dinsdag 28 mei 2013

The awesomeness of quotes pt 11

I had heard about this show before, but never taken the time to actually watch it. So when I got the first season of Warehouse 13 from a dear friend, I watched it right away. And I'm finally all caught up, right as it's about to be cancelled! :( There's only six episodes for the fifth (finale) season left. It gives them a nice chance to really wrap things up, but it was such a great show it's sad it's going to be gone. That's why I thought it was about time to do an awesomeness of quotes page, because they deserve it ;-). 

A world of endless wonder: 
U.S. Secret Service Agents Myka Bering (Joanne Kelly) and Pete Lattimer (Eddie McClintock) are assigned to the government's secret Warehouse 13 for supernatural artifacts (a world of endless wonder). It's located in South Dakota, they are to live in the local B&B - which is run by the aura reading Leena (Genelle Williams) - and they initially think they are being punished for something. But as they go about their assignements to retrieve missing artifacts and discover new ones, they understand how important their work really is. Other team members are Arthur - Artie - Nielsen (Saul Rubinek), Claudia Donovan (Allison Scagliotti) and in season three Steve Jinks (Aaron Ashmore) joins their team.




Season 1

1x01 - Pilot 
Artie: "And that is exactly what we do here. We take the unexplained.. and we just safely tuck it away in this super-sized Pandora's Box."
Pete: "Metaphorically speaking."
Artie: "Well, actually, Pandora's box is over in Aisle 989-B. Empty, of course."

1x02 - Resonance
Leena: "Artie, how've you been sleeping?"
Artie: "I haven't."
Leena: "I can tell, your aura looks like hell."
Artie: "Stop looking at it then!"

1x04 - Claudia
Artie: "Just... you know, just to clarify, you decided to re-create a clearly dangerous, potentially deadly experiment?" 
Claudia: "Oh, sure, it sounds bad when you say it like that."

Artie: "You're lucky that I have an emergency travel kit in the trunk of my car." 
Claudia: "Well, serendipity is my stripper name."

Claudia: "Yeah, I'm here. I'm here. Wait, I'm here? You took me to the inter-dimensional space? You were supposed to get him out, d-bag." 
Joshua: "No, he was supposed to destroy it. Clearly he's insane." 
Artie: "Children, don't fight. I can be both a d-bag and insane."

Artie: "Yeah, just out of curiosity, by the way, how exactly did you figure out the secret-panel thing?" 
Pete: "Well, each artifact is an extension of the person, Artie. We gleaned what we needed from the person." 
Artie: "Mm-hmm. Mrs. Frederic. I thought so."
Pete: "No, hey, hey, you know what? She's pretty scary. If we hadn't found something, she probably would have glared us to death." 
Artie: "Yeah. You have no idea."

1x08 - Duped
Leena: "Myka did name the ferret. She's just not telling Pete the name."
Claudia: "Why not?"
Artie: "Because she named it Pete."
Myka: "It's cute but so annoying."

1x09 - Regrets
Claudia: "Oh, hi, Artie. Hi. Huh, funny story. So I kind of, uh, tried to fix this light bulb, even though you expressly told me not too. And man, have I learned my lesson! You're so right about this place. You just never know what to expect. Okay, you're pissed. Can we move past that part for now and get to the part where you get me down from here?" 
Artie: "That wouldn't be Volta's lab coat that you're wearing?" 
Claudia: "All part of the hilarious story I should really tell you when I'm back on planet Earth." 
Artie: "The reason, Claudia, that Volta's lab coat is in the warehouse is because Volta couldn't control its magnetic field. As you may have noticed, each metallic object that it connects to makes the coat stronger and stronger!" 
Claudia: "That explains so much. Thank you."

1x10 - Breakdown
Artie: "How long did you have before the warehouse was gonna explode?" 
Pete: "Under a minute."
Claudia: "More like thirty seconds."
Artie: "That's lucky. I once got there with 17, and Mrs. Frederic's voice gets really annoying when she's counting down the seconds one at time."



Season 2

2x01 - Time Will Tell
Artie: [rubbing his head] "What did you hit me with?"
Claudia: Nothing. My hand." [moves a wooden baluster off to the side with her foot] 
[some time later, Artie tries to put on his hat and winces] 
Artie: [accusingly] "That was not your hand."
Claudia: "No, it wasn't."

2x02 - Mild Mannered
Claudia: "But there's a kink. The suit's energy-siphoning abilities drain the wearer of all vital fluids, causing paralysis in 60 minutes." 
Pete: "Oh, I'm only gonna need sixty seconds, 'cause I'm gonna be all biff, bang, pow!"
Claudia: "And in men, it causes impotence."
Pete: "Whoa. (hands the suit to Myka) Here you go, Wonder Woman."

2x03 - Beyond Our Control
Artie: "Now, focus on something benign. (Claudia focuses the projector on Artie) Not me! I haven't been benign since 1956!"

2x06 - Around the Bend
Artie: "It's a museum, anything there could be an artifact. You can't let him touch anything."
Myka: "Artie, it's Pete, it's a win when he doesn't lick anything."

2x08 - Merge with Caution
Claudia [while she's cuffed to a fridge]: "Hey Artie, the keys are over there."
Artie: "From here I can count eight ways you can escape. Wait, the spatula, make that nine."


2x09 - Vendetta
Artie: "You spoke to H.G. Wells about official Warehouse 13 matters, and you didn't tell me?"
Myka: "I was waiting for the right time."
Pete: "This ain't it."

 
2x10 - When and Where
Helena (HG Wells): "Do I make you nervous darling?"
Claudia: "Not on purpose, why would you make me nervous, your part of the team now, and not evil."


2x11 - Buried
Helena [wearing a Lara Croft outfit]: "I checked; this is what fashionable British archeologists are wearing."
Myka: "That is what Hollywood directors think fashionable British archeologists are wearing."
Helena: "Well, it is terribly comfortable."


2x12 - Reset
Claudia: "Artie can I talk to you about something?"
Artie: "Will it make me feel old and uncomfortable?"


Season 3

3x01 - The New Guy
Artie: "Welcome to Warehouse 13! [Camera zooms out momentarily showing some of the warehouse then zooms back in] Okay that's all we have time for! Now we have work to do!"

Pete: "Artie, this guy has no sense of humor. He doesn't laugh at the jokes."
Artie: "Your jokes Pete?"
Pete: "Yes."
Artie: "Give that a little more thought."


3x02 - Trials
Claudia: "You know, I've never had a gay friend before. Which is weird, if you think about it I'm sort of fabulous, right? I mean, I guess there was Paquito at the institution, but he was one of Susan's personalities. So I don't think he really counts."

3x03 - Love Sick
Pete: "Oh my God, you're gay? Finally! Thank God, someone who will appreciate all this. It's a waste of time working out for these people. Here, I'll take my shirt off for ya."
Steve: "No, no thanks."


3x05 - 3...2...1...
Pete: "Yes, just what the world needs a rich, homicidal maniac. You can buy yourself a secret island lair and hire someone to twirl your mustache."

3x07 - Past Imperfect
Myka: "Pete, what are you doing?"
Pete: "Well, I'm thinking like Myka. Yeah, I mean when something doesn't make sense Myka tries to make sense of it, but not right now because she's too emotional which is where Pete usually is, emotional."


3x09 - Shadows
Claudia: "Myka, what the frak?"

3x10 - Insatiable
Pete: "You don't talk to the living dead. You either run really fast or shoot them in the head and watch their head go pop."

Claudia: "She raised her eyebrow at this... and walked on."


3x11 - Emily Lake
Myka: "Why did you come in here all guns a blazing?"
Pete: "It's an escaped H.G. Wells Mykes. What if she was having one of her "lets end the world" days?"


3x13 - The Greatest Gift (Christmas ep)
Claudia: "Okay, it razzled, I'm dazzled. Now let's find your brush, my compass, and we'll get you some courage."

Myka: "Let me be perfectly clear. I know places where people would never find your body."
Pete: "Deal, I'll even dig the hole."




Season 4
4x01 - A New Hope
Claudia: "That's why it's a 24-hour stopwatch because Magellan was the first one to sail all around the world."
Artie: "So you actually paid attention in fifth grade?"
Claudia: "Yes, now think back to your youth, and try to remember what he said to you on deck the night he crossed the International Date Line."


4x02 - An Evil Within
Homeowner: "What are you, like, The Men in Black?"
Pete: "Yeah, yeah we kinda are."


4x04 - There's Always a Downside
Brady: "Tillman is competitive, especially this week because of the I.M.T.s."
Pete: "Oh right. The I.M.T.s . The international monkey...."
Hugo: "Interschool Multi-discipline Tournament."
Hugo: "Like Hogwarts."
Pete: "Oh right!"


4x06 - Fractures
Artie: "Well, you know who could help you though? Tech savvy girl, maybe with a punk rock flare and a bit of Goth."

4x07 - Endless Wonder
Artie: "It's gotta be an artifact. Adults don't have growth spurts. No short jokes, no fat jokes, no age jokes."
Pete: "Well then, I got nothing."


Steve: "What does this guy look like?"
Artie: "Well, look at this place. If you see any other human being, it's probably him."


Artie: "I was afraid you were buried alive again."
Claudia: "What?"
Artie: "Uh what?"
Claudia: "Again?"
Artie: "Why do you always listen to me when I don't want you to?"


4x08 - Second Chance
Myka: "You sure you are ok? You still look a little woozy."
Pete: "That's my look."


4x09 - The Ones You Love
Steve: "How did you get this in here?"
Mrs. Frederick: "No one touches my purse."


4x11 - The Living and the Dead
Pete: "You're like really really old, with a lot more reallys. What are you like a Vampire?"
Professor Sutton (played by James Marsters - aka the vampire Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel): "Oh please, vampires are for gothic novels."


Myka: "So you're like 300 years old?"
Professor Sutton: "514 actually, I moisturize."

Myka: "You saved me."
Professor Sutton: "Well as I said, beautiful women are my fatal flaw."

4x12 - Parks and Rehabilitation
Claudia: [talking to herself]: "Go with Pete they say, you'll love it, sunshine and fresh air. [Slaps a bug on her neck] Why am I so delicious to you?"





Season 5

Starts on June 3rd on the SyFy Channel. More quotes soon ;-). "Kirk, Out."

The Death's Daughter series

One of my favorite writers of this moment is Amber Benson. I know her from the series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, where she played the role of Tara. But she's so much more than that. Not only has she made independent movies such as Chance, Lovers, Liars and Lunatics and Drones. But she also writes. Boy, does she write! And I LOVE her writing. I got the fourth 'Death's Daughter' novel for my 24th birthday, called How to be Death. I couldn't wait for the final book in the series, which I just got for my 25th birthday :D. She's also wrote Ghost of Albion and Among the Ghosts. Great works, that really deserve a read. I like her writing, her use of words and all the supernatural elements that surprise you. So in this blog, I will talk about the five books in the Death's Daughter series, just because I love it and because I can :-).


>>>>>>>>>>>> SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS <<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Death's Daughter
All Calliope Reaper-Jones wanted was a normal life: buying designer shoes on sale, dating guys from Craig’s List, web-surfing for organic dim-sum for her boss... It's the reason she used a forgetting charm to stay clear of her real life. But when her father—who happens to be Death himself—is kidnapped, and the Devil’s Protege embarks on a hostile takeover of the family business, Death, Inc., Callie returns home to assume the CEO mantle— only to discover she must complete three nearly impossible tasks in the realm of the afterlife first. 

One of the things I absolutely love about this book is that Callie is more of an anti-hero. Yes, she's immortal so she can't really die, but she's very human as well. Her character is sarcastic and sassy, she struggles during the fights, cares a lot about fashion... And she does what she must to save her family. Even though the story is set in today's world, Benson uses greek mythology, theology and hindi, which makes the story even more fantastical. The story is exciting and amazing, the supernatural world goes beyond your imagination and the characters are awesome. In my eyes, Callie's world is the best fantasy world to get lost in.

(this macarena dance by Amber Benson 
was part of a challenge for her first book)

Cat's Claw
The second book in the story goes a bit further. Calliope Reaper-Jones is Death's Daughter, this we know. But now she owes a debt to Cerberus, the three headed dog that guards the gates of hell. And this debt involves many things, such as a trip to Purgatory, Las Vegas, ancient Egypt and.... a discount department store that's even more frightening than any supernatural creature she'll ever encounter.


Callie's talking pup, Runt, was amazing in the first book. You immediatly want one of those dogs for yourself, but I also love cats. So I immediatly was interested in the book. Sad to say that the immortal Callie is actually allergic to them... Anyways. It's also about Egypt, which I like very much. I've always been interested in Greek mythology as well as ancient Egypt, the way they lived out there and the cultures/beliefs they had. Benson addes this to the story which makes the fantasy world even greater, with more different mythological creatures. Every books keeps you hungry for more. To see how Callie will handle the next thing, as well as how the other characters will grow and help her.

(My signed copy of her second book! )

Serpent's Storm
Callie is still trying to stay away from the family business of Death Inc. while wanting to achieve her dreams in the Big Apple as a normal working girl. But no matter how much she tries to stay away from daddy's coorperation, it just keeps hunting her. Especially now that her older sister, Thalia, has made a deal with the Devil himself, to engage in a hostile takeover of both Death Inc. and Heaven... once they can get Callie out of the way.

Sisterly rivalry... Who isn't familiar with it? I myself have two sisters (I'm the middle one) and this book focuses - more than anything - on family ties, on backgrounds. Not just of Callie, but also of her boyfriend, her boss and her sisters. I especially love Clio (the younger sister) and all the discoveries Callie makes about her own childhood. There's also this big discovery that Callie and Daniel aren't the only ones in the running for Death... A third person is introduced. This book is bloody brilliant and exciting, a little darker then the other ones. It was supposed to be the last one in the series, but it was such a succes that two more books were added. You'll never get enough of it!

I couldn't upload the vid I wanted so just watch it here. It's Amber Benson reading from her third book, with someone else and.... it's a sex scene!!!!! It's hilarious, just watch it ;-)

How to be Death
By now Calliope Reaper-Jones is the official brand new President of Death, Inc. But nothing ever comes easy. The Board of Death is breathing down her neck and her dad's copy of How to be Death (A Fully Annotated Guide) remains unopened, so Callie is really feeling the tension. To celebrate her newly found position, there's a formal dinner being held, but during this fancy dinner the guide book is stolen. So not only does Callie have to figure out how to be boss, she also needs to find the book before the powers it holds get out and destroy humanity forever...

This book was something: A whodunit! Who doesn't like that?! I loved it. It's totally different in the way it reads and Benson knows just how much information to give away and how much to hold back. Issues such as (ex) boyfriend troubles, living up to expectations and murder are all included, just like many of the favorite characters (Runt!!!) and adding some new ones. It's an absolute joy to read!

(Amber Benson reading the first chapter)

The Golden Age of Death

This book resumes where How to be Death left of. Callie is still the reluctant head of her father's company, Death Inc. To say it in her words: "I was gradually learning how to be a businesswoman. Had the power suits and shoes down, though the day to day was slow going. Then I was blindsided by Enemies Unknown and sent off to I-don't-know-where. Not a good thing. Now not only must my friends and family be frantic, but without a CEO, Death, Inc., can't function. With the newly deceased left free to roam the Earth, it's a zombie apocalypse come true." Safe to say... the world needs Callie back for another adventure!

I got the final book in the series, The Golden Age of Death, for my birthday this year and just started reading it. So I can't say much about it right now, except that I'm loving it. Big things are happening and worlds are colliding... I can't wait to see how Calliope is going to challenge this one. I'll be sure to update this little section once I finished it ;-).

The greatest news yet? At the convention I attended in Octobre 2011, Benson mentioned that they are negotiating about making it a (animated?) series. I'm not if that is still in the works, but it sure would be awesome!

Amber Benson also has her own blog and gave some advice there about people who always say they want to write. It's good advice, so if you are one of those people, take a look right here.

zondag 19 mei 2013

The A for Awkward

There's this show I started watching a while back... An MTV series. For realzies. Yep, can't quite explain it myself either. It's called Awkward, which I guess is something that could be for anything. The thing is... I found it so ridiculous, and it's so exagerated that I think it's funny. All the awkward stuff that Jenna (the main role) goes through actually reminds me of the show Being Erica. Only that show focuses on an adult instead of a teenage girl. Erica actually goes through a lot of awkward and embarissing moments, but other than that it's actually nothing alike. Even though I like Being Erica waaaay better, I'm gonna talk about this teenage show that focuses on a teenage girl, who classmates believe tried to kill herself... Right: AWKWAAAAAARD!



Teen comedy/drama
It's too high school and that is why this show may not be for everyone. All the cliché's come to play, but seeing how it's an MTV original series, it's perfect for their target group. Many of teens most important issues are brought up, like boyfriends, sex, relationships, parents and blogging :P. Though it's focus is mainly on relationships and/or sex, it also focuses on real issues, such as being a social outcast, not fitting in and surviving high school.
But lets start at the beginning. The comedy show focuses on teenage girl (and social outcast) Jenna Hamilton, who after receiving a letter, has an accident, though it appears as if she tried to commit suicide. She also is a faithful blogger, though her blog isn't open for everyone. As the first season progresses she becomes stuck in a love triangle. In the first ep we find out she lost her virginity to the popular Matty McKibben, with whom she contintues a secret relationship because he's embarrassed of her. But soon his best friend, Jake Rosati, feels attracted to her, unaware of their relationship and they start hanging out... Hence the triangle. And of course there has to be a nemesis: Sadie, the cheerleader who wants to make Jenna's life a living hell.


Actors
Even though this show doesn't have many big names on the credits, there are a lot of familiar faces for me. Jenna's mum is played by Nikki DeLoach, who played a vital role in Sarah Michelle Gellar's Ringer (there was also a guest appearance from Kristoffer Polaha who I also know from the same show). Jenna (Ashley Rickards) herself played in One Tree Hill, and the counseller Valerie (Desi Lydic) was in The Client List. As far as the high school kids go, their names are not so familiar to me (and it's hard to believe they would be in high school given their looks), but they make an entertaining cast. The person, beside Rickards and Lydic that stands out the most is Tamara (Jillian Rose Reed). She deserves special mention, not in the least because of her lingo.


Learn the lingo
Tamara is a canon of entertaining lingo and relationship theories... All the stuff that comes out of her mounth really makes you think about what it is she's trying to say and laugh out loud when you finally get it. I mean... Who says "You need to DYR!"? Which btw, means 'Define your relationship'. I mean, this show has me guessing what American high school kids are really like and if they really talk like that. Because if they are, it's hilarious!!! I mean, I understand it if you use it in texts or on facebook or something, but in an actual conversation? That's just funny! At least to me. Other things that come from Tamara's brain are words like major and stuff, but it's the way she says it that makes it funny. Here are just a couple of examples:

"He kept giving me weird non-answers like my cell phone robot." (2x08 - Time After Time)
Tamara:

"Okay, let's stop making drama cakes for a sec, and think tank this." (2x09 - Homewrecker Hamilton)


"Putting yourself up for public consumption is like batshizat on crack. You're the scariest kind of loose canon Jenna, you're a suicide bomber." (2x10 - Pick Me, Choose Me, Love Me)

"No! She's a lesb-utante! She keeps it strictly above the belt, but it was a TS sitch so my Mom's letting me go on the trip to keep me from telling my Grandma. Little does she know I'm totes equal opportunity!" (2x12 - The Other Shoe)


I actually like the show, but I don't love the show. I do love the lingo, as mentioned earlier. What really bugs me about the show though, is the voice over. I think I already wrote about this in relation to Veronica Mars. The thing is, voice overs usually don't work. In Veronica Mars it really did, I mean they rocked it! But in Awkward, well, it's awkward. Totally wrong and very irritating. Especially with the facial expressions... They can be funny to look at, and the thoughts/blogs explain some things, but in all honesty, it's just too much. In short: Awkward is a weird show that makes you laugh and shouldn't be taken too seriously.