Friday Night Lights – Black Eyes and Broken Hearts

Been sorta kinda watching FNL since it started, and have enjoyed snippets and parts of it.  The composition of the series is wonderful, you get the feeling of some sort of docu-drama from the way it is presented, which is different than with other dramas on TV.

The best part of last night was the exchange between the Coach and his Guidance counselor wife.  The story is that one of the coach’s assistants said some stupid things about ‘blacks’ and ‘whites’, and by stupid I mean Jimmy the Greek stupid, damning with faint praise stupid.  The local TV has a field day, and the local black community over reacts, this was played out well in last week’s episode.  Now the black players have walked off the team, and in another TV interview Smash, the de-facto leader, asserts that firing Mac would be a good first step.  Something that is almost as stupid to say as Mac’s comments.

Now the coach is in a fine mess, the boosters have voted and want Mac fired, Coach Taylor knows this is just a lot of hoo-haw, and doesn’t want Mac to lose his job or pension because he knows what Mac has done in the past (integrating the team years ago) should overshadow the stupid things he’s said.  So he interrupts his wife’s counseling session and said he needs to talk to the ‘guidance counselor’.  He lays it out and asks her for advice.  Not really liking the advice of the guidance counselor, he then asks to talk to his wife.  She gives him the same advice, and he asks deadpan, “Is there anyone else I can talk to?”  Buhahahaha.  She says your friend, and he leaps on that, what does my friend have to say.  She gives him the same advice from a third angle, and it all adds up to Mac should be fired.  As he leaves, he says, “All three of you scare me.”  LOL!

Then the best best part, after Mac gives Coach Taylor his resignation, at a press conference Coach Taylor just stands up and says to the buzzing press corps, “I’ll start talking when y’all stop.”  — “First of all its a damn shame that we are here this morning, we should be focusing on tomorrow’s game, and I’ll tell you what as a matter of fact, that’s exactly what were gonna do, Mac McGill’s gonna stay as Offensive Coordinator of the Dillon Panthers, that’s its that final, thank you very much.” then walks out of the room.  Best 30 seconds evah!

The capper was when the Panthers beat the team they play at their home field on a called game because a fight broke out when Riggins way-layed into an opponent that was giving Smash hell, and then as they are leaving on a team bus, some local cops pull the bus over to arrest Smash for assault.  Mac steps up and asks for a warrant.  Mac protects the kid that just about got him fired, and then does the best apology when Smash thanks him for what he did, Mac says, “I think that he made a mistake, just like I made a mistake.  I’ll see you Monday at practice.”

If you haven’t been watching Friday Night Lights, you should be.  It is a great show.

Lost – Flashes Before Your Eyes

In case you missed it, LOST is back on track. Really. Last week’s episode, Not in Portland, was top notch, and we got Kate and Sawyer off Alcatraz, Ben is now not only humorless, but tumorless. Ben has a daughter and Pickett got the double tap to the chest courtesy Juliette.

But none of that matters at the moment, we’ve moved back a few days or hours in the Lost timeline and the focus of our zooming eyes is Desmond today. You know, Desmond, the ex-German spy that got screwed by Jack Bauer, then got stuck on LOST island with Kelvin the once immortal and now dead CIA operative. We’re reminded with the pre-show glimpses that something about Desmond is odd ever since he’s saved the world and all. First he gets found by Hurley all naked and running in the jungle. Then he saved Claire’s roof with a well placed five iron (slightly left to right, but safe in the middle of the fairway, take that Paulo).

(Aside: two epis in a row without Paulo and Nikki – how long will the streak last?) (Aside Part Deux: Seven epis without Rose and Bernard) (Pointless Aside: It’s been 30 Artz-less episodes, but really, who’s counting)

The point is Desmond seems a bit pre-cognitive about some things. But he failed in predicting that Smokey would bum-rush Eko, so let’s put pre-cog in the ‘possible but probably not column for now). Des shows up at castaway beach to find Charlie and Hurley jonesin for pr0n and sorting through Sawyer’s tent. Charlie always trying to justify his habits says that Sawyer would want them to, Hurley isn’t convinced, but hasn’t yet taken to tackle Charlie with a massive man-hug.

Desmondo, as Hurley has dubbed him, ask Charlie and Hurley to come with him. They walk down an island path and find Locke and Sayid looking sadly back at them. Locke breaks the news that ‘The island killed Eko’ – which confuses Charlie, since the island hasn’t killed anyone since that lady drowned.. er.. the pilot got tore apart.. er.. well I guess Charlie finally got it. Locke wants Charlie and Hurley to react correctly when Locke breaks the news to the rest of the camp. Desmond looks around for Nikki and Paulo, then realizes that he’d better make a head call before Paulo takes all the good leaves.

Actually, Desmond had an uncontrollable impulse to swim in the strong rip currents off the north shore of Oahu. No wait, someone is out in the water… It’s Claire! (okay, pretend for a moment that you didn’t watch the previews, its better that way). Des’ rescue effort is rewarded with glaring looks and accusations from Hurley and Charlie.

*cue LOST twirly opening music thingy*

Continue reading

From the clipping room floor – Heroes

Mohinder with his new cohort, Sylar, are driving to meet the next person on ‘The List’

Sylar: Hey can we stop by Trader Joe’s?
Mohinder: why?
Sylar: Just have a hankering for some fava beans..
Mohinder: Okay, sounds yummy!
awkward silence as they drive]
[Mohinder: So… what’s a good main dish that goes with fava beans?
Sylar: Ummm… well.. you’re from India, have you ever had monkey brain?
Mohinder: Oh course… when I was a child, my father …
[insert 6 minute monologue discussing monkey brain evolution and special preparation detials]
… so yes, I’m quite familar with monkey brains.
Sylar: ZzzzzzZZZZzzzzz
Mohinder: [nudges Slyar awake]
Sylar: muhfmm.. snork.. huh… wha?
Mohinder: I said yes, I have eaten monkey brains
Sylar: well they’re kinda like that.

ABC … Good News – Bad News.

Wizbang Pop! has a link to an EOnline! report that Isaiah Washington (Dr. Burke) may get the heave-ho for using the six-letter f-word, again and again and again.  Christina will be crushed, I’m sure.
Also for all you Derek Hopper (Taye Diggs) fans, Day Break will finally start its online spree next Monday, and the series will wrap up online be the end of February.  He’s supposed to solve the murder and get to tomorrow, so if my math is right, we only have 7 more times to watch Moon Bloodgood wake up.

10 reasons why Heroes is better than 24

10. 24 takes place on a fairly limited time frame where the audience is expected to suspend belief and accept that CTU can drive from North to South LA in less than an hour during rush hour traffic.  Heroes has a very real time traveler, which makes man-made time frames a thing of the past.

9.  24 has Jack Bauer who acts like a vampire and rips out people’s arteries with his mouth.  Heroes has Sylar eats people’s brains, and probably has a side of fava beans with each course.

8.  24 has Jack Bauer who relies on other people’s skills and techniques to do his bidding.  Heroes has Peter Petrelli who just takes other people’s powers without asking.

7.  24 has Chole who can do amazing things given a computer and an internet connection.  Heroes has Micah a 7 year old that rebuilds motherboard for fun, just think what he can do after puberty.

6.  24 has Jack Bauer who can perform  amazing feats of strength and endurance while under duress.  Heroes has Niki/Jessica who under duress tosses grown men like loose-leaf salads.

5.  24 has Jack Bauer who is always right and no one ever believes him.  Heroes has Isaac the painter who accurately paints visions of the future, that are often interpreted incorrectly or out of order.

4.  24 invokes strange terrorist organizations to be the questionable enemies of the state, and after one group is extinguished by some fool-hearty scheme of Jack’s, is only replaced by another head of the hydra.  Heroes has Horn-Rimmed Glasses Guy and Linderman, ’nuff said.

3.  24 has Jack Bauer who is often injured while performing his stunts in trying to save the world, causing the audience to believe that he can fight through enormous pain and personal suffering.  Heroes has Claire with believable healing powers that continues to fight after breaking ribs, dislocating joints, and even survives an autopsey, plus she’s a cheerleader.

2.  24 has Jack Bauer who uses terse phrases like, “Dammit” and “I need to know this before you die” to extract enemies confessions before killing them.  Heroes has Mohinder who has the power to bore people to death with long winded speeches about evolution and human potential.  He’s just learning to use his powers, but once fully blossomed no one will be safe.

The number one after the break. Continue reading

Punishing ABC…

Since they dumped Day Break, I’ve wondered what I can do to punish them more in the ratings game.  Since they STILL haven’t made good their ‘promise’ (like that word means anything to ABC *pitooie*) to make the rest of the season available via streaming online, I’m doubly irritated.  It’s like reading a novel getting to the really good part, then having your friend toss it in the fire.

So Wednesday will now be ‘Beauty and the Geek‘ night*.

That’ll show them, my valuable veiwing hours going to The CW.  Besides Beauty and the Geek is quality television.  Like a grand mix between The Real World and Deal or No Deal.  And besides it makes fun of both geeks (who really don’t mind being made fun of) and beauties (who really don’t realize they are being made fun of).

Last night was a good second episode of the season, the approach the two types make in the challenges is interesting.  The geeks treat it as a competition, and haven’t fallen into cliques.  The beauts see it all as a popularity contest, and clique-dom rules, but the ones that actually try to succeed in the challenges get off’d by the popular cliquettes.

* At least until LOST gets back on the air, then I’ll come crawling home like the pathetic LOst-geek I AM.  But just to spite LOST, I’ll still record BatG. :p

Okay you want an update… just remember you ASKED for it.

Like I have time for you little blog readers, but whatever. 😉

Okay first week in December I tried to kill myself… well not literally, just figuratively.  Big project at work that must be done by Friday.  No problem, really, just lots of hours actually doing work.  Then in the off time there was Dinner Theater practice, just about every night.  I played mean ol’ Col. Walling (I think…) a roundhead (apparently) constable during the English Civil War that tossed a bunch of worshipers into the brig for having a Christmas service.  Serves them right I say!  Sorry, still trying to get out of character.  Angie had a role as part of the adult chior, and sang a solo in the opening scene, she also worked her bottom off getting the sets painted and working.  The older chilluns were also involved the girls took part in the opening scene and then had featured roles (at least to us parental units) in the ‘Dickensish’ orphanage scene.  The show went off without a hitch Friday night and Saturday night.  Leavning us dead on our feet by Sunday.  ‘Course (say it with me) ‘Dinner theater doesn’t end until after service on Sunday’ meant we fulfilled our duties and then collapsed into little pools of jello mush.  Called in sick on Monday, helped clean up what we’d been ignoring the final three weeks building upto the performance.

Tuesday was better, as was Wednesday, but c’mon no new TV really, and none of you are as absorbed in Day Break (which is excellent, and much better than ‘The Nin3’ idocy) so what am I to talk about?

Yesterday my father popped in for a nice visit, he got to take the kids to the park while Ang and I showered (hadn’t gotten the chance with the last minute cleaning and all, TMI? surry)  then we went to Brenna’s Christmas show at school (only 4th graders allowed, 2nd graders must not be able to sing and play the xylophone that well), then went and had yummy BBQ at Shady Oak.  Dad had a hankering for some good Texas BBQ (because KC BBQ, sorry, just isn’t the same…) and so we got the Trashcan lid (really that is the menu item) loaded with Ribs, Chicken, Brisket and Sausage, and yummy sides.  The youngers still had their chicken-like substance floursed and deep fried, but Lauren and the big peeps devoured a lot of meat, then saved more of the meat for future devourings (D’OH forgot to pack that for my lunch!)
Oh, since this is stream of conciousness reporting, I should probably mention, though I still try to not remember than my oldest turned 12 on Wednesday (12 grandma, not 14.. m’kay?) which means I’m that close (holding thumb and forefinger that mush apart) from having a teenaged daughter.  I’m not quite ready to handle that, and the double whammy next year of that actually occuring, and me advancing in age past double-digits that start with three, really makes for a bummer December next year.  *sigh*

But we must be jolly while there is still time, there will be time for wailing and gnashing of teeth next year.

So, while not exactly 40 days of silence for my sins of not completing NaBloPoMo, I think I’ve done my pennance, so stand by for more content-free (TM Fireant Eric) posting in the days to come.  We’ve got exciting tales of house cleaning, and packing and journeying to the great white northern wilds of suburban St. Louis (Missouri side).  Oh and the monster-in-law (just kidding, I LURVE my mother-in-law, because when she comes I at least have someone fighting on my side… 🙂 ) is dropping in for a few days visits before we drive north to St. Looey.  Course she’ll go to St. Looey first, then fly down to the big D, then fly back to St. Looey so we’ll all be under one roof (or one roof and a hotel) for the larger part of whats left of 2006.

See, that is gripping isn’t it… about as gripping as the last epi of Surivior.  Yul is so not going to win, but he’ll push Ozzie to the top spot, and be happy with his second place dough.

Heroes – Six Months Ago

All was well in Mudville… well that is what it seems like. Six months ago is how far back Hiro warped himself to save Charlie the supersmart waitress of his dreams. Six months ago, Niki was a year sober and happily married, and that pesky Jessica wasn’t around. Six months ago Peter was a new hospice nurse with a nice crime fighting brother that was gonna clean up, even if it meant exposing dear old dad as a mafia supporter. Six months ago, Nathan had a vision of life out from under Lindeman and a wife that walked. Six months ago, Papa Suresh was discovering the people on his list of people with genetic markers for the next stage in evolution. Six months ago, Sylar was just the make of a wristwatch not a dark forboding shadowy personage. Six months ago, Claire made the cheerleading squad and her Dad was looking out for her, while saving Eden from herself. Six months ago, things were better. But things were starting to happen too…

Continue reading

Futbal

Must post something, so I’ll opine about a good weekend of football.

Turkey Day, watched the ‘Boys romp on Tampa Bay and now all the kids in town are talking like its 1995 all over again.  I moved to the DFW area in 1999, so I missed all that.  Though I lived in Monterey when the Niners won it all in 1994, and in Rhode Island when the Big Tuna coached the Pats in 1996-97 (With Beldsoe and Glenn mind you).  It is kinda cool to feel the vibe in a town with the team doing really well.  Teams that replace Drew Beldsoe with an unknown do fairly well. *snark*

Friday, I taped the UT-A&M game for Matt.  *yawn*  Then waited on pins and needles for the real game to start, and The Mighty Beavers whipped the wimpy ducks in a sodden Reser Field.  Whoop!  So far a pretty good weekend, and I’m really not used to good football weekends.  I grew up a Seattle fan when Jim Zorn was pitching, and enjoyed the San Diego Chargers, and went to school at Oregon State in the late 80s (good for basketball, not so much for football) so I’m aquainted with sadness.

I was actually rooting for the hated Trojans in their tilt against the Irish, mostly because since the Beavs beat the surferdoods, a win by the Trojans enhances their cred come bowl selection time, and also beacause I despise the Irish a bit more than the Trojans.  Boy, the Trojans looked really good in that game, if they go head up on Ohio State, the Buckeyes better buck up.

A good day also on Sunday, for my fantasy team at least.  Going into tonights Seattle-Green Bay matchup I’m up 82 points on my competition.  If that holds (he has a Seattle receiver and the Seattle D, I think I’m safe) then I think I’ll lock up a playoff berth for my fantasy league.  (hear that Tony!  Whoot!)

Danny has gotten bit by the football bug, and has been tossing around a little toy football, or a larger stuffed version.  We played a bit of catch outside yesterday, while the weather was nice, and before we turned the house around… or actually all the furniture inside the house.  Time to deck the halls.  GO SEAHAWKS