Lost Season Three

Another season of Lost finished. I think it's possible I rushed through this season, because I'm still trying to digest it all.
Season three is an important reason for a couple reasons, primarily because it answers one of the key questions. Will they get off the island? At this point the answer is yes. We don't know who will or won't get off, but at least Kate and Jack make it off. It's unclear how they make it back to civilization at this point, although we're led to believe the boat off the island will be their salvation.
This answer ended the theory that all the castaways were really dead. This was an idea that was floated around early on, and while it was again suggested this season by a character on the show, it was never taken that seriously.
Letting fans know the castaways would get off the island also offered the first glimpse at the end of the series. Finally we could tell we were heading towards a resolution, even if we weren't sure where it would end. I'm not sure how important that was in retrospect. It seems that it was more significant in terms of introducing us to a new plot device, which was flash forwards instead of flash backs.
I'll get into this more with season four, but the mode of story telling in Lost is fascinating and this switch embodies that excellence.
But back to this season, which packed a lot of action. We had Jack, Kate and Sawyer with the others for a while. There was the introduction of the Russian. More knowledge about the Dharma initiative. We got to understand Ben (a little bit) and John Locke began to understand himself and his purpose. Oh yeah, a submarine blew up too.
It's hard to break down this season because there is so much to go through, so I think i'll tackle it in stages.
The first stage, or act, begins with Jack, Sawyer and Kate being held by the Others and ends with Sawyer and Kate escaping while Jack saves Ben's life with a surgery. The biggest part of this act is the introduction of Juliet. Juliet, much like Ben, immediately becomes a major player, who is largely responsible for shrinking the roles of Hurley, Claire and Charlie. This is definitely a good thing, as Juliet is a complicated and compelling character, as evidenced in her back stories that show her struggles on the island, particularly with Ben. For most of this season Juliet's motives are in doubt, as are her allegiances. By the end of the season she cements her role as an ally of the castaways, but it is a journey fraught with a lot of intrigue. Elizabeth Mitchell sells it though. She plays a wide spectrum of emotions, from strong to fragile that she blows Kate out of the water as an actor.
This is especially damning condemnation of Evangeline Lilly, who has a much meatier role. She is given so much in terms of story, but Mitchell tears her to pieces. This all plays out when the two characters are handcuffed together. Lilly simply overacts in the scene, displaying all the same overplayed facial features that she's been wearing on her sleeve through the first two seasons. Ok, maybe she is supposed to be this hard nosed kid who isn't reluctant to trust people and has turbulent emotions, but does she need us to constantly remind us?
These actors and characters are perfect foils for each other. Mitchell downplays everything and her character is very cool and calculating, with one exception in the most recent finale. Lilly is super expressive, like she's doing a play, and her character would rather jump into a pit than check to see if the fall will kill her. We understand all of this in the "first act," as Kate impulsively deals with Sawyer and Juliet plots Ben's demise, which is ultimately thwarted by Jack's constant ability to screw things up and the fact that it is hard to play Ben.
Done with this act, in fact I'm breaking from this format and will just deal with characters. Fate says Locke is the next to get my breakdown.
We join Locke after his successful attempt to stop pushing the button in the hatch, which was the result of his faith in the island himself being challenged and ultimately shattered. He is able to get his mojo back with the death of Mr. Ecko, who much like Boone, only serves to (re)affirm Locke's faith in the island. I'm not too impressed by all of this, as it doesn't require a lot of faith when you get as many signs as Locke gets. In large part this is my problem with Locke in this season, but it is in line with his character.
This is a guy who doesn't like being told what to do, but at the same time can give up at the drop of a hat. It's a confusing dynamic that seems like it results from his upbringing, especially his tormented relationship with his biological father as an adult. Ben understands this, and most likely for devious reasons gives Locke a chance to overcome his insecurities with a chance to kill his father. Locke can't close the deal himself, but he wants his dad dead, so he conveniently gets Sawyer to do it. The whole episode seemed pretty ridiculous, considering Locke tries to murder a stranger in the finale when he could have stopped her other ways, but he can't kill a guy he hates and apparently wants dead since he gets Sawyer to do it. I didn't get it.
I was uncomfortable with Locke's story in this season. Ok, he is special. Yeah, he's going to be important with the others. So what? I mean i couldn't even swallow it all before i had to eat more story.
I guess what I'm saying is that Lost bit off too much with this season. There is too much story here. It makes for more entertaining episodes, but it makes the whole season a little overwhelming. I can understand why this season is regarded as a comparative low mark and why viewers jumped ship, although the chaotic scheduling played a factor.
This season suffered from too many cooks in the kitchen. Unlike THE WIRE, which also suffered from the problem of too many characters, Lost tries to give everyone something to do. THE WIRE on the other hand simply pushed characters to the side, even the main character for almost all of season four.
Maybe it's heresy to suggest such a thing, but I could have done with some Shannon and Boone like axing in this season, especially with Ecko.
Ecko's death is done to further the storyline, but ultimately it only adds layers that aren't necessary and in hindsight feel more like a gimmick than anything of importance. He could have been killed in the hatch explosion and merely used in dreams for season three. This would have been especially poignant, since most of the tailies die in season two (but not Bernard!).
The worst travesty of this season is the introduction and death of Nikki and Paulo. I'm sorry, but huh? What was that? Essentially you have a self-contained episode that could have happened in any season. It isn't just dumb, it's insulting. I would have rather seen a clip show.
The one story that feels like filler, and really isn't, is Sawyer's public makeover with Hurley. Hurley suggests that Sawyer might need to be the leader of the group in the absence of Jack and Locke, which seems ridiculous at this point, but comes to fruition in season five. I didn't really need his whole mayoral campaign, but Hurley's assessment of the situation almost made it worthwhile.
Season three also has too much Sun and Jin action. We get it. She cheated on him. Their marriage was complicated. She's pregnant. Probably could have condensed that a bit.
The fact that that storyline is so overdrawn is indicative of the flaw in the entire season. Everything feels like it is spinning out of control, which actually makes the flash forward more important because it gave the viewer a chance to slow things down a bit.
In the moment a lot of stories, like the Russian's station are fascinating, but they may have opened too many cans of worms in this season. I normally applaud the ambition of this show, except not here.
There are essentially 23 episodes in this season and it is too much. In fact, I think this season could be the impetus for the idea that there really can be too much of a good thing.
And there are plenty of good things. The episode "The Man Behind the Curtain" is nothing short of spectacular. We see Ben's back story and catch a glimpse of island politics.
The season finale really leaves us hanging, and on two different fronts. Primarily we're wondering what is happening on the island, since the motivations of this new boat are in question. On the back burner we have the scene between Jack and kate in the future, which raises tons of questions that will be answered with various success (the he that Kate refers to is Aaron. eh).
Oh yeah, and who is in the coffin? I know the answer now, but if I had to guess then I would have said Ben, Locke or some not yet seen character.
So yeah, Shannon is dead, but this is nice, right?

Yiddish Policeman's Union

In the interest of full disclosure I didn't actually read Michael Chabon's YIDDISH POLICEMAN'S UNION. I gobbled up this tasty treat as a collection of audio files on my ipod.
Let me stop right now and say that people should take use their ipods to listen to books. Go to your library and rip a few cds on to your computer.
For me this was a way to finally finish a book I had five false starts with. In the past I had gotten 10 or 15 pages into UNION and found I couldn't keep my momentum going. Taking this book on in another form, which allowed me to give it my undivided interest with less energy, was the change i needed to get over the hump that was keeping me from a very interesting book.
I say interesting because the plot of the novel isn't great. It's something we've seen before in terms of bad guys that aren't really bad with motives that aren't all that dark. But it's a story that has never been told in this context, which makes it that great.
My favorite thing about this book is the stage it sets. Essentially I love the set dressings of each scene. I also enjoyed the language and beat of it. This was accentuated by the book's reader, Peter Riegert.
Riegert provides a depth to the story that might have been lacking if I had merely read it. This aspect of audio books is one I find especially compelling about them, as a good voice performance can increase the quality of the experience with the book. People who argue that you need to read the book to get the experience are holding on to tradition merely for the sake of tradition. Maybe inflections and style by the reader can alter the perception of the book, but that's why there is a director of the process. For me it just adds another layer, and can even salvage a not great book.
But back to the book...
The world created in UNION is that of a 60 year old jewish community in Alaska. And the greatest success of Chabon is that this community feels real. I believe in this world. I immerse myself in this world, not thinking for a moment that it's a fantasy beyond belief. Essentially the setting is another character, and probably my favorite character.
This is a must read.

Flash Forward/V

I'm lumping these two shows together because combined they're almost a pretty good hour of television. They both have a compelling mythology, but the characters aren't great on either.
But, we can fix all that if we take the villains from FLASH FORWARD and combine them with our heroes from V. This makes logical sense since the heroes of FLASH FORWARD (Harold and the Drunk) suck and the villains from V (Anna) are corny. There is a chance the V villains could redeem themselves, but i'm doubtful, as the sleeper FBI agent has been officially killed. Alan Tudyk (I think that's the actors name), seemed poised to generate some real intrigue until he was taken off line.
There is good on both of these shows, and it's the parts i mentioned before. Charlie from Lost (I'll be calling him Charlie from now on) has cemented himself as the best character on FLASH FORWARD. He plays a villain with wit, layers and a ruthlessness akin to Ben on LOST. He may not be the top guy in the shadowy legion of bad guys responsible for the blackout, but he is definitely important. I watch the show solely for his appearances, which made the last episode particularly painful since he was M.I.A.
FLASH FORWARD also offers the prospects of heretofore unseen villains, which we were given a taste of recently. You don't need to see the future to know this will be good.
As for V, I'm totally into Juliet (no idea what her name is on this show, but it's Elizabeth Mitchell in real life) as the FBI agent who is secretly leading an uprising against the Vs. In addition there is Morris Chestnut (that's his real name), who plays a rebelling V. These rebelling Vs appear to be wide spread and call themselves the Fifth Column. I LOVE IT!!!
All of our heroes on V, Juliet, Morris and the Priest are surrounded by an enemy they can't see, which makes them be very creative and leads to rewarding stories.
When they combine these two shows I hope they do away with two love stories. On FLASH FORWARD it's the annoying Doc who was going to kill himself until he knew there was something to love for. On V it is Juliet's son and a V, who is Anna's daughter. That's supposed to mean something to us because Anna is the leader of the Vs and Juliet will be the leader of a resistance that hasn't fully developed, but I don't care. I don't care because the young love birds are awful. The story is boring and halts the action.
So there are my ideas for FLASH V so far. It could probably use some Cylons too.

Richard Alpert debut

Maybe it's wrong to be excited about a debut that occurred almost three years ago, but the first episode of Richard Alpert still makes me giddy.
In keeping with his mysterious persona that he continues to refine to this day, Alpert's entrance on the scene does not tell nearly the whole truth.
He is still one of the major mysteries that hasn't been uncovered on the island. UGH!!! Definitely one of my three favorite character, even though he primarily exists as a foil for other characters. I hope that he gets a flashback or flash forward episode so we can really explore his character.
Oh yeah, this episode also features Mac from ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA as Aldo!

Sophomore Slump

I'm often prone to declarative statements that lack any ambiguity, so I'm going to tread carefully when assessing season two of Lost. I just finished the season in about three days and I found the process to be a struggle.
The story of season two is a meandering tail that has some compelling highs (Michael's status as a double agent and the introduction of the tailies") and some low lows (Everything about Hurley). I'm leaving off the introduction of Ben, who at this point is known only as Henry Gale.
You see shades of his potential as a character when he suggests he sent the castaways into a trap, but you aren't given the full picture yet. I'll have more about Ben as I get into later seasons, as he is the most fascinating and entertaining character on Lost.
Ok, so my main problem with season two is that it seems to have a bunch of false starts. You've got Mr. Echo going twenty different ways at once and Charlie scurrying around as his personal assistant. But the main problem is that the "tailies" and the hatch hijacked the story. The "tailies" never meshed with the original castaways, which could explain why all but Bernard died, but more importantly they seemed to serve merely as filler. Take Ana Lucia, who was only good for killing off Shannon. Even in her flashback, when she escorted Christian, she didn't actually do anything.
Libby is a more interesting case, as she seemed poised to be an integral part of the show. I'm not saying she might have survived her bullet wounds, but it is possible she could have gone into a coma or something and come out of it after Michael had led the select few into his trap. Regardless of all that, though, she could have been big in back stories. Libby was the driving force behind Desmond crashing and there was definitely more to the mental hospital storyline that has never been resolved. Unfortunately there were scheduling conflicts and it looks like she's lost to the ages with the answers she could have provided.
Anyway, it just feels like each episode in this season was about positioning for some bigger theme. I like this about the show, but not at the expense of interesting stories in the short run. This season is just too convenient, as illustrated by the fact that food falls from the sky. Ugh! IT just rubs me the wrong way.

I'm still conflicted about Michael's turn as a bad guy. Well not really a bad guy, but a good guy driven to do bad things. My big question, though, is whether it was all necessary. Couldn't he have talked to Locke and Jack, so they would just let Henry Gale go? Jack embraced being led into a trap later on, so why not do this? Libby and Ana Lucia didn't need to die, except they did, since that's what the story required. ANd that's what i mean by it all being too convenient. Actions don't match the characters.
Oh! One of my favorite parts, which only gets better, is the introduction of the love stories. Never expected it, but Lost has generated three amazing love stories. First, is Penny and Desmond. Only because they had to overcome a physical separation in addition to the emotional barriers. We get a taste of this in season two, as we see what divides them and the lengths each will go for the other (boat around the world and set up emp monitoring stations).
Second, is the romance between Sun and Jin. This strained relationship seemed superficial in season one. but with Sun's pregnancy it receives some extra oomph. It only gets better.
The third relationship is the whirlwind romance of Sawyer and Juliet. I'll have plenty to say about that later on.
This season cemented my hatred for Kate. She's basically a moron. No idea why anyone would have a crush on her. Maybe you could admire her spunkiness, but she basically sucks. Disagree?
As for Locke and Jack, this is a trying season for them. Locke especially has his world view challenged.
I probably should talk about the hatch. I really don't have anything to say except that it blows up.
We get our first mention of the incident, which will occur in the season five finale.
This season is what it is (whatever that means). At the time it was a satisfying second course, but in retrospect it was just a tease. It was too long and much of it was pointless. Maybe I'll have deeper appreciation after the show is over, but right now I would think this is the worst season.
EXCEPT, I'm about to start season three, which if memory serves was terrible. Oh joy.

LOVE SPEIDI

So now i really finished the Speidi interview. A couple things....
1. You have to be 35 to be president, and not 30 like Spenser thinks.
2. George Bush spoke spanish, so calm down Seth Green
3. Andy should have conducted the interview, because Conan seemed resigned to pulling all his punches.
4. Can't believe Seth Green stayed on the couch, but I'm happy he did. His comment that he actually has a job killed.
5. There needs to be web extras!!!

Danger Will Robinson

So I actually finished the interview with Spenser, ok that's not true, I'm halfway done. But he really is an evil genius!
Most people are aware of what it takes to be famous, but have enough shame not to go about it the way Spenser embraces. He flaunts the fact that he's a joke. I love it.
Spenser sidles up to Seth Green to illustrate the point that he hopes some fame will rub off on him. Conan's stares of disgust would be more moving if he didn't have them on his show!!!

Speidi sense is tingling

I have almost zero exposure to Heidi and Spenser. Never seen the show they're originally famous for, which was THE HILLS or LAGUNA BEACH. I don't know anything about them, except my own preconceived notions that I've gleaned from coverage of them in the press.
Basically they're publicity whores. They're not talented, unless you consider remaining relevant a talent. Unfortunately that's all it takes.
Anyway, they were on THE TONIGHT SHOW with Conan O'Brien, so I received my first real experience with them. From this I've decided they're an act. They might be geniuses. There is no way Spenser is as awful as he seems, or at least if he is, he is smart enough to realize that this persona will keep him interesting and keep him famous.
Case in point, he announces that he's changing his name to King Spenser. Maybe that's a gimmick to make people hate him or maybe he really wants to do it, but either way it keeps them in the news. These two posses enough self-awareness to understand why they're famous and how to hold on to that fame.
To their credit, though, they haven't done anything illegal (balloon baby family) and haven't had to release a sex tape (Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, my soon to be released dalliance). So I applaud their ability to create something from nothing. Consequently, I am shocked by our country's intrigue in this duo. It's disgusting. Americans are in large part pathetic. We've propped up Spedi to the point where they become the couple we love to hate.
The interview is pretty painful to watch. It is very awkward and you can tell Conan wants to eviscerate them with his wit, except it would be very hypocritical since he has them on his show. It's still funny though.
That's enough time spent on these two morons.

Lost loses it in Season 2

Season two of Lost is noticeably worse than season one. The best feature, 11 episodes in is the introduction of the "Tailies." They're story is fascinating and deserved more than one episode to do the back story. Unlike everything else about this season it is too compressed.
I'm currently at the point where Jack, Locke, Sawyer and Kate formally meet the others. You might know this as the point where Hurley decides to romantically pursue Libby. This tangent angered me beyond words. I'm sorry, but he was gross. Then again, I've never gotten the appeal of Hurley. Heck, that's not even his real name. He's not funny and brings nothing to the island. They should have eaten him on the first night.
But back to reality, before we lose gravity, this season has been too drawn out and meandered aimlessly so far.
It began with the three episode standoff in the hatch that seemed like it would never end. That was particularly bad, especially since the episode began so promisingly with Desmond's perspective inside the hatch. Honestly, I was super jazzed watching that. Too bad it all fell apart.
Mr. Echo is a nice addition, but Anna Lucia was too much. She's too big of a personality to join the cast aways and not immediately affect the dynamic. They put her off to the side after the shooting of Shannon (another annoyance), but I don't buy it. She would have gotten back into the swing of things almost immediately, but instead she becomes a regular Steve or Scott (that's a running joke from season one).
It was good that they got rid of Shannon. Unfortunately I thought the events leading up to her death were unnecessary. I still don't buy her and Sayid together, and the whole affair was superfluous to the story. She needed to die though, since she was basically a shell of herself in the aftermath of Boone, which is bad considering she never brought anything to the table when he was living either.
I can understand why viewers abandoned the show at this point. The airing of the episodes is awkward with weird breaks, but more importantly is the fact that the story jumps everywhere at once. The writers gave viewers too much rope, and some of us got hung. Even I'm scrambling with all of it and I'm an extreme LOST devotee.
The problem stems from the multiple storylines, which isn't a problem, except when they're pushing them all at once. There is just too much going on.
I think they should have kept the rafters out of the story all together in season two until Shannon gets shot. IT would have worked perfectly. Think about it...
Open the season and you don't know what's going on with them, but instead you get to focus on the hatch. Then you end an episode with Shannon getting killed and come back to the rafters, maybe intersperse it with Sun missing Jin, Kate missing Sawyer and some annoying Charlie and Claire throwaway story. Then have them get to the point where they almost shoot Shannon, and then give us some of the "Tailies" back story.
What do you think?
That's it for now. Going to shut up and watch.

Bye Bye Eli (Sung to Bye Bye Birdie)

Oh Robin, you’re gone. You weren’t a bad chef, just comically out of your league towards the end. Do I think you should come back as a Top Chef announcer, of course I do. You ramble like one of Sarah Palin’s best speeches and that should never be forgotten. Without further ado, let’s jump right in. I think Jen was about to self-destruct, Kevin was using secret ingredients he hides in his beard and Mike V was swearing at someone while Bryan V broke into his state of zen…
• Kevin is married??? I bet they’re one of those couples that look the same! That would be awesome. Either that or she’s a smoking hot babe. According to one of my friend’s he is “cute,” so I guess it’s not beyond the realm of possibilities that he snagged a babe. Plus who knows what he’s packing … in the kitchen, as far as sausage goes. I meant links or patties by the way.
• Not encouraged by Jen’s attitude. “Hopefully I can pull it out.” Does that sound like a winner? Jen was at her best when she had her swagger. She was like Larry Bird, just dumping on her opponents and then backing it up. I miss that Jen. I miss Larry Bird too.
• I thought the most serious cooking challenge was Iron Chef? I mean going up against Bobby Flay or Cat Cora, c’mon.

• They’re going to make a TurDucEn. John Madden just wet himself somewhere. Michael V just rejects the premise of this challenge. I love it. Padma is wet too … from the water… she spilled. Speaking of which, this guest is pretty hot, albeit Kevin or Eli’s height (they are hobits).
• Padma said “welcome back” to Jen! That just blew my mind on so many levels. The first, because it acknowledges that Jen really might be returning to her old form. More importantly, it shows that Padma really has some awareness of what’s going on. She’s not just a pretty face, but an important of the show, who is also smoking hot.
• I was a little put off by Bryan putting Kevin down, but he saved himself by acknowledging he does it well. Phew. Hated the idea that I couldn’t root for him for a second.
• Love love love that Michael V got called out for not doing the challenge. This guest judge is going to be great. All the judges are on their game. I bet Tom even polished his head for tonight’s episode.
• Wow, Padma towers over the iron chef judge.
• Mirror platter? I’ve been told that the only thing that’s good for is doing blow. I’d argue that you could also mount it in your bedroom.
• Al l the male contestants have product in their hair. I never really noticed that. Even Kevin has something propping up his hair.
• I’m becoming famished watching Top Chef. Hoping I can quell my hunger by chewing gum.
• Kevin asked for help? What does he think this is? He sounds like Robin. It’s a good thing Michael V is sleeping, because he would have verbally berated him for seeking advice. In all seriousness, though, it does shake my confidence that Kevin will be in the top three. I’m glad Bryan worked with Kevin, because it gives me more of a reason to root for him. He is self-aware, as he acknowledges that to not help, especially when the other person knows he could, would be the move of a “prick” or his brother. I may have added the last part, but Bryan definitely danced around that reality. It’s amazing how different their values are and how far off their moral compasses are. Michael is a prick.
•
This is a very tense kitchen. They need Nick Swisher to come in and liven things up. Maybe give Jen a pie in the face (Only Yankee fans will understand this).
• I’m glad that Michael V didn’t pass up a chance to take a shot at Kevin. Would have been disappointed if he didn’t stay true to form.
• Tom and Jen have real chemistry. I’m smelling a spin off. In all honesty, it’s nice to see Jen confident enough to take time to talk to him. A little reassuring. Not a home run, but solid contact. Yup, more baseball metaphors.
• The bald guest judge obviously doubles as an evil villain and Tom’s body double. Sidenote: Super glad to see Gail back. Nigella didn’t compare to her.
• Based solely on presentation I’m blown away by Michael’s dish. It looks too good to eat and based on the reaction of the judges I don’t think anyone should have eaten it. He will definitely be vulnerable at judge’s table. I’m not worried. More excited to see him on the defensive.
• Apparently Bryan is coachable, which makes him better than Allen Iverson (that’s a basketball reference). Even though he screwed up the execution of his dish, it seems to be well received. And there’s the additional bonus of Tom picking up Bryan for his pickup basketball team against the Food Network stars (I assume that’s why he asked about the coachability factor).
• Eli is getting slammed. Good bye little man. The interesting part of this is that Padma became his defender. Really impressed by her balls to jump in there with the big fish. New respect for her based on this episode.
• Jen is safe. She’s going to coast by based on the poor performances of Eli and Michael V.
• They have to clean the kitchen???? Oh my god. This is blowing my mind. Learning this reinforces my belief that there is a ton of footage on Top Chef that needs to be aired. They need at least one episode a week of additional footage. Maybe split up the episode or just air an episode based on non cooking footage. I would watch and if you’re reading this, you would too.
• If I won the competition Bravo has to bring someone and a friend to the food and wine expo I would choose my friend Bill. Bill is not one of my closest friends, but he makes the cut for three reasons. First of all, he watches the show and would get a kick out of it. Second, I feel like he would be a good wild card on a trip like this and since we’re pretty different he would show me something new (totally not in a gay way). Third, I think he deserves a shot at Jen if she was there. He picked her as his choice to win after the premiere, which is nice, but I honestly think he would take a legitimate run at her. Obviously I would have to settle for Padma.
• Thinking about last season I’m struck by two big things. Primarily the fact that this top five is better than last year’s top five. Following that point is how much better Jen is than Leah was. Leah made it way too far last season and was most likely kept around for her storyline with Hosea or because she was the only girl. But regarding the first point, Hosea, Bald Spanish Guy, Fabio, Leah and Jeff are pound for pound weaker than this year’s cast. Hosea was boring, and just did Spanish fish. Bald Spanish Guy, the German, (what was his name!), was technically sound and creative, but he wasn’t better than either of the V brothers. Jeff probably had the most potential of that bunch, but he couldn’t juggle all the balls at once. He was a poor man’s version of Michael V, with Jen’s attitude and looks. I miss Jeff. Heck, I miss all of last year’s cast. That really shows why this is such a good show. The contestants are competent and compelling.
INSERT: I fORGOT ABOUT CARLA! How could i forget the chef that couldn't cook. She was the zen version of Robin. Long story short she sucked. Funny story, my roommate Casey picked her to go the distance she was always being highlighted in the advertisements. Good reasoning, even if i mocked him then.
• This guest judge for the challenge definitely ate a small child as dessert before judge’s table.
Regardless of what he is saying, his tone and demeanor remind me of the villain from the Temple of Doom. The opposite could be said of Tom, who was almost the impetus for a tear jerker moment when he said he was proud of this crew.
• I thought Bryan was going to win, but based on judge’s table I don’t know what will happen. Obviously it’s rigged that way to add tension, yet I’m really at a loss as to who wins. I do think that Eli is going home. His dish was neither cooked properly nor really creative. That being said, I don’t think Michael will win because his dish just wasn’t that good. Bryan failed to execute. Kevin wasn’t creative enough. That leaves Jen. Wow, never thought I would predict Jen to win again, but that’s my prediction. She’ll sneak into victory, which doesn’t really make sense since these are tough judges.
• Still thinking about the judges. I think they’ll reward a good idea that wasn’t executed properly. Going back to Bryan. Bryan is my choice. I’m doing this because the winner gets to compete in iron chef, so they’ll want someone who showed some promise. Bryan is my choice and who I’m rooting for. Still planning on saying goodbye to Eli.
• Wow, it was Kevin. Not a bad choice, although he did demonstrate that there is a ceiling when it comes to his ability. I guess in this instance they were with good execution. Should have seen this coming, since early in the episode Bryan commented on the fact that while Kevin’s food may be simple, he does it well.
• Kevin is definitely fan favorite. He’s got it locked up.
• Stefan! That was the German.
• It’s a good thing Eli lasted longer than Robin, or he would have killed her.
• So now they should get drunk, which would make perfect material for my idea of an additional episode!
• Not too excited about Jen’s upcoming hairdo, or Padma’s for that matter. Thank god style gurus Kevin and Tom will be around.
•

Lost Season One

In just under two days I've gone through season one of LOST. I think this is my third or fourth go around with this season, but my appreciation for it has never been brighter.
My admiration for this season, and the show in general, revolves around the cohesiveness and creativity of LOST. This admiration is embodied in season one by something John Locke's description of backgammon in the third episode. He says it is the oldest game and that it pits light against dark. Now if you've seen the finale from the most recent season you'll appreciate what that means, and while I won't spoil anything, I will say that everything on this show happens for a reason. Aside from Paulo and his girlfriend, none of the characters are superfluous. None of the lines are extraneous (I'll completely reject this idea later). Everything is scripted with the vision of the show's creators in mind, and that's spectacular.
The only other shows that reflect this kind of vision, this planning, would be THE WIRE, THE SOPRANOS and MAD MEN. That's the list.
Ok, so back to season one of LOST, which happened long before the show got too complicated for people to follow. At this point it's just a serious version of Gilligan's island with a more compelling cast, plots bubbling over with thematic ingredients and mystery.
People say that the show lost followers after this season because it became too complicated. It was opening new doors without closing old ones. The vast tapestry became too much to follow. I'd argue that while you do need to follow along regularly, it's worth the effort since it's an art form of a higher nature than CSI or some cookie cutter episodic drama. LOST is a book and each episode is a chapter. Each season is a different act. It takes work too appreciate the talented work that went into this masterpiece.
That's why you get out of season one what you put into it. If you watch it without an eye for the big picture you can still find it enjoyable, as it has interesting week to week dilemmas, but you'll fail to achieve the whole experience. And that's what season one is, an experience.
LOST fans take for granted these characters that were introduced, since now we're so familiar with them. But Locke, Sawyer, Kate, Sayid and Sun were and continue to be some of the best characters on television. They're complicated. They're creative. They're a pleasure to watch.
Even a characters like Boone and Shannon, who are relatively weak on LOST, are miles above their two dimensional peers on other shows.
What people forget is that before LOST ensemble pieces like this didn't exist. In essence it is a play on television, and nothing of that scope had been done well before. While this should be appreciated for the groundbreaking work that it is, it should also be noted that since then people have had chances to build upon and improve the formula but they haven't.
Season one manages all these characters like a skilled juggler. Stories are crisp and for the most part with purpose. There is a place for everyone and everyone is in their place.
In terms of story the season is probably three episodes too long. The caves and some other plots are dragged out to a point where they could have been condensed. That's probably why the show is now 16 episodes (I think).
But oh what a story it is. Other shows have opened with a bang and with such broad brush strokes (like Heroes), only to paint themselves into a corner and without any creative room to maneuver. Again this is a credit to the creators' big vision, but even without the subsequent layers this story stands on its own.
You've got the love story between Sun and Jin. Locke's mysterious adventures. Jack's version of ER on the island (Kate is the Juliane Marguiles character). So much is going on, but it all works. Everything is a complement to something else.
The bad, though, is bad. Particularly everything Michael says and does. If you had to drink every time he said, "my boy" you'd be dead before the second commercial. This father-son angle would be palatable if it wasn't for Michael's over acting and the terrible pains his voice cause.
If you also drank every time Charlie said, "the baby" or "claire" you're probably be in a coma before the title credits were done. My hatred for Charlie didn't begin to subside until the actor appeared on FLASH FORWARD, in a much more interesting and watchable role.
Both of these flaws just get worse and worse until they're wrapped up (won't say how). Luckily, since this is an ensemble piece the negative effects of these two characters are drowned out by the large chorus of other voices.
Well I've had your attention long enough. If you love LOST you need to watch every episode again before the final season premieres in January. It is so rewarding, especially if all you have to look forward to every day is cover letters and resumes.
Watch it again. Pick up bits and pieces you missed before. Relish the familiar scenes you forgot you loved. And just enjoy the experience.
I'm starting season two tonight. I wonder what's in that hatch... Oh yeah, one of my favorite characters.

Saturday is V-Day

The new show V airs on Tuesday nights, but since I don't usually watch television on a television I catch it on Hulu when it debuts, which is Thursday.
Anyway, I'm halfway through the episode and I don't have an opinion on the show yet. There are parts I like, Elizabeth Mitchell as the take no prisoners FBI agent, and things I hate, Mitchell's son.
But like LOST, I think the mythology of the show might hook me enough to overcome character shortcomings.
Oh, and a familiar face from BSG popped up.

Date Night a remake?

Just watched a trailer for the upcoming DATE NIGHT, starring Liz Lemon and Micahel Scott. Excuse me, starring Tiny Fey and Steve Carrell. Actually the movie would be good either way, although Michael's character would inevitably be named Michael Scarn...
Anyway, the movie appears to be a riff on Alfred Hitchcock's THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH, in so much this story has a couple that is accidentally thrust into a predicament because of mistaken identity. Although, as I type this, it reminds me more of NORTH BY NORTHWEST, because of the mistaken identity. Yeah, I think I like that better.
Here's the trailer. What does it remind you of?

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3427861785/

The Office gets professional

Coming into the most recent episode of THE OFFICE I wasn't expecting much. This season I've been an ardent defender of the show, retaining faith that past glory was indicative of future results. But lately it has been harder and harder to find the funny in the show and it had become a chore to watch. I actually looked forward to PARKS and RECREATIONS more.
Well, my faith has been restored. I once was blind, but now I see. Ok, maybe the show still has some ground to make up in the wake of some poor performances. I'm definitely encouraged by last night's show, which embodied the inane ridiculousness that THE OFFICE does so well.
This episode didn't really further the story of the paper company that wouldn't quit and it didn't have to do that. Instead the episode was a series of running gags, as well as further reminder of Andy's ineptitude with women (how did he bag Angela so easy? Is she a slut?).
Michael, showing his crazy as a fox side (as opposed to his just plain crazy side), decides to distract the office from threat of bankruptcy with a game. Anytime these lunatics are allowed to run rampant with their insanity is fine by me.
You've got ridiculous accents, costumes that appear out of nowhere, a crime for Dwight and a threesome with Meredith, Erin and Kevin (You're welcome Erin).
This episode felt like 30 ROCK at its best. Everything was just a setup for another gag, with a loose story drifting through the episode. Definitely one of the best this year.
Is THE OFFICE insolvent? no. I'll call this the bailout it needed. Let's hope the stimulus works.

Top Chef: Stripping off the fat

So Mike Isabella is gone and Robin is still around to lay one more stinker of a performance. I’m not bothered by this development, as Mike I never could have won and at least Robin guarantees some comedic gold. My only hope for this episode is that Jen doesn’t continue her supernova routine and Bryan makes it to the next round.
• I love that Bryan misses his family, but the lead is worrying me. Will he not want to win? Is the fire dying out? I doubt it. Sort of blowing my mind that Mike V has a nephew, let alone his own kid. Think he swears at him?
• I’ve always been an advocate of airing additional footage as its own show and I’ve never been a fiercer advocate of this idea than when I think about Nigella and Padma in bed.
Literally, we wouldn’t need sound or any sort of story, just a security cam as they walk around in the room. That seems watchable right? In more practical terms, though, this show might help us understand some of the tension that seems unwarranted on the show, specifically surrounding Mike V and Robin. Obviously he’s been a dick to her, but she seems unusually perturbed with him and I want to know why! GIVE US MORE FOOTAGE!! Maybe the ladies can get an episode where the V brothers are in bathrobes.
• Will no one make waffles? Or how about a sausage with a pancake wrapped around it on a stick? That is what makes the best chef. I think I would have done breakfast buffet.
• And a meaningless quickfire win for Eli. It’s hilarious watching him try to get excited about his quickfire prize, which is making it into a cookbook. Nay, the quickfire cookbook. I think he would have rather won a cookbook, since that has actual value.
• Where is the legalized prostitution challenge? I’m making crab legs. Get it?
• Better yet we could do a gambling theme? Undercook meat as a way to bet your life. Eh?
• Would love to hang out with Jen. Not just because she’s hot, but because she’s funny. She has a viscous wit, which I’m actually afraid of her. She might turn on me. Her and Eli would probably make me cry.
• Speaking of Eli, he is worrying way too much about the theme of his dish. It doesn’t matter! Robin will say she had cancer and Bryan V will spew something that doesn’t make sense, regardless of the supposed themes. Just cook something creative and good. Don’t let it get in your head Eli.
• GE MONOGRAM. (Just throwing that at you the way the show does)
• Chicken wing is a New York staple? Maybe a buffalo wing is New York. The apple is the only distinctive food from New York.
• Robin sabotaging her food is simply a nickname for her cooking. Because she can’t help but produce crap.
• Is no one going to do the Hotel buffet? Isn’t that a big deal in Vegas? On the plus side it would make it easy to feed 175 people. A big vat of pasta. Big thing of potatoes. A meat. Some Blue (always a weird one). You’re done.
• Mike V is betting that he doesn’t have to serve everyone at once. Why does he think that? He could get overrun.
• So Robin has no confidence in her dish, but likes the theme of it. Huh? Still a cooking show, right?
• Is it too soon for me to gloat about Bryan V winning this challenge? All signs point to my boy not just coasting through, but making it to the next round with authority.
• So Eli has left the middle with a big swing for the fences. Tom definitely respected the gamble and I think Tobey will defend him too. Any other episode this could ruin him, but I think Jen and Robin will give him cover.
• Tonight’s top three are definitely the cream of the crop. At this point I would be very surprised if they were not in the finals. Jen was in this class early on, but for some reason, whether it is her lack of confidence or unified vision, she has taken a step back.
• MIKE V. NO!!!!! I can’t believe he upset his brother. Padma is a winner here too, because I’m sure she’ll go with Mike on his trip to the vineyard. Could be some tension in the room as Bryan laments another loss at judge’s table to his brother. His younger brother. His obnoxious younger brother.
• Jen is vulnerable because of her attitude in previous attitudes. Tom, who has typically been an ardent defender has cooled on her lately, so he could be the swing judge. He seemed to excuse her dish and attack Robin, which makes me think Jen is safe. Bye Robin.
• There is no way Eli goes home. The judges stuck it to him, but this slipup shouldn’t exceed the continually poor work of Jen and Robin.
• Nigella looks like she could be Gail’s older sister.
• Robin “doesn’t know how to play it safe.” Ha! She can’t play at all. She’s not only in the minors, but she’s playing quidditch while everyone else is playing baseball.
• Oh god. They hated Eli’s dish. So nervous. The producers do a great job making it look like anyone could go. Sticking with Robin as my castoff, regardless of Tom’s recap.
• Ding Dong the witch is dead! Actually that’s not really appropriate. More like, Sanjaya is finally gone or the kid who has skated by in a spelling bee with words like “apple” and “banana.” I will definitely miss Robin’s comedic timing and delivery.
• The upcoming excitement for me will revolve around the battle between Jen and Eli. As far as Eli is concerned, he could win or poison someone. Jen’s performance will be evident from early on in the episode, as her attitude is a telltale sign of how she’ll do.

Twilight isn't too bright

I finally broke down and saw TWILIGHT. I've always been intrigued by the series, as far as I like vampire stories and found the teen drama a new angle (that has since been done to death) interesting.
But this initial attraction wasn't compelling enough for me to actually do anything. Maybe a girlfriend could have dragged me to a movie or a really good book review might have made me open one of them up. Neither event ever transpired, so I remained a twilight virgin until Monday night.
Out of the blue I had the opportunity to watch TWILIGHT at my friend Alex's house and I leaped, with the understanding that I could talk through the whole movie. There was no way I could stay silent through this movie (My biggest explosion came during Ed and Bella's initial reaction, in which he just stares at her and taught me how to pick up chicks).
Simply put, this was not a good movie. It was not a good children's film. It was not a good tweener or teen film. It wasn't a good chick flick. It wasn't a good drama. It was a good action movie. It was bad. It was long. It was boring.
On the plus side, though, it had frequent instances of unintentional comedy. If the snogging in the last Harry Potter movie was bad, this movie took teen romances to a new and even stranger level. Ed's courting of Bella was the strangest thing i had ever seen, which i guess was the point. But did it have to be so darn funny?
I love you. I hate you. I want to have sex with you. I want to eat you. Kids today with their rap music and shiny boyfriends, well needless to say i felt out of the loop at 22.
This movie felt like what I imagine the VAMPIRE DIARIES is like on the CW. Corny. Canned. Cheap.
This movie reflects its meager budget. Meager in comparison to its box office receipts, which were initially in doubt. Honestly, who didn't think this would be a megahit? The idiots that hedged their bets were morons.
The camera work in TWILIGHT could be described as erratic at best. The writing is so heavy handed at some points and vague in others that the story wanders and lacks any cohesion. This problem is inconsequential compared to the utterances Kristen Stewart is forced to spew as Bella. Her awkward delivery was probably a result of the vomit she was stifling back.
TWILIGHT tried to accomplish 85 different things at once, but ended up falling short on every tangent. They were obviously afraid that there wasn't enough meat in the original story that they couldn't attract an audience, but i'd contend the built in fan base would have kept them alive.
What ended up happening was a crammed movie that seems to exist in another dimension, when a compelling part of this book is how in touch it is supposed to be. Any girl could be Bella. That's the dream. Unfortunately this movies lives in a dream world, which is more like a nightmare when you try to watch it.
(Rent TRUE BLOOD instead and watch this SNL parody of Twilight, http://www.hulu.com/watch/107500/saturday-night-live-digital-short-firelight)

Ramp up the Enthusiasm

CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM is typically marked by awkward confrontations that are hard to watch, but are the reason for watching. This humor is compelling and done to perfection on CURB (THE OFFICE merely emulates). After a while, though, this style wears on me, as I'm not a devote follower of CURB and for this very reason.
But last night's episode was one of my favorite, if only for the reveal of Larry David wearing female underwear. Although to be fair, it might just have been a pink speedo.
The episode pushed along the SEINFELD reunion plot, with Cheryl finally getting the role that was written specifically for her. All in all this angle just moved the story along, but it did conveniently introduce a way for Larry to say cunnilingus (always a good thing).
Obviously this came up, because Elizabeth Shue's character hurt her neck, which can only be accomplished in a car accident or while performing the aforementioned act. Larry assumes the latter in the wake of a suggestion that Cheryl might be involved in a threesome with Shue's character.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that last night's episode was funny. It was a tight show with laughs driven by a storyline that progressed nicely and tied everything together.
Let me stop writing now because i can only make this post worse. It's not like I can go back and edit it...
Oh yeah, and i enjoyed Larry's friendship with Jeff. Sometimes their dynamic seems strained or awkward to me, but in this episode you could really see how close they are. It was fun.
ONLY TWO EPISODES LEFT IN THIS SEASON!!!!

SNL soars with Swift

Rarely do I sit through an entire episode of SNL. Normally I'll catch up on Sunday via HULU, but Saturday night i sat down and watched the entire show, songs and all, from start to finish. On the whole I really enjoyed it.
The opening sketch was not funny and was indicative of one theme throughout the show, which is that Kristin Wiig is in every sketch. The only time she didn't appear was during Weekend Update (when she probably worked a camera) and when Swift sang (didn't see her doing backup vocals). Wiig is definitely the best actress on the show, but i feel like she could burnout. In part because they over use some of her characters, like Penelope, and also because she will physically and emotionally show the toll. Some of her roles could have been done by the other cast members, including Abbey Elliot, who is a rising star on the show.
Besides the cold open, which was a forgettable spoof on FOX News (Sudekis as Glen Beck was good, but Jon Stewart did it better this week) the show was funny.Swift killed her monologue with a great song that basically just poked fun at the more public aspects of her life.
The highlight of the night was the fake infomercial about bad parental driving. Sudekis and Wiig were hilarious in it, but only because they perfectly captured the tendencies of my mom.
Swift fit right in playing Kate Gosselin as a guest star on THE VIEW. As usual Keenan Thompson and Fred Armisen stole the show playing Whoopi Golberg and Joy Behar respectively, but she carried her own weight. The only surprising reveal of the skit was that a new actress was playing Barbara Walters. She's a featured player so i didn't bother learning her name or looking it up.
Keenan Thompson and Taylor Swift made an amazing duo as part of a scared straight team, which Thompson regularly does. She pretended to be a male convict and while not selling it at all, got me to laugh simply by the premise of her as a male criminal.
I hope Swift has a long musical career, just so she can come back and host again.

Feel the RAGE. MAD MEN FINALE

Just finished watching MAD MEN finale. It was simply amazing. About to watch it again and hopefully come down with some insightful thoughts.

Sorry Kirk and watch V!

I was too quick to assign Kirk Acevedo head guest star status on WHITE COLLAR last night. Apparently Callie Thorne (RESCUE ME and a thousand other guest spots) reigns supreme and was the villain, thus anointing her the headliner for the episode.
She is a tremendously talented actress, based solely on the nut she plays on RESCUE ME. I think she did the best with what she could on WHITE COLLAR, but no one looks good on that show. It's basically the THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR, if Tom took you to a sleazy motel and stole the change from the "take a penny, leave a penny" thing.
P.S. About to watch this week's V on HULU. So excited!

I know him...

Journeyman actor Kirk Acevedo appeared in Friday's episode of WHITE COLLAR. Haven't finished the episode, but so far it stinks.
Acevedo was most recently in FRINGE, where he left under murky terms. His character was killed off, which may or may not have been the result of tensions he had with the creative staff.
Anyway, you might have also seen his face in BAND OF BROTHERS or the indie hit DINNER RUSH!
My prediction for his stint on WHITE COLLAR, where he is playing a cop, will be that he is killing the mafia guys.

Podcast Recommendations

This is just a quick list of all the podcasts I'm listening too now:
THE TONY KORNHEISER SHOW: This podcast is derived from Tony's two hour radio show he does in Washington. A typical week includes lamenting over the Redskins, trashing the Washington Post Journal, addressing Tony's current obsession and fitting some sports tidbits in. There are also football picks from James Carville, Jaws and a monkey (only one isn't a person).
The B.S. REPORT: This is Bill Simmon's podcast, which is basically a more convoluted version of a column without any focus and only a vague central theme. They typically includes calls to his friend Jack O or football picks with COUSIN SAL. I think this is the most popular podcast on itunes.
FRONTLINE: This is just the audio from PBS's Frontline series. Very compelling, interesting and well done. They make the boring fascinating.
NPR, IT's ALL POLITICS: A loosy goosey approach to covering politics.
NY TIMES POLITICAL POINTS: A formal smoral approach to covering politics.
NEW YORKER POLITICAL SCENE: Waspy swaspy approach to covering politics.
SLATE'S POLITICAL GABFEST: A happy hour approach to covering politics
SLATE'S CULTURAL GABFEST: Ditto, except about tv, books, and such.

TV in the future from the past

In a desperate attempt to gobble up all the HULU content I can before it becomes a pay site in some capacity, I've begun watching the show CENTURY CITY.

The show is an episodic legal drama set in the year 2030, and every week the firm deals with all the new issues that arise in the future. By every week, though, I mean 9 weeks. Well really, just four, because that's all that aired on television.
Anyway, the show starred Ioan Gruffudd, who you'll recognize from FANTASTIC FOUR or some British film. He's the attorney with a heart of gold, who is a little bit naive, a little bit eye candy and a lot annoying.
Other notables include Viola Davis, who most notably drew acclaim in the movie DOUBT, where she was nominated for an Oscar. She plays the hard nosed senior partner with a soft spot for the occasional case that she decides to champion.
Nestor Carbonell was the main draw for me personally. He's easily recognizable as the ageless Richard and even in this role he brings intrigue and entertainment. Granted, the intrigue doesn't compare to LOST, but he's definitely the most interesting character on the show. He plays a former politician who appears to be brought in for his name, but slowly begins to get his hands dirty within the firm as he champions certain causes. I've seen seven of the nine episodes so far, and i really lament the fact he didn't get more of a chance to sink his teeth in to this role. His background could have been the impetus for a lot of fun stories going forward and probably should have been utilized better in the episodes that did air.
The other mildly entertaining character is played by Eric Schaeffer, who does a homeless man's impersonation of William Shatner's, Denny Crane on BOSTON LEGAL. He's good for a few laughs, but eh...
Over all this show is too preachy. It starts from a compelling point, but usually loses me. If you feel like wasting time you should go for it. Otherwise, stay away or you'll feel compelled to watch them all.

Heroes: Let the good times roll, again... Nope

I'd say that HEROES, which I know watch in about 6 minutes, has gotten worse, but that's not possible. In fact, I'd say it's more likely to turn a corner and become unintentionally funny as it continues to take itself seriously and continues to be garbage.
Anyway, Hero had gone back in time to save Charlie (Jayma Mays), the brief love of his life. She had been murdered by Sylar in season one, and for some stupid reason Hero finally deemed it time to go back and right that sad note.
I've already wasted more time talking about HEROES than I played to, so i'm going to abruptly wrap this up...
1. Just by bringing the viewer back to season one will not rekindle the magic of season one.
2. It is a crime the way Jayma Mays was wasted on this show. She is one of my favorite actresses, most likely because i have a crush on her.
3. What a throwaway storyline with Noah Bennet. Just a waste.
4. WHY DO I KEEP WASTING MY TIME WITH THIS SHOW!!!
5. Nathan is officially gone from HEROES. One of the most interesting characters is gone. The only encouraging thing is that more actors might be going and it can become the Noah and Sylar show, except...
6....THEY'RE bring Surresh back!! GOD NO! He's awful. The show is awful. Ughh.

OH Yeah

During my senior year of college one of my roommates sent me a link to a song by 3OH!3. I thought it was amusing and had a beat i could follow, but for the most part I regarded the song as a joke.
Well, I was watching the trailer for a movie call WHEN IN ROME and it said the movie featured music from 3OH!3 with Katy Perry. I'm a huge fan of Katy Perry so i immediately youtubed the song, which is when i made the connection to the other song about Helen Keller and dancing with one's hips.
Why am I telling you this? To recommend the video for Starstruck. The song is ok, but the video is hilarious. Maybe not hilarious, but I really enjoyed watching the two guys fawn after women in the video. Plus, Katy Perry is smoking hot, so it's got something for everybody. If everybody is a guy. Or a girl into kind of geeky guys. Or lesbians. See, everybody!
Here's a link to the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvf--10EYXw

p.s. Try to guess the girl in the beginning of the video. If you know the answer post it as a comment. Hint: She used to be relevant in the 90s.

Season 4 and still Sunny

I recently purchased and devoured season four of ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA on DVD. The show is in fine form throughout the year, as there isn't a stinker episode in the whole bunch.
In particular I'm fond of the "Night Man Cometh," which revolves around a musical Charlie writes to woo his love, who is simply known as "The Waitress." This by far the wackiest episode ever, and that's saying something.
"Night Man Cometh" is also the inspiration for the best (of the limited) extras. The gang put on a live expanded version of this episode, which is on the DVD. The episode includes extra songs and offers a personal feel that kind of freaks me out.
The extras are really disappointing for this season, especially considering all the extra content that is available on HULU. I thought at the very least they'd repackage some of that stuff for the DVD, but instead we're limited to the live episode, a story from DEnnis Reynolds' erotic life and a blooper reel that isn't long at all.
Luckily the episodes are so funny that I'm not too bummed about the lack of extras. I would recommend buying this season if you can get it for under $30, which you can at Amazon. Also, watch ALWAYS SUNNY now, as it is currently in its fifth season on FX.

Bored back to life

So BORED TO DEATH is finally hitting its stride, but only as it shakes off the constraints of show's premise. DEATH is supposed to be about a writer moonlighting as a Private Detective, which is an entertaining concept. This concept has gotten the show only so far and actually represents the weakest facet of the show. The strength of the show comes from the relationships, which are made interesting by Ted Danson and Zak Galifianakis.
Danson and Galifianakis are extremely entertaining (as I've previously written) as boss and friend respectively. In the last two episodes, and in the finale, the work/personal worlds collide in a very winning fashion. Both actors are good foils for the lead, Jason Schwartzman, who needs to be toned down. He wasn't getting toned down when the show revolved primarily around his cases, or when he was on these cases alone.
BORED TO DEATH is a unique television experience. It's unlike anything else on television in its delivery and design. There is no disputing the poor start of DEATH, but it has turned around late in its freshman season. If there is a strong finale, as it seems there will be, I'll deem this season a success and would look forward to next season.