It's Better to Marry A Ben Over a Noel...This Does Not Hold True for Dylans, Paceys or Deans

The Intro

[The only time I ever wanted to work at a place called "The Peach Pit"]

First, I will be talking about the following shows: Beverly Hills 90210 (the one from the 90s not that crappy one from the CW!) , Dawson's Creek, Felicity and The Gilmore Girls. I could add The OC (Seth or Ryan?), but seriously, what the heck happened at the end there? Besides too many triangles and not enough time. And, this is the only time I will mention vampire infused love triangles via Twilight or The Vampire Diaries...as they are too idiotic to even contemplate as viable options! I'm also not going to be mentioning the delicious triangle in Hart of Dixie as I love both George and Wade... a lot.

The first triangle I ever noticed as a plot device is the Brandon, Dylan, Kelly drama...which eventually turned into a Brandon/Dylan venn diagram of awesome (and, began a lifetime devotion to Lord Byron), which eventually turned into a cluster of...I don't even know what and I stopped watching.

Every good TV drama will have some sort of love triangle and if there isn't an out and out triangle there will be two guys who form a great venn diagram of lust/love and awesome good looks that we, the viewer, must contemplate on a weekly basis even when the show is trying to tackle tough issues like teen suicide and alcoholism.

Watching Felicity in its entirety as an adult who knew the ending made me realize that I may always root for the bad guy in the love triangle, but truly Ben is the only bad guy with a genuine heart of gold...sigh...

Why I'd pick Ben every day of the week and twice on Sunday

Felicity is a pretty good judge of character and she realizes early on that Ben is a good guy. Sure she spends some time trying to reform him, she comes to accept him for who he is and he, in turn, grows to love the girl who is obsessed with him.

Bens
Character Analysis
Ben is not the best guy. He will tell you that. But, he also shows you that he actual is the best guy. He will tell you he loves you, actual once you break down that wall (and there is a big one...think Great Wall of China) he will tell you pretty much all about who he is and how he feels all of the time. Ben is the best guy friend, as he will punch any one who hurts you, and he will tell you like it is...even when you really don't want him to do so. I liked watching as Ben became more than this unattainable boy who Felicity didn't even know enough about to be obsessed over.
Pros
Tells you how he feels, isn't scared of you and your intelligence, he knows how to win your heart and is willing to learn from you how to keep your heart. He is a hard worker who learns from his mistakes, he has loads of friends, he will do anything for you and he will keep you on your toes.
Cons
Baggage...he, um, drinks and may or may not cheat on you, while he may tell you how he feels, he doesn't tell you what is on his mind, you have to be patient while he reforms, but he will reform and that's what makes him great marriage material. He will appreciate every moment with you and he will be honest with you, but he will still be that bad boy who first possessed your heart.

Noels
Character Analysis
Plays a mean game of boggle, and perfect RA material.
Pros
Bows out gracefully, finally.
Cons
Doesn't really know what it means to love someone, he does however, know what it means to be a wee bit obsessed about someone. This good marriage material does not make. I knew he wasn't the guy for Felicity the second he began to sabotage her relationship with Ben...if she really wanted him, she would have gone to him all on her own.

Why it doesn't hold true for Dylan, Pacey or Dean

"The right kind of love..." er...not really...

Dylans
Character Analysis
"Mad, bad and dangerous to know" I never understood why girls kept flocking to Dylan.
Pros
Drive a kick-butt car...um, is a good friend to Brandon most of the time...um...
Cons
Spoiled, trust-fund kid who throws money at problems. He will never understand why his money isn't buying your happiness.

"Whine, whine, whine..."

Paceys and Deans
Character Analysis
Pacey and Dean are the same character for the most part. Moon-eyed and love struck, they are kind of wimpy. I still don't understand why Joey picked Pacey over Dawson, well, that is I don't understand until I remember that Dawson didn't really like people or girls and had a pechant for being mopey and a wee bit selfish. Gosh, Joey really didn't have much of a choice. I can't believe Dean ruined his marriage to be with Rory and I can't believe Pacey pined for Joey...I don't know how long, one million years?
Pros
sweet, thoughtful, kind, patient, never say 'no', hardly ever get angry
Cons

"Could he be any nicer!?"

Their pros are also ALWAYS their cons, as all those traits make them so easy to be walked on...and, are the very reasons they don't make good marriage material. I remember reading/watching "The Joy Luck Club" and there is this scene where a wife confronts her husband about his affair and he says something about the fact that they used to argue and talk and contemplate things all the time and she began to always agree. No one likes to be told they're right all the time. No person with any self-respect likes to be followed without question.

More fun via...

FAB and FAN here

Wade and Zoe and George here

Joey and Pacey and Dawson here

If you have found more posts or want to talk about your favorite love triangle, feel free to convo with me in the comments below, I can totally geek out about this topic forever...

Like Fine Wine: 11 Men Who Only Got Better With Age

I found this list of 11 actresses who got better with age and had to post my own male equivalent. Note, it's not really that they got sexier (I mean Rob Lowe...sexy from day one, literally), it's that they've literally aged (physically and mentally...at least as far as I can tell) well. There's just something about a man with eye-wrinkles and adult confidence that's just nice. These lovely gents are not in any order.

Shia LaBeouf: Curled-headed and adorable in Even Stevens, confident hotness for recent blockbusters, and, yes, I've seen him with the long hair. It's just another phase in Shia's movement to adulthood. Still maturing that one.

Will Smith: OK, so we all thought he was cute during Fresh Prince of Bel-Air...weren't those 90s colors wild?...but, as a father and husband he's just become 'swoon' worthy.

George Clooney: There really is no comparison. Loved him as Falconer in Sisters, but when I think of distinguished actors the likes of Cary Grant and Paul Newman I always think of Mr. Clooney. Verve.

Patrick Demsey: I watched Grey's Anatomy for two years because of this guy. I truly loved his scrawny nerdy self in Can't Buy Me Love and In the Mood, but I absolutely adore him as a father in Enchanted and in real life and, really, what nice eyes and hair and smile.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt: So, I remember one time he was on a late-night talk show barefoot, long faded jeans, v-necked t, cross-legged playing the guitar and I realized he was no longer cute little Tommy from 3rd Rock from the Sun...he was someone else all grown up and now that he's over 30...

Simon Baker: Pretty smile, lovely hair, Australian and manly eye-crinkles (you can read more about my love/admiration/swooning for him in this post)...nice to look at in his early years, but more than quite the dreamboat today, and there are some cute pictures online of he and his wife and sons that are just too sweet, and, then there's this interview...such manly and nice things to say.

Rob Lowe: Um, yeah...I love Rob Lowe...more now than I did in 1988, if that's at all possible (I did have about 5 posters of him on my wall, one was that iconic big one from St. Elmo's Fire). It might have something to do with Stories I Only Tell My Friends.

Mark-Paul Gosselaar: Remember Zach's rather large cell-phone? Well, I do, and I thought he was cool and hip. Gosselaar is still cool and hip, but without all that fidgety teen boy stuff. And, it's pretty cool that he can make fun of himself.

Jerry O'Connell: I didn't need to pick the pic of Jerry O'Connell from Stand By Me to show how much he's changed, from the mid 90s (think Sliders), there's even been a change in O'Connell's everything, although I think he may have always been this goofy and full of fun...which, frankly, is why I chose the 2nd picture...pumping gas in a Speedo...so funny, I almost didn't notice he was wearing...OK, I did. And, his kids are cute and his wedding pics are lovely and...

David Duchovny: I have spent the last 17 years loving myself some David Duchovny...in a speedo, wearing a tea-cup and only a tea-cup or being interviewed. He's so smart and pithy and...well, pretty. His lovely, sexy voice finally has a man face to go with it.

Robert Downey Jr.: I remember reading an interview with him in like some sort of teen magazine in the 80s, he seemed incredibly cocky...little did I know all the many reasons why. Look at this man now! And, boy can he sing!

Who do you think has improved with age?

Female Role Models on The Tube

My Heroes

I've been watching a lot of Remington Steele lately, which means I've been doing a lot of self reflecting. I didn't realize it, but growing up I had two heroes; Wonder Woman, who stayed in my conscience brain and Laura Holt, who became so much a part of me I didn't even realize that aspects of me are, in fact, her.

When I was a kid I watched Wonder Woman every day after school (I must have watched it in some sort of syndication because I am not that old). And, from Lynda Carter's depiction of the Amazon Princess, I learned:

1. How you dress does not determine how you are perceived Although many today think of Wonder Woman as the sexy superhero (in writing this post I found severally Playboyesque pics of my hero), she doesn't for once let you forget that in tiny spangled spankies and high-heeled red go-go boots she can, and will, kick your heine.

2. Nice girls finish first Diana Prince, Princess Diana, Wonder Woman...always, always, always, according to creator William Marston stands for "love, peace and sexual equality". She is honest and virtuous and because of these traits always gets the bad guy and always gets the man she loves. Even if she does have to wait...for...ever...hmmm, she is also patient, another lovely quality of any 'nice girl'.

3. Girls are powerful in body and mind Even when talking to a perp, Wonder Woman's voice is smooth and without edge. As Diana Prince she isn't like bumbling Clark Kent instead she works for military intelligence and saves lives. She's been a secretary, a nurse, and a Major in the Army. Without the costume she is still self-assured and strong. In the costume she is all this and a powerful ally in the Justice League.

The Source is My Very Own Wonder Woman Pinterest Board

In Laura Holt, I learned all those traits, and more, could exist in a real person.

In watching Remington Steele with adult eyes and a nostalgic mind set, here are the things I've been noticing:

1. Less is More Stephanie Zimbalist is just friggin' beautiful. Yes, this is the first thing I noticed while watching the show again. The first time around I noticed Pierce Brosnan's beauty (yes, a 10 year old can know when a 30 year old is H-O-T), heck, the whole world noticed Mr. Brosnan's beauty. Anyway, Stephanie Zimbalist is beautiful running after bad guys, dancing in a ballroom, figuring out that a crime has been committed, in a skirt, in a dress, in heels, in espadrilles (and, she wears many variations and colors--I'm jealous), in slacks and without makeup. I love that there's so little make-up on her pretty face, that you can see her freckles. I also love that, unless she's working out, you do not see Laura Holt in sneakers...I hate sneakers and feel like a dork when wearing them...I don't know if I got that from her (my mother also wears sneakers rarely), but it's nice to see.

2. Girls with Brains Rule While it may be the girl with the curls and the eyelashes who catches the eye of the guy, it is the girl with the brains, the girl with the standards who gets him in the end. I mean Laura tells Mr. Steele how it is often. She makes sure that he knows that it's her detective agency. She connects all the dots all of the time and still, in the end, gets carried up the stairs by the man who loves her brains and her beauty.

3. Strong, Smart Girls Don't Always Have to Win It is so cool to see a character who is a strong girl who is allowed to be strong and still be feminine. Remington Steele is always there for Laura Holt...she cries on his shoulder when her house gets blown up and she learns lessons from his Type B personality...lessons like, "Friends come first", and, "Just because I'm angry at you doesn't mean I don't love you", lessons like, "Sure, We've got a crime to solve, but let's drink this wine first". There's one episode in Season 3 (I believe it's Episode 1) where Steele really does get angry with her and yells at her about how she always has to have everything her way and on her terms and he says that at some point in time he'd like her to think of him and what he wants. I love the role reversal and I love that she does, through-out the season, take a step back and reflect on her relationship with him. I love that he does too.


You've got to admit, I have some pretty awesome TV heroes.


Who are/were your TV heroes growing up?

Oh, the joys of high school...

What I would be doing if it were Thursday 1992...

Homework and a little 90210..."Hello, Brandon!"

Made in Australia, or Why I Get Weak in the Knees Everytime I Watch TV nowadays

So, I was watching The Glades over the weekend *strike that* So, I was watching the whole first season of The Glades over the weekend and I have decided I have my new crush/Fall distraction.

Two words: Matt Passmore

After about three episodes, I recognized his accent was a bit off...oh! not in a bad way...you know with words that have strong vowels like 'hour', 'anger' and 'shot'! I googled me some Mr. Passmore and found out that he hails from Australia. Now, here's the thing, Matt (I'm sure he won't mind if I call him Matt from now on) isn't my first TV crush from Australia...it would seem that many of the lead male roles that I've felt compelled to oogle happen to be from the land Down Under. I've compiled a list:

Julian McMahon
Where I've seen him in the US: Charmed, Nip/Tuck
Why you should stalk him on HULU or wherever you can find him: He has lovely teeth, a pretty smile and great hair. As Dr. Christian Troy, he was that bad boy you love; conflicted and honest (really), unlike his counterpart Shawn, and confident and strong...oh, and he has nice hands...you get to see them a lot (along with other parts of his anatomy) when watching Nip/Tuck. He's good at playing conflicted...remember demon/human Cole, anyone?

Alex O'Loughlin
Where I've seen him in the US: Moonlight, Hawaii 5-0, that horrible depressing show about organ donations called Three Rivers, The Shield
Why you should stalk him on HULU or wherever you can find him: What I like most about Mr. O'Loughlin (or is that O'Lachlan) is his eyes...yes, it's his eyes...If you haven't watched Moonlight might I suggest it, I mean who doesn't like a crime-fighting vampire? I'm sure I would have liked Three Rivers had its concept not been so darned depressing. I also really like him in the movie Oyster Farmer (accent intact) and, oh yeah, there's this little show called Hawaii 5-0 where he's shirtless a friggin' lot. If you're into that sort of thing...

Simon Baker
Where I've seen him in the US: The Guardian, a short lived show Smith, The Mentalist
Why you should stalk him on HULU or wherever you can find him: Curly, blonde hair and manly eye wrinkles. There for awhile I wasn't really sure that I was going to get to see him on television, his shows weren't making it and then The Mentalist happened. Simon Baker has an excellent laugh and he does it a lot in this show. This show is smart (even if you know the ending as the formula never changes...it's fun to see how they get to it) and funny and also quite serious and sometimes down-right bloody. There's also a lovely British man (Owain Yeoman) disguising himself as an All-American if you aren't into my Aussie friend. But, how could you not want to see Simon everyday?

Jesse Spencer
Where I've seen him in the US: House
Why you should stalk him on HULU or wherever you can find him: He's using his own accent playing sniveling little doctor Robert Chase on House. Although he is pretty, I'm not particularly interested in his character on House as he mostly mopes around and whines and has only just begun (feel free to sing) to work for and appreciate what he has. I do, however, like his character in Uptown Girls and I think that he sings for real...sigh... If you don' watch House for Mr. Spencer, you can always watch it for Hugh Laurie, Dr. House, himself.

and
Matt Passmore
Where I've seen him in the US: The Glades
Why you should stalk him on HULU or wherever you can find him: I enjoy a show that has some good sexual tension, just ask me how I feel about Mulder and Scully or Booth and Bones or Sam and Diane (yes, I started early!)...seriously, it's almost obsession. I liked this show from the start because of  the dynamic between the two main characters Jim Longworth and Callie (oh, and I also like the name Callie). I am also a sucker for clever, pithy dialogue. This show rocks. Don't believe me? At one time they were letting people download the Season 1 Episode 1 script for your e-reader. It's a good read, especially if you enjoy a good script, which I do!

And, if the above isn't enough...
Here's an interesting post talking about the Aussie Invasion from a lovely blog I stumbled upon called waxing lyrical and philosophic. It highlights both males and females and gives you a little background, something my little comments are lacking, well unless you're looking for eye-candy via the boob tube.

Six Word Saturday #8

My life in six words
Kid Friendly Programming all.day. long.

Want to play along? All that's necessary to participate is to describe your life (or something) in a phrase using just six words. For more information, try clicking here. Feel free to explain or not explain. Add an image, a video, a song, nothing. The full list and linky can be found here. And, here's where I found it.

Six Word Saturday #3

My life in six words
Desperately needs an Ally McBeal marathon!

Episodes on the list:
1] Season Four: Episode 23 The Wedding

Malcolm Wyatt hires Ally to take his case. He's suing a girl for not going to the prom with him after she said yes in fall. The opposing lawyer is Larry Paul, and Ally is nervous about meeting him in court. But he never shows up, and his partner Coretta tells Ally he left for Detroit. Richard hires Jane Wilco as the office's new secretary, but after she gets the cold shoulder from some people, Richard wonders what ever happened to the friendly workplace he once built. Ally talks to Billy's ghost and decides to go to Malcolm's prom as his date and convinces him to sing solo and never stop believing in love.

"Experience tells me I will love again."

2] Season Two: Episode 1 The Real World
Feeling nervous that the firm is not making enough money, Fish and Cage decide to hire another associate, a "rainmaker" who can bring in lucrative clients. They hire Nelle Porter, an attractive, late 20's litigator from a respectable firm. On her first day, Nelle manages to irritate Ally, Georgia and Elaine, but Fish and Cage seem very pleased with her. Ally defends a woman in her late-30's accused of having sex with a minor. When the boy testifies, Ally finds herself attracted to him.
"It can't last forever, of course not. But who made up the rule that the best loves do?"

3] Season Two: Episode 15 Sideshow
When we last saw Ally she was in shock over her encounter with Billy. Ally realizes her life is in crisis and that everything she does from this moment on could mean a lifetime of happiness or bitter disappointment. That's when she makes a decision not to be passive and do something about her life.
"...Love is wasted on you, Ally, cause you'll always be unhappy. That's why I left!"

4] Season One: Episode 11 Silver Bells
Three intelligent, successful and motivated adults approach Judge Whipper Cone about the possibility of getting legal representation in their quest to have the courts approve a legal, binding, three-way marriage. Fish assigns Ally and Cage to the case, knowing Ally's incurable romanticism and Cage's legal acumen is a potent combination with Whipper assigned to the case. Ally is opposed, claiming the three-way relationship is morally repugnant, but Georgia, feeling punkish around the holidays, points out that the clients' triangle isn't very different from the one in which Ally, Georgia, and Billy find themselves. Georgia accuses Billy of being more relaxed and open in their marriage ever since Ally re-entered the picture. Whipper, herself experiencing an annual bout of Holiday Blues, causes Fish to propose marriage, even though both know he really doesn't want to.
" Relationships should be in twos, or at least even numbers!"

5] Season Two: Episode 23 I Know Him By Heart
Ally's heart is broken and not by Billy or Greg. It's just one big stress fracture. She's come to the realization that there isn't anyone out there for her. She has her image of the perfect man, but is beginning to believe that he does not exist. Surprisingly, a pep talk from Fish leads Ally to become more proactive about her love life. Working on the, "you have to kiss a lot of frogs before finding Prince Charming theory", Ally decides to go on a dating frenzy. She also decides to go for a total hair and fashion makeover. Nelle is starting to become annoyed with John Cage because he seems to be the only one in the firm who understands Ally's imaginary love life. Nelle is worried that John and Ally feed off each other and now that she and John are a couple, she would really prefer her man to face life head on.
"I don't condemn you for wanting somebody to love. I guess I just reject the notion that your life is empty without a man."
"It's only half-empty"

Sounds like a perfect Saturday, as long as The Husband doesn't wake up and ruin my plans with his sports watching and boring PBS man shows!

Want to play along? All that's necessary to participate is to describe your life (or something) in a phrase using just six words. For more information, try clicking here. Feel free to explain or not explain. Add an image, a video, a song, nothing. The full list and linky can be found here. And, here's where I found it.

Friday Five: TeeVee

I love doing surveys and questionnaires. I love reading peoples answers to surveys and questionnaires. They are a weakness of mine, and in looking for topics for my blog to make it easier for me to post everyday once school started...I found this. So, Fridays we're taking a break from talking about reading and books and words to answer silly surveys and questionnaires. Feel free to post your answers below, on your own blog, or both!!! Ideas from Friday5.org

TeeVee

1. What are your thoughts on late-night television talk shows?
2. What television program is so bad you can’t believe anyone watches it?
3. In what way have your television-viewing habits changed over the years?
4. If you were in charge of the universe, what changes might you make to television?
5. What is most likely the very next thing you will be watching on television?

Answers

1. I am hardly awake for late-night television talk shows. I do so love Craig Ferguson (favorite interview), but have to watch him on YouTube and I don't watch Jay Leno on principle.
2. I don't even know what bad shows exist, as I will even change channels to avoid watching their commericals...um...'Americas Got Talent', 'American Idol'??? I dunno, maybe that dancing show...any 'reality' TV.
3. I fall asleep during 9/10p programming, whereas when I was younger I was too busy to watch those shows. When the CW (er...WB, at the time) first came out I loved every show on it, now a) all those shows are canceled or b) they suck BIG time.
4. I'd put television in the hands of the viewer and not the corporations. Nobody would pay for viewing!
5. Nothing. It'll be Friday night, Friday night programming is boring and for a generation older than I.