Terminally Incoherent

A while back, I watched Serenity and really enjoyed it. This was a surprise for me, and the very same day I vowed to get the whole series on DVD. I wanted to see if it was as good as the movie, or if it in fact was better. Most people told me that the latter was true so I was intrigued. Sadly, It took me a bit over two years to get to it. What can I say - I’m really good at what I do best, and what I do best is procrastination. If I cold get paid for procrastinating I would probably have enough money by now to buy Bill Gates and make him mow my lawn. Unfortunately, most people pay you money for the exactly opposite of procrastination - and that is actually doing stuff. I’m not very good at that you see and hence, I have no fabulous wealth.

Every time I decide to start watching a new series it has to sit on my desk, on a shelf or on my hard drive for at least 3-4 months before I get to it. It is really not really something that I came up with, or that I strive for. It just how it works out. I get it, put it away and then forget it. 3-4 months down the road I’m bored and I suddenly remember that I have it there sitting for me and finally start watching. With Firefly the waiting period was slightly over 2 years, but I finally got to it.

Quick aside - I really can’t believe that the Serenity post is dated Sept 06. I could have sworn I have posted it like June or something. Go figure. Can you believe that I’ve been spamming this blog with my incoherent ramblings for almost 4 years now? It’s amazing how the time files these days. It reminds me of that short story that I blogged about in September. Increasing sense of “time compression” just like the example I gave above was the first sign of the approaching hardware meltdown in the virtual world it described. Could it be that The Matrix is experiencing heavy system load right now?

Anyway, I digress. Firefly is an amazing show and officially one of my favorites now. It has everything a jaded, cynical and condescending TV viewer like me could wish for: interesting, well constructed characters, compelling setting, snappy dialog, character driven plot, non-annoying special effects (more about that later), Summer Glau, Jewel Staite and Morena Baccarin. I’m trying to figure how could this show ever receive poor ratings. I watched 3 episodes so far, and I’m hooked. It should have been a smashing success! But alas, Fox fucked it up. If I recall correctly the ended up showing episodes out of order, marketing it to the wrong audience, and continuously trying to push their creative agenda onto the show writers and producers. They had a real gem on their hands and they totally let it slip through their fingers. Then again it is not surprising - after all, almost every single show on Fox that I was ever even remotely interested in was canceled after few episodes. This is why I refuse to watch that station these days.

I approached Serenity and Firefly cautiously. I was skeptical as to the setting of the series. Western and deep space Science Fiction simply did not mesh well in my mind. Not to mention I’m not a huge fan of the Western genre to begin with. Serenity was a pleasant surprise being light on Western elements and heavy on the SciFi and I ended up liking it. People warned me that Firefly is more westerny (is that a word?). This is true, the western elements are more prominent in the show (especially in the pilot) but it is not a pure high-tech-Western (like in Trigun anime) but rather a nicely balanced mix of various themes and influences. The setting is unique and very well designed. The Western flavor just that - a flavor. It adds a little kick, but it is not overpowering. Despite my reservations, I was sold on this quirky universe some 20 minutes into the pilot. Now I want to get the Serenity RPG so I could actually play in that world! That’s how much I like it!

Joss Whedon really has a knack for creating strong character concepts. I noticed that his usual routing is to take fairly straightforward tropes, then combining them into incompatible groups and simply letting them interact and feed of each other. Initially you can understand the characters because they conform to stereotypes you can recognize. You learn about them through the way they interact with each other rather than through convenient exposition or flashback. Their relationships seem emergent and not designed. Thanks to excellent writing and characterization these seemingly one dimensional entities end up with unique personalities, and turbulent past they are usually reluctant to talk about. They become people you can identify with and who you care for. If you put them all in a room a story essentially writes itself - their temperaments clash, they feed of each others backgrounds fueling inside jokes, arguments, teasing and etc. This is one of those things that Joss Whedon excels at and you can clearly see he did hell of a job on the crew of Serenity.

The story itself is great mix too. At least so far. Despite the setting the writers did not end up relying solely on western plot tropes. They are present, but usually with a unique twist that makes them fit with the SF backdrop. It’s not all there is to this show though. Everyone will find something that they like. There is a little bit of space opera, great deal of character driven drama, some mystery, some action and suspense and even little bit of horror (whenever Reavers show up). There is a linear progression to the story, and no magical reset button that makes everything better at the end of the episode. All of this is topped with just the right amount of humor delivered with impeccable timing.

Oh, and this is probably the only show in the known universe that does not use annoying special effects when it shows spaceships passing each other in the vacuum. When you watch a deep space scene you either hear nothing, or some background music. If characters are on a space-walk all you hear are their voices on the radio circuit - even when they use explosives to blow a hatch off a derelict abandoned transport. How awesome is that? Beautifully realistic!

All in all I love it. If you are looking for a really good show, or some really good Sci-fi definitely check it out. Too bad I only have 11 episodes left. I wish there was more.

Welcome to the third installment of the Name that Movie or TV Show game. If you are a regular reader, you probably seen or participated in the the first and the second one. If not, you can go and revisit them now and see how many you can guess without looking at the comments.

If you don’t know how this works here are the rules: the picture below contains numbered frames. Try to guess what movie or TV show was each frame taken. Post your guesses in the comments. And don’t worry, there are no winners in this game - only losers. Oh, wait… Maybe it’s the other way around. Anyways, there will be moist and delicious cake upon completion - that I can promise.

Unfortunately these things are getting progressively harder to make. I could try to compensate by watching more movies, but it is so infuriatingly hard to finds ones that do not totally suck. Because of this, there is some overlap between this and the two previous games. But since I used different shots so it still may be challenging to some.

Have at it.

Dear History Channel,

I wanted to start this letter by politely saying: WHAT THE FUCK? As you may or may not know the name of your network (”The History Channel” in case you forgot) sort of implies that your programming should at least relate to history. Don’t you agree? I may be completely off base here, but I would think that when TV viewers hear this name they have certain expectations, and preconceptions as to what your programming is going to be.

For example, majority of normal people (may they rot in hell for all eternity) will avoid your network like a plague because they are generally allergic to knowledge and anything remotely educational fills them with fear and doubt. On the other hand people whose IQ is not a single digit number (and sadly it seems that we are a dying breed) actually seek your channel out for precisely the kind of programing which scares off the mainstream sheeple. I really think that well made documentaries, be it about ancient civilizations, weapons, world war 2 or more contemporary stuff are much more interesting than the Reality TV bullshit that many of my coworkers enjoy so much.

Only recently, there has been preciously little of actual History on my History Channel! In the past I had your channel running in the background most of the day, and whenever I looked at TV there was something interesting on. And even if it was not interesting, it did not provoke nausea in me. These days I usually end up flipping channels in disgust because I just can’t stand the crap you are airing in the evening sometimes.

Let me ask you a question: what do shows like Ice Truckers, Axemen, It’s Tougher in Alaska, and Monster Quest have to do with History? Absolutely nothing! Why are they on your network then? What is the purpose? In case you have failed to notice, these are pretty much reality shows. Reality shows without promiscuous sex, relationship drama and attractive women in bikinis. Reality shows about grizzled, overweight truckers, lumberjacks and Bigfoot enthusiasts. I’m sorry but even big fans of reality tv genre are probably turned off by this shit.

Here is a newsflash: reality shows suck ass. People who watch reality shows and enjoy them are a fucking IDIOTS. Idiots do not watch History Channel because knowledge is like Kryptonite to them. It is that simple. Who are you pandering to by making new seasons of these titles? Do I need to remind you who your core audience is? It’s predominantly white collar intellectuals, people from the academia, college students and history buffs. My guess is that 98% of these people have no interest in watching a reality show about dim-witted blue collar physical laborers who can barely string together a coherent sentence. Can you see why this is a bad idea?

Why can’t you stick to what everyone expects you to do - and that is documentaries. The reality TV is going to scare away your core viewers, and it won’t attract new ones because dumb people don’t watch your network - and this is the only kind of viewers you could possibly catch watching this crap.

And while you are at it, can you please ditch the supernormal shit? How many shows can you make about NOT catching Bigfoot, or NOT proving or disproving the existence of ghosts, monsters or UFO’s? This shit was awesome when I watched it on Discovery Channel when I was 14. But then Discovery decided that they want to spent most of their time airing shows about bikers, grease monkeys, and home improvement shows. So I stopped watching it. Now you are doing the same fucking thing.

When I blogged about Season 1 of Dexter I expressed my concern about quality of the second season. Really good shows which deliver a satisfying conclusion in it’s first season’s finale can often suffer from a sudden drop in quality. I felt that this is what happened to Heroes. I lost interest around episode 3 or 4 of the second season, but kept watching until around episode 10 hoping they will find the spark back. They didn’t. At some point I will need to go back and find out how that season ended, but I’m no longer addicted to that show.

Dexter avoided this fate. In my honest opinion second season actually raised the bar a little bit. The story arc seemed to be more tightly woven. We delve even more deeply into Dexters past and explore his relationships, and see him make difficult choices. The whole season is built around the age old formula of taking a likable character, and then systematically ruining his life, relationships, shaking his belief system and making him question all the values he lived by until now. As the FBI launches a full blown investigation against him, discovers a new way to deal with his dark urges. But this new path leads him to question the code of Harry, jeopardizes his relationship with Rita and leaves him emotionally vulnerable. It is a rolercoster ride from the beginning to the end - and a masterfully written and executed one at that.

I believe that the writers decided to take the show in a completely different direction in this season, and it has very little in common with the second book. But since I didn’t read any of the Dexter novels, they get the benefit of the doubt. I liked this story arc, and I thought it tied in with the events of the first season very well. Since I enjoyed it so much, I will simply choose to believe that the choices they made were correct ones considering the overall differences and departures from the original that they accumulated in the first season. If you think otherwise, please feel free to correct me. I won’t argue against it, since I don’t really know much about the plot in the books.

Just like the first, the second season is a complete chapter and the last episode wraps up all loose ends. In fact, it does a better job of it than the S1 finale. There were still some unresolved issues that the final episode did not answer. This time around, Dexter’s universe gets almost rebooted back to the point where he can start with a clean slate, and a new perspective on life, and his role in the natural order of things. The ending of course implies that Dexter’s story will continue, but leaves absolutely no clues as to what is next in store for him. It really left me wondering what the hell will they do in season 3. They did such a great job at turning Dexter’s life upside down this time around, that they left almost nothing for future use. In season 1 we dealt with a serial killer who knew Dexter’s secrets, and directly threatened his loved ones. In S2 we are dealing with a full blown investigation, an identity crisis, and relationship problems. All of these things get resolved in a satisfying way. Any future threats to his loved ones, possibilities of being discovered or romantic issues may seem like a rehashing material from the previous seasons. So what is left? What is the next big thing that will shake Dexter’s life, and keep us glued to the TV for the next 12 episodes? I was concerned about quality of S2. Now I’m terrified about the quality season 3. I’m afraid that any direction they take from here will seem like nothing more than cheap re-packaging of already explored themes and topics. Keeping the show interesting and addictive will be a true test of skill for the writers. Can they pull it off? I believe they can! I hope they can. But only time will tell.

I don’t think I can say more about the season without letting out huge spoilers. So I won’t. It’s suffice to say that it is good, and that I loved it. If you enjoyed the first 12 episodes, you won’t be disappointed.

Recently I realized that I really don’t watch much TV. Or rather I do watch fair share of it, but I don’t do it the way normal people do it. When I come back from work, I tune my TV to one of the following channels: History Channel, Discovery Channel or Comedy Central. Then I sit at my computer and do my stuff. I like documentaries, and I like the John Stewart, Colbert, South Park, Futurama and etc.. At 11 I flip it to Adult Swim and watch the silliness there. I don’t watch daytime TV. I abhor reality shows and I usually can’t stand news because I really don’t give a flying fuck about celebrities, sensationalist fear mongering and stupidity - I’ll get my news online, thank you very much.

The truth is, that 80% of stuff on TV is total crap. 18% is decent, and 1% is pure gold. And since I don’t usually watch new shows, or actually keep track of premiers I often miss that awesome stuff. But I make point of actually revisiting the good stuff - for example when it comes out on DVD. Every once in a while I go hunting for a new show to obsess with and I often find them.

That’s how I found Lost, Heroes and Battlestar Galactica. I got into all these shows late, then got my hands on few shows and was subsequently glued to the TV for weeks. All of these induced what I call the “just one more episode before I go to sleep” syndrome. They just keep you on the edge all the time, and you can’t wait to see what’s going to happen next.

I just found a new show, and it’s called Dexter. I just watched the first season, and all I can say is: damn good TV! A big plus is that it is a Showtime show, which means they can show gore, nudity and can actually curse like normal people do in real life. Which, considering the topic matter, makes it more true to life and attractive.

Dexter could be described as sort of a cop drama - but with a very interesting twist. The titular character, Dexter is not a cop - he is a serial killer who happens to work for the police as a forensic expert on blood spatter. So it’s kinda like watching CSI but with interesting, complicated and conflicted characters, and a very well written story arc. I usually detest cop dramas and think that CSI shows are beyond silly, but this - this I like. It’s deep, unconventional, quirky. And of course we are rooting for the bad guy - a heinous murderer who has an insatiable desire to kill. Despite being a monster, Dexter is actually a very compelling and likable character with very dark sense of humor, and sensibility and morality of his own.

To most people Dexter is just a really nice, harmless, ordinary guy. He is always smiling, cracking jokes, brining donuts and coffee. Sure, he is a little bit geeky, and tad odd - but I guess anyone whose job specialization was “forensic blood spatter analysis” would probably come off strange. On the other hand he is this strong, manipulative, controlling, sadistic monster who enjoys torturing his victims. He hides his dark side so well, that he probably comes off more “normal” than you and me.

The only person who knew his secret was Harry - his foster father. He discovered Dexter’s desire to kill and taught him how to channel it and use it constructively. He instilled a very strong moral code in his son. Thanks to Harry’s code Dexter never takes an innocent life. His victims always deserve their fate - they are all notorious murderers who killed many innocent victims, and yet somehow slipped through the cracks in the system and avoided getting caught by the police. So he is sort of a vigilante, or a dark hero dishing out justice to those beyond the reach of the law. But that’s not why he kills. He does it because he enjoys it and he knows that his actions are morally reprehensible.

Michael C. Hall was born to play this role! I really didn’t watch Six Feet Under so I’m not familiar with his body of work, but he does an absolutely amazing job portraying this offbeat, disturbing and interesting character. In fact, the whole cast is excellent. Everyone delivers a very compelling performance - even most of the extras, and one-off characters are great. So is the writing and direction. The plot starts slowly and lightly showing dexter doing his thing, but quickly thickens and spins out of control. Shows like Lost and Heroes usually rely on a cliffhanger driven episode transitions. Dexter, not so much. Most episodes offer satisfying resolution and a small hook to get you interested in the next installment. Real cliffhangers are used sparingly but when they do happen, the effect is striking because you do not expect them. It really shows that the story is very well thought out, building up the tension in small increments, and offering localized catharsis moments at the end of each episode.

What I like the most however that just like with Heroes the first season is a closed chapter. It tells a story which has a begging, middle and an end. There is no meandering, and no huge frustrating season finale cliffhanger that leaves you hanging, and speculating for months. What you get is a satisfying resolution. If the show got canceled after the first season, it would still have been a great story, with a great ending and I applaud that. It’s way to easy to go overboard with the cliffhangers and it seems that Dexter has them firmly in check using them the way they are supposed to be used - for special occasions.

I rarely notice tings like music in TV shows, but I must mention that Dexter has a very distinctive sound track. To give you an idea how the music, and camera work make this show special watch this short opening sequence from the show:

This is pretty much Dexter’s morning routine: shaving, getting ready, making breakfast, brewing coffee and etc.. But the way it was shot subtly suggests something else. When he cuts the ham, it looks like he is cutting flesh. When he ties his shoes it looks as if he was strangling someone. When he squeezes out a grapefruit it seems to ooze blood. The unsettling yet catchy music only helps to emphasize that odd sinister light in which we view the ordinary, everyday routine. Very clever, very well done and sort of indicative of the overall quality and attention to detail on the show.

If you haven’t watched it, I highly recommend this show. It will capture you with the surprising death, dark humor, the offbeat protagonist, and character driven drama. After just one episode I was sucked in. After two I became addicted. If you are planning to check it out, better set aside a chunk of time because it will be very hard to resist watching 3-4 episodes in one sitting. Both seasons are out on DVD now, so you can buy them, rent them, netflicks them or whatever.

Now excuse me while I go watch the second season. Let’s hope it doesn’t fizzle out and loose the spark the way Heroes sort of did after their first season.