Tatiana and My Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week

It's been a colossally crappy week for me for a variety reasons, from family stuff, to not having my favorite mittens in the snow,* to Adam working late and preparing to leave for two whole weeks,** to having to cancel Violet's birthday*** party,**** because Mimi is illin', and last but not least, to the Hoboken St. Patrick's Day Parade generating a disgusting fraternity like atmosphere in our apartment building and a Seinfeldian parking nightmare — it's not though, that we couldn't find our car, it's that WE COULD NOT FIND A PLACE TO PARK IT! So a big eff you to the last 10 days.*****

There were however, some interesting TV developments.

American Idol

What is going on with Idol? Maybe I am overly influenced by Slezak over at ew.com, but this season is whack. It is the opposite of a molten hot lava bomb, wait, that actually doesn't sound like a good thing. Suffice it to say, it's been sucking and for a variety of reasons.

A) Kara. She is useless. She isn't dissenting or smart. She's just another seal clapper, who adds nothing. Her constant talk of how "commercial" an artist could be, is off-putting. I'm not naive. I know that they want a whole package deal, but nobody would have looked at David Cook with his bad hair and dorky sweater vests a year ago and called him commercially viable. Carrie Underwood had a perm! Picking Jasmine Murray over Felicia Barton for the wild card (and ultimately the top 13), because of her pretty face, is just cynical. Let's keep it a singing competition and see where we end up, k?

B) Simon. He's just being a jerk this year and I'm usually a Simon fan. He seems unhappy to be there and irritated by the show. Come to think of it, maybe he's just like me, waiting for the real Idol to please stand up, please stand up.

C) Season 8 of weird homophobic sexual innuendo between Ryan and Simon is about 8 seasons too many, especially when they drag the contestants into it.

D) Tatiana Del Toro. Clearly the judges knew who they wanted to advance to the Top 13 and they didn't want to make it difficult for themselves, so they gave crazy Tati the wild card, with her fake accent and kneeling before the judges, just so they could mock her and bat her around a little more. It wasn't funny the first 5 times. They chose her, because they didn't want their minds changed by giving a real talent with a real chance of advancing, another shot. Idol is off the rails, yo. What!?

Lost

Make no mistake, I am not usually a Lost prognosticator. I don't see or look up most of the Easter eggs. I remember much of the mythology very haphazardly and primarily I watch for the characters, which is how I came up with this thought: Sawyer is the most genuine character on the show.

I am generally a Jack fan, but during this week's episode, "LeFleur," it occurred to me that Sawyer loves and is loyal because he does and he is. It's not because the Island is telling him to, like Locke, or because his own screwed-up life has made him feel that he must protect at all costs, like Jack. He is just a good man. Yes, he was a con man and we still have to see what lengths he goes to in order to keep his new Dharma life with Juliet, but I think his good heart will win out in the end.

I'm not over Jack, I'm just taking a longer look at Sawyer.

ER

Returning castmemberpalooza has been awesome. Loved seeing Morgenstern. George Clooney next week will no doubt send me into palpitations, but the Carter and Benton reunion? That's the good stuff. As unwilling mentor and student, they had great, roller coaster chemistry. That is a friendship I can't wait to revisit.

I'm out. I'm getting some sort of weird-weather cold. When will the bad juju stop? Time to watch Friday Night Lights. Will I recap? Who the hell knows.

* I found them today, when it was 65 degrees. Thanks Random Spiritual Guide, in whom I only marginally believe in as it is!
** He'll be doing Project M in Maine for two weeks, which gets a big WOOT WOOT! I am so proud of him. We'll miss you, baby.
*** I can't believe my sweet little girl is going to be 3. Where is all the time going?
**** On a positive note, many excellent baked goods left over. My friend Joanne Laurie, made the most amazing Angelina Ballerina cake (see photo). She's the Martha Stewart of Hoboken, so look her up the next time you need cake or cupcakes.
***** On another positive note, my in-laws came to visit. That was lovely.

What Would Tami Taylor Say or WWTTS?

I haven't blogged in NINE days. 9. That's almost two weeks. Sort of. What is happening to me? Where has my mojo gone? What will become of all my hopes and dreams? Maybe Tami Taylor knows. She always has the best advice. 

First things first, wouldn't it be nice to be as wise as Tami and as hot? Connie Britton doesn't have children in real life, so she gets to show off boobs that haven't been destroyed by pregnancy and nursing. (Friday Night Lights is very fond of its female character's cleavage.) I've said that she and Kyle Chandler are the best actors on TV, they are also the hottest mom and dad. 

Tami's excellent marriage was on display when she and Coach went to Jamarcus' house to convince his mom and dad to let him stay a Panther. Coach was all football, while Tami managed to gently interrupt her husband, praise his skills with the young men on the football team, and convince Jamarcus' parents that football was a good cure for their son's lack of focus. Coach is a molder of men after all. They agreed to let their son play, and we were rewarded with a Jake Houseman-style* "you looked great out there."

How charming was it when Coach opened the car door for Tami when they were leaving? He knows how good he has it.

Also, in need of counsel was our hapless Landry. I've always been on the fence about Landry. The 'oops I killed a guy' storyline last year with Tyra, while exasperating from a storytelling point of view, was beautifully acted by all involved. (Including Glenn Morshower as Landry's father, where has he been?) We got to see Landry's courage and conscience. Also, he's pretty funny. But I still don't really care what happens with his character. Maybe it's Julie Taylor syndrome — I know he's going to be just fine, which is basically what Tami told him. Years from now when he is miles and miles from Dillon, none of what breaks his heart now is going to much matter. If only we could all go back in time and tell our teenage selves that! 

I'm all for more gay characters on TV, so I'm down with the cutie, lesbian bass player. Loved that Landry didn't go hater on her. He's got a good heart. 

I actually felt bad for Buddy Garrity this week and that never happens. The guy is a major asshole and he never learns and he would destroy just about anything, except maybe Lila, if it was for the good of the Panthers football organization, but I felt bad that his kids were being so hateful. He was really trying, in his Buddy way, to make their trip fun. The camping was a disaster, steaks and verbal assaults were launched and Buddy stalked off. Good on Lila for telling her sibs to knock it off. Buddy broke my heart a little when Lila picked him up and he said that the whole thing had been awful. Such honesty and embarrassment in that one line. 

Was it just me or did you think Buddy looked doubtful when Lila said "you still have me." He knows that Lila is graduating soon and sleeping with/in love with Riggins. He is going to be very alone, very soon, in a town of people that don't like him very much.

In other dysfunctional family news, poor JD McCoy. His father might be worse than Buddy. I can't believe he ditched his kid after the football game, because he played a rough first half. Thank goodness he has a decent mother. Mr. McCoy and Coach went head to head not once, but thrice in this episode. With McCoy winning the first face off at dinner and Coach resoundingly whupping him at practice and during half-time. Don't mess with Coach's practice or his players. You aren't daddy when the uniform is on. 

Another quick shout-out to Kyle Chandler, his "get the hell off my football field" was a throw away line, but so organic to the character. Sometimes, I think Coach is a real person.

Street and his society of half-wits actually managed to finish and flip the house. I don't know if I believe it would have happened, but all good things for Street and Riggins, so I will let it lie. Loved the open house. Billy Riggins should totally take up real estate sales. 

Street told Lila that he is going to make a go of it in New York. He needs to be closer to Erin and Noah and do more than sell cars for Buddy, but again, it strains believability a bit. Aside from the fact that it's insanely expensive, are there really sports agents that don't have MBAs from Wharton? But if it gives me Riggins and his cowboy boots and shearling coat strolling the streets of Manhattan in next week's episode, I'll let this one lie too. 

Lila and Street have been through it and back again. Their scene together was a nice conclusion to their arc. Classic FNL. As was the highlight reel that Street made for Riggins,' with Coach praising his toughness and Billy talking about the 'best day of his life' when the Panthers won the State Championship. Still waters run deep with Riggins — he is tough, but I also think maybe he is smart and despite my earlier predictions, maybe he won't become the ex-football- playing, town drunk. 

In blogging news: Clearly I owe to my legion of fan to make no predictions, lest they be disappointed. 

* Dirty Dancing of course.