Song for you.

TV time.

The City: The producers have successfully immersed the girls in the world of New York City fashion; the involvement of people who actually work in the fashion industry has given the series clout (well, more clout than it had). It helps that the entire staff of Elle doesn't mind appearing on camera, thus saving us from another season where Erin and Olivia fight, and Joe Zee weakly tries to explain Olivia's presence without admitting that she's there to get in fights with Erin on TV. The more glossy Bergdorf parties, sideways glances, beautiful clothes and dates with Page Six reporters the better. Plus, Whitney called Olivia a bitch to her face (two weeks ago)! Look how far she's come.

The best thing I saw on TV last week.

The Real Housewives of New York City, S3,

Ep. 11 "Overboard"

"You're not stomping on grapes, I'm going to eat those!"

She deserves this.

On last Sunday's Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains season finale, Sandra Diaz-Twine (pictured here) became the first two-time Survivor winner. She has played the game twice, and she has won the game twice. She is the only player, in twenty seasons, to do so (of course, only nine of the show's nineteen winners have played the game more than once; four of them competed this season: Sandra, Tom from season ten, Parvati from seasons thirteen and sixteen, and JT from season eighteen [the latter three came in fifteenth, second, and tenth, respectively]). In the days following the announcement of Sandra's win, however, a question has arisen: did she deserve it?

Watch this.

Readers, I must advise you watch NBC's terrific Friday Night Lights. If Mad Men delivers the cool detachment of a martini, and Glee supplies the manic sugar rush of Skittles, than Friday Night Lights provides the hearty Americana of a steak. It simultaneously makes you feel like the month of October, the moment you realize you like someone, hooded sweatshirts, that time your coach gave an inspiring speech and you cried, 50 degree weather, and your first high school party.

Song for you.

Y: The Last Man, Vol. 3

I concluded my review of Y: The Last Man, Vol. 2 by saying that "the pace needs to quicken if I'm going to stick around any longer." With Vol. 3, Brian K. Vaughan resolves numerous lingering questions, while pointing the story in a new, international direction. The fantastic "Ring of Truth" arc (the best of the collection) features the return and reformation of Yorick's sister, Hero; a kidnapping; the proper introduction of Toyota (the mysterious ninja woman from previous issues); a sword fight in the rain on the Golden Gate Bridge; the unmasking of Agent 711's killers; two near-death experiences; and a potential explanation as to how and why Yorick survived the plague that ravaged mankind. Consider the pace quickened.

The best thing I saw on TV last week.

Community, S1, Ep. 23 "Modern Warfare"

"Come with me if you don't want paint on your clothes."

Happy birthday.

This afternoon, (Title Pending) turns one. A year ago today, I was sitting in my apartment in Worcester, MA, procrastinating studying for my American Film final. Last May, I raced at the Eastern Sprints, graduated college, and flew to California for the National Rowing Championships. Erick, Kevin and I moved out of our apartment, and myself, Erick, Adam, Bratton, Jimmy, and Terry took our final strokes as Holy Cross rowers. Two days before flying to California, my dad's father died, and for the entire month, I had one of the worst cases of Poison Ivy known to man. It was an emotional time.

X-Force #26

Rest in peace, Kurt Wagner.

Short cuts.

The Hills: You have to love an episode that begins with Stephanie noting that she's "twenty-three, and been to jail twice," ("Like, who does that?") features Lo (who finally makes the opening credits) calling Kristin a "crackhead" (behind her back, of course) and Heidi's step-father commenting that her newest face looks "frozen" (or as Heidi says, "plastic"). None of these moments would have occurred in prior seasons, when the producers kept an air-tight lid on the actually interesting parts of the girls' lives. If Kristin and company (which laughably includes Audrina, as if they would ever hang out in real life) can finally save Heidi from Spencer's sick machinations, acknowledging their various substance abuse scandals on-camera will have been worth it.

Song for you.