2016 is has been one big flaming pile of shit but on this holiday as most everyone else does, I look for things to give thanks to via article post.

So right now I'm going to highlight some of the things in movies, tv or just random that made me forget how crappy a year this has been.  So my choices are the following :

-the "San Junipero" episode of Black Mirror

-Season 3 finale of From Dusk Till Dawn 

- The touching final seasons of Person of Interest and Carmilla

-Finding out about shows like Poldark and the awesome Demelza on there

- *My only Sports one*
Seeing my favorite quarterback ride off into the sunset a Super Bowl champion

-the wit and wisdom of Mike Lawson on Pitch

-the continued genius of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend 

                       

- Fun enjoyable shows like Wynonna Earp 

- Wrestling that makes me feel like a kid again

-Shows that make me think like Westworld

- Healthy TV relationships like Fitzsimmons, Captain Swan and Jake and Amy from Brooklyn 99

- The Airport scene in Civil War

- Amy Adams's performance in Arrival

- Sing Street

These are just some of the things in tv, sports and movies I am thankful for. Have a Great Thanksgiving holiday everybody!!

Your Friendly Neighborhood Charles Dulaney

Best TV Characters of 2016 (PART 2)

Here we go with Part 2 of BEST TV CHARACTERS OF 2016!!

                                  Alex Danvers

LGBTQ story lines are still a rare thing on network television in 2016 (Seriously we can do better) However, Supergirl is in the middle of one with Alex Danvers figuring out that she is gay and it is one of the best things on tv right now.

A lot of the credit for this goes to Chyler Leigh. The writers have written a wonderful story arc of Alex slowly come to realize her sexuality through her crush on Detective Maggie Sawyer. Their scenes together have been both cute and highly emotional as our hearts broke alongside Alex when Maggie just wanted to be friends as she wasn't ready for a relationship yet. Chyler's ability to show how hurt this made Alex just by facial expressions make her one of the most underrated actresses on television right now.

But we have also gotten to see the hard side of realizing one's sexuality and the emotions of opening up about it to the people you love.  Some of the best scenes of the year have come from just a simple conversation between Alex and Kara just talking. It is refreshing that they supported each other positively without the tv trope of "WHAT WHAT WHY?" 

That Alex showed strength in coming out as gay is what tv role models can and should be. I know it's never smooth sailing for someone to reveal their sexuality but for me Alex Danvers serves as a role model to everyone in the LGBTQ community. 

                GREG SERRANO

I was never the biggest Greg fan on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend but I'll be damned if his short but powerful arc in the beginning of season 2 didn't turn me around. 

Santino Fontana always delivered on Crazy Ex when it was time to sing terrific songs like "Settle for Me" or "Greg's Drinking Song" but he never gets enough credit for nailing dramatic scenes. Whether it was standing up at his AA meeting and painfully telling what lead him to finally seeking out help for himself to his farewell to not only Josh and his friends but Rebecca as well. 

In that scene Greg realized that although he truly loves Rebecca, he knows that for both of them the best thing that he can do is get on that plane to Atlanta. It was truly a beautiful and heartbreaking moment as we all got to see Greg have a emotional breakthrough. 

It's a credit to the writers, Rachel Bloom and Santino that they were able to give Greg Serrano as good a farewell story arc in such little time without any of it feeling unearned. I don't know if we will ever see Greg again but if we do it will be wonderful to see.




          
                    

BEST TV CHARACTERS OF 2016 PART 1

2016 in television has seen some really terrific highs and some very low lows. This post is the first of a few that is going to highlight some of the best characters that graced our televisions/laptops/ however you watch tv shows now. My first choice starts with a character on a very popular HBO series.


              MAEVE

Westworld has been a successful hit for HBO and while many actors have delivered great performances from Evan Rachel Wood to Anthony Hopkins, Thandie Newton's Maeve has been a standout week in and week out.

A long-time host at the park, Maeve's story arc of slowly realizing what is happening to her and deciding to fight back about it is one of the best things on the show. Episode 6 was a highlight as Maeve got to see firsthand what she truly is. Through just wonderful facial reactions, Thandie was able to show all of Maeve's emotions from shock as she glimpsed at the world she lived in truly looked like to rage at seeing her friend and fellow host Clementine being "retired".

A lot of credit goes to Thandie for getting you to root for Maeve while also keeping her the ruthless madam the creators programmed her to be. I hope by the end of season 1 we get to see a free Maeve and what havoc she will wreak on Westworld.






  LUCIFER MORNINGSTAR

When people talk about the show Lucifer, most describe it as "A good, fun show" Lately though everyone has been talking about how great a performance Tom Ellis is giving as the devil Lucifer in this season.

In just a few episodes we have seen Lucifer, a man who always bristles from emotion with a sarcastic jab dealing with some heavy heavy family problems. His mom returns and Lucifer is struggling with her in his life but we see that he does care for her.  Later, when his brother Ariel arrives to give a ultimatum to Lucifer to send her back to hell or he'll kill Chloe, the detective that Lucifer cares about more than anyone else, Lucifer ends up killing Ariel and going into a emotional tailspin.

I have love how vulnerable the show has made Lucifer without losing the smug side. We have got to see more of Lucifer's emotions in some fantastic scenes whether it is Lucifer trying to bond with Detective Douche(Dan) , get drunk and breaking down over killing his brother to his doctor or the emotional hug he reciprocates to Chloe when Chloe thanks him for his help in avenging her father's murder. (the ongoing friendship between Lucifer and Chloe as they continue to bond and work together has been the perfect example of a slow burn)

As season 2 continues , it looks as if things will not get any easier for Lucifer with his mom and brother trying to lure him to try to get to heaven. I know it is unlikely that Tom will get any awards for his performance and ability to convey different emotions in just one scene but it is one of the best in network television.



Thanks for reading and part 2 will be coming very soon!!