Wednesday night TV wallow

[scarlettina]

Wednesday nights are my TV nights. I shut off the phone and do nothing but watch TV. Most other nights aren't like this at all. Wednesday night is my one appointment TV night these days.

First, Ed: Last night, after a few rather inexplicable episodes that felt like Ed-as-The-Honeymooners and Ed-as-primetime-drama, Ed finally felt like the show I fell in love with. The last couple of episodes have just been odd, getting away from some of the central things that made the show so attractive to me. Last night, however, was all about Ed's central themes: reaching for dreams and aspirations, loyalty, love, friendship and how those things affect our choices and paths in life. And with a cliff-hanger yet! Very satisfying.

Second, Angel (WARNING: SPOILERS--skip this 'graph is you haven't seen it): Quite entertaining. I know that there's been a certain trepidation in the fan community about the show being more episodic this season, but I think this approach serves the show's needs right now: to rebuild audience after a less-than-stellar season, to reintroduce characters and their relationships, and to get back toward "the mission," which got a little lost in the Connor-and-Cordy/Jasmine melodrama that so skewed last season for me. What'd I enjoy last night? The spigot slave, the Incredible Hulk Lorne (Mutant Enemy shows Ang Lee how it's done...and done well!), the Lorne-in-the-Mirror, and all the reactions to Lorne's "suggestions." Now I don't feel so bad that Lorne's having been such a do-nothing so far this season. His few cameo appearances have been building up to this. I just wish, however, that this archive of removed characteristics had been set up in an earlier episode--or had it been and I missed it? I also keep waiting for Knox to turn out to be too good to be true. I suppose they'll get to that later this season. I just know he's hiding something...otherwise why would someone so bright and squeaky-clean be at Wolfram & Hart, I ask you?

Lastly, for you discerning viewers out there, I'd like to recommend a show The Boyfriend turned me on to: Karen Sisco. Based on an Elmore Leonard character, the show follows Sisco (Carla Gugino), a US Marshall, on the beat in Florida, her relationship with her father (the sturdy and quite fine Robert Forster), and the cases they work on. This is more than a cop show, though. The quirky-and-true relationships, especially between the two central characters, just really work. This thing is on ABC on Wednesday nights at 10, and well worth staying up for.

Comments

Thanks to the PVR/satellite setup I've been watching Angel.

[bedii.livejournal.com]

Now mind you, I've seen only seen about six Buffy episodes. I gather that Angel had to leave because he became a soulless vampire again after making love with her. (I'm fighting to avoid some truly wicked jokes here, so *work* with me on this one.) This is why Angel got broody, right?

In addition, I gather Spike was supposed to be almost as bad as bad Angel until he had some sort of chip implanted. Clearly it had some Munch properties (the ex-producer of "Homicide" has suggested changing the title of "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" to "Munch at 10:00"), allowing him to survive Buffy, albeit as some sort of poltergeist. Right?

Spoiler throw-away! You have been warned!

Anyway, I will gladly allow the character almost any assortment of past sins for the line "Alright, Angel's finally getting some! Good on you, mate!" followed by a thumbs-up. Hilarious.

Although I'd appreciate it if someone would explain the joke about unnatural supernatural compulsions for sex and going to (I think) USC-Santa Cruz. Is this like Woody Allen's joke about the NYU graduate in "Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex, But Were Afraid to Ask?"

Re: Thanks to the PVR/satellite setup I've been watching Angel.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

Keep watching the Buffy reruns, Bruce, to get the full back-story. I'd summarize for you here, but there's simply too much material to cover in one post. You've got the general idea; Spike's early episodes were pretty scary. He's certainly, um, evolved. Angel did get evil again, then good again, and left mainly because he saw no future for himself and Buffy. But it's more complex than that. Keep watching. If you can, try and rent the season sets and just wacth them through. they're well worth seeing.

Re: Thanks to the PVR/satellite setup I've been watching Angel.

[bedii.livejournal.com]

I was going to catch up on the Angel episodes via the PVR, and borrow the season sets from Hank as soon as I get caught up on the films he's loaned me on DVD. (Although he says the Cutthroat Island isn't his, and I don't see myself having bought it in cold blood. I mean, I love swashbucklers and think that Gena Davis is incredibly cute, but I skipped it in the theater because it was supposed to be one of the worst ever made.)

[herself_nyc]

I too am digging Karen Sisco. Much more than the movie of it (Out of Sight), althought that did have George Clooney, which is seldom a bad thing. These days I just like TV so much more than movies. This is probably a sign of regression on my part.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

Regression? I don't think so. I think that we enjoy creating relationships with charcters. TV lets us do that, given its weekly format. Movies are one-shot experiences. I think one of the reasons the Lord of the Rings series is so popular as a movie phenomenon (even as a novel series) is that it gives viewer/readers a chance to become involved with its characters. There's definitely an argument to be made for this.

[herself_nyc]

Yeah, I was joking mostly. I like TV for the same reason I like Victorian novels, which you state--the chance to become involved with characters over time.

Karen Sisco

[kathlaw.livejournal.com]

Lastly, for you discerning viewers out there, I'd like to recommend a show The Boyfriend turned me on to

Yes! I like it so much that when I have to make a choice (as in not home so can't tape one/watch another), I tape it over "Law & Order." I'd even go so far as to say it's my favorite new drama.

Favorite sit com, and I usually don't care for the breed, is "Two and a Half Men." Wonderful writing, and great cast including Holland Taylor. It's a nice lead-in to "CSI Miami" on Monday nights.

Re: Karen Sisco

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

I'd even go so far as to say it's my favorite new drama.

Given that I rarely pick up new dramas, this is kind of a big deal for me. I like it a great deal.

Haven't seen "Two and a Half Men," though if I'd known that Holland Taylor was part of the cast, I might have given it a try that much sooner. I love her!