We may have a break..
The first good thing to happen to this project on the tech side may have just..happened. If all goes well, we may just have a host, and we can finally get you the podcast, in all its RSS glory, either tomorrow or the day after. If this goes through as planned, SC will be available on itunes, and I'll even be able to jazz up this dull blog. Check back tomorrow night.
Aristocrats, Fundamentalist Mormons, Dead Babies, and Other Forms of Decency on TV
Q: How many feminists does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
A: One--and that's NOT funny!
There's an independent film coming out in the next couple of weeks. You might have heard of it. "The Aristocrats," from Penn Jillette (of Penn & Teller) and Paul Provenza, features at least a hundred comedians telling some variation on what's known as "the world's dirtiest joke." This joke frequently describes acts of pedophilia, bestiality, and other such acts to be related elsewhere. "The Aristocrats" has been acclaimed as both the filthiest and funniest film in years; it is also the only film to be threatened with an NC-17 on the basis of its language alone (although I thought this almost happened to "Clerks" as well).
I'm a very liberal guy, and I am really looking forward to "The Aristocrats." I laugh at Michael Jackson jokes and dead baby ones, too. But I can't help but think HBO's upcoming series "Big Love" will cross that line between being funny and being...wrong.
"Big Love," premiering in 2006, stars Bill Paxton, Chloe Sevigny, and Harry Dean Stanton (among others) as a family of polygamist, fundamentalist Mormons. And anyone who knows just a little bit about fundamentalist Mormonism knows that girls as young thirteen and fourteen frequently are married off and impregnated by men twice their age. (Read Jon Krakaur's "Under The Banner of Heaven" for an indepth look at this.) See, it's hard to imagine anyone wringing humor from that situation.
The problem, I think, comes from the approach. "Big Love," which boasts some staff from "Six Feet Under," describes itself as a 'dramady.' "Six Feet" is able to be both hilarious and moving about another taboo subject in our culture. I just can't see how this series is going to do it with the ritualized, community-encouraged child rape that goes on in most hard-line fundamentalist Mormon communities. If it were a grossly exagerated satire of this culture and perhaps religion in general, then it might work.
But right now, this looks like HBO wants to have its cake and eat it too. I'm not saying that it will suck, I'm not trying to armchair quarterback all that much, and if it turns out to be awesome, I'll be right back on here eating my words.
I'm just wondering how they're going to make it funny without making you feel like you want to take a shower afterwards. Speaking of which:
Q: What's blue and knocks on glass?
A: Baby in a fishtank.
(All hate mail, dead baby jokes, or attempts to enlighten me to the truth about fundamentalist Mormons can be sent to me through e-mail.)
A: One--and that's NOT funny!
There's an independent film coming out in the next couple of weeks. You might have heard of it. "The Aristocrats," from Penn Jillette (of Penn & Teller) and Paul Provenza, features at least a hundred comedians telling some variation on what's known as "the world's dirtiest joke." This joke frequently describes acts of pedophilia, bestiality, and other such acts to be related elsewhere. "The Aristocrats" has been acclaimed as both the filthiest and funniest film in years; it is also the only film to be threatened with an NC-17 on the basis of its language alone (although I thought this almost happened to "Clerks" as well).
I'm a very liberal guy, and I am really looking forward to "The Aristocrats." I laugh at Michael Jackson jokes and dead baby ones, too. But I can't help but think HBO's upcoming series "Big Love" will cross that line between being funny and being...wrong.
"Big Love," premiering in 2006, stars Bill Paxton, Chloe Sevigny, and Harry Dean Stanton (among others) as a family of polygamist, fundamentalist Mormons. And anyone who knows just a little bit about fundamentalist Mormonism knows that girls as young thirteen and fourteen frequently are married off and impregnated by men twice their age. (Read Jon Krakaur's "Under The Banner of Heaven" for an indepth look at this.) See, it's hard to imagine anyone wringing humor from that situation.
The problem, I think, comes from the approach. "Big Love," which boasts some staff from "Six Feet Under," describes itself as a 'dramady.' "Six Feet" is able to be both hilarious and moving about another taboo subject in our culture. I just can't see how this series is going to do it with the ritualized, community-encouraged child rape that goes on in most hard-line fundamentalist Mormon communities. If it were a grossly exagerated satire of this culture and perhaps religion in general, then it might work.
But right now, this looks like HBO wants to have its cake and eat it too. I'm not saying that it will suck, I'm not trying to armchair quarterback all that much, and if it turns out to be awesome, I'll be right back on here eating my words.
I'm just wondering how they're going to make it funny without making you feel like you want to take a shower afterwards. Speaking of which:
Q: What's blue and knocks on glass?
A: Baby in a fishtank.
(All hate mail, dead baby jokes, or attempts to enlighten me to the truth about fundamentalist Mormons can be sent to me through e-mail.)
Somehow this is fitting
Somehow this is fitting with the path we have taken to finally do the damn episode..the webspace that I was planning to use has an extremely limited bandwidth and does not support xml. So the file will be down until further notice. You can get a hold of Faze or myself if you would like it, but it will be until I can find a suitable host before you get your sweet RSS feed goodness.
Episode 1 Available now + Show Notes
--UPDATE: The File is currently being converted into an RSS Feed and will be down for a short wile. If this message is still here..It's not up folks.
Click here for your 16mb of goodness. There are no RSS enclosures just yet, I wanted to get you the show ASAP. Let us know what you think. Here are shownotes:
Length: 43 minutes, 17mb mp3 file
Websites referenced:
http://www.chud.com
Music Used:
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Throw Away Your Television
CKY - Familiar Realm
Talking Points:
1. Tim Minear's Inside Cancelled
2. 2005 Emmy Noms
3. TV Downloads
What to Watch, week of July 24:
Justin - Rescue Me (FX Tuesday 10), Over There (FX Wednesday 10)
Faze - Hogan Knows Best (VH1 Sunday Celebreality), Over There, 4400 (USA Sunday 10)
Bruce Campbell references: 1
Next week we will be discussing the past season and the upcoming fall season, as well as any relevant news items. Listen and get everyone you know to do the same.
Click here for your 16mb of goodness. There are no RSS enclosures just yet, I wanted to get you the show ASAP. Let us know what you think. Here are shownotes:
Length: 43 minutes, 17mb mp3 file
Websites referenced:
http://www.chud.com
Music Used:
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Throw Away Your Television
CKY - Familiar Realm
Talking Points:
1. Tim Minear's Inside Cancelled
2. 2005 Emmy Noms
3. TV Downloads
What to Watch, week of July 24:
Justin - Rescue Me (FX Tuesday 10), Over There (FX Wednesday 10)
Faze - Hogan Knows Best (VH1 Sunday Celebreality), Over There, 4400 (USA Sunday 10)
Bruce Campbell references: 1
Next week we will be discussing the past season and the upcoming fall season, as well as any relevant news items. Listen and get everyone you know to do the same.
Production Update: Episode 1 COMPLETE!
Yes you can read, and yes hell has indeed frozen, the first episode of Stealing Cable was completed tonight and is currently in post-production, which I can tell you will be minimal. Things went extremely well and I will have this up for download very shortly. I hope you have as much fun listening as Faze and I did recording it. 45 minutes of bad inside jokes will be all yours in a few short hours, along with show notes on the blog end.
There are a few things that will make producers/audiophiles cringe, but I feel for the first time through this process doing a full show, it is really great stuff. Homeboys in Space was worked in to the conversation? How was Bruce Campbell refrenced? What Minear show was cancelled this week? You'll just have to listen. Check back soon for your download link!
There are a few things that will make producers/audiophiles cringe, but I feel for the first time through this process doing a full show, it is really great stuff. Homeboys in Space was worked in to the conversation? How was Bruce Campbell refrenced? What Minear show was cancelled this week? You'll just have to listen. Check back soon for your download link!
Production Update: Ep 1 v 4
Well, Monday's over everywhere but the wild west, and no show yet. WTF Gives? A technical glitch has pushed us back a few days, but to try to sooth that wound, I will attempt to produce the episode that we will be recording either tomorrow night or the night after in real time so that it can be almost immediately posted. Yeah, this means we will have to go guest free but I think in the name of getting this thing out, it is a necessary sacrifice. In order to do guest spots, we have some technical hurdles to jump, and I just need more time to figure it out. In the mean time however, by the end of the week you'll have your show.
Production Update: Episode 1 V3
The plan is to put the show out on Monday. Hope you enjoy!
In honor of Bud's "Best Episode Ever" post, I thought I would chime in with my own, less well written tribute to what I consider to be such: "Whoever Did This" on the show "The Sopranos." For those unfamiliar with The Sopranos, stop reading and do not ever come back to this site or listen to the show. For those unfamiliar with episode titles, this is the one where Tony kills Ralphie.
Smack in the middle of an otherwise meandering and somewhat lackluster season of one of the greatest shows of all time, "Whoever Did This" jams together significant plot movement, incredible direction, and the cap to one of the show's longest arcs. Ol' Ralphie had had it coming for quite a while. Even those who didn't follow the Ralphie story couldn't help but feel nervous as Tony and Christopher proceed to hack and bury the corpse. The rest of the episode after the murder kept me on the edge of my seat, like things were going to tip off the edge at any second.
A close runner up: The series finale of Twin Peaks, actually titled "episode 29 part 2." I will try to do this the best I can without spoilers because I know quite a few people haven't seen the show, and the final season isn't even available on DVD yet. David Lynch got me into movies. Twin Peaks got me in to serial TV. This last episode still stands as the best and most ballsy series finale that I have seen in my time. So ballsy in fact that I'm sure on original airing that America collectively scratched it's head and wondered what the hell? I love stuff like that. At any rate, you may be able to find the VHS at your local video store, and the first season SANS PILOT is available here. If you have any kind of class, you'd import the complete series from one of the much better European releases.
Cutting back for a moment, I hope you all enjoy the first episode of our podcast, it should (barring disaster) be live Monday.
In honor of Bud's "Best Episode Ever" post, I thought I would chime in with my own, less well written tribute to what I consider to be such: "Whoever Did This" on the show "The Sopranos." For those unfamiliar with The Sopranos, stop reading and do not ever come back to this site or listen to the show. For those unfamiliar with episode titles, this is the one where Tony kills Ralphie.
Smack in the middle of an otherwise meandering and somewhat lackluster season of one of the greatest shows of all time, "Whoever Did This" jams together significant plot movement, incredible direction, and the cap to one of the show's longest arcs. Ol' Ralphie had had it coming for quite a while. Even those who didn't follow the Ralphie story couldn't help but feel nervous as Tony and Christopher proceed to hack and bury the corpse. The rest of the episode after the murder kept me on the edge of my seat, like things were going to tip off the edge at any second.
A close runner up: The series finale of Twin Peaks, actually titled "episode 29 part 2." I will try to do this the best I can without spoilers because I know quite a few people haven't seen the show, and the final season isn't even available on DVD yet. David Lynch got me into movies. Twin Peaks got me in to serial TV. This last episode still stands as the best and most ballsy series finale that I have seen in my time. So ballsy in fact that I'm sure on original airing that America collectively scratched it's head and wondered what the hell? I love stuff like that. At any rate, you may be able to find the VHS at your local video store, and the first season SANS PILOT is available here. If you have any kind of class, you'd import the complete series from one of the much better European releases.
Cutting back for a moment, I hope you all enjoy the first episode of our podcast, it should (barring disaster) be live Monday.
The Box: On The Greatest Episode of All Time
Watch TV long enough and you start to think about The Question. Talk about it enough, others ask it for you. Pretty soon, it stalks the viewer like Delta Force in the Columbian jungle.
"What's your favorite TV show?"
That question is, of course, in reality two, for the devoted fan knows there are favorites and there are the best. One may grow up watching "Salute Your Shorts" and become addicted to "The Apprentice," but they wouldn't call those the best programs on TV. They don't hold up alongside, say, "Scrubs" or "Deadwood." Not to mention the best shows of all time--that's a seperate subject with its own set of complicated criteria.
Still, I get The Question quite a bit and I'm asking it just as much. I'm, also, asking myself a variety of other questions relating to tv; best actor, best single season, greatest moment, and so forth. I am, at heart, a list maker and obsessive organizer.
Of these varied and complex television inquries, the most complicated is, perhaps, the question of the best hour of dramatic television, or, in a less flowery fashion, the best episode.
It's a complex question because I can separate the best from the favorites, and while many of my favorites I also consider the best, my top choice (like "The Godfather Part II") is one I respect and admire much mroe than one I enjoy watching.
That episode is 'Three Men and Adena' from the first season of "Homicide: Life on the Street."
When talking about the Best. Episode. Ever, I often tie 'Adena' with 'Two Cathedrals', the second season finale of "The West Wing." 'Cathedrals' (or, as I call it, 'The One Where Bartlet Has Had It Up To Here With The Almighty') is probally my favorite episode ('Dead Irish Writers' from season three is a close second) from my favorite show ever. It's certainly the hour of tv I've watched the most. Even after I'd seen it three, four, and six times, I'd still leave meetings early just so I could be home in time for that episode. It sums up what's wonderful about "West Wing," rewards repeat viewing, and continues to kick my ass seven ways till Sunday.
(For those of you who've seen it, think about this the next time you do: The whole episode is about the aformentioned Almighty telling the aformentioned Bartlet, 'No, it's not good enough.')
But as wonderful as 'Two Cathedrals' is, it's also not 'Three Men and Adena.'
'Adena,' for the uninitated, is the climax to the first part of "Homicide"'s Adena Watson saga. His first night on the Baltimore squad, rookie Tim Bayliss (Kyle Secor) finds himself the primary detective on the high-profile "red ball" murder case of a young girl, Adena Watson. Enduring public humiliation from the media and private skepticsm from his partner, Frank Pembleton (Andre Braugher, creating a legend), Bayliss neverless pursues the case with fervor. He narrows the suspects down to Risley Tucker, an arborer (which is like a street vendor...I think), and brings the man in for questioning.
And that is where 'Adena' begins, with Bayliss watching Tucker head towards "The Box," the squad's notorious interrogation room, while his colleagues pump him up for a long night. They know Tucker is guilty but the little evidence they've been able to collect isn't enough to prove what they (and we) already know. Bayliss and Pembleton, therefore, have twelve hours to extract a confession from the man or he'll walk free--period.
When Bayliss, with his crates and photographs, and Frank, knowing he's the smartest person in the room, enter The Box, everything starts to change. Over the course of that hour, ninety percent of it takes place in the tiny, dingy interrogation room. The handheld cameras of "Homicide"'s signature style push in on the participants. Sometimes, it feels so cramped you can smell Tucker's sweat.
The mood of the room goes from unleashed, frantic rage to heated sexuality to, finally, desperation. By the time another detective tells them their twelve hours are nearly over, even the great Frank Pembelton is worn raw.
He knows Tucker is guilty. Bayliss does, too. Then something rather unexpected happens in TV land. They it the twelve hour mark, and the arborer walks free. The Adena Watson murder remained unsolved for the rest of "Homicide"'s run.
That dose of reality, however, isn't what makes 'Adena' the greatest episode of all time. It's what happens after. Not only did writer Tom Fontana (who won an Emmy for this episode) have the guts to pull off this grueling, emotionally rendering encounter in The Box, but he had the balls to follow what happened there to its natural conclusion. Looking at 'Adena, within the context of "Homicide" and its seven seasons, one can truly see that episode as 'The One Where Everything Changed.' And that's a very rare thing in TV land.
(Note: I will now discuss, en detalie, spoilers for "Homicide"'s seventh season and the TV-movie finale.)
Both Frank and Tim never quite recovered from their interrogation of Risely Tucker. The latter's commitment to the Adena Watson case broke him that night, and we watched for six more seasons (all played with quiet heartbreak by Secor) as Bayliss struggled to calm the demons unleashed by that time in The Box. Finally, in the seventh-season finale, Tim took the law into his own hands when an internet serial killer walked free. He got his vengance, at last, for Adena and all the other victims.
Fontana knew, though, that vengance (like fear) eats the soul, and in the TV movie serving as the show's finale, Bayliss confessed to Pembleton, who by that time had left the force. After the events in 'Adena,' the lone wolf Pembelton found himself partnering with Bayliss and trying to develop other relationships at work. We saw that, in many ways, Bayliss was the first person Frank respected as a peer. He might have even been his first friend on the job.
We never saw what happened to Bayliss after his rooftop confession. Some interpretations have Frank, so bound by his duty to God and the law, turning in his friend. Others say Bayliss took his own life after Frank refused to turn him in. I think the second is the right one (despite the totally awesome "SVU" that Fontana and Dick Wolf could do), and the appropriate follow-through from the events in 'Adena.'
It all changed there. Watching it now, even knowing what's in store, you wait for it to go a different way. You wait for Tucker to confess--and Fontana puts you there alongside the two men, begging him to confess. When he never does, it makes the knowledge of what's to come all the more painful to see. The conclusion to 'Adena,' where the emotionally distant Frank tries to provide some support to a shattered Bayliss, Bayliss pulls away just as Frank is reaching out.
'Adena' is also a masterwork of television not just because of its future, but because of the past it draws upon. In the early days of broadcasting, shows like "Playhouse 90" offered interpretations of Broadway dramas to a mass audience. Television is often described as "radio with pictures." 'Adena', then, is an episode that, with a few modifications, could appear in both those forms. Fontana is aware of that, but he is also aware that for many years, the conclusion to 'Adena' would have been a different one. While shows like "Hill Street Blues" and "St. Elsewhere" pushed the boundaries of drama through the eighties, they, too, often made dramatic sacrifices to the network. Fontana, a writer/producer on "St. Elsewhere," knows that, too.
'Adena' is the one where everything changed: for the show, for the viewer, and yeah, for TV. While there are many hours I could watch forever, I don't think I'll find a more honest one than 'Three Men and Adena.' That's why it deserves to be called "The Greatest Episode of All Time," and that's why I'll always do so.
"What's your favorite TV show?"
That question is, of course, in reality two, for the devoted fan knows there are favorites and there are the best. One may grow up watching "Salute Your Shorts" and become addicted to "The Apprentice," but they wouldn't call those the best programs on TV. They don't hold up alongside, say, "Scrubs" or "Deadwood." Not to mention the best shows of all time--that's a seperate subject with its own set of complicated criteria.
Still, I get The Question quite a bit and I'm asking it just as much. I'm, also, asking myself a variety of other questions relating to tv; best actor, best single season, greatest moment, and so forth. I am, at heart, a list maker and obsessive organizer.
Of these varied and complex television inquries, the most complicated is, perhaps, the question of the best hour of dramatic television, or, in a less flowery fashion, the best episode.
It's a complex question because I can separate the best from the favorites, and while many of my favorites I also consider the best, my top choice (like "The Godfather Part II") is one I respect and admire much mroe than one I enjoy watching.
That episode is 'Three Men and Adena' from the first season of "Homicide: Life on the Street."
When talking about the Best. Episode. Ever, I often tie 'Adena' with 'Two Cathedrals', the second season finale of "The West Wing." 'Cathedrals' (or, as I call it, 'The One Where Bartlet Has Had It Up To Here With The Almighty') is probally my favorite episode ('Dead Irish Writers' from season three is a close second) from my favorite show ever. It's certainly the hour of tv I've watched the most. Even after I'd seen it three, four, and six times, I'd still leave meetings early just so I could be home in time for that episode. It sums up what's wonderful about "West Wing," rewards repeat viewing, and continues to kick my ass seven ways till Sunday.
(For those of you who've seen it, think about this the next time you do: The whole episode is about the aformentioned Almighty telling the aformentioned Bartlet, 'No, it's not good enough.')
But as wonderful as 'Two Cathedrals' is, it's also not 'Three Men and Adena.'
'Adena,' for the uninitated, is the climax to the first part of "Homicide"'s Adena Watson saga. His first night on the Baltimore squad, rookie Tim Bayliss (Kyle Secor) finds himself the primary detective on the high-profile "red ball" murder case of a young girl, Adena Watson. Enduring public humiliation from the media and private skepticsm from his partner, Frank Pembleton (Andre Braugher, creating a legend), Bayliss neverless pursues the case with fervor. He narrows the suspects down to Risley Tucker, an arborer (which is like a street vendor...I think), and brings the man in for questioning.
And that is where 'Adena' begins, with Bayliss watching Tucker head towards "The Box," the squad's notorious interrogation room, while his colleagues pump him up for a long night. They know Tucker is guilty but the little evidence they've been able to collect isn't enough to prove what they (and we) already know. Bayliss and Pembleton, therefore, have twelve hours to extract a confession from the man or he'll walk free--period.
When Bayliss, with his crates and photographs, and Frank, knowing he's the smartest person in the room, enter The Box, everything starts to change. Over the course of that hour, ninety percent of it takes place in the tiny, dingy interrogation room. The handheld cameras of "Homicide"'s signature style push in on the participants. Sometimes, it feels so cramped you can smell Tucker's sweat.
The mood of the room goes from unleashed, frantic rage to heated sexuality to, finally, desperation. By the time another detective tells them their twelve hours are nearly over, even the great Frank Pembelton is worn raw.
He knows Tucker is guilty. Bayliss does, too. Then something rather unexpected happens in TV land. They it the twelve hour mark, and the arborer walks free. The Adena Watson murder remained unsolved for the rest of "Homicide"'s run.
That dose of reality, however, isn't what makes 'Adena' the greatest episode of all time. It's what happens after. Not only did writer Tom Fontana (who won an Emmy for this episode) have the guts to pull off this grueling, emotionally rendering encounter in The Box, but he had the balls to follow what happened there to its natural conclusion. Looking at 'Adena, within the context of "Homicide" and its seven seasons, one can truly see that episode as 'The One Where Everything Changed.' And that's a very rare thing in TV land.
(Note: I will now discuss, en detalie, spoilers for "Homicide"'s seventh season and the TV-movie finale.)
Both Frank and Tim never quite recovered from their interrogation of Risely Tucker. The latter's commitment to the Adena Watson case broke him that night, and we watched for six more seasons (all played with quiet heartbreak by Secor) as Bayliss struggled to calm the demons unleashed by that time in The Box. Finally, in the seventh-season finale, Tim took the law into his own hands when an internet serial killer walked free. He got his vengance, at last, for Adena and all the other victims.
Fontana knew, though, that vengance (like fear) eats the soul, and in the TV movie serving as the show's finale, Bayliss confessed to Pembleton, who by that time had left the force. After the events in 'Adena,' the lone wolf Pembelton found himself partnering with Bayliss and trying to develop other relationships at work. We saw that, in many ways, Bayliss was the first person Frank respected as a peer. He might have even been his first friend on the job.
We never saw what happened to Bayliss after his rooftop confession. Some interpretations have Frank, so bound by his duty to God and the law, turning in his friend. Others say Bayliss took his own life after Frank refused to turn him in. I think the second is the right one (despite the totally awesome "SVU" that Fontana and Dick Wolf could do), and the appropriate follow-through from the events in 'Adena.'
It all changed there. Watching it now, even knowing what's in store, you wait for it to go a different way. You wait for Tucker to confess--and Fontana puts you there alongside the two men, begging him to confess. When he never does, it makes the knowledge of what's to come all the more painful to see. The conclusion to 'Adena,' where the emotionally distant Frank tries to provide some support to a shattered Bayliss, Bayliss pulls away just as Frank is reaching out.
'Adena' is also a masterwork of television not just because of its future, but because of the past it draws upon. In the early days of broadcasting, shows like "Playhouse 90" offered interpretations of Broadway dramas to a mass audience. Television is often described as "radio with pictures." 'Adena', then, is an episode that, with a few modifications, could appear in both those forms. Fontana is aware of that, but he is also aware that for many years, the conclusion to 'Adena' would have been a different one. While shows like "Hill Street Blues" and "St. Elsewhere" pushed the boundaries of drama through the eighties, they, too, often made dramatic sacrifices to the network. Fontana, a writer/producer on "St. Elsewhere," knows that, too.
'Adena' is the one where everything changed: for the show, for the viewer, and yeah, for TV. While there are many hours I could watch forever, I don't think I'll find a more honest one than 'Three Men and Adena.' That's why it deserves to be called "The Greatest Episode of All Time," and that's why I'll always do so.
Little Kevin Arnold's All Grown Up: Televisual 180s
Most fans of "Lost" will tell you the moment they fell in love with the series: The conclusion to "Walkabout," the third episode and first glimpse into the life of John Locke (Terry O'Quinn). While I've since become disenchanted with that series, viewing "Walkabout" remains one of my greatest experiences in watching television. O'Quinn, a second-tier but reliable character actor, turned the charming menace he was best known for ("The Stepfather") into a pathetic pathos that damn near broke my heart. With his performance, he set a bar so high for "Lost" that it never reached again and created a character that he'll forever be identified with.
Now, let's see if he can do that again.
That kind of surprise from an actor is one of the greatest things about watching television. So many times, we can come to know an actor who, years later, gives us another, completely different performance. Fred Savage, the tititular Kevin Arnold of the nostalgic "Wonder Years," built a new career for himself playing rapists on shows like "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit." Both the current presidential candidates on "The West Wing" are TV icons--Jimmy Smits of "LA Law" and "NYPD Blue" and Alan Alda of "M*A*S*H*." Of the two, Alda is best at making us forget about his past roles, but you can't help Smits for trying.
For me, it happened with O'Quinn, one of my main reasons for watching "Lost" in the first place, and with Adam Baldwin (an actor, like O'Quinn, best known for playing military guys), turned in two very different yet stellar performances on "Firefly" and "Angel." More recently, I've been surprised by Peter Krause, who I loved so much on "Sports Night" I decided to watch "Six Feet Under" after years of holding out (and am astonished by him there, too), and Treat Williams (fan favorite "Deep Rising") of "Everwood" as a brokenhearted country doctor/widower of two in Colorado.
Right now, there are two performances fresh in my mind that sum up why we keep watching. The first is Eric Palladino, who played Dr. Dave 'NAZI DYKE!' Malluci on "ER" and is one of the stars of "Over There." As I've said before, I found "Over There" so intense, I only got through ten minutes of it, but Palladino's performance in that ten minutes left me stunned. He plays the Iraqi War version of Gunnery Sgt. Hartman from "Full Metal Jacket" crossed with Dr. Cox on "Scrubs." So yeah, a lot of yelling. If you can handle "Over There" (and hopefully, I'll be able to talk with you more about it this week), Palladino makes it appointment viewing.
The second performance comes from an actor who got me thinking about this whole phenomenon in the first place: Michael J. Anderson, of "Twin Peaks" and "Carnivale." Like "Six Feet," "Carnivale" was a series that I resisted watching for a long time, and I even found the first three or so episodes to be bafflingly cryptic and uninteresting. I'm glad I kept going--now, the acting in this show is enough for me to whip through it as fast as I can. I like many of the supporting players (particularly Tim DeLay and Amy Madigan), but if any actor ever deserved Emmy nominations for this show, it's Anderson.
There's a scene in the episode "Pick A Number" where the three-foot-tall man goes from disarming affabilty to cold vengance to frightened heartbreak within the course of a few minutes. And Anderson makes you believe it all.
Watching that scene, I thought about the first time I heard John Locke say "Don't tell me what I can't do" and a million other moments in a history spent in front of the TV. But those are why we're willing to sit through all the reality shows and the formulaic sitcoms.
Moments like those are why we watch, waiting for the next great turn from the place we least expect it.
Now, let's see if he can do that again.
That kind of surprise from an actor is one of the greatest things about watching television. So many times, we can come to know an actor who, years later, gives us another, completely different performance. Fred Savage, the tititular Kevin Arnold of the nostalgic "Wonder Years," built a new career for himself playing rapists on shows like "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit." Both the current presidential candidates on "The West Wing" are TV icons--Jimmy Smits of "LA Law" and "NYPD Blue" and Alan Alda of "M*A*S*H*." Of the two, Alda is best at making us forget about his past roles, but you can't help Smits for trying.
For me, it happened with O'Quinn, one of my main reasons for watching "Lost" in the first place, and with Adam Baldwin (an actor, like O'Quinn, best known for playing military guys), turned in two very different yet stellar performances on "Firefly" and "Angel." More recently, I've been surprised by Peter Krause, who I loved so much on "Sports Night" I decided to watch "Six Feet Under" after years of holding out (and am astonished by him there, too), and Treat Williams (fan favorite "Deep Rising") of "Everwood" as a brokenhearted country doctor/widower of two in Colorado.
Right now, there are two performances fresh in my mind that sum up why we keep watching. The first is Eric Palladino, who played Dr. Dave 'NAZI DYKE!' Malluci on "ER" and is one of the stars of "Over There." As I've said before, I found "Over There" so intense, I only got through ten minutes of it, but Palladino's performance in that ten minutes left me stunned. He plays the Iraqi War version of Gunnery Sgt. Hartman from "Full Metal Jacket" crossed with Dr. Cox on "Scrubs." So yeah, a lot of yelling. If you can handle "Over There" (and hopefully, I'll be able to talk with you more about it this week), Palladino makes it appointment viewing.
The second performance comes from an actor who got me thinking about this whole phenomenon in the first place: Michael J. Anderson, of "Twin Peaks" and "Carnivale." Like "Six Feet," "Carnivale" was a series that I resisted watching for a long time, and I even found the first three or so episodes to be bafflingly cryptic and uninteresting. I'm glad I kept going--now, the acting in this show is enough for me to whip through it as fast as I can. I like many of the supporting players (particularly Tim DeLay and Amy Madigan), but if any actor ever deserved Emmy nominations for this show, it's Anderson.
There's a scene in the episode "Pick A Number" where the three-foot-tall man goes from disarming affabilty to cold vengance to frightened heartbreak within the course of a few minutes. And Anderson makes you believe it all.
Watching that scene, I thought about the first time I heard John Locke say "Don't tell me what I can't do" and a million other moments in a history spent in front of the TV. But those are why we're willing to sit through all the reality shows and the formulaic sitcoms.
Moments like those are why we watch, waiting for the next great turn from the place we least expect it.
HBO At The Crossroads: The Future of "Not TV"
By this time next year, the last of HBO's flagship shows, "The Sopranos" will be gone. Along with "Sex and the City" and "Six Feet Under," the David Chase drama formed a triumverate of innovative television that paved the way for, among others, "The Shield," "Deadwood," and "Rescue Me." Two of those shows are on FX, described by my colleagues at Stealing Cable as "the new HBO."
"Sex and the City" ended last summer. "Six Feet Under" (which I'm just now discovering on DVD and absolutely loving) wraps up soon. And while HBO continues to put on fresh programming like "Entourage," their new drama "Rome," has yet to generate the buzz of shows like "Deadwood" and "Carnivale" (which, in a suprising move, was cancelled by HBO after only two seasons).
I've seen a little bit of "Rome," and despite its pedigree (director/gun nut John Millus is one of the creators, and it boasts writers from "Six Feet", among others), it's not very good--in fact, it just reminded me of a more expensive version of ABC's "Empire." "Deadwood" continues to amaze, and "Entourage" (which I haven't seen) is generating the reviews and press that "Sex" got early in its career.
However, with the end of "Sopranos," HBO still finds in a precarious position. There are more cable channels willing to take risks than there were when "Sopranos" started--FX is one, TNT with "The Closer" and the upcoming "Wanted" (both quite good) is another--and HBO finally must begin competing with those networks for ratings and press. The cancellation of "Carnivale," which ended after two out of a planned six seasons, was a bold, controversial move for a network which built its reputation on allowing shows to build an audience. One can only hope that this doesn't become a pattern.
My advice is for HBO to continue what they've always done: find original, dependable creators like David Milch and Alan Ball and support them in whatever they choose to do. In addition, I'd like to see them to continue reinventing genres like the western or the family drama. There's a huge audience out there that's craving smart, challenging sci-fi, and "Battlestar Galactica" ain't cutting it. Someone like Aaron Sorkin (or, gasp, Joss Whedon, if he can be persuaded to play nice with his old nemesis Time-Warner) could do wonders with that form--"The West Wing" in space, for example. I'd also like to see someone tackle the police procedural differently--the comic "Gotham Central," about cops working the beat in Batman's turf, could be amazing with the right cast and show-runner.
I'd also like to see HBO revisit its tradition of the anthology series. It's been a long while since "Tales from the Crypt" went off the air, and I think it's high time we saw something like that again. Don't bring back the horror anthology though (although we could use something equally scary, too).
"James Ellroy's Hollywood Nocturnes," anyone?
"Sex and the City" ended last summer. "Six Feet Under" (which I'm just now discovering on DVD and absolutely loving) wraps up soon. And while HBO continues to put on fresh programming like "Entourage," their new drama "Rome," has yet to generate the buzz of shows like "Deadwood" and "Carnivale" (which, in a suprising move, was cancelled by HBO after only two seasons).
I've seen a little bit of "Rome," and despite its pedigree (director/gun nut John Millus is one of the creators, and it boasts writers from "Six Feet", among others), it's not very good--in fact, it just reminded me of a more expensive version of ABC's "Empire." "Deadwood" continues to amaze, and "Entourage" (which I haven't seen) is generating the reviews and press that "Sex" got early in its career.
However, with the end of "Sopranos," HBO still finds in a precarious position. There are more cable channels willing to take risks than there were when "Sopranos" started--FX is one, TNT with "The Closer" and the upcoming "Wanted" (both quite good) is another--and HBO finally must begin competing with those networks for ratings and press. The cancellation of "Carnivale," which ended after two out of a planned six seasons, was a bold, controversial move for a network which built its reputation on allowing shows to build an audience. One can only hope that this doesn't become a pattern.
My advice is for HBO to continue what they've always done: find original, dependable creators like David Milch and Alan Ball and support them in whatever they choose to do. In addition, I'd like to see them to continue reinventing genres like the western or the family drama. There's a huge audience out there that's craving smart, challenging sci-fi, and "Battlestar Galactica" ain't cutting it. Someone like Aaron Sorkin (or, gasp, Joss Whedon, if he can be persuaded to play nice with his old nemesis Time-Warner) could do wonders with that form--"The West Wing" in space, for example. I'd also like to see someone tackle the police procedural differently--the comic "Gotham Central," about cops working the beat in Batman's turf, could be amazing with the right cast and show-runner.
I'd also like to see HBO revisit its tradition of the anthology series. It's been a long while since "Tales from the Crypt" went off the air, and I think it's high time we saw something like that again. Don't bring back the horror anthology though (although we could use something equally scary, too).
"James Ellroy's Hollywood Nocturnes," anyone?
Production Update: Episode 1 V2
Folks,
Bear with me on this page, I know it's ugly, it's a template, and I haven't even updated the links. With time my friends.
As for the show, Faze and I (and hopefully Brendan) will be recording Friday and Saturday. How much in the way of stuff I can use this will yield is a whole different story, but if all goes well, you may have the show mid next week. While we will touch on some of the points that I mentioned in my last post, the main "Theme" of episode 1 is one that I consider close to home: the downloading of full episodes of TV shows, and whether or not this is a good thing for television. I'll withhold my opinion for the sake of not spoiling the show, but how's that for a good segue into my internet philosophy, and how it will play into this show.
We are doing the show for fun and on our own free time. You will never pay for the show, and you will never hear an ad. We are not bound to anything and will only do the show as long as we feel it is relevant. What I hope to accomplish is an intelligent and respectful discussion of TV shows that we love. Community will hopefully become a big factor here, we would hope that as we begin to do more interactive things with the show, that we can keep it respectful and intelligent. This is a thing for tv nerds and by tv nerds, so we're all one happy family, whether we think that Whedon is a demigod or semi-hack. Catch the drift? In more plain terms, my grand scheme is to keep this as open as the audience will allow. If this would deteriorate into a mudfest of...oh, lets say AICN proportions, the comments section goes. That's not to say I even expect a torrent of comments, but I wanted to throw that out there.
As for censorship: Faze and I have decided that the show would be best done with a minimum of the seven dirty words. Expect a PG show (maybe PG 13 when I argue with Corkum about the Simpsons).
Ah, the long and rambling stream of consciousness. Hopefully my next update will be the finished show. See you soon folks.
Bear with me on this page, I know it's ugly, it's a template, and I haven't even updated the links. With time my friends.
As for the show, Faze and I (and hopefully Brendan) will be recording Friday and Saturday. How much in the way of stuff I can use this will yield is a whole different story, but if all goes well, you may have the show mid next week. While we will touch on some of the points that I mentioned in my last post, the main "Theme" of episode 1 is one that I consider close to home: the downloading of full episodes of TV shows, and whether or not this is a good thing for television. I'll withhold my opinion for the sake of not spoiling the show, but how's that for a good segue into my internet philosophy, and how it will play into this show.
We are doing the show for fun and on our own free time. You will never pay for the show, and you will never hear an ad. We are not bound to anything and will only do the show as long as we feel it is relevant. What I hope to accomplish is an intelligent and respectful discussion of TV shows that we love. Community will hopefully become a big factor here, we would hope that as we begin to do more interactive things with the show, that we can keep it respectful and intelligent. This is a thing for tv nerds and by tv nerds, so we're all one happy family, whether we think that Whedon is a demigod or semi-hack. Catch the drift? In more plain terms, my grand scheme is to keep this as open as the audience will allow. If this would deteriorate into a mudfest of...oh, lets say AICN proportions, the comments section goes. That's not to say I even expect a torrent of comments, but I wanted to throw that out there.
As for censorship: Faze and I have decided that the show would be best done with a minimum of the seven dirty words. Expect a PG show (maybe PG 13 when I argue with Corkum about the Simpsons).
Ah, the long and rambling stream of consciousness. Hopefully my next update will be the finished show. See you soon folks.
The Return of the Bandu
I suppose I should, also, take this opportunity to introduce myself. I'm Bud Leonard, though some of you may know me as Brendan. The son of a TV critic, I've been around television my entire life, but it wasn't until recently that I decided television studies/writing tv was what I wanted to do with my life. Well, that and outdoor education, which is what I do now.
Anyway, I'm going to be the very special correspondent who tells you what's good and what's bad before it gets on the air (hopefully). I've already seen some of the new shows for the Fall season, and I look forward to talking with you about them.
For point of reference, my favorite shows include "The West Wing," "Scrubs," "Arrested Development," "Deadwood," "Six Feet Under," and pretty much everything Joss Whedon's ever done....ever.
Except for the "Tales of the Vampires" comic.
Anyway, I'm going to be the very special correspondent who tells you what's good and what's bad before it gets on the air (hopefully). I've already seen some of the new shows for the Fall season, and I look forward to talking with you about them.
For point of reference, my favorite shows include "The West Wing," "Scrubs," "Arrested Development," "Deadwood," "Six Feet Under," and pretty much everything Joss Whedon's ever done....ever.
Except for the "Tales of the Vampires" comic.
Greetings from your friendly neighborhood Fazer
Wassup people. This is Faze Ahmed, Justin's crazy counterpart in this podcasting endeavor. I actually sort of snuck my way into the whole thing after Justin brought up the idea of doing a TV related podcast during a recent AIM conversation. But the important thing is that we both love TV and that is the impetus behind doing this show.
There is a very strong community of intelligent TV watchers out there, who rabidly follow their favorite shows whether its Arrested Development or The Gilmore Girls. I hope this podcast can be a platform to voice opinions and have friendly debate over our favorite TV shows. Of course, I don't think this show can be successful if it isn't very entertaining to listen to. So, we are going to do our best to make an engaging and entertaining 30-40 minutes.
Three words; WE'RE TAKING OVER
There is a very strong community of intelligent TV watchers out there, who rabidly follow their favorite shows whether its Arrested Development or The Gilmore Girls. I hope this podcast can be a platform to voice opinions and have friendly debate over our favorite TV shows. Of course, I don't think this show can be successful if it isn't very entertaining to listen to. So, we are going to do our best to make an engaging and entertaining 30-40 minutes.
Three words; WE'RE TAKING OVER
Episode 1 Production Update: 1.0
As a few of you know, we had planned to get the "series premiere" out to you the week of July 10th. Because of my internet troubles over the past week, (as in I had no access to the internet at all), that is probably not going to happen. In that time, Faze and I were going to do a test run, as well as hammer out content and guests. Since we haven't been able to talk at all, I'll say we're now aiming for hmm...late next week or early the week of the 17th for the first show.
The initial test on my production end is and has been finished for a while now. I was extremely pleased with the results. Next is a test with Faze. I'd look for recording for the actual first ep to begin this weekend. After recordings are finished, I'll go to my cave to edit and produce your final product. After everyone involved hears and gives the OK, we will go live.
For the first ep we have lined up:
The best shows of last season
FX: The new HBO?
Correspondent Brendan on new shows for next season
News and views on...news surrounding the shows we call our own
I have been talking with a potential guest for the first show, but as of this time, nothing is confirmed.
For the time being, this blog will likely act as a frontpage for the show, so check here often for updates as I get them. The TV Blog "What to Watch" will be on hiatus for now so that I can concentrate on making this show awesome.
The initial test on my production end is and has been finished for a while now. I was extremely pleased with the results. Next is a test with Faze. I'd look for recording for the actual first ep to begin this weekend. After recordings are finished, I'll go to my cave to edit and produce your final product. After everyone involved hears and gives the OK, we will go live.
For the first ep we have lined up:
The best shows of last season
FX: The new HBO?
Correspondent Brendan on new shows for next season
News and views on...news surrounding the shows we call our own
I have been talking with a potential guest for the first show, but as of this time, nothing is confirmed.
For the time being, this blog will likely act as a frontpage for the show, so check here often for updates as I get them. The TV Blog "What to Watch" will be on hiatus for now so that I can concentrate on making this show awesome.
Welcome!
Hey folks, welcome to the blog-end of what will soon become the "Stealing Cable" empire. Here all hosts and correspondents will be posting information relating to the twice a week-ly podcast. For those of you who don't know, "Stealing Cable" will consist of discussion and news related to TV shows that we like. Why listen you ask? Well in my experience, it seems that there is a large group of people who watch pretty much the same shows, and perhaps we could help this group find some shows that they otherwise wouldn't have given a chance, and even hear discussion about their favorite shows.
I am Justin Kelly (one god damn American Idol reference and I will slit your throat), a host and your producer. I am a drug and alcohol counselor. What the hell right does that give me to talk about TV? I watch more than you do. You may know me from my TV rants on my blog "What to Watch" or at Chud.com's MB. You may know me from my old TV blog "Damn That's Good" which is now "Damn, that got erased." You may know me from Halo 2. You may know me from my political rants at "Left Times," or any number of spinoffs and guest spots. Wherever you come from, I hope that you all will enjoy the show.
I am Justin Kelly (one god damn American Idol reference and I will slit your throat), a host and your producer. I am a drug and alcohol counselor. What the hell right does that give me to talk about TV? I watch more than you do. You may know me from my TV rants on my blog "What to Watch" or at Chud.com's MB. You may know me from my old TV blog "Damn That's Good" which is now "Damn, that got erased." You may know me from Halo 2. You may know me from my political rants at "Left Times," or any number of spinoffs and guest spots. Wherever you come from, I hope that you all will enjoy the show.
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