House MD, the best show ever?

image from deviantart.net

Everybody lies.

It has been long speculated that season 8 will be the last for House. Many saw it coming after so-so episodes in the last 2 seasons. I think the show peaked at season 4, plateaued for a season or two, then it was a slow downhill ride.

The start of season 8 showed great promise primarily because of the anticipation. Die-hard fans simply missed the show despite the previous season.

Season 8 should be special for Filipinos because one of the new doctors has Filipino blood (the actor actually has Filipino roots). Cebu was briefly mentioned in one of the episodes and they referred to Manny Pacquiao in another.

But suddenly, instead of going through the motions in ending the series, the show had outstanding back-to-back episodes (episode 11 & 12). For House newbies, episode 11 shows the kind of character that House is. He is weird but his teammates stand by him. He fights authority but he always wins. He plays pranks, oozes with sarcasm, disses his team, but makes everybody else better. He is indifferent but is actually caring. Not a very good role model but easy to idolize.

The follow up episode (#12) is a nice follow up. Episode 13 is a mild letdown. But hopes are high that the series will really end up on a high note. And of course House die-hards wish for another season, despite the Fox's pronouncement that this will be the last.

We hope Fox is lying. Everybody lies, don't they?

Watch Glee Season 1 Episode 15 online - The Power of Madonna

Synopis: Mr. Schuester is concerned that the girls in the glee club are being disrespected and bullied by the guys. Looking to Madonna and her musical message of equality as inspiration, he challenges the entire team to choose Madonna songs as their next assignment in the hopes that the girls embrace her strength, independence and confidence and that the guys will see the error of their misogynistic ways. The glee club takes the assignment to heart as they perform some of Madonna's greatest hits, including "Express Yourself" and "Like A Prayer." Meanwhile, Kurt and Mercedes give Sue a vote of confidence with a makeover that is definitely in "Vogue"Source: FOX

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Watch Glee Season 1 Episode 14 - "Hello"

I like Glee. It has become one of my favorite shows, maybe because of how they seamlessly intertwine different songs into an episode's theme. The newest episode is titled "Hello". Fitting, perhaps, because of several month hiatus from the last episode. The songs in this episode have the word Hello somewhere in their titles: “Hello, I Love You” (The Doors), “Gives You Hell” (All American Rejects), “Hello” (Lionel Richie), “Hello, Again” (Neil Diamond), “Highway to Hell” (AC/DC), and “Hello, Goodbye” (The Beatles).

Episode summary: Finn and Rachel are finally a couple, but for how long? Jesse St. James (Jonathan Groff), lead singer of Vocal Adrenaline, catches Rachel’s eye and sways her heart, but what are his real intentions? Looks like he and his coach (Idina Menzel) are up to no good. Will gets to kiss two women, but somehow ends up alone. Sue Sylvester is back as an even more conniving coach of the Cheerios. Quinn being out of the picture, Heather and Santana do her "dirty work". (Source: FOX)

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CSI

The CSI series is so successful that it has spun off two other versions. The spin offs are equally good and there is still another show called NCIS which is still about crime investigations. To my mind part of the charm of the CSI franchise comes the theme songs. All three CSI shows use music from The Who as theme songs.

The original CSI, with Roger Daltrey singing 'who are you? who? who? who? who?' in the promo trailer, rekindles memories of that great '60s-'70s band. The theme song very aptly adds essence of the show. The producers followed up the success with CSI:Miami. Another song from The Who became the theme music - 'Won't get fooled again!'. Again, very apt. Still the producers came up with CSI:New York. And again they did not miss with 'Baba O'Riley' from The Who (who else) as theme music.

In the coming impeachment/truth commission investigations, we don't need CSI:Metro Manila to know who is guilty. Just from GMA's reactions/inaction to the jueteng and wiretap controversies we can conclude that she is guilty. The present stance of some members of the civil society indicate not a wait and see attitude. It's not weighing its options, it is maximizing its return on investment before investing anew on another leader.

The Who's songs in the CSIs are all very apt to the current situation.
To the question of whose voices are on the recordings, we sing--
Well, who are you? (who are you? who, who, who, who? )/I really wanna know (who are you? who, who, who, who? )/Tell me, who are you? (who are you? who, who, who, who? )/’cause I really wanna know (who are you? who, who, who, who? )

The anti-GMA rallyists sing -
I don’t need to fight/ To prove I’m right/ I don’t need to be forgiven

And we the people say -
won't get fooled again

We’ll be fighting in the streets/ With our children at our feet/ And the morals that they worship will be gone/ And the men who spurred us on/ Sit in judgement of all wrong/They decide and the shotgun sings the song

I’ll tip my hat to the new constitution/ Take a bow for the new revolution/ Smile and grin at the change all around/ Pick up my guitar and play/ Just like yesterday/ Then I’ll get on my knees and pray/ We don’t get fooled again

The change, it had to come/ We knew it all along/ We were liberated from the fold, that’s all/ And the world looks just the same/ And history ain’t changed/ ’cause the banners, they are flown in the next war

I’ll move myself and my family aside/ If we happen to be left half alive/ I’ll get all my papers and smile at the sky/ Though I know that the hypnotized never lie/ Do ya?

There’s nothing in the streets/ Looks any different to me/ And the slogans are replaced, by-the-bye/ And the parting on the left/ Are now parting on the right/ And the beards have all grown longer overnight

Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss

Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
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