Thanksgiving Thank You Notes 2013

 Happy Thanksgiving, time for the annual thank you notes!

 Thank You, Supernatural,

  For both improving and ruining my life.

 Sincerely,

 Loveable Freak

 Thank You, Sherlock and Doctor Who,

 See Supernatural's note.

 Sincerely,

 Loveable Freak

 Thank You, Christopher Eccleston,

 For being, like, 85% of the reason I wanted to see Thor: The Dark World.

Sincerely,

Loveable Freak

Thank You, Misha Collins,

 For being a fantastic human being.

Sincerely,

Loveable Freak

 Thank You, Mark Sheppard,

 For being in all the cool shows! ^_^ (Psst! Find a way to get on Sherlock...)

Sincerely,

Loveable Freak

Thank You, Osric Chau,

 For being one of my favorite actors on Twitter...

Sincerely,

Loveable Freak

Thank You, Hannibal,

 For being one of the best new shows this year.

Sincerely,

Loveable Freak

Thank You, Clark Gregg,

For being an awesome human being as well...

Sincerely,

Loveable Freak

Thank You, England,

For your two best exports: good television and perfect, handsome actors I can't have...

Sincerely,

Loveable Freak

Thank You, Andrew Scott,

For being brave.

Sincerely,

Loveable Freak

Thank You, Matt Smith,

For your time as The Eleventh Doctor. We'll miss you, Raggedy Man...

Sincerely,

Loveable Freak

Thank You, Night Vale,

For showing that, yes, characters are allowed to be happy...

Sincerely,

Loveable Freak

Thank You, To My Friends And Family,

For their endless love and support. I wouldn't trade you for anything...

Sincerely,

Loveable Freak

...And...

Thank You, All My Followers: Old And New,

For giving me an audience, and sticking with me through my sporadicness...

Sincerely,

Loveable Freak

Happy Thanksgiving...

Loveable Freak Reviews Welcome To Night Vale

  The written word is up to interpretation. Art is subjective. Welcome to my Night Vale review...


  Hey, readers. I figured I'd review something a little different then my usual fare of TV shows the Internet has a fixation on and various movies, usually involving explosions. I decided to review a podcast that is gaining some well-deserved notability. It's titled Welcome To Night Vale, and I feel like maybe I should review it. Though, be warned, it is going to contain...

 Welcome To Night Vale is done in the format of a local radio show. The main character, Cecil, informs the listener about the goings-on in the strange desert town of Night Vale. From the dog park, where no living being is ever allowed to enter, the small subterranean kingdom found beneath lane five of the bowling alley, to the librarians (here horrible abominations) capturing children in the summer reading program. He also talks about the colorful characters who inhabit the town: a white man in a plastic feather headdress who claims to be an Apache tracker, who Cecil always reminds us is racist; Old Woman Josie, who is accompanied by angels (whom City Council insists do not exist); a man in a tan jacket and a suitcase of flies, who's face no one can remember; and of course, Carlos: the scientist newcomer to the community, whom Cecil falls for immediately.

 The podcast is quite surreal, to say the least. The humor comes from the strange eccentricness of the town, and the bizzare goings-on that to them, seem almost normal. But it is enjoyably so, and it does develop plots, both the ones in the latest installment and ongoing ones. It is so much fun to hear follow-ups to stories you may have forgotten about. It's even better as we hear it through our host, who of course delivers it in professional news radio fashion... Most of the time (for example, taking time to lament over Carlos getting a haircut, berating the local barber for betraying the community.). It is rather formulaic, given the format, but it is not a bad thing. You get used to it and enjoy when parts come up. Such as the strange words from the "sponsors", that rarely have anything to do with the company; the weather, which is just a random song by a different undiscovered artist each episode, and the proverbs after the credits.

 And now, one of the biggest elements...

 The best thing in this podcast has to be the relationship between Cecil and Carlos. As the show goes on, Cecil and Carlos get together. And they are adorable. I swear, they are the happiest, most stable couple in fiction right now, possibly ever. Cecil realizes the Carlos he's pined over isn't perfect, but he accepts that and still loves him regardless. They don't have any drama whatsoever, and that is perfectly fine. The writers let them be happy. We're so used to shows and movies adding drama for the sake of drama. Tearing couples apart or tossing in cheap "will they or won't they?" elements. It's nice to see writers allowing characters to have a little bliss for a change. I know a lot of shows that could learn from that. The best part has to be that they are a gay, presumably interracial (we're never told exactly if Cecil is white or not (a source of debate in the fandom), but we're all sure Carlos is latino), couple, and they are both adorable and more stable then most straight fictional couples. I'm just saying... The writers are doing something different from the norm, and I appreciate it. If only all writers can suck it up and "take risks".

 Overall, it is a fun podcast to listen to on a bi-monthly basis (they release new episodes on the first and fifteenth of every month). It's all free to download on iTunes, and I suggest if you like it to check out their website here, and possibly donate and support the show if you can. In fact, here's the first episode, uploaded by someone to YouTube (with fanart and pictures added). Consider it this review's "weather":

 Readers, there's not much more I can say about this podcast. It balances its elements well. The characters are memorable and likeable. The main relationship is one of the best I've ever encountered. and deserves the attention it's gotten, and if you haven't discovered this little gem, you should try it. I swear, when you listen, you, like Cecil, will fall in love instantly.

  Good night, Internet, good night.

***

Well, if I've been somewhat mimicking the show's style, I might as well end with today's proverb: we have nothing to fear but fear itself. Seriously, have you seen fear itself? It's terrifying and it's why I won't be able to sleep at night...

Happy 50th, Doctor Who. Here's To You

  Well, today is the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who. I would have planned something bigger, like a list of my favorite companions, a new top 9 episodes list, or a big squeefest over The Ninth Doctor and why he deserves more love from the mainstream and ohmygoshEcclestonpleasecomebackanepisodeIlovedNinesomuch. But no. I'll leave it short and simple.

  I only started to watch the show about two years ago, and I've only fully watched New Who, but I still love this show. There's sort of an optimism to it. That there will be somewhere there to stop the big scary things we encounter. That a strange but wonderful character will wisk you away on an adventure. Someone showing you both the beauty and the terror of the universe and running alongside you. They'll take you from the humdrum and the terrible places you don't want to be, and find you special. There's also the fantastic about it, seeing the strange new worlds and strange new monsters. Seeing the new while also encountering the old. It's fun escapism.

  The Doctor is a great character, a constant, but yet ever-changing. He has the distinct honor of being reinterpreted multiple times, all within the same story.

  People probably wonder how it turned out to last so long, and I think to anyone who watches it, it's obvious. It's a gem in the geek community, and if enough watch it, the world. What is it with the British and giving us timeless classics?

  Maybe the show will continue another 50, maybe not. But one thing's for certain: like all good things, it will live on.

  So, I think I'll leave this amazing video I found, with one of the best speeches from the show. Happy 50th, Doctor Who. We raise our sonic screwdrivers to you...

Ezekiel: Angelus Ex Machina (Or:Dear Supernatural Writers, Please Stop With Ezekiel The Angel Of Bad Writing And Ruining Everything)

*WARNING: SPOILERS FOR THE SEASON EIGHT FINALE AND SEASON NINE OF SUPERNATURAL*

  *sigh* I came into season 9 with such high hopes. Granted, it's only been six episodes going on seven, buuuut it's kind of a mess. Why is it all the seasons divisible by three are less than stellar? It's like the fabled Star Trek movie curse. I'll get into my problems a little more when the season's over and all's said, done, and sorted. But there's kind of a big one I have vent about...

 Ezekiel.

  Hoo boy, Ezekiel.

  Okay, so to recap, at the end of season 8, the angels are forced from heaven, Cas is brought down to human, and Sam collapses dramatically. So, in Season 9's premiere, Dean gets desperate to bring his baby bro back (despite Death himself telling him what happens every time they pull this stunt... But hey, it's Sammy, the little brother he literally gave his life for, I can understand the irrationality...), even praying to the newly fallen angels for help. One angel comes to answer the holy ad, seeming to genuinely want to help. His name's Ezekiel.

  So, Ezekiel offers a little deal: he possesses Sam as a vessel to recuperate from the fall (switching between his and Sam's consciousnesses, Sam never needing to know he's there, otherwise he'd reject him from his body and die) and he heals Sam from within. Okay, that seems alright so far. The consent's dubious (yeah, Lucifer had more consent to possess Sam... I'll let that sink in...), but it could be interesting.

  Then he became what I call "Angelus Ex Machina" (or would it be "Angelus Ex Moosina?").


  In the second episode, he takes down a group of demons with his holy power. I was okay with this, the effect was pretty cool (I dug the ratty wings) and I figured we would occasionally get angelic smiting wrath of the divine. Then came the third episode, where Cas temporarily dies and Zeke revives him. Eh... That was okay... I guess. Then comes episode four, where out of nowhere Zeke comes up for no other reason but to revive Charlie when she died. (Really? You pulled the "LOL Not Dead" thing twice in a row, writers?) Are you starting to see my issue here? Then EPISODE FIVE, ZEKE POPS OUT OF FREAKIN' NOWHERE YET AGAIN TO HEAL SAM'S NECK WOUND, NEARLY EXPOSING HIMSELF AND LEADING HIM TO HAVE TO FIX SAM UP AGAIN...

 Yeah, basically, Ezekiel has been killing all the suspense in the show. It says a lot when one of the reasons I liked the okay-but-flawed sixth episode, "Heaven Can't Wait" (besides the stuff with Crowley and the stuff with Cas) is that Ezekiel didn't come in like a wrecking ball. I mean, I can understand occasionally using him or referencing him, but this is obscene. And it cheapens death even more in this show, where the three major characters practically have two-way fast passes for the afterlife. (I'm getting tired of writers not killing off characters for real in general lately. LET'S SEE SOME BLOOD SPILT FOR REAL, MAN!)

  Also, this is exactly the reason I think they sent Cas away or nerfed his powers all the time back when he was an angel: it's a game breaker. I know that nothing can ever be easy for Sam and Dean. It's part of the drama, seeing how the boys get out of their predicament of the week. I understand from a story perspective. Having an angel around kind of tips the scales too much, since all he has to do is smite the monster and then they can go out for beer and ice cream. In short, it'd be boring. Congratulations, You're illustrating why having Castiel around all the time wouldn't have worked from a story perspective... Now it's "how's the angel going get them out of this?" instead of "how're The Winchesters going to get themselves out of this?" If you wanted to do this, you could've just kept Cas an angel, instead of making him a human and pushing him aside, as if to say, "Hey, you're not an angel! You serve little to no purpose to us anymore!" Way to show him love...

  Third, he throws the known power levels out of whack. I seem to recall when Cas more or less "fell", he couldn't heal people. Zeke's healing people left and right, and he's supposedly "so weak". Granted, it's a different situation, but still. I'm assuming Cas and Zeke were at least at a similar level. Also, if he's able to revive the freaking dead, couldn't he just hop into Dean a while (he's the Michael Sword, he can take it), fix Sam (who's sure to have what Zeke's been doing to him still working a little bit), and go find someone more willing to host him? Is he really still "so weak"? Seemed fine to me after those two times. Unless they're gearing up to reveal he's an archangel (most are guessing Lucifer, based on his 2014 prophesy. But hey, Lucy lies. I'm hoping for Gabriel, who's rumored to return...), I'm finding my willing suspension of disbelief being tested, here.

  Basically, if any of the writers are reading this, just... do away with Ezekiel. Or at least don't pull him out for every little thing. I know Jared Padalecki (Sam/Ezekiel) is all excited about doing something new, I respect that. Just, please... You can write so much better, guys. Just look back at season 8! Or season 5! I'm hardly a professional writer, TV or otherwise, but I know good writing when I see it. And this... Isn't it... Please. I love this show. Don't ruin it with this sort of thing...

Quick What I Plan To Do...

Hey. It's been a long time, hasn't it? Sorry, it's been crazy for a while, but I have some post ideas for the future...

-I'll finish my Supernatural season reviews. (well, 3-8...)

-I also have a little piece about my problems with the character Ezekiel in Supernatural.

-A review of the podcast Welcome To Night Vale.

-And of course, my yearly Thanksgiving Thank-You Notes...

 So, yeah, that's the plan, hopefully...