My travel schedule and competing demands for Thursday night television (damn you Fox for moving Bones to Thursdays resulted in a DVR full of shows I hadn't been able to attend to. Now that Burn Notice and The Closer have ended their seasons, I had an opportunity to do a few catch-up marathons. Here are some thoughts.
Kyle XY
I'm okay that this series has ended its run. I enjoyed it (a guilty pleasure, to be sure). I saw every episode. But this season seemed to reinforce the idea that the writers had run out of ideas. Instead of intrigue and action, we got teen angst that came across only as irritating and inauthentic.
A word on the last episode. Clearly it was designed to be a season cliffhanger rather than a series ender. But ABC Family might have given us a few more minutes of closure. If the show actually had a following, people would be screaming about the crappiest series finale ever.
Desperate Housewives
Marc Cherry has used some of the most creative ideas to revitalize this series. His trouble seems to be sustaining it over a season. This season remains lots of fun, but it's largely unmemorable. The death of Edie this week might revitalize once again and take us to an exciting season finish. I'm still recording on my DVR.
Grey's Anatomy
It just keeps getting worse and worse and worse. I couldn't take it, so it's all gone from the DVR, it's no longer recording, and I just couldn't take most of the cast any longer. The likables are minor and the dislikables rule. Buh Bye!
Law and Order
This has always been a DVR show for me. I like it, but I tend to watch it when nothing else is on. The cast shifts have been good, and the writing remains strong. The formula is a bit tired, but the election for DA has added a bit of sass to the proceedings. I'm still recording on my DVR
Saturday Night Live
The election episodes were amazing, and the January 10 episode with Neil Patrick Harris rates among the best ever. But SNL is definitely a show to record. You need to be able to skip through the endless commercials and the 50 percent of sketches that are unbearable to watch. But the one's that connect are terrific.
Ugly Betty
The best of the lot at the moment, Ugly Betty has simply gotten better and better. I was a quiet fan through the first couple of seasons, but the current season ranks as its best and one of the best on the air this year. I watched eight episodes in a row, and felt it hit a wrong note only once. The characters have evolved in ways completely consistent with their histories. Betty has a boyfriend who clicks (and who I hope stays for awhile). Occasionally, the show has given Justin his own episodes, and it's time to do that again. The guest stars (Bernadette Peters, Christine Baranski) fit perfectly. I'm glad to reconnect right as the show goes on extended hiatus, but I'll be there when it returns in a couple months. Must Watch TV!
And before I go, a word about Better of Ted. It will take me a few episodes to determine whether this is one of the most inspired shows since Wonderfalls or totally stupid. My initial reaction to the pilot, which I'm about to watch for the third time, is the former. Stay tuned.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Cindy's Bus Tour
Here's a quick video of my bus tour of Savannah last month. It's narrated by Cindy, our driver and a true Georgia woman with an amazing accent.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Watchmental
After seeing some of the violence and reading some of the reviews, I was hesitant to see Watchmen. I despised 300, so Zack Snyder wasn't a draw. I'm not a fanboy of Alan Moore's graphic novel. But hey, not much is opening until May and it's on the IMAX. If you're going to really appreciate the violence in a movie, it should be on a screen five stories high.
That said, although the film is fundamentally flawed, it has much to recommend. The 3 hours definitely feel like 3 hours, but this is due to a considerable amount of time devoted to the backstory of each of the Watchmen before the plot kicks into full gear. The art direction is stellar in its own right, and it does a fine job of referencing the style of the novel. The story is dark and compelling, a worthy adaptation.
The violence is, in fact, over the top. Like 300, the violence in Watchmen is mostly stylized. It is also gory and intense. And in all honesty, as much as I was dreading it, the violence largely works. Largely. Snyder is not above a little gratuitous violence.
The soundtrack was, for me, the films biggest misfire. Watchmen, for the two of you who don't know, is sent during Richard Nixon's fourth term in the mid-1980's. The cold war is at its peak, and superheroes are hardly tolerated. Watchmen creates an alternate reality, but Dylan and Simon and Garfunkle seem out of place. And the backstory on Dr. Manhattan, the one superhero with super powers, is accompanied by various moments from Philip Glass's score for Koyaanisqatsi.
Watchmen is not getting its just due from the critics, but judging from the sold-out show I attended and the huge lines as I left, people are showing up. Not everyone is liking it--it's hardly likable--but its leading to some great discussions about the nature of heroism, the darkness of our times, and humankind's salvation.
That said, although the film is fundamentally flawed, it has much to recommend. The 3 hours definitely feel like 3 hours, but this is due to a considerable amount of time devoted to the backstory of each of the Watchmen before the plot kicks into full gear. The art direction is stellar in its own right, and it does a fine job of referencing the style of the novel. The story is dark and compelling, a worthy adaptation.
The violence is, in fact, over the top. Like 300, the violence in Watchmen is mostly stylized. It is also gory and intense. And in all honesty, as much as I was dreading it, the violence largely works. Largely. Snyder is not above a little gratuitous violence.
The soundtrack was, for me, the films biggest misfire. Watchmen, for the two of you who don't know, is sent during Richard Nixon's fourth term in the mid-1980's. The cold war is at its peak, and superheroes are hardly tolerated. Watchmen creates an alternate reality, but Dylan and Simon and Garfunkle seem out of place. And the backstory on Dr. Manhattan, the one superhero with super powers, is accompanied by various moments from Philip Glass's score for Koyaanisqatsi.
Watchmen is not getting its just due from the critics, but judging from the sold-out show I attended and the huge lines as I left, people are showing up. Not everyone is liking it--it's hardly likable--but its leading to some great discussions about the nature of heroism, the darkness of our times, and humankind's salvation.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
The Presets
I've been learning about The Presets over the last year. "This Boy's in Love" is a fine song. But even more, The Presets are doing some fine work with video, and "If I Know You" is quite extraordinary.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The Detroit Airport
People often groan when I tell them that one of the few joys left of traveling is getting to spend time in the Detroit airport. Strange, I know, but I love the vast spaces the vaulted ceilings, the starkness, the awesome monorail. And as busy as it can be, it never seems congested. I was there on Sunday, and I decided to take a few photos to demonstrate what I mean.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Best of the Year: Music
Boy oh boy, I am definitely going to use up my street cred here, and my homies are gonna be none to happy. My top pick for album of the year in 2008 is:
Yep, that's right. In the old days I would have said that Panic at the Disco's Pretty.Odd. was in my cd changer all year long. Let's just say that in 2008 it had the heaviest rotation on my various music devices. This was the year that I discovered The Ting Tings and Vampire Weekend (more on them in a moment), both with great debut albums. Architecture in Helsinki and Of Montreal were also new discoveries for me, and new albums from Tracy Chapman, David Byrne and Brian Eno, and the ever-fabulous Grace Jones also rocked my world.
But Panic was there all along as new albums came and went during the year. Pretty.Odd. is a mature second album. It's not cutesy like their debut effort. In all honesty, I thought of Panic as a group with music potential that made interesting videos. The new album confirms that. The album incorporates a huge range of musical influences in very creative and meaningful ways. It's engaging from start to finish, with the first two singles actually among the weaker contributions.
"When the Day Met the Night" was easily the most played song on my iPod. "Northern Downpour" is also terrific. I liked it over the summer. Pretty.Odd. was, indeed, the soundtrack to my summer. But by fall, I was loving it.
And so, my friends, think of this as a questionable choice, but appreciate my integrity. And most of all, give Pretty.Odd. an openminded listen. It's a great album.
And now back to Vampire Weekend. Their album was the first one I purchased in 2008, and it was a stunning debut. The group was all over the place in their debut year. A Saturday Night Live appearance was terrific and later efforts "Ottoman" and "Everywhere" (yes, that Everywhere) were also fine.
The album is well-written, well-produced, engaging, intriguing, witty and good good fun. And if that's not enough, I'm guessing this is the first group to ever sing about the Oxford comma. Vampire Weekend is another album well worth your time and worthy of that slot right up there with Panic at the Disco.
Yep, that's right. In the old days I would have said that Panic at the Disco's Pretty.Odd. was in my cd changer all year long. Let's just say that in 2008 it had the heaviest rotation on my various music devices. This was the year that I discovered The Ting Tings and Vampire Weekend (more on them in a moment), both with great debut albums. Architecture in Helsinki and Of Montreal were also new discoveries for me, and new albums from Tracy Chapman, David Byrne and Brian Eno, and the ever-fabulous Grace Jones also rocked my world.
But Panic was there all along as new albums came and went during the year. Pretty.Odd. is a mature second album. It's not cutesy like their debut effort. In all honesty, I thought of Panic as a group with music potential that made interesting videos. The new album confirms that. The album incorporates a huge range of musical influences in very creative and meaningful ways. It's engaging from start to finish, with the first two singles actually among the weaker contributions.
"When the Day Met the Night" was easily the most played song on my iPod. "Northern Downpour" is also terrific. I liked it over the summer. Pretty.Odd. was, indeed, the soundtrack to my summer. But by fall, I was loving it.
And so, my friends, think of this as a questionable choice, but appreciate my integrity. And most of all, give Pretty.Odd. an openminded listen. It's a great album.
And now back to Vampire Weekend. Their album was the first one I purchased in 2008, and it was a stunning debut. The group was all over the place in their debut year. A Saturday Night Live appearance was terrific and later efforts "Ottoman" and "Everywhere" (yes, that Everywhere) were also fine.
The album is well-written, well-produced, engaging, intriguing, witty and good good fun. And if that's not enough, I'm guessing this is the first group to ever sing about the Oxford comma. Vampire Weekend is another album well worth your time and worthy of that slot right up there with Panic at the Disco.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Best of the Year: TV
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know this was my pick last year. Both as a cancellation prize and a nod to the fact that Pushing Daisies was even better this year, it's my pick again. DVR be damned, it was the only television program I scheduled around. Bryan Fuller created a vibrant, colorful, quirky world populated with wonderful characters and engaging stories.
The cast of Pushing Daisies brings such warmth and depth to their characters. Lee Pace and Anna Friel continued to do standout work. And Kristen Chenoweth, who tended to annoy me at times last season (though I've always been hopelessly devoted to her), became the most compelling character at the Pie Hole. I will miss this show after its final three episodes air later this month. It shows the heights to which network television can soar.
But wait there's more....
In this year of extraordinary politics, we can forget the terrific work of MSNBC and particularly Rachel Maddow. Maddow was fantastic as a frequent guest and sub for Keith Olberman, but she came into her own as the host of the The Rachel Maddow Show. She is thoughtful, pointed and so, so bright.
But wait there's even more....
The Closer was very strong this year, as was Season 2 of Torchwood. Among the late arrivals, Fringe has been good, but I'm expecting more. Leverage has caught my interest, as well.
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