I thought I might share an observation I’ve noticed about the five seasons. The main plot of the show: a mild-mannered, brilliant (and perpetually under appreciated) high school chemistry teacher gets cancer and begins cooking a purified form of crystal meth (to provide for his family once he’s gone, to pay for his medical bills,…
Category: Entertainment Editorial
This Coming Weekend is the Best Pop Cultural Weekend of the Year
Why can’t I wait for this upcoming weekend (August 9th through the 11th)? Welp, it just so happens to be the best pop cultural weekend of the entire year. “That’s a pretty bold claim Alabama Liberal? How can you back that up?”—-Every loud mouth on the internet. All right, I’ll tell you… Friday, August 9th:…
Live-Blogging the “Real Time” Season Finale @realtime #realtime
All year long, I’ve been struggling with a case of political fatigue. I just can’t get too excited about the same issues as last year (Republican’s blocking Obama, drone attacks, the endless debate about the economy) without the stakes of an imminent election. That’s why most of the articles this year have been geared more…
The Casting of “Gone Girl” is Wrong…And Who Should Have Been Cast
I was one of the very first people to read Gillian Flynn’s masterful, genre-busting “mystery” novel last year (that’s just as much a literary portrait of a sour marriage and a very realistic exploration of the way a psychopath thinks) and I took a certain satisfaction in seeing it stay in the top 10 bestsellers…
Grading ALL Netflix Series: “House of Cards,” “Lillehammer,” “Hemlock Grove,” “AD,” “Orange is the New Black”
I’ve now seen all the original series that Netflix has produced and that’s no small feat when we’re talking about suffering through 13 hours of a real piece of garbage like Hemlock Grove. Below, the good, the bad, and the ugly of Netflix… 5. Hemlock Grove…The worst show they’ve produced and (in my opinion) their…
Why Can’t “Arrested Development” Fans Be Happy? Because Some Aren’t Real Fans
Recently, I’ve grown exhausted “defending” the new season of Arrested Development. Sure, the show has always been an acquired taste that will confuse the New Girl-crowd and fully alienate most of the people that think The Big Bang Theory is a hoot and a holler. [This is a really smart show about mostly wacky people…
Emmy Nominations–The Best Surprises and Worst Snubs
There’s been a lot of grumbling about the new Emmy nominations and there are a litany of the usual complaints. “They honor too many of the same old shows!” Yeah, but when the same old shows are Homeland, Mad Men, and Breaking Bad, they kind-of have to. These are critically beloved dramas that deserve their…
The Most (and Least) Promising New Fall Shows
The networks have all unveiled their new fall shows, and some definitely look more promising than others… Most Promising: Although I wasn’t knocked out by any one show, these have the most potential in just their set-ups and their casts… 5. Sleepy Hollow…Fox’s new drama takes a tired central premise (some type of fantasy/sci-fi element…
5 Shows to Look Forward to in the Summer
Cable has made the old days of summer being a TV wasteland irrelevant. In some ways, I might even prefer it because there are fewer “in-between” shows to watch (Grimm, Person of Interest, etc.) and just a handful of great ones to watch. Not Done Yet: Even though Game of Thrones ended their season…
5 Cancelled Shows I’ll Miss, and 5 I Won’t
It sucks when your favorite shows get cancelled. It also sucks when some not so promising shows get renewed over them. Still, I’d say the broadcast networks got it mostly right with their decisions this year (while HBO and TNT dropped the ball big time). 5 Cancelled Shows I’ll Miss… 5. Honorable Mention: Fringe and…
Pop Culture Battle 3, Book of the Summer: “The Interestings” vs. “Reconstructing Amelia”
What’s the book of the Summer? Both of these books have been mentioned on countless lists, and it’s time to settle this… The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer…About: A group of six creative kids goes to a summer camp for artists in the 70’s and make friendships that last a lifetime, even as some of them…
Pop Culture Battle, Part 2: Netflix’s House of Cards vs. the BBC’s House of Cards
Netflix is hustling to get in the original content game (this month’s Arrested Development return is probably their biggest coup to date), and their nasty political drama, “House of Cards,” truly is as good as anything on most cable networks. [I still don’t think it touches most dramas on AMC or HBO.] It’s smart, well-made, and excellently…
Pop Culture Battle…Bates Motel vs. The Following vs. Hannibal
Three shows enter, only one show shall leave (the first of three pop culture battles today). What’s the best serial killer show on TV? Bates Motel…Going for it: Is the show better than I thought it would be? Yes, but that’s not saying much. The cast is strong, particularly Vera Farminga as the infamous Mother…