Questionable

Something different: TV talk

I've been watching a lot of television. A LOT. I can tell you what's on every night of the week. I can tell you what I think is good, what the critics think is good, and why I watch what I do. And, even with lots of time to watch, I've deleted some things from my must-see list and have sent little messages to the TV gods to keep things on the air. And, if you wonder how I watch so much. That's the wonder of a VCR. No. I don't have a DVR, but I want one, if and only if, I can override the scheduling robot. Some thoughts about evening TV:

I dream of being on Amazing Race and will stick with it no matter if it travels to Sheboygan, WI and asks people to make brats.

Desperate Housewives is good again.

I love Chuck. Chuck is everything that is right in the dramedy world. It is perfectly cast. And, last week's Missile Command/Tom Sawyer episode shouldn't be missed. I'm thankful that NBC has picked this up for the entire season.

What the heck has happened to Heroes? No one can die. It doesn't make sense, even in the ever-changing comic book world, it doesn't make sense. But I keep watching because it is fun, silly, and I don't care if the story line sticks together. But, my patience is waring thin.

I deleted My Own Worst Enemy after two episodes. Liked Slater, but didn't get the show. I think it was supposed to be like Alias, but it wasn't. At All.

I used to love Boston Legal. Now it is just penis jokes. Candice Bergen and John Laroquette why are you still with this pile of goo? I only stick with it now because it is the last season and I'm hoping Denny dies.

The Mentalist is a new show with promise if you like crime procedurals. I don't really care about the content. I just watch for the totally hot Simon Baker.

I'm still sticking with Fringe, but something needs to happen. J.J. Abrams can usually do no wrong, but this show is poorly cast and somewhat boring. Same stuff episode after episode.

Please, please, please start watching Pushing Daisies. It is the loveliest, sweetest show on TV. It is on the verge of being canceled or not renewed after its 13 episode run.

I should like Private Practice for the excellent cast, but Shonda needs to write a storyline for this show. Something has to happen soon or I'm out.

I deleted Dirty, Sexy, Money. Again, a show I should like. Good casting. But boring. Too many dumb mysteries without resolution. Sutherland's voice bugs me. Can't these people just talk to each other and quit acting like twits?

I still watch Survivor. I don't know why, but I like it.

CSI: Vegas is something I picked up a couple years ago. I didn't watch at the beginning, but for a procedural it is alright.

I'm a little embarrassed to say that I've watched every single episode of ER. It jumped the shark years ago, but I can't stop now. And, this is the last season, so each episode has been very emotional as individual story lines are ended.

I love Ugly Betty. The first few episodes this year were a little weird as they wrapped up Rebecca Romijn's story, but it is back on track now.

I'm also sticking with Grey's even after yesterday's news that they kicked off the blond, lesbian, heart surgeon.

Life is a show I watched last year a bit. Then I watched a few times this year before it was sent to Friday nights. I understand it is moving back to Wednesdays, so I'll probably pick it up again.

I can't wait for Lost to return. If you aren't watching it, just wait for the DVDs and watch the whole thing from the beginning. It must be watched in order. I hope I don't relapse, because I can't die without seeing the end of Lost.

In the summers especially and a little bit now, I watch cable shows that I can get on DVD via Netflix. Some recommendations:

The Wire - the best show for TV ever. It is done now, so you can watch from the beginning and not have to wait for the next season to come around.

The Shield - very violent, but the acting is great.

Dexter - Oh, how I love him. Hate the sister, but the show is so deliciously evil.

MI-5 - BBC show that demonstrates how London is changing in the aftermath of 9/11 and their bus bombings. Really great stuff.

Flight of the Conchords - Very funny show about two kiwis trying to make it in NY

Rescue Me - Incredibly sexist show with the annoying Denis Leary that I can't stop watching because every character is a train wreck

Mad Men - A love story to the sixties

Weeds - The first season was a work of art. I haven't seen season four yet, but each subsequent season couldn't hold a candle to season one. Yet, it is still compelling television.

Damages - Anxiously waiting for season 2. Season one and Glenn Close were brilliant.

Big Love - I'm obsessed with Mormons, so watching this show is a given.

Sopranos - Completely sucked in by this series, even though there wasn't a decent character in the bunch.

The Closer - Another police procedural, but this one with a female lead. Makes it more compelling.

Comments? Suggestions? What are you watching?

Is anyone watching the Emmys?

Why do I put myself through this?

This might be the worst Emmys ever. Except I kinda liked the Josh Groban part.

How have I lived without Weeds?

A friend of mine (thanks JM), told me to watch Weeds. A 30 minute comedy/drama about a suburban mom pot dealer? Sounds fantastic. I finally started watching it and I'm totally hooked. Now I wait for season 3 to be released on DVD. Man I wish I had cable.

The Oscars - I'm sure you've read about them by now

Snooooooooooze

I even watched the E thing before hand (on my computer). There's two hours of my life I won't get back. Ryan Seacrest was not on his game. The Gary Busey/Jennifer Garner thing was interesting, but that was about the only excitement of the entire night.

Javiar Bardem was particularly cute when he thanked his mom.

The dresses were long and fancy.

I guess people like red.

WTF was up with the song choices? Where were the songs from Into the Wild? Eddie Vetter at the Oscars, I would have like to see.

In other news, remember the I'm Fucking Matt Damon video? Well, Kimmel had a response to it last night, I'm Fucking Ben Affleck. It is a far grander production than the first one, with lots of Hollywood cameos. I'd rather watch it over and over again for 3.5 hours than sit through last night's Oscars again.

My night with Anthony Bourdain

I'm a sucker for Anthony Bourdain. Everyone knows it. Love the show. Love his books. Love him. (Although his recent baby and marriage make him slightly less appealing. He's also quit smoking. Bad boy no more?)

Last night he spoke at Solera to about 240 people. After a dinner of tapas and wine, he talked and took questions for about an hour. Then we all got our books signed and had pictures taken.

The room was filled with foodies and fans. I mean FANS. The audience knew everything about him. It was sort of freaky. I mean I follow his shows, but I had to get the details about him from my table neighbors. It was also interesting to see how many men were in attendance. Bourdain definitely appeals to both men and women. Women think he's sexy and men think he's cool or funny or admirable. They want his life.

The foodies were also out in full force. Solera is one of my favorite restaurants, but I didn't eat half of what we were served. One problem is that there was lots of fish/seafood. I'm allergic. But that didn't mean our table didn't engage in lively conversation about local restaurants. One boorish lady talked non-stop about meeting Bourdain when he filmed here four or five years ago. Blah blah blah. She also tried to be the table authority on restaurants. In that crowd, it is hard to be the person at the table who knows the most about local restaurants/chefs. But I did learn that the suburbanites were too afraid to eat at Krua Thailand in St. Paul because it was in a scary area. (It is on University Ave. east of Dale. In my world, not scary. But, whatever.)

Anyway, to summarize. Bourdain: hot and funny. The night: fun and entertaining.

How I spent my summer vacation

Without my beloved Rock Star, this has been a very boring summer of television. Even, Big Brother, my sometimes guilty pleasure, was terrible this year. I gave up on it some weeks ago. So what did I do? I rented things from Netflix. I see lots of movies in the theater so I tend to rent TV shows at home. (And since I don't have real cable, I rent shows I can't get on network television). What did I watch? The Closer, The 4400, Big Love, and Dexter.

I like The Closer. Kyra is good. It is procedure television and probably not my first choice among cable series, but definitely enjoyable.

The 4400 is about people from the past who are abducted by future Earthlings and brought back in the present time, each with a special power. It seems rather silly, and it is, but I like sci-fi. This series is completely suited for cable television. It is appealing to a small audience but doesn't have the pressure of a big network show.

Big Love is one of the most fascinating, revolting, and entertaining series I've ever seen. The story focuses on a husband and his three wives in Salt Lake City. The husband and his second wife were both raised in a polygamous compound. He left the compound because he didn't agree with child brides and wanted to run a legitimate business. On one hand I hate the husband (played by Bill Paxton). He was in a monogamous relationship with his first wife for the first part of their marriage and it seems like he forced her into the current situation (although it is not completely explained). On the other hand, he is always doing battle with the crazies back at the compound, so it is easier to cheer for him in those instances. The wives are very different from each other and are constantly conniving to get his attention with the first wife being the sympathetic one. The wives also struggle with raising their children, trying to have friends, getting along with each other, and fitting in to society.

Dexter is a very gruesome show about a serial killer. The incredibly hot Michael C. Hall plays an emotionally ruined blood splatter analyst who kills other serial killers. The show is about his complete lack of human emotions, while still trying to act normal and thus focus his need to kill on those who "deserve" it. He is fantastic in this role and deserved an Emmy nomination. But, the supporting cast is horrid.

Odd and Ends

I took the plunge today. I sold my stock. I am awed by how much money I made from 250 shares. What's interesting is that I had planned on holding the stock for a long time because I didn't think the price would climb. But, it did. It tripled. So, I sold. Many of the bigwigs, sold $10 ago. I'll bet they are regretting their decisions.

ReeRee learned a new trick - taking her clothes off in bed - including her diaper. She did it three sleeps in a row. After a number of conversations and some bribery, last night she remained clothed so she got to pick out some new big girl pajamas today. Hopefully, it was a matter of being hot or something because she really can't sleep without the diaper.

I started renting Discovery Channel's Planet Earth. OMG, this is such a cool show, even on my old 25 inch television.

For those of you who know about this, I am on the fence about buying a new Mac laptop. I would really love one, but I don't know that I have the patience to set it up right now. I have a bit of a school reprieve for just a few weeks, so now would be the time if I had to do it before graduation. But, it is expensive. And, I have tons of guilt. My laptop isn't that old (about 2 years) and works generally fine. I just can't stand fixing the damn thing all the time. If it isn't one little problem, it is another. I feel fortunate in that I know how to fix it, but that doesn't mean I want to work on it.

I have been dreading setting up Parallels, paying for the increased memory and Vista license, and figuring out a backup solution for a virtual machine. After talking to J, I might run a two laptop solution just until I'm done with school, the new version of Office for Macs is out, I can get a new version of End Note installed with it, etc. But, this seems like such a big reaction to losing email. J thinks I should go for it, but I'm more cautious than him. He says this laptop has always been quirky and that I can't afford for something catastrophic to happen as I'm entering the home stretch.

Must see TV

It is that time of year when there is nothing on the standard networks (we don't have real cable). I'll admit to occasionally peeking at some of the reality shows, but there is no appointment television. That's why, particularly after the sun goes down, or the weather is crappy, I watch DVDs from Netflix. Around 8:30 or 9:00 p.m. I inevitably find myself in front of the TV wondering what to watch. My recent pick of choice has been the TV series The Wire. This is an adult show (lots of violence and profanity) that runs on HBO. I often remark how it is possibly one of the best made series I've ever watched. In the next week or so, I'll finish the third season. The fourth isn't out on DVD yet and the fifth and final season will show on TV soon, so I won't know how the series ends for a while. But, for now, I'm enjoying the ride.

The show is mostly about cops and drug dealers. However, other bureaucratic organizations, like unions and political organizations, are also featured. It is set in Baltimore, which appears completely corrupt and/or crime-filled (I'll bet their convention bureau hates the show). The most interesting part of the show is seeing the juxtaposition between those in power and the criminals. The viewer realizes there is really no difference between the organizational structures and struggles, except that drug dealing is illegal. The poor young "hoppers" live in crappy, abandoned buildings, while the powerful lunch at fancy DC restaurants. The cops are somewhere in the middle. They are not wealthy and they actually like the drug dealers, but they have a job to do. For them, it is just one-half of an ongoing, never-ending, dangerous game. That isn't to say the viewer feels sympathy for the drug dealers (except for the really young ones) or the cops. They are both violent and can kill with abandon.

The acting among this poorly-known ensemble cast is fantastic. The characters are well-developed and mostly African-American. Two of the main characters (a cop and a drug dealer) are Brits who are good with the American accent. In fact, I didn't realize either weren't Americans until I saw one of them in a movie and started to wonder and I read about the other one in a magazine. Apparently, the drug dealer gets approached by real young drug dealers in NY and always uses his American accent because the kids would probably freak if they knew what he really sounded like.

Anyway, if you are looking for something to watch this summer, rent The Wire.

Weekend Reviews

Pan's Labyrinth - Loved it. And, since I was prepared for the violence and brutality, it seemed far less gruesome than it probably was.

Granite City Food and Brewery - This restaurant is new to Rosedale Mall. We generally don't eat at chains, but it was convenient for us on Friday night. It has an extensive menu and they brew their own beer. The food is fine, nothing special. The beer is okay. They have four standard beers on tap. I prefer a Pale Ale but they offer an IPA, which I didn't love.

Guacamole (sorry, no link) - Me Gusta on S. Robert St. in St. Paul recently became Guacamole. We at there before a play on Saturday night. It was okay. Fairly typical quick Mexican food.

Cyrano by the Cromulent Shakespeare Company - A very good production by a small, poor theater company. I've seen some of their stuff in the past and wasn't impressed, but this show is excellent. They had a very small budget, but still pulled off a big production with period costumes and a few props. And, my sis-in-law, who plays Roxane is the best I've ever seen her. She was so relaxed and authentic on the stage. My one complaint - it is way too long (3 hours and 15 minutes). People left at the second break. It needs editing, badly.

The Grammys - I watched them on and off, mostly to see some of the different performances. Primarily, I wanted to see The Police. I've seen many, many live performances throughout my life. As a kid, I went to concerts constantly. But, the Police are the one and only big band of the 1970's/1980's that I want to see and have never seen. As a teenager, I loved them so much that I wore out my tapes of Ghost in the Machine, Zenyatta Mondatta, and Synchronicity. I've already told J that I'm ready to re-mortgage the house to see them now.

Weekend Reviews

The Queen - We saw this Friday night. I loved this movie. LOVED IT! I don't know tons about royal behavior or etiquette so I found the whole thing fascinating. You can't show your back to the queen? Back out the door? Really? Who knew?

I've seen all the Best Picture nominees except Letters from Iwo Jima, which I probably won't see (war movies usually are not my thing). And, I have to say, I don't know which is going to win. Besides loving The Queen, I also loved Little Miss Sunshine. Babel and the Departed were also both good. I can't see the Departed winning, but my guess is that Babel could.

Super Bowl Commercials - Oprah and Dave, hands down, the best commercial. I was also mildly amused by Rock, Paper, Scissors, the Budweiser crabs, and T-Mobile/Charles Barkley. Some of the best overall commercials were the two that showed a truck speeding along on a platform and hauling a bunch of crap up a ramp. They weren't funny, but my guess is that they were effective for those in the market for a huge pickup. (There are links to the ads in a bunch of places, including the CBS website.)

Los Tejanos - J and I tried this restaurant on Saturday night. It is on the east side of St. Paul. We went to the Winter Carnival and the Torchlight Parade, so we needed to eat somewhere that would appreciate us in all our winter wear and St. Paul paraphernalia. Therefore, we needed something casual. We were in the mood for Mexican and had heard this place had good reviews. With the exception of the chips and salsa, which were fantastic, I wouldn't bother. The food was was too salty and the cheese sauce was processed.