Revisiting Old Series, Part II

Amber mentioned the updated Sweet Valley High books in my last post.  Have you noticed all of the updated series we have now?  There’s the revised SVH books (complete with cellphones, iPods, and some risqué behavior by Jessica in a swimming pool).  It didn’t work for me.  Sure the new cover makes it seem all updated and they drop recent brand names, but like Amber said in the comments of my previous post, it was all disjointed.

There’s also the revised Nancy Drew graphic novels.  I guess Nancy Drew has been changing ever since she was created.  I know there were Nancy Drew Case Files too, which I think might have been a little updated.  I read one of the graphic novels and it SUCKED.  I’m still upset about it.

Read this at your own risk.

As far as the format goes, it wasn’t terrible.  It’s kind of fun to see what the characters looks like — even if it didn’t match my mental visuals.  And it would have been nice if they’d done a graphic novel of the original stories, but this graphic novels are all new stories.  BUT the absolute worst thing about this book (sorry to anyone who’s already heard me rant about this) is that Graphic Novel Nancy Drew forgets to put gas in her car!!!  WHAT?  And then, of course, her cell phone doesn’t work because she’s out in the woods investigating.  Nancy has a cell phone?  Did Emma Roberts as Nancy Drew in the movie have a cell phone?  I can’t remember, but I feel like she didn’t and this was one of the reasons why she stuck out like a sore thumb in LA.   So GN Nancy Drew forgetting to fill up her car really bugged me.  I KNOW that would never happen to Original Book Nancy Drew!  I guess I need to go back and read the originals.

Oh, also, has anyone heard about the new series by Cecily von Ziegesar that’s like Gossip Girl, only set in college.  It’s called Cum Laude and is targeted at adults, but isn’t supposed to include anything that’s inappropriate for teens.   My co-worker and I have been in talks to decide where it should go.  I think in the GG novels, they end up going to college (right?), so now I’m leaning toward teen, but I don’t know.  These cross-over books always throw me!

– Jill

Ahh, What a Wonderful Week for TV

This week I watched TWO fabulous fall finales of TV shows I love.

The first — Gossip Girl, “The Debarted”

OMG, what a freaking awesome episode.  I won’t spoil anything, but let me tell you my favorite things about it.

• The storyline actually moved along!  I know, crazy, right?  It probably only happened because it was the fall finale, which I didn’t realize until I started writing this post — HUGE disappointment, but I guess I can live with it since Life Unexpected will be starting soon.  Anyway, stuff actually happened!  A lot of stuff!  There were secrets, affairs, drugs, oh snap moments, what an ass moments, wtf moments, a ghost, a flashback, a car accident, and a surprise!  Whew!
• Chuck Bass.  Ok, so I always love Chuck Bass, but in this episode, he was amazing.  Ed Westwick is incredible in this episode.
• Nate Archibald.  He’s awfully close to knocking Chuck off of the top of my favorite Gossip guys list.

Those are the highlights for me from what I can remember right now.  I’m thinking about watching the episode again soon.  And I rarely rewatch GG episodes.  *Sigh* I’m going to miss it until it returns in March.

The second amazing fall finale of the week — Glee, “Sectionals”

This episode also had a lot going on and really showed off how versatile it is.  Not only is it a musical comedy that dabbles in cheesy drama, but it also had REAL drama in the finale.  Here are a few of my favorite things about this episode.

• Cory Monteith, who plays Finn, did a great job.  You totally felt for Finn.  I’m love him a little bit more every episode.
• Emma really surprised me toward the end by doing something I didn’t think she was capable of given earlier episodes, and I was SO proud of her!  If you saw the episode, you probably know what I’m talking about.
• So, so many wonderful quotes.  I seriously laughed out loud, rewound to watch again, and then wrote them down.  Some of the best —
  “Does it have to be tonight? I have fight club.” – Puck (hilarious for so many reasons)
  “Hey buddy, I just came in to feed my Venus flytrap.” – Sue
  “I’m sorry, Sue. You have disgraced yourself and the name of William McKinley.” “A FAILED president!” – Principal Figgins and Sue
• Kurt and a few other Glee members performed part of the “Single Ladies” dance during “My Life Would Suck Without You”.  Very subtle and totally fabulous.

Did you watch either of these or see any other great episodes of TV shows this week?

– Jill

Got that Wishbone Talent

Elena Hurst = Amanda = Katie

Did you watch Gossip Girl yesterday?! (must admit, Season 3 is a little weird so far–what is with Dan having such big arm muscles now? anyway…) Did any of those new cast members seem a little familiar? Like maybe, I don’t know, that new girl who’s friends with Vanessa and Dan also seems like she might be friends with a costumed dog? YES BECAUSE THE GIRL WHO PLAYS KATIE IS ELENA HURST WHO PLAYED AMANDA ON WISHBONE!!!!!! (see photo-girl holding red cup) I am ridiculously happy about this.

Amber

Overwhelmed with sudden awesome idea: Wishbone as Chuck Bass; whaCHAAAA!

American Gossip Girl

So I was laying in bed one night and this thought came into my head: If the cast of Gossip Girls were the American Girls, who would they be? ****Gossip Girl characteristics mostly taken from the show on the CW; I have only read the first book****

My answers:

Blair–Samantha
this is was the most obvious of the selections–the hair is just so spot-on right? But even more so is the style, the wealth, the moments of mischief and rebellion (hello, bloomers)

Serena–Felicity
I desperately wanted to say Kirsten for Serena (once again because of the hair), but it just wasn’t a good fit. Once again, Felicity has the wealth and status, while being quite a bit of a free-spirit and fighting against the Tories.

Vanessa–Kit
I haven’t actual read any of Kit (I’m not a big fan of how they portrayed Herbert Hoover), but from the trailers for the movie she seems like a witty, lower-class, confident go-getter who says what she thinks, um =Vanessa!

Jenny–Addy
Jenny was a hard one for me, mostly because she went through that little phase in the middle of the season. But I decided on Addy in the end because they are both dreamers and sweet and sew clothes. And I guess were both fighting a class system.

Dan–Molly
Sorta nerdy and awkward.

Nate–Kirsten
Blond, low-maintenance, and not completely comfortable in their current worlds.

Chuck–Kaya or Josefina?
I haven’t read of either of their books either and know nothing about them really. But they’ve all got dark hair? Somebody had to be paired with Chuck.

AHHHHH, SEASON TWO OF GOSSIP GIRL PREMIERES TONIGHT OMG! haha, I had only seen like three episodes of this show before Aug. 19th, but that was enough to make me hulk out and go stampeding to the store the day the series came out on DVD and thanks to mono I had plenty of time to watch the entire season before tonight.

XOXO

amberj.