pop culture depot

Dead Already

2011-12-03T15:36:00.000-08:00

It's been a long, long, long time, but I'm interested in sharpening my blogging skills, so back to Pop Culture Depot I go!

Everyone by now has heard the critical acclaim for AMC's "The Walking Dead." And while I have to give kudos to them for their dramatic, earnest approach to zombies that remains irony-free and kitsch-free, it often feels a little cold and lifeless (pun intended). But this week's Fall finale (how crazy is it, by the way, that so many shows have mid-season finales anymore?) ended in five minutes of top notch, not-to-be-missed television as the season's main story arcs came to a head in a core-shaking confrontation. I don't want to give anything away, but the last scene is such a fitting resolution that even though you should see it coming, you totally don't.

Unlike last week's "Dexter" reveal, which was ruined by Internet speculation that turned out to be disappointingly spot on. Since nearly the first episode of the current season, online reviewers have have been wondering if Edward James Olmos's Professor Gellar was, in fact, actually there at all. Turns out Colin Hanks's Travis has been hallucinating him all along. And if you've been watching these past few weeks with that idea planted in your head, you've noticed how no one but Travis ever interacted with Gellar, or saw Gellar, etc. At least the "is he real?" tension is finally over. But in a season that, to date, I've really enjoyed so far as it plumbed themes of light and darkness, I have to say I feel cheated out of what would've otherwise been a fantastic twist, as in Psycho or Fight Club.

On a lighter note, NBC's "Community" is having its best season so far, as it approaches "Arrested Development" levels of wit and cleverness. So it's probably no surprise that, like "Arrested Development," it's unlikely to go beyond a third season. The show is simply too smart for its own good, as evidenced by NBC taking it off the midseason schedule. While nothing is set in stone re: cancellation, this is definitely a bad sign. Which is unfortunate, because they've been knocking it out of the park so far this Fall, with episodes like "Remedial Chaos Theory," in which six alternate realities are explored following the roll of a die (seven, if you count the one where Abed calls Jeff out on his ploy to avoid getting the pizza). And I couldn't stop laughing out loud until this week's anime foosball sequence was over.

Finally, "Fringe" remains one of my must-see shows, although I don't feel like it's been delivering the originality of season three so far this Fall...with one notable exception: "And Those We've Left Behind." That week's exploration of time displacement was imaginative and just plain fun. Unfortunately, "Fringe" is on hiatus again already and doesn't return till mid January. Here's hoping the second half of the season has lots of twists and surprises in store.

2009-11-22T23:06:00.000-08:00

I'm pretty sure no one is going to read this--I think the existence of this blog is now just a slightly better kept secret than the Colonel's recipe of 11 herbs and spices. But so much goodness in TV land of late is compelling me to update.

First, who doesn't love "Glee"? Yeah, they set the bar pretty high in the pilot and have yet to do an episode that's as consistently funny, clever, and charming since then...with the possible exception of this week's episode, "Ballad." The opening scene is simply must-see. Mr. Shu and Rachel perform "Endless Love", over which the hilarious inner monologues of several characters are voiced, not the least of which is Will's own thoughts as he realizes singing this duet with a student was a very, very, very bad idea, as if his ludicrous facial reactions don't convey that already. Bonus points for including "Don't Stand So Close to Me" in a mash-up.

Meanwhile, this week's "Dexter" had more bombshells than an army weapons cache. Dexter's game of cat-and-mouse with Trinity killer Arthur Mitchell gets amped up to 11 when we see, via a Thanksgiving dinner drop-in, how dysfunctional the Mitchells are under their perfect facade, and just how monstrous Trinity is, even in his home life. Then Dexter tips his hand in an eye-popping moment in the kitchen with a butcher knife and a menacing threat, witnessed by the whole Mitchell clan. Not to mention the surprising connection between Trinity, the hot newspaper reporter, and Agent Lundy's real killer.

Last week was AMC's mini-series remake of the 1960s cult classic TV show "The Prisoner." While the reviews I read beforehand were overwhelmingly negative, I thought this re-imagining was more-or-less faithful to the spirit and trappings of the original, albeit with some artistic license taken to make it fit a modern ("Lost" era) interpretation and give it a satisfying conclusion (which the series lacked, mind you). I have to say I enjoyed it.

Since I last updated, Fox officially announced that "Dollhouse" is ending after the 13 episodes ordered for season two finish airing (beginning in December with weekly "double features", intended no doubt to burn through them as quickly as possible). I know I've spoken highly of this show here and in other places. Although I've rooted strongly for it and talked it up as best I can, I think this is the inevitable conclusion. While on paper (and occasionally in practice) it was a phenomenal show, it suffered from an over-reliance on a star who was ultimately incapable of carrying it, Fox's inability to market sci-fi period, the most undesirable of timeslots, and the waffling between procedural and serial which succeeded in alienating fans of both formats. I really did want to see where the overarching story was going, but there was just too much filler and too much getting jerked around by Fox that I have to confess to a degree of relief that it's over.

Speaking of things that are over, I'm just now for the first time watching Aaron Sorkin's "The West Wing" on DVD. It's fantastic! I can't believe I deprived myself of watching this when it was originally on simply because real-world politics left such a bad taste in my mouth. I was late to the table for "Sports Night" too, not being very interested in sports. But these are both simply wonderful shows that really convey warmth, dignity, humility, and the human condition, interjected with a great deal of wit and an insider's look at a fascinating profession. I'm working on season two at the moment and I just can't seem to get enough.

epitaph one

2009-08-09T23:26:00.000-07:00

This blog certainly feels like it should be eulogized already, but someone actually read it the other day and asked for more. Since I've got some time on my hands these days, I figured why not update for old times' sake? So again I manage a loose double meaning for the title of this post, which refers more to the "Dollhouse" episode of the same name than a tombstone engraving for the ol' Pop Culture Depot.

And how about "Dollhouse", anyway? When I last wrote, this was one of my highest anticipated shows for the new TV season. After some initial disappointment as Joss Whedon and Fox worked to find middle ground, the show hit its stride halfway through its half-season run. Whedon, master of the longview story arc, dropped in some great twists, intrigue, and long-absent humor to his latest opus and made it watchable, if not must-see. But the big news over the summer is the release of the unaired 13th episode, "Epitaph One", on the DVD set just days after a Comic Con screening. Shot on video (I never would've guessed if I hadn't been told), this is just another example of Whedon taking lemons and making Mike's Hard Lemonade. (That's supposed to be a compliment.) Over budget after shooting the pilot twice and still one episode short of a complete baker's dozen, Whedon pulls off a clever, post-apocalyptic view of the Dollhouse's future with minimal regular cast, some shoestrings, the crew from "24", and a one scene dug out of the unaired pilot. It was a perfect cap for the series in case they didn't get renewed and simultaneously a tantalizing springboard for future stories in case they did. My only concern is, did they leave enough unanswered to still have some mystery going forward? I'm looking forward to season two, no doubt.

What else to talk about while I'm here? Well, I already examined season five of "Lost" at my personal blog, argabright.tumblr.com (I know, I'm cheating on you), as well as extolled the virtues of Alan Tudyk's appearance on the "Dollhouse" finale and lamented the short-livedness of ABC's American remake of "Life on Mars".

There's not much else going on right now. Summer is primarily the domain of reality shows, which means fans of scripted TV have to watch Netflix rentals until September comes back around. The only exception is if you get a premium network like HBO. I'm doing both. With "Entourage" as a perennial fave, I've definitely been peeping out the new episodes. And I'm also checking out the first two seasons of AMC's "Mad Men" on DVD--I'm finding it to have a similar feel to "The Sopranos." While enjoyable, however, I have yet to say I'm hooked. But I'll likely DVR new episodes, starting this coming Sunday. I'm also reliving some gems from the past--I picked up season one of "Dexter" at huge discount off Amazon.com and I'm watching it again. Sooo good.

feelin' good about fall '08

2008-09-16T00:29:00.000-07:00

Oh, my poor, neglected TV/movie/music blog. You're long overdue for some attention.

Well, here's something to talk about: the start of a new TV season. I mean, who else is excited? Maybe I'm just content-starved after the writers' strike cut last year's season short, but I'm uber-excited for some new "House," "24," "Lost," and all the rest.

First up, I have to weigh in on "True Blood," HBO's vampire drama. There's some promise there, but as a Whedon-phile, I have to say everything they're doing, "Buffy" did first and better. To start, Anna Paquin looks good as a blonde, and that accent is hot, and I did have a crush on her for like five seconds after the first X-Men movie came out, but she's no Sarah Michelle Gellar. They have a vampire named Bill? So did "Buffy," only he was more formally known as William The Bloody, and less formally known as Spike, and both names are much better suited to a nightstalker. The heroine, Sookie, has the ability to read minds. Hey, there was an episode where Buffy could do that...you know, nine years ago. But who's counting?

Next on the docket, I'm thrilled to have "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" back. And to all the naysayers who swore up and down they'd never have a T-1000 on the show, all I can say is, =p. I was excited when I saw a billboard for the new season a few weeks back showing puddles of liquid metal, but as I hadn't heard of any plans to introduce a shape-shifting Terminator, I wasn't sure if they were really doing it until the final moments of the season premiere. All I can say is, in the age of rampant spoilers, kudos to team Sarah Connor for keeping that one under wraps. And good usage of the Shirley Manson character.

Now, there's been a lot of hype over "Fringe," and while I admittedly didn't catch it, I didn't find the trailer/promo/sizzle particularly exciting. With so many shows on my DVR record list already, I just have to be more discriminating when it comes to new programs. If I continue to hear good things, I may check it out on DVD, but for now, it just didn't make the cut. (Ultimately, BTW, neither did "True Blood.") No, I'm reserving that coveted "new show" spot for "Dollhouse," Joss Whedon's next series, due this winter. I was a little concerned to hear production shut down temporarily when Joss found some of the latest scripts not up to par...but the same thing happened for the upcoming season of "24," and I'm hoping they're just being anal and it's not a sign that things aren't going well.

Still waiting to see what new "House", "Heroes", and "Chuck" have in store, and I'm seriously considering getting Showtime to see the new season of "Dexter" after discovering that gem this summer. I could almost write a whole blog about the charming, CSI-in-reverse, serial killer drama...but I should probably call it a night.

the resurrection ship

2008-04-25T09:11:00.000-07:00

I thought a nice BSG reference would be appropriate to acknowledge my little TV blog's Lazarus-like return from the grave. Yes, I'm watching that show too now, but more on that in a minute.

The main reason I just had to blog again is last night's action-packed episode of "24"...I mean "Lost." Holy cow. When did ABC's island mystery soap turn into a Bourne installment? Clearly, there will be spoilers, so turn back now if you want to stay uncorrupted.

Anyway the war has indeed begun. And our Losties are not to be trifled with. Ben, it seems, is a bad mammajamma with a nightstick...that is, when he's not unleashing the smoke monster on unsuspecting raiders. Who knew Smokey could be controlled? Or can he? And Sawyer is shaping up to be quite the unexpected hero. Not only did he navigate a barrage of enemy gunfire, but did he actually stick his neck out for Claire and Hurley? Maybe he cares after all. He's just lucky he's a series regular. Anyone wearing a red shirt last night got mowed down mercilessly by the gang from the freighter. In succession, no less. Get. Back. In. The. House. Too late. And say goodbye to hottie Tania Raymonde--her character Alex was executed without hesitation, proving to Ben that the boaties don't make empty threats.

Last night we learned how Sayid came to work for Ben post-island, and that Ben and Widmore have something of a checkered past, although what exactly that past consists of is still anyone's guess. And the rules have changed, making Widmore's daughter (and poor Desmond's lover) fair game. I foresee a Ben/Desmond confrontation before the series is over.

Hurley is right--in Risk as well as in "Lost," Australia is the key to the game. Hopefully, we'll learn more about that later. And maybe, if we're good boys and girls, the writers will explain how Ben came to suddenly be in the middle of the Sahara in his flashforward. Don't tell me the Others have access to a teleportation device. Maybe that's what's in the fabled Orchid Station that we're supposed to visit later in the season?

At any rate, kudos to team "Lost" for their first episode produced after the strike. I wish I could give props to team "Smallville," but unfortunately, the pre-Superman sudser just keeps getting more and more ridiculous. I don't really know why I continue to watch...I guess I just can't get enough of the Man of Steel. Cousin Kara Kent (Laura Vandervoort) has provided some eye candy to make season seven a little more tolerable, but the plots are pretty much laughable at this point. I was hoping after last week's darker turn for Lex we could start expecting some more mature fare, but I guess that was wishful thinking. Enter Jimmy Olsen, superspy. Ai yi yi.

"Battlestar Galactica" season four continues tonight. I started watching the DVDs around Christmas and finally got caught up to air this past week. Now, don't get me wrong, because I appreciate the show as well executed sci-fi, but I still don't quite get why the fans go as crazy for it as they do. The writers explore some really cool metaphysical stuff with the Cylons (the latest infighting between the Dean Stockwell model and the Tricia Helfer model is especially interesting) but for the most part, I don't really find the characters sympathetic enough to care what ultimately happens. And all the drama between Lee and Dee and Starbuck and Sam--I'm so over it. Just get back to kicking Cylon ass already. Oh wait, they're doing that to themselves now.

adios amigos

2007-06-08T23:26:00.000-07:00

No, I'm not quitting this blog. Although sometimes it must appear as though I've abandonned it.

I've titled this post after the latest episode of "Entourage," a consistantly solid show that I enjoy regularly, and yet somehow don't follow with the fervor I hold for "24" or "Lost." Still, this week's episode had some killer moments that are worthy of mention. The first comes when Vince and Eric track down their Queens Boulevard director, Billy Walsh, to the set of his latest project...which turns out to be a porno. And then, when they get Walsh to meet with their financier over dinner, he excuses himself to go "dump." Jeremy Piven steals the scene with just his facial reaction. After the credits rolled, HBO previewed the new season with a brief promo which showed the boys filming Medellin on location in Columbia. I'm super excited to see that. Sadly, it's my understanding they're back in L.A. by the next episode. Even so, they've definitely got my attention for the moment.

the looking glass

2007-05-25T22:33:00.000-07:00

(This post contains spoilers for the season three finale of "Lost.")

Okay, for an unexpected, "game-changing" twist, my mind isn't exactly blown right now. The way everyone was talking up this episode, I was sort of expecting some kind of sweeping revelation about where or what the island is, or who the Others are, or that some surprising force or entity was at work, or someone/thing wasn't really the way it looked all along. I did not think the twist would be something as simple and straightforward as they're going to get off the island one day, and it's going to make Jack a raging alcoholic. Frankly, not much of a surprise there.

Okay, so switching out our flashbacks with flashforwards like a Folgers taste test to see if anyone could tell the difference was pretty clever...but not clever enough that I didn't see it coming. In all fairness, my first impulse was that we were seeing an alternate reality in which the plane didn't crash, a la It's a Wonderful Life. I think that would've shown a lot more imagination, but it wouldn't have explained Jack's funky, unabomber beard. Ironically, it was the beard that tipped me off. I couldn't place it in what we know of his chronology, so that was my first clue that this might be post-island. (I take that back. My first clue was in last week's special when the producers disagreed that getting off the island meant the end of the show. My second clue was when they said the show was about where the characters have been and where they're going.) References to Jack's dad as if he were still alive threw me off the scent, but the line "You don't know what I've been through" reinforced my theory. I kind of went back and forth for awhile on whether I thought that's what was really going on, but the scene at his home with all the maps clenched it. Still, "A" for effort. If I hadn't already been anticipating something even more shocking, or I had been unable to guess what they were up to, that probably would've impressed me.

And now we're quite metaphorically "through the looking glass" in terms of the show. We've hit the midway point and we're starting to come out on the other side of the mirror. Instead of looking back to the past (before the island), we're looking ahead to the future (after the island).

Some other thoughts:

I want to like Bernard, but he was a real punk last night. Why did he give up Jack and everyone else's location just to save Jin? Didn't he realize both Jin and Sayid were prepared to die to ensure rescue? Especially as they were both essentially kicking and screaming for him not to tell? And wasn't he concerned that in doing so, he was leading the Others right to his wife that he was trying to protect?

Charlie was a great sport through his interrogation--there were some funny bits there--but he's obviously not that bright. He and Desmond had plenty of time to suit up and swim out before that massive station would've completely flooded. At the very least, he should've thought to get on the other side of that door before he sealed it. I know he was prepared to go, but that was a pretty avoidable death, if you ask me.

Who are these "bad guys" already? I was so hoping the girls in the Looking Glass were from that faction, but they were just more Others working for Ben. Maybe they're on the other end of that phone call and we'll encounter them early in season four.

Well, that's all I can really think of right now. I just had to get out my thoughts on the season finale. Lest you misunderstand, I did enjoy it. There was a lot of good there. I was just hoping for the surprise to be...more surprising.

Speaking of season finales, what was up with "24" this week? It was a pretty decent episode until it totally fizzled out in the last fifteen minutes. Because of the show's penchant for last minute twists, I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop the whole time Jack was visiting Audry and having his bittersweet moment of quiet restraint. And then they just faded to black. Lame.

unsolved mysteries - a critique of writing Lost

2007-05-17T09:10:00.000-07:00

In college, some fellow aspiring filmmakers and I once shared a joke that "The X-Files" must be the easiest show to write for because anything could happen and it never had to make sense or fit an established continuity. I'm tempted to say the same of "Lost," as much as I want to believe the writers have a plan and it's all going somewhere. But after last week's revelations about Ben's relationship to Dharma led to the new mystery of Jacob, I came to the realization that they're incapable of answering anything on this show without giving us a new question to ponder.

With 48 episodes left to go over three seasons, I can appreciate the need for introducing new mysteries to keep the show from getting stale. But with so many loose ends already dangling out there, I was starting to get pissed that they were throwing more head-scratchers our way without resolving some old ones first. The gulf of what was unknown about Lost Island wasn't getting any shallower--it was just changing shape.

Then I saw last night's episode. I have to admit, it's not one I was especially excited about beforehand. Since they've been telegraphing Charlie's death for months and Dominic's been confirmed to leave the show, I was expecting nothing more than a sappy send-off for a character I wasn't that invested in while the "A" storyline took a back seat for another week. I was wrong on pretty much every count. Not only did the main story continue amidst Charlie's flashbacks, it actually addressed some of those loose ends (like the cable in the sand and Danielle's radio tower). And while the last moments did include a new twist, I can't complain too much this time because I think it's the introduction of the long-rumored second faction of Others, which has been mentioned enough times by official sources that I almost consider it a pre-existing mystery. So no harm, no foul.

I'm eagerly anticipating next week's season finale for the so-called "snake in the mailbox" that's supposed to change everything. I'm a sucker for a good twist...just as long as it doesn't leave me any more "lost" than I already am.

the round-up, 4/05

2007-04-05T15:44:00.000-07:00

My favorite shows have been busy since I last wrote. Let's see what they're up to.

House: Is it just me or has Marc Blucas been stepping up his acting skills since his stint on "Buffy"? Because his guest spot as a Marine last week was almost passable. This week, Cuddy played House (pardon the pun) as she took a stab at diagnosing a pregnant photographer with Maternal Mirror Syndrome. Next week... House on a Plane? Looks kind of gimmicky, but could be interesting.

24: Not satisfied to nuke Valencia, the writers of this clock-ticking drama continue to push the envelope in day 6. First, members of President Palmer's own staff conspire to off him, he's brought out of his coma only to find his VP challenging his authority under the 25th Amendment, an averted terrorist attack causes a radiation spill in San Francisco, and now a misguided retaliatory strike against the Middle East is looming again after just being prevented. Can you stop for a second so I can catch my breath? Seriously. At least Gredenko has finally been "disarmed." (snicker) I liked that part of this week's episode took place at the Santa Monica Pier. I always get excited when L.A. locations are referenced or even visited in the show. It makes it feel more real, like this could be happening right around me.

Lost: Okay, so Evangeline Lily's easy on the eyes, but her character's boring. Kate has two modes: 1) being indecisive about Jack and Sawyer, and 2) pouting. I so didn't need another flashback of her doing a Richard Kimble impersonation. Sawyer had a nice beat this week, though, when Hurley self-appointed him their new leader in Jack's absence. And it was pretty cool to see the smoke monster recoil at the Others' sonic fence. (Although, being made of smoke, why couldn't it just float over the fence? Oops, I'm not supposed to call attention to plot holes, am I?) Last week's episode was better, even if it was a bit unnerving to watch Paulo and Nikki get buried alive unintentionally. And a Billy Dee Williams cameo is always good for something. But I have to disagree with the producers' promises that we should find these characters more sympathetic now. They conspired to kill a guy for his diamonds, and Nikki's greed undid them both in the end. Good riddance. So no more new background characters, okay? Here's looking forward to finally getting some answers about the Others next week...maybe.

Studio 60: Where are you? Not that I haven't gotten by just fine in your absence. You were a star that shined brightly for a brief moment and then faded. No wonder NBC isn't renewing you. You're no "Sports Night."

the bow out

2007-02-23T01:12:00.000-08:00

Now that "The O.C." is officially over, I'm a little more melancholy than I expected. While I've liked the direction this final season took, I really thought the show had run its course. Turns out I completely underestimated the emotional connection I'd formed with these characters. As the finale was winding down, I was sad to think I wouldn't get to see what became of the Cohens. The writers surely anticipated this, because the last moments were a montage of flash-forwards, taking us up to at least four years into the future to resolve some loose ends. While I was relieved to see that Seth and Summer made it to the altar and that Ryan made something of his life, I'm still somewhat disappointed that these former Orange County denizens will no longer be a part of mine. Still, they ended it with an appropriate amount of closure, and they really brought the show full circle: In addition to Ryan's reflections of when he first came to live with the Cohens, it was nice to see him in a position to pay forward the favor Sandy did for him four years ago.

the quiet

2007-02-01T23:46:00.000-08:00

Sorry this blog hasn't been a priority lately. By slacking in my duties, I'm behind in reviewing the first hours of 24 day 6 (Jack Bauer still kicks ass), and I'm really behind adding my 2 cents to the news that The O.C. is coming to an end.

Let's start with Jack Jack and the Bauer Power Hour. (Yes, in a deck of German playing cards, especially for the game Euchre, a Jack is called a Bauer. Either the writers are that much more brilliant than you originally thought, or it's the most beautiful coincidental redundancy in the history of television.) Okay, so I'm liking day 6 so far. Up until this week, I think they had managed to squeeze at least one major explosion into every hour, which is very impressive considering the production cost involved. The scene where Jack had to shoot Curtis, and then he threw up and told Bill he was done helping CTU... man, that was some great stuff. We're definitely seeing a broken man when we see Jack Bauer this season. I find the whole brother angle interesting, but I'm not sure I buy it. Graem doesn't look much like Jack, and he's just so evil. And, in case you need the refresher, Graem is "bluetooth guy" from day 5, the puppetmaster pulling Logan's strings via a handsfree phone. What is that guy's real agenda, and how can he be related to our Jack? And sure, we know he's evil, but don't you think Jack was a little quick to torture him? I mean, it's his brother! Apologies if all that's not very coherent...I'm trying to squeeze my reaction to six hours of TV into a single paragraph. And I'm trying to do it at midnight.

Moving on to the demise of The O.C. ... It's sad that the former behemoth of adolescent soaps is coming to a close after just four seasons. Not to mention, it's a little mind-boggling that this show, which used to be such a culturally relevant phenomenon,
fell from grace so quickly. But with the departure of Mischa Barton and the general decline in fan approval, I guess it comes as no surprise. I loved season one. I even bought the DVDs, although that's mostly because I was too impatient to wait for the demand for them to die down at Netflix. The first season definitely had a special feel and chemistry to it, and the seasons that followed just couldn't match it. After four years, it has become like an entirely different show. Just this season, it's way more abstract and offbeat than ever--they did an alternate reality episode, for crying out loud. But I actually kind of like this new O.C. too, just in a different way. The characters they introduced this year are interesting, and I totally don't miss Marissa's incessant whining. Kaitlin is a way better junior Cooper, if for no other reason than a little something called emotional range. I love the dynamic she has with Bullit. Even Che has grown on me. And the regular cast is good as always... although I'm disappointed they didn't find anything for Sandy to do this year. All in all, I have to admit that the geek in me felt a certain kinship with my Newport namesake (not to mention a shared attraction to his hot girlfriend), so I'll be a little bummed not to be keeping up with the Cohens anymore. Only three new episodes left...

Oh si, O.C.

2006-12-07T22:34:00.000-08:00

The once great teen sudser that almost everyone agrees has been going downhill for awhile now knocked one out of the park tonight with an amusing and poignant offering. It's been a long time since the writing has been this funny or the characters this rich. I couldn't believe I found myself actually admiring Kaitlin. First, she completely upstages the snobby popular girl at her school without breaking a sweat, just to show her some humility. And then, proving that nothing fazes her, she actually called the cops on her own party because she got tired of it. As for adult characters, they have a winner in straight-shooting Bullet. The boisterous tycoon provides mounds of comic relief, but as rough around the edges as he is, even he can be (as Sandy Cohen might say) a real mensch.

I'm curious to see next week's It's A Wonderful Life homage. It's always interesting when a show breaks formula and does a "what if" episode. I'm going to have a hard time buying that Sandy could ever be married to Julie Cooper, though--he's just too classy for her. But "The O.C." always does a good job on their Chrismukkah episode, so I think it'll be good.

Speaking of things to look forward to on shows that I'm not typically excited about, tonight's preview for upcoming episodes of "Smallville" has me jazzed about the forming of the Justice League, which apparently takes place in the second new episode after the holidays, when the younger versions of The Flash, Green Arrow, Aquaman, and Cyborg all return.

Royale Treatment

2006-11-27T15:04:00.000-08:00

I've been a casual James Bond fan since junior high. The girls, the gadgets, and the pithy one-liners always appealed to me, but having grown up in the blockbuster era, I found the pacing of many of these classics a little wanting, so I never got completely into them. I had a handful of favorites here and there, but even as my tastes became more refined with age, I still couldn't say there was one in the franchise that had my rapt attention from first to last frame, even with the flashier Pierce Brosnan installments.

Casino Royale, however, is a new animal altogether. Daniel Craig portrays Bond as edgier and more sadistic, while the new movie is darker in tone and has more of a "real world" feel. It's a complete franchise reboot, not at all unlike what Batman Begins did for the Dark Knight. Sure, Judi Dench returns as M, and the familiar John Barry orchestral cue is there (although not until the very end of the film), but much of the usual trappings are absent. The gadgets take a backseat, with Q himself not appearing at all. The mainstay corny quips aren't there either, but the movie is surprisingly better without them. Even the opening credit sequence is a little different: instead of silhouettes of scantily clad women, it's an animated fight sequence that looks like a 60s pulp novel cover come to life. (see also: the credits for 2005's Kiss Kiss Bang Bang)

So enough about what the movie is and isn't. Is it any good? A resounding yes. Probably the best I've seen all year and definitely my favorite Bond movie. I know that must sound like blasphemy to the die hards, for whom the Sean Connery era is somehow immune from scrutiny, but beginning to end this movie doesn't let up. Great story, great performances, great pacing, great action sequences. Casino Royale is a winner. Definitely see it in the theater, and budget some extra dough to pick up the DVD when it comes out.

the round-up, 10/26

2006-10-26T23:04:00.000-07:00

"Lost" came through again this week. They haven't missed a beat yet in season three as far as I'm concerned. And I'm glad they got the whole "two islands" thing out of the way in this episode because they've been hinting at that ever since Locke and Eko watched the Pearl's orientation video, which referred to a ferry. When Ben said he wanted Desmond's boat so the survivors couldn't find them, he practically confirmed it then. I'm curious, though, as to why the writers went the "pacemaker" route. It's not a flaw, per se, but sloppy for the dramatic tension since it quickly becomes obvious that the Others don't have the medical chops necessary for such a procedure. When Ben tells Sawyer it was a farce, we're already way ahead of him. Two more episodes before the long break, and rumor has it that next week, one of the series regulars is going to that big island in the sky.

After watching this week's "Lost," I flipped to Comedy Central on a whim and watched a show I don't catch very regularly: "South Park." I just have to say that their skewering of MTV's "My Super Sweet Sixteen" was right on the money. In case you missed it, the episode revolves around Satan planning a Halloween bash and acting just like one of those spoiled, bratty, rich girls. This definitely ranks up there with their Scientology episode.

coming to play

2006-10-17T00:06:00.000-07:00

"Lost" and "Studio 60" really brought their "A" games this past week, dispelling some cynicism that had built on my part.

First, regarding "Lost", I was skeptical that a Jin/Sun flashback story could be so compelling after the season 2 dud "The Whole Truth", but I was impressed how skillfully they connected Jin to Sun's English tutor (and apparent lover) Jae and explored Sun's deception as a recurring theme. Plus, I was happy to see they didn't abandon the story of the three captive castaways to focus just on Jin, Sun, and Sayid's rescue efforts. And Ben's offer to send Jack home is an unexpected twist that could definitely have some major ramifications in the immediate future.

Then, "Studio 60" redeemed itself in a big way after a lukewarm offering. Tonight's episode may even be their best to date. After weeks of disjointed character arcs passing as a plot, they finally knocked out a great Matt/Harriet story emotionally on par with Sorkin's best efforts on "Sports Night." And it was a relief to find Harriet's Christianity ringing true for once, instead of feeling like a hokey caricature. The incorporation of musical guest Sting's accoustic lute playing into the show underpinned some heavy moments, making for truly remarkable television.

In other words, keep up the good work, guys.

Lost Season 3 Premiere

2006-10-04T23:28:00.000-07:00

(Need I say there will be spoilers?)

With the return of our favorite castaways, we were treated to another revealing peek at DHARMA's presence on the island. Jack awakes in what we soon learn to be the long-rumored underwater station. And Sawyer is being held in the island's zoology center, referenced briefly in the orientation filmstrip. But where are the animals? Escaped? We know Sawyer shot a polar bear in the pilot. Is that the bear that Tom (Beardy/Zeke) said solved the puzzle in two hours? Sort of ironic that Sawyer would end up in his cage. And what of Kate's experience? Was the communal shower part of yet another station or was it attached to the animal studies compound? She did end up in a cage right across from Sawyer at the end, but the way the Others moved so freely between the stations, it sure doesn't seem like they're very far apart. Each captive could've easily woke up in an entirely different compound to start.

The opening scene was amazing, showing yet another perspective of the plane crash, this time from the point of view of the Others, who were living in what seemed to be a quaint village on the island. But who exactly are these Others? Sawyer guessed late last season that they were leftover from DHARMA, a conclusion that many viewers also arrived at. Jack's interaction with Juliet confirms this belief...assuming we can trust anything the Others say (which, let's not just yet). I'll be a little disappointed if that's all it is, mostly because the writers made them out to be so mysterious even last season when many of us were already leaning toward an involvement with the DeGroots' research initiative to explain their presence on the island. Still, even if they were once DHARMA, there's something else going on there now. Something that hasn't been revealed. Just what exactly do they want, and why have they traded in holding book clubs for abducting castaways? Whatever is up, it doesn't sound rosy for our heroes, especially Kate.

It'll be interesting to see where this goes. Unfortunately, we'll have to wait at least two weeks for more answers. It sounds like the next episode will focus on what the other survivors are doing to get Jack, Kate, and Sawyer back.

Namaste.

Family Guy (9/24)

2006-09-25T16:09:00.000-07:00

On last night's episode, the writers took thinly-veiled shots at Wal-Mart when Meg got a job at Superstore USA. The episode culminated with Stewie and Brian destroying the local franchise with a tank. That...was...awesome. Admittedly, I'm just a casual watcher, but of all the things I've seen them poke fun of, this was the first time I felt there was an actual underlying, political statement intended to come across. Applause, applause.

On a completely unrelated note, there was a tie on Jeopardy last week. I didn't realize there was a procedure in place for such an event, but apparently in those cases, both players move on as co-champions. I wonder how many times that's happened in the show's history. With the wagers in the Final Jeopardy round being entirely up to the contestants, it seems like the odds are against it.

Studio 60 premiere

2006-09-23T21:05:00.000-07:00

I recant what I said in my last post about lukewarm feelings for this show. Seeing the pilot episode again this week, it was much better than I remembered. Now, instead of staying cautiously in "wait-and-see" mode, I'm super psyched about this one. Go Team Sorkin!

the sound of silence

2006-09-14T21:38:00.000-07:00

I realize I've been surprisingly quiet here considering the Fall TV season is really gearing up with a vengeance. Maybe this is just the calm before the storm, but I really don't know what to say.

One of my current favorite shows, "House", has aired two episodes already, making an unusually early outing for a Fox premiere. I could recount some of those zippy one-liners, like when the titular doctor tells Cuddy he's early to work because he thought of her in the shower that morning, but even a gem like that is par for the course with this show anymore. Has "House" really pushed the limit so far that it fails to be novel? Or is he just less fun without the cane?

Meanwhile, the buzzworthy "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip", which has snagged the coveted empty space in my viewing schedule post-"Alias", premieres in a short four days. But an acquaintence showed me a working copy of the pilot and it left me feeling a little cold. Has Aaron Sorkin, like Dr. House, raised the bar too high? Maybe the series just need to gain some traction before it starts to live up to the hype. I'm waiting to see. But waiting doesn't typically make for good writing. For good writing, something has to happen.

And so we wait.

We wait for "Lost", which tried to sate us over the summer with an extra-curricular Internet scavenger hunt which provided an astonishingly small return on time invested. With clues hidden in all conceivable places and encoded in overly-complicated cyphers, only people with extremely specialized knowledge had any chance of solving the puzzles on their own, and it's only due to the dilligence of a small community of fans willing to band together and share that knowledge that I was able to keep up with the exploits of one Rachel Blake. The gist of which was that the Hanso Foundation (which funded the Dharma Initiative's research in the various island hatches) was up to no good. No shit, Sherlock. At least we may have finally discovered what the numbers 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 42 stand for. They're set values in an equation that will predict the end of humanity. Sure. Why not? Just tell us we'll still get our weekly dose of Evangeline Lily this fall. Hello, hotness.

Until something a little more blog-worthy happens, I guess that's all I have. Peace out.

The CW

2006-08-28T11:17:00.000-07:00

To many of you, this is probably old news. I've known for a month or so and probably should've known longer if I had been paying better attention because it affects one of the shows I follow. For whatever reason, I've neglected to blog about it until now, but it feels worth mentioning at this point as we head toward another fall television season.

After a 10+ year run for each, the WB and UPN are merging to form the new CW Network. I think this was a brilliant move on the part of Time Warner and Viacom. While attracting a modest audience for some of their shows, neither the WB nor UPN was all that phenomenal on its own. By combining forces, they're consolidating into a much stronger entity, especially now that they're not competing against each other for audience share. Some markets already weren't capable of supporting both fledgling networks and had resorted to doubling up anyway. In Columbus, Ohio, the dedicated WB provider had morphed into a UPN affiliate, airing WB programming only on the side.

Viewers will benefit from the merger as well. Because the amalgamated network will only be filling one set of time slots instead of two, there will only be room for the best programming from each of the defunct networks, which means less filler. A handful of the more successful WB and UPN shows will live on at the CW while the dreck gets swept under the carpet. We hope.

Despite the obvious advantages to merging, I can't help feeling a little wistful at the loss of the WB brand. As a loyal "Buffy" fan from the beginning, I still remember how much the identity of the show and the network were intertwined. "Buffy" was the WB's first major tentpole and it played a major role in the "new Tuesday" campaign. I still remember the promos that aired before each episode in season two as cast members appeared from the "backlot" to say we were watching the WB. "Buffy" has been off the air for three years. It's sad to think the network that spawned it is about to disappear too.

Still, as I said, I'm optimistic about the change. I think television in general will be stronger without such a glut of networks. Maybe the CW can one day enjoy the kind of success Fox achieved when it broke into what was then a three-network system almost 20 years ago.

Snakes on a Blog

2006-08-20T17:04:00.000-07:00

It was so crazy, it practically had to work. By simply stating the movie's concept in the title, the creators of Snakes on a Plane have the runaway hit of the summer. Okay, maybe it's too early to make such a bold claim, but I can't think of any other summer movie this year that's generating the same kind of buzz, both inside and outside the industry. By comparison, Pirates failed to please, and Superman hardly got off the ground (although I enjoyed it). It's amazing how a town infamous for being fake is so quick to embrace such unabashed candor: "This is our movie. It's basically a bunch of snakes on a plane. If that's your thing, you'll probably like it."

Samuel L. Jackson, one of the best sports in showbiz, heads the cast, reportedly signing on the strength of the title alone. And who wouldn't want to work with a bunch of snakes? Case in point: Harrison Ford in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Big room full of snakes. In a way, Indiana Jones paved the way for the phenomenon: escaping South America in the movie's opening gambit, he comes across his pilot's pet snake in the cockpit, prompting him to say, "There's a snake on the plane!" Apparently, there's nothing new under the sun.

Winning tickets through an on-line contest, I had the priviledge of attending the Hollywood premiere. I can say authoritatively that it's exactly what the title suggests. If that doesn't put you off, I think you'll enjoy it. It's the best kitsch you'll see all year, guaranteed.

Loving "Life"

2006-08-10T20:02:00.000-07:00

Networks are starting to get hip to the idea of a year-round TV season...but most summer programming still sucks the big one. Sure, you've got your "Entourage" and your...well..."Entourage", but that's just half an hour on Sunday nights. What's a guy to do the rest of the week?

The answer may come from a surprising place: the BBC. Well, maybe not as surprising considering the runaway success of Britcoms like "The Office." However, "Life on Mars" is a far cry from that cheeky dry humor the English are known for. Rather, it's a gritty police drama with a fantastic twist: hero Sam Tyler is a modern detective who inexplicably finds himself solving cases in 1973 following a car accident. Unsure of whether he's genuinely back in time or merely in a coma in 2006, he struggles with his sanity as well as the antiquated technology and old-fashioned approaches to law enforcement.

If the stellar performances from the show's cast don't sell you, the retro looks and inspired use of period music just might (the show takes its title from a Bowie song of that era). Plus, following a series that takes place in England instead of New York or L.A. is a refreshing change of pace for an American viewer. For all those reasons and more, "Mars" is definitely a winner.

Some quick research on tv.com seems to indicate that series one has run its course in the UK, but BBC America is barely into the eight-episode "season", and my cable provider is offering it on demand from the beginning. Check your listings.

UPDATE: I just learned that David E. Kelley is adapting this show for the States. Gag.

Sports Night, revisited

2006-07-20T23:37:00.000-07:00

If you were lucky enough to catch Aaron Sorkin's delightful dramedy about the goings-on behind the scenes of a nightly SportsCenter-like television program when it originally aired on ABC in the late 90s, you can disregard the rest of this post, because "Sports Night" really speaks for itself. If you caught the show when Comedy Central, in their wisdom, thought fit to air it in syndication following its untimely demise, you are also exempt from the praise that follows--it will be nothing new to you. But if you never saw this show, I'm definitely speaking to you now, Mister. Even if you don't like sports, that doesn't matter. As the tagline says, it's a show about a show about sports that isn't about sports at all.

As a proud owner of the DVD boxed set, I plopped in one of the discs the other night when seeking some entertainment on a quiet evening. I couldn't just watch one or two episodes--I soon found myself in the middle of a viewing spree. Even six years after the fact, I'm still amazed at the exceeding quality that went into every aspect of this show, from the writing to the acting to even the music. Equally witty and heartwarming, it never failed to please. The first time I watched the series through, as one of those who caught it "after the fact" on Comedy Central, I was astounded when I got to the final episode that anyone in their right mind could cancel such a gem. Granted, it lost some footing during its sophomore season, but it looked to be rallying back, strong as ever, when it unduly got the axe...probably due to ABC's failure to market it appropriately.

Luckily, as I alluded to earlier, the show is available on DVD. Netflixers will have no problem locating it. The difficulty will be saying goodbye after you breeze through the 22 hours that make up season one and two and there's no more "Sports Night" left to watch. But maybe Sorkin's next project, this fall's "Studio 60 on Sunset Strip", will be similar enough to fill the void when it strips away the layers of a Saturday Night Live-type show. Keep your eyes peeled. This could be a good one to get in on the ground floor of.

Kaiser Sosed

2006-06-25T00:11:00.000-07:00

I had long given up on "Saturday Night Live." The last thing they really had going for them, in my opinion, was their rap about the Chronic(what?)cles of Narnia, which wasn't even a live skit. But for some strange reason, I was home tonight and decided to tune in to a rerun with Kevin Spacey hosting, and they did a hilarious parody of The Usual Suspects. There may be some hope for this fading star yet.

While SNL is a gamble these days, a show that never fails to please is "Entourage," which is early in its third season and a stand-alone oasis among the summer dreck. If you're not already watching this and you get HBO, make sure you tune in Sundays to catch it. While simultaneously celebrating and poking fun of Hollywood, it offers an entertaining look at showbiz with the quality HBO is becoming known for. Seriously, do yourself the favor. If you get On Demand, catch up with earlier seasons first.

Get this video and more at MySpace.com

Alias series wrap-up

2006-05-30T23:58:00.000-07:00

I'd like to comment briefly on the Alias finale, if I may. I thought there were some nice touches in there. Starting in Sydney as a tribute to the main character was kind of fitting, as was setting the climax in Hong Kong, where the first episode began. The flashbacks leading up to when we first meet Sydney were also appropriate in bringing her arc full circle. And they cleverly fulfilled Rambaldi prophecy that had been supposedly thwarted by putting in a little twist or two.

In terms of flaws, I am a little disappointed with the resolution of the Rambaldi arc as a whole. Given the direness of his prophecies, I expected the ultimate endgame to be something a little more cataclysmic than a fountain of youth. And I'm not convinced that Tom Grace had to sacrifice himself. He had plenty of time to get out of that tunnel while he was talking to Jack and Rachel over coms. It was almost like he didn't care that he died down there. Fortunately for us, we really didn't either.

The important deaths in this episode, of course, were the end of Spy Mommy and Spy Daddy. Seemed a little extreme to dispatch both of them, but I guess you want to go out with a bang--literally, in Jack's case. Speaking of which, Sloane's fate was rather poetic: newly immortal and pinned under a rock for all eternity--plenty of time to ponder the definition of irony.

And so that brings the Alias book to a close. In retrospect, I think the whole series could've been stronger without the Rambaldi stuff. If they had just stuck to straight-up espionage and left out the sci-fi fantasy element, who knows what they could've done?

While we ponder that, I'll be wondering where I can get my next Jennifer Garner fix.

24 season 5 wrap-up

2006-05-29T16:32:00.000-07:00

The final two hours of 24's fifth day were full of the envelope-pushing panache that has made it such a phenomenon. Here's what Jack Bauer did in just the season finale:

gave a crash course in slitting a terrorist's throat to a green naval engineer with no combat training

snapped Russian separatist Bierko's neck with a leghold

killed Henderson in cold blood for his role in the deaths of David Palmer, Tony, and Michelle

kidnapped, interrogated, and threatened to kill the sitting President of the United States

And what thanks does he get? In the last few minutes of the day, a bunch of pissed off Chinese guys literally Shanghai him over the death of their consul in season four.

The critics seem to agree with my own assessment that day five has proved to be the best season of 24 to date. The stakes were higher, the risks were greater. Major characters were dispatched like it was going out of style. And the lengths our heroes went to undermining authority in the name of justice were just mind-boggling. I'm psyched for day six. I'd love to see part of it actually take place in China as Jack struggles to get away from his captors, but even the creators probably don't know exactly what's going to happen yet. I guarantee it will be awesome though.

[X] Jack Bauer continues to kick ass, although to a lesser extent now that the Chinese captured him so easily

House season 2 wrap-up

2006-05-29T16:12:00.000-07:00

House is a show that continues to entertain as the bitter, sarcastic, eponymous doctor spits out his pithy one-liners while proving to be similutaneously reckless and brilliant. Season 2 brought a handful of exceptional episodes, but they set the bar so high that more recent installments have lacked the punch they were surely aiming for, and the finale was merely par for the course...which, incidentally, isn't too shabby. I'll definitely come back for a third season, but I hope there's another "Three Stories" on the horizon.

I think I crashed your plane, brother. (Lost finale, illustrated)

2006-05-27T22:02:00.000-07:00

Episodes like this are why we watch. I'm still so stoked about this one I even did some screen captures. Viola:

If Al-Qaeda knew how to do this, we'd be screwed.

So Desmond comes back, albeit unwittingly, and his backstory reveals much about the mysteries of the island. For instance, we learn that pressing the button does do something after all--it discharges the build-up of electromagnetic force from Dharma's botched experiment there. And not pressing it has dire consequences, like sucking planes out of the sky. Oops. Does Hallmark make an apology card for something like that?

We also meet Kelvin for the first time, and realize we already know him...as the government agent Sayid worked with in Iraq. He and his former hatchmate were responsible for painting the blacklight map Locke discovered, and it turns out he has something to say about a self-destruct failsafe under the computer room. When Locke stubbornly refuses to push the button, it becomes Desmond's responsibility to "blow the dam."

As for Desmond's sailboat, it wasn't quite as destroyed as we originally thought, and it becomes useful in Sayid's plan to ambush the Others. And proving once again what a small world it is, we discover the boat originally belonged to...(drumroll please)...Libby's husband.

It was Earth all along! An Earth full of four-toed people, that is.

So Sayid takes Jin and Sun for a ride on Desmond's sailboat to the north side of the island (to engage what Desmond calls "the hostiles") only to discover something entirely new that's troubling: somewhere, somehow, a giant statue is missing a foot. And they have plenty of time to gawk since Michael isn't leading Jack, Kate, Sawyer, and Hurley anywhere near the shore. In fact, our party of five (sorry, couldn't resist the reference to another Matthew Fox show) stumbles upon a pile of notebooks from The Pearl's pneumatic tube delivery system. And on the other side of the island, Desmond proposes that maybe the psychological experiment being conducted there was really on the inhabitants of Station 5...which means maybe "the button" isn't a hoax after all.

The Others are really into bondage.

Meanwhile, Michael is able to complete his deal with the Others when they catch up to his hunting party in the jungle. Surpringsly, they make good on their promise to give him Walt and the motorboat and they even tell him what heading to take to get rescued. Hugo is freed as a cautionary tale, and Jack, Kate, and Sawyer end season two bagged and gagged at the hands of their captors, who include our friend "Henry Gale" in a suspiciously authoritative role.

The fates of Locke, Eko, and Desmond are also up in the air when Charlie is only one to return from the hatch after our merry button pushers blow it to hell in a flash of light and a deafening hum.

Oh, and one more thing. Desmond's long-suffering lover is Penny Widmore. Why does that last name keep popping up? Season two ends with a couple of Italian guys at an arctic monitoring station calling her after their equipment picks up the destruction of the hatch's electromagnet.

And scene. Fade to black.

To recap...

What we learned:

what the button does and the consequences for not pushing it

what caused Flight 815 to crash

Desmond's connection to Libby

who made the invisible map on the blast door

where the logbooks from The Pearl really go

What we still don't know:

just who the hell are the Others already and what are they up to?

is the Dharma Initiative still active or not?

are the two connected, as Sawyer suggests?

is "Henry" Him (their leader)?

what about the polar bear, the smoke monster, and the other miscellaneous unexplained phenomenon?

New things to ponder:

what's up with that statue, anyway?

who is Penny Widmore really and what exactly does she know about the island?

Until next spring, Namaste.

change of direction

2006-05-27T13:56:00.000-07:00

When I started this blog, I envisioned not just another daily digest, but a community for friends to discuss what they're watching, what they're listening to, and just anything affecting the public consciousness. I've been a little disappointed by the lack of external participation thus far, and so with this entry, I'm officially altering the mission statement to allign with what this blog has actually been in effect: a collection of personal observations on popular culture. I suppose it may have been expecting too much that friends with already busy schedules would find time for additional blogging, but while I no longer intend to have other contributors, the comments have been left active so people can still add their two cents.

Coming soon: my 2005-2006 TV season in review, including thoughts on the finales of Alias and Lost.

pre-finale week round-up

2006-05-18T00:09:00.000-07:00

This is a great time of year, with TV shows really putting their best feet forward to cap off their respective seasons. And as we head into finale territory, a lot is happening.

For starters, if you saw Lost tonight, you probably caught the preview for next week where they promise to reveal what (if anything) happens when they don't push the button, as well as the real reason the plane crashed. Not to mention how much insight we're finally getting into the Others, on top of last week's big orientation video bombshell. J.J. is closing out season two in top form.

Same goes for another little project he's doing called Alias. You may have heard of it. Sydney Bristow is ending her five year run as the sexiest spy ever, and they're truly pulling out the stops for her send-off. Sark is back. Vaughn is back. And Rambaldi is so back. I hope they finally explain what the hell a 16th century prophet has to do with a 21st century secret agent. Although the way they're fulfulling his prophecy is quite clever. In order to infilitrate Prophet Five, Sydney is compelled to impersonate Anna Espinosa as Sydney Bristow. The genuine article pretending to be the ringer? Classic Alias twist.

24 also winds down next week with the final two hours of Day 5. I've been invited to attend an advanced screening of "5:00-6:00 a.m." as part of some SAG program...followed by a Q&A panel featuring Keifer "Jack Bauer" Sutherland. Commence jealousy...now.

And last but not least, the end of TV season means the beginning of summer movie season. I'm pretty excited about Superman Returns...and you will be too after you watch this trailer. And for those of you really thinking ahead, Bond is back in November with Casino Royale.

I knew it! (Lost, 5/10)

2006-05-10T22:29:00.000-07:00

Okay, so they practically telegraphed this one from the start of the season, but if there was any lingering doubt, tonight's episode confirmed that pushing the button is a meaningless task and that the sole purpose of The Swan was to observe the behavior of its occupants when given the aforementioned directive. After a series of episodes with minor to no revelation of the overall story arc, the discovery of The Pearl was a huge boon (no pun intended).

I'm surprised at Eko's willingness to keep pushing the button for no other reason than busywork. Personally, I'd just be curious to see exactly what happens if they let the counter completely run out. In effect, how far does the charade go before showing its stripes?

Of course, The Pearl brings its own unanswered questions to the table. Why is no one monitoring The Swan anymore? How long has this all been abandonned? Is Dharma still overseeing The Pearl from a distance or has the project itself been terminated? If so, what about the food drop? Can we assume that the other screens originally displayed feeds from the other stations? Or was it only important to monitor The Swan? Are the Others connected to Dharma or is their appearance on the island a coincidence? Why does Marvin Candle give a different name in this video? Or does he just appear to because of a splice? What was he about to say regarding a ferry? Why is this orientation film a videocassette and the other a filmstrip?

Too many questions, and with the remaining episodes of the season appearing to focus on the Others, the Dharma storyline will probably see no further development for awhile, leaving much to speculation over the summer.

Meanwhile, if we turn our attention briefly to the Hanso Foundation website for the related game ABC is running, much has happened since we last checked in. A hacker by the name of Persephone is leading us to question the actual whereabouts of Hanso himself as well as the credentials of the executive who appears to be leading the organization in his absence. Also, THF has come out against the publication of Bad Twin, the fictional detective novel (also planted by ABC) which apparently slings some mud their way. To get caught up, go here. Have fun! And try not to get too "lost."

3:00 - 4:00 (24, 5/8)

2006-05-10T10:43:00.000-07:00

This show continues to impress. The part where they landed the plane on the freeway? Okay, so that's been done before (the exact movie or show currently escapes me), but the effects looked really good and the editing made it really exciting. I was definitely down. Too bad the rest of the episode was a bit of a slow burn. I mean, I guess the president contemplating suicide is kind of provocative, but the fact that Miles gave him an out was a bit of a let down. Looks like Bierko's going to stir up some more trouble next week. Of course, the syntox is so 10 hours ago, but I have faith they'll make it interesting. And I think they're building up to a confrontation with the bluetooth guys.

[X] Jack Bauer continues to kick ass (check all that apply)

He gave in!

2006-05-10T09:18:00.000-07:00

This will be a day long remembered. George Lucas is loosening his stubborn grip on what he claims is the "definitive" vision of his classic Star Wars trilogy and releasing the original theatrical versions of all three films on DVD this fall. (story) Finally, fans will be able to own these beloved movies in the format of the day without suffering through the so-called "improvements" that deviate from what we remember seeing while growing up. The only catch is that they're the supplemental material to another release of the enhanced versions. But as long Lucas's "vision" is entirely optional, sign me up. I just hope the inclusion of the enhanced movies doesn't significantly drive the price up.

There, now was that so difficult?

The Hanso Foundation

2006-05-04T17:20:00.000-07:00

Last night, my brain addled from lack of sleep, I neglected to mention the most important part of the recent broadcast of Lost--the fake Hanso Foundation commercial they planted during the break. Eagle-eyed viewers (or those who didn't get up for a snack or fast-forward their TiVos) probably caught the ad, which is also available at the mock website they created for those who don't spend enough time obsessing over the show already.

For casual viewers or just the uninitiated, the Hanso Foundation was referenced in the orientation filmstrip Jack and Locke found in the hatch. The HF are the financial backers of the Dharma Initiative, the research project whose underground bunker the survivors are now occupying on the island.

Apparently, the Foundation isn't as above board as their humanitarian facade would lead you to believe at first glance. Calls to the 1-800 number reveal the turmoil going on behind closed doors. They also may reveal a password, which gains you website access to some letters demonstrating the HF's knack for cover up. A fan blog has been created that pieces all the clues together far better than I have the time to do. Make sure you check it out.

Furthering plunging the franchise into other media, the audiobook for Bad Twin, the manuscript Sawyer was reading, is available for download on iTunes. The first chapter, which references the author's tragic disappearance en route from Sydney to L.A., is free and confirms Sept. 2004 as the date of the crash.

Where are these clues leading? Red herrings? Wild goose chases? Will this external content ever come into play on the show? It looks like only time will tell.

Alias/Lost doubleheader

2006-05-03T23:50:00.000-07:00

It's an age old tale, really. Boy begats girl. Boy's obsession with long-deceased prophet puts girl in a coma. Boy betrays all that is noble and good to save her. Then boy accidentally throws girl into a glass table when she sets his stuff on fire. Girl dies from shard embedded in neck. And just when Sloane was becoming a sympathetic character.

Here's something that should have occurred to me earlier: With Page 47 resurfacing and Anna Espinosa now bearing the exact likeness of Sydney, is anyone thinking this Rambaldi prophecy could be about her? Oh, what a tangled web we weave when we genetically alter a person's DNA to deceive.

Moving on to the latest happenings of our favorite castaways (sorry Gilligan), I just had this feeling in my gut Michael was going to betray the survivors. Shooting Ana-Lucia and Libby may have been a drastic move, though, but I guess that'll teach Michelle Rodriguez and Cynthia Watros to get arrested for DUI while under contract with ABC. Back to the casting couch, ladies!

2:00 - 3:00 (24, 5/1)

2006-05-02T16:05:00.000-07:00

Summary of last night's episode:

Jack: I'm a federal agent, and I need to hijack this plane... Hi. Jack. Hey, that's funny.
Pilot: That doesn't make sense. Why would a federal agent hijack a plane? Oh, wait a minute. I just got that. That is funny. But I still have to land the plane.
Jack: You suck.

Logan: Why is my wife being such a bitch right now? Can't she understand I have the best interests of the country in mind, even though I helped assassinate an ex-President and get nerve gas into the hands of terrorists who used it against American civilians and I'm still in league with this creepy guy with the bluetooth phone who's obviously up to no good?
Martha: I need more pills.

Guy at bar: Hey, you're cute. I've got a lot of bandwidth, if you know what I mean.
Chloe: Does that line actually work? (tasers the guy)

Yeah, it was pretty awesome. And next week, the President of the United States is going to try to shoot down a commercial airliner full of innocent people with an F-18. That'll probably be worth watching. Sadly, to date, there are no snakes on this plane.

[X] Jack Bauer continues to kick ass (check all that apply)

Wait...Sydney knows Vaughn's alive?

2006-04-27T08:10:00.000-07:00

I didn't really have a follow-up to that thought. I'm just floored that this big thing she's been dealing with all season turns out to be a ruse and she's in on it and we find this out when she prosaically mentions it to her father in casual conversation.

As for the other plot development last night, genetic manipulation is so Season 2.

1:00 - 2:00 (24, 4/24)

2006-04-24T23:25:00.000-07:00

Tonight's episode of 24 was pretty good. That whole bit with Heller sacrificing himself...although 20 bucks says he survived. Noone's dead on 24 until you see a corpse. As for that little clique of conspirators who seem to be pulling all the strings, something tells me they're going to play an important role in the final episodes of the season. I think we're finally seeing the people who are really behind the day's events.

I was only disappointed on one count: I was expecting a big reveal at the end of the episode, not just Jack stowing away on the plane. It seemed like they were building up to the identity of this passenger with the recording, and it was going to be someone shocking. In the previews for next week, he looks like just some random guy.

Finally, I'm proud to annouce I live close to Bill Buchanan. This map of Burbank I pulled off mapquest is a direct match to the one that showed Chloe's location (you may have to zoom in a couple of times). The odd thing is, the address listed on the screen is a Studio City address, which would fall completely outside of the map they showed. Odder still, the address only appears if you hit pause on your recording, and then promptly disappears after about a second. I'm not making this stuff up. Too weird.

[X] Jack Bauer continues to kick ass (check all that apply)

Wait...Vaughn's alive?

2006-04-20T08:11:00.000-07:00

Okay, I have to call bullshit on last night's Alias. I'm going to overlook for a moment the fact that Sydney deivered her baby in all of about 60 seconds and go straight to the twist ending. Someone needs to tell this Vaughn guy (or whatever his real name is) that's he's dead. Exhibit A: He's gunned down right before Sydney's eyes. Exhibit B: He flatlines in the hospital. Up to this point, there's some room to believe he might be staging his death. But then there's Exhibit C: They had his funeral. Surely someone checked the coffin, right? Sloppy work, Mr. Funeral Director. Next time, make sure there's a body in there, okay?

Meanwhile, what's up with that guy calling Tom Grace Peter? Me suspects another person is someone other than who he's claiming to be...

good friday update

2006-04-14T10:35:00.000-07:00

I don't intend to blog on The O.C. regularly, but last night's episode was just hard to watch. It's never fun to see characters you've grown fond of make really bad decisions, and the latest offering from the teen sudser had 'em in spades...the notable exception being Marissa, who actually did something right for a change. I spent most of the hour crying "What are you doing?!" at the screen. Yeah, I'm a dork.

I also finally saw this week's House last night, and that is a show that continues to impress. Hugh Laurie is the bomb. Why aren't you watching?!!!

S.O.S. (Lost 4/12)

2006-04-13T08:12:00.000-07:00

Another agreeable episode. The Rose/Bernard backstory was touching, and the way it paralleled events on the island didn't feel as forced or irrelevent as some of the other character episodes this season. Plus, the seeds are being planted for a confrontation with the Others and Locke's search for the ? on the blast door map--two events that should figure prominently into the remaining episodes of the season. It's gonna be good. Two bad it's three weeks before another new episode. Why can't they take a cue from 24 and have an uninterrupted season?

11:00 - 12:00 (24 4/10)

2006-04-12T08:26:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling a little bit better about the current story arc on 24 after Monday's episode. Knowing that Logan never intended for things to get this out of control seems more in line with what's been established about his character. There has to be some other threat coming up, though, because it looks like Logan gets confronted next week and they'll still have six hours to kill.

[X] Jack Bauer continues to kick ass (check all that apply)

Matisyahu

2006-04-06T10:46:00.000-07:00

I'm finally on board the Matisyahu train after a friend hooked me up with a copy of his latest release. A reggae album by a Hasidic Jew riffing on things like God and Jerusalem has the potential to be really corny, but Matt Miller pulls it off with verve. It's no wonder he's become such a sensation and "Youth" continues to chart so high on iTunes's top downloads. Do yourself a favor and check it out.

I also got a copy of the latest Flaming Lips album, "At War With the Mystics", but I want to give Bob first crack at reviewing it, seeing as I know he's a pretty big fan.

Dave (Lost 4/5)

2006-04-06T00:56:00.000-07:00

I was pleased with tonight's episode of Lost. While the central mythology of the island is what keeps me interested in the show, this was a decent offering for what was primarily a character episode. Of course, they gave away the whole shebang by explaining that everything happening on the island is all in Hurley's head. (I'm joking, of course. Certainly that's not on the table as a plausible theory. It would be a wicked cool twist, though...)

In all due modesty, I must toot my own horn for a second for pegging Dave as a figment of Hurley's imagination before he was revealed as such. (I have witnesses who will back me up.) Of course, I also take pride in having figured out the twist in The Sixth Sense, a claim which, to this day, people find lacking in credibility.

I liked the Libby reveal, even though spoilerfix.com gave it away by saying she'd appear in Hurley's flashback. Her own neurosis could have some serious ramifications in her interactions with the other survivors. The popular theory seems to be that her deal is compulsive lying, which would explain why she said she was a psychologist instead of the patient of one. Then again, that's probably where she learned to affect a psychologist's behavior.

That's all for now. Please feel free to leave your own comments on tonight's episode below.

Jack Bauer continues to kick ass

2006-04-03T22:18:00.000-07:00

I think a regular feature here when discussing 24 should be a weekly check-up of whether Jack Bauer still kicks ass. This week, he definitely passes with flying colors. The way he took out Henderson's men was pretty hard core. Go Jack, it's your birthday... (etc.)

At this point, if you haven't seen this week's episode, you should probably stop reading because spoilers will follow. (Jack kicking ass doesn't count as a spoiler. Everyone knows that's going to happen.)

Okay, so President Logan is evil now, I guess. The good guy / bad guy twists on this show are starting to become so commonplace that they're really losing their credibility, if not their impact. I'm sure the reveal that Logan was behind everything was intended to be shocking. Instead, I simply rolled my eyes.

Here's why it doesn't make any sense:

If President Logan and Walt Cummings were part of the same conspiracy, there wouldn't be any need for charade between them. And yet Logan never tipped his hand, even when Cummings tipped his. Instead, he became indignant.
Shortly after Cummings came forward, Logan insisted Jack stay on to stop these terrorists. If he wanted them to succeed to whatever end, why put someone on the job who you know is going to kick ass? Especially when he gives you an out?
Logan has been torn over every difficult decision he has had to make today. If he was as committed to this agenda as he seemed tonight, every compromise he's fretted over should have been an acceptable loss.

The only explanation is that the sniveling Charles Logan that has been presented to us so far is all an act, merely for appearances, to cast off suspicion. I suppose that's believable, but there has to be some degree of truth to his weaseliness to make it work, so I still doubt that he possesses the backbone needed to be masterminding the day's events.

Oh well, here's that check-up I was talking about:

[X] Jack Bauer continues to kick ass (check all that apply)

Lockdown (Lost 3/29)

2006-03-31T22:41:00.000-08:00

Now that this blog is up and running, let's dive right in with Wednesday night's episode of Lost. (Oh, and there are gonna be some spoilers.)

Never ones to miss an opportunity for a bad pun, the writers titled this installment "Lockdown," painfully alluding to both the autonomous security measures of the hatch itself as well as the physical orientation of its most inquisitive custodian. But they threw some interesting new breadcrumbs at us in the form of a map on the back of the blast doors that only becomes visible under what I assume to be a blacklight. Lost.cubit.net made a lot more progress interpreting the map than I could with my fuzzy TiVo freeze frame. In fact, the degree of detail they uncovered has me a little suspicious, so take their enhanced image with a grain of salt.

What caused the lockdown? Posters at ABC's official forums suggest the Dharma Initiative food drop is what triggered it, begging the question: What triggered the food drop? Was it a scheduled time interval? Did the hatch somehow detect it was low on supplies? Whatever the case, apparently Dharma hasn't abandonned their little research project after all. But if they're still monitoring the hatch, why has there been no direct contact this whole time?

Most disconcerting is the big question mark in the middle of the map, hinting at some deeper agenda than just the six research stations. Or is it simply another red herring in a supposed hoax Dharma is perpetuating to study the behavioral responses of the castaways? (If that's a theory you're not aware of, look up B.F. Skinner, one of Dharma's supposed inspirations. Note that the Others' interest in children could be related to his advocation of conditioning them for the betterment of society. For me, the suggestion that the Others are merely Dharma researchers conducting psychological experiments remains the most compelling theory of what's really happening there.)

Well, no more mysteries will be answered tonight. Until next week's Hurley flashback episode, adios!

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welcome to the internet

2006-03-31T13:37:00.000-08:00

This blog presupposes that this is your first time ever to use the Internet, which is a ridiculous assumption in 2006. Still, everyone has to start somewhere, and I'd like this blog to be that somewhere for someone someday. In the meantime, I will post some thoughts about the movies, television, and music I'm consuming in today's media-driven world, and I may invite some trusted bloggers to join in on the fun/anarchy. Seacrest out!