Show Review: The O.C., Season 4

Yes, I’ll admit it – I’m addicted to The O.C. I was obsessed completely when I saw the first commercials. Something about Benjamin McKenzie just completely kicked my ass. I know many people think he’s – I don’t know, I guess they think he’s too pretty, or maybe they just dislike everyone on the show because, well, it’s The O.C. Many people tend to hate mainstream shows simply because they are mainstream. (I tend to dislike most mainstream shows simply because they appear totally unappetizing.) But whatever the reason, I love this freakin’ show, and that’s that.

I recently got to catch up on the series and watch season 4. I was going to avoid it, but I stumbled upon a review of it on Amazon.com one day, and it said that it went back to the roots of the original first season. I was intrigued by this. The first season was awesome – it was smart and funny – low on drama and high on quick wit. It was filled with one-liners from Ryan Atwood, Seth Cohen, Sandy Cohen…all my Newport favorites.

Seasons 2 and 3 were boring – it seemed they took out three parts wit and added equal parts drama. What?? STUPID. I wanted less Marissa and more…well, ok, anything other than Marissa and her annoyingly bad decisions and constant other boyfriends and blah blah blah. Who cares what she’s doing? The only thing I ever liked about her in the show was that she looked relatively normal – as compared to how she looked outside of the show, which was a total go-fug-yourself party. In a word: suckfest.

I will say one thing: the music was consistently awesome. Seasons 1 and 2 were by far the best (recall Halloween, Alaska and, of course, the love of my life, Aqueduct), but season 4 pulled out the stops with some amazing music – including Jason Schwartzman’s solo project, Coconut Records. Way to keep it fresh, dudes.

Season 4 went back to the basics. It had the same great rapport between the characters, the quick wit was back, Taylor Townsend was actually kind of cute, and best of all, Marissa was dead! Yay! There were a few overly dramatic moments – let’s have an earthquake and make like everyone’s dead! But other than that, it was right back to where we started…and that’s where it ended.

All in all: this was a great season and a great way to end the series. The last episode had me in tears…from the first beats of Phantom Planet’s “California,” to The O.C. and the line running through it, to the end, and the shot of the poolhouse. I was all choked up. I was going to miss Ryan Atwood especially. But at least they had a chance to wrap it all up…in a way that didn’t leave me wanting more, and gave a proper ending to the show.

Show Review: Trigun

Schneegas kept telling me I had to see this awesome anime called Trigun – he wouldn’t give me any details, just kept saying that it was amazing and I should watch it. So when I finally reset my Netflix queue (I had 500 movies in it, and one day just deleted it and started over. Sometimes, you need to do that!), I put that at the top…and I am glad I did.

This is by far one of the best anime series I’ve ever seen. It centers around Vash the Stampede, the Humanoid Typhoon, who seems to wreak havoc wherever he goes. He is trailed by two members of the Bernardelli Insurance Company, Meryl Stryfe and Milly Thompson. The rumors say that Vash is an insane killer – a monster in a red coat with a blonde Mohawk. He has become a worldwide liability for the insurance company, and these two have been sent to assess - and control - the damage. But as they come to terms with who the real Vash is, they discover that things are not at all what they seem. This surreal environment extends even further when we are introduced to the priest/gunman, Nicholas Wolfwood. When Vash and Wolfwood team up, they are unstoppable. But more often than not, some conflict is always getting in the way.

It’s easy to fall in love with these characters, especially when the bad guys start to line up around them. But this is one of those shows where even the villains are cool. (Schneegas still argues that Legato is the best character, but Wolfwood will always be my favorite.) And keep an eye out for Kuroneko-sama, the cat who appears in every episode!

The story begins on a bright note but descends into the deep, dark, and tragic; yet the cheerful and light-hearted nature of Vash consistently tries to shine through it all. The change in temperature of the show seems to confuse, and even repel, some viewers, but I like my anime in many layers, so it made me enjoy it all the more.

I highly recommend this show to everyone – whether you like your stories complex or simple, this is one that everyone can follow, enjoy, and love.

Show Review: Red vs. Blue, Season 5

If you're anything like me, you started watching Red vs. Blue five years ago without ever having played Halo. Chances are, you're not; however, it didn't stop me from laughing my ass off when Sarge said, "how about it, Grif? El-chupa thingy?" or any other scene from seasons 1 and 2 (and mild laughter for seasons 3 and 4). I did finally play Halo this past summer, and my first order of business was to get drunk and drive around in the Warthog (well, I still call it the Puma). It was probably the one nice thing my ex ever did for me. He claims to have purchased a toy Warthog for me as a going away present back in July, but seeing as I've never actually laid eyes on this mythical gift, I can only assume his true going away present for me was sadness and a propensity for cervical cancer. Touché!

Who-ha discussions aside, I finally got around to watching season 5 on the day after new years day, when I was knee-deep in my own mucous. I hadn't laughed that hard in months. Between Tucker's alien baby, the return of Tex and Doc (and Andy the bomb, with one of the funniest lines of the entire season), another trip into the mind of Caboose, more time looping (and replicating) than you can shake a stick at, as well as Sheila and Lopez acting as awesome as ever, this season is a non-stop gut buster.

The best part of the entire season, for me, went beyond the inside jokes, for which I was more than qualified, having seen the first 2 seasons at least a dozen times. It even went beyond the alternate endings provided for us. No, it was more than that - well, it was the two things combined. The best part was the version of the ending which brought the entire show full circle from season 1 and affirmed my love for that sick bastard Church more than ever - though Grif, and his "greatest surrender ever" speech, is still my favorite moment from the whole show.

Ladies and gentlemen, if any doubt existed in your mind about season 5, please allow this review to dispel it. While seasons 3 and 4 paled in comparison to 1 and 2, you will be more than delighted with season 5, which will make you laugh - it'll make you cry - it'll make you want to change your voicemail to say, "Leave your lowdown at the ding-dong."

Enough said.