Best of 2022

Courtesy of Metro

I realize I didn't blog here a lot this year, and when I did, it was about pop culture. It's been that kind of year, I suppose...

New (to me) TV shows that I enjoyed in 2022 (in no particular order):

Riverdale: Seasons 1-3, Seasons 4-6

I can't wait for season seven!

Heartstopper: I love the graphic novels and this series brings them to life in the most touching and beautiful ways. The two leads are adorable!

Courtesy of IMDb

How I Met Your Father: I was skeptical at first, but this is a fun series and I'm excited for it to return in late January. There are even some cameos from HIMYM.

Maggie: Such a sweet sitcom and I'm sad that it wasn't picked up for a second season. I hope to see Rebecca Rittenhouse in something else soon. 

The Time Traveler's Wife: This series was so much better than the movie. It gave new life to the book and went even beyond that. Three words: Naked Theo James. :)

The Sex Lives of College Girls: What comes between Never Have I Ever and Sex and the City. This is such a fun series and I'm glad it will be getting a third season. 

Courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes

Virgin River: If Schitt's Creek was my sanity saver in 2020 and Ted Lasso was my sanity saver in 2021, then Virgin River takes the title for 2022. I love everything about this show and am eagerly awaiting season five. It's such a comfort show, even with the elements of danger.

I Love That for You: Quirky comedy starring Molly Shannon and Vanessa Bayer. I hope there will be another season. It's really well written!

Reboot: I wasn't sure I was going to like this at first, but then I really got into it and it had more layers than I was even expecting. 

Courtesy of TV Insider

The White Lotus: I still can't stop thinking about this show!

Runners up:

The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem: It's an interesting show but some parts are really gross and unnecessary. It's also hard to like most of the characters.

The Summer I Turned Pretty: This is more for the Gen Z crowd and it's hard to feel sorry for someone who has multiple guys interested in her.

Courtesy of IMDb

Partner Track: I liked it overall, but it was a slow build and Ingrid could be really frustrating. I also didn't understand all the law terminology.

Queer as Folk: I had hopes this would be better than it was, but I felt like I was jumping into the middle of something that had no context and most of the characters got in their own way. 

The Kids in the Hall (reboot): It was nice to see the guys again after all this time, but a lot of the humor was tone-deaf. We did get some good inside jokes out of it though.

Courtesy of IMDb

The vote is still out on Wednesday, as I am still in the middle of it, but I wouldn't say it's a favorite even though it's really well done. It's clever and Jenna Ortega is great in the titular role.

Favorite movies from 2022 (links are to trailers):

Turning Red: One of the few recent Pixar films that had an emotional impact for me.

Better Nate Than Ever: Really cute. Follows the book for the most part, with a few changes. Definitely got me teary-eyed.

Where the Crawdads Sing: First (and only) movie I saw in the theater since the pandemic started. Followed the book really well with great acting throughout.

I Want You Back: Such a cute and fun rom-com! And there's a nod to Little Shop of Horrors.

Matilda: One of the better movie musicals I've seen lately. 

Rosaline: Another cute rom-com set in Shakespearian times. Somewhat made up for not getting to the Ren Faire this year...

Moonshot: I don't think it's available on HBO anymore, so I'm glad I caught it when I did, as it was really good. It helps that Cole Sprouse was one of the leads...

Side note: I don't see a lot of movies so the ones that are currently popular have not made this list as a result of just not seeing them yet.

Books: 

See my top five picks at Chick Lit Central, as well! I read so many amazing books this year (go to my Goodreads page and see all the five-star books) and am sad to have to narrow it down at all. Links are to reviews.

11/22/63 by Stephen King

For the Love of Friends by Sara Goodman Confino

The Friendship Breakup by Annie Cathryn

Playing With Myself by Randy Rainbow

The Maid by Nita Prose

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan

The First to Die at the End by Adam Silvera

The Book Woman's Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson

Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun

Woman on Fire by Lisa Barr

Theater:

It was so nice to go see live theater again this year. It started out in February with a performance of A.D. 16 at a local professional theater. Since it was written by Cinco Paul (Schmigadoon), my oldest and I were excited to see it. While it was a fun show with good music, my son liked it more than I did. I think I was expecting it to be as funny as Schmigadoon...

In March, I took my oldest to see Rent at the National Theater. We had seen filmed productions of it, but it was so much fun to see it live with him. Most of the cast did a great job, but Roger's voice seemed weak. 

In April, we finally got to see Mean Girls. Here are my thoughts on that performance.

In July, my oldest and I saw The Band's Visit at Kennedy Center. I was excited about it because one of the actors from Shtisel played the lead male character. When we arrived, I was even more excited to find out that Janet Dacal from the Original Broadway Cast of In the Heights was playing the lead female character. The show was decent with some good music, but it was hard to follow what was going on sometimes.

Right before my birthday, we got to see Six. That was amazing!!! Here are my thoughts.

A few days later, my husband and I saw a Second City show at Kennedy Center for my birthday. It was really funny and totally on point with all the commentary about politics and today's society. 

We're supposed to see Beauty and the Beast this week, but it was cancelled twice before when we tried to see it this month, so I am keeping my fingers crossed...

I recently got into the music from Carrie: The Musical, thanks to Riverdale. I'd love to see a performance of this someday!

Famous people I want to meet:

Cole Sprouse. That's all. (Not me being a cougar or anything...)

Courtesy of Puzzle Factory

Highlights from 2022:

* My nephew's arrival in August. He's the cutest little guy and I love seeing pictures of him and doing video chats. I can't wait until the next time I get to hold him again. This is the first nephew on my side of the family and I adore him so much!

* Seeing Rocky Horror with my oldest a couple times. I still remember most of the lines and it was so much fun to shout them at the screen. My oldest thought they were really funny too. Our shared favorite is "I hate celery!" I didn't realize how much I missed the experience of Rocky Horror until I did it again. And it's good to know that most of the lines are universal and don't just apply to one theater in the Chicago suburbs. :) 

* Running blog tours for my job. It's one of my favorite things to do for the company I work with and I get good turnouts each time.

* My oldest getting his license. While I'm going to get a lot more gray hairs from this, I appreciate that I don't have to do as much driving. 

* My younger two kids graduating from elementary and middle school. 

* Seeing my oldest in his school play and musical and seeing my youngest in her camp musicals.

* Celebrating 20 years of being with my husband altogether. (Also 18 years of marriage.)

* Seeing "Will" again on our way to Chicago. 

* Reuniting with some friends while we were in Chicago. 

* Going to Pride Fest. It's been so long since I had last done anything fun to celebrate LGBTQ+ pride.

* Getting to see Liza Wiemer again. She's a fantastic author and if you haven't read The Assignment yet, you definitely should! Along with Liza, I also got to see my friend Kelly again. Liza is the one who introduced us.

* Getting to meet up with some other friends I hadn't seen in person since before the pandemic. 

* Meeting Camille Di Maio in person, as she's an author whose historical fiction novels I really like. She is absolutely lovely in person as she is online!

* Going to Philadelphia over President's weekend. We visited a really interesting museum called Wonderspaces and also got to explore the Franklin Institute. 

* The election having better results than I was expecting. While we avoided a red wave, there were still some disappointments, but we did pretty well as a country, overall. 

On a sad note, this year brought an unexpected loss to our family. In early August, my father-in-law passed away from a sudden heart attack. I am thankful that we saw him over Memorial Day weekend, but I didn't expect that to be the last time we'd ever see him again and forgot to take pictures with him. I'm still processing his passing and I know it has had an impact on my husband. He got to say goodbye to his father in person, even though it was difficult to see him that way. I feel awful for his half-sisters and stepmother, but the upside is that my husband has reconnected with them as a result. 

Anyway, I hope 2023 only brings good things to everyone. 

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A Virtual Vacation: Thoughts on The White Lotus

 

Courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes

Courtesy of IMDb

I don't know what made me want to watch The White Lotus recently. Perhaps some posts on social media? All I know is that I decided to check it out one day and now I can't stop thinking about it! For me, it's on par with Six Feet Under in terms of how it is so cleverly done. The writing is beyond incredible and I love all the acting too. (I'm surprised only three actors got Golden Globe nods.) The stories and characters are unique to each season and only one storyline carries over from the first season to the second.

I'm going to share reasons why you should watch it and then I will post spoilers further below so that you can opt out if you haven't seen it yet. (But come back once you have!)

1. Both seasons start with a mystery. There's a dead body involved, but you won't know whose it is until the last episode. So you're guessing all the time how things will unfold and who will be the unfortunate victim. 

2. It is full of celebrities. Aside from Jennifer Coolidge, season one has Connie Britton, Steve Zahn, Alexandra Daddario, and Molly Shannon. I also recognized the main actress from Little Voice, Brittany O'Grady. Season two has Aubrey Plaza, Theo James, Michael Imperioli, F. Murray Abraham, Haley Lu Richardson, Tom Hollander, and Meghann Fahy (fans of The Bold Type will recognize her). Even one of the actors from Emily in Paris is in a few episodes!

3. The settings are amazing! Season one is in Hawaii and season two is in Sicily. I literally felt like I was transported from my couch into these settings and could smell the fresh sea air and taste all the delicious looking food. It made me want to go to an all-inclusive resort again. 

4. It is really funny. Not funny in a comedic way, but in a bizarre way. I laughed out loud many times though. 

5. The lesser known actors keep it really interesting. I had never seen the actor who plays Armand in season one or the actress who plays Belinda in season one, but they were both so interesting to watch. As for season two, I loved the two Italian girls and I even warmed to Valentina after a while. 

6. The music fits so well with everything else on the show. It just accents the mood and feels so authentic to the setting.

7. It's just so intelligent. It doesn't go over anyone's head though. There is a lot of commentary made about today's society, wealth, relationships, etc. 

8. Once you've seen one episode, you'll want to very quickly binge the rest and you also won't be able to stop thinking about it. 

9. There's a decent amount of LGBTQ+ representation in both seasons. 

If I haven't convinced you to watch yet, then perhaps the trailers will. (The season two trailer may have a light spoiler for season one.)

Season one trailer:

 

 Season two trailer:

  

Spoilers ahead....

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It will take a long time to discuss each and every character, so I'm going to just share my favorites and least favorites for each season. 

Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge) is a mix for both seasons. I liked her one moment and got really annoyed with her the next. That went back and forth a lot. However, I didn't want her to be the tragic victim at the end of season two. (Just for fun, Nicole Travolta does a great impression of her.) The irony of her saving herself from being killed by Greg's gay mafia and then drowning anyway was just too much and I am still processing it. 

Season one:

Favorite characters:

Rachel: It's impossible not to like her. I just don't get why she was with Shane. She could do so much better. I was annoyed that she went back to him at the end of the season.

Belinda: An easy favorite. She was so kind to Tanya and put up with so much from her. I felt so bad that she got screwed over and never got to open her own spa. I love that Tanya made a reference to this in season two and assumed that Belinda cursed her. I kind of hope she did!

Quinn: He reminds me of my younger son in lots of ways. He was definitely misunderstood by everyone and I'm actually glad he stayed behind, even though I wouldn't have been happy about that if I were actually his mother. 

Least favorite characters:

Shane: He is such a tool. I wish he would have just gotten over the whole hotel room issue and just enjoyed getting some perks out of it instead. I'm sure Armand would have been nicer to him if he had just backed off. 

Mark: I just found him incredibly annoying. It's sad that it had to take an act of heroism, where he still ended up getting injured, for his wife to respect him again. 

Olivia: She was so vapid and I thought it was rude of her to go after the guy Paula liked. And then she wondered why Paula didn't trust her. 

Armand falls somewhere in the middle. He is a piece of work but he's also the most interesting and the most flawed. I didn't like that he stole the girls' drugs and used them and then lied about it but I also love the sick way he got revenge on Shane (even though it was pretty gross). I did not expect him to be the one to end up dead and I had actually hoped it would be Greg with all his health problems. (I originally worried it would be Rachel because of how Shane acts at the beginning of the season.) I didn't like Greg and hate him even more in season two.

Paula also falls in the middle. There are things that are likable about her, but I also didn't think it was cool for her to indirectly steal from her friend's family, even if it was for a good cause. I don't blame her for wanting to help Kai. Did he turn himself in though? Or was he caught somehow? 

I loved Molly Shannon as Shane's mom. She's always so great! If you haven't seen I Love that For You, she has a really big part on that series and she's fantastic.

Season two:

Favorite characters:

Lucia: I don't care if she was playing Albie to get all that money (I kind of had a feeling she was to begin with), I just hope she uses it for something good, like to open the store she wanted to own. Lucia is definitely girl-crush worthy. She's stunning and I love how she puts on the pathetic act to manipulate men. She reminds me a lot of Luna from Beauty Queen of Jerusalem.

Albie: He's just a genuinely sweet guy, not to mention adorable! I felt bad for him that Portia wasn't more into him. He's a catch!

Portia: I felt bad for her having to put up with Tanya's demands and that she got caught up in the whole plan to kill Tanya (in that she was being distracted away from her). She also has girl-crush appeal, but in a cute way. The nose ring adds to her overall essence. I just don't get how she didn't know her boss was the person who died. 

Bert: He is so funny with how candid he is all the time. He reminds me of my late paternal grandfather. I think the last time I remember seeing F. Murray Abraham in anything, it was Amadeus. So it's been a while. In any case, I'm glad he got a Golden Globe nomination! Well deserved.

Mia: Mia grew on me later in the season. She has a great singing voice and seems pretty genuine, even when she's being manipulative in her own way. I actually liked that she helped Valentina out like she had promised. 

Harper: I like Aubrey Plaza a lot in general and she did an amazing job in this role. Her dry wit and cynicism balanced with her party girl drunk side was a lot of fun to watch. Another Golden Globe nomination that was definitely earned.

Least favorite characters:

Greg: OMG he is such a jerk and I hate him so much. That's all. I really do wish he was the one who ended up in the ocean. I keep thinking that Tanya McQuoid married a real dickwad.

Jack: He's such an annoying tool. I didn't even think he was as cute as Albie either. At least he didn't hurt Portia and instead gave her a warning.

Dominic: He was just boring and annoying. I would have just enjoyed Albie and Bert having a grandpa and grandson trip. Dominic knew that he wronged his wife and he somehow expected her to forgive him. He also blamed Bert a lot for his problems. Seriously? Just own it! I did think it was hilarious that he had to deal with the awkwardness of knowing Lucia slept with his son.

Giuseppe: He's just gross and predatory. And definitely lacks talent. I'm glad Valentina sent him on his way. 

Ethan: He was boring most of the season until he got angry, and even that didn't seem as convincing to me. Maybe if he showed Harper more affection during the trip, there wouldn't be all the suspicion between them. 

Like Armand, Valentina also falls in the middle. It took me a long time to warm to her but then I felt bad for her when she found out that Isabella was straight. I liked how she had the power to make whatever decisions she wanted and how she used that to help Mia keep the performing gig. 

Cam falls in the middle for me, as well. He's a bit of a douche, but it's Theo James so he's total eye candy and I love how cute he gets with Daphne.

I would have totally enjoyed hanging out with all the gay men, but finding out that they were helping Greg get rid of Tanya ruined me for them. If there was a group of gay men who didn't have an agenda, I would definitely hang out with them at a resort. I also would have enjoyed hanging out with Daphne. She just seems like she's easy to be friends with. She's so chill about everything too. 

The only thing I don't like is the opening credits. They just take forever and the music, especially in the first season, is annoying. I always skipped through them. 

Anyone care to discuss The White Lotus with me?

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The Past is Obdurate: Review of 11/22/63

I had been dragging my feet on reading Stephen King's epic novel, 11/22/63, for quite some time. A couple friends of mine have been constantly nudging me to read it, so I made it a goal for this year and bought a copy in January, knowing I would read it at some point. I finally set aside some time this fall and started it last Monday. I finished it less than a week later! This novel is 850 pages of emotion, adrenaline, and lots of "what ifs". I just couldn't put it down and now that I'm done, I can't stop thinking about it. I'm even angling to watch the TV series soon. 

Jake Epping is a thirty-five-year-old high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, who makes extra money teaching adults in the GED program. He receives an essay from one of the students—a gruesome, harrowing first person story about the night 50 years ago when Harry Dunning’s father came home and killed his mother, his sister, and his brother with a hammer. Harry escaped with a smashed leg, as evidenced by his crooked walk.

Not much later, Jake’s friend Al, who runs the local diner, divulges a secret: his storeroom is a portal to 1958. He enlists Jake on an insane—and insanely possible—mission to try to prevent the Kennedy assassination. So begins Jake’s new life as George Amberson and his new world of Elvis and JFK, of big American cars and sock hops, of a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald and a beautiful high school librarian named Sadie Dunhill, who becomes the love of Jake’s life – a life that transgresses all the normal rules of time.

A tribute to a simpler era and a devastating exercise in escalating suspense, 11/22/63 is Stephen King at his epic best. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

I honestly don't know why I waited so long to read this one. I found out that it published in 2011, but it only just hit my radar a few years ago when my friends kept mentioning it. I didn't give much thought about it until then, so I had no idea it had been out for eleven years. If I had read it back when it was published, Jake and I would have been the same age. However, at that time I had a five year-old, a three year-old, and a baby. So big books like this one would have scared me off. Nowadays, my kids are teens and tweens, which allows me plenty of quiet reading time and I just devoured this book whenever I had the chance. Eight hundred and fifty pages just flew by as the story was so well-written, fast-paced, and engaging throughout. So if you're ever questioning why you should invest the time to read this novel, I would encourage you to just go for it! It will be worth your while, I promise. 

This is not King's usual fare if you consider that he mostly writes horror novels. However, it has his genuine storytelling skill that I enjoyed from the few other novels of his that I have read. (Most recent before this was The Institute, reviewed here.) At times, it took on a Wally Lamb feel. There's more to the story than just the time travel element. It delves into human nature and compassion and there's a romantic storyline, as well. The level of detail is so impressive that I could just see the story playing out right in front of me. It was so well-researched too. There were some unsettling parts though, which may be hard for some readers to handle. I squirmed during those parts but then it was worth getting through each one to see what would happen next. I just had to know if Jake would accomplish his mission or if the obdurate past would continue to get in his way. 

I love the feel of a simpler time that was played out in this story, from 1958 to 1963. Sure, not everything was perfect, but I loved all the camaraderie in Jodie, especially at the school. I just can't fathom what it would be like to function without a cell phone, the Internet, GPS, etc. I give Jake kudos for getting by without all the tools of the present.

There were a lot of themes and words that ran through the story multiple times. "Jimla," for example. Or saying obdurate all the time. Also, a lot of focus on things being in harmony. He said "Land of Ago" often, as well. And "In the Mood" by Glenn Miller was constantly playing. 

Some of the stuff going on with Lee reminded me of 90 Day Fiancé. He had a wife from another country and his mother was completely overbearing. Sound familiar? :) 

Overall, I just really loved this novel and can't get enough of it. I wish there would be a sequel written about preventing something that happened about six years ago. I'm sure Stephen King would love to give that storyline a whirl, given what I've seen on his Twitter feed. 

Since there's already a TV series out there, I'm not going to cast this book. I never pictured James Franco as Jake, but would be interested to see how he takes on this role. The other roles seem pretty well cast, especially Sarah Gadon as Sadie. 

I'm going to share some spoilers down below, so back out now if you haven't read this masterpiece yet (and then come back later, after you do). 

Before I get there, I am sharing this picture on Instagram, as I found some newspapers in a box that my parents gave me during my last visit to Chicago. It seemed pretty random, but maybe they knew I had plans to read this book. Either way, it's fascinating that they held onto it for so long and I am curious to read the articles when I have a chance. 

Spoilers:

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Did Al have any clue of what could happen if Jake stopped Lee from killing JFK? It seemed like it led him to such a completely different world when he came back. Almost like a dystopia of sorts. 

How did Deke and Ellen know to look after Sadie to save her from Johnny Clayton if Jake didn't send the letter to warn them? And why would Johnny go after her if she wasn't in a new relationship anyway?

Why was the green card man trying to stop Jake from undoing his damage when he went back in?

Why wouldn't Jake want to save Harry and his family again on the last go-around, especially if he wasn't going to save JFK again? I know Harry could go off to war if he wasn't hurt, but why should his mom and siblings have to be killed again in this new timeline?

How did the mob know where Jake was living in 1963? He always hid his address when he showed his license and I thought it had his information from Jodie on there anyway. 

At the way end, what do the dates from January 2009-December 2010 and the Florida and Maine locations have to do with anything? 

If you have read this novel (which you should have if you've gotten this far), I'd love to hear your thoughts!

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My new not-so-guilty pleasure: Virgin River

 

Courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes

One of my friends had been nudging me to watch Virgin River for quite a while. She even threw in that an actress from Degrassi was on the show. Somehow, I couldn't make the time commitment to watch it...until now. (And it took some additional nudging from my sister and a few more friend recommendations.) In 2020, I had Schitt's Creek. In 2021, I had Ted Lasso. This year, my comfort show is Virgin River! I am so, so, SO much in love with this show. I just finished all four seasons and am going through withdrawal, big time! I can't stop thinking about it either, especially since the season four finale leaves us with a big question...

Here are some reasons why I love Virgin River so much:

1. It is as cozy as sitting in front of a fire with a comfy blanket on a chilly autumn day with a cup of hot cocoa and a plate of freshly baked apple pie. 

2. The very short title sequence always has a beautiful landscape to look at. I especially love when they show waterfalls.

3. It's like Stars Hollow meets Schitt's Creek (the latter for the quirky factor), and then some. I love the small-town feel that is portrayed on this show. Everyone knows each other and looks out for one another. There are these tight-knit circles of friends, one main hangout place (Jack's), fun festivals, little shops, etc. The doctor's office is a house and Mel lives in a cute little cabin. Have I said enough? It also reminds me of Where the Heart Is, which is one of my favorite movies. It just has a similar feel.

4. Most of the actors are unknown to me. I may have seen one or two in other shows or movies, but it's not like a star-studded series either. I was able to recapture the feeling from This is Us because Alexandra Breckenridge, who played Sophie on TIU, stars as Mel. Doc is played by Tim Matheson, who played Rebecca's dad on a few episodes of TIU. Another common thread is that the actors who play Mel's love interests were both in Bride and Prejudice in the early 2000s. There's even a Riverdale link, as the actor who plays Preacher was the football coach in the earlier seasons. And I found out that the actress who plays Charmaine was Felix's sister on Orphan Black.

5. They actually have an episode where they do a Renaissance Faire. Like they really go all out with costumes, decorations, etc., and it's as authentic as the ones I've been to. 

6. The characters have so many layers to them. It takes a while to figure out if you're going to like them or not, but it's worth watching to see what their arc is like.

7. Most of the men on this show are in touch with their feelings and totally sweet and sensitive. 

8. There's a subtle level of humor. I've found myself laughing from various lines and certain moments. 

9. There's also the serious factor, as a lot of the characters deal with grief and/or PTSD. It is handled honestly and sensitively, which I appreciate. 

10. It's just sooooooooooooooo good! Totally addictive and binge-worthy. Season five can't get here fast enough.

Check out the trailer for season one, if you haven't seen this show yet. For those of you who are fans like I am and are done with all four seasons, my thoughts (with spoilers) are below the trailer.

Thoughts with SPOILERS:

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I can't really pick out favorite episodes (aside from the Ren Faire one), but I do want to share my thoughts on a bunch of the characters and possibly about some of the situations. Here goes...

Mel: Obviously I love that she and I share a nickname. (I actually told my sister that my nephew could call me Auntie Mel, thanks to this show.) Mel is so easy to love throughout the series. She's kind and relatable. I felt her stress at trying to acclimate to a new town where everything is going wrong. Especially since she's dealing with a lot of grief from losing a baby and losing her husband. I don't blame her for being scared to make new commitments. The only thing I'd change is that she can be condescending sometimes. Like she talks to people as though she's their kindergarten teacher. 

Jack: He's the quintessential Hallmark movie romantic lead. I've never seen a Hallmark movie, but that's just the impression I get. Why wouldn't he be the one that the lead character slowly falls in love with? He's sexy, romantic, in touch with his feelings, and of course he has his own demons to deal with. While it's probably cliché for Jack and Mel to become a couple, I still wanted them together nonetheless. I was even cheering the first time they kissed! I did get annoyed with Jack for drinking away his problems instead of getting therapy for PTSD. I'm glad Mel and Preacher finally put their feet down with him about it. I still think he has things to work out, but I'm still glad that he and Mel and engaged and having a baby together. Especially in light of what we just found out in the season four finale...

Preacher: It is literally impossible to not like Preacher. He's just so amazing in so many ways. I love how he was helping Paige and then looking after Christopher like he was his own son. I'm glad he stuck around at Jack's and got the partnership he deserved. I also hope things will work out with Julia, after the situation with Paige gets sorted out. 

Doc: At first, Doc is just so frustrating! Like he won't let Mel do anything at the clinic. However, I love how he softens up over time and becomes more like a father to Mel. He's so sweet to Hope and I'm glad they are back together now. He's just a genuinely good person that anyone would want in their corner. I feel bad for him in not knowing that he had a son and now finally meeting his grandson only to find out that their time together will be short-lived. (I don't know if Doc knows the entire truth about Denny's health, but I'm guessing he does.) 

Hope: Hope is probably one of the more difficult characters on this show. I appreciated that she stood up for Mel when Doc was not letting her do anything. However, she can get really pushy and annoying about stuff. There are times I feel sorry for her and other times where I want to tell her to get over herself. She's very stubborn and gives off this "annoyed teenager" facial expression a lot. It was strange not having her around for the entire third season, other than in a quick video chat. And she does have good intentions most of the time. I was also sad for her when Lilly died and she didn't get to say goodbye. She's been through a lot and she still has her spirit, so that's good at least.

Charmaine: While Charmaine can be a total beyotch most of the time, she does have some nice moments where she's actually likable. However, she ruined that with her season four finale reveal. Arrggghh!!! I also hated how she treated Mel when Mel was trying to help her and her babies get through a rough period in the beginning of the pregnancy. Jack isn't into you that way, Charmaine. Get. Over. It! (He made it clear from the beginning that they were just friends with benefits.) I do feel bad for her with how Todd is all controlling and then he missed the baby shower and now he's leaving possible hints that he's been cheating. But still....

Connie: There are times when Connie is a total shrew, but I love how she came through for Preacher and helped him look after Christopher and she seems to have softened toward Lizzie. I remember that she had a difficult situation in her past, as well. She does genuinely care about her friends and looks after all of them. 

Paige: I had a feeling Paige was hiding from an abusive situation and I don't blame her for being scared or guarded. It was horrible when Wes found her and I was actually thrilled that she managed to accidentally push him down the stairs. I also hated that her best friend betrayed her because of Vince's manipulation and that she had to put herself in harm's way to protect her son once again. While I used to ship Paige and Preacher together, she and her son really do need to take on new identities again and find a new place to live. I feel like she'll never be safe otherwise.

Ricky: Ricky is genuinely sweet and has the best of intentions, but I didn't like how he lied to Lizzie about wanting to join the marines and I don't blame her for being mad at him while still caring about him. I also got annoyed when he was constantly obsessing over what Connie would think when he and Lizzie were sneaking around to be together. I was actually hoping he'd get off the bus last minute and go back home. I feel so bad for his grandma being there without him. 

Lizzie: At first I thought Lizzie would be a troublemaker, but I really like how much she's grown and become part of Virgin River. She also doesn't take being lied to or manipulated and she is good at standing up for herself. I'm glad Denny finally told her the truth, even though it's a sad one to face. I wonder where things will go for Lizzie in season five. 

Brady: I really didn't like Brady for quite some time, but then he met Brie and he became really sweet and romantic. I actually felt bad for him when he got framed for shooting Jack and had a feeling he wouldn't have done such a thing to begin with. I love how he loves and cares about Brie. They're so sweet together. I'm still worried about his current situation with Emerald Lumber and the drug trafficking going on. (Can I also say that I hate that they named an evil character Melissa?) 

Brie: At first I wasn't sure how she fit into everything else that was going on in the show. Like she just kind of showed up. We know that she's Jack's sister, but it took a long time to really get her backstory. And now I feel so bad for her but am also applauding her for not caving to the guy who raped her. I love how she was working with Mike to help clear Brady's name. She's also just really likable in general.

Muriel: She reminds me of an older version of Kristin Chenoweth. Mostly just in looks, but it helps that she's an actress too. I didn't think I would like her, but she has really grown on me and she's been such a good friend to Hope and Doc. I appreciated when she admitted to Hope that she was lonely and didn't have anyone looking out for her well-being. It just added this new layer of vulnerability. Her baked goods look so delicious too. I want some of that strawberry cheesecake! 

Tara: Now that Lilly has passed on, I hope Tara will get more of a story arc that's focused on herself instead of just about grieving and taking care of her baby sister. Like she should find romance or something that's just hers. Side note: Tara is the one who is played by the actress from Degrassi (Stacey Farber, who played Ellie.)

Mike: He's another eligible bachelor on the show. Very attractive too. I know there's something dark in his past and I'm waiting to find out what that is. Especially since he comes across as a good guy who is trying to help out his friends through his role as a sheriff. And then there's this theory. I feel bad for him because I know he likes Brie but she just reaches out to him when she wants help for Brady. Maybe he and Tara can get together next season? 

Cameron: I'm annoyed with him. He chose to air his personal issues about Jack and now he is leaving the practice because he can't deal with Mel staying with Jack. I had a feeling he was into Mel from the moment he arrived in Virgin River and then Brady even noticed it at Joey's wedding. He seemed nice otherwise and has been a good doctor. He's also somewhat attractive. 

Denny: His appearance in Virgin River was definitely a surprise and I know Doc didn't see that coming at all. I was all worried that he was going to be a grifter and that he was lying to Doc about everything, but it turns out that he's actually a good person but in a really terrible situation. Too bad because he and Lizzie would have been really good together otherwise.

Joey: Mel's sister took on a bigger role in the first couple of seasons but only showed up every once in a while later on. I didn't like how she was constantly pushing Mel to come back home, but I also felt bad for her when she got divorced. I'm glad she found happiness again and I hope she'll continue to show up for Mel.

I know there are still a lot of side characters I didn't mention (JoEllen, Burt, etc.), but I'd be here all day if I shared my thoughts on each and every one of them. I like the new girl who is working at Jack's. I think her name is Hannah. I also liked Jamie, the woman who was trying to recruit Preacher to work at a different restaurant. I found out that the actress who played her is from Israel. I totally hate Mel's mother-in-law. What kind of person sues for access to embryos?!? I'm glad Mel's sister-in-law is being nicer now. Then there's obviously the villains like Calvin, Jimmy, Melissa (arrgghh!) and Wes/Vince (twins played by the same actor). They add to the intense factor of the show. 

I should have played a drinking game for every time someone had to call 911 about something. There were a lot of accidents and emergencies going on throughout the four seasons (of the show, not nature-related). 

I'd love to hear your thoughts on Virgin River, if you got this far!

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In a Dale-spin: Thoughts on seasons 4-6 of Riverdale...with SPOILERS

Since I already shared my overall thoughts on why I love Riverdale (a.k.a. The Dale), I'm going to jump right in with sharing my thoughts on seasons 4-6. Yes, there will be lots of spoilers, so if you haven't seen these seasons yet, it's not too late to back out of reading this post....

Courtesy of Newsweek

There is sooooo much to process from these past three seasons. First of all, I forgot to mention in my previous post that the youth prison where Archie goes in season three is so much like Shawshank Redemption that I don't get why they didn't name that prison Shankshaw instead of the one in town. The warden's last name is Norton too. 

Anyway, season four is where Jughead goes to that fancy school so he can write a book. However, he comes up against Bret and Donna, who are both terrible. First of all, Bret only has one T in his name. That annoys me. And Donna is just a total b*tch. The headmaster guy was awful too. Jughead should have just left the moment he sensed something weird going on. Also, being stuck in that coffin overnight was just too horrifying. Then again, things weren't much better at Riverdale High with Principal Honey, a.k.a. Jack from Dawson's Creek. He was such a jerk the entire time. And it seemed like he was gaslighting everyone too. I really loved the Hedwig episode though. Kevin was so great in that costume! I like the music from Hedwig and the Angry Inch and I had just rewatched the movie recently, so it was fresh in my head. Also, Jughead has a great singing voice, so that adds to it. 

Courtesy of Wikipedia

The whole situation where Betty was tricked to think she killed Jughead but then she finds out what really happened and plays along to mess with Bret and Donna...that was just such a fun plot twist. I loved seeing Jughead alive again and knowing he masterminded everything to take those two entitled jerks down. However, I did NOT like that she and Archie kissed for real in the Hedwig episode. I was okay with it when it was a ruse to mislead everyone but not when it was the thing that would drive wedges between Varchie and Bughead. 

The Farm situation also bled into season four. No one will be able to forget Edgar Evernever's rocket...

Finally in season four, we say goodbye to Fred Andrews. That was at the beginning of the season, due to Luke Perry's death from a stroke. It was definitely a sad episode, even with Shannen Doherty making an appearance. I may have cried a couple of times.

Courtesy of USA Today

Onto season five! It picked up where they left off from season four and celebrated the end of school. However, there was something nefarious going on with weird videos that people were sharing with everyone in town. That also started in season four. We found out that Jellybean was behind the videos because she wanted to give Jughead something to do so that he wouldn't go to college. After she confessed, she and F.P. left town. That didn't work so well for F.P. and Alice rekindling their relationship though. Charles also confessed to some murders, from what I remember, and he went to prison. Betty finally told Jughead about kissing Archie and that was pretty much the downfall of Bughead. :( Archie went off to join the army. Cheryl and Toni broke up because of some family conflict. That was sad too.

Suddenly, it's seven years later and we see the Riverdale gang leading different lives. Betty is in the FBI and trying to catch the Trash Bag Killer, who kidnapped her for two weeks. Jughead is a struggling writer who owes a lot of money and is always drunk. Archie is back in Riverdale after an injury that forces him out of the army. Veronica is married to some rich guy and running a secret jewelry store. Cheryl is a recluse and Toni is a social worker. Riverdale is falling apart though, thanks to Hiram, of course. He wants to run the town into the ground, but thankfully Archie is back to stop that from happening. Polly gets herself into some situation where she ends up being killed. Oh, and there are aliens or something like that. They're called Mothmen and I think they're responsible for Polly's death. Some supernatural things happen too. There's a new girl working at Pop's....his granddaughter Tabitha. Of course, she's a romantic interest for Jughead. And why not? She's pretty and she can sing. (The actress, Erinn Westbrook, was on Glee even though I don't remember her at all from that show.)

Courtesy of TV Fanatic

They did a Next to Normal episode, which was pretty good overall. It was kind of surreal with Alice seeing dead people (namely Polly, since Charles is only in prison). I haven't seen Next to Normal, but this episode does fit well with the premise of that musical, based on what I've heard.

There's also the Dickinsons, which is a terrible family whom you don't want to cross. Darla is so evil and terrifying. Thankfully, Archie figured out a way to take them down. 

Speaking of taking down villains, everyone finally ganged up on Hiram and blackmailed him into getting out of town for good. However, Hiram left one last surprise in Archie's room, which leads us to the most bizarre season of all so far...season six.

I don't even know how to explain season six. It starts out as Rivervale. Some really strange stuff happens in Rivervale and people are being killed left and right, starting with Archie. However, Jughead finds some connection between Rivervale and Riverdale and opens some portal that allows multiple versions of him to show up. The best was when the first Reggie showed up to face off with the current Reggie. I'm all used to Charles Melton as Reggie, so it's weird to even remember that he wasn't the original in that role. Anyway, we're suddenly back in Riverdale after that and the surprise in Archie's room, which is a bomb, just went off. Thankfully, Betty received a call before it happened and was able to get them both out of Archie's room. (I forgot to mention that Betty and Archie are currently together. They were together after the seven year leap, but then Archie got back with Veronica and when that fell through, he went to Betty again. Consolation prize, anyone?)

Archie is now invulnerable and can't be hurt. Betty sees auras around dangerous people. And Jughead can read minds. Cheryl has lots of magical powers, like being able to throw fire from her body, also known as pyrokinesis. In the meantime, this British guy named Percival Pickens shows up out of nowhere and starts using his mind control powers to take over the town. Archie, Betty, Jughead, Tabitha, Toni, and Fangs can see through his trickery though. However, that doesn't stop him from being a completely horrible menace. He's even worse than Hiram and it actually makes me wish Hiram would come back. Oh wait, he can't because Veronica hired a hitman to kill him. Meanwhile, Zig from Degrassi shows up, but his name is Heraldo on this show. 

Anyway, back to Percival Pickens. There are very few people who make it to my ultimate hatred list, and he is one of them. Yes, he's a fictional character, but that's just how truly despicable he is. I HATE HIM SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!! Everything that Archie and the gang try to do to take him down, he finds a way to one-up them. He even finds out about Archie's palladium weakness and uses it against him. Not surprising though. Percival is pretty much invincible. He does so much to mess with everyone's head and trick them into doing his bidding. And when he doesn't get his way, he casts all these spells. (If you ever wanted to know about the plagues in Egypt that are part of the Passover story, look no further than Percival and his band of evil emissaries...) He looks like Christian Bale and that has basically ruined Christian Bale for me. Ironically, they do an episode with songs from the American Psycho musical and Christian was originally in that movie. Hmmm.... 

Courtesy of Personality Database

I mean, look at him! Don't you just want to smack him?!? UGGGGGH!

Speaking of musicals, I wish they had done Spring Awakening. It is such a good one for them to perform on Riverdale. The only connection is that Duncan Sheik also did the music for American Psycho. However, Riverdale hasn't moved me to listen to the cast recording all the time like I do with Carrie. I liked the performance of "You Are What You Wear" and the song Betty performed because she sounded amazing. By the way, why did Veronica invite Drake to the bachelorette party if she was annoyed at her for hitting on Betty?

I love how Rivervale comes back into play and how it helps everyone get rid of Percival. It was genius how Jughead tricked him, especially after how he messed with Jughead's mind. I was furious when he did that!!! Not that I wasn't furious about anything else, but this was the last straw. I was glad when Kevin and Reggie finally saw through Percival's BS.

I also love Cheryl's witchy storyline this season and how she reunites with her girlfriend from middle school. Heather was really cool and reminded me of Lisa Loeb. I love how she helped Cheryl enhance her skills, like with becoming invisible. She also softened Cheryl's personality a lot. 

I'm glad Betty was able to kill TBK. I think he was some guy who maneuvered his way onto Archie's construction crew and tried to kill Archie, but they don't show his face again even after Betty kills him.

How is the mortician also the town doctor? Dr. Curdle gives me the creeps too.

Am I the only one who gets annoyed at Toni and Fangs calling their son "Baby Anthony"? We know he's a baby. BTW, he looks really good as an adult and I love his curls. I also love that he's gay in the sweet hereafter.

I love the meta use of comic books this season, especially when Jughead was in someone's mind and using them to access their memories. 

Anyway, even with Percival gone, there was one last issue to contend with, as he put a spell on the town with the comet and the lockdown. I love how Cheryl and Veronica worked together to solve that problem though. However, it took Riverdale into a completely new direction....back to the 1950s. And Jughead is the only one who knows differently. It will be interesting to see what happens in season seven, now that there's a blank slate for all the characters. Will Hiram be returning even though Fred clearly can't? How will the time warp get reversed? There's so much to process and we might have to wait until early 2023 to find out. I just hope Bughead gets back together!

Courtesy of TV Fanatic. I couldn't share
this post without at least one Jughead pic!

I know I shared a lot of random Riverdale thoughts today, but so much has happened in these past three seasons and it's a lot of work to try to remember everything. I'm always glad to discuss Riverdale though!

What do you think of the past three seasons?

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One of a kind, no category...Thoughts on SIX

Courtesy of Six on Broadway

One of the things that kept me sane in 2020 was listening to the music from Six. My kids got me into it and I soon found myself listening all the time and eventually learning the words and singing along. The music is so catchy and addictive. I knew that when it came to DC, I had to see it. Lo and behold, I finally got the chance to this past weekend and it was AMAZING!

There's only so much information you can get from listening to the songs. When they're paired with context from the live performance, it enhances the listening experience so much. I loved seeing the wives interact on stage. There were quite a few mic drops too. I love how they add a modern flair to the songs, so that even though the women existed a long time ago, their stories still carry relevance in the 21st century. 

Courtesy of Broadway at the National

All six women had so much energy and their voices were really powerful. I can't believe they have to do the show twice on some days, as there is so much involved, even in a ninety minute performance. I have some favorite songs when I listen to the music and seeing them performed live confirmed that they are still my favorites. Those would be "Don't Lose Ur Head" (Anne Boleyn) and "Get Down" (Anna of Cleves.) However, all the songs are great and I love listening to them. Those two just stand out the most for me. 

The set and costumes were awesome. Both were very flashy, but a lot of fun to look at. One of the women took off their costume to reveal a really shiny costume underneath. I also loved their hairstyles and how they fit their personalities. The set lit up in various ways and added another element to the story. I love when they did something that resembled a game show to explain how Henry selected Anna of Cleves. The set contributed to that part in such a fun way. 

There were some things in the show that surprised me and I enjoyed that a lot. I didn't expect certain things and it was nice to be caught off guard in that way. 

If you live in DC, Six is here until September. Otherwise, I hope it will be coming to a city near you soon. It's definitely worth checking out! If I have the chance to see it again, I would, just to pick up on some lines I missed the first time around and to be immersed in the energy and excitement again. 

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So fetch!: My thoughts on Mean Girls the Musical

 

Courtesy of MEAN GIRLS on Broadway

Last month my family and I finally got to see Mean Girls. We only waited about four years to make this happen. We got the original cast recording in 2018 and couldn't stop listening to it. So when tickets went on sale this past year, I got on top of that right away! 

I'm sorry it took so long to share my thoughts on the musical. Right after we saw it, we had to start preparing for Passover. Then things were just busy around that time, and afterward I wasn't motivated to blog outside of Chick Lit Central. So thanks for your patience!

My first warning to anyone wanting to see Mean Girls: Do NOT listen to the cast recording. I know that sounds hypocritical coming from me, but I learned this the hard way. My kids and I had most of it memorized, so when they changed a bunch of lyrics right away or took lines out of songs, we noticed and it was a bit distracting. This was especially the case during "It Roars." They also took a section out of "Stupid With Love." They completely removed the first reprise of "Someone Gets Hurt." (The one that comes after "Fearless.") They also added a new part to "Fearless" and I couldn't hear the lines all that well. However, that is my main gripe with the show. The other smaller one was that it was sometimes hard to hear lines and I missed a couple of jokes. Otherwise, it was a lot of fun!

The background for the set is the coolest. It's all digital with video footage to establish scene changes and other things going on during songs. I love how it made things more versatile for the performance vs. having to physically change backgrounds between songs all the time. There was a better flow. My husband and I both loved how they transitioned from the high school to the mall so easily with these digital backgrounds. 

The stage before the show.

The cast did a great job overall. I really liked Gretchen, Karen, Damian, and Janis the most. They all sang really well and added a lot of personality into the show. I enjoyed watching them the entire time. I loved seeing certain songs play out, like "Where Do You Belong?", "Revenge Party," and "Stop." Those are some of the songs I always liked on the cast recording and I'm glad they didn't mess with too many of the lines. "Sexy" (the Halloween song) and "Apex Predator" were done really well too. It was cool to get some context behind the songs that I didn't get just from listening to them. 

Costume display at the Kennedy Center

I had a great time seeing Mean Girls, but I don't know that I'd go to see it again. Maybe when they make the musical into a movie. While there were a lot of funny moments, I felt like I didn't laugh as much as I did from the movie. One of my favorite funny moments involved the North Shore Lions mascot during "Revenge Party" and I'm just so glad that part went over my daughter's head. As far as movie to musical adaptations go, it's good, especially in terms of the songs and how well they follow the story from the movie. (Although I wish Gretchen had yelled "You can't sit with us!") There was good energy throughout, as well. However, it falls short of the standard that Legally Blonde set for me when it became a musical. (Heathers is one of the few that lives up to this standard.) This is more along the lines of Waitress for me. 

It's definitely fun for a family outing, a girls' night, or even a date. However, if you see it on Wednesday, you must wear pink! (I saw it on a Sunday and I was probably one of the few women who didn't wear pink anyway.)

Here are some pictures of my family and me at the show. (My younger son didn't want to be in any of the theater pictures.)

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