#oscars2016 round up

We interrupt the travel diaries to bring you a very special installment of my annual Oscars Round Up! Guys, Oscar Sunday is only ONE week away so the countdown is officially on. This is the first time I won't be home to watch the entire show with friends and fam since I'm in Europe (not too shabby), but I will do whatever it takes to watch so I'm not too worried. With that being said, for this year's round up of all things Oscar-related and my predictions, I decided to come at you in true reporter style -- behind the camera. So sit back, relax, and get ready for the big night. Let me know what you're most excited about![[ special shout out and major thanks to my amazingly talented friend, Elmira Saalabi for shooting and editing this film]]

Naseem Talks - Oscar Countdown from elmira saalabi on Vimeo.

#oscars aftermath

SO last night was the beloved Academy Awards! Truthfully, I think it was a pretty mediocre show in my opinion. I feel like each year is always filled with so much spark and this element of mystery as the night goes on. This year it was kind of like the presenters were rushing through each category and we were just waiting for the show to end. Not to mention the most monotone presenters.

This year my predictions were pretty dead on if I do say so myself -- I was off by 3-4 upsets. Some of which I am actually really happy I was wrong about and others... well not so happy.. ( I gotchu, Leo).

Lets keep it real simple and go through the night the best way I see fit: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The good:

• Jared Leto's win: I think jump starting the show with a main award was the best thing to do to set the tone for the night. Right away they jumped into Best Supporting Actor which was perfect in my opinion. Jared Leto winning was pretty much a given, but wow his speech man. I was blown away. Not only is he an amazing public speaker (super engaging) but the story about his mom and the dedication to her and to his brother was wonderful.

• "Her" winning Best Original Screenplay: Like I said in my last post, this category is one of my favorites. Her was the one I was rooting for most, and honestly I was not expecting it to win. But lo and behold, it got the win. I was so happy for Spike Jonze and I think he definitely deserves it. This was such a unique and forward-thinking concept for a film and the way he brought it to life was near perfect.

• Charlize Theron being a goddess. I mean need I say more?

• The celebrity selfie. Not because it crashed Twitter/ went viral/ or because everyone is photoshopping themselves into it to look cool. But because in that instant, it was like they were just like us. Seeing them one by one trying to fit into the shot and not miss out on it was one of the cutest things I've seen and actually reminded me exactly of me and my friends. Sweet moment :)

• Ellen getting pizza for the audience and the audience actually eating it.

• Like I said in my last post, 12 Years a Slave was going to win Best Picture. I'm not really torn one way or the other on what I think about that. I think Ellen summed it up best in her opening monologue. Had it not won, the Academy looks like a bunch of racists, lets be real. But aside from that, while it isn't the most intriguing or mind-blowing film, it gave us a sense of reality that we don't often think back on or expose ourselves to. And on that note, I couldn't have been happier for Lupita winning Best Supporting Actress.

• "The Moon Song" performance. Chilling.

• Seeing Brad Pitt get teary eyed after Angelina Jolie was presented with the humanitarian award.

The Bad:

• Ellen calling Liza Minelli a man. On top of that, a number of her jokes that just went way too far and were borderline awkward.

• No opening performance of any sort from Ellen? Come on. No entertainment value to this year's show, sadly.

• Leonardo DiCaprio loses. Again. The sad thing is, I knew going into it he wasn't going to win. It's just a given at this point that the Academy has something against him. I just didn't want Matthew McConaughey to win over him. And that's exactly what happened. I said it before on Facebook in my public rant, but I'll say it again here. Matthew McConaughey has a resume of playing in chick flick after chick flick for the majority of his career. I don't agree that one versatile performance should equate to an Oscar win. Especially when looking at the others he was competing against. The perfect word I can use to describe Leo's career choices as an actor is chameleon. This guy blows me away film after film with the characters he chooses to take on and the depth he goes to in bringing them to life. The Departed, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Titanic, Blood Diamond, the list goes on. This guy has been in 9 films that have been nominated for Best Picture (and played the main role in them), yet has not even been nominated for the majority of them. A lot of people think he's just another Meryl Streep who's always nominated yet never wins. The truth in fact is that he rarely even has gotten nominated for the epic films he's played in. THAT'S where the conspiracy lies (I'm not trying to be one of those insane conspiracy theorists, I'm just using it for lack of a better word -- yet at this point I'm really starting to believe it is a conspiracy, lol). The great thing is, Leo seems like such a humble and genuine actor who truly cares to solely entertain and tell a story through his films, that this is what he'll continue to do. And I know he'll get his win soon. * This is not to say that Matthew was completely undeserving for this award, no, in fact I totally agree that he rose up and put on a show for all of us. Do I think it was a better performance than Leo? Absolutely not.

The ugly:

• Matthew McConaughey's speech. I was SO intrigued to hear who this guy's role model was after he kept going on and on about looking up to this mystery person his whole life. Then the ball drops -- "me in 10 years." Really, bro? We're all still trying to recover from you stealing Leo's win and then you top it all off with the most egotistical speech known to man. All I kept remembering was his Golden Globe speech too when he was talking about his wife referring to him as, "the king you know I am." Give me a break.

• Zac Efron butchering his lines while presenting.

• Zac Efron presenting an Oscar.

• John Travolta presenting Idina Menzel before she performed for Best Song.. and completely massacring her name.

• Lady Gaga being present.

There you have it. Thanks for reading. Feel free to sound off with your thoughts below! Congrats to all the winners and I can truly say one thing for sure -- this was such a powerful year for film all around. Sadly, this marks the end of awards season. You'll know I'll be back for the next one! :)

#BrBa - Series Finale: Felina

It's over. 62 episodes later and we've finally come full circle. Last night was the epic series finale of Breaking Bad and I was beyond pleased with this hour of television. So freaking good. I'm still giddy as I write it because I can't believe how epic it was, as well as how well Vince Gilligan was able to tie up so many lose ends. The photos above are from my finale party last night because there honestly was no other way to finish this show than going all out to celebrate.

It's truly a talent to be able to do so within an hour time limit. I've finished so many series over the years and at the end kept asking, "But what about ____ or this detail.." And you're kind of left hanging. Honestly, I have no lingering questions after watching last night's finale. I think the only thing I might still remotely have questions about (which is something I've been wondering about all throughout season 5), has been Jesse's parents and brother. I found it a bit weird that they were introduced and then completely disappeared, but hey. I can't complain. That's only a slight issue that doesn't even matter in the long run.

Anyways, tangent. Back to "Felina" -- wow. It's so funny because I was so prepared to be depressed after the episode. I was ready for a shocking ending and a time of reflecting on how crazy things got and how everything fell apart. Not so in this finale. It was perfect. Absolutely perfect. I honestly felt like I was watching a movie the whole time. My favorite part of all of it was seeing how good Walt's spirits were throughout the whole thing.

I had gotten used to seeing this defeatist Walt the last two- three episodes and I was beginning to lose hope. It wasn't until the last 2 minutes of Granite State last week that I was like ok wow thank God -- he's back.

I think me along with everyone else assumed that after seeing Elliot and Gretchen on Charlie Rose that he was on his way to kill them. Which I was actually a fan of the idea last week. It wasn't until seeing the route Vince went that I was like wow -- even better. What better way to make sure that Walt Jr. gets the money. It's genius. It saddens me a lot that he'll never know it was from his dad but I loved that at that point you actually see that Walt's ego and pride aren't in the forefront anymore. It's quite humble actually. He's allowing his son to go along thinking that his ex-partners (whom he probably hates) are the ones giving him a lifetime trust fund.

And that's honestly the theme I found throughout this entire episode... Walt trying to redeem himself. Or at least die with some dignity. The scene with Skyler and him was so so so great. I was so happy she let him in and allowed him 5 minutes to talk. And FINALLY we get some honesty out of Walt. That reveal was like a breath of fresh air for me. He did it for himself. He was good at it. It felt good. And then to give Skyler the coordinates to the bodies... I think that will give Marie the closure she needs to continue her life as well.

Side note -- I was also really happy that Walt told her exactly what happened with the nazi gang killing Hank. I know at the end of the day it was Walt's fault that Hank died, but I didn't want his family to go on thinking that Walt was the one who physically killed him. After all, he was BEGGING Jack to spare his life! Not like that will help at this point but I really wanted some closure in that aspect and I'm so happy he revealed it to Skyler.

The one scene I actually teared up at was watching Walt with Holly. First off, the grace that Skyler has to have for a man who has ruined her family's life and then to let him see her.... Wow. It was so deep. And watching him look at her for the very last time. He knew it. It was all to say a proper goodbye. And then watching Walt Jr. through the glass windows... Gut wrenching. I think it's safe to conclude 100% that this man's love for his family was indeed genuine. He just let his ego and selfish desire get in the way and completely tear them apart.

Another thing I loved about this episode was the two flashbacks we got. It really brought the series full circle for me. That short snippet of how it all began -- with a simple joke from Hank inviting Walt over for a ride-along: "You need some excitement in your life" -- ha! Oh how things turned out. Then cut to Walt standing alone in his deserted home. Perfection.

In regards to Walt's plan of action with Lydia and the neo-nazi gang... It was amazing to say the least. I honestly felt like I was watching a movie. The ricin in the Stevia was genius (which is funny because that was the theory I was rooting for all along) and then that machine gun contraption... HOLY MOLY. Yes. That was CRAZY.

Ok I've calmed down now. That whole scene in the clubhouse with Jack and his crew was gold. I was standing on my feet the entire scene with my heart literally pounding.

I think the best part of all of it was that Walt had originally gone in with the mindset of killing all of them -- and even more raging because at this point he's under the impression that Jesse is cooking with Jack as well. [Side note, the Badger/ Skinny Pete cameo was the perfect way to pay homage to these two before the end]. Anyways, I think Walt at that point was so angry to hear this that his one mission was to wipe them all out.

That reveal with Jack bringing Jesse in -- and caring SO much to prove to Walt that he would never partner with a "rat" was perfect.

I think for me the final 5-10 minutes were the best part. Of course. First off, the look in Walt's eyes when he sees how they've treated Jesse for the last 5-6 months. You can totally see the look of a concerned, compassionate father-fugure. The act of literally jumping in front of a bullet for him and tackling him to the ground to save his life was the ultimate act of redemption for Walt in my opinion. It was so poetic. And then Jesse getting the chance to kill Todd. YES. Thank you Vince for giving Jesse at least that. He deserved that.

We all know Jesse isn't a killer. He has too much of his morality in tact (which we see even from his inability to kill Walt for the second time around). But with Todd, it was necessary. This guy who has tortured him for months on end and killed Drew Sharpe (which made a huge impact on Jesse) -- he had to go.

Another point I loved was Walt's final interactions with Jack. The fact that he didn't even flinch to think twice about questioning where his money was. No, at that point Walt didn't even give a crap about it. The money ruined his life. The money fueled his selfish Heisenberg- ego. He was there to kill Jack and he did it. Mission complete.

In my head, I was hoping for a reconciliation between Walt and Jesse. I was expecting Jesse to thank him for saving his life or just some more dialogue between them. But honestly, Jesse is forever changed because of Walt. He's been so mentally messed up even in the months being a slave for Todd that I think it was asking too much. I was satisfied though with the head nod exchange between the two. That gave me the closure I needed. After all, the last time they spoke was when Walt gave him up to Jack's crew & told him about watching Jane die. So we really can't expect a big finale hug and them riding off into the wind together (although I wish). Haha.

That was perfect though. Jesse got his freedom. Walt saved his life and ultimately was able to die with some redeeming quality, as well as with the closure in knowing his family would be forever safe and that he killed everyone who needed to be killed. It was perfect. It reminded me of a Shakespearian tragedy to be honest. Such an amazing hour of television.

And wow -- that final scene. The master left alone with his "art." Seeing Walt die in the lab, reminiscing about his cooking days with that song playing in the background was perfect. Not only that but I loved how it wasn't a "crazy" death like his cancer eating away at him or some insane shoot out, but it was simply 1 bullet wound that slowly took his life. He knew it was coming and he was able to spend his last moments exactly how he wanted.

And who knows, I think his reputation stayed in tact as well because the cops found him in that lab. So maybe he will always be known as Heisenberg. Which is where his pride and joy was because he WAS truly an artist with his cooking.

And in the end, it was the only way to complete the show with Walt dying. It was perfect. I couldn't be happier and I thank you Vince Gilligan for closing every lingering story line and not leaving anything up for interpretation. It was so crisp & clear. So full circle. My life is honestly forever changed by this show. I feel lucky to have been able to catch it while it was airing live.

Thanks for a wild ride, BrBa. I love you forever <3

#BrBa Season 5B, Episode 5

For the first time in a LONG time, my reaction after watching Breaking Bad on Sunday night was one of worry, rather than the normal hype of what an awesome cliffhanger they decide to throw at us. I was on my feet standing up during the entire last ten minutes of the show.. trying to cover my eyes out and avoid the fate of our beloved characters, while at the same time being more tuned in to the show than almost ever before. I was literally walking in circles around the living room as the final credits rolled. What. Just. Happened?!!!!

Honestly, this episode felt like a finale. And yet we still have THREE more to go! What are you doing to us Vince?! I can't take it. I feel like it's too soon to kill off any major character. I wasn't ready for that. Maybe, MAYBE in the penultimate episode (or finale), but now?! My heart.

Okay. Slowly recovering. Hence why it took me 3 days to digest and get the guts to write my thoughts on all this. It's funny because as the episode started and they threw in all this dialogue with Jesse's "mystery plan" and trying to get Gomez on board/ The Huell scenario.. I was kind of like, "okay, how are you going to tie this all up in three more hours?" Cue face palm. Why do I even doubt this show for one second?! Come the last 20 minutes and there's more going on than an entire season combined.

To me, the darkest part of this whole episode was Jesse's phone call to Walter. This is the first time in the entire series that we hear Jesse address him as "Walt" -- no longer is the respect of authority in tact (and rightly so). His tone when he was talking to him on the phone was one of the most chilling exchanges of the entire series for me. So much rage, anger, and desire for vengeance. To be honest, I was so distraught at the phone call in general that I totally bought the whole fake photo trick. Literally felt like I was Walt in that moment. The camera shots of him driving like a madman to the desert kiiiiilled me. I seriously felt his fear and panic. And then the reveal. Walt's sudden realization that his phone had been bugged. Wow.

It's crazy because throughout the whole show, Walt's been the one with a questionable (if you will) moral compass, whereas the rest of the characters remind us of ourselves with their normalcy. During this season specifically, I think the tables have all turned. Where Saul was once the comic with wit to share no matter how dark the circumstance, he's now become just like the "bad guys" -- on a spree to kill Jesse no matter what. It was WALT who had to convince him not to lay a finger on Jesse. Even when talking to Todd's Nazi-loving uncle & co. Walt was the one who had to stress the fact that "Jesse is like family." I've seen Walt's love for Jesse from the beginning.. and that's why even last episode I FULLY believed that Walt genuinely wanted to explain the whole Brock situation to him. At the end of the day, he wanted Jesse's forgiveness... if not forgiveness, at least his understanding of the situation.

I think that's why seeing Jesse with Hank hit him the hardest. For once, Heisenberg was blind-sighted. This was the last possible outcome Walt saw coming. And to be honest, I do think that it IS a little shady of Jesse.. He's known as a rat now. And he broke the one rule you don't break. As much as I love Jesse, that's one thing that continues to bother me as the show goes on. Like I said, it's so chilling to see his attitude towards Walt now. When he saw Hank handcuff him, that smirk on his face, almost a sigh of relief, was so telling. It was sad but I guess you also breathe that relief with Jesse -- it's like he's finally free. Free of this guy who has been pulling his chain for years.

And then comes the massacre. Okay. The thing that shocked me the most... after all this, after threatening Hank and going against the entire family, Walt STILL decides to call it off when he sees Hank. It's so hard to read between the lines and know what's going on in his head but I was genuinely surprised he called it off. First we see a reaction that conveyed more shock than anything we've seen all season, and then he calls it off! Not that I'm complaining, I don't want any of them to die, but it was very interesting to me.

I have no idea what to think. My guess is as good as yours for the outcome of the gun fight. Although I do think that Hank dies. That phone call to Marie just seemed way too contrived to mean anything else. Maybe I've just seen Scream too many times but I totally felt like Jamie Kennedy's character with the "rules" for scary movies (#90'sreferencesforthewin). But seriously, "I love you" / "I won't be home til later"... yeah he's a goner.

Gomez? Who cares. Nazi-clan? Who cares. And then we all know Walt makes it (1. because the Nazi's are doing their best to protect him and 2. because we've seen him in the flash forwards). And honestly, I don't even want to go there with Jesse because it hurts my heart too much, lol. He can't die. Especially not when there's three hours left. GAH.

Okay. Apologies for this post but honestly this was one episode that I didn't even want to talk about. I feel like that hour spoke for itself. There really isn't that much more to say. And even guessing around about what could happen is almost pointless. It could seriously go either way. What I will say, is that I fully trust these writers. And I believe in the message Vince is sending so I think the ending will be satisfying and real.

Revert back to the top photo from Aaron Paul himself.  God speed.

#BrBa Season 5, Episode 4: Rabid Dog

 

Apologies for being a few days late with this update. Actually more than a few days.. Forgive me, the holiday weekend threw me off. It's times like these where you realize how invested you have become in a show. I was on vacation on Sunday without cable and I was literally itching for a way to watch Rabid Dog. I was texting all my friends who had seen it, not wanting spoilers, but just wanting to know "HOW" it was. I felt like an addict going through withdrawals. And if that's wrong then I don't want to be right. Hah. Okay, onto the episode.

So believe it or not, this marked episode 4. We are now halfway through the final season. Am I the only one shocked?! 4 more to go. Look at your calendar. By the end of this month, Breaking Bad as we know it will be over. So bittersweet. As much as I'm dying to know how it will all end, I secretly want it to go on longer. It really isn't helping with all of these cliffhangers though. Like really?! I'm standing up yelling at my tv every time. My dad had to tell me to calm down last week. (Which I took very offensively. How can you ask someone that?!)

Okay so, I think it was pretty obvious what Rabid Dog was going to be about... The aftermath of Jesse's realization. I didn't think they would keep referencing the name of the episode though... Which came off as a TAD bit cheesy for me. I've been so used to each episode title being slight subtleties related something within the episode... Not something that's referenced 3-4 times. Although I did like the Old Yeller analogy in typical Saul form. I seriously think he is the most consistent character in this show. Which is not only refreshing but I think also a sense of normalcy for us as an audience when we're watching a sea of such dynamic other characters.

What did I like most about this episode? The fact that I was right. Amidst EVERYONE telling me that Walt no longer has a heart for Jesse and that he could care less -- surprise, he does care! I was so happy to see that. Call it the sensitive soul inside me or what have you, but all along my only concern with this show is the bond between these two. To be honest, at this point I could care less what "action" happens with the whole meth empire. Instead, I just want these two's relationship to be salvaged. After this episode (at least up until before the last scene in the plaza), I went back and realized that Walt's hug to Jesse in the desert was in fact real. It was a moment of comforting someone who he has manipulated more than anyone should be manipulated in a lifetime. Then even seeing him go against his own WIFE's wishes and forbidding Saul to touch him... It's clear how much he values Jesse as a son. And I'm definitely glad that Hank touched on that as well as he was talking to Jesse after filming his confession.

... On that note. My least favorite thing about this episode? Obviously the last scene in the plaza! I mean, okay sure the punk bodyguard looking guy was definitely witty/ sneaky but that was SO unlike Breaking Bad true fashion. It's never been the type of show to really pull off little mistakes like that/ mere coincidences. I don't know how to explain what I'm trying to say, but it was just frustrating. I think Jesse is smarter than that.. Just to see a guy who looks like a hit man and just assume that it's Walt's guy. Obviously after all he's been through the paranoia has crept in and he's expecting SOMETHING... But still. It was just a little too "gotcha!" Especially throwing in his cute little daughter running up to him at the end. Like, really? But then again I'm guessing this what they want.. Us to be yelling at our TV's.

Am I surprised Jesse filmed the confession with Hank? Yes and no. First off, I initially was sold on the fact that Jesse changed his mind about setting Walt's house on fire simply out of the goodness of his heart. I figured maybe the coke wore off and he stumbled upon a photo of their kids and had a change of heart. Then seeing the flashback to Hank's entry I was shocked. Yet at the same time I get it. This guy is fed up. Gassed out. Done. He obviously wants his revenge. Not even revenge but simply to bring justice to light... To a man he now calls the devil!

In my head, I do want that talk to happen. Why? Because I feel like Jesse will somehow be able to understand where Walt was coming from with the Brock thing. Too much of a reach? Maybe. That's just my opinion. My dad brought up a great point though, which was that if the talk HAD happened, the show would be over. All of Walt's conversation would have been heard by Hank since Jesse was wired. So then I'm thinking, "Ok good, we bought ourselves more time." Now Jesse's alternative plan -- who knows. This could be even worse.

And to be honest, at this point it looks like its over. There's no sign of Jesse even letting Walt near him to say or explain anything. And on the other hand, it looks like Walt is done trying to win over Jesse as well. At least that's what we THINK after seeing his call with Todd.

Me personally? I think he's calling Todd to set up a fake death for himself. Not to kill Jesse. I could be wrong but that's what I think. Especially after seeing the flash forwards (thank you LOST) in the premiere episode.

We shall see ladies and gents. Four more to go. Ill leave you with a little Easter egg for fun as well... It's interesting because the name of the series finale is titled "Felina." My first thoughts on this was a cat. Naturally. However thanks to reddit and these amazing minds.. It was broken down:

Fe: iron Li: lithium Na: sodium

AKA: Blood, Meth, & Tears.

BOOOM!

#BrBa Season 5B, Episode 3: "Confessions"

Now that we've all had a chance to digest Sunday night (Breaking Bad as well as the twerking of child star Miley Cyrus), lets look back and analyze the sheer goodness of yet another installment of Breaking Bad.

By now I'm sure we've all realized that each episode title relates directly to a major (or minor) plot point of said episode. I actually had a moment of thinking, "how obvious... 'Confessions' why don't they do something more incognito?" Little did I know. How dare I question Vince Gilligan! Where most of us thought this week would center around Jesse's confession to Hank, we were thrown for what has arguably been the best loophole of the entire series. Walt has now penned the ENTIRE series on Hank. From the drive by ride-along in the first season to the punch delivered last week -- everything has intricately fallen into place to form the perfect puzzle; in Walt's favor. It makes me wonder if this was a plan B Walt had from the beginning in case things fell apart... Or if he's simply that smart that he thought of this under pressure. I think what creeps me out most is Skyler being so passive and ok with all this. After all, just last week Walt was telling Saul that "Hank is family" and no one touches their family. Then this week -- it's clear that all he cares about now is his immediate family. Oh how things change. The scene with Hank and Marie watching the video confession was so chilling. One of the things I love most about this show is how strongly emotion is conveyed through each of these actors when words aren't spoken. The fear and shock in them both was so believable and so eerie.

Although I agree with Hank that this is just a threat, I don't doubt for a second that Walt would have any hesitation in making this go viral if it came down to it.

Moving on, the gem of the series -- Jesse. I realized yesterday that I always tend to root for/ feel for this exact type of character. I had an epiphany yesterday and realized how similar Jesse is to Holden Caulfield from Catcher in the Rye (my favorite book). Both characters who have lost hope yet are still desperately in search for a lingering silver lining of hope to hold onto. Masking their vulnerability by anger, being stand-offish, and pretending they don't care. I desperately want to root for these characters to win and find the happiness they're seeking.

With Jesse, this episode we see that sense of hope shine through for merely a second with the news of starting fresh and moving to Alaska (random). Finally, after being pretty much mute this entire season, his face lights up with the chance to start over and put his past behind him. I thought that the scene in the desert was one of the most moving scenes in the entire series so far. From the beginning, I've loved this unique bond between Jesse & Walt, especially the father-son role that composes the entirety of their relationship. I don't think we've ever even seen the two of them hug until this episode. They've had many episodes where they seem like they're about to hug but then go for the hand shake. But all in all, this was a long time coming.

I still can't decide if I think that Walt was genuine in his embrace or if it was just like a sympathy act, kind of saying, "yeah Jesse you're right, I'm sorry it's come down to this but I would definitely have to kill you if you don't leave town." One thing I wish there was more of this season was communication. Especially in this scene I was literally yelling at my tv because I wanted them to TALK more. Just like Jesse was yelling at Walt for answers, I wanted something out of him (in addition to the hug of course). Ugh. But the hug itself spoke volumes and I think that was the biggest sigh of relief for Jesse to finally get everything out and just sob.

Too bad that moment lasted for 2 minutes. They didn't waste any time in shifting gears completely and getting into the ricin realization. I won't go into detail about how Jesse found out/ the timeline of events -- there are plenty of other blog posts outlining the details -- but what I do want to touch on is the insane 180 we see in Jesse. He literally went from catatonic to blind rage in the matter of one episode. We see him barely saying a word to Hank at his office to sheer anger as he crashes into Walt's mailbox and goes rabid dog on us with the gasoline. Spoiler alert - don't think it's an accident that next week's episode is titled "Rabid Dog."

What makes me sad is that the little amicable father/ son moment between Walt and Jesse was so short lived. I know I know, the majority HATES Walt at this point, but I don't know why I still have a glimmer of hope for him. And I want to believe that he DOES truly care about Jesse. After all, Jesse has been more of a son to him than Walt Jr. Jesse knows him in a way that Jr. will never. I guess that can be seen as a bad thing though.

I'm so nervous for what is to come. Only 5 more hours of this journey left. I'm seriously so scared that Jesse is going to get killed in the next few. Crossing my fingers that he comes out victorious. We know from the season premiere that Walt's house definitely isn't burned down. Yes, it's trashed, but definitely not burned. So what happens with this gasoline debacle?

Interesting note to add on as well... Even though Jesse knows (pretty much) at this point that Walt killed Mike, he still didn't rat him out to Hank. He even still let Walt embrace him! But now that he's found out about Brock... Is he going to run straight to Hank and take his side? Or is this all anger and there's still a sense of partnership between the two? Most blogs I've read have lost all hope for peace between the two of them but I'm just latching on until the last minute. Another thing I wonder is if Jesse will have any sense of understanding if Walt does explain the Brock situation to him, after all, it really wasn't the ricin -- it was lily of the valley.

Not sure if this show has just done a good job of manipulating me or if I'm crazy (or both) but I still justify both Jane & Brock in my head. Like I expect Jesse to understand. Both times, Walt was trying to get Jesse back. First time, he was trying to save Jesse from dying and becoming a heroin addict. Sure, Jane's threat about turning him in probably added to it, but I know for a fact Walt had so much love for Jesse and his well-being especially in season 2. So I don't doubt he was genuine there for a second.

With Brock, yes he lied to Jesse and yes he poisoned a child. It's wrong, it's immoral. But he did so knowing how much to give him so he wouldn't die and only to get Jesse back on his side (when he was clearly in the process of becoming Gus' protégé. No one wants that. So I don't know dude.... But I see the justification in both those scenarios. Even though then I look at it the other way and see Walt's selfishness in all this.

See! That's what the creators do best. We as the audience are in this moral dilemma. Rooting for the bad guy or wanting him dead. I seriously think that we all still have a shred of desire for Walt to come out on top in the end. Even though he's gone off the deep end... Maybe for me it's just hoping he can be saved and come back down to reality and redeem himself for all this.

Doesn't look like it but here's hoping. Only 5 more weeks. This is going to FLY by. What's going to happen with Todd? The Nazi uncle? Lydia? Will Hank come up with a plan? Is Jesse going to be ok??

GAH. Ok enough stress for one morning. Until next time.

-- "How about that guacamole?"

#BrBa -- Breaking Bad: The Final Season

Finally. It's time. For those of you who have had to wait a year for this moment, I applaud you and congratulate you. For the rest of you who spent countless days marathon-ing the past 5 seasons and just jumped on the band wagon -- welcome.

Ladies and germs, this is it. Season 5B of Breaking Bad. As we know it, there are only 6 precious hours left of this gem of a show. As you can tell, I couldn't be more passionate about it. Apologies for chunking up both the premiere and episode 2 in one post, but truthfully, after the premiere I really had to take it all in.

Disclaimer: these weekly blog posts aren't going to be a summary of what you just watched. I won't insult your intelligence with bullet pointed wrap-ups. Instead, this is just my personal analysis, my thoughts as I went through the episode, and what I think is yet to come. Comments, critiques, and feedback are welcome, as some of you know these discussions are one of my favorite past-times.

Lets dive in -- so what I love most about this show (actually ONE thing I love because I would never be able to decide what I love most), is the fact that Vince Gilligan (creative genius), has his timeline so well constructed. There are so many shows that after the season finale, we jump ahead 3 months back in fall when the show starts up again. All the pent up tension, action, and build up from the finale dies down and we as an audience are forced to go with the flow and make up in our heads what went down in the past three months. The opposite is true for Breaking Bad (which instead of three months actually had us waiting a YEAR). Instead, we start off RIGHT where we left off. Yes, with Hank on the toilet. I'm not going to dive into the 3 minute flash forward segments before the opening credits because clearly those are a tease of what's yet to come. So lets hold off for now and stay in the present.

Moving forward -- oh, the subtleties! As soon as Hank walks out onto the patio, we hear Marie say to Walt, "You are the DEVIL!" It's writing like that, that I'm like okay you're amazing team. Can I be a part of you one day!?

Anyways, I think everyone who is a true BrBa was in shock at the speed with which the season is going. I honestly thought we would spend the majority of this season waiting for the ultimate Walt/Hank face off. What does Gilligan do? Holds the confrontation in the FIRST episode!! It only makes me think of what more there is to come. The sheer volume of emotion that last scene in the garage held.. I was speechless. They didn't have to say anything. Props to Dean Norris for his performance thus far. I think he's been heavily overlooked the past 5 seasons, and now I honestly would say he's stealing the show.

Moving on to my favorite subject -- Jesse. From season 1 (episode 2ish), Aaron Paul has stolen my heart. I think that Vince has done such a great job of allowing us as an audience to relate to these two characters. We both see a little of ourselves in both Walt and Jesse. So much so in fact that it has us rooting for the "bad guy" - Walt. But with Jesse I think it's a different story. As the moral compass of the show, he's gone up and down so much throughout the series. In the end, he still hasn't found himself. I think he's tried finding himself in his relationships most of  all. With Jane, with Walt, with children, or with Mike. Clearly he didn't find the acceptance from his parents so now it's all on these people. I think that's why he's gone off the deep end at this point in the series as well because Mike literally was that father-figure he sought after. He didn't really get it from Walt, and when he realized Mike's death was most likely Walt's doing, it set him off. I keep thinking back to this second episode that aired on Sunday and the scene that resonates most with me is the opening sequence before the credits. We see the man finding all the cash by his house and then Jesse -- spinning around on the playground fixture, no words spoken. You can SEE the confusion in his face, the hopelessness, the despair, and literally the defeat. He's over it. He's done. That scene gave me goosebumps. Aaron Paul said not ONE word in this past episode, yet his performance spoke most to me. That's how you know someone's an amazing actor and that the quality factor of the show is sub-par.

I'm glad we saw the return of Todd at the end of the episode. I don't care much for him at all but I'm excited that there's some action going on with this new crew (now that half of Madrigal's meth chefs are dead?) Side note, I have a major qualm with Lyida. "I don't want to look" -- bro, you just ordered and planned for the mass murder of these guys and you're too scared to walk up the ladder and see a few dead bodies? I'm sorry. You're either hard or you're not. Please don't play both cards.

Anyways. Another note. I absolutely LOVE the fact that they're not showing next episode previews this season. It's funny, growing up, any show I'd watch with my dad he'd leave before they showed next week's preview. I on the other hand would rewind and rewatch it 20X to make sure I got every segment down and knew what was coming. Call it the impatience in me. Now, I totally see where he was coming from. With Breaking Bad, I don't seek after ANY spoilers. This show is too good not to enough thoroughly. I want to savor the next 6 hours as much as I can.

With that, I apologize for the relatively short post as I usually have a ton more to say. But right now, I'm still processing. This show meets my expectations and then some. I honestly can't complain about one thing. Best of all for me? The writing. Honestly, it bugs me when people are fans of the show (or any show) just because of the action factor. To me, special effects and ongoing drama don't amount to much quality. It's the realism and writing that add substance. That's why this is my favorite show because of the level of genius that is the minds of these writers and creators. I pay a lot of close attention to dialogue and character development, so initially those are what I pay attention to right off the bat. This show blows me away. End.

More to come Monday (or Sunday night if I'm feeling wild). Feel free to sound off in comments, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thanks for reading and I can't wait to see what's next in store.

-"AM I UNDER ARREST?!"

Homeland: Season 2, Episode 11

Hello. Sunday night marked Homeland's penultimate episode of season 2. Usually penultimates are known for being one of two types of episodes. 1) They are filler episodes; barely leaving us with any new information and mostly getting us psyched out for the actual finale, or 2) complete cliff hangers, almost finale worthy [i.e. last night's episode of Gossip Girl before it's series finale next Monday!]

Anyways, I would definitely say that Homeland this week was a complete mix of both. On one end we're given the HUGE resolve with the death of Abu Nassir, on the other end we see the episode end with a simple amicable, yet loving exchange between Brody and Carrie. I loved that we see Jess finally letting go of trying to save the marriage and realizing that it's best for them to walk away now.

On another minor note -- the Danny Galvez accusation?! Um. I think that was a totally unnecessary and out of the BLUE! And literally took up, what, 5 minutes of the plot?! Thank you?? Sorry it really annoyed me. For a second I was actually really intrigued because I thought wow finally they give Danny more a purpose as a character on this show but then I realized how farfetched this idea sounded and just watched it play out. It was so random too that Carrie's only reason for it being accurate was that Danny was a Muslim. She's the least racist or stereotypical person on the show and for her to play that card was a really low blow. I think they need to have more of a one-on-one with him and actually show an explanation being given to Danny. And an apology to say the least! That was very off-putting in my opinion. Other than that though --

I keep thinking what they can do next with the third season of this show now that Abu Nassir is dead. Knowing them, they have a million amazing ways to go from here, but it's just an initial shock that he's really dead now. I loved all the scenes of Carrie just looking at his dead body and even her many glances into the mirrors around her this episode. Her facial expressions carry so much thought and emotion. I loved that she has finally reached a sense of closure after running after this terrorist for a huge chunk of her career.

I still am in sheer and utter confusion regarding this new shady side of Estes we're seeing. I don't get why he needs Saul out of his way so bad? Why is he trying so hard to get rid of Brody now of all times? It's really confusing. They made us think that Quinn was the bad guy in episode 10 but now it's just the mission itself that seems shady.

All in all, can't wait for an epic finale on Sunday night. And congrats to Showtime for reaching epic record viewer ratings this past week! Oh, and thank you Gossip Girl for the Homeland reference. Made my day.

Parenthood: Season 4, Episode 10

"Trouble in Candyland"

-So last night's episode of Parenthood marked a new record for me. This was the first episode this season that I didn't shed tears. Interesting too because I've been a big fan of Sarah and Mark's relationship, but it didn't get me as much as I thought last night. Maybe it's because I still have hope they'll salvage it? Or maybe because I'm actually really happy inside that Mark finally stood up for himself and put his own well-being over his heart and emotions.

Mark had every right to say what he said to Sarah. I think some people might think the "lousy fiance" comment was a bit harsh, but in fact I think he let her off so easily. On top of that, taking a flight back down to see her after she chose work over him?! Sarah should have been the one who felt so bad that she decided to take a flight to Mark and surprise him! Time after time Mark surprises me with his humbleness and sweet persona. That's why I'm such a big fan of him and I actually think he's really good for Sarah; he stabilizes her. But after tonight, although I hope for a reconciliation, I'm weary of how that will play out because of how much she's hurt him. Sarah needs to come to a place of reflection and realizing how true everything Mark told her was (about pushing away the good things in her life). He waited for her once with the whole Seth ordeal, and this is the second time she's pulling the same thing.

For the record, I don't think that Hank and Sarah's friendship is romantic on both ends. Hank definitely has deep feelings for her but all I sense from Sarah's side is that she feels bad for him and wants to "fix him" like she said last night. It was the same pattern with Seth, it wasn't necessarily that she was still in love with him, but moreso that she wanted to be the one to save the bad boy. We will see how that plays out next week.

I loved that this week we got to see a comedic scene featuring Kristina and not have it be completely Kristina-centric like weeks past. Don't get me wrong, Monica Potter is one of my favorite actresses on the show, but it was a bit refreshing to have a light-hearted episode thrown in after 4-5 really emotional ones. I loved her scene with Julia; I haven't seen the two of them interact one-on-one in so long! Hands down my favorite line of the night, "Alright so I'm actually smoking pot." And Julia's reaction -- priceless. I feel so bad for Kristina and looking at next week's preview I am seriously anticipating the episode like no tomorrow. The biggest question I have is will they really kill off her character? Monica Potter is one of Parenthood's best actresses and the show is only in its fourth season. Seems a bit unlikely, but who knows! I haven't been able to find any interviews or articles with her or the writers discussing this so I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Other than that, another heart warming side to this episode was the final resolution with the Luncheonette drama. Leave it to Crosby to save the day. I LOVE that it was him who came up with that brilliant plan and that he didn't even need a bit of assistance from Adam. Such a great way to end the episode and put that pesky neighbor to rest (we hope).

I don't even want to get into the Ryan story-arc. Sorry, it's completely useless and takes up so much screen time that other main characters should be in. Does anyone else miss Jabbar and Jasmine? Or Camille? They've spent too much time making him seem like a central character on the show. Looks like things will be getting very emotional and very exciting in little time. I'm not sure if Parenthood has a winter break this year, but if so, looks like next week will be our cliffhanger episode!

What about you? What was your favorite story arc from last night's episode? Are you as tired of Ryan as I am? Are you Team Hank or Team Mark? Sound-off below!

Homeland: Season 2, Episodes 9&10

Only 2 more episodes left of this gem of a show. Is it just me or has this season seriously flown by? I love Showtime programs so much because 1) they never take random breaks like CW or NBC decides to do out of the blue and 2) no commercials! ah such a breath of fresh air. I love that I can watch the show in peace and not have the remote glued to my hand ready to fast forward every time the scene ends. So thank you, there's my little shameless plug for how much I love Showtime. Now, regarding the past two episodes... um WHAT?!! I seriously don't even know where to begin?! First off, I never in my wildest dreams would have thought that the show would decide to bring Abu Nassir to the US this early on in the show -- and then to have him kidnap Carrie and be face to face, communicating with her?! WOW. Of course even though it hadn't crossed my mind, it was still definitely very believable. And I love that Brody did what he was asked in order to save Carrie's life. Now Carrie on the other hand is just plain dumb because of course she decides to run back into the abandoned warehouse and have a 1:1 battle with a terrorist. Sure, nothing insane about that at all. Come on girl, he just let you go! Run AWAY. But in typical Carrie fashion she thinks about the state of the country first and puts herself second. I love that the second she got her phone and called Saul it was to tell him about Nassir's location, not the fact that she had been taken ransom and attacked by him. She's so selfless in that respect.

I'd like to take a moment at this point to share my joy in the reappearance of DANNY Galvez! Ah, thank you Lord that they didn't kill him off! Such a minor character, but I still love seeing him on the show and his little one-liners. Poor guy comes back in with a broken arm after being shot but he still wants in on the rescue mission to save Carrie.

Regarding the Mike/Jess affair.. to be honest I like the two of them together and I really love Brody/Carrie together. But for some reason I get so ticked off at Jess for cheating on her husband. I'm ashamed that I'm pretty much buying into a stereotype and getting more mad at the girl than the guy, but I don't know what it is. I think it's the fact that the audience knows that Carrie understands Brody more than Jess at this point. And even though we see Jess trying and trying repeatedly to get into Brody's head and comfort him, I think I just feel like she needs to try harder. Instead of rushing into bed with Mike, I would expect her to hold out longer and stay committed to Brody, especially because they've been apart for 8 years. But that's a touchy subject and I'm still iffy on what I think exactly. All I know for sure is that I see so much more chemistry between Brody and Carrie. You almost lose sight of the fact that he's involved with a terrorist and you want to cheer for the two of them to get together.

Anyways! Lets get to the side story with Quinn! Very, very interesting sub-plot. I can't tell you how stressed out I was watching last week's final minute. Seeing Quinn as Brody's driver, show up to pick him up, and then wait patiently holding a gun waiting to shoot Brody...?! Speechless!!! I never would have guessed Estes would concoct a plan to overrule Saul and get a black ops guy on this case, and we're still a bit confused exactly why, but it has added so much tension to the show. And I love it. I really feel for Saul though, I couldn't believe that Estes ordered him to be kept at the CIA offices while everyone else went after Carrie. I want to know exactly why Estes is so against having Saul on the front-end.

This episode and last week's were both truly two that made this season. I'm so sad that there are only two left! All my favorite shows are ending by mid-December :/ Well okay, only like 4 of them, but still! This was an amazing season and I know that the last two will have us on the edge of our seats and provide some serious cliff hangers. [I don't think I've ever been more antsy than I was when Season 1 ended with Carrie about to go through electric shock therapy! -- okay, yes, probably during every LOST finale, but still this one is a top 5 moment].

Next week we see Roya is in with the CIA getting interrogated. I'm curious to know if she will feed them lies or if the honest truth will come out. As of now, Nassir has gotten exactly what he wanted; the Vice President is dead (easiest death possible if you ask me), and he's on fire to complete his mission.

Until Sunday folks, that's it for Homeland!

Homeland: Season 2, Episode 7

Sunday night's installment of Homeland was again, mediocre, in my  opinion. I'm getting annoyed that every other episode is semi-boring, especially because I thought that Season 1 was pure gold - every episode. But, I'm trying not to be too picky. First order of business: we finally get a mention of Galvez! LOL. Even if it comprised only 2% of the episode, I'm glad we got confirmation that he's alive. Well, in Quinn's words he's, "still dying" -- but hey that's way better than the writers randomly killing him off. I can't wait to see what happens. I'm starting to like Quinn more and more with each episode. I love his spunk and "take-no-crap-from-anyone" demeanor. It took some getting used to in the beginning but I really like him now. In fact, I wouldn't even mind some more interaction between him and Carrie for that matter! They seem to have some chemistry. I wonder if they'll decide to take the show in that direction. But it's pretty obvious that for now they're keeping Carrie's love life completely centered on Brody. I was absolutely shocked that he's still maintaining his affair with her! I honestly can't read him whatsoever though. One minute he's talking about how good he feels when he's with her and then the next second he's borderline about to shove her aside. I'm not complaining because it's keeping me on the edge of my seat but I'm dying to get an inside scoop on where he's at. Meanwhile, a majority of the episode was centered around Dana and Finn's hit and run accident. I really like that Dana is showing so much concern about this. It was a little predictable that Finn's parents of course were hoping to keep this out of the public eye and just "dispose of it" like most people high up do -- but I'm curious to see how things will turn out because of how adamant Jess and Brody are about going about this the right way.

Of course the second that things are starting to unravel, with Faber putting two and two together about Brody's involvement with the terrorism acts, he gets shut down by Carrie. GAH! No closure in sight. I love it. And again, exhibit B, Saul's interrogation with Aileen didn't go anywhere. I wasn't too shocked that she lied, but I was super shocked that she ended up killing herself. After all that trouble to get her above ground & get her the beloved window cell -- she kills herself?! It was definitely sad. I was surprised to see how emotional it made Saul. I think the biggest thing for the CIA at this point is keeping Brody close, but not letting him in too close. Which scares me because every episode we see Carrie letting her guard down more and more with him. Truthfully, I can barely tell where her head is at anymore. It seems like she's forgetting this is the guy who has a deal to bomb your country with a top tier terrorist.. Girls. Always.

Well, the preview for next week looks appetizing as always. Lets see where that takes us! I'm so excited that after two weeks, Parenthood is back on tonight. Be sure to check back in the morning for a review!

Homeland: Season 2, Episode 6

"A Gettysburg Address"

THANK YOU, Homeland! You gave me exactly what I wanted on Sunday night. I have to admit I was a little "meh" when I started watching Sunday night's episode because of how mediocre I felt Episode 5 was for the viewers. Way to flip me upside down and leave me begging for more!! No exaggeration, when the episode faded to black in the last minute, I literally yelled "ARGH!" at the TV, haha. I wasn't expecting it to end there and I absolutely LOVE when the full hour passes by in an instant and you're left wondering where the time went and how it ended so quickly. That's how you know the episode was great.

I was reading another blog yesterday reviewing this same episode, and I really enjoyed what the author was saying. He mentioned that we are beginning to see a lot of Season 1 type of uneasiness now, in regards to Brody's motives and where his head is at. It's true, the entire time I was watching, all I wanted was an aside of Brody, maybe even talking to the mirror or something and venting about where he's at. At this point we have no idea if he's really given in, and come on board fully with the CIA -- or if he's playing them too and gaining even more intel to provide to Abu Nazir. My mind is absolutely boggled at this point.

Most shocking moment of this episode? The shootout in the tailor's store!!! Um, WHAT?! I was absolutely shocked seeing that, and even more so, I am dying know what happened to Galvez! (yeah, so what, maybe I have a little crush).

But seriously, I think that took everyone by surprise and it takes us back to the scene with Brody and Roya chatting in the hallway. Did he somehow give her a message to lead her to the tailor's store shootout? Did he somehow inaudibly warn her of that? I mean, how in the world would he be able to convey that through body language? Again, I'm just honestly confused but in the best way possible. I am completely satisfied.

Another question I'm left with is the fear that Carrie is really starting to fall for Brody hard, and in a way where she is about to believe him more than the CIA/ what her job is asking of her. In the preview for next week, we see the two of them getting more intimate and it only starts to worry me because she is the key to this entire operation. The second she gets vulnerable, it's done. And not to mention, who knows what his intentions with her are?! We have no idea at this point what he even feels for her. One minute he's holding her the next minute he's running home to his wife.

I don't know but Homeland has won me over yet again and I publicly apologize for being a doubter simply because of one episode!

Homeland: Season 2, Episode 5

"Q&A" What do you get when you mix a CIA agent who is in love with a terrorist, simultaneously trying to bring him down, with a terrorist who is trying to trick the CIA into thinking he's actually "good"? Well sounds like a mouthful right? That's what Homeland has come to as it's embarked in it's second season. I'm not sure what I thought about Sunday night's installment. I sadly think the show is starting to run out of ideas with where to take it from here. Not sure if it's too soon to make a statement like this, but I almost think the show would have been better off as a mini-series, as opposed to a regular TV show.

Don't get me wrong, Season 1 was gold. I think the transitions were perfect, the build-up was exciting, and it was enough realism to keep you hooked until we got to the finale. But then season 2 started up and everything kind of went for a spin. As much as I love that Carrie (thank God), is back in the CIA, I think it's a little unbelievable that she would be given her job back as well as all this authority in such a short time. Was it not just 4 episodes ago that her entire team was calling her crazy and Saul himself being the sole agent to encourage her to go for the shock therapy?!

Now all of a sudden they're referring to her as a genius and letting her run the show. I love it and I think she deserves this, however, I'm not quite sure how believable this is in the long run.

In addition to that, I know I tend to rag on Dana's character a lot, but really? The hit and run accident with Finn? We. Don't. Care. I'm sorry this isn't a high school drama where we need weekly cliffhangers and murders and kidnappings -- this is an adult show centered around the government and homeland security. Why are we mixing the two?! I was honestly really surprised that they dedicated half of this week's episode to their story arc. Not sure where they can take it from here, and sure it will buy them some time for maybe 2 episodes max, but really? I would have much rather seen more from Carrie and Brody's time in the interrogation. That part of the episode, I definitely enjoyed. So much emotion, so much raw vulnerability from both ends. I got super teary eyed watching Carrie as she kept asking him if he ever really felt anything for her.

I still can't put together my discernment on his true intentions. We see him reaching out and grabbing her hand for comfort and then telling her that night in the cabin that she's the only one he can talk to -- but then we also see him calling her crazy and obsessed. I really want to know how he truly feels. I have a huge feeling she cares way more about him than vice-versa though, and I'm really scared that she might let her emotions get the best of her. Typical girl syndrome.

Time will tell. I'm not a huge fan of this new spin with "Brody working with the CIA" now -- but lets see, maybe next week's episode will salvage my distaste and give us some fresh info.

Parenthood: Season 4, Episode 6

The highlight of last week's episode for me was Max. Amidst the tears, the worry about Kristina's tumor removal, and Haddie's decision to take the semester off of school -- Max stuck out most. Throughout the whole episode, I was curious to see how the writers would have his presidential speech turn out. Would he run off stage? Yell at the audience? Freeze up there? The final result was the most heartfelt and gut wrenching speech that a little boy could give. I've found it a little tough to empathize with Max throughout the show because of his lack of emotion. It kind of bugged me that he had not even an ounce of TLC for his mom when she was talking to him about her cancer, but I kept thinking I'll give him that because of his condition. But wow, actually seeing him talk about his Asberger's and why it causes him to act the way he does completely broke my heart. The fact that he repeated exactly what his sister told him in their prep talk.. the fact that he said his condition is his biggest strength as opposed to a weakness-- gahhh! So unbelievably sweet. And I'm so happy that he ended up winning. Of course, who wouldn't vote for someone after a speech like that. I loved watching the camera cuts to the audience while he was speaking. Their faces were so in awe and interest after he changed gears and delved into his Asberger's condition.

Other than that, Kristina's tumor removal went well and we are left hanging because unfortunately, the story isn't over for her. In fact it's just begun. She has to start chemo now :( I'm wondering what will happen because they decided to keep this a secret from Haddie. Are they going to keep it a secret from everyone in the family? Just the kids? Curious to find out, because I know Haddie and she will be devastated that they kept this truth from her.

Such a solid episode, in fact such a solid season! I'm the type of person that usually picks Season 1 of everything as my favorite (with the exception of Dawson's Creek & Breaking Bad). But for Parenthood the seasons have just gotten better and better! In fact, this might be my favorite season to date. It's just annoying that NBC keeps having these random breaks in between. Not sure if Episode 7 is tomorrow night or a week later, but more to come!

Homeland: Season 2, Episode 4

"New Car Smell" I'm a really big fan of episode titles of shows where it's always something minor and detailed that forces you to pay close attention to the whole episode to figure out how they came up with it. Remind me a lot of Breaking Bad in that sense. In my opinion, this week's episode of Homeland was one of the best the series has had so far. I never thought that Carrie and Brody would reunite this soon in the game -- and then to see that the meeting led to Brody's arrest?! I was floored. I mean obviously there is an entire season left to cover so I doubt the CIA will find any real evidence to keep him locked up, but still. Just the fact that they have him locked up, in hiding, and the flash drive to use against him really places the odds against him.

The writers did such a good job with the scene featuring Brody and Carrie in the bar. They didn't have to say too much, but their body language and emotions gave it all away. I kept thinking, "Is Carrie going to crack?" the whole way through. And in typical Carrie fashion, she did crack in a way. But thank God they at least had some sort of grounds to arrest him upon. But was it just me, or did we all think that the hotel room scene was going to go a whole other direction than it actually did?!

New character alert -- I absolutely love Kevin. I'm so glad they've introduced someone new and I love that he adds somewhat of a light comedic touch to the show. The way he is so dead on about everything, he just reads people perfectly. I can't wait to see more of him as the show continues. In addition, thank GOD that the CIA is finally giving Carrie her credit when it's due! I feel like Estes needs to man up a lot more and give her a more legit apology, but hey, we can't expect too much from him. I'm so happy to see her back in her element and secure in the fact that she was right this entire time. Finally feels good to see her happy. Which, sadly, is only half true, because although most of her identity is back in tact, she's still really heartbroken. It was painful seeing that last scene with her fighting back tears in the hotel room. That last line where she yelled in his face, " I LOVED you" -- wow, sent chills down my spine. I wish the CIA had given us at least one more minute to hear Brody's response to that, but of course, they pop in right at that moment.

I can't imagine where her mind is at. On the one hand, she's the only person who's known that this guy is a fake, phony, and terrorist. On the other hand, she's managed to block off that side of him and fallen in love with him! And it honestly looks like even up until Sunday's episode she was STILL hoping that there was some humanity left in him or something to save. She even goes so far to expose herself 100% and admit she's been in love with him. That's heavy.

Other than that, it was cool to see some other aspects of Dana's life rather than her rants and rude one-liners to Jess, but really? Spending a whole 5 minute segment on a 16 year old's crush on the VP's son? We don't care. Kind of added the high school appeal to it though, so maybe they're trying to broaden their audience base?

Finally, I love this entire arc with Lauder's character. He's the only "layperson" who really knows what's up, but of course no one believes him because he's the town's obnoxious drunk. It's interesting seeing his discernment in putting the pieces together. I'm glad Mike finally at least has lent an ear to this and he's sort of being pulled in. At least a bit! I'm curious to see how the writers will develop these guys' story lines to figure out more of Brody's real identity and what he's up to.

Homeland: Episode 202

"Back to Beirut"

I'm ashamed to be posting at this hour, on a Tuesday. This post was supposed to be up yesterday morning, but shame on me! I've been lagging on my posts. I'll get into the why's and whatnot in my next post, but lets give Homeland its credit for delivering a promising sophomore episode on Sunday night. At first, the excitement that had built up from the premiere had me thinking that Sunday's Episode 2 would either be a flop, or totally a mix of too much information. And I'm so happy I was wrong! Claire Danes... can you just get an Emmy PER episode?! She was amazing. The montage of the music while she walked in her room in Beirut, hyperventilating, crawling on the floor, and seeing the dust particles gather around her in the sunlight had me shaking. I literally felt her emotions as she walked up to the roof and just took her breaths. Those scenes were powerful.

I can't explain how realistic these writers are. I love when you are unable to predict what's going to happen. Sure a lot of us love screaming out, "I CALLED THAT!" while watching movies with a big group sometimes, but for a show like this, it's that much more intrinsically rewarding to be in complete shock and awe when seeing the final scenes. I honestly was torn both ways, wondering if Carrier's informant was indeed trustworthy or playing them. It wasn't until I saw Abu Nazzir's face come out of the car that I was like "done deal." It KILLED me that they let Brody into the CIA room to view the secret op. I think that's the only part that I was like.. um, really now? Would they really let a random congressman into a secret operation's film sesh? I don't know. That bugged me a little but honestly the whole time as he started to break a sweat, I was like wow, what are you going to do next? And of course -- all he could do -- a warning text. It was so awesome watching all of that go down. Milliseconds before we hear Estes give the go ahead on firing, Abu Nazzir's men get Brody's text.. and of course they get away just in time. Rightfully so, too,because of course we need him around for the duration of this season!

I love Carrie's fire and 110% attitude. Not only is she PISSED about this (doesn't even take a moment to bask in the fact that her informant led them directly to Nazzir), but she goes above and beyond and decides to run her own suicide mission into Farida's old home! Gosh, watching her grab those bags and run up and down the stairs was incredibly intense. The camera angles were perfectly shot in those scenes. And I kept thinking, watch, she won't even grab anything meaningful... but hey, I bite my tongue! Of course the last 2 minutes were the most intense of all! The disk drive in the backpack. GOLD. Seeing Brody's face on the screen.. double whammy. I literally screamed at my TV. Now, I know, it won't give away too much, but even that little reveal satisfies me. It'll hold me off until Sunday. Who knows what is yet to come, but I like it. And I can't wait to see how they will incorporate Carrie's return to the CIA. I want Brody done with. Season 1, I was awkwardly a fan of his. Probably cause his M.O. was undefined. But now, even though he's that character they want us to love and hate; at this point I don't really like him at all. Like come on bro, you have a wife and kids and you're in the government.. and here you are calling your ex-Marine brother a fake because he turned on the US... yeah well you are doing the exact same thing hypocrite! I know he has to cover his tracks, but he is seriously brain washed. Gah.

Parenthood: Episode 402

"Everything is Not Okay"Every Tuesday night my family and I sit down to watch Parenthood... and every episode I'm literally telling myself, "ok, don't cry tonight, it won't be as emotional" -- and EVERY time I'm wrong! Haha, in tears by 20 minutes in. Last night was no exception. Side note, did you guys know that Sam Jaeger (Joel) directed last night's episode?! I thought it was quite exceptional.

Last night amidst the light hearted moments that they tried to throw in, like Zeke getting arrested or Max's tantrums about the vending machine, it was almost impossible to focus on those scenes because of how deep and emotional the rest of the story arc was. We find out more about Kristina's diagnosis of breast cancer and what that means now for her family. I LOVED seeing Adam and her interactions. They are seriously such a dynamic couple and truly believable as husband and wife. It was so on point, seeing him trying to be the one to save her and be the optimist, but in reality right now she just needs someone to be real with her and LET her be scared. That last scene (before Max's interruption) in their bedroom seeing Adam get teary-eyed was almost Oscar worthy. Both these actors steal the cake for their performances, episode after episode.

I can't wait to see the big reveal when they share this news with the whole family. I was hoping that would have been this week, but it's actually more realistic that they're taking their time with it. I thought Adam telling Amber was SO out of left field... but the spontaneity actually made it more believable. I can totally see that happening, where you kind of blurt out news that you've been keeping in for so long to the one person who just happens to be at the right place at the right time.

Other than that -- the biggest thing I am d r e a d i n g is this new found chemistry between Sarah and Ray Romano (I don't care enough about this character to know his show name, LOL). I know, I know.. the writers need to have some sort of drama to keep us intrigued, but come on! Poor little Mark deserves a break. He was just allowed entrance into the sacred Braverman family portrait, and now they want to create a divide between the two again! Ugh. I was actually really shocked that there weren't more sparks or innuendos between them last night during that wedding scene, but time will tel. I mean, I can tell how a lot of people look at Sarah and Mark's relationship as one that's unrealistic or immature, and one that keeps her in that childish persona she has had. I think the argument would be to pair her with someone older, more stable, and allow her to grow into the woman she needs to be. But I honestly love the purity and innocence in her love with Mark. And you can tell he GENUINELY loves her so much. I am actually rooting for them in a weird way. I've never been a fan of couplings where the girl is older, and in this case like 15 years older, but for some reason they match! I like it.

Other than that, I can say that I was bummed to not see as much of Julia and Crosby in this episode, but can't complain because Kristina's story line truly deserves to be at the forefront of the show right now. The writers have truly set up this season perfectly so far. Only two episodes in and I am more attached to this show than I ever thought I would be.

Til next week!

PS:feel free to leave your comments and thoughts on any episode that I cover! I love sharing views and analyses back and forth, it's literally my favorite thing to do!