The Reasons I Love October

When I was a child I loved October for basically the same reason as every other kid, Halloween. Decorations, trick or treating, dressing up, hayrides, haunted houses & trails, and over dosing on sugar. Oh and there was my birthday as well. I haven't looked forward to that in awhile though because it always seems to suck badly each year especially since my Mom passed, so I'm almost scared for that date to arrive because there might actually be some real terror. Last year it was ending up in the ER and being admitted to the hospital for severe nausea, not being able to keep anything down, being dehydrated, and having a bad UTI as well. And that hasn't even been the worst birthday. But I'm rambling off subject as usual. 

As an adult most love it because of the change in the fall foliage, which I admit I do like, getting to decorate, and planning on taking their kids trick or treating and all that fun. Many men (and several women) around here love it because it heralds in deer hunting season. I, on the other hand, love the month for completely different reasons.

I have no munchkins to tote around and I've pretty much become a disabled, home bound person. And I sure don't care about hunting any deer even though there is a deer camp in my backyard basically. So thank God for the awesomeness in television programming that starts this month. I've always been a fan of the horror genre, even as a little kid, and loved being scared. As I've grown older this has only intensified.

The first television show on my list actually debuted this past Thursday night on the CW network in its fifth season, The Vampire Diaries. I'll admit to trying to read the books before the first season but they were way too juvenile for my taste (and I actually enjoy a great deal of young adult fiction). Thank goodness the show wasn't as juvenile. I have to admit the eye candy helped a great deal as well. And Paul Wesley who plays Stefan Salvatore is quite the looker, but my heart belongs to Ian Somerhalder who plays his older brother Damon Salvatore on the show. I do have to admit that I am glad they are having a spin off series called The Originals because there were getting to be too many vamps and story lines to keep up with lately. Not only does the show provide vampires, but there are also werewolves, witches, and hybrids. I also watched the premiere of The Originals the other night and think I may have to give it a shot as well. The fact that it is set in New Orleans helps quite a bit.

The second television show that has me chomping at the bits is FX's American Horror Story: Coven set to air October 9. The neat thing with the AHS seasons is that there is a completely different story every season and this is the third one. The first season Murder House was incredible. Excellent cast with the legendary Jessica Lange included. The second season Asylum was okay but it's almost like they wanted to throw every supernatural, crazy, kooky thing together in one show. I'm glad they brought back some of the actors from the first season, including Jessica Lange as the meanest nun you can imagine, but definitely not as good as the first season. However, I still enjoyed watching it. This season I have high hopes for, Coven. It looks like it will focus on witches in the wonderful and spooky setting of New Orleans as well as adding some real history to the show. I LOVE New Orleans. You would have to have visited and been down to the French Quarter a few times to understand how it is a world of its own. Heck, Louisiana is like a completely different country and NOLA is like the capital of the strange and wonderful in it. Jessica Lange is coming back again along with some other former cast members and of all people they are adding Kathy Bates as part of the main cast and Angela Bassett in a recurring role. I have to say I have become a big fan of Evan Peters as well who has been part of the main cast all three seasons.

The final television show that has me so excited with anticipation is the fourth season of AMC's The Walking Dead which airs on October 13. I have been a die hard fan of this series and can't believe the excellent writing, via Robert Kirkman and others, and characters cast in this show. People who don't even care about zombies like this show just because of the character development. Don't get me wrong though, there is plenty of gore served up by Greg Nicotero. The show is based on the comic books, which I have not read (maybe one day I will when I'm not broke and can afford to buy them) but apparently does not follow them to the letter by far. First of all they created the role of Daryl Dixon, played by Norman Reedus, when he auditioned for the role of Merle Dixon. Ironically he has become one of the most beloved characters of the show. First season he was a dumb redneck, but the kind you would want on your zombie Apocalypse team because of his excellent shooting skills with a crossbow. Second season he won the audience's hearts by looking for a lost 12 year old girl of the group. Last season he really stepped up and became a true part of the group realizing that you need others to survive and melting every woman's heart when he went out to find formula for Rick's newborn girl and taking her, feeding her, and dubbing her "lil asskicker" along with calling her "sweetie." We also learn that he was an abused kid who had a crappy home life. It should be interesting to see what this season brings for him. Another character I've found interesting to watch is Carol, played by Melissa McBride, who started off as a woman with a husband who beat her, lost her daughter, and was mousy and wasn't a survivalist on her own. Last season she really showed some gumption at taking matters into her own hands and this season it looks like she may really be an ass kicker herself. She has also been intricate in helping Daryl to not be the lone wolf. Some have wondered if there will be a Daryl and Carol romance. I suppose we shall see. Then there is Rick Grimes, the main character played by Andrew Lincoln. Poor Rick. He has had a long, hard road with waking up from a coma in the first season, to finding his wife (who did think he was dead) miraculously in a camp outside of Atlanta, to almost losing his son who was shot, to finding out his wife had been sleeping with his best friend and fellow police officer/co-worker before his arrival and that she was pregnant and it could be either of their's baby. Sadly he has to shoot his best friend, who loses it and wants to kill Rick and take his family, and loses his wife when she gives birth and he goes a little crazy. At least it's not a Ricktatorship anymore though and he seems to be pulling himself together. It looks like his son, Carl, played by Chandler Riggs, may take a dark turn though. I think Lincoln has done an excellent job with the role given him. And I sure cannot leave out my little buddy Glen, played by Steven Yeun. The Korean pizza delivery boy who turned into zombie bait and now has the love of the farmer's daughter. He's a character you can't help but root for, and I sure hope we don't lose him this season but you never know. Those are the only characters left from the first season. New characters have come and gone as well and Michonne, played by Danai Guira, came on at the very end of the finale of the second season and has turned into an interesting character with her sword welding self. This show deserves awards and the Emmy's should be ashamed of themselves for snubbing it continuously.

So those are my television shows. Also starting on October 13 is AMC's Fear Fest. Something I enjoy every year. Every day for the rest of the month the station will show scary movies. What more could a girl ask for in the month of October?

Damon Salvatore (Ian Somehalder) on The Vampire Diaries threatening Silas (Paul Wesley), who happens to look just like his brother who is his doppelganger. 

Marie Laveau (Angela Bassett),  Fiona Goode (Jessica Lange), and Delphine LaLaurie (Kathy Bates) in American Horror Story: Coven

Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) in the upcoming season of The Walking Dead