What we talk about when we talk about Logan Echolls

Yesterday I saw a post in defense of Piz that started with "I can't believe I even have to write this post." Well, I'm going to have to steal that sentiment, because I genuinely cannot believe I am sitting down to write this post right now. In defense of Logan Echolls.

Not because I can't believe I'm defending him, but because I can't believe the negativity toward and the dismissal of his character that's been surrounding the release of the Veronica Mars movie. Some people really need to watch the show again and remember just what a fantastic character he is.

Yeah, she used to accuse him of a lot
of evil. And she was wrong.

I've been flip-flopping between making this a post about Logan specifically and making it a post about the "bad boy" in general, but I've decided Logan needs me more than the bad boys do. Because he is not one of them. Logan Echolls was originally created as the "obligatory psychotic jackass" of Neptune High-- it would have been fine to dismiss that Logan as the bad boy and continue rooting for whatever other boys (boring as Duncan or unfitting as Piz) were vying for Veronica's heart. 

See?

But the Logan Veronica Mars knows? Is not that Logan. The writers gave him a chance because there was more to him than that-- there's more to anyone than the high school TV show tropes like "bad boy"-- and what we learned was that this boy has deeps.

Deeps.

I'm not talking baggage, or issues, or whatever other negatively-connoted words you're drumming up right now.

I'm talking deeps.

It's not okay to dismiss him anymore, and I won't stand for it. If you like Piz and you're ticked that he and Veronica broke up, fine, whatever, I probably can't help you. But if you're ticked that Veronica ended up with Logan, of all people, then pull up a chair because you need some counseling and I'm here to help.

Here's the thing: Piz and Logan are not polar opposites. They're actually very similar, if you think about it. Sarcastic, witty, kindhearted--

"But! Logan is not kind!"

Sit down and shut up for a second. Yes he is. He really, really is.

Not to defend Psychotic Jackass Logan of Pilot fame, but that was a shell of a character who made fun of Veronica as part of their rapport. Toward the middle of the season we learn some new things about him: he truly loved Lilly Kane, his girlfriend who was murdered, he feels like he's losing his best friend Duncan, and oh! His famous father, who's adored by the public, abuses him and probably his mother behind closed doors. If you can't find sympathy for this boy, how can you find sympathy for Piz, who makes fun of Veronica before he meets her and then magically changes his mind once he sees that she's pretty?  Honestly, that's just gross. And then he goes on to pursue her even though she clearly has a boyfriend and is not interested in her best friend's roommate.

Now, back to the kindness thing. I am so unbelievably tired of this attitude that dictates "Piz is the one who will take care of her and be nice to her" and Logan is some kind of selfish, uncaring beast who's too wrapped up in his own baggage to lend any kindness to anyone else. If people don't stop acting like Logan is just going to drag Veronica down, I'm going to go postal. In case you have forgotten, Logan and Veronica take care of each other. He isn't disrespectful to her friends or her father (he saves Keith's life more than once because he is an HONORABLE DUDE who VALUES HUMAN LIFE and KNOWS THAT KEITH IS IMPORTANT)-- they may not be close, the way Piz is with them, but that is not a requirement for a healthy relationship. Veronica knows she can count on Logan when it really matters, and he shows her 

a side of him that he doesn't show anyone else. I was just reading the "look inside" of the first VM book on Amazon and there are two parts that sum up my point pretty handily (as does this video featuring Jason Dohring, Kristen Bell and Rob Thomas-- though Rob's point is more anecdotal than useful):

The moments they'd spent together before he'd shipped out on his latest naval tour had been the most peaceful she could remember-- even with her anxiety about her dad. It'd been the first time she'd felt complete in a long time. 

Logan had seen through her; that was one of the reasons she loved him. He could tell her things she couldn't bear to tell herself sometimes.

What's that? The most peaceful she could remember? But wait! Piz was supposed to be the one who brought her peace and completion! *eyerolls hard*

She lets herself be vulnerable with him because she knows he's there for her, and vice versa (see: the plot summary of the movie). That's not something she can say for anyone else except Keith. Sure, Logan might throw punches first and ask questions later when it comes to someone hurting Veronica, but as an argument against him? That's just not going to cut it. Veronica can handle it. At this point you're just rooting against him because you'd rather root for the underdog.

Now, what about how he treats anyone else? Surely he has been stereotyped as a bad boy for a reason! He must have done something to earn this rep!

Wrong.

"I don't like him because he doesn't think before he acts and he has no self-preservational skills!"

 

Please. It's not not-thinking-before-he-acts as much as it is acting on instinct, and his instincts are usually right. The one time they weren't, he apologized and felt plenty of remorse, so don't paint him as some kind of sociopath who's going to end up in jail, regret free.

"But there was that one time he purposely got himself thrown in jail so he could punch people!"
Yeah, and who did that hurt? A rapist and his coconspirator. Now obviously Piz would never have done that, but the difference between Logan and Piz is that one had a traumatic childhood and the other did not. Logan's worldview might be a little skewed; he might have anger issues and a depressive personality, especially as a teenager-- and, wow, a teenager who makes mistakes, that NEVER HAPPENS-- but it's not his fault. And he's not going to completely overcome it at nineteen years old.

"You're not a killer, Veronica."

The fact is that Logan has never, ever been automatically cruel to someone who didn't deserve it*. Cruel is not his default setting. He is sarcastic, yes, and frequently impolite, yes, but neither of those qualities hurt anyone. Even after he sees Beaver (his NAME is CASSIDY!) nearly kill Veronica, and learns that he raped her, he doesn't push him off the roof; in fact, he tells him not to jump. He wants to help him, at least until the very moment he realizes that he can't. Logan Echolls does not give up on people until he is absolutely sure that he's defeated. He didn't give up on his mom, Beaver, Duncan, Dick (whose lasting friendship just proves that Logan gave him more of a chance than anyone else ever did, that Logan saw the good in him when no one else could), Hannah, Parker (who gave up on him), or Carrie, and he certainly never gave up on Veronica.

"But he did give up on her, and then he wallowed in pathetic self-pity for a really long time!"

This is Veronica's "Logan just punched
someone for me and I liked it" face.

He gave up on being with her because he realized that this time, he had done something unforgivable in her eyes. The wallowing in self-pity was his way of punishing himself for that, because Veronica was the one person who had ever shown faith in Logan and stuck around, and now she was throwing in the towel. He was feeling pretty worthless at that point; the only person who wanted him around was Dick Casablancas, whose primary concern was getting Logan back on his feet not because he cared about Logan's feelings, but because he wanted to go surf and pick up girls. This entire Logan-is-brooding-because-he's-sad-Veronica-dumped-him thing lasted for ONE EPISODE. I'm not sure how much shorter it could have been and still expressed everything he was going through emotionally. After he finally left his apartment and became a person again, he continued to be there for Veronica when he thought she needed him. So yeah, he gave up on a relationship with her because he was respecting her wishes and giving her space. But he did not give up on Veronica.

Who did give up on Veronica-- twice? Well.

Now, before you Piz fans get your panties in a bunch, I'm not suggesting that Piz should have kept pursuing Veronica when he realized she clearly wasn't into it enough. But he could have stayed a part of her life. He could have kept being there for her in some way, and he didn't-- he bailed, both times. It was all-or-nothing for him in a way that it never was with Logan, and ultimately proved that they weren't capable of being friends if they weren't also a couple. Even when Logan and Veronica broke up several times, he always stuck around-- when they didn't speak for nine years it was because she went away, and he was still respecting her space (and getting his life together in the meantime).

And not only that, but that's the difference between her relationship with Piz and her relationship with Logan: there was never a time, with Logan, when the problem was that she wasn't into it enough. Their problem was that they worried about each other too much; Veronica wanted Logan to be more stable for her and for himself, and Logan wanted Veronica to stop getting herself into situations that could hurt her. Their problem was that, at the time, neither of them could change who they were. So they needed time apart. I am not denying that they weren't exactly right for each other back then. This is a post about Logan, not their relationship, and Logan always had the potential to be right for Veronica. They both just needed to grow up.

Now, watch the movie and tell me that Logan Echolls has not grown up. (Also, read this post.) Of course, he's still the same half-serious-half-joking person who Veronica fell in love with, but he's proven himself capable of being a stabilizing force in someone's life too. That was literally all she wanted from him. And she's done believing him capable of the horrible things everyone else still accuses him of, because she knows him, and she's matured enough to get past her own trust issues. As for his issues about Veronica putting

****IMPORTANT****
Knows better than to accuse him
of evil now. TRUSTS HIM.

herself in danger, it seems he's changed his stance on that, too. He's come to realize that a P.I. is who Veronica is, it's who he fell in love with, and danger comes with the territory. The danger is still not going to be okay, but he wants her to be herself, whatever that entails. (see: when Veronica comes out wearing her real clothes instead of her new!Veronica clothes, and he says, "You should only wear this." He recognizes this Veronica as the right Veronica, and he's telling her to be that.)

Piz, on the other hand, was perfectly happy with a Veronica who was not herself-- and when that version of her went away and was replaced by the real one, he let her go. He had been holding on to an idea of her that was never a reality. The whole point of the movie was to show us that she thought she had changed, she thought she could be this lawyer and that leaving her P.I. life in Neptune was an "escape," but she hasn't changed and it wasn't an escape. It was a cheap replacement for the thing that made her truly happy.

Hence, Veronica's addiction-referencing voiceover that purposely confuses us: is she talking about private investigation, or Logan? The answer, obviously, is both. They're both what makes her happy, and she's spent enough time away with her cheap replacement (sorry, Piz) to recognize the real thing when she goes back. This, the place where she can be the self she wants and needs to be, is where she belongs-- with the person who wants and needs her to be that self too.

And as for the whole Logan-is-trapping-Veronica-in-Neptune argument? Please. See above. You seriously don't get it if you think that is what's happening; this is Veronica's escape. She's unleashing herself. 

IN CONCLUSION:

LOGAN = FULLY-REALIZED CHARACTER WHO IS BOTH A GOOD PERSON AND GOOD FOR VERONICA.

PIZ = GOOD PERSON.

*by 'automatically cruel' I mean without prior knowledge of this person or a belief that they have done something wrong

OTP Survey

Five ships you’re into right now

01. Rory/Jess "Literati" (Gilmore Girls)

02. Ten/Rose (Doctor Who)

03. Will/Tessa (The Infernal Devices)

04. Veronica/Logan (Veronica Mars)

05. Nick/Jess (New Girl)

Three ships you liked, but don’t anymore.

06. Jem/Tessa (TID)

07. Rory/Dean (GG)

08. Lexie/Avery (Grey's Anatomy) --because I honestly couldn't think of any other one for this... I tend to, um, go down with my ships.

Three ships you never liked.

10. Lorelai/Jason (GG)

11. Clary/Simon (The Mortal Instruments)

12. Lena/Julian (Delirium)

Two ships you’re curious about, but don’t actually ship.

13. The Doctor/River Song (DW)

14. Tim/Tyra (Friday Night Lights)

QUESTIONS

1. Why do you dislike #11 so much?

I don't dislike them, I just never really thought they clicked as a couple. I mean, obviously it was awkward and Clary was just like "Well, I can't have the one I really want because he's my brother, and you say you're in love with me, so..."

2. Who is someone you know that ships #14?

Idk I've seen people ship them on Tumblr. I'm sorry but I favor Tim/Lyla and THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT.

3. What would be your ideal scenario for couple #3?

Oh god. I did not even do this on purpose (obviously, because there is NO IDEAL SCENARIO FOR THEM). I just want them to be together and happy and not have their relationship result from something horrible.

4. Which is your favorite moment for couple #1?

Oh man, there are so many. SO. MANY. My favorite... I have to say, it might be when Jess tells Rory off because she's throwing her life away and Logan is a jerk and YES I LOVE THAT MOMENT.

I also enjoy the moment when they're chasing each other around town and then Jess tells her he loves her and drives away. Yeah that's good stuff. 

5. How long have you been following couple #5?

Er, since the show started. Last September.

6. What’s the story with #8? What made you stop liking them/caring?

I basically stopped caring about the show... at all. Also I like April/Avery because ADORBS

7. You have the power to make one ship non-existent. Choose from #10 or #12

Well, considering #10 is already nonexistant, I'm gonna go with #12. Because Julian SUCKS.

8. Which ship do you prefer, #2 or #4?

Why you do this to me? I prefer BOTH OF THEM. But... I ship Veronica/Logan so hard I can't stand it. Grudgingly, I pick #4.

9. What interests you about #14?

I want to know why they kind of made it seem like they ended up together in the finale. I mean, I like them as friends, and I like that Tyra doesn't stand for Tim's crap, but... Tim wants Lyla and so he deserves Lyla. Also, why would Tim be with his brother's sister-in-law? (says the girl whose grandmother married her brother's brother-in-law)

10. Why did you stop liking #7?

Because Dean got all jealous and annoying and then lost all personality he once had.

11. Did your waning interest in #6 kill your interest in the fandom?

Um, ABSOLUTELY NOT. If anything it increased my interest in the fandom because the reason I lost interest in Jem/Tessa was due to my EXTREMELY HEIGHTENED INTEREST in Will/Tessa.

12. What’s a song that reminds you of #5?

Well that's not fair. I have so many songs for other ships, but none for this one. How about one for #3 instead? Almost Lover- A Fine Frenzy... and Basket Case- Sara Bareilles... and No Light- Florence + the Machine... and Hurricane- The Hush Sound... okay I'll stop now.

13. If you could have any of these two pairings double-date, who would it be?

Oh boy. Veronica/Logan and Rory/Jess. I really want to know if Logan (Echolls, not Huntzberger) and Jess would get along (my guess: no).

14. Have #2 kissed yet?

AHHHH YES well kind of but YES IT WAS GREAT (I say this like it happened to me)

15. Did #4 have a happy ending? If the show hasn’t ended yet, do you think a happy ending is likely?

Er... Not exactly? I mean, it was hinted at, but it wasn't official. Stupid network cancelled the show too soon.

16. What would make you start shipping #13?

I honestly have no idea. I just get all skeeved out at the idea of her being his "wife."

17. If only one could happen, which would you prefer, #1 or #5?

I'm gonna have to go with #1 on this. There is a reason they are #1.

18. You have the power to decide the fate of #10. What happens to them?

They break up and never see each other again. OH WAIT.

19. Which of these ships do you love the most?

Again, there is a reason #1 is #1.

Another 30-day challenge in one day

Skins 30-Day Challenge

So this is weird because I don't talk about Skins that much (I have mixed feelings about it), but I feel like doing this challenge will bring up some reasons why this show is actually worth watching, as opposed to the many reasons it's not.

Day 1 - Your favorite generation 

So far, generation 2. I can't really explain why... I think it's just that I like all of the G2 characters, whereas there were a couple G1 characters I couldn't really stand.

Day 2 - Your favorite character G1

Maxxie. I just saw someone on Tumblr say that Maxxie was their least-favorite G1 character because he's "flighty and one-dimensional," but I don't understand that at all. Maxxie was the only one who was always true to himself, and he didn't really care what anyone else thought of him. Even when his best friend was having a sudden case of homophobia, he stood his ground. He wasn't about to let their friendship die because of it, but he wasn't going to disown himself either.

Day 3 - Your least favorite character G1

Anwar and Sketch. I just can't stand Anwar and I absolutely hate Sketch.

Day 4 - Your favorite character G2

Freddie, aka the one with the most functional moral compass. Also, a winning I'm-so-disgusted-I-can't-even-look-at-you face.

Day 5 - Your least favorite character G2

Katie. I hate it when they try to make me care about what happens to her.

Day 6 - Your favorite character overall

I'm going to take this opportunity not to use either of the favorites I picked above, and say Effy. And it's not just because I have a think for emotionally screwed-up characters. It's because she cares so much about people that she almost can't handle it, so she acts like she doesn't care about anyone at all. But as Tony said, "You don't fool me, Effy Stonem."

Day 7 - Your favorite episode

"Effy," season 1 (keep in mind I haven't watched every episode yet; this was the first one that made me go all DKASD;FHADSFL)

Day 8 - Your least favorite episode

Possibly "Michelle" in season 2? It just made me uncomfortable, mostly.

Day 9 - Your favorite scene

Season 2, "Everyone," the Jal's speech/fireworks scene.

Day 10 - Something you hate about Skins

How trashy it is. Like, I get that it's not really supposed to be realistic so it's pointless for people to complain about how unrealistic it is, but does it have to be so trashy? It would be such a good show if people weren't constantly doing drugs or running around naked.

Day 11 - Your favorite quote from Skins

"You know, love's thoroughly overrated, Panda. I've never even had a girlfriend, and look how happy I am... In between minor psychological breakdowns." -JJ

[I can't really say this is my favorite favorite, but it's one of the only ones I remember, other than Cassie's "Oh wow... But, f-ck you" and Effy's "Nobody breaks my heart."]

Day 12 - Your favorite funny scene

The only one I can think of is when Effy found shrooms in the woods and Katie's all like MAHHH NO SHROOMS GUISE COME ON and then everyone else is like SHROOMS, WHO SAID SHROOMS? ahahaha OH and also in the S3 finale when the old lady is all mad at Freddie for giving up the race ahahaha

Day 13 - A scene that makes you sad/cry

In the first "Effy" episode when Tony finds Effy and then the guys take his clothes off and try to make him do things to her and he starts crying, and then later when he's telling Sid that he doesn't want to be a "wanker" hah, also when Chris dies and then Jal's speech at his funeral slkdfh;sdlafd

Day 14 - A scene that makes you happy

Strange that these are both Cook-related, but when Cook shows up when everyone's camping and he's like "Effy doesn't want me anymore, do you princess?" and also when his dad turns out to be a selfish jerk and keeps saying "I'm Cook!" and Cook is like "No, I'M Cook!" and pushes him off the boat ahahaha

Day 15 - A scene that makes you angry

Pretty much any scene with Katie.

Day 16 - Your favorite Skins finale

Season 2, hands down.

Day 17 - Your favorite Skins friendship

Tony/Sid and Cook/Naomi-- sorry, I seem to have trouble picking one of each answer.

Day 18 - Your favorite Skins romance

FREFFY

Day 19 - A whacky ship that you would love

Tony/Cassie ...I just feel like their crazies are about equal. They could understand each other.

Day 20 - Your favorite character entrance

They don't really have "entrances," do they? I mean, maybe Cassie because they talk about how crazy she is before we see her, but then we learn that she's not really crazy.

Day 21 - Your favorite minor character G1

Like I said, Maxxie.

Day 22 - Your favorite minor character G2

JJ

Day 23 - The character that is most like you

HAH absolutely none of them. But I'll go with Jal.

Day 24 - An episode you wish never happened

I haven't seen it yet, but the episode where Freddie dies. It's not okay.

Day 25 - Something that you wish happened but didn’t

It would be so interesting to see Tony meet Effy's friends.

Day 26 - Your favorite Skins fanvid

Don't watch fanvids

Day 27 - Your favorite cast picture

This one's pretty good I guess

Also this one because Maxxie what are you doing ahaha

Day 28 - Something you love about skins

The characters

Day 29 - Your favorite Skins fanfic

Don't read fanfics

Day 30 - Anything Skins related

Uh.... Tony Stonem is dating Katniss Everdeen. What.

30-Day shipping challenge in 1 day

I decided to do this 30-day challenge in addition to the Friday Night Lights one (which I've kind of been neglecting), because it looked like the kind of thing that might rip my heart out and dance on it... in a fun way.

I'm kind of cheating because I hate having the responsibility of being required to come back and add something every day, so I'm doing all the days at once.

Day 1: What is your current favorite ship? 

I don't really know what you mean by "favorite," but I'll go with the S.S. Nick & Jess.

Day 2: What was your very first ship?

Either Cory & Topanga or Ross & Rachel.

Day 3: A pairing that needs to happen now. 

I'm good. I tend to be weary of making my ships happen "right now" because then they might not be done right.

Day 4: The pairing with the most chemistry. 

It's hard to say because not many of them are actually together yet haha. Maybe I'll go with FourTris.

Day 5: The pairing with the least chemistry. 

It breaks my heart to say this, but Booth & Bones. What happened?

Day 6: The best kiss. 

I'm not one for judging that kind of thing. I'm going to say Mara and Noah because it left me wondering if they actually had even kissed. 

Day 7: The most heartbreaking scene. 

CLOCKWORK PRINCE, CHAPTER 20.

Tessa had begun to tremble. This is what she had always wanted someone to say. What she had always, in the darkest corner of her heart, wanted Will to say. Will, the boy who loved the same books she did, the same poetry she did, who made her laugh even when she was furious. And here he was standing in front of her, telling her he loved the words of her heart, the shape of her soul. Telling her something she had never imagined anyone would ever tell her. Telling her something she would never be told again, not in this way. And not by him.

And it did not matter.

Day 8: The pairing with the most baggage.

Will and Tessa. I mean, I do not think you get much more baggage than "I'm engaged to your blood brother who is dying" and "I spent the last 5 years pushing everyone, including you, away because I thought I was CURSED BY A DEMON."

Day 9: The most believable relationship. 

Coach and Mrs. Coach. (aka Eric and Tami Taylor) !!

Day 10: Why aren’t these two married? 

They are...

Day 11: What is your dream pairing? 

Isn't that the same as my favorite ship? If I have to pick a different one, let me go with Frankie and Alpha from The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks... those two are totes m2b.

Day 12: Who had the best wedding?

I wasn't actually at any of their weddings.

Day 13: What is your favorite movie pairing? 

I honestly have no clue.

Day 14: What is your favorite book pairing?

Augustus Waters and Hazel Grace Lancaster.

Day 15: What is your favorite real life pairing?

Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield.

Day 16: What is the absolute worst pairing? 

Booth and Cam... it skeeves me out just thinking about it.

Day 17: A pairing you never thought would work, but did. 

Bev and Colby in The Disenchantments. I really didn't think they were going anywhere (figuratively).

Day 18: What is the cutest pairing? 

LOLA NOLAN AND CRICKET BELL. You do not get much more adorable than Cricket Bell.

Day 19: A pairing you’ve rooted for since the beginning. 

Luke and Lorelai

Day 20: The can’t-stand-the-sexual-tension pairing.

Pre-baby Booth and Bones.

Day 21: A pairing you like and no one else understands why. 

Yeah, I don't really have any of those. My ships always make sense.

Day 22: A pairing you hate and no one understands why. 

Well, I wouldn't say nobody understands this, but Lena and Julian. I just... even if Alex were actually dead, I would hate it. Julian has the personality of a rice cake.

Day 23: A crazy love triangle/quadrilateral that worked out great.

Uhh, this one is hard because I haven't really found one of these yet. Maybe Michael/Em/Kaleb in the Hourglass series, because it didn't actually turn into a love triangle like you'd expect.

Day 24: A crazy love triangle/quadrilateral that worked out badly.

Lol, Lucas/Helen/Orion in the Dreamless series. Because, you know, they all became blood brothers and started a war with the gods. Ooops.

Day 25: A pairing that was/would-be adorable, but could never work out. 

Jem and Tessa. I'm sorry. It can't work out because 1) Jem is dying, 2) Jem's best friend and his fiance are in love with each other, and 3) It JUST CAN'T. Poor Jem.

Day 26: A pairing that you hated and ended up loving.

Helen and Orion... I mean, I don't ship them, but I like Orion a lot. Which says something, because I usually can't stand the guy who intrudes on my ship (coughJuliancough).

Day 27: A pairing that you loved and ended up hating. 

Ethan and Clem in Unbreak My Heart. They had a good thing going, and then he had to go and be a jerk when his girlfriend found out LOL.

Day 28: A pairing that you will never understand. 

Lorelai/Christopher or Rory/Logan. HOW CAN ANYONE SHIP THOSE?

Day 29: What ship had the best proposal? 

Again, not many of my ships are actually married. Jim and Pam. Highway gas stations FTW!

Day 30: Your favorite pairing forever and ever and ever!

This is hard. Katniss and Peeta (Everlark) or Rory and Jess (Literati).

FNL 30-Day Challenge

I needed a new 30-day challenge to do. So here's one for Friday Night Lights.

Day 1: Top 5 favorite characters

1. Matt Saracen

2. Coach Taylor

3. Landry Clarke and Tim Riggins (sorry, I cannot choose one)

4. Luke Cafferty

5. Tami Taylor

(I can't help but notice that when I read other people's lists, Julie Taylor is not on any of them. I also can't help but think it's not because she's a bad character in general, but because she's a bad character when Matt Saracen is not around. Which just tells you how great Matt Saracen is.)
Day 2: Favorite male character
Matt Saracen. I know, shocking, right?
Day 3: Favorite female character
Obviously Tami Taylor even though she annoys the crap out of me sometimes. Other than her, I'd say probably Jess Merriweather.
Day 4: Least favorite male character
Pick a McCoy, any McCoy.
Day 5: Least favorite female character
Season Two Julie Taylor. AKA Devilspawn.
Day 6: Favorite episode
How about top 4, in chronological order? "It Ain't Easy Being J.D. McCoy," "The Son," "Stay" and "Always."

It's a FARSE.

Okay, it's going to seem weird to any casual reader of my blog that I'm about to write about American Idol, but...

I just can't get over what happened tonight.

Bottom 3 several times^^... bottom 3 never^^... seriously, ^^she's still here?

I don't know what America is doing with their votes, but they certainly aren't giving them to the people who deserve them the most. This year's talent on Idol is not particularly great, contrary to what everyone else seems to think, but none of them are bad either. This is one of the few years I can honestly say I like every single one of the people who are left. Which, yes, makes it hard to decide who has to go home each week. But that is no excuse to vote based on anything but talent.

Last week, the best voice (in my opinion) was almost kicked off the show. She had never been in the bottom 3 before, and BAM, she was almost gone, just like that. The only logical explanation for this is that people got lazy, or comfortable, and thought they could get away with not voting for the most talented person. And last week, they were right. Because the judges saved that person.

This week, not so much.

Here are the four people who I think should be the top four, in no particular order:

-Jessica Sanchez- that voice, and the things she can do with it, are reason alone to win the whole thing.

-Phillip Phillips- okay, I confess, I might be a little bit in love with Phillip Phillips. Dude's got a killer smile and a killer attitude ("Oh, you don't want me to wear gray? Okay, I'll wear a gray t-shirt with a gray button-up over it."), but he can also sing. Or, as Matt Giraud would say, saaaang. There's argument out there that he sounds the same every week, but even if I thought that were true, why is it a bad thing? There's a difference between sounding the same because you don't know how to change things up, and sounding the same because you don't want to change things up. Phillip knows who he is and what he wants to do, and he's not going to change it for anyone. I can respect that. He's not a one-trick pony, he's frickin' Seabiscuit. Yeah, I went there. Horse analogies for the win. You keep on wearin' gray, Phillip Phillips.

-Skylar Laine- I haven't always liked Skylar very much. The nasaly voice kind of irritated me at the beginning, but these days I just love watching this chick perform. She's one of the most charismatic people I've ever seen on the show, and she's got the talent to go with it. She's like an even more spunky version of Lauren Alaina, if that's possible, and I'm jumping on board. Excellent hair, also. 

-Colton Dixon- I loved Colton last year. I love Colton even more this year. He knows how to change up a song and Colton-ify it, and THOSE PIPES. And THAT FACE. He's like Chris Daughtry, if Chris Daughtry were young, had a faux-hawk, and knew how to look good while he was singing. Personally, the songs that make me love Colton are the more ballad-like ones, because he makes them so deliciously dark and angsty. I love me some angst.

To me, nobody else in the competition is doing anything that hasn't been done before. Hollie has a nice voice, and this week she finally, finally learned how to loosen up and show it off, but she just sings songs. She doesn't create anything on the stage. She doesn't perform. Joshua is the same way, and Elise just kind of annoys me. Her performances always have a slight cheese factor to them, and her voice isn't anything to die for. Any of these people could have been kicked off tonight and I wouldn't have cared much. 

BUT WAIT! Colton Dixon got kicked off tonight.

What?

Yeah.

Colton Dixon. Got... 7th place? Why, this is worse than what happened to Chris Daughtry! This is Pia Toscano all over again!

Colton fans, you got too confident. I know you're out there, because he has never even been in the bottom 3 before. Everyone was sure he'd make it far. Seventh. Place.

You should be ashamed of yourselves. I hope Colton's swan song broke your hearts as much as it broke mine.

Gloomy Colton is gloomy.

So here is my open letter to American Idol voters:

If you love someone, set them free.
NO. DO NOT DO THIS. Pick up your phone and dial the number until your FINGERS HURT.

Do not think to yourself, "Oh, a bunch of other people love him, so he doesn't need my love." IT WILL NOT WORK. Trust me, I have been there. The flashbacks to season 7 are all too vivid right now. *voted for David Archuleta dozens of times but still hangs head in shame*

But this is not my most important advice to you, dear voters. The real advice is this: vote based on talent. Just because Colton has a pretty face doesn't mean that's the only reason you're voting for him. Don't let anyone tell you someone doesn't deserve to be there because they're better-looking than the others, or funnier, or whatever. If they've got a voice like Colton's, they deserve to be there. Even if they're pretty. Even if they're funny (not the case with Heejun, but it was the case with Michael Johns). While all the cynics are complaining and acting superior, here is what you do: CALL THE NUMBER. Vote some more. It is the only way.

Because if you do not, things like this happen.

And I have season 7 finale flashbacks.

And I get very upset.

Please.

Thank you.

-Paige.

The bright side: it's looking like a girl might actually win this year. But I have no idea who's going to be in the finale. Ideas?

I'm pulling for a Phillip/Jessica or Jessica/Skylar or Phillip/Skylar finale. Yeah?

Let's just pretend it ended at 6 seasons.

So after four solid seasons, two decent ones and three unnecessary and indulgent ones, One Tree Hill is finally over.

I expected the series finale to make me bawl like a little baby, honestly. Because that's how series finales are supposed to go-- they are the last time you're ever going to see these characters you've loved for X number of years. In real time, at least. You'll get to watch reruns, but you never again wonder what's going to happen to them. You never get to learn with them or experience things with them again, because you've learned these things and experienced these things before, and it's not the same if you're just watching them do it all over again.

But the thing is, the One Tree Hill finale didn't make me cry. Not once. The only time I got teary-eyed was when Gavin DeGraw was singing "I Don't Want to Be" ...and I don't even think that was because it was the end of One Tree Hill. I think it was because that was Lucas's song, and Lucas wasn't even there. It was like the finale completely ignored the fact that the show was originally about the other Scott brother. The one who walked across the bridge dribbling a basketball in the opening credits, while Gav went on singing about how he's tired of wondering who he's supposed to be when all he wants to be is himself. The show was about the broody blond kid who was traded by his jerkwad father in favor of the Good Life. Who met the broody blond girl who drove a Comet and had an awesome 'tude, and happened to be dating said jerkwad's other son, who ended up falling in love with broody blond kid's best friend.

NOWHERE IN HERE DO I MENTION BROOKE DAVIS, YOU SEE?

I'm sorry. I am just freaking sick to death of Brooke Davis. This show is not and never was about her. I am so angry that they basically made the last season about her-- cutting Nathan out of half of the episodes and focusing on Brooke's issues with Xavier and her parents and her rival and her children and GAH. Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike Brooke. I even liked her for most of the seasons. But these days she is just so annoying and it seems like she thinks everything that comes out of her mouth has to be profound or something and I'm tired of it. I wanted the finale to be about the same people the pilot was about, and I was severely disappointed.

Oh, and the Julian-buying-Brooke's-old-house thing. How did he do that without her knowing? He's got like magical credit powers or something. The whole thing was just a little ridiculous for me. Talk about living in the past, BDavis. You're so intent on not being high school-Brooke, and yet you go and live in her house? Really?

Speaking of living in the past: Nathan with the Cracker Jack bracelet, Haley with the secret box of wishes, Naley with the making out in the rain, Mouth with the Edwards-Scott (should have been Scott-Edwards) Scholarship Fund, Julian making a TV show out of his wife's high school years... Move along, people. We all realize those seasons of OTH were better, but we can watch old episodes if we want. Give us something new to work with.

Another thing that bothered me about the finale was that all of the characters seemed to know the show was ending. Which is funny because they're not even supposed to know they're on a show. They were all making these big conclusive statements and decisions and acting like they were getting their happily ever after, but when has anyone on One Tree Hill really even believed in happily ever after? It was like they were all saying, "It's really over now, so I'm suddenly going to become obsessed with talking about life." Give me a break.

Also, the thing at the end? SO. NOT. BUYING. IT. So you expect me to believe that all of these people look exactly the same approximately 7 years later, when Jamie is about 17? Um, no. Putting extensions in Haley's hair does not make her look older. And that was the only effort they made! And Millie is pregnant NOW?? Nathan and Haley have a 17-year-old son and Mouth, who is the same age as them, is only having a kid now?! THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS FIRST, PEOPLE. It does not add up. Not to mention, Quinn and Clay never had a kid of their own? What?

I won't get into how cheesy the whole basketball-cheering-yay-Jamie-woohoo crap was.

There were three redeeming things in the whole episode: 1. Clay's son calling Quinn "Mom" and them getting married and being a-freaking-dorable. 2. SKILLS AND BEVIN REUNITED AND IT FEELS SO GOOD! HALLELUJAH! and 3. Chris. Keller.

A quick letter to Chris Keller:

Dear Chris Keller,

Thank you for always being Chris Keller. Even if nobody else likes it. Even if people don't understand it. Thank you for not changing. Thank you for being the best character on the entire show and, well, knowing it. Thank you for talking in the third person and being an egomaniac, but also for doing the right thing 100 percent of the time. Thank you for fixing things when nobody else tried, when everyone was too caught up in their own drama to see the simple solutions. Thank you for not caring how anyone but Chris Keller feels about Chris Keller. Thank you for being a big softy with a prickly, repellent exterior. Thank you for being the guy who helps the people who think they hate him. Your work here is done.

So basically, this was not an episode of One Tree Hill. Nothing bad happened, the characters acted more like fortune cookies than themselves, and it was cheesy. And I don't completely believe that one second after they all walked out of Jamie's basketball game, someone didn't get shot or hit by a car or attacked by a psycho stalker.

I'm having fun imagining the possibilities.

Watch this show.

Okay apparently I'm writing a blog every single day of this week, but I don't care! I'm changing it up a little tonight, though, and talking about television (I never thought I'd say ME talking about television would be "changing it up").

Namely, New Girl. This is the first show with incessant dirty jokes that I have ever loved. It's pretty much the only show these days that makes me look forward to new episodes, besides The Finder.

What is it about New Girl that makes me want to watch episodes repeatedly even though they're only a half hour long?

-Jess. A lot of people can't stand New Girl because Jess has just a little too much quirk for them, but I like it. I like that she's not afraid to be who she is, and I like that she's a little bit detached from reality. It's not a hindrance to her. Heck, she even helps other people with her weirdness, her unflinching optimism.

Favorite Jess quote: "I brake for birds, I rock a lot of polka dots, I have touched glitter in the last 24 hours, [...] and I find it fundamentally strange that you’re not a dessert person. That’s just weird, and it freaks me out. And I’m sorry I don’t talk like Murphy Brown, and I hate your pantsuit. I wish it had ribbons on it, or something to make it just slightly cuter. [...] I'm about to pay this $800 fine, and my checks have baby farm animals on them, bitch!"

-The D-Bag Jar. This whole concept is so completely necessary, especially for a character like Schmidt. I wish people in real life had these jars (particularly a certain manager at work). The things they come up with for Schmidt to say/do in order for him to put money into the jar. This show has some seriously fantastic writers.

-When Jess moved into the apartment with the guys, it was expected that there would be awkwardness because she didn't know them. And there was. But it didn't last long, and now they are completely comfortable with each other and all of the guys defend Jess, and it doesn't even seem unrealistic. I'm so sick of situation comedies, and this is not one of them. This show is character-driven and completely unpredictable. Refreshing.

-The dialogue. The things they end up talking about on this show! The arguments between Schmidt and Nick about towels and conditioner. The times when Nick and Jess are lovingly at each other's throats because they have such different worldviews.

-Never has a show ever been able to make me feel so uncomfortable with the things the characters do WHILST still feeling comfortable with the characters themselves. Schmidt... why do you do these things? And why do I still like you anyway?

-Last but least least (yes, least least), Nick. Sometimes he is the voice of reason amongst a loft full of crazy people, and sometimes he's just as crazy as the rest of them. Cynical, pessimistic, usually-right Nick. I love the relationship between him and Jess, because he always tries to bring her head down from the clouds and she always tries to get him to be a little less... Nick. It doesn't work, of course, but it's fun to watch. They balance each other out, and I love that even when Nick has a girlfriend, he's almost overly concerned about Jess (case in point: on tonight's episode, Jess befriended their landlord and Nick was convinced that he only wanted to get in her pants, so he wouldn't let her be alone with him in the apartment. And then when he was proven right, he went back to being another one of the Crazies by nearly having a threesome with her and the landlord just so she would say he was right.)

Favorite Nick quotes: I'm only working with tonight's episode here, but that's because there are so many from each episode that I couldn't rightfully choose a favorite. Jess: "You never smile." Nick: "Smiling is a sign of weakness." (later) Jess: "You always assume the worst in people." Nick: "Because people are the worst!"

Basically, people should watch this show. There are no cheap laughs, and I still end up in laughing fits [that usually involve tears] just about every episode.

Bromances make the world better.

So, I have been inspired to write a list of my top 5 favorite (fictional) bromances. I am going to enjoy this immensely.

5. House and Wilson

This is by far the best relationship that has ever existed on House. Without this, I probably wouldn't watch it half as much as I watch it now. I just love it.

4. Will Herondale and Jem Carstairs

Is it just me, or do bromances not happen as often in books as I'd like them to? I'm sure I am forgetting some examples, but this is the most prominent one I've found. Even my beloved Hunger Games is unfortunately lacking in the bromance department (no, I don't count that one Finnick/Peeta thing), but I forgive it. Anyway, Will and Jem's relationship is what makes the love triangle a "triangle" instead of a V. I like it; it makes the whole situation agonizingly, beautifully unfair. I like that Jem protects Will and the world from each other, and I like that Will buys Jem's drug for him because Jem hates doing it. I like that Jem can make fun of Will and Will can whack Jem on the head for not telling him about his knowledge of demon pox evidence.

3. JD and Turk

Honestly, you can't have a list of bromances without Vanilla Bear and Chocolate Bear. The picture above= enough said.

2. Landry Clark and Matt Saracen

Best friends since they were five, and Landry giving Matt horrible advice the entire time. I love their friendship so much, it kills me that I don't know exactly what's up with them after the show is over. But either way, the scene above is from when Matt went to Chicago and didn't call Landry, and Landry stands in the doorway all aloof and hurt and after a solid effort at staying mad, he just lets Matt in and they act like nothing happened. Then Landry ends up taking Julie's ticket back to Chicago with him. Oh, and how Matt's grandma tells Landry not to throw a football because he throws like a girl. And then there's the time when Matt went to Landry for advice on (spoiler alert) asking for Coach's blessing to marry Julie, and Landry gave him the required horrible advice and then FINALLY (this is the series finale) said something useful-- which was that a football coach probably wouldn't be too thrilled to let his daughter marry someone who works at an art gallery.

1. Cory Matthews and Shawn Hunter

The original bromance. I ship the bromance Cory and Shawn even more than I ship the romances Cory & Topanga or Angela & Shawn. I love that they make things better for each other when nobody else can. I love that Topanga has to tell them, "Stop it! You're boys!" I love that half of Cory's wedding was spent making up with Shawn, who only started a fight because he was upset that things were changing. I love that Shawn is the only person who ever truly understands Cory. I love that they help each other deal with both the heavy things and the light things perfectly. I love that everybody knows how important they are to each other, but nobody really gets it-- because Cory and Shawn are the only ones who need to get it. I love that "for better or for worse, 'til death do us part" applies more to them than anyone on the show.

Girlfran, you needa be sent away.

I need... I can't... I just... Why?

I am going to write this in letter form, because that is how it is easiest to vent my feelings when I am extremely angry with someone.

Dear She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named,

Congratulations. You've done it again. Gone all trigger-happy with that swelling sense of power in your chest and just lost your freaking mind. Why do you do this to us? Why do you do this, when you know you're going to lose viewers for exactly this reason?

Why do you make me love your characters and then rip them away from me? Why do the characters I can't stand get to be selfish and leave without so much as a guilty conscience, and the ones I absolutely adore just, you know, throw themselves in front of buses and die for their heroic efforts, or be completely the opposite of every despicable character you create and then die on the operating table, or be the only reason I even started watching the show and then get killed unexpectedly after a stupid car accident? Why? People thought it was bad when you killed Denny, but this is getting out of control. It wasn't that difficult to get over Denny.

I was starting to like Grey's Anatomy again. Last season, I was thinking it had gotten its groove back. Don't get me wrong, I never did and never will forgive you for what you did to George O'Malley, but I had myself convinced that that was the one and only time you completely lost all of your marbles. I figured occasionally you just lose a few of them, just to keep things interesting, but they came back. But now, I'm thinking you just never really got them back. Replaced them with cotton balls or something. That's what I'm thinking.

Here's something you probably aren't expecting: I honestly, completely do not care about what happens to the main characters. I know they are safe. Get a kid, don't get a kid, yawn. Lexie and Sloane get back together, don't get back together, I have an opinion but it matters to you just about as much as Lexie's opinion mattered to that author lady last week. I know Meredith and Alex aren't going to blow up in an ambulance, because Meredith is the main character and Alex is a jerk, and on your shows, jerks don't die [and honestly, if you killed another one of the original five, you might get death threats yourself]. I think you know that the percentage of people who love Lexie and the percentage of people who can't stand her are approximately equal, so obviously you can't kill her. I knew you wouldn't kill Callie last year because, well, then what would be the point of the musical (lost a few cotton balls on that one too, didn't ya?)? And so on. In short, the only characters I care about are the ones who everyone likes, and who are not Meredith, Cristina or Derek. Because those are the ones who are constantly in danger of being killed.

I just don't understand your logic here, woman. Go ahead and defend yourself, say it's for the story or the characters or whatever, but you're wrong. The story and the characters would be just fine without you going and doing things like this. You think I wouldn't still be watching Grey's Anatomy if George O'Malley were still alive? You think killing Dell made me want to keep watching Private Practice? News flash: George could still be a hero if he hadn't died. T.R. Knight could have left the show without his character dying (hello, George was on his way into THE FREAKING ARMY). And I do not watch Private Practice anymore. That show is nothing but your lost cotton balls.

Your power trips are getting old, and if you continue this genocide on the very specific type of characters I have mentioned, I'm done. Heck, I might be done anyway. Grey's doesn't come back for a while, so I have time to decide if I'm even going to watch it anymore. I do have a suggestion for you though: I think you and Ann Brashares (and heck, let's throw Brenda Hampton in there too just because she's annoying) should take vacation from writing and only come back when you have learned that these stories and characters are NOT YOURS. They're ours. You may have created them, but they don't belong to you.

Ever so sincerely,

Thanks for the rant, Brenda

Dear Brenda Hampton,

What did the television-viewing world ever do to you, other than give 11 seasons to a show that did not deserve half a season? Why are you punishing both viewers and credible writers whose decent shows have not made it while your newest horrible one has? And now you’re getting another ABCFamily show I hear? Please, just stop. 7th Heaven was bad enough. You made your point; you think Christianity is awesome.

But no, that’s actually part of the problem. Secret Life started off as a show promoting Christianity, which, even though I’m about as religion-neutral as it gets, I didn’t mind. Because at least it had a point, and at least that point was something ridiculous enough to entertain me. Now the point is what? All sex, all the time? Even the super-duper-Christian chick is getting tested for STDs now?! What happened here? I can’t even watch it just to make fun of it anymore; it’s THAT painful.

Which brings me to my next point: It is not necessary for every single episode of this show to be a boisterous, repetitive, blatant PSA. That’s what the ACTUAL PSA at the end is for. Give us a break from the constant “life lessons” that your target demographic doesn’t actually have to deal with on a regular basis. Because honestly, anyone of average intelligence over 15 who still watches your show only does so to make fun of it. I guarantee it.

Moving along, did anyone ever teach you about the value of a good character? I really don’t think they did. Secret Life has exactly one character that is worth anyone’s time, but she is so poorly expressed that it’s not compelling unless you really look for it [which you shouldn’t have to do. Good characters shout at you.]. Your main character is, and I’m not going out on a limb here, the worst character I have ever had the displeasure of encountering. Amy Juergens, the girl who gets pregnant at band camp and proceeds to view the world as indebted to her, gets “married” and then breaks up with the guy, gets back together with the babydaddy, and proposes to him?! This chick is more indecisive than I am! Me! The girl without a favorite anything! And the rest of the characters are just variations of each other: the semi-Christian girl obsessed with sex, the two annoying best friends obsessed with sex, the jock obsessed with sex, the player/babydaddy obsessed with sex, and so on. Ashley is the only character who seems to have her head on straight, but again, she isn’t compelling enough. And Ben is just annoying, with his “wow, life just took on so much more meaning to me” revelations every single episode.

Let’s go on to the dialogue, shall we? Exactly how many times can someone say the same word in one conversation? Is that the record you’re trying to break here? Because I’m pretty sure you can put your name on a spot on the Guinness Book of World Records. And why, exactly, do the characters always have to repeat the question someone has just asked them before they answer it? Does anyone really do that in real life? NO. If you took out all of the repeated words and phrases in this show, each episode would be a half hour long. Which would be much more tolerable.

Have I gotten anything wrong here? I’ll admit, I haven’t actually watched the show since the first season, but something tells me (from the glimpses I caught tonight while I was too lazy to change the channel) that it has not changed. Yeah, I didn’t think so. The only good thing about this show is that it gives me something to rant about.

Come on, Brenda. You’re wasting good talent here. Not yours— because let’s be honest, you don’t have any— but everyone else’s. Because they could ALL be doing better, even if their acting abilities culminate on Secret Life.

Salutations (because I don’t know how to end this letter… condolences? Deepest apologies for my scathing review of your career?),

Paige.

P.S. The title doesn’t even make sense. “The Secret Life of the American Teenager.” Not only is that demeaning and judgmental of American teenagers, but it does not correspond with the show at all. There is nothing SECRET about these people’s lives. They talk to everyone about everything they do.