TV Archives - Page 24 of 24

“Hamletta” Goodwin Games Recap

June 14, 2013 by DetroitDuchess Leave a Comment

Just when I had pretty much given up on this show, they surprised me with this episode. There was a lot more substance and I really liked Chloe and Henry’s character development.

This week’s episode opens with some family bonding over breakfast with a mystery breakfast shake, an emu and an over-the-phone appendectomy. Just a regular morning in the Goodwin household.

Chloe’s yellow lace tank top and cupcake pajama pants are no longer in stock, but you can achieve a similar look with these PJ Salvage Cupcake Pajamas ($34.95) or in blue ($68) and this Kensie Sugar Rush Ruffle Tank ($32):

Chloe’s Cupcake Pajamas

I am glad they decided to start off the episode with a challenge from dear old dad. I think this format works best for the show and it seems to challenge the characters. April informs us there is a surprise if the siblings can solve a riddle and we find out that Chloe is the “smart one” even though Henry went to Harvard…twice.

This leads them to Putnam College where they discover that Chloe has been registered as a student. You see, Chloe never went to college even though she was a math whiz and her dad always wanted her to follow in his footsteps.

The Helmut Lang Cropped Back Jacket is out of stock, but this Draped Suede & Leather Jacket from Hinge ($248) gives you the same look for a lot less:

Cropped Jacket

Chloe’s Helmut Lang Open Knit Asymmetrical Sweater is sold out, but there is a similar Helmut Lang Pullover at Nordstrom for $200.98. If that is out of your price range you can try this one at Ann Taylor for ($49.99):

Helmut Lang Sweater

You can get her yellow tank top ($58) at Piperlime:

Yellow Tank

Her adorable yellow and gray heels are sold out from Aldo, but I found these amazing look alikes at Target for $29.99!

Target Presta Heels

Chloe’s Marcie Leather Satchel bag is $1895 at Saks, but you might try the Coach Legacy Leather Medium Candace Carryall for $398 for a similar look for less:

Chloe’s Leather Bag

We then learn some disturbing background about why Chloe became an actress. She seems to be in a bit of denial about her acting basing everything on the approval of her creepy high school drama teacher, Mr. Quilty.

Henry is trying to plan a wedding over the phone with his fiance, Kate who is also running for Congress. This seems like no small feat, except that Henry knows what he wants and it is not Stargazer lilies.

Chloe desperately tries to convince everyone that acting makes her happy – even detailing an elaborate equation where Chloe + Acting = Happy.

Poor Henry is still trying to get in touch with Kate and then he finds out that her assistant has been texting with him for a week! It will be interesting to see if Kate ever makes it into an episode, since we only have three more to go.

After Chloe finishes her equation, Henry finally dubs her the smart one and she finally realizes that she should go back to school.

Jimmy didn’t have too much of a storyline this week, other than to be Chloe’s cheerleader and get rid of an emu. We did learn that he has read 48 books on Buddhism.

On Chloe’s first day of school she ends up running into an old friend, Ivan, who had a crush on her back in the day. Chloe doesn’t recognize him, but does take some time to admire his bicep. They engage in a little flirting and this promises to develop into something more.

I love the bow on Chloe’s argyle vest! I had a very hard time finding an argyle sweater vest in yellow, but this one might do the trick. Golf4Her ($80.50):

Sweater Vest

The same goes for her Corduroy Blazer (not too many of those in June). There is a Jones New York Blazer on sale for $79 that would work:

Jones New York Blazer

Chloe’s Prada Sports Moccasins ($396) would be so cute for Fall, but I might end up going with these Born Loafers for $79.97 to save some cash:

Prada Moccasins

For more Goodwin Games recaps click here.

If you missed this episode you can still watch it online here.

What did you think of this week’s Goodwin Games?

Filed Under: Fashion, Goodwin Games, TV Tagged With: Chloe, Goodwin Games, Helmut Lang, yellow

Falling Skies “On Thin Ice/Collateral Damage” Recap

June 13, 2013 by DetroitDuchess Leave a Comment

I must admit, when my husband and I started watching Falling Skies last night we both felt a little lost. The season picks up 7 months in the future and a lot has happened. I found a recap video of Seasons 1&2 to help you catch up:

Remember, that when we last left off, Tom (Noah Wyle) became President of the 2nd Mass, Anne (Moon Bloodgood) discovered she was pregnant, the 2nd Mass stumbled across a new species of aliens, and Karen (Jessy Schram) infected Hal (Drew Roy) with some sort of bug.

Before I get into the recap, I thought it would help if I reviewed some of the Falling Skies vocabulary. They introduced a lot in this episode and it was hard to keep up:

Volm – The Volm are the new race of aliens that landed on Earth at the end of Season 2. They have teamed up with the humans to fight the evil aliens. We learn that the Espheni Overlords have taken over many planets and the Volm fought back against them. Now the Volm travel around to planets that the Espheni are trying to take over and attempt to stop them. Here is the link to the Volm Wiki which provides more information.

Cochise – Cochise (Doug Jones) is the Volm Commander who interacts with Tom and the 2nd Mass.

Cochise

Skitters – The Skitters are the first species of aliens that the humans interacted with when the Espheni invaded Earth. They have six legs, claws and generally look like your worst spider nightmare. The Skitters are responsible for the harnessed children. The Skitters are controlled by the Espheni Overlords. There is a group of Skitters that have broken free and they created a resistance to fight back against them. Click here for more details.

Skitter

Harnesses – The Skitters all started out as someone who was harnessed. When the Overlords attack a planet they attach harnesses to the child inhabitants on the planet. Over time the harness will transform the host into a Skitter. The longer you stay harnessed the more advanced your abilities will become. Tom’s son Ben (Connor Jessup) had his harnessed removed, but he still has the ability to communicate with the Skitters and has retained enhanced strength and agility. Click here for more details.

Overlord/Espheni -These are the evil alien Overlords of the Skitters. Last season, Tom killed the main overlord and we learned the Karen is the new Espheni Overlord. I’m not 100% clear on how she got to be an Overlord instead of a Skitter, but maybe that will be explained later. Click here for more information on the Overlords.

Espheni Overlords

Mechs – Mechs are the warrior robots that the Overlords use to fight the humans. They receive commands from the Overlords and sometimes harnessed children. They have massive firepower and it is difficult for the humans to fight off more than one at a time. Click here for more information.

Mechs

Mega Mechs – The Mega Mechs were an upgraded version of the Mech introduced in Season 3. Click here for more information.

2nd Mass – Also known as the 2nd Massachusetts Militia Regiment, the 2nd Mass was commanded by Dan Weaver. They are part of a bigger Militia in Massachusetts and have gone through a lot to finally make it to Charleston, South Carolina where a more sophisticated operation was set up. The first two seasons detail the journey of the 2nd Mass and how they end up at Charleston. Click here for more information.

2nd Mass

Berserkers – The Berserkers are an offshoot of the 2nd Mass led by John Pope (Colin Cunningham). The Berserkers usually march to the beat of their own drum and have a hostility towards the Skitters. They usually show up during big battles and are good at taking down Mechs and Skitters.

Here is a little tribute to the Berserkers:

Now that you are up to speed on some of the new terms let’s get into the Season 3 Premiere.

The episode opens with Tom’s youngest son, Matt (Maxim Knight) planting some high tech bombs. This escalates into a full blown battle situation with the 2nd Mass and rebel Skitters against a team of Mechs. The rebel Skitters are now marked with war paint so you can tell them apart from the bad Skitters.

Did anyone else question why Matt was allowed to be in the fight? Last we saw, Tom was trying to keep him out of the fight now he looks like a little street fighter:

Matt Mason

The 2nd Mass ends up winning the battle, but it raised a lot of questions since the Espheni were expecting them. We discover that there must be a mole in the ranks.

Tom has taken his new role as President in stride and he tasks Arthur Manchester (Terry O’Quinn) to lead the investigation for the mole.

We discover Hal is in a wheelchair, this seems to be a side effect of the bug that Karen implanted in him. Hal is the only one that knows of its existence, but Maggie (Sarah Carter) suspects that there is something else going on. Hal is having vivid dreams of Karen where they are still together as a couple.

Anne is still pregnant with Tom’s child, and she goes into labor just as Arthur plans to give Tom some big news on the identity of the mole. Arthur goes back to his office and is assassinated by the mole.

Anne gives birth to a baby girl, Alexis, who has advanced, creepy powers. She can stand up in her crib and is already saying Mama. Anne is the only one that notices these weird abilities so far.

Tom seems to be the only person that trusts the Volm, Colonol Weaver, Pope and other cabinet members aren’t on board with the new alliance. Tom reveals to Weaver that he is constructing a secret weapon with the Volm that will end the war in one shot.

As we begin the second hour, we are set up for the next battle. Ben discovers a base camp full of Mega Mechs that are getting refueled. The base is on a nuclear reactor site which means they can’t blow it up. This leads them to an agoraphobic scientist under the city that can help them destroy the base camp without creating a nuclear radiation apocalypse.

They start preparing to demolish the base camp and we see the unknown mole sneak into the war room to steal pictures of the battle plans. Tom has anticipated this and sets Weaver and the Berserkers up to be the collateral damage and distract the enemy while he sneaks in to blow up the reactor. The 2nd Mass ends up saving the day and destroying the enemy base, but not without losing some good men.

Cochise informs us that the Espheni will launch a major attack on Charleston to retaliate which foreshadows next week’s storyline.

At the end of the episode, we see Hal back in his dream sequence trying to meet Karen, but we discover that they haven’t been dreams at all. Maggie ends up finding him before his last rendezvous and it raises her suspicions even more.

This leaves us with a few unanswered questions:

Who is the mole?

I suspect it could be Hal, since Karen is controlling him. I also am curious about Captain Weaver and Pope since they aren’t onboard with the new regime, but they dislike the aliens so much I doubt they would work with them. Who do you suspect?

What will happen to Hal?

We saw Hal and Karen have sex in the woods, which makes me think that she is trying to get pregnant with some sort of hybrid alien baby. What do you think her endgame is?

What is up with Anne and Tom’s baby?

Did Karen infect her in some weird way at the end of Season 2? There didn’t seem to be much celebration around Alexis, what do you get for a post-apocalyptic baby?

Possibly a Future Post-Apocalyptic Dictator Onsie from Cafe Press ($18)?

If you missed the premiere episodes you can still watch them online here.

For more information on Summer TV premieres check out my Summer TV Preview Extravaganza post.

Filed Under: Falling Skies, TV Tagged With: 2nd Mass, Aliens, Berserkers, Espheni, Falling Skies, Harness, Mechs, Mega Mechs, Noah Wyle, Overlords, Skitters, TV, Volm

Graceland Pilot Recap

June 11, 2013 by DetroitDuchess Leave a Comment

I’ll admit it – I only started watching Graceland for Daniel Sunjata (YUM!), but the pilot episode certainly lived up to its hype. The first episode sort of reminded me of Point Break with Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze. Young FBI agent learns how to surf while trying to bring down the bad guys.

Daniel Sunjata (USA)

Graceland is apparently based on a true story. The writers gave us a brief overview in the beginning of the episode:

“A beachfront property was seized in a drug raid by the US Government in an undisclosed location in Southern California. It was turned into a residence for top undercover agents of the DEA, FBI and Customs. The following is based upon actual events surrounding this house, unofficially known as…Graceland.”

The drug lord that previously owned the home was a big Elvis fan, which is how it got the name “Graceland.” The real Graceland was seized by the government in 1992 and used as an undercover operations base until 2001. The show is set in Southern California, but filmed in Florida.

Courtesy of USA

The show begins with brand new FBI agent Mike Warren (Aaron Tveit) graduating at the top of his class from Quantico and getting assigned to a new post in California with his FBI idol, Mike Briggs (Daniel Sunjata). Briggs is responsible for training Warren in the ways of an undercover operative.

The other agents in the house include FBI agents Johnny Tuturro (Manny Montana) , Charlie DeMarco (Vanessa Ferlito), DEA agents Lauren Kincaid (Scottie Thompson) and Donnie Banks (Clayne Crawford) and Customs agent DJ Jakes (Brandon Jay McLaren – who we last saw on Falling Skies). Mike takes Donnie’s place in the house after his drug bust goes bad and he gets shot by a Russian gang. He gets moved to a safehouse during his recovery.

The show starts off a little slow, with Briggs teaching Warren how to surf and assigning him house chores, but then picks up when the team gets involved with their first case. Agent Briggs is not at all what Mike expects and we find out that something happened to him a few years back (which nobody knows about) that gave him this new cavalier attitude.

Courtesy of USA

Mike gets thrown into the fire having to go undercover for a drug meet with a guy named Felix to obtain more information on the Russians who shot Donnie. Things don’t go as planned and the Russians take Felix’s family as collateral so Felix won’t talk to the FBI. Mike ends up going undercover again as Felix’s brother-in-law, Frankie Bout to try to get the family release. The team has to give Mike a fast makeover with makeup and a background story to make him a believable character.

Courtesy of USA

The Russians wanted Mike to kill someone and use the evidence as blackmail so Felix wouldn’t talk. His intended target ends up being Donnie at the safehouse. Mike wings the operation and seems to get out unharmed until the Russians double cross him and plan to kill him too. Agent Briggs swoops in and saves the day and Mike.

The first operation was a success so the team decides to throw a party on the beach. Mike gets a phone call from his boss and we learn the real reason he was assigned to Graceland is to investigate Agent Briggs, who just saved his life.

Courtesy of USA

The first episode laid the groundwork for what should be an interesting season with lots of plot twists and turns.

There weren’t a lot of fashion choices in this episode, so I thought about what I would need if I had to go undercover at a SoCal beach house:

Wildfox Salty Hair Coverup ($98) This is so laid back and fun – perfect for lounging around in a beach house:

Wildfox Cover Up

Leah Colorblock One Piece ($176) I really liked the ruffles on this suit. You could throw on a pair of pants and the ruffles would look great:

Leah Colorblock One Piece

Steve Madden Goldrush Sandals ($69.95) Every girl needs a pair of flat summer sandals:

Goldrush Sandal

What did you think of the premiere? Will you continue to watch? And what would you bring with you to the SoCal beach house?

If you missed the pilot you can still watch it online here.

For more information on Summer TV premieres check out my Summer TV Preview Extravaganza post.

Filed Under: Fashion, Graceland, TV Tagged With: beach, Graceland, TV

Mistresses Recap

June 10, 2013 by DetroitDuchess Leave a Comment

I am in love with this show already! Hot, hot, hot and this is only the pilot! I’ve heard comparisons to Desperate Housewives, but I think it has the potential to be even better (let’s be honest, after the first two seasons, DH pretty much lost its luster).

This show already has a lot of potential, not to mention Alyssa Milano! She has always been one of my favorites and I loved her on Charmed.

Possessionista was lucky enough to snag an interview with the costume designer Roemehl Hawkins that you can read here. Hawkins is also styling Devious Maids on Lifetime which is another one of my summer shows to watch.

Here is a breakdown of the characters and the storylines from the pilot:

April (Rochelle Aytes): April recently lost her husband and is having a hard time moving on. She tries to go on a date with another single dad but she keeps receiving phantom phone calls and believes that they are some sort of sign from her late husband. After Savi tracks down the source of the call we find out that they are from another woman. This woman confronts April and tells her that she was in love with her husband and that they had a son together. What a blow! It will be interesting to see how this affects her character.

April’s sold out striped poncho is from Graham & Spencer ($407) (ID: OnScreenStyle), a similar match was hard to track down, but I did find this Striped Linen Poncho from Ralph Lauren ($159):

Poncho

April’s Joie Della Dress ($398) is unavailable, but I really liked this Floral Maxi Dress at Dillards ($128):

Floral Maxi Dress

(ID: On Screen Style)

Josslyn (Jes Macallan): Josslyn seems to be the bad girl of the series and Savannah’s younger sister. She is like the little devil on your shoulder (in a good way), pushing you out of your comfort zone. In the premiere we see her struggle with becoming a kept woman as her boss’ mistress. She ultimately decides against it and moves into Savannah’s pool house.

We first see Josslyn in a Striped Bandage Dress by Guess (ID: Possessionista) which seems to be sold out everywhere.

Josslyn Bandage Dress

I found a few alternatives that would work depending on your price range and body type:

Bebe Contour Ribbed Bodycon Dress ($69)

BB Dakota Colorblock Dress ($71.40)

Guess Azmara Cutout Dress ($139.98)

Herve Leger Bandage Dress ($1050) I think this was my favorite, but WAY out of my price range.

Josslyn’s NSF Stripe Shorts ($59) are sold out, but you can try these Striking Striped Shorts from Nanette Lepore ($198):

Striped Shorts

Joss’ red leather skirt is vintage from the 80’s (Source: On Screen Style):

You can get the look with this Anne Klein pencil skirt ($349) or this leather mini skirt from American Apparel ($125).

Her black jade ring is from Robyn Rhodes ($76):

Robyn Rhodes Ring

(Source: On Screen Style)

Her sequin color block dress is sold out, but Boston Proper has a lookalike color block sequin dress for ($139):

Boston Proper Sequin Dress

Josslyn’s navy jumpsuit is still available for $47 (ID: On Screen Style):

Karen (Yunjin Kim): We last saw Yunjin Kim on Lost (another one of my favorites) and I was looking forward to seeing her in a different role. She didn’t disappoint in the pilot. Karen is a therapist who was sleeping with one of her married patients. She started an affair with him when he discovered that he had cancer and had a slim chance of surviving. Karen attends the funeral and the family reveres her, even asking her to sit with them during the service. The son discovers that his father was having an affair and tries to get Karen to reveal who the other woman was. She instead tries to help him get closure, but that goes awry when he tries to ask her out on a date. To make matters worse, Karen prescribed him drugs that his wife used to help him end his life. Savi’s firm takes on the case and Savi advises her to cut ties with the family to avoid a malpractice suit. This is turning out to be a very complicated affair.

Who didn’t love Karen’s bathroom? Apparently I should have become a therapist. I will just have to settle for her Calvin Klein Robe ($75):

Calvin Klein Robe

(Source: Worn On TV)

Savannah/Savi: (Alyssa Milano): Savannah and her husband are trying to get pregnant, but having no luck. It seems like their entire sex life has been focused on having a baby and not enjoying themselves – which is too bad because they seem to have great chemistry in the opening scene. After a visit with the doctor, they find out that Savi’s husband is having some trouble with his swimmers which is why they can’t get pregnant. This seems to take a toll on their marriage and Savi tries to repair it by dressing up in provocative lingerie, but her husband shuts her down. Her colleague notices the lingerie during a meeting and tells her that if she shows him what she is wearing for five seconds he will finish all of her work for her. That scene was HOT, and I can’t believe she did that. This ultimately leads her to office sex with her colleague. I kept thinking how stupid that was because what happens if this guy knocks her up? There is no hiding that! I have a feeling this is going to mess with her head for the rest of the season.

Savi’s Blue Mini Dress – funny how she wore this to role play a mistress with her husband, then ends up having an affair at the end of the episode. The original is sold out, but I think this Cross-Front Dress from Victoria’s Secret in Bang-Bang Blue (on sale for $39.50) achieves the same purpose:

Savi’s Blue Dress

(ID Source: OnScreenStyle)

Savi’s wishbone necklace came from the designer’s personal jewelry collection (ID: OnScreenStyle), but Kohl’s has a diamond wishbone pendant on sale for $40:

Wishbone Necklace

There you have it – all the Mistresses action in a nutshell. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

If you missed the pilot you can still watch it online here.

For more information on Summer TV premieres check out my Summer TV Preview Extravaganza post.

Filed Under: Mistresses, TV Tagged With: Alyssa Milano, April, Josslyn, Karen, Mistresses, Savi

Bachelorette Week Two Recap

June 6, 2013 by DetroitDuchess Leave a Comment

We start off this week with Chris Harrison summoning the men for his weekly overview of dates. This week we have two one-on-one dates and a group date. Brooks gets the first one-on-one date with Desiree and the card reads “I’m waiting for a sign…”

As Desiree gets ready for the date she wears a one of a kind ring from Robyn Rhodes called Neomi ($70):

Robyn Rhodes Ring

(ID Source: Possessionista)

Brooks and Desiree drive off in her Bentley to Winnie Couture, a bridal boutique, to get outfitted in wedding clothes. Brooks is such a good sport on the date and just goes with the flow. Desiree picks out the Sabelle chiffon gown. I promised to post this dress for my friend Tracy, who is getting married. It would look great on her! You can buy it online here for $459 or make an appointment at the boutique to order it.

Winnie Couture Sabelle

After grabbing some cupcakes they head up to the Hollywood sign because it’s the 90th anniversary of the sign. Ali Fedotowsky also had this date with Frank on her season. Desiree gives Brooks the first kiss and it was a hot one, I see good things for this couple, they have a great connection right away.

They head to dinner on a bridge which is the same date that Kalon and Lindsay went on during Bachelor Pad. Brooks talks about his background and his relationship with his father. He really opened up to Des and she gives him the rose. Their date closes with a private concert from Andy Grammer. Brooks and Desiree have chemistry dancing and look like they had a great time.

Now it’s time for the group date with Dan, Juan Pablo, Kasey, Zak K., Will, Brian, Drew, James, Mikey, Zak W. Nick, Michael, Brandon and Ben. The card asks “Who’s Here for the Right Reasons?”

Desiree shows up wearing a smokin hot Rasberry Bandage Dress from Guess (on sale for $119.99) and with a surprise guest…Soulja Boy! The guys find out that they are going to create a rap video.

Guess Bandage Dress

(ID Source: Possessionista)

Soulja Boy sets up the video to be a spoof of previous bachelor seasons. I have never seen this franchise make fun of themselves like this before, it’s hilarious!! A few of the guys were selected to be former Bachelor Nation stars, we had Wes Hayden, Jason Mesnick, Kasey Kahl, Justin “Rated-R” Rego, and Jonathan Novak the weatherman. They didn’t show you the final video, so here it is in its entirety.

In one of the scenes Desiree wears a sold out Tribal Stripe Tank from Express. 6PM has a similar Printed Tank for half off ($26.99):

Tribal Tank

(ID Source: Possessionista)

She also has on these Rose Ceremony earrings from Kiki Designs ($68):

Rose Ceremony Earrings

After the rap video, they headed to the after party so Des could spend more one-on-one time with them. Desiree wore a Crepe Blouse from Old Navy, which you can buy in blue for $12.99:

Old Navy Crepe Blouse

(ID Source: Possessionista)

Des had some one on one time with Zak and he gave her a blank antique journal with an inscription on it from a father to his daughter. I thought this was such a thoughtful gift and something that Desiree really loves. I was really surprised that he didn’t get a kiss or a rose.

Des is really smitten by Ben, she gives him the second kiss during their one on one time. Brandon sees this and really surprised me. He is way more into Desiree than I anticipated. Brandon did get some time with Des and he really opened up to her. I’m not sure about their chemistry, but they are really good on paper.

Mikey confronted Ben about stealing Desiree away and I really respected him for pulling Ben aside and talking to him in person rather than behind his back. They seemed to be cool at the end of the conversation.

She gave Ben the group date rose which surprised me. I thought it should have gone to Zak or Brandon, but she seems to really like Ben.

Bryden’s one on one date is up next. His card says “Road Trip!”

On this date, Desiree wore a Mar Pleated Shoulder Dress from Rory Beca ($112.50), Maya Brenner Sleeping Beauty Earrings ($370) and Seven Seas Necklace ($88) and a Kiki Blue Bird D ring (89):

Rory Beca Dress/Maya Brenner Jewelry

(ID Source: Possessionista)

They stop at a number of different places on their trip including the beach and Ojai Valley Inn & Spa. We learn that Des loves Brie (me too!) I am a little sad that this is the best road trip Des has ever had…that’s not saying too much. Bryden gets the first hot tub date of the season and opens up to Des about a tragic car accident he had in college. They seem to bond, but then get into a really awkward phase in the hot tub. Both of them were dancing around the kiss until finally Des says “Just kiss me already!” I love her, she is not afraid to take what she wants. The date goes well and she gives him a rose.

At the cocktail party, Michael G. sits down with Desiree and reveals that he has Type I diabetes. It doesn’t sit well with him when Ben, who already has a rose, steals her away. This is when the men start to turn on Ben and they confront him. I thought this was a little immature – you are on a dating show people!!!!!! Usually, when the house doesn’t like someone there is a good reason so we will see what happens.

At the rose ceremony, Desiree eliminates Will, Nick and Robert. I liked Robert, but apparently he used to date Desiree’s roommate, so she had to let him go.

Desiree wore Jean Fares Couture to the cocktail party:

Jean Fares Couture

I found this Sage Green Mermaid Dress ($145.99) which is similar to the Jean Fares gown:

UWDress

What did you think about Week Two of the Bachelorette? Who are your favorites?

If you missed this episode you can still watch it online here.

For more Bachelorette recaps, click here.

If you are interested in reading Bachelorette spoilers you can find them at Reality Steve.

Filed Under: Bachelorette, Fashion, TV Tagged With: Bachelorette, Desiree Hartsock, Jean Fares, Winnie Couture

“Small Town” Goodwin Games Recap

June 4, 2013 by DetroitDuchess Leave a Comment

We begin this week’s episode with the Goodwin siblings acclimating to living together and dealing with life in a small town.

We learn that mystery man Elijah is living the dream with two brand new sports cars, Jimmy (TJ Miller) has a secret project, Henry (Scott Foley) is a workaholic and Chloe (Becki Newton) doesn’t really fit in at yoga class, which in Granby looks more like an 80’s Jane Fonda workout.

Chloe spends most of the episode trying to figure out what her siblings are up to. She catches Jimmy exchanging money with a shady looking fellow. She tries to confront him, but he gives her the slip and steals their mother’s watch.

Chloe shows up at Henry’s work to convince his boss to give him some time off. Come to find out that his boss gave him a month’s paid vacation which he didn’t take. Poor Henry is trying to avoid dealing with his father’s death with work and scotch.

Chloe is too busy worrying about everyone else and gets kicked out of her apartment in Los Angeles and loses all of her stuff.

Jimmy’s secret project turns out to be their father’s train set which is also a re-creation of Granby. They bond over Jimmy’s project and realize they’re home.

I wasn’t very impressed with this episode, I’m mostly watching it for the fashion at this point. I was disappointed that they didn’t get any challenges from their father this week. If there are only four episodes left, the writers really need to keep the story moving.

Here are some of the fashion highlights from the closet of Chloe Goodwin:

Chloe’s abstract animal print blouse is from Rachel Zoe and is sold out here. Neiman Marcus has a different cut blouse in the same print on sale for $64.50 here:

Rachel Zoe Blouse

(Source: Pop Detour)

Chloe’s yellow snakeskin blouse from Equipment is sold out:

Equipment Snakeskin Blouse

But I found a snake print blouse from Jones New York (on clearance for $55.63) that would be a great substitute for this blouse or the Rachel Zoe blouse:

Jones Snake Print Blouse

I LOVED her Helmut Lang Belted Blazer ($725):

Helmut Lang Blazer

(Source: Pop Detour)

But it is out of my price range, so I thought this Crepe Slouchy Jacket from Victoria’s Secret ($72.99) could work just as well:

Crepe Slouchy Jacket

Chloe carries a Proenza Schouler chain wallet in sunshine ($785):

Proenza Schouler Wallet

Rebecca Minkoff makes a great look for less for only $195 with her Mini Mac Clutch:

Rebecca Minkoff Mini Mac

Chloe’s yoga outfit consists of the Lululemon Throw Me Over Hoodie in aquamarine ($69):

Lululemon Throw Me Over Hoodie

Remember that Chloe’s signature color is yellow, so this sold out yellow Ella Moss “Kasia” Crochet Pullover ($198) fits with her character:

Ella Moss Kasia Sweater

You can find a similar one at Asos for ($59.40)

Asos Crochet Slouch Sweater

No yellow in this scene, but a fabulous Helmut Lang Slub Twill Blazer ($460) and J Brand Wax Coated Jeans from Piperlime (on sale for $85.97):

(Source: Possessionista)

Macy’s has a similar blazer from Nine West ($89.98):

Nine West Cropped Tuxedo Blazer

For Chloe’s ringer tee, I couldn’t find the exact replica of grey, but this Hurley Solid Perfect Raglan ($27) is similar and looks just as comfy. For a close match to her sweatpants check out these Monrow Vintage Fleece Sweatpants in Neon Citron ($90):

For more Goodwin Games recaps click here.

If you missed this episode you can still watch it online here.

What did you think of this week’s Goodwin Games?

Filed Under: Fashion, Goodwin Games, TV Tagged With: Asos, Becki Newton, Chloe Goodwin, Goodwin Games, Helmut Lang, Nine West, Proena Schouler, Rachel Zoe, Rebecca Minkoff, Scott Foley, TJ Miller

Bachelorette Week One Recap

June 2, 2013 by DetroitDuchess Leave a Comment

My Bachelorette Recap is a little late because of the holiday, but just in time to get you caught up for tomorrow night’s episode.

The producers have billed this season as a Cinderella story, a dream come true for Desiree. I really liked Desiree last season on the Bachelor. She was so sweet and it was hard to see Sean let her go.

So we first see Desiree driving up to her cliffside Malibu estate in her old car – they editors even have clunking sounds added in (I think that was a little much).

She is wearing a Flamingo dress from Opening Ceremony (on sale for $201), she is carrying a Cleobella Layla Weekender bag ($382) and has accessorized with a Joan Rivers Crystal Opulence Enamel Hinged Bangle ($65) and a Turquoise Ring from Joan Rivers.

Desiree Opening Ceremony Dress

(Source: Possessionista)

The Weekender bag was out of my price range, and I couldn’t find the ring so here are a few similar looks for less:

Steve Madden BTaffy Straw Chevron Tote ($69.95)

Steve Madden Chevron Tote

Large Oval Ring ($22.90)

Large Oval Ring

Chris Harrison introduces her to the amazing house she will be staying in and we learn more about Desiree’s background. Chris also gives her the keys to a brand new turquoise Bentley convertible.

In the next shot we see her roller skating in denim shorts, a turquoise bikini top from Victoria’s Secret (on sale for $29.99), fuchsia Stripe Knee High Socks from American Apparel ($10) and a Maya Brenner Silver Sparkler Necklace ($138).

(Source: WetPaint/Possessionista)

She also wears this Susanne Elizabeth Infinity Ring ($28):

Infinity Ring

(Source: Possessionista)

And a very affordable Target print dress ($24.99):

Merona print dress

(Source: Possessionista)

This is a Stella & Dot Wonderland Charm Necklace ($158):

Stella and Dot Necklace

We hear from Desiree that she can’t wait to fall in love and is “ready to put a ring on it.” She sits down with Chris Harrison to talk about what she is looking for in a man and how excited she is to be the Bachelorette.

(Source: Possessionista)

She wears two different Old Navy Tipped Poplin Tank tops here (on sale for $4), one in Royal Rowena and one in Imperial Jade and the ugliest Jessica Simpson wedges ($59.99) I have ever seen. Everyone has been talking about these wedges but I think they are god-awful ugly. To each their own, but you would never catch me wearing them.

For the first cocktail party, Desiree wears a stunning silver dress that was designed for her by Randi Rahm and a Cezua Silver Dangle Ring (ID by Possessionista). Rahm has also designed dresses for Emily Maynard and Ashley Hebert on the Bachelorette.

Randi Rahm Dress

Ralph Lauren has a similar dress for $174 that would be great for a special event.

Ralph Lauren Sequin Mesh Gown

Sears has a Sterling Silver Diamond Star Dangle Ring for $71.90 that is similar to the Cezua ring. You get an up close look at the ring when she gives the rose to Ben:

Dangle Ring

Finally we get to meet the men – she definitely has some good looking guys this season. Here are a few of the men that stood out to me:

The Good

Ben – 28 – Entrepreneur

Ben

His son Brody is adorable! This is the cutest entrance EVER. It was darling when he son said “Did I do everything? I wish I could go to the party – it would be so much fun with Dad.” We should definitely get him on the as the next Baby Bachelor (if you’re not watching it, you can catch up on the first two episodes here). Ben and Desiree had a lot in common and an instant connection right off the bat so she gave him the first impression rose.

Drew – 27 – Digitial Marketing Analyst

Drew

Drew is good looking and seems to be very grounded. His entrance was sweet, he seemed nervous. She gave him a rose and he seemed very genuine.

Juan Pablo – 31 – Former Pro Soccer Player

Juan Pablo

Des loves his accent and says “He’s like a dream of a man.” He brought her chocolate which equals bonus points in my book.

Robert – 30 – Advertising Entrepreneur

Robert

Robert is cute – he reminds me of a young Brad Pitt or Liam Hemsworth. Did anyone else notice that he had a one-eyed dog? I’m not sure what his personality will be like, but welcome to the eye candy.

Zak – 31 – Drilling Fluid Engineer

Zak

Zak wasn’t my type, but I know a lot of girls that would love him. He does have nice abs. According to Desiree’s blog she dared him to jump in the pool so that’s why he did it and why she gave him the rose. I think he will be the entertainment this season.

The Bad

Jonathan – 26 – Attorney

Jonathan

What was wrong with this guy? He would not give it up with the Fantasy Suite Card to the point of making Desiree very uncomfortable. Did he really just say that his love tank has not been depleted for many years? What a creeper – good for Des for sending him home right away.

Kasey – 29 – Advertising Executive

Kasey

As someone who works in public relations, I find people who use hashtags all the time annoying. This guy seems way too into himself. I hope we don’t have to hear him talk about hashtags for the rest of the season.

Larry – 34 – ER Doctor

Larry

Larry tried teaching Desiree a dance move and she ripped her fantastic dress – whoops that didn’t go very well. But then he kept apologizing and was beating a dead horse about the dress. Their conversation was awkward – he needed to let it go.

Micah – 32 – Law Student

Micah

Micah made his own outfit in homage to the dress Desiree designed for Seans season. Terrible outfit – he should leave the designs to Desiree.

Brandon – 26 – Painting Contractor

Brandon

At first I thought he would have a lot in common with Desiree but there were a few red flags. He gave his mother’s sobriety chip to a total stranger, that tells me that it wasn’t that important to him. He told Des that his grandparents threw him a big birthday party but he skipped it to go to the Bachelorette interview. That tells me that he doesn’t respect his family. They probably spent a lot of time on the party and then he just doesn’t show up? I don’t think he is the right person for Des.

These are just a few of the guys that stood out to me. I think we have a good group of guys to entertain us for the season.

If I was going to create a drinking game for this season of the Bachelorette, I would drink every time they refer to this as a fairy tale or Cinderella story, Desiree’s struggles growing up, anytime Desiree gets emotional and cries or anytime she mentions that she’s been in the same position. I usually watch the show with my good friend Tracy and I definitely think we will implement this for the next episode.

I enjoy reading Bachelorette spoilers and I already know who Desiree picks and what happens each week. If you are interested in finding out what happens you can check out Reality Steve for more information.

What did you think about the Bachelorette premiere? Will you keep watching?

If you missed the premiere you can still watch it online here.

Desiree posted her Week One Bachelorette blog on People that you can read here.

For more information on Summer TV premieres check out my Summer TV Preview Extravaganza post.

Filed Under: Bachelorette, Fashion, TV Tagged With: Bachelorette, Chris Harrison, Desiree Hartsock, Randi Rahm

“Welcome Home, Goodwins” Recap

May 30, 2013 by DetroitDuchess Leave a Comment

As we open on Episode 2, Chloe (Becki Newton), Henry (Scott Foley) and Jimmy (TJ Miller) have just found out that they have to move home to the small town of Granby.

Welcome Home Goodwins

Jimmy sums up the entire series premise in a little monologue ending with “these things happen.” This is totally normal of course.

We also found out that the siblings aren’t allowed to tell anyone about why they’ve moved home and the money they are trying to win.

The Goodwins have a meeting with April (Melissa Tang), the family lawyer, to review the next tape in their father’s complicated games. He sets the stage by telling them that they have been out of each other’s lives for way to long and that they need to take care of each other.

Each of the siblings has their own unique problems that get resolved as the episode proceeds.

Chloe

Chloe learns that all of the friends she thought she had in high school secretly hated her. So she tries to throw a “Chloe Goodwin rager” for the town, but nobody shows up. We find out that Chloe used to be best friends with April, but became a mean girl and tortured her throughout high school.

Henry

Henry is playing the ex game by competing with Lucinda (Kat Foster) about who has the better fiance/boyfriend since their breakup. I loved Henry’s line “Everything’s a competition” which is usually the dirty secret nobody admits to when dealing with an ex. The dynamic between Henry and Lucinda is promising. I’m not sure what kind of minister or high priestess she is, but her sarcasm is great.

Jimmy

Jimmy owes a lot of money to a Frankie Steamroller and decides that the only way to get it is by stealing from a local business. Unfortunately, his old best friend, Keith, turns out to be the local cop investigating the case.

In the end, the siblings get each other out of trouble, Henry and Chloe offering good advice to each other, Jimmy getting people to show up to Chloe’s party, and Henry and Chloe returning Jimmy’s stolen goods to get the cops off of his trail.

One of the sweetest moments was when Chloe put cream cheese and mustard in her hair in an attempt to make amends with April. That was a genuine moment and actually gave me some hope for this show.

I also liked that Elijah showed up again at the end with the random clue. I suspect this will be a recurring theme in the show.

Overall, I’m still not sold on this show yet. Scott Foley redeems the show with his quick one-liners, but Chloe is just annoying. I am hoping that she will transform throughout the episodes.

On a side note, if you are interested in Chloe’s floral blouse it is the Signature Floral Symphony Blouse from Equipment for $218.

Chloe’s blouse

(Source: Possessionista)

Unfortunately, it is sold out, but here is a similar DKNYC Floral Print Blouse for less. It’s on clearance for $40.03. I think I even like this one better than the original blouse.

DKNYC Floral Print Blouse

Her dress is the Alice+Olivia “Niki” Ruched Bustier Dress, buy it here for $278.

Alice + Olivia Dress

(Source: Pop Detour)

Chloe struts her stuff around Granby in a pair of Valentino “Rockstud” Heels ($1,045):

Valentino Rockstud Heels

(Source: Pop Detour)

You can steal these look-a-like Prowl heels from Windsor Smith for only $88:

Prowl Heels

Chloe’s Burberry Brit Leather & Tweed Jacket is sold out, but I found two similar looks:

Burberry Jacket

(Source: Pop Detour)

Wyatt Motorcycle Jacket on sale for $76.04:

Wyatt Motorcycle Jacket

Guess Military Jacket for $148:

Guess Military Jacket

For more Goodwin Games recaps click here.

If you missed this episode you can still watch it online here.

What did you think of this week’s Goodwin Games?

Filed Under: Fashion, Goodwin Games, TV Tagged With: Becki Newton, Goodwin Games, Scott Foley, TJ Miller

Goodwin Games Premiere

May 21, 2013 by DetroitDuchess Leave a Comment

I have mixed feelings about the Goodwin Games after watching the premiere episode last night. I loved the premise of the show – children return home for their father’s funeral and find out he left them 23 million dollars (well 22 million since Elijah got a million of that) if they can complete a series of elaborate games.

It was a little cheesy off the top – but I like to give shows a few episodes to gel before I give up.

The Goodwin Games, Becki Newton, TJ Miller and Scott Foley

Winning:

The conch blowing at the beginning – that’s what I should do with my conch. It’s like Lord of the Flies. I wonder if I can get mine to actually make a sound.
I love the idea of the challenge and how everything is pre-arranged for different outcomes. I have now decided that everyone will solve a series of elaborate challenges at my funeral. Now I just need to come up with millions of dollars for them to win.
I didn’t realize how elaborate the challenges would be, but maybe it will get all Hunger Games at the end.
The Trivial Pursuit game with the personalized cards rocked my world! That was adorable! I wonder if they do that because it would make a great anniversary present. Or you could DIY your own Trivial Pursuit questions.

Losing:

From what I have been reading, FOX created this show last year and then didn’t air it. There are seven episodes in existence. This explains why the actors went on to do other shows.
Even if you get invested into this show, it probably won’t last beyond the seven initial episodes. If you just think of it as a short miniseries you may enjoy it more.
I wasn’t a fan of TJ Miller’s character, his only redeeming quality was the daughter. I wasn’t sure if he was supposed to be slow or funny. Apparently, he is a up-and-coming comedian so maybe he will improve as the show progresses.
Who was the random Elijah character and what did he have to do with the family? They could have lost this part in my opinion.

UPDATE: Possessionista posted her fashion recap on Becki Newton’s great clothes from the premiere here. She also found out that the producers decided that each character would have a “team color” – Becki Newton in yellow, Scott Foley in red and TJ Miller in blue. So take note of that for next week.

On a side note, this made me want to host a Trivial Pursuit game night. check out these cool party ideas from Rachel Ray here

Trivial Pursuit Coasters

I also found a Trivial Pursuit themed cheescake from Taste of Home. Click here for the recipe.

Trivial Pursuit Cheesecake

I think you will see a Trivial Pursuit themed game night in an upcoming blog post. This gave me a lot of ideas.

What did you think about the Goodwin Games premiere? Will you keep watching?

If you missed the pilot you can purchase it on iTunes.

For more information on Summer TV premieres check out my Summer TV Preview Extravaganza post.

Filed Under: Goodwin Games, TV Tagged With: cheesecake, Party ideas, Rachel Ray, recipe, The Goodwin Games, Trivial Pursuit

Summer TV Preview Extravaganza

May 19, 2013 by DetroitDuchess 5 Comments

I love TV. Every fall I used to get a schedule together of all the new shows I was going to watch and what I could reasonably tape on my VCR. Many of the networks have changed this format so now I get Fall and Summer premieres. And I have a DVR which means even more shows to watch. It’s like Christmas!

Here are the shows that I plan to tune in for this summer. Some are returning and some are brand new:

FOX The Goodwin Games – premieres on May 20 at 8:30 p.m.

The show focuses on siblings who inherit a fortune from their father but only if they can play by his rules. It is the newest endeavor from the executive producers of How I Met Your Mother and stars Scott Foley who I have crushed on since Felicity. The pilot is currently screening on Hulu so you can check it out in advance. The reviews look promising so far.

ABC The Bachelorette – Season 9 premieres on May 27 at 9 p.m.

I am slightly obsessed with the Bachelor and Bachelorette so I can’t wait for a new season! Desiree Hartsock is this year’s bachelorette. You might remember her emotional exit during Sean Lowe’s season. If you want to know who Desiree picks and spoilers from the season make sure to read Reality Steve’s blog.

If you tune in on Monday night, Desiree will take live questions on Twitter from 8-10 p.m. @DesHartsock.

ABC Mistresses – Premieres June 3 at 10 p.m.

I don’t know too much about this one except that Alyssa Milano is in it and I heart her. I’m interested to see how make the characters likeable even though they’re mistresses. It should be a good soap to watch and I hope everyone will have fantastic clothes!

One of my favorite blogs, Possessionista, has already posted a fashion preview here.

USA Graceland – Premieres June 6 at 10 p.m.

Graceland follows a group of undercover FBI agents as live together in a beachfront house. It’s from the creator of White Collar, Jeff Eastin, which is another great show. I’m mostly just watching this one for the eye candy…Daniel Sunjata…yum!

TNT Falling Skies – Season 3 premieres June 9 at 10 p.m.

My husband and I have watched Falling Skies together since it premiered. It’s an action-packed sci-fi action drama starring Noah Wyle. We last left the 2nd Mass with Tom taking on the role of U.S. President and Anne finding out she was pregnant.

USA Necessary Roughness – Season 3 premieres June 12 at 10 p.m.

This show has really started to heat up! We last left Dr. Dani revealing all of her feelings to Matt, but it looks like Matt’s new girlfriend is pregnant. Rex came out of the closet and Nico might be gone for good. John Stamos is joining the cast so it could mean a third love interest for Dani!

HBO True Blood – Season 6 premieres June 16 at 9 p.m.

True Blood is back! Last season left off with Bill becoming possessed by Lilith, the first vampire, and ended in a cliffhanger. Will Bill kill Sookie and Eric? Who will Sookie end up with? Is Bill gone forever?

Lifetime Devious Maids – Premieres June 23 at 10 p.m.

Created by Marc Cherry and produced by Eva Longoria this show is gunning to be the next Desperate Housewives. The show follows five maids for the rich and famous who use their position to achieve their own dreams. The preview teases lots of different plot twists and if it’s anything like the first season of Desperate Housewives we should be in for a good show.

CBS Under the Dome – Premieres June 24 at 10 p.m.

From auther Stephen King, Under the Dome should be a great sci-fi survival show, after watching the preview it sort of reminds me of Lost. I anticipate lots of fun twists and turns along the way. I also like Rachelle LeFevre and thought she was great in Twilight and Off the Map. I think this will be a show that both my husband and I can watch together.

USA Covert Affairs – Season 4 premieres July 16 at 9 p.m.

Season three ended with some big cliffhangers – Auggie and Annie finally kissed and Annie was presented with a mysterious file from Henry Wilcox. I really liked last season’s arc with Lena and Simon, hopefully we will see Annie get challenged again this year. I think Auggie is great but I would really like to see Annie end up with Eyal because their chemistry is hot!

USA Suits – Season 3 premieres July 16 at 10 p.m.

At the end of season two, Mike finally revealed to Rachel that he never went to Harvard. This didn’t seem to bother her because they hooked up in a very steamy sex scene. Harvey and Jessica are back in control of the firm, but moving forward with the merger. My husband and I love this show and we have a little crush on Gabriel Macht who plays Harvey. It will be interesting to see if he ever gets together with his secretary, Donna. One of my favorite parts of this show are the clothes. The women are impeccably dressed every week and I would kill for their wardrobe.

What shows will you be watching this summer? What are you most looking forward to? Let me know if there are other shows you think I should check out.

Filed Under: Bachelorette, Goodwin Games, Mistresses, TV Tagged With: ABC, Alyssa Milano, CBS, Covert Affairs, Daniel Sunjata, Desiree Hartsock, Desperate Housewives, Devious Maid, Eva Longoria, Falling Skies, Felicity, FOX, Graceland, HBO, How I Met Your Mother, Jeff Eastin, John Stamos, Lifetime, Marc Cherry, Mistresses, Necessary Roughness, Noah Wyle, Off the Map, Rachelle Lefevre, Reality Steve, Scott Foley, Sean Lowe, Stephen King, Suits, summer premieres, television, The Bachelorette, The Goodwin Games, TNT, True Blood, Twilight, Under the Dome, USA, White Collar, Yunjin Kim

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“Hamletta” Goodwin Games Recap

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Graceland Pilot Recap

Mistresses Recap

Bachelorette Week Two Recap

“Small Town” Goodwin Games Recap

Bachelorette Week One Recap

“Welcome Home, Goodwins” Recap

Goodwin Games Premiere

Summer TV Preview Extravaganza

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