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Monday, October 6, 2414 - 5A

The ichgan ail - ichiandilycm Mnda, Ocobe 6, 014-r5

PERFECTION
From Page 4A
trol about myself. Every
pound I lost became a step
further from the bookish, nerdy
Asian stereotype and a step
closer to attaining a beach body
of Californian girls who were
attractive, alluring, accepted. It
was hard to ignore expectations,
but it was harder still to change
myself to meet different
standards. I always thought that
people wouldn't accept me until
I perfectly met these irrational
demands of societal convention.
It's hard to understand the

essence of acceptance, and it's
hard to describe the transition
from self-hatred to self-love.
I still have some days when I
wake up and shrink away at
the sight of my skin, pinching,
prodding, and pulling at my ribs.
But most days, I know that it's
okay to be in love with myself.
That it's okay to care about me.
I understand that I'm not vain
when I look into the mirror to
admire what my weight gain has
done to me. I'm not conceited
when all I am is looking out for
myself when I need it the most.
I would much rather be called
arrogant than be shamed for,
admiring the person that I've

grown to be so proud of.
It's through this journey that I
realized that I'm not invincible;
I found out that I'm a little more
than a larger pile of mistakes.
It allowed me to grow, to know
that I'm no longer afraid of
disappointing others or proving
them wrong.
I'm not afraid of not being
perfect.
Michigan in Color is the Daily's
opinion section designated as a
space for and by students of color
at the University of Michigan.
To contribute your voice or find
out more about MiC, e-mail
michiganincolor@umich.edu.

CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONVERSATION
Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor and viewpoints.
Letters should be fewer than 300 words while viewpoints should be 550-850 words.
Send the writer's full name and University affiliation to tothedaily@michigandaily.com.
The highs and lows
o)fneiwork
premie...re .weekf

Annabelle made a ponpy.
Hollow Annabelle

I've said it before and I'll a flashback framing device
say it again: network pre- that promises something very
miere week is better than bad will soon happen. Like
Christmas. OK, I've never any good primetime soap,
actually celebrated Christ- the trailer for the ABC series
mas, but I promises sex, lies and mur-
imagine it's der (not to be confused with
almost the ABC's forthcoming drama
same thing. "Secrets and Lies," which I'm
Waking up pretty sure promises sex, lies,
in the morn- secrets and murder).
ing, the That is not to say "Murder"
sweet smell isn't a good show. If Shonda
of apple Rhimes's other series have
spice and ALEC STERN proven anything (chiefly
hope in the "Grey's Anatomy" and "Scan-
air as you dal," though at times "Private
walk down- Practice"), it's the efficacy of
stairs in your pajamas, sit their genre. And while "Mur-
down on the couch and turn der" is not revolutionary tele-
on the television for some vision in narrative or scope,
bingeing. Since May, the its representations of race,
networks have touted their gender and sexuality push
newest series ad nauseum - network television standards
at the Upfront presentations, to the brink. For its refusal
on social media, in maga- to moralize or desexualize
zines and on billboards. Now, Keating, and its commitment
they are all finally here, and to breaking down stereo-
this column is an attempt to types of any kind, "Murder"
roundup everything you need gets the gold star in a year
to know (or maybe every- that was already breaking an
thing you never even knew impressive amount of new
you wanted to know); from ground:
"Scandal" to "New Girl," the
highs and lows of network Low: Comedy
premiere week.
In the fall of 2013, it was
High: Diversity a great time to be a comedy
series - CBS finally made
Heading into the fall sea- the long-rumored decision to
son, it was already a banner expand its Thursday lineup
year for diversity on network to two hours of comedy, FOX
television; a record number and NBC remained commit-
of series with nonwhite leads ted to their respective failing
were ordered to series, even comedy blocks (on Tuesday
excluding summer fare like and Thursday) and ABC con-
Halle Berry's "Extant." Since tinued to expand its comedy
the skyrocketing success of presence (now on Tuesday,
ABC's "Scandal," TV execs Wednesday and Friday).
have finally started to catch But just one year after the
on to the fact that audiences networks doubled-down on
would rather see a more real- their half-hour series, each
istic depiction of everyday has scaled back significantly.
life than the whitewashed (When it was all said and
world of make-believe we've done, ABC, NBC and FOX
grown accustomed to being escaped the 2013-2014 season
slung. This season, "How each with just one new com-
to Get Away With Murder," edy series left standing. CBS
"Red Band Society" and led the way with two.)
"Black-ish" have joined the This year, the comedy
aforementioned "Scandal," failures of the networks still
"Sleepy Hollow" and "Brook- linger like a bad aftertaste,
lyn Nine-Nine" on the list of and one look at this year's
shows challenging broadcast schedules proves the last-
television's status quo. ing effects of last fall. For
But at a time when prog- the first time in years, NBC
ress for minorities continues has diminished its Thursday
to move slowly, the Viola comedy lineup (once hailed
Davis-led "How to Get Away as "Must See TV") to just one
With Murder" shot to num- hour, the two series of which
ber one with a bullet (on the - "Bad Judge" and "A to Z"
list of television series lead- - premiered to disappointing
ing the diversity charge); results. ABC's new Tuesday
" because ABC's newest drama comedy series also flopped
is not just diverse in color. (though was "Selfie" ever
"Murder" tells the story of really going to be a breakout
Annalise Keating, a lawyer hit?). On CBS, the network
and professor who invites a has - at least for now -
select few of her students to abandoned comedy entirely
come work for her firm. It's in favor of "Thursday Night
"Damages" - if "Damages" Football," save for behemoth
were a crass soap opera and "Big Bang Theory." "Mom"
not one of the most well- was scheduled to premiere
written, defining series of the following last week's new
decade - one tough-as-nails episode of the comedy hit,
litigator at the center, young but the Eye has opted to hold
professionals trying to navi- off, rerunning old episodes
gate her work environment, instead. And as for FOX ...

well, we'll get to FOX later.
High: Optimism
Broadcast television rat-
ings have eroded so quickly
over the past few years that
each premiere week, the only
silver lining is that it wasn't
that bad. No,really. It wasn't
that bad. ABC's "Thank God
It's Thursday" Shondaland-
infused lineup brought in
huge numbers - including big
gains for flagship "Scandal"
at a time when veteran series
continue to decline. NBC's
"The Blacklist" showed signs
that a possible sophomore
surge is on its way, while
"The Voice" and "Chicago
Fire" continued to be reliable
players. CBS continued to
thrive in the <em>My Grand-
ma loves that show</em>
market (three hours of its
schedule now have "NCIS" in
the title). And even FOX had
a few great premieres with
"Gotham" and its "Family
Guy"/"Simpsons" crossover,
even if that's all that can be
said about the network.
Low: FOX
And finally, here we are.
While many insiders - and
outsiders - were looking at
ABC to take the unwanted
title of "being the new NBC,"
FOX has not only earned
the distinction, but forged
an entirely new low for net-
works to fear. For years, the
perennially fourth-place
NBC was the industry laugh-
ing stock. But with Robert
Greenblatt (formerly of
Showtime) at the helm, NBC
has corrected course in an
astonishing way, emerging as
the No. 1 network last year
and holding onto its lead
early this fall. But for FOX,
the story is an entirely differ-
ent one. Once No. 1 for many
consecutive years, thanks in
no small part to "American
Idol," the network is now
nearly devoid of bright spots.
"New Girl," still the net-
work's biggest comedy debut
in 13 years, and its compan-
ion "The Mindy Project" are
now blips on viewers' radars.
New series "Red Band Soci-
ety," "Gracepoint" and "Uto-
pia" (the latter of which has
already been pulled from both
of its nights on the sched-
ule) all premiered to dismal
numbers while older series
"Sleepy Hollow" and "Bones"
have taken year-over-year
hits. FOX is going to need a
hero to get out of its increas-
ingly desperate situation,
but unfortunately, in prequel
series "Gotham," Batman
won't be around to save the
day for another 20 years.
Stern is not celebrating
Christmas. To not celebrate with
him, e-mail alecs@umich.edu.

By OMAR MAHMOOD
DailyArts Writer
"Annabelle" is worth a watch,
if you're willing to part with
your doll collection that is.
You'll never
be able to look [3
at a Barbie
the same way Annabelle
again. For all
you know, it At Quality
wants your 16 and Rave
soul. Warner Bros.
Director
John R.
Leonetti has done it again:
After working on such movies
as "Insidious" and "The
Conjuring" he's developed an
elegant philosophy on scaring
people. Keep it simple. Take it
slow. There's no hurry. Put the
audience in charge. Keep a wide
camera angle. Let them see
things. And make them believe.
This is why his movies speak
to fears that we all really hold.
There's something scarier about
demons and spirits than there is
about ghosts. We don't believe
in ghosts, says Leonetti, but we
believe in demons and spirits.
So just as in "Insidious" and
"The Conjuring", Leonetti
appeals to the religious
sensibilities of the audience.
The priest, Father Perez (Tony
Amendola, "The Legend of
Zorro"), is a hero in the film.
He gives the church-going
couple John (Ward Horton,
"The Wolf of Wall Street") and
Mia (Annabelle Wallis, "Body
of Lies") life-saving counsel
when their house is raided in
the middle of the night by the
daughter of their neighbors,

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art of the Father Perez's many years to be unsurprised
egation. She and her by anything. At first, Nicole
end had run away two hesitates to tell her what is
ago and joined a Satanic wrong, but Mia wrings out her
Ve begin with the murder fears. "I think that my family is
neighbors, though the under a curse," explains Nicole.
is thereafter painfully Mia doesn't even blink. "Aisle
n true Leonetti fashion. 4," she says, as if they had been
r Perez tells them that the talking about eggs and butter.
oned demon is after their . The exchange draws laughter
rn daughter's soul. from the audience, which the
ter Gary Dauberman film more than brings to life. If
mp Devil") draws upon there's a sleepover movie this
e same biblicalt tradition year, it's "Annabelle." You'll get
novies like "Drag Me to plenty of chances to jump into
and "The Exorcism of your friends' laps, and there will
Rose" draws upon. The be plenty of jokes to crack about
oned demon is none the plot. And no one will mind,
than Belial, one of the because something about Gary
notorious in Lucifer's Dauberman's script is meant to
be interactive.
Of course, the playbook
scares, as effective as they are,
he sleepover come at a cost. The story is
predictable and flawed, even
lovie of the for this genre. That the demon
wants the soul of the newborn
yea. baby is so repeatedly drummed
over our heads that it loses any
meaning, or maybe because it
had none in the first place. What
He was the same one to does wanting a soul entail? The
ss Emily Rose. Moreover, ending becomes even more
orned black ram with red convoluted when the demon
whose form he takes in invites Nicole to give up her soul
belle," resembles the to save her baby's. The window
n from "Insidious." creaks open, the words "Your
lyn (Alfre Woodard, soul" dripping in blood on the
Trek: First Contact") is panes.
send to the young family John and Evelyn rush to her
iso furthers the religious aid. Meanwhile, Father Perez
She is a friendly womari has been assaulted by the spirt
owns the neighborhood of the girl who killed their
tore. She takes a liking neighbors. The stakes are high.
family, and seeks to help It's one heck of a ride, and thatis
She can tell that they've the point. So take your friends,
touched by evil, and she and take a blanket. Just not your
f has seen enough in her doll.
Call#734-418-4115
Email: dailydisplay@gmail.com

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RELEASE DATE- Monday, October 6, 2014
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
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6 Misfortunes 7 MGM mascot book before 58 All over again
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