tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post7049583914232906627..comments2024-03-19T03:23:06.738-04:00Comments on What's Alan Watching?: Life, "The Business of Miracles": Crews, BustamanteAlan Sepinwallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03388147774725646742noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-61428727124927783302008-10-15T11:00:00.000-04:002008-10-15T11:00:00.000-04:00Thank you! Took more than a week, but someone fina...Thank you! Took more than a week, but someone finally deciphered the subject line, which I had to write as soon as I learned that the janitor was named Bustamante. <BR/><BR/>It's sad the things I put so much thought into.Alan Sepinwallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03388147774725646742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-49798571193912160252008-10-15T10:58:00.000-04:002008-10-15T10:58:00.000-04:00Alan - great reference to California gubernatorial...Alan - great reference to California gubernatorial politics in your title to the post.<BR/><BR/>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruz_BustamanteAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-42550857766853393122008-10-08T01:25:00.000-04:002008-10-08T01:25:00.000-04:00I think it's a wig, not a toupee. Victor Rivers h...I think it's a wig, not a toupee. Victor Rivers has dark hair in all of his publicity photos.Machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03092217234287469255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-41322027184284776292008-10-07T21:32:00.000-04:002008-10-07T21:32:00.000-04:00Does anyone else find Reese Sr.'s acting terrible?...Does anyone else find Reese Sr.'s acting terrible? He's so very, very bad, I find it jarring. Plus, the hair - is that a piece? <BR/><BR/>Ironically - and I assume this wasn't meta on her part - Shahi's acting hit a low point when she aped her daddy's steering wheel banging.Sara Annhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01178920384446523847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-90210104733463487552008-10-07T17:18:00.000-04:002008-10-07T17:18:00.000-04:00I advise you to rent the first few seasons of the ...<I>I advise you to rent the first few seasons of the defunct NBC series, "American Dreams", to see Jonathan Adams heartbreaking and heartwarming performance as Henry on that show. "Bones" went down in my opinion at the start of the 2nd season, when they made this transition.</I><BR/><BR/>Well I would take your advice except it would seem silly to rent something I already own. ;) I'm a HUGE American Dreams fan -- I even have the theme song on my iPod. Adams was great on that show.<BR/><BR/>I guess we are in an to-each-her-own situation because I thought Bones hit its stride in season 2 -- focusing on the interpersonal dynamics rather than just become a run-of-the-mill procedural. (Though this season the cases have been iffier than usual, and I agree that break-up was contrived and silly.)<BR/><BR/>Frankly, I don't think changing secondary characters matter all that must in the long run. (They're sort of like VP candidates in a way.) I do get bummed for the actor/actresses. I've enjoyed both Weigert and Adams so it's a shame they were bumped out of regular gigs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-61670928204711664232008-10-07T17:03:00.000-04:002008-10-07T17:03:00.000-04:00My one quibble is that the lead animal in this epi...My one quibble is that the lead animal in this episode was clearly an ape (a young chimpanzee, I believe) and not a monkey. Stop calling apes monkeys, television!Machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03092217234287469255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-17382449791353869612008-10-07T15:35:00.000-04:002008-10-07T15:35:00.000-04:00Kasey..."Life" is barely hanging by a ratings thre...Kasey..."Life" is barely hanging by a ratings thread and they happen to have arguably one of the most beautiful woman, anywhere in Television, as their costar. The show would have been insane not to recognize how gorgeous Shahi is.<BR/><BR/>That being said, nothing has changed about the way her character acts. Still a tough gal, still rolls her eyes at Crews and last night, had a verbal smackdown with her evil daddy, right in the middle of a family dinner. <BR/><BR/>It's safe to say they haven't softened Dani Reese's personality...just her hair.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-63123701143086004332008-10-07T13:39:00.000-04:002008-10-07T13:39:00.000-04:00I have to ask, because I am going insane over here...I have to ask, because I am going insane over here...who was the first assistant, the one Charlie brings home? I know I've seen her somewhere, but I just can't place it. <BR/><BR/>And yes, this was a great episode. I do take issue with them sexing upi Shahi, though. It seems against character...I was so pleased in the first season that they chose to put her hair in a ponytail and play down the sexuality a little.Kaseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10878187328343051970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-10454818943856849062008-10-07T12:26:00.000-04:002008-10-07T12:26:00.000-04:00Well, Rachel, to each their own, but every "Bones"...Well, Rachel, to each their own, but every "Bones" fan I know, including several of my friends, my wife, and my brother, ALL felt Jonathan Adams to Taylor was a major downgrade.<BR/><BR/>I am all for a great female character...but one who's a halfway decent actress with a recognizable personality, something I have yet to see from the stiff and annoying Taylor. <BR/><BR/>I advise you to rent the first few seasons of the defunct NBC series, "American Dreams", to see Jonathan Adams heartbreaking and heartwarming performance as Henry on that show. "Bones" went down in my opinion at the start of the 2nd season, when they made this transition.<BR/><BR/>Now it's just going down because the writing and the plotting has been downright atrocious - everything they've done with Zack has been completely and utterly ridiculous and asinine. The sudden break-up of Hodgins and Angela has been out of left field and frankly, is just annoying. <BR/><BR/>So to be fair, I have bigger issues with "Bones" these days than JUST Tamara Taylor, who I never have liked.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-31073350119532697062008-10-07T12:14:00.000-04:002008-10-07T12:14:00.000-04:00Now sometimes, switching out a "boss" character ca...<I>Now sometimes, switching out a "boss" character can be a horrible decision - see "Bones" switching from the engimatic Jonathan Adams to the unwatchably horrible Tamara Taylor as Dr. Saroyan.</I><BR/><BR/>Totally disagree with this. Adams is a good actor, but he was dry and didn't fit the tone of the show (or where the tone was going). Taylor is much better as the bridge between Booth and the "Squints" and does well with the light comedy. And she gave the show another lead female character which has helped balance-wise.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-78871004318637311392008-10-07T11:41:00.000-04:002008-10-07T11:41:00.000-04:00Oh, I adored this episode, this felt like the show...Oh, I adored this episode, this felt like the show was coming back to its roots. I loved the humor and the beats and the partnership that's growing stronger every episode. I love this pacing so much better than the previous two episodes. <BR/><BR/>This is what Life is about.monichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13467262674385913344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-74758046343351861702008-10-07T10:17:00.000-04:002008-10-07T10:17:00.000-04:00Shahi lust: ditto. In spite of the disappointing f...Shahi lust: ditto. In spite of the disappointing feature interview yesterday at tvguide.com. Engaged? Sigh.<BR/><BR/>The sixth: the Roger Aaron Brown character who was executed by the other members of the cabal last season. Is Kyle Hollis part of that group, or just working for them? I'm thinking the latter.Jon88https://www.blogger.com/profile/16908049871851563389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-44938046675513106772008-10-07T10:07:00.000-04:002008-10-07T10:07:00.000-04:00Agree...best episode of the season so far and very...Agree...best episode of the season so far and very much in the spirirt of season 1.<BR/><BR/>Now Donal Logue can be hit or miss for me but I am actually enjoying him as Captain Tidwell. I am feeling a nice 3-way chemistry of actors growing between Logue, Shahi and Lewis. (I sense their could be some very funny interplay, similar to the Jeff Donovan-Gabrielle Anwar-Bruce Campbell dynamic that drives "Burn Notice" so successfully).<BR/><BR/>I think for the tone of this second season to be still dark in that Crews is searching for the people who set him up, but lighter now that he at least nabbed the real killers in season 1, the switch from the first season captain to Tidwell was a smart decision. <BR/><BR/>Now sometimes, switching out a "boss" character can be a horrible decision - see "Bones" switching from the engimatic Jonathan Adams to the unwatchably horrible Tamara Taylor as Dr. Saroyan. <BR/><BR/>This move on life to Tidwell, is more in line with the move NBC made three years ago when the reliably solid Jamey Sheridan was replaced on "Criminal Intent" but the more sardonic Eric Bogosian as Captain Danny Ross, which I criticized at first but has turned out to be a boon for the show. Bogosian brings more to the table mixing humor with seriousness, than even Sheridan did.<BR/><BR/>And I second what Mac said at the beginning...who wouldn't lust for Sarah Shahi? She's incredibly sexy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-87112731838282210312008-10-07T09:07:00.000-04:002008-10-07T09:07:00.000-04:00I loved the first season of Life enough to watch i...I loved the first season of Life enough to watch it again just before the second started. Hate to be a hater, but I'm starting to lose my love. First of the irritations is that nearly every episode has something that snaps me out of my disbelief. Bill already pointed out the implausibility of a big breath of liquid NO2 evenly instafreezing an entire human body, and of that body staying perfectly frozen until the cops show up. Like the guy with no lower half in "Farthinggale," it's a great tableau, but not remotely believable. (Did you notice that nothing else in Farthinggale's kitchen seemed even very much scorched?) The glaringly computer-generated effect of the frozen body breaking into pieces just capped it. This stuff isn't a deal-breaker for me--I loved last year's season finale, even though I wondered where all the people in mid-day downtown L.A. were while Crews had a spectacular car crash, killed two thugs, and moved a bound Kyle Hollis from the trunk of his upside-down car to an SUV, apparently without anyone noticing.<BR/>But it starts to make "Life" the kind of pleasure you feel you have to apologize for.<BR/><BR/>Donal Logue is an improvement over Robin Weigart because her character had neither humor nor imagination, and there's only so much you can do with a character like that. Logue's character has more for the actor to play with, and I expect there are some surprises in store.<BR/><BR/>I hope Jen Reese starts to lighten up a little. Her dour attitude is more of a drag than a counterbalance. As for Crews, never has the hero of a show deserved a punch in the face so much.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-90862035731741823132008-10-07T08:17:00.000-04:002008-10-07T08:17:00.000-04:00First of all bill, thank you so much for that imag...First of all <STRONG>bill</STRONG>, thank you so much for that image....not!<BR/>And second, I cannot express how very much I loved the staging and performance of the dinner table scene <EM>chez</EM> Jack. Talk about cutting it - tension, that is -- with a knife.<BR/>Love the show, hate the Donal. Dreading where all this -- the tension and the Donal -- appears to be leading Reese.justjoan123https://www.blogger.com/profile/03333328551629388436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-88930690660309103482008-10-07T07:39:00.000-04:002008-10-07T07:39:00.000-04:00I forget, was it liquid nitrogen? Aside from what ...I forget, was it liquid nitrogen? Aside from what I assume is the impossibility of freezing just by inhalation -- dipping him in a giant vat of Liquid nitrogen I could understand -- wouldn't you know what you're breathing or just your lungs freeze up first and you pass out?<BR/><BR/>Because I've had food prepared with liquid nitrogen and you know you're eating something cold. In particular, I'm remembering the caramel corn kernels and the table of us blowing cold steam out our nostrils.<BR/><BR/>And frozen means melting and all those broken chips of the dead scientist are just going to thaw faster. At that point I don't thinking bagging is going to work, I'd call for the wet-dry vac.billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16116980864333670109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-36860768263339555562008-10-07T03:25:00.000-04:002008-10-07T03:25:00.000-04:00I'd say this was my second favorite episode, after...I'd say this was my second favorite episode, after "Fill it Up" from season 1. <BR/><BR/>I don't mind Donal Logue's character. It's more the greasy hair than what he's actually saying that makes him seem sleazy. I wouldn't be surprised if he's connected to the conspiracy. <BR/><BR/>Also, I wonder what "cause" Jen was involved in she was younger.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-49277676416843207062008-10-07T02:22:00.000-04:002008-10-07T02:22:00.000-04:00At this point they should do with Logue what they ...At this point they should do with Logue what they did on The Wire -- show him in the background of a gay bar scene. Then all the "lusting" would be kind of funny.<BR/><BR/>Good episode. I hope Friday's is solid as well.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-31614332265781648432008-10-06T23:38:00.000-04:002008-10-06T23:38:00.000-04:00Episodes like this and "Farthingale" make it one o...Episodes like this and "Farthingale" make it one of my favorite shows and I'll miss it when it's canceled.billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16116980864333670109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-27212313728451650022008-10-06T23:30:00.000-04:002008-10-06T23:30:00.000-04:00In Donal Logue's defense, who wouldn't lust for Sa...In Donal Logue's defense, who <I>wouldn't</I> lust for Sarah Shahi?Machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03092217234287469255noreply@blogger.com