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Favorite Season Finale

Wow, I can’t believe it. We’re at the last day of July!

I really enjoyed this challenge – Many thanks to B.G. and Carla! They created this challenge together, and I’ve heard that there are more challenges in the works!

If you haven’t already, please go check out their blogs – Getting Through Anxiety and The Melodramatic Confessions of Carla Louise. They’re both talented writers, and they blog about awesome things!

Okay, now to wrap up the challenge.

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This one was really, really hard. I had to dig deep.

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Image Credit: http://tomandlorenzo.com/2010/06/glee-s1e22-journey-2/

The season 1 finale of Glee – Season 1, Episode 22 – “Journey to Regionals”

It was harder than I thought to find good photos for this post. The two I found show the climax – Their performance at Regionals, with all Journey songs.

I remember loving this episode, singing along shamelessly at Mom and Dad’s. It aired on June 8, 2010.

I fell in love with Glee with the pilot episode’s rendition of “Don’t Stop Believin’,” so I was thrilled when I learned they were doing more Journey songs.

To this day, the CD based on this episode is one of my all-time favorites. When I need a pick-me-up, I pop this one in my car and turn the volume all the way up. It’s so worth it.

I couldn’t wait for season 2 to begin.

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

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Saddest Character Death

Like yesterday’s post, this was almost too easy. When I was first reading the list a few weeks ago, this one popped into my mind almost immediately.

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Glee – Season 5, Episode 3 – “The Quarterback”

Saying goodbye to Finn Hudson, and honoring Cory Monteith, who played Finn.

Cory died on July 13, 2013, as a result of an overdose of alcohol and heroin in a Vancouver, British Columbia hotel room.

I still remember getting the CNN News Alert on my iPhone. I had to read it twice, and then I burst into tears. It was all over Facebook. Someone else tagged me in a link to one of the articles, and I just remember feeling incredibly sad for his family, Lea Michele (who played Rachel Berry, Finn’s girlfriend, on-screen, and was also Cory’s real-life off-screen girlfriend), and the entire Glee community.

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When his death was announced, I knew an episode like this was coming. I spent most of Thursday, October 10th preparing myself.

Al offered to come over to my apartment that night and watch it with me, even though he didn’t watch the show. I thanked him, but declined. I wanted to watch it alone.

I set up my full box of tissues, comfort food, and favorite blanket on my futon before the episode aired. The tears started well before the episode did.

Image Credit: billboard.co

GLEE: The McKinley family of the past and present join together to remember and celebrate the life of Finn Hudson in “The Quarterback” episode of GLEE airing Thursday, Oct. 10 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. ©2013 Fox Broadcasting Co. CR: Eddy Chen/FOX Image Credit: eonline.com

Kurt (Chris Colfer) wears Finn’s letter jacket. Image Credit: autostraddle.com

Mr. Schuester (Matthew Morrison) attempts to comfort Rachel (Lea Michele) in the choir room. Image Credit: glee.wikia.com

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I thought the choices of music for the episode were good, overall:

“Seasons of Love”

“I’ll Stand by You”

“Fire and Rain”

“If I Die Young”

“No Surrender”

“Make You Feel My Love”

Every cast member had their emotions running high, for obvious reasons. Finn was on the show from the beginning. Seeing his character sing helped me fall in love with the show in the first place! You could tell that everyone was literally singing their hearts out. Singing for Finn.

This is one episode that I haven’t dared to watch again. Not yet.

I’ve seen some of the clips of the songs online, but until recently, I would start to tear up within seconds of the song / video starting.

I can’t believe it’s been three years since he died. Wow.

Santana’s (Naya Rivera) rendition of “If I Die Young” still haunts me. It’s a tear-jerker in general when The Band Perry sings it, but when she sang it, solo, it hit me straight in the heart.

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Finn Hudson

1994-2013

“The show must go … all over the place … or something.”

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Thank you, Finn Hudson.

Thank you, Cory Monteith, for helping bring Finn to the world.

You had an amazing voice.

You were funny.

You were human.

I’m so sad that you left this world so early, but you will never be forgotten.

Rest In Peace.

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

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Worst Finale Cliffhanger

This one – It was almost too easy.

Image Credit: screenrant.com

The Flash — “The Race of His Life” — Image: FLA223b_0092b.jpg — Pictured (L-R): Keiynan Lonsdale as Wally West, Grant Gustin as Barry Allen and Candice Patton as Iris West — Photo: Katie Yu/The CW — © 2016 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Image Credit: collider.com

The Flash season 2 finale started out pretty good. But, by the end, I was furious. My jaw was open, watching in disbelief.

The minute it ended, I looked at Al and I said, “I DID NOT want THAT to happen!!”

I was disgusted. Everyone knows, by now, that going back in time or disrupting the timeline will screw things up, usually in a huge, royal, honking fashion.

Argh.

I tried to understand why Barry went back to save his mother – I really did. But now, because of that on action, it will literally change everything. And I’m so sad. To me, it was really selfish and self-centered of his character to do that.

Oh, well. I’ll still watch season 3, but begrudgingly. This episode will always piss me off!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

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Favorite Season Finale Cliffhanger

I hadn’t really given much thought to season finales and cliffhangers, but I found one!

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ATTENTION!

SPOILER ALERT!

There are some details in this post that may be spoilers.

If you haven’t watched The Big Bang Theory season 8 finale …

STOP NOW!

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Okay. You’ve been warned.

Here we go!

Image Credit: cinemablend.com

Image Credit: ibtimes.co.uk

Image Credit: etonline.com

The title of this episode was “The Commitment Determination.” It aired on May 7, 2015.

By way of the title, the season finale focuses on everyone’s relationships – Sheldon and Amy, Leonard and Penny, Howard and Bernadette, and Raj and Emily – But all in different ways.

Everyone is facing certain obstacles: Howard and Bernadette want Stuart to move out. Leonard tells Penny that, while drunk, he kissed another woman while on the boat in the North Sea. Raj is having a tough time with Emily’s idea of having sex in a graveyard.

Amy wants to take a break from Sheldon. No surprise there – I would have been immensely frustrated too, on the fifth anniversary of their first date, when Sheldon is debating watching The Flash instead of focusing solely on her. So sad!

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Surprisingly, I teared up at the very end. Right after Amy tells Sheldon that she needs to step back and reevaluate their situation, Sheldon is seen, alone, at his desk. Then, he looks at his Gollum statue, as he opens the drawer and pulls out that symbolic black ring box.

“Well, Gollum, you’re an expert on rings.”

“What do I do with this one?”

End of episode.

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Maybe it was because this episode aired about halfway between my own engagement and wedding. I can’t really explain it, but in spite of all the emotions, I liked this finale / cliffhanger.

I couldn’t wait for season 9 to start!

Did you watch this finale?

What’s your favorite season finale cliffhanger?

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

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Best Special Effects

This one was really difficult to narrow down. There are so many shows that I watch or have seen that use amazing special effects!

But, I wanted to showcase a series that I haven’t highlighted yet.

Image Credit: crimemuseum.org

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Image Credit: pbs.org

If you haven’t seen Sherlock, it is an amazing show!

I struggled with it, at first. Each episode is 90 minutes long. Al and I would attempt to watch just one episode, and I would fall asleep!

However, once I made it through the first season, I was amped. I wanted to see more!

The premise of the show is a modern adaption of the Sherlock Holmes detective stories, and it’s basically brilliant.

We just watched the Series 4 promo, and my jaw hung open the whole time. I don’t think I can wait until it premieres! I’m ready now!

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The special effects are awesome, among other aspects. My mind is usually blown in some way by the end of each episode. Since each episode is 90 minutes, it’s definitely a bit of a marathon. But trust me, it’s completely worth it!

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The last time I checked, everything was still available on Netflix streaming.

Series 4 is scheduled to premiere at some point in early 2017.

Have you seen Sherlock? What do you think?

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

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Favorite Sci-Fi Show

I’ll admit, science fiction hasn’t been my favorite genre.

However, thanks to my husband, I’ve been warming up to it over the years.

As I was researching this post, I realized there are quite a few sci-fi shows that I have enjoyed, within the last six years or so:

• Firefly (2002-2003)
• Lost (2004-2010)
• Fringe (2008-2013)
• The multiple Star Trek series (We’re working through Voyager (1995-2001) now, which I like a lot, but TNG [1987-1994] is my personal favorite.)
• The Outer Limits (1995-2002) [Broadcast on the aptly-named Comet channel through our antenna.]
• Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction (1997-2002)
• Futurama (1999-2013)
• Jessica Jones (2015-present)
• The Flash (2014-present)
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)
• The X-Files (1993-2016)
• Doctor Who (1963-present)
• The Twilight Zone (1959-1964)

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However, there is one that stands out.

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Quantum Leap!

My husband introduced me to this show via Netflix. He was old enough to remember watching several episodes while it was on the air (1989-1993), as well as when it was picked up for syndication.

For me, I’d never heard of it. I recognized Scott Bakula from other shows, but that was it.

I quickly fell in love. I like the concept of time travel, and mash that with history and historical fiction, and you’ve got me hooked.

We stopped watching it on a regular basis because some of the episodes are very sad and depressing. There was one particular episode that made both of us cry!

However, I want to pick it up again and finish the series, one episode at a time. Sad, or not, it’s a really good show!

Have you seen Quantum Leap?

What are your thoughts?

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

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Favorite TV Cop

Oh, man. If you couldn’t tell already, I really, really like shows with cops!

But, I gotta go with a girl for this one!

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LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT Pictured: Mariska Hargitay as Det. Olivia Benson Image Credit: pinterest.com

Law & Order: SVU #07015 “Manipulated” 12-16-2005 Director: Matt Earl Beesley DP: Geoffrey Erb Scene 41 (Int) Interrogation Room (behind the scene) “Stabler & Benson interrogate Tessa” Chris Meloni (Stabler) Mariska Hargitay (Benson) Rebecca De Mornay (Tessa) Betty Buckley (Attorney Walsh) photo credit: Will Hart / NBC Universal Image Credit: usanetwork.com

Olivia Benson, portrayed by Mariska Hargitay, from Law & Order: SVU.

She’s as tough as nails. She’s a bad-ass. She can be ruthless!

But, she’s also human. She suffered a lot, which led her to become a cop.

Read her backstory – It’s fascinating.

I love her character! I’ve laughed with her, and definitely cried with her. Seeing her on the screen has heightened my interest in criminal law and law enforcement.

Do you like Law & Order: SVU?

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂