friday favorites #33: week of march 24, 2017

Well, it's been forever since I participated in a Friday Favorites ... or even posted anything on this blog! I'm coming to you on my third—yes, third—sick day in a row. Influenza has been going around, but I'm pretty sure I just have a really (really, really) nasty cold. I spent the first two days flat on the couch, but today has been a bit better. I actually feel like reading and blogging, whereas during the first two days, I watched a lot of TV and Netflix. Let me save you some time if you find yourself home with a cold that makes your head fuzzy and you want to watch something. Say yes to Hallmark's Home & Family (I'm as surprised as you are!), Monk, Diagnosis Murder, Fuller House, and Army Wives. Say no to ... every single movie I started watching: Your Sister's Sister (did not finish), The Brothers (did not finish), October Gale (finished and wish I hadn't), and Blind Date (did not finish). (To be fair, Blind Date may be wonderful ... but it's a French film, and no way was my brain capable of following subtitles while in the throes of a cold!)

Anyway, on to the favorites!

1. March Madness

I love, love, this time of year! As I type this, I'm watching UCLA and Kentucky battle it out in the Sweet Sixteen. I wrote about the roots of my March Madness love a few years ago:

 I was bit by the MM bug in 1995, when I watched the UCLA Bruins win the National Championship. The fact that I still remember (a) the names Ed O'Bannon and Tyus Edney and (b) that the TV coverage of the event began with a montage of tournament moments set to "I Just Can't Wait To Be King" from the Lion King is perhaps pathetic, but it shows how much that game impacted me. 

I've really been enjoying this tournament, especially since Kansas is still in it! If they play like they played in the last 12 minutes of last night's game against Purdue, I think they're unstoppable. The problem is that it takes them a while to really get rolling!

In this tournament, it's always about KU!

Besides the basketball, my favorite aspect is the Capital One commercials with Charles Barkley, Samuel L. Jackson, and Spike Lee. This year's are all pretty good, but my favorite by far is this one:


Cracks me up every time! (I do love "Snack Hoodie" and "Clapper," too.)

I'd be remiss if I didn't show you my favorite one they've ever done. This is from 2015. A classic:

2. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries

 I started watching these when I was packing to move in 2013. I watched the first 20 or so, and then I just kind of forgot about it. I rediscovered them today, and I powered through about 40 before stopping for basketball. (It's not as bad as it sounds--each episode is only four or five minutes long.) I wish I would have thought to stream these two days ago ... I could have saved myself from some terrible Netflix movies :-)

3. Lentil chips

I recently began eating lentils. They're a great source of fiber, and they don't have much taste—so they mix into things well. At first, I was just eating lentils, but then I found lentil pasta at Trader Joe's, and then ... lentil chips! I bought these from Amazon. They totally remind me of Bugles (remember those?)! They make a great semi-healthy, low-guilt snack.

4. Time after Time

I mean, it's like this show was tailor made for me. H.G. Wells. Time travel. Romance. Of course I'm gonna love it!

It's based on the 1979 film of the same name (which I never saw). After H.G. Wells invents a time machine, he discovers his friend John is Jack the Ripper. Conveniently, H.G. has just explained the time machine to John, so when the police come looking for him, John hijacks the time machine. Because of some science thing I can't remember, the time machine returns to H.G., who then follows John ... to 2017 New York City. 

One thing about this show—it's violent, which you would expect from a show where one of the main characters is Jack the Ripper. So I do close my eyes and mute the TV at times, but I'm really enjoying the story.

5. For Love and Honor

If you like medieval fiction or YA romance, then you need to check out Jody Hedlund's An Uncertain Choice trilogy! For Love and Honor is the final book (maybe ... Hedlund has hinted that there may be another story about a minor character in the works), and it's definitely my favorite. Sir Bennet, one of the three knights featured in the series, finally gets his love story, and it's a great one! (See my review.)

So that's what's been making me happy recently. What have you been enjoying lately? Are you as crazy for March Madness as I am? Let me know!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book mentioned in this post free for review. The opinions expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

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friday favorites #32: top 5 tv shows of 2016

Today's Friday Favorites is a little different—I'm talking about my five favorite shows of 2016. With all the TV watching I do, I can't believe I've never done a "best of TV" post before! These shows were all airing new episodes in 2016 (which is why One Tree Hill isn't on the list 😁).

1. Pitch

Pitch is one of two new dramas created by Dan Fogelman this season. It's the less famous, less critically acclaimed of the two, but it's my favorite. The only reason it never made it into my Friday Favorites until this special edition is because I've become such a slacker about posting, but trust me, it's a favorite.

Pitch stars Kylie Bunbury as pitcher Ginny Baker, the first female to play in the Major Leagues. It also stars a nearly-unrecognizable (until you know it's him) Mark-Paul Gosselaar as Mike Lawson, Ginny's catcher. It took me about one episode to be all in on this show.

It's only 10 episodes long, and all 10 have already aired and are available on Hulu. Remember how I said that Pitch isn't nearly as famous or acclaimed as Fogelman's other show? Well, it's apparently a bubble show, meaning it could go either way as far as cancellation or renewal. Here's hoping FOX doesn't pull the trigger and gives us a second season of "Bawson"! (Terrible name, I know. But what other option was there? Gike? Minny? Laker? All awful.)

Guilty pleasure... Watching fan-made shipper videos on YouTube. Veronica & Logan, Pacey & Joey, Lucas & Peyton, and now Ginny & Mike from @pitchonfox. Once I start, I can't stop. And yes, I am 35 years old 😂😂😂 #photochallenge #sacredholidays

A photo posted by Becky Ritta (@beckyritta) on Dec 7, 2016 at 4:30pm PST

2. This Is Us

I have actually written about This Is Us before. This Is Us is the other new show from Dan Fogelman. 

If you haven't watched and plan to, stop reading now and skip to #3. If you don't, you might feel the same anger for me that I felt for EW's social media handler when I came across a post on Facebook that said, "Now that Rory is _______, what's next?" (I left that blank in case you don't know what happens on the Gilmore Girls reboot.)

 

This Is Us follows the Pearson siblings, beginning on their 36th birthday. Kevin is a moderately successful yet deeply unhappy actor, Kate is morbidly obese and lets her weight completely define her, and Randall is a successful businessman with a beautiful family who just reconnected with his dying birth father. The present story is interspersed with stories from the past, from when the siblings' parents Jack and Rebecca were raising them. It is simply fascinating—especially the stories surrounding Randall (the 36-year-old Randall is played by the magnificent Sterling K. Brown). 

Side note: In my opinion, the biggest snub from this year's Golden Globes nominations was the exclusion of Brown for his portrayal of Randall (he was nominated for his portrayal of Chris Darden in The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, a role he won an Emmy for earlier this year). The Screen Actor's Guild got it right, though, nominating Brown for both This Is Us and People v. O.J.

3. The Flash

Apparently I talk about The Flash a lot. While I enjoy all of the DC shows on the CW (well, I have a love/hate relationship with Arrow), The Flash is by far my favorite. It's so much fun! This season, I've enjoyed that a) "Flashpoint" (when Barry went back and changed the timeline to save his mother) didn't last forever and b) there are major repercussions for his actions. I also love that Tom Cavanagh is portraying a third version of Harrison Wells. This season's version, H.R., just might be my favorite yet.  

4. Fuller House

Critics hate Fuller House. In fact, I just saw it on a list of worst shows of 2016. But I really enjoy it! Season one pushed all the right nostalgia buttons, and, while I've only seen the first two episodes of season two so far, I assume I'll like it just as much. And I'm still 100% Team Steve.

5. The People v. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story

When I heard that Ryan Murphy (Glee, American Horror Story) was making a series about the O.J. Simpson trial, I was skeptical. But I was curious enough to tune in for the first episode, and I was immediately hooked. This series is done so well! I watched every episode, and I can't stop telling people how good it is. Seriously. If you haven't watched it, do it as soon as it hits Netflix!

I do have two complaints: I think John Travolta as Robert Shapiro and Cuba Gooding Jr. as O.J. Simpson were a bit miscast. But everything else was absolutely spot on!

There's my list ... but why no Gilmore Girls? Because I haven't watched it yet. (And I also hear that people hated the 2nd and 3rd installments.) I think I'm one of two Gilmore fans in the world who hasn't watched yet...the other being my sister. But we're going to remedy that this weekend!

What are your favorite shows of 2016?

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friday favorites #30: week of sept. 23, 2016 + giveaway

Happy Friday, everyone! It's officially fall, but it certainly doesn't feel like it here in Nebraska. That hasn't stopped me from enjoying a pumpkin spice latte or two :-)

So I was totally planning to make One Tree Hill one of my Friday favorites this week ... until I realized that it was one of my favorites last time! Suffice it to say, I'm still completely obsessed. So, in lieu of more gushing about OTH, here are some favorites that I haven't talked about recently:

1. This Is Us

Is one episode enough to know if I'm going to love a show? I don't know, but I absolutely adored the pilot episode. I'm not going to say anything else except you must watch it for yourself. It's available on Hulu.

2. The People v. O.J. Simpson's Emmy awards

I cannot believe that The People v. O.J. Simpson never made it into a Friday Favorites post. I loved it so, so much! I was in junior high during the trial, so I very vaguely remembered it. (I remember exactly where I was during the Bronco chase—on my way home from summer camp—and when the verdict came down—at school—but I didn't know too much about the trial). I was thrilled to see the show receive so many Emmy nominations in the "Limited Series or Movie" category. It won nine awards, including best limited series ... and Sarah Paulson (Marcia Clark), Courtney B. Vance (Johnnie Cochran), and Sterling K. Brown (Christopher Darden) won acting awards. The series will hit Netflix sometime in 2017, so if you missed it on FX, be sure to catch it then!

3. Trader Joe's dairy-free options

A couple weeks ago, my mom, sister, and I went to see my sister-in-law perform at an Irish festival in Omaha. She was amazing! (And this is from someone who normally isn't a big fan of Irish music!)

I tried to upload a video I took, but I couldn't get it to work, so here's a pic instead.

Afterwards, we went to Trader Joe's. And there, I hit the mother lode. I've been cow dairy free for over a year now. I don't know if it's making a difference with my Hashimoto's symptoms, but I am absolutely positive being dairy free has reduced my PCOS symptoms, so I'm ready to settle in for the long haul. I've discovered, though, that sheep's milk and goat's milk don't affect me negatively. Unfortunately, cheese made from sheep's or goat's milk can be expensive and hard to find. (Well, it's pretty easy to find a basic soft goat cheese, but I'd like variety!)

Anyway, Trader Joe's had goat's milk feta, cheddar, and gouda! They definitely have that goat's milk tang, but they're so tasty! And now that I have the cheddar, I'm dreaming of pizza.

I also found coconut milk ice cream that's about half the price of So Delicious, and it tastes better, too! I've already placed my cheese and ice cream order with Blendy, who is coming home next weekend.

4. Live on Forever by The Afters

About 10 years ago, I first heard of The Afters when a friend played "MySpace Girl" for me. If you'd like a hilarious flashback to the MySpace era (wow, that was long ago!), check out this video:

I really didn't know much else about the group, but I recently had the opportunity to review their new album. I loved it! I also have a copy to give away. If you'd like a chance to win, enter through the Rafflecopter below.

(Rules: Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Contest is open in the US and CANADA only. Winner will be selected at random using Rafflecopter.com and will have 48 hours to respond to email notification, or another winner will be chosen.)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

5. Wild Montana Skies by Susan May Warren

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Susan May Warren's writing. Her latest novel, Wild Montana Skies, releases next month, and I got to read an early copy. It's so good! (See my review.)

So that's what's been making me happy. As usual, I'm linking up with Erika, Christina, and Karli. What are some things you've been enjoying this week?

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received some of the products mentioned in this post free for review. The opinions expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

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friday favorites #29: week of sept. 9, 2016 + giveaway

Happy Friday! Doesn't it feel like Labor Day was four weeks ago instead of four days ago? Maybe it's just me ... anyway, I'm thrilled that it's the weekend. I'm even more thrilled that I decided to mow my lawn last night after work, so I don't have to take time out of my weekend to do it!

Here are a few things I've been enjoying recently!

1. One Tree Hill
To say I've been enjoying One Tree Hill is a bit of an understatement. For years (literally), Blendy has been telling me to watch One Tree Hill, and, for whatever reason, I've resisted. But one night last month, I inexplicably decided to watch the pilot episode. I wasn't crazy about it, but Blendy said to give it a couple episodes, so I did ... and I basically haven't stopped watching since.

Now, probably 50 percent of our text conversations are about OTH. Usually, it's me ranting about something and Blendy laughing at me.

The show is so implausible: in the first two seasons alone, two juniors in high school get married, another junior runs off with his infant daughter because her mother is trying to take her away, the villain survives what should have been certain death not once but twice, a teen who had never before sung in public ends up on tour with Michelle Branch, and a laundry list of mid-2000s bands play at a club owned by the main character's mom. It would never happen. AND I LOVE IT.

I'm totally #TeamPeyton, which I did not anticipate, considering I haven't loved Hilarie Burton in the other things I've seen her in (except for Hallmark Channel's Summer Villa, which was adorable).

Anyway, I'm pretty much obsessed with One Tree Hill, and I wish Dan Scott would get hit by a bus. But he'd probably just survive ...

2. Blooming Gladiolus
At the beginning of the summer, I planted a couple gladiolus bulbs. Earlier this week, one of them began blooming. So pretty!

Once it was in full bloom, I decided to bring it into the house. One of my cats was very interested.

I like to call this look "goa'uld eyes."

So then I googled "gladiolus toxic to cats" and discovered that ingesting the plant could cause unpleasant symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea. So now when I'm gone or sleeping, I close the flowers in the bathroom. Just to be safe.

3. Football Season
Here in Nebraska, football season is huge. Husker football kicked off last Saturday, and it was definitely bittersweet, as it was the first game following punter Sam Foltz's death in a car accident. When it came time to punt for the first time, this happened:

Makes me tear up every time.

The Huskers went on to win the game in decisive fashion, and I hope it's just the beginning of great things for this team!

4. Having a Plan
I started blogging on MySpace in 2006. In 2008, I started Christian Chick's Thoughts, and I began reviewing books a few months later. Then in 2014, I decided to make Christian Chick's Thoughts all about books and move the life stuff over here to Coffee & Conversation. In my 10 years of blogging, the only "plan" I've had is to keep track of dates that reviews are due. That's it. So while I love doing things like Friday Favorites and Top Ten Tuesday, those posts often don't get written because they're not on my radar until other bloggers' posts start popping into my feed.

But that's all changing.

I spent a large portion of my Labor Day weekend working on blog stuff, and one of the things I did was download a blog planner. I almost bought one on etsy, but then I turned to my friend Google and found a great free one at Designer Blogs. It didn't have everything I wanted, but almost. I've only used a couple pages so far, but I'm in love ... and feeling so much more organized!

5. The Biggest Story

This week's book recommendation is Kevin DeYoung's The Biggest Story. I got an audiobook/short film combo to review. It's geared toward children, but it's totally suitable for adults. The best part is that I have a set to give away! Enter here:a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway rules: Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Contest is open in the US and CANADA only. Winner will be selected at random using Rafflecopter.com and will have 48 hours to respond to email notification, or another winner will be chosen.

So that's what's been making me happy. As usual, I'm linking up with Erika, Christina, and Karli. What are some things you've been enjoying this week?

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friday favorites #28: week of august 26, 2016

Two weeks down, how many to go? These first days of school have been brutal. I cannot remember a time when the beginning of school was so stressful and complicated. I think we've made it, though--today actually felt like a normal work day, not a crazy we've-just-gotten-back-to-school-and-everyone-needs-something-from-me day. Hooray!

Here are a few things I've been enjoying recently:

1. BrainDead
"Previously on BrainDead!" are four (three?) of my favorite words this summer. I remember seeing commercials for the show before it premiered, and I thought it looked stupid. How wrong I was!

BrainDead asks this question: What if the fighting and utter inability to accomplish anything in Washington was actually caused by space bugs that were taking over people's brains?

Though this trailer doesn't give you the full scope of how fun BrainDead actually is, it's closer than any of the other trailers I found.


Hands down, BrainDead is my favorite show of the summer. While I enjoyed the pilot, you have to give it at least two episodes to decide if you're in or not...because it's in episode two that the hilarious recap songs begin. (You can read the story behind the songs--and watch the song from episode two--here, and you can watch all the songs--please, only if you've watched the show!--here.)

BrainDead is a 13-episode series currently airing on CBS, and the previous week's episode is available through Amazon Prime each Thursday. If you're looking for something different and quirky, check it out!

2. Yellow & Purple Wax Beans

While I have been loving my green beans this summer, I haven't gotten too many. (I'll need a bigger garden next year!) Today, a coworker brought in these yellow and purple wax beans. I ended up bringing home a plastic sack full of them because I was the last person in the office tonight, so I brought everything that was left. They are so tasty!!!

Unfortunately, they lose that gorgeous purple color when they're cooked, but they still taste great.

3. Hastings' Going Out of Business Sale
A couple weeks ago, I went out to dinner with a friend. She mentioned that we should stop at Hastings, a local bookstore chain, before we returned to Central City. Hastings is closing soon, and everything is on sale. We spent about an hour going through the used movies, and we both came out with way more than we needed!

Why yes, I did just get rid of more than 50 movies. So why not buy more???

A couple days later, I went back with several family members ... and I found more stuff! My absolute favorite finds are these two books:

Much Ado About Nothing is my favorite of Shakespeare's plays, and this is a very cool illustrated version. And I couldn't pass up Melissa Rycroft's book--it cost me all of $3, and I can't wait to read her take on her experience with The Bachelor!

4. Momentum

This is a web app that I just found out about this week, and I'm absolutely loving it! It's an extension that you can add to Chrome that pops up each time you open a new tab. The image varies, but it never fails to relax me. It's also a great way to keep track of my "to do" list for the day.

5. If Ever I Would Leave You by Susan May Warren

Believe it or not, I actually haven't been doing much reading lately. The Olympics, coupled with the beginning of school, kept me from doing much reading this month. (Don't even ask about the state of my book for the MMD Reading Challenge. It's not even funny.) If Ever I Would Leave You is a quick read, though--I ended up reading it in a couple hours one evening--and it's everything I've come to expect from something written by Susan May Warren, featuring strong characters, romantic chemistry, and realistic conflict. (See my review.)

If you haven't read a Susan May Warren book yet, this novella is a great place to start--especially because it's free!

As usual, I'm linking up with Erika, Christina, and Karli. What are some things you've been enjoying this week?

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friday favorites #27: week of july 8, 2016

Happy Friday! Why is it that holiday weeks feel longer than usual? It can't be just me, can it? I only worked Wednesday through Friday, but boy did those days feel long! So I'm thrilled that the weekend has arrived! Here are some of my recent favorite things:

1. 4th of July in Indiana
Spending the 4th in Indiana is becoming a bit of a tradition. Last year, my mom and I went out to see my sister and brother-in-law, and this year, my dad went along, too! We were gone Friday through Tuesday, and, despite some horrible delays due to road construction and bad traffic, we had a wonderful time!

It's never a sure thing that Dad's going anywhere until he's in the car, so I snapped this pic as we left to prove to Val that he was with us.

When we got there, Miss Chloe decided she really liked my bed. She's such a fluff ball, and she's so full of personality. Not very cuddly, that one, but certainly entertaining. She also scared me to death the first night—I saw her leave my room while I was getting ready for bed, so I closed the door. At 3 a.m., she jumped on top of me! Apparently, she snuck back in before I closed the door.

We went blueberry picking! Most of the blueberries weren't ripe yet, so we had to do some searching, but we ended up with 10 pounds for Val.

Dad was very tired after picking blueberries ...

We played lots of Rummy and Golf. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of my perfect Rummy hand. I went out on my first turn, and I was the first player!

We went to a "patriotic" concert in the park at Winona Lake ... only the concert didn't include much patriotic music. The highlight was the Four Seasons medley the band played. (In retrospect, I'm not sure that the concert was even advertised as patriotic—I just made that assumption because the concert took place over the holiday weekend.)

We girls saw Ragtime at the Wagon Wheel. It was phenomenal. Last year, we saw Bye Bye Birdie there, and it was really good, but Ragtime was something special.

It was almost chilly the whole time we were there, and we took advantage of the coolness by taking several walks—at Grace, around Winona Lake, and in Val & Greg's new neighborhood. As we walked, I was totally obsessed with the hostas. Now that I have my own baby hostas, I'm eager to see everyone else's! They seem to be a very popular plant in Val & Greg's neighborhood.

We had to head home on Tuesday, and we made sure to stop at a Chick-fil-A. Oh, how we need one in central Nebraska!

2. Galaxy Quest
I have loved Galaxy Quest ever since I saw it in the theater way back in '99. I've seen it multiple times over the years, but I'd forgotten just how clever the writing is! And, in addition to the at-the-time stars, it has so many now-famous people in it: Corbin Bleu, Enrico Colantoni, Rainn Wilson, Sam Rockwell.

We (and by "we," I mean "everyone but Dad who was sleeping") watched it at Val's, and it was a pure delight from start to finish. If you're in need of a good laugh, check it out on Netflix!

3. 30 for 30 documentaries
I recently discovered that many of ESPN's 30 for 30 documentaries are on Netflix, and now I can't get enough of them! My favorites so far are This Magic Moment, about the rise and fall of the Orlando Magic in the 1990s, Jordan Rides the Bus, about Michael Jordan's foray into minor league baseball, and (obviously, if you know me at all) The Price of Gold, about the Tonya Harding-Nancy Kerrigan scandal. Up next: Believeland. We'll see if it can make me stop loathing the Cavs.

(Tangentially related note: I love that Kevin Durant has joined the Warriors. And, while I can understand Thunder fans' disappointment, I don't get why people who aren't Thunder fans are upset, and I don't see how "chasing rings" is a bad thing. If the goal of NBA basketball is to win a championship, why wouldn't you do whatever you can to get there?)

4. The Great British Baking Show
It's back! My mom and I enjoy watching baking competitions together, and The Great British Baking Show is by far our favorite. Season 3 just started (which apparently was season 6 in the UK). It airs on PBS (and on the PBS app), and it's so fun! You can watch episodes here. Just do it!

5. INSPY award winners!

Instead of just one book recommendation today, I'm going to give you a bunch. At the end of last month, the INSPY award winners for 2016 were announced. I was privileged to be one of the Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense judges this year, and it was such a great experience. I've read several of the winners (see them all here), and they're great—but the winner I'm most excited about is Sarah Sundin's Through Waters Deep. While I generally prefer contemporary to historical fiction, I can't get enough of Sundin's books, and I'm so excited to see her win this award!

But seriously, check out all the winners. You're sure to find something great to add to your TBR pile.

(Fun fact: When I first posted about Through Waters Deep last year, my friend Jennifer commented that the guy on the cover looks like Ryan Reynolds. So now all I can think of is Ryan Reynolds when I look at it!)

If you've made it to the end of this post, bless you! As usual, I'm linking up with Erika, Christina, and Karli. What are some things you've been enjoying this week?

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in defense of "fuller house"

This is what I did during lunch today...

If you haven't been living under a rock, you probably know that Fuller House, the Full House reboot/continuation hit Netflix today. I've been VERY excited to see this--after all, Full House was my favorite show before Dean Cain as Superman came along and stole my heart. 

When the critics' reviews started coming in, I wasn't too concerned. After all, Full House wasn't a critical darling, either. But I haven't seen a single positive review from a critic. The best review I saw was from TVLine, which gave the premiere a B-. Hilariously, EW gave the show a C- and the first episode an F. Really, an F? 

Here's the thing: Full House was never considered edgy, and it looks like Fuller House won't be either. And that's exactly what I want--a sweet family sitcom that reminds me of a simpler time.

I've only watched the first episode so far, but here's my snap judgement:

From the opening strains of the original theme song, which opens the first episode, to the side-by-side old and new images of the cast in the opening credits, to "Forever," to every catch phrase the show ever spawned being uttered at least once, Fuller House presses practically every nostalgia button imaginable. And I loved it.

The good (besides what I've already mentioned):

• Everyone easily slips back into their roles--especially the three who will carry the series: Candace Cameron Bure, Jodie Sweetin, and Andrea Barber.
• Steve and D.J. still have chemistry ... and both are single. The producers, at least if the first episode is any indication, are determined to give the people what they want, so I have high hopes for the happily ever after that I always assumed Steve and D.J. found.
• Andrea Barber (Kimmy Gibbler) is hilarious. Her comedic timing is spot on!
• Steve's dog is Comet Jr. Jr.--of course there's a Comet!

The bad:

• The first half of the premiere is so focused on nostalgia that the actual plot doesn't really exist. This is especially apparent in the opening scene, which is more about recognizing each actor than anything else.
• While Fuller House is definitely tamer and more family appropriate than anything not found on the Disney or Hallmark Channels, I still cringed when Kimmy's ex talked about how well-versed she was in the Kama Sutra. Wouldn't want to have to explain that to a kid!
• The Olsen twins joke: When it's said that Michelle isn't coming home because she's building her fashion empire, everyone turns to the camera and gives withering looks. This would be amusing, except it goes on far too long. It ended up feeling mean spirited, not funny.

The big question:

• Joey is clearly wearing a wedding ring--but no wife is ever mentioned. Does Joey have a secret Vegas family?

Here's what it boils down to: Fuller House is a love letter to Full House fans. If you weren't a fan of the original, you probably won't like this. But if you were, and you still enjoy sweet, family-friendly programming, then you'll definitely want to give Fuller House a look.

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