So it was the big TV Premiere Week… last week. But given that we’re nerdy TiFaux types, we only got around to watching stuff on the weekend. We’re time-shifting hipsters, I tell ya. Channel Seven – who I don’t think I’ve consciously watched in the past year – reeled me back in with their excessive hyping of Desperate Housewives and Lost. The verdict?
- Desperate Housewives was so-so. I thought it was going to be trashy and funny, not all mysterious and kinda sad. At one point I turned to the Snook and commented, “This show is actually making me sympathize with Teri Hatcher. Teri effing Hatcher. We are officially in the Bizarro World.” It’s got a big ensemble cast, though, which I guess means it takes longer to establish everybody’s character and relationships. We’ll give it a few more episodes, but if it doesn’t get good, I think we’ll be deleting that one. Snookums’s Five-Second Review: “They set up too much. Gratuitous mystery. Gratuitous voiceover.” (Me: “That’s your review? That’s not a review!” Him: “Make up something and say I said that.”)
- Lost, on the other hand, kicked a lot of ass. I was always a Matthew Fox fan – his hotness being the sole redeeming quality of Party of Five, in my humble opinion – and he seems really well suited to the character. And he’s aging well. Hummina. I cheered when Harold Perrineau came onscreen. I love me some Mercutio. The airplane crash scared the crap out of me, though. Is the (completely unrealistically skinny) pregnant chick supposed to be Australian? As soon as the pilot said something about flying back to Fiji, I did a shrieking double-take to the Snook: “IS THIS SUPPOSED TO BE THE FLIGHT FROM SYDNEY?” (Sorry Mom, I’m never flying home ever again.) As soon as the clanking monster noises started, I announced: “It’s Kong. Peter Jackson wasn’t doing a movie; he was doing a series. Look, it’s clearly New Zealand. And there’s Merry running around. The monster is clearly King Kong.” You heard it here first, folks. And hey, are we all in agreement that Merry is a junkie? Good. We’re definitely recording the second part of the pilot this week. Snookums’s Five-Second Review: “Spoooooky. A bit melodramatic, but, you know.” (He’s no Ebert.)
- It totally didn’t premiere this week, but I only finally just got around to watching it: Arrested Development. I TiFauxed an episode way back because I heard it was good, and then somehow I forgot about it. In a fit of boredom I finally watched it, and I laughed my ass off. (It was the episode where the Dad teaches the kids “lessons” with his one-armed buddy.) Are all the episodes that good? Why the hell didn’t you guys tell me about this? Now I’ve got to wait and hope that it gets show again.
Oh, and we saw Sideways last night with Amy and Rob. (Note: The person in the background of this picture getting ready to pound some raspberry beer is me.) I thought it was a bit heavy-handed at times, but by the end I was a total convert. The Snook and I had a big debate on the way home about Miles’s book, and whether we thought he was going to commit suicide, and whether it was going to work out at the end. (Of course it will! They just don’t need to insult your intelligence by showing you that.) We also discussed that if he ever cheats me on me, I reserve the right to break his nose by beating him with a motorcycle helmet.
Good times.
Max
February 7, 2005 — 1:28 am
Mmm…you’re at the beginning of a wonderful period in your life, Kris: Getting to catch up with Lost and Arrested Development (yes, EVERY EPISODE is that funny–and the “Hot Cops” even show up in a few more!). You know the first season is on DVD, right? It’s a must-own.
I’m sure tons of people would fight me on this, but the Snook’s take on Desperate Housewives is pretty dead-on. I gave it a TiVo Season Pass after the first episode, and took it OFF the Season Pass list a month later…I haven’t watched it since. Shows with uneven tones and gratuitous everything (mystery, slapstick, whatever) aren’t my thing.
Man oh man, are you gonna love Lost!!!
miftik
February 7, 2005 — 1:40 am
I love me some Lost. I even got my husband watching it, which is rare. Max is right, you are going to love it!
Kelly
February 7, 2005 — 2:03 am
Howie – I have the entire Season One Arrested Development on DVD… I can burn you a copy if you want. Yes, all eps are THAT good. It’s my fave comedy besides Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Also, I’ve never seen Desperate, but my sister swears it’s like the funniest thing ever. I’m definitely gonna watch when they re-run or DVD release. It just won yet another major award last night (SAG for best cast), so they’ve gotta be doing something right.
And guess who’s one of the head writers on Lost? Javier Grillo-Marxuach, Marteeeen’s cousin who also did the Pretender, Charmed, etc. I tried to get Martin to give me some spoilers, but I don’t think they talk very often. Anyway, Lost is the only new show I watch this year, and I’m hooked. I still don’t see how they can carry it on past 1-2 seasons, but we’ll see. Of course, I am a huge Kate lover as well, so that helps keep me watching… 😉
Kris
February 7, 2005 — 8:04 am
Kel – That would be AWESOME. The DVD isn’t even out here yet.
tracey
February 7, 2005 — 9:49 am
Kris, the Arrested Development S1 DVD set is out at the end of the month!! I’m teaching you a lesson, to teach you a lesson…. muhahaha
Kelly
February 7, 2005 — 4:17 pm
Howie – Send me your address. Can you watch US DVDs on your machine?
Kris
February 7, 2005 — 4:20 pm
You kiddin’? Half of our DVDs are from US Amazon! We researched the most hackable DVD player on the planet. 🙂
I’ll e-mail ya when I get home… You want anything from Oz in return? I should get you Kath & Kim! (Best Aussie comedy; you’d love it.)
brigita
February 8, 2005 — 12:03 am
While I’ve been a huge cheerleader for Arrested Development since the beginning, I have to say I’m a little disappointed with this season thusfar. Then I remind myself that it’s better than 90% of the crap on network TV and cut it more slack. Having a huge crush on both Jason Bateman *and* Will Arnett (GOB) doesn’t hurt.
Kevin
February 8, 2005 — 5:09 am
I actually prefer to think that everything didn’t work out for Miles in Sideways. In fact, there’s probably something wrong with me, but I remember hoping that some other guy would answer the door at the end.
95% of movies try to teach you that when you go the extra mile for love, no matter how down and out you are, you get rewarded. I’d say that success rate in real life is…somewhat less.
Kel
February 8, 2005 — 1:51 pm
Brigita – I totally agree about this season. It’s definitely lacking, but still better than like every other comedy.
FYI – Jason Bateman is hosting SNL next week. That oughtta be good…
Danny
February 8, 2005 — 2:16 pm
AD is good. It’s more hit or miss now. I had great fun watching Season 1 tho. I recommed watching with the rewind button handy. It moves so fast and does so much deadpan stuff you can’t really catch it all. I get frustrated watching it straight through. I don’t want to overburden your expectations, but season 1 episode 3 is my favorite. Very very funny.
Tricia
February 8, 2005 — 2:19 pm
A detail I found very interesting about Sideways: Miles’ class was reading A Separate Piece, a very memorable middle school read for me. I wondered at the time if there was any significance to the plot. I think I need to read the book and/or see the movie again to think about it more. Any thoughts?
Kris
February 8, 2005 — 9:02 pm
Hmm. I never read that book. I figured that it was probably significant from the context of the scene, but now I’m interested too to read it and see if it has some special relevance to Miles.
Awww, Kevin! Such a pessimist. I always tend to hope for the happy ending. I mean, if you can achieve the suspension of disbelief necessary to buy that she liked him at all in the first place, it’s only a small leap to accepting that they lived happily ever after. 🙂
Marci
February 9, 2005 — 6:29 am
Ahhh… Lost. Remember I mentioned Lost to you and Snook at Applebees? I’m glad it’s finally on television for you guys. Lost rocks! It’s the best thing on right now, next to Battlestar Galactica.
Yes, Claire (the too-skinny “pregnant” chick) is supposed to be an Aussie. Although her accent is ambiguous. Some things she says sound distinctly American.
Yes, the plane that crashed was an Oceanic flight out of Sydney. Oooooooooooh! Scary! (Wait. Is Oceanic a real airline?)
It’s a toss-up for me who’s hotter: Jack or Sawyer. I like Sawyer for the snarky bad-boy vibe, but Jack is so strong and capable and level-headed and good. Good enough to lick. Repeatedly.
I have the sudden urge towrite hurt/comfort Jackfic. Any pairing will do. 😉
And Charlie the junkie hobbit is my favorite character on the show, next to Locke. So twee and cuddly! *pets the hobbit*
Kevin
February 9, 2005 — 11:21 am
Well, Kris, I had trouble suspending my disbelief even that far… 😉
I haven’t read A Separate Peace since 7th grade or something, but what I remember of it accords pretty well with Sideways. [BOOK AND MOVIE SPOILERS TO FOLLOW] The narrator grow increasingly jealous of his stronger, smarter, luckier best friend Phineas, and wonders if he had a part to play in the accident that claims Finny’s life (Phineas falls out of a tree, from a limb which the narrator — Gene? — may or may not have jounced.) At any rate, the Gene-Phineas relationship would seem to have some parallels with Miles and Thomas Haden Church…particularly at that moment in the film, which (if I remember correctly) is right around or after the wedding scene.
Eileen
February 10, 2005 — 2:18 am
In Sideways, I thought Maya was too good for Miles. Would you really wish him and all his issues upon her? Interesting about A Separate Peace- at first I just assumed it was picked as a touch of credibility, because it is so commonly taught in schools, but there may be something to the Phineas/Thomas Haden Church analogy. And Thomas Haden Church definitely deserves the Oscar- his performace stole the show.
Greg
April 18, 2005 — 4:43 pm
I believe the nod to A Separate Peace was very intentional. The Phineas character was somewhat out of control but also helped Gene to experience life with some heavy handed coercion.
What I found interesting was that I think the passage being read in Sideways was when Phineas was being buried. This was however the critical moment in the book when Gene the main character comes to the point where he has to piece his life together again.