Thursday, August 16, 2012

Thoughts While Watching The London 2012 Olympics Closing Ceremony

Finally got around to watch the Olympics closing ceremony. Didn't watch it live, so I had to stream the show on YouTube on the official Olympics channel. Yes it's there, it might not be available to all countries, I think.
  • I can't imagine having to sing (or lip sync) on top of a fast moving vehicle that's going around the stadium, so I give some of these people props. Speaking of which, the show would be way longer if some of the acts weren't driven to the middle of the stadium by motorised means. I was excited when some of them were driven there by the famous London black cabs.
  • Love the STOMP! cast, and the use of the song, A Day in the Life.
  • The athletes marching back into the stadium was a little long, but what are you gonna do about it.
  • Even the British born models couldn't walk fast enough from their transport at the edge of the stadium to the middle and they walk for a living.
  • I Am the Walrus isn't a sing-songy song, so one can argue that Russell Brand did an okay job miming it along with bond (the all female string quartet, not 007).
  • Fat Boy Slim:  the octopus he came out on was left me wondering what was the point of it. At least he played his classic tunes: Right Here, Right Now and The Rockafeller Skank.
  • At least Taio Cruz, Tinie Tempah and Jessie J got to do their songs and then some Bee Gees. Just because Americans don't know who they are, doesn't mean the rest of the planet doesn't.
  • Was half expecting Annie Lennox to sing Sweet Dreams (Are Made of These). One can always hope.
  • The Spice Girls didn't exactly sing entire songs in their set. They should definitely only be together on special occasions :P
  • I don't think I've never seen Liam Gallagher perform sans eyewear before... his siderburns are nothing compared to Supergrass guys. Yes, the estranged brother wrote the song, but he was the vocals on this, so..
  • I wonder how many people under 25 know who Fatboy Slim, the Spice Girls or Oasis are...
  • Eric Idle confused by the bhangra dancers while singing Always Look on The Bright Side of Life was hilarious.
  • I like how they didn't really pause in between acts because the show's pretty long and pausing to introduce the different acts would take up too much time.
  • Muse: Love Matt Bellamy's see through and metallic looking piano. Did the bassist lose weight? Love the pyro work during the Olympic song.
  • I only just noticed that Jessie J only has one sleeve and one leg of her nude-coloured unitard.. O_o But I don't exactly hate her for singing We Will Rock You with the elderly members of Queen - the song's been covered to death over the years, why not the London Olympics?
  • Just as I thought I'd missed Alessandra Ambrosio, there she was. Why her, and not any of the other Brazilians like Gisele or Adriana? Just wondering...
  • Pele? Whoda thunk?
  • I thought Robbie had rejoined Take That? Why is it just four of them? Was that song during the Robbie-less years?
  • Is the cauldron ever gonna burn out? Oh, there is goes. Wouldn't touch them petals right away..
  • As far as some people are concerned, Baba O' Riley will always be known as the CSI: NY theme song.
This was an Anglophile's wet dream come true. 

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

End of The Closer, Start of Major Crimes {Spoiler!}

If you've not seen the very long awaited series finale of The Closer and the beginning of Major Crimes, then I suggest you go do that and then come back. I also suggest watching Major Crimes, at least this one time.

If you're a long time viewer of The Closer, you would remember that,

a) It's the last episode, and
b) It would be about finally getting that scumbag rapist lawyer Stroh.

I thought the episode was just okay. Brenda identifying Stroh by his walk from behind? It could've been Christian Bale for all anyone cared. You knew when she went nuts on Stroh at the station it wasn't just because of he said about her mother - you know it was because she needed DNA samples and breaking his nose would do it. What I didn't expect was the nose bleed to be all over her. I know (not first hand) that nose bleeds are messy, but really...?!

I didn't even shed a tear even when Brenda did as she was saying goodbye to the guys in the last five minutes. Perhaps it's just that we've known the news that Kyra Sedgwick is calling it quits so long ago, we've been bracing for landing ever since. I was more shocked seeing Brenda shoot Stroh through her handbag (oh no, they didn't!) than anything. But it was sweet (literally) when the guys gave her a replacement bag all filled with candy. I wonder how many of those bags do they still have around in the wardrobe department.

At least she didn't die or anything bad happened to her - as far as we (the audience) know, now she works at the DA's office with Gabriel. Even the last shot of her in the elevator eating the Ring Ding (or Ding Dongs?)? I found it an apt ending. At least she could guest star in Major Crimes down the road... and she left better dressed than she did coming in. Like, really.

Of course with Major Crimes right after that, at least some loose threads from the previous hour were addressed, like the Rusty angle. Remind me again why can't Brenda and Fritz take him in? Oh yeah, because Rusty had been attacked at Brenda's place. Whoops, forgot that.

You've got to feel a little bad for Provenza, having control of the division for only a week before he got supplanted by another woman he doesn't like right away (Raydor) as his boss. As anyone would've called it, it just reminded me of The Closer's pilot episode way back when. Even down to the one black person that liked the new boss right away - anyone remembered that? Uh huh. Well okay, it's practically The Closer, except in name :P

My only laugh out loud moments was Raydor finding Brenda's candy drawer and Fritz with the brown paper bag clearing it out at the end of the case, haha.

This new plea bargain angle would take some getting used to. I was okay with the episode, but not in love with it. But sucker me will keep watching to see how it goes.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Asia's Next Top Model

Until I read on the social media that Tyra Banks is (was?) in Singapore to promote Asia's Next Top Model, I honestly didn't know that it was an idea, let alone it actually happening.

I don't follow the other Top Model shows (because there are too many on my local pay TV subscription as it is), but this I would give a go only because the mothership has already jumped the shark in terms of how ridiculous it's gotten in recent cycles.

I guess calling it South East Asia's Next Top Model is too long and awkward to say really quickly. I don't know which countries are eligible to apply, but I would have to guess whichever South East Asian countries that don't already have their own Top Model show...

From the website...
Hosted by Nadya Hutagalung, the show charts the transformation of aspiring models into successful top models. With fashion director Daniel Boey, fashion photographer Todd Anthony Tyler and model mentor Joey Mead King guiding and mentoring the top model hopefuls, these young women will see themselves competing in a highly-accelerated modelling boot camp to top model fame.
One of the things I'm glad to see was that "You must also understand and speak good English" requirement. Which rules out Ris Low, I guess....LOL.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

And the leak on The Closer is... {SPOILER}

To anyone who guessed correctly who the leak was on The Closer before the episode aired, give yourselves a pat on the back. 

You know it really cannot possibly be any of the guys in Major Crimes division - at least, not intentionally. So it had to be an indirect source - wives, girlfriends, etc. But none of them would have any contact with Goldman for any legitimate reason... until it was revealed that Gabriel's girlfriend was studying for the bar. *dingdingding!* Motive and opportunity!

The idea sounds pretty farfetched, but having her as Goldman's inside source took some of the weight off Gabriel being the main source of the leak, but that had got to be the proverbial knife to the gut, no?

They probably should've put Corey Reynolds in the Major Crimes promos (even if he's not continuing) to throw us off, not make it less harder to guess who the leak was.

I had my guesses spread out so much and so long ago here, so I guess I can give myself partial credit.

Anyone got it right?

Monday, August 6, 2012

TNT's Monday Nights are Unforgettable?

Just bothered to watch TNT's new promo for their Monday night back-to-back dramas - Major Crimes and Perception.


I personally haven't seen Perception yet, but it's just a matter of time.

As for Major Crimes - I'm guessing that after Brenda's departure (early retirement?), Cpt. Raydor gets promoted and "inherits" the Major Crimes crew? Based on the promo, it appears  to start off like The Closer did way back when - the guys resenting the female boss. The lack of Gabriel in the promos does explain why people think he's the leak. Then there's also the absence of Pope, but that's easily explained. Doesn't explain why the black chick is there, besides for diversity...? Good to see Fritz in the promo, but I don't know if it's on a regular or recurring basis. We still have a couple weeks to wait and see.
Sorry if it sounds a little obvious - I didn't want to kill my own excitement by reading every single fan theory and news story out there about Major Crimes