by | August 9, 2010

Another Sunday Night at the Hollywood Bowl: RENT

Last night, I and half of Los Angeles, took in director Neil Patrick Harris’ take on the most beloved rock musical of all time, Rent. Going in, I was skeptical.  Going out, I was impressed, satisfied and happy.  4 quick thoughts about the evening:

1. Casting — As I texted to my friend Michael during the proceedings, here’s how I felt about the cast: “Maureen is def best.  Then Collins/Joanne/Mark/Angel.  Then Roger.  Then Mimi.  Then Benny.”  Nicole Scherzinger kicked total ass as Maureen.  For those of you familiar with the show, Maureen doesn’t really show up until her protest towards the end of act one, so at that point, we’d pretty much forgotten about her.  But the moment she opened her mouth, she proved that she is a legit vocal star — she was in a class all her own vocally; there was really no one else  close.  She also brought terrific energy to the role, played it with panache and honesty, and looked damn good too.  Kudos to her — I’m a believer.  The next 4 down the line were all very strong and very good, but left just a little to be desired that kept them from being total home runs.  Wayne Brady was very endearing as Collins and has a beautiful voice, but we left me wanting a bit more in the volume/energy/passion department — just a little too understated for me, though the dude is a legit talent.  Do not underestimate the powers of Wayne Brady.  Same with Tracie Thoms as Joanne, though after playing Joanne for years and in the movie, she’s probably just a little bored with the role.  Skylar Astin was really strong as Mark and Telly Leung sang the crap out of Angel, but again, I just felt a little spark was missing — if it hadn’t been for Scherzinger’s dynamic performance, I might’ve written the whole thing off to the difficulty of performing at such a huge outdoor venue, but she proved that an energetic and exciting performance was possible, even in that setting.

Aaron Tveit, of Next to Normal fame, was simply miscast as brooding bad boy Roger.  Tveit has a beautiful voice that’s clear as a bell, with pretty boy good looks.  Not even purple shirts or fake tattoos could fool me into thinking this guy was a badass rocker.  I just didn’t believe a word he said, and his pretty singing voice was wrong for this role.  Collins Pennie was absolutely horrible as Benny.  They couldn’t find one guy who could sing this part?  As my friend Michael said, he was definitely sleeping with a casting director something — this guy has no business being in show biz.

And finally, Vanessa Hudgens as Mimi.  I liked the idea to cast a younger actress in the role– after all, Mimi is 19, she’s the least comfortable in her own skin, she’s trying to prove how grown up she is by begging Roger to come out with her.  But in Vanessa’s case, she wasn’t playing a kid amongst adults — she was one.  She was WAY out of her league here, I mean, uncomfortably out of place.  She performed the role with Disney-like acting skills — everything was big and indicated and obvious.  You could see her reach for Roger’s arm, not because her character felt the need to be close to him, but because her director said “And then you move here.”  She belonged, ironically enough, in a high school musical of Rent, not on the stage of the Hollywood Bowl.  She has a nice voice, but so does my dry cleaner, ya know?   She had the notes and the vibrato, as many talented amateur singers do, but lacked the nuance and control you expect from a professional.  Last night proved to me that Vanessa Hudgens is simply not star, at least not as this stage (pun intended) of her career.

2. The show — It hasn’t even been 20 years since Rent debuted on Broadway, but already, those days of AIDS fear and poverty and Y2K and all that jazz feel very long ago.  However, I thought Jonathan Larson’s Pulitzer/Tony-winning show was as poignant and resonant as ever, and that director Neil Patrick Harris did a nice job of keeping the themes and relationships in the show clear and at the forefront.  The lyrics to that show really are tremendous when you focus on them, especially the ensemble group numbers like “Will I Lose My Dignity” or “Life Support.”  I thought this production did an excellent of job of communicating the message of this musical — all while being outdoors and singing to people hundreds of yards away.

3. Volume — Too quiet.  I’m ready to chalk this up to the difficulty of mixing 10 rock instruments with 20 singers, but everyone, seated close and far, felt the music was too low in the mix.  I certainly agree, but I understand how hard it can be — but if there was a way to crank the volume on the drums/bass/guitar, I would have welcomed it.  The music rocks too hard to let it simmer the way it did.

4. Changes — Per venue (union?) rules, the Hollywood Bowl required Rent to put 10 instrumentalists on the stage, so they added horns and strings for these performances.  Didn’t work, AT ALL.  Horns in Rent??? Yikes.  Couldn’t they have added more guitarists and drummers to boost the weak sound?  One change I didn’t mind, however, were the cuts implemented to keep the show down to 2 hours.  They were smooth and mostly unnoticeable (a verse here or there mainly; the biggest omission was “Contact” which was likely too racy for this Hwood Bowl crowd anyway) and actually helped streamline the show.

Overall, this was a terrific production.  The cast was very strong, the music and story as terrific as ever, and the crowd was having a blast.   All gripes aside, this was as good a production of Rent as I’ve ever seen and reignited my love for the musical.  I’d say that’s a successful production indeed.

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by | August 3, 2010

The Bachelorette: Season 6 Finale

Yes, you read that correctly.  I’m blogging about exactly the type of show I would’ve trashed previously (I probably have in an old post).  But gosh darnit, I really love this show.  I can’t speak for any previous season, and in fact, I’m sure I would not have liked them as much as this one, as the personnel involved this year made all the difference.  But The Bachelorette has without a doubt been my favorite show of the summer (again, you read that correctly).  Here are 5 reasons why:

1. Ali — I have probably never seen a more appealing woman in reality television in my life.  This season started and ended with the enchanting Ali.  Bachelorette Ali Fedotowsky was smart, sensitive, down-to-earth, beautiful, fun-loving, and honest.  She wasn’t on this show to start an acting career or get her name in the papers.  Ali, as girl-next-door as you can get, came on this show to find love.  She calmly and openly lead the viewers along this journey with her through her candid testimonials and an admirable willingness to put her heart on the line.  She immediately endeared herself to the audience and we could never shake her — I feel like I know Ali as a person, I feel like I know people in my own life like her, and because of these facts and her winning personality, I felt a personal stake in the outcome of this show.  I wanted Ali to find love and happiness because I truly knew she deserved it.  It’s one thing to root for a protagonist.  It’s quite another to hope for the emotional well-being of a fellow human trying to make her way in the world.  It was a new and special experience for me as a viewer of television.

2. The Bachelors — Like Ali, the top 5 or so bachelors were on this show for all the right reasons — to be honest and open and hopefully find the woman of their dreams.  Aside from a few notable exceptions (we’ll get to Frank soon, I promise), these were real stand-up guys: Relatable, polite, chivalrous, classy, warm and determined to win Ali’s heart (or in Kasey’s case, guard and protect it).  Sure, we all had our own horses in the race (I was in the Chris camp, but announced my prediction of Roberto on Episode 2, and I certainly won’t begrudge a class act like him the win), but there was no denying that most of these guys were great catches for any girl, and a pleasure to watch on-screen.

3. Flow — The build-up and progression of the season was absolutely perfect — we began with a bunch of dudes, some with potential, others headed straight for next week’s Bachelor Pad (and happy to do so).  The mood was light, the date were fun and adventurous, the potential endless.  As Ali whittled down her beaus, the locations become more and more picturesque (I’m now desperate to travel to Iceland, Turkey and Bora Bora), and the mood noticeably shifted to a more serious and vital feel.  We had some ridiculous clowns on the way down from 10 to 5, (Rated R, Tattoo Guy, Weatherman, weird Adam Morrsion/Steve Nash looking bro who never spoke), but once we got to the final 5, things got REAL.  As we progressed from 5 to 1, things only got more intense and more emotional.  It was a thrilling and well-paced ride, with the perfect blend of levity, gravitas and honest to goodness romance.

4. The Producers — Pretty much everything on this list (except for the last and most important point) is due to the terrific producers of this show.  They cast it, they paced it out, they chose how much stupidity/conventional reality garbage to show, and I’m happy to report they were spot-on in every way.  The focus was on Ali and her journey from the word go; if we saw d-bag clowning, it was only because it affected Ali.  Mostly, we got a sharp and focused perspective into Ali’s world and the deepening relationships between her and her bachelors.  The locations and romantic activities were splendid to behold, the confessionals remarkably candid, and the truth of each moment skillfully and unobtrusively captured.  Bravo.

5. Frank — For me, the moment that really put this show over the top was Frank’s break-up with Ali.  I have truly never witnessed such raw, honest and true human emotion on television before.  I’m sure pretty much everyone reading this blog has experienced something like what Frank and Ali went through — the stomach-dropping disappointment of flinging your arms around the person you love and hearing “We need to talk”; the pain of breaking the heart of someone you truly care about; the indignation and confusion of being blindsided and having your own heart broken.  I have never, ever seen these moments captured, on any screen or stage, in their full intensity.  It is one of the most private emotional moments a human being can undergo in his/her lifetime, and for the first time, we had cameras on it.  No sappy music, no uncomfortable close-ups, no theatrics — just stationary cameras and silence, as two hearts broke.  It was simply stunning television.  Emmy-worthy, truly amazing television.  I don’t know that I’ll ever see anything like it ever again, unless it’s firsthand (and I certainly hope not to live out that scenario).

I think the best we can hope for in our consumption of media is truly new and enveloping experience — new insight into worlds or endeavors or emotions or personalities that we may know nothing about.  This season of The Bachelorette accomplished all these things and more.  I’ll probably tune in next year in case we strike gold again, but getting to see a beautiful rainbow without any rain feels like a once in a lifetime kinda thing.

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by | August 2, 2010

Dudamel conducts Carmen: A summer night at the Hollywood Bowl

Ah, Hollywood Bowl, how I love thee.  Nothing says summertime quite like a beautiful evening of food and music at the LA’s premiere outdoor venue (sorry Greek Theater).  Last night, I was fortunate enough to enjoy my 4th concert of the summer at the Bowl (3 more to come…), and it was one that will surely stay with me for a long time.   As the sun set into the hills, I took in a beautiful concert version of Bizet’s Carmen, courtesy of the L.A. Philharmonic, conducted by their energetic 29-year-old maestro, Gustavo Dudamel.

Dudamel had the audience in the palm of his hand from the moment he stepped onto the stage — the thunderous ovation he received at the end of the concert was louder than for any of the artists I’ve seen at the Bowl this summer, perhaps ever — captivating the masses with his passionate and masterful conducting.  His entire body was infused with the emotion of Bizet’s lyrical score –  whether he was violently stabbing to signal an immense staccato finish, wiggling his head as his two-stepped to a jaunty refrain, or communicating the power of a passage with only the movement of his eyes and smile for bars at a time, Dudamel was a wondrous virtuoso to behold.

Of course, his enthralling performance would mean nothing if it didn’t translate into beautiful music, but the LA Philharmonic surely did not disappoint.  They were as crisp and dynamic as any live orchestra I’ve ever heard.  The flautists and buglers in particular caught my ear, but the ensemble as a whole was simply divine.  It can be very difficult to convey changes in dynamics in an outdoor, microphone-dependent venue such as the Hollywood Bowl, but despite this obstacle, the LA Phil did exactly that.

On the vocal front, the orchestra was accompanied by the terrific L.A. Master Chorale, who brought the perfect amount of gusto to their chorus parts without stealing focus from the instrumentalists or lead singers.  A handful of kids from the L.A. Children’s Choir got in on the action too, and they sounded lovely, if unremarkable.  If I have one gripe, it’s that I wasn’t totally impressed with leading lady Natscha Petrinsky in the titular role.  She was resplendent in her red, one-shoulder gown, and her high notes were lovely, but I felt she was a bit bland for what should be a real firecracker of a woman.  I also though the notes in her lower register sounded unsupported and weak.  Her counterpart, Yonghoon Lee as Don Jose, was the exact opposite.  I thought he brought terrific anguish and emotion to the role and I mostly loved his voice, though he sounded slightly strained at times on the higher notes.  My favorite singers were the three supporting players: Kyle Ketelsen, who stole the show with his rousing “Toreador”, Alexia Voulgaridou, whose beautiful soprano voice filed the air with ease, and Francois Lis, whose rich baritone was a lovely contrast to the other voices.

All in all, it was as enjoyable and rousing an opera as I’ve ever seen, in an idyllic setting on an ideal summer evening.  Can’t do much better than that for a Sunday night.

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by | July 26, 2010

Mad Men – Season 4, Episode 1: “Public Relations”

Mad Men is back, and as usual, it’s back in style.  We were dropped right into the action, barely missing a step from last season’s shocking finale.  We find Sterling Cooper Draper and Price in full swing, Betty and the kids living with her new beau, and Don living in, what seems to be, his true natural habitat.

A couple of quick thoughts:

1. I thought Joanie was going to get some more burn now that she’s a heavy-hitter for the new company.  It’s only one episode, but I’ll be sad to see her relegated to secretary again.  She’s got a lot more to offer than just at-home drama with her dick husband and some unfathomably sexy eyebrow raises.

2. Betty Draper cemented her status as my favorite character on this show last year, and she held her ground in last night’s premiere.  January Jones has her down to a friggin T, and it’s been an absolute delight to watch her descend into the selfish, defiant and vindictive woman she’s become.  I’m sure there are plenty of fireworks in store…

3. Sally Draper is set to become a major player this year.  She was terrific in spots last year, and as Kiernan Shipka matures from a little kid into a young adult, so too will her storylines mature and hold more weight (and screen time) this coming season.  She’s certainly one to watch out for.

4. Wasn’t crazy about the quiet debut of new guy Joey (played by Matt Long, who I really liked on WB’s short-lived Bobby & Jack a few years ago).  Why is Peggy working with this clown?  Shouldn’t she be above having some newbie partner by now?  Hopefully this dude will have more to do than just make up for the other guys we left over at the old Putnam, Powell and Lowe.

5. Loved seeing Don Draper in his bachelor den.  It’s clear that this is his true nature — having his food cooked for him, meager furnishings, no one to answer to, and a call girl on speed dial.  But how long will it last?!

6. Really loved seeing Don’s groundbreaking commercial for the floor cleaner — I thought it was a very interesting historical study of the evolution of advertising.  It’s always funny to remember/realize that someone had to invent that type of commercial one day.  Fascinating.

There are so many beautiful directions this season can and will go.  And there’s the truest mark of a show well executed: we all can’t wait to see what happens next.

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by | July 19, 2010

Entourage: Season 7, Episode 3 — “Dramedy”

I was inspired to write this post after talking to my buddy Justin this morning.  I signed on to Gmail, and there he was, chatting me up about how terrible last night’s episode of Entourage was, and he wasn’t digging the season thus far.  And I can see his point of view: Vince being a rebellious ninny, Eric off with Sloan and Drama, Turtle getting into shady business dealings in Mexico, more screen time for E’s nemesis Scott Caan then for E himself.  It’s a far cry from the days of chilling on movie sets, getting high, screwing chicks, and going clubbing.

But, I would argue, this is shaping up to be one of Entourage’s finest seasons yet (probably due completely to my man Kenny Neibart becoming Executive Story Editor).  On the even of this year’s season premiere, I blogged about how I was mostly disappointed — it looked like we were going to have another chill, happy, “we’re all pals” season, with very little to really rock the boat.  However, as last week’s stellar episode proved and last night’s newest entry continued, we are in the midst of a deliciously conflict-filled story arc.  It’s easy to write episode after episode of Vince not caring what happens to him or his career, of Turtle getting high and tagging along, of Drama and Turtle getting into shenanigans.  It’s much more difficult, and I think rewarding, to shake it up.  Here are the top 3 changes I love the most:

1) Vince–  This show starts and ends with Vince.  Even if he’s not always the emotional center of the show (its usually been E and Ari), his career drives the plot 100%.  However, this season, he HAS become the emotional center.  It’s not some crazy director derailing things, not a girl getting in the way, not Vince just nailing gorgeous broads and smiling and taking care of his buddies.  This year, Vince has gone off the rails.  His chill “I don’t care” attitude has becoming an obnoxious, flippant “I don’t give a fuck” attitude.  And I love it.  The one character who has almost never caused inter-character conflict, and in fact is usually the mediator when conflict does arise, has become the blistering center of it all.  He’s “cheating” on E with Lavin (played to perfect by Scott Caan), not checking in with Ari, doing his own thing.  I hope it never ends.  Because when it does, it means we’re back to boring old business as usual.

2) New pairings — Specifically, E and Drama.  Is this a particularly funny or interesting duo?  No — in fact, I’d say the pairing doesn’t really work, as E is too even-keeled to let Drama’s shenanigans ever faze him, (the way Drama’s usual on-screen buddy Turtle never is), and Drama respects E too much to give him any of that patented Drama lip.  However, I welcome something new, and seeing these two together, which frees up Vince and Turtle to explore other things, is at the very least, a refreshing change of pace.

3) Villain– Every single main character is facing a threat of some kind to the realization of their goals.  Drama’s about to get John Stamos to contend with, an acting partner who now has to “approve” of Johnny for a show that was written specifically for him; Turtle’s about to deal with some illegal Mexicanos (I’m guessing they sell illegal cars and/or women); Ari’s got his redhead firecracker who unceremoniously quit his company; E’s got Scott Caan, and we already saw how nicely that battle is heating up, and Vince has, well, everyone and anyone who stands in the way of his new reckless lifestyle.  I find this program is far more interesting when everyone isn’t bowing down to cater to the boys and their needs– much better when they need to put up a fight to get what they want.

I know this isn’t business as usual, but as far as I’m concerned, business has never been better.

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by | July 17, 2010

Inception – The Best Movie Ever Made

It’s been a LONG 2010 for movies.  Weak offering after flame out after lame sequel has popped out weekend after weekend, leaving us true movie fans with only one date to look forward to: July 16th.  At the end of the tunnel, waiting there like a hidden treasure, has been Inception, the creation of  Hollywood’s most brilliant cinematic mind, writer/director Christopher Nolan.  We’ve had incredible trailers with anti-gravity fights, crumbling buildings, avalanches, and bending physics; we’ve had eye-catching posters, a cryptic name, and very little else to go on.  Nolan’s last offering, The Dark Knight, is my favorite movie of the last several years (without a doubt), and one of my favorite movies ever.  Inception knocked it off the first place pedestal with ease.  Yes, the more I think about it, the more I’m positive that Inception, without a shadow of a doubt, is the best movie I’ve ever seen.  Here’s why

1. Scope — Inception redefines the word “epic.”  Only the most truly epic films of all time, say a Lord of the Rings or Star Wars, can hope to even compete with the scale of this film.  The sheer scope of this movie is downright daunting to think about as a moviegoer, let alone to conceive as its creator.  So many different worlds, so many universe rules to devise and explain, so many precise and intricate plot moves to execute — it truly boggles the mind.  Visually, it’s as epic as it gets — blinding white snow-covered mountains, deep blue skies over a sandy beach, muted tones of a dark hotel, bending cities, glass staircases, on and on and on.  Just trying to wrap your head around how much this movie encompasses is staggering.

2. Acting — What a perfect cast.  So friggin perfect.  Leo is my favorite actor in Hollywood, easily, has been for years, and he turns in a note-perfect performance as our hero, Dom Cobb (the names in this movie, by the way, are nondescript and odd.  Dom Cobb, Eames, Mol, Fisher, Andrew, Saito and that’s about all we get).  Intense, steady, tortured, vulnerable yet strong — vintage Leo.  Joseph Gordon Levitt is the perfect compliment as his partner, Tom Hardy is light and entertaining as imaginative badass Eames, Ken Watanabe is perfectly serious, Marion Cotillard (one of my favorite actresses in holiday, up there with Julianne Moore) is passionate and heart-wrenching as ever, and Ellen Paige is as subtle and effective as she’s ever been.  I wasn’t crazy about Nolan favorite Cillian Murphy as Fisher (his weepy monologue felt a little stilted to me), but otherwise, perfection.  Everyone brings the right amount of grounded focus that allows to believe their wondrous reality without a second thought.

3. Intellect — Too few movies today challenge the mind of the audience.  Inception asks viewers to focus and open their minds to a complex, but not impossible to grasp, serious of twists of turns throughout the film.  If you follow the logic, every element is accounted for (except for one, which I’ll get to at the end), but you have to be willing to buckle down and pay attention.  I LOVE this.  If you can get up and grab a popcorn during a movie and feel like you’ve missed nothing upon your return, that’s a bad thing.  If you miss even ten seconds of this movie, literally ten seconds, you might never recover.  That is a GOOD THING.

4. Balance — This movie is perfectly paced — it never feels slow, as there isn’t a single wasted moment, and it features the perfect blend of action, drama, emotion and suspense.  From the moment the movie begins until the moment it ends, you’re on the ride — there’s no slow build-up, no feeling of “okay, now it’s picking up” and “here comes the climax,” etc.  It’s just nonstop, streamlined intensity from top to bottom.  It’s the best sci-fi movie ever.  It’s the best action/adventure movie ever.  It’s the best heist movie ever.  It’s essentially The Matrix meets Ocean’s Eleven, with the entire Inception ploy representing the coolest, most creative, most action-packed, most complicated, most mind-boggling symphony of a heist in the history of film.

5. Execution — As we’ve come to expect from Chris Nolan, the execution of this film is absolutely flawless.  I can’t imagine this movie being any better.  The music was perfectly suspenseful and had the right feeling of intensity and gravitas throughout (Hans Zimmer nailed it), the full array of art direction (costumes, makeup, set design, color palette, etc.) was gorgeous and spot-on,  the writing was perfectly paced and succinct, and the overall direction was flawless.  To execute any aspect of this film, let alone the dream within a dream within a dream inception plan with the synchronized kicks, would make anyone’s brain explode.  I’m running out of adjectives — it’s just astounding in its ability to raise the bar in movie-making and then exceed even that ludicrously high mark.

The one logic flaw: How do Dom and Mol go from being an old couple in Limbo to the young couple in Limbo that get run over by the train?  I think we’re just supposed to buy that Dom & Mol are dream experts — after all, they were able to build their own Limbo (without having to die in someone’s dream to get there), so its feasible that they’d be able to kick themselves out of it, too.  Otherwise, there’s no true explanation for this phenomenon.  To have a movie as densely packed with it’s own logic and rules with only this small flaw is pure genius.

Also, for the record, I’m sure Dom is in the real world at the end.  The only thing that points to it even being a dream remotely is the possibility that the top might not fall — all other logic supports the notion that he is in fact in reality.  If he’s dreaming, where is his sleeping body?  If he’s dreaming, where is his subconscious in all the various dream-levels he and the team explore?  How does he invent all these people in his dreams, when all other dreams are peopled simply with projections?  There’s no story logic whatsoever to support the idea that Dom is still dreaming at the end.

Also, some people asked me how Dom was able to get Saito out of Limbo.  Dom didn’t get him out — the timer, set for their sleeping bodies in the reality of the private plane, brought both of them out.  What Dom needed to do was find Saito and convince/remind him that the world he’d been living in for so many years as an old man was a dream, and that when they awoke, they’d be in reality.

Last night, as I had my mind blowing at the IMAX, I thought to myself, “This is what people must’ve felt like when they saw Star Wars in 1979.”  I felt as if I had just witnessed a new echelon of filmmaking, a new realization of what the medium of film can accomplish when put in the hands of a visionary genius.  As I Tweeted last night (@MMMaven if you still aren’t following!) “Inception is the most cinematic movie of all time.  It uses the medium of film to its absolute fullest potential.”  This film stands up to any scrutiny and, in a very real way, has forever shifted the way we watch movies.  This movie has opened up a reverse Pandora’s box, unleashing the full potential of what movies can be when you allow yourself to truly dream and push the gifts of cinema beyond the accepted boundaries of the medium.

The more I think about it, the more I’m positive: I’ve never seen a better movie than Inception. Our world, and our dreams, will never be the same again.

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by | June 29, 2010

Maven 2.0 – Emmy Picks 2010

In honor of the MMM reboot, I thought it was time to design a new header.  Thanks to my graphic designer extraordinaire Topher Rhys for the new Maven 2.0 banner.  I think its pretty bitchin’ (yes, I know Inception + Scott Pilgrim are on there before they’re released — I don’t care.  They’re going to be frickin awesome).

Also,  I thought it was time to share my Emmy picks for the year.  Now unlike most blogs you’ll read on the subject, these are my ACTUAL Emmy picks.  For the 4th year in a row, I voted for the Primetime Emmy Awards.  Each category is voted on by the corresponding peer group (i.e. actors vote for acting categories), so I was only able to vote in the Program categories.  You’re allowed to nominate up to 10 shows in each category.  Sometimes I voted for all 10, sometimes less, whoever I thought truly deserved the title of “Best.”  Without further ado, some of my picks and some notes on why I voted how I did:

Best Variety, Music, Comedy Program

1) Tosh.0  2) The Soup  3) Tim & Eric Awesome Show Great Job

Notable Non-vote: Saturday Night Live

Couldn’t vote for SNL this year.  It was far from the best, and as much as I love the show and its performers, I didn’t want to take votes away from the more deserving shows listed above.  Joel McHale is as sharp as ever on The Soup, Tosh.0 is a bigger and better The Soup for the internet, and Tim & Eric is the most specific and unique comedy on television, period.  Also, its only 15 minutes long, which is awesome when you’re in a jam for time but want to laugh for a little.  Of all these, my favorite is probably Tosh.0 — if you haven’t watched it yet, do check it out.  I GUARANTEE you will laugh.  Often.

Best Drama

1) Dexter  2) Breaking Bad  3) Friday Night Lights  4) Lost  5) Rescue Me  6) Mad Men  7) Spartacus: Blood & Sand  8) 24

Notable Non-vote: Big Love

Man, these are some great f’ing tv shows.  I voted for FNL and Breaking Bad even though I haven’t watched the former in 2 years or the latter ever, b/c I know they’re good.  Breaking Bad is beloved by many people whose opinions I trust and FNL was so great when I watched it and, according to these same people, is still kicking ass.  The other 6 shows fall into three tiers.  On the lower tier are Dexter, Mad Men and 24. I LOVE these shows and have seen every single season of each.  All 3 delivered excellent seasons last year (Mad Men’s was probably strongest in comparison to its previous seasons), are wonderfully cast/written/directed from top to bottom, and have me anxious and excited for their upcoming seasons/movie.

On the next level are Lost and Spartacus. Lost has been a consistently top 3 show in my book for all of its 6 years.  Was season 6 the best one?  No (Gotta give it to Season 2).  Was it still an incredible season and an incredible end to one of the best shows in tv history?  You bet.  Spartacus is the only new drama I added to my slate this year, and, as a Roman on the show might say, it was fucking incredible.  Intense drama, an engaging and visceral visual style, tons of awesome sex and violence, plus the terrific writing/directing/casting you expect from the highest caliber program.  Yes, this show is on Starz network (I watched the whole thing through Netflix Instant Watch, which adds new Starz shows minutes after they air.  More on Starz later…), but it is a tremendous, tremendous program.  Sadly, Andy Whitfield, aka Spartacus, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma during pre-production on Season 2.  Fortunately, he is responding well to treatment and will be appearing in a handful of Season 2 episodes. Season 2 will be a prequel, focusing on all of the characters we came to love in Season 1 before Spartacus arrived at the House of Batiatus, and Season 3 will pick up where Season 1 left off.  Well played, Starz.  Well played.

And alone on top is Rescue Me, which turned in its finest seasons ever in its 5th year (new episodes start in 2 weeks! I can’t friggin wait).  Literally each episode was better than the next and the season finale was absolutely mind blowing.  Each installment left me gasping for breath, shocked by the drama, guffawing at the jokes, shaking my head at the sheer genius of the writing, which was simply on a higher level than any other show on television.  I’ve always loved Rescue Me, but this season took it above and beyond my wildest dreams and expectations.  And seeing as how this coming season is the last ever, I have nothing but the highest of hopes for this summer.

Best TV Movie

The Wronged Man

I certainly never watched this TV movie, nor do I have any clue what its about.  But it starred none other than Mahershalalhashbaz Ali, everyone’s favorite member of The 4400 and leading contender for “Most Amazing Name in the History of People Having Names.”

Best Comedy

1) Chuck  2) Community  3) Curb Your Enthusiasm  4) It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia  5) The League  6) Party Down  7) Modern Family

Notable Non-Votes: 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, The Office

I’m sorry NBC, but I didn’t feel that any of your returning shows deserved my vote as the “best” comedy on television.  30 Rock is running out of goodwill in my mind.  It’s definitely funny and always has funny writing, but where is it going?  The first episode that gave us any semblance of interesting plot this year was the season finale.  And the story lines aren’t unified or funny enough to get by being episodic, a la Friends, Seinfeld or It’s Always Sunny.  The Office, meanwhile, had a down year.  I don’t think anyone would dispute this.  Not enough craziness, not enough Kelly/Stanley/Meredith, too much fey Andy.  Parks & Rec has an oddly unbalanced cast. I can’t think of another show where half the cast has yet to make me laugh a single time (I’m looking at you Rashida Jones, Aubrey Plaza, Jerry, Donna and Mark).  But this show is definitely on the up and up, and I look forward to next (mid)season’s action, with Rob Lowe and Party Downer Adam Scott joining the cast.

I do, however, believe that NBC’s only new comedy, Community, is more than worthy of a Best Comedy nod.  There’s no other show like it on television — a diverse cast (featuring 2 smoking hot women — only The League can claim to have this, and both those women aren’t leading players), an incredible balance of real emotional heart and totally surreal situational comedy, awesome/not-at-all-annoying cultural references (from Brat Pack movies to M.A.S.H. to The Warriors to Sesame Street), and a PERFECT balance of serialized/episodic plots.  I can’t praise this show enough — its first season was pretty much flawless in my book.

Curb had an undeniable awesome season.  Not only did we get the best Seinfeld reunion we could’ve hoped for, but we got instantly classics like peeing on the Jesus painting and the all-time best episode of television dealing with handicapped people.  Chuck continued its solid run as one of the best shows that nobody watches (its also the only hour-long comedy I’ve ever seen.  Not an easy feat at all.)  I’ve talked about Party Down on this blog a few times, and while Season 1 (the season up for the Emmy) was awesome, this season was significantly better, if not brilliant.  It’s Always Sunny bounced back after an uneven season 4 to deliver a season full of instant classics, such as “The Gang Renews The Rivalry” or “The D.E.N.N.I.S. System.”  Then you’ve got The League, FX’s long-awaited companion comedy for It’s Always Sunny.  There were only 6 episodes, but each was better than the next — the show is fresh, appeals strongly to men while ably entertaining women as well, and most importantly, is flat out funny.

Last but not least, you’ve got Modern Family.  Originally, I had decided not to vote for the show.  There were too many cliches, too much broad humor, too many unfunny female characters and its a show that, in my mind at least, diminishes in quality the more I think about it.  But after more thinking, I couldn’t deny the fact that I laughed out loud every episode.  Eh.  Even now as I write this, I’m waffling again.  I think Phil is hysterical.  I think Manny and Luke guarantee a laugh or two each every time out.  Mitchell and Cam, when they aren’t being inanely broad, are good for some laughs.  Then I get to the women.  I can’t stand the two daughters; I think they’re just awful.  I don’t think having a loud Colombian accent makes Gloria a funny character.  And I find Claire to be one note and predictable.  I dunno, I just can’t make my mind up on this one.  You’ll have one episode that’s thematically strong (take the “Fears” episode, for instance, where each character’s greatest fears is explored), features some hilarious Phil/Luke combos, some hilarious Manny moments, and some solid support work from the others.  Then you’ll get an episode without any thematic foundation whatsoever, where the comedic setpiece is Cameron chasing a bird around his house.  Really?  A fat gay man chasing a bird around his house is the smartest comedy we can come up with?  It’s just so uneven for me.  It deserves an Emmy nod, because when its good its really good, but I’d love to see some more consistency from Modern Family next season.  I know they purposefully keep things broad sometimes to appeal to a wider audience (which they’ve done very successfully and given ABC its first real hit comedy in ages), but I hope in the future that they focus more on writing for their smartest audience, rather than their easiest.

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Filed under 24, 30 Rock, ABC, AMC, Big Love, Bravo, Chuck, Community, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Dexter, Emmy Awards, Friday Night Lights, FX, HBO, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, Lost, Mad Men, Modern Family, NBC, Parks and Recreation, Party Down, Rescue Me, Saturday Night Live, Spartacus: Blood and Sand, Starz, television, The League, The Office, Top Chef

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by | June 28, 2010

Entourage: Season 7, Episode 1 – “Stunted”

Its the beginning of the end, my friends.  Last night’s season premiere was the last Entourage season premiere ever, and it was only fitting that it essentially mirrored every other season premiere this series has churned out.  We checked in on Vince’s new movie with some big name director (Nick Cassavetes, who was actually awesome in his cameo), we checked in on Ari’s career soaring to even greater heights (apparently he’s now the sole head of the largest and only talent agency in the world), we saw things going well for E, things going poorly for Drama, and Turtle trying yet another  career move (hot chick chauffeurs in BMW’s, not a bad business model).  Ring any bells?

And yet, its this familiarity that makes Entourage continue to work after all these years.  Even though we know that every conflict will be swiftly resolved, audiences have grown to love these guys.  When the show first debuted, HBO touted it (as did many critics) as Sex and the City for guys.  This show isn’t nearly as intelligent or global or groundbreaking as SATC, but when it comes to audience attachment to the characters, it comes pretty close.  People feel as if these boys from Queens are their buddies, that returning for another season is like getting to see your pals again after a 9 month vacation.  We might not get any lasting drama or interpersonal dust-ups, but we will have a ball reveling in the successes and follies of our favorite fivesome.

I’m guessing that even in its last season, Entourage won’t be pulling out any stops.  You’ll get the same lack of tension, the same quick resolutions to every problem, and the same predictability.  But in the end, its this predictability that has so endeared this show to its fans.  We know things aren’t going to change, so might as well undo your seatbelt, relax, and enjoy the never bumpy, yet always entertaining ride.

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Filed under Entourage, HBO, television

by | June 25, 2010

Top Chef: Season 7, Episode 2 — BEST. TOP CHEF. EVER.

Ladies and gents, we’ve got a live one on our hands.  We’re only 2 episodes in and Top Chef DC is already the best season ever.  For the first time ever, this feels more like a competition and less like a cooking show, in a good way.  There’s still plenty of foodie fun, but it’s evenly balanced with a big steaming pile of drama.

So why is this season so explosive?  Two reasons.  First, demographics.  Specifically, youth and American-Americans.  No old-timer veteran chef has ever come close to winning this competition.  They have no chance of keeping up with the more advanced, more driven young folks.  Think of it this way, if you’re old and you’re on Top Chef, there’s probably a reason you’re old and NOT on Top Chef, ya know?  Plus, they’re usually meeker and milder in temperament, which doesn’t add up to exciting television.  This year, we’ve got tons of young bucks in there, and only one boring older white chick, the worst kind of old chef there is.  Also, we’ve got more African-American competitors this year.  Yes, its a stereotype, but positive one — they tend to bring a lot of passion and energy to their cooking, as well as to their lives outside the kitchen.  Simply put, a more diverse group makes for a more interesting and lively bunch.

But really, there is one person we have to thank for this season’s awesomeness: Angelo.  Angelo is Top Chef‘s version of Survivor‘s Richard Hatch — he knows how to play the game and he’s the best at it, bar none.  By sweeping in and winning the first three challenges (sooo badass), Angelo has put everyone on their heels.  Usually, the first few challenges serve to sift through the pack, separating those with promise from those destined to lose.  These first few challenges are crucial for the psyche of the competitors — wins or near-wins breed confidence, losses breed doubt and determination.  Either way, everyone is feeling each other out, taking comfort in the knowledge that anyone can win this game.

However, when EVERYONE is a loser, there’s no chance to set your feet and build that mental fortitude that’s so vital to surviving this competition.   And so we get the AWESOME Judges’ Table we had Wednesday night.  Usually, everyone is well behaved for the judges.  Sometimes, during team challenges, certain team members will throw each under the bus, squabbling over who is to blame for the team failure and who is to credit for team success.  This time, we had people from competing teams talking tons of trash to one another, callously bitching and moaning like 5th graders trying futilely to avoid a detention, even though the slips have already been signed and their parents notified.  Why did this happen?  Because of Angelo.  With Angelo winning all the challenges, every single player felt insecure.  Doubt had crept into their minds before this challenge even began, and now, finding themselves on the brink of elimination, these insecurities manifested themselves in childish insults and desperate attempts to boost their own egos by lashing out at their opponents.  The judges sat quietly, eyes wide, as each and every member of both teams threw petty immature criticisms back and forth.  IT WAS AMAZING.

Furthermore, Angelo was the first player in the history of Top Chef to display any sense of, to borrow Head Judge Tom Colicchio’s word, “gamesmanship.”  With immunity in hand, Angelo selected Kenny, the second place finisher in all three challenges and easily Angelo’s strongest competition, to be his teammate.  Then, to seal the gambit, Angelo purposefully tanked, creating a dish strong enough to look like a capable effort, but weak enough to stand no chance of winning.  This move ensured that Kenny would find himself at the bottom of the barrel come elimination time.  The plan worked, but unfortunately, poor Jacqueline got the boot for breaking one of Top Chef‘s cardinal rules:  Never sacrifice your own dish for the betterment of anyone else’s, even if it means your team will lose the challenge.  No one goes home for having cooked a good dish, no matter how terrible you performed as a team.

We’ve got an awesome season in store.  Scenes from next week showed more confrontations with Amanda, the IDIOT who served SHERRY braised chicken to children and then bitched at everyone else (and it didn’t even taste good– She doesn’t have a prayer in this competition, and her immaturity and ego ensure that she’s a goner soon), more devious moves by Angelo, and lots of cigarette smoking.  I worry that there won’t be any stiff competition for Angelo, but even if this is the case, there will be plenty of drama to keep this baby exciting for weeks to come.

I hope you can all handle the heat, because this is one kitchen you definitely want to get into.

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by | June 22, 2010

To GLEE or not to GLEE

I don’t watch Glee.  Here are 5 reasons why:

1. Matthew Morrison: I can’t stand this dude.  I think his acting is among the worst I’ve ever seen on network television.  Each time I’ve tried to watch him, I have to turn it off immediately.  Cannot stand him.

2. I’m too old: I just can’t watch bubble gum shows about high schoolers anymore (A realistic show like Friday Night Lights would be an exception).  But when you’re a guy and you’re older than high school, that “magical” era seems campy and its charm doesn’t really hit me.  I’m too jaded/immune.

3. It’s too broad and cliche: I don’t think gay guys singing Lady Gaga is funny.  I don’t think people getting slushies in their faces is funny.  I don’t think jocks giving wedgies to nerds is funny.  I like the specific humor of Jane Lynch, but everyone else is too been there, done that for me.

4. I don’t like pop music or cover songs: When my little brother thinks “Sweet Caroline” was written by Glee, that makes me sad.  I don’t want to listen to children singing Madonna.  I don’t even want to listen to Madonna sing Madonna.

5. It’s too popular: I don’t trust the general public 9 out of 10 times.  Usually, if the general public loves something, I do not.  Call me an elitist (you’d probably be right), but I think it has more to do with my general ability to recall comedic and dramatic beats I’ve seen before.  Only uniquely clever and unexpected comedy can make me laugh and only truly honest emotions can tug at my heart strings; I like having to work for my satisfaction.  Usually, big popular hits are the exact opposite: they are familiar, easily digestible, and safe.

I do tip my hat to Glee for totally breaking the mold in terms of narrative structure.  There’s never been a musical sitcom like this on television before, or a show with its own musical live tour, and the scope of this accomplishment cannot be understated.  But when it comes to the characters and emotions, BY FAR the two most important elements in my book to a compelling series or film, Glee is as formulaic as they come.

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