A random collection of musings, observations, links, comments, analysis and thoughts on pop culture, television, movies, music, sports and life in general from someone who has painfully eschewed therapy.
Most people these days know her as Joan, the poured into a dress queen bee of Sterling-Cooper's secretarial pool on Mad Men, but we Browncoats first noticed her as the duplicitous "Yo-Saff-Bridge" on Firefly (so monikered, because she showed up at various times as "Yolanda," "Saffron" and "Bridget" without ever giving her real name).
My google reader is also quite fond of the appropriately named "FUCK YEAH RED" tumblr, which is dedicated to posting photos of the adorable Ms. Hendricks.
Mad Men returns in a couple of weeks, and suddenly, I wanted to break out the DVDs to watch "Our Mrs. Reynolds" again.
Most CSI fans are happy about Sara returning and Riley leaving. I, however, am not among them. I can't stand Jorja Fox as an actress, and never liked the Sara character. I was hoping she would get stung by one of Gil's exotic insects in the jungle and die. And I was quite fond of Riley's quirky CSI and think Lauren Lee Smith is adorable. (Google her, safe search off, and most guys should agree).
Pop Candy brought back the "favorite R.E.M. song" topic this week, based on a Top 20 list from Paste. I've addressed this subject before, which you can find here, and I have to agree more with Whitney's list than the one from Paste. Plus, any list skips Chronic Town (Box Cars) AND has the accursed "Swan Swan H" at number three (on a list of "good" songs!) makes my head want to explode.
SI writer Jeff Pearlman takes on last week's SI cover boy, the carnival snake handling cult leader and pulpit pusher (and occasional fullback/awkward thrower of the ball) from Gainesville. I run hot and cold with some of Pearlman's opining, but I like this one. Here's a follow up.
Along similar lines, hypocrisy gets fatter. Yes, McMackin's comments were stupid, close-minded and thoughtless, no question. But for Weis, representing an organization that institutionalizes bigotry and actively seeks to prevent equal legal rights for people who differ philosophically with their myth-making, to take "offense" is vomit-inducing. Fittingly, that's about the only "offense" to come out of South Bend in quite some time.
Having trouble finding "original" television theme songs? I know I was, until I stumbled across this marvelous website. Kudos, sir.
Anyone else watch last Sunday's Mad Men and wonder "what the fuck is Don Draper doing?" Yeah, me too. But it was entertaining and thought-provoking nonetheless. And who was he calling as "Dick Whitman?"
Remember that gorgeous cover shot of Christina Hendricks I linked to yesterday? The whole story is now up here. Mostly about fashion and her va-va-voom figure, with several nice pics. (And I always thought Crown Royal was the best looking thing in purple). I missed her during her early guest shots on John Wells shows (didn't really watch any of those), but first took notice after her fantastic turns as "Yo-Saf-Bridge" on Firefly. As one of the commenters put it:
Fans of "Firefly" have known about Christina for years. It's great to see her get the recognition and roles she deserves, not to mention an appreciation of her very abundant charms!
I enjoyed last night's Doctor Who, though like most Who, it's probably best not to think too hard about the plot mechanics. The fish faced "Hath" were cute, and a decent alien design, weren't they? And what's with all the shots this season of the Doctor's "extra" hand? Surely this is leading somewhere, along with the split second glimpses of Rose we get from time to time. Reminds me of the "Bad Wolf" clues dropped a couple of seasons ago. Here's something to think about: the adorable actress who winningly played the Doctor's "daughter" in the ep last night is the real-life daughter of Peter Davison, who played the Fifth Doctor. And also in real life, she's dating the Tenth Doctor, David Tennant. Maybe the Tardis needs a visit to Cleveland, Georgia and a consultation with McNamara/Troy to help them sort all this out.
I just finished up with Dexter Season 2, and holy shit, what a ride. I watched it all over the course of a week or so, and it was positively electric. The voice overs were dark, deadpan hilarious, and the acting and writing were superb. I've hated few characters on my TV like Lila, though she was a perfect catalyst for the story this season. And though she needs to eat a sandwich, I think I love Debra Morgan, all emotional confusion and shockingly foul mouth. I thought the show would have a hard time topping S1, but this may have done it. Outstanding. Speaking of Dexter, Jimmy Smits will be joining the cast for the next season.
Captain Mal is up for the lead on a new ABC show that sounds like a good fit. A "comedic procedural about a famous mystery novelist helping the NYPD solve crimes." I'll tune in. Fantastic new Dark Knight poster. (click on the links in the story to see two "international" posters which are also quite good). Despite a shaky third act, I loved the first "reboot" of the series, Batman Begins. I also remember seeing that flick in the theatre, which is a mixed bag. Yeah, the movie was great, but that was a bizarre night that should have sent me a message as bright as the Batsignal.
I think I know where to send the camera crews for this new reality debacle. Of course, it wouldn't be at a country club, and all the stuff has already been repossessed. Several times.
An interesting opinion about the Falcons pick at #3 today. "Taking the wrong Matt." Yeah, it would make me very happy to see UGA's 7 in a Birds uni, but I want Stafford to stick around for 4 years, and not go pro after his junior year. (Of course, if by miracle of miracles, the Dawgs make it through a torturous schedule and wind up with a MNC, there'd be no reason for him to hang around the campus, and we all know he has the gun for the pro game).
While jogging around the apartment complex, I found an amusing "crime deterrent." On one of the ground level units, the resident had placed one of those "head shot" targets from the shooting range in the window, with bullet holes all in and around the bullseye. Probably much more effective than an alarm company sticker.
The 11 Most Awful Songs from Geek Movie Soundtracks. Some of the choices are spot-on, but I actually like a couple of the tunes (like "Kiss From a Rose" - but what the fuck does that mean?). But mostly, I enjoyed it for the writing. Worth checking out.
It's too bad Joss got into bed with FOX for Dollhouse, where it will probably be canceled after 4 episodes (cough*Drive*cough). This is an interesting development, and I would have much preferred to see Dollhouse on Showtime (and not just because Olivia Williams, Eliza Dushku and Amy Acker would be free of the puritanical standards and practices nazis. Mainly, because they can cultivate quality shows without the weekly pressure of the unwashed masses tuning in).
In praise of Bones. I think one of the reasons why I love Bones so much is that of all the procedurals, this one is really more about character than the mystery. And it so happens that I really like each and every character on Bones, unlike other procedurals, where there may be only one or two characters worth watching (Calleigh, Gil, Hodges, Lupo, Cutter, Munch, Prentiss, Penelope, Goren, etc). The back from the strike eps have been top notch, but next week will be a test of my patience. A baby? Shit, did they not read my screed about BSG last week?
I still can't get over Carly getting the boot on American Idol. I understand that David C has talent, and the stuffed Koala has a legion of tweens (plus, voters are probably afraid his dad would beat him studded belt if he loses). But Brooke and Psychlo Terl voted forward? You have got to be fucking kidding me. And this is even more distressing than anti-Irish, anti-talent bias: did mouth-breathing, fairy tale-believing, flat-earth, dimwitted jesus freaks spur a backlash? Over a thirty year old song? Maybe I could grow to love warm beer and fish and chips.
However, whenever I think of Neil Diamond, I think of this. Never fails to make me laugh out loud. "...this next song I wrote after I killed a drifter to get an erection."
Empire, the UK's preeminent entertainment magazine (and really, one of the best out there period) just published a list of the 50 Greatest Television Shows of All Time.While it has a certain British sensibility, and includes several shows many of us in The Colonies haven't seen, it is a solid list and one that deserves comment.So open up another tab in your browser, and follow along with me as I count (most of) them down.
Nice to see some love for Quantum Leap
Would not put Prison Break in the Top 50.Or Top 250.
Veronica's best episode is NOT the S2 finale.And I might put it higher on the list.
DS9's best ep would be "Far Beyond the Stars," Trials and Tribbilations" or "In the Pale Moonlight."
Nice to see Farscape love, too.I would put it higher than 45. I would have never believed I could take seriously a show that featured muppets as aliens, but damned if it didn't work, thanks to inventive scripting and downright sizzling performances by Ben Browder and Claudia Black.
Star Trek at 43?Kidding, right? Dammit, Jim, that's too low!
Band of Brothers.Cool.I hate the way I finally got around to watching this one, though.
For Star Trek: TNG, they rightly named "Best of Both Worlds (Parts I and II)" as the best ep, though I would put "Yesterday's Enterprise" just a notch below that one.
Alias that high?Above 3 Treks and Farscape?I liked Alias, but not that much.
Deadwood at 31.Ahhh, dearly departed Deadwood.I realize there was more to Deadwood's demise than the creation of the trippy, challenging and ultimately frustrating John From Cincinnati, but I would have easily forgone that for one more season with Al Swearingen.And an average of 1,000 "fucks" per 12 episode season?That's 83 "fucks" per episode.That's fucking awesome, fuckers.
Love that Dexter made the list.
Bender on Futurama is named after Judd Nelson's character in the Breakfast Club?Cool.
Nice choice with Angel at 21.Numfar does the dance of joy.And of course, I would have it higher.
Scrubs at 19?Wha?Huh?I mean, I liked Scrubs for a while, until it became all about kids, but 19?
Best. Sitcom. Ever. Arrested Development at 18.Sweet, but it should be even higher.
SouthPark is still as funny today as it was when it premiered.
Heroes at 15?Has anyone watched season 2?Although I will agree with them about "Five Years Gone."I still have that ep saved on the TiVo, even after all this time.
Firefly at 14!Shiny!How do you pick a "best" episode here?"Out of Gas" is a very solid and obvious choice, though I'm also partial to the more existential "Objects in Space" (Jubal Early is a fantastic creation) and "Shindig" never fails to crack me up.And that's not even mentioning "Our Mrs. Reynolds" with the duplicitous and adorable YoSaffBridge.
Hard to argue with Seinfeld at 11, but I still put Arrested Development as the best sitcom ever, a c-hair ahead of this show and Cheers.
Now we're in the Top 10, with the X-Files at 9.Despite some hits and misses (mostly the unsatisfying wrap up and faltering under its own weight mythology), this still ranks as one of the best shows of all time.Best episode?They cite "Jose Chung," which might be worthy, but there are so many to consider, like "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose," "Bad Blood" and many others, including "Home" (check out the Did You Know blurb at the bottom for the surprising origin of that story).
Never watched The Wire.Dunno.Just no interest.
24 at 6?I love watching Jack Bauer whoop some terrorist (or bystander) ass with the best of 'em, but as Gob Bluth would say...."Come On!"
Lost checks in at 5.Given my obsession with the show (I just received 2 "Dharma" and one "Oceanic Air" t-shirts I ordered last weekend), I can't argue with that one.Another show that's tough to pick a best episode.What about "Walkabout?"Or last season's finale, "Through The Looking Glass?"Or this season's "The Constant?"
You woke up this morning.Got yourself a gun.Mama always said you'd be the chosen one.Or at #3."Long Term Parking" is indeed a fine episode, but "Pine Barrens" is a fucking masterpiece.
I'm fond of The Simpsons, and it certainly has had a significant cultural impact and impressive staying power.That's their choice for number 1.However, speaking of "The Chosen One," my choice for number 1 would be Empire's choice for number 2.The answer, of course, is the television masterpiece Buffy The Vampire Slayer.If you are still scared by the silly title, you're really missing out (much like I assume some folks are by Battlestar Galactica) and owe it to yourself to go buy all seven seasons on DVD right now.Trust me, you won't regret it.Or, if you like, you can do a little sampling at hulu.com.And then you'll go buy all seven seasons on DVD.I'll even get you started right now:
As you can tell, I don't have that many quibbles with the list overall, despite the omission of some "classic" series (Twilight Zone, Magnum PI, Cheers, M*A*S*H, etc.).The only "new" series I would think merits inclusion is the compelling Mad Men.
What's missing?Agree or disagree?What are the best episodes? Whatcha think, TNRLM readers?
More info coming out about Joss Whedon's eagerly awaited return to television, the Eliza Dushku vehicle Dollhouse.
First, Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain, most recently the showrunners on Women's Murder Club, and previously writers for Angel, have joined the writing staff of Dollhouse. That's good news.
Okay, back here now? Good. Here are my comments and further suggestions (and I've expanded the "Buffyverse" to be the "Whedonverse," including some folks from Firefly/Serentiy, also.
Adelle Dewitt: I really like the suggestion of Juliet Landau. We certainly don't see her on TV enough.
Paul Ballard: I have no problem with Gunn. I also think his suggestion of Ben Browder is right on, though Crichton is a bit old for the "thirtysomething" description of the character. Keeping with the 'verse, what about Christian Kane? He was terrific as the conflicted Lindsay McDonald, and is closer to the character age.
Boyd Langton: Anthony Stewart Head would be just about perfect, but is the role too close to Giles? Skinner is also a great choice, but what about Alexis Denisof? He certainly knows how to create a vibrant friction with Eliza. Or hell, even James Marsters? He definitely spiced up Torchwood.
Topher Brink: Andrew is on target, and I don't know the other suggestion. If you want to go less "ambiguously gay" and totally nerdy, how about Jonathon Woodward, who pulled off the rare Whedonverse hat trick?
Sierra: Bianca Lawson? Really? As long as she doesn't try a Jamaican accent, mon. Personally, I'd prefer Morena Baccarin, Amy Acker or Katharine Towne, who played delightfully bitchy vamp Sunday in the Buffy ep "The Freshman."
Okay, as I was reading through that, I was daydreaming about how frelling cool it would be to have one of those. Especially the Mr. Universe set up from Serenity (which I think I've watched about 7 times in the last month). Their summary:
Mr. Universe's Satellite Broadcast Station from Serenity: If you're a reclusive techno-geek who intercepts signals and watches television 24 hours a day, then you'd want your own giant, orbiting headquarters that could snag signals down from everywhere in the universe and rebroadcast them whenever you felt like it. Sort of like your own personal intergalactic YouTube. Plus in your spare time you can build a hot love-bot to marry and get busy with. All the comforts of home. Of course, it wasn't that "secret" of a place, since no one seemed to have trouble finding it.
And then it dawned on me. Didn't I really spend a couple of years exactly like that? Okay, my McMansion wasn't really orbiting greater Forsyth County, and I didn't send videos out over the broadwave that lowered the stock price of Blue Sun, and I didn't build any hot love bots. But I did have a richly appointed and spacious Death Star all to my own, hermetically sealed off from virtually all human contact with everything I need neatly organized alphabetically or by size/shape. I had hundreds of channels beaming into every nook and cranny of the house 24/7, with so many TiVos I could record all of human history and still have room for a few "suggested" random episodes of Arrested Development to make their way onto the playlist. Between the PC and the crackberry, I could blog, email and text without ever getting out of my bathrobe or hearing the shrill din of the human race. I pushed my self-absorbed, manic depressive and random musings out into the universe for all to read and most to ignore. The "lair" was right there on a hill for all to see and find via Google maps or see on Google earth, yet the palpable stench of angst and bitterness acted as a force field to repel all but the most intrepid. And while I could repair a hard drive, change the lights in a Bimmer (harder than you think) and solve the most vexing MS Office problems, I couldn't really build my own love bot (Noted philosopher William the Bloody: "sex with robots is more common than people think"). Yet I still managed to connect with the occasional honey who would make a visit to Mister Universe's suburban annex for a dip in the deranged end of the pool.
Ahhhh, those were the days. Until The Operative (aka real life, aka the mortgage company) came to put an end to The Signal.
Hey, who's up for drinking on a Friday night? Suddenly, I want to watch Serenity again and go buy a house. With a basement, a T1 line and a huge fucking satellite dish. And a hot robot.
We missed an ep of the new Sarah Connor show on Monday so some empty suited hypocrites could lie to us, but I did stumble across this somewhat cogent breakdown of the various Terminator timelines. Well, as cogent as timeline breakdowns can be when the producers can't even remember the fucking years clearly spelled out in the previous movies. If you're making a show like this (or even one of the movies), wouldn't you have a huge-ass white board up in your writing room with meticulous documentation of all the various timelines and key dates?
Hey, Dinner for Five has an ep tonight! THAT is one of the many reasons I pray daily at the shrine of TiVo. I didn't delete my D5 season pass, and out of the fucking blue a new episode pops up in the To Do List. Just like it should. I've almost forgotten the ass-raping horrors of the three months with Comcast and their antediluvian, ersatz "DVR".
I'm really digging the new iPod and iTunes. More sometime soon on my experiences with this little gem.
Speaking of which, did anyone catch little Wilbur's question to Christian in the latest Nip/Tuck? "Daddy, is mommy a skank?" Assuming, of course, that a child of two parents who barely have a GED between them will ever learn nouns and verbs, I'm sure this question will be asked repeatedly in Georgia very soon. (And if ya want a real answer to that one, Junior, just ask me. Or any of about 21,387 local area used car salesmen, sweaty insurance agents, college drop outs, random strangers, workers at the area free clinic, drug dealers, construction workers, pimps, sugar daddies, your granddad's co-workers, fry-cooks, or...well....you get the idea).
Could Cutthroat Bitch be back on House? Pretty please? Could she be the "mystery girlfriend" of Wilson? And how sweet is Anne Dudek's triple play? House, Mad Men and Big Love? Quite impressive. There are the "triple play" actors from the Whedonverse, like Jonathon Woodward, Andy Umberger -- look at this dude's credits! he's the shrink on Mad Men and has been on a lot of quality TV in addition to the Jossverse -- Jeff Ricketts, and Carlos Jacott. But to bag some time on House, Mad Men and Big Love, all from different head writers/producers, makes a TV geek's heart grow two sizes larger.
From I09, here's a handy summary of sci-fi swear words. With summer coming up, I think I need to invest in some geeky t-shirts adorned with otherworldly profanity. Farscape's "Frell Me Dead" has always been a favorite, though I'd also be proud to sport one featuring any of the chinese amalgamations from Firefly.
("Frakkin Toaster" is a must).
Also featured is a highlight clip of S1 BSG "Fraks."
In a post yesterday, I offered my take on the "who we hate" as a Dawg fan. Obviously, your mileage may vary based on a number of factors (where you grew up, who was a pain in the ass during your time 'tween the hedges, experiences with rival fans, etc.). What I didn't point out at the end of the listing is that I would still pull for all the SEC teams -- even Phat Phil's orange-clad cornholers -- out of conference. It's a strange sensation to be watching a team that you despise with every fiber of your being for approximately 50 weeks out of the season, and find yourself cheering them on. Take this past bowl season, for example. From my rankings, we all know that I wouldn't piss on the Vols if they were burning (unless I had just downed a bottle of Everclear, and it might somehow add to the combustion), but I was pulling for them to whip the Wisconsin Badgers -- and I spent a decade in the cheese state and attended my first college football game there! Ahhh, conference loyalty and southern pride is a strange mistress.
Last week, GOP hopeful Mike Huckabee said that he would prefer to change the constitutionso that it was more in line with god's word. How did this not get more play in the press? I heard more about Bill and Hil and casino worker unions than I did the ramblings of this wingnut. How can he still get a vote from anyone with an IQ in triple digits? This is also the same doofus who proudly raised his hand during a debate to say that he didn't believe in evolution. Perhaps he'll just go ahead and put fellow intellectual luminary Sherri Shepherd on his Flat Earth ticket.
This is so sweet and so sad, I can't muster up anything snarky to say about it. A must read if you're a pet lover. All together now: Awwwwwwwwww.
Paul Finebaum ranks SEC coaches. Guess who tops the list? (hint: he's not wearing a visor, nor is he a threat to bankrupt Knoxville area Golden Corrals)
Need a little Browncoat goodness to cheer up your cold and snowy Sunday? Check out this Firefly / Serenity video tribute to the Big Damn Heroes, and notice how perfectly the lyrics correspond to the video clips chosen.
Another reason to love my favorite female Lostie, Elizabeth Mitchell (her scenes with Angelina in Gianotwithstanding): she loves BattlestarGalactica. Good interview about Lost and Juliet.
Anyone catch 30 Rock on Thursday? Behold Alec Baldwin's Jack Donaghy employing creative techniques to keep Tracy Jordan from dogfighting. Two thoughts come to mind: 1. I would have never quit therapy if it was this much fun and this effective. 2. Arthur Blank should have called in Jack Donaghy last year. And speaking of the ASPCA's favorite number 7, where was this judge when you needed him? (I don't understand the guilty party in this situation. What did the dog do? Even though I'm more of a cat person, wouldn't it have made much more sense to toss the girlfriend off the balcony? I mean, just logically?)
What the hell is it with the cast of Lost and DUIs? Does this mean Michael will return and shoot him?
As promised, Mad Men did deliver a sensational finale. I still don't know quite what to make about the "shocker" with Peggy. Is it even possible not to know? In an hour (almost a full hour, too, with no commercials) of solid writing and acting, there were many, many highlights, including this one: Don's pitch to the Kodak folks about "The Wheel."
Fun video snippet of Tricia Helfer's favorite fight scenes. Two observations (other than the obligatory "that kicks ass"): That last little tidbit? "The fight ends in hot sex, but not with Baltar?" Hmmmmm. And is LeeLee Sobieski a replicant created from Helen Hunt's DNA?
Check out Skiffy for a new BSG short. This one? AWESOME. Fighting skydiving. With a "classic" toaster. Did I mention AWESOME?
I'm terrible with geography, but is Williamsburg Greenpoint anywhere near Columbus, Georgia? Of course, this novel, The Delivery Man, could have been set there a couple of decades ago, too.
I'm still on the fence with Bionic Woman. Miguel Ferrer is underused and the show only really comes alive when Katee Sackhoff/Sarah Corvus is on screen. Plus, Isaiah Washington would hate Dumbledore. However, this week's episode showed a bit of wit, and how much better and emotive was Michelle Ryan when she was using her natural Brit accent? Too bad Jamie Sommers isn't revealed to be originally from across the pond.
TV Squad has a countdown of the scariest TV characters. A few highlights:
The evil troll doll. Yes, the special effects are horribly outdated now. But I remember watching this as a kid and not sleeping for days, wondering where this little monster was going to be.
The Peacock Family. Holy shit. Who wasn't freaked the fuck out the first time they saw this episode? Hell, they could be from Columbus, too.
Eugene Tooms. More fun from The X-Files. Another classic sitting on the edge of your seat creepfest for Mulder and Scully.
The Gentlemen. A perfect episode of Buffy, with everything that made it great. Stellar writing and acting, horror, innovative plotting, humor and character.
Weeping Angels. A great example of how to do a lot with a little, from Doctor Who.
Would a Serenity direct to DVD sequel be a good idea? Personally, I think that I would take more Firefly adventures in any format I can get them. Eventually, someone will attempt to capture the "pay as you go" model for delivering ad-free content outside the studio/network model, and there's probably no better person to try than Joss. Think about it. Would you pay $0.50 or $1.00 per episode for new adventures of with the crew of Serenity? Or in the Buffy/Angelverse? I would. The weekly budget for production for a new show is typically in the $1,000,000 range. That would mean 1 million fans would have to pony up a buck each week to watch a show. Fans in larger numbers pay that each week to download episodes they've already seen for free from I-Tunes. And great, great shows that aren't exactly CSI or Grey's in terms of total viewers average 2 - 4 million viewers each week, and that's enough to get you cancelled. If half of those folks ponied up the change left over from coffee each week, that would be enough to support an ad-free, direct sell show. Just something to think about, and fans of Joss are among the most rabid and supportive.
Speaking of Joss, two more items. He's going to direct another episode of The Office. And those Buffy "sing alongs" in theatres? Canceled, because of greed. Hey, I'm an Ayn Rand/Gordon Gekko fan from way back. But were these things really "hurting" anyone? Was someone attempting to generate enough funds to build a secret army or buy up real estate like Lex Luthor? No, they were mainly a labor of love, and a way for fans to celebrate a common passion. I was fortunate enough to participate in one a few years back at Dragon-Con, but also wanted to attend one of the updated versions touring the country right now. My dear Atlanta friends the Es went to one during one of my recent trips down for a UGA game (I didn't go -- I was busy watching a different type of horror show: a Willie Martinez coached defense), and said it was a blast. Unfortunately, they may have attended one of the very last ones. That just sucks.
Earlier this week, I posted my "daemon" from The Golden Compass. As I noted then, I haven't read the books, but now I'm even more inclined to pick them up. Any thing delusional zealot and blowhard Bill Donohue thinks is bad, I would tend to like. I didn't check out the Narnia movie, because of the religious backstory and ham-fisted allegories. ("It's just like Lord of the Rings! Except more poorly written and full of God!") It's well known that CS Lewis wrote those stories with a rather thinly veiled agenda, and I find it amusing that Pullman's "Dark Materials" trilogy tries to provide a balance to that and is getting blasted by believers in one fairy tale who condemn another (that is just as equally and logically plausible).
The Top 20 Starship Captains. Yes, there are some facts wrong in there. But it's a fun list. And any "top 6" that includes Jean-Luc Picard, James T. Kirk, Han Solo, Mal Reynolds and Bill Adama is fine in my book (But Kathryn "I never met a temporal rule or Prime Directive I couldn't break" Janeway? Please).
The new TV season has been all over the place for me thus far. I will say that of the many new and returning shows I was excited about, there are still two lurking in my faux "Now Playing" list that I haven't yet watched: Reaper and Pushing Daisies. I'm looking forward to watching both of those.
Many of the returning shows just haven't done it for me. Law & Order: SVU has been downright terrible. Heroes has been lackluster (the "Lucky Charms" gang? The spanish Wonder Twins?) and only the Kensei story and the return of Sylar are keeping me interested. HIMYM has been okay, but seems to be missing something. The Office has had some great moments, but the hour-longs tend to wander too much and have characters behaving too stupidly for their own good occasionally. On the other hand, Desperate Housewives has been better, particularly with the addition of the devilish and MILF-tastic Catherine Mayfair (Dana Delany) and her husband, Captain Tightpants. House has delivered one rock solid and laugh out loud funny ep after another. Bones has been very good. Law and Order: CI's move to USA hasn't hurt it, either. It's always been my favorite of the Law and Order troika, and I dig Logan's new partner, the quirky and scorching hot Alicia Witt (who is replacing another quirky hot "firecrotch" -- as Witt's character was called on Thursday's ep -- Julianne Nicholson -- while she is on maternity leave).
Of the news shows I've seen, I'm really digging Chuck. And Bionic Woman is all over the map. The pilot was okay. The second ep was terrible and leaden. The third ep was outstanding. Michelle Ryan hasn't exactly won me over with her flat line readings, but she has nice lips. The star of the show, however, is Katee Sackhoff as the "Faith-esque" first bionic woman Sarah Corvus, and lights up the screen whenever she's on. Although they weren't part of the fall network premieres, I have really enjoyed Mad Men and Torchwood. In fact, I since we don't have BSG or Lost right now, I would proclaim Mad Men the Best Show on TV. It just keeps getting better and better, and I'll be sad when the season finale airs next week (though it will be back for a second season. Yeah!). Tragically, I don't have Showtime here in temp living land, so I can't say anything about Season 2 of my favorite new show from last year, Dexter. Guess I'll have to catch up on that via DVD next year.
I was all prepared to hate Moonlight. It has an unbelievably troubled development history, got panned by several prominent critics and its premise seems like a complete rip-off of one of the all time classics, Angel. However, I've seen three eps now and I'm quite entertained. No, it's no Angel, but the leads are charismatic enough and if it can inject just a bit of wit, it should be a keeper.
Tim Minear will be doing a new show for Fox Studios for the ABC network. Sounds similar in theme to the quickly cancelled show Miracles (whose cleverest conceit was the right there in front of your face but basically unnoticed "God is Nowhere" / "God is Now Here" storyline), which ironically, was from another Buffyverse vet David Greenwalt. Click here to read more about what quirkly, quality show will be killed in 4 to 6 episodes. (And yes, those Minear/Fox/Dushku/"Faith" suggestions just seemed way to good to be true).
You can vote on the cover of the Battlestar Galactica "Razor" DVD cover, and be rewarded with a clip of the uber-awesome Michelle Forbes as Admiral Helena Cain explaining the film's title. For the record, A. I think she has some solid advice. I'm pulling out the sharpening stone, and B. I voted for the third one, which captures the fractious nature of the situation visually.
Not only is she talented, funny and hot -- Kristen Bell is geeky and humble too. See what I mean here at EW.
Speaking of talented, geeky, funny and humble, here's a good interview with Nathan Fillion answering fan submitted questions. (Although I'm sure Captain Tightpants is considered "hot," too, I'll leave that judgment to the female TNRLM readers. And Republican congressmen). Bonus points for Nathan loving Arrested Development, as should anyone with a modicum of taste, discretion and humor.
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