Today I watched an older episode of the PBS show Frontline about the stock market crash of 1929. Considering recent events in our economy, it was interesting to see the parallels of what happened 80 years ago compared to what happened just a year or so ago. In both eras, there were signs of an impending crash, and many folks managed to save themselves and their careers by acting early enough to avoid the catastrophe. Others didn’t. And in both times, the effects reached far beyond a few fat cats on Wall Street, mostly hitting average workers.
It was extremely insightful, and now I want to look for more episodes in the series that focus on the current crisis. Well done, public broadcasting!
I’m hanging in there with Dollhouse. I caught up on about 4 in a row a few weekends back, and now I’m watching them every Saturday morning while Mr. M sleeps in.
I’m still not loving the underlying “pimping” theme going on – I was hoping for less Eliza Dushku running around in a sexy nurse costume and more Eliza Dushku running around as a spy or bank robber – but I have hopes that eventually I’ll get more action adventure and less wink-wink action.
Also, that Topher guy? SO annoying. The only way he can redeem himself is if he turns out to be a Doll, too. But then, maybe everyone’s a Doll. Which, really, would be the ultimate cop-out, so maybe not.
I was reading an article on Television Without Pity today, and it listed the luckiest characters on TV. One that I found funny was Dwight Schrute from The Office. He’s the anti-social, Battlestar Gallactica watching nerdy geek that always seems to make things harder on everyone around him, but still manages to keep his job. OK, most of the time, because he did end up working at Staples for awhile in tht one episode. But for the most part, he’s pretty lucky, because in real life he’d be running a sales job search after about a week of his shenanigans.
But that’s the beauty of TV. Crazy characters can do crazy things and we can sit back and enjoy them for a half hour each week, knowing that we don’t have to put up with them 8 hours a day, 5 days a week at work.
Let it be known, that if you and I are ever chosen to run The Amazing Race, and for some reason I lead you up a hill that no one else seems to be climbing, and I refuse to turn back even if you believe we’re going the wrong way, and I make you hike for what seems to be miles and miles for hours and hours, until we’re oxygen deprived and most likely could be seen as retracing the Von Trapp escape path….
Let it be known that once we’re back on course, you have every right to say “I told you so.”
Right, Victor?
It’s back! I love, love, love the Amazing Race, and last night’s premiere episode was fantastic. There was airport drama, which I find always bogs down the fun. And yet, transportation timetables played a key role (remember, kids, it’s not so much important how soon a train leaves a station as how quickly it arrives at its destination!).
Plus – rolling cheese! Bungee jumping! Yodelers! All of this, plus the bickering couple got sent home first! Yowza, that was a fun start.
It looks like it’s going to be a great season. Sunday nights just got fun again.
I used to write all of the time about how much I love the HGTV shows about real estate. Even with the crazy financial meltdown, I still find these shows fascinating, if only because they allow me to see inside other people’s actual homes. Well, “actual homes” that have been styled to the hilt by producers on the show, but you know what I mean.
I have noticed that my favorite of these shows (one of those shows with hampered with a silly name), “My House is Worth What?” has become much more realistic recently. Many times the homeowners hear the realtor’s suggested selling price of their property, and are disappointed with the number. Oftentimes, they’re told “Well, the market is down right now, and I can only suggest staying with the property until things turnaround.”
I have to say, I like the realism. I like that the show doesn’t just show happy news, considering that we’d all know that it just wasn’t true.
I also know that I saw the cutest cottage in Portland Oregon, decorated exactly how I’d love my future house to be decorated. It was stunning. Sigh.
I haven’t been watching as much TV this season, but one show I still can’t wait to see each week is Pushing Daisies.
Plus, I’m finally able to watch it in HD, and WOW. This show was made for the hi-def signal. Even this publicity shot shows how saturated and detailed each episode can be.
Yes, it’s twee. Yes, the main characters are in love but can’t touch, we get it, but they’re still adorable. Plus, the mean old detective is a knitter. The aunts are eccentric and two of my favorite character actresses. The dead girl has my dream wardrobe. Characters burst into song at random intervals (even singing They Might Be Giants!). I love it – it’s escapism TV at it’s best, it’s completely sugary and candy-coated and I could eat it with a spoon, I love it so much.
Of course, it’s on the bubble to be canceled, so I’m enjoying it while I can. And when it’s gone, I’ll probably order the DVD just to savor the sweetness.
In keeping with the Mad Men inspired post from the other day, I had to share this t-shirt.
Talk about a killjoy.
I admit it – I love the AMC series Mad Men. I love the art direction, I love the costumes, I love the actors, I love the writing, all of it just impresses me to no end.
If you also like Mad Men, you may like this series of illustrations on Flickr. Graphic artist Dyna Moe is updating them often, and even made a few specifically for the iPhone. They’re fun to flip through just to soak in the mid-Century goodness.
This probably won’t be enough to satisfy your Mad Men cravings until the show returns next summer, but it’s a nice reminder of just how great this show is.
(Side Note: Yes, I was planning to post every day in November, but was called out of town for a few days unexpectedly. I’m back, and it’s business as usual from here on out.)
OK, I know that the season actually ended months ago, but we’re finally catching up on BSG and can I just say Oh My Gods. That season ender (or season-middler, since they count their season funny, and it’s actually just a cliffhanger for the first half of the last season, whatever) was a KICK IN THE ASS.
I dont’ want to spoil it, as there may be others like me out there who are saving the final few episodes on their DVR for whatever reason, but…wow. I can’t believe they went there and saw that with so many more episodes to go. I have no idea what is in store beyond this. Granted, there’s still one final secret to be revealed, but STILL.
Wow.
If you’re not watching this show – why aren’t you watching this show? Go, put the DVDs in your Netflix queue RIGHT NOW. It may seem like it’s all sci-fi and fantasy, but really it’s one of the best scripted dramas on television right now. Go. Watch. You’ll see. Even just the first mini-series. That’s all it will take to hook you.
What are you waiting for? GO!
