Friday, October 30, 2015

Fargo -- season 2

I was a huge fan of season 1 of the Fargo on the FX network.  So I was really looking forward to season 2, which has now aired 3 episodes.  I had the 3 episodes recorded on my DVR and yesterday I binge-watched them all.  What a freaking treat!!  It is at least as great as season 1, and I'm pretty sure it's going to surpass that benchmark of greatness.  Wonderful cast, yummy convoluted plot (your jaw will be dropping), and a truck-full of dark hilarity.  Man, it doesn't get much better.  I can hardly wait for the next episode to air.  (By the way, you don't need to have seen season 1 -- season 2 stands on its own.)

I tried to find a review that gives you the proper flavor of the series without a lot of spoilers:  here is a good one. (Obviously you will need to click on the "Continue reading" tab.)

If you have "on demand" capability I highly recommend a binge-watch on FX to catch up and then you can ride it to the end.  

Monday, October 26, 2015

Dali was cool, but also pretty weird

Salvador Dali was one of a kind, as evidenced by these wacky photos.  Would have loved to hang out with him for a while.

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Fall overload of good TV

It happens every late summer and early fall:  My DVR fills up with the good shows that are coming back along with new shows whose positive reviews have prompted me to record them. Yesterday, I watched the season finale of "Mr. Robot," which is one of the best shows I've seen lately.  The plot is dense but rewarding, and I had no trouble following the delicious twists and turns.  The production value is top notch, especially for a USA Network offering.  But the best thing about it is the cast.  Rami Malek is mesmerizing as the protagonist, Elliot.  Christian Slater turns in his best acting in a long while as Mr. Robot.  The little known Martin Wallstrom (with an umlaut over the "o") as a demented whacko is so good he made me squirm.  The rest of the cast are all right on the money -- I can't think of even one miscast role.  By all means check out Mr. Robot the first chance you get.

But getting back to my DVR; finishing and deleting the Mr. Robot recordings hardly made a dent in my backlog. Complicating my catching up are all the the great sports telecasts like college and pro football along with the baseball play offs.  So, with the DVR about 75%  full, here is how it stands:
[Number of yet unwatched episodes in parentheses, with my comments]

The Bastard Executioner (4) -- loved Sons of Anarchy, giving this Kurt Sutter creation a whirl.
Blindspot (1) -- Eileen and I are liking this new show
Fargo (1) -- Last season was wonderful.  Can hardly wait to get to this one
Minority Report (3) -- Liked the first episode.
Quantico (1) -- Enjoying this so far
Homeland (2) -- Huge fan; Claire Danes can do no wrong; gonna binge watch to catch up
Walking Dead (1) -- You are either a fan or not; I'm the former.
The Good Wife (2) -- Eileen and I have been with Alicia from day one
Blood & Oil (2) -- Started watching -- still on probation
The Last Kingdom (1) -- BBC production getting very good reviews; haven't started yet
Blue Bloods (1) -- Eileen's show; I don't watch it
How To Get Away With Murder (3) -- Haven't started  to watch this season yet
Scandal (3) -- Haven't started  to watch this season yet
The Blacklist (1) -- Haven't started  to watch this season yet
Your The Worst (2) -- Watched some of this hilarious season; still the best comedy on TV
Ray Donovan (1) -- Great show; saving this season finale for a special watch
Extant (6) -- Watched most of the season; show did not get renewed
No Reservations (1) -- Eileen's show; I don't watch it
Orphan Black (10) -- The whole season just waiting for a binge watch
Broadchurch (8) -- The entire season; I may never get to it

I know it looks like an obscene amount of TV but it will eventually get viewed during the inevitable doldrums when I will be glad I have something decent to watch.



Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Oh no Bob, say it ain't so!

Every so often something happens that I never thought would happen in my lifetime.  To date the election of a black president (2 times no less!) leads the list.  But I have to say the very existence of, this commercial is right up near the top of my list.