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Smeggin' Mondays: Red Dwarf Series 7

2008-10-13T02:06:00.001-05:00

I have to admit, rewatching series 7 of Red Dwarf has stirred up a lot of mixed feelings about this particular batch.

On the one hand, four years had passed since series six, allowing for advancements in CGI technology (meaning better special effects). Since Rob Grant had left the Grant Naylor team, his partner was left to collaborate with other writers, perhaps putting some familiar twists on old themes and to try a different tone. In fact, they brought back Kochanski, and Chloe Annett does a good job in playing posh spice in what was becoming, admittedly, a "sausage factory". The fact that they took several creative chances, including stylistic ones (such as single camera work and becoming more of a "dramedy") provides it with some really cool moments (including Duct Soup, Stoke Me A Clipper, and Beyond a Joke).

However, there isn't so much a "jumping the shark" moment as....well, approaching shark jumping territory. The new tone doesn't quite jell as often as it should, and much of it feels repetitive and obvious. It's also, at times, very tough to watch - one can understand why Rob Grant might have left, because series five seemed to be a high point, and series six had some more-of-the-same. (I would argue that Grant's leaving after Series 6 was like Monty Python's fourth season after John Cleese left - it was OK, but didn't quite match its earlier successes).

Your best bet to catch the funny bits? Look them up on YouTube. I'm not sure that this series is even worth renting. It's not bad, but it just has too much of a...well, smeggish flavor.

Not Recommended.

October's Record You Should Own

2008-10-11T21:02:00.002-05:00

RDS05 - Mr. Flibble 03
Originally uploaded by Gordon D

Mr. Flibble says...

...you should listen to this month's Record You Should Own podcast (now available on iTunes!)

Mr. Flibble also thinks that you should purchase as many copies/mp3s of this album as possible, because it's kind of spooky and haunting for Halloween.

Amazon.com Widgets

Your Cheap Laugh of the Day

2008-10-10T06:10:00.001-05:00

Dax LOL
Originally uploaded by Gordon D

Made via Big Huge Lab's Flickr Toys

And for more Blog This Pal LOLCat fun, please subscribe to the feed

Thanks, and Happy Friday!

Of Gods and Meh

2008-10-09T03:03:00.001-05:00

It's one thing to boldly go and explore a mythology; it's another to simply just take toys and build another castle. The best fan fiction does a little bit of both; Of Gods and Men does too much of the latter and not enough of the former.

When I wrote those words for Comic Related back in May, I had not seen the third part of the three-part fan film commemorating Trek's 40th anniversary. I was secretly hoping that, in the third act, it would pull itself together and prove me wrong - that, in fact, there was still life in the Star Trek franchise.

Unfortunately, my greatest disappointments were confirmed - this is probably one of the worst pieces of Trek ever made. It's such a badly conceived, written, and acted piece of fanwank that it makes Journey's End seem like appointment television. And if JJ Abrams' movie version of the the Enterprise crew does poorly in the box office, this will be seen as the final nail in Trek's coffin.

In all fairness, it's obvious that the people involved love Trek...so then, why is this so pedestrian, so simplistic, so cliche that it's often hard to watch.

Maybe I've answered my own question - there are numerous references to classic Trek. Way too many references, not just to characters, but to plots. It happens so much that if I tried to spoil the experience for someone, they would either not believe me or shrug and walk away. This is an episode reminiscent of later Voyager or even early Enterprise - there's enough for the hardcore fan to latch onto, but it ends up being a parody of itself, like a full length version of Bring Back Kirk.

Of course, the other weakest link is the acting - one would expect bad acting from amateurs (and quite frankly, most "amateurs" would do better than this), but from people in the business for thirty plus years? Granted, it shows how dedicated they are to Trek, but to volunteer for rubbish like this seems...well, sad. And the special effects...well, I've seen better in Second Life.

I know that some readers will chastise me, either claiming that I'm not being fair and/or that I should be grateful to the producers of the New Voyages for dedicating their time and talents to a non-profit endeavor. However, there's something about this production that feels incredibly arrogant, that doesn't have the sheer joy - or sense of discovery - that classic Trek or TNG did. (Or even, I'll argue, DS9).

Granted, it's free, and you can watch online and make up your own mind. However, you will lose an hour and a half from your life, and I can think of better things to do....like watch classic Trek.

Not recommended.

Fables of the Reconstruction

2008-10-07T22:44:00.002-05:00

(Note: Slight spoilers abound).

As I'm typing this, I've just finished watching the second Obama/McCain debate. Seeing it as more stale than stalemate (but enjoying the commentary from my fellow denizens on Twitter), I turned towards paging through issues 75 and 76 of Fables.

Reading it, I realized part of why I enjoyed the book so much - much of it reads like really sharp, intelligent political satire.

For those not in the know - Fables centers around the classic characters of folklore, having been exiled in a long-standing war with "The Emperor" and "The Enemy", find themselves interacting with regular folk (or "mundies"...but why not read issue 1 for free, then check the trades out at your local library - several comics bloggers will thank you for it). Of course, these aren't your usual suspects - the "big bad wolf" (not Rose Tyler) is a private eye, Snow White is the de facto Mayor of "Fabletown", etc...but for fifty issues, the Emperor remained nameless.

(And no, I'm not spoiling it. Not even if you paid me large amounts of cash. But don't let that stop you from trying).

Issues 75 and 76 deal with the "end of the war", and of the Emperor's transition back into "normal" life in Fabletown. But the reason I say that it's a sharp piece of political satire isn't in making direct parallels, but in how it deals with almost real-world issues (and potential repercussions) in fantasy-related terms. It was when Senator Obama talked about how what should happen in finding Osama bin Laden that kicked off my thoughts about Fables as political satire.

In these issues, we see the "Enemy" defeated, and granted amnesty in Fabletown...but in these two issues, we are granted some insight into how exactly would our enemies be treated? Or, as many a bad science fiction/cop show cliche would use as a plot, how much would a known criminal (either killer or war criminal) be able to get away with? How well would they integrate into society? And watching the Fabletown powers-that-be discuss how they would handle this new situation...well, for some it might be slightly cliche; for others, it comes rather close to typical business-as-usual.

If you're not reading Fables, you might as well start with # 1 and work your way forward. Trust me, comics rarely - if ever - get this good.

Very Highly Recommended

Smeggin' Mondays - Red Dwarf Series 6

2008-10-06T00:05:00.002-05:00

I've been offline for a bit, admittedly, but I've been fighting off a cold. So it was in an attempt to build up some positive attitude that I put on Red Dwarf, series six, hoping for a laugh.

It was then that I made an observation - the previous five series were relatively solid, with five really good stories and one rather OK story. Unfortunately, the fatigue begins with series six - with three plain episodes, two brilliant ones, and one flat-out stinker.

The stinker - Rimmerworld. Basically, it's a planet full of Arnold Rimmer clones. Wow.

But the middle, somewhat OK episodes show that - at the very least - Rob Grant and Doug Naylor were beginning to recycle ideas. One is an flat-out sequel to a season three classic (and one of the photos in this post is a spoiler for which two returning characters), and both Legion and Psirens have their moments...but don't really catch fire. They're enjoyable, but nothing really stands out in either one. (OK, Pete Trantor's sister quote about making the "big, juicy peach" is one, but that's about it).

However, the two remaining episodes are simply flat-out brilliant, and are really reminiscent of the Dwarf of old. Gunmen of the Apocalypse is a fan-favorite, and it's easy to see why: it has some great concepts, a good story, and is wrapped in a nice little package. It also has some great quotes, and quite frankly, deserves all of the accolates that it has received.

But the season-ending Out of Time is, in my opinion, a flat-out work of genius. It contains multiple mini-plots within the episode, and quite frankly, I think that the last three minutes (warning: clicking this link will spoil it, but you can watch it for yourself).

Normally, I would have a link for you, dear reader to buy a copy of the DVDs (and you can always head straight to the online store); but my recommendation is that you rent the DVDs.

Series 6 isn't bad, but to put it into perspective - it would be four years between series 6 and 7.

And series 7....well, that's next week.

See you then.

The Sweet Smell That They Adore, I Think I'd Rather Smother

2008-10-02T06:15:00.002-05:00

What I am about to write will...well, make me a marked man in Chicago.

I simply do not get this city's obsession with sports, particularly baseball.

It's not simply hometown pride in one's team - after all, I lived in St. Louis, and one of the key signs of summer is a sea of red-shirted suburbanites riding the Metrolink downtown.

But maybe (as I have suggested to others) it's better to have one truly OK baseball team than two astoundingly mediocre teams.

Yes, I know both teams are in the playoffs (and the Cubs - let's face it - choked last night), but this whole south side/north side rivalry? Overplayed. (Of course, it does have its roots in classism - the more "professional" north siders being pit against the "blue collar" south siders). The eternal optimism...well, in high school, I had that kind of optimism. The kind that said that a very "special girl" would see me not as a nice guy, but as the love of her life.

Then I turned 18, and actually *gasp* started dating, and realized...I wasn't rejected becase of their expectations, but my own. When I realized the reality of the situation, I was able to see things more clearly, and had more realistic goals in terms of relationships. The Cubs and Sox are that high school sweetheart, that classic "lost love", which is great for memories and nostalgia...but in the harsh cold light of reality, never measures up.

(Me, bitter and cynical? Nah).

It's rare when a Chicago team actually makes it - the Bears back in 1987, or the Bulls classic 90's run with Michael Jordan...but you would think that after those two key events, people might just give up over baseball. Accept that Chicago doesn't quite have it together in that regard. That for one year, instead of worrying about which team is going to make it - just sit back, relax, and enjoy the game.

It's ok for the City of Big Shoulders to shrug once in awhile.

Lazy Blogger Syndrome

2008-09-30T18:22:00.004-05:00

Working on some other posts, but for your education, here's a political video:

And for those of you offended by the above...these ain't gonna help, either.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Smeggin' Mondays - Red Dwarf Series 5

2008-09-29T00:08:00.003-05:00

I cannot be objective about this - I pretty much love series five of Red Dwarf.

It's hard to even know when to begin - yes, it's beginning to be a little more like a sitcom, but the plots are dense - in fact, the plots do more in half an hour than in an entire episode of Star Trek: Voyager. (Just ask Siskoid). Much of the writing is spot-on, and there isn't a clunker episode in the bunch.

(And for me, that's admitting a lot - I really didn't care for the episode Devils and Angels at first, and having rewatched it - it's not all that bad. It would come in # 6 on my top five).

But these episodes often straddle the line between comedy and drama, with several downright chilling moments happening between wisecracks. (See The Inquisitor or Quarantine). Granted, one of the big themes of this series is delving into the characters of Lister, Rimmer, the Cat, and Kryten, mostly through showing lives never led, and/or alternative lives. (Given that an American version was being developed around this time, perhaps this has a subconscious influence on Rob Grant and Doug Naylor's writing).

This is also the season where several near-iconic characters and situations are introduced - the Cat's nerdy alter-ego, Duane Dibbley (Back to Reality); the Inquisitor, who judges individuals on whether they lead a worthwhile life; and of course, perhaps the greatest character ever created in the history of western civilization:

MR. FLIBBLE - GREATEST. CHARACTER. EVER.
(If Mike Sterling or Chris Sims really loved us, they'd feature more Flibble on their blogs)

But the greatest thing about this series is how smeggin' quotable it is - you'll find yourself watching this over and over repeatedly to take in really cool phrases. You'll learn more Space Corps Directives than ever. But you'll also begin casually inserting series five lines into your daily conversation, including:

Let's put on the jet powered rocket pants and Junior Birdman the hell out of here!
A fine plan, sir, with just two flaws...
From where I come from, nothing is up
Spoiling for a rumble
You've got brains...brains you've never used
I know what to get you for Christmas - a double lobotomy and 10 rolls of rubber wallpaper and my personal favorite:
That sounds like the kind of hard-living, no-nonsense flatfoot that gets the job done by cutting corners and bucking authority...and if those pen-pushers at city hall don't like it, they can park their overpaid fat a$$e$ on this mid-digit and swivel...swivel until they squeal like pigs on a honeymoon!

So do yourself a favor - be sure to watch Red Dwarf Series 5 at least once in your life. It may not be the secret to personal growth...but you'll laugh yourself silly.

Everyone should see this at least once in their lives.

Very Highly Recommended

September's Record You Should Own

2008-09-28T03:55:00.002-05:00

Yes, it's time once again for the Record You Should Own Podcast (although we want to thank Chuck at Comic Related for his help with the embedded player below - and wish him a belated birthday - we encourage you to head to the lib syn site if you are having problems playing the podcast)

It's a repeat artist - our first - and the album is a cool reissue. Trust me, you'll dig it.

Amazon.com Widgets

Obligatory Embedded Ad

2008-09-27T19:00:00.001-05:00

Podcast coming soon!

Meanwhile, enjoy this piece of Kevin Smith tomfoolery.

Happy Birthday, Chuck!

2008-09-26T05:22:00.002-05:00

Just wanted to wish a very special happy birthday to my good friend Chuck Moore over at Comic Related. In the past few years - in fact, the past few months - his site has been getting quite a lot of activity, and is well worth checking out.

So, for your birthday, Chuck - a ring! A Green Hornet ring!

(Special thanks to pal/co-blogger Ryan for sending me the link)

So please, go over to Comic Related and wish Chuck a happy birthday!

That Ca-Razy Guggenheim

2008-09-25T07:27:00.001-05:00

Speaking of "judging" Guggenheim said a lot of people who aren't reading Spider-Man or refuse to read Spider-Man are judging it based on misunderstandings. "Part of the problem with the controversy behind One More Day is the understanding of what was retconned overstates the extent of what was done," he said. "Everything that happened in the last twenty plus years of comic book history happened! The only difference is that Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson weren't married. They still dated. They still lived together. They still love each other. They just weren't married. Judging from the letters and death threats we received, I think some people were confused. It all still happened."

"Here's my attitude, if anyone is upset about the marriage going away, then they must all be pro gay marriage," he continued. Because if you're pro gay marriage, you understand the distinction between a marriage and a civil union -- that a civil union is not equal to a marriage. We downgraded Mary Jane and Peter to a civil union. If that bothers you, then you're pro gay marriage."

Just when I thought that I couldn't find anything to blog about comes this little nugget.

Now, it would be easy to talk about the subtle homophobia within that last statement, but I won't, simply because 1) it's kind of a blanket statement about someone I don't know at all, and 2) Dorian does it much more effectively and intelligently than I could.

But Marc Guggenheim's statement seems...well, almost at odds with Marvel's rationale for undoing the Spidey marriage. The whole point of the Spider-Man: One More Day storyline (we were told) was to free Peter up, that comics fans didn't want to see Peter Parker married, because married people were boring. They wanted to see Parker - a character who was, well, kind of a nerdy guy who had problems with women - "play the field". And in the first issue of the Brand New Day story arc, Peter and Mary Jane were on uneasy terms, almost suggesting a bitter breakup in the past.

But, well, if they were never married, why would they then choose to live together? Why would the Mephisto/Satan equivalent of the Marvel Universe feel that the marriage was so valuable? Does he like bridal bouquets? Or All-You-Can-Eat Buffets?

Increasingly, it seems as if Marvel is throwing logic by the wayside in every effort to seem "cool". Quesada's "magic" comment, Bendis' neo-Mamet writing (thanks, Kevin Church!), sloppy thinking all around...yes, Marvel may be first in sales, but McDonald's is also the leader in fast food - being market leader does not always guarantee quality.

Granted, I do see some reasons for hope at Marvel (my current faves besides these series are Guardians of the Galaxy and Immortal Iron Fist), but Marvel's current editorial style seems rather slapdash. If we take the writer as an example of the overall philosophy, Mr. Guggenheim's comments seem indicative of an overall tendency towards "fuzzy thinking".

The kind of thinking that suggests a civil union is somehow, well, the equivalent of a marriage.

To Sweetcheeks From Mr. Know-It-All

2008-09-23T21:34:00.005-05:00

Dear Sweetcheeks,

Oh, I know that's not your real name, and that it's been years since we worked together. However, I wanted to keep you relatively anonymous on my blog - you didn't ask for me to address this to you, so I figured it was "sweetcheeks" or "Jennifer", since 80% of the women I worked with were named Jennifer.

However, since Jennifer isn't your name, and "Sweetcheeks" is, well, funnier, there you go.

I know you've been busy doing...well, whatever you're doing, and I wanted to ask you a favor.

Could you please send me back my copy of The Moose That Roared, Keith Scott's biography of animator Jay Ward?

Oh, sure, I could take back my mom's copy (which I bought for her on her birthday), or simply buy another one from Amazon.com...but quite frankly, I'm tired of having to borrow my library's copy, because it's quite a good book. I thought I had said you could borrow it - unfortunately, I probably should have been more assertive. By the time I realized my error, I didn't have your number, although you can contact me through Facebook and Linked In, if you want to connect.

Granted, it's not for everyone's taste - in fact, I'm rather flattered that you kept it and forgot to give it back. (Unless I told you that it was OK to keep, in which case - my bad). It's a really strong survey of a man who helped shape much of contemporary humor and culture. It takes two readings to really get - often, Scott attempts to mimic the tone of the old Bullwinkle and Rocky show, and it often doesn't come across well in print. But there's a real treasure trove of information for fans of classic cartoons...and quite frankly, you can tell that Keith Scott is a real aficionado.

And not just because he did the Bullwinkle voice in that movie a few years back, either.

But anyway, if I could have my copy back, it would be really appreciated. And fair's fair - I allowed you to tease me about my Alex Ross Superman poster without complaining. I think this is the least you can do, and I'll never ask anything from you again.

Oh, and if you're ever in my neck of the woods, let get together to catch up on old times.

Your former co-worker,
Mr. Know-It-All

P.S. Just as a side note - I want to see some Bullwinkle/Bully the Little Stuffed Bull crossover fanfiction. It just simply makes sense.

Post # 1000 - One Web Day

2008-09-22T00:05:00.000-05:00

This is, quite frankly, a really good opportunity for me to celebrate and do some good at the same time. It's great multitasking in action.

First, this is the 1,000th post that I have written - little did I know four and some years ago that I would make it this far. Luckily, the fact that I've made it to 1,000 posts is a great milestone. Just ask Rich.

And yes, the Internet has made a definite impact on my life - it's granted me relationships that I never had before. It's allowed me (ironically) to open up socially, moving from the introverted loudmouth in high school to...a slightly less introverted loudmouth in real life. Building social relationships online has helped enable me to work on those offline as well. In fact, thanks to heavy internet use, my current job (which has little - if anything - to do with my professional training) has led me to working with some like minded people.

But one of the important things about the Internet that has helped me is that it's made me become a better informed citizen. As many of you are aware, today is One Web Day - a way to bring awareness to the impact of the Internet on our lives. In fact, one of the best ways is that it has helped me learn a lot more about politics - and coming from a health-policy obsessed person like myself, it has been an aid. However, I would like to share more about that - so, just in time, please feel free to listen to this special podcast which goes into slightly more detail. You'll thank me for it later.

And as promised in the podcast, here are some resources for you to use. Enjoy!

CounterSpin (Non-partisan analysis of news stories)
News Hounds (or, "Fair and balanced" criticism of Fox News)
Roger's Constitution Giveaway
Toluu (RSS Feed Sharing)
Chicago Net Tuesdays
Netvibes (RSS/E-mail Organization)
Feast of Fools (podcast)

And now, I gotta wrote post # 1001, which will be, as the teenagers say, "covered in awesome sauce"

Post # 999

2008-09-21T17:09:00.002-05:00

Too good to put on the quote blog

And coming tomorrow: Post # 1000!

Smeggin' Mondays - Red Dwarf Series 4

2008-09-21T10:41:00.008-05:00

It's times like this that I'm so glad I chose to change the date for this edition of the Red Dwarf liveblog, because series 4 is probably the first beginning-to-end solid season.

Not a stinker in the bunch. And yes, I am including Meltdown. Most fans don't like that episode. I do.

But let's start from the beginning.

One of the cool things about this season is that it shifts towards being a full-on science fiction sitcom, integrating some of the former's thinking with the latter's structure. Here's where we see the infamous "Space Corps directive" begin to take form. (First introduced last season). There's even a slight irony in using the twist from last season's The Last Day as a launching pad for one of the funniest sequences in Red Dwarf history (the beginning of Camille).

But what's great about this series is that it really allows - even in the compressed space of six episodes - to really begin exploring the nature of the characters. We see their ideal mates (Camille), their alternate selves (Dimension Jump, with the excellent Ace Rimmer), the subversion of the robot-that-wants-to-be-human trope (DNA). The writing is spot-on: Kryten's "defense" of Rimmer in Justice; the time-jumping shenanigans of White Hole...there's no real lack of strong writing, either. (In fact, most of Meltdown's derision seems more out of locale and the fact that the episode was transmitted during the first Gulf War).

But all in all, this is a special season for me - it was my "first" season. Imagine, it's a bleak December, having just moved from Eugene, Oregon to St. Louis. I'm staying with my friend, Craig, and the only joy I could take was that the woman who hired me, far from being dumpy, was a gorgeous redhead. I needed a good laugh, and Craig recommended Red Dwarf. Although I caught the first episodes of season 8 haphazardly, my first "official" episode was Camille. From there, I was hooked - so much so that I would heartly recommend series 4 for anyone who wants to dive right in.

Smeggin' brilliant. Dwarf at its dwarfiest.

See you next Monday.

Very highly recommended.

Your Saturday Birdfighting Moment of Zen

2008-09-20T12:19:00.000-05:00

(From The Doom Patrol, issue 117, February 1968)

A Brand New Blog!

2008-09-18T20:57:00.001-05:00

Going to make this one rather short and sweet...

At work, I'm part of a new blog called Junk Fewd which looks at digital culture, and how we're starting the "good old days" for the next generation of digital natives.

My writing - well, it's just like this blog, only without the references to comic books. And pop culture. And I actually use spell check on my posts.

But it's more than that - it's a kind of discussion about where we are. You'll meet some of the people I work with. You'll read about "teh internets", and most importantly - it's good stuff all around.

That's "Junk Fewd"

Read it. Dream it. Believe it. Because the Internet is serious business.

P.S. I've included an old photo of my godson Logan for no other reason than an attention grabber. Enjoy!

Life, Death, & the Doom Patrol

2008-09-17T22:57:00.001-05:00

To be honest, yesterday was not one of my better days.

Not work-related, mind you - I had received a call from my aunt about my mom's recent visit to the transplant center. (Mom has liver damage due to diabetes). The good news - the transplant center rarely turns anyone away, and they had accepted her as a patient.

The bad news - her situation was worse than originally thought.

Ironically, I was working my way through Doom Patrol Archives, Vol. 4. I've blogged about my love for these characters before - but these are stories that I had never really read. (Whether they were reprinted and I missed them, I have no idea). But as I read these stories, there were two things that came to me (and I'm sure I'll get flamed for these being statements of the obvious).

First, death is a theme that permeates throughout the series, perhaps even more than it would in other Silver Age books. From covers that showed increasing damage to Cliff Steele, from plots that involved fake deaths (including a mega-crossover in this Archive Volume that involves several DP foes, a fake death, and a traitor within the villain group...and even if I wanted to spoil it, I wouldn't). Even the final issue of the original run featured the "death" of the Doom Patrol (with writer Arnold Drake breaking the fourth wall). Amongst the wisecracks, bad puns, and rather goofy humor (Aside to Mike Sterling - I'll see your goddammed Batman and raise you one [Samuel L. Jackson's favorite epithet] Negative Man), there's a slight edge of darkness, of almost black humor.

But on the other hand, another prevalent theme seems to be building a family - most notably in the Elasti-Girl/Mento (the freshmaker!)/Beast Boy subplot. It's notable in that not only does Mento (Ok, his civilian guise, Steve Dayton) fight the wicked guardian not through punching, but through aggressive lawyering and legislation. In addition, given Mr. Dayton's ego and Ms. Farr's, well, stereotypical 1960's female behavior (wanting to be a superhero during the day and a mother at night)....makes one wonder whether Gar Logan really needs adoptive parents like that?

But on the other hand, that sense of family extends to the team itself - Robotman and Negative Man engaging in a back-and-forth like two bickering brothers. the Chief acting like a slightly neglectful father...there's something refreshingly familar with the team. Ok, granted, I may be reading too much into it - news about my mom coloring my perception of these stories - but there's something especially comforting about seeing a group of "freaks" bicker and fight while taking on alien invasions, talking apes, and brains connected to neon bodies.

(And to be honest, I think it's a lot more fun than that other team with a guy in a wheelchair leading a group of rejects and "freaks". But that's just me).

Finally, for those of you new to the Doom Patrol, not comics fans, and/or willing to check them out - since the Archives are somewhat pricey, I suggest waiting until April, when DC releases their Showcase Presents collection for about $20. Yes, it's in black and white, but personally, I'm thinking that it will showcase Bruno Premiani's art).

But all in all, what is the point of this post, besides marking time? Perhaps it's that part of the reason why comic fans love the form so much is that, hidden within the pages of four-color splendor, lies hidden meanings and subtle messages that reach us when we least expect it.

But personally, I'll stick to the talking apes. Especially if they have machine guns.

In Lieu of Original Content

2008-09-16T22:22:00.002-05:00

Since Roger tagged me in a meme (and since, well, I'm basically killing time until my 1,000th post - this is 994 in a series), I'm going to do the lazy blogger thing of ...well, responding to Roger's meme. Here goes nothin'.

Where was I 10 years ago?

Living in Eugene, Oregon, recovering from a very devastating romantic breakup. (I was engaged at the time, and would rather not share the details online. She deserves her privacy, and I'm not really interested in rehashing old matters online). Working at a local treatment center doing research, and basically wanting to leave. Fortunately, within three months I would move to St. Louis.
What was on my to-do list today?

At work:catch up on some phone calls for one client, work on executive visibility for another client, prepped to do some online work for a third, and went to the bank to close of some of my dad's old business accounts.

(Granted, my dad's been dead for two years, but these bank lawyers - especially in these troubled economic times - are rather persnickety about their money. Go figure).

At home: begin planning for next few days, including work for eDemocracy, did tons of laundry tonight, and watched the series premiere of House.
What would I do if I were a billionaire?

I would probably invest much of my money in savings - most preferably interest bearing accounts (thanks to blogs like Get Rich Slowly and Life and Debt in Chicago, I've learned to move from frugal to cheapskate in a few easy steps), pay off some long standing bills (mostly Mom's medical bills), and buy a decent condo.
Five places I've lived

Chicago, Illinois; Eugene, Oregon; Brentwood, Missouri; St. Louis, Missouri; and back to Chicago, Illinois.
Bad Habits
Procrastination (if I'm not careful), worrying...and well, I can't think of anything else

Nope, not tagging anyone. Please feel free to tag yourself.

Smeggin' Mondays: Red Dwarf Season Three

2008-09-15T07:10:00.000-05:00

(Special announcement - since I'll be participating on One Web Day on September 22nd, next week's Red Dwarf review will appear on Sunday. So please, no angry e-mails next week complaining that it's Smeggin' Sunday rather than Monday. Thanks for reading!)

In all honesty, I have mixed feelings about Series 3 - no, I don't think it's absolutely horrible; it's a series that feels rather awkward, and some of the growing pains are evident.

And quite frankly, that's a good thing.

At this time, Rob Grant and Doug Naylor are beginning to hit their stride as writers, expanding into more complicated plots and concepts. (See Backwards, Timeslides, and Bodyswap). In addition, the sets are looking a little more polished (thanks to an increase in budget), and unlike Series One and Two, is actually beginning to look like a more polished science fiction show.

Thankfully, though, the writing is beginning to show the signs of Series Four and Five greatness to come - both Rimmer and Lister have had their characters expanded, and even the Cat gets slightly better material. What helps, though, is the recasting of two key parts. Although she's no Norman Lovett, Hattie Hayridge picks up the baton from Series Two's Parallel Universe, giving Holly a nice little Gracie Allen-esqe twist on the character. OK, she doesn't get to do much, but having a female presence amongst the all-male cast helps make some of humor work (especially in The Last Day).

Of course, it's Robert Llewellyn's portrayal of Kryten which helps sell the series. Granted, the character is in his early stages (his accent is more faux-Scandanavian than the later faux-Canadian), but we see the seeds of later seasons begin to be planted. Although it would be easy to play armchair quarterback, Llewellyn really provides a nice contrast to David Ross' initial characterization, which I doubt would have worked. (The end of Kryten suggests the initial stages of a robot's self-discovery; throughout this series, we see those themes going further).

Plus, quite frankly, this season has some very excellent laugh-out-loud scenes, including the aforementioned Kryten wearing a robe and a Ronald Reagan mask(and the Wilma Flintstone discussion) in Backwards, the infamous Kryten/Lister scene in Polymorph, and the "hangover" scene in The Last Day. (Actually, there's more than that, but it's one of those you-have-to-watch-for-yourself scenarios.)

Much of Season Three feels awkward - however, as I had said before, that's a good thing. Initially televised in 1989, it would be another two years before Season 4.

And that's when the fun really begins.

Highly Recommended.

Open Letter to Mike Sterling

2008-09-13T07:21:00.000-05:00

Dear Mike,

I love you dearly - you're like the kid brother who gets bullied mercilessly by me and my friends. The one I never had growing up.

Anyway, all I have to say is....the Nairobi Trio.

Contemplate *This*, Pal!

P.S. You know that if the Internet were around in the 1950s, this Ernie Kovacs clip would have been so viral.

P.P.S. You young 'uns on the Internet please feel free to turn this into a meme. The Internet's serious business, you know.

My New Hero

2008-09-11T21:45:00.002-05:00

When he made this monologue on his show, I thought Craig Ferguson was cool.

Now that he's done these two monologues - within the same show - I now know he's a genius.

Watch and enjoy!

Public Domain Drive-In: A Boy and His Dog

2008-09-10T22:22:00.000-05:00

Sometimes - just sometimes - a good film can be turned into a mediocre one for various reasons. Maybe a poor script turn, bad plot point, or bad action.

A Boy and His Dog is actually, for the majority of the time, a pretty smart movie - filmed in the mid 1970s, it's a post-apocalyptic scenario that smartly subverts the cliches of the genre.

(Or, at least, would had it been released ten years later)

It's the heartwarming story of a young boy named Vic (Don Johnson - yes, that Don Johnson) who shares a unique telepathic rapport with his dog, Blood, as they forage their way through a harsh, post-apocalyptic world. With no hair gel.

(I'm kidding about that last part).

However, through a series of circumstances, Vic and Blood find themselves in a near-replica of small town America circa 1950, led by Jason Robards. There, Vic and Blood find themselves in an almost surreal situation...but that would be telling.

For the majority of the movie, the tone straddles between straight drama and slightly dry satire. It's not an easy movie to watch, and at times director L.Q. Jones threatens to pull the movie one way or the other. (It might be easy to see why Harlan Ellison may have chosen to distance himself from this movie). The fact that it never truly does - and that it actually holds together into a smart, cynical package - is a real testament to Jones' work.

However, it's the final line that really kills the whole tone of the movie. It's meant to be black humor, but the delivery seems...well, unsure. It is the only part of the movie that - quite frankly - doesn't work. But everything else does.

Why this is public domain, I have no idea, but the fact that it is means that it can receive a much wider audience...and you can torrent it guilt free. Enjoy!

Internet Archive - A Boy and His Dog

Torrent - A Boy and His Dog