O say can you C

California here I am.

Welcome back to the blog that gets more fans by the day, Danny's Digital Domain. Hmm, now that I just typed that out, it may be time for a new name. Holy crazy ideas, Batman. Time for:

The "Name That Blog" sweepstakes. If anyone has a new idea for a blog name, let me know. Back when I had a column in the ol' Daily Free Press at BU, it was titled Suburban Legends. That name doesn't quite fit any more though. I've also tossed out such potential titles as Tough But Fair (a longtime favorite of mine) and another BU holdover that never quite made the cut -- Defenestration Nation. So - write me a comment or whatever -- what should my blog be called? Prize, much like the time for Game 7 of Celtics-Pacers, is TBD.

OC:

I haven't been feeling this show for a long while now, but tonight's double bill pulled me ever so slightly back in, though I was still left feeling like we're being jerked around by the writers. Some comments:

- Enough build up for the alcoholic storyline already! This has been going on for two years! We GET IT. Kirsten Cohen is an alcoholic. She has a problem. Stop building up to this "revelation" as if it were the secret to the island on LOST. Okay, now she's in a car accident. So there's some progress, now let's MOVE THIS STORYLINE FORWARD.

- And, enough with the ridiculous love triangles. I know they really like parallel plotlines on The OC, but does EVERY CHARACTER have to be in a love triangle thingie?

- AND, enough with major plotlines being advanced due to STUPID MISUNDERSTANDINGS! This is NOT A SITCOM! Sure, the OC is known for its comedic interludes, but come on, every conflict on the show is due to miscommunication between the characters, the worst example being Summer re-dumping Seth for the billionth time because she happened to see him on an MTV spring break show just as he was coerced into licking whipped cream off another girl. Okaayy, what is this, Saved By the Bell: The Self-Mockingly Ironic Years? In tonight's eps alone we have failure to communicate as the major problem with Ryan and Marissa, Seth and Summer, AND Kirsten and Sandy.

The Good: Julie Cooper vs. Caleb Nichols, Trey becoming psycho-evil rapist, Seth's antics with a bunch of old men at his grandma's retirement community, Seth using a gang of comic book nerds to spy on Zach and Summer, Seth and Zach's geek-on-geek fight, Summer as Miss Vixen.

The Bad: The whole stupid "graphic novel" storyline that is going on forever and doesn't even really make sense (how exactly does Zach contribute to it?). More forced tension with Kirsten and Sandy, Summer and Seth.

My grades: Episode 1: C+, Episode 2: B-

JACK AND BOBBY:

Now, while the OC has kinda been losing me, JACK AND BOBBY had one mo' AWESOME episode yesterday, and they also did the whole drunk driving car crash story about 100 times better than The OC. In fact, for most of this year, Jack and Bobby has made the OC it's bitch, quality-wise. But seriously, what a great great episode. The show keeps IMPROVING, which is so cool. Usually, for example, I kind of tune out the documentary segments. But this ep had BY FAR the best documentary segments the show has yet had, with a middle-ages Warren (Bobby's best friend from childhood) recounting his reunion with his old pal after Bobby becomes President (now THAT's high concept). Just the thought of this scene - the US President and his old buddy in the oval office in 2050-something, playing videogames on an "antique" X-Box, talking old times, made me smile ear to ear, and then the closing line was just so, so great. The grown up Warren is talking to the camera, and he remembers talking to Bobby as PResident, and it wa something like "I said to Bobby can you believe it? Us here after all these years, me a successful businessman and you the freakin' President? And Bobby looks at me and says, Warren, I never even thought I'd make it through high school." Seriously, what a great ending to this fantastic episode. Sure, the guy who plays Jack is still too stoic and stiff as an actor, but the Missy stuff has been handled REALLY well, and the Bobby and Warren story was just classic, relly believable and realistic. They really seemed like KIDS, not like adults playing kids. Even if this series is done aftet next week's season finale, I think it really works as a self-contained maxi-series, a unique look at the making of the future US president. My grade for this ep: A

LOST:

Now, I was tempted to do another gut-reaction quick post in response to last night's LOST, because like 24 and Veronica Mars this week, it was another HOLY JEEBUS type episode. Sure, we still know nothing about the island, but we do know that Locke, Jack, and Sayid may be headed for a major throwdown. My big gripe is that, in retrospect, why was everyone so understanding of Shannon nearly killing Locke, who has yet to be proven guilty of anything and has gone out of his way to be civil about things (well, except for knocking out Sayid and ruining everyone's chances of getting off the island ... but hey, Shannon didn't know that ...). Overall, though, a really intense, captivating, well done episode. Amazing acting by all parties involved, especially Terry O'Quinn as Locke. Now give us some answers already! My grade: A

PS - I have heard some interesting theories about the island on Lost and the Hatch. I am leaning towards agreeing with the theory that something, either a being (alien? government experiement? mutant psychic?) or object (mystical artifact? extraterrestrial craft?) is hidden away in the hatch and is psychically influencing the people on the island to its advantage, maybe as a master plan to free it, and Locke is its primary servant. Okay, on second thought that sounds kind of ridiculous. I have no freakin idea what is goin' on on that island.

Anyways ...

NBA PLAYOFFS:

Sick game between Pacers and Celtics tonight. At first that Paul Pierce shove at the end was just shocking - had he turned to the Dark Side and gone all Ron Artest on us? After some replays though it did look like a pretty big flop by the opposing player, so it definitely was not as big a deal as it initially appeared. Anyways, here's hoping that Reggie and the Pacers can pull out Game 7 on Saturday so that a.) Reggie can live to fight another day before retirement awaits -- he can't go out losing to the Celtics in Round 1! and b.) Detroit - Indiana: Best of 7 - you know you want to see it.

NBC:

Nothing much to note at work lately. Wed. I worked Leno and saw Sly Stallone, a funny comedian named Daniel Tosh, and Faith Evans perform (definitely not my type of music). It's always cool to see Rocky himself, even if it's the 3rd time I've seen him on the show since I started at NBC.

I gave an amazing tour yesterday. The people on it were treated to sightings of Jay Leno (who stopped to talk to us and sa,y as is his custom, "Lame tour, huh?"), Kevin Eubanks, John "Stuttering John" Melendez, Nancy "I got harassed by Pat O'Brien" O'Dell, Billy "Won't Admit I'm George W's Cousin" Bush (oh please Lord don't let him read this), and a bunch of guys dressed as knights. Coolness.

Finally met the new pages. One is a fellow BU grad, and another is originally from CT! Finally, New England is REPRESENTIN' at the NBC page program.

TOMMOROW:

Get yer lightsabers ready, and rev up your landspeeder, cuz Anakin Skywalker (you know, Hayden Christianson, not that bald pasty dude from the end of Return of the Jedi) himself is a-comin' to The Tonight Show! The nerds should be out in full force (or will they? maybe they reserve that type of thing for Wookies and Natalie Portman?). Good times. In addtion, the woman whose show first gave us The Simpsons, Tracy Ullman, will be in attendance. Plus, a man named BECK will entertain us with his eclectic musical stylings, to which I say: "Odelay!"