Curb Your Enthusiasm, shark, jump?

For a while this season I felt that Curb Your Enthusiasm had jumped the shark.  (No huge spoilers here, btw.) Or probably that’s the wrong phrase in its suggestion of a Rubicon-crossing into sudden badness; more a sinking into repetitive tics and self-indulgence of some of the show’s worst qualities.  Is it possible that every [...]

Kenneth Branagh as Kurt Wallander

Watched the first (of three, I believe) installment of PBS Mystery’s versions of the Henning Mankell Kurt Wallander thrillers.  Last night was Sidetracked and I think in the next two Sundays they’re doing Firewall and One Step Behind.
It wasn’t bad at all, was a creditable version, but was still mildly disappointing.  I didn’t really buy [...]

Amy Poehler as Kaitlin

I’ve only seen the first episode of Parks and Recreation so far.  This is the (sort of) spin-off of The Office, a mockumentary starring Amy Poehler as Leslie Knopes, a very enthusiastic parks-and-recreation officer in the fictional Indiana town of Pawnee.  Indiana’s national reputation took a boost when we went blue last November, but this [...]

What the Frack?: Battlestar Galactica

We’ve been making our way through the first season of Battlestar Galactica.  I’d heard good things about it, but I’m not the biggest filmed sci-fi fan and it felt like a big commitment.  What finally inspired me was running into an old acquaintance who has pretty hip/smart taste who declared that he believes it may [...]

“Wheep wheep wheeeeep:” R.I.P. Oliver Postgate

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Jello Sculpture Art or Not?

Sarah discovered this t.v. show Art or Not? which is on the Ovation channel, whatever that is.
It’s entertaining, although there’s something about the premise that is a little bit corny — I mean, the question isn’t really whether the jello sculpture, say, is art (what else would it be?), but whether it’s crappy art or [...]

The year CBS killed everything with a tree in it

Re: Wasilla Hillbillies, I found myself watching The Beverly Hillbillies recently with the sound off (but with subtitles) while working out on the Arc Welder or whatever it’s called at the Y, and thinking “wow, this is a really good show.”  The writing and acting seemed sharp and hilarious; I especially admired the physical comedy [...]

Graduate Students: Worst People in the World?

Decided to go for the attention-getting, deceptive headline for this Television Report.
Season premiere of 30 Rock, which I like a lot though sometimes find just a bit too antic & pleased with itself, this week.  A funny one overall; there was one line that somewhat mystified me, as Liz and Jack discuss the ethical dubiousness [...]

Catchiest Album of All Time?

Girl Talk’s Feed the Animals may be the catchiest workout/dance album of all time.  It’s almost an unfair contest, in relation to normal music, since the GT guy just steals the catchiest hooks from pop music of the last few decades and (brilliantly) splices and sutures them together so it all functions as an apotheosis [...]

Practice Your Bewildered Silence

David Letterman “Top Ten Things Overheard at Palin Debate Camp.”
10. “Let’s practice your bewildered silence.”
9. “Can you try saying ‘yes’ instead of ‘you betcha’?”
8. “Hey, I can see Mexico from here!”
7. “Maybe we’ll get lucky and there won’t be any questions about Iraq, taxes or healthcare.”
6. “We’re screwed!”
5. “Can I just use that lipstick-pit bull [...]