Great TV

Two shows that make my all-time favorite list are currently running new episodes, which makes me smile.

The Killing (U.S.) has gotten a lot of flack from people who were pissed about the non-resolution of the plot last season. I love it. Linden and Holder are gonna solve this case, and whichever powerful a-hole who thinks he is safe from authority is going down. My biggest fear is that one of our beloved main characters won't survive the season.

Nurse Jackie is, in my opinion, one of the smartest-written shows out there, and such a dead-on examination of addiction. I love, love, love it. We watched the first three episodes of the new season On Demand the other day, so now will have to wait a few weeks for the next new episode (but will probably watch 2 and 3 over again as they release on Sundays). Jackie goes, sort of, to rehab, and is clean for the first time since she had her first child. In my opinion, it's not gonna stick, but still I root for Jackie.

Another show that makes the all-time list just finished its 2nd season - Shameless (U.S). If you're not watching this one, you really should. It's so sad/wonderful. I think the show is mostly about surviving your parents, but the characters are so awesome it could be about a dozen other things and I'd still be hooked.

Nordic Noir

One of the benefits of my addictive personality is that sometimes I land on some type of thing that is so interesting that obsession is warranted and rewarding. One such thing is a recent indulgence in a lot of Nordic Noir.

It started with the Stieg Larson Millennium trilogy and is most recently working itself out in my enjoyment of the Danish original The Killing TV series (kiss-kiss, Van). I've recently made a long list of popular Swedish thrillers - many of which are series focused on one detective - and I cannot wait to find the time to read more.

Here are some of the characteristics I love best in this genre:

• A heroine to the story (though not always, as in the mediocre The Hypnotist - more on that later) who kicks ass (Lisbeth Salander, Sarah Lund/Linden, Smilla) and has had absolutely all she can stand of misogyny and bullshit. She has generally gotten the shit end of at least one kind of stick, and she ain't gonna take it any more
• A mystery that needs some serious solving
• Characters who are the very best at what they do, but who are overlooked by most people because they don't comply with social norms
• Some kind of social injustice that the heroine (except in the mediocre, etc, etc) is absolutely livid about

Here are my recommendations if you enjoyed The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo or the AMC version of The Killing and are interested in more:

• Read Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow. It's the grandmammy of the genre and is outstanding. This book is one of Sly B's all-time favorites and she's been trying to get me to read it for ages. Why did I wait so long?
• There's a Julia Ormond movie called Smilla's Sense of Snow that's also wonderful
• Read all three Stieg Larson books - they are fantastic. Then watch the Swedish films - they are fantastic. Then see the US film - it was pretty damn good.
• Watch the AMC version of The Killing - so great. A Nordic Noir story set in Seattle. Fans FREAKED OUT about the S1 ending because it wasn't all Hollywood-tied-in-a-bow. Haha
• Watch the BBC version (it's Danish, but they dubbed into English) of The Killing - it's the original and the story is so dark and thrilling
• Do not, not matter what, pick up The Hypnotist, even though the cover says it's "methadone for those in withdrawal from Stieg Larson novels." First of all, really marketing people? Classy. Because heroin addiction is EXACTLY like loving some books. Second of all, it was a good mystery, but I hated the main character, his wife, his son, and everyone he knew. Seriously it was a 4 out of 10 nipples and doesn't belong in this class

You have your homework.

Randomness

• I have an iPhone and am in the stage of looking at it all the time. I'm annoying even myself.

• I'm still reading Dance With Dragons - only about 350 pages in. Both Sly B and her mama have already finished. I'm usually much quicker through these beloved books, but life has gotten in the way. So far, I'm loving it.

• Evil Inc., bleh, but I realize that it's time to stop caring SO MUCH.
  

• We've seen tons of great TV this year. Standouts (some of which may be repeats but are just THAT good): Nurse Jackie, Treme, The Killing, Torchwood

Finales and New Seasons

Two shows that Sly B and I watched religiously for their first seasons ended on Sunday: The Killing and Game of Thrones.

The Killing ended with a twist that's gotten a lot of bad press. I liked it. Holder is one of my favorite characters on the show, and I like that he's not just a recovering addict who doesn't have much agency. It was refreshing to learn that he's more complex than the nice, humble guy we thought he was and that he's up to something. The Salon.com editor argues that these two are the worst police ever -- I don't think I agree. Their investigation was obviously riddled with misinformation, and someone is using them to take down a powerful politician. I love this show. I love how, as B pointed out early on, it focuses on the grief of the family. I also just love the damaged Linden. What a great TV character.

Game of Thrones ended just the way B said it would as we began the episode. Really, she should be a TV writer and we should live in a big house and I shouldn't have to work. She always knows who did it and what will happen. I enjoyed the first season of GoT. I think that HBO did a great job of translating a very detailed universe into an easily digestible show while not losing the complexity of all of the players. I think that the casting of the Dothraki could have been truer to the book, with darker-skinned people -- that was my biggest disappointment. I also think turning a mid-important character into a gay character was puzzling, but I'm all for the gay, so I live with it. What I DO love: the visual of the wall and especially the tunnel through the wall - AMAZING; the casting of Dani; the actress who plays Arya. I'll keep watching, definitely. It's pretty good!

What I'm most excited about now is that the next Song of Ice and Fire comes out in about a month. Of course, I've got it pre-ordered and cannot wait. Also, Nurse Jackie has become one of my favorite shows. It ended last night, I think, but we haven't watched the episode yet.

Summer watching will include: True Blood (the latest Sookie book is out and in the queue for both of us as well), The Big C (love Laura Linney), Torchwood, Falling Skies, Rescue Me if we can tolerate what's become of this beloved show for another season, and a rewatch of Deadwood on our newly acquired bluray DVDs.

Not A Unique Game of Thrones Thought

Note: Topless Robot beat me to this, and as you should know is a much better blog. Even so, I'm going to post this as I've been thinking it for a few days.

Spoilers herein:

I am really enjoying the mass freak-out over Eddard Stark's beheading. Non-readers, welcome to our world. The world of us who've read these books for AGES, waiting impatiently for the next installment; hoping that our favorite character isn't the next one to bite it; realizing that he/she IS the next one to bite it and finding a new favorite character. This is how G.R.R. Martin does it. If you're mad now, JUST WAIT!

Bye-bye, Ned. B-uh-b-uh.

Bwahahahahahaha . . . uh . . . ha . . . cough.

Seriously, the show is good. I'm not ga-ga over it like I am over The Killing or Nurse Jackie or Treme, but it's good. Well done, again, HBO.

The Wire Rewatch - Accomplished!

I finished my second complete watch of The Wire this morning at a very early hour. I enjoyed every minute of watching, and only found my mind wandering a bit during Season 1 episodes that I've seen many, many times.

A few thoughts as I digest:

• The series is very like a Shakespearean tragedy in structure and resolution. Our heroes - actually EVERYONE in the piece - are flawed and capable of both good and evil; nothing lasts; the mighty and the wicked fall, but there's always someone in line to take their place; etc. This is not news, and lots been written about this.

• My next re-watch of the series in a few years will focus on the mothers in the series. In late Season 3 I realized that there might be some subtext about the power of the mother in the show, but I'm not sure. So far, here's what I think: a lot of the worst characters are the moms. D'Angelo's mom, Nayman's mom, Michael's mom, Dukie's mom, Nick's mom, maybe more . . .

• Favorite character: Kima tied with Omar tied with Bunk tied with Bubbles. But mostly Kima.

• Someone needs to do a re-watch podcast with each episode being a podcast episode. Maybe a roundtable type of thing. No douchebags, though. Anyone interested? Maybe 2 years down the road, I'm thinkin'.

So now I shift my attention to Battlestar Galactica. Same level of goodness, different kind of thing. Stay tuned . . .

On Second Thought . . .

I've been re-watching The Wire this year and I'm almost finished with Season 4. I've been thinking a lot about the show and really wanting to have some conversations about it. Yes, it's a heart-wrenching look at Baltimore. Yes, it's a glimpse at real issues that are the result of corruption, the "war on drugs," and racism. But also, it's just amazing writing and acting.

I thought maybe a good starting point for a conversation about the craft of the show is this question: What is your favorite scene?

Mine is this one. Chris and Snoop snag Bug's father intent on taking him into the vacant that has become a tomb for their ritual one-to-the-head. Chris, however, becomes so enraged, he beats him to death in a brutal moment.

This scene comes after Michael spending days mustering the courage to ask Marlowe's crew for help with Bug's father. He tries so hard to ask for help at school and from his friends, but he decides that he can only turn to people who will handle the issue in the way it must be handled for the sake of Bug.

I watched this episode, A New Day, this morning before going to an incredibly horrible work day. In the background of the shit happening at Evil, I thought about two things. One, Chris' tenderness when he decides to help Michael (in an earlier scene to this linked scene), and two, how much happens in the beating of Bug's father without any dialogue. Snoop just watches, open-mouthed and understanding fully what's going on, what must have happened to Chris when he was Michael's or Bug's age. It's a wonderful thing that happens in this brutal, bloody scene.

So, what's your favorite scene?

Random Dis, Random Dat

• I've finally finished The Pillars of the Earth and LOVED it. Sly B and I are going to check out the mini-series now. It's a great epic story, and great historical fiction. Check it out if you like either.

• Speaking of epic, Game of Thrones premiers next Sunday. ZOMG.

• There has been some excellent TV this season. Among my favorites: Shameless was AMAZING; also amazing, and doing the source material justice, was The Walking Dead. So freaking good.

Ah, Friday

It's been a challenging year, work-wise, world-wise. Today really feels like Friday, and I'm offering a big EXHALE.

• Evil, Inc. remains evil, but there are moments. Today wasn't the worst day. I was able to get a little something extra for my peeps, and that makes me happy.

• The Event is so boring. Deleted from my list and my DVR.

• I'm reading Towers of Midnight. I just thought about it, and I've been reading this series for 11 years. Love it, don't care how long it takes.

• I just tried the annual Fade to Black offering from Left Hand. It's just as wonderful as last years, and gets 4 out of 5 nipples from me. I don't love that much smoke, but otherwise, MWAH!

• Sly B and I kill at Beatles Rock Band. You all should see her on the drums, yo, and I can play the bass JUST LIKE Paul. Ish.

Where Do We Find The Time??

I just updated the What We're Watching list to the right. Who can watch all that TV?

The truth is that we mostly just record those shows and play Harry Potter Lego on PS3. Also, The Real L Word is so horrible.

The End

I liked it. I'm still thinking, but I really liked it.

Squee!

Love this:

Summer TV is almost better than Spring TV. When did that happen?

Sunday Night Randomness

• I'm pretty sure that Sly B and I have just suffered through H1N1. It was not H1Nfun. I almost feel good enough now to remember what feeling human is like. *cough*

• I had a dream about my kid brother Friday night that left me missing him a lot. That makes me really mad at him. If you're reading this, you little turkey, pull your head out of your ass before it's too late.

• I'm reading Blood Engines by T. A. Pratt, and enjoying it. It's book 1 in her Urban Fantasy series. So far, my review is: not bad.

• We watched Wolverine last night and enjoyed it. Good origins story for someone who hasn't read ALL the X-Men or Wolverine comics. I've only read the Whedon X-Men stuff personally.

• This past Friday's Dollhouse episode was excellent. I'm disappointed that this show will most likely be canceled in December, but I will admit that it hasn't been consistent or strong. There have been some wonderful episodes, and the themes in the show are deep, but I don't know if TV wants deep.

Back to my coughing corner . . .

Get A Life

I just updated the What We're Watching list to the right . . . I might have a problem.

Random on Vacation

I have been so lax about blogging. Life is just crazy. BUT, I am ON VACATION!

A few thoughts about TV:

• What the hell happened to LL Cool J?

• Nurse Jackie was the best summer series, and I can't wait for it to come back.

• We enjoy The Big Bang Theory, which we've caught up on via DVD. It's cute.

• Warehouse 13 could have been a lot better. Eureka has gotten pretty lame.

• We love True Blood. I think that the character of Sophie was mis-cast, but we'll see next season.

• Being Human was very nice. I thought it was a nice, compact, complete series.

• Torchwood and Dr. Who specials this summer were fabulous. We are totally hooked, and Sly B has a Tardis to prove it.

Whew.

Books and Birthday Hauls

I haven't had great luck with books lately.

• I picked up and put in a concerted effort (150 pages) to get into The Etched City by K.J. Bishop. I just wasn't feeling it. It could be me, so I just put it aside and may pick it up again some day.
  
• I'm listening to a Dan Brown novel (abridged, thank god) called Digital Fortress. It's like he's never met a woman. I only have 50 minutes left, so I'm gonna power through.

For my birthday, I got tons of gifts -- more than I needed to receive x the power of n. I have survived these 38 years, and am working on a 39th as I type this.

• Sly B surprised me with a wonderful collection of Tank Girl omnibuses, the first of which I'm totally into at the moment. She also got me the film on DVD, a few other DVDs . . . cough . . . , and a t-shirt with a pinata and the caption "I'd Hit That." She took me to Boulder on Sunday for lunch, let me pick out a neoprene condom for my MacBook, and a pick-your-own 6-pack of microbrews at the best liquor store in Boulder County. She also made me lazagna, which, ahem, does it for me. I have a rant cookin' about the employees of the Boulder Apple Store - watch for that.
  
• My parents came to visit last Saturday night as well. B had bought my mom a huge amount of king crab legs for her birthday, and we gorged out on them. My folks gave me a new crock pot, Seasons 4 and 5 of The Wire on DVD, two pair of underpants (their older, ok?), and a really neat embroidered tunic. My mom called the other day to say she'd also gotten me and B lunch boxes.
• 2Rays hooked me up with some iTunes, with which we rented a few movies Saturday night (Inkheart, which we watched and liked okay and Role Models, which we haven't seen yet). I also picked up some Michael Jackson songs.
• A work friend gave me a Starbucks gift card.
  
• IronicPink sent me Trueblood Season 1 DVDs. Rumor has it she also knitted me a hat.

So, to recap, sometimes books aren't great and I am spoiled.

Quick TV Post

We LOVE Nurse Jackie. We are meh about HawthoRNe after one episode, but like the diversity of the cast. We are sick of Weeds.

Dr. Who

We fell in love with Dr. Who last weekend.

Long Time, No Random

• We bought and watched BSG: Caprica. I LOVED it. I would recommend it as a nice stand-alone prequel to BSG, or even a stand-alone movie. It reveals the origin on the Cylon, and explains why they do what they do. I look forward to the series. Also, I love Esai Morales.

• Despite the smartest chicks I know telling me to watch Grey Gardens (the HBO movie), I haven't done it yet. We will catch it this weekend when my mom-out-law is here.

• Evil, Inc. is so very evil.

• CUNY Staten Island tried to censor a production of Holly Hughes' play The Well of Horniness. What year is it?
  

TV Round-up

I have been watching A LOT of TV this Spring. Here's a round-up in brief:

• Battlestar Galactica still makes my top ten shows list, even after THAT ending. Why, I ask you, does it always have to be God? Setting the last 5 minutes of the finale aside, it was such a beautiful series.

• Life on Mars (U.S.) was a fun series, and I was sad that it was canceled so soon. I like the concept behind how they resolved the series, and thought it was kind of smart to take the stolen British series title literally in this imagining. But it seemed rushed and thrown together (and probably was, given the show was suddenly canceled). I agree with one critique (from Slice of SciFi's Crazy Joe) that asked, if Gene Hunt was Sam's father, who the hell was the father in the 70's?!

• I just binged on Jericho Season 1 on DVD and Season 2 on Netflix Online. What a great show, and a left-wing parable. "It's not a country, it's a company."

• Life was one of our favorite series, and we were really sad that 1) NBC decided to cancel it, and 2) that Sarah Shahi was left out of most of the second half of this season because of her pregnancy. Still, we love the character of Charlie Crews and enjoyed the resolution (though were maybe a bit confused by parts of the plot -- again, it was probably rushed because of cancellation). This will probably be one we'll have to get on DVD when we see a good sale.

• Despite my distaste for most of what I know about the work of Diablo Cody, we really enjoyed Season 1 of United States of Tara. We will be tuning in again for Season 2. I really like the family, even though Tara's sister reminds me of a yukky work person.
  

• I am still enjoying mightily: Dollhouse, 30 Rock, The Sarah Connor Chronicles (which has ended - I'm just behind), LOST, and Fringe. We are getting into The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency now and enjoying it, and I am already two episodes behind on the new season of The Tudors. The Law & Order shows are always enjoyable.
  

• I have tried to watch Kings, but find the writing way too heavy-handed when held up against all the good stuff out there. I have recorded The Unusuals, partly to catch the last minute of LOST that my DVR tries to deprive me of, and partly out of interest - haven't watched it yet. Heroes has lost me.