Today's column is a triple-decker: a review of Sci Fi's spectacularly underwhelming "Flash Gordon" remake (which will not be getting blogged here), a review of VH1's "NY77: The Coolest Year in Hell Documentary" (which basically covers all the stuff that "The Bronx Is Burning" doesn't have time for) and, in between, a preview of the "John From Cincinnati" finale, which has some tremendous moments but not a lot in the way of concrete answers to much of anything. (Printer-friendly version.)
Friday, August 10, 2007
I don't know Flash Gordon instead
Today's column is a triple-decker: a review of Sci Fi's spectacularly underwhelming "Flash Gordon" remake (which will not be getting blogged here), a review of VH1's "NY77: The Coolest Year in Hell Documentary" (which basically covers all the stuff that "The Bronx Is Burning" doesn't have time for) and, in between, a preview of the "John From Cincinnati" finale, which has some tremendous moments but not a lot in the way of concrete answers to much of anything. (Printer-friendly version.)
Are you gonna blog this week's Rescue Me or Damages?
ReplyDeleteAre you gonna blog this week's Rescue Me or Damages?
ReplyDeleteNo. Don't care. I think I'm dropping "Damages" altogether, and I'm going to leave "Rescue Me" alone as a blog subject until the season finale.
Just out of curiousity, what's the rationale behind those decisions?
ReplyDeleteI'm also not really digging Damages (frankly, I'm surprised so much of the response on the net seems so positive) but what about Rescue Me? Is it because you're just too down on the show? And if so, why are you willing to drop Damages but not Rescue Me? Is it simply that you've got more invested in Rescue Me after so many seasons?
Is it simply that you've got more invested in Rescue Me after so many seasons?
ReplyDeleteThat, and the fact that Rescue Me still occasionally gives me moments that are so good that I'll suffer through all the garbage surrounding it. But there's no point in doing a weekly blog, as my complaints are the same again and again.
Damages, meanwhile, hasn't really given me any reason to want to tune in again. It's worse than bad; it's boring.
After the first "Damages" episode, I thought it would be like "Alias" but with lawyers. After the second, I hoped it would at least turn out to be as entertaining as the first 13 episodes of "Prison Break". Ten minutes into the third one, it had already moved to the "Life's Too Short" pile.
ReplyDelete(Which says something, because I still occasionally do, in fact, watch "Prison Break".)
It baffles me that some critics actually like this thing. Then again, there's the "Heroes" versus "The Wire" thing, so. (LOL)
not a lot in the way of concrete answers to much of anything
ReplyDeleteWould've been shocked and disappointed to hear otherwise. I don't know what people are even asking for when they want John to be "explained" or whatever. Irreducibility, & non-conformity to existing concepts and frameworks are kinda the essence of the miraculous...
Hi Alan. In your article, you mention "John" was almost as expensive to produce as "Deadwood." Folks over at the TWoP site were wondering what drove up the costs. Any ideas? Thanks. Oh, and if it's ok, I'll relay/link your answer.
ReplyDeleteIn your article, you mention "John" was almost as expensive to produce as "Deadwood." Folks over at the TWoP site were wondering what drove up the costs. Any ideas? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThey threw out a bunch of episodes and essentially started over from scratch.
per Alan Sepinwall: They threw out a bunch of episodes and essentially started over from scratch.
ReplyDeleteFilmed episodes, or just scripts? And was this done at the network's insistence, or because Milch didn't feel he had nailed it, so to speak?
Thanks Alan. I assume he meant re-shot entire episodes. . . the rewrites seem to be a given, from everything I've heard.
ReplyDelete