Holmes shoves Watson out of the nest by giving her sole responsibility for finding a missing woman.
Background: Holmes's father asks Holmes to help an attorney, who in turn wants Holmes to help his assistant (Rebecca). It is Rebecca's sister Callie who is missing and has been for six months; Rebecca thinks Callie's husband Drew may be to blame. (This made me wonder whether the writers were thinking of Drew Peterson when they wrote the episode.)
Meanwhile, Holmes develops an interest in an old case in which a woman was first given flowers by a stranger on a subway platform, then was pushed in front of the oncoming train by him. Callie mentions the incident in her farewell video to her husband . . . But why was Callie so hung up on it?
After interviewing Drew, Watson is convinced he killed his wife. Holmes moves things along by sending Drew an anonymous text message to "gaslight" him.
C Plot: Watson has been neglecting some of her old friends and must make time to see them. They stage an intervention, having heard Watson has become a private detective. With her drug addict client for a mentor. (Okay, yes, when you put it that way, it does sound a little crazy.)
Watson and Alfredo (that's a story from a previous episode, but in short 'Fredo is Holmes's sponsor) follow Drew to a storage facility where he removes an heirloom trunk belonging to his missing wife—one he had previously lied about having. Watson gets caught trying to check the trunk for Callie's body.
Between her friends' reaction and landing herself in jail, Watson begins to think she isn't cut out to be Holmes's protégée after all. But while visiting Rebecca to apologize for being "too aggressive" with the investigation, she sees a photograph of Callie in a jacket matching the description of the subway pusher.
So now the reason for Callie's fixation on the crime seems clear.
In a clever twist (finally! good job writers!) it turns out that Callie's video was made more than a year before. But in order to make it look once again like his wife had left him, Drew was forced to re-enact an old subway tragedy, and so became the subway pusher.
The one problem I do have with this twist is that it is somewhat unfair to the audience because viewers have not been given all the information (the earlier subway tragedy story) and therefore are unable to put together the entire story themselves.
Too, it does tend to be glaringly obvious when the writers use things like Drew Peterson and subway pushing, or other relatively fresh headlines, as springboards for stories. I find it a bit distracting.
Meanwhile, the introduction of one of Watson's friends (Em . . . Which is almost like M . . .) as a journalist has the potential of adding a new layer of interest to future proceedings. Assuming Watson ever has the time for her.
Watson's eventual victory appears to scrub her initial misgivings. What I would have liked to have seen is perhaps a little more concern on Holmes's part that he might lose his sidekick. I think this project of teaching Watson to be a detective has revived him somewhat, and it would be intriguing to explore the other side of that, i.e., what might happen if he were to lose this particular lifeline. Or if it were even seriously threatened.
This was a good episode, but all the character development seemed very superficial. Watson's concerns were over almost before they began. By the end of the show she was happily changing her online profile to read "Consulting Detective." So while the plot(s) were pretty solid, the interplay and emotions were perfunctory at best, and Elementary really does better when delving deeper into souls than storage bins.
Note: Next new episode isn't until April 4. They seem to be spacing them out and saving up the bulk of remaining eps for May sweeps.
3.14.2013
Books: The 13th Floor Series by Christine Rains
I have posted past reviews of some of the earlier installments in this series: "The Marquis" and "The Alpha." Since then two more have been released, so I'll remark upon them together here.
"The Dragonslayer" was a good one; I liked the modern-day knight theme. I always was more of a girl who liked the chivalrous types over the bad boys. I found the reporter a bit obnoxious, but maybe that's just because I was siding with Xan (the titular dragonslayer), and he also found her somewhat irritating. I didn't quite get the chemistry between them, but the story as a whole was pretty good.
But "The Harbinger," which was just released this week—this one is my favorite so far in the series. Using a mythical harpy as a heroine? That definitely beats the usual stuff out there. And again, Rains supplies a nice guy as the love interest, which is simply very much my speed.
I'd say on the whole the series gets better with each new addition. Two more to come, in April and May respectively. Something to look forward to.
"The Dragonslayer" was a good one; I liked the modern-day knight theme. I always was more of a girl who liked the chivalrous types over the bad boys. I found the reporter a bit obnoxious, but maybe that's just because I was siding with Xan (the titular dragonslayer), and he also found her somewhat irritating. I didn't quite get the chemistry between them, but the story as a whole was pretty good.
But "The Harbinger," which was just released this week—this one is my favorite so far in the series. Using a mythical harpy as a heroine? That definitely beats the usual stuff out there. And again, Rains supplies a nice guy as the love interest, which is simply very much my speed.
I'd say on the whole the series gets better with each new addition. Two more to come, in April and May respectively. Something to look forward to.
3.13.2013
Kids & Television
I received an e-mail asking if this might interest me, and I have to say, just based on personal experience, I can see a real difference in my kids based on what they watch on any given day.
Hardly empirical evidence, I realize, but here's what happens in my house: My kids get up, and they know how to turn on the television BUT they can't change the channel because we keep the remotes up on a shelf (and we're way past the days of hand dials). So every night I make sure the channel is set to PBS Kids. Or sometimes Disney Jr.
And do I miss a few nights? Yes.
One morning I discovered the kids watching HGTV. They were weirdly mesmerized. And then they all went off to draw their own versions of a "dream house." Not so bad.
And PBS Kids is fine, and Disney Jr. is, well, okay (but never my first choice).
And then there are channels like Hub. Those shows are so cute, I totally get it, and my kids just love My Little Pony and Pound Puppies. But the commercials . . . I can't go to a store without my kids pointing out stuff they saw on commercials on The Hub.
Do I feel guilty that my kids watch a lot of TV? Well . . . What's "a lot" I guess is my real question? I watched plenty of television growing up. Loved Pinwheel, Danger Mouse, all that stuff Nickelodeon imported. But I was also allowed to watch Moonlighting and British comedies and Dukes of Hazard and Love Boat . . . My kids don't stay up and watch adult TV. And they watch a lot less TV than I ever did. I had my own television set in my room; we have only one television set in the whole house.
I don't know how much TV my kids watch compared to other people's. TV seems to have become a guilty secret that parents aren't willing to admit to. Like a drug they slip their kids from time to time. No one really talks about it except to say they never, or at least almost never . . . Except maybe when they're sick . . . Or when mom or dad really needs ten uninterrupted minutes . . .
But hey. My kids are really smart. They have fantastic vocabularies and can carry on extremely intelligent conversations. (The pediatrician is utterly amazed at my 3-year-old's ability to express himself.) I'd like to say it's all me. That having a writer for a mother means my kids will naturally be articulate. And maybe that's part of it. But I'm kind of sure Sid the Science Kid has at least given my children something to talk about and be interested in. And I know for a fact that my 3-year-old, the one the pediatrician thinks is so amazing, has culled a lot of his expressions from Thomas the Tank Engine.
I think TV is like any candy or junk food. Everything in moderation. It's about portion control, and it's about taking in the "right" nutrients. We've all heard of kids whose parents never let them have candy, and then those kids grow up and eat nothing but cookies and become diabetic and obese (or something like that). It's the same with television. Let them have a little junk now and then, and also make sure they're digesting the good stuff. But (at the risk of upsetting some parents and/or doctors) don't abstain completely. Your kid is going to see TV eventually—at a friend's house, at the mall, wherever—so start good habits early and you won't have to worry later.
Courtesy of EducationNews.org
Hardly empirical evidence, I realize, but here's what happens in my house: My kids get up, and they know how to turn on the television BUT they can't change the channel because we keep the remotes up on a shelf (and we're way past the days of hand dials). So every night I make sure the channel is set to PBS Kids. Or sometimes Disney Jr.
And do I miss a few nights? Yes.
One morning I discovered the kids watching HGTV. They were weirdly mesmerized. And then they all went off to draw their own versions of a "dream house." Not so bad.
And PBS Kids is fine, and Disney Jr. is, well, okay (but never my first choice).
And then there are channels like Hub. Those shows are so cute, I totally get it, and my kids just love My Little Pony and Pound Puppies. But the commercials . . . I can't go to a store without my kids pointing out stuff they saw on commercials on The Hub.
Do I feel guilty that my kids watch a lot of TV? Well . . . What's "a lot" I guess is my real question? I watched plenty of television growing up. Loved Pinwheel, Danger Mouse, all that stuff Nickelodeon imported. But I was also allowed to watch Moonlighting and British comedies and Dukes of Hazard and Love Boat . . . My kids don't stay up and watch adult TV. And they watch a lot less TV than I ever did. I had my own television set in my room; we have only one television set in the whole house.
I don't know how much TV my kids watch compared to other people's. TV seems to have become a guilty secret that parents aren't willing to admit to. Like a drug they slip their kids from time to time. No one really talks about it except to say they never, or at least almost never . . . Except maybe when they're sick . . . Or when mom or dad really needs ten uninterrupted minutes . . .
But hey. My kids are really smart. They have fantastic vocabularies and can carry on extremely intelligent conversations. (The pediatrician is utterly amazed at my 3-year-old's ability to express himself.) I'd like to say it's all me. That having a writer for a mother means my kids will naturally be articulate. And maybe that's part of it. But I'm kind of sure Sid the Science Kid has at least given my children something to talk about and be interested in. And I know for a fact that my 3-year-old, the one the pediatrician thinks is so amazing, has culled a lot of his expressions from Thomas the Tank Engine.
I think TV is like any candy or junk food. Everything in moderation. It's about portion control, and it's about taking in the "right" nutrients. We've all heard of kids whose parents never let them have candy, and then those kids grow up and eat nothing but cookies and become diabetic and obese (or something like that). It's the same with television. Let them have a little junk now and then, and also make sure they're digesting the good stuff. But (at the risk of upsetting some parents and/or doctors) don't abstain completely. Your kid is going to see TV eventually—at a friend's house, at the mall, wherever—so start good habits early and you won't have to worry later.
Courtesy of EducationNews.org
3.12.2013
Television: Smash, "The Fringe"
Tom wins. (Which makes me wonder whether the writers of Smash really just needed to keep most of what had already been written.) And is Jerry speaking for viewers when he says, "There are a lot of songs . . ." And then demands cuts. (?)
And a re-workedRent Hit List is on its way to the Winter Fringe Festival. With Karen in a key role. But when Jerry finds out, he demands Karen back out of Hit List because Bombshell should be her big introduction to the world. Given an ultimatum—do you want to do Fringe or do you want to open on Broadway?—Karen ditches Hit List to predictable results (i.e., a tantrum from Jimmy).
Meanwhile, Peter works to drive a wedge between Tom and Julia by using the Bad Dialogue Generator to tell her that Bombshell no longer needs her and that Tom has already left her. Then Peter invites Julia to London.
Apparently Tom must prove his love for Julia (as a collaborator) by convincing Jerry to keep one of Julia's favorite songs. He does this by giving Karen new direction and motivation, which sets Derek's back up since, you know, he's the director. When everyone loves the new direction . . . And really, when the problems with theatre-by-committee come to the fore . . . Derek quits the show.
Oh, and Ivy's show is tanking. Until Ivy makes the workshop audience laugh. Which makes Terry insist her number be cut. But at least he's honest about his reasons: he wants to be the funniest on the stage. But Ivy's brutal honesty works for her; when she tells Terry how awful the show is, and how awful he is in it, he gives her the song back.
In a completely unnecessary, time-filling scene, Karen, wearing a dress that looks like some curtains I had when I was five, goes back to the Fringe Festival to confront Jimmy and tell him not to take his temper out on everyone else.
Derek goes to check out Hit List on its last night, and surprise! Karen is in the show! DerekVision (TM) returns! (Really, all of Smash should be in DerekVision (TM).)
[Nobody on a plane is that nice, Windows. No one gives a little kid their tablet. I don't give my own kids my tablet. And I'd feel weird if some stranger gave my kid his.]
So of course Derek ends up agreeing to direct Hit List. Jimmy will star, but Karen opts out because she's signed to Bombshell.
And Eileen, tipped off by hearsay from Karen, discovers proof of Jerry's perfidy. Then she and Julia put Tom up as director for Bombshell.
The real shame in Smash is how terribly predictable the story lines are. All my snarking aside, it's a fun show, one I look forward to each week. But I wish they'd do something really surprising. As things stand it's easy to see Karen going for Hit List and Ivy stepping back into Bombshell (since Tom is her big champion, so if he's going to direct the show . . .) The supposedly make-or-break decisions of these characters always seem predestined. There's not yet been a point at which I've really wondered what someone will do; my biggest question is usually when they'll get around to it. So I think Smash would benefit from some real turnover.
Ah, well, it really is all predetermined now. The second season wrapped filming not too long ago, and it probably won't see a third. Enjoy it while you can, friends.
And a re-worked
Meanwhile, Peter works to drive a wedge between Tom and Julia by using the Bad Dialogue Generator to tell her that Bombshell no longer needs her and that Tom has already left her. Then Peter invites Julia to London.
Apparently Tom must prove his love for Julia (as a collaborator) by convincing Jerry to keep one of Julia's favorite songs. He does this by giving Karen new direction and motivation, which sets Derek's back up since, you know, he's the director. When everyone loves the new direction . . . And really, when the problems with theatre-by-committee come to the fore . . . Derek quits the show.
Oh, and Ivy's show is tanking. Until Ivy makes the workshop audience laugh. Which makes Terry insist her number be cut. But at least he's honest about his reasons: he wants to be the funniest on the stage. But Ivy's brutal honesty works for her; when she tells Terry how awful the show is, and how awful he is in it, he gives her the song back.
In a completely unnecessary, time-filling scene, Karen, wearing a dress that looks like some curtains I had when I was five, goes back to the Fringe Festival to confront Jimmy and tell him not to take his temper out on everyone else.
Derek goes to check out Hit List on its last night, and surprise! Karen is in the show! DerekVision (TM) returns! (Really, all of Smash should be in DerekVision (TM).)
[Nobody on a plane is that nice, Windows. No one gives a little kid their tablet. I don't give my own kids my tablet. And I'd feel weird if some stranger gave my kid his.]
So of course Derek ends up agreeing to direct Hit List. Jimmy will star, but Karen opts out because she's signed to Bombshell.
And Eileen, tipped off by hearsay from Karen, discovers proof of Jerry's perfidy. Then she and Julia put Tom up as director for Bombshell.
The real shame in Smash is how terribly predictable the story lines are. All my snarking aside, it's a fun show, one I look forward to each week. But I wish they'd do something really surprising. As things stand it's easy to see Karen going for Hit List and Ivy stepping back into Bombshell (since Tom is her big champion, so if he's going to direct the show . . .) The supposedly make-or-break decisions of these characters always seem predestined. There's not yet been a point at which I've really wondered what someone will do; my biggest question is usually when they'll get around to it. So I think Smash would benefit from some real turnover.
Ah, well, it really is all predetermined now. The second season wrapped filming not too long ago, and it probably won't see a third. Enjoy it while you can, friends.
3.11.2013
Odds & Ends
One of my Sherlock Holmes stories is free on Amazon Kindle at the moment. Go get it here.
And then read my other stuff (including one other Holmes story, the novella version of my award-winning screenplay St. Peter in Chains, and the brand new and highly rated K-Pro), all of which is listed here.
And if you still want more Sherlock stuff, just for fun you can go over here.
And then read my other stuff (including one other Holmes story, the novella version of my award-winning screenplay St. Peter in Chains, and the brand new and highly rated K-Pro), all of which is listed here.
And if you still want more Sherlock stuff, just for fun you can go over here.
3.08.2013
The State of Things
So here's where I'm at:
I've been asked to pen this script, so that's a priority. Hope to have the first draft done by the end of the month.
And there's the K-Pro book launch. I'm looking over proofs for the hard copy now. (It's already on Kindle if you want to read it that way; other formats will come online on the official launch date of March 26.)
And my Sherlock script has done well in competition (finally), though it needs some rewriting . . . But since it's just a spec/writing sample, that goes to the back. (You can read a draft of it on my Stage 32 profile under Loglines & Screenplays.)
So I'm busy and not reading as much (though I have started The Dante Club and really like it, except it's giving me grotesque dreams). And shows like Elementary, which I usually cover here, have been in repeats. Though I'll go ahead and take this moment to admit I've been late to the Community party but really enjoyed last night's Thanksgiving episode.
Revolution is coming back in a couple weeks, too, and I might try to watch it. Or not.
Lots of movies I keep meaning to see. When I have time. I'll write about those when I do. Have time. And see them.
Finally, back to London in July. Looking forward to that.
So stay tuned; I do intend to keep content up here as much as possible.
I've been asked to pen this script, so that's a priority. Hope to have the first draft done by the end of the month.
And there's the K-Pro book launch. I'm looking over proofs for the hard copy now. (It's already on Kindle if you want to read it that way; other formats will come online on the official launch date of March 26.)
And my Sherlock script has done well in competition (finally), though it needs some rewriting . . . But since it's just a spec/writing sample, that goes to the back. (You can read a draft of it on my Stage 32 profile under Loglines & Screenplays.)
So I'm busy and not reading as much (though I have started The Dante Club and really like it, except it's giving me grotesque dreams). And shows like Elementary, which I usually cover here, have been in repeats. Though I'll go ahead and take this moment to admit I've been late to the Community party but really enjoyed last night's Thanksgiving episode.
Revolution is coming back in a couple weeks, too, and I might try to watch it. Or not.
Lots of movies I keep meaning to see. When I have time. I'll write about those when I do. Have time. And see them.
Finally, back to London in July. Looking forward to that.
So stay tuned; I do intend to keep content up here as much as possible.
3.06.2013
Books: The K-Pro
Early reviews count The K-Pro as a unique and fun fantasy. "[E]verything you want in a good fantasy novel" and "The characters are easy to fall in love with." Also, "left me enjoying every page."
To be clear, this is no sword-and-sorcery, high-fantasy novel. It takes place on a contemporary film set on the English coast. But it takes "movie magic" to another level.
Although the official release date is March 26, Amazon Kindle users can read it now. (Here's the UK version; other regions are also available.)
On March 26 Nook, iBooks, and Kobo readers will also be able to get The K-Pro. And we're working on a paperback as well; ideally it will be out on the 26th, too, pending the proofing process.
So go forth, read, and (hopefully) enjoy!
To be clear, this is no sword-and-sorcery, high-fantasy novel. It takes place on a contemporary film set on the English coast. But it takes "movie magic" to another level.
Although the official release date is March 26, Amazon Kindle users can read it now. (Here's the UK version; other regions are also available.)
On March 26 Nook, iBooks, and Kobo readers will also be able to get The K-Pro. And we're working on a paperback as well; ideally it will be out on the 26th, too, pending the proofing process.
So go forth, read, and (hopefully) enjoy!
3.05.2013
Television: Smash, "The Read-Through"
Now we have TomVision(TM)? Not nearly as entertaining as DerekVision(TM) though. And apparently Tom mostly envisions variations of himself, male and female, and of many different nationalities.
And in case Bombshell's read-through, er, bombs . . . Derek gets Kyle's and Jimmy's Hit List a slot in the Winter Fringe Festival. That way he won't have all his eggs in the Bombshell basket.
Meanwhile, a random guy gives Julia cause to question Peter's loyalty. The writers for this show are far from subtle about inserting plot points and exposition.
And Ivy is having trouble dealing with the fact that the lead in Les Liaisons Dangereuses is a comedy star (Sean Hayes) turning the show into a farce. Sort of like casting Jerry Lewis as Hamlet. Ivy takes the brave step of privately telling Terry (Hayes) that the play is actually a tragedy. Backfires when Terry and the director get together and decide to "lighten" it up.
The real tragedy, however, is that Karen is mooning over Jimmy. It's sappy and one-note.
Also, random return (and extended use) of Karen's sassy new roommate. Is she going to be a "real" character now? What happened to all the other friends Karen had? And while we're at it, that guy Tom was dating?
Julia's suspicions of Peter are confirmed by an encounter with Jerry's assistant. Or so she thinks . . .
While Bombshell gets its read-through, which goes over very well, Hit List is simultaneously getting one of its own. Jimmy's songs sound very radio-friendly. But the story itself—the dialogue and characters—don't go over so well. And so while Bombshell gets a green light, Hit List is sent to the back burner.
Ivy shames Terry by refusing to cop to his asinine behavior. Which somehow compels him to go off his meds.
Oh, and Nick is in the slammer. Does anyone still care about Nick? I don't.
And Karen's roommie lays it on the line for Jimmy by telling him not to toy with Karen.
New plan for Hit List: make it more like Rent by stripping it of dialogue and turning the entire story into a pseudo-opera. (And by the way, Jimmy believes Karen is dating Derek.)
Finally: Jerry tells Derek, Tom, Julia and Peter that though the reading went well, Bombshell is not Broadway material. And here comes the big twist: he wants to produce the show BUT . . . He wants to work from the workshop draft from seven months before. A draft Tom had sent him.
Time to bring in Eileen to break the tie. Old draft or new?
We won't know until next week, but one has to wonder: can Eileen legally produce, or otherwise be involved in, whichever one is NOT Bombshell? Could we have dueling Marilyn Monroe shows? And Eileen and Jerry going head-to-head? Tom versus Julia?
Nah. Overkill.
Right? . . .
And in case Bombshell's read-through, er, bombs . . . Derek gets Kyle's and Jimmy's Hit List a slot in the Winter Fringe Festival. That way he won't have all his eggs in the Bombshell basket.
Meanwhile, a random guy gives Julia cause to question Peter's loyalty. The writers for this show are far from subtle about inserting plot points and exposition.
And Ivy is having trouble dealing with the fact that the lead in Les Liaisons Dangereuses is a comedy star (Sean Hayes) turning the show into a farce. Sort of like casting Jerry Lewis as Hamlet. Ivy takes the brave step of privately telling Terry (Hayes) that the play is actually a tragedy. Backfires when Terry and the director get together and decide to "lighten" it up.
The real tragedy, however, is that Karen is mooning over Jimmy. It's sappy and one-note.
Also, random return (and extended use) of Karen's sassy new roommate. Is she going to be a "real" character now? What happened to all the other friends Karen had? And while we're at it, that guy Tom was dating?
Julia's suspicions of Peter are confirmed by an encounter with Jerry's assistant. Or so she thinks . . .
While Bombshell gets its read-through, which goes over very well, Hit List is simultaneously getting one of its own. Jimmy's songs sound very radio-friendly. But the story itself—the dialogue and characters—don't go over so well. And so while Bombshell gets a green light, Hit List is sent to the back burner.
Ivy shames Terry by refusing to cop to his asinine behavior. Which somehow compels him to go off his meds.
Oh, and Nick is in the slammer. Does anyone still care about Nick? I don't.
And Karen's roommie lays it on the line for Jimmy by telling him not to toy with Karen.
New plan for Hit List: make it more like Rent by stripping it of dialogue and turning the entire story into a pseudo-opera. (And by the way, Jimmy believes Karen is dating Derek.)
Finally: Jerry tells Derek, Tom, Julia and Peter that though the reading went well, Bombshell is not Broadway material. And here comes the big twist: he wants to produce the show BUT . . . He wants to work from the workshop draft from seven months before. A draft Tom had sent him.
Time to bring in Eileen to break the tie. Old draft or new?
We won't know until next week, but one has to wonder: can Eileen legally produce, or otherwise be involved in, whichever one is NOT Bombshell? Could we have dueling Marilyn Monroe shows? And Eileen and Jerry going head-to-head? Tom versus Julia?
Nah. Overkill.
Right? . . .
3.03.2013
Variety's New Site
Sucks.
Seriously, Variety, you've just made it more difficult for me to find anything. So what reason do I have now to frequent your site? Um . . . Hold on a sec . . . Oh. None.
I've tried multiple times since your "relaunch" on Friday to find ratings information. You know, that little chart that was on the front page of the old site? Can't find it on the new one.
Instead, I'm being subjected to annoying ads that have no "close" button.
I get Daily Variety in the mail, of course, but since they can't seem to get it to me on a regular basis, I had been using their web site to keep updated. Alas, with this revamping now even the site is incapable of making itself useful.
And so I will need to go elsewhere for my info.
Seriously, Variety, you've just made it more difficult for me to find anything. So what reason do I have now to frequent your site? Um . . . Hold on a sec . . . Oh. None.
I've tried multiple times since your "relaunch" on Friday to find ratings information. You know, that little chart that was on the front page of the old site? Can't find it on the new one.
Instead, I'm being subjected to annoying ads that have no "close" button.
I get Daily Variety in the mail, of course, but since they can't seem to get it to me on a regular basis, I had been using their web site to keep updated. Alas, with this revamping now even the site is incapable of making itself useful.
And so I will need to go elsewhere for my info.
3.02.2013
Books: What Do You Hear from Walden Pond? by Jack Douglas
This is a book I picked up years and years ago in a second-hand bookstore. Those places are filled with such treasures, books one would never have found, never have heard of. I'd never heard of Jack Douglas before finding this book, though according to the flyleaf he'd written several other books besides. But this one is from 1971, which is before I was born, and so Douglas clearly belongs to an earlier generation than mine.
Doesn't stop my enjoyment of him, though.
What Do You Hear from Walden Pond? is for people who enjoy the likes of, say, Dave Barry. It's slice-of-life humor in which Douglas writes about moving his family from Ontario to Los Angeles after he gets tapped to help write a screenplay. Hilarity ensues as Douglas, his Japanese wife, their sons, two dogs, a wolf, and a mountain lion navigate the Hollywood system. (And trust me, even with the menagerie, Douglas is still more sane than the studio execs.)
Sample text:
"How would you like to go to California?" I said.
"You mean Disneyland?" Bobby said.
"I guess I do," I said. "But they used to call it California."
Okay, so maybe I like this book because I'm a screenwriter. (I'm allowed to say that for real now that I've won an award.) But even before I'd written my first script, or even read anything by Dave Barry, I liked this book, which I discovered when I was in junior high. I take it off my shelf every few years and re-read it, usually over the summer; it's good, light-hearted fare for that time of year. And so now, as the weather out here on the West Coast is warming, and as I've been tapped to write a script of my own, I'm thinking about giving Douglas my attention once more.
And one day I'll maybe even go find some of his other books, too.
Doesn't stop my enjoyment of him, though.
What Do You Hear from Walden Pond? is for people who enjoy the likes of, say, Dave Barry. It's slice-of-life humor in which Douglas writes about moving his family from Ontario to Los Angeles after he gets tapped to help write a screenplay. Hilarity ensues as Douglas, his Japanese wife, their sons, two dogs, a wolf, and a mountain lion navigate the Hollywood system. (And trust me, even with the menagerie, Douglas is still more sane than the studio execs.)
Sample text:
"How would you like to go to California?" I said.
"You mean Disneyland?" Bobby said.
"I guess I do," I said. "But they used to call it California."
Okay, so maybe I like this book because I'm a screenwriter. (I'm allowed to say that for real now that I've won an award.) But even before I'd written my first script, or even read anything by Dave Barry, I liked this book, which I discovered when I was in junior high. I take it off my shelf every few years and re-read it, usually over the summer; it's good, light-hearted fare for that time of year. And so now, as the weather out here on the West Coast is warming, and as I've been tapped to write a script of my own, I'm thinking about giving Douglas my attention once more.
And one day I'll maybe even go find some of his other books, too.
3.01.2013
Television: The Following, "The Fall"
What we learned: Kevin Bacon is way better than James Purefoy at fucking with people's heads. Seriously. Watching Ryan Hardy mess with Jacob and Paul was really the only good thing about this episode.
Also, this was the last episode of The Following I will ever watch. Because really, this kidnapping thing is being dragged out, and the counter coups by Carroll's minions are starting to be ridiculous. If Emma had at least gotten a bullet in the head I might've been up for more, but no. I cannot stand the snail's pace of this show, and the fact that we always end up back at square one. There's no progress. It's the same problem I have with Revolution (and I haven't decided whether I'll still be watching that when it returns either).
Weird coincidence, though: as I was deleting the series recording from my DVR, James Purefoy only about twenty years younger appeared on my television screen. Turns out "The Boscome Valley Mystery" (Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes) was on . . . My worlds were colliding there for a minute, but I got over it with the help of some Oreos.
Also, this was the last episode of The Following I will ever watch. Because really, this kidnapping thing is being dragged out, and the counter coups by Carroll's minions are starting to be ridiculous. If Emma had at least gotten a bullet in the head I might've been up for more, but no. I cannot stand the snail's pace of this show, and the fact that we always end up back at square one. There's no progress. It's the same problem I have with Revolution (and I haven't decided whether I'll still be watching that when it returns either).
Weird coincidence, though: as I was deleting the series recording from my DVR, James Purefoy only about twenty years younger appeared on my television screen. Turns out "The Boscome Valley Mystery" (Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes) was on . . . My worlds were colliding there for a minute, but I got over it with the help of some Oreos.
The Deck of 1000 Spreads
Here is where I admit my weakness for Tarot decks. Some I buy just because I like the artwork on them, a few others because I feel a connection to them. I'm no adept when it comes to reading these cards; in fact, I wouldn't say I entirely "believe in" them (and maybe that's what works against my being able to read them well, though I will say they make more sense when I'm reading for someone else than for myself, so I suspect it has to do with personal biases). I don't necessarily think Tarot cards predict a future any more than a horoscope does. These things are more like food for thought, at least for me, rather than a faith.
But all that aside, I'm always looking for new and interesting ways to play with and read the cards. Need an excuse to own all these decks, after all. I've worn out the Celtic Cross spread and all its kin, but being that I am not, as I said, some expert, I thought this Deck of 1000 Spreads might be fun.
The gimmick is deceptively simple. There are 65 color-coded cards, 59 of which are pre-printed with things like: Goal, Advice, You, Negative Influences . . . You get the idea. (The other six cards are blank so you can use them however you like.) You use these cards like a game of Tarot Twister, creating your own spreads by putting the colored cards down first as placeholders. Then you lay the Tarot cards on top of these cards. An example below:
You see how each of the pre-printed cards also offers guidance on how to interpret whichever Tarot card lands there; these notes also help in determining which of the Twister-y cards to use when creating a spread. (That deck I'm using is the Harmonious Tarot, btw, my personal favorite and the only one of my decks I use daily.)
For anyone feeling a little uncertain about laying out their own spreads willy-nilly, well, the accompanying book has suggestions that you can start with and build on as you get more comfortable.
Also, with all these options, it is possible to get a little carried away. After playing with it for a bit, I found myself laying out 14-card spreads, at which point I thought, Now this is just ridiculous. Because there has to be a tipping point, doesn't there? Do you really need to use the Romance AND Relationship cards? Or are you able to understand the nuances that differentiate the two, and is there no such thing as too much information? At the very least I would recommend dipping your toes before diving in.
Still and all, not a bad tool. Novices will appreciate the helpful indicators on the cards, old hands may enjoy the freedom this spread-building deck offers. Not that they couldn't make up their own spreads before, but the cards help focus one's intent at each point in the spread.
And yet . . . Beware. They can be a tad distracting, too. So if you do use these cards, you may want to redouble your focus once you begin laying the Tarot cards over them.
Oh, and this kit doesn't come with a Tarot deck. So be sure you already have one, or order one in tandem.
But all that aside, I'm always looking for new and interesting ways to play with and read the cards. Need an excuse to own all these decks, after all. I've worn out the Celtic Cross spread and all its kin, but being that I am not, as I said, some expert, I thought this Deck of 1000 Spreads might be fun.
The gimmick is deceptively simple. There are 65 color-coded cards, 59 of which are pre-printed with things like: Goal, Advice, You, Negative Influences . . . You get the idea. (The other six cards are blank so you can use them however you like.) You use these cards like a game of Tarot Twister, creating your own spreads by putting the colored cards down first as placeholders. Then you lay the Tarot cards on top of these cards. An example below:
You see how each of the pre-printed cards also offers guidance on how to interpret whichever Tarot card lands there; these notes also help in determining which of the Twister-y cards to use when creating a spread. (That deck I'm using is the Harmonious Tarot, btw, my personal favorite and the only one of my decks I use daily.)
For anyone feeling a little uncertain about laying out their own spreads willy-nilly, well, the accompanying book has suggestions that you can start with and build on as you get more comfortable.
Also, with all these options, it is possible to get a little carried away. After playing with it for a bit, I found myself laying out 14-card spreads, at which point I thought, Now this is just ridiculous. Because there has to be a tipping point, doesn't there? Do you really need to use the Romance AND Relationship cards? Or are you able to understand the nuances that differentiate the two, and is there no such thing as too much information? At the very least I would recommend dipping your toes before diving in.
Still and all, not a bad tool. Novices will appreciate the helpful indicators on the cards, old hands may enjoy the freedom this spread-building deck offers. Not that they couldn't make up their own spreads before, but the cards help focus one's intent at each point in the spread.
And yet . . . Beware. They can be a tad distracting, too. So if you do use these cards, you may want to redouble your focus once you begin laying the Tarot cards over them.
Oh, and this kit doesn't come with a Tarot deck. So be sure you already have one, or order one in tandem.
2.28.2013
Facebook is Sinking
So. After being told by all the presenters at SFWC that one must have a Facebook presence . . . Other writers are announcing they're leaving and/or at the very least reducing their usage of the site.
Also, teenagers no longer think Facebook is cool.
Well, that's the problem with catering to a fickle consumer. And teens are terribly fickle.
Meanwhile, I've been doing less and less on Facebook and Twitter because, hey! Real life! It's out there, keeping me busy. So busy, in fact, that I can't actually be bothered to take the time to tweet or post a status about everything I'm doing. Funny how that happens.
And I'm not interested enough in what other people ate for dinner, or what cute thing their kids did, or in seeing pictures of places they went, to check in as regularly as I used to when I was bored, either.
Let's face it (and I've said this before): Much of social networking is about hearing yourself "talk," and being the star of your own show. It's reality TV in cyberspace, everyone editing their lives to showcase the greatest possible amount of drama. Or, alternatively, boring their presumed audiences with narratives about their housework, errands they've run, etc.
Then there are the people who use social networks as a platform for causes, or to shill their wares. (I'll admit I'm guilty of this one in terms of promoting my books, scripts, sites. But I try not to be too obnoxious about it . . . And as an aside, did you know it takes an average of seven discreet moments of exposure to prompt someone to act on something? That means it would take some combination of a tweet, a Facebook post, a magazine ad, someone mentioning it, seeing it in an e-mail, reading a review, and seeing it mentioned on a blog to get someone to buy a book or see a movie or contribute to your Kickstarter or whatever.)
Anyway, is it any wonder Facebook is sinking? Everyone is tired of everyone else's drama or lack thereof, and they are dissatisfied with the lack of interest everyone shows in their lives. You do the token "Like" thing now and then, but really? You don't much care, right?
The one thing I've found Facebook good for (besides letting people know when and where my books are coming out) is keeping up with people at a distance. Now instead of typing a bunch of e-mails, I can post a succinct status update that lots of people can see. And I can customize who sees it, too. (Apparently a common reason for leaving Facebook is lack of privacy and/or control of one's data.)
But that's a personal thing. I abandoned my "official" author Facebook site because I couldn't get any use out of it. I'm sure that's my fault somehow, not understanding how to "leverage" the system and bend it to my will, but whatever. My book sales are good, my screenwriting is going well, so I can't complain that no one "Liked" my Facebook page. Well, I can, but to what purpose?
Facebook will really need to rethink its uses, and its users, if it wants to survive.
Also, teenagers no longer think Facebook is cool.
Well, that's the problem with catering to a fickle consumer. And teens are terribly fickle.
Meanwhile, I've been doing less and less on Facebook and Twitter because, hey! Real life! It's out there, keeping me busy. So busy, in fact, that I can't actually be bothered to take the time to tweet or post a status about everything I'm doing. Funny how that happens.
And I'm not interested enough in what other people ate for dinner, or what cute thing their kids did, or in seeing pictures of places they went, to check in as regularly as I used to when I was bored, either.
Let's face it (and I've said this before): Much of social networking is about hearing yourself "talk," and being the star of your own show. It's reality TV in cyberspace, everyone editing their lives to showcase the greatest possible amount of drama. Or, alternatively, boring their presumed audiences with narratives about their housework, errands they've run, etc.
Then there are the people who use social networks as a platform for causes, or to shill their wares. (I'll admit I'm guilty of this one in terms of promoting my books, scripts, sites. But I try not to be too obnoxious about it . . . And as an aside, did you know it takes an average of seven discreet moments of exposure to prompt someone to act on something? That means it would take some combination of a tweet, a Facebook post, a magazine ad, someone mentioning it, seeing it in an e-mail, reading a review, and seeing it mentioned on a blog to get someone to buy a book or see a movie or contribute to your Kickstarter or whatever.)
Anyway, is it any wonder Facebook is sinking? Everyone is tired of everyone else's drama or lack thereof, and they are dissatisfied with the lack of interest everyone shows in their lives. You do the token "Like" thing now and then, but really? You don't much care, right?
The one thing I've found Facebook good for (besides letting people know when and where my books are coming out) is keeping up with people at a distance. Now instead of typing a bunch of e-mails, I can post a succinct status update that lots of people can see. And I can customize who sees it, too. (Apparently a common reason for leaving Facebook is lack of privacy and/or control of one's data.)
But that's a personal thing. I abandoned my "official" author Facebook site because I couldn't get any use out of it. I'm sure that's my fault somehow, not understanding how to "leverage" the system and bend it to my will, but whatever. My book sales are good, my screenwriting is going well, so I can't complain that no one "Liked" my Facebook page. Well, I can, but to what purpose?
Facebook will really need to rethink its uses, and its users, if it wants to survive.
2.26.2013
Television: Smash, "The Song"
Apparently the titular song has pretty much one lyric: "I got love."
But we've also got old jokes: "You're the musical director; you don't call breaks . . . Okay, everyone, take a break!" (Gone With the Wind starts almost the exact same way.)
And use of dialogue for exposition: Jimmy saying Derek won't produce his and Kyle's show, Kyle remarking that Derek has at least given them guidelines for development.
The episode picks up with rehearsals for Veronica's one-night show. None of Tom's songs are working for Derek, so Karen calls in Jimmy and Kyle as backup. Alas, Tom doesn't find their work "Broadway" enough for Veronica. They get one more shot, if they can come up with something by the end of the day. Karen's muse powers get called on again as Jimmy taps her to sit beside him at the piano while he writes . . . Only to have Kyle walk in and find himself supplanted.
Meanwhile, Ivy and Ronnie catch up as old friends. Nick turns up at Eileen's. Derek tries to take Veronica's concert in a more sultry, grown-up direction, but Ronnie is so used to her sweetheart image, she (and her stage-managing mother) is uncomfortable with the changes and Derek is forced to step back. He turns down Jimmy's new song and Jimmy disappears.
Oh, and here is foreshadowing from Ronnie's mother right before the big concert: "Now is not the time to go changing things."
So guess what?!?!
I do enjoy Smash, and think it's a shame it won't see another season. (That's not official, but it might as well be considering how low the ratings have become; I can only hope NBC will at least let this season play out.) But it's so predictable, in all the worst ways.
Anyway. Karen finds Jimmy, who is very high. So of course she kisses him. (Well, he kisses her, but still. She lets him.)
And by getting Julia drunk on wine, Peter is able to redirect her vision of Bombshell. Soon the two of them are pulling books off the shelf in order to re-imagine and rewrite. Sexy, no?
Ronnie defies her mother by dressing more tart than sweetheart. She tells her mother she loves Derek's work and wants to do things his way. Which apparently is cabaret rather than Broadway. Because really, even the reworked "I Got Love" is far from steamy.
And of course Veronica ends the show by singing Jimmy's new song.
Backup singers should not sit, btw. I realize it's meant to keep the focus on Ronnie, but I find it really distracting, far more than if they were standing.
Peter suggests he and Julia go away to his house in the Berkshires to finish the rewrite.
Eileen is forced by the Feds to step down as producer of Bombshell; Jerry will take over (cue sinister music and name check the reviled Ellis). The show can now go to Broadway, and the question becomes whether it can recover from the bad press it has received due to the investigation.
And so things go . . .
It is unfortunate how very little depth some of the characters of Smash seem to have. They each suit their archetype and so come across as less human and more plastic. For a show meant to give a grittier look at the behind-the-scenes lives of would-be stage stars, it's very shiny. It's a soap opera, of course, at least of sorts. But even so one needn't sacrifice character development for plot. As stage people (or wannabe stage people), you'd think the Smash writers, producers, showrunners would know as much. This may be why its star continues to fall.
But we've also got old jokes: "You're the musical director; you don't call breaks . . . Okay, everyone, take a break!" (Gone With the Wind starts almost the exact same way.)
And use of dialogue for exposition: Jimmy saying Derek won't produce his and Kyle's show, Kyle remarking that Derek has at least given them guidelines for development.
The episode picks up with rehearsals for Veronica's one-night show. None of Tom's songs are working for Derek, so Karen calls in Jimmy and Kyle as backup. Alas, Tom doesn't find their work "Broadway" enough for Veronica. They get one more shot, if they can come up with something by the end of the day. Karen's muse powers get called on again as Jimmy taps her to sit beside him at the piano while he writes . . . Only to have Kyle walk in and find himself supplanted.
Meanwhile, Ivy and Ronnie catch up as old friends. Nick turns up at Eileen's. Derek tries to take Veronica's concert in a more sultry, grown-up direction, but Ronnie is so used to her sweetheart image, she (and her stage-managing mother) is uncomfortable with the changes and Derek is forced to step back. He turns down Jimmy's new song and Jimmy disappears.
Oh, and here is foreshadowing from Ronnie's mother right before the big concert: "Now is not the time to go changing things."
So guess what?!?!
I do enjoy Smash, and think it's a shame it won't see another season. (That's not official, but it might as well be considering how low the ratings have become; I can only hope NBC will at least let this season play out.) But it's so predictable, in all the worst ways.
Anyway. Karen finds Jimmy, who is very high. So of course she kisses him. (Well, he kisses her, but still. She lets him.)
And by getting Julia drunk on wine, Peter is able to redirect her vision of Bombshell. Soon the two of them are pulling books off the shelf in order to re-imagine and rewrite. Sexy, no?
Ronnie defies her mother by dressing more tart than sweetheart. She tells her mother she loves Derek's work and wants to do things his way. Which apparently is cabaret rather than Broadway. Because really, even the reworked "I Got Love" is far from steamy.
And of course Veronica ends the show by singing Jimmy's new song.
Backup singers should not sit, btw. I realize it's meant to keep the focus on Ronnie, but I find it really distracting, far more than if they were standing.
Peter suggests he and Julia go away to his house in the Berkshires to finish the rewrite.
Eileen is forced by the Feds to step down as producer of Bombshell; Jerry will take over (cue sinister music and name check the reviled Ellis). The show can now go to Broadway, and the question becomes whether it can recover from the bad press it has received due to the investigation.
And so things go . . .
It is unfortunate how very little depth some of the characters of Smash seem to have. They each suit their archetype and so come across as less human and more plastic. For a show meant to give a grittier look at the behind-the-scenes lives of would-be stage stars, it's very shiny. It's a soap opera, of course, at least of sorts. But even so one needn't sacrifice character development for plot. As stage people (or wannabe stage people), you'd think the Smash writers, producers, showrunners would know as much. This may be why its star continues to fall.
2.25.2013
2.21.2013
Television: Elementary, "Possibility Two"
Watson's training in the arts of deduction begins.
Name checking "The Musgrave Ritual," a wealthy philanthropist named Lydon tries to convince Holmes to take his case: he's convinced the fatal, hereditary disease he's suffering from—one of which his family has no history—has been somehow introduced into his system as a biological murder weapon. Since the first symptom is dementia, Holmes feels it's more likely there is no underhanded plot involved and turns the case down.
But when Lydon murders his driver, Holmes is prompted to investigate which geneticists in the world might be able to synthesize the disease. A scientist (Natasha) who texts Holmes to say the disease can be induced agrees to meet with Holmes and is then found stabbed to death.
The obvious suspects are Lydon's sons who stand to inherit quite the fortune. But the DNA at the stabbing scene matches a street thug with a history of stabbing. (My guess, going in? Anyone who can induce a rare disease can probably figure out how to plant blood DNA at a crime scene.)
Holmes sends Watson on various dry cleaning runs and taps the various worldwide geneticists for possibilities. Or really, he just needs one possibility: Possibility Two. Which turns out to be that a DNA match can be fabricated. And this one from the crime scene was fabricated by Natasha's fiancé, employee at a high-end pharmaceutical lab. But said fiancé has no idea what might be going on with Lydon. I guess he's smart but not that smart.
As it turns out, more than Lydon are being poisoned with this disease, all of them regulars from the society pages. Why? Because rich people who have a disease will give lots of money to fund research for cures for that disease.
Oh, and the dry cleaners get arrested.
A neat idea, but too slick in execution and too hastily wrapped up. And less fun interactions between Watson and Holmes this week. So I found this episode subpar on the whole, even though the core plot was unique.
Name checking "The Musgrave Ritual," a wealthy philanthropist named Lydon tries to convince Holmes to take his case: he's convinced the fatal, hereditary disease he's suffering from—one of which his family has no history—has been somehow introduced into his system as a biological murder weapon. Since the first symptom is dementia, Holmes feels it's more likely there is no underhanded plot involved and turns the case down.
But when Lydon murders his driver, Holmes is prompted to investigate which geneticists in the world might be able to synthesize the disease. A scientist (Natasha) who texts Holmes to say the disease can be induced agrees to meet with Holmes and is then found stabbed to death.
The obvious suspects are Lydon's sons who stand to inherit quite the fortune. But the DNA at the stabbing scene matches a street thug with a history of stabbing. (My guess, going in? Anyone who can induce a rare disease can probably figure out how to plant blood DNA at a crime scene.)
Holmes sends Watson on various dry cleaning runs and taps the various worldwide geneticists for possibilities. Or really, he just needs one possibility: Possibility Two. Which turns out to be that a DNA match can be fabricated. And this one from the crime scene was fabricated by Natasha's fiancé, employee at a high-end pharmaceutical lab. But said fiancé has no idea what might be going on with Lydon. I guess he's smart but not that smart.
As it turns out, more than Lydon are being poisoned with this disease, all of them regulars from the society pages. Why? Because rich people who have a disease will give lots of money to fund research for cures for that disease.
Oh, and the dry cleaners get arrested.
A neat idea, but too slick in execution and too hastily wrapped up. And less fun interactions between Watson and Holmes this week. So I found this episode subpar on the whole, even though the core plot was unique.
A [S]Pot of Deduction
If Sherlock Holmes were to look in my kitchen cabinet, he might deduce at least one person in the house is left-handed.
He'd be wrong, but it wouldn't be a bad guess.
That's because right now my pots look like this:
The handles are turned to the left, as they would normally be for someone who uses his or her left hand to grab them or put them away.
But my pots aren't normally turned this way. Before, they looked like this:
But I needed to put the steamer into the cabinet. Since I use the steamer less often than I do the pots, I wanted to put the steamer behind the pots and keep the pots easily accessible. So:
You'll see that the pot handles now stick out of the cabinet. I was standing up at this point, and to save time and effort, I merely reached down (without bending) and turned them the only way their was room for them to go—left. Then I shut the cabinet door.
I would say to Holmes, "Never discount the laziness of the average person."
Of course, the pot behind these has its handle turned to the right. So Holmes would at least correctly come to the conclusion one or more people in the house is right-handed. (In fact, we all are.) None of the other pots has handles that would be likely make a difference under the circumstances. It's a corner cabinet, so there's little to glean from where things are except to say the most-used items are in front, and on the higher shelf, and everything else gets pushed to the back corner where they're more difficult to reach.
A fun little exercise designed to show that even the greatest of detectives could possibly be tripped up by a mild variance of everyday circumstance.
He'd be wrong, but it wouldn't be a bad guess.
That's because right now my pots look like this:
The handles are turned to the left, as they would normally be for someone who uses his or her left hand to grab them or put them away.
But my pots aren't normally turned this way. Before, they looked like this:
But I needed to put the steamer into the cabinet. Since I use the steamer less often than I do the pots, I wanted to put the steamer behind the pots and keep the pots easily accessible. So:
You'll see that the pot handles now stick out of the cabinet. I was standing up at this point, and to save time and effort, I merely reached down (without bending) and turned them the only way their was room for them to go—left. Then I shut the cabinet door.
I would say to Holmes, "Never discount the laziness of the average person."
Of course, the pot behind these has its handle turned to the right. So Holmes would at least correctly come to the conclusion one or more people in the house is right-handed. (In fact, we all are.) None of the other pots has handles that would be likely make a difference under the circumstances. It's a corner cabinet, so there's little to glean from where things are except to say the most-used items are in front, and on the higher shelf, and everything else gets pushed to the back corner where they're more difficult to reach.
A fun little exercise designed to show that even the greatest of detectives could possibly be tripped up by a mild variance of everyday circumstance.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle @ UT's Harry Ransom Center
Well, at least some of his papers are.
The HRC is the reason I chose UT; I visited when I was nine and saw a replica of the Nike of Samothrace and fell in love (never mind that Gutenberg Bible, which is what I was supposed to be looking at). One of my favorite professors—who became a dear mentor of mine—Dr. Douglass Parker had two offices: one in Waggener Hall and another in the HRC. Both were stuffed so full of papers and books and odds and ends that you could hardly enter.
Well, now HRC has some papers belonging to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of that famous sleuth Sherlock Holmes (and Watson, too, of course). And the one posted on the link above, courtesy of Slate, is quite telling of Doyle's frame of mind. I think he must have been a very interesting person, but also the kind that you would have to get in at the right angle to penetrate his personality. Anyone else would be shut out, prevented, rebuffed, would bounce off and walk away either bewildered or chagrined, maybe even angry.
In any case, an interesting insight into his character.
The HRC is the reason I chose UT; I visited when I was nine and saw a replica of the Nike of Samothrace and fell in love (never mind that Gutenberg Bible, which is what I was supposed to be looking at). One of my favorite professors—who became a dear mentor of mine—Dr. Douglass Parker had two offices: one in Waggener Hall and another in the HRC. Both were stuffed so full of papers and books and odds and ends that you could hardly enter.
Well, now HRC has some papers belonging to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of that famous sleuth Sherlock Holmes (and Watson, too, of course). And the one posted on the link above, courtesy of Slate, is quite telling of Doyle's frame of mind. I think he must have been a very interesting person, but also the kind that you would have to get in at the right angle to penetrate his personality. Anyone else would be shut out, prevented, rebuffed, would bounce off and walk away either bewildered or chagrined, maybe even angry.
In any case, an interesting insight into his character.
2.20.2013
Television: Parade's End on HBO
For those who didn't get to see it when it aired in the UK, the miniseries Parade's End is coming stateside to HBO next week. Though instead of showing it in one-hour blocks over five weeks, HBO is cramming it down viewers' throats in three days' time . . . A morbid curiosity is tempting me to watch it to see what edits, if any, have been made for the US audience, but the better, stronger part of me is certain I could go the rest of my life without ever having to watch it again. And there are better things airing those nights anyway.
Variety liked it perhaps a bit more than I did, but even still found it a slog. As you may recall, if you read my commentary (and you can always search this blog and find it; oddly enough, it's one of my most-read series of posts), I had to resort to making my own fun while watching because the characters are somewhat unbearable, especially when one is exposed to them in large quantities.
It's been suggested Downton Abbey fans will enjoy Parade's End, but my guess is the main audience here will be the growing list of Cumberbatch admirers, people who are willing to sit through just about anything he's in. And they'll get their fill. Well, so much as bottomless pit fans ever can.
Go on, then. Gorge yourselves. I'm off to have a doughnut. And to watch something with characters I can stand to spend any amount of time with.
Variety liked it perhaps a bit more than I did, but even still found it a slog. As you may recall, if you read my commentary (and you can always search this blog and find it; oddly enough, it's one of my most-read series of posts), I had to resort to making my own fun while watching because the characters are somewhat unbearable, especially when one is exposed to them in large quantities.
It's been suggested Downton Abbey fans will enjoy Parade's End, but my guess is the main audience here will be the growing list of Cumberbatch admirers, people who are willing to sit through just about anything he's in. And they'll get their fill. Well, so much as bottomless pit fans ever can.
Go on, then. Gorge yourselves. I'm off to have a doughnut. And to watch something with characters I can stand to spend any amount of time with.
2.19.2013
Television: Smash, "The Dramaturg"
Karen tries to convince Derek to meet with Jimmy and Kyle in hopes of promoting their work. Eileen tells Tom and Julia she's bringing in a professional dramaturg for Bombshell. And Ivy asks a director for a shot at a key role in Les Liaisons Dangereuses. And Derek turns around and asks Veronica to set up a pseudo-audition with the producers of The Wiz in attempt to get his job back.
So things begin, and it's a much better (and quicker) setup than the back-to-back airings two weeks ago. Also, Julia and the dramaturg (Peter) have more [love-hate] chemistry than pretty much anyone in the show thus far.
Of course Derek is forced to cancel on Jimmy and Kyle, giving the increasingly irritating Jimmy lots of reasons to stalk around and be snarky and Kyle just as many reasons to be optimistic as he insists Karen is not a phony.
In terms of staging moments, the things between Kennedy and Marilyn move too fast to be believable as part of a musical; the jump to "our host wants to see you" and "I had to get you alone" was too quick. Even by Broadway standards.
When producers for The Wiz refuse to take Derek back, Veronica drops out, too, and pitches Derek on a one-night only show/concert.
Derek and Karen go to Jimmy's and Kyle's place to finally meet. And for the first time, as he pitches their story Hit List, Jimmy shows spark. And Derek digs their ideas.
Oh, and Ivy gets the role in Les Liaisons Dangereuses.
A lot of moving parts, but it adds depth to the show that the first season didn't have. Instead of being inside just one musical, we're in several, and like threads in a tapestry, these contribute to the overall texture. Certainly this episode improved on the previous two of this season; let's hope things continue to move in the right direction.
So things begin, and it's a much better (and quicker) setup than the back-to-back airings two weeks ago. Also, Julia and the dramaturg (Peter) have more [love-hate] chemistry than pretty much anyone in the show thus far.
Of course Derek is forced to cancel on Jimmy and Kyle, giving the increasingly irritating Jimmy lots of reasons to stalk around and be snarky and Kyle just as many reasons to be optimistic as he insists Karen is not a phony.
In terms of staging moments, the things between Kennedy and Marilyn move too fast to be believable as part of a musical; the jump to "our host wants to see you" and "I had to get you alone" was too quick. Even by Broadway standards.
When producers for The Wiz refuse to take Derek back, Veronica drops out, too, and pitches Derek on a one-night only show/concert.
Derek and Karen go to Jimmy's and Kyle's place to finally meet. And for the first time, as he pitches their story Hit List, Jimmy shows spark. And Derek digs their ideas.
Oh, and Ivy gets the role in Les Liaisons Dangereuses.
A lot of moving parts, but it adds depth to the show that the first season didn't have. Instead of being inside just one musical, we're in several, and like threads in a tapestry, these contribute to the overall texture. Certainly this episode improved on the previous two of this season; let's hope things continue to move in the right direction.
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