Survivor Tocantins Just Around the Corner

We'll have a new season with new castaways to love or hate starting Thursday, February 12 at 8 PM ET/PT. Unlike previous years when everything was hush-hush, they have the two tribes laid out for us on the show's website. Apparently they figured out that keeping secrets from us doesn't always work too well, eh?



Two people,one from each tribe, will be voted off before making it to camp. Yikes!



In the days between now and the season premiere, I'll be taking a closer look at the castaways. I just can't believe Jeff Probst when he claims there are so many likable folks! I'm sure I can gripe about some!

A LOST Night

Much like Zoetawny's graphic above, I've found myself pulled right into Lost once again. That said, I'm glad I've decided not to do lengthy recap-type posts on the show this season. Man, it is so darned complicated! And, not only would I have to write the equivalent of a novella on each episode, you know the Lost purists would surely arrive to let me know what I got wrong or forgot to mention. So, the short report is best, methinks. Plus, you can flesh more out in comments. Because, you guys -- the Seekers of Kale Sisterhood -- rock.

It's a good thing that I watched the "questions answered" hour before the two-hour premiere. I had forgotten or not tied together a lot of things. But I'm still a bit confused. Aren't you?

Okay, the folks from Flight 815 are time-shifting, yet the island is remaining in its proper time and place? (Here's a situation for Hiro from Heroes!) The Orchid Station apparently has the key to the time shifting. Hmmm. And, Ben is turning the wheel, yet the show jumps all around in time, thus adding to the confusion.

Both Desmond and Daniel Farraday seem like they're going to be key characters in this new season. They are the constants -- while they know they've previously (or future-ly) met, they carry reminders of the meeting and don't recall the details.

Ben is determined to gather the Oceanic Six for a return to the island but is given a timeframe of 70 hours by Mrs. Hawkings (Daniel's mother). Sayid has turned against Ben and Hurley has his George Washington thing going on -- he just can't tell a lie and can't live a lie either. I loved his line about how Sayid should eat more comfort food and he'd be less likely to go around killing people.

What's up with Sun? She tells Widmore she wants Ben dead, but I'm not so sure she isn't playing him. I think she might realize there's a chance Jin is alive. She blames Kate for his death, yet knows Kate saved her and Aaron. Oh, I'm so confused!

Is Hurley the key to everything? Is it Hurley himself which is so important to return to the island? Or, does it have to be the entire six in time and space? I don't know.

And what's with Locke? I used to say Locke was the key to the series. In a way, he still is. His death will be the force (besides Ben) to bring them back to the island. Plus, he was traveling alone in his own time stream on the island. Could he have a future or past alter-ego thing going on? The Others didn't travel with him through time, yet Richard said he had already told him of the gunshot wound. So Richard had to know the future John Locke even though it wasn't shown. He gave Locke a constant, the compass, so if they meet in time, they'll know there's a connection. It was the same compass young John Locke was previously given.

That leads me to another cute line. Alpert: "Here's a compass, just show it to me when we meet again." Locke: "What does it do?" Alpert: "It points north."

I'm still quite confused with the goings-on, but you know I'll be watching. Did you watch? Your thoughts?

Today and Tonight on TV

If decorative kale could shiver, it would be shivering. It's been really cold here for over a week. But that didn't stop Roofus the cat from catching some early morning rays today. Read on for TV stuff!


I've learned my lesson. Never again will I whine about nothing on television. Tonight I'll be watching the three hours of Lost. The first hour is actually that questions answered thing they previously aired. However, with the long hiatus, I need a refresher. I won't be blogging the show in depth here as I found I was missing too much when I did it. But I'll surely zap up a short commentary post on it.

I plan on recording both American Idol and Criminal Minds. I haven't even really thought about the 10 PM (ET) hour -- chances are that I'll be recording something then, too. And I have yet to watch my Bonnie Hunt Show I recorded today while I was at work. So much to watch, so little time.

What are your TV plans for tonight?

Inauguration Day and American Idol, too!

Today was not only an historic moment in time, but it was personally moving as well. As one who remembers the Civil Rights Movement of the 60s, I'm proud that we as a people have shown that the color of a person's skin is not the only thing he's all about. With Barack Obama, I think his intelligence, charisma, and determination to succeed played a role in his victory. It's very reminiscent of the kind of charisma of Bobby Kennedy so many decades ago. I'm proud that Americans have elected such a man and I'm hopeful for the future. I usually don't delve into politics here on the blog as things can get so vehement.

But it's a new day. We have a new first family in the White House. These are truly interesting times we live in. And, even if you aren't a supporter, he's got one of the most fun names of any President ever -- it just rolls right off the tongue, fun to say, fun to type! Barack Obama! :-)

I watched today's events unfold on TV. I've only been to one Presidential Inauguration in my life and I wasn't exactly at the Inauguration, nor was I particularly a desired guest.


Yep, on January 20, 1973, I was in Washington to protest Richard Nixon's second Inauguration. Riot police with plexiglass shields every three feet, tear gas, and all. Above is one of the pins I still have from that event. I was a McGovern/Shriver campaign worker and it was the biggest landslide loss in history. I didn't get myself arrested which was a good thing. I'd never be a good ex-convict. I was too young to vote. Back then you had to be 21. I was all of 17 but was a politically active college kid at the time. Thirteen buses took us from Albany (NY) to Washington. It was a day I'll never forget.

Correction for the historians out there -- 1972 was the first Presidential election in which 18-year-olds could vote. Before that, the voting age was 21. It didn't really matter to me as I was 17.

I didn't go today. But in many ways, my memories of today will be stronger than my personal experiences back then. I'm proud of us!


And, just to touch on it -- American Idol had its San Francisco auditions tonight. Unlike last week's shows, it was only an hour long. I wasn't really blown away by any of the auditions. There was one guy whose voice I liked, but his look reeked of David Cook. Same haircut. Gosh, I don't like that haircut.

A Quick Note

My computer had issues ... and I had to wait for a part and have been offline since my last post here. I'm alive and well enough, though. I'll be writing a review of tonight's The Big Bang Theory for CliqueClack TV in a bit.

Did anyone watch The Beast on A&E -- the new Patrick Swayze series? I watched it and will probably watch again. But, overall, I came away with the feeling that the whole show (writing, characters, storyline) was a bit overdone. Is it just me?