felicityking

It continues to amaze me after all this time that Josh Schwartz can be running 2 very different in quality shows: Chuck, which after a shaky 3rd season, appears to be back to it's old, fun self yet with with several sly upgrades. Then, there's Gossip Girl, which appears to be going even more off-the-rails than ever all for the sake of ChuckandBlairareepic!!!!!  over the top drama.

To say Chuck is my favorite show on television would be an understatement. It likes Alias meets The Office meets Gilmore Girls. It's very quirky and quick-witted and better than many big budget action movies in how it delivers its kicks and punches. If you aren't watching it, something is very wrong with you. And, if you are watching it, I salute you.

I'll spare you my thoughts on GG. I watch it mainly for the fashion and the music nowadays. Oh, the cast can be good when the show is written right--and as an ensemble are appealing to watch. Tragically, everybody's growth and plotlines have been stunted so Chuck and Blair can run around acting like Healthcliff and Cathy (while both might be villians, they aren't weren't that evil and selfish towards each other or others originally). Hmm. I told you I'd spare you. So I'll quit now. I'm sure you'll get lots of complaints and rolled in as the season progresses on. (Strangely, I am a Chair fan. But mostly because they remind me of The Duke and Duchess of Windsor, not because I love their self-esteem issues that supposedly make them great for each other.)

As far as non-television goes, I'm finishing up A Tale of Two Cities. In high school, I thought Dickens was overrated. However, I've come to appreciate his writing as I've grown older. While he does have a set of stock characters, he knows how to use language and invigorate what should be just another soap opera with pathos and social commentary. I can't wait to dig into Dickens' other books once I'm finished with one.