New TV shows this season: Likes (dislikes and mehs next)

This season a bunch of new shows have already premiered, some were instantly good, while the others not so much.

First, here's what my TV show schedule consists of each week:

A few of these have not premiered yet, and a few others are missing, because they're only premiering later in the season, but you get the drift.

This means that I watch a lot of shows (understatement of the year), and that I tend to know what I like (although sometimes I still fool myself)

This season, my favorite new shows so far are:

• Life in Pieces | I'm not sure about this, but I haven't really seen a lot about this show, which makes me think it might be something like The Middle was (and kinda still is), a wonder waiting to be found by people.
  It has some very well known actors, others that you might have seen in other shows, which gives us a certain sense of familiarity, and that's exactly what you want, because this is a show centered around a big family. From the big family, we then follow the four families that make it up in each episode.
  I really like the type of humor in this show, and I sincerely hope it is being well received, so it can go on for at least a few more seasons.
• Scream Queens | Although I'm a bit skeptical about Ryan Murphy's brand of humor and horror, this is so far very enjoyable, albeit utterly ridiculous. Because of this, I sometimes get very annoyed at the things that happen, and at the reactions of the characters to said things.
  So it might seem like I feel more negative than positive about this one, but I really don't. It still has a little bit more growing to do on me though.
• The Player | I saw on the IMDB forum for this show that apparently this looked a lot like Person of Interest, but since I've never watched that show, I was really surprised with this one.
  To me this is a new premise, something I'd never seen in a show with action and guns and all that.
  It features Wesley Snipes, who is always a badass, and of course it doesn't hurt that the main actor looks the way he does.
• Blood & Oil | It took me about a week to feel like watching the first episode (I don't know why), but once I did, I praised the gods above that the second one had aired the previous day, so I could watch it right away.
  This show is so far half-full of drama, but I'm pretty sure it'll reach the Nashville level of drama in no time, and that's alright with me!
  Don Johnson is one of the main characters, and so is Chace Crawford and Scott Michael Foster, so what more could you want?

Ant-Man

Last thursday (July 16) Ant-Man premiered here, and as with every Marvel movie, I went to see it that same day.

After seeing lots of clips on YouTube, and interviews (mainly everything with Paul Rudd in it), I was pretty hyped about the movie. To me, it showed a lot of good stuff, even a certain (not-so-much) cameo from an Avenger, and laughs.

I loved the movie. It's definitely one people can go see without knowing any of the others in the MCU, as they only mention the Avengers, and some other stuff from them, but in passing, so you don't need to know anything prior to it (although, of course you should, because the other movies are awesome). And it's also a movie that comedy/ heist/ action movie fans can go see without being into comic books at all. So I'd say anyone can go see it, as long as you like those genres in general.

One of the big draws for me was Paul Rudd himself. You can just tell he loved playing Scott Lang, and he seems like a genuinely nice guy in all the interviews I've seen him give. And of course, he's one of the funniest actor dudes out there.

Every other character is just as awesome as Scott Lang, starting with Michael Peña's character, who can tell stories like no one else.

The post-credits scene, for the Marvel fans, was also a pretty cool tiny glimpse into Civil War (which premieres next year, of course!)

So, overall, everyone should see Ant-Man. It really doesn't matter that you've never heard of him before, just go see it.

Also, Paul Rudd.

P.S: RIP Antony

Cool TV Shows for this Summer - The June Edit

I'm a TV show addict.

I have been roughly since 2008/2009, that's when I first started religiously watching a then-favorite show; it was Supernatural. I still stuck with it for a few years after that, but then I kind of got tired of it, and I haven't watched it for at least about three years.

Anyway, every start of the fall TV season, and then at the start of the summer, I write down all the TV shows that are going to premiere and come back, so that I know what I want to watch when the time comes. I have a little schedule with the premieres and one with each day of the week and what shows are on in what days (I really watch a lot of them). I like to keep organized, in case that wasn't already pretty obvious.

Let me first mention the shows that are returning.

Hannibal - June 4

The first episode is already out, and this show continues to be wonderfully creepy and amazing as in the two previous seasons!

Baby Daddy - Jun 3

I watched all three and a half seasons in about a week some time ago, so I will now be following it weekly.

It's not that innovative, and the constant back and forth of the characters love lives can be somewhat tiring, but it's got some really funny moments, and of course, it wasn't made to be taken that seriously, so it's a good light-hearted half hour you get to spend.

Beauty and the Beast - June 11

I've followed this one since the beginning, and although I almost stopped watching in the second half of last season, I'm glad I picked it up again some time later.

It was supposed to have premiered in May, but the first episode will now be this month.

Suits - June 24

One of my all-time favorites.

There's sarcasm, men in suits (hell, name of the show!), ladies wearing ridiculously elegant outfits and just in general, people kicking ass and being awesome lawyers.






Now for the new shows. I have not watched most of them, so I'm just going to leave the IMDB synopsis for some of them.

The Whispers - June 1

This deals with an 'imaginary friend', Drill, that reaches out to kids and asks them if they want to play a game. One that happens to make them almost kill someone.

One lady cop investigates these kids and why they doing these things, while a man in Africa investigates the sudden re-appearance of an airplane thought to have disappeared.

My theory: aliens.

UnReal - June 1

It's basically the inner-works of a dating reality show like The Bachelor, and how the contestants are manipulated into reacting to situations a certain way, so that they appear to be different and much more like drama queens to us.

The main character is the service shit-stirrer/ producer, but right on the first episode we see that she might not want to be one for much longer.

Stitchers - June 2

The first episode felt like it was a bit rushed, but I guess they really wanted to put most of their cards on the table, and have us get in the mindset that there could be a federal agency that  recruits people to hack into dead people's brains and see their memories. Anything to help solve a crime, I guess.

Killjoys - June 19

"In the Quad, a galaxy on the brink of a bloody interplanetary class war, a fun loving trio of bounty hunters attempt to remain impartial as they chase deadly warrants." (IMDB)

This sounds like fun, and it's set in space, what's not to love?

Ballers - June 21

"A series centered around a group of football players and their families, friends and handlers." (IMDB)

I'm not sure I will the whole thing, but Dwayne Johnson is worth giving it a try, at least.

The Brink - June 21

"Top U.S. government and military scramble to prevent World War 3 from happening amidst the chaos of a geopolitical crisis." (IMDB)

It's a comedy, and Jack Black's in it. Enough said.

Mr. Robot - June 24

"Follows a mysterious anarchist who recruits a young computer programmer who suffers from an anti-social disorder and connects to people by hacking them." (IMDB)

The first episode is out, and it's brilliant. In terms of style, if I had to compare it, I'd say it's Dexter with computers. Instead of killing people, this dude hacks into their computers, so that he can learn more about them and the people they have contact with, and then he proceeds to scare off and/ or blackmail them in order to protect his 'loved' ones. Meanwhile, something bigger is happening.


As you see, I do watch a lot of shows, and these are the ones coming out in June! But it's the busiest month in terms of that. I will do another post like this in July and one in August. Those will be way shorter than this, rest assured.

New (old ) Obsession

Planners!

That is what I've been getting into for the past few months.

Ever since I was little, I really liked stationery, going to school and getting to have new notebooks, a new backpack, new pens, and pencils,😌 and all that jazz! If it was cute and I could write with it or on it, then it was pretty much a given that I would like it.

I graduated from university almost two years ago already, so I really haven't had much use for new stationery, or no excuse to buy something new every now and then.

But at the beginning of the year (I forget how) I came across accounts on Instagram of people who post photos of their Filofax planners, and how they decorate them. I never even realized there was such a thing. To me planners were for planning, and maybe some doodling, and even a bit of scrap booking with cinema and concert tickets.

I found that there is a whole community of people that really like their planners and whatever has to do with them, including stationery and all that kind of stuff. So then, I got a little obsessed too.

But planners, for the most part, are actually expensive. After a few weeks of obsessing though, I got my first ever Filofax! Mind you, as a kid I had had the odd Filofax style planner, small, with some kid pattern, that never really got any use.

In high school, after years of not being able to keep a diary or planner, I started buying those teens magazines every year, because they always have an issue around August or September, that comes with a school planner.

And when I started university I started using Moleskines. In fact, last year, as usual, I got my Moleskine, one of the limited edition Mickey ones, which I very much like. Right now though, it's just kind of sitting in my room, as I haven't used it since buying the Filofax.

The Filofax I got is one of the cheapest models, the Domino, but it's super cute, and really useful, although it's also one of the few that doesn't have card slots (which are very useful).

Here it is:

I also bought another one in May, because one of my friends' birthdays is this month. So I got one for her, and since it was super cute, I got the same one for myself.

The next thing I want to get my hands on is lots of washi tape, which is Japanese paper tape, and there are thousands of designs of it. It's crazy.

These really are things you look at and and immediately feel like it's something you never knew you desperately needed, but yet you do!

Japanese treats and my second Blippo order!

I just received my second order from Blippo.com today!

Here it is in all its glory.

I first discovered this website last year when I got into all things kawaii and I just love it! They have free shipping worldwide, and if you're into that type of thing, you should totally check it out!

So moving on...

This time I ordered some Japanese snacks that I'd been eyeing since finding out they existed, more specifically Pocky sticks. I ordered the plain chocolate ones, since I'm a picky eater, and I don't like fruit flavored things (unless it's candy).

I've already tried it and it tastes delicious. And it's actually not overly sweet, which is good.

The second Japanese food item I got was a little box of Rilakkuma chocolate filled biscuits. I haven't opened these, because I want them to last. 

The third I ordered was a set of sushi themed tickers. I love love love sushi, it's my favorite thing to eat. I also love stickers. On the website, they have several sushi sticker sets, but I chose these super puffy ones, and they look absolutely cute! Three of them are huge, and then there's two of each of the other designs.

Last, but not least, I ordered a really cute phone plug, that is a kitty looking like it's draped over my phone.

(This order actually took a little over a month to arrived, so I'm really glad I chose to have tracked shipping again, so I could be sure it hadn't gotten lost. I ordered just before Christmas, so I think that was the reason for the delay.)

Pushing Daisies and why I put off watching the last episodes for five years

Pushing Daisies is (or was) one of my greatest love affairs when it comes to tv shows.

I watched it back when it was on air, though I think maybe a little later than its start in 2007.

It was love at first sight! It has so many delightful elements: a little bit of supernatural, the mystery of the cases Emerson and Ned (and later Chuck) worked on together, the absolute sweetness of the characters (especially Ned and Chuck),  Emerson's no non-sense attitude, and the overall cuteness of the whole show! I mean, that bright colored world they lived in was just wonderful, a perfect blend of everything, in my opinion.

I mean, look at the cuteness that is Ned and Chuck!

I followed the show then, though there wasn't really a lot to follow (due to the small number of episodes, that is). The first season coincided with that huge writer's strike that made things difficult for a lot of shows. The ratings were low, so it was cut short and only had nine episodes (a damn shame!). The second season didn't get better in terms of audience numbers, so it got cancelled and had only thirteen episodes.

And well, at that point I was not ready to accept that, so like with other shows, I slowly stopped watching. In this case, it couldn't be very slowly, seeing as I watched probably about half of the second season still before deciding I wasn't going to accept its fate.

Since that fateful decision ABC made in 2009, I've had the episodes ready for me to watch, and a few times I would start watching the first season, maybe even get to the second one, but then I'd quit while I was ahead.

And anyone can see my reasoning, right?

The thing is this was probably my favorite show, and if not, it was on my top 3 for sure! And the natural thing to do when you have a favorite show is to watch the episodes as soon as they're available, because you can't wait to know what happens to your beloved characters. Well, of course one would think like that! That's even how I think! I want to consume it all!

The thing is this show was special, for some reason (or maybe a lot of reasons), and watching every episode would leave me feeling both full of wonder, but also despair, because I knew the finale was closer and that after I watched that last episode, there would be no more!

As irrational as my thinking was during these last five years, I know this was why.

Today, I finally watched the remaining episodes of the second season I had yet to watch, and yes, even after all this time, I felt an immense sadness knowing that last scene really was the last (most likely forever). I cried (like with so many shows). I even had to watch the last episodes in two parts, the first half in the morning, and the second in the afternoon. I had to psych myself up to watch the second half, because I knew after that, it would be over. Of course I can always re-watch the episodes, over and over again, but nothing new is ever going to be in them, you know?

On a happier note, the creator of the show, Bryan Fuller (also creator of Hannibal, another favorite) had mentioned on several interviews that he would totally make a movie for Pushing Daisies. But I think that if that ever happens, it won't be at least for another few years, maybe more(?)