Top 5 X-Men T-Shirts and Characters
Here is a recent thing I wrote for T-Shirts.com!
Top 5 X-Men T-Shirts and Characters
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TV Recap: Supernatural
8.11 LARP and the Real Girl
When Supernatural goes in the wacky direction it always pays off in entertainment for me. “LARP and the Real Girl” takes the Winchesters to the world of fake swords and role-play. And as an added bonus we get to see geekdom’s favorite lady Felicia Day return as Charlie Bradbury. Grab your face paint and chainmail and get ready for action.
Movie / TV Tid-Bits
It’s a lazy day!
Somedays you just don’t want to research anything at all. I thought about doing a special on William Hartnell’s incarnation as the Doctor as part of a 11 part series with an article each month on each Doctor, which will come but not today. Today, well today it’s just going to be some things I read about upcoming movies and TV for your enjoyment. So… enjoy?
Five Things I Miss From Childhood
This last week I have been doing a purge of my apartment. Whatever I don’t need must go! Now this is a hard thing for me to because I have never been good at goodbyes. Never have and more than likely never will. But still, things have to go (and hopefully I can make a buck off some of it, fingers crossed). So it’s see you later broken toy light sabers. Catch you later books I no longer need. Sayonara stuff I don’t need that will hopefully help pay for a move. But as I was going through thing after thing wondering if it’s something I needed to keep I got nostalgic for the stuff that has long since been gone from my life that I wish I had back.
Six Favorite Modern Doctor Who Companions
Since it’s return the Doctor has had a fair amount of friends travel with him in the TARDIS. Now as much as everyone has their favorite of the three Doctors (Eccleston, Tennant, Smith) I’m sure there everyone has their most favorite companion. But we should clear one thing up right now and that is what I consider a companion. It, to me, is someone who enters the TARDIS and travels to another spot in space and/or time. So who could these characters be for me?
Idris
Let’s start things off with Sexy, the TARDIS herself. Now if I were to have written this list before the airing of The Doctor’s Wife saying that the TARDIS was a companion would be silly, completely silly. But then like a burst of galactic energy came Idris, the TARDIS in human-ish form. Finally the old girl can talk back to the Doctor when he mouths off to her. But what made her a great companion were a few moments that were shared between her and our favorite time lord. The first was when the Doctor yells at here that she had never let him go to the places he planned to go to to which she replies with “No, but I took you where you needed to go”. Wow, how true is that. For almost 50 years we have seen the Doctor end up at the right place at the right time and now we found out why. The TARDIS has always been the true pilot of itself. And then came the end of the episode where Idris’s body passes as her soul returns to the ship. We find out that all she ever wanted to say to Doctor was a simple “Hello”. Such a simple and perfect moment shared between true soul mates.
Martha Jones
Oh poor Martha Jones. She had to go fall for the Doctor right when she met him but he was so hung up on Rose that he didn’t even notice. But what makes Martha so special is that she walks away from the Doctor at the end. He enjoyed her company and asks her to stay but nope. She knows that if she stayed she would just be chasing someone who has his mind on someone else. I don’t blame her though. She did her traveling through time and space. Hell, she even saw the world end and her family forced into slavery. So to spend time with someone who doesn’t even notice her beyond just a good friend is a bit much for anyone to do. Then again we do know what happens to good old Martha Jones. She joins UNIT for a time and eventually marries Mickey Smith. I’d say her life didn’t end up too bad for the girl who helped save the world, twice.
Canton Everett Delaware III
Alright, I confess, this is more wishful thinking that he’ll show up again because I adore the actor Mark Sheppard. As a long time Supernatural fan to see Crowley show up as a good guy fighting to save the world along side the Doctor was a thrill. But I also feel that him and Doctor could go on some pretty epic and action packed adventures. During the two part series six premier we find out that this FBI agent is quick to learn and accept that there is a machine that can travel through time and space and in it is a man who can always save the world. He trusts the Doctor the moment he meets him and does all that he can to make sure his plans go through. Plus he isn’t afraid to shoot troublesome aliens like the Silence. So it’s no question that I want to see the return of this character and become an even greater companion. Plus imagine if he met Captain Jack.
Wilfred Mott
The man who will knock four times. To have our tenth incarnation of the Doctor spend his last adventure with a wise,cantankerous old man was genius writing. It meant when both the Doctor and Wilf were sitting in the diner and the Doctor says he is going to die that he has someone to talk to that understands. Most of his companions are young girls with so much ahead of them. Wilf on the other hand has lived a long life having had fought in wars and having had a family. So to have that moment at the end of The End of Time where it is this kind elderly man who actually is the one that does the Doctor in. Heartbreaking. A fun fact about the actor who plays Wilf is that this wasn’t his first interaction with the Doctor. Bernard Cribbins showed up in the non-cannon Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. that featured Peter Cushing as the Doctor.
Donna Noble
What a spitfire this girl was. From her first moments as a bride running away from robot Santas and evil spider aliens to when she becomes the Doctor-Donna she had me in stitches. Donna may very well be the most hilarious companion to ever have entered the TARDIS. It was also refreshing to have someone for the Doctor to travel with that wasn’t falling head over heels for him. Donna just loved the idea of traveling and having a purpose in life beyond just the standard office job. This made me identify with her so strongly. Everyday I wonder if there is more to me then what I do each day. Maybe I need my own time lord to come and snatch me up to let me find my full potential. I wonder what Jenny, the Doctor’s daughter, is up to right now. Now that would be an adventure!
Rose Tyler
No other companion has broken my heart as much as Rose has. But before I get to that lets just say she was the most fun wasn’t she? Rose was a character who was so full of life and wonder and the perfect person to introduce us to the world of Doctor Who when it returned. We as an audience got to see the universe through her eyes so easily. So when it came to the end of her time on the TARDIS I was in tears. Of course I have my own personal reasons as to why that was as sad as it was but to see her have to say good bye killed me. Her and the Doctor had a universe that they couldn’t cross. They were trapped forever without each other. To have that happen to such a lovely companion made me feel so many feelings. It still does. Rose was the best. And lucky for us we got to see her have her happy ending while the Doctor had to go on.
by Tom Lokhorst
TV Recap: Parks and Recreation
5.10 Two Parties
The Pawnee parks department is back!
I really don’t think there is another show out there like Parks and Rec. It is somehow the most consistently funny and sweet program on any station. So many comedies out there have characters who are mean to each other for laughs but somehow this show takes the higher ground while still being hilarious. “Two Parties” took the parks department and split them into groups to celebrate Leslie and Ben’s bachelorette and bachelor parties. Ann throws the ladies party that is full of your standard penis covered party favors and a stripper called Babe Lincoln but sadly Leslie isn’t enjoying a moment of it. The land that she wanted to turn into a park is being dug up to build a Paunch Burger. She can’t have that happens she concocted a plan to hide various Native American artifacts in the dig site so when they’re found the construction would stop, cue evil laugh. But with Leslie being Leslie her conscience gets the best of her and takes her party out to the dig site to recover those items from the dirt. While this is happening Chris was throwing a killer fun party for Ben, well killer fun for those who think Games by James is heaven. You see, Ben’s idea of a great party is him and his friends just sitting around drinking beers and playing board games. This drives Tom mad and gets everyone to go out for a night of fun at Essence. While enjoying some strange molecular mixology the guys learned that none of them had a bachelor party before their marriages. So what is decided is that they would do something for each of them in celebration. Jerry chooses an ice cream shop, Andy gets to live his dream on the Colt’s field, and Ron took everyone to a steakhouse. It’s clear that one party was better than the other. In the morning Leslie admits her wrong doing to Ken Hotate, elder of the Wamapoke tribe, who actually helps her out by shaming Councilman Jamm and getting the digging to stop. As for the guys, they realize Chris didn’t get a fun moment for himself during their party and give him a trophy. We find out that all Chris wants is nice lady and lucky for him Ben introduces him to Shauna Malwae-Tweep who happens to be a nice lady.
Well done Parks and Rec, well done. You brought back one my favorite town characters, Ken Hotate, and you delivered a story that fully embodied the spirit of the show. These characters are true friends who like being around each other. Sure, they some times rip on Jerry but it’s all in good fun and their never terribly mean to him. But when this show delivers moments of these characters in their non work lives you feel like these are people you could know. I can’t think of another show out there that has that thing that Parks and Rec has. This show can just bring us an upbeat story full of laughs. Now there are rumors that this show’s future is in question which is sad. I feel sad for those who haven’t found this show’s charm and wit. Hopefully there will be more stories from Pawnee because I would really miss it if it were gone.
Favorite Moments
- “Water? Like firewater? That’s racist!”
“But seriously, I’ll have a whiskey.” - What a great name for a restaurant, Paunch Burger
- The words historical nudity
- Jerry snooze button
- “Get him a snake but I keep it”
- Andy’s long speech about a fictional future where Chris marries April
- Ron Swanson-ism
“Son, there is no wrong way to consume alcohol”
TV Recap: Supernatural
8.10 Torn and Frayed
The boys are back!
If there is one thing I surely love about the show Supernatural is when the do a season and mid-season premiere. That’s because each one of those episodes kicks off with a clip show showing what had happened while the Winchesters were away to the tune of a rock and roll song. Torn and Frayed didn’t disappoint with their Katmandu opening. But as fun as that was it all ended quickly when the episode kicked off with it’s story of angel torture and more brother issues.
What we found out before the break is that Alfie, or I should say Samandriel, had been captured by Crowley and was being Zero Dark Thirty-ed for information. We later find out that too much torture done to an angel can have some ripple effects on the area around them. But before we get to that fact the Winchester boys have to have it out about Dean’s lie having do with Amelia’s safety. The conversation then of course leads to Benny and how Sam wants Dean to quit his bro-lationship with the vampire and former Purgatory resident. Dean can’t make up his mind and the boys part ways with Dean heading to Rufus’s cabin. There Castiel pops up, literally, and informs Dean that they have to go save Samandriel. Now Cas is only there because Naomi, the heavenly office manager, informed him he had to do it and that no matter what it would be his idea to anyone who asks. So Cas and Dean hit the road and investigate a man who was burned by a spontaneous burning bush. Before that poor guy was lit up like a yule log he heard some Enochian, fancy word for angel talk, come from it. This worries Cas and rightfully so because it means that Samandriel is spilling some beans against his will. While Cas and Dean are working on saving an angel is distress Sam is dealing with his Amelia situation. By dealing with he is having some naughty time with her which leads to an awkward conversation about whether or not she should leave her current man for Sam for good. They both agree that they would meet up in two days with their choices made. But while Sam thinks things through he is abducted by Cas in order to help save the angel in need. The boys put away their differences to do the job at hand. Cas, Dean, and Sam make their way to warehouse/torture chamber armed with new demon bombs made by Kevin set to save the day. Before they even get a chance to enter Crowley finds out there is an angel tablet from Samandriel and disappears before he can even say hello to his uninvited guests. The boys kill the demons, save the angel, and think the all is well. Sadly that isn’t the case since Cas is brought to the heavenly office and before he can ask about the strange flashes he saw of him getting a drill to his eye he is told to do away with Samandriel. Which he does and leaves the boys to deal with that whole Sam going off with Amelia thing. Dean says that if it would make Sam happy that he should do it but Sam feels that the job is more important and doesn’t go meet Amelia back at their rendezvous.
This episode felt like a classic fifth season episode. It was full of action, brother drama, and mythology. Starting with the action it was nice to see the boys actually get to knife some demons again after that long break. I don’t know what it is but I get a real kick out of watching one of those black-eyed baddies glow with orange lighting before they fall limp. But what really surprised me as effective was Samandriel getting tortured. It made me uneasy and was a bit hard to watch but I was glad it was there. Sometimes I begin to like Crowley a little too much that I forget he is the villain of the show now. I am supposed to hate him so I’m glad I’m back on board with that.
Before I jump to the brother drama lets talk mythology. What is being done with season eight and expanding on an already vast world is amazing. Having Cas being randomly plucked from the planet and taken to a pearly white office has been a total joy for me because I’m not sure where that plot line is going. Is Naomi completely evil or is she working for a better purpose? I am not at all sure where it’s going which has kept me on the edge of my seat. And what this episode did to expand on that by showing Cas getting flashes of a drill to his eye from Naomi leaves me with just more questions. Also I’m glad that they are making the tablet story more interesting by introducing an angel tablet. This means Kevin has something further to do and get stressed over. Speaking of Kevin, I’ll be honest and say I didn’t care for him back in season seven. I thought he was just a useless character that I didn’t care about. Now the show has turned him into a more fleshed out character, someone doing what he needs to save his family and the world. Which means Dean can see that sometimes being selfless is okay.
Now to the brother drama. Supernatural wouldn’t be Supernatural if the Winchester boys didn’t but heads about something. I’m just glad that it’s over real things now instead of demon blood drinking or what happened to who during time in the afterlife. Their moment at the end of the episode was something I wasn’t sure how it would end. Dean telling Sam that he is actually jealous of Sam was a little shocking until I thought about it. Dean can’t quit the job, not ever. It is far too important to him to keep fighting and make sure the family business is always going strong. So when he sees that Sam can go off and find something other than killing evil to give him purpose I’m sure he feels like that is something he can never do. Because he did try once and we know not to mention Lisa or Ben around him. I was further shocked by Sam not going to Amelia but I’m not sure why. His sense of loyalty to his brother is too strong for him to abandon him now. But what does this mean for Amelia? Further more, since I forgot to mention it above, what does it mean that Dean told Benny that he’s done with him?
Favorite moments
- “It’s just creepy”
- Dean still digs Busty Asian Beauties
- “Like the sun just ate my face” “It’s a metaphor”
- “That’s his serious face, yes”
- “Stow your crap”
- That “Plan B” = body slams on the door
by Tom Lokhorst
