Degrassi TNG seasons 5 and 6

Photo courtesy of Next Episode

Check out my first post about this series.

Check out my thoughts on seasons three and four.

My favorites list hasn't changed much, except one of the characters is no longer on the show. I want to add Alex to the list though. She's such a great character and adds a lot to the series. She's come a long way from being a bully in some earlier seasons. 

Thoughts on season five:

Manny is once again a train wreck. I didn't think it was cool of Peter to blackmail her. It's sexual harassment and even though Mrs. H is his mom, he should have been expelled the same way Spinner was for bullying. Also, Manny's father could stand to be less oppressive. And I don't like that Craig and Manny are back together again.

The whole storyline with Liberty being pregnant is a bit far-fetched. I feel bad for J.T.. He's trying really hard to help her and she keeps pushing him away. Her brother is so annoying. How are her parents not noticing anything strange? I was not happy at all about what J.T. did with the drug selling and using. That was so out of character for him, especially when he was trying hard to be responsible. 

It's nice that Joey is able to move on, but I feel like there wasn't much closure between him and Caitlin and that the door still remains somewhat open if she were to return to Toronto. 

When are Craig and Ellie going to hook up? It seems like something could be developing between Ellie and Jimmy though? 

I like how Darcy is accepting toward Spinner and trying to help him turn his life around. I also like that she explains how people who are religious can have other interests outside of their religion that may not always fit with the concept of that religion.

I felt bad for Jimmy with how his dad was pressuring him. I also love that he's coaching the basketball team and his artwork is amazing.

I'm glad Marco finally came out to his dad, even though it wasn't a positive experience and he was somewhat guilt-tripped into doing so. I'm glad he stood up for himself though. His dad is so closed-minded. 

I thought the two-parter involving Alex and Paige was really well done. I like their dynamic too. 

I was not happy with Snake kissing Mrs. H. I hope he figures things out for himself before he completely blows up his marriage. I'm glad he finally redeemed himself and it was funny how he did so.

When did Liberty's family move? I swear they had a smaller house before. And it seems like they went back to a smaller space later on.

I'm glad Spinner realized that Linus is bad news. I was getting worried when Spinner sounded like he was in a cult. I'm also glad that Darcy didn't agree with Linus either.

Manny should have alerted Spike to Emma's eating disorder a lot earlier than she actually did. In any case, I was annoyed with Emma for doing that to herself in the first place and I hope she's sticking with therapy.

I'm glad Jimmy finally forgave Spinner. That was huge! I don't expect Darcy to forgive him for cheating, but who knows? 

Thoughts on season six:

I like the new opening credits. Has a 90210 feel. 

Emma looks fabulous. And she knows it...

I'm glad Sean is back but not glad to see him already mess up his life. Now that he's 18, I feel less guilty over saying he's attractive.

Ellie's roommate was so annoying. I'm glad it works out for her to live with Marco and Dylan now. 

So annoying that Craig is a coke addict now. I'm glad Ellie is mad at him for it and that Manny broke up with him. 

Where is Joey?!?

What is the story with the verbally abusive teacher? 

There are times when I still like J.T. and other times when he acts like an idiot. However, I never saw him getting killed as a possibility. So awful. I find it strange that he was in the main credits but the actor who plays Toby is listed after the credits, even though Toby is on more than J.T. now and had a pretty big role this season.

Darcy was reckless in posting photos online. She even ended up with a creepy stalker. 

I like Mia and feel bad for her in some ways. Darcy was so judgmental of her.

I had a feeling Marco's gambling would be disastrous. I still love him though. I love that his dad acknowledged his relationship with Dylan in some way.

Paige blew up her life, but I'm glad she's trying to put things back together. I also love Alex's role in Paige's life. I hope Paige can get things under control so that she doesn't have panic attacks anymore.

I'm kind of glad Peter is going to boarding school. Even though he's trying to be a better person, it doesn't excuse how he set up Sean this year. 

It was TMI for Emma to tell Snake about the fact that she's going to have sex. That presentation was so awkward.

I felt bad for Alex having to be in the position she was. At first, I felt bad for her mom, but then she did something stupid again. I'm glad Alex left and that things are good between her and Paige.

I'm glad Emma isn't pregnant. I don't think she's emotionally ready to deal with that yet.

I feel like the season ended abruptly. Usually it ends at the end of the school year. This time, it was in the winter.

Stay tuned for thoughts on seasons seven and eight...

Degrassi TNG seasons 3 and 4

Courtesy of CinemaBlend

As I continue to watch Degrassi: The Next Generation, I'm going to share my thoughts after every couple of seasons. Currently, my top five favorite characters are:

1. Ellie: She has a lot going on in her life, but weathers it well. I like that she stands up for what she needs more often now.

2. Marco: He's been through a lot with coming out, but is even more amazing for it. He also puts up with a lot from his friends and stands up for himself more.

3. J.T.: I still like his playfulness and geekiness. I think he won me over when he stood up for Paige toward the end of season two and just kept going with that. 

4. Paige: She starts off as a mean girl in the first couple of seasons but has changed a lot since then. She still has mean tendencies, but I'm rooting for her more often than not. 

5. Jimmy: He actually took the time to be nice to Rick and ended up getting shot as a result. I also like how he was there for Marco in season three. 

Honorable mention goes to Joey: adults are fair game and he's so cute in his thirties. I'm annoyed that things are starting to go downhill for him and Caitlin. He's so good to Craig too, even when he shouldn't have to be. 

Thoughts on season three:

They finally covered teen pregnancy, but I'm not happy with where they took it. 

I'm glad they focused more on Marco coming out, but it was really intense at times. I also hated how Spinner treated him. However, I'm glad Spinner finally came around and was acting as his wingman later. It was sad that his parents were making themselves unapproachable in terms of coming out, especially after what his father said at the restaurant.

Paige has mellowed out a bit, but Spinner acts like a jerk most of the time. I appreciate that he's devoted to her, but still...

Toby has been really annoying, but it was nice what he did in the detention episode.

I'm glad Teri realized she was in an abusive relationship and got out of it. However, I am so annoyed that she got roped back in and feel so bad for her after what happened at the park. So scary! I hope Rick goes away for good.

I love that they have some focus on the adults from the original series. Nice to see Wheels. I wasn't sure when the actor had died, but found out it was years after he appeared on season three. I love Joey and Caitlin together and am so glad he broke up with Sydney to get back together with her. I hope Snake will be okay. His health situation definitely threw a wrench into the season. It was interesting to see Shane again. I wonder if the actor who plays him really has a brain injury because I think it would be weird to have someone acting that way if they really didn't. Especially in this day and age. I love how Emma was compassionate toward him and how she handled the situation between him and Spike. Also, it was a fun surprise to see Heather, Erica, and Liz. And yes, the Zit Remedy song still plays a lot. :) 

I don't like the new Manny. She got such an attitude after changing her look and then managed to break up a relationship and get herself into trouble. I have a hard time feeling sorry for her.

Sean has become a jerk because of hanging out with the troublemakers. However, it was nice what he did for Liberty. He's also mellowed out a bit since he first took up with them and I like that he and Ellie are dating now.

The detention episode was totally a rip-off of The Breakfast Club, complete with the five stereotypes of students. It was funny when Raditch was working out and the exercise ball kept getting away from him. The skip day was reminiscent of Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

The longer hair is working for J.T.. I also like seeing how his personality has developed over time. I feel bad for how Manny treated him. I'm glad Manny is starting to come around to possibly liking him, even though it took something drastic to make it happen. I loved J.T.'s commercial. So funny! I wonder how he even got involved in that. 

Craig and Marco need haircuts. There wasn't Covid back in 2003. There's no excuse!

I'm glad Sean confessed about the laptop and found a way to make it up to Snake.

I'm sad that Caitlin and Joey have to spend so much time apart because of her job, but I hope the time will go fast.

I like that Emma has a better relationship with Snake now and even refers to him as her dad. 

Thoughts on season four:

I don't like the new voice for the theme song. It doesn't fit as well.

I was wondering when they'd revisit the rape case. I was horrified at the cross-examination, especially since it was done by a woman. I was impressed by how supportive Spinner was being. I hope Paige can get the help she needs to feel like herself again. It sucks that she had to relive everything and that she had to deal with that jerk again. 

I'm glad Craig and Spinner finally got haircuts. Marco is at least styling his hair now.

Why would Rick come back to Degrassi after what he did?!? He should go into hiding and change his name. Huge eye roll over that. I don't blame anyone for how they treated him. He almost killed Teri! And what is going on with her now? Last we saw her, she was awake and just getting a bandage changed. What Rick ended up doing was horrible and could have been prevented. I'm not sorry that he was a casualty of his own making.

I am annoyed by Manny being so churlish toward J.T.. Also, the device he was using was hilarious. 

I felt bad for Marco with still not being able to tell his dad that he's gay. I hope he eventually will be able to, but I know his dad makes it hard for him. I'm glad he could tell his mom and that she's supportive.

There's an interesting new development with Craig this season and I can't say I saw it coming, even with how his father acted toward him. It got really intense and I'm impressed that Ashley is sticking around. 

J.T. and Liberty, huh? I guess it was bound to happen. I like how they balance each other out. J.T. makes Liberty more fun and Liberty keeps J.T. grounded.

It's cute what Caitlin did with her hair. I like it that length and color. 

I'm glad Ellie stood up to her mother and I hope her mother will be able to stay sober after rehab. It's sad that Sean left though. I hope he'll be back.

It's nice to see Shenae Grimes on the series. I knew she was on it, but wasn't sure when she came in. I liked her on 90210. 

Surprising that Mr. Raditch is leaving mid-season. Interesting that Ms. Hatzilakis (sp?) is taking over for the time being. I like her a lot in general and think she's going to make a great principal.

The situation with Paige and the student teacher was headed for trouble and of course it went there. I don't even like them together all that much. 

Manny and Paige work well as frenemies and I never know whose side I want to take. 

I hope things go further with the blood donation company being homophobic.

I love that Kevin Smith is being featured. So much fun! There's even a meta quality to his appearance. Alanis Morissette's cameo was a nice surprise, as well. Also, I can't believe Caitlin kissed him. I know he's a celebrity and all, but she has Joey! 

I don't know that I feel sorry for Spinner at all. He dug his own grave and now he has regrets. I hope he can turn things around for himself and that this will teach him never to bully anyone again. 

Stay tuned for my thoughts on seasons five and six!

On a Degrassi "high"

Courtesy of IMDb

Shortly after starting this blog, I wrote about Degrassi High, which was one of my favorite series growing up. In the post, I mentioned Degrassi: The Next Generation. I recently started revisiting this series, after watching Degrassi Goes Hollywood, thanks to finding out that Dan Levy is in that movie. Watching it made me want to learn more about the characters, so I decided to try the series from the very beginning, when it started in 2001. Since then, I've watched two seasons and am starting the third soon. I figure I would share my thoughts on the first two seasons and then continue on with these blog posts as I keep going with the series. I found the episodes (along with the Hollywood movie) on YouTube, but there are a lot of ads and pop-ups. They're worth dealing with though!

As I mentioned in my post from a long time ago, Degrassi: TNG covers a lot of heavy issues that affect preteens and teens. In just two seasons, they've covered bullying (including cancel culture, before it was a thing), homosexuality/homophobia, body shaming, rape, racism, eating disorders, child abuse, theft, drug/alcohol abuse, catfishing, grief, etc. I'm surprised they haven't covered teen pregnancy yet, as that was a big trope in the original series, but there are many more seasons to go...

I love that some of the characters from the original series are back, namely Joey, Caitlin, Lucy, Spike, and Snake. Even Mr. Raditch is still around. Sadly, the guy who played Wheels passed away a long time ago. Joey actually looks really good without hair and I am hoping he and Caitlin will get back together eventually. I was laughing so much when they talked about the Zit Remedy and played their classic hit song.

Courtesy of Dougsploitation

The fun part is knowing that some of the characters in the Hollywood movie are in the series from the beginning. It's interesting seeing them so young and watching them grow up on this show as time goes by. It's interesting to watch as an adult because the characters are close in age to my older two kids and I keep thinking of how they'd be grounded for life if they pulled some of the stunts that the preteens and teens do on this show. I'm glad that they receive consequences though. I felt really bad for this one teacher when some of the students were playing pranks on her and then we find out that her husband is really sick. The characters have lots of layers to them though. One minute, I'll hate someone, and then next I'll be crying for them. (And yes, I've actually cried for some episodes.)

I do feel like the seasons jump around a bit and all of a sudden it's the end of the school year with some things that didn't get resolved. I also really want to see Heather Sinclair. She gets mentioned all the time but never shows her face.

Sex Talk Sue (Johanson) makes a couple of appearances on the show. It's funny because I recognized her right away from when I watched her show with a friend in 2004.

The theme song for Degrassi: TNG is definitely a change from the original series theme song. See which one you like better. The current one is an ear worm and I tend to skip through it now.

Thoughts on some of the characters (major players so far):
Liberty: I feel like Alana from Dear Evan Hansen was modeled off Liberty, not just for looks, but also for personality. I feel like Liberty is a tougher nut to crack, but she's grown on me and I like that she stands her ground. She even reminds me of myself in some ways. Like being the one behind the scenes all the time. The floor hockey episode was totally me, but for speech team.

J.T.: He reminds me so much of my younger son in looks and personality, except he's more of a girl-crazy extrovert. (He's the kid on the way bottom of the picture at the beginning of this post.) He's also good with animals.

Toby: He reminds me of a younger version of a guy I dated for a short time. Not a bad thing at all. And he's Jewish too. I hope they do more with that.

Ashley: I like how Ashley has come into her own a lot. She came off as annoying in season one, but I like her new look and the personality to go along with it. She also has a great singing voice.

Craig: If I were to crush on anyone from the show (like if I were a teenager), it would be him. I feel so bad for what he goes through in the beginning and at the end of season two. I love that he's connected with Joey Jeremiah, as well.

Courtesy of Amino

Jimmy: I didn't realize that the guy who plays Jimmy is Drake. I knew he was on the show, but his name comes up as Aubrey Graham and I had to do some research on that. He looks so young and awkward in the first couple of seasons, but I've seen pics of how he looks over time and the "transformation" into Drake. Jimmy tends to annoy me in general though. There are moments when he can be nice, but he runs hot and cold a lot of the time.

Courtesy of TV Guide

Sean: I like him with Emma, but his attitude can be annoying. He's either pitying himself or fighting with someone. Also, his brother creeps me out.

Emma: She also reminds me of myself in some ways. I love that she's Spike's daughter and it's nice to see the dynamic between the two of them. She's more outspoken than I am, but I like that she stands up for what she believes in, no matter the cost. I didn't like how she sneaked out of the house to meet a guy from the Internet though!

Manny: I originally saw her in the Hollywood movie and was really impressed by her, so it's fun to see her start out as a preteen and see her change between 2001 and 2009. I feel like there were only two episodes so far that were really about Manny....when she goes on a date and when she tries out for the cheerleading squad.

Paige: I referenced her earlier. She's the mean girl, but she does sometimes show her softer side. And I did feel really bad for her because of a certain incident. I like the rapport she has with J.T.. Like she's not supposed to like him since he's younger, but they have these really great moments together. I just can't stand how manipulative and bossy she can be sometimes.

Hazel: Hazel is Paige's best friend and she really showed a new side of herself in the episode about racism. I think she's mellowed out a bit since then.

Terri: There are times I like her and times I don't. I didn't like how she was going along with Paige to manipulate Ashley with her tarot cards. However, I liked when she stood up for herself when she was being body shamed.

Spinner: He's also very layered and I like him sometimes, but not others. I got annoyed at him for playing pranks on his teacher and for bringing bugs into school to prove a point. However, I love that he'll protect his younger sister, even though he has some mean ways of doing so.

Ellie: She gets introduced in season two. I first saw her in the Hollywood movie and thought she was really interesting. She starts off with more of a goth look, but I can see that it tapers off over time. The actress who plays her was on one episode of Schitt's Creek, playing a character who had previously dated someone who became gay. So it's funny that Ellie has that same situation early on in TNG.

Marco: The guy that Ellie likes in season two. I'm glad they introduced the topic of homosexuality through his character. He was also in the Hollywood movie and seems genuinely cool.

Courtesy of Fan Forum

If anyone has watched TNG, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. If you haven't yet, it's never too late to get started...

The Umbrella Academy: Thoughts on Season 1 and 2

Courtesy of Primetimer

What do a violinist, a knife thrower, a famous actress, a drug addict, and a man on the moon have in common? If you guessed that they're siblings, you'd be correct. These five, plus a ghost and a time traveling teenager with the mind of an old man, make up the Umbrella Academy. They're a group of people all born on the same day to women who weren't pregnant and adopted by a man who cultivates their powers to form a superhero squad. If you told me a year ago that I'd fall in love with a show like this, I would have laughed at you. A lot. However, thanks to some nudging from the Original Schitt's Creek Fan Club, I decided to give it a whirl. While this show has nothing to do with Schitt's Creek, there are some connections. The biggest is a set piece that features toward the end of the first season. There's also an actor (hint: fruit wine) and a costume piece that are in the second season.

Who wore them better?

I'm really not much of a sci-fi person, but I'll watch certain shows if there's more to them than just sci-fi elements, such as Stranger Things, Upload and Orphan Black. I can tell you that I now like The Umbrella Academy even more than Orphan Black. That's saying a lot because I love Orphan Black!

Anyway, I'm first going to share the top seven (since there are seven members of the Umbrella Academy) reasons you should watch this series. Then, I will share SPOILERS after the trailer, for anyone who has seen it and wants to hear my thoughts.

Reasons to watch The Umbrella Academy:
1. Klaus. That's all you need to know for now. ;)
2. There are a lot of humorous moments.
3. A talking monkey, which was strange to me at first, but then grew on me quickly.
4. The music! They had me at "I Think We're Alone Now" in the first episode and then just kept rocking on with great songs. Some of the songs don't even fit the action, which is even more genius. (Like an upbeat version of "Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows" during a fight scene.)
5. The humanity of the characters. There's way more to them than their powers.
6. The special effects. Lots of cool visuals.
7. The unpredictability. I had no idea what was going to happen from one episode to the next. I literally only guessed one thing right in the second season!

If this isn't convincing enough, check out the trailer. But stop there until you've watched the series, because there will be spoilers afterward!




For everyone who has seen both seasons of The Umbrella Academy....
I'm not going to attempt to analyze everything that has happened across two seasons. There's SO much going on and my mind is still whirling. What I was right about (that I alluded to in number seven above) is Lila being one of the babies with special powers born mysteriously on October 1, 1989. I had a feeling the Handler orchestrated her parents' murder so that she could harness her powers. I'm guessing her parents didn't want to sell her to Reginald. I didn't know that Number Five was being used to carry out the murder.

Anyway, onto my thoughts of the characters. I'm listing the seven members of the Umbrella Academy from favorite to least favorite and a little bit about why.

1. Klaus: I think Klaus is probably everyone's favorite on this show and there's a reason for it. He's just so much fun, not to mention adorable. I basically call him the "David Rose" of The Umbrella Academy. He's beautiful, funny, sensitive, interesting to watch, and has some of the most daring clothing choices. Klaus peaked for me in episode four of season one. That's when I really started to love him. I had seen Robert Sheehan many times while scouring IMDb to cast my book reviews, but I never gave him much thought past his curly hair. It was cool to see what he was capable of.

His smile on the right...swoon!

2. Number Five: I enjoy watching him and he has such a great personality. He's this teenager who has the mind of a 60 year-old man. At times, he made me think of the teenage guy in 18 Again when he switched minds with George Burns. I like how he carries himself physically, in the way he walks, gestures, etc. He reminds me of my younger son in some ways, as well.

Nope GIF from Nope GIFs

3. Allison: I think she has the coolest power of everyone and I would totally want to be able to do what she can, but only to help someone in trouble. I felt bad for her that she wasn't able to be with her daughter. The fact that she's played by a Broadway actress adds to her cool factor.

4. Diego: While he tends to be tough on the outside, he has a good heart. He's also attractive, but I like him better with short hair in season one.

5. Vanya: I wasn't so thrilled with her in season one, but then I really liked her in season two. She moved herself up a spot because of that.

6. Ben: It took a while to really get to know him, but then I loved when he possessed Klaus and helped Vanya.

7. Luther: I've always been lukewarm on him. He comes off as boring to me at times, even though he also has a good heart. I also liked him better in season two, but even that took a while.

As for secondary characters, there are so many of them! I can list who I liked and who I didn't like. I may elaborate on some.

Liked:
*Hazel: He was supposed to be a bad guy, but he reformed and he even helped Five. I really want to know what happened when he and Agnes time traveled, prior to Hazel finding Five in 1963.

*Agnes: The sweet donut lady who captures Hazel's heart. She reminds me of the mom from Six Feet Under.

Credit: Christos Kalohoridis/Netflix

*Lila: I know she's working for the Handler, but I like her personality in general. She reminds me of Robin from Stranger Things. She's also very pretty with a great accent.

*Sissy: I was sad that she didn't want to follow Vanya to 2019, but I get her reasons. She and Vanya were really good together though. I love that she was able to stand up to her jerk of a husband too.

*Pogo: Both in the present and when he was a baby in the past. How many shows feature such a wise talking monkey?

Photo from PopBuzz

*Grace: Both the robot version and the real one.

*Eudora: She was brave to save Klaus, even though she was killed as a result. I was shipping her with Diego prior to that.

*Raymond: Even though it took him a while to believe Allison, I appreciated seeing the love he had for her.

*Dave: I love how he and Klaus were together in Vietnam, but was sad that he didn't listen to Klaus when he was younger.

Didn't like:
*Cha Cha: Regardless of how great Mary J. Blige was playing this role, she was ruthless. I hated that she tried to kill Agnes too. She did have some funny lines though. I wish they had played "Family Affair" during one of her scenes. That would have been so meta.

*The Handler: Despite her incredible costumes, she was evil.

Courtesy of BuzzFeed. Her hat reminds me of
something Moira would wear on Schitt's Creek.

*The Swedish guys: I hated them so much that I liked seeing them get destroyed. I was surprised when Five got the final one to give up.

*Reginald: He was such a condescending jerk. It was horrible how he manipulated Vanya to believe she was ordinary. I hated how he talked to everyone.

*Carl: I didn't like how he treated Sissy and Harlan.

*All the racist people

*Leonard/Harold: He was horrible! I was so glad that Vanya killed him.

Courtesy of Fandom

There are some other interesting characters in both seasons, but I'll be writing this forever if I go on.

So much happened in each episode that just had me reeling. I can't really say I have a favorite episode from either season. I just liked them all so much, even when there were some gory scenes interspersed.

I mentioned the music before, but I'll mention it again because it's just so great. It's such an eclectic mix from different time periods. Even when they were in the 1960s, some current songs were used. The cover of "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley in season two, episode one reminded me of the version from Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist. I love that songs from Queen and Styx were used, as well as one of my favorites, "Right Back Where We Started From." They even used my favorite Beethoven piece: Symphony Seven, Second Movement. I was watching something else with my son recently and they played "Dancing in the Moonlight." I nudged him and said "that's the song Luther and Alison danced to!" I also liked the cover of "Sunny" in season two when they're showing what Klaus was up to. The "Happy Together" cover in season one is great too.

As for the season two finale, my mind is still spinning, even after watching this. I can't wait to see what's in store for season three, but I heard we may have to wait until 2022 due to Covid delaying production of a lot of shows. :(

Vanya Hargreeves White Violin GIF from Vanyahargreeves GIFs

If you've made it this far, what are your thoughts on this amazing series?

Book Review: The Assignment

This week, Jewish people all over the world observed Tisha B'Av, which is a day of mourning. It is the day we remember the destruction of both Temples that once stood in Jerusalem as well as a number of other tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people over the course of history. (Description courtesy of My Jewish Learning.) So it's fitting that I recently read Liza Wiemer's sophomore novel, The Assignment. Based on the synopsis, you will see why.

SENIOR YEAR. When an assignment given by a favorite teacher instructs a group of students to argue for the Final Solution, a euphemism used to describe the Nazi plan for the genocide of the Jewish people, Logan March and Cade Crawford are horrified. Their teacher cannot seriously expect anyone to complete an assignment that fuels intolerance and discrimination. Logan and Cade decide they must take a stand.

As the school administration addressed the teens' refusal to participate in the appalling debate, the student body, their parents, and the larger community are forced to face the issue as well. The situation explodes, and acrimony and anger result. What does it take for tolerance, justice, and love to prevail? (Courtesy of Amazon.)

About five years ago, I read Liza Wiemer's debut novel and was extremely impressed by it. So waiting this long for her to publish another one took a lot of patience from my end. I just wanted her to mass-produce books right away! I can confidently say for the record that The Assignment was well worth the wait.

The assignment itself was horrifying and the fact that two non-Jewish students were appalled by it gives me hope for their generation, as well as future ones. This was based on a real situation, which is written about in the author's note. Seeing what Logan and Cade had to put up with in hopes of getting the assignment cancelled was equally horrifying. It's similar to stuff that happens in real life, as well. The fact that a lot of comments people made were antisemitic was even more disheartening. Liza puts a lot of emotional impact into her story without making it sappy. She even presents the teacher's side at times. I also liked that there was focus on Logan and Cade's friendship and other characters got to share their perspectives, as well.

The story is educational for anyone who isn't familiar with what happened during the Holocaust by now. I think it should be included in school curriculum, whether it is for an English class or a history class. There is so much material to discuss and Liza leaves some things open ended, allowing readers to draw their own conclusions. It's perfect for book clubs, as well. And if you have a teenager in the house, be sure to get this into their hands as soon as it publishes. If you think a preteen could handle it, let them read it too!

I definitely recommend this novel as it is insightful and thought-provoking. It will make you feel things and you might even want to have some tissues handy.

Movie casting suggestions:
Logan: Alexis G. Zall
Cade: Noah Lomax
Mr. Bartley: Tom Hiddleston
Mason: Jake Brennan
Heather: Harley Graham
Daniel: Jamie Kaye
Kerrianne: Jade Pettyjohn
Reggie: Christian Martyn

Thanks to Delacorte Press for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Disclosure of Material Connection:
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The Schittiest Summer Ever

This summer has been one for the books, and we're only halfway through. Thanks to COVID-19, we haven't been able to do all that much. Camps were cancelled. The heat has been unbearable. And there's an icing on the cake moment that happened to me this week, but I will be okay. In any case...the one thing keeping me happy this summer has been one amazing show that I never thought I'd even watch. My friends kept telling me to watch it and I finally decided to give it a try, since we didn't have much else to do. Little did I know, I'd fall in love with this show and would be sad about finishing it. I've been waiting to write this post until I was completely done with it, and now I am. (And I already want to watch it again.) Given the title of my post, you may have guessed that it's none other than SCHITT'S CREEK!

Heads up: There are spoilers ahead. If you haven't seen all six seasons, save this post and come back when you're done. And if you were on the fence about watching it, get off that fence already! It's just so incredible and uplifting and you're going to want to binge-watch it (possibly over and over again). I could give you a billion more reasons for watching it, but I just think you should see for yourself why it's so great. The first season is a slow burn, but after that, it just picks up and takes off from there. The last few seasons are so wonderful in so many ways!

Photo courtesy of Glaad

I don't even know where to begin. I just love everything about this show. The comedy is fabulous, on par with Arrested Development in my opinion. It's quirky and there are a lot of inside jokes and fabulous memes and gifs to come of it. I'd laugh so much from some of the things the characters said or did. Here are some of my favorite funny moments:

* Roland telling David about his Devil Wears Prada role play and David's reaction.
* Twyla explaining to Alexis how to ride a bike.
* Johnny's conversation with Alexis when he thinks she's pregnant.
* Johnny trying to get Roland to keep Moira's surprise party a secret by having him ask Jocelyn to tell her it's for something else.
* Alexis's reaction to a beardless Mutt.
* The sign. "Don't worry, she's his sister!" (Also the sign at the very end.)
* Johnny trying to roast Roland.
* Moira saying "oopsy daisy."
* Stevie and David at the spa for their "honeymoon".
* Alexis breaking the sink in the bathroom at the store and then lying about it with a really bad cover story.
* Johnny not realizing who he rented rooms to until Stevie makes a certain hand gesture to explain.
* Anytime Moira slaps someone. (Especially the first time when she slapped Roland. I think that alone sold me on the show.)
* Twelve "things" of raw milk.
* David's reaction to the guy with Wendy, whom he thought was trying to look like him. Then Wendy trying to justify the mirror on the ceiling of the room her husband shares with another man.
* The whole scene revolving around the "happy ending."
* Jocelyn giving her baby the middle name Moira.
* Johnny and Moira going to the wrong cabin to have sex.
* "Fold the cheese!"
* Moira doing her crow voice.
* The "auditions" for Larry Air
* Patrick getting too much of a spray tan
* Bob's jog walk

These are just a handful of moments that really made me laugh. There were also some incredibly sweet and beautiful moments.
* Moira giving Stevie the lead role in Cabaret.
* Patrick singing "Simply the Best" to David at open mic night.
* David and Patrick's first kiss.
* David saying "I love you" to Patrick.
* Patrick coming out to his parents and the love and support he gets.
* Ted crashing the singles party to kiss Alexis.
* Johnny offering to partner with Stevie on the hotel.
* Roland standing up for Johnny at the investors meeting.
* Patrick proposing to David.
* The wedding.
* Alexis asking Ted what it was like when she broke up with him.
* David buying the house. Also his tearful conversation with Stevie beforehand.
* David and Stevie talking about being each other's best friend.
* What Patrick says to Johnny during their talk
* Jocelyn telling Moira how much Alexis has accomplished.
* When Alexis helps David get Heather as a client.
* Alexis postponing her date to help David through a situation with Patrick.
* Stevie singing "Maybe This Time".
* Alexis changing her mind about convincing Stevie to let her be maid-of-honor and then helping Stevie pick a tie.

Schitts Creek Obsessed GIF from Schittscreek GIFs

As you can tell, there is so much I love about the show. One of the key things is the cast. Schitt's Creek has the best ensemble cast. The only other show I've said this about lately is Speechless. I love everyone on the show and how well they work together and interact. All four of the Roses are amazing in their own ways. David is, hands down, my favorite though. There are also some great supporting characters. I'll list a bunch of characters and tell you what I like best about each of them.

David: Everything about David is AMAZING! His overall look just slays me every time, with the sweaters and the multiple rings on one hand and how he'll sometimes wear a kilt or short pants. I just can't get enough of him. I love his personality and facial expressions and he has such great lines. His sincerity bowls me over and I love that he's able to cry on screen like that. Dan Levy plays him to perfection and the fact that he also wrote this show adds even more to how wonderful he is. Dan has officially usurped Lin Manuel-Miranda for me, in that he's the number one celebrity I'd want to meet in person, even though I'd need paramedics standing by because I'd have a reaction similar to what David had to Mariah Carey in this video.

Moira: She's got it going on between her outfits, wigs, and the way she talks, which includes her accent. At first, Moira grated on me, but then I started getting used to her personality and she ended up surprising me sometimes. The moment I truly loved her was when she gave Stevie the role in Cabaret. I cry just thinking about that. I liked seeing how the town grew on Moira and watching all her comedic moments. I've always enjoyed seeing Catherine O'Hara in movies from Beetlejuice to Home Alone to Waiting for Guffman (one of my favorite roles of hers), but Moira takes the cake as her best character EVARR! (Say that in her voice.)

Alexis: Alexis is absolutely adorable! Her facial expressions, hand gestures, the way she talks, her outfits, etc. add to her essence. I loved watching her grow throughout the series and seeing her vulnerable side always threw me for a loop, but I loved it! Her name dropping and all the mentions of her time spent in other countries with random men was always amusing. I loved her banter with David too. (I thought it was funny that they had similar facial expressions and they looked more related than Dan Levy does with his real life sister who plays Twyla.) I love how she says "EW!" and have now attributed an "Alexis 'EW!'" to anything I think is gross. She's definitely girl-crush worthy. Boop!

Johnny: What I said about Catherine O'Hara earlier also applies to Eugene Levy, since they were in the mockumentaries together. I really like Johnny a lot for his role as a father to his kids and father figure to Stevie. He's more subdued than the others in his family, but he also has some great comedic moments, especially when he interacts with Roland. His smile lights up a room and reassures us all that everything is going to be okay somehow. He's a great balance for Moira, as well. This is definitely an iconic role for him and I can't imagine anyone else playing it.

Roland: Chris Elliot was really the best fit for this role. He plays Roland to perfection. While Roland can be super annoying (which is part of his "charm"), I like that he truly loves Jocelyn and that he tries to be a good friend to Johnny. He really won my heart in one of the last episodes though. There are certain aspects of him that remind me of my younger son, and I don't mean that in a bad way. Just his little quirks and facial expressions and the fact that his hair is always a mess. He has a good heart.

Jocelyn: I love watching Jocelyn interact with Moira. It makes for some great moments on the show. I also enjoyed seeing her come into her own. I think having another baby took her in a new direction. Even though I didn't like her new haircut, I get why she did it and I loved seeing her try to justify it to herself. I also love how she was such a good salesperson at David's store, but then realized it wasn't what she really wanted. She and Roland are a good fit for each other.

Mutt: He looks better with a beard. Enough said. ;) He seems like a nice enough guy, but I didn't like him and Alexis together all that much.

Stevie: One of my favorite supporting characters. I love how she has so many layers beneath her sarcastic demeanor. She and David are so great together as friends and I love how they bring out the best in each other. I also love the bond she forms with Johnny. Her awkward moments make her even more lovable. And after seeing her in her usual outfit, I enjoy seeing her in a dress or even a Sally Bowles costume. Watching her sing "Maybe This Time" was such an amazing moment. I also love that she wore a suit to David's wedding.

Twyla: As mentioned earlier, the actress who plays Twyla is Dan's sister and Eugene's daughter. So it surprised me that she didn't have an even bigger role. I wish she had as much on-screen time as Stevie. I like her personality a lot and it was fun to finally get more of a backstory for her toward the end of the series. Just like her real-life father, her smile lights up a room too.She also has some great lines. I love when she's teaching Alexis how to ride a bike.

Bob: This is all you really need to see. P.S. My husband does a great impression of his jog walk.

Ronnie: She's really funny with some great lines and I love how she butts heads with Moira a lot. My favorite moment of hers was when she outdid Johnny as Bob's wing man.

Ted: I saw Dustin Milligan on 90210 (the new series) in 2008 and thought he was one to watch. He left the show early into the first season though. So I was surprised and delighted to see an older version of him appear as Ted Mullens, a love interest for Alexis and competition for Mutt. I was mad at Alexis for breaking his heart but then loved how they slowly got back together when she realized she truly loved him and he realized the same. Then I was sad about them deciding to go their separate ways in order to let each other grow. I wish he would have come back for the finale and said that he found a better job in NYC or something. A girl can dream.... However, he needs to lose the beard. That's where he and Mutt are truly opposites.

Patrick: Just like the show itself and the song he sings to David, he's "simply the best". I was given a spoiler about him and David ending up together, but I loved watching things develop between them and how he balances David out in the best ways. He has such a sweet and earnest face and I love the things he says to David. Noah Reid has some albums, so I need to listen to them, even though I can't imagine him singing explicit lyrics. He's another favorite supporting character.

Ray: Where would we be without Ray? He's so funny and quirky. That's all.

Now for my favorite episodes! So I don't keep this post going on forever and ever, I'll just list my top five.

1. Singles Week (season 4, episode 12): David says I love you and Ted comes back to Alexis and kisses her in front of everyone.
2. Meet the Parents (season 5, episode 11): Johnny accidentally outs Patrick, but it leads to such a sweet conversation.
3. Happy Ending (season 6, episode 14): Best series finale ever!
4. Grad Night (season 3, episode 13): I loved this for Alexis...not only does Ted come to her graduation, but Moira and the Jazzagals perform! And David and Patrick's first kiss is everything!
5. The Hospies (season 5, episode 8): The episode where Moira gives Stevie the part in Cabaret.

Obviously, there were so many great episodes and moments overall, but I'd never finish this post and be able to share it with all of you otherwise, bebes!

If you've made it this far, it means you already watched the series and love it as much as I do. I'd love to hear any of your thoughts on it in the comments. Thanks for being on this journey with me. I love it for all of us!


via GIPHY

Two fabulous teen shows

Both pictures courtesy of IMDb.

Recently, I have really enjoyed two shows targeted to a teen/young adult audience. Since I am young at heart, these shows were totally up my alley. Here are some reasons you should watch these shows (spoiler free).

Never Have I Ever

I was sold on this show when I heard that Mindy Kaling was the creator and that it was loosely based on her life. I had heard good things about it and decided to check it out. I am SO glad I did and am even more glad that there will be a second season!

Check out the trailer:

Some reasons you should be watching:
*Two words: Equatorial Guinea. You'll see...
*The cultural stuff, like the party Devi and her family attended.
*Featuring a character with Down Syndrome in a positive way without it being focused on their disability.
*The fact that Ben got his own episode. It made me adore him so much more afterward.
*Kamala and her Riverdale binge-watching. I just love Kamala's personality in general. She's so much fun to watch.
*Devi is not perfect. She says things she regrets. She disappoints her mother and her friends. She lies a lot. The list could go on...
*Devi's two best friends are fabulous. I can't get enough of Fabiola's hair.
*The Rocky Horror Picture Show and 90 Day Fiancé get shout-outs.

Love, Victor

A couple of years ago, I read Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and loved that book so much. I saw Love, Simon a while after that, but it didn't have the same effect as the novel, even though it was still enjoyable. As a TV series, Love, Victor won me over the same way Simon's story did in novel format. Ten episodes of this series is not enough for me and I really hope there is a second season coming, given how it left off. I haven't loved a show on Hulu this much since Four Weddings and a Funeral.

Check out the trailer:


Some reasons you should be watching:
*Same producer and writer as This is Us (Isaac Aptaker), also featuring an actress from that show (Rachel Hilson, who plays young Beth on TIU also plays Mia on LV).
*Awesome theme song that I can't get out of my head!
*Michael Cimino is adorable as Victor
*Nick Robinson (Simon) has a cameo both in voice and in person
*So raw and honest, not just in regards to Victor, but also with the other characters on the show.
*Ana Ortiz from Ugly Betty (Betty's sister, Hilda) plays Victor's mom
*Felix and Lake come off as annoying at first, but then they both grow on you so much and they become as lovable as Victor.
*Victor's little brother is so sweet and funny.
*Ali Wong has a small part as a teacher and she's really funny.

What I love about both shows:
*They have other story lines aside from the main character's, which I love.
*They feature an LGBTQ theme, but on Never, it's for a supporting character.
*They have so many great moments that have made me laugh and cry.
*They have strong casts that work really well together.
*They have great kissing scenes (I won't say who is doing the kissing though...)

If you haven't seen either of these shows, get ready to binge-watch them both! If you have seen them, let me know your thoughts.