The Weekend

What a great long weekend it was. There were 5 of us altogether, up in Massachusetts, from Saturday through Wednesday. Saturday night was the pre-finale party, sponsored by Absolut Truth. Closer to Absolut Turpentine, it was more of a hit with some than with others. Some people just can't handle the Truth. There were a couple of XF finale drinking games floating around the Internet, both of which we decided to forego - thank God, because from the looks of them, we would have been on our asses by 8:30. As a matter of fact, we skipped the alcohol portion of the show altogether.

The X-Files finale, well...it wasn't the best episode of the series, but I won't say it was a disappointment, because it wasn't. How could it be, with the reunion of Mulder and Scully, and the return of such great XF regulars as Krycek, X, Marita, Gibson Praise and the Lone Gunmen, not to mention the surprise of the still-alive Cigarette Smoking Man, living in an Anasazi pueblo village with an apparently mute female companion, growing his hair long and becoming more bitter by the day. Ten Thirteen did a neat job of stringing the aspects of the mythology into a coherent narrative line, even if they didn't tell devoted fans anything they didn't already know (or at least suspect). There were no mind-blowing revelations and the only major character to die (at least onscreen) was one that was already presumed dead (R.I.P., CSM). But the heart of the series has always been the relationship, however you define it, between Mulder and Scully, and the finale captured the essence of that relationship and returned it to the center of the show. The final scene, an almost exact recreation of a scene from the Pilot, brought the series full circle, and ended it on a satisfactory note for me.

On Tuesday a few of us went to see "About A Boy", with Hugh Grant, and I loved it. I highly recommend it to all. On a shallow note - what a difference a haircut can make in someone's sex appeal.

Tuesday night was spent once again in front of the TV for the season finales of "Buffy" and "24", both of which hit the mark, especially "Buffy". Allyson Hannigan's portryal of Willow, bad and good, has been screaming for Emmy attention for a while now, and if she doesn't get a nod for this season, then they might as well never give out another Emmy ever, since they will be devoid of any relevance whatsoever. My groveling was rewarded and Giles did indeed return for the finale - yay! He was as handsome as ever, of course (but what happened to his glasses?), and the way he just appeared in the doorway, all juiced up on magic and ready to knock some sense back into the Scoobies (mostly Willow) - very cool. And another question of mine was answered - it was Spike's soul that was restored, giving Buffy "what she deserves." In the end of a year focused on very human problems, it was fitting to have the most human Scooby of them all, the one with no superpower - Xander - save the world with his love for Willow. I can't wait for next year.

The "24" finale was also satisfying, though not as blow-me-away-ish as "Buffy". Except for the end, when they actually killed off Jack's wife, Teri (who was pregnant). Shocking, but very effective, and it fits within the thriller atmosphere of the show. What a shitty day that was, all around, huh? The show has been renewed for next season, in the same real-time format, and Kiefer Sutherland will be returning (so far the only committed cast member). There were quite a few loose ends (Nina - who does she work for? will Sheri Palmer just let David dump her like that? what of those creepy Syndicate-like financial backers of Palmer? is George Mason free from suspicion?), so I am wondering if they're going to pick up the series shortly after this one, timewise. I can't imagine it could be the next day - these people have already been awake for nearly 36 hours.

Anyway, it was a great little vacation - lots of food, lots of laughs and lots of television. What more could a girl ask for? (don't answer that question)