CITY BOY GEEKINESS

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LET'S CONNECT
Not even a twist could help this evicted houseguest.

There's luck and then there's meant to be. A few week ago two weeks ago when Aneal was evicted, a special viewer vote granted one nominated the chance to be removed from the block. This houseguest received a reprieve but two weeks later, she's now walking out the front door.

The sixth person evicted from the game is Suzette Amaya, the 36 year old radio host from Vancouver.


Let's Meet Suzette...

Suzette is the outspoken and opinionated floater who became the first Head of Household (HOH) in Big Brother Canada history. Suzette nominated Tom and Emmett for eviction but once Tom won Power of Veto (POV), she nominated Kat as a replacement nominee based on personal reasons. Suzette played a relatively low-key game when it came to strategy; so much so she fell into a floater pattern with allies Gary and Danielle. In week three, Tom made it his personal mission to have Suzette evicted and almost reached his goal until Canada decided to remove her from the block - Tom was forced to place Aneal as a replacement. In week five, Alec nominated AJ and Suzette for eviction with the house deciding that it was her time to go. On Day 36, Suzette was evicted by a vote of 6-1.

Why Did She Lose?
 
Usually the floater strategy is perfect for playing in the background and behind the scenes. The problem that Suzette faced was that her loud and opinionated nature made her an easy target when it came to evicting a floater. Her tumultuous relationship with Tom didn't help her standing but it was the alliances (or lack thereof) that sealed Suzette's fate. Relationships and deals were being struck between many different players and her friendship with Gary was the biggest alliance she had left. The house couldn't evicted Gary and removing Suzette made it an easier option to take someone out that wasn't directly connected to the main alliances still left.

How Could She Stay?

Suzette didn't have many trump cards or assets she could use; frankly her only power was the HOH in the first week. Her only recourse was to build friendships and cement alliances but yet she took people at face value, accepting their friendships as security while ignoring the game portion. She needed talk strategy and prove that keeping her around would be a better option compared to the other houseguests.

Photos courtesy of Slice and MSN Canada
Last Thoughts...

Suzette is a personality, not a competitor. Her athletic presence didn't impact the course of the game, but her animosity towards Tom shaped the first third of the season that resulted in a powerful core alliance fracturing in three weeks. Could she have won? No, I don't believe she would have won Big Brother Canada had she stayed in. Floaters can win and some have - I just don't think she would be one of them. Her hilarious manner and interaction with Gary was missed but once she left, the season became more strategic and competitive. Her eviction sparked a change and I'm happy that it started something new.
Life is definitely not easier in someone else's shoes, even if they're Manolo Blahniks.

This week on The Carrie Diaries, Carrie assumes Larissa's life for a day, Walt struggles with his feelings for Bennett and Mouse drops the ball.


HELLO, I'M LARISSA LOUGHLIN
New York life is showing well for young Miss Bradshaw; she's excelling at her internship and strives to be hired on during the summer. The one thing Carrie didn't take into account: Larissa. The eccentric (and amazing) style editor disappears (probably on another overnight bender) and Carrie is left to take over the responsibilities for the day, including picking up a package for Andy Warhol. The first stop is to retrieve a package delivered to the trendy downtown fashion boutique, but as many interns around the world know, unless you're the one in power nobody tends to believe your tasks. Carrie immediately picks this up from the rude sales associate who refuses to see anyone besides Larissa and she assumes the identity. Slap on a British accent, a trendy outfit and an eccentric attitude - we'd have Larissa.

Carrie indulges herself with fashion designs and drinks, having a taste of what life could be in the next few years. The delivery woman, jealous and clearly heartbroken, wants to destroy "Larissa" for sleeping with her boyfriend (the REAL delivery person). She grabs a nearby vase and attacks Carrie, urging the sales associate to arrive and get pulled into the mix. I love the drama and comedy in The Carrie Diaries, this is of course a drama series but it's paired with a nice campy vibe that makes me laugh. Case in point: the sales associate who believes this to be a drug deal. "Is that drugs? Can I have some?"

All photos courtesy of The CW and Digital Spy U.K.
Don't worry readers, it's not drugs but a wig. Bennett, Walt and Carrie deliver the package themselves and impress the bouncers of the club. From a night like this, I don't think Carrie will ever want to pretend to be Larissa ever again. Well, maybe for the shoes and the parties...

UNREQUITED FEELINGS
Walt has come to terms this episode, in his own way. He joins Carrie in New York for lunch but ends up spending his time with Bennett and slowly starts falling in love with the out-and-proud reporter. Problem is that Bennett may have already moved on with another boy. It's sad to see Walt clearly upset over being jealous but he finally comes clean to Carrie and seeks advice from his friend. Maybe by the end of the season Walt and Bennett will actually get together? This is one of the few romances I hope works out.

KNOW THY ENEMY
Power trips can ruin a team but in this case, it was just Mouse being Mouse. In the last episode of The Carrie Diaries, Mouse becomes team manager for the basketball team; half to improve her resume and the rest just to torment Wes. Unfortunately for her, her over-coaching ignited a feud between two players on the team, hurting their chances at an undefeated season. Doing what's best for the team, Mouse pushes to get fired for the betterment of the team. Though, this battle pulled Mouse and Wes closer together - I definitely saw sparks!

THE PARENT TRAP
I try to ignore the parents' storylines as much as I can. They can sometimes be a parody of themselves and provide nothing to the overall plot. First Tom, Carrie's father, argues with a woman he meets at yoga (yes, the man who chastised Carrie for trying new things went to yoga) and they soon begin hooking up on the side. Then, Sebastian's mother reappears on the scene to spill her guts before reconnecting with Sebastian's father. If there is a season two (or the back nine episodes), the storyline should focus only on the teens and the young adults. Carrie's father is a nice guy but he doesn't really fit in. He takes screen time for other characters who could use a fuller character development (i.e. Mouse, Maggie and Larissa).


Will Carrie be hired over the summer? Better question: will The CW pick up the series to show Carrie's summer run? Share your thoughts below and let me know what you thought of this week's episode.
Joe must be wishing on a star tonight because he finally gets his way. It was bound to happen sometime!

This week on The Following, Joe sends two of his best enforcers to bring Claire to the compound by force and Jacob arrives to the killer compound, leaving Emma to deal with a cold shoulder.


LOVE IS A BATTLEFIELD
Patience has run thin with Joe Carroll. He wants to have the love of his life back and he's tired of his followers' screw-ups. Enter two eager militia groupies who are ready to literally blow down the door to bring Claire back. Roderick is forced to tag along and he does not look happy. Meanwhile, at the FBI hideout, Ryan tires of not seeing Claire and believes that Joe's followers will strike any minute - he schmoozes his way into visiting Claire's hideout. Which just SO HAPPENS to be the same day the militia killer groupies attack the safe house. There are coincidences and then there's right on the nose.

In less than two minutes, all of Claire's protectors are shot dead and the pair are left to seek protection from Angel Battista... er, I mean Tyson. (Though, if he can't tell Dexter is a serial killer, I don't know how well he can do with Joe Carroll). Tyson is Ryan's former FBI partner and best friend who just so happens to live in the middle of the forest. Everything looks calm at first until Claire discovers a tracking chip slipped into her cardigan; the militia are coming and they won't stop until they get her.

Arriving in timely late night fashion, the three groupies storm the forest home. One is shot dead immediately through a glass door and another, I assume Roderick, begins taunting Ryan like an extra from The Warriors. Everything goes downhill for Ryan at this point: Tyson is wounded and Claire, making a stupid horror movie move, runs from the house and gets caught by the remaining groupies. They offer her a deal: enter the car and they'll take her to Joey. No surprise here... she takes the offer.

GIVING UP THE GHOST
Better call Bruce Willis because Jacob is seeing dead people! (Hey, it's not a spoiler if the movie's been out for more than 10 years). Finally arriving at the compound and giving Emma the coldest shoulder ever, Paul (yes, the DEAD Paul) comes out of the bathroom and teases Jacob to get out of bed and see a bloody Emma dead in the bathtub. Don't worry Emma lovers, it's only a dream - it's a foreshadow for his current feelings. Emma tries to apologize but his turned yet again while Joey, oblivious to anything going on, takes his best friend around for a tour. I'm retracting my earlier assessment of Joey. He's stopped trying to run and STILL half trusts Emma - I've lost a little respect for the delusional kid.

Who knew Joe played match maker? (Or pawned off his sloppy seconds to the groupies?) Sensing that Emma still craves the mad man, Joe urges Jacob to forgive the bad girl and take her back. He understands the stupidity in trusting the girl that abandoned him and brushes off Emma yet again. Her excuses were obvious lies; she only thought about herself and didn't care if both boys died. (I didn't see any tears or worry from her when Paul died).

Later that night Emma arrives to make peace and show Jacob how she really feels about him. I don't understand the allure of crazy Emma and yet Jacob starts to fall under her spell until Ghost Paul arrives. We finally see Jacob take charge and snap under the pressure between losing his best friend and the woman who caused it to happen. He tells Emma to "watch her back" and leaves in a huff. They'll probably get back together... or one of them will get killed off this season. My guess is on Jacob.


Did Claire make the right decision by going to the compound? Post in the comments below and share your thoughts on this week's episode.

Nothing's more amazing than the red sharpie. The red pen finally reappeared again and someone has felt the wrath of Emily. It was a breath of fresh air that I haven't seen since the first season. 

This week on Revenge, Emily and Eli team up to confront their former foster mother, Nolan and Aidan target the Initiative, Jack joins Conrad's political campaign and our favourite reporter delivers a jaw-dropping twist!


LIAR, LIAR, HOUSE ON FIRE
Eli has had an ulterior motive for finding Emily. At first we were lead to assume that it was about money, but he might have turned his stripes in his (possible) last appearance. While meeting with the Graysons for the Amanda Clarke Foundation, Eli pitched offering a donation to the foster home that housed Emily and Eli as children. For once Emily and Victoria agreed against the idea since Fauxmanda burned the place down. After a little schmoozing the Graysons supported the idea since Conrad could work it into his future campaign win. (I'm going to ignore the campaign, he's obviously going to win). Emily is a cool and collected person but seeing Mrs. Hayward brought out all the traumatic memories, including finding that hole. Not sure if anyone has seen Saw V but that little dungeon is practically treading scary movie territory. It's not a shock the other foster children were also traumatized.

Emily (and arguably Eli) were on a mission. Eli, for some unknown reason, finally revealed to Emily that her father had written several letters from prison but Mrs. Hayward kept them from her. Somewhere in the house are the letters she's looking. Though, Eli could just be playing with her since he's in cahoots with the deranged foster mother to steal money from the Graysons. At the press conference, he comes clean and outs Mrs. Hayward as the monster she truly is; ruining any chances at getting money and looking after kids. Eli may be a monster as well. Apparently he started the fire that burn down the foster home and not Emily.

Photos courtesy of ABC and Wetpaint
DON'T MESS WITH MASON
Jail seems to be doing well for Mason; he hasn't been killed off which is a plus for being a soapy drama like Revenge. Emily arrives to confront the disgraced journalist and blackmails him again for the truth behind the letters. Years prior Mason Tredwell purchased the letters from Mrs. Hayward when writing his book but since they burned up in the season one fire, he's the only one who knows the truth. Frankly he should have negotiated with Emily for a prison release - he gave away the information TOO easily and without a fight. Turns out one of the letters mentioned a girl that gave up her son at 16 years old and placed him into foster care: the girl was Victoria. The Queen of Mean has another son lurking in the wings but where (and who) could he be?

KEEP CALM AND CARRION
Let's take a moment and mourn the loss of Nodma (Padma & Nolan! No? Fine, I'll stop...). The awkward insta-couple were torn apart by the Initiative in this week's episode and Nolan's little heart is broken from losing his lady love. Padma's missing father makes a video appearance and the Initiative sets a blackmail ultimatum: deliver Carrion or her father dies. Aidan and Nolan thought they could use this opportunity to eliminate the Initiative and get a leg up on the competition but this is Revenge... no one can win that easily.

The boys are double crossed and the Initiative high tails it with Padma in toe. Everything Nolan did couldn't save Padma from a fate worse than death. What's more shocking is that Emily couldn't come and help?! I get that she was having lunch with Daniel but a simple excuse could have made her leave. Lazy or just mixed priorities?

JOE THE PLUMBER MEET JACK THE BARTENDER
Jack's revengenda is slowly coming together; he's set his sights on Kenny Ryan and Conrad for the death of Amanda. Now that he's accepted Conrad's offer to join the political campaign, Jack plans to bring down the campaign from the inside and destroy Conrad for killing his wife. What's surprising is that Jack brought Declan into the fold of this plan. Usually the kid is kept away from the major storylines and spends all his time mixed up with Charlotte. Speaking of, how long do you think it will take until Charlotte finds out? Declan can't keep a secret, especially when he's dating Charlotte.


Were you excited that this was a red sharpie episode? How long until Declan spills the beans to Charlotte? Is Padma dead or will she be saved? Post in the comments below and let me know what you thought of this week's episode.
The black widow is gone.

Less than an hour after Tom was evicted, the houseguests sent another player packing. Not as shocking as the earlier eviction but still surprising that the house aligned in this one instance.

The fifth player evicted from the season is Liza Stinton, the 29 year old tanning salon owner from Toronto.

Let's Meet Liza...

Liza is the manipulative showmancer that sparked relationships with three different men. She's been linked to Andrew but more prominently to both Tom and Peter. Having survived the first three weeks unscathed, Liza's game began to unravel when the different houseguests started whispering her as this season's Yoko. In the fifth round Gary won Head of Household (HOH) and nominated both Tom and Liza, flipflopping between the actual target. Tom ultimately was evicted in the first double eviction round but the house sided together to target Liza once-and-for-all. On Day 29, Lisa was evicted by a vote of 8-0.

Why Did She Lose?

Manipulation is a part of Big Brother but Liza weaved a web of lies she couldn't control. Playing both Tom and Peter secured her a good floater position and normally would have earned her a post-jury spot. The house started talking and realized no one could trust Lisa; she was clearly playing two boys, spread lies to the other players and made the wrong choice when it came to the end. Being nominated alongside her showmance partner was the first step to defining herself as her own player. Unfortunately, Liza sided with Tom and turned against her other partnerships of Peter and Jillian

This move is reminiscent of Ashley from Big Brother 14. She was originally a floater who relinquished her floater status to side with Boogie and Frank. By doing this she turned on her close friend Jenn, who was nominated at that time, and campaigned against her. However, both men ended up on the block at the end of the week and it was a double eviction week. Boogie got the boot first and Ashley soon followed - in this case Liza picked the wrong guy and fell by association.

How Could She Stay?

Liza needed to separate emotion from gameplay. She was playing two guys who thought they could trust her and held several smaller alliances in the back wings. When Tom looked like a sure thing to be evicted, she should have reaffirmed her alliances with Peter and Jillian. The rest of the house may have turned against her but keeping some power might have changed her position come eviction time.

Photos courtesy of Slice
Last Thoughts...

Liza was not your typical floater. She made game decisions but waffled between two guys that she couldn't decide between. The problem with being a floater is that inactivity helps to get far but doesn't win the game. When a decision to play the game is made, it could blow up in their face - which happened in this situation to Liza. Plus, lying all the time and manipulating didn't help her case either.
It's Double Eviction week!

The tides have turned and two houseguests were sent packing in a shocking ceremony. For those of you unfamiliar, a double eviction occurs when two houseguests are evicted on the same night. One from the normal course of week-long activities and the second within the same hour after competing in another Head of Household (HOH), Power of Veto (POV) and eviction ceremony.

The houseguest evicted is Tom Plant, the 24 year old firefighter from Edmonton.

Let's Meet Tom...

Tom is the hotheaded villain who started a final two alliance with Emmett on the first day of the season. On Day 1, HOH Suzette nominated Tom and Emmett for eviction - this spontaneous decision resulted in Tom forming a not-so-secret alliance with his nomination partner. He won the first POV and removed himself from the block guaranteeing his safety. During Week 3, Tom won both HOH and POV securing complete power - he decided to target Suzette. Unfortunately for him, the bottom collapsed and his game suffered. Canada used a new twist to pull Suzette from the nomination block, Emmett lost his HOH title due to a cheating scandal, and the house set Tom as the new target. On Day 29, Tom was evicted by a vote of 8-1.

Why Did He Lose?

Tom let his ego rule his emotions. Being a part of the dominant alliance has its perks and the Quatro alliance had ruled unscathed. The power went to Tom's head, he boasted about his final two alliance and walked around the house like he owned the place. He rubbed people the wrong way and assumed that he controlled everything that was going on in the house. Sooner than later infighting and the power struggle between the Tom/Emmett pair against the Shield (Peter and Alec) started to chip away at a once powerful group. The competing alliances struck first and took Tom down - giving him no chance to save himself after the POV wasn't used.

How Could He Stay?

The house flipped before Tom could do anything. Appealing to the Quatro's senses to evict Liza for strategic reasons could have worked but nothing would have saved Tom otherwise. If he had changed his attitude and approached the game in a different tone from the beginning, Tom would still be in the house.

Photos via Slice
Last Thoughts...

I didn't like Tom as a player. There are villains you like, villains you love-to-hate and the ones you don't like at all - I just didn't care for him. He dominated the season with his alliances and almost guaranteed himself a post-jury spot. If by chance he did end up on the block, the Quatro alliance held a powerful majority and would have secured his safety. The Brigade from Big Brother 12 only worked because an equally identifiable threat was around to cause drama. With no one like that here (Gary and the outsiders are questionable), the top dogs from Quatro stood out more and more like glaring targets. Tom did well for the time being but let his emotions rule... he was a powder keg ready to explode.

It's a New York Happy Birthday for Carrie Bradshaw.

This week on The Carrie Diaries, Carrie celebrates her 17th birthday working at an Interview Magazine party, Mouse continues her unspoken attraction for Wes and Dorrit meets a new boy. Plus, Walt reconnects with Bennett and finally starts to come to terms.


A BIRTHDAY BOMBSHELL
Another New York focused episode and I could not be happier. Carrie's responsibilities this week conflict between working the door at an Interview party or celebrating her 17th birthday with friends. Obviously she chooses work (more precisely she picks New York) first over her Castlebury life. Thinking that her brooding bad boy would celebrate with her, she invites Sebastian only to get cancelled last minute when he wants to spend time with his mother. Walt, being a great last minute invite, accepts and completely forgets that Bennett, his one-time male lip lock, happens to work at Carrie's magazine. Do I hear a reunion? Somewhat. It's more like a budding relationship in the horizon - which is ALWAYS good.

Photos courtesy of The CW and CITY
Larissa can do no wrong when creating drama and opportunities for Carrie (especially with her amazing British accent in tow). She pulls Carrie from working the door to enjoy the party and introduces her to Tripp, a prominent publisher who takes an interest in the young Bradshaw. While lying about writing a book about sex (an homage to Carrie's future), Sebastian arrives completely drunk and blows her chance to impress Tripp. Luckily for that disaster, Walt and Bennett are still able to connect and it opens the door for future moments. One of the few relationships that I'm hoping works out by the season finale.

Sebastian has become that one person who ruins a moment. He prevents Carrie from networking with Tripp while also ruining the quality time between Bennett and Walt. I get that he's tortured and has mommy issues but arriving to a party drunk - he's lucky Carrie didn't kill him there and then! Her moment with Tripp will come another day. She drives Sebastian home and teases about spending the night before his mother arrives for some quality time. Cracks are starting to show in this relationship again: Carrie wants to be a New York star and Sebastian is self-destructive. Only time will time if and when he gets in Carrie's way.

THE FIRST KISS
Dorrit is slowing growing on me; if she continues to not act like a typical annoying brat anymore. She meets an interesting new bad boy at the record store when purchasing Carrie's gift and he catches her shoplifting. Instead of turning her over the police, he lets her go after locking her in a room. That definitely wasn't the way to get her attention. (Stockholm Syndrome, anyone?)

I'm not sure if Dorrit purposely left the gift at the store. Heading back for a little cat and mouse to talk with the bad boy could have just been an extra plus. They bicker, he teaches her something new about shoplifting and gives her the best gift ever. No, I don't mean the tapes: he kisses her. This was a real heartwarming moment that made me like Dorrit even a little. For that I'm already impressed.

NOT IN THE BAG
Maggie, Mouse and even Donna played a part in the smaller storylines this week. Maggie started to have feelings for Walt again before maturely coming to terms with their friendship status. Donna, on the other hand, obsessed about finding a must-have Coach bag. Both were pretty much filler, but the episode did promote the bag which still is a hot seller today.

Mouse, competitive as always, battled with Wes for the attention of her Harvard connection. While he stole the spotlight at first, she won a new position as the team manger for the basketball team. Character development is an important foundation for teen dramas. Drama and romances are nothing without the back work of building these characters for future twists. I'd be more invested in characters like Maggie if they were more rounded out and developed to be a main character.


Is this the beginning of the end for Sebastian and Carrie? Will Carrie have another shot to impress Tripp? Anyone happy to see Walt and Bennett reconnect? How many episodes will it take for Mouse and Wes to hook up? Post your thoughts in the comments below.

Life is going to be tough for the Claire Matthews of the world.

This week on The Following, one of Joe's devoted followers begins her own chapter by targeting women named Claire. Plus, Jacob gets help for Paul from a trusted ally.


DEVOTION THAT HURTS
The cult has grown from a ragtag group of twenty-somethings to a compound full of people ready and willing to kill for Joe. One of the eager bunch, Amanda, is the next groupie to start writing her own chapter. Amanda, a wide-eyed giggly woman, is a widower who killed her cheating husband and his lover before joining Joe's group. Her contribution to the story will be a chapter that defines the love between Joe and Claire. Translation: by killing women named (you guessed it!) Claire Matthews. This groupie's just all about the love...

All photos courtesy of FOX
Her first victim, Claire Matthews #1, is joking around with a friend at a diner before being impaled by a spear gun. "Love hurts," is the one message she forces the victim's friend to tell Ryan Hardy. Playing back to an earlier conversation between Ryan and Joe, this death only teased what was yet to come. More Claires around the state are soon targeted by this obsessive psychopath. The second Claire Matthews was thrown out an apartment building and the third is already being stalked at an off-campus party.

The FBI team arrives at the rave in time to search for Claire Matthews #3. Unfortunately for them, Amanda has tracked her to the party. Claire, completely unaware of the killing spree in the real world, learns the shocking truth from a concertgoer who gets stabbed trying to protect her. The problem that I sometimes have with The Following is that the groupies are a dime a dozen - they pop in and out before we really get to know them. What started off with six has turned into a giant compound where someone is revealed as a Joe follower before either disappearing or getting killed. Suffice it to say that Claire Matthews #3 survives the attack and so does Amanda but we lose crazy blonde groupie from the last episode. Oh well! There's more where she came from.

A LOVE TRIANGLE SEPARATED
Jacob and Paul have been missing for the last few episodes after Emma abandoned them for the compound. This week saw the return of the "are-they-aren't-they" couple and their desperation to stay alive. With Paul heavily bleeding and near death, Jacob turns to the one person he trusts most: his mother. Hesitation (and a potential accessory charge) keeps her from helping the boys any further but she doesn't turn in her son.

Paul's situation is worse than Jacob originally thought. The infection has spread from the gunshot wound and without proper hospital treatment, he will die from his injuries. The relationship between these two guys has been a mixed topic between fans. (Hmmm... I wonder why?). The love triangle dynamic caused a lot of tension and now that storyline is over for another favorable relationship. Paul asks Jacob to end the pain of running and he completes his first kill for the group. Too bad that it was someone he cared about...

TEMPTATION COMPOUND
For a show about cults and serial killers, a lot of relationships are popping up. Emma and Joe hooked up last episode (much to the surprise of no one) and Roderick toys around with Emma's emotions. She clearly has feelings for Joe and thought that by losing Jacob AND Paul, it would help her snag a cult leader. It's painfully clear that Joe still loves Claire and he lets her down after their hook up.

Roderick might be my new favourite character. He contributed to the best part of the episode. Roderick invites Jacob back to the compound and the look the heartbroken groupie give's Emma: priceless! If looks could kill, Jacob could give Joe a run for his money.


Will Jacob forgive Emma for abandoning him? Can the FBI figure out the next chapter before someone else dies? Share you points below and post about your thoughts of this week's episode.

No more distractions... at least on my end.

I'm back from my little hiatus and starting with a new post for Revenge. The new episodes are tagged with #NoMoreDistractions but I'm a little mixed with what I saw yesterday. It could be because I was distracted myself with Big Brother Canada (which also airs the same time) or it could be the episode itself. Regardless the series is getting back on track to its first season glory, but I always do miss the episodes with the red sharpie.

This week on Revenge, the Graysons continue to use Fauxmanda's death to their advantage with a fake charity, Emily's foster brother returns to her life with an agenda, and Jack's trust is hanging by a thread.


THE BROTHER OF ALL LIES
There's a new man in the Hamptons... and for once it's not for romance! Picking up from last week's reveal, Emily's former foster brother Eli reappears on the scene to pay his respects to Fauxmanda. Though, it takes him little more than a minute to realize that his foster sister is alive under a new identity. Ever since Emily accidentally torched her foster home as a child, Eli claims to have tried for six years to reunite with her - even going so far as to find Fauxmanda. It's a heartwarming reveal until the truth starts to slowly come out about his real intentions.

Eli might have cared about finding Emily at first but he loves money more. He pretends to be a rare book dealer but she knows the truth: Eli is a con artist and all he wants is to swindle millions from the Hampton elite. He turns down Emily's offer of $100K to leave (though he accepts the cheque) and uses the money to lie his way into the Amanda Clarke Foundation launch party. She even went as far as to get Ashley to help spread rumours of his fake intentions which only impressed Victoria more. Emily has weaved a web of lies and Eli is the only person who could ruin it, especially now that he's staying to co-chair the Foundation.

JACK-IN-THE-BOX
Jack is slowly uncovering the revengenda bit by bit. He's already angry at Emily and Nolan for keeping Fauxmanda's secrets and now he can't really trust anyone. Jack's memories are the cause of his pain - he can't remember getting to the hospital for treatment after being shot. Declan claims that Jack and Fauxmanda arrive at their honeymoon hotel but a harbour friend tells a different story. A "tall, sandy-haired" man purchased a motorboat on the night of the attack. Jack confronts Nolan but changes direction to find Kenny Ryan. This is not going to end well for Jack when he finds out that Kenny had NOTHING to do with Fauxmanda's death. (For once a Ryan brother was not the cause of the trouble).

FALCON AND FOUNDATION
Sandwiched between the bigger storylines of Emily and Jack, the Initiative reared its ugly head again. The first being the Graysons are hiding their family fortune in the Amanda Clarke Foundation. Believing that they can hide their assets in a fake charity is going to give Emily (and her conniving brother Eli) a chance to steal the money. The second being a new 'red sharpie victim' for Emily to take down. A mysterious hacker, known only as the Falcon, was instrumental is framing David Clarke and has created a firewall on the Foundation's account. I miss the red sharpie and getting to have another episode will bring back the best parts of the first season. A new victim, a new layer to the framing plotline.


Will Emily be able to takedown the Falcon? Can Eli be trusted? Should Jack be invited into Emily's revengenda? Share your thoughts below and let me know what you thought of this week's episode.
A twist by any other name is still a surprise.

Don't get me wrong... I love a good twist. They change the dynamic of the game and keeps the players on their toes. However, when they cause a player to get evicted within minutes after it's reveal then it leaves me wondering.

Aneal Ramkissoon, the 21 year old communications student from Richmond Hill, is the third houseguest evicted by a shocking last minute twist from Big Brother Canada.


Let's Meet Aneal...

Aneal is the self-proclaimed superfan that talked a lot of game and knew everything Big Brother. In the second round he was nominated by Head of Household (HOH) Jillian for eviction but survived after creating multiple deals with the power alliances. Thinking he was safe when Tom won HOH, Aneal relaxed after not being placed as a nominee. However, Big Brother had another idea. They revealed a new twist where Canada would vote to save either Suzette or AJ from the block with a second Power of Veto (POV). Suzette was saved and Tom needed to make a quick last minute decision - he nominated Aneal. On Day 22, Aneal was evicted by a vote of 8-2.

Why Did He Lose?

Aneal played a relatively low key game; however, most of things he would say held a manipulative undertone. His knowledge of Big Brother made him over think every move and he played too-hard-too-fast in just under two weeks. Getting to know the other houseguests is one thing but always being "on" and playing the game throws everyone off. No one could really trust him and being the manipulative outsider proved to be a scarier threat than most of the remaining floaters.

How Could He Stay?

Aneal needed to do some major damage control. His image in the house had nearly been destroyed after many believed him to be a manipulative threat. Either though the twist sealed his fate, it was only a matter of time before he would be placed on the nomination block again. Aneal should have laid low while solidifying new alliances and reconnecting with Tom. Though, nothing this early would have helped him; Aneal needed to lay low, regroup and then come back swinging.

All photos courtesy of Slice
 Last Thoughts...

Aneal is one of the few houseguests I regret losing. He was there to play the game, caused lots of drama and generally wanted to manipulate everyone. Unfortunately he didn't suspect that the others were on to him and they had the opportunity to finally eliminate him. The twist did ruin his chances but to get an 8-2 vote within minutes of going up, it was a sign that nothing could have saved him at that point.

In 'BEST NEWS OF THE DAY' variety of blog posts.

As revealed today exclusively by Entertainment Weekly, a Veronica Mars movie is currently in the works... but with a twist! Series creator Rob Thomas and star Kristen Bell have reached an agreement with Veronica Mars owner and parent company, Warner Bros. If the pair can raise enough interest, and funding(!), the company will bring the movie into production and cover all marketing, distribution and promotion costs.

Did you catch the twist? Thomas and Bell need to engage the world and raise enough funds to help cover the costs of the low-budget theatrical film. Their solution: a Kickstarter program that will run for 30 days to raise $2 million. The program, which launched today, has ALREADY raised more than $600,000 in just a few hours (I'd venture to guess four hours). 

If the goal is reached, filming will begin summer 2013, with an expected release date of early 2014. The Kickstarter campaign will finish on April 12, 2013. If the pair don't reach the goal by then, there will be no movie. This will be the one and only shot to prove Warner Bros. that fans need a Veronica Mars movie.

Here's the link to the campaign to make a donation: The Veronica Mars Movie Project.

For those of you unfamiliar with the show, Veronica Mars is a teen detective series that ran for three seasons on UPN and later The CW between 2004-2007.

UPDATE: The Kickstarter campaign has reached its $2 million goal within 11 hours of it being launched.


Are you excited for a Veronica Mars movie? Post in the comments and share your thoughts for the film.
The Big Brother curse has struck yet again!

In the real first blindside of the season, a model/actress is the second person to get eliminated. Looking back on several of the U.S. seasons, the model and/or actress character is always the one to get the boot in the second week.

With that being said, the second person to be evicted is Danielle Alexander, the 20 year old aspiring actress from Calgary.


Let's Meet Danielle...

Danielle is the bubbly and over-dramatic outsider who never felt shy to speak her mind. When current Head of Household (HOH) Jillian nominated both Aneal and Gary for eviction, Danielle felt safe enough to try and rebuild her standing with the HOH. She offered to be the replacement nominee if the Power of Veto (POV) was ever used this round. Gary won the POV and took himself off the book, leaving Jillian with the choice to place Danielle up on the block as a pawn. However, shesoon became the target and on Day 15, Danielle was evicted by a vote of 8-3.

Why Did She Lose?

Danielle fell into the same trap as many before her: she got comfortable. Offering yourself up as a pawn is one of the stupidest moves in Big Brother history; the worst is asking to be evicted to win a nonexistent power (I'm looking at you Lawon). Being on the outside against a more powerful alliance made Danielle desperate - she needed to smooth things over with Jillian. In the heat of the moment, she offered herself up as a goodwill gesture and ASSUMED that everyone was following the same plan. Problem was that the house was changing around her and when she started to see Aneal gaining some ground, she didn't fight back. Danielle trusted that the houseguests would evict Aneal but it showed the second on her face when Arisa called out her name. She didn't even think it was a POSSIBILITY that she would be evicted.


Danielle caused some drama, sure, but it was her alliance partner that might have sealed her fate. Being best friends with Gary and aligning with Suzette pushed Danielle to the outsider alliance. Gary proved to be a serious physical threat and when he removed himself from the block, the house clearly tried to hurt him by evicting his closest ally. Danielle's inability to campaign and create new deals was part of the reason she left, but the personal problems with Jillian and who she aligned with was what put the target on her back.

How Could She Stay?

Danielle shouldn't have offered herself up as a pawn. More often than not the pawn is evicted instead of the original targets. Danielle should have pushed and reiterated that Aneal would be a bigger threat in the grand scheme of the season. The early weeks are the perfect time to evicted houseguests before the numbers begin to dwindle. Without fighting and just trusting her place, she was almost guaranteed to be evicted.

Last Thoughts...

I liked Danielle for the drama that she could have provided. The later weeks are full of floaters but having houseguests with a short fuse offers more drama when the game winds down. Danielle would never have won Big Brother and she was clearly here to be famous. Good luck to her future post-reality show fame career.

Some new improvements are on the way.

As you may have noticed, the previous layout and blog design changed from the original Blogspot setting. About three weeks ago I decided that I was tired of the design and I wanted to try something different. A new format that would be visually appealing and could offer more for everyone that visited this website. Well, I've decided to try something new again and in the next few days, the layout could look completely different than this current version.

Don't get me wrong - I like the current layout! It's just that I might want to try a template that will offer another visual and user-friendly style. Though, if I don't find something that appeals to me, I could leave the website as is. 

There may be fewer posts for the next few days until I finish with the changes and updates. A couple posts may pop up here and there but I'll keep you updated with my process. Also, if you have any suggestions definitely send them my way!

Original fans rejoice! There were plenty of Sex and the City references to enjoy.

This week on The Carrie Diaries, Carrie finishes her first week at Interview Magazine with a night out on the town at New York's hottest club. Also, two new couples start to heat up their new relationships while one breaks up for good.


COSMOS AND MANOLOS
If there was ever an episode for SATC purists, 'Hush Hush' is the one for you. A few references pop up here and there that round out Carrie Bradshaw for her future in New York City. It will bring a smile to your face! At the end of her first week at Interview, Carrie plays model and showcases a new pair of designer heels: it's her first pair of Manolo Blahniks! Larissa bestows her with the shoes if Carrie uses them for a night out at Limelight, New York's new and trendiest nightclub. Unfortunately for her, she's doubled booked - either hang out at the school lock-in or party at a nightclub. Guess which one she picks? New York it is!


Photos courtesy of The CW
Who needs a fake I.D. when you're Carrie Bradshaw?! Apparently not Limelight - they'll let a 16 year old girl into a club just because she works at Interview. Magazine buddies Larissa and Bennett lead Carrie to a memorable night with dancing, drinks and a new boy who offers her an iconic drink: a Cosmopolitan. "This is going to be my drink." (If only she knew...). Can I just say that I absolutely love Larissa and Bennett. They add so much to the series and give the perfect mix of New York influence that I'd like to see more in the final five episodes.

Another storyline resolved this episode is Carrie's double life. Everything comes to a head when Carrie's father, who was also at the club on a date, discovers his daughter partying with overage friends. Larissa finds out Carrie is 16 years old (though, she absolutely loves the idea) and he learns Carrie's lied about everything, what with her new internship, the lock-out and New York in general. He bans her from Manhattan and the city, but she'll be back. Carrie can't stay away for too long...

THE WHITE KNIGHT RIDES IN
Sebastian FINALLY (I mean really, finally!) admits that he still has feelings for Carrie. The smouldering bad boy breaks things off with Queen of Mean Donna LaDonna, who suspiciously took the break-up quite well, and wants to get back together with his former girlfriend. Mouse and Maggie, confronting Sebastian on his inability to admit his feelings, coerce him into telling Carrie the truth. This obviously leads Sebastian and Mouse to abandon the lock-in and find Carrie at Limelight. Unfortunately for them, Carrie is long gone. Looks like it'll be another day (or episode) for the truth to finally come out - it couldn't be fast enough.

LOCKED-IN WITH THE ENEMY
While Carrie avoided the school lock-in in favour of New York, Maggie and Walt dealt with drama of their own. Donna is now on the hunt for a new boyfriend and wants someone who will treat her right. Enter Walt! A sweet and somewhat witty guy who becomes the new target for Donna's affections, but Walt's already taken. 

In last week's episode, Donna uncovered that Maggie had cheated on Walt with an older cop. Instead of being blackmailed, Maggie came clean to Carrie about the affair but not to Walt. Donna decided to use the information this time around to hit Maggie where it hurts and seduced Walt. I've got to give Donna some credit - she really knows how to get what she wants through manipulation. Maggie and Walt are over, but Walt and Donna might just be the new big couple on campus.


Will Sebastian come clean and admit his feelings to Carrie? Anyone else wish that Walt was dating Bennett? How will Carrie get back to New York? Post in the comments and share your thoughts on the episode.



There's going to be a scheduled hiatus for the next two weeks.

Starting today and going on until the end of next week, I won't be writing episode recaps. My real life responsibilities are coming into play and I'll be missing the episodes when they air. Event work, organizing, planning and writing - oh the tasks that come with the job. It doesn't feel the same to write the recap days to a week later after it's already aired.

For shows like The Carrie Diaries, Revenge and The Following, I'll be holding off until then. However, if I can find the time in between or can watch the episode at an opportune and timely moment, I'll try writing something quickly. Cult was a one time occurrence and the Big Brother posts are completely separate.

I'll still try and post sometime soon. The website updates are always on my radar and will last longer than expected. In that time, if you have any suggestions on which shows I should recap, definitely post below.
Big Brother Canada has arrived! 

It's been a busy few days and already someone was evicted from the house. For the first season, 15 houseguests were chosen to enter the Big Brother Canada house - that's a surprisingly large number when normally it's between 12 to 14 houseguests. No major twists were revealed yet but within only a few pre-launch days, the players simulated a full week with one person already being sent packing early.

Now that the game is underway, the first person evicted is Kat Yee, the 27 year old bartender from Toronto.


Let's Meet Kat...

Kat is the fun and sporty tom-boy who was ready to party with her fellow houseguests. On Day 1, she entered the house first and tried to stay clear of any drama. Once Suzette won Head of Household (HOH) from the Big Brother phone twist, Emmett and Tom were nominated for eviction. Tom won the Power of Veto (POV) and unfortunately for her, Kat was placed on the block as the replacement nominee. On Day 8, Kat was evicted by a vote of 11-1.

Why Did She Lose?

Since most of the drama occurred BEFORE the series premiered, information could only be supplied from houseguest recounts and the two "live" episodes. Kat is a victim of the "too-hard-too-fast" approach. She entered the game and tried to stay in the background, removing herself from the drama that was attracting to other players like Tom or Gary. By Tom winning the POV, names were being thrown around about who could be on the block. Kat decided in this time to try and establish a female alliance with Suzette to secure her place, but her approach came across as persistent. Her overtly talkative and outgoing nature was her undoing - the HOH nominated Kat because she felt irritated with her presence and made a personal decision. The alliance of Tom/Emmett proved to be more popular to keep around and the house made a simple decision.

How Could She Stay?
 
Once Kat was placed on the block, her status in the house was done. There was no deal she could have made or alliance created to separate Tom and Emmett. The best advice would have been to lay low in the first week. Instead of pushing Suzette and a few other houseguests to make decisions, she should have stayed in the background for one of the bigger personalities to be placed as the replacement nominee.


Last Thoughts...

It's never fun being the first person evicted. After going through so much application process to even be picked, getting the boot first is a slight kick to the ego. Not sure if Kat would have been a powerful presence in the house later on this season - I think maybe the Tom/Emmett alliance could prove to provide more drama. Though, I think the houseguests will regret losing the chance to evict Emmett early on before the game really starts.