Season Finales: The Good and Bad

I like season finales that give me a sense of closure, and a glimpse into where the next season may go. I don't like season finales that don't tie up most of the loose ends or don't answer the questions that have been raised the entire season, or that have a huge cliffhanger. I believe if you tell great stories and develop great characters, whether they're likable or they're a villain, viewers will come back the next season to see what great stories you have in store for those characters. You don't have to have a "who killed J.R.?" cliffhanger to bring back the viewers if the show is good.

So, given those facts, here are some of my observations about the finales of my favorite shows:

***Many spoilers ahead***

Once Upon a Time

After the first half of this season I was ready to call it quits on Once Upon a Time, but I stuck with it to the end of the season. Although I think the Zelena plot line really fizzled at the end, and that the writers missed a great opportunity to actually have her go back in time (I think that could have been very interesting), the Wicked Witch of the West plot line was more entertaining to me than the Peter Pan plot line.

I liked the two-part finale for the most part. I really enjoyed having Emma and Hook go back in time in the Enchanted Forest. It was touching to see Emma witness her parents meet for the first time. She really needed that to give her a real sense of home. I enjoyed looking back again at Snow and Charming's story of falling in love, and I liked seeing it from a different perspective when Emma messed the first meeting up. And I loved the moment when Hook actually punches himself out.

It was great to see Red/Ruby again. I'm sad for the actress that her new show was canceled, but I'm sure many fans, like me, were happy to see her return to OUAT.

I'm not quite sure how I feel about Elsa coming to Storybrooke. I really prefer Once Upon a Time to base their characters on the real fairy tales, and not on the Disney version of fairy tales. So, I would be okay with the character actually being the Snow Queen from Hans Christian Anderson's story, and not Elsa from Frozen. However, this is ABC, who is owned by Disney, and Frozen is so popular, so chances are it will be Elsa, and we'll probably get Anna eventually too. I just really don't want to see a talking snowman on the show - or even a character named Olaf.

Castle

Oh, Castle, Castle, Castle! The season six finale was full of humor and surprises, and one big surprise at the end. I loved the unexpected twist of having Beckett still married to an old boyfriend and having to get him sign divorce papers before she and Rick could get married. Castle does comedy well, and I liked that the comedy revolved around Kate this time instead of Rick.

And then we get to those last few scenes. We were left hanging not only in shock, and with many questions, but with the sense that it may take another season for Castle and Beckett to get married, and if there's even a Castle for Beckett to marry. However, since the show is called Castle, and what TV execs in their right mind would tell Nathan Fillion they're gong to kill him off his titular series just because they wanted to shock the fans? No. There's a bigger mystery to that black SUV and Rick's burning car. I think it's funny that most TV writers think they can't have their main love interests on a show get married. Castle is more about the cases that Beckett and Castle try to solve than it is about "will they or won't they." They could just be the next Hart to Hart. *wink*

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

This show really started off with guns blazing, and then sputtered for a bit, but it certainly made up for it in its race to the finale. It really needed the shake up of S.H.I.E.L.D. that began in the latest Captain America film to solidify it as a great television series. If you started watching it and gave up on it in the middle, you really should go back and watch it - starting from episode 17 to the finale.

There were so many things I was hoping for in the finale, and one main one did not happen. Just like Fitz, I sooo wanted Ward to turn to the good side. It was a big shock when we found out where his allegiance lay, and it was really gutsy of them not to have him turn good at the last minute of the finale. Although, I really liked it when May actually had her chance to have a go at Ward. And when she nailed his foot to the floor with the electric nail gun, I almost cheered for her.

It was great to see Samuel Jackson as Nick Fury, and even though it was totally unrealistic that he knew exactly where Fitz and Simmons were in order to save them, it was a great moment when we saw him holding his hand out to Gemma from the helicopter.

I really like this finale, and I'm looking forward to seeing where they go next season and how they tie the episodes in with other Avenger movies.

Arrow

This season of Arrow was really good. I liked that Slade ended up being the "big bad," even though I really liked him as Oliver's ally on the island.

I was so happy to see the return of John Barrowman - even though he's a bad guy, I really like the actor. I wonder how far to the bad side Thea is going to go. I also wonder what her and Oliver's confrontation will be like if she does go "dark," and she does a lot of horrible things like "failing" Starling City. *wink*

I'm not quite sure how I feel about what Oliver did to Felicity so that they could defeat Slade. I like Felicity so much and we know how she feels about Oliver. I was kind of hopeful during their scene in the Queen mansion, and then when we found out (along with her) that it was all a ruse, I was a bit disappointed. I like Laurel sometimes - but I really like Felicity.

I am sad that Sara left. I really like her. I hope she's not gone for good.

Nashville

I am not a big fan of prime time soap operas (or daytime soap operas for that matter - although there was a time that I never missed an episode of Days of Our Lives, but that was many, many, maaaany years ago). Nashville is the only show I watch that could be considered a soap opera. Okay, who am I fooling? Nashville IS a soap opera (or should I say "soap opry"?), and I have to admit that I have become very invested in these characters. Although, there are a couple of the characters (Layla and Jeff) I think should just be written out of the show (though they don't necessarily need to go the way of Peggy).

This was a decent finale, and what I hope for the next season is... Juliette and Avery stay together, Deacon and Rayna get together, Scarlet finds a nice guy who helps her with her confidence and she writes more songs with Gunnar. However, this is a soap opera, and nothing will be that easy. *wink*

Reign

This was one of the new series that I was a bit wary of originally. I love history of the British monarchs, and I didn't want the CW to mess up the history of Mary Stuart. The historical aspect of the Queen of Scots has basically been laid to the side to tell their own story of romance and political intrigue, with a touch of the supernatural. And I discovered that I'm really okay with that. I like Adelaide Kane as Mary. I adore watching Megan Follows vacillating as the villain and an ally. I like the addition of King Henry's illegitimate son, Bash. In fact, at times I liked him better than Francis.

The season finale wrapped up many things, and set the scene for an interesting second season. Francis found out that Lola's baby was in fact his. And he's off to help her during her labor - even though he knows the plague is running rampant. Bash discovered what the "Darkness" was. And the writers decided to add a historically correct fact. King Henry really did die from after being stabbed in the head with a lance fragment while jousting. They just got the identity of the man who was the cause of his death in the joust incorrect. But then, who can really tell who's inside that armor. Maybe historians have it all wrong and the CW got it right. *wink* When I saw a joust in the preview to this episode, I wondered if the writers were really going to kill Henry. They did. And now Francis is the King of France. If you know the history of King Francis II, you know what happen to him not too long after his father died. We'll see how Reign handles that (if the show lasts long enough).

I'm interested to see how they handle all of this, and if we'll ever get to the time in Mary's life when she actually returns to Scotland. I guess it depends on how quickly time will go by in the series and how long the series lasts.

Grimm

I love Grimm. Let me just say that one more time. I Love Grimm! I've really enjoyed the addition of Trubel. It was a great idea to add another Grimm, and an inexperienced one at that.  It's also good to have her on their side because of what happened at the end of the finale. It was quite the cliff-hanger, but one I didn't mind, because it should give the show a great place to go in the 4th season.

I liked the fact that they made Adalind sympathetic for a while, and I also like that they've given her a real motivation for what she did to Nick. They should have realized that you don't mess with a mother when it comes to her child.

I'm glad that Monroe and Rosalie were able to actual get through the wedding ceremony before all of the craziness started. They are such a great couple.

I'm interested in finding out what they do with Sargeant Woo next season, now that he's seen a few pages from one of the Grimm's books. Will they add him to the list of non-Wesen (I don't know the official name they've given them) who knows about Wesen and Nick's job as a Grimm, or will Nick and Hank try to explain it away as they did before?

And then there's Sean Renard! Will he or won't he? I'm sure he won't. I think if they were going to let him die they would have done it in the finale and not wait until the next season. But... you never know anymore.

What were your favorite season finales? What didn't you like about the finales of your favorite series? What series are you most looking forward to in the fall?

2013 Fall Season: My Thoughts So Far

Every summer I look forward to the return of my favorite TV series and to discovering new favorites. This year is no different. Most of the shows I'll be watching through this new season have already started. Grimm is the only one that hasn't had its season premiere. Below are my thoughts on the shows I'm watching (and some I may not continue to watch) this season.

***Possible Spoilers Ahead***

Returning Series I'm Watching

Once Upon a Time: Oh, where do I start? This show is not so much a favorite of mine anymore. I became disillusioned with the direction of the show last season (particularly when Greg and Tamara showed up), and I'm not sold on this Neverland setting yet or on the depiction of the Neverland characters. For me, the show has jumped the shark. Or should I say "jumped the mermaid"?

I feel like the writers are just creating their own characters and giving them names of fairy tale characters or names of well-known characters in books in the public domain, just to fit into the story they want to tell. The characters in the show don't resemble the characters they are based on at all. I'm all for deconstructing fairy tales. These stories have already been changed throughout the centuries, they've been told and retold, and many stories have been based on them. But I don't like it as much when they take characters created by authors we have heard of, and are loved by millions. James Barrie created a well-loved character named Peter Pan, and he has specific qualities that make him well-loved. Once Upon a Time has twisted that character into someone who isn't Peter Pan to me. He just has that name. Sure, the writers can do what they want and write him they way they want. I just don't have to like it. And I don't.

And don't get me started about the cliche's they keep repeating over and over. "Magic comes with a price." "I will always find you." "Believe in magic." "Believe in who you are." Please, come up with some new themes. 

I'm also bored with the fact that these first episodes of the new season are just everyone looking for someone. The journey in this case is not what matters. It's just annoying watching the main characters searching through the woods of Neverland trying to find Henry, they come close to finding him, and then they're thwarted. If that's all we get this season, I'm definitely done with it.

I may continue to watch this show, but mostly out of curiosity, not because I love it.

Drop Dead Diva: I really like this show, and I like the characters. However, I'm more interested in the new cases they get every week than in what is happening to the characters in their personal lives. I'm not sure I like the Owen/Stacy relationship, and I just want Jane and Grayson to get together, and I don't want it to happen in the last episode. I want to see them happy together for a few episodes before the series finale. However, they may surprise us all and not have them get together. I will be disappointed if they don't, but we'll have to see.

Beauty and the Beast: This series started with a twist, and I like it. As long as it doesn't make Vincent's "amnesia" like Juliette's amnesia in Grimm and drag it out through most of the season, I'll be happy (it's good to learn from the mistakes others have made). When this series first aired last fall, I didn't like it very much. I was comparing too much with the Beauty and the Beast series from the 80's that I loved, and it was nothing like that series. So I was a bit disappointed. But then I stopped comparing it to that show, and began to enjoy it for what it was - not a remake, but a reworking of its original premise. I even like Kristen Kreuk as Catherine now.

Castle: I was talking to a friend about the first few episodes of this series, and we both agreed that the plot line of having Beckett get a job in Washington D.C. and then losing it after only a few episodes was just superfluous. Other than that though, I am really enjoying this season so far. Nathan Fillion's Rick Castle is such a great character, and he never ceases to entertain. The episodes so far have been entertaining as usual.

Arrow: I've really been looking forward to the new season of Arrow. It ended with a bang (literally) last Spring, but I think it's started back with a bit of a whimper. I'm ready for it to pick up again and get really exciting.

Nashville: This is one of those shows that has things I love about it (the music, Deacon, Juliette, the Stella sisters), and things I dislike (the Teddy and Peggy plot line). It's a typical soap opera, with some really good country music. I'm excited to look forward to Tuesdays again to see if there are songs from the next episode I want to buy. 

Big Bang Theory: I still love this show. Last week's episode was actually one of my favorite episodes ever of this show. I loved the scavenger hunt and how they broke out into teams, and didn't have the couples together. The dynamics with each team were so funny. I love this show when it isn't vulgar (which it can often be, unfortunately).  

Grimm: Still waiting for the season premiere. I'm so excited for this one!

New Series I'm Watching

Sleepy Hollow: I already posted about this show when it premiered. I still really like it. It's darker than I thought it would be, the demons are freakier than Buffy ever had (unless you consider the episode Hush, and no demon could be freakier than that),  and the mythology is not only doing a National Treasure-type look into American history, it's also doing a bit of its own interpretation of the bible.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: I really want to like this show because I love three of Joss Whedon's former series (Buffy, Angel and Firefly). I also like The Avengers film. I enjoyed last week's episode (episode 3), but the rest have been underwhelming for me. I like Agent Coulsen, but I haven't grown attached to any of the other characters. There are some good "Whedonesque" lines, but sometimes the humorous dialogue seems forced. I will continue to watch and hope that it grows on me, but this may be one I drop from my list.

The Tomorrow People: So far I like this show. I like the premise, and I think it can lend itself to some good episodes. I like Stephen (Robbie Amell), the main character. 

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland: My biggest issue with this show is that we know what Alice is looking for, and she probably won't find him until the end of the season. I hate that. I can't stand shows where there is no resolution for 24 episodes. There's such a unsatisfactory feeling at the end of every episode. Other than that, I kind of liked the first episode, mainly because of the Knave of Hearts. He kind of reminds me of Christopher Eccleston as the ninth Doctor (on Doctor Who). He's a Northern Englander, he wears a cool leather jacket, and he has a similar demeanor as Eccleston's Doctor. I just don't know if it's worth watching for him only.

It's strange to have Jafar from Agrabah in Wonderland (but this is Once Upon Time after all, and ABC belongs to Disney), and the acting of the Red Queen drives me up the wall. Her overacting (or "schmacting") reminds me of Charlize Theron as the Evil Queen in Snow White and the Huntsman. The CGI is not good, and that is annoying also.

I'll give the show a chance, but if it keeps on with no resolution to anything, and if it's like Lost or Once Upon a Time where it brings up questions that are never answered, I don't know if I'll continue to watch it - no matter how much I like the Knave of Hearts.

Reign: Mary Queen of Scots is a historical figure that I've always held a fascination for. Basing a series on the early life of the Scottish Queen, it looks like the CW wanted to create its own "network" version of the The Tudors. The show is fully of pretty girls and handsome men - typical for the CW (and really most TV series as well), and the time period gives it the opportunity for a lush look. The costumes are pretty, but definitely not accurate to the period. In fact pretty much everything, other than the subject matter, the setting, and modes of transportation, is modern. We'll see how historically accurate the show will be. Since we don't know details of each day in the life of Mary and those around her between 1558 and 1560, I think it will be more a matter of filling in the blanks with fictional plot points than being blatantly historically inaccurate.

Being that this series is on the CW, it's not surprising that there's a bit of the supernatural in the show. I don't mind it too much since there was a lot of superstition in the 16th century. However, if anyone turns out to be a vampire, I'll be dropping the show faster than you can say, "Nostradamus."

It's funny that everyone speaks with an English accent (even the actors who aren't English), even though everyone is French except for Mary, who is Scottish. Although, since Mary had been in France since she was nine, she wouldn't have had a Scottish accent anyway.

It's exciting to see Megan Fellows as the Queen of France. Many are familiar with her from the Canadian miniseries, Anne of Green Gables. It looks like she will be one of the "villains" of the show, since she is against Mary. I love her line, "We're overrun, by Scots."

The pilot set up a bunch of romantics plots, the question about how Mary will cause the death of Francis (he actually died two years after he and Mary married), and politically intrigue. We'll see if any of these plots get interesting. 

So, what shows are you glad to have back, and what new shows do you like? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Smash: Final Recaps

I have to confess that it's been hard for me to get motivated to write the posts for the final two episodes of Smash. I am really bummed that the series was canceled, so it's been hard for me to write about "The Nominations" and "The Tonys" (even though I loved the episodes for the most part).

However, if you, my readers, would like to hear my thoughts about the episodes, and read the quotes that I liked, then please comment on this post and let me know. I would be happy to take the time to write about them if I knew that you would enjoy reading the posts. That would definitely be a great motivation for me.

Thanks for reading!