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Joan Rivers

2014-09-04T16:00:00.000-04:00

Remembering Joan Rivers

Born in Brooklyn in 1933, Joan Rivers had a long and varied career in the entertainment industry before passing away on September 4, 2014 at the age of 81.

Joan Rivers’ began her career in New York City, performing stand-up in Greenwich Village. She was first introduced to a national audience when she appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in 1965. Her appearances with Carson were groundbreaking for women in comedy, and particularly women on late-night television. Seeing a female face in that male-dominated field was unusual at the time, if not unheard of.

Rivers appeared on the show repeatedly, until breaking ties in 1986 when she agreed to host her own show on a rival network (The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers). Although that show flopped, Rivers went on to host The Joan Rivers Show. She was awarded a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host (1989) after the show’s first year, and it continued to air for another four seasons, ending in 1993.

It was also unusual to see female directors at that time (something that we are still sadly struggling with), yet Rivers co-wrote and directed Rabbit Test (1978), a quirky film that was Billy Crystal’s first movie.

Beginning in the mid-90’s Rivers began working as an entertainment commentator, and first hosted Live from the Red Carpet for E! in 1996. It was the beginning of a long-lasting relationship with the network.

Rivers is perhaps best known to the millennial generation as the host of Fashion Police (2010-present). The show dissected celebrity fashion, more often than not relying on Rivers’ trademark humor.

While her jokes were not for everyone, Rivers’ story is an important part of the history of women in film and television.

Many female comedians (Whitney Cummings, Sarah Silverman) list Rivers among their inspiration. However, Rivers herself never liked to be called a pioneer. “I don't like when the ladies come up and say, 'Oh, you broke barriers for women.' ….You asked me am I proud to be a pioneer? I'm not a pioneer. I'm still in the trenches, I'm still breaking ground." The full interview can be seen here: http://bit.ly/Whf8el.

Rivers may have been attempting to break ground throughout her life, but that does nothing to negate the importance that she played in encouraging women to have a career within the entertainment industry.

For her snarky wit, often offense humor, and refusal to let her gender define her, Rivers will be sorely missed.

Tina Fey, Steven Seagel, and Women Behind the Scenes

2014-08-01T17:16:00.000-04:00

Tina Fey, who we honored at New York Women in Film & Television's 2005 Muse Awards*, is in the news again.

This time it's not a brand new project or further mention of her non-existent sequel to Hocus Pocus. Instead, Tina Fey has had a grading scale named after her.

Yesterday, Stephen Follows released a study entitled ‘Gender within Film Crews’, which examines the gender divide in the top 2,000 grossing films of the last 20 years (1994-2013).

The statistics are not shocking to those who are well versed in what is happening behind the scenes in the industry. When Follows looked at all crew members on those 2,000 films, he found that only 22% were women.

Again, that will not come as a surprise to people within the industry. If you've worked in film or television in any capacity you're seen firsthand the skewed ratios.

Still, what is particularly disappointing is that there has not been a large jump in the percentage of women on film crews from 1994 until today. Indeed, if anything the percentage of women working behind the scenes has shrunk. According to Follows’ data, in 1994 22.7% of top grossing films had female crew members. In 2013 it was 21.8%.

In other words, on most studio films only 1 out of every 5 crew members is a woman.

To further the depressing news, the percentage of women hired to be writers, producers, editors, animators, and directors has decreased over the last twenty years.

The only fields that have seen growth have been roles within the makeup, art, and costume departments.

But where does Tina Fey come in?

As part of his study Follows looked at how many women were involved behind the scenes for each film. He found that although the average hovered around the 22% range, there was a large continuum.

On one end was Fey, whose crew for Mean Girls was 45% female. On the other end was Steven Seagel, who had a crew that was only 10% female.

Hence the moniker the Fey-Segel scale.

It’s great that Tina Fey is making news again, but wouldn’t it be even better if the percentage of female crew members that she hires wasn’t news at all?

At NYWIFT a key part of our mission revolves around the promotion and better inclusion of women in all aspects of the industry. For more information about our organization, please click here.

Specific statistics can be seen within the PDF of Steven Follows’ work.

*Shamless plug (I work there). See www.nywift.org.

Please note: this post was also on NYWIFT's official blog.

Texting about Television: HIMYM Season 9 Series Finale

2014-04-01T14:30:00.000-04:00

Sure, I could write a long torturous post about how disappointed I was with the finale of 'How I Met Your Mother' and how my life is practically over and MY GOD how could the showrunners do that to me?! But, you know, everyone's doing that.

Instead, here's a summation of my feelings about the finale expressed via frantic text message.

The Shocking Plot Twist in "Dramatics, Your Honor", 'The Good Wife' S5Ep15

2014-03-24T09:15:00.000-04:00

***Warning: Extensive Spoilers Below***

I had the most peculiar reaction to the big plot twist on last night's episode of 'The Good Wife'. I laughed.

Did I find Will Gardner's sudden death funny? Of course not.

Characters have died on shows before, but typically that death is written and packaged in such a way that emotions are heightened and tears are falling before the character takes his last breath. The music. The slow pan. The tears of the other characters on screen. We, as viewers, are shoved toward devastation. A prime example of this is Mark Greene's death on 'ER', a death set in the beauty of Hawaii with the soundtrack of 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow'.

Last night's episode of 'The Good Wife' gave us something else. Shock.

And so I laughed.

Because I couldn't believe it. Because even as the screen showed us Will's desperate client Jeffrey eyeing the guard's gun, even as we heard shots ring out, even as Kalinda and Diane stilled in shock outside the courtroom, it didn't seem quite real.

Everything was fairly fine for the first half of the episode. And then it just wasn't.

This, I believe, was the Kings' point. Death doesn't always warn you. It's often brutal and sudden. Death isn't always an episode that threatens the main characters but then kills the supporting ones instead. In reality death can destroy people who are central to our lives and leave us alone in an instant.

The episode was made more powerful by the actors' reactions to Will's shooting. Even when Kalinda and Diane discovered Will's body, bloody and covered by a sheet in the corner of the emergency room, they didn't break down in tears. Emotional music didn't play. They just stared and then began to call the people who mattered.

This death wasn't designed to be overly emotional. It wasn't an episode of 'Grey's Anatomy'. Sure, I sobbed for Lexie and Mark and George.

But I laughed for Will. I stared at the screen in increasing shock. I, like the characters on the screen, could not believe he was really dead. Tears come later.

Twitter exploded in response. People refused to believe that he was really dead, a reaction that echoes death in the real world.

The show prepared itself beautifully for this genuine reaction by barely preparing the viewers at all. We had been forewarned that this episode was an important one and a plot twist, but it seemed likely that it would have to do with the Federal case against Peter of which Will's potential testimony was a key component. The promo insinuated that Will betraying Alicia would be the turning point of season five.

Instead, Will's death will impact every major player on the show, it also shakes up the main plot of the first half of the season. The federal case against Peter was the major threat this season, yet it was insinuated that Will's testimony was essential. What will happen to that plot now that Will is dead?

I think it's also interesting to note that the first person after Will's sisters that Kalinda and Diane thought to call was Alicia. Regardless of the fallout between Alicia and Will, it is recognized that she need to know immediately. She is essentially his loved one.

Throughout the show a recurring joke (and truth) has been that Alicia is a handholder. She understands clients emotionally and helps them get through court. Lockhart/Gardner lost that when Alicia left to start her own firm. Will has never, throughout the show's history, been portrayed as being particularly good at handholding.

What if Alicia hadn't left? Would she have recognized the emotional distress of the client? Would she have sat next to him and talked him through his panic? Moments before Jeffrey Grant shoots the gun we see him reacting poorly to the prosecution and defense arguing and laughing with the judge. He shoots, in part, because he is alone. In prior seasons of the show Alicia would have been next to him.

Speaking of Alicia's involvement, it will be interesting to see what degree of guilt she feels. As a gesture of goodwill and loyalty to Will she did not meet with Jeffrey's parents when they requested a second opinion. If she had, there's a likelihood she would have taken the case. That she would have been in that courtroom and been the one shot. Or that her very presence would have caused Jeffrey to react differently.

At the end of season three of 'Downton Abbey' we had a similar plot twist. The show seemed all happy and content and then Matthew crashed his car and died. But even that didn't have quite the emotional impact of this death. Of course it was shocking and done with little advanced fanfare. But still, as I watched Mathew joyously drive his car down on empty road for an extended period of time my roommate leaned over and whispered, "something bad is going to happen".

In this episode of 'The Good Wife' we saw the client reach for the gun. It put me on edge, waiting anxiously to see what would happen. But ultimately we saw nothing. The camera had cut away to the courthouse hallways, following Kalinda, and so we weren't in the room when the shooting occurred. That distance. Hearing shots but not seeing anything that was happening, made the moment all the more shocking. Sometimes less is more.

Who is the Yellow King? Questions & Theories from True Detective

2014-02-24T23:37:00.002-05:00

The internet's buzzing about True Detective and now that I've finally caught up I feel the need to make guesses just like everyone else!
Here are some theories that have been floating around and my responses to them.
1) Marty Hart is the killer.
While Hart is by no means likable, I don't buy him as the Yellow King. People have supported this argument by pointing out the scene where Hart hugs his daughters next to a drawing (in his own home!) of a spiral.
But who did that drawing? It looks like the artwork of a child. That coupled with his young daughter Audrey's realistic and disturbingly pornographic drawings of sex acts, placing her dolls in compromising positions, her later acting out, and her seemingly mature sexual promiscuity all suggest that Audrey herself was sexually abused. This suggests that Audrey is more connected to the Yellow King than Hart is (although still leaves room for the theory that Hart introduced her to him). But did he do it knowingly? His reaction to the boys sexually engaging with her in a car, while over the top and even sadistic, is not the action of a man who would have allowed his daughter to be sexually abused.
Of course, this does leave room for a disturbing truth: he may not allow anyone else to touch his daughter but could Hart have abused Audrey? Although he has shown a penchant for younger women they have all been legal and he seems disgusted by the sex trade, even going as far as offering a young Beth money to try to persuade her to leave the prostitution trailer park. Still, he has shown a shockingly violent reaction to others stepping in on women he views as "his", case in point his reaction when his first affair went south and she slept with someone else. That man certainly got a beating.
Still, Audrey being abused by the Yellow King isn't too much of a stretch. We all know he had a penchant for young children.
Could it have something to do with Dana's father? The scene where her mother oddly states "he wouldn't even give his own daughter a bath" suggests pedophilia in a roundabout manner.
Brandon Carbough writes about how the sequence of the girls playing with a tiara in the front yard which then ages them, is filled with dread not because anything specifically horrible happens to them, but rather that the passage of time is the horrible thing.
But what if during that transition from bossy older sister to drunken teen is more than it seems. Is Audrey scarred by her childhood? What exactly happened during the time period of that simple argument over the tiara? Perhaps even the tiara is a symbol; was Audrey the "princess" of the Yellow King?
2) Beth is the missing girl
This is a theory I came up with while watching the show, though I am sure it has been posited elsewhere. When the detectives first run into Beth at the trailer park they're told she ran away to escape an uncle.
When the detectives go to interview the ex-football player with significant brain damage (who also is the missing child's uncle), the aunt says that she "loved it" there and spent more time there than at her own home. She also mentions that her husband was devastated when the girl disappeared.
The depressing play area that the detectives compliment may be shown as grey and dingy because the girl is missing, but it may also be that way because something sinister once happened there.
Is Beth that same child all grownup? Did her uncle somehow introduce her to the cult? Did she somehow survive the Yellow King? The fact that she is brought back into the series in episode five suggests that she has more to share; she is not just the reason for the dissolution of Hart's marriage but instead perhaps a clue in and of herself. Again, her sexual promiscuity may be a sign of childhood abuse. Did her uncle start it all?
3) Maggie is more involved than initially apparent.
Early on in the show we are made to feel for Maggie. Marty may not be a bad guy, but he's definitely a bad husband. But in episode six her true colors come to light. Not only does she seduce Rust, her main reason for doing so is to punish her husband. 'Not only did I cheat on you too, I did it with your partner!' The way she so blankly lies at the end of episode six, stating that she has no idea why Rust quit, makes her at the most a psychopath, or at the least a credible liar. Why?
Is it at all plausible that Maggie is the Yellow King? That would be particularly disturbing considering she is perhaps the most likable character for most of the first six episodes.
There are other hints that Maggie may be more involved than we think; viewers have pointed out there are several scenes where Marty is placed in scenes that have to do with antlers. People often interpret this as proof that he is the Yellow King, due to the crown of antlers on Dana's head.
But traditionally antlers are a sign of a cuckolded man; a man whose wife is cheating on him. This is a recurrent theme in Shakespeare plays, and considering the writer's affinity for classic literature he may be making his reference.
As far as we know the first time Maggie cheats on Marty is with Rust, right before he quits his job. Does she cheat on him in another way? Is she lying about her involvement in the murders?
Or, is the creator simply making a joke, reversing the idea of cuckolding by making the cheater (Marty) wear the horns.
Stepping away for traditional uses of the term, since the 1990s there have been fetishists who support cuckolding, the majority of them place the women in the sexually dominant role. Psychology often views this as a form of masochism. Again, both of these could support Maggie having some larger power.
Antlers can, after all, have dual purposes, they don't all have to be about the Yellow King. Or maybe, in a roundabout way, even the cuckolding reference is about the Yellow King.
4) Is Maggie's father the Yellow King?
He certainly has racist and conservative views, but do those views add up to make him a sadistic cult leader? Perhaps Maggie's lying abilities are from her father?
He would also have easy access to Audrey.

happy holidays

2013-12-25T01:00:00.000-05:00

HIMYM: The Lighthouse S9Ep8

2013-11-04T22:30:00.000-05:00

As evidenced by the number of times it's discussed on this blog, 'How I Met Your Mother' is one of my favorite sitcoms.

Of course, when I say that I'm talking about the early years; the magic of Robin Sparkles, the joy of the slap bet, the novelty of watching entire relationships unfold and then fail (hey Robin and Ted!) or shockingly succeed (hello again Robin and Barney!).

I can't remember exactly when HIMYM began to lose its spark, though I am completely willing to rewatch the entire series to find the answer. I love it enough to watch it all over again, even as I'm frustrated by what it is today.

I do remember, and I think this is evidenced by my blog posts, that I found season eight very uneven. For me that season was plucked out of obscurity by the last couple of episodes. In particular "The Final Page", the season finale that finally felt like HIMYM again. Barney manipulating people by being simultaneously cruel and hilarious, with just the right amount of heart? That felt like HIMYM. Robin being typically indecisive, torn between her desire and her head and her past traumas? Yeah, that's HIMYM. Ted Mosby whiny and dissatisfied? HIMYM. Lily and Marshall inseparable and ridiculous? Ditto.

But then there was season nine.

This entire season is set in the week leading up to Robin and Barney's wedding. That in and of itself is not a problem. In fact, if that was the concept and the gang was all prepping for the wedding back in NY, gathered together in their booth at MacLaren's and reminiscing through flashback it could be just fine. Instead, they've spent almost the entire season in the Farhampton Inn. Sure it's where the wedding's taking place, but it's also a brand new locale that's doing nothing to help the show or the characters. It appears that outside of their natural habitat everyone is less funny and more annoying.

Lily is perhaps the worst. It's as though they're painting her with broad comedic strokes that just aren't funny: she's stressed! She's drunk all the time! Some guy named Linus keeps giving her drinks and she consequently gives bad advice! Hilarious?

It's as though the writers don't know what to do with Lily when Marshall isn't there. And that is another problem with this season. Jason Segel was hesitant to commit to this season, and that's the only reason I can think of why he's been relegated to a car trip for the entire season thus far. It's my hope he'll just get to Farhampton already so the necessary group formula will be saved, but my guess is he'll appear at the wedding in the nick of time, right in time to see Barney and Robin tie the knot and the season finale.

This week's episode was the best of this season, while still being on of the weakest episodes of the show.

Lily was drunk again which at this point gives me nothing more than frustration.

Ted was stuck the whole time with yet another girl that we knew he wasn't going to end up with. That at least provided some minor humor as he struggled to settle for her even when faced with setback after setback (she doesn't like any music, her ankle is sprained, she doesn't appreciate lighthouses).

Marshall was in the car again with Daphne, and I'm still struggling to understand the writers decision to add a brand new character in the final season who does nothing but serve as a (attempted) comedic foil for Marshall. I dislike this formula enough that I'd prefer it if they'd found a way for Segel to be in Farhampton but only appear every fourth or fifth episode. I'm assuming his time constraints are what made them come up with this car scenario? Maybe it's not even filmed in LA (where the main studio is)?

Robin and Barney have been, and remain, the strongest characters this season. Robin rubbing it in Barney's mother's face that she beat her at strip poker made me laugh. So did certain aspects of the egg off (i.e. scramble egg competition). And we were once again able to see why the gang puts up with Barney. When someone's really hurting he cares. When Robin flees the room after his mother (Loretta) harshly mentions motherhood, he softly tells Loretta that Robin can't have kids. We flashback to when Barney first found out and see him offer a hug that Robin was shocked by and also really needed.

It's a running joke on the show that Robin's dad was most involved in her childhood and that her mother is hardly mentioned. In this episode we see a return to classic HIMYM; the use of subtitles to list the facts. In this case it's a list of what we know about Robin's mother.

And then Robin finds out her mother can't come to the wedding. And in another touching moment we see stoic Robin being offered a hug by Loretta, who has finally decided to accept her son's almost-wife ("You call me mom").

It's those touching moments, and not comedy at all, that save this episode from failure. And while it's nice to know HIMYM still has an emotional core I'm hoping that we'll get our comedy back.

HIMYM: The Final Season S9 Episodes 1, 2 & 3 Recap

2013-10-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

Aw our babies are growing up.

And by growing up I mean making horrible life decisions like actual grown-ups do. They're adults now, so the MacLaren's gang doesn't get to go on wild adventures without consequences anymore...

or do they?

Let's recap:

*Marshall is going to be a judge (yay!) but he hasn't told Lily yet (big oops). His guilt led him to get kicked off a plane so...

*In order for Marshall to make it to Barney and Robin's wedding he has to drive cross country with a crazy woman and his baby, meanwhile...

*Lily is lonely without Marshall and has decided to mask this loneliness with an alcoholic haze leading her to...

*Divulge Barney's brother's big secret: James and Tom [the marriage that got Barney to believe in marriage] is ending in divorce...

*Barney still loves Robin and still wants to marry her. Which is good because we're in Farhampton at the inn where they're going to get married. Unfortunately the crazy old relatives are putting a damper on their joy...

*Ted is also low on joy because in typical, self-centered Ted form he has made a series of dumb decisions and is hiding them from some people (Barney, Robin, presumably Marshall) while whining about them to others (Lily). Remind me again: does anyone actually like Ted? Are we supposed to care that he's so upset about Robin marrying Barney that he's abandoning his life in New York and moving to Chicago? Oh, we are? Huh. Well anyway it seems like kind of a jackass move similar to when...

*Ted kissed Robin at the carousel in the park at the end of last season (otherwise known as right before they went to the wedding). She was frantically looking for her lucky locket to wear on her wedding day. Robin suddenly had a moment of doubt about this whole wedding because a) she couldn't find the locket and b) it's Robin so of course...

*Ted chose to make Robin's slight cold feet all about him and his love for her and how she'd never ever be unhappy with him [except she was both times they dated]. Luckily Robin still seems to be very much in love with Barney and actively telling him that which is good because...

*Barney saw Robin and Ted kiss. And the shit's about to hit the fan [or rather, the very expensive scotch is about to hit the deck, because Ted dropped it when he found out].

OUAT: Can a new locale save the show? S3Ep1

2013-09-30T09:00:00.000-04:00

It's the season of change: colder weather bringing with it the brand new fall TV schedule. Of course, like always the perennial favorites are still there. 'Once Upon a Time' began with a novel idea--what if fairy tales were real? What if an evil queen had cast a curse and forced fairy tale characters to live in our world as ordinary people? What if multiple world exists? All of these questions were sufficient to make the first season of 'Once Upon a Time' an intriguing premise. But last season it seemed like a lot of the same thing. Continued flashbacks to characters' fairy tale pasts made slightly less interesting by the fact that said characters now all remembered who they were. At least the end of the second season had a twist--Henry, the birth son of the Savior and the adoptive son of the Evil Queen, was kidnapped and brought to Neverland.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the series has been the attempted redemption of the Evil Queen (Lana Parrilla). This season should be particularly fascinating as 'good' and 'evil' join forces to try and save Henry.

Other ABC shows are trying to revitalize by moving their characters to different locations: in this week's premiere of 'Castle' Beckett moved from New York to DC.

Is a new locale exactly what 'Once Upon a Time' needs to recover from its sophomore slump?

Despite the fact that there has been a general assumption that we will still see those left behind in Storybrooke, the first episode focused on the gang that was trying to rescue Henry (Emma, Regina, Snow, Charming, Rumple, and Hook) and those who escaped the curse and remained in the Enchanted Forest (Aurora, Mulan, Philip, Robin Hood, and Neal). Plus, obviously, the introduction of new characters Peter Pan and the Lost Boys.

What was I most thankful for during the season premiere? The fact that though it switched between worlds they were "present day" simultaneously occurring worlds as opposed to flashbacks. To be frank the constant flashbacks were starting to grate on my nerves.

Some key points from the first episode that will probably become central themes this season:

*Regina tells Hook that Owen called her "a villain". She (interestingly) says she has never thought of herself that way, and then wonders whether a villain deserves of a happy ending.

*Emma gets into a fight with her parents about their constant belief that everything will be all right. She wants to focus on reality not fairy tale dreams. She questions whether them "getting her back" is worth everything that has been lost (i.e. Henry and countless lives). This brings the return of Emma's abandonment issues and lack of self worth, a concept which has only been touched on in past seasons.

*Emma rallies the troops by saying that they're all going to be needed to save Henry. She tells them that in order to succeed they have to abandon the concepts of good and evil and just be who they are: "a hero", "a pirate", "a villain". When Regina asks who Emma is she say she is "a mother", but is that really the way Emma sees herself?

*Regina asks Emma if she expects them to become friends. Emma says no, there's "too much history". But will Regina and Emma become friends this season? If Emma continues to be disillusioned with her parents' bright and cheery take on life it seems possible, after all, Regina's past experiences are the ones that most clearly mirror Emma's own.

*In one of the most important scenes of the episode the characters on the ship begin to fight (Snow v. Regina; Charming v. Hook). Emma quickly realizes that their anger is feeding the storm. To stop it she throws herself into the ocean. Interestingly, the shock that Snow and Charming feel seems almost identical to that of Regina and Hook. This suggests that Emma may be the force that can bring the sides of [relative] good and evil together.

What connection does Hook have to Neal?

Random thoughts:

Since Neal is stuck in the Enchanted Forest and unable to reach Emma through Aurora's dreams, it seems likely that Emma will continue to believe that Neal is dead. This leaves room open for a new love interest to form, which could give the writers plenty of tension to deal with when Neal is eventually reunited with Emma. Presumably he'll still be in love with her (as he declared his love in this episode) but Emma will have moved on. If the writers do decide to play with this tension it seems obvious that they'll pair Emma and Hook. Of course, a large portion of fans want Emma and Regina together, but we now know that will never happen.

Transgender Television

2013-09-17T17:05:00.000-04:00

I remember the first time I was formally taught the word "transgender". I was sixteen years old and attending a summer writing workshop at the University of Virginia. One of the other students liked to borrow girls' clothing and wear it to class. I'm not sure if he* was the impetus for our session about "Sex and Gender" or if it was already on the schedule but one afternoon someone somewhere decided that it was time for us to learn the correct terminology. We learned what LGBT meant. We learned the difference between sex and gender. We learned about pronouns. Coming from a slightly conservative public high school in Virginia, and a liberal but very sheltered upbringing, all of this was news to me. Interestingly, I took it all in stride. My biggest concern was that someone should really teach him how to dress better, because the skirt and top combo didn't match at all.

Later, when I attended Smith College, these early lessons in terminology came in handy. That's not to say that Smith wasn't a culture shock, because it totally was. During a weekend for accepted students I was housed by Junior who a) had the shortest hair I had ever seen on a girl and b) was openly gay. Interestingly, all the students that she lived with seemed to veer largely toward the Lesbian side of the spectrum. This certainly isn't the case all over the Smith campus, but in that particular house my long hair-polo shirt wearing- one step away from having pearls-high school self stood out.

Three years later I would be leading a session for new students where I talked about LGBT terminology. Full circle from clueless fashion-conscious sixteen year old to more knowledgeable but still pretty clueless twenty-one year old.

Yesterday I was riding a bus through Dorchester, which is one of the poorest neighborhoods in Boston. Two Black teenagers, a guy and a girl, were talking about what drag was, which then turned into a discussion about a family friend's decision to transition. They knew the terminology. Was that because they'd read up on what to say and how to say it after learning of their friend's decision? Of course that's possible. But I also think it's possible that media is playing a role.

'Orange is the New Black' got a ton of attention this summer. It tells the stories of women in a prison, one of whom is transgender. The role of Sophia Burset is played by Laverne Cox, who is herself transgender. The show doesn't sensationalize Sophia's experience but instead presents it in much the same way as the other women's stories: this is how it was. When I watched Sophia during the initial stages of her transition--seeing her learn how to dress like a woman, seeing her wife support her, seeing her son struggle--I remembered the first time I heard the word "transgender".

I was very young, young enough that adults talked around me as though I wasn't there. My parents were throwing a dinner party and the subject of conversation was a colleague of my father's (a colleague who was not present). He had recently decided that he was going to start living as a woman. My parents and their friends were weighing in on the appropriateness of this decision. They were liberal, and my mother at least had been somewhat of a hippie, but they disapproved. I'm not sure that I was cognizant enough at that age to determine if it was total disapproval or not, but I do know that their biggest concern was that this man had a wife and several children. My mother viewed his decision to transition as a form of abandonment. Watching Sophia's story unfold on 'Orange is the New Black' made me wonder what happened to that colleague and his wife and their children.

I recently, quite literally, stumbled across a description of 'Hit and Miss': "Mia is a pre-op transsexual contract killer whose life is changed when she hears from her ex, who reveals that she's dying and that Mia has a son". It all sounded very dramatic to me and I couldn't imagine that it would be very good, but since I'm a supporter of soap opera-esque hysterics I decided to watch a bit.

'Hit and Miss' is a beautiful show. Not only beautiful because of its lovely cinematography or HD quality, but beautiful because it shows the full spectrum of human emotion. The premise may seem implausible, but the human heart is all there. I'm four episodes in, so I can't tell you if the quality lasts, but it is so wonderful so far that I want to encourage everyone to watch it. 'Hit and Miss' portrays human misery and dissolution in all of its beauty.

My one disappointment with the show is that the actress who plays Mia is not herself transgender. That being said, Chloe Sevigny does a wonderful job of making Mia a believable, multifaceted woman. I suppose we could argue endlessly about whether the show's creators ought to have found a woman who was really transgender, but it would mimic the argument that happened when Gina McKee played the wheelchair-bound Bella in 'Notting Hill'. In other words, it would go nowhere. At this point in time Gina McKee is Bella in much the same way the Chloe Sevigny is Mia.

Both 'Orange is the New Black' and 'Hit and Miss' introduce viewers to some of the aspects of living as a transgender or transsexual person. Since a poll by GLAAD in 2008 found that only 8% of Americans personally knew someone who was transgender, representation in television is important. The murder of Islan Nettles this past week only serves to strengthen this point.

Sevigny in 'Hit and Miss'

*I'm using the male pronoun here because that was his preferred pronoun at the time.

As an interesting note: In June of 2013 it was announced that 'Hit and Miss' had been bought by Sony Channels Russia. This announcement was made shortly before the Russian "ban on homosexual propaganda" went into effect.

'Orange is the New Black' and 'Hit and Miss' are both available for streaming on Netflix.

Castle Season 6 Premiere & Potential Spoilers

2013-09-17T17:00:00.002-04:00

In one short week the sixth season of 'Castle' will be premiering on ABC.

Thinking back over the last four seasons, it's easy to say that 'Castle' is a show that has succeeded in character growth. Beckett and Castle have both made strides and bounds in terms of mental and emotional well-being. Now even bigger changes are coming our way.

Although ABC and Andrew Marlowe (the creator of 'Castle') have been trying to keep a wrap on details of this season's premiere, it's pretty easy to piece together the key points. Stop reading now if you want to avoid potential spoilers (though keep in mind that I haven't seen the premiere and these are merely my best guesses--we'll see if they hold true).

1) Castle proposed at the end of last season, will Beckett say yes?
My best guess is that she will accept, however she'll first provide him with an opportunity to back out when she admits that she already took that job in Washington.

2) Will Beckett take the FBI job?
See above. Yes she will. This is basically a given considering that Kate is portrayed as a strong, independent, career-driven woman. However, I think she'll be engaged to Castle and he'll visit her frequently. Esposito, Ryan and Lanie will remain in the city (as will Alexis and Martha!) and consult occasionally. Best guess is that this is a short-lived move (I'm hoping for no more than 5 episodes). Beckett will initially have a hard time because she's used to being in-charge and the in the middle of the action, and the FBI job won't afford her that luxury.

3) So what's happening to Ryan & Esposito & Lanie & Martha & Alexis?
They'll stay in NY. This isn't 'Dawson's Creek' and the characters can't always end up in the same city because one person wants to move. In early episodes they'll consult and Castle will still investigate crimes with them. He'll visit Beckett occasionally (I assume in the premiere). She'll realize what she's missing and eventually come home.

look how much they've grown

Castle will premiere Monday, September 23rd at 10/9C on ABC

Downton Abbey Season Four Update & Season 3 Recaps

2013-09-10T17:44:00.000-04:00

I'm quite excited (see, I'm already talking like a British person) that 'Downton Abbey' is coming back in January. While I'll miss BLANK and BLANK (names redacted in case you're crazy and haven't watched Season 3 yet) I have faith that they'll give us an excellent show.

Apparently Michelle Dockery agrees.

This reminds me to plug my other blog which features recaps for all of season 3 of Downton Abbey:

OITNB: Can Season 2 Be As Good?

2013-08-16T18:22:00.000-04:00

I may be mildly obsessed with 'Orange is the New Black'.

And by mildly obsessed I mean that Netflix should probably start paying me some serious change considering the amount of promotional work I'm doing for their show.

So far I've managed to persuade colleagues, relatives, friends, and the folks I volunteer with at a local homeless shelter to give in and watch the show. And, get this, no one has blamed me yet!

That leads to what I consider to be the big question: now what?

The first season of OITNB was not without its flaws. There were some strong episodes and some weak episodes. Unsurprisingly, no one seems to agree which ones were which. Did the first couple of episodes drive you crazy because they were "too depressing"? Did the mythical chicken episode make you annoyed because it wasn't "serious enough"? Either way--you kept watching.

So now what happens? OITNB will come back. Not only has Netflix officially declared that a second season is happening, they're actually filming it right now. At least it's not going to be a crazy seven year wait (*Arrested Development *).

But when OITNB comes back it won't be all shiny and new. We'll have adjusted to the concept of watching a largely female cast in depressing (and often simultaneously humorous) scenarios. Sure, the first season ended with a pretty massive cliffhanger but I'm assuming that will be addressed in episode one.

One of the most unfortunate aspects of OITNB attracting so much media coverage is that we're already been exposed to what basically amounts to spoilers for the next season. [if you don't read mainstream media coverage stop now!]

It has been repeatedly reported that Laura Prepon, who plays Piper's ex-girlfriend Alex, is leaving the show. According to the Hollywood Reporter and a slew of other publications she'll be around for a few episodes next season to wrap up her story-line and then she's gone*. For Alex/Piper fans this is a big blow. And believe me, there are way more fans of this ship than you'd expect. (Or maybe not).

I don't think there are very many Larry/Piper fans out there, but if you are you may be disappointed since it seems likely that Jason Biggs is also departing.

The announcement that Taryn Manning has been signed as a full cast member next season is one of the larger spoilers. I really don't want to be guilty of spoiling that for you so on the off-chance you don't know who she plays go ahead and Google her.

Do you think with these major changes people will still watch the show? Can a second season be as good as the first?

*It's important to note that Netflix is not saying anything definitive about this, nor are Prepon or her agents. In the statement Netflix released they said: "our season is still developing and nothing is confirmed".

Orange is the New Black: Responding to Yasmin Nair

2013-07-26T18:06:00.000-04:00

Race, Class, & Queer Issues in 'Orange is the New Black'

In These Times recently published an article in which the author, Yasmin Nair, stated that while Netflix's 'Orange is the New Black' gets "an 'A' on queer issues", it gets "a 'C' on race and an 'F' on class". While I agree it's important to contemplate and critique the portrayal of queer issues, race, and class in media, there are several points that the author states as fact which in reality rely on her personal interpretation of what is shown on screen.

In full disclosure, I am (as the main character in the show states) a white lady with blonde hair. I'm sure that colored my interpretation of the show, and I in no way claim that my perspective is the right one.

The first point that Nair makes is that 'Orange is the New Black' (OITNB) ensures that white women's nudity is "artfully covered" so that their "placement in the hierarchy of voyeurism" is made clear. To make her point she references a few key scenes; the first being the scene in the chapel where Morello and Nichols are having sex. Nair, rightfully, points out that Morello's breasts remain artfully covered throughout the scene in an unrealistic way. There is also a scene where Chapman gets out of the shower and her breasts are only briefly flashed before they are hidden by a towel (viewers will remember this as the "TV titties" scene). Nair states that in contrast women of color are shown naked fairly often--breasts and all. She sees this as a way to eroticize women of color, while the white women "preserve their putative modesty".

It certainly is true that eroticization of women of color in mainstream media is a major problem. However, I don't think that the examples Nair has given support her argument.

While it is true that the fact that Morello's breasts are covered throughout the chapel scene would be unlikely in reality, it is also true that Daya and Daya's mother are both shown naked in scenes, and they are just as artfully arranged. Even in the scene where Daya's mother poses for Bennett in the storage closest, it is filmed in such a way that we do not see the full extent of her nudity. I find it far more likely that the main actresses in the show had nudity clauses in their contracts, while the show's creators purposefully found extras who would be willing to walk around naked.

My assumption is that this nudity was used for numerous reasons: one, if anything it illustrates Chapman's lack of comfort. She doesn't quite know how to react to women who are so comfortable with themselves and their bodies that they will walk around naked. It is a major theme of the show that Chapman is uncomfortable with herself in terms of her body, her personality and her life decisions, and I think her attempt at modesty throughout the series illustrates this.

Second, as Nair herself states, there is the simple fact that there are a higher percentage of women of color in prison. Thus, it makes sense that the majority of the extras are women of color, and that these are the women who we see naked in the background. It's not as though women's breasts are being flashed throughout the show, they are really only seen in the background at times when it makes logical sense--namely in the shower scenes. The truth of the matter is this nudity was probably used with specific aims, but I don't think eroticizing women of color was one of them. I think that besides the contrast it makes to Chapman's own issues, the nudity in these scenes, particularly in the first episode, helps to drive home to the viewer that they're entering a different world with it's own rules. The main point is that most people--white women, women of color, whoever--would be uncomfortable being nude around strangers, but in prison that changes.

Nair argues that in OITNB women of color also get a different kind of agency. She supports this argument with a discussion of the advisory council scene. In this scene Chapman and several other women (who all are women of color) have been elected to a board. However, in the first meeting Counselor Healy tells them that he can either make changes, or they can get donuts and coffee at every meeting. The other women all vote for coffee and donuts, while Chapman wants to make large changes--reopen the track, fix the GED program, etc. Nair states that this is the portrayal of Chapman as the "only [inmate] who can rise above her own needs to consider the larger issues facing inmates". I think this is a misinterpretation of the scene. This scene doesn't show Chapman as a white women who is the only one willing to fight for change, but rather as a naive women who has no understanding of the complexity of prison life or, indeed, life in general. It supports the theme running throughout the season, that things have always been handed to her: a comfortable childhood, a good education, etc. and that this has led her to have unrealistic expectations of what is owed to her. How can she "a nice blonde lady" be in prison? She accepts it outwardly (verbally stating the she "did it"), while inwardly she blames everyone but herself. The inmates know that the advisory council is a joke and they've known it from the start. If anything, this scene shows the women of color as having a more realistic worldview, while Chapman is still living in some secluded world of her privilege's making.

What are your thoughts? Have you been watching OITNB?

'The Bridge': Portrayals of Autism Worth Watching

2013-07-24T22:30:00.000-04:00

'The Bridge' is great television.

It's a complex thriller with true human emotion and interesting cross cultural perspectives, but that's not why it's great television.

The show is unique because it deals so successfully with Asperger's syndrome.

Detective Sonya Cross (Diane Kruger) is a lot of things. She's the quintessential attractive American on the show--slim with wavy blonde hair and blue eyes. Men are clearly attracted to her, as is evidenced by the man who hits on her during the second episode's bar scene. She's very intelligent...a lead homicide detective who is passionate about her work.

She's also socially inept, but unlike shows such as 'The Big Bang Theory', where the character Sheldon Cooper's (purported) autism leaves him constantly clueless about social conventions, and seemingly caring little about the reaction he's provoking, Sonya's reactions seem more accurate.

According to psychology research studies, individuals with high functioning autism spectrum disorders often have high levels of depression because they are aware of the awkwardness their behavior causes, but don't know how to interact with people in a more "socially acceptable" way. Sonya falls into this category, she repeatedly apologizes for her behavior after the fact, despite the fact that it is clear that she doesn't understanding why what she did wasn't socially acceptable.

Her captain clearly knows that Sonya has difficulty interacting with people; in the pilot episode he reminds her to make eye contact with the victim's family, and in both the first and second episode he manages to calm her by shoulder checking her lightly instead of giving her real physical contact.

Why do I think that Sonya has Asperger's?

*First of all, the showrunners have been open about the fact that she does. 'The Bridge' is based on the Scandinavian show 'Bron' and the lead the detective in that show also has Asperger's.

*She is confused by the emotional reaction of the first victim's husband but realizes that she has done something wrong when he asks her to leave. She apologizes for her potential lack of empathy.

*Her captain reminds her to make eye contact when she interviews.

*When a stranger hits on her at a bar she refuses his offer of a drink, then when he walks away she follows and asks him why he left. Then she propositions him for sex.

How does the show portray Asperger's so accurately? For one thing, instead of relying on tropes, the showrunners asked Autism Speaks to provide guidance.

Despite all of this, 'The Bridge' showrunners, much like those of 'The Big Bang Theory', made a purposeful decision not to name their characters' condition. In a way I find this disappointing, not because I think that autism is the key defining feature of Sonya as a person, but rather because I think it is so accurately portrayed that viewers who watch the show could benefit from knowing that she has Asperger's so that they could potentially gain a better understanding of the condition and the emotional upheaval that can accompany it.

Diane Kruger as Sonya Cross

'SVU' marathons are the bane of my existence (also, John Mulaney is right for once)

2013-06-11T10:00:00.000-04:00

I didn't watch this season of 'Law & Order: SVU' as it aired (I had to work while it was on). I'm one of those weird people who watches the show for character development. The cases are fairly interesting, but I really just want to know what's going on in Benson's love life, and whether Rollins' character is actually straight, and what the hell is going on with Amaro. When you watch a show for character development it typically helps to watch the episodes in order so that you can, you know, observe the characters' development.

One of the main frustrations of my life is that despite the fact that USA seems to play 'SVU' marathons about 70 hours a week, they always have weird themes; "ripped from the headlines", "famous guest stars", "Benson's boyfriends". Okay, I may have made that last one up since it's a marathon I'd actually be willing to watch, but regardless you get my point. Those marathons really don't help someone who cares about character development. They skip from an episode where District Attorney Cabot is no where to be found because she's in witness protection and almost everyone thinks she's dead to six episodes in a row where she's lead prosecutor. Then you see Stabler and Benson solve a case, but the next episode he's gone. Then Benson has super short hair and you wonder if they were trying to make her a butch cop, but suddenly she's all femme and kissing David Haden. This is why I need to watch the episodes in order.

I'm apparently too cheap to pay for Hulu Plus so I've decided that I'll take advantage of their free trial and watch all of season 14 of 'SVU' in one week.

I started two days ago and I'm already starting to notice several patterns. I could probably write this show y'all. Besides that, I've also learned that John Mulaney is totally right: 14 years and Ice-T still has no fucking clue.

SVU marathons on USA are kind of a big problem

2013-06-10T09:30:00.000-04:00

Here's why 'SVU' marathon's on USA are kind of a big problem, y'all

1) First you're all: Score! An 'SVU' marathon. I just love watching those sex crime detectives hard at work.

2) Episode two starts and you're happy because Alex Cabot is the ADA and she's your favorite.

3) Then Novak's on and you're all: Okay. Sure. I can deal with her.

4) They play that super dramatic episode where Cabot gets shot and hello Witsec.

5) Episode five begins. Benson wants a warrant so she calls up Cabot cause, you know, she's back or she never left, or something. (Wait, what season is this now?)

6) Benson and Stabler share several dramatic moments this episode. Boy, their partnership is the best.

7) Benson hugs Amarao: "You're a great partner". Oh right, Stabler's gone.

9) This is getting ridiculous. You should probably be able to tell which season this is by the five second still of the gang in each episode's opening credits, but at this point you're 9 hours in and kind of exhausted.

The Goodwin Games: Yay or Nay?

2013-06-07T17:15:00.000-04:00

Execs at CBS certainly didn't think 'The Goodwin Games' had the "it" factor. After all, the show wasn't picked up the fall schedule, even though CBS chose to pick up four other new comedies.

Now that the show's been relegated to the summer line-up it seems like it's a lost cause. So why watch it?

Honestly, the number one reason is because in a sea of summer shows and so-so reruns, 'The Goodwin Games' is a new comedy that's airing new episodes each week. Sure we have 'Baby Daddy' and 'Melissa and Joey' but some of us like to look for more than that particular brand of ABC Family comedy.

'The Goodwin Games' isn't wonderful, but it's an enjoyable half-hour romp. The three siblings, played by Becki Newton, Scott Foley, and T.J. Miller, will be familiar to most viewers. As will, perhaps unfortunately, the impetus for the plot.

The siblings have returned home to attend their father's funeral only to discover that he was A) incredibly rich and B) if they want his money they'll need to complete a series of challenges that he's dictating from the grave by way of video recordings.

As I said, the plot is actually a familiar one. For one thing, it mimics the plot set forth in the made for TV Canadian movie, 'Shadow Island Mysteries: The Last Christmas'. For another, it is extraordinarily reminiscent of the best-selling book 'The Westing Game'.

While it's no 'How I Met Your Mother', this show from creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas (as well as Chris Harris) has enough twists and turns to keep viewers intrigued, even if it is just for a summer.

We can only hope the 7 episode order offers us some sort of conclusion.

Thank God for Summer Television

2013-06-05T11:00:00.000-04:00

I spent shockingly little time watching television this past year.

Since we all know that's a blatant lie let me rephrase--my commitment and enthusiasm for watching shows live declined dramatically. The only shows that I watched as they aired were 'Castle' and 'How I Met Your Mother'. Don't ask me why those specific shows won out, because I honestly don't have an answer.

Now, however, it's finally summer and while (since adulthood) that doesn't mean my workload is any less than it is during the rest of the year, the annoying heat and rampant mosquitoes will encourage me to watch more TV as it airs. Lucky you!

What shows am I planning on watching and/or already watching?

Mondays

'The Goodwin Games', FOX, 8:30/7:30C Already airing
From the creators of 'How I Met Your Mother', this comedy follows three thirty-something siblings who return home after their father's death to discover he's left them a massive fortune...provided they play and win a series of games.

'The Fosters', ABC Family, 9/8C Already airing
Following a police officer (huh, seems like a trend) and her partner, a vice principal, this show is unique because of it's portrayal of a lesbian couple raising a mixed-race brood. This may sound soapbox-ish, but the show doesn't try too hard, and instead portrayals the married couple as just that--a married couple. When they take in new foster children their lives change forever. <--melodramatic but so is the show. Also it's true.

Tuesdays

'Rizzoli & Isles', TNT, 9/8C June 25th
Following a Boston homicide detective (Angie Harmon) and her medical examiner friend (Sasha Alexander), this show is so gay that it's coined its own term "gazzoli". I watch it partly for the subtext, partly because I can't ever turn down a decent crime procedural (no matter how soapy it may be).

'Covert Affairs', USA, 9/8C July 16th
Annie is a CIA operative, Auggie is too, there's potential romance in the air this season. Also lots of the usual intrigue, crime, and espionage.

Wednesdays

'Baby Dadddy', ABC Family, 8:30/7:30C Already airing
Because you need at least one super trashy, don't need to think at all while you watch it, show to get you through the summer. This is that show.

'Toddlers & Tiaras', TLC, 9/8C Already airing
Because you need at least one super trashy reality show to get you through the summer.

Thursdays

'Motive', ABC, 9/8C Already airing
Okay, yes, it's another crime procedural. At least this one has a slight twist...the viewer knows who did it from the beginning.

'Rookie Blue', ABC, 10/9C Already airing
The show about rookie cops is entering it's fourth season. Jokingly called 'Grey's Anatomy' for cops, this Canadian show is worth watching.

Sundays

'Dexter', Showtime, 9/8C June 30th
It's the final season of this long running serial killer drama. If you want to catch-up first I'd recommend watching seasons 1-3 and then skipping to season 7. You'll know everything you need to to prepare you for season 8.

'Unforgettable', CBS, 9/8C July 28th
Don't have Showtime? This show aired during the regular season on CBS but was cancelled. Now it's getting a second chance as a summer show. Watch to see if this show about a woman who solves crimes using her photographic memory deserves the second chance.

Castle Season 5 Finale: Yes or No

2013-05-13T23:42:00.001-04:00

SPOILERS FOR SEASON 5 FINALE!

In the past 'Castle' has had dramatic finales. Who could forget the season when Beckett got shot mere moments before the end credits? Still, this season's finale offered a blow of a different sort. For a season that focused on the emotional development of its main characters it makes sense that the finale would deal with just that.

Season five wasn't as edge of your seat high stakes as the seasons before it, but it definitely allowed us to watch Castle and Beckett's relationship develop while still providing us with some tricky cases.

In tonight's episode we all knew what was coming; as had been pretty clearly established last week, Beckett was going to interview for a job in DC and she was going to get it. What was most surprising about this week's episode was the fact that it was half way done before Castle even discovered she'd interviewed which left scant time to focus on their argument after her secret had been revealed. In a way that made the finale all the more powerful.

Stana Katic delivered a surprisingly subdued yet authentic portrayal of Beckett in turmoil over her decision. One of my favorite scenes in the entire episode was when Castle jokingly mentioned (prior to knowing about Kate's job interview) that she needed him in her life to help her solve crimes. The camera cut to Katic and the look of turmoil in her face was for once perfect.

Even before watching this episode I felt the writers had two decisions: make Beckett pregnant or have Castle propose. Interestingly Ryan brings up the potential Caskett baby early in the episode, but turns out babies are just on his brain because (you guessed it!) Jenny's pregnant. I'm glad the writers didn't go the pregnancy route because it would have made the following season far too angst-ridden. A Kate who feels trapped into making a decision is not a happy Beckett (you know what I mean).

The finale ended with Castle and Beckett meeting at the swings, a location which has come to be somewhat of an emotional impetus for them. It's where Beckett apologized to Castle for disappearing for a whole summer after she got shot--and gave him hope that when she healed they'd be together. And it's where Beckett sat in the rain at the end of last season's finale right before she went to Castle's loft to declare her love.

And in tonight's episode it was where Richard Castle proposed.

Unsurprisingly the proposal is the cliffhanger. Still, let's reflect on what might happen next...

Seconds before the proposal Beckett thought that they were breaking up. Did her teary eyes mean that she was devastated about this or resigned?

Castle has been married twice before and they've never had an in depth conversation about the failure of those two marriages...will Kate see this proposal as a last ditch effort by Castle to keep her by his side in NY? Will she take it as a declaration of love or manipulation?

Castle made a speech about how he had been thinking a lot about their relationship and that they both deserved more (hence Kate's assumption that he was breaking up with her). He then seemed to say that regardless of her decision he wanted to be with her--but he didn't say outright that he would follow her if she took the DC job. How will we interpret the proposal? And what was he really saying?

And finally, he's an author--a rich author--and his daughter's no longer living at home. Why couldn't he move to DC with Kate? He could keep the loft and fly back to NY at an hour's notice. Of course their relationship would change in that they'd no longer be working together but it could happen.

Of course, we know it won't. Why? Well because the show's set in NY. And the whole supporting cast works at the precinct. This isn't 'Dawson's Creek'; they can't all magically move to a new city together.

Where do you think season six will pick up? There are a few options. It would mimic the beginning of this season and begin almost where it left off. Or it could follow the route of other seasons and start after the summer. Perhaps Kate (with or without Castle) lived in DC for the summer? Or maybe she turned down the job and is a) happy or b) angst-ridden with regret.

Guess we'll just have to wait 3 months to find out.

It's Time for a Parks & Rec Family Hug...

2013-05-09T17:04:00.001-04:00

...Because the show was just renewed for a sixth season!

That's right, Parks and Recreation will be back on NBC for Season Six this Fall (2013). Get ready America.

Castle: How Much Hitchcock is Too Much Hitchcock?

2013-05-09T15:09:00.002-04:00

"How Much Hitchcock is Too Much Hitchcock?" is clearly a ridiculous question--the answer is obvious. There is no such thing as too much Hitchcock.

I don't think it's plausible to not get something out of a Hitchcock film, regardless of whether you're watching it for the first time or the 22nd.

However, it is definitely possible to overuse Hitchcock allusions. Case in point? The current season of 'Castle'.

I love when television writers choose to reference other facets of popular culture and referencing old-timey popular culture is the best. But there's always a danger that the reference will distract from the plot or detract from the quality of the show because the writers are too worried about doing justice to said reference.

In the 100th episode of 'Castle' ["The Lives of Others", 5x19*] the writers chose to base the storyline around that of perhaps the best known Hitchcock movie, 'Rear Window'. The storyline was imaginative because although it followed the twists and turns of the original movie it ended with its own twist: the characters were purposefully reenacting 'Rear Window' to play a trick on Castle. It was the writers way of paying homage to Hitchcock; recognizing his influence on film (and consequently television) to the point that it existed within the world of 'Castle'.

Unfortunately it would seem that the writers got too attached to the Master of Suspense. Having one episode that joked about Hitchcock was great, but having a second one air only a few weeks later seemed a little stale.

In 5x23 "The Human Experience" Castle and Beckett solve a murder that involves free media and government drones. It also involves a scene right out of a Hitchcock movie. Beckett and Castle are in an empty field when they hear an engine in the distance. They look up and see that a drone is heading right for them and, just like Cary Grant before them, they dive into the ground at the last moment as it whizzes past their heads.

It was as though the writers had either:

a) come up with a Hitchcock trope that they wanted to include in the 100th episode but couldn't squeeze in (and/or it didn't make sense with the plot) so they decided to recycle it in "The Human Factor" or

b) they were forced to watch so much Hitchcock while prepping for the 100th episode that they just couldn't get the guy out of their heads.

Regardless, I was so distracted by the intrusion of a scene that was a clear copycat of the classic 'plane in a field' scene from 'North by Northwest' that I actually yelped, "North by Northwest" at the television, much to the enjoyment of my roommates. They laughed even harder when seconds later Castle stated the same thing on screen.

Unlike in "The Lives of Others", where I appreciated the recognition of Hitchcock as the impetus of the plot, I found myself irritated by Castle's comment. Perhaps I would have found another Hitchcock reference less jarring if it had been included more subtly, instead of being pointed out explicitly.

What was the point of making another Hitchcock reference only three weeks after a whole episode was devoted to him? Is Castle suddenly, after four years, a Hitchcock aficionado?

Also, if you want to make references to Hitchcock why not make them subtle ones? Choosing two of the most iconic parts of Hitchcock seems a tad ridiculous. What's next? Castle falling down a winding staircase while bright colors flash?

Still from Hitchock's 1958 film 'Vertigo'

Then again, Castle does have that twisted staircase behind his desk in his office. I take it back, his love of Hitchcock has always been clearly expressed onscreen.

*You don't even want to get me started on the fact that this was a reference to 'The Lives of Others', a 2006 German film that dealt with espionage in East Berlin.

Joss Whedon's Much Ado About Nothing (Trailers & Release Date)

2013-04-30T17:04:00.000-04:00

I'm not the biggest fan of Joss Whedon out there*, but I definitely appreciate most of his work.

'Buffy'?

'Firefly'?

'The Avengers'?

Like, like, and like.

So I'm obviously excited about his newest movie that's coming out (not 'Arrested Development' excited, but pretty close).

Joss Whedon's latest film, 'Much Ado About Nothing', is a re-imagining of the classic Shakespeare play. It premiered at Boston's Independent Film Festival last week, but if you weren't lucky enough to get tickets (or aren't lucky enough to live in Boston) don't worry...it will definitely be coming to a theater near you!

It stars many of Whedon's recurring actors, including Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, Nathan Fillion and Ricki Lindhome who all appeared in 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' or its spin-off 'Angel'. Fillion and Sean Maher appeared in Whedon's short-lived but much beloved 'Firefly'. Clark Gregg appeared in 'The Avengers'.

Whedon's 'Much Ado' also introduces viewers to Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher, which is pretty spectacular since I've been obsessed with their web skits forever (watch them at http://www.britanick.com/)

Get excited about 'Much Ado' coming to theaters on June 7th, 2013! In the meantime, enjoy the newest trailer:

And the original trailer:

*I could say that I am, but I have no doubt some anonymous commenter would instantaneously prove me wrong by repeating every line from every episode of every Whedon show ever (a feat I have not mastered).

HIMYM & Castle Give Us the Same Episode: Bro Mitvah vs. Lives of Others

2013-04-29T21:00:00.000-04:00

Barney’s bachelorette party and Castle’s birthday party were basically the same event...

‘How I Met Your Mother’ is known for often over the top comedy, while ‘Castle’ is a mix of crime, drama and comedy. Apart from the comedic link, the shows normally couldn’t be more different.

‘How I Met Your Mother’ focuses on the lives of five friends living in New York, while ‘Castle’ remains focused primarily on its two main characters (with occasional forays into the lives of the supporting ones).

However, in two of these shows recent episodes the similarity was hard to ignore.

In “The Bro Mitzvah” (S8Ep22) Barney insists that the gang will never be able to give him a bachelor party that will meet his expectations. For the first half of the episode we think he’s right—we witness the worst bachelor party possible. The guys rent Barney a horrible hotel room, they invite a birthday party clown to make balloon creations, and they invite the “wrong” Karate Kid (fans of the show will know that Barney always interpreted that movie a little different from the average ten-year-old). Then, to make matters worse, the stripper turns out to be Barney’s ex-fiancé Quinn. Finally, Barney’s had enough and insists on a ride home, but not before the Karate Kid taunts him into gambling. When Barney finally arrives back in New York (after having lost $85,000), Robin sees him with Quinn and throws her engagement ring in his face.

BUT (and here’s the twist) we’re quickly informed via flashback that all of this misery was planned. The gang decided to give Barney a bachelor party he would never forget by giving him the worst night ever.

Cruel? Ted ponders that at one point, but they all laugh it off.

Luckily, despite a momentary awkward pause when Barney discovers the truth and his face goes blank, he actually does love the fact that they tricked him. He proclaims it the best bachelor party ever and eagerly hugs Robin.

Now, you’re probably wondering what this has to do with ‘Castle’; it turns out a hell of a lot.

Just a few weeks before “The Bro Mitvah” aired, ‘Castle’ aired its 100^th episode. In “The Lives of Others” (S5Ep19) ‘Castle’ takes a Hitchcockian turn. Castle is injured, so while Beckett and the guys are off solving a murder he’s stuck at home. He takes to staring out his window with binoculars that Alexis has given him as a joke—and he sees the plot of ‘Rear Window’ unfold before his eyes. Beckett refuses to accept that he’s seen a murder, despite the fact that Castle keeps on seeing more and more hints to the contrary. Finally he persuades Beckett to go over to the neighbor’s house. The husband—who supposedly murdered his wife—catches her and Castle thinks (for a horrifying moment) that Beckett is going to be killed while he watches through the window.

However, as soon as Castle reaches the neighbors’ apartment he discovers all of his friends standing there and yelling “surprise”! It turns out it’s a birthday party, planned by Beckett. As she explains it Castle’s face looks very much like Barney’s—blank with disbelief. Everyone pauses awkwardly for a moment but then—again like Barney—Castle eagerly exclaims that it’s the best party ever. Beckett breathes a sigh of relief and they hug.

I can’t even explain to you how bizarre it was to watch these two episodes back-to-back. It is interesting to see very similar plot devices used in a half-hour comedy and an hour long procedural.

Which show did it better? I’m honestly not sure. In a way, ‘Castle’ seemed a little crueler, and even after it was revealed that it was all a trick I wasn’t sure how comfortable I was with the group leading Castle astray. I was particularly uncomfortable because Beckett almost did die last season and we watched Castle go through the agony of having to watch her bleed out in front of him. Tricking him into believing (even if only for a moment) that Beckett was being killed again seems unconscionably cruel.

Meanwhile, Barney getting tricked was also cruel, but considering how much pleasure he takes in tricking other people it felt more justified. He even proposed to Robin with an elaborate hoax, so why not give him a bachelor party in the same vein?

Dear Arrested Development, Please Hurry the F*** Up.

2013-04-26T13:00:00.000-04:00

Dear Arrested Development,

I've been obsessed with you since 2003. Many would say that's borderline pathological, but I say it's just good taste. For the most part my friends agree with me, so either we're all in some sort of weird symbiotic relationship (not out of the question), or my obsession is just good commonsense (let's go with that, shall we?).

When I found out that an Arrested Development movie might be happening I was as excited as the next fan. I was also as patient as the next fan, which is to say--not at all. When your creator Ron Howard repeatedly assured us that a movie was happening and nothing happened I began to lose faith with the rest of America.

But then in November of 2011 something magical happened. Netflix officially announced that Arrested Development was coming back. Nope, not back on our TVs, but back to our eyes in a way that was (to be frank) even better: a 13 episode order that would be released all at once directly on Netflix instant.

To recap your own history for you (because seriously its been so long it's doubtful even you remember), there will be a six year gap between the last time you aired on TV (2006) and your release date on Netflix (2013).

But don't worry. We'll be watching.

May 26th, 2013 please hurry the f*** up.

-A Fan