Domestic Psychology

Dear Harold Ford Jr,

// February 2nd, 2010 // No Comments » // politics, television

This didn’t help.

LOST thoughts

// January 30th, 2010 // 3 Comments » // television

Finally! After the world’s longest hiatus, LOST is back. The final season promos have been almost entirely composed of scenes from previous episodes. There was ONE shot of a familiar character in a brand new scenario, but that disappeared quickly, so I don’t think we’re supposed to have seen it. It changes that particular character’s group on the island and adds credence to some popular theories about the less explained characters. Today, we got something old and something new. Click here only if you want to see it, but be warned that I am going to talk about it now. If you don’t want to know, stop reading.

Did you watch the last part twice to check the background? Did you read the first few comments? Notice the authenticity of the source? So, my initial reaction was that it’s a tease. A dream or imaginary scenario of what Jack thought was going to happen. This was immediately followed by a disbelief that the show has any time left to waste on dream realities, the history of Jack’s tattoos or Nikki and Paulo. Besides, Jack smugly enjoying his triumph is also the end of Rose’s happily ever after.

My guess for now is going to be that what we saw the very first episode of LOST, was not the very first time that has happened. We just jumped in to watch the latest round of an ongoing game. A game with characters that learn and react differently each time. The latest round may have some of the characters on a plane, but they are still on the board and very much in play. Maybe this season will be the one that finally resolves the game. Maybe I am completely wrong. The show’s creators have promised that at the end of this episode, we will have all the clues needed to understand the big picture and see the finish line. I take that to mean that I will spend Tuesday night formulating a new theory instead of sleeping.

Tuesday night, I won’t be able to start watching until the children are all tucked in bed. That means I’ll be an hour behind everyone else. In anticipation of your live blogging/tweeting/facebooking, I’ll have to power down the computer until I’ve seen the entire LA X. When I return to the computer, I expect several declarations that people have “figured it all out” as well as a lot of confused and frustrated viewers. I plan to be completely entertained and amused for the last section of the LOST roller coaster. Well, unless the show echoes a pessimistic, apocalyptic Cloverfield ending. If that happens, you’ll be watching a video of me burning the series DVDs that we own. I don’t think that’s the direction it’s going. I expect LOST to end with a very open-to-interpretation finale that will keep everyone talking and wondering.

Big Bang Theory

// January 17th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // television

Top five reasons why someone should have told me about Big Bang Theory a long, long time ago:
5. My living room is frequently filled with males interacting via headsets and games.
4. Sheldon’s mom.
3. Inner monologues that aren’t kept inner.
2. The soundtrack to my life is a series of long, intricate conversation about things like the color of light sabers.
1. I once had to make a sarcasm sign.

Monk quickie

// November 29th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // television

It’s the wipes.

Dr. Barghouti & Baltzer on The Daily Show

// October 29th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // people, politics, television

Watching Dr. Barghouti and Anna Baltzer on The Daily Show could have been informative and insightful. Instead, it was awkward. Not only did Anna Baltzer not get to contribute to the interview, she looked a like a decorative prop. Instead of the pairing looking like an Israeli and Palestinian working together, it looked like they picked an attractive American willing to sit beside Dr. Barghouti. You can find an American to support anything. There’s probably a pro-Cannibalism group in America. To have a talk show speaking tour partner sit silently and smile even when the audience is rude reeks of manipulation. This pairing just diminished the story that Ms. Baltzer has to tell. Let Ms. Baltzer back on the show without Dr. Barghouti. Dr. Barghouti should have been accompanied by an Israeli citizen.

Then, an appeal came from Reddit for people to send in letters of support. Support for what? Ms. Baltzer didn’t get to share her experiences and describe her goals. She looked subservient. Support for Dr. Barghouti? He spoke, but his words were not convincing for or against his ideas. Support for The Daily Show? The Daily Show will do as well with this odd episode as it will with the interviews that are funny or clever. The Reddit appeal on top of this uncomfortable guest interview is insincere.

The Daily Show needs to try again. Maybe with guests who have as much sympathy for Israelis as they have for Palestinians.

Random TV thoughts

// October 29th, 2009 // No Comments » // television

Heroes: When good guys work together, they’re the Justice League. Bad guys together? Carnies.

Monk: Closure storyline checked off for Captain Stottlemeyer, Randy and Sharona. Natalie should be next. I really like the way the series is not quick fixing or forcing happily ever after, but putting in place the possibility for a better future.

House: Still hating where the characters are going this season. Have the writers forgotten that the characters used to be flawed, but likable?

Random Monty Python thoughts

// October 21st, 2009 // 3 Comments » // movies, people, television

I’ve been watching the IFC’s Almost the Truth series all week. Except for the throwaway bits from non-Python comedians expressing their love for all things Monty Python, the series is raw, fascinating and occasionally painful. Two things about it feel like splinters in my funny bone. First, one of the cast members appears unrepentantly homophobic. Second, none of the men seem to have any love for each other. When you work with a group of people, you whine and moan about the person who makes the office smell like burnt popcorn. Everyone grumbles about the boss who cares more about TPS reports than clients. No matter how much you complain, you still care about your co-workers. When they have a crisis, you donate your vacation time and bake casseroles. The Python cast having no feelings of friendship or compassion for each other is cold, cruel and unfunny. I just don’t understand that.

quickie tv comments

// October 11th, 2009 // 2 Comments » // television

House: Last week, one character went too far and we see how the person leaving the show will be exiting. I am now seriously eager for the series to have character development and closure.

Heroes: A transitional episode to kick start action and repair the wrong done last season. Could everyone hear me screaming “YES” during the final scene?

Stargate Universe: I don’t know the characters well enough for all this skipping around and stop with the Battlestar parallels please.

Sanctuary: Except for the 3-way split screens, the series is even better than last season.

Psych: I can’t believe there’s only one episode left this season.

Monk: Last week, the series shifted gears, but it felt like a one-episode change. This week’s episode was funny, sweet and clearly the beginning of the end.

House vs Heroes

// September 28th, 2009 // 2 Comments » // television

Monday nights at 8 pm, I am still tucking children into bed and getting things ready for the next morning. Sometime between 9 and 10 pm, I settle in for an hour of recorded television. Every Monday, it comes down to a choice between House and Heroes.

Heroes is fluffy fun and I should be able to turn off my brain and escape while watching it. Instead, an irritating plot choice they made last season is going to be one of the main driving forces of this season and it keeps distracting me. There is no way to move beyond this point without something as ridiculous as ‘Pam dreamed it’. Heroes is capable of making common comic book themes look clever and making villains likable. They don’t seem capable of consistency.

House started off this season with a beautiful episode that secretly revealed that old sitcom sidekicks end up in psychiatric hospitals. It also sets the stage for the bi-annual House goes off and back on his meds season. Everyone ignores the lack of personal growth in the characters because they are so interesting to watch. No matter how darkly comic House is, eventually real life tragedies that prove there are no all-knowing medical detectives coming to the rescue will send viewers elsewhere.

I like both House and Heroes, but I secretly wish that SyFy would take ownership of Heroes and Dr. House would experience enough happiness to end the show.

When Jon is serious

// June 22nd, 2009 // No Comments » // politics, television

They tried to be funny with this one, but it came across as sad instead.