I can't believe it is nearly Christmas. I also can't believe that Rudolph was shown so soon after Thanksgiving that B and I missed showing it to the kids. We really need a DVD player.
But that means it is time for the annual (more or less) grading of the new season's worth of shows, both old and new shows.
Where to start? How about alphabetical order?
Chuck - This season has seen Morgan derailed as the broken Intersect and Chuck rediscovering his hacker roots. It turns out that Jeff without carbon monoxide is a rather normal, moral guy who turns Lester in for trying to kill him. Casey finds a love interest as geeky about guns as he is, and our team of spies is now on the run from the federal government. Morgan as the jerk Intersect was a little dull, and bad for a character who had grown on me so much, but the last episode is a return to the best of Chuck. At the end of last season, I gave Chuck a B. I'm giving it a B+ for this season.
Community - Fans of Community were devastated to learn that NBC decided to leave Community off its spring schedule. This failure to schedule is a big indication of the network's lack of trust in this excellent comedy. And this season has been fabulous. Although I feel Britta for some reason has been drawn a little more broadly this season than in the past, the characters are all still funny and unique. Pop culture has never been skewered as well as Community. Granted, it's not everyone's cup of tea, but Community goes from a B to an A.
Fringe - As I've noted before, the disappearance of Peter from the timeline has left a few viewers in the cold, especially considering that this may be this show's final season. I've personally enjoyed watching the evolution of a Peter-less Fringe team, especially with the addition of Lincoln Lee, but I also know that Fringe is always best seen as a season, not even as a half season. I'm lowering it's grade from an A to a B. We'll see if it improves.
House - This is most likely the final season for this show as well - seems to be a theme for this post so far! Cuddy is gone, House is on parole (with Foreman holding his ticket out of jail), and he has two new team members. For the first time ever, House has a female doctor that I like - Park is a socially awkward woman who isn't "hot" and doesn't fit in. The other doctor - the one House met in prison - is fairly typical for the show. I can't even remember the character's name. Thirteen left on a lesbian love affair or to pursue her movie career (I can't remember which), but Taub and Chase remain. House continues to play his mind games on his team and on Wilson, and manages to find a diagnosis for the desparately ill patient in the last five minutes. It's good the show is ending, but it is better than last year, so far. I'm giving it a B+.
Once Upon a Time - I didn't even include this show in my list of what I'd be watching this season. See what happens when you don't get the annual TV Guide Fall Preview issue? It is, of course, right up my alley. Jennifer Morrison (quite annoying as Cameron in House) stars as Emma Swan, who will somehow save our favorite fairy take characters (you know - Snow White, Prince Charming, Jiminy Cricket, the works!) from the Evil Witch's spell. I'll not go further into this other than to say that some Lost producers are behind it. That should make clear that there's no way to explain it all in one blurb. However, I don't want to imply this show is as good or as riveting as Lost - it's not. But it is good - it just needs to find itself. I'll give it a B.
Person of Interest - Okay, I'll confess. this is probably my favorite new show. I'm a little embarrassed, mainly because it's a procedural. There's the usual deep, dark arc that we get little bits and pieces of each week, about both characters, Finch and Reese. Benjamin Linus - oh, wait, I meant Finch, has created a master program that lets the government monitor and prevent terrorist activity. The program also detects your run-of-the-mill planned murders, but the government doesn't care about that. Finch does, so he engages an unemployed Green Beret/CIA agent called Reese. Some people don't like Jim Caviezel's performance as the laconic, intense Reese, but I like it. And I have to say that I would probably pay good money just to watch Michael Emerson to read a phone book, and he doesn't disappoint as the genius Finch with secrets of his own to hide. I'll give it an A-.
Ringer - this tale of two twins has been written about before in this blog. It's fall finale didn't make the series that much better. C. It killed off the annoying Jemma and Charlie; otherwise, this would be a C- or worse. And yes, I'll still watch it. Get over it.
The Good Wife - This was one of my highest rated shows from last year. Sadly, I can only give it an D or F now, because I'll never see it again! The powers-that-be decided to put this gem of a show on Sundays, after football. I saw the first episode, but the second episode was half Amazing Race. I deleted it (you know I don't watch anything in real time), as I have each subsequent episode. I can report that my mother is not as big a fan this year as she was last year. Hmph.
So, what have you been watching?
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Fall Finales - Really?
The last episode of Fringe was promoted as a fall finale. Ringer airs its fall finale this Tuesday. Many shows have promoted their fall finales, promising surprises, thrills, and cliffhangers. I'm not a fan.
It seems that expectations for the final episode of a season are pretty high. A couple of years ago, Bones aired a season finale in which Bones either read a book or Booth dreamed that they were a couple who owned a nightclub. It was a fun episode, had all the squints and Zack in silly roles. It was a trifle, but it was entertaining, which is what a show should be. But oh! the lamentations in the blogosphere - this was no kind of finale.
What? A procedural needs a certain kind of an episode to air for the final episode of the season? That doesn't make sense to me.
Some shows require a finale to be an event. The finales of Buffy the Vampire Slayer always resolved a season-long arc in which the season's "big bad" was finally vanquished, killed, or otherwise neutralized. On the other hand, Lost's finales usually elicited more questions than resolution, but they were for sure events to be anticipated and savored. Lost, of course, produced cliffhangers so we'd return the next season to figure out what it all meant.
One of the best finales I've seen was The Best of Both Worlds of Star Trek: The Next Generation. The tension on board the Enterprise mounted as the Borg kidnapped Picard and turned him into a Borg. It was a bold move for a series that up til then hadn't been very bold.
But I don't require most of the shows I watch to have finales. If they do, so be it, but I won't think less of any show in that category that fails to produce one. Personally, I'd rather have a good episode than a mediocre attempt at a finale.
But now we're expecting shows to have "fall finales"? Are you kidding me?
One of the biggest complaints TV viewers have each year is the month and a half or so that TV turns off. It's the holiday season, and usually starts sometime around Thanksgiving and ends sometime after the New Year's Day. Television programmers have to face the fact that people are very busy during the holidays, going to parties, buying gifts, and mailing greeting cards. So television is placed on hiatus while people are distracted. It makes sense.
We viewers are a demanding lot - we're quite irritated by these breaks in our favorite shows. Some seem to take it quite personally. Finally, some shows like Lost and 24 just waited until the new year to air so that viewers could watch with few if any interruptions.
But now we're expecting shows that air on both sides of the New Year's to have "fall finales"? Please. Fringe's finale showed that Nina Sharp is leading scientists in extracting something from Olivia's body? Wow. Knock me over with a feather. Ringer has promised that they'll reveal something that will change everything. Whatever.
I guess my primary objection to this is that it just seems like a trick, an illusion that forgets that good story telling is what every show should rely upon to keep viewers. Focus on that, and everything should fall into place. Viewers will come for the good stories, not for the cliffhangers. At least, unless you make them expect it.
It seems that expectations for the final episode of a season are pretty high. A couple of years ago, Bones aired a season finale in which Bones either read a book or Booth dreamed that they were a couple who owned a nightclub. It was a fun episode, had all the squints and Zack in silly roles. It was a trifle, but it was entertaining, which is what a show should be. But oh! the lamentations in the blogosphere - this was no kind of finale.
What? A procedural needs a certain kind of an episode to air for the final episode of the season? That doesn't make sense to me.
Some shows require a finale to be an event. The finales of Buffy the Vampire Slayer always resolved a season-long arc in which the season's "big bad" was finally vanquished, killed, or otherwise neutralized. On the other hand, Lost's finales usually elicited more questions than resolution, but they were for sure events to be anticipated and savored. Lost, of course, produced cliffhangers so we'd return the next season to figure out what it all meant.
One of the best finales I've seen was The Best of Both Worlds of Star Trek: The Next Generation. The tension on board the Enterprise mounted as the Borg kidnapped Picard and turned him into a Borg. It was a bold move for a series that up til then hadn't been very bold.
But I don't require most of the shows I watch to have finales. If they do, so be it, but I won't think less of any show in that category that fails to produce one. Personally, I'd rather have a good episode than a mediocre attempt at a finale.
But now we're expecting shows to have "fall finales"? Are you kidding me?
One of the biggest complaints TV viewers have each year is the month and a half or so that TV turns off. It's the holiday season, and usually starts sometime around Thanksgiving and ends sometime after the New Year's Day. Television programmers have to face the fact that people are very busy during the holidays, going to parties, buying gifts, and mailing greeting cards. So television is placed on hiatus while people are distracted. It makes sense.
We viewers are a demanding lot - we're quite irritated by these breaks in our favorite shows. Some seem to take it quite personally. Finally, some shows like Lost and 24 just waited until the new year to air so that viewers could watch with few if any interruptions.
But now we're expecting shows that air on both sides of the New Year's to have "fall finales"? Please. Fringe's finale showed that Nina Sharp is leading scientists in extracting something from Olivia's body? Wow. Knock me over with a feather. Ringer has promised that they'll reveal something that will change everything. Whatever.
I guess my primary objection to this is that it just seems like a trick, an illusion that forgets that good story telling is what every show should rely upon to keep viewers. Focus on that, and everything should fall into place. Viewers will come for the good stories, not for the cliffhangers. At least, unless you make them expect it.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Fringe - Peterless
Aw, Fringe, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
This has been a difficult season for a number of Fringe fans, following the traumatic finale when the Observers decided to wipe Peter off the face of the Earth. It turns out that Peter was not supposed to survive his dumping in the lake and the Observer was supposed to ... well...observe Peter down. So, what kind of a world is it that was Peterless?
For a number of people, it's a sad one. Fringe is trying to make up for it, however, by having Peter return, in the same lake in which he died, or didn't. Peter remembers everything, but no one else does.
He tried to reconnect with Walter, but Walter would have none of it. He decided that Peter's death was a just punishment for his hubris in taking Peter from his universe. We watched Walter completely ignore Peter in And Those We've Left Behind, and he's made no effort to talk with Peter. He acknowledges that Peter is his son (genetic tests don't lie), but he's stubborn. Peter notices: He didn't even look at me.
Peter is astounded to find that Olivia has had dreams about him, but when he presses her for the emotional content, she claims she can't have an emotional response - she doesn't know him. She figures out that he had a relationship with "the other Olivia", and is kind, but she clearly lacks any regard for him. Instead, Peter observes the burgeoning relationship between Olivia and Lincoln Lee, and gives Lincoln a pair of "readers" that will make his look less bookish.
Peter also has the discomfiting position of being considered a "fringe event". He has an agent "friend" who "escorts" him everywhere, and discovers that his "friend" is under orders to limit Peter's interactions with "civilians". He clearly doesn't belong and doesn't appear to be wanted.
These events have caused Peter to believe that he is misplaced - he is from another universe (the third we know of, if he's correct). He now refers to "the other Olivia", and spent his time in Wallflower looking at the schematics to build the time machine (or whatever) that placed him in this universe.
I'm certain Peter is wrong, and that it is this universe that he belongs in. The question is, how will that resolve? Will the Observer(s) somehow intervene? Will Peter's machine "fix" everything? What?
Ryan McGee, over at Hitfix, has been very vocal about his dissatisfaction with this season. He's not alone, if his comments are any indication. I'm not so negative. The show isn't as good as last season, but I'm enjoying seeing the differences brought upon our characters by the current situation. Ryan does have a good point, however; if this is the last season of Fringe (as appears likely), do we really want to see it without the core threesome in harmony?
This has been a difficult season for a number of Fringe fans, following the traumatic finale when the Observers decided to wipe Peter off the face of the Earth. It turns out that Peter was not supposed to survive his dumping in the lake and the Observer was supposed to ... well...observe Peter down. So, what kind of a world is it that was Peterless?
For a number of people, it's a sad one. Fringe is trying to make up for it, however, by having Peter return, in the same lake in which he died, or didn't. Peter remembers everything, but no one else does.
He tried to reconnect with Walter, but Walter would have none of it. He decided that Peter's death was a just punishment for his hubris in taking Peter from his universe. We watched Walter completely ignore Peter in And Those We've Left Behind, and he's made no effort to talk with Peter. He acknowledges that Peter is his son (genetic tests don't lie), but he's stubborn. Peter notices: He didn't even look at me.
Peter is astounded to find that Olivia has had dreams about him, but when he presses her for the emotional content, she claims she can't have an emotional response - she doesn't know him. She figures out that he had a relationship with "the other Olivia", and is kind, but she clearly lacks any regard for him. Instead, Peter observes the burgeoning relationship between Olivia and Lincoln Lee, and gives Lincoln a pair of "readers" that will make his look less bookish.
Peter also has the discomfiting position of being considered a "fringe event". He has an agent "friend" who "escorts" him everywhere, and discovers that his "friend" is under orders to limit Peter's interactions with "civilians". He clearly doesn't belong and doesn't appear to be wanted.
These events have caused Peter to believe that he is misplaced - he is from another universe (the third we know of, if he's correct). He now refers to "the other Olivia", and spent his time in Wallflower looking at the schematics to build the time machine (or whatever) that placed him in this universe.
I'm certain Peter is wrong, and that it is this universe that he belongs in. The question is, how will that resolve? Will the Observer(s) somehow intervene? Will Peter's machine "fix" everything? What?
Ryan McGee, over at Hitfix, has been very vocal about his dissatisfaction with this season. He's not alone, if his comments are any indication. I'm not so negative. The show isn't as good as last season, but I'm enjoying seeing the differences brought upon our characters by the current situation. Ryan does have a good point, however; if this is the last season of Fringe (as appears likely), do we really want to see it without the core threesome in harmony?
Saturday, October 29, 2011
I Have a Girl Crush - SMG
Yes, I must admit, I have a girl crush. Now, those of you who are thinking inappropriate thoughts, shame on you. You clearly don't know me that well, and get your head out of the gutter.
Those of you who know that the initials "SMG" stand for "Sarah Michelle Gellar" probably think, well duh - Buffy's one of your favorite characters in the whole wide world. And you would be half right in your assumptions. Of course I've had a girl crush on Buffy for over a decade. First, a brief view of my crush on Buffy.
Joss Whedon, in my opinion, is a genius. He took the old horror movie trope of the beautiful blond in the negligee walking down the stairs to investigate that scary noise. Any intelligent watcher is screaming at the television for the idiot blond to stay away, but she never listens, and sure enough, ends up brutally killed. You knew Buffy would be a different type of show from it's opening scene. A high school jock, clearly with nefarious plans in mind, is escorting a tremulous blond through the halls of Sunnydale High School. She's nervous, scared of every noise, but the jock assures her it will all be alright. Sadly for him, the blond isn't a high school girl, but a vampire well over 400 years old. The jock didn't score, but Darla had a nice meal.
Buffy was not the victim but the heroine, the slayer, the chosen one, who has supernatural powers that enable her to kill vampires and other evil creatures. Slayers were normally solitary creatures who were infused with the essence of demons so that they could kill demons, often dying young. Buffy wanted nothing to do with being a slayer after getting kicked out of high school in LA, but, of course, her destiny followed her, and she eventually gave in. But she always played by her own rules. First, she had friends who knew her "secret identity" and frequently took part in the battles against the forces of evil. She was determined to maintain her sense of style, being the mall rat she was. She also had a sense of humor that wouldn't stop, no matter how serious or tragic the circumstances. Look at the following quotes:
In Faith, Hope, and Trick, about her life returning to normal: "All right, yes, date and shop and hang out go to school and save the world from unspeakable demons. You know, I wanna do girlie stuff."
In Real Me, after Giles complains about his new car's automatic transmission:
Buffy: Giles, are you breaking up with your car?
Giles: Well, it did seduce me, all red and sporty.
Buffy: Little two-door tramp.
And in the final episode, Chosen, to Angel, explaining her complicated feelings about Angel and Spike and her desire to wait before deciding between the two: "I'm cookie dough. I'm not done baking. I'm not finished becoming whoever the hell it is I'm gonna turn out to be. I make it through this, and the next thing, and the next thing, and maybe one day, I turn around and realize I'm ready. I'm cookies. And then, you know, if I want someone to eat (eyes go wide as she realizes what she's saying) ... or enjoy warm, delicious cookie me, then...that's fine. That'll be then. When I'm done."
Let's face it, I could talk for hours about Buffy, and what she means to my life and my view of popular culture and television. But I must remind you the title references Gellar, not Summers.
One of the most difficult things I think that we as television viewers have to do is dissociate the actor from the character. We're adults, and we learn early on the distinction between the two. But this can be harder to achieve than it appears, as evidenced by comments that actors who play polarizing characters receive from members of the general public. But I think I've done a pretty good job of making that distinction. Patrick Stewart is no Jean Luc Picard, James Gandolfini is no Tony Soprano, and Valerie Harper is no Rhoda Morgenstern. I get it.
And Sarah Michelle Gellar is no Buffy Summers. Gellar started in Hollywood very young, staring in a series of Burger King commercials that were involved in a lawsuit by McDonald's. But she first really became famous when she starred as Erica Kane's long lost daughter Kendall on All My Children. I've long heard about the professionalism of Erica's portrayer, Susan Lucci, and even before Buffy hit the television air waves, I had heard that Lucci and Gellar did not get along.
I also read some silly magazine articles about Gellar, in which she impresses the author because she and her friends had "girls weekends" in which no one was allowed to wear make up. Wow.
But I truly lost respect for Gellar when she announced via Entertainment Weekly that she was quitting Buffy, before she told her co-stars. Yeah, you just don't do that in my world.
Post-Buffy (and, to be fair, during), Gellar appeared in a number of movies, with only Scream 2, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Cruel Intentions and The Grudge being remotely respected. How many movies with Gellar have I seen? None. I'm just not interested in any of them.
Her personal life is quite boring, certainly, compared with her contemporaries. She married one of her movie co-stars, Freddie Prinze, Jr., who, honestly, is one of the most boring actors ever, and had a daughter in 2009. I never see her in the tabloids and rarely in the magazines. I think better of her for that, certainly.
But really, her biggest problem is that she's not Buffy. No one is.
All that said, I was excited to hear that Gellar was scheduled to star in a new series, Ringer, about identical twins, one of whom takes over the life of the other. The trailer was intriguing, and if Gellar did as good a job on this show as she did on Buffy, well, what's not to like?
My first clue that it might not be such a great show was before it even aired - it went from CBS to the CW. The CW is famous for its teen and young adult soaps. And critics I trust who had seen the pilot episode didn't have much good to say. But I had to see it.
And see it I have - all episodes that have aired. And it's horrible. The story lines don't make sense, the characterization missing, and the tension untense. The basic story is this: former prostitute Bridget is in protective custody because she plans to testify about a murder she witnessed. Newly sober, she somehow escapes from protective custody and reconnects with her wealthy identical twin sister. Apparently the two had a falling out related to Bridget's drug use and the death of Siobhan's child (presumably related). Siobhan appears to commit suicide, and Bridget decides to take her sister's identity to hide from the murderer.
Bridget discovers that Siobhan's life isn't all great - she and her husband have a hostile relationship, her stepdaughter hates her, and she's having an affair with her best friend's husband. Worse yet, it becomes clear that someone was paid to kill a woman named "Siobhan Martin". Bridget is doing her best to take on Siobhan's life and hiding the fact that she isn't the same woman. All the slight differences between the two women don't seem enough to clue anyone that the woman isn't Siobhan. Seriously?
Of course, Siobhan was not dead, but living in Paris. It's clear she has an agenda, against her husband and against Bridget. We don't know why, but it appears we'll learn soon enough.
And the two men in Siobhan's life - Andrew (husband) and Henry (lover) are both dull as dishwater (maybe Freddie Prinze, Jr. was the model?). I guess that Siobhan had an affair with Henry because Andrew ignored her for his work. But it feels like not only is the wife new in this marriage, so is the husband. A man who put work before his family has made lots of changes in his life, apparently. I don't know. The men are pretty to look at but not much else.
The tension, beyond Bridget trying to be Siobhan, comes from Bridget trying to hide the body of the man who killed her, or trying to hide a gun, or staying out of Henry's bed. Gemma, Siobhan's boring best friend, discovered that Siobhan and Henry were having an affair. Bridget finally confessed to Gemma that's she's Bridget, and Gemma then blackmailed Bridget to get Henry to sleep with her so Gemma could ensure Henry gets none of her money. Bridget refused, and shortly thereafter, was Gemma was apparently killed. I guess that's a mystery now.
No matter what I write, I know that I am fighting a useless battle. There's no way I can convince you that this show is good and worth your time. It's not. The show gets a C- or D. If only I could stop watching.
What makes me watch this show week after week? There's only one possibility: SMG. So, it's true, I have a crush.
Veronica Mars fan alert: Jason Dohring, Veronica's bad boy boyfriend Logan Echolls, plays a teacher in the high school of Andrew's daughter attends.
Lost fan alert: Nestor Carbonell, Richard Alpert, is the FBI agent determined to find Bridget.
Buffyverse fan alert: Well, duh.
Those of you who know that the initials "SMG" stand for "Sarah Michelle Gellar" probably think, well duh - Buffy's one of your favorite characters in the whole wide world. And you would be half right in your assumptions. Of course I've had a girl crush on Buffy for over a decade. First, a brief view of my crush on Buffy.
Joss Whedon, in my opinion, is a genius. He took the old horror movie trope of the beautiful blond in the negligee walking down the stairs to investigate that scary noise. Any intelligent watcher is screaming at the television for the idiot blond to stay away, but she never listens, and sure enough, ends up brutally killed. You knew Buffy would be a different type of show from it's opening scene. A high school jock, clearly with nefarious plans in mind, is escorting a tremulous blond through the halls of Sunnydale High School. She's nervous, scared of every noise, but the jock assures her it will all be alright. Sadly for him, the blond isn't a high school girl, but a vampire well over 400 years old. The jock didn't score, but Darla had a nice meal.
Buffy was not the victim but the heroine, the slayer, the chosen one, who has supernatural powers that enable her to kill vampires and other evil creatures. Slayers were normally solitary creatures who were infused with the essence of demons so that they could kill demons, often dying young. Buffy wanted nothing to do with being a slayer after getting kicked out of high school in LA, but, of course, her destiny followed her, and she eventually gave in. But she always played by her own rules. First, she had friends who knew her "secret identity" and frequently took part in the battles against the forces of evil. She was determined to maintain her sense of style, being the mall rat she was. She also had a sense of humor that wouldn't stop, no matter how serious or tragic the circumstances. Look at the following quotes:
In Faith, Hope, and Trick, about her life returning to normal: "All right, yes, date and shop and hang out go to school and save the world from unspeakable demons. You know, I wanna do girlie stuff."
In Real Me, after Giles complains about his new car's automatic transmission:
Buffy: Giles, are you breaking up with your car?
Giles: Well, it did seduce me, all red and sporty.
Buffy: Little two-door tramp.
And in the final episode, Chosen, to Angel, explaining her complicated feelings about Angel and Spike and her desire to wait before deciding between the two: "I'm cookie dough. I'm not done baking. I'm not finished becoming whoever the hell it is I'm gonna turn out to be. I make it through this, and the next thing, and the next thing, and maybe one day, I turn around and realize I'm ready. I'm cookies. And then, you know, if I want someone to eat (eyes go wide as she realizes what she's saying) ... or enjoy warm, delicious cookie me, then...that's fine. That'll be then. When I'm done."
Let's face it, I could talk for hours about Buffy, and what she means to my life and my view of popular culture and television. But I must remind you the title references Gellar, not Summers.
One of the most difficult things I think that we as television viewers have to do is dissociate the actor from the character. We're adults, and we learn early on the distinction between the two. But this can be harder to achieve than it appears, as evidenced by comments that actors who play polarizing characters receive from members of the general public. But I think I've done a pretty good job of making that distinction. Patrick Stewart is no Jean Luc Picard, James Gandolfini is no Tony Soprano, and Valerie Harper is no Rhoda Morgenstern. I get it.
And Sarah Michelle Gellar is no Buffy Summers. Gellar started in Hollywood very young, staring in a series of Burger King commercials that were involved in a lawsuit by McDonald's. But she first really became famous when she starred as Erica Kane's long lost daughter Kendall on All My Children. I've long heard about the professionalism of Erica's portrayer, Susan Lucci, and even before Buffy hit the television air waves, I had heard that Lucci and Gellar did not get along.
I also read some silly magazine articles about Gellar, in which she impresses the author because she and her friends had "girls weekends" in which no one was allowed to wear make up. Wow.
But I truly lost respect for Gellar when she announced via Entertainment Weekly that she was quitting Buffy, before she told her co-stars. Yeah, you just don't do that in my world.
Post-Buffy (and, to be fair, during), Gellar appeared in a number of movies, with only Scream 2, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Cruel Intentions and The Grudge being remotely respected. How many movies with Gellar have I seen? None. I'm just not interested in any of them.
Her personal life is quite boring, certainly, compared with her contemporaries. She married one of her movie co-stars, Freddie Prinze, Jr., who, honestly, is one of the most boring actors ever, and had a daughter in 2009. I never see her in the tabloids and rarely in the magazines. I think better of her for that, certainly.
But really, her biggest problem is that she's not Buffy. No one is.
All that said, I was excited to hear that Gellar was scheduled to star in a new series, Ringer, about identical twins, one of whom takes over the life of the other. The trailer was intriguing, and if Gellar did as good a job on this show as she did on Buffy, well, what's not to like?
My first clue that it might not be such a great show was before it even aired - it went from CBS to the CW. The CW is famous for its teen and young adult soaps. And critics I trust who had seen the pilot episode didn't have much good to say. But I had to see it.
And see it I have - all episodes that have aired. And it's horrible. The story lines don't make sense, the characterization missing, and the tension untense. The basic story is this: former prostitute Bridget is in protective custody because she plans to testify about a murder she witnessed. Newly sober, she somehow escapes from protective custody and reconnects with her wealthy identical twin sister. Apparently the two had a falling out related to Bridget's drug use and the death of Siobhan's child (presumably related). Siobhan appears to commit suicide, and Bridget decides to take her sister's identity to hide from the murderer.
Bridget discovers that Siobhan's life isn't all great - she and her husband have a hostile relationship, her stepdaughter hates her, and she's having an affair with her best friend's husband. Worse yet, it becomes clear that someone was paid to kill a woman named "Siobhan Martin". Bridget is doing her best to take on Siobhan's life and hiding the fact that she isn't the same woman. All the slight differences between the two women don't seem enough to clue anyone that the woman isn't Siobhan. Seriously?
Of course, Siobhan was not dead, but living in Paris. It's clear she has an agenda, against her husband and against Bridget. We don't know why, but it appears we'll learn soon enough.
And the two men in Siobhan's life - Andrew (husband) and Henry (lover) are both dull as dishwater (maybe Freddie Prinze, Jr. was the model?). I guess that Siobhan had an affair with Henry because Andrew ignored her for his work. But it feels like not only is the wife new in this marriage, so is the husband. A man who put work before his family has made lots of changes in his life, apparently. I don't know. The men are pretty to look at but not much else.
The tension, beyond Bridget trying to be Siobhan, comes from Bridget trying to hide the body of the man who killed her, or trying to hide a gun, or staying out of Henry's bed. Gemma, Siobhan's boring best friend, discovered that Siobhan and Henry were having an affair. Bridget finally confessed to Gemma that's she's Bridget, and Gemma then blackmailed Bridget to get Henry to sleep with her so Gemma could ensure Henry gets none of her money. Bridget refused, and shortly thereafter, was Gemma was apparently killed. I guess that's a mystery now.
No matter what I write, I know that I am fighting a useless battle. There's no way I can convince you that this show is good and worth your time. It's not. The show gets a C- or D. If only I could stop watching.
What makes me watch this show week after week? There's only one possibility: SMG. So, it's true, I have a crush.
Veronica Mars fan alert: Jason Dohring, Veronica's bad boy boyfriend Logan Echolls, plays a teacher in the high school of Andrew's daughter attends.
Lost fan alert: Nestor Carbonell, Richard Alpert, is the FBI agent determined to find Bridget.
Buffyverse fan alert: Well, duh.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
What New Shows Am I Watching This Season?
Well, folks, here it is, the new fall season of television, usually one of my favorite times of the television year. Last year was rough, with no new shows making my list of must sees. This year I believe will fair a little better.
On Monday nights, Fox airs Terra Nova. Terra Nova presents a dystopian future, that has somehow figured out how to send people back to a far distant past, before pollution, greed, and overpopulation made our world an environmental disaster. So far in the past, that dinosaurs rule the earth. Terra Nova features the very likable Jason O'Mara as a cop who had been imprisoned for daring to have three children. His wife, a noted physician, is recruited to Terra Nova, but she can only take their two oldest children. A little bribery and chicanery later, the entire family makes it to Terra Nova. I'm going to give this show a try, but I'm not convinced I like it. It features not one but two stereotypical teenagers, and O'Mara's character was rather easily accepted by the leader, played by the exceptional Stephen Lang. Terra Nova is clearly trying to make itself the Lost of the season, with its hints at mysteries under the surface. Indeed, several times, I felt like I was watching scenes from Lost.
On Tuesday nights, the CW is airing The Ringer. This soap opera/thriller focuses on identical twins, both with so many secrets that nothing is what it seems. There's only one reason I'm watching this show: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Buffy herself, plays the twins. So far, there are holes a-plenty, and the male characters are especially one-note. But I can't help myself. I must watch. I'm sure I'll have more to say on this later.
On Thursday nights, Person of Interest airs on Fox. What happens if there is a computer that can monitor humans so much, it can determine when a crime of violence will happen? Michael Emerson's character created such a computer to combat terrorism. The fact that the computer could predict other crimes was an unexpected, and apparently unwanted, side effect. For reasons yet unknown to us, Emerson has hired the man who once played Jesus, Jim Caviezel, to help him prevent murders and other kinds of violent mayhem. Both men are extremely serious and driven, and both have secrets and painful pasts. Like Lost, little bits of the characters' pasts will be revealed week by week. Some critics are not fans of Caviezel's stoicness, but like Anna Torv's Olivia on Fringe, I think it fits.
One show I hope to watch and just haven't yet is New Girl, with Zooey Deschanel. As soon as I have, I'll give my impressions.
Buffyverse Fan Alert - Buffy herself, Sarah Michelle Gellar on The Ringer. Duh.
Lost Fan Alert - Michael Emerson, the mysterious Ben, plays a mysterious do-gooder billionaire on Person of Interest. Nestor Carbonell, the immortal Richard Alpert, plays an FBI agent trying to catch one of the twins on The Ringer.
In the meantime, what are you watching?
On Monday nights, Fox airs Terra Nova. Terra Nova presents a dystopian future, that has somehow figured out how to send people back to a far distant past, before pollution, greed, and overpopulation made our world an environmental disaster. So far in the past, that dinosaurs rule the earth. Terra Nova features the very likable Jason O'Mara as a cop who had been imprisoned for daring to have three children. His wife, a noted physician, is recruited to Terra Nova, but she can only take their two oldest children. A little bribery and chicanery later, the entire family makes it to Terra Nova. I'm going to give this show a try, but I'm not convinced I like it. It features not one but two stereotypical teenagers, and O'Mara's character was rather easily accepted by the leader, played by the exceptional Stephen Lang. Terra Nova is clearly trying to make itself the Lost of the season, with its hints at mysteries under the surface. Indeed, several times, I felt like I was watching scenes from Lost.
On Tuesday nights, the CW is airing The Ringer. This soap opera/thriller focuses on identical twins, both with so many secrets that nothing is what it seems. There's only one reason I'm watching this show: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Buffy herself, plays the twins. So far, there are holes a-plenty, and the male characters are especially one-note. But I can't help myself. I must watch. I'm sure I'll have more to say on this later.
On Thursday nights, Person of Interest airs on Fox. What happens if there is a computer that can monitor humans so much, it can determine when a crime of violence will happen? Michael Emerson's character created such a computer to combat terrorism. The fact that the computer could predict other crimes was an unexpected, and apparently unwanted, side effect. For reasons yet unknown to us, Emerson has hired the man who once played Jesus, Jim Caviezel, to help him prevent murders and other kinds of violent mayhem. Both men are extremely serious and driven, and both have secrets and painful pasts. Like Lost, little bits of the characters' pasts will be revealed week by week. Some critics are not fans of Caviezel's stoicness, but like Anna Torv's Olivia on Fringe, I think it fits.
One show I hope to watch and just haven't yet is New Girl, with Zooey Deschanel. As soon as I have, I'll give my impressions.
Buffyverse Fan Alert - Buffy herself, Sarah Michelle Gellar on The Ringer. Duh.
Lost Fan Alert - Michael Emerson, the mysterious Ben, plays a mysterious do-gooder billionaire on Person of Interest. Nestor Carbonell, the immortal Richard Alpert, plays an FBI agent trying to catch one of the twins on The Ringer.
In the meantime, what are you watching?
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Fringe - Neither Here Nor There
Fringe is back for its fourth season, and now tells us what the universe is like if Peter Bishop had never existed.
That's what I thought, until I watched this episode. It turns out, the Observers just returned the time line to what it would have been had not our sympathetic Observer not saved Peter's life immediately after Walter brought the boy back from the alternate universe. Observers are not supposed to act in our universe, just to observe. By acting, the sympathetic Observer saved Peter, but altered the time line - Peter was never supposed to survive, in either universe.
So, everything is the same - Olivia works for Fringe Division, Walter uses his scientific genius to solve mysteries, and Astrid minds Walter. But, things are different too. Olivia is colder, and is not allowed to say what division she works in. Walter is agoraphobic, and has less control over his emotional responses. Astrid must go on the scene to observe for Walter, because he can't leave the lab.
Of course, the other difference has nothing to do with Peter's disappearance from the time line, although his actions in the finale of Season Three set this in place. There is now a bridge between the universes, so Fauxlivia and Olivia can trade insults as they swap files. However, the bridge may have also allowed some shapeshifters from the alternate universe to come over.
That was the mystery of the week, and we were introduced to it when Lincoln Lee's partner was killed by a shapeshifter. It turns out that if Peter died as a child, Lincoln and Olivia never met. He served as our introduction to all the changes wrought by Peter's absence. Although not allowed, Lincoln inserted himself into the investigation, and proved himself an able agent. Plus, he and Olivia have a lot in common, not least of which is the loss of their partners in fringe events.
Unbeknownst to Olivia et al, the Observers were closely watching them, and they didn't like what they saw. Although they rewrote the time line, Peter's presence wasn't completely erased. He phased in and out while Fauxlivia and Olivia argued. But mostly he haunted Walter, who didn't recognize the man in the mirror and television as the son who died as a child. Previews indicate the haunting will worsen in future episodes. Walter is clearly terrified by these apparitions, and could reasonably presume they are hallucinations.
It was a good episode of Fringe, but with the absence of Peter, it lacked the one thing that makes Fringe delightful - the connection between and among Olivia and the Bishop boys. We didn't get to see much of the relationship between the universes, other than the fact that our universe doesn't trust the alternate universe. So no answers as to who the father of Fauxlivia's baby is, assuming she still has one. But I liked the way Lincoln Lee was introduced (his portrayer, Seth Gabel, is now a full time cast member), and it's hard to argue with any episode which shows us Walter in full form. I'm a little concerned as to what's next, and how Peter will return. I do hope he returns soon. Without him, the show is missing a third of what makes it extraordinary.
That's what I thought, until I watched this episode. It turns out, the Observers just returned the time line to what it would have been had not our sympathetic Observer not saved Peter's life immediately after Walter brought the boy back from the alternate universe. Observers are not supposed to act in our universe, just to observe. By acting, the sympathetic Observer saved Peter, but altered the time line - Peter was never supposed to survive, in either universe.
So, everything is the same - Olivia works for Fringe Division, Walter uses his scientific genius to solve mysteries, and Astrid minds Walter. But, things are different too. Olivia is colder, and is not allowed to say what division she works in. Walter is agoraphobic, and has less control over his emotional responses. Astrid must go on the scene to observe for Walter, because he can't leave the lab.
Of course, the other difference has nothing to do with Peter's disappearance from the time line, although his actions in the finale of Season Three set this in place. There is now a bridge between the universes, so Fauxlivia and Olivia can trade insults as they swap files. However, the bridge may have also allowed some shapeshifters from the alternate universe to come over.
That was the mystery of the week, and we were introduced to it when Lincoln Lee's partner was killed by a shapeshifter. It turns out that if Peter died as a child, Lincoln and Olivia never met. He served as our introduction to all the changes wrought by Peter's absence. Although not allowed, Lincoln inserted himself into the investigation, and proved himself an able agent. Plus, he and Olivia have a lot in common, not least of which is the loss of their partners in fringe events.
Unbeknownst to Olivia et al, the Observers were closely watching them, and they didn't like what they saw. Although they rewrote the time line, Peter's presence wasn't completely erased. He phased in and out while Fauxlivia and Olivia argued. But mostly he haunted Walter, who didn't recognize the man in the mirror and television as the son who died as a child. Previews indicate the haunting will worsen in future episodes. Walter is clearly terrified by these apparitions, and could reasonably presume they are hallucinations.
It was a good episode of Fringe, but with the absence of Peter, it lacked the one thing that makes Fringe delightful - the connection between and among Olivia and the Bishop boys. We didn't get to see much of the relationship between the universes, other than the fact that our universe doesn't trust the alternate universe. So no answers as to who the father of Fauxlivia's baby is, assuming she still has one. But I liked the way Lincoln Lee was introduced (his portrayer, Seth Gabel, is now a full time cast member), and it's hard to argue with any episode which shows us Walter in full form. I'm a little concerned as to what's next, and how Peter will return. I do hope he returns soon. Without him, the show is missing a third of what makes it extraordinary.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Reactions to the Emmy Nominations
Oh, those Emmys. Yes, it is that time of the year again, when the nominations are made, and people all over are shaking their heads, wondering, "What were they thinking?" Let's discuss.
First, I'll confess that I don't watch everything that is considered good and noteworthy on television. I don't think it's possible (especially if you want to have a life outside of TV), and right now, with two pay channels presenting what some think are the gold standard of shows, it's really not affordable either. So, that means that I've missed a lot of what was selected, including Boardwalk Empire (premise didn't really interest me), The Borgias (don't have Showtime), The Killing (never had time), Dexter (still don't have Showtime), Friday Night Lights (never made time for it and I don't have DirecTV), and Justified (I didn't even know it was on until after the first season aired!) are just a few of the shows I've not seen but were nominated for something. And, of course, I don't watch most comedies. The fact that I don't watch these shows does not prevent me from having opinions about them, of course. I do read a lot.
Next, I have to confess that most of the awards bore me to tears. Art direction, editing, makeup and costume. Yawn. I know that there are professionals at work who are as deserving of awards as any, but I don't know any of them, and really, a winner in one of those awards really doesn't help the reputation of the show or the actors.
So, let's discuss the nominations I am interested in.
Once again, two of my favorite shows were completely shut out of the major awards: Fringe and Community. Both had strong years, and both had strong performances by talented actors. I will return to this theme.
Comedy first - critics were ecstatic that two leading men were added this year: Johnny Galecki of The Big Bang Theory and Louis C.K. of Louie. I've watched the latter with B, and I do think he's rather good. Steve Carrell was also nominated for his last season of The Office (figures), and he is the current favorite to win. The lead actress in a comedy group has two surprises as well: Melissa McCarthy of Bridesmaids - oh, wait, I meant Mike & Molly (yes, a lot of critics believe she was nominated not for her show but because of her performance in the movie) and Martha Plimpton of Raising Hope. Again, I've seen the latter, and Plimpton is great, and I'm really happy she's getting work.
Pretty much every actor in Modern Family was nominated for supporting actor. I know a lot of people love that show, but thanks to the inclusion of Glee's Chris Colfer and Jon Cryer of Two and a Half Men (at least they didn't nominate Sheen this year), there was no room for Community's Danny Pudi and Donald Glover. Or even Chevy Chase, for that matter (you would think he's an Emmy magnet). The supporting actress category also has a lot of "really?" for me, including the addition of Jane Lynch, Betty White, and Kristen Wiig (I'll discuss these three along with many more below). But no love for Yvette Nicole Brown, who's Shirley on Community was awesome this year!
And I honestly could not care less who wins Outstanding Comedy Series - I either don't watch them or they just weren't that good (I'm looking at you, The Office and 30 Rock).
Readers of this blog know that I'm really a drama girl at heart, and the drama awards always interest me the most. The best actor award is filled with the usual suspects: Steve Buscemi, Michael C. Hall, Kyle Chandler, Hugh Laurie, Timothy Olyphant, and Jon Hamm. Hamm had a fabulous year on Mad Men, so I hope he bags the gold. Elisabeth Moss was nominated for best actress, and she too deserves the gold over her competitors. But why was Kathy Bates nominated for Harry's Law? Just because she won an Oscar doesn't mean her performance was better than, say, Anna Torv on Fringe. Torv managed to convincingly play three different persons last year. Not that the Emmys noticed.
The supporting actor race is such a strong one that I can barely muster the energy to point out that John Noble of Fringe was left out again. But the two men from The Good Wife (Josh Charles and Alan Cumming), Peter Dinklage from Game of Thrones, John Slattery of Mad Men, and Andre Braugher from Men of a Certain Age are all deserving of the award. Only one actor is nominated from a show I've not seen: Walter Goggins from Justified. Knowing my luck, that means he'll win.
My feelings about the supporting actress race are not as strong, as there are two shows represented I don't watch - Boardwalk Empire and Justified. However, Christine Baranski and Archie Punjabi from The Good Wife were both nominated, as well Michelle Forbes (granted, I've not seen The Killing, but I've followed Forbes for years - she's fabulous) and Christina Hendricks from Mad Men are all deserving.
So, what was nominated for best drama? Boardwalk Empire, Dexter, Friday Night Lights, Game of Thrones, The Good Wife, and Mad Men. Of the shows I watch, the latter two are the most deserving, with The Good Wife getting the edge.
In reading the nominations, I had a feeling of "really?" for a lot of them. Steve Buscemi was nominated for best actor for his portrayal as Nucky Thompson, despite the fact that many critics feel this is not his strongest role and that Boardwalk Empire was a bit of a disappointment. I'm always happy Hugh Laurie is nominated, but House wasn't all that good last year. And Kathy Bates? Really? Jon Cryer? Jane Lynch's Sue Sylvester had a bad year, creatively, and has allegedly just turned mean. I love Betty White, but her nomination for Hot in Cleveland just seems gratuitous. And try as I might, I have found none of Kristen Wiig's characters to be remotely amusing.
My last "what were they thinking" came from Outstanding Miniseries, as The Pillars of the Earth was nominated. The only award that show should win is worst miniseries ever.
First, I'll confess that I don't watch everything that is considered good and noteworthy on television. I don't think it's possible (especially if you want to have a life outside of TV), and right now, with two pay channels presenting what some think are the gold standard of shows, it's really not affordable either. So, that means that I've missed a lot of what was selected, including Boardwalk Empire (premise didn't really interest me), The Borgias (don't have Showtime), The Killing (never had time), Dexter (still don't have Showtime), Friday Night Lights (never made time for it and I don't have DirecTV), and Justified (I didn't even know it was on until after the first season aired!) are just a few of the shows I've not seen but were nominated for something. And, of course, I don't watch most comedies. The fact that I don't watch these shows does not prevent me from having opinions about them, of course. I do read a lot.
Next, I have to confess that most of the awards bore me to tears. Art direction, editing, makeup and costume. Yawn. I know that there are professionals at work who are as deserving of awards as any, but I don't know any of them, and really, a winner in one of those awards really doesn't help the reputation of the show or the actors.
So, let's discuss the nominations I am interested in.
Once again, two of my favorite shows were completely shut out of the major awards: Fringe and Community. Both had strong years, and both had strong performances by talented actors. I will return to this theme.
Comedy first - critics were ecstatic that two leading men were added this year: Johnny Galecki of The Big Bang Theory and Louis C.K. of Louie. I've watched the latter with B, and I do think he's rather good. Steve Carrell was also nominated for his last season of The Office (figures), and he is the current favorite to win. The lead actress in a comedy group has two surprises as well: Melissa McCarthy of Bridesmaids - oh, wait, I meant Mike & Molly (yes, a lot of critics believe she was nominated not for her show but because of her performance in the movie) and Martha Plimpton of Raising Hope. Again, I've seen the latter, and Plimpton is great, and I'm really happy she's getting work.
Pretty much every actor in Modern Family was nominated for supporting actor. I know a lot of people love that show, but thanks to the inclusion of Glee's Chris Colfer and Jon Cryer of Two and a Half Men (at least they didn't nominate Sheen this year), there was no room for Community's Danny Pudi and Donald Glover. Or even Chevy Chase, for that matter (you would think he's an Emmy magnet). The supporting actress category also has a lot of "really?" for me, including the addition of Jane Lynch, Betty White, and Kristen Wiig (I'll discuss these three along with many more below). But no love for Yvette Nicole Brown, who's Shirley on Community was awesome this year!
And I honestly could not care less who wins Outstanding Comedy Series - I either don't watch them or they just weren't that good (I'm looking at you, The Office and 30 Rock).
Readers of this blog know that I'm really a drama girl at heart, and the drama awards always interest me the most. The best actor award is filled with the usual suspects: Steve Buscemi, Michael C. Hall, Kyle Chandler, Hugh Laurie, Timothy Olyphant, and Jon Hamm. Hamm had a fabulous year on Mad Men, so I hope he bags the gold. Elisabeth Moss was nominated for best actress, and she too deserves the gold over her competitors. But why was Kathy Bates nominated for Harry's Law? Just because she won an Oscar doesn't mean her performance was better than, say, Anna Torv on Fringe. Torv managed to convincingly play three different persons last year. Not that the Emmys noticed.
The supporting actor race is such a strong one that I can barely muster the energy to point out that John Noble of Fringe was left out again. But the two men from The Good Wife (Josh Charles and Alan Cumming), Peter Dinklage from Game of Thrones, John Slattery of Mad Men, and Andre Braugher from Men of a Certain Age are all deserving of the award. Only one actor is nominated from a show I've not seen: Walter Goggins from Justified. Knowing my luck, that means he'll win.
My feelings about the supporting actress race are not as strong, as there are two shows represented I don't watch - Boardwalk Empire and Justified. However, Christine Baranski and Archie Punjabi from The Good Wife were both nominated, as well Michelle Forbes (granted, I've not seen The Killing, but I've followed Forbes for years - she's fabulous) and Christina Hendricks from Mad Men are all deserving.
So, what was nominated for best drama? Boardwalk Empire, Dexter, Friday Night Lights, Game of Thrones, The Good Wife, and Mad Men. Of the shows I watch, the latter two are the most deserving, with The Good Wife getting the edge.
In reading the nominations, I had a feeling of "really?" for a lot of them. Steve Buscemi was nominated for best actor for his portrayal as Nucky Thompson, despite the fact that many critics feel this is not his strongest role and that Boardwalk Empire was a bit of a disappointment. I'm always happy Hugh Laurie is nominated, but House wasn't all that good last year. And Kathy Bates? Really? Jon Cryer? Jane Lynch's Sue Sylvester had a bad year, creatively, and has allegedly just turned mean. I love Betty White, but her nomination for Hot in Cleveland just seems gratuitous. And try as I might, I have found none of Kristen Wiig's characters to be remotely amusing.
My last "what were they thinking" came from Outstanding Miniseries, as The Pillars of the Earth was nominated. The only award that show should win is worst miniseries ever.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Falling Skies - Sci Fi, Summer Style
TNT has gotten into the science fiction genre with Falling Skies, a tense alien invasion drama that is far superior to anything V tried to do. Despite that, there are flaws.
Six months after an alien invasion left the Earth devastated, 90% of its population dead or captured, and all communications grids destroyed, a small group of survivors in Boston have banded together in what they call the Second Massachusetts. One of their leaders is Tom Mason, a history professor who specializes in the American Revolution. His wife was killed shortly after the invasion, and one of this three sons was missing, presumably abducted by the aliens. All Tom wants to do is find his son, but he takes part in recon missions to gather guns and food. During one operation, his sixteen-year-old son, Hal, sees his missing brother, and Tom has a mission.
The aliens, called "skitters" because of the way they walk, have taken over all the cities, including Boston. They essentially look like big skittering insects. Also with them are "mechs", or big robots with two legs that are equipped with a lot of killing power. It turns out that abducted children are harnessed with symbiotic devices that control, sedate, and heal them. Any attempts to remove the harnesses have resulted in killing the children attached to them.
What elevates this from standard sci-fi stuff is the caliber of the cast and the humanity of the plots. Noah Wyle stars as Tom, and takes what could be a boring hero role and adds devotion to his sons and a sense of duty. Wyle is an extremely likable actor, a lot like his former colleague, George Clooney, and always brings intelligence to any part. Moon Bloodgood (who earns the award for most colorful name) plays a pediatrician, Anne, who is friends with Tom. She advocates for the civilians that are attached to Second Massachusetts. The most interesting character is Pope, a gang leader who captured Tom's group during a mission, and was later made a captive of the Second Massachusetts. Played by Colin Cunningham, Pope is wily, mischievous, and cynical, and manages to steal every scene he's in.
Falling Skies also adds a lot of humanity into the plots. Tom is successful in the Second Massachusetts because of his knowledge of historical battles. His love and devotion to his sons clearly drive his actions. Anne's Uncle Scott teaches biology to the civilian children who have not been abducted by the skitters, and helps out in the kitchen and in developing communications. One of Anne's assistants is Lourdes, a young lady whose belief in God hasn't wavered. Plus, why do the "mechs" have two legs, instead of the six legs sported by the skitters? When humans dream of robots, our robots look like us. What makes the "mechs" so different?
There are flaws, however. The plot once required a skitter and a formerly harnessed child to be left alone unguarded. Lourdes' expressions of faith have been a little clunky.
All in all, it is an enjoyable series, and if you like this kind of thing, enjoy.
Six months after an alien invasion left the Earth devastated, 90% of its population dead or captured, and all communications grids destroyed, a small group of survivors in Boston have banded together in what they call the Second Massachusetts. One of their leaders is Tom Mason, a history professor who specializes in the American Revolution. His wife was killed shortly after the invasion, and one of this three sons was missing, presumably abducted by the aliens. All Tom wants to do is find his son, but he takes part in recon missions to gather guns and food. During one operation, his sixteen-year-old son, Hal, sees his missing brother, and Tom has a mission.
The aliens, called "skitters" because of the way they walk, have taken over all the cities, including Boston. They essentially look like big skittering insects. Also with them are "mechs", or big robots with two legs that are equipped with a lot of killing power. It turns out that abducted children are harnessed with symbiotic devices that control, sedate, and heal them. Any attempts to remove the harnesses have resulted in killing the children attached to them.
What elevates this from standard sci-fi stuff is the caliber of the cast and the humanity of the plots. Noah Wyle stars as Tom, and takes what could be a boring hero role and adds devotion to his sons and a sense of duty. Wyle is an extremely likable actor, a lot like his former colleague, George Clooney, and always brings intelligence to any part. Moon Bloodgood (who earns the award for most colorful name) plays a pediatrician, Anne, who is friends with Tom. She advocates for the civilians that are attached to Second Massachusetts. The most interesting character is Pope, a gang leader who captured Tom's group during a mission, and was later made a captive of the Second Massachusetts. Played by Colin Cunningham, Pope is wily, mischievous, and cynical, and manages to steal every scene he's in.
Falling Skies also adds a lot of humanity into the plots. Tom is successful in the Second Massachusetts because of his knowledge of historical battles. His love and devotion to his sons clearly drive his actions. Anne's Uncle Scott teaches biology to the civilian children who have not been abducted by the skitters, and helps out in the kitchen and in developing communications. One of Anne's assistants is Lourdes, a young lady whose belief in God hasn't wavered. Plus, why do the "mechs" have two legs, instead of the six legs sported by the skitters? When humans dream of robots, our robots look like us. What makes the "mechs" so different?
There are flaws, however. The plot once required a skitter and a formerly harnessed child to be left alone unguarded. Lourdes' expressions of faith have been a little clunky.
All in all, it is an enjoyable series, and if you like this kind of thing, enjoy.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Another Season Over
So, another season is over, and I must say, it was quite blah. No new shows sparked my interest beyond one episode. The Event was so uneventful that it was not picked up for next year. Neither was No Ordinary Family, which took every cliche and did nothing new with them. Hawaii Five-O will return, an unqualified success, but it just wasn't for me (though I'm thrilled for Daniel Dae Kim). I never saw Undercovers, which was canceled before the season even ended.
I think it was a good thing that this season was so bad, however, as I had less time to watch television than normal. I know a number of my friends with children are able to maintain their viewing schedules, but I wasn't. I have no ideas why, and this isn't really the venue for me to contemplate how the way I am with my twins affects my TV.
Because of this, I rarely watched any show on a "timely" basis, i.e., within a day or two of its airing - heck, getting to watch within a week was sometimes more than I can handle. But now, I've watched the very last episode of the season, so I've some thoughts.
Let's start with the show that excited me the most: Fringe. It was a fabulous show, with a confusing ending. It turned some of its own mythology on its head (no mention of the Pattern this season!), and really fleshed out the alternative universe. Walternate's sole goal, of course, is to destroy our universe, with our characters, but we came to know and care about the characters in the alternative universe as well, even Fauxlivia. Since the machine that would destroy one universe (or the other...or both) required Peter (and, it turns out, Olivia), Peter's role became central. And who he picked would also be central - Fauxlivia or Olivia?
But the final episode of the season was terribly confusing. Peter decided that he could prevent the machine from working by entering it, but once he did, he jumped to the future, a terrible future, in which the alternative universe was destroyed, and only Walternate (who had allegedly jumped to our universe to make peace), survived. But the destruction of the universe led to the slow death of ours, helped by Walternate's terrorism. Before it was over, Olivia (married to Peter!) was killed by Walternate, and Walter, released from jail, realized that he was the one who sent the machine back into the past (so much for the First People), and that Peter must go back to let everyone know the universes depended upon each other for survival.
Suddenly, the two universes were together, in our timeline, at Staten Island. Two Walters, two Olivias, two Astrids. Only one Broyles (of course, since Alternative Broyles was killed), and one Peter. Though, as Peter explained his theory to the Walters, he suddenly disappeared. And no one blinked.
Then, we were watching the Observers, as they observed. No one missed Peter, because he never existed.
Hunh?
So why did Walter go to the other universe, causing all the harm to the alternative universe? How did the machine work? Who fathered Fauxlivia's child? I'm frankly having a hard time wrapping my head around this.
But, I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt, as I always do. I believe in trusting the producers to make sense of the seeming messes they've created. I hopefully will be rewarded. Good news: Seth Gabel has been brought on as a regular. Maybe Lincoln Lee fathered Fauxlivia's child?
My next favorite comedy this season is Community, which will also return next season. The show's meta focus has remained meta, which might throw some people off. It ended with yet another paintball contest, with Pierce winning and donating the earnings to save the school. But he left the study group, not surprising considering he was the villain throughout the season. I guess the group will have to do something next season to bring him back in. They will also have to figure out what to do about Senor Chang, who was mostly endearing through the season. I for one was rather sad Shirley's baby wasn't his.
My last favorite? The Good Wife. I have a friend who reported being embarrassed that she likes this show as much as she does, yet she watches almost all The Real Housewives. Go figure. Juliana Marguilies continues to hit this one out of the park as the stoic, heartbroken junior associate at Lockhart Gardner. There were some fun shenanigans with the law firm, but what most stood out was the destruction of Kalinda and Alicia's friendship. Alicia figured out that Kalinda once slept with her husband, a discovery that destroyed her marriage and her friendship with Kalinda, and opened up the door to a night in the Presidential Suite with Will. Kalinda was devastated by the loss of her friendship, and almost left the firm. Before the season was over Kalinda made herself hard, commenting that she doesn't have to share her feelings with anyone. We'll see what happens with that.
Bones ended on a high note for many people this season, except those who actually wanted to see Booth and Bones "do it". Bones is pregnant after at least one night with Booth. His sly grin told all there is to know - he's thrilled. What will happen with this relationship? I don't know. We'll find out.
On the other hand, House ended on a very low note. Destroyed by his break up with Cuddy and his discovery that she might have moved on romantically (or even lied to him about it, though we know she didn't), he drove his car into her house "to return a hair brush". Cuddy told the cops she never wanted to see House again (which should be easy, since Lisa Edelstein is leaving House). Even Wilson implied he thought House should be arrested. House, on the other hand, was last seen in some beach setting that clearly couldn't be New Jersey. Presumably, he's left the country. What will happen next year? Who knows.
Let's not forget Chuck. Chuck and Sarah married, all without bringing the show down to Moonlighting levels. But to get married, Chuck had to betray the CIA, so Team Bartowski was essentially fired. But thanks to the former Volkoffs (I just can't go into it), the team has enough money to investigate corruption in the CIA. The evil CIA had removed the Intersect from Chuck, but the show ended with Morgan Grimes inadvertently downloading the Intersect into his brain. Okeydokey.
Sadly, the Human Target, which I think never got a fair chance, was canceled. It was a good show. Shame on you if you never watched it!!
So, here is my report card on the shows I actually watched:
Fringe - A-. The season finale was lackluster and confusing. Otherwise, this show would have been an A.
Community - B. It's still a great show but needs to be careful with it's meta focus.
The Good Wife - A + - this show was top-notch the entire season and never once missed a step. I would grade it even higher (if I could) just because they promoted Alan Cumming to series regular.
Bones - C - I'm happy that Bones and Booth finally got together - I really like the characters. I do. I just think the show is running out of steam.
House - B - - Is this an example of grade inflation? I don't know. I like that Cuddy is leaving, since that will cause some major, needed changes. But the medical mysteries are boring and repetitive.
Chuck - B - - This show gets a higher grade just because it is actually ending next season. I like it when shows have an end date (see Lost), just so the producers have an opportunity to end the show in a way that will please us all. Or not. But I'm looking forward to seeing how it wraps up.
Human Target - A +. I'm still disgruntled.
So, that's that. At some point, I'll be writing a post about next season, which seems to hold a lot of promise. I'm sure I'll post about the summer season as well.
I think it was a good thing that this season was so bad, however, as I had less time to watch television than normal. I know a number of my friends with children are able to maintain their viewing schedules, but I wasn't. I have no ideas why, and this isn't really the venue for me to contemplate how the way I am with my twins affects my TV.
Because of this, I rarely watched any show on a "timely" basis, i.e., within a day or two of its airing - heck, getting to watch within a week was sometimes more than I can handle. But now, I've watched the very last episode of the season, so I've some thoughts.
Let's start with the show that excited me the most: Fringe. It was a fabulous show, with a confusing ending. It turned some of its own mythology on its head (no mention of the Pattern this season!), and really fleshed out the alternative universe. Walternate's sole goal, of course, is to destroy our universe, with our characters, but we came to know and care about the characters in the alternative universe as well, even Fauxlivia. Since the machine that would destroy one universe (or the other...or both) required Peter (and, it turns out, Olivia), Peter's role became central. And who he picked would also be central - Fauxlivia or Olivia?
But the final episode of the season was terribly confusing. Peter decided that he could prevent the machine from working by entering it, but once he did, he jumped to the future, a terrible future, in which the alternative universe was destroyed, and only Walternate (who had allegedly jumped to our universe to make peace), survived. But the destruction of the universe led to the slow death of ours, helped by Walternate's terrorism. Before it was over, Olivia (married to Peter!) was killed by Walternate, and Walter, released from jail, realized that he was the one who sent the machine back into the past (so much for the First People), and that Peter must go back to let everyone know the universes depended upon each other for survival.
Suddenly, the two universes were together, in our timeline, at Staten Island. Two Walters, two Olivias, two Astrids. Only one Broyles (of course, since Alternative Broyles was killed), and one Peter. Though, as Peter explained his theory to the Walters, he suddenly disappeared. And no one blinked.
Then, we were watching the Observers, as they observed. No one missed Peter, because he never existed.
Hunh?
So why did Walter go to the other universe, causing all the harm to the alternative universe? How did the machine work? Who fathered Fauxlivia's child? I'm frankly having a hard time wrapping my head around this.
But, I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt, as I always do. I believe in trusting the producers to make sense of the seeming messes they've created. I hopefully will be rewarded. Good news: Seth Gabel has been brought on as a regular. Maybe Lincoln Lee fathered Fauxlivia's child?
My next favorite comedy this season is Community, which will also return next season. The show's meta focus has remained meta, which might throw some people off. It ended with yet another paintball contest, with Pierce winning and donating the earnings to save the school. But he left the study group, not surprising considering he was the villain throughout the season. I guess the group will have to do something next season to bring him back in. They will also have to figure out what to do about Senor Chang, who was mostly endearing through the season. I for one was rather sad Shirley's baby wasn't his.
My last favorite? The Good Wife. I have a friend who reported being embarrassed that she likes this show as much as she does, yet she watches almost all The Real Housewives. Go figure. Juliana Marguilies continues to hit this one out of the park as the stoic, heartbroken junior associate at Lockhart Gardner. There were some fun shenanigans with the law firm, but what most stood out was the destruction of Kalinda and Alicia's friendship. Alicia figured out that Kalinda once slept with her husband, a discovery that destroyed her marriage and her friendship with Kalinda, and opened up the door to a night in the Presidential Suite with Will. Kalinda was devastated by the loss of her friendship, and almost left the firm. Before the season was over Kalinda made herself hard, commenting that she doesn't have to share her feelings with anyone. We'll see what happens with that.
Bones ended on a high note for many people this season, except those who actually wanted to see Booth and Bones "do it". Bones is pregnant after at least one night with Booth. His sly grin told all there is to know - he's thrilled. What will happen with this relationship? I don't know. We'll find out.
On the other hand, House ended on a very low note. Destroyed by his break up with Cuddy and his discovery that she might have moved on romantically (or even lied to him about it, though we know she didn't), he drove his car into her house "to return a hair brush". Cuddy told the cops she never wanted to see House again (which should be easy, since Lisa Edelstein is leaving House). Even Wilson implied he thought House should be arrested. House, on the other hand, was last seen in some beach setting that clearly couldn't be New Jersey. Presumably, he's left the country. What will happen next year? Who knows.
Let's not forget Chuck. Chuck and Sarah married, all without bringing the show down to Moonlighting levels. But to get married, Chuck had to betray the CIA, so Team Bartowski was essentially fired. But thanks to the former Volkoffs (I just can't go into it), the team has enough money to investigate corruption in the CIA. The evil CIA had removed the Intersect from Chuck, but the show ended with Morgan Grimes inadvertently downloading the Intersect into his brain. Okeydokey.
Sadly, the Human Target, which I think never got a fair chance, was canceled. It was a good show. Shame on you if you never watched it!!
So, here is my report card on the shows I actually watched:
Fringe - A-. The season finale was lackluster and confusing. Otherwise, this show would have been an A.
Community - B. It's still a great show but needs to be careful with it's meta focus.
The Good Wife - A + - this show was top-notch the entire season and never once missed a step. I would grade it even higher (if I could) just because they promoted Alan Cumming to series regular.
Bones - C - I'm happy that Bones and Booth finally got together - I really like the characters. I do. I just think the show is running out of steam.
House - B - - Is this an example of grade inflation? I don't know. I like that Cuddy is leaving, since that will cause some major, needed changes. But the medical mysteries are boring and repetitive.
Chuck - B - - This show gets a higher grade just because it is actually ending next season. I like it when shows have an end date (see Lost), just so the producers have an opportunity to end the show in a way that will please us all. Or not. But I'm looking forward to seeing how it wraps up.
Human Target - A +. I'm still disgruntled.
So, that's that. At some point, I'll be writing a post about next season, which seems to hold a lot of promise. I'm sure I'll post about the summer season as well.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Anna Torv Channels Mr. Spock
I've written before about the negative reaction Anna Torv's performance as Olivia Dunham received in Fringe's first season. A lot of people complained that the show was great except for her flat, boring existence. I disagreed. I thought Torv was playing flat because of the tragedies her character suffered at that time, not least the death of her fiance, who, it turned out, might or might not have been a traitor. I thought it was a nice, quiet, understated performance.
In the second season, we learned that Dunham had been the subject of Walter's experiments. Others who had been experimented upon had similarly isolated lives with similarly dark wardrobes. So, Torv's quiet, flat Dunham made even more sense to me.
But this season has given Torv the opportunity to play not one, not two, but three characters, all various versions of the one. Besides Olivia, there's Fauxlivia, a woman rather like Olivia, but one with a lighter heart (at least, until she feel in love with Peter Bishop), a fuller life, an easier smile. It turns out that Fauxlivia is less certain of herself than ours, and less able to think creatively. But she has more friends, and seems to have easier relationships with others. Until her trip to our universe, her life was pretty sweet - she even had a fiance.
Then, in Stowaway, the most recent episode of Fringe, Olivia was mostly absent from the episode, all because she drank some tea when she visited William Bell in the other universe. Apparently, Bell had served the tea with his soul magnets, and when a particular bell was rung, Bell's soul was drawn into Olivia like, well, a magnet to steel. Or whatever magnets are attracted to. Olivia was pushed to the side, and Bell had taken over.
I'm not really clear on why Bell did this. Perhaps he genuinely believes that his presence is important to help the floundering Walter Bishop find his self-confidence. Perhaps he believes only he has the knowledge necessary to prevent the two universes from destroying each other. Perhaps he's like so many of us, unwilling to die.
He acknowledges that he cannot stay in Olivia's body for long, and after at first hedging how long he can stay, agrees to vacate after finding a suitable substitute. While the computer program attempts to find an adequate host, he agrees to help solve the mystery of the week.
In the meantime, we are treated to quite a performance. It is, I am sure, no surprise that I am a lifelong fan of Star Trek. I have spent the years studying the various characters and actors, of which, Mr. Spock and Leonard Nimoy are favorites. I've watched Nimoy's career through the years, and thoroughly enjoyed his turn as William Bell on Fringe. I wasn't surprised when Bell died last year, given Nimoy's announced retirement from acting (Nimoy's retirement may be as short lived as the Who's - he may be returning to Fringe later this season). Normally, I'd think such a "return" as this a cheap gimmick, but Torv's performance was so spot on, that I actually forgot who she was.
What did I see in Torv's performance? Well, first, she walked differently, slower, less gracefully. Much like an old man would walk. Her hair was blander, and her make up even less prominent than normal. She had a sly grin as she talked (Olivia never grins), and looked at everyone differently, less upfront, more from the side.
As many of us know, Nimoy had an excellent ability to use a raised eyebrow as communication, and Torv adopted it as well as she could. Some people can raise an eyebrow, and some people can't. However, Bell possessing Olivia's body would only have been able to do what Olivia could do, so even that felt right.
The only thing that didn't feel right was the tremor in her voice. As Nimoy has aged, his voice has developed a tremor, and it was a definite part of William Bell. Torv has adopted the tremor, under the presumption that if Bell had it, he would have it in Olivia as well. However, just as Bell wouldn't be able to raise an eyebrow if Olivia couldn't, he would have the voice that she had, which was remarkable in its lack of tremor. However, you could argue that Bell was so used to speaking with a tremor that he forces it in his conversations in Olivia's body. An unconvincing argument, but an argument all the same.
It was fun watching Bell interact with those who know Olivia so well. Walter, as expected, was delighted, and the two scientists quickly reverted to their old relationship as old friends who had worked together for years. They smoked pot together, joked about inserting Bell's consciousness in the cow, and solved a math problem.
Peter was justifiably horrified to find Bell in Olivia, especially considering how Bell slipped the soul-magnet mickey in her tea. Only Peter seemed outraged by Bell's casual dismissal of any moral issues in taking over Olivia's body. However, since no one else seemed all that upset, Peter accepted the situation, if only because he had to.
I'm fairly sure that Astrid is not a fan, after being sexually objectified and harassed by the scientist. I personally understood when she buttoned the top button her blouse. It turns out that William Bell was a pig.
I found Stowaway to be a thoroughly enjoyable episode of Fringe, and am sorry I don't have more time to discuss other aspects of the story, including the mystery of the week centering around the woman who can't die and Lincoln Lee on our side of the universe.
Deadwood fan alert - Paula Malcomson, Trixie on Deadwood, played a woman who learned that being struck by lightning twice prevented her from dying.
In the second season, we learned that Dunham had been the subject of Walter's experiments. Others who had been experimented upon had similarly isolated lives with similarly dark wardrobes. So, Torv's quiet, flat Dunham made even more sense to me.
But this season has given Torv the opportunity to play not one, not two, but three characters, all various versions of the one. Besides Olivia, there's Fauxlivia, a woman rather like Olivia, but one with a lighter heart (at least, until she feel in love with Peter Bishop), a fuller life, an easier smile. It turns out that Fauxlivia is less certain of herself than ours, and less able to think creatively. But she has more friends, and seems to have easier relationships with others. Until her trip to our universe, her life was pretty sweet - she even had a fiance.
Then, in Stowaway, the most recent episode of Fringe, Olivia was mostly absent from the episode, all because she drank some tea when she visited William Bell in the other universe. Apparently, Bell had served the tea with his soul magnets, and when a particular bell was rung, Bell's soul was drawn into Olivia like, well, a magnet to steel. Or whatever magnets are attracted to. Olivia was pushed to the side, and Bell had taken over.
I'm not really clear on why Bell did this. Perhaps he genuinely believes that his presence is important to help the floundering Walter Bishop find his self-confidence. Perhaps he believes only he has the knowledge necessary to prevent the two universes from destroying each other. Perhaps he's like so many of us, unwilling to die.
He acknowledges that he cannot stay in Olivia's body for long, and after at first hedging how long he can stay, agrees to vacate after finding a suitable substitute. While the computer program attempts to find an adequate host, he agrees to help solve the mystery of the week.
In the meantime, we are treated to quite a performance. It is, I am sure, no surprise that I am a lifelong fan of Star Trek. I have spent the years studying the various characters and actors, of which, Mr. Spock and Leonard Nimoy are favorites. I've watched Nimoy's career through the years, and thoroughly enjoyed his turn as William Bell on Fringe. I wasn't surprised when Bell died last year, given Nimoy's announced retirement from acting (Nimoy's retirement may be as short lived as the Who's - he may be returning to Fringe later this season). Normally, I'd think such a "return" as this a cheap gimmick, but Torv's performance was so spot on, that I actually forgot who she was.
What did I see in Torv's performance? Well, first, she walked differently, slower, less gracefully. Much like an old man would walk. Her hair was blander, and her make up even less prominent than normal. She had a sly grin as she talked (Olivia never grins), and looked at everyone differently, less upfront, more from the side.
As many of us know, Nimoy had an excellent ability to use a raised eyebrow as communication, and Torv adopted it as well as she could. Some people can raise an eyebrow, and some people can't. However, Bell possessing Olivia's body would only have been able to do what Olivia could do, so even that felt right.
The only thing that didn't feel right was the tremor in her voice. As Nimoy has aged, his voice has developed a tremor, and it was a definite part of William Bell. Torv has adopted the tremor, under the presumption that if Bell had it, he would have it in Olivia as well. However, just as Bell wouldn't be able to raise an eyebrow if Olivia couldn't, he would have the voice that she had, which was remarkable in its lack of tremor. However, you could argue that Bell was so used to speaking with a tremor that he forces it in his conversations in Olivia's body. An unconvincing argument, but an argument all the same.
It was fun watching Bell interact with those who know Olivia so well. Walter, as expected, was delighted, and the two scientists quickly reverted to their old relationship as old friends who had worked together for years. They smoked pot together, joked about inserting Bell's consciousness in the cow, and solved a math problem.
Peter was justifiably horrified to find Bell in Olivia, especially considering how Bell slipped the soul-magnet mickey in her tea. Only Peter seemed outraged by Bell's casual dismissal of any moral issues in taking over Olivia's body. However, since no one else seemed all that upset, Peter accepted the situation, if only because he had to.
I'm fairly sure that Astrid is not a fan, after being sexually objectified and harassed by the scientist. I personally understood when she buttoned the top button her blouse. It turns out that William Bell was a pig.
I found Stowaway to be a thoroughly enjoyable episode of Fringe, and am sorry I don't have more time to discuss other aspects of the story, including the mystery of the week centering around the woman who can't die and Lincoln Lee on our side of the universe.
Deadwood fan alert - Paula Malcomson, Trixie on Deadwood, played a woman who learned that being struck by lightning twice prevented her from dying.
Monday, February 28, 2011
The Darcy Effect
Colin Firth won an Oscar last night for his performance in The King's Speech. Yes, I know, that's a movie, and this is a blog on television. But I've been a big fan of Firth since 1995, when he starred as Fitzwilliam Darcy in the BBC/A&E Production of Pride and Prejudice. As Darcy, Firth made quite an impression.
The story of Pride and Prejudice, of course, is that Darcy is prejudiced against the country folk, and insults them, including Elizabeth Bennett. But she rejects him out of pride later after he has changed his mind. Seemingly too late she discovers that he is a good man, worthy of her. But, of course, it really wasn't too late, and the two end up marrying, and living happily ever after.
The BBC version was aired on A&E, back when it did more than exploit drug addicts, obese people, and hoarders. It was an exquisitely produced version, and I fell in love. With Firth, obviously. With those wild curls, the disdainful manner followed by a decent heart, how could I not? On top of all that, he was English, too. That never hurts. He was so charming in the role, and did an excellent job of showing the changes that Darcy made from boorish snob to a man in love. The producers also took great effort to showcase the physicality of the man as well, even having him take a swim in his clothes at one point.
To be fair, I must admit that I also fell a little in love with Jennifer Ehle, who is one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen. She was perfectly cast as Elizabeth Bennett, and demonstrated much wit and intelligence in the role. And yes, I've followed her career since, but she hasn't won an Oscar. (Ironically enough, she did have a role in The King's Speech as Geoffrey Rush's wife).
I'm not the only one who fell for Firth. Many a woman I've discussed this with has admitted to an attraction to his portrayal. Helen Fielding was so taken with the miniseries that she wrote Bridget Jones' Diary. In it, Bridget is fascinated with the miniseries, obsessing over the actors, and feeling disappointed upon learning that Firth and Ehle had an affair during the filming of the series. Further, she met a disdainful man named Mark Darcy. In case you couldn't tell, Bridget Jones' Diary was loosely based on Pride and Prejudice. How wonderful when Colin Firth was cast as Mark Darcy in the movies!
After Pride and Prejudice, I kept an eye out for Firth. He remained a little under the radar for a few years, playing the cuckolded husband on The English Patient and the jilted fiance in Shakespeare in Love. Maybe it was Bridget Jones that pushed him into the leading man roles in movies? I don't know. I do know he has a vital part in Love Actually (a film I've sadly yet to see), and of course, was nominated for A Single Man last year. I think Firth's going to do alright by himself.
Firth's role as Darcy was so definitive that I refused to see the Keira Knightly movie version. My father thought I was crazy. However, had I know that Matthew Macfadyen...
The story of Pride and Prejudice, of course, is that Darcy is prejudiced against the country folk, and insults them, including Elizabeth Bennett. But she rejects him out of pride later after he has changed his mind. Seemingly too late she discovers that he is a good man, worthy of her. But, of course, it really wasn't too late, and the two end up marrying, and living happily ever after.
The BBC version was aired on A&E, back when it did more than exploit drug addicts, obese people, and hoarders. It was an exquisitely produced version, and I fell in love. With Firth, obviously. With those wild curls, the disdainful manner followed by a decent heart, how could I not? On top of all that, he was English, too. That never hurts. He was so charming in the role, and did an excellent job of showing the changes that Darcy made from boorish snob to a man in love. The producers also took great effort to showcase the physicality of the man as well, even having him take a swim in his clothes at one point.
To be fair, I must admit that I also fell a little in love with Jennifer Ehle, who is one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen. She was perfectly cast as Elizabeth Bennett, and demonstrated much wit and intelligence in the role. And yes, I've followed her career since, but she hasn't won an Oscar. (Ironically enough, she did have a role in The King's Speech as Geoffrey Rush's wife).
I'm not the only one who fell for Firth. Many a woman I've discussed this with has admitted to an attraction to his portrayal. Helen Fielding was so taken with the miniseries that she wrote Bridget Jones' Diary. In it, Bridget is fascinated with the miniseries, obsessing over the actors, and feeling disappointed upon learning that Firth and Ehle had an affair during the filming of the series. Further, she met a disdainful man named Mark Darcy. In case you couldn't tell, Bridget Jones' Diary was loosely based on Pride and Prejudice. How wonderful when Colin Firth was cast as Mark Darcy in the movies!
After Pride and Prejudice, I kept an eye out for Firth. He remained a little under the radar for a few years, playing the cuckolded husband on The English Patient and the jilted fiance in Shakespeare in Love. Maybe it was Bridget Jones that pushed him into the leading man roles in movies? I don't know. I do know he has a vital part in Love Actually (a film I've sadly yet to see), and of course, was nominated for A Single Man last year. I think Firth's going to do alright by himself.
Firth's role as Darcy was so definitive that I refused to see the Keira Knightly movie version. My father thought I was crazy. However, had I know that Matthew Macfadyen...
Friday, February 25, 2011
Cowboys in Space
Why didn't I watch Firefly when it aired? I loved Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, and I was confident that anything Joss Whedon did would be interesting and entertaining. And I'm a huge fan of serial television in general. What happened?
Well, life happened. I had no DVR at that time, and I was working a second job on Friday nights from 7 PM to 7 AM. But I think what really interfered was that I was involved in a new love affair at the time. We all know how that ended.
I wasn't the only television fan who wasn't watching. Low ratings led to the show being canceled. Why did Fox air the show on Friday nights? Why did they insist a new pilot be created? Why did they air the episodes out of order? It seemed at the time that Fox was doing everything it could to cancel the very show they were airing.
I finally got a chance to watch all the episodes of Firefly this past January, as Ovation aired them, in order, starting with the real pilot, and even airing the three episodes Fox never did. If I ever had a column called "Gone Too Soon," this show would top the list.
I called this series "Cowboys in Space," and the show certainly felt like it took place in the wild west, only with spaceships. The crew used guns, and frontier law ruled the worlds the ship, Serenity, visited. The worlds were dusty, filled with sometimes desperate people trying to survive. Even the language that the crew used made me think of Westerns.
As I watched, I couldn't help thinking of the original Star Trek, which, as you may recall, was touted at the time as a Wagon Train in space. The show had some similarities: a charismatic captain, a spaceship, and a doctor. But really, to me, they didn't have a whole lot in common. Captain Kirk was a member of the Federation, a governmental entity that commissioned the Enterprise to space exploration. Mal Reynolds, on the other hand, was a refugee from a losing civil war to the Alliance, a centralized federal government. The Enterprise was a slickly clean, efficiently run operation, while Serenity forever seemed in need of a good housekeeper and was kept together by glue. Kirk's crew was intensely loyal, while Reynolds' crew felt free to question every decision and poke fun at him. Worse, he never knew when one of his henchmen, Jayne Cobb, might betray him.
Each show was truly a show of it's time. The Sixties were a time of optimism, and a belief that man can solve any social ill. Think of the War on Poverty and the belief that governmental programs could actually cure poverty. Such was Roddenberry's Federation, which had somehow succeeded in ending poverty (but not the common cold, oddly enough) and created a just world. By the early 2000s, however, we'd become suspicious of government, believing it to be a malicious force in society. The Alliance, indeed, mistrusted by Serenity's crew, fought against by several members, was to be avoided when possible, exploited if necessary. Its motives were always suspect.
But let's face it. What appeals to me most about Firefly is, of course, the characters. Each character was relatively well developed (the series ended far too soon to flesh out some of the characters, sadly) and the relationships that developed among the crew and passengers was realistic. Mal and his second-in-command Zoe. Zoe and her husband, Wash, the pilot, who respected but also resented Mal. Jayne Cobb who sold his services to the highest bidder, and whose relationship to his guns was stronger than any relationship to a person. Kaylee, the naive engineer with no formal training, protected and loved by all. Then the passengers. Inara was a Companion (think high-class prostitute) who rented a shuttle from Serenity. Sparks flew between her and Mal, but his insistence on calling her a whore perhaps interfered with an easy relationship. Book, the Shepherd, who knew far more about criminal enterprises then you'd think a good pastor would know. Lastly, the brother and sister Tam: Simon, the doctor, who rescued from the Alliance, his sister River, the psychic, who'd been in training to be an assassin.
Only fifteen hours of show was produced (a two-hour pilot and thirteen episodes), but Whedon was given the opportunity to produce a movie, where he was able to flesh out some of the storyline more. I saw the movie, Serenity, long before I saw all the episodes. I'll need to see it again.
Sadly, we'll never know what this show could have been. But I'll definitely add it to my list of "Favorites". If you're into science fiction, compelling characters, and great stories, I highly recommend you give this show a shot. Surely Ovation will air it again?
One thing that Firefly did was put several actors on the map. Who had heard of Nathan Fillion before Firefly?
Buffyverse fan alert. Joss Whedon was loyal to his actors. Nathan Fillion appeared on Buffy as the homicidal cleric Caleb (I almost never forgave Fillion for gouging out Xander's eye). Gina Torres was the goddess Jasmine who tried to impose peace on Earth on Angel. Adam Baldwin guested as Marcus Hamilton, a guardian of the Senior Partners, also on Angel. Summer Glau made her professional acting debut as a prima ballerina cursed to dance the same ballet for two centuries on Angel.
Dollhouse fan alert: Alan Tudyk played the criminally insane doll, Alpha. Summer Glau played scientist Bennet Halverson.
Chuck fan alert: Adam Baldwin plays a character similar to Jayne Cobb in Chuck. His John Casey is often the best part of Chuck.
V fan alert: Morena Baccarin, Inara on Firefly, plays Anna.
And of course: Barney Miller fan alert: Ron Glass played Book the Shepherd. But I'll always remember and love him best for playing Detective Ron Harris, author of Blood on the Badge.
Well, life happened. I had no DVR at that time, and I was working a second job on Friday nights from 7 PM to 7 AM. But I think what really interfered was that I was involved in a new love affair at the time. We all know how that ended.
I wasn't the only television fan who wasn't watching. Low ratings led to the show being canceled. Why did Fox air the show on Friday nights? Why did they insist a new pilot be created? Why did they air the episodes out of order? It seemed at the time that Fox was doing everything it could to cancel the very show they were airing.
I finally got a chance to watch all the episodes of Firefly this past January, as Ovation aired them, in order, starting with the real pilot, and even airing the three episodes Fox never did. If I ever had a column called "Gone Too Soon," this show would top the list.
I called this series "Cowboys in Space," and the show certainly felt like it took place in the wild west, only with spaceships. The crew used guns, and frontier law ruled the worlds the ship, Serenity, visited. The worlds were dusty, filled with sometimes desperate people trying to survive. Even the language that the crew used made me think of Westerns.
As I watched, I couldn't help thinking of the original Star Trek, which, as you may recall, was touted at the time as a Wagon Train in space. The show had some similarities: a charismatic captain, a spaceship, and a doctor. But really, to me, they didn't have a whole lot in common. Captain Kirk was a member of the Federation, a governmental entity that commissioned the Enterprise to space exploration. Mal Reynolds, on the other hand, was a refugee from a losing civil war to the Alliance, a centralized federal government. The Enterprise was a slickly clean, efficiently run operation, while Serenity forever seemed in need of a good housekeeper and was kept together by glue. Kirk's crew was intensely loyal, while Reynolds' crew felt free to question every decision and poke fun at him. Worse, he never knew when one of his henchmen, Jayne Cobb, might betray him.
Each show was truly a show of it's time. The Sixties were a time of optimism, and a belief that man can solve any social ill. Think of the War on Poverty and the belief that governmental programs could actually cure poverty. Such was Roddenberry's Federation, which had somehow succeeded in ending poverty (but not the common cold, oddly enough) and created a just world. By the early 2000s, however, we'd become suspicious of government, believing it to be a malicious force in society. The Alliance, indeed, mistrusted by Serenity's crew, fought against by several members, was to be avoided when possible, exploited if necessary. Its motives were always suspect.
But let's face it. What appeals to me most about Firefly is, of course, the characters. Each character was relatively well developed (the series ended far too soon to flesh out some of the characters, sadly) and the relationships that developed among the crew and passengers was realistic. Mal and his second-in-command Zoe. Zoe and her husband, Wash, the pilot, who respected but also resented Mal. Jayne Cobb who sold his services to the highest bidder, and whose relationship to his guns was stronger than any relationship to a person. Kaylee, the naive engineer with no formal training, protected and loved by all. Then the passengers. Inara was a Companion (think high-class prostitute) who rented a shuttle from Serenity. Sparks flew between her and Mal, but his insistence on calling her a whore perhaps interfered with an easy relationship. Book, the Shepherd, who knew far more about criminal enterprises then you'd think a good pastor would know. Lastly, the brother and sister Tam: Simon, the doctor, who rescued from the Alliance, his sister River, the psychic, who'd been in training to be an assassin.
Only fifteen hours of show was produced (a two-hour pilot and thirteen episodes), but Whedon was given the opportunity to produce a movie, where he was able to flesh out some of the storyline more. I saw the movie, Serenity, long before I saw all the episodes. I'll need to see it again.
Sadly, we'll never know what this show could have been. But I'll definitely add it to my list of "Favorites". If you're into science fiction, compelling characters, and great stories, I highly recommend you give this show a shot. Surely Ovation will air it again?
One thing that Firefly did was put several actors on the map. Who had heard of Nathan Fillion before Firefly?
Buffyverse fan alert. Joss Whedon was loyal to his actors. Nathan Fillion appeared on Buffy as the homicidal cleric Caleb (I almost never forgave Fillion for gouging out Xander's eye). Gina Torres was the goddess Jasmine who tried to impose peace on Earth on Angel. Adam Baldwin guested as Marcus Hamilton, a guardian of the Senior Partners, also on Angel. Summer Glau made her professional acting debut as a prima ballerina cursed to dance the same ballet for two centuries on Angel.
Dollhouse fan alert: Alan Tudyk played the criminally insane doll, Alpha. Summer Glau played scientist Bennet Halverson.
Chuck fan alert: Adam Baldwin plays a character similar to Jayne Cobb in Chuck. His John Casey is often the best part of Chuck.
V fan alert: Morena Baccarin, Inara on Firefly, plays Anna.
And of course: Barney Miller fan alert: Ron Glass played Book the Shepherd. But I'll always remember and love him best for playing Detective Ron Harris, author of Blood on the Badge.
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