A Note: Scary MOB Wives

I don't think anyone plans to watch Mob Wives. It just kinda happens on a random Tuesday night when the classy stuff, the REAL HOUSEWIVES are on on hiatus and the real shows are in repeats. Drama alert: someone doesn't want to read the chapter of someone else's book. And I quote: "This isn't a merry-go-round! This is friendship!" Finally, a solution to the problem from a senior wife: "Both of yous go out into the woods and only one of you's will make it back!"

This is really making me miss Bravo's Russian Dolls, and I only watched 20 minutes of that. But, I'm liking the mood music for this important meeting.

I give. Total elapsed time with the mob wives: 5 minutes.

A Note: Debutantes, Declarations & Daddy Issues (Gossip Girl)

Dear Gossip Girl,

How are you? I know you've been here for a while, but we haven't really connected. You've been saying some crazy things plot-wise and I think for a while, you might have lost your way. Glad to see you back on the right path. I know you standard weekly plot all too well:
1. Serena pouts and makes bad decisions
2.Blair plots evil deeds and feels bad about it later
2a. Mention a bunch of fancy designers and A-listers
3. Dorota says snappy things "in thick Russian Accent"
4. cool dresses
5. gossip girl blast
6. moment of family support
7. plan for sabotage
8. big fancy event
9. more cool dresses
10. gossip girl blast
11. Love triangle (or other applicable shape)
12." ..But you told me to meet you here, right?"
13. Dan gets emo
14. Rufus shines as a trophy husband
15. moment of scandal that threatens the balance of life in the upper east side
(usually in conjunction with gossip girl blast)
16. family secrets are revealed
17. some things get resolved while others get worse

But tonight broke the mold. It tapped into something- the old guard Gossip Girl, back in the days of high school, when things made a little more sense to us, the little people. The days when the biggest scandal was Serena making out with Nate while he was dutifully dating Blair (water under the bridge). Although I had a tragic flashback to seeing Tripp and a car crash in the same episode (December, two years ago I believe, or was it just last year?), it had punch. Here's what I loved and loathed:

LOVE:
1. Blair's in love with Chuck, who is also in love with Blair (but he knows Dan and Louis love Blair, so he backs away), but Dan is in love with Blair, and Serena is once again (wow what a selfish bee-yotch) in love with Dan.
2. Blair and Chuck pulling a Diana (as in Princess)
3. Dan picking up pizza and Evian for his houseguest, Blair
4. Cray cray Charlie/Ivy almost getting exposed
5. Nate fighting Grandpa but sucking it up to be the golden grandson (very Kennedy)
6. Dan arranging a secret meeting between Blair and Chuck
7. FINALLY- they make it 100% obvious that Elizabeth Hurley (Diana) is Chuck's mum.
8. Serena and Nate's commitment to take down Gossip Girl with their little website.

HATE:
1. The entire car accident scene. Train wreck. First, why was Nate's car following Blair and Chuck? Why did his driver not know to take him to the airport in Westchester?And furthermore, what creepy deserted forest that they drove for miles and miles through was supposed to be passed off as Central Park?
2. Charlie's such a weakling. One little car accident and she flees?
3. Dan moping.
4. Serena liking Dan when it's convenient for her

PREDICTIONS:
1. Blair's losing that baby.
2. Chuck's gonna live but this whole mama/baby drama's going to mindwarp him
3. Chuck's finally going to meet his mama
4. Serena's still gonna be a beey-otch.
5. Unsure about weddings.........
6. Louis's not going away without a fight

A Note: Stay Out of IT, NICK LACHEY! - Part 1

I am so pumped for January 11th! It's almost time for the actual beginning of One Tree Hill's last season. Just kidding, they're definitely coming back for season 10, a la 7th Heaven. So why Nick Lachey? What did he have to do with the hill? Plenty. In season 6, Lucas and Peyton (finally) married hours before she went into painful labor- spoiler alert- the birth was fine! Nick Lachey happened to be in town that weekend (naturally recording a new single at Red Bedroom Records) and accompanied Brooke to the wedding to make some dude jealous. Nick offered some romantic advice to budding singer Mia (Kate Voegele) and she retorted "Stay out of it, Nick Lachey!"

Which brings us back to the center of this post. Why OTH? Why do I still care? What other small town manages to parade major recording stars as themselves in a casual guest appearance? NONE.
What other town had an all-ages teen club where major drama and major concerts happened?
NONE.
What show's major hangout/club later turned into a bar/recording studio?
None.
What other teens got married in high school?
None.
What show caused major Oedipus-like complex drama where your dad shoots your uncle and makes it look like part of a troubled teen's rampage? Triple Oedipus with your mom marrying your uncle who was more of a father than your real father?
None.
Ravens hoops?
None.
The changed face of American Music and live performances?
The show had a music tour! RE: Gavin Degraw, Everly, the wreckers, kate voegele, tyler hilton)
NONE!
Clean teens? Shout-out to Stephen Coletti, who spanned a guest role into several seasons of good, solid, acting.
Crazy-ass cheerleader fights? The Sparkle Classic?
None.
The destruction of Chad and Sophia's fairytale marriage?
Access Hollywood.
That adorable kid?
Nobody. He might never work in TV again after this show....

But it's all good!


A town where fashion designers, teen pop stars, NBA players, tv anchors, coke-addicted recovering models, award winning novelists, and movie directors all co-esist like you and me?
None, well this is beginning to sound a little like THE O.C., but those kids never left high school.

So naturally, you understand why there is only One Tree Hill? I rest my case. I have literally grown up with PeyPey, Luke, Natey, Hales, and B.Davis, as well as Mouth (he's like the fifth Beatle). Their challenges might be a little more extreme, but their coming of age story is totally relate-able. See you Jan 11th for the beginning of the end!

I'm not the only one who owes OTH a debt of gratitude for the way it's changed my life. Read this great article for another fan's take!