I’ve been trying to figure out how to approach an end assessment of the late Dollhouse. I have no strong feelings, probably because I wasn’t that huge a fan of it the first place. Sure it had a (mostly) stellar cast, and it threw out some lofty issues to discuss and debate (Free will! Identity! Sexual slavery!), but it was more a curiosity (look what Joss is doing now!) than a story I could get emotionally involved in (in a completely sane way, of course).
Didn’t help that Joss & co. were forced to end their story early and the plotholes were many and HUGE:
Why was Boyd the bringer of the apocalypse? Where’s his mad scientist origin story? (Was he even a scientist?) What exactly was the sitch with Dr. CliveClaire and Boyd? Was she always Clive as Claire and Whiskey? Why would Boyd, in protecting his walking-talking fountain of youth, allow Echo to be put in so many dangerous situations? What was with the creepy ‘you’re my family’ talk? (Even Paul? I mean, he just tried to kill Paul!) And what about a contingency plan? He was an evil genius, so he should’ve had a backup of himself somewhere super-secret and safe should, you know, he be made into a human bomb. Evil geniuses usually think ahead, right?
I can’t help but thing that Joss’s original plan for Boyd was something different but the truncated season (and I would imagine, the reduced guest star budget – no more Carradines for you!) forced him to turn to an already-there character/actor rather than introduce someone new…so TWIST! I guess? Lennix was great as evil, but there’s only so much an actor can do without a viable, earned backstory.
How did Caroline get the funds for all her hot clothes and solo commando missions? ID/credit card theft a la the Supernatural boys? I kind of hope she had a secret benefactor who figure in later in the story.
How did Adelle get there? If there’s any glaringly absent backstory, it’s hers. Of course, Olivia Williams and her arms are so amazing, I’m happy as long she’s in her immaculate wardrobe and toting a gun.
Wasn’t Echo told to smash the chair after she (ugh) uploaded Paul to her overly crowded brain? That chair was still intact when Fox abruptly cut to the next show.** Sloppiness or an opening for future stories elsewhere, like comics?
I like romance with my sci-fi but sometimes I feel like Joss watched more Days of Our Lives than I did as a kid. Why did I have to watch Tony and Priya futzing around Topher’s workshop discussing their relationship in the penultimate ep instead of learning just what the hell Boyd’s deal was or seeing Adele’s reaction when she found out who Boyd really was? I felt cheated.
Of course, I never bought the doomed OTP of Echo & Paul as they were so thoroughly boring and awful and idiotic. It was even worse when Topher had to clip Paul's ‘lurve nerves’ or whatever to make room in his brain for…shit, I don’t know. And then to have Echo pining for him?? Gah. Paul was even worse as the patronizing manipulator of doormat Mellie. She offs herself to save him?! Her mad ninja skillz were the only remotely interesting things about her! Kill him! KILL HIM WITH YOUR FLOWERS IN A VASE!!!!!
(Honestly, I was always astonished a guy that stupid and obvious stayed alive that long.)
And, then, once Paul was finally offed, we got to see Echo have an Adama-esque level meltdown minus the paint and antique model ships. I guess she felt bad about not saying how she felt about him? I… *sigh* So she uploads him…and will she be yelling at herself when they fight about leaving dirty dishes in the sink in her head? I really didn’t get how that was going to work.
Even the Tony/Priya relationship stuff seemed out of place – hell, downright laughable – with the dystopian backdrop. (And of course that's Tony’s kid. Why reveal it like it was surprising?) This is when the character aspect gets in the way of plot, which was of primary importance in the final episode. I would’ve rather gotten hints on the relationship stuff and more solid storytelling when it came to the plot. (Writing was not all that good for this series. Joss is still great with a quip, but in general the writing was mediocre to awful. More than once it felt like the script faltered under too many metaphors and too much preaching.)
Speaking of MadMaxVictor and his cyberpunk babelfish, the last few eps were a holy wreck of (the writers’?) fave sci fi films and shows rolled in an overflowing cannoli of heretofore unmixed elements: Zombies: the Dolls (natch), Prya’s evil doctor/rapist in her Attic hallucinations. BSG: Cylon Tanks of Goo™ in the attic, with Clive as the mainfraim/hybrid (ENDOFLINE) Frankenstein: Obvious, only more with the brain zappy than the sewn together body parts. That Whedon Touch: Ginger lesbians, double-handed neck breaks, evil white men (except for Boyd. Progress in a post-racial Obama world?), ending his stories with widespread wanton death and destruction.
That's not to say I didn't enjoy parts of this last stretch of eps: REED! ALPHA! (Who rehabbed himself in Reno. Of course.) Victor as Topher Adelle mothering Topher Topher as Martyred Nerd (Was the red shirt he was wearing a Trek shoutout?) Scut Farkus as the leader of the Resistance How Tuscon is the center of all Dollhouse-an evil, like how Burbank is the center of international espionage on Chuck.
So, Dollhouse, you collapsed under the weight of Joss's pretensions and Fox's stupidity. There's always my Firefly DVDs.
The faves All things Merge. It's their 20th anniversary, you know. - PortastaticSome Small History, Be Still Please, Make It Sound in Tune (covers) - Score! 20 Years of Merge Records : the Covers - SuperchunkLeaves in Gutter - Guided By Voices: I've just been listening to them. A lot.
Andrew Bird Noble Beasts - An absolute masterpiece.
The Thermals Now We Can See - "I Let It Go"; live at the Bowery
Metric Fantasies - "Help I'm Alive"
Neko Case Middle Cyclone - "Middle Cyclone," the song, hits like a ton of bricks. Despite the disappointing live show I attended at the Wellmont, this record was just fantastic.
Dinosaur Jr. Farm - live opening for Sonic Youth. (It was the first time I had worn earplugs to a show in about twenty years.)
Dirty Projectors BitteOrca - "No Intention"; live at the Bowery, not very exciting but sounded great.
Bon Iver Blood Bank - Good Christ, Justin Vernon has a beautiful voice.
Animal Collective Merriweather Post Pavilion - I just got around listening to this record last week . I was seriously grooving in my cubicle.
Daniel Martin Moore Stray Age - "Stray Age"
Kelly Clarkson All I Ever Wanted - OMG. Here's the thing about KC that makes her a step above the rest of the Idol-esque, melismatic horde: KC performs the song. She doesn't trill and leap to show off her talents. Like Frank Sinatra, she actually pays attention to lyrics and narratives of the songs, as silly and nonsensical as they may be. And that's why she's probably the best pop singer working today.
The best of the Nat King Cole Trio - "Tis Autumn"
Dean Wareham/Dean & Britta/Luna/Galaxie 500 - After reading his memoir, I loaded up on his discography and was summarily impressed. How do the Kiwis consistently write such great pop?
The Bats The Guilty Office - Speaking of Kiwis....
Nirvana Bleach reissue Neil Young Sugar Mountain Live at Canterbuy House 1968 - "On the Way Home"
Ciao My Shining Star : the Songs of Mark Mulcahy - ... of Polaris/Pete & Pete fame; "All for the Best" Thom Yorke.
Jen TryninCockamamie - "Better Than Nothing"; Another great rock memoir.
John Doe & the SadiesCountry Club - "The Night Life"
Dark Was the Night Red Hot compilation - Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings "Inspiration Information"
Lou Barlow Goodnight Unknown - "Don't Apologize"; live solo at Mercury Lounge, cut short for me buy loud drunken Russians.
Sonic Youth The Eternal - "Walkin' Blue"; live at Terminal 5.
Nellie McKay Normal as Blueberry Pie : a Tribute to Doris Day - This is what I've been waiting for from NM: a straight jazz/standards album: no rapping, no winking, just great songs with great arrangements (by NM, herself)
AC Newman Get Guilty - Gotta admit that what I'm really waiting for another New Pornographers record, but this will do for now.
Elvis Costello Momofoku - "Shudder and Wow"; Profane and Sugarcane was good, but this is old school EC rock and soul from 2008, with Jenny Lewis and her crew backing him up.
SondreLercheHeartbeat Radio - "Easy to Persuade" M Ward Hold Time - "Stars of Leo"
The Avett Brothers I and Love and You - "Kick Drum Heart"; I still can't believe these guys are on a major label.
Dan AuerbachKeep It Hid Wye Oak The Knot
Thao & the Get Down Stay Down Know Better Learn Faster - "When We Swam"; She and Animal Collective are the super indie groovemasters of Aught Nine. Passion Pit Manners - And also these guys ^^^
The Breeders & the Amps aka the Sisters Deal - "Saints" & "Tipp City" are my go-to wake-the-fuck-up songs
The Dears Missiles
DeastroMoondagger - I love an electropop record made in some Michigan kid's basement? Why not!
Melody GardotMy One and Only Thrill - Wow. A jazz album with new songs that's really, really good.
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Teddy Thompson Separate Ways - "I Should Get Up"; I don't know if I've ever heard a more entrancing swoon-worthy voice...other than Lou Barlow's...*sigh*
JapandroidsPost-Nothing - This is just two Vancouver kids rocking the shit out of it.
Telekinesis!
Barbara Manning/SF Seals - Found via the Merge covers collection. There's too much good to name just one song.
X Under the Big Black Sun - "The Hungry Wolf"; Yeah, I just got around to them...; live at the Bowery.
Grizzly Bear Veckatimest - "Fine for Now"; This record just gets better and better every time I hear it
Raphael SaadiqThe Way I See It - I loved Tony! Toni! Tone! and this is a stellar piece of retrosoul
Solange Knowles - "Stillness is the Move" Dirty Projectors' cover
So good and I'm ashamed I haven't listen to them more... Burning Hearts Aboa Sleeping Maxwell BLACKsummersnight BellX1 Blue Lights on the Runway Throw Me the Statue Creaturesque Antony & the JohnsonsThe Crying Light - This record is exceptional but just depresses the hell out of me. Loney Dear Dear John Iran Dissolver David BazanCurse Your Branches Elvis Perkins in Dearland Levon Helm Electric Dirt Pomegranates Everything is Alive The Bad Plus w/Wendy Lewis For All I Care - Avant-jazz covers of (mostly) rock songs. It shouldn't work but it does. Ida Maria Fortress 'Round My Heart - "I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked" Robyn Hitchcock Goodnight Oslo The DecemberistsThe Hazards of Love Eels Hombre Lobo Young Fresh Fellows I Think This Is Department of Eagles In Ear Park Doves Kingdom of Rust The Mountain Goats The Life and the World to Come Great Lake Swimmers Lost Channels The Love Language The Wooden Birds Magnolia VisqueenMessage to Garcia - "Ward"; Rachel Flotard might just be the coolest, nicest person in rock music. Heartless Bastards The Mountain Camera ObscuraMy Maudlin Career The Low Anthem Oh My God Charlie Darwin Yo La TengoPopular Songs - "Periodically Double or Triple"; I even bought the actual physical disc of this and I just haven't listened to it all that much... Grand PubaRetroactive AA Bondy When the Devil's Loose
The Disappointments Phoenix Wolfgang Amaedeus Phoenix - Funny. I was such huge fan of Alphabetical and the follow-up and so anxiously awaiting this record...but then when they became the ubiquitous car commercial I just never listened to WAPafter that first go. It's not bad, I guess, they're just not my little secret of pop goodness anymore. And maybe they're heading to Coldplay territory? And that makes me sad?
Pearl Jam Backspacer - This just didn't sound like a PJ record, in that it sounds like a conscious attempts getting back on pop/modern rock radio, to be 'catchy.' Thing is they've always been able to write catchy songs, and lyrical songs, and fun rockers, and harsh rockers, drawn jams for nights of pot smoking, and the songs sounded organic and authentic. Here...nothing sounds like that except for "Unknown Thought," and maybe "Speed of Sound."
Ben KwellerChanging Horses - How could a country album by BK be disappointing? It just is. But then, nothing can surpass On My Way.
Brendan Benson My Old Familiar Friend - "Feel Like Taking You Home"; Just couldn't live up to the pop masterpiece that was Alternative to Love.
Maximo Park Quicken the Heart
WilcoWilco (The Album) - Unlike a lot folks it seems, I loved Sky Blue Sky. It was a bit more low-key, and maybe simpler musically than the more vast sonic landscapes of YHF and AGIB, but the songs were so so good: "Impossible Germany" and "Sky Blue Sky" and "Hate It Here" .... WTA did not have a song that good. Usually a Wilco record has music that stays with me for days, weeks, etc., lyrics I can't shake like "Jesus, etc.," or "Handshake Drugs," but I honestly can't remember what this album sounds like, except that I think "Bull Black Nova" kinda rocked.
Stuff I Just Got and haven't listened to yet The Twilight Sad Forget the Night Ahead - I've actually been listening to this as I've been typing and holyshitsogood. Lightning Dust Infinite Light The Swell Season Strict Joy - Also, there once was a vid out there of Glen Hansard covering R.E.M.'s "Hairshirt" on Jimmy Fallon. If you find it, keep the tissues handy.
New Stuff I heard first live Rock Plaza Central ...at the moment of our most needing - Canadian alt folk ensemble with stunning harmonies, and opened for an otherwise unremarkable Weakerthans show at the Bowery. Point Juncture WA Heart to Elk - Opened for the Thermals at the Bowery; Beautiful, lilting and fun.
Stuff I haven't got yet Grand Archives Keep in Mind Frankenstein BOATSetting the Paces FanfarloReservoir Emily Rodgers Bright Day
Number of Songs: 6215 Number of Albums: 1358 Most Recently Played Song: "Everything is One Big Christmas Tree" Magnetic Fields Most Played Song: "Jigsaw Falling into Place" Radiohead Most Recently Added Album:Bleach / Nirvana (reissue)
First Song Alphabetically: "A.C. Cover" Camper Van Beethoven Last Song Alphabetically: "ZZ Top Goes to Egypt" Camper Van Beethoven First Song Numerically: "007 (Shanty town)" Desmond Dekker Last Song Numerically: "90-Mile Water Wall" The National Shortest Song: "(Untitled)" Maxwell (:05) Longest Song: "Photogram/Om Eye Sweet Isthmus" Camper Van Beethoven (19:40)
First Album Alphabetically:(a)spera / Mirah Last Album Alphabetically: Zen Arcade / Husker Du First Album Numerically: #1 Record/Radio City / Big Star Last Album Numerically:3 Rounds and Sound / Blind Pilot
First Five Songs That Pop Up On Shuffle iTunes DJ: "Tower Song" Martha Wainwright "Room a Thousand Years Wide" Soundgarden "Flume" Bon Iver "Senor 007" Ray Barretto "Good Feeling" Violent Femmes
Conclusion: I need to get some of that Camper Van off the hard drive....
Dollhouse, Season 2 I intended to post episode reviews, but laziness and a sense of fruitlessness, compelled me to abstain. In other words, I would be saying the same thing every week: stand-alone eps are weak and absurd, while the interior eps dealing with the ethics and background of the Dollhouse are some of the most intriguing television drama I've seen.
Stand-alones Eliza and Tamoh, and their characters, still interest me the least. Though, I will say both the writing for them and their performances are better than what we saw during the first season. Nonetheless, when Echo and Paul take center stage, the rest of the DHers seem to lose dozens of IQ points: Really, who thought leaving the serial killer unguarded and still alive was a good idea? Anyone can come in or out of the place, unchecked and unseen.
TPTB also hit and miss with their use of guest stars. Jamie Bamber worked out great, all sinister with the accent and the hotness...mmmm Apollo..... um. right. But they also had Michael Hogan and let him die in a car accident halfway through the ep without doing much of anything! How do you waste Saul Fucking Tigh??!!!
The Grand Arc When we stay in the Dollhouse we see one of the best ensembles on television. And we actually learn about these people: We learn about these people: Boyd the Fixer, Topher the MD, Priya the artist, the Doctors Saunders, Ms. Adele Lonelyhearts.... And here is also where Echo and her development as a sort of emancipating leader of the Dolls makes her the compelling question mark rather then the chick in the ridiculously tight clothes.*
Specifically, "Belonging" was even better because of how it tied to the unaired season one coda "Epitaph One." We see the beginning of Topher going mental and Adele's (now the functional alcoholic) beginning softness towards him, and Echo the Protector.
Oh, and as far as "Epitaph One" goes, my only real note is that I loved seeing Olivia Williams with a machine gun more than I can say.
So, while I do look forward to the eps returning in December, I kinda hope that Fox's shunning the series during November sweeps is a sign that they'll give the show a merciful death. I don't think Joss really has it in him, story-wise, to go further than this second season without annoying the shit out of me.
*Seriously, that dress she wore at the beginning of "Belonging" was retarded. Showing off a beautiful girl is fine, but she was basically naked. They give Dichen reasonable clothes. Why can't Eliza get a break? But it must also be said: Eliza needs to learn how to walk. A girl that pretty should glide, not lumber. Christ, I'm turning into to my grandmother.
Torchwood : Children of the Earth The story contained in these five episodes (comprising this truncated Season 3) was basically what would be a 2-3 episode arc in full season would be. But over five eps the story is given room to breathe, with plenty of moments both small and revelatory, and huge and suspenseful.
Small and revelatory
Jack has daughter and a grandson. He doesn't see them much, at her request, but helps them financially. And after the flaxen-haired grandson dies, upon Jack's orders, to save the aliens from taking the world's children... Well, let's just say Boxing Day's gonna be awkward this year. And these were the nicest bits for Barrowman, who didn't get to do his typical scenery chewing - with the quipping or screaming or anguishing - and acted like a real, mundane human for once. But we all know he's really there for the eye-candy, right? And on a Blu-ray disc those ocean-blue eyes are seriously mesmerizing.
Ianto has a sister who lives with her family in the Cardiff projects (council estates, are they?) whom he also doesn't visit often; while good at heart, they're loud, crass, and messy. But they have a lovely kitchen table convo where he reveals that he is indeed dating his very handsome, very male boss. It was a sweet construction: the siblings living lives on opposite ends of the socioeconomic spectrum who rarely connect, but when the shit comes down they will help and protect and believe in one another. And of course, this follows even after Ianto's death at the hands/tentacles/poison of the evil alien.
Oh yeah. IANTO DIED. Fuck. Again, I was happy with Barrowman here. There were lots of tears and a little yelling (WHY HIM??!!) but nothing really over-the-top. Of course, any cheesiness might've been undetectable through my tears as Ianto begged the (almost!) immortal Jack to not forget him. SHIT.
Gwen is pregnant. Rhys is the last to know, as usual. He's pissed but get's over it. And if there's one thing I have really loved about this show, it's how they've never made Rhys into the bad guy, or the oaf, or the idiot. He's a bit of a schlub (but still cute!) with a blue-collar job, but he's not stupid or a complete doormat. He supports Gwen and helps her out with some clever ideas of his own. They're both feisty and stubborn and completely mad about each other. (I also loved her video soliloquy in the last ep, about the mysterious Doctor who suddenly not around. Well done, Eve!)
And last, but certainly not least: The amazing Peter Capaldi, the gun, and the closed bedroom door. This was actually more stunning and heartbreaking than Ianto's death.
Huge and suspenseful
Torchwood HQ = BOOM!
Jack in a slab of concrete rescued by Ianto in a bulldozer! ...and a hardhat! ...and a three-piece suit! (Who will fill the vest quotient now, Russell T. Davies? WHO?!)
Big slimy alien you can't quite see who has rage and bodily fluid issues...and maybe the DTs?
And the kids are the crystal meth for the slimy aliens and Jack helped them - the aliens - out before? Both creepy and gross. Kudos!
Nitpicks While I thought this short season well-executed and highly enjoyable, there were some annoyances. Mainly, a few too many repetitive scenes and establishing shots that went on for a bit too long. It's like the Torchwood PTB were so used to cramming such a story into 2-3 eps that they found themselves a bit short on time so, hey, why not another shot of the traffic roundabout at Whitehall, or wherever, one more time! Also, let's have the kids scream again, longer! and louder! And let's have the parents keep yelling at their hypnotized kids again! Some more! If it were excised of this filmic fat, the season would be damn-near perfect.
Circle of Iron (1978) "There's nothing here to hide from." Nothing except your chin butt, Coop!
A couple weeks ago I had to catalog this forgotten gem of schlock, and when I saw it at the library I had to pick it up, if only because it starred the late, greatly sleazy David Carradine. (Though it was actually thought up by the late, great Bruce Lee who died before the project got off the ground.)
It's set in a mythical world where fighters dressed in proto-laser tag gear fight on The Life of Brian locations (only slightly used!) and have disturbingly straight, clean teeth. "Star" Jeff Cooper even looks like Eric Idle! I expected him to claim allegiance to the People's Front of Judea (please call him Loretta) and his mustachioed aggressor to be one of those tossers from the Judean People's Front. And there's Roddy McDowall. Proving yet again that he'd be inanything.
Carradine literally has a bell on his toe. The jingle is hella annoying. I mean, I don't like them on cat collars, much less humans. But he, the bell, and a bamboo flute take out five guys who have swords and maces, so I guess one shouldn't complain too much about it in his presence. Oh, and he's blind, too? He just cold-cocks bratty kids at will! He's also in a dual quadruple role! In one, he's a king of some sort, named Chang, but wears a fake tan and sounds kinda Mexican...
(The alternate title is "The Silent Flute." But dude, you can totally hear it... DID I JUST BLOW YOUR MIND?) Eli Wallach is in a giant pot in the desert. This ain't no Elia Kazan flick!
And there are monkey people?
Also: Boobs. Well, side-boob. And some ass, but this was the 70s so it was kinda obligatory. Poor girl gets crucified for her trouble, but sadly does not burst into song to make our weary traveler/paramour feel better.
Coop kicks a horse in the face? What is this, Blazing Saddles?
Why do quests for Zen enlightenment also involve so much sex and violence?
Zetan? Why, that's DRACULA! He's studying the perfect of perfection...or the perfection of perfect...er.... and there's some book.... fuck it, I'm totally distracted by the pointy baby blue Sumerian hats.... Apparently the endless peace and pleasure of total harmony is so great Dracula of Sumeria can't stand it anymore! He's all, take my peace, please! But Coop is like, whatevs dude, I'm gonna hang with Carradine and his noisy silent flute and kick some ass! Late, sucka!
Supernatural, Season 4 Bunny Colvin, Evil Angel of Darkness. Well, Kripke got some quality guest stars for this season including Robert Wisdom, Misha Collins, Kurt Fuller, and Richard from Felicity. Sadly, the casting for the females is rarely as good. I realize you can't have Amy Acker on every week but there must be some actresses in Hollywood and Vancouver that are both hot and able.
"You don't wanna go fightin' ghosts without any health insurance!" Sam, you may be a poor man's Riley Finn, but you you are no where near a Jim Halpert. (Padalecki was working his best David Copperfield with a dash of Freddie Mercury in that de-deomonizing stance.) But I do appreciate the writers' trying some deeper, more ambitious storylines (God! Lucifer! Angels at war!) and even doing a decent job with the ones they rip off.
You poor, freakish, unnatural, stumpy little bow-legged Lamb Of God. Sniff. Of course, my favorite part of the show remains the Dean and the Demian's recaps.
Merlin - Well, it's not as bad as the Flash Gordon reboot, but not that much better.
Near Dark - Lost Point Break Boys! by Katherine Bigelow! There's plenty of bloody wanton violence - including several scenes of vamps flambe, but it moves at a dirgelike pace with a lot of WTF scenes that take you out of what little plot there is to the movie. Like, say, the relationship between a young Adrian Pasdar and some random blonde we never hear from again which is the basis for the whole damn movie. Essentially, she was a cute stranger and he was bored on a Saturday night in a small town, and she bites him when he makes with the date-rapey groping. Twu wuv!
And why does Pasdar just stand there expecting his 8-9 year old sister to outrun a station wagon of vengeful vamps (one of whom is a young Bill Paxton)?
But you do get to see Lance Henriksen with a rat tail! So there's that! The Friends of Eddie Coyle - Subtlety writ large. Wait. No, really. And it's from the guy who directed Bullit. Public Enemies Funny. Michael Mann is known for action thrillers, but to me his best film is The Insider where the only action is Russell Crowe falling down on the front lawn.
Anyhoo - torture and interrogation techniques, surveillance techniques, who are the criminals? Lofty questions, all, and there was a fantastic cast in amazing costumes... but I felt so detached from it all. And the only question that's answered by the movie is: Is Johnny Depp unsurpassingly cool even with a pencil-thin mustache? (Answer: Yes.)
If you want good crime drama, go with Eddie Coyle.
Sally: No, no, no, I drove him away.AND, I'm gonna be forty. Harry: When? Sally: Someday. Harry: In eight years. Sally: But it's there. It's just sitting there, like some big dead end. And it's not the same for men. Charlie Chaplin had kids when he was 73. Harry: Yeah, but he was too old to pick them up.
