BN:  The Brandon Network

White Noise Book 3

3-25-08

Chapter 30 in which I have a crush on Tommy Carcetti

And now begins The Wire Season 3.  Unlike last time, we're not thrown into a completely different group of people.  We open with Bodie and Poot, we quickly get into the whereabouts of the entire Major Case Unit, and check up on Bubbles, Stringer, etc.  I'm happy not to have to wait three more episodes to see my favorites, but it's weird.  I was expecting an entirely new situation.  Of course, there are some new characters.  Mayor Royce gets to push the pump on the Projects demolition gone awry.  And City Councilman Tommy Carcetti is incredible as a politician.  The way he interacts with people is exactly like the best squicky elected officials.  And I find myself oddly attracted to him.  Maybe because of the unattractive company he keeps (now Commissioner Burrell for one).  Speaking of, Burrell has always been great at being insubstantial--everything he does is a way of schmoozing those above and ignoring those below, but he never does anything with results.  (Burrell:  What makes you think they'll promote the wrong man?  Daniels:  We do it all the time.)  And allow me to reiterate the beauty of the performances by Wood Harris and Idris Elba as Avon Barksdale and Stringer Bell respectively.  Everything Stringer does makes me love him more.  Avon too.  And color me surprised to see Callie Thorne in a wildly different performance than Sheila O'Keefe, although during one of Season 2's various graphic sex scenes (way more sex than Season 1, just pointing it out) she sounded a lot more like Sheila.  Speaking of, which man married to their job would you rather have a relationship with, Tommy Gavin or Jimmy McNulty?  Yeah, no-brainer, but I've always thought Dominic West was hot.  Oh, and I was right about Lady MacDaniels.  Bitch is looking for power.  Herc and Carver are still idiots, but at least Herc remains hilarious (I liked Carver in the beginning, but he needs to lighten up).  And I like new guy Bunny Colvin, who is the thorn in new Deputy Ops Rawls' paw that McNulty always was, and of course he gives Rawls and Burrell more opportunities to let politics and bureaucracy get in the way of crime-fighting.  How many times has McNulty said, "What the fuck did I do?"  Well, another great season premiere.  I kind of miss the immersion factor of the Season 2 premiere, but again, it's nice not to be wondering about Bubbles at this point. 

3-18-08

Chapter 29 in which McNulty smiles!

I just wanted to give my immediate reaction to the Season 2 premiere of The Wire since I missed this entire show during its actual run.  Now that we're in the docks, and Philly, and everywhere in the BPD but Narcotics, I am as lost and confused as the characters.  I am overwhelmed by the maritime lingo and the new faces and roles, but in a good way, in a way that has me really excited to keep watching.  It's so sad to see everyone from the task force all off in different areas now, McNulty and Daniels being forcibly reassigned to areas they hate, Kima opting to stay in for her girlfriend's sake, and Prez at least trying to get back to a department where he's useful.  And like I said all the new characters interest me, but I couldn't help wanting to know more about the whereabouts of my favorites, so as the episode wore on, I'd gasp loudly every few minutes, for Bunk, for Daniels, for Kima and Herc, for Stringer Bell.  McNulty's been downright cheerful the whole episode, perhaps because he's not actually facing any significant crime (yet), but it's a welcome change, and he once again sets a season in motion by indirectly making the BPD do the right thing, this time by forcing them to take a murder.  I guess the Polish dock union workers are stealing stuff?  And covering up crime including sex slavery?  I don't know, but they're doing something shady, and soon enough McNulty'll be on them like last time.  And the Church stuff!  I love the bidding war for the prime stained glass window spot between Prez's father-in-law and the Poles.  And finally, toward the end, it's great to have a feel for how Stringer Bell is managing the Barksdale empire, dealing with the guy in New York and visiting Avon.  Now, I know that we only had an hour and had to focus on stuff relevant to this season, but I miss Lester, Omar, and Bubbles, dammit!  And Bodie was my least favorite of the Pit guys...why couldn't Poot get promoted instead?  And I'm excited to see the follow-up on the D'Angelo case.  Anyway, I loved the episode, though I feel a bit overwhelmed, and I'm excited to see where it goes from here. 

3-16-08

Chapter 28 in which there's dope on the table

Moments ago, I concluded the first season of The Wire, and my immediate response is sadness that there are only four more seasons of this.  It's probably not fair to judge the series based on one season, or The Sopranos based on two, or Deadwood based on three of what was supposed to be five, but I definitely love The Wire more than The Sopranos and probably more than Deadwood.  I'd always heard about the greatness of the show's black actors--I didn't realize almost the entire cast were black.  The other thing I knew coming in was that the cast is probably the largest of any major show.  Again, Deadwood prepared me for that, but The Wire has even more people to keep track of, which of course allows for more excellent performances and more awesome characters.  The finale brought a lot of it full circle, which adds to the completion of phase one, but more than that, it emphasizes the pointlessness of the Barksdale case.  Carver jokes to Herc about why they can't win anyway, and he's absolutely right.  Simon and Burns practically admitted as much in their insightful recent Time op-ed.

I want to add BTAs for 2002-2003, mainly so I can add some Firefly/The Wire love, but even that would not be sufficient to cover the great performances.  So here I go:  Obviously Dominic West is great as Jimmy McNulty, and while I immediately loved Kima Greggs and Bunk Moreland as well, I was fascinated by how I came to appreciate everyone on their task force.  Lieutenant Daniels, in particular, seemed one-note and completely unhelpful only to be influenced by McNulty and Greggs and Freamon into fighting for the case no matter who he pissed off.  Speaking of, Lester Freamon rules, and I loved the idea of McNulty, Daniels, and him taking the case federal, as long as Greggs showed up every once in a while, but it's better that they didn't.  Herc and Carver showed admirable traits too, but Prez is the one who grew on me most, surprising given his introduction involves getting drunk and hitting a kid in the eye with a gun.  I also love that these guys seem to be the only good cops in the whole BPD.  Relatedly, Judge Phelan gave an incredibly realistic performance (is that guy a judge in real life?) and proved his intrinsic goodness, as did ASA Rhonda Pearlman.  The only significant other I like is Kima's; the former Mrs. McNulty and the evil Mrs. Daniels can go die somewhere. 

As for the street-level players, Stringer Bell ruled from minute one.  I love how in the finale, he got to repeat that look back at McNulty in the court room.  Not surprisingly, Avon is also great, and Omar Little is even better.  I liked D'Angelo, but I felt he was overshadowed acting-wise by a lot of the others, even Pit players like the phenomenal Wallace.  Bubbles is the Best Supporting Actor of that year, as much as I liked Judge Phelan, Wallace, Bunk, Daniels, Freamon, Prez, Stringer Bell, Omar, and Avon.  Have you seen a picture of the actor?  I have been wary of looking up anything on IMDb about the show, but I googled and wikipediaed to find out who played Bubbles (a clean-cut man with all his teeth!) and who played Stringer Bell (a semi-well-respected Brit!).  And I haven't even mentioned the greatness of Chardene, Levy, or Jay (or others I'm sure I'm forgetting). 

The Wire keeps my brain going--not just to distinguish characters and storylines but to think of how it all applies in the real world--and keeps me entertained--with plots that are complex and interesting enough without losing the requisite emotional heights--better, so far, than The Sopranos, and about the level of Deadwood, though it's easier for me to follow The Wire.  I keep coming back to these shows for a few reasons:  They were all acclaimed HBO dramas about criminals (and America) that are considered the best television dramas (what else would be in the running?  I can't think of anything).  I'm confident that the show will keep it up based on the critical raves, and for now, I'm wary and excited to see Season 2.  I don't want McNulty, Greggs, Daniels, Freamon, and Prez all split up, but I am very curious to see where the show goes from here.  And who really killed Deirdre Cresson?  Speaking of which, that practically silent scene of McNulty and Bunk solving her murder was one of the best.  Anyway, I'm going to take my time with the show, and there's no way I'm deleting the episodes off my computer, but I'm still sad there's not too much more of it, and sadder still that it has no shot at the Emmys. 

3-02-08

Chapter 27 in which bitch is the new black

SNL's back for one episode and they've already coined a catchphrase.  Tina Fey's host stint was a thing of beauty, and now that I've also seen the Ellen Page episode, it's time to weigh in.  The first half hour of the Tina Fey show was the best half hour SNL has had in a long time.  The opening debate sketch, whose entire message was that the debates have been way tougher on Hillary, was a great start.  I'm glad to have watched the debate, if only so that I know that the SNL sketch was completely politically misguided, but any chance to see Amy Poehler's Hillary impression is great.  Fred Armisen's Obama sucked.  No sugar-coating.  Although the next week he did improve.  And the debate sketch got more two-sided, but only slightly.  I was saying last week how they didn't make fun of Hillary in the slightest--they could have at least balanced it with her ability to turn anything into a debate about health care.  But in Week 2, they made that exact point, and had the moderators falling asleep during it, which was excellent. More importantly, Tina Fey can give a monologue (her "I can do it!" from an old-fashioned movie was incredible), and it helps that Steve Martin came to her aid.  The Annuale commercial is already one of my favorite commercials they've done, and the Rock of Love II sketch was incredible!  The rest of the episode was good, but nothing reached those early heights.  Nothing in the Ellen Page episode really stood out either, which is a shame, but Wilco vastly outweighs Carrie Underwood, so I was pleased with that.  Andy Samberg does such a good Diablo Cody that I hope they make it recurring.  And I love the Dakota Fanning Show.  It strikes me as really subversive, but I don't know why.  I think it's because they're having a little girl talk about things like disability and rape, and everyone laughs.  Of course, Andy Samberg's digital shorts have been fantastic, and they always strike me as too weird for a mass audience.  And for whatever reason, Kristen Wiig's commercial for Virgania Horsen's Hot Air Balloon Rides was the funniest thing I'd ever seen.  So after two episodes, I'm very happy to have SNL back (next week is Amy Adams and Vampire Weekend!), and I continue to be impressed by this tight, hilarious cast.  But I hope during the off-season they hire someone to be their Obama. 

2-17-08

Flashback:  Chapter 26 in which "I've got the best job in the world."

Judd Apatow hasn't made a TV series in years, and this is my second entry on him in this section.  I finally caught up with Freaks and Geeks, and I'd been meaning to talk about this uniformly excellent series here.  I remembered finally, in a case of life imitating art, as I found myself reenacting the scene where James Franco listens to a Black Flag album quietly through his headphones.  There were many differences between our scenes:  I was listening to Okkervil River, and as it's morning, trying to be quiet, whereas he was listening solemnly to music that needs to be loud, and while I was having fun, he was rather distraught.  But the scene was so memorable to me because it was so powerful, much like the rest of this wonderful show.  It's a surprising flashback to 1980 that echoes Apatow's later integration of hilarity with emotional authenticity.  All the time capsule stuff (from John Bonham's death or the Bush visit to Ordinary People or Stripes) worked really well, and it was best for me when emphasizing the generational differences--in fact, I'm happiest that we got to meet so many of the parents because it highlights the differences between the so-called greatest generation (most of the parents), the baby-boomers (like Mr. Rosso and Coach Fredericks) and Gen X (the lead characters) very well. 

But the period touches are merely dressing on this (did I mention it was extraordinary) family story.  I'm gonna say right now that it may have cracked my 10 favorite shows ever, so don't be too surprised there.  I was surprised to see that the freaks were more the main characters, because I always thought the geeks were, but of course, Lindsay and company would be possibly leaving the series earlier, so they had to be the focus early on.  And speaking of Lindsay, Linda Cardellini should be more famous, at least as big as her male counterparts on the show.  She's the Joey Potter or Claire Fisher of Freaks and Geeks, the one who becomes the audience's in, and the one who gets to end the series.  As her brother, John Francis Daley was my favorite, because he is adorable, and pretty much everything he did was perfect.  In fact, let's go back to when I knew this was a great show:  homecoming in the pilot.  Once "Come Sail Away" started playing, I was obviously sold, it being something of a reminder of my own high school time given Veronica (and accordingly, the entire debate group, since they were her bitches) often reenacted it for us at competitions.  But then when Sam and that bitch Cindy started dancing, and instead of it ending in defeat, Sam went with it, was glorious.  Lindsay and Sam are incredible, and I love the small moments when they feel like brother and sister, like her messing with him while he was on the phone. 

I don't have enough room to talk about my love for this show (almost every episode of which is sure to end up in the Great Episodes section at some point, but I have 4 prepared), as I don't want to go beyond a third paragraph, so let me hit some highlights:  "The Garage Door," when Mr. and Mrs. Weir get Sam an Atari, and he runs to them crying after Neil's dad did the same thing.  Martin Starr doing anything, but especially the Bionic Woman.  For that matter, Mr. Rosso doing anything ("Guess who's in trouble?"), including his glorious climax at the Bush visit.  When Neil tells his mom about the affair.  When Mr. Weir takes in Nick.  Nick doing disco!  Daniel being dungeon master.  Lindsay driving off with the Dead-heads, and taking Kim with her.  Millie in all things--and while we're at it, I love the fact that the recurring characters populated that high school as extras.  I never like anything about Cindy (apart from the dance with Sam), but loved the chair squeak.  I also loved Sam breaking up with Cindy because she sucks, and then making her cry in her final appearance on the show.  My undying hatred for that bitch outweighs my love for anything else on the show.  Jason Schwartzmann!  Coach Fredericks, so well-rounded, especially dating Bill's mom and talking to Sam about sex.  Mrs. Weir breaking up with Nick.  Ken saving Nick from playing his song for Lindsay!  Harris saying, "Every night's a make-out party with us."  Neil with Lindsay on "Beers and Weirs."  Lindsay's question to the president, and Lindsay owning the mathletes.  Mr. Weir saying how much he loves his wife, and Mr. Weir telling Lindsay why he holds her to a different standard than he does Nick.  Yes, in 18 episodes, Freaks and Geeks outdoes almost every series ever, and I'm probably gonna have to buy the DVD soon.

2-15-08

Chapter 25 in which someone must have given the characters on Lost brains this season

The writers strike is over, but it's still going to be a couple months before shows start re-airing, so expect this section to be dry for a little while longer.  Sidenote:  I just got really sad that FNL won't be on tonight. 

With Lost, there is so much to complain about, and I maintain that so far at least, the show is a B-level show at best.  It has plenty of tricks to make you think it's better than it is, but it needs to take a page from the HBO books.  Gimmicks only work the first time unless they're really really good.  A series should strive to be rewatchable.  With this season, there are still plenty of valid complaints.  Everyone's so comfortable around guns and death.  I can guarantee you that I would not be able to stand after finding out someone I know died (That's actually a problem I have with like every audiovisual program ever--when trauma occurs, you sit or fall down).  There's still that lame, melodramatic dialogue and equivalently adolescent characterization every now and then.  And distinct personalities can be changed by a writer's whim--see Danielle blithely becoming a complete follower this season, or all of the extras with no opinions of their own.  That said, there is sooooo much to like about Lost, and it's time to list the reasons:

Flashforwards.  When they're on, they're soo on.  Sayid's golf teaser was my favorite of the season, and the entire Season 3 finale stuff was intriguing.  The best aspect to the flashforwards is the mystery of figuring out what happens between the "present" on the island and the future in the flashforwards.  Are all the flashforwards happening at about the same time?  Or could the Sayid-Ben thing even be happening in yet a different timeline (which I doubt, but I bet the Lost writers do pull something like that someday)?  Also, assuming they have plans for Seasons 5 and 6 in the "present," the flashforwards allow them to foreshadow by referencing past events that we haven't gotten to.  Basically, after spending 3 years reinforcing that Sawyer's a con artist, Jack's an obsessive doctor, Locke got conned, and Kate's a fugitive (with a toy plane!), I'm thrilled to get future glimpses instead. 

Jeremy Davies.  He's pretty much a badass anyway, but on Lost, he is by far my favorite new character, earning a spot alongside the other great season guests:  Danielle, Desmond, Juliet, and Ben.  It's fairly obvious he knows a lot about the weird magnetic and temporal properties of the island and other ways in which it defies the laws of physics (though the producers did a poor job pulling that thing where people don't believe him because he's so wacky...it's pretty clear he's the one who knows what's going on with respect to the island). 

Diversity.  Michael and Walt, Sun and Jin, Sayid, Mr. Eko, etc. have really fleshed out the show, even though the main characters are arguably the white ones.  Further, Lost created a popular Muslim character just a year after the Iraq War began.  Right now, I'm certainly not in Jack's camp, and as much as I love Locke, he's freaking crazy.  No, I'm in the Sayid camp, ever since he took out an armed man with just his legs.  Although I will say, with so many failed opportunities to get off the island, I don't see why Sayid didn't threaten to kill them all (or actually do so) and take the helicopter himself.  If it's a problem of not being able to fly it (yeah, right), he could have at least gotten the upper hand with the weapons.  I just don't see Sayid, in his action hero awesomeness, agreeing to a bargain to get off rather than taking matters into his own hands. 

For that matter, some great characters.  I will say that my favorite characters are probably only awesome because the writers don't give them enough screen-time to suck (like Jack), but regardless, Desmond Hume is phenomenal, really revitalizing the show for me, and ultimately the story is his and Penny's (right?). Then there's awesome snake in the grass Juliet, even scarier master manipulator Ben (who gets all the great jokes this year), the aforementioned Daniel Faraday, and soon enough, Zoe Bell!  As for the originals, I'm warming back up to Kate, but Hurley, Sun/Jin (if they ever show up with anything to do), and Sayid are my favorite favorites.  Claire I used to like, but is a glorified extra now that there's no baby drama, Locke is fascinating but crazy, and Jack is only awesome (and he can be awesome) in the flashbacks or -forwards where he's crazy.  And let's have a moment for those former characters that rule:  Michael, who sold everyone out to get off, like a real person would, Charlie, my favorite Lost death so far, Naomi who brought a fair amount of intrigue, Libby who still needs fleshing out, and Penny Widmore. 

The devotion to storytelling units.  As much as I wish we had gotten to these flashforwards quicker, I admire the producers' decision to stick with their units.  Season 1 was about the monster, Season 2 was about the hatch, and Season 3 was about The Others (although I still maintain it's ridiculous to think that adults would refer to them as "The Others" with a straight face.  It's completely a television fabrication).  The first three seasons focused (too much) on the past, and now the final three seasons will focus on the future.  Well, maybe.  My guess is that Season 4 ends with the Oceanic 6 getting off the island, Season 5 takes place with them off and the rest of people still there and ends with the Oceanic 6 going back to set it right, and the final season is about fixing the timeline. Or something.  Or wouldn't it be something for the show to end Season 5 with everything set right, and Season 6 takes place with everyone re-integrating...

Actual thought by the characters.  Locke demanding Ben tell him about the monster, Sayid asking who the spy on the boat is, Sawyer realizing there's no point for him to return, Kate trying to steal Miles' gun.  This season, the characters are for once respectable.  Putting Ben, Locke, and Sayid in a room together to discuss what to do next (even if it was under the pretenses of a master and his prisoners) was brilliant. 

Epic scope.  Not only do we get stuff from years and years ago, the present on the island, and the future, but even better, we've been all over the planet on this show.  How fitting for Berlin to be the center of the spy episode, btw.  Just like Vienna and The Third Man.  Anyway, we've been to LA, Sydney, Iowa, Miami, France, South Korea, the infamous Island of Tattooing and Boredom, the Midwest, London, the Arctic, Iraq, North Africa, and many other places I'm forgetting.  And the island is apparently near Indonesia, meaning the pilot was way off-course (probably deliberately because he was paid or whatever...and he was played by Matt Parkman from Heroes, remember?).

And lastly, my favorite:  the quiet moments.  This season more than ever, I'm loving the little asides between Jack and Kate, joking and being real people for a change.  Also, Hurley's cannonball, and all of the reunions, like Rose and Bernard.  Juliet sharing Desmond's glee upon sight of the helicopter was a perfect touch...I really wish we had been privy to their conversation.  In fact, I pretty much wish this show would just follow them around doing whatever they do all day while not manipulating or seeing the future.  Season 4 is really nailing the humanity of the characters finally. 

So, while Lost Season 4 isn't perfect, so far (and it's really early to say this, but so far), this season is shaping up to be my favorite.  I'm so glad my Thursdays are back. 

12-19-07

Chapter 24 in which Andy Millman's mad as hell and he's not going to take this any more

Ain't it funny how Ricky Gervais can pull off Studio 60 better than Aaron Sorkin, and I don't even think he's one bit arrogant?  The Extras Christmas special was a warm conclusion, a laugh-through-the-tears riot, and surprisingly, a chance for Gervais and Stephen Merchant to expound on their criticisms of television from the series.  "The Victorian freakshow never went away.  It's called Big Brother," is one of my favorite quotes from the speech where Andy takes society to task.  Nothing about the superficiality of Hollywood escapes them, and appropriately, they accuse us all.  I love me some Hills, but man do I wish life were like Andy says it would be if we all stopped caring about starlets and rehab.  Moving on, I am such a sucker for Ashley Jensen (I think it's her incredible Scottish accent).  Her final bit from the series (the one where she visits the hospital) cemented my love for her, but here, she actually made me cry.  And it's kind of brave that they didn't really give her a happy ending.  Yes, she has her friend back, but she's still a cleaner with a crappy apartment.  And Andy had such a unique twist on the Hollywood sellout story.  The interview scene specifically was something more akin to David Brent than Andy Millman, and yet it was really just a progression from the Andy we knew and loved.  But that scene totally gets you into that old British Office awkward stage where it's almost disturbing.  You really just have to admire Extras for being so clever and precise in its satire.  And of course, it wouldn't be Extras without celebrity parodies.  Clive Owen's scene was incredibly funny, and that's a great example of how they make you sad, but it's impossible not to laugh at it.  Similarly, Darren Lamb (Merchant), who is always amazing, really nailed everything in this special, and a couple of his scenes ("Pass me the tissues," in particular) had me laughing through the tears.  And then we had George Michael and David Tennant, and thank God someone (even Dr. Who himself) can admit that Dr. Who is a campy show beneath all of us.  Anyway, this was an intelligent, hilarious, and moving finale for a show that remains tragically underseen, and I look forward to seeing what these guys come up with next. 

P.S.  "What does Sadie Frost do?"  "She's friends with people."

12-17-07

Chapter 23 in which darkly dreaming Dexter slew the sophomore slump

I want to first say that Dexter's second season was generally superb and an improvement over what I consider a predictable and less nuanced opening season.  But I just watched the finale, and while there were moments of excitement and the episode as a whole was good (in that way Katie would call someone pretty), I wasn't as surprised as I was hoping.  And it's my own fault.  This season hasn't been a mystery like last time, it's been a character study (or something), so any hope for surprise was just me setting myself up for disappointment.  I wasn't disappointed per se, just not enthused by the obvious ends.  Lundy gets transferred, Doakes and Lila die, Dexter gets off scot-free.  It didn't all go down exactly as I thought, but each of those four characters had foregone conclusions.  The episode would have bumped up a grade if Deb found out Dexter was the Bay Harbor Butcher.  But refusing to let Laguerta or Lundy continue to investigate even though neither was sold on Doakes' guilt was the right thing to do.  Moving on, the season as a whole has been great.  Doakes was a cartoon last year, but this year, especially toward the end, we got to see some new sides of him, and Erik King came through.  Deb was the other standout of the year (besides the obviously great Michael C. Hall), and another example of an actor clearly growing since last year.  I must say, I loved Lundy, I loved that he was smart and so close to catching Dexter at so many points, despite how good Dexter was, and I loved that he was Buffalo Bill on Deadwood.  I'm saddest to see him go.  Lila's death made me cheer.  I loved Lila at first, because you expect her to be this Helena Bonham Carter, screwed up, dark freak, but she really turns out to be a carefree artist who actually helps Dexter.  Then she turns out to be what you expected, and it's just lazy.  And from that point on, I found her annoying and prayed for her death.  So Lila cast a specter over the last half of the season, and it did lower my enthusiasm for the show.  But its definitely in my top 10 this year, I thought it was a great improvement over last year, and I look forward to seeing Dexter, Deb, Laguerta, and Angel next season.  One more thing:  bring back the mystery, and while you're at it, see if Lundy can't stop by now and again. 

11-24-07

Chapter 22 in which Battlestar returns all too briefly

"Razor" finally aired, a brief interlude in the year-long hiatus between seasons of Battlestar Galactica, one of the best series on television these days.  Top five at least.  I enjoyed it for what it was, an hour-and-a-half-long return to the universe that intrigues me, but what it tried to be bored me.  Basically, it's the story of ten months time during the Pegasus' life, from Cain's command just before the Cylon attack up through Lee Adama's command around Episode 2.17.  The Cain-era stuff is seen through the eyes of newcomer Kendra Shaw, a wide-eyed aide who becomes a Cain loyalist.  Michelle Forbes continued her incredible performance as Admiral Cain here, and I loved watching her in situations ranging from hazing a new aide to shooting her XO during a crisis.  The Lee Adama stuff was great just for seeing Apollo and Starbuck on screen for a bit.  And I certainly enjoyed seeing the Gina subplot and the flashbacks to young Bill "Husker" Adama right at the end of the first Cylon war.  But "Razor" was probably overhyped for me, and it failed to achieve that transcendent quality I love about the best episodes of the series.  It was great for what it was, and excellent television, and parts of it were captivating, it just wasn't a necessary story.  We know all that stuff about the Pegasus and its haunted officer chair.  That said, the information on the hybrids was awesome, and that aspect really does lead up to the final season, as we are sure to learn of the further connections between humans and cylons and the "all this has happened before" prophecy.  And even more interesting for me was what the hybrid told Kendra about Starbuck:  Kara Thrace being a harbinger of Armageddon has me absolutely giddy for this season, especially combined with that tantalizing teaser comprised of stuff from the first few episodes.  The use of the term Armageddon is kind of baffling, given it's a reference to the Holy Bible and a word from Aramaic or something ancient and Middle Eastern (I looked into this once but forgot).  Also, it ties our show New Earth way more closely to Battlestar than before, which is a little frustrating.  But the sea of possibility lying in that little paragraph about Kara Thrace has me enthralled.  So while Razor has some great parts, it wasn't quite as mind-blowingly awesome as I'd hoped, and it in no way quenched my thirst for Battlestar Galactica.

11-09-07

Chapter 21 in which Street lifts up everyone around him, me included

I promise I'm not gonna write about FNL every week, but now that we've had two good ones in a row (neither perfect but both steer us closer to greatness), I am just so pleased to have my old FNL back.  This most recent episode starts with some people helping others, and ends with pretty much every character, at one point or another, going out of their way to help someone else, and I'd be lying if I said it wasn't heart-warming.  Lyla reached out to Jason last week, so now he reaches out to her, and Coach reaches out to Jason, and they all lift each other up in the process.  Same goes for Smash and Riggins, who in turn helps out Santiago.  Tami and her sister.  Tyra and Julie.  Landry and his father.  The list goes on, with one notable exception:  Matt.  Matt spends the episode awkwardly continuing to reconcile with Julie and hooking up with new chick (who I already loathe, for no other reason than she's new chick.  But to clarify, I wouldn't have felt this way if it were Magical Latina Maid that Matt were hooking up with).  Back to the story, I wasn't jazzed about the Landry/Dad stuff, but I don't have a heart of ice either, and their performances were great.  My favorite part of the episode started with Landry confessing, then moved on to Tyra offering to get ice cream and watch a tearjerker with Julie, followed by Coach Taylor's amazing scene with Jason quitting.  I am also really feeling the Tami's Sister story, because she felt like a real aunt and at the end, her scene with Tami was beautiful and perceptive.  Aside from all this "the world is a happy place" bull, we got some tough love by both Taylors mixed with some Tami-Dixie Chicks love, which I thought was kind of adorable.  And finally, I just felt like we were back to some things I didn't even realized I missed.  Tyra and Julie hanging out!  Smash and Riggins...and MRS. SMASH!  Billy acting at least sort of like an adult!  Lyla and Jason and Riggins have the ease of really old friends, and it feels good.  To be honest, Jason finding himself better be a good story, because as it is, it would redeem his stupid stem cell sojourn (alliteration!) if it were out of him subconsciously trying to get out of his rut.  We're climbing out of our own rut, FNL, slowly but surely, and the thought occurred to me that maybe all the negative energy the characters had early on was a way to build up to things getting set right upon Coach Taylor's return, you know?  We'll see, but as of now, I'm gonna be pissed if the Writers Strike leads to FNL getting cancelled. 

P.S.  I believe Santiago's workout song was from the new Hives CD!