What I'm Watching -- Fall 2015!

Hey, guys! As you should know by now, television is one of my other obsessions. So today, rather than talk books, I thought I'd bring you my thoughts on all of the fall shows I am/will be watching this year! I'll go through my shows day by day and let you know why I'm excited, or what I think so far!

Monday

Dancing with the Stars: Honestly, I probably wouldn't be watching this show if I wasn't living at home right now. But my parents are ABC reality junkies, so Monday nights are pretty much taken up all year-round by DWTS, The Bachelor/ette, and Bachelor in Paradise. However, I will say that this season has been fun so far. I love Bindi Irwin and the PenaVegas. This one is definitely my guilty pleasure for the year.

Tuesday

Agents of SHIELD: This show is so perfect. Definitely one of my favorite shows. A lot of people had mixed feelings about this show when it first started, but it has grown and developed into something amazing. The season 3 premiere was this week, and let me tell you this: it may have been a premiere episode, but those were some finale-level feels happening. Seriously. Can't wait to see what happens this year, especially in conjunction with the upcoming Captain America: Civil War. 

Scream Queens: Okay, I know I probably shouldn't like this show. And yes, some of the insults and language are a bit much for primetime television. It's a little uncomfortable sometimes, But at the same time, the mystery is very intriguing, and there are some characters I genuinely adore already. And in the two-hour premiere, I was already blown away with a crazy twist that I did not see coming. So I'm excited to see where it goes from here, and how they keep the mystery alive. Also, there are some pretty funny moments that don't rely on stereotypes or gross language. Like the moment when Pete cut a circle into the glass window in the door, then ended up breaking all of the glass when reaching for the door handle. I laughed out loud then and at other moments, so I'm in for the long haul!

Wednesday

Empire: YAASSSS. My mom and I finally gave into the hype this summer and binged the first season. It is SO GOOD. This week's premiere was, as always, game-changing. So much went down in only 42 minutes! The characters are all amazing, because not a single one falls into the purely good or bad category. They are all just doing what they think is best. There are moment when I'm like "FAMILY" and other times when I just want to strangle everyone involved. And that's when I know a show is really a favorite; when I get invested enough in the characters and story to cry or yell at the TV. 

American Horror Story: Hotel: This one doesn't start until next week, but I am SO excited for it. I'll admit that I haven't even finished Freak Show yet. (That will have to wait until its DVD release.) But I loved Asylum and Coven, and Hotel looks absolutely brilliant. The cast is perfection, so I'm highly anticipating its premiere. 

Thursday

Scandal: A perennial favorite. As a Jake/Olivia shipper, I was not happy with last year's finale, so I was desperately awaiting this season for the other shoe to drop. The premiere was fantastic, blending the overall story arc with the return of the serialized "case of the week" aspect. Truth be told, I just can't get over how much I love these characters. And I just want to see what directions their lives go in episode after episode. This one's a real nailbiter, too. I just love it. 

How to Get Away with Murder: The sophomore season of this show started last week, and it was just as insane, if not more, than it was last season. And that cliffhanger? Whoa. These are morally ambiguous characters, but I can't help but fall in love with them. Especially Connor and Wes. And it is always a pleasure to see what twisted thing Annaliese is going to get up to next. This season is going to be another doozy!

Haven: Next week, the final arc of episodes begins. That's it, folks. This show is coming to an end. And I am so ready to find out how it all goes down. But at the same time...I'm not ready at all. *sob* As interesting as the plot is (and it SO is; so many fantastic twists and turns), it's really the characters that steal the spotlight. All of these main characters hold a very special place in my heart, and it might just break when this is all over. I'll be mentally preparing for the end from now on. 

Elementary: This one doesn't start for another month, but I am obsessed with this show. Last season ended on a completely heartbreaking note, and I was so upset that we had to wait so long for it to be resolved. This season is going to start on a heavy note, and oh my God I'm almost crying just writing this. I just need my Sherlock to be okay! Can't wait for this to start up again so I can see how Joan and Sherlock are handling this. 

Supergirl: This doesn't start for over a month, but I am very excited. I'll admit, I was a little hesitant about it when it was first announced. Melissa Benoist was pretty blah on Glee's season 5, so I wasn't sure about her role as Kara Zor-El. But the trailer for the show just look like a ton of fun. Plus, I had no idea that Jeremy Jordan was going to be in it, so that right there is reason enough for me to check it out. I'm very intrigued to see how it will fare. 

Saturday

Doctor Who: Okay. So I really need to catch up on this show and finish watching Series 8. But I really do want to catch up in time to see the Christmas special this year, because RIVER SONG. (!!!)

Sunday

Once Upon a Time: SUCH A FAVORITE. I've been angsting over this show ever since the spring finale. And the premiere this past Sunday definitely did not disappoint. As you should know, I have a crazy amount of ships on this show, and I just love all of these characters to death. With the addition of Merida this year, I'm still so interested to see what's going to happen for the residents of Storybrooke. This show also gives me ALL the feels. Just so much love for this show.

Quantico: This is a new show for the season, and probably the one I've been the most interested in since upfronts in the spring. The premiere was last Sunday, and DAMN. It was incredible. The mystery is definitely already twisting in ways I don't expect, and the characters are extremely intriguing. I can't wait to see how it's all going to go down, and how these relationships develop throughout the season. I'm already thinking this is going to be a new favorite!

Tell me: what shows are YOU watching this fall? Are any of your favorite shows on my list as well? Let me know in the comments below!

Discussion: Favorite TV Ships!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Today is a day to celebrate love in all its forms! But today, I'll be taking a small break from bookish discussions and revealing some of my favorite television ships EVER! Keep in mind that not all of these pairs are actual couples. Some of these may never happen, but a girl can wish, right? Let's jump right in! 

Once Upon a Time (aka the show with ALL the ships)

Captain Swan (Captain Hook aka Killian Jones and Emma Swan)

This is one of my strongest ships. I ship these two SO hard. As you may know, I have a serious soft spot for bad boys, so I've loved Killian from the moment we first met him in season 2. And ever since, I have been waiting for he and Emma to get together. Because he's a bad boy with a serious heart of gold. And who can resist a British pirate calling you "love?" 

Outlaw Queen (Robin Hood and The Evil Queen aka Regina Mills)

I've been pulling for them ever since Tinkerbell tried to lead Regina to him in an effort to find a happy ending. They're so fantastic together, but it's a star-crossed love, and it's that constant struggle to find an happy ending that keeps me rooting for them!

Rumbelle (Rumplestiltskin aka Mr. Gold and Belle)

I've loved Rumple for a long time, and his role as the Beast broke my heart. It's been a long, hard road for these two, and their journey isn't over. But I still keep hoping they can find a happily ever after at the end of things. 

Charming Snow (Prince Charming aka David and Snow White aka Mary Margaret)

This is a given, right? There's pretty much nothing that can tear these two apart, but I never get tired of their relationship, which is an impressive feat for a couple who has been together for pretty much EVER. 

Willice (Will Scarlet aka Knave of Hearts and Alice)

This is my most far-fetched ship of all. These two started out in the OUaT spin-off, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, which didn't do well and got canceled. But since the creators had always planned on having a self-contained story within the first season, the show ended with a definitive happy ending for our two main couples. However, I was rooting against that happy ending because I never shipped Will and Alice with their own love interests. I shipped them together. They were there for each other through everything, and they were willing to make sacrifices for each other along the way. I always thought that they would have made a more believable couple. I still do. And now that Will is on the mother show OUaT, I'm hoping that we may eventually get to explore this possibility! (And just ignore the end of Wonderland entirely. Ha!)

Sherlocks

JoanLock from Elementary

I know. I didn't mean to. I really didn't. I started the show thinking, "Oh, a female best friend. It'll be great! And it doesn't have to be romantic." But the longer it went on, the more I changed my mind. She's the only one who's really there for him, all the time, and he needs her. And I think she needs him, too, she just doesn't know it yet. So yes. I think it DOES need to be romantic. And stat! 

JohnLock from Sherlock

Yep. I'm one of those people. A JohnLock shipper. I really can't even explain this one. I'm not usually one who ships straight characters together, but man. These two just seem like they're in denial. And it needs to happen. Hehe. 

Other Shows

Emily and Nolan from Revenge

This is just pure fantasy, I know. But I love them and their relationship so much, I think they should just screw the rest of the Hamptons and run away together. (And since I don't really watch this anymore, I may just wait until the series is over to look up who Emily ends up with. And if it's not Nolan, it had BETTER be Jack. Because history. And feels.) 

Nick and Jess from New Girl

Since day one. Haven't watched consistently since season 2, but damn. That kiss. I watched it like a dozen times in a row after that episode. 

Audrey and Nathan from Haven

Also since day one. Especially since that one moment. And especially, ESPECIALLY since that other moment. Vague, I know. But I don't want to give you spoilers! If you haven't watched this, GO DO IT. Seriously, one of my best discoveries of 2014. 

Abbie and Ichabod from Sleepy Hollow

Now I haven't watched this season yet, but based on the first season alone? Forget Katrina. Boo Katrina. IchAbbie all the way. And if it doesn't end up that way, I will be very upset. 

Jake and Olivia from Scandal

Of all the ships on this list, this is probably the one I feel the strongest about. (Other than my ultimate below...) I would MUCH rather Olivia stand in the sun with Jake than make jam in Vermont with Fitz. If I have to hear about Vermont one more time, I'm going to lose my damn mind. 

Beth and Jack from Stalker

I mean, these two are adorable in real life, so why wouldn't they be adorable on the show? I just think they would be such a good couple. 

Rory and Jess from Gilmore Girls

I mean, we obviously all know that Lorelei and Luke belong together. That's a given. But it is certainly my headcanon that Rory meets Jess again in the future, a few years down the road, and they finally get back together and stay together forever. And don't try to tell me otherwise. 

AND MY ULTIMATE SHIP AND OTP IS...

.....

....

...

..

.

LOGAN ECHOLLS AND VERONICA MARS

"Our story is epic. Spanning years and continents. Live ruined. Bloodshed. Epic"

Seriously, though, I can't with the LoVe feels. That quote, that one right there, pretty much sums up how I will always feel about Logan and Veronica. (I'm going to take the leap this year sometime and start reading the books!) 

Tell me: What are some of YOUR favorite TV ships? Do you agree with any of mine as well? Let me know in the comments below! 

Favorite TV Shows

I'm almost finished with Shiver, so I'll have another review up soon. But for today, I thought I'd take a mini-break from talking about books and talk about something else I'm completely obsessed with: TV shows! I have about 50 TV shows on my Netflix queue, and I watch probably way too much TV live, but I absolutely love it! And I'm always discovering new shows to check out. Today, I'm just going to mention a few of my absolute FAVORITES, and a couple new shows that have already captured my heart.

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: I'm a diehard fan in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so of COURSE I was going to make the jump to the TV show when it started last year. And when I realized it was a Mutant Enemy show (which is Joss Whedon's production company), I knew I would absolutely love it. While Joss is not actually the showrunner, his brother and sister-in-law are, and it has all the hallmarks of a Whedon production: twisty plots, loveable characters, and ridiculously snappy dialogue. It's so much fun to see who from the MCU will make fantastic cameos in the show, both in person and just in reference. It's also great to see how the show and the movies get tied to each other. Last year, the show and the MCU became inextricably twined together, with the show foreshadowing the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and the movie having huge plot ramifications on the show. I've always been desperate to see the movies as soon as they released in theaters, but watching this show has made seeing the movies on opening weekend almost a necessity, and I'm totally okay with that. 

Once Upon a Time: Fairy tale retellings are pretty much where it's at, and I've been obsessed with this show since before it even started. I love the way this show twists all of the most familiar tales into this amazing mythology specific to the show. For instance, Rumplestiltskin is not only the land's most dangerous sorcerer, but he is also Captain Hook's crocodile, as well as the Beast to Belle's beauty. I've loved their take on the Wicked Witch, and though I was wary of how they'd pull it off, I am, so far, very intrigued with season four's Frozen storyline. Also, this show has no end to its swoonworthy men, featuring Sheriff Graham (*sob*), August W. Booth, Prince Charming, Neal Cassidy, Robin Hood and my personal favorite, Killian Jones, aka Captain Hook. This show pretty much has it all! 

Red Band Society: This one is a brand new show for the fall 2014 season, and I'm already in love with it. I was a little wary about it at first, but after watching the first episode, I knew I was hooked. The show has so much heart, obviously, but it's also funny as hell, thanks in great part to Octavia Spencer's fabulously snarky Nurse Jackson. All of the kids are fabulous, and of course I love Dave Annable. This is one new show that I just can't wait to tune into every week! 

Doctor Who: Confession: I just became a Whovian last year. But in that year, I watched all seven seasons of the new series, catching up in time to watch the 50th anniversary special live with the rest of the world. And God, do I love it now. I cried, I laughed, I gasped. I just couldn't stop watching it. I've been horrible at keeping up with this season (Saturday nights are usually spent watching movies, not TV), but I've got On Demand, so I can catch up whenever I've got time! Confession 2: Christopher Eccleston is MY Doctor. As much as I adore David and Matt (and Peter, at least in the two episodes I've seen so far), I will always have a special spot in my heart for the leather jacket-wearing Doctor who brought the series back. (The first series finale KILLED ME. Buckets of tears.) 

Scandal: This should come as no shock. Many people love Scandal. I am just one in the crowd. Though you may be shocked to hear that I ship Jake and Olivia, not Fitz and Olivia. I love Fitz, but once Jake came in the picture, I was all over it. Also, this show has made me absolutely loathe the state of Vermont. 

How to Get Away With Murder: This is another new show for the fall 2014 season, but it's a Shonda Rhimes show, and since I love Scandal so much, obviously I was going to tune in for Viola Davis. Also, Dean Thomas (Harry Potter), Officer Bennett (Orange is the New Black), and Paris Gellar (Gilmore Girls) are all on this show about lawyers and murder. How could I NOT love it?

The Mindy Project: Last spring, I discovered my love for this show. That means that I missed the first season and a half, but I'm totally hooked. I love Mindy Kaling and her sense of humor, and DANNY CASTELLANO. Chris Messina is seriously perfect on that show. His dance to Aaliyah's "Try Again" was one moment in TV last year that I literally replayed at least a dozen times. Here, just watch it. You'll fall in love with Danny Castellano, too. 

American Horror Story: I only joined this show during the second season, Asylum, but man it is SO GOOD. My mom and I are horror buffs, so a show like this was right up our alley. I love that every season is different, so we get a complete story every year. I also adore the actors on the show. Jessica Lange is a goddess, and Evan Peters is so wonderful (and adorable.) Freak Show started last week, and I'm loving it so far! 

Haven: Why is that Syfy Original Movies are SO BAD, but their shows are SO GOOD? One of my professors watches Haven, and my mom loves Stephen King, so I decided to start this show on Netflix earlier this spring. I flew through the first three seasons in a few weeks, then the fourth season released on Netflix in August, just in time to marathon it before the fifth season started. Now we're in the middle of season five, and it's still so good. I've always loved Eric Balfour. And I have shipped Audrey and Nathan for SO LONG. This show plays on all my feels so well. 

So that's just a FEW of the shows I love so much. If any of these interest you at all, I definitely recommend giving them a shot! Most of the earlier seasons can be found on Netflix streaming, too. 

Tell me: do YOU watch any of the shows mentioned above? Or what other shows do you watch that you recommend I try? Let me know in the comments below!