2014 Honorable Mentions

Since we are living in an era of so much superb television, I decided to once again make a companion post to my Best Of list. Some of the following shows didn't make the Best Of cut for various reasons, but if you ask me, they are all worth checking out:

Boardwalk Empire- A shortened final season of this show brought most of the characters' stories to a satisfying close without sacrificing quality or craft. The use of flashbacks could be tiresome, but were also powerful and crucial to the show's thematic finale. The quality of Boardwalk Empire got much better towards the end of its run and I for one will miss its impeccably tailored costumes and send up to Prohibition Era accents and culture.

The Comeback- Oh my goodness this season of The Comeback was so darn good that if I hadn't made my Best Of list before the final episode aired, it certainly would have been included. I loved everything about this nine-years-later second season. Like its first season, The Comeback manages to capture the television landscape of its time while commenting on the price of fame and the treatment of women in Hollywood in often poignant and distressing ways. The meta-ness of the show never ceases to surprise me and Lisa Kudrow is doing amazing work. Lisa Kudrow for all the awards!

Fargo- Fargo was all at once an homage to the Coen Brothers' filmography and something of its own entirely, toeing that line expertly with craft and quirk. And it did it all with a smirk on its face. I think what held it back was it's pacing as it took me a few episodes to actually get into the story. But once I did, I enjoyed it as much as the best shows on TV. A time-jump mid way through the season helped on every level. And the characters kept you guessing as they embraced the sometimes heightened reality of the world they lived in. I need someone to give Allison Tolman a new role ASAP.

Homeland- Oh, what to say about the see-saw that is Showtime's Homeland? It will never live up to its zany first season, but the reset of this most recent season was the best the show has been in a very long time (since the second season episode, "Q & A" if you ask me). Yes the show remains uneven: One second I'm thrilled to the edge of my seat and the next rolling my eyes at the improbability and 24-tinted plot points. But I very much enjoyed these most recent episodes, finger-guns and all.

The Mindy Project- The Mindy Project tends to get a lot of hate, especially from the males of the world (which I guess I can understand, although I do believe there's humor for everyone). The first season and a half of the show was okay, yet always comedic. But the later half of its second season and the first half of its third have been firing on all cylinders. The ensemble work is spot on while the one-liners and wordplay keep me laughing for days.

Orange is the New Black- I didn't love OITNB's second season as much as its first and I think it came down to the season's villain. Vee was just such a cartoon villain with no real motivation behind her lust for power/control and her subsequent manipulation over the entire social system. I guess later episodes made her out to simply be a psychopathic egomaniac, but that felt like a disservice to a show that normally has fantastic character work. Aside from Vee, I have no complaints about the season (except for Larry continuing to be The Worst).

Orphan Black- Orphan Black keeps so many balls in the air and while it could be more successful at it, its impressive all the same. But I'm just waiting for it all to fall apart. Tatiana Maslany carries the show on her shoulders by playing all the major characters with such nuance that you can always tell who she is (even when she's one character pretending to be another character). The science of the show can be wonky, but that is what sci-fi is all about. And the end of one episode in particular was so beautifully thrilling that I think I stopped breathing.

Parks and Recreation- Parks and Rec is a forever favorite of mine. The show hasn't gotten stale per say, but it has definitely plateaued in its humor, momentum, and general story. However, the final minutes of this year's season finale was a much needed shot of adrenaline and humor. Jumping ahead three years avoids bogging the show down with pregnancy (again) and other story lines the show has already explored. For the first time in a while, I'm very much looking forward to next season. Filling in the gaps between timelines will hopefully be hilariously fruitful.

Silicon Valley- I found the pilot of this new HBO comedy lukewarm, but as the show found its characters and general story, the show gained a lot of comedic momentum. It all lead to a season finale that happened to be one of the funniest episodes of television I've seen in a while. The show is smart, silly, and cutting. One character in particular, Peter Gregory, was a standout of amusing eccentricity, which only makes the passing of actor Christopher Evan Welch, that more tragic.

Veep- I simply love Veep. I think Julia Louis Dreyfus, Matt Walsh, Tony Hale, and Timothy Simons are all hilarious people. I'm a fan of politics. I'm a big fan of creative cursing. As long as this show is on, I'll be watching it. And like Parks and Rec, I suspect it will be a forever favorite.

D's Best of 2014

At this point, most of my posts start off with an apology for infrequent updates. And I know no one is coming here for excuses. The fact of the matter is that the summer months come, my television habit dwindles, my writing suffers, and its hard to get back in the swing of things. Next thing I know its December. And December comes with a gimmie: do a Best Of list. So here we go.

As I’ve said in years past, Best Of lists are arbitrary and kind of silly, but I still enjoy creating ones as an exercise in writing and to reflect on what I enjoyed this past year. It’s also interesting to look at my past lists and see how my tastes and affection for certain shows have changed over time. This particular "list" isn't ranked per-say. But it does flow from favorites at the tops to lesser favorites towards the bottom. Whatever that means.

That being said, without much fanfare, I present to you: 

D’S BEST OF 2014

BROAD CITY

Executive Produced by Amy Poehler with awesome guest stars and a killer supporting cast, you better believe Broad City is hilarious and perfect on every level. I rarely rewatch seasons of shows (and if I do I’m more likely to do it years after first seeing it). But I’ve rewatched Broad City’s first season at least four times this year alone. And usually it’s because I feel such an intense need to share it with others, that I’ll force them to watch it and next thing I know we’ve finished the season together. Abbi and Ilana are the new Lucy/Ethel, Mary/Rhoda, Tina/Amy and I can’t wait for them to breakthrough. And while I find Broad City way more relatable than Girls, listen to me when I say this show is absolutely for the boys as well. Come for the 90s R&B, stay for Hannibal Buress.

THE AMERICANS

The Americans is one of the best shows on television and the fact that it gets no awards love just goes to show how useless awards are. The acting, directing, writing, and feel of this show is all so damn engaging and superb. I loved The Americans its first season out, but its sophomore season was easily just as good and at times even better than the first. While the first season was a take on marriage and partnership amidst the Cold War and a world of espionage, the second season was about commitment, parenting, trauma, and coming of age. The season finale was a gut-punch of a twist on top of a harrowing season of intensity and heartbreak. If any show deserves recognition and viewership, it is certainly The Americans. Screw the nonbelievers. Come for the wigs, stay for the 69.

THE KNICK
Let me start off by saying The Knick’s writing is certainly lacking. While many people find it hard to look past the clunky dialogue, I never took much issue with it because everything else about The Knick is so damn good. Stephen Soderberg not only directed every episode (a la True Detective’s Cary Fukunaga), but he is the show's cinematographer, camera operator, and editor. On every single episode. It’s incredible because not only is it such an impressive work load, but because it is all so completely beautiful and subtle. There are dozens of “stealth-oners” (AKA one take tracking shots that are far less obvious than ones on showier programs) that had me writhing in delight. Every episode was lit and blocked to perfection. The camera took its time to focus on characters without cutting away to dozens of other angles. And the Cliff Martinez score pulsed through the season, giving The Knick its beating heart. So yes, while I’m normally the first person to point out shoddy writing, when it comes to The Knick it almost doesn’t even matter. The show could be in Dothraki and it’d still be great. Come for the liquid cocaine, stay for the liquid cocaine.

MAD MEN 

I’m sure at this point people are tired of hearing how good Mad Men is. But fuck them. Mad Men is fantastic. For the first half of its final season, Mad Men definitely hasn’t let up. The 1960s are coming to a close, times are changing, and while some are thriving in the times, others are struggling to keep their heads afloat. While Mad Men is certainly artistic, incredibly well written, and detailed at every stage, what keeps me coming back are the characters and the dynamics they’ve created. My favorite episodes of the series tend to involve Don and Peggy and this past season had plenty more of those little moments. From a dance, to a passing of the torch, to an Edward Hopper-esque pan-out of Don, Peggy, and Pete eating dinner together, I grew even more attached to these characters and their pseudo-family. You come to Mad Men for those moments, but you stay for the severed nipple.

LOUIE

What I love about Louie is the artistic free-form the show takes. From a mini-movie, to a serialized six-part episode, to a one-and-done candid plea from a full-figured gal, Louie has so much to say and so many different ways to say it. When I turn on Louie, I love that I don’t know what I’m going to get, that I don’t know which reality we’re living in, which characters are going to get a poignant or hilarious monologue, or where the episode is going to take me. A look at Louie’s adolescence felt like an episode of Freaks and Geeks in all the right ways. An episode where Louie bags a model is closely followed by an episode where Louie rejects a hilarious/sweet overweight waitress which manages to say tons about society and double-standards. The end of the season had even more to say on the matter as Louie attempted to force himself on a familiar woman. Serialization is more of a suggestion than a reality when it comes to Louie and it may seem like a season isn’t leading anywhere, but by the end of this latest run we explored so much about Louie, Louis CK, and the absurdity of love and humanity. This past season explored Louie’s relationships with all the women in his life (from his daughters to his mother to his Hungarian neighbor) and how those relationships reflect back on him. Which was ultimately a commentary on gender and society. I am continuously amazed at Louis CK’s pathos and diminished ego. Come for the model, stay for the fat lady.




TRANSPARENT 

Somehow Transparent is full of the most selfish characters you will ever encounter, yet you can’t help but engage in their story. What I appreciated about this show was how it portrayed the blatant messiness of families—something creator Jill Soloway picked up from the Six Feet Under writer’s room, no doubt. Inspired by her own father coming out and transitioning to a woman, Soloway wrote this show about a family with fluid sexuality/gender--and oftentimes a destructive relationship to sex--as they reel in the aftermath of their own father becoming a woman. Much of it was hard to watch and characters were hard to root for, yet a yearning for homecoming hung over the season. And I’m curious to see how they all grow together. Come for Jeffrey Tambor’s amazing performance, stay for Maura's outfits.

GAME OF THRONES

I hesitate to keep Game of Thrones on this list simply because of its distasteful use of rape and sexual peril. But then I’d be doing a disservice to a show that only manages to get better and better. Having read the books, I know what to expect from upcoming episodes. But David Benioff and DB Weiss have certainly diverged from the books by tweaking one or two narratives while completely fabricating story lines. It’s not always successful (Craster’s Keep, anyone?), but it keeps this book reader on her toes. From very well-choreographed battle scenes to the transformation of the remaining Stark children, the show knows how to land every moment, big or small. It manages to bring one-dimensional book characters to life on the screen as they crackle with charisma (only to die horrible deaths…valar marghulis). Come for the nudes, stay for the Dinklage.




TRUE DETECTIVE

Something about True Detective almost hasn’t aged well with me since it aired earlier this year. At the time the mystery and craft of the show pulled me in and was incredibly engaging, atmospheric, beautiful in its back-swampy ways, and thoughtful in its emotional and spiritual journey. But months later, after its effects have worn off, I find myself slightly annoyed at is pretentions, its rote philosophical pontificating, its disregard of female characters, and its highly praised yet unnecessary and overworked six-minute long tracking shot. (Look, I love me an impressive tracking shot, and True Detective’s was fantastic. But think about that episode and what anything in that shot had to do with anything whatsoever. Cut those last six minutes out of the show, and it would have no effect on the story or season. Which is certainly a waste in its showy, self-aggrandizing presentation.) That being said, True Detective deserves a place on this list and all/any lists due to its solid direction, solid acting, and what it has to say about life and existence. Come for Rust Cohle, stay for The Yellow King.

More Like "Game of Rape"

As you may have heard, last week on Game of Thrones twincest took a dark turn: Jamie Lannister raped his sister over the corpse of their dead son in the Sept of Baelor. The weird thing is that the scene plays out almost the exact same way in the A Song of Ice and Fire books with one notable difference: the rape. It was already a disturbing scene and for whatever reason the show's writers chose to add a rape element to the proceedings. While this creative decision did not really bother me, what did bother me is that nearly everyone involved with the scene had no idea that they were portraying a rape (I say "nearly everyone" because we have yet to hear from the one female involved: Lena Headey who plays Cersei Lannister). And regardless of what all these men may believe, regardless of what they intended, what the audience got was a rape scene. If they were trying to evoke the same sense of ambiguity that happens in the book, well then they failed miserably. Because oopsy-daisy, that was a clear cut rape. And it wasn't the first time the writers have interpreted the book with a twist of sexual assault.

The very first episode of Game of Thrones, Daenerys and Khal Drogo consummate their new marriage with Drogo forcing himself on Daenerys. Meanwhile, in the books, Drogo makes a point to wait for Dany to consent. (Yes there was some seductive manipulation of a 13 year old, but at least he waited for a "yes.") The show version of Daenerys fell in love with her brute of a rapist while the book version of Daenerys fell in love with her affectionate husband. That is a huge difference. A difference that could greatly inform how we perceive a character's development. But it has been largely forgotten.

Back to last week's accidental rape. I put off writing about this particular change hoping the show's creative team would realize they at least introduced a complication to the lives of Cersei and Jamie (And according to the team's statements over the past week, they did intend the scene to at least play ambiguously...or so they claim). I thought perhaps they would deal with the fallout in the weeks to come. I waited a week and absolutely nothing was addressed or even seems like it will be. Instead Jamie was portrayed in the best possible light. He was sympathetic, honorable, and showed positive growth. And because this is where Jamie has been headed since last season, I thought that Benioff and Weiss added a darker element to the sept scene to possibly complicate his redemption arc. But that's not the case. (Nor have we seen how Jamie's sexual assault could exacerbate Cersei's downward spiral.) It seems like, to me, it has already been forgotten. They simply chose to punch up a scene with a little harmless rape. But could we have at least acknowledged this hurdle to Jamie's growth? At the very least, could we have not made him the good guy at the end of his latest scene with Cersei?

And as if Cersei/Jamie and Daenerys/Drogo weren't enough, this Sunday's episode also diverged greatly from the books. Most notably the events happening with the Night's Watch and the mutineers at Craster's Keep. And what was happening at Craster's? Some serial rape. Listen, I know that the Night's Watch is largely made up of thieves and rapists. We all know it. My issue with the scene is related to my issues with the Cersei/Jamie scene last week: that these circumstances were disturbing enough without that added explicitness of sexual assault. I didn't need to see a brother of the Night's Watch going to town on some poor girl throughout the entire duration of the scene. Meera witnessing a brother drag a shrieking girl through the snow was plenty. Drinking out of Jeor Mormont's skull was plenty. "Fuck them till their dead" was plenty. We know these poor girls were raped repeatedly by Craster and they are now being raped repeatedly by the Night's Watch. It's an awful thing that was treated cheaply for some background scenery. This was a gratuitous and cavalier use of rape by the show's writers after a whole week of debating whether they can even recognize rape when they see it. It was distasteful, disturbing, and unnecessarily explicit. The show filmed and scripted a gang rape with the same nonchalance they do a brothel scene. But someone should let Benioff and Weiss know the two aren't interchangeable.

Whether it is excessive sex or violence, Game of Thrones thrives in excess period. Audiences have come to expect a certain degree of explicitness from their HBO fair, and from Game of Thrones especially. Ask someone who's never watched the show what they know about Game of Thrones and they'd probably say that it is violent and pornographic (and that there are dragons). But lately the show has been pushing the envelope at the expense of character and story. And the scene at Craster's was exactly that. It was the show trying to outdo itself and it was beyond overindulgent.

Let us not forget the whole mutineer plot and rape scene were made up for the show. In a similar way to how Cersei and Jamie's sept moment was changed for the show. Likewise Dany and Drogo. George RR Martin never shied away from rape in the books, but he never needed to be explicit about it either. We got the point through subtext. GRRM always made it clear that women simply are not safe in the world he created. That Cersei was broken and had turned to alcoholism and bitterness to cope with the regularity at which Robert raped her. Sansa has had more than one near rape experience. As has Brienne. GRRM was never cavalier about any of this. He made it a point to color his world as depraved, chaotic, and dark through the overwhelming presence of violence, death, and loss of innocence. If anything, the threat of sexual assault added weight and consequence to his world. But what we got on Game of Thrones this past Sunday was cheap. It was distasteful. And most disturbing of all, it made a game of rape.

Calm Down About The True Detective Finale

First of all, the finale wasn't bad. Second of all, plot-wise, the show was never tight enough to imply some mind-blowing ending. It had a lot of things going for it, but it was never that good. Listen, I always appreciate a rich, complex show--something fans can pore over and dissect. And True Detective had lots of details to pore through, but what happened in its eight episodes that made you think it would be anything more than it let on? Because of the fact that there were so many details of the Dora Lang/Yellow King case? It was a case spanning seventeen years, it involved lots of people and lots of victims, of course there are going to be files upon files. But what made anyone think every single piece would be relevant? That doesn't happen in real life. And it certainly didn't happen on True Detective at any point to warrant this expectation. The show was only eight episodes but there was never once a moment where dozens of things came together to blow our minds at the sheer ambition and genius of it all. There was never a point where the show proved capable of bringing multiple details together to make us think everything was linked and important. That's not to say it wasn't a rich show. Every scene was important and heavy, leaving us with much to absorb...but it was never about the crime. It was always about the detectives.

Evidently, I really have no idea why everyone was raising the stakes of the final episode because the show was clearly about Rust and Marty all along. It was about Rust's despair as he filled his heart with nihilism and philosophical thought to make sense of the trauma in his life. But he never really had a unique philosophy of his own. I was always under the impression that when he went off on his spiral loops of pontification, that he was working something out for himself. That he was obviously well read and that he had made sense of these ideas, but that he was still applying them to his life, still trying to build a personal outlook of his own as he drowned in a half empty glass of pessimism. Like an eye exam, he was sliding one lens after the next over his eyes, comparing them and going back and forth until he found a flat circle suitable enough to perceive the cruel world around him. We all try to make sense of our lives, but Rust lived through a unique trauma of his own. And lacking the constitution for suicide, he had to learn to carry on living. Meanwhile Marty was living his life like most of us live our lives, delusional and hypocritical, but within a certain set of standards and expectations. Being a man meant boozing and banging, but being a family man meant loving your wife and children. We all contain multitudes, but sometimes those 'tudes aren't in sync. Marty thought he had a grasp on what his life was supposed to be, but his actions told a different story.

Thus, going into Sunday's episode I wasn't expecting an amazing Yellow King realization, I was expecting some character work. And I honestly didn't even care too much about the crime because the show never asked us to care. We didn't know anything about Dora Lang to provoke our sympathies or need for justice. The other victims were just names with some blurry circumstances tacked on. Terrible things were done to them, a monster was absolutely on the loose and needed to be caught, but from an emotional standpoint I wasn't too invested in justice for the victims (which some people have fairly consider a drawback of the show). I was invested in Rust getting his man, but not because of Justice. Because Rust needed it to happen so he could move on. And that was essentially what we got, only with a bit of the unexpected. Rust ended the show an optimist, something I honestly never saw coming. Which is a twist in itself, but also a realization and a character journey I absolutely believed. For anyone who thought the answers in the finale were weak and that there was no payoff, I argue that there was a payoff. You were just looking at the wrong clues.

In terms of overall general impressions of True Detective, my biggest criticism would be that it meandered a lot in plot threads that seemed important but led nowhere. For example, I really loved the six minute tracking shot as much as the next person, but it really had nothing to do with anything. It had such a minuscule impact on the plot that putting that much effort into that scene is actually a bit of overkill. But the technique was absolutely impressive and it definitely succeeded in producing one hell of an astoundingly tense sequence. And in a similar vein, I loved the craft and quality of this show. I loved the direction by Cary Fukunaga, who directed a great and underrated adaptation of Jane Eyre in 2011. The lead performances were amazing and we'll definitely be seeing more of the Matthew/Woody bromance come award season. The set pieces, locations, and art direction were so lush that you felt immersed in this secluded world. And what really made it all was the cinematography--cinematographer Adam Arkapaw also worked on last year's Top of the Lake, which I loved for similar reasons but also because it was really good...like probably better than True Detective (depending on your taste, of course) and it's a damn shame it didn't get the same sort of attention. But I digress.

I realize there are a lot of issues with True Detective's portrayal of women. Some of it I agree with and some of it I don't. The lack of attention on women is actually why I lacked interest in the case itself. But there was also criticism concerning the scene where Maggie and the girls visit Marty in the hospital. Many saw this moment as redemption for a schmuck of a character. I didn't see it that way. I mean yeah, Marty is a schmuck, but Maggie didn't forgive him or offer him any sense of redemption. Maggie could have been more solid of a character, but I knew enough about her to know she's a decent human being. And the father of her children just nearly died quite brutally while doing a very brave thing. So yes, she's going to pay him a visit. But it by no means implied all was forgiven or that things would even change. Her wedding ring was so prominent in the scene for a reason. Instead, that moment was actually about Marty's facade and self-delusion fading. I agree with critics who feel True Detective's women are only used to inform the male characters. But I chose to see that moment as a supporting character informing a main character. Gender had nothing to do with it. But I agree women should/could have been used differently on True Detective. That instead of focusing so much on dead ends like the random prisoner who killed himself in his cell after an unknown phone call, maybe we could have flushed out those females a bit more.

But hey, nothing is perfect. Certainly no television show is. You have to accept things for what they are, flaws and all. And it may seem like I look at True Detective and see a whole lot of dark. But I actually choose to focus on its bright spots of brilliance. And what I really see is the light winning.

Top TV: Honorable Mentions

Yesterday I offered just the tip of my Top TV of the year, but because there was so much fantastic programming, I will now present you with my... Honorable Mentions!
(Believe me, these are all worth mentioning).

Veep- The second season of Veep was a hoot and it might just be my favorite comedy currently on television. Julia Louis-Dreyfus deserves all the recognition she gets for this show as she hilariously leads a superb comedic cast. (HBO)

The Returned- When I was discussing Sundance Channel in my Top TV post, I quickly mentioned that I am currently engrossed in this French show. If it wasn't for the fact that we're mid-season, there was a very good chance this would have made the list. I love the concept of this program and the melancholy feel it evokes. I went into it expecting a horror show, but got so much more than I could have bargained for. (Sundance)

Girls- We all know how much I love Girls. I had some issues with this past season, but there were also some inspired stand outs. "Bad Friend" in which Hannah raves in a mesh top was a delight. And "One Man's Trash" would easily be in my top five episodes of the past year. (HBO)

Orphan Black- Orphan Black is sci-fi in spades. And Tatiana Maslany IS Orphan Black. If it wasn't for her I don't know if this show would be nearly as good as it is. Playing up to four different characters in one episode (including characters impersonating other characters) is impressive enough, but doing it so convincingly that I straight up forget that it's the same actress and actually believe that these characters are all different people is a feat worthy of all the awards television has to offer. And lets not forget to mention the comedic beats, shocking turns, fun accents, and scientific mysteries we get along the way. (BBC America)

New Girl- If I had to give out a Most Improved Show Award I'd give it to New Girl. It found its groove in its second season and it was fun to see it work through the kinks, figure out its characters, and deliver a very funny program with its own brand of humor. Plus Coach is back! (Fox)

Broadchurch- I thoroughly enjoyed this British drama starring David Tennant in another series that does The Killing better than The Killing (the other being Top of the Lake). Broadchurch was beautifully shot, tragically plotted, truly engrossing, and expertly acted. Word on the street is that we will be getting an American version soon--also starring David Tennant (but with an American accent which will be bloody strange if you ask me)--and I fully intend on watching even if I already know who did it. (BBC America)

House of Cards- I may have had a lot of issues with the writing on House of Cards--which really is a deal breaker for me--but everything else about this show deserves a mention. The directing and acting are undeniable. David Fincher set an exquisite tone for the show and Kevin Spacey was amazing, as always. But the breakthrough performance from Corey Stoll was probably my favorite thing about the series (you could say he stoll the show). And I have to admit, the promos for the upcoming second season have me pretty pumped for a continuation of the story. Lets just hope they don't do anything stupid. Again. (Netflix)

Parks and Recreation- Do you guys seriously think I'd leave the most consistent comedy on television out of my year end recap? I love Parks and Rec. Yes it may be getting stale in its later seasons, but it still manages to move me and make me laugh. And for that, it will always get a shout out. (NBC)

Arrested Development- AD gets a nod for pure ambition alone. Overall I didn't love the season, but it sure had a lot of fun with its structure. (Netflix)

D's Top TV of 2013

Its about that time of year when you will see many Top Ten lists of The Best TV or Films or Books or Whatnot of the year. I am personally ambivalent when it comes to such lists. Maybe blame it on Buzzfeed fatigue but I just find ranking and comparing series that are so different from one another to be slightly arbitrary and meaningless. But I find value in dissecting what I've responded to in the past year, as it helps me to further understand my personal taste. And I like doing these year end recaps as a way to recommend programming to anyone who may trust my judgement or share my preferences.

So I'm not ranking these programs. I'm just spotlighting ones that I found to be the best of the year. But please take all of this with a grain of salt as I have clearly not watched everything on television. I gravitate towards certain types of programming and so it is from those heavenly bodies that I judge the landscape before me.

Enlightened (HBO)
I wrote about Enlightened earlier this year when its fate was still uncertain. Now we know that this excellent program was not picked up for another season. There is nothing else like Enlightened on television. It was earnest, existential, spiritually provocative, and refreshing in ways no other program is. I am beyond disappointed that such a fantastic program has been denied the chance to continue to grow and bloom. But I am grateful for the few beautiful episodes we were afforded this past year. And I hope creator Mike White is given the opportunity to run a similar show in the future.
Season Highlights: Episode 2.5 "The Ghost is Seen" was one of my favorite episodes of any show this past year. It opened with such melancholy and closed so quietly hopeful that you'd have to be heartless not to emotionally respond to such superb storytelling.

The Americans (FX)
I straight up loved the first season of this show. I don't know what I was expecting going into it, but The Americans ended up being the best freshman season of a program since Homeland. I don't understand how it could get overlooked by both the Emmys and the Golden Globes, but good riddance. As much as it deserves recognition, I don't need award pressure and blowback surrounding this program. I mentioned The Americans a couple of times this year but all you need to know is that the performances are great, the writing is great, the directing is great, the spy games are fun, the characters are dimensional and sympathetic, and the costumes/wigs are awesome. And above all, it easily has the best soundtrack on television. Forget Glee. Forget American Horror Story (as much as I love all the Fleetwood Mac this season). The Americans uses pop music like no other. Just ask The AV Club.
Season Highlights: ALL OF IT Episodes 1.3 and 1.10 "Gregory" and "Only You" are essentially companion episodes revolving around the introduction and fate of a compelling supporting character.

Top of the Lake (Sundance)
Before I get into Top of the Lake, may I mention how Sundance has been killing it? The Sundance Channel introduced its own scripted programming only this year and every single show has been right up my alley. Top of the Lake happens to be the first of these scripted programs to air and its quite a hard act to follow. Directed by Jane Campion, this miniseries was confident, beautifully shot, deliberately paced, fantastically acted, and reached Twin Peaks level of quirky. Elisabeth Moss led the cast and put in a spot-on performance. Keeping in mind her work on Mad Men along with her work on this miniseries (not to mention her fake New Zealand accent), its easy to recognize the immensity of Elisabeth Moss's talent. The rest of the cast also did top notch work as Top of the Lake delivered in all the ways AMC's The Killing never could. Sundance followed up Top of the Lake with Rectify and then the excellent French series The Returned (which I am currently engrossed in). Each show has the same feel proving that with only three series, Sundance Channel already has its own style of programming and I can't wait to see what else it has in store.
Season Highlights: As it is a miniseries it is hard to pin point one episode over another, but the final two installments are suspenseful, heartbreaking, and revelatory. Which essentially makes the whole series worth watching.

Game of Thrones (HBO)
Listen, I just love me some fantasy/sci-fi. And Game of Thrones is an epic fantasy whose grandiosity increasingly entertains as it continues. But what makes the show so good has nothing to do with its fantasy elements and everything to do with its ballsy, earned, and robust storytelling. This past season was the first time I watched the show after having already read the books and it certainly didn't take any of the enjoyment away. Yes, on some level I robbed myself of a doozy of a television experience, but knowing it was coming didn't diminish the shock in any way. (Just ask anyone who hasn't read the books but has rewatched the season). My only real criticism is probably the very cheesy, kind of racist, over-the-top scene that closed the season finale (but this amazing gif-set, which is cheesy in its own right, made it all better).
Season Highlights: Episode 3.9 "The Rains of Castamere," duh. It was quite possibly one of the most talked about television events in recent history and a huge game changer.

Mad Men (AMC)
When it comes to Mad Men, either you love it or you don't. The latest season definitely wasn't the best of the series, but when it comes to such a rich show, does that really even matter? This past June I wrote an impassioned post about Mad Men's most recent season and I honestly don't have much else to add except that regardless of season, Mad Men is one of the most engrossing and well-crafted series on television. Period.
Season Highlights: As I've said in the past, an entire season of Mad Men is like a good novel and so choosing a favorite episode is sometimes like choosing a favorite chapter of a book (which is kind of an awkward thing to do). It'd be easier to pick out various moments. But Episode 6.6 "For Immediate Release" was absolutely a highlight as it captured a sense of exhilaration reminiscent of the show's classic third season finale.

Orange is the New Black (Netflix)
Basically all summer all anyone talked about was this show, and with good reason. Because holy cow, what a fantastic program. As I mentioned in July, it was incredibly hard for me to shake Orange from my system (not that I wanted to). Something about Orange stuck with me. Beyond its tight structure, great writing, and celebrity directing (Jodie Foster, people!), it was the dimensional characters that made this show what it was. And I admire Orange for its large and diverse female cast, the likes of which we rarely seen on television--especially not in such an enriching format. I'm counting down the days until we get more.
Season Highlights: When you binge-watch a show, episodes tend to bleed together. But episode 1.5 "The Chickening" was a particular stand out in its zaniness. And the end of Episode 1.11 "Tall Men With Feelings" with its fantastic nod to NPR, the montage that it involves, and the circumstances after, is another favorite.

Breaking Bad (AMC)
What is there to say about Breaking Bad? I never wrote a post regarding this series last season as I found it hard to parse out my thoughts on the finale. Months later I find that the final episode doesn't necessarily hold up as well as I would like, but thats fine because everything that came before it was absolutely amazing and expertly executed on every single level. And as for the finale I can't fault it for tying things up so neatly after the explosive episodes we got before it. Walt basically moving like a ghost throughout the final episode, entering and leaving scenes without notice as he calmly tied up lose ends, offered a moment to catch our breaths right before the end. I loved the creepy aspect of Walt prowling about with such ease and confidence as compared to the clumsy fool we met years ago. And how we got there was a crazy wild journey, so far beyond anything else on television. I always said no one does intensity like Breaking Bad, and that was absolutely true from the get-go in this final half of season five. This was one of the best series of television to ever grace our screens. Every season somehow improved on the one before it leaving us with this gem of a final season.
Season Highlights: Forget everything I just said about the finale. Because that was the epilogue. Episode 5.14, the explosive "Ozymandias," was the true ending to this show. Not only was "Ozymandias" arguably the best episode of Breaking Bad, but it was one of the best episodes of television I have ever seen. Everything great about Breaking Bad was expertly exhibited in this one hour of television and everyone watching was left with their jaws on the floor, their hearts pounding, and their minds reeling. The emotion, the performances, the pace, the writing, the directing...every single thing was spot on. And its why Breaking Bad was arguably the best thing on television in 2013.


But wait! That not all....

In Which I Weigh In On The Sex and the City

Yesterday Emily Nussbaum, The New Yorker's television critic, shared her most recent critique with the twitterverse, sparking much debate, dialogue, and discussion. Nussbaum bravely addressed the struggling legacy of a still relevant HBO series: Sex and the City. I say "bravely" because in the world of television criticism, SATC's "legacy" hasn't aged very well. Actually, it is a regularly divisive topic among not only critics, but audiences as well. For example, Vulture's Sitcom Showdown pitted SATC against the very recently departed and beloved 30 Rock and ultimately gave the win to SATC. The comments exploded in so much ire and shock that Vulture actually compiled the best (AKA most disappointed and angriest) reader comments and devoted a whole other post just to that. Because it was one thing for 30 Rock to lose in the first round. But for it to lose to Sex and the City (!?!?!) was absurd. (The fact that the winner would then have to face off--and surely lose--against Seinfeld seemed irrelevant at the time). Similarly, when Nussbaum linked to her SATC piece yesterday, much twitter debate followed. And eventually other writers weighed in with their own think pieces. [1][2][3] Because how could Sex and the City even compare to quality shows like The Sopranos? How could we compare Carrie to Walter White? How is SATC any more groundbreaking than The Mary Tyler Moore Show or Golden Girls or Six Feet Under? Is Sex and the City even that feminist of a show?

I for one completely understand the divisiveness surrounding Sex and the City. Even my own opinion on the show is at odds with itself, which you will see if you continue reading.

I've seen every single episode of Sex and the City, but I was never a die hard fan. It was funny and entertaining, but I never admired it or looked up to it. I never took cues about how I should dress or act or what my drink order should be. But then again, I was also never a girl who loved romantic comedies, which SATC arguably is (don't get me wrong, there are great romantic comedies but in general I'm not much of a romantic). So I always realized this show wasn't necessarily for me. I don't really enjoy sitting around talking about my relationships. I don't use conversations about sex to relate to other people. Not that there's anything wrong with that type of person. Some of my closest friends are that way. Even my sister. And they love SATC. To be honest, I was always under the impression that most women are that way and that most women love SATC. They sit around at brunch and talk about their relationships just like the SATC quartet. And not always in an emulating way, but in a realistic way--because that happens to be an actual thing many women do. I'm female. I've been there. I've seen it. Its how some people relate to the world. Whereas I use conversations about TV (duh), films and books--and others use politics or music or sports or comedy--some women use conversations about their love lives to connect with others. What SATC did was validate those conversations in an unprecedented way. Even though I never really related to it too intensely, I always recognized what it meant to the people that did relate. Ultimately thats the root of SATC's legacy.

So to everyone calling SATC out for its faux feminism, lets just ease up a tiny bit. I'm not necesarrily defending the show, but SATC wasn't made for people like me and it wasn't made to be picked apart. It wasn't made in the day of weekly recaps and blogs about television. Or when there was a buttload of top quality programming being produced. Yes, there are much more feminist shows. Shows that are actually grounded. That have flawed heroines and a wider range of female "types". Shows that actually have a lot to say about femininity. Like Girls, Orange is the New Black, and Enlightened.

But that's not really fair to SATC. Because SATC was made in a different time for a different type of audience. It was approachable and oftentimes hilarious. And it was at one time a hugely groundbreaking show that has absolutely influenced today's television landscape. Its values have not held up well. And its schmaltzy voiceovers sure as hell haven't. But what it means to women still has. Otherwise there wouldn't be a freaking prequel on air (Carrie Diaries) nor would other shows explicitly reference its influence on today's women (see Shoshanna on Girls or Maggie's meltdown on The Newsroom). In some ways SATC ushered in a new type of female. And that is exactly why it has touches of feminism. As Nussbaum explains:

"Most unusually, the characters themselves were symbolic. As I’ve written elsewhere—and argued, often drunkenly, at cocktail parties—the four friends operated as near-allegorical figures, pegged to contemporary debates about women’s lives, mapped along three overlapping continuums. The first was emotional: Carrie and Charlotte were romantics; Miranda and Samantha were cynics. The second was ideological: Miranda and Carrie were second-wave feminists, who believed in egalitarianism; Charlotte and Samantha were third-wave feminists, focussed on exploiting the power of femininity, from opposing angles. The third concerned sex itself. At first, Miranda and Charlotte were prudes, while Samantha and Carrie were libertines. Unsettlingly, as the show progressed, Carrie began to glide toward caution, away from freedom, out of fear."

Now that's all well and good and there's absolute value in what SATC was trying to say about womanhood. But to me, a truly feminist show isn't a show just for woman. A truly feminist show also has male viewers and presents men and women as equally capable and equally flawed. A truly feminist show actually passes the Bechdel Test.

Yeah, I turn my nose up at Sex and the City as much as the next pretentious critic. But I still acknowledge the impact of the show. And the fact that these intense analyses and conversations continue to happen implies that SATC deserves a tad more scrutiny. And last spring, when SATC lost to 30 Rock (a show I much prefer and which is much more in line with my personal tastes, humor, and outlook), I sort of agreed with it. Because as much as I love 30 Rock and admire Tina Fey and her charming yet influential little show, I also value characterization, risks, story lines, emotional moments, and actual consequences. And while much of what I just listed isn't SATC's strongest suit, it goes for it. And its everything 30 Rock isn't. 30 Rock is pure humor and doesn't give a crap about development. So I hate to break it to the commenters, but Vulture got it right. Believe me, it pains me to say it because to me, SATC can be irritating.

Because to me, there's more to a woman than her relationships and her shoes. And don't get me started on Carrie's stupid little puns and thoughtful glances out the window in the smokey glow of a laptop screen (which is literally me at this very moment). I personally don't need to pick apart every aspect of mine or anyone else's romantic interactions (and don't really see why we need to). And I certainly don't need male attention to validate who I am. Because I already know who I am. Women love saying they're a Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, or Charlotte. But I know I'm none of them. I'm an entirely different kind of female New Yorker. I'm Liz Lemon.



(See? It's divisive.)

A Quick Post About Veep

NOTE: I know I have been neglecting this blog lately. I am still going to blame it on the fact that I am reading the A Song of Ice and Fire series (I'm about 300 pages into A Feast for Crows). But there are still several topics I am going to try to blog about in the near future. For now, I just wanted to express some thoughts on the current season of HBO's Veep. They're not very well articulated and for that I apologize.

There's not much to say about Veep aside from the fact that I think it has been hilarious from the start. And in it's second season Veep not only continues to be hilarious, but it's hitting its stride so strongly that it is very quickly becoming one of my favorite comedies. A lot of shows take some time to find themselves and figure out the type of show they want to be. And it's usually in the latter half of the first season that things typically come together for the whole production. But seeing as that Veep, being on HBO, had a shorter first season it seems that we're now at the point where it's found its sweet spot. And it's truly glorious to behold. I'm having nothing but an amazing time watching this season's episodes these past three weeks.

No one makes cursing sound as poetically hilarious as the show's creator, Armando Iannucci (The Thick of It, In The Loop) and I have had high hopes for the show and its humour from the start. But now Veep is really beginning to lean into its talent, writing for the actors, highlighting their strengths, and settling in comfortably to world it has created for itself. And I honestly can't wait to see what the rest of the season has in store.

The latest episode, "Hostages" had me laughing so hard and so often that I honestly couldn't remember the last time a comedy was landing so well with me. I love a good comedy. I love shows like Community (which is having a disappointing fourth season) and Parks and Recreation (a show I have long considered to be the most consistent comedy currently on television), but neither of them have had me laughing the way Veep had me laughing on Sunday night in quite some time.

I feel like it's easy to compare Parks and Recreation and Veep seeing as that they both have female leads and are set in the world of politics. But for all the optimism and hope and genuine heart Parks and Recreation has, Veep answers back with equal amounts cynicism, pessimism, and bluntness. They are total opposites of each other yet I still love both for not only their humor, but their respective political lenses. And I love that both manage to even surprise me. This past Sunday's Veep ended with a moment in which Julia Louis Dreyfus's Selina Meyers actually showed some concern (and dare I say, remorse?) for another human being and it actually felt deserved. It didn't feel cheap or random at all, which somehow managed to surprised me even more. When I realized she was showing hints of a genuine emotion it made the episode stand out even more strongly.

Lastly, a quick side note: I was reading the AV Club's recap of "Hostages" earlier this week and the recapper, Robert David Sullivan, brought up this one stray observation regarding the gender politics of the show. And not only do I wish I had noticed this myself, but it actually makes me admire the show even more.

Gender politics: Amy and Sue are the most level-headed people on Selina’s staff, and the males all bring to mind female stereotypes. Gary is emotionally fragile, Mike is a ditz, and Dan is a gossipy social climber. At the climax of “Hostages,” Selina goes into a national-security meeting with Amy and barks, “No, no, you’re not needed here, Gary. This is man’s work. Same goes for you, Dan.”

It's a great point that I could honestly break down in a whole new post. But I won't. Instead I'm just going to gush over this and say that I love the show even more for flipping gender stereotypes on their head. It is only going to enhance my enjoyment of future episodes. And it adds a whole other amazing layer to the comedy of this program.

Game of Thrones: Page Versus Screen

First off, I apologize for neglecting this blog lately. But I assure you it was all for quite a productive reason: this past March I have been reading the third book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, A Storm of Swords. I have been reading as much as possible before the third season of Game of Thrones premiered on HBO.

I went into Game of Thrones' past two seasons ignorant of the events of the books. I watched the first season knowing absolutely nothing about the series. And I loved that first season. I loved the world and the characters and the intricate yet ballsy storytelling. Later that year I read the first book. By the time I finished and acquired A Clash of Kings, the second season was about to premiere and I thought it useless to read and watch simultaneously. So instead I watched. And later read the book. And honestly, I found reading these two books to be somewhat frustrating. Not because of the story or the writing style or the characters or the way the television series interpreted the written source. But because of how long it took for me to get through them.

Listen, I love to read. I read a lot. And I love to read book SERIES (for the same reasons why I love a quality television series). But having seen Game of Thrones first made reading the books feel more tedious than enjoyable. As I read I really enjoyed the series, but I simply wasn't eager enough to pick up the books. I didn't sit around wondering what was going to happen. I wasn't compelled to stay up late reading. Because I already knew everything that was going to happen (the differences between the second book and second season merely meant a more mild tedium). Instead I would actually put off reading. And in doing so, it literally took me months to get through each book. But I knew WHY this was happening: because I watched the show first.

So as spring approached, I promised myself that this time around things would be different. And I had this crazy notion to actually read the book first. (I was extra motivated to do so because multiple sources informed me that some crazy things happen in the third installment.) And while I'm still not done, I am about half way through. And I've gotta tell you, although it has only been one episode, it's making the show feel an itsy bit tedious...

More after the jump...

The Case for Enlightened

Lately, it seems like the critically trendy thing to throw your support behind HBO's Enlightened. Which isn't to say that it's undeserved-- or why I'm even choosing to write about it in the first place. On the contrary, I've been reading so many blog posts and tweets concerning the show that it actually motivated me to throw my two cents into the fray...




Here's the thing with Enlightened, the first season was very good. I enjoyed the meditative feel of the show. It was something different, something I can honestly say I never encountered on television before. It was unique and emotional and reflective and funny and straightforward all at the same time. Above all, it simply felt earnest. While, the first season lacked a strong plot, what pulled me in were certain character dynamics and seeing Laura Dern's character Amy Jellicoe struggle to keep her head clear and above water. It was interesting to see a character choose to make such an intense change in their outlook on life. And to remain committed. To maintain serenity while continuing to face all the people/things that drove her to break down in the first place. It felt human and complex. I personally related in a lot of ways and I admired Amy's devotion. I was drawn to her journey and challenges along the way (and not necessarily the usual twisty plot or ballsy storytelling I tend to love).

Now as its second season is coming to a close, I can honestly say Enlightened has really found its stride, has struck a great balance, and has found its voice. This current season is some fantastic television. I can't express enough how much I'm enjoying it (it's probably going to make my annual top-ten list come December). This show is refreshing. It makes me feel on a level very few other shows have achieved. One thing I distinctly like about the show is how it takes its time-- that each episode is just one A plot. They're not jumping from one character to another within the same episode. This has been true from the start. The first season had an entire episode revolving around Amy's mother (Diane Ladd) while the current season had episodes from the perspective of Amy's ex-husband Levi (Luke Wilson) and co-worker Tyler (the show's creator/writer/director Mike White). Each of these episodes were fantastic in their own right. But they also helped set a deliberate pace. There are so few episodes to work with and I appreciated that the show felt like it could take its time to pause and fruitfully focus on these characters and their mindsets. It helped to shed light on the complexities of their relationships. And while I was initially drawn to the meditations and the emotions of the show, I have to say this season I am enjoying the story in addition to the character's growth.

The best way for me to describe Enlightened is as "sadly-sweet", not bitter-sweet. There is no bitterness or snark here, which is something I find to be uncommonly refreshing. Today so many shows revolve around anti-heroes and their cringy, cruel, and degrading scenarios (which isn't to say I'm necessarily sick of that-- some of those shows are my favorite shows). It's just refreshing to see something different and earnest. To have a show that aspires to tell an emotional/cerebral/spiritual story. To be light and funny and meditative but also sad on such a deep level. (And not like, crying sad. But a sadness in your heart like a pang of loneliness or pity or empathy for these characters and their lives.)

As of right now, the future of Enlightened is uncertain. HBO hasn't ordered a third season and the current season is now coming to an end. I just hope someone decides to continue this show. It's so unique and it'd be a shame to squander all the work and foundation-building that has gone into it. And while I thought it was worth spending my two cents on this post-- on throwing my support behind Mike White and his show-- I'm now realizing I would have been better off saving these pennies and tossing them into the next fountain I see. All with a wish and the hope that I'm sending some good vibes out into the ether on behalf of this truly fantastic program.

A Blogged History of D's Relationship with GIRLS

I know. Enough already. I'm sick of hearing it. You're sick of hearing it. But upon last night's Golden Globe awards, and the season two premiere of Lena Dunham's brain child, now is as good a time as any to get some things out there.

As I mentioned in my "Top Ten of 2012" list, I personally connect to Girls. It's one of my favorite shows and I relate on many levels. I am the same age as the characters. I have had similar life experiences and I know these people on this show. And I happen to have been born and raised in New York. So it goes without saying that I have been defending Girls for quite some time. But I wasn't always on its side. The pilot episode left me defensive and annoyed. I had a lot of conflicting thoughts and emotions about entitlement, whether I liked Dunham's character Hannah, whether she was defensible or awful or sympathetic or delusional or, more likely, everything at once. I actually posted my immediate thoughts on my tumblr...and its pretty clear I started off a bit of a hesitant fan (ugh I can't believe I just linked to my tumblr). But I came around. And I came to the conclusion that I couldn't dislike Hannah for being more fortunate than I am. Because if my parents ever afforded me the opportunities Hannah has, to live in Brooklyn post-college and intern (or go to grad school) and follow my dreams and live my life with my closest friends, I would have done it in a heartbeat. Yes, Hannah is insufferable a lot of the time. That's who she is off the bat. She's a privileged middle-class white girl in her twenties. What do you expect? Thats the point of her character. And I genuinely love how conflicted I was--and still am--about just one episode of television. Especially a pilot episode with a blank slate. You have to admit that's pretty damn impressive.

Being the same age as Hannah and her crew, and seeing what Dunham has accomplished, I am left beyond impressed--even if her parent's and nepotism helped her along the way. She was so sure of what she wanted to do and she used her station in life to achieve it. And she does it well. I'm sure there are plenty of people our age who tried following their dreams, who had parents with connections and enough money to support them, but who never got off the ground due to laziness or lack of talent. But Dunham somehow made it work. I am an underemployed twenty-something living at home. I work a nine-to-five job, come home, roll my eyes at my parents, get jealous of the care-freeness of my 19-year-old sister's age, sit on the internet for hours, visit some social media sites and the like, and, if I'm feeling up to it, maybe right a blog post of my own for a blog that no one even reads (but me and possibly you...thank you, by the way). Meanwhile, Dunham spends all day doing things I WISH I could. And she manages to do it provocatively and compellingly. She writes whole episodes of television, directs her friends and herself in these episodes, and tells a cohesive, amusing story with well drawn characters. AND SHE'S MY AGE. I think about what I do in general, even things I guess I do well, and its nothing compared to this. I watch this show and its still crazy to me whenever I realize that Dunham is my peer.

Now I'm not idolizing Dunham. I often have similar reactions when I think about what actresses like Emma Stone or Elizabeth Olsen or Dakota Fanning have accomplished. (The difference is that these actresses dont have complete control over their projects. They're artists but they're not creators). Essentially, the whole point of the previous paragraph is that I don't think we can hold it against Dunham that she's living the dream and doing it well and so openly. She lets her insecurities out for the world to see and is genuinely sincere when people respond to it. And it just really grinds my gears when I see so many people harshly hating on her, and the cast, for this show. Because any of us would love to do what she does. And I could only assume I'd do it maybe half as well.

My personal feelings and defenses aside, the quality of Girls itself and what it's trying to say should also be addressed. It's only fair. And to begin with, I am sick and tired of all the vitriol Hannah & Co. get. Yes Hannah does dumb, grating, selfish, immature, bonehead, irresponsible things. But so does Claire Danes on Homeland, and Mindy Kaling on The Mindy Project, and Edie Falco on Nurse Jackie, and Kat Dennings on 2 Broke Girls, and Krysten Ritter on Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23, and....you get the point. I just don't understand why Girls gets all the hate and controversy. Because it's a braver show? Because its characters and situations are relatable? Because the humor isn't cruel? Because she's not bipolar and chasing terrorists? God forbid TV (well technically it's not TV, it's HBO) presents us with three-dimensional characters. With human beings who are young and unsure of themselves. Who make mistakes and who are still searching--like so many of us currently are or have in our past. So...enough already. Back off this girl and her show. I'm sick and tired of this trendy opinion of disgust and dislike. Why does it have to be black and white, love versus hate of this character? It's the dumbest most unnecessary extreme I've come across in quite some time. Just admit that you are conflicted about Hannah and Dunham alike. And unsure of whether you like her, love her, or hate her. There's room for more than one emotion here. Thats what you fill the gray areas in with. And thats what good writing does. It was okay to admit it about Tony Soprano and Walter White and Don Draper, but why not Hannah? Is it her lack of Y chromosomes (you sexist!)? Is it that she's middle class (like the male antiheroes I just listed)? Or that she's white (ditto)? I just don't get it. We allowed ourselves to feel conflicted about Joan Holloway this past season of Mad Men. And about Skyler White over the course of Breaking Bad (which is another character that gets way more hate than she deserves). What makes Girls different? Is it unworthy of nuance, reflection, and critique? The only conclusion I can come to is that certain websites have made it trendy to have a negative opinion. Its easier to let the cynicism from such snarky sites sway your perspective rather than watch the show with an open mind. And its getting ridiculous.

That being said, Girls is clearly not the best comedy on all of television this past year, as the Golden Globes deemed last night. However, in that particular Golden Globe category, it actually was the best. The Golden Globes seem to make television award decisions based on buzz, celebrity, and trends. And lets be real, that has been Girls this past year. And if you're sick of seeing such an undeserving, awful, indefensible female and the show she created (and writes, directs, and manages to star in) win in the future, then try shutting up about it already. And while I admit that Girls deserves writing and directing recognition, it didn't necessarily warrant acting. As much as Dunham pushes herself, there were other actress more deserving. But it's still better than most things on TV. Personal feelings aside, as a television show, it's a damn good show. I just wish other's were more willing to see it. And at least appreciate how refreshing it was to see a show other than Modern Family win something.

And lastly, if I could go off on a tangent real quick, can we just acknowledge how awesome it was seeing so many great young actresses take home trophy's last night? And I'm including Jodie Foster in this. How great and emotional were all their speeches? So good! And how amazing were the hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler? Hilariously amazing! And how surprised were you to see Hillary Clinton's husband? So surprised! Good for the women. And good for the Golden Globes for mostly getting it right this year (minus Les Misérables and Don Cheadle....and perhaps Lena Dunham...but I'll get to that later...)

Boardwalk Empire: "A Man, a Plan..."

NOTE: Post-Sandy recovery means I finally got internet back this past weekend. Which means I'm catching up with my regular programming as quickly as possible. Which means posts may be shorter, rushed, and infrequent, but I'm trying to get back in the game.

Now to the point. Boardwalk Empire's latest episode, "A Man, A Plan...", basically broke my heart. [SPOILERS TO FOLLOW]

I knew Slater's death was imminent. It was written into every scene of the episode: Slater essentially proposing to Katie, his discussing St. Louis with Margaret, his volunteering to take out Masseria alone, and even in the scene when Luciano warned Masseria about Nucky. Not to mention we all knew plot-wise Margaret and Slater couldn't actually run away together. It didn't look too good for Slater. And I had such anxiety over it the entire hour. Because I knew it was coming. But I refused to except it until I saw it. You see, Slater is one of my favorite characters on the show. He was well written, was the bridge between Nucky and Margaret, and his presence helped define those characters. Plus Charlie Cox as Slater was über swoon-worthy.

We all knew what was in the box well before it was opened. But Margaret's reaction was heartbreaking. (Kelly Macdonald is sure to submit that episode for Emmy consideration. Very well done on her part.) It was also very well played on Buscemi's part that Nucky had clearly deduced Margaret and Owen's relationship just from her reaction. I have my issues with Boardwalk Empire, but it's scenes like this that have me unquestionably tuning in every week for three seasons. Kudos to everyone involved. 

Now, as for the final reveal of the episode: the extended flashback to Margaret and Owen's last conversation. I would normally be turned off of such a withheld plot-line. It seems to exist just for the sake of a gotcha emotional moment. (Even though the possibility that Margaret might be pregnant had already crossed my mind more than once). But I have to say it was the right decision to structure the episode that way. If they kept that whole scene intact at the beginning of the episode, I'm sure we all would have been extra heartbroken at seeing Slater in a box. But holding off and replaying it as Margaret reminisces in grief gave it a little extra emotional punch. It was nice to see Slater one last time in all his kind, gentlemanly glory. And the pregnancy reveal led to a final bittersweet moment between the two lovers. 

That being said, I am definitely looking forward to the end of the season. (Even if it means having to find someone new to swoon over.)