Make It or Break It: The Final Recap

You’ve come a long way, baby.

When I first sat down to recap the MIOBI pilot, I’d have never imagined that three years later, I’d still be here recapping the series finale. OK, I did, because I clearly hate myself and possess this bizarre compulsion to deconstruct bad TV shows in excruciating detail, but here we are. The end of an era.

So does MIOBI end on an appropriately absurd, cheesy, and ridiculous note? Of course it does!

So let’s jump right in for the last time.

“Less Talking, More Zen!” or Make It or Break It 3×07

Apologies, my lovelies, for running a bit late on this one. I fear the drama was so heavy in this episode that the recap took a little more time than I thought. So let’s get started, shall we?

MIOBI 3×06: “Listen to the Universe.” Or something.

So last week was a dramafest of such catty awesomeness, it could almost be a Bravo reality show. In contrast, this week’s ep was a bunch of heartwarming crap. It also displayed several classic MIOBI elements which had thus far been absent from this season and weren’t missed. But alas and alack, I suppose there is something comforting about time-honored absurdity.

So let’s jump right in, shall we?

may the odds of drama, backbiting, scheming, and bitchiness be ever in our favor!

My apologies for being remiss in my Make It or Break It recapping duties. The past few episodes have been kind of meh. But have no fear. 3×05 is pure gold. Such gold, in fact, it has inspired a very special recap.

Presenting…

WARNING FOR MILD HUNGER GAMES SPOILERS

Single White Female Gymnast or Make It or Break It 3×02 “It Takes Two”

I kind of like my title better. Lacking in creativity, I grant, but at least it’s not named after an Olsen twins film.

For some reason, I find this show infinitely more watchable this season. I didn’t say good, mind you. I said watchable. I was mulling over possible reasons for it, and here’s what I got so far:

• Bigger budget. I’m not sure if you could call this show a hit, but I guess it performed well enough for ABC Fam to throw more money at it (some weirdos *cough* might have bought the DVDs, too). Whatever the reason, the sets no longer look like leftovers from an 80s after school special (can’t say the same for the writing, sadly) and the stunt work has vastly improved. Remember the pilot, when Emily threw some cowboyed flexed-footed vault that hadn’t been competitive since the early 80s? Now the stunt doubles (which still look nothing like the actresses, but baby steps) are throwing skills that actually are believable. We’ve come a long way, baby.
• Less of the boring adults. They seem to have done a nu-90210 this season and scaled back dramatically on the adults, with most of the focus on the teens. Because let’s be real, who watches a teen show for the parents? (Queen Chloe, however, is exempted from this point. I miss you, Chloe. But not enough to want Emily back).
• Less soap, more sports. I may be speaking too soon, but so far, this season actually seems to be about gymnastics (which is not to say that the athletes don’t still seem to have inordinate amounts of free time to chase after boys and pull pranks, but let’s not split hairs here). They actually seem to do other things at the gym than stand around the chalk bin and gossip, so it’s progress!
• No Emily. Because I never miss a chance to shade Emily.

So let’s get this party started.

make it or break it is back… and so am I!

Oh man and here I was thinking I would never recap this show again. But Season 3 is off to a glorious start and I am sucked right back into the rabbit hole. No, really. This episode had a BUNNY! WOOK AT THE BUNNY!

As always, this show is completely ridiculous and lacking in all realism or credibility, but that’s OK, because let’s be honest–we are not here for that.

“What do you think of us now, bee-yatch?”

This is just going to be a quick and dirty one. OH SHOW, I WISH I KNEW HOW TO QUIT YOU.

Yes, I am still alive

Oh man, I’m sorry I’ve been gone so long. Real life got super busy, and inspiration got super low, and… you know how that goes.

So Make It Or Break It premieres on Monday. And I know I keep saying this, but when it comes to recapping MIOBI… I’m done. For serious this time. I’m sorry, guys, but I just cannot do it anymore. I realize now that perhaps I held off so long updating this blog b/c I knew people would be expecting another MIOBI recap, and I couldn’t bring myself to do it. So I think it’s time to close that chapter of my recapping life. For those left disappointed by that news, I’m sorry. But I will still be watching, and I’m always up for a chat on this show’s delightful absurdity, so feel free to comment here or hit me up via e-mail if you’re interested.

That said, I’ve got a new crack now, and it’s called Point Pleasant. Some of you might recall this short-lived show. It aired in ’05 but it looks like it was filmed in ’97. It got some brief publicity for being a wannabe Twin Peaks and being co-produced by Buffy‘s Marti Noxon. However, PP had more in common with a low-budget OC crossed with a Dan Brown novel, which means it was awesome. Look for the first episode to be recapped here in loving detail soon. Fortunately, there’s only 13 eps, which means I should probably get through them all in a reasonable amount of time. Woo!

I was thinking of switching the focus of this blog from YA lit to old 80s/90s teen TV shows and movies (BSC and SVH eps totally fall into this category, so TU will still retain its YA ties). I might do books from time to time but I seem to thrive more on the television/cinema medium. That said, I am asking you, dear readers, if there is any old teen show or movie you’d like me to recap either concurrently with or after Point Pleasant? I’m asking for cancelled shows only please… as I learned with MIOBI, anything currently airing is just asking for my commitmentphobe tendencies to rear their ugly head, and also, I think it takes a few years after the fact for me to properly appreciate how charmingly awful a show is. I’m only willing to entertain taking on a complete series if it’s very short-lived, like PP (we’re talking a partial season here), otherwise I’m pleased to do a “worst of” sort of thing, like the Agony Booth’s Worst of Trek. So… comments? Suggestions? Any terrible episode of a 90s teen show you’re just dying to have me eviscerate recap? (keep in mind the show itself doesn’t necessarily have to be bad, just the episode). I’m in your hands.

Make It or Break It 1×14 “Are We Having Fun Yet?”: A Tale Told in Macros

I find that the movie Mean Girls is actually an extremely comprehensive guide to life, not just high school.  Its wisdom can really apply to about anything.  In fact, I find I can summarize this entire episode solely in Mean Girls macros.

Enjoy!

Make It or Break It 1×13 “California Girls” or “Man, Even the BSC Book With This Title Was More Realistic”

OK, just a quick and dirty one because I have gotten so far behind on this show.