July 2010

Ellen DeGeneres bowed out as an 'American Idol' judge. She says she is too nice for the job, likes to encourage young talent, must not say things that maybe be hurtful or discouraging. So the lady judged herself as not being tough enough.

Rumor has it that Jennifer Lopez is in discussions with Fox TV to be Ellen's replacement. I wonder will J-Lo, if she takes the gig, be tough enough.

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Well, the new season of Mad Men has officially started, so this blog's content related to show will be double until the autumn. I'll still be approaching Season 1 on its own merits and it'd be great if those of you following along keep the Catching Up comments section a spoiler-free zone. With that said, let's dive into "Shoot".

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If I had to introduce someone who had no knowledge of the series to Firefly, "Out of Gas" is the episode I'd show them. It doesn't have any of the show's exciting action scenes and none of its science fiction components are particularly stunning. What the episode does have are excellent descriptions of each of the core characters, the adept balance of drama and comedy that makes the series compelling, as well as a fair amount of backstory about how most of the characters came to live on Serenity. Fox decided to air "Out of Gas" as the fifth episode in the series instead of as the eighth (which is where it is in the production order), not that it would have mattered. "Out of Gas" could have appeared just about anywhere in the series and it would have had the same impact. It tells the story of how a group of people got together and how far they're willing to go for one another's safety.

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A Sith-war reenactment leads Bender to a startling discovery - he was built without a backup unit, rendering him mortal. His death could occur anywhere from one second to a billion years from now, Professor Farnsworth warns. Incensed at his subpar production, Bender vows to track down the incompetent Inspector #5. His surprise companion on this quest is Hermes Conrad, determined (and boy, I do mean determined) to prove that not all bureaucrats (literally) melt into the background. There are a few surprises for everyone in store at the end of this "Lethal Inspection", the 6th episode of the 6th series of Futurama, and maybe the best installment of the revival yet.

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One of the all-time greatest American myths is that, in the 1960's, there was a cultural war between the hippies and the conformists. Who supposedly won that war depends on who's telling the story. Of course, as with all myths, this legend is a gross over-simplification of a much more nuanced truth. Though the people at the extremes of the conformity spectrum were at odds philosophically and behaviorally, the so-called war was fought privately in the minds of its participants and neither side really gave enough ground to be called the loser. Mad Men attempts to tell the story of this grand cultural shift with as much humanity and attention to detail as possible. Some of its figures are broadly drawn but ultimately the central players are as internally rich and conflicted as real people faced with the circumstances of that perceived war.

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For several weeks now I've been pushing the theory that The Good Guys has been suffering for Fox's decision to air its episodes out of the original production order. The ratings seem to reflect that, too. Last week's episode had the lowest ratings yet, which means that people who were tuning into the show for the first few episodes weren't too keen to return. It's not as if The Good Guys has a lot of competition this summer. I doubt there's much demographic overlap between it and The Bachelorette. The Good Guys isn't a perfect show and it isn't even as great as it could be but it's still a lot of fun. It really shouldn't be struggling as much as it is and I think a big part of the disconnect viewers are feeling is due to the network's decision to ignore the subtle arch of its character development. There isn't a lot of serialized plot on this show but there's enough to warrant attention for the production order. Case in point, "Hunches and Heists" genuinely feels like it's seven episodes into the series and I wouldn't want it anywhere else in the airing schedule.

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As a big Futurama fan, I have to admit I approached its return with considerable trepidation.  A lot of the time I think it's better for a show to end too early (Firefly) than to linger around and overstay its welcome (The X-Files). 

The first four episodes of the returning season basically only confirmed my opinion that they should have let Futurama RIP.  But the latest fifth episode has finally changed my mind.

Mind you, the first part of the episode hardly won me over.  In fact it had me thinking of the standard Simpsons episode configuration, wherein the entire first act is basically one long throw-away gag which only incidentally kicks the main plot into gear. 

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Despite the advice of Hesh Rabkin, Tony decides to get involved in the motel business - specifically, a dispute between owner Shlomo Teittleman and his son-in-law, Ariel. But Ariel proves a tougher kettle of (shell)fish than most of Tony's other business partners, and Tony finds himself thinking about paintings and Jackie Aprile, wasting away in a hospital bed. Meanwhile, Christopher is caught between a bullet and a hard place when Meadow approaches him for a favor, and Brendan does his best Moe Green impression. "Denial, Anger, Acceptance" is the third episode of the first season of The Sopranos, and while there's barely any acceptance, denial and anger are in abundant supply.

 

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5. You Empathize with People

On Chopped, when people explain why they’re on the show, or tell a bit about themselves, it’s one of my husband’s and my favorite parts. We pick our favorite that way and then root for him or her. On The Next Food Network Star, every time someone screws up or makes something you think will be brilliant but ends up sucking, you empathize with them. I don’t know how many of Tom’s dishes I had my fingers crossed for that just blew it!

4. They’re Something to Look Forward To

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I like stories with female protagonists because I find it interesting to sympathize with characters who are different from myself. Unfortunately, there aren't many male writers who take the time to actually write believable female characters. At best, most of them end up creating surreptitiously misogynistic representations of women based on their own misinterpretations of what they think modern women want to be. I call it Ally McBeal Syndrome. The symptoms of AMS is a female protagonist who pays lip service to strength and independence despite embodying every gender stereotype of the age. See, in the first episode of Ally McBeal, David E. Kelley's script has his titular protagonist just come out and say (in voiceover no less) that it sure is tough to be a smart, independent woman in a profession dominated by men. In its attempt to appeal to women, this moment does little more than patronize them. So, when USA decided to launch their girl-spy dramedy Covert Affairs I kept an eye open for the signs of AMS. It took all of 15 minutes to confirm the diagnosis.

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Tonight's episode of The Good Guys was supposed to air a month ago when we actually got "Broken Door Theory" and I suppose I can see why Fox decided to air it tonight instead. So far, "Broken Door Theory" is the weakest episode of the series, while "Small Rooms" was pretty entertaining, if not a little predictable for those who have been following the show from the start. A big part of tonight's episode hinged on viewers caring about Assistant D.A. Liz Traynor and appreciating her complicated relationship with Jack. While we can't really say that the way Jack and Liz interact has changed much since the pilot, there have been a few small developments in their currently off romance that the closing shot of "Small Rooms" makes a lot more sense at this point in the series than it would have three episodes in. Ostensibly the purpose of a network rearranging the order in which episodes are aired is to strategically appeal to viewers and make the story more accessible. This is disastrous for more serialized shows but it can do a real service to shows like The Good Guys that don't seem to have a firm grasp on their own strengths.

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The Octopus, Oracle Paul to retire. Such wisdom!

The Associated Press reports that with World Cup over Octopus Paul, who became a world renown oracle, is retiring from the swami business. Paul, a German -- rather a resident of the the Sea Life aquarium in Oberhausen, -- I 'm not sure if he has German citizenship. His handlers have not taken me into their confidence. I haven't seen his papers. He could be from outer space.

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Back in 2008, Daily Show alum Rob Corddry teamed up with a gaggle of seasoned comedy vets to create a web series called Childrens' Hospital. With David Wain as co-producer, Corddry created ten, 5-minute episodes of the show that soon caught the eye of his old bosses at Comedy Central. TV being the business that it is, CC eventually passed on Childrens' Hospital, leading Cartoon Network's Adult Swim branch to snatch the show up. Starting in August Adult Swim will be airing a collection of all new episodes produced specifically for the network. Between now and then they'll be airing the entire first season of Childrens' Hospital two episodes at a time on Sundays.

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Reminiscing (in tempo) leads to a spate of subtly related, almost lost to time ideas or past experiences. That’s almost what Blue in the Face, the kinda follow-up to Paul Auster’s Smoke, is comprised of.

Convincing Miramax to spring for a bit more film and the like, the cast assembled for Smoke, between takes, finds itself working to create a narrative snatched from bits of improvised scenes and guest appearances. It works sometimes. And sometimes it doesn’t. But for the most part, the performances aren’t too bad.

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First off, I’d like to note that it took me almost a year to wade through Amando de Ossorio’s Blind Dead movies. Why? Well, they’re kinda boring.

What’s interesting about the series, though, is the fact that the disparate films don’t have any connection to one another apart from the appearance of the slow moving Templars. Yeah, there’s ritual killing and all its trappings in each of these efforts, but no recurring characters, no references to earlier plots. Nothing. Of course, seeing as the films were all released within five years might have meant the filmmakers didn’t have too much time to belabor a proper narrative development.

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... === Dr's R/X ===

1.  Wilson is ahead of Greg Halman in line.  

He's not as gifted, but he is (much) older and is handling the strike zone better.  Kelly's litmus test of hard AB's when behind in the count is telling here.  Wilson is solid against tough pitching, in tough counts.

...

2.  The M's have seen enough of Milton Bradley to answer The Big Question.  ... he's not going to be part of their next pennantwinner.

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The ad men at Sterling Cooper don't have any idea how daunting a job they all have. As the men who make the faces of the companies they represent, they have to pretend they know about everything, especially things they've never even imagined. "Babylon" is an episode about all the things Don Draper and his coworkers don't understand and how they have to find a way to sell them anyway.

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Beasts of Burden HC- Collecting the four issue series plus all the short original stories from various Dark Horse anthologies, this is a great package for on $19.99. This oversized trim with luscious paintings by Jill Thompson is a great series and one of the few titles in the industry today that can perfectly balance dark humor, carefully somber storytelling, morbid mystery, and a supernatural flair tinted with funny animals. Evil toads, zombie dogs, an army of rats, and a human warlock are just a few of the threats sprinkled throughout the series as Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson build a fantastic world and fill it with interesting cats and dogs. A+

 

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Today is the day for the big announcement from LeBron James.

This is the summer time. The Congress is still out on the 4th of July recess, so there isn't a lot of Washington news. The Russian spies seemed not to have been all that effective as spies, so they have limited appeal, and there is a deal to send them home in a swap for one of our spies the Russian have, for the minnows our side caught of theirs. The weather in the East continues to be so darn unpleasant, but how many things can you say about the heat. BP is being BP, and people are tired of talking about BP and not cussing. And so what is left? Lindsay Lohan? LeBron is a better story. Why? Because the hype is better. The drama is better. No Sturm und Drang. And a whole big network, ESPN, is behind him. And he has a mystery going. Which NBA team will get his services?

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Today, the British dance pop group Duran Duran is synonymous with the sleek, fashion-obsessed music scene of the 1980's, but the band came very close to falling apart at its most crucial moment. The 1982 album Rio eventually went double platinum by the time it was reissued in America and grabbed the #1 spot in Australia, both major events that wouldn't have been possible without a real eye for innovation.

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The Everyothers

Pink Sticky Lies

(Kill Rock Stars, 2006)

Pink Sticky Lies is the follow up EP to this group’s full length debut from a few years back. The general pop consensus has not changed much in those years; indie is cool, looking shaggy is glamorous and copping attitudes from the 70’s is the best way to become a rock star. The Everyothers take all these cues and in each song repeat them with little or no variety. This is rock n’ roll, no doubt. But the vocals, courteously of Owen McCarthy seem frequently strained. He wants to be a crooner and while he can hit those notes, those notes don’t always seem to fit with the musical venue which the band provides. When the vocal quiver begins the overall quality of the song fails. Never have I degraded music for being overtly simplistic, but I do hold in higher esteem those songs that have unique aspects. And this EP glaringly omits variety and invention. Kill Rock Stars is generally well regarded in indie circles: they have helped to create a number of underground stars. But in the release of The Everyothers album, KRS has assisted what seem like deluded musicians reaching for glory in a confusing time warp of lackadaisical hippness.

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Dar! A Super Girly Top Secret Comic Diary Vol 1 & 2- One of the best reads I’ve picked up in a while, although I already read most of the content online anyway. It’s nice to just sit down with both volumes though and I really like to support Erika Moen, partly because she’s one of the nicest creators I’ve ever met. Dar is a fantastic autobiographical series that follows Erika over a six year length, starting when she was a 20 year old lesbian artist and follows her as she marries a boy from England and becomes a full time cartoonist. Great humor, honestly, art, and storytelling make this an awesome read and worth every penny. If you want to check out a sampler go over to the Dar! site where you can also order the book directly from Erika. A

 

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With Tarantino function only as a writer, it’s surprising that so many of his ideas were portrayed visually and not at all (or that’s how it seems at least) tampered with by Scott and his cohort.

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There’s a wide range of options Boondocks can take when approaching comedy. This third season has been ample proof of that. And while the first few episodes didn’t find themselves being universally lauded – which, perhaps, they should have been – the last few weeks has found Aaron McGruder more fully incorporating the totality of his characters into the show’s plot.

Mining pop culture from the past few decades has been a consistent strong point for the show and during “The Story of Lando Freeman” Boondocks, again, references familiar icons and turns them into comedy.

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Whenever Futurama was presented with finales in its past, it dealt with them exceedingly well: the first run of the series ended on a touching note with 2003's "The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings", and the straight-to-DVD Futurama: Into The Wild Green Yonder in wrapped things up on with a suitably epic bang in 2009. It took another year of contract negotiations, walkouts, uproars and salary increases, before Comedy Central landed 26 new episodes. A brief commentary of the bigger picture, as well as reviews of the first two episodes, can be found here, but I wanted to take a slightly more detailed look at the first regular episode of Futurama in seven years, the appropriately entitled "Rebirth".

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Porter Wagoner is a dark guy. He has songs dealing with killing as retribution and here, "The Rubber Room" deals with insanity. It's all unsettling, but in a listenable way.

In watching any of seventies’ exploitation or horror movie, viewers can’t really expect to get too much – for the most part. Examinations of actor’s performances seem ridiculous seeing as most of the folks taking part in these types of films were more hangers on than proper cinematic folks. The same can be said for the cinematography Halloween and the first installment of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre might represent exceptions to the rule. But beyond those efforts, a great deal of seventies’ b-movie work is interchangeable.

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Ever since the first episode of Mad Men, it's been apparent that Don Draper is such a good advertising executive because he's particularly adept at lying. He leads a double life with more ease than most people live a normal one and he can make anyone believe he's happy, angry, sorry or having any other emotion when really he's feeling something else entirely. In “5G” we get our first glimpse into how Don got to be such an exemplary fibber.

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