Every once in a while, there comes a show that transcends any expectations, exceeds any hopes, and goes so far beyond mere mortal comprehension that it becomes an instant favorite and a downright unaplogetic obsession.

Scandal is one such a show. It hails from the very creative mind of Shonda Rhimes whom ABC absolutely adores since she has like a hundred shows on there. Only kidding! It's more like 3, I think. There's Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, Private Practice, and I know I'm missing something else but oh well. Say what you will about Shonda Rhimes and all the controversey surrounding her and her choices at attacking other female show runners, but there's no denying that Shonda has a little crevice floating around in her brain that she accesses whenever she needs something. And boy does she create some juicy, tantalizing characters and shows!

I personally haven't seen Private Practice but I have seen Grey's Anatomy. Say what you will about all the sex and really fatal medical conditions (seriously, no normal stomach aches here!) but there's no denying that there are real characters with real problems with highly quotable and relatable lines. "You're my person" anyone? And it's also the reason why the show is still on the air, because these characters are relatable. She may not have written all the episodes, but she has a smart team working on the show. And I've seen people's reports about how fans are upset about the lack of asian male doctors or even more black characters. Basically more diversity and all I can say is shutup! This is the most diverse a TV show in this day and age is going to get and people should sit down and take it.

But this isn't about that. Honestly, there's so many seasons to get through, I highly doubt I would review Grey's Anatomy unless I only did the past two seasons or you guys want me to do another one. Anywho, Scandal is a fairly recent show by Shonda Rhimes and what a show it is.

It's basically about a famous fixer, like this is the go to fixer for really high end clients like billionaires and senators and she gets the job done no matter the cost. She spins stories that the fictional public eats up and she helps gets these ruined people some semblence of their life back while they obviously made some bad choices. But, this dear fixer is hiding a really terrible secret. She's in love with the Prez. This isn't a spoiler because it's no secret that she is and to call it a spoiler would be a gross injustice to all of you.



Season 1 began as we're just entering Olivia Pope's life, played by Kerry Washington, but it's obvious she's been living way before us. So often have I seen shows with characters that actually feel like their lives began when we see them. I think some writers often forget that these characters are people with flaws, childhoods, parents, ex boyfriends, and weird friends. But Shonda Rhimes didn't make Olivia like that which I thought was really clever. What I didn't like was that season 1 only had 7 episodes . Seven episodes????? Never have I seen that, especially on a broadcast network. That's what makes them different from cable shows and that insufferable maximum 12 episode bit.

However, the show was so good that I just had to return to season 2 and it did not disappoint in anyway. What's also good is that this stars an African American woman in the lead. As history will show, typical black shows or even other minority shows don't have a long shelf life. The Parkers, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Boondocks, George Lopez, Ugly Betty, Girlfriends, The Game, all these minority shows just can't make it in TV. I think Shonda was really smart with having an African American lead but with other race people so that it could cross in all racial households. Some of you won't agree but that's the way it is. Race may not still be a conscious thing, but look around, there's less diversity on shows and it's sad because black people can't understand white humor, like white people can't understand black humor. It's sad but it's a reality.



So on all accounts, there's really a hidden diamond in Scandal. The show mostly revolves around a case a week like any procedural but there are definitely arcs that will play over a couple of episodes which I believe was a smart choice. So many times will you see a show with a good concept that falls short because they're playing by procedural rules that are meant to be broken. Beauty and the Beast on CW, I'm talking to you!

One of such over arcing themes would be Olivia's ties with the white house. This show could easily be political fodder, a chance for writers to broadcast their political views and shove it down people's throats, especially when the past year has been surrounded by politics and the recent election. BUT like all shows or movies created after 2008, people are just so allergic to portraying a black president. I'm not saying that every show or movie has to have it, but on a show with only two black people, I mean come on. But whatever, this isn't a race issue and I'm sorry I'm turning it into one, but hey, that's life.

Basically, in the first season, we saw the push and pull of Olivia's relationship with Prez Fitz. At one glance they're two people who have this magnetic attraction to each other but on the other hand are obviously only hurting each other. I thought Shonda really struck gold here as she portrayed this kind of connection. So often do you see the first meeting between characters, even if they have a shared history and it's an obvious love attraction. Again, this may be my inner feminist, but I like to see my characters fleshed out and really work for what they want. Prez Fitz is married with two kids but he was very much in love with Olivia and it's so obvious on his face every time he sees her. It's like his whole world is instantly better because he's breathing the same air as her.



This was the kind of attraction that I absolutely adored in Grey's Anatomy. Kristina and Owen had such a powerful dynamic and undeniable attraction that there was so much passion and heat, I felt it and that's saying somethig. It wasn't all out speeches or inner turmoil that shows the passion between these two characters on Scandal and Grey's, it's the little moments. Like the moments when Owen and Kristina are standing next to each other, their hands on the railing, and little by little, their fingers are moving closer and closer to each other. Or Olivia and Fitz standing by each other and she's on the verge of tears because she craves him yet can't have him, and his face has absolute torture because he's so close to the object of his love and he can't touch her because he's the Prez. So he settles with pretty words and his fingers itching to hold hers but only able to lightly graze it. Honestly, they're kind of like horny teenagers who have to keep themselves in check because they're sitting in front of their parents.

These kind of relationships run high on passion but when they're mad, watch out because it's like watching fireworks. At once beautiful and so great to look at but also one huge disaster waiting to happen. Olivia feels so bad about having this little tryst with Fitz and he feels bad as well. It's like his whole presidency is built on a lie and also his marriage but he took an oath, two as a matter of fact, and he can't just suddenly betray that. It's duty over feelings, honor before selfishness, it's a really explosive cocktail.



But, here's where the fireworks turn bad. Turns out, Fitz really hates his wife. He had to if he slept with another woman because Olivia left him. Olivia finds out and her image of this man that she loves with her entire being has all been a lie. It was one thing to do it with her because they were in love but for this unknown woman? A little unacceptable. And so Olivia reps her at her company and so begins this cold war with the Prez. Really interesting and dare I say scandalous stuff. I won't give season 1 away but it definitely had me gasping and wanting to see season 2 already.

This show isn't about just their relationship however, thank the TV gods. There's so much more to it than that. Olivia runs Olivia Pope and Associates, or gladiators in suits as one such associate puts it, and they handle really high profile clients. They handle military veterans, notorious madames, sons of millionaires, a dictator, and crazed scorned lovers of the Prez. Okay, to be fair, he's only had two lovers but still. When something goes wrong, Olivia is the one you want on your side. And she has an army in her corner. A newbie, an ex con, a spy, a really mean girl, and a man slut for season 1. These guys basically do whatever she says. And they fix situations that are in desperate need of it.



Next is President Fitzgerald Grant played by Tony Goldwyn. Honestly, I didn't like his character in the beginning. I thought he was whiny, a pushover, and  I really wondered what fictional America saw in him as a president. It was like he didn't have a mind of his own. And when it turned out that he was having an affair with Olivia, he did some pretty shady things and said some pretty shady things and I really did not like his character. He was constantly in her business, acted like a super jealous, super protective ex boyfriend and it made me wonder over the future of this character. Jealousy is okay in any relationship because it's sign that you truly care about someone but at the level he was at, it was overboard.

But as the show went on, you could see his evolution slowly. Bit by bit, he developed a voice and a brain and began to speak for himself. Season 2 brought out his more masculine side. Instead of asking, he demanded. He became the president in every sense of the word. And again, this is another flawed character. Though he is the president, he has a wife and kids, one on the way, but the only person he wants to be with is Olivia. If these aren't star crossed lovers, I don't know what is. Deep down, he just wants be a regular man with the woman of his dreams and live a fat, happy life, waking up to her every morning. He truly is a romantic. But then you have to look at his actions and his words, (he has some of the best damn speeches you would ever want to hear!) and your loyalties will shift.

This is a character that will really have you on the fence. You want to like him, you want to be sympathetic of his plight, but at the same time, he does things that makes you cringe, says things that makes you want to wash his mouth out or slap him, and you can't see any hope in sight. He started out bad in my eyes but quickly evolved. And again, the passion and chemistry between him and Kerry/Olivia is astounding. If there was ever a love to have, it would be like this. This is the type of love that will last beyond anything.


Then there's Mellie Grant played by Bellamy Young. Love her as an actress, but I hate her character with a fierce passion. She's the First Lady to Prez Fitz but she's so mean spirited it almost makes you glad that Fitz is pining after Olivia. It's like now you get why he drove himself to her. Not saying it's her fault, I believe it's never the woman's fault if her husband cheats on her, but Mellie is just a mean lady.

She always has to put someone in their place and acts like she's sitting on this huge pedastal that mere humans can't touch. She looks for any oppurtunity to stretch her vocal power but she gets shut down by Cyrus and Fitz. In a recent episode, she said that she wanted to sit at the big boys table, but to be honest, she couldn't hold her own at the table. She puts on airs, but she really doesn't know anything.

As my inner feminist would attest, Mellie is a gross under representative of women. Would you really sit by idly while your husband has an affair with another woman, one you considered your friend and actually liked, right under your nose while the secret service and Cryus knows what's going on, all so your husband could make it to the white house? Like what kind of a woman are you? This is the father of your children, the love of your life, and you're willing to let him cheat if it means you get to redecorate the nursery in the white house? Come on, get real. You're only there for four years, it is so not that important. I wish my husband would do some stuff like that. Leader of the free world or not, his ass is going down!

And then, she wants to act like nothing bothers her but it does. And it's like no wonder Fitz doesn't like you or won't talk to you, you're such a meanie. She wants to berate him, chide him, give him ultimatums, and then wants to hold his hand in the limo and say that she doesn't want to pretend to be happy anymore. Like what kind of planet are you living on? That's just not realistic. At all. I really don't like her character but I am interested to see where she goes from here.



For the other characters, their storylines aren't really essential to the main show. And they're not too developed to the point to warrant a review. They're great actors and great characters, but they're not central to the overall plot.

There's an underlying mythology surrounding how Fitz became the president and everything that was involved. I'm not going to give it away here because that is a spoiler but  just know that this show is about so much more than the Prez's love life and the clients Olivia works with.

However, if you like well written shows with deliciously scandalous plot lines, with flawed but interesting characters, this is definitely a show you want to check out. It has everything. Action, drama, romance, and all around things that will make you tune in every night. Honestly, you won't be disappointed when you see it.

Rarely has a show filled my heart with such joy and rarely has a show made me so upset to reach the latest episode and realize that there won't be anymore. That the actors moved on to far greener pastures while I'm still stuck behind in the dead grass, wandering aimlessly in this great field of TV not knowing what to do with the rest of my life.

Yes, there have been other shows that I've took such passionate stands on like not watching a single episode of Glee because my own show got cancelled or watching a show like Scandal religiously because it is that great. But Eli Stone filled a deep seated crater that I didn't know I had and I owe it all to Marc Guggenheim and Greg Berlanti. Those two minds together is a powerhouse. They're the great minds behind Arrow and No Ordinary Family. No wonder I like this show so much!

It seems as if shows done in 2006-2008 had the most awesome premises, great actors, but for some reason, just couldn't get enough traction to keep going. Here was a time that people were taking big, huge risks in TV that paid off for loyal fans like me. Now, it seems like TV has gotten so complacent and it's sad. But, if not for that, then we wouldn't appreciate the rare gems like this show or any other show that comes along.



As I watched the final episode, I felt like crying. No longer was I able to know what happens to these characters in the future. I won't know what great things Eli would go on to do and it's terrible that the writers' strike happened. If not for that, I'm one hundred percent confident that this show would still be on today. Granted, we wouldn't have Elementary and Jonny Lee Miller wouldn't be in it, but still, this show was that good.

This show follows Eli Stone, one of those loathsome lawyers who actually likes his job. He's cocky, arrogant, rich, and engaged to his boss' daughter. By anyone's standards, he was living the life. But then came one horrible (awesome?) day when he began to hear music that no one else could hear. And so begins the tale of Mr. Stone, attorney to the big guy in the sky. Eli became a modern day prophet. He climbed off his white horse and began to mingle with the little people, to take cases for free and speak where they had no voice.

It's very easy to raise an eyebrow at the grandeur of the premise. This guy is God's prophet with a change of heart and in almost every episode, there's musical number or some fantastical and whimsical hallucination God is giving him in order to help save the ones God tells Eli to save. What I liked most, though, was how even though this was a show about God, they didn't necessarily play around with it. They didn't have Morgan Freeman in an abandoned warehouse giving and ex parte meeting with Eli and telling him which cases to take.

This is an example of religion in TV done right. It was there but it wasn't a central focus to the story. There's two explanations that they give. It's being God's prophet but also having the same brain aneurysm that destroyed his father. So it gave them room to decide which side Eli falls on. He wasn't a quick convert, like, oh God is talking to me, I absolutely believe in him. Eli questioned, he defied, he went his own way, they really made him struggle in this show and I couldn't imagine anyone else playing the title character.

In my earlier post, I said that Ryan Murphy has a creative yet scary mind and that's because of this show. The things in this show are..unconventional to say the least. I wouldn't say that this is a horror show but it's more like a super creep show. It's almost really scary what Ryan Murphy conjures up for this show and I'm super excited that they got a confirmed order for a third season. I have no idea how they're going to top this season, but then again, this is Ryan Murphy we're talking about.

What I really liked was how Ryan approached this concept. Instead of having it as a regular show where each season is a continuation of last season, Ryan made it where each season is part of an anthology and each season is different. Different plot, different characters, all that jazz. I find it interesting that Ryan has this sort of drive to fill people's niches that people didn't know they were missing. And he seems to have some divine foresight to know to create a singing show and make money on the songs they sing, to have a horror anthology show, or to have a gay couple show. It's like he's a game changer and people are looking to him for the next thing for people to bandwagon in a good way.



This year, American Horror Story is set in an Asylum, Briarcliff, where of course, people aren't what they seem. It's run by a nun and a monsignor, but the main doctor thinks he's running the show. The patients at Briarcliff are sometimes put there mistakenly but of course, back in the sixties, no one really questioned what happened at mental institutions. They were secluded far from any kind of other civilization, they used all kinds of cruel and unusual punishments that didn't even help their supposed problems, and it was just really inhumane.

Anywho, there are a lot of plot points in this season and they touch on a lot of things. Historical stuff like how white men and black women together were frowned upon or how lesbians were considered icky. It also touches on a lot of personal themes like living with demons, romance, fighting for things you believe in, doubt, all kinds of things. Ryan Murphy really packs it in this season. I haven't seen the first season, I think I'll catch it when it finally comes on Netflix if I can work myself up to it. I usually don't like horror genre things. You'll never catch me at a screening of Halloween yet I'll watch Freddy Kruger and though he shouldn't even be considered in the horror genre, I'll watch the Chucky movies.



There are also some less than historical themes like aliens, devil possessions, crazy nuns, Nazi's, and weird science experiments in the woods. Yeah, there are definitely some eyebrow raising moments but if you like this sort of thing, just put your trust in Ryan Murphy's creative little hands, and go along for the ride. You won't be disappointed. Believe me.

They have a very huge cast for this but a definite fave of Ryan Murphy is Jessica Lange. Not to be mean, but she's just not an attractive lady, but I'll be damned if she wasn't a good actress. I can see why she's been kept around for two seasons and is now being picked up for season 3. They also have Joseph Fiennes, Sarah Paulson, Zachary Quinto, and James Cromwell. These are some really heavy hitters and then you have semi fresh faces like Evan Peters or Lily Rabe and it's easy to see why they would want to hop aboard this wagon.

Honestly, there's too many characters to try and get through so I'm just going to limit it to the major players and my favorite, Evan Peters of course.



Evan plays Kit Walker, the aforementioned white guy with a black wife. He's in the 1960s part of the show. Sometimes this show does time jump and at first you're like which time am I in but you figure it out close enough. At first, I didn't know what to think of him. I knew that he was cute and looked completely familiar. But I was very interested to see where they were going to take his character.

Spoilers aside, he gets framed for the murder of his wife and some other women and sent to Briarcliff pending psychiatric evaluation to figure out if he did it for kicks or if he did it as a sort of mental breakdown. Because audiences know what happened, you're sitting there like "HE DIDN'T DO IT!" LOL. I can't speak for anyone else, but I know that for me, he became an instant tragic character because he's stuck in this place where he doesn't belong while his wife is still alive but unreachable. I don't know if there's something chromosomally wrong with me but I just adore tragic/misunderstood characters and Kit definitely fits that profile.

Here he is, minding his own business, adoring his wife, and in the next instant, he's public enemy number one and he has so many cameras shoved in his face, so many people asking him questions while hating him for what he's supposedly done. No one will believe him and everyone just thinks he's a crazy psychopath who won't admit to what he's done. The only person that will believe him is Grace. She won't get her own profile, but here, I will say that she is kind of cute for Kit. She's one of those people who you know belongs there, yet she doesn't. She killed her parents and that's why she's at Briarcliff, but she's also so much smarter than the people there and so....uncrazy. It's easy to see why her and Kit would gravitate towards each other. She was one of the few people who understood him instantly and knew that he didn't kill his wife or all those other women.

I will say that Evan Peters brings a raw authenticity to his character, I can wholeheartedly believe that he is practically a kid in 1960s whose being wrongfully imprisoned at a horrible institution. So kudos to Evan because it's not easy to get into that kind of mindset and actually sell it and not lose yourself to it.

That's right, it's that time of the day again when I review my latest obsession. I know I keep apologizing and not reviewing, but that's going to change in the upcoming weeks. Anywho, I'm sure you've all heard of the new show from the brilliant and really scary mind of Ryan Murphy. (I might do American Horror Story: Asylum next. I don't know, stay tuned!)

I first heard of Ryan Murphy when he created Glee but because Glee was the reason one of my shows got cancelled, I don't watch it on principle but that did not stop me from watching this show. And I'm really, really, really, really, REALLY, glad that I did. If you're not watching this show, something is severely wrong with you!

This show has everything. It has humor, it has romance, it has a crazy bigot grandmother, and a super precocious little girl. It really doesn't get any better than that. Basically, the premise of this show is that a gay couple, Bryan and David, decide to have a baby. They get help from a surrogate, Goldie, who has a daughter Shania (pronounced Sha-Ny-A) and they have a semi-racist, homophobic Republican grandmother who just represents everything old school, and she goes by the name of Jane.



What I thought was really creative was that they didn't make the whole show just about the pregnancy. If anything, it's a family show. It explores the same dynamics any other family show would explore but it's just a new twist on it. I don't know if it's just my closet cynicism, but I see all these new crop of shows and I can't help but not like them because they're the same thing over and over again. What I'm noticing what seperates good shows from bad shows is the level of surprises they have. A lot of people in the industry will tell you that there are no new stories. See, I partly agree with that. There may be seven stories, but there will always be new ways to tell those stories, making it new in some way or another. And I think with the New Normal, it's the same exact thing. Ryan Murphy is just so good at bringing you something new and exciting. And I seriously suggest you give this show a chance, no matter what your prejudices are.

I'm going to start with the other characters first and then get to the main characters. I'm only doing it this way because the main characters are probably the only reason why I like this freakin' show so much. This is in no way because of the other actors' capabilities, I just really like David and Bryan!

The role of the surrogate is Goldie, played by Georgia King. She's a smart, capable woman who just wants to do right by her daughter and I really like her character. I've noticed a trend about female characters getting a really bad rep, but I like her character. I think under the circumstances she's held up pretty well and she has a good head on her shoulders despite being abandoned by her mother and raised by her grandmother. Goldie's is a tragic life. She had a deadbeat idiot husband who was Shania's dad and he just didn't get it.

Goldie walked in on him literally cheating on her and she gave him up simple as pie. What I liked was that she didn't blow up, she didn't scream, she just said she had enough and kept it pushing. I know this is very anti-feminist of me. But I feel like there are all kinds of women in this world. I genuinely don't believe that all of them would blow up in their husband's faces over such a betrayal. Especially when her husband had been treating her bad for years.

I've never been more proud of a female character than when she just said, "You know what? You can have him!" Because there's just some things not worth blowing up over. I'd like to think that if I ever caught my man cheating, I would react the same way. The way I see it, he obviously didn't care too much for me to not cheat, so in my eyes, he can pack his bags and go. I don't believe in cheating, I don't condone it, and never will I. People keep telling me how when I'm all lovey dovey in love with someone, that I would do anything for them and I really beg to differ. Why waste your time on someone who obviously doesn't care about you? So what I liked was how Goldie handled that situation.

Goldie hopped in the car soon after and drove all the way to California and watched the sunset, but then Goldie met Bryan and David and the rest is history from there. I also liked Goldie's open mindedness about the couple. It's so easy to judge people based on their sexual orientation without getting to know the actual people. In my theatre class, I'm seeing more and more evidence of how "gayness" wasn't a big deal back then. It wasn't uncommon for guys to kiss each other, or girls. Let's face it, it took a supremely long time for English theatre to get used to the idea of having actresses. Which means all of you who loves Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare. Yeah, guess what. In original productions, Juliet was played by a man and those epic love scenes mean two guys were kissing. Back then, it just wasn't a big deal. Once people put a name on things, it becomes taboo. Which is why when people talk about gay people in a negative way, I can't help but think they're dumb because it wasn't that long ago when their ancestors were kissing all over other guys or other women.

But Goldie was really chill with them and I liked how willing she was to help them. It's so rare to come by, it's almost sad and it really makes me wonder about the future of America or anywhere for that matter. I seriously fear about this world because people just aren't happy unless their mad about something and going to war over the smallest things. So as far as my list of good, strong female characters go, Goldie is definitely one of them and I think Georgia does a terrific job of bringing those characteristics back to life.


Shania is the precocious little girl and she's played by Bebe Wood. It's sort of like Ryan Murphy looked at old tapes of Kids Say the Darndest Things and put it all into the character of Shania. She's just so worldly and accepting and it's not at all what a child of her age should act like, yet she's completely believable. It's not uncommon for children to be the total opposite of their upbringing. Like if they had a very outspoken parent, it's not uncommon for the kid to be shy. In the case of Shania, she has a very outspoken grandmother and a sort of timid mother. So it makes sense that Shania would be a mix of reserved yet outspoken.

It's amazing the things that Shania does. She's so weird and cool and funny and it makes me think that if I were still younger and Shania really did exist, I'd want to be friends with someone like her. I mean, she watches animal documentaries and yells for the animal to eat the people, she imitates characters from movies, and she dresses like a pilgrim when Goldie takes away her iPad to symbolize how far people have come frome the "dark place" where there was no technology to keep everyone connected.

What I also liked was that Shania is very observant and knowledgable. She teaches Bryan and David, Goldie, and even Jane things that they still needed to learn but didn't know that they needed to learn. Considering things that have happened, it would have been very easy for Shania to be a jaded little girl who hates the world. As it looks, her dad abandoned her, Goldie sort of kidnapped her across state lines, and her mom is having a baby for a gay couple. Yeah, that would be enough to make anyone mad but instead, Shania is just this very open cool girl and I really look forward to future Bebe Wood's projects because I honestly think she's going to go far in her career and I hope it's a really long one.


Ahh, what to say about dear grandmother Jane, played by Ellen Barkin? I don't think there are adequate words to describe everything that is her, but here's to trying. All in all, it's very easy to understand Jane. She comes from a different era where gay people were weird, black people were others, and teenagers just didn't have sex like that and have children at such young ages. It's easy to see how she's a product of her society because I'm sure her parents were filling her head with all kinds of untrue crap, and again, it's just a product of that kind of world back then. The world's changing and she just doesn't like what she sees and she's frightened.

There was a time when all kinds of guys would walk up to her in a bar and try to pick her up. There was a time when Goldie would listen to her. There was a time when gay people kept their business to themselves and times were just simpler then. I think more than anything, Jane is just scared of what the future is going to bring. She puts up a good front but she has just as much insecurities as anyone else would regarding the future.

She embodies anything old school and that means rules of sex. She thinks people her age shouldn't do any of that and with a gentle push, she gets it on with a guy who makes her feel wanted but also makes her feel old. The rules of dating and sex have changed and she felt dumb about it because she hopped on the bandwagon too late. Yet, in this past episode, she discovered twitter and the many wild things that could happen with it. I think she's just a woman who is trying to catch up to a world that's left her beliefs behind.

Having said that, she has some of the most funniest lines I've ever heard ever on a TV show. Ellen Barkin just really sells her character and I can see why she's such a recognized person. Ellen is a fantastic actress. Just astounding.


Next up is Bryan's assistant, Rocky, played famously by Nene Leakes. What I also thought was clever was how Bryan is in charge of a television show called Sing which is a wink to Ryan's show Glee. I thought that was cute.

Rocky is there to play the stereotypical ghetto black person who tells it like it is. Though funny, I would like to see something different from black women like what Kerry Washington is doing on Scandal. (Another guilty pleasure. You MUST watch it!)

Anywho, having said all of that, I really like Rocky's character. She does tell it like it is and she keeps Bryan from being too much of a prima donna. In fact, she pretty much keeps everyone grounded and keeps egos from flying every which way. I think she's a really good addition to the show and I'm interested to see if her character will go beyond her stereotype and become something more than what she is now. I hope she gets a little more meat with her storyline instead of popping up as the situation demands.



Finally, the best for last! YAY!! Okay, David first. He's played amazingly by Justin Bartha. I first fell in love with Justin when he played the faithful sidekick Riley in the National Treaure movies. He was just so cute at being self deprecating and just as smart as Ben without all the credit. So when I saw that he was going to be on this show, the only thing I could say was, "I am so watching this!" He may not be a huge star, but I think he really should be. He's just so good at what he does, it's almost cruel to not give him his props when they're so definitely deserved.

David is a gynecologist and he plays the obvious centered and serious one of the relationship. I recently read an article in EW magazine where one of the writers was upset at the portrayal of gay men in TV. On one hand I agree with him, but on the other, I think he's an idiot. This is in no way reflective of him personally, but I just didn't agree with his views. He was upset that in every couple whether romantic or friendly, there's always a flamboyant one who's so wild, fashion forward, and flashy. And the other is always the serious one who has to keep talking them off the ledge. I understand where's he's coming from. He is a gay man and it's exactly how I feel about how black people are portrayed in TV. Only as lowly thugs and gangbangers or basketball players and things like that.

I understand, I really do, but he should know better. In TV, that's what works. It would be completely boring to have two flashy gay guys, or two serious gay guys, or the same for one gay guy and one staight guy. The couple just wouldn't be believable. The only example I can think of right now, is the gay couple in Suburgatory where Tessa's guidance counselor is flashy gay and Chef Allen for Dallas and Dahlia is the same kind of flashy gay. To me, that couple doesn't really pop off the screen. They're actually kind of annoying. But in the case for The New Normal or Partners, the serious/flashy duo just works. It's the same with straight couples. Ricky and Lucy anyone? Lucy was flashy and always getting into trouble and Ricky was always bailing her out and it brought such great laughs and that was totally okay, but in the case of gay people, it's not okay?



And no offense, but gay people kind of have it coming. Besides TV, I've seen and known gay people who are flashy and flamboyant and fashion forward and act exactly like Bryan on this show. Just as I've seen serious gay men, but flashy is usually the norm. They wear wild clothes that seriously don't match, wear heels, swish their hands, snap their fingers, make fun of people, or even go full drag. Like I said, they kind of have it coming.

So in the case of Bryan and David, it just completely works. David likes to keep Bryan grounded and I love the little flashback scenes where David is really getting into the gay scene and he had glasses, he looked a little nerdish and nervous, he was awkward and it was just so cute to see that side of them when they first met and started talking to each other. I honestly couldn't stop smiling. The chemistry between Justin Bartha and Andrew Rannells is just so electric, you have to wear special glasses for it. Seriously.



What I also liked was how good David is to Bryan. Bryan can go on some pretty wild tangents and still bring him back down while making him feel good about it instead of hurting his feelings like straight men would do to women. There was a scene where they had a party to prove they had black friends (don't judge) and David kissed Bryan's shoulder and then his cheek. Like double kisses like that is so rare to get from a straight man and to see a gay one do it is just ten times sweeter. David is just so open about his love for Bryan and it nearly brings tears to my eyes. That's how much I love this freakin' couple!! I hope they stay around for a really long time because those two weeks in between episodes were literally killing me. This show is so much more than its premise and these characters really give me a renewed hope for future America.




Is it obvious how much I love this show? LOL. So honestly, just give this show one episode. If you don't like it, that's your business but at least you gave it a shot before not liking it just because of the subject matter. Seriously, watch this show, you won't forget it. Thanks for reading! Have a fantastic evening!