is that I don't even see a smidge of Burton Guster (Psych) in his portrayal of Charlie, the President's personal aide.

I could go on and on, but suffice it to say I'm head over heels for this show!

Keep watching? Absolutely! But what will I do once I'm finished???

Almost Human: 1.1 "Pilot"

Series summary (from FOX): The year is 2048. Meet Detective JOHN KENNEX, a cop who survived one of the most catastrophic attacks ever made against the police department. After waking up from a 17-month coma, he can't remember much – except that his partner was killed, he lost one of his legs and he is now outfitted with a highly sophisticated synthetic appendage.

Suffering from depression, mental atrophy, trauma-onset OCD, PTSD and the “psychological rejection of his synthetic body part,” John returns to work at the behest of longtime ally Captain SANDRA MALDONADO. By mandate, every cop must partner with a robot. And despite his passionate aversion to androids, John is paired up with a battle-ready MX-43. But he abruptly terminates his partnership after the robot discovers incriminating information about him. So technician RUDY LOM introduces John to DORIAN, a discontinued android with unexpected emotional responses. Although such responses were deemed flaws, it is in these “flaws” that John relates to Dorian most. After all, John is part-machine now, and Dorian is part-human. John and Dorian's understanding of each other not only complements them, it connects them.

As he adjusts to working with his new partner, John also must learn to get along with his new colleagues, including the sharp and insightful human intelligence analyst Detective VALERIE STAHL and the distrustful Detective RICHARD PAUL, who does not welcome John back with open arms.

ALMOST HUMAN will follow the week-to-week missions of John and Dorian, as they fight crime across this futuristic landscape, while the mysteries surrounding John's attack and the larger mythology of this new world unfold.

I'm watching this because: It's from J.J. Abrams (Alias, Lost, Fringe) and J.H. Wyman (Fringe). Enough said.

Recap: Detective John Kennex (Karl Urban) is involved in a terrible attack in which he loses his partner and his leg and ends up in a coma for 17 months. He is desperate to learn the truth of what happened, so he visits a back-alley doctor to try to regain his memory. He has apparently been visiting this doctor for some time, even though the process is quite dangerous.

The next day, his boss convinces him that it's time to return to work. He's given an MX (android) partner, as it's now mandatory for each cop to have an MX as a partner. Things don't go well with that partner, and he's soon assigned a new one—Dorian (Michael Ealy), an earlier MX model who has human emotions. While John doesn't trust Dorian at first, the MX soon proves himself invaluable.

John soon discovers that recent crime in the city is connected to the attack that put him in the coma. He and Dorian work together to find the culprits, and they learn that the police headquarters—and something in the evidence locker—is the criminals' ultimate target.

They aren't fast enough to stop the attack on headquarters, but they are able to drive off the criminals and capture one of them before too many cops are killed. The police have no idea what the criminals were after in evidence, but we soon learn that it's a woman—perhaps an MX of Dorian's generation?

Reactions: This has a definite Fringe vibe to it with weird science and gross visual effects, and that is fantastic! It also has some genuinely humorous moments ... something that was sorely lacking in Fringe. Urban and Ealy are perfect together, and I think it will be fun to watch their relationship develop. I've been missing good sci-fi, and this looks like it could fill that void.

Keep watching? Absolutely. I can't wait for episode two tomorrow!

Revenge: 1.1 "Pilot"

Series summary (from Netflix): Inspired by Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo, this modern-day drama follows a lovely young woman who moves to the Hamptons and charms the pants off her new neighbors -- while plotting their downfall for sins committed against her family.

I'm watching this because: My sister told me I should. And then she offered up her Netflix password so I could. (I dumped Netflix during the summer.)

I remember when Revenge premiered. I thought it looked way too soapy. But if ABC had marketed Revenge to me using the Netflix description, I totally would have watched from the beginning! I am such a sucker for adaptations of classics.

Recap: The show opens at Victoria Grayson's Labor Day party. Emily Thorne is being introduced as Victoria's son Daniel's fiancee. Only Daniel is missing ... and his body is soon found on the beach.

Flash back five months. Emily rents a house in the Hamptons for the summer season. Soon, however, we learn that her name is really Amanda, and she used to live in that house with her father. She has her sights on revenge against the people who ruined her father's life, especially the wealthy Graysons.

She soon meets Jack, a childhood friend who still carries a torch for Amanda, as well as Nolan, the only person who knows her true identity. And she begins her revenge ...

Reactions: Val told me I needed to push through the beginning episodes, and then it would get really good. But you know what? I think I'm already hooked.

The next Dawson's? Looks like it could be. I just finished the pilot, and as soon as I hit "publish," I'll be starting episode two.

Watch it on Netflix.

Under the Dome: 1.1 "Pilot"

So far, I've only been writing about the pilot episodes of shows you can stream one or more seasons of online. But why limit myself to those? New new shows have pilots to be reviewed, too, so why not write about some of the brand new shows I'm trying out? They obviously can't become the next Dawson's Creek, as I can't binge watch them, so I guess they don't really fit into my original idea. But let's be honest—I've already found two shows that sucked me in as much as Dawson's did, and I didn't blog about any of their episodes beyond the pilot. That part of this project would require more time and effort than I'm willing to put forth. Blogging about pilots, though? That's fun. So that's what I'll keep doing!

Series summary (from Amazon): Under The Dome is the story of a small town that is suddenly and inexplicably sealed off from the rest of the world by an enormous transparent dome. The town's inhabitants must deal with surviving the post-apocalyptic conditions while searching for answers to what this barrier is, where it came from and if and when it will go away.

I'm watching this because: I was immediately intrigued when I saw the first preview on CBS. At the time, I didn't have TV, but then it showed up on Prime Instant Video.

Recap: Residents of Chester's Mill suddenly find themselves trapped under a huge dome, which seems impenetrable. Due to an event in a neighboring town, many residents—including the mayor, fire fighters, and most city council members, are gone when the dome materializes. Not only are those in Chester's Mill trapped, but many are hiding secrets that they'll do anything to keep from exposure.

Reactions: What fun! Not fun in a lighthearted, funny way, but fun in a J.J. Abrams-esque what-the-crap-just-happened kind of way. I love shows like this! Here's what Under the Dome feels like after one episode: Lost meets Fringe meets Jericho. This show is totally and completely in my wheelhouse.

The next Dawson's? No, but it just might be the next Lost, which is equally important, if totally different.

Watch it on Amazon Instant Video.

Covert Affairs: 1.1 "Pilot"

Series summary (from Amazon): New jobs are tough—especially when your new employer is the CIA. Annie Walker (Piper Perabo) is fluent in six languages, has traveled the world and is besting her fellow CIA trainees in every test. But that doesn't explain why she's suddenly summoned by CIA headquarters to report for active duty as a field operative one month before her training is over. She doesn't know there may be something—or someone—from her past that her CIA bosses are really after.

I'm watching this because: I'm a big fan of Christopher Gorham. Loved him in My Girlfriend's Boyfriend. (And if you have yet to watch My Girlfriend's Boyfriend, go read my review, and then go stream the movie.) I've not traditionally liked Piper Perabo, but when this popped up as a recommendation on Amazon, I decided to check it out.

Recap: Following a horrible breakup, Annie decides to join the CIA. She still has a month of training left when she's called to Langley. They need someone with her language skills (she speaks six languages fluently) to work with a Russian spy who has agreed to sell intel to the US. She immediately meets Auggie (Gorham), a tech agent who was blinded in Iraq, and they quickly bond. But Annie doesn't realize that her bosses might want her at Langley for reasons that have nothing to do with her skills as an agent ...

Reactions: My sister mocks me for watching this show, calling it a poor man's Alias. And there is definitely some truth to that ... I'd call it Alias-lite. But I love spy shows, I love Christopher Gorham, and I was so happily surprised to see Peter Gallagher in a supporting role ... after years of not particularly caring for him due to his role in While You Were Sleeping, I completely fell for him as Sandy Cohen on The O.C. Also, I love having a couple to root for, and I know they're going to go in the Annie-Auggie direction eventually.

The next Dawson's? Most likely. I just realized that I started Dawson's Creek at this time last year—and without any "homework" to bring home from work during the summer, I should have plenty of free evenings to watch!

I wrote the preceding paragraphs last month, prior to blowing through all three seasons in a few weeks. I think I averaged about two episodes per night, so Covert Affairs certainly has become 2013's Dawson's Creek. As I predicted, they have gone for an Annie-Auggie romance, with the first kiss coming in the Season 3 finale. And I actually find myself torn about it, because there's another character, Eyal (played by guest star Oded Fehr), who I would love to see Annie with. Season 4 premiered last night, and it's going to be hard for me to wait a whole week between episodes when I'm so used to watching them on demand!

Watch it on Amazon Instant Video.

Pushing Daisies: 1.1 "Pie-Lette"

Series summary (from Amazon): Ned, a young man with a very special gift, discovered as a boy that he could return the dead briefly back to life with just one touch. But his random gift isn't without deadly consequences, as he soon finds out. As a pie shop owner, grownup Ned puts his talent to good use by touching dead fruit and making it ripe with everlasting flavor.

I'm watching this because: Several years ago, I remember my cousin Beth asking if I watched Pushing Daisies. (This was when it still aired on ABC.) When I said no, she told me she thought I'd like it. I filed that away but never checked it out ... until last night, when I was looking for something short and sweet to watch before bed. After coming up empty on Netflix, I started scrolling through Prime Instant Video on Amazon, and Pushing Daisies caught my eye.

Recap: As a child, Ned (Lee Pace) discovers he has a gift: his touch can bring the dead back to life. However, if the person (or animal) stays alive for more than one minute, someone else in close proximity to the "dead" person will die. Also, as Ned learns the hard way, if he touches a person he has brought back to life a second time, the person will die again ... permanently.

When private investigator Emerson Cod (a hilarious Chi McBride) learns Ned's secret, he convinces Ned to go into business with him—Ned will wake murder victims just long enough to learn their killer, and when the killer is brought to justice, Emerson and Ned will split the reward money.

Business is going great until Ned's childhood crush Chuck (Anna Friel) is murdered. When Ned wakes her, he doesn't have the heart to "kill" her ... so he lets her live, knowing he can never touch her again.

Reactions: Why did I wait so long to start watching this show? I loved everything about it—the narrator, the vivid colors, the set up, the supporting cast (except perhaps for Kristin Chenoweth, who, at least in the pilot, was a tad annoying). I had to force myself to stop watching after one episode, and as soon as I post this, I'm going back for episode two!

The next Dawson's? I'm thinking yes. Definitely.

Watch it on Amazon Instant Video.

Hart of Dixie: 1.1 "Pilot"

Series summary (from Netflix):  New Yorker Zoe Hart's dreams didn't involve patching up the locals in a tiny town in the Deep South, yet that's exactly where the fast-talking city girl finds herself when she ends up inheriting a medical practice in Bluebell, Alabama.

I'm watching this because: I remember when Hart of Dixie premiered last year, and I was interested ... just not interested enough to seek it out on Hulu or the CW's website. Then it popped up on Netflix, so I thought I'd give it a chance.

Recap: When Dr. Zoe Hart graduates from medical school, an older gentleman named Harley—who is a total stranger—invites her to join his medical practice in Alabama. Four years later, after being passed over for a surgical residency, Zoe decides to take him up on his offer. When she arrives in Bluebell, she discovers that Harley has died and left her his half of the practice he shared with another doctor. She also meets three intriguing (and sometimes infuriating) men—George, the local lawyer; Lavon, a former NFL star turned mayor; and Wade, a bartender/handyman.

Reactions: I've never been a fan of Rachel Bilson. There's something about her acting that seems a little stilted. But the charm of Bluebell drew me in, and once the action moved there, I knew I was in for the long haul. As I watched, I thought the town square, especially the gazebo, looked eerily familiar ... and I was right! Those scenes are shot on the WB lot on the old Gilmore Girls set.

Plus, I'm a sucker for a good love triangle, and that's what the writers have going with George, Zoe, and Wade. (After the pilot, I'm definitely Team George.) Hart of Dixie isn't a medical drama so much as it is a relationship drama where some of the characters happen to be doctors. And that's just how I like it!

The next Dawson's? Confession time: It already is! I started watching this at the beginning of September and powered through all 22 season one episodes by the time season two premiered at the beginning of October. (And by the end of the season, I'd jumped ship to Team Wade.) I absolutely love Hart of Dixie ... but now that I'm totally caught up to the "real time" airing, I still need to find a new Dawson's Creek!

Watch it on Netflix.

Alphas: 1.1 "Pilot"

Series summary (from Netflix): A team of individuals gifted with extraordinary neurological abilities is tasked with solving a series of high-profile crimes. Among them are an autistic man whose mind works as fast as a computer and an FBI agent with super strength.

I'm watching this because: It's sci-fi, and Netflix recommended it. Really, I clicked on it on a whim.

Recap: The show begins in a supermarket. A worker (who looked incredibly familiar but I didn't identify until I imdb'd him and learned he was in the incredibly implausible Hallmark movie The Most Wonderful Time of the Year) receives a text message listing a time and a place. From then on, the message "Time to kill" is everywhere he turns. And at the appointed time, he picks up a rifle and pulls the trigger.

Next we meet Dr. Rosen (the fabulous David Strathairn), who is in charge of a group of Alphas. Alphas' brains have evolved beyond those of normal humans, giving them special abilities. Rosen is not an Alpha (as least as far as we know), but his goal is to help them harness their abilities.

Then we meet the Alphas: Nina, a woman who can compel people to do her bidding by making eye contact when she speaks; Bill (Malik Yoba, who I will always know as Yul Brenner on Cool Runnings), a man with super-human strength; Rachel, a woman with synesthesia; and Gary (Ryan Cartwright, the dearly departed Vincent Nigel-Murray from Bones), a young autistic man who can read all waves on the electromagnetic field.

The Alphas are assembled to investigate the inexplicable murder of a suspect in a police interrogation room. Rosen learns the murder is the work of Red Flag, an extremist Alpha group, and soon the Alphas learn the murderer's identity: Cameron Hicks, the grocery store worker.

By combining their abilities, they are able to capture Cameron, and they discover he's an Alpha who has been brainwashed. Cameron joins up with them to catch Red Flag's operative, but the operative escapes. Eventually, Rosen realizes the entire operation has been a setup to take out the Alphas, and they finally catch the operative.

In the end, Cameron is invited to join the Alphas ... thus setting up the series.

Reactions: From the opening shot (of a cart wheeling down a grocery store aisle), I was hooked. Alphas is sci-fi done the way I like it—set in the present in our world with people who are special (but not too special).

I didn't even realize that Ryan Cartwright was playing Gary at first—he was that immersed in the role. The other actors fully embody their roles, as well. The casting of this show is spot on.

My guess is that Cameron will become one of the most important characters, and I'd love to see him find love with Rachel.

The next Dawson's? Quite possibly. I still have plenty of other pilots to watch, though.

Watch it on Netflix.

The Post That Inspired This Blog

This was originally published on my other blog, Christian Chick's Thoughts, on August 26, 2012.

The other night, I finished watching Dawson's Creek. I watched the pilot episode in May, right before my gallbladder surgery. In the week following surgery, I watched all of seasons one, two, and three. The final three seasons I watched at a more reasonable rate—about one season per month. Now that I've finished, I have a few things to say about the series! (This is more for me than for you, so you won't hurt my feelings if you click away now—especially if you've never seen Dawson's Creek!)

1. For a show called Dawson's Creek, I cared surprisingly little for good old Dawson Leery. In fact, I rejoiced whenever Dawson didn't appear in an episode, which happened surprisingly often in season six. Really, Dawson's Creek turned into the Joey Potter show, and that was fine by me. Even when Joey was making boneheaded decisions (like leaving Pacey for Eddie), I was captivated by the life and times of Miss Potter.
2. As I watched the first few seasons, all the Tom Cruise references made me snicker, knowing that Joey's portrayer was actually married to the man. Then the news of the Cruise-Holmes divorce hit, and any Tom Cruise reference after that wasn't quite so humorous. Also, I found it interesting that two Cruise exes appeared in the same episode, though they never shared a scene: Mimi Rogers (ex-Mrs. Cruise #1) played Jen's mom in a season six episode.
3. Is it just me, or does Capeside have the longest, most convoluted school year on record? Season one: sophomore year. Season two: sophomore year. Season one clearly begins at the beginning of their sophomore year and ends either at Christmas or summer break, as Joey is contemplating a semester abroad and would have to leave in a couple of days. Then in season two, they have homecoming. I've never heard of a spring homecoming, though I suppose it's possible ... but would the guys be wearing their football jerseys if that were the case? 
4. Holy dropped story lines, Batman! Does anyone remember Eve? Anyone? In season three, she was the bad girl Dawson met on the bus from Philly (where Gail lived momentarily) who turned out to possibly be Jen's half-sister. She disappeared and was never mentioned again until the end of season six, when the writers did acknowledge that they dropped the ball. Jen mentioned her, and when someone asked who she was, Jack's reply made me smile because it was so true: "Long story. Ambiguous ending." And then there's Gail's new husband. The whole reason everyone goes back to Capeside in the finale is for her wedding, but after the actual wedding, Gail's husband is never seen again—not at the house, not at the hospital, not at the funeral. Even though he didn't know Jen, you'd think he would have been there to support his wife. Also, this doesn't constitute a dropped story line per se, but I wish they would have told us what happened to C.J. (Jensen Ackles of Days of Our Lives and Supernatural), Jen's season six boyfriend, as he was supposedly the love of Jen's life. 
5. Boy, did the writers know how to do death! I did the ugly cry twice during Dawson's Creek. The first time was the episode after Mitch's car accident. I cried off and on through the entire episode as characters remembered how Mitch impacted their lives. And then there was Jen. I actually knew she would die because, for some unknown reason, I watched the finale when it aired, even though I'd never before seen a single episode. I had no idea, though, that Jen would end up being one of my favorite characters—especially since I loathed her through the first few seasons! Michelle Williams knocked that last episode out of the park, and I found myself wondering why on earth she didn't at least get nominated for an Emmy for that performance. I also found myself crying. A lot. And I was glad no one else was there to witness my farewell to Jen Lindley/Dawson's Creek meltdown!
6. Pacey & Joey. In season one, I was pulling for Dawson and Joey. That was before Dawson got all annoying and Pacey got sweet. Once Dawson's went down the Pacey-Joey road, there was no turning back ... at least for me. The writers seemed to have another opinion, as they "forgot" about the Pacey-Joey magic for all of season five and the first half of season six. Fortunately, they found their way back to Pacey and Joey in the end! In my favorite episode of the entire series, season six's "Castaways," none of the other main characters appeared, only Pacey and Joey. Not only did it feature a return to the wonderful Pacey-Joey banter of yore, but it also marked the end of the hideous growth on Joshua Jackson's face—the ill-advised goatee. If you have Netflix or Amazon Prime, you can watch the episode free.
7. I have never liked Paula Cole's "I Don't Want to Wait." Never. But I was still disappointed when I started watching Dawson's and realized that Paula Cole's tune had been replaced by Jann Arden's "Run Like Mad." That song ended up growing on me, and I could definitely sing the whole thing for you, but I felt sheer joy when I heard the strains of the original theme on the series finale! And without knowing the original theme, one of the funniest moments of the finale would make no sense: Sam (the Joey character on Dawson's show The Creek) comes into Colby (the Dawson character)'s room and says, "I can't take it anymore, Colby. I don't want to wait for my life to be over. I want to know right now. What will it be?" Love it!
8. Some people (like Blendy) didn't like the finale. I loved it! I thought it stayed true to the characters in a way that had been missing for quite some time—and the return to greatness may have had something to do with the fact that creator Kevin Williamson wrote it. I thought it was the perfect combination of humor and sadness, and it left me feeling satisfied ... what more could you want from a finale? (Blendy's beef with the finale is that we didn't see Joey pick Pacey. But we see the aftermath of that choice, plus Williamson totally telegraphed that she would make that choice, and that's good enough for me!)

If you've seen Dawson's Creek, I'd love to know your thoughts!  

Murdoch Mysteries: 1.1 "Power"

Series summary (from Netflix): In Victorian-era Toronto, Inspector William Murdoch uses unconventional scientific methods to crack complex murder cases, including the deaths of a well-known attorney, a professional pugilist, a former theater owner and a prominent philanthropist.

I'm watching this because: I was intending to pull up the first episode of Primeval on Netflix when Yannick Bisson's brown eyes jumped out at me. I've had a soft spot for him ever since he appeared in the Dean Cain movie I Do (But I Don't), and even though I'd never before heard of Murdoch Mysteries, I thought I'd give it a chance.

Recap: The City of Toronto is considering switching its electricity from direct current to alternating current. A woman is killed during a demonstration showing how dangerous alternating current can be, and Murdoch soon discovers her death was no accident. He enlists the help of inventor Nikola Tesla as he searches for the murderer, and they have fun trying out Tesla's new inventions. Meanwhile, Constable George begins a romance with an animal rights activist.

Reactions: Though I questioned how factual this was (especially concerning real-life inventor Tesla), I certainly enjoyed watching it. It's kind of a Victorian-era CSI. Not too much explanation is given regarding each character, but I picked things up as the episode progressed. The episode just jumps right in with Murdoch (Bisson) and Dr. Julia Ogden (Hélène Joy) on what seems to be a date ... though I questioned if she was as into him as he was into her. I'm fairly certain they'll be the couple the audience pulls for, which means they probably won't be together for a very long time!

I did think the mystery was fairly predictable—though it took a couple turns I didn't expect, I did have the original murderer pegged immediately—but it was still fun to watch. A few lines made me laugh out loud, like when Tesla and Murdoch came up with the term "television." Overall, it was enjoyable but not memorable.

The Next Dawson's? Nope. But I may catch an episode from time to time.

Watch it on Netflix.

Welcome!

I've been blogging quite happily for some time now at two other blogs: Christian Chick's Thoughts and Cinematic Survey. So why do I need another blog? Inspiration struck as I sat down to write out my thoughts after watching all six seasons of Dawson's Creek in just over three months. (In my defense, a surgery put me out of commission for a week, during which time I watched the first three seasons.) As I wrote, I wished I had blogged each episode. I'm sure the readers of Christian Chick's Thoughts are happy I didn't write about all 128 episodes (in fact, I bet some of them wish I hadn't written about Dawson's at all), but it got me thinking: what if I blogged about each episode of whatever show I watch next?

So that's what I'm going to do, and I created this blog as the forum on which to do it. I don't know yet which show will take the place of Dawson's Creek, so to begin with, I'll be blogging about the first episode of several shows—including all the shows that were recommended to me by Facebook friends when I asked for suggestions (provided they're available on Netflix or Amazon Prime). Once I settle on a show to watch from beginning to end, I'll start writing about each episode. Plus, I'll be doing a feature called "Memory Lane" every so often, where I check back in on an episode from a favorite show. (Now to give credit where credit is due—I got this idea from the "Talking TV with Ryan & Ryan" podcast [which is fabulous, by the way!]. Periodically, they do a podcast where they watch and discuss a favorite TV episode. If you were a LOST fan, you really should listen to this episode.) And as inspiration strikes, I may write about other things as well—but one thing's for sure: everything on this blog will be television related.

Now sit back, relax, and feel free to join in the discussion as I watch TV!