I've said it before and I'll say it again...we are living in a golden age of television viewing. Fantasy epic Game of Thrones just started its third season on HBO. Emmy award winning period piece Mad Men is returning to AMC this Sunday. And currently we have two dark and thrilling original mysteries on the air; ANE's Bates Motel and the superb Top of the Lake on the Sundance channel. Both are set in small rural towns where the citizens are menacing and off kilter. Like Twin Peaks except everyone has a smart phone, and half the folks are crazier than a burlap bag full of poly-dactyl cats. Both series also have big name talent in their casts. And both have plenty of sex and violence, in keeping with the first law of cable TV which is that all bets are off except for full frontal naked dudes (and HBO even gets away with that from time to time). Let's take a look at both of them, starting with the good and working our way up to the sublime.
Bates Motel airs on ANE Monday nights at 10pm. Three episodes have already aired and if you missed them you can stream them all on their website for free. Based on the classic Hitchcock favorite Psycho, this series is a sort of prequel to the movie. Call it Norman and his mother...the early years. It stars the extremely talented Brit actor Freddie Highmore (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) as our dear nut-ball Norman and the gorgeous and capable Vera Farmiga as his smother mother Norma. They just moved into the big house in a rural U.S. town (looks like northern California) and they're off to a rocky start. The cops are crooked, the former owner is enraged and something very bad is happening up in the woods. The characters are mildly quirky (I particularly love the high school nerd girl who has to wear an oxygen tank) and the writing is sharp. It has become appointment TV for me now, filling what was formerly a Monday night desert.
Top of the Lake is the phenomenal new short series (alas only 7 episodes) from the Sundance Channel. If TV shows were boyfriends then Top of the Lake is my new boyfriend and I'm in love. I'm a late bloomer for the show, having just gotten around to watching my first episode last night on (cable) demand. You can also catch it on Sundance or download episodes from iTunes or Amazon.
Written and directed by Academy Award winner Jane Campion (The Piano), Top of the Lake is terribly disturbing and yet also darkly hilarious. It takes place in a backwater town in New Zealand, so when things seem off-the-charts odd you're not sure if it's nuts because that's the way things are in New Zealand or maybe this town sets a whole new high bar for weird. At the center of the tale is a woebegone 12 year old (Tui) who is five months pregnant. She's not saying how, and Detective
Griffin (the incredible Elisabeth Moss from Mad Men) is brought in to investigate. She seems the only one in this strange little town that is even remotely outraged by this poor child's terrible situation. Tui's father is one of the scariest, most unlikable characters I've seen in quite some time. He shoots dogs, he drowns real estate agents...and he's practically incomprehensible with a Scottish brogue thicker than mud. In fact, he is so despicable, my guess is that we are going to find out that there's a decent fellow buried under all his sputter and menace. Campion will try to surprise us, I'm sure of it. And speaking of surprise, I thought I would go the rest of my life not liking Holly Hunter but now it's not going to happen. I always found her off-putting...mostly because of that voice which has the metallic grate of a spoon caught in a garbage disposal. In this series, she is a revelation. She plays a new-age guru for abused women. She looks a bit like aging punk rocker and poet Patti Smith. Her character (GJ) is 82 pounds of androgynous woman and 42 pounds of long silver hair. Of course, one is captivated by her in every scene. Much of her appeal has to do with the writing which is insanely good. When she first meets the unfortunate Tui, her reaction is not concern or even anger. With great conviction she points to Tui and says, "You've got a time bomb in there...it's going to go off!". Absolutely nothing in this series is predictable.
All of this would keep me coming back for more, but I'm a sucker for odd-ball secondary characters and this series has plenty. One of GJ's acolytes is recovering from a tragic friendship with a chimpanzee. Another is a corpulent sex addict. Underneath all the odd, is Campion's trademark tightly crafted rage against the patriarchy. Ticking like a bomb, and ready to go off.
Hunt for these series as fast as you can. I'll see you in the woods, or down by the lake!
There's a great opportunity today on the Encore Western channels to see the superb actor Michael Dunn in the 1970 Michael Landon-written-and-directed Bonanza episode It's a Small World. It airs at 4pm Eastern and then again at 7pm on the W feed.
Michael Dunn in 1964
If you are a Little House on the Prairie fan you will recognize that Landon did a remake of this theme -- a dwarf circus performer turns out to be far more courageous than any of the other townpeople -- in the episode Little Lou, where Billy Barty takes on the central role. You can watch the episode on YouTube (click here).
It's a Small World comes from the 11th season of Bonanza, and is a great example of what a sensitive writer and director Michael Landon evolved into. This evolution produced the timeless gem Little House on the Prairie -- proof enough, I'd say.
In terms of sheer acting prowess I have to give the nod to Michael Dunn, but Barty is pretty darned good. If you're not familiar with Dunn, just think of him as yesterday's Peter Dinklage. Every few decades a preternaturally talented actor emerges who is unlike most others. I wrote a post a few years about him for TCM's Movie Morlocks, which you can check out by clicking here.
We'd like to extend a Happy Birthday today to actress Sharon Acker, a talented beauty who enjoyed a terrific career playing mostly on series TV during the 1960s through the 1980s. Of course we're going to particularly shout-out her Star Trek appearance in the third season episode The Mark of Gideon. Remember that one? She was the lost young woman who was trapped on a deserted version of the Enterprise with Captain Kirk, and every so often the windows would open and they'd see these creepy figures staring in at them.
Nobody is crazy about the episode -- a lot of the third season entries strike fans that way -- but at least The Mark of Gideon was saying something about overpopulation. (I don't want to give away more of the plot in case anyone hasn't seen it.)
In any case, Ms. Acker was a lovely Odona, and if you watched any series TV during that time you'd have seen her on just about every program -- The Wild Wild West, Get Smart, Gunsmoke, Alias Smith and Jones, It Takes a Thief, The Bold Ones, Mission: Impossible, The Mod Squad, McMillan and Wife and so on. Check out her full list of career credits here. She had a good role as Lee Marvin's wife in the big-screen tough guy thriller Point Blank in 1967, but most of this Canada-born actress' work -- and there was plenty of it -- was on the small screen.
Sharon Acker is included in this clever compilation of Star Trek and Mission: Impossible
actor crossovers:
She's also featured in this Get Smart/Star Trek crossover video:
The Flaming Nose wishes she had continued her career into the 1990s and beyond-- her last credit is from 1989 -- but as we've noted around here before, all you need to have done is one Star Trek and you are a TV immortal.
If you're a Star Trek fan you probably have your own Spock favorites (and please tell us in the comments), but we've assembled a selection of trailers from Star Trek: The Original Series episodes featuring great Spock moments. A few of these episodes are totally Spock-centric, but all the others have some terrific insights into Spock and of course Leonard Nimoy's marvelous portrayal. You'll find that most of the trailers emphasize Captain Kirk, but that's 1960s episode TV for you -- action adventure was king!
1. Amok Time -- because it's all about Vulcan sexuality! Hot blood, green blood, it's all boiling when Spock goes into Pon Farr and must return to Vulcan to take a mate. This was the 2nd season opener and can you imagine what it must have been like to have seen this for the first time back then? Completely awesome and featuring one of the most famous musical riffs ever to come out of TV!
2. Journey to Babel -- because we get to meet Spock's human mother Amanda and his Vulcan father Sarek, played to perfection by Jane Wyatt and Mark Lenard. The Enterprise is in a tizzy when a shipload of intergalactic ambassadors is aboard on their way to a meeting, and Spock's father's sudden illness forces the First Officer to assert priorities which pitch his Human side against his Vulcan identity. From the series' 2nd season.
3. The Naked Time -- because we see Spock breaking down when an alien virus infects the crew and hidden emotions come to the surface. We definitely learn here that Nurse Chapel has a thing for Spock, too -- and can you blame her? From the 1st season.
4. This Side of Paradise -- because we get to meet Spock's former ladyfriend and watch alien spores loosen his Vulcan reserve. The lovely Jill Ireland guests as Leila, and Spock gets the chance to cavort around the countryside and also have a bare knuckle fight with Captain Kirk! 1st season.
5. Return to Tomorrow -- because Spock lends his body to a lecherous and devious alien entity and it's fun seeing him be sort of sexy/evil. Great guest role for Diana Muldaur, too.
2nd season.
6. Mirror, Mirror -- because we really like Spock being sexy/evil, especially when we're in an alternate universe and he gets to wear a stylish goatee. Great acting opportunity for all the cast in this one and many great Spock scenes. 2nd season.
7. The Enterprise Incident -- because Spock gets to go undercover and seduce an alluring female Romulan commander played by Joanne Linville. This is also the one where Kirk gets pointed ears. 3rd season.
8. Plato's Stepchildren -- because this is such a nutty episode and we get to watch Spock singing, dancing, crying and rueing it all afterwards. One of the better episodes from the very uneven 3rd season, with a great guest star in the brilliant Michael Dunn. We're not saying this isn't silly bordering on the out-and-out bizarre, but lots of interesting Spock in it!
9. All Our Yesterdays -- because Spock goes back in time and falls for the exiled beauty Zarabeth played by Mariette Hartley. Who doesn't love Time Travel, and it's always fascinating to watch Spock lose control. 3rd season, and the 2nd to the last episode of the show filmed.
10. The Menagerie, Parts 1 & 2
-- because Spock is the main engine for the action here and we also get to see the earlier version of his character. Spock kidnaps his former captain, now horribly mutilated, hijacks the Enterprise and heads for the most forbidden part of the galaxy. Very science fiction-ish, serious and interesting. From the 1st season.
This review comes courtesy of Read On Read Now.
The Eagles were then and are to this day the definers of the music of my youth. I can legitimately say I love their music without falling into the pit of idol worship. Showtime's two part documentary is a superb piece of storytelling, although why they felt a need to make this into two parts is a sorry example of extending a story that didn't need the extension. The second part only runs 1:10, so it easily could have been edited and placed into the original night of programming. The second half is mostly a look at the solo careers of Don Henley and Glenn Frey; and we get to see the big reveal as to how the band reunited in 1994. Show me the money, although I honestly believe that creative instincts played a role in their reunion as well. It would be difficult for anyone not to recognize what those voices, combined, sounded like, although they were a weaker vocal group without Randy Meisner and Bernie Leadon.
"The History of the Eagles - The Story of an American Band" is a solid overall look at the single most significant act of the 1970's. They are in the top five of the biggest selling artists in history, so their record sales spell out their commercial success. "Their Greatest Hits" album is the biggest selling album of the 20th Century. They were often dismissed from a critical perspective, but time has been on their side.
Alison Ellwood directs "The History of the Eagles" in a song by song fashion with an enormous emphasis placed on Henley and Frey. They are the only two people who get a "where did I come from" treatment. We know they are the authority figures of the band (they make that very clear), but the complete dismissal of the other band members' lives is insulting, but I suspect that neither of them care. This is a complete execution - set from on high.
For years, Henley was seen as the big bad guy in the band, but this documentary shows Frey as the band-mate who seemingly can't get along in the sandbox (even more so than Henley). He is ultimately the person who fires Bernie Leadon, Randy Meisner and Don Felder. Is it always someone else's fault? As the greatest American band ever - they should have listened to their own words - "Get Over It." Although, David Geffen (I'd love to have been a fly on the wall in their meetings) gets in the single best dig of all. He refers to Henley as a malcontent. He says it two times. I suspect this may all be a badge of honor for these folks. Henley and Frey, that is. In the end, it is sanitized. If you have read their biographies you know this is sanitized.
Felder recently hinted that Henley and Frey pretend that they were best buddies and clearly that wasn't their foundational relationship or their ongoing Eagles relationship. If you doubt their comfort zone with one another go and watch their interview with Steve Croft from 60 Minutes. Squirm time arrives. Seriously, go and watch that interview.
Thankfully, we get the comic relief of Joe Walsh. Not only is Walsh funny, but he clearly has a sweetness to him that I've never seen displayed before. Loved when he vocalized "that one of the most terrifying things ever was when Keith Moon decided he liked me." Walsh clearly gets along well in the sandbox. In the end, the most impressive aspect of Walsh's contributions in the documentary is his wisdom. Yes, his wisdom. Some of the most profound statements in the entire three plus hours come from the mind of Joe Walsh.
Randy Meisner is treated as an afterthought in much of the three plus hours -- which is appalling. Meisner was one of the best bass players in rock history. He composed a lot of songs. He could hit notes that a Basset Hound couldn't hear and he was one of the cutest guys ever and I mean ever to stand before a microphone in any genre of music (sorry, but it counts). He sings lead on "Take It to the Limit" which means he needed to do nothing else; and that number one hit (their first) would secure him Eagles status for the balance of his days. The song has one of the great dramatic builds in all of rock history and that soaring climax breaks my heart to this day. He was obviously way in over his head and he is the one person in this documentary who sincerely had no business being in the entertainment industry.
The fact that Henley and Frey seemingly think they are a duo with sidemen is mean-spirited. Can you comprehend Paul McCartney or John Lennon dismissing George Harrison or Ringo Starr? Lennon famously said that they weren't four people, but one with four parts. McCartney's genuineness on the concept of a band shines through in the underwhelming Living in the Material World documentary. McCartney has talked a great deal over the last fifty years, but he has rarely actually said much, but he provides some profound commentary while waxing poetic about George Harrison in the aforementioned documentary.
Some of the finest moments in the entire documentary don't necessarily come from the Eagles, but from those they worked with. Glyn Johns, their first producer (who also produced the Rolling Stones, the Who and Led Zeppelin) and Bill Szymczyk (their last producer - not counting them) have several insightful moments of memory. Szymczyk let them do all the things Johns wouldn't let them do. You wish there was more of both of them. Irving Azoff (their famed manager) pops up quite frequently. I met Azoff years ago at a World Music Awards taping in Las Vegas. At the time he was managing Christina Aguilera and I managed to get him to talk for about three minutes. Of course, I went on and on about the Eagles. I was truthful in my admiration (it's about the music), so I didn't falsely tell tales, but I must admit he was engaging and after that three minutes I couldn't get him to move on. He likes to chat.
The big plus in this retrospective - no talking heads. You don't have to sit through "rock historians" and assorted other folks that examined their career, their songs or their lives. The only people that pop up for commentary are those that worked closely with them. The second part does end on a strange note with two - only two comments closing out the documentary. We hear thoughts from then and current California Governor, Jerry Brown; and for some reason the last person we see is Stevie Nicks. I am a huge fan of Nicks', but why does she get the last word?
Henley opens the documentary speaking back in the 1970s by saying this is "not something you can do forever;" and of course the intimacy of the truth is literally staring you in the face for an evening of viewing. When Glyn Johns first encountered them in a British studio he almost gave up on them since he initially wasn't impressed. Just as he was about to depart from their existence he heard what he heard and that was perfect harmony. Literally, by the way. He heard them singing together and that was that. Henley, Frey, Meisner and Leadon. That group of four still reigns on high vocally.
There are other great harmonizing acts, but even the Beach Boys, the Bee Gees and Crosby, Stills and Nash aren't fit to tie the shoelaces of the Eagles. Their voices were stunningly beautiful. When I hear "Seven Bridges Road" I still get goosebumps up my spine. All these years later, it is a delightful moment in life to hear the Eagles sing. They were superbly talented songwriters, arrangers and musicians, but they are the voices that mattered for multiple numbers of listeners to the music.
"The History of the Eagles" is one of the best documentaries ever produced on any music artist. By the time it ends you feel like you know them. In spite of themselves, you are glad you got to know them. You probably wouldn't want to hang out with all of them, but you are glad you were taken down their road. Just go and play some of their music. Keep in mind, every time you download their songs - you make them richer (the songwriters get richer). Thankfully, I've got their catalog. They were second only to the Beatles and I assume a Kennedy Center Honors is on the way. How did the Brits get that honor before the Eagles? The Who and Led Zeppelin have already been rewarded (not that this stuff means anything). For better, for worse you can't get more American than the Eagles.
Watch it and enjoy. This is a straight A for Eagle fans. If you want the inside track to a somewhat shady business you will have an education in three hours. If you don't like the music of the Eagles - what is wrong with your ears?
My five favorite songs by the Eagles:
1) Take It To the Limit - Practical tears every time I hear it. Those notes! Loved Randy Meisner!
2) One of These Nights - One of the best pop songs of all-time.
3) Seven Bridges Road (live) - Harmony vocals don't get better than this.
4) Most Of Us Are Sad - Country/pop/rock on the mountaintop.
5) You Never Cry Like a Lover - (Lyrics are silly, but Henley's vocal is one of his defining moments).
The last time I saw the Eagles they played for three and a half hours. I broke my ankle exiting the building that night, but thankfully, the show was over and they had loitered supremely.
I cannot imagine not loving their music. The best band ever, next to the Beatles, that is!
Copyright Read On Read Now 2013
"Are We Alone?" Indeed...Science Channel asks this most mysterious question tonight and lucky for us they know how to make some terrific television to try to answer it. As a follow-up to the tremendously effective two hours they produced last year -- Alien Encounters: The Message and Alien Encounters: The Arrival -- tonight and next week they bring us two more installments under the umbrella theme title of Are We Alone?. March is -- and was last year, too -- an "Are We Alone?" theme month, though I'm not sure it's so much a month as just a Tuesday evening stunt, but that's plenty good enough. What really makes this collection of programming special is that these four special are made with the help of the SETI Institute, the foremost authority on the search for alien life, and their participation ensures that these shows are both scientifically accurate and dramatically far-reaching, a perfect combination.
Tonight's new hour, premiering at 10pm, is Alien Encounters: The Invasion. If you saw the other two specials, you know that Earth intercepted a message from an alien source -- first contact -- and then in the second hour it was discovered that the aliens were headed straight for our planet. If you didn't see these two excellent hours, you will have a chance tonight when they are repeated at from 8pm to 10pm, and we highly recommend watching. Not only will it get you up to speed for the newest special, but these are hours that can stand up to repeat viewing. They are superb, with believable fictional characters and scenes featured along with real scientists who offer their views on the history-making events taking place.
No doubt these two new hours -- the fourth one premieres next Tuesday -- will not disappoint. We've been introduced to several recurring characters who will no doubt be facing the scary reality of alien contact in these newest segments. Science Channel has managed here to combine some of the best scientific minds -- and not only merely brilliant, but enthusiastic and emminently entertaining -- with an appealing semi-documentary look to the dramatic segments that works to increase believability in material that skirts the unknowable.
Don't miss Alien Encounters 2: The Invasion tonight at 10pm, with an encore at 1am, and last year's Alien Encounters: The Message and Alien Encounters: The Arrival at 8pm and 9pm, respectively, with encores at 11pm and 12 midnight.
We don't exactly know why HBO is keeping this one such a secret, but you should be getting ready to watch the superb English miniseries Parade's End which begins tonight. Starring the elegent and exceptional Benedict Cumberbatch -- PBS' recent present-day Sherlock Holmes and the villain in the upcoming J.J. Abrams' Star Trek Into Darkness feature and many other production -- Parade's End will be interesting to anybody who's been devouring Downton Abbey, to be sure, and anyone else who thrives on intelligent drama done played to perfection with that refined British stiff upper lip. Also starring with Cumberbatch are Rebecca Hall and Adelaide Clemens, both very talented and adding so much to Parade's End.
Parade's End airs beginning tonight -- Tuesday, 2/26 -- at 9pm -- and plays for the next three nights, and that appears to be it, for at least a while on actual TV, though it looks like it will be available On Demand and on HBO Go.
We don't even need to go into the plot here, but rest assured that the provenance of Parade's End is solid. It's based on the novels of Ford Madox Ford, which may mean something to you but if it doesn't that's okay, too. If you'd like to know a little more before you dip your toe in, click here and take a look at this detailed synopsis from HBO, but really...it's not necessary. You'll be just fine tuning in tonight and having a go. Think World War I, think aristocracy, think infidelity...
Parade's End aired first on BBC Two back in August of last year, causing a run on Ford's original novels and garnering unanimous critical acclaim and impressive audience ratings. There seems to be a divergence of opinion on Parade's End over here with critics; some, like Robert Bianco from USA Today think it's a duller version of Downton Abbey, while others, like Time's James Poniewozik, rather likes its deliberate tone. We think this one should get your attention if for no other reason than Cumberbatch, and that should be sufficient.
Tune in tonight on HBO beginning at 9pm for two hours (Parts 1 & 2), tomorrow Wednesday at 9pm for Parts 3 & 4, and finally on Thursday at 9pm for the only one hour of Part 5.
A very interesting experiment is unfolding on Netflix this week and I predict it's going to be a winner. They've premiered a dark, engaging, top notch political drama....and all 13 of the series episodes are available to download instantly on Netflix. I think this innovative television approach is going to work because the series stars Kevin Spacy as a Machiavellian politician with a menacing southern drawl. And there's no better time to show case a D.C. villain than now, with public official approval ratings in America at an all time low. I think it's also ripe for success because Robin Wright stars as his even colder, meaner, psychopath wife. And I still haven't forgiven her for being mean to Forrest Gump as Jenny the space cadet hippie. So she's extra easy to boo and hiss.
But the real reason I think the time is perfect for a series like this on Netflix is because of tablets. Kindle Fire and iPad ownership is exploding, and there's nothing quite like curling up in bed with a darling little device that lets you watch about a billion hours of TV in a row. Studies have actually shown that insomnia has increased because nobody can put down their tablets at night. There's a small blue glow emanating from the bedrooms of millions of Americans. It's a new army of Netflix zombies being born. I don't think it's going to be the end of TV consumption as we know it anytime soon. But if I was in charge of Pay-Per-View at any of the cable companies I'd be getting that resume polished. I personally have not succumbed to overly expensive PPV movies in over a month. Now, if there's nothing on TV, I'm glued to my Kindle Fire HD and it will take me years to plow through all the stuff I'm finding on Netflix.
I've watched the first two episodes of House of Cards and I'm impressed so far. The imagery is mesmerizing. It makes me want to visit the capital and look at the Lincoln monument at night. Kevin Spacy's character is terrifying and charming. He's like a political Dexter. From time to time he narrates the series by staring directly at the camera. That doesn't bother me as much as some critics, who think this technique is old hat now. If it was anyone less than Spacy, I'm not sure it would work.
It will be loads of fun to see if this innovation will result in a spike of subscribers for Netflix. I still remember the howling when they split their business model into streaming vs. DVD delivery. It didn't make much sense at the time, but boy oh boy it sure does now. Just as one word defined a generation in the movie The Graduate (plastics!), it's quite possible one word will define a shift in television viewing for the 21st Century. Tablets!
Hello again from The Flaming Nose after a long, long hiatus. We'd like to welcome back a new year of FN posts by featuring Black Wings, a fantastic one hour documentary which is running now on the Smithsonian cable channel as well as streaming on the Smithsonian Website. "Black Wings" is the riveting story of African American aviators. It showcases the pioneers who paved the way during times when segregation made their dreams seem impossible...and those who continue the dream today as astronauts in the NASA space program.
This exceptional documentary opens with the early days of aviation, when barnstorming African American dare devil Bessie Coleman flew stunt planes in the 1930's. A brave, gorgeous woman who wouldn't take no for an answer, this pioneer was a true American hero, and few have ever heard of her. Maybe this special will change that.
"Black Wings" also features stories about African American trail blazers who are continuing to inspire young Americans with the glory of flight today...like helicopter pilot Robin Petgrave. His Los Angeles non-profit (Tomorrow's Aeronautical Museum) is showing inner city kids how to fly.
From barnstorming bi-plane pilots to military heros like the Tuskegee Airmen, to NASA astronauts like Bernard Harris, the first African American space walker...this special is an exciting triumph for anyone who loves history and aviation. Be sure to hunt for it on the Smithsonian channel. It will air again on February 4th at 7pm and you can click the link above to watch it stream on their website.
Black Wings has been nominated for an NAACP Image Award. Watch and root for it to win on the Image Award telecast, NBC on February 1st!
Nashville
premiered on ABC television last Wednesday at 10pm.If you’re anything like me, you had to be
begged or bribed to watch it because of the title.It’s not that I dislike Country music.In fact I love country folk and bluegrass and
even some alt country.But I never “got”
the Southern ambiance, and I wondered if this series would make any sense to
me.I once spent at year attending school
in Knoxville, Tennessee and let me just say that while the Blue Ridge mountains
are beautiful, a football obsessed town is not a good cultural “fit” for this
native New Yorker.
Therefore I’m happy to say that you can be southern,
northern, western or even urban and still find something compelling about this
series.It stars the always fascinating
Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights, American Horror Story) as the fading Queen
of country music, Rayna Jaymes.Britton
does her own vocals and she sounds terrific.Hayden Panettiere (Heroes) stars as her baby faced nemesis
Juliette Barnes.She’s an oversexed,
auto-tuned monster, as cute as a Pomeranian but with the bite of a Pit
Bull.Juliette grew up in a troubled
home; absent Dad, Meth addict mom.She was
destined to be the terror of her local trailer park, but is instead a fast
rising cross-over star ala’ Taylor Swift.In her spare time she’s starting a business empire by marketing her own
perfume and her new hobby is making Rayna’s life a living hell.When they are first introduced she tells
gushes that the aging Rayna is “her Mom’s favorite”. There will be no further
need to watch Internet cat videos when these two get their claws out.It’s a more interesting rivalry than the one
between the cast members Karen and Ivy on NBC’s Smash, mainly
because cattiness is a blood sport for some southern girls and they are very,
very good at it.If you have any doubt,
see Vivian Leigh’s performance in the classic movie Gone With The Wind. She was
all fiddle-dee-dee on the outside and “I’m gonna rip out your eyeballs and feed
them to your little sister” on the inside.
There’s more tension from Rayna’s family members too, so
she will be quite stressed out in this series.Her husband is a stay-at-home Dad who just happens to be running for
Mayor.Her father Lamar Wyatt (Emmy
winner Powers Boothe) is a wealthy industrialist and political king maker.He’s a control freak and a snake but will
make a convincing villain for the series if they let him become a bit less
one-dimensional.Layered bad guys are
all the rage these days (Dexter, Breaking Bad, Mad Men) so I hope they will
allow Lamar to evolve.
If you’re able to access the pilot that aired last week
(you can stream it from the website), pay close attention to the last ten
minutes.We’re introduced to Gunnar
Scott (Sam Palladio) an affable song writer with a fierce falsetto and a
remarkable resemblance to a young Bruce Springsteen.He’s paired with Scarlett O’Connor, a shy gorgeous
poet who may herself be on the way to country music stardom.The alt country duet they sing is
mesmerizing.I predict a lot of real
life downloads for that song which (like all the music in Nashville) is
available on iTunes.
More fireworks are
anticipated in episode two. Juliette's making a video dressed in white Daisy
Dukes and a bustier. Rayna's manager wants to pair her on stage with an old
beau to spice up her lagging concert ticket sales. Save me a seat!
Amazing human beings have always been a genuine fascination of mine, and clearly TLC Network is on the same wavelength, especially starting tonight. Long ago abandoning their original "The Learning Channel" identity for something decidedly more ratings-friendly, TLC today skirts an interesting line between exploitation and emotion. Probably the first show many of us watched on the network was Trading Spaces, the home decorating switcheroo series (adapted from the British version) that was a smash and ran for eight seasons. TLC (and the now-OWN Discovery Health net)also hit gold with Jon & Kate Plus 8, the multi-season multiple-child reality series that eventually broke apart a marriage but was continued to gather headlines as Kate tried to parlay her childbearing fame into other venues (not particularly successfully, however). Fashionista viewers get a kick out of the two style experts who tear apart the wardrobes of unsuspecting schlubs on What Not to Wear, and those who like cooking combined with histrionics can watch the overwrought shenanigans on shows like Cake Boss.
Ex-Amish people, little people, gypsy people, people who talk to ghosts (the new-ish sensation Long Island Medium), extremely little people (the primordial dwarf brother and sister stars of Big Tiny), child beauty pagent people, bridalwear people (of the Say Yes to the Dress franchise which has spawned a couple of spin-offs), polygamist people, and many other examples of life's rich pageant are having their more than fifteen minutes of fame on TLC. We don't want to forget about the super-fecund Duggar Family of 19 Kids and Counting which -- almost totally thanks to the completely charming, down-to-earth and extremely likeable Michelle Duggar -- is much more watchable than one would ever imagine.
But tonight TLC goes to an extra-special place. Tonight at 10pm TLC premieres Abby & Brittany, a new reality series starring Abigail and Brittany Hensel, the dicephalic parapagus conjoined twins -- two heads on one body -- who have been mostly quietly living their lives in Minnesota and growing up into lovely 22-year-old young ladies. Quietly, that is, until now. Abby and Brittany are truly extraordinary and amazing, not only simply in terms of how rare their unique medical situation is, but also because they are living in a time when thankfully they have choices they can make, and they have decided to open up their lives for us to learn from and appreciate. These two young women, who surely know what it's like to be considered different, are helping us to see that they aren't really that different after all, and that's the essence of the appeal of Abby & Brittany.
from April 1996
As we've seen in previous television documenaries about Abby and Brittany, these are two distinct individuals, probably no more the same than any two sisters, who just happen to share one body between them. Somehow, with inexplicable coordination, concentration and communication, Abby and Brittany do everything that any other two women can, but they have to do it in concert and seamlessly. Each of them controls one arm and one leg, for instance, and yet they knew how to make it work, "it" meaning everything they've had to do together since they were born.
Maybe you'll just want to stare at them for a while in their new series. That's just fine, because they are something special. Over the years they've stated repeatedly that they don't like being stared at, but it seems like they must have come to terms with that in order to have their own reality show. Reality shows are all about staring, but there's a great deal of understanding and knowledge that can come from such a base beginning point.
I'm going to heartily recommend getting to know Abby & Brittany. I think we should be honored to be able to look inside their lives, and I assume that TLC is making it well worth it for them. These girls were handed a situation that is unimaginable, and yet, they thrive. "We throw it out there, and let it go," says Abby. Go for it, Abby & Brittany!
For more background information on Abby and Brittany, I'd suggest watching the incredible hour-long documentary from 2006, which you can find here on YouTube.
We thought you also might want to know that The Onion's The AV Club has just started their episode-by-episode coverage of Monty Python's Flying Circus! Zack Handlen is doing the honors, and he's spot on! If you're a Python-lover you'll also enjoy perusing the comment section, which will convince you that you're not alone in loving the show! Hilarious!
In our never-ending quest to show that Star Trek is the most awesome series that television has ever produced, we direct your attention to the HiLoBrow website where they are in the midst of an terrific multi-part celebration of all things James T. Kirk.
Kirk Your Enthusiasm began a couple of weeks ago, and will ultimately include 25 individual posts on the character of Captain Kirk, and it looks like it's all Shatner. We can't think of anything better!
We plan on celebrating the miniseries genre around here in the near future. Many of us grew up watching these major viewing events, and there has been a nice comeback recently with, for example, A&E's very successful The Hatfields and the McCoys. It's a TV format that deserves recognition for its ability to excite viewers, and we're all for that!
We hope that you're anxiously -- excitedly -- awaiting the landing of NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover which will take place at 1:31am Eastern time this Monday morning, only about 40 hours away from now as of this very moment. You should check out NASA's Curiosity website for all the latest information on this historic mission, which NASA so creatively and dramatically showcased in the incredibly popular video "7 Minutes of Terror". Enjoy!
There are mass-viewing events scheduled around the world, including a big one in NYC's Times Square at 11:30pm on Sunday evening, and of course great TV coverage planned. NASA TV will of course be providing continuous coverage, online and on their channel if you are lucky enough to have it on your system.
How could we not also bring to you another terrific NASA video, this one narrated by our favorite starship captain William Shater, entitled "The Grand Entrance" and all about the history of this incredible exploratory mission to the Red Planet. Enjoy this one, too!
The purpose of Curiosity is to try to determine if Mars ever harbored the building blocks of life as we know it. As NASA explains, it's not just a geological rover, but a geochemical explorer looking for the chemical elements leading to microbial life. Be sure to go to NASA's Curiosity Mission Page for a huge selection of fascinating videos and other information that will get you totally prepared for Sunday/Monday's incredible landing.
Afterwards, Science Channel will be premiering their Mars Landing 2012 special on Monday evening at 10pm Eastern/Pacific time, with essentially same-day coverage of the mission, with no doubt their trademark high production quality. We're big fans of Science Channel around here; so many great shows and that crazy little eggy logo!
This is the Universe, kids! Enjoy it while you can!
The Flaming Nose has been rather dormant lately (sorry!) as its writers have been traveling and working and otherwise buried in the minutia of life. But it would be terribly out of character for a classic TV blog to stay silent for the passing of one of the all time greatest TV (and film) characters, Andy Griffith. Born in Mt. Airy, North Carolina in 1926, Mr. Griffith died today on July 3rd at the age of 86. See this older Nose-Talgia post for a sense of how sad we are to mark his passing. Andy Griffith was an award winning actor best known for creating a lovely, gentle homage to small town America, (The Andy Griffith show), but also had immense talent as a singer-songwriter and serious dramatic actor (A Face in the Crowd). Andy Griffith could play a knee slapping country boy or a menacing Hollywood ladder climber with equal aplomb. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005, after a lifetime career that included nominations for Emmy Awards (Andy Griffith Show), Grammy awards (1996 gospel album) and Tony Awards (No Time for Sergeants).
I was watching The Andy Griffith show just last week on TV Land, and was moved to tears by its simple message. In this particular episode, Barney (the unforgettable deputy played by Don Knotts) gave a slingshot to Opie (child actor turned great Director, Ron Howard). Opie accidentally shoots and kills a mother bird in his front yard. His attempts to make her fly again are so heart rending, I believe that The Andy Griffith show earned its stripes as the first "Dramedy" at that very moment. Opie is miserable until he decides to adopt the orphaned baby birds in order to make things right with nature. He raises them by hand in a cage and wonders if he could keep them as pets, but his wise Dad convinces him that they were meant for the air. Opie sets them free. "That cage sure looks empty now, doesn't it Paw?" he says. "Yeah, but don't the trees look full?", is Andy's lovely reply.
Our lives were full because of Andy Griffith's enduring work. Rest in peace, sir. I picture you at the fishing hole with your dear friend Don Knotts forever.
TV Land has just announced that they will feature a day long Andy Griffith Show marathon tomorrow on July 4th. Let's get it started a bit early on the Nose with this snip from the "Opie the Birdman" episode.
If you've followed Houseon Fox Television at any point over the past 9 seasons, you are probably aware that the central character is one of the most brilliant, nihilistic, misogynistic and just plain rotten fellows to ever grace the airwaves. Personally, I think Dr. Gregory House suffers from a form of Asperger's syndrome, as in nearly a decade he has yet to form a single normal relationship with another human being. The closest he comes to having a friend is with long suffering fellow doctor James Wilson, who is now making Dr. House miserable by refusing treatment for terminal cancer.
House is played to perfection by British actor Hugh Laurie, who has been nominated year after year for Emmy Awards but has so far only won Golden Globes. In 2012 he will no doubt be joined in this honor by Robert Sean Leonard (Wilson) whose suffering as an oncologist who now faces cancer himself has been heartbreaking and an agony to watch. I have always loved Dr. Wilson best, as he was the Ying to House's Yang. While Wilson provided sweet balance and kindness...exactly the kind of doctor you'd want at your bedside... House was the mad genius who always saved the patient. No matter how dire or obscure the diagnosis, House and his team found the solution. Alas the sad doctor could never rejoice from his medical victories. At the end of the day, House would always be alone, wrapped in pain and whiskey, torturing a few notes of a blues song from his piano keys.
With one episode left to go before the show ends forever, I hope Dr. House and Wilson can find some sort of peace from their enduring friendship. It really has been one of the great "bromances" on television...right up there with Starsky and Hutch, Barney and Fred, and (my personal favorite) Spock and Kirk. I'll be there next Monday as their saga draws to a close. Will you? Here's a wonderful video montage of House and Wilson as we near the end.
The Flaming Nose TV Blog features many links to related articles and sites, some of which we call out with "click here" notices and others which are embedded within the text and indicated by a different color. Don't miss these opportunities for added information and deeper appreciation of our posts!
The bloggers on The Flaming Nose have watched and worked in TV for many years, and gather here to celebrate our favorite medium. We love TV and know that you do, too!
Please leave comments here -- we'd love to know what you think!
cE9s4PsSkSBQEYWhLMSw~~60_35.jpg)
