Memo to the ABC (by way of the Walt Disney Company)

Have you guys learned NOTHING from Jeffery Katzenberg's departure from the animation division of Disney all those years ago? This week ABC once again took its most interesting and original shows and sent them into oblivian. The most recent casualities making the trip to the broadcast TV graveyard - Eli Stone, Dirty Sexy Money and Pushing Daisies.

I have written my opinions on the former two and my particular fondness for Eli Stone. While not a fan of Daisies, I did appreciate it's high concept and execution. All debuted in the torpedoed season of the writer's strike and all had strong enough content to warrant a pass for the season when up against creatively anorexic likes of Private Practice and Wife Swap (both of which remain on and without reason). I wish this was an anomoly, but for ABC it is not. ABC has a torrid history of yanking shows or exiling them to die in rotating timeslots. If they are not a hit out of the gate (think Desperate Housewives) there is no hope for a stay of execution. ABC simply retreats to far less quality entertainment. In the dying format that is broadcast television, you'd think there would be the luxury of patience in seeking out good shows and nuturing them. Lets think, that seemed to work as a formula for Cheers, Seinfeld, Law and Order and Hill Street Blues, but I digress. Figuring out how to use other mediums like the internet to enhance interest seems a logical start. It's worked for LOST. But in a season that has produced no hits from the freshman class and with a derth of any kind of consistent scripted television ABC choses to hatchet shows that deserved better and attempt to mine fields where they had previous success. Just what I need three nights filled with Wife Swap and The Bachelor.

So gone are these three wonderfully flawed but intriguing shows. The only solace is that they stand in good company with the likes of Sports Night, The Nine, Eyes, Cupid and many others I won't go on to list. I have said it before on this blog and I say it again. The likes of Brandon Tartikoff are missed more and more with each passing day as broadcast television writes itself into the oblivian it has sent many of its best shows.

Twilight and 24

The above would describe the most anticipate film and TV moments of the fall season. I am giddy for the latter and blissfully limited in my knowledge of the former. Having neices who read (and a sister too apparently). I know all about the Twilight series and it teen-phenom following. If I go to my resident critic neice, 13 year old Cailyn, skepticism is the word of the day. She is convinced they are going to screw it up. I am going to challenge her to write me a review. So we shall see.

For me, the review to wait for is on my main man Jack Bauer and the prequel movie of 24. This for me is the pinnacle of the fall season. I have fewer and fewer appointment TV moments these days and at it's worst 24 has remained among them. For a show whose intriguing concept delivered on its promise I for one after a full year without it am once again looking forward to my clicking digital clock returning to my TV screen.

Twilight - in theaters today
24 - Sunday night on Fox.

Something for everyone to enjoy!

The Wonderful World of Disney

I make no qualms about it, I love Disney animation. I remember vividly seeing Sleeping Beauty at the Patchogue Movie Theater as a kid and taking Shanna (the little girl I babysat) to see the new wave of animated features that began with The Little Mermaid and the sense of wonder that Beauty and the Beast revealed and the joy of watching them all again through the eyes of my nieces and nephews and now my own child.

Yes Disney is an empire. Yes the cross over product and domination of the under 8 crowd can be annoying. But all my memories of Disney revolve around friendship and moments I am fond of. Two weeks ago they re-released Sleeping Beauty on DVD, my enduring favorite in the princess canon. The animation is dated in many ways, but the great evil of Maleficent and the charm of Prince Phillip endure - as does the rival of the pink and blue fairies. I watched my daughter marvel in the silly fairies and yell at the TV "bad witch, you are not being nice!" Then last night we sat down and watched the newly released Tinkerbell. For the first time, I sat and watched a movie new with my child. There was a beautiful peace in the moment as she crawled into my lap and tucked into my arm as the big castle came on the screen to indicate there was movie about to begin. We both sat engrossed, by the vibrant colors, the sweetness of the story (a pre-quel about how Peter Pan's Tinkerbell got her start in the world). Delightful is a word that often feels patronizing these days, but in its purest form I think best describes this film. A story of self discovery and loving who you are for what you are and the accomplishments that come out of your individual talents. Like cotton candy the movie washes over smoothly and sweetly but not as though you had any substance once it ends. That's OK though, it's a fantasy about the life of the fairy.

Moments in Time

I spent the better portion of this year glued to election coverage. Primaries, debates, conventions - Oh MY! I devoured it all with great concern of where my country was headed, but truth be told because it was a compelling drama. Over the course of the last 10 months we have watched the David vs. Goliath primary season of Obama defeating the Clinton machine, seen the resurrection of John McCain and the third act plot twist of Sarah Palin. That's without mentioning all the red herrings like Rev. Wright, Pastor Hagee, Troopergate and yes, even "Joe the Plumber" - An aside, knowing what we do about him, can we cease from calling him that and more accurately call him "Joe from Ohio"?

All the while I watched many late nights, MSNBC, Morning Joe, CNN (and that damn 'best political team on Television), AC360, Today, GMA and yes O'Reilly and Hannity as well. I mourned the loss of the lion of politics in my mind, Tim Russert and revelled in anything and everything Peggy Noonan had to say, even when I disagreed with it.

Then last night it happened - no recount necessary, no Supreme Court intervention, no disappointing finish of a candidate that I was less than thrilled with by the end of the race. No, last night the country seemed to simply right itself and for that BOTH John McCain and Barack Obama should be applauded and respected.

I sighed in relief when Pennsylvania went blue.
I cheered in great anticipation as Ohio went blue.
I was jubilant and proud as in tandem the news reported Virginia turning blue and the West Coast polls closing to bring home the victory of our President-elect.

In that moment I cried, I cried for the joy of watching the resounding choice we made as a country, for the vindication of Joe Biden's service to country and for the return of the John McCain I have always admired and whose eloquence in losing far surpassed any of his actions when seeking to win.

In the closing weeks of this campaign we watched Obama's leadership in his handling of the economic crisis, but for me, more importantly we watched his humanity - in stepping off the trail to see the grandmother who raised him to see the possibility of the dream he was chasing but would not live to see realized. His priority of family ensuring the tradition of taking his young daughters trick-o-treating remained in tact.

We celebrate the history, we celebrate the significance of the time, but what I find so overwhelmingly joyful in this moment is that we celebrate the best in who we are as country - rewarding the person who worked hard, stayed true to himself and never lost sight of what made him the person he is as he reached for the dream of what could be.

My daughter blew out her third birthday candle yesterday, what a day all around.

Yes We Did!

The Images We Give Our Girls

My View

I admit it, I watch "The View". I watched back when that idiot Debbie Matenopolous revived the argument for "dumb blonds" being more than a throw away term. I watched back when Star Jones was fat. I watched and adored Meredith Viera. I watched Lisa Ling bring intelligence and congeniality to the 'youth voice' and I took my mom to see the show live when Barbara Walters was there. I departed The View when Meredith did and stayed away more often then not as Star 'lost weight' and became Bridezilla. I was gone the full year Rosie was there. But in a casting move that quickly brought me back to the couch, I have rarely missed an episode with the landing of Whoopi Goldberg. Yes, Elizabeth annoys the crap out of me, yes Joy can be nuts in her liberalism, and yes Sherri is the equivalent of the 'dumb blond' at the table now, but Whoopi brings a thoughtfulness to the conversation that while opinionated is reasoned and willing to look at the other point of view. She allows for Elizabeth to meander to her point of view but is quick to call out the disparity. True, my view is often similar to that of Whoopi's, but what can I say, I have been a fan since the day Fontaine sauntered across a Broadway stage. In this election debate season when all sorts of conversations are going on, I find this group of individuals have provided entertainment and their points of view in a forum that I have enjoyed.

So YEAH, I admit it -- I enjoy The View.

In Eli Stone, I Trust

Here is a show that didn't know what it was going to be when it grew up. It came out of the gate in the year of a writer's strike and varying television fits and starts. Always appealing was the cast led by the great Victor Garber and Jonny Lee Miller even as it walked the fine line between being a hybrid of Ali McBeal, Highway to Heaven and Touched By an Angel. Last week, Eli Stone began the season six months from where it left off. For those of you who missed the opening season of this little gem in the rough here is a quick synopsis. Eli Stone is a cut throat attorney who shortly after the death of his father begins experience visions - mostly set to George Michael songs. He begins to listen to the visions as premonitions and along the way discovers he has an aneurysm that he believes is what is prompting the visions, as opposed to a divine intervention that would make him a prophet. It sounds heavier than it actually was and while at times convoluted the show was often quite funny, charming and poignant. The season ended with Eli making the decision to have his aneurysm removed and having a chance at the life he had before the visions. He decided it was a burden he did not want and wasn't certain he believed in the divinity of what had happened.

Now here we are surgery successful and Eli attempting to have his license reinstated to practice law. He has been vision-less since his surgery and the season premiere shows us that his free will has altered the fate of those he loves. The clip above provides insight to the decision Eli and the show have made with regards to what his journey is going to be. The stage for the reluctant prophet has been set. Watch the clip because it will give you some insight to just how good Miller is as Eli Stone as well as the great cameo and writing provided to Sigourney Weaver.

Faith is not a necessary leaning to enjoy this show. It speaks to a bigger reality, how our choices, sacrifices and love drive us as people to influence those we surround. Eli Stone has the potential to be that show, I hope for my Tuesday night viewing, it like so many before it is not ahead of it's time.

Spend an hour with Eli Stone and don't be quick to judge the musical visions. And if you chose to tune in this week -- forgive the appearance of Katie Holmes, while not a choice I'd prefer, she and the shows creator got their start together on Dawson's Creek and you can't blame him yet for the stunt casting.

It's just an escape...

TV need not elevate me to a higher sense of purpose, but I minimally need to be entertained. It is why I continue to give shows like Private Practice a chance. Here is a group of actors that embody the parts being worth more than the whole. If for no other reason, I would like to have good things to say about Private Practice because Tim Daly deserves a great show that succeeds. After the witty "Eyes" and poignant "The Nine" Daly has earned a hit. Sadly this isn't it. He isn't the only one suffering in the inadequacy that is this show. Audra McDonald, Taye Diggs, Kate Walsh and Amy Brenneman lead a cast of wonderful actors who are attempting to navigate sluggish plot lines and erratic character development. It's a lethal combination when looking for an escape of entertainment.

Another guy who deserves a hit from ABC - Peter Krause, whose brilliant turn in Sports Night still makes me laugh at just the idea of some of the content. A show ahead of its time for certain. Yet after a successful run on "Six Feet Under" Krause has returned to ABC in Dirty Sexy Money a show that has quite decided what it wants to be when it grows up. Here's another interesting cast that is part mystery, part nighttime soap. It dances, not always successfully, between the two and that push/pull can easily distract from the core of the show. I think it is at its best when it doesn't take itself too seriously. The mystery works because it allows for twists and turns in the plot that are made plausible by the elite wealth of the characters. I will use this comparison from the 80s. What made nighttime soap Knots Landing beloved was that it had an emotional core established in its main characters regardless of the chaos of the plot surrounding them. Dynasty on the other hand was simply absurd. It was flash and glitz and cotton candy. The silliness of the plot devices simply came to be expected. I suspect Dirty Sexy Money is trying to land with the former rather than the latter. As of today, they haven't been successful.

Having said that, Peter Krause and Blair Underwood are always worth an hour of my time. I have no shame in my love of the eye candy.

TV vs. My iPod

It's a tough score card to compare. Last night I sat down to watch a commercial free Amazing Race (because it was DVRed) and I realized that I still had all of Wednesday's line up of shows to get through, not to mention the Sunday news shows. In a beautiful busy weekend spent outside, I realized I spent Friday night fiddling with my iPod settings and an entirely new library of music that needed to be vetted and divided into playlists. The only comparison I can make to what this process felt like is when I was in Junior High and my summer job was to convert the school libraries over to the Dewey Decimal system. Laugh if you must, but for a 13 year old kid it was a great summer job! The tedious nature of getting my music organized sucked away half my weekend 'free time' after my daughter was asleep. It meant I didn't write in my journal about a week of interesting stories and milestones for my daughter. It meant I didn't finish a blanket project for a friends baby, it meant I didn't make a dent in the laundry that is piling up and it certainly meant I didn't get around to watching Wednesday nights TV season premiere lineup. It's hilarious to me the vortex that technology can sometimes suck us into when we least expect it. I like to think I walk the walk of technology being around to make my life simpler but every now and then I get caught in the trappings -- which is a long way of saying, I will be watching and posting tonight on last week's TV. Besides, this blog is more art than science.

ABC usher's in it's Sunday line up

Yes I realize it is Wednesday, but life often gets the better of me and Paul Newman died this weekend, I needed a moment for perspective. So the scripted season is officially up and running and Sunday brought about a return of an old favorite for me and the chance for two shows that I am once again on the fence about -- ABC has a theme going in this.

First, The Amazing Race kicked off. Seriously, even if you don't watch reality TV as a regular course of your television repertoire, you should spend a couple of hours with The Amazing Race. It's travelogue on crack. Think the HGTV meets the Food Challenge with better scenery. What is not to like about a dozen couples (be it friends, couples, siblings or parents and children) racing around the world in the biggest 'treasure hunt' of a lifetime. The show spans all continents and tracks over 30,000 miles in the course of a month. You get to see world famous destinations along with remote locales you'd never consider, let alone heard of all the while getting a cliff notes glimpse into cultures. From a contestant point of view, it brings out the best and worst in people for sure, but for those who take it for what it is - an experience of a lifetime the voyeuristic at home can just simply enjoy the ride.

In addition to the above, my lone appointment TV at the moment ABC ushered in the season premieres of Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters. The former has had a bumpy road since it's breakout initial season, mainly because it has underestimated the power of the friendships they established among the women at the core of the show and focused on the antics and mystery components to varying degrees of disastrous failure. Last season, didn't quite bring Desperate Housewives back to full season one form, but with storylines surrounding Felicity Huffman's character's cancer and the poignant episodes that were built leading into and out of a tornado disaster Desperate did get some of its groove back, enough to create an inspired final five minutes of the season cliffhanger that had fast forwarded all of Wisteria Lane five years juxtaposing the characters into spaces where we often wouldn't imagine they'd land. This season picked up where that final five minutes left off, partially living in real time and partially filling in the back story of the last five years - including Bree losing custody of her grandson who she was raising as her own son, Gabriela having given birth to two daughters and embracing her inner sloth, Lynette cancer free and trouble filled with wild children becoming deviant teens and Susan, have yet again separated from Mike over yet another conflict. Susan is the greatest loss on Housewives, what started as a quirky insecure funny character has become a ball of twitches and irrational behavior (think Monica on Friends after about 5 seasons). That said, the episode failed to go beyond establishing this season. I will likely keep an eye on it, much like Grey's Anatomy, but my love of Felicity Hoffman may not be enough to keep this on the DVR list. P.S. - Edie's new husband (WHO is my LA LA LA from Boomtown)- here's my prediction, he's after either Susan or Mike for the woman and child who died in the accident they were in during the flashback.

Now, Brothers and Sisters has left me troubled. I love the actors on the show, really, there isn't a bad one in the bunch. The writing and plot lines are killing this show. For me B&S has always been a bumpy ride, it came out the gate rocky and then settled into a nice rhythm and last season again went off the ranch. The season ending discovery that Rebecca was not the long lost sister and Star Wars moment of "There is another" brother - mystery Ryan is recycling at its worst. It's a turn off for a multitude of reasons and at the top of the list is, that it takes these characters on a journey we have already seen them make! Save for a delicious scene between Patricia Wetig and Sally Field where Field reveals to Wetig she wasn't the only lover of patriarch William the opener did little but chip away at the credibility and moreover, the likability of these family members, the most disturbing of which is that of oldest sister Sarah played with voracious depth by Rachel Griffiths. Shame on the writers, your actors deserve better. I will miss these actors, but I am pretty much done with this one.

This really says it all...

Paul Newman - A man in a class all his own.

I dare you to find one person who likes movies that doesn't like Paul Newman. Adoration may range from 'can do no wrong' fandom to mere respect for a given role. The fact is he was the embodiment of why we have sayings like "He was a man's man". There was so much to like about Newman, he was a great actor, an amazing philanthropist, a devoted family man, he scoffed at Hollywood and the many trappings contained there, he drank beer and smoked and never apologized for either. He lived a life, from all observations of fierce determination, which is to say he appeared to live his life unapologetically and for that he has my ultimate respect. It among so many things is a reason to mark his passing.

My first Paul Newman film would surprise few, The Verdict was about an attorney and a thriller. All things I was feverishly interested in as a teenager. I was an instant fan and went on to watch easily 2/3 of his work on film. Everyone knows the big ones - Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Towering Inferno, Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid, The Sting and later on, Absence of Malice, Color of Money. While these films and so many more defined his career, Paul Newman's body of work proves how skilled he was as an actor. My vote, if you want to look at terrific work by Newman, check out one of the following, lesser known films:

The Young Philadelphians - This is a film that is a little Peyton Place meets rags to riches story. It's an interesting small town drama that has a marvelously quiet performance from Newman.

A New Kind of Love - yes it's cotton candy, and yes Rock Hudson owned this genre, but the sheer idea that Newman and Woodward did this picture makes it worth the 2 hours, both are gleefully fun, especially when you put it next to the likes of HUD

Paris Blues - Paul Newman, Sidney Poitier, need I say more?

From the Terrace - This is one of those films that you don't expect, Joanne Woodward completely against type, Newman in my opinion in a tour de force carrying the film. It is a movie about social climbing, love and hate.

Others worth mentioning - for older Newman, revisit Nobody's Fool, it is one of his best performances in my opinion. Message in a Bottle is a wonderful cameo/supporting role in an average movie. For great trivia, you can rent Our Town as a double feature - the earlier version which co-stars Frank Sinatra and Eva Marie Saint and the 2003 staged version he directed and co-stared in. Of course a movie list from me would not be complete without Slapshot, because it is gritty, filthy and about hockey what could be bad about that!

Rest in Peace Paul Newman, while Connecticut is a little duller today, we are grateful for the time you have shared with us on screen and for the thousands of children who were touched by your kindness.

Must See TV -- Does it exist anymore?

Last Sunday I was well intentioned. I was going to watch the Emmys and report back on my thoughts - The fact that it has taken me 5 days to sit down and write is a testament to the following sentence. The 2008 Emmys was not only time wasted, but brain cells lost. With that, onto the new season. For this casual viewer the bulk of my Must See TV won't arrive until January, so I am only mildly interested on what debuted this week.

Disclaimer - I don't watch House and/or Ugly Betty. I love and adore Hugh Laurie and America Ferrera, but neither show has ever landed in my bandwidth. I especially know of great love of House and I will inevitably discover it on DVD one of these days. I suspect friendships depend on it.

It was a week of debuts for all things reality -- America's Next Top Model, The Biggest Loser, Survivor have all made their fall debuts. I don't watch the latter so my only statement is - Why on earth would you want to watch people eat bugs in HiDef?

ANTM and I suspect the Biggest Loser (which is on tape) are both suffering from the same problem - predictability. It is a staid format that leaves little intrigue. For me it is why most shows like these leave little drama and interest beyond their first couple of seasons (think The Apprentice). However, the biggest insanity of the week was provided by the show made just for my mom, Dancing with the Stars -- 3 nights??? We need 3 nights of BAD dancing? All three sit lined up on my DVR and I can't quite get my arms around watching Cloris Leachman ballroom dance. Overkill is always my problem. Make us miss you and revel in your return. Three back to back nights of DWTS simply reminds me of how bad the 'b' list celebrities are and how much I miss the talents of So You Think You Can Dance! For my money, I will be awaiting the arrival of the top of the class this Sunday - The Amazing Race.

Oh and for those who think it is a dying art, I did watch one scripted show this week (Mad Men didn't have an original episode because of the Emmys). My love of some of the actors has made me return to Grey's Anatomy, against my better judgement. Here was a melodrama that in my opinion balanced the best parts of Chicago Hope and ER in their heyday. Last season was about as bad as show could get - worst than Desperate Housewives second season, worst than the West Wing post Aaron Sorkin and worst than when the Cosby kids had grown up and Raven Simone was brought in for cute factor and yes, worst than when Moonlighting lost its way post Cybil Shepard pregnancy. It lost everything that made it great, sharp writing with wit and emotion, interesting story lines and strong characters with frailty. Last year's season closer went a long way in atleast earning a three episode peek to see if Grey's can get its groove back. After last night's opener, I remain skeptical. It was neither sensational, nor compelling. While it was nice to see Sandra Oh's character recover. It maligned an interesting character in Nurse Rose. Best to call this one a draw. In a week cluttered in reality TV, a draw will bring me back next week.

A Day We All Remember

Every decade seems to produce a moment that everyone can recall where they were when the world changed in a significant way for them. Pearl Harbor, JFK's assassination, landing on the moon. There are moments that universally bring us together, particularly as a nation. Yesterday reminded me of a day like that. It is a day that many will be commemorating throughout this week. For me, that Tuesday morning was typical. I was running out of the house late for work and worried about making my N/R to the 6 subway connection. Yes, at 8:30am on Sept. 11, 2001 missing the 6 train was my greatest worry in the world. As many know it was a bright, crisp sunny morning. The temperature was in the low 80s. The kind of day that makes you mad you have to go to work. Mornings like that sometimes still cause me to think about September 11th and I have rarely spoken or written about that day. Even now, seven years later it is still surreal.

I was running late for work and looked up at Times Square to check the time on my way to the subway, only to see a big black cloud of smoke emerging from the one of the Twin Towers. I went home certain it was a deliberate act and afraid we were under attack. As I called my office, I watched the second plane hit the second tower. My greatest fears confirmed. The rest of that day and the following weeks unfolded for me like for so many people. I stood on 9th Avenue and watched as the towers collapsed amid screams of those around me. I frantically called friends and family who I knew could be downtown or to tell them I was OK. I remember scavenging for food for the handful of friends who were holding up in my small studio apartment because they could not get home across the river to New Jersey. I remember talking to my young niece and nephew 3000 miles away and explaining that I wasn't in the towers that fell down and I was going to be safe. I remember not being able to open my window for over a week because of the smell, even though I lived in midtown. I remember the ghost town that Times Square looked like when not a living soul could be seen on the streets. I remember finally feeling safe when they said all air traffic was grounded or diverted out of our air space (the unsung heroes of that day - our country's air traffic controllers). I remember the first time seeing downtown Manhattan without the twin towers being a part of the landscape. I was on a train home to Long Island for my cousin's wedding just four days after the attacks, everyone on the train was silent whether in shock, fear or sadness I will never know. For me, it was a little bit of all three.

Now, most of what I remember is how people came together in a city that is always tagged as heartless. How people simply wanted to help in any way possible and those who didn't know how to help simply lined the West Side Highway with signs and flags and merely cheered on the shifts of firemen, rescue workers and police officers who came in and out of the disaster area. I also remember many of us in the neighborhoods bringing food and condolences to what was left of our ravaged firehouses - for me the Broadway fireman who lost 2/3 of their men. The fear and the particulars are distant now, 7 years later but for me it is those bright sunny brisk moments that give me pause. It's something about the complete juxtaposition of the weather and how what ensued that day were so out of sync. While I no longer live in New York, I will always be a New Yorker. I have rarely been prouder to be a part of a community than I was in the weeks that followed. I was blessed and lost no one close to me although I did know people who died. I decided to write about that day because that feeling of coming together is one I think we as a country long for now. We need more than ever to come together as a people with common pride. I think it is why I am so engaged in this election process and so adamant in my hope that people vote. You see, while I have my opinions and preferences, I just think it is so important that we as a whole get informed and participate. At the end of the day Republican, Democrat, Independent - we are Americans and it is our country to guide through the representatives we chose. If we don't participate we disservice only ourselves. I hope to make November 4, 2008 a day I remember, to sit along side Sept 11th as a day that brought out the best in our humanity and the passion we have as a people.

Getting To Know You...

Getting to know all about you...

So the infomercials are over and let the games begin. The RNC and DNC have trouted out all their key people to spend two weeks telling us absolutely nothing and I watched it like it was crack. Granted the RNC had divided attention because of a great Williams sister match at the US Open, but overall it was great political theater - Will the Clinton's behave? Will Bill be sincere? Can the DNC unify? Who will McCain pick? McCain picked who? Her daughter is what? Will Bush speak? There's a hurricane set to hit New Orleans again? Wow Palin brought down the house how can McCain compete? -- all of this fodder leaves us in one place, what happens next. I am thrilled and encouraged by the millions who have tuned into the conventions and sincerely hope that it is only momentum to the debates and record turn out in Novemeber. I have had much to say about Palin in the last 48 hours but will refrain from it here. Suffice it to say, she gave a terrific speech, whose content I question.

Missing the Boat

Are we watching the final dirt being thrown onto Network news as we know it? Much was said over the weekend over the fact that all three broadcast networks were only bringing us one hour of prime time coverage of the conventions over the next two weeks. An odd decision given the fact that we are at the tail end of summer and the new seasons are weeks away from starting, so it is not as though they were positioning quality programming over the conventions. It's a choice I don't get, but that isn't my beef here today.

Last night I realized that network news has thrown in the towel to it's cable counterparts in earnest. I don't care if you are Republican, Democrat or Independent the fact of the matter is the Kennedy family is a part of our country's political fabric and Ted Kennedy's diagnosis of a brain tumor earlier this year made his appearance at last night's convention newsworthy. It made it worth 'breaking into regular schedule programming' which none of the networks did. Now, not to be morbid, but there is a better than average chance that this moment may have been Kennedy's last at a convention and after 48 years in Congress, he deserved the respect of the networks to recognize the moment in American political history. They missed, and they missed badly. Pundits will talk at nausea over the next two weeks about what each convention's 'infomercial' did or didn't do. Perhaps a critical eye and a couple of those breaths should be put towards how we are feeding the country information. Not all of America gets there news from cable and certainly there is an entire generation that will not be watching CNN.com 'stream' the speeches.

So to CBS, ABC, FOX and NBC, you missed the boat on this one. At a point in time when you should be asserting your relevance and understanding around historic moments in the broader scheme of news you chose to ride the bench, what a loss for those who were watching repeats of Two and a Half Men, Samantha Who, Prison Break or America's Toughest Jobs over on NBC respectively last night.

The Real Deal - Stephanie Tubbs Jones

I am not from Cleveland. Before February of this year I didn't know anything about Stephanie Tubbs Jones and her zany decorative glasses. Among the many things I learned during this historic primary season was this...

If all of America believed in our political process and voraciously got behind a candidate like she supported and advocated on behalf of Hillary Clinton, what an amazing country we would be. I highly doubt if we as a country had her enthusiasm for our country's laws and governance Congress would have the low approval rating it has and would have likely passed a spending bill over the last year.

Stephanie Tubbs Jones died today, suddenly and without warning. A piece of the core that burns the fire of this political process has been snuffed. That saddens me greatly as we are on the verge of the VP picks and conventions. I often thought over the primary process, if I saw the woman she supported Hillary would be unstoppable. What I failed to realize at the time was that the person who was unstoppable and larger than life was Stephanie Tubbs Jones. A woman who embodied the love of her life and country she was a rare beacon of purity defining what loyalty should look like in its best sense.

I write about her today because I am saddened by her passing. I write about her today because without TV and that 24 hour news cycle I often rail against I would not have known who she was in our political landscape and in the voices of our politics. I am forever grateful and may we do her proud this November.

Battle of the Network Stars

If you were born after 1980 and haven't spent quality time watching TV Land this next post will make absolutely no sense. For those of us who were a part of the Pepperdine phenomena I ask you what ever happened to the glory that was Battle of the Network Stars. The Olympics and my never ending sense of nostalgia made me wonder about this today. I vividly remember every August when it would come on ABC, with Howard Cosell providing commentary and high levels of un-PC rhetoric about the women participating. Think of it, actors from all your favorite shows competing in various athletic competitions that mirror (and yes I use that term lightly) Olympic sport. Seriously though, for us Gen-Xers, the anticipation of the obstacle course or who would anchor the tug-o-war at the end was must see TV. My brother, sister and I would pop the Jiffy Pop and pick a network to route for and off we went to the basement for an evening of psuedosport. It was a ritual no different than watching the Wizard of Oz annually or Charlie Brown's Christmas special.

In this age of cynicism, reality TV and cable shows the networks are struggling to merely hold on, let alone bask in nostalgia. But for a moment in the bright light that is Michael Phelps Olympic record I remember a time when shows were on long enough to become attached to the actors who played the characters we loved. A time when a show like Battle of the Network Stars would draw families in around a television, not mocking as it did when they briefly tried to revive the concept. Oh well, there's always the Amazing Race.

The Weather

OK, briefly, I am not a woman who plans her outfits out the night before and I certainly only enter the day with the goal that my daughter isn't caught in the wrong clothing for the day. So for this I simply require a weather report. I don't need much, just what the 24 hour forecast is. I rely on network broadcast TV for this because logging in during the morning scurry that I call a routine to get us both ready and out the door is a hassle. At least with the TV I can be multitasking. This morning was particularly frustrating because in the height of scurry the Today Show started. And because NBC is unilaterally Beijing focused at the moment, my weather was delayed by nearly 20 minutes with recap of swimming and gymnastics from the night before. On a side note, if not for two volleyball players hugging before a match, you would hardly know that a war had broken out between Georgia and Russia from NBC morning News. But I digress - Finally Al Roker makes an appearance only to quite pathetically further push Olympic sponsors by speaking to the 'crowd' he found quite conveniently people from NBC parent company GE and United Airlines, the USA official carrier for the Olympics. Needless to say after all this irritating product placement I did finally find out it is going to be a lovely day outside and that I may need to simply start logging in as my coffee brews and I apply makeup in the morning to get my weather. Today's process is WAY too belabored.

The Olympics

I realize that there is still 3 days until the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics so there isn't anything to review. I will however preview it from my vantage point right now because I will not likely be watching with any enthusiasm. Reason being, I miss Wide World of Sports and ABC coverage of the games. What ABC implicitly understood and NBC has destroyed in recent Olympic coverage is that the drama and compelling nature of the games is to live it in the moment. Yes, that means sometimes your coverage will miss - either in not capturing a compelling moment from the games or in covering an anticlimatic moment. However, we as the viewer, just like the producers don't know with certainty where those moments will come from. Like all sports you can hedge you bets and program for what is anticpated by the viewing audience and then let the chips fall where they may.

However, Dick Ebersol and the team over at NBC Sports has decided it knows best when it comes to what the viewer should/wants to see (think "The Truman Show" with Jim Carrey). I can not remember the last time I watched an Olympics that didn't feel manufactured and produced. I dare you over the next two weeks to tune into NBC in primetime and find an 8-11PM block that doesn't edit and jump around competitions as though my father had control of the remote on a Sunday afternoon. Today's Olympics is filled with pretaped 'profile stories' for atheletes, highlights of competitions (including the trials it took for them to get to the Games). The problem with this 'coverage' is that it leaves little time for that pesky thing called live coverage. I have forgotten the percentage of live coverage the last Games gave us, but it was paltry in comparison to the Olympic coverage of the 90s.

I realize the games are competiting in a different TV world and that in the age of doping, the curtain has been pulled back and replaced with guarded skepticism about atheltes making history. However, I remember people gathering for the real drama the 1980 gold medal USA hockey team created against the Russians. I remember Greg Luganis hitting his head on the platform and wondering if he would continue to compete. The great moments in Olympic history are those no one saw coming. When you overthink the coverage and therefore over produce it for TV you lose what the Games is at its core suppose to represent - The wonder of sport excelling to the greatest of its heights. That's must see TV.

Mad Men

So I have completely watched all of season 1 and episode 1 of season 2. Here's what I think of the show that is all the summer rage...

I think it is an interesting series that pulls no punches. What I like about it is the fact that it is ruthless and unapologetic. In that vein it reminds me of Homicide (that under appreciated, Baltimore step child of Law and Order). The acting is quite superb and some of the plot lines are interesting. For those who don't know, Mad Men is a take on the early 60's Advertising executives on Madison Ave. (self named "Mad Men"). The accuracy of the period from the constant smoking to the armour-esque undergarments for the women make the show a tasty visual delight. When you scratch past the surface of the facade that the characters are creating for their lives, there is a clear view of a generation caught within the middle of a society shift with some characters clearly taking sides and others playing both sides. Some of the dialogue is acerbic and brilliant in its exchange. A dress down by the 'head secretary' and the new girl comes to mind. But ultimately the show revolves around the lead character of Don Draper, a man who reinvented himself and is now straddling the line of status quo and change. He built an entire world that his wife is drowning in and at least at the outset of season 2 it appears will be every man for themselves.

I am not certain I like Mad Men, so much as I am intrigued by the world they inhabit. Thus far the show has erred on the side of savvy with it's plot twists (save for an unrealistic birth). So I encourage all in the dog days of summer to spend a little time with Mad Men, if for no other reason - LOST and 24 aren't coming back until January!

The Media vs. Our Daughters

So, my daughter is only getting ready to turn 3 but I see it everywhere, places in our media mainstream that I am going to need to counteract early and often. In an age where information is so fluid my job as a parent is to keep pace as much as protect my daughter from some of the damaging models out there for young girls. Gone are the days where concerns of Barbie being unrealistic and keeping HBO out of the house for its graphic language and nudity are the main concerns. Now in building my daughter's self esteem I must somehow navigate the conflicting images and exploitation of young girls. I found this film 5 Girls that I think is a great start. I am emailing it to my 8 and 13 year old neice. Take a look and tell me what you think.

This and That in the world of TV and Film

I have a bit of scattered brain right now around what I would like to talk about, so rather than jump heavily into any one topic just now, I will go through the list and come back to some of them later.

1) Rest in Peace Estelle Getty (of Golden Girls fame) a class act who brought great laughter to situation comedy in the mid-80s and a lasting tribute to the visionary genius of NBC's late Brandon Tartikoff.

2) Mad Men - yes I am watching it on ON DEMAND, yes I did it because of all the Emmy nominations. NO, I am not proud of the sheep-like behavior it displays. The jury is still out on what I think, I am only four episodes in and am not convinced that great acting is covering for not so great plot lines. I'll be back on this one over the weekend when season 2 premieres

3) The end of an era - Roger Ebert is stepping away from his long association with the movie review show he and the late Gene Siskel pioneered - "At The Movies". I didn't always agree with Roger and sometimes thought he had lost his mind when reviewing a film, but I ALWAYS felt his great passion and love for film - all films from drama to action to documentary films. Before it was fashionable, Siskel and Ebert were talking about films like Roger and Me and Hoop Dreams as 'must see'films.

Which brings me to my final point today, Snag Films. Here is film viewing with a purpose and well worth your time. Here is a site that provides documentary films an outlet they would not otherwise get. It's one stop shopping for thoughtful rarely seen, but unbelievably priceless filmmaking. As someone who became obsessed with moments in history chronicled on film like "A Day in September" which chronicles the murders of the Isreali's at the '72 Munich Olympic Games documentaries time and again show us through film that life is often more compelling and dramatic than anything we could have scripted. Broken into categories of interest, there is a hodgepodge of films to choose from which you can view FOR FREE online. In the YouTube world we now live in, this is a great addition to the old information highway (yes, I just dated myself with that term). As if that wasn't cool enough, they have linked the films to charitable organizations connecting people inspired by the films to get involved.

So by my vote, not a bad way to spend evening or some idle time.

Real vs. Reality TV

OK, so I have mentioned here and there my random opinions on reality TV without doing a deep dive on the subject. It struck me today (the 4th of July) that this would be an apt time to revisit the subject. The reason being today, like on New Years Eve and to a lesser extent Thanksgiving Day Parades, there is a smattering of "real TV" to be found throughout the evening. Over on PBS there is the annual Boston Pops concert, there is Capitol 4th from DC and of course the granddaddy of them all - Macy's 4th in the New York City Harbor. All three have large fireworks displays in common. I should disclaim here that I am not only a native NYer, but a native of Suffolk County Long Island and therefore was raised on Grucci fireworks and believe they are second to none. Having said that, at no point in my life have I thought - ooooh I can't wait to watch fireworks on TV! For me the purpose of things like fireworks, parades, even live concert performances is to be there in the moment and experience it with all five senses, not merely our eyes and ears. Granted HDTV makes the experience more bright, but for me some things are meant to be experienced in commune with your neighbor or the stranger you call your neighbor for the duration of any given event. Yet every year these things get broadcast when if experienced live there is truly no comparison.

For those of you thinking sports should fall into this category, I will simply say this - sports is always better live, period. But sports has an undetermined outcome which makes it innately compelling whether being viewed from a seat in the arena/stadium or on your living room couch. The same can not be said for a fireworks display over the East River or a parade down Broadway.

My point in bringing this up is because I wonder sometimes about what it is we seek to experience. Reality TV gets a bad shake because of the fringe shows that exploit people deliberately (a la the recent despicable Baby Borrowers). But then there are shows that's purpose is to display talent and merely entertain. My summer favorite - So You Think You Can Dance would fit into this category. Shows like the latter I feel are the grandchildren of the old variety shows - certainly not Ed Sullivan, but without a doubt a look back to that vein of television. Reality TV when done in that spirit provides an escape for the viewer - pleasure and entertainment with no ulterior motive. How is it so different from people who feel the need to gather around a 32 inch television set to watch fireworks they are no where near?

I don't know that there is any significance to this post other than an observation that in some form or another we have been watching a form of "real TV" practically since its inception. The 'ick' factor that has embodied the term "reality TV" I suspect has more to do with the exploitation of both the willing participants and the voyeuristic tendencies of the television viewers. I mean really is there any other explanation for the continuation of a show like "the Bachelor and Bachelorette"?

Oh those 7 Words...George Carlin 1937-2008

Can God create a rock so big that he himself could not lift it? If there are gates controlled by St. Peter, I am sure this is among the many questions George Carlin is getting the answers to as we speak.

My first exposure to the great George Carlin was his famous Class Clown stand up - on 8-track. For those of you not born to see the original Star Wars in the theater, this was the grandfather of the audiotape. In swiping it from my brother's room I took it to camp and became the coolest kid in the campground with the comic whose seven words we couldn't say on television we memorized feverishly. Twenty-five years later and before my morning coffee I ticked off all seven words as I watched the news about his passing.

Speaking of passing - to do Carlin proud I should simply say he died yesterday, he didn't pass away or expire and as a result our world has lost a little of it's edge and sharp perception. As an adult, Carlin's opening run from "Doing it Again" about euphemisms stands as one of my favorite observations of how our language has been manipulated, if not mutilated over the course of time. What made Carlin unique was his unabashed ability to make the contradictions in common thoughts, words and religion center stage.

Carlin ranks among the greats of comedians, by all accounts he was a great human being as well - generous and thoughtful to a fault. His legacy is assured by his sharp wit - 50 years of craft will live on. I admired Carlin because by all accounts he lived life aggressively and how can you not love a guy who boiled the 10 commandments down to 2!?!?!

Three Hail Mary's from Father Rivera George, a grateful world mourns the loss of this great voice!

MAY YOU REST IN PEACE GEORGE CARLIN

It's Not Easy Being Green...

And that will be the closest reference to TV and film I get in today's post. A tongue and cheek nod to The Muppet Movie and Kermit the Frog.

I have been wondering lately about the modern day adult peer pressure. It may be me, but it feels as though every time I turn on the television or read a newspaper there is another reminder that I am not doing enough for the planet. Gas prices are the latest pressure point. Every other day there is an article/news segment discussing hybrids and energy efficiency cars. When you look at some of the insane weather patterns and natural disasters of the last six months you can't help but think - Al Gore was onto something. Look I don't want to be a kill joy, nor do I believe that being more efficient with our planet and energy isn't a worthwhile endeavor. The increasing noise on the topic just likens back to the vegetarians of the 80's who wore leather shoes. There are many today who are putting the energy efficient light bulbs in their homes while never shutting down their multiple computers or unplugging chargers when not charging. I say this to express it is a delicate balance.

If I am being honest I have to say I resent the 'push' to green my life. As if I have all the power in the world to do so. Don't get me wrong, I understand the need to reverse the trajectory our planet is on, however I don't like the heavy-handed media and marketing push around my 'greening' my world. The trifecta of energy efficiency, organic and all natural products to me is a pressure filled world that is unattainable to so many people.

I mean seriously, perhaps it is because I have been recently unemployed, but in my mind if the above categories are so beneficial to us as individuals and society as a whole, why is it inaccessible to such a large portion of that society? The fact is, hybrid cars are 20% more expensive than regular cars. Seventh Generation products and their competitors retail at nearly 40% more than supermarket brands (yes I did an actual cost comparison of household staples - all purpose cleaner, eggs, milk and toilet paper)and that doesn't even get into fruits, veggies and organic "grass fed" animals. Then there are the natural soaps, lotions, shampoos and miscellaneous beauty products. Switching to 'natural' product lines requires a good deal of research and in some cases hunting - stores with authentic product lines are far and few between. Many are not around the corner like your local CVS/Rite Aid and have mark ups of 50% or more at times.

The fact is, if you are on a budget, and these days who isn't, there are tough decisions to be made regarding how your money is spent. The cost prohibitiveness(is that a word?) of the above products is maddening to me. Take cars, it's a false premise to promote that people should just go energy efficient for cars - as though it was an affordable choice, supply is limited and demand up. Economics 101 teaches us what that means, higher prices. I did an experiment last week on public transportation. I live in the DC metro area and have a young child in daycare. Public transportation adds 45 minutes each way to our commute and averages $14 a day, $308 a month. By car, parking and gas gets me to $256. More important than the $50 a month I would save nearly a day and a half of commute time (33 hours). In a a day and age where it seems we never have time to get anything done, 16.5 days saved a year is of greater value to me. Selfish? Yes! At the end of the day, I think as in all things there is a balance to be struck. After decades of imperialistic growth without thought to the environment the shift back isn't going to happen overnight. So while I am happy to separate my garbage and willing to spend a little more where I can to do my part I think it is unrealistic to downshift completely and still afford to live. OK, I will descend now from my non-recyclable soapbox now.

p.s. - I read my newspapers online - does that count in doing my part for the environment?

They Say The Neon Lights Are Bright...

ON BROADWAY...

Yes after a weekend of many tears I am currently rejoicing in one of my great loves - The Theater. Tonight is the annual Tony Awards ceremony. While I realize it is hard to think of a reason to sit through a 3 hour awards ceremony on things you don't know anything about I would beg to differ. It is an opportunity for two things - 1) To see musical performances of all the current running/nominated shows. 2) You will see a pool of wonderful actors many familar faces because they are the non superstars you often see on film and television.

For me I watch with great longing. I am long past my days of seeing shows 3-4 times a week. So Tony night is an opportunity to see what's new, what's revived and wonder what will be the break out this summer. Live theater is one of those things that is an indescribable experience. Musical theater in particular isn't for everyone. But with shows like Passing Strange and In the Heights juxaposed against revivals like South Pacific and Gypsy it's hard to not linger in the breadth that theater can provide.

I look forward to introducing my daughter to theater sooner rather than later and truth be told, while Washington, DC is rich with regional theater, I am a NY snob and look forward to taking her to four show weekends. I could fill a book of my memories associated with the theater, from my weekly trips to certain shows, second acting many a musical, sleeping on the sidewalk to see Meryl Streep perform in Shakespeare in the Park, seeing Phantom of the Opera for the first time or falling asleep at Les Miz. The memories are plentiful and joyous. While theater isn't for everyone, everyone should experience it at least once.

The Moderator of Meet the Press... A Narrator to a Nation

Who will take on this legacy?

Who will we turn to for an inside out understanding of our political process?

Who will now provide us with the issues state by state in senate debates for key states?

Who will hold the white board on November 4th with the state that will tell us the story of our next President?

Who will provide the enthusiasm of our political dialogue that he brought to news every day, not just this historic presidential season?

Who will emulate that balance of being driven by a passion of what you do with the ultimate understanding for what was important?

Buffalo's native son has died and we have lost a vibrant voice in journalism. Just in the brief time that I have written this blog I have mentioned Tim Russert a half dozen times. In clicking through the television channels late this afternoon I saw the unthinkable - Tim Russert Dead at 58 -- Not possible I thought, but sadly changing the channels only provided more images of the death of a giant. I have been watching endless coverage of the NBC broadcasters and correspondents. All look distraught as a family suddenly lost without their patriarch. He was admired, reveered and beloved for the astute and meticulous research that he brought to his Meet the Press interviews and for he gregarious nature and diligent priority around family.

I had the dumb random luck to meet Tim Russert at a Boys and Girls Club gala in Washington, DC. He was serving as Master of Ceremonies and to my great surprise wound up in a seat next to me. Knowing his great love of the Buffalo Bills I knew that was my "in" to striking up a conversation. I led with football, got into a discussion about the Yankees and in a badge of honor - made him laugh. It was no more than 5 minutes of conversation. But I went on that night to watch him raise a half million for the Boys and Girls Club in 10 minutes from the podium.

It is rare in life that the people we place on pedastals meet our expectations. In a time where heroes are hard to come by, Tim Russert was certainly mine. I had placed Tim Russert in that level of esteem that few could live up to, so to come in contact with him and have him exceed everything I believed him to be was truly amazing. He will be remembered for many things, but I hope his legacy will give just credit to his integrity and faith - in family, our country and the fact that he was a man who never forgot where he came from.

I think it is fitting that Tim Russert's final Meet the Press was at a table surrounded by his political correspondents. However it is not fair that we will hve to weather the remainder of this political season without his navigation. I take stock in the fact that on his last day he was doing the thing he loved most he was surrounded by his NBC family. While it is awful to think that Sunday's will now go on without Tim Russert, it is fitting that the world of journalism and the Sunday political pundits will pause this Sunday to remember Russert, on Father's Day.

My heart is broken for his wife, son, family and extended family at NBC, may God be with them all.

Passing on a Sunday...Rest in Peace Tim Russert

Tim Russert on the night Barack Obama became the Democratic Nominee for President of United States pondered how exciting it would be the next morning to be a history teacher.

Everything I know about American politics I learned from Tim Russert, he was a teacher and guide to a nation.

Secret TV and other random crushes...

OK, odd title I know, but lets face it there is a TV show, character, actor that we all secretly adore but are remiss to admit to in public. Without ever going into places like Soap Operas and HGTV I know many of my friends(and you know who you are) there are diverse shows from The Walton's to Flavor of Love to La Femmne Nikita. Over the years we all have found shows and TV characters who we adore without rhyme or reason.

As all who know me have long accepted I have a deep rooted admiration (read: borderline crush) on Tim Russert at NBC and Meet the Press is appointment TV for me. At only 2 my daughter knows who he is and whenever she sees him on TV she proclaims "Mommy, it's Tim! it's Tim!". Well for me, I must admit there is someone who has given Tim a run for the money over the last couple of months....

OK, it is appropriate that I am sitting here with MSNBC in the backdrop as Barack Obama has just become the presumtive democratic nominee for President of the United States. It's a moment to mark simply because of the history it makes and without being too corny, the extrodinary pride I feel in seeing it happen and being part of the process that led to this result. As someone two short generations removed from a woman made to wash her hands when she came in contact with black people I have such an immense pride in a moment that changes history.

OK, I return to my silly rant of the day. So the combination of unemployment, interest in our political landscape, cable TV and too much time on my hands I have watched more than my share political cable news over the last few months. In doing so a gem of a geek has risen out of the dronings of Chris Matthews and Pat Buchanan. That person is NBC's Political Director, Chuck Todd. Chucky T as he is loving referred to by collegues is the numbers guy, the statistical geek and basically the guy you run up against at a bar watching the game who can hand you every statistic known to man on any given team in any given sport. I adore Chuck Todd and his running commentary in this lengthy primary race, for me, has only been second to that of Tim Russert (I'm a loyalist too!).

For those of you who have seen it, Chuck Todd reminds me of Joshua Molina's character on ABC's old TV series "Sports Night" - Jeremy whose first scene in the show is being interviewed by Felicity Huffman and in a panic rolls out a detailed analysis on the NY Knicks and throughout the series had every statistic/random fact waiting at his finger tips. I have been mocked (at times mercilessly) by friends for my fandom of Chuck Todd. But after many years of obscure admirations like this I have finally found vindication. It arrived in the form of another blog: www.vivachucktodd.blogspot.com, check it out and you too will see I am not alone in admiring Chuck's brillance

Say what you will, crushes and secret TV loves are a good thing, it is the escapism that TV is meant to me.

I'm Baaacckkkk....

As eloquently pointed out by Melissa, I have officially slacked off the last 2 months. My my time flies when you are unemployed and moving into a new home! After much painting, unpacking and yes slacking I am back to writing.

Today will bring quick (because really, they require little else) film reviews of the two big recent releases - Indiana Jones and Sex in the City.

Indiana Jones (and the long title about a Skull that I never get right)

Really and truly this film can be summed up in a question. Did you ask yourself "I wonder if it is worth seeing?" If you did, don't go see it. This is a film made for fans - fans of the Indie series, fans of the genre and fans of nostalgia. I happen to like extra helpings of all three and therefore was present and accounted for at the first showing Thursday morning at 10AM. Note, there was a 12:01AM showing on Wednesday, but I have long left my days of midnight showings at the movies!

The movie treds on no new territory and obliterates some of the old. Yes George Lucas is a man who makes Oliver Stone look ego-less and his quest story is long in the teeth both in believability and interest. Yes, the CGI technology goes too far in an unrealistic jungle scene and yes Cate Blanchet (who I love and adore) is WAY over the top, she makes Laura Dern's turn in RECOUNT look subtle. My answer to that is SO WHAT? I mean really, the point of the movie is fantasy/adventure. What about either of those words asks the viewer to believe it needs to all make sense.

At the end of the day in my book it ranks somewhere in between The Last Crusade and Temple of Doom. Raider's will forever be untouched, but truth be told, this fourth installment is all it needs to be - a big budget, summer, popcorn induced, cotton candy flick with a nice dose of nostalgia on top! For me, not a bad way to spend a Thursday morning.

SEX AND THE CITY

OK, same rules apply - if you have to ask the question, don't bother. This is a film made for its fans. It too is long in the teeth. The running time of 2 1/2 hours is just WAY too many couture costume changes for me. I should pause to qualify this review. I am a fan of the original show. I loved some seasons, loathed others and could be indifferent to many episodes. However, I did admire the shows ability to explore these four women and expand their personal journeys beyond the show's title.

That said, the thing they did wonderfully well in the show and lost in the movie was the strength of the male characters. All four men (even Chris Noth) feel like they are mere accessories for the side of the ladies that aren't carrying the Prada bags. All built wonderful characters over the course of the show and all were left with less to do than I would have hoped. That said the thing the film does best is go to the emotional core of the series, the unbreakable bond of true friendship. It shows the vulnerability and stubborn will of these women's relationships with each other in a way that honors the six years of story building they did in the series.

So in the end is the movie everything it could have been, no. It is however a fitting tribute to a series that didn't always live up to its promise. Flawed and all, it was nice to return to these four women and watch them close the loop of a phase of life that many of us took a birdseye view into and sometimes related back to our own lives.

Technical Difficulties -- Please Stand By....

Life is not necessarily imatating art - although my apartment does look like the Mertz's apartment from the episode where Ricky and Lucy move to country! Moving and life's hiccups have caused my recent absence and I will be back online blogging regularly after April 15th -- YES TAX DAY!!!

My DVR...

Yes 60% of it is taken up by various cartoons but for the precious 40% that remains it is a constant battle to tape my share of fluff, trash TV, news, classic movies and movies I had never gotten around to watching. Currently taking up that space on any given day are the likes of LOST, America's Next Top Model, The View (I adore Whoopi Goldberg and will not apologize for it), Frontline, Charlie Rose, Meet the Press, The Biggest Loser, the pilot and series finale of Charmed and Sports Reporters. These come and go as I try to watch them and stay on top of things. Also there though are those movies I never seem to be in the mood to watch. Currently - Lilies of the Field, The recent remake of A Raisin in the Sun, From Here to Eternity, Citizen Kane, A Patch of Blue and the Illusionist. Save for A Patch of Blue, a Sydney Poitier film I adore, I haven't seen the other films yet. The other two mainstays on my DVR are the TV shows Friday Night Lights and Eli Stone.

Friday Night Lights -- An NBC series based off the film of the same name has teetered on extinction since it debuted two years ago. A show I never took to because it had the misfortune of landing at a time when I didn't record to VCR anymore and had a full load of series television that I watched. The strike freed up time to revisit this little engine that could in repeat and on HDTV. Like the movie before it, this film follows the lives of a small Texas town coach and the football team the town's lives revolve around. While football serves as the backdrop, the show looks squarely on the human frailty of when a life peeks at the age of 18. The football players are revered and they are treated like rock stars. All the while these young men have the perfect view of what life will hold for the mass majority of them when they don't go onto to play pro football. It is a show with flaws and great heart which is what keeps it compelling. I was happy to hear this past week that NBC picked it up for another season. It reminds me of another show NBC nurtured that never found a large audience, Homicide.

Eli Stone - I admit, my giving this show a chance has as much to do with the fact that it follows LOST as anything it's plot and actors offer. That said, I admit I was skeptical of this one. The trailers all played up the George Michael songs playing in the protagonist's head. The quick synopsis - Eli Stone is an attorney who is diagnosed with an inoperable aneurysm. The result is that he hallucinates scenes that aren't really there - often musical numbers (a la George Michael singing in his living room). The pilot felt like Ally McBeal (the dancing baby) meets LA Law (the first season). I have caught all five episodes (thanks to my DVR) and the jury is still out. Ricky Lee Jones who plays Eli makes this character likable and compassionate even when the material feels forced and trite. The show has a solid supporting cast with the likes of Victor Garber, but I don't know that it's "each case presents a moral message" theme can sustain interest and creativity. I have found the Eli hallucinations to be distracting since the first two episodes and often they feel like they are there for the sake of being there doing little to advance the plot in an interesting way. I mentioned my DVR because Eli Stone is a perfect example of a show I would likely bypass if not for the ability to record it. Proof in the pudding is, Eli Stone aired on Thursday, I just got around to watching it this evening. It had one of it's strongest episodes and it still is not close to the appointment television list.

What is on your DVR/TIVO? What has sat there waiting for you to watch it that you wonder why it is still on there?

Reality TV - Come on, you know you watch at least one!

OK, first my apologies for the lack of wrap up from the Oscars, the Monday after and the week that has succeeded it have been crazy and illness filled.

Reality TV aka cheap TV to produce and a network's dream programming. There is a gluttony of shows in this category that range from interesting to insane. Many often point to Survivor as the big leader of this genre. I would say give credit where credit is due, to MTV's The Real World. Long ago in 1992 Andre, Becky, Eric, Heather B., Julie, Norman and Kevin moved into a loft in Tribeca (before was the destination living place it is today) and MTV had a birds eye view into "What would happen if seven strangers lived in a loft together for 6 weeks". What happened was an ongoing series for 16 years (and the beginning of the end for MTV actually reflecting Music Television).

Flash forward to last night - In prime time network alone last night there was Supernanny, Wife Swap, America's Next Top Model, and American Idol (night 2 of 3). Tonight brings us Idol redux, Survivor, Celebrity Apprentice and Tuesdays gives The Biggest Loser, Big Brother, Beauty and the Geek and of course Idol. This does not take into account the fact that old hits The Bachelor, Dancing With the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance, Amazing Race are coming back soon, the first two come back on air this month.

If that last paragraph hasn't given you a headache, think of what I have left out. All cable reality which has brought television viewers not what scrapes the bottom of the barrel but what lies underneath it - the likes of Flavor of Love and I Love New York. There are at least a dozen of these insipid shows. I also did not include borderline shows like the new phenom "The Moment of Truth". Finally, missing are shows that have recently run their course (and hopefully will not be back for seconds). Two that come to mind are Dance Wars, which banked on the popularity of two Dancing With the Stars judges -ahem, moving on and Kid Nation which places a couple of dozen children (ranging in ages 8-12) in a deserted town and left them to build a community amongst themselves. Where's the old NY "Shame on You" report when you need it - who were these parents?

So now that you have been completely bombarded by all things "Reality" here is my confession. I watch it! Not all of it, but enough of it to feel the shame of it. The ultimate favorite is Amazing Race. It's travelogue with competition, there is little not to love in watching couples of all types racing around the world, seeing places you'd never visit on your own and seeing people compete in challenges that inform you of the culture, history and customs of the nations they visit. It is the only reality show I would jump at the chance to go on in a New York minute. No luck so far in finding a partner to do it, but I will contend to the day I die that my brother and I would get on and WIN if we did this show.

True Confession -- I also watch Biggest Loser, America's Next Top Model, American Idol (after the auditions) and So You Think You Can Dance. OK I watch Dancing with the Stars too, I have to, it is literally the show they made just for my mother. Ballroom Dancing made popular. I have thoughts on these as well as all of the ones mentioned in this blog. Over the next few weeks I will break them down slowly, so no one implodes and certainly so none of you stop reading.

Go on confess -- which ones to do you watch? Better yet, what was your favorite Real World?

The 24 Hour News Cycle

News News News... We live in a world where there is no moment in time that you do not have access to news. TV, Internet, radio, print surround us. It can be at once inundating and annoying as much as it is informative. The combination platter of immediacy and laxed standards in what is news and how it is reported has changed so dramatically and it is interesting to see the slow death of the nightly news. I admit that I have embraced the podcast. I almost do so in secret shame, however at the end of the day I love the first hour of the Today Show and enjoy nightly news. With a 2 years old in the midst of dinner and bedtime routine watching the news generally doesn't happen until later in the evening and podcast eliminates the dreaded commericals. I continue to be a fan of folks like Charlie Rose and many of PBS's news vehicles.

What I also find fascinating is how many people have taken to John Stewart. The vast majority of my friends watch him faithfully. He is

T-Minus 11 hours and 45 minutes...

And here we are on Oscar day. My traditional Oscar party is not what it use to be. I am not certain whether that is due to the sprawl in which my friends now live or the fact that this, unlike NY is not as much of a movie town. Regardless there will be pernil and rice to go around for whoever is here. Truth be told, I do miss the larger gathering with trash talk, Vicky never having her $10 for the pool, Robin and Kylie's favorite part being the red carpet walk to breakdown how the outfits went horribly wrong, Wes' aggravation over the academy's inability to think like him and Lydell's never wavering belief that he is going to win (and the fact that it is Tikketha's fault when he doesn't). I suspect that is what made the party the most fun.

But enough nostalgia, I have two more categories to cover - Best Director and Film.

Best Achievement in Directing
Nominees:
Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, No Country for Old Men
Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton
Jason Reitman, Juno
Julian Schnabel, Scaphandre et le papillon, Le

OK, this category is a no brainer. You need only follow the rule of thumb that says. As goes the Director's Guild, goes the Oscars. The DGA selects its' best director each year in advance of the Oscars and the last time that director did not go on to win the Best Oscar was over 20 years ago when Steven Spielberg won the DGA for The Color Purple and lost the Oscar to Sydney Pollack for Out of Africa. All of this to say - Joel and Ethan Cohen will win this award tonight. Period.

Side note -- Remember when the Oscars (and all awards shows for that matter went politically correct and stopped saying "And the winner is..." for the more gentile "And the Oscar goes to..." This was the start of a trend against winners and losers that permeates our lives now. Little Leagues give everyone trophies, there are no winners and losers. It is the slow erosion of competition. But I digress...


Best Motion Picture of the Year
Nominees:
Atonement - Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Paul Webster
Juno - Lianne Halfon, Mason Novick, Russell Smith
Michael Clayton - Sydney Pollack, Jennifer Fox, Kerry Orent
No Country for Old Men - Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Scott Rudin
There Will Be Blood - Paul Thomas Anderson, Daniel Lupi, JoAnne Sellar

This is the unfortunate part of the evening. It's a solid bet that No Country for Old Men will win this category. There is minimal to no chance that Juno or Michael Clayton could dark horse this race. It is unlikely though because No Country for Old Men has the wind at its back and was as much a critical darling as Juno and Michael Clayton. It makes for a boring last half hour of the Oscars because it holds little to no suspense. I liked the film a whole lot, would still likely select Juno if I was picking a best film of the three. It's an odd category this year because none of the five films are classics in the making. They are simply good work. So don't feel any shame in going to sleep early this year and checking the Internet or Today Show for a wrap up in the morning.

I of course will be up for the long haul. I am a die hard though and this is my fun night. I like to watch and critique it all from the speeches to the memoriam. I may blog along the way tonight or simply recap in the morning. Stay tuned.

48 Hours to John Stewart's Opening Monologue

Tonight it's about the screenplays - adapted and original.

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen

Juno, Diablo Cody
Lars and the Real Girl, Nancy Oliver
Michael Clayton, Tony Gilroy
Ratatouille, Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava, Jim Capobianco
The Savages, Tamara Jenkins

OK, this is a no brainer. Juno's writer Diablo Cody will win. Aside from the fact that she arguably wrote the most insightful, witty screenplay in years her personal story is one that makes for fun news fodder (she was formerly a stripper). It is also an opportunity for the academy to award a deserving film without giving it the Best Film award. The shame in that is that Michael Clayton's sarastic, twisting conversation thriller winds up odd man out. One final note, I need the Ratatouille nomination explained to me in tiny language. I love me an animated film as much as the next one, but the second you have three authors credited means you are writing by committee. MY BET - Juno

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published *Otherwise known as - Best Adapted Screenplay
Nominees:
Atonement, Christopher Hampton
Away from Her, Sarah Polley
Scaphandre et le papillon, Le, Ronald Harwood
No Country for Old Men, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
There Will Be Blood, Paul Thomas Anderson

While this isn't a lock, No Country for Old Men is the good bet. If it does win, expect a sweep of the top categories it is nominated for in the last hour of the show. If by some stroke of cruelty, if Javier Bardem loses than this category is wide open. I actually think the dark horse is the French film, The Diving Butterfly. It is a unique film that is shot and told from the perspective of a man who suffers a stroke that leaves all but his left eye paralyzed, the story of his life/containment is told through the visions and imagination of the places he has not been and wished to journey to in his lifetime. Strange I know, but so unbelievably original, it may take it in an upset. Away from Her also has an outside shot here. It is a heartbreaking tale of compassion and the real depth of love in face of alzheimer's disease. Again, the Cohen brothers are beloved in the academy, the movie has moments of genius and the momentum going into Sunday night.
MY BET - No Country for Old Men

QUICK FOOTNOTE -- LOST - OMG!!!! So Kate is raising Aaron. I suspect we now know who the survivor is that will be killed either next week or week after next. What an amazing comeback season they are having.

Oscars, Debates and Lost - OH MY!

Quick advisory note -- Tape Lost, watch the Debates on CNN.

OK, back to the Oscars -- Today, the Actors

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Nominees:
George Clooney, Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Tommy Lee Jones, In the Valley of Elah
Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises

Sadly this is a no brainer. All the performances are strong, Clooney in particular gives an ironic disquieted performance. Johnny Depp takes on the creepy and blood thirsty Sweeny Todd with a terrific style and morose take and he swings the difficult music with ease. Viggo Mortensen shows his talents in ways people wouldn't normally think of him in, especially those who adore the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I have not seen Tommy Lee Jones' performance, because frankly I can not sit through a film about a soldier from war. However all roads point towards his being unbelievably strong and heartbreaking. That said, Daniel Day Lewis is a lock. He has swept this category in all the pre-Oscar awards, is beloved by the academy and it is apparently his strongest performance in a long time. And finally - Oscars love a big, larger than life if not crazy performance (see Forest Whitaker's role in Last King of Scotland)and you need not look any further than the trailer for confirmation of that! MY BET - Daniel Day Lewis

The Ladies...
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Nominees:
Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie, Away from Her
Marion Cotillard, Môme, La
Laura Linney, The Savages
Ellen Page, Juno

Lets start with those who are not going to get the award. Cate Blanchett and Laura Linney are not even in the hunt. For Cate -see my supporting actress assessment. She's a double nominee and that is probably all that she will be at the end of the night. She should have won for her performance in the original Elizabeth, where she was much better and with vastly stronger material. For Laura Linney this is a time when the trite phrase 'it's an honor just to get the nomination' is actually true. It was a strong performance in a small film that few people saw and Philip Seymour Hoffman is arguably the stronger choice for a nomination for this film (he is instead nominated for Charlie Wilson's War). Linney is one of my favorite actors and she will eventually win. The three that remain all have a fighting shot. Cotillard's take on singer Edith Piaf is eerie and spot on. She has won some of the awards, but there is strong pull for veteran actor Julie Christie whose devastating take of a woman who descends into advanced Alzheimer's disease has moved everyone who has seen it. Another Oscar quirk - Oscar loves themselves a 'sick/disabled/disease' role - to name a few Dustin Hoffman, Rainman; Tom Hanks, Philadelphia; Daniel Day Lewis, My Left Foot; Holly Hunter, The Piano -- do you see the trend? And then there is Juno's Ellen Page who is in a word luminous. Her take on this pregnant teen is grounded, vulnerable and circumspect. We go the journey with her as she copes with being pregnant and giving the baby away. She is a marvelous actress, the critics (and academy) are in love with her - for her talent and the fact that at 21 she is the anti-Hollywood starlet. She is a dark horse here and would be an awesome upset in the 3rd hour of what will certainly be a long night.
MY BET - Julie Christie, MY HEART/HOPE - Ellen Page.

Homage and More Oscar Breakdown

Mr. Roger's Neighborhood -- Today marks the anniversary of the first time it was a beautiful day in the neighborhood. 40 years ago Mr. Rogers entered our living rooms, changing the face of television with the same ease that he changed his skip sneakers. I grew up watching Mr. Rogers Neighborhood as a child and learned my alphabet along with the many songs, puppets and characters. I wanted more than anything to have a model train that traveled through my house. Along with Sesame Street, The Electric Company and Villa Allegre, Mr. Roger's Neighborhood is a symbol of kindness and simplicity in teaching manners, tolerance right along with my numbers and ABCs. As I raise a toddler now, I am often nostalgic about the shows I grew up on. What are your memories of Mr. Rogers?

And the Oscars... I was going to do another breakdown tonight - 5 days and counting, but Mr. Rogers deserves his own space. So more tomorrow.

Oscar Breakdown -- 6 days and counting

Here we go it is time for my favorite arm chair quarterbacking. Breaking down the Oscars by category. The Oscars are on Sunday, complete with John Stewart as host and a Barbara Walter's special. Now while I will be tuning in to see Harrison Ford and Ellen Page's interview - I think I will skip Miley Cyrus and Vanessa Williams. The latter escape me as to how they are connected to the big night. But over the next week I will be breaking down the nominees and voting for my favorites -- Mind you there is a difference between my favorite vs. what I believe the academy will choose. This is a concept my dear friend Wes simply refused to embrace and why he has never won the Oscar pool.

Up First - Best Supporting Actor & Actress

The nominees:

Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson's War
Hal Holbrook, Into the Wild
Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton

As I type this I can see the sentence biting me in the ass. My vote goes to Javier Bardem and conventional wisdom says he will win as well. He has pretty much swept up the pre-season awards, most importantly the SAG last month. It is a horrifically creepy and compelling performance and Bardem is "due" for not winning for Before Night Falls (especially since he was beat by a less than spectacular performance from Russell Crowe in Gladiator). Here is the problem, Oscar loves an upset and a reach and usually reserves it for the supporting actor categories. I would say Hoffman is out, he won recently for his tour de force performance in Capote. Wilkinson is good, but in a showy role that many good actors could have eaten up like candy. I did not see Casey Affleck's performance yet, have heard it's great, but he's the younger brother of Ben Affleck for goodness sake, the gods can't be that cruel. While I wouldn't bet the farm on it (see Lauren Bacall for the Mirror Has Two Faces), I think Holbrook has a shot at this because it is a poignant beautiful performance and he is a revered elder statesman of the academy. What hurts him, no one saw the film. MY BET - Javier Bardem

Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There
Ruby Dee, American Gangster
Saoirse Ronan, Atonement
Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton

Here is a race where I think the academy will have its' upset. Blanchett and Dee have both taken pre-season awards and the obvious contenders. Both are great in their respective roles. Blanchett is nominated twice, for an undeserving turn in Elizabeth. I love Cate as much as the next person, but this was a gimme. I suspect she will stay seated come Sunday night. Ruby Dee is interesting for a couple of reasons, she is an icon, a marvelous actress and in the twilight of her career. She is also notably the only African American nominated in a major category this year. Will the academy ride the recent wave of minority wins? I am not so sure and here is why. Amy Ryan has gotten wonderful raves for Gone Baby Gone and is adored by the critics in a film role that moved people. She could be the quirky win that the academy loves to have (see Marisa Tomei)and could be a sleeper win (P.S. a Ben Affleck film - do you sense the trend).
MY PICK - Ruby Dee (but I will be neither surprised nor sad if Amy Ryan is making a speech at 9:30PM this Sunday).

Tomorrow.... Bring on the actors

Random thoughts after a full night's sleep

My daughter slept until 6:30 AM in her own bed. This is monumental because I have a clarity of thought this morning that usually involves 2 cups of coffee to achieve. But I digress...

As I check email this morning I have Presumed Innocent on in the backdrop. Two things come to mind as I watch. 1) How much this movie doesn't capture the utter surprise of the who done it that the book does. 2) More importantly, it reminds me how much I miss Raul Julia. While there was always certain pride in a fellow Puerto Rican's success, Raul Julia had a way about him on screen that was seductive and compelling. He could take the simplest of language and twist it in ways that made it sarcastic, knowing and sincere. Now Raul Julia made his share of crappy films like anyone does, but the roles he did well - like in Presumed Innocent are such a treasure of his talents. So on an overcast Sunday, I miss Raul Julia.

Did I mention that the Oscars are next week? They are and I have a couple of films to catch up on to have working knowledge of all the contenders so I can make my predictions and handicap the race. I will however sit here now and confess - I will not be seeing "There Will Be Blood". I just can't do maniacal Daniel Day Lewis. The trailer alone creeps me out. I am however enjoying as I do every year TCM (Turner Classic Movies) 31 Days of Oscar. Robert Osbourne has my dream job, he gets factoids about classic movies and introduces them while informing the viewer of odd movie trivia. Oh to have that job!

LOST -- Yes, I can not go a week without talking about LOST, if 24 were on that would get equal billing. I just haven't had the chance to write since Thursday. First off, I am thrilled Sayid is one of the Oceanic 6 he is a favorite character of mine and it's nice to know he survives. Although the ending revealing that he is actually an assassin for Ben was beyond jaw drop unbelievable. This is particularly puzzling because Sayid says to Locke "the day I believe him is the day I sell my soul". Apparently that day wasn't as far off as Sayid thought. It will be interesting to get Kate's side of life after the island considering the others that have been revealed - Jack, Hurley and Sayid have all been miserable. Am I the only one waiting on the resurrection of Michael? His name appears in the opening credits but so far not seen. My guess is that he is Ben's "spy" on the ship. I also don't know what to make of the 37 minute time delay that was revealed with the 'experiment' run by that wacky rescuer. And finally, we need to start the betting pool because in the next couple of episodes someone is going to die. Last week I was convinced it was going to be Locke. Now I am not so sure. I don't think it will be a secondary player, my gut tells me one of the major favorites. I have a sinking suspicion this week that it is Sawyer. I hope I am wrong, but next week is being billed as Kate's rescue off the island and at the end of this last episode Kate has decided to stay on the island. What would have changed her mind? Is it Sawyer who is among the Oceanic 6? Who is the guy she needs to get home to when she meets Jack at the airport from the flash forward last season?

This is what I adore about this show -- even when it gives us answers, it provides more questions. Classic television in the making. Seriously, if you haven't already you need to get LOST.

When the writers are away, it's interesting the things you discover

OK, I am the first to admit I am watching WAY too much political commentary on CNN, MSNBC and yes, FoxNews. This is a product not merely of the historic significance of the time and election but certainly the state of the fact that the writers’ strike is well into its third month.

What I have discovered without a selection of scripted series to choose from is that there are gems of programming scattered throughout the airwaves. I have become a regular of two programs over most - Frontline and Iconoclasts. The simplest way for me to describe Frontline is 20/20 with depth of reporting. What prompted me to mention it here is a recent piece that examined the first generation of youth and the Internet called "Growing up Online". The examination was interesting not for highlighting the well publicized fears of internet predators and the ignorance gap of adults and their children. Rather, it examines how youth as young as 8 years old are seeking and creating their identities online. While MySpace and Facebook are the platforms we most hear about, it goes beyond that to look at how children are dangerously exploring in a world without boundaries and trying to define themselves among cyber bullies, predators and open access. It is terrifying as a parent to imagine and know there is an entire world that children are creating outside of their parents. Frontline is on PBS for those who don't know and with the joys of modern technology you can view 70 of their best episodes whose topics range the gamete.

Iconoclasts is a distinct shift from the above on Sundance Channel. It pairs two icons, often from differing aspects of life. My most recent episode viewing was Norman Lear (creator of All in the Family) and Howard Shultz (Starbucks). It's nothing more than a roaming conversation between two people. It has eclectic pairings, my personal favorite being Dave Chappelle and Maya Angelou. What is engaging about the conversations is that through conversation you see the connectivity between two people who on the surface would appear to have little to share and learn from one another. It is a different approach that talks to larger ideals and bringing differences to light. What I find appealing is similar to what I love and enjoy about Inside the Actors Studio. It is a voyeuristic peek into conversations we would not otherwise be privvy to and that to me is always intriguing.

HOUSEKEEPING

LOST -- Yes I am loving the fact that one of my favorite shows is airing original episodes right now. The season premiere did not disappoint with its forward "life after the island" flashes and stake that was put in the ground that six people leave the island. Especially since it is obvious that last season’s cliffhanger flash forward sequentially happened after the one the revelation that Hurly is one of the survivors. The one question I was left with when pondering who I think the "Oceanic 6" are besides Hurly, Jack and Kate is if Michael and Walt are included in that mix. Less we forget that they sailed off the island at the end of season 2. The other interesting side note is that Michael is coming back at some point. His name was in the opening credits this week (yes, I note such silly things). This week I felt like the flashbacks of the new "rescuers" were not helping the storyline and left me more perplexed than anything else. Also, am I the only questioning the fact that when we saw the Oceanic flight crash information in the flashbacks the plane was completely submerged under water? We know from season 1 that the front piece of the plane crashed on the island and was in the tree - the pilot was killed by the 'black smoke' thing that we still don't have clarification on. What plane is in the ocean? I am still not entirely convinced that my alternate plane/universe - purgatory theory is not completely off base. The show has me to the bitter end; I am invested in the characters, the mysteries and the intrigue of what comes next.

Eli Stone -- OK, I could not resist a show that stars Angelina Jolie's ex husband where his character hears George Michael tunes in his head. After two episodes the show has a solid cast and some interesting storylines. Johnny Lee Hooker (aka ex- Mr. Jolie) is crafting a solid core character at the crossroads of who he has been and who his circumstances are pushing him to be. His acting alleviates above the absurd pieces of the storytelling. The jury is still out on the show's long-term possibility, but for now it has me intrigued enough to see what's the next George Michael tune to pop into his head.