tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post7057702271166453584..comments2024-03-28T10:18:00.370-05:00Comments on Gentlemen of Leisure: Last Week In TV #10Austin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-64147188630931263842010-12-09T10:38:33.479-06:002010-12-09T10:38:33.479-06:00@Blam: I really appreciated Holly telling it to Ra...@Blam: <i>I really appreciated Holly telling it to Rachel like it is.</i><br /><br />Ditto. Rachel, as a character, annoys me less than some people, but I love it when she gets put in place. <br /><br /><i>During fantasy sequences, which I take a lot of those production numbers to be (if only to appease corners of my own brain), </i><br /><br />Again, ditto. It's the only way it works. I mean that Umbrella/Singin' In the Rain mashup? No way a school with the kinda budget problems this one is shown to have could afford those water effects, especially for what is, essentially, a rehearsal. <br /><br />Bam! Fantasy sequence. <br /><br /><i>The friends of mine who watch NOF and are surprised that I don't are more "How could you not be interested / not support this?" than "You're missing out."</i><br /><br />Yeah, that's kinda been my take on it (at least so far; I've fallen a bit behind too): it's in my wheelhouse, and there's good stuff in it, but it's not quite essential, can't miss TV yet. <br /><br /><i>I kind-of think of it as my escapist basic-cable stand-in</i><br /><br />Yeah, <i>Human Target</i> definitely has the modern basic cable sensibility about it. In fact, it would probably do very well on USA or even TNT. <br /><br /><i>I know Bear McCreary's name from BSG, but didn't realize he'd been scoring this show or that he'd been controversially replaced.</i><br /><br />And now he's scoring <i>Walking Dead</i>, so maybe it all worked out for the best. <br /><br /><i>Maybe I should've held off on my little discourse about suspension of disbelief for this post, since you mention it here, but your remarks on Glee didn't prompt them the way last week's did.</i><br /><br />Nah. If nothing else, <i>Glee</i> will always provide plenty of opportunities to suspend our disbelief and prompt discussions thereof. <br /><br /><i>remembering Johansson as having the chops for this show from her last hosting gig.</i><br /><br />Exactly. I remember her doing quite well in previous gigs, and was disappointed she didn't get to do more this time around.Austin Gortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-51545213804654790992010-12-04T10:55:36.966-06:002010-12-04T10:55:36.966-06:00I'm not reading your No Ordinary Family commen...<br>I'm not reading your <i>No Ordinary Family</i> comments because I might catch up with the show down the road. While the pilot had potential, I was already a week behind when I watched it and I have a full TV plate — I'm trying not to get behind on serialized stuff that I really want to see first-run. The friends of mine who watch <i>NOF</i> and are surprised that I don't are more "How could you not be interested / not support this?" than "You're missing out."<br /><br />The full plate (and blunt logistical problems like one TV, one VCR, haphazard Internet) kept me from staying with <i>Human Target</i> last season for more than the first couple of episodes. I almost didn't even check out the new-season premiere for the same reason, plus my general hesitancy about joining shows in progress; when I did, I liked it enough to tape the next episode, but after the announcement of Nikki's <i>Buffy</i> Rewatch I decided to bag it — yet there I was, up one night, glad I'd kept it, and so far it's remained in my diet. <i>Modern Family</i> is my only other show on Wednesdays, so that helps, although ultimately it still might become a casualty of overall crowding. I kind-of think of it as my escapist basic-cable stand-in, since I can no longer watch <i>Leverage</i> (which has a similar concept) or <i>Eureka</i> (which stars Mark Valley's clone).<br /><br />I know Bear McCreary's name from <i>BSG</i>, but didn't realize he'd been scoring this show or that he'd been controversially replaced.<br /><br />Maybe I should've held off on my little discourse about suspension of disbelief for <i>this</i> post, since you mention it here, but your remarks on <i>Glee</i> didn't prompt them the way last week's did. I've never seen <i>Burn Notice</i>, mostly heard good things.<br /><br />I was disappointed in what <i>SNL</i> gave (or didn't give) Johansson to do too, especially in light of the Emma Stone episode and remembering Johansson as having the chops for this show from her last hosting gig. Agreed on the <i>Unstoppable</i> parody, disagreed on Sudeikis as Bush...<br /><br>Blamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07342343767763035991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-89635408364373256752010-12-04T10:49:44.414-06:002010-12-04T10:49:44.414-06:00Space Teens was (1) over the top; (2) totally inap...<br><i>Space Teens</i> was (1) over the top; (2) totally inappropriate for its time slot, as <i>HIMYM</i> often is; and (3) very funny.<br /><br /><i>it makes me wonder if, in the world of </i>Glee,<i> is there a Gwyneth Paltrow, and if so, do the kids think their new substitute teacher looks like her</i><br /><br />I've mused on that, but it's really only any kind of distraction if the show is set in or otherwise discusses pop culture to a significant degree. Not long ago, actually, I found it weird that a series that had referenced a celebrity had that celebrity guest star (not as him/herself, and likely not knowing during the mention that the guest spot would occur), but I don't recall which series. I have a half-written blogpost on fun "continuity" geekitude along these lines to finish one day, prompted by characters on <i>Chuck</i> watching <i>Spies Like Us</i> last season — <i>after</i> Chevy Chase had appeared in a significant recurring role. <br /><br /><i>"C'mon, guys. There's gotta be a Journey song we haven't done yet."</i><br /><br />As much as I appreciated that, I thought it was maybe a tad too on the nose, although the fact that the whole episode was a mite surreal and meta, even for <i>Glee</i>, made it sit better. I <i>really</i> appreciated Holly telling it to Rachel like it is. I also really liked Paltrow's turn in general, and you can count among the apparent minority with a soft spot for her, what with her seeming reputation for having an "Oh, I'm <i>such</i> a normal person with <i>such</i> an awesome life thanks to my famous friends!" attitude.<br /><br /><i>though I do love the Journey songs</i><br /><br />You lost me there. 8^)<br /><br /><i>since they weren't actually performing in front of an audience, and his motivations for doing so were, for once, not so creepy</i><br /><br />During fantasy sequences, which I take a lot of those production numbers to be (if only to appease corners of my own brain), it's much more excusable, although I still think it's a little weird whenever they perform for and/or with one another as a "treat".<br /><br />I really liked the "Singin' in the Rain" / "Umbrella" mash-up too, but also thought that the rendition of "Forget You" was surprisingly respectable.<br /><br>Blamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07342343767763035991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-61241891923859819122010-11-23T08:13:06.511-06:002010-11-23T08:13:06.511-06:00@Dr. Bitz: But then I remember that Ocean's 12...@Dr. Bitz: <i>But then I remember that Ocean's 12 actually used that idea as a plot device and I also remember how very, very lame it was. Thus, I hope it never happens again.</i><br /><br />Oh, god, yeah, that was awful. I don't know want shows to actually DO anything about it, I'm just always curious about it. <br /><br /><i>Listen, all I know is when I was in high school if a girl laid her hand on me...uh...well...let's just hope she couldn't see what I was thinking...</i><br /><br />Let's be honest here: if the show was going for straight up realism, that poor girl should probably be in an asylum, driven mad by the depraved and perverted thoughts of all the guys at her school.Austin Gortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-60539268619907382822010-11-23T08:12:28.972-06:002010-11-23T08:12:28.972-06:00sigh *chefsigh *chefAnne Ahiershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04695186823472404436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-73442854767822259732010-11-22T19:15:58.980-06:002010-11-22T19:15:58.980-06:00i cannot freaking wait for top check all starsi cannot freaking wait for top check all starsAnne Ahiershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04695186823472404436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-74128119725336665592010-11-22T17:25:54.601-06:002010-11-22T17:25:54.601-06:00Whenever a TV show does stunt casting involving a ...<i>Whenever a TV show does stunt casting involving a big name star, such as Gwyneth Paltrow in this episode, it makes me wonder if, in the world of Glee, is there a Gwyneth Paltrow, and if so, do the kids think their new substitute teacher looks like her?</i><br /><br />Yeah, I've thought about that too. But then I remember that Ocean's 12 actually used that idea as a plot device and I also remember how very, very lame it was. Thus, I hope it never happens again.<br /><br /><i>...so expanding that to where physical contact leads to her seeing that person's mental images makes sense.</i><br /><br />Listen, all I know is when I was in high school if a girl laid her hand on me...uh...well...let's just hope she couldn't see what I was thinking...<br /><br />*sigh* And yes...you can probably take the "when I was in high school" part out of that sentence. <br /><br />Frankly, it's probably in everybody's best interest to not know what I'm thinking....provided you care to keep your sanity.Dr. Bitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13568570859981368717noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-69639907561137032010-11-22T14:29:09.615-06:002010-11-22T14:29:09.615-06:00and how are principals chosen? Are Superintendants...<i>and how are principals chosen? Are Superintendants elected? do they hire the principals?<br />I'm not sure, but i don't think you need a sub-principal if he's out sick</i><br /><br />It probably various from state to state (if not city by city or even district by district) but I'm pretty sure the principal is appointed by the Superintendent. Not sure where he comes from. <br /><br />And, at least at my high school, there were several vice-principals and other, non-teacher administrative positions, any of whom, I assume, were fully capable of filling in for the principal should he or she be sick (and, let's be honest here, it isn't like the principal really does much on a day-to-day basis that would grind a school to a halt should he be absent). <br /><br />Basically, it's just one more example of how <i>Glee</i> operates in a reality similar but not identical to the one in which we operate. <br /><br /><i><br />a little behind on top chef there, are we?</i><br /><br />Oh yeah. And we're even further behind on Hawaii 5-0 (which I'm not missing...), Nikita, and Blue Bloods. <br /><br />But we're trying to get caught up before Top Chef All Stars kicks off.Austin Gortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-16780947841863116322010-11-22T13:39:58.587-06:002010-11-22T13:39:58.587-06:00i'm also curious to see what happens with Figg...i'm also curious to see what happens with Figgins<br /><br />and how are principals chosen? Are Superintendants elected? do they hire the principals?<br />I'm not sure, but i don't think you need a sub-principal if he's out sick<br /><br />a little behind on top chef there, are we?Anne Ahiershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04695186823472404436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-13181418001775720702010-11-22T10:35:13.494-06:002010-11-22T10:35:13.494-06:00Not even Bruce Campbell and Michael Shanks could s...<i>Not even Bruce Campbell and Michael Shanks could save it for me.</i><br /><br />It's like <i>Glee</i> in that way too: not for everyone.<br /><br />I got into gradually as Mrs. Teebore watched it and I'd kinda half pay attention to it while doing something else, and eventually it grew on me to the point where I was watching it right alongside her (this is also how I ended up watching the Closer). <br /><br />I think that warming up period enabled me to accept some of its foibles better. <br /><br />And if the Michael Shanks season didn't work for you, I'm not even going to try to convince you to give it another shot, as that's generally considered the show's best thus far. <br /><br /><i>I thought the Glee episode was too much Gwen and Will, not enough Glee kids.</i><br /><br />I will say that I appreciate it when a show gets a big name guest star (like Gwyneth Paltrow) and actually works said star into the story of the episode rather than just dropping the star in for a random scene. <br /><br />So that said, I didn't mind the Gwyneth/Will focus as much even it did cost the kids some screen time. It also gave us some great Sue material, and she's been quiet the last couple episodes.Austin Gortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-498244223596270292010-11-22T10:18:33.735-06:002010-11-22T10:18:33.735-06:00i tried to give Burn Notice a shot and watched it ...i tried to give Burn Notice a shot and watched it on my lunch breaks for half a dozen episodes, but i couldn't do it. Not even Bruce Campbell and Michael Shanks could save it for me.<br /><br />I thought the Glee episode was too much Gwen and Will, not enough Glee kids. But lately that seems pretty par for the course. Still, Mary Lincoln Todd was awesome!Sarah Ahiershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02795455714801965956noreply@blogger.com