TV Slut Report

Okay posting past my bedtime again - this always happens. Sleep has been elusive of late.

Saw Viva Laughlin tonight - they put it in Without A Trace normal spot to get viewers. Sunday at 8pm is a tough spot for a new show. And this show has a heck of a lot of money poured into it. What with Hugh Jackman and Melanie Griffith.

Did I like it? Not really. Course I wasn't overly fond of the BBC TV show in which it was based - entitled Viva Blackpool. By the way, Blackpoole - the one or two episodes I saw of it? Was a lot better. It had the actors sing the songs, not sing over the actual singers singing the songs at the same time in some weird sort of music video meets Karoke way. While I appreciate the creativity behind the idea, it felt awkward and jarring whenever it was done. Out of sync to such an extent that I found myself pulled out of the story or worse, waiting for the Karoke moments and disappointed there weren't more, so losing the moments in between.

I've also discovered something - I no longer find Hugh Jackman that interesting as a performer. Not sure why. This started with the Prestige, no wait, before that with X-Man Last Stand. Didn't feel he did much here either. Sort of wish they'd gotten Mick Jagger instead - then at least we would be looking at Jaggar and hearing his voice at the same time.

Will state that for the first time, I liked DB Woodside. Haven't liked him in any of his other roles. Hated him in 24, despised him in Buffy, but here - I actually found him interesting and very attractive. For a while I was thinking that I just didn't like the actor, but no, he just isn't good in certain types of roles - particularly ones which the writers have not figured out yet. He had no clue who Robin Wood was until literally the twelth episode of that season. Or for that matter Wood's motivation or history. Devilish hard for an actor. Same deal with the President's brother on 24. That character was oddly written.
I'm not saying this is any better written, just that I think the actor has a better idea of what he is supposed to be doing and looks less confused and annoyed.

The plot? Didn't interest me that much and there's far too many tv shows that are interesting me this season for me to bother with one that doesn't. If there were less? I might stick with it a bit longer. Am I disappointed? Not really. I went in with low expectations - the critics did not like it and for once? I agree with them.

In other tv news? I'm this*close to calling it quits on Grey's. ( cut for vague spoilers )

Ugly Betty? ( cut for spoilers )

Before I watched those shows, I watched Pushing Daises - which was by far my favorite tv show of the evening. It certainly is endearing. I think Fuller has finally found the right mix, having struck out with both Dead Like Me (I loved it but Showtime subscribers didn't) and Wonderfalls (again I enjoyed it, but other people didn't). This show is a little less cynical and sarcastic than those two were. It's more hopeful and the humor is nicer with a sardonic twinge. My pal Wales tried watching it and did not take to it - she found the voice-over narration grating. I get that. It grated on my nerves during the first episode, but now has oddly grown on me. It reminds me of some of the Ronald Dahl films - The Witches, Matilda, and James and The Giant Peach - it has that same humorous tongue in cheek tone. Also has a touch of Doctor Seuss in the rhyming. It is apparently doing quite well - far better than anyone expected. Has won it's time slot repeatedly. What intrigues me about Daisies is that it improves with each episode. Giving me a bit more of the characters. Resolving issues I was sure it would annoy me by leaving me hanging for weeks on end. The characters are actually evolving on a weekly basis along with the mysteries. This may well be the best new series of the season. With Life a close second in my opinion - it's not doing well in the ratings by the way and is predicted to be a goner by January, we'll see if NBC saves it the way it did Friday Night Lights.

Didn't watch Supernatural tonight - am saving it for daytime watching. Why? Well last week's episode gave me nightmares. I don't do well with horror at night. Have far too vivid an imagination. But something tells me I'll enjoy Supernatural a heck of a lot more than I enjoyed Grey's. The other reason watched Grey's live instead of Supernatural - was I started with Pushing Daisies, then drifted to Ugly Betty and somehow Grey's fit better. It's a bit jarring to go from Pushing Daisies to Smallville or to go from Ugly Betty to Supernatural.
DVR's are lovely things and much less expensive than buying tapes and a VCR. Odd I know but true. (Doesn't matter - VCR's don't work with my tv anyway, so really had no other choice in the matter).

(no subject)

Well, this week's Entertainment Weekly had three nifty little gems.

1. The Buffy Sing A Long was shut down by Fox because "SAG (the Screen Actors Guild) caught wind that McClung (the producer) was charging admission - and present 20th Century Fox Television with a six-figure bill for residuals that it said the series' cast was owed." LOL! See guys its not those annoying writers, directors and producers faults this time around, it's the actors. Who knew? Not that you're going to get anywhere by pestering James Marsters and crew about it. SAG sort of operates on its lonesome, it's a union that's what union's do-defend their members interests whether they like or not. Dirty little secret that I learned from a set design guy a couple of years back - repertory theater in LA is close to impossible to make money at and can't ever be as good as NYC, because of SAG. There's a really weird union clause that states actors under contract to tv or movies in LA can't do theater without being paid a certain amount and since no theater can afford that - they have small theaters out there and act like it is amateur theater hour. (Not sure I put that right, the guy's description boggled my mind and it was about six years back.) Same deal with indie films - Amber Benson couldn't get a distributor or sell her film Chase - without paying the actors in the film a certain amount - which would have bankrupt her. Not the actors fault - it's union rules. At any rate - Fox had allowed it because they thought no one was charging admission, the moment someone started to charge admission - things got dicey. (This is what I keep telling people online about fanfic and fanart - as long as you do not try to sell it or charge anything for it - you are fine! The moment you try to sell it - curtains!) So in short you can still do Buffy Sing A Long's you just can't charge any money for them.

2.Erica Jong's quote regarding Doris Lessing getting the Nobel Prize for Literature: " I heard rumors they'd been looking at Philip Roth for this prize, and I was so relieved we didn't have to see a Nobel for his paeans to his penis." LOL! (You may have to be NOT a fan of Philip Roth to appreciate that...I'm really not - find him unreadable.)

3. And...this nifty little surprise - in a small box highlighting what is new in Fantasy and Sci-Fi, Catherynne M Valente (who has a blog on lj) - recent novel The Orphan's Tales: In the Cities of Coin and Spice is highlighted. (Although not sure I'd call it a novel so much as a short story anthology by the description.) Here's the description: "A complex, engaging collection of fantastical "Orphan's Tales" - featuring manticores, dijinn, and girls made of tea leaves and twigs - that stack up like Russian nesting dolls. For Fans of: Smart, surrealist fairy tales steeped in ARBIAN NIGHTS lore and gnarled fables of Hans Christian Anderson. Lowdown - The dense imagery and heavy use of metaphor can overwhelm, but the overall effect is intoxicating. - B+" - review by Adrienne Day. Now that is what I call a well written capsul review - tells me just enough about the book to intrigue, and just enough to let me know if I'll like it without putting down anyone who will like it or won't for that matter.

Other bits from mags - worth noting - this one from a business trade journal I've been reading:

When dealing with a personal set-back, whether it be the loss of a loved one (such as child, spouse, friend, parent, etc), a job, or a home....
( Read more... )