Buffy the Vampire Slayer: season 3, ep. 4 Quippy Quotes

After the surprise ending in episode 3, episode 4, "Beauty and the Beasts" had a lot to deliver. And it doesn't disappoint. It's a great episode. There are a lot of beasts in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and this episode gives us three. And each one has someone who loves them, in spite of their "beastliness." But which of those beasts is the one terrorizing Sunnydale this time?

One of the best parts of this episode is one little prop. When Willow goes to the morgue to see if any of the bodies were mauled by a werewolf, she carries her "tools" in a Scooby Doo lunch box. Priceless.

Quotes:

Xander: Private Harris reporting for Oz watch.

Xander: Call of the Wild. Aren't we reading the Cliffsnotes for this for English.
Willow: Some of us are.

Scott: Hey, Buffy. That's what I stopped you for, basically. Hey.
Buffy: Okay. Hey.

Oz: Howdy, Debbie.
Debbie: Hi, Oz. Hey, you're not doing jazz band this year?
Oz: Oh, can't take the pressure. It's not the music that's hard, it's the marching.
Buffy: We have a marching jazz band?
Oz: Yea, but since the best jazz is improvisational, we'd be going off in all directions, banging into floats. Scary.
Willow: He's just being Oz.
Oz: Pretty much full-time.

Buffy: Those are pretty flowers.
Debbie: Thanks. Pete brought them for me.
Pete: Yea. Well, I'm sure Scott does that type of stuff for you too, Buffy.
Scott: Well, we're not up to flowers. Are we? Up to flowers? Did I miss flowers?
Buffy: No. We're pre-posy. Definitely.

Giles: No need to panic.
Oz: Just a thought - poker, not your game.

Buffy: Buffy Summers, reporting for sanity.

Mr. Platt: Look, Buffy. Any person - grownup, shrink, pope - any person who claims to be totally sane is either lying or not very bright. I mean, everyone has problems. Everybody has demons, right?
Buffy: Gotta say I'm with you on that.

Giles: We could ask Faith to watch over him.
Oz: What, you're having a slayer watch me? Good, we're not overreacting.

Xander: We're doing crime here. You don't sneak up during crime.

Xander: Too much excitement for the Wilster here.

Buffy: What if... I told you that I had a dream about Angel, and um, it brought up some questions?
Giles: I'd say it was to be expected. Must have been some dream. I didn't know you knew what a card index was for.
Buffy: I dreamt that he came back.
Giles: Of course. After Jenny was killed, I had dreams that she was still alive, that I saved her.
Buffy: This was vivid. Really vivid. Three dimensional. Sensurround, the hills are alive.

Scott: Hey, uh, I can't... I can't back you on that lunch. Nutritional demerits.

Buffy (re: Mr. Platt): He definitely marches to the beat of his own drummer. Actually, I think he makes his own drums.

Oz: I may be a cold-blooded jelly donut, but my timing's impeccable.

Oz: Time's up. Rules change.

Cordelia: Where have I been?
Xander: In your special place, Cor, which is why I adore you.

Cordelia: Great, now I'm going to be stuck with serious thoughts all day.

Good Neighbors: Pig's Lib

The Goods have purchased pigs, much to the chagrin of Margo, and she is forced to call in the big guns in the form of the chairman of the resident's association. Margo thinks Mr. Carter will simply tell Tom and Barbara that they can't have pigs in their backyard, but, unfortunately for her, that isn't quite the case. Tom and Barbara end up promising Margo that the pigs won't get into her garden because they can't jump the high fence. However, they find out too late that pigs can go under a fence.

Quotes:

Customer at Store: I don't have any eggs on me. Do you accept cash?

Margo: What is that?
Tom: Two dustbins on a trolley.
Margo: I know it's two dustbins on a trolley, Tom. And when I asked you the question, it was a rhetorical one which does not need a direct answer, as you knew in the first place.
Tom: You make me hold my breath when do long sentences, Margo.
Margo: What is it?
Tom: It's two rhetorical dustbins on a rhetorical trolley.

Tom: Go in peace, dear Gerald, but tell thy sovereign lady this, if she doth bite her thumbs at us, e'en do we back unto her our thumbs be-bite.
Jerry: Don't call us, we'll call you.

Mr. Carter: Evening, Mr. Good.
Tom: Good evening, Mr. Carter. Right. That's got the poncy* formalities over. I'm a busy man, if you just make your threats, I'll ignore them, and you can clear off.

Margo: May I come in as well?
Tom: Unless you want to listen through the keyhole.

Margo: They will ruin my garden.
Barbara: We're not keeping them in your garden.
Margo: Well, say they jumped over the fence?
Tom: Oh, come on, I can't see piglets doing the Fosbury flop** over a great high fence like that.

Tom: All right, tell you what. If they build a ladder and as much as set a trotter*** in your garden, I'll get rid of them. How's that?

Margo: We will leave it at that. Barbara, Tom.
Tom: Margo, Margo.
Barbara: Margo, Margo.
Margo: Good night, Mr. Carter. And I am sorry to say this, but you are not the Mr. Carter I imagined you to be.
Mr. Carter: Well, I'm sorry to hear that. [Margo leaves. To Tom] Because she's exactly the Mrs. Leadbetter I imagined her to be.

Margo: Anything special you'd like for dinner?
Jerry: Anything except pork.
Margo: Well, I must say, Jerry, I never realized before that you were so fond of pigs.
Jerry: I'm not. I think they're nasty, smelly creatures. But I'd rather have Tom and Barbara as friends with pigs than than not friends without them.
Margo: I don't see why you should make me out the villain of the piece. Nothing wrong with asking someone to honor an agreement.
Jerry: That's what they said about Shylock.

Margo: Jerry called me Shylock.

Tom: Talk about cheating Mesdemoiselles Guillotine. The Scarlet Pimpernel wasn't in it.

Tom: Are we the happiest Tom and Barbara in the world?
Barbara: Easily.
Tom: Right. Go sober up. Get your working clothes on. We've got a prison camp to build.



* pretentious
**common high jump technique
***pig's foot

Faerie Tale Theatre: Cinderella

Fairy tales are quite popular right now. On television we have Once Upon a Time and Grimm. On the big screen in the last few years we've had Snow White and the Huntsman, Mirror, Mirror, Jack and the Giant Slayer, Hansel and Gretel. Soon we will see a new version of Cinderella, with Cate Blanchett as the stepmother, and Maleficent with Angelina Jolie in the title role.

In the 1980s, Shelley Duvall produced Faerie Tale Theatre, which retold many of the popular fairy tales with big name stars and quite a lot of humor. There are a few standouts from the series, with Cinderella arguably being my favorite.

Cinderella stars Jennifer Beals, Matthew Broderick and Jean Stapleton, with Eve Arden playing possibly the best stepmother ever. The tale is full of lines that I still quote almost 30 years after seeing it for the first time. These are quotes that are not only funny because of the actually lines, but because of their delivery.

There are many small touches that make the story so memorable:

• The fairy godmother's wand is in her small handbag in sections and she screws the sections together to make the full wand
• Cinderella and her fairy godmother have to clean the inside of the pumpkin out before the fairy godmother changes it into a coach, otherwise there would be "gigantic seeds" inside the coach 
• Instead of saying magic words to perform her magic, the fairy godmother kisses her wand before pointing it at the thing she wants to change
• Arturo and his band of merry cellists
• Drunk Alfred hitting on Cinderella
• Henry waiting on the steps for Cinderella to come to the second ball, practicing his dance moves
• The ladies of the court who are trying on the slipper each have a number, like they're at an audition
• Bertha and Arlene try the slipper on different feet (Bertha - the right foot, Arlene - the left foot)

Side note: Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables would have loved the fairy godmother's and Cinderella's gowns. They have puffy sleeves to beat all puffy sleeves.

Quotes:

Stepmother: Well, enough gloom for one day.

Stepmother: We've got to pitch in and make the best of bad times. Cinderella, I think it would be lovely if you did all the cooking.
Cinderella: That's fine.
Stepmother: And my lovely daughters Arlene and Bertha, you won't do any cooking.
Arlene: I can handle that.

Cinderella: I don't mean to be rude, but isn't this arrangement just a bit lopsided?
Stepmother: Oh, well I'm not finished. Bertha, your duties will include bathing yourself, brushing your own hair, and maintaining an attractive appearance.
Bertha: See, I'm not complaining.
Stepmother: And Arlene, you'll be in charge of relaxing, wearing fashionable clothing, and occasionally answering the door.
Arlene: Oh, mother, I hate that door thing.
Stepmother: All right. Cinderella, you will answer the door. And I will be in charge of... being in charge.

[knock at the door]
Arlene: Cinderella! There's someone at the door.
[another knock at the door]
Bertha: Cindrella! Answer the door.
[another knock at the door - Arlene starts toward the door]
Arlene: Oh, I hate all this walking.

Cinderella: I try to be kind, but the nicer I am the worse you treat me.
Stepmother: The answer is very simple, my dear. You see, nature has been very kind to you. You've been blessed with incredible beauty, a sweet disposition, and a loving heart. These are qualities that are totally absent from myself and my daughters. Therefore, in order to balance the scales of nature, which have been unfairly tipped in your favor, it is only right that we should treat you like dirt.
Cinderella: Well, I'm not sure I agree with that logic.
Stepmother: Well, think of it as a good deed. You kiss up to us, we despise you, and everybody's happy.
Cinderella: But I'm not happy.
Stepmother: Splendid.

Royal Messenger: Good day. I am the appointed messenger to His Royal Highness, Prince Henry, heir to the throne, and son of King Rupert III.
Bertha: Come in. Please, come in!
Arlene: I'm wild about royal messengers, especially cute ones.
Bertha: Would you like something to drink? Perhaps some ham?

Royal Messenger: I cordially, that is he, Prince Henry, cordially invites you to attend his Autumn ball. The theme which will be... Autumn.
Bertha: Autumn! I love ---
Royal Messenger: The ball will include a scrumptious buffet, unlimited champagne, and dancing to the melodic sounds of Arturo and his band of merry cellists.

[Arlene is tightening up Bertha's corset]
Stepmother (to Arlene): Tighter. Tighter.
Bertha: But mother, I won't be able to breath.
Stepmother: Well, one night of suffocation isn't going to kill you.

Bertha: What will you be wearing to the ball, Cinderella?
Cinderella: Me? Well, I just assumed that I wasn't going.
Arlene: Well, of course you're going. We thought you knew that.
Cinderella: You mean I was invited to the royal ball?
[both girls break into fits of laughter]
Arlene: Are you crazy? Of course you're not going to the ball.
Bertha: Who'd want a filthy little nobody like you at an upwardly mobile bash like that?

Stepmother: Remember girls, don't act too smart. Men are intimidated by intelligent women.
Arlene: What do you mean intelligent?
Stepmother: Oh, never mind.

Stepmother: Now, remember, be kind, be gracious, be charming. And whatever you do, don't be yourselves.

Cinderella: Who are you?
Fairy Godmother: Honey, I'm your fairy godmother. Didn't you see me poof next to you?

Fairy Godmother: We're very selective about where and when we offer assistance. I mean, we can't just come popping in for every problem.

Cinderella: Why not?

Fairy Godmother: Well, it wouldn't be fair. Besides, solving your own problems is part of growing up. I just show up for special occasions.

Cinderella: You know, it's just I wish you were there when my stepsisters tied me to the banister.

Fairy Godmother: You gotta make that royalty stand up and salute and say, "who is that girl?"

Cinderella: Don't you have to say some magic words or something.

Fairy Godmother: Honey, I'm way beyond that.

Fairy Godmother (re: a mouse): Oh, speedy little critter. I can catch cockroaches better.

Fairy Godmother (after turning a rat into a coachman): You look better.

Fairy Godmother: You ready?

Cinderella: But I can't go looking like this.

Fairy Godmother: Of course you can. You'll be one of a kind. The only girl dressed in soot. (pause) Gotcha.

Cinderella: I like you. You make life fun.

Fairy Godmother: I love my work.

Prince Henry: Such a lovely dress.

[kisses her hand]

Girl: Oh, thank you. Thank you, Prince Henry.

Henry: For what?

Girl: For kissing my hand. I'll never wash it again, thank you.

Prince Henry (to royal messenger): I guess she liked it.

Stepmother: Don't you find my daughters fascinating?

Henry: Um... considering we've never met?

Bertha: Oh, I knew you'd like us. We can dance too.

Arlene: Yes, and you can dance with both of us at the same time.

Henry: Ooh, I think I hear my father, the King, calling.

Arturo: We gonna take a little break now, but we'll be right back real soon ladies and gentlemen, so don't go away.

Henry: Are you looking for someone? Boyfriend, right? I knew it.

Cinderella: Actually, I was looking for Prince Henry. Do you know him?

Henry: Yes. Yes, I know him quite well. He's, um, a charming young fellow. There he is. No, I don't see him just now. There he is. There he is. He's standing... next to you.

Henry: And you are?

Cinderella: I am very pleased to meet you.

Henry: I get tired of everybody knowing who I am wherever I go. But, of course, it's hard to remain anonymous when your face is on all the money.

Cinderella: It's a nice face.

Bertha: Ooh, what a gorgeous dress.

Arlene: Yea. How much did it cost?

Cinderella: Oh, it was just a little something I poofed together.

Henry: Poofed?

Cinderella: Put. Put together.

Henry: Disappear, Alfred.

Alfred: Okay.

[Alfred leaves]

Cinderella: That must be what's known as chivalry.

Cinderella: Oh, fairy godmother, I had the most wonderful time of my life.

Fairy Godmother: Well, don't just stand there swoonin'. Tell me all about it.
Cinderella: When I walked in, everyone stopped and stared at me. The Prince, he was so handsome. And he was by my side all night. And we danced, and we talked, and we had melon balls! And I really like the Prince a lot!

Fairy Godmother: The cake was already made. All I did was add the frosting.

Bertha: I'm going to have my hair done exactly like hers.
Arlene: Oh, yea, everyone knows the way to a prince's heart is through your hair.

King Rupert: Hi, son. How was the ball?
Henry: It was terrible, father.
Rupert: Oh, I know. I hate them too. About five, ten minutes of that chit chat, yakkety yak, and I'm gone. I go off to the kitchen, sniff a little brandy. Hey, you ever talk to that chef, Jacques? He is a heck of a nice guy.

Rupert: Let me tell you something about women, son. They're different from men.

Henry: I have to see her again.
Rupert: Well, she likes to come to fancy parties. So, throw another ball. Alert the press. Leak it to the town crier. Trust me, she'll come.

Henry: Leave up the decorations! Prepare the melon balls!

Rupert: I'll be in the kitchen.

Fairy Godmother: We'll try the three-in-one method.
Cinderella: Will it work?
Fairy Godmother: If it don't explode.

Fairy Godmother: Goodbye! Don't do anything I wouldn't do, and if you do... Well, just don't. Crazy kids.

Rupert: Well, aren't you going to introduce me?
Henry (keeps dancing): We're dancing, father.
Rupert: So. I'm the King. Come on, introduce me.
Cinderella: Hello. I've heard so much about you.
Henry: Can you wait until later, please?
Rupert: You don't need to get huffy.

Cinderella: Henry, since you're more experienced in these matters, maybe you can tell me why we feel so comfortable together.
Henry: Sure, that's easy. (pause) I have no idea.

Cinderella: Do you know anything about kissing?
Henry: Yes. I'm almost certain it has something to do with the lips.

[they kiss]
Henry: Mmm. One more time?
Cinderella: So soon?
Henry: Live dangerously.

[Henry sees Cinderella's slipper]
Henry: Hello?
Royal Messenger: That's not mine.
Henry: I know. It's hers.

Henry: I just wish I knew her name.
Rupert: You still don't know her name? What have you been calling her? "Hey you"?

Rupert: That's it. You issue a proclamation. You say, "Whatsoevereth slippereth..." Say, "Whomsoever that this..." Say that you will marry the girl who's foot fits this glass slipper.
Henry: Yes! That's a terrific idea!
Rupert: Well, of course. That's why I'm King.

Royal Messenger: My feet are killing me.
Henry: Their feet are killing me. If I see one more fallen arch, I'll scream.

Royal Messenger: Guess who.
Bertha: Well, hello Prince Henry. What a surprise.
Henry: I'll bet.

Stepmother: It's just Cinderella. She's nothing but a nothing.
Henry: Madam, it takes one, as they say, to know one.

Arlene: Oh, Cinderella! Why are you making all this trouble?

Cinderella: Thank you. I was looking for that shoe everywhere.
[she pulls the other shoe out of her pocket]
Bertha: She cheated!

Fairy Godmother: I've been wanting to do that for a long time!

Henry: Pardon me for asking. Who is that magic woman?

Fairy Godmother: Not only handsome, but smart.

Fairy Godmother: And they lived happily ever after.
Narrator: And who would know better than a fairy godmother?

The Big Bad Wolf goes Into the Woods

It looks like the article I read that Johnny Depp was in talks to play the Baker in Into the Woods was wrong. He's in talks to play the Big Bad Wolf. Not Cinderella's Prince and the Big Bad Wolf (the same actor usually plays both roles in the stage production), just the Big Bad Wolf. That definitely makes more sense than him playing the Baker.

Of course, no one can play the BBW like Monroe. *wink*

Once Upon a Time: Lacey

I know this episode was about Belle (or "Lacey"), but all I could think about after the episode ended was, "You had a great character like Robin Hood on Once Upon a Time, and that's all the plot you gave him? A footnote in the story of Rumpel and Belle? Whaaaaaat?!" They could have given that story to any generic male character. Since I'm not a fan of RumpBelle or Belstiltskin, I wanted less of Rumpel/Belle and Gold/Lacey and more of Robin Hood. If that's all we ever see of Robin Hood I'm going to be even more dumbfounded.

Observations:

So many episodes in series begin with a dream sequence, and you don't know it until something shocking happens right before the dreamer wakes us with a start. The dream in this episode really does become shocking, and the shocking part happened so fast you didn't have a chance to think, "this is a dream" before Gold woke up.

Will we ever find out how exactly Gold was able to get Henry? How could he, without magic, get a baby outside of Storybrooke? He couldn't leave the town, no one without a tie to The Enchanted Forest knows Storybrooke is even there, and can even see it. So how did he get Henry?

Why has Belle been on a lot of drugs in the hospital if she was healed by Gold? At least Belle is finally getting out of the hospital.

So, Robin Hood is good with a bow because his arrows are magic? I don't like that. One of the defining characteristics about Robin Hood is he's a good marksman because he's Robin Hood not because he has magic arrows. Dang you Once Upon a Time - ruining that story too.

Rumpelstiltskin's affectations in The Enchanted Forest are starting to annoy me. It was quirky and different in season 1. It fit his character. But now I'm just tired of it. Especially because he goes from being that way in the flashbacks and then in Storybrooke he's not like that even though he has magic again and is still "The Dark One."It makes no sense that he doesn't act that same way now in Storybrooke, or that he doesn't have the gold skin.

Would Emma really want to go back to The Enchanted Forest? Would she want to live in a world with no modern amenities just because it's where she's from?

It's funny that the bar is called "The Rabbit Hole."

Did Regina give Belle the "Lacey" persona there in the hospital using the matchbox as a catalyst for the memories, or was that the personality she gave her when the curse originally happened? Because she wasn't anything like Lacey when Jefferson rescued her from the basement of the hospital before the curse was broken. And I don't think she knew her name then, did she?

Belle doesn't look like she's done much cleaning for Rumpelstiltskin yet. Her hair and her gown look pretty good still.

If Rumpelstiltskin didn't want the magic wand stolen, why would he just leave it on a pedestal in the middle of a room where it would be easy to find, and easy to just pick it up and take it away?

Belle/Lacey's dress is pretty sparkly and fancy for dinner at Granny's.

Lacey is a lush.

The Sheriff of Nothingham is also a lush.

Why does Belle think that Marian is going to die simply because she's coughing?

Is that all the excitement Belle can conjure up when she sees the library? This is definitely not Disney's Belle.

This is a family show? Mr. Gold really gets his kicks from beating people with his cane.

So, Henry and Pinocchio are becoming friends. I guess Henry could use a friend nearer his own age. It's funny that Neal calls Pinocchio "August" still. There's no "August" left in the little boy.

Neal doesn't seem to be spending any time with Tamara. He seems to be spending all of his time with Henry. As far as he knows she doesn't know anyone else in Storybrooke, so if she's not with him, what does he think she's doing?

Hook is back. Oh yea.

Quotes:

Regina (to Gold): If your own son couldn't bring out the good in you, who will?

David: Mother Superior - she cloaked the area. That way, Anton can do what he does best.
Anton: Actually, you haven't seen me play darts, but, uh, yea, I do this pretty good.

Leroy: Enough lolly-gagging. Get to it.
Anton: Wow. Dwarfs really like to work.

Gold: What have you done with Belle?
Regina: I'm sorry, do I look like a one-handed pirate with a pistol. You know who shot her.

Rumpelstiltskin: People who steal magic never have good intentions.

Belle: You can't know what's in a person's heart until you truly know them.

David: Not bad, Don Juan.
Gold: Don Juan was nothing before he made his deal with me.

Rumpelstiltskin: This forest is too thick.

Belle: I am not going to stand by and watch you kill a man.
Rumpelstiltskin: Well, you're welcome to sit if you'd like.

Leroy: Sure you don't want to grab some grub with us? Tiny's buying.
Anton: I am?
Leroy: New guy always buys.

Rumpelstiltskin: Temper your excitement, dearie. This is merely another room for you to clean.

Neal (re: August/Pinocchio): You know, I gotta say, he's actually a lot cooler as a kid. Steals less of my money.

Into the Woods with Johnny?

Johnny Depp is in talks to play the Baker in Disney's film version of Stephen Sondheim's fairy tale musical, Into the Woods.

I'm not sure how I feel about Depp being cast in the role. The Baker is a great role and he has some good songs, but he's just an ordinary man, and Depp likes to play quirky characters. If he plays the role, would he try to make the Baker quirky? Also, Into the Woods is a ensemble piece with many different fairy tale stories being told, there is no real leading role, and Johnny Depp seems to stand out in his performances. If he does play the part I hope he doesn't overpower the other actors and make it The Baker Goes Into the Woods.

Meryl Streep is in talks to play the Witch. That could be interesting too. This is a project that I'm really excited about. I'm happy to see more musicals being adapted for the big screen.

Things That Make Me Smile

The Last Five Years: The Movie

A film version of the Jason Robert Brown musical, The Last Five Years, will start filming in June starring Jeremy Jordan and Anna Kendrick.

Can I just say, "Yay!!!"

The Last Five Years is a two-person show that follows the doomed marriage of Jamie, an arrogant Jewish novelist, and Cathy, an insecure actress. The story of their troubled courtship is told chronologically — backward (hers) and forward (his). Their scenes intersect in the middle, when Jamie proposes to Cathy during a boat ride in Central Park.

The musical originally opened Off Broadway in 2002 and starred Norbert Leo Butz (Wicked, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Catch Me If You Can) and Sherie Rene Scott (Aida, Full Monty, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels). A revival of the musical is now playing Off Broadway with Adam Kantor and Betsy Wolfe.

I saw a small touring production of it a few years ago, and I loved it. I know Anna Kendrick can sing because she was in Pitch Perfect. I just hope she can match Jeremy Jordan's great voice. I just hope the soundtrack will be available, because I want to have a copy of Jeremy Jordan singing "If I Didn't Believe in You."

Because it's a movie, there will be other characters, it won't just be the two characters. It will be interesting to see all of the people that Jamie and Cathy refer to in the musical. And the lead characters will be in each others' scenes, which doesn't happen in the stage version except when they meet in the middle in Central Park. I'm excited to see how it works out.

Smash: Opening Night

Opening nights are big. And opening night on Broadway is about as big as you can get. I loved this episode. Who knows what the fate of Smash is, but if the episode are as good as this one was, and it is canceled, at least it will go out on a high note.

Observations:

Julia is already pitching new ideas for musicals to Tom. Her ideas are hilarious. Gulliver's Travels, Lord of the Flies, the poetry of Ezra Pound (yea, I'm sure that would make millions *wink* And I loved how Tom just rolled his eyes on that one), and the funniest of all: The Very Hungry Caterpillar (where did that come from?).

Hit List is sold out for its entire run. I would think the cast's response would be bigger than a few lackluster cheers when Scott tells them. I would also expect Kyle and Jimmy to show more excitement than just smiles. That's a big deal.

It's so funny that Eileen invited everyone from Hit List to see Bombshell on opening night. Those are expensive tickets. Why would a producer give that many seats out for free? And to the cast of a show that she has negative feelings for?

And again... someone has to remark how great the music for Bombshell is. We know the music's great. You don't have to keep telling us how great it is.

I don't believe someone who just saw a show on Broadway would care if the leading lady has been "knocking around the ensemble for years." Most people would think that it's great for someone to get out of the chorus and into a leading role. It's just a weird thing to have someone say. It would have been more realistic if the man had simply said if he thought she was good or not, not notice a thing like how long the leading lady has been in the ensemble. I guess they had to have Ivy hear something that wasn't positive so she'll doubt herself before opening night. It's called drama.

Big reveal! Adam is Jimmy's brother. Hmm.

I have always wanted to see City of Angels (the musical, not the movie). I wish someone in my city would do it.

The opening credits is much shorter than it was before. I wonder why.

Well, surprise, surprise! Julia really still has a son. Last week Ellis was back (well, in a dream, or nightmare, sequence), and this week Leo's back.

I'm surprised that Julia is okay taking her teenage son to a show (even if it is her show) where a woman is naked on stage. But, I guess she would consider that art, right? *shakes head*

Julia just got the idea for her next musical with Tom, The Great Gatsby.

Karen's response to Ana when she asks if they can talk is really snarky. She says, "So, we're doing that again." Karen is still bugging me with her attitude.

I wonder if Ahrens and Flaherty really were going to do a musical of The Great Gatsby. I really would have liked to see that. I love their music.

Why would Julia make the announcement that their next musical will be The Great Gatsby when they don't even have the rights yet? That's just a little premature.

It was so great that Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, the composer and lyricist who actually did write the music for Bombshell, have cameos at the theater before opening night of Bombshell. That is a great move! And we know how wonderful their songs are (we hear it over and over and over). But, uh oh. Scott thanks Richard in front of Eileen for telling them about Hit List so they could get the last two tickets. Good way to tick Eileen off even more, Richard.

Okay, I know that Jimmy should have been honest with Karen about having a brother, but when Jimmy tries to tell Karen about his past she interrupts him and says, "You have until the curtain goes up to tell me about your brother or I'm gone." Maybe I'm just not in a "liking Karen" mood right now since she's been acting like a prima dona, but that really annoyed me. He's trying to tell her something and she doesn't give him a chance. And then when Jimmy tells her the truth he tells her that she makes him want to be a good person. Again, Karen is held up on some kind of pedestal by everyone. Annoys me.

I love the exchange between Ivy and her mom before the curtain goes up. I'm so glad that Leigh gives her a wonderful mother-to-daughter pep talk and she isn't negative and doesn't put Ivy down. It's heartwarming.

Ivy is still walking across the stage to her place for the opening number when the "curtain goes up." That was poorly directed to me. They should have waited until she was in place before the scrim opened.

It would have been interesting to see Karen and Derek's reactions throughout the show, or to hear during intermission how they felt about the show they were no long a part of. However, we finally see their reaction during the last number, "Don't Forget Me." The focus first is first on Karen, and she looks sad? Regretful? I couldn't really read her expression. And then we see Derek's reaction, and I love his expression. He isn't smiling, but he seems mesmerized by Ivy. It seems to me that he realizes that she was the perfect choice to play Marilyn, and he seems proud of her.

I just have to say how much I still love "Don't Forget Me," and I loved Ivy's version of the song. It's a great final number to a musical. I love the melody of the song, and it gave me chills. However, I still have issues with some of the lyrics. Why should we think about Marilyn Monroe if we see someone is hurt? Or why should we think about her when we hear someone play the piano on a baby grand or when we sing happy birthday to someone?  What did she do in her life to make her that important to us? She was just an actress. She made movies. Yes, she tragically died young,  and probably had a hard life, but the sentiment of the song sounds so self-centered. Unless she's supposed to be singing it specifically to the people in her life, then it makes sense. We all want to be remembered by those we care about. Otherwise, if she's talking to everyone in general, I just don't like the lyrics. End of soapbox.

Back to the staging of "Don't Forget Me." I'm confused that all of the men in Marilyn's life are on stage during the song. I thought that the version of Julia's script that concentrated on how the men in Marilyn's life shaped who she was was not the version they ended up doing. So, why is it only the men in her life who are on stage? Hmm. I really liked that during the bridge of the song suddenly Derek, Tom, Karen, and Leigh are circling Ivy. It really had an emotional impact due to the words she was singing. I likey. So, even though I don't like the lyrics that much, I do like the emotions the song evokes, and it is definitely a great musical number. I'm sure that it would really give me goose-bumps if I saw it live (which is the best way to see musical theater).

I like the pause at the end of the song before the applause started. You can imagine what was going through Ivy's mind during that pause, as she wonders if the audience liked her. And then she gets a standing ovation. There's your answer, Ivy.

Where is eight year-old Norma Jean during the curtain call? Was it past her bedtime? *wink*

Tom should have told Julia that he may have a chance to direct City of Angels. And to hear it from Rosie O'Donnell? Boy oh boy. Tom's finally forgiven Julia for helping out with Hit List, and now Julia's going to be mad at Tom for not telling him about wanting to direct. It's the Circle of Smash.

I loved seeing Derek's reaction to the show. Not many people yell out "Bravo" anymore. Maybe it's an English thing. And it was touching to see Eileen wipe away tears.

I can understand why Julia is mad at Tom, but it is Tom's career, it's his life. If he wants to pursue directing, it's not Julia place to tell him he can't. I know that they are a writing team, but he's not the only composer in the world. And she can still write. Just when I think Julia is becoming likable again, she's turns back to "angry Julia."

I'm glad that Ivy and Karen have become "friends," or at least civil to one another.

So Ivy thinks Karen is the reason that Hit List is the can't-miss event of the season? Oh boy. That pedestal is getting higher and higher.

Uh oh. Ivy tells Karen she'll get to Broadway "but just not this season," and Karen says, "okay." This is going to be another one of those, "You promised me you wouldn't..." Ivy's going to be mad when Hit List goes to Broadway and they're up against each other for the Tony, because Karen promised her she wouldn't. Just like Karen was mad as Ana when Derek gave her one of her songs after Ana promised she wouldn't let Derek do that. The Circle of Smash.

I can't believe it looks like Ana is on Adam's side when Kyle tells her Adam is trouble. She just met him. If sweet Kyle tells you someone is trouble, you should believe him. I'm glad that Jimmy went to Kyle's defense even though Karen told him not to. He's not going to let Adam do anything to Kyle. It seems that Jimmy's had this bottling up inside him for a long time. It was bound to explode. Too bad it was at Eileen's nice after- party. However, I loved how Eileen stopped the fight. She's gone from throwing drinks in Jerry's face to pouring a bucket of ice on a couple of sparring brothers.

The New York Times called Julia a "playwright," and a great one at that. That's a pretty big compliment. She's come a long way since the Boston tryout when everything was great except the book. This time it's Tom's direction that comes under fire. And now that Tom doesn't think he'll get City of Angels because he didn't get a raving review from The New York Times, he is ready to do Gatsby with Julia and he wants to make up with Julia. But Julia isn't having any of it, because she's back to being "angry Julia," or maybe she's just "disappointed Julia."

I loved, loved, loved Ivy and Karen's duet "That's Life." Marc Shaiman accompanied them on the piano. Love it. I could be picky about details and say, "when did they ever get a chance to rehearse the song together." But I'm not going to do that this time because I just enjoyed their performance. Megan Hilty and Katherine McPhee both have incredible voices. And they sound really good together. I loved the small changes in the lyrics. "I've been up and down and over and out, oh the drama we've seen." "I've thought of quittin', but Eileen just won't buy it." " So  sister, mother, Broadway star, or wife (sure)."

Scott encourages Julia to write Gatsby as a straight play. And he would let her do it at his theater. Hmm. I think it would work better as a musical. Not many books are adapted into plays. Musicals, yes. Plays, not so much.

It's sweet that Leigh is starting a scrapbook for Ivy's shows. I'm glad that the two are getting along.

Quotes:

Eileen: Richard and I aren't doing so great.
Agnes: The article.
Eileen: Totally betrayal.
Agnes: Yea, but it was press. Bombshell got mentioned almost as much as Hit List did. That's a plus in my book.
Eileen: I pay you to say those things.

Karen: It's like going to your ex's wedding. It's not that you want to get back together, but you  don't exactly want to see them marry someone else either.

Derek: Nothing kills the work quicker than worrying about what other people think.

Ivy (to Derek): You don't have to lie to me. I know you, and I still like you.

Jimmy (to Kyle): You know everything about me and you still like me.

Tom: FYI, we're in a limo right now, about to attend an opening on the Great White Way. Can it get any better. Wait! Yes, it could. We wrote the show.

Eileen: You made a choice when you wrote that article, Richard. And now I'm making mine.

Jimmy: Adam got me into that life. Kyle saved me. He is my real brother.

Agnes: Eileen. Where's Richard?
Eileen: We broke up. It's very sad, and I don't want to talk about it.

Leigh: You are Marilyn Monroe on Broadway. Now get out there and show everyone what all those years in the chorus taught you.

Derek: I'm not saying it's better than my version but it's still a pretty good show.
Scott: Let me guess, the choreography saved it.
Derek: Uh huh.

Ivy: The anticipation is killing me. And so were my shoes.

Karen: No one could have been better than you tonight. Not... me. Not anyone. Not even Marilyn Monroe herself.
[Side note: Looks like someone's already forgetting Marilyn. *wink*]

Ivy: You were jealous? The magical Karen Cartwright?

Julia: Obviously I still hate critics.
Scott: Of course.

Scott: No wonder it was so hard to choose between those two for Marilyn. They're both incredible.
Derek: But very different.
Scott: I wonder which one the Tony voters will prefer. Let's go to Broadway.

Scott (to Julia): Why limit yourself? Tom's not.

Doctor Who: Hide

I like a good ghost story. Not a freaky ghost story, but a good spooky ghost story. The thing with Doctor Who is you would never get a typical ghost story. A ghost is never just a ghost. There's always something more. And even when you discover the mystery of the ghost, again, there's even more to it.

This episode really has only two other characters (excluding the ghost), Alec and Emma. They are played by two great actors, Dougray Scott (the prince in Ever After), and Jessica Raine (currently in Call the Midwife, but she was also in another ghost story, The Woman in Black). I loved that the story focused on these four characters.

Observations:

Leave it to the Doctor to arrive at a moment of great suspense, and then insert a bit of humor.

I love it when the Doctor gives air kisses to Emma. Matt Smith just has great quirky mannerisms that make me smile.

It's a great move when Clara turns toward the Doctor with the candelabra, and the Doctor ducks so she doesn't hit him with it. Especially since Clara doesn't remark about it, or even seem to notice.

Clara says that whiskey is "the 11th most disgusting thing ever invented." In The Bells of Saint John she tells Artie that chapter 11 of the book he's reading, Summer Falls, is the best and tells him, "you'll cry your eyes out." Is it significant that she keeps bringing up the number 11? Matt Smith is the 11th Doctor. Hmm.

Alec tells the Doctor that he sent many men and women to their deaths during World War II. When he says it, he looks down at the photo he's developing, and it's a picture of the Doctor. The Doctor has also seen a lot of death, and perhaps been the cause of more than one.

Why doesn't the Tardis like Clara? I'm sure it has to do with the "mystery" of her, but what is the mystery? I'm not one to speculate or try too hard to figure it out. We'll get the answer eventually, right? It just better make sense, Stephen Moffat.

When did the Tardis have an umbrella holder? Was it in an older version of the Tardis since the revamp, or was it in a version of the Tardis of the classic Doctor Who?

Okay, spooky! When Alec and Emma are looking out of the window to see if they can see where the Doctor and Clara went in the storm, and the lighting flashes... ooooh, spooky! It reminds me of a scene I saw from The Women in Black trailer (I didn't see the movie, even though I saw the play three times, because I knew it would freak me out).

I love the conversation Clara has with the Doctor about "time." She says that to him she hasn't been born yet, and to him she's been dead "a hundred billion years." She says that to him she's a ghost. That everyone is a ghost and they're "nothing" to him. And he says, "No. No, you're not that." She asks him what "we" are to him. And he answers, "You are the only mystery worth solving." Does the Doctor mean that Clara is the only mystery worth solving, or does he mean that all human kind is the only mystery worth solving? Hmm. Whichever he means, I really like the scene.

I love that they call the ghost the "gast" of Caliburn House. It's an old Middle English word for "ghost."

So, the Doctor just happens to have a couple of balloons in his pocket? That's convenient when you need them to teach a difficult-to-understand concept. *wink*

The Tardis talks to Clara. That's new.

The Doctor wants to solve the mystery of Clara, and he thinks he'll get an answer. And for a moment there, we think he might get the answer too. But...

Quotes:

Emma: She's so...
Alec: So what?
Emma: dead.

Doctor: Hello, I'm looking for a ghost.
Alec: And you are?
Clara: Ghostbusters.

Doctor: I'm the Doctor.
Alec: Doctor what?
Doctor: If you like.

Doctor: You're Emma Grayling. The professor's companion.
Emma: Assistant.
Doctor: It's 1974. You're the assistant, and "nonobjective equipment," meaning "psychic."

Doctor: I do love a toggle switch. Actually, I like the word "toggle." Nice noun. Excellent verb.

Doctor: So, where's the ghost? Show me the ghost. [thunder claps] It's ghost time.

Doctor: Are you coming?
Clara: Where?
Doctor: To find the ghost.
Clara: Why would I want to do that?
Doctor: Because you want to. Come on.
Clara: Well, I dispute that assertion.

Clara: Dare me.
Doctor: I dare you. No takesy-backsies.

Doctor: Ignorance is... um... what's the opposite of bliss?
Clara: Carlisle.
Doctor: Yes! Yes, Carlisle. Ignorance is Carlisle.
[I know this must be a joke, but I don't get it. Does anyone get the joke?]

Emma: Is he really from the Ministry [Military Intelligence]?
Alec: I don't know. He certainly has the right demeanor for it. Capricious, brilliant.
Emma: Deceitful.
Alec: Yes. He's a liar. But you know, that's often the way that it is when someone's seen a thing or two. Experience makes liars of us all.

Doctor: Do you feel anything?
Clara: No.
Doctor: Your pants are so on fire.

Clara: Do you feel like you're being watched?
Doctor: What does being watched feel like? Is it that funny tickly feeling on the back of your neck?
Clara: That's the chap.
Doctor: Then, yes. A bit. Well, quite a big bit.

Clara: I think she's here.

Clara: Doctor!
Doctor: What?
Clara: I'm not happy.

Clara: Doctor.
Doctor: Yes.
Clara: I may be a teeny tiny bit terrified...
Doctor: Yes.
Clara: But I'm still a grownup.
Doctor: Ha. Mainly, yes. And?
Clara: There's no need to actually hold my hand.
Doctor: Clara.
Clara: Yea.
Doctor: I'm not holding your hand.

Doctor: I do love a carrier pigeon.

Alec: I've sent young men and women to their deaths. But here I am, still alive. And, well, it does tend to haunt you... living after so much of... the other thing.

Emma: People like me, sometimes we get our signals mixed up. We think people are feeling the way we want them to feel. You know, when they're special to us. When, really there's nothing there.

Alec: Who do you think she is?
Doctor: Not what I thought she'd be.
Alec: What did you think she's be?
Doctor: Fun.

Emma: What about you and the Doctor?
Clara: Oh, I don't think so.
Emma: Good.
Clara: Sorry?
Emma: Don't trust him. There's a sliver of ice in his heart.

Clara: I've got this weird feeling it's looking at me. It doesn't like me.
Doctor: The Tardis is like a cat... A bit slow to trust, but you'll get there in the end.

Clara: So, where are we going?
Doctor: Not where. We're staying right here. Right here on this exact spot, if I can work out how to do it.
Clara: So, when are we going?
Doctor: That is good. That is top-notch.
Clara: And the answer is?
Doctor: We're going always.
Clara: "We're going always."
Doctor: Totally.
Clara: That's not actually a sentence.
Doctor: Well, it's got a verb in it.

Clara: When are we?
Doctor: About 6 billion years ago. It's a Tuesday, I think.

Doctor: Back in a mo.

Doctor (to Clara who is crying): What's wrong? Did the Tardis say something to you? [to the Tardis] Are you being mean?

Clara: I'm a ghost. To you, I'm a ghost.

Doctor (to Alec and Emma): What if someone has a magic box? A blue box, probably.

Alec: Time travel's not possible, the paradoxes --
Doctor: Resolve themselves by and large.

Doctor (to Emma): You are Emma Grayling. You are the lantern. The rest of us are just along for the ride, I'm afraid.

Doctor: We need a sturdy rope and a blue crystal from Metebelis Three. Plus, some Kendal mint cake.

Emma: What does it do?
Doctor: It amplifies your natural abilities. Like a microphone or a pooper scooper.

Doctor: Listen, all I need to do is [explains a lot that I won't mention here because it would be *spoilers*], and Bob's your uncle.

Doctor: You see! The witch of the well!

Doctor (cricks his neck): Geromino.

Doctor You know that exit I mentioned? I seemed to have misplaced it.

Doctor: Oh, that's what that noise was. Lovely.

Clara: You're talking, but all I can hear is, "meh, meh, meh, meh, meh." Come on, let's go!

Doctor: You want me to be afraid? Then well done. I am the Doctor, and I am afraid.

Emma: You wanted a word?
Doctor: Well, if that's --
Emma: That's fine.

Alec: The paradoxes --
Doctor: Resolve themselves by and large.

Alec: What do we do now?
Doctor: Hold hands. That's what you're meant to do. Keep doing that, and don't let go. That's the secret.

Doctor: Oh! I'm so slow.  I am slow. I'm notorious for it. That's always been my problem. But... But, I get there in the end. Oh, yes.

Doctor: Excuse me. Excuse me. Sorry to interrupt the rest of your life.

Doctor: Hello again, you old Romeo, you.

Doctor: Get read to jump.

Next Time: Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS

Downton Abbey: Season 4, the Musical

This makes me want to see Downton Abbey done as a musical.

Warning: There are **spoilers** if you haven't seen season 3 of Downton Abbey.



If you are musical theater fans, see if you can spot:

• Jeremy Jordan
• Randy Graff
• Laura Osnes
• Christiane Noll
• Ron Bohmer

Thanks to my theatre friends Facebook who posted this on Facebook.

Stage Review: West Side Story

There are a handful of musicals that I know going in that I will cry at one point (or multiple points in some cases). Fiddler on the Roof, Little Women, The Secret Garden, and West Side Story (to name a few). Therefore, when I walked into the theater to see the touring production of West Side Story last week, I knew that I would leave having shed a few tears.

I did not cry as much as I thought I would, and I think it's because they staged the ending differently than I'm used to. Yes, a main character dies (I won't say which character, in case you haven't seen the musical. And if you haven't seen the musical, I will just say, "Why?" It's a wonderful show.). However, one of the things that touches me the most and adds to the tears at the end is that members of both gangs that have been warring with each other come together to carry the body off stage. It takes the death of this character to make them realize how precious life is and it is a catalyst to possibly healing the rift between them. The culmination of all of that usually makes me bawl like a baby. Because they staged the ending differently, it didn't have quite the impact on me that it usually does, and I didn't cry as much. I hate to cry in public, but I missed that ending.

As for the rest of the production, I don't have too much to be critical about. MaryJoanna Grisso and Addison Reid Coe who played Maria and Tony respectively were very good. MaryJoanna had a beautiful, clear soprano voice, and Tony's voice was very pleasing. Michelle Alves as Anita was excellent. The dance numbers, based on Jerome Robbins original choreography were wonderful, as were the dancers who performed them. This is such a dance-heavy musical, and each number was performed brilliantly. It's wonderful to many iconic moves that are strongly associated with West Side Story.

This is the touring production of the most recent revival of the musical that opened on Broadway in 2009. The production was different from the original and previous revivals as a lot of the dialogue spoken by the Puerto Rican characters is in Spanish, and many lyrics were changed to Spanish also. I think it lent an air of authenticity, but it was a little frustrating not to be able to understand many of the things they said. I know a little Spanish, so I understood a bit, but I'm sure the majority of the audience didn't know any Spanish, and I don't know if they were frustrated about it.

There are many musicals that have been made into movies, and are changed in the process. Scenes are switched around, songs are moved or deleted, and new songs are added. Some community theaters want to change the stage production to match the movie that more people are familiar with (I've seen this done with The Sound of Music, and it makes me quite livid because you shouldn't change scripts just because you want to - it's against the copyright). I was so happy to see the original stage version of West Side Story. I love that the boys aren't in "America," that "Cool" is before the rumble, not after, and that "I Feel Pretty" is after the rumble, not before Tony comes to see Maria at the dress shop. The movie is very good, and the changes they made were appropriate for the film, but I like to see the stage production as it was originally written and performed on Broadway.

Things That Make Me Smile

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, season 3, ep. 3 Quippy Quotes

Buffy viewers, meet Faith. Faith, meet Buffy viewers.

Faith has such a huge part in season three, and it's in "Faith, Hope, and Trick" where we begin our roller coaster ride with this slayer who marches to the beat of her own drum. She's nothing like Kendra. And to Buffy's dismay, everyone likes her - her friends, her watcher, her mom.

And just when you think the episode is over... there's a big surprise. And I mean BIG!

Quotes:

Willow: I'm giddy.
Oz: Oh, I like you giddy. Always have.

Willow: This is good. This is... Hey, we're seniors. Hey, I'm walking here!

Willow: Maybe we shouldn't be too couply around Buffy.
Cordelia: Oh, you mean 'cause of how the only guy who ever liked her turned into a vicious killer and had to be put down like a dog?
Xander: Can she cram complex issues into a nutshell, or what?

Xander: Buffy. Banned from campus, but not from our hearts. How are ya, and what's for lunch?

Cordelia: When did you become Martha Stewart?
Buffy: First of all, Martha Stewart knows jack about hand-cut prosciutto.
Xander: I don't believe she slays, either.
Oz: Oh, I hear she can. But she doesn't like to.

Willow: Oh, Scott Hope at eleven o'clock. He likes you. He wanted to ask you out last year, but you weren't ready then. But I think you're ready now, or at least in the state of prereadiness to make conversation, or to do that thing with your mouth that boys like. Oh, I didn't mean the bad thing with your mouth. I meant that little half-smile thing that you... (to Oz) You're supposed to stop me when I do that.
Oz: I like when you do that.

Buffy: Yes, date and shop and and hang out and go to school and save the world from unspeakable demons. You know. I want to do girlie stuff.

Giles: Buffy, good timing. I could use your help. I trust you remember the demon Acathla?
Buffy: Giles, contain yourself. Yes, I'm back in school, but you know how it embarrasses me when you gush so. Let's just skip all that and get back to work.
Giles: Oh, uh... Well, I, um... Well, of course it's wonderful to have you back. That goes without saying. But... you enjoy making me say it, don't you?

Buffy: Oh no, I have to go take an English makeup exam. They give you credit just for speaking it, right?

Willow (re: Buffy) Is she all glowy?
Oz: Yea, I suspect happiness.
Buffy: I passed my English makeup exam, hangin' with my friends. Hello, my life. How I've missed you.

Scott: Would you like to...
Buffy: Dance? Um, I don't know. I'm bad with... Well... Thank you for asking, it's just that there...
Scott: Okay, you know what? I'm just gonna go stand by the dance floor. If you change your mind, you can mosey on over, and then if not, then you don't mosey. No harm, no foul, right?
Buffy: Right.
[Scott leaves]
Willow: Come on, Buffy. I mean, the guy is charm, and... and normal, which is what you wanted to get back to.
Oz: Plus bonus points for use of the word "mosey."

Buffy: I don't think that guy thrives on sunshine.

Faith: It's okay, I got it. You're Buffy, right? [fights a vampire] I'm Faith.
Oz: I'm gonna go out on a limb and say there's a new slayer in town.

Oz: I'm wondering about your position on werewolves.
Willow: Oz is a werewolf.
Buffy: It's a long story.
Oz: I got bit.
Buffy: Apparently, not that long.

Giles: There's a watchers' retreat every year in the Cotswolds. It's a lovely spot. It's very serene. There's horse riding and hiking and punting and lectures and discussions. It's a great honor to be invited. Or so I'm told. [Side note: Why wouldn't Giles be invited to a watchers' retreat when he's Buffy's (The One and Only Slayer) watcher? I don't get that. All of the other watchers are Slayerless. Do they just hang around talking about what it would be like to be the watcher of an actual Slayer? And go horse back riding and hiking and punting, and attend lectures and discussions. *wink*]
Faith: Oh, it's boring. Way too stuffy for a guy like you.
Buffy: Um, maybe I should introduce you again. Faith, this is Giles.

Giles: I'd say it's fortuitous that Faith arrived when she did.
Willow: Aha! Sorry. I just meant... aha! There's big evil brewin'. You'll never be bored here, Faith. 'Cause this is Sunnydale, home of the big brewin' evil.

Joyce: I like this girl, Buffy.
Buffy: She's very personable. She gets along with my friends, my watcher, my mom. Look, now she's getting along with my fries.

Joyce: It's a good thing you were an only child.

Buffy: Like you said, I've got help now. I've got all the help I can stand.

Faith: Didn't we do this street already?
Buffy: Funny thing about vamps, they'll hit a street even after you've been there. It's like they have no manners.

Giles: What you must realize, Buffy, is that you and Faith have very different temperaments.
Buffy: Yea, and mine's the sane one. The girl's not playing with a full deck, Giles. She has almost no deck. She has a 3.

Giles: I think you're being a little --
Buffy: No, I'm being a lot. I know that.

Giles: I'll see if I can reach her watcher at the retreat. They're eight hours ahead now. Yes, they're probably sitting down to a nightcap. I wonder if they still kayak. I used to love a good kayak. You see, they don't even consider -- Sorry, I digress.

Buffy: Giles, there are two things I don't believe in - coincidence and leprechauns.
Giles: It's entirely possible that they both arrived here by chance simultaneously.
Buffy: Okay, but I was right about the leprechauns, right?
Giles: As far as I know, yes.

Scott: Keaton is key.

Buffy: Faith. You run, he runs after you.
Faith: That's where the head start comes in handy.

Buffy: Scream later. Escape now!

Mr. Trick: If we don't do something, the master could get killed. [pause] Well, our prayers are with him.

Buffy: Scott.
Scott: Oh, hello.
Buffy: Hey. Uh, I was waiting for you to get out of class.
Scott: Oh, Uh, why?
Buffy: Um... there was someone a while ago, and the ring sort of confused me. But I liked what you said about friendship. I liked it a lot. And Buster Keaton -- big fun. And I'm capable of big fun, even though there's no earthly way you could possibly know that about me. Wow. If I knew I was gonna go on this long, I probably would've brought some water.

Salt Lake City: The City in Pictures

I have so many pictures from my many travels. I love the pictures, and I love taking them.

Recently I was leaving the Capitol Theater in downtown Salt Lake City after seeing the touring production of West Side Story, and I wished that I had my camera with me because I saw so many things I wanted to take pictures of. I have lived in the Salt Lake valley my whole life, and do I have many pictures of the Salt Lake valley? No.

I decided to remedy that, and I took to the streets of Salt Lake City. There were so many great photo opportunities.

Here is a small sampling of the photos. More to come in the future.

Doctor Who: Two Doctors

This picture makes me so excited!

Star Wars Movie Every Year

Disney has announced that starting with the release of Star Wars episode VII in 2015, they will release a new Star Wars movie every year. After episode VII, the movies will alternate between sequel installments and spin-off films.

Disney certainly wants to cash in on their new acquisition. I just hope that the movies will be good, as I suppose every Star Wars fans hopes. It will be interesting to see how long the annual Star Wars releases will continue. Will this be the next "James Bond" type franchise?

Smash: The Dress Rehearsal

 

Last week I thought the beginning was a dream sequence, but it ended up being real. This week's opening really was a dream. Poor Tom. And I didn't think we would see Ellis again. Good thing it was only in Tom's dream - well, nightmare.

Dress rehearsals can be very scary. There's a saying in the theatre, "bad dress rehearsal, good opening night." I don't believe that. I think you can have a great opening night after a bad dress rehearsal, but it certainly is nicer when you have a great opening after a great dress.

I had many different reactions to this episode, very few of them neutral. You will see by the comments below that I have lots to say about this one.

Observations:

Ivy is much more confident in her relationship with Derek this time. I like this confident Ivy. Yes, Ivy is more confident and Karen's getting a bit paranoid.

Kyle traveled all the way to Boston to see Bombshell? That's interesting.

How could the audience (and critics) not know that Ivy's wardrobe malfunction was a mistake? She stood there looking like a deer in the headlights, and JFK put his arms around her to "cover" her. If that didn't look like a mistake, I don't know what would.

There's an eight-year old Norma Jean in this musical? How come we never knew until now?

Angelica Huston really needs to let her hair grow out. She looks so much better with longer hair.

Tom says that the wardrobe malfunction was the lighting team's fault? Um, I don't think so. And, I just have to say that I can't believe that the day before the preview Eileen and Julia would think it's okay to ask the leading lady to appear nude. I'm sure that's something you would have to put in a contract or something, isn't it? Maybe not. But it just seems gratuitous to me. I don't think you need nudity to show vulnerability. That's the job of a good actress - to show the vulnerability through her acting. I don't think the audience would think of her vulnerability at a moment like that, they'd just think - oooh, she's nude, and feel like they got a cheap thrill (well, maybe not cheap, Broadway tickets are expensive. *wink*) At least Tom gets it. And I'm not sure why they would suddenly think it made the scene better when it was just a mistake. It just baffles me. I guess I just have different thoughts on nudity than a lot of people in New York theatre.

Kyle really has gotten to know Derek and his little idiosyncrasies. It's funny when he imitates him. I just like Kyle more and more.

Do they have a stage manager for Hit List, or is Kyle the unofficial stage manager because they can't afford one?

Derek says that in the new beginning the Diva is the only one on stage, but he has the ensemble on stage with her. Does he not consider the ensemble "anybody"?

Act two of Hit List has eleven scenes!? Wow, that's a lot.

Oh, poor Karen. Things aren't going her way anymore. What happened to Miss Perfect's perfect show? Welcome to the real world. It bugs me that Karen thinks she should have it all. It's like she thinks the show is just for her, and everyone around her is there to give her what she needs. She doesn't think about the good of the show or about the other people in the show.

Good for Kyle. He gave an honest answer, even though it wasn't the answer Jimmy wanted to hear. I'm so proud of him.

I wondered if they could make Jimmy any more of a jerk. Well, I got my answer. Yes, they can. He treats Kyle so badly.

Ivy, listen to Sam, don't listen to your mother. You do not have to do a nude scene onstage. Anyway, any mother who would be okay with her daughter being naked onstage is just --- well, it's sad to say what that mother is. And I guess Leigh hasn't been that great of a mother, according to Ivy, so I can't say I'm surprised.

It's funny that Derek would tell Richard Francis from the New York Times right before the preview that they changed the beginning an hour ago. I don't know any director who would tell a journalist that right before they see a run-through. Maybe they'd tell the journalist after, depending on if it went well or not, but not before.

I can't believe Karen told Anna that Derek changed the beginning and gave Anna part of Karen's song only because Derek is mad at her (Karen) and Jimmy. Not only that, but she actually said that when Derek calms down that he'll take the song away from Anna What kind of friend are you Karen? So self-absorbed and conceited. You've been hanging around Jimmy too much.

I love Linda, the stage manager. Especially when Tom tells her that maybe he could write a really long entr'acte to make up for the fact that the intermission is running too long while they try to change the set for the opening of act two. Linda's response is exactly how I've felt about the speed of the two musicals getting to the point they are (and many other things being done at record speeds). I think the writers also know that they've unrealistically sped up the journey of these shows also, and they're making a joke of it through Linda. The quote is down below.*

Julia comes up with her idea to fix the long intermission problem quite quickly. "Did I say that out loud." *wink* However, the idea was pretty cool. I just have one problem with it. What happened to the people who already had the seats that the actors suddenly jumped out of in the audience? Those seats would already have been sold before the show started, and if I had the seats and was moved to other seats, I wouldn't have been very happy, even if it were "for the sake of a shorter intermission." And I hope no one kicked anyone in the head.

Oh, Ivy, Ivy, Ivy.

I wonder why Jimmy changed his name. Is it because of drugs? It's got to be something more than that if he can't tell Karen. She already knows about the drugs. So, what is it? I hope it's something totally unexpected.

If Richard Francis expected to start some kind of romantic relationship with Eileen, he just ruined his chances with his article in the New York Times. It's funny that he talks about how Hit List is better than Bombshell because the latter is about the past, and the former is about the present and the future. If you look at Broadway right now, most of the shows are set in the past, not in the present. The past sells.

Hit List is going to go to Broadway, and go against each other at the Tony's. That will be an interesting episode.

I'm so glad that Jimmy apologized to Kyle and told him that the show wouldn't be where it is if it weren't for Kyle. Jimmy's learning something.

I'm afraid for Anna. Jimmy's "old friend" Adam can't be up to something good.

Quotes:

Ivy: Whoever thought it was a good idea to have your first performance in front of your friends and family was obviously not an actor.

Julia: But the show itself was great.
Tom: Thank you Mrs. Lincoln.

Tom: We can't make Ivy do something she's not comfortable with just to sell tickets.

Julia: You think you can fix all that in six hours?
Tom: Yes. I believe in miracles. And you should too.

Tom: Little Norma Jean is off-book. Finally. Kids. Never again.
Linda: We fixed the fog. Never again.

Tom: Why couldn't Marilyn have taken a bus.
Julia: You dreamt this one up all on your own.

Tom: It's all working. All of it. See, the plane. Da plane.

*Linda: We got the intermission down, but it's still running long.
Tom: Well, maybe I could quickly write a really long entr'acte.
Linda: And orchestrate it and give it to the musicians and have them learnt it? Did I say that out loud?

Tom: You were so right.
Julia: As much as I never tire of hearing that, at the moment I don't care. I just want this to be good. For both of us.

Bobby: There's nothing quite like live theatre.

Jimmy: You got us here. Dude, I can't do this without you, you know that. Besides, you're edgy and occasionally brilliant.
Kyle: I'm brilliant all of the time. You're the occasional half.

Doctor Who: Cold War

"Cold War" could also have been called "Russians in a Submarine," or "A Martian in a Submarine." Or perhaps, "Russians, a Martian, the Doctor and Clara in a Submarine." That sounds like the beginning of a joke. *wink*

The last two episodes of Doctor Who have been very grand and epic. "Cold War" was very different from those two episode in that the Doctor and Clara find themselves trapped in a Russian submarine in 1983, with a Martian on the loose. Very claustrophobic. And great suspense.

This was a great stand-alone episode. There was no timey-wimey stuff. Nothing confusing. It was very straight-forward and very good.

Observations:

It's funny the Russian is speaking English before the Tardis gets there. Not only that, but he calls the Martian milaya moya, which means "my sweet" in Russian. If he's speaking English, wouldn't he just call it "my sweet."

The young soldier who thaws the Martian out says before he takes a blow torch to the frozen ice block the Martian is contained in, "The Professor wants you thawed out in Moscow, but life's too short to wait." If only he had waited, his life might have been a little bit longer.

The Doctor's destination was Las Vegas, but the Tardis always takes the Doctor where he needs to go, so they end up on a sinking Soviet submarine, where they can save the Russians from the Martian. I wonder what era the Doctor was taking Clara to in Las Vegas. By her dress it looks like the 50s or early 60s.

Why does the Doctor have a Barbie?

How could the Tardis fit in a submarine?

I love the Doctor's face when he sees the Martian.

I love that the Doctor gets to meet an alien that he already has "history" with. An alien that was introduced during Doctor Who's classic era. It's great, since this is the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who to bring back aliens that long time fans are familiar with.

The Captain is pretty quick to believe that the monster is really a "Martian." It's very convenient that he believes so quickly.

It's funny that when the Stepashin says to the Captain (re: what the Doctor is saying), "Why are we listening to this nonsense, Captain?" that we see the Professor listening to "Hungry Like the Wolf" by Duran Duran on his Walkman.

So, we know the Tardis Translation Matrix works even when the Tardis isn't around. Hmm. And yet, why is it working now, and it didn't work in the last episode when Clara couldn't understand many of the aliens?

The scene when Clara goes into the hold by herself where Skaldak has been chained up is great. It's very similar to the scene in the 2005 episode, "Dalek," when rose meets a Dalek for the first time.

I love it when the Doctor tells Clara to stay where she is and all she says, "okay." It takes him a minute to realize that indeed, she is actually going to stay put. After Amy, he's not used to having a companion who actually does what he tells her to do. It's a funny moment.

I'm surprised that Clara's reaction isn't bigger after seeing what Skaldak did to the two soldiers. She tells the Professor that seeing them made it all "very real." I would think that she would be totally freaked out, not so calm.

Quotes:

Professor: Have I interrupted something?
Captain: We were about to blow up the world, Professor.
Professor: Again?

Clara: Not Vegas then?
Doctor: No, and this is much better!
Clara: A sinking submarine?
Doctor: A sinking Soviet submarine.

Captain: It seems we owe you our lives. Whoever you are.
Doctor: I'll hold you to that. It might come in handy.

Doctor: Hair, shoulder pads, nukes - it's the 80s. Everything's bigger.

Doctor: All right, Captain. All right. You know, just this once. No dissembling, no psychic paper. No pretending to be an Earth ambassador. Doctor. Me and Clara - time travelers.

Doctor: It never rains, but it pours.

Clara: What is it, then?
Doctor: It's an Ice Warrior. A native from the planet Mars. And we go way back. Way back.
Captain: A martian? You can't be serious.
Doctor: I'm always serious, with days off.
Clara: Doctor!
Doctor: Just keeping it light, Clara. They're scared.
Clara: They're scared? I'm scared!

Captain: So, what do we do?
Doctor: Lock. Him. Up.

Doctor: By his own standards, Skaldak is a hero. It was said his enemies honored him so much, they carved his name in their own flesh before they died.
Clara: Oh, yea. Very nice. He sounds lovely.

Doctor: Oh, look. You got me telling you about them, and I told you there wasn't time.

Professor: Maybe they're telling the truth.
Stepashin: The truth?
Professor: Yes. Revolutionary concept, I know.

Doctor: Skaldak won't talk to you. You're an enemy soldier.
Captain: How would he know that?
Doctor: A soldier knows another soldier. He'll smell it on you, smell it on you a mile off.
Captain: And he wouldn't smell it on you, Doctor?

Clara: I don't smell of anything, to my knowledge.

Professor: I think he wants to talk to the organ grinder and not the monkey.
Clara: I heard that.

Clara: How did I do? Was I okay?
Doctor: This wasn't a test, Clara.
Clara: I know, but ---
Doctor: You were great, yea.
Clara: Really?
Doctor: Really.

Doctor: It couldn't be any worse. [submarine shifts] Okay. Spoke too soon.

Stepashin: What do you want with me?
Skaldak: Much.

Professor: I always sing a song.
Clara: What?
Professor: To keep my spirits up.
Clara: Yea, that would work. If this was Pinocchio.

Professor (sings): "I'm hungry like the wolf."
Clara: I'm not singing.
Professor: Don't you know it?
Clara: Of course I know it. We do it at karaoke, the odd hen night.
Professor: Karaoke? Hen night? You speak excellent Russian, my dear, but sometimes I don't understand a word you're talking about.

Doctor: Stay here.
Clara: Okay.
Doctor: Stay here, don't argue.
Clara: I'm not.
Doctor: Right. Good.

Professor: And the Doctor. What he said, is it true? You're from another time? From a future? Clara?
Clara: Yes.
Professor: Tell me what happens.
Clara: I can't!
Professor: Well, I need to know.
Clara: I'm not allowed.
Professor: No, please!
Clara: I can't!
Professor: Ultravox. Do they split up?

Skaldak: Well, Doctor. Which of us shall blink first?

Clara: Saved the world, then?
Doctor: Yea.
Clara: That's what we do.
Doctor: Yea.

Next time: Hide

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, season 3, ep. 2 Quippy Quotes

Buffy is back from her summer as Anne the Waitress in L.A. Everyone is happy to have her home: mom, friends, and Giles. Everyone but the vampires. And in true Buffy-form, something evil is waiting around the corner.  And this time the evil is very close to home. A small welcome home gathering for Buffy turns into a large "hootenanny," and an old Nigerian mask adds a bit of unwanted excitement to the evening. Well, maybe more than just a "bit." The masks brings the dead back to life. Animals and people. Yes, we're talking Zombies. "Dead Man's Party" is the perfect title for this episode.

Quotes:

Joyce: We got a very exciting shipment in at the gallery. I, um, thought I'd hang a few pieces in here. It cheers up the room.
Buffy: It's angry at the room, Mom. It wants the room to suffer.
Joyce: You have no appreciation of primitive art.

Joyce: Are you going out?
Buffy: Oh, um, well, if it's okay. I, um, I'd like to find Willow and Xander.
Joyce: Will you be slaying?
Buffy: Only if they give me lip.
Joyce: Can I make you a sandwich or something before you go? You must be starving.
Buffy: I was until that four-course snack you served me after dinner.

Buffy (to Xander): Didn't anyone ever warn you about playing with pointy sticks? It's all fun and games until somebody loses an eye.

Cordelia (over Xander's walkie talkie): Come in, Nighthawk. Everything okay?
Buffy: Nighthawk?

Buffy (at Giles's front door): What if he's mad.
Xander: Mad? Just because you ran away and abandoned your post and your friends and your mom and made him lay awake every night worrying about you? Maybe we should wait out here?

Xander: Check it out. The Watcher's back on the clock. And just when you were thinking career change, maybe becoming a looker or a seer.

Buffy: I got in a few hours ago, but I wanted to go see my mom first.
Giles: Yes. Yes, of course. How did you find her.
Buffy: Well, I pretty much remembered the address.

Xander: So, where were you? Did you go to Belgium?
Buffy: Why would I go to Belgium?
Xander: I think the relevant question is why wouldn't you? Belgium!

Xander: You can leave the slaying to us while you're settling in. We got you covered.
Buffy: I noticed. You guys seem down with the slayage. All tricked out with your walkies and everything.
Cordelia:  Yea, but the outfits suck. This whole Rambo thing is so over. I'm thinking more sporty, like Hilfiger maybe.

Giles: As for school, Buffy. You know you'll have to talk to Principal Snyder before --
Buffy: On it. Mom is making an appointment with His Ugliness.

Joyce: I've been on the phone with the superintendent of schools. At least he seems more reasonable than that nasty little horrid, bigoted rodent man.

Joyce: I just wish you didn't have to be so secretive about things. I mean, it's not your fault you have a special circumstance. They should make allowances for you.
Buffy: Mom, I'm a slayer. It's not like I have to ride a little bus to school.

Buffy (to Giles): Welcome to the Hellmouth Petting Zoo.

Buffy: You know, I like art talk just as much as the next very dull person, but we have work to do Giles.

Oz: It looks dead. It smells dead. Yet, it's moving around. That's interesting.
Cordelia: Nice pet, Giles. Don't you like anything regular? Golf, USA Today, or anything?

Willow: What about Buffy's welcome home dinner tonight. I'd told her mom we'd help out. Bring stuff.
Cordelia: I'm the dip.
Xander: Uh, you gotta admire the purity of it.
Cordelia: What? Onion dip. Stirring, not cooking. It's what I bring.

Oz: We should figure out what kind of deal this is. I mean, is it a gathering, a shindig, or a hootenanny?
Cordelia: What's the difference?
Oz: Well, a gathering is brie, mellow song stylings. Shindig, dip, less mellow song stylings, perhaps a large amount of malt beverage. And hootenanny, well, it's chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny.

Giles (to himself): Unbelievable. "Do you like my mask? Isn't it pretty? It raises the dead." Americans.

Joyce: You know what? You and I are going to have a talk.
Buffy: Mom, please.
Joyce: You know what? I don't care. I don't care what your friends think of me or you for that matter, because you put me through the wringer, Buffy. I mean it. And I've had schnapps.

Cordelia: Time out, Xander. Put yourself in Buffy's shoes for just a minute, okay? I'm Buffy, freak of nature, right? Naturally I pick a freak for a boyfriend, and then he turns into Mr. Killing Spree, which is pretty much my fault --
Buffy: Cordy! Get out of my shoes.

Oz: Okay, I'm gonna step in now, being referee guy.
Willow: No, let them go, Oz. Talking about it isn't helping. We might as well try some violence.
[Zombie smashes through the living room window]
Willow: I was being sarcastic!

Xander: Man, this sucker wobbles, but he won't fall down.

Giles: Cordelia, it's me. It's me.
Cordelia: How do we know it's really you and not Zombie Giles?
Giles: Cordelia, do stop being tiresome.
Cordelia: It's him.

Xander: Generally speaking, when scary things get scared. Not good.

Joyce: So, is this a typical day at the office.
Buffy: No. This was nothing.

Giles: You can't keep her out of this school.
Principal Snyder: I think you'll find I can.
Giles: You have no grounds for expelling her.
Principal Snyder: I have grounds. I have precedent, and a tingly feeling.

Willow: I understand you having to bail, and I can forgive that. I have to make allowances for what you're going through and be a grownup about it.
Buffy: You're really enjoying this whole moral superiority thing, aren't you?
Willow: It's like a drug.

Willow: I'll stop giving you a bad time... runaway.
Buffy: Will!
Willow: I'm sorry... quitter.
Buffy: Whiner.
Willow: Bailer.
Buffy: Harpy.
Willow: Delinquent.
Buffy: Tramp.
Willow: Bad seed.
Buffy: Witch.
Willow: Freak.