I whole-heartedly recommended "Harry's Law" last week. I still recommend it, but my recommendation this week is closer to half-hearted. The episode this week was great- humorous, serious, sweet, genuine, and mostly compelling, until her dang closing argument at the end of the hour. I'm not sure I can watch every week if there are always going to be liberal-agenda laced closing arguments from her character.
Harry's trial this week featured an 80-something-year old woman who held up a liquor store with a loaded gun to steal money because she was starving. Her son, who lived many states away, had lost his job and been unable to send her money, and her Social Security just wasn't enough or something like that. Okay. So, she's in court because she held up a shop with a loaded weapon. In Harriet's closing argument she built up the sad story of the woman's situation- okay, fine, so far so good, but then she had to throw in that' the jury can't do anything worse to her than what the government has already done to her.' (I'm paraphrasing.) I did a mental double-take. Whaaa? The government? Wait, wait, wait, I thought. What about welfare? Food stamps? Food banks? Medicare? The government actually DOES have programs in place to assist the elderly (and others) who don't have enough money for food or medical care (before the Obama administration's healthcare bill, there were already multiple programs provided by the government, both local and federal, but that's beside the point)... the point is that I think the writers of this show are pouring in all their personal, emotional agenda items into this character's monologues, and that's great, fine, dandy, but I don't want to hear it. Personal politics? I feel like the character should have been taken care of by her SON! He should have said, "Mom, come out here. Live with me, we'll figure things out. Oh, and you can bring your gun."
NOTHING in life is as cut-and-dry as the story lines on TV, including people in the sort of situation like this old lady found herself. Um, another point, where did she get the big gun? And money for ammo? It would make it so much more real to have Harry talking to the lady about what she's going to do if she's not convicted-- how is she going to eat now? Can I help you get signed up for Medicare? Can I direct you to services like food stamps? HELLO!? None of that happened.
I'm not a big fan of everything government-related; I find politics frustrating and annoying, and I would not even begin to imply that they are doing things well or right or what's best for the country all the time, and I don't mind TV characters impugning what's wrong, but to make blanket, general statements about the Bush administration or the Republicans is just useless and (to use the popular term) polarizing. Which makes me want to turn off the show.
I will give "Harry's Law" another chance, next week. But if the trend continues I will perhaps begin watching all but the last 6 or 7 minutes... or just turn the volume down when she does her closing... we'll see...
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Sweetness, Pie, England, and mystery...
I found a great little mystery during my weekly volunteer hours at my local library, called "The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie". It's a quirky, decidedly British story, set in England in about 1952. The heroine who tells the story, as well as solves the mystery, is the precocious, irresistible 11-year old Flavia DeLuce. She is entertaining, intelligent, enchanting, and has a humourous mad-scientist flair, due to her love of all things chemical and her obsession with poisons. She is witty and clever, and takes the reader through the story as only an 11-year-old girl can do.
Flavia lives in an old mansion, on a large estate called Buckshaw, with her two older sisters, Ophelia and Daphne, and her widower father, who is an enthusiastic philatelist (stamp collector). Her sisters are appropriately spiteful, cruel and nasty. The housekeeper is an almost stereo-typically wide-eyed gossip, flighty and chatty. I love the gardener, Dogger,- he's retired from the military and his mind isn't quite right since the war. He is sweet and cares for Flavia when it seems like no one else does.
I learned a lot about stamps, poisons, chemistry, and England reading this book, but not in the boring, read-and-learn format you get at school. I did have to look up multiple terms and cultural references that I, having never lived in England (much less in the early 50's), was totally unfamiliar with. I returned the book to the library before writing this, so I can't site any, but the book is rich with references that make the reader feel as though he is sitting down to tea in the English countryside.
What surprised me most about this book was that I didn't really look at the title page or the text on the cover (which is unusual, I admit), and I assumed it was written by a woman. Normally, I prefer male writers, so I was all kinds of excited about having found a book I liked by a woman. But then I read the dust jacket at the end of the book. It was written by an old man! Ha! What a great writer! When I grow up, I want to write just like him. His use of metaphors and the intertwining of details throughout the book are masterful. I am so surprised that this is his first novel. Welcome to my list of authors I love, Alan Bradley.
Quotes from Flavia that I just love:
"As I stood outside in Cow Lane, it occurred to me that Heaven must be a place where the library is open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. No ... eight days a week."
"A peculiar feeling passed over me--or, rather, through me, as if I were an umbrella remembering what it felt like to pop open in the rain. "
Flavia lives in an old mansion, on a large estate called Buckshaw, with her two older sisters, Ophelia and Daphne, and her widower father, who is an enthusiastic philatelist (stamp collector). Her sisters are appropriately spiteful, cruel and nasty. The housekeeper is an almost stereo-typically wide-eyed gossip, flighty and chatty. I love the gardener, Dogger,- he's retired from the military and his mind isn't quite right since the war. He is sweet and cares for Flavia when it seems like no one else does.
I learned a lot about stamps, poisons, chemistry, and England reading this book, but not in the boring, read-and-learn format you get at school. I did have to look up multiple terms and cultural references that I, having never lived in England (much less in the early 50's), was totally unfamiliar with. I returned the book to the library before writing this, so I can't site any, but the book is rich with references that make the reader feel as though he is sitting down to tea in the English countryside.
What surprised me most about this book was that I didn't really look at the title page or the text on the cover (which is unusual, I admit), and I assumed it was written by a woman. Normally, I prefer male writers, so I was all kinds of excited about having found a book I liked by a woman. But then I read the dust jacket at the end of the book. It was written by an old man! Ha! What a great writer! When I grow up, I want to write just like him. His use of metaphors and the intertwining of details throughout the book are masterful. I am so surprised that this is his first novel. Welcome to my list of authors I love, Alan Bradley.
Quotes from Flavia that I just love:
"As I stood outside in Cow Lane, it occurred to me that Heaven must be a place where the library is open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. No ... eight days a week."
"A peculiar feeling passed over me--or, rather, through me, as if I were an umbrella remembering what it felt like to pop open in the rain. "
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Why I love the British
Okay, I have decided to forgive the Brits for only making three episodes of "Sherlock" so far.
I will give you two reasons why:
Martin Freeman. Okay, he doesn't have those hunky, traditional, melt-the-butter good looks that so many other actors have, but there's a certain... je ne sais quoi going on with him. He's a real guy. A real guy, who is funny, cute, and very good at understated, subtle wit. I enjoyed him on the British "Office"-- he was the one really compelling reason to keep watching the series. He was so cute in "A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", too-- perfectly cast. And, if you've read my other post involving him, you know I think he's perfectly cast as Watson on "Sherlock". I am intrigued to see him as a Hobbit. Should be... fascinating.
James McAvoy. I can't stop looking at this picture. Holy cow. After I discovered him in "Becoming Jane", I couldn't get enough. There is no man in Hollywood or anywhere who is better at a kissing scene- especially a tense, heart-wrenching kind of kiss. He makes women weak in the knees...
Besides the kissing, he is an incredible talent, who steals every scene he's in-- you just can't take your eyes off him! He's intriguing onscreen-- he seems to buzz with energy, intensity and life. And that accent... aaahhhh, we American girls do love the accents. Technically, James is a Scot, so I don't know if that should be differentiated from the Brits, but it's my blog and he's my favorite, so... there. Plus the man could pull of any nationality-- he's that good.
There are many, many other great British actors, but these are my current favorites, for whom I will be keeping a weather eye on the cinematic horizon... so to speak.
I will give you two reasons why:
James McAvoy. I can't stop looking at this picture. Holy cow. After I discovered him in "Becoming Jane", I couldn't get enough. There is no man in Hollywood or anywhere who is better at a kissing scene- especially a tense, heart-wrenching kind of kiss. He makes women weak in the knees...
Besides the kissing, he is an incredible talent, who steals every scene he's in-- you just can't take your eyes off him! He's intriguing onscreen-- he seems to buzz with energy, intensity and life. And that accent... aaahhhh, we American girls do love the accents. Technically, James is a Scot, so I don't know if that should be differentiated from the Brits, but it's my blog and he's my favorite, so... there. Plus the man could pull of any nationality-- he's that good.
There are many, many other great British actors, but these are my current favorites, for whom I will be keeping a weather eye on the cinematic horizon... so to speak.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
The Return of David E. Kelley
A long time ago (in a galaxy far, far away... okay, sorry), my hubby and I really got into the show "The Practice". It was smart, it was dramatic, but witty, and we looked forward to it every week. Until the inevitable downward slide, and I don't even remember anything about what caused us to lose interest, but we did and not long after, it was canceled, which means that we weren't the only formerly loyal viewers to lose interest.
On a side note, this was the first show I personally ever watched that involved lawyers who dressed like high-class call girls. How many REAL lawyers show that much leg and cleavage in the courtroom, I ask you... seriously. Don't we women want to be treated professionally and NOT be ogled? But I digress.
Then came Ally McBeal. My husband couldn't stand it, and I didn't care enough to watch it alone. I do believe David E. Kelley has had other shows (law shows and maybe others? I could do some research, but I'm just not that interested.) since then, but they've flown right under my TV-antenna radar, and I haven't watched any of them. Until now.
(Note the even higher hemlines... maybe a topic for another blog entry??)
On Monday night, "Harry's Law" premiered, and we actually sat down and watched it (which is unprecedented, as we hardly ever actually watch anything live anymore-- since we got rid of our DVR, I've had to catch up on HULU or other internet sources to keep up on my shows!).
I should preface my thoughts by saying that I really like Kathy Bates. I think she's talented, funny, and was simply PERFECT as the cranky, sassy boss on recent episodes of "The Office". She is likewise perfectly cast as Harriet "Harry" Korn, who is spunky, quirky and real. I was also very pleased with Brittany Snow, whom I haven't seen since "Hairspray", Nate Corddry and Aml Ameen, who bring the perfect balance to Harry's crusty facade. I didn't make any of those names up, so my spellcheck can just bug off, please. I'm not familiar with Corddry or Ameen, but I found them entertaining, engaging and, frankly, adorable. I am really looking forward to the next episodes to see where the writers go with these characters.
I must say how glad I am that everyone kept all their clothes on (and were considerably modest, as well!) in the first episode. It IS possible to have a great cast, a great show, and compelling stories without so much flesh. So far, so good...
My only complaint was that Bates seems to be limping or maybe gimping along as she walked down the street in a couple of scenes. I wasn't sure if she was supposed to be in pain from the two emergency-room visit-causing accidents she'd had earlier, or if it's just the way that Bates walks. Either way, it was distracting and I would recommend that the cameras not film her walking again. At least, not a shot of her whole body... sorry, Kathy, but it's true.
Oh, and also the annoyingly predictable anti-conservative comment thrown in during one of Kathy's monologues. I realize it sounds silly, but is everyone in Hollywood trying to indoctrinate people, in the hopes that the entire country will become liberal or something? Come on! I have noticed such agenda-laden dialogue on other shows from time to time (and I don't really watch THAT much TV), such as Law and Order SVU. I just want to be entertained, not indoctrinated, people. Gah...
But I digress again. After episode I, I would recommend "Harry's Law". I don't feel I wasted that hour. :)
Then came Ally McBeal. My husband couldn't stand it, and I didn't care enough to watch it alone. I do believe David E. Kelley has had other shows (law shows and maybe others? I could do some research, but I'm just not that interested.) since then, but they've flown right under my TV-antenna radar, and I haven't watched any of them. Until now.
On Monday night, "Harry's Law" premiered, and we actually sat down and watched it (which is unprecedented, as we hardly ever actually watch anything live anymore-- since we got rid of our DVR, I've had to catch up on HULU or other internet sources to keep up on my shows!).
I should preface my thoughts by saying that I really like Kathy Bates. I think she's talented, funny, and was simply PERFECT as the cranky, sassy boss on recent episodes of "The Office". She is likewise perfectly cast as Harriet "Harry" Korn, who is spunky, quirky and real. I was also very pleased with Brittany Snow, whom I haven't seen since "Hairspray", Nate Corddry and Aml Ameen, who bring the perfect balance to Harry's crusty facade. I didn't make any of those names up, so my spellcheck can just bug off, please. I'm not familiar with Corddry or Ameen, but I found them entertaining, engaging and, frankly, adorable. I am really looking forward to the next episodes to see where the writers go with these characters.
My only complaint was that Bates seems to be limping or maybe gimping along as she walked down the street in a couple of scenes. I wasn't sure if she was supposed to be in pain from the two emergency-room visit-causing accidents she'd had earlier, or if it's just the way that Bates walks. Either way, it was distracting and I would recommend that the cameras not film her walking again. At least, not a shot of her whole body... sorry, Kathy, but it's true.
Oh, and also the annoyingly predictable anti-conservative comment thrown in during one of Kathy's monologues. I realize it sounds silly, but is everyone in Hollywood trying to indoctrinate people, in the hopes that the entire country will become liberal or something? Come on! I have noticed such agenda-laden dialogue on other shows from time to time (and I don't really watch THAT much TV), such as Law and Order SVU. I just want to be entertained, not indoctrinated, people. Gah...
But I digress again. After episode I, I would recommend "Harry's Law". I don't feel I wasted that hour. :)
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Pilot Episode of "The Cape"
I like a good superhero show as much as the next geek. So I thought I'd give NBC's "The Cape" a look. A look is all it deserves. You can read a synopsis online somewhere, but this is the jist: Good cop gets set up by his BFF and BFF's evil boss, who also happens to be in charge of the city. Everyone thinks he dies in big explosion. He didn't. Good cop gets kidnapped by criminal circus. Which was the coolest thing on the show-- these circus performers who go about robbing banks and such, using their abilities as performers in the process. Good cop trades his life (which they threaten to rid him of) for help with a couple of big bank jobs. Then he develops into a vengeful dark-caped, flappy, flashy crime-fighter. Trouble ensues.
The pilot is 2 hours long, and there is a lot of repetitive dialogue. I'm guessing this is because the writers suspected (wisely) that viewers would fall asleep or take a long bathroom break and forget the basic premise. As stated by The Cape, and I'm paraphrasing due to my sad lack of DVR at the moment, but he says, "He took my name, my family, my home. And I want them all back!" This (or something close to this) was said more than halfway through the show. Yeah... we know. You told us about 5 times already, dude.
There are some serious rip-off elements at work here. Here they are:
Batman: dark city, ruled by evil man with unusually evil tendencies running an organization called "Arc". There are poisons involved, a corrupt police force, and one honest politician (named Patrick Portman and played by the very good Richard Schiff) that the Cape talks to from the shadows to convince him to help stand up to King Bad Guy (Peter Fleming), who wants control of the prisons. Uses phrase "You're not alone" to convince Portman to stand strong and be helpful.
Spiderman: The Cape uses his cape to snatch and toss or pull items, bad guys, not unlike Spidey's web.
Iron Man: So King Bad Guy (Fleming) has this amazing computer that opens up a 3-D screen that pops images in the air for him to manipulate and spin magically around above him. Yeah. Seen it.
There are probably other references, but unfortunately, my comic book knowledge is limited to recent-ish films. I don't do a lot of actual comic reading.
The one redeeming factor in this show is that they cast the cute young actress from the late, lamented TV show "Firefly" and the film "Serenity", Summer Glau, as the Cape's computer and tech-savvy assistant. She goes by the pseudonym "Orwell". She's attractive, smart, brave, and helps save lives. Too bad the show isn't about her character...
The music is cheesy, his costume is funny (not intentionally-- my husband says it looks Robin Hood-esque. But it's black...), and the bad guy has blue cat-eyes sometimes. Gah. In spite of all this, I doubt I'll be back for another episode.
My son just walked in during the last 30 seconds of the show and said, "Is this Batman? It looks like Batman" as the closing music and black cityscape pans out...
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Duhhhh...
I'm increasingly concerned about the systematic media-centered dumbing down of Americans. I don't think it's a conspiracy, nor that it's particularly deliberate (though, now that I think of it... hmm...) BUT it is happening.
Now, whether you agree with me may depend on how you define "dumb". In this category, I include not only that which is painful to watch, but also those shows or movies that are poorly written, with nothing clever or intelligent in the dialogue or story, and those that are painfully poorly acted. It takes a Grand Canyon-sized void of talent to create some of this stuff.
I humbly submit exhibit A. The worst in children's television programming. In no particular order, (who can choose a worst from this list???): 10 shows for turning your naturally bright children into drooling, buck-toothed idiots, capable only of comprehending wit-free humor, or basic 3-Stooges slapstick (or, more appropriately, smackstick.):
1. Barney. The dinosaur. You love him, he loves you, you know the story. It's a feel-good show for kids who can't walk, and thus can't get away. Watch a few minutes and you will feel your brain trying to escape through your ears...
Now, I'm all for kids learning to love themselves and I'm an even bigger supporter of kids learning music and especially life lessons set to music, but this is just mind-numbingly painful and fake. The kids, cute as they are, aren't actors. They're just everyday kids, reciting lines with melodramatic sincerity, wide eyes and nodding heads.
2. Yo Gabba Gabba. Tell me what is the redeeming value of this drivel. I came away from watching this feeling very sorry for the actors. Were I a casting director, I would put their names on the never hire list. And I wouldn't ever invite them to a party. In my tummy.
Wow. They aren't even trying with that flip-his-lips-over trick. But I guess he does rock the striped spaghetti arms and Bert unibrow.
3. Boohbah. Which I really thought was "Poobah" until looking for a clip for this blog. Ugh. I think this needs no explanation. Especially since there are no words to describe this:
Speechless, right? Well, if I could have found a clip from within an episode, your mind would be blown. Don't thank me, it's all in a day's work.
4. No list of this kind would be complete without the incomparable Teletubbies. Seriously, what's with that baby-face sun? Is that their God?? I understand that perhaps you are looking for a gentle, soft and tender show for your infant to watch on TV, but maybe your infant shouldn't be watching TV in the first place!
I can imagine the pitch meeting at which they decided to make this show.
Pitchman: "It'll have four chubby, flannel-covered beasts with Kewpie-doll faces and fake TV screens on their bellies, which will occasionally show clips of real children playing. There will be a giant, squealing sun with the face of a baby, and a goofy vacuum cleaner that moves around their hobbit-inspired home in the ground... they'll sing, they'll dance, they'll hold hands, they'll giggle and mispronounce words. Oh, and the big purple one will carry a purse."
TV Exec: "Genius!"
5. Thomas the Tank Engine. The one time my son watched this show, we both fell asleep. I can't even fathom why it is so popular. Not a hobo in sight.
So... I couldn't find a video for Thomas. Okay, okay, I got sick of looking after about 3 minutes. Even searching for Thomas on the internet is dull.
6. Power Rangers. There have been many incarnations of the Power Rangers. This is the best clip on the internet:
I think you see my point.
Okay, all kidding aside (this is serious business, after all), the Power Rangers was a TV show that involved horrendously fake special effects, terrible acting and the least-frightening TV monsters of all time. As evidenced here in an epic battle between the "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" and an unidentified evil robot wolf-thing. I swear, it's like the writers were on drugs. Or 6th graders.
There are others. I was going to make this a list of 10, but I've given up. I don't feel so well after watching these clips. I left off Pokemon, though I should have included it... and the more modern "Hannah Montana" and "I Carly" and "Drake & Josh" shows make me want to pull my hair out. They are asinine-- do we really want a whole generation of doctors, teachers, political leaders and community members who grew up watching "Drake & Josh"???? Ick. It's just brainless goo.
What do you think are the worst TV shows for kids-- that most kids watch? Do you agree (in jest or seriously) that this is a systematic dumbing-down of our country, or do you think it's no worse than the entertainment that children had before TV? Which was... what... radio shows? Fighting with the neighbor boy? Banging rocks together?
Now, whether you agree with me may depend on how you define "dumb". In this category, I include not only that which is painful to watch, but also those shows or movies that are poorly written, with nothing clever or intelligent in the dialogue or story, and those that are painfully poorly acted. It takes a Grand Canyon-sized void of talent to create some of this stuff.
I humbly submit exhibit A. The worst in children's television programming. In no particular order, (who can choose a worst from this list???): 10 shows for turning your naturally bright children into drooling, buck-toothed idiots, capable only of comprehending wit-free humor, or basic 3-Stooges slapstick (or, more appropriately, smackstick.):
1. Barney. The dinosaur. You love him, he loves you, you know the story. It's a feel-good show for kids who can't walk, and thus can't get away. Watch a few minutes and you will feel your brain trying to escape through your ears...
Now, I'm all for kids learning to love themselves and I'm an even bigger supporter of kids learning music and especially life lessons set to music, but this is just mind-numbingly painful and fake. The kids, cute as they are, aren't actors. They're just everyday kids, reciting lines with melodramatic sincerity, wide eyes and nodding heads.
2. Yo Gabba Gabba. Tell me what is the redeeming value of this drivel. I came away from watching this feeling very sorry for the actors. Were I a casting director, I would put their names on the never hire list. And I wouldn't ever invite them to a party. In my tummy.
Wow. They aren't even trying with that flip-his-lips-over trick. But I guess he does rock the striped spaghetti arms and Bert unibrow.
3. Boohbah. Which I really thought was "Poobah" until looking for a clip for this blog. Ugh. I think this needs no explanation. Especially since there are no words to describe this:
Speechless, right? Well, if I could have found a clip from within an episode, your mind would be blown. Don't thank me, it's all in a day's work.
4. No list of this kind would be complete without the incomparable Teletubbies. Seriously, what's with that baby-face sun? Is that their God?? I understand that perhaps you are looking for a gentle, soft and tender show for your infant to watch on TV, but maybe your infant shouldn't be watching TV in the first place!
I can imagine the pitch meeting at which they decided to make this show.
Pitchman: "It'll have four chubby, flannel-covered beasts with Kewpie-doll faces and fake TV screens on their bellies, which will occasionally show clips of real children playing. There will be a giant, squealing sun with the face of a baby, and a goofy vacuum cleaner that moves around their hobbit-inspired home in the ground... they'll sing, they'll dance, they'll hold hands, they'll giggle and mispronounce words. Oh, and the big purple one will carry a purse."
TV Exec: "Genius!"
5. Thomas the Tank Engine. The one time my son watched this show, we both fell asleep. I can't even fathom why it is so popular. Not a hobo in sight.
6. Power Rangers. There have been many incarnations of the Power Rangers. This is the best clip on the internet:
I think you see my point.
Okay, all kidding aside (this is serious business, after all), the Power Rangers was a TV show that involved horrendously fake special effects, terrible acting and the least-frightening TV monsters of all time. As evidenced here in an epic battle between the "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" and an unidentified evil robot wolf-thing. I swear, it's like the writers were on drugs. Or 6th graders.
There are others. I was going to make this a list of 10, but I've given up. I don't feel so well after watching these clips. I left off Pokemon, though I should have included it... and the more modern "Hannah Montana" and "I Carly" and "Drake & Josh" shows make me want to pull my hair out. They are asinine-- do we really want a whole generation of doctors, teachers, political leaders and community members who grew up watching "Drake & Josh"???? Ick. It's just brainless goo.
What do you think are the worst TV shows for kids-- that most kids watch? Do you agree (in jest or seriously) that this is a systematic dumbing-down of our country, or do you think it's no worse than the entertainment that children had before TV? Which was... what... radio shows? Fighting with the neighbor boy? Banging rocks together?
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