I’ve changed the name of my weekly television column from The Week That Was, which was a little boring, to Cathode Ray Fray.
Please note some other changes as well: I’m still talking about all of the shows that I’ve watched during the week (peculiar predilections that they are) but I’ll also be linking to many of the other television-related columns and features going on in the wacky wide world of BlogCritics.org.
Please feed my thinly skinned ego and tell me what you think, and for this I thank you.
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Lost - ABC
About the sixth repeat in a row, but only one more week until the action starts up again! This week’s episode, however, was a particularly good one (though they’ve all been pretty great) with the strange (and oh so loving) relationship of step-bro and sis Boone and Shannon getting unraveled. Lots of great scenes involving Locke also, who is one of my Top 5 favorite characters on television right now. For anyone who caught the promo for next week's episode: it looks as though Locke’s mystical "gift" and subsequent ascension to top-dog survivor on the island may be in serious trouble… exciting stuff.
Project Greenlight - Bravo
My, how the plot is thickening on this already brilliant look into an attempt to turn first-time screenwriters and director John Gulager into a commercial Hollywood film industry profit-pumping machine. While seeing the dynamic horror-geek screenwriters flip out on Hollywood excess twelve minutes into their professional careers was interesting, all eyes all over were squarely on the red headed awkward-auteur mug of newbie director John Gulager.
Gulager’s a highly talented low budget film (read=no budget) director who is being forced to contend with the much rougher waters of big-time Hollywood players, egos, attitudes, staffs, conflicts, headaches, and money money (ride that pony, Mr. Idol). So far, Gulager is proving to have a peculiar combination of stoic willfulness and little ability to communicate his vision. That he can produce a film with a vision is beyond dispute, but the producers, casting director, and the Dimension honcho-types (read=the money people) are in the midst of freaking out and making early threats because they're not sure that Gulager can make the film they want to make, under budget and within a reasonable quick-buck Friday night date movie timeframe.
Article comments
1 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Eric, since it's here in the United UK where The Duke is forged, i haven't saw 90% of the shows you mentioned, but my god, man, how fun was this? a hella lotta fun, is what. i espeically like the quotes and so on. not enough folks give TV writers credit for some utterly marvellous lines. i look forward to next week's instalment, man. great, great stuff.
2 - Eric Berlin
Thanks very much, Duke. Yeah, unfortunately there's no way around (for me, at least) making this column an innately U.S.-centric version.
The overarching point of it, I guess, is that there are high quality shows on the air -- it's easy to forget that when there's so much rubbish on.
The good thing, too, is that much of what's airing now (the really good stuff, anyway) will be available on DVD within a year or two.
3 - DrPat
Love the new name!
4 - Eric Berlin
Thanks DrPat.
My original idea for a new name was "Fried Cathode Eye." I passed it buy my wife and she said, as she sometimes does, "...too extra." That's our little saying that was culled from Making the Band II (of all places), meaning too much, too wacky, too over the top.
So I toned it down and think it works pretty well. My wife's a good editor, a harsh and objective critic. And a tough audience. If I can make her laugh, I know I've done my work.