LOIS, CUFFLINKS AND CARLY(PLUS MIDDLENEWS)

Right, quick insomniac stream of conciousness TV and multi media notes:

SMALLVILLE: still not great Lois writing, but some great Lois and Clark moments in the Doomsday meets Chloe wedding disaster. Great use of limited special effects, much heightening of drama. Erica Durance and Tom Welling do good work and fit in well together at the farm, there’s a nice feel. The return of Kristin Kreuk as Lana Lang got me in trouble — if you’re going to come back, come back in style — and she did. Wow. And with the “Did the Archer believe you?” message, the intrigue vibe came with her. Some beautiful moments — excellent visuals by the director — and the last sequence was breathtaking and beautiful and actually made me want to watch the next episode (but no joy there ’til Jan. 15th); don’t take any kryptonite cookies and avoid Kristin Kreuk in black leather or anything resembling it, that’s my advice.

iCarly — downloaded iWin a Date, which is another of my favorite episodes…Gibby’s great fun. Also watched iWon’t Tell (I think that’s the title) and realized that Miranda Cosgrove is a master of the comic meltdown rant, a core iCarly concept. Between iCarly’s “Random Dancing” segments and True Jackson’s “Dance Party” have decided I need an actual stereo with speakers I can control remotely from any room downstairs. More dancing always good. True Jackson continues funny, but they keep throwing in these “I’m only a teen in way over my head moments” and I just don’t like them.

Disney: Bolt’s getting good and neutral tweets on Twitter; the “Harper Knows” Wizards of Waverly Place(Flash does not approve of Wizards; for her Selena Gomez is always the villanous Mikayla, we think) episode was actually fun — between that show and the Big Bang Theory there will be so much embrace your inner and outer geek going on that I dread to see what shows filter out of the next iteration of inspiration based on that premise.

Anything else? Hmmm, have Spirited Away on loan, must watch sometime this week and see if anime love lingers post Howl’s Moving Castle.

All right, I’m done and too tired to link. Google, Ask or Yahoo…you’ll find it. Good night all. Enjoy your Monday(yes, even if it requires large amounts of lasagna).

Oh, A Middleman update(I’ll link for fellow Middleman lovers) — apparently Natalie Morales has been signed for a pilot of something scifi Star trek spoofy and here’s a blog containing interviews about the future (or not) of the Middleman. Kevin Sorbo’s in there too –oddly, I just iPwatched the episode he appeared in…tomorrow, maybe episode 11????? The DVD set should come with a bonus CD of the show’s music to soothe the no season 2 heartbreak.

NETWORK ROUND UP

Well, the Big Bang Theory has given up on anything but Sheldon vs. Penny and it’s working — very very funny. Kaley Cuoco and Jim Parsons have great chemistry and both have legendary comic timing. I loved when Penny did the 3 part knock on Sheldon’s door; Raj and Howard on the supermodel trail a good sidenote and Johhny Galecki seems to be sliding quite nicely into the whisper of reason role.

Still watching The Middleman on my iPod and lamenting its lack of a future. Have decided I need to upgrade my rating on the Tuba and Puppet episodes; Lacey and The Middleman do such a delicate and nuanced dance of attraction that it is actually delightful to watch. And how could a show with someone as exuberantly joyful and sexy as Brit Morgan’s Lacey(and I usually skew brunette) get cancelled. Come on people. Gayle at least wants it out on DVD. I want a second season. I’ve been remembering scenes and not remembering which episode they’re from — I think next on the Middle agenda is watching the Kevin Sorbo one, although maybe I should watch a Roger Moore James Bond or In Like Flint just to get in the mood.

Anything else while I’m on the TV track — Smallville. Nice to see so much of Erica Durance, but have faith in your actors and get better darn writers. Having the villian of the week telling Lois and Clark (pick a different one each week) they have feelings for each other is a cheap excuse for a relationship. Show it, don’t tell it — isn’t that even in the basic scriptwriting books so EVEN if you substituted formula for talent or effort, the Smallville scribes should still be doing it right. But they aren’t. No one’s actively keeping secrets from anyone and that’s so not Smallville. I never thought I’d miss Lana, but I do. Kristin Kreuk’s Lana was actually allowed to be amused by things, even while withholding information. I miss that. But don’t mistake that for an I miss Clark and Lana. I don’t. I miss storylines that are driven by things that matter to the characters and I think a Smallville driven by the Jimmy-Chloe-Doomsday triangle is a Smallville that doesn’t work.

YOUR FACE IN THIS TUBE

And yes, welcome to what I think is the last Middleman episode review…yes, there can be a sigh; there can also be a hope that somehow there will eventually something worthy of the EM scale again. Watched Episode 4 last night, The Manicoid Teleportation Conundrum, with its lovely Dr. Phil parody — major + for that. I think this episode might have had the best music..pause while I see if I can find out who it was…Russian Futurists again, Arm’s Way, Scientific and Islands. The Middleman music and links can be found at heard on tv…it links you from the song to last.fm, which is handy — it also links you to various buying options but I’m a test drive first with music.

Back to Middleratings…I think this might be Lacey’s best episode– she doesn’t really do anything except sit around and poke her nose into Wendy Watson’s life and it’s GREAT. Plastic surgery aliens very funny; training day and the Middleman’s excitement about it also fun. Bad boyfriend taste lingering also works.

+ for Rendezvous Point, + for Lacey-Middleman interaction, + for Manicoids, + for training wheels, + for rescue entrance (spaceship plus “clean living was his credo and justice was his ride”), + for day in the life feel, + for timing (Dr. Gil blasted at just the exact right moment), ++ for MiddleMatt’s gleam as he enjoys “training day,” + for Wendy’s interrogation of the droid — The Middleman really excels at things you don’t want to miss going on in the background — +for Xanadu reference, – for cheesy moustache, oh, they’re always a minus, unless one turned up on Ida.

And the score, on the EM scale of (-6 to +6): +5.5; good all around episode, chock full o’ Middlelore. We like it. I think I’m going to have to go back and watch the “Cursed Tuba” episode and see if I like it better the second time around.

As the Middleman might say, “walk with purpose” folks and have a darn good time.

2:03 AM

Burning a promised DVD of my movie stuff ( Gullible and Twitchy, Hat Hair, Lonely Pond Productions trailer), including the top secret Jabberwocky near final edit for the NJ nephew and nieces (and my buddy Laurie in Georgia).  This way I can get it off my to-do list and not turn on my computer on the morrow.  Pause for checking that iDVD actually put some content on the shiny disk (And the fun grindy noises begin.) 

Enjoyed the weather today; colors are starting to change and air is that particular crisp clear that comes with October, a visual bite into a Macintosh apple.  Tomorrow, hair cut, I’m thinking of going buzz cut levels of short on the sides, but chilly weather might make my ears reconsider.  

Speaking of apples, have been having half of one each night — we really need to trek down to the apple farm.  I keep buying half gallons of cider I only drink half of (half is our word here for the night at lonelypond — I am currently half asleep).  When I was a kid, a trek to the apple farm meant apple cider donuts.  Now I read the ingredients on the grocery store version and am cured of any cravings. What I like is a nice simple apple crisp with some streuselly stuff on top. Cinnamon season is upon us.  And pumpkins.  And pumpkin seeds on the wind, but that’s another story.

I’ll add TV reviews here, just to score one for insomniac stream of consciousness versus organized for you WordPress wordtag searchers out there.  Oh, and a note, I checked for a Tarrell Alvin McCraney play at the alternate office but none was available, so maybe it’s time to talk to the nice interlibrary loan librarian again.

The Middleman — watched the Clotharian Contamination Protocol again; still funny.  Love all the Dr. Who/Star Trek references, Ida rocks, Fantastic Voyage references good — although if only they’d managed to fit in a Tick/Dinosaur Neil one (note to self, acquire Tick vs. Season One; must see “The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs At Midnight”  plus second most glorious villain El Seed)– love the initial conversation between Wendy and Tyler by the hot dog stand — The Middleman always does an excellent job when many things are happening at once.  MiddleMatt does a great job of restraint and emotion when listening to Wendy’s Code 47, it really is a darn shame that great writing, great fun and great acting doesn’t equal great second season. Still think Tyler’s too smarmy and thought it odd when Gayle agreed with me, she’s usually a sucker for sentiment.  Next week, I figure out which episode I have yet to review — I’m pretty sure there is one, #3 maybe??????? Or the other one with Roxy???

Still not really missing Eureka much, although I get occasional twitter updates from S.A.R.A.H.  Yes, you too can either follow an artificially intelligent superhouse or lonelypond on twitter — the choices you get with the new generation of social media.

The Big Bang Theory opened well with a great fall by Johnny Galecki into the sofa — true tests of comedians: the fall and the spit take. Fairly solid episode, maybe a little too much Sheldon, although the bit at the DMV was great. Good reactions all round — nice that frequently the actors, especially Cuoco, just get to have these looks, these great great funny looks.

Also, I must confess to straying off the Disney channel to catch the occasional iCarly. Flash does not approve, but at long as it doesn’t interfere with her post medication Disney time, she refrains from actually expressing disapproval — don’t ask, cats are particular about so many things. iCarly is a crazy loud fast moving hoot of a show with small children as crazy as I remember them being. Funny, funny — looking forward to iGo Japan on Nov. 8th.

And it’s 2:44 a.m. and I think that’s enough meandering for now. Good night all. Pick random Shakespeare quote (Google, etc.): “What’s in name? that which we call a rose…”
May rose petals waft in your dreams amid apples halves and October air.

COMFORT FOOD AND TELEVISION

OK, this week’s Monday night plan is watch The Big Bang Theory, eat some form of comfort food — even though the restaurant (Keo) that supplies me with curry chicken rice is closed on Mondays — watch Top Gear with Gayle while reading the fun sections of the FT Weekend — FT lead art critic Jackie Wullschlager has written one of the better recent Lunch with the FT — and then finish off with The Clotharian Contamination episode of The Middleman, which will mean two weeks of aliens in funny hats and I hope enough laughter to get me over the “I’m coming down with something feeling.” Good thing my comfort food categories usually include the addition of garlic and maybe I can convince Gayle that an apple crisp or some form of cookie will be good for the morale. One can hope. Pongo is also a bit under the weather but he had his Cheetah Girls content last night (yes, Pongo is a Cheetah Girl fan, along with his other passions, Bjork, raw hamburger, and watching ESPN’s First Take on the couch with me) so tonight, he’ll just have to settle for Monday night laughter and raw hamburger.

Where was I? Cookies + The Middleman. I must review blog entries to see if there’s any I missed reviewing or maybe I’ll just rereview a few — the initial ones were a bit bare. Anybody have a suggestion for next week’s? And don’t forget to vote for Gullible and/or Twitchy (see Gullible and Twitchy for President entry.)

Reviews by Wednesday or so. Tomorrow, I’m trying the sun and fresh air approach to feeling better. Cheers.

TIME TO ROCK

Well, Pip at least has more personality than Varsity Fanclub*. The Boy-Band Superfan Interrogation is a solid middle of the lineup batting average episode of The Middleman. I love Lacey doing the Varsity Fanclub dance, followed by The Middleman’s slightly inept bopping along at the concert. He may not have rhythm but gosh darn, he’s got spirit. Love Ida coming out of the box with a robot wrecking punch. And have I previously mentioned how much I enjoy the title sequence — bright peppy fun that reminds me of my beloved Avengers in the Diana Rigg years. I also enjoy (even though still not fond of the lighting) anytime we get a tour of Middle HQ. There’s so many things quietly, quirkly sitting in the background and pushing into the edges of the frame. Can’t decide how I feel about the blocked out foul mouth of the superstalker. Love the fast Huffy though. Clotharians are fun for protocol fiends and a point for the duck butt sans orange sauce hanging in mid-air. Great episode for references: Marvin, Howard, Elroy, Wonder Dog. Good plagiarism reaction from The Middleman, one of those deadpan lines I could quote you the list of all night: “Remember Dubby, people, people like myself, people who are trained can do things, things that hurt.”

The Score: + for excellent Ida banter; +for art crisis, +for recognizing the evil inherent in pop bands populated by extraterrestrial dictators (oh, like there aren’t more of them out there), -for nothing really quirky coming out after the truth bomb, +for Lacey’s Laciness, – for lack of charisimo for the boy band, + for art.

So, I’m thinking +3.75ish on the EM Scale of -6 to +6.

*The low key Varsity FanClub makes me long for the wacky parodic stylings of Boyz ‘N Motion of That’s So Raven fame — “we are the boyz, the boyz in motion, we give you our devotion”. Ah, maybe what the episode lacked was a kicky kitschy catchy song.

ART CRAWL

I love (raise right arm in air) “ART CRAWL;”  I might host one.  For those of you who don’t understand that at all, watch the “Flying Fish Zombification” episode of The Middleman.  Watch any episode, especially if you’re a TV programming executive.  But alas, pleas like that are getting nowhere as Google brings up no Middleman news since the end of summer.  So release the DVDs, I’ll host an “Art Crawl” in honor of, and let’s get back to the review.  And if you’re responsible for a Season 2, I’ll send you a cool piece of art.  

 

Yes, yes I know…enough with the pleading.  It’s just a shame that a show so very well done with excellent writing and acting can’t manage to survive.  I give ABC Family points for giving it a go, but the teen angst network wasn’t really the best fit.  

 

I think this might be my favorite episode.   It’s just perfect with the Sensei Ping references and Ida at that perfectly tuned level of robotic harassment and The Middleman with his darn chirpy cheekiness on the side of what must be done and done well and the excellence of the verbal and physical comedy.  Both MiddleMatt and MiddleNat fight funny, fall funny and (pause for broadly comic gesture) !!!! funny.  This one’s just full of fun phrases I could quote at you all night:  ”Art Crawl,” “Dr. Barbara Thornfield, MD, PHD,” “Do you want to shoot me in the head?” ” W:  ”Entrail  ripping, brain chewing zombies?  MM:  The very same.  W:  Cool”  ”A mysteriously urgent and time consuming form of temping.”

Still love the titles giving place and time, Wendy’s best art, and I want my Middle Mini Cooper with the Jet Engine on top.  And now we go to scoring:

 

+++ for Art Crawl, + for the zombie victim interview (great not undeadpan), – for hallway lighting, + for Stump the Band, + for the Devil’s Dance, ++! for !!!!, + for split screens, + plus for flying fish fights, – for Pip (I know everyone needs a nemesis but PIP), + for Ida…yes, I’m blowing out the scale again — on the EM scale of -6 to +6, I give it a 6.5.  Next Monday, I’m keeping the faith with the Varsity Fan Club.  Stop by.

MIDDLEMAN BLUES

I apologize for the breaking of the Middlestreak; I think I’m a little down that there aren’t any more out there, but I fully intend to review ALL of them.  So tonight, I’ve loaded up my iPod with the finest of Trout Zombie bait and I’m going to see if I laugh hard enough to fall out of bed.  Details on the morrow; apologies for absence.  I miss the Middleman so much more than Eureka;  if Monday could just have an hour of the Big Bang Theory, a Top Gear for Gayle, and the second season of Middleman episodes, I’d find an Eisenhower jacket and do the dance of Middle joy.  Trout Fishing in Middle America, here I come.

I WANT A MIDDLECAR

Watching the Sino-Mexican Revelation on my iPod was a surprisingly relaxing experience.  Close to my favorite episode.  Have to watch the trout zombie one again to know.  What did I like:  hmmm, Noser?middleman conversations always fun as are Lacey/Middleman conversations.  Sensei  Ping excellent; wrestlers excellent; Tyler o.k. in this episode; fight scene great; split screen scenes great so on to scoring:

 

+ for fight scene, ++ for Wendy/Sensei Ping interaction, plus the Middleman’s reaction, + for the scantily clad waitress pirate themed bar; – for too many fade to blacks in the Wendy knockout sequence; – for a bit too squelchy Middleman visit at the end (yes, squelchy, I’m not exactly sure what that means and no, it doesn’t involve a bodily function except for maybe the unexpected welling of tears, but I think it’s too much emotion, although  MiddleMatt carries it off); – for Tyler’s fixing the car; he’s just too perfect.

Where are we on the EM scale — 5.5, I think,  +5.5.

“I NEVER BUILD STRIP MALLS”

And if you’ve never watched the pilot episode of The Middleman that will make no sense. Go watch it now; I’ll wait.

There, had a good laugh? Dancing with Middle joy? Wondering where the next mutant, evil scientist, or confrontational conceptual artist will strike? Good.

O.K., the Pilot Episode Sanction score — wrote pluses and minuses on little blue post its scattered across the top of my computer so let’s take them in order: +black and white interludes, + location titling, + for “as is department”, +for “I never build strip malls” and other dialogue you actually have to listen to, + (always) for Noser, + for the art scattered around the illegal sublet, – Kesslar’s good, but in some parts, especially the beginning the dialogue just goes too fast, + Avengers reference, – for bad gorilla body double on the gunman, + for the Middleman’s “I have issues with authority”, + for the totally poised hero run, +for gorilla art…

And that’s only the blue post it tip of a larger comedy iceberg. Score on the EM scale (-6 to +6), well, +6 — how can you not give a perfect score to a reprise of the night you fell in love. Something about The Middleman just leaves me with a grin and in a dancing mood, possibly square dancing or at least country line dancing though I don’t have the boots. I think Middleman is vying to take beach bum off the top of my future career list, ahead of choreographer and media mogul.

So watch ‘em and if you happen to be a media mogul– I have yet to get my multi million media mogul spurs — pick the darn show up.