How fitting that the best season in Survivor history ends with a blindside. If you didn't see it, or haven't already heard, underdog Natalie won the million dollars, literally and figuratively upsetting Russell, one of the strongest competitors in the history of the game. And if you ask me, she has Erik's impassioned speech at that final tribal council to thank for it.
John mentioned that the jury was interested in hearing more about Natalie's strategy. I think a lot of them had already decided they weren't voting for Russell -- they were choosing between her and Mick. The big strike against Natalie was her perceived weakness as a player. Erik clarified that her passive approach to the game was just as valid as Russell's more aggressive strategy. It's a risky to do what Natalie did precisely because of the inevitable backlash against you. It also takes strength to shut up and keep smiling when so many people around you are acting like jerks.
I would have voted for Russell, but have to admit that Erik's speech gave me pause. It was a reminder that Russell's game, for all its strengths, was fatally unbalanced. He systematically alienated every member of the jury, banking they would nevertheless applaud his strategy. But it's human nature to resent your betrayer, and Russell played the game so aggressively that jurors were looking for a reason -- any reason -- to vote against him.
So what do you all everybody think? Did Natalie deserve the million? Was this the best season of Survivor ever? As always, you're welcome to post anonymously, but please identify yourself somehow, so I can distinguish between anonymous posters. Thanks!
Monday, December 21, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
Friday Morning Quarterback...
Every Friday morning I do a brief writeup and review of shows I watched the night before, including FlashForward, Fringe, the Office, 30 Rock, Survivor, and Parks and Recreation. There will be spoilers about what happened, so consider yourself forewarned.
FLASHFORWARD: No new episode.
FRINGE: Review forthcoming...
THE OFFICE: Review forthcoming...
30 ROCK: Review forthcoming...
SURVIVOR: Review forthcoming...
PARKS AND RECREATION: Review forthcoming...
As always, you're welcome to post anonymously, but please identify yourself somehow, so I can distinguish between anonymous posters. Thanks!
FLASHFORWARD: No new episode.
FRINGE: Review forthcoming...
THE OFFICE: Review forthcoming...
30 ROCK: Review forthcoming...
SURVIVOR: Review forthcoming...
PARKS AND RECREATION: Review forthcoming...
As always, you're welcome to post anonymously, but please identify yourself somehow, so I can distinguish between anonymous posters. Thanks!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Top Chef: Top Farce
Let me preface this by clarifying I have no problem, in principle, with Michael Voltaggio winning Top Chef. He's a talented and charismatic chef -- albeit terribly insecure -- who thoroughly impressed me all season with his smart and sexy creations. But my favorite was clearly Kevin, whose simple food with complex flavors is pretty much my culinary ideal. And I take issue with Kev's treatment during the finale, starting with the way he was unceremoniously booted from the room before they announced the winner, something I don't recall being done in years past.
Even more fundamentally, I was frustrated by how the producers screwed the Kevin by giving him Preeti and Ash, two of the less competent cheftestants, as sous chefs. Ash apparently acquitted himself well, but compare him with the Voltaggio brothers' sous chefs, Eli and Jen, both of whom were in the final five. Even the brothers' second sous chefs were superior to Kevin's. Brian had Ashley, who struck me as competent despite her failures. And Michael had Jesse, who was lost on her own, but seemed to thrive under his micromanagement. Preeti, by contrast, was an epic failure -- notice how she was absent from nearly all shots of Kevin.
I know some will say this was all random chance. But that simply begs the question, which is the fairness of leaving such a decisive factor to chance. I'm sure the producers were gambling that someone -- preferably Michael -- would be forced to work with Robin. The problem is that Kevin paid the price for their stupid bet, which was totally unfair. So, memo to the producers: in future finales, please give cheftestants at least some ability to choose their sous chefs. Or if you don't, make sure the pool of candidates is even. It's just not fair to shoot a talented chef like Kevin in his best foot before he has a chance to put it forward.
Even more fundamentally, I was frustrated by how the producers screwed the Kevin by giving him Preeti and Ash, two of the less competent cheftestants, as sous chefs. Ash apparently acquitted himself well, but compare him with the Voltaggio brothers' sous chefs, Eli and Jen, both of whom were in the final five. Even the brothers' second sous chefs were superior to Kevin's. Brian had Ashley, who struck me as competent despite her failures. And Michael had Jesse, who was lost on her own, but seemed to thrive under his micromanagement. Preeti, by contrast, was an epic failure -- notice how she was absent from nearly all shots of Kevin.
I know some will say this was all random chance. But that simply begs the question, which is the fairness of leaving such a decisive factor to chance. I'm sure the producers were gambling that someone -- preferably Michael -- would be forced to work with Robin. The problem is that Kevin paid the price for their stupid bet, which was totally unfair. So, memo to the producers: in future finales, please give cheftestants at least some ability to choose their sous chefs. Or if you don't, make sure the pool of candidates is even. It's just not fair to shoot a talented chef like Kevin in his best foot before he has a chance to put it forward.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Friday Morning Quarterback...
Every Friday morning I do a brief writeup and review of shows I watched the night before, including FlashForward, Fringe, the Office, 30 Rock, Survivor, and Parks and Recreation. There will be spoilers about what happened, so consider yourself forewarned.
FLASHFORWARD: A solid episode that showed what this show is at its best -- 24 with a sci-fi twist. As I suspected, Simcoe and the Hobbit's experiment was probably not the cause of the blackout. As I also suspected, the towers in Somalia had something to do with plasma. Tesla's dream was to transmit energy between massive towers like Wardenclyffe using plasma as a conductor. I just hope this installment was compelling enough to tide viewers over until March, when FlashfForward returns from hiatus
FRINGE: A solid episode that cemented John Noble as the best actor, and Walter Bishop as the most compelling character, on the show. I was briefly worried they would try to shoehorn some kind of romantic relationship between him and Astrid. But they played it perfectly -- I completely bought Walter's tenderness and regret over her assault. On a tangential note, how much you want to bet Walter's GPS chip becomes a plot point later this season? As with FlashForward, I just hope the break doesn't kill this show...
THE OFFICE: Meh. Scott's Tots was too over the top for me. I just didn't buy Michael actually showing up at the ceremony. I was pleased to see Dwight regain some of the momentum his character has lost this season. But the notion that Jim would trust Dwight to put together the blind tally was totally unbelievable. I also thought David Wallace forgiving Jim, besides being a copout, was a missed opportunity. It would make more sense to me if Jim fell out of favor with management, then redeemed himself by somehow saving the company.
30 ROCK: A passable entry that did nothing to undermine 30 Rock's reputation as the most consistently funny show on network television. The HD gag was probably my favorite part, particularly Kenneth as a muppet. Frank's transformation into Liz induced some chuckles -- I'm pleased when they showcase him, rather than the overexposed Kenneth. Speaking of Liz, ladies take note, bangs are not hot.
SURVIVOR: In retrospect, John's decision to vote with Russell and Co. was a big mistake. But even that massive blunder was completely eclipsed by Foa Foa's decision to leave Shambo hanging. This was the first major strategic miscalculation that Russell has made. I think Jaison is absolutely correct that taking Shambo's vote for granted will alienate her, as it did with Galu.
PARKS AND RECREATION: Review forthcoming...
As always, you're welcome to post anonymously, but please identify yourself somehow, so I can distinguish between anonymous posters. Thanks!
FLASHFORWARD: A solid episode that showed what this show is at its best -- 24 with a sci-fi twist. As I suspected, Simcoe and the Hobbit's experiment was probably not the cause of the blackout. As I also suspected, the towers in Somalia had something to do with plasma. Tesla's dream was to transmit energy between massive towers like Wardenclyffe using plasma as a conductor. I just hope this installment was compelling enough to tide viewers over until March, when FlashfForward returns from hiatus
FRINGE: A solid episode that cemented John Noble as the best actor, and Walter Bishop as the most compelling character, on the show. I was briefly worried they would try to shoehorn some kind of romantic relationship between him and Astrid. But they played it perfectly -- I completely bought Walter's tenderness and regret over her assault. On a tangential note, how much you want to bet Walter's GPS chip becomes a plot point later this season? As with FlashForward, I just hope the break doesn't kill this show...
THE OFFICE: Meh. Scott's Tots was too over the top for me. I just didn't buy Michael actually showing up at the ceremony. I was pleased to see Dwight regain some of the momentum his character has lost this season. But the notion that Jim would trust Dwight to put together the blind tally was totally unbelievable. I also thought David Wallace forgiving Jim, besides being a copout, was a missed opportunity. It would make more sense to me if Jim fell out of favor with management, then redeemed himself by somehow saving the company.
30 ROCK: A passable entry that did nothing to undermine 30 Rock's reputation as the most consistently funny show on network television. The HD gag was probably my favorite part, particularly Kenneth as a muppet. Frank's transformation into Liz induced some chuckles -- I'm pleased when they showcase him, rather than the overexposed Kenneth. Speaking of Liz, ladies take note, bangs are not hot.
SURVIVOR: In retrospect, John's decision to vote with Russell and Co. was a big mistake. But even that massive blunder was completely eclipsed by Foa Foa's decision to leave Shambo hanging. This was the first major strategic miscalculation that Russell has made. I think Jaison is absolutely correct that taking Shambo's vote for granted will alienate her, as it did with Galu.
PARKS AND RECREATION: Review forthcoming...
As always, you're welcome to post anonymously, but please identify yourself somehow, so I can distinguish between anonymous posters. Thanks!
Monday, November 30, 2009
The Wire: 100 Greatest Quotes
My friend MB recently forwarded me this collection of the 100 greatest quotes from the Wire. I write a blog about LOST, but the Wire will always be my favorite show. I've never seen anything quite like it and doubt I ever will again. Watching these clips in quick succession took me back to when I was mainlining the the entire series on DVD, watching two, sometimes three, episodes at a time:
My only complaint is that the selections include almost no quotes from the kids. We see Randy and Michael, but no Namond or Dukie. I found these kids to be some of the most compelling characters on the Wire. They're what makes Season 4 arguably the best of the show. I would have loved to see at least one more glimpse of them clowning around on the corner or with Mr. Pryzbo in the classroom.
My only complaint is that the selections include almost no quotes from the kids. We see Randy and Michael, but no Namond or Dukie. I found these kids to be some of the most compelling characters on the Wire. They're what makes Season 4 arguably the best of the show. I would have loved to see at least one more glimpse of them clowning around on the corner or with Mr. Pryzbo in the classroom.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Friday Morning Quarterback...
Every Friday morning I do a brief writeup and review of shows I watched the night before, including FlashForward, Fringe, the Office, 30 Rock, Survivor, and Parks and Recreation. There will be spoilers about what happened, so consider yourself forewarned.
FLASHFORWARD: Another limp offering that made the mistake of rehashing someone's vision for the umpteenth time. In this case, it was Bryce, who's one of my least favorite characters so far. I did, however, like the twist involving Keiko's vision, which revealed their meeting will take place in LA, not Tokyo. I know all signs point to Demitri as the mole, but I still wonder...what if it was Gough? Finally, memo to Sonya Walger: you look stunning without makeup. Go with the natural look more often!
FRINGE: A satisfying installment that advanced the mythology substantially. I saw the whole "love" thing coming a mile away, but I still liked how they handled it, particularly the surrogate parent angle. Apparently, the Observers are not supposed to intervene, which surprises me. I had them pegged as a more activist influence on historical events. On that note, how hilarious were those photoshopped images of the Observers throughout history?
THE OFFICE: I think this may be my favorite episode of the season thus far. Jim disciplining Ryan by putting him in the closet without internet or social interaction was hilarious. And Oscar chickening out when Michael called him up to the executive suite was the show at its best. We get this big windup that primes us for some trite speech by Oscar about how to rescue the company. And then the show completely subverts that expectation by denying us the cliche in a way that was also completely in character with Oscar. Brilliant!
30 ROCK: Review forthcoming...
SURVIVOR: And the best season of Survivor in quite some time keeps getting better. Russell's discovery of a third immunity idol blew my mind. He's a brilliant player for sure but his attempts to sabotage camp are just stupid. That's a high-risk low-reward strategy if I ever saw one. Speaking of strategy, I can't decide if John's decision to change his vote made sense. On the one hand, his former tribe mates clearly signaled their willingness to sacrifice him. On the other, he'll likely do no better than sixth with Russell's crew.
PARKS AND RECREATION: Review forthcoming...
As always, you're welcome to post anonymously, but please identify yourself somehow, so I can distinguish between anonymous posters. Thanks!
FLASHFORWARD: Another limp offering that made the mistake of rehashing someone's vision for the umpteenth time. In this case, it was Bryce, who's one of my least favorite characters so far. I did, however, like the twist involving Keiko's vision, which revealed their meeting will take place in LA, not Tokyo. I know all signs point to Demitri as the mole, but I still wonder...what if it was Gough? Finally, memo to Sonya Walger: you look stunning without makeup. Go with the natural look more often!
FRINGE: A satisfying installment that advanced the mythology substantially. I saw the whole "love" thing coming a mile away, but I still liked how they handled it, particularly the surrogate parent angle. Apparently, the Observers are not supposed to intervene, which surprises me. I had them pegged as a more activist influence on historical events. On that note, how hilarious were those photoshopped images of the Observers throughout history?
THE OFFICE: I think this may be my favorite episode of the season thus far. Jim disciplining Ryan by putting him in the closet without internet or social interaction was hilarious. And Oscar chickening out when Michael called him up to the executive suite was the show at its best. We get this big windup that primes us for some trite speech by Oscar about how to rescue the company. And then the show completely subverts that expectation by denying us the cliche in a way that was also completely in character with Oscar. Brilliant!
30 ROCK: Review forthcoming...
SURVIVOR: And the best season of Survivor in quite some time keeps getting better. Russell's discovery of a third immunity idol blew my mind. He's a brilliant player for sure but his attempts to sabotage camp are just stupid. That's a high-risk low-reward strategy if I ever saw one. Speaking of strategy, I can't decide if John's decision to change his vote made sense. On the one hand, his former tribe mates clearly signaled their willingness to sacrifice him. On the other, he'll likely do no better than sixth with Russell's crew.
PARKS AND RECREATION: Review forthcoming...
As always, you're welcome to post anonymously, but please identify yourself somehow, so I can distinguish between anonymous posters. Thanks!
Monday, November 16, 2009
The Prisoner: Guarded Optimism
Color me guardedly optimistic after watching the first two episodes of the new Prisoner mini-series. Jim Caviezel is no Patrick McGoohan, but who is? The remake is a bit broader in scope, touching on the lives of other people in the Village besides Number Six and his interrogators. But it does capture at least some of the ambiguous weirdness of the original, which was my main concern. Currently, my theory is that a number of people are hooked up to a virtual reality machine, though I really hope I'm wrong. What do you all everybody think thus far?
Update: November 19, 2009
I finally got around to watching the last two episodes of the mini-series yesterday. After sleeping on it for a night, here's my take. And wouldn't you know, this interpretation is heavily influenced by LOST. Number Two is basically like Kelvin Inman, with Number Six as his Desmond David Hume.
Some years ago, Number Two's wife, M2, discovered a plane of existence that can only be accessed subconsciously. She created the very first Village in her own mental image. That's why wraps are so ubiquitous -- they're her favorite food. Two and M2 recognized the therapeutic potential of the Village as a mental respite from the material world. The couple hatched a plan to bring mentally troubled souls to the Village, where their minds could be healed by the simple virtues of small-town life.
Six's job at Summakor was to find appropriate subjects for therapy through his surveillance. One such subject was Number 147, who exists as a driver in both NYC and the Village. It's not completely clear why 147 is in the Village, but his NYC incarnation alludes in passing to getting his daughter back soon. The implication is that he temporarily lost custody of her through some fault of his own -- probably abuse. Maybe 147's subconscious was sent to the Village for therapy to resolve his anger issues.
Unfortunately, the Village reality could only be sustained at a terrible price. As a mental construct of M2, it depended on her dreams to exist. That's why the holes began opening when she awoke -- the fabric of Village reality was eroding with her every waking minute. This forced Two to keep M2 in a state of almost constant sedation and REM sleep. What was supposed to be their escape, where the couple could raise the son they weren't able to have in the material world, became their prison instead.
We're led believe that Six is the Prisoner, striving mightily to escape. In my view, however, the real prisoners are Two and M2. Most of what we see is Two's plan to manipulate Six into taking over for M2 as the Village dreamer. The analogy here is to Kelvin's attempt to dupe Desmond into assuming Swan button duty on LOST. Ultimately, Two succeeds by exploiting Six's love for Number 313, and the latter two become the new Two and M2. At least, that's my interpretation -- what do you all everybody think?
As always, you're welcome to post anonymously, but please identify yourself somehow, so I can distinguish between anonymous posters. Thanks!
Update: November 19, 2009
I finally got around to watching the last two episodes of the mini-series yesterday. After sleeping on it for a night, here's my take. And wouldn't you know, this interpretation is heavily influenced by LOST. Number Two is basically like Kelvin Inman, with Number Six as his Desmond David Hume.
Some years ago, Number Two's wife, M2, discovered a plane of existence that can only be accessed subconsciously. She created the very first Village in her own mental image. That's why wraps are so ubiquitous -- they're her favorite food. Two and M2 recognized the therapeutic potential of the Village as a mental respite from the material world. The couple hatched a plan to bring mentally troubled souls to the Village, where their minds could be healed by the simple virtues of small-town life.
Six's job at Summakor was to find appropriate subjects for therapy through his surveillance. One such subject was Number 147, who exists as a driver in both NYC and the Village. It's not completely clear why 147 is in the Village, but his NYC incarnation alludes in passing to getting his daughter back soon. The implication is that he temporarily lost custody of her through some fault of his own -- probably abuse. Maybe 147's subconscious was sent to the Village for therapy to resolve his anger issues.
Unfortunately, the Village reality could only be sustained at a terrible price. As a mental construct of M2, it depended on her dreams to exist. That's why the holes began opening when she awoke -- the fabric of Village reality was eroding with her every waking minute. This forced Two to keep M2 in a state of almost constant sedation and REM sleep. What was supposed to be their escape, where the couple could raise the son they weren't able to have in the material world, became their prison instead.
We're led believe that Six is the Prisoner, striving mightily to escape. In my view, however, the real prisoners are Two and M2. Most of what we see is Two's plan to manipulate Six into taking over for M2 as the Village dreamer. The analogy here is to Kelvin's attempt to dupe Desmond into assuming Swan button duty on LOST. Ultimately, Two succeeds by exploiting Six's love for Number 313, and the latter two become the new Two and M2. At least, that's my interpretation -- what do you all everybody think?
As always, you're welcome to post anonymously, but please identify yourself somehow, so I can distinguish between anonymous posters. Thanks!
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