Adios, V-Card! – A Recap of Glee’s “The First Time”

[A Note About the TVD Recap for “Homecoming”:  It’s on its WAY!  I’m just putting some additional pictures and gifs in there.  It will most definitely be up by 6 p.m. EST.  But it will likely be up WAY earlier than that  . . . like, say, early afternoon.  Thanks for your patience!]

 

RACHEL: “Any last minute sex tips?”

BLAINE: “Don’t forget to tell him how big it is.”

RACHEL: “But what if it isn’t big?”

BLAINE: “Don’t forget to lie, and tell him how big it is.” 

This was it, my Fellow Gleeks . . . the one you’ve all been waiting for  . .  . the sexpisode.  Going into the hour, it was no secret that Glee power couples, Finchel and Klaine, were both going to pop their collective cherries, by the episode’s end.

Here, at TV Recappers, we LUUUUUUUVE Cherry Popping!  Cherry Popping is fun! 

Given all we knew about the episode before it aired, one might have expected “The First Time” to be somewhat of a let down.  Fortunately, the hour contained more than enough surprises, colorful musical numbers, and well-acted scenes to maintain the interest of even the most skeptical of fans . . .

Did I mention that Beiste got herself a boyfriend . . . or that Karofsky showed up, looking like one of the Village People?

So, enough with the teasing and foreplay.  Let’s all get laid, shall we?

Artie Abrams – Sexpert?

“I know it looks like we are judging you but . . . yeah . . . we’re actually judging you.” 

The episode begins with our favorite wheelchair user, basking in the “triumph” that comes from directing a school play.  Artie, apparently, just  LOVES bossing people around . .  . not just in the context of the play, but in all aspects of their lives.  In fact, an alternate title for this episode could have easily been :”Artie Knows Best” . . . or, perhaps, more accurately, “Artie Knows Sex.”  Wouldn’t you agree?

Artie’s first targets for “self-improvement” are Rachel and Blaine.  Upon hearing the pair sing their rendition of West Side Story, Artie decides that “something is missing” in their performance.  What on Earth could it be!  Oh, that’s right . . . they are NOT BONING  . . . not eachother . . . and not anyone else either.  Rachel and Blaine are totally and completely . . . BONE-LESS.

Dear Diary,

Apparently, my inability to get laid has made me a sub-par actress.  I am sad.

Love,

The Virgin Rachel 

Without a second thought toward sparing their feelings, Artie abruptly tells the plays two leads that they are lacking romantic chemistry on stage, because they are both virgins.  Of course, Artie!  Rachel’s and Blaine’s respective virginal statuses MUST be the reason they don’t look like they want to rip one another’s clothes off, onstage.  Surely, it has absolutely NOTHING to do with the fact that each of the members of this faux-couple, actually  . . .

I’m kidding, of course.  There are plenty of gay actors, who can conceivably “play straight.”  But I find it interesting that the characters’ respective virginal statuses were what Artie honed in on, as opposed to, an issue that would seem much more OBVIOUS.

Anywhoo . . .  the minute Artie brings up the topic of sex, his co-directors, Beiste and Emma LITERALLY run screaming from the room.  I hate to break it to you kids, but you just made your sex status WAY more obvious than you would have, had you just . . . oh . . . I don’t know . . . sat there quietly with your mouths shut.

“Oops.”

To their credit, fellow virgins Rachel and Blaine keep surprisingly cool, by comparison as Artie awkwardly describes in cringe-inducingly specific detail that one time he f*&ked Brittany,and she repeatedly called him by someone else’s name probably Santana’s.  (Ah! Memories!)

Though both Rachel and Blaine initially tell Artie that they are waiting until the “right time” to cash in their Platinum V Cards, almost immediately after rehearsal, the two go off in search of their significant others, with SEX on the brain . . .

Having successfully accomplished the mission of ensuring that both Rachel / Finn’s and Blaine/Kurt’s first born will be named, “Artie,” the Little Screw-maker that Could then sets his sights on getting Coach Beiste laid as well . . .  (More on that later.)

“This is what I like to call my ‘Come Hither Stare.'” 

After that, Artie kind of drops off the radar, until the end of the episode, where he gives a fairly heartfelt speech on how directing the play, has made him feel special and self-sufficient for the first time ever.  Awww .  . . nice one, Artie . . . Give a speech like that, and you’ll be sure to get laid after the show too! 😉  (Or, you know, you could just be “self-sufficient” and .  . . ummm  . . . give yourself a hand?  Hint, Hint, Wink, Wink)

Speaking of self-sufficiency .  . .

Mike’s Dad – Douchebag?

“Hey Mike! I’ve decided to come back to high school, join the Glee club, and hit on your girlfriend.  HOORAY!” 

So, Mike’s dad is supposed to be some big fancy doctor, right?  Is that why he spends so much time at McKinley High, hanging out by his son’s locker, like a total creeper?  I mean, honestly, you would think a guy like that would have better things to do  . . . like his wife! (Pun intended.)

That said, I cheered for Mike for not caving to his father, when the latter — upon learning that Mike refused to give up his dream to become a professional dancer — threatened to disown him, if he didn’t abandon all dancing dreams.

“Well, than I guess I don’t have a dad, anymore,” Mike said fiercely, as his dad stalked off.

Well, Mike might not have a dad, anymore.  But he definitely has a mother.  And she was absolutely blown away, by her son’s portrayal of Riff from West Side Story, while she sat and cheered him on from the audience.  I was blown away too .  . . but I actually kind of wish we got to see a bit more from that portrayal .  . . like say, the epic death scene?

“But I’m too good of a dancer to die!” 

In addition to having a supportive Mom, Mike also has a super sweet girlfriend, who positively LOVED giving him her virginity . . . But, more on that later too . . .

“Who’s got two hands and a fabulous sex life?  THIS GIRL!” 

Meanwhile, in Beisteland . . .

Coach Beiste – Closet Romantic?

Poor sweet, cherry un-popped Beiste!  You know what’s funny?  I was initially shocked to find out she was still a virgin.  And then I remembered, that up until about a half a season ago, she had never even BEEN KISSED!  So, I don’t know why I was surprised . . .

“Would you please stop licking my ear.  I wanted a kiss, not an ear wax removal kit.” 

Lack of experience aside, Beiste, definitely has a soft side.  And, this week, that soft side was SERIOUSLY crushing on the OSU recruiter, who’d been hanging around McKinley High.  When Screw-maker Artie hears about this, he vows to help his teacher and mentor nip this little cherry-popping problem in the bud, ASAP.  (That Artie . . . he’s a busy little f*&ker, isn’t he?)

When Artie confronts the recruiter (who’s name is Cooter, which was probably the most controversial thing about this not-all-that-controversial episode), he gets some very shocking, but also oddly fortuitous, news.  As it turns out, Cooter Recruiter wants a little Beiste in him, just as much as Beiste wants a Little Cooter in HER (OK, that just sounds wrong, on so many levels)!  In fact, he’s been trying to ask her out for weeks!  (Really, how long has Cooter been hanging out at McKinley?  Doesn’t he have other schools to go to?)  Unfortunately . . . wait for it . . . SHE keeps turning HIM down?!

I guess for a woman who has only been kissed (by SCHUESTER, of all people), and who is highly insecure about her appearance, the art of flirting subtlety is completely lost on her.  Fortunately, Artie convinces Big Cooter (See? Never gets old.) to ask out the Beiste again . . . only this time, he tells the Old Coot to be REALLY, REALLY obvious about it . . . and show her what’s in his heart . . .

“Beiste . . . I give you my heart.”

First, Cooter finds Beiste in the weight room (where she is probably bench pressing HIS weight) and gives her flowers.  It doesn’t get much more obvious than that, folks.  But still Beiste is completely oblivious, wondering if the bouquet is for a funeral of some sort.  OUCH!  Yeah . . . if you don’t hurry up and grab your Cooter fast Beiste, there will be a funeral, all right . . . a funeral for the functionality of your lady parts :).

“Herein lies Coach Beiste’s ability to have children . . .” 

Fortunately, for Beiste, Cooter then takes his cue from Artie, and asks Beiste out in the most blatantly obvious way possible . . . by actually using the word “date,” in the question . . . something pretty much no body does anymore.  Way to keep it Old School, Cooter!  Upon hearing this inquiry Beiste begins . . . CRYING?!

Huh?

At first, she’s crying out of sadness, because she thinks it’s a joke . . . which is just so super depressing.  I can’t even talk about it, without getting weepy (well, not really, but . . . you know).  It’s upsetting.

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But then he tells her how beautiful and womanly he thinks she is, and those tears of sadness, turn into tears of joy, HOORAY!  I honestly, thought it would be REALLY fitting if Beiste and her Cooter went on their first date to Breadsticks, especially considering how much she loves those Never-Ending Pasta Bowls.  But, instead she went to . . . the school play . . . which is really super lame, when you think about it.  But, it’s a start  . . .

“Psst . . . this play sucks.  What do you say we sneak out, go  back to my place, and watch the food channel?”

Since we are on the subject of false starts . . .

Things Not to Say When You Are Trying to Get Laid Part 1 – “Let’s Get this Over With”

Someone’s got egg on her face! 

So, I mentioned that Rachel wanted to get a little NC-17 action with Finn, prior to opening night, right?  Fortunately, it just so happens that Finn’s ENTIRE family is supposed to be out of the house that evening.  So, there will be absolutely no chance for awkward interruptions.  Rachel pops over to Finn’s house.  And, wanting the night to be perfect, he prepares her some choice meat for dinner.  This would be great, except . . . well, Rachel’s a VEGAN.

So, much for good eats, Rachel and Finn head right down to the floor in the living room to get down to the business of humping.  But then Finn has to f*&k everything up by asking Rachel WHY she wants to sleep with him now?!

DOH!

Finn .  . . you are horny high school boy.  When you get the green light, you GO.  Don’t ask questions!  Don’t hesitate!   Just take of your pants, and DO IT!   OR ELSE . . .

But I guess this was Finn’s week to be a good boy (He alternates from week to week, you know!), so he needed to know Rachel’s love was true, before he could . . . um . . . poke her with HIS love.

“I feel so violated and used.” 

And, of course, this would have been fine, if Rachel didn’t feel the need to be ridiculously honest about her reason for having sex with Finn.  “I just want to get this over with [before the show, tomorrow night].”

OH RACHEL!  You might as well, have stuck a pin in his weiner . . .

You are an actress.  Why couldn’t you just ACT like you had a better reason for doing this, than you actually did.  Have you no brain heart?

Long story short, Finn’s and Rachel’s first foray at sex, ends with both of them striking out.  Finn doesn’t want any part of Rachel’s cooter tonight, especially after what she said.  Apparently, Rachel’s V-card is American Express V-card.  It’s not accepted everywhere.

And so the two condoms Rachel and Finn each brought for the occasion, remain unwrapped, for at least, one more night . . .

A rubber is a terrible thing to waste . . . 

The next day at school, a cowed Rachel, asks her gal pals their opinion on whether she should have sex with Finn.  Santana and Brittany vote “no.”  Because Brittany’s first time was apparently an alien invasion of some sort.  And Santana thinks Finn is terrible in bed.

Is it just me?  Or does this look like one of those KY jelly commercials? 

The writers intercut this fairly humorous conversation with Santana and Rachel singing a duet to “A Boy Like That,” which, is more or less, Rachel’s way of saying, she hopes Finn was just bad in bed, because he was with Santana, and not because he lacks screwing skills . . .

“Gee Rachel, why don’t you tell me how you REALLY feel . .  .”

Now, I know the song is a classic from West Side Story,  but, honestly, I think it’s lyrics are a little mean.  Because, seriously, if a guy broke your heart, and you were trying to warn your friend about him, would you really want to hear that friend say to you, “He won’t break MY heart, because he loves ME, and doesn’t love you.”

Talk about kicking a girl, while she’s down . . . Way to be insensitive, Maria from West Side Story . . .

But lest you think everyone on this show is all anti-sex, Tina, of all people, had a fabulous little story about how awesome sex with Mike Chang was because he is very flexible and has great abs she loves him so very much.  In other words, Mike Chang is the PIMP DADDY of this show . . . second to “I don’t use condoms, and thought I would be the one to take Rachel’s virginity” Puck, of course . . .

Though neither Rachel nor Blaine end up cashing in their V-cards, prior to Opening Night of West Side Story, both decide this is OK, because they both know what love is, and can tap into THAT, while playing their respective rolls.  This seems to work OK . . . I guess . . . at least judging by the musical numbers we got to see from the actual show.

Still, my favorite number of the entire episode was “America,” which, oddly enough featured the entire young Glee cast, EXCEPT Rachel and Blaine.  Most notably, it featured Puck and Santana rocking some AWESOME Puerto Rican accents!

But back to Rachel and Finn  . . . Rachel returns to Finn’s house after the play, to apologize for .  . . you know, deflating his weiner, with her “let’s get it over with, so that Maria from West Side Story doesn’t have to be a virgin,” comment.  However, as it turns out, Rachel’s remark isn’t all that’s making Finn feel crappy, he was also passed over by COOTER (awww man!  That name strikes again) for a scholarship to OSU.

“Damn that COOTER!” 

Now, Cooter may have been SUPER nice to Beiste, earlier on in the episode, but he DEFINITELY had his sensitivity chip on the off-switch, when he told Finn that his football career had peaked.  OUCH!  Finn thinks his dreams are dead, because he’s not a good enough football player or performer to get into the colleges of his choice.  Rachel sweetly comforts him, telling him that his dreams are NOT dead, he just “grew out of them.”  (Remind me to use that one on myself, the next time I fail at something . . . I didn’t fail.  I just “grew out of” being successful.  It has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?)

After promising Finn that she will help him find some new dreams, Rachel proceeds to make Finn’s dreams come true, by giving him a special gift that NO ONE ELSE is ever going to get.  You guessed it.  It’s time to chop up that V-card, for real this time.

“Who’s two left feet, and is currently having his brains banged out?  THIS GUY!” 

But this time, Rachel is doing it because she LOOOOOOOVES Finn, and his future new dreams . . .

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Things Not to Say When You Are Trying to Get Laid Part 2 – “Hey!  I’ve got an idea!  How about I grope you in the backseat of this car?”

Blaine is be-bopping around Kurt’s room, while the latter wonders out loud, why they aren’t screwing yet.  The pair joke adorably about the fact that Kurt wears too many layers of clothing for easy access . . .

Not to mention, too many ridiculous hats. . .

Later, Blaine heads back to Dalton to invite his old classmates to the play.  Once there, he confirms that things haven’t changed all that much, since he was gone.  The group still sing pop songs accapella style, while dancing around like Carlton from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

Their “Uptown Girl”number (complete with a token female teacher / sexy librarian type as the titular “uptown gir”l) proves as much.  Though I must admit, seeing a Warblers number without Blaine as their lead singer is like watching a vampire show, without hot people in it . . . it just doesn’t make any sense . . .

By the way, I love how the fancy schmancy private school boys are singing a song about how “simple and poor” they are . . .  It’s very cute.

That said, there has been one major change to the Glee club since Blaine left.  His name is Sebastian . . . you know . . . like the lobster from The Little Mermaid.

Sebastian wastes no time, eye sexing up Blaine, and telling him that he is “sex on a stick, and sings like a dream” .  . . despite having never heard him sing . . . ever.  Blaine is clearly super flattered by all the hardcore flirting, and talks up Sebastian for way longer than he should, considering he has a boyfriend.

“The seaweed is always greener, in somebody else’s pants.” 

The flirting continues at the local coffee shop, where Sebastian douchily (is that a verb?) brags to Blaine about how worldly he is, because he’s been to GAY PARIIII!  But before the lobster can turn this into a discussion about French Kissing, Kurt swoops in to put a territorial arm around Blaine’s shoulder, and, more or less, tell this Creepy Crustacean, in no uncertain terms, “The Boy is Mine.”

Likely, because he wants to show Blaine how “spontaneous” he is, Kurt, shocks Blaine by accepting on both of their behalfs, Sebastian’s offer that the two meet him at a gay bar.

“You’ve just gotta love a man in a bolo tie . . .” 

Armed with fake ideas, Designated Driver Kurt, and Secret Lush, Blaine, head to the bar called “Scandals.”  After a single beer, Lightweight Blaine is totally wasted, and inappropriately grinding with Sebastian.  Meanwhile a super pouty Kurt (so much for that skin sloughing regimen), is sitting by the bar, crying into his Shirley Temple.

“You better watch out for your boyfriend,” remarks a familiar voice.  It’s Dave “the Bear Cub”Karofsky, of all people.  Apparently, Dave is at a new school now.  And though, he is decidedly still in the closet, there, at least here, he can feel right at home and accepted by the patrons of Scandals . . . even if it is Tranny Night . . .

Outside in the parking lot, a drunk and horny Blaine pulls Kurt into the back seat of the car, and starts aggressively humping him.  Given that Blaine spent the whole night, rubbing up on Sebastian, Kurt is TOTALLY not cool with his first time taking place in the car lot of a gay club, accented by the intermingled smells of car air freshener, leather seats, Blaine’s one beer, and, of course, Red Lobster Sebastian’s overpowering cologne.  So, he pushes Blaine off of him angrily, and does not mince words, in telling him how he feels about this failed act of seduction.

Embarrassed and annoyed, Blaine stalks home.  But, after the show, the pair make up, confess their undying devotion to one another . . .

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 . . . and, you know . . . do it.  . .

“Well, HALLELUJAH!” 

Musicals Make Everything Better (even . . . well . . .  you know ;))

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As far as sex scenes go, Kurt’s and Blaine’s and Finn’s and Rachel’s, which were edited together, and intermingled with Blaine’s and Rachel’s West Side Story number, “One Hand, One Heart,” were incredibly sweet, but also ridiculously tame.  Almost NO skin was shown (Blaine and Kurt, were FULLY dressed in fact . . . and I bet you can guess which part of that statement really perturbs me!)

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KURT: “Come on, Blaine!  Take off your shirt!”

BLAINE: “NO!”

KURT: “Why?”

BLAINE: “Because Fox won’t let me.”

KURT: “What a bunch of douchebags . . .”

But hey, it’s Fox . . . not HBO .  . . and not even the CW.  So, what do you expect?  And besides, it wasn’t really about the sex, was it?  It was about the love . . .

I’m lying, of course it was about the SEX! 😉  It’s ALWAYS about sex.  But I’m happy for our little couples, anyway . . .

And that was “The First Time,” in a nutshell.  So, what did you think?  Are you Finchel and Klaine fans, or are you already getting sick of the show’s emphasis on these two SHIPS?  Do you see Sebastian as a genuine threat to the Klaine union?  How about Karofsky?  Did you like the West Side Story Numbers?  Are you glad Beiste is FINALLY getting some?  And, perhaps most importantly, are you as mad as I was that we didn’t get to see Darren Criss with his shirt off?

“In case you’re wondering, that’s Kurt’s underwear I’m wearing on my head . . .”

Feel free to sound off on some or all of these questions in the comments section below . . .

Oh, and check out the promo for next week’s episode, “Mash Up,” which, from the looks of it, features, not one, but TWO Adele songs (“Rumor has It” and “Someone Like You”) and a rollicking game of .  . . dodgeball?

See ya then, my fellow Gleeks!

[www.juliekushner.com][Fangirls Forever]

The Rise of Evil Louis-bot – A Recap of Gossip Girl’s “I Am Number Nine”

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Greetings, Upper East Siders!  First off, though I most certainly missed posting this recap by November 7th, I wanted to take this super special opportunity to wish you a Very Happy Limoversary.  Not sure what a Limoversary is, GG fans?  Well, I’ll give you a hint . . .

That’s right, GG’ers, four-years ago today, Chuck and Blair were getting busy in the backseat of one very lucky limo.  And despite all the time that has passed, I’m still 100% convinced that this scene remains one of the best television love-making scenes of ALL TIME.  Don’t believe me?  Well, then I suggest you give it another look .  . . for old time’s sake . . . of course. 😉

To this day, every time I hear the song “With Me,” by Sum 41, it still makes me a little tingly .  . . which is probably why it remains on high rotation on my iPod, over four years after it was released . . .

While the GG writers regretably did not pay direct homage to this Chair-gasmic moment, in “I Am Number Nine,” it is sort of fitting that this episode aired on Limoversary.  In fact, it could be easily argued that Episode 6 has allowed Chuck and Blair to come full circle in their relationship from where they were on that fateful, November 7, 2007.

Just as that split second, when Chuck turned toward Blair in the limo, and asked her, “Are you sure?” catapulted the pair from sexually-tense frenemies into the Glorious Abyss of Genuine Coupledom .  . . so too did Chuck’s Epic Apology Speech this week provide a clean slate for the pair . . . enabling them to start fresh.  And this moment, Chair fans — much like the Limo Scene that preceded it — is one we will inevitably look back on as the event that ultimately enabled Chuck and Blair to form an even more perfect union than the one they once had . . .

Speaking of weddings, Blair, apparently still thinks she’s having one with Louis-bot . . .

And that means she’s gotta get herself a bridesmaid . . .

So ya wanna be a bridesmaid?

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(OK . . . what exactly is Blair wearing on her head, here?  Because it vaguely resembles a man’s jockstrap?)

I’m not going to say too much about Blair’s Fierce Minion Bridesmaid Competition, since about 98% of the scenes relating to this storyline appeared in the CW promos for the episode.  (See, and this is why I always prefer Canadian Promos!  Riddle me this, American Promo Writers: Why on Earth, would you promote a television program, by only showing scenes from one, rather insignificant and not particularly entertaining portion, of an upcoming episode?)

While I’m in a gripey mood, let me continue on this whiny track, for just a few more moments.  Now, I understand that there can be only one Maid of Honor at Blair’s wedding.  And that honor should absolutely go to Serena.

Friends that lay together . . . stay together. 

But, who the heck told her she had to limit herself to ONE bridesmaid?  Is that a Royal Wedding Thing?  Because, from where I come from, women who through large weddings can have up to eight bridesmaids.  And this means ALL of Blair’s minions could have easily been included in the wedding.  (And besides, more bridesmaids, means a better Bachelorette Party and Bridal Shower, both of which we all know Blair wants very much.)

“It would take all three of us to afford you a really good stripper for your Bachelorette Party.  But, since we didn’t win the competition, you will be stuck with THIS GUY . . . “

Also . . . Crazy CHARLIE/Ivy/Call Me Serena?  SHE’S Blair’s choice for Bridesmaid?   Really?  It would have made more sense, if Blair selected DAN!  At least he actually talks to her, on occasion . .  (Plus, I hear he looks mighty pretty in a dress.)

“Why do you keep picking on me, Recapper?   What did I ever do to you?” 

(Sorry, Dan.  You just have a habit of posing for a lot of really ridiculous screencaps.  I can’t help but use them against you.)

That said, it was fun to reunite with the minions again (minus Nelli Yuki, of course).  Puss Face Penelope, in particular, has always been a minion, near and dear to my heart.

As for the Bridesmaid Competition itself, my favorite part, I think was when Blair yelled “cover that baby bump,” to her prospective bridesmaids, as they fumbled with a mannequin version of Blair, and one of the minions (I think it was Jessica) said, “What Baby Bump?”

It’s true.  When are they going to start putting the basketball up Blair’s designer dress, so that she actually looks to be with child . . . Lately, all it seems like all they are doing differently with her, is making her dress a tad more grandma-like, than usual.  (See outfit above.)  And wearing grandma clothes does  not a baby mama make . . .

For the record, I’m pretty sure, my grandmother actually owned this shirt. 

Anywhoo  . . . after the girls braved the “physical portion” of the competition, the second part, involved attending the episode’s “Party of the Week,” and being the first to kiss the Most Eligible Bachelor in attendance.  And I bet you will never guess who THAT was?

Nope . . . guess again!

It’s NATE ARCHIBALD! 

To make a long story short, Charlie / Ivy / Call Me Serena ends kissing Nateypoo first.  And, as a result, she  is the one that ultimately wins with the so-called coveted position of Blair’s bridesmaid.  (This is only after Penelope accidentally FALLS into a member of the waitstaff, an infraction that apparently merits instant bridesmaid disqualification.)

Actually . . . these two look kind of cute together.  Don’t you think? 

Now, how Faux Charlie got herself into this unique predicament, is another story entirely . . .

Catch a Cougar by the Toe

While I enjoy Elizabeth Hurley has an actress, and think her character Diana has become a fun little, pot-stirring, addition to the cast, I can’t say I’m all that enthused about her “relationship” with Nate.

“Would you like me to sing you a lullabye, before I kiss your winkie, goodnight?” 

I mean, really, how many times can a person screw on a wooden desk top, before it starts getting boring .  . . (not to mention, all those painful ass splinters).

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Yes, Chuck . . . we KNOW!

 For me, more interesting than anything Diana had to do involving Nate and Faux-Charlie this week, was her surprising decision to help Serena out with HER problems (more on those later), and, of course, her awkward little meeting with Chuck.  (“You look very familiar . . . MOM!”)  I’m just glad he didn’t hit on her, because that would have REALLY made me gag.

“Excuse me, you look very familiar.  Have you ever breast fed me?”

But back to Diana and Nate . . . It’s the eve of the launch party for Diana’s online Gossip Rag, The Spectator.  Nate is suddenly SUPER interested in him and Diana taking their “relationship” public, as opposed to just f*&king on all PUBLIC surfaces.  In fact, he takes things one step further, by insisting Diana take HIM as her date to the launch party.  But Diana isn’t having it, and makes some lame excuse about not mixing business with pleasure.

“But mixing business with pleasure is the only reason I took this job.  You didn’t think I actually wanted to WORK, did you?” 

Then Diana makes the mistake of having Charlie/Ivy / Call Me Serena and Nate deliver her party invitations for her.  Faux Charlie inevitably bails on her invitation delivery, opting instead to participate in Blair’s Bridesmaid Competition. (She hopes to cover the Blouis Nover Going to Happen Royal Wedding, first hand, for the Spectator.)  This results in Nate, picking up her slack, and ultimately delivering an invitation to Diana’s ACTUAL date to the party, and sort-of boyfriend, the much more age appropriate, but decidedly less attractive, “Keith.”

“I’d tell you off, right now, but I have about 30 marshmallows in my mouth . . .” 

Nate, of course, is furious (or, at least, as furious as his baby brain cells allow him to be).  And Faux Charlie, who knows nothing about Nate screwing Diana (though, honestly, I don’t see how anyone in the Upper East Side could NOT know, given what massive sluts these two are), and thinks only that Nate is hung up on some random girl, decides to use Nate’s heartbroken-ness to win Blair’s Bridesmaid Competition, by gallantly offering to go to the Spectator Launch Party as Nate’s date, to help make his lady love jealous.

The plan works.  Faux Charlie successfully shoves her tongue down Nate Archibald’s throat (Hmmm . . . I wonder if she got a contact high from that?) right in the middle of Diana’s Big Launch Party Speech (RUDE!)  Seeing Nate kiss another woman clearly has an effect on Diana, who stops mid speech to gawk at the not-so-couple.

“Call me, Diana.” 

But Diana gets her revenge later by (1) calling out Faux Charlie for only kissing Nate as part of a “game;” (2) ultimately, deciding to go public with her relationship with the guy who is LITERALLY young enough to be her son, on HER website, of all places;

and (3) threatening Faux Charlie to keep her grimy imposter paws off her Nateypoo, or else she will reveal the Faker’s true identity . . .

Game, Set, Match.  Diana: 1 / Faux-Charlie: 0

The Only Thing Dan Will Ever Have in Common with Mark Zuckerberg . . .

“It’s all in the hair . . .” 

Who knew there was such a commercial market for Dair Fanfiction?  Apparently, Dan’s book, “The Inside” is number nine on the Best Seller’s list.  But when he meets with Serena’s boss about his writing the screenplay for the film (a condition of his giving her the movie rights), she peppers him with TERRIBLE story demands, like that the movie be made into a musical, and contain a new adorable orphan character, a la Oliver Twist . . . since Dan hasn’t really been the “outsider” he claims to be,  since around the second episode of Season 1 . . .

“Come on, Dan!  Haven’t you always been looking for an excuse to showcase your kickass dance moves?”

Donut Dan — who undoubtedly had dreams of Ryan Gosling playing his character — balks at the idea, and storms out in a huff.  (Wow, it didn’t take long for HIM to become a DIVA.)  Enter Serena, who convinces Dan to give up the idea of writing the screenplay, because he’s “too close to the subject matter.”  Besides, he should be planning his second novel . . . which, undoubtedly, will be another Dair fanfiction .  . .  Serena then promises to look out for Dan’s best interest, with respect to the screenplay for Inside, which, if we all know Serena, inevitably means, she’s about to let him down . . .

“Not to worry, GG fans, there are OTHER ways I can satisfy Dan.  I’ve been told I have a mouth like a hoover.“

Enter Serena’s b*tchy boss.  As it turns out, she never planned on letting Dan write the screenplay after all.  And had brought up all those lousy story ideas on purpose, just to scare him off of the project.  She’s had Aaron Sorkin lined up to write the thing, all along!  Go figure!

This, of course, makes Serena feel like total crap, for the unwitting part she played in selling her ex-boyfriend down the river.  But she feels like even WORSE crap, when she learns that it is her boss’ intention to make Dan’s thinly veiled character the VILLAIN of the piece, a la Mark Zuckerberg’s character in the social network.

OH THE HORROR!

Honestly, I don’t see what the big fuss is about over this?  Dan, himself, said that his character was selfish, self-absorbed, and uber judgmental.  So, what’s the big deal, if the film about the movie portrays him as such.  After all, wasn’t it Dan, himself, who argued for his ability to take “creative license” in making all his friends and family look like crap in HIS book.  By “Zuckerberg-ing” Dan, wouldn’t Aaron Sorkin and co., just be returning the favor?

Just saying . . .

Nevertheless, Serena is desperate to keep her promise to Dan.  And she finds help in doing that, from the most unlikely of sources . . . DIANA.  Apparently, Diana has some dirt on Serena’s boss, that’s simply too juicy to be avoided.  With the snap of Diana’s fingers, she gets Serena’s boss to kill the film project.  Unfortunately, this also has the effect of getting Serena fired, which, of course, is exactly what Diana intended.

“I talk like a phone sex operator, and scheme like a soap opera villainess.  You can learn a lot from me, S.” 

If this was an HBO show, these two would definitely be doing one another . . .

You see, Diana somehow believes that her BIGGEST competition in the media market, is some pimply-teen named Gossip Girl, who runs a free website, which details the lives of the same five people every day.  And Diana hopes to run this girl out of business, by hiring Serena to write her own autobiographical blog for the Spectator.  (That’s funny.  I didn’t know Serena could write . . .)

And if this first blog entry is any indication, SHE CAN’T! 

Serena is hesitant at first.  However, she loves the idea of letting the public know the REAL her, and ultimately accepts.

“XOXO, THIS, Gossip Girl!”

The only problem is that Humpty Humphrey is a selfish bastard, and, upon learning his precious film project has been killed, blames SERENA for doing this on purpose so that SHE won’t look bad on film.  Sorry, Serena!  No good deed goes unpunished.

But hey, at least Dan’s lame book isn’t on the Best Seller List, anymore!  Better luck season, buddy!

“Hey, now we’re both has-beens!” 

And now, finally, the storyline you’ve ALL been waiting for . . . Well, at least it’s the storyline I was most eager to recap . . .

The Incredible Shrink-ed Chuck

“Look at me . . . all evolved, and surrounded by books that aren’t porno magazines . . .”

Haha.  I love how Louis-bot went from Soggy Sponge to Cheesy Cartoon Super Villain, in the matter of one week.  I guess the GG writers thought we needed to see Louis-bot as evil, so that we would know he wasn’t the right man for Blair.  But, come on!  Give us fans a little credit!

“With a name like Blouis . . . it has to suck!” 

We’ve always known that Louis-bot isn’t the right man for Blair.  For starters, he ISN’T CHUCK! He’s also a FRIGGIN ROBOT!  So, there’s really no need to underestimate our intelligence, by temporarily turning Louis-bot into a mustache twirling cretin, for the sake of this plot.

*Insert evil, heavily accented, laugh here* 

Nevertheless,the story begins with Chuck describing to his new therapist his surprisingly phallic dream about chasing some unattainable skyscraper.  (Somehow, when I used to picture Chuck’s dreams, I always figured they would regularly feature various instances of sex with Blair . . . well hoped they would, is more accurate.

Dream a little dream of us . . . 

 Though Chuck immediately assumes that the skyscraper represents the unattainable love of his supposedly departed parents, Lady Shrink thinks his subconscious is hiding some deeper loss.  *cough Blair cough*

That’s right, boys and girls. Blair is apparently the p*nis-looking architectural structure of Chuck’s fantasies . . .

Chuck knows it . . . his shrink knows it . . . and every single person who has ever watched GG knows it.  It’s just that no one is ready to talk about it quite yet . . .

Lady Shrink leaves the session more than a bit frustrated with her client’s apparent emotional blockage.  Then, out pops Louis-bot and his overtly effeminate umbrella.  Most villains tend to have an evil pet, who they lovingly stroke, while making plans for world domination.  But the umbrella seems a more fitting evil accessory for this cyborg.  Besides, robots usually don’t know how to take care of animals.

OK . . . so, watching the scene again . . . it appears that, Lady Shrink is actually the one holding the girly umbrella, not Louis-bot.  That won’t stop me from pretending it’s his, though.  Because that’s just how I roll . . .

Louis-bot has an EVIL JOB for Lady Shrink to do.  And he pays her to do it, with a big fat envelope of cash, which he hands to her in broad daylight, without any apprehension at all that someone, like say GOSSIP GIRL, could have easily witnessed the exchange.  SUPER VILLAIN FAIL!

I love how, in honor of his new evil persona, Louis-bot has been programmed to speak with a bizarre accent that is twice as incomprehensible as the one he usually uses to utter his dialogue.  I know we are supposed to be terribly frightened by Louis-bot’s maniacal plans to catapult Chuck into Crazy-dom.  And yet,  when the cyborg bleats out things like: “Tuhhhhhn Chack eeentooo tha monzterrr hez beeeeen fur tweenteee yeurz.  Fiynd heez fooze and liiiiiight eet.”   (Translated as: Turn Chuck into the monster he’s been for twenty years.  Find his fuse and light it.) I can’t help but giggle uncontrollably . . .

( . . . which is odd, because I usually find any form of a European accent on a man incredibly attractive . . . French, in particular.)

The next day, Lady Shrink pops by Chuck’s house for an impromptu un-therapy session.  And she immediately starts doing Louis-bot’s bidding, by attempting to invoke anger in Chuck, over his current situation.  “You have to face the fact that you didn’t let Blair go, you lost her to someone else.”  Lady Shrink prods . . . words alone that could have sent the Chuck of Old barrelling into a drunken rage, a season ago . . .

But, rather than lashing out in anger, New Chuck reacts with remorse to Lady Shrink’s accusations.  He even goes as far as to admit to Lady Shrink that, all this time, he’s been holding on to the Harry Winston ring with which he prepared to propose to Blair a couple of seasons ago . . . It’s a romantic gesture, for sure.  But also a symbolically problematic one, since the ring represents the Chuck and Blair of the past.  And, if these two individuals are ever going to find their way back to one another, which, of course, they will, they have to do it, as the individuals they are destined to become, not the ones they used to be.

LADY SHRINK: “I’m so turned on by you, right now.”

CHUCK: “I know.  . .” 

Lady Shrink is visibly affected by Chuck’s highly sentimental gesture, the ease with which he opened up to this sold out shrink, and Chuck’s sincerity toward completing his healing process.  As she leaves the Empire Hotel, Lady Shrink texts Louis-bot to tell him the plan is a no-go.

Louis-bot is FURIOUS that his plans for Blair-domination have, once again, been foiled.  He later accosts Lady Shrink at the dog park, when she tries to return the money-filled envelope to him.  Of course, Chuck is out there walking Monkey at the same time.  (Monkey  = TOTAL CHAIR FAN), and overhears MOST of the conversation.  But New Chuck no longer gets mad, when things don’t go his way, he gets even.

“We’ll show them.  Won’t we, Monkey?” 

At the Spectator Party, where, of course, Lady Shrink is also in attendance, Chuck begins in Old Chuck fashion, by accusing Lady Shrink of using hypnosis to rape him, a notion that really shouldn’t be funny at all, but is funny . . . at least in this context.

“Dammit!  He wasn’t supposed to remember that .  . .” 

When Lady Shrink denies it, Chuck tells the truth that Louis-bot has been paying Lady Shrink to reveal confidential information about her and Chuck’s therapy sessions together.

“Clearly, I have been traumatized.  Would anyone here like to give me a hug . . . BLAIR!” 

Upon hearing this announcement, Lady Shrink is embarrassed and disgraced; Blair is furious; and Louis-bot looks like he needs an oil change.  Of course, Diana is thrilled, because this would be a pretty awesome “cover” story for her online tabloid.

BUSTED! 

When Blair confronts Louis-bot about this accusation, he doesn’t deny it,  deciding instead to admit to Blair that he has found the paternity test, which suggested that Blair doubted the her baby was his, and may have been looking for a way out of marrying him.  (No word on the OTHER obvious reason one would get a paternity test . . . that she f*&ked some other guy, at the same time she was f*&king you.)

Ummm . . .  so I guess the paternity test confirms the baby is half-robot, after all.  BUMMER!

Blair makes up some B.S. about wanting them both to have the peace of mind of knowing that they belong together.  Louis responds that he needs Blair to see that Chuck is “wrong for her.”  (Yeah, Louis-bot. Go watch the first two seasons of Gossip Girl, and try and make that statement again, with a straightface, would you?)

Then Blair accuses Louis-bot of TURNING INTO Chuck, and storms off.  (HE WISHES!)

Lady Shrink redeems herself a bit, at least, in my eyes, by taking the time to tell Chuck how threatened Louis-bot is by Blair’s love for him.  She also admits to him that, even though she tried to provoke him, Chuck chose, instead to actually make her wack-therapy session productive, by letting go of his past.  “Continue down that road, and you may find some kind of peace,” instructs Lady Shrink, as she hands Chuck back his ring.

“Will you marry me, Chuck Bass!”

Aha!  So, Lady Shrink is Team Chair, after all!  It kind of makes me wish Louis-bot wasn’t able to so easily corrupt her, as she probably could have been a REALLY AWESOME therapist for Chuck, under other circumstances.

That night, a man comes to Blair’s house to apologize, and she assumes it’s Louis-bot.  BUT IT’S SOMEONE WAY BETTER!  Watch and learn, GG’ers!

Poignant  . . .touching . . . and absolutely perfect, this scene has secured my fate in a Happily Ever After for Chuck and Blair, even if such an ending might still be very far away.  It was super nice of GG writers to read our blogs, tumblrs and message board comments, about all the unresolved baggage between Chuck and Blair, and address it in one, sweeping, well-acted, by Ed Westwick,  and all encompassing monologue by the inimitable Chuck Bass.

There was an apology for that terrible moment in Chair history, when Chuck struck out at a glass window WAY TOO CLOSE to Blair’s head, upon learning that she was someone else’s fiance . . .

. . . an apology for the missed connection at the Empire State Building, to which Blair arrived, following Dorota’s giving birth, to accept Chuck’s proposal of marriage, only to find him long gone . . .

. . . an apology for Chuck’s trading Blair for a hotel .  . .

. . . an apology for the games Chuck and Blair played with one another throughout much of Season 2,  during which neither felt comfortable saying those very important three words, and eight letters to one another, out of fear of getting their hearts broken . . .

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And, of course, perhaps, most importantly, there was this . . .

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Blair likely didn’t know how much she needed to hear these apologies from Chuck, until she heard them.  And her reaction to these words is a perfect mix of admiration, adoration, acceptance, and sadness.  I simply adore how Chuck told Blair he knew that she would be an amazing mother, because she never gave up on people, even when they deserved it.  I also loved Blair’s subtle admission that she would continue never to give up on Chuck.  And though, it was hard for me to hear as a Chair fan, I was proud of Chuck  for his maturity, in deciding that he would try to live for himself from now on.

And yet, like Blair, I wanted something more.  I wanted Chuck to tell Blair that he still loved her, and would always love her, even if they spent the rest of their lives apart.  Perhaps, it wouldn’t have been the most MATURE thing to say.  And it certainly would have gone against the notion of “closure” Chuck was obviously aiming for, in making this speech.  Yet, I think it would have had a bigger impact on Blair than Chuck thinks it would . . . and would have gone a long way toward getting her out of this sham of a marriage with Louis-bot.

Speaking of Louis-bot, he’s skipped town, so that Blair and him can spend some time apart.  Can I get a HELL-YEAH!

The episode then ends on a horribly depressing note, with Chuck walking to Harry Winston in the rain (no uber-effeminate umbrella for this guy, no sir!) . . .

 . . . and placing that SUPER EXPENSIVE ring on its door step, where surely no one will steal it .  . . after all, this is the Upper East Side, after all.   (Coincidentally, I’m going to Harry Winston, tonight.  Anyone want to join me?)

While “I Am Number Nine,” didn’t exactly end on a high note, next week’s promotion does give us some hope that next week’s episode will be a bit,  lighter, a bit naughtier, a bit maskier, and . . . dare I say . . . a bit CHAIR-IER?

Check out the CW promo here:

Not surprisingly, the Canadian promo is a bit more telling, not to mention, enticing . . .

Am I right?  Or am I right?

Until next time, Upper East Siders.  XOXO!

[www.juliekushner.com][Fangirls Forever]

When Life Gives You Lemons . . . – A Recap of Boardwalk Empire’s “The Age of Reason”

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I continue to learn a lot from Boardwalk Empire.  For example, this week, I learned that the Age of Reason is seven-years old (which sucks, because I was really hoping I hadn’t gotten there yet).  I also learned that you should always brush your hair, before giving birth to a baby by yourself in your bedroom.  (You never know who might be stopping by.)

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“Her hair . . . it was just so . . . UNKEMPT!”

Additionally, I learned some very interesting things about kosher meat preparation.   Also, did you know that it is possible to seduce someone, just by offering to sweep up their cornflakes?

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Because it is!  (Owen, you sneaky STUD, you!)

Finally, I learned that, if you make out with your mom in public, Uncle Junior from The Sopranos will TOTALLY judge you!

You should be ashamed of yourself, you Mother Pucker! 

Let’s get on with the recap, shall we?

“I’ll Keep You, My Dirty Little Secret.”

Pyromaniac Teddy has to make his First Confession this week.  So, why is Margaret the one who’s panties are all in a bunch?  Could it be because SHE has been doing a little sinning of her own?

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“I am not having sexual thoughts right now.  I am simply stroking this broom up and down repeatedly, because the friction helps me to clean better.  Yes . . . that’s it.”

After spending some quality time with the priest, Margaret arrives home to enjoy what has become her favorite past time over the past few weeks: namely, The Passive Aggressive Verbal Assault of Maid Katie.  Truth be told, Margaret seems to have had it out for this Dangerous Maid, ever since the latter learned the truth about her “secret” identity, and the family she left behind.  This week’s jabs are directed at the highly spirited naked aerobics noises Margaret heard coming Katie’s room, in the last episode.

MARGARET: “I just want to let you know that I think your loud sex moans are totally fake and unnecessary.  This is HBO, not Skinemax.” 

KATIE: For your information, my moans are totally real.  Perhaps, you’ve just never had a partner that was good enough to make you scream like that.”

“HEY!  I heard that!”

“Your behavior . . . there are children in this house, as you are well aware,” snorts Queen Mother Margaret, as she stalks out of the room.

Cut to the next scene, where Nucky is riding Margaret, like she’s one of those coin-operated horses you see outside supermarkets.

Aside from showing Margaret’s apparent hypocrisy .  . . as far as sex scenes go, this one is pretty darn ugly . . .  with Nucky flopping all over the place, like a fish out of water, and Margaret, lying there, more or less immobile, with a look on her face, like she just smelled something skanky.  Then it ends, and Studly Nucky lights up a cigarette, while patting himself on the back  for a job well done . . .

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NUCKY: “Was it as good for you, as it was for me?”

MARGARET: “I plea the Fifth.”

Though Nucky would probably like nothing better than to roll over like a dog and go to sleep, after his 30-second exertion, he notices that Margaret looks upset.   (Isn’t she always?)   So, he decides to ask her what’s wrong?  Just like the insecure school girl, Katie seems to turn her into, Margaret begins awkwardly fishing for compliments from her current lover.  “Do you not find me attractive?” Margaret asks poutily.  Um . . . Margaret, perhaps, the better question is, “Do you actually find Nucky attractive?”

George Clooney, he ain’t!

“We just made love,” Nucky offers soothingly.  (That’s right, Nucky, because no man has EVER screwed a woman he DIDN’T find attractive.)

“Sometimes it feels like you are elsewhere,” Margaret admits.

Margaret then reveals to Nucky the true source of her stress.  It involves the Confession she is expected to give to the priest prior to Teddy’s First Confession, so that she can “set a good example” for her probably already a sociopath / future serial killer son.  Nucky tells his “lover,” in no uncertain terms, that she should NOT reveal anything to the priest about his and Margaret’s “shared history,” which could be described as “morally ambiguous” to say the least.  “How Catholic are you, really?”  He asks casually.

“Catholic enough to shove this halo up your ass . . .” 

However, the accusation and paranoia creeping into Nucky’s voice when he says this, is not lost on Margaret, who retorts, “If you are feeling guilty, perhaps you should take that up with the priest yourself,” she replies.

Game . . . Set . . . Match.  Margaret: 1, Nucky: 0 (actually negative 1, for being bad in bed).

Later, Owen pays a visit to Margaret to defend the honor of his Lady Love, Katie.  After taking FULL responsibility for the Dangerous Maid’s EXTRA LOUD moans of erotic passion, this Pimp Daddy proceeds to cleverly fondle Margaret’s hands and arms, under the guise of “helping her sweep up the Corn Flakes.”  (So, that’s what the cool kids are calling it, nowadays!)  Poor Margaret is total puddy in this guy’s hands, and immediately starts swooning, like a school girl, whose nursing a major crush on the star quarterback.

Owen also makes sure to purposefully accidentally refer to Miss Schroeder as Miss Thompson to REMIND her that she is NOT a married woman, and, therefore, has no LEGAL obligation to continue having bad sex with Nucky, when she can be having GREAT sex with this tall glass of Irish Whisky.  Message sent and received . . .

At confession, Margaret speaks NOT of all the criminal activities she’s gotten up to with Nucky, but rather  of the erotic feelings she’s been having for a “very bad man,” who provides her with “nothing.”  Though she doesn’t mention that man’s name, I think it’s pretty safe to guess that it probably rhymes with Mowin’ Cheater.  Sorry, Nucky!  It looks like this honeymoon is OVER!

“Anyone know how you spell Margaret’s last name?  How about Owen’s?”

Meanwhile, in Creepy Crazy Van Alden Land . . .

“I Know Who What You Did, Nine Months Ago”

“Peekaboo!”

Lucy is SUPER tired of being preggers, and is seriously craving some lemons.  Van Alden, being the real sweetheart he is,  promises to get her some, after work.  Today, “work” for Van Alden involves visiting that employee of his that got burnt to a crisp at a liquor distillery, while trying to expose Van Alden for being a total fraud and secret boozehound.  Van Alden stands guiltily over the latter’s now charred and grotesque form, blubbering on about how the man’s fate is now the Lord’s hands, and what-not.

But then, the Human Bacon Lookalike starts chanting ominously, “I see you.  I know what you did!”

This freaks Van Alden out, BIG TIME.  So, he rushes outside in the hallway, where he is met with (GASP!) a flickering lamp. Oh no!  It MUST be a sign from the Lord that the hospital needs to hire better maintenance people Van Alden is about to be punished for his EVIL WAYS!

Frantic, Van Alden calls his wife, whining that he is a BAD MAN, who doesn’t deserve her, and isn’t fit for his job.  (Tell, us something we DON’T know, Van A$$hole!)  Mrs. Van Al-turd is understandably disturbed by her husband’s uncharacteristic demonstration that he might actually have a soul.

“There’s something fishy going on.” 

“I’ll say!”

Meanwhile, Lucy’s water has broken.  And no one is around to get her to a hospital.  She tries to get the neighbor kid to do it.  But he takes one look at Lucy, and hides behind a curtain.  (Honestly, can you blame him?)  For most of the episode, we are “treated” to extremely uncomfortable interludes of Lucy, doing nothing but squatting awkwardly on various pieces of furniture, and moaning . . . (and I’m not talking about the GOOD Katie and Owen moaning, either).

“Please, make it stop.” 

Then, she brushes her hair out in the mirror, and proceeds to give birth to her baby, all by her lonesome.  (But, who cut the umbilical chord?)

“Dr. Jimmy, at your service!” 

Back at the hospital, Van Creepo is completely unaware of the fact that he has just become a daddy.  However, he has received some other good news.  As it turns out, The Human Bacon isn’t REALLY the voice of the LORD.  Rather, he is just some delirious, close to dying, DUDE, who spout out random crap at completely inopportune moments.  We see that, when he tells the NURSE that . . . wait for it . . .”He sees [her].  And knows what she did.”

But wait . . . it gets better.  Here’s what he says next: “You ate all the pie!  I’m going to tell MA!”

Suddenly, Van Douchebag’s conscience is clear!  (HOORAY!)  He comes home lighthearted (with his bag of lemons, of course!) to find broken glass all over the floor.  But before he can beat Lucy to a pulp, for being such a pig, he finds her in bed, nuzzling their newborn evil spawn.  “I did it all myself,” says Lucy.  “It’s a girl.”

Since Van Wackadoo is incapable of showing any genuine emotions, aside from anger, and discomfort, the Agent awkwardly excuses himself to get a doctor.   When he returns, he is shocked to find the lemons he bought, placed neatly in a bowl . . .

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The broken glass has also been cleaned up, and Lucy’s bloody nightgown soaking in the sink.  (Really?   Because, I would throw that sh*t out, SO FAST!  Can you imagine wearing that again?)

Van Doofus is SHOCKED.  “Wow,” he thinks to himself.  “That Lucy is pretty amazing.  She just gave birth, without a doctor, and still manages to find the energy to clean the house!  What a saint!”

But, then, he goes back into Lucy’s room and finds .  . . HIS WIFE, THERE.

DOH!

Van Cheater is in BIG TROUBLE.  “This child is FOR YOU!” He offers, pleadingly, as the two wrestle against the wall.  Then, Rose BITES HIM ON THE WRIST, vampire style, before storming out of the boarding house.

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Whoops!  So, much for a family reunion.   I hope you’ve saved up for a good babysitter, Mr. Van Newly Single.  Because, something tells me that you, and Lucy Can’t Close Her Legs are going to need one . . .

Speaking of plans gone awry . . .

Green Shoes and Legal Blues

Nucky’s Evil Genius Plan to get his Election Fraud case moved to federal court, where (he thought) it would promptly be dismissed, gets off to a good start, when Ugly Green Toad Shoes, Esquire succeeds in getting the case removed from state court.  But then, Nucky’s BIG BAD ENEMIES, Senator Hedge and Mr. Cincinatti / I Only Talk About Myself in the Third Person, Remus . . .

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 . .   band together to blackmail Nucky’s allies into hiring a more vigorous prosecutor to throw the book at Nucky.

This means Nucky might actually have to defend himself in court against a REAL lawyer.  He’s SUPER PISSED .  . . so pissed, in fact, that he tosses Ugly Green Toad Shoes, Esquire right out of the Ritz Carlton, without even waiting for him to finish screwing the whores he hired at Nucky’s behest.  Now . . . that’s just bad manners . . .

Finally, let’s check in on Jimmy D . . .

“Not Every Insult Requires a Response”

Simon says, stick out your arm.  Simon says, hold up your gun.  Now, SHOOT . . . (MANNY!  I didn’t say “Simon Says!”  You’re out!)

Jimmy, Gillian, and a still not particularly communicative Commodore, are meeting in the Commodore’s living room with Uncle Junior from The Sopranos, who doesn’t seem nearly as torn up as you would think he would be about his friend’s unfortunate scalping, last week.  In fact, he seems much more disturbed by the big wet one Mommy Dearest leaves on Jimmy’s lips, as she exits the room.

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JIMMY: “If he’s that grossed out by this, what would he say, if he knew she used to kiss my winkie, when I was a baby and still does.”

Though highly socially aware in most circumstances, this really does seem to be the first time Jimmy sees what his bizarro relationship with his mother, must look like to other people.  “She just does that sometimes,” he tells Uncle Junior, with an embarrassed look on his face.

“I’m confused.  Doesn’t everybody’s mother try to make out with them, every once in a while?”

Fortunately, for Jimmy, Uncle Junior isn’t here to talk about incest.  He’s here to discuss Jimmy’s leadership techniques, and how they could stand some improvement.  “Not every insult requires a response,” notes Uncle Junior cleverly.

In other words, it is not necessary to scalp every old man who tells you that you lack respect for your elders, and proceeds to hit you on the head with a cane . . .

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Overreact, much?

By way of example, Uncle Junior notes how Commodore was a big blow hard as a County Treasurer, while Nucky was more prudent, ambitious, and not afraid to grease a few wheels to get what he wanted.  This , he explains, is why Nucky was more successful than Commodore in his position.

“Oh yeah?  Well, I bet HE can’t hold a big fat phallic elephant tusk over his head!  Oh wait . . . I can’t do that anymore, either.” 

Jimmy gets a chance to use what he learned from Uncle Junior, soon enough.  It begins, when he’s walking on the boardwalk, and sees Nucky walking with known mobster, Waxy Gordon (enemy to JIMMY’s new ally Manny Horovitz) and Manny’s associate Traitor Herman.

To ensure he hasn’t been seen, Jimmy plants a big sloppy tongue kiss on his lesbian wife, in order to hide his face.

Smooth move, Romeo!  (Just don’t tell your Mom, or she’ll get jealous.)

Later, Jimmy rats out Traitor Herman to Manny, who responds by stringing the poor guy upside down in a meat locker.

After getting Traitor Herman to admit that he was conspiring with Waxy to help Nucky secure a liquor shipment, Manny asks Jimmy to slit his friend’s throat, because, as a kosher butcher, he isn’t permitted to kill an already wounded animal.

“This Bud’s for you!” 

It’s a power play, for sure.  But Jimmy only shows the slightest hint of hesitation, before slitting Herman’s throat, in a killing that wasn’t quite as grotesque as the two we saw last week, but still made me hide under my pillow for a few moments, while watching . . .

Later, when Manny, Jimmy and Richard come to intercept the liquor shipment (in a scene echoing the one from the pilot, in which Jimmy and Al Capone did the same thing), they are shocked to find Lucky and Meyer are the ones doing the shipping!  The shock is so great for the usually UBER polite Richard, that it causes him to swear, for what is likely the first time.  This, of course, is oddly adorable, as is most everything Richard Harrow does except , when he scalps people, of course . . .

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Manny wants to kill EVERYBODY, but Jimmy holds him off.  “Not every insult requires a response,” insists Jimmy, echoing the very same words Uncle Junior uttered to him, earlier in the episode.

Tony Soprano approves (even though he hates Uncle Junior) 

That is when Meyer, ever the diplomat and expert negotiator, suggests a plan.  If Waxy and Jimmy team up with Lucky and Meyer in the heroine business, everybody wins.  “Our predecessors’ time has passed,” he remarks prophetically.

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Jimmy and Manny then agree to let Lucky and Meyer complete the liquor delivery, so as not to alert Nucky and his minions about agreement that has just been made.  Then, Manny shoots some 13-year old kid, for sh*ts and giggles, and everybody goes home . . .

It’s just another day on the Boardwalk, folks . . .

[www.juliekushner.com][Fangirls Forever]

You just got SCHOOLED! – A Recap of The Vampire Diaries’ “Smells Like Teen Spirit”

DAMON:  “You know, it really baffles me, how you continue to resist my amorous fondles.  I’m stroking your boobs.  I’m blowing on the back of your neck.  I’m doing the Eye Thing.  It’s Textbook Seduction.  How are we not jumping eachother’s bones, by now?”

ELENA:  “It’s simple, really.  The producers have put a padlock on my underwear.  Not to be opened until episode 12.”

DAMON: “Figures . . . we have vampires, witches, werewolves, ghosts, Originals, and hybrids, when all we really need is a good locksmith.”

Greetings, Fangbangers!  It’s back to school time, at Mystic Falls.  Remember school?  That place our characters typically go to attend vampire-infested theme dances, and then seemingly don’t return, for months?

Well, apparently, Mystic Falls High has just enacted a much stricter attendance policy.  Because THIS is the second episode IN A ROW that featured the elusive high school, as a backdrop.

“What is this place?  How did we get here?  Is this another one of Bonnie’s spells?”

In many ways, “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” was a warped, alternate universe, version of the first few of episodes of TVD.  There was cheerleading practice, and a bonfire.  Vicki was hanging out in the stoner den.  Tyler was being douche (and wearing a dorky dew rag).

“It soaks up my man sweat!”

Elena sat next to Stefan in Alaric’s Saltzman’s history class.  (I’m still not sure if Mystic Fall High has any other history teachers.)  SOMEONE was wearing an ugly scarf to hide an uglier vampire bite.

“Is that a doiley around your neck, or are you just happy to see me?”

With a town so rich in history (and REALLY OLD PEOPLE), it makes sense that Mystic Falls is a place where history seems doomed to repeat itself for all eternity, with some very important “adjustments” to the original tale.

Let’s analyze, shall we?

(Special thanks, as always to my Brilliant Screencapper Andre for most of the pictures you see here.)

Elena the Vampire Layer Slayer

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“I’m done playing The Victim . . . at least, until next week.”

It’s 5:15 a.m.  Elena’s alarm clock has just gone off.  She’s clearly not happy about it.  Yet, our heroine still manages to emerge from her bed, without ONCE hitting the Snooze Alarm, which is more than I can say for myself, most mornings . . . and I’ve never ONCE been eaten by an ex-boyfriend

(Well .  . . there was that one time . . . nevermind.)

“I have to say, as far as hickeys go .  . . this one is actually kind of cute.  I think I’ll keep it.” 

After donning her most stylish workout gear, Elena tromps off into the woods with Alaric, for her first lesson in Vampire Slaying 101.  The problem of course, is that, though he has all the coolest vampire slaying toys, Alaric’s track record for ACTUALLY killing vampires sort of leveled off around mid season 1.

Hmm . . . I wonder why that would be?

(You know the saying, “Those who can . . . DO, and those who can’t TEACH?”  Well, apparently, this applies to Alaric in most aspects of his life . . .

He’s still an expert at using his Chunky Monkey, though . . .

Alaric shows Elena a little pillow dummy, and instructs her to stab it.  However, she can’t “penetrate” because the blade is too dull  the dummy is too hard she is too scrawny.  Alaric then caustically tells Elena that she could stand to GAIN a few pounds . . .  a line that may not have won Alaric many points with his student, but will most certainly earn actor Matt Davis plenty of points with TVD’s female fanbase. (Needless to say, I suspect the Chunky Monkey will be getting A LOT more action, this week.)

“I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow that vampire pillow down!”

Always quick to jump down the throat of ANY male on this show, Elena immediately begins to lecture Alaric on his chauvenistic lack of faith in her vampire slaying abilities.  (Of course, Elena.  He doubts you, because YOU ARE GIRL.  It has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that you make terrible vampire slaying plans in every episode, which fail about 100% of the time.)

The truth hurts, doesn’t it? 

Of course, since Alaric secretly wants to bone Elena (at least, he SEEMS like he does), he doesn’t insult her, the way I just did.

“I know you tend to prefer undead men, Elena.  But, rest assured, there are some unique benefits to dating real life humans . . . I just haven’t figured out what they are yet.”

Instead, Alaric tells Elena how strong she is, just for getting out of bed in the morning (talk about LOW EXPECTATIONS), and somehow equates this TREMENDOUS feat with having vampire slaying abilities.

Hmm . . . getting one’s lazy ass out of bed . . . overpowering, and murdering an immortal bloodsucking monster .  . . yeah . . . I don’t really see the relationship either. 😉  But hey, why burst Elena’s bubble, so early in the morning?

New Year, New Life, New . .  . Scarf?

CAROLINE:  “Seriously, who compelled her to dress like that?”

BONNIE: “I know, right?  She is SO not sitting at our lunch table, this year.”

ELENA: “Umm . . . guys? Stefan bit me on the NECK, not the EAR.  I can still HEAR YOU!” 

An hour or so later, besties Caroline Forbes, Elena Gilbert, and Bonnie Bennett are walking into school, seemingly in complete denial as to how truly f*&ked up their lives have become.  Caroline, in particular, seems determined to put her past year of being tortured in about every other episode, behind her, so that she can have an AWESOME senior year.

 There is nothing at all strange about this.  This happens to everybody.  Doesn’t it?

Then, Ugly Scarf Elena has to TOTALLY ruin the mood, by whining about how it’s her and Stefan’s anniversary . . . and, now he’s Klaus’ evil b*tch . . . and how she wasn’t able to get the stake to stick in the vampire pillow doll, this morning and WAAAAAAAH!

ELENA: “My scarf is making me depressed.”

CAROLINE: “Your scarf is making EVERYONE depressed.”

Talk about a serious Debbie Downer!  I’m officially convinced that Ugly Scarf Elena is the polar opposite an nemesis, of the adorably sassy, Ponytail Elena, who, fortunately, for us, is poised to make an appearance in this episode, in just a few moments .  . .

Right arm red, left foot blue, right hand DOUCHE

Ripper Stefan is so LAZY!  Pilot Episode Damon would have absolutely been on the floor playing Twister WITH his breakfast mates.

Damon is VERY flexible.

Meanwhile, back at La Casa de Rich and Awesome, Stefan is enjoying breakfast.  . .  and by “breakfast,” I mean a bunch of bimbos, who just LOVE to play Twister, and / or have their arms chewed off by a so-called “True Ripper.”

Looks like a BLAST!

(Now, of course, I understand why he wanted to eat them.  But why bother with the board games?  It just seems like an awful waste of time to me.  Hasn’t anyone ever taught this guy not to play with his food?)

“Is this what Klaus had in mind, when he compelled you to protect Elena?” Damon wonders.

Good point, Damon.  Throughout the episode, I found myself wondering just what exactly Klaus meant by compelling Stefan to turn off his emotions.  After all, you would think a non-emotional guy would be kind of robotic, stiff .  . . etc.

But Ripper Stefan, actually seems MORE “humanly” at ease with himself than Old Stefan.  He SMILES.  He LAUGHS.  He FLIRTS.  He takes joy in other people’s suffering.  He cares about Elena, in a sort of weird, and oddly detached way.

In fact, I’m starting to think that maybe, instead of compelling Stefan to turn off his emotions, Klaus accidentally compelled Stefan to believe he was Pilot Episode Damon.  This would actually make a lot more sense, under the circumstances.  Don’t you think?

Then again, we HAVE seen Stefan at least partially resist compulsion before.  So, perhaps, Stefan’s tiny little tiptoes into humanity are meant to represent examples of THAT . . .

Whatever it is, Damon’s and Stefan’s discussion of it, is interrupted by the arrival of a very special guest . . .

Barbie Klaus Gets a New Dream House

“Hello, I was going door-to-door, and was wondering if you had any interest in purchasing a Bible?”

Don’t get me wrong, I love that Damon refers to Rebekah as Barbie Klaus or Klaus Barbie.  (Buy her at a store near you.  Fangs, coffin, and Naptime Stomach Dagger, each sold separately . . .)

I even love that she’s staying at La Casa de Rich and Awesome (provided she NEVER . . . EVER cockblocks my Delena, of course).

Still, I can’t help but wonder how she managed to ENTER the house to begin with, considering that it currently belongs to Elena, who has yet to actually invite her inside.

Remember, back last season, when Elena de-staked Elijah, and he was practically BLOWN outside of the house, due to his never having been invited in?  NO?  Well, don’t worry too much about it.  Because, apparently, the writers don’t either . . .

Dead Girls Do It Better

The students at Mystic Falls High will inevitably begin to wonder whether there is a schizophrenia epidemic in town, especially considering that BOTH Jeremy and Matt seem to have developed a habit of talking to themselves in embarrassingly public places.  Well . . . Matt talks to Vicki in public places.  Jeremy talks to Anna in the Men’s Room, which is wrong on so many levels, I can’t even begin to describe them . . .

“So, THIS is what a men’s room looks like.  Centuries old, and I’ve never seen the inside of one before.  GO figure!”

Matt and Vicki drive together to school.  And then proceed to reminisce in the parking lot about, how much fun school was, last year, back when, you know, Vicki was still alive, and not a vampire, but rather, an incredibly slutty drug addict, with crushingly low self-esteem, and a horrible case of crabs.

But hey!  At least you were a really good dancer!

Good times!  Things are significantly chillier INSIDE the school, where Bonnie is nagging Jeremy, about spending more time with Ghost Anna, than he spends with HER.

Oops!

You know, Bonnie, when your boyfriend would rather have conversations with the AIR in public bathrooms, rather than hang out with you, that’s a REALLY good sign that  . . .

. . . oh yeah, and that he’s a TOTAL WACKADOODLE . . .

As Jeremy leaves Bonnie to undoubtedly head back to the urinals, so that he can hit on his mistress in a more romantic setting, a very pissy (See what I did there?) Bonnie undoubtedly begins to ponder whether she has the power to give a ghost one of her Trademark Headaches.

“You’ll pay for this, Casper the Friendly Slut!”

Speaking of Trademark Witch Moves, I’m sure I’m not the only one that notices that Bonnie’s nose hasn’t bled ALL SEASON.  I wonder what changed?  She finally kicked the coke habit.

Meanwhile, inside a creepy little tomb located conveniently nearby . . .

Why some Coffins Come Equipped with Snooze Alarms . . .

“Come on Baby!  Open your mouth . . .  here comes the choo choo train.”

Last week, when Katherine and Jeremy lifted up the lid on Big Bad Vampire Hunter Michael’s coffin, we all ASSUMED he’d stay awake.  But apparently, Grouchy Mike just rolled over, and went back to bed.  A frustrated Katherine tried everything to get Michael to chow down.  She brought him men, women, animals, and rodents.

But the dude just kept GOING BACK TO SLEEP!  The nerve!  No wonder Katherine had no time for her ex-boyfriend’s phone calls!

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Can you blame her?  (Because I can!)

Finally, Katherine drips fresh blood from a human male directly into Michael’s open mouth.  This seems to do the trick.  As it turns out, all baby wanted was to be FORCE FED, after all.  Or was it?

Back at school . . .

AP History Never Looked So Good

It just occurred to me, that a good portion of the past two episodes, has taken place in the bathroom . . . symbolism?

When an oddly giddy Tyler shows up at school with blood on his shirt, Caroline pulls him into the bathroom to frustratedly lecture him to keep a low profile, given the whole Hybrid Thing.  (Part of me hoped that Caroline would rip Tyler’s shirt right off of him, so that she could, at least, put some stain stick on the blood mark, but no such luck.)

“I’m way too cool to care about little insignificant things like blood stains.”

Caroline is furious with Tyler, when she finds out he’s been accepting blood bag gifts from the Evil Rebekah. What’s worse, he actually seems PROUD of receiving the distinction of being Klaus’ First B*tch.

“I Heart the Original Werevamp.”

Poor Tyler!  Clearly, he hasn’t read the memos that require him to be Self Loathing, and think of his magical powers as a BURDENSOME CURSE, even though they are TOTALLY AWESOME.  That’s what happens when you join the Scooby Gang a year late, I guess . . .

“You wouldn’t happen to be wearing that sexy red underwear I found in your drawers, last week, are you?  Because when I went to look through your underwear drawer this morning . . . umm  . . . to do laundry . . . it wasn’t there.”

The phone rings.  It’s Damon, for Elena.  He’s decided to warn her that Rebekah a.k.a. Klaus Barbie is now currently staying in the house that SHE owns, without paying rent .  . . oops.  Elena immediately asks after Stefan, causing Damon the Issue Avoider to hang up on Elena in the most clever way he knows how.  “Ring, RING . . . Oooh . . . is that the bell.  You don’t want to be late!”

“Damn you, Damon!  I am so not letting you eye f*&k me, or invade my personal space tonight.  You’ll be sorry!”

Yeah . . . Damon REALLY needs to work on his sound effects.  His school bell left much to be desired .  . .

As for Stefan, Damon really shouldn’t have avoided Elena’s question.  If he hadn’t Elena might not have been as shocked by Stefan’s sudden reappearance in the halls of Mystic Falls High, as she was initially.

“Now, you are cheating on Klaus with Alaric, Stefan? When did you become such a slut?”

Yep . . . apparently, the inimitable Pilot Episode Damon Ripper Stefan has apparently decided to re-enroll in school, so that he could “keep Elena safe.”  (Dammit!  Why can’t I have my own sexy, Secret Service Vampire Detail?)

Look on the bright side, Elena.  Ripper Stefan is an excellent person to cheat off of, when you have your inevitable Civil War Exam.

Ripper Stefan roughs up former pal acquaintence Alaric a bit, just to show that he means business.  Then he joins Elena, Caroline, and Tyler in Alaric’s AP History class.  (Wait . .  . Tyler, Caroline, and Elena are ALL in Advanced Placement History?  I guess Elena’s appearance there makes some sense, but I never particularly considered Tyler to be much of intellectual power house.

Oops . . . Sorry Tyler.  I’m sure you’re very intelligent.  (Please don’t eat me.)

Did you?  Oh, did I mention that Rebekah is taking this class too?

The future Mrs. Saltzman?

I didn’t?  Well . . . consider it mentioned.

Vampire Barbie versus Barbie Klaus

It’s odd how, even though Rebekah is back in Mystic Falls on Klaus’ orders, she seems to have somehow developed her own agenda.  And that agenda has a name: Tyler Lockwood.  Apparently, Rebekah wants to obtain Tyler by Single White Femal-ing Caroline, all around school.

“The easiest way to become head cheerleader is to eat the rest of the squad . . . It would make getting into pyramid formation difficult, though.”

Rebekah didn’t look at all out of place as part of the cheerleading squad.  And I couldn’t help but wonder, how she managed to master all those complex gymnastics.   I didn’t know girls DID gymnastics, back in the 20’s, did you?  Perhaps, it’s a vampire thing . . .

Anywhoo, Tyler’s obvious sexual appreciation of Rebekah’s BODY of WORK . . .

 “I wasn’t aware one’s legs can wrap themselves around their head, in that way . . . imagine the possibilities.”

. . . along with his unethical (but awesome) decision to compel his coach to end football practice early, only serve to get Caroline to nag at him even harder than before.

“You also REALLY like my dew rag, and want to get one just like it for yourself.”

Better watch your step Caroline, because where I come from NAGGING boys is the fastest way to scare them away . . .

But NOTHING will scare Stefan away.  He creepily falls inline along side Elena, as she heads for a leisurely run around the track.  (I guess she’s not a cheerleader, anymore?)  Then, just to show what a chivalrous guy he is, Stefan BEATS THE CRAP OUT OF SOME DUDE WHO HAS THE NERVE TO RUN NEAR ELENA.

 (Now, that’s love!) 

Well . . . maybe . . . Stefan does inform Elena that she is the Human Blood Bag Klaus needs him to protect.  Human Blood Bag . . . not exactly a “term of endearment” among the ladies . . .

Guess which one is Elena?

Note to Stefan:  Stay away from nicknames.  You will never be as good at coming up with them as your brother is.   Sawyer from Lost, you are most certainly not . . .

Some Lessons Come from the Heart (Others Come from Just Under Your Boob)

While I LOVE that Damon took the opportunity to get to the “heart” of the matter, by fondling Elena’s breasts, how much more AWESOME would this scene have been, if Damon told Elena that the way to a vampire’s heart was between his legs? 😉 

After her literal, run-in with Stefan, a pouty Elena calls Damon again, and begs him to come to school, and stop by the gym.  When he arrives, Damon’s just oozing charm over, thrilled that the object of his affection has asked for his help.  Damon . . . now HERE’S a guy who’s great with nicnknames!  While jokingly adding a little extra pressure to the barbell Elena is bench pressing, he calls her Buffy.

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Then again, when she admits to wanting to lock Stefan up, he refers to her as Warrior Princess.  Classy!

At first, Damon is a bit skeptical of the idea of locking up Stefan.  After all, he’s not just supposedly emotion free, he’s also high on human blood, which means he’s not going to come back to himself any time soon.  But then Elena trains her puppy dog eyes on Damon, and all bets are officially off. “Do it for me,” she pleads.  “Because every time I see him, I feel like I’m going to break, and I don’t want to give him the satisfaction.”

And THIS is when DAMON (who has killed PLENTY a vampire in his day) decides to give Elena HIS first lesson in Seduction of Elena Vampire Slaying 101.  First, Damon puts Elena’s hand on his warm chest, showing her that his sternum is solid, and that no heartbeat can be found there.

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“Squeeze my nipple.  Do it.  I dare you!”

 As if THAT wasn’t erotic enough, Damon shows Elena the TRUE route to a vampire’s heart, by pulling her back against his chest, and running his hand along the length of the side of her skin.  The spinal column . . .  that is apparently where a vampire’s “heart” is.  Who knew?

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Damon’s touch has an immediate effect on Elena, and she shivers with arousal, while, at the same time, instinctively leaning back towards Damon, so that she can experience this more deeply.

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Damon obliges by casually blowing on her neck, and bringing her face toward his, so that she is forced to look deeply into his eyes.  “Do whatever it is you need to do,” he says, in a husky turned on voice, that is almost a whisper.  “Because no one is going to hurt you, least of all my brother.”

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OK . . . so, I may have made a few (a lot) of inappropriate noises during this scene.  Can you blame me?  These two are absolutely ON FIRE!

It’s a shame they have to ruin the beauty of this moment, with their lousy Stefan-napping plans.  (Though, in their defense, this one goes a bit better than most . . .)

Oh No, Not Another AWFUL PLAN!

“Why don’t we skip to the part, where Elena almost dies, and has to be rescued by a Salvatore . . .”

After Elena’s cooled off from her workout, the Scooby Gang meets in Alaric’s classroom, to run through their dastardly plan.   Here’s how it goes, Elena lures Stefan into a vulnerable position, while Alaric darts him with vervain.  Then, together, Alaric and Elena drag Stefan to the dungeon, where Papa Forbes once held Caroline.  Meanwhile, Damon hits on Rebekah to keep her from getting suspicious, while Tyler confirms the crew’s vervain supply.

But wait . . . Tyler doesn’t want to help, because this wouldn’t be what KLAUS wants.  All the sudden, Tyler has this big fat juicy crush on Klaus, and it’s making him act like his little minion.

“Nothing you can say, can tear me away from MY VAMP!”

So, Damon knocks him out, explaining that Tyler’s got “sire’s disease,” also known as a built-in loyalty to the person that turned him into a vampire.    The loyalty relationship between progeny and maker, is something we heard a lot about in shows like True Blood.  But this is the first we are hearing of the concept, here.

Nonetheless, if “sire’s disease” is a unique characteristic of hybrids,  Klaus is just going to apeshit with happiness, when he learns about it, since an obedient hybrid army, has always been his lifelong dream.

You know, it does make sense that werewolves would be more likely than your average human turned vampire to exhibit this disease, particularly given the fact that werewolves are that much more prone to comraderie and pack mentality, than the average human being.

“I can’t give up all this great sex, just because my boyfriend is now Satan’s puppy!  That would be so shallow of me!”

A worried Caroline wonders how to “cure” her formerly broody beau’s new devastating man crush, but Damon fears there is no cure.  “Get yourself another boyfriend,” he instructs.  (I guess we can cross Damon off  of our Team Forwood Christmas List, then.)

With everyone in on the plan, it’s time to go to the Back to School Bonfire, and put it into action . . .

Oh, look!  The Dead Chick’s Got Plans Too!

“I think I liked you better when you were dead.”

But Elena isn’t the only one with a plan, Vicki has one too.  And it involves Matt (or “Matty” as she annoyingly refers to him) cutting his hand, and talking to candles, so that Ghost Vicki can lead a more-active haunting lifestyle.  Basically, Vicki has a powerful dead witch (the Original Witch) on her side to instruct her just how this should be done.  Matt stupidly complies with this request, though I’m honestly not sure, where he got all the candles.

Sure enough, the plan works, and Vicki is able to touch her brother, and be touched by him.  Now, that just sounds GROSS!  You know what else is GROSS?  The rest of Vicki’s plan.

“Awww crap!”

Apparently, Matt signed on the dotted line, before reading the “fine print.”  That fine print is what Vicki has to do, at least according to the Original Witch, to STAY alive in Mystic Falls.  As it turns out, she is going to have to . . . wait for it . . . KILL ELENA, a.k.a. Hybrid Bloodbag.

Ruh RHO!

Jealous Elena + Drunk Elena + Flying Elena = FUN ELENA!

“Raise your glass, if you could possibly get killed tonight.”

This year’s bonfire is WAY more fun than last years, during which we spent most of it watching Elena and Stefan babble on about their FEELINGS.  This time around, we get to watch Damon flirt shamelessly with Rebekah, and feed her smores, as Elena looks on, pouting, clearly jealous.

“Mmmmm . . . white and creamy . . . kind of reminds me of something else.”

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We haven’t seen Elena show signs of jealousy, since Andie (R.I.P.) hit on Damon, back in “Daddy Issues.”

And the fact that Damon doesn’t USE Elena’s obvious jealousy to manipulate her more, simply because he CAN, illustrates just how far he has come, since the pilot episode (more on that later).  Even Stefan picks up on Elena’s jealousy, and obvious attraction to Stefan, with a mixture of wry amusement, and friendly teasing.

“I hope that marshmallow she’s eating goes straight to her hips.”

“What’s that look?”  Stefan snarks.  “Sure . . . be jealous . . . I’m sure my brother will love it.”

Needless to say, I suspect the NON-RIPPER Stefan wouldn’t be quite so understanding of Elena’s attraction to his brother.  Jealousy aside, Elena continues to play her part, drinking like a fish, and, at least partially faking inebriation to an increasingly watchful Stefan, who genuinely seems to be enjoying himself here.

Ripper Stefan would TOTALLY hit that!

Is it weird that I REALLY like this incarnation of Stefan?  Now, granted, maybe it’s because he reminds me so much of Damon, but he’s pretty hot!)

We reach our climax (in more ways than one), when Elena pretends to get SO drunk, that she falls from the high rise bleachers, outside the school, forcing Stefan to catch her, and keep her alive, as he’s been compelled to do.

Weeeeeeee!

“I knew you’d catch me,” Elena says breathily, as Stefan eyes her closely, a bit surprised by the intensity of feeling he’s having for a woman he supposedly could care less about.

It’s written all over his face.  And it’s VERY sexy, though admittedly, not as sexy as Damon’s boob fondle from earlier in the episode . . . 😉

*sniffs*  “Ooh . . . someone had garlic for dinner.”

Alaric then vervain darts Stefan . . .

 He shoots, he SCORES!

. . . and approaches Elena, so the pair can drag his unconscious body into Alaric’s car.  “Are you OK?  You look . . . uh . . . not sober,” remarks Alaric, to a clearly shaken Elena.

That’s OK . . . Alaric didn’t really like that car anyway!

Umm . . . Nationwide is on your side?

But Elena’s going to wish she was drunker, in just a few minutes.   Because after the pair put Stefan in the back of the car, and Elena gets in, Vicki makes her move, by SETTING ALARIC’S CAR ON FIRE, and locking the doors, so that Alaric can’t get in to rescue her.

“Serves you right for dumping my brother, b*tch!”

A frantic Elena, turn to STEFAN, of all people, to help her, and he helps to kick out the back door, but promptly passes out again, before he can go any further . . .

“Sorry, about the whole vervain dart thing.  Could I make it up to you, by letting you rescue me for the 85,000th time?”

Not to worry, witchy Bonnie is on her way.  She has just finished having a WHINY conversation with her soon-to-be ex boyfriend Jeremy, and HIS soon-to-be new ghost girlfrien Anna, when Matt calls, telling Bonnie that, once again, he has done something VERY STUPID.

“Please Lord, don’t let my nose start bleeding again.”

Cue the candles, and more hand cutting, and more hand holding.  Together, Bonnie and Matt manage to beam Vicki away from Elena.  Then a tearful Matt has to go and send his own mildly evil sister back to the great beyond.  Sucks to be him!  Meanwhile, Elena drags an unconscious Stefan out of the car and dashes to safety with Alaric, just seconds before the car COMPLETELY EXPLODES.

Oops!  I do hope he has good insurance. . .

Forwood-y!

Klaus has great taste in pets.

In other, completely unrelated, news, Tyler tells Caroline that he doesn’t want Klaus to turn him back into his Season 1 Douchey self.  After all, everything he likes about himself aside from the massive size of his weiner, of course comes from Caroline.  (All together now . . . AWW!)

As “mad” as Caroline was at Tyler just a few moments earlier, within mere minutes, the pair is half naked, and happily humping one another’s legs (among other things).  I love how, no matter what is happening in a given episode, you can always count on at least one Forwood Soft Core Porn scene.  (Damon and Elena, TAKE NOTE!)

Unfortunately, Caroline and Tyler don’t have sex, in this episode, because she wants to teach him a lesson, regarding the whole “Gay for Klaus” thing.

I suspect Caroline will eventually come to regret leaving Tyler alone, half naked, with a sexy blanket around his crotch, for a number of reasons.  The most prominent of these is that Rebekah arrives soon thereafter, with a human for Tyler to drink . . . his very first taste of human blood, straight from the source.

“Bon-Appetite, Fido . . . er, I mean, Tyler!”

It’s like Tyler is the biblical Adam, Rebekah is the serpent, and this soon-to-be dead girl is the forbidden fruit.

My what big teeth you have, Tyler!

The pair gnaw on the poor woman together, in a scene that’s oddly reminiscent of the one, during which Stefan and Rebekah first met, back in the 20’s.  Rebekah gets Tyler to do this, by preying on his “Gay for Klaus-ness,” “Klaus wants you to indulge in all the best that life has to offer,” she tells him . . .

So generous . . . that Klaus.

Yes, Tyler, drinking blood bags is SO last season, cannibalism, is obviously where it is at, right now . . .

Vampirivore?

Taking S& M a bit too far . . .

Speaking of cannibalism, Big Bad Vampire Hunter Michael is not at ALL happy that Katherine woke him, by forcing him to drink human blood.  As it turns out, like Season 1 Stefan, Michael hasn’t feasted on human blood in years.  But he doesn’t seem to drink bunnies, like Stefan used to, either . . . Weird.

No matter .  . . Michael is up now, and he’s ready to comply with Katherine’s request, by killing Klaus.  But first, Michael needs to eat HIS choice of food . . . VAMPIRE KATHERINE.

Kat Food.

That’s right, boys and girls, a vampire hunter that EATS OTHER VAMPIRES . . . It doesn’t get that much more self-loathing than that.

“500 + is too young to die!”

So, is Katherine dead?  Man, I hope not!  I’d like to think that Michael, who’s been out of commission for  a while now, still needs Katherine alive to lead him to Klaus.  Either way, it looks Elena isn’t the only member of the Petrova Doppelganger family who’s destined to be a Breathing Blood Bag . . .

Back at the Gilbert household . . .

Handgasm . . . the Sequel

Please, let’s see this AGAIN!

Jeremy is on the phone with Bonnie, fighting about Anna, and yet Anna is still around.  (Haha!  Sorry Bonnie!  You’ve been REPLACED!  AGAIN!)  Jeremy assumes that this is because he is WAY more attracted to sweet, hot Anna than judgy, whiny, nose bleedy Bonnie he is incapable of NOT thinking about Anna.

But, as it turns out, it may be something more “supernatural” than that.  Because when Anna reaches out to touch Jeremy, just as she did the first time she appeared, not only can he feel HER.  Now, SHE can feel him  . . .

In short, boys and girls, IT’S ALIVE!!!

Elena Gilbert, you are my hero!  (And I NEVER THOUGHT I’D SAY THAT.)

Over at La Casa de Rich and Awesome, an unusually chivalrous Damon, helps put cover-up on Elena’s zits anesthetize the burn wound on Elena’s face.  Still jealous, Elena notes, much less subtly, than I’m sure she intended,  just how cozy Damon was looking with Rebekah, during the bonfire.  “You played your part well,” she says poutily.

“This concealer will really minimize your pores.”

This causes Damon to remark on Elena’s so-called drunkenness.  “I thought you were too drunk to notice, he says, wryly.”

“I was faking most of it,” she explains.

Now, while OLD DAMON would have most certainly rejoiced in the opportunity to rub his non-relationship with Rebekah in Elena’s face, NEW DAMON simply puts his face close to Elena’s, so that their lips are almost touching, and whispers seductively, “So was I.”

Oh, lord, someone get me a fan!  I think they are going to kiss . . . I really think they are going to do it this time . . .

So, of course, count on Professor Alaric Cockblock to come in and spoil the moment . . . AGAIN.

*sigh*  Better luck next time, Delena fans.  Apparently, they are going to drag this relationship out to EXCRUCIATINGLY PAINFUL LENGTHS, before giving us any sort of release.   We’re getting pretty darn close though, you must admit . . .

True . . . but it kind of sucks for you too.

Alaric then has a conversation with Ripper Stefan, that reminds me a heck of a lot, of the one Damon and Stefan had with one another, during “The Last Dance.”  Not surprisingly, though, given Stefan’s recent incarnation as Pilot Episode Damon, Stefan reads DAMON’S lines, while Alaric plays the role of OLD Stefan.  Here, Stefan notes that as much as he’s become a Cocky Ripper Douche, he’s still highly adept at keeping Elena safe, and has been compelled to do that, at all costs.

Therefore, Alaric should think twice about eliminating Elena’s bodyguard from the picture.  Alaric says nothing, in response.  But it is obvious, based on his facial expression, that he reluctantly agrees with this sentiment.  Cue Elena’s entrance.  A thoughtful Stefan wonders out loud, why Elena saved his life, when this seemed a perfect opportunity to let him die.

“Do you REALLY want to hear me make the speech again?”

So, Elena starts speechifying again, about how much she loves him, and still has hope that he’s going to become Old Stefan again, and, blah, blah, blah.  But just when you think Stefan is going to appear touched by Elena’s sentiment, he utters THIS REMARK: “Elena, do you have any idea how pathetic this makes you?’

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Oooh .  . . OUCH!  Pilot Episode Damon Ripper Stefan sure knows how to make the crippling zingers stick.

But her’s something new, Elena STAKES STEFAN, using her trusty wrist vervain darts, to which we were introduced at the beginning of the episode.  “No, Stefan, it makes me strong,” she says triumphantly, as she stalks out.

“That turned me on a little bit, Elena.  Hey. . . wanna play Twister with me?”

I think my favorite part of the scene, was the content and impressed look on Alaric’s face, as he watched Elena do this.  It ALMOST made me forgive him, for being so pissy and judgmental with Damon, lately.   Almost . . .

Speaking of Team Bad Ass, Elena tries to convince Alaric and Damon to kiss and make up, after the whole, “Damon KILLED Alaric” thing!  Another reason why Elena is my hero.

My only qualm with the scene was that DAMON, himself, wasn’t there to witness it.  Something tells me, he would be SUPER proud of his girl Elena, if he saw that.  Not to mention, EXTREMELY turned on . . .

Speaking of Damon . . .

Anybody got the number for Ghostbusters?

In the final scene of the episode, we find him randomly rolling up some old fusty rug, when a vase shatters near his head.  As he goes to pick up the pieces, some force flips him on his back.  It’s . . .  wait for it .  . . Ghost Mason.  And he looks positively evil (not to mention, super hot), when he grins at Damon, and tells him, “This is going to be fun.”

Payback’s a b*tch, or should I say . . . a wolf.

Well .  . fun for HIM, anyway . . .   Apparently, Vicki and Anna weren’t the only ghosts to have crossed over during Bonnie’s Send Vicki Back to Purgatory Spell.  Nice going, Bon-Bon!

And that was “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” in a nutshell.  Be sure to tune in next week, when Lady Gaga’s Boyfriend Uncle Werewolf practices some more S&M on poor Damon, and fan favorite Lexie tries her own brand of aversion training on Ripper Stefan.  You can check out the American trailer for the episiode here:

And the Canadian one here:

So, now it’s your turn, Fangbangers!  What did you think of “Smells Like Teen Spirit?”  Is Katherine really dead?  How long until Damon and Elena FINALLY get it on?  Are you grudgingly enjoying the renewed sexual tension between “Bad” Stefan and Elena, as much as I am?

“I’m slowly winning you over, one evil deed at a time.”

Do you wish Elena would either get drunk, or wear her hair in a ponytail more often?  Will Tyler and Caroline continue their “winning” streak of humping during each episode, even though Tyler is now Gay for Klaus?   And finally, which Ghosts of TVD’s past would you most like to see on YOUR TV screens next week?

Until next time .  . .

[www.juliekushner.com][Fangirls Forever]

Animal Magnetism (and How it Can Help Get You Laid) – A Recap of True Blood’s “I Wish I Was the Moon”

I’ll have what SHE’S having . . . 

Wooh!  Well, hello, Fangbangers!  Have you cooled off yet from this week’s episode of True Blood?  Or are you still howling at the moon, and rolling in the dirt?

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Well then, hold on to your face (and your butt), and please, try not to shapeshift in the house!  Because it’s time for your weekly True Blood recap . . .

(By the way, special thanks to Skarsgardfans.com for all the awesome screencaps you see here, unless otherwise sourced.)

Sorry, Vampire Beeeell!  You’ve been replaced!

“Dearest, Eric!  Don’t forsake me!  I want you in my ass  mouth dominion.”

Poor King Beel!  He may own the crown, and the keys to the fine State of Louisiana.  But Vampire Eric possesses keys that are MUCH more valuable.  Of course, I’m referring to the keys to Sookie’s legs  panties heart.

“Open SESAME, SOOKEHHHHH!  I’m GOING IN!” 

When we last left our lovers, Amnesia Eric and Sookie were making out a few steps from her porch.  This week, they’ve managed the always- challenging feet of tonguing and fondling one another, while walking backwards, climbing steps, AND removing extraneous items of clothing. (Don’t let TV and films fool you!  This sh*t is HARD to do!  And, more often than not, it involves someone falling on his or her ass.)

ERIC:  “Woah!  Was this couch always here?  Because I could have sworn it wasn’t always this conveniently close to the door.” 

SOOKIE: “Just shut up, and continue humping me, please . . . I peeked at this week’s promos.  Apparently, we don’t have much time until the Cockblock comes, and I’ll be damned if I don’t get to have AT LEAST one ‘O’ before he arrives.“

Fortunately, Sookie gets her wish . . .

“Thank you, LORD!  I’ve been waiting four years for THIS!” 

Enter King Cockblock . . .

*insert Depressing Death March Music here* 

“SOOOKEEEEEEHHHH!”  King Cockblock shouts.

Perhaps, he assumes Sookie’s moans of pleasure, are really cries of pain, in disguise!  Nah . . . he’s just a douche.

Then, THIS happens . . .

 . . . and THIS . . .

So, of course, my inner fangirl starts doing THIS . . .

“KILL HIM, ERIC!  You STAKE that King Cockblock!  Stake him GOOD!”

There is an interesting moment, where Eric stands poised with his big ole fire poker over Beeeel’s heart, and demands that Sookie tell him who exactly this creeper is to HER.

 Sookie hesitates for a moment.  The words “ex boyfriend,” “cemetery f*&ker,” “almost blood drainer,” and “master betrayer” undoubtedly run through her brain, before she decides on “He’s YOUR KING,” which , if you think about it, is not exactly responsive to his question.  Nevertheless, Sookie’s answer affects Eric deeply.

“You mean this little twerp is my KING?  What kind of a f*&ked up State is this?” 

“I’m SO moving to New York.”

Even the typically boring stoic Bill is taken aback, when Amnesia Eric drops his fire poker to the ground, falls to his knees, and says, without a hint of irony or sarcasm in his voice, “Forgive me, my liege!”

“When did this show suddenly become Game of Thrones?” 

At some point during the credits, both Sookie and Amnesia Eric manage to put on some clothing.  (All together now: “BOOOOOOO!”)  Now, Bill has his Swat Team minions handcuff Eric (with SILVER, of course . . . BASTARD), and take him away.

Sookie, of course, starts whining and carrying on like it’s her job (BECAUSE, BASICALLY IT IS!), which normally annoys the heck out of me.  However, this time, I’m totally on her side, because she’s whining for a VERY Good Cause  . . . the Continuation of Seric Sex.  Her first argument is that, since Beeelll is not HER king, he can’t just go barging into her house, and taking her nearly seven-foot tall Viking Vampire Vibrator!  Then again, technically this is Amnesia Eric’s house now . . . so, YES, he can.

Sookie – 0; King Cockblock – 1

But Sookie gains back the lead, by seeing Bill’s holier-than-thou “Respect my AUTHORITAYYYY” “I’m really doing this for your own good” explanation for Eric’s arrest as exactly what it is: Jealous Ex-Boyfriend Bullcrap.

“Hey. why don’t you just go back to screwing your great great great great granddaughter and leave me alone!” 

First Bill argues that Eric is a danger to himself and other’s because he is under the influence of a necromancer . . . It may sound kinky.  But don’t let those big fancy words fool you.  He’s REALLY just talking about THIS chick  . . .

“Don’t you worry, Witchiepoo!  A little Visine will clear that RIGHT UP!”

Bill then COMPLETELY contradicts himself, by asserting, alternatively, that Eric is NOT under the influence of a necroblahblahblah Marnie, a.k.a. Witchiepoo, but is actually FAKING his Amnesia to get into Sookie’s pants! (Come on . . . admit it, this would be a BRILLIANT idea, if it were actually true.)

“Ooh!  Would you guys please remind me to try that one on Elena, next season?”

“Well, WHICH is it, Asshat?”  Inquiring Sookies want to know. . .

Sookehhhhh – 2; Beeeeeelll  – 1

 Sookie then blatantly calls Bill out on being jealous, and not being able to cope with the fact that she moved on, despite the fact that HE has been sticking his fangs into every single relative that comes his way.

Sookie – 5, Douchey – 1

“Believe it or not, my existence does not revolve around what or WHO is between your legs,” Bill retorts . . .

OK . . . now, even I have to admit . . . that was pretty darn funny . .

Sookie – 5, That vampire Stephen Moyer plays on True Blood – 2

SOOKIE: “So, you buy my house, and you think my legs are going to magically pop open for you?” (ANSWER- YES!)

ERIC: “Hi King Bill, my name is Eric Northman. I am both the WHAT and the WHO between Sookie’s legs. 

Sookie then pleads for Bill’s leniency, and refuses to leave without her Amnesia Eric.  This wasn’t exactly a witty retort.  However, Sookie gets a point for this, just because it shows how much she loves Amnesia Eric, which pleases my Seric-loving heart to no end.

Sookie -6, Grandkid f*&ker -2

But then, Bill takes Eric away ANYWAY, and instructs his minions to throw Sookie out as a trespasser, if she ever comes on his property again.

Uh oh . .  .

Sookie – 6, Bill (the CHEATER!) – 2072.

GAME OVER, SOOKIE . . . at least, FOR NOW . . .

Smells Like Death (Tastes Like Chicken)

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You know, for the last two weeks, I couldn’t even look at poor Face Off Pam, because she was so hideous looking, that she made me want to vomit.  But Near-Death, Face Off Pam is oddly adorable, with her peekaboo blanket, and Kewpie Doll Eyes.  Thanks Alan Ball, for letting me hang on to my dinner this week . . .

Eric is chilling in Ye Olde Jailhouse of Vampire Bill (where, at this rate, HALF the cast will be residing, by season’s end).  However, as it turns out, he’s not alone.  His progency, Face Off Pam is there too.

You know, seeing this, I couldn’t help but wonder how DUMB King Bill is, to think that it wouldn’t be the LEAST bit risky to put two allies, who are BOTH arguably under a necroblahblahblahs influence, in the same cell together.  I mean, that’s just ASKING for trouble, don’t you think?

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Pam thinks so too, which is why she quickly reveals herself as the stench of death that Amnesia Eric smells.  You can see a bit of Eric’s old “father-daughter” connection with Pam, when he compels her to remove her security blanket from her face.  He then, sadly, gently asks her whether she is afraid.

Perhaps, it is Eric’s indication that he still cares for Pam, that prompts her to try to get him to remember who he truly IS.  Hint:  He’s NOT someone who would EVER bow down to a self-loathing, power hungry, pompous dork, like Bill Compton.  (Her words.  . . not mine.)

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Unfortunately, for Pam, Amnesia Eric has decided (for now, at least) that he no longer wants to remember his old life, and that the eating, screwing and laughing Viking Vampire he used to be is no longer (unless he’s eating, screwing and laughing with SOOKIE, of course).

Denial Ain’t A River in Egypt (It’s a Stick up King Cockblock’s ASS)

“Hello, my name is Nan Flanaghan.  My facial expression hasn’t changed in 1,000 years.  Who needs Botox, when you have Bloodbox?” 

When the alarm on Bill’s balls rings, he logs in to his daily Skype session with the woman who has those twins in a vice grip.  Desperately seeking a pat on the forehead or a doggie treat, Bill tells Nan that he has the necromaniboobla and Eric in his custody.

“Please tell me I’m a Good Boy, and validate my continued existence on this Earth.” 

Nan boredly asks what King Cockblock would like to do about this little “situation.”  In response, Bill (SURPRISE!) recommends that AmnesiaEric be given the True Death (AND NOT WITCHIEPOO?  Does that make sense to anyone else?) because ERIC is having hot glorious sex with Sookie under the witch’s power, and is, therefore a way better lover than BEEELL could ever be a “danger to himself and others.”  Nan agrees to “look” into it, and reminds Bill that he has a “tolerance meeting” coming up.  Riiiiight, because Mr. Kill Now, Ask Questions Later, is just the epitome of “tolerant.”

In Cockblock’s defense, he looks like he feels guilty about sentencing Eric to the True Death . . . for about two seconds . . . but then he gets over it, because, apparently guilt isn’t “Kingly”  Who knew?

Someone Buy Evil Baby a Cabbage Patch doll, or something . . . please?

Because that Ugly Ass Doll has just GOT to go!

When we last left Arlene and Terry, things were really heating up between them.  Unfortunately, I mean that literally . . .

The not-too-swift couple awakens to find their house bursting into flames.  Terry rushes to collect the other children and his pet Armadillo, while Arlene searches the house frantically for her suddenly FAVORITE son (even though she was deathly afraid of and hated him for the past four episodes).  The family rushes to the safety of the street, just about two seconds ,before the entire interior of the house literally goes up in smoke!

Arlene is now wailing hysterically, because she never found Evil Baby, and now he is probably Barbecue Baby.  But wait!  He’s OUTSIDE.  In fact, he’s been there since right before the fire started . . . almost as if SOMEONE came and got him out of there, personally.  Could it be the weird ghost lady seen waving at Evil Baby toward the end of the scene?  Quite possibly . . .

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But, hey, as long as the baby armadillo is OK, than I’m OK!

In other news, Andy Bellefleur thinks Sam is a slumlord, because people keep getting shot up, possessed, and burned up in the apartments he rents out.  I’m inclined to agree.  (Just don’t eat my face for it, Sam. Mmm-kay?)

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Speaking of Andy, being a V addict has apparently done WONDERS for his sex life!  Here’s Holly, who JUST HAD HER HOUSE, more or less, burnt to a crisp, and Andy STILL MANAGES to score a date with her!  How’s that for class?

“If he can lift that couch, imagine what he could do with me?” 

And, to think, SHE’S not even a relative of his . .  . PORTIA!

Tommy Merlotte – A New Kind of Cockblock . . .

There are SO many ways to misread this picture . . . 

They say you can never truly know a person, until you have walked a mile in his shoes.  Well, I would venture to guess that the same general concept applies to his skin.  It all starts when Sam calls Tommy  — who is still reeling from MURDERING BOTH OF HIS PARENTS and feeding them to the alligators along with some marshmallows . . .

He then asks his baby brother to open the bar on his behalf.  This results in Tommy Boy having what I like to refer to as a “Man in the Mirror” Moment.  That cliched scene, you see in many TV shows and films in which someone LITERALLY looks in the mirror, and DOESN’T like what they see.  But, fear not Fangbangers, this, otherwise dull Man-in-The-Mirror Moment comes with a bit of a twist

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That’s right, boys and girls!  We guessed correctly.  Having killed his Ma and Pa, Tommy is now, for better or worse, a skinwalker, and his first shift, is into SAM.

Kudos to Sam Trammell for pulling off “Tommy/Sam” with aplomb, this week If you didn’t always get such lame storylines, I’d probably like your character a lot more.  Though “Tommy/Sam” looks exactly like Sam, he is actually VERY different in that:

(1) he walks like he perpetually has a poop in his pants;

(2) he hits on the female bar patrons, like it’s his job;

(3) and . . . oh yeah . . . he is a TOTAL douchebag (Well . . . Sam is too sometimes, I guess, but Tommy/Sam is way worse.)

Tommy/Sam started off his day, by telling a tearful Sookie that, NO, she can’t take off YET ANOTHER day of work to go hunting for Sex Toy Eric Northman.  Why?  You ask?  Well, she pretty much ALWAYS takes off from work, and gets away with it . . .  because she  is Sookie.  And Sookie smells like “Sunshine in a pretty blonde bottle.”

“Don’t you at least want to sniff my butt before I go?”

The funny thing is that as AWFUL Tommy is to go behind Sam’s back and fire his favorite employee who he is secretly in love with, Tommy/Sam kind of had a point.  I mean, think about it, Sookie spent the entire Second Season in Dallas, and the entire THIRD Season in Mississippi.  Then she spent a YEAR hanging with the fairies.  Don’t you think her vacation time should be finished by now?

Though Sookie is certainly not doing it intentionally, I think Tommy is right in assuming that the blonde fairy princess takes advantage of Sam, by using his obvious attraction to her to get what she wants.

Other people Tommy/Sam manipulated this week include:

(1) Jessica, who he promoted from hostess to waitress (Well . . . that was kind of a nice thing to do, but still);

Tommy always did have a bit of a hard-on for her. 

(3) Maxine, who told him what she REALLY thought of Tommy Boy (Hint:  He’s dumber than a box of rocks, and not quite as kind); and

Hint: Not much . . . 

(4) Luna who .  . . well .  . .  he engaged in some VERY awkward sex with, only to VIOLENTLY kick her out of the house, the following morning, so she wouldn’t see him change from Tommy/Sam into just plain old Tommy.  (Now THAT was just wrong.)

You know, of all people, you would think that Luna, a skinwalker herself, would catch on to EXACTLY what Tommy /Sam was trying to do!  But, NOPE!  It was just a bit more mindless sex for her with the guy wearing Sam’s skin . . .

After the whole ordeal is over, Tommy shifts BACK into his own body, retching disgustingly in the sink, before he  falls to the ground, unconscious.  He’s still laying there like THAT, when Sam finally comes home to find him.  I’d say there’s a chance he might not wake up, but that would be REALLY naive of me.  We just aren’t that lucky.

Speaking of altered states . . .

It’s the Great Brujo, Charlie Brown . . .

“I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your creepy goat killer’s shack down . . .” 

Grandpa Goatlicker is pretty obviously still pissed at Jesus, for escaping his evil clutches at age seven or so.  So, to get revenge, he forces the poor twenty something and his boyfriend to wait in the bushes for their horse drawn carriage to come, and rescue them Cinderella-style spirit animal to meander on over, and request to be murdered “for a good cause.”

The whole exchange between Laffy and Jesus in the woods kind of reminds me of It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown children’s special . . .

Jesus is Linus, the staunch believer, even in the face of Laffy (Charlie Brown’s) sincerely doubting voice.  But just when you’ve started to write of Grandpa Ghostlicker as a sociopathic wackadoo, a poisonous snake arrives at Jesus’ feet, ripe and ready to croak.

And croak he does .  . . until Grandpa Goat Licker brings it back to life, and instructs it to issue a deadly poisonous bite to his own grandson.

I’m not entirely sure how Grandpa GoatLicker knows this.  However, he somehow seems to sense that Laffy is a  gateway to the dead.  (DAMMIT!  Are there NO humans left on this show?)  So, not long after Jesus starts to lose consciousness, Laffy starts speaking in Spanish, and harnessing the power of an old dead relative of Jesus’ to bring him back to life.

Interesting . . .

Of course, as we know, Laffy isn’t the only witch with the power to get possessed by dead people (which, when you think about it, is actually a pretty lame “magical power.”)  Witchiepoo’s got “the gift” as well . . .

Witchiepoo . . . I SEE YOU!

“You know, before I got this part, I auditioned for the role of Buffy the Vampire Slayer?  Wanna see?  Hiiiiiyaaah!” 

So, we’ve got Witchiepoo all sad and locked up in her little Beel-created prison.  She’s crying to her inner witch goddess to help her out ONCE AGAIN.  (Geez!  Talk about a NAG!)  So, we are treated to a few more of those truly disturbing flashbacks in which INNER witch is raped and tortured by vampires, and Witchiepoo is forced to watch.

That’s when it happens.  Witchiepoo slits her wrist, asks INNER witch to USE HER to accomplish her goals.  And POOOF!   INTO Witchiepoo’s mouth Inner Witch goes!

OPEN WIDE, Witchiepoo!  Here comes the choo-choo train!

We learn from the flashbacks that INNER witch and her coven were able to control a whole slew of raping and torturing vampires, causing them to SEEMINGLY willingly walk into the sun and burn to death, while the public watched in horror.  Now, I suspect, the same thing is going to happen to Mr. Clean the Vampire Sheriff .  . .

Admittedly, Mr. Clean was not so MISTER CLEAN, back when he gleefully raped and repeatedly bit Inner Witch a long time ago.  And NOW, it looks like Mr. Clean is about to become Mr. Definitely Dead, when he dazedly enters the lions den of the newly-possessed Witchiepoo’s cage and falls to his knees with a petrified, but dazed, look on his face.

Witchiepoo stares down at Mr. Clean with a haughty look on her face, “Ya little f*&k,” she calls him.

Little f*&k, indeed . . .

Nice knowing ya, Mr. Clean . . . (Well . . . not really nice, but whatever . . .)

Night of the Living Werepanther?

“Why do I always seem to wind up like THIS?” 

Poor Jason Stackhouse!  Kidnapped raped, and defiled by crazy inbred werepanthers, left to die on the side of the road, and forced to endure strange sex dreams about his best friend’s girlfriend AND his best friend . . .

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No wonder he’s hiding out in his room, chained to a bedpost . . . wait . . . huh?

Well, it’s taken a few episodes, but Sookie finally seems to remember that she has a brother, and that he hasn’t been around, recently . . .

So,  off she rushes to Jason’s bedside, where she finds him cuffed to the bed.  Of course, her first inquiry is, “Is this a SEX thing?”

Which it isn’t . . .  for once.

In fact, this is a decidedly NON-Sex thing.  Jason has merely decided to take certain precautions, just in case his inner inbred werepanther should decide to make an appearance, due to the Full Moon.  He’d prefer not to eat his friends and family, thank you very much.  “I ain’t never going to forgive myself, if I bite your head off,” offers Jason sweetly.  (Now, that’s BROTHERLY LOVE!)

“But once you turned, wouldn’t the cuffs just fall off?”  Sookie wonders, quite rationally.

Oops . . . it looks like someone is going to have to re-read Werepanthers for Dummies again . . .

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Eventually, Sookie uncuffs Jason and convinces him to go ouside and share a beer with her.  You know, with all the craziness going on in this show, it’s been a while since we’ve been treated to a quiet brother / sister moment.  We get a nice one here, when Jason asks Sookie to shoot him in the head, if he starts sprouting fur.  (I’M SERIOUS!  It was a sweet moment, OK!)

“Uh-uh!”  Sookie says.  “That was not part of the deal.”

“But you PROMMISSSSED!”  Jason whines, in his best petulant five-year old voice.

“I said I’d take care of you.”

“What did you think I meant by that, change my kitty litter?”  Jason exclaims . . .

“Please, don’t let Sookie change my kitty litter!  She’ll go off and have sex with Eric, and forget to do it.” 

Sookie, who knows full well, what it’s like to be a supernatural freak, tells Jason that he can’t run from who is, and that he should embrace his inner werepanther, if that’s what he ends up being.    Girlfriend’s like a Supernatural Dr. PHIL!

Eventually, Sookie leaves the porch to go get another beer.  But when she returns, Jason is GONE!

But don’t you worry about Jason, kiddies!  He’s in good hands . . . specifically, the hands of the women who fed him his blood, and can now FEEL HIS FEELINGS . . .

Yes, I suspect she can feel THOSE feelings too! 

Jessica is working at Merlotte’s, when she FEELS Jason . . . um, well, she feels HIS FEAR I should say we’ll save the more fun stuff for later!, and decides to go outside, and comfort him . . .

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When Jason admits to Jessica that this might be the night of his first werepanther turning, the baby vampire, remembering HER first night turning into a supernatural creature, decides to spend the night with him, so that he doesn’t have to endure his transformation alone.  *insert porn music here*

So, of COURSE, you all know what MY TVD brain was thinking about, don’t you?

That’s right, boys and girls!  Here, we have yet another reason why Caroline Forbes and Baby Vamp Jessica are kindred spirits, who, unfortunately, may never meet except in the context my fanfiction, of course . . .

I have to say, I adored the sweetness and innocence of the way Jason and Jessica related to one another.  As Jason said, he’s not exactly someone known for his IMPULSE control . . .

And the fact that Jason chooses Jessica’s boobs as his “happy place,” while she comforts him through his panic attack, certainly does not bode well for his ability to remain loyal to his best friend for the long haul.  But for now, Jason and Jessica are simply two individuals, who are chastely trying to put aside their romantic feelings for one another, in order to protect the heart of someone they both care about VERY deeply . . .

Well . . . maybe not THAT deeply. 

Given what he has been through, and their innate connection, Jessica finds herself able to relate and confide in Jason, in ways she can’t with Hoyt, who always seems so squeamish about the whole Vampire Thing.  “It’s exciting,” admits Jessica of her newly vampire status, a dreamy look in her eyes.  “I am fast, and strong.   I can smell and taste things that I never smelled and tasted before.  My world used to be small.  But now it is endless.”

Together Jessica and Sookie have been so very good at selling Jason on this whole Supernatural thing, that by the time the end of the night comes, he’s actually disappointed that he DIDN’T change into a werepanther.  “Why did Sookie get all the special?”  He pouts adorably.

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“How could YOU not think you are special?”  Jessica wonders out loud.  “You have the virility of a wild animal, and the body of an Adonis.  I would very much like to f*&k you right now for hours and hours on end.” 

Well, how could Jason not be turned on by an admission like that?   Sitting close to one another, in the moonlight, limbs touching, faces inches a part, there comes the inevitable moment in which Jason and Jessica almost kiss.  But it’s Jason, Mr. No Impulse Control, himself who breaks the spell, all for the love of a good man named Hoyt.

The two fumble their goodbyes, giving eachother friendly shoulder pounds, and vowing not to tell their friend about THIS.

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But, honestly, when people this attractive are mutually attracted to one another, it’s really only a matter of time before the BONING starts . . .

Sorry, Hoyt!  Sometimes the truth hurts . . . 

We come now to two stories, I honestly don’t care all that much about . . .

Meet Tara Thornton and Packmaster Marcus . . . again . . .zzzzzzzzz . . . OMG SERIC SEX, YESSSSS!

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There’s nothing like a heaping helping of Hot Hate Sex to really start an evening out right . . .

Last week, Tara’s new girlfriend discovered that Tara’s name is not Toni, and that she doesn’t hail from Georgia.  So, Guest Star travels down to Bon Temps all the way from New Orleans, to give her a piece of her mind.  Except .  . . she ends up giving her a piece of . . . um . . . well . . .  something else.

In between screw and necking sessions, Tara gives her girlfriend the full Bon Temps tour, complete with a trip to Merlotte’s and .  . . the parking lot at Merlotte’s.  Tara’s girl seems surprisingly OK with the whole “the woman you love has been lying to you about EVERYTHING for six-months thing.”  So, I guess the sex must be REALLY good.  However, before the “Happy Couple” can broach the issue of whether Tara will return to New Orleans, Faceoff Pam materializes.  And she . . . is . . . PISSED!

Be afraid Special Guest Star!  Be VERY afraid! 

Blah, blah, blah, Debbie needs a new were-pack to stay sober in Bon Temps  . . .

 Debbie Downer and Packmaster Greasypoo

blah, blah, blah Alcide is whipped, and decides to attend the new pack meeting, against his better judgment . . .

 Your storyline may be SUPER boring this season, Alcide.  But you still look DAMN sexy, when you are angry!

On the way to their pack meeting, Debbie Downer and Alicide run into a Gun-Toting, One-Woman Search Party for Jason, Sookie, who pisses them off, (but mostly just Debbie Downer) by comparing them to those slimy rape-loving werepanthers.

“Hey, if the fur fits . . .” 

To Sookie’s relief, Alcide informs her that, NO, to his knowledge a human cannot get turned into a werepanther, simply by being bitten.  Thrilled, Sookie dashes back through the forest, as a hungry-eyed Alcide watches her, undoubtedly wishing that the two of hem could engage in SHOOTING of an entirely different sort.  Debbie notices the bedroom eyes on her boyfriend, and is CLEARLY not amused . . .

“I’ll get you my HUNKY . . . and your little FAIRY too!”

Still screaming her lungs out in her trademark nails on chalkboard voice for Jason,  Sookie encounters another man in the forest . . .

“I’m baacccck!” 

BUT WAIT!  HOW DID MY LOVERBOY REMOVE HIMSELF FROM THE CLUTCHES OF EVIL BILL?  Let’s backtrack a moment . . .

“I was born the night she found me.”

Back at King Cockblock’s Castle, Beeel’s goons bring out a very-docile Amnesia Eric, who is ready and accepting of the King’s decision to give him the true death.  “From what I’ve been told, I was a barbarian thug, who never respected your authority . . . He is a stranger to me.  I have nothing to say in his defense.”

Once again, Bill is taken back by Amnesia Eric’s calm acceptance of what is about to happen to him.  So, taken aback, in fact, that he allows Amnesia Eric to make two last requests. (1) “Release Pam, at the rate she is decomposing, she can no longer be any threat to you.” AND . . . here’s the big one.

(2) “Tell Sookie I was born the night that she found me, and because of her, I went to the True Death, knowing what it means to love.”

All together now, AWWWW!

Bill of course, is nauseated by this oddly sentimental showing of affection for his ex, by his sworn enemy, at least until Eric bangs him on the head with this . . . “[Sookie] still cares for you.  After I am gone, I hope you two will find your way back to eachother . . . because she deserves happiness from whoever can give it to her.”

Well, that did it . .  . cue the water works!  The last thing we see, is a very mopey-faced Bill preparing to bring his fancy schmancy stake down on Amnesia Eric’s head.

But THEN we cut to THIS . . .

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WOOHOO!  YIPPPEEE!  YEEHAW!

Well, well, well . . . look who went and grew a soul!

I never thought I’d say this, but THANK YOU BILL!  Thank you for giving us Fangbangers the gift of Seric Sex!  Feel free to go lay as many ancestors as you’d like now!  I promise I won’t judge . . . much.

See you next week, Fangbangers!

Crimes of Fashion – A Recap of Pretty Little Liars’ “Never Letting Go”

SPENCER:  Pssst, don’t look now, but there’s a BIG GIANT ALISON HEAD behind us . . .

EMILY:  Maybe, if we ignore it, it will go away . . .

Poor “sweet” Alison!  Perhaps, if there wasn’t a memorial service for her every two episodes, people would stop trying to sabotage them . . .

Hello, my Pretties!  This week on PLL, we got to meet Alison’s Mommy, Samara’s “friend,” and a whole lot of dresses.  We also got to see how well our favorite little liars can work the Runway . . .

Ten innocent bottles of hairspray were harmed in the making of this picture.  FOR SHAME!

Also this week, no hot men took off their shirts . . .

“Oh the humanity!”

 . . . which is why I decided to do THIS for you . . .

You’re welcome!

Wipe the drool off your mouths, girls . . . because it’s time to get this Pretty Little Recap started .  . .

“It’s All Fun and Games, Until Someone Hacks Up a Hairball.”

Here’s a Riddle:  How many Pretty Little Liars does it take to fold a bunch of fashion show programs?

Answer:  Apparently, all of them.  (Because folding is . . . like . . . hard . . . or something.)

When the episode begins, the Fabulous Foursome is in Spencer’s room (at least, I think it’s Spencer’s room), preparing for the annual school fashion show / charity event / function where “A” will inevitably torture the girls, and make them wish they were never born.  As has become the norm, the girls spend the opening scenes of the episode, helpfully rehashing what happened last week, and trying to figure out who killed Alison.  Spencer reminds us, that just because Creepy Pedo Ian didn’t kill Alison on the raunchy sex tape, doesn’t mean he didn’t do it later . . .

You’re not off the hook yet, Buddy!  (Poor choice of words?)

Hanna wonders whether “A” isn’t Ali’s actual killer.  It’s interesting how, at the beginning of the series, both the girls themselves, and most PLL fans, had always ASSUMED the aforementioned premise to be true.  Then, sometime in the middle of the first season, the theory that “A” and Ali’s killer were two DIFFERENT people seemed to become commonly accepted.  Now, it seems, with Creepy Pedo Ian dead, the girls, at least, have returned to the first theory.

But, hey, who needs to talk about “boring stuff” like Ali’s killer, when we can talk about EXCITING stuff, like what kind of lip gloss Hanna was wearing when she started cleaning Caleb’s teeth with her tongue, at the end of last week’s episode?

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Apparently, she was wearing the sticky kind that tends to get hair stuck to it . . . hair like Caleb’s long luscious locks.  Aria (who’s already a little bit pissy, because, not only did Fitzy REFUSE to hug her in public, last week, he also ditched her this week to enter the PLL Lost Significant Other Vortex “attend some lame college conference”) has some choice words to say about that . . .

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*insert hacking noises here*

By the way, I don’t know about you, but, lip gloss or no lipgloss, I’ve never had the experience of hacking up hairballs from making out with guys.  Perhaps, Aria just kisses hairier men than I do!

Don’t worry, Fitzy!  I wasn’t talking about YOU . . . (See shaved tummy picture above)

Speaking of Aria’s many hairy suitors, she gets a text message from one of them, just shortly after making her hairball comment . . .

OK, here’s another question:  How many of you actually include FULL NAMES in your cell phone contacts?  I mean, I understand that Jason is a fairly common guy’s name.  So, maybe a popular girl like Aria has four or five friends named Jason.  But still, wouldn’t “Jason D” be sufficient?  Or “Jason Ali’s Bro”?  Or, my personal favorite, “Facelift Jason?”  Honestly, I’m not even sure a name like “Jason Dilaurentis” would fit in my cell phone contact list!  A name like that would probably take up MY ENTIRE SCREEN!  But, I digress . . .

Text Message Reply:  “Hello, Jason Dilaurentis.  Aria Montgomery would very much like to meet you outside in your car, so that we can discuss the fact that you are still a murder suspect, and perhaps, if we are lucky, make out.  Don’t worry, I am wearing a special lipgloss that minimizes hairball creation.”

Being sure not to tell the girls who she is meeting (They, of course, assume it’s Fitzy), Aria heads out in the dark of night to rendezvous with Facelift Jason. 

Try to forget, for a moment, that he has been eye f*&king her to near-pregnancy in every scene the two of them shared, since he got his new face.  Do you want to know why I THINK it’s obvious that Facelift Jason wants a First Class Trip inside the Montgomery Pantalones?  Let’s put it this way, he asked to meet her in secret . . . in his expensive car . . . in the middle of the night . . . just to tell her not to tell anybody about something he said to her the day before. 

“Don’t worry Facelift Jason, I’m going to keep this between you, me, “A,” and the million or so folks who watch Pretty Little Liars, every week . . .”

Wouldn’t a “Don’t tell your Big Mouth Friends that I think I may have killed my sister, while in the midst of a Drunken Rage Blackout” text message would have sufficed, in this situation?

Anyway, Facelift Jason is relieved that Aria is thankful enough to him for not ratting her bratty brother out as a Dirty Thief, to not rat him out as a Drug Addict / Potential Sister Killer.  Everybody WINS!  (Well, except Ali of course . . . who’s dead . . . and Creepy Pedo Ian, who’s also dead).

Dads Behaving Badly . . .

Talk about sending a bad message!  There are FOUR DADS on this show.  And if my theories about Spencer’s papa is correct, the ONLY one of them who has never been unfaithful to his lady love, is the one who’s too busy fighting for his country to have time to do so!

“YAY!  I WIN!”

In a scene that’s highly reminiscent of the Aria’s Parents Secretly Start Dating One Another Again storyline (BARF!), Hanna comes home to find her divorced Mommy and Daddy slowly getting eachother wasted with Martinis, and looking at one another, like they want to do it on the counter, right in front of their daughter.

“I’m so glad you guys decided to fork over the money for my therapy.  Because I am REALLY going to need a shrink, after seeing this . . .”

Some might argue that Hanna should be happy that her parents are possibly reconciling.  And yet, this jaded blonde has been around the block enough times with her Douchey Dad to have developed a healthy dose of skepticism toward his ever-evolving definition of “family.”  “What’s for dessert?”  She asks her “sperm donor” snidely.   “Or are you saving that for your new family?”

Meanwhile, elsewhere in Dysfunctional Family Land, Spencer has just finished probably having super hot sex with Abs Toby . . .

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. . . when she overhears her dad loudly arguing with someone on the phone.  Specifically, he is telling someone that he or she “clearly doesn’t have control over a certain situation, if Jason is back home.”  Cue Spencer Face!

When Spencer asks her dad about the telephone conversation, he acts suspicious enough that it prompts Spencer to dial the last number he called, after he conveniently leaves the phone on the kitchen table.  

“Do you like Scary Movies?”

Upon doing that, she quickly learns that the woman her Dad was screaming at was none other than . . . wait for it . . . Ali’s and Jasons’ Mom, Jessica DiLaurentis  . . . 

BUSTED!

Now, I’m guessing that Spencer’s POP and his Lady Friend were both using landlines to make this call, considering (1) Spencer had to press Redial to solve the mystery, instead of simply looking at the “Dialed Calls” list that is now available on pretty much every cell phone made in the last FIVE YEARS; (2) Dead Ali’s Mom conveniently stated her FULL NAME, upon picking up the phone, which means that she obviously didn’t realize that the call was coming from the Exact Same Person Who Just Called Her Moments Ago. 

*sigh*  Old People . . . they never learn . . . 😉

Now, to me, it seems pretty obvious that the “Big Secret” Spencer’s Dad and Ali’s Mom are hiding is that they had an affair at some point.  And the reason that Spencer’s Dad is so miffed about Jason returning to town is that HE KNOWS ABOUT IT, somehow.  Then again, I could be TOTALLY wrong . . .

In other Parental Unit News, Emily’s Mom is getting all weepy about missing Emily’s Dad . . .

*insert blubbering noises here*

So, Emily suggests that she go stay with him in Texas for a while, so the two can have Wild and Crazy Monkey Sex in the army barracks get “reacquainted,” while Emily finishes out the school year in Rosewood.

“WOO HOO!  Parties every night at my house!  You’re all invited!”

Dressed to Kill (or Be Killed)

The next day, Spencer and Aria are talking about how suspicious Facelift Jason is acting (Actually, Spencer is talking about that.  Aria is sticking up for Facelift Jason, like it’s her JOB!  Watch out, Fitzy!), when they get a strange e-mail from Alison’s mom, inviting all four of the PLL’s to lunch . . . UH OH!

OK . . . now this may be because I’m a TOTAL NERD, but I had so much fun reading the subject headings for all of Spencer’s FAKE E-MAILS!  Someone in the production department probably had a blast coming up with these!  Here are some questions I had:  (1) Why is Melissa e-mailing Spencer for “lunch” when she (a) hates her now, because of the Ian thing, and (b) is supposedly on vacation? (2) Whose birthday is it, that Spencer is getting them cupcakes? (3) Spencer plays the flute? (4) What the heck is Albacore Design?  And why does Spencer keep making and canceling orders from them?

Cue, the most AWKWARD lunch meeting ever . . .

Only the swankiest of restaurants serve their drinks in jars of leaves . . .

Alison’s mom, who’s looking a bit looped, after her fourth Bloody Mary before noon (Hey, I’m sure it’s Happy Hour, SOMEWHERE!), is apparently STILL head of the school board, despite the fact that neither of her children have attended Rosewood Prep in at least a year.  (Maudlin much?)  She recalls depressingly how much her Dead Daughter loved the Annual Fashion show, and asks the Pretty Little Liars to dedicate a portion of the show to Alison, while each wearing dresses that the SHE picked out, before she was murdered. 

“Even in death, I am still making you feel self-conscious, and not-so-subtly criticizing your taste in clothing, MWAH-HAHAHA!”

The girls (rightfully) think this is an ABSOLUTELY AWFUL IDEA.  I mean . . . we all remember what happened THE LAST TIME these four made a memorial for Ali, right?

R.I.P. Ugly Ass Memorial Fountain

But still, they have to do it.  Because, really, how can you say no to a grieving Mom?

As if the Annual Fashion Show hadn’t become frightening enough, Spencer soon learns that Annoying Mona has stolen the position of Committee Chairperson right out from under her during that whole Under Suspicion for Murdering Ali Fiasco (not to mention completely discarded the programs Spencer spent hours painstakingly FOLDING)  . . .

“We thought you were like going to jail, or something,” offers Mona, in a faux sweet voice.  “Decisions had to be made.  I made them.”

“That’s right, Mona.  I’ve never murdered anyone.  But keep talking, and that might change real fast.”

I’ve gotta say, Janel Parrish (the actress who plays Mona) is spectacular.  The way she portrays this character makes me GENUINELY want to reach into the television and wring her neck, every time she is on screen!  Her voice is like nails on a chalkboard to me.  Like Spencer, I have no idea why a fun, funny, non-annoying, girl like Hanna would ever willingly spend time with such a slimy toad.  Mona is probably the kind of girl who gets spit or worse in her food EVERY SINGLE TIME she eats at a restaurant, if you catch my drift . . .

Mona’s personal “chef”

Fortunately, for Spencer, she has Toby at her side, to prevent her from doing bodily harm to the Evil Mona . .  .

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Oh, did I mention that Mona hired her new boyfriend, Bushy Eyebrows Noel to D.J. the affair?

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Things just went from awkward .  . . to annoying . . . to dangerously creepy, in about two minutes flat . . .

Sometimes the Truth Hurts . . .

Peek-a-BOOB!

Apparently, Emily’s new girlfriend has more talents than just the ability to fangirl at swim meets, and successfully lie to parents, she’s also quite the master seamstress!  We find Samara at Emily’s house, gleefully fondling the latter’s lady parts, under the guise of fitting her in Alison’s dress  for the fashion show . . .

“Ummm . . . Samara?  My eyes are UP HERE!”

Between you and me, Samara has always struck me as being a bit insecure about the extent of Emily’s feelings for her.  Perhaps, she senses that her new girl Friday seems more than a bit hung up on her former Ex-Loves (and current PLL Vortex Inhabitants) Maya and Little Orphan Bitchy . . .

“LET US OUT!  WE’VE BEEN TRAPPED IN HERE FOR MONTHS!”

So, it is not surprising to me that Samara purposefully tries to “test” Emily, by asking if she could bring a “date” with her to the fashion show.  Not wanting to seem too possessive over her “friend with benefits,” Emily reluctantly agrees, even managingto offer Samara a polite little smile, upon hearing the request . . .  (Threesome, anyone?)

Meanwhile, after hearing from her Mother that memories lost during alcoholic blackouts  can be revived with proper coaxing and psychological support (By the way, kudos to Aria’s mom for not-so-subtly copping to taking part in underage drinking, back in the day.) . . .

“To be honest, Aria, I’m still a bit hazy about the night you were conceived. .  .”

 . . . Shrink Aria meets up with Facelift Jason (who looks so much like Ali, they really could be brother and sister)  . . .

 . . .  to review the pictures of Ali they plan to use in their slideshow tribute to the Dead Girl, during the fashion show . .  .

Hey FaceliftJason, how do you expect to see the pictures, if you keep STARING LOVINGLY AT ARIA, while she’s showing them to you?

Things are going well, until Aria starts peppering Facelift Jason with questions about the night of the accident.  Once he figures out what she’s trying to do, he gets SUPER defensive, and eventually storms off.  I guess SOME memories are better off repressed . . .

“Nice going, ARIA!  You just totally blew your opportunity to have sex with me  . . . ummm . . . Well . . . actually, I’d still kind of like to have sex with you . . . if you want to have sex with me.  Do you?  WOULD YOU?  Pretty please, with a weiner on top?”

Speaking of Men in Denial, Hanna’s father refuses to cop to the fact that the REAL reason he keeps hanging around the house, is that he wants to get back into Hanna’s mom’s pants . . .

“You want relationship advice, DAD?  Did I ever tell you about the time my boyfriend was PAID to seduce me, and took my virginity in a tent outside?  Good times!”

Beauty is Painful (and, sometimes, even deadly)

“Gee, thanks a lot A!  Now our chances of becoming contestants on America’s Next Top Model are pretty much ruined!”

What started off as a fairly slow, and uneventful episode, definitely picked up the pace, during the climactic annual fashion show, where, in just minutes . .  .

 . . . Emily met the Mister to her girlfriend, Samara’s “Misses,” and became insanely jealous (which was precisely why Samara brought her along, in the first place).  This eventually, prompted Emily and Samara to have “The Talk” about the status of their relationship, and whether they should take it to the “next level.”  (Nothing was really decided, however.)

Hanna went for a liquor run, and got an eyefull of her supposedly-separated parents dry-humping on the dance floor, instead . . .

PAPA MARIN:  “Let’s make another baby . . . right here . . . while our daughter watches.”

MAMA MARIN: “Oh, Daddy!  You always DID know how to sweet talk me . . .”

“Oh, MY EYES!  I think I just went blind . . .”

*laughs maniacally*  “Mission accomplished!”

Speaking of Hanna, the uninvited Caleb decides to crash the Fashion Show, in order to support her, whether she wants to be supporte or not.  (Something tells me, Ashley won’t be the ONLY Marin girl to be getting some nookie tonight . . .)

Spencer spots her Dad fighting with Ali’s Mom again.  (Where’s SPENCER’S MOM, anyway?  On vacation with Crazy Nanny Carrie Melissa?)

Spencer is also asked by Mona — who is randomly wearing weird librarian glasses —  to deliver the Ali Tribute CD to Bushy Eyebrows Noel (a potentially important detail that we will touch upon, in just a bit) . . .

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 When Spencer hands the CD off to Bushy Eyebrows, he asks her if she wants to watch it first, to make sure it is “OK.”  Spencer says “No” . . . a decision she will undoubtedly come to regret later not that it matters, since Bushy and Mona probably would have switched the CDs at the last minute anyway, if they are, in fact, behind all this.

Meanwhile, Jason continues to have visual intercourse with Aria, even though he is supposedly still “mad at her” . . .

It’s important to practice safe eyesex, boys and girls!  You never know where else your partner has LOOKED, before you!

The fashion show begins, and our PLL girls strut their stuff, and shake their asses, down the runaway to the cheers and catcalls of a mixture of adoring parents, and potential pedophiles . . .

If The Flintstones was ever made into a porno, I’m pretty sure Betty Rubble would be wearing an outfit like Emily’s . . .

Then the music changes, and it’s time for the Ali Tribute.  The girls smile politely, as they walk out together, in the dresses that Ali herself never had the chance to showcase . . .

Cute dresses . . . but I’m not loving the hair choices . . .

Suddenly, the music gets all angry, and death metal-ly.  Then, THIS HAPPENS and, it’s really NO SUPRISE AT ALL, CONSIDERING THEY SHOWED THIS PART IN THE MUCHMUSIC PREVIEWS . . .

The whole crowd gasps audibly, as Spencer rushes to turn off the slideshow, and Ali’s mom rushes out of the room in tears . . .

(OK, now I know it’s is probably an inappropriate time to ask this, but who’s the Extra sitting next to Facelift Jason?  He’s CUTE!  Hey, Buddy, if you are reading this, Call Me!)

Once the chaos has died down, the PLL girls find themselves alone on stage, in entirely different dresses, than the ones they were wearing earlier.  (I love that Hanna is wearing the inappropriate Nikki Minaj Concert Dress she wanted to wear to Creepy Pedo Ian’s funeral!)  Of course, “A” has one final message she wants to deliver just to them  . . .

 . . . make that TWO final messages . . .

Given “A’s” passion for fashion, and b*tchy snarkery, not to mention that “my dresses” comment, it is becoming more and more apparent that “A” is a WOMAN (which is not to say that she doesn’t have a male companion by her side to do the “heavy lifting.”)  In particular, the final scene of the episode, seems to suggest that the Gloved Hand is manicured underneath the leather (more on that later) . . .

The Aftermath . . .

Understandably, the PLL girls are pretty darn eager to escape the school auditorium, after all that happened to them there.  Hanna cuts out with a wide-eyed and clearly smitten Caleb (But where’s LUCAS?) . . .

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Meanwhile, Aria is accosted by a sickeningly smug-looking Bushy Eyebrows Noel, who seems WAY TOO PLEASED WITH HIMSELF, when he hands her back the incriminating CD . . .

“Hi, my name is Bushy Eyebrows Noel.  I butcher small puppies for fun, and feed them to the hungry furry caterpillars sitting over my eyelids.”

I have to say, I cheered a bit when Facelift Jason intervened, and broke the CD with his barehands.  (On the other hand, now we might never know who tampered with the damn thing!)

“You don’t SCARE ME, EYEBROWS!  I’ve smoked blunts bigger than YOU!”

Cue the Facelift Jason / Aria Sexual Tension Moment . . .

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The pair end up leaving together in his car . . . sound familiar?

Back at home, we get three quick parental moments, in short succession.  In the first, Hanna’s dad FINALLY admits to still being in love with Hanna’s mom.  And Hanna finally accepts him back into her life . . . (Repeat after me, “AWWWW!)

“So, if your Mom’s room’s a-rockin, don’t come a-knockin”

Emily’s mom decides to go to Texas to see her husband, and, therefore, lets Emily bunk with the Marin’s for the rest of the year.  (Because, apparently, the Marin house is the equivalent to the Rosewood Homeless Teen Shelter . . . just ask Caleb!)

(This seemed like kind of a random plot point to me.  I’m thinking “Mom” landed a movie role, or TV pilot, or something . . .)

Finally, Spencer’s Dad reluctantly admits to fighting with Ali’s and Jason’s Mom, and warns Spencer to stay away from Facelift Jason so that he can’t tell her about the AFFAIR!.

Remember, how I told you that the last scene seemed to pretty strongly suggest that “A” / Gloved Hand was a woman?  Well, it begins with a closeup on an array of open fashion magazines kind of like the ones MONA might have used to create the new Fashion Show program.  Now, I don’t mean to be sexist, but how many men DO YOU KNOW that read women’s fashion magazines (Well, aside from the MALE FASHION DESIGNERS, of course)?  Gloved Hand then orders a pair of fashionable women’s boots online in Size 5.5. (very small feet!), and delivers them to an as-of-yet unknown address . . .

(By the way, have you ever tried using a laptop, while wearing gloves?  It’s IMPOSSIBLE .  . . Not to mention, it makes your hands really sweaty.)

So, which PLL girl is about to get a new pair of shoes from “A?”  Tune in next week to find out!  Until next time, My Pretties!

[www.juliekushner.com][Fangirls Forever]

A Real “Nail-Biter” – A Recap of Teen Wolf’s “Heart Monitor”

This is WAY better than the original.  Don’t you think?  And yet, oddly enough, it communicates the same message.

Oh my dear Werebangers!  I hope you didn’t eat too much July 4th barbecue meat, before watching this week’s installment of Teen Wolf.  Boy, was it nasty!  There were things coming out of characters’ mouths that should NEVER come out of ANYONE’S mouth!  And no, I am not just talking about Professor Cupcake’s rants about the Youth of America, and Scott’s Drowning Cat Howl . . .

Don’t worry, Kitty!  No cats were harmed in the making of this episode.  Wolves, on the other hand . . .

Hold on to your lunches, folks!  Because this recap is NOT for the weak of tummy . . .

(Once again, special thanks to Andre for the fabulous screencaps you see here. ;))

Why the Lord Invented “Vibrate Mode” for your Cell Phone .  . .

Run Forest Creature, RUN!

Have you ever noticed how nearly EVER slasher film features a scene that takes place in a public indoor parking lot at nighttime?  Talk about negative advertising!  The next time I have to go to one of these places alone, I’m wearing a bullet proof vest and a hockey mask.  Just sayin’.

Armed and ready . . . to shop.

When the episode opens, Scott is returning to his mom’s car, toting a truckload of groceries. (In hindsight, this is probably the one time when his trusty bike would have actually been HELPFUL!  Go figure!)  I actually find it kind of odd that, in a mid-sized suburban town like Beacon Hills, the grocery store doesn’t have it’s OWN parking lot.  But I digress . . .

“Hmmm . . .  I probably should have asked for paper instead of plastic.”

The poor dipsh*t can’t find his car!  He searches level 4, where he thinks he parked, and doesn’t see it.  Then he goes down to level 3.  Still .  . . no car.  (I’d be embarrassed to tell you how many times this has happened to me.  Hint, more times than I can count on my hands.)  So, Scott clicks his keys, and hears his car open.  As it turns out, it’s on level 4, after all.  Scott puts down his bags to take a breather, and out rolls the milk. 

Don’t cry over clawed milk!

(Now, Scott, WHY would you buy such a tiny milk for you and your Mommy?  That’s not even enough liquidy goodness for your breakfast cereal!  Someone needs to learn about Family Values!)  Then, before Scott can grab the milk, it rolls back to him  (Now, that’s convenient!)  . . . only this time, it’s got CLAW MARKS IN IT!

Scott hears a wolfy growl.  He runs away, seeking shelter behind a nearby car . . .

“Mom’s going to be REALLY pissed about that milk!  I paid 99 cents for that bottle, dammit!  Stupid Alpha!”

Figuring that it’s only a matter of time before the wolf finds him (they are, after all, on the same floor), Scott gets an idea . . .

Rather than running BEHIND the cars, Scott decides to run ON TOP OF THEM.  This, Scott suspects, will have the impact of setting off all the car alarms on the floor of the parking garage, which will, hopefully throw the wolf off his scent.  And THEN . . . Scott’s cell phone goes off. 

Talk about a BAD time for a booty call.  The minute Scott’s phone LOUDLY announces Allison’s phone call, “the wolf” lifts Scott up by the scruff of his neck, and announces to him “you’re dead.”

But fear not, Teen Wolf fans.  It’s JUST Derek!

Teehee!  Oh, that Derek!  He’s such a kidder!  He just wanted to teach Scott A LESSON.  He didn’t really want to GUT HIM LIKE A FISH yet.

“It was either this, or put a whoopee cushion on your bicycle seat.”

Scott begs Derek to teach him how to be a better wolf.  Derek replies that maybe if Scott wasn’t having phone sex with Allison all the time, he might be more focused.

To prove it, Derek tosses Poor Scott’s phone on the floor, CRUSHING IT!

But does Scott wolf out?  Nope.  He just whines like a b*tch.  Someone needs some serious WEREWOLF BOOTCAMP, STAT!  Scott ultimately promises Derek that he will stay away from Allison, until the Full Moon.

So, of course . . .

Scott Goes Back in the Closet (Ha Ha Ha)

Allison: “My, what perky nipples you have, Scott!”

Scott: “The better to poke you with my dear, Allison.”

Cut to the next night.  Scott’s at Allison’s house practicing the horizontal mambo with her.  In the background, Lykka Li’s song “Get Some,” blasts from a stereo nearby.  TVD fans might remember this song as the one Katherine danced to, at Alaric’s house, during the episode “Klaus.” 

“Eat your heart out, Teen Wolf!”

As she has pretty much done since the start of their relationship, Allison assumes the dominant position during Sexy Times with Scott.  She is always the aggressor . . . always on top.  She even goes as far as to ask the undoubtedly virginal Scott if it’s OK if she takes off his clothes . . .

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It’s still kind of hot though.   I realized something about Scott and Allison this week.  I like them a whole lot better as a couple when they AREN’T TALKING. 

Uh oh!  It’s coitus interruptus time!  Auntie Kate a.k.a Kate the Werewolf Slayer has arrived.  Into the closet you go, Scott!  (I suspect this is a place that is pretty familiar to you.)  Auntie wants to know what Allison’s been doing in her room “alone.”

“SCOTT!”  Allison replies.  (Just kidding!)  Conveniently, Allison has a history project she can pretend to be completing.  SURPRISE!  It’s a family history project!

“Mwah hahaha!  She has fallen into my evil trap!  My little niece will be shooting Scooby Doo in no time!”

“Golly gee, Allison . . . if you REALLY need help on your family history project, I guess I can help you,” Auntie Kate replies, before pulling up the website she has memorized by heart, and launching into the Your Family Tree oral report she has been reciting in front of her Mirror, Mirror on the Wall (Who’s the Biggest Badass of them All?) ever since Baby Allison made her first poop.

Kudos to the Teen Wolf writers for actually utilizing a genuine werewolf legend in developing the Argent family history.  It’s called the Beast of Gevaudan, and you can read about it by clicking here.

Awww, how cute!  I think I’ll call it Fluffy!

Long story, short.  There was supposedly this wolf-like creature that terrorized the French province of Gevaudan in the late 1700’s.  Some of Allison’s ancestors hunted it down.  The rest, as they say, is werewolf slayer history.  Scott, who is listening to this from the inside of his cubby hole, needless to say, is less than amused that Allison is learning her roots.  She dominates him enough, as it is!

“Awww man!  Now she’s probably going to want do all that S&M sh*t!  No me gusta!”

Once the coast is clear, Scott jumps out of Allison’s window, and miraculously lands on his feet.  But because Allison had “eight years of gymnastics” and can do the same thing with her eyes closed, she doesn’t think anything of Scott’s super human jumping abilities.  She’s not even impressed enough to let him be on top, for a change.

“P-shaw!  Amateur!”

The Alpha Gives Scott an Art Lesson

Oooh . . . . SO PRETTY!  (And WAY cooler than the happy faces I always draw on MY car window.)

Pretty much as soon as Allison closes her window, Scott hears a rumbling in the bushes.  He assumes it’s Derek, because Derek seems to like to hide in the bushes and peep on other dudes.  (So does Jackson, we will later learn.)  And, can I just say, HOTTEST STALKER EVER!  Scott starts mumbling some excuse about how he had to see Allison because he had a really bad case of blue balls, and blah, blah, blah . . .

 . . . when, suddenly, he hears a very non-Derek like growl.  Scott runs to his car.  (Clearly, the writers heard my complaints about the bike, because it is nowhere to be seen in this episode.)  The Alpha approaches the car.  He sticks out his claw . . . and he . . . DRAWS CURLICUES!

Terrifying . . . I know!

Scott says the curlicue drawing makes him MAD!  He assumes this is because he is FEELING THE ALPHA’S FEELINGS.  But I think it’s just because the douchey Alpha messed up his mom’s car window.  (Those “drawings” leave streaks, you know!)

In all seriousness, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen the curlicue . . .

We saw it around Derek’s sister’s burial plot.

We’ve seen it on the photographs of dead animals in the area.

We saw it on the roof of the video store, the night the Alpha attacked Jackson.  And, my personal favorite . . .

Derek’s back has not one . . . not two . . . but THREE curlicues!

When Scott arrives back at his home, who should be sitting there, but Derek!  (I guess he’s just making up for NOT stalking Scott outside.)

“If this is a slumber party, I fully expect you to paint my were-claws purple!”

Like a best gal pal, after a date, or Stiles, Derek is SUPER eager to learn what Alpha said to Scott in the car.  But when Scott tells him about the curlicue, Derek gets all awkward and uncomfortable.  He says Scott “[doesn’t] want to know” what the curlicue signifies.  Now . . .  as a brooding hottie, Derek gets an A plus . . . but as a Werewolf Bootcamp Counselor . . . he FAILS BIG TIME! 

Sorry Sexy!   The truth hurts, sometimes.

Yoda Stiles and Scott Wolfwalker

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At school, Scott is wandering around the halls like a mental patient, mumbling to himself “Stay away from, Allison.”  Good move, Scott!  Keep acting like that, and NO girls will want to go anywhere near you.  Eventually, he heads to class, where Bestie Stiles is giving him the silent treatment, for pretty much being the cause of his dad almost getting mauled by a wolf, after the parent-teacher conferences. 

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“I’m so mad at Scott, I could eat my own tongue.”

If Scott knows anything, it’s how to get Stiles talking.  And all it takes is for Scott to imply that Derek is currently in the running to replace Stiles as the Robin to his Batman, and Stiles is frantically begging his bestie to reconsider.

“Why DEREK?  Do you think he’s more attractive than me?  Do you think DANNY thinks that?”

Ultimately Stiles decides that HE should be the one to teach Scott how to channel his inner wolf . . . because . . . you know . . . he’s Stiles . . . and he rocks.  He also does a really kickass impression of Yoda, squeaky backwards-talking puberty voice and all.  I mean, you know what they say, those who wolf DO, those who Stiles teach . . .  OK . . . nobody says that.  But you get what I’m saying, right?

Meanwhile, Allison and Lydia are girl-talking.  Well, at least, they would be, if Allison wasn’t busy boring Lydia with her Big Bad Wolf versus Little Red Argent Story.

“OMG, Lydia!  My family is in this old smelly book.  You should be SOOOO jealous of me.”

Except, when Allison shows her the PICTURE of the wolf her family supposedly killed, Lydia is suddenly not-so-bored anymore.  She’s FREAKED THE F*&K out!

“Psst!  Hey, Lydia!  Remember me?  It’s Alpha . . . from the video store?  Would you, maybe, wanna go out sometime . . . like . . . on a date?”

“Not exactly the response I was looking for . . . but . . . OK.”

Put the STRAP ON, Scott!  I want to hit you with my balls!

“I’m going to make your heart race, Scott!  YES, I AM!”

Stiles has a pretty good plan for helping Scott to control his wolf.  Ever learn about biofeedback in psychology class?  The concept is that if you can SEE how your biological processes work, you can learn to control them.  So, Stiles wisely figures that if he monitors Scott’s heartrate, he can learn WHAT triggers Scott’s anger, enabling Scott to control his anger, thereby controlling his inner wolf. 

“I’m a GENIUS!”

Stiles’ first Anger Management class for Scott conveniently involves him “strapping on” a heart monitor, while his wrist are tied to his back.   Did I mention Stiles would be repeatedly tossing BALLS AT HIM?

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Those of you who were annoyed last week by Scott’s and Allison’s mushy gushy lovey doveyness probably got some cheap thrills out of seeing Scott get BALLED in the nuts a few times.  You know who else got a thrill out of it?  THIS GUY . . .

“I wish I could do that with MY balls.”

Umm . .. yeah . . . Jackson is apparently an honors graduate of the Derek Hale School of Broody Smouldering and Stalking.  Did I mention that he suddenly looks like an extra from The Walking Dead?  So, far, I can’t figure out whether Jackson’s “side effects” are the result of some strain of were-rabies, brought about by Derek’s Love Tap, a few weeks back . . .

It wouldn’t be the first time!

 . . . or if Jackson is merely suffering some SERIOUS PTSD from his Alpha encounter in the video store, LAST WEEK.  Whatever it is, Jackson’s mirth turns to fear, when he sees that Scott has taken one too many balls to the brain, and has started to shift, ripping off the duct tape on his arms, in a single pull.  He overhears Scott say that Allison “makes him weak,” so he can’t be around her anymore.

“I’ll have what HE’S having . . . On second thought, maybe not.”

El Creepo then follows the Scott and Stiles to the locker room, where they continue their discussion of werewolfing and Allison.  They soon leave because Jackson, apparently, smells like death.  So, of course, Smelly Jackson decides to take off his shirt.  (Thanks dude!)

Apparently, the hotness of his own body is too much for Jackson to handle.  He feels nauseous.  He needs to vomit.   He’s going to stick his finger down his throat to make himself puke.   But WAIT!  Someone did it for him!

Yeah . . . sorry guys.   I still can’t post that picture.  Everytime I look at it, it makes me want to ralph!

But, fortunately, all that grossness we just had to endure was only a hallucination of Jackson’s . . . OR WAS IT?  You see, even though Jackson was scratched by Derek DAYS AGO, his wound is still bleeding, as if it’s fresh.  Something is SERIOUSLY WRONG with this kid!

That’s one gnarly hickey, Wacko Jacko!

Just moments after Jackson reenacts the Alien movie with his mouth, he’s seemingly FINE!  In fact, he decides to sit down next to Allison in the hall and have this weird heart-to-heart with her.

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Now one of the benefits of recapping late, is I get to take a peek at the message boards to see what YOU GUYS are thinking about the show, before I write about it.  (It’s cheating . . . I know.)  And I was really surprised by how many of you started “shipping” Jackson and Allison together, after this scene. 

When taking the scene at face value . . . I get it . . . I mean, these two are both attractive individuals, who didn’t get off on the right foot, which is usually fodder for an EXCELLENT love-hate TV romance.  And Jackson is SAYING all the right things here.  He’s being self-depracating . . . ASSUMING that Allison already hates him.  He’s confessing to being obsessed with being the best, and being jealous of Scott.  He’s telling Allison that he’s “not a bad guy” and he “likes her.”  It all SOUNDS good, right?

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But that’s just it . . . it SOUNDS good.  But it LOOKS creepy.  The way Jackson keeps inching toward Allison while he speaks, completely ignoring her obvious discomfort .  . . the way he seems OVERLY insistent that she agree to be his friend . . . the way he keeps looking at her, like he wants to eat her . . . the way THAT WEIRD THING JUST CAME OUT OF HIS MOUTH TWO SECONDS AGO . . . it all screams DANGER, ALLISON ARGENT!  Couple that with all the stuff Jackson just overheard Scott and Stiles discussing, and you’ve got all the makings of an ulterior motive . . .

Be afraid!  Be very afraid!

But who knows?  Maybe Jackson will die before he gets a chance to do anything wrong surprise us!  Character redemption . . . It could happen!

Damn straight!

Let us all join hands (and pray that Wolf Scott doesn’t kill us)

In economics, Allison wonders why Scott has been avoiding her.  He mumbles about busy, or having to wash his hair that day, or something lame, and obvious like that.  But then Professor Cupcake, who apparently got his teaching degree from the Tazmanian Devil , starts TOTALLY flipping out on Scott for not having done his class reading.  You would think Scott killed his puppy, with how mad Cupcake is becoming . . .

Cupcake has this CRAZY look in his eye, while he’s hurling insults at Scott, like it’s his job.  And you’ve really gotta wonder what brought on all this anger.  I mean, I thought most sports coaches who were also teachers, LOVED their dumb star athletes?  What gives, Asshat?

Stiles watches nervously, as Scott’s heartbeat rises steadily with each insult.  The monitor is beeping VERY loudly, but, oddly enough, nobody seems to hear it.  (This must be a school for both wolves AND the hearing impaired.)  Then, suddenly, Scott’s heartrate drops.   Stiles takes a little peak under the desk, and learns that ALLISON is the source of Scott’s calm.  She’s TOUCHING HIM!

I meant his HAND!  She was touching HIS HAND!  You perv!

And, you know what, I’ll be damned if this wasn’t a SUPER SWEET scene . . . even to a cynic NON Salison shipper, like myself.  Like I said, these two are WAY better, when they are silent.

Since Scott isn’t the sharpest crayon in the box, he relies on Stiles to explain to him what this all means.  Basically, Scott luuuuuuuuuves Allison, so she keeps him human.  I guess having LOVE be your Humanity Trigger is WAY MORE FUN than Derek’s method of having PAIN do it . . .

And yet, both methods could conceivably involve floor humping . . .

By the way, does anybody else think it’s kind of weird that Scott needed STILES to tell him that he was in love with Allison?  Just wondering . . .

And yet, even though, by now, it seems COMPLETELY unnecessary, Stiles the SADIST has ONE MORE “lesson” for Scott.  It involves Stiles keying some big dude’s car, and letting Scott take the blame for it.   So, Scott can try to “stay” human, while he’s being gang banged. 

Yeah . . . that’s pretty bad ass.  But can you draw a curlicue on the window?  Bet you can’t!

Stiles’ stunt lands both him and Scott in detention with that weird teacher, who everyone on the message boards seems to think is the Alpha just because he has a strangely soothing voice, and wears emo glasses .  . .

As for me, I just thought it was strange that the guys who ACTUALLY BEAT UP SCOTT didn’t get detention for doing so.  This school is WACK!

More Finger Wagging

The itsy bitzy spider went up the water spout . . .

Derek drives to the mental institution in his recently repaired hot car to visit his old friend, The Family Member Who Doesn’t Speak . . .

Sorry Peter!  That was mean of me . . .

Derek tells The Family Member Who Can’t Speak (What can I say?  Old habits die hard.) that his sister was murdered.  He wants to know if anyone else, aside from him survived the family fire.  The Family Member Who Can’t Speak says . .  . well . . . nothing.  But after Derek leaves, he wags his finger, which, I guess means that the answer to Derek’s question is “yes.”

“Hey PETER!  Nice finger!  Let me show you another one!”

The Vet Did IT!  (Or did he?)

“Hey now!  Why do you have to go and blame the black guy?  What gives, Wolfy?”

Probably because he reads the Teen Wolf message boards, Derek becomes convinced that the shady veterinarian is either the Alpha himself, or WORKS for him.  (I’m thinking, the latter.)  So, he decides to interrogate the guy outright . . . and then tie him up, and beat the sh*t out of him.  (Anybody ever notice how much BONDAGE there is on this show?)

“YEAH!  Bondage RULES!”

By the time Scott arrives, his boss is already unconscious.  Derek explains that he wants to see if the vets wounds will HEAL to prove whether or not he is human.  Scott does NOT like this idea.  NOT AT ALL!

And yet, thanks to Yoda Stiles’ training, he is able to effectively channel his inner wolf, when it is necessary to show Derek who’s boss, and UNWOLF, before he KILLS Derek.  So . . . YAY for that!

New plan!  “Let’s draw out the Alpha with my PACK ROAR!”  Scott says, though not in so many words.  Dragging the unconscious vet with them as a souvenir, Scott, Stiles and Derek head off to the school and break in.  Scott takes over the school intercom and attempts to howl.  If you’ve ever seen the movie The Lion King, it kind of sounds like Baby Simba’s first attempt at roaring, only LESS menacing.

But all it takes is a few words of support from Yoda Stiles, and Scott is HOWLING like a champ!

“How you doin’ Beacon Hills, this is Wolfman Scott here, ready to HOWL some tunes for you.  I hope you’ve all been neutered!  Because this is my MATING CALL!”

Once that’s done, the bromantic buddies reunite with Derek, and kid around about how Scott’s howling abilities, or lack thereof.

“That was so good, I think I just went into heat.”

The trio is having such a fine old time, joking and laughing, that they want Bondage Veterinarian to share in the fun.  But when they look for him in the back seat . . . HE’S GONE!

Never . . . gets . . . old.

Oh, and I almost forgot . . . That stinkin Alpha did THIS to my poor baby!

But he’s not DEAD!  He can’t be DEAD!  He’s still signed on to appear in five more episodes.  He’s too beautiful important to the plot to die.  Right?   RIGHT? 

Next week’s episode promises to be a cross between The Breakfast Club and Every Teen Horror Movie You Have Ever Seen.  Check out the trailer, here!

See you next week, Werebangers . . . IF YOU SURVIVE THAT LONG!

[www.juliekushner.com][Fangirls Forever]