Wed, October 31

Der Kommissar

I don't think America will ever reverse its restriction on a foreign-born president. (This is the kind of thing that goes through my mind during this site's fallow periods.) (Read more.)

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Wed, October 24

Countless Screaming Argonauts—10:58 PM

On tonight's Pushing Daisies, Kristin Chenoweth is quoting TMBG lyrics.

When Blade: Trinity came out, Arkise imagined its producers assembled around a table trying to devise a movie that he, personally, would be powerless to avoid seeing. With Ryan Reynolds and half a Christopher Guest movie already in the cast, they were getting close. Then someone chimed in, "Let's add [pro wrestler] Triple-H," and sealed the deal.

Tonight's Pushing Daisies caused me to imagine a similar meeting, with myself as the demographic of one. The guy who selected Kristin Chenoweth in the first place, eager to atone for that error, probably suggested They Might Be Giants. A bit of an overcompensation, but he's eager to make good. If only he knew that she'd already begun winning me over on her own. (She fits much better in the Pushing Daisies universe than the West Wing universe. Or ours.)

Still and all, thanks, guy! Keep up the good work! I eagerly await Amy Adams cameo week!

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Mon, October 22

It's All Coming Back to Me Now

The last new shows of the fall season have bowed with minimal fanfare. TiVo and I breathe a sigh of relief. (Read more.)

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Fri, October 19

My Name Is Earl—1:08 PM

My Name Is Earl began as a fairly inventive half-hour comedy. Seeing the world through the eyes of a dumb guy struggling to expand his mind provides fun and amusing insights. It's never been a top five show for me, but I've enjoyed it.

Last year, there were a few moments when its frothy brew of goofy charm and quirky darkness seemed to be curdling. I brushed these concerns aside at the time, but given the start of season three, I'm worried they might have been warning signs of an oncoming implosion. Rather than embracing its characters and the comic opportunities they provide, the show seems to be struggling under a self-imposed mission to constantly reinvent itself. (Claymation, flashbacks, dream sequences, incarcerating the main character.) This comes at a cost of narrative consistency and general watchability.

All this focus on Catalina's backstory is making her less fun to watch (but no less fun to look at). Earl's brother Randy was once a Homer Simpson-style well-intentioned oaf. His circular monologue about the differences between men and women still dazzles me. But lately, he's been grating on me like you wouldn't believe. For the last few weeks here at the onebee compound, there's been a proposal on the table to watch all Randy-centered scenes on fast-forward. I doubt it'll come to that, but last night's episode definitely gave the "Yes" vote a big spike in the polls.

Maybe I just need to lower my expectations for the show. Being selected for NBC's "Comedy Night Done Right" is no proof of excellence. (Don't believe me? Tune in Thursday at 9:30.) My Name Is Earl was created by the Yes, Dear guy, after all.

2 comments

Mon, October 15

Not Without My Slaughter

The only new show this week was ABC's Women's Murder Club. It's not really my kind of series, but I don't have any real problems with it. (Read more.)

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Fri, October 12

Lynne Cheney on The Daily Show—4:46 PM

I wanted to post about this after I watched it last night. I didn't get around to it at first, but then a post on my friend's Liberadio! blog got me started.

I love [The Daily Show] and I agree with his views, but I was a little disappointed with Jon. (Just a little.) Ambushing her with questions about the Iraq war as a proxy for her husband doesn't make much sense. There's no chance she'll give a straightforward answer, and it's not really Jon's responsibility to hassle her just because she's there. Coupled with the frenzy of Pavlovian applause from the audience, it alienates the controversial guests, which makes them less likely to appear in the future. It's preferable to make guests with conflicting views feel welcome, then ask questions that will result in real insight rather than practiced sound bites.

It was fun to see her trip over her specious connection between Bush/Cheney's tactics and the interruption of major terrorist attacks on American soil, but the interview would've felt more substantive if he'd stuck to her book. Clearly he read it; he could've asked more questions about Dick's values and her relationship with him. I loved the question about whether he's as secretive and stubborn at home as his public persona suggests. Why not more like that? It's something Lynne could actually speak to, as opposed to whether or not we were lied into the war. (Which everyone knows we were, and everyone knows she has a responsibility to deny.) Turning her into a punching bag for the visceral thrill of a bloodthirsty audience is just mean, and as much as I personally enjoy the idea of Lynne Cheney's feelings being hurt, it's not productive and it undercuts Jon's argument. It's the kind of thing our side would castigate Sean Hannity for doing.

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Tue, October 9

Alive Again!

With premiere week out of the way, I prepare to march doggedly through the season's remaining fall debuts. But just as I'm headed into that zombie state, I'm born anew in the genius of Pushing Daisies. (Sorry for the late posting, kiddies! This is what happens when I flit away to the coast.) (Read more.)

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Tue, October 2

She Metal

What's the show with the buzz and the powerhouse marketing this year? Is it Bionic Woman? Because I've seen the show, and I'm sure that's not right. (Read more.)

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Mon, October 1

Freaks and Geeks

Slackers, gamers, computer geeks, time travel... with Heroes as the only breakout show of '06, the networks are courting a new crowd. Funny no one thought of that before. (Read more.)

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