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November 25th, 2009
12:11 am - The mid-90s, genre TV's wild frontier
Guess who else drives a "classic" Impala?
Schanke. That's right, our lovable schlub and partner to the first vampire cop, spiritual brother to Ray V. and all second bananas everywhere, Schanke. I like to think that he and Dean met up at the Impala collectors' club and shared a brewski or two.
Also, during the Chiller promos for the marathon, Geraint Wyn Davis trash-talks Edward Cullen. Hee hee hee.
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November 23rd, 2009
09:54 pm - "It worked for that Aaron Sorkin guy, didn't it?"
Seriously, from the incidental music to the palette to the serious-whimsical tonal shifts, First Monday could not have copied the look-and-feel of The West Wing more closely. Except that TWW was rarely completely unintentionally hilarious.
More importantly, there is at least one brief Julian scene which is not included in the Julian Lodge Memorial Remix Collection that's out there. And! The show appears to have been shot in glorious HD! Seriously, is there no one out there making glorious Julian screencaps to replace the glorious muddy scratchy ones we have?
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November 19th, 2009
09:02 pm - It's hard to hold a candle in the cold November rain
On my way through Times Square this evening, I passed the line already starting for the midnight screenings of New Moon. Yes, the plotline is dull, yes, Edward is a terrible waste of Robert Pattinson's good looks, and yes, the books have undesirable messages, but there will be no hating on the wee Twilight fangirls around here. They are waiting in line! For hours! In the rain! To see midnight showings! They are us!
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November 11th, 2009
11:46 pm - Finale! And ye olde Yuletide.
Well-played, Mad Men. Well-played!
I also completed Yuletide signups this evening. I'm so happy to be able to be a full participant again after having to pinch-hit for a few years. To my writer, I say what I always say: I've put in some details because I know many writers appreciate having something to spark them off, but if I really knew for sure what the story should be, I'd write it myself! So, more than anything, I'd like to read the story that best engages your skills and creativity, even if it doesn't have anything to do with my details request.
To the rest of the world, I say: Yuletide is great, long may Yuletide reign, but if you're freaking out about it enough to be randomly flaming people over it even before you get your assignment, you're doing it wrong. It's supposed to be fun. I know that for some people, the fuss is part of the fun, which is fine, but it's just a challenge, not Hercules' labors. Anyone with a little common sense, basic manners, and a willingness to read admin posts with moderate care should be able to navigate it without undesired agita. Okay?
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November 7th, 2009
11:10 am - Two months later
This report is quite delayed, but my cleaning lady helpfully put my notes away somewhere that turned out to be very logical and secure, and I only just found them.
I went to see oral argument in Salinger v. Colting, a case that could have implications for the legality of fanworks. In a nutshell, Colting wrote a novel called Sixty Years Later in which a "Mr. C" escapes from his retirement home and wanders off to New York. It becomes clear that "Mr. C" is some version of Holden Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye, and that some version of J.D. Salinger himself is trying to rid the world of him.
Salinger, or people acting for Salinger (I think it's significant that I feel obliged to mention here that Salinger is the most notorious literary recluse of the twentieth century), filed a suit in the Manhattan federal district court (the lowest level of federal court) alleging copyright violation. ( You can see why this case caught the attention of the OTW, and should be of interest in fandom... )
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November 4th, 2009
07:34 pm - Wanted
Episode/scene where Dean is clearly shown spitting blood from his mouth. I find it impossible to believe we've never seen such a thing!
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October 31st, 2009
11:33 pm - "moron number one? put moron number two on the phone."
ALONZO MOSELEY AND EDDIE MOSCONE!
Kripke, you MAGNIFICENT BASTARD.
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08:47 pm
Ocean's 11: most infinitely rewatchable movie of all time, y/y?
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October 26th, 2009
10:45 pm - White Collar
Aww, it's one of my favorite dynamics: the Steady Thinker vs. the Flighty Genius!
While normally my inclination would be to go all OT3 with it, Tiffani Amber-Thiessen was wooden (odd considering that she brought her own brand of weird spark to Fastlane), and, oh, I hate to say it, but as a fellow round-faced woman: you must fight the moon-face harder, Tiffani!
I like the trend we're seeing on TV lately, but it could go further; some network needs to go to con artist programming 24/7. Including my dream reenvisioning of SGA as a con artist romantic comedy. Mmm, lanky embittered ex-mercenary Sheppard.
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October 24th, 2009
October 21st, 2009
10:51 pm - Corned beef is the foundation of all good relationships
So, over the Columbus Day weekend I went up to Vancouver (via Seattle) to meet the puppy Dexter (oh, and to see some lady named ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) spike21 who owns him). I was a little apprehensive--I'm very much not a dog person, and while I'd fallen in love with him over the Internet, many an online romance has foundered on the cruel rocks of physical reality. However, we made friends instantly, probably because I met him with meat in hand. Like a true lab, he ate the meat in two gulps and then tried to eat the plastic it had been wrapped in, too.
The drive from Seattle to Vancouver has some spectacular vistas. We spent the weekend wandering around farmers' markets and little artsy towns in Washington and the Vancouver harbor. Walking Dexter really is like being in a rock star's entourage. Wherever we went, people murmured and stared and smiled. He's an exceptionally handsome and outgoing dog. (I got some great shots of him, but I'm not sure it's okay to put them up unlocked.) He and spike21 clearly dote upon each other, even when she's trying to do something terribly unjust like make him stop eating random inorganic bits of garbage. And cliche though it is, it's primally satisfying to have a dog curled up at your feet. They're warm!
In conclusion: spike21 is not exaggerating. Dexter is a very good dog, and I miss him already.
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October 17th, 2009
02:15 pm
How does anyone over the age of forty bear watching Der Rosenkavalier? The older couple next to me last night was weeping openly through the last fifteen minutes of the third act.
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October 10th, 2009
05:41 am - It helps if you haven't slept, of course
Oh my God, what do I have todo to compel someone to vid SPN to the Mountain Goats' new "Psalm 40:2"?!?!
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September 28th, 2009
11:56 pm - The latest in tragically-misconceived advertising
This weekend I saw a placard in an Ann Taylor store identifying a table full of clothing as being "...for the new belle du jour."
Uh. Yeah. Not quite up there with McDonald's short-lived "I'd hit that" ad for the Quarter Pounder, but still!
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September 27th, 2009
September 18th, 2009
07:13 pm - PSA
I didn't realize until today what a great deal the NY Philharmonic offers for people 35 and under. Their MyPhil subscription package (minimum three concerts) gives you $29 tickets to the vast majority of their concerts. Furthermore, the seats are good seats--just about everything is available except for orchestra prime. (I remember the seats for the student rush tickets at the BSO actually folded down out of the wall on the highest tier.)
There's a $2.50 facilities fee per ticket and an $8 order charge, so three tickets will run you $101. $33.33 for orchestra balance or second tier center tickets for a major orchestra is frankly outstanding.
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September 9th, 2009
09:57 pm
The Dexter season premiere pre-air is out there. Just so you know. I don't think I'll be watching this season, but I note some subplots that will please old fans (as well as one that looks like pure jump-the-shark territory).
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September 7th, 2009
05:09 pm - SPN rewatch, continued
"I Know What You Did Last Summer"/"Heaven and Hell":
1) Dean sure does cry pretty. However, his trauma wasn't properly threaded through the season to date. It would have been more convincing as gradual memory recall, or some kind of angelic spiritual healing to go with the physical healing that slowly wore off, but apparently we're supposed to believe he remembered everything in four-color traumavision all along. His behavior just doesn't reflect that in certain earlier episodes (e.g., "Monster Movie").
2) I like the idea of the mighty tree springing up where Anna's grace was cast away, but otherwise these episodes are awfully clunkily literal, a problem this season mostly avoided. The barroom brawl between the angels and the demons was laughable.
3) The Uriel subplot grates a lot more now that I can no longer suspend judgment while waiting to see where it goes. Yes, the most evil person in this season is probably Zachariah, an old white man in form, but he's a subtle plotter. Uriel is brute force and a traitor.
4) Ruby's subplot, on the other hand, is at least modestly redeemed by where it went. Ironically, it turns out she was doing what she said Lilith told her to do all along! (Minus the part where she had to kill Lilith to accomplish Lilith's plan.) Oh, Sam, you and your pride. Only someone who had secretly staked so much of his identity for years on being different, and better, than those closest to him would fall for that number.
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01:05 pm - By the way
First Monday is airing on an obscure cable channel called UniversalHD. (Time Warner Cable NYC gets it.) Surely someone who's got the capturing equipment would like to make some good-quality caps of Julian! The quality of the footage now available reflects the technological limitations of 2003.
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12:49 am - SPN S4 rewatch, continued
"Wishful Thinking": A fine episode that also happens to be exhibit A for our culture being a rape culture. There's nothing like an episode where a major character is a rapist and the writers and the network and many of the fans don't seem to have noticed, huh? I said it about SGA's "Irresistible"/"Irresponsible," I'll say it again: you know who doesn't get the wacky redemption arc? An unrepentant rapist.
I can't forgive that even for the genius of the teddy bear.
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