![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkat1. A little more than halfway through The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina on Netflix, and it's surprisingly good. This is a new adaptation of the Archie Comics comic book, the Adventures of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, and much like Riverdale, it's sort of Sabrina meets Twin Peaks, except by way of Tim Burton and possibly Neil Gaiman.
I wasn't sure what I'd get to be honest. Although generally speaking it's had good reviews. The soundtrack is good, as is the production, casting, direction and for the most part the writing.
Example line:
Ambrose: Where's Aunt Hilda?
Zelda: She annoyed me, so I killed her and buried her in the garden.
Hilda: Zelda, you killed me again.
Zelda: Took you long enough to resurrect. Keep annoying me like this, sooner or later you won't resurrect at all.
Miranda Otto plays Zelda, Michelle Gomez plays Miss Wormwood, a teacher who is actually the mother of demons, Richard Coyle, the Warlock headmaster of the Coven's school, and Kierke Sharpe, from Mad Men, Sabrina. And she's a great Sabrina, snarky and tough and kind.
It skirts the silly and goes for the creepy. One of the better teen horror series that I've seen to date. And very compelling, and I do not tend to like Judeo/Christian horror mythos, find it hokey.
My uncle writes a lot of books in that genre, and I can't read them. But I like this -- it skirts the comic book hokey, and the silly (see Charmed), leaning more towards Neil Gaiman, David Lynch and Tim Burton sly wit, creepy horror (Caroline, Corpse Bride, Lucifer).
2. Mamma Mia 2 - Here We Go Again -- rented via On Demand for $5.95. It's worth $5.95. I don't think it's worth more than that, and I don't see myself buying it or anything -- but it was fun. With some good musical numbers. The first one is a lot better. And weirdly has more plot, which is saying something.
This is just a breezy summer movie or a bit of fluff. Every scene is geared up for a musical number. And roughly half actually work. There's two or three numbers...that don't work, and I'm thinking, eh, really? One in particular worked very well in the Broadway Musical (Knowing Me, Knowing You) but doesn't work here at all. In the B'Way musical, Donna's lost love, Bill, the architect, breaks up with and finally divorces his wife in NY in the song Knowing Me, Knowing You. Here -- it's sung by young Donna and Bill after she finds out he's engaged and didn't tell her. She refuses to let him explain and instead of fighting for her -- he takes off. And I thought, really? How engaged can this guy be if he's hiding out in Greece, sleeping with you?
Also we just jump from song to song, with a little dialogue in between -- sort of like a music video.
But that said? They are fun musical numbers. Lily James who plays young Donna, has a great pair of pipes, and the younger versions of the guys and Donna's friends, also sing rather well. Cher appears for 15 minutes with Fernando which she sings as a duet with Andy Garcia. (You can't hear Garcia at all, Cher's voice overwhelms his, as one would expect). She's Donna's unseen but much cursed mother, who was allegedly dead in the first film.
It's a fun movie. I enjoyed it. But if you don't like musicals, ABBA, Cher, Christine Baranski/Julie Waters/Colin Firth/Stella Skarsgard/Pierce Bronsan, and kooky romances on Grecian islands -- you should probably pass.
3. Doctor Who - Episode 3 - Rosa Parks
Much better than expected. They did a rather good job of honoring the history.
But. I don't like time travel stories generally speaking -- because it's always about maintaining the time line against some nitwit who wants to change it for their own selfish reasons. My favorites are the ones who demonstrate how that can go terribly wrong. Because honestly just being in the past is enough to change the future. The future is fluid. And if you did change the past, you wouldn't change the current time line, but split off into a different one. Parallel string theory sort of comes into play or temporal disruptions -- which I thought Moffat played with a bit better. So my quibble is the science of time travel irritated me. I found it suspenseful, but irritating for that reason alone. It's always been my struggle with Doctor Who -- I don't like time travel stories.
That said? I learned some things I didn't know about Rosa Parks, assuming the writers did their research and didn't just make up stuff. I adore the three actors playing the companions. The guy playing Graham is quite good, and I swear I've seen him in something else. Just can't place him. He really sold that last bit on the bus.
While, I'm not certain you can go quite so far as to state Rosa Parks started the Civil Rights movement, you can say she had a major effect on it -- in that she demonstrated how small acts can push things forward. Something as simple as just refusing to move from one's seat. (I've actually done that once, in which I got so fed up, I just refused to frigging move and told the people they'd have to deal or go elsewhere. So I can well understand what happened with Rosa. She got fed up. Was it supported by King and others? Sure. Could have done it without them? Probably not. Martin Luther King and his group were positioning people like Rosa to begin various non-violent protests around the South in the 1950s. Now, this took a lot of courage. It far worse and far more dangerous back then than it is now. And I give Doctor Who a lot of credit for getting that across. People were being lynched and by folks in positions of authority. Rosa was risking her life sitting on that bus and refusing to move. She went to jail. She lost her job. Her husband lost his job. They almost lost their house. They received death threats.
It took an extreme act of courage. And I think...really a sense of rage. I'm tired of taking your crap. Do what you want to me. I'm just going to sit here.
The whole theme of the episode, and it appears this season is about little things we do. The bad guy says it's not just the big things that make a difference or can change things, but the little things that we barely notice. Such as changing a bus schedule, or a bus shift. One bus driver might act differently than another. You could decide to walk instead of getting on a bus. You could, as Graham wanted to do, leave the bus and let Rosa keep her seat -- he didn't want to be a part of this history.
Little choices you make every day can change the course of history, change the universe, change the world. The littlest things.
Also, there's a subtle emphasis this season on resolving issues without violence. The villain can't hurt anyone physically, he has to resort to manipulation. The Doctor doesn't use any weapons, just manipulating events. The weapon displaces people in time -- it non-violent.
Interesting choices here that the writers are making. I'm enjoying this season of Doctor far more than the last three or four seasons combined. It seems to be a bit more mature in its writing choices somehow.
By the way, this show is doing very well in the US. How can I tell? It has expensive car ads.
4. US Sitcoms
The Good Place -- eh, weaker episode than last weeks.
I don't like Jason's characterization, it feels like a racial stereotype. The dumb Polynesian guys. And it's irritating me. Donkey Doug, I could have done without. That said, I found a few lines funny, because of Tahani, and Pillboy is a sweetheart. He's kind. Just stupid.
Eleanor and Chidi's storyline...was okay. A few funny bits, mainly due to Simone. But...it had a lot of dumb (not to mention sexist) sex and dating jokes, which I could have done without. I wish the writers would stick to philosophy and get away from sex/dating jokes. They aren't funny. They are old and stale, and not needed here.
What I did like?
Pillboy to his patient at the retirement home: Sorry, I have to leave early today. I'm needed for a robbery.
Tahani: No, I've come to tell you that you are not needed for the robbery. Jason is helping instead. You can stay here.
Pillboy: So, my assignment is to stay here and help these people until you tell me otherwise? Not leave for any reason?
Tahani and Michael: Yes.
Pillboy: You really are agents from NASA!
Tahani: Yes, we're astronaut spies..
Michael: Because astronauts really need a spy agency...
Police: This is the Jacksonville Police! Come up with your hands up!
Donkey Doug: Wait. You have to first reveal that you are cops to us. Are you really cops?
Police (pause): Yes, we are the Jacksonville Police. Please come out with your hand up.
Chidi: I have to break up with you, we just won't work out. I'm sorry.
Simone: Okay, considering how hard it is for you to make decisions...this is the first concrete one you've ever made.
Chidi: Yes, I guess it is.
Simone: See you in another life.
Chidi: Wait! What do you know, why are you saying that?
Simone: It's an expression. Geeze. You're really weird. It's a good thing we're breaking up, there's no way this would have worked out.
Also apparently, Eleanor is bisexual. Who knew? I kept thinking Jason might be, but was rather surprised by Eleanor.
The writers have deftly gotten rid of two incovenient romantic relationships in the space of two episodes. One, off-screen (Tahani and Larry, poor Larry), and Simone and Chidi (which I'm thinking was probably better handled). So far the gang is struggling with this whole do-good thing. But hey, at least they helped Pillboy, and didn't destroy Larry or Simone's lives.
The Connors - Sara Gilbert, the actress who plays Jackie, and John Goodman are all gold in this series. I knew they would be and if they got rid of Roseanne it would work. But, Roseanne's absence is noticeable. Which is weird.
I'd forgotten the actor who plays Leonard was in Roseanne. I knew Glenn Quinn was (he played Becky's boyfriend). Roseanne has a sharp-tongued humor that is reminiscent of my work-place, so I find it funny at times. I really love the Jackie/Darlene banter. "You're descended from a long line of sharp-tongued women. You're destined to be alone." And John Goodman's banter...also the guy plays Leonard and is playing Darlene's hubby soon to be ex-hubby, David, plays the role in a similar manner to Leonard. Sort of as a wimpy schelp, but an endearing one.
Still the second best comedy on at the moment. First place is The Good Place.
Big Bang Theory
Eh. It had it's moments. I admittedly found Howard's impression of Sheldon hilarious. That actor is wickedly good at impressions. But I'll admit Amy's take on Bernadette made me cringe. Howard's worked better, because Sheldon is, let's face it, an ass and deserved it. Also he was largely oblivious until they pointed it out to him.
However...the writers did something interesting with it. Which surprised me. They commented on their own mean brand of humor, examined it, and wondered if it is okay. I've only see this done by the Australian comic. Raises a question: "Should comedy be put under a microscope?" And better yet, "IS all comedy mean to one extent or another? I know it all comes from a place of pain."
Possibly not. There's a point to be made about laughing with and at a person. Playful banter is with, but at the expense of, or without their knowledge, then it is at.
I'm having serious issues with how they are portraying and continuing to portray Raj. I know a lot of people from India, and the writer's portrayal of Raj feels consistently stereotypical and racist to me. Arranged marriage? Really? Although she does make a point of saying she had a choice in it. And likes Raj.
I did however find the sequence with Bernadette and Sheldon interesting. It also made me question my own humor. I'm six-foot and make fun of my height, and mainly the fact that the majority of the people I'm surrounded by are so much shorter. They come up to my chest and shoulder. And how my workplace is really designed for them and not for me. It wasn't until I listened to Bernadette that I realized it can be painful to be short or tiny, that it is hard to be taken seriously. Particularly if you have a high squeaky voice, which the actress does, as does Kristen Chenworth, and Alyson Hannigan had a squeaky voice. People find it irritating and make fun of you. How painful that would be. I teared up when she was talking and found myself replaying my own interactions. It was a touching scene with comic elements here and there...
Sheldon goes to see her over Amy, because Howard manages to get it across to Sheldon via a Star Wars reference...that really works. "Remember in Star Wars when R2D2 and Chewbecca are playing chess and R2 is beating him and he's getting angry -"
Amy:Really, a Star Wars reference?
Sheldon: Are you saying let the Wookie win?
Howard: Hey that's my wife we're talking about. But yeah, let the wookie, win.
Sheldon to Bernadette: Well, I'm beginning to think my chances at that watermelon are dangling by a thread..
So, a good episode overall, if a discomforting one. But comedy should make you a bit uncomfortable at times.
5. Reality Shows
The Great American Read
Eh, I had five episodes taped. I deleted all but one. I wanted to see why people chose Atlas Shrugged. Or what they pitch regarding it was, along with what PBS said about it.
I was a little surprised by it. Not at all what you'd think. They did not perceive the same as a lot of folks do. And it was a good lesson how differently people perceive information.
A man and a woman pushed for "Atlas Shrugged" because it shook them up. They'd read it in NY during subway delays. And the book is about a woman who runs a railroad, who wants to make it better but is hampered by government regulations and bureaucracy. So she runs across a man named John Gault who decides that they should all go on strike. The two people who were pushing for this book to win, stated that it woke them up to the importance of "ideas", of being able to discuss new ideas, and not have them ruthlessly shot down or disregarded. To vote for this book -- they said, was to vote for ideas and the freedom of ideas. The series then delved a bit into Ayn Rand's background (which I did know about). Rand watched her prosperous family fall into poverty and ruin during the Russian Revolution and Stalin's reign. (Now, before you judge her for that, imagine going from having everything you have right now -- to nothing. No computer. No cell phone. No internet. No job prospects. No rights. She protested communism and became outspoken about it. Stating it was the death of the individual and the death of ideas. I recently discussed Rand and Atlas Shrugged with a Russian immigrant who had lived under Putin, and whose family barely survived communism. He saw it her way, and has issues with too many regs. He hates Trump and despises Putin, stating that Putin gets in office no matter what and has been in office most of his lifetime and there's nothing they can do. He also told me how you can't get ahead in Russia, unless you have connections or money. Everything is run through bribery. His depiction of his home country was rather harrowing, but important to understand -- to see another perspective.
I've read most of Atlas Shrugged, gave up over half way through...skimmed the rest. I found it didactic and repetitive in places, and I was rather bored. Also, while I agree that too much regulation will stifle creativity, I don't agree that you remove regulations completely. People are selfish creatures and somewhat myopic. If you do away with regulations, we'll basically destroy our economy, our planet, and ourselves out of lust, greed, and out of control desires. People are assholes. We need regs to keep the assholes in check. But, if you put in too many regs, then you give the power to the assholes...and creativity and ingenuity gets stifled and we die the other death.
Moral? Moderation in all things. Go too far to the left and you will lose your soul to righteous pride, go to far to the right and you will lose your soul to righteous greed.
But, if you look at the book as being about thought and ideas and the freedom to think. Well, not such a bad idea...I guess. I personally don't quite see that. What I saw was a bunch of rich people whining about not getting there way. But to each their own.
Dancing with the Stars...still with this show. No one got axed this week. But surprisingly enough, they keep putting good dancers in danger aka the ringers. Which is giving me pause. I think the people voting for this thing are deliberately trying to oust the experienced dancers...well the female experienced dancers at any rate and keep the hot guys on board. Of course that doesn't explain the football player coming close to getting the ax. Except he's boring. So too is the social media star. Let's face it -- people vote for whomever is the most entertaining.
Shakespeare Uncovered -- a documentary series on PBS that examines various Shakespearean plays and how they've been adapted to stage and screen and the inner meanings of the plays.
I watched the first one Much Ado About Nothing -- and spent 80% of it wondering why they were ignoring Joss Whedon's take on the classic play. Instead they dwelt on all the traditional versions, and one set during WWII on stage, and filmed...all of which took place prior to Whedon's adaptation and in Britain. Also it didn't say anything all that new about it -- except that the source material focused solely on Claudio and Hero, Benedict and Beatrice weren't in it at all, and if they were, relatively minor. Shakespeare added them to the play. They were purely Shakespeare's creations. Most of Shakespeare's plays were adapted from previous plays or novels at the time, and he added stuff to them. Often a lot of humor. I found that interesting.
So, I deleted the rest of the episodes. And moved on.
6. A Million Little Things -- eh, I'm considering deleting this from the DVR and no longer taping. It's basically Whiny Rich Thirty-Somethings angsting over why they aren't happy. Maybe because you are too focused on being Wealthy and Materialistic and don't care about anyone or anything but yourselves? Hello.
I don't why I'm sticking with it. I'll probably let it go soon...when I realize, wait, too many television shows!
Already had to delete All American without seeing it, because...wait for it...too many frigging television shows. I had 66 hours worth, they were starting to delete themselves without my knowledge. All American had deleted the pilot and second episode...because I hadn't gotten to it yet.
Uncle: I'm retired and have HBO and Netflix. Nominate one television series I should watch.
Me: Well, it depends on what you like. There's Daredevil on Netflix at the moment. Westworld on HBO.
Great British Baking Show on Netflix. The Good Place on Netflix..
Uncle: Pick one, niece. How hard is that?
Me: There's about 900 television shows on Netflix. It's impossible to choose just one.
I wasn't sure what I'd get to be honest. Although generally speaking it's had good reviews. The soundtrack is good, as is the production, casting, direction and for the most part the writing.
Example line:
Ambrose: Where's Aunt Hilda?
Zelda: She annoyed me, so I killed her and buried her in the garden.
Hilda: Zelda, you killed me again.
Zelda: Took you long enough to resurrect. Keep annoying me like this, sooner or later you won't resurrect at all.
Miranda Otto plays Zelda, Michelle Gomez plays Miss Wormwood, a teacher who is actually the mother of demons, Richard Coyle, the Warlock headmaster of the Coven's school, and Kierke Sharpe, from Mad Men, Sabrina. And she's a great Sabrina, snarky and tough and kind.
It skirts the silly and goes for the creepy. One of the better teen horror series that I've seen to date. And very compelling, and I do not tend to like Judeo/Christian horror mythos, find it hokey.
My uncle writes a lot of books in that genre, and I can't read them. But I like this -- it skirts the comic book hokey, and the silly (see Charmed), leaning more towards Neil Gaiman, David Lynch and Tim Burton sly wit, creepy horror (Caroline, Corpse Bride, Lucifer).
2. Mamma Mia 2 - Here We Go Again -- rented via On Demand for $5.95. It's worth $5.95. I don't think it's worth more than that, and I don't see myself buying it or anything -- but it was fun. With some good musical numbers. The first one is a lot better. And weirdly has more plot, which is saying something.
This is just a breezy summer movie or a bit of fluff. Every scene is geared up for a musical number. And roughly half actually work. There's two or three numbers...that don't work, and I'm thinking, eh, really? One in particular worked very well in the Broadway Musical (Knowing Me, Knowing You) but doesn't work here at all. In the B'Way musical, Donna's lost love, Bill, the architect, breaks up with and finally divorces his wife in NY in the song Knowing Me, Knowing You. Here -- it's sung by young Donna and Bill after she finds out he's engaged and didn't tell her. She refuses to let him explain and instead of fighting for her -- he takes off. And I thought, really? How engaged can this guy be if he's hiding out in Greece, sleeping with you?
Also we just jump from song to song, with a little dialogue in between -- sort of like a music video.
But that said? They are fun musical numbers. Lily James who plays young Donna, has a great pair of pipes, and the younger versions of the guys and Donna's friends, also sing rather well. Cher appears for 15 minutes with Fernando which she sings as a duet with Andy Garcia. (You can't hear Garcia at all, Cher's voice overwhelms his, as one would expect). She's Donna's unseen but much cursed mother, who was allegedly dead in the first film.
It's a fun movie. I enjoyed it. But if you don't like musicals, ABBA, Cher, Christine Baranski/Julie Waters/Colin Firth/Stella Skarsgard/Pierce Bronsan, and kooky romances on Grecian islands -- you should probably pass.
3. Doctor Who - Episode 3 - Rosa Parks
Much better than expected. They did a rather good job of honoring the history.
But. I don't like time travel stories generally speaking -- because it's always about maintaining the time line against some nitwit who wants to change it for their own selfish reasons. My favorites are the ones who demonstrate how that can go terribly wrong. Because honestly just being in the past is enough to change the future. The future is fluid. And if you did change the past, you wouldn't change the current time line, but split off into a different one. Parallel string theory sort of comes into play or temporal disruptions -- which I thought Moffat played with a bit better. So my quibble is the science of time travel irritated me. I found it suspenseful, but irritating for that reason alone. It's always been my struggle with Doctor Who -- I don't like time travel stories.
That said? I learned some things I didn't know about Rosa Parks, assuming the writers did their research and didn't just make up stuff. I adore the three actors playing the companions. The guy playing Graham is quite good, and I swear I've seen him in something else. Just can't place him. He really sold that last bit on the bus.
While, I'm not certain you can go quite so far as to state Rosa Parks started the Civil Rights movement, you can say she had a major effect on it -- in that she demonstrated how small acts can push things forward. Something as simple as just refusing to move from one's seat. (I've actually done that once, in which I got so fed up, I just refused to frigging move and told the people they'd have to deal or go elsewhere. So I can well understand what happened with Rosa. She got fed up. Was it supported by King and others? Sure. Could have done it without them? Probably not. Martin Luther King and his group were positioning people like Rosa to begin various non-violent protests around the South in the 1950s. Now, this took a lot of courage. It far worse and far more dangerous back then than it is now. And I give Doctor Who a lot of credit for getting that across. People were being lynched and by folks in positions of authority. Rosa was risking her life sitting on that bus and refusing to move. She went to jail. She lost her job. Her husband lost his job. They almost lost their house. They received death threats.
It took an extreme act of courage. And I think...really a sense of rage. I'm tired of taking your crap. Do what you want to me. I'm just going to sit here.
The whole theme of the episode, and it appears this season is about little things we do. The bad guy says it's not just the big things that make a difference or can change things, but the little things that we barely notice. Such as changing a bus schedule, or a bus shift. One bus driver might act differently than another. You could decide to walk instead of getting on a bus. You could, as Graham wanted to do, leave the bus and let Rosa keep her seat -- he didn't want to be a part of this history.
Little choices you make every day can change the course of history, change the universe, change the world. The littlest things.
Also, there's a subtle emphasis this season on resolving issues without violence. The villain can't hurt anyone physically, he has to resort to manipulation. The Doctor doesn't use any weapons, just manipulating events. The weapon displaces people in time -- it non-violent.
Interesting choices here that the writers are making. I'm enjoying this season of Doctor far more than the last three or four seasons combined. It seems to be a bit more mature in its writing choices somehow.
By the way, this show is doing very well in the US. How can I tell? It has expensive car ads.
4. US Sitcoms
The Good Place -- eh, weaker episode than last weeks.
I don't like Jason's characterization, it feels like a racial stereotype. The dumb Polynesian guys. And it's irritating me. Donkey Doug, I could have done without. That said, I found a few lines funny, because of Tahani, and Pillboy is a sweetheart. He's kind. Just stupid.
Eleanor and Chidi's storyline...was okay. A few funny bits, mainly due to Simone. But...it had a lot of dumb (not to mention sexist) sex and dating jokes, which I could have done without. I wish the writers would stick to philosophy and get away from sex/dating jokes. They aren't funny. They are old and stale, and not needed here.
What I did like?
Pillboy to his patient at the retirement home: Sorry, I have to leave early today. I'm needed for a robbery.
Tahani: No, I've come to tell you that you are not needed for the robbery. Jason is helping instead. You can stay here.
Pillboy: So, my assignment is to stay here and help these people until you tell me otherwise? Not leave for any reason?
Tahani and Michael: Yes.
Pillboy: You really are agents from NASA!
Tahani: Yes, we're astronaut spies..
Michael: Because astronauts really need a spy agency...
Police: This is the Jacksonville Police! Come up with your hands up!
Donkey Doug: Wait. You have to first reveal that you are cops to us. Are you really cops?
Police (pause): Yes, we are the Jacksonville Police. Please come out with your hand up.
Chidi: I have to break up with you, we just won't work out. I'm sorry.
Simone: Okay, considering how hard it is for you to make decisions...this is the first concrete one you've ever made.
Chidi: Yes, I guess it is.
Simone: See you in another life.
Chidi: Wait! What do you know, why are you saying that?
Simone: It's an expression. Geeze. You're really weird. It's a good thing we're breaking up, there's no way this would have worked out.
Also apparently, Eleanor is bisexual. Who knew? I kept thinking Jason might be, but was rather surprised by Eleanor.
The writers have deftly gotten rid of two incovenient romantic relationships in the space of two episodes. One, off-screen (Tahani and Larry, poor Larry), and Simone and Chidi (which I'm thinking was probably better handled). So far the gang is struggling with this whole do-good thing. But hey, at least they helped Pillboy, and didn't destroy Larry or Simone's lives.
The Connors - Sara Gilbert, the actress who plays Jackie, and John Goodman are all gold in this series. I knew they would be and if they got rid of Roseanne it would work. But, Roseanne's absence is noticeable. Which is weird.
I'd forgotten the actor who plays Leonard was in Roseanne. I knew Glenn Quinn was (he played Becky's boyfriend). Roseanne has a sharp-tongued humor that is reminiscent of my work-place, so I find it funny at times. I really love the Jackie/Darlene banter. "You're descended from a long line of sharp-tongued women. You're destined to be alone." And John Goodman's banter...also the guy plays Leonard and is playing Darlene's hubby soon to be ex-hubby, David, plays the role in a similar manner to Leonard. Sort of as a wimpy schelp, but an endearing one.
Still the second best comedy on at the moment. First place is The Good Place.
Big Bang Theory
Eh. It had it's moments. I admittedly found Howard's impression of Sheldon hilarious. That actor is wickedly good at impressions. But I'll admit Amy's take on Bernadette made me cringe. Howard's worked better, because Sheldon is, let's face it, an ass and deserved it. Also he was largely oblivious until they pointed it out to him.
However...the writers did something interesting with it. Which surprised me. They commented on their own mean brand of humor, examined it, and wondered if it is okay. I've only see this done by the Australian comic. Raises a question: "Should comedy be put under a microscope?" And better yet, "IS all comedy mean to one extent or another? I know it all comes from a place of pain."
Possibly not. There's a point to be made about laughing with and at a person. Playful banter is with, but at the expense of, or without their knowledge, then it is at.
I'm having serious issues with how they are portraying and continuing to portray Raj. I know a lot of people from India, and the writer's portrayal of Raj feels consistently stereotypical and racist to me. Arranged marriage? Really? Although she does make a point of saying she had a choice in it. And likes Raj.
I did however find the sequence with Bernadette and Sheldon interesting. It also made me question my own humor. I'm six-foot and make fun of my height, and mainly the fact that the majority of the people I'm surrounded by are so much shorter. They come up to my chest and shoulder. And how my workplace is really designed for them and not for me. It wasn't until I listened to Bernadette that I realized it can be painful to be short or tiny, that it is hard to be taken seriously. Particularly if you have a high squeaky voice, which the actress does, as does Kristen Chenworth, and Alyson Hannigan had a squeaky voice. People find it irritating and make fun of you. How painful that would be. I teared up when she was talking and found myself replaying my own interactions. It was a touching scene with comic elements here and there...
Sheldon goes to see her over Amy, because Howard manages to get it across to Sheldon via a Star Wars reference...that really works. "Remember in Star Wars when R2D2 and Chewbecca are playing chess and R2 is beating him and he's getting angry -"
Amy:Really, a Star Wars reference?
Sheldon: Are you saying let the Wookie win?
Howard: Hey that's my wife we're talking about. But yeah, let the wookie, win.
Sheldon to Bernadette: Well, I'm beginning to think my chances at that watermelon are dangling by a thread..
So, a good episode overall, if a discomforting one. But comedy should make you a bit uncomfortable at times.
5. Reality Shows
The Great American Read
Eh, I had five episodes taped. I deleted all but one. I wanted to see why people chose Atlas Shrugged. Or what they pitch regarding it was, along with what PBS said about it.
I was a little surprised by it. Not at all what you'd think. They did not perceive the same as a lot of folks do. And it was a good lesson how differently people perceive information.
A man and a woman pushed for "Atlas Shrugged" because it shook them up. They'd read it in NY during subway delays. And the book is about a woman who runs a railroad, who wants to make it better but is hampered by government regulations and bureaucracy. So she runs across a man named John Gault who decides that they should all go on strike. The two people who were pushing for this book to win, stated that it woke them up to the importance of "ideas", of being able to discuss new ideas, and not have them ruthlessly shot down or disregarded. To vote for this book -- they said, was to vote for ideas and the freedom of ideas. The series then delved a bit into Ayn Rand's background (which I did know about). Rand watched her prosperous family fall into poverty and ruin during the Russian Revolution and Stalin's reign. (Now, before you judge her for that, imagine going from having everything you have right now -- to nothing. No computer. No cell phone. No internet. No job prospects. No rights. She protested communism and became outspoken about it. Stating it was the death of the individual and the death of ideas. I recently discussed Rand and Atlas Shrugged with a Russian immigrant who had lived under Putin, and whose family barely survived communism. He saw it her way, and has issues with too many regs. He hates Trump and despises Putin, stating that Putin gets in office no matter what and has been in office most of his lifetime and there's nothing they can do. He also told me how you can't get ahead in Russia, unless you have connections or money. Everything is run through bribery. His depiction of his home country was rather harrowing, but important to understand -- to see another perspective.
I've read most of Atlas Shrugged, gave up over half way through...skimmed the rest. I found it didactic and repetitive in places, and I was rather bored. Also, while I agree that too much regulation will stifle creativity, I don't agree that you remove regulations completely. People are selfish creatures and somewhat myopic. If you do away with regulations, we'll basically destroy our economy, our planet, and ourselves out of lust, greed, and out of control desires. People are assholes. We need regs to keep the assholes in check. But, if you put in too many regs, then you give the power to the assholes...and creativity and ingenuity gets stifled and we die the other death.
Moral? Moderation in all things. Go too far to the left and you will lose your soul to righteous pride, go to far to the right and you will lose your soul to righteous greed.
But, if you look at the book as being about thought and ideas and the freedom to think. Well, not such a bad idea...I guess. I personally don't quite see that. What I saw was a bunch of rich people whining about not getting there way. But to each their own.
Dancing with the Stars...still with this show. No one got axed this week. But surprisingly enough, they keep putting good dancers in danger aka the ringers. Which is giving me pause. I think the people voting for this thing are deliberately trying to oust the experienced dancers...well the female experienced dancers at any rate and keep the hot guys on board. Of course that doesn't explain the football player coming close to getting the ax. Except he's boring. So too is the social media star. Let's face it -- people vote for whomever is the most entertaining.
Shakespeare Uncovered -- a documentary series on PBS that examines various Shakespearean plays and how they've been adapted to stage and screen and the inner meanings of the plays.
I watched the first one Much Ado About Nothing -- and spent 80% of it wondering why they were ignoring Joss Whedon's take on the classic play. Instead they dwelt on all the traditional versions, and one set during WWII on stage, and filmed...all of which took place prior to Whedon's adaptation and in Britain. Also it didn't say anything all that new about it -- except that the source material focused solely on Claudio and Hero, Benedict and Beatrice weren't in it at all, and if they were, relatively minor. Shakespeare added them to the play. They were purely Shakespeare's creations. Most of Shakespeare's plays were adapted from previous plays or novels at the time, and he added stuff to them. Often a lot of humor. I found that interesting.
So, I deleted the rest of the episodes. And moved on.
6. A Million Little Things -- eh, I'm considering deleting this from the DVR and no longer taping. It's basically Whiny Rich Thirty-Somethings angsting over why they aren't happy. Maybe because you are too focused on being Wealthy and Materialistic and don't care about anyone or anything but yourselves? Hello.
I don't why I'm sticking with it. I'll probably let it go soon...when I realize, wait, too many television shows!
Already had to delete All American without seeing it, because...wait for it...too many frigging television shows. I had 66 hours worth, they were starting to delete themselves without my knowledge. All American had deleted the pilot and second episode...because I hadn't gotten to it yet.
Uncle: I'm retired and have HBO and Netflix. Nominate one television series I should watch.
Me: Well, it depends on what you like. There's Daredevil on Netflix at the moment. Westworld on HBO.
Great British Baking Show on Netflix. The Good Place on Netflix..
Uncle: Pick one, niece. How hard is that?
Me: There's about 900 television shows on Netflix. It's impossible to choose just one.