What Am I Reading? - September 2021 - The Rural Diaires

 Is there life after starring on a teen drama? This book picks up in Hilarie Burton Morgan's life after she left the CW behind and went in search of a home, a husband, and a  small town to raise her children. This breathtaking work made me often weep. Burton Morgan, her husband Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and actor Paul Rudd went in on saving their local small business and bringing a treasured candy shop to success in upstate New York. Learn more about Samuel's Sweet Shop. 

Rebecca and Josh Get Real- It's Not So Nuanced Anymore

Poor Greg...

   
     I've been eagerly watching the last three weeks of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, waiting to see what Rebecca and the zany West Covina crew will bring us in 2016. Things have gone from bad to even more presumably bad for Rebecca. This girl is setting heself up for failure with Josh Chan, and yes, she really could use a shovel to help her dig her own grave. Her friends have had some highs and lows too this Winter. To sum it up, things got real... in no particular order.

Rebecca and Josh go back to camp.

Rebecca attempted a feminist pole dance.....

Greg and Heather started dating. Does he seem really, really old for her?  How can she afford the  nice apartment next to Rebecca if she's only a  college student?

Paula bonded with her husband over Rebecca's troubles. 

Darryl invited lady escorts to keep people at his party. 

Rebecca realizes she has really gone off the deep end.

We still don't get to know Josh's oversleeping friend, Chris. 

Rebecca sang a letter as a song (Dear Joshua Felix Chan).

Valencia continued to make Rebecca feel like crap and was possessive over Josh.

Rebecca finally admitted she loved Josh (although only admitted to her best friend Paula).

Valencia faked being a feminist with her poppy hit (Women Gotta Stick Together). 

Greg met his high school crush again, and she looks just like Bevin from One Tree Hill.

Rebecca found a fondue delivery place. Who knew one existed?

Darryl bonded with White Josh and we learn all about WJ's, which is mostly just his gym routine.

Rebecca got school by teen girls about making yourself happy with a slutty makeover (Put Yourself First), which is really about making yourself hot so boys will like you.

The above moment was part of a women's empowerment seminar Rebecca failed to teach.

As it turns out ,Josh Chan is really a micro-manager when it comes to the prefect beach day.

We got to see more of Darryl Whitefeather, and he brought us an EDM-techno funk song (Having Some People Over), which I will play before every gathering for the rest of my natural-born life.

Valencia outs Rebecca's real reason for coming to town, which was something to the extent of: "Josh made it seem like such a happy place and I wanted to be happy."

So basically, Rebecca lied, and then on top of the lies, sprinkled in bits of truth. 

The woman who hires Rebecca for  the camp is also the woman that played the principal's secretary in last week's Grease Live (what a big week for Haneefah Wood). 

Greg & Josh finally fought over stuff (feelings for Rebecca, who gets to make plans for the group)

Rebecca literally broke into Josh's house to delete a text. Is this a textmergency or a (textcatastrophe)?

Josh comforted Rebecca several times and makes her feel special, until he realizes she faked a broken window to get him to come over (and even that was a lie to cover something else).

Again, Rebecca has really scared Josh off. This girl needs a T.O.!

Rebecca also reaches out to Greg, only to for him to smell Josh all over this fiasco, and Greg walked out.  

"Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is a brilliant TV show that no one watches." --Slate article. 

Let's get people to change their minds. 

Even my Family Guy faithful brother has sat for a few minutes and watched and asked questions about the characters, so there truly is hope for others.  

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!

A Note About The Worst OTH Ever!

Darkness on the Edge of Tree Hill

So I finally got around to watching the Winter finale episode of One Tree Hill. Plain and simple, "Darkness On the Edge of Town" sucked. It may tie for the worst episode ever. things weren't this dumb and ridiculous since season 3 when Nathan's dad killed Uncle Keith and pinned it on Jimmy, the school shooter in "With Tired Eyes, Tired Minds, Tired Souls, We Slept," (Moment of silence for Uncle Keith).

And the one where psycho Derek kept attacking Peyton were ridiculous, but at least there was a prom going on,and kinda the same with crazy Nanny Carrie trying to kidnap Jamie (a much-protested wedding)/ murder Haley and Jamie (Halloween-themed in honor of THE SHINING).

Ok, so these psycho murderer plots seem pretty common now that I think about it. But here's where things went from bad to worse- little Chuck- friend of Jamie walking down the street with a pool of blood on his head. (P.S. where did their makeup artist study? Ms. Lauren had the same pool of blood on her head).

Other common themes included:
Cars going over a bridge and into the water.
From season 3 "The Show Must Go On" into 4 "The Same Deep Water As You", Nathan's other uncle (Coop) and Rachel went off the bridge in a limo into the water. Nathan jumped in and rescued them (or did he? Maybe Uncle Keith used some divine power...) while Haley stood by screaming in her wedding dress.

Shooting someone at point-blank range.
Not only was it happening twice (Katie trying to shoot Quinn, and then Quinn shooting Katie), and a fairly well mirrored image of Season 7's finale, but it totally had the Dan shoots Keith theme written all over it [see last week's episode for some wrong information surrounding Dan murder of Keith (he didn't get a shovel and bury the body, he left it in the school to be found)].

Car tragedy on the road.
In the season 4 Winter finale "Songs to Love and Die By" and its precursor "Some You Give Away", Haley was pregnant (again) with Jamie and a jealous Dante ran her over after Nathan refused to throw the final score of the championship basketball game. Lucas saw the accident and his heart condition took over, sending him into cardiac arrest and a "Its a Wonderful Life"-style dream where life was different.

Small jokes only a true Hill-er can appreciate:
- The opening credits were back to the original Gavin DeGraw version.
- Nathan's comment about big moments in his and Haley's lives happening in the rain.
- Nathan threatening to make Jamie walk home in a joking impression of papa Dan.
- Nathan referencing "A Christmas Story." Odd choice, but a small attempt in acknowledging they weren't doing a Christmas themed episode??
- Ms. Lauren being in an episode. And Mouth, Clay, Alex, and Millie not (they are in the opening credits).
- And the fact that Jamie attends Tree Hill Grade School. How much in the middle of nowhere is this town?I thought they were slightly cosmopolitan.

I thought these characters were going to be dead at the end of the episode:
Chuck
Ms. Lauren
Brooke
Jamie
Psycho Katie
Quinn

I would have actually cared if these characters were dead at the end of the episode:
Ms. Lauren
Brooke
Jamie

There was a definite moment when I saw the masked words behind a recent comment by EP Mark Schwan about Lucas and Peyton not making it back to the show for Brooke's wedding.I saw them coming back for her funeral... I honestly thought about changing the name of the show to Naley Hill.

What really bothered me about this episode was that it came on the heels of a fantastic Thanksgiving episode "Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace" and a fairly decent "night out at tric" episode "Lists, Plans." Both of those were really character/plot moving, fun, and a true ensemble piece. It brought back the good feelings of the early seasons.

And most important, it made me remember why I love One Tree Hill in the first place. It's about friends, life, and the relate-ability of these characters [yes we're not all ex pro athletes going back to finish our degrees like Nathan (surprisingly interesting plot line)], but we've all have that jerky teacher we wanted to show up. We grew up with the kids in the Hill, and hopefully the last episodes this spring will honor the show's long legacy of being kick-ass (and sometimes thought provoking- I really miss Lucas's voice-overs. O Hell, I miss any voice-overs).

A Note About Celebrating Halloween Part 5: OTH and Halloween

I promise this is my final discussion of Halloween. Due to a html/formatting problem, here is my remaining comments about OTH Halloween.

OTH Halloween honorable honorable mentions:

Season 7's 80s episode "Don't You Forget About Me"
Season 6's Nanny Carrie episode "You've Dug Your Own Grave, Now Lie in It"
Season 4's psycho stalker attack episode "I Love You But You've Chosen Darkness"
and
Season 4's prom stalker episode "Prom Night at Hater High"

A Note About Celebrating Halloween Part 4: A Final Note and More Teen Dramas

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER
I have rescinded my blowing off Buffy season 6's Halloween episode "All the Way." This is a great episode! After re-watching it this past weekend, I have re-awakened my love for this episode. Its not all about Dawn. It's about Xander and Anya getting engaged, Buffy dealing with the lonely afterlife (by avoiding responsibility and leaving all the work to Giles), and the deterioration of Tara and Willow's relationship. This episode also sets up the wonderful (and at the time highly original) musical episode "Once More, With Feeling." -Remember this was about 8 years before GLEE.

CLASSIC QUOTES:
Anya: "This is the dance of capitalistic superiority."
Dawn: "Shiver me timbers."
Buffy: "Did anyone actually come here to make out? Aww that's sweet. You run!"

ONE TREE HILL
I always cite Season 3's "An Attempt to Tip the Scales" as the ultimate OTH Halloween episode. Haley is slutty Sandy, Nate is Batman, Luke is Tommy Lee, Peyton an Angel and Brooke- the Devil. Drama plays out at the Tric Halloween Bash. Mouth and Peyton also do the hustle in front of a supportive crowd. This (season 8's) Halloween episode also gets a shout out. Again, we find ourselves at Tric, where Haley is a pregnant cheerleader Brooke is an Orange, Nate is Don Draper.. it seems like we all got a little less creative. But again, drama plays out at Tric, and yes- it was drama-ful.
For more about OTH Halloween, read here.

GOSSIP GIRL
In a show where every episode has a themed or dress-up ball, it is tough to enjoy Halloween. Season 3's "How to Succeed in Bassness" had a Halloween theme. Season 1's "A Handmaiden's Tale" also had a Halloween-time masquerade ball.

THE O.C.
Generally when I think "holiday" and The O.C., I think of the annual Chrismukkah episode. But Halloween in the land of white beaches and palm trees is never so simple. Season 1's "The Best Chrismukkah Ever" has summer donning a Wonder Women costume. Not exactly Halloween, but pretty close.

VERONICA MARS
In season 3, Veronica goes to a Halloween party/casino night at her college. The episode, "President Evil," has Veronica solving a robbery at the casino. Runner up is a season (1- I think), episode where Veronica and Deputy Leo go to a 80's dance.

A Note About Fall Music I Can't Stop Spinning: Animalism in Music

I've noticed an increasing about of songs coming out that really relate to animals. Not the fuzzy love and uicorn types, but the bear your teeth, run throuigh the wind, howl at the night version. Here are my top 4 animal themed songs.

4. Animal Song- Savage Garden
It's an oldie (from 1999's Affirmation), but a very spiritual song about the free spirit. Running through the jungle with the wind in your hair and the sun at your feet never sounded so good. The rythmic drumming in the background takes on a tribal nature AND sounds like footsteps.

3. Feral Love- Wakey! Wakey!
From their recent album (Everything I Wish I Said Since the Last Time I Saw You- great title!), is more than a standard "lamenting about a former love track". It's got a dark and twisted "my love was taken away from me in a hunting incident" feel. Wakey! Wakey! frontman Mike Grubbs was also a guest star on One Tree Hill last season playing the Tric bartender. They played some really great tracks from the band during the later part of last season.

2. Portions for Foxes- Rilo Kiley
I didn't discover this fabulous song (from the 2004 More Adventurous release) until about four years after it was played in the Grey's Anatomy pilot (When Meredith drives through Seattle to the hospital), but I fell in love with it. Nothing like a bad romance (yes I went there) to leave you as as portions for the foxes.

1. Animal- Neon Trees
I went through a recent weekend of hearing this song over and over, but having no idea about the artist, song title, or most of the exact lyrics were. Try doing a web search for "Take a Bite of My Heart Tonight" and see what I'm talking about. After a lot of searching I finally found this track (from the 2010 Habits release), which is getting some great radio play. I'm pretty sure their song was on some CW show recently.

A Note About Post-Teen Dramas

The more I watch OTH, the more I find myself thinking to the 2008 web/tv hybrid "Quarterlife." Like a much better and "real" version of My Generation (really??!!- that show only lasted three episodes?- shocker!- I was bored 45 minutes into the first of the one and a half episodes I watched.)

Back from that sideline, Quarterlife was one of those great shows about post-teen life that never got the potential to thrive. There was a scary sense of reality to that show that was so relate-able for me even though I was several years shy of the true quarterlife. AND it was created by the people who created Thirtysomething, which was in the 80s and was about people in a slightly older age bracket- but tackled the same themes and identity.

Now we don't all have those high and mighty One Tree Hill problems, like giving up a career in basketball or having your second kid at 24/25, trying to save your fashion empire, a parent that was sent to jail for corporate fraud, or recovering from a fatal shooting, but then again OTH has always taken the everyday problems and stretched them a little (Lucas's dad blackmailing him to move in because he has to lie to him mom about heart problems, Peyton dating Pete from Fall Out Boy, Uncle Keith getting shot by his brother, Brooke's parent moving out to Cali, starting Clothes over Bros- and really aside from Dan, Karen, and Deb, were anyone's parents really ever around)? But nonetheless, the issues deep down: love-sense of identity-family-friendships-and basketball, have always been relate-able.

Strangely, I've noticed the plots of Mouth and chase both being very real. Mouth losing his job and doing his sports podcast (like from treehillhoops.com back in high school), and Chase managing the bar and his relationships with Alex and Mia (it used to be an all ages club when Peyton started it). And Haley dealing with the death of her mom has also been real- for me- it got a little too real-(see the episode where she jumped in the pool- she was so out of character I thought she was being called Peyton!).

So the quarterlife crisis is alive and well . . .
And Thirtysomething was really the grandmother of all post-teen angsty drama (see example: Garden State)

A Note About I-Raining....

Again, I cannot believe I'm watching 90210. This epic episode has stolen cheesy plots from everything. and the dialogue?? appalling.

HERE IS THE WORST OF THE EPISODE:

NEWSFLASH: Teddy is gay.

OTH Boy Auction flashback: guys in fire uniforms dancing and being sold off to their classmates. Well, I think they wore basketball uniforms on One Tree hill, but close enough. They looked like they were posing for a 98 degrees poster circa 1999.

Liam has a half-black brother? Please no! No more fake half-siblings allowed.

Adrianna is still selfish? Nothing new here.

Fight in the school! Really? Saved By the Bell.

Teens selling their eggs for money cause mom is broke.

Creepy older women stalking high school boys.

The spread of the HIV.

At least the teacher is still somewhat hot..........

Another Note About Opening Credits

THEY'RE BACK!

I'm finally catching up on the season premiere of One Tree Hill, which much to my surprise, totally played the cliffhanger of Quinn and Clay getting shot off as a dream until the last possible moment of the episode, and then what happens????? OPENING CREDITS

The One Tree Hill opening credits, which were first pulled in the season three episode where Jimmy shot up the school, have been missing surely for seasons 6 and 7, and possibly a good portion of season 5 (except for the 100th episode where they filmed Gavin DeGraw singing and playing piano with little Jamie).

As is customary, there were shout outs to departed characters Lucas and Peyton throughout the first few minutes. Plus shots of Lucas bouncing the basketball across the train bridge at sunrise and a shot of Peyton's curly mane in one of Brooke's shots.

In a side note, hellcats is eerily reminiscent of One Tree Hill. Could it be the cheer competitions? The fact that Aly (Marty) looks just like a young Hilarie Burton (Peyton)? Could it be the east-coast southern location? Could it be the two former one tree hill cast members (Quentin and Psycho Derek?)

A Note About Pregnant Teens on TV

I'm so done with seeing pregnant teens on television, but since I've been reading more glee scoop, I can't help but think of the comical pregnancy of McKinley's former head cheerleader, Quinn Fabray. Here is list of the best pregnant teens on TV:

10. Amy Jurgens (Secret Life) The only reason Shailene Woodley's whiny and obnoxious is on this list is because her hysterics are so dramatic it's to the point of comedy. Next time the drummer in the school band hits on you, follow Nancy Reagan's advice and JUST SAY NO!

9. Adrianna Tate-Duncan (90210) Jessica Lowndes' trampy Beverly Hills teen might be the worst teen mom ever. she was taking tons of drugs during her pregnancy, drinking, and wasn't sure who the daddy was. By the time she got her life together and found sweet Navid, she was considering not giving up the baby for adoption. Looks like she's lost a lot of sleep over not keeping her kid since then. (NOT!)

8. Corey Conway (7th Heaven) Alicia Leigh Willis, known as Courtney from General Hospital, first brought attention to the plight of pregnant teen athletes when she befriended Mary Camden. Plus she married teen father Wilson much later on in the series.

7. Cordelia Chase (Angel) Not only was Cordy pregnant at 18 after a one night stand with a demon, but a few years later she gave birth to one of the ultimate evils and paid the ultimate price, slipping into a coma she never recovered from.

6. Jen Linley (Dawson's Creek) It happened in the five year forward jump of the last episode, but Jen finally completed Gram's worst nightmare, getting pregnant and left by some horrible dirtbag. Of course, BFF Jack was there to step in and help raise the baby.

5. Tess Harding (Roswell) Long before she played pregnant Aussie Claire on lost, Emilie de Ravin was ruining relationships by secluding alien leader (and apparently her husband/alien king from a previous life) Max. One night yielded baby Zan, and finally sent Tess out of Max's life and back to the home planet.

4. Andrea Zuckerman (Beverly Hills 90210) The original teen mom, played by Gabrielle Carteris, was top of the class at West Bev. College came, she got a little irresponsible, and she had to leave the show (and the Bev Hills area) after getting pregnant and married. She ended up divorced :-(

3. Quinn Fabray (Glee) Dianna Aragon's pregnant cheerleader continued to make quippy comebacks until her water broke at regionals. Plus she pitted babydaddy and bad boy Puck against her dumb but sweet boyfriend Finn.

2. Lane Kim (Gilmore Girls) Keiko Agnea's lovable Lane Kim showed that you can be a rock and rolling teen (ok, maybe 21-year old) and still be a parent. It took moving into a house with her bandmates to get Lane to break her mother's tight control over her life. Soon after falling in love with bandmate Zach, three wedding ceremonies and twin baby boys followed.

1. Haley James Scott (One Tree Hill) After a season-long romance with the star of the basketball team,"tutor girl"became "tutor wife" then by graduation she was married "tutor mom". Seven seasons later, she and Nathan are still together and expecting a second child.

A Note About WB Stars Making TV Appearances

     The WB stars of the past and present, mostly the past in this case, have long made TV appearances together on new shows. They're popping up everywhere. Here are 10 great WB reunions in other shows and movies and 3 WB prequel friendships.

Reunited, and it Feels so Good

As part of their packaged deal, I'm convinced, WB stars make TV deals to be in future TV shows with other stars. Here are ten examples:

1. 2010, Life Unexpected 
1. (Shiri Appleby- Roswell and Kerr Smith- Dawson's Creek), as radio cohosts and engaged parents raising her long-lost teenager.
2.  2010, The Vampire Diaries 
1. (Paul Wesley- Everwood, Bianca Lawson- Buffy)
3. 2010, Pretty Little Liars 
1. (Holly Marie Combs- Charmed,  Lucy Hale- Privileged, Bryce Johnson- Popular, Bianca Lawson- Buffy)
4. 2008-2010, Bones 
5. (David Boreanez- Angel, and Brendan Fehr-Roswell)  as his brother.
6. 2008, 90210 
1. (Lori Loughlin- Summerland, Jennie Garth- What I Like About You) and including Shannen Doherty and Greg Vaughn- Charmed, Scott Patterson-Gilmore Girls, and Sarah Danielle Madison- 7th Heaven 
7. 2007, Samantha Who?
1.  (Barry Watson- 7th Heaven, Melissa McCarthy- Gilmore Girls)
8. 2007, Greek 
1. (Appearances by Charisma Carpenter - Buffy/Angel & Jesse McCartney- Summerland)
9. 2006, What About Brian?
1.  (Barry Watson- 7th Heaven, Amanda Foreman- Felicity, and Matthew Davis (The Vampire Diaries)
10. 2006, The Bedford Diaries 
1. (Penn Bagley- future Gossip Girl star, Milo Ventimiglia- Gilmore Girls)
11. 2006, Heroes 
1. (Greg Grunberg- Felicity, Milo Vetmingilia-  Gilmore Girls)
12. 2005, How I Met Your Mother
1.  (Alyson Hannigan- Buffy, and Bob Saget- Raising Dad)                                            with guest appearances by Amy Acker-Angel, Joanna Garcia- Reba, Alexis Denisof-  Buffy/ Angel, Tom Lenk- Buffy, Harry Groener-Buffy)
13. 2004, Fearless (Unaired WB pilot)
1.  (Ian Somerhalder, Bianca Lawson, and Rachel Leigh Cook- honorary WB star).
14. 2004, Jack and Bobby
1.  (starred Bradley Cooper, who links to many proijects with other WB stars, including Greg Grunberg (Alias) , Emma Caufield (I Wanna Marry Ryan Banks), Nick Brendan (Kitchen Confidential)
15. 2003, Veronica Mars
1.  (Guest roles by Alyson Hannigan- Buffy & Charisma Carpenter- Buffy/Angel)
16. 2003, Supernatural 
1. (Jared Paladecki- Gilmore Girls, Jensen Ackles- Smallville)
17. 2002, What I Like About You
1.  (Simon Rex- Jack & Jill, Leslie Grossman- Popular, Jennie Garth - 90210)
18. 2001, Lost 
1. (Emilie de Ravin- Roswell, Daniel Dae Kim-Angel  & GS Greg Grunberg- Felicity)
19. 2001, Alias 
1. (Jennifer Garner- Felicity, Greg Grunberg-Felicity, Amanda Foreman-Felicity, Kevin Wesiman, Felicity)
20. 2000, Gilmore Girls
1.  (Keiko Agnea- Felicity, Danny Strong- Buffy, Chad Michael Murray- One Tree Hill)

     Hold your hats, here we go on some deep dives!

• The appearance of James Van Der Beek on One Tree Hill (2008-2009 season) as a coke-snorting director brought the WB/CW (WC for short) full circle. VDB's director came to Tree Hill to try to direct a movie of Lucas's life story, and the former WB golden boy and resident moody dreamer finally passed on his crown to the WB's reigning golden boy and moody dreamer (CMM), before he left at the end of that season. Now if only VDB had come home  (both shows filmed to Wilmington, N.C.) as his WB character, director Dawson Leary, the earth as we know if would explode. If only....
• Some WB stars were friends before they came to the glorious network, like Lori Loughlin and Bob Saget, who starred as in-laws and co-hosts on Full House. FH stars Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen were in a classic episode of 7th Heaven where Simon and a friend go on a double date with the daring twins. The pair also anchored a season of Two of a Kind on ABC, where their uncle was played by Sabrina cast member, David Lascher.
• The original 90210, the one that started it all, starred Shannen Doherty (Charmed, 90210) and Emma Caulfield (Buffy).
• The 1995 Clueless movie and subsequent 1996 TV show starred Elisa Donovan, who went on to play Morgan on Sabrina, and Donald Faison, who played Tracy on several seasons of Felicity. Rachel Blanchard, who played Cher in the TV series, later went on to play Kevin's police partner on 7th Heaven.
• The WB's less publicized shows such as Jack & Jill and Zoe, Duncan, Jack and Jane (aka Zoe...) launched the careers of other WB stars such as Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville, Lex Luthor), Ivan Sergei (Paige's husband in the last season of Charmed), and Simon Rex (Felicity once slept with him).

A Thank You Note to the CW

Dear CW,

We've had our aches and pains over the years. I've been working on forgiving you for the whole cancelling Buffy and Roswell and shifting them to UPN thing.

Although, I may never forgive you for the dreadful resurrection of 7th Heaven. The last three or four years of that show were a straight up joke.

I have to thank you personally for listening to the fans for once. Most importantly in regard to One Tree Hill. This show has really meant a lot to me. I've grown up with Nathan, Brooke, Lucas, Peyton, Haley, and the others in Tree Hill. We've graduated high school, went to college, and struggled into adulthood at the same time.

I was terrified that this constant in my life, this one bond, would be yanked from my life today with your 2010-2011 season announcement. Nobody thought One Tree Hill would live to see this September, most especially me. But I had a change of heart in the last week. I began to feel guilt for commenting a few weeks ago that I thought maybe it was time to end.

But, I braced for the worst. There's nothing I hate more than an unplanned series finale (see Angel's Not Fade Away), which would have happened with Monday night's possible double murder of two main characters. SPOILER- Clay AND Quinn get shot by that crazy tennis player Katie that wants Clay to be her agent/lover.

Now season 7 hasn't been the best with the departures of Chad Michael Murray and Hilarie Burton, but I've stuck with you. I've stuck with you through the five year jump, the murder of Uncle Keith, the birth of little Jamie, and I've continued to love and support the show.

But now one tree hill has the time, whether it be a half a season or a full season, to go out with dignity and grace. Not just tying up ends with tearful songs and long speeches.

It's going to take more than a trip to Utah for Haley to get over her depression and losing her mother. Mouth and Skills can't just go back to being bros overnight. Brooke and Julian can't just get engaged and ride off into the sunset. And have we ever seen the last of dan Scott? I think not.

Positive note: Brooke and her mother can finally get along. That part of the episode was nice and very necessary. One of these kids needs a stable parent in their life, especially since Karen moved on in season 5. And we need to see Lucas and Peyton one more time before the end, with their baby.

This show started about a group of brothers, begrudgingly becoming friends, and trying to find their place in the world. Let's bring it out the way we came in this fall.