Harry Potter and the Deathly WHO?

Looky looky. Harry Potter 7 cover art. It's all over the net now, so I feel no need to give credit. I guess the original reveal was on the Today Show or something?

On the left is the adult uk cover. Looks like we have a slytherin style necklace/artifact/horcrux there.

On the right side we have the wonderful US cover, with a Harry, a Voldemort, some curtains and what looks like a greek arena for the slaughtering of Xns and other rebellious citizens. Hmm. . . Also, orange!

In the center we have the UK YA cover art. We have an ice palace (Fortress of Solitude, anyone?) on one end, then Harry, Ron, Hermione, gold and jewels, and some kind of Wheel of Fate thing behind them. Oh dear, forboding.

The other centerpiece are designs that occur in the cover flaps of the UK YA version. So, we have a STAG and some kind of SNAKES IN A CRYSTAL BALL thing. Seems like allusions to James/Patronus and Terlawney/Slytherin to me. What do you think?

Would You Save One Show If You Could? & Reasons Why

Thank goodness some of our shows are already safe! (Bones!)

For everyone who's never heard of it, E!Online has a petition every year for the last couple of years to Save One Show. (Last year's winner was One Tree Hill, and look--it's still on!)

Looking Safe: 30 Rock, Friday Night Lights, Scrubs

Looking Uncertain: Crossing Jordan, Gilmore Girls, How I Met Your Mother, Jericho, Medium, One Tree Hill, Six Degrees, Supernatural

Looking Doomed: The Class, Close to Home, The Nine, Veronica Mars, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, What About Brian

And, even if you don't have a show on here that you care about, feel free to vote for some of my faves! (re: One Tree Hill, Veronica Mars and Studio 60) Please, put What About Brian out of its misery!You can vote once/day.

Here's the poll: http://www.eonline.com/polls/full_page_poll.jsp?pollID=6084

LAR's reasons to save. . .

One Tree Hill: Basketball, small-town life, a devil-dad, a bastard and one hell of a love triangle. Who could ask for anything more?

1. Mark Schwann is almost a genius.

a. The way he uses his show to discover, give play to and showcase new music/groups (as well as the day's hits). Seriously, show me an episode that doesn't end in a music montage. (Every show episode is also a song title.)
b. The way he searches for the heart of the characters: his story concepts may get sloppy at times but it's often geniune emotion.
c. His balls. One Tree Hill faced almost certain ellimination last year; what did he do? Left 2 main characters' & one recurring character's lives in the balance. Not stopping there, though, two of the women are preggers, but one is left completely up in the air unti labout episode 5 of the next season. Needless to say, they were renewed. (See above note on Save One Show)

d. His need to experiment. Each season of OTH (so far) has been half a school year. The main characters are in their junior year for seasons 1 and 2 and their senior year seasons 3 and 4. If they get renewed, Mark Schwann promises (way before the Veronica Mars idea was brought up) to fast forward the show four years, skipping "the college years" (and re-hashed storylines) so the leads can play nearer to their actual ages.

2. The sexy cast. (Even the grown-ups are the hottest on television.)

3. Main character Lucas Scott's need to give us quotes from all the major (and some minor) literary forces in the world. Everyone from Henry James to Willa Cather. This kid is well-read for a high school junior.

4. Basketball & the games that play us. Did I mention JJ Redick is guest-starring some time in April-May?

5. OTH: finding Chad Michael Murray wives since 2003.

Veronica Mars: Whether or not Chris Lowell guest-stars as Piz, I'm still behind this one. It did for film noir what Buffy did for horror.

1. Sexy cast. (Yet again!)

2. Is Veronica the wittiest crimefighter on television? Strike that--the wittiest anything on television? Me thinks yes.
3. I don't think I could go for a week without hearing The Dandy Warhols theme song, because--well--"We Used To Be Friends", didn't we?

4. No matter the form it returns (with Veronica in the FBI or still in college), be sure she'll be kicking ass with her telephoto lens and killer private dicking.

5. How will we ever find out what happened to "One-Eyed Willy"? Re: Chris Lowell and Kristen Bell's interview.

Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip: I'll admit that I've all but given up on Aaron Sorkin's 3rd TV escapade, but there's nothing better than a behind-the-scenes look at sketch comedy writing, especially when Christians, DL Hughley and babies are involved.

1. Okay, maybe Aaron Sorkin is the real royalty of wittiness; I can never be sure since his really brilliant stuff is cancelled prematurely.

2. Most honest portrayal of the TV industry. Ever.

3. Most honest portrayal of a Christian who's okay with asking questions. Ever.

4. The countdown clock.

5. Getting a snake extra stuck in the ventilation system, sending a ferret in after it, sending a coyote in after that, and getting the Animal Control cops called on your ass. Comedic brilliance.

Happy Voting!

More countdowns to wash over your numerical brains.

It's really a plea for sanity. I think that's what I need to tell myself.


Countdown No. 1. (http://www.bleacheatingfreaks.com/makeacountdown/?id=268593)

"Countdown until I have defended my thesis (and thus, my honor)."

Countdown No. 2. (http://www.bleacheatingfreaks.com/makeacountdown/?id=268590)

"Countdown until the LAST day of class (possibly ever)."

Countdown No. 3. (http://www.bleacheatingfreaks.com/makeacountdown/?id=268595)

"Countdown until graduation is official."

As though I was oh so concerned about any of these things. . . Really, it's derived from the need to know that there will be an end to it all, and--yes--the end is--dare I say it?--in sight.

(Plus, JJ Redick, JoSaFo, and Chris Lowell!)

And for my next trick. . .

Here's the 50th post mark. (Not really impressive, considering my long breaks from the blogosphere.) BUT! I had to share this interview between Chris Lowell (Piz, the perfect man) and Kristen Bell (Veronica) on the set of Veronica Mars. It's so highly entertaining.