The better the TV show, the longer the time between seasons. That’s the new paradigm. (Don’t you love the word “paradigm”?) The very best shows — stuff like Breaking Bad and Downton Abbey and and now Portlandia— spend more time off the air than they do on. That’s sometimes frustrating, but not surprising. The fact is, it takes a lot longer to write a good book than […]
And the winner of the 2012 Emmies is …
You’ll forgive me if I post a little more praise for Breaking Bad, AMC’s excellent series about the vagaries of the meth business in greater Albuquerque. We just watched the final episode of Season Four: Superb. TV doesn’t get better than this. Movies don’t either. This episode and this season are so good that the pessimist in me worries whether Vince Gilligan and crew have left themselves […]
A latter-day look at “Twin Peaks”
It recently came to my attention that I was the last guy in the continental United States who had never viewed an episode of Twin Peaks. It’s been recommended a number of times over the years, most recently by my son Dave Jr., who like me has unerring taste when it comes to quality television. But somehow I’ve had the impression that the show was far too […]
My very own vagina monologues
This might offend a few of my eight or so regular readers, but I plan to increase my use of the word “vagina” in day-to-day posts. I don’t make the decision lightly. In fact, I wouldn’t make it at all except for this New York Times piece detailing how “vagina” — I’m talking the word here, not the body part — has created a comedy goldmine for […]
The goodness that is ‘Breaking Bad’
OK, I won’t review the season four premiere of Breaking Bad, except to say that the writing is stronger than ever and those two memorable characters, Jessie and Walt, are becoming unforgettable. Looks like they’re in for a very tough ride in the weeks ahead. Note to Walt: Next time you see Gus Fring getting into a chemical suit, you might want to don one too. I’m […]
Swine in the news
It’s been a tough week. You can imagine my stunned disbelief to learn recently that Charlie Sheen is not, in fact, dead. The rumors were greatly exaggerated. Around here, we’re in about the third stage of of grief over it. Next thing you know, we’re going to find out that Osama bin Laden isn’t dead either. That’s America: The Internet giveth, and the Internet taketh away. Speaking […]
A reality show worth watching
Here in Florida, as the hot weather gives way to really hot weather, most people are oblivious because they’re all indoors watching the Casey Anthony trial. At a dinner party over the weekend, it was all anyone talked about. You may have heard of Casey Anthony. She’s the young mom accused of killing her young daughter in 2008 and then becoming ensnared in her own web of […]