Categories: Short Review
Tags: Avatar · Bones · Chuck · Cougar Town · Gossip Girl · House M.D. · Stargate Universe · Supernatural · The Big Bang Theory · The Good Wife · The Guild · True Blood · White Collar
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2009 End Totals:

New Purchase Items: 141 (109 in 2008)
New Movies: 93 (in 82 Purchase Items)
New TV Seasons: 63 (in 59 Purchase Items)
New Blu-ray Movies: 11

Money Spent: 1,869.30€ (1,628.60€ in 2008)
Money Spent on Movies: 706.04€
Money Spent on TV Seasons: 1,163.26€

Avg Spent: 13.26€ (15.66€ in 2008)
Avg Spent on Movies: 8.61€
Avg Spent on TV Seasons: 19.72€

Runtime: 56,852m (39d 11h 32m)
Runtime Movies: 10,049m (6d 23h 29m)
Runtime TV Seasons: 46,803 (32d 12h 3m)

Cheapest Item: Along Came Polly (4.47€)

Most Expensive Item: LOST: Season 4 (38.46€)

First Item: Cloverfield (4.49€)

Last Item: How I Met Your Mother: Season 2 (17.97€)

Purchase by Locality:
United States: 25
Canada: 1
United Kingdom: 78
Germany: 37

(more…)

Categories: DVD / Blu-ray
Tags: Along Came Polly · Cloverfield · How I Met Your Mother · LOST · Statistics
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My idea for a proper “King of the Lab” flag:

Categories: Fun, Misc
Tags: Bones
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Categories: Fun, Misc
Tags: College Humor · Dangerous Minds · Harry Potter
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Deutsche Version | CW 47-49 | CW 50-01

The Big Bang Theory 3×10 The Athens Recurrence
I do that very rarely but I watched the scene where Penny recites the physics stuff three times in a row. It’s so great to see her keep a straight face and the others get dumbfounded. Sheldon can be so proud of her. 
I also really liked the reference to the pilot when Penny explained why Sheldon sits where he sits.

Two and a Half Men 7×10 That’s Why They Call It Ball Room
This was a cool episode, it had many scenes that made me laugh, for example the couch incident or Alan’s wedding video or the dance lessons. I also liked that Jake had a few more scenes but I still feel they should make at least one entire episode about him again sometime soon.

Bones 5×10 The Goop on the Girl
“You look like sisters.” I really liked Zooey Deschanel’s appearance on the show, it was really funny. It also kinda answers the question why Brennan behaves the way she does even when she had a normal childhood until the age of 16. It must be a gene running in the family.
What I didn’t like was Booth dissing that radio man for having a negative opinion of the U.S.. But I think that’s a cultural difference. In Germany we’ve come to love criticizing our country and everything the parliament (we elected) does.

Castle 2×11 The Fifth Bullet
This one had a really nice assortment of guest actors: Marc Blucas (Buffy’s Riley), Anne Dudek (House’s Cutthroat Bitch) and Carlo Rota (24’s Morris O’Brian). I especially like Carlo because he often plays (he was recently on Stargate Universe, too) these somewhat grumpy character’s that aren’t really likeable (because they aren’t really supposed to be) and he does a great job with them because you actually don’t like the characters but you don’t transfer that to the actor.
But I also liked Marc Blucas in his amnesia role, he was a nice guy.

FlashForward 1×10 A561984
So Dominic’s character doesn’t actually belong to the evil bad guys. But he was still the most interesting character in this episode. I honestly don’t know if I will even remember this show when it starts to air again in 4(!) months.

(more…)

Categories: TV Season 2009/10 Diary
Tags: 24 · Bones · Buffy the Vampire Slayer · Castle · FlashForward · Gossip Girl · House M.D. · How I Met Your Mother · Paradox · Stargate SG-1 · Stargate Universe · The Big Bang Theory · Two and a Half Men · V · White Collar
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Categories: Fun, Misc
Tags: Doctor Who
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Deutsche Version | CW 45-48 | CW 46-50

Paradox 1×01 Episode #1.1
A scientist has a satellite in orbit to observe the activities of the sun (like flares and stuff). But when he downloads the new images from it there are eight images that come from Earth. And they weren’t taken by the satellite. The timestamp of the pictures seems to indicate that they were taken in the future. And they seem to show an attack or an accident. The institute involves the police and now a race against time begins.

When I read the description of this new British series, it sounded like a variant of Early Edition or Tru Calling so I gave it a try. But unfortunately the pilot was a bit disappointing. The scientist behaved like he was behind all it. I assume he did it to force the police to investigate but it didn’t really work out for me. And the police didn’t even take the most obvious precaution. They simply could have blocked that seemingly unimportant road but they didn’t.

Paradox 1×02 Episode #1.2
Now they’ve got their first possible paradox. If they hadn’t got the pictures the guy most likely hadn’t died. But if he hadn’t died the boy most likely wouldn’t have died either. So their investigation caused the boy to die but their knowledge helped save him.
Still the scientist is too underused; I believe for the show to really take off, he has to be more involved, otherwise it’s just another ordinary cop show.

Cougar Town 1×08 Two Gunslingers
Alan Ruck was cool in this episode but Travis was awesome; it was so cool to see how he first messed with Grayson’s head and then conned him.

Cougar Town 1×09 Here Comes My Girl
Huh, that was awkward and uncomfortable at the same time, thus funny to watch…

Bones 5×09 The Gamer in the Grease
That was one huge trailer / viral marketing advertisement for a certain Cameron movie that is about to be released. But I still liked it how Hodgins and Fisher danced around Camille in order to save their spot in the line.

(more…)

Categories: TV Season 2009/10 Diary
Tags: Angel · Bones · Cougar Town · Early Edition · Gossip Girl · Heroes · House M.D. · Paradox · Stargate Universe · The Good Wife · Tru Calling
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Deutsche Version | Season 3: Disc 4

3×16 Doppelgangland

Synopsis: Anyanka/Anya wants to have her power center back that was destroyed by Giles in the alternate reality Cordelia accidentally created. She tricks Willow into doing a spell but it doesn’t work as expected. Instead they pull Vampire-Willow from there into this reality and she – after a short period of acclimatization – tries to make it as “fun” as her reality was.

My Opinion: “And I think I’m kinda gay.” Nice foreshadowing. I really like this episode, it’s fun to watch and Alyson is great in all four roles (Old Reliable Willow, Vampire-Willow, Pretend-Vampire-Willow, Pretend-Willow). I also liked Anya in all her scenes, especially when this 1120 year-old ex-demon tried to get a beer in the Bronze.
Too bad Vampire-Willow died in her reality, it would have been cool to have her back at a later time.

3×17 Enemies

Synopsis: A demon tries to sell the “Books of Ascension” to the Slayers. While the gang is discussing how they get their hands onto these books before the mayor does, Faith reports back to him and gets the books for him. They also try to turn Angel into Angelus again. First by seduction then by magic. But not everybody in the Scooby gang is fooled by Faith.

My Opinion: It was a bit too convenient that Giles knew the demon who was supposed to turn Angel but otherwise it was an interesting watch, especially since even the viewer didn’t know of Giles’s/Buffy’s/Angel’s plan to con Faith. And Pretend-Angelus was awesome once more, he has such a great malignity.

3×18 Earshot

Synopsis: When Buffy fights against two demons and kills one of them, some of his(?) blood splatters over her hand. At first it just itches but then she begins to hear voices. But she doesn’t hallucinate; she can hear the actual thoughts of the people around her. At first this is fun and could be a great advantage in combat but soon she can’t shut anything out anymore and on top of that she hears the voice of an unknown person who wants to kill all the students.

My Opinion: One of my favourite episodes, I love these kind of truth-telling episodes because at first it’s great fun but it’ll ultimately turn for the worse. I especially liked it how they characterized the thoughts of the characters (Cordelia: think = say; Xander: sex; Oz: deep thoughts yet silent) which matched them perfectly. I also really liked Buffy’s speech in the tower.
I believe this is the first time Jonathan was featured as a bit more than a “runs through picture” character. I really like that kind of continuity because it makes the show feel more wholesome in contrast to shows where the episode cast is exactly that.

3×19 Choices

Synopsis: Their time in High School is coming to an end and after that their ways will most likely part. Buffy has been accepted to Northwestern, Willow to every university with a stamp and Xander is going to backpack over the country. But first they have to literally survive graduation day and Mayor Wilkins’s ascension. They have to steal the “Box of Gavrok”. They don’t know what it contains but it seems to be important to him.

My Opinion: Mayor Wilkins is not among the best of the Big Bads but in episodes like this I really appreciate him. His talent to bluntly tell the truth (and let’s face it: he was not lying about the chances of Angel’s and Buffy’s non-existing be-together future) is what makes him a decent Big Bad.
I also loved it that they chose Willow over the box without even arguing (except for Wesley…). It’s what I expect from a “band of brothers“.
And of course the band won’t break up. As usual with these shows (Smallville, Veronica Mars, Gossip Girl) they found a way to keep the gang in town and together.

Categories: Buffy Marathon, DVD / Blu-ray, DVD Marathon
Tags: Buffy the Vampire Slayer · Gossip Girl · Smallville · Veronica Mars
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Paradox @ Wikipedia

Paradox @ IMDb

A scientist has a satellite in orbit to observe the activities of the sun (like flares and stuff). But when he downloads the new images from it there are eight images that come from Earth. And they weren’t taken by the satellite. The timestamp of the pictures seems to indicate that they were taken in the future. And they seem to show an attack or an accident. The institute involves the police and now a race against time begins.

When I read the description of this new British series, it sounded like a variant of Early Edition or Tru Calling so I gave it a try. But unfortunately the pilot was a bit disappointing. The scientist behaved like he was behind all it. I assume he did it to force the police to investigate but it didn’t really work out for me. And the police didn’t even take the most obvious precaution. They simply could have blocked that seemingly unimportant road but they didn’t.
In the second episode they’ve got their first possible paradox. If they hadn’t got the pictures the guy most likely hadn’t died. But if he hadn’t died the boy most likely wouldn’t have died either. So their investigation caused the boy to die but their knowledge helped save him.
Still the scientist is too underused; I believe for the show to really take off, he has to be more involved, otherwise it’s just another ordinary cop show.

Categories: Short Review
Tags: Early Edition · Paradox · Tru Calling
Comments: No comments

Deutsche Version | Season 1: Disc 1

1×05 The Path Not Taken

Synopsis: Xena intervenes in an old feud between two kingdoms that is fuelled by the weapons dealer profiting from it. He kidnapped the princess and blamed it on the other kingdom. Within his ranks Xena finds Marcus, an old friend of hers who still travels the road she’s left.

My Opinion: It was an OK episode, but Marcus’s sacrifice at the end was a bit unconvincing. Granted they prepared for it in that conversation between him and Xena, but he was just fighting her because he did not want to change his way of living.

1×06 The Reckoning

Synopsis: Ares, God of War, slaughters some innocent villagers and blames it on Xena. The surviving villagers want to bring her to trial and then execute her. Ares could help her – if she comes back to him. Gabrielle tries to defend her and prove her innocence but is being sabotaged in her efforts.

My Opinion: Even though the episode introduced the cool Kevin Smith (they are both cool, but this is not the fat one! ) as Ares, the episode didn’t work for me. Even though she was innocent she surrendered to this trial just because she has a dark past. And it looked like as if she might have let them kill her. That’s BS in my eyes.

1×07 The Titans

Synopsis: Gabrielle inadvertently releases three of the Titans when she recites and old chant in a huge cave hall. Amongst them is Hyperion, the Sun Titan, who is not very fond of Humans. At first they follow Gabrielle’s command since they believe that only a powerful god could have released them. But Hyperion is impatient…

My Opinion: This episode I liked. It was cool to see Crius (one of the Titans) to follow Gabrielle’s every wish and constantly calling her “the virgin goddess” and her getting annoyed by it (especially the “virgin” part ). I also thought they did the handling of the height difference pretty decently. The special effects in the show aren’t the best but here they managed it to look pretty convincingly.

1×08 Prometheus

Synopsis: Hera, wife of Zeus and mother of the gods, has put Prometheus in chains. This means that mankind will slowly lose all gifts Prometheus has given them. Starting with the ability to heal and the ability to utilize fire. Both Xena & Gabrielle and Hercules & Iolaus try to free him again.

My Opinion: This was a cool episode, seeing the four of them together (I think it’s the only time it ever happens). And while it was unlikely (due to the time frame) that Hercules told Xena about Prometheus and his chains I didn’t care. I liked how they found “a solution” to free him without the need to sacrifice one of them and I liked how Iolaus and Gabrielle came closer.

Categories: DVD / Blu-ray, DVD Marathon, Xena Marathon
Tags: Hercules: The Legendary Journeys · Xena: Warrior Princess
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