Almost Thanksgiving...but still no Doctor Who for me.

Happy almost Thanksgiving (or as Aunt Kelli calls it- Ad Day!)! I am hosting a gathering at my house Thursday night because I love to cook Thanksgiving dinner and although I am away from my family and in a country that does not recognize the holiday- I will of course be celebrating it. Here is a little Buzzfeed top 10 to get in the mood… (I particularly enjoy the one about the uncle and the Turkey… because we have that uncle).http://www.buzzfeed.com/redbull/13-unfortunate-truths-about-thanksgiving

My excitement for Thanksgiving, plus a long weekend since the United Arab Emirates is celebrating its National Day on Sunday and Monday, is keeping me somewhat cheerful. You see my original plan was to find The Day of the Doctor somewhere online to watch as soon as possible- but alas that plan has failed miserably. So I have not watched Doctor Who yet and am hoping for no spoilers. I’m mainly staying away from trumblr which is where I get most of my Doctor Who information.

In happier news I see Huskies put the smack down on the Beavers! (Oh how I long for the day where I get to watch American Football live instead of reading about when I wake up!)

Also we need to talk Christmas movies… cause we’ll really only be together for forced family bonding for about 1 week so we need a plan of attack. Muppet Family Christmas is obviously first…Love Actually… and you know how I feel about Christmas Vacation. Also maybe a sitcom Christmas marathon…including some of the best holiday episodes from HIMYM, That 70s Show, New Girl, Friends… other classics…and don’t tell Sarah but I watched White Christmas this weekend because my roommate Dianne had only seen it once and had forgotten most of it.  We have limited Christmas time over here since I leave on the 13^th.

Okay that’s all I feel I have to say for now since I’m pretty much just waiting around for Doctor Who (but who isn't).

Sarah kisses the frog, only to learn that she was deceived and it was really only Kermoot the Moopet and there is no prince. She loses some of her special glitter power, but continues on her quest. 

The importance of originality...

With Thanksgiving being so late it is extremely important to have a strategic plan in place to get in all the important Christmas movies. It is good to know what you get in before you head this way so that we are down to the same ones left to watch. 

I see your Henry Cavil respect video and I raise you Tom Hiddleston talking a delayed gratification with Cookie Monster. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_ubVVnWglk

Speaking of Tom Hiddleston and delayed gratification, I have got to see Thor. Which leads nicely into my topic for today…

We need to have a conversation about the lack of originality in the entertainment world. I know that this isn't new and I am usually the first person to say I don't care, I'll see you in line for Iron Man 6 and the next installment of Star Trek. And I love when existing stories are re-imagined, whether it's the Lizzie Bennett Diaries or every version of Sherlock. And even though the book is better 99.9% of the time, I don't even mind that Hollywood takes every book I love and turns it into a movie - whether they craft a beautiful visual to compliment Harry Potter or let the original writer adapt his novel own novel with brilliant casting like Perks of Being a Wallflower. (I also enjoy many others that don't happen to star Emma Watson)

But a couple of things have happened recently that have made me cringe almost as much as that talk of a Buffy reboot sans Joss Whedon or a Ferris Bueller sequel.

First is this: http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/11/15/how-i-met-your-mother-spin-off-pilot/

I will certainly miss How I Met Your Mother, although you have to agree, it was time for it to be done. Why do we need to replicate the premise for another show about late 20s/early 30s friends? How I Met Your Mother was basically the new Friends, only with less viewers and a fun gimmick to tie things together. But it wasn't the gimmick that kept us watching week in and week out, it was the characters. And so maybe it doesn't matter if you copy that same gimmick for a new show as long as there are quality characters, but could we maybe come up with a slightly different premise, to feign just a little bit of creativity?

And then, I was going to leave this topic alone, but what really pushed me over was this:  http://www.hypable.com/2013/11/18/its-a-wonderful-life-sequel/ 

I don't feel a need to comment on how completely sacrilegious this feels. Unless you can get Jimmy Stewart to come back from the dead to play a ghost, I'm really not interested. Side note: someone should start working on that immediately.

I don't blame the writers for any of this. I really think they are just trying to get something put on TV and studios prefer to back projects that have a built-in fan base and proven success rate. Maybe the HIMYM guys have some fantastic new ideas and this new show (which, with its female lead would fit beautifully into CBS' Monday night lineup, giving “America’s #1 network” a full 2 hour comedy block of all female-led shows with 2 Broke Girls, Mom, and Mike & Molly-sorry Mike, Melissa McCarthy is the star there) will be great.  Who knows?

Here’s the thing: I am the most pro-TV, give everything a chance, likes way too much of it all person I know, so if I'm having doubts, then perhaps they need to pause and think about things a little. 

Of course I can always peruse YouTube, which never seems to be lacking in original content.

Switching gears and completely negating all my half-assed pleading for a bit of originality, I really do think one can never have too many superheroes (although, I thought that about vampires too, so please don’t introduce any superheroes who sparkle in the sunlight). This week Arrow is introducing the Flash, who will get his own show in 2014. Per this lovely little article (http://www.hypable.com/2013/11/18/flash-standalone-pilot-arrow/) it looks like early viewings have been positive, so I will report back after these next two weeks of Arrow.  

Some might think that having an early pre-Thanksgiving meal would lead to Sarah lightening up on the anti-Christmas efforts.  Instead she channels Mad-Eye Moody and pushes forward into the next week and a half shouting CONSTANT VIGILANCE.  Her & Aunt Kelli have joined forces to boycott stores opening on Thanksgiving Day.  Shop at your own risk, America.

My turn was skipped and I love Henry Carvill....

Blog:

First off- I’m telling mom you’re not taking turns. We’re supposed to take turns posting. You have now given me so much to respond to and consider.

I do enjoy a good Buzzfeed  list. Actually I tend to like list in general, especially pop culture related list. However, while I’m good at making To-Do and grocery list… I would have a hard time ranking Buffy episodes.  But then you go and send me an alternative idea about making a HIMYM list….which also seems like a nearly impossible task...but with some time and some serious careful thought we could do it. Perhaps when I’m home at Christmas we can conquer it. Sarah would also have thoughts and input.

We can just take a moment to appreciate how awesome SHEILD is. I just enjoy it more and more every week. Whedon can kill people off as long as he just keeps creating brilliance. I am always so entertained.

Supernatural update… on episode 5 in season 4. There is just so much happening. There’s this angel now and Sam is getting all supernaturally. Only 4 more seasons left to get caught up!

Doctor Who mini-episode this week! YES…. This had to be talked about face to face and couldn't wait for a blog, so we’ve already discussed it via Skype.  But just need to add it in here again, because there are only 7 more days until The Day of the Doctor. After further thought I decided this was the type of mini-episode that made me realize I need to know more about old Doctor Who and then I need to make a big chart. Maybe then the chart can hang in the “formally green room” at your house above the Tardis which we have yet to construct out of your cabinet.

So I’m home for Christmas very soon… about 27 days. I plan to do some Christmas watching prior to that. So far my list consist of Elf, White Christmas, Muppet Christmas Carol, Love Actually, Miracle of 34^th Street, National Lampoon Christmas Vacation, The Santa Claus and It’s a Wonderful Life. I have limited time in December with my friends so the list can't be too long… and of course I will watch any or all these with you when I get home! And save Muppet Family Christmas for home of course. 

One last thing for now…

In searching for some video for my kids to watch I came across this little gem and… I LOVE Henry Carvill and everything he does.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2424032/Henry-Cavill-joins-Elmo-Sesame-Street-teach-children-respect.html

I can’t show my kids here because of the pigs… they’re haram.

Sarah update: She took a break from D&D this week due to an overreaction at a mall caused by the hearing of Christmas music being played prior to Thanksgiving. There was a bit of scene and she now has to spend her extra time at the mall helping fix Santa’s Workshop. (She was in the right…there should be laws about these things.)