Tele-cognizance is the realization that one is a fictional character "living" in the TV Universe. Although it could be considered a form of enlightenment, for some it could be an affliction. When David Addison of 'Moonlighting' would break the "Fourth Wall" (which serves as the viewing window into Toobworld for the audience viewing at home in the Real World), those around him just thought he was wacked.
But when Denny Crane of 'Boston Legal' does it, his partners in the law firm mistake his tele-cognizance for a symptom of Alzheimer's.
Tele-cognizance is contagious. Alan Shore, a friend and colleague of Denny Crane's, has exhibited the trait as well. Alan probably contracted the same strain of tele-cognizance that Denny had due to their close - sometimes too close! - friendship.
Because Denny Crane gave a great display of tele-cognizance last night in the second episode for this season of 'Boston Legal', Maria Elena Fernandez of the L.A. Times has a great article about tele-cognizance (not that she used the term!), and you can find it here.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
2006 SERIES DEBUT REPORT: "BROTHERS & SISTERS"
Certain shows you have to catch from the very first episode in order to get a handle on the plot. Others, you just need to hear the basic outline and you can hit the ground running.
'Supernatural' - two brothers go cross-country investigating the paranormal
'Law & Order' - murder is committed, cops investigate, ADAs prosecute
I think 'Runaway', one of the only new offerings on the new CW network, falls into that category. A guy is framed for a murder and he goes on the run with his family while he tries to clear his name.
David Bianculli of the New York Daily News had the greatest description for the show, pure Toobworld:
"The Fugitive... With Children"
And that's all I need to know about the show. I can now catch it at my leisure.
Sometimes you need to watch from the very beginning to get the best introduction to the characters, and I knew 'Brothers & Sisters' would be that type of show. I didn't have any real interest in watching it on a regular basis - soon enough 'The Dead Zone' and 'Entourage' would be back in that 10 PM Sunday timeslot. But as a caretaker for Toobworld, I want to try to at least sample every one of the new shows.
So I went into the pilot episode with no expectations, good or bad.
Boy, was I surprised by how involved I became with the Walker family in just one hour!
By the way, there will be a major spoiler discussed here by the end. Usually I just blather on with my discourse without regard to this, figuring that you'll know to stop reading. But this time it was a big surprise, so bleep off if you Tivo'd it for later.....
The one thing I did expect was that the hour would be given over to introductions to the five adult Walker siblings - 3 men and 2 women.
The guys got short-shrifted, I think. Kevin's a lawyer, and gay. Thomas is married (engaged?) and working in the family business (Ojai Foods, a produce distributor). He may also know more about his father's personal... affairs than he lets on. And the youngest brother is a drug and booze addled bleep-up who served in Afghanistan a few years ago and has been screwing up ever since. (Of the three, I think Justin was the best served of the brothers, intro-wise.)
I'm sure that as the series progresses, we'll learn more about the three sons.
This first time out, we learned more about the two sisters, Kitty in particular. She is the prodigal Walker, who had been living in NYC where she spouted her conservative views on her own satellite radio show. But now she was back in L.A. with a chance to work on national TV.
Calista Flockhart is playing Kitty, and Rachel Griffiths is playing her sister. It's nice to see that Griffiths' character will not be taking a back seat to Flockhart's when it comes to screen time. Although Kitty's relationship with their Mom (as played by Sally Field) has the emotional impact (and quite a wallop it is!), Griffiths has more irons in the fire when it comes to plotlines. She's having "marital problems", to the point where she and her husband are seeking counseling; she's found bookkeeping discrepancies at the family business; and she may revive an interracial affair that she once had with a former business associate. (Nice to see Michael Beach back in Toobworld.)
I think it says something about her character, however, that of the five kids, her name is the only one I can't remember. (I've since looked it up - it's Sarah.)
Jon Robin Baitz is the writer and executive producer (with Ken Olin), and where he's involved, you're sure to find Ron Rifkin as well, something of a lucky charm in Baitz's productions. And here he shows up as the brother to Sally Field's Nora Walker. (If I'm reading that family dynamic right - Griffiths calls him "Mister Uncle Saul", so the term "uncle" might be an honorific.) Saul Holden is deeply involved in the mystery of the missing funds at the family business, but he might have just been trying to cover up for the transgressions by William Walker, the patriarch of the family.
I mentioned Sally Field earlier. She was a last-minute replacement, as Betty Buckley played Nora Walker in the original version of the pilot. The re-shoot on her scenes gives the episode a choppy feel at some points, but they don't overshadow Ms. Fields' work in the role. Her big confrontation with Kitty is emotionally overwhelming, and as in real life nothing is resolved by the confrontation. It promises to rip out a few hearts in the audience in the coming episodes. (And credit must also go to Baitz for writing such a powerful scene as that.)
Okay, hereof comes it that I discuss the big spoiler. Flee if you must and abandon all hope of being surprised later ye who enter here.
I will admit that I might have given this show a pass entirely - the last time this type of series kept me hooked was when I caught 'thirtySOMETHING' in daily reruns on A&E back in the early 90s. (And the connection between that landmark series and 'Brothers & Sisters' extends beyond the involvement of Ken Olin as an exec producer. Olin's wife Patricia Wettig is in the cast as Holly Harper, a... friend of William Walker.)
But it was the promise of seeing Tom Skerritt as William Walker that got me to watch the pilot, so kudos to the producers on hiring him as a lure. I've been a big fan of Skerritt's since "M*A*S*H" and always felt he slipped off the radar between that and 'Alien'. I love the chance to see him in old TV shows like 'My Favorite Martian' and 'Picket Fences' remains one of my top five favorite shows from the 1990s.
As the debut of the series approached, I was puzzled by the lack of attention his involvement was getting. Rarely was there the print ad which featured him in the collection of cast pictures.
Now I know why.
According to the New York Times this morning, the re-shot opening of the episode was the big surprise to the TV critics who had seen the earlier version, and that doesn't even take into account the recasting of the mother character. But for the average audience member (which - at least in this respect - includes me), it was the ending that was the big surprise.
Here we go......
While William Walker is sitting with his young granddaughter by the pool to look at the constellations and planets (She sees him as Ares, the warrior.), he's slowly stricken with a heart attack and then falls into the pool after sending the little girl for help. Two of his sons dive in to retrieve him, but the previews for next Sunday give it all away - they were too late. William Walker passes away.
Let me just say at this point, God bless Tom Skerritt and I hope that in real life he's with us for quite some time. It's a testament to how well he keeps himself that I didn't believe it possible that a heart attack could fell his character, because he's such a robust man. Although I knew he had to be up there in age after watching his career all these years, it bowled me over to check his stats at the IMDb.com to find out that he's 73 years old!
At first I was stunned that they would let such a vital, central character go like that. I could see how his recuperation from the heart attack could have led to so many different storylines, especially as his two main transgressions in life - the financial troubles and his extramarital affair - came out into the open. Another show would have probably gone for the difficulties between the Walker parents as they tried to confront and reconcile themselves to the revealed Truths.
But this show is 'Brothers & Sisters' and such a storyline doesn't belong in such a dynamic. This plot development will better serve the evolution of these five characters over the coming season.
And now, since this is "Inner Toob", here's the Toobworld aspect for the show.......
What a pleasant diversion this show is from all the forensic crime procedurals, the conspiracy-laden serials, the lawyer shows, and the medical dramas with over-the-top showstoppers (like bombs inside humans and cameras that climb inside the body). And it's not a cloying, feel-good family dynamic like 'Everwood' and '7th Heaven'. These people feel "real", as much as they can be in the TV Universe.
Sometimes it's just nice to have a show that you know fits into the TV Universe just as it is, without worrying about whether or not you have to shift it over to some other dimension because they have a different President in the Oval Office, or because the moon blew up.
So far, I see only two possibilities for specific attempts to link this show to others. First would be Ojai Foods, the family business. Perhaps at some point, the producers from some other show on ABC might allow an Ojai Foods delivery truck to be seen in the background of a scene in their show.
Secondly would be the TV network where it looks like Kitty Walker will be taking a job as their Ann Coulter (but without as much venom in her veins). I may have missed it in the dialogue (and I don't think it showed up on the placard that was created to trumpet her future employment there), but I don't think the name of the network was given. Personally, I'd like it to be ZNN, which would link the show to 'JAG', 'NCIS', 'First Monday', and '7 Days'.
I'm not sure how long I will stay with this series. As much as I enjoyed the pilot, it could be that the big dramatic conclusion for the hour is what hopped me up on coming back to visit the Walkers again in the future. I'll have to see how it goes.
But in the meantime, I think all concerned did a pretty good job in overcoming the bad buzz the show got, from reports of production hurdles during filming. We'll have to see if it pays off.....
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
'Supernatural' - two brothers go cross-country investigating the paranormal
'Law & Order' - murder is committed, cops investigate, ADAs prosecute
I think 'Runaway', one of the only new offerings on the new CW network, falls into that category. A guy is framed for a murder and he goes on the run with his family while he tries to clear his name.
David Bianculli of the New York Daily News had the greatest description for the show, pure Toobworld:
"The Fugitive... With Children"
And that's all I need to know about the show. I can now catch it at my leisure.
Sometimes you need to watch from the very beginning to get the best introduction to the characters, and I knew 'Brothers & Sisters' would be that type of show. I didn't have any real interest in watching it on a regular basis - soon enough 'The Dead Zone' and 'Entourage' would be back in that 10 PM Sunday timeslot. But as a caretaker for Toobworld, I want to try to at least sample every one of the new shows.
So I went into the pilot episode with no expectations, good or bad.
Boy, was I surprised by how involved I became with the Walker family in just one hour!
By the way, there will be a major spoiler discussed here by the end. Usually I just blather on with my discourse without regard to this, figuring that you'll know to stop reading. But this time it was a big surprise, so bleep off if you Tivo'd it for later.....
The one thing I did expect was that the hour would be given over to introductions to the five adult Walker siblings - 3 men and 2 women.
The guys got short-shrifted, I think. Kevin's a lawyer, and gay. Thomas is married (engaged?) and working in the family business (Ojai Foods, a produce distributor). He may also know more about his father's personal... affairs than he lets on. And the youngest brother is a drug and booze addled bleep-up who served in Afghanistan a few years ago and has been screwing up ever since. (Of the three, I think Justin was the best served of the brothers, intro-wise.)
I'm sure that as the series progresses, we'll learn more about the three sons.
This first time out, we learned more about the two sisters, Kitty in particular. She is the prodigal Walker, who had been living in NYC where she spouted her conservative views on her own satellite radio show. But now she was back in L.A. with a chance to work on national TV.
Calista Flockhart is playing Kitty, and Rachel Griffiths is playing her sister. It's nice to see that Griffiths' character will not be taking a back seat to Flockhart's when it comes to screen time. Although Kitty's relationship with their Mom (as played by Sally Field) has the emotional impact (and quite a wallop it is!), Griffiths has more irons in the fire when it comes to plotlines. She's having "marital problems", to the point where she and her husband are seeking counseling; she's found bookkeeping discrepancies at the family business; and she may revive an interracial affair that she once had with a former business associate. (Nice to see Michael Beach back in Toobworld.)
I think it says something about her character, however, that of the five kids, her name is the only one I can't remember. (I've since looked it up - it's Sarah.)
Jon Robin Baitz is the writer and executive producer (with Ken Olin), and where he's involved, you're sure to find Ron Rifkin as well, something of a lucky charm in Baitz's productions. And here he shows up as the brother to Sally Field's Nora Walker. (If I'm reading that family dynamic right - Griffiths calls him "Mister Uncle Saul", so the term "uncle" might be an honorific.) Saul Holden is deeply involved in the mystery of the missing funds at the family business, but he might have just been trying to cover up for the transgressions by William Walker, the patriarch of the family.
I mentioned Sally Field earlier. She was a last-minute replacement, as Betty Buckley played Nora Walker in the original version of the pilot. The re-shoot on her scenes gives the episode a choppy feel at some points, but they don't overshadow Ms. Fields' work in the role. Her big confrontation with Kitty is emotionally overwhelming, and as in real life nothing is resolved by the confrontation. It promises to rip out a few hearts in the audience in the coming episodes. (And credit must also go to Baitz for writing such a powerful scene as that.)
Okay, hereof comes it that I discuss the big spoiler. Flee if you must and abandon all hope of being surprised later ye who enter here.
I will admit that I might have given this show a pass entirely - the last time this type of series kept me hooked was when I caught 'thirtySOMETHING' in daily reruns on A&E back in the early 90s. (And the connection between that landmark series and 'Brothers & Sisters' extends beyond the involvement of Ken Olin as an exec producer. Olin's wife Patricia Wettig is in the cast as Holly Harper, a... friend of William Walker.)
But it was the promise of seeing Tom Skerritt as William Walker that got me to watch the pilot, so kudos to the producers on hiring him as a lure. I've been a big fan of Skerritt's since "M*A*S*H" and always felt he slipped off the radar between that and 'Alien'. I love the chance to see him in old TV shows like 'My Favorite Martian' and 'Picket Fences' remains one of my top five favorite shows from the 1990s.
As the debut of the series approached, I was puzzled by the lack of attention his involvement was getting. Rarely was there the print ad which featured him in the collection of cast pictures.
Now I know why.
According to the New York Times this morning, the re-shot opening of the episode was the big surprise to the TV critics who had seen the earlier version, and that doesn't even take into account the recasting of the mother character. But for the average audience member (which - at least in this respect - includes me), it was the ending that was the big surprise.
Here we go......
While William Walker is sitting with his young granddaughter by the pool to look at the constellations and planets (She sees him as Ares, the warrior.), he's slowly stricken with a heart attack and then falls into the pool after sending the little girl for help. Two of his sons dive in to retrieve him, but the previews for next Sunday give it all away - they were too late. William Walker passes away.
Let me just say at this point, God bless Tom Skerritt and I hope that in real life he's with us for quite some time. It's a testament to how well he keeps himself that I didn't believe it possible that a heart attack could fell his character, because he's such a robust man. Although I knew he had to be up there in age after watching his career all these years, it bowled me over to check his stats at the IMDb.com to find out that he's 73 years old!
Murray Slaughter: I hope I look that good when I'm his age.
Lou Grant: You kidding? You don't look that good now!
('The Mary Tyler Moore Show')
Lou Grant: You kidding? You don't look that good now!
('The Mary Tyler Moore Show')
At first I was stunned that they would let such a vital, central character go like that. I could see how his recuperation from the heart attack could have led to so many different storylines, especially as his two main transgressions in life - the financial troubles and his extramarital affair - came out into the open. Another show would have probably gone for the difficulties between the Walker parents as they tried to confront and reconcile themselves to the revealed Truths.
But this show is 'Brothers & Sisters' and such a storyline doesn't belong in such a dynamic. This plot development will better serve the evolution of these five characters over the coming season.
And now, since this is "Inner Toob", here's the Toobworld aspect for the show.......
What a pleasant diversion this show is from all the forensic crime procedurals, the conspiracy-laden serials, the lawyer shows, and the medical dramas with over-the-top showstoppers (like bombs inside humans and cameras that climb inside the body). And it's not a cloying, feel-good family dynamic like 'Everwood' and '7th Heaven'. These people feel "real", as much as they can be in the TV Universe.
Sometimes it's just nice to have a show that you know fits into the TV Universe just as it is, without worrying about whether or not you have to shift it over to some other dimension because they have a different President in the Oval Office, or because the moon blew up.
So far, I see only two possibilities for specific attempts to link this show to others. First would be Ojai Foods, the family business. Perhaps at some point, the producers from some other show on ABC might allow an Ojai Foods delivery truck to be seen in the background of a scene in their show.
Secondly would be the TV network where it looks like Kitty Walker will be taking a job as their Ann Coulter (but without as much venom in her veins). I may have missed it in the dialogue (and I don't think it showed up on the placard that was created to trumpet her future employment there), but I don't think the name of the network was given. Personally, I'd like it to be ZNN, which would link the show to 'JAG', 'NCIS', 'First Monday', and '7 Days'.
I'm not sure how long I will stay with this series. As much as I enjoyed the pilot, it could be that the big dramatic conclusion for the hour is what hopped me up on coming back to visit the Walkers again in the future. I'll have to see how it goes.
But in the meantime, I think all concerned did a pretty good job in overcoming the bad buzz the show got, from reports of production hurdles during filming. We'll have to see if it pays off.....
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
THE TOOBWORLD TIMELINE
I always enjoy it when you can pinpoint when exactly a TV episode is supposed to be taking place. Usually I can only get as specific as the particular date on which a TV event might have occurred. Rarely have I been able to nail it down to the exact moment, '24' notwithstanding.
I just finally caught up with the tapes I made from last week, and saw 'Eureka' this morning, the episode about the deathsleep plant and its pollen's effect on the townsfolk.
And it's without doubt that the story begins on Saturday, September 23, 2006... probably sometime after 8:30 at night EST, making it about 5:30 or so in Eureka, Oregon....
That's because Sheriff Jack Carter was watching the televised football game between Notre Dame and Michigan State, which was broadcast on ABC.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
I just finally caught up with the tapes I made from last week, and saw 'Eureka' this morning, the episode about the deathsleep plant and its pollen's effect on the townsfolk.
And it's without doubt that the story begins on Saturday, September 23, 2006... probably sometime after 8:30 at night EST, making it about 5:30 or so in Eureka, Oregon....
That's because Sheriff Jack Carter was watching the televised football game between Notre Dame and Michigan State, which was broadcast on ABC.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
Monday, September 25, 2006
"LOST" IN "MILFORD"?
On the season finale of 'Three Moons Over Milford', real estate diva Michelle Graybar explored her inner "Cheterosexuality" with a "crazy naked man" who wandered into town and claimed to be from the dwarf planet Pluto.
Near the end of the episode, in a scene reminiscent of 'Northern Exposure', Michelle lost her chance to be with "Chet" forever when he seemingly disappeared in the forest, beamed back to his home planet thanks to a sequence of numbers he chanted: "4, 16, 11, 47".
Just yesterday I wrote about how the "Numbers" in 'Lost' (4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42) were a universal equation that pervaded everyone's life in the TV Universe, no matter what the show. Not all of the numbers had to come into play - there was a safe deposit box numbered 1516 used by Locke's Dad; the Oceanic Airlines flight that crashed was 815.
So now it appears those numbers are truly universal and are not just a factor in one TV dimension. 'Lost' takes place in the main Toobworld, Earth Prime-Time, while 'Three Moons Over Milford' has to be in its own dimension because the Moon had been shattered into three large chunks.
And as noted, the numbers "4" and "16" were integral to the equation needed by "Chet" to return to his home planet. (I'm still not sure about the significance of the numbers "11" and "47".)
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
Near the end of the episode, in a scene reminiscent of 'Northern Exposure', Michelle lost her chance to be with "Chet" forever when he seemingly disappeared in the forest, beamed back to his home planet thanks to a sequence of numbers he chanted: "4, 16, 11, 47".
Just yesterday I wrote about how the "Numbers" in 'Lost' (4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42) were a universal equation that pervaded everyone's life in the TV Universe, no matter what the show. Not all of the numbers had to come into play - there was a safe deposit box numbered 1516 used by Locke's Dad; the Oceanic Airlines flight that crashed was 815.
So now it appears those numbers are truly universal and are not just a factor in one TV dimension. 'Lost' takes place in the main Toobworld, Earth Prime-Time, while 'Three Moons Over Milford' has to be in its own dimension because the Moon had been shattered into three large chunks.
And as noted, the numbers "4" and "16" were integral to the equation needed by "Chet" to return to his home planet. (I'm still not sure about the significance of the numbers "11" and "47".)
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
2006 SERIES DEBUT REPORT: "SHARK"
I plan to watch 'Shark' for its first two episodes. After that, I'll check out 'Six Degrees'. I may come back to 'Shark', maybe not. Thursday nights are my Saturdays, and I'd rather go out without the bother of setting up the VCR (aside from 'The Office' and 'My Name Is Earl', of course.)
And I picked just the first two episodes because I wanted to see the debut and because my friend Shirley will be appearing in the second episode. She's playing Judge Vivian Bell, one of Stark's poker buddies, along with Robert Shapiro playing himself. If the set-up proves to work, who knows? It would be nice for Shirley if it turned into a recurring gig.
Otherwise, I wasn't wowed by the show. I like James Woods a lot and he's great in the role, even though his Sebastian Stark is not a likable guy. But there was nothing compelling about his performance to keep me coming back to see what happens next to him, as is the case with Hugh Laurie as 'House'.
And without that sleek costume as Seven of Nine, there's nothing really about Jeri Ryan as his boss in the D.A.'s office to make me want to keep watching either.
As a matter of fact, it was the dress-down and firing of one of his assistants that turned me against Sebastian Stark. My hope is that the creator of the show has plans to bring that character back again in the future. Perhaps as a defense lawyer who has learned from the experience and gets the chance to wipe the courtroom floor with Stark, wiping that smirk off his face.
Here's the Toobworld take.......
When 'Spin City' premiered with Barry Bostwick as the Mayor of New York City, it had to be placed in a different TV dimension (possibly the same one where one could find 'Hail To The Chief' and 'Mr. President'). If a TV show was going to portray anybody else but Rudy Giuliani as the Mayor (or now, Mike Bloomberg) then it couldn't be the same Big Apple as found in the main Toobworld. (By the way, both Giuliani and Bloomberg have appeared as themselves in their capacity as Mayor on 'Law & Order'.)
So even though I'm unfamiliar with the local politics of the City of Angels, I think the same courtesy has to be accorded to Los Angeles. It's one thing to have a fictional character intent on running for the job of Mayor in L.A., as is the case in 'The Shield', and something else entirely when you have a fictional character holding the position.
In the Real World, as should be the case in Toobworld, the Mayor of Los Angeles is Antonio Villaraigoso. He cemented his credentials for Toobworld by appearing as himself on 'George Lopez'.
But on 'Shark', the Mayor is Manuel Delgado. At least they kept him an Hispanic, but it's still not the right man.
Therefore, 'Shark' has to be shipped out, and so why not to the dimension of 'The West Wing'? It seems as good a place as any, at least until there's some mention of Dubya being in the White House.
No matter which dimension it winds up in, 'Shark' won't have any problem keeping a few of its cultural references. For instance, the defense lawyer's chair in Stark's basement mock-up of a courtroom once belonged to Clarence Darrow. Darrow was portrayed by Henry Fonda, Tol Avery, and Kevin Spacey on Television.
And even though the events of "Inherit The Wind" were fictional and based on Darrow's involvement in the Scopes Monkey Trial, they are also part of the TV Universe thanks to three productions of the play for Television. Surely, one of them must be the real deal for the 'Shark' dimension. So the judge's bench which Stark claims is from "Inherit The Wind" would be either from the movie versioni starring Spencer Tracy, or from the Broadway play; most likely from the movie.
And since those are different universes of Mankind's creative output, the judge's bench has no real bearing on the integrity of Toobworld. (I'd say however that the 1960 movie - as far as Toobworld is concerned, - was based on the "real life" events as seen in the TV production.)
Wolfgang Puck is also appearing this week as himself. But because 'Shark' is now off in some other dimension, the Master Chef's televersion doesn't help make any connections to the many other shows in which Puck has been caught in the act of being himself.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
And I picked just the first two episodes because I wanted to see the debut and because my friend Shirley will be appearing in the second episode. She's playing Judge Vivian Bell, one of Stark's poker buddies, along with Robert Shapiro playing himself. If the set-up proves to work, who knows? It would be nice for Shirley if it turned into a recurring gig.
Otherwise, I wasn't wowed by the show. I like James Woods a lot and he's great in the role, even though his Sebastian Stark is not a likable guy. But there was nothing compelling about his performance to keep me coming back to see what happens next to him, as is the case with Hugh Laurie as 'House'.
And without that sleek costume as Seven of Nine, there's nothing really about Jeri Ryan as his boss in the D.A.'s office to make me want to keep watching either.
As a matter of fact, it was the dress-down and firing of one of his assistants that turned me against Sebastian Stark. My hope is that the creator of the show has plans to bring that character back again in the future. Perhaps as a defense lawyer who has learned from the experience and gets the chance to wipe the courtroom floor with Stark, wiping that smirk off his face.
Here's the Toobworld take.......
When 'Spin City' premiered with Barry Bostwick as the Mayor of New York City, it had to be placed in a different TV dimension (possibly the same one where one could find 'Hail To The Chief' and 'Mr. President'). If a TV show was going to portray anybody else but Rudy Giuliani as the Mayor (or now, Mike Bloomberg) then it couldn't be the same Big Apple as found in the main Toobworld. (By the way, both Giuliani and Bloomberg have appeared as themselves in their capacity as Mayor on 'Law & Order'.)
So even though I'm unfamiliar with the local politics of the City of Angels, I think the same courtesy has to be accorded to Los Angeles. It's one thing to have a fictional character intent on running for the job of Mayor in L.A., as is the case in 'The Shield', and something else entirely when you have a fictional character holding the position.
In the Real World, as should be the case in Toobworld, the Mayor of Los Angeles is Antonio Villaraigoso. He cemented his credentials for Toobworld by appearing as himself on 'George Lopez'.
But on 'Shark', the Mayor is Manuel Delgado. At least they kept him an Hispanic, but it's still not the right man.
Therefore, 'Shark' has to be shipped out, and so why not to the dimension of 'The West Wing'? It seems as good a place as any, at least until there's some mention of Dubya being in the White House.
No matter which dimension it winds up in, 'Shark' won't have any problem keeping a few of its cultural references. For instance, the defense lawyer's chair in Stark's basement mock-up of a courtroom once belonged to Clarence Darrow. Darrow was portrayed by Henry Fonda, Tol Avery, and Kevin Spacey on Television.
And even though the events of "Inherit The Wind" were fictional and based on Darrow's involvement in the Scopes Monkey Trial, they are also part of the TV Universe thanks to three productions of the play for Television. Surely, one of them must be the real deal for the 'Shark' dimension. So the judge's bench which Stark claims is from "Inherit The Wind" would be either from the movie versioni starring Spencer Tracy, or from the Broadway play; most likely from the movie.
And since those are different universes of Mankind's creative output, the judge's bench has no real bearing on the integrity of Toobworld. (I'd say however that the 1960 movie - as far as Toobworld is concerned, - was based on the "real life" events as seen in the TV production.)
Wolfgang Puck is also appearing this week as himself. But because 'Shark' is now off in some other dimension, the Master Chef's televersion doesn't help make any connections to the many other shows in which Puck has been caught in the act of being himself.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
2006 SERIES DEBUT REPORT - "KIDNAPPED"
Last week, Brent McKee ran a poll in his blog "I Am A Child Of Television" (see link to the left) to gauge his readers' opinions as to which new drama would be canceled first. I wrote in with the opinion that it would be 'Kidnapped'.
My reasoning? First off, it was in the slot held by 'Law & Order' for the last 17 years and that built-in audience wasn't guaranteed to stay there. Also, the theme of the show is too similar to that of FOX's 'Vanished' which had the benefit of premiering several weeks earlier. And third, once 'The Nine' premiered, which would have the incredible lead-in of 'Lost'....... Well, I thought 'Kidnapped' would be a goner.
And then I got the chance to see the show.
I found it to be a gripping hour of Television and it felt more like a movie. Especially with such a high-caliber cast - Jeremy Sisto, Timothy Hutton, Dana Delaney, Delroy Lindo, Mykelti Williamson, and in a small role which I hope will expand, Ricky Jay.
And New York City is a character in the show as well, with several locations well used (like that foot bridge in Central Park).
On paper, the kidnapping itself didn't seem too gripping, certainly without the masonic layers of conspiracy being added to 'Vanished'. But the execution of the scheme and the mastery of the episode's direction combined to enrich the show to make it deeper without becoming ponderous. This puppy moved!
Sisto makes a great albeit unconventional hero as the mercenary hired to bring the kidnap victim home alive. And matching him is his former partner in the FBI as played by Delroy Lindo. In fact, Lindo had my favorite moment from the whole episode - as he walked into the Cain family's palatial "apartment" for the first time, there's this quickly doused look of surprise in his eyes as though he was overwhelmed by the massive display of opulence hidden away there right in the middle of Manhattan.
Hutton and Delaney are totally believable as the parents of the victim, Leopold Cain. And both of them have secrets that may play into the motive behind this crime against their family.
I'll definitely be watching again this week. Next week once 'The Nine' debuts? Well.... Hopefully NBC will continue to re-broadcast 'Kidnapped' on Saturday nights to get maximum exposure for the show.
Now, as for the Toobworld aspects......
My first instinct was to create a theory of "relateeveety" for linking the Cain family to David Caruso's character on 'CSI: Miami'. It seemed fated by more than just the similar last names - Horatio, Leopold..... Perhaps it was a family tradition to name the first-born sons with distinctive first names?
However, Horatio Caine spells his last name with that pesky "e". Family members have altered the spelling of their surnames in the past here in the real world - Ronald Reagan had cousins who spelled it "Regan"; brothers Pete Duel and Geoffrey Deuel differed on whether or not to keep the original spelling. But I think my reasoning to link Horatio to Leopold was flimsy at best.
One thing I'm glad about (so far) is that 'Kidnapped' looks as though it can be kept in the environs of Earth Prime-Time. This version of Manhattan seems to be the same as could be found in 'Kojak' or 'NYPD Blue' or even 'Taxi'.
And even though Delaney's Mrs. Cain seems to have some kind of relationship with a Secret Service agent, I saw nothing to think that we're going to get caught up with any interaction with the sitting President. For all intents and purposes, I think we can assume that the President for this show is the same one for both Toobworld and the Real World... ::sigh::
I blame 'The West Wing', you know. Ever since they made alternate White House politics popular, everybody wants to make some kind of connection to what's going on inside the Beltway. 'Commander In Chief', 'Prison Break', 'The Agency', 'First Monday', 'The Court'..... everybody wants to get into the act and so have to be shuttled off to their own TV dimensions. (Although it's my belief that 'Prison Break' shares the same dimension as 'The Agency' and 'The District'.)
So far, 'Vanished' is able to remain in the main Toobworld despite toying with national politics when it comes to the confirmation hearings for a new Supreme Court justice.
I'm hoping 'Kidnapped' can maintain its self-containment without the need to create a fictional administration. When shows like 'L.A. Law' and 'Live Shot' wanted to make a connection in their plots with the Executive branch, they called upon the Clinton administration which was in power at the time. But even so, what happened to the good old days with shows like 'Barnaby Jones' and 'Perry Mason' and 'McCloud' which never had to beat a path to the Oval Office for their mysteries?
Anyway, I'm recommending 'Kidnapped' and hopefully you have DVR capabilities so that you can snare both this show and 'The Nine'. (Or 'CSI:NY' if you are so inclined.) Me, I've got only the steam-powered VCR, being a Cro-Magnetic tape Man, so I'm hoping NBC will continue to air the 'Kidnapped' repeats on Saturdays!
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
My reasoning? First off, it was in the slot held by 'Law & Order' for the last 17 years and that built-in audience wasn't guaranteed to stay there. Also, the theme of the show is too similar to that of FOX's 'Vanished' which had the benefit of premiering several weeks earlier. And third, once 'The Nine' premiered, which would have the incredible lead-in of 'Lost'....... Well, I thought 'Kidnapped' would be a goner.
And then I got the chance to see the show.
I found it to be a gripping hour of Television and it felt more like a movie. Especially with such a high-caliber cast - Jeremy Sisto, Timothy Hutton, Dana Delaney, Delroy Lindo, Mykelti Williamson, and in a small role which I hope will expand, Ricky Jay.
And New York City is a character in the show as well, with several locations well used (like that foot bridge in Central Park).
On paper, the kidnapping itself didn't seem too gripping, certainly without the masonic layers of conspiracy being added to 'Vanished'. But the execution of the scheme and the mastery of the episode's direction combined to enrich the show to make it deeper without becoming ponderous. This puppy moved!
Sisto makes a great albeit unconventional hero as the mercenary hired to bring the kidnap victim home alive. And matching him is his former partner in the FBI as played by Delroy Lindo. In fact, Lindo had my favorite moment from the whole episode - as he walked into the Cain family's palatial "apartment" for the first time, there's this quickly doused look of surprise in his eyes as though he was overwhelmed by the massive display of opulence hidden away there right in the middle of Manhattan.
Hutton and Delaney are totally believable as the parents of the victim, Leopold Cain. And both of them have secrets that may play into the motive behind this crime against their family.
I'll definitely be watching again this week. Next week once 'The Nine' debuts? Well.... Hopefully NBC will continue to re-broadcast 'Kidnapped' on Saturday nights to get maximum exposure for the show.
Now, as for the Toobworld aspects......
My first instinct was to create a theory of "relateeveety" for linking the Cain family to David Caruso's character on 'CSI: Miami'. It seemed fated by more than just the similar last names - Horatio, Leopold..... Perhaps it was a family tradition to name the first-born sons with distinctive first names?
However, Horatio Caine spells his last name with that pesky "e". Family members have altered the spelling of their surnames in the past here in the real world - Ronald Reagan had cousins who spelled it "Regan"; brothers Pete Duel and Geoffrey Deuel differed on whether or not to keep the original spelling. But I think my reasoning to link Horatio to Leopold was flimsy at best.
One thing I'm glad about (so far) is that 'Kidnapped' looks as though it can be kept in the environs of Earth Prime-Time. This version of Manhattan seems to be the same as could be found in 'Kojak' or 'NYPD Blue' or even 'Taxi'.
And even though Delaney's Mrs. Cain seems to have some kind of relationship with a Secret Service agent, I saw nothing to think that we're going to get caught up with any interaction with the sitting President. For all intents and purposes, I think we can assume that the President for this show is the same one for both Toobworld and the Real World... ::sigh::
I blame 'The West Wing', you know. Ever since they made alternate White House politics popular, everybody wants to make some kind of connection to what's going on inside the Beltway. 'Commander In Chief', 'Prison Break', 'The Agency', 'First Monday', 'The Court'..... everybody wants to get into the act and so have to be shuttled off to their own TV dimensions. (Although it's my belief that 'Prison Break' shares the same dimension as 'The Agency' and 'The District'.)
So far, 'Vanished' is able to remain in the main Toobworld despite toying with national politics when it comes to the confirmation hearings for a new Supreme Court justice.
I'm hoping 'Kidnapped' can maintain its self-containment without the need to create a fictional administration. When shows like 'L.A. Law' and 'Live Shot' wanted to make a connection in their plots with the Executive branch, they called upon the Clinton administration which was in power at the time. But even so, what happened to the good old days with shows like 'Barnaby Jones' and 'Perry Mason' and 'McCloud' which never had to beat a path to the Oval Office for their mysteries?
Anyway, I'm recommending 'Kidnapped' and hopefully you have DVR capabilities so that you can snare both this show and 'The Nine'. (Or 'CSI:NY' if you are so inclined.) Me, I've got only the steam-powered VCR, being a Cro-Magnetic tape Man, so I'm hoping NBC will continue to air the 'Kidnapped' repeats on Saturdays!
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
WE CAN BE "HEROES" JUST FOR ONE DAY- oh. NEVER MIND.
For those of you in a quandary as to what to tape/watch tonight at 9 pm - are you following the conspiracy clues in 'Vanished'? Are you a 'Two and a Half Men' fan? Can't wait to see who buys it next on 'Prison Break'? - your problem adds a new show tonight to the mix - 'Heroes' on NBC.
Except for Maureen Ryan's pan in her blog for the Chicago Tribune (link to the left), I've seen nothing but high praise for this show. 'Heroes' has been listed along with 'Studio 60' and 'The Nine' as the show most eagerly awaited this new season.
But if it is a problem for you, as it is with me, then my suggestion is to skip 'Heroes'.
[That should give agita to the powers behind the Peacock Throne!]
NBC is making sure the show reaches as many people as possible because of such scheduling conflicts for viewers. 'Heroes' will repeat on Friday nights at 7 pm EST on the 'Sci-Fi' network.
My problem is that I'm in a combination of sleep/shower/leave for work during that hour. There's no way I can tape one show and watch another; it's taping only. I know I'll have a chance with 'Two and a Half Men' for years to come - it's a guaranteed hit in syndication to my mind. And I gave up on 'Prison Break' after that big hiatus last season, because it was just too grim and unbelievable.
But I am enjoying 'Vanished', finding myself still watching it even though my friend Shirley has come and gone in her appearance on the show. (She played a Post Office clerk caught in a staged robbery attempt.) I've been hearing rumors of what's to come in the 10th episode of the show and I'm keen to see how it plays out.
So I for one am happy for this chance to get a second shot to watch 'Heroes'. This type of repeats (combined with the Saturday night lineups from all the networks) is going to be a big boon for me as the new TV season shakes out.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
Except for Maureen Ryan's pan in her blog for the Chicago Tribune (link to the left), I've seen nothing but high praise for this show. 'Heroes' has been listed along with 'Studio 60' and 'The Nine' as the show most eagerly awaited this new season.
But if it is a problem for you, as it is with me, then my suggestion is to skip 'Heroes'.
[That should give agita to the powers behind the Peacock Throne!]
NBC is making sure the show reaches as many people as possible because of such scheduling conflicts for viewers. 'Heroes' will repeat on Friday nights at 7 pm EST on the 'Sci-Fi' network.
My problem is that I'm in a combination of sleep/shower/leave for work during that hour. There's no way I can tape one show and watch another; it's taping only. I know I'll have a chance with 'Two and a Half Men' for years to come - it's a guaranteed hit in syndication to my mind. And I gave up on 'Prison Break' after that big hiatus last season, because it was just too grim and unbelievable.
But I am enjoying 'Vanished', finding myself still watching it even though my friend Shirley has come and gone in her appearance on the show. (She played a Post Office clerk caught in a staged robbery attempt.) I've been hearing rumors of what's to come in the 10th episode of the show and I'm keen to see how it plays out.
So I for one am happy for this chance to get a second shot to watch 'Heroes'. This type of repeats (combined with the Saturday night lineups from all the networks) is going to be a big boon for me as the new TV season shakes out.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
ARE YOU EXPERIENCED?
For those of you who were following the online "Lost Experience" over this past summer, or were just interested in what the bleep was happening, here's a brief summary and critique about the finale yesterday:
Oh well. At least we have the actual series returning next Wednesday, October 4th!
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
[Thanks to my "Iddiot" friend Brian-El for the link!]
Oh well. At least we have the actual series returning next Wednesday, October 4th!
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
[Thanks to my "Iddiot" friend Brian-El for the link!]
Sunday, September 24, 2006
A MATTER OF "DEGREES"
Rob Buckley of the blog "The Medium Is Not Enough" nicked the plot summary for 'Six Degrees' from the official press release to save himself some time.
It seemed like a good idea to me, so I'm lifting it from him.......
"They say that anyone on the planet can be connected to any other person through a chain of six people, which means that no one is a stranger... for long. In this hour-long drama from the producers of “Lost” and “Alias,” six very different New Yorkers go about their lives without realizing the impact they're having on one another - yet. A mysterious web of coincidences will gradually draw these strangers closer, changing the course of their lives forever. Is it happenstance? Fate? Is there a greater force at work in our world, guiding us along and connecting our lives?"
Dunh dunh DUNH!
Earlier this year I wrote about the fortune cookie slip with the "Numbers" from 'Lost' which was seen at the end of a 'Veronica Mars' episode. I concluded that if the "Numbers" (4 8 15 16 23 42) surrounded the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 in all aspects of their lives, then the "Numbers" would then be showing up everywhere else as well throughout the TV Universe. The "Numbers" aren't out there just for the main characters of 'Lost', they surround everyone in Toobworld and they have some sort of meaning for everyone in some random way.
Remember, '30 Rock' is "15" doubled. Twice that for 'Studio 60', or put another way, "60" equals "15 x 4".
The theory that the numbers pervade the lives of everyone in the universe, all other TV characters no matter the show, no matter the network, is backed up by the mysterious Alvar Hanso in that video that can be seen on YouTube.com.
So accepting that, it's also likely that other conceits from 'Lost' also affect the characters from other TV shows.
Throughout the flashbacks of the "Lostaways", we have seen how their lives have intersected with each other even if they haven't been fully aware of it.
Just a few examples:
1] Boone is in the same Australian police station where Sawyer gets arrested
2] Locke inspects the home bought by Nadia, Sayid's former love
3] Jack chose to save Sarah over the father of Shannon
4] Mr. Eko and Claire visited the same psychic
5] Kate's Mom served Sawyer in a diner; Jack's Dad drank with Sawyer in a bar
6] Hurley owned the box company where Locke worked
7] Libby was in the same mental hospital as Hurley and Locke's Mom and she sold her boat to Desmond
8] Most everybody previously heard Charlie's one hit song
Once you start, you just can't stop!
So that same theory about the six degrees of separation between everybody on Earth is probably universal. And therefore, the odd patterns that are emerging to link the six main characters of 'Six Degrees' probably are part of the same overall cosmic plan as is dictating the lives of the "Lostaways".
(Rob Buckley lists these character types caught up in this struggle of Life: "the artist who's lost his muse; the guy trying to find a girl; the woman who's lost her husband and is trying to get back on her feet; the woman who's worried her boyfriend might be cheating on her; the honest black guy trying to avoid being dragged into crime; and the girl on the run from her dangerous past.")
Rob also mentions another show from earlier this summer that could also be caught up in this grand design, 'Windfall'.
The basic foundation of the TV Universe is predicated on this theory about "Six Degrees of Separation", thanks to crossovers and spin-offs and other links which all eventually lead back to St. Eligius Teaching Hospital in Boston, AKA 'St. Elsewhere'.
The Toobworld concept takes it for granted that all TV shows are connected already; and while it's nice to find either official links or one of my wacko theories to confirm this, I don't need the proof to justify my belief.
I'm committed to 'Shark' for the first two episodes, but I think I'll be switching over to 'Six Degrees' once I see that second one. (My friend Shirley Jordan will be playing one of Shark's poker buddies in it.)
Forget about 'ER' ever getting hold of my eyeballs ever again!
I'm pretty sure that despite the bad reviews (Rob Buckley's was the first one that I saw that was positive, and even that was lukewarm.), 'Six Degrees' will be around for a while.
After all, when the producer is JJ Abrams, and he's already bringing in the "Numbers" for your network (Sorry about that, Chief!), then you don't want to make him angry.
You wouldn't like it if he's angry.
(One could argue that NBC had no trouble pissing off Dick Wolf twice in a row with speedy cancellations of 'Law & Order: Trial By Jury' and 'Conviction', but that franchise is old and could even be on the ropes. 'Lost' is sssssmokin' white hot.)
Besides, I would not be surprised if a mention of some character from 'Lost' or a reference to the Hanso Foundation or to Oceanic Airlines crops up on the show. Abrams did the same thing twice in episodes of 'Alias'.
Anyway......
What does it all mean? Who knows? Bring on the statue with the four toes already!
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
It seemed like a good idea to me, so I'm lifting it from him.......
"They say that anyone on the planet can be connected to any other person through a chain of six people, which means that no one is a stranger... for long. In this hour-long drama from the producers of “Lost” and “Alias,” six very different New Yorkers go about their lives without realizing the impact they're having on one another - yet. A mysterious web of coincidences will gradually draw these strangers closer, changing the course of their lives forever. Is it happenstance? Fate? Is there a greater force at work in our world, guiding us along and connecting our lives?"
Dunh dunh DUNH!
Earlier this year I wrote about the fortune cookie slip with the "Numbers" from 'Lost' which was seen at the end of a 'Veronica Mars' episode. I concluded that if the "Numbers" (4 8 15 16 23 42) surrounded the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 in all aspects of their lives, then the "Numbers" would then be showing up everywhere else as well throughout the TV Universe. The "Numbers" aren't out there just for the main characters of 'Lost', they surround everyone in Toobworld and they have some sort of meaning for everyone in some random way.
Remember, '30 Rock' is "15" doubled. Twice that for 'Studio 60', or put another way, "60" equals "15 x 4".
The theory that the numbers pervade the lives of everyone in the universe, all other TV characters no matter the show, no matter the network, is backed up by the mysterious Alvar Hanso in that video that can be seen on YouTube.com.
So accepting that, it's also likely that other conceits from 'Lost' also affect the characters from other TV shows.
Throughout the flashbacks of the "Lostaways", we have seen how their lives have intersected with each other even if they haven't been fully aware of it.
Just a few examples:
1] Boone is in the same Australian police station where Sawyer gets arrested
2] Locke inspects the home bought by Nadia, Sayid's former love
3] Jack chose to save Sarah over the father of Shannon
4] Mr. Eko and Claire visited the same psychic
5] Kate's Mom served Sawyer in a diner; Jack's Dad drank with Sawyer in a bar
6] Hurley owned the box company where Locke worked
7] Libby was in the same mental hospital as Hurley and Locke's Mom and she sold her boat to Desmond
8] Most everybody previously heard Charlie's one hit song
Once you start, you just can't stop!
So that same theory about the six degrees of separation between everybody on Earth is probably universal. And therefore, the odd patterns that are emerging to link the six main characters of 'Six Degrees' probably are part of the same overall cosmic plan as is dictating the lives of the "Lostaways".
(Rob Buckley lists these character types caught up in this struggle of Life: "the artist who's lost his muse; the guy trying to find a girl; the woman who's lost her husband and is trying to get back on her feet; the woman who's worried her boyfriend might be cheating on her; the honest black guy trying to avoid being dragged into crime; and the girl on the run from her dangerous past.")
Rob also mentions another show from earlier this summer that could also be caught up in this grand design, 'Windfall'.
The basic foundation of the TV Universe is predicated on this theory about "Six Degrees of Separation", thanks to crossovers and spin-offs and other links which all eventually lead back to St. Eligius Teaching Hospital in Boston, AKA 'St. Elsewhere'.
The Toobworld concept takes it for granted that all TV shows are connected already; and while it's nice to find either official links or one of my wacko theories to confirm this, I don't need the proof to justify my belief.
I'm committed to 'Shark' for the first two episodes, but I think I'll be switching over to 'Six Degrees' once I see that second one. (My friend Shirley Jordan will be playing one of Shark's poker buddies in it.)
Forget about 'ER' ever getting hold of my eyeballs ever again!
I'm pretty sure that despite the bad reviews (Rob Buckley's was the first one that I saw that was positive, and even that was lukewarm.), 'Six Degrees' will be around for a while.
After all, when the producer is JJ Abrams, and he's already bringing in the "Numbers" for your network (Sorry about that, Chief!), then you don't want to make him angry.
You wouldn't like it if he's angry.
(One could argue that NBC had no trouble pissing off Dick Wolf twice in a row with speedy cancellations of 'Law & Order: Trial By Jury' and 'Conviction', but that franchise is old and could even be on the ropes. 'Lost' is sssssmokin' white hot.)
Besides, I would not be surprised if a mention of some character from 'Lost' or a reference to the Hanso Foundation or to Oceanic Airlines crops up on the show. Abrams did the same thing twice in episodes of 'Alias'.
Anyway......
What does it all mean? Who knows? Bring on the statue with the four toes already!
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
"Just who are the people we nod our hellos to as we pass on the street?
A rather good question to ask....
Particularly in the Twilight Zone."
Rod Serling
'The Twilight Zone'
A rather good question to ask....
Particularly in the Twilight Zone."
Rod Serling
'The Twilight Zone'
EIN KLEIN FERNSEHEN MUSIK
Theme music and the incidental music for TV series don't mean squat to the tele-folks who live within those TV shows. Although the theme music underscores their actions and might even pre-determine their moods, they are unaware of it pervading their surroundings.
Except for Lt. 'Columbo'. It's obvious that he has a touch of tele-cognizance because he can actually hear the incidental music, as demonstrated in the episode "Last Salute To The Commodore".
In the scene when he has gathered all of his suspects together to determine who killed the Commodore and then his son-in-law as well, Columbo demands absolute quiet as he listens to the Commodore's watch.
Apparently it's not quiet enough because once again he calls for silence. This time, the incidental music cuts out.
And Columbo responds, "Thank you."
It's a good thing this little talent is not available to all police detectives in Toobworld. The theme music for the 'Inspector Morse' series contains a musical version of Morse code which spells out his name. The incidental music does this as well in most of the episodes, spelling out the names of various characters - oftentimes the murderer!
Had Inspector Morse the ability to hear that music, he'd solve the case before it had even begun, and then we would have been denied the chance to enjoy as much of John Thaw's performances as we were lucky to get.
I bring up the theme music for TV shows because I've been enjoying 'Justice' on FOX these last few weeks. Too bad I'll be abandoning it for 'Lost' once that returns on October 4th.
For its theme music, 'Justice' is using 'Lawyers, Guns, and Money' by Warren Zevon:
"I was an innocent bystander
But somehow I got stuck
Between a rock and a hard place
Send lawyers, guns, and money......"
For those of you familiar with the song, you'll notice there's a line missing: "Cuz I'm down on my luck."
Those who don't know the song might think that the rhyme should have been some other word ending in "uck" which could apply to the legal system.......
There's room to have kept it in - the producers throw in a guitar riff between the last two lines to replace it. So why did they take it out?
I would think a person who's down on their luck would want the best law firm in the City of Angels to represent them and get them out of whatever predicament they're in.
Perhaps the producers didn't want the audience confused into thinking that to have chosen the law firm of TNT&G was the last possible resort.
I don't have anything against using established rock and pop songs as TV theme songs - I like the various songs of The Who for the 'CSI' franchise, although only the first one actually was relevant. I don't even mind them in commercials, for the most part. After all, had it not been for the VW Cabrio blipvert, I'd never have been introduced to the magical wonderment of Nick Drake.
But I don't like them getting twisted for the sake of the new use. So here's hoping that someday soon the producers of 'Justice' will return that snippet of the song to its original version.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
Except for Lt. 'Columbo'. It's obvious that he has a touch of tele-cognizance because he can actually hear the incidental music, as demonstrated in the episode "Last Salute To The Commodore".
In the scene when he has gathered all of his suspects together to determine who killed the Commodore and then his son-in-law as well, Columbo demands absolute quiet as he listens to the Commodore's watch.
Apparently it's not quiet enough because once again he calls for silence. This time, the incidental music cuts out.
And Columbo responds, "Thank you."
It's a good thing this little talent is not available to all police detectives in Toobworld. The theme music for the 'Inspector Morse' series contains a musical version of Morse code which spells out his name. The incidental music does this as well in most of the episodes, spelling out the names of various characters - oftentimes the murderer!
Had Inspector Morse the ability to hear that music, he'd solve the case before it had even begun, and then we would have been denied the chance to enjoy as much of John Thaw's performances as we were lucky to get.
I bring up the theme music for TV shows because I've been enjoying 'Justice' on FOX these last few weeks. Too bad I'll be abandoning it for 'Lost' once that returns on October 4th.
For its theme music, 'Justice' is using 'Lawyers, Guns, and Money' by Warren Zevon:
"I was an innocent bystander
But somehow I got stuck
Between a rock and a hard place
Send lawyers, guns, and money......"
For those of you familiar with the song, you'll notice there's a line missing: "Cuz I'm down on my luck."
Those who don't know the song might think that the rhyme should have been some other word ending in "uck" which could apply to the legal system.......
There's room to have kept it in - the producers throw in a guitar riff between the last two lines to replace it. So why did they take it out?
I would think a person who's down on their luck would want the best law firm in the City of Angels to represent them and get them out of whatever predicament they're in.
Perhaps the producers didn't want the audience confused into thinking that to have chosen the law firm of TNT&G was the last possible resort.
I don't have anything against using established rock and pop songs as TV theme songs - I like the various songs of The Who for the 'CSI' franchise, although only the first one actually was relevant. I don't even mind them in commercials, for the most part. After all, had it not been for the VW Cabrio blipvert, I'd never have been introduced to the magical wonderment of Nick Drake.
But I don't like them getting twisted for the sake of the new use. So here's hoping that someday soon the producers of 'Justice' will return that snippet of the song to its original version.
BCnU!
Tele-Toby
"Enjoy every sandwich!"
Warren Zevon
'Late Night with David Letterman'
Warren Zevon
'Late Night with David Letterman'
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
