Category: Television Reviews
#Superbowl Ads That Affected Us All
Prior to crying a bucket of tears watching the post-game Superbowl themed episode of #ThisIsUs finally sharing the story of how Jack died, there were many ads during the game that pulled at our heart strings, spoke a profound truth, or just plain tickled our funny bone so without further ado, here is how they stacked up in my opinion.
My favorite ad featured an Olympic athlete and a classic rock anthem and it was beyond epic. It got me stoked for the Winter Olympics coming this week to NBC.
I am referring to this ad right here:
My second favorite ad of the entire line-up was an ad where the speaker was given credit right in the beginning, the ad showcased the spirit of American people being best known for greatness, and true greatness is found in humbling oneself to the mindset of serving.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ‘s actual audio was used in the ad where he was directly quoting the book of Matthew and the words of Jesus. I’m referring to Dodge Truck’s Built To Serve ad.
The next commercial that had me laughing and intrigued was for my favorite beer brand. It showed people during the Medieval Times immersed in a battle and the Bud Knight appears and invites them to a party by saying, “Hey, if you survive, you should come by.”
Bud Light’s Bud Knight Dilly Dilly
The following ad was so outside of the box it really made me think and laugh all at the same time. It featured David Harbour from Stranger Things and made the viewer re-think all the other ads showed during the game.
Sometimes we forget about the people who answer the call. The nameless faces that are the real heroes. Yes, I’m referring to the first responders of all tragedies and difficulties we as humans face, not to mention the recent terror attacks and mass shootings we’ve faced within our country.
The last but certainly not least ad that had me hooked from the start to finish was the partnership ad of Doritos vs. Mountain Dew playing up their new products with appearances by Peter Dinklage and Morgan Freeman while having them lip sync to big names in hip-hop music is Busta Rhymes and Missy Elliot.
Doritos Blaze vs. Mountain Dew Ice
Of course, we can’t talk about the Superbowl without discussing the half-time show starring Justin Timberlake. Although, I thought it was a great show, it was way too short of a half-time show and I blame NBC for that because they wanted to fit in the post-game episode of This Is Us.
#PepsiHalftime Justin’s set was legendary. He brought sexy back, turned the field into a disco ball, and saluted Prince. There is no one anywhere that can stop this feeling.
— Chelsea DeVries🦋 (@ChelseaDeVries) February 5, 2018
Straight From Youtube: The Handmaid’s Tale Series Commentary
#TVReview: Where Have All The Good Shows Gone? #BeyondReview
I don’t know about you but I hate when I get into a show only to get the report that it wasn’t renewed. You ask yourself, Why not? and wonder why some shows make the cut despite low-intelligence content (Mistresses got renewed, ugh).
Thankfully, Netflix has stepped up as the saving grace for deceased television network projects.
Before I get to my review of Beyond, let’s all take a moment of silent reminiscing shows that I’ve fallen head over heels for, and had to watch them be wheeled off set in a white sheet.
i was stoked for this show because it had a lot of potential. Starring Dean Cain (Superman), Kirsten Storms (Zenon Disney Channel Movies, GH), and Jeremy Sumpter (Peter Pan), it only aired about two episodes before ending shortly and abruptly and could never hope to be saved by Netflix because it aired in 2004 (pre-Netflix streaming days).
Starring Rachel Bilson (The O.C.), this project from tv great Josh Schwartz (O.C., Gossip Girl) had a four year run following the story of Zoe Hart and how she went from big time emergency room doctor in the Big Apple, and how she finds out her biological father lives in Alabama. When she finds out he has passed away and reads his will, her Big Apple life gets a bit of a taste of Southern hospitality. I loved how wholesome it was, the romantic story lines, the relateable characters (even Lemon turns out to make you tear up as you continue to watch). Thankfully! I caught up with the show on Netflix in order to watch the fourth and final season when it aired live on the CW. Rumor has it, the show ended because Bilson got pregnant and they could find no one to hold a candle to her portrayal of the role of Zoe Hart. Either way, I was sad to see it go. I could have lived vicariously through Zoe, George, Lemon, and Wade until the end of time.
When this show first aired, I didn’t really know if it was going to make it. Yet, I watched the episode titled, “Nugget of Wisdom,” and laughed my butt off. It was genuinely funny!
Plot-wise, the show follows the life of Eliza Dooley, a woman obsessed with the idea of achieving fame through the use of social media platforms, including Instagram, where she regularly posts selfies. She begins to worry that “friending” people online is not a substitute for real friendship, and she seeks help from Henry Higgs, a marketing image guru.
Thankfully, the whole series is now available for streaming via Hulu.
No!!! Not the spin-off to Boy Meets World! Dang. Both my mother and I sobbed like babies when the last episode aired on January 20, 2017. I very much appreciate how they ended it but I don’t appreciate that Disney Channel has stopped making shows that last for at least four years. Boy Meets World lasted for seven seasons, people. I blame the higher percentage of young kids with mobile devices. It’s causing for an epidemic of short attention-itis.
This show, focused around a NYPD detective named Laura Diamond, lasted two seasons before it was canceled. Debra Messing was amazing in this, and I couldn’t wait to watch the next episode. Thankfully, you can now stream the entire series via Netflix.
Beyond Review
FreeForm did something different with this show. They released all ten episodes of the first season to encourage binge watching. Well, thank you, FREEFORM! It worked. From the first scene until the last scene of the tenth episode, I was hooked. Right away, I happened upon the trailer, I could tell it had a spiritual theme and sensed that it was about a near-death experience. Yet, this show was even more than I anticipated. It had romance, steamy hook-ups, science fiction elements, and the infamous “realm.”
After 12 years, Post-Coma Holden (played by Burkely Duffield) sure woke up looking like a damn dreamboat.
The Smart Cookie hopes that this show Beyond never dies a short, abrupt cancellation death.
Good news among the fandom is that it was already renewed for Season 2. 
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The Highs and Lows of the 2016 #Grammys
I’ll be honest. The Grammys actually rank low on my own personal totem pole when it comes to music award shows just because they are equivalent to the academy awards where they are boring as hell and very very dry. Now I know a lot of people just side-eyed the screen but let me explain why:
The Grammys are one of the highest accolades a musical artist could hope for but that doesn’t mean the show is exactly entertaining.
Last night in Los Angeles, the show was opened by Taylor Swift singing her newest single off her album 1989, “Out of The Woods.”
This performance was followed by Sam Hunt and Carrie Underwood doing a mash-up medley of their hits. Some fans say Sam butchered “Heartbeat” but I thought they both did a great job.
Some lows of the Grammys were definitely Adele having technical difficulties during her return performance on the Grammys stage.
Another low was speculation that Taylor Swift robbed Kendrick Lamar of an Album of the Year win. I feel that last night proved that the country as a whole is sick of Taylor Swift because I saw memes making fun of her haircut and the above picture of Tori Kelly went viral because that was the face she was giving Taylor during her acceptance speech. I was happy for Taylor because she got to acknowledge Kanye West’s claims that because he interrupted her acceptance speech at the VMA’s back in 2009, he made her famous or relevant. Let’s get real here, Kanye. Taylor’s talent alone speaks for itself. You haven’t released anything of value since Stronger. Please stop the Twitter rants in an effort to publicize your album because I’m sure plenty of people will buy it simply because you are Kanye West.
Some highs at the Grammys
Demi Lovato slaying during the Lionel Richie tribute.
Kendrick Lamar put on a crazy poetic performance highlighting racism while performing his single, “Alright”
Lastly, my girl Tori Kelly did a mash-up performance with James Bay. And they both sounded way too good not to make us all hope for a future collaboration
Congratulations to all the winners! This means you are officially the best in your genre.
As much as I’m excited for a lot of my favorites in pop finally getting acknowledged by the Grammy Foundation, I really hope they will get a little more lively next year.
#SB50: Advertisements Gone to the Dogs
I’m the last person to ever sit through a game of football yet watching the Superbowl for me is less about the game itself and more about the ads throughout and the food I get to munch on while I’m watching.
Doritos Ultrasound
This commercial definitely caught my attention but it also gave me the creeps a slight bit. I’d give it a 3.5/5 stars for creativity but it lost 1.5 stars for the creepy factor.
Paypal: There’s New Money in Town
This commercial made me and my dog take notice because we are huge Lovatics (fans of Demi Lovato)because of the use of Demi Lovato’s song, “Confident” but as far as what Paypal was advertising, it was hard to tell. Do they have a new feature on their site? Is it easier to use their site? Or were they advertising Paypal makes you feel confident with your money. 2 out of 5 stars.
Apartments.com
This commercial was very smart and clever and featured rapper Lil Wayne. 4.5 out of 5 stars
Shock Top: Unfiltered Talk
This commercial was funny and had my attention throughout, and at the end of it, I was definitely craving a beer. 4.5/5 stars.
Buick: The Big Game Meets The Big Day
Featuring rising talent Emily Rajenkowski, most known for her role opposite Zac Efron in We Are Your Friends, and Obdell Beckham, Jr. It was funny and clever, and I knew what product they were advertising by the end. 3.5/5 stars.
Dollar Shave Club: Zeke
This ad definitely kept my attention, grossed me out, and had me considering signing my dad up. 4 out of 5 stars.
Acura: What He Said
Featuring Van Halen, this commercial got the point across and was one of the few car commercials that didn’t annoy me. 4.5/5
QuickenLoans: RocketMortgage
I like that they suspended things in the air in this ad but still got the concept across. 4/5
Hyndai: Ryanville
Who doesn’t get distracted looking at Ryan Reynolds? Clever ad and got the point across. Another car commercial that didn’t annoy me. 4.5/5
Budlight Party
This was one of my favorite commercials of the night. Super smart. Amy Schumer is way hot right now, and I love when she says: “It’s not too big, I mean, you can handle it.” I laughed out loud. Very entertaining commercial. Genius concept using the caucus as the theme. I’m definitely a voting member of the #BudlightParty. 5/5
Skittles: The Portrait
Very clever and features Aerosmith legend, Steven Tyler. 4.5/5
Prius: Heck On Wheels
This commercial definitely made me want a red prius. This was incredibly clever centering around a police chase in a prius that becomes a national phenomenon. 4.5/5
Coke: Ant Man vs The Hulk
This commercial was clever, as most Coke ads are, advertising the new mini Coke by comparing it to Ant Man and the Hulk.
Butterfinger: Bolder Than Bold
This commercial was good but not great. A little predicatable for someone who studied marketing. 3.5/5
Kia: Christopher Walken
This was funny and as a Kia customer, I definitely like how they advertised the new Optima. 4/5
T-Mobile: Drake
This commercial had me erupting in racauous laughter. So funny and still got the point across. 4.5/5
Colgate: Turn Off The Water
A very socially conscious ad that still got the point across in terms of brand and product. Very clever. 4.5/5
Third Place Finish: Turbotax
This commercial was a little dull until he called for his dog and it was named Turbo Tax. Also, TurboTax is a great way to file your taxes absolutely free, and your refund comes super quick.
Second Place: Doritos Dogs
As a dog lover and proud owner of two beauties, let me tell you. Dogs love doritos. This commercial was absolutely brilliant and totally appealed to me as a dog lover.
First Place: Heinz Ketchup
My daschund Katrina is one of my favorites and this commercial just made me so entirely happy, all the while I ended up craving a hot dog. Honestly, that’s just right now since I’m incredibly hungry.
All in all, if you want your product or brand to shine, have a dog in your commercial. Trust me on this.
#GreaseLive: GREASE is definitely the word
On January 31, 2016, Fox’s musical remake of the hit musical movie, Grease went live starring Julianne Hough as Sandy, Aaron Tveit as Danny, and Vanessa Hudgens as Rizzo.
The musical started out with a killer cover of “Grease is The Word” by pop chart sensation Jessie J as well as a cover of “Beauty School Dropout” during the live performance by 90’s favorites, Boyz II Men.
Everyone did phenomenal and it’s hard to pick a star but I’d have to say that notable moments for this reviewer would be:
Vanessa Hudgens performance throughout despite the death of her father, Greg Hudgins, the night before. Despite the devastating loss, Hudgens showed true professionalism as well as the depth of her talent as a singer, dancer, and actress. The show was also dedicated in his honor. I was absolutely blown away by how well she performed that I almost forgot that Sandy and Danny are the major characters of the musical, and Rizzo is only a minor character. Yet, last night, Rizzo became the star of this new rendition of a 1970’s classic.
Another crazy and notable moment was when Didi Conn, who played Frenchie in the original movie, starred as Vi the diner waitress, who shares a scene with Frenchie (played by Carly Rae Jepsen). Joe Jonas even made an appearance during the big American Bandstand dance scene.
Newbie Aaron Tveit isn’t a musical newb at all, and brought a new perspective and demeanor to the role of Danny. His IMDB shows that he’s starred in a role on hit tv show Gossip Girl and in the 2012 film version of L`es Miserables. Julianne Hough on the other hand, gave Sandy a sexy edge while still upholding the mold of the original role, and even gave a quick nod to Dancing With The Stars.
Overall, I give the musical five out of five stars and can’t wait for Fox’s next live musical project as I will be definitely be tuning in.
The Smart Cookie Philes 