Psychology of Television

It is safe to say that I watch a lot of television. I think I watch television as a way to not just entertain myself but as a way to escape from reality. When I'm watching TV I tend to push aside my paperwork and procrastinate on working out. Or I just use it as a way to get away from my family so I don't have to deal with that. Television is a very powerful thing. Network executives know that. They know that most likely other people are using television for the same things. So they make appealing, sensationalized television for us to lose ourselves in.

Ah, the psychological power of television. Just look at the shows I watch on a regular basis. Take "Gossip Girl" for example. Are we really supposed to believe that it's perfectly okay to just run around and have sex with whoever, manipulate all situations, never go to class, spend tons of money, and have no general concern for the world? I don't think so. But this show shows us the extreme of one way of living. How many people take this show and try to live their lives like it, even if just in small ways?

Don't get me started on these reality shows that every network imaginable has. All of these "real" people put in these "real" situations so they can win ridiculous amounts of money and faux fame. Is this really what people aspire to anymore? We think that our break through to fame is through stupid "love" reality shows or doing ridiculous stunts? Are kids even getting the right message anymore?

Now don't me wrong, I watch these shows. And I find these shows entertaining because they are an escape from my life. Which I'm sure is why most other people watch these shows as well. But I find myself more and more thinking, "Why the hell are these people doing all of this?" Who really thinks that they are going to find legitimate love on "The Bachelor?" Who really thinks that they are going to have as big a career as Tyra Banks from winning "America's Next Top Model?" These things won't really happen. And if they do, it's few and far between.

Please don't think that this whole diatribe is the end of me reviewing television or that I have lost my passion for it. That is far from reality. It just seems as I am watching this television I get more and more disgusted and the state of some of it. Bring back scripted shows that don't feel like they are being pushed to the most sensational point to beat the others. Well, next update I will have more reviews on more television that I am obsessed with. So head on over to the forum and discuss what you think about the psychology of television.

Until next time kids, this has been Hava.

What's to come.....

As some know, my household contains two ferocious beasts I captured in my Indiana-style adventures. One runs this territory as the aggressive, no holds barred, claw-wielding beast while the other lays back in the shadows, preferring the strong silent method - to assess and not assume, to be calm and not easily excitable. There are days where the protagonist leaps to capture its prey and his brother reaps the benefit of the his companion's work.

Sounds like a NOVA special huh? It is.... but not what you think. Minijag and Logan are my two babies... two felines that is. They do not come from African grasslands (although some days I wonder), instead they were both the result of something unfortunate - offspring of pregnant alley cats with the likelihood of a good lifestyle = slim. Providence united us and what an experience we've all had. They both amuse me, torture me and love me and I wouldn't trade any of their antics for anything else.

So why am I gabbing about them as if I am the old hag that lives in the dark house on the corner of Elm and 7th, the home to seventy+ cats, yowling a constant ringing to passerbys? I'm not that crazy lady, I promise - but I also promise that their interaction with one another stands tall amongst many the evening sitcoms. Their frolicking may not be as interesting as say 30 Rock, but deserves credit and even a comic strip they do (you must say this mimicking Yoda). You may not giggle at the thought of me writing this comic strip but a laugh is quite expected when I tell you I hope to draw it also!

For as long as it takes, I plan on learning how to draw! Okay, nothing miraculous, but I dedicate myself to trying hard and to at least give it my best. I certainly could just ask someone to complete this portion for me (as I know how many artists?!), yet selfish as it seems, I would like this to be mine(s) :) And much, much credit is due to Lee, a good friend, who has been encouraging me to get a move on as we've been exchanging hypothetical stories on how this would play out.

I have the first draft complete; all I need now are fluid hands to paint the picture.

Wish me luck (I need it)!!!

For something cute - here is a video of how awesome pets can be:



Danae signing off!

90210MG! Emily Valentine in male form!

9021Oh I’ve seen this plot line before. Yes I know that shows recycle plots all the time. And it is inevitable that when you bring a show back that hasn’t been on in ten years you will have some of the same plots. But as I was watching the back from the dead 90210 Tuesday night I saw hints of Emily Valentine stalker action in Annie’s drug dealer boyfriend Jasper. Now, if you didn’t watch the original 90210 then you have no clue who Emily Valentine is. In short, she was the girlfriend of main character Brandon Walsh who went crazy, psycho stalker on him and when he tried to break up with her she called his house NON STOP and wouldn’t accept that they were broken up. Fires were threatened. That poor float. Check out the video.



Well 90210 came back Tuesday night from its winter vacation. The show was eh at best. I’m not completely in love with the reboot. They are trying though, so I’m trying to love it the way I loved original 90210. In short the story lines were guy lies to other guy so that he doesn’t get with first guy’s ex-girlfriend that he still likes. Second guy then acts like a dick to girl which makes girl go back to first guy for solace. First guy almost feels bad enough to tell girl but then doesn’t. Second plot line was guy and girl who went through ridiculous crap to be together are finally on date and it sucks. The girl’s solution is to show up at guy’s house naked. Of course guy likes it. Third plot line was parents of main characters deal with a supposed crush on husband by one of his coworkers. Turns out the woman didn’t have a crush on husband, just generally needs a man. So wife befriends woman and tries to set her up with yoga teacher only to realize teacher may actually like wife. Fourth plot line is newly sober girl tries to deal with being sober and deal with her friends who have no clue what it’s like to be a former drug addict. She finds acceptance from other classmate who just so happens to be a former drug addict, and also a lesbian. I guess we all know where that plot line is heading. Fifth plot line is group of friends try to frame drug dealer jerk who has made their lives crappy but it backfires and one of the friends gets busted by accident.

But back to what got me started on this post. The major plot line from the show was that Jasper is now crazier than we once thought. Not only is he still a drug dealer, and obviously a genius because he figured out they were trying to frame him with coke in his locker and got it in the other guy’s locker before being caught, he is breaking into Annie’s house and blackmailing her to remain his girlfriend. See, way back near the beginning of this season Annie ran over some guy with her car. She sped off and never told the police. The man was found and it became a big deal but no one ever knew it was her. Due to other circumstances Annie was shunned by all of her friends and found her way to Jasper. He loved her and became her “first.” Well, turns out the man that Annie ran over was his uncle. Now he is blackmailing her saying that if she breaks up with him he will tell the police it was her. That is where he has crept into Emily Valentine territory. Hell, he broke into her house and left flowers on her bed. He destroys someone’s car window when she tries to make him mad. He makes her kiss him before she leaves. Next thing you know he’s going to rape her. I see it coming.

I don’t think this whole plot line is going to end with a float fire and Jasper coming to his senses that he’s crazy and needs some professional help like it did with Emily. Since it is 2010 and “teen shows” have to be more salacious than the next I’m sure it’s going to get pretty gruesome. Like I mentioned before, there may be a rape in the future. There may be a serious beating and Annie ends up in the hospital. Or you never know, the show may surprise us and Jasper gets his sooner than we think. The only thing I’m sure of is that Jasper will get his in the end. The bad guys always do. I’m just curious as to how. So of course I will keep on watching this reboot and hoping that I find even just a sliver of Emily Valentine in there.



Over all I give this episode only 3 frames. The potential for Emily Valentineness gets 5 frames, but based solely on it's individual showing, it stays at 3.


Well head on over to the forum and talk about how you feel about this new 90210. Does it even hold a candle to the original? Discuss it further there.

Until next time kids, this has been Hava.

Netflix (again!)

Due to the sickness (no worries, I won't pull any Daybreaker mess on you), I'm only updating this last minute. I swear, next post will be on a CURRENT movie. So I then deduced that since I'm a johnny-come-lately with the Netflixin (but a hardcore advocate and recruit.... don't I get some sort of commission or something?), I'm going to share with you what's up next in my queue.



Dexter Season 1 was a recommend by a good friend of mine. She knows my type of preferred viewership; mystery, murder, thriller, drama, dark, some humor, twisted and cleverly written. According to some of the reviews I've read and considering that the star of the series, Michael C. Hall, won a Golden Globe & Screen Actors Guild Award for this character, I'm convinced. The only downside, as with any series, is if you didn't start from when the show commenced, the task to catch up is daunting. Although not impossible with the availability with Hulu and Netflix. Starting a series, say Lost for e.g., NOW is terrifying. If Philadelphia continues to have snow like we've been having and a snow week was possible, there is hope. Regardless of how or when, you may be labeled "obsessive" or "crazy" but no one ever said you were sane. Dexter is now going on season five. Am I a tad fearful? Will those who arrive at my domicile cringe at me having not have moved for 48 hours, crumbs still on my shirt (snack for later), hair looking like Mrs. Lovett from Sweeney Todd (see below) and hissing upon a foreigners entrance? Maybe. But I have a feeling all will be worth it. There are 12 episodes per season, roughly 44 minutes without commercials, for four seasons, amounts to roughly 35 hours (a workweek). Doable, completely doable.... Pray for me...

Here's a short summary about the series that I took from imdb.com: "During the day, Dexter Morgan is a jovial employee in the Miami Metropolitan Police Department's crime lab, but his meticulously crafted life masks his true nature. In reality Dexter is a disciplined and murderous psychopath (a self-admitted "monster"), and he slakes his blood lust at night by carefully killing the serial killers he tracks down during the day. Based on the novels (Darkly Dreaming Dexter, Dearly Devoted Dexter and Dexter in the Dark) by Jeff Lindsay."

For your viewing pleasure, Mrs.Lovett:


I'm interested in what marathons you readers have had. Movies, shows, games.. What length of time was committed and what was the source of your attention? Personally, I don't have too many, but X-Files was something I could watch for hours *cough, days* and playing Mario 64. Let me know by posting below, on the main j1studios.com page or on the forum.

What have you invested hours of your life to and ended up looking like this:



Danae signing off!