Bringin' It Back

It’s day two of my mini series…

And today we’re focusing on the returning shows.  More importantly…which ones you should be watching/catching up on for their season premieres this week.  There’s gonna be some spoilers, so if you haven’t seen the show and plan on it at some point…just don’t read that blurb about that show!  Again…these are just some the shows that I watch, which is why many well known ones aren’t listed here.  But it also means I have a request for you readers at the end!

30 Rock
(Beginning its 5th season Sept. 23rd, 8:30, on NBC)

We left last season with Liz meeting who she hoped wasn’t the love of her life (adorable Brit Michael Sheen) only to find he was just a path to lead her to true love of her life, pilot, and lover of TGS, Matt Damn (Maat Daamon.)  Meanwhile Jack had to give up his love for childhood sweetheart Julianne Moore to go with his other (pregnant) love, anchorwoman Elizabeth Banks.  This season, we’ll hopefully be seeing a budding romance, a wedding to be planned, more hilarious antics from Jane Krakowski and Tracy Jordan, and hopefully more than one guest appearance from the incomparable Elaine Stritch as Jack’s mother Colleen.

The Big Bang Theory
(Beginning its 4th season Sept. 23rd, 8:00, on CBS)

What I believe to be one of the most underappreciated shows currently on TV, we left last season with Penny and Leonard having a drunken night together only to find that it meant more to one than it did the other.  But the real cliff hanger was the discovery that Sheldon (played by Jim Parsons who came in as the underdog and, in my opinion, deservedly, won Best Actor Emmy this year) may have met his soul mate.  Hopefully we see an actual (if not hilariously awkward and…sterile) relationship bloom there, while attempting to still care about the Ross and Rachel type drama between hall mates.

Community
(Beginning its 2nd season Sept. 23rd, 8:00, on NBC)

Again, an underappreciated show, this series about misfits at a community college provides laughs in every episode.  We left last season with Britta and Professor Slater both declaring their love for Jeff.  Escaping from the pressure of the situation, Jeff ends up kissing Annie.  The question is…who will he choose in the season opening?  But what I’m looking forward to are the horribly politically incorrect statements of Chevy Chase, and the multitude of movie references and spot on impersonations of Danny Pudi.

How I Met Your Mother
(Beginning its 6th season Sept. 20th, 8:00, on CBS)

Now we haven’t actually met the mother yet…probably the only frustrating part of this series.  Last season ended with the discovery of the fifth doppelganger (though not really) and Lily deciding it was time for her and Marshall to make a baby.  Which means this season is going to involve lots of pregnancy type episodes, and a season finale most likely taking place in the hospital.  Still, as long as Neil Patrick Harris continues his legen-waitforit-dary comedic timing, and Josh Radnor doesn’t get too annoying in his quest to find his soul mate (spoiler: he will), it’s should be an AWESOME season.

Modern Family
(Beginning its 2nd season Sept. 22nd, 9:00, on ABC)

A hit from the beginning, and winner of the Best Comedy Emmy, there wasn’t much left unspoken during the finale last spring.  But that doesn’t mean we won’t be back for more glimpses into a completely normal, if not slightly unconventional, family life.  What I’m looking forward to are more cool-dad attempts by Ty Burrell, the nonchalant-fatherhood stylings of Ed O’Neill, and the Lily-has-two-daddies comedy of Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet.

The Office
(Beginning its 7^th season Sept. 23rd, 9:00, on NBC)

The big question here is…will this be the last season for the employees at the Scranton Paper Company?  With Steve Carrell confirmed to leave at the end of the current season, you gotta wonder whether the show can make it without the man behind “The (albeit American) Office.”  Last season left with a promise of the return of Holly…something I think we all are looking forward to giving the adorableness of her and Michael’s relationship.  We’ll also be seeing some more adventures in parenting from Jim and Pam, and lets not forget the Dwight has entered into a Baby making contract with Angela.  I for one, can’t wait!

So there you go.  Six returning shows you should be programming your tivo to record right now!

Tomorrow I’ll be focusing on shows I don’t watch.  And then it will be the reviews of the new shows.

HOWEVER…if after reading tomorrow’s post, any of you readers want to do a guest blog on the shows I’ll fail to cover…let me know!  I’d love to have a couple more opinions!


Word of the Day: terug - return

How to Celebrate Valentine’s Day when you’re Single

Ok I know you're all wondering how I managed after my late night/early morning wake up call.  Well I'll tell you...I decided to take a 7:00 train instead.  Yea...I realized I was crazy as I was woken up by my roommates coming in and getting ready for bed (they were quiet and courteous, I just woke up.)
So I spent the morning on a train talking to a couple Czechs coming back from a backpacking trip.  Then I found my hostel and it wasn't until I saw the hearts that I remembered it's Valentine's Day!!  So here's what I did to celebrate...


1. Participate in the Valentine’s Blog Exchange

Holly over at Domestic Dork started this valentine’s blog exchange.  You may have seen the emblem in my little column over there.  Of course it’s not there anymore it’s right here…

You can click on it if you like.  Basically everyone who wanted to participate got paired up with someone.  Then you sent Valentines to each other.  It was such a great idea, but I was worried I wasn’t going to be allowed to participate being so far away.  But Holly was SO nice and paired me up with her!!

I sent Holly some Dutch chocolate (preferred by the Queen I’ll have you know,) a keychain, a post card, a regular card, and a cell phone charm.  The point of the exchange was that you had to make the gift.  So I took a page out of my frog earrings project and made her a yeti hat key chain and charm.  She has this yeti hat, and she loves it, and on her blog it seems to have a mind of it’s own, so the idea is not completely from left field.  You can read about all that here.

But then I got the BEST PACKAGE EVER!  She sent me this lovely foam heart…

And inside it were awesome magnets!  I’ve been looking for something to decorate my fridge with.  Or maybe just my face…

Also peg dolls…one for me and one for Fien!  How thoughtful!

Also some other fun goodies as well!!

Thank you so much Holly!  You’ve made this a Valentine’s Day I’ll never forget!!

2. Go see one of the greatest love stories of all time…La Traviata!

I went to the opera tonight in Prague.  I know people say that Paris is the city of love, but I think Prague is one of the most romantic cities I’ve ever been in.  And I only saw it from the tram.  All the architecture here is beautiful!  And of course the opera itself was so wonderfully heart breaking.  And damn can those people sing.  I had the greatest seat, even though it only cost me 12 euros!  I was on the side basically in my own little box.  At one point I felt like a six year old resting on the banister in front of me smiling and watching.  Ok maybe it wasn’t the greatest seat for most people, but I liked it.  I had a view of the whole audience…

And the orchestra…

And the stage…

At one point I could practically see down every single ball-goers gown.  Because they need the room up there to expand the rib cage, etc. etc, but I mean...it was a little loose.  And at intermission I got a glass of bubbly because it was classy and then settled down for act II…

Of course pictures weren’t allowed during the performance, but flashes went off like lightning at curtain call so I whipped mine out too…

It was beautiful.  I'm so glad I got to see it at such a beautiful theatre!

3. Watch the Princess Bride

Cuz it’s my favorite movie of all time…

So that’s my Valentine’s Day.  I hope yours was just as amazing!!

Word of the day: hart - heart