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The Wire

When the Wire came out I was blown away. And in truth I still am. It's so far ahead of anything else I've ever watched that I almost wish I hadn't watched it, because it has set the bar too high for both television shows and films.

I think the last season was the weakest by far. I get what they were doing, but the serial killer storyline was just ridiculous.

The Baltimore Sun storyline was tedious.

It lacks the subtlety, nuance and elegance of past seasons in regard to the way it explores its themes. It's not horrible or anything, and I still like parts of it, but the writing just wasn't up to par in general. Every other aspect of the season is weaker and more in your face as well. Even starting with Bunk practically winking at the camera with the most on the nose dialog ever.

I've seen people excuse it with the cliché "the worst season of The Wire is still better than most TV," but that's a nonsensical metric.

Let's be real for a minute in our make believe world. The majority of television is just trash, as is true of any medium. That it's better than shows that aren't worth watching in the first place doesn't mean much. It not unreasonable to expect quality on the level of what had already been achieved in earlier seasons, so for me it disappoints. Especially right after season 4, which was probably my favorite.

Season 2 was great.

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Rate Your Season Finales

This is actually really tough for me because I love them all. It depends on whether I want to laugh or have my heart ripped out. Apparently tonight I'm feeling like a masochist.

  • "A House is not a Home" (Season 5)
  • "Raincoats and Recipes" (Season 4)
  • "Partings" (Season 6)
  • "Those are Strings, Pinocchio" (Season 3)
  • "I Can't Get Started" (Season 2)
  • "Love, Daisies, and Troubadours" (Season 1)
  • "Bon Voyage" (Season 7) So sad . . . .

A House is Not a Home – Season 5

The ending of this episode, with Lorelai staring at Rory putting away her things in the pool house while Claudine Longet mournfully intones "I Think It's Gonna Rain Today," absolutely slays me.

Again, no one can demonstrate what it looks like to have been sucker-punched as well as Lauren Graham.

When this finale first aired, I was so angry, but now I really appreciate it as a significant, albeit painful, turning point in all of the Gilmores' relationships with one another. And then we have Lorelai's spontaneous, genuinely heartfelt proposal to Luke, one of the rare moments where she lets down her guard.

Earlier in the episode, we have some humorous scenes, such as when Lorelai picks up Rory from jail and then later when she sticks Rory's mugshot up on the fridge and sets out the fake jail phones, etc.

Raincoats and Recipes – Season 4

I love the dinner at the Dragonfly and how it brings together various members of the community, even Richard and Emily, and who doesn't love naked Kirk and his night terrors?

And we witness our first Lorelai-Luke kiss. But mostly I'm so happy for Lorelai and Sookie that they've finally realized their dream of opening their own inn together.

Partings – Season 6

I feel like I can't do it justice right now because I'm tired, but this episode hits all the right notes for me: it's raw, but there are accents of humor and warmth.

Lauren Graham is phenomenal in this episode, which makes the ultimatum scene bearable even though it devastates me.

This episode is so bittersweet not only because of the breakup, but also because it's the Palladinos' last episode of the OS, and we'll never know how they would've resolved the storylines they set up.

By this episode, Lorelai has been so worn down because of the April thing, and given the staggering extent to which her relationship with Luke has deteriorated, I understand why, especially after she has an epiphany sitting in the car with Carolyn, that she gives Luke an ultimatum.

No, this wasn't the healthiest way to go about things, but she was so sad, and she wanted to move on and not be sad anymore, and I understand why she was tired of waiting.

I was tired for her.

And I get why she goes to Chris.

As someone pointed out to me, Rory wasn't available to wallow with her, and Sookie had kids and a husband – she needed to seek out comfort from someone she was close with (though I know, she didn't have to sleep with him and vice-versa). And that opening with her on Sookie's couch, and then hiding from Luke in her house – so sad, so painful, but it tugs at all the right heartstrings.

Meanwhile, Rory and Logan's goodbye is sweet and well-done, especially when he begs her to tell him not to get on that plane.

And then there are the troubadours.

Those are Strings, Pinocchio – Season 3

This episode marks an important transition in the show: It signals the end of the Chilton era, and Lorelai and Sookie are finally able to buy the inn; both Gilmore Girls are moving on.

Rory's speech about her mother and grandparents gets me every time, and Paris and Brad add a nice touch of levity.

This episode is sweet, fun, and full of hope, and not too dramatic for a season finale.

I Can't Get Started – Season 2

I'm a sucker for Chris and Lorelai, I'm sorry, so I enjoy seeing them together so happy, until of course the Sherry being pregnant anvil drops, and then Chris disappoints once again by hightailing it out of there without even explaining why to Rory or staying for the wedding. (When I rewatch this episode, I usually hit "stop" before Chris can tell Lorelai the news.) I mean, would it have made a difference if he'd waited an hour to leave? And it always ticks me off that he doesn't realize he could be there for Gigi without having to be in a relationship with Sherry. And then for Jess fans, we get Rory welcoming Jess back to town with a kiss.

Love, Daisies, and Troubadours – Season 1

I like Lorelai and Max together, but he moved way too quickly.

Still 1000 yellow daisies is an impressive sight. What has always put me off is that he did not propose in person. What reason did he have to not show up in person?

Who the hell proposes over the phone? Though I have seen FB proposals but I regress. But they don't go through the trouble of sending 1000 yellow daisies.

Rory tells Dean she loves him for the first time.

Bon Voyage – Season 7

I actually think this was a pretty satisfactory series finale.

Rory gets to meet her idol, Christiane Amanpour. Rory gets a pretty awesome job that promises her a potentially successful future.

The town coming together to bid her farewell is cheesy and seems a bit far-fetched, but it actually matches the outpour of love and adoration that Stars Hollow residents show her in season 1 in "Rory's Birthday Parties."

Luke staying up all night to sew together a makeshift tarp is such a kind and loving gesture, and he and Lorelai finally reconcile.

Richard makes a heartfelt speech to Lorelai, Ed Herrmann's last words ever on the show, and Lorelai agrees to continue Friday Night Dinners without Rory, no strings attached.

And then the closing shot of the finale mirrors the closing shot of the pilot. Pretty damn good.

And I tear up every single time.

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Emily Gone Casual

After seven years watching Emily Gilmore wear elegant attire as she grew it is sort of a shift seeing her in normal every day clothing. In fact I would say as much as it is seriously revolutionary. And I am not sure that that is a good thing or not.

When I first saw her in casual clothing, I don't know, it bugged me. Which I felt was strange. Why would it?

I mean I get not wearing those suits that they put her in. For the majority of the show she always wore them, but still, there are at least a few steps in between them and t-shirt and jeans (I'm sadly in that category far too often). Why not dress down to slacks with a random blouse? That would work wouldn't it? Or if it absolutely has to be jeans then why not combine it with an fashionable cardigan?

For the most part though I am fine with it. ASP is being honest, and taking characters in new directions is part of that. I would find it worse when they chase cheap nostalgia as a means of drawing you in. I wasn't really worried that that would happen however. Once I stepped back. Let my personal issues die down I understood what ASP was doing. Emily is lost without Richard. She is no longer sure how to define herself and her clothes are a big part of that.

I see some people think it's too far away from what she used to wear, I was in that camp and I slip back in to it now and then, however, I saw it as something else: imitating Lorelai.

We've seen Emily lean on Lorelai when she doesn't have Richard – during his health scares during the original run – and I think this is more of the same thing. I had a love hate for those moments. And it is mostly love. But the emotions are there. They are so strong. Emily doesn't know who she is or how to dress and she looks to the closest person in her life, Lorelai, and what does she wear? Jeans and t-shirts. When you lose your husband of 50 years, that sudden change in your life is a like a full stop and casual clothing fits that change. So yes from a writing standpoint it makes total sense to me.

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Gilmore Girls

For many fans of the Gilmore Girls season five barely makes the cut. But, and I am aware that this will be an unpopular opinion, my favorite season of the show is five.

I was Just so excited to see Lorelai and Luke together after Raincoats and Recipes, this is when they are at their best together.

I really like the Emily and Richard split up dynamic because their vows's renew was such amazing. Paris became a pleasing character to watch and I began to like her as opposed to the previous seasons.

I like that it's pretty serialized, and I like Rory's character development and how they show her and Lorelai becoming very different.

My problem with season 5 was that it's good as a overall season but the only knockout episode in it for me at least was Wedding Bell Blues.

Season 5 is a pretty nice season, one I look forward to watching, and it always succeeds in putting a smile on my face. I always rewatch the whole show though because each part has its own merit.

Still I love the later seasons because I think the maturity level is generally higher but I also think the earlier seasons are super cozy and warm.