I can't believe the year is finally ending. I hate when people say this cliché, but it really seems like I started this blog yesterday. I remember being so excited, so ready to regurgitate all the random television knowledge I've been keeping in my brain. I couldn't wait to start watching new shows to rant or rave about them, to offer insight and analysis on why certain shows do well or how they are related to others. To talk about my favorite shows and what they mean to me has honestly been fun. If I hadn't had this blog, I think my friends would've been a lot more annoyed this year. I have gotten to write all my thoughts about television on this blog, exponentially reducing the enthusiastic one-way conversations with my unwilling friends.
I'm going to be honest here and say I will not miss the stressful weekends where I had to fit in blogging. The Sunday nights racking my brain for some kind of topic that would be a sufficient word count were not very fun. But, let me add this: I really did enjoy blogging. While other AP Lang students complained about not being caught up on blogging, I thought to myself "why?" It's the only time we can really express ourselves without worrying about being graded on the content. We can write about whatever we desire. We don't have to worry about a teacher reading and grading it, so we don't need to censor our writing. I was able to write just how I would talk, not having to worry about the formalities that go along with normal writing for various school assignments.
I'd also like to mention that throughout this year I hardly ever got off topic! I'm pretty sure a lot of people ran out of ideas on their blogs and started to talk about things other than what their blog was supposed to. But I didn't! Okay, I did a couple times. But for the most part I have been able to crank out TV topics, whether they were interesting or not.
So this is my last blog post. AP exams are finished, I have a million final projects, finals are just around the corner, and then summer will finally arrive, blessing me with stress-free bliss. I think I'm going to miss this blog. I'm going to miss being forced to write about TV. My mind keeps coming up with new post ideas and I will have no where to put them. Luckily this will always be here, waiting for the time I desperately need to talk about a show finale or a new show I like. We'll see if that actually happens...
So this is it. It's been a great year, but it's time to say farewell. Good-bye blog.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Friday, May 18, 2012
Blogging Advice from a Survivor of AP Lang
Dear incoming AP Lang student,
I read a lot of random blogs trying to figure out what I would write for my own. Although no one is probably reading this, I'm going to assume anyway that all the new 11th graders out there, eager to start AP Lang, came right to my blog to seek advice on how to make an amazing and fun blog. Here's my advice to you!
Do not pick a topic that you're not super super super super interested in. Something you wouldn't mind talking about for hours. Something that you have an abundance of ideas about. And if some week you didn't have an idea it would be easy to find inspiration. Pick a topic that you love AND can write about. If you love horses? Great. But if you can't write about them week after week you probably shouldn't make a blog about them. I chose television because I knew it was something I was interested in, had a lot to talk about, and could easily find ideas by (you guessed it) watching TV.
Don't stress out about titles, layouts, fonts, etc. This may seem like a no-brainer, but when you first create your blog you probably won't know what you want it to look like and might freak out. The day in class when Mr. Ayers has you create a blog title and you have absolutely no idea what to call it? Seriously, it doesn't matter. First, it can always be changed. And secondly, no one looks at it. I think my biggest audience is from Russia... Also if you need an idea for a blog name, talk to Ayers. He's pretty good with that kind of stuff.
Don't get behind. You're probably thinking right now "I'm going to stay up with blogging all year. I'll make a schedule and never get behind!" That's not going to happen. At first its pretty easy, you're able to blog periodically during weekdays instead of saving it for the end of the week. Then you get busy and procrastination takes a hold. All of a sudden it's 11 on a Sunday night and you haven't even started thinking about what you're going to write. That happens to everyone, don't panic! Words of wisdom? Ayers doesn't check blogs every week, just go to bed and do it the next night. BUT! Don't wait until next weekend. Seriously, don't. You'll hate yourself even more if you have 6 blog posts to do next Sunday night.
Please. Take advantage of class time. Mr. Ayers usually gives class time once a week specifically for blogging (or sometimes blogging/working on the current paper). Use it!!! Even if you're just reading articles for inspiration or sitting and staring at your blog. It's really good to start thinking about posts early in the week because it's much easier to think of blog ideas when you've been thinking about it for awhile. I still randomly think about blog post ideas throughout the week. You need to get into that mindset!
Don't give up! Take the time to actually put some thought into your blog. This is a chance for you to truly express yourself without getting graded (other than completion points). A chance for you to talk about topics that your friends, family, teachers, priests, whoever, could care less about. But you do! You get to talk about something that you care about and that you want to talk about. So do it! Have fun with it. Forget it's for a grade. Of course blogging wasn't always enjoyable for me, but because I kept telling myself that I did like it, those times became less stressful and more creative.
So have fun and good luck. You'll lose sleep, but you'll learn a lot. That's a promise!
Sincerely,
Former AP Lang Student
I read a lot of random blogs trying to figure out what I would write for my own. Although no one is probably reading this, I'm going to assume anyway that all the new 11th graders out there, eager to start AP Lang, came right to my blog to seek advice on how to make an amazing and fun blog. Here's my advice to you!
Do not pick a topic that you're not super super super super interested in. Something you wouldn't mind talking about for hours. Something that you have an abundance of ideas about. And if some week you didn't have an idea it would be easy to find inspiration. Pick a topic that you love AND can write about. If you love horses? Great. But if you can't write about them week after week you probably shouldn't make a blog about them. I chose television because I knew it was something I was interested in, had a lot to talk about, and could easily find ideas by (you guessed it) watching TV.
Don't stress out about titles, layouts, fonts, etc. This may seem like a no-brainer, but when you first create your blog you probably won't know what you want it to look like and might freak out. The day in class when Mr. Ayers has you create a blog title and you have absolutely no idea what to call it? Seriously, it doesn't matter. First, it can always be changed. And secondly, no one looks at it. I think my biggest audience is from Russia... Also if you need an idea for a blog name, talk to Ayers. He's pretty good with that kind of stuff.
Don't get behind. You're probably thinking right now "I'm going to stay up with blogging all year. I'll make a schedule and never get behind!" That's not going to happen. At first its pretty easy, you're able to blog periodically during weekdays instead of saving it for the end of the week. Then you get busy and procrastination takes a hold. All of a sudden it's 11 on a Sunday night and you haven't even started thinking about what you're going to write. That happens to everyone, don't panic! Words of wisdom? Ayers doesn't check blogs every week, just go to bed and do it the next night. BUT! Don't wait until next weekend. Seriously, don't. You'll hate yourself even more if you have 6 blog posts to do next Sunday night.
Please. Take advantage of class time. Mr. Ayers usually gives class time once a week specifically for blogging (or sometimes blogging/working on the current paper). Use it!!! Even if you're just reading articles for inspiration or sitting and staring at your blog. It's really good to start thinking about posts early in the week because it's much easier to think of blog ideas when you've been thinking about it for awhile. I still randomly think about blog post ideas throughout the week. You need to get into that mindset!
Don't give up! Take the time to actually put some thought into your blog. This is a chance for you to truly express yourself without getting graded (other than completion points). A chance for you to talk about topics that your friends, family, teachers, priests, whoever, could care less about. But you do! You get to talk about something that you care about and that you want to talk about. So do it! Have fun with it. Forget it's for a grade. Of course blogging wasn't always enjoyable for me, but because I kept telling myself that I did like it, those times became less stressful and more creative.
So have fun and good luck. You'll lose sleep, but you'll learn a lot. That's a promise!
Sincerely,
Former AP Lang Student
Monday, May 14, 2012
House Finale
Next Monday, House will end forever. Not for a short hiatus, not a season finale. The end of the show will be airing next Monday. I have already posted two blog posts on this subject, discussing my acceptance for this end. Check out Letting Go... and Saying Good-bye. Yes all of these titles are very vague, it's more of me trying to be subtle. Not because I'm totally awful at naming blog posts...ha. ha.
So House is ending and I'm not caught up at all. I tried to last Friday, mostly because I needed a break from the acne-ridden stress that has accumulated from AP tests, but I only got through one episode before falling asleep. Not because it was boring! Ok, it might have been a little. But mostly because of my recent obsessive studying. It's really bad when you're not caught up with the last season of a show, mostly because when you innocently click on a video or webpage talking about the season finale, they give away important details. On Facebook I clicked on this video to get myself hyped up for the finale, only to watch a few seconds because I had to quickly click out when House revealed that *spoiler alert* something bad is happening to Wilson. Here's the video. Watch only if you're caught up!! I have no idea if this is actually a good video though, I've only seen about one second.
Even though the show is going downhill, the finale will be amazing. House finales are always amazing. Remember in season 2 House got shot? Or 4 (my favorite) when Wilson's girlfriend Amber and House get in a huge bus accident? Or what about season 5 when House is detoxing from Vicodin but realizes at the end he was hallucinating the whole episode? The list of great episodes, finales or not, goes on and on.
I realize it's sad to say, but I will really miss this show. The days I would come to school Monday mornings, happy because there was a new episode of House on. Or the nights my mom would buy me a big bar of chocolate from the store and I would sit watching House with a warm laptop on my thighs, answering trivia questions as I watched in amazement. Even holidays were spent with my family sitting down and watching House marathons on USA. Or the many times I would enthusiastically talk about the show to my friends who could care less but still pretended to to be somewhat interested (true friendship right there!).
This show has really made an impact on my life. It sounds corny, but it's true. I wouldn't know random diseases, or what Vicodin was, or how incredibly painful and life-altering a drug addiction can be. It showed me how sacred friendship was. How medicine has a huge impact over our lives. Probably the biggest lessons I learned: everybody lies. It may sound depressing, but it's a realization that we all must make. Once we realize this, we can stop lying to others and be true to ourselves. House, although someone who probably let's his true self shine too much, is an example of someone who isn't afraid to be himself. To show his true self. His personality affects all the relationships he has ever had, but because of this he knows that Wilson and anyone else who cares about him truly does care about him. That genuiness is important, and I would never have realized how important it really was without this show.
So I just want to say thank you. Thank you to all who made House possible. You entertained me, taught me, and ultimately got me obsessed with a show drenched in quality. I'll miss you and I hope to see wonderful things from everyone who made this show possible. Especially Hugh Laurie, I cannot wait to see what he does next. It won't be a genius doctor who is a jerk to everyone else, but I know it will be amazing. Good-bye House. I can't believe I'm finally saying this. But, this is my final good-bye.
So House is ending and I'm not caught up at all. I tried to last Friday, mostly because I needed a break from the acne-ridden stress that has accumulated from AP tests, but I only got through one episode before falling asleep. Not because it was boring! Ok, it might have been a little. But mostly because of my recent obsessive studying. It's really bad when you're not caught up with the last season of a show, mostly because when you innocently click on a video or webpage talking about the season finale, they give away important details. On Facebook I clicked on this video to get myself hyped up for the finale, only to watch a few seconds because I had to quickly click out when House revealed that *spoiler alert* something bad is happening to Wilson. Here's the video. Watch only if you're caught up!! I have no idea if this is actually a good video though, I've only seen about one second.
Even though the show is going downhill, the finale will be amazing. House finales are always amazing. Remember in season 2 House got shot? Or 4 (my favorite) when Wilson's girlfriend Amber and House get in a huge bus accident? Or what about season 5 when House is detoxing from Vicodin but realizes at the end he was hallucinating the whole episode? The list of great episodes, finales or not, goes on and on.
I realize it's sad to say, but I will really miss this show. The days I would come to school Monday mornings, happy because there was a new episode of House on. Or the nights my mom would buy me a big bar of chocolate from the store and I would sit watching House with a warm laptop on my thighs, answering trivia questions as I watched in amazement. Even holidays were spent with my family sitting down and watching House marathons on USA. Or the many times I would enthusiastically talk about the show to my friends who could care less but still pretended to to be somewhat interested (true friendship right there!).
This show has really made an impact on my life. It sounds corny, but it's true. I wouldn't know random diseases, or what Vicodin was, or how incredibly painful and life-altering a drug addiction can be. It showed me how sacred friendship was. How medicine has a huge impact over our lives. Probably the biggest lessons I learned: everybody lies. It may sound depressing, but it's a realization that we all must make. Once we realize this, we can stop lying to others and be true to ourselves. House, although someone who probably let's his true self shine too much, is an example of someone who isn't afraid to be himself. To show his true self. His personality affects all the relationships he has ever had, but because of this he knows that Wilson and anyone else who cares about him truly does care about him. That genuiness is important, and I would never have realized how important it really was without this show.
So I just want to say thank you. Thank you to all who made House possible. You entertained me, taught me, and ultimately got me obsessed with a show drenched in quality. I'll miss you and I hope to see wonderful things from everyone who made this show possible. Especially Hugh Laurie, I cannot wait to see what he does next. It won't be a genius doctor who is a jerk to everyone else, but I know it will be amazing. Good-bye House. I can't believe I'm finally saying this. But, this is my final good-bye.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Happy Mother's Day!
Mother's Day episodes on SNL, for some reason, are always hilarious. Anyone remember the Betty White episode? That was Mother's Day weekend. All the really awesome female cast members that had left in previous years came back to celebrate. Anyway my family sat down and watched a clip from last night's episode with Will Ferrell as a guest host. It's pretty great. Happy Mother's Day!
Digital Shorts: A New Tradition
Just recently SNL showed its 100th digital short. If you are unaware of these prerecorded comedy bits, they are created by the team of Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone. They call themselves "The Lonely Island", and have released two CDs featuring many of their songs from the shorts plus new ones that have not been shown on SNL. If you want more info on them, check out my post I did like a century ago called Digital Shorts and Beyond! So who cares? Why do these silly digital shorts get so much attention?
First of all, they're on SNL for gosh sakes! These young guys created something SNL has began to feature every single episode. This may not seem like a big deal to people who never really watch the show and don't understand its rich history. The success of digital shorts, I think, is monumental. This show has been around for decades (this is not a hyperbole!). With the coming of The Lonely Island, a whole new segment was added to the show. Something that has been shown in every episode since than, joining the traditions of the monologue, "Weekend Update", and a musical guest.
But the digital short has been done before. In the first season, SNL featured short films by Albert Brooks. They were good, but didn't really last very long, probably because they were too long and they didn't feature the "Not Ready for Prime Time Players" (the main cast at the time). So the short films went away, and were replaced later by random prerecorded clips including the cast and hosts. For a long time these were not shown on a regular schedule, but more intermittent throughout the seasons.
A new era began when Andy, Akiva, and Jorma were all hired. They had been friends for a long time, and were already making small videos on their own. Their first big success was "Lazy Sunday" and the next year they created one of their most well known shorts, "D*** in a Box." Yes, their content is not child friendly, and can be quite grotesque sometimes, but they are really smart and for the most part funny.
One of the biggest catalysts for their digital short success is the internet. Because SNL sketches are so short, they have been perfect for internet usage. More people will invest 3 minutes to watch a video than people who will sit down and watch for 30 minutes. Plus, the internet is filled with mainly younger users, looking for entertainment. Finding a Lonely Island video, most are probably saying, "Hey! There's something catchy and funny that was made by guys that are younger and more adept to youthful comedy! I like this!"
So the 100th episode was shown on SNL last night. It mentioned all of the most popular shorts and of course had some of the featured people come back to celebrate. I can't believe the trio and others have put together so many successful shorts. Some have fallen in unpopularity, but others have become really well known. I hear people at school singing them, they are referenced on TV, they are a new television and cultural element. Just one of the many that SNL produces for our entertainment pleasure.
Oh I suppose I'll share the clip. Viewer discretion is advised. Enjoy!
First of all, they're on SNL for gosh sakes! These young guys created something SNL has began to feature every single episode. This may not seem like a big deal to people who never really watch the show and don't understand its rich history. The success of digital shorts, I think, is monumental. This show has been around for decades (this is not a hyperbole!). With the coming of The Lonely Island, a whole new segment was added to the show. Something that has been shown in every episode since than, joining the traditions of the monologue, "Weekend Update", and a musical guest.
But the digital short has been done before. In the first season, SNL featured short films by Albert Brooks. They were good, but didn't really last very long, probably because they were too long and they didn't feature the "Not Ready for Prime Time Players" (the main cast at the time). So the short films went away, and were replaced later by random prerecorded clips including the cast and hosts. For a long time these were not shown on a regular schedule, but more intermittent throughout the seasons.
A new era began when Andy, Akiva, and Jorma were all hired. They had been friends for a long time, and were already making small videos on their own. Their first big success was "Lazy Sunday" and the next year they created one of their most well known shorts, "D*** in a Box." Yes, their content is not child friendly, and can be quite grotesque sometimes, but they are really smart and for the most part funny.
One of the biggest catalysts for their digital short success is the internet. Because SNL sketches are so short, they have been perfect for internet usage. More people will invest 3 minutes to watch a video than people who will sit down and watch for 30 minutes. Plus, the internet is filled with mainly younger users, looking for entertainment. Finding a Lonely Island video, most are probably saying, "Hey! There's something catchy and funny that was made by guys that are younger and more adept to youthful comedy! I like this!"
So the 100th episode was shown on SNL last night. It mentioned all of the most popular shorts and of course had some of the featured people come back to celebrate. I can't believe the trio and others have put together so many successful shorts. Some have fallen in unpopularity, but others have become really well known. I hear people at school singing them, they are referenced on TV, they are a new television and cultural element. Just one of the many that SNL produces for our entertainment pleasure.
Oh I suppose I'll share the clip. Viewer discretion is advised. Enjoy!
Saturday, May 12, 2012
The Foundation of an Obsession
How does one begin an obsession such as mine? A love for television that cannot be broken by multiple AP classes, time-consuming extra-curriculars, and of course the need as a teenager to have somewhat of a social life? How did this quest to delve myself in TV wonders begin? What shows were the foundation of the TV fanatic I am today?
As I reflect on my upbringing, I realize my parents were not very protective of my innocent mind. I'm kind of glad. I got to see and cherish some really great shows at a young age. One of my earliest memories of TV, other than the obvious Barney and Sesame Street, was the sci-fi show The X-Files. I realize right after I typed this, and looked over at a friend to ask if she has ever heard of this show ("no" was her response), that this show is pretty old...for me. It was created in 1993, before I was born! And it ended in 2002... when I was in 1st grade. Yeah. I was young when I watched this. My family was obsessed with this show. It became a ritual. As my mom reminded me, "I (my mom) would make a dinner you would all hate, a dessert you would all love, and then we would sit down and watch X-Files." Today that same concept has been changed quite a bit due to my busyness and the fact that my mom is obsessed with America's Funniest Videos and our family usually sneaks in an episode of The Apprentice. But back in the day, back at my old house with worn blue couches and our chunky small TV, we had a special Sunday night. The X-Files is what brought us all together, including my teenage sister at the time. We loved the show so much we named our fish Skully and Mulder (the main characters).
How good was this show? Why has it had such a lasting impact? This sci-fi show was based around two investigators , Skully and Mulder, who worked on cases involving paranormal phenomena. Mulder was totally into the idea of aliens and Skully basically just went along with it to eventually prove to them that it wasn't real. As you can imagine, they do end up experiencing some paranormal situations. It may sound Star Treky or some other stereotypical "nerdy" show, but it was really good and exciting to watch. Not to mention it won 26 awards and received 102 nominations! That's impressive not only for this type of genre, but for any show!
Every Sunday our family would sit down and watch The X-Files. It was our tradition. That show was the first "adult" TV show I had ever really watched. It was very young and did not understand most if not all of the dialogue, but I watched it. From then on, TV was more than just entertainment. I came home and watched a wide array of shows. From Scooby-doo to The Addams Family. From Friends (yes, my mom really did let me watch that) to All That (Hmm, a sketch comedy show for kids. I wonder how that influenced my TV preferences..). And even from the serious comedy like Roseanne to a more silly comedy like Spongebob. I didn't just like these shows because I was bored. I invested my mind into the characters. Into the plot. Into what it meant. I loved these shows. I love them to this day. They sparked something in me that may be nerdy or weird, and probably wastes way too much time, but it allows me to really appreciate the wonders that is modern television. A foundation that will forever haunt and hold me as I cry, laugh, sweat, and smile over the various shows I will have the pleasure of watching in my future.
As I reflect on my upbringing, I realize my parents were not very protective of my innocent mind. I'm kind of glad. I got to see and cherish some really great shows at a young age. One of my earliest memories of TV, other than the obvious Barney and Sesame Street, was the sci-fi show The X-Files. I realize right after I typed this, and looked over at a friend to ask if she has ever heard of this show ("no" was her response), that this show is pretty old...for me. It was created in 1993, before I was born! And it ended in 2002... when I was in 1st grade. Yeah. I was young when I watched this. My family was obsessed with this show. It became a ritual. As my mom reminded me, "I (my mom) would make a dinner you would all hate, a dessert you would all love, and then we would sit down and watch X-Files." Today that same concept has been changed quite a bit due to my busyness and the fact that my mom is obsessed with America's Funniest Videos and our family usually sneaks in an episode of The Apprentice. But back in the day, back at my old house with worn blue couches and our chunky small TV, we had a special Sunday night. The X-Files is what brought us all together, including my teenage sister at the time. We loved the show so much we named our fish Skully and Mulder (the main characters).
How good was this show? Why has it had such a lasting impact? This sci-fi show was based around two investigators , Skully and Mulder, who worked on cases involving paranormal phenomena. Mulder was totally into the idea of aliens and Skully basically just went along with it to eventually prove to them that it wasn't real. As you can imagine, they do end up experiencing some paranormal situations. It may sound Star Treky or some other stereotypical "nerdy" show, but it was really good and exciting to watch. Not to mention it won 26 awards and received 102 nominations! That's impressive not only for this type of genre, but for any show!
Every Sunday our family would sit down and watch The X-Files. It was our tradition. That show was the first "adult" TV show I had ever really watched. It was very young and did not understand most if not all of the dialogue, but I watched it. From then on, TV was more than just entertainment. I came home and watched a wide array of shows. From Scooby-doo to The Addams Family. From Friends (yes, my mom really did let me watch that) to All That (Hmm, a sketch comedy show for kids. I wonder how that influenced my TV preferences..). And even from the serious comedy like Roseanne to a more silly comedy like Spongebob. I didn't just like these shows because I was bored. I invested my mind into the characters. Into the plot. Into what it meant. I loved these shows. I love them to this day. They sparked something in me that may be nerdy or weird, and probably wastes way too much time, but it allows me to really appreciate the wonders that is modern television. A foundation that will forever haunt and hold me as I cry, laugh, sweat, and smile over the various shows I will have the pleasure of watching in my future.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Finale Season
It's that time of the year everybody! What time is that? Finale season! The most exciting, cliff-hanger-filled, and quality infused time of the year in television. A finale in the television world is the last episode of the season. The writers always try to make it one of the best, if not the best episode of the season. After the season finale airs, the show goes on a long (and depressing) hiatus, usually over the summer. After the hiatus, the show comes back and starts a new season. These episodes are usually pretty anticipated because finales have a tendency to end with some kind of loose end to make viewers excited for the next season.
Dexter had its season finale quite a while ago (December perhaps?). After seeing the episode, don't worry I won't spoil it, I literally freaked out. I wanted to see the next episode so bad! In fact I told my mom basically the premise of the entire show just so I could explain to her what happened and why I could not wait until September for the next season. Although season finales might not be this extreme, they do seem to make us want more.
So if season finales are a big deal, what about show finales? Show finales, as I assume you know but I'll explain anyway, are the last episode of the entire show. Although most people would think show and season finales are pretty similar, I find these two kind of episodes to be quite different actually. With season, there is really good writing with one of the best story-lines of the season. With show, the whole episode is concentrated on ending the show. Tying up all the loose ends, making sure I get some crying time in (drama OR comedy... seriously), and of course still trying to make a really good episode. A finale is hard, but a show finale is very very difficult. Think of how many episodes they have already written. One of the main reasons they are coming to a close is because they are out of ideas! The characters have traveled their arcs and the plot has climaxed and it's time for a denouement. Oh gosh, my AP Lang senses are tingling.
Dexter had its season finale quite a while ago (December perhaps?). After seeing the episode, don't worry I won't spoil it, I literally freaked out. I wanted to see the next episode so bad! In fact I told my mom basically the premise of the entire show just so I could explain to her what happened and why I could not wait until September for the next season. Although season finales might not be this extreme, they do seem to make us want more.
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| Dexter season finale |
So if season finales are a big deal, what about show finales? Show finales, as I assume you know but I'll explain anyway, are the last episode of the entire show. Although most people would think show and season finales are pretty similar, I find these two kind of episodes to be quite different actually. With season, there is really good writing with one of the best story-lines of the season. With show, the whole episode is concentrated on ending the show. Tying up all the loose ends, making sure I get some crying time in (drama OR comedy... seriously), and of course still trying to make a really good episode. A finale is hard, but a show finale is very very difficult. Think of how many episodes they have already written. One of the main reasons they are coming to a close is because they are out of ideas! The characters have traveled their arcs and the plot has climaxed and it's time for a denouement. Oh gosh, my AP Lang senses are tingling.
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| The Mary Tyler-Moore Show finale |
In all honesty, show finales are kind of overrated. They're depressing, sometimes kind of boring, and again, they make me cry! House, a show I used to watch obsessively in middle school, will be airing its show finale sometime soon. The show has already been on somewhat of a downward spiral. Of course it was really good, but there are only a few shows in history that can constantly put out quality material every episode year after year. Dramas are the hardest because they focus more on the plot and characters. With comedies, as long as they still produce good jokes and the characters are still interesting, the show can run for decades. The Simpsons and SNL are two great examples.
May is the finale season. Most seasons begin around August or September, which is interesting because this show schedule is exactly like a school year. With two important schedules in my life running in a year format that is different from the traditional calendar system is kind of annoying because I constantly confuse people when I say last year and mean "in 10th grade," but I digress. Finales are so exciting. They have so many great entities and continue to surprise me every year with the overall quality. You would think the writers would run out of amazing ideas, but you would be surprised. So, enjoy the finale season. I know I will in a couple weeks when I actually have time to watch them.
How I Find Time to Watch TV
Watching television in an interesting "hobby." Most would probably not even consider it that, but that's beside the point. When I tell people about my slight obsession they question me all the time about how I have "enough time" to watch all of these shows. I would just like to clear the air on this issue. I'm a high schooler taking multiple AP classes and have extra-curricular activities as well. I do not have an abundance of time. How do I fit in these amazing shows? Here are my strategies.
1. I watch most of my shows on the internet. I say this a lot on my blog, but 90 percent of the time, I'm watching my favrotie shows on my computer. This allows me to decide when and where I can watch it, which works well with my hectic schedule. Why do I not use DVR or TiVo? Actually our DVR doesn't really ever work, but I kind of like not having to worry about recording the shows. You have to remember to do it, and if you run out of memory then you have to start deleting some. It's just so much easier for me to watch on my laptop. I also find it more comfortable. Laying on my bed or couch with the screen close to my face is my ideal TV viewing experience. Yes, this means I'm alone. Yes, that's kind of sad. But it's comfortable and honestly what I have become accustomed to.
2. I hardly ever watch TV on a weekday. Unless I'm on a break from school, I rarely will sit down and watch TV. School nights are so crazy, I never have time to get in all my homework, let alone watch a show or two. Homework obviously takes priority, but if on the off chance that I have a minimal amount or there's an episode that I desperately want to see, I might take an hour or so to watch. So when do I watch the majority of my shows? You might guess weekends and breaks? Wow, you're right! As all of the amazing shows are accumulating throughout the week, I wait with anticipation for time. Time where I'm not bombarded with assignments and studying. Time that is not now, unfortunately, because AP exams are right around the corner. In my next post I'll explain why this is very depressing (hint: finale season!).
3. I always prioritize! If you've ever read my blog, you would know I watch A LOT of shows. In fact, there are still shows I have yet to talk about on my blog that I watch! When I do get a chance to watch a show or two, I can't just watch all of them. There are way too many. How do I stay up with a season but not cram in twenty shows in one sitting? There are shows that take priority during the weekend. Lately, my priority shows consist of Parks & Rec., 30 Rock, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, sometimes Grey's Anatomy, and Dexter (when its season is going).Why are these my priority? Probably because I like them the best. Well, except for Grey's.. honestly I just watch that because it's my guilty pleasure show. Of course I still throw in my other shows too. I watched New Girl and Mad Men a couple days ago, and I plan on trying to catch up with House in the near future.
So, people who keep asking me how I can fit school and watching TV in the same schedule.. I make it work! I don't go home everyday and watch TV. I have waaay to much homework for that. Instead, I consider it reward for week's (or trimester for breaks) worth of work. Sometimes I'm too busy even on the weekends, like this one. Do I watch it anyway? Of course not. I'm not obsessed to the point that I would hurt my grades or not be ready for the AP exams. TV, as I said, is a hobby. It's not a debilitating addiction that constantly consumes my life. It's something that I'm interested in and I will continue to enjoy for a very long time.
1. I watch most of my shows on the internet. I say this a lot on my blog, but 90 percent of the time, I'm watching my favrotie shows on my computer. This allows me to decide when and where I can watch it, which works well with my hectic schedule. Why do I not use DVR or TiVo? Actually our DVR doesn't really ever work, but I kind of like not having to worry about recording the shows. You have to remember to do it, and if you run out of memory then you have to start deleting some. It's just so much easier for me to watch on my laptop. I also find it more comfortable. Laying on my bed or couch with the screen close to my face is my ideal TV viewing experience. Yes, this means I'm alone. Yes, that's kind of sad. But it's comfortable and honestly what I have become accustomed to.
2. I hardly ever watch TV on a weekday. Unless I'm on a break from school, I rarely will sit down and watch TV. School nights are so crazy, I never have time to get in all my homework, let alone watch a show or two. Homework obviously takes priority, but if on the off chance that I have a minimal amount or there's an episode that I desperately want to see, I might take an hour or so to watch. So when do I watch the majority of my shows? You might guess weekends and breaks? Wow, you're right! As all of the amazing shows are accumulating throughout the week, I wait with anticipation for time. Time where I'm not bombarded with assignments and studying. Time that is not now, unfortunately, because AP exams are right around the corner. In my next post I'll explain why this is very depressing (hint: finale season!).
3. I always prioritize! If you've ever read my blog, you would know I watch A LOT of shows. In fact, there are still shows I have yet to talk about on my blog that I watch! When I do get a chance to watch a show or two, I can't just watch all of them. There are way too many. How do I stay up with a season but not cram in twenty shows in one sitting? There are shows that take priority during the weekend. Lately, my priority shows consist of Parks & Rec., 30 Rock, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, sometimes Grey's Anatomy, and Dexter (when its season is going).Why are these my priority? Probably because I like them the best. Well, except for Grey's.. honestly I just watch that because it's my guilty pleasure show. Of course I still throw in my other shows too. I watched New Girl and Mad Men a couple days ago, and I plan on trying to catch up with House in the near future.
So, people who keep asking me how I can fit school and watching TV in the same schedule.. I make it work! I don't go home everyday and watch TV. I have waaay to much homework for that. Instead, I consider it reward for week's (or trimester for breaks) worth of work. Sometimes I'm too busy even on the weekends, like this one. Do I watch it anyway? Of course not. I'm not obsessed to the point that I would hurt my grades or not be ready for the AP exams. TV, as I said, is a hobby. It's not a debilitating addiction that constantly consumes my life. It's something that I'm interested in and I will continue to enjoy for a very long time.
The Comedy Awards
It's AP exam week and guess what's on TV today... The Comedy Awards! I might have to take a study break tonight.
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