What Are You Watching

So, did anyone else watch Sarah Silverman's failed pilot? It's not good, but the signature scene has me slightly ranty.

I mentioned this before with Sandra Bullock and The Proposal, but if you're going to do a bit of embarrassed/public nudity-- and yes, of course, for public TV you have to do a certain amount of modesty-- but is it too much to ask that the character's modesty not be based on their awareness of how they're framed in the camera? Because it's very odd when a character's decision to cover themselves up is based more on what the camera can see rather than, say, what the people around them that they are supposedly hiding from can see.

xyzzy wrote:Watching Frontline's League of Denial right now and I'm literally watching with my hand over my mouth. Jesus.

Thanks for bringing this to my attention!

And the most shocking thing to me is how effectively the NFL shat all over the scientists. They're like the tobacco companies, except the cigarettes are people.

choubetcha wrote:The first episode of Witches of East End was exactly the kind of overheated nonsense I am looking for in my life. I read the book a while back and found it confusing, but the show is perfect. When the flower petals exploded, indicating ROMANCE, I was in.

I watched two eps last night and may keep up with it because I really like Wendy and Ingrid. I was tired of the Freya/Killian thing right when it began though. That's the kind of angsty love story that totally turns me off. And holy crap, Julia Ormond's accent is all over the place! It wasn't so bad in the pilot, but in the second ep, she began sounding English and then Irish. It's so distracting!

Sorry, Dracula, but my "hot people in anachronistic costumes" time is already devoted to Reign, which turns the cheesy up to 12 and is therefore awesome, whereas you have only turned it up to 8 and also made the pace really slow. You have also already killed off a potentially interesting antagonist in the form of the awesome Simon Callow in favor of an anachronistically feminist blonde hot girl with suspiciously well-displayed boobs for 1896. Also, somehow you have managed the impossible and hidden the sexy of both Jonathan Rhys-Meyers and Thomas Kretschmann with ill-advised wigs and facial hair; why you suddenly started pretending to be wed to historical accuracy via mustache is beyond me, although thank you for leaving the discount Chris Evans playing Harker unscathed.

Although, props to you for answering three age-old questions about the Dracula story, namely 1) what if Mina Murray was an anachronistic female med student (who is a brunette who keeps her boobs covered because she is the Good Girl), 2) What if Van Helsing actually resurrected Dracula on purpose, and 3) What if Dracula and Van Helsing both really, really hated Big Business and were going to TAKE THOSE BASTARDS DOWN, DAMMIT?

I am not making any of this up.

Cynara wrote:sexy of both Jonathan Rhys-Meyers  

discount Chris Evans playing Harker unscathed.  

This is probably backwards thinking on my part, but I've always thought of Jonathan Rhys-Meyers as price-gouging Kevin Alejandro.

whatthedeuce wrote:

choubetcha wrote:The first episode of Witches of East End was exactly the kind of overheated nonsense I am looking for in my life. I read the book a while back and found it confusing, but the show is perfect. When the flower petals exploded, indicating ROMANCE, I was in.

I watched two eps last night and may keep up with it because I really like Wendy and Ingrid. I was tired of the Freya/Killian thing right when it began though. That's the kind of angsty love story that totally turns me off. And holy crap, Julia Ormond's accent is all over the place! It wasn't so bad in the pilot, but in the second ep, she began sounding English and then Irish. It's so distracting!

I normally would be turned off also, but I find the guy they cast as Killian so NOT dark and mysterious that it all works out for me. He looks like a puppy they put in a leather jacket. And I love all the female characters, especially Aunt Wendy, so the romance being more entertaining than compelling is not a dealbreaker for me.

I wish Dash would get with Ingrid. I find Freya infinitely annoying.

My initial reaction to The Crazy Ones was pretty much just 'meh', but I've actually started enjoying it more and more each episode. Tonight's episode had me laughing out loud several times. Part of it was the awesome Josh Groban whose music has never been my bag, but whose personality makes him one of my favourite celebs out there. Playing the crazy stalker in love with SMG was great, especially as it turns out he wasn't really crazy, just reading things wrong. The songs were FANTASTIC. And the way everyone in the office reacted to the songs was the best, particularly James Wolk practically swooning when he heard the second song. Loved the whole thing. And while I liked Amanda Setton on The Mindy Project, I didn't really miss her much when she left, but she is so incredible on this show. She gives me more laughs per episode than any other character.

I just watched the first episode of The Returned, and I am hooked. It's a creepy French series on the Sundance Channel, in which some kids in the Alps somewhere are in a bus accident and four years later they all come back. It was VERY moody and a little Top of the Lake-y, and it's supposedly "horror" but so far it's just super atmospheric. It is in French so there's that (I didn't actually know that before I started), but I'm OK with that (I mean, it has subtitles of course). It does NOT seem to be available on demand; it's on the Sundance Channel but also on iTunes, and the first episode is free but the rest of them aren't free. I downloaded the free one, I started series recording it, but I missed episode 2, so I'll have to get it somewhere. Yay, a new show!

I believe there was a novel of the same name released just this year, and I believe it also involves people returning from the dead (all over the globe though, not just in France). I wonder if that show is an adaptation of it?

dionneshea wrote:My initial reaction to The Crazy Ones was pretty much just 'meh', but I've actually started enjoying it more and more each episode.  Tonight's episode had me laughing out loud several times. Part of it was the awesome Josh Groban whose music has never been my bag, but whose personality makes him one of my favourite celebs out there.  Playing the crazy stalker in love with SMG was great, especially as it turns out he wasn't really crazy, just reading things wrong. The songs were FANTASTIC. And the way everyone in the office reacted to the songs was the best, particularly James Wolk practically swooning when he heard the second song. Loved the whole thing. And while I liked Amanda Setton on The Mindy Project, I didn't really miss her much when she left, but she is so incredible on this show. She gives me more laughs per episode than any other character.

I'm glad to hear this! I've just started watching The Crazy Ones and the first few episodes didn't grab me (especially the 'let's have all the characters talk over each other for 50% of the episode', which Parenthood also does, but I don't find it happens every time a character speaks), but I'll stick with it because I love all the actors in it.

whatthedeuce Today At 19:58

I believe there was a novel of the same name released just this year, and I believe it also involves people returning from the dead (all over the globe though, not just in France). I wonder if that show is an adaptation of it?

It's actually based on the 2004 movie They Came Back.

Ahhh, thank you, biakbiak. I thought it might be too incredible for a novel to be adapted that quickly.

Anyone seen Twisted? I saw the first episode and it's not bad for a teen drama.

I really like The Crazy Ones too! It doesn't always make me laugh but I am weirdly absorbed in it when it's on. I have a great amount of fondness for most of the cast, and everyone seems like they're having such a good time. I am impressed with how well James Wolk meshes with Robin Williams, and I think Hamish Linklater is adorable playing the same type of role he always plays, plus SMG. SMG!!!

I watched the NPH version of Company on PBS this past weekend, and it was as delightful as I had assumed it would be. Christina Hendricks was very funny, and I actually thought Jon Cryer was great. Next week, they're showing the Hugh Jackman Oklahoma! in the same timeslot, so thank you PBS for keeping me in musicals no one will watch with me.

I want to try Sleepy Hollow simply because I want to ship Ichabod/Abby. Is that a bad thing? Those two would look gorgeous together. Apparently, he's married though from what I read in an article.

choubetcha wrote:I really like The Crazy Ones too! It doesn't always make me laugh but I am weirdly absorbed in it when it's on. I have a great amount of fondness for most of the cast, and everyone seems like they're having such a good time. I am impressed with how well James Wolk meshes with Robin Williams, and I think Hamish Linklater is adorable playing the same type of role he always plays, plus SMG. SMG!!!

I watched the NPH version of Company on PBS this past weekend, and it was as delightful as I had assumed it would be. Christina Hendricks was very funny, and I actually thought Jon Cryer was great. Next week, they're showing the Hugh Jackman Oklahoma! in the same timeslot, so thank you PBS for keeping me in musicals no one will watch with me.

We apparently share one mind. The Crazy Ones is not the funniest show ever, but it's fun to watch. I'm really impressed with James Wolk; didn't realize he was so funny. It's just a fun, light watch.

I saw that production of Company when it was broadcast in theatres 2 years ago. Loved it. I wanted to rewatch it this weekend, but I was out and missed it. I'm so glad to hear they're airing Oklahoma! I need to watch that.

Does anyone else here watch Person of Interest? Last night's episode was so sad and next week's is going to be revenge times infinity. I think Jim Caviezel's character John Reese is one of the most badass characters on TV.

I'm watching it. I just watched last night's episode, in fact, and how I am supposed to make it through a Brownie meeting in an hour after THAT ending, I do not know!!

I think Reese is going to tear the city apart after what just happened and good on him, I say! Though I do have some feelings about that ending that are mostly WHY ON EARTH DID THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN?? CAN'T I HAVE ANYTHING NICE?? (BESIDES ALL THE OTHER NICE THINGS I HAVE RIGHT NOW BUT STILL, I WANT MORE!)

I'm watching it too. I read some blog posts after the fact that say it was totally planned, the person playing that character knew well in advance and is cool with it, but...I am not cool with it! I loved that character! I do not want that to have happened!

Taraji P. Henson is supposed to be on Letterman tonight and has tweeted that she'll be answering some questions that people have had about the series. I can't wait to see it!

I've been thinking of trying POI, because I like Amy Acker a lot and she tweets about it sometimes. Will have to catch an episode now.

Morning Angel, did you end up watching Oklahoma? I haven't gotten through more than twenty minutes of it.

choubetcha wrote:I've been thinking of trying POI, because I like Amy Acker a lot and she tweets about it sometimes. Will have to catch an episode now.

Morning Angel, did you end up watching Oklahoma? I haven't gotten through more than twenty minutes of it.

Rats, I completely forgot!  This is what I get for not be willing shell $500 for a DVR! Curses.

The Returned is so good, y'all. Qu'est-ce qui se passe? Je ne sais pas. It is my favorite thing I'm watching at the moment.

My mom watches Person of Interest (or as TWoP calls it, Ben Linus Finds Jesus) and I ended up getting sucked in at the beginning of this season and now I have all the feeeeeeeeels, and I actually like it. It's better than standard procedural, and yes, Jim Caviezel is very hot, and I am pleasantly surprised by how much I like Sarah Shahi and Kevin Chapman. Totally watchable.

Dracula continues to be stupid, but it's growing on me a little, especially since they made Mina's best friend Lucy in love with her, which I thought was a cool move for a network show. And for me the absolute standout of the cast is Nonso Anozie as Renfield. He pulls focus from JRM without even trying.