Much like the fall lineup I am back and with any luck will be posting with a far greater regularity. The plan is actually for me to do weekly reaction/recap of certain programs. I clearly watch far too many shows to have time for such a lengthy reaction to all but there are certain shows where every week I find myself wanting to whine or compliment. So we'll see if I have the constitution...
What I Watched This Summer
TV
Warehouse 13: Not a revolutionary show but ultimately crazy enjoyable. In the vein of Eureka, SyFy is clearly picking up on USA/CBS's tactic of making predictable procedurals with quirky characters and a generally lighthearted tone. Only instead of being about spies (USA) or cops (CBS) they're about SyFy. Perfect background fodder for the geeky at heart... though I really wish they'd bring back Cha$e and/or Estate of Panic.
Chopped/Food Network Challenge/Cupcake Wars: I found myself really into Food Network reality shows... I know nothing of cooking and never will, but they manage to be entertaining regardless. Mainly because the two of them are based a lot on appearance but also because the entire season worth of reality is jammed into one episode with eliminations and a winner all nailed down by the hours end.
True Blood: One of the few shows that I made a point to see on appointment. A lot of people I talked to thought the third season was a downgrade. I preferred it to the second season, with Maryanne's constant theatrics. Still I was more than tired of anything dealing with Jason and found myself wishing Tara really did run away for good and that Bill loses his death duel. I feel like I shouldn't be rooting for these outcomes but the only things I really care about are Jessica and Hoyt's relationship and whatever it is that Eric is going to do next. And Pam. I really like Pam. I was unaware that I liked Pam as much as I do but she was perpetually on the verge of death and is enough of a side character that such is plausible so I constantly found myself thinking "Just don't let them kill Pam!" Oh yeah and I forgot all about Sam so you can tell how interesting that is to me. In fact they made him annoying and I've liked Sam pretty consistently in the past.
Also the marathoning continued
Dexter: I burned my way through four seasons and I definitely get the high praise it's recent season got and eagerly await it's premiere. I'll say this I'm very impressed by their ability to keep Dexter a sociopath. It's a damn hard thing to do with a character after you follow him four seasons but he still lacks that certain human quality and kills out of need rather than purpose. In addition to having perhaps the most unsettling opening credit sequence I've ever seen, it's interesting and exhilarating though at times a bit tedious. It's brilliantly acted all around and both Morgan siblings are wonderfully crafted, swiftly evolving characters. As far as seasons, the fourth is by far the strongest but the first is incredibly captivating and it unfolds brilliantly. The second season I think is OK. Storywise it was strong but it's antagonist was incredibly aggravating and not in a good way, in a for CHRIST SAKE END THIS STORY ARC ALREADY sake. Which is kind of how I felt about most of season 3. It just stretched on far too long for my taste. But I should qualify that's by Dexter standards, which are still higher than most shows.
Torchwood: Torchwood is just fun. Period. It's not something everyone would like but if you like Sci-Fi and British Sci-Fi in particular you're probably going to love it. I don't have much to say about it in particular but definitely recommend. Not much to say as I'm still in the heart of season 2.
Supernatural: Luckily I have been catching a few of my friends up on Supernatural which has resulted in my marathoning the first two season of the show and I'm no less impressed with the quality of this superbly underrated show upon second viewing. It's a show clearly written and produced by people who have a great love for and nostalgia about the horror genre and I often forget how well it is made technically. They play around with a lot in terms of lighting and angles and maybe it's just because they can get away with it because they off on the CW. But I mean really how could a Sci-Fi show go wrong with one executive producer from X-Files and another from Firefly?
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Productivity Interpretted Loosely
One thing that I learned once the age of box sets began is that working your way through an entire series in a relatively short period of time is pretty damn awesome. And there have been quiet a few shows I've been meaning to see for a very long time. So now thanks to a free netflix trial I will begin this marathoning process. Thus far my que seems like it will be:
Twin Peaks - A cult classic mystery with a relatively short run. Has marathon written all over it, no?
The Sopranos - This one will be a little tougher to tackle simply for volume, but without HBO I never got to see it in its heyday. It would be great to know what all those Emmys were for.
Wonderfalls - Bryan Fuller has wowed me with two of his shows, but not with the weird way he spells his first name. If he goes three for three I guess I can get over that last one.
Damages - Intense psychological thriller, check. Good reviews, check. Great cast, check. I suspect this will be one of those shows where I can burn through an entire disk without even realizing it.
The Wire - It's been hard for me to get excited about The Wire as I've just seen so many gritty cop dramas but so have the critics and they're regularly impressed so I guess I should look into it.
Additional or Alternative Marathoning may ensue with:
Chuck - I watched a few seasons of Chuck on and off. It was good. Got lost in the time shuffle but I've heard amazing things about the recent season.
Dexter - Originally failed to watch it due to channel unavailability. Been meaning to get into it for a long time.
V- I feel like I should watch this as it's the current primetime, sci-fi epic plus it has Elizabeth Mitchel.
Mad Men & Breaking Bad - Once more I feel duty bound by critical acclaim.
Any other Suggestions?
Twin Peaks - A cult classic mystery with a relatively short run. Has marathon written all over it, no?
The Sopranos - This one will be a little tougher to tackle simply for volume, but without HBO I never got to see it in its heyday. It would be great to know what all those Emmys were for.
Wonderfalls - Bryan Fuller has wowed me with two of his shows, but not with the weird way he spells his first name. If he goes three for three I guess I can get over that last one.
Damages - Intense psychological thriller, check. Good reviews, check. Great cast, check. I suspect this will be one of those shows where I can burn through an entire disk without even realizing it.
The Wire - It's been hard for me to get excited about The Wire as I've just seen so many gritty cop dramas but so have the critics and they're regularly impressed so I guess I should look into it.
Additional or Alternative Marathoning may ensue with:
Chuck - I watched a few seasons of Chuck on and off. It was good. Got lost in the time shuffle but I've heard amazing things about the recent season.
Dexter - Originally failed to watch it due to channel unavailability. Been meaning to get into it for a long time.
V- I feel like I should watch this as it's the current primetime, sci-fi epic plus it has Elizabeth Mitchel.
Mad Men & Breaking Bad - Once more I feel duty bound by critical acclaim.
Any other Suggestions?
Lost Causes Worth Taking Up
Generally, I don't know if I'm in favor of throwing oneself completely into critically acclaimed but short lived series. Doesn't that just seem like a whole lot of frustration and heartbreak? Well it is. And in some cases it's worth it. Two of those cases come courtesy of legendary TV writer/producer/director Joss Whedon (Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Angel, Toy Story) and additionally awesome writer/producer Bryan Fuller (Pushing Daisies, that one good season of Heroes). I am referring to Joss's space western Firefly and Fuller's now defunct look at the lives of grim reapers in Dead Like Me. You, whoever you may be, HAVE to watch these shows because they deserve it. Also make a point to watch Firefly's follow up feature film Serenity. I strongly recommend viewing the series before the movie, but the movie should make sense if you choose not to do such.
Firefly
Suggested For: Anyone with a pulse. But especially people who like snappy dialogue, action films, or tense character drama.
Premise: I'm not telling. There are some specifics but the pilot will be better if you don't know them. I will say this: It's set in the future. Earth's been destroyed and humans have settled other planets/moons to various degrees. Some of modern metropolis while others are tiny prairie towns. The story follows lovable smuggler Mal and his crew.
Come For: The premise - Did I mention it's a space western?
Stay For: The characters - I have to say this was by far the most impressive aspect of the show. It's an ensemble show, but the writers manage to flesh out all the characters fairly. The pilot alone is a masterpiece with each and every character clearly working to their own personal end. Everyone of them has distinct goals and a personality that dictate their actions. End result genuine drama. No one is just the damsel in distress or just the love interest or just the adorable sidekick... well maybe Kaylee to some extent but she's so adorable you won't mind.
Shining Moment: "Ariel" It was a hard call between this episode and the pilot but "Ariel" edged out a win. If airtime was based on quality, the final scene of this episode alone would've been enough to guarantee the show a second season. It's the first time, since the pilot, that the differing motives of the ship's crew snap into sharp focus. It's the closest we get to the creepy 'Blue Hands,' and it's an important story episode for the season arc. It doesn't hurt that it is action packed, tense, and visually stunning. It doesn't help that one unnecessary scene seems to have been taken from The Fugitive but I'm more than willing to overlook that.
Watch Out For: Dollhouse. I tried to think of a low point of Firefly but I don't really have one. Which is the problem. Given Joss's amazing track record one may assume that his next attempt will also set off sparks but alas, Dollhouse proves that Whedon too is capable of erring.
Dead Like Me
Premise: George Lass dies and is chosen to become a Grim Reaper.
Suggested for: Fans of cynicism and humor and/or Six Feet Under.
Come for: Georgia Lass. Aside from providing some of the most amusing voice-over narration in recent memory, George's inability to understand herself or her world is immediately relatable. She's a smart girl. Smart enough to see how the world works and more keenly how it doesn't. As a result, it's very difficult for her to get enthused about things. When not spitting out sardonic dialogue, however, its easy to see George really WANTS to care. Whether she being touchingly nostalgic in the face of loss or hilariously sarcastic in the face of idiocy, you'll likely find yourself nodding along with George.
Stay for: Joy Lass. In this overwhelmingly underappreciated performance Cynthia Stevenson brings the perfect anger and vulnerability to George's ironically named mother. Running parallel to the story of George's afterlife is the gut-wrenching attempts of her mother and sister, Reggie, to come to terms with life after George. Stevenson quickly establishes her ability to play the shrill, nagging sitcom wife but takes on a whole new depth after George's death. Expertly written and wonderfully acting, the shows biggest emotional wallop comes from watching Joy and Reggie move on and struggles with the little fingerprints of George that linger in their lives.
Shining Moment: "A Cook" This episode manages to pack a solid story on the show's three main fronts. Reaper-life, with a quirky, amusing, and thoughtful look at one of head reaper Rube's assignments. Lass-life as it addresses Reggie's growing obsession with death and her inability to cope with loss. Millie-life, the third sphere the show often occupies is that of George's reaper alias Millie. As Millie, George works a tedious office job for her clearly crazy but ultimately sympathetic boss, Delores. This episode does a great job of showing off both those traits plus it features the introduction of Daisy, Daisy Adair.
Watch out for: The made for TV movie. It's bad. Just bad. Avoid.
Firefly
Suggested For: Anyone with a pulse. But especially people who like snappy dialogue, action films, or tense character drama.
Premise: I'm not telling. There are some specifics but the pilot will be better if you don't know them. I will say this: It's set in the future. Earth's been destroyed and humans have settled other planets/moons to various degrees. Some of modern metropolis while others are tiny prairie towns. The story follows lovable smuggler Mal and his crew.
Come For: The premise - Did I mention it's a space western?
Stay For: The characters - I have to say this was by far the most impressive aspect of the show. It's an ensemble show, but the writers manage to flesh out all the characters fairly. The pilot alone is a masterpiece with each and every character clearly working to their own personal end. Everyone of them has distinct goals and a personality that dictate their actions. End result genuine drama. No one is just the damsel in distress or just the love interest or just the adorable sidekick... well maybe Kaylee to some extent but she's so adorable you won't mind.
Shining Moment: "Ariel" It was a hard call between this episode and the pilot but "Ariel" edged out a win. If airtime was based on quality, the final scene of this episode alone would've been enough to guarantee the show a second season. It's the first time, since the pilot, that the differing motives of the ship's crew snap into sharp focus. It's the closest we get to the creepy 'Blue Hands,' and it's an important story episode for the season arc. It doesn't hurt that it is action packed, tense, and visually stunning. It doesn't help that one unnecessary scene seems to have been taken from The Fugitive but I'm more than willing to overlook that.
Watch Out For: Dollhouse. I tried to think of a low point of Firefly but I don't really have one. Which is the problem. Given Joss's amazing track record one may assume that his next attempt will also set off sparks but alas, Dollhouse proves that Whedon too is capable of erring.
Dead Like Me
Premise: George Lass dies and is chosen to become a Grim Reaper.
Suggested for: Fans of cynicism and humor and/or Six Feet Under.
Come for: Georgia Lass. Aside from providing some of the most amusing voice-over narration in recent memory, George's inability to understand herself or her world is immediately relatable. She's a smart girl. Smart enough to see how the world works and more keenly how it doesn't. As a result, it's very difficult for her to get enthused about things. When not spitting out sardonic dialogue, however, its easy to see George really WANTS to care. Whether she being touchingly nostalgic in the face of loss or hilariously sarcastic in the face of idiocy, you'll likely find yourself nodding along with George.
Stay for: Joy Lass. In this overwhelmingly underappreciated performance Cynthia Stevenson brings the perfect anger and vulnerability to George's ironically named mother. Running parallel to the story of George's afterlife is the gut-wrenching attempts of her mother and sister, Reggie, to come to terms with life after George. Stevenson quickly establishes her ability to play the shrill, nagging sitcom wife but takes on a whole new depth after George's death. Expertly written and wonderfully acting, the shows biggest emotional wallop comes from watching Joy and Reggie move on and struggles with the little fingerprints of George that linger in their lives.
Shining Moment: "A Cook" This episode manages to pack a solid story on the show's three main fronts. Reaper-life, with a quirky, amusing, and thoughtful look at one of head reaper Rube's assignments. Lass-life as it addresses Reggie's growing obsession with death and her inability to cope with loss. Millie-life, the third sphere the show often occupies is that of George's reaper alias Millie. As Millie, George works a tedious office job for her clearly crazy but ultimately sympathetic boss, Delores. This episode does a great job of showing off both those traits plus it features the introduction of Daisy, Daisy Adair.
Watch out for: The made for TV movie. It's bad. Just bad. Avoid.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
And Then There Was Blog
In the beginning man created the stories and the images. And the pictures were without movement, and colorless; and stillness was on the face of the images. And actors moved upon the stage breathing life into the stories. And people said, this is pretty cool we should find someway to capture these images and play them back. And then Muybridge figured out how to take a bunch of consecutive pictures of horses, the Lumiere brothers recorded a train and scared some French people, and some other stuff happened. I don’t remember the exact progression because professor Barron is INCREDIBLY boring, but moral of the story is in no time Charlie Chaplin was swinging his cane around and Buster Keaton was busy not reacting to things.
And then there were critics. And the critics saw film, that it was good and they made a firmament in the movies and divided the films that were below the standards of the firmament and those that were above the standards of the firmament. And the critics called the firmament The Academy Awards. And the critics had these things called credentials, which they got by studying the humanities, demonstrating their skills of comprehension, critical thinking, and rudimentary analysis. And the people trusted the critics, as these people didn’t have enough dimes to see just any movie they so desired.
And then there was TV. And the people no longer needed the dimes or the critics, because they could watch whatever the hell they wanted for one fixed rate. But the critics continued to think critically and to analyze and to publish their opinions for the people. But the people had begun to form their own opinions and at times found that they were quite different from that of the critics. And the people lost faith in the critics and watched “Home Improvement” anyway. And the critics wept. But the critics took solace in knowing that they were learned and were still alone in their ability to publish and disseminate their opinions.
And then there was blog, and the people soon found that there were many websites that discussed the movies and televisions. And there were unnecessarily detailed episodes recaps, and long winded critiques, and arbitrary lists of ‘best’ moments in cinema and television. And the people learned that they too could discuss the movies and televisions on a global scale by clicking the great ‘comment’ button. And soon the people grew restless with the character restrictions in the ‘comment’ section, and they realized that they too could blog even if they lacked the grammars. And as the people blogged with a lack of attention to spelling and commas they saw their opinions, that they were good. And if anyone mention to the people their lack of credentials or their incomplete knowledge of the history of the films and televisions the people would say ‘This is America! I have the right to my opinion!’ And this was somehow an acceptable answer. And the people young and old, learned and unlearned, angry and sarcastic took to the internets and spoke of the films and televisions with great importance and certainty. For they had the blogs.
And now so do I. So suck it, commas! You’ll just have to brace yourself for the wild unmanageable torrent of my quasi-informed opinions, temporary whims, and massive hyperbole. You see I plan on doing an incredibly amount of catching up on films and TV and know that I will feel compelled to talk about them. As a lifelong lover of media and the holder of a degree in the films and televisions, I do think I have some claim to pontificate and ramble on about such things but even if I didn’t I probably would anyway. I can’t promise this blog will be perfect but I can promise it will be my own. My take on (mostly) TV and film for anyone who dare read it, and as far as I’m concerned its a damn good take on them that with any luck is humorous, insightful, and entertaining.
And then there were critics. And the critics saw film, that it was good and they made a firmament in the movies and divided the films that were below the standards of the firmament and those that were above the standards of the firmament. And the critics called the firmament The Academy Awards. And the critics had these things called credentials, which they got by studying the humanities, demonstrating their skills of comprehension, critical thinking, and rudimentary analysis. And the people trusted the critics, as these people didn’t have enough dimes to see just any movie they so desired.
And then there was TV. And the people no longer needed the dimes or the critics, because they could watch whatever the hell they wanted for one fixed rate. But the critics continued to think critically and to analyze and to publish their opinions for the people. But the people had begun to form their own opinions and at times found that they were quite different from that of the critics. And the people lost faith in the critics and watched “Home Improvement” anyway. And the critics wept. But the critics took solace in knowing that they were learned and were still alone in their ability to publish and disseminate their opinions.
And then there was blog, and the people soon found that there were many websites that discussed the movies and televisions. And there were unnecessarily detailed episodes recaps, and long winded critiques, and arbitrary lists of ‘best’ moments in cinema and television. And the people learned that they too could discuss the movies and televisions on a global scale by clicking the great ‘comment’ button. And soon the people grew restless with the character restrictions in the ‘comment’ section, and they realized that they too could blog even if they lacked the grammars. And as the people blogged with a lack of attention to spelling and commas they saw their opinions, that they were good. And if anyone mention to the people their lack of credentials or their incomplete knowledge of the history of the films and televisions the people would say ‘This is America! I have the right to my opinion!’ And this was somehow an acceptable answer. And the people young and old, learned and unlearned, angry and sarcastic took to the internets and spoke of the films and televisions with great importance and certainty. For they had the blogs.
And now so do I. So suck it, commas! You’ll just have to brace yourself for the wild unmanageable torrent of my quasi-informed opinions, temporary whims, and massive hyperbole. You see I plan on doing an incredibly amount of catching up on films and TV and know that I will feel compelled to talk about them. As a lifelong lover of media and the holder of a degree in the films and televisions, I do think I have some claim to pontificate and ramble on about such things but even if I didn’t I probably would anyway. I can’t promise this blog will be perfect but I can promise it will be my own. My take on (mostly) TV and film for anyone who dare read it, and as far as I’m concerned its a damn good take on them that with any luck is humorous, insightful, and entertaining.
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