tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post2768122638359808488..comments2024-03-28T18:01:28.997-04:00Comments on What's Alan Watching?: Soap storiesAlan Sepinwallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03388147774725646742noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-37126852136675100732008-05-11T03:40:00.000-04:002008-05-11T03:40:00.000-04:00gossip girl is one of the very few shows that i en...gossip girl is one of the very few shows that i enjoy, but i have to agree on what you said. but i guess the messy sophistication of it is what makes Gossip Girl so attractive. <BR/>After last week's shocking revelation, I've been dying for the next episode. Any dish on Serena's supposed "murder"? or the episode in general? Spill the beans! (:Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-26633306387838089832008-05-08T11:05:00.000-04:002008-05-08T11:05:00.000-04:00Regarding House's 'hypocrisy', I thought of it as ...Regarding House's 'hypocrisy', I thought of it as being somewhat like poker, a game not unlike diagnostic medicine in that results are not relevant, but the right decisions and moves are. House basically drew out on the river, and even though he won the hand, he was angry because the way he played it meant he only deserved to win in, well, 5% of situations.<BR/><BR/>--AHAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-49898094326057411202008-05-07T13:10:00.000-04:002008-05-07T13:10:00.000-04:00Yeah, I know! I wasn't trying to force you into ca...Yeah, I know! I wasn't trying to force you into caring, I was just commenting on a specific thing you said about the general philosophy of the show, where I disagree with you a little bit. After that, to each his own! :)dark tylerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13461345493748899275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-89096277171097507762008-05-07T06:45:00.000-04:002008-05-07T06:45:00.000-04:00I couldn't help but feel that Gossip Girl does exa...<I>I couldn't help but feel that Gossip Girl does exactly what you described Iron Man did so well, Alan. It's light and soapy but never silly. And it's shallow, but the right kind of shallow, the one that takes its characters and treats them as seriously as they deserve to be treated, and not like they're punchlines waiting to happen. (*cough* Shonda Rhimes)</I><BR/><BR/>I'm not saying Gossip Girl is a bad show, guys. If anything, Monday's episode was one of the stronger ones they've done, which is what helped crystallize my disinterest. If I couldn't find myself caring about the characters and subject matter after an episode like that, then it's not the show that's the issue -- it's me. Just not my thing.Alan Sepinwallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03388147774725646742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-82964684818865219222008-05-07T02:37:00.000-04:002008-05-07T02:37:00.000-04:00I actually had to stop reading Jacob's BSG recaps ...I actually had to stop reading Jacob's BSG recaps because there's just too much information in them. I don't have the energy to read them.<BR/><BR/>Now to switch gears and actually talk about the episode of Gossip Girl, the last scene really seems like a "jump the shark" moment and I hope it doesn't turn out that wayUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12165156058497829724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-23760994937368765482008-05-07T00:23:00.000-04:002008-05-07T00:23:00.000-04:00I have to second joelhunt's recommendation of Jaco...I have to second <B>joelhunt</B>'s recommendation of Jacob's recaps of <I>Gossip Girl</I> at TWoP. Jacob's intense appreciation of character, of motivation, and of narrative structure may seem to some like making a silk purse out of a sow's ear, but he actually makes you see that the silk purse was there all along.<BR/><BR/>Jacob also recaps BSG, but "recap" actually seems too shallow and mingy a word to describe what he does there. It's....transcendant.Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01288100796201737845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-65502455937883964182008-05-06T21:25:00.000-04:002008-05-06T21:25:00.000-04:00do you think Dudek might make a good remake Claire...<I>do you think Dudek might make a good remake Claire, assuming she and Bobby Cannavale have chemistry?</I><BR/>I hope not. I simply don't like the actress - never have. At least, when she's Cutthroat Bitch, I'm also supposed to not like the character, and she's not the focus of the episode. <BR/><BR/>I loved the old Cupid. I wouldn't watch if she were the new Claire.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-56288764975545225082008-05-06T20:59:00.000-04:002008-05-06T20:59:00.000-04:00I have started to like Gossip Girl much more post ...I have started to like Gossip Girl much more post strike because it seems to be on a roll with its snarky vibe and taking bitch to a new level. <BR/>I can't really define why I like it, but even though I am well beyond high school, this show still amuses me.Nicolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11317568565085893849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-37057426011418448312008-05-06T19:45:00.000-04:002008-05-06T19:45:00.000-04:00I think the whole Cuddy/House dynamic is off track...I think the whole Cuddy/House dynamic is off track. There was more to them than her just being his limit-setter. Like you say with the original docs--there is an interesting, satisfying "extra" to their scenes/interaction, because of their histories with House that the newbies don't have.<BR/><BR/>Cuddy has even more, deeper House history, but it's been flattened to one, not-so-interesting dimension.Mapeelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12149683683413237283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-85260890216982267132008-05-06T19:32:00.000-04:002008-05-06T19:32:00.000-04:00Gossip Girl is awesome exactly because it takes it...Gossip Girl is awesome exactly because it takes itself absolutely seriously. No self-aware emo teenagers in the vicinity, GG is all about characters who don't they're fictional and therefore feel every little teeny-weeny inch of drama in their bones. Everything is the end of the world, as it should be when you're 16.<BR/><BR/>I couldn't help but feel that Gossip Girl does exactly what you described Iron Man did so well, Alan. It's light and soapy but never silly. And it's shallow, but the right kind of shallow, the one that takes its characters and treats them as seriously as they deserve to be treated, and not like they're punchlines waiting to happen. (*cough* <I>Shonda Rhimes</I>)dark tylerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13461345493748899275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-14297510478243249742008-05-06T16:25:00.000-04:002008-05-06T16:25:00.000-04:00do you think Dudek might make a good remake Claire...<I>do you think Dudek might make a good remake Claire, assuming she and Bobby Cannavale have chemistry?</I><BR/><BR/> Yes.<BR/><BR/> I also agree that she's landed the juiciest role of all the contestants, but I knew that as soon as she was introduced as Wilson's girlfriend.<BR/><BR/> It's really interesting that the show has so significantly expanded its cast and yet still does not seem to display any desire to become more of a soap. They ignore Cameron and Chase entirely; the Wilson/Amber storyline has soapy potential, but it has so far been kept well-compartmentalized. At this point <I>House</I> is a more committed procedural than quite a few of the current (aging) cop shows.<BR/><BR/>AnonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-17545843247053048252008-05-06T15:40:00.000-04:002008-05-06T15:40:00.000-04:00Jason Lewis.'nuf said.Jason Lewis.<BR/><BR/>'nuf said.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-52916540779708192692008-05-06T15:28:00.000-04:002008-05-06T15:28:00.000-04:00Last night's House was one of the best of the seas...Last night's House was one of the best of the season, because it was one of the funniest in what is definitely a funny-theme season, after the very dark season 3.<BR/><BR/>Anyone remembers when Gregory House was in pain and miserable, boozing up and calling escorte girls? None of that this year, I wonder if the series is getting to some sort of happy ending for our favorite doc.Mrglasshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11904825729610838862noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-54727967515167069172008-05-06T14:52:00.000-04:002008-05-06T14:52:00.000-04:00House felt flat and underdeveloped to me; the thre...<I>House</I> felt flat and underdeveloped to me; the threads stitching together the storylines--personal happiness, the need for limits--were there, but slack. The writing was a bit on the nose as well; I couldn't enjoy the "pretty girls are fungible" scene as much as you, Alan, for the predictability of Cameron's exit line. Though I suspect most of this episode, including the ending, is intended as setup for future developments. <BR/><BR/>I'd have thought they'd gone more meta with a patient who plays a TV doctor, though Laurie humbly accepting the Emmy was fun.<BR/><BR/>Alan: "A very good "Bones," and I'm impressed by their ability to balance their usual humor with the higher stakes of the dad-on-trial story in a way that never felt awkward."<BR/><BR/>I'd give a lot of credit to the stars for that. Deschanel's lowkey delivery shifts easily from comic to troubled, while Boreanaz's self-effacing geniality reminds me more of James Garner with each episode. In contrast, the supporting cast seemed by and large a bit more awkward making the transition to serious drama.<BR/><BR/>Save Daley, who's matured into a nimble scene-stealer. It can't be too many years before his own breakout role on a sitcom, a la Neil Patrick Harris.Bruce Reidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03771574237432340308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-27719012871794045392008-05-06T14:22:00.000-04:002008-05-06T14:22:00.000-04:00Bones was interesting last night, given the setup....Bones was interesting last night, given the setup. (Though I gather from reading TV Squad that the law was all sorts of hinky.) I am still surprised her dad got off, though. Dayum. To make <I>herself</I> as a reasonable suspect- and to force a clearly miserable Booth up there to confirm that she had the time- was pretty powerful to me.<BR/><BR/>I did wonder why if Max wanted to get Russ out of the apartment so he could commit a murder in it, why he did it in his daughter's own home. Even given her current profession, if you love your kid, would you deliberately choose that location to do it in? I was surprised nobody brought that up. It would make Brennan look like more of a suspect though if SHE didn't care about messing up her place.<BR/><BR/>(Note: it's been a long time since I saw the murder episode, I may have details wrong on this.)<BR/><BR/>In other news, I had to enjoy B&B's constant snarking across the aisles, behind coffee cups, and in front of Sweets. Pretty adorable, really. And Angela's refusal to help condemn her best friend's dad to death. And the rivalry between Zach and whatshisname (Clark?). And the "I have lain with a woman, I AM an adult in this society" commentary.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16906089927390662087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-72285470759917063632008-05-06T14:18:00.000-04:002008-05-06T14:18:00.000-04:00I think Bone's joining in with the teasing of Dr. ...I think Bone's joining in with the teasing of Dr. Sweets was used to show that she is growing as a person. Just as she was willing to hedge the truth (but not outright lie) to keep her father out of jail, she was able to join in some gentle teasing of someone she really does like.<BR/><BR/>Her deepening friendship with Booth has softened up some of her edges and made her seem more human.KrisMrsBBradleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14988742743150495260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-58721614588732755712008-05-06T13:16:00.000-04:002008-05-06T13:16:00.000-04:00I think Gossip Girl is the best drama extant now t...I think Gossip Girl is the best drama extant now that The Wire is done. And I don't miss the self-conscious humor at all: the in-character humor of, ie, "Well, then I'd suggest new hand-towels," is much more elegant, I think. <BR/><BR/>That said, I really wish last night's episode hadn't ended the way it ended.rhamiltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02697134869139534503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-51773261059551728022008-05-06T13:13:00.000-04:002008-05-06T13:13:00.000-04:00I also don't really care who wins World War Bee on...I also don't really care who wins World War Bee on GG, but I still find the show a worthwhile diversion. It's funny, snarky, and melodramatic, which has turned out to be a nice combo. <BR/><BR/>If you're interested in giving it another shot, I can't recommend the TWoP recaps enough. I honestly think the recapper (Jacob) has profoundly increased my enjoyment of the show with his remarkable epsiode post-mortems. There are levels to this show, even if they exist only in Jacob's mind, which are astonishing.<BR/><BR/>Also, Chuck Bass wears a bright orange raincoat! It eez le ridicule!Jhunthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10729450667676575566noreply@blogger.com