Finally, the blog returns. The last few weeks have been a bit crazy, so I've had little time to write here, and I don't like that I've gotten into this weird only-write-on-Mondays-and-Fridays patterns ... but I guess for now it is what it is, so, let's go.
- So who watched the big Obama vs. Hillary debate on Wednesday night? I kind of agree with the peanut gallery that the first round of questions, largely focused on tabloid-ish issues, came off as hacky and desperate on the part of the ABC moderators. On one hand, I do think there was a degree of public demand to here Obama address some of the various mini-scandals that have plagued him the last few weeks. On the other, the whole thing reeks of the press playing into its own self-perpetuated hype machine. After all, did the average person really take that much offense to Obama's "bitter" comments? Polls say that no, they didn't. And personally, if you had shown me Obama's words without any editorial commentary, I wouldn't have been offended in the least. I mean, remind me again what's wrong with calling people bitter? There are a lot of bitter people out there, and guess what - it's often the bitter people who are the ones ranting about the liberal media, ranting about their right to bear arms, and ranting about how the entertainment industry is rotting our country's moral values. Personally, I enjoyed Obama's comment because it felt honest, and it felt like it cut through the crap and made a very un-political yet still valid point.
Anyways, I do think that Obama surprised some people in that he didn't always seem to have great, tidy answers to some of the more pointed questions thrown his way at the debate. However, I also think that most of those questions focus on issues that are only marginally relevant to the campaign. Politicians and people active in public life constantly associate with unsavory characters, and a tenous connection between two people doesn't necessarilly mean anything beyond a brief an unmeaningful association. The tables could easily be turned on Hillary if someone decided to stoop that low, and there is this unwritten rule that people can't really ask about her relationship with her husband. And probably, it's best that they don't. My point is only that you can't have it both ways. If Hillary wants to really get into it with Obama about why he didn't immediately leave his Church once it was clear that his pastor had made certain disrespectful comments ... well, I mean, isn't it obvious? Couldn't the EXACT same question be posed of Hillary - why didn't she immediately leave her husband when she found that he had had an illicit affair? In both cases, there are complex reasons behind each decision, a mix of personal and professional justifications. So how can Hillary have it both ways? It just pisses me off that she could easily have taken the high road on these questions pitched towards Obama and leave them be - and yet she constantly jumps in and adds how SHE would have left that church or how SHE would be cautious when considering who Obama associates himself with. She could EASSILY have just let the issues speak for themselves - I mean in a campaign like this it's inevitable, in any case, that her various campaign managers and supporters would focus in on these criticisms of Obama, without her having to get her hands dirty.
In sum, that's what really bothers me about Hillary. Everything with her feels like a clear and calculated TACTIC. And as Obama has pointed out, that kind of mentality has long been the domain of the GOP, so it's especially disheartening to see her adopt this mindset, even at this point in the race when, very soon, as she keeps pointing out, the democratic party is going to have to really put on a united front if it hopes to win the White House.
Now, I have to say I was disappointed in both candidates for their stand in the debate on gun control. I am honestly sick of political figures kissing up to the gun enthusiasts and always making it a point to praise the second amendment and dutifuly acknowledge the sacred ritual of father and son bonding over a good round of hunting. I'm sorry, but this is CRAP, and I wish someone like an Obama would just come out and say it. If the best way a father knows how to bond with his son is to go out and shoot animals, then that is one seriously f'd up relationship in my book! I'm not advocating repealing the 2nd Amendment or anything, but I just don't see why there can't be a serious crackdown on gun ownership to absolutely ensure that only certain types of guns are sold and that only people willing to go through extensive background checks can purchase a gun. But from jsut a cultural perspective, it's such a ridiculous bit of hypocracy. I love how politicians can, in the same breath, talk about how great it is when a father and son go hunting and then condemn movie and videogame violence which is pure fantasy and fiction. Ugh.
Anyways, political rant over for now ... time to talk about important matters like television.
- Oh, but first a quick update ... I was supposed to see an advance screening of THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM last night ... I was pumped too, as come on, it's Jet Li and Jackie Chan in the same movie. That's the martial arts equivalent of Superman vs. Batman or Hulk Hogan vs. The Ultimate Warrior. Unfortunately, we didn't quite get the memo that our tickets were merely first-come, first-serve, so we got to the Arclight theater in Hollywood pretty early, but were greeted by a looooong line of eager kung-fu fans many of whom had been in line for hours. The place was a madhouse, as that same night the Arclight was ALSO hosting the red-carpet premiere for the Harold and Kumar sequel. Yikes. At least I got to see Rob Cordry walking the red carpet. Kind of cool. But, man, I really have a strong desire to see some Jet / Jackie smackdowns. Next week ...
TV STUFF:
- Okay, I will start with SMALLVILLE, as already today I've had a little debate about this one with some fellow fans. Here's the thing - last night's ep was a pretty damn good piece of storytelling in many respects - there was real drama amongst the characters, and as a showpiece for the great Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor, it really was a quality episode. But what brought this episode down for me was just all of the annoying and lazy conventions that plague nearly every episode of Smallville. Everyone in earshot getting knocked out cold JUST before Clark swoops in and uses his powers to save the day. Clark traipsing into Lex's inner sanctum totally without conflict - doesn't Lex have his security dudes under orders to keep him out at this point?!? And as my friend Seth pointed out, why is everyone on this show now a master computer hacker? It's just juvenile stuff like this that hurts episodes that would otherwise be considered very good or great. I mean last night had some really truly GREAT stuff. That opening scene with Lex and Lionel was inarguably badass. I doubt Lionel has actually bitten the big one (if so, it is lame to kill him off in the first 5 minutes of an episode with barely any fanfare), but even so it's always a lot of fun to see the two Luthor's square off. I also really liked the recurring theme of Lex battling his inner child. It could have come off as ultra-cheesy, but I actually thought it was handled well and really emphasized that Lex was undergoing a traumatic change, crossing a line. When Lex symbollically did away with his Young Lex aspect, the kid yelling at him that he didn't have to kill Lionel, and Lex screaming back "I had no other choice!", it was a reall dramatic moment - great stuff. Like I said, at its best, this ep was simply a superb showcase for Michael Rosenbaum as Lex, and it really makes one sad that he won't be a regular next season. If next season goes on sans Lex and Lionel, it will really suffer for it. For now though, I'm mostly enjoying the ride, and I can only hope that the show can overcome some of those inherent problems with its storytelling style in order to really deliver episodes that are not just "good for Smallville" but just honest to goodness great TV. And as one last aside - I did LOVE, in the preview for next week, the shot of Lex in the arctic that seemed lifted right from Alan Moore's classic "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" - kickass.
My Grade: B+
- THE OFFICE had a much lighter episode than in recent weeks, during which the show had taken a decidedly darker turn. While it was nice to see the show return to an actual office setting and get back to bit players like Kevin, Creed, et al, I felt that this week almost overcompensated and was a bit too cartoonish and sappy for my tastes. Michael forcing his employees to set him up on dates with their friends seemed over the top, even for Michael. And then, when he did go on a date with Pam's nice-but-not-exactly-stunning landlord, I couldn't help but be reminded of a similar setup on the British Office. Now, the US version has always faltered in my mind when it tries to ape its British cousin ... and last night, I just wasn't crazy about Steve Carell's much more cartoonish take on his date with a less-than-attractive woman as compared to Ricky Gervais' instant-classic version. Gervais played the moment as brilliantly awkward and embarrassing - a memorable mix of male ego clashing with lowered expectations. And it points to a fundamental corner that the Office writers have painted themselves into with Michael Scott, which is that post-Jan relationship, who exactly is Michael Scott? It's almost an element that seems to needlessly complicate his character. Prior to the Jan relationship, Michael's date would have been much more interesting, in my mind - ie, if this was the only woman he could actually "get," would he be so quick to dismiss her? Now he can simply justify his rejection in his own mind by flashing the picture of his old, hot girlfriend as proof that he needn't bother with someone less attractive. It makes Michael more complex of a character, but at the same time it kind of distracts from the real core of who that character is - a loser who has no grasp on reality when it comes to women, among other things. In any case, there were some really great moments here, though to me most of the best came from the peripheral characters. Kevin was great in this one - you really had to feel for the guy when he stated that "he needed that win." Dwight never fails to crack me up with his dutiful responses to even the most absurd of Michael's requests. Rainn Wilson is flipping awesome. Now, I liked some of the interplay between Jim and Pam, but I still don't like when their relationship is kind of artifically thrust into the spotlight and we start getting into manufactured drama like "will he or won't he propose." That said, I think there is some subtle and interesting stuff going on, with maybe some growing tension between the two, and I appreciate how the show has things we see on camera and things that are bubbling below the surface - not many shows can pull of that kind of multilayered storytelling. All in all though, I thought the episode was light fun but not the show at its best. The main Michael Scott plotline was just a little much, and some of it had already been done to perfection by Ricky Gervais and co. But yeah, Andy's speech about the "little guy?" Funny stuff.
My Grade: B
- 30 ROCK I thought made some imporvements over last week's ep. For one, there was more Tracy Morgan! Morgan once again stole the show last night with some absolutely hilarious scenes that were awesomely random. The whole concept of him embracing the Republican party was comedic gold, and the dream sequence with Alec Baldwin as Richard Nixon, triggered by Tracy listening to "We Didn't Start the Fire," which got stuck on the word "Nixon," was so crazy as to be incredible. There were also some very funny moments with Kennth the page showing around an old-timey TV personality played by Tim Conway, who was hilarious in his deadpan, very Un-PC comments about the golden age of television. I was cracking up when he walked into the writer's room and exclaimed that they used to call it "the Jew room." Oy. I thought the main, Liz Lemon plot was decent though but never 100% clicked, as she struggled with whether or not to get back together with our old friend the Beeper King. Overall though, a very funny episode that was absolutely packed with great lines.
My Grade: A -
- Okay, I'm out - time for the weekend, and, oy, time for Passover - the holiday that ivariably makes me sick by depriving me of my main source of sustenance, that being BREAD and bread-related products. So Happy Passover to everyone - I'm headed to San Diego tomorrow to sit down for Seder with the Axe-Man. Back later with an update. ROCK.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment