This is the first in a new weekly installment I'll be doing every Sunday, where I recap what you need to know about the past week in television. I'll delve into the things I felt were interesting or that you might need to know.
Why am i doing this? Basically because EW does something like this and I liked the idea. Besides that, though, it is as pointless as everything else I read.
Anyway, if you haven't stopped reading already, enjoy...
1. On The PACIFIC, Steven Spielberg got to use left over stock footage from SAVING PRIVATE RYAN for another island invasion scene.
2. For some reason Donald Trump loves Cyndi Lauper and Sharon Osbourne, since he refused to fire them, even though the latter missed the entire challenge and the former missed 80% of it. The same treatment was denied to Michael Johnson, who asked for a leave of absence, but was told that leave would have to be permanent since he'd miss a task. This double standard was infuriating, especially since Sharon is useless and will be fired the next time her team loses.
3. There was no CHUCK. I mean what the heck. No Chuck? What the F*$%?
4. On V we got an introduction to John May (Michael Trucco) via a flashback. It was exciting to see Trucco back on television in a character eerily similar to his Battlestar Galactica role. The only problem was that he was summarily killed off during the flashback...
5. I don't know why I'm watching FLASHFORWARD anymore. I've seen the future, and it won't be on in the fall.
6. Jamie Oliver asked the high school kids to try his food ... and they did!!! Unfortunately, the elementary school still offered flavored milks and all the kids died.
7. SNL was totally underrated. It was a character-centric show with limited stories, but they were still giggle worthy. My favorite was Andy Sandberg as an accountant for celebrities. It show cased the cast's ability to mimic tons of stars. COPY AND PASTE the link.
http://www.hulu.com/watch/143265/saturday-night-live-celebrity-taxes-mort-feingold
Ok, so that was the first week in review segment. Any thoughts? SHould it be longer or shorter? Should it try to be somewhat relevant or cohesive?
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010
More Stuff White People Like: TREME
Last Sunday was David Simon's return to HBO with his new show TREME. This is his first return to a scripted television show since his miniseries GENERATION KILL. Simon, though, is better known/revered for his creation of THE WIRE.
The main difference between THE WIRE and TREME is the focus of the shows. I'm not talking about their settings, but rather the fact that THE WIRE revolved around a city and its institutions, while TREME is based on the zany characters that occupy a city and its institutions. The result is similar, in that you're forced to deal with a broad spectrum of characters and a vast array of stories.
Where the difference is notable is in the way that the stories all feel isolated from each other, even when the show tries, to its detriment, to create one big picture.
The two protagonists appear to be New Orleans DJ, Davis McAlary (Steve Zahn) and trombone player, Antoine Batiste (Wendell Pierce). My inclination here is to analyze these men as representing different aspects of WIRE hero James McNulty, but i will ward off that feeling. It is a tough one to beat back, as they both walk to their own beat in a F U to the institutions they're semi-rebelling against and they both seem reliant on the help of others in a parasite type way.
Ok, getting way too analytical here. Let's get back to my bread butter...
I like TREME. I don't love it, since it feels like work to a certain extent. THis is evident by the fact i added an intermission and found my interest waning at points. The problem stems from the central theme, New Orleans, being inaccessible to me. Where THE WIRE was about institutions in B'more, TREME is about the city itself. I now that sounds like a contradiction to what i wrote earlier, but i mean it in the sense that the characters deal with a setting that is unique and therefore doesn't translate well to this white suburban dude.
Anyway, I felt that John Goodman was more of a wikipedia page than an actual character.
Don't get me wrong, he was entertaining, but he feels more like an educational tool than a character. He seems to represent all the themes the show is trying to get across, without subtly letting us glean them for ourselves.
Goodman's wife on the show, portrayed by Melissa Leo, also leaves a little to be desired. Reminiscent of ED the bowling alley lawyer, she appears to be the only shyster in town after the Hurricane. I make this assessment based on the fact she seems to be everyone's lawyer or if not, is a patron at their establishment.
Additionally, she seems far too altruistic, as if she's overdosing on a guilty trip.
I really enjoy DEADWOOD vet and LOST flashback participant Kim Dickens as a chef trying to run a restaurant without any staff. Her story doesn't seem poised to blend well with the rest of the show, unless every scene takes place in her restaurant, and this reality disappoints me. She is a captivating starlet who demands my attention in any role, which is obvious from the way she stole the premier with just a few lines in her restaurant.
I'm also a willing participant on the Steve Zahn train. His high-strung DJ has the potential to be annoying, except he has avoided this danger after one episode. Basically he's entertaining, and I'm fine with that. He's an amusing distraction.
Ultimately, though, that's what the show feels like. A series of distractions thrown together. The caveat being that this is a David Simon production, and as such it will take time to develop, so i'm going to refrain from embracing this negative characterization and will only let it exist as a possibility to be wary of in the back of our mind.
Hopefully I'll have more coherent thoughts as the show progresses. For now I'm committed and look forward to next week's episode.
Are you going to watch? Did you watch? Do you get enough New Orleans flavor from Emeril???
The main difference between THE WIRE and TREME is the focus of the shows. I'm not talking about their settings, but rather the fact that THE WIRE revolved around a city and its institutions, while TREME is based on the zany characters that occupy a city and its institutions. The result is similar, in that you're forced to deal with a broad spectrum of characters and a vast array of stories.
Where the difference is notable is in the way that the stories all feel isolated from each other, even when the show tries, to its detriment, to create one big picture.
The two protagonists appear to be New Orleans DJ, Davis McAlary (Steve Zahn) and trombone player, Antoine Batiste (Wendell Pierce). My inclination here is to analyze these men as representing different aspects of WIRE hero James McNulty, but i will ward off that feeling. It is a tough one to beat back, as they both walk to their own beat in a F U to the institutions they're semi-rebelling against and they both seem reliant on the help of others in a parasite type way.
Ok, getting way too analytical here. Let's get back to my bread butter...
I like TREME. I don't love it, since it feels like work to a certain extent. THis is evident by the fact i added an intermission and found my interest waning at points. The problem stems from the central theme, New Orleans, being inaccessible to me. Where THE WIRE was about institutions in B'more, TREME is about the city itself. I now that sounds like a contradiction to what i wrote earlier, but i mean it in the sense that the characters deal with a setting that is unique and therefore doesn't translate well to this white suburban dude.
Anyway, I felt that John Goodman was more of a wikipedia page than an actual character.
Don't get me wrong, he was entertaining, but he feels more like an educational tool than a character. He seems to represent all the themes the show is trying to get across, without subtly letting us glean them for ourselves. Goodman's wife on the show, portrayed by Melissa Leo, also leaves a little to be desired. Reminiscent of ED the bowling alley lawyer, she appears to be the only shyster in town after the Hurricane. I make this assessment based on the fact she seems to be everyone's lawyer or if not, is a patron at their establishment.
Additionally, she seems far too altruistic, as if she's overdosing on a guilty trip. I really enjoy DEADWOOD vet and LOST flashback participant Kim Dickens as a chef trying to run a restaurant without any staff. Her story doesn't seem poised to blend well with the rest of the show, unless every scene takes place in her restaurant, and this reality disappoints me. She is a captivating starlet who demands my attention in any role, which is obvious from the way she stole the premier with just a few lines in her restaurant.
I'm also a willing participant on the Steve Zahn train. His high-strung DJ has the potential to be annoying, except he has avoided this danger after one episode. Basically he's entertaining, and I'm fine with that. He's an amusing distraction.
Ultimately, though, that's what the show feels like. A series of distractions thrown together. The caveat being that this is a David Simon production, and as such it will take time to develop, so i'm going to refrain from embracing this negative characterization and will only let it exist as a possibility to be wary of in the back of our mind.
Hopefully I'll have more coherent thoughts as the show progresses. For now I'm committed and look forward to next week's episode.
Are you going to watch? Did you watch? Do you get enough New Orleans flavor from Emeril???
EDITOR'S NOTE
Note from the Editor: We've seen record visits to Dave's blog recently, and we wanted to express our concern. You realize there is porn to be watched and qualified writers to be read? Or does this just mean Saratoga Springs has been taken over by a syphilitic insanity? 
Regardless, we appreciate the interest and are open to suggestions of possible topics. Because we here at Entertainment Daily might not provide quality or timely content, but we love getting suggestions that we can shrug off.
Finally, all this exposure has gotten to Dave's head and it might be reflected in his writing. Don't be surprised if he gets all political, begins diatribes against Jennifer Hudson or just offers links to videos of cats waking up.
Regardless, we appreciate the interest and are open to suggestions of possible topics. Because we here at Entertainment Daily might not provide quality or timely content, but we love getting suggestions that we can shrug off.
Finally, all this exposure has gotten to Dave's head and it might be reflected in his writing. Don't be surprised if he gets all political, begins diatribes against Jennifer Hudson or just offers links to videos of cats waking up.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Glee As I Want To Be
(Editor's Note: If you're looking for a raw masculine breakdown of the return of GLEE, then look elsewhere. If you want to hear the giddy ramblings of a moron, well, what's wrong with you???)
Screw it, I'm going to be like a runaway Toyota, and just roll with it.
The old me was a critical SOB when it came to Volume 1 of GLEE, but i'm on board for the ride now. It is what it is, which is a series of amusing references aimed at forwarding the plot until the next song number. I'm fine with that, since the lines are amusing and the songs win me over every time.
Plot, eh. Development, blurgh. Some sort of continuity, blah.
SO with that in mind I just allowed myself to be swept away with the return of GLEE, and it was a fun ride.
Love the introduction of porn star Jesse Saint James. While I can't confirm that's his actual occupation, it will be eventually with that name. I also like the coach of Vocal Adrenaline, who seems poised to be the evil yin to Shu's girly yang. I smell drama, and it smells fabulous!
(Editor's Note: Who writes like this???)
I can't believe we were denied a makeout (seems like that should be one word) scene between the cheerios.
LOVED, LOVED, LOVED that Finn sucks at basketball. He's the anti-HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL protagonist. He can't do everything. He can't even make two hot chicks make-out (Hyphen?).
THis episode was way too light on Puck and Quinn, and way to heavy on Shu. Perfect amount of Sue. Could have used some lines for Other Asian, but I was happy that he got to dance.
Was anyone else a little weirded out by the way everyone started dancing during Rachel's song number? Seemed like that came together strangely. Stop it DAVE! DOn't question it, Dave! Just go with the flow.
No more dwelling on it. People are here and it's time to drink.
SO EXCITED FOR NEXT WEEK!!!
Screw it, I'm going to be like a runaway Toyota, and just roll with it.
The old me was a critical SOB when it came to Volume 1 of GLEE, but i'm on board for the ride now. It is what it is, which is a series of amusing references aimed at forwarding the plot until the next song number. I'm fine with that, since the lines are amusing and the songs win me over every time.
Plot, eh. Development, blurgh. Some sort of continuity, blah.
SO with that in mind I just allowed myself to be swept away with the return of GLEE, and it was a fun ride.
Love the introduction of porn star Jesse Saint James. While I can't confirm that's his actual occupation, it will be eventually with that name. I also like the coach of Vocal Adrenaline, who seems poised to be the evil yin to Shu's girly yang. I smell drama, and it smells fabulous!
(Editor's Note: Who writes like this???)
I can't believe we were denied a makeout (seems like that should be one word) scene between the cheerios.
LOVED, LOVED, LOVED that Finn sucks at basketball. He's the anti-HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL protagonist. He can't do everything. He can't even make two hot chicks make-out (Hyphen?).
THis episode was way too light on Puck and Quinn, and way to heavy on Shu. Perfect amount of Sue. Could have used some lines for Other Asian, but I was happy that he got to dance.
Was anyone else a little weirded out by the way everyone started dancing during Rachel's song number? Seemed like that came together strangely. Stop it DAVE! DOn't question it, Dave! Just go with the flow.
No more dwelling on it. People are here and it's time to drink.
SO EXCITED FOR NEXT WEEK!!!
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
TICK TOCK HOLY CRAP!!!
1. Chloe is put in charge of CTU!!! Totally implausible, but totally delicious
2. CHARLES LOGAN IS BACK!!!! Always a good idea to trust this guy.
3. RENEE WALKER WAS KILLED!!!!(Not 100% convinced about this one) Hopeful, though, since it means loose cannon Jack. WEll more than he already is. Loose Nuclear Bomb! Watch out Manhattan, this guy will blow!
2. CHARLES LOGAN IS BACK!!!! Always a good idea to trust this guy.
3. RENEE WALKER WAS KILLED!!!!(Not 100% convinced about this one) Hopeful, though, since it means loose cannon Jack. WEll more than he already is. Loose Nuclear Bomb! Watch out Manhattan, this guy will blow!
I actually like Hugo now
(Editor's Note: Dave's column is taking a different format for this episode. Normally he treats this blog like a toilet, where he leaves his crap. But something happened during the note taking process, and he put together an admittedly good live blog. Can't guarantee it next week. In fact, he probably made a mistake by setting the bar so high. Enjoy this one, and next week he'll disappoint you again.)
• Heading into this episode I assumed it was about the people in Venezuela who love Hugo Chavez.
• With tonight’s episode I’m drinking Dharma Rum. Well technically, Bacardi Rum.
• Always nice to spend time on Boone Hill. “Whose grave is this?” Why, the most underrated babe of the show, Libby. Oh yeah, she was crazy too. If you don’t believe the mysterious footage, then trust the fact she would risk a picnic with Hugo. I mean the guy could eat her…
• SO why does Michael have to appear as Kevin Johnson? Couldn’t he get some nicer threads in the afterlife?
• Jack knows Hurley is full of crap.
• Is it a cliché that the Spanish guy takes the Spanish girl to a Spanish restaurant?
• You know how I know you’re crazy? You think Hugo is your soul mate.
• So in Libby’s little speech we get shades of what we’ve heard all season. Granted, there is a certain amount of doubt introduced as a consequence of the mental hospital aspect, but I believe her. It seems like she is conscious of her experience on the island, and maybe that’s causing her mental instability. Either that or she was committed because of her obsession with Spanish fatties.
• Ok, let’s take a second to mourn the death of Ilana. Well, once I stop laughing that is. And there it is… Wow. I was a little caught off guard by the way she perished, especially before she got to fulfill her lifelong training.
Dynamite has now killed Leslie Arzt and Ilana! So broken up about this, except not at all.
Nice to see LOST is finally shedding some of its characters, albeit it in strange ways. I think it would have been more worthwhile to have her die by the hands of Man in Locke (MiL), who kills her for her loyalty to Jacob. That would have at least given her death meaning, and not forced her to red shirt status. (The guys who are brought along for the sole purpose of dying.)
Anyway, this really changes the dynamic of the Jacob-ites, who are without a leader. Her forceful demeanor put her in charge, even if they were following Richard’s lead. Now Hurley has a legitimate chance to utilize his 6th sense abilities as the leader, considering Richard is a broken man and Jack is a wuss. I guess there’s always the possibility of a Ben resurgence…
• So we need everybody to come back and everybody to leave.
• I find comfort in the fact that Sayid doesn’t endorse pointless bloodshed. Maybe there is a bit of his soul that hasn’t been corrupted by MiL. I’m holding out hope that he will have a redemption moment.
• “Maybe she died to show us to stay the hell away from dynamite.” C’mon Jack, you love dynamite. You like secretly holding it in your pack and using it to play chicken with Richard. But seriously, what’s with Hugo’s flip flop? Does he want to be a 2004 Democratic Presidential nominee? ZING!
• I love this Sideways Conscious Desmond (forever known just as conscious-character’s name). He smells that something is up, and I think he’ll be the catalyst for a lot of action in the sideways world.
• “How can you be sure what he blasted you with?” And the winner for the dirtiest line of the show goes to MiL!
• Hi, my name is Ben and I’m a killjoy. Seriously man, unless your dour attitude is part of an awesome master plan, I don’t want it. Give me light. Give me some witty repartee. Give me some knowledge bombs. Blast me with knowledge bombs in the face!
• Dy-No-Mite! I love that Hugo pulled the reverse John Locke. In season three Locke prevented their escape by destroying the submarine, and now Hugo has preserved their escape by blowing up the Black Rock. Unless, of course, they were supposed to sail away on the Black Rock…
• The ole “fajita fieldtrip.” Libby is a ridiculously sane crazy person. Maybe this is just me, but I want to see Libby in a sequel to Shutter Island. On a more serious note, why didn’t Hurley have the same flash? Was she just more open to the possibility than he was?
• So Hurley hits on a crazy person? That seems morally dubious.
• “If I didn’t know better I’d say this island has it in for you.” I think MiL knows this is the case, and probably feels it is important to negate Desmond before the island can finish with him. Seeing the mysterious kid pop up, the fact Desmond can see him, MiL’s annoyance with his presence and the kid’s smile reaffirm my belief that Desmond is key to the story. Ok, that’s not a stretch or too insightful. But if we imagine the kid is the island’s referee, it is interesting to take note of the fact he was amused by what he was seeing. As if he knew MiL’s plan for Desmond would be fruitless.
• “Are you trying to get us killed?” Thank you Ben for at least giving us a little humor. He’s become the “I’m too old for the sh*$ “ cop who has great one-liners. His rebel sidekick? Obviously ship blowing up Hugo. The guy has demons, literally. Richard is the by the book Lieutenant who just gets in their way. Maybe that doesn’t work, since Ben went with Richard… On the plus side, I love Jack’s allegiance to Hurley/Jacob.
• The important thing to note in the new divide is that the candidates are on one side and the non-candidates are on the other. I don’t think MiL will have any qualms about killing everyone on the latter side. They mean nothing and are therefore expendable. Frank Lapidus being the superstud causes a slight contradiction in my hypothesis, but that’s fine. He’s the man. Heck, he’s probably a candidate. Would explain why he keeps popping up. (Seriously, though, he is totally dreamy. As far as I’m concerned this guy invented chest hair, gravely voices and painful sexy grimaces.)
• “How do you break the ice with a smoke monster?” Funniest line of the night goes to Hugo.
• Um, wow. Jack has given up his fixing ways? Doesn’t even care that Hugo was lying. Love this version of Jack. Love that he has embraced another mentality, now characterized by letting go. It used to be man of science, then man of faith and now Man of the flow. Dude, just go with it! Unless, as Hugo points out, it gets them all killed… Hey Hugo, try smoking whatever Jack is on and calm down.
• I hear whispers! And now we’re getting answers! I’m practically a full three inches right now. They’re the voices of dead people! This is amazing! “The ones who can’t move on!” We’ve got answers and it feels so good. I feel like Libby moved on, which is why we haven’t seen her on the island. (How about a message for your son, Michael???)
• Good thing Hugo remembered the blanket for this picnic… Why does she want to be with him? Because her dream is to be crushed during sex.
• Hugo flashed! It would appear that when Castaways relive moments from the island they become conscious of their island experiences. This could become conscious-Desmond’s task on the island.
(Modern Family promo looked amazing. I haven’t really written about this show, but I love it. It’s a poor man’s version of ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, which puts it head and shoulders above every other sitcom out there.)
• BACK AWAY FROM THE WELL DESMOND!!! Penny is not in the well. “What is the point in being afraid?” Well, you might get thrown down a f’ing well!!! (P.S. We’ll totally see Desmond again)
• Now that the gang’s back, can Claire finally kill Kate? I don’t know the answer, but I hope it’s a resounding YES!
• Random thought: Instead of blowing up the plane, why didn’t Richard just kill Frank Lapidus?
• You know, I think conscious-Desmond might be aware of Locke trying to kill him…
Well that was fun. No final thoughts except that I loved the use of Gene Wilder’s voice from Willy Wonka in the trailer for next week.
What did you think? Good transitional episode? Was it a waste? Happy with the answers?
• Heading into this episode I assumed it was about the people in Venezuela who love Hugo Chavez.
• With tonight’s episode I’m drinking Dharma Rum. Well technically, Bacardi Rum.
• Always nice to spend time on Boone Hill. “Whose grave is this?” Why, the most underrated babe of the show, Libby. Oh yeah, she was crazy too. If you don’t believe the mysterious footage, then trust the fact she would risk a picnic with Hugo. I mean the guy could eat her…
• SO why does Michael have to appear as Kevin Johnson? Couldn’t he get some nicer threads in the afterlife?
• Jack knows Hurley is full of crap.
• Is it a cliché that the Spanish guy takes the Spanish girl to a Spanish restaurant?
• You know how I know you’re crazy? You think Hugo is your soul mate.
• So in Libby’s little speech we get shades of what we’ve heard all season. Granted, there is a certain amount of doubt introduced as a consequence of the mental hospital aspect, but I believe her. It seems like she is conscious of her experience on the island, and maybe that’s causing her mental instability. Either that or she was committed because of her obsession with Spanish fatties.
• Ok, let’s take a second to mourn the death of Ilana. Well, once I stop laughing that is. And there it is… Wow. I was a little caught off guard by the way she perished, especially before she got to fulfill her lifelong training.
Dynamite has now killed Leslie Arzt and Ilana! So broken up about this, except not at all.Nice to see LOST is finally shedding some of its characters, albeit it in strange ways. I think it would have been more worthwhile to have her die by the hands of Man in Locke (MiL), who kills her for her loyalty to Jacob. That would have at least given her death meaning, and not forced her to red shirt status. (The guys who are brought along for the sole purpose of dying.)
Anyway, this really changes the dynamic of the Jacob-ites, who are without a leader. Her forceful demeanor put her in charge, even if they were following Richard’s lead. Now Hurley has a legitimate chance to utilize his 6th sense abilities as the leader, considering Richard is a broken man and Jack is a wuss. I guess there’s always the possibility of a Ben resurgence…
• So we need everybody to come back and everybody to leave.
• I find comfort in the fact that Sayid doesn’t endorse pointless bloodshed. Maybe there is a bit of his soul that hasn’t been corrupted by MiL. I’m holding out hope that he will have a redemption moment.
• “Maybe she died to show us to stay the hell away from dynamite.” C’mon Jack, you love dynamite. You like secretly holding it in your pack and using it to play chicken with Richard. But seriously, what’s with Hugo’s flip flop? Does he want to be a 2004 Democratic Presidential nominee? ZING!
• I love this Sideways Conscious Desmond (forever known just as conscious-character’s name). He smells that something is up, and I think he’ll be the catalyst for a lot of action in the sideways world.
• “How can you be sure what he blasted you with?” And the winner for the dirtiest line of the show goes to MiL!
• Hi, my name is Ben and I’m a killjoy. Seriously man, unless your dour attitude is part of an awesome master plan, I don’t want it. Give me light. Give me some witty repartee. Give me some knowledge bombs. Blast me with knowledge bombs in the face!
• Dy-No-Mite! I love that Hugo pulled the reverse John Locke. In season three Locke prevented their escape by destroying the submarine, and now Hugo has preserved their escape by blowing up the Black Rock. Unless, of course, they were supposed to sail away on the Black Rock…
• The ole “fajita fieldtrip.” Libby is a ridiculously sane crazy person. Maybe this is just me, but I want to see Libby in a sequel to Shutter Island. On a more serious note, why didn’t Hurley have the same flash? Was she just more open to the possibility than he was?
• So Hurley hits on a crazy person? That seems morally dubious.
• “If I didn’t know better I’d say this island has it in for you.” I think MiL knows this is the case, and probably feels it is important to negate Desmond before the island can finish with him. Seeing the mysterious kid pop up, the fact Desmond can see him, MiL’s annoyance with his presence and the kid’s smile reaffirm my belief that Desmond is key to the story. Ok, that’s not a stretch or too insightful. But if we imagine the kid is the island’s referee, it is interesting to take note of the fact he was amused by what he was seeing. As if he knew MiL’s plan for Desmond would be fruitless.
• “Are you trying to get us killed?” Thank you Ben for at least giving us a little humor. He’s become the “I’m too old for the sh*$ “ cop who has great one-liners. His rebel sidekick? Obviously ship blowing up Hugo. The guy has demons, literally. Richard is the by the book Lieutenant who just gets in their way. Maybe that doesn’t work, since Ben went with Richard… On the plus side, I love Jack’s allegiance to Hurley/Jacob.
• The important thing to note in the new divide is that the candidates are on one side and the non-candidates are on the other. I don’t think MiL will have any qualms about killing everyone on the latter side. They mean nothing and are therefore expendable. Frank Lapidus being the superstud causes a slight contradiction in my hypothesis, but that’s fine. He’s the man. Heck, he’s probably a candidate. Would explain why he keeps popping up. (Seriously, though, he is totally dreamy. As far as I’m concerned this guy invented chest hair, gravely voices and painful sexy grimaces.)
• “How do you break the ice with a smoke monster?” Funniest line of the night goes to Hugo.
• Um, wow. Jack has given up his fixing ways? Doesn’t even care that Hugo was lying. Love this version of Jack. Love that he has embraced another mentality, now characterized by letting go. It used to be man of science, then man of faith and now Man of the flow. Dude, just go with it! Unless, as Hugo points out, it gets them all killed… Hey Hugo, try smoking whatever Jack is on and calm down.
• I hear whispers! And now we’re getting answers! I’m practically a full three inches right now. They’re the voices of dead people! This is amazing! “The ones who can’t move on!” We’ve got answers and it feels so good. I feel like Libby moved on, which is why we haven’t seen her on the island. (How about a message for your son, Michael???)
• Good thing Hugo remembered the blanket for this picnic… Why does she want to be with him? Because her dream is to be crushed during sex.
• Hugo flashed! It would appear that when Castaways relive moments from the island they become conscious of their island experiences. This could become conscious-Desmond’s task on the island.
(Modern Family promo looked amazing. I haven’t really written about this show, but I love it. It’s a poor man’s version of ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, which puts it head and shoulders above every other sitcom out there.)• BACK AWAY FROM THE WELL DESMOND!!! Penny is not in the well. “What is the point in being afraid?” Well, you might get thrown down a f’ing well!!! (P.S. We’ll totally see Desmond again)
• Now that the gang’s back, can Claire finally kill Kate? I don’t know the answer, but I hope it’s a resounding YES!
• Random thought: Instead of blowing up the plane, why didn’t Richard just kill Frank Lapidus?
• You know, I think conscious-Desmond might be aware of Locke trying to kill him…
Well that was fun. No final thoughts except that I loved the use of Gene Wilder’s voice from Willy Wonka in the trailer for next week.
What did you think? Good transitional episode? Was it a waste? Happy with the answers?
Monday, April 12, 2010
Jamie Oliver's Shameless Promotion
I am not a trusting person. I don't give people the benefit of the doubt. I don't take people on face value alone. For all these reasons I wasn't keen on embracing the efforts of Jamie Oliver and his food revolution.
No, I'm not local radio host Rod, who was Jamie's biggest detractor through the first three episodes. Rod embodied the critique of Jamie, which essentially revolved around distrust and a misplaced desire for freedom from food tyranny.
I'm not Rod, because Rod is an idiot. He turned a blind eye to the terrible choices his community was making, and seemed genuinely surprised when he realized the people of Huntington were eating themselves into a early and very wide grave. So yeah, Rod's a moron.
The one thing Rod may be correct about, though, is his allegation that Jamie has shameless motives.
Frankly, I didn't care whether his motives were altruistic or otherwise, as I just wanted compelling television. Compelling television it is not. In fact, it's not really mildly interesting, but we'll get back to that.
Jamie has come to America, specifically Huntington West Virginia to educate the fattest community in America about how to eat healthier. This is not a modest endeavor and it is a worthy one. The problem is that his approach seems entirely geared toward a television audience and not the people he is supposedly there to help.
The best example is his failure to follow state guidelines about school lunch. Not only does he fail to comply with some guidelines (that may be ridiculous), it seems he isn't even aware they exist. He then begins a righteous and correct tirade about pointless regulations, but he is missing the point altogether. The point is that he failed to understand the system or try to make it work for him. This would be fine if he was advocating a real revolution, and began proposing changes to a broken system, but he's not. He's working within the system to encourage something more akin to a food evolution.
Except that in his evolutionary process he skips steps. He ignores the idea that before you run you need to crawl and then walk. He fails to document his plans and scoffs at any sense of gradualism.
The failure for any sort of transition is evident early on, as he bans flavored milk. This is a showy gesture that isn't that meaningful, since there are things like low fat chocolate milk. This is appealing to young children and has health benefits, while not representing a radical change.
But no, Jamie wants elementary school kids to eat cauliflower and like it. I'm 22 and I don't like cauliflower, so why should these kids be expected to stomach it? Same with the coleslaw he serves with an extra side of righteous indignation. His menus early on are so un-kid friendly that i begin to channel Rod and Alice's resistance to his efforts.
Let's move on to the High SChool, where his biggest pet peeve is the prevalent role of french fires. This again is an area where he could have tried an incremental approach, which would have meant changing the way the fries are made and prepared. French Fries don't need to be deep fried and salted to death. You'd think a good chef would understand that the customer is, if not always right, at least deserving of having some of their desires listened to.
But no, Jamie confiscates French Fries and serves them all tea. (The first part of that is true.)
My main problem is that cooking nutritious food is important and it is fun. I learned that just from trying to lose weight during my spring semester of my senior year. Little things like using pam spray instead of olive oil or butter to grease a pan and using ground turkey instead of ground beef were little ways that i made drastic improvements in my health. Where are these changes?
And why isn't it fun? Jamie is making cooking seem like a chore, no matter how excited he is or how great of a dance routine he utilizes. When you're making something tasty, cooking for friends or just experimenting it can be fun. I want more of that.
Finally, why isn't the food simpler and more manageable? Jamie seems to ignore the idea that everyone can't cook as a job, and that for many people it is another hassle in a long day. He should be working in semi-homemade aspects and more frozen options. In the most recent episode he broached the idea of frozen vegetables, but he needs to do more in this arena.
Oh yeah, he also needs to do a better job of educating about food. He needs to explain why whole wheat is better than white, and that not all whole wheat is what it claims to be. He needs to expose how salad dressing can negate the benefits of a salad.
Those are my problems with his methods. These alone make me loathe the show. Unfortunately it's construction is also terribly flawed.
It's nice that the show has an episodic feel, but the challenges and climaxes feel staged and meaningless. Additionally, I think we're denied a full picture of what's going on as a result of a narrow and meandering focus.
In closing, I also loathe Jamie Oliver. He is annoying, unlikeable and unaccessible.
P.s. I did love the fact that he bragged about his ability to get the GOOD MORNING AMERICA show, an ABC program, to cover his ABC show. WOW!
No, I'm not local radio host Rod, who was Jamie's biggest detractor through the first three episodes. Rod embodied the critique of Jamie, which essentially revolved around distrust and a misplaced desire for freedom from food tyranny.
I'm not Rod, because Rod is an idiot. He turned a blind eye to the terrible choices his community was making, and seemed genuinely surprised when he realized the people of Huntington were eating themselves into a early and very wide grave. So yeah, Rod's a moron.
The one thing Rod may be correct about, though, is his allegation that Jamie has shameless motives.
Frankly, I didn't care whether his motives were altruistic or otherwise, as I just wanted compelling television. Compelling television it is not. In fact, it's not really mildly interesting, but we'll get back to that.
Jamie has come to America, specifically Huntington West Virginia to educate the fattest community in America about how to eat healthier. This is not a modest endeavor and it is a worthy one. The problem is that his approach seems entirely geared toward a television audience and not the people he is supposedly there to help.
The best example is his failure to follow state guidelines about school lunch. Not only does he fail to comply with some guidelines (that may be ridiculous), it seems he isn't even aware they exist. He then begins a righteous and correct tirade about pointless regulations, but he is missing the point altogether. The point is that he failed to understand the system or try to make it work for him. This would be fine if he was advocating a real revolution, and began proposing changes to a broken system, but he's not. He's working within the system to encourage something more akin to a food evolution.
Except that in his evolutionary process he skips steps. He ignores the idea that before you run you need to crawl and then walk. He fails to document his plans and scoffs at any sense of gradualism.
The failure for any sort of transition is evident early on, as he bans flavored milk. This is a showy gesture that isn't that meaningful, since there are things like low fat chocolate milk. This is appealing to young children and has health benefits, while not representing a radical change.
But no, Jamie wants elementary school kids to eat cauliflower and like it. I'm 22 and I don't like cauliflower, so why should these kids be expected to stomach it? Same with the coleslaw he serves with an extra side of righteous indignation. His menus early on are so un-kid friendly that i begin to channel Rod and Alice's resistance to his efforts.
Let's move on to the High SChool, where his biggest pet peeve is the prevalent role of french fires. This again is an area where he could have tried an incremental approach, which would have meant changing the way the fries are made and prepared. French Fries don't need to be deep fried and salted to death. You'd think a good chef would understand that the customer is, if not always right, at least deserving of having some of their desires listened to.
But no, Jamie confiscates French Fries and serves them all tea. (The first part of that is true.)
My main problem is that cooking nutritious food is important and it is fun. I learned that just from trying to lose weight during my spring semester of my senior year. Little things like using pam spray instead of olive oil or butter to grease a pan and using ground turkey instead of ground beef were little ways that i made drastic improvements in my health. Where are these changes?
And why isn't it fun? Jamie is making cooking seem like a chore, no matter how excited he is or how great of a dance routine he utilizes. When you're making something tasty, cooking for friends or just experimenting it can be fun. I want more of that.
Finally, why isn't the food simpler and more manageable? Jamie seems to ignore the idea that everyone can't cook as a job, and that for many people it is another hassle in a long day. He should be working in semi-homemade aspects and more frozen options. In the most recent episode he broached the idea of frozen vegetables, but he needs to do more in this arena.
Oh yeah, he also needs to do a better job of educating about food. He needs to explain why whole wheat is better than white, and that not all whole wheat is what it claims to be. He needs to expose how salad dressing can negate the benefits of a salad.
Those are my problems with his methods. These alone make me loathe the show. Unfortunately it's construction is also terribly flawed.
It's nice that the show has an episodic feel, but the challenges and climaxes feel staged and meaningless. Additionally, I think we're denied a full picture of what's going on as a result of a narrow and meandering focus.
In closing, I also loathe Jamie Oliver. He is annoying, unlikeable and unaccessible.
P.s. I did love the fact that he bragged about his ability to get the GOOD MORNING AMERICA show, an ABC program, to cover his ABC show. WOW!
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Exciting Movie Trailers
The Good Heart: This film stars Paul Dano (Little Miss Sunshine and There Will Be Blood), as a down on his luck kid who befriends a bar owner played by Bryan Cox (Bourne Supremacy and Manhunter). Cox is an ecentric nut who wants Dano to take over his bar as part of his legacy. THe movie looks sweet, but not artificially sappy. I think this movie will merit watching, although i'm afraid it won't get a wide theatrical release.
Here's the link: http://bit.ly/b6hrVn
Kick-Ass: If you ever dreamed about being a superhero and like the raucus comedy of a movie like SUPERBAD, then Kick-Ass is for you. The movie looks like fun, and even has Nicolas Cage in a likeable role. THat in itself is a feet worth noting. The movie also has McLovin in it and charming newcomer Chloe Moretz.
The trailer is a redband one, so enjoy some swearing: http://bit.ly/b05c2t
Iron Man 2: This movie just looks cool. Doesn't appear to have the same weight of THE DARK KNIGHT, but it has the gravitas of Robert Downey Jr. My only fear is that they packed way too much into this movie, which result in breakneck pacing so everyone can get some screen time.
One of the many trailers: http://bit.ly/9Nz14N
Here's the link: http://bit.ly/b6hrVn
Kick-Ass: If you ever dreamed about being a superhero and like the raucus comedy of a movie like SUPERBAD, then Kick-Ass is for you. The movie looks like fun, and even has Nicolas Cage in a likeable role. THat in itself is a feet worth noting. The movie also has McLovin in it and charming newcomer Chloe Moretz.
The trailer is a redband one, so enjoy some swearing: http://bit.ly/b05c2t
Iron Man 2: This movie just looks cool. Doesn't appear to have the same weight of THE DARK KNIGHT, but it has the gravitas of Robert Downey Jr. My only fear is that they packed way too much into this movie, which result in breakneck pacing so everyone can get some screen time.
One of the many trailers: http://bit.ly/9Nz14N
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Desmond makes me Happy
(Editor’s Note: In last week’s recap Dave spelled Widmore wrong repeatedly. You’d think we should catch that, as the editor, but frankly we hate reading his crap. I mean LOST is confusing enough without his idiotic thoughts making everything worse. So excuse us for not proofreading, but know that it wouldn’t happen if Dave could just be interesting and make sense. Finally, don’t expect our process to change, as we don’t expect his writing to get better. Just imagine that in his sideways reality he spells correctly and posits worthwhile thoughts.)
Before I pat myself on the back for my insight into the flashes, specifically how they relate to Desmond’s past experiences, I want to ramble about why this episode was so great.
In our most recent episode of LOST, Happily Ever After, we were presented with something that has been missing for most of the season: Interesting sideways stories. In the Substitute, Recon and Dr. Linus we were given sideways stories that could hang with the island events, but for the most part I haven’t given a hoot about these diversions. And that’s really what they are to a lot of fans, who are annoyed by these seemingly meaningless escapades that haven’t been that entertaining. Detractors of the sideways stories attack them because there is no context for them and the viewer is left without any way to quantify what they’re seeing.
My problem isn’t with the fact we’re getting a narrow snapshot in each sideways. My problem stems from the fact that these pictures don’t hold my attention. A majority of them have relied solely on the show’s mythology to drum up any interest and lack the episodic enjoyment of previous flashbacks and flashforwards.
Yet while I don’t love this plot device, I do enjoy it. My complaints are really just nitpicking, as I have enjoyed the experience on the whole and have faith the writers will provide meaning in the end.
In HAPPILY EVER AFTER we have a break from the rest of the season, excluding Richard’s back story, in that the sideways story appeared to be initiated by a catalyst in the episode. Desmond is back on the island, when he is thrown in a leftover Velociraptor cage from Jurrasic Park that exposes him to an electromagnetic field (EMF). The exposure, or incident, brings his consciousness to the sideways reality.
Immediately we learned that Hurley saw Desmond on the plane. This is an interesting reveal, in that we couldn’t confirm that our first Desmond sighting by Jack wasn’t all in his mind.
Although I say this with the conviction that there is still something funky about that plane ride, which was hinted at by Desmond’s request for the flight’s passenger list at the end of the episode. Not sure what he plans on revealing, but I think it’s either about the time they all share on the island. This could all culminate with some big meeting, possibly at the charity event. I’ll come back to this, since there is still a lot of ambiguity surrounding the possibilities. (What we can be sure of, though, is the fact that Desmond is still one sexy Scotsman.)
I wasn’t too happy to see that Widmore and Desmond are so chummy, even if I did get a little dose of George Minkowski to calm my anger. Seeing Desmond in the role of Widmore lackey was sort of predictable, as he had applied for a job with him previously and the sideways flashes appear to offer a variation on history that could have been. What was depressing about it was that Desmond appeared a shell of a man. He had the hot exterior, but didn’t have any heart. This was something Charlie recognized immediately. He could tell that Desmond was a man lacking fulfillment and devoid of real purpose.
The interplay between Charlie and Desmond was entertaining and revealing. This was particularly surprising considering my genuine hatred for Charlie during most of his time on the island. He was an annoying sod who basically just whined on and on about “Claire’s baby” and suffered from withdrawal. Apparently he was redeemed in death, and has been pretty cool ever since. Probably shouldn’t have been surprised by his recent awesomeness, since during a brief cameo with Hurley in season five he showed glimmers of the brilliance he exuded tonight.
When Desmond and Charlie are in the bar Desmond waxes about Charlie’s choices. “There’s always a choice, brother,” says Desmond, who never actually seems to have a choice. His speech actually reminded me of the Man in Locke (MiL), who has advocated freedom of choice.
Charlie rejects the options proposed by Desmond on the basis that they’re meaningless propositions. “None of it’s real,” contends Charlie. (We’ll come back to this mantra in a bit.) He was so confident that it was all meaningless that he tries to kill himself in Desmond’s car, and ends up recreating the scene from his death on the island. This sparks the first of a series of flashes for Desmond where he is reminded of his normal life experiences. During all of this it is unclear whether Charlie had the same sense of déjà vu that Desmond clearly experienced, but I’m inclined to believe he did.
My hunch is derived from Charlie’s ruminations in the hospital, when he reveals to Desmond that he was trying to show him “something.” He is confident that Desmond saw something and “felt it,” which is all that really matters according to Charlie. Because nothing matters to Charlie in the aftermath of his near death experience that revealed to him a reality that made him content.
In the hospital we also get a run in with Dr. Jack, who looks quite grizzled (maybe that means something). Jack is intrigued by the discovery that three people from the plan are randomly meeting at his hospital. I think he’s right to question this coincidence, because it feels like something is pushing our heroes together in their sideways journey.
Desmond leaves the hospital with an inkling about his fate with Penny, but lacks any real direction as he goes to meet Mrs. Widmore and break the bad news to her that Driveshaft won’t be reuniting for her charity event. Mrs. Widmore, who we know as Eloise Hawking, doesn’t appear too bothered about this news, which she takes in perfect stride. It’s almost as if she knew it would happen or that she knew that fate was keeping Driveshaft apart and she knew that you don’t mess with fate. Because fate always finds a way… “What happened, happened,” exclaims a nonchalant Eloise.
But her relaxed attitude disappears when she hears Desmond looking into some hussy named Penny. She warns him to stop, as he is committing “a violation.” She lambasts him for trying to upset his “perfect life.” Eloise even goes all Dr. Phil on Desmond’s ass and tells him he’s already got what he really wants, which is Charles Widmore’s approval. (How does she know this? Because she bloody well does. She knows everything!)
This conversation sparks the interest of Daniel Widmore, aka Daniel Faraday, aka Dr. Strangelove, who pontificates about love at first sight with Desmond. These two kindred spirits bonded over their self-awareness, with Dan revealing that his sighting of Charlotte felt “like [he] already loved her.” This reveal serves as the first confirmation, aside from the double takes we’ve seen, that our heroes are in their flashsideways with some hidden knowledge and sense of a previous life.
Dan takes this even further, suggesting “What if this wasn’t supposed to be our life” and that “we changed things.” How could this happen? Well, Dan the music man thinks it is because he blew up a nuclear bomb.
All of this will come into play later in the show, and I look forward to further explanation, but it was the next knowledge bomb that Dan dropped that had immediate meaning. Penny is his half-sister and he can get Desmond to her.
Finally, the reunion I’ve wanted! I love Desmond and Penny together. Sure, Jin and Sun are great, but at this point I wish they would just start dating other people. I’m looking at you Frank Lapidus and Zoey. And yeah, Juliet and Sawyer are sweet together, but those two were designed to be single and ready to mingle. It’s Desmond and Penny that the fans swoon for.
They’re great together. They have a genuine rapport that leaps off the television. (Sonya Walger (Penny) needs to leave FLASHFORWARD immediately and become a regular on LOST. While we’re at it, let’s grab Dominic (Charlie) too.)
Desmond ‘s consciousness breaks from his sideways story when he shakes hands with his Penny. He wakes up on the island, now a willing participant in Widmore’s plan. This is a little shocking, considering Desmond had rejected Widmore’s contention that Desmond still had work to do. I’m not sure why he is willing to go along, except that it might have something to do with fate and his belief in fate.
At the same time, I think he might not give a damn about what’s going on at the island. I found it really strange how they switched back to the sideways story after Desmond agrees to follow Sayid. This technique has marked all the other transitions, but not his. I think the alteration within the episode represents that Desmond is fully conscious of his island life in the flashsideways. I think he wants the passenger list because he knows he’ll recognize almost every name on it.
And now let’s rewind a bit. Let’s go back to season three, in an episode titled FLASHES BEFORE YOUR EYES. This episode presented Desmond’s fate in the aftermath of the Hatch exploding and gave us a peek at what I contend was the first flashsideways. (I first posited this idea in my SUBSTITUTE summary: http://bit.ly/b16rWB )
In that experience Desmond is keenly aware that he lived on the island. It manifests itself in little ticks and signs at first, much like the double takes we’ve seen in the flashsideways and his recognition of “the button” during his MRI.
Both his recent sideways adventure and his experience in season three were the product of an EMF. Most likely all the flashes have been the product of EMF explosions, whether the hatch exploding, the incident or the recent one sparked by Widmore’s crew. I don’t know what any of this means, but I think it’s all related, especially based on Eloise’s actions in Desmonds flashes. Both times she has warned him to follow a certain path. She says things have to be one way and that’s it.
In the recent episode she reminded me of the kid who scolds MiL. She basically accuses Desmond of breaking the rules with his violation, which is akin to the mysterious kid laying down guidelines for MiL. I think she may have a larger role in this then we might think. She appears omnipotent, almost on par with Jacob. Here’s a crazy idea, maybe she’s Jacob’s mom. Maybe she’s the crazy mom of the Man in Black? I know that’s nuts, but I wouldn’t just write the idea off as nonsense.
It seems like the sideways stories have a purpose. The way Eloise talks about Desmond’s fate makes me think that these stories are preparation for some big challenge to come.
Before my head explodes, here are some random thoughts:
• I thought Desmond’s Hannibal Lecter moment in the MRI machine was funny
• Why do Dan, Eloise and Charles all have different names in island reality? We’ve got Faraday, Hawking and Widmore. I get Hawking and Widmore, but where did Faraday come from????
• Charlotte loves her chocolate.
• Charlie also appears in Desmond’s experiences in FLASHES BEFORE YOUR EYES. Remember, he’s singing Wonderwall?(Video link: http://bit.ly/YJQFX) THAT WAS TOTALLY A FLASHSIDEWAYS! I WILL BE VINDICATED!!!!
(Yeah, i understand that Desmond's life in FLASHES BEFORE YOUR EYES was his old life and not some variation. I don't care. IT's important. Maybe. I hope.)
Before I pat myself on the back for my insight into the flashes, specifically how they relate to Desmond’s past experiences, I want to ramble about why this episode was so great.
In our most recent episode of LOST, Happily Ever After, we were presented with something that has been missing for most of the season: Interesting sideways stories. In the Substitute, Recon and Dr. Linus we were given sideways stories that could hang with the island events, but for the most part I haven’t given a hoot about these diversions. And that’s really what they are to a lot of fans, who are annoyed by these seemingly meaningless escapades that haven’t been that entertaining. Detractors of the sideways stories attack them because there is no context for them and the viewer is left without any way to quantify what they’re seeing.
My problem isn’t with the fact we’re getting a narrow snapshot in each sideways. My problem stems from the fact that these pictures don’t hold my attention. A majority of them have relied solely on the show’s mythology to drum up any interest and lack the episodic enjoyment of previous flashbacks and flashforwards.
Yet while I don’t love this plot device, I do enjoy it. My complaints are really just nitpicking, as I have enjoyed the experience on the whole and have faith the writers will provide meaning in the end.
In HAPPILY EVER AFTER we have a break from the rest of the season, excluding Richard’s back story, in that the sideways story appeared to be initiated by a catalyst in the episode. Desmond is back on the island, when he is thrown in a leftover Velociraptor cage from Jurrasic Park that exposes him to an electromagnetic field (EMF). The exposure, or incident, brings his consciousness to the sideways reality.
Immediately we learned that Hurley saw Desmond on the plane. This is an interesting reveal, in that we couldn’t confirm that our first Desmond sighting by Jack wasn’t all in his mind.
Although I say this with the conviction that there is still something funky about that plane ride, which was hinted at by Desmond’s request for the flight’s passenger list at the end of the episode. Not sure what he plans on revealing, but I think it’s either about the time they all share on the island. This could all culminate with some big meeting, possibly at the charity event. I’ll come back to this, since there is still a lot of ambiguity surrounding the possibilities. (What we can be sure of, though, is the fact that Desmond is still one sexy Scotsman.)
I wasn’t too happy to see that Widmore and Desmond are so chummy, even if I did get a little dose of George Minkowski to calm my anger. Seeing Desmond in the role of Widmore lackey was sort of predictable, as he had applied for a job with him previously and the sideways flashes appear to offer a variation on history that could have been. What was depressing about it was that Desmond appeared a shell of a man. He had the hot exterior, but didn’t have any heart. This was something Charlie recognized immediately. He could tell that Desmond was a man lacking fulfillment and devoid of real purpose.
The interplay between Charlie and Desmond was entertaining and revealing. This was particularly surprising considering my genuine hatred for Charlie during most of his time on the island. He was an annoying sod who basically just whined on and on about “Claire’s baby” and suffered from withdrawal. Apparently he was redeemed in death, and has been pretty cool ever since. Probably shouldn’t have been surprised by his recent awesomeness, since during a brief cameo with Hurley in season five he showed glimmers of the brilliance he exuded tonight.
When Desmond and Charlie are in the bar Desmond waxes about Charlie’s choices. “There’s always a choice, brother,” says Desmond, who never actually seems to have a choice. His speech actually reminded me of the Man in Locke (MiL), who has advocated freedom of choice.
Charlie rejects the options proposed by Desmond on the basis that they’re meaningless propositions. “None of it’s real,” contends Charlie. (We’ll come back to this mantra in a bit.) He was so confident that it was all meaningless that he tries to kill himself in Desmond’s car, and ends up recreating the scene from his death on the island. This sparks the first of a series of flashes for Desmond where he is reminded of his normal life experiences. During all of this it is unclear whether Charlie had the same sense of déjà vu that Desmond clearly experienced, but I’m inclined to believe he did.
My hunch is derived from Charlie’s ruminations in the hospital, when he reveals to Desmond that he was trying to show him “something.” He is confident that Desmond saw something and “felt it,” which is all that really matters according to Charlie. Because nothing matters to Charlie in the aftermath of his near death experience that revealed to him a reality that made him content.
In the hospital we also get a run in with Dr. Jack, who looks quite grizzled (maybe that means something). Jack is intrigued by the discovery that three people from the plan are randomly meeting at his hospital. I think he’s right to question this coincidence, because it feels like something is pushing our heroes together in their sideways journey.
Desmond leaves the hospital with an inkling about his fate with Penny, but lacks any real direction as he goes to meet Mrs. Widmore and break the bad news to her that Driveshaft won’t be reuniting for her charity event. Mrs. Widmore, who we know as Eloise Hawking, doesn’t appear too bothered about this news, which she takes in perfect stride. It’s almost as if she knew it would happen or that she knew that fate was keeping Driveshaft apart and she knew that you don’t mess with fate. Because fate always finds a way… “What happened, happened,” exclaims a nonchalant Eloise.
But her relaxed attitude disappears when she hears Desmond looking into some hussy named Penny. She warns him to stop, as he is committing “a violation.” She lambasts him for trying to upset his “perfect life.” Eloise even goes all Dr. Phil on Desmond’s ass and tells him he’s already got what he really wants, which is Charles Widmore’s approval. (How does she know this? Because she bloody well does. She knows everything!)
This conversation sparks the interest of Daniel Widmore, aka Daniel Faraday, aka Dr. Strangelove, who pontificates about love at first sight with Desmond. These two kindred spirits bonded over their self-awareness, with Dan revealing that his sighting of Charlotte felt “like [he] already loved her.” This reveal serves as the first confirmation, aside from the double takes we’ve seen, that our heroes are in their flashsideways with some hidden knowledge and sense of a previous life.
Dan takes this even further, suggesting “What if this wasn’t supposed to be our life” and that “we changed things.” How could this happen? Well, Dan the music man thinks it is because he blew up a nuclear bomb.
All of this will come into play later in the show, and I look forward to further explanation, but it was the next knowledge bomb that Dan dropped that had immediate meaning. Penny is his half-sister and he can get Desmond to her.
Finally, the reunion I’ve wanted! I love Desmond and Penny together. Sure, Jin and Sun are great, but at this point I wish they would just start dating other people. I’m looking at you Frank Lapidus and Zoey. And yeah, Juliet and Sawyer are sweet together, but those two were designed to be single and ready to mingle. It’s Desmond and Penny that the fans swoon for.
They’re great together. They have a genuine rapport that leaps off the television. (Sonya Walger (Penny) needs to leave FLASHFORWARD immediately and become a regular on LOST. While we’re at it, let’s grab Dominic (Charlie) too.)Desmond ‘s consciousness breaks from his sideways story when he shakes hands with his Penny. He wakes up on the island, now a willing participant in Widmore’s plan. This is a little shocking, considering Desmond had rejected Widmore’s contention that Desmond still had work to do. I’m not sure why he is willing to go along, except that it might have something to do with fate and his belief in fate.
At the same time, I think he might not give a damn about what’s going on at the island. I found it really strange how they switched back to the sideways story after Desmond agrees to follow Sayid. This technique has marked all the other transitions, but not his. I think the alteration within the episode represents that Desmond is fully conscious of his island life in the flashsideways. I think he wants the passenger list because he knows he’ll recognize almost every name on it.
And now let’s rewind a bit. Let’s go back to season three, in an episode titled FLASHES BEFORE YOUR EYES. This episode presented Desmond’s fate in the aftermath of the Hatch exploding and gave us a peek at what I contend was the first flashsideways. (I first posited this idea in my SUBSTITUTE summary: http://bit.ly/b16rWB )
In that experience Desmond is keenly aware that he lived on the island. It manifests itself in little ticks and signs at first, much like the double takes we’ve seen in the flashsideways and his recognition of “the button” during his MRI.
Both his recent sideways adventure and his experience in season three were the product of an EMF. Most likely all the flashes have been the product of EMF explosions, whether the hatch exploding, the incident or the recent one sparked by Widmore’s crew. I don’t know what any of this means, but I think it’s all related, especially based on Eloise’s actions in Desmonds flashes. Both times she has warned him to follow a certain path. She says things have to be one way and that’s it.
In the recent episode she reminded me of the kid who scolds MiL. She basically accuses Desmond of breaking the rules with his violation, which is akin to the mysterious kid laying down guidelines for MiL. I think she may have a larger role in this then we might think. She appears omnipotent, almost on par with Jacob. Here’s a crazy idea, maybe she’s Jacob’s mom. Maybe she’s the crazy mom of the Man in Black? I know that’s nuts, but I wouldn’t just write the idea off as nonsense.
It seems like the sideways stories have a purpose. The way Eloise talks about Desmond’s fate makes me think that these stories are preparation for some big challenge to come.
Before my head explodes, here are some random thoughts:
• I thought Desmond’s Hannibal Lecter moment in the MRI machine was funny
• Why do Dan, Eloise and Charles all have different names in island reality? We’ve got Faraday, Hawking and Widmore. I get Hawking and Widmore, but where did Faraday come from????
• Charlotte loves her chocolate.
• Charlie also appears in Desmond’s experiences in FLASHES BEFORE YOUR EYES. Remember, he’s singing Wonderwall?(Video link: http://bit.ly/YJQFX) THAT WAS TOTALLY A FLASHSIDEWAYS! I WILL BE VINDICATED!!!!
(Yeah, i understand that Desmond's life in FLASHES BEFORE YOUR EYES was his old life and not some variation. I don't care. IT's important. Maybe. I hope.)
Monday, April 5, 2010
Don't MAKE them like they used to...
I want to begin my critique of the recently completed debut season of HOW TO MAKE IT IN AMERICA by talking about its forerunner, ENTOURAGE.
ENTOURAGE was originally the greatest bromance show on television. It was fresh each week, laugh out loud funny and accessible. We road the highs and lows with Vince and the gang, as we tasted a bit of success after a tumultuous journey.
Slowly, almost imperceptibly, the show abandon this formula and it became about Vince banging models, the gang engaging in unbelievable antics and everything miraculously coming together. Now it feels tired and boring, except for the home life of Ari Gold, which is fantastic and alone makes the show watchable.
It's not that I couldn't watch the boys enjoy the good life and their success. The problem stemmed from the fact the show abandoned its roots, in terms of witty banter, some sense of reality and captivating journeys. What we got instead were lame pop culture reference, flights of fantasy that are a stretch even in Hollywood and diverging stories that make ENTOURAGE ripe for spin offs, but make the show lack any focus as it spins off into a discombobulated mess.
HOW TO is cut from the same cloth of ENTOURAGE, in that they both were spearheaded by Mark Wahlberg and follow the struggle of good looking people living a good looking life. HOW TO is essentially the flashsideways (to borrow a phrase from LOST) prequel to ENTOUAGE, when Vince and the boys were back in NYC with talent and a dream to make it big as they hustled around trying to make success.
Except that's not what the show is at all. That would actually be a good show. I'd enjoy the gang in the rich atmosphere of NYC trying to eek out a life. Instead we get coincidental serendipity of ENTOURAGE, diverging stories that are crafted into a MAJOR A and B plots with a minor C story and unoriginal dialogue. Now let's take these things down one by one.
1. We have no money? I sold some skateboards and ran into a long lost friend. You hate my pants? You love my shirt! We have no fabric? You have a secret stash! We lost our truck! We found our truck!
Now I can appreciate a realistic progression of events. I understand that you go from point A to point B and so on, but you don't get there by pure coincidence. Ok, maybe you can luck your way once, but sooner or later things don't always work out. It feels like every week HOW TO creates some sort of conflict that is characterized as epic, but it ultimately circumnavigated around or is easily conquered.
Our heroes should be forced to get creative to find solutions. Ben and Cam should fail once in a while, even if it is an 8 episode season and things need to move fast.
In life when you go back one step you don't always move two steps forward immediately after. Some times you toil in failure for a little while.
Some people might argue that Ben and Cam make their own luck, which is true to a point. And yes, hard work and gumption has allowed them to get their foot in the door. Luckily, though, that foot is in the writer's room, who end up cooking up hair brained schemes that usually rely on the kindness of strangers for advancement.
A great thing about ENTOURAGE is when Medellion bombed. Vince was on the outs for a little while, with his future in doubt. Granted, they made too big of a deal about his predicament, but he was faced with an obstacle that he gradually climbed over. On HOW TO, the characters would be granted a free pass on any challenges.
I could go on an on about the convenient way things happen, but it's no use. You either agree with me or don't have a problem with the way things go down.
2. What I'm referring to about the plot lines is how formulaic it feels. I can imagine the writers each week trying to find something big for Ben, while deciding which characters will be involved in the B story and who will be relegated to scraps in C.
If the show really wants to be an ensemble it needs to either level the playing field or commit to Ben as the star and just let everything else fit in where they may. (The former is LOST and the latter is old SCRUBS.) The way it is now, we get lost on what the show is about. Is it really about people going after the American dream or is it Ben's American dream? Either one is fine, but they need to commit to an idea and stick with it.
3. So the writing on the show is boring. It tries so hard to be hip and relevant that at points it becomes all about being hip and relevant, regardless of the character.
SO that's what i really don't like about the show, but I do come back each week and here's why...
Luis Guzman: Years ago I put together a list of underrated actors (included Clive Owen at the time), and Guzman appeared on that list. In HOW TO he plays a parolee who is trying to go legit as a energy drink distributor. But even while he plays office CEO he's still in touch with the streets he came up on, to the point where he basically recreates a fight from high school on a playground.
In the role Guzman is charming, a little scary and enchanting. With his eyes set deep back in his face you are forced to take all of him in as you watch his complicated performance.
His shining moment came when he brought his parole officer to a business meeting. It was funny and creative, in keeping with the best parts of ENTOURAGE. Speaking of ENTOURAGE, Guzman is sort of being pigeon holed as the Ari Gold character. He doesn't scream and yell, but he's the big name who appears to be transitioning into the other major player opposite Ben. This was a good move for ENTOURAGE, and i think it could work for HOW TO, if they can commit to the myriad of perspectives approach.
This approach would mean incorporating more of Shannyn Sossamon, and her character Gingy. Gingy is the rich girl who is trying to make it on her own, which is an interesting perspective. Mainly, though, I'm in love with Sossamon and just want to see more of her.
The same can not be said for Lake Bell and her character Rachel, who is Ben's ex. She is the character who seems poised to rise through the ranks of her institution, which is design. Unfortunately she's unhappy with her life, even though it seems perfect on the surface. During this year we've had it slammed in our face how you can't judge a book by its cover, with Rachel eventually throwing her whole life away to go travel.
All of it seems so clichéd and like i'm being force fed a lesson about what's really important in life. Bell, who actually grew on me during the last episode, is tragically being misused. Now that she's settled into the friend zone with Ben they need to bring her into his flock so they can go on adventures together. Hopefully this would minimize the terrible effects of Cam, who i simply can't stand.
It really is problematic how much I hate Cam (Victor Rasuk), as he is basically the second male lead on the show. He's so unlikable that i was rooting for his uncle (Guzman) to kill him off before the season one finale. Basically, just imagine a fun kid from high school who was involved in everything. Now imagine he wasn't fun, he wouldn't shut up and he may have been retarded. That's Cam.
Rasuk's presence as Cam commits a more heinous crime than wasting my time. His real crime is denying Kid Cudi a chance to shine as Domingo.
THis is another member of Ben's crew who appears in very limited scenes. He actually seems grounded in reality and is extremely likable. He needs to get more face time, and i don't care how it happens. Maybe he speaks fluent Japanese and Ben brings him to translate a deal. Whatever. Just make it happen.
While I'm at it, I guess i'll just do some more tinkering with the show. I want to create a foursome like ENTOURAGE, which will include Ben (designer), Cam (annoying and terrible hustler), Domingo (x-factor) and Dave "Kappo" (finances). This four could be entertaining if thrown into a big pot and allowed to simmer with all the flavors intermingling. I can taste it now. Yum.
Sure, that makes Gingy into a secondary character, which i protested against originally, but that's only based on the current format. In my idea she could be like Shauna on ENTOURAGE.
(Editor's Note: Dave would basically like to create a series of ENTOURAGE spinoffs akin to the CSI franchise. HOW TO would be the NYC version. There would be a drug dealer one in Miami and a group of farmers in Iowa. Rick Gonzalez would do the drug one, since Dave is all about stereotypes, and Bret harrison would be the farmer.)
I left the ex off the show because she'll just come back as a recurring character to stir up trouble in season three when she returns from her trip around the world.
At this point I'm hooked on the show because it's not bad enough for me not to finish it, but I wouldn't recommend starting the show. If season two demonstrates some improvement, then I'll recommend it.
ENTOURAGE was originally the greatest bromance show on television. It was fresh each week, laugh out loud funny and accessible. We road the highs and lows with Vince and the gang, as we tasted a bit of success after a tumultuous journey.
Slowly, almost imperceptibly, the show abandon this formula and it became about Vince banging models, the gang engaging in unbelievable antics and everything miraculously coming together. Now it feels tired and boring, except for the home life of Ari Gold, which is fantastic and alone makes the show watchable.
It's not that I couldn't watch the boys enjoy the good life and their success. The problem stemmed from the fact the show abandoned its roots, in terms of witty banter, some sense of reality and captivating journeys. What we got instead were lame pop culture reference, flights of fantasy that are a stretch even in Hollywood and diverging stories that make ENTOURAGE ripe for spin offs, but make the show lack any focus as it spins off into a discombobulated mess.
HOW TO is cut from the same cloth of ENTOURAGE, in that they both were spearheaded by Mark Wahlberg and follow the struggle of good looking people living a good looking life. HOW TO is essentially the flashsideways (to borrow a phrase from LOST) prequel to ENTOUAGE, when Vince and the boys were back in NYC with talent and a dream to make it big as they hustled around trying to make success.
Except that's not what the show is at all. That would actually be a good show. I'd enjoy the gang in the rich atmosphere of NYC trying to eek out a life. Instead we get coincidental serendipity of ENTOURAGE, diverging stories that are crafted into a MAJOR A and B plots with a minor C story and unoriginal dialogue. Now let's take these things down one by one.
1. We have no money? I sold some skateboards and ran into a long lost friend. You hate my pants? You love my shirt! We have no fabric? You have a secret stash! We lost our truck! We found our truck!
Now I can appreciate a realistic progression of events. I understand that you go from point A to point B and so on, but you don't get there by pure coincidence. Ok, maybe you can luck your way once, but sooner or later things don't always work out. It feels like every week HOW TO creates some sort of conflict that is characterized as epic, but it ultimately circumnavigated around or is easily conquered.
Our heroes should be forced to get creative to find solutions. Ben and Cam should fail once in a while, even if it is an 8 episode season and things need to move fast.
In life when you go back one step you don't always move two steps forward immediately after. Some times you toil in failure for a little while.
Some people might argue that Ben and Cam make their own luck, which is true to a point. And yes, hard work and gumption has allowed them to get their foot in the door. Luckily, though, that foot is in the writer's room, who end up cooking up hair brained schemes that usually rely on the kindness of strangers for advancement.
A great thing about ENTOURAGE is when Medellion bombed. Vince was on the outs for a little while, with his future in doubt. Granted, they made too big of a deal about his predicament, but he was faced with an obstacle that he gradually climbed over. On HOW TO, the characters would be granted a free pass on any challenges.
I could go on an on about the convenient way things happen, but it's no use. You either agree with me or don't have a problem with the way things go down.
2. What I'm referring to about the plot lines is how formulaic it feels. I can imagine the writers each week trying to find something big for Ben, while deciding which characters will be involved in the B story and who will be relegated to scraps in C.
If the show really wants to be an ensemble it needs to either level the playing field or commit to Ben as the star and just let everything else fit in where they may. (The former is LOST and the latter is old SCRUBS.) The way it is now, we get lost on what the show is about. Is it really about people going after the American dream or is it Ben's American dream? Either one is fine, but they need to commit to an idea and stick with it.
3. So the writing on the show is boring. It tries so hard to be hip and relevant that at points it becomes all about being hip and relevant, regardless of the character.
SO that's what i really don't like about the show, but I do come back each week and here's why...
Luis Guzman: Years ago I put together a list of underrated actors (included Clive Owen at the time), and Guzman appeared on that list. In HOW TO he plays a parolee who is trying to go legit as a energy drink distributor. But even while he plays office CEO he's still in touch with the streets he came up on, to the point where he basically recreates a fight from high school on a playground.
In the role Guzman is charming, a little scary and enchanting. With his eyes set deep back in his face you are forced to take all of him in as you watch his complicated performance.
His shining moment came when he brought his parole officer to a business meeting. It was funny and creative, in keeping with the best parts of ENTOURAGE. Speaking of ENTOURAGE, Guzman is sort of being pigeon holed as the Ari Gold character. He doesn't scream and yell, but he's the big name who appears to be transitioning into the other major player opposite Ben. This was a good move for ENTOURAGE, and i think it could work for HOW TO, if they can commit to the myriad of perspectives approach.
This approach would mean incorporating more of Shannyn Sossamon, and her character Gingy. Gingy is the rich girl who is trying to make it on her own, which is an interesting perspective. Mainly, though, I'm in love with Sossamon and just want to see more of her.
The same can not be said for Lake Bell and her character Rachel, who is Ben's ex. She is the character who seems poised to rise through the ranks of her institution, which is design. Unfortunately she's unhappy with her life, even though it seems perfect on the surface. During this year we've had it slammed in our face how you can't judge a book by its cover, with Rachel eventually throwing her whole life away to go travel.
All of it seems so clichéd and like i'm being force fed a lesson about what's really important in life. Bell, who actually grew on me during the last episode, is tragically being misused. Now that she's settled into the friend zone with Ben they need to bring her into his flock so they can go on adventures together. Hopefully this would minimize the terrible effects of Cam, who i simply can't stand.
It really is problematic how much I hate Cam (Victor Rasuk), as he is basically the second male lead on the show. He's so unlikable that i was rooting for his uncle (Guzman) to kill him off before the season one finale. Basically, just imagine a fun kid from high school who was involved in everything. Now imagine he wasn't fun, he wouldn't shut up and he may have been retarded. That's Cam.
Rasuk's presence as Cam commits a more heinous crime than wasting my time. His real crime is denying Kid Cudi a chance to shine as Domingo.
THis is another member of Ben's crew who appears in very limited scenes. He actually seems grounded in reality and is extremely likable. He needs to get more face time, and i don't care how it happens. Maybe he speaks fluent Japanese and Ben brings him to translate a deal. Whatever. Just make it happen.While I'm at it, I guess i'll just do some more tinkering with the show. I want to create a foursome like ENTOURAGE, which will include Ben (designer), Cam (annoying and terrible hustler), Domingo (x-factor) and Dave "Kappo" (finances). This four could be entertaining if thrown into a big pot and allowed to simmer with all the flavors intermingling. I can taste it now. Yum.
Sure, that makes Gingy into a secondary character, which i protested against originally, but that's only based on the current format. In my idea she could be like Shauna on ENTOURAGE.
(Editor's Note: Dave would basically like to create a series of ENTOURAGE spinoffs akin to the CSI franchise. HOW TO would be the NYC version. There would be a drug dealer one in Miami and a group of farmers in Iowa. Rick Gonzalez would do the drug one, since Dave is all about stereotypes, and Bret harrison would be the farmer.)
I left the ex off the show because she'll just come back as a recurring character to stir up trouble in season three when she returns from her trip around the world.
At this point I'm hooked on the show because it's not bad enough for me not to finish it, but I wouldn't recommend starting the show. If season two demonstrates some improvement, then I'll recommend it.
Lisa P rides again!
For some reason I really enjoyed the character name, Lisa P in Adventureland. It struck me as genuine and for that reason made the film more approachable. Additionally, she was a ridiculous caricature and was hot. These three factors made me a fan, and that's why i'm happy to report I've seen her again!
Ok, well not her, but Margarita Levieva, the actress who played Lisa P, appeared in a recent episode of HOW TO MAKE IT IN AMERICA and may have a few more episodes in her arc.
Didn't recognize her at all during her latest exposure, and it was only through imdb that i was able to make the connection. Imdb also informed me that she was a member of some Russian olympic team and is thirty years old. Thanks friend!
Finally, Lisa P still looks good. Totally different look, but makes it work.
Ok, well not her, but Margarita Levieva, the actress who played Lisa P, appeared in a recent episode of HOW TO MAKE IT IN AMERICA and may have a few more episodes in her arc.
Didn't recognize her at all during her latest exposure, and it was only through imdb that i was able to make the connection. Imdb also informed me that she was a member of some Russian olympic team and is thirty years old. Thanks friend!
Finally, Lisa P still looks good. Totally different look, but makes it work.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
American Idol in 12 minutes
I have watched one season of American Idol in my life. It was the year John Stevens was participating, and Fantasia won.
Yet while I've never sat through another season or watched an episode from another season, I do follow the show to a certain extent and I'm aware of the show's history. Off the top of my head I can name these winners: Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Reuben Studdard, Fantasia, Taylor hicks, David Cook and Kris Allen.
(Editor's Note: David forgot the immortal Jordin Sparks.)
In recent months I've been getting my news about American Idol (AI) from Tony Kornheiser's radio show. His coverage is generally pretty brief and narrow in scope, as he usually doesn't watch entire episodes. (The show ends after his bedtime.)
From this exposure I've gleaned that Crystal is good and everyone else sucks. It wasn't until i did more digging that i realized how true that statement is. Crystal is really talented and I could imagine buying her record. The rest of the crew should be off doing Karaoke in bars.
But I'm not going to talk about AI right now. What I want to talk about is the new way i ingest AI, which is through a feature of Entertainment Weekly called "IDOLATRY." IDOLATRY is a video presentation by two EW staff writers that runs under the special cover of AI that the magazine provides online. It is simply amazing.
The commentary features Annie Barrett and Michael Slezak, who offer the everyman's rational opinion interspersed with humorous videos. The writers are very snarky and have a good grip on what is good music and good television.
I also like that they provide all the relevant video from the actual show. I see the meaningful song moments, critiques and additional footage that allows me to get the gist of the show and form an opinion.
Right now I'm going to sit down and watch an old IDOLATRY episode from 2009. Here's the link: http://www.ew.com/ew/video/0,,20312226_20312230,00.html?bcpid=75296530001&bclid=60711674001&bctid=74356311001 .
Yet while I've never sat through another season or watched an episode from another season, I do follow the show to a certain extent and I'm aware of the show's history. Off the top of my head I can name these winners: Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Reuben Studdard, Fantasia, Taylor hicks, David Cook and Kris Allen.
(Editor's Note: David forgot the immortal Jordin Sparks.)
In recent months I've been getting my news about American Idol (AI) from Tony Kornheiser's radio show. His coverage is generally pretty brief and narrow in scope, as he usually doesn't watch entire episodes. (The show ends after his bedtime.)
From this exposure I've gleaned that Crystal is good and everyone else sucks. It wasn't until i did more digging that i realized how true that statement is. Crystal is really talented and I could imagine buying her record. The rest of the crew should be off doing Karaoke in bars.
But I'm not going to talk about AI right now. What I want to talk about is the new way i ingest AI, which is through a feature of Entertainment Weekly called "IDOLATRY." IDOLATRY is a video presentation by two EW staff writers that runs under the special cover of AI that the magazine provides online. It is simply amazing.
The commentary features Annie Barrett and Michael Slezak, who offer the everyman's rational opinion interspersed with humorous videos. The writers are very snarky and have a good grip on what is good music and good television.
I also like that they provide all the relevant video from the actual show. I see the meaningful song moments, critiques and additional footage that allows me to get the gist of the show and form an opinion.
Right now I'm going to sit down and watch an old IDOLATRY episode from 2009. Here's the link: http://www.ew.com/ew/video/0,,20312226_20312230,00.html?bcpid=75296530001&bclid=60711674001&bctid=74356311001 .
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