Bones is the unarguably best show ever
Mood:  incredulous
Last night was the season finale of Bones, in which they wrapped up the Gormogon serial killer case and revealed who his apprentice was. Below is my review of the show. If you haven't seen the episode, I reveal everything, so stop now. Just to be kind, I'm putting in buffer space so you won't see anything you don't want to see. so..

we...

 

finally....

 

find out......

 

gormogon's.......

 

apprentice............

 

is...............................

 

ZACK?

Seriously NOT expecting this. I think the show did a wonderful job of keeping you guessing from minute one to minute 59. Is it Hodgins? Sweets? Someone else? I saw someone on the net throw out the idea of Sully, which I couldn't get out of my head. Even considered Clark, the anthropologist who testified on behalf of Brennan at her dad's trial. But Zack? I feel like I've lost a friend. Even though it was well done, I'm sad.

The opening was fantastic. We all knew Booth would live, but the wonderful twist about Brennan not knowing the truth was genius. And then later, when Brennan confronts Sweets about his little experiment? I love Sweets, but I wish she would have let him have a nice punch to the face. It really showed how our Brennan is evolving and picking up on subcontext like never before.

The entire back and forth between Booth and Brennan about this was the perfect example of why this show works - it's not a crime drama. It's a human drama. And the scene in Booth's bathroom? With his beer hat and cigar and nakedness (yum)? I'm still laughing about that now. What I wouldn't give to trade places with Brennan in that scene! And then when Cam called and Booth flipped out at her? Hart Hanson said it would be an emotional rollercoaster of an episode, and he wasn't kidding.

I knew there would be an explosion, so every time I suspected something might happen I sat cowering on my couch with my hands over my eyes. LOL! When Brennan got the package, for example, I was convinced it was going to blow up. The actual explosion confirms my amazement at what graphic displays the show gets away with before 9 pm. It's amazing, really. And gross.

TJ Thyne was the star of this episode, in my opinion. He played Hodgins PERFECTLY. I never wanted to suspect him, but I did. And the scene with Cam in the lab where he shows his house was in the area... and then in the hospital where he gives Zack the drugs... and he just had this look... it was a perfect red herring.

What's interesting is that, in all honesty, the "solid proof" against Zack was that he lied. The reason Brennan knew it was him because he lied, and Zack doesn't lie. Yes, there was physical evidence, too, but that emotional and psychological evidence played a huge role, and again showed how Brennan is growing as a person.

Eric Millegan, too, was astounding. And the scenes between him and Emily. If Emily doesn't get an Emmy nom solely based on the ending scene where she's leaning against Zack trying to get him to talk... I'll boycott the Emmy's forever (already boycotting the daytime Emmy's for overlooking Nancy Lee Grahn. losers.).

I didn't think there was a part of this episode that wasn't well done, from start to finish. The ending was perfect, with everyone mourning the loss of their friend. I was pleased how openly the word "love" was used throughout this episode. And Cam, who gets a lot of slack just for being who she is, was really quite sweet. The show has really tried to turn her from pariah-just-because-she-banged-Booth into a truly 3 dimensional character who is integral to the team. I like her now. A lot.

The show really began and ended the same way - with a funeral. Zack may not be dead, but the Zack they all knew certainly is, and that can be even more difficult than someone actually dying. You can cope with death. It's hard, but you can do it. How do you cope with someone you thought you knew turning out to be a murderer and apprentice to a cannibal serial killer? And as each character did, how do you not wonder what you could have done differently? And there was much social commentary beneath the surface of how just because you're intelligent or have book smarts doesn't mean you know everything. I think this was a big lesson for our squints, especially Brennan.

Okay, well, there's my doctoral thesis on the season finale. Heh. Makes me wish I'd waited to submit my abstract for the popular culture association conference I'm going to this fall! I would have LOVED to do a paper on this episode.

I don't know if Zack will be back at all next season, but one question does remain: What happened to him in Iraq? And does it play a part in what he became? (Okay, two questions, but they're related :) I feel like there is still some resolution that needs to happen. I'm hoping the show will continue to explore Zack's transformation and its impact on the team.

Well done, Hart Hanson, Emily Deschanel, David Boreanaz, Eric Millegan, TJ Thyne, Michaela Conlin, Tamara Taylor, John Francis Daley, Patricia Belcher and everyone involved in the show.

Later!

Laura

So sleeeeeepy
Mood:  down
Now Playing: nothing. annoying coworker chatter.

I had another cube visitor!

Here are his survey answers.

1) What was your favorite part of Laura's Cube?
     LAURA
2) Are there any improvements that could be made to Laura's Cube?
     LAURA w/ v8.22 Service Patch
3) Will you visit again?
     Yes
4) After visiting Laura's Cube, do you still think she deserves the title of Executive Director of Coolness? Why or why not?
     Yes. No HIPPA violations to date.

Later!
Laura

Quote of the Blog
"I'm wallowing in my own crapulence." - C. Montgomery Burns

Wait... what?
Mood:  irritated
Now Playing: Amarillo Sky - Jason Aldean

Yeah, I know, it's been a while. I have carpal tunnel people. And between work, the SSCP, the House list... well, I have more typing than I can handle.

Anyway... Millsie is my new best friend. After visiting me in my cube at work, I sent her this:

Thank you for visiting Laura's Cube. We hope you enjoyed your stay.

In an effort to constantly improve the quality of Laura's Cube, we are asking that you complete this brief survey. Your results will be kept strictly confidential, with the exception of possibly being published for the world to see on Laura's blog. Thank you for your time. We hope you'll visit again soon.

1) What was your favorite part of Laura's Cube?
2) Are there any improvements that could be made to Laura's Cube?
3) Will you visit again?
4) After visiting Laura's Cube, do you still think she deserves the title of Executive Director of Coolness? Why or why not?

Sincerely,
The Boss Lady
Laura's Cube, Inc.

Her response:

Dear Boss Lady, The:

I appreciate the opportunity to share my thoughts with Laura's Cube, Inc.  Please accept the following responses on behalf of, well, myself.

1) My favorite part of Laura's Cube was the pair of chicken earrings, followed closely by the plethora of cartoon clippings.  Oh, and all of the House, M.D. memorabilia.  And the photos were great, too.
2) I do not know of any improvements that would need to be made to Laura's Cube at this time.
3) I am certain that I will visit again, and I will tell my friends all about the many joys that visiting Laura's Cube can offer them.
4) I absolutely agree that Ms. Dugan deserves the title of Executive Director of Coolness, mostly because she is in possession of the most knowledge of coolocity of anyone who has ever existed in any universe ever, but also because she already has the name plate.

Again, thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback.

Best,
Jennifer A. Miller, M.S.

See why she's my new best friend?

Later!
Laura

Quote of the Blog
I have a good friend who is swell.
Her name starts with a capital L.
She came from P-A,
and she likes to play,
but she'd likely laugh if you fell.
- Millsie

My chair is falling apart
Mood:  not sure
Now Playing: Les Preludes - London Festival Orchestra

Seriously. A part of my chair just fell off. I don't think it's an important part because I'm still *in* my chair, not on the floor, but it's still somewhat disconcerting. It's just been that kind of day.

I ask now that you take a moment to read this short article, courtesy of Reuters Oddly Enough column. Go ahead, read it. I'll wait.

(hums to self)

BEIJING (Reuters) - Think a bottle of mineral water might have poisoned you? Then test it on a chicken.

One Chinese family on the southern island province of Hainan had just that idea when one of their number started vomiting blood after drinking a bottle of water, a newspaper said.

They fed the luckless chicken the rest of the water to see what would happen, the Beijing News said, citing a report in a local paper. "The result was the chicken died within a minute," it said, showing a picture of a man holding a plastic bottle squatting over the crumpled body of the bird.

The province's authorities were investigating, it added.

Barely a day goes by without some new scandal over a made-in-China product, be it toys, toothpaste or fish, which has raised safety concerns in major export markets around the world.

--------

Okay - you done now? What's the problem with this article? It's not the dead chicken. It's not the last paragraph about the perils of China. It's the two following phrases:

"when one of their number started vomiting blood after drinking a bottle of water"

and

"showing a picture of a man holding a plastic bottle squatting over the crumpled body of the bird"

Get it yet? One of their "number" was "vomiting blood" and the story describes a picture of another of their "number" holding the bottle over the dead bird. Hello? What the hell happened to "vomiting number?" Is he okay? Did they at least take him to a hospital? doctor? mortuary?

And a larger question lurks still: did they eat the chicken after it died?

Hmmm... maybe I'll get Chinese food for dinner tonight.

Later!
Laura

P.S. I apologize for the lame ending, but my brain "died" after I wrote "mortuary." HA!

Quote of the Blog
To everyone who is currenly serving our country in any way, or has done so in the past, thanks.

Popcorn, anyone?
Mood:  silly
Now Playing: The Lady is a Tramp - Old Blue Eyes

My co-workers and I were just talking about popcorn lung, which is the most disgusting euphamism I've heard for a disease in a long time. I made popcorn, which started this whole conversation, and now I've learned a lesson. Like most things in life, you'll be just fine as long as you don't inhale.

Of course, talking about popcorn lung leads directly to my primary topic of this blog entry: General Hospital. I've started watching this again, in the form of General Hospital: Night Shift, which is a weekly one-hour long special episode of the show. This is the GH I like: it's one hour a week, not five, it features some of my fav characters (though not Alexis), it's funny, smart, and dramatic without being too cheesy. And have I mentioned it's only an hour a week? It's like a daytime primetime daytime drama. It's perfect.

However... seeing as they're *both* General Hospital, the original and NS seem like they should have some sort of connection. You know, what happens on NS is reflected or at least acknowledged on the original. We used to run into this when Port Charles was on the air, but then it was something like it's raining on GH but not on PC.

Now with NS you get things like Maxie is on her deathbed in the hospital... and then on GH she's sleeping with anything with three legs, if you get what I mean. I only caught one episode of GH (They said Rick Springfield was going to perform. He didn't. I think I might have been a week early. Or late. I should really pay closer attention to these things. I WISH THAT I HAD JESSE'S GIRL!). It's possible there are more examples of this blatant disregard of time. Unless there are *two* Maxies - sick Maxie and well Maxie. Which wouldn't surprise me. It *is* a soap opera.

There's this character on both GH and NS named Spinelli, who is hysterical - he's totally like 90% of the guys I went to college with: a computer guy who can barely communicate with the general public. An example? He wanted to ask a girl out on a date... for dinner... and then back to his place so she could watch him play video games and observe his VG prowess. Heh. I love Spinelli.

So Spinelli created this video game on the internet that features Stone Cold - Spinelli's nickname for Jason. I think GH should totally market this game. Come on - the first soap opera to create a video game? A beat-em-up, shoot-em-down video game? It would be perfect! It would open up the show to an entirely new market.

Plus Steve Burton is hot. I certainly wouldn't mind having him at my command. :o)

Later!
Laura

P.S. Have I mentioned that NS also features the talents of the one and only Billie Dee Williams? COME ON! It's LANDO!!!!!! And have a Colt 45... on me!

Quote of the Blog

Spinelli: Stone Cold! I am in desperate need of your wisdom. I am at Def Con 4! Check that, Def Con 5 . . . Tell me how to make fair Lulu fall in love with me? . . . You are wise in all things Stone Cold, you are. You taught me to escape armed desperados, and to placate Mr. Corinthos Sir. And when it comes to affairs of the heart, look, not only have you managed to win Samantha's undying love, but you also managed to seduce the loyal Elizabeth away from her husband!
Jason: That's it, this conversation is done now.
Spinelli: Look, I'm not passing judgment! I'm just saying, I'm merely pointing out that you have these two, paragons, completely devoted to you. And then you throw Valkyrie Carly in the mix, and, you are a chick magnet, as they say. I mean, you're a true triple-threat.
Jason: What does any of this have to do with you and Lulu?
Spinelli: You possess the secret. Okay? I mean, you can wield your power over a woman's heart, her body, her soul? Y'know like, who else would I go to for wisdom vis-a-vis the Blonde One? I mean, dude, c'mon, please, just if you give me just a little something, about, give me the secret to your mojo.
Jason: I've got to get out of here.
Spinelli: No, mentor of mine, please. Look, I have a confession. Look, okay, I may rule cyberspace. But in reality, well, The Jackal struggles. You know, I mean, this may come as a surprise to you, but there are some people that don't take me seriously. There may even be some who mock me behind my back. So, please, just please, just give me something, anything, anything to make Fair Lulu take me seriously.
Jason: Listen.
Spinelli: Okay. (waits for more) What, that's it?
Jason: Yeah, that's it. Listen to Lulu. Women like to talk a lot. They want a guy who's going to listen. Now you may not understand what she's trying to say half the time, but that does not matter. It's the simple act of listening that counts.
Spinelli: Wow, that is so zen. Deepest gratitudes, Stone Cold. (Spinelli tries to hug Jason)
Jason: What, what'd I say about touching me??
Spinelli: Alright. Deepest gratitudes. And when Fair Lulu is mine, I will remember your kindness.

- General Hospital