Elementary.... Sherlock Holmes in 21st Century New York

When it was announced that CBS would be doing their own modern take on Sherlock Holmes (after the BBC wouldn't allow them to remake Sherlock) fans of Holmes were startled and alarmed. Especially when it was announced that Watson would be played by Lucy Liu. It certainly goes against tradition.
So was it worth all the kerfuffle?
In some respects no. In last night's pilot of Elementary, Lucy Liu proved herself very adept at being the every man foil to an unhinged detective. As the element people were most worried about, she was a pleasant surprise. From a design point of view, she also had a very good "look." I also don't mind the New York setting. It can work.
I suppose my main criticism of the show thus far (and I realize most network shows need to settle in over the first few episodes) is that it's sort of bland. Johnny Lee Miller's Holmes is an arrogant detective and recovering drug addict. Yes, he may have the capacity to be an interesting character, but he's not yet. Nothing is really screaming "Holmes" about him either. He keeps bees, that was the one token quirk they threw the audience last night. The possibility of Holmes' father is new to the pastiche genre and may have some possibility, but I'm still not convinced by the writing or Miller's portrayal of the character. He doesn't have the mystique or the charisma yet.
The NYPD is also really boring. So far we've seen Captain Gregson who worked with Holmes while he was abroad attached to Scotland Yard. Their history and relationship doesn't really read at this point. Detective Abreu seems like someone Holmes might rub the wrong way. In their first scene, Holmes disproves the Detective's assumptions about a crime scene. Yet, later in the episode he does Holmes' bidding with little trouble. Right now the police are just placeholders, filling a function, not real people with internal lives and the possibility for conflict.
I wish they hadn't advertised this as a Sherlock Holmes adaptation. If they had changed everyone's names, I would have no trouble enjoying it as a new "consulting detective" show on CBS. We could have had a show that pays homage to Holmes in its inspiration instead of a "Sherlock Holmes" show that never quite delivers.
There is a good possibility that the show will find its footing and be quite decent. But nothing so far says it's Sherlock Holmes to me. Sherlock Holmes wouldn't have kinky ladder sex with a prostitute. I also don't believe that he would ever have a "temper tantrum" to the extreme he does in this pilot. His mind is always in control. He may do bizarre things, but it's for a purpose, a master plan. So far, I'm not certain Miller's Holmes is capable of the "long-game," if you will. How will he cope when a Moriarty is eventually introduced?
Some fans are rejoicing the fact that Miller is an attractive and competent actor that they can enjoy in the role for twenty or so episodes per season. Yes it's hard to wait a year and half for each set of three episodes from Sherlock, but they are more than episodes, aren't they? They're really mini-films. "A Study in Pink" held up side by side with this first episode creates a sad comparison. Really, there is no comparison. Elementary is.... HolmesLite. We'll be getting a decent, Sherlock Holmes-ish series in great quantity, but nowhere near the quality and detail of Sherlock.
So will I watch it? Probably. At least unless they do something that's unforgivable to me. It's just an entirely different beast from Sherlock.

Review: The Reichenbach Fall, Sherlock series 2

On Sunday, The Reichenbach Fall, the series 2 finale of Sherlock aired. Based off Doyle's story "The Final Problem" (a title which is referenced several times in the episode), the episode opens with John back at the therapist's office. He tells his therapist he's come back after all this time because his best friend, Sherlock, is dead.
From there we get the story filled out. Sherlock steadily gains more and more media exposure through John's blog and the solving of several high profile cases. John warns him that this might be dangerous. Meanwhile, Moriarty is back with the ultimate plot. He has a computer code that can open any security system. He simultaneously breaks through the security of The Tower of London, The Bank of England, and Pentoville. It's going to be the trial of the century and Sherlock will be the main witness for the prosecution.

The episode was a fantastic cap for the season. It was great to have more screen time for Andrew Scott as Moriarty. This version of Moriarty is certainly unique, but he's always exciting to watch. His Moriarty is brilliant, unpredictable, and relishes the game so much. He's delicious to watch, and he scenes between Sherlock and Moriarty are extremely powerful. Their verbal chess match towards he end of the episode contains several surprising twists. Scott's versatility comes through and there's a scene about an hour into the episode where he might make you momentarily question your sanity.
This episode lets us see Sherlock at his most desperate. This whole season has been about uncovering his vulnerabilities, finding what's really important to Sherlock and this episode takes that even farther. By the end of the episode you may have to disagree with Sherlock's earlier assessment that "Heroes don't exist, and if they did I wouldn't be one of them."
It was Martin Freeman's performance, however, that really made the episode. Give that man another BAFTA. His ability to emote, but emote in a controlled way that would be appropriate for John Watson, the soldier and doctor, is so subtle and deft. It's heartbreaking to see him in pain, more heartbreaking when he tries to be strong about it.

The series as a whole definitely lived up to expectations. The success of the first season gave the writers more license to push boundaries and experiment, some experiments were more successful than others, but they were always entertaining.
The direction and overall cinematography put this leagues above any other show on television. The transitions between scenes are always visually interesting and cleverly done. The creation of atmosphere, whether in on the moors, or in the middle of London, grab hold of the viewer. They found even more interesting ways to visualize Sherlock's thought process this season as well-- the "Mind Palace" sequence from Hound was definitely a highlight, and possibly a new dance move.
The end doesn't leave on as painful a cliff hanger as the first season, but will leave fans eager for more, and indeed, a third season has been commissioned. Unfortunately it won't arrive until 2013 due to the filming of The Hobbit which Martin Freeman stars in with Benedict Cumberbatch supporting as Smaug.

Review: Sherlock "The Hounds of Baskerville"

In a nod to a lesser known, lesser adapted Holmes story "Black Peter," the episode opens with Sherlock arriving back at the flat covered in blood and carrying a harpoon he used to spear a pig that morning. He had to take the tube home "None of the cabs would have me." With that slightly gorey start, writer Mark Gatiss takes us on a horrific adventure into Dartmoor on the tail of a giant hound. Henry Knight arrives on the morning train asking for Sherlock and John to help him. Twenty years before, his father was ripped apart in front of him by what seemed to be demon hound- possibly an escaped genetic experiment from Baskerville, a government testing facility nearby.
The episode did a great job of inverting some of the expectations that Holmes fans would have for an adaptation of Hound of the Baskervilles. No longer set in a creepy country home haunted by a curse, it takes the story to that modern haunted house, a laboratory where anything could lurk. Many moments of pure psychological terror were in store for all of the characters, even Sherlock our cool logictician. How can Holmes deal with fear and doubt, the inability to trust his own senses? How can Watson deal with such a Holmes?
Our two leads had an opportunity to explore a new aspect of their relationship. One where Sherlock tests certain limits. More importantly, we see John hurt by Sherlock when he insists in one taut scene, "I don't have friends!" By the end though, Sherlock has to relent that he doesn't have friends, just one friend.
Though the episode pays homage to Doyle's original creation, it steps boldly into new territory, allowing itself to differ from the original. Hound is the most adapted Sherlock Holmes story, one that carries with it a lot of baggage. Gatiss sheds much of that baggage by reinventing several aspects of the story and giving fans something fresh and original, something they won't be as familiar with.
Overall, it was a very strong episode. It continues on the momentum created by the raucous first episode and keeps giving us something new from our characters, which can be hard when they are so established in the public consciousness.

*Here there be spoilers:*
One small issue I did have with episode was how the characters were exposed to the hallucinogen. It wasn't in the sugar as Sherlock originally assumed, so how did it get into John's system? Before he goes into the lab, there is a pipe spurting steam and we see the passage fill with it a bit, but would a top government lab allow drugs to freely flow in its laboratories? Unless we assume that Franklin was slipping what was usually a small amount of the drug to his colleagues. That does seem like a plot hole that could use some patching.
The ending was an interesting gear up to next week's episode. Mycroft has clearly made good on his vow at the end of "Scandal" to give Moriarty some of his attention, but since he doesn't get his hands dirty, is forced to let him go. The eerie graffiti all over the holding room shows us that Moriarty has reached a new level of obsession. This version of Moriarty has been a little hard for some to swallow, but I think it's interesting. Why do the same old thing over again?
This Moriarty is a little younger, a little more childlike (which makes him a good counterpoint to our younger, sometimes immature Sherlock). He is clearly intelligent, running a huge criminal enterprise, but Sherlock has become his one obsession. Maybe it's the crack in his lens, maybe his obsession will make him vulnerable? We'll see this Sunday.

Review: Sherlock "A Scandal in Belgravia"

After almost a year and a half, series two of Sherlock has finally arrived. The first episode quickly ties up last years cliff-hanger in a comical, yet chilling scene. It's a little abrupt, but the episode has bigger things to get to, specifically: Irene Adler.
Steve Moffat's version of the only woman to ever outsmart Holmes has stirred up a lot of controversy. Without giving too much away for those of you who haven't seen it yet, I can say that yes, she is different than Doyle's original, but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. Much of the backlash comes from fans claiming that this Adler is too sexualized. The character is a dominatrix in this retelling, one who gathers sensitive secrets on her camera phone from her illustrious clients. When she first meets Sherlock, she walks into the room wearing high heels and blood red lipstick.
Clearly this was a bold choice. This episode and the handling of Adler weren't perfect, but I will make a small defense of this adaptation. The original character was an opera singer who travelled the world living by her wits and was most likely the full-fledged mistress of the King of Bohemia. She was a very racy character in her day. Stage performers were seen as loose women. Having her be an opera singer who was the arm candy of some politico wouldn't have as much impact in a modern setting. Her nudity isn't used to make her an object of desire, or to make her helpless. She reverse to her nudity as being her "battle" attire. It's something that makes her powerful by making Sherlock and John uncomfortable.
As far as her being reduced to a sex object, what makes her an opponent to Holmes, what makes her someone he is (perhaps) interested, is her brain. He can't read her, she surprises him and manages to figure out the solution to one of his cases. Their relationship is very interesting to see develop. Cumberbatch does a great job of making Holmes just vulnerable enough, without ever revealing too much emotion. He and Adler circle each other, both admiring the other, but at cross purposes. It is certainly not a love story, but it introduces the feasibility of a different kind of relationship for Sherlock Holmes without taking him in a romantic direction that would be out of character.
Mycroft was much more developed in this episode as well. His role in the government and his relationship with his younger brother. There are several very telling moments between the Holmes brothers within the episode. Of course Martin Freeman's John is incandescent as usual. It was a fairly John-light episode, but he and Cumberbatch had many moments to show the way that Sherlock and John's relationship has continued to develop. Una Stubbs, as Mrs. Hudson, appeared more in this episode, showing her maternal relationship with the boys-- especially Sherlock.
Overall, it was a solid episode. Plenty of great canon references, especially at the beginning of the episode with a montage of cases for Sherlock and John. A few very funny scenes, but some dark moments as well. Not to mention, several twists that may surprise some viewers and keeps you interested.
To end with a John quote: "We solve crimes, I blog about it, he forgets his pants. I wouldn't hold on to too much hope."

BBC's The Hour

I was down with a fever and swollen glands last week, so to pass the time I immersed myself in the BBC series The Hour.
It surprised me that I hadn't heard about it sooner, it's a fantastic series. With all the Mad Men fever, more and more mid-century set dramas keep popping up. However, most of these dramas (Mad Men included) seem a little caught up in the costumes and the time period. The Hour makes the 50s seem immediate and fresh.
The struggle of BBC journalists amidst the cold war is full of moments of suspenseful drama. We follow Freddie (Ben Whishaw) as he decodes and unravels the involvement of MI6 with the death of a childhood friend. The reporters and staff of the program must also fight to deliver the news truthfully in spite of blockades and censorship from the government.
The cast is phenomenal. Romola Garai plays Bel, the producer of the news show called "The Hour." Though she inevitably faces some sexism, her character is not defined by it. She is tough, but has moments of self-doubt and the very common fear of becoming her mother. Her friendship with Freddie is one that shows a softer, more laid back side to Bel. Ben Whishaw's Freddie makes a compelling leading man. His earnest, determined search for the truth shows his strength, but he has moments of immaturity and unkindness, especially with Hector, the anchorman and his romantic rival for Bel played by Dominic West. West layers what could simply a "pretty boy" sort of character with surprising depths. Excellent supporting roles played by Anna Chancellor, Lisa Greenwood, Josh McGuire and Anton Lesser round out the newsroom crew.
The writers are even more responsible than the actors for the layering of the characters. With each episode we get to know the characters more, what they want, where they are vulnerable, but it all arises naturally from within the conflicts and decisions they are involved with.
Overall, I was very impressed by the series. I hope there will be a second season and more to enjoy from writer, Abi Morgan, and the cast.

Count Down to New Season of Doctor Who

A week from tomorrow the sixth season of the New Who premieres in the UK and the US. Yes it is possible. With previous programming delays, one would think that film reels were being brought over in row boats. I digress.
Word is that during the opening two-parter set in America, one of the main cast is going to die. It better not be Rory. The novelty of killing him is wearing off. River Song will be back and in the mid-season finale (as they are splitting it in half after the seventh episode this season) her identity is said to be revealed.
Here is the BBC America Extended Trailer
Here is Doctor Who Insider Part 1 and Part 3 (nothing new in Part 2)
I'm so excited. It looks like all those little strings left dangling from last season (the thing in the corner of your eye, cracks, "Silence is falling") will all be brought to a climax this season. It also looks incredibly scary. There's also an episode called "The Doctor's Wife" by Neil Gaiman which should prove to be interesting.

In other Who-news, if you haven't heard, David Tennant is a dad. Georgia Moffet had their baby in March. Still trying to spread the term "Whocest" with little result.

To The Ends of the Earth: A Review

To be perfectly honest, I only watched this because it was one of Benedict Cumberbatch's first staring roles. Of course when I was scouring the internet for the videos I couldn't find it. Today on Hulu I see they have the entire series uploaded. You know, now that I've purchased it. I also marched through the snow to go to the post office today only to stand in front of the locked door and suddenly remember it's a holiday. This happens to me.

At any rate, To The Ends of the Earth is the story of Edmund Talbot, a young man travelling to Australia to take up a governmental position secured for him by his influential godfather. Along the way he begins to understand that privilege and influence also comes with responsibility. The story takes its form from Edmund's journal that he keeps to give to his godfather at the end of the journey.
On the long voyage he interacts with the crew, and begins to understand the politics that run through the ship. He also makes the acquaintance of a parson, a governess, a family that is actually an artist and his two mistresses, and a radical free thinker. All of the characters have fears and secrets that are touched on during this voyage and Edmund must confront his own ways of thinking about life and society. He even falls in love when their ship meets with another after a storm.

Though To The Ends of the Earth had a lot of potential it falls sadly short. Structurally the episodes are messy, the transition from the first to the second episode is particularly poor. Certain events seem to occur randomly- especially in the final episode, and without much meaning resulting. Perhaps it is because they tried to cram an entire trilogy into three ninety minute episodes. Though Cumberbatch and the rest of the cast add dimension to their characters, a satisfying conclusion is never reached and many plot lines are left somewhat flapping in the breeze.
The romance plot is rather uncomfortable as well. Instead of coming across as sweet, it comes across as slightly creepy and possibly the symptom of head injury. At one point it seems that this is going to be another point of learning and maturation for Edmund, but it falls somewhat flat and insists upon a love-at-first-sight story with an inexplicable ending.
If you are a hardcore Cumberbatch fan you may enjoy watching it to chart the progression of his work (and, as some will no doubt watch it for, a love scene and a showering scene where there is a rather full on shot of his butt). Still, I can't say that it is a series I will watch again or recommend. For an excellent historical film featuring Cumberbatch, I would suggest Amazing Grace, though not without a few structural difficulties, it is engaging and inspiring and has cast with well known, respected, and talented actors.

David Tennant is Engaged

It's been all over the news, so I'm sure everyone's heard by now, but I can't not post about this. David Tennant is engaged to Georgia Moffett, daughter of fifth Doctor Peter Davison and the actress that played Ten's daughter in "The Doctor's Daughter". I'm going to attempt to coin another new term here: Whocest- because that is how I'll be referring to their relationship.
Moffett is twenty six and has an eight year old son, she and Tennant are apparently planning their wedding for next new year's day.
I was very disappointed in this headline from the Daily Mail:
"Keep it in the Time Lord family: David Tennant to marry Georgia Moffett... daughter of ex-Doctor Who Peter Davison"
Now even I, an American, know that Peter Davison was The Doctor, not 'Doctor Who.' Shame, shame, an all too common mistake. The Daily Mail disappoints me once again.

Wait... do you hear that loud cracking noise? That is the sound of fangirl hearts breaking across the globe. Personally, I hope that they are very happy together and I completely forgive Tennant this folly, after all, he hasn't met me yet.

Top 10 of 2010

It was hard to choose, but I tried to pick 10 media based things that are new for me this year or at least have reached an extraordinarily new level of enjoyment. No doubt there were other writers, musicians, etc. that tickled my fancy this year, but here are the standouts with brief explanations for each.

The Black Keys- Though they aren’t brand new, they are a recent discovery of mine. I love their blending of blues with an alternative rock feel.

Cabin Pressure- Discovered entirely by accident, this has encouraged me that radio plays aren’t completely dead and my dream of writing them may be realized. It’s also hilarious and has Benedict Cumberbatch.

Doctor Who Series Five- I was so ready to dislike Matt Smith and after the indulgent completion of Davies reign, it seemed bleak. Though it wasn’t perfect, I thoroughly enjoyed series five and am terribly excited for series six.

Florence + the Machine- Finally gaining notoriety in the US, Lungs is probably one of the best albums I’ve experienced in recent memory. Every song is unique and well crafted.

The Great Gatsby- I can’t believe I had never read this book before. It was incredibly fluid and tragic. It deserves its place among American classics.

Have I Got News For You- I’ve recently started watching this program online. It’s a great way to get an overview of world news and a great laugh via British celebrities.

Keats- His melancholy poetry has been my companion through many a rainy afternoon this year. The film Bright Star, a biopic of the poet, though flawed, was beautiful and lush.

NaNoWriMo- Not my first year doing NaNo, but an infinitely more satisfying experience than last year. Really found a new writing niche and characters I adore… maybe too much.

Sherlock Holmes- This year I consumed more Holmes based media than probably my life combined before. My readings of the original canon, watching the Jeremy Brett’s series, and the series Sherlock have created an obsession to be sure.

Thoreau- In my other life (and blog) interest in practicing a more natural and sustainable handmade lifestyle has drawn me to Thoreau and I’ve quite enjoyed many of this writings from Walden and his idea of simplification.

Doctor Who Sherlock Crossover

Steve Moffat said this won't happen outside the realm of fanfic, but I say it already has. Clearly the Doctor infiltrated the unaired pilot of Sherlock.Little montage of Anderson's beard from the pilot from Andersonsbeard on Tumblr.

It's the same beard. Picture is from the new series six trailer. Coincidence? Yeah. Probably.

Sorry, my mind couldn't rest until I had done a comparison post. When I saw the new Doctor Who trailer all I could think was "With that beard Matt Smith looks like Anderson in the unaired pilot of Sherlock." The lanky hair helps too I believe. I really should be doing something more productive with my winter break- though I have been writing quite a bit and working on material for the spring Forensic Speech tournaments.

BBC's New Sherlock- When?

I don’t even get BBC America where I live now, but I doubt the new Sherlock will reach that channel anytime soon, they’re too occupied with Star Trek and Gordon Ramsay shows. This last winter I first heard word of the program, though it was unclear when it would be airing and whether it would be a television series or mini-series. What was also unclear was whether this “modern Sherlock” was a modernized version of the story or the original Sherlock Holmes somehow in modern London.
Here’s what has been cleared up:
It is premiering in the UK on July 25th and seems to be a three part mini-series.
It is written and produced by Steve Moffat, head writer of Doctor Who and the man behind Coupling as well as Mark Gatiss -most Who fans will recognize him as the naked, mutant octogenarian from “The Lazarus Experiment” and the writer of season five’s “Victory of the Daleks.”
Nothing sci-fi has landed Holmes out of his time, it is a modern take on the detective’s adventures.
Here is my remaining question:
When or will it be airing on American PBS stations? The trailer for the current season of Masterpiece Mystery was released months ago and it mentioned ‘a Sherlock Holmes for a new generation’ and showed a shot of Benedict Cumberbatch, the actor playing the title role. However, as of today, the schedule on the Masterpiece site only goes through September and has no mention of the series.
I must say, I’m excited to see a new take on Holmes. I enjoyed the latest film as well as some of the classic Basil Rathbone movies and have recently read some of Doyle’s original stories. I’ve enjoyed much of Moffat’s work on DW and I adore Benedict Cumberbatch. He’s not very well known, but many may recognize him from the film Atonement. I personally enjoyed his recent performance in Masterpiece Classic’s Small Island this past season. From the trailer and promotional pictures, he also looks very dishy in his costume.

Series Five of Doctor Who: A Review (With Spoilers)

So, for the first time since the show's 2005 regeneration, the major story arch of the season has not been resolved. Yes, the cracks in time have been sealed and Amy's parents restored, but it is still unknown who put them there and why (well probably to eliminate the Doctor but to what end?).
The finale was manic and ridiculous but full of time manipulation and anxiety inducing moments. We learn about why Amy is so special: the crack has been eating away at her life, but she has also been hearing the universe in her dreams. Her memories are more powerful than the average, that's why in spite of his being erased, Rory could be brought back not just physically, but his heart and whole being as well. In the end it is Amy that saves the Doctor from being sealed off on the wrong side of the cracks. Perhaps this explains other little anomalies, ducks in the duck pond (probably sucked away through the crack), how Amy knew what to do in "The Beast Below," etc.
River Song becomes more intriguing as well. She clearly loves the Doctor, but he still doesn't know her and she's worried about how he'll feel when he finally catches up with her past. When he retrieves her from the time-loop in the exploding TARDIS, I loved the way he says "Honey, I'm home." It was very cute.
Overall I think that Moffat is writing Who to fully flesh out the fantasy aspect more than the scifi aspect. In an interview he said that the show always felt like it had more magic than science in it. This whole season has had a fairy tale feel to it, but more of a dark, adult fairy tale than say, Disney. Every episode has been solid, though some better than others of course. In the end, all the places they've been and creatures they've encountered have been significant.
The upcoming Christmas special will be the first time since David Tennant's first full episode, "The Christmas Invasion" that the regular companion appears. I'm also interested to see the dynamic of a newlywed couple in the TARDIS, another Who first. I really like Rory, he's grown on me through the series and I like that he challenges the Doctor sometimes, such as his decision to stay with the Pandorica. That was another lovely fairy-tale themed touch of the finale.
Though, I wonder, was it just because his time with Amy was reversing that the Dalek's shot didn't make the Doctor regenerate? Time being rewritten I suppose. Though it didn't resolve everything, it was a good finale that has left me eager for more. Those watching on BBC America have two weeks to wait to see the conclusion.

Lennon Naked

Especially for Sega, if she ever wanders by:
Christopher Eccleston (the 9th Doctor) will be playing John Lennon in a new bio pic, Lennon Naked along with Naoko Mori and Claudie Blakley. Though the only time frame I could find was "coming soon," it will be playing on BBC 4 as apart of their Fatherhood Season. The film will apparently take place between 1969 and 1971 when Lennon's own father came back into his life for a brief time.
If and when this will ever come to the US is questionable. There probably will be web resources for overseas viewers however.
Who fans may recognize Mori from her appearance in 2005's "The Aliens of London" with Eccleston and Blakley will be a familiar face to fans of Pride and Prejudice 2005, Cranford and Gosford Park as well as many other British period pieces (even the recent Bright Star).

Doctor Who Oops

Apparently this past Saturday when the fourth episode of the new season of Doctor Who, "The Time of Angels," was shown in the UK a little animated advertisement for the upcoming program came across the bottom of the screen during the tension filled last moments of the episode obscuring Matt Smith's lower face for a moment. Viewers were in a bit of an uproar, the BBC received a barrage of calls and emails and they have now issued an apology for the ill timing of the advertisement.
Incidentally, the upcoming show was "Over the Rainbow," another one of those shows searching for the next big west end star (see "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria," "Any Dream Will Do," etc. as other examples. Andrew Lloyd Webber needs to put his time to better use, have you heard the music for the Phantom sequel? Anyway...). Graham Norton, the host of "Over the Rainbow" appeared in animated form in the screen blurb. I hope when they do the next DW special on The Graham Norton show Matt Smith brings up that he ruined most of Britain's Saturday night tv. That would make my day
Honestly, I didn't find the blurb that obnoxious, not compared to the steady stream of such advertisements we get on most US stations. To see the offensive clip (the clip doesn't spoil too much of the episode for those that are waiting for BBCA to show the episode in two weeks), watch it at my new favorite Who blog here. >

Don't Panic! Glee Season Two Premieres

Where was all the advertising for Glee Season Two? I missed it. The only reason I know it's premiering tonight is because I did a DVR search since I knew it was coming sometime this month. Come on Fox, I almost missed this sickeningly addictive show.
So, here's a quick "Glee-run" of where we stood at the end of last season:
-In spite of almost falling apart the "New Directions" wins at sectionals and is now moving on to regionals
-Finn knows that Puck is the father of Quinn's baby
-Will found out that Terry's been faking her pregnancy and ended the show by kissing the neurotic, but adorable Emma
-The villain the writers can't quite pin down, Sue, left the school vowing revenge (of course she'll be back)

The Continuing Adventures of Emma: Review Part 2

Only one part to go of the new Emma adaptation on PBS (though, I'm given to understand many have already watched it from various web sources- the first two sections are available for veiwing on PBS.org). The highlight of this part was the scene at the dance. It was probably the best rendering of that sequence I have ever seen- even including a parody I once wrote called "Dirty Dancing: 19th Century Nights". I digress. The music was fantastic and the interweaving plots all happening at the gathering were handled very well.
Finally, Knightley is starting to come alive in terms of his chemistry with Emma. Johnny Lee Miller is much better in the part than I had expected and Romola Garai brings a liveliness to Emma that reminds one just how young and inexperienced she is, in spite of her wit and pride. Louise Dylan is giving a very sympathetic portrayal of Harriet Smith, a girl always reminded of her inferior position, but truly one of the kindest souls one could meet.
The pacing of this section was superior to the previous parts shown last Sunday and it felt less Dickensian to me. I look forward to the conclusion next week.
Also, ironically, after Emma went off I flipped the channel and Lost in Austen was on Ovation (there is an actor in common: Christina Cole). It's terribly fluffy brain candy that ravages Jane Austen and gives her fans a bit of a bad name, but I couldn't sleep, so of course I watched an episode. Or two.

Return to Cranford Part 1

Or, Cranford 2: Matty's Revenge. Okay, not quite; the sweet and charming Miss Matilda would never prove vengeful. The piece picks up in August 1844 after a slew of happy endings in the last series there is one immediate thing lurking: the railroad. It threatens to bring change to the small town proudly steeped in its traditions. The series will conclude next Sunday.
The original series had wonderful charm and humor that drew you in so close to the characters; their hopes and tragedies felt like those of your best friends. Though the setting was over one hundred and fifty years ago, you swear you had a Miss Pole living down the street from you growing up, you knew a Caroline Tomkinson in school. The plots intersected very well, all supporting each others' structures.
This piece tries to recreate the gently mocking charm of the first, but proves that perfection can have no repeat. Many of the best characters are conspicuously absent without more than a word of explanation, others are killed off within the first half hour of the program. New characters are quickly shuffled in at the expense of balance. Familiar characters show recognition for these new characters, assuring the audience that they are apart of the Cranford we've known, they were just away for the entirety of the five episodes of the previous series.
Mary Smith returns about halfway through the first episode, she was very integral to the original series, arguably a secondary protagonist. She has not proven to be spectacularly important or interesting thus far, but I have some hopes for next week. Some hopes. The most interesting new character is Septimus Ludlow, the mysterious young son of Lady Ludlow, last heard of off in Italy squandering family money. He arrives and proves himself to be everything one could suspect (and dread) of him from discussions by other characters in the first series.
Though not as solid and engaging as the first series, it is worth watching if you would like to spend some more time in the almost mystical land of Cranford.
If you'd like something steamier, Ovation TV is showing Byron tomorrow evening at 9; a bio-pic of the notorious romantic poet.

Regency House Party

The first and only reality show I loved. Reading the less than spectacular Austenland recently made me long for the tantrum laced graces of The Regency Hose Party for the first time in ages. I was so pleased to see that Channel 4's website had the complete series up. That is until I saw that they blocked Americans from accessing their videos. Unfortunately, that's where I am. I don't like most American television, so I depend on internet resources to supply me with what BBCA and PBS don't mete out regularly or at all.
This is just my mini-rant/moan about not being able to find anywhere to watch Regency House Party. Any sneaky tricks or alternative names for the videos would be most appreciated. Thank you.
Oh, and Slings and Arrows begins its turn on American tv once again tonight on Ovation TV. It's a fantastic series about a Canadian Shakespeare festival. Anyone that's worked in the theatre will appreciate it humor and even if you never have, check it out.

Too Much Doctor Who

If there is such a thing.
Last night I watched the new Doctor Who animation "Dreamland" on YouTube. It's very... weird. The animation is a little stilted, not much expression from the characters. "Infinate Quest" is superior in animation in my opinion. Besides it has Anthony Stewart Head, the Doctor as a renegade running from library fines and impersonating a pirate, and light sabers. A win all around.
I say that maybe I've had too much Who lately because last night I actually dreamt about "The End of Time." I saw on IMDB that both Matt Smith and Billie Piper are appearing in the finale, in spite of the attempts to keep some things shrouded in mystery IMDB resumes reveal all. (So we will get to see 10 regenerate into 11, essentially.) Anyway, I had a really strange dream about Rose and the Doctor reuniting, they were in a huge pool of water, it was very peculiar. Being one that often remembers their dreams I sometimes try to analyze where different elements have come from. Water has been a constant underlying theme in DW- River Song, Jackson Lake, "The Waters of Mars" with Adelaide Brooke, the new companion will be named Amy Pond. There is a heavy significance placed on water with Doc 10. Does this mean anything? No idea. Just making a speculative observation.
Tomorrow is US premeire of "The Waters of Mars" and I am very excited. After that I swear I'm taking a break from Doctor Who until Boxing Day, when part 1 of the finale is aired.
I chalk it up to research, though. Since my new story is SciFi/Fantasy I need to educate myself about the genre, beyond DW I really don't usually watch or read any thing like that. To write well one must read well, that I firmly believe. I've just been to the library and have my hands full with reading over the holidays, Middlemarch included, it's like the book that never ends I swear.

Review: Glee Season 1

I just watched the season finale of Glee. How can I describe my feelings for this show? In many ways it is a mess, the structure is lopsided, plot holes abound, sub-plots have sub-plots and there are secondary protagonists galore all vying for attention. Yet I am addicted. Even though the writers tried to cram too much into their first season, most of what they crammed was really high quality, the more realistic and uplifting version of High School Musical, many have equated it to. There is also something incredibly moving about the show. It's silly, and sometimes the musical numbers are bit too deliberate, but out of that comes passages that are beautiful. A few weeks ago when New Directions sang "Imagine" with the deaf choir? Suddenly tears were dripping down my face and I felt like a moron. They have also perfected the significant musical montage.
Music has a highly emotional affect on people. It's why we have "break up songs," why we create soundtracks for our lives. Films depend on that, soundtracks are used to heighten emotion, essentially manipulating the audience to have certain feelings on certain cues. So, is Glee manipulating us? Yes, and I love it. The final song, "My Life Would Suck Without You" by Kelly Clarkson meshes perfectly, over scenes of Will going to stop Emma from leaving and profess his feelings to her. It was a little melodramatic, but sometimes that's not so bad.
How long until next season?
What are your thoughts on this phenomenon?