Chuck

The TV series "Chuck" was recommended to me by an office friend who knew of my addiction to watching TV series. Before I move on, let me clarify the addiction part...it's not actually an addiction in the strict sense of the word. We do have a couple of TV sets at home---however, with the children watching cartoons all the time and the wife tuned in to what telenovela and gossip program is on---it's a rarity that I get to grab hold of the remote and do channel surfing much less keep track of any TV series for that matter! So with the trusty DSL and torrent downloader, I just keep pace with my favorite shows by downloading them via the internet.

"Chuck" was not part of my monitored list. I have heard of it and skimped through a couple of reviews during it's initial airing in September 2007 but at that time I was too busy following a bunch of other shows. It was only after I read about the fan campaign for a third season that I started wondering what the fuss was all about. It was only then that I asked my friend to give me a copy of the season 1 and 2 of "Chuck".

The series is about an "average computer-whiz-next-door", Chuck, played by Zachary Levi, who receives an encoded e-mail from an old college friend now working in the CIA; the message embeds the only remaining copy of the world's greatest spy secrets into Chuck's brain making him sort of an intelligence national treasure guarded no less by the CIA, Major John Casey(Adam Baldwin) and the NSA, Agent Sarah Walker(Yvonne Strahovski). It is an action-comedy with a love twist that is reminiscent of the appeal of the show "Louis and Clark" back in the early 90's.

As part of her cover, Sarah poses as Chuck's girlfriend. While Casey provides cover as part of Chuck's posse of sales men at Buy More(a parody of Best Buy's Geek Squad). Being a socially awkward twenty-something guy from California, Chuck is inevitably smitten with the blond bombshell look of Sarah. Who wouldn't be? If I were Chuck I would be crawling and begging her to make it real! Anyway, the appeal comes from this relationship and is sort of a guessing game for the viewer. What makes you want to watch the next episode is that in each one Sarah would give hints as to her real for feelings for Chuck. I'm currently on episode 9 of season 1 and there's this love triangle between Chuck, Sarah, and Lou (played by Rachel Bilson)---things are really getting complicated with this fellow!

Supernatural Season 4

The thing about ironing a lot of clothes is I get to catch up on my favorite TV series. Supernatural happens to be one of them. It has been running for four seasons now and I have got a lot of backlog to watch!

Come to think of it, I did not believe that this series would last this long. Actually, after the Winchesters killed the Yellow Eyed Demon in Season 2, I thought that this was the end of the adventures of the duo---wrong! It so happened that a whole lot of demons got out before Dean and Sam closed the doors of hell! That became the storyline for Season 3.

After making a deal with a demon to save Sam's life, hell finally catches up with Dean in the Season 3 finale---now how do you top that to do a Season 4? Well, with a stroke of genius---the writers put in Angels to the equation! Now, it's Demons, Angels, and the Winchesters in a merry-go-round of twist and turns!

I just watched Episode 4-10 and boy, it was worth all the mound-full of ironing!

Boxers or Brief?

Working after lunch can be very challenging. I’ve tried to sneak in a 30 minute snooze before and what I got after was a big throbbing headache! So I just try to relax and watch my favorite TV series (now it’s “How I met Your Mother”). However, once the 1 o’clock lights goes on and it’s back to work, sometimes you just can’t keep your eyes on straight and you end up crossed eyed sleepy in front of your computer! Darn I hate those moments! Specially when I’m in the middle of composing an advisory and I just couldn’t get my head on straight! I’ve tried splashing water over my face, shimmying like a wet dog, slapping my face silly---but when I sit down I’m back to slumber mode!

Last Friday was no exception. So instead of doing the usual wake up routine that I do, I went around the office and did a survey. The question: What do you prefer in a man---BOXERS or BRIEF? My respondents---all the ladies present on our floor! Total: 10. Based on the survey results 70% of the ladies like men in boxers! Now, let me clarify that of the respondents who voted boxers---71% wanted the cycling short style…thing. My idea of a boxer short is the loose kind with the button fly (didn’t realize there was this other…thing!). Well, I guess this reinforces my wife’s thing for boxers too! And she tells me that I look good in in them---how can you argue with that?! So one day at the department store she buys me these boxers for me to wear. The first day I wore one it felt like my package was all over the place! It just wouldn’t stay put! Now, I just walk from Edsa to San Miguel Avenue where the office is located (if you’re familiar with the place---you’d say that’s quite a long walk) and when I say walk I say brisk walking! Weird thing when you’re walking this fast and you’re on boxers is that your nuts is ding-donging as you go! Heck, it’s damn WEIRD! Another odd thing about boxers is the button fly. My question is---why put on buttons at all? I mean, for convenience I don’t button up when wearing boxers. Imagine this: you’re already in the verge of exploding in your pants and you couldn’t get the damn buttons to open!! See?

Yes, the front opening is convenient for immediate release (specially after gulping a lot of bottomless ice tea!). But putting the package back in feels kinda awkward. Sometimes you think its already in but no sooner that you feel that its still dangling outside the damn boxers! Guys, you know how it feel to have your package hitting zipper, right?! Totally NOT COOL!!

I guess I need to tell the missus to buy me those boxer briefs instead!

Heroes Season 3

New season, new twist.

Season 2 left off with Sylar getting back his powers and resumes the latest season with our favorite villain finally cornering Claire and gets to dissect her brain. Thing is, he does not kill her for some special reason (which is still unfolding).

Then comes a new revelation: Peter, Nathan, and Sylar---siblings? Well, apparently, Sylar was given up for adoption by Mrs. Petrelli (reason still unknown). Now that makes Claire her nephew, right?

Sylar as the protagonist? After being captured (again) by the Corporation and "nurtured" by Mrs. Petrelli, Sylar is being groomed as unlikely partner of Noah Bennet to capture the escapees of Level 5. Will he be able to prove himself the heroe? Or, will he make a smorgasborg out of the escapees and steal all their powers?

The premise of the show remains the same---to change the future! Yeah, yeah, time travel is a bit unfair! Ok! It's unreasonable! Anyway, at the beginning of the first season, we had a lone time bender in Hiro Nakamura and by its season ender Peter inherits Hiro's powers and began using it in the second season. Needless to say, future-Peter changes the future once more when he goes back to the past and tries to assasinate his own brother, Nathan, whose decision to divulge the existence of people with special abilities leads to a tumultuous future. Does he die? Yup! For all you Nathan Petrelli fans, no need to worry because he was risen from the dead by the dead Mr. Lindermann! Now how the fuck is that possible?! I guess we'd just see as the new season unfolds!

Many male viewers went amuck as Nikki's character was killed the last season but I guess the producers saw the impact of Ali Larter's presence in the show and wrote a storyline for her to be back in the cast of the latest season as Nikki's identical sister.

As a whole, I find it still worth the watch time.

So far, 3 episodes have aired. Episode 4 is already out in torrent.