In Which I Give My Opinion of Killian Jones

SPOILERS I THINK


When I heard that Captain Hook was going to become a character on Once Upon a Time during Season 2, I was expecting someone along the lines of this:

Because, you know, that's what Captain Hook is supposed to look like - at least from my perspective.  And why should I think any different?  Generally speaking, all the other fairy tale/story characters who have also been in Disney cartoons have looked at least similar to their cartoon counterparts.  So why not Hook?

Instead, what we got was this:

Now, I will admit, my first thought was "WOAH HOT GUY ON BOARD".  But then I saw the episode... and I thought about it... and I saw the second episode he was in and thought about it some more and... nope.  I don't like this guy.

I think there are two main reasons contributing to my current dislike of Killian Jones.  ("Hooks" real name, and the only name I will refer to him by.)

1) He's not Captain Hook.

He's young.  He's attractive.  HE DOESN'T HAVE A RED COAT.  This week I was so hoping to at least have him look more like Captain Hook... but no.  Still no red coat.  He flirts with women, he wears guy liner, he has that pirate beard and mustache thingy, he's leading Emma to a magical compass that can get her to where she wants to go.  This is not Captain Hook.  This is Captain Jack Sparrow veiled as Captain Hook.  If I can get past that... there is a chance I will come to like the character of Killian Jones.  As of right now, however, I think OUaT writers made a mistake with him.

2) In the promo for "The Crocodile", he was referred to as "more despicable and more evil" than Rumpelstiltskin.  Um, I'm sorry - but no.  First off... I haven't seen anything that has led me to believe that OUaT is going to be able to pull that claim off.  Secondly... you don't try to surpass Rumple.  You just don't.

Doctor Who 7.1

SPOILERS


Last night wrapped up the seventh season of Doctor Who for now, until we pick it up again with the Christmas special, and then again with the rest of the season sometime in the spring.  Until then, we have five episodes to watch and re-watch and re-watch again.  I've neglected to write out reviews after each episode came out, but here are my brief (and not so brief) thoughts on each of the five episodes so far.

The season started off with the episode "Asylum of the Daleks".  I was not entirely thrilled when I heard that the Daleks were coming back... in my humble opinion  they had been used too many times and were no longer scary.  I was prepared for an episode that I was sure I would enjoy, but would probably be "just another Dalek adventure".  It was not long before I found myself to be proved wrong.  Yes, the Dalek's came back but Moffat managed to make them scary again with the zombie/human Daleks in the asylum.  And then there was Oswin Oswald.  Her introduction in this episode was probably the best kept secret in the Whoniverse, ever.  And the ending... oh, the ending!  Such a heart wrenching twist, and the best introduction of a companion yet - if, in fact, Miss Oswin Oswald is our new companion...

"Asylum of the Daleks" was followed by "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship", the episode that was promised to  be "the fun romp that "The Curse of the Black Spot" wasn't".  I was pleased to discover that the episode lived up to that promise.  Admittedly, there was not much of a strong plotline... but dinosaurs.  On a spaceship!  Along with Queen Neferetti and Inspector Lestrade - I mean... that hunter guy, whose name escapes me but was quite amusing to watch.  Then we had Brian Williams, or rather... Brian Pond, as the Doctor called him, yet again denying that anyone connected with his little Amelia could be anything other than a Pond.  Brian Williams was brilliant.  Only Rory's dad could be whisked off in a Tardis and planted on a spaceship with aliens and be a little bewildered, but take it all in stride.  The ending has sparked a bit of debate as to whether or not the Doctor letting Solomon die was out of character.... but let us remember, this is the man who ended the Time War by killing his entire race, who has let whole civilizations die.  The Doctor prefers to save, but can at times let people die.

Ah, "A Town Called Mercy".  The Doctor gets to wear a stetson again! Stetsons are cool.  So is anachronistic electricity  keep out signs, and unfriendly stares.  The Doctor was adorable as he swaggers into a saloon, puts on his best American accent and orders the strongest tea that they've got.  The fun of being in the Wild West turns serious, however, as the Doctor and the Ponds realize that the other alien Doctor - Kahler-Jex - that they are trying to save from the Gunsligner isn't quite the innocent victim he seemed.  We get an thought provoking quandary here as the Doctor has to decide what to do with someone who is at once kind, and genuinely trying to help people while at the same time a war criminal responsible for hundreds of deaths.  I feel it was resolved a little too quickly, but it was interesting to see the Doctor snap and decide hand Kahler Jex over to die before Amy talks him out of it.  This sort of anger is something more familiar to Tennant's Doctor, but Matt Smith showed that this Doctor is still capable of that burning rage.  I was disappointing in the ending of this episode though... Kahler Jex deciding to commit suicide rather than a judgement being made on his life seemed to me to be the easy way out.  Hardly an "honorable" course of action, as the Gunslinger claimed it was.

In this episode we got to see an adventure with the Doctor from the Ponds point of view, and how traveling has impacted their lives.  I enjoyed getting their side of the story, and the glimpse of their "other life", their life without the Doctor.  It's a side that you don't usually think about, because you only see the Ponds when they are off having adventures.  We got more Brian (horray!) in this episode, and we see where Rory gets his dedication and patience from as Brian watches the mysterious black cubes tirelessly for over 60 days at the Doctor's request.  The drawback with "The Power of Three" is that the plot of the mysterious black boxes ended up really only being a plot device, leaving us with a lot of loose ends and sloppily wrapped up story lines.  I do understand that the point was to focus on the Ponds and the conflict of their two lives, however I feel that that focus could have been maintained, while still delivering a satisfying plot and resolution.

And finally... "The Angels Take Manhattan".  I absolutely loved the introduction to this one... the paperback, 1930s novel style which permeated the majority of the episode.  It drew me in, and I was overjoyed to find that the Weeping Angels had returned with all of their original "Blink" creepiness.  I had to laugh at the fact that the Statue of Liberty was a Weeping Angel, after all the internet speculation and joking... though it was a bit unbelievable.  Really?  In the city that never sleeps, how does something as big as the Statue of Liberty manage to ever move?  Statue of Liberty aside... the Angels were terrifying, and the baby angels even more so.  I enjoyed the aspect of the Doctor finding and reading a book, which turned out to be the events really happening... and it was so sweet that the Doctor loves River so much that he even fell in love with the book version of her!  River and the Doctor are so perfect together.  I realized that this is the first time we've seen them together since they were married... and they are just the perfect married couple.  Before this short review gets too long - I wasn't terribly sad to see the Ponds go, because I am ready for the new companion and really... for them it's not a sad ending.  They get to live out their lives together, and they were happy.  The poor Doctor though... my heart did break for him, and for River, having to let her parents go forever.  Those last few minutes though, were perhaps the sweetest, dearest moments of any of the seven seasons so far... as the Doctor returns to tell little Amelia Pond stories of her future, and we find out that her Raggedy Man wasn't in her imagination after all.

7 Quick Takes Friday - Vol. 5

1.

It is now officially fall, as of last Saturday.  Hurray!  After how hot this past summer was here in IL... I am ready for the cool fall weather.  It's been mostly in the low 70s and upper 60s - heaven after months of 90s and 100!  I'm slowly starting to get out my fall clothing, enjoying being able to drink tea, and wearing all my fun scarves.

2.

Sister 2 has been reading Les Miserables for school, and so on my last trip to the library I picked up the original cast highlights from the musical CD.  I'd gotten it a while ago and fell in love, but it wasn't until this time around that the Les Miz love spread to other members of the family.  I've never seen the musical performed before... but I am SO excited for the film adaption coming out in December!  I think that it will end up being an incredible production, and I am eager to hear how the music turns out.

3.

From An Edible Mosaic

Twice this week I have tried out two Pinterest recipes, and they both turned out splendidly!  Monday morning is muffin/coffee cake/breakfast bread morning at our house, and so I made Pumpkin and Cheese Spice Bread.  It was the perfect breakfast bread... a little bit of sweetness in the pumpkin, but muted by the cream cheese topping to keep it from being too sweet.

4.

Photo from Erin's Food Files

The second recipe was Pumpkin Cream Cheese Truffles.  (Can you tell I have a thing for pumpkin and cream cheese?)  I made this dessert yesterday as part of the "Desert-a-Month Club" that we give to our grandparents as a Christmas gift every year.  Each month for the whole year they get a homemade dessert.  This one was pretty simple to make, and it came out tasting delicious!

5.

There is sadness and potential tears on the TV horizon... tomorrow will be the airing of the fifth episode of this seasons Doctor Who, and we will see the final departure of the Ponds.  Amy and Rory have been around for two and a half-ish seasons now, and I've spent longer with them than any of the other companions.  I am excited for the new companion at Christmas.... but yeah.  This is going to be sad.  

6.

On a happier TV note - season two of Once Upon a Time starts on Sunday! OUaT really hit its stride about mid-season last year, and from what I've seen and read, it sounds like they haven't dropped the ball on this one.  We'll get to see Storybrooke with the magic returned and several new characters like Captain Hook, Mulan and Sleeping Beauty.  I am quite thrilled to discover what will happen next.

7.

Your Little Princess Costume Design , a small business that I co-operate with my friend Elizabeth, will shortly be announcing the addition of four new designs to our pre-designed costume line!  If you haven't seen our designs that we have already, I encourage you to check them out!  Elizabeth is an incredible seamstress and artist, and the dresses she's imagined are really lovely.  If you like what you see, and you have a little princess of your own - then please consider interviewing us or featuring us on your blog!  In return, we'll give you 10% off the dress order of your choice.

Once Upon a Time there was a Grimm...

Now matter how old you are, you're never too old for fairy tales.  Re-writes of fairy tales as novels, modern twists on classic favorites, live action movies... fairy tales never lose their wonder or appeal.  And this fall, fairy tale lovers, you are in luck, because on TV there is not just one but two fairy tale inspired shows for you to enjoy.

Crime shows are probably one of the most popular genera of tv shows out there.  Grimm feeds into that genre, but Nick Burkhardt isn't your ordinary cop and, as the show's tagline reads, these villains aren't your ordinary suspects.

NBC's new television drama Grimm taps into both the crime and the fairy tale worlds.  Nick, the main character, discovers when his elderly aunt comes to visit, that he is the last of the Grimms. The Grimms are, it turns out, hunters.  Hunters of supernatural creatures who threaten the world.  The fairy tales written by the Brothers Grimm aren't just innocent tales to entertain listeners, they are veiled warnings about the monsters that are out there.

Each episode parallels a different tale - such as "Little Red Riding Hood" and "Goldilocks and the Three Bears".  Living up to their name and the threatening premise, these modern adaptions are anything but innocent fairy tales.  It is part crime show, and with that does come some very intense scenes and a bit of violence and blood.

The main cast is done very well, and you get the feel of Nick's struggle as he tries to deal with and uphold his family legacy, while keeping it from his best friend and partner Hank and his girlfriend Juliette.  Nick isn't totally alone in his adventures, when things with supernatural creatures get a little tense, Nick calls up his reluctant sidekick Eddie - a reformed "big bad wolf" - who not only adds insight into the supernatural, but some pretty hilarious moments to lighten the mood as well.

Overall, while younger viewers may use caution when deciding whether or not to watch, older fans of fairy tales and cop stories will enjoy the suspense and action that is Grimm.

I'm new to the world of television shows, and while I've discovered many entertaining and very enjoyable shows this fall, the crown jewel of them all is Once Upon a Time.

ABC's Once Upon a Time (OUaT)  has closer ties to fairy tales then does Grimm.  You see, the character's lives don't just parallel fairy tale characters, they are fairy tale characters.  The main cast? Snow White, Prince Charming, an Evil Queen, Rumpelstiltskin, a Huntsman, a young boy named Henry who is the son of Emma... the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming.  The premise?  On Snow White and Prince Charming's wedding, the Evil Queen cast a curse upon the couple and everyone in attendance.  They would lose everything they held dear and would be doomed to a world where the only happy ending was the Queen's.  Seeking the aid of Rumpelstiltskin, Snow White and Prince Charming discover that their unborn daughter is the only way they can be saved from the curse.  The evening their daughter is born, the Queen casts her curse and sends everyone to the world with no happy endings: our world.

There is nothing to dislike about this show.  The characters are amazingly well developed and each has an intriguing back story that is told through flashbacks throughout the episodes.  Each person, even the most minor of characters, is well developed and completely believable.  The costumes are gorgeous and very well designed (with the possible exception of the Queen's guard...).  The plot lines of each episode are engrossing and leave your jaw hanging at the end, each time, without fail.  The soundtrack is fantastic as well, and really adds to the drama.

Having a 10 year old boy as a main character and the very close connections to the fairy-tales keeps this show clean and one that can be appreciated by younger viewers as well.  So if you love fairy tales and you love good stories and characters, do yourself a favor and begin with Once Upon a Time.

The Biggest Night in Country Music

Live blogs are a lot of fun, and since I haven't done one yet on this blog, what better reason to than for the 45th Country Music Awards?  It'll probably be a random jumble of thoughts... anyhow, hope you enjoy!

First off... Single of the Year goes to The Band Perry and "If I Die Young".  This was tough choice for me... some of the other options were Colder Weather, Don't You Wanna Stay and Honey Bee... I love IFDY though, so I'm happy for them! And wow, Miranda Lambert is giving a cool performance!  Loving the flames (fake or real?) shooying up in the background.  Very cool.

And now SONG OF THE YEAR!  Hmm... gosh, I don't really know who I want to win this either... Band Perry already one one... Taylor Swift and Mean was a good one... and Colder Weather is up again too... and  it's If I Die Young!  That is really exciting for them... I mean, being a new music group and winning the first two awards of the CMA.  That is pretty cool stuff. Also, I love how they are sibling group, it's so cute.

Oh my GOSH!  It's Rascal Flatts and Natasha Beddingfield or whatever her last name is... singing Easy! I just LOVE this song... I don't know what it is about it... the musicality of it is awesome, and their voices work so well together.  Honestly, I think it's Rascal Flatts' best song to date.  It's got so much emotion and power behind it.

EEPS!!! Snow White and Prince Charming from "Once Upon a Time" are presenting Vocal Duo of the year... and it's going to Sugarland!  Haha, yes... I love those two.  Both Snow and Prince, and Sugarland. They are all fantastically awesome.  This is a really cool show. And now Thompson Squared is singing "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not".  SUCH a cute song, and they're married.  How much better does it get?

Ooh, and it sounds like Taylor Swift is singing a new song, I'm guessing it's called "This Love is Ours", just based on the refrain.  Another love song from her of course, but it's a cute song... basically life is hard, and people are judgmental and it doesn't matter what other people think about a relationship, because "this love is ours".  She has on a cute pink sweater... sorry, that was a bit ADD, haha.  And Miss Piggy just showed up and slapped Brad Paisley.  That was honestly pretty awesome.

Now going on to Album of the Year... Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean, Taylor Swift, BRAD PAISLEY! (Voted for him!), Zac Brown Band... And it's Jason Aldean.  Well, congrats to you buddy!  (Wish it had been Brad though...) ha... okay... and there's an old guy dressed up as Justin Bieber (apparently he's aged a lot recently) and Carrie and Brad are teasing him about the whole "baby" thing.
Brad: What's the name of your new song again?
"Justin": It's called "It's not my baby, Baby."

Oh wow... okay, this has nothing to do with the CMA, preview for the next Alvin and the Chipmunks movie... chipmunks singing Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance".  Sorry... but I think the Chipmunks totally beat out Gaga as far as coolness goes.

This is pretty awesome... some Nashville students are singing a little bit of "If I Die Young" and playing with Brad Paisley, and he's promoting "Keep the Music Playing", the music education program in schools that the CMA donates a lot of money too.  I love that they are dedicated to music education, and realize how important it is that schools have programs.

One thing that's cool about the awards is getting to see everyone's sets and costumes.  Carrie has had some cool, yet interesting, dresses tonight... the white piece she had when the night started out was pretty cool, and the lead singer from The Band Perry has this gorgeous red, sequined, long formal dress.  The set for the song is cool too.. it's like an old west/covered wagon set up.  Miranda's set with the fire that I mentioned earlier was pretty neat as well, as was Taylor's casual living room set up for her song.

And now we have Vocal Group of the year!  Lady Antebellum... Little Big Town... Rascal Flatts... The Band Perry... Zac Brown Band... My vote is Lady A... and the winner is... Lady Antebellum! Woot!  Now for a song from Sugarland, I haven't heard this one before.  Jennifer has a pretty sweet jacket going on there....

This song will totally make my night.  "Remind Me", by Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley.  Two of my all time favorite country stars... an awesome song... and they're singing it together.  And can I just say I love Carrie's dress for this... it's so long and full, and flowy and a really cool fabric and - well, other than the slit in the side all the way up her leg - it's a really lovely dress.

Now, time for the New Artist of the Year... Luke Bryant, Band Perry, Thompson Squared and Chris Young. I vote Band Perry.... and it's.... The Band Perry! Those folks are doing really great tonight. =) Now it's Scotty McCreery!  That kid seriously has an amazing voice for someone his age.  And he sounds so much like Josh Turner... it's great.

Male Vocalist of the Year... Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban... HOW TO CHOOSE??? Um... Blake! And he won!  I've really come to like Blake, his song "God Gave Me You" is just beautiful, "Honey Bee" is super sweet and wonderful too.  I'm also super happy that he and Miranda Lambert got married, they are such a cute couple, and I hope they last. I've gotten to see him in concert too, so that's another point to his awesomeness.

Tonight also welcomes back Faith Hill!  She hasn't performed on the CMA's in 5 years, and now she's singing her first single release in quite a while.  It's a really sweet song called "Come Home".  Congrats to Faith on her new song, it's beautiful.

Female Vocalist of the Year - Sara Evans, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood.  I vote Carrie! And it's Miranda Lambert! Awww.... that is so sweet though, her husband got Male Vocalist and she got Female Vocalist. I do like Miranda, she has some lovely songs and she's just adorable.

And then... after the commercial break... it'll be time for Entertainer of the Year award!  It's Jason Aldean vs Brad Paisley vs Taylor Swift vs Blake Shelton vs Keith Urban.  This is a tough choice... hmm well... I think it's competition between Brad, Blake and Keith, I'm voting for Brad Paisley.  He has great songs and gives amazing concerts.  We'll have to see once the commercials end....

They are back! And... what the heck is Carrie wearing?  Wow... green greek goddess like dress with... basically no front.  Reba has a super cute dark green formal on though - and now she's about to announce who won... Taylor Swift!  Haha, you go girl!  Aww, she looks so happy and surprised, and I love her dress.  This is so cute... she's thanking all the people who have sang with her at various concerts and she wrote the list on her arm so she wouldn't forget.  I'm glad she one, she's such a sweet girl and super famous but very down to earth about it.

Well... that's it for this year!  I had fun and if you got a chance to watch the awards, I hope you did too! Until the next time.