The end of an era - or two.

Two of the 2000s most successful series ended this month and although they were quite different, I always found they belonged to each other. It's probably because they premiered more or less around the same time and I started watching them both together (back then they were on the same channel every Wednesday in my country): Desperate Housewives and House M.D.

I was just an adolescent when became a follower of these two and now, 8 years later it's like saying goodbye to two old friends. Of course during these years many things have changed not only in my life but also in these series and maybe they weren't as good anymore as they used to be but I never once doubted I will stay with them until the end - and the end came a week ago for Desperate Housewives and yesterday for House.

I believe that a series finale is just as important as a pilot. The latter is supposed to attract viewers and get them interested, while the finale should answer all questions, it should contain a little bit of nostalgia and it should be very careful with the tone since it has a huge influence on the way fans will think about the series itself when looking back.
Desperate Housewives' very last episode was written by creator Marc Cherry and it was everything it had to be and could be - watching it felt like watching those first few seasons that were the best and it was a great conclusion. House, on the other hand, was less impressive. Directed and co-written by its creator, David Shore, it wasn't until the last 10 minutes that I felt its tone changing for the better and it didn't give me that sense of proper farewell. Maybe they mixed up things so badly in the past two or three seasons that there was no other way out, but still, it could have been better (but I have to repeat myself and say that the last scenes were great). However, in House's case I am willing to forgive - his philosophy will always be remember, even when the ending is long forgotten.

I guess that's how it is when you part with old friends- sometimes you feel your goodbye was worthy and other times you feel it could have been more.

Now I get it.

For many years I've been a follower of Franz Ferdinand (the band, of course) but when back in 2009 they came out with the album Tonight, it didn't impress me as much as their previous two albums. I couldn't really tell you the reason, maybe it was too modern disco for me and I was expecting something else. However, a few months ago I decided to leave all my negative feelings behind and listen to it again and boy do I get it now.

Maybe I'm more open to this new kind of indie-ish music now, who knows, I just feel that if this is the direction dance music in the 2010s is going to take, we're still somehow gonna be okay.

Although I normally don't like what we call "modern contemporary" performers but this band (just like Muse) has that certain something that makes them different from the others. I like it when an artist does not only pay attention to one aspect of their performance but all of them and Franz Ferdinand qualifies. Plus, I've known it ever since Alex Kapranos uttered the words "you can feel my lips undress your eyes" that he wrote the sexiest lyrics nowadays (and by this I mean talking about it but not actually saying it) and with No You Girls he once again showed us how it's done.

It is said that they will have a new album out this year and I can't wait. Hopefully I'll like it right away, maybe it will take me a few years again but part of my heart (and my iPod) still belongs to these Scottish boys.

Girl power.

I have to confess that I don't like disco music in general and my opinion about girl power songs is anything but positive. Yet, I have always loved this song, performed by Gloria Gaynor. The reason might be the lyrics that I absolutely love and also the fact that the original version was released almost 35 years ago (yet another proof that even disco was finer a few decades ago). Today, of course, it is an anthem and several newcomers tried to perform it but this one follows the good old rule of "nothing beats the original".

The perfect merger.

It's been almost 10 years since we could first see and hear The White Stripes' version of the Dusty Springfield song I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself and I still can't get enough of it. The lyrics are simple but great, the sound is brilliant and the video is pure perfection. A true 21st century icon (Kate Moss) pole dancing in the beautiful music video of one of best and most interesting performers of our time (too bad they are no longer together) - can you ask for anything more?