Test Pattern #9

Breaking Bad (Season 4) - Season 4 has only solidified Breaking Bad's position as the best show on air. Walt and Jesse are locking horns again, but both afraid of Gus and the power he has over their lives. Hank is recovering from his injuries, but still able to get dangerously close to discovering the meth lab and producer. Skylar is actually pretty down with helping out with money-laundering; a welcome change from her bitchy persona of the last season. I really think this might be the best season yet. It started off with so much great tension, to the point that I was worried that it wouldn't be able to maintain that emotional height throughout the season. Basically, I was wrong...some episodes might be quieter, but it all pays off with the finale. I can't wait for next season already.

Louie (Season 2) - I don't really like stand-up, but something about Louie CK and all of his self-depreciation works for me. I enjoyed Season 1, but I think this past season was even better, and darker. Louie seems to be addressing topics that affect many working in the comedy business (aging with Joan Crawford, joke stealing with Dane Cook, selling out, etc). However, some of the highlight episodes center around surprising laughing because you are uncomfortable moments (the decapitation and the bum bath scored by classical music come to mind). Also, anything with his daughters is pretty much amazing...ONE DUCKLING!

Skins (UK) (Seasons 1-3) - I've been pretty vocal about my love of teenage drama in the past, so it was really only a matter of time before I would succumb to the lure of Skins. The first two season follow a group of 17 year-olds in Bristol. The center of the group is popular Tony. There are some virgins who need to get laid, a romance with a teacher, eating disorders, a love triangle, a stalker, a pregnancy, a death, excess drinking, and fucked up family lives all around. It's really only one step removed from a traditional soap opera, and takes some pretty ridiculous turns, but by the end of the second season, I couldn't help but feel emotional about Jal and Sid and all of their futures. Apparently Skins changes casts every two seasons to introduce a new group of friends. I'm only halfway through the "second generation" that centers around Tony's younger sister Effy. Effy is pretty, but far less charismatic than Tony. Also, this group of friends seems more unlikely than the first group and the main drama focuses on two boys fighting for Effy's affection. In addition, you have girls exploring their sexuality, twin rivalry, Asperger's, growing up sheltered with a super religious mother, a new immigrant from Congo, excessive fucking in nearly every permutation, etc.

Sopranos (Season 2-6) - It's a great show. I cried when several people died, and with the exception of one, I had seen all of those characters commit really awful crimes on-screen. It's powerful how much you get sucked into this world, and Tony's convoluted sense of how life should be lived. Edie Falco as Carmella and Michael Imperioli as Christopher are the main highlights in all of the series. Carmella can be a materialistic bitch, but she has so much inner turmoil that she is probably the most sympathetic. Christopher starts off as the go-to guy for offing enemies, but he morphs into something much more than a cold-blooded killer. The ending was frustrating for me, as I'm sure it was for most people watching it, but I appreciate that this show often defies convention both in story and format.

True Blood (Season 4) - While I would still never recommend this show to anyone, Season 4 was a serious step up from the last couple seasons. The new "supernatural" introduced this time around was all the witches, and I found them easier to go along with than maenads and even the werewolves (all though they are still around, and better in limited doses). Bill and Eric's rivalry over Sookie finally comes to an apex, and then gets really weird. Jessica and Hoyt finally split up, and Sam's brother is thankfully out of the picture. I was glad to see less Tara and more Pam. Whatever happened to that Werepanther storyline? Anyway, it's also possible that this show isn't really getting better, but rather that I am getting used to its bizarro twists and introductions.

Test Pattern #5

So before all of the new Fall shows start, I thought I should give myself a clean slate and post about the shows I have been watching all summer...

Dexter (Season 4) - Unfortunately some of the entertainment feeds I read totally spoiled this season for me, but even so, I really liked this season with John Lithgow as the primary antagonist. I think the season started a bit slow, but got going once Dexter and Arthur develop a closer relationship, things pick up. I gotten pretty used to the formula arc that every season seems to take (except Season 2...my least favorite season) where there's another serial killer on the loose. Debra is super annoying, but generally key in discoveries regarding the case, and the finales consist of Dexter killing the other serial killer. Even though I know and expect the plot to go that way, the chase is still fun, and entertaining to hear my roommate scream.

Friday Night Lights (Season 4) - The most tearjerky season yet. I literally cried every episode but two. Really, this season's core was about Matt Saracen and Tim Riggins and their continual heartbreaks. Matt and Julie break up, Matt loses his dad, and finally finds a way to move out of Dillon. Riggins couldn't hack it in college, so comes back to Dillon and tries to find a way to make a life for himself. He and his brother get involved in some illegal activity, but it's so sympathetic in this small town where it's hard to get ahead financially. I think this show has always been really good at dealing with racial issues, and this season they up the ante by moving the coach to the cross-town high school, which is demographically poorer and more diverse than relatively privileged Dillon High School. I enjoyed the additions of Vince, Luke, and Jess and it makes me really sad that next season will be the final season to cry about this town and these people.

Homicide: Life on the Street (Seasons 6 & 7) - Now, I'm pretty willing to name Homicide as one of the best shows of the 1990s, but the final season nearly tainted that impression. Season 6 introduces a few new, but not as beloved characters, but overall the season was still one of the best. The show dives deeper into some racial prejudices and takes an interesting direction with Kellerman's character. It's also the last season for Pembleton, which is both heartbreaking and fascinating to watch. Season 7 is a pretty big mess. At this point an additional couple characters are added which nobody really likes. The music also gets really strange this season and the storylines increasingly cheesy. I'm not really sure what happened to the writers or directors, but it was a definite misstep. I had to see the conclusion of this show...I just wish the last season wasn't so painful.

Peep Show (Season 1) - This show is easy to gobble up with 25 minute episodes and only 6 episodes per season (and available on Hulu). It's British and basically has two main characters who are roommates. They are both really pathetic but in completely different ways. Mark is really square and has a boring office job. He's also a little chubby, totally neurotic, and constantly plotting how to sleep with his co-worker while simultaneously worrying about some condition with his balls. Jeremy is a complete failure. He fancies himself an electronic musician, but he's awful and cannot land or keep any actual paying jobs. He is also obsessed with trying to get laid, but is only marginally more successful than Mark.

Sons of Anarchy (Seasons 1 & 2) - Maybe it's just me, but I feel like there is a mini-zeitgeist going on about motorcycle culture. The Dream came out with Yamaha. I happened to see the SF Vampire MC while drinking with some co-workers. Then there's Sons of Anarchy, which probably made me start noticing motorcycles at all. I'm pretty into this show...Katey Sagal is surprisingly hot as the main "old lady," the rival gang is a bunch of Latinos from Oakland, and there's this whole Hamlet thing going on between the main character (Jax) and his stepfather (Clay played by Ron Perlman) and Jax's dead father who left a manifesto behind. This show is full of likable gray characters with a strong sense of community and ties to family, but questionable morals in many other arenas. Season 2 features guest appearances by Henry Rollins and Alan Arkin...Season 3 is airing right now.

True Blood (Season 3) - My goodness has True Blood gotten ridiculous. I liked this season better than last season, but perhaps just because I've become numb to the sheer number of supernatural beings. At least Maryanne is gone...This time the main villain is Russell Edgington, a gay vampire who refuses to stop feeding on humans, has control over werewolves, and also wants to manipulate Bill, Eric, and get Sookie in his possession. This season includes fairies, werewolves, and werepanthers, and probably some other shit that I'm forgetting. Sam gets tired of being taken advantage of, Lafayette gets an annoying boyfriend, and Arlene is probably entering a Rosemary's Baby-type scenario. This show has gotten way past the point where I could recommend it to anyone and keep a clear conscience, but I just know I won't be able to help but watch next season.

Test Pattern #2

Time for another installment of television shows that I have been watching for the past few months!

Breaking Bad (Season 2) - Walter and Jesse are struggling to find a good way to distribute and sell their quality meth. Walter's wife is becoming increasingly more suspicious of how Walt is spending his free time. Meanwhile, their family is still coping with Walter's cancer in addition to a new baby. Jesse has had a rough time as a drug lord, but does have a love interest this season. Still my favorite drug dealers, and this season is even better than the first.

Dexter (Season 3) - Jimmy Smits plays Miguel, Dexter's adversary this season. (A huge improvement from Lila in Season 2). Miguel is a crooked lawyer that seems sympathetic to Dexter's activities and moral code. Also, Dexter's girlfriend Rita (one of the most boring characters on the show) becomes pregnant. 

Mad Men (Season 3) - This show has yet to really disappointment me. This 1960s are progressing, and it's even more clear that the ideals of the 50s will have to move aside. Marilyn Monroe and JFK both die, causing huge shake-ups. Don and Betty's marriage continues to crumble and Don's secret life is not as secret as it used to be. I miss Joan this season, but Peggy has really come into her own.

Oz (Seasons 1-6) - Jon and I devoured all six seasons of HBO's first hour-long drama in a matter of a couple months. The Oswald State Penitentiary resides in a fictional town in upstate New York. "Emerald City" is the experimental wing of the prison consisting of see-through cells and rehabilitation programs. The show was notorious for male nudity and graphic depiction of prison rape, but rapes happens on screen far less than you would believe. The philosophical monologues were quite annoying and heavy-handed, but eased up as the seasons progressed. Very rarely are any of the characters completely evil or good. I found myself rooting for several inmates even though they commit heinous acts on screen, and if I had to pick the most evil person on the show, it would have to be the governor.

True Blood (Season 2) - This season the town of Bon Temps, LA had to deal with far more supernatural entities than vampires and shapeshifters. The mystical stuff got a little ridiculous (but I think any viewer would have accepted the over-the-top style of this show by now), but a religious war between fundamentalists and vampires also contributed to the story lines. Eric is playing a larger role and Bill is not looking quite as moodily-attractive as he did first season. 

Guilty Pleasures

These shows are real guilty pleasures..things that I am semi-embarrassed to admit that I watch, but at the same time provide entertainment and I look forward to them even though I know they damage my perceived credibility..haha.

America's Next Top Model (Cycle 13) - I have not been a regular viewer of this show until last cycle. Cycle 13 tackles short (under 5'7" and under) models. The girls are always ridiculous and annoying (they usually are only 18 or 19), but I always find a favorite or two to root for. The photoshoots are usually pretty cool (except for the odd semi-racist hybrid ethnicity shoot...what were the writers thinking?) and I get sucked into the competition. I personally have no delusions about becoming a model (too old, too short-even for this season, and enjoy eating and drinking too much) but I still can't help but look forward to watching Tyra be totally out of control and griping about the bitchy girls, looking at the clothes, styling, and pictures. The finale for this cycle is this week, and my two favorites actually made it to the end.

the O.C. (Season 1) - Two friends in Portland, whose tastes I respect, and Ira Glass from This American Life have all watched the O.C., or at least the first season. I also have a thing for shows about teenagers, even those with predictable drama, so it's not a big surprise that I would enjoy this show. I grew up not too far from where it is supposed to take place, so I recognize that most of Orange County is nothing like the lifestyle portrayed in the show. The kids are spoiled and the adults have mostly forgotten how anyone but the upper class lives. However, Sandy, the surfer-lawyer husband-dad is totally likeable and takes in Ryan, and kid from Chino, starting off the premise of the show. I don't know if I will get through all four seasons, but for high school soap opera, this show hits the spot.

Test Pattern #1

For over a year, I have been writing my brief weekly reviews of the films I have watched in the previous week. Admittedly, I am a film junkie, but sometimes my film-watching habits get derailed by another related pastime: TV. After this week, I will probably return to my usual format, but every once in a while, I would like to share my other viewing activities.

There are a couple shows that I watch as the episodes air on television, but many others that are consumed in giant chunks via DVD. I really don't think that I actually got a chance to watch a real film this past week, and I primarily chalk that up to my Mad Men obsession (my roommate and I watched 7 episodes on Sunday). Here are the series that I have enjoyed in the past months:

Breaking Bad (Season 1) - A high school chemistry teacher realizes that he has cancer and potentially has only a couple more years to live. He is worried about leaving his family with enough money to survive and begins to look for an easy way to make some more cash. The answer: making meth with one of his former students.

Flight of the Conchords (Season 2) - Honestly, the first half of the first season of this show will probably always be the best, but I enjoy watching Bret and Jemaine be hipsters around New York. Supporting actors get to contribute a lot more to the songs this time around (to mixed success). I think the episode about Bret buying a new cup is a highlight. Silly and at 20 minutes a sitting, why not give in?

Friday Night Lights (Season 3) - This is the show that I am probably most embarrassed to admit watching to other people. However, I will easily stand by the opinion that the first season is really good. A football game probably does happen every episode, but takes up 5 minutes out of 45. And yes, the actors playing the high school students are all in their 20s and ridiculously attractive. That being said, production-wise, this show looks great. Story wise, it's more about life in a small town--regular drama, racism, sexism, community, etc. The second season took some unbelievable/cheesy turns, but I cannot say the same for this third season; if anything it is a return to form. By now, I have quite a bit invested in these characters and it was hard to hold back the tears some episodes...it is a show that I wish some people would give a chance.

Mad Men (Season 2) - Still continuing the stylish loose storylines of the first season... I love the clothes, I love the characters, and I even love how the show makes drinking and smoking look so appealing. As the audience, we still don't know much about Don Draper's secret life, and things are shaking up in the office. Peggy is learning how to deal with the boys' club and we see a less bitchy side of Joan on the occasion (all though I love her sass). I think if people have any complaints about this show, it's that it can seem like not much happens plot wise...I think it's deliberately paced and enough to grab onto, and really, such a great piece of television.

the Office (Season 5) - A popular favorite, and one of the only shows I watch when it airs. Season 5 has its moments, but ever since Jim and Pam have gotten together, I think a lot of the tension this show thrives on is missing. The side plot around Michael Scott's Paper Company made for some laughs, but ultimately seemed a bit like filler. I like what's (not) going on with Holly, and I appreciated the presence of Charles Minor for his brief tenure as the straight-man. I'm still looking forward to watching season 6, but I think it's possible that the show has already passed its peak.

30 Rock (Seasons 1,2, & 3) - I just started watching 30 Rock this year, originally because it comes on directly after the Office, but now it makes me laugh more consistently than the other show. I caught up with the first two seasons online. There is really no point in summarizing the plot or storylines of this show...really, you just need to see how Kenneth views the world in Muppets. If that doesn't make you crack up, then there probably isn't much here for you.

Transgeneration - This was a Sundance channel documentary series that aired a few years ago. It follows four college students that are identified as transgendered, and observes their process of taking hormones, or prepping for sex reassignment surgery, and probably most fascinating--coping with being in college, dealing with family, making friends in a society still mostly afraid or hostile to their presence.

True Blood (Season 1) - Vampires are now a part of society, fighting for their rights, and living mixed in among humans. Sookie Stackhouse is a waitress who falls in love with Bill, a 200+ year -old vampire. Not all vampires are interested in conforming, and many are scapegoated for murders and violent crimes. During the first season, a series of murders takes place in Bon Temps, Louisiana. I love the campiness of this show, and the Southern Gothic element. The magical stuff, and the feeling that nearly every one in this town has supernatural powers, at times puts me off, but ultimately I couldn't watch this season fast enough. I'm in the middle of the second season now, and while I still enjoy it, something seems off, but I'm reserving complete judgment until the end.

Twin Peaks (Season 1 & 2) - Classic David Lynch creepiness combined with humor, visual dreamlike sequences, characters to attach to, and a decent murder mystery that jumps the rails sometime during the first season. Laura Palmer was a 17 year-old homecoming queen, murdered at the outset of the show. Special Agent Dale Cooper is brought in to solve her case, as the local police department might have 3 employees. Even though it's clear that the show gets super weird while David Lynch was away filming Wild at Heart during the second season, it shouldn't feel like an abrupt change considering how bizarro this show gets on a regular basis...you just have to go with it. I loved it, but could not stop being amazed that this ever actually aired on prime time network television.