December 31, 2008
A Few Good Movies
I've had a chance to see several good movies recently. I've already mentioned "Terminator 2," but here are a few more worth seeing:
Mama Mia – so insanely fun! The actors look like they are having such a great time that the joy turns out to be contagious. It's a star-studded cast, too. Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan are especially delightful. One caveat: this movie is not for people who don't like musicals. (You know it's a musical, right?) But for everyone else, it's so fun and hum-able.
Secondhand Lions – You can't go wrong with a pair of heavy-hitters like Robert Duvall and Michael Caine. But even the smaller roles in this movie are peopled with celebrities like Kyra Sedgwick and the now-famous-from-"Heroes" Adrian Pasdar, who plays a really brave and tenacious salesman. Plus the "Sixth Sense" kid, Haley Joel Osment, is great as the shy nephew who gets left with his wacky uncles for the summer.
Juno – Wow. I finally get what all the Oscar fuss was about. The girl who plays Juno is fantastic. (Her name is Ellen Page.) The movie also boasts stellar performances from two of my favorite actresses: Allison Janney and Jennifer Garner. But what really stands out is the writing. Can it really be true that this was Diablo Cody's first screenplay? Talk about being brilliant right out of the gate! Wow. Just...wow. I am completely jealous of her talent.
I even saw a documentary: Expelled. It's a fascinating and disturbing look at the backlash against Intelligent Design.
Happy New Year, everyone!
Posted by Selena at 10:01 AM | Comments (0)
December 30, 2008
Judging Terminator
I watched "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" again recently. I remembered it being great. But what struck me this time around is that in the movie you can actually see the beginning of a great leader in the kid John Connor. He teaches a Terminator to use non-lethal violence instead of kill indiscriminately. He insists on breaking his mother out of the asylum despite the risk to himself. He gently woos Dyson's kid out of the room while Mom and Terminator lay out the horrific future ahead. It is easy to see this kid has the potential to become a great leader.
That stood out in stark contrast to the way John is portrayed in the current Terminator television series "The Sarah Connor Chronicles." The series' teenage John Connor shows no such great-leader potential. Instead, teenage John comes off as selfish, whiny and rebellious. Nothing about him--except maybe his proficiency with computers--leads me to think he will grow into the leader of the resistance. And that bugs me every time I watch the show.
Posted by Selena at 04:37 PM | Comments (0)
November 28, 2008
Watching "The West Wing"
Hubby and I have started watching "The West Wing" again from the beginning. (We own the first few seasons on DVD.) It's one of our favorite shows and certainly stands up to repeated viewings. (I've watched my favorite episode, "Two Cathedrals" many, many times. I even blogged about it.)
I enjoy the show, but I've noticed an odd side effect: watching "The West Wing" makes me feel like I need to do better. Seriously, not only does the extremely high quality of Aaron Sorkin's writing remind me what a total hack I am in comparison. But watching President Bartlett and his staff go about their days makes me feel like a stupid slacker who really ought to get off my lazy butt and do something important with my life.
The show inspires me to step up my game and do something worthwhile.
As President Bartlett says in one episode: "Break's over."
Posted by Selena at 11:05 PM | Comments (0)
September 16, 2008
"Whew!" Plus New Music & TV
Finally, the results from Big Scary Tests are in and they are normal. Whew.
I'm so relieved. The funny thing is mostly I'm just relieved that I don't have to postpone my upcoming trip to DC. You'd think I'd be relieved about not having Really Bad Medical Problem, but...well, I guess it's just one more of the many ways in which I am weird.
To celebrate my clean bill of health I hit the "buy" button on my iTunes shopping cart and finally purchased the 14 or so songs that had been living there for who knows how long. Favorite song from the bunch: Leann Rimes' "Good Friend and a Glass of Wine."
Here is a sample lyric:
"Who died and crowned me everybody's everything
I'm even busting my butt through the weekend
By the time I get home there's not an ounce of sanity
Between the dogs, my momma's calls
Is it against the law
For me to get what I need
A good friend and a glass of wine
Someone to say it's gonna be alright
A good friend and a glass of wine
A little pick me up to get me through the night"
Well, I don't have dogs and I don't mind my momma's occasional calls, but I am RIGHT THERE with everything else and the whole spirit of the song. Truth be told, I could even skip the wine, it's really just the good friend I need. Too bad all my BFFs are at least a thousand miles away. (Although that does make sense of paragraph two, doesn’t it?)
You can give the song a listen over at YouTube.
Also in my shopping cart, the latest episode of my newest guilty pleasure: "Gossip Girl." (I know! I can hardly believe I'm watching it either. But my daytime soap, the once-great GH, has gotten so sucky that I had to look elsewhere for my dose of fabulous soapiness.) My DVR inexplicably cut off about half of the last episode, which I just couldn't handle. Especially after reading about the episode on EW.com. Oh yeah, "The Dark Night" was the episode NOT to miss! Can't wait to watch it.
Posted by Selena at 01:46 PM | Comments (0)
September 03, 2008
Grey's Anatomy Promo Ruckus
I can't stop laughing.
The brilliant folks at ABC have put together a promo for the new season that not only 1) enrages legions of fans who are sick of Mer&Der getting back together only to be pulled apart AGAIN, and 2) seems to contradict what show creator and writer Shondra Rhimes has promised fans. You can imagine how that went over with Rhimes and her fans.
Here's the scoop from TV Watch.
Talk about a marketing department that is out of touch with their product and their customers! Wow.
I would have loved to be a fly on the wall when Shondra Rhimes found out about the promo and made that call (or visit!) to the honchos at ABC. I bet it was one hell of a smackdown.
Posted by Selena at 08:18 AM | Comments (0)
July 21, 2008
GH Bummers and GH Fun
I have watched General Hospital for many, many years. In fact, I bought my first VCR because I missed the critical scene where Frisco returns home after being imprisoned on foreign soil and presumed dead. He arrives just in time to see his wife Felicia getting remarried. Missing that moment prompted me to buy a VCR. Seriously. And they were expensive back then.
Ah, those were the days.
Now, I fast-forward through much of the show. Plus there are the moments I wish I had missed: like the moment last week when I completely lost respect for Kate. She was one of the few characters I liked but then she told her fiance Sonny and her married business partner Jax that they should go along with her plan to stoke erroneous gossip that she is having an affair with Jax because the added buzz would be good for business.
What? Huh?
Jax said "no." Even Sonny said "no." And that had to be the first time ever that I have agreed with Sonny.
I'm also bummed that Spinelli and Maxie finally got together, after Spinelli has mooned over her for ages, only for it to end with Maxie saying essentially, "I never should have taken advantage of you like that. You're my best friend, I don't want to risk that." Poor Spinelli, he was heart-broken. Me too. They are so cute together.
Lately the fun-est thing about GH has been reading about it at Serial Drama. Super-funny GH-dissing right there on my iGoogle homepage! Love that.
Posted by Selena at 05:45 PM | Comments (0)
New Favs in TV, Music, and Web
I have a new favorite in TV shows and musical groups. It's "Flight of the Conchords."
This group and their HBO show are hilarious! (But they are also not for kids or folks who are easily offended. Adult content abounds. You've been warned.)
To get a sample, click on over to one of my new favs on the web: YouTube.
(Yeah, I know, I'm late to the party. So what's new?)
Just search on "Flight of the Conchords" for a wide variety of related videos, including some of my favorite Conchord songs: Inner City Pressure, Hiphopopotamus Vs. Rhymenoceros, A Kiss is Not a Contract, and Business Time. (I generally prefer the videos from the TV show instead of the live performances because it often pays to see the songs in context).
A sample lyric from Inner City Pressure:
"Counting coins on the counter of the 7-11
From a quarter past six ‘til a quarter to seven
The manager Bevan starts to abuse me
Hey man, I just want some Muesli."
I'm also loving YouTube for watching old scenes from General Hospital, especially snippets from the glory days of CarLo. (Oh how I miss Tamara Braun and Ted King!) GH was Must See TV back then. Now it's more like Must Blog TV.
Which brings me to my other new web fav:
Serial Drama
These chicks rock! Reading their blog entries about GH is more entertaining that watching GH.
Posted by Selena at 05:10 PM | Comments (0)
June 22, 2008
Quote of the Day
Today's quote is from the TV series "Bones," which I was watching today while taking a treadmill walk.
The situation is this: an FBI agent is complaining to his boss that the FBI made a deal with a criminal he had been after for thirty years and nobody told him about it. Boss-lady listens for a while but finally she says...
"I'm sorry that after forty years as an agent for the FBI you're still a little girl."
I laughed so hard I nearly fell off the treadmill.
Posted by Selena at 04:12 PM | Comments (0)
May 05, 2008
Quote of the Day: "Be the change..."
Today's quote is actually a few lines from last week's Grey's Anatomy:
---
Addison Montgomery: "You're a fighter, Stevens. What happened?"
Izzie Stevens: "I lost a lot of fights."
Addison: "Well... Time to get back up. Go. Be the change you want to see in the world."
Izzie: "Did you just quote Gandhi to me?"
---
What a great scene! I particularly love Izzie's face when she says, "I lost a lot of fights." I can totally relate.
"Be the change..."
I'm trying.
Posted by Selena at 04:34 PM | Comments (0)
April 11, 2008
So Overwhelmed (+BG)
I am so overwhelmed by my to-do list right now that I am very nearly frozen into inaction.
I have to just pick one thing and do it. Then pick the next thing, and so on. But it's easier said than done.
On the plus side, Battlestar Galactica is back! And it is fantastic! It's almost enough to make me watch TV live again. Almost. But no, I'll wait and watch it the next day when I can fast-forward through the commercials.
Someone please tell me where I can buy a T-shirt emblazoned with Starbuck's current battle cry: "We're going the wrong way!" For some reason that just really resonates with me right now. ;)
Posted by Selena at 07:54 AM | Comments (0)
January 23, 2008
Miscellaneous
I haven't been blogging much lately. It's not that I don't have anything to say. It's more like I don't have much to say that is suitable for a public forum and/or of interest to others.
Winter has always been a quiet, introspective time for me. So, please bear with me.
Here is a miscellany of what's been going on:
Mom came to visit, which was great. As usual, the sand hill cranes refused to come by the house while she was here. (I honestly can't fathom what that is about, except maybe it's just bad luck.) We did see the birds in the mall parking lot though. (Go figure.) True to form, the birds stopped by the backyard just a couple days after Mom had gone home.
We did get a visitor of another sort while Mom was here. We were in the living room one afternoon when we heard a scratching, banging noise at the front door. I opened it to find a big turtle (about a foot wide) knocking on the door like he was on his way to the lake and wanted to take a short cut through the house. We reoriented him and shortly after saw him making his way along the side of the house, down to the lake.
With the writers strike lingering on, there isn't much to watch on TV. So, I've been watching movies instead. Here are a few I watched recently and liked: The Illusionist, The Lake House (which I'd seen before and loved), Mission Impossible III, and Stranger Than Fiction.
I have been keeping up with my "one submission a week" goal, but otherwise not doing much writing. This is the reward I am motivating myself with: a mad genius T-shirt. (You know you want one.) Now if I could just stick to my diet and exercise goals, I'd be set.
I started watching the new Terminator series, which is okay so far. It's cool to see Summer Glau get more work. (I thought she was great in Firefly and Serenity.) She makes a good Terminator. I just wish her character had more personality, but I guess Terminators don't generally have a lot of personality. Favorite moment so far: Cameron (played by Summer Glau) saying "please remain calm" to the people in the car whose windshield her head is smashed through. LOL. I loved that.
Posted by Selena at 09:08 PM | Comments (0)
December 12, 2007
Quote of the Day
Today's quote is from a Star Trek Voyager episode:
"Survival is insufficient."
Posted by Selena at 06:16 PM | Comments (0)
December 07, 2007
Totally Likable Dell
Speaking of unlikable men, here is one for the likable men list: Dell from Private Practice.
Normally, young and blonde is not my type. But Dell is quickly becoming my favorite character on Private Practice. Dell distinguished himself in the episode where he brought Naomi cake day after day, and he told the other men the secret to dealing successfully with women: "Figure out what they want, then give it to them." (I'm not sure that is an exact quote since it's from memory.) Turns out, young Dell knows women.
Then in the most recent episode Dell confessed his feelings for Naomi to her ex-husband and then to her. Whoa! Dell's the underdog in the fight for Naomi's affections, but I'm pulling for him. Great moment when he told Naomi's ex-husband: "I guarantee you, I wouldn't make her cry." Add that to Dell's lessons on dealing with women. It sounds so simple, but in truth that and cake goes a long way. ;)
Also, the funniest part of this week's "Private Practice" was the lead in from the previous show, a Christmas special: "Santa's left behind a new Private Practice. (Heehee.) Of course, the EW.com recap had to remind us that "at the conclusion of the episode, Santa Rhimes went on strike." Bummer. I had forgotten about that.
Posted by Selena at 09:59 PM | Comments (0)
November 30, 2007
The Writers' Strike Blues
While I am completely on the side of the writers, I just have this to say to both sides:
"Y'all better get this settled soon because I am on the verge of giving up on TV for good."
Seriously. And I can't be the only one.
There is so little good stuff on TV that I was on the edge of quitting even before the writers' strike. Now, episodes of my favorite shows are being rationed out. I turned on the TV to watch last night's "Grey's Anatomy" and it was a REPEAT! (A repeat during November sweeps! And when just last week they were promo-ing a "3-part Grey's event!" And last week's cliffhanger! Aargh!! Such frustration can't be good for my blood pressure.)
I recently started watching "Pushing Daisies" based on Mir's glowing recommendation, and it is every bit as wonderful as Mir says. But a lot of the joy is taken out when I know I've only got one episode left before the show disappears for who knows how long.
I enjoyed the recent "Battlestar Galatica: Razor" but—AGAIN, knowing that it will be MONTHS before I see a new BG episode (if then), I almost don't want to bother getting back into the show.
Plus, honestly, I still haven't forgiven NBC for canceling "Studio 60."
I keep thinking of all the time that will reappear in my schedule if I just stop watching TV. Hmmm. More time for reading, writing, and editing. Maybe it's for the best.
I just hope TV writers can easily turn their talents to other media.
Posted by Selena at 10:21 PM | Comments (0)
October 20, 2007
"Live Out the String"
I just watched Marc Cohn on "Ellen". (That, my friends, is the magic of TiVo!) He talked about getting shot a couple years ago, then performed a new song: "Live Out the String." (What a great phrase – "Live out the string.") The performance was so good that I went straight to my iTunes and added the song to my shopping cart.
If I had the money, I'd just go ahead and buy the whole CD.
Cohn's song "Walking in Memphis" is one of my all-time favorites. And this new CD sounds good to me so far.
Posted by Selena at 12:42 PM | Comments (0)
September 24, 2007
Heroes Returns
I am so excited because "Heroes" starts again tonight.
I can hardly wait.
Posted by Selena at 09:00 AM | Comments (0)
September 22, 2007
ST:TNG 20th Anniversary and Top Ten Episodes
Seriously? It's been twenty years since "Star Trek: The Next Generation" went on the air? Time flies. I must be getting old. I can't believe that anything I was an adult for could have happened twenty years ago.
At least reading EW.com's article on their top ten Next Gen episodes was a cool trip down memory lane. Lots of great episodes in there. (I think "The Inner Light" is still my all-time favorite.)
Some of my favorites that didn't make EW.com's list: (in no particular order)
Lessons: Picard gets involved with his new head of Stellar Sciences. Bonus points for the uncomfortable look on Riker's face when she tries to press him on a work issue. You can see he's not really sure whether or not she's asking for special treatment as the captain's girlfriend.
The Child: Troi is impregnated by what seems to be a tiny, floating ball of light – that is kind of dopey. But I love watching Riker try to delicately ask who the father is.
The Price: Yeah, yeah, "hot bed scenes." Whatever. That was over-hyped. What I love in this episode is that when Troi asks her new love interest "What about your traveling companion," he replies, "She's traveling." The hand gesture he uses for "traveling" just makes the moment even better.
Captain's Holiday: Romance, adventure, Picard. What's not to like? I particularly love Vash. She is so uncontrollable; it's great to see her matched with Picard who is so controlled all the time.
The Perfect Mate: An even more romantic episode featuring Picard. And Famke Janssen has got to be the most beautiful woman ever! I love watching Kamala change her personality to suit whatever man is in the room. Janssen does a great job with that.
The Loss: one of the "Troi behaving badly" episodes. It is so satisfy to see the perpetually calm, always in control Troi just totally lose it.
Man of the People: Troi behaves badly again but at least this time it's not her fault. Some wacko has figured out how to use her as a trash can for all his emotional garbage.
The Host: A romantic episode and our introduction to a fascinating species called the Trill. (I was so glad when they put a Trill main character in "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine." Jadzia Dax was so cool.)
The Outcast: Wow. That's "science fiction as social commentary" at its best.
Parallels: Alternate timelines always fascinate me. Throw in some Troi and Worf romance, and you've made it onto my favorite list. Best part: A shocked Worf finds out that in the current timeline he and Deanna are not only married, but have children.
Attached: Love the romance here between Picard and Beverly. Hated the cop-out ending. But at least it wasn't Jean-Luc chickening out this time.
I wish I had the DVD set. I'd watch them all again. Guess I'll just have to set a Season Pass on my TiVo instead.
Posted by Selena at 11:48 PM | Comments (0)
September 18, 2007
Quote of the Day: from Angel
I have gotten hooked on the Buffy spinoff "Angel." I watched some of season one and wasn't too impressed, but now I've gotten hooked on reruns of a later season. (I found out today it's season four.)
Here's an inspiring little speech from a recent episode:
Fred says:
"Will it make a difference? If we really are just pieces being
moved around a board…"
Gunn says:
"Then we’ll kick it over and start a new game. Look,
monochrome can yap all he wants about no-name’s cosmic
plan but here’s a little something I picked up rubbin’ mojos
these past couple of years: the final score can’t be rigged. I
don’t care how many players you grease, that last shot
always comes up a question mark. But here’s the thing—
you never know when you’re taking it. It could be when
you’re duking it out with the legion of doom or just
crossing the street deciding where to have brunch. So you
just treat it all like it was up to you, the world in the
balance, ’cause you never know when it is."
That last bit is worth repeating:
"…treat it all like it was up to you, the world in the
balance, ’cause you never know when it is."
My favorite source for all things Buffy and Angel:
Buffyverse Dialogue Database
That site led me to the Buffy Vs Angel site, which has transcripts of episodes. Very handy.
Posted by Selena at 08:18 PM | Comments (0)
September 13, 2007
Xanadu on "The View"
A funny thing happened yesterday. I was watching "The View" and caught a performance from the Broadway hit musical "Xanadu." But instead of making me want to see the Broadway show, it made me want to see the movie again AND buy the soundtrack. (I had the album for a long time, but gave it away when I no longer had a turntable to play it on. Do people still have record players, I wonder?)
Maybe I'm a dork, but I really liked the movie "Xanadu." And based on the little bit I saw of the current Broadway musical, I much prefer the original.
Today I am still humming "Suddenly" – the Olivia Newton-John version, not the Broadway version I heard on "The View." I finally had to log into iTunes and buy a few songs from the "Xanadu" soundtrack.
Here's your quote of the day…
"You make it seem I'm so close to my dream
And then suddenly it's all there"
Have a good one and keep trying to create your own Xanadu.
Posted by Selena at 09:25 AM | Comments (0)
August 25, 2007
Quote of the Day: Photonic
"All life is photonic."
- from the Star Trek Voyager episode called "Bride of Chaotica."
In this episode, photonic aliens from another dimensional mistake a holodeck game for real life. It's especially fun because the game is old school scifi: ray guns, death rays, evil geniuses, robots. (Actually it reminds me of "Flash Gordon." The original, not the recent remake, which I've only seen one episode of.)
This STV episode is laugh out loud campy fun. The best part is Kate Mulgrew as Captain Janeway playing Arachnia, Queen of the Spider People. She is FABULOUS!
:)
Posted by Selena at 12:43 PM | Comments (0)
August 24, 2007
Taking the Day Off + RS on GH
I am too tired and stressed to work. So I am taking the day off.
Well, not totally off since I did a little work this morning and I am baby watching from morning to night.
Still, I am in no condition to read anyone's submission right now. Trust me.
I did enjoy seeing Rick Springfield perform on "General Hospital" today though. That was cool! It would have been the highlight of my day, but instead that honor goes to receiving belated birthday presents from my best friend.
Not a bad day, but –MAN- I need some sleep! Until that can happen, I'll be listening to "Written in Rock: The Rick Springfield Anthology." :)
Posted by Selena at 05:39 PM | Comments (0)
July 11, 2007
Missing Posts Added
I added in the posts from when this blog interface was down. It's June 9 - 16, if you want to have a look in the June archives.
Posted by Selena at 10:20 AM | Comments (0)
Studio 60 Available on Amazon
Hot dog!
I don't have to wait for the Studio 60 DVD set to come out. The full series is now available for purchase and download at Amazon.
We've already purchased all the episodes and downloaded them into our TiVo. Yesterday, I watched the pilot again.
This show is brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. I am going to miss it. But at least now I can watch the episodes over and over again on my TiVo.
I can hardly wait for Aaron Sorkin's next project.
P.S. I'll still be buying the DVD set when it comes out. Gotta support the good stuff.
Posted by Selena at 09:44 AM | Comments (0)
June 11, 2007
Studio 60 Rocks!
I'm trying to add back in the posts that got missed while this interface was down. Here's one:
I am so glad Studio 60 is back on. I keep watching the episodes over and over again. I finally had to figure out how to get the episodes from TiVo into my iTunes so I can watch them more often. (I still can't wait to get my hands on the full series DVD set. They better release one.)
I have lots of favorite moments, but here’s one from this latest episode:
Harriet finds out that Jordan is in the emergency room with pregnancy complications, this on top of finding out that the brother of one of her castmates has been captured in Afghanistan, and this is Harriet's reaction:
She says "Alright" then immediately drops to her knees and begins praying, "Almighty God, father of all mercy…"
The moment so touched me that I was crying as we went to the opening credits. Even now, just thinking about it gets me emotional.
Other favorite moments that I keep rewatching:
Matt's "introduction to a dark and dangerous path." (This snippet in on the website and is listed in just those terms.) He begins taking pills (illegal ones, of course) to try to feel better so he can write. It's a painful scene to watch because his desperation is palpable and you just KNOW he is going down the wrong road.
I rewatch that scene though because it prepares me for others that follow, like the one where Suzanne (Matt's assistant) confronts Matt about his drug use. The scene gets to me every time. Honesty I can't imagine how anyone could continue taking illegal substances after the look on Suzanne's face.
I wanted that to be what made Matt stop, but it wasn't. In his next scene he is popping more pills. Then suddenly Danny storms in threatening to beat him to bloody pulp if he doesn't quit taking pills, and Matt says he has quit. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad Matt quit. I just felt gypped that we didn't see Matt's turn-around.
Why is that good TV like Studio 60 can't make it but shows that appeal to our basest instincts can?
Posted by Selena at 10:57 AM | Comments (0)
May 24, 2007
Studio 60 Returns!
I heard today on the radio that Studio 60 returns tonight for a series finale. I was so relieved. (But I can't help wondering why I'm just hearing about it TODAY. What is wrong with NBC's marketing department that I hadn't heard about this!)
I went to the website and found that it's actually six new episodes. Fantastic! I was wondering how they were going to wrap up everything in one episode.
The biggest loose thread to tie up, in my opinion, is Matt and Harriet. We simply cannot leave them broken up and hurting the way they were. I can't take it.
One question from watching the promo: what's with the "Nothing will prepare you for what happens next" and then the clip of Danny proposing to Jordan? If that's the big event, then I feel like I'm pretty prepared from seeing the clip. Are they saying something unexpected is going to happen after that, like Jordan says, "Sorry, but I'm an alien and I have to return to the mother ship." Come on. If Jordan and Danny don't end up together, I'm gonna be so upset. Same for Matt and Harriet. What can I say? I'm a romantic; I want a happy ending.
One thing's for sure, I can't wait to get my hands on the DVD set of the series when it comes out. Note to NBC (or whoever): could you let me know when it's released, please?
Posted by Selena at 01:21 PM | Comments (0)
April 27, 2007
I Miss Studio 60
Why isn't this great show back on my TV?
I guess I'll just have to keep watching the episodes I have saved on TiVo.
Posted by Selena at 08:06 PM | Comments (0)
April 26, 2007
GH: Mr. Craig = Jerry Jacks!
A couple days ago I was barely watching General Hospital as I surfed the web and fast-forwarded through the scenes that weren't even worth barely watching.
But then a wild thing happened! It was revealed that Mr. Craig a.k.a. Mr. Brosnan is really Jerry Jacks with a new face. Suddenly I was paying attention. That is a luscious twist!
I can't help but wonder if the writers had this twist planned all along. I wish I could go back and watch Mr. Craig's scenes during the hotel takeover and hostage crisis to see if there is any indication he was really the "much discussed but long gone from the GH scene" older brother of Jasper Jacks. I suspect it wasn't originally part of the plan because Craig was depicted as such a ruthless, sadistic, one-sided bad guy. It's been a long time since Jerry Jacks was on the show, but I remember him as a rogue who was always in some kind of trouble but was deep down a good guy.
Still the twist is perfect and very watchable. Suddenly Craig/Brosnan/Jerry is a multi-dimensional, conflicted, interesting character.
Plus, it's a nice coincidence that the actor who plays Craig/Brosnan/Jerry looks so much like the rest of the Jacks family. The last actor who played Jerry didn't.
So, now there's one storyline worth watching on GH.
I still can't bear to watch Lorenzo's scenes though.
Posted by Selena at 11:46 AM | Comments (0)
April 02, 2007
Ted King Leaves GH-and really who could blame him!
I heard recently that Ted King is leaving "General Hospital." The news saddened me a bit because he is my favorite actor and favorite character (Lorenzo Alcazar) on GH. For the longest time, he has been the main reason I watched, especially during the CarLo heyday when he was paired with the luminous Tamara Braun. Ah, those were the days! Back then, GH was must see TV.
But I wasn't surprised to hear that King has quit GH. (I love King's quote about how the people who have been paying attention won't be surprised by his announcement.) The writers at GH have been marginalizing the character of Lorenzo Alcazar for a long time now. It's been a waste of King's talent and charisma. And, as if that wasn't bad enough, lately the GH writers have been writing Lorenzo in a way inconsistent with the character people like me grew to love back in the day. Are we really supposed to believe that Lorenzo would let Skye think he is still mentally impaired (from brain surgery) so that he could hide behind her, thus putting her and his daughter in danger? Come on! No way!
And I can't tell you how much that scene with Carly, Skye and Lorenzo pained me. Carly and Lorenzo had something once. I was there. It was real. (Well, not really real, but you get my drift.) Plenty of viewers, like me, found their romance compelling. Sure, a different actress was playing Carly then, but still it's supposed to be the same character. To now see Carly be so hateful to Lorenzo, and for Lorenzo to be so indifferent to Carly—it was more than I could bear.
As I watched last week's scenes, I kept thinking, "no wonder he quit!" I'm only watching and I can't stand to see what the writers have done to the character of Lorenzo. How much worse must it be for King to have to act the part?!?!
The good news is that now Ted King can move on to someplace that values him, and I now have all this extra time in my schedule because there's no longer any reason for me to watch GH at all.
Posted by Selena at 10:44 AM | Comments (0)
March 16, 2007
Twenty in March: Done
Well, I did it. I worked on and sent out twenty submissions in March.
Actually, I did twenty subs in ten days.
Woo-HOO!
But now, I'm really tired. So, I'm taking a little break to celebrate. Maybe watch some Spike. Er, sorry, I mean Buffy. Well, Buffy and Spike highlights, if you must know.
:)
Posted by Selena at 10:32 PM | Comments (0)
March 11, 2007
Good Day and Studio 60
It's been a good day. I worked on and sent out four more subs, which brings me to a total of 12 so far for the month. (I'm shooting for 20 in March.) Plus I got in a one-hour walk. Exercise is important.
So, what am I doing? I'm celebrating by watching Studio 60 highlights on TiVo. (By which I mean I am using the remote control to watch all my favorite scenes. Most of them involve Jordan and Danny, but not all. Like that scene where Matt explains to a beautiful but not so bright girl what he does as head writer on the show. "I write the show." LOL. )
I just wish I had all the episodes. I'd love to see the pilot again.
I can't believe they removed this great show from the schedule. I just hope they don't cancel it outright. The last episode that aired was good but it was no series finale.
Why is it that good TV can't make it on TV?
Posted by Selena at 09:04 PM | Comments (0)
December 10, 2006
The "One Year to Live" Mindset
I've been re-watching old "Studio 60" episodes and I've been thinking a lot about one moment: Jordan admitting that when she took the job she decided she would approach it as if she only had one year to live.
Maybe that's what I need to do. Maybe that is the kick in the butt my work life needs.
I know however that I can't apply the "one year to live" mindset to the rest of my life, because then I would just eat whatever sweets and junk food I wanted, with wanton disregard for my long-term health.
But it might be a useful approach to my writing life. It might keep me working when I feel discouraged, keep me focused when I really just want to lay around and watch TV. It might help me shake off the inevitable setbacks.
And writing has a lot of setbacks. Just this month, I have received three declines so far. I got them all in the first week of the month even. Three declines in eight days – that can't be good.
But my husband reminded me that this time last month I had just finished writing 50,000 words in one week. So that's something.
Also on today's plus side:
1) I tried out Sunday School at the new church I've been attending. (They call it Bible Fellowship, but whatever.) It went okay. I think I'll go back next week.
2) We had pizza for dinner and I managed to stop at two slices and one breadstick. That's impressive for me.
I keep trying to focus on this scripture from today's lesson:
"…God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns." (Philippians 1:6)
God has begun something good in my life; I just need to get out of His way and let Him get on with it.
Posted by Selena at 09:02 PM | Comments (0)
December 07, 2006
Studio 60 – The Christmas Show
I just watched the latest episode of "Studio 60." It's great.
I am loving the Danny & Jordan thing!
I love all the little signs that Danny is falling for her. I love his reaction when he realizes he has feelings for her. And I really love the way he puts Jordan on notice at the end of the episode.
If you aren’t into the romantic stuff, the episode also has some truly great music. You can view a clip here. It's worth it, trust me.
Favorite quote: "Say it. Just say it out loud." That still makes me laugh because it's so clear what Matt's talking about, even though no one is saying it.
Posted by Selena at 06:54 PM | Comments (0)
December 06, 2006
Grey's Anatomy
I have become totally hooked on "Grey's Anatomy." I am so into this show that I am watching the current season via Tivo while making my way through the ones I missed via Netflix.
Last night I watched the two episodes that piqued my interest in "Grey's Anatomy". Strangely I didn't watch them at the time. I just remember seeing the ads and thinking "That looks good, I should watch that."
The episodes are "It's the End of the World" and "As We Know It". It's the double episode about "Code Black" – a patient comes into the hospital with unexploded ordnance embedded in his chest. A paramedic has her hand inside the injury, trying to keep the guy from bleeding to death. She of course doesn't know at first what she's got her hand on. And that's not even the half of it.
In addition to the brilliance of the episode, there was a cool personal moment in it for me when I recognized one of the actors as someone I went to college with and then worked with years later. Not that he'd remember me or anything. Just to be sure I wasn't crazy, I called hubby into the room to take a look. Yep, he said, that's Marty Lodge playing the anesthesiologist. Cool. Good for Marty.
The moment got soured though towards the end of part one, when Marty's character turns out to be a lousy coward. Not that it's Marty's fault. But still.
Favorite moment from these two episodes - it's tough because there are so many - but it has to be near the end when Derek is frantically searching the hospital. He asks the chief repeatedly, "Where is she?" The chief, misunderstanding, points him in Addison's direction. (She is Derek's "was-separated but now on-again" wife, if you don't know.) Addison hugs Derek, clearly relieved that he is okay. But Derek is still scanning the room.
It's the chief's wife who points out what I knew all along, that Addison is not the "she" Derek was asking for. He was asking for Meredith.
Second favorite scene:
Meredith says, "I have a feeling."
Derek says, "I get those," then "if you wait long enough, it passes."
Moments later Derek runs into his wife Addison who asks what he is doing.
He replies, "Waiting for it to pass."
She doesn't know what he is talking about of course, but we know. Don't we?
Really good stuff.
Posted by Selena at 06:44 PM | Comments (0)
September 22, 2006
Good Viewing: "The Perfect Mate"
Tonight I turned on the TV just in time to catch one of my favorite episodes of ST:TNG. It's called "The Perfect Mate" and it's the one where Picard falls in love with a empathic metamorph on her way to an arranged marriage. It's a very romantic episode. (What can I say?!? I like the mushy stuff.)
Famke Janssen, who plays Kamala (the metamorph) is unreasonably gorgeous. But she also gives a very nuanced performance as Kamala. You can see her whole demeanor change depending on who is nearby. And the electricity between Kamala and Picard is palpable. Every time I watch the episode I want them to end up together. Yet, I know that given the players and the situation it could not go any other way. So, I am happy with it even though it is a bittersweet ending.
I call that "the Marcus effect," after Marcus in B5. But that's another story.
Posted by Selena at 09:39 PM | Comments (0)
September 21, 2006
Studio 60 and "the real deal"
My new favorite TV show is Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.
That doesn't surprise me really since I am a HUGE fan of Aaron Sorkin's. (Loved "Sports Night," loved "West Wing.") He is a brilliant writer. I wish I could write like that.
The show so far is very good. I love that it's so intelligent, and willing to take risks and tackle the tough topics. It's edgy, but not just for the purpose of being edgy.
The pilot deals with how art/entertainment is being strangled by the fear of offending people. It's a worthy topic. When did we get so afraid of offending people that we decided it best not to even bring up certain topics? And what on earth makes us think that hiding is the best approach to dealing with the tough stuff?
I admit I'm a little guilty of that myself, being somewhat conflict adverse. I know that sometimes I hide my opinion on things because I don’t want to get into an argument. But deep down, I know that hiding from each other just perpetuates prejudice. It keeps us separate from each other. It encourages divisiveness. It keeps us in our separate camps thinking we have nothing in common with "those people." It doesn't solve any problems; it just avoids them.
So, I'm glad to see a TV show that is willing to tell it like it is, even when that means pointing the accusing finger at the hand that feeds it. I'm glad to see a show try to grapple with big issues. I hope it’s not just a one-time thing. I hope "Studio 60" is "the real deal."
Which brings me to my favorite line from the pilot episode: Danny says of Jordan, "What if she's for real?" It reminded me of that episode of "West Wing" where Josh hears then-candidate Bartlett speak and realizes that Bartlett is "the real deal." That moment convinces both Josh and Sam to quit their current jobs and join Bartlett's campaign.
The scene always makes me wonder what exactly we mean when we say someone is "for real" or "the real deal." Whatever it is, it's a powerful thing and we know it when we see it. I think it means someone is who they say they are, that they believe in something and are willing to follow it through, to make the tough calls and do the hard work. I think it means they believe in what they are doing and are there for something more than a paycheck.
People gravitate to those kind of folks. Belief and integrity still inspire us, I think. We all want to believe we are part of something bigger, have a greater calling than just getting through the day. People who are "the real deal" give us that feeling. They also tend to bring out "the real deal" in us.
Posted by Selena at 02:05 PM | Comments (0)
September 09, 2006
Quote of the Day (from Buffy)
I have gotten hooked on "Buffy, The Vampire Slayer." (Yet another TV show that I didn't watch until it was cancelled and released on DVD. Hmm, I wonder what that is about.)
The show is very quotable, which isn't surprising since it is the brainchild of "Firefly" creator Joss Whedon.
Anyway, here is my favorite quote from an episode I watched last night.
"Don't speak Latin in front of the books."
I love how it sounds like "Please don't feed the animals," as if books are wont to do all manner of crazy things if you feed them Latin.
For the surrounding dialogue, episode name, and more fun quotes, check out this very cool Buffy quotes site.
Posted by Selena at 09:56 AM | Comments (0)
July 24, 2006
What's Going On
What’s going on? Sadly, not much.
I’ve been a bit under the weather lately, so my productivity has plummeted, especially where writing is concerned. I have managed to get caught up on reading submissions though, in a couple bursts of energy today and Saturday. But that’s pretty much all I’ve accomplished work-wise.
However, I have gotten other stuff done. I took one of my cats to the vet and found that she had conjunctivitis in both eyes like I thought she did. (She’s had it before. I still have no idea how she gets these things since all she does is lay around the house all day.) So, it’s antibiotic goo in both eyes twice a day. Giving cats medication is always a good time. (Not.)
I’ve been avoiding the muse; I’ve hardly written anything in the last few days. Bad, I know.
I’m also eating all kinds of wrong. Lately it’s been anything with caramel in it. And if it has chocolate too, that’s even better.
On the plus side, I’ve started swimming again. That’s partly due to my dad who keeps saying things like, “I sure wish you’d start swimming again. It’s such good exercise.” Yes, I know. It really is; it works the heart without straining the joints. Turns out that there is a YMCA just a fifteen-minute walk from my house, AND it turns out that they have a pool! I am ashamed to tell you how many years I lived here before I figured that out. Despite my slacker slump, I’ve managed to swim everyday since I joined. That’s three days and counting for anyone who’s keeping score.
More on the plus side: I watched the pilot of “Eureka.” It was pretty good. And I’ve been reading a lot of Traveling Mercies, which is just one great moment after another.
Tomorrow I may attempt a writing practice. But I don’t want to rush into anything. ;) And right now, I'm tired. I think it's gotta be bedtime.
Posted by Selena at 09:14 PM | Comments (0)
January 14, 2006
In Today’s News
I am so tired. I hardly slept at all last night. I stayed up until midnight to watch “Battlestar Galactica." (It was good, as usual, although what was up with Michelle Forbes’ hair in that “don’t flinch" scene with Starbuck? I swear it was a wig. It’s like they decided after primary shooting that they needed the scene, but Ms. Forbes had already cut her hair into a different style so for continuity they had to find a wig that looked like the hairstyle she had for the rest of the two episodes. Hey, just my theory. Got no proof.)
Anyway, back from the tangent. So, I didn’t even try to go to sleep until after midnight. Didn’t find sleep until sometime after 2. Then at exactly 3 a.m. I was awakened by thunder then a heavy rain, then more thunder and lightning. It was some kind of sign, but I already knew what it was trying to tell me.
So, hardly any sleep but still I got up at 7 a.m. to feed the cats and stab the diabetic one. Then I just sat on the kitchen floor for a while, too sleepy to get up and go back to bed. Now, I’m too awake to even bother trying. (Although I’m sure an afternoon nap will be a necessity.)
I’m on my last day off and want to try to put today to good use. I haven’t gotten as much writing done as I wanted, but I got a lot of Sword Review and DKA stuff done so that is certainly not time wasted. I did manage to work on the book some the first day, and last night I wrote and submitted a new column. It’s about regret, a topic that I am very familiar with. I hope it’s a good column. Sometimes it’s hard to tell. Sometimes you have to wait and see what sound it makes when it hits the ground.
Man, I hate winter. How far off is spring, again? Too far off for my tastes.
Posted by Selena at 09:18 AM | Comments (0)
January 03, 2006
A Pretty Good Day
It turned out to be a pretty good day. It was rough for the first half of so but then fate smiled and I was able go home and take a nap. Wow, what a difference that makes! I was exhausted but now I’m just tired. When is that day off again? Not quite soon enough.
I was able to get a fair amount of writing done though. I even submitted a story.
I’ve got three more that are nearly ready to go to their intended markets. I hope to get them subbed by the end of the week.
And then there’s that column I need to finish…
On the TV front – no new "Lost" yet, but "Battlestar Galatica" starts again Friday. I can hardly wait!
Well, I better get back to writing before I get too sleepy to read the screen.
Posted by Selena at 09:08 PM | Comments (0)
December 15, 2005
Wasted Day
I wasted the day away. I spent it either sleeping or staring at my computer, clicking at random, checking the same websites over and over again.
I just haven’t had the energy to do much of anything lately. It’s bad. I need to snap out of it.
:Selena stops to check the actual data:
But wait, as I look back over my day with a more objective eye, I remember that I ran errands, got groceries, got the Christmas tree, decorated the tree, and did a few other things.
OK, so I didn’t get as much done as I would have liked, but it wasn’t a wasted day. I did get some things done. Plus I spent time with my family and even watched half of my favorite Christmas special – “The Year Without a Santa Claus", the one with Cold Miser and Heat Miser in it. (Love it!)
Suddenly, I feel energetic again. Funny how that works.
Posted by Selena at 08:29 PM | Comments (0)
Hooked on Lost
I have become hooked on the TV show “Lost."
I didn’t watch it at all during its first season. I swear I thought it was reality TV until I happened to see Mira Furlan’s face in an episode as I was switching channels.
Then shortly before the second season, hubby bought the DVD set of the first season. We watched the entire season in a ridiculously short span of time. But sadly we didn’t finish it before the second season started.
We didn’t want to watch them out of order, so we decided to wait until the reruns of season two before watching again. Then a friend told me you could download the episodes via I-Tunes for about $2 a pop. Yee-haw!
We downloaded and watched the nine season-two episodes in a matter of days. We watched the last one (“What Kate Did") Tuesday night, thinking “This is great! We are caught up. We can start watching them live tomorrow."
Wednesday at 9pm rolled around. I was so excited to finally be up-to-date and watching “Lost" live as it airs. But then none of the “previously on" scenes were from the last episode. I started to get that bad feeling. Then the episode began, and yes of course I had seen this scene. It quickly became clear that this was a repeat.
I was so disappointed.
I got on the web to try to find out when the next new episode airs and I couldn’t find it anywhere.
Uggh. No “Battlestar Galatica" (until January), no “Lost" (until ?), no “Firefly." What’s a girl supposed to do? There is truly nothing worth watching on TV right now. Well, except for maybe Rick Springfield’s return to “General Hospital." Now that is must-see TV for an 80’s girl like me!
Posted by Selena at 03:52 PM | Comments (0)
October 07, 2005
Loving “Lost"
Recently my husband bought the first season of “Lost" on DVD. He bought it on a whim, knowing next to nothing about the show.
We were quickly hooked. At the end of each episode, we’d look at each other and ask “One more?" Sometimes we watched as many as three or four episodes in a day. The show is like a book you just can’t put down.
The show reminds me of “Firefly" (another favorite) in several ways.
First, based on the advertising of the show, I never would have watched it. I didn’t watch a single episode of “Firefly" when it was on TV, only giving the show a chance when a friend handed me the DVD set and said “trust me."
The marketing of “Lost" didn’t appeal to me either. It looked like a reality show, like a knock-off of “Survivor" or something. I didn’t realize it wasn’t a reality show until I was flipping channels and recognized Mira Furlan in an episode. (Furlan played Delenn in “Babylon Five," another favorite show.)
The marketing of “Lost" didn’t give me any sense of the many things I would love about the show, which brings me to the second similarity – the brilliant writing.
It wasn’t until I actually watched some episodes of “Lost" that I realized it had these things going for it:
• depth of story-telling
• an intricate web of connections between a seemingly random group of people
• a strong ensemble of characters/actors with complex characterizations
• an island that itself becomes a character in the story, one that may even at times be orchestrating or manipulating the story, one that has moods and perhaps a will of its own
• strong themes of faith and love and loyalty and sacrifice
The only good thing I got from the ads was the mystery. And frankly that wasn’t enough.
I’m glad I found the show and I can hardly wait to get to season two.
I also wish the marketing people would do a better job.
Why is it that the marketing of a show or movie so often doesn’t match the actual product?
I wish someone could answer that for me.
Posted by Selena at 04:47 PM | Comments (0)