I feel productive
Yesterday The Spousal Unit and I went downtown to the spring arts festival. I found a birthday pressie for a friend and we bought new collars and leashes for the pups. Mostly we walked around and had lunch by the lake. It was a pretty day for it. After that we ran a couple errands, and I spent the rest of the afternoon doing laundry and other chores around the house. This morning we went to Lowes and I bought plants and potting soil and immediately came home and got myself good and dirty and sweaty, and wondered why I bothered to shower before I did all that. Not very water efficient since I had to shower again after working in the yard. I still need to weed all the beds again - a never-ending battle; but I'm too sore and tired, not to mention clean again, so I'll have to tackle the weeds later this week.
I've already watched tonight's Tudors premiere On!Demand. The politics of the era is still fascinating, which is good because after Anne Boleyn, well, all the rest of the queens pale. I'm still disappointed that the producers don't intend to turn Henry into the real life fatty he becomes as he ages. More than a lot of artistic license being taken in that respect. They do seem to be attempting to at least make Meyers' Henry look like he's getting a little older, as well as keeping true to his septic leg problems. Still, it's not the same, really. But maintaining a sexy Henry seems to be paramount to this particular vision of the story. And yet, I cannot look away. ;) But like I said, the history and the politics keep me riveted.
Fridays are rapidly turning into TV-free zones now that BSG is done and The Sarah Connor Chronicles is wrapping up next week (and very unlikely to be renewed for a third season). I'm over all things Stargate, and the previews for SGU that aired during the BSG finale were a veritable snore-fest - from what little I could see. When Mallozzi said this was going to be a darker Stargate, did he mean because they don't have enough money for lighting? Eh, whatever, like I said, I'm over it. Besides, I'm really not interested in supporting anything that keeps Mallozzi and Gero employed.
OTOH, the previews for Warehouse 13 looked like a scream! A bit too much like Eureka, maybe, but still worth checking out.
As for Dollhouse (shouldn't it be called "Whorehouse"?), I don't know what Whedon was thinking here, but I couldn't get past the first couple of episodes; and every time I try to tune in again to give it another chance, I can't get past the first few minutes. I really do think that Whedon is genuinely one of the masters not only of genre storytelling, but as far as production and writing go in general. But even a master will miss at times, and this one is a complete miss, IMO. At least, it is for me and TSU.
The reveal of Life on Mars US was, for the most part, just as I predicted it would be. Obviously, had they been given at least one more season, there would have been more of a natural build-up to that finale, and it wouldn't have been as jarring in its quick resolution. But apparently while ABC gave the producers advance warning they were being canceled, it was only after they had written the finale and shot everything before that. So the best they could do was rewrite the final act (or the last 15 minutes). Still, while the last few minutes felt rushed, because they were, I liked that they took it to space on a mission that was literally looking for life on Mars - a real "gene hunt". ;)
The best part of the finale for me was finding out that all the main characters were real people in Sam's life and were on that particular mission with him. I really liked the camaraderie of the US cast, so it was a perfect end to see them all together and stepping out on that red planet as one intact group. Better yet was how Annie was the commanding officer of the mission, and Gene Hunt was really Major Tom who was Sam's father. Harvey Keitel's Gene did project a very paternal attitude toward Sam all along, and I assume that was both intentional because of the end game (which the producers had in mind from the beginning) and, too, as a result of what Keitel brought to the role.
I'm actually going to miss that show a lot.
I've been trying to catch up with Ashes to Ashes on BBCA On!Demand. It's okay for something to watch when I'm bored and have nothing else to watch; but it's not the quite the same as the original. Plus, it's really pushing the premise trying to carry it on with another character under almost the same circumstances. The one thing I do like is that Gene, Ray, and Chris are all more likable than they were in the original Life on Mars, and Alex works and fits in better with them than Sam ever did. Not that Gene wasn't always a fascinating character, because he was; but I never liked him per se, and assumed we really weren't supposed to. And I never had much use for the original Ray and Chris, but I like them better in the sequel, oddly enough.
I normally love episodes that break the fourth wall and go all meta-textual, and Thursday's Supernatural was no exception. In fact, I even think it was one of the better efforts I've ever seen done in that respect because the episode didn't end up being a complete throw-away laugh-riot like I expected it to be. Instead, it was very heavy on the mythology and was a perfect fit as another puzzle piece in the apocalypse arc - much like last week's It's a Terrible Life, which I also expected to be a light-hearted romp that turned out to be a lot more. The writers are really bringing their A-game this season.
Though I admit I didn't expect them to come right out and not only recognize slash on screen, but go to great lengths to explain Wincest. *ack*! Not that I was offended or anything, because, hey, they obviously know their audience backwards and forwards. I'm just surprised because it seems like they don't think anyone watches the show except the most die-hard online fan, and I believe they might be shocked to discover that's really not true at all. But, whatever, the secret is out now. ;D
Chuck the Prophet was a brilliant character, and I assume - at least, I hope - we'll be seeing him again, if not this season, then by the end of the series. I mean, we kind of have to given that he's charged with writing the Winchester Gospel, and when the series ends, so does the Gospel. At that point we really should see Chuck dotting and crossing the i's and t's and calling it finished. ;)
Dean praying and Castiel coming on demand warmed me to my toes, particularly when Cas (I LOVE that Dean has a nickname for him!) plays it all sneaky to impart Dean with the information he needs to deal with Lilith. Castiel really has been hanging around Dean too long - and enjoying what he learns from him, apparently. ;)
As for the previews for next week's episode, I'm going to guess that like the previous two episodes, all is not as it seems. Therefore, I will wait and see. ;)
I've already watched tonight's Tudors premiere On!Demand. The politics of the era is still fascinating, which is good because after Anne Boleyn, well, all the rest of the queens pale. I'm still disappointed that the producers don't intend to turn Henry into the real life fatty he becomes as he ages. More than a lot of artistic license being taken in that respect. They do seem to be attempting to at least make Meyers' Henry look like he's getting a little older, as well as keeping true to his septic leg problems. Still, it's not the same, really. But maintaining a sexy Henry seems to be paramount to this particular vision of the story. And yet, I cannot look away. ;) But like I said, the history and the politics keep me riveted.
Fridays are rapidly turning into TV-free zones now that BSG is done and The Sarah Connor Chronicles is wrapping up next week (and very unlikely to be renewed for a third season). I'm over all things Stargate, and the previews for SGU that aired during the BSG finale were a veritable snore-fest - from what little I could see. When Mallozzi said this was going to be a darker Stargate, did he mean because they don't have enough money for lighting? Eh, whatever, like I said, I'm over it. Besides, I'm really not interested in supporting anything that keeps Mallozzi and Gero employed.
OTOH, the previews for Warehouse 13 looked like a scream! A bit too much like Eureka, maybe, but still worth checking out.
As for Dollhouse (shouldn't it be called "Whorehouse"?), I don't know what Whedon was thinking here, but I couldn't get past the first couple of episodes; and every time I try to tune in again to give it another chance, I can't get past the first few minutes. I really do think that Whedon is genuinely one of the masters not only of genre storytelling, but as far as production and writing go in general. But even a master will miss at times, and this one is a complete miss, IMO. At least, it is for me and TSU.
The reveal of Life on Mars US was, for the most part, just as I predicted it would be. Obviously, had they been given at least one more season, there would have been more of a natural build-up to that finale, and it wouldn't have been as jarring in its quick resolution. But apparently while ABC gave the producers advance warning they were being canceled, it was only after they had written the finale and shot everything before that. So the best they could do was rewrite the final act (or the last 15 minutes). Still, while the last few minutes felt rushed, because they were, I liked that they took it to space on a mission that was literally looking for life on Mars - a real "gene hunt". ;)
The best part of the finale for me was finding out that all the main characters were real people in Sam's life and were on that particular mission with him. I really liked the camaraderie of the US cast, so it was a perfect end to see them all together and stepping out on that red planet as one intact group. Better yet was how Annie was the commanding officer of the mission, and Gene Hunt was really Major Tom who was Sam's father. Harvey Keitel's Gene did project a very paternal attitude toward Sam all along, and I assume that was both intentional because of the end game (which the producers had in mind from the beginning) and, too, as a result of what Keitel brought to the role.
I'm actually going to miss that show a lot.
I've been trying to catch up with Ashes to Ashes on BBCA On!Demand. It's okay for something to watch when I'm bored and have nothing else to watch; but it's not the quite the same as the original. Plus, it's really pushing the premise trying to carry it on with another character under almost the same circumstances. The one thing I do like is that Gene, Ray, and Chris are all more likable than they were in the original Life on Mars, and Alex works and fits in better with them than Sam ever did. Not that Gene wasn't always a fascinating character, because he was; but I never liked him per se, and assumed we really weren't supposed to. And I never had much use for the original Ray and Chris, but I like them better in the sequel, oddly enough.
I normally love episodes that break the fourth wall and go all meta-textual, and Thursday's Supernatural was no exception. In fact, I even think it was one of the better efforts I've ever seen done in that respect because the episode didn't end up being a complete throw-away laugh-riot like I expected it to be. Instead, it was very heavy on the mythology and was a perfect fit as another puzzle piece in the apocalypse arc - much like last week's It's a Terrible Life, which I also expected to be a light-hearted romp that turned out to be a lot more. The writers are really bringing their A-game this season.
Though I admit I didn't expect them to come right out and not only recognize slash on screen, but go to great lengths to explain Wincest. *ack*! Not that I was offended or anything, because, hey, they obviously know their audience backwards and forwards. I'm just surprised because it seems like they don't think anyone watches the show except the most die-hard online fan, and I believe they might be shocked to discover that's really not true at all. But, whatever, the secret is out now. ;D
Chuck the Prophet was a brilliant character, and I assume - at least, I hope - we'll be seeing him again, if not this season, then by the end of the series. I mean, we kind of have to given that he's charged with writing the Winchester Gospel, and when the series ends, so does the Gospel. At that point we really should see Chuck dotting and crossing the i's and t's and calling it finished. ;)
Dean praying and Castiel coming on demand warmed me to my toes, particularly when Cas (I LOVE that Dean has a nickname for him!) plays it all sneaky to impart Dean with the information he needs to deal with Lilith. Castiel really has been hanging around Dean too long - and enjoying what he learns from him, apparently. ;)
As for the previews for next week's episode, I'm going to guess that like the previous two episodes, all is not as it seems. Therefore, I will wait and see. ;)