CITY BOY GEEKINESS

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LET'S CONNECT


Time for a little bit of magic and a whole lot of drama.

Lifetime announced today that they have decided to pick up Witches of East End for a 10-episode season order. The new witchy drama will star Julia Ormond as Beauchamp family matriarch Joanna, with Jenna Dewan-Tatum and Rachel Boston portraying her daughters Freya and Ingrid respectively. Madchen Amick is also slated to star as Joanna's sister, Wendy.

Witches of East End is based on the popular best-selling adult book series from Melissa de la Cruz. The television series will focus on the story of the Beauchamp family and their lives in East Haven. Once younger daughter Freya (Dewan-Tatum) becomes engaged, the union sparks a series of events that forces Joanna (Ormond) to reveal to her daughters that both, in reality, are the next generation of witches in the Beauchamp family tree.

The new drama series is slated to premiere on Lifetime later this year.

Will you be checking out the witchy drama when it arrives to Lifetime? Sound off in the comments and share your thoughts about the new pilot order.

Time to close the book and end the story kids.

CBS has announced that How I Met Your Mother has been picked up for one more final year. The upcoming ninth season of the half hour comedy will unfortunately be its last year.

All current series regulars have signed on for the upcoming fall season. Also, details have been released that the identity of the mother, which has been the central mystery and premise of the series, will FINALLY be revealed before the end of the final season. No word yet if the identity will be revealed this current season or sometime during the 2013-2014 season.

I've only started watching the show within the last year or so and I've really enjoyed the episodes I have seen. Many fans have expressed that the show hasn't been the best in the most recent seasons. Though, the upside could be that since a finale is now set to air next year, all remaining storylines and twists can be introduced to the viewers before a series finale.

Are you sad to see the show go? Sound off in the comments and share your thoughts about the renewal and cancellation news.

Is it weird to feel accomplished that I'm starting to recap another show?

It's only because I wanted to take it slow after starting with The Carrie Diaries last week. Now I think I could possibly handle more than one show on my own and I want to try another midseason show. The Following is a new thriller drama on FOX that follows an FBI team try to stop a serial killer and his obsessed followers. The pilot episode did pretty well and I enjoyed the shocking moments enough to check out the second episode.

This week on The Following, the search is still on to find Joey and the FBI discovers that one of Joe's dedicated followers is planning his addition to the horror story. Plus, some backstory is revealed about one of the kidnappers.


ALLEY OR FRENEMY?
Pilots are a great way to introduce the main cast at first. Though, they're also great to rework and write out characters that underperform once the pilot has been ordered to series. FBI agent Jennifer Mason (Jeananne Goossen) was the only real casualty of this; her character was dropped from the case for allowing Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon) to break three of Joe Carroll's (James Purefoy) fingers during interrogation. Joining the case as series regular is FBI specialist Debra Parker, who was asked to lead the team due to her experience on cults and cult behaviour.

Picking up from last week's episode, the team is dealing with the recent kidnapping of Claire's son, Joey. The truth is a little too unnerving when they discover that both Joey's nanny Denise and Sarah Fuller's neighbours, Will and Billy were secretly visiting Joe at the prison on a regular basis. A failed interrogation provided nothing in terms of information to locate the missing child but the group does uncover some details about  Denise - who's real name is Emma. They travel to her abandoned childhood home and quickly hell ensues: they break in illegally (though nobody on the team cares), Ryan gets attacked by someone in a mask (scary moment but hilarious!) and the group discovers a dead body in the attic. Alright... take a minute and process everything because that was a lot to take in. (3... 2... 1... let's move on)

'Nevermore' once again appears throughout the house and the team can't help but now admit that they're dealing with a cult. Not really shocked with that revelation - it was mostly expected based on the promos and concept of the show. The new piece of information discovered is that since Sarah was murdered in the last episode, Claire is the new target for the serial killer groupies.

TIME FOR A REWRITE
Bumbling aspiring serial killer Jordy, who was the faux-cop from last week's episode, finished his first murder scenario by targeting three sorority girls. Chapter Two seemed to focus on Jordy's mission because he kept referencing that this was HIS chapter and everything would change based on what HE did. Once the FBI team realized that Claire was the next target, they rushed to protect her from the next killer groupie. However, Jordy was already hiding in the basement and he was able to sneak into her bedroom with a gun. (Really?! Nobody thought to search the basement?)

A stand-off ensues with Ryan trying to talk Jordy down. Suffice it say, the group saves Claire in time and peace is returned... for only two more minutes. Interesting to note is that Joe fully expected for Jordy to die in the confrontation but a wrench was thrown into the story: Jordy survived. Promos showed that he'll be interrogated in the next chapter. I wouldn't be surprised if one of Joe's followers tries to silence him before he can spill anything that could ruin the rest of the story.

TROUBLE IN PARADISE
The more interesting of the storylines this episode was the backstory of Denise/Emma and the tension between the three kidnappers. Turns out that Emma was an admirer of Joe Carroll and HE set her up with Will/Jacob years prior. Yep, Sarah's neighbours aren't really gay but were just faking the relationship while these two kidnappers were secretly dating. Also revealed in the backstory is that Emma killed her mother - she was the dead body in the attic. Plus, it's VERY clear that Emma and Billy/Paul do not get along at all!

Episode two started off well and it is definitely trying to keep the momentum from its pilot. There were a lot of great moments and I have this strange feeling that Debra or Mike will secretly be part of the groupies. It's still very early to guess how the show will pick up for the rest of the season, but I'm hoping that for the next few episodes there is more of a mystery than a cop drama.

Will the team stop the masked killer next episode? What do the groupies have in store for Joey? Anyone else think that Paul might secretly have a thing for Jacob? Post in the comments and share your thoughts of The Following.

Relationships seem to be coming to a head on The Carrie Diaries.

It's week 3 of the new midseason show which means that starting next week, the ratings will definitely affect the show's chances of pick-up. The current demo is pretty average for The CW on a Monday night. However, it's not the best ratings-wise to stand a real fight against cancellation. Anything could happen in the next few weeks and May is a long time way but if you're a fan of the show (and in the U.S.), it might be time to get in gear.

This week on The Carrie Diaries, Carrie is taking a stand against her father when it comes to dating Sebastian. However, when she finds out that Sebastian is one of her father's clients, Carrie learns the REAL story about her new bad boy. Plus, Mouse's college boy-toy makes an appearance and Larissa takes the gang to an "opening" art party, as it were.


NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH
Heartache and heartbreak are the menu this episode and Carrie's father has drawn the line in the sand. Ignoring daddy-dearests' advice (honestly, what teenager ever listens to that order...), Carrie continues her new relationship with Sebastian, in the hopes that he'll be her first love. A shared interest in music and some cute moments between the pair are a little too sweet to handle at first, especially since this is Carrie Bradshaw after all. The couple look to really be trying to make it work. However, Carrie's father keeps putting a wrench in the plan and still refuses to let her see him.

Fortunately for Carrie, her father might have slipped and given away the most tempting news for any dater: Sebastian is one of his clients. Though he doesn't reveal anything, Carrie takes matters into her own hands and searches through his files to uncover the truth. It seems that Sebastian's experience comes from good learning, pretty good in fact since he had an affair with his TEACHER! (Experienced indeed). Carrie tries to ignore the facts but can't shake the thought of Sebastian playing TA with the teacher. She runs away and takes solace in her Manhattan adventure to clear her thoughts. (More details below!)

Even time to think wasn't enough to save this budding relationship. Meeting in their "special" place, Carrie comes clean and blurts everything to Sebastian. She may be fine with his past but it turns out that he wasn't ready for HER to know. He feels betrayed and breaks-up with her for not trusting him. I would hope that this will be her first step towards a more adventurous and opinionated future. Puppy dog moments and romantic songs are good at first but there definitely needs to be more shocking and romantic drama in this mix.

OPEN YOUR HEART... AND EVERYTHING ELSE
The Manhattan storyline needs to keep coming back more and more - it's the best part of The Carrie Diaries. This time around, Mouse is tagging along for the fun and joining the story in the big city. Larissa (you know, style editor and all around amazing character) invites Carrie to a brand new performance art exhibit; Carrie happens to invite Mouse and her college (ex)boyfriend Seth as well. What they thought would be an art show was, in actuality, a performance show where the artist - a retired porn star - would open her legs and "take back" her power. (In other words: she would flash the crowd if someone donated a coin)

The artist definitely took a liking to Carrie because she invited her to "take back" her power and sit on the chair doing her job. Obviously she wasn't ready do that so Carrie ran... which did not please Larissa at first. Larissa was about thisclose from dumping Carrie yet again (very mean girl of her, if I do say so), but things happened to work out yet again and she's still in Larissa's good graces. On the flip side, Seth missed Mouse while he was at school and admitted that he wanted to be her boyfriend.

MORRISSEY THE HAMSTER
Some of the other supporting characters had their own storylines this episode as well. Maggie is still reeling from her recent break-up with Walt and plans to rid her room of anything that reminds her of the relationship. She even takes out her frustration on a giant stuffed panda bear. Dorrit, Carrie's sister, longs for some companionship and she steals a small hamster from a pet store and names him Morrissey. Though she loses him at first, her father agrees to let her keep him. Speaking on her father, Tom (yes, I did remember his name) is back on the dating hunt and hits his first singles' bar. 

The problem I have with these smaller storylines is that nothing major really happened. Seriously, a storyline about a hamster? I would love in the following few episodes for things to start changing and these characters develop from innocent to more of a "not-so-after-school-special" variety. What this show is missing is drama.

Sad to see Carrie/Sebastian over before it began? How long will Mouse and Seth last? What will Larissa have in store for Carrie next week? Will these characters start fighting and lying already? Shout out in the comments and let me know your thoughts on the most recent episode.

Sad news for the Chloe fans out there.

In a somewhat surprising move by ABC, the network has decided to pull Apt 23 from its schedule going forward. No plans or dates have been revealed about when or if the network will air the remaining episodes of the season.

While no official statement was made that the show is now cancelled, the future looks bleak for a potential new season. Even cast members James Van Der Beek and Krysten Ritter tweeted their regrets and expressed the obvious outcome that the show is (most likely) cancelled.

Until further notice, ABC will fill the open timeslot with back-to-back episodes of Happy Endings until the new season of Dancing With The Stars begins.

Will you miss Don't Trust The B---- In Apartment 23? Sound off in the comments and let me know if you think ABC will bring back the show or not.
Let's check out the 80s for today. 

I'm always open about writing new topics and the idea of doing more recaps has been on my to-do list for ages. Seriously... search back for my last episode recap: it was a SEASON 2 Glee episode! Even though I'm starting after its pilot episode, I felt like restarting this section with a piece about The Carrie Diaries. Partly due to the fact that I like The CW as a network (though, I choose to slightly ignore the loss of some cancelled shows - R.I.P) and also because I like to give midseason shows a chance to jump off the ground. Let's get right into the first new recap:



This week on The Carrie Diaries, Carrie is dealing with the aftermath of juggling her tame Conneticut lifestyle with her new faux social-life in Manhattan. Also in the mix is the continuing battle for Sebastian between Carrie and Donna, Walt and Maggie struggle with their splintered relationship and Larissa makes a reappearance for Carrie's one-of-a-kind bag.

BATTLE OF THE TEEN QUEENS
The fists are up and the claws are out. There always seems to be a love triangle present in teen dramas and it was plainly obvious that Carrie would be in the mix. Last week Carrie regained a slight lead over her nemesis Donna for the new bad boy Sebastian. Donna practically threw herself all over him but Carrie was the one who ended the episode strong. However, now that Carrie is sidelined with being grounded, Donna is trying everything she can to win Sebastian's heart (and everything else, it seems).

Carrie and Sebastian start off the episode with a coy "I-like-you-but-won't-admit-it-first" vibe, throwing back cute quips and practically shooting love arrows with their eyes. While the two are trying to make it work, Carrie's grounding has left her to blow off Sebastian and relegate him to attend the country club with his parents... and apparently with Donna's family following right behind. The resident mean girl isn't willing to throw in the towel just yet, she gives Sebastian a quick tour of the building before bringing him to her special spot: the bench where she lost her virginity. (Real classy, Donna!). He doesn't really take the bait but she's proving that she wants to fight for the popular boy; what with her casually flirting, fake excuses to fondle him while getting high and overtly pretending to be nice in public.

Mouse, who's real name is Jill, being the best-friend type that she is, spills the gossip to Carrie that she better watch her back before Donna swoops in. Her advice works because Carrie blows off her younger sister Dorrit and asks Sebastian for some quality... "swim time" together. While there is some swimming, Carrie Bradshaw (HBO-style) makes a comeback and makes-out with her guy like she's ready to win the game. Unfortunately for Carrie, daddy-dearest shows up and cuts the date short. He lays it on thick that while he trusts Carrie and agrees that she can go on dates.... she just can't date Sebastian!


THE BROKENHEARTED
Speaking of blowing off... Carrie's love life wasn't the only one that hit some trouble. Highschool sweethearts Maggie and Walt couldn't seem to agree and make things work anymore. When Maggie was trying to show Walt some love (I'm trying to keep this recap clean here, people), he pulled back and explained that he wanted to give her the romantic night that she deserved for their first time. By now, it's been established that Walt is secretly gay and Maggie is cheating on him with an older police officer.

Walt seeks out Carrie's advice and for whatever reason, he decides that he should get it over with and sleep with Maggie. While he waits outside her house for four hours, Maggie is secretly hooking up with her cop friend. Let's face it... she's looking for intimacy but she's not going to find it with this guy. When she finally arrives, Walt spills his guts and decides that he could never sleep with her because he didn't lover her in that way. He breaks up with her and wants to stay friends. It's a half truth that he can admit but now this storyline between is over and I couldn't be happier.

INTERNSHIP VS. MANHATTAN DREAMS
Oh, Larissa! You're becoming my favourite character on the show every minute. Carrie's storyline deviated from her Connecticut mess to focus on her internship woes in New York. Her stern boss (who is proving to be a little too cliché for my liking) ordered more tasks of Carrie at the accounting internship, but with a stroke of luck and several phone messages, Carrie travels to Brooklyn for an emergency INTERVIEW photoshoot. Larissa needs a favour and desperately needs Carrie's handbag! While the episode parted with Larissa still in possession of the bag and Carrie treading on thin ice at work, I would love for more Manhattan storylines. Maybe even Carrie moving her internship to Interview magazine? (I can only hope.)

Are you excited for Sebastian and Carrie's new romance? Will Walt ever admit his true  feelings? Do you love Larissa and want to see more of her? Shout out in the comments and let me know your thoughts on the episode.

Canadians have found their answer for Julie Chen!

Announced today by Shaw Media, Canadian television personality and entertainment reporter Arisa Cox has been revealed to be the new presenting host of Big Brother Canada's first inaugural season. Arisa will bring Canadians along for the opening day and first night of the Big Brother Canada season on February 27th at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Slice (check local listings for appropriate time and channel).

While Big Brother Canada isn't set to air for five more weeks, potentially this new bit of information will continue a trend for season updates and reveals. The full list of houseguests and the season's main twist (if there is one) has yet to be revealed. I'm hoping for A LOT of drama, fights, twists and real competitors who are ready to play the game! Plus, I'll be writing about it and I would love more stuff to post.

Are you excited for Big Brother Canada? Shout out in the comments and let me know what you're excited for in the first season.


Oh musicals, how much do I love thee?! Somewhat apparently. Popular stage and Broadway musicals can get the big screen treatment. They're outfitted with an amazing cast, perfectly designed costumes and buzzworthy performances for nomination consideration. Chicago, Mamma Mia!, Hairspray, Dreamgirls and Rock of Ages are a few musicals that have made the big screen. I haven't done a FULL movie review since mid-2012 so I wanted to give this one a shot, especially since it's been nominated for an Academy Award. The second movie review of the day is the heartbreaking French music: Les Miserables.


The Premise: Set in the downtrodden alleys of France's 1800s, former prisoner Jean Valjean (played by Hugh Jackman) breaks his parole and starts life anew as a factory owner and Mayor of Montreuil-sur-Mer. After an unexpected encounter with his former employee and now prostitute Fantine (Anne Hathaway), he promises on Fantine's deathbed to take care of her illegitimate daughter Cosette and save her from her unbearable guardians, the Thénardiers. While Valjean was able to save Cosette, his presence came to the attention of Javert (Russell Crowe), a police inspector who has dedicated his life to placing Valjean behind bars.

Several years later, tensions begin to rise between the aristocracy and the poor. With the looming death of a respected official, a revolution is certainly on the horizon. The story focuses on the return of Jean Valjean and Cosette (Amanda Seyfried), Marius, a young student and revolution organizer who falls for Cosette, Éponine, the Thénardiers' young daughter with an unrequited love for Marius, the evil Thénardiers and their quest for money, Javert and his continued mission to apprehend Valjean, and a revolution that aims to set France free.

The Good: Les Misérables is a beautifully crafted film. While the tone of movie is destined to be dark, dreary and depressing, the way it was designed suited the intent and underlying theme. Upon first notice, a lot of effort was placed into bringing a French revolution to the big screen. Costumes, scenery and the small touches made the film more than just a musical adaptation. Though, I will say that the make-up and aesthetics might have been a little TOO heavy on some of the actors and performers.

Now let's get to the real purpose for reading this review - the music! The musical numbers were done in the typical big screen fashion with exuberant background singers, beautiful scenery and rehearsed vocals. However, there were a few real standouts that made the film noteworthy. Fantine's performance of "I Dreamed A Dream" might be the most heartbreaking thing I've watched in a while. Yay, Anne Hathaway - that falling tear really got to me! Plus, Éponine's performance of "On My Own" and just Samantha Barks in general made me love her character.



The Bad: The downside might be the music as well. I read in a few previous articles that the musical numbers for Les Misérables were filmed live with no studio overlay. Problem was that the lack of fine-tuning definitely showed in the final product. Les Misérables might be the musical with the most singing and it hurt many of the performances that didn't have that extra bit of work to fix a song. Besides the two I already referenced and possibly a few others, the majority of the songs in the movie were alright but didn't stand out as amazing.

Lastly, Sacha Baron Cohen should not have been cast as M. Thénardier. The role is a comical relief and the pairing of the scrupulous married couple is supposed to lighten the mood of the musical. He is a funny actor who has played many hilarious, and albeit, terrible roles. However, he was really over-the-top compared to his counterpart (Helena Bonham Carter). It took me out of the film whenever his character appeared on the screen.


The Results: 2.5/5!
Commercials have touted that Les Misérables is "the favourite and best musical of all time" and while I completely disagree, the story is still touching and beautiful. Having never read the original book, I didn't understand the plot at first. Though, I've done some reading and finally understand the concept. The actors and overall production did a great job at adapting the musical, with a few stand-outs like Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway and Samantha Barks. I wish that all the musical numbers were amazing but a few fell short of becoming a masterpiece that I would have loved to rewatch at a later date. Though, the movie is Academy material and some in the production could walk away with an award. In terms of all film musicals, Les Misérables is a good choice to add to your viewing list for a touching story but it can be a bit depressing.

Agree or Disagree with the review? Leave you comments below and let us know what you thought of the movie.
Let's take a moment and reflect on this post for a second: it's the first movie review of the year! I can't believe that it's 2013 already. The last few weeks of December and the beginning weeks of January tend to focus on films that try to get in last minute "buzz" for the awards' season. This film obviously isn't in consideration (the movie title says it all); however, it did score the first #1 box office weekend of 2013. The film that I will be reviewing today is the 3D sequel to another horror franchise: Texas Chainsaw 3D.

The Premise: Fast-forward to the end of the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre (not the remake with Jessica Biel), Leatherface's family has been murdered by a few rogue townsfolk and police who seek revenge against the Sawyer family. After the ensuing carnage subsides, an enraged man kills one of the Sawyer women and plans to raise her baby daughter as his own. More than twenty years later, Heather (played by Alexandra Daddario) receives a letter explaining that her "biological" grandmother has died and has left her a wealthy inheritance. Heather discovers that she is adopted and with an impromptu roadtrip with her friends, she hopes to uncover the truth about her real family. However, when they arrive at the Sawyer family home, it seems that Heather's cousin, Leatherface, is alive and ready to find more victims.

The Results: 1/5!
Texas Chainsaw 3D is a horror popcorn-flick with 3D special effects. Did I just blow your mind? Going into the movie and expecting anything otherwise, especially when wanting something different with a scary movie, is a tad strange and a bit foolish. This is a gory slasher to watch with friends or if you're a fan of the Texas Chainsaw movies in general. The overall acting was so-so and Trey Songz did alright for his first acting role. Leatherface as a serial killer figure scares me regardless so I was generally scared. Will there be another sequel? I wouldn't be surprised. Will I actually watch it? That's a question to ask another day.
The holidays are over and the dust has settled for the first batch of cancellations. While the list has been surprisingly few, the greater number of pick-ups and renewals is a positive change to see that most new series are getting a full season. So far my selection from the Fall 2012 list has only lost one show (R.I.P. 666 Park Avenue), but now we can also judge the shows that will come in to replace those that have left.

Since it's the beginning of the new year, the networks will start to premiere a new line-up of TV shows. Midseason replacements are programs that didn't make it for the fall schedule and in most cases, these shows have a short number of first season episodes (pending renewal and script order). I've searched through the main five networks and came up with a shortlist of TV shows that I'd like to watch either the pilot episode or the first few episodes.


Hannibal (NBC)
Has anyone heard about or seen a trailer for this show?! Hannibal is the small screen adaptation of the novel series about cannibalistic psychopath Dr. Hannibal Lecter. NBC has only stated "coming soon" but TV.com is featuring a countdown where the show will premiere in March so I'm including it on the list. First off, Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal scared me as a child... I have yet to ever finish the latter. Though, the buzz surrounding this show is pegging it as a future hit for 2013. I would love to see how a primetime network tackles the issue of Hannibal for a non-Cable viewing audience.


Do No Harm (NBC)
Cards on the table: I've had the chance to watch the pilot episode. Do No Harm is a mainstream adaptation of the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde tale where a doctor deals with an uncontrolled and dangerous split-personality. I had yet to hear what the show was about but after watching the episode, I am quite impressed with the concept. The main lead did a good job and seeing where the season develops could be interesting change with the current shows that I follow. My only hope for the show is that in its first few episodes, it plays well to utilize the evil alter-ego and doesn't brush it off as a gimmick or a spur of the moment episode plotline.


The Goodwin Games (FOX)
Sad news to start off: the first season order was cut from 13 episodes to just 7. Apparently it's due to the overabundance of the FOX comedy line-up but... you never really know. The Goodwin Games is a family comedy between three siblings who must complete a series of games where only one will win their father's inheritance. The main reason I want to see the pilot episode is because of Becki Newton. I loved her on Ugly Betty and How I Met Your Mother so I want to give her new show a chance.



Deception (NBC)
Same with Do No Harm, I've already watched the pilot episode before the premiere. Deception is a drama that follows an undercover cop looking into the death of her childhood friend at her late friend's wealthy family estate. The pilot episode was alright, though it didn't do enough justice for the first episode. However, I absolutely love Revenge on ABC and Deception seems to have a not-so-but-somewhat-similar concept. I will give the series a shot and see how far I follow.


Cult (The CW)
Cult has been skewered by the critics. I've read the reviews, I've heard the podcasts and even had my own disposition after The Secret Circle (R.I.P) was cancelled. However, I really like The CW and I want to give the show a shot. Cult is a show-within-a-show where the police are investigating the strange mysteries and disappearances relating to a popular hit show, also called Cult. The show features many familiar faces and the concept is intriguing enough to check out the first few episodes.


The Following (FOX)
Has anyone noticed that there are a lot of horror and serial killer-type shows coming out between 2012-2013? The Following is an investigative drama where Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon) and his FBI team try to track down an escaped serial killer who plots to resume his work with the help from other killers and associates. It's the most buzzed about show for midseason and many are most likely checking it out to see how the pilot turns out. The trailer looks amazing and I'm crossing my fingers that the dynamic between the main leads keep me going for the rest of the season.



The Carrie Diaries (The CW)
I never watched Sex and the City when it aired. I was eight years old when the show came out and I was definitely too young to even know what it was about. The Carrie Diaries is the 80s prequel that follows Carrie Bradshaw starting off in New York City. Unbeknownst to most people, the show is an adaptation of the Young Adult novel series that is written by Candace Bushnell. I want to check it out the pilot episode because since Gossip Girl ended its run, I would like to have another New York/living life/guilty pleasure type show on television. There is an opening for another teen and 20-something program about gossip, growing up and frenemy tension. 

There were a lot of good shows to add to the list and it was a difficult choice. My expectations are open for all the shows I didn't highlight and I'm always open to watching a new program. Would love your suggestions! Though, now that midseason is starting, it means that more cancellations will begin in the next few weeks. Cross your fingers your show makes the renewal cut!

Already have your schedule set for the new year? Share your comments below and let me know what new TV shows you’ll be tuning into... and tuning out!
It's the zombie apocalypse and the dead are coming back to life... well, almost. I'm pretty new to the whole Walking Dead series: I'm up-to-date with the television show (started during the break) and I've recently completed the first season of the episodic video games. Apparently, a new episode for the game was released each month (for five months) that added to the story and changed based on the choices made by the user. Even though the video games were released in 2012, I received the game on disc for Christmas. The game that I will be reviewing today is the post-apocalyptic zombie adventure series: The Walking Dead.


The Story: Set in the once-serene state of Georgia, the world is plunged in a state of horror as the dead start to attack the living. The player takes on the role of Lee Everett, a former respected professor of history at the University of Georgia, who was arrested and sentenced to spend life behind bars for murdering a senator (who just happened to be having an affair with Lee's wife). A car crash saves Lee from heading to prison but as luck would have it, the crash was just the beginning in a long and harrowing battle for survival.


The Walking Dead features five episodic entries where the story changes based on the decisions made by the player. Certain characters could die, dialogue can change and every quick-time action matters. Throughout the five episodes, Lee interacts with a unique cast of characters like: family man Kenny, headstrong Lilly, news reporter Carley, curious kid Duck, his caring mother Katjaa and naive farmer Hershel Greene. Also, part of the dynamic of the game focuses on the father-figure relationship between Lee and a little girl Clementine.

Where To Play: The Walking Dead is available on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, Mac, and as an iOS mobile app.


The Good: The Walking Dead proved that episodic gameplay can be a great idea when done right. Choices made from one episode could impact the decisions and characters in the next one (if they're alive that is). Downloadable content (DLC) in most causes is an add-on that includes a new chapter, levels or even multiplayer extras. While a new episode was available for purchase each month, the individual episodes continued the game going without becoming disjointed or pointless to the overall story. The experience and storyline had a clear ending for the season.

Characters and dialogue play an important part to the series. While the game doesn't focus primarily on action, the story propels the character forward. The best I could describe it would be a point-and-click adventure where talking to characters and finding items is the basis. Don't get me wrong, fighting zombies and the quick-time actions were amazing. And yes, there are plenty of those moments to love! However, making the choices for what Lee said, how he interacted with other characters or what he did helped to round out the game.

The Bad: While I could have enjoyed more zombie-fighting moments, there was really only two negatives that I had. The Walking Dead had long loading times and noticeable glitches. Between setting up to play an episode or loading a scene, the game would stop for several seconds until it would finally begin again. Usually this isn't a problem but when it happens mid-conversation, I would wonder if there was a problem with my console.


The Results: 8.5/10! 
The Walking Dead was a refreshing change to my game collection. I usually don't play point-and-click games but I gave this try and I ended up loving the story. Characters were more than one-liners and the choices I made actually made a difference from episode to episode. The long loading times ruined some of the suspense and I did notice some glitches that the developers forgot to edit it out in the final version. Though, I'd still recommend to play the game, especially if you love The Walking Dead television show or graphic novels. Change things up and try a game primarily for the story, you might end up loving it.

Agree or Disagree with the review? Share your thoughts below and let us know what you've thought of the game.


HAPPY NEW YEAR!

A brand new year of jobs, possibilities, romances, parties and so much more. I want to wish everyone a great and memorable year! Also, remember to set your 2013 resolutions. Chances are that you'll be breaking them by the end of this month but here's hoping everything turns out great for 2013.